Autumn Harvest Blog Hop - What does Autumn mean to me, my characters, & my readers?

Hey beautiful people!

Excited once again to be joining another of Carrie Ann’s amazing hops. Love the rush of being together with so many fantabulous authors, and the chance to meet so many readers and bookaholics during those tours.

I’ll admit this one nearly ran past me – I’m up to my eyeballs in deadlines, and wasn’t planning to post on the blog today. Thank goodness for reminders, lol.

So... Autumn Harvest Blog Hop. 200+ participants, as many opps to win books & swag & other goodies, and as many chances to enter the draw for these fabulous Grand Prizes. Check them out: I know I am tempted... J

1st Grand Prize: A Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet

2nd Grand Prize: A $50 Amazon or B&N Gift Card

3rd Grand Prize: A Swag Pack that contains 10+ paperbacks, ebooks, 50+ bookmarks, cover flats, magnets, pens, coffee cozies, and more!

 

 So we’re supposed to be talking about Autumn, and what we like about the season. I’m a bit out of my depths here, because right now, where I live in the southern hemisphere, it’s spring, not fall. And on my tropical island, Mauritius, we have mainly two seasons – summer, & winter. There’s a brief transition between the seasons that we can barely label spring and autumn, though around April, all the big maple trees in town start turning russet. The air also gets crisper, especially at twilight time, and during the day, there’s a sparkling radiance that shines from the deep-blue sky.

I love this change of weather, because it usually means a respite from the horrendous heat of summer. Down the line, winter will be coming – bringing with it lots of cold and humidity as I live in the coldest town on the island.

But there definitely is something magical about our Autumn when it happens, a sense of hovering between two mighty shores, suspended in an airy bubble...

 

Now this got me thinking – what would the characters from my books have to say about Autumn, the ones who do experience this season at the time we’re speaking? I asked them the question; check out the answers.

From WalkingThe Edge (Corpus Brides: BookOne) – a romantic suspense thriller on the backdrop of amnesia and espionage:

Amelia Jamison – the ‘bored’ housewife with no memory of her past life, who however feels something is off in her existence: I barely remember seeing autumn strike in this year... With me not remembering anything about my past, I hoped this time would be a transition to the real life I’m supposed to live... Then, my ‘husband’ took me home, and my hopes crashed.

Gerard Besson – the Marseille police commissaire who reluctantly finds himself running to Amelia’s rescue: Autumn on the Mediterranean coast is magical. Marseille never looks any better, though with night coming in earlier, that does spell a more active lookout for us cops where crime is concerned.

From BeforeThe Morning (Corpus Brides: BookTwo) – a high-stakes, espionage thriller on the backdrop of childhood best friends reuniting through marriage and heavy-handed, crazy family involvement.

Rayne Cheltham – the former espionage mastermind & skilled assassin who has just ‘retired’ and is looking forward to a peaceful, domestic life with the man she never stopped loving: Autumn is the time for slowing down and taking stock of your life, and the path you’ve taken. *sigh* For the first time in seventeen years, I’ll be able to do that, because this fall, I will not be undercover on any mission to rid the world of some of its biggest, baddest criminals.

Ash Gilfoy – the former policeman turned ambulance worker, who suddenly finds himself hitched in Vegas to a complex puzzle, the girl who used to be his childhood best friend, and now a woman with more secrets than all the secret services of the world combined: Autumn... Beer in front of a roaring fire inside the cosy comfort of your home. Doesn’t get better than that; not yet a biting sting to the cold, just enough chill to have your woman want to snuggle up with you in front of that fire. *grin*

From CallingHome (A Destiny’s Child Book) – a sweet, romantic contemporary tale between an uptight forensic pathologist who suddenly lands herself custody of a tween girl, and the young and sexy country doctor who steps in as a modern knight in shining armour.

Margo Nolan – forensic pathologist, clueless mother, half-dead/zombie-brained woman where love & relationships are concerned: Autumn? Kinda depressing. I mean, that’s the season when we get the most suicides, you know— *her ‘hero’ interrupts with a shake of his head here* Fine. The season where you bring the wide range of designer boots you own out. That’s the best thing about Autumn.

Jamie Gillespie – young, up-and-coming doctor who chose life in a quiet Surrey village over a lucrative career in London’s private practice world: Autumn is the time of hot chocolate with marshmallows, comfy afghans, and baking gingerbread men. Time well spent in the kitchen, making families tighter.

I think these people have it as for what Autumn truly represents...

What does Autumn mean to you? Answer in the comments to let me know – and enter to win a copy of one of the 3 books I feature above (winner’s choice!).

A comment here also gets you another entry into the draw for the Grand Prizes – just don’t forget to leave your email address, otherwise we cannot compute your entry in.

And check out the Blog Hop’s page with the list of all the participants here!

From Mauritius with love,

Zee

A Hero's Hop: What's the recipe for the perfect hero? #HeroHop

Hey beautiful people!

It's my second blog hop, and the first of Carrie Ann's in which I am taking part. Totally stoked and absolutely excited to be joining the 128 other authors who signed up for this hop... and also to meet all the readers and visitors who will be doing the rounds. Welcome to my place, peeps!

So, what's the hope about? Heroes. As simple as that. *are you sure?* Nope, not that simple, as you'll see when you browse all the posts that will be going up. Come read what everyone of us authors conjures up in her mind when we heard the magic word "hero".

129 authors = 129 chances to win the Grand Prizes!

1st Grand Prize: A Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet

2nd Grand Prize: A $50 Amazon or B&N Gift Card

3rd Grand Prize: A magnificent swag pack you can check on the official hop page

AND there will be giveaways at every stop on the tour! So that means, 129 chances for you to win more goodies!

Want to enter to win in my giveaway? Then, let's get rolling with the post!

*****

Immediately when I think "hero", I imagine coming up with the perfect hero for each book. But is there a recipe for that?

Got me thinking – how do I go about creating the perfect hero in each of my books?

First of all – the hero 'works off' the heroine, and vice versa. I'm not a hard-core feminist; when I say "a woman doesn't need a man to be happy", I mean it. But I also say that, "a woman doesn't miss a man until he walks into her life", and that's when things change...

So based on these notions, I set out to imagine the perfect hero. And like a good dish (forgive me here – I am so not a cook and as far from domestic goddess Nigella Lawson as you can get!), you need some set ingredients:

Sugar
Spice
And all things nice!

Simple, innit? Not so much. Let's elaborate.

Sugar – we all agree; the hero is the foil of the heroine. He is her "good times", her "rock", her "anchor", the one she runs to. Faced with a box of Godiva chocolates and a plate of lime slices, which one would you choose? The Godiva, of course! And that's sugar...

But too much sugar gives you a high and then makes you crash; it's also bad for your teeth! In the same way, a hero who's too nice/good/sweet/awesome is bad for you. Yes, we women are masochists, and we love nothing more than a roller coaster ride of emotion... which you won't get with someone, well, too nice...

So what you do then, is spice things up a bit!

Anyone know what a jaffa cake is? If not, I'll wait until you Google it! A jaffa cake is a slice of heaven brought to earth for us common mortals, to allow us to know what decadence and indulgence are all about. Imagine a crackly shell of smooth, dark chocolate; slightly bitter, hard under your teeth, a hint of sugar that nevertheless gives you a total rush... Then you get to a fine layer of orange-flavoured jelly; tangy, and this jolts your taste buds, makes you sit up and notice; another little rush of sugar, a brush of coolness on your tongue... And finally, you sink your teeth into the softest, moistest, crumbliest sponge cake layer ever; feeling it melt in your mouth, that elusive hint of cake, and another layer of vanilla-like sweetness...

To think that so far you've just taken a bite! Now, go on, and actually eat the jaffa cake... An explosion of tastes, of sweetness, of tart orange tang, of rich chocolatey smoothness...

What's a jaffa cake, you may ask? It's sugar, and spice, and all things nice... exactly what your hero should be! Layers, contrasts, that merge to form a whole that is decadent and indulgent, and oh so good for you!

That's a hero, people! There's a subtle hint in this makeup, like a jaffa cake's, that stops the whole deal from giving you sugar and sweetness on all levels. There's a dose of spice, of tang, of a contrasting taste, that ramps up the sugar rush and gives you an experiment from a different dimension. Your hero is human; give him some flaws, some 'humanness", that all men have (dirty towels on the bathroom floor, anyone? *grin*)

And as for the "all things nice", what would they be?

Well, as I like to say, your hero can be anything in any time – a rogue, a cad, a doctor next door, a quiet best friend, a dangerous cop, a con man, a geek, a nerd, a secret agent, a starship captain – but one thing he always, always, is: Noble!

What's noble to you? And what's noble in your heroine's eyes?

Another thing in this "all things nice" category – good manners! Let me list a few here, grabbed from Gentleman Etiquette posts on Esquire.com, to give you an idea:

- a gentleman always stands up when a woman is coming to the table or leaving it.
- a gentleman always pays for a date.
- a gentleman sits on the men bench when he takes his lady shopping, and uses the time to reply emails on his Blackberry, but never to talk on the phone in public places.
- a gentleman takes his mother out for dinner a few times a year.

So there you have my recipe for the perfect hero! I'm curious to know what ingredients go into making yours! Why don't you leave me a comment and tell me about it?

And let me introduce you to my heroes:

Gerard Besson: Former undercover cop, recently promoted to the status of police commissaire in the French city of Marseille. Behind the appearance of the efficient cop, hides a beaten soul... because he lost the one woman who managed to worm her way into his cold heart. 7 months later, when a suspicious woman starts to trail him, Gerard is intrigued, because she reminds him of that woman who died... Who is she? And what does she want with him?
Get the book, currently FREE:  https://www.nobleromance.com/Books/304/Walking-the-Edge

Ash Gilfoy: Ministry of Defence cop turned paramedic, Ash hides a deep, dark secret - he killed a man. Investigation cleared him as he acted in self-defense, but Ash knows he's always wanted to murder the abusive man who ended up killing his wife when she tried to leave him, at Ash's behest. The prospect of hope, and a new beginning, of salvation, appears when Rayne Cheltham, his childhood best friend, walks into his life again. A humanitarian worker who's been away for 17 years, Rayne is everything good and bright in this world... Or is she? Because she seems to be hiding secrets, too, and they just might be deeper and darker than Ash could ever imagine...
Buy Link: https://www.nobleromance.com/Books/420/Before-the-Morning

Jamie Gillespie: A 29 years old trauma doctor, Jamie turns his back on the life his money-hungry father wants him to pursue when he comes to Surrey to fill in for his sick uncle. But just as he is settling, his uncle calls, to say he will not be coming back to his rural practice - it's Jamie's decision now to stay and embrace the life of a country doctor, or go a more lucrative private practice in the heart of London. But then the decision to stay becomes clear when forensic pathologist Margo Nolan and her headstrong tween daughter, Emma, settle into the other half of Jamie's house. Older than Jamie, cold and uptight, Margo is an Ice Queen. Or is she...? Jamie sees the woman in her, the struggling mother, the lonely heart. Can he convince Margo they could have a future together, and form a family?
Buy Link: https://www.nobleromance.com/Books/369/Calling-Home

Lars Rutherford: Half-British, half-Swedish expatriate living on the island of Mauritius as the regional director for his best friend's shipping company. Lars is not looking for love, and certainly not in this land that seems stuck in Austen times where marriage and trysts are concerned. His best friend, Magnus, convinces him he's in "dire need of a shag" and contacts Madame Eve's 1NightStand agency to arrange a date for Lars. Who will he find on that blind date? What woman will agree to spend that one night with him, no strings attached? Could everything be so simple? Lars does indeed find out that nothing is so simple, because Simmi, his date, awakens protective, lustful, and dare he admit it - loving! - instincts in him. Has he found his woman, here, on this island labelled as paradise on earth?
Buy Link: http://www.decadentpublishing.com/product_info.php?products_id=553&osCsid=joff4lkh610umgtpmk3mg4qvr4


MY GIVEAWAY: Leave me a comment, along with your email address, about what "ingredients" go into making your perfect hero, and let me know which one of my heroes wins your attention - you could win an ecopy of his book (in case I didn't spell that right *sorry, hormone-brain* I'm offering a random commentor a copy of the book of her choice from my releases, based on which hero is her favourite).

Thank you for hopping over here today, and don't forget to check the other 128 participants! Here's the link to view the whole list http://carrieannbloghops.blogspot.com/p/a-heros-hop.html

From Mauritius with love,

Zee

Six Sentence Sunday - Walking The Edge: Snippet #24

Hey beautiful people!

It's a bright, sunny Sunday morning here in Mauritius - with nary a cloud in the blue, incredibly blue sky... Okay, I'll stop before you're tempted to throw something at me! :) I'll trade the sweltering 90 degree heat with anyone's cold weather though - there's only so many clothes you can remove in the hot weather, lol.

So, Sunday once again - we blink and the week is gone, innit? I usually wait with bated breath for Six Sentence Sunday to come, when I cannot wait to share another excerpt with you all and then head over to the many amazing blogs taking part, read those snippets into stories that have me hooked. SSS is addictive, both for posting and for reading excerpts.

Today, I'm taking ye all once again to that hotel room in Marseille today, off the coast along Corniche JF Kennedy, on the upscale beaches of the Prado.

Gerard, the hunky cop, gave in to his craving for Amelia, a woman - a killer! - he knows next to nothing about, except that she makes him yearn, like someone he used to love before.
Amelia too knows next to nothing about her past, as she is amnesiac. But there's one certainty in her blank mind, in her beating heart, in every fibre of her body - Gerard will make everything right, like he used to in the past, in this past that she doesn't recall, but in which she knows - just knows - he played an important part.

Last week, they were naked, he had her up against the wall, and she read his body language as if by instinct. He took her, but where is that impulsive act leading now?

Read on to find out.


'...

He needed no further encouragement to meet her rhythm thrust for thrust. She weighed hardly more than a feather, yet her body took him as if she'd been made for him, responding to the fierceness of his taking her with an equally strong drive begging him to give her everything.

She screamed and her nails dug into his shoulder blades. The flash of pain arching through him, right when he heard the echo of her pleasure in her heavy breaths, in the powerful contractions of her body, sent him over the edge. He came with a groan, emptying his seed inside her all while his soul felt it was losing himself in her.

In a way, he had lost himself, because he'd just fucked the enemy. ...'

And, btw, this is the last excerpt of Walking The Edge (Corpus Brides: Book One) that I'll be posting on SSS. I have a new release, Calling Home, coming out on Monday, December 5 - so will be posting snips from that sweet romance as from next week.

Don't forget too - catch the rest of the amazing SSS posse here. There's bound to be great excerpts in there.

Thanks for coming over, for reading, and double thanks if you leave me a comment. :) Your words tide me through the whole week.

Hope you're having a lovely weeekend.

From Mauritius with love,

Zee

Six Sentence Sunday - Walking The Edge: Snippet #23

Hey beautiful people

It's a pleasant but bittersweet Sunday morning for me right now - as I was putting this post together, I learned one of my uncles just passed away after a lengthy struggle against cancer. It's news that hits home even more given that I'm a cancer survivor too, and he and I actually went in together one day at the hospital, back to back, to see our oncologist.

I'm saddened, and the news left me reeling... but life goes on anyhow, and we all gotta do what we gotta do to move along.

So I'd already signed up for Six Sentence Sunday, and I didn't want to leave anyone in the lurch (and also not put up my link up when I signed up, which to me, amounts to giving my word).

Last week, we were in that hotel room in Marseille, this couple in total lust against the velvet-panelled wall. Heat flared up, fast. Will they follow upon this fire that blazed... give in to their desire for one another...? Read on for today's six:


'...

Bracing his hands on her ribcage, he pinned her to the wall. She understood what he wanted, and in the blink of an eye, her legs came up, brushing feverishly against his hips, then straddling his waist. Standing like that, his body aligned with her core, and with a none-too-gentle push, he swiftly entered her.

Even with her face buried in the crook of his collarbone, he heard the moan she tried to stifle. Her soft, velvety lips trailed up his skin to settle on the pulse beating frantically in his neck. Her tongue darted out to caress the throbbing vein, and she rocked her lower body against his. ...'

Thanks for coming over, and double thanks if you leave me a comment. You know these little words you leave me tide me into the week, right? :)

Don't forget to check out the other Six Sunday posters here - I guarantee there are some amazing reads in that list.

Hope you're all having a lovely Sunday.

From Mauritius with love,

Zee

Six Sentence Sunday - Walking The Edge: Snippet #22

Hey beautiful people

It's raining here (not men, unfortunately... but we need the water after the scorching, dry heat of the past few weeks). So, if it's not raining men here, I'm pretty sure it will be raining hot, hunky, and honourable men in all the Six Sentence Sunday snippets going up today. Don't you agree? :)

And since it's dull, dark, and wet, here in Mauritius today, I'm gonna turn up the heat a little and put my own hot, hunky, honourable hero out there for public consumption (my, aren't we wicked today! *grin*).

So, last week, we were in that Marseille hotel room... and Gerard had Amelia in his arms, and he pushed her naked body against the velvet-panelled wall. Heat is flaring...


"...

Her hand came down from his neck to open the buttons on his shirt, pushing off his shoulder holster in the process; he helped her and shrugged out of the leather, then the cotton garment. His bare skin brushed against hers; her hardened nipples rubbed against his torso - he groaned and tore his mouth from hers to trail hot, fevered kisses along the column of her throat.

Small, plaintive moans escaped her on rushed exhales as she let him explore the recesses along her collarbone; she wanted him as much as he wanted her—he could feel it in the way she abandoned her body to his touch, to his kisses. He undid the button and zipper on his jeans and pushed them off, kicking them to the side.

Her leg came up along his thigh, her soft skin sending sparks of desire along his limbs and throughout his body.

Now—he needed her now. ..."

Catch other hot, hunky men in the rest of the Six Sentence Sunday posse's snippets here. Trust me, you won't be disappointed. :)

As always, I love your comments! Leave me a few words and tide me into the week with a smile. :)
From Mauritius with love,

Zee

Six Sentence Sunday - Walking The Edge: Snippet #21

Hey beautiful people

It's a calm, quiet, lazy Sunday morning in Mauritius... and though I know I should laze around too, I just cannot stand the idea of peace and quiet right now.

So how do I brew up a little excitement? Six Sentence Sunday, of course! While I wait for the list to go live and the other participants' excerpts to go up, let me add mine.

Last week, we faced the question of "What would happen if they kissed?"

Well, they have kissed, and what happens now? Remember there's a sudden fire that blazed between these two in the hotel room. Gerard has thought of a woman from his past, whom he wants to forget, and the only way for him to do that is to lose himself in the moment, in Amelia.
Amelia, despite her blank memory, is trusting her heart and her dormant instincts that are guiding her, urging her to put her trust into him, because the moment is so reminiscent of the ones she is sure they have had in the past.

But, the problem remains - Gerard doesn't recognize her, and her amnesia is not helping any. Who is she really?

What happens after that kiss, after Amelia is certain that Gerard will make her finally come alive? Read on for today's six:

'...

Gerard groaned - her passion was enough to blow to ashes whatever remaining sense he still possessed.

She's a killer, his rational brain prodded; She isn't going to kill me now, another side retorted - in fact, he'd die if he didn't have her. Not very professional of him, he reckoned, but who gave a damn right now, because she made him think—

Stop that!

He needed to forget, to focus on the here and now, and so he released her cheek and reached down to grip the towel, peeling it off her in a rough jerk. She arched against him, and he moved forward, making her take a step back until her body was pressed to the velvet-paneled wall. ...'

Catch the rest of the Six Sunday folks here. Thanks for dropping by today, and double thanks if you leave me a comment. XOXO

From Mauritius with love,

Zee

Six Sentence Sunday - Walking The Edge: Snippet #20

Hey beautiful people

Back again on the Six Sunday bandwagon this week - the hiatus of last week made me yearn and crave for the snippets I've grown addicted to in the past few months. Trust me - Six Sentence Sunday grows on you, and I'm not the only participant who has been bitten by that bug. :)

So, onwards and upwards. Where had we left off? Right... hotel room in Marseille... Amelia had killed Gerard's assailant, and shock has settled into her...but only as long as it took until Gerard's heated, passion-filled gaze settled on her.
She's made him think of a woman from his past, and he wants nothing more than to forget now... while amnesiac Amelia is trusting her gut and her heart that are certain Gerard had looked at her exactly like this in the past.
What would happen if they got close...? Read on for today's six. :)

'...

Even through her damp towel and his shirt, she could feel the blazing temperature of his body reaching out to her, and she parted her lips when he drew closer. Tension sizzled between them, and she recalled that moment on the streets when he had stood so close to her and had touched her cheek.

As if he too recalled it, he brought his palm up; the warm skin settled firmly along her jawbone, cradling it in his grasp. She closed her eyes under the feeling of security that spread through her - This feels so right, she thought, pressing her cheek into his palm.

When his lips touched hers, the fire that had smoldered inside her blazed into a full-blown inferno - she opened her mouth to his kiss, and his tongue delved inside to coax hers into surrender. She yielded willfully, her arms going around his neck, because his kiss brought her alive, made her yearn for more, for everything, with him. ...'

Catch the rest of the Six Sunday crew and their awesome snippets here.

Hope you're having a lovely Sunday, peeps! Thanks for dropping by and reading my work, and double thanks if you leave a comment - you guys totally make my week with the words you leave here. :)

From Mauritius with love,

Zee

Six Sentence Sunday - Walking The Edge: Snippet #19

Hello beautiful people!

It's a bright, beautiful & sunny Sunday here in Mauritius today. Still a slight chill on the wind though, otherwise this would've been perfect weather to go laze under the shade on a sandy beach while the boys go off to explore the grand bleu of the lagoon here.

So, short of getting the wind to stop blowing, I won't get to go laze on a beach, but let's swap that for lazing on a sofa in the sun-basked living room, laptop on my thighs, a glass of ice-cold green tea with a splash of juice in hand, and awesome Six Sentence Sunday excerpts to read.

This week, I'm still in that hotel room in Marseille, located along the iconic Corniche JF Kennedy road that borders the sea and which overlooks the superb, upscale beaches of the Prado.

Remember - Gerard's gut tightened when he watched Amelia come out of the bathroom clad in only a skimpy towel. She makes him yearn... like he'd yearned for someone before...

Today, we go into Amelia's POV, and here's a little explanation to put you into the picture. She has amnesia, and the man who pretends he is her husband plies her with psychotropic drugs to keep her biddable. During a drug-filled haze, Amelia dreams of her French lover... who turns out to be Gerard, whom she recognizes on a news clip on TV. She come to Marseille to see him, and the first thing she tells him when they meet is "You and I were lovers."

But he doesn't recognize her, yet she is sure he is a part of her past, and not a figment of her imagination.

"...

Amelia saw how coiled tension made him stand rigid and tall - his face was hard, and the fire in his eyes took her breath away.

While she'd been under the cascade of water, she'd tried hard to blank the thoughts from her mind, and she had managed, focusing only on the warmth that flooded over her clammy skin.

The cold had blanketed her as soon as she'd stepped out of the shower, but now, under his intense appraisal, heat started building from deep and low inside her.

He would make things right, with his touch, with his heat, with his love...like he always did, like only he could.

The certainty settled inside her of its own volition, soothing her mind, pacifying the storm raging inside her.

The surroundings blurred around her peripheral vision, taking her to a place and moment when he had looked at her that way, and she had experienced that same irresistible pull toward him. ..."

Thanks for coming over to read my excerpt today, and double thanks if you leave me a comment (and brighten my week's start!).

Catch the rest of the amazing SSS posse here with their awesome tidbits.

From Mauritius with love,

Zee

Six Sentence Sunday - Walking The Edge: Snippet #18

Hey beautiful people

After a blazing hot week, the weather has turned cool and blustery in Mauritius today. Ack. I was looking forward to some sun, but guess I'll have to settle for a different kind of warmth - you guessed it... Six Sentence Sunday snippets!

Whew, time flies, innit? I never realize that more than when I have to jump on here to post my six' excerpt.

So, without further ado, let me take you a little bit more into the world of danger, suspense, and intrigue that is Walking The Edge (Corpus Brides: Book One). I promised something 'softer' for this week - I'll let you people be the judge of how soft we do go from here on. :)

As always, huge thanks to all who drive by to read my six sentences, today and every week, and double thanks if you leave me a comment.

On to this week's six... Remember the fight scenes, first in the alleyway next to the bistro near Boulevard Michelet in Marseille, then the attack on police commissaire Gerard near his house a few blocks away. An "expressionless and focused" Amelia didn't hesitate to step in to save Gerard's life...by killing his assailant with two direct gun shots to the heart.

The police have come and gone, gotten Amelia's statement, and now Gerard has taken her back to her hotel. Sometime during the trip, delayed shock has settled into her, and he sends her to take a hot shower when they get in, while he takes the opportunity to rummage in her handbag for any clue as to who she really is.

Gerard is set on getting answers out of her before the night is over. Will he manage to?

"...

There was good to be attributed to adrenaline, but there was also bad to be ascribed to it, like the way his gut tightened when he saw her with the skimp of terry cloth covering her tiny frame. Freshly washed, her face looked younger, her eyes huge and darkly lashed - so it hadn't been makeup that had given her gaze its intensity. He suddenly wanted her with the desperation of a thirsty man catching sight of an oasis in the desert, as if he craved her, needed her for survival...like he had craved someone else before—

Don't think of her, not now. This woman is Amelia. Not her. ..."

Catch the rest of the amazing SSS posse and their fantastic excerpts here.

From Mauritius with love,

Zee

It's October aka Breast Cancer Awareness Month!

Hey guys!

Had a hectic start of the week what with having to drag my husband to the ER when he complained of chest pains (thank goodness it was only bad heartburn!) and all this left me wiped (and hence why there've been no postings so far this week).

But today I'm doing something special that's very close to my heart, and I hope you will share it with me.

I'm talking about Breast Cancer and Breast Cancer Awareness over at the Noble Romance Authors' blog. Please drop by and take a read, and forward the information to the women in your life. This is information that could save a life, so please heed it and drop by.

I address some common perceptions and misconceptions about the disease, such as:

• It happens after you turn 40.
• It happens after menopause.
• If there is a history of breast cancer in your family, get yourself checked.
• If you're on the pill, the risk for breast cancer increases.
• Have a mammogram every 3 years after 30, yearly after 40.
• To have breast cancer, there needs to have a family history of it.
• The more excess weight you carry, the higher your risk of getting breast cancer (especially after 40 and/or menopause)

Here's the link - come on over and please help me share the info about breast cancer. And side note - commentors will be entered for a draw where one of them will win a copy of Walking The Edge.

Looking forward to seeing you over there!

From Mauritius with love,

Zee

Six Sentence Sunday - Walking The Edge: Snippet #17

Hello beautiful people

Chilly and dismal today - the sun is trying to peek through the clouds, but I don't think it will win this battle. Never mind though - I know how to bring my type of bright sun to the day. Yes, you guessed it - it's time for Six Sentence Sunday. Snazzy and sassy snippets from published works or WIPs - what more can you ask for a nice relaxing day to end the weekend?

This week, I'm concluding the attack scene from Walking The Edge. Thanks to everyone who comes by, and double thanks if you leave a comment. I love reading your takes on my work, and any suggestions are more than welcome. :)

I'll up the ante next week - because this book is, after all, a romantic suspense, and we have yet to see the romance between Gerard and Amelia so far. But before this, today's snippet.

Remember - Gerard met Amelia at the bistro, and in a fight where he behaved like a total chauvinistic macho pig, believes her to be a lure sent to catch him in a compromising position. He leaves her in the dark alley, but when he gets home, he is assaulted by a thug who is about to kill him... when Amelia steps out of the shadows and swiftly dispatches the assailant to kingdom come. This is last week's excerpt, and this continues from there...
(includes a POV break, but I want to show you a bit of the latent conflict in the book)

"....

Finally, she lowered the gun and stepped up to him. From his previous deduction, he hadn't expected her to be trembling or bumbling her way about, but still, the efficiency with which she sidestepped the body and crouched at Gerard's side sent warning bells off in his head.

"Who the hell are you?" he asked, aware the thought had made it into words.

* * * * *

That's what I'd like to know too. Amelia didn't reply even as the thought crossed her mind. Now wasn't the time to look for answers. ..."


Catch the rest of the super SSS crew and their amazing excerpts here.

From Mauritius with love,

Zee

Six Sentence Sunday - Walking The Edge: Snippet #16

Hello beautiful people!

It's a bright, sunny Sunday here in Mauritius - perfect weather to hit the beach, as my snorkeling-crazy lads are hinting not so conspicuously. :) I love bright days, but I don't really like being out in the sun... so sitting down in my living room bathed by sunlight to catch up on all those amazing Six Sunday Sentence excerpts sounds like my kind of plan for a perfect end of the weekend.

Thanks to everyone who comes by every week to read my snippets from Walking The Edge. Your words mean so much - you have no idea. Reading all your comments is a highlight of my week.

Now, without further ado (I know, summer and sun take me into melodrama world - told you I didn't like the sun coz it messes up my brain!), here's this week's six...

...a continuation of last week's excerpt. Remember, Gerard, the police commissaire in Marseille, faced certain death when the thug who assaulted him pulled out a gun. But then something happens - a woman steps in, brings the thug down and shoots him dead. She ends up saving Gerard's life, and he is forced to reconsider his previous deductions about her...

"... It can't be. She was the same woman who'd met him at the bistro, yet, at the same time, she wasn't - her features were different, harder, and, he realized with dread, completely focused yet expressionless.

Something told him to take another look. She hadn't dropped the gun, and for an insane moment, he wondered if she'd aim it his way and shoot. There had been no hesitation in her two shots, and, as his eyes took in the way she held the Sig—one hand curled around the grip and the other anchoring it—a realization clattered in his brain.

She held it like a professional and merde if she hadn't shot like a professional too. ..."

Catch the rest of the SSS posse and their snippets here - you won't be disappointed. :)

From Mauritius with love,

Zee

Six Sentence Sunday - Walking The Edge: Snippet #15

Hey beautiful people!

It's another bright, sunny Sunday here in Mauritius. Spring is definitely here, finally! Yes, time is running way fast - I have no clue where this past week went, and wham! - it's time for exciting SSS excerpts again.

Without further ado (and me waxing lyrical because I think the sun is getting to  what's left of my brain!), let's head to Marseille and that scene on the darkened doorstep of police commissaire Gerard's house. We're still in the early chapters of Walking The Edge, and things start to take a turn for the worst - or for the better maybe, when it appears nothing is as it seems...

Last week, Gerard was on his knees, brought down by a boot-kick in the stomach and a fist slam to the temple. His assailant was bringing out a gun...

"...

Time stood still while he tried to breathe and remain conscious.

And then something happened so quickly he had trouble grasping it; the guy howled and went down, his free hand clutching his neck as Gerard caught sight of a cherry-red flash.

The thug lifted and aimed his gun - another red flash haloed the first; two shots rang, and the thug slumped.

Gerard moved his gaze to where the flashes had appeared, and he saw his Sig in the hands of the one who'd saved him.

Legs braced, back straight, she held the gun in both hands, the left cupping the right, with wisps of smoke gently drifting from the barrel.

He blinked when he focused on her face. ..."

Catch more SSS snippets here - I guarantee there are some awesome reads, and some awesome people behind them!

From Mauritius with love,

Zee

Progress Friday

Hey peeps

I know - this slot has been awol for the past 2 weeks. Reason? Let me stop being a total chicken and tell you the whole truth: I hadn't written a word in the past 2 weeks, and since I had no progress to show when I was supposed to be on deadline, I was ashamed of myself.

There you have it. Yes - I've heard it all (cut yourself some slack, take a breather, writers run into a funk sometimes), but none of that really helps when you're contemplating the fact that you are accountable for what is, inherently, your job. I'm an author and my job is to produce books, full stop.

I could try to explain my position the past 2 weeks. Week 1, my son was home on school break (plus there were 2 public holidays - whole family at home - and one of them was a personal celebration for us). In this case, forget about writing, unless you want to be downing Paracetamol tablets by the handful come tea time because writing and looking after a rambunctious 8-year-old equals the headache of the century.
So there, I had already lost my writing pace and groove, and that's the worst thing that can happen to me. When I lose my groove, it's hard to get back in, because I will be questioning myself and whether or not if what I'm writing is good, and will I ever be able to find the same pace and flow as before I was interrupted? That's my biggest Damocles' sword.

Week 2 saw me having a hospital appointment on Wednesday. And so what happens to me whenever I need to go meet my care team, I start getting worried... What if something has happened and I'm no longer in okay health? What if the doctors will have bad news? I'm a nervous wreck whenever I need to meet my doctors (and in case you didn't know, I'm a two-time breast cancer survivor. My second brush with the disease was less than a year ago). So there went the other week, and by the time the appointment came and went (with a clean bill of health for the past 4 months, thank goodness!), I was wiped and it took me the rest of the week to recover. So a cancer scare is my second Damocles sword.

Pair the two swords together, and you get me totally out of commission.

Until something happened to kick my arse and get me back in gear - my lovely publisher, Jill Noble, posted something on Facebook that had me glowing and basking with pride. It was this amazing , 5-star review by Just Erotic Romance Reviews for Walking The Edge.

This gave me faith, in myself and my ability to weave a story that would have readers (hopefully!) enthralled. I sat down and started writing again...

...and let me say the word count has been none too shabby this current week. About 8.4K added to the draft of Before The Morning, and this takes me across the half-way mark to end this week on the 55% line on the expected total word count! Woot!

Oh, and something else I wanted to share with you - my bestie (and she is like a sister to me!), author Angela Guillaume, kickstarted her writing blog this week. After a rev-up post on Monday, she hosted author Hope Tarr on Wednesday for the first of her Wednesday Interview slots. And today, she posts her own progress report. I'm curious to know what she's been up to writing-wise - join me to check out her Progress Friday post, over at her blog, angelaguillaume.blogspot.com

So that's it from me this week, beautiful people! Looking forward to a quiet weekend where I'll catch up on some (very late) crits for my CPs.

Oh, and if you're on Facebook, join me later today for the Friday/Weekend TideOver photo (hunky, yummy men... need I say more? *grin*)

From Mauritius with love,

Zee

Six Sentence Sunday - Walking The Edge: Snippet #14

Hey beautiful people!

It's Sunday once again, and time for Six Sentence Sunday. I cannot wait for that time to come every week, to meet and greet all the amazing folks who visit and leave me comments. Thanks soooo much for your feedback - you all are the highlight of my week!

It's a calm, quiet, and cloudy Sunday here in Mauritius. The sun is peeking from time to time, and temps are comfortable - just perfect to curl up with some good written excerpts and socialize with all the wonderful SSS authors out there. :)

On to this week's snippet. Remember, last week, the hero of Walking The Edge, Marseille police commissaire Gerard Besson, was attacked in front of his house. A little while earlier, he had left the heroine, Amelia, in a darkened alleyway next to a bistro, thinking her to be a honeytrap sent to lure him away from the investigation he's working on. After the first blow, he wondered whether she could've sent someone after him when she failed to seduce him... Is he right? Read on :)

'...

He had no time to ponder—a heavy booted foot collided smack into his stomach and sent him to his knees, and the gun dropped from his hand. He could barely see the man kick the Sig away - Now's the time to hit him. But he wasn't fast enough; the thug smashed a hard blow to Gerard's temple.

Black dots danced before his eyes.

It would take more than that to knock him out. He looked up and knew he'd be no match against the gun his assailant yanked from inside his jacket. ...'

More SSS snippets here - do take a look, you'll find some amazing finds, I guarantee!

From Mauritius with love,

Zee

Six Sentence Sunday - Walking The Edge: Snippet #13

Hey peeps

It's a gorgeous Sunday here in Mauritius - brilliant & clear blue skies, warm sun, temps up in the seventies. We're officially going into spring, finally!

So, since it's pretty much spring here, I thought I'd start a new sequence from Walking The Edge to keep with the 'fresh' theme. This one is another action-packed scene, and it takes place a few moments after the previously featured interlude between Amelia and Gerard in the dark alleyway beside the bistro.

Gerard left her gasping for breath back there, but unbeknownst to him, Amelia has picked herself up and is closely following him in the shadows of darkened doorways and the streets around Boulevard Michelet where Gerard lives.
On the doorstep of his residence, Gerard hears the soft sound of gravel accidentally crunching under a heavy footstep, and he pauses. The area where he lives, while still relatively safe, wasn't top-notch secured as the beaux quartiers of Marseille either...

'...

Tonight is too quiet - something hung in the air, a sort of expectancy that made the hairs on his nape stand up; Not a good sign, his cop's instincts screamed. He reached for the gun he kept in the shoulder holster on his left side, pulled out his Sig Sauer, and unlatched the safety, keeping the firearm close to him.

As he turned to scan the other side of the road, something—or someone—lunged at him and knocked him into the solid garage door. Reflex kicking in, he took a deep breath to fortify himself against the stinging pain in his body, and honing his senses, he then lashed out on the side from which his opponent had assaulted him. His fist connected with a jaw and he heard a grunt - male. So it wasn't the woman from the bistro - could she have sent someone after him? ...'

More Six Sentence Sunday goodness here! Thanks for dropping by, and double thanks if you leave me a comment. :)

From Mauritius with love,

Zee

Six Sentence Sunday - Walking The Edge: Snippet #12

Hey beautiful people!

It's Sunday once again. Bright and sunny here, but still cold as heck - I need my afghan, a cup of coffee, and some good reading to snuggle down to. But that's not an issue today, innit, since the snippets of Six Sentence Sunday will be up. :)

I'm concluding this action scene in the dark alleyway of Marseille today - next week, we move to another meeting between Gerard and Amelia. But for today...

Remember how last week Amelia was left with the tip of the gun against her temple, trapped between Gerard's big, hard body and the cold brick wall? What happens next? Does Gerard act on his threat? Read on for more (snippet edited for purpose of this post).

'... He remained like that for what felt like forever - his raspy, rapid breaths echoed in her mind, merging with the sound of her own gasps. She was going numb, blackness engulfing her brain, and she needed air.

Then, suddenly, he was off her - she sagged, the flat of her hands sliding down the wall while she forced air into her lungs.

You bastard, she couldn't help but think while she struggled for breath. He'd moved out onto the main street, leaving her here in the darkened alleyway.

Who did he think he was? ...'

Catch the rest of the SSS crew and their snippets here. Thanks for coming over, and double thanks for leaving a comment!

From Mauritius with love,

Zee

Six Sentence Sunday - Walking The Edge: Snippet #11

Hey beautiful people!

It's a bright, sunny Sunday morning here in Mauritius. Temps still a bit chilly, around 60 degrees - perfect to snuggle down with an afghan, a cup of coffee, and some great reading via Six Sentence Sunday snippets.

I'm still with Amelia and Gerard in that dark, seedy alleyway next to the Bistro du Stade in Marseille, on the outskirts of Boulevard Michelet and the Stade Velodrome.

Last week, Amelia still had a gun pointed at her, but her senses were focused on something else... the fact that Gerard seemed turned on by the danger of the moment.What happens next? Will Gerard take matters into his hands, or will Amelia win this battle?
Gerard goes on to tell her, in a menacing tone, that he won't ask her the question again. But Amelia has no clue what he's talking about, and she tells him that she doesn't know, to which he laughs.

"..."Of course you don't, sweetheart."

With that, he leaned forward, bending his knees and crouching farther down before her, one arm across her shoulders, his forearm crushing her throat. His breath was warm on her face as he lowered his head to be at eye level with her - he was tall, a good foot taller than her. With her thighs still immobilized, and with his arm cutting off her air supply, breathing suddenly became a feat. Her lips parted and she tried her best to inhale, but all she managed to do was catch a whiff of the spicy scent of his skin - her senses swam, and then she froze when she felt the cold tip of the gun against her temple.

"Whoever he is," the commissaire said in a husky whisper against her ear, "tell him a honey trap won't work." ...'

Catch more SSS snippets here. Thanks for coming over, and double thanks if you leave me a comment. :)

From Mauritius with love,

Zee