McKenna Jeffries

Today’s snippet theme is Black Moment. Enjoy.

An snippet from Conquering Jazz…

Bracing for him to leave her, she turned to look at him. Seeing the sorrow and pity in his eyes was an even worse blow. She knew Reese would feel obligated to stay with her now, but she couldn’t let him. Turning away, she got up and walked to the other side of the room, away from him.

“I can’t give you what you want, Reese, so leave. I know you feel sorry for me now that you know, but I don’t want that. And I don’t want you to miss out on having children. I was selfish, just wanting you for me, but…”

Jasmine jumped as he roared, “Who the hell do you think you are?”

Turning to face him, she instinctively backed up at the rage she saw on his face. Catching herself, she stopped and stood her ground. In awe, she watched him battle to control his anger. His eyes snapped with not only anger, but also hurt.

His voice was hoarse as he spoke. “How could you think I wouldn’t want you, or still love you, because you can’t have kids? My love isn’t that shallow. This is real, Jasmine. It’s not about what you can give or not give me. I love you, Jasmine.” He stopped, waiting expectantly.

Hope blossomed in her as she looked into his angry face. Thinking of how happy she could be with him, Jasmine started toward him. But she stopped as she remembered what happened the last time she let herself love. Putting her arms around her stomach, she knew she couldn’t allow it. Emptiness filled her, making her heart ache. Battling tears, she looked at him. He deserved a whole woman, not someone as broken as she was.

Forcing herself, she said the words she knew would drive him away. “Ha! I thought what I had with Derek was real. Look what it got me. Nothing but pain and anguish. I can’t love you, Reese. I never can.”

Her breath caught at the devastation on his face. She waited for him to storm out. He looked at her through wounded eyes, and silently took a small jewelry box out of his pocket. His movements stiff, he walked over to the center table and flung the box down. It bounced from the table onto the floor as he turned, walking out the door and slamming it behind him.

The silence echoed after he left. Shaken, Jasmine stood frozen in place. Her body ached. Finally, she moved forward, and taking the box off the floor, opened it. Seeing his mother’s engagement ring, she collapsed onto the floor. Silent tears rolled down her face. Rocking back and forth, she wrapped her arms around her body, trying to ward off the pain.

After a while, she drew a shaky breath, wiped her eyes, and stood slowly, each movement agony. Closing the box, she placed it slowly onto the table. Listlessly, she gathered her bag and went out the door. She hurried to her car and got behind the wheel. She started the car and pulled out of the drive. Briefly, she glanced at Reese’s house and saw he wasn’t there. Turning, she drove down the street as tears flowed, blurring her vision.

Copyright © McKenna Jeffries, 2008.
All Rights Reserved, Liquid Silver Books.

Go to the following sites to check out these other great authors snippets:

TJ Michaels
Ashley Ladd
Lissa Matthews
McKenna Jeffries
Mari Carr
Vivian Arend
Juliana Stone
Lauren Dane
Shelley Munro
Taige Crenshaw

I found out that our family is expanding once again. My cousin is having another baby. I’m so excited. She is looking so radiant and glowing that special glow. Her other daughters are excited and her family too.

With this news of family growth it’s made me think a lot about families. I enjoy writing about family. Those families by birth/marriage and the ones you choose to call/think of as family. In many of my stories I explore various types of family dynamics. It is fun to explore the in’s and outs of family. The love, tribulations and triumphs they share.

Throw in romance into the mix and it become so much more. Families can create a great or troublesome dynamic with a newly forming relationship. It can be funny, crazy and always entertaining. I love exploring it all. I’m always creating more family ties in my stories.

Ah… the new growth to a family brings a whole new dynamic to explore.

Today’s snippet theme is Lost Loves. Jasmine and Derek (her ex) has a lot of history and this is a scene of them getting some closure. Enjoy.

An snippet from Conquering Jazz…

It was at that point that Jasmine had walked in, and instead of telling her the truth, he had let her assume he was cheating on her.

He stopped, waiting expectantly for her to respond. Jasmine didn’t know what to say. Watching his face, she could tell there was a lot more he left unsaid, but she didn’t ask. All these years, he had had let her believe he didn’t love her, and now to find out he had supposedly sacrificed and let her go, thinking he was being noble.

Jasmine chuckled. She couldn’t be mad at him; it was the same thing she was doing to Reese. She did what Reese should have done to her.

Reaching out, she smacked him upside the head. She said, “God, you’re such an idiot. How could you think I was that shallow as to…” she trailed off.

Reese had said the same thing to her, and she hadn’t listened to him. It was too late now for her to reprimand Derek for his stupidity. Actually, she was thankful to him. If he hadn’t done what he did, she never would have known how much Reese loved her. She hoped he still did. Standing, she pulled Derek up off the couch. Then, holding his face between her hands, she pulled him down and gave him big smack on the mouth. Stepping back, she picked up her bag and looked at him.

“You know what? Even after all that has happened, I have to thank you for being an idiot and dumping me. If you hadn’t, Reese and I never would have gotten together. When we…if we get married, I want you to be my bride’s man, my very own cupid.”

Watching him frown, she laughed in delight at his chagrined expression. He joined her.

Taking his hand one more time, Jasmine kissed it and said softly, “We were never meant to be. Some day, you’ll find the perfect woman for you.”

Turning, she walked to the door and opened it. She glanced back and waved at him, then hurried out.

Staring at the empty doorway after she left, Derek was sorry he’d lost her, but also happy for her. Reese was a lucky man to have a woman like Jasmine love him.

He turned and walked over to his desk, then whispered softly, “I already had the perfect woman, and I lost her, Jazz. I’ll never find anyone like you.”

Copyright © McKenna Jeffries, 2008.
All Rights Reserved, Liquid Silver Books.

Go to the following sites to check out these other great authors snippets:

TJ Michaels
Ashley Ladd
Lissa Matthews
McKenna Jeffries
Taige Crenshaw
Mari Carr
Vivian Arend
Juliana Stone
Lauren Dane
Shelley Munro

These last few month’s I’ve been busy working on some projects. It’s fun delving into world and new characters. Getting to know all about them and bring them to life. When I write that first word I get a thrill.

As the words unfold I get even more excited. Writing a book is like a painting to me. First I study the page. Decide how to lay my colors for the best picture. Each piece has to work with each other to create something great.

Lately I’ve had this story I’m working on. It is a story that came out of the blue so I didn’t sit down and plan anything. Just sat down and wrote. As I wrote the plot became more and more intricate. I like when it get intricate and complicated it keep me on my toes. So this story is flowing so well that I get up each day and can’t wait until I have a moment to write it. Usually I don’t go back and read a story over until I am done but I needed to make sure a thread I had written was correct so I went back and re-read the part. Before I knew it I was caught up in the story. LOL. I realized the story so far was real good.

Hmmm…this is a back to basics way for me. Let the thoughts flow and go as they will. My writing process has changed as I write each story and I love moving with it.

Next up there is a dream that keeps bugging me. I think it is calling out for a story.

Have a great weekend.

Blogging at Romance Junkies for my monthly blog day . Check me out here.

Today’s snippet theme is Shopping. Enjoy.

An snippet from Conquering Jazz…

Jasmine stood outside Reese’s door and wiped her hand down the side of her jeans. She felt nervous, which was silly.

Why are you nervous? You’ve seen him naked. Done the deed more than once. So just go in there, do it again and again, as many times as you can and still walk. Then go home.

Jasmine’s thoughts wandered back to when she had arrived home from work a few hours ago. She had looked across the street to his house, all the lights ablaze. He wasn’t outside, as he usually was before she had started to avoid him. She had felt depressed. Pride had made her go to her own house and refused to knock on his door.

When she had opened her door, she had almost tripped over the box in the entrance. Seeing his sprawling handwriting, she had put her things down and dragged the box further inside, taking it into the living room to open. Setting it on the glass table in the middle of the floor, she had sat down on the plush, coffee-colored carpet.

Realizing she was sitting on the same spot where she’d had sex with Reese, she had gotten heated, then moved so she could think clearly. Pulling off the note, she read it.

To replace the others and a little something for my enjoyment.

Bemused, she opened the box and was shocked to see not just another pair of red lace panties, but an array of sexy lingerie. Taking out each piece, she wondered how he knew what she liked. She knew from the tags that the items were all from her girlfriend Veronica Maddox’s boutique, Intimacies.

Frowning, Jasmine continued to sort through the pieces and recognized they were from the wish list she had at the boutique. Veronica designed sexy, fun lingerie, and kept a profile on each of her clients which listed favorite and wished for items.

Once everything was out of the box except for a specially wrapped smaller box, she realized it was all there–every single thing on her wish list.

Pulling out the cream and purple box with the Intimacies logo on it, she removed the attached card and read it. Seeing Reese’s second note, she breathed a sigh of relief.

It’s still our secret. Veronica wasn’t at the store. I sweet-talked her new assistant into helping me out–anonymously, of course. I couldn’t resist this one item from my own wish list. Wear it for me. See you at nine.

Rereading the card, Jasmine smiled and opened the box. Her breath caught at the beauty of the lingerie. Taking it out, she noted it was lavender. The chemise was made of silk, with tiny details of embroidery in a pale rose color, and trimmed with same color lace. The matching tap pants had the same detail. Also enclosed was a pair of heels in the same pale lavender color. Looking at them, Jasmine had to wonder where he had gotten shoes that color.

Now, shifting on those heels in front of his door, Jasmine shrugged off her uncharacteristic nervousness and rang the doorbell. When he opened the door, his crooked smile made her heart race. His bare chest glistened with a light trace of sweat. She licked her dry lips. The hunger she thought had been appeased the night before roared to life. He held out his hand to her. She took it, curling her fingers around his and letting him pull her into his house–and into his arms.

Copyright © McKenna Jeffries, 2008.
All Rights Reserved, Liquid Silver Books.

Go to the following sites to check out these other great authors snippets:

Lissa Matthews
Ashley Ladd
McKenna Jeffries
Taige Crenshaw
Jody Wallace
Eliza Gayle
Vivian Arend
Mari Carr
Lauren Dane
Shelley Munro
TJ Michaels

This season has been a roller coaster of weather all over. The season has had some really warm days then it plunges into slightly cold, colder, and coldest. Also there has been the rain. Dressing appropriately for the weather has been a challenge. On day it is warm people start to loosen up and walk around with less layers to cover them up. But by the time it hits later in the day you need those layers as it gets colder. The Colder days get even more clothing added but by the end of the day you are stripping off layers feeling too warm. LOL.

Now on a day with a rainy misty day I like. When it isn’t raining too hard yet that you have to rush for cover or walk like they are in a race. You can be a little slow and enjoy the rain a little.

On such a day as I strolled to get to my day job I listened to the rain. There is a tempo when it its various objects. The car, street, lamppost or sidewalk. A sort of a melody that is interesting. It made my mind start to plan a scene for a book that takes place in the rain. It is everyday things that garner the best ideas. As I got inside my day job and got ready for the day I thought of this the rainy day melody and the things it has inspired me to do before. Take a long nap while it rained, bundle up and watch movies, organize my cupboards and any other number of things. Each time it rains it is a different melody that inspires me to do something according to what I hear in those drops of rain. The variety of stages of rain made me chuckle.

I always hope that when I get home later it is still raining so the melody can inspire me more. Or maybe it will lull me to sleep. Whichever I enjoy the melody.

Try and get out and enjoy the weather wherever you are today. Listen for the melody around you and let it inspire you. Let me know what happened and type of weather you had. Have a great day.

Today’s snippet theme is homage to another artist. I enjoy Kimberly Kaye Terry’s books. Women who know what they need and men who love them. Below is the blurb for one of her books. Enjoy.

An snippet from Sweet Spot by Kimberly Kaye Terry…

Sweet Spot
Kensington Aphrodisia
August 2009
ISBN-10: 0758228767
ISBN-13: 978-0758228765
Genre: Romantic Suspense/ Interracial

Give Me More
Gabrielle won’t be played for a fool. When her lover cheats on her, she storms out looking for the best sex of her life. And she finds it, thanks to a man named Sweet. Tall, dark, and blessed with incredible sensual expertise, the nightclub owner knows exactly how to bring a woman to the peak of erotic ecstasy…

How Much Do You Want?
Beautiful women come and go at the Sweet Spot, but the sinfully gorgeous Gabrielle beats them all. He’s ready to scorch the sheets and their sex is steamin’, but when she discovers that Sweet is an undercover FBI agent investigating her, he wonders if she’ll walk away forever or come back for much, much more…

Check out more about Kimberly and her books at her website http://www.kimberlykayeterry.com

Go to the following sites to check out these other great authors snippets:

Lissa Matthews
Ashley Ladd
McKenna Jeffries
Taige Crenshaw
Jody Wallace
Eliza Gayle
Vivian Arend
Mari Carr
Lauren Dane
Shelley Munro

I’m blogging at Romance Studio. Check me out here.

For the last few weekends I have been watching lots of the movies. As I watched I realized there were three common themes in each movie.

1.) Good Will towards others
2.) Family
3.) Romance

Each of the movies had all the themes above told in various ways but all meaning the same. During the holiday season is a time when strangers talk to each other or smile at each other. It also happens throughout the year.  I’ve had some fascinating conversations as I waited on line in stores.

I love spending time with my family those I was born into and those I choose as family all year round. We get get together to cook, laugh, talk, eat and reminisce about the times past. It is a fun time and to see everyone makes me feel all warm and happy inside.

Ah the romance. Each year I sit and watch my family and friends with their loved ones. The love they have is tangible. Some have been married for many years. Others newly married or dating. All the same the love is there. From husband to wife. Parents to kids. Friends to friends. Family to family. That is all what we are.

The message of good will towards others, family and romance. Enjoy your loved ones.