30 June 2013
Quickie
Evening, Morlings!
This is going to be a super quick post, because I'm up to my eyeballs in editing and working on Twisted Arrangement 3. I want to make it the best it can possibly be, especially since I made you all wait for it.
I hope you enjoyed the snippet I posted in the last entry, and it's whet your appetite for July 9th! Next week I'll be going away to Florida to visit family. I'm looking forward to beach time. But even then I'll be putting the finishing touches on the book. Don't worry, I won't slack!
In the meantime, please be sure to let me know what you think of the second book... either here on the blog, or on the Facebook page, or on Amazon and Goodreads! Or all of the above!
I'm waiting with baited breath to see the cover for the next book. Maybe I'll do another cover reveal. What do you think? Do you like seeing the covers before the book comes out or is it no big deal?
Also, I was just talking with my publisher about what's next (after Twisted Arrangement 3). So, rest assured... this next novella won't be the last you hear of me! I'm working on some fun new things non-book related too, but I can't say anything about them yet. Stay tuned!
Be well, my lovelies. I heart you all so hard!
~xxxM
Getting Lucky
Today has been an amazing day, Morlings!!
First, the Mora Early page on Facebook reached 100 likes today! That is awesome!
Second, the Giveaway for Twisted Arrangement 2 ended. We got a lot of entries and I appreciate all the comments, tweets, and other support from all the entrants. You're all amazing!
Congratulations go out to Trena, Heather, and Heidi! Your copies of Twisted Arrangement 2 are on their way! I hope you enjoy them!
So, I promised when the page hit 100 likes I'd offer a sneak peak at Twisted Arrangement 3... which I'm going to post below (after the jump). If you haven't read Twisted Arrangement 2, there are some spoilers... You've been warned!
Please note that the book hasn't gone through the final round of edits... so things may change slightly in the finished version.
Now, if you're ready to read the excerpt from Twisted Arrangement 3, scroll down!
Well, there you have it, Morlings! What do you think? Are you excited? I know Josh is! ;)
~xxxM
First, the Mora Early page on Facebook reached 100 likes today! That is awesome!
Second, the Giveaway for Twisted Arrangement 2 ended. We got a lot of entries and I appreciate all the comments, tweets, and other support from all the entrants. You're all amazing!
Congratulations go out to Trena, Heather, and Heidi! Your copies of Twisted Arrangement 2 are on their way! I hope you enjoy them!
So, I promised when the page hit 100 likes I'd offer a sneak peak at Twisted Arrangement 3... which I'm going to post below (after the jump). If you haven't read Twisted Arrangement 2, there are some spoilers... You've been warned!
Please note that the book hasn't gone through the final round of edits... so things may change slightly in the finished version.
Now, if you're ready to read the excerpt from Twisted Arrangement 3, scroll down!
Twisted Arrangement 3 excerpt:
It took him a few minutes to locate her. She wasn’t in the living room, the library, or the den. He checked the ballroom and the billiard room before thinking to look in his office. She was curled up in his chair. The sight arrested Josh in his tracks.
Emma had kicked off her shoes and pulled her knees to her chest, burying her face against them. Her bare toes, nails painted a soft plum, he noticed, curled against the leather chair. Her shoulders were quivering almost imperceptibly. She looked very small, folded in on herself like that. It gave him an odd feeling of unease, like bubbles popping in his chest.
It was just that crying women made him uncomfortable. That was all. He cleared his throat, trying to think of something to say. She didn’t jump at the sound. She knew he was there. But she didn’t lift her head.
Chewie scrambled over to her and prowled around the chair, whimpering when he realized he couldn’t jump into her lap. With a sigh, Josh rounded the desk, perching on the edge and touching her shoulder.
“Emma...”
She spoke without lifting her head, her voice muffled against her knees. “I can’t believe I said that! What a horrible...” She sniffled.
“Siblings fight, Emma. I’m pretty sure that’s a universal truth. He’ll forgive you.”
“He shouldn’t. God, I’m the worst sister ever.” She actually thunked her forehead against her knees then, with a dull thud. Josh snorted. He crouched down beside her, reaching out to lift her chin and make her look at him.
Her green eyes were bright, the whites bloodshot, her dark lashes spiky and sparkling with unshed tears. Her nose and cheeks were pink and her lips trembled. Hell, even while crying she looked amazing. He brushed a thumb along her cheek, wiping away a tear.
“You’re an amazing sister. Forget the fact that you practically raised him. I’ve seen the file, remember? You’re always bailing him out of scrapes. Most people would have given him up as a lost cause by now. But not you.”
She tugged at the hem of her skirt, dropping her eyes. “Of course not. We’re all we’ve got.” Emma looked up at him, lashes fluttering. “I know everyone thinks Todd is this total screw-up. But he’s really not. He’s got a good heart and he’s really smart. He just... He’s searching for something. And he gets in over his head because he’s a people pleaser.”
Josh thought back to the poker game. Todd had been a lot of fun at first, before the game started, cracking jokes and telling stories. He’d put people at ease. Even once play had begun, for the first few hands he’d kept a steady round of chatter going.
Making everyone laugh. Making everyone like him. And then when he’d started to lose, his bonhomie had become a tad frantic. As if he could turn the tides of his luck with the force of his personality. The round he’d lost the watch, Todd had taken a long time to consider his cards, his face becoming serious for the first time that night.
One of the other players, Phil, the guy who’d brought Ness in, had egged him on, urged him to bet big. Phil’s cajoling had seemed like light-hearted ribbing at the time. But if what Emma said was true, he almost felt bad for Todd. Had he been trying so hard to get in with the poker crowd that he’d bet more than he could afford? Ultimately, Todd had made the decision himself, but he was still practically a kid.
“I know he’s not a bad person, Emma. But he does seem to have a knack for getting himself, and you, into trouble. I’d be willing to bet that the incident my father mentioned, when you were in college, had something to do with him too. Didn’t it?”
Emma blushed, but the corner of her mouth quirked the tiniest bit. “You’d lose. That one was all me. And Todd’s never forced me to help him.”
Josh touched the tip of his thumb absently to that ticked up corner of her mouth. He’d be interested to hear what kind of trouble Emma got up to on her own, but that would have to wait.
“No, but he takes advantage of your devotion to him.” Josh tilted her chin up further. “Which he can do because you’re such a good sister. Which is why he’ll forgive you. Brothers and sisters do that kind of thing. You should hear about some of the fights Ben and his sister had. I thought they were going to kill each other.”
“She told me.” Emma’s lips curved into a smile, but it faded again quickly. “It’s not like Todd and I have never fought before. But... Oh, I now I’m being over-emotional. I blame the champagne.”
Josh tilted his head. “Wait. What? When did you talk to Suzanne?” Ben hadn’t said anything about his sister coming to visit. A tiny tingle of worry curled through him at the thought of what the brash brunette might have said to Emma. Emma frowned at him.
“She met me at the fitting today. She’s the one who brought the champagne.”
He shook his head. He could deal with Suzanne, and whatever she might have said, later. “Listen, people say things they don’t mean when they fight. And you are under a lot of stress.” One of her brows kicked up at that and Josh smiled at the sight, squeezing her chin. “Maybe you were harboring a little resentment toward him for the part he played in putting you in your current situation?”
She pulled out of his grip, sliding her feet to the floor. “Maybe. Probably. But that’s not an excuse. If I take out my frustration on anyone, it should be you. You’re the one blackmailing me.” And then her shoulders slumped. “No wonder Todd is so screwed up with me for a sister. I shouldn’t be throwing stones.”
“Neither of you are screwed up.” Emma raised her eyebrows at his words, and Josh’s lips twitched. “Okay, but not any more screwed up than most people. Come downstairs, apologize, smack him upside the head if need be, and move on.” And then they could deal with William Ransler and figure out why he was poking around Emma’s house. “Okay?”
She sniffled a little, wiping at her nose. “You’re right. I’m always telling Todd he has to take responsibility for his mistakes. Maybe it’ll help if I lead by example.”
Josh pushed to his feet, grasped her shoulders, and drew her up to hers. He cupped her face, wiping away the tear tracks, and smiled. “There’s my girl,” he murmured.
The words were out before he realized what he was saying. He’d meant it as a comforting gesture, but the minute they fell from his tongue they seemed to charge the air around them.
Emma’s green eyes widened. Her lips parted in surprise. His gaze honed in on their soft curve. He heard her sharp intake of breath. Her lashes fluttered down over her eyes and her hands came up to grip his wrists. But she didn’t try and pull him away.
“Josh...”
He didn’t wait to hear what she was going to say. He bent swiftly, with a soft groan, and covered her mouth with his. Her lips were as soft and plump as he remembered, the smooth satin skin on the inner curve of her lower lip just as sweet tasting as he swept his tongue along it.
Josh had kissed Emma before. As Madame Butterfly, at the ball, they’d shared some of the most brain meltingly passionate kisses he’d ever experienced. And when he’d confronted her at the luncheon, he’d kissed her then too. A challenge. But this kiss... this was something else.
Beneath his hands, her cheeks were still warm and slightly damp with her tears. He could taste salt on her lips. Her slender body leaned lightly against his, trembling and soft. Her eyes were wide and green and startled before they slipped closed. Her tongue met his tentatively, curling like a velvet frond around his own.
He kept the pressure of his mouth gentle as he pulled back and then slanted his lips over hers again and again, changing the angle, brushing kisses from one corner of her mouth to the other. His tongue was coaxing as it played with hers, exploring the silken cavern of her mouth with delicate strokes.
Josh’s heart played big band music on his ribcage as the kiss went on and on. His hands slid from her jaw back into her hair, pulling her against his chest and tilting her head back to deepen the languorous lip lock. Emma’s hands trailed up his arms to clutch at his shoulders.
She didn’t pull him closer, but she kissed him back. She kissed him back. She did want him. The glide of her tongue, the fine trembling of her body, the pressure of her soft breasts against his stomach, nipples pebbled and hard. They all said so.
The desk dug against the back of his thighs as he tugged her closer, into the V of his legs, shifting to align their bodies until they were touching from shoulder to hip. He dropped one hand to the small of her back, fingers stroking the dip at the base of her spine.
Emma shuddered, a small whimper pouring into his mouth, at the touch. Her hips curved into him. Josh groaned. He’d been half hard from the moment their lips touched. Another minute or so of this slow, heated kissing with Emma’s slim, soft body snuggled against him and he’d be ready to spread her out on the desk.
Her fingers slid up into his hair, her short nails scratching lightly against his nape. She’d done that the night of the ball too. Just like then, it sent an electric curl of desire shooting straight down Josh’s spine. She scraped her teeth lightly over his lower lip, sucking it gently into her mouth and smoothing the small nip with her tongue.
Josh caressed the curve of her ass, curling his fingers around one small, soft buttock and lifting her onto her tiptoes, bringing her pelvis in line with his. They both gasped as the soft mound of her sex pressed into the hard ridge of his erection.
“Josh!”
“Christ, Emma,” he murmured against her damp, swollen lips. He wrapped his arms tight around her waist and slanted his mouth back over hers with mounting passion.
“Honey, is everything – Oh. Well. I see it is.” Kara Owens leaned against the office doorjamb, a small smile on her wide mouth.
Emma pulled back, shaking her head as if to clear it. Josh gritted his teeth and reluctantly released her. He blew out a long breath and shoved a hand through his hair before shooting a glare at his mother over his shoulder. “Yes, mother. Everything is fine here.
Emma had kicked off her shoes and pulled her knees to her chest, burying her face against them. Her bare toes, nails painted a soft plum, he noticed, curled against the leather chair. Her shoulders were quivering almost imperceptibly. She looked very small, folded in on herself like that. It gave him an odd feeling of unease, like bubbles popping in his chest.
It was just that crying women made him uncomfortable. That was all. He cleared his throat, trying to think of something to say. She didn’t jump at the sound. She knew he was there. But she didn’t lift her head.
Chewie scrambled over to her and prowled around the chair, whimpering when he realized he couldn’t jump into her lap. With a sigh, Josh rounded the desk, perching on the edge and touching her shoulder.
“Emma...”
She spoke without lifting her head, her voice muffled against her knees. “I can’t believe I said that! What a horrible...” She sniffled.
“Siblings fight, Emma. I’m pretty sure that’s a universal truth. He’ll forgive you.”
“He shouldn’t. God, I’m the worst sister ever.” She actually thunked her forehead against her knees then, with a dull thud. Josh snorted. He crouched down beside her, reaching out to lift her chin and make her look at him.
Her green eyes were bright, the whites bloodshot, her dark lashes spiky and sparkling with unshed tears. Her nose and cheeks were pink and her lips trembled. Hell, even while crying she looked amazing. He brushed a thumb along her cheek, wiping away a tear.
“You’re an amazing sister. Forget the fact that you practically raised him. I’ve seen the file, remember? You’re always bailing him out of scrapes. Most people would have given him up as a lost cause by now. But not you.”
She tugged at the hem of her skirt, dropping her eyes. “Of course not. We’re all we’ve got.” Emma looked up at him, lashes fluttering. “I know everyone thinks Todd is this total screw-up. But he’s really not. He’s got a good heart and he’s really smart. He just... He’s searching for something. And he gets in over his head because he’s a people pleaser.”
Josh thought back to the poker game. Todd had been a lot of fun at first, before the game started, cracking jokes and telling stories. He’d put people at ease. Even once play had begun, for the first few hands he’d kept a steady round of chatter going.
Making everyone laugh. Making everyone like him. And then when he’d started to lose, his bonhomie had become a tad frantic. As if he could turn the tides of his luck with the force of his personality. The round he’d lost the watch, Todd had taken a long time to consider his cards, his face becoming serious for the first time that night.
One of the other players, Phil, the guy who’d brought Ness in, had egged him on, urged him to bet big. Phil’s cajoling had seemed like light-hearted ribbing at the time. But if what Emma said was true, he almost felt bad for Todd. Had he been trying so hard to get in with the poker crowd that he’d bet more than he could afford? Ultimately, Todd had made the decision himself, but he was still practically a kid.
“I know he’s not a bad person, Emma. But he does seem to have a knack for getting himself, and you, into trouble. I’d be willing to bet that the incident my father mentioned, when you were in college, had something to do with him too. Didn’t it?”
Emma blushed, but the corner of her mouth quirked the tiniest bit. “You’d lose. That one was all me. And Todd’s never forced me to help him.”
Josh touched the tip of his thumb absently to that ticked up corner of her mouth. He’d be interested to hear what kind of trouble Emma got up to on her own, but that would have to wait.
“No, but he takes advantage of your devotion to him.” Josh tilted her chin up further. “Which he can do because you’re such a good sister. Which is why he’ll forgive you. Brothers and sisters do that kind of thing. You should hear about some of the fights Ben and his sister had. I thought they were going to kill each other.”
“She told me.” Emma’s lips curved into a smile, but it faded again quickly. “It’s not like Todd and I have never fought before. But... Oh, I now I’m being over-emotional. I blame the champagne.”
Josh tilted his head. “Wait. What? When did you talk to Suzanne?” Ben hadn’t said anything about his sister coming to visit. A tiny tingle of worry curled through him at the thought of what the brash brunette might have said to Emma. Emma frowned at him.
“She met me at the fitting today. She’s the one who brought the champagne.”
He shook his head. He could deal with Suzanne, and whatever she might have said, later. “Listen, people say things they don’t mean when they fight. And you are under a lot of stress.” One of her brows kicked up at that and Josh smiled at the sight, squeezing her chin. “Maybe you were harboring a little resentment toward him for the part he played in putting you in your current situation?”
She pulled out of his grip, sliding her feet to the floor. “Maybe. Probably. But that’s not an excuse. If I take out my frustration on anyone, it should be you. You’re the one blackmailing me.” And then her shoulders slumped. “No wonder Todd is so screwed up with me for a sister. I shouldn’t be throwing stones.”
“Neither of you are screwed up.” Emma raised her eyebrows at his words, and Josh’s lips twitched. “Okay, but not any more screwed up than most people. Come downstairs, apologize, smack him upside the head if need be, and move on.” And then they could deal with William Ransler and figure out why he was poking around Emma’s house. “Okay?”
She sniffled a little, wiping at her nose. “You’re right. I’m always telling Todd he has to take responsibility for his mistakes. Maybe it’ll help if I lead by example.”
Josh pushed to his feet, grasped her shoulders, and drew her up to hers. He cupped her face, wiping away the tear tracks, and smiled. “There’s my girl,” he murmured.
The words were out before he realized what he was saying. He’d meant it as a comforting gesture, but the minute they fell from his tongue they seemed to charge the air around them.
Emma’s green eyes widened. Her lips parted in surprise. His gaze honed in on their soft curve. He heard her sharp intake of breath. Her lashes fluttered down over her eyes and her hands came up to grip his wrists. But she didn’t try and pull him away.
“Josh...”
He didn’t wait to hear what she was going to say. He bent swiftly, with a soft groan, and covered her mouth with his. Her lips were as soft and plump as he remembered, the smooth satin skin on the inner curve of her lower lip just as sweet tasting as he swept his tongue along it.
Josh had kissed Emma before. As Madame Butterfly, at the ball, they’d shared some of the most brain meltingly passionate kisses he’d ever experienced. And when he’d confronted her at the luncheon, he’d kissed her then too. A challenge. But this kiss... this was something else.
Beneath his hands, her cheeks were still warm and slightly damp with her tears. He could taste salt on her lips. Her slender body leaned lightly against his, trembling and soft. Her eyes were wide and green and startled before they slipped closed. Her tongue met his tentatively, curling like a velvet frond around his own.
He kept the pressure of his mouth gentle as he pulled back and then slanted his lips over hers again and again, changing the angle, brushing kisses from one corner of her mouth to the other. His tongue was coaxing as it played with hers, exploring the silken cavern of her mouth with delicate strokes.
Josh’s heart played big band music on his ribcage as the kiss went on and on. His hands slid from her jaw back into her hair, pulling her against his chest and tilting her head back to deepen the languorous lip lock. Emma’s hands trailed up his arms to clutch at his shoulders.
She didn’t pull him closer, but she kissed him back. She kissed him back. She did want him. The glide of her tongue, the fine trembling of her body, the pressure of her soft breasts against his stomach, nipples pebbled and hard. They all said so.
The desk dug against the back of his thighs as he tugged her closer, into the V of his legs, shifting to align their bodies until they were touching from shoulder to hip. He dropped one hand to the small of her back, fingers stroking the dip at the base of her spine.
Emma shuddered, a small whimper pouring into his mouth, at the touch. Her hips curved into him. Josh groaned. He’d been half hard from the moment their lips touched. Another minute or so of this slow, heated kissing with Emma’s slim, soft body snuggled against him and he’d be ready to spread her out on the desk.
Her fingers slid up into his hair, her short nails scratching lightly against his nape. She’d done that the night of the ball too. Just like then, it sent an electric curl of desire shooting straight down Josh’s spine. She scraped her teeth lightly over his lower lip, sucking it gently into her mouth and smoothing the small nip with her tongue.
Josh caressed the curve of her ass, curling his fingers around one small, soft buttock and lifting her onto her tiptoes, bringing her pelvis in line with his. They both gasped as the soft mound of her sex pressed into the hard ridge of his erection.
“Josh!”
“Christ, Emma,” he murmured against her damp, swollen lips. He wrapped his arms tight around her waist and slanted his mouth back over hers with mounting passion.
“Honey, is everything – Oh. Well. I see it is.” Kara Owens leaned against the office doorjamb, a small smile on her wide mouth.
Emma pulled back, shaking her head as if to clear it. Josh gritted his teeth and reluctantly released her. He blew out a long breath and shoved a hand through his hair before shooting a glare at his mother over his shoulder. “Yes, mother. Everything is fine here.
Well, there you have it, Morlings! What do you think? Are you excited? I know Josh is! ;)
~xxxM
28 June 2013
Almost There
Hello Morlings!!!!
It's a lovely day today. I got a really nice email from a fan first thing, and those always put a smile on my face.
Also, my amazing editor, who's been out of the country, is back today! So, with less than two weeks to go before the release of Twisted Arrangement 3, she and I are going to hole up in a virtual room and get this baby ready for you!
I may be a little scarce, only popping online briefly until the release date, but I swear I'm always thinking of you. I want this last part to blow your socks off! And maybe Josh's too. ;)
Meanwhile, if you're looking for some more Mora news, Twisted Arrangement 1 (and 2) got reviewed on a couple of blogs. Why not go show them some love too? I'm all about spreading the love around. Here they are, in no particular order:
The Port of Indecision blog - Crissy reviews Twisted Arrangement 1 & 2. And made me laugh at least a dozen times! So funny!
Doubleshot Reviews - Heather normally covers the darker side of fiction (which I also love), so it's very cool to hear her thoughts on Twisted Arrangement 1 from a slightly different reader perspective!
Ashley's Book Corner - Ashley has a great site, full of interesting reads and reviews. And I love the C.S Lewis quote on the masthead! It's a real treat that she liked Twisted Arrangement 1 to the tune of 4 stars!
Don't forget, today is the last day to enter the drawing for the Giveaway of Twisted Arrangement 2! Make every entry count! Check out the blog post 'Giving It Away' for all the details.
Alright, back to that dark little internet room with my editor. Perhaps, next week I'll do a bit of a sneak peak at Twisted Arrangement 3... if you're very naughty! ;)
~xxxM
It's a lovely day today. I got a really nice email from a fan first thing, and those always put a smile on my face.
Also, my amazing editor, who's been out of the country, is back today! So, with less than two weeks to go before the release of Twisted Arrangement 3, she and I are going to hole up in a virtual room and get this baby ready for you!
I may be a little scarce, only popping online briefly until the release date, but I swear I'm always thinking of you. I want this last part to blow your socks off! And maybe Josh's too. ;)
Meanwhile, if you're looking for some more Mora news, Twisted Arrangement 1 (and 2) got reviewed on a couple of blogs. Why not go show them some love too? I'm all about spreading the love around. Here they are, in no particular order:
The Port of Indecision blog - Crissy reviews Twisted Arrangement 1 & 2. And made me laugh at least a dozen times! So funny!
Doubleshot Reviews - Heather normally covers the darker side of fiction (which I also love), so it's very cool to hear her thoughts on Twisted Arrangement 1 from a slightly different reader perspective!
Ashley's Book Corner - Ashley has a great site, full of interesting reads and reviews. And I love the C.S Lewis quote on the masthead! It's a real treat that she liked Twisted Arrangement 1 to the tune of 4 stars!
Don't forget, today is the last day to enter the drawing for the Giveaway of Twisted Arrangement 2! Make every entry count! Check out the blog post 'Giving It Away' for all the details.
Alright, back to that dark little internet room with my editor. Perhaps, next week I'll do a bit of a sneak peak at Twisted Arrangement 3... if you're very naughty! ;)
~xxxM
27 June 2013
Giving It Away
Life can be hard and the world can be a depressing place sometimes. But books provide an excellent escape... one of the good kind, that doesn't take a terrible toll on your body! That being said, I know how tight a book budget can be. Mine is miniscule! How to remain within the budget and still read all the books I want to read? I'm sure a lot of you know what I'm talking about!
So, with that in mind, I thought I'd have a GIVEAWAY. Everyone likes to win free stuff right? Free BOOKS especially!
Follow the instructions below and enter to win one of 3 digital copies of Twisted Arrangement 2!! The contest only lasts TWO DAYS, so be sure to enter now!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
~xxxM
26 June 2013
Spreading the Love
Another hectic day, my Morlings!
I just wanted to say a deep and heartfelt 'thank you' to everyone who has taken the time to read Twisted Arrangement and Twisted Arrangement 2! All of the ratings, reviews, comments, and notes people have been sending have made this one of the best weeks of my life.
Words can hardly express the way I feel every time someone says they liked the book. I write for two reasons. A big part of it is that if I didn't I'd just be the crazy lady with all the made up people in her head... but if I write them down on paper and make them talk to each other, I get to be an 'author'!
But the bigger reason is that I love to share the stories that come into my head. Stories have always been such a huge part of my life, from the books my father read to me when I was a little girl to the music my mother sang when we were in the car together. And they've given me such joy. So I write because I want to share that joy with other people.
I can't do that part without you. Every one of you. Thank you so much! I know there are a lot of books out there and a limited time in which to read them. I know things like work and laundry and kids and... life... can sometimes require almost all of our time. So it means so much to me that even one person has taken the time out of a busy day to sit down and read something I wrote. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed bringing it to you!
Okay, I'll stop with the sentimental bit now!
Don't forget that Twisted Arrangement is FREE on Amazon for the next few days. And because I love you all so much, I'm putting together a Giveaway for a couple of digital copies of Twisted Arrangement 2! Stay tuned here and on Facebook for details!
~xxxM
I just wanted to say a deep and heartfelt 'thank you' to everyone who has taken the time to read Twisted Arrangement and Twisted Arrangement 2! All of the ratings, reviews, comments, and notes people have been sending have made this one of the best weeks of my life.
Words can hardly express the way I feel every time someone says they liked the book. I write for two reasons. A big part of it is that if I didn't I'd just be the crazy lady with all the made up people in her head... but if I write them down on paper and make them talk to each other, I get to be an 'author'!
But the bigger reason is that I love to share the stories that come into my head. Stories have always been such a huge part of my life, from the books my father read to me when I was a little girl to the music my mother sang when we were in the car together. And they've given me such joy. So I write because I want to share that joy with other people.
I can't do that part without you. Every one of you. Thank you so much! I know there are a lot of books out there and a limited time in which to read them. I know things like work and laundry and kids and... life... can sometimes require almost all of our time. So it means so much to me that even one person has taken the time out of a busy day to sit down and read something I wrote. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed bringing it to you!
Okay, I'll stop with the sentimental bit now!
Don't forget that Twisted Arrangement is FREE on Amazon for the next few days. And because I love you all so much, I'm putting together a Giveaway for a couple of digital copies of Twisted Arrangement 2! Stay tuned here and on Facebook for details!
~xxxM
25 June 2013
Keeping It Up
Hello, Morlings!
I'm going to keep that until someone tells me otherwise, so if you hate it... comment! ;)
As you (hopefully) all now, today is the day that Twisted Arrangement 2 goes live on Amazon! I'm super psyched, but also super busy. There's a lot to do with book promotion, fan outreach, etc. Writing the books is the easy part for me!
Reviews are coming in pretty steadily – 7 now on Amazon! 8 on Goodreads! – and the consensus so far seems to be that you're enjoying the book. Which makes my every day. And those of you who keep shooting me dirty glares because of the cliffhangering... well, I promise I'm hard at work on Book 3 now. All will be resolved in the end! Well... maybe not for everyone. I have some ideas for potential future stories for some of the supporting characters in the Twisted series. You'll just have to stay tuned here to see if anything comes of them!
So, just a few brief notes today on this glorious Tuesday!
– Twisted Arrangement is FREE for the next few days! Get it here. Tell your friends!
– Please don't forget to review on Amazon and Goodreads! And follow me in all the places I hang out. (Check out the 'More Mora!' section of the site for more details)
– If you're a reviewer and are interested in receiving a review copy of one of my books for review on your site, please contact me at moraearly@gmail.com!
– If you're interested in doing an interview or having me guest on your blog - I would love to! Contact me at moraearly@gmail.com!
Have a fabulous day, my lovely Morlings!
~xxxM
I'm going to keep that until someone tells me otherwise, so if you hate it... comment! ;)
As you (hopefully) all now, today is the day that Twisted Arrangement 2 goes live on Amazon! I'm super psyched, but also super busy. There's a lot to do with book promotion, fan outreach, etc. Writing the books is the easy part for me!
Reviews are coming in pretty steadily – 7 now on Amazon! 8 on Goodreads! – and the consensus so far seems to be that you're enjoying the book. Which makes my every day. And those of you who keep shooting me dirty glares because of the cliffhangering... well, I promise I'm hard at work on Book 3 now. All will be resolved in the end! Well... maybe not for everyone. I have some ideas for potential future stories for some of the supporting characters in the Twisted series. You'll just have to stay tuned here to see if anything comes of them!
So, just a few brief notes today on this glorious Tuesday!
– Twisted Arrangement is FREE for the next few days! Get it here. Tell your friends!
– Please don't forget to review on Amazon and Goodreads! And follow me in all the places I hang out. (Check out the 'More Mora!' section of the site for more details)
– If you're a reviewer and are interested in receiving a review copy of one of my books for review on your site, please contact me at moraearly@gmail.com!
– If you're interested in doing an interview or having me guest on your blog - I would love to! Contact me at moraearly@gmail.com!
Have a fabulous day, my lovely Morlings!
~xxxM
24 June 2013
Ready To Go Again?
Hello all you lovely Morlings!
(What do you think? I smooshed 'Mora's darlings', which is what you are if you're reading this, into one word. Yes? No? Ridiculous? Have a better suggestion?)
I can't write much because today is a hectic day. I'm actually on track with Twisted Arrangement Part 3, but my editor has been out of the country and she's due back soon so I want to have something spectacular to show her.
But I did want to let everyone know the good news!
I just got an email from my delightful publisher and Twisted Arrangement 2 will be going live on Amazon *tomorrow*!!!
So for all of you who have been dying for the next installment of Josh and Emma's story (which I hope is all of you), your wait is over!
Also, if you're one of the people who have added Twisted Arrangement to your TBR shelf on Goodreads but were waiting for some wiggle room in your book budget before you purchased it? Well, I have a treat for you! Starting tomorrow, for a limited time in celebration of Twisted Arrangement 2 hitting the virtual shelf, Twisted Arrangement will be free on Amazon!
Yes, that's right! I said FREE! As in, everyone's favorite price for a book!
That means you'll be able to get TWO books for the price of one... Twisted Arrangement and Twisted Arrangement 2! Are you as excited as I am? I hope you are. Make sure to tell all your friends too. Everyone likes free stuff, right?
Okay, I need to get back to Emma. She's having an interesting encounter with someone's relative at the moment and I don't want to leave her hanging in an awkward conversation. But, just to whet your appetite... how about a teensy little taste of what's in store for our hero and heroine in book 2?
Here's an excerpt from Twisted Arrangement 2:
He grinned, taking her hand and giving it a squeeze. “I know. I’m just amazed at what you managed to do in so short a time, that’s all. You might be better at ferreting out information than Ben!”
“Oh?” She drew her hand quickly out of his grasp and began fiddling with her seatbelt. “Didn’t he have any luck with his trip to... was it New York?” Her voice was still a little wobbly. Josh felt bad. He’d clearly spooked her a bit with his panicking. He smiled, hoping it looked reassuring. Ben’s trip had actually been an almost total bust, aggravatingly enough, but he tried to keep that from his face.
“Not as much as I would have hoped. But that’s alright, he’s bringing in the big gun now. Maybe I should put you on the case, once this EMF thing is over with. If he hasn’t gotten it figured by then, of course.” He was joking, but her answering ‘heh heh’ was weak. She was struggling with the seatbelt, which had become trapped beneath the seat’s headrest. “Here, let me.”
Josh reached across her just as she twisted in his direction to attempt to untangle the belt with her left hand. They both froze as their equally sudden movements brought them face-to-face. He could feel the hard points of her nipples brushing against his chest with each of her shallow inhalations. Their eyes locked. Josh saw heat in her green gaze, and surprise, perhaps a little fear.
His hand, which had remained suspended near her ear when he’d stilled, moved to cup her cheek. She’d been cautious and quiet from the moment he’d met her, bar those momentary glimpses of levity and sass, but she’d never been scared of him before. He didn’t want her to be afraid of him. Not ever. He stroked along her cheekbone with his thumb, amazed at the velvet smoothness of her skin. He could smell her. Beneath the scent of fresh rain was the light fragrance of lavender and chamomile.
Emma’s lashes fluttered. Her warm, sweet breath puffed out, brushing over his lips. His gaze fell to her mouth as her tongue darted out to wet her plump lower lip. Desire slammed into his chest like a fist. Josh groaned, dipping his head, intent on her mouth. Just a millimeter more and he’d be tasting that pillowy curve.
Well, what do you think? Show Josh & Emma a little love and leave a comment. ;)
~xxxM
(What do you think? I smooshed 'Mora's darlings', which is what you are if you're reading this, into one word. Yes? No? Ridiculous? Have a better suggestion?)
I can't write much because today is a hectic day. I'm actually on track with Twisted Arrangement Part 3, but my editor has been out of the country and she's due back soon so I want to have something spectacular to show her.
But I did want to let everyone know the good news!
I just got an email from my delightful publisher and Twisted Arrangement 2 will be going live on Amazon *tomorrow*!!!
So for all of you who have been dying for the next installment of Josh and Emma's story (which I hope is all of you), your wait is over!
Also, if you're one of the people who have added Twisted Arrangement to your TBR shelf on Goodreads but were waiting for some wiggle room in your book budget before you purchased it? Well, I have a treat for you! Starting tomorrow, for a limited time in celebration of Twisted Arrangement 2 hitting the virtual shelf, Twisted Arrangement will be free on Amazon!
Yes, that's right! I said FREE! As in, everyone's favorite price for a book!
That means you'll be able to get TWO books for the price of one... Twisted Arrangement and Twisted Arrangement 2! Are you as excited as I am? I hope you are. Make sure to tell all your friends too. Everyone likes free stuff, right?
Okay, I need to get back to Emma. She's having an interesting encounter with someone's relative at the moment and I don't want to leave her hanging in an awkward conversation. But, just to whet your appetite... how about a teensy little taste of what's in store for our hero and heroine in book 2?
Here's an excerpt from Twisted Arrangement 2:
He grinned, taking her hand and giving it a squeeze. “I know. I’m just amazed at what you managed to do in so short a time, that’s all. You might be better at ferreting out information than Ben!”
“Oh?” She drew her hand quickly out of his grasp and began fiddling with her seatbelt. “Didn’t he have any luck with his trip to... was it New York?” Her voice was still a little wobbly. Josh felt bad. He’d clearly spooked her a bit with his panicking. He smiled, hoping it looked reassuring. Ben’s trip had actually been an almost total bust, aggravatingly enough, but he tried to keep that from his face.
“Not as much as I would have hoped. But that’s alright, he’s bringing in the big gun now. Maybe I should put you on the case, once this EMF thing is over with. If he hasn’t gotten it figured by then, of course.” He was joking, but her answering ‘heh heh’ was weak. She was struggling with the seatbelt, which had become trapped beneath the seat’s headrest. “Here, let me.”
Josh reached across her just as she twisted in his direction to attempt to untangle the belt with her left hand. They both froze as their equally sudden movements brought them face-to-face. He could feel the hard points of her nipples brushing against his chest with each of her shallow inhalations. Their eyes locked. Josh saw heat in her green gaze, and surprise, perhaps a little fear.
His hand, which had remained suspended near her ear when he’d stilled, moved to cup her cheek. She’d been cautious and quiet from the moment he’d met her, bar those momentary glimpses of levity and sass, but she’d never been scared of him before. He didn’t want her to be afraid of him. Not ever. He stroked along her cheekbone with his thumb, amazed at the velvet smoothness of her skin. He could smell her. Beneath the scent of fresh rain was the light fragrance of lavender and chamomile.
Emma’s lashes fluttered. Her warm, sweet breath puffed out, brushing over his lips. His gaze fell to her mouth as her tongue darted out to wet her plump lower lip. Desire slammed into his chest like a fist. Josh groaned, dipping his head, intent on her mouth. Just a millimeter more and he’d be tasting that pillowy curve.
Well, what do you think? Show Josh & Emma a little love and leave a comment. ;)
~xxxM
23 June 2013
Over the Covers
There's been a lot of great feedback coming in from people who are reading Twisted Arrangement. Over on Goodreads, the novella has over 20 ratings and 7 reviews, with an average of about 4 stars. This makes Mora do a chair dance of joy! (Chair dancing is pretty much the only kind of dancing I'm good at.)
Not quite as many reviews over at Amazon yet. Only two. But they're both 5 stars so I'm psyched about that! And I hope as more people read the book that number goes up. Amazon reviews play a big part in getting the book in front of more eyeballs and that's something every writer craves.
A few people were frustrated by the cliffhanger at the end. If you're one of those people, all I can say is I'm sorry. I know how hard it is to wait to find out what happens next in a story. I have no patience. I remember when I first finished Karen Moning's Dreamfever and realized I had to wait nearly a year for Shadowfever. I'm pretty sure I punched things.
The good news is you don't have to wait a year! Twisted Arrangement 2 is already written and in the hands of my publisher. It's coming soon! Like, within a matter of weeks soon. As a sign of good faith to my lovely, intelligent, and wonderful readers, I've been given permission to give you a sneaky peak!
So, without further ado.... Here it is! The cover of Twisted Arrangement 2!!!
So, what do you think? Love it? Hate it? Wish the picture extended a few inches south? Let me know!
22 June 2013
The First Time
I'm feeling awkward. I'm not entirely sure where to put my hands. What happens if I press there? Is that good? I wish I knew how to gauge how I'm coming across. Too eager? Too shy? I'm pretty sure it's clear I have no idea what I'm doing.
What I'm trying to say is that it's my first time blogging. I don't even know if anyone's ever going to read this. I would like to think so. Otherwise, I'm just shouting into an empty room... and that's embarrassing. Actually, it's worse than embarrassing. No writer likes to think about the possibility that the words they're putting out there aren't being picked up.
That's why I write. The stories in my head amuse me, frustrate me, infuriate me. But they never feel really done until I've shared them with someone. Seeing someone else's face as they get into a story I'm telling is better than chocolate to me. And that's saying something... because I flipping LOVE chocolate. You know that thing puppies do when they get really excited and their whole body wags? That's how I feel every time someone tells me how they laughed at something I wrote, or how they totally connected with the characters.
I felt that for the first time, that I can remember, when I was about 7. I was already a pretty avid reader, but I hadn't, as best I recall, ever really written anything before. My mother took me with her when she went to visit a girlfriend of hers, someone she'd gone to school with. While they drank coffee and talked, I sat at her friend's kitchen table and wrote a story. I still have it somewhere. It was about a lady scientist who lived in a black & white world and invented colors in a cauldron in her basement.
I remember presenting the story to my mother and her friend. And my mom's friend, Pat, asked me the question that I think probably started me down the road to where I am right this second. "And then what happened?"
That was it. The first time I felt that all over wriggly feeling. Now, Pat was probably just being kind to a little kid. I had been pretty well-behaved while she and my mom hung out. But that was it for me. From that moment on I wanted to tell people stories and make them ask 'Then what?
Barely two weeks ago, my first novella, Twisted Arrangement, was published in ebook on Amazon. As reviews and ratings are slowly starting to trickle in, I'm being overwhelmed by that full body wag feeling in my soul. And I can't express enough how every single comment and interaction with the people who are reading my work is making me feel. Cat tells me the word I'm looking for is 'mrrrrreoWa'. Apparently it doesn't translate into English.
This first blog post is probably a little rough. Kind of all over the place. I know it might not have... you know... done it for you. But I hope you'll stick around. I'll get better, I promise. It just takes practice, right?
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