Love is complicated.
I believe everyone should have a theme song. I’ve used “Every Woman”, Whitney Houston version to hype myself up. That’s no longer my state of mind. I can’t be ‘everything to everybody’ anymore. (Shout out to my therapist.)
Now, this is my new statement song. “I Like That” by Janelle Monae. Enjoy below and add your theme song in the comments.
#themesongs, #mdrayfordwrites, #settlingdown2019
Coming to the book self, a bobble head you all know as Joe the Policeman from the “What’s Going Down” eposide of That’s My Mama. Click all the likes for Jackson Heights own, Mr. Randy Watson! Yes!
#comingtoamerica #randywatson #classicmovie
Now that the short story for the Spice Anthology is done, time to get back on my novel in progress.
But where to start? How do I regain the momentum I had before?
What are some suggestions for getting back on task?
Sugar & Spice Anthology-
I will die if I stay here …
Shannon’s entire family sat at the dinner table enjoying a meal which took her three hours to prepare, while she mowed the jungle of their front yard, seething the entire time. She stopped to empty the bag, but froze when her mother-in-law’s voice carried from the open pantry window, “I had to fake a damn heart attack to make this stupid heifer get with the program.”
Faked a heart attack? Wait. What?
Monique Hallerin had faked that entire one-month ordeal so Shannan would take over the daunting task of shopping, preparing, cooking, then serving Sunday dinners for fifteen people every week, only to criticize nearly everything that Shannan did. Faked it so Shannan’s husband, Zach, would pick up the slack on her bills. All while her brothers-in-law and most of her children parked their lazy behinds at the dining room table every Sunday and didn’t lift a finger to help. Shannan was way past tired—exhausted was a better word.
“Guests don’t wash dishes,” her husband said when she mentioned they could pitch in with clean up. Well, to be honest, neither did he and he hadn’t been a guest since they’d said, “I do.”
What she should’ve said on the day they were married, fifteen years ago was, “I don’t,” then ran past his overbearing mother and four shiftless brothers then out the church doors to freedom.
“I had to fake a damn heart attack to make this stupid heifer get with the program.”
Shannan, who had seven children of her own, was now responsible for duties that her mother-in-law had done for most of her non-married life; catering to those grown ass men sitting at her dining room table at this very moment while Shannan was outside doing something she had first asked her husband, then one of them, to do.
Rage hit Shannan full force.
She staggered away from the mower, rushed into the house, ran up the stairs and snatched up her tote. She halted at the threshold of her bedroom for a moment, extracting the small shoebox in the back of the closet. A set of credit cards, passport, birth certificate, social security card, and all of the hidden cash found its way into the tote. She glanced at the summer wardrobe spilling over into Zach’s side and decided there wasn’t anything she wanted to take. She tipped down the rear stairway into the kitchen, snatched the keys from a hook near the door to put as much distance between herself and those people as possible.
Shannan only vaguely heard the youngest of her seven children call her name. Her heart constricted as she ignored them, tears blinding her as she slid behind the wheel of an SUV that was almost a second home. Basketball. Volleyball. Football. Gymnastics. PTA. Never any breaks between or any time for her to simply breathe.
I will die if I stay here.
Those seven words came to mind, summarizing her current status. Something that first hit her when she had the argument with Zach before his family arrived…
“My mother raised five boys on her own and never complained about having to manage a household,” he said, still keeping his focus on the circuitry in his hands.
“And she was on her own because she ran your father off,” she replied. “Let’s be real about that.”
Zachary’s face twisted into a mask of annoyance as he glared at her. “I can’t talk about this with you.”
“I’m done talking. I’m tired,” she snapped. “There’s going to come a time when I say to hell with it.”
Zach paused at the end of the wooden bench, scoffing as he asked, “And where are you going to go? Who’s going to be a father to seven children?”
“They have a father,” she said, and the sorrow of her reality was heavy indeed. “I need a husband.”
I will die if I stay here.
The moment Shannan hit the expressway, she wiped her tears with the back of a trembling hand. A startling thought hit her. She could not leave her baby girl in that house.
About Sugar Ain’t So Sweet by Naleighna Kai
Shannan overhears a conversation that forces her to walk out on her husband, seven children, and a successful career to find a sense of peace that has eluded her for years. She thought fate had been kind in giving her a husband who adored her. But she soon discovered fate had pulled a fast one, as her husband’s nearly impossible demands and those from his unrelenting family has pushed her to an edge where there might be no return. Zach has screwed up—royally. With his family following his lead in not appreciating Shannan, his wife shows him that since he can’t respect her presence, she’ll introduce him to her absence. Determined to win back the woman who is his anchor, first, he must find a way to deal with his overbearing family and disrespectful children that doesn’t cause him to lose more than he gains. While fighting to win back his wife, he’s forced to face some hard truths and family secrets that might mean he’ll lose Shannan forever.
Story Notes: Sugar A’int So Sweet
What if’s. That’s what drove this story. What if I was a wife who’d been surrounded by people who were taking, taking, and taking and not realizing that I’d been giving. What happens when that wife strikes out to find herself and figure out what she’s willing to lose in order to find that sense of peace.
Naleighna Kai is the national bestselling author of several controversial novels. She’s the founder of the NK Tribe Called Success, NK Literary Cafe Magazine, and the Cavalcade of Authors Literary Tour. She is an agent, developmental editor, literary consultant and marketing and promotion specialist.
Hers
Lauren bit her pouty, full lip as she waited for Marcus to receive the invitation to join them. Would he think less of her? Would he misconstrue her compliance as eagerness? The thought of having sex with someone else other than her husband scared her yet excited her, kindling a fire deep within that she hadn’t felt in years.
She’d always had unconventional desires, but she never dared act on them. She couldn’t risk being judged by her friends, her family, her church, and most of all, her husband. But watching him, fully erect, ready, and as burning hot as she was, it only solidified what she had always felt in her heart. She could do this. It was okay. It didn’t make her dirty or depraved.
She was still a good person.
By the time Marcus claimed his place in their little triangle of delicious deviance, Lauren thought she might burst right then and there. Here she was, panting, moaning, damn near whimpering, as hands massaged her round backside, moving down between her thighs in search of the humid flesh that ached for contact. Another hand fondled her breasts, tugging at her nipples just the way she liked it. A tongue caressed her neck while Marcus sought her mouth, parting her quivering lips to taste her. Just as she thought she could die a blissful death from the overwhelming sensation, a finger delved deep inside her, causing her to cry out.
“Mmmm, she’s so wet,” an amused voice rasped. “Taste.” And with that, a glistening finger eased inside of Marcus’s mouth, coating his lips with her arousal. But it didn’t stop there. Marcus grasped the hand, sucking it, teasing it with his tongue as it moved in and out, in and out. So…naughty. So taboo. And so insanely hot.
“I want you two to kiss,” Lauren found herself saying, chest heaving with every one of her excited breaths.
His
Marcus looked down at the hand in his grasp before gazing into unfamiliar sultry, brown eyes. He furrowed his brow, contemplating what this could mean for them. Once he crossed into uncharted territory, giving into hedonism without shame or reservations, could he and Lauren move forward? Would he still be committed to her and only her? Could he be? Or would his vows be tarnished by irresistible cravings?
Marcus didn’t want to speculate anymore. He wanted – needed – to find out for himself.
Without thinking, he followed his carnal desires, blocking out the niggling doubt that told him to slow down and think about the repercussions of his choices. He was tired of thinking. As an accountant, thinking was all he did. He wanted action. He wanted to feel. And yes, he wanted to go all the way.
With fire racing in his veins, setting his skin ablaze, Marcus gave into temptation, his tongue tasting sweet, forbidden fruit as his hands explored a soft yet toned ass and smooth back. The kiss was foreign yet exhilarating, rekindling the first-time feelings he relished when he and Lauren started dating. He craved that newness, that excitement. Hell, he craved more than just his wife, and that revelation brought him up short, causing him to part with the softest, fullest lips he had tasted since … since ever.
This was wrong. This was all wrong.
But it felt right also. Maybe too right. And that scared the hell out of him.
Abruptly, Marcus pulled away, urgently seeking the comfort of Lauren’s hooded eyes although he fully expected to see the opposite. Sure, they had both agreed to this, and Lauren had engaged in some fun of her own, yet he wouldn’t be surprised if she was pissed at the way he was acting – hungry and undeniably horny.
When their eyes locked, Marcus was relieved to find a sexy smile on Lauren’s lips, her gaze as heavy with lust as his. And their guest for the evening? Hot with expectation.
“Why don’t we move this little party to the bed?”
SUGAR is an anthology with the perfect blend of authors at the top of their game who have crafted stories that will leave you wanting more.#PreOrder SUGAR http://ow.ly/7ABT30l7J4h #Goodreads #Drama#Bookworm #GreatReads #Books #BookAddict #BookGeek
Two is a flame. Three is a wildfire that’s sure to burn.
In an attempt to rekindle the spark between them, Lauren and Marcus step out of the comfort and routine of their marriage and do the unthinkable: invite another party into their bedroom. As things quickly heat up, what they had hoped would ignite the flame that had been extinguished in their relationship, erupts into a scorching inferno of desire…and betrayal.
Lauren had always strived to be the ideal wife. Prim, proper, and undoubtedly loyal to her husband, she would never dream of fantasizing about another man. But what happens when another man isn’t the object of her longing? How does she compromise her heart for what her body craves?
Marcus had become a creature of habit, and it was killing his spirit. Between work and scheduled sex with his wife of ten years, he was bored with the life he had built with Lauren. Until an ordinary date night turned into something neither one of them would ever forget. And after the deed was done, he knew that his marriage would never be the same.
His and Hers is a story about tearing down the walls of inhibition, testing the limits of desire, and learning that playing with forbidden fire will always burn.
Story Notes
On a late night call with Naleighna Kai, she told me of all the exciting stories that were being written for two upcoming anthologies. “Oh, you all are writing “story stories” (deep stuff). I let her know that I had something to offer, but it would be H-O-T. This story was written in between penning two novels and preparing for a trip to the Cavalcade of authors at the Atlantis Resorts in the Bahamas.
S.L. Jennings is a military wife to her high school sweetheart, a mom of 3 rowdy boys, and a New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author of contemporary and paranormal romance novels such as Taint and Born Sinner. When she’s not obsessing over book boyfriends, you can find her hanging out with a few epic fictional loves at independent bookstores, or sipping a Bloody Mary at her favorite brunch haunt in Spokane, Washington.
www.sljennings.com
SUGAR is an anthology with the perfect blend of authors at the top of their game who have crafted stories that will leave you wanting more.#PreOrderSUGAR http://ow.ly/7ABT30l7J4h #Goodreads #Drama#Bookworm #GreatReads #Books #BookAddict #BookGeek
The moment Joy’s estranged mother shows up on her doorstep and drops off a mysterious child for her to raise, she’s forced to put her life on hold. Two years later, she abandons her dream of becoming a civil engineer, when her mother reappears with yet another child from her drug-addicted sister. Twice is enough, and the third time isn’t a charm as Joy’s outright refusal makes her an outcast to her small family. With so much responsibility at such a young age, having an intimate relationship is something she never allowed herself to dream. Until a chance meeting at the most unlikely of places.
Story Notes: My first Cuddle Party was an exhilarating experience. I held onto an article in the Chicago Red Eye for a year before I got up the courage to attend. Safe, non-sexual touch. People who weren’t family. No other books that I’ve read covered this event and with the valuable input of fellow authors Lisa Watson and J. D. Mason, I thought I would share how two people could become deeply connected even when sex wasn’t on the table.
Naleighna Kai is the national bestselling author of several controversial novels. She’s the founder of the NK Tribe Called Success, NK Literary Cafe Magazine, and the Cavalcade of Authors Literary Tour. She is an agent, developmental editor, literary consultant and marketing and promotion specialist.
www.naleighnaka.com
In the anthology, SPICE readers get a taste of the most anticipated fiction offerings of the year. Readers will enjoy this eclectic blend that will stay with you long after the pages have been turned.
http://ow.ly/UhDt30lLxSI
#Fiction #Thriller #Erotica #Goodreads #BookAddict
Mia’s head snapped up at a sound that wasn’t anything like the faint echoes of music from the other end of the lake. For some reason, her instinct was on high alert especially since the additional security team was missing in action.
“Having dinner out here was a great idea,” Mia said for the sake of their nosy neighbor Patty, who was walking in their direction as Calvin approached the table.
The older woman wasn’t any cause for concern.
“You like me cooking for you.” He brought out the spaghetti and salad, slid it on the table, then leaned in, kissing Mia. He wrapped his arm around her waist, nuzzling her neck. “Maybe we should have dessert first.”
“I’ll not be reheating dinner tonight.” Pushing him away, she turned him back toward the house, then swatted that gorgeous rear end of his to send him on his way. “You need to go grab those breadsticks. I’ll open the wine.”
Calvin, who had never been married, enjoyed playing the role of husband a little too much. He winked before stepping off the planks and into the dining room. He paused at the door and glanced over his shoulder. “We need to do this more often.”
Most often wouldn’t happen. Tonight was the last day of her assignment, then she’d be back to her regular life and that didn’t include being a high security detail protector to a top secret invention and its handsome creator.
Several minutes later, she poured him a glass of red wine before fixing their plates. She scanned the area again and a tingle of suspicion ignited in her mind.
What’s taking him so long?
“Calvin, today would be nice,” Mia yelled. She perched on the chair, waiting for his smart response.
None came.
Mia placed the glass on the table and swept into the house. Calvin wasn’t in the kitchen. If he had slipped into his office to work instead of joining her outside, there was going to be a problem.
Mia laid eyes on Calvin as she rounded the corner, but his voice halted her in her tracks.
“Run, Mia. Run,” Calvin yelled, lunging for the stocky Asian man near the office door.
A hefty Black guy slammed his weapon across the back of Calvin’s head.
Mia sprinted down the hallway past the study and powder room, aiming to get her weapon. She kicked herself for not bringing it inside. They wouldn’t kill Calvin, but they could hurt him if he didn’t cooperate. She slid a cast iron skillet from the cooktop.
“Go get her,” someone yelled from the office.
Several things crashed to the office floor. Calvin put up one hell of a fight. Mere seconds had passed when Mia’s pursuer rounded the corner. She slammed the skillet into his chest, causing him to fly into the wall. He recovered and reached for her arm. The skillet crashed down onto his head with a backward swipe. This time, his body hit the ground, right on top of his gun.
Damn.
Her feet pounded on the hardwood floor as she raced for the front entrance, aiming to find some type of reinforcements. An armed man came off the path to the porch. She slammed the front door, locking it. Keys jiggled in the tumbler.
Mia ran top speed toward the kitchen ahead of a spray of bullets that landed in the cabinets. She slid toward the island like a baseball player trying to reach the home plate. She scrambled around the counter, bolting to the deck and made it to the table.
“Nowhere to run,” a man with an ivory complexion said as a Latino guy calmly stepped over the threshold onto the deck as though nothing out of the ordinary had transpired.
“Don’t be so sure of that.” She snatched the Ruger, aimed, and pulled the trigger five times taking out the biggest threat. Mia didn’t wait for the Latino man’s advancing body to hit the ground. She hit the stairs. The ivory man took cover in the dining room and held up on a perfect vantage spot.
Three armed men raced toward her. Damn, how many did they send?
Mia’s heart sank, but adrenaline kicked in as she turned back.
She had to make it to the Lincoln.
“Mrs. Atwood, don’t do it,” he yelled as she climbed from the patio chair to the railing.
He aimed his Glock and fired.
Mia took a flying leap from the banister and dove into the water.
SUGAR is an anthology with the perfect blend of authors at the top of their game who have crafted stories that will leave you wanting more.#PreOrder SUGAR http://ow.ly/7ABT30l7J4h #Goodreads #Drama#Bookworm #GreatReads #Books #BookAddict
About The Confection Assignment by Karen D. Bradley
Mia Jakob takes on a security detail that some of her superiors felt was out of her league. They might’ve been right, but not for the reason they think. The chemistry between her and the handsome client, Calvin, has Mia struggling to resist sweet temptation as she protects him and the invention wanted by several government agencies.
The last forty-eight hours of her detail will be the most intense as highly trained teams make several attempts to steal the invention and the mastermind behind its creation. Mia’s skills are put to the test as she fights to keep them safe and the invention from falling into the wrong hands. But, will her attraction to Calvin be the very thing that get them killed?
Story Notes: for The Confection Assignment
Writing keeps me sane. Creating this piece for the Sugar Anthology challenged me to be more concise due to the word count limitation. I was honored to be among an amazing group of authors. It created an environment of education, elevation, and encouragement which allowed me to improve my writing skills.
Karen D. Bradley has penned several contemporary fiction novels— Love Runs Deep, Life on Fire, and Shattered Illusions. Recently, she ventured into film making by writing and producing a short film based on one of her novels. Visit Karen on the web at
www.karendbradley.com
SUGAR is an anthology with the perfect blend of authors at the top of their game who have crafted stories that will leave you wanting more.#PreOrder SUGAR http://ow.ly/7ABT30l7J4h #Goodreads #Drama#Bookworm #GreatReads #Books #BookAddict #BookGeek