Fifty Years Ago

No, I wasn't born then. I graduated from high school. Cheers for the class of '61!

It's hard to believe that so many years have passed and so many pounds have found my body.
Those critters came and brought wrinkles and gray and white hair. I didn't invite any of those changes.

I wasn't able to attend all of the reunions my class had. I was working a lot of the Saturdays with my photographer husband.

Then my life changed and I was free and felt t was time to go back and see the girls I know way back when. I missed a reunion to attend RWA National one year.

Then a dear friend died and I knew I couldn't miss any more chances to connect and catch up. No, I wasn't looking for an old high school crush or boyfriend. I married the guy I met my senior year at my prom. We aren't together anymore, so he wasn't with me. Actually I had more fun since I didn't have to worry whether he was ready to leave early.

I enjoyed seeing everyone, even though I didn't recognize many at first.

I couldn't believe they knew me without my name tag. The pounds and wrinkles didn't make much difference. I colored the gray and white roots. That I could control.

I felt odd when I walked into the drive-in place where the teens hung out when they could drive or had money.I had neither and my dates were VERY few. Fincher's is so 50's and 60's with no speakers to order and no girls on skates. My parents ordered from the window, but it wasn't a drive thru window.

The place was packed when the old folks arrived for the Friday evening meeting. Macon was the hottest place in the state that night. It had to be. It was hot inside with the air and ceiling fans going and even hotter in the patio area with fans going. I already knew some folks from the reunion 2 years ago. In some ways time had melted away. I remembered wishing as a teen that I could hang out there with the popular kids or the ones with cars. Now that isn't important. We look good for older ladies, don't we?


Feel free to visit Barbara White Daille's blog where I am blogging for Monday for more comments about the the reunion.

http://bit.ly/guest-blogger-Mary-Marvella

Comment here or there for a chance to win a download of one of my books.

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I'm very excited to announce that the latest in my 'Somewhere' series is coming out from The Wild Rose Press on November 9th!  Woo hoo.  I spent the bulk of last winter writing this Vintage American ghost story romance. You know, the usual Christmas fare.  :)   


The story opens in 1968 in the Virginia family home place (circa 1816) where my dad was born and raised and I grew up visiting, with flashbacks to  1918 and the time of WW1.  I'm terribly sentimental about both eras.  1968 I remember fairly well, as I was 12, but the WW1 era took quite a bit more research, and thought.  I've seen wonderful old family photos from that time period, and my grandfather fought in WW1.  I've heard tales of his heroism. The story is dedicated to this amazing man whom I never knew.  My recent release Into the Lion's Heart is dedicated to my dear father whom I do know.  


Blurb: Caught with pot in her dorm room, Bailey Randolph is exiled to a relative's ancestral home in Virginia to straighten herself out. Banishment to Maple Hill is dismal, until a ghost appears requesting her help. Bailey is frightened but intrigued. Then her girlhood crush, Eric Burke, arrives and suddenly Maple Hill isn't so bad.

To Eric, wounded in Vietnam, his military career shattered, this homecoming feels no less like exile. But when he finds Bailey at Maple Hill, her fairy-like beauty gives him reason to hope--until she tells him about the ghost haunting the house. Then he wonders if her one experiment with pot has made her crazy.As Bailey and Eric draw closer, he agrees to help her find a long-forgotten Christmas gift the ghost wants. But will the magic of Christmas be enough to make Eric believe--in Bailey and the ghost--before the Christmas bells ring?~

We have a guest today.

Hello, Hildie! I am so pleased you agreed to visit the Pink Fuzzy Slipper Writers today. Does someone we know have a book sale to announce? Hmmm?

So tell us what you think makes a perfect hero.

What Makes The Perfect Hero?

Magnetism? The curl of his upper lip? Hard, bulging muscles?

All of these things!

I am not only a writer, but also a voracious reader who loves a good hero. The heroes that stand out are the ones I get to know, the dark brooding types capture me.

I firmly believe that what we [the readers] are hungry for, upon cracking open the book, is to get to know these men. What they think, how they feel, and what makes them who they are.

The main thing that sets the standout hero apart is his distinct personality. We want each man to be vastly different, each a unique person.

Every once in a while, I’m saddened to read a story where the hero’s personality is not captured. It’s such a disappointment when the writer misses the mark by focusing too much on his physical attributes and doesn’t take the time to explore his individuality.

I’m sure that as authors write more and more heroes, it becomes harder to keep each one of them distinct. Perhaps it’s a challenge to ensure the hero of each story is a totally different person, rarely sharing a trait or mannerism of another.

It’s a harrowing trail, the art of exploring these fascinating, drool worthy specimens that live in our imaginations—to bring them to life and ensure that the reader gets to know every single wonderful detail of their bodies, minds and souls.

Oh the suffering.

Hildie McQueen

Author of Desperate Betrayal, Coming Sept 2011

www.hildiemcqueen.com

                                                                                                                                      
Last Wednesday I had the pleasure of attending an event at Ibis Complex in West Palm Beach. It was held at their Clubhouse.Five authors that live in the complex where invited to speak. They were to discuss their road to publication. They ranged from a woman who wrote children's stories about monkeys, to a woman who wrote a short piece in a collaborative book about fashion. Patrice writes stories and full length ones that, so she had the most information to share. Everyone had interesting background, one even was a Physician who administers anesthesia. The one thing in common they did have was the need to write something and have it published. The Ibis Clubhouse is a beautiful place and Patrice glowed!

The attendees  filled the room with about 50+ people. Friends, family, and those interested in writing attended. A bar was open for a chilled glass of wine. A decorative table held cheese and crackers. My only issue was the PA system. It never did work right, not through the whole event! But Patrice's voice carried well enough to hear all she had to say.

Patrice looked wonderful. She is a lovely, petite, blonde, with a sweet, sexy smile. She stays in fantastic shape by playing golf and tennis too, all a big part of the Ibis community. Her speech was the highlight of the afternoon if you ask me. The most successful of all five authors, (in my opinion), Patrice, proudly sat behind her books and spoke. With a bit of humor to cover her nervousness she began to tell us about her path to publication. Her history as an Airline Stewardess reminded me, when as a child, every young girls dream was to be one. But her dream to publish with a New York Publishing House is what brings a sparkle to her eyes. And now I understand her hard work and dedication. She is going to get there, of that I have no doubt.

I may be a bit prejudiced but Patrice was the best author and speaker there. She is the most experienced author. Her books invoke humor, tears, anger, and smiles. The whole gambit of emotions that all end up in a loving romance story, are behind the cover of Patrice Wilton's books. I was teary with pride for her and thrilled to hear her speak and to see her so happy.

Her best friend was there and Linda is a pistol. She and Patrice have a lot in common, and watching them interact reminded me of how I relate to my best friend.

After the event Patrice's charming husband told us about how he dated her. Each time he would give her a rose. A white one, a pink one, but never a red rose, because he still mourned the loss of his first wife. They make a very special couple today. He adores her. You can see the pride and love in his eyes and it touched me.

And now when I asked him what color of rose he gives her. He turned to me and grinned. He is showing her that men can be romantic. Now when he gives her a rose, it's red.
                                                                       

Hi Everyone,
This is a late post, but hopefully an update for those not able to snag the wonderful HP touchpad deal from yesterday.

Check out the HP website and I've been told you can sign up to be notified when the $99.00 GB comes back in stock. Hurray!
http://www.hp.com/united-states/webos/us/en/tablet/touchpad-availability.html?jumpid=ex_r11694_go_touchpad-availability

Hi Everyone,
I have 2 great deals today.

The first deal you've all probably already heard about, but I'll post anyway.

The HP 16 GB touchpad is having a fire sale, and the tablets are available for $99! The 32 G is available for $149.00. You can try Best Buy, Wal-mart, Sam's club, or the HP site. If you are able to get one, please let me know.

The other deal is Blockbuster. Get a free Steve Carell movie with couon code CARELL. Good until 8/26.

Into The Lion’s Heart kicks off the new historical romance line by The Wild Rose Press called Love Letters and is available in various digital formats to suit any eReader.  This story has a sweet rating.  The idea behind Love Letters is that a letter is responsible for bringing the hero and heroine together.
*As of today the story is also out at Amazon in Kindle.

And now, to get us started, here’s the Prologue from Into the Lion’s Heart~

October, 1789, The English Countryside in Kent

What a bloody bore.  Lurching over the rutted road, the autumn countryside obscured by sheets of rain, Captain Dalton Evans shifted wearily in the cumbersome coach. With little else to occupy him, he pulled the letter from his breast coat pocket. Aunt Agnes conveyed the contents earlier but Dalton hadn’t troubled to read the urgent summons penned by the illustriousVicomte Henri Devereux—illustrious according to his aunt, anyway.

My Dear Madame,

I pray this finds you in good health and beg you excuse the abruptness of my missive. With the utmost faith in your generous nature, highly spoken of by my beloved late wife, I implore your assistance. France is in turmoil, its future precarious. For myself I make no complaint and will bear my lot, but beg you to assure the safety of my dearest Sophia. 

Please care for my darling girl as you would your own child. As soon as arrangements may be made, Mademoiselle Devereux will cross the Channel on The White Rose and should arrive at Dover harbor on the 20th—

A fierce jolt jerked his focus to the muddy track serving as a road. That madman driving this coach would have them over in a ditch next thing.

Reassured his position was safe for the moment, Dalton glanced back at the letter. The brief plea lacked the formal, flowery language he would’ve expected from a French nobleman. Clearly the vicomte was backed against a wall, his plight pitiable. But Dalton’s role as newly appointed champion of Sophia Devereux vexed him to the extreme.~

Blurb for Into the Lion’s Heart:

As the French Revolution rages, the English nobility offer sanctuary to many a refugee. Captain Dalton Evans arrives in Dover to meet a distant cousin, expecting to see a spoiled aristocrat. Instead, he’s conquered by the simplicity of his new charge. And his best friend Thomas Archer isn’t immune to her artless charm, either.

Cecile Beaumont didn’t choose to travel across the Channel. And she certainly didn’t expect that impersonating her own mistress would introduce her to a most mesmerizing man. Now she must play out the masquerade, or risk life, freedom – and her heart.~

My fascination with the past and those who have gone before us is the ongoing inspiration behind my work.  With my first English historical romance, Into the Lion’s Heart, I more deeply explored my British heritage.  Set in 1789 England, the storyopens with the hero, Captain Dalton Evans (fought in the American Revolution) journeying to Dover to meet the ship carrying a distant cousin, Mademoiselle Sophia Devereux, who’s fleeing the French Revolution.

My research into the explosion across the English Channel in 1789 made me aware of how many French émigrés fled the country in waves during the initial year of the revolution.  

A number of aristocrats, including the king’s own brothers, fled along with members of the clergy.   Most all the nobility who did not flee while they still could were later guillotined during the reign of terror, along with a LOT of commoners.

The blood lust that consumed France during that horrific time was ever hungry for victims, and there were a lot more commoners than aristocrats.  All one had to do to fall prey to the guillotine was to appear in any way in opposition to the glorious revolution.    Even to criticize the price of bread was suspect.  I set Into the Lion’s Heart during that first year while there’s a great deal erupting in France but before it gets utterly grim.  Though the thought of a sequel set during that later time has crossed my mind.

Among the key events in 1789 that caused émigrés to flee France:   July 17, the beginning of the Great Fear, the peasantry revolt against feudalism and a number of urban disturbances and revolts. Insurrection and the spirit of popular sovereignty spread throughout France. In rural areas, many went beyond this: some burned title-deeds and no small number of châteaux.  *Not to forget the Storming of the Bastille on July 14th which had to be unsettling.

And then there’s the Women’s March on Versailles, one of the earliest and most significant events of the French Revolution. “The march began among women in the marketplaces of Paris who, on the morning of 5 October 1789, were near rioting over the high price and scarcity of bread. Their demonstrations quickly became intertwined with the activities of revolutionaries who were seeking liberal political reforms and a constitutional monarchy for France. The market women and their various allies grew into a mob of thousands and, encouraged by revolutionary agitators, they ransacked the city armory for weapons and marched to the royal palace at Versailles. The crowd besieged the palace and in a violent confrontation successfully pressed their demands upon King Louis XVI. The next day, the crowd compelled the king, his family, and the entire French Assembly to return with them to Paris.”

King Louis XVI and his queen Marie Antoinettenever successfully escaped Paris and were later imprisoned and beheaded.  From Women’s History: “Reportedly planned by Marie Antoinette, the escape of the royal couple from Paris was stopped at Varennes on October 21, 1791. Imprisoned with the king, Marie Antoinette continued to plot. She hoped for foreign intervention to end the revolution and free the royal family. She urged her brother, the Holy Roman Emperor Leopold II, to intervene, and supported a declaration of war against Austria in April, 1792, which she hoped would result in the defeat of France.”

But it didn’t.  

Blurb for Into the Lion’s Heart:

As the French Revolution rages, the English nobility offer sanctuary to many a refugee. Captain Dalton Evans arrives in Dover to meet a distant cousin, expecting to see a spoiled aristocrat. Instead, he’s conquered by the simplicity of his new charge. And his best friend Thomas Archer isn’t immune to her artless charm, either.

Cecile Beaumont didn’t choose to travel across the Channel. And she certainly didn’t expect that impersonating her own mistress would introduce her to a most mesmerizing man. Now she must play out the masquerade, or risk life, freedom – and her heart

Excerpt:

Choking on the brine, she thrashed to right herself. Dalton spat saltwater from his mouth and fought to regain his seat while pulling her up with him. Not his most dignified effort. She was the devil to get hold of—kept slipping away. He grabbed her again, only to be knocked back down and rolled with her in the swill on the bottom of the boat.

Damn and blast! Tom and another man hoisted them upright in the prow.

“Thanks,” Dalton grunted, biting his tongue in the presence of a lady. “All right?” he shouted at her, and shifted her securely onto the seat beside him.

“Oui!” she sputtered when she’d recovered her breath.

She shook all over—must be chilled to the bone. They’d be fortunate if she didn’t catch her death, probably bruised too from tossing about in the skiff. The sooner she was safely housed indoors by a toasty hearth, the better.

Keeping an arm around the sodden woman, he peered into a striking pair of charcoal-gray eyes set above a pert nose and framed by fine dark brows.

She parted trembling, bluish lips. “Merci Monsieur—Que Dieu vous bénisse—Les saints nous bénis en préservent,” she stammered, thanking, blessing him, and calling on the saints.

Dalton was tempted to call on them himself, but her outpouring took him by surprise.

Not content with acknowledging his aid, she turned to Tom, crouched on her other side, and blurted similar gratitude—nearly incoherent in the tumult raging around them.

Tom gave a nod through gritted teeth then bent his head over the boat and heaved the contents of his volatile stomach.

She tilted her head at Dalton, eyes crinkled in sympathy. “Mal de mer,” she said, using the French for seasick.~

*INTO THE LION’S HEART is available from The Wild Rose Press in various digital formats to suit any reader you might have, or whatever else you read ebooks on.

When the plane landed in Burlington, Vermont, I had tears in my eyes. It had been awhile since I'd been there and I couldn't help myself. The mountains bring a pang to my heart. As they surround the beautiful, majestic Lake Champlain, the misty ring of hills and valley are a fairyland of beauty. Descending through the clouds I came home.
My sister picked me up and she is a non stop talker. She can tell you the same thing forty different ways. We drive through town which blows me away. Every time I get there, which is rarely, I cannot recognize a thing. There is so much change and growth there, that it's hard to place myself. But once we drive over the long road that leads to the Islands, all is the same. The rural countryside has some changes, but it retains the flavor it had in my youth. I played at the Sand Bar beach, I am headed home. Town is not much to speak of, there can't be many people living in South Hero year round. I drive by Tish's Silver and know I am gonna buy a Celtic ring from her. We turn at the pharmacy and head down the dirt road toward my family's camp. It's right on the lake and the second I see it I cry again. The wrap around deck invites me to sit and look at the lake.

Zoning out and not caring about the problems I left on the plane, I relax. The soothing sound of the water as it laps against the shore invites me. The sunset is striking and every day it is the highlight. We watch the sun sink below the mountains in the distance and the second it disappears we all gasp. The colors change from bright yellow, to orange. As the sunlight descends it even brings pink, maroon, and darker blues before the Evening Star appears and heralds the blackness of a starry night. I can see the milky  way, which I can't see in Florida. There are no city lights to dampen the brightness of the myriad stars that surround me. An errant satellite flashes across the sky and we all ooh and ahhh about it. When the mosquito's begin to be gallon dippers, it's time to go inside.

There's no place like home!

Help me welcome Andrea Parnell our guest blogger for today. Andrea and I met and became friends through our membership in Georgia Romance Writers. We'd lost touch, so when I found the website about Andrea's backlist being reissued in e-books I jumped at the chance to rekindle our friendship. Andrea has answered some questions and shared insight into the process of getting her backlist up as e-books. Please come along as I get reacquainted with my friend!

What would you like our readers to know about you?

First of all, I’m still here. I had a long absence from writing while I attempted retirement following a major illness. My second retirement was two years ago from my job as an alternative high school teacher. I’m now unretired again and in the best of worlds writing and working with my son, fantasy author Dan McGirt (Jason Cosmo series), epubbing my backlist and working furiously on new novels.

How did you get started writing and why?

I lifted my head one day and realized my children didn’t need a hovercraft mom anymore. I started writing. It was like being struck by lightning. All that daydreaming in my youth paid off.

Are you a reader? Who are your favorite authors?

I would read in my sleep if I could. Labels, tea leaves, magazines, books. I love my Smartphone and Kindle because I can have books with me all the time.

My favorite authors remain those from my younger years. I adored the Walter Farley books, those by Edgar Rice Burroughs, Ian Fleming, and Agatha Christie.

What themes run through your books?

Even though I write romance, most of my books have a dark element and a layer of mystery or suspense and a theme of ‘love overcomes great loss’.

Who was your favorite character of all you’ve written and why?

That is a tough question. I try to write characters I’d love to know as real people and it is hard to rate them against each other. If I must choose, Roman and Silvia and all the characters in my debut novel Dark Splendor will always have first place in my heart.

What genre is your favorite to read?

Wow. I read broadly. I am fond of children’s books and have a tiny collection. Right now I’m exploring YA novels. I like thrillers with daring macho guys; romances, of course. Occasionally, I read something with a more literary bend but for me, generally, there’s been enough angst in real life. When I grab a book and head to my favorite reading chair it’s because ‘I just wanna have fun’.

What genre is your favorite to write?

Romance. I do believe love makes the world go ‘round and a romance can slide into any genre and carry the day.

Do you have a current work-in-progress and can you tell us a little about it?

So glad you asked. I’ve embarked on a YA Paranormal with a working title Ember. It would be a shame to let all those years of teaching high school go to waste.

How many books have you published through conventional publishing?

I’ve published ten books conventionally. They were historical and contemporary romance and the publishers were NAL/Signet/Onyx; Warner; Kensington and Harlequin. I’ve also had a short story in Woman’s World.

How did you come to the decision to indie publish your backlist?

Several years back Dan and I began planning to bring our backlist out in print. He established Trove Books to handle the business end of the publishing. Trove started as a print publisher and released a revised version of Dan’s first book, re-titled Hero Wanted, in 2009. Then the eBook explosion happened.

How difficult were the format requirements?

My take on that is that once you approach the formatting process you will make a decision that you have the time and tech skills to do it or find a service to handle it.

Did you do the formatting or did someone help you to get your backlist uploaded?

Fortunately, Trove handles formatting and uploading for me. I would love to be a tech virtuoso, but I am not and I would lose a lot of time better spent writing than trying to tackle this on my own. Trove uses a formatting service. I do the edits and corrections each stage of the process requires and Trove does a series of edits and the final edit.

How did you decide which indie publisher was right for your books?

Following in the footsteps of indie trailblazers who generously share information in blogs and on websites led us to begin at Smashwords.com. Smashwords offers a wide distribution network that includes most major eBook stores and allows the option of opting out of any one if you choose to work directly with that book seller.

Can you tell us a little about the process of preparing and uploading previously published books?

The first step is getting your book into electronic form. For my books, the only copy I had of the final, as-published text were the print books themselves. The first step was to have the books scanned and saved as editable MS-Word documents. You can do that yourself with a good scanner and the right software, but Trove uses a professional service. You have to review the scanned-in file very closely. Weird things happen as some letters become symbols or numbers and paragraph breaks get lost and page numbers show up in odd places. It’s not as bad as I just made it sound, but requires going line by line to realign paragraphs and chapters and get out the stray page numbers. This is your chance to correct the typos that showed up in the print version and, inadvertedly, insert some new ones in the epub version. Amazingly, it is possible to make corrections even after a book is epubbed.

Unless you have purchased the cover rights to the print book, you need a new cover. Trove uses a graphics cover artist for my books and she works from material I prepare on what elements I would like in the cover. Writing an effective blurb, book descriptions short and long, and a bio are required at this stage. Another terrific feature of ebooks is that you can put in links to your blog, other of your releases, or to those of another writer.

Where are your books available?

My books are available at Amazon’s Kindle bookstore, Smashwords.com and, through their distribution channel, at Barnes & Noble, Sony, Kobo, Apple, Diesel, Scrollmotion.

Which venue is most successful at this point?

My first two books, Dark Splendor and Whispers at Midnight were uploaded at Smashwords in March and at Amazon in July. A third title, Delilah’s Flame has been at Smashwords a few weeks, so it is difficult to compare sales just yet.

What kind of promotion are you doing?

I’m building a web presence at AndreaParnell.com Since I foolishly avoided doing so until recently, I am behind in building a brand and getting a following among e-readers. I also do some old school things like handing out business cards featuring my books and contacts to anyone who expresses an interest in e-reading. I look forward to reconnecting with other writers and readers and growing a network of others who are epubbing.

How much time/effort do you put toward promotion of you backlist?

I’m still in the learning curve of using Twitter (@andreahparnell ) and Facebook and my blog effectively. I work on it every day. The most effective thing I have done to date is offering a novella, Dark Prelude, a prequel to Dark Splendor as a free download. This seems to have spurred sales and driven some traffic to my other titles.

How does the process of indie publishing compare with traditional publishing?

The indie author has complete control of the publishing process and complete responsibility for publishing and marketing. There is a huge difference in shelf life. The eBook is there until you take it down, a mass market print book has a few months to really make or break. I hope the two forms of publishing will co-exist and strike a balance that works in both arenas. Right now I would compare indie publishing to the gold rush days. Everyone can pan for gold but not everyone will strike it rich.

What are you currently working on?

I’m working on the edits for my next backlist release, Devil Moon, and on a Western short story, and the YA paranormal.

Any other words of encouragement for our readers?

If you are already epublished, I should probably be asking you for encouragement and advice. If you are an aspiring author with your heart set on getting published traditionally, don’t give up that dream. Keep networking, submitting and querying. Meanwhile, get another work out as an eBook and start building a fan base of readers. I think we may see a trend of traditional publishers picking up e-authors who shine.

A final note, epubbing is an adventure and everyday I look forward to seeing where it takes me. I love to hear from readers and other authors. You can contact me at Facebook, Twitter @andreahparnell or my blog AndreaParnell.com.

Andrea has included an excerpt to whit our appetite for her titles.


Dark Splendor

By Andrea Parnell


A slight, brief smile formed on the other woman's thin lips. A look of satisfaction gleamed faintly in her narrowed eyes as if she were pleased with Silvia's reaction. A rustle sounded from her taffeta skirts as she moved to stand in front of Silvia.
“I am Vivien,” she said. Her eyes were little black lights set deeply in her face. “Mr. Schlange instructed me to take you upstairs where you can rest and get settled.” She started to move away but added briskly, “Mr. Schlange apologizes but he is ill and cannot greet you himself.”
Silvia lifted her brows sharply and turned her attention to Vivien at that pronouncement.
“I trust his illness is not serious,” she stated, the concern showing in her eyes as they met Vivien's.
Now that they were near the stairs and in the full flood of light, Silvia noted the pale contrast of Vivien's skin with the darkness of her hair. She wore it tight against her scalp and fashioned into a ball neatly covered with a black mesh at the back of her head. Her simply styled dress was of a green color so dark as to be almost black. With it she wore a crimson rope, a sort of belt, around her waist, and from the jangle when she walked, Silvia thought it must hold a number of keys which were hidden in her pocket.
“Mr. Schlange is old and tires easily,” Vivien responded as they stood at the foot of the stairs. She paused. “And all must wait until he is strong again.”
Silvia waited, expecting Vivien to explain what all must wait for, but was disappointed when instead the woman spun around and began to climb the stairs. Silvia quickly followed, her mind filled with unanswered questions. Who was Vivien and what was her position? Perhaps she should ask, she thought reflectively.
She had climbed only three or four steps when she caught a glimpse of someone in a room that opened off the foyer. His back was to her, but instantly she knew the sweep of his broad shoulders, the aloofness of his carriage. Roman Toller.
Her body stiffened in shock, but not before a sound of surprise escaped her lips.
“You!” she cried out.
He spun around at the sound of her voice. For a moment they stared blatantly at each other, until, to her dismay, she felt his glare was burning through her flesh and setting her blood aflame.
Morgan Toller appeared at his side and nodded politely. Silvia barely noticed him. She could not break away from Roman's piercing blue eyes, which seemed to drink her up until she felt she would be consumed like a glass of wine.