Welcome to this week's edition of Romancing the Novelist. Vonnie Davis has been my guest before and if you'd like to check out her first interview with me take a quick look at December 2012's blog posts. Thanks for coming back, Vonnie!
Thanks for having me here today, Christine. I love
visiting other writers, especially those who know how to tell a good story the
way you do.
I want to share an excerpt from a novella being offered as
a FREE download on Amazon today and tomorrow. Back Where You Belong is my second story in the Honky Tonk Hearts
series. My first novella in the series is a finalist for the NERFA (National
Excellence in Romance Fiction Award).
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| ~Jazzie~ |
How many of
you are pet owned? I’m owned by a tabby, who refuses to answer to his real
name—Jazzie Miles Davis—but use Baby Puss and he comes running. Cats…go figure.
Jazzie loves to snuggle next to me as I write. He also enjoys lying across my
chest for his morning scratches. But two years ago, when I was having a strange
pain and tenderness in the right side of my midriff, he refused to lay across
me. He would sniff that area and run away. Blood tests showed my pancreas was
fighting an infection. Once that infection was cleared up, Jazzie was once more
his old snuggly self.
So, do pets read our bodies? Can they sense illnesses and
mood changes? Based on my research, I’d say yes.
That’s why I felt comfortable with having Honeybun, my
heroine’s collie, react to Lacy’s nervousness while cooking breakfast for my
hero. Tyler and his ranch foreman when they come to her grandfather’s ranch to
pick up some cattle. She’s burned bacon and after dropping eggs is lecturing
herself to settle down. Then this…
The object of her nerves stepped inside
and hung his hat on a peg. He stilled in the entry from the
mudroom to the kitchen, the breadth of
his shoulders nearly filling the doorway. Lord have mercy, he was all male in
his black Western shirt and jeans that hugged his muscular thighs like a second
skin.
“Mornin’ Lacy.”
Two words. Two measly little words and
wetness pooled between her legs. Oh, this is so not good.
Honeybun must have picked up on the
increase in her pheromones. The collie trotted over to Tyler, her backside
wiggling and switching, She wagged her tail, whined and peed on his boots.
Tyler’s gaze slowly rose from the
offending puddle to Lacy’s face. “Did you teach her to do that?” Something akin
to humor danced in his expression.
“Oh, crap, of course not. I’m sorry.”
She ripped a few paper towels off the roll and hurried over to wipe up
Honeybun’s wet welcome. “I don’t know what possessed her to do that. She’s been
housebroke for years. Do you have a dog? Maybe she smells a dog on you. Or a
cat, if you have one. Collies have a great sense of smell, you know.” She kept
dabbing at his boots and the puddle next to them. “I’m sorry. Truly. Don’t take
offense. I’m sure she likes you.”
“Lacy.” He got down on his hunkers so
he could look into her eyes. “Calm down. It’s fine. She can’t hurt these old
shit-kickers. Please, don’t fret over it. Take a deep breath and relax.”
She nodded and pursed her lips. “You
make me nervous.”
“I know I do. You have a way of getting
under my skin, too.” He placed his hands on her upper arms and stood, pulling
her up with him. His hands slid up and down in an almost proprietary gesture. A
slow smile spread. “Something smells good.”
His touch was sending sparks all
through her system. If she didn’t step away, she was going to climb his leg
like a cat in heat. Too bad she couldn’t force her legs to move—or her gaze.
She couldn’t look away from those eyes that seemed to darken to midnight right
in front of her.
BLURB:
While shooting pool at the Lonesome Steer Honky Tonk,
rancher Tyler Desmond takes an errant dart in the neck. Ready to retaliate,
he’s instead captivated by the blonde who threw it. Tyler isn’t interested in
opening his heart, so why does he kiss the verbal buzz saw? Just to shut her
up?
As a teenager, Lacy LaRoche had a secret crush on Tyler.
When the dart brings them face-to-face, all she can do is chatter—until he
kisses her. But Lacy didn’t come back to Texas to fall in love. She’s hiding
another secret: her roommate surreptitiously videotaped Lacy undressing and
posted it on the internet.
When Tyler’s daughter is bullied at school, Lacy must
reveal the truth and face the emotional damage of cyber bullying.
Over-protective of his daughter—and his heart—Tyler must learn to trust again.
Can two scarred hearts find their way back to where they belong?
Grab Vonnie's book, share the love, and leave a comment.
Grab Vonnie's book, share the love, and leave a comment.
FREE download today (Friday) and tomorrow (Saturday) on Amazon.
Click on the link to download:
Thanks so much for having me here today, Christine. Are you owned by a pet? How many of your readers are?
ReplyDeleteHi, Vonnie and Christine. I definitely think animals sense things. When we came home from our winter in Florida, we picked up our two cats at our daughter's and no sooner had we let them out of the carrier at home than two of the neighborhood cats stopped by to say hello. We hadn't been there for three months, but they knew when to visit.
ReplyDeleteGreat excerpt!
Where do you winter, Liz? We have friends who have a condo along the Gulf in Indian Rocks Beach that we've visited a couple times. We love walking along the beach at sunset. So incredibly beautiful.
DeleteNo doubt the neighbors' cats missed you, too. LOL I marvel at their intelligence. I've always felt the expression "dumb animals" tells more about the speaker than any animals.
I remember reading the blurb somewhere and wanting to read this book, Vonnie! The excerpt is EXCELLENT!!! HA HA, and funny :)
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Niecey. I hope you snagged your free copy! I just loved Lacy to pieces and enjoyed telling her story.
DeleteLovely interview (I'm a huge dog lover...big dogs. Have always had Akita dogs until my girl Nikki passed two years ago. So loyal and intelligent.)
ReplyDeleteThis is a fabulous excerpt, Vonnie. I'm going to snag a copy. Thank you! : )
I hope you enjoy the story, Robena. I was at our local social security office on Monday to make sure I was enrolled in everything. I turn 65 the end of May. The gentleman who looked up my records and I were chatting. He told me he raises Akitas for some law enforcement agencies. They love them because they are so intelligent. His home had been broken into last week and his two Akitas downed the would-be thief who wet his pants. LOL
ReplyDeleteVonnie, I love how you worked her pet into the action. Plus there's great sexual tension. I downloaded my copy and now need to find the time to read. Just love cowboy stories.
ReplyDeleteHaha I just saw this! That scene is so hilarious! It also reminds me of a dog I used to have. :) I canna wait to read this one!
ReplyDelete