tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-354768612024-03-13T09:15:43.330-05:00Chewing the Fat with BettyeThe Beautiful, The Bullshit, The Bizarrebettye griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04457387770524295498noreply@blogger.comBlogger873125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35476861.post-89518933313339771072015-09-15T22:00:00.000-05:002015-09-15T22:00:06.241-05:00<b><span style="font-size: x-small;">September 15, 2015</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="color: #990000;">The End?</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I've been blogging for a long time, but since it's been ages since my last post, I guess I should make it official.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">This blog is on hiatus while I decide what to do about it.</span>bettye griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04457387770524295498noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35476861.post-27206059741261748302015-06-28T16:30:00.000-05:002015-06-28T16:30:00.419-05:00<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>June 28, 2015</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="color: #990000;">Wrapping it up</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Today I have <i>two </i>deals for you! Sorry this is so late...breakfast this morning, then church. You know how it is. Enjoy!</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fQ8QhUZ-4q0/VZBl5HsnODI/AAAAAAAAB24/vj7S5-SPVyA/s1600/ISL%2BAnniversary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fQ8QhUZ-4q0/VZBl5HsnODI/AAAAAAAAB24/vj7S5-SPVyA/s640/ISL%2BAnniversary.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />bettye griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04457387770524295498noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35476861.post-14126902581561139182015-06-27T05:00:00.000-05:002015-06-27T05:00:03.873-05:00<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>June 27, 2015</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="color: #990000;">Second Day of Anniversary Sale</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">These deals both represent 50% off the regular prices. Get 'em while the getting's good; these prices are in effect for today only! And be sure to check back tomorrow for Sunday's specials!</span><br />
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<br />bettye griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04457387770524295498noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35476861.post-21129433034446802642015-06-26T16:30:00.000-05:002015-06-26T16:30:01.114-05:00<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>June 26, 2015 </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #990000;">Bunderful Books is 6 years old and having a sale to celebrate!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">On June 26, 2009, I uploaded a formatted manuscript and thus offered the first product of the newly formed Bunderful Books, <i><b>Save The Best For Last</b></i>. At the time I thought this was just a one-time deal. Soon after, the publisher of my women's fiction stories let me go, despite my editor's pleas to keep me on the roster. Because Bunderful Books was already in place, I was able to keep publishing...and I did.</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UbmxFRJv9GA/VY2-TwrU1GI/AAAAAAAAB2A/JNt8tH6nv0U/s1600/Anniversary%2BSale%2B2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UbmxFRJv9GA/VY2-TwrU1GI/AAAAAAAAB2A/JNt8tH6nv0U/s320/Anniversary%2BSale%2B2015.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">To mark the occasion, I'm offering a weekend of special buys. Today's deals appear above...check back tomorrow for Saturday's offerings!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">As always, I wish you good reading!</span>bettye griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04457387770524295498noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35476861.post-28347834289236806102015-05-14T05:00:00.000-05:002015-05-14T05:00:07.690-05:00<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>May 14, 2015</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #990000;">Author/Series Branding: Collaborators Michelle Monkou and Marcia King-Gamble</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Pooped from celebrating Cinco de Mayo last week? You can re-live feelings of revelry and abandon with the 3-book Carnival celebration series, a collaboration between authors Michelle Monkou and Marcia King-Gamble set during the annual pre-Lenten celebration on the islands of Trinidad, the Bahamas, and the Mardi Gras festivities in New Orleans. These short novels are priced at just 99 cents. Check out the wonderful branding of the covers:</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cW9i5xgf1uQ/VUo11Ram__I/AAAAAAAAB1A/VLXA1aBgYRc/s1600/Caribbean%2Bseries%2B2%2BSeducing%2BCirce.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cW9i5xgf1uQ/VUo11Ram__I/AAAAAAAAB1A/VLXA1aBgYRc/s1600/Caribbean%2Bseries%2B2%2BSeducing%2BCirce.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MwoBVO4M9bo/VUo11pBRnyI/AAAAAAAAB1E/qrWmB3oHCOY/s1600/Caribbean%2Bseries%2B3%2BTempting%2BAndie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MwoBVO4M9bo/VUo11pBRnyI/AAAAAAAAB1E/qrWmB3oHCOY/s1600/Caribbean%2Bseries%2B3%2BTempting%2BAndie.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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These gorgeous covers, united in font and design, were created by Christy Carlyle of <a href="http://www.gildedheartdesign.com/" target="_blank">Gilded Heart Designs</a>.<br />
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Michelle Monkou is a participant in the upcoming 12-author bundle, <i>12 Alphas, 12 Months</i>, a bundle of all NEW stories by popular authors that releases July 7th. You can pre-order it <a href="http://www.amazon.com/12-Alphas-Months-Contemporary-Calendar-ebook/dp/B00VS8UJT0/ref=la_B001IZTK9S_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1430927146&sr=1-1" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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Marcia King-Gamble's latest release is <a href="http://www.amazon.com/His-Golden-Heart-Marcia-King-Gamble-ebook/dp/B00R41R8O4/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1431482076&sr=1-1&keywords=his+golden+heart" target="_blank">His Golden Heart</a>. bettye griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04457387770524295498noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35476861.post-87040917175211523932015-04-06T05:00:00.000-05:002015-04-06T05:00:08.917-05:00<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>April 6, 2015</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>On the move</b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">"Isn't moving one of the seven major traumas? Death, divorce, colonoscopy..." - <i>Det. Lenny Briscoe (played by the late Jerry Orbach), Law & Order</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I haven't been online a whole lot in recent weeks because my husband and I moved a week-and-a-half ago. Looking for a "retirement cottage" has dominated our lives since last August. We took some time off to regroup from what seemed like a never-ending search when our real estate agent became ill just before Thanksgiving (sadly, by January she was in hospice and she passed away in February at the age of 52 from recurrent pancreatic cancer).</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">As is always the case, we knew the moment we walked into the 1932 Tudor that this was it. We decided ahead of time to make a complete change from the brand-new house in a subdivision thing and buy a house on a regular street with no restrictions on things like hanging our laundry out to dry in our yard, provided the yard was private and fenced in (which it is).</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">This house represents the first one we've owned that other people have lived in previously; our other two homes were both purchased brand new. Fortunately, this house in addition to having plenty of room, had the features we were hoping for, like light dimmers, ceiling fans, and a cemented patio.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The move has been remarkably organized, considering we are also selling our existing house and have to get it prepared. But it's a huge job, so I don't know how long I'll be away from the Internet.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Do you have any stories about moving, good or bad, you'd like to share?</span><br />
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bettye griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04457387770524295498noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35476861.post-14630125931196491362015-03-13T05:00:00.000-05:002015-03-13T06:17:34.620-05:00<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>March 13, 2015</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #990000;">Author Branding: Lynn Emery</span></b></span><br />
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I love it when an author's work can be easily identified at a glance without looking at their name. When I wrote for the old Arabesque line (which had various owners over the years), they chose a brand for my romance novels that featured faceless heroes and heroines. I thought it was nifty.<br />
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At the start of my indie publishing days I hadn't given a lot of thought to author branding, which was in keeping with my not knowing what the heck I was getting myself into. But after I'd completed the third and final connecting book in the series that began with my first indie title, <i><b>Save the Best For Last</b></i>, I noticed a startling lack of resemblance between the cover of the first book and that of the last two. While <i><b>Something Real</b></i> (book #2) and <i><b>Man of Her Heart</b></i> (book #3) were done in bold red and blue, <i><b>Save the Best For Last</b></i> had a black background with pink and yellow prominence in the foreground. They looked about as much alike as Danny DeVito and Arnold Schwarzenegger in that old movie, <i>Twins. </i><br />
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I contacted my cover designer, and we set to work coming up with a new cover for <i><b>Save the Best For Last</b></i>. The artwork chosen was also done in red and blue, and while the three covers now meshed, there was really nothing other than similar colors to link them together:<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AtvxaANVA7M/VQJAKU8ohsI/AAAAAAAAB0g/aO5K2_dVaCA/s1600/cover%2Bbundle%2B%231.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AtvxaANVA7M/VQJAKU8ohsI/AAAAAAAAB0g/aO5K2_dVaCA/s1600/cover%2Bbundle%2B%231.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i></i><br />
But enough about me. Over the next week or so, I want to show examples of true branding. Let's start with author Lynn Emery. Lynn writes stories set in her native Louisiana, and in her covers you can practically reach out and touch the Spanish moss, feel the heat of the bayou, and see the mist rising over the swamp. They <i>transport </i>potential readers to the Bayou State so that you can smell the gumbo cooking.<br />
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Let's take a look, and you'll see what I mean:<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aBufg44r59Y/VQI63cLOyGI/AAAAAAAAB0M/AU1jJeWoEVU/s1600/Emery%2B-%2BDarker%2BShade.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aBufg44r59Y/VQI63cLOyGI/AAAAAAAAB0M/AU1jJeWoEVU/s1600/Emery%2B-%2BDarker%2BShade.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--NjARsbybZ8/VQI63RALoXI/AAAAAAAAB0A/zWZBQzgqPX4/s1600/Emery%2B-%2BDusk%2Band%2BDawn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--NjARsbybZ8/VQI63RALoXI/AAAAAAAAB0A/zWZBQzgqPX4/s1600/Emery%2B-%2BDusk%2Band%2BDawn.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TO_17gcUqYo/VQI63QkroEI/AAAAAAAAB0E/YjwhlHYk2UQ/s1600/Emery%2B-%2BOnly%2Bby%2BMoonlight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TO_17gcUqYo/VQI63QkroEI/AAAAAAAAB0E/YjwhlHYk2UQ/s1600/Emery%2B-%2BOnly%2Bby%2BMoonlight.jpg" /></a></div>
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See what I mean? Lynn's covers evoke the mood and mystery of the bayou (the latter is particularly appropriate, since this particular series happen to <i>be</i> mysteries). I don't even have to look at her name on the cover; one glance and I know these are Lynn Emery novels. They are also strikingly attractive and are of a quality equal that produced by designers at the Big Five publishers.<br />
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Lynn has several series, and they are all branded for easy reader identification. For more information about her, please visit her <a href="http://www.lynnemery.com/" target="_blank">website</a>, and/or her <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lynn-Emery/e/B001HMLDEC/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1426209781&sr=1-2-ent" target="_blank">author page on Amazon</a>.<br />
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If you're in the market for a good cover designer, these covers of Lynn's were designed by <span class="_5yl5" data-reactid=".34.$mid=11411779301613=2201b0e9b112a514425.2:0.0.0.0.0"><span data-reactid=".34.$mid=11411779301613=2201b0e9b112a514425.2:0.0.0.0.0.0"><span data-reactid=".34.$mid=11411779301613=2201b0e9b112a514425.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$text0:0:$0:0"><a href="http://www.mandala.net/ebooks-covers.html" target="_blank">Pati Nagle</a>. </span><a data-reactid=".34.$mid=11411779301613=2201b0e9b112a514425.2:0.0.0.0.0.0.$range0:0" href="http://www.mandala.net/ebooks-covers.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a></span></span> bettye griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04457387770524295498noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35476861.post-33801247172253026682015-02-19T05:00:00.000-06:002015-02-19T05:00:00.902-06:00<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>February 19, 2015</b></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #990000;">NEW BOOK ALERT:</span></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #990000;">Don't Stop Till You Get Enough by Chicki Brown</span></span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">About the Book:</span></span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">New York City on-air</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>television personality Greg Stafford is different from his
brothers. He has a secret that none of the family knows about until he is
arrested and the story hits the media. A scandal ensues, and he is suspended
from his job for breaking the morality clause in his contract. In order to keep
his position, he is ordered to submit to therapy. Little does he know that the
woman who will become his counselor will become the most important person in
the world to him...</div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The gentle chime on the front
door sounded, and Rhani waited until her receptionist escorted him into the
office. Before her stood one of the best looking men she had ever seen, which
was quite an accomplishment in a city the size of New York.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .2in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Mr.
Stafford? Rhani Drake. Nice to meet you.” They shook hands, and she mentally
chastised herself for the prickling sensation running across her skin when
their flesh touched. She had seen him numerous times on TV, yet meeting him in
person was a jolt to her senses. The first thing she noticed was his height. He
towered over her five-feet-six inches. His scent registered with her senses
next. The cologne he wore had a luxurious, spicy fragrance</span><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-symbol-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Symbol;">¾</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">a mix of grass, cloves, jasmine
and some other delicious scents. Dressed casually yet stylishly, his appearance
came across as easy-going and self-confident.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .2in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Rhani
glanced up just in time to catch his questioning expression.</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Is
there something wrong?”</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">He
removed his hat but kept the shades on. “No. It’s just…I expected you to be
older.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .2in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">For
some reason, hearing this pleased her. “Is my age a problem? I assure you I am
well-qualified.” Rhani pointed to her framed diplomas on the office wall then
waved a hand toward the sofa.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Please
have a seat.”</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">He sat
with his long legs open, his elbows on his knees and studied the room for a
long moment. “Nice office.” The emotionless tone of his voice didn’t convey his
appreciation.</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Thank
you.” Once she settled into the chair at the end of the sofa, she crossed her
legs and rested her notebook on one knee. “Tell me why you’re here.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .2in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">He
flashed the dazzling smile she’d seen on the TV screen so many times. Her
stomach flipped, and she wanted to slap herself. “You already know why. I’m
sure Thad told you when he made the appointment.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .2in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Annoyed
by her sensual reaction to his presence, Rhani purposely didn’t return his
smile. “He did, but I’d like to hear your take on the situation. And do you
mind taking off the sunglasses? I like to make eye contact with my clients.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .2in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">He
poked out his lips, moved them from side to side then pulled of the shades and
put them in his shirt pocket. “I got arrested for…having sex in public, which
constitutes breaking the morals clause in my contract. In order to keep my job,
I have to attend counseling for a minimum of three months.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .2in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Is
that the only reason you’re here?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .2in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Excuse
me?” He met her gaze for the first time since he’d arrived, and she had to look
away. His light eyes were evident on television, but looking into them in
person was a different story. They were hazel—an intriguing combination of
several other colors including green and brown with less melanin than brown
eyes, but more than blue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why would she
even be thinking about this at the moment? Rhani blinked, straightened and
returned to her questioning. “Did you come to counseling to keep your job or to
deal with the reason the therapy was ordered to begin with?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .2in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">A
muscle ticked in his jaw, a square jaw covered by a smooth, neatly trimmed
beard. “I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">need</i> my job.” His voice
deepened in timbre and intensity.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .2in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“I
think you’ve answered my question. You’re saying you don’t want to be here.”</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">He
gave an insolent shrug.</span></div>
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UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
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UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
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UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]--><br />
<b>WHERE TO BUY:</b><br />
<b><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--></b><br />
<b><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
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UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
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UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00SRZUGTK" target="_blank">Kindle </a></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dont-stop-till-you-get-enough-chicki-brown/1121121584?ean=2940150008489" target="_blank"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Nook</span></a></div>
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<a href="https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/don-t-stop-till-you-get-enough" target="_blank"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Kobo</span></a></div>
<b> </b><br />
<b>INTERACT WITH CHICKI BROWN:</b><br />
<a href="http://sisterscribbler.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Chicki's Blog</a><b><a href="http://sisterscribbler.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"> </a></b><br />
<a href="http://twitter.com/@Chicki663" target="_blank">Twitter</a><br />
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/chicki.brown" target="_blank">Facebook</a><br />
<a href="http://pinterest.com/chicki663/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a><br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/l2kjXQ" target="_blank">Chicki's Amazon Central Author Page</a><br />
<a href="http://bit.ly/qcsiMD" target="_blank">Goodreads</a><br />
<b></b><br />
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<b>**********</b><br />
Talk about art imitating life! Okay, so Greg Stafford's dilemma sounds a lot juicier than the reason NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams was removed from the air, but it also sounds like a lot more fun!<br />
<br />
Like what you see? Show Chicki some love by leaving a comment! <b> </b>bettye griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04457387770524295498noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35476861.post-16608852496545957452015-02-18T05:00:00.000-06:002015-02-18T06:42:28.028-06:00<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="Body" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">February 18, 2015</span></b></span></div>
<div class="Body" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">NEW BOOK ALERT:</span></span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">"Love After War" by Té Russ</span></span></b></div>
<br /><div class="Body" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VFKa97avhhQ/VOMLAYNyCiI/AAAAAAAAByQ/gYoRaX7kTpg/s1600/Love%2BAfter%2BWar.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VFKa97avhhQ/VOMLAYNyCiI/AAAAAAAAByQ/gYoRaX7kTpg/s1600/Love%2BAfter%2BWar.jpeg" height="320" width="192" /></a></b></div>
<br />
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</div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">About
the book:</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: x-small; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">Connie and Drew have been butting heads since they were teenagers. With Connie refusing to talk about anything from </span>their past, Drew has never figured out
what made them go from friends to enemies. </span></div>
<div class="Body" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: x-small; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">Drew
decides to finally get to the root of their lifelong feud when Connie ends up
in Texas for a remodeling project. When the truth comes out, it just might
bring out some feelings both of them have been refusing to acknowledge for over
a decade.</span></div>
<div class="Body" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="BodyA" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">About the Author:</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: x-small; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">Growing up an introvert, T</span><span style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"; font-size: x-small; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">é</span><span style="font-size: small;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">Russ found solace in literary arts at
an early age. She found reading to be a vehicle to broader horizons and writing
a form of self-expression. She began writing love stories in her adolescent
years as a way to expel her youthful thoughts of love into words. Since then
she has gone from writing stories and thoughts of love in journals to attending
college for journalism and falling in love, which has allowed those youthful
words of love to blossom into a series of stories in her romance novels. Though
she has an immense appreciation for the sheer smell that books collectively
exert, she also has found balance to her introverted nature with adrenaline
inducing activities. So if she does not have her nose pressed deeply into a
book or her pen ticking through a pad, you may also find this mother of three
baking some tasty treats, jumping out of airplanes, cheering her husband on at
the top of her lungs at MMA fights, buzzing down the interstate on the back of
motorcycles, or kayaking.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: x-small; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">Email:
</span><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="mailto:terussnovels@gmail.com"><span class="Hyperlink0"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">terussnovels@gmail.com</span></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: x-small; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">Books
available on </span><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/T%C3%A9-Russ/e/B008HSBE34/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1"><span class="Hyperlink0"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">Amazon</span></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">Excerpt, <i>Love After War</i>:</span></b></span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0Fvg9s1jP_w/VOPnfVJvDWI/AAAAAAAABys/K5kRJ4z4TNo/s1600/Te%2BRuss%2Bquote.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0Fvg9s1jP_w/VOPnfVJvDWI/AAAAAAAABys/K5kRJ4z4TNo/s1600/Te%2BRuss%2Bquote.jpeg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">“What are we
doing here, Andrew?” Connie asked, annoyed. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">“This is where we</span><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">re having lunch,”
he replied simply. “</span><span lang="SV" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-ansi-language: SV; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">You still eat pizza, don</span><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">t you?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">They were
standing in the waiting area of Uno Chicago Grill, simply known as Uno</span><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">s in the area. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">It looked a lot
like a pizzeria they used to go to as kids in the summer in Galveston. She
wondered if he</span><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">d brought her here on purpose. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">“Yes, I still eat
pizza, but–”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">“Great, here
comes the hostess to seat us.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">The lady barely
looked at Connie; she was so busy eyeballing Drew. And flirting just a tad too
much. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">“Can I get you
anything to drink, honey?” she cooed, while brushing her hand up and down his
shoulder.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">“Constance?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">“What?” she
asked, tearing her glare away from the woman.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">He tried to hide
the smirk on his face. “What would you like to drink?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">“Iced tea. Sweet.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">“I</span><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">ll have the same
thing,” he said, never taking his eyes off of Connie. “Iced tea. Sweet.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">“I</span><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">m sure it</span><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">s not as sweet as
you.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">“I</span><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">m hardly sweet,” he
replied, causing the hostess to laugh a little too hysterically and all but
throw herself into Drew</span><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">s lap.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">After she was
done fawning over him, she sauntered off with an exaggerated sway of her hips.
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">Connie couldn</span><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">t wipe the scowl
off of her face and Drew was about to say something when Miss Laughs-a-lot
returned. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">“Joss will be
your waitress today, but if you need <i>anything, </i>don</span><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">t hesitate to
call.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">Connie watched as
the woman slipped a piece of paper down in front of him. She rolled her eyes as
the woman walked away.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">“Unbelievable,”
Connie murmured.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">“What is?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">“That... <i>woman</i>.
She was throwing herself all over you, Andrew.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">He shrugged. “I
suppose she was a little flirty.”</span></div>
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<span lang="DA" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-ansi-language: DA; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">Connie laughed. </span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">“A <i>little</i> flirty? Andrew, please! She was two seconds away from
giving you a lap dance right in front of me. And she didn</span><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">t acknowledge me
once. It was as if I wasn</span><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">t even here. For
all she knew I could have been your date or girlfriend, but she didn</span><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">t care.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">“But you do?”
Drew asked, with a raised eyebrow.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">“Excuse me?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">“Well, you</span><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">re not my
girlfriend. And technically this isn</span><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">t a date, just
lunch. So why do you care if some hostess flirts with me?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">“You are
completely incorrigible! It</span><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">s simply rude of
her to flirt with a man in front of lady company. And it</span><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">s just bad
customer service to ignore patrons. Besides that, I <i>don</i></span><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 175%; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">’</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">t</span></i><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;"> care who flirts
with you or whom you flirt with.”</span></span></div>
<div class="BodyA" style="line-height: 175%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">“Ah, but that</span><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">s the thing! I
didn</span><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">t flirt with her. In fact, if I recall, I <i>never</i> took my eyes
off of you.”</span></div>
<div class="BodyA" style="line-height: 175%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">Connie opened her
mouth to argue, but she couldn</span><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">t because he was
right. Drew</span><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;"> seemed to have</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;"> barely to noticed the hostess.</span></div>
<div class="BodyA" style="line-height: 175%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">“</span><span lang="DE" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-ansi-language: DE; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">Well–</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">”</span></div>
<div class="BodyA" style="line-height: 175%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">“If I didn</span><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">t know any better,
Barb, I</span><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">d say you were jealous.”</span></div>
<div class="BodyA" style="line-height: 175%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">He watched as the
color rose up her neck and filled her cheeks. “Andrew McAllister, I am <i>not</i>
jealous of some floozy hitting on <i>you</i>!”</span></div>
<div class="BodyA" style="line-height: 175%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">He chuckled, and
then said, “‘The lady doth protest too much, methinks!</span><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">’”</span></div>
<div class="BodyA" style="line-height: 175%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">She scoffed. “Quoting
Hamlet does not make you cute.”</span></div>
<div class="BodyA" style="line-height: 175%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">“So what </span><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span lang="NL" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 175%; mso-ansi-language: NL; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">does</span></i><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">
make me cute?” he asked, his voice filled with a hint of intrigue.</span></span></div>
<div class="BodyA" style="line-height: 175%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">Connie threw a
napkin at him and he laughed out loud.</span></div>
<div class="BodyA" style="line-height: 175%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">Joss, the
waitress, showed up then and took their food orders. She was clearly a young
girl, probably a college student and was completely enamored with Drew as well.
Thankfully, she wasn</span><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">t shameless like the hostess. The poor girl could barely speak. She
kept looking at Connie and stealing glances toward Drew, as if he were the sun
and just too bright to look at directly.</span></div>
<div class="BodyA" style="line-height: 175%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">Drew ordered for
them, remembering exactly how Connie liked her pizza. </span></div>
<div class="BodyA" style="line-height: 175%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">Another thing
from their past, she</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;"> thought. But she let it slide this time, because the poor girl
nearly knocked over their glasses of iced tea. </span></div>
<div class="BodyA" style="line-height: 175%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">“I</span><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">m so sorry,” she
apologized to them both.</span></div>
<div class="BodyA" style="line-height: 175%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">“It</span><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">s all right,” he
said to her.</span></div>
<div class="BodyA" style="line-height: 175%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">Connie nodded.
“Don</span><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">t worry honey, no harm done.”</span></div>
<div class="BodyA" style="line-height: 175%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">The girl scuffled
off to put in their orders and Connie couldn</span><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">t help but laugh.</span></div>
<div class="BodyA" style="line-height: 175%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">“The great Andrew
McAllister, turning women all over the place into crazed fools.”</span></div>
<div class="BodyA" style="line-height: 175%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">“Except you,” he
said sarcastically.</span></div>
<div class="BodyA" style="line-height: 175%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">If only you knew</span></i><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">, she thought.</span></span></div>
<div class="BodyA" style="line-height: 175%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">“I</span><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">m not the only
one causing trouble in here,” he said, interrupting her thoughts.</span></div>
<div class="BodyA" style="line-height: 175%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">“What in the
world are you talking about?”</span></div>
<div class="BodyA" style="line-height: 175%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">“The man sitting
at the table behind you, at your five o</span><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">clock...”</span></div>
<div class="BodyA" style="line-height: 175%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">Connie used the
excuse of tucking her hair behind her ear to glance over her shoulder and
caught a man averting his eyes from their direction.</span></div>
<div class="BodyA" style="line-height: 175%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">“He</span><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">s been staring at
your legs since you walked past him.”</span></div>
<div class="BodyA" style="line-height: 175%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">“What? That</span><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">s ridicu–”</span></div>
<div class="BodyA" style="line-height: 175%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">“The man at the
table behind me, at your two o</span><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">clock.. .”</span></div>
<div class="BodyA" style="line-height: 175%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">He waited for her
to glance over his shoulder and then look back at him.</span></div>
<div class="BodyA" style="line-height: 175%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">“</span><span lang="DE" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-ansi-language: DE; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">Well,</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">”
he said, slightly annoyed, “Let</span><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">s just say he</span><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">s been looking a
little bit North of your legs, South of your neck.”</span></div>
<div class="BodyA" style="line-height: 175%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">She gasped at
what he was implying.</span></div>
<div class="BodyA" style="line-height: 175%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">“How could you
know that?” she asked in a whisper, leaning closer toward him.</span></div>
<div class="BodyA" style="line-height: 175%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">“Part of my job
is to make sure I know everything going on in my surroundings.”</span></div>
<div class="BodyA" style="line-height: 175%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">“Well, I guess
you do your job pretty well.”</span></div>
<div class="BodyA" style="line-height: 175%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">He shrugged. “I</span><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">’</span><span lang="SV" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-ansi-language: SV; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">m still alive.</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">” </span></div>
<div class="BodyA" style="line-height: 175%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">There was
something in the tone of his voice when he said those words. If she didn</span><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-ansi-language: FR; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">t know any
better, she would have thought it sounded like remorse.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">------------------------- </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 175%; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;"> <i><b>Love After War </b></i>is available <i>now </i>at <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Love-After-McAllister-Family-Book-ebook/dp/B00QAUNMU4/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1424218469&sr=1-1&keywords=Te+Russ" target="_blank">Amazon</a>! Purchase yours today! And if you're intrigued, show Té some love and leave a comment below!</span></div>
bettye griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04457387770524295498noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35476861.post-4453891480981974972015-02-17T05:00:00.000-06:002015-02-17T05:00:07.668-06:00<b><span style="font-size: x-small;">February 17, 2015</span></b><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #990000;">Brrrrrrr!</span></b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Given the exceptionally cold winter, this isn't such a bad idea...</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZFxjX6Ret5A/VOMMGxoAPUI/AAAAAAAAByc/C4i2UymKLzI/s1600/face%2Bmask.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZFxjX6Ret5A/VOMMGxoAPUI/AAAAAAAAByc/C4i2UymKLzI/s1600/face%2Bmask.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">How are you coping with the cold? </span><br />
bettye griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04457387770524295498noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35476861.post-8401473079240798662015-01-31T09:00:00.000-06:002015-01-31T09:00:02.428-06:00<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>January 31, 2015</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">"I'm <i>definitely</i> not running for President...I <i>might</i> run for President...No, I'm not going to run President..."</span></b></span><br />
<br />
<br />
I'm not a psychiatrist, but I'm going to take a stab at what makes Mitt Romney tick: <br /><br />Here is a man raised in privilege who has had smashing success at virtually anything he set out to do, and he wanted to be President. He lost the 2008 nomination to John McCain, but got it in 2012. His apparent willingness to say whatever he thought the base wanted him to say in order to win the White House made him impossible to read, although he had solid support among die-hard Republicans. His wife's lament that "It was our turn," after the 2012 loss against President Obama smacks of a sense of entitlement.<br />
<br />
My jaw dropped when Romney announced his interest in making a third attempt, after declaring on multiple occasions that he wasn't going to run again (I'm not sure if <i>any</i> major party politician has attempted three Presidential runs). It was comical watching him reverse his opinions, not only about running, but about his sudden concern for the Americans living in poverty that he didn't care about last time around. Some attendees of his New York meeting, billed as a social event to mix with old friends he hadn't seen in awhile, were rankled when it was revealed to be an exploratory meeting, because it made them appear to be Romney supporters, when many of them had already gotten behind Jeb Bush.<br />
<br />
Speaking of the former Florida governor, I don't believe it was coincidental that Romney announced his change of heart until <i>after</i> it started looking more and more like Jeb Bush is going to run. Romney is competitive, and I don't think he cared much for the idea of an already established political dynasty making history.<br />
<br />
As for that parting shot about stepping aside in favor of a new generation of not widely known Republicans stepping up to lead the party (a pretty direct jab at Jeb), consider this: Mitt Romney's father (George) wanted to be President (he didn't advance far enough in the primaries for it to be determined whether he was even eligible under somewhat murky citizenship regulations and having born in Mexico). Jeb Bush's father (George) also wanted to be President, but unlike the other George, he made it, as did his son, also named George, a contemporary of Mitt's.<br />
<br />
Am I the only one who senses characteristics of entitlement, competition, and jealousy here? <br /><br />I'm glad he realized that running again would only be a public embarrassment for him as his backers almost certainly turn to other candidates they deem more viable than a third-time also-ran and his competitors (even those in the same political party) make mincemeat of his changing his mind so often. Anyone who seeks the presidency because they've gotten everything else they wanted, so therefore this should be theirs as well, plus not wanting to be bested by another political family who succeeded where theirs failed, are not good reasons for wanting to be President. <br /><br />Mitt Romney appears to be a still-vigorous man in his late sixties. My hope is that he will simply walk off into the sunset, enjoy his family and his millions, and never appear on the political landscape again... bettye griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04457387770524295498noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35476861.post-78215967558957905402015-01-20T19:30:00.000-06:002015-01-20T19:35:30.842-06:00<b><span style="font-size: x-small;">January 20, 2015</span></b><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #990000;">Only in the movies... </span></b></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst">
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Movies have always been a big part of my life. I’m
the youngest of five, with my siblings ranging between five and ten years my
senior. That feels like half a generation when you’re six or so. But somehow,
when we would gather around that huge (the console itself, not the screen,
which was actually only about 15 inches), old television set in my youngest
brother’s room (where it was relegated after my parents purchased a smaller,
more contemporary Zenith for the living room), the years separating us melted
away.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-size: small;">We watched youth-oriented programming, cartoons
and those silly situation comedies. Believe it or not, in the early 1960s three
of the five of us were not allowed to stay up late enough to watch the #1 rated
program, <i>The Beverly Hillbillies</i>, which
came on at 9PM.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-size: small;">My fondest memories involved the movies we
watched, those sword-and-sandal Steve Reeves epics depicting ancient Rome,
Abbott and Costello comedies, and fantasy monster movies. I was enraptured by <i>King Kong’s</i> wild rampages, and to this
day I adore <i>Mighty Joe Young</i>, in
spite of the transparently crude special effects in the original low-budget
B-picture version, and consider it to be one of the few films with an excellent remake.</span><br />
<br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpLast">
<span style="font-size: small;">Today, over 50 years later, I love to spend the
early morning and afternoon hours as I work on my latest novel in front of the
television screen, watching Turner Classic Movies. Over the years, I’ve noticed
things that happen regularly in old movies that are highly unlikely to occur in
real life, then or now. Maybe you’ll recognize a few (or share some I might have left out in the Comments):</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpLast">
<span style="font-size: small;">--------------- </span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-synthesis: weight style; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span>People dressed in their best to go rob a bank.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-synthesis: weight style; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span>People leave town carrying all their clothes in
a single, not-very-big suitcase are then seen wearing wardrobes that can only
be described as extensive.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-synthesis: weight style; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span>Poor widows often dress in Chanel suits (most famously Lana Turner in <i>Imitation of Life)</i>, and
their one cocktail dress looks like it came straight out of that month’s <i>Vogue</i>.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-synthesis: weight style; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span>The clothes that the escaped convict pulls off some stranger's clothesline are always his <i>exact</i> size.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-synthesis: weight style; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span>The casts of Westerns are always remarkably
clean, considering the scarcity of bathtubs at that time, and so are their
clothes. And everyone’s teeth are pearly white, even if they’re always seen
chewing tobacco.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-synthesis: weight style; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span>Speaking of Westerns, funny how someone usually
gets knocked through a glass window but never seems to get cut.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-synthesis: weight style; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span>No matter what type of fall the hero takes in
the fight scene, he always jumps up and keeps fighting…even if it’s six feet
down landing flat on his back onto a glacier...yes, a <i>glacier</i>. I saw this once in a Victor Mature movie set in Montana's Glacier Park, and I howled with laughter. Anyone else would have broken their damn back.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-synthesis: weight style; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span>When the good guy who is being wrongfully
pursued has to beat it quickly the car always stalls once, twice, starting up
the third time, just as they’re about to be captured.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-synthesis: weight style; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span>A woman being chased always falls and sprain
her ankle, then will have to be carried.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-synthesis: weight style; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span>People ride with convertible tops down in the
dead of winter, with neither hats blowing off nor hair moving more than a
cursory half-inch.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-synthesis: weight style; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span>Drivers look at their passenger for long
stretches while talking (usually while driving said convertible), not watching
the road for long stretches but never crashing.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-synthesis: weight style; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span>Gas tanks <i>always</i>
explode in a crash.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-synthesis: weight style; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span>People in midtown Manhattan always find a
parking spot right in front of their destination.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-synthesis: weight style; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span>No one in midtown Manhattan ever has a hard time
getting a cab.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-synthesis: weight style; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span>People entering packed nightclubs always manage
to get a choice table right up front.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-synthesis: weight style; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span>Pretty gals in their 20s and 30s always fall for
men in their 50s or 60s. (C’mon, if you looked like Audrey Hepburn, would you
want Humphrey Bogart?)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-synthesis: weight style; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span>Women always awaken with perfectly coiffed hair
and in full makeup, with no blemishes.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-synthesis: weight style; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span>Men's chests are just about always hairless.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-synthesis: weight style; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span>The orphanage or other building is on fire with
people trapped inside, and the fire department is nowhere to be found.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-synthesis: weight style; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span>The solder in a war movie who talks about his
postwar plans to marry his sweetheart, go to work at the town's mill and have a
houseful of kids, etc., dies in the very next scene.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-synthesis: weight style; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span>Anyone who coughs on film is dead two scenes
later (I saw this plot device used as recently as 2007, in the movie <i>Daddy’s Little Girls</i>).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-synthesis: weight style; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span>No one is ever buried on a sunny day; it’s
always storming outside.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-synthesis: weight style; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span>Golfers always have caddies, but who supplied Robin
Hood with that endless supply of arrows?</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-size: small;">See you at the movies! </span>
bettye griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04457387770524295498noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35476861.post-35819042211879685232014-10-31T19:00:00.000-05:002014-10-31T19:00:00.602-05:00<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>October 31, 2014</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #990000;"><b>Gone Blogging</b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="userContent">I know I've been MIA...I'm feverishly working on a Christmas release that I hope will come to fruition (or else I'll hve to wait until next Christmas...not an appealing prospect). </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="userContent">In the meantime, I did an interview on <a href="http://www.cherylholloway.net/blog/2014/10/31/celebrity-guest-author-interview-bettye-griffin/" target="_blank">Cheryl Holloway's blog</a>,
talking about my writing career and my new release, Love Will
Grow...hope you'll stop by! Comments are always welcome...</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="userContent"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="userContent">Back to write some more!</span></span>bettye griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04457387770524295498noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35476861.post-19391480681814920852014-09-10T04:00:00.000-05:002014-09-10T04:00:01.859-05:00<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>September 10, 2014</b></span><br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">For Keeps by Deatri King-Bey</span></span></b><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-size: large;">Got the midweek blues? Dump the doldrums and get engrossed in Deatri King-Bey</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #262626;">’</span></span>s latest, <b><i>For Keeps</i></b>!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-size: large;">Her</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #262626;">e’</span></span>s Deatri to tell you about it. Take it away, Deatri!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-size: large;">--------------- </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">In my upcoming romantic
suspense, <i><b>For Keeps</b></i>, <span style="color: #262626;">Gina Guy’s daughter has witnessed a murder and the murderer is
after the little girl. Child Protective Services is manipulated into the
picture, and Jarvis Martin, a manager within the agency, steps in to protect
the Guy’s rights. From the moment Gina meets Jarvis, she feels she can depend
on him, but life has proven to her that the only person she can count on is
Gina. Will they be able to stop the murderer? Can Jarvis earn her trust and
love?</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VbT_87LNR_0/VA7GZXmRhRI/AAAAAAAABxY/VnAkiY4-50s/s1600/ForKeeps200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VbT_87LNR_0/VA7GZXmRhRI/AAAAAAAABxY/VnAkiY4-50s/s1600/ForKeeps200.jpg" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #262626;">Heavy topic for a romance,
huh? I’m known for taking non-conventional characters and topics and spinning
them into a romance. I like to create dialogue. The moment I released the <i><b>For
Keeps</b></i> blurb, people started asking me where the idea came from. I’ve often said
that I have voices in my head that tell me their stories, then I relay those
stories to you though my books. Basically, I put my psychosis to work. </span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #262626;">Events usually wake those
voices in my head and cause them to start speaking to me. The voices from <i><b>For Keeps</b></i>
came about as the result of two incidents. A few years back, I noticed more
reports of children being murdered down here (Arizona) by abusive parents on
the news. This was a very noticeable increase. There was actually an event that
correlated to the increase in deaths and abuse. I can’t remember the number,
but there were like 2,500 reported cases of abuse that were never investigated
during that time period. Big time scandal. Lots of people fired over that. </span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #262626;">In incident two, I know
someone who was reported to CPS by the hospital she delivered her baby in
because there were narcotics in the baby’s system. Actually, hospitals must
report when babies are born with drugs in their system. That sounds like a good
thing, right? </span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #262626;">Well, the hospital neglected
to inform CPS that the mother had been a patient in the hospital and
administered the narcotic by the nurses. The mother didn’t even realize what
they were giving her was a narcotic until after CPS contacted her and told them
they’d be taking her child from her for him testing positive for
narcotics.<span> </span>This mother went into a
panic. She did everything her CPS case manager asked for, but CPS didn’t do
their part. Then the case manager’s boss came into the picture and took steps
to take this child away from the mother. It got really ugly. </span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #262626;">To make a long story short,
the original case manager came back into the picture and stopped the insanity. Had
it not been for that case manager, this woman’s child would have been taken
from her even though the hospital had supplied the paperwork requested by CPS.
Sounds crazy, huh? Yeah, I couldn’t believe what was happening as it unfolded.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #262626;">These incidents breathed
life into Gina and Jarvis. There are good parents caught up in the system every
day. There are bad parents that children need to be protected from. There are
bad case managers and there are good case managers. </span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I don’t know, this seemed
like the perfect backdrop for a romantic suspense. Next thing you know, Gina
and Jarvis were telling me their story. I hope you enjoy <i><b>For Keeps</b></i>. This title is now available in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/For-Keeps-Deatri-King-Bey/dp/0692276602" target="_blank">Print</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Keeps-Deatri-King-Bey-ebook/dp/B00MRLMMEW" target="_blank">Kindle</a>, <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/for-keeps-deatri-king-bey/1120209431?ean=2940150453593" target="_blank">Nook</a> and ePub (via Barnes & Noble) formats. You can read the <a href="https://deatrikingbey.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/for-keeps-sample.pdf" title="Read the first chapter">first chapter here.</a></span></span></div>
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</span><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Bettye, thank you for
giving me the opportunity to share <i><b>For Keeps</b></i>. I appreciate it and you.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.deatrikingbey.com/" target="_blank">Deatri King-Bey</a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
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</div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">---------------</span>
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">You</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #262626;">’</span></span>re so welcome, Deatri! Sounds like my kinda book. I love stories where characters fall in love under unusual circumstances. Readers, you</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #262626;">’</span></span>re in for a treat!</span><br />
<br />bettye griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04457387770524295498noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35476861.post-23315601298515417992014-09-05T13:00:00.000-05:002014-09-05T13:00:01.211-05:00<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>September 5, 2014</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Cover Reveal and Excerpt</b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">At long last, <i><b>Love Will Grow </b></i>is finally complete. It's being edited right now. I haven't assigned a release date yet, but it will probably be around the end of this month or perhaps early in October. If there's one thing I've learned since being an indie writer, it's not to be so quick to hit the Publish button; take your time and do it right.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">First, the cover:</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FFtQXlLXn4c/VAnvdyyWfiI/AAAAAAAABxI/xef7O2g0uXI/s1600/love_will_grow3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FFtQXlLXn4c/VAnvdyyWfiI/AAAAAAAABxI/xef7O2g0uXI/s1600/love_will_grow3.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">If this looks familiar, it's because this is part of my <i>Love Will </i>series. This is the final book; the earlier titles are <i><b>Lost That Lovin' Feeling </b></i>(a short prequel) and the novel <i><b>Love Will Follow</b></i>. For the convenience of those who might have missed any of these prior studies, I'll be offering a bundle with all three titles at a savings. For those of you who've read the other books, I'll be offering <i><b>Love Will Grow </b></i>on pre-order on Amazon for $2.99...the price will go up to $3.99 on the release date, so you'll save by pre-ordering. If you need a PDF or an EPUB, those will be available <a href="http://www.bettyegriffin.com/Bettye-s-Books.html" target="_blank">at my eStore</a> at an even sweeter deal!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">In the meantime, here's an excerpt for you. Enjoy!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">-------------------</span><br />
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hurried inside the small post office branch on her route home. A small,
one-person post office, it closed at 5:30. It was now 5:24, but she still had
time to buy stamps, get the envelope containing her rebate date stamped, and
get to Dillon’s daycare by six.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">She held the door of the post office open for a
slow-moving elderly gentleman, who thanked her profusely in a voice creaking
with age. When she went to pull the envelope out of her purse, she realized
she’d left it sitting on the passenger seat of the car. She cursed under her breath
as she rushed back outside to retrieve it. As she did, she noticed an old Ford
Taurus pull into the parking lot.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">It only took a few seconds to get the envelope. She
rushed back toward the post office entrance.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Hello, Ms. Taylor.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Turning sharply at the sound of her name, Nylah found
herself looking dead into the eyes of Detective Marc Samuels. She felt her jaws
tighten, then forced herself to relax her expression. She’d been contacted by
his partner, Detective Sayegh, last week. They planned to charge the already
imprisoned woman with identity theft upon her release. Unfortunately but not
surprisingly, she had claimed innocence, and they were unable to get her to
confess having known anything at all about Dillon’s personal information, much
less giving or selling it to anyone. Detective Sayegh told Nylah that they
would try again when she was released from prison, offering to reduce the
charges against her in exchange for names of her clients and/or partners. He
told her that people’s memories often improved once they were arrested.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">At least she knew who was responsible for what happened,
even if nothing ever became of it. That part of the nightmare was over, and the
detectives on the case, John Sayegh and Marc Samuels, had been the ones to
solve it. So what if Marc had been inconsiderate with his questions about
Dillon and had stepped into matters that shouldn’t concern him when suggesting
that she tell Dillon about his birth parents. His apology in the hospital
cafeteria had felt genuine. The least she could do was be civil to him.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Detective,” she said with a curt nod. “You’ll have to
excuse me. They’re going to be closing at any moment.” Once more she rushed
toward the entrance.</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="revisedeBook">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">He was behind her in an instant, reaching forward to open
the door for her. “Thank you,” she tossed over her shoulder. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div class="revisedeBook">
<br /></div>
<div class="revisedeBook">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“You’re welcome.” Marc inadvertently licked his lips.
Nylah Taylor was, in the words of a sexy jazz tune by Harry Connick Jr., one
fine thing. It still distressed him to have clashed with her, not once, but twice.
He’d like nothing more than to get another chance with her, especially now that
the perpetrator of Dillon’s identity theft was now in the hands of the justice
system, delayed as it would be. He didn’t often meet a woman who piqued his
interest in the way Nylah had. As he watched her make a purchase, then step
aside with her change in hand, he decided to go for it. He moved up to the
counter, barely a foot away from her as she put her change away. The clerk
gestured to him that he’d be with him in just a moment. That was even better.
He’d prefer not to have an audience, and the only other person present was an
elderly man who was handling some sort of paperwork at a rear counter. “Ms.
Taylor, do you think I could speak with you for just a moment?”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div class="revisedeBook">
<br /></div>
<div class="revisedeBook">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">He was pleased when she actually smiled at him. “I’m
terribly sorry, but I have to pick up Dillon at his daycare by six o’clock at
the latest. I’m already in trouble with the management. They’re threatening to
terminate his enrollment because I’ve been late several times recently. So I’m
afraid I have to run.” She gathered her change purse and wallet and returned
them to her handbag, which she slid onto her shoulder. “Take care.”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div class="revisedeBook">
<br /></div>
<div class="revisedeBook">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Marc knew better than to ask if he could call her. He
wasn’t sure whether or not she was brushing him off, but he wanted to give her
the benefit of the doubt. She seemed sincere enough, and she’d even given him
one of her beautiful smiles. He imagined the two of them sitting over a
candlelit dinner in a romantic restaurant, a smile on her lips and a sparkle in
her eyes.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div class="revisedeBook">
<br /></div>
<div class="revisedeBook">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“A book of stamps, please,” he said to the clerk, who had
returned.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div class="revisedeBook">
<br /></div>
<div class="revisedeBook">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Nylah’s voice rang out, sounding more than a little
distressed. “Excuse me. Can you let me out, please? This door is locked.”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div class="revisedeBook">
<br /></div>
<div class="revisedeBook">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“That’s because it’s past five-thirty,” the clerk
replied. “Because I’m the only one here, I have to take care of the remaining
customers, and you’ll all have to leave at the same time.” He handed Marc his
change and receipt. “Thank you, sir.”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div class="revisedeBook">
<br /></div>
<div class="revisedeBook">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“But I have to be somewhere in a few minutes!”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div class="revisedeBook">
<br /></div>
<div class="revisedeBook">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">One look at Nylah’s agitated expression, and Marc knew
she hadn’t been kidding about needing to pick up Dillon on time. Apparently
when the clerk excused himself, he’d gone to lock the door. He’d been so busy
talking to Nylah he hadn’t noticed.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div class="revisedeBook">
<br /></div>
<div class="revisedeBook">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Damn, he must really be taken with her. Rarely did he
find himself unaware of what was going on around him. In his profession such
inattentiveness could be dangerous.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div class="revisedeBook">
<br /></div>
<div class="revisedeBook">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“I’m sorry, ma’am,” the clerk said apologetically. “If I
let out each customer one at a time, I’d never get out of here. But there’s
only one customer left.”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div class="revisedeBook">
<br /></div>
<div class="revisedeBook">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Marc’s eyes immediately went to the elderly man who was
shuffling forward. Instinctively he knew the clerk’s final transaction of the
day would be no quick matter, as his and Nylah’s business had been.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div class="revisedeBook">
<br /></div>
<div class="revisedeBook">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">He approached Nylah, who appeared to be hyperventilating
as she watched the old man pull out a list. “Oh, my God,” she whispered, though
not necessarily to him—he wasn’t sure she even saw him. “He’s getting money
orders. More than one, if those envelopes are all bills.” She looked as if she
was about to cry. “I’ll never get to Merrillville in time.”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div class="revisedeBook">
<br /></div>
<div class="revisedeBook">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Standing beside her, Marc decided to make his presence
known. “It looks like we’re stuck for the duration…like being in a traffic
jam.”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div class="revisedeBook">
<br /></div>
<div class="revisedeBook">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">She looked at him as if noticing him for the first time.
The despair in her eyes turned into hope as she asked, “Can’t you do
something?”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div class="revisedeBook">
<br /></div>
<div class="revisedeBook">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Me? What could I possibly do?”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div class="revisedeBook">
<br /></div>
<div class="revisedeBook">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“You’re a law enforcement officer. Flash your badge and
demand he let us out of here.”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div class="revisedeBook">
<br /></div>
<div class="revisedeBook">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">He shook his head. “I’m afraid I can’t do that, Ms.
Taylor. I work for the city of Gary. The post office is a federal jurisdiction.
I’m not authorized to interfere in their business.”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div class="revisedeBook">
<br /></div>
<div class="revisedeBook">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“But you’d have to if it was an emergency.”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div class="revisedeBook">
<br /></div>
<div class="revisedeBook">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Wrong again. I’m officially off-duty. That could easily
be proven, and I’d be in a heap of trouble.” Watching her shoulders slump in
defeat, it was all Marc could do not to pull her in his arms and comfort her.
“I’m sorry, Nylah,” he said, unconsciously addressing her by her first name. “I
hope you know I would help you if I could.”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div class="revisedeBook">
<br /></div>
<div class="revisedeBook">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">She let out a vexed-sounding breath. “I guess the only
way you can help me now is to recommend the second-best daycare center in
Merrillville, since Dillon is about to be thrown out of the best one.”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div class="revisedeBook">
<br /></div>
<div class="revisedeBook">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“I’m afraid I can’t help you with that, either. I live in
Merrillville, too, but I don’t have any children.” He hoped she would find
those two points of personal information he’d purposely dropped about himself
interesting, even as he told himself she was much too preoccupied with her
current dilemma to take much notice.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div class="revisedeBook">
<br /></div>
<div class="revisedeBook">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Marc knew that if he could somehow get her to the daycare
before they closed, not only would he score big points with her, but she’d look
at him through new eyes…He’d actually be her hero, having saved the day. Using
his detective’s logic, an idea began to form. He’d make the most of this golden
opportunity. The police brass wouldn’t care for it much, but the more he
thought about it, the more he liked it.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div class="revisedeBook">
<br /></div>
<div class="revisedeBook">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“I don’t think it’s a lost cause,” he remarked. “At least
not yet.”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div class="revisedeBook">
<br /></div>
<div class="revisedeBook">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Once more Nylah’s eyes widened with hope. “What do you
mean?”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div class="revisedeBook">
<br /></div>
<div class="revisedeBook">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“I’m off-duty, but I usually bring my vehicle home with
me. It does have a siren.” He gave her a meaningful look.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div class="revisedeBook">
<br /></div>
<div class="revisedeBook">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Her eyes grew even wider. “You mean…”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div class="revisedeBook">
<br /></div>
<div class="revisedeBook">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Marc casually glanced at his watch. “If you’re willing to
ride with me, I’ll turn on the siren. That’ll get us there on time, and of
course after you get Dillon I’ll bring the two of you back here to get your
car.”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div class="revisedeBook">
<br /></div>
<div class="revisedeBook">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">She relaxed visibly. “That’s awfully generous of you,
Detective. I accept.”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div class="revisedeBook">
<br /></div>
<div class="revisedeBook">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“I’ll do it on one condition.”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div class="revisedeBook">
<br /></div>
<div class="revisedeBook">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Her eyes narrowed in suspicion. “And what’s that?”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;">With a smile as bright as the rays from the fading sun, he said, “That you call me
Marc.”</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;">-------</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i><b>Love Will Grow</b></i>, Coming soon! </span></span></span></span>bettye griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04457387770524295498noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35476861.post-89561797885824206482014-08-25T03:00:00.000-05:002014-08-25T03:00:00.905-05:00<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>August 25, 2014</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="color: #990000;">So that's it!</span></b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I always felt uncomfortable calling payments from online retailers a royalty (I usually say "my cut" vs. "Amazon's cut," "Barnes & Noble's cut," etc. When it came to explaining why, I couldn't explain it, but something told me that the term "royalty" didn't fit.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">While reading Hugh Howey's blog yesterday, I saw that he addressed this, and suddenly I knew why that term never felt right to me. This is what Hugh said:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">"When they’re called royalties, the 70% seems exceedingly generous.
Because publishers pay a lot less. But publishers provide other
services, like editing and cover art. We are handing you a finished
product. As a distribution fee, you taking 30% (plus more for delivery
fees) sounds less crazy-generous. It seems downright reasonable, in
fact."</span></span></b><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">For the rest of his blog entry, in which he makes some suggestions to Amazon, you can read it <a href="http://www.hughhowey.com/stuff-i-want-to-know/#more-33205" target="_blank">here</a>.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Thanks, Hugh. </span>bettye griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04457387770524295498noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35476861.post-64668788062967838542014-08-15T04:00:00.000-05:002014-08-15T04:00:01.990-05:00<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>August 15, 2014</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #990000;"><b>Who's Got the Button?</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #990000;"><b>Amazon Does...at Last</b></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-px6R9SOdEVM/U-1uBGHVJAI/AAAAAAAABw4/8mG8QGPAogw/s1600/DSCN2263%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-px6R9SOdEVM/U-1uBGHVJAI/AAAAAAAABw4/8mG8QGPAogw/s1600/DSCN2263%5B1%5D.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I have been writing to Amazon for over a year, asking them to allow indie authors to offer pre-orders on their books. I pointed out to them that requiring a manuscript upload ahead of time will eliminate the possibility of overeager authors promising and then not delivering...and I'm sure I wasn't the only one making that request. I'm delighted that Amazon announced yesterday that this feature is now available to everyone, not just a select few with very high to spectacularly high sales (including my friend, bestselling author <a href="http://angiedaniels.com/" target="_blank">Angie Daniels</a>).</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Surprisingly, there is no requirement to enroll the pre-ordered book in KDP Select (although I wouldn't be surprised if this changed later down the road...nothing to back this up; it's just a hunch).</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">There's quite a discussion going on over at the <a href="http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,192470.0.html" target="_blank">Kboards</a> about this. Some authors who had the ability to do this in the past expressed unhappiness that their rankings on release day weren't as high as they would have been had they not had pre-order buttons. Apparently, Amazon doesn't count pre-orders when determining release day rank, only pre-release rank, something that I can't say concerns me...low rankings definitely look better than high ones, but at this point in my life as I look toward retirement, my biggest concern is what goes in my pocket, not appearances. For this reason I've always tried to steer readers toward my <a href="http://www.bettyegriffin.com/Bettye-s-Books.html" target="_blank">eStore</a> since its inception (because I make more money from those sales).</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">At this point, I'm unsure how my eStore and its customers will fit into this, but I'm thrilled about being able to have an official sale date, which I feel is more professional than uploading when the book is ready (kind of a now-you-see-it approach) and then announcing its availability, or announcing a pub date ahead of time and having to upload 2 or 3 days earlier to make sure it's available...if the actual date of publication doesn't match the one announced, what's the point? </span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">(Yes, I know that bookstores often put books on sale
prior to the official pub date, but eBooks are not downloadable until
the sell date). </span>Coming as I do from the traditional publishing world, I like the idea of setting a pub date for an eBook ahead of time and having it become available for download <i>on that date</i>, not earlier.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Amazon had my jaws tight when they would always backdate my requested publication date when uploading a new book. They could never give me a clear answer when I asked them why they persisted in doing this. At one point they did tell me that if I downloaded after midnight Pacific Time (where they're located) the dates would match. I tried this, and they <i>still</i> backdated it. Granted, this isn't really a big to-do in the grand scheme of things, but it irked me just the same. I felt as though this was their way of sticking it to indie authors. In the end, I simply went in after publication and fixed the pub date to what it was supposed to be, and I announced to my readers that guaranteed availability would be at my eStore, with Amazon coming "shortly." </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">(Barnes & Noble is a different story; I've found it usually takes 3 to 4 days of back-and-forth emails with them complaining about this or that--and many times this <i>and </i>that--to publish a single eBook with them. As a result, very few of my books are available at that retailer anymore...when I switched to an LLC business model at the beginning of this year they required me to take my books down and re-load them under the new account, and I haven't been able to carve out time to spend 3 to 4 days per book for 14 indie titles. I uploaded one book and was exhausted by the process. I don't neglect Nook owners or anyone else needing an EPUB format, though; they can get these at my eStore.) </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The possibilities for fast writers who release books or novellas in rapid succession are especially bright. Writers like my friend <a href="http://angeliavernonmenchanserials.blogspot.com/?m=0" target="_blank">Angelia Vernon Menchan</a>, who writes serial fiction, have the option of timing their pub dates to allow pre-order buttons for the next book or segment. I'm neither fast nor write serials, but I've had success with releasing prequels, the strength of which has made many readers want to know what comes next, so they bought the main story. Being able to include a pre-order link should be very good for business. Pre-orders can be placed as far out as 90 days (since the final version must be uploaded 10 days before the chosen pub date, that would likely be the minimum). I'm leaning toward a 3- to 4-week window for my own prequel-to-full-book releases, with a longer timeframe for a full-length book following a related or series full-length book.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Since this option isn't handcuffed to being in Select, it's also handy for coordination purposes, since some authors already do pre-orders on Barnes & Noble and Apple via Smashwords and now can schedule release dates for the same day, depending on the vendor.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Some authors don't like the idea of waiting, not even 10 days, to make a book available if it's ready to be uploaded. I've long since thought of my books like movies, which are in the can long before they're released, certainly more than a few weeks. Trailers get shown in theaters a few months prior to the opening, and as opening day approaches, television commercials start to air. By the time the film opens, the actors, producers, director, and other personnel have moved on to their next movie...just as a writer can have their next book partially or completely written. Again, this is probably the traditional author in me, since books are submitted for the production process (editing, cover design, etc.) well before the publication date, by which I have often submitted the manuscript for my next book. There's not a right or wrong way to roll out a book, <i>as long as the book isn't published before it's ready.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">There are still some unanswered questions...like, is it possible to offer a lower price for pre-orders and then jump to the regular price on release day? I've long felt it made sense to initially offer a new book at a lower price, so if I choose to put it on sale a few months later I can do so without feeling my core readers--the ones who buy upon publication and get me on Top 100 lists--are being cheated. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Like anything else, it will be up to every individual writer to decide whether this will be beneficial for them. I would, however, encourage writers <i>not </i>to use this option unless their book is 75% ready for publication. While it is possible to change the pub date after enrolling in pre-order, this won't exactly endear you to readers. Neither will having the pre-order canceled (which is what Amazon will do to authors who are unable to deliver a final manuscript 10 days before the pub date). </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">It's all rather exciting, waiting to see how this will pan out. Happy Sales to You! </span>bettye griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04457387770524295498noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35476861.post-770607954933642042014-07-23T14:30:00.000-05:002014-07-23T15:21:04.792-05:00<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>July 23, 2014</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #990000;"><b>Edit hell</b></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JnI1zHmdNmY/U8_zVE0qRSI/AAAAAAAABwo/0U0N8Bk4FHg/s1600/edits.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JnI1zHmdNmY/U8_zVE0qRSI/AAAAAAAABwo/0U0N8Bk4FHg/s1600/edits.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">When I wrote for traditional publishers, I had deadlines in order to comply with their production schedules. As an indie author, I try to do the same thing, although I do relax it a little...let's face it, the sky isn't going to fall if I don't have it done by X date when I'm my own publisher, but trying to adhere with a schedule helps keep me on track.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">After I finish the basics of the story, I print it out and the "fun" starts (yes, I'm being sarcastic). By "fun," I mean doing pre-editor self-edits, which is more than just searching for typos. It's revising and polishing the story, which includes:</span><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">Eliminating any conflicting information, you know, when the heroine first has short hair and then long or when the hero first drives an SUV and later has a motorcycle.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">Adding in physical characteristics of the major characters so the readers can visualize them as they read.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">Making sure the story flows smoothly.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">Looking for any unexplained or out-of-character actions on the part of my characters. Readers should have a good understanding of what the characters' motivations are.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">Inserting a sense of setting. For sections beginning with a conversation, readers have to know where it's taking place...on the phone, at someone's house, at a restaurant, in a car, etc.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">Making sure character movements are smooth and natural. Ever read a book where the character is in one room and then mysteriously changes location to another room, in the same scene? I find myself still thinking about a scene I just edited, which was particularly tricky. The heroine wasn't fond of the hero, whom she regarded as insensitive because of the way they butted heads at their first two encounters (other than an annoying, continuous observation of how handsome he is) and then he does her a huge favor, at which time she started looking at him through new eyes. To thank him, she invites him to join her and her son for dinner at their home (because the hero is a police detective, she feels confident he's not a serial killer). It occurred to me that I didn't include enough about his appearance. As a detective, he would be wearing a suit and tie. I had him removing his coat while the heroine excuses herself to change clothes, but what about his suit jacket? What about the holster he undoubtedly carries? I'll be going back and showing him removing both when he offers to assist the heroine with food preparation, and while I'm at it I'll have him loosen his tie and unbutton his collar, because those are both natural actions for a man to take.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">Inserting all five senses. There's more to telling a story than visualizing it. Sounds, smells, textures, and tastes make the story come alive and should be mentioned.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">Eliminate the nonsensical. I usually do this when I'm outlining the story (you can't have a secret baby story set in a small town where no one suspects, even the baby daddy's own mother), but sometimes thing slip through that need complete rewriting.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">Timelines. I feel cheated whenever I read a book in which a timeline error renders the entire story impossible, or leads me down the wrong path if it's a mystery or suspense. I recently finished a novel in which friends of the heroine who are a few years her senior were in eighth grade in 2004. There's no way she, two or three years younger, could possibly be 29 years old in 2014, or that her friends could be in their early 30s in 2014. Remarkably, I seem to be the only one out of hundreds of reviewers who noticed this. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">Filling in the information I glossed over with a note to myself (which usually requires research I didn't want to stop writing to do).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">Word repetition. It's amazing how many times I can use a single word within the same sentence.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">Making sure loose ends are tied. All questions should be answered by the end of the book.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I call these "ruthless red pen edits," because I use a red pen to mark the manuscript and also add extra pages when necessary (I'm cheap, so I print on both sides of the paper, and since I format for eBook rather than traditional manuscript style, there's not a lot of extra space on the page). When I do all this, I guarantee that I'm submitting my best work to my editor, which in turn makes her job easier (and her fee less, since many editors charge based on the amount of work a manuscript needs)...but it's tedious work and often slow going. Nor will the manuscript be in perfect shape; my editor will still find plenty of things that need fixing (albeit small items like using the wrong character name--a particular weakness of mine that I can never seem to catch every time--or the wrong word or repairing my punctuation, not major plot holes). This is not being obsessive; these are the necessary steps to produce a book. Writing isn't always fun.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">What do you do when you finish a manuscript? Do you do self-edits, do a quick read-through, or just submit it directly to your editor?</span>bettye griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04457387770524295498noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35476861.post-79765368242815853962014-07-22T14:30:00.000-05:002014-07-22T22:02:24.221-05:00<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>July 22, 2014</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="color: #990000;">Kindle Unlimited: One Writer's Take</span></b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The writing world was thrown into an uproar last week with the announcement by Amazon of a new eBook subscription service called Kindle Unlimited. Social media lit up with thoughts from worried writers and both readers and writers asking each other, "Do <i>you </i>plan to enroll?"</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Subscription plans are nothing new. Think Book-of-the-Month club or the about-to-be-dismantled Black Expressions (African-American titles in special hardcover editions will now be available strictly through its parent company, the Doubleday Book Club, where it first began). The same things existed for music, dating back to the days of the LP. The big difference is that Kindle Unlimited, for a monthly membership fee of $9.99, allows its members to borrow (it is my understanding that books will be returned after reading rather than remain on members' Kindles--which I've heard are the only devices accepted on this plan; no apps allowed) an unlimited number of books, hence its name.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">There are two catches for authors that I see immediately. One, their book has to be enrolled in KDP Select, requiring it be sold only on Amazon and nowhere else. Indie authors with huge followings are given the option of enrolling in Kindle Unlimited without being on Select, obviously because of name value. Let's face it, no one back in the day would want tickets to a Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes concert if Teddy Pendergrass wasn't going to be performing with them, and the same concept holds true today. Amazon needs big names to draw in readers. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The other catch for indie authors is that they only get paid when/if 10% of their book is read. The amount paid to indies per borrow is the same as the amount received for books borrowed through the Prime plan (a discount plan on all types of merchandise Amazon sells, which includes the ability to borrow one book per month), which is currently in the $2 range. The effect of this new plan on the KDP Select Global Plan remains to be determined. Amazon has added an additional $800,000 to the fund, but if the plan catches on big, the possibility exists that the author's share of the pie can be significantly reduced unless Amazon substantially increases the funding.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I've heard it said (I haven't been able to substantiate this, but I feel I can trust <a href="http://www.hughhowey.com/kindle-unlimited/" target="_blank">Hugh Howey</a>) that the payments differ for books published by traditional publishers, with each borrow being paid at the full 70% royalty, as if it had been purchased (I'm unsure whether or not there is a reader obligation to complete a portion of the book for the writer to be compensated). This strikes me as a back-of-the-bus type of attitude that frankly makes me uncomfortable. (In the interest of full disclosure, I see that three of my traditionally published titles are enrolled.) </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I recently had one of my eBooks (<i><b>Isn't She Lovely?</b></i>) enrolled in Select to run a Countdown deal celebrating five years as an indie author. Unfortunately, I forgot to un-check the box to prevent automatic re-enrollment at the end of 90 days, and it rolled over for another 90-day term. I have since learned that Amazon is offering writers the option of removing their book(s) from Kindle Select, effective "right away." I don't know a) if this works, or b) if it is as quick as they claim, but I did submit a <a href="https://kdp.amazon.com/contact-us?topicId=kdpSelect&subtopicId=participation" target="_blank">request form</a>. Amazon simply asks writers to include the book's ASIN with your request. (Update: It took about 15 hours for this book to be removed. Once I confirmed its removal I added a lower-priced book, <i><b>A Love of Her Own</b></i>, to the program. That went into effect in just about 1 hour, so I presume there's somewhat of a backlog for removals.) </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">This action on my part might give you the impression that I'm against Kindle Unlimited, but that's not true. I just don't happen to feel that <i><b>Isn't She Lovely?</b></i> is the right title for the program. At over 100k words, it's (reasonably, in my opinion) priced at $4.99. I would be taking a loss on borrows that pay about $2. It makes more sense to me to enroll a book priced in the $2.99 range (or even less than that, since I don't believe Amazon has minimum word counts for participation, meaning that a 99-cent, 50-page tome can be enrolled and possibly earn the author double the cover price per borrow).</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Everyone's experience as an author is different...some sell well on Amazon but not in other places, others sell well at Amazon and at other retailers as well, while still others sell better at Barnes & Noble than at other retailers. Because of this, everyone's experience with Kindle Unlimited will be different. There is no right or wrong; there is only what is right for you as an individual author.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">That said, I've also noticed that these newfangled ideas regarding publishing have bred many a success story for those who get rolling with it right away...people whose careers got jump-started by enrolling books in Kindle Select upon its introduction...people who advertised on Bookbub in its early days who made five figures from a single ad...people who sold one of their books at 99 cents and made tons of money on their other titles before Amazon changed their algorithms. I'm not much for jumping on bandwagons, but nor do I see a need for prolonged hesitation. I feel that if it's not a lengthy commitment (each Select enrollment lasts for 90 days) and it isn't something illegal or underhanded, what can it hurt by giving it a try, preferably while other authors are sitting on the fence (or waiting for indie publishing guru Joe Konrath to weigh in)?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I've seen many authors objecting to taking their "books" (plural) off the cybershelves of other retailers to give Amazon exclusivity, but this is not an all-or-nothing deal. To date I have indie published 12 full-length novels and two short prequels, and I don't see the harm in taking <i>one</i> of those full-length novels and enrolling it in Select, and therefore in Unlimited, and leaving the others where they are. Yes, there are still unanswered questions, among the most pressing being what will happen to the program after all those 30-day trial periods people are currently signing up for expire...will it thrive, or will people decide not to continue past the trial; and also how this will work out financially for indie authors. The way I see it, the sooner I get in, the sooner I can get out if I decide it's not working for me.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">That's my opinion. I'd love to hear yours!</span>bettye griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04457387770524295498noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35476861.post-85333637947046021072014-07-18T05:00:00.000-05:002014-07-18T05:00:01.721-05:00<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>July 18, 2014</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #990000;"><b>Speaking of movies...</b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Yesterday I talked about the <a href="http://chew-the-fat-with-bettye.blogspot.com/2014/07/july-17-2014-forgotten-first-wife.html" target="_blank">Forgotten First Wife Syndrome</a>, using <i><b>The Godfather </b></i>as an example. This morning, I caught the tail end of the Al Pacino remake of <i><b>Scarface</b></i>, and while my first thought was that it was a pure high keeping him standing during that hail of bullets, it occurred to me...shouldn't he have bled to death, considering how many bullets actually struck him?</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Shutting down my writer's mind for a minute, I also saw a commercial for the new James Brown biopic. Chadwick Boseman nails James, right down to his speech pattern. Also in the cast are both Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer. August 1st, y'all!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Anybody else planning on seeing this one in the theaters? </span>bettye griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04457387770524295498noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35476861.post-57978211369450648912014-07-17T05:00:00.000-05:002014-07-17T05:00:06.340-05:00<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>July 17, 2014</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Forgotten First Wife Syndrome</span></b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">As many of you know, I love movies, especially old ones. The first two movies in <i><b>The Godfather</b></i> trilogy are pretty close to perfection, in my opinion. <i><b>The Godfather Part III</b></i> wasn't a bad movie, but to me and many others, it's not anywhere near the almost flawless first two, although I still find the final scene (the death of Michael Corleone) haunting.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Last week I watched a documentary about the making of the three films in the series, and as always, I'm blown away by the subtly masterful reactions of Robert Duvall as Tom Hagen, and of Al Pacino's metamorphosis from personable World War II hero to the ruthless, trust-no-one head of the criminal organization founded by his father (played, of course, by Marlon Brando).</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Sure, there are a few continuity errors in part I (Vito asking Michael if he was happy with his "wife and children," when they only have a son; Tom warning Sonny that "All the Five Families will come after you" when the Corleones are supposed to be one of those Five, and that is definitely <i>not </i>the George Washington Bridge they are crossing when Michael asks Sollozzo if they are going to New Jersey); and part II (Kay slides out of bed on her own in the scene where her and Michael's bedroom is shot up, but by the time Michael reaches her she's back up in bed and he pulls her down to safety; Tessio's declaration that "30,000 men enlisted this morning" when most of the country wouldn't have learned of the morning attack in Hawaii until the afternoon, due to Honolulu time being 3 and 6 hours behind the East and West Coasts (plus recruiting centers had to be manned and opened on a Sunday), but there was one glaring error. Hint: It's mentioned in the title of this post.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The murder of Michael's Sicilian wife, Apollonia, in a car bomb meant for Michael, was never avenged, at least not in the theatrical release. Anyone who saw the combination of the first two <b><i>Godfather </i></b>movies, marketed under the subtitle <i>A Complete Novel for Television, </i>will probably remember a scene inserted during Anthony Corleone's splashy first communion celebration (during which Michael took meetings) in which he was given a photograph of Fabrizio, his former bodyguard who betrayed him to one of the rival crime families. It was intimated that Michael had been searching for Fabrizio for years before finally finding him in Buffalo, of all places (no wonder it took so long to find him; they were probably searching the Sunbelt). In the next scene Fabrizio is shown locking up his pizza parlor and getting into his car, which blows up the moment it starts. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">At 3 hours 20 minutes, <i><b>The Godfather Part II </b></i>ran about 30 minutes longer than the first movie, and this was one of the scenes cut before theatrical release, but unlike some of the other cut scenes (like Michael giving his blessing to his late brother Sonny's daughter and her fiancé), I believe this scene was necessary. Eliminating it put a hole in the story, but I'm not surprised that the producers decided to cut it. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">In movies, and in books as well, deceased first wives (and husbands) are usually forgotten. In <i><b>The Godfather</b></i>, Michael's first marriage occurred after he had to leave the country without any word to Kay, his first, "true" love, with whom he later reunites and marries, with the dead wife relegated to a distant memory who isn't seen or mentioned again until Michael's life flashes before him as he dies in <i><b>The Godfather Part III</b></i>. That bomb turning Apollonia into a rag doll is all the more horrible because she was in the first trimester of pregnancy (a detail only mentioned in the book, not in the movie), yet it appears that Michael never even told Kay, his original love who he later married, about her. Yes, by the time Michael and Kay married, Michael was well on his way to shutting himself off, so there were quite a few things Kay didn't know, but shucks, a first wife is a pretty important detail. The feeling I got was that Michael wasn't just looking for some booty but genuinely loved Apollonia. Had she lived, Kay would have either married someone else or become a spinster. But Apollonia <i>didn't</i> live, and the producers most likely figured it wasn't important that anyone be made accountable for her murder, even when payback was sought for every other family victim, whether they survived or not.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">This type of thing drives me nuts, as does its reverse, also often-used subplot in movies and books: The second spouse who is conveniently killed off (sometimes even sacrificing themselves or after saving the lives of the spouse and stepkids) so the formerly married husband and wife can rekindle their love for each other...which they usually do while the body is still at room temperature.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Do you have an opinion about this type of storytelling? Does it bother you, or have you not noticed it? </span>bettye griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04457387770524295498noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35476861.post-25615242147183554902014-06-26T11:00:00.000-05:002014-06-26T11:00:03.836-05:00<b><span style="font-size: x-small;">June 26, 2014</span></b><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Celebrating 5 Years of Indie Publishing</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="userContent">Happy Anniversary to Me! (No, not that anniversary...I was one of the crazy people who got married in December (although at least it was in Florida). </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="userContent">On June 26, 2009, amid all the media coverage about the sudden death of Michael Jackson the day before, I
published my first indie book, <i><b>Save The Best For Last</b></i>. I was taking a giant leap of faith and didn't half know what I was doing, but I <i>did </i>know that I had written a good story that deserved to be read (despite my hero having no money and the sex coming relatively late in the story), and that was good enough for me. Fortunately, most readers agreed, and the book was a
success (it is now permafree on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Save-The-Best-Last-Cesca-ebook/dp/B002GYWRWM" target="_blank">Amazon</a> and <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/save-the-best-for-last-bettye-griffin/1100892488?ean=2940011153792" target="_blank">Nook</a>, at the latter under its original cover because Barnes & Noble has been very difficult to work with), and it's been followed by 7 more original titles and 4 backlist
titles, with more to come! </span></span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mwrid_ZbVaE/U6vnTr_XJoI/AAAAAAAABvU/ez_01RLJPl8/s1600/cover+STBFL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mwrid_ZbVaE/U6vnTr_XJoI/AAAAAAAABvU/ez_01RLJPl8/s1600/cover+STBFL.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="userContent"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="userContent">To celebrate this milestone, 1 of those original<span class="text_exposed_show">
titles and 3 of the backlist are on sale for the next few days...(with a
special deal on another book available only to my newsletter
subscribers)...The eBooks pictured below <i>are all just 99 cents as of right now</i>
on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bettye-Griffin/e/B001HMREZY/ref=la_B001HMREZY_st?qid=1403775078&rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_82%3AB001HMREZY&sort=date-desc-rank" target="_blank">Amazon</a>. </span></span></span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QWm1zQ3kNzE/UCcdAQrkSjI/AAAAAAAABWg/VygGlKb4cNM/s1600/accidentally2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QWm1zQ3kNzE/UCcdAQrkSjI/AAAAAAAABWg/VygGlKb4cNM/s1600/accidentally2.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a> <span style="font-size: large;"><span class="userContent"><span class="text_exposed_show"> </span></span></span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZuZPHOUk_4s/TezqioFWE3I/AAAAAAAABUQ/QXNxrliRUFk/s1600/ALOHO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZuZPHOUk_4s/TezqioFWE3I/AAAAAAAABUQ/QXNxrliRUFk/s1600/ALOHO.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="userContent"><span class="text_exposed_show"> </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="userContent"><span class="text_exposed_show">I certainly don't want to leave out readers who have eReaders other than Kindles, and since as I mentioned, Barnes & Noble has been giving me grief all year, I've made most of these titles available for the 99-cent price at my <a href="http://www.bettyegriffin.com/Bettye-s-Books.html" target="_blank">eStore</a>. This does not include <i><b>Isn't She Lovely?</b></i>, which is on a Kindle Countdown Deal and per the terms of that agreement cannot be sold anywhere else (the 99-cent price on this book is only effective through Friday, June 27th, after which the price will be increased in increments until it returns to its full price by July 1st).</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="userContent"><span class="text_exposed_show">The sale price for these three backlist titles will run only through Sunday, June 28th, so get yours today! </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="userContent"><span class="text_exposed_show">Please feel free to share this announcement with your reading friends, and as always, I wish you good reading!</span></span></span><br />
bettye griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04457387770524295498noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35476861.post-68834853386995242782014-06-19T05:00:00.000-05:002014-06-19T05:00:02.604-05:00<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>June 19, 2014</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="color: #990000;">Thrifty Thursday Tip</span></b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">That heading is actually deceptive, for there is no tip today. I just wanted to let followers of this know that I'm assembling my best thrifty tips, plus new ones, for publication as an eBook. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I've put a few other things ahead of my writing the first five months of this year, but I'm back at it with a vengeance. I can't give a specific date or even a title, although I'm leaning toward <i><b>It's What You Keep: Money-Saving Tips From a (Not Quite) Starving Artist</b></i>. I hope to publish this sometime this fall. It'll be my first nonfiction project. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I'd love to hear your thoughts about my plan and/or my proposed title! </span>bettye griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04457387770524295498noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35476861.post-36853119015086853662014-06-18T03:00:00.000-05:002014-06-18T03:00:00.335-05:00<b>June 18, 2014</b><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #990000;">Presenting Chicki Brown's latest,</span></span></b><br />
<i><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #990000;">Till You Come Back To Me</span></span></b></i><br />
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #990000;">(Book #2 of the Stafford Brothers Series) </span></span></b><br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Chicki Brown has released the second book in her Stafford Brothers series (if you haven't read the first book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Womans-Worth-Stafford-Brothers-Book-ebook/dp/B00EUH6M3S/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1402972532&sr=1-1&keywords=a+woman%27s+worth+chicki+brown" target="_blank"><i><b>A Woman's Worth</b></i></a>, by all means do so; it was a fabulous read!).</span></span><i><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Here's the 411 on the latest from this gifted writer: </span></span><i><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></span></i></div>
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<b><u><i><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Where to get it:</span></span></i></u></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></u></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></u></b></div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/Snj9wb"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">http://amzn.to/Snj9wb</span></a><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> (Kindle
only for the first 90 days)</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><u><i>How to contact Chicki:</i> </u></b></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></u></b></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Blog: </span><a href="http://sisterscribbler.blogspot.com/"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">http://sisterscribbler.blogspot.com</span></a><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Twitter: </span><a href="http://twitter.com/@Chicki663"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">http://twitter.com/@Chicki663</span></a><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Facebook: </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/chicki.brown"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">http://www.facebook.com/chicki.brown</span></a><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Pinterest: </span><a href="http://pinterest.com/chicki663/"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">http://pinterest.com/chicki663/</span></a><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Amazon Central Author Page: </span><a href="http://amzn.to/l2kjXQ"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">http://amzn.to/l2kjXQ</span></a><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Goodreads: </span><a href="http://bit.ly/qcsiMD"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">http://bit.ly/qcsiMD</span></a><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><br /></span></span></u></b></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b><u><i>About the book:</i></u></b></span></span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></u></b></div>
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Atlanta plastic surgeon Charles Stafford is giving up his
successful practice to volunteer his services in Nigeria with a medical
organization. Even though he’s excited about this major career move, he has no
idea how much his life is about to change.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Nurse Adanna Okoro is one of the six medical professionals
working at a small village hospital thirty minutes outside of Lagos, Nigeria.
She loves her job and is devoted to the people she serves. When the hospital is
notified that it has been chosen to host a team of foreign doctors, Adanna
meets the man she has always dreamed of.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><u><i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Excerpt:</span></i></u></b></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Manny returned from the dance floor and
eased into the empty seat beside her. “Can I get you another beer?” he asked,
nonchalantly sliding his arm across the back of her chair.</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Yes, please. Thanks,” she said, hoping
her acceptance wouldn’t encourage his interest in her. Femi swore Manny had a
secret crush on her, but Adanna didn’t put too much stock in her claim. He
always told her she needed to be married and start a family rather than working
long hours, but he had never asked her out. She assumed he had come to the
realization that he just wasn’t her type. Manny worked in a bank in Lagos,
which was a decent job, but he never talked about what he wanted in the future.
He seemed quite content with his current position, and that was fine for him
but not for her. And he knew it.</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He signaled the bartender and pointed
to the empty beer bottles on their table. “Femi told me things are getting
ready to step up at your hospital. What does that mean for you?” Manny took the
cold beers from the bartender when he approached and slipped a bill into his
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“It means a lot more work, but it also
means I will get to observe some amazing surgeries. There is a plastic surgeon
on the team who will be doing reconstructive surgery on the children and
perhaps a few adults, depending on the severity of their conditions.”</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You’re very impressed with doctors, aren’t
you?” </span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Adanna didn’t appreciate the resentful
edge in his voice. “I’m impressed by what they can do with the knowledge they
have, Manny. Being a doctor means nothing if you aren’t using your skills and
training to alleviate suffering. These men and women have given their time and
regular incomes to come here and do this work at no charge. I’d say that’s
worthy of a little admiration.”</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“I suppose,” he said with a dismissive
wave. “You’ll be working even longer hours once they arrive, won’t you?”</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Most likely, but I don’t mind. I want
to be there to help them handle as many patients as possible during their stay,
but until they get here, I just want to relax and enjoy myself.” She grabbed
him by both hands and pulled him up. “Come on, dance with me.”</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">They wriggled in among the moving
bodies in the center of the room and stayed on the floor for the next three
songs. Winded and thirsty, when Adanna stepped off of the shiny wooden dance
floor and headed for the bar, she stopped in her tracks at the sight of her
brother staring right at her.</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">She strode up to him with her arms
folded and asked, “What are you doing here, Emeka? Are you spying on me?”</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He squinted and mimicked her stance.
“No, my dear sister. I am not spying on you. I just happened to stop in for a
drink. It <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">is</i> a public place.”</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Already hot and sweaty, Adanna’s
temperature rose as if she were walking over hot coals. “Don’t tell me any
bloody lies, Emeka! You don’t even like nightclubs. I’m sick of you skulking
around to find out what I’m doing.” She shoved her hands onto her hips and
jutted her chin toward him. “Your time would be better spent trying to find a
wife instead of playing guardian to a grown woman.”</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“I promised Dad I would watch over you,
and I will keep that promise until you have a husband to look after you.” His
patronizing smile only made her angrier.</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Don’t you understand that I can look
after myself? I’m not helpless. I’m not stupid, and this is not 1950, Emeka.”</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He took her hand. “I know you’re not
stupid. I love you, and I’m going to protect you until you find a man who
will.”</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Please go away.” Determined to put a
stop to his interference for good, she pulled from his grasp. Adanna stormed
across the room in search of Femi as if her hair was on fire. She found her
friend standing at the bar talking to one of the men with whom she’d been
dancing earlier.</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Excuse me,” Adanna interrupted. “May I
speak to you for a minute, please?”</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“What’s wrong?” She must have read her
furious expression. “Pardon me,” Femi said to the man as she hooked her arm
through Adanna’s. “I’ll be right back.”</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Both women moved to an unoccupied table
nearby. “You’ll never believe this! My brother is here spying on me.”</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Why do you think that? Maybe he just
happened to drop by for a drink.”</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“First of all, Emeka doesn’t do
nightclubs, Femi. And when I asked him what he was doing here, he all but
admitted it.” Adanna waved her arms in the air like a demented symphony
conductor. “He must’ve found out from Manny or Agu that we planned to come here
tonight. The nerve of him! This is crossing the line. I’m going home.”</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Breathe, girl.” Femi grabbed her by
the shoulders. “You can’t leave now. It’s late, and it’s not safe to be out
there alone. Why don’t you order yourself another beer and just ignore him? If
it were me, I’d show him I didn’t care whether he was here watching me or not.
I’d go on dancing and having a good time.”</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">After a few seconds, Adanna dragged in
a long breath to calm herself. “You’re right. He just gets me so upset.” She
took a napkin from the table and patted her brow. “I’m going to get another
drink. Sorry, I disturbed your conversation.”</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“No big deal. He was boring as hell.”
Femi laughed. “I think I’ll look around for someone a little more interesting.”
She walked away, swishing her ample hips to the beat of the music.</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Adanna took Femi’s advice and stayed on
the dance floor for the next hour. Even though she’d kept one eye on the crowd
the entire time, she hadn’t seen Emeka again. Either he had relocated to a less
conspicuous spot or he’d given up and gone home. </span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Actually, she had a good time once
she’d decided to stay with her friends and pushed Emeka’s interference to the
back of her mind. Regardless, something needed to be done about her brother.</span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><i><b>Till You Come Back to Me</b></i>, available <u>now</u>! Show Chicki some love by leaving a comment below for a chance to win a complimentary copy!</span></div>
bettye griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04457387770524295498noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35476861.post-64380336867269682092014-04-17T10:00:00.001-05:002014-04-17T10:00:17.444-05:00<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>April 17, 2014</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Thrifty Thursday tip</span></b></span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ydhwmyu3pYQ/U0_r3jX6ZHI/AAAAAAAABuk/CUBvbdBSCYA/s1600/electricity.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ydhwmyu3pYQ/U0_r3jX6ZHI/AAAAAAAABuk/CUBvbdBSCYA/s1600/electricity.jpg" /></a></div>
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After this past winter of record low temperatures, you might be looking for ways to reduce your electric bill. Here's a suggestion: Many electronics in use these days still draw power even when not in use (you can tell by looking for red lights on televisions, DVD players, shredders, cable boxes, some vertical fans, cordless phones, stereos, etc.). If any of these are in a hub, consider plugging them into a power strip and turning the power off when not in use. This might not work for cable boxes if you have the type that has to re-boot whenever you turn off the power, but if you have a television, DVD, and cordless phone in the same outlet or outlets just a few feet apart, this will cut your electricity usage and subsequently, your bill. bettye griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04457387770524295498noreply@blogger.com0