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In Favor of Horror Fans Everywhere

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I think most of us began as fearless children, the ones that wanted to jump the highest on the trampoline, swing highest, build a ramp and take it at top speed, sit on the edge of a cliff and looked down, rode the Cyclone as many times as they’d let us in a row(trust me it was a lot)… we set the bar high.

What separated us from the rest of the pack wasn’t a lack of imagination of the bad things that could happen with our stunts. To the contrary, we probably had the best imaginations of the horrors that could occur, we just didn’t let fear stop us. We didn’t let anything stop us. We ate that fear like it was sugar coated cereal on a Saturday morning.

While our friends cringed and covered their eyes, ours were wide open. We waited for that little terror to make us giggle and make us feel alive. We were the first to tell spooky stories by the campfire and approached Halloween with religious reverence. (Still the best day of the year)

We played out Horror movies in backyards and parks and got into character, complete with black trash bag capes and weird smelling leftover plastic Halloween masks. The thrill was everything.

And with classic horror movies like Nosferatu, The thing With Two Heads, Mars Needs Women, Dracula, Frankenstein, the Mummy, the Black Cat, Fall of the House of Usher, the Phantom of the Opera… we got hooked on the terror and the monster themselves. In the 1908’s we saw so many great monster movie remakes. They were brilliant and we were so ready for them.

Then came slasher movies like the Nightmare on Elm Street, Sleepaway Camp, Halloween. Puppet Master… How many of us bought that Freddy Krueger glove and sat in the movie theater for the third or fourth time scaring the wits out of unsuspecting people? Okay, I did but it was all in fun.

We’ve watch so many great vampire films like Near Dark, the Hunger, the Lost Boys, Fright Night… and laughed at so many cheesy ones like Modern Vampires, Vampire’s Kiss, Subspecies, My Best Friend is A Vampire, Vamp… while we were reading incredible books like Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire (we’ll chat about that movie later).

And we ate up movies with jump scares like Poltergeist, the Evil Dead, Pet Sematary, the Exorcist, IT, Cujo, the Descent, Hell House and others because we couldn’t get enough. It’s in our blood.

Highschool ended and I packed up my things (movie posters included) to take with me to college. The first day I went room to room knocking on every door trying to find all the horror film fans I could and I brought out my shoebox of vhs horror films and we sat and giggled our asses off watching them. They were also the same group that went to comic book conventions and got the very best vampire/monster/horror comics, some wrapped in brown paper for mature audiences only-but they got them all the same in vinyl bags with backboards or cruised the mall for the bookstores and read every scary word they could find. You know your people and where to find them.

Now we are streaming horror films and playing the audio in our cars or as ringtones on our phones and why not? It’s all in fun, right? Break out the popcorn for viewers in the back while we drive to the latest horror film, horror book signing, vampire convention, book store hunt, or other dark broody adventure.

So, in that same adventurous giddy horror bound spirit, I give you Autumn Ravenwood, our heroine in Desperately Seeking Vampire: Help Wanted Romance Series now available free on Amazon KU, for ebook or paperback purchase. https://www.amazon.com/Desperately-Seeking-Vampire-Wanted-Romance-ebook/dp/B0CLXV6GNG?

If your the choosy connoisseur and prefer a signed copy, those will be available directly from me at Vampires of New Jersey Convention on November 18, 2023 from 2p to 8p at QXT’s Night Club, 248 Mulberry St, Newark, NJ.

I think we’re going to have a fabulous day with lots of people in the horror movie industry, writers, vampires… who knows. You don’t want to miss it, so get your tickets https://www.eventbrite.com/e/vampires-of-new-jersey-convention-tickets-655033150787

I’m going to be there and we’re going to have some fun, talk about horror films, books, comics… Promise I’ll keep the Freddy Krueger glove at home, so the scares will have to come from someone else this time (maybe).

Claire will be vending jewelry to die for and I’m going to have some kooky things like filled coffins, goodies, give aways, and we’ll also have Deserie Kelly’s Zodiac Shifters books.

What’s your absolute favorite horror film?

Books worth checking out, Liquid Friday with Eden Freed

Liquid Friday with Declan Conner, author of A Climate Change and AI Doomsday trilogy

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Hello my friends, today we will meet Declan Conner, author of three awesome books (among others he has written):

Oh, did I mentioned it is a Trilogy… Oh well! Don’t let me get ahead of myself. First we need to pick a drink for this fine evening. So let’s ask Declan if he has any suggestions.

Declan: “Here’s an unusual drink that I discovered in my youth that has a sweet and sour velvety texture. The name of the drink is aptly named Black Velvet. For some reason, it is also called a Snakebite. Concocted to mark the death of Queen Victoria, that historical fact has somehow been lost. The drink is made up of half stout (Guinness) and half champagne, but it is more common the substitute the champagne with cider. it’s usually served in a pint glass so it’s not usually a ladies choice. For the ladies, it could be shared in half pint glasses.”

Now that we got our drink, lets dive into the books.

The entire trilogy is set in the USA, after a climate change drought spanning thirty years has all but destroyed the population. With the constitution long dead and the states fragmented, the ruthless president presides over what is left of the Union, its citizens living in domed citadels.

The only other survivors live off the grid in the wastelands, clinging onto life. This is the story of one such survivor, Jack Cole, whose family is taken by the Denverines as breeding stock for the citadel of Denver, and his lethal journey begins in an effort to rescue them.

This will not be his only challenge. In a world where you can trust no one, death is around every corner and your own worst enemy can be your own psyche. Dragged into a power struggle, he finds himself defending the Union against The Protectorate of Texas, run by AI technology with a conscious agenda. If he fails, humanity will be lost forever in favor of Artificial Intelligence computer algorithms and robotic machines.

Check these fantastic books… only 99c each, for a limited time on Kindle

And here is some more info about our featured guest author and connoisseur of “Black Velvet” cocktail Declan Conner:

Declan lives something of a nomadic life, traveling between Brazil, Portugal, and the UK. Over the last 12 years, he’s published 14 books, mostly thrillers. Besides authoring, he also has a passion for music and his guitar is never far away for the times when writer’s block rears its head. Fortunately, that doesn’t happen too often. More recently he has taken to writing speculative fiction as thrillers set in a future on Earth, fascinated from “what if” scenarios, when considering current disasters, AI, and climate change, and what that could mean for the individuals psyche, not to mention society if taken to extremes.

You can check him out also right here on WordPress at : https://declanconner.wordpress.com/

Liquid Friday with Eden Freed

Liquid Friday from the Beach

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Sandy Hook- NJ

Today, I started my day by spending some time with the Perpetual Puppy and then heading out to see Blue Beetle. Overall a great movie- go see it if you can.

Still, my wandering heart wasn’t satisfied and I packed up half the crew and headed out to the beach. The sky was blue and the wind dragged sand off tiny pebbles, revealing hidden beauty.

Still more treasures were unearthed and I was shown shells of every color and size by the minions and the Mr. But the beach had one final treasure in store for me, a miniature library full of books and magazines. I’ll be dropping off copies of my books for eager readers, becuase everyone should have something to read on a long beach day.

Treasure!

I’ll be heading home for a cocktail (recipe below) and listening to Neil Gaiman on Audiobooks on the way.

PIÑA COLADA RECIPE: adults over the legal drinking age and responsible enough to not drive only please.

Ingredients-

  • 1 1/2 OZ BACARDÍ RUM Of CHOICE
  • 2 1/4 OZ PINEAPPLE JUICE
  • 1/2 OZ CREAM OF COCONUT

Fill a tall glass with ice. Blend your ingredients and pour over ice. Garnish with a piece of fresh Pinapple and maraschino cherries. Just Yum!

Double, triple, or just make a pitcher for sharing with company- even a hit in the winter.

Have a great Friday!

Liquid Friday with Eden Freed

Guinness Chocolate Cupcakes

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Happy St Patrick’s Day. We’re making cupcakes.

St. Patrick’s Day falls on the same day as my Liquid Friday blog this year, so there will be enough green beer and silly cocktails to keep you busy. To celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, we’re going to make a batch of cupcakes. Since it falls on a weekday and I’m up to my eyeballs multi-tasking, we’ll use a boxed mix and keep it simple and flavorful. I’m tossing my corned beef in the crock pot with potatoes, carrots, cabbage wedges, and some peppercorns, so I can keep my oven free for baking.

Let’s get started.

Grab you favorite green cupcake liners and heat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, we’re baking.

Cupcake Ingredients:

  • 1 Box chocolate cake mix (I use Duncan Hines but really any brand will do)
  • 1 1/4 cup Guinness to replace the water portion on the box
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/2 cup canola oil (yes, you can still substitute 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup applesauce for oil for lower fat cupcakes)

Before you put liners in your favorite cupcake tin, sprinkle some rice in between. This gives you a little air cushion so you have the perfect bottoms on your cupcakes. If you decide to skip the liners, grab two 9″ cake pans and fill equally for a chocolate cake that will make you lick your lips. Once your done baking, save the rice to reuse next time.

Mix wet ingredients and slowly whisk in the box mix until smooth. Pour 1/2 to 2/3 full into cupcake liners and bake at 350 degrees for 18 to 23 minutes (they’ll spring back when you touch them or a toothpick will come out clean).

While your cupcakes are baking its time to make the frosting. If you used a red velvet chocolate cake mix use the doctored cream cheese icing mix at the bottom of the page, otherwise mix up a batch of Bailey’s Flavored Buttercream(recipes below).

NOTE: If you’re serving children omit alcohol from icing-most alcohol will cook out in the oven for the cupcakes, but we don’t bake the icing, so just omit the alcohol.

Bailey’s Flavored Buttercream icing

2 sticks butter (8oz total) softened

1 1/2 to 2 cups powdered sugar

1-2 teaspoon(s) vanilla sugar (blended sugar and vanilla bean)

3 Tablespoons Bailey’s Irish Cream Liquor

Hand or machine blend until smooth and fluffy. Put in a pastry bag and decorate cooled cupcakes. Top with sprinkles, party picks, or shaved chocolate.

Jameson Black Barrel Cream Cheese Icing

1 stick butter softened

1 package (8oz.) Phili Cream Cheese

1 teaspoon vanilla sugar

2 cups powdered sugar

3 Tablespoons Jameson Black Barrel Whiskey

Since you have some liquid in this recipe, you won’t need any milk. If, however you omit the alcohol, add 1-2 Tablespoon milk.

Blend until incorporated and then whip for added volume. Spoon frost or use a pastry bag with this icing and top with some sugar crystals or a light dusting of brown sugar for extra flavor.

Whichever version you went with, I hope your cupcakes come out great and you have a safe and happy holiday.

Join my mailing list or keep checking back for new recipes, cocktails, authors and their books, and some of my crazy stories.

Liquid Friday with Eden Freed

Rainy Day Blues- well, Blue Curacao anyway

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After a too brief beach visit to the Jersey shore on Wednesday(long story), this Jersey girl is missing ocean breezes and the feeling of sand under her toes. Knowing the beach season is coming to an end has me feeling blue and maybe I’ll just have a fun blue cocktail with Blue Curacao to perk me up.

Butler, the perpetual puppy, sits guard over a pair of my beach flip flops expectantly because he knows when I leave him with a sitter there will be many treats. Let’s face it, anytime is a good time for treats when you’re an impish Chinese Crested dog that’s too busy learning circus style tricks to figure out how to chase his own tail. There will be treats, that much we can be sure of.

As for the cocktail while I find a good book to sink my bookworm teeth into, lets make a Blue Lagoon.

Blue Lagoon Recipe:

1 fl. oz. Vodka- Belvedere if you got it

1 fl. oz. Blue Curacao

1/3 fl. oz. lemon juice

1/3 fl. oz. lime juice

Add 7-Up or other lemon lime soda to fill glass and garnish with starfruit slice and a green cherry. Have it with your favorite beach snacks and great book.

Here’s the reminder- Please use caution when drinking any alcohol beverage. We want to keep you partying and living life, so don’t drink and drive and don’t engage in any risky behavior. Save the SSC or RISK for a sober moment 😉

Liquid Friday with Eden Freed

Spring forward

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Butler and I are anxious for the onset of Spring. It’s been a long Winter and we are so close to shaking off the long coats(even Butler) and embracing the sunshine.

Remember to set your clocks forward this weekend and hopefully brave the last of the snow we’ll see in 2022.

As for me, I’ll be sitting in a cozy chair, cuddling Butler, with a book in my hands while the snow falls. Hope you have something good to read. If not, please check out our previous authors.

Books worth checking out, Liquid Friday with Eden Freed, My Book

Knot A Criminal

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Tonight’s featured book is Knot A Criminal from Eden Freed’s All Tied Up In Knots Series. Scroll down to see tonight’s cocktail and a note from the author, herself.

Holly is on the run from the past that involves a double homicide. She has no recollection of the events and wants to keep it in the past for a reason, she might just be the killer.
Focusing on the future has Holly hopeful to learn pyrotechnics from a master of more than one skill. As she begins to fall for him, her past starts catching with her. Now, she is torn between her desire for love and the fear of what she might be capable of.

From Eden-

I’ve always considered myself to be a people watcher., but at best you only observe a small piece of their story. Imagination has to fill in the gaps. Could the people a few feet away from you in a shopping center be a couple in love, people going about their daily routine, spies, or aliens… whatever they are is left up to the flights of fancy your mind wants to take you on, no basis in reality required. Often we draw our own conclusions based on our own real world scenarios, hopefully none of them involve aliens, but I won’t judge either way.

The hardest thing to do is get people to stick to each other like magnets and if you’ve ever tried to fix up two of your friends or associates, you know what I’m talking about. You might push them in the right direction and find out their poles didn’t align and they just bounce off of each other. I do the same thing when I write, seek out the couples that need to flip around until they just fit right and connect in a way that is meaningful and lasting.

Knot A Criminal is the second full length BDSM novel in the All Tied Up In Knots Series. A little mystery, a lot of kink, and some New York excitement all go into making this book an interesting read. I hope you enjoy Holly and Johnathon’s adventure as much I did writing their story for you.

Excerpt from Knot A Criminal

“It was my fault. I shouldn’t have bragged that I could do it blindfolded with my hands behind my back. I didn’t expect him to take me up on it.” From a distance DJ Sean smiled at Crystal and gave a little thumbs up while picking up the coffee.

“Do exactly what blindfolded?” Crystal stood up. Her expression changed from one of curiosity to vexation. The sound of her knuckles cracking told me everything. She was getting ready to stomp over to Mr. Riley’s and let all hell break loose.

“Calm down, just the balloons,” I said and motioned for her to sit. “I made a death’s head moth and an owl.”

“Next time tell me that first. I was about to go open up a can of whoop-ass on him, boss or no boss. To think of everything that I went through to set it up so Johnathon would play you right after the interview, I’d have to go over there and stomp him into next week if this didn’t work out,” Crystal said.

“You didn’t!” I exclaimed.

“The hell I didn’t,” she laughed. “Remember when you were with Paul, how you said that you submitted an application for an interview with Johnathon Riley. I nearly pissed myself. Johnathon and I had a nice conversation about you. I never gave him your last name, so he wouldn’t know you from any other Holly on the street. Then, I made him wait until I was certain you had an interview for the job. No harm in keeping a man waiting.”

“That’s illegal at the very least, isn’t it?”

“Where you see legal issues, I see opportunity…”

Hypnotic and Absinthe make this cocktail dazzling

Tonight’s Steampunk Themed Cocktail: Blue Skies Ahead

Ingredients:

1 ounce Absinthe

2 ounces Hypnotic- one of my absolute favorite’s to mix cocktails with

1/2 ounce sour mix

2 ounces 7-up

slice of starfruit and green cherry garnish

Fill half a glass with ice and pour in the ingredients (add the soda last for a little fizz), garnish with slice of starfruit and green cocktail cherry. It’s a simple drink with a great presentation. Remember: Drink responsibly and don’t drink and drive. Be safe and have fun.

Books worth checking out, Liquid Friday with Eden Freed

Workshop Submissions for 2018 Liberty States Fiction Writers Conference

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We are very pleased to announce that it is now possible to submit workshop proposals for the 2018 Liberty States Fiction Writers Conference.

You can submit your proposal at: http://www.libertystatesfictionwriters.com/workshopsubmissions/

We are looking for workshops related to writing, the readers’ track, and a young adult track geared toward younger writers.  The writing and young adult workshops can be about craft, author wellness, the business of writing, promotion, self-publishing, etc.  The readers’ panels can be either fun and games or workshops intended to bring readers into the mind of the author.

Looking forward to seeing your proposals.  Feel free to forward this email to other writing groups and friends.

Registration for the conference is tentatively scheduled to open on September 1.  The room block will be open before that date and we will provide additional information on room rates, etc. at that time.

Thank you!

Books worth checking out, Liquid Friday with Eden Freed

Featuring Caridad Pineiro book cover reveal for One Summer Night

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I am pleased to feature a great author and friend Caridad Pineiro on my blog.  Here is her newest book One Summer Night from the At the Shore series.

Blurb:

Maggie Sinclair has tried everything to save her family’s business. Her options are dwindling, and she needs someone who can turn things around—fast. Problem is, the only person who can help her is trouble with a capital T. The Sinclair and Pierce families have been feuding for nearly 30 years, but that hasn’t stopped Jax Pierce from noticing Maggie. And he likes what he sees—a lot. But getting involved would mean risking his family, his inheritance, and above all, his heart. Can Maggie and Jax keep their simmering attraction at bay—or will mixing business and pleasure bring nothing but heartache?

Excerpt:

With keen interest, Owen Pierce took note of the three women as they hurried away from the dais and into the Sinclair mansion.

“Put your eyes back in your head, Bro. She’s nothing but trouble,” Jon warned in low tones.

Owen bit back the retort that if anyone knew about trouble, it was his brother. Jonathan had always marched to a different drummer and had set out on his own as a teenager to explore what he wanted out of life. Now a successful entrepreneur, he had captured the media’s attention with his innovative designs and daring adventures. That left Owen to shoulder most of the burden of the family’s real estate business, as well as deal with his father’s anger over Jonathan’s latest newsworthy escapade.

He envied his brother’s carefree spirit and determination, especially as Maggie Sinclair marched back onto the patio with her friends, an angry bride, and an obviously inebriated groom. Both the bride and groom looked far from happy as they approached the elaborate multi-tiered wedding cake that had been wheeled out to the middle of the makeshift dance floor.

He worried the bride might plunge the long knife she held into her new husband, but luckily for the newlyweds, Maggie directed the blade toward the cake.

Jon playfully elbowed him. “Seriously, Owen. She’s not for you. Father declared the Sinclairs off-limits ages ago. He would have a stroke if he thought the two of you were involved.”

Involved with Maggie Sinclair, Owen thought and sighed with regret.

In a way, he’d been involved with her forever. He’d like to chalk it all up to a sloppy, hurried, and stolen kiss at eighteen and the allure of forbidden fruit. But since that kiss, he’d watched her mature into a smart, beautiful woman. One who was willing to work hard for the town and business she cared about as well as friends and family. With every encounter, he’d grown more intrigued with the person Maggie had become.

But his father had come down hard on them about mingling with the Sinclairs right after Maggie’s mother’s death. For years, they’d been unable to come to their Sea Kiss home, and even when they’d returned, they’d done so without their father, who refused to be so close to the family he thought had wronged him.

Not that Owen expected that Jon would kowtow to such rules, since his brother was the kind of man who didn’t hesitate to take what he wanted.

He arched a brow and met his brother’s blue-eyed gaze, which glittered with a mix of undisguised challenge and amusement. “Do you think you’re the only one entitled to a little adventure in your life?” he said.

Jon chuckled. “My kind of adventure is way safer than what you may be considering.”

“Why’s that, Li’l Bro?” he asked, appreciating the sight of Maggie in a dusty-rose gown that hugged dangerous curves. Her chestnut-brown hair fell to her shoulders in soft waves and framed ice-blue eyes and a sassy, sexy face that snared his attention every time he saw her.

Jonathan took a last sip of his champagne and barely stifled another laugh. With a shake of his head, he replied, “Because all I risk is an occasional broken bone, but that…”  He jerked his head in Maggie’s direction as she stepped back beside Connie and Emma.  “That will break your heart.”

Behind the Scenes Tidbits for the At the Shore Series:

 

Purchase Links (click any of them):

Amazon Kindle,   Amazon Paperback,  B&N,  iBooks,  Kobo: Coming Soon!

Caridad Bio:

 Caridad Pineiro is a transplanted Long Island girl who has fallen in love with pork roll and the Jersey Shore, but still can’t get the hang of tomato pies. When Caridad isn’t taking long strolls along the boardwalk to maintain her sanity and burn off that pork roll, she’s also a NY Times and USA Today bestselling author with over a million books sold worldwide. Caridad is passionate about writing and helping others explore and develop their skills as writers. She is a founding member of the Liberty States Fiction Writers and has presented workshops at the RT Book Club Convention, Romance Writers of America National Conference as well as various writing organizations throughout the country. You can connect with Caridad at www.caridad.com. You can also find Caridad on:

Twitter at https://twitter.com/caridadpineiro
Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Caridad.Author
Pinterest at http://pinterest.com/caridadpineiro/
Goodreads at https://www.goodreads.com/Caridad_Pineiro

Want to receive Caridad’s newsletter with exclusive content just for subscribers and special giveaways? Just visit http://bit.ly/2cbxlYw to sign up. Caridad values your privacy and will not share your e-mail or personal information.

Liquid Friday with Eden Freed

Liquid Friday with Author Kimberly Dean

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This week we are featuring author, poet and songwriter Kimberly N. Dean and her romance novel Guilty Condolence (Sometimes You Have To Fall)

But before we indulge in her debut of a Military romance series, let us find out what does Kimberly suggest for a cocktail tonight.

I am normally a Corona Light girl, but this time of the year, I love Peppermint Mocha Mudslides!  The candy cane garnish is a necessity though.  I am greedy like that.  During the holidays, I covet everything peppermint!

Ingredients

  • 1 oz. Vanilla Vodka
  • 1/2 oz. Peppermint Schnapps
  • 1/2 oz. Coffee Liquor
  • 1 oz. Chocolate Syrup
  • 2 scoops Vanilla Ice Cream
  • Whipped Cream & Crushed Candy Cane for Topping

(Hint: 1/2 oz. = 1 tbsp.)

Instructions Combine vodka, peppermint schnapps, coffee liquor, mudslide-2chocolate syrup and vanilla ice cream in a blender. (If using a tablespoon measure to measure the alcohols and chocolate syrup, put the syrup in last – it’ll come out more easily if the tablespoon has some alcohol in it.) Blend until smooth. Pour into the glass of your choosing and top with whipped cream and crushed candy cane. Enjoy Immediately!

 

GUILTY CONDOLENCE is my first endeavor outside of my usual genres of poetry and songwriting.  It was a tad outside of my comfort zone, but these characters haunted me for a couple of years.  They pretty much demanded that I write their stories. My current works guiltyin progress include an autobiography of sorts. It’s also a little out of my comfort zone. It’s titled Through A Mothers Eyes. It’s actually my journal from 2009/2010, and it chronicles my oldest sons battle with testicular cancer and his path to the MLB Draft in 2010. Also, in the works are Dark Acceptance Volume Two, Untimely Arrival (novella), and Flight Of Regret Volume Three, all from the Sometimes You Have To Fall series.

Blurb:
Sarie Elizabeth Anna

Sarie Anna has it all.  Despite being raised by over-protective brothers, Sarie moves to Nashville and becomes the lead singer for the number one country rock band Carolina Fierce.  But Sarie gives it all up to move back home to Norfolk Virginia to support the love of her life, Jasen Riggins.

Jasen Scott Riggins

Jasen Riggins’ life is not as it seems.  Co-Owner of Anserve Inc., Jasen and the men of Anserve are civilian contractors to the United States Government.  They handle any mission that the Government doesn’t want to acknowledge.  Totally expendable, Black Ops. When a mission goes south, will Jasen and Sarie be able to overcome the tragedy?  Or will Jasen be lost forever in the downward spiral of a Guilty Condolence?
Here are three of snippets from GUILTY CONDOLENCE.

Man, I know what you’re thinking.  I know that you have every reason not to believe that I can take care of her.  I was there that day too, remember?  This is something that I live with every hour of every day.  Fuck, I am getting your message loud and clear.  Truth is, I have mad feels for Sarie.  Feelings like I have never known before.  Hell, man, it might just kill me to be with her every day, to see her with someone else, but I don’t trust anyone else to take care of her.”

“What is this, Jasen?”  I opened it ever so slowly, afraid of what I would find inside.     “It’s your boarding pass for the flight you are guilty2taking to Nashville in the morning.  I know the guys are recording at the Bird, and you are going to join them.  Lay tracks, watch, produce, do whatever the hell you want.  Light a fire under Holland’s ass to get herself in gear and get moved here.  I just want you to go and keep yourself busy for a few days.”     I stare at the boarding pass and realize the return date to Norfolk.  “Jase, this is for five days.”     “Yes, it is.  I figure with no complications we should be back around the same time.  I want you to go and do your thing, baby.  Singing is your mark on this ugly world we are living in.  When you sing everything seems brighter somehow, more alive, pure, and beautiful.  There is no war, no wrong, no evil.  There is just you, touching every heart and soul with your voice, your words, your beauty.  The world needs a song, and the world needs you to sing it.”

I turned my attention back to the Atlantic.  The waves were pounding the beach in a fierce tempo that matched my anger crash for crash.  Yes, today, I was in good company right here.  Somehow though, the ocean was showing me just how ferocious she could be and my anger subsided into a mere aggravated state.  Oh yes, the Atlantic was much bigger than me, and her brutality was much more than I could ever be.  Yes, she eased my aching heart and my shattered soul.
About the Author,

Kimberly Dean lives with her husband and three sons in Conyers GA.  Guilty Condolence is her first endeavor in the contemporary kimberlyromance genre.  She is currently working on Dark Acceptance which is volume II in the Sometimes You Have To Fall Series and Through A Mother’s Eye’s which is an account of her thoughts and feelings of her son’s cancer and his path to the MLB draft.     Kimberly is the epitome of a die-hard baseball Mom and professes that her favorite team is the New York Yankees.  Her favorite players are Tyler Austin and the Molina brothers Bengie, Jose, and Yadier.  When she’s not at a game or watching a game, she spends her time with her family or reading.