Writers live for book reviews. But when a reader you've never heard of takes the time to reach out personally with an email, it brightens your week in so many ways. Every writer hopes she touches a reader. With me it's usually with a giggle or snicker. So much sadness and meanness is happening to us now. A few words of kindness brightens my world.
Here's her email--
"I just started reading my very first one of your books- "Finding Cameo"- and I have a minor complaint.
My ribs hurt, my glasses are all messy from where I've had to keep wiping the tears out from behind them, and my cat is mad at me because I'm making these weird laughing, gasping, and wheezing sounds when she was trying to sit on my lap.
And I'm only to chapter 9 so far. Heaven only knows WHAT shape I'll be in by the time I finish the book.
Good heavens, you're funny. I LOVE the way you write. I sadly needed a good laugh tonight, and you have definitely delivered. I just wanted to drop you a line and tell you thank you SO much for making me laugh so hard tonight.
-Jenny X, still giggling and wiping the tears out from behind her glasses
AMAZON ORDER LINK: http://a.co/gxHWWhs
BLURB:
Bowie Matheson filled in the blanks
of a computerized arrest form for public drunkenness against Giles McFlinn—his
third apprehension this month. It was
nae coincidence Giles’ wife had moved out a month ago. ′Tis what a man got for marrying for lust instead
of wedding a friend. Someone he could talk to and discuss the secrets of the
world with.
Bored to death with the dull routine
of police clerical work, he stood, stretched, and snatched his empty coffee cup
off the metal desk. He was pouring a fresh jolt of caffeine when a wild-eyed,
redhead stormed into headquarters. She vibrated with angry thunder and flashed
with lightning. Bloody hell if she didna make the fine hairs on his arms stand
straight out.
Bowie wasna so sure what it was
about the unknown female that snagged his attention or made him overflow his
mug, burning his hand. He cussed, reaching for napkins to wipe up the mess and
dry his hand. His scalded skin stung. Even so, his policeman’s eye for detail
took note of her advance.
He didna think it was her long,
swinging ponytail or her huge golden spiral earrings that mesmerized him. Nor
did he imagine it was her attention grabbing siren-red lipstick she wore so
thick it needed kissing off, nae that he’d offer. And he certainly wasna a bit aware
of her tight navy skirt hugging thighs made to wrap around a man’s neck.
Her blue gaze landed on him like a
thousand-watt sex bomb. That is if bombs had wattages, he wasna so fookin’ sure
right now.
“You!” She pointed with a deep-red
fingernail as she swayed down the aisle toward him. Navy stilettos beat a
staccato beat on the tiled floor further wakening his sex-starved cock. “I want
to talk to you or I won’t ever get a decent night’s sleep again.”
What the bloody hell? She couldna
mean him. True, he’d gotten shite-faced drunk two nights ago when he found out
about his promotion, but he hadna picked this beauty up. Fook him stupid, he’d
never forget a pair of legs like hers. She must be yelling at someone else. He
spun to see who was behind him. Nae one.
A prickle of unease zigzagged up
his spine as she continued to stalk toward him.
Damn, the lass certainly ken how ta
make an entrance. There wasna an eye in the place nae focused on the
crimson-haired beauty. He supposed the whole police department wondered why she
resembled a tigress on the prowl. Sheer irritation shimmered off her and it
seemed to zero in on him.
Och,
she’s the one. I pick her fer ye. She’s got a mind fit ta challenge ye.
Bear,
I ken ye have the duty to pick a mate fer me. But nae now. Nae her.
In their shifter world, the bear
half chose the mate for the human half. It was their tradition and at this
moment Bowie would like to belt the rat-arsed bastard who’d thought of this
insane idea. His bear was choosing on looks which was verra nice for a couple
of night’s fun. But when it came ta the long haul, he was more attracted to a
woman’s mind; someone he could have long, intelligent conversations with.
Bowie kept his eyes lowered as he
carried his coffee to his battered and scarred metal desk. He didna want to
give her cause to yell at him some more because he had nae clue what was bloody
wrong with her. When she settled in the chair in front of him, her citrusy
perfume damn near took his breath away.
His hand trembled slightly when he
placed his coffee mug to his right. He leaned forward, folded his hands, fell
headlong into her mesmerizing cobalt eyes—and waited.
It didna take long for the next
verbal explosion to happen. “My name is Cameo Stone. I’m from south of Cambridge,
here in Matheville for a job interview.” Her fingernails clicked a beat on his
desk, grating his nerves. “I’ve come to warn you.”
“And what would ye like to warn me
about, Ms Stone?” He twirled his ballpoint pen between his fingers.
“I’m going to run you over with my
car.”
Aw
shite, another nut case. Better bring an officer over to witness the threat.
Bowie motioned for his cousin Chief
Detective Kendric Matheson to join them. “Kendric, this young lady is new to
our town from England and her name is Cameo Stone.”
Kendric sat on the corner of
Bowie’s desk and folded his arms. “I’m pleased to meet ye.” His gaze shifted
from Bowie to Cameo, a dark eyebrow arched in question.
“Would ye please tell the head detective
what ye just told me?” Bowie gulped his coffee and burnt his tongue. Bloody hell!
She tugged on the hem of her white
sweater, emphasizing her full breasts. “I’m a normal woman who has a gift or a
curse, depending on how you look at it.” She paused, her gaze going from
Kendric back to him. Neither one spoke. They’d heard stories begin like this
many times. “I have prophetic dreams. I can foretell the future through them.”
“We ken what prophetic means,
miss.” Kendric muttered before giving Bowie an amused look. After all, they
lived in an area of bear shifters, witches, fairies, seers, and a warlock who
occasionally passed through on his way to wreak havoc on someone’s life.
She nodded. “Good. Last night I had the same dream
three times. I was driving on a narrow country road somewhere around here. A
man ran out of the woods with a sawed-off shotgun. He had pale-green eyes and
wore a black knit cap and a thick black jacket. I didn’t see him at first.
Along the edge of the road was a large red rock with a rivulet of water
draining from a crack in the tall boulder. He turned his weapon on me and I saw
this emblem with the initials, HSS.
“I tried to swerve my car out of
the way since he was aiming at me and I hit a patch of ice. From the water
draining out of the big red rock, I guess, the water had frozen because it was
so cold.” She grabbed Bowie’s hand. “Then you came running out of the woods,
shooting your pistol at him. I tried to miss you, but I ran into you and saw
the name on your badge.” She pointed at it. “You rolled over my hood, across my
windshield, and made some strange noises on the roof of my car. Then a bear
rolled off the boot and ran after the first guy.”
Both Kendric and he laughed.
“It wasn’t funny! I couldn’t find
you,” she yelled. “Three times I was naked and I couldn’t find you!”
Laughter erupted throughout the
open working space. Officer’s heads swiveled in their direction.
Bloody
hell, Bear, this beautiful whacko is who ye want me ta mate?
Kendric, known for his often
bizarre humor, glanced at Bowie. His laughter turned into hysterics for they
were both shifters. He ken why the man in her dreams had morphed into a bear.
Bowie had stopped laughing, though.
In fact, he’d slipped his hands under the desk to hide Bear’s claws materializing
along with his warning.
Dinna
laugh at our mate. I willna stand fer it.
“Fook me blind with a pogo stick,”
Kendric managed between guffaws. “What I wouldna give for a naked woman ta come
after me three times in one night.” He stood and walked toward his desk.
Something Cameo had said niggled at
his mind. “Did ye just say ye saw the initials HSS?” His bear claws retracted.
“Yes, there was an emblem on his
black knit skull cap with those initials on it. His cheeks had these odd
tattoos.” He nodded in response to her answers. She relaxed a little now that
he’d taken her words to heart.
