The Black Heart WIP #SexySnippets

Happy Sunday, everyone. Welcome to the Sexy Snippets blog hop hosted by The Nuthouse Scribblers.

The idea is for writers to post a 7-sentence snippet from your work-in-progress or published work and share the post using the hashtag #sexysnippets. You are welcome to join in, just go to

http://thenuthousescribblers.blogspot.co.uk/p/sexy-snippets.html to sign up for the next hop.

I've taken my snippet from my current work-in-progress, a paranormal romance titled The Black Heart. I hope you enjoy it.

Romantic Friday Writers: Stuck In The Middle

Hello everyone! I'm glad to be back with Romantic Friday Writers. This week’s challenge is to write 400 words of prose or poetry or excerpt to the theme Stuck In The Middle.

I'm taking a break from a hectic schedule. All I can say is that I'm looking forward to some downtime this summer.

So I've chosen a snippet from An Engagement Challenge. You can read the blurb here.

In this scene, the heroine Ijay discovers that her fiancé Vincent and her ex Paul know each other. Guess who’s stuck in the middle. LOL. 

Yes, I know it's not supposed to be about love triangles. But I hope you enjoy reading it anyway.

Word count: 396

Romantic Friday Writers - New Year's Resolution

Hello readers! I'm back from a long hiatus from Romantic Friday Writers. This is the first challenge for the New Year and not so coincidentally the theme is New Year's Resolution. As always, the challenge is to write a piece of prose/poem/flash fiction of no more than 400 words.

My snippet today is from a work in progress titled Making Scandal. It's the second in a contemporary romance Essien trilogy series. This is Mark and Faith's story. This story is in its early stages, so bear with me if things don't make sense yet.

HIS TREASURE - Book Release Day & WD12

Finally, the day has arrived. My first book, HIS TREASURE, is out there, now available for readers to buy. I am excited and jubilant, humbled and thankful. Getting to this day has been quite a ride. There have been good days and bad days, happy days and sad days, writing days and procrastinating days.

I really have to acknowledge Nkem, Sukhi, Henza and Queenie who read the very first rough draft, liked it and pushed me to polish it for submission. I’m totally grateful to you and the others who saw the gem in the rough for its true potential.

I also have to mention my editor, Kristie, whom I must say is fantastic. One of her first comments back to me when we started editing was just so fabulous I feel like printing it out and framing it. LOL. But I’ll settle for sharing it with you here.

Guest Author Interview - Delaney Diamond

Hi Kiru! Thank you for letting me take over your blog today. I’m looking forward to meeting your readers and I hope you receive a warm welcome from the ones on my blog.

1.     Tell us about yourself.

I was born and raised in the United States Virgin Islands and currently live in Atlanta, GA. I enjoy reading and writing, and when my head’s not buried in a book, you’ll find me in the kitchen cooking. I also love to travel, and if I had more money, that’s the one thing I would do more. I speak French and can get by in Spanish.

Something for the weekend - WIP excerpt

Hello readers, how are you all doing? I'm doing great. I've been busy, writing book 3 of Men of Valor series titled His Princess, working on editing book 2, His Strength, and of course preparing the PR for the release of book 1, His Treasure. It's only a few more days to 2 December. I can't wait. :o)

Darrin Henson as Michael

Just to let you know I haven't forgotten you all, here is an excerpt from a story I'm writing for an anthology coming out in February next year. It's a contemporary romance novella set Enugu, Nigeria titled A Valentine Challenge. In this excerpt H&H meet for the first time. This is just a first draft so bear with me. I hope you enjoy it. 

Oh, in case you're wondering why I have an image of Darrin Henson up here. It's because he's the inspiration for Michael in this story. 

Whispers - snippet from His Treasure

Hi readers, this week I’ve got a double challenge.

The first 12 sentences of this snippet are for the Weekend Dirty Dozen blog hop. It is a blog fest for romance and erotic writers to share 12 sentences every weekend for promotional purposes on their websites and blogs of their new releases and WIPs. Please use the link when you’re done to visit the Facebook page or blog to see who else is participating in the hop.

For Romantic Friday Writers, each Friday members post 300-400 words of romantic prose or poem on own blog based on a theme for the week. This week’s theme is Whispers. Use the link to see other submissions for the week.

I’m sharing a snippet from His Treasure, my debut historical romance novella set in pre-colonial West Africa. It is published by Breathless Press and out in December 2011. Click here to read the blurb.

For this scene, Adaku is with her friend Ifeoma at the New Yam festival when she hears worrying rumors about her husband Obinna that could change their marriage.

Romantic Friday Writers - First Love

Hi all, I’ve been quiet on the blog for too long. In between trying to write book 3 of the Men of Valor series and completing line edits on Book 1 for a deadline on Sunday, I’ve come up for air. So you know I’m alive and well, albeit harassed.

This week the Romantic Friday Writers challenge is to post 400 words of flash fiction/excerpt/poem with the theme of First Love.

I am sharing a snippet from my second ever contemporary novel titled Reunited. This book is due out early next year – date to be confirmed. The story is in Lagos, Nigeria. This scene is part of the prologue. Ike Thomas, the hero, is a new graduate on youth service at Lara’s (the heroine) school as a geography tutor. Lara is a final year senior school student and develops a huge crush on him.

I’m sure a few of us can remember having crushes on young teachers at school. Well for Lara there’s a happy ever after, though it came ten years after this scene. I hope you enjoy this snippet.

Romantic Friday Writers - Blue Moon

This week I’m posting my entry to Romantic Friday Writers a day early. Since I did a post on Monday, I’m skipping the Thrusty^TM Thursday post this week.

The RFW challenge this week is to write a piece of flash fiction/poem/excerpt of 400 words max with the theme of Blue Moon.

I’ve chosen a snippet from my current work-in-progress, a contemporary romance titled Just My Luck. To see the previous snippet from this manuscript go to Romantic Friday Writers: Lunch Date.

In this scene Wale and Trina are still having lunch in the restaurant. Unable to resist her effusive charm, he kisses her. However they are interrupted by an unhappy customer. I hope you enjoy it. Let me know what you think at the end.

Romantic Friday Writers - Heart Stopper

Welcome back to Romantic Friday Writers. This week's theme is heart-stopper. I’m sharing a snippet from HWB. In this scene, Kola does something he’s never done with any other woman. He kisses Tari of his own volition. It’s a heart-stopping moment for him. I hope you agree. Enjoy.

Word Count: 400 (MPA)

Have your say in the Poll and HWB Excerpt 6

Welcome back to Thrusty^TM Thursday.

Last week one of my readers contacted me to say that I had taken my foot off-the-ball with the last excerpt and it was too slow a scene. The comment gave me food for thought.

HWB is a steamy romance so the sexual tension between the two main characters is a key part of the story. It is also still a romance with a developing emotional journey between Kola and Tari. So while I will endeavour to post some of the best sizzling scenes on here, there will also be ‘slower’ scenes that don’t involve a lot of sexual tension.

Book Release Date and HWB Excerpt 5

Welcome back to Thrusty^TM Thursday. This week I’m happy to announce the release date for my first book. It is a historical romance novella titled His Treasure and set in pre-colonial West Africa. The release date is 2 December 2011. Yay!

Can you tell I’m excited? LOL.

It’ll be out just in time for Christmas, so now you know what’s going on your list, right? Mark the date.

I’m especially excited about seeing the cover art and can’t wait for that. And of course I’ll be bringing you the latest news here as soon as I get it.

Before I forget, you can now sign up to receive my blog via email. Simply fill in the box in the right hand column. Thanks.

For now, let’s have a little bit more HWB. I hope you enjoy it.

Romantic Friday Writers - Coming Home

This week on Romantic Friday Writers, the theme is Coming Home. My contribution is a new story that came to me last night.

Tonye Hume, the prodigal son, returns to his childhood home in Port Harcourt, Nigeria for the first time in fifteen years. In his case, he is back successful and wealthy. And his father is dead. Yet his return awakens so much from his past that he’s kept buried – secrets, betrayal and pain.

The scene I’ve chosen is when he sees his former youthful crush Kambili for the first time after so long. She is one of the reasons he left his home in the first place.

HWB Excerpt 3

Today at thrusty^TM Thursday I’m celebrating completing the first draft of my 2^nd historical romance short story. I really enjoyed writing that story. Of course the work isn’t done yet as I still have to polish it up for submission. But in the meantime, join me in celebration with another excerpt from Her Weekend Bodyguard, back by popular demand.

For previous excerpts go to Excerpt 1 and Excerpt 2.

Enjoy!

***

“Would you like some more wine?” Kola asked as he lifted the wine bottle from the ice bucket. Tari nodded and he refilled her glass before refilling his. They were having lunch at the kitchen table.

In his head he’d been cursing the fact that he’d kissed Tari. As he told her earlier, he didn’t do kissing. Hadn’t kissed a woman in years. It didn’t mean he didn’t have sex with women or touch their bodies with his lips. It just meant there was never any mouth to mouth contact. Kissing usually meant a lot more to women and he never needed that kind of complication. All he was ever interested in was giving and receiving pleasure. He could do that quite easily without any mouth to mouth.

So he had known it was a bad idea kissing her. However, a part of him had wanted to shut her up so she would get off his case for good. And when she’d looked at him with those doleful eyes, his already thin resistance had vanished.

The kiss had burned him so deeply it was all he could do not to unzip his jeans, rip her shorts and knickers off and take her against that wall. He’d known she was dripping wet. He could smell her sweet intoxicating arousal all around him. Even as he sat down here in front of her pretending to eat, his arousal was pushing against his jeans as he recalled her lush moist lips and the warm depths of her mouth. He’d had to pull away from her when a part of his brain that was still functioning remembered that this was Tari. That she would regret this whole thing later. The last thing he wanted to do was to add to her hurt. But she was driving him crazy. He was going to have to find a way to keep her at a distance. His control was wearing thin.

“Do you have a girlfriend?” she asked him putting her fork down on her plate.

“Drop it, Tari,” Kola flashed her with his don’t-go-there glare but she ignored it anyway and carried on.

“Is that a no? I only ask because I want to know what you’re afraid of.”

Kola felt her hand on his thigh under the table. He had to clench his teeth to stop himself from groaning at the heat he felt straight at his groin.

“I’m not afraid of anybody.” He knew his voice sounded husky but couldn’t control it.

“You could have fooled me there. I mean, if you have a girlfriend, you can tell me and I’ll back off.”

She started drawing slow circles on his thigh with her finger and his jeans suddenly felt very tight.

“I don’t have a girlfriend,” he said in resignation and placed his hand on top of hers, lifting it off his leg.

“If it’s not a girlfriend then who. Because I know you’re not afraid of my parents or my cousins. I also know you want me. So what’s stopping you?”

“If this is about the kiss, forget it. It was wrong. It shouldn’t have happened. You are like a kid sister to me.” He had to keep reminding himself she was a member of the Essien family, a family that treated him like one of them. He shouldn’t be lusting after her.

Tari placed her hand on top of his on the table and heat shot through his body again.

“I’m not your kid sister. Neither am I your blood relative. What I am is a woman with needs and I want you, Kola.”

“It’s not going to happen, Tari.” Kola pushed back his chair, stood up and walked out of the kitchen. He didn’t have to sit there and listen to her slowly drive him insane.

Her Weekend Bodyguard (WIP) - Excerpt 2

It’s thrusty Thursday again. This week let me introduce you to the heroine of Her Weekend Bodyguard, a contemporary romance I’m currently working on. To see the previous excerpt go here.

Tari is the heiress to the Akan Oil and Gas fortunes. Beneath the femme fatale exterior, is a compassionate woman who loves easily and would do anything to protect those she loves. When pictures of her fiancé in a compromising position with a call girl are published in the gossip press just a few weeks before their wedding, she needs a place to escape the pressure from family, friends and the press for a few days. She calls up Kola, her uncle’s chief of security, whom she’s known most of her life.   

Here is my visual inspiration for Tari.

Now for the excerpt...

“Something smells good,” Tari said when she walked into the kitchen to find Kola busy preparing lunch. He was now dressed in a white t-shirt and blue denim, a manly apron wrapped around his waist. He looked gorgeously edible and a brief image of him in nothing but the apron flashed through her head.

“I hope you’re hungry. There’s plenty of food here,” he replied flashing a boyish smile that had her heart tripping over itself. It was official. This man affected her tremendously.

“I sure am. All that swimming gave me an appetite. But I have to wonder if you have what I really want to eat though.” She turned on a smile she hoped was sexy as she walked to the fridge and took out a bottle of water. Opening it she drank straight from the bottle, letting some of the water trickle down her chin as she gulped it down.

She watched Kola as he stared at her throat watching its movement while she swallowed, his brown eyes darkening to almost black, his pupils dilating and his nostrils flared. Satisfaction and anticipation washed over her as she watched Kola struggle to control his response to her words and action. She so loved pushing his buttons.

After their earlier poolside encounter she had purposefully kept away from him knowing he’d locked himself away in his study. Following her swim she had taken her book and gone into the living room to read.  The space had been very stark and masculine. Black furniture contrasting harshly against the white walls; the huge flat-screen television dominating one wall. Apart from the floor-to-ceiling mirror on one wall, there had been no pictures on the walls and the space seemed a bit impersonal as there was nothing that seemed to identify the person who lived in it. The other thing that struck her was that for a bachelor pad the house was immaculate. But then again she should have known that would be the case. Cautious and safe Kola was also organised and neat Kola.

Did the man ever let lose, she had wondered.

“Not sure what you’re hungry for but I’m making Shrimp Linguine,” he said and turned away stirring the contents of the pan.

Before Tari could spell her needs out to him, her phone started buzzing in the back pocket of her shorts. She pulled it out and without thinking answered it.

“Hello.”

“Finally, Tari.” The exasperated voice of her fiancé came through loud and clear from the other end of the line.

“Oh, it’s you. Peter, what do you want?” She replied abruptly and rolled her eyes upwards as Kola watched her closely from across the kitchen.

“Don’t be like that. I’ve been trying to call you since last night. I went to your apartment but you weren’t there. Your parents said they don’t know where you are. Where are you?” Peter asked accusingly.

“You’ve spoken to my parents? You have a nerve after what you’ve done.”

“I had to go see them when you wouldn’t answer my calls and you weren’t in your apartment. They understand that it’s all been a misunderstanding,” Peter explained with seeming confidence.

“What?” Suddenly feeling sick, she sat down on the kitchen chair. Surely her parents could see through Peter’s act. See that he was not the choir boy they’d thought he was.

“Your parents were very reasonable. I’m hoping I can see you face to face so I can explain. Where are you?”

“Not that it’s any of your business but I’m with a friend,” Tari snapped back. She was getting tired of the conversation and fast too.

“Which of your friends? I’ve called Tamara and Haleema and they both claim they don’t know where you are. Come on, Tari. We have a wedding in a few weeks-.”

“Well, you should have thought about that before you decided to dip you dick into that Abuja whore.”

“Look here. Don’t talk to me like that. Where are you, Tari? You can’t just ignore me. Don’t you dare mess up this wedding?”

“Or you’ll do what? You can’t threaten me Peter. I’ll see you when I’m good and ready. Goodbye.”

Fuming Tari switched off the phone, her hands shaking. She dropped the phone and it clattered onto the table.

Grrr... That man! She’ll soon show him!

Sensing Kola close presence, she lifted her head. She could intuit his barely concealed rage oozing off him even before he spoke. His fists were clenched at his sides and his pulse was pounding at the base of his neck.

“Did I hear you right? Did that bastard threaten you?” Kola gritted out. She didn’t respond immediately and simply stared out the kitchen window. “Tell me. Did he?”

Tari looked at Kola. Her protector. Always quick to jump up to fight her battles. Except this time she didn’t need him doing that for her. She was an adult and could fight her own battles. Moreover she wasn’t afraid of Peter. She could take care of her fiancé. However she needed Kola in other ways, if only he would oblige her.

Standing up Tari moved closer to Kola and placed her palms against his chest. She could feel the pounding of his heart beat against her hand and heard his breathe hitch at the contact. His skin was warm to the touch even under his t-shirt.

“I can take care of Peter. He doesn’t scare me but I do know of a way you can help me,” she purred.

“Name it.” His response was quick and emphatic. Just what she was hoping for.

“Kiss me.”

***

So having now met both Kola and Tari, do you think they are good match? Share your thoughts on the excerpt and visual inspiration.

Have a thrusty Thursday!

Thrusty Thursday

Welcome to Thrusty Thursday ^(TM) with me Kiru. Yes, and before you say it, there isn’t a word like Thrusty in the Oxford English Dictionary. I made it up. Well... come on. I’m a fiction writer. What did you expect? We make up things all the time, don’t we?

And another thing, you should get your mind out of the gutter. It doesn’t mean what you think it does. *Shakes her head as she laughs*

So here is my definition of the word Thrusty as it relates to me and my writing.

Thrusty ^(TM) means moving forward with purpose, breaking down barriers, flying high with success and in the process having loads of fun. It’s about writing stories that readers love as well as I do and sharing the fun of getting from ‘Chapter One’ to ‘The End.’

Maybe one day you’ll find the word in the Oxford English dictionary. Just remember you read it here first.

So every other Thursdays I’ll be sharing my writing journey with you here. There will be news about book releases, book reviews, excerpts from my works, my inspirations and much more.

To kick off, I’d like to introduce you to the hero of one of my current WIP titled Her Weekend Bodyguard. It is a contemporary romance set in Lagos, Nigeria.

Kola, an ex-soldier now bodyguard, is dark and dangerous, a tortured soul who finds it difficult to trust anyone especially women. Yet he can’t stop himself falling in love with sassy and troubled heiress Tari, during a sizzling weekend together with her. She is a woman he has known most of his life but believed was out of bounds. Someone he has always protected as a young girl. Now that he’s crossed the invisible line separating them, he wonders who’s going to protect her from the darkness that rages within him.  

Here is an excerpt from my WIP Her Weekend Bodyguard. Enjoy.

***

“What would you like to do today?” Kola asked her as he moved to the table and sat on the chair opposite her.

“I don’t know. I haven’t thought about anything yet.”

Tari’s hazel eyes lifted to look at him. He felt a thrill of awareness unlike any he’d felt before. She lowered her eyes coyly but not before he noticed the way her eyes had darkened and her colour peaked from her neck upwards on her flawless caramel skin. He felt his body tighten in response.

Blast.

He had to get a grip. There was ‘enough on his plate’ right now without complicating it with a ‘roll in the hay’ with Miss Hazel Eyes Heiress here.

Before Tari had called him last night, he’d been on the phone trying to arrange a visit with his daughter Nike. He’d only recently found out he was the father to a ten year old girl. A daughter he hadn’t been aware of until a few weeks previously. The initial shock of finding out via a seemingly casual telephone conversation with his ex-girlfriend Sarah whom he hadn’t heard from in so many years had quickly transformed into anger that she’d kept such a secret from him for so long.

He’d had a right to know something so basic and yet so life-changing as soon as she’d found out she was pregnant. Yet Sarah had chosen to keep it a secret for so long for her own purposes. In the end he had been saddened about all the years he’d missed out with his daughter. He was now faced with having to learn all about a child who would be a teenager in a few years.

Kola physically flexed his shoulders to shake himself out of the dark mood threatening to blanket him and refocused on the woman opposite him.

“You’ve probably already seen the swimming pool outside. There’s also a gymnasium in the basement. Feel free to use it if you wish. If you’d like to go out let me know and I can take you anywhere you wish to go. Do you need anything from the shops?”

“No,” Tari shook her head. “I think I’ll just chill for now. I noticed some books on the shelf in the study as I walked past. Do you mind if I browse and help myself?”

“No, do. If you need me, I’ll be outside in the pool.”

Kola stood up. He needed to get some distance between the two of them. His body was way too aware of Tari – her feminine scent tickling his senses, her body’s warmth seeping into his. If she was staying indoors then he’d stay outdoors. Moreover in the pervasive heat of the day, the swim would hopefully help to cool his body as well as his libido.

“Kola,” her voice was soft and velvety setting the hair on his back at attention. “Thank you.”

Tari reached out and touched his arm before he could move away from the table. It seared him like a brand and sent warm blood rushing off in one direction, straight to his groin. He had to physically stop himself from flinching and pulling his arm away. Instead he stood there and stared at her soft full beguiling lips and wondered why she was thanking him. He hadn’t done anything special. Moreover if she knew what he was thinking about doing to those lips she wouldn’t be thanking him so readily.

“What for?” he asked stiffly and raised his brow.

“You didn’t have to come and pick me. You didn’t have to bring me here to invade your space and disrupt your life with my troubles.”

She looked away from him. For the first time since he’d picked her up he could see how truly unhappy she was as her eyes looked up at him again dolefully. He responded the only way he knew without even thinking about it. There would be consequences later but for now he didn’t care. He pulled her up and wrapped his arms around her.

“You are welcome to invade my space and disrupt my life any day. You should know that already,” he spoke into her dark curly hair gruffly and with a ragged breath inhaled her oh-so feminine fragrance that had a hint of strawberries.

Tari pulled back slightly and frowned up at him. “Do you really mean that? It’s just that last night you were a bit abrupt and quiet. I thought you didn’t want me here. I know I’m imposing. If you want me to leave I-.”

He sighed in resignation. “Stay. You’re not imposing. Last night I had a few things on my mind that’s all.” When she looked like she was going to ask him more he continued. “It’s nothing for you to worry about. You’re welcome to stay here for however long you feel is necessary. If you need anything, all you’ll have to do is ask.”

A smile brightened her face as she nodded. “Thanks, I will.”

“Good. If you need me, you know where I am.”

Kola took one last look at Tari as she walked towards the kitchen sink before walking out. The cautious side of him prayed she wouldn’t be taking him up on his offer anytime soon.

Copyright Kiru Taye 2011