tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59393348968591826912024-03-13T11:11:01.410-04:00Ayla RuseEnsnare yourself in love!Ayla Rusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04822310915656190053noreply@blogger.comBlogger640125truetag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5939334896859182691.post-32220503468731534822017-09-20T17:20:00.002-04:002017-09-20T17:20:21.004-04:00Little Tid-Bits about Ayla<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Hi! I did do the shout-outs last week when the lovely Kayelle Allen hosted me on her blog, Romance Lives Forever, but I tripped up and forgot to post this on my own blog! My sincere apologies.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Just click on the image below to join me as I visit Romance Lives Forever where I discuss a little bit about me, my writing, and whether I enjoy leather or lace more! :)</span><br />
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<a href="https://rlfblog.com/ayla-ruse-0917/" target="_blank"><img alt="https://rlfblog.com/ayla-ruse-0917/" border="0" data-original-height="145" data-original-width="1372" height="65" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNu_1VbrIyq9pmg0IWzcNj_LqHKcnpzoRyEPo-uij_kECS7hyphenhyphenE2QStFSeFUPcbf9aiqJ8Exa6AvoT7vQb60y5pil28RbhOwXvqaF_SBfgAHa8aJKPjdIN-VXxOHXVny8gZzoD3QTpF8LgO/s640/romancelivesforeverblog.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />Ayla Rusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04822310915656190053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5939334896859182691.post-90465344478515915382017-09-10T13:31:00.000-04:002017-09-10T13:31:22.331-04:00Do you believe in the paranormal?<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Please click on the image below to visit me today at Paranormal Romantics where I share my thoughts on whether the paranormal is real or not. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">"See" you there! </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://paranormalromantics.blogspot.com/2017/09/guest-ayla-ruse-believe-in-possibilities.html" target="_blank"><img alt="https://paranormalromantics.blogspot.com/2017/09/guest-ayla-ruse-believe-in-possibilities.html" border="0" data-original-height="376" data-original-width="940" height="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5B3bM2ubbg9wVn4kia2cJF4PHGBayFyX9L1tMt82hSltYlmcI1yRKVoAncqO5TVcN7-gV7ZrdFRcwBmtF9GOIasPswvsOsRaDS06scItO88SdptEGuIgwamZyh90_wY9jRN96ciI4lTf_/s320/ParanormalRomantics_WebsiteHeader_940x376.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Ayla Rusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04822310915656190053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5939334896859182691.post-1984235635601359262017-08-30T00:25:00.000-04:002017-08-30T09:53:36.958-04:00#Excerpt from It's In the Mix #humpdayhumps NSFW<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Welcome to Wednesday Hump Day Humps Blog Hop hosted by Marteeka Karland. Links to others are found at the end of this post. Here you'll get to enjoy a *never* before seen (in a blog post) excerpt from my latest and newest release, It's In the Mix (a Wit & Wizardry Multi Author book). It's on the naughty side, so definitely not safe for work. ;-)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5e6l4zzKG8UXCOQ67HAncu95Pa4Iz4PmZH_7K4g-7kFZUcsgTwBPkqItizAuc388A7_xwvF-Lz5IISLf9-KlvBbz0xAa-k5OiB8bqWX-ibOwC4WeEEF6gE2XGs6tV8CPtvB0iGuUAZzzX/s1600/AyR_W%2526WInTheMix_XL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="922" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5e6l4zzKG8UXCOQ67HAncu95Pa4Iz4PmZH_7K4g-7kFZUcsgTwBPkqItizAuc388A7_xwvF-Lz5IISLf9-KlvBbz0xAa-k5OiB8bqWX-ibOwC4WeEEF6gE2XGs6tV8CPtvB0iGuUAZzzX/s320/AyR_W%2526WInTheMix_XL.jpg" width="210" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><b>It's In the Mix</b></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">By Ayla Ruse</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Paranormal Romance (Novella)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">What this book's about:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Mix 1 part narrow-minded fairy with 1 part human bachelor to get 2 parts everlasting love. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Aisling is not happy to be tending bar in a human pub. Her fairy aunt predicted she'd find love by the next full moon, and that means she should be back in Ireland -- not in the middle of Massachusetts.<br /><br />Despite the happy married lives of his friends, Daniel is content to remain a bachelor. After all, the pretty new bartender may want to come home with him. Why spoil that with a relationship?<br /><br />Something might have happened on its own, but a mischievous pub owner slips each of them a Wit & Wizardry brew known to contain a powerful love potion. Before either can say a word, Aisling and Daniel find themselves tumbling headlong into love.<br /><br />Unfortunately, all is not happily ever after. Aisling does not want to love a human, and Daniel believes he's unfairly pressured her into being with him. When the pair settle down to breathe, can they discover something deeper to bind them, or will daylight make the heady effects of a potioned brew fade away?</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Excerpt:</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Daniel entered the short hall and froze in his tracks. Stepping out of the women's bathroom was Aisling. Pure, bright, beautiful, love-of-his-life Aisling. What he felt defied understanding. Her hair crackled a beautiful, deep red and spilled over her shoulders and down her back. Her eyes, even in the dim glow of the hallway's lights, were big and luminous and a deep, mossy green. Softly curved lashes blinked slowly. Lips -- rosy, perfectly kissable lips -- parted in surprise.<br /> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In the space of a heartbeat, Daniel envisioned her in white with flowers running through her hair for their wedding day. He imagined the children they'd have scampering around them, the home they'd have, the love they'd share. Then he imagined her stripped down and beneath him in his bed. Her skin glowing bright. Her arms open and her body ready for him.<br /> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">He took one step toward her, then another, and she did the same. They met in the middle, their lips unerringly finding the other's.<br /> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"Oh, Aisling. You are mine. I have to have you," he murmured between kisses.<br /> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">He didn't want to hurry, but she kissed back as earnestly as he kissed her. Their hands were everywhere. He slid his palm over the back of her baggy sweatshirt, but before he could repeat the caress, she backed up so she was pressed against the wall. He followed, his lips never leaving hers, and his hand dropped to her hip. Her slight body curved into his touch. When her slender fingers slid between the buttons on his shirt and her short nails scraped his abs, he tensed and knew he couldn't wait.<br /> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"Come home with me," he said, pressing close. Her soft breasts crushed against his chest, and her nipples hardened. He groaned and ran his lips down her throat, nibbling as he went.<br /> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"Please, Daniel," she encouraged. "More."<br /> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Nothing mattered except getting closer to her. Getting inside her. He'd unbuttoned the top button of her jeans when someone behind them muttered a curt "Excuse me." His thoughts surfaced enough to realize he was about to take her in the middle of the hallway.<br /> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"Shit. We can't do this here, Aisling. Come home with me," he repeated.<br /> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">He pulled back enough to look into her eyes, and he groaned. She looked wild, feral. Her wide eyes flashed green sparks, and her skin gave off a bright, translucent glow.<br /> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"No," she growled. "I need you now. Come here."<br /> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">She grabbed a handful of his shirt and jerked him toward the exit. She pulled him through and shut the door firmly behind them. With more strength than he thought she could have possessed, she jerked him against her, her back against the wall with his body tight against hers. He gave her no resistance, his cock already hard and throbbing, his want of her overwhelming any other thought.<br /> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The evening air was cool, but nothing slowed them down. Her busy hands had opened several buttons on his shirt and teased his stomach and back while he slipped a hand under her sweatshirt to caress her breasts. She didn't have on a bra, and her small breasts fit his palm like they were meant to be there, meant to be his.<br /> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">He fondled her and nipped at her neck, her jaw and her lips. She writhed and murmured his name, her breathy calls as soft and gentle as the wind but as insistent as a gale.<br /> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Daniel dropped to his knees and, with shaky fingers, unbuttoned her pants and pushed them and her wispy panties down to her ankles. She toed off one tennis shoe and lifted her foot, and he obligingly pulled that leg free from her jeans. With this knee still bent, he lifted it over his shoulder before moving in and claiming her bare pussy with his mouth. Her loud gasp was music to his ears, and he licked her like a man starving. Aisling's juices were so sweet he couldn't get enough, and even as she shuddered through her first orgasm, he was loath to pull away.<br /> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"Mine. Forever." He growled low, getting to his feet. He crowded her body as both their hands worked to open his slacks. She reached in first and, as her cool fingers wrapped around his shaft, he jerked, afraid he'd spend right there.<br /> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"In you," he told her, removing her fingers. "I need to be in you when I come. You're mine, Aisling. Forever. Mine."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">See more: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=2620" target="_blank">Changeling Press</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Its-Mix-Wit-Wizardry-Multi-Author-ebook/dp/B074N6XRXV" target="_blank">Amazon</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/its-in-the-mix-ayla-ruse/1126954254?ean=2940158761690" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/its-in-the-mix/id1269303277?ls=1&mt=11" target="_blank">iTunes</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Thanks for visiting! </span><br />
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<a href="http://www.marteekasdreams.com/p/hump-day-humps_6.html?zx=a60141cbcf21fc8b" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="97" data-original-width="560" height="55" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1sUBh1Q5uHooVODkYKNynQc9QBYaSRiMwF1gnP18KCRzoQ5SUK7EXBcj-7ShYFoQYjUXNE3B6gqUrAUVimPwSN2YJ_fUrPt0Ft2yJzyRqj0UWp-XTxPTVW5UpkDtOG8qGx4cmY8ckDOWj/s320/Hump+Day+Banner+2.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<!-- end LinkyTools script -->Ayla Rusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04822310915656190053noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5939334896859182691.post-12663592498615691042017-08-28T21:52:00.000-04:002017-08-28T21:52:19.273-04:00Do you like to read journals?<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_UXLQmUhDv-eovZc4L7NBgyvj4s9vVq5uXUMPL5x6Se8nb2HjdHJoxiKxLEjxpiFP19Y4oBVhFpo77-6LAMJn39FrDihuJLJF8GTpbmRiYeLr-Gko1C6I2_Nuwrelk8gdIs4SfRuaCFJZ/s1600/Fotolia_28488899_S.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="567" data-original-width="846" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_UXLQmUhDv-eovZc4L7NBgyvj4s9vVq5uXUMPL5x6Se8nb2HjdHJoxiKxLEjxpiFP19Y4oBVhFpo77-6LAMJn39FrDihuJLJF8GTpbmRiYeLr-Gko1C6I2_Nuwrelk8gdIs4SfRuaCFJZ/s320/Fotolia_28488899_S.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo (c) fotolia.com</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Some people do and some people don't. Some people like to write them and some don't. I've always been a journal writer. I like how it's a time line of where I've been, what was going on, what the hell I had been thinking, and where it takes me going forward.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">One of my pages on this blog is a journal I'm sharing with you. I try to keep up with social media, but it's hard. Sometimes I want to post but pause wondering, who cares? Or, do I really want this out there? Yet at the same time, I DO want people to know what goes on in my writing life. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">For this journal, I don't keep up with it daily, but I do post as often as I can. In this I try to share what it's like being a part-time writer. I say part-time with reluctance. I'd love to be full-time, but it honestly is not the singular top most priority in my life. I love to write. I NEED to write, but there are so many other things going that demand my attention at the same time. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">If you're a writer, struggling to fit in time or even the desire to write, or if you're curious just how a writer's life mixes with real life, then my journal is for you. I touch base on what may be going on in my life at any given moment (kids, husband, family, etc) and how these things effect my writing, and vice versa. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">My newest posts are always at the top. Feel free to scroll down to either read from the beginning or from now to then. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">As always, thank you for your support as I live my dream, even if it is in bits and pieces. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">See my <a href="http://aylaruse.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_11.html" target="_blank">journal page here</a>. </span>Ayla Rusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04822310915656190053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5939334896859182691.post-27184113598065597402017-08-25T16:00:00.002-04:002017-08-25T16:00:41.932-04:00Beauty of a Short Story<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Join me at Romance Junkies today as I share my love of short stories, and celebrate my new release of <i><b>It's In the Mix</b></i>! </span></div>
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<a href="http://romancejunkies.com/ayla-ruses-its-in-the-mix/" target="_blank"><img alt="http://romancejunkies.com/ayla-ruses-its-in-the-mix/" border="0" data-original-height="201" data-original-width="820" height="78" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyh_rNj5NgqWyQsg2Brk8WvjPEUEBbyZBESxHt1InYNT6ekvvmZS_eDA6nol-m1uWMxyVDjzCTF_ZdrQ9P3F3nUV9URCrHUGttqST0K4Fu27MNX_ze1v3UnCRksz4EPcm9Ankouy-e4B4t/s320/romance-junkies-logo.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Ayla Rusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04822310915656190053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5939334896859182691.post-25618564179314515292017-08-25T09:53:00.000-04:002017-08-25T09:53:07.794-04:00#NewRelease It's In the Mix (Wit & Wizardry)<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Available Today!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5e6l4zzKG8UXCOQ67HAncu95Pa4Iz4PmZH_7K4g-7kFZUcsgTwBPkqItizAuc388A7_xwvF-Lz5IISLf9-KlvBbz0xAa-k5OiB8bqWX-ibOwC4WeEEF6gE2XGs6tV8CPtvB0iGuUAZzzX/s1600/AyR_W%2526WInTheMix_XL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="922" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5e6l4zzKG8UXCOQ67HAncu95Pa4Iz4PmZH_7K4g-7kFZUcsgTwBPkqItizAuc388A7_xwvF-Lz5IISLf9-KlvBbz0xAa-k5OiB8bqWX-ibOwC4WeEEF6gE2XGs6tV8CPtvB0iGuUAZzzX/s640/AyR_W%2526WInTheMix_XL.jpg" width="420" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">It's In the Mix</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">(Wit & Wizardry) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">by Ayla Ruse</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Page Count: 71</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Price: $3.99</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Genres/Themes: Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy, Elves,
Dragons, and Magical Creatures, Magic</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="about:invalid#zClosurez" target="_blank">Buy Today</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><a href="about:invalid#zClosurez" target="_blank"> </a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mix 1 part narrow
minded fairy with 1 part human bachelor to get 2 parts love everlasting.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Aisling is not happy to be tending bar in a human pub. Her
fairy aunt predicted she'd find love by the next full moon, and that means she
should be back in Ireland -- not in the middle of Massachusetts.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Despite the happy married lives of his friends, Daniel is
content to remain a bachelor. After all, the pretty new bartender may want to
come home with him. Why spoil that with a relationship?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Something might have happened on its own, but a mischievous
pub owner slips each of them a Wit & Wizardry brew known to contain a
powerful love potion. Before either can say a word, Aisling and Daniel find
themselves tumbling headlong into love.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Unfortunately, all is not happily ever after. Aisling does
not want to love a human, and Daniel believes he's unfairly pressured her into
being with him. When the pair settle down to breathe, can they discover
something deeper to bind them, or will daylight make the heady effects of a
potioned brew fade away?</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Excerpt:</span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Two hours later, Aisling had been asked her name so often
she practically growled it out in answer. That or flat out ignored the
question. She'd also been propositioned more than she had been in her entire
life. She'd had to do her best not to gag whenever a human dared speak to her.
All her senses were overloaded with smells of beer, food, human sweat, and the
thick New England accent that jarred her ears. She wasn't sure how much longer
she could take it.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">"Hello, beautiful."</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Aisling didn't even bother looking up when the human leaned
against the bar. She'd been hit on so often she mentally blocked all their
talk. "What'cha be needing tonight?" she asked instead and swiped a
damp cloth across the bar's work surface.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">She could have sworn he murmured the word, "you,"
and her head shot up at that, but his warm smile told her she must have been
mistaken. Once she looked up at him, though, she couldn't look away. She should
be disgusted at the mere presence of him, a human, but he had the perfect,
classic dark Irish look -- hair as black as the Hidden Fairy Caves, eyes as
blue as the deepest reaches of the seaside springtime sky. To complete the
package, even though he leaned against the bar, she knew when he stood straight
he'd be tall and athletically lean. His face was chiseled, and he looked as if
he'd fit in perfectly with the clans of old. For a brief second she even
imagined him in a tartan. True, she didn't care for humans, but she'd always
loved the old stories of when fairy folk would interact openly with them. She
would be the first to admit she'd not want those days back, but looking at him
reminded her of the old lore, and she couldn't help it. She sighed.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">"Miss? Are you okay?" He grinned, and his deep
voice shook her out of her musings.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">"What? Oh, I'm sorry. You said you wanted... ?"
She tried to focus. He gave her his order, but nothing registered because she
was so caught up in simply listening to his voice.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">"Did you get that?" he asked.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">"Hmm? Oh, um, forgive me." She rubbed her temple as
if she had a headache. “The noise is getting to me, I think," she lied and
averted her eyes so she wouldn't be looking at him. "Can you tell me again
what you'd like?"</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">"Three house beers, please. I understand the Wit &
Wizards aren't available tonight?" He sounded amused, which both made her
upset and made her blush. She didn't like the dual feelings so she ignored both
to focus on her temporary job. She answered the man while pretending to work
her cloth over a stubborn spot on the bar.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">"You'd be right. There's been a recall. It's nothing
bad. The taste was a little off. You know those Dunn Brothers. If something's
even a little off, they're not happy." Why was she rambling?</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">She stepped away to put distance between them and to pull
the longnecks from the cooler below the bar.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">"No, I don't, actually," he said.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">"What?"</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">"The Dunn Brothers. I don't know them. Who are
they?"</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">"Well, they're <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">--"
sniveling, slave-driving, demanding Leprechauns "--</i> um, they're the
triplets what own the Wit & Wizardry Brewery."</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">"Fascinating. I take it from your accent you know them
well?"</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">"I work for them."</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">"Wow. You're straight from the source, so to speak.
Being put to work here must be the very definition of excellent customer
service."</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">"Being put to work here is called punishment," she
muttered.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">"How so? My name's Daniel O'Hare, by the way."</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">"Oh, never you mind. Nice to meet ya, Daniel." She
set the opened beers on the bar top at the same time as he reached for them.
She allowed their hands to brush. Allowed because she'd kept a clear touching
distance from the humans tonight. But with this man, something told her that
she had to know what he felt like.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">As soon as their fingers touched, a shock ran though her
body. She'd never felt anything like that before, and she jumped back.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">"Are you okay?" he asked quickly, but he was
looking at his hands as if he'd felt something, too. Strange, very strange.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">"I'm good," she answered, her left hand darting
behind her back to slip under the hem of her sweatshirt. "I'm good,"
she repeated. "And that'll be twelve seventy-five, if you please."</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">He handed over a twenty, and she snatched it from his
fingers so as not to touch him again.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">"Keep the change," he told her and winked. She
nodded and turned to go to the other end of the bar. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Maybe she could talk
Mitchell into letting her take her break early. On top of everything else, it
was becoming strangely hot in here.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">"Oh, miss?"</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">His words stopped her in her tracks.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">"Can I know the name of the beautiful woman who served
me the best beer I'll have all night?"</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">She didn't even think of growling back at this human.
"It's Aisling."</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">His full-on smile almost knocked her back. Again, not sure
what was going on with her reactions to this man, this Daniel, she hurried to
the other end of the bar. He might look and sound like folk of yore, but he was
still a present-day living human. And that meant absolutely off-limits.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/its-in-the-mix-ayla-ruse/1126954254?ean=2940158761690" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble </a></span></div>
Ayla Rusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04822310915656190053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5939334896859182691.post-63609717134262094812017-08-15T19:01:00.000-04:002017-08-15T19:01:08.708-04:00Meet Dirv--my michevious Russian leshy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i>Leshy</i>. Plural is <i>leshiyre</i>. Russian. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">One of the characters in my upcoming release, <i><b>It's In the Mix</b> (Wit & Wizardry),</i> is a <i>leshy</i>. His name is Dirv and he runs a little pub in the fictional town of Bearstown, Massachusetts, called The Irish Russian. He's a man of indeterminate age, all long limbs and long face. Now I'm very cautious about images I put up here, so instead of slipping in a photo for you to neatly see, I'll direct you to this link where I've pinned a couple of pictures of a leshy: <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/aylaruse/its-in-the-mix-wit-wizardry/">https://www.pinterest.com/aylaruse/its-in-the-mix-wit-wizardry/</a>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">In Russian mythology, the <i>leshiyre</i> are the fairy rulers and protectors of the forests. They were considered to be curious and mischievous. Sometimes even devious to mortals. And more often than not, heard rather than seen. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Even though my story is set in "contemporary" times, it is a paranormal. So how did a <i>leshy</i> find himself in charge of an Irish pub? Not only that, the pub is actually owned by a trio of leprechauns. Boggles the mind, doesn't it? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">In my world, paranormals stick together. No, they all don't like and love one another, but they all know of each other. A fairy knows trolls exist. A <i>leshy</i> knows dwarves exist. But all humans do not know the truth about the paranormal. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Here's Dirv's story: Some years ago, the forest in a little province in Russia that Dirv protected was destroyed. He tried to move on, but with various forests being wiped out, the <i>leshys</i> were becoming very territorial. Dirv found himself wandering until he ended up in Ireland where he eventually met the Dunn brothers. The Dunn brothers own and run the Wit & Wizardry Brewery out of an old castle in Ireland. The brothers also quietly own several pubs and restaurants around the world. The four of them met and made a deal. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Dirv was tired of moving around. He wanted a forest to oversee once more. The brothers wanted to open a new pub in New England. If Dirv would agree to run the pub for the bothers, they would let him remain there indefinitely. It so happens that the town is nestled right in the middle of a vast woodland, and nearby the public land is a national forest. Dirv wasn't too thrilled about moving so far away from his homeland, but he was running out of choices and agreed. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">These days, he enjoys running the pub and he's even learned to move around with and to get along with humans. Most of them like the forests almost as much as he does. Yes, it has its ups and downs and he does get bored here and there, but he always comes up with a way to liven things up. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Take the situation in my story. Aisling (a fairy) and Daniel (a human), had sparks flying between them from the moment they met. Dirv knew Aisling was going to head back to Ireland, but wouldn't it be thrilling to watch the pair get tangled up together? So he slips them each a recalled Wit & Wizardry brew. It's on recall because it contains a powerful love potion. Then he sits back, hopefully to see the sparks light up the pub. So what he's messing in the lives of others? He's bored right now. A lot can happen when a <i>leshy</i> gets bored. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">If you want to see what happens yourself, pick up your copy of <b><i>It's In the Mix</i></b> this Friday, August 18, on sale at Changeling Press (and on pre-order everywhere else!). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Buy Link: <a href="https://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=2620">https://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=2620</a></span></div>
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Ayla Rusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04822310915656190053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5939334896859182691.post-67529824734650298142017-08-09T14:51:00.001-04:002017-08-09T14:51:57.037-04:00#Excerpt Day Sharing a bit from Fever Hitch<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Hello and Happy Wednesday! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I'm visiting Connie Bretes today, sharing an excerpt from one of my favorite books, <i>Fever Hitch</i>. With summer time conventions still going strong, this book fits right in. Check it out! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.constancebretes.com/connies-blog/fever-hitch-earth-con-by-ayla-ruse">http://www.constancebretes.com/connies-blog/fever-hitch-earth-con-by-ayla-ruse</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span>Ayla Rusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04822310915656190053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5939334896859182691.post-84014834436402380942017-08-04T18:58:00.000-04:002017-08-04T18:58:17.113-04:00Coming Soon and a #CoverReveal<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I'm excited to announce that I have a *new* story coming out! This month in fact. Bookmark the link at the end of this post so you'll have it all ready when the tale comes your way. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The story is titled <i>It's In the Mix</i> and it's the third book in a multi-author series entitled Wit & Wizardry. (Each book tells its own separate tale). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Release date on the publisher's site is August 18, 2017. At that time, you can also pre-order from any third party site you like. On August 25, it will be available for direct purchase at most online bookstores. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i>It's In the Mix</i> is a novella length, paranormal romance set in fictional Bearstown, Massachusetts. Read on for more...</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i><b>It's In the Mix</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">(Wit & Wizardry #3)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">by Ayla Ruse </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i>Mix 1 part narrow-minded fairy with 1 part human bachelor to get 2 parts everlasting love</i> </span></div>
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</span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Aisling is not happy to be tending
bar in a human pub. Her fairy aunt predicted she'd find love by the next full
moon, and that means she should be back in Ireland -- not in the middle of
Massachusetts.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Despite the happy married lives of
his friends, Daniel is content to remain a bachelor. After all, the pretty new
bartender may want to come home with him. Why spoil that with a relationship?</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Something might have happened on
its own, but a mischievous pub owner slips each of them a Wit & Wizardry
brew known to contain a powerful love potion. Before either can say a word,
Aisling and Daniel find themselves tumbling headlong into love.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Unfortunately, all is not happily
ever after. Aisling does not want to love a human, and Daniel believes he's
unfairly pressured her into being with him. When the pair settle down to
breathe, can they discover something deeper to bind them, or will daylight make
the heady effects of a potioned brew fade away?</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Link for more information: <a href="https://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=2620" target="_blank">https://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=2620 </a></span></div>
Ayla Rusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04822310915656190053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5939334896859182691.post-36563136359531450002017-07-08T20:00:00.000-04:002017-07-08T20:00:19.456-04:00Talking the naughty bits about Serena's Prince <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Hello and Happy Saturday!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Today, please visit me over at Clare's Blog 2: The Haven, where I'm sharing a little bit about the BDSM side of my retold fairy tale, <i>Serena's Prince: Forever Wicked 2nd Ed</i>. There's even a teasing excerpt from a spanking scene. 😉</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Here's the link: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://claresblog2thehaven.blogspot.com/2017/07/serenas-prince-by-ayla-ruse-he-will.html?zx=2bc443d9ea6c4e7d" target="_blank">https://claresblog2thehaven.blogspot.com/2017/07/serenas-prince-by-ayla-ruse-he-will.html?zx=2bc443d9ea6c4e7d </a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Have a great one, and I'll see you there!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">~Ayla </span>Ayla Rusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04822310915656190053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5939334896859182691.post-59842818275719145832017-07-06T07:30:00.000-04:002017-07-06T07:30:04.883-04:00Another visit today with Serena's Prince<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Today I'm excited to be visiting Jessica Coulter Smith at her blog, Books + Coffee = Happiness. A sentiment I can surely get behind. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Stop by as I share what inspired me to retell the classic fairy tale, The Frog Prince. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><a href="https://jessicacoultersmith.wordpress.com/?p=2740" id="LPlnk853029" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://jessicacoultersmith.wordpress.com/?p=2740</a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I'd love to hear your thoughts about retold fairy tales. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">~ Ayla </span>Ayla Rusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04822310915656190053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5939334896859182691.post-79152224190142155472017-07-05T07:30:00.000-04:002017-07-05T07:30:24.647-04:00Visiting with Serena's Prince<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Please join me today as I visit </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Valerie Ullmer's blog. I'm sharing a snippet from S<i>erena's Prince</i>. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div dir="ltr" id="x_yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1497878029907_14074">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.valerieullmer.com/?p=1861&preview=true" id="LPlnk465498" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="background-color: #f1f1f1; color: #0073aa; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px;" target="_blank">http://www.valerieullmer.com/2017/06/<span id="x_yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1497878029907_14249" style="font-weight: 600;">book-spotlight-s…nce-by-ayla-ruse</span>/</a></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="x_yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1497878029907_14074">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDqyrRWdjq5ng1C7Ggdc6Oc4GZwqeth-bcbFcK3QEFgAQzE9ferqA2_dsvsfz-bFIkckfoC2_j5oXh1Up9oc9hA6C3aiVrnUq53csjaFmI0lW1ucv1sahePoniZ6kxC7ecEo9RlxEIaZ1s/s1600/valerie+ullmer+author+website+banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="319" data-original-width="1200" height="85" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDqyrRWdjq5ng1C7Ggdc6Oc4GZwqeth-bcbFcK3QEFgAQzE9ferqA2_dsvsfz-bFIkckfoC2_j5oXh1Up9oc9hA6C3aiVrnUq53csjaFmI0lW1ucv1sahePoniZ6kxC7ecEo9RlxEIaZ1s/s320/valerie+ullmer+author+website+banner.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="x_yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1497878029907_14074">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="x_yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1497878029907_14074">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="x_yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1497878029907_14074">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">~ Ayla </span> </span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="x_yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1497878029907_14074">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> <span><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span>Ayla Rusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04822310915656190053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5939334896859182691.post-2487788048672157782017-07-04T00:30:00.000-04:002017-07-04T00:30:17.053-04:00Happy 4th!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC_ZJdJ-mWfmMpWkoXEiS8rrXYxQP6SOOudRJKNEvhGvhHDF9PSO46WcH0IQCb9Y-EyZUI4gQeoEun23Iv7DqA9vR29bt6Qg5iOF9M0mWlVpH5GuLWWE7Jx4kVG_sS7so-fKldyaFBtUqQ/s1600/Fotolia_86396109_XS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="282" data-original-width="425" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC_ZJdJ-mWfmMpWkoXEiS8rrXYxQP6SOOudRJKNEvhGvhHDF9PSO46WcH0IQCb9Y-EyZUI4gQeoEun23Iv7DqA9vR29bt6Qg5iOF9M0mWlVpH5GuLWWE7Jx4kVG_sS7so-fKldyaFBtUqQ/s320/Fotolia_86396109_XS.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Happy 4th of July! </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Enjoy the day </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">and the food </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">and friends </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">and the </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">**fireworks**</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Image (C) fotolia.com</span></span> </span></span></div>
<br />Ayla Rusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04822310915656190053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5939334896859182691.post-42388599239956998512017-06-18T23:04:00.001-04:002017-07-01T21:10:20.992-04:00Re-release of a Fairy Tale: Serena's Prince (Forever Wicked)<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Oh Happy Day! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Changeling Press has re-released one of my favorites--Serena's Prince from the multi author series, Forever Wicked. You can pick it up today at an amazing sale price directly from Changeling Press, or you can order the tale from amazon, barnes and noble, kobo and iTunes! Read on for more...</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuDbWxzllzYZYIPOXy0CigolvMg6rV8SXWwsFQyKq3iErTr1KsEY9tINUWN28_YgP4mEP1QK9fAkMxaPFzQltzoM2yzvdI-kUgAomN_K1eJTZmO6Q6lKtA3SSur0zBiymklvCx-295S27k/s1600/AyR_FWSerena_xl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="921" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuDbWxzllzYZYIPOXy0CigolvMg6rV8SXWwsFQyKq3iErTr1KsEY9tINUWN28_YgP4mEP1QK9fAkMxaPFzQltzoM2yzvdI-kUgAomN_K1eJTZmO6Q6lKtA3SSur0zBiymklvCx-295S27k/s400/AyR_FWSerena_xl.jpg" width="262" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: white;"><b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;"><a href="http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1892"><i><span style="color: blue; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Serena's Prince</span></i></a></span></b></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">Forever Wicked </span></i></b><b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;"></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> 2nd Edition </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">(Re-Release)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "" sans-serif "" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Buy
Now from</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> <a href="https://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1892" target="_blank">Changeling Press</a></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Serenas-Prince-Forever-Wicked-Multi-Author-ebook/dp/B071X9GNVZ" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Amazon</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/2nd-edition-serenas-prince-ayla-ruse/1126570921?ean=2940157229245" target="_blank">Barnes and Noble</a></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/2nd-edition-serena-s-prince" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Kobo</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/serenas-prince/id1247878271?mt=11" target="_blank">iTunes</a> </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "" sans-serif "" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1892"><span style="color: blue;"></span></a></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">BDSM,
Paranormal, Erotic Novella</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">A
*new* take on the fairy tale of The Frog Prince</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Crystal from Romancing the Book gives <i>Serena's
Prince</i> a Lovely Rose (4 star) review and says, <i>"The author has
woven such an erotic fairy tale. As I read this adult fairy tale, I felt myself
experiencing the joy... I truly loved every second of this story."</i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif";"></span></span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">BookAddict from The Romance Room gives <i>Serena's
Prince</i> 4 stars and says, <i>"Ms. Ruse does an excellent job... Her
twist of each scene to become a smexy hot erotic D/s piece is what makes this
story so good. She writes a tightly woven tale with increasing sexual tension
and lovely bondage scenes. She is an author to watch."</i></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">A frog, a curse and a broken promise.
Sometimes punishment can be its own reward...</span></i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Serena never thought asking for help
from a frog would result in her being naked and tied to her bed. She should be
afraid. She should call for the guards. She definitely should not be…begging
for more.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Prince Rennick needs to get his hands
on Serena’s necklace – the one item sure to break the curse that turned him
into a frog. When an accident makes him temporarily human, he cannot help but
use his dominant nature to bend Serena to his will. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">What should have broken the curse turns
into a desperate attempt to save Rennick’s life. As they try to find the key,
Rennick demands much from Serena, but is she willing to surrender her whole
self to this frog-turned-prince?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b>Excerpt:</b> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Serena had no idea how long she lay there sobbing into her arms, but when she lifted her head, she started when she came face to face with the biggest frog she'd ever seen.<br /> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"Agghh!" she screamed, pushing back in a hurry. That thing was staring at her, like it'd been studying her.<br /> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"Go away. Shoo. Go... go sit on a lily pad or something," she admonished the horrid thing. Gathering her composure, as if how she appeared mattered to the frog, Serena returned to the garden bench and smoothed out her hopelessly torn and wrinkled dress.<br /> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"Why do you cry so hard?" the frog asked.<br /> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">She froze. Had that frog just talked to her? "Excuse me?" she asked, her brow raised high and her nose tipped up. She barely looked at the thing hopping toward her.<br /> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"I was in the pond. I heard a noise and wondered who disturbed my peace. Now I want to know why."<br /> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"This is my garden, frog. Go find another if you want peace. Stop stealing my own."<br /> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">She wanted to push at the creature with her foot, but thought better of it. Her slippers were brand new, and she didn't want frog slime to ruin them.<br /> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"You must be an enchanted frog," she commented when the frog simply stared at her. "I didn't know frogs could be enchanted." When the animal remained quiet as though it waited on her, she deflated. "Fine. It's not like you're the next man trying to break me," she huffed.<br /> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"Break you?"<br /> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"Never mind. You want to know what's wrong? My stepfather's trying to marry me off to over-blown barbarians. I've been manhandled more than any woman should be. And if that weren't bad enough, tonight's idiot broke my necklace. Now it's at the bottom of this pond."<br /> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"Hmm. Sounds rough."<br /> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">She wiped at her eyes, refusing to cry anymore. "Well, you asked. It's not like you have any stress in your life."<br /> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"You have no idea."<br /> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">She rolled her eyes. "Like you could have a hard life. You sit all day in my garden, eating bugs, swimming at your leisure... Wait. You're a frog."<br /> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"Do I even need to respond?"<br /> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"No. I mean, you can swim to the bottom and get my necklace, can't you?"<br /> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"I could, but why?"<br /> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">She laughed, happy that she might get her necklace back. "Because you can. Because that necklace means the world to me, and because I'll... I'll let you stay in my garden."<br /> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"You'll let me?"<br /> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"Yes. Otherwise I'll have Henri, the gardener, chase you out."<br /> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The frog appeared to shake its head. "Not possible," he seemed to mumble. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">He hopped over to the pond, stared down for a long time, then turned back to her. "If I retrieve your necklace, you must make me a promise. Otherwise, it'll remain at the bottom of the pond."<br /> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Serena didn't even blink. What could a frog want? An endless supply of flies? Whatever it came up with, the price would be negligible. She shrugged. "Sure."<br /> </span></div>
Ayla Rusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04822310915656190053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5939334896859182691.post-40866078940937778852017-03-03T08:37:00.000-05:002017-03-03T08:37:21.433-05:00No, please don't use that word! #MFRWHi All! Wow! Can you believe it's Week 9 of MFRW 52 Week Blog Challenge!? Me either.<br />
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This week's theme is "Words that make me go Ick!" I have a few, and I'm going to throw them out there (this week is hectic, so a longer post on my blog with be forthcoming in a few days).<br />
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The word "just." It's funny as I am guilty of using this way too often, but when I do, I cringe. And I take it out. And take it out. And take it out.<br />
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Unique words that become repetitive. Any writer can become guilty of this offense. Even me. When writing a lot of steamy scenes, sometimes you get caught up in putting the words down that something is used way too often. I use the word "pleasure" too often when I write. In my rough draft, I use it to keep my pace going. In my edits, I wince and change, change, change.I remember reading a book once where the author used the word "skate/skated" to describe how the hero touched the heroine. I *loved* that use. But by the time the book ended, the word lost it's pop to me because of how often it was used.<br />
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Speaking of steamy (Warning, strong language ahead), because I read and write a lot of romance, there are the necessary personal body parts that are written. I like euphemisms for body parts (within reason). Dated terminology like "honey pot" and "love stick" only make me laugh. But what really makes me go "ick" are when the technical terms are used. A lot. If I'm in the middle of a love scene and the author constantly uses the words "vagina" and "penis," it throws me away from the scene and makes me frown. I guess it's not truly an "ick" factor, but in that it turns me away, it works. If the words are mentioned occasionally, I can see that, but when everytime an erection is mentioned, "penis" is used, it throws me.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaeGOWqngEcM0PphrfaQraBNwNgAR62DUX4vuBIt52hx33l0HicPJbdmsGrhtZEJsh7zYVJ1QOPAICsR66zYCzTGTcydaqqMkE62y-k5gkTsANxBmNfPLAwUlhJqbJ7j6-vmHn71nqsRsN/s1600/mfrw+badge+blog+challenge+2017.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaeGOWqngEcM0PphrfaQraBNwNgAR62DUX4vuBIt52hx33l0HicPJbdmsGrhtZEJsh7zYVJ1QOPAICsR66zYCzTGTcydaqqMkE62y-k5gkTsANxBmNfPLAwUlhJqbJ7j6-vmHn71nqsRsN/s320/mfrw+badge+blog+challenge+2017.png" width="320" /></a></div>
*Disclaimer: Please, authors out there, I mean no offense if you use these words. Good authors use these sparingly, as they should, so again, no offense meant.<br />
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I'm in a rush today or I'd fill your head with more ick words. For now, hop on over to these other great authors to see what their ick words are!<br />
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Have a great weekend!
<!-- start LinkyTools script --><script src="http://www.linkytools.com/basic_linky_include.aspx?id=276249" type="text/javascript"></script><!-- end LinkyTools script -->Ayla Rusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04822310915656190053noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5939334896859182691.post-12075086899414191452017-02-24T10:28:00.000-05:002017-02-24T10:28:57.495-05:00It's Time to BRAINSTORM! #MFRW<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaeGOWqngEcM0PphrfaQraBNwNgAR62DUX4vuBIt52hx33l0HicPJbdmsGrhtZEJsh7zYVJ1QOPAICsR66zYCzTGTcydaqqMkE62y-k5gkTsANxBmNfPLAwUlhJqbJ7j6-vmHn71nqsRsN/s1600/mfrw+badge+blog+challenge+2017.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaeGOWqngEcM0PphrfaQraBNwNgAR62DUX4vuBIt52hx33l0HicPJbdmsGrhtZEJsh7zYVJ1QOPAICsR66zYCzTGTcydaqqMkE62y-k5gkTsANxBmNfPLAwUlhJqbJ7j6-vmHn71nqsRsN/s320/mfrw+badge+blog+challenge+2017.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Welcome to another awesome week of MFRW 52 week writing challenge! This week's theme is "How I Choose a Book Title." For me, it's quite easy (or hard, depending). I brainstorm. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I only have a couple dozen books out and, like other authors, another pile I've written or want to write, but not a one of them have I ever conceived the book title first. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Titles do not "come" to me. (And those that have remain unwritten. Weird). I wish I were brilliant that way. I have a friend who comes up with great titles--before she even begins writing. I wish! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">No, I've learned that my method is to put up "Untitled" then whatever specific theme/genre I'm writing. Like, "Untitled Paranormal." If something comes to me as I'm writing, I'll add it under the Untitled label. I keep a notebook next to the computer that is used specifically to jot down title ideas while I'm writing the story. Now, there have been those gems that come out while I'm actually writing (my favorite to date is Fever Hitch), but most often, I'll finish the story and it'll still be Untitled. At this point, I'll pull out my brainstorm pages and scour them with pen and pencil until I can come up with a title I like. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Brainstorming ideas often include a lot of one or two word ideas. Maybe places where the story takes place, maybe colors that may be consistent through the book, it may be general ideas of what I'm trying to convey with the story. If I find myself really stuck or indecisive, I'll bounce ideas around with my husband. He can be an excellent sounding board. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUPPVFnEeD68Vf0kgKhHgIzhfDnjsKpxntmer91U76s3u5HMHXi98-0phD0Y-Cbm2jJq-RX65D0bXWicc0FAhJzIlGTuzE1xNlsXlnYTMdK4tKwh3ZTAnzEg4hHa4g00kGYSM56SEd1Jnf/s1600/Title+brainstorming.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUPPVFnEeD68Vf0kgKhHgIzhfDnjsKpxntmer91U76s3u5HMHXi98-0phD0Y-Cbm2jJq-RX65D0bXWicc0FAhJzIlGTuzE1xNlsXlnYTMdK4tKwh3ZTAnzEg4hHa4g00kGYSM56SEd1Jnf/s320/Title+brainstorming.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">To the left you'll see an example of one of my brainstorming pages. (I'm sorry it's sideways, I'm lost as to how to fix it 'cause it was fine in it's own file. Oh well, I've openly admitted I'm not a techie person). The point is, it's not pretty, and some of the titles I jotted down truly suck, but like any good brainstorming, you have to put the ugly with the not so ugly. The actual title of this particular book? I'm still not 100 percent. I've narrowed it down to two titles, none of which are on the page amusingly enough, but both title ideas have come from this process. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Here's to happy writing and even happier titles! Don't forget to cruise around to see how other authors come up with their titles. Thanks for stopping by ~ Ayla </span><br />
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<!-- start LinkyTools script --><script src="http://www.linkytools.com/basic_linky_include.aspx?id=276248" type="text/javascript"></script><!-- end LinkyTools script -->Ayla Rusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04822310915656190053noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5939334896859182691.post-5831118892029956862017-02-17T00:00:00.000-05:002017-02-17T00:00:22.416-05:00Music...or Silence? #MFRW<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Welcome to another wonderful episode of the 52 week blog hop challen<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">ge </span>by MFRW! This week's theme is Music to Write By.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">For me, I write by nothing. The quieter, the better. I've tried writing by music. And television. And kids. And crowds. I just cannot do it. In fact, I've recently been going "away" to write. Most of the time I'll "check out" a little conference room at one the libraries nearby and write to my heart's content. Sure, there are windows and if I'm stuck I can see people walk by, but there is little to no sound to invade my space. Another place I've recently plopped down to write is Waffle House. Yes, believe it or not, the good ol' WH. There are probably a dozen I can easily get to, and it took a little bit of hunt-and-find, but there's a couple that, come 2 or 3 in the afternoon, hit a dead zone. Just 1 waitress and the cook. I settle in a corner booth, order something simple, and spend a couple or few hours typing away in relative quiet. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaeGOWqngEcM0PphrfaQraBNwNgAR62DUX4vuBIt52hx33l0HicPJbdmsGrhtZEJsh7zYVJ1QOPAICsR66zYCzTGTcydaqqMkE62y-k5gkTsANxBmNfPLAwUlhJqbJ7j6-vmHn71nqsRsN/s1600/mfrw+badge+blog+challenge+2017.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaeGOWqngEcM0PphrfaQraBNwNgAR62DUX4vuBIt52hx33l0HicPJbdmsGrhtZEJsh7zYVJ1QOPAICsR66zYCzTGTcydaqqMkE62y-k5gkTsANxBmNfPLAwUlhJqbJ7j6-vmHn71nqsRsN/s320/mfrw+badge+blog+challenge+2017.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So while other authors may thrive with their personal playlist going on in the background (and awesome for them!), I sway the opposite direction. Give me silence, and I'll turn out an awesome tale for you! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Thanks for dropping by, and don't forget to hop over to these great blogs below to see what other authors write by. </span><br />
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<!-- start LinkyTools script --><script src="http://www.linkytools.com/basic_linky_include.aspx?id=276247" type="text/javascript"></script><!-- end LinkyTools script -->Ayla Rusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04822310915656190053noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5939334896859182691.post-43871055321265014852017-02-10T01:00:00.000-05:002017-02-10T01:00:19.879-05:00Hobbies I have (or wish I had) #MFRW<br />
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<a href="http://mfrw.blogspot.com/2017/02/mfrwauthor-52-week-blog-challenge-week.html" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="http://mfrw.blogspot.com/2017/02/mfrwauthor-52-week-blog-challenge-week.html" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaeGOWqngEcM0PphrfaQraBNwNgAR62DUX4vuBIt52hx33l0HicPJbdmsGrhtZEJsh7zYVJ1QOPAICsR66zYCzTGTcydaqqMkE62y-k5gkTsANxBmNfPLAwUlhJqbJ7j6-vmHn71nqsRsN/s320/mfrw+badge+blog+challenge+2017.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Oh man, when it rains, it pours! I'm slipping this post in last minute like as I returned home from the ER just a little bit ago. Stupid gall bladder had me worried, and I almost thought they were going to take it out tonight. Instead, they filled me with pain med that has made me feel sick beyond belief, and scheduled me for a follow up with a surgeon. So, both good and bad.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">But enough of that.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">What do I like to do when I'm not writing? Welcome to MFRW week 6 of the 52 week blog hop. In thinking of this question this week, I've had to ponder a bit in order to give you the best possible answer. First, I love to read. Give me warmth and a book and that's my heaven. But that's not reall<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">y a <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">hobby, is it? </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I'd like to say I'm crafty, but I'm more of a crafty wanna be. I'll periodically do something crafty (usually for an event or holiday), and think, "Gee, that was a lot of fun. I need to do that more often." In truth, I don't.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I love to hang out with my family. But I guess that's not much of a hobby either.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">That leaves walking. But I don't mean just up and down the street. I don't mean for exercise. I like to...hike, I suppose you could say. I like to walk on trails, in the mountains, on the beaches. Those kinds of walks. I like to see nature and all her wonderful surroundings. It may be a pretty flower, an odd shaped tree, or even a darting lizard. There something about being in nature this way that brings me a peace and calm that's hard to get anywhere else. It may not be much of a hobby, or one I can <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">indulge <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">in often, but if given the chance, I'll take this anytime!</span></span></span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUixwFUCiZqi8ztkvb4SClj-nBvOkqN-gZv-SS5DWYXgH98fV3cMSa7SVYdwDAmkMm15GzflU8qEnFooAOC4uceAW7mJK_Nohyqu-F9VvSF8mNueIaepqgxUiuvFWerJojG4VuaDjrx_a2/s1600/Fotolia_5056528_S.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUixwFUCiZqi8ztkvb4SClj-nBvOkqN-gZv-SS5DWYXgH98fV3cMSa7SVYdwDAmkMm15GzflU8qEnFooAOC4uceAW7mJK_Nohyqu-F9VvSF8mNueIaepqgxUiuvFWerJojG4VuaDjrx_a2/s320/Fotolia_5056528_S.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">photo from fotolia</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Sorry for the abrupt end, but please be sure to check out the other posts in this hop to see what other authors like to do when they're not writing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">And as always, thank you for stopping by!</span><br />
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<!-- start LinkyTools script --><script src="http://www.linkytools.com/basic_linky_include.aspx?id=276246" type="text/javascript"></script><!-- end LinkyTools script -->Ayla Rusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04822310915656190053noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5939334896859182691.post-7710573271656422902017-02-07T18:06:00.000-05:002017-02-07T18:17:08.630-05:00Writing Status (and Sickness) UpdateSickness is in the house. I mention this because it is very rare for our household to be sick--the stomach bug and flu type of sick at any rate. Yesterday morning my 10yo started complaining of a hurt belly. Yeah, yeah...I really thought he was trying to get out of doing school work. No temp. Seemed okay. His lack of appetite should have clued me in, but I'm busy, so it didn't click. When he started tossing his cookies around 10 am though, I knew. Fever, chills, multiple trips to the bathroom later, the boy's sick as a dog. I've been through the house with Lysol every time the poor boy moves! He's feeling better at this moment (over 24 hours later), but he's not yet on the road to recovery.<br />
<br />
What does this mean for me? Bleary eyes, no sleep and my own gall bladder issue has decided to rear it's ugly head again. Which also means I have completed: nothing. BUT, I was able to make progress on Monday. If you want to know more, check out my Journal Page (look to the right under Blog Pages). I may not update this home blog page too often, but I've been keeping regular updates on my Journal Page. The latest post is always at the top, and there is where I make note of how my writing is progressing (or not).<br />
<br />
Check there often to see what new is happening in my writing world.<br />
<br />
In the meantime, I'm crawling back to bed. Since it seems the little one will sleep soundly this night (I pray he does at any rate), and I've had my vinegar, I'm going to get my own rest until tomorrow. <br />
<br />Ayla Rusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04822310915656190053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5939334896859182691.post-66633641392867063532017-02-03T00:00:00.000-05:002017-02-03T00:00:17.008-05:00Best friends are for life #MFRW<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaeGOWqngEcM0PphrfaQraBNwNgAR62DUX4vuBIt52hx33l0HicPJbdmsGrhtZEJsh7zYVJ1QOPAICsR66zYCzTGTcydaqqMkE62y-k5gkTsANxBmNfPLAwUlhJqbJ7j6-vmHn71nqsRsN/s1600/mfrw+badge+blog+challenge+2017.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaeGOWqngEcM0PphrfaQraBNwNgAR62DUX4vuBIt52hx33l0HicPJbdmsGrhtZEJsh7zYVJ1QOPAICsR66zYCzTGTcydaqqMkE62y-k5gkTsANxBmNfPLAwUlhJqbJ7j6-vmHn71nqsRsN/s320/mfrw+badge+blog+challenge+2017.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Best Friends ARE for life. My definition of a best friend is one that exceeds all expectations of what a friend should be: loyal, a confidant, and above all, a person (or persons) with whom you can totally be yourself. There is never any (negative) judgement, never any false promises and never any let-downs. At least, none intentional. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I have two "best friends": my husband and an amazing woman who currently lives on the other side of the country from me. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">My husband because hey, we're in it for life. I can be myself and then some around him. He's known me since <i>before</i> kids, and I love that he remembers that me, and still loves the woman I am now. He may not necessarily "get" everything about me, but he knows and accepts it all. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">SJ, is my other best friend. She is a writer and we hooked up when both of us were only trying to get published (she's ridiculously more prolific and successful than I at this point, and I love her for this). In my "real" life, I am involved with many different groups of people, and behave accordingly. She is the only person (outside of family) who understands this about me. And knows all my secrets. And knows how I behave within all these groups. Beyond this, we have common interests--books, guys, kids, food--to name a few. I will admit, especially since she's hours away instead of just down the street, I may not be as on-point with staying in touch. But despite this, I know that as soon as we talk, it'll be like no time separated us at all. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I do have a bevy of friends in general, but not many at all who knows all parts of me. That's okay. I like to say I'm an extrovert, but I'm a closet introvert really. I'd much rather only a couple people know who I truly am, rather than the whole world. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If you want to see who other authors consider their best friend, check out the hop below. Have a great weekend while you're at it! </span><br />
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<!-- start LinkyTools script --><script src="http://www.linkytools.com/basic_linky_include.aspx?id=276245" type="text/javascript"></script><!-- end LinkyTools script -->Ayla Rusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04822310915656190053noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5939334896859182691.post-69487426292097515662017-01-27T00:00:00.000-05:002017-01-27T00:00:09.525-05:00He Said She Said Do...What-Do-You-Mean?!? #MFRW<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaeGOWqngEcM0PphrfaQraBNwNgAR62DUX4vuBIt52hx33l0HicPJbdmsGrhtZEJsh7zYVJ1QOPAICsR66zYCzTGTcydaqqMkE62y-k5gkTsANxBmNfPLAwUlhJqbJ7j6-vmHn71nqsRsN/s1600/mfrw+badge+blog+challenge+2017.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaeGOWqngEcM0PphrfaQraBNwNgAR62DUX4vuBIt52hx33l0HicPJbdmsGrhtZEJsh7zYVJ1QOPAICsR66zYCzTGTcydaqqMkE62y-k5gkTsANxBmNfPLAwUlhJqbJ7j6-vmHn71nqsRsN/s320/mfrw+badge+blog+challenge+2017.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Sorry Editor, My Common Writing Mistakes </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">(MFRW 52 Week Blog Challenge: Week 4!!) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">First off, THANK GOD for editors! The written word would be in a <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">sad </span>state if not for those diligent written-word police to make sure our stories look and sound terrific. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Hmm...from me, I know my editors see plenty of mistakes. My more common ones revolve around two main issues: misplaced modifiers and awkward wording. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I start writing and get caught up in the moment and before I know it, I'm writing half statements like, "silky to the touch, she put on the gown...." My editors quickly come back with, "what exactly is silky to the touch?" </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">My awkward wording reminds me of someone trying to speak with a mouth full of chewing gum. Or cotton. I write off the hip, so to speak, and I often can picture exactly what I want. I write down all the different ways I see it in the rough draft, but by the time I'm working it though and it gets into my editors hands, I may have muddled the scene even more. I can clean up phrases and wording, but I usually have to have it pointed out to me. Then I can stew over one line for hours (!) until I'm able to change and bend the words to make them make sense. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I could go on (possessives are another of my weak points), but hey, we all make mistakes. Right? </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So what are some of your writing boo-boo's? Want to see what other authors trip over in their writing? Check out the blog hop below to find out. And thanks for stopping by~have an amazing last-Friday-of-January! </span><br />
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<!-- start LinkyTools script --><script src="http://www.linkytools.com/basic_linky_include.aspx?id=276244" type="text/javascript"></script><!-- end LinkyTools script -->Ayla Rusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04822310915656190053noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5939334896859182691.post-12671465075560374182017-01-20T00:00:00.000-05:002017-01-20T00:00:02.345-05:00TV? Oh, you mean that box my kids control #MFRW<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoJ6LxVDLI33SciGE8uAC4wJp2mbKZ93k_UqMlDvAqzGll3WmybPTgL0zRf-MTp9U08IervmOK54G2meJEEqeM6fZEALJV8CIqmtImkXcC5FIRvXKoloWJ_Zjnq1IC7UNKBDRPG5RsUZeS/s1600/Fotolia_5945951_S.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoJ6LxVDLI33SciGE8uAC4wJp2mbKZ93k_UqMlDvAqzGll3WmybPTgL0zRf-MTp9U08IervmOK54G2meJEEqeM6fZEALJV8CIqmtImkXcC5FIRvXKoloWJ_Zjnq1IC7UNKBDRPG5RsUZeS/s320/Fotolia_5945951_S.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">photo from fotolia.com</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Hi and welcome to Week 3 of MFRW 52 Week Blog Hop. This week's topic is about TV and what I like to binge watch. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Well...I don't, really. My time to watch television is next to nill and my desire to watch anything for the most part ranks about the same. My kids and DH are the television watchers in our house. That's not to say I haven't binged here and there, just not often at all.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Before this past Christmas, when my reading went down and my writing was still stagnant, I swiped through Netflix and binged on all the romance movies I could find (that seemed decent, but no dramas). I think they were mostly Hallmark kind of movies: you know, the really feel-good ones. After that, I binged on the Arrow and Flash. Truly, I hadn't seen either of those before. In fact, now that I'm thinking about it, I never quite finished. I think I'm in season 2 of Flash and Season 3 (or 4?) of Arrow. Eventually I'll get back to it. I hope. I enjoyed them. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Finally, I don't know if you'd call this a binge because I only watch it when it comes on the actual television, but I am fanatic about Dancing with the Stars. I only started watching a couple years ago and now I can't wait until a new season begins (the next one begins March 20). I always tape them (because Monday nights are Scout nights and I'm never home), then DH and I will sit down later that night and watch. I wish there w<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ere</span> a way to access past seasons!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Binge watching certain sh<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ows</span>. Heh. It's strange (in a way) we can do that kind of thing now. Cool, but strange.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaeGOWqngEcM0PphrfaQraBNwNgAR62DUX4vuBIt52hx33l0HicPJbdmsGrhtZEJsh7zYVJ1QOPAICsR66zYCzTGTcydaqqMkE62y-k5gkTsANxBmNfPLAwUlhJqbJ7j6-vmHn71nqsRsN/s1600/mfrw+badge+blog+challenge+2017.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaeGOWqngEcM0PphrfaQraBNwNgAR62DUX4vuBIt52hx33l0HicPJbdmsGrhtZEJsh7zYVJ1QOPAICsR66zYCzTGTcydaqqMkE62y-k5gkTsANxBmNfPLAwUlhJqbJ7j6-vmHn71nqsRsN/s320/mfrw+badge+blog+challenge+2017.png" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If you want to see what other authors binge watch, check them out below.</span><br />
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Ayla Rusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04822310915656190053noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5939334896859182691.post-30366911506232783812017-01-17T00:00:00.000-05:002017-01-17T00:00:03.343-05:00It's My 6 Year #Anniversary of Publication!<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Today is the Anniversary of my being a published writer! For some years past, the date has slipped by me, but this year I've remembered and want to celebrate. I "took last year off," (a euphemism for 'I didn't even pick up a pen'), and am only now trying to climb back onto the writing wagon, so this book and date mean something extra special to me. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Below you'll find a little information about this timeless story that involves three people who find love together. As a bonus, I've included the entire first chapter for you to read. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Thanks for stopping by, and enjoy! ~Ayla</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp85B_l6aIpkpFik_G7MvL7nf5qe0Zlmfrho_nG-jXiX2UtK0eeGlBWaoVd1-DNDTddBkmMKEM7UdD4F7cceneRTxfjmnquz92Yn1xWmFPBBgNQ0DYThU9RZ3_bgHJnMD0X-kNEyfD6B43/s1600/thedecidingfactor_800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp85B_l6aIpkpFik_G7MvL7nf5qe0Zlmfrho_nG-jXiX2UtK0eeGlBWaoVd1-DNDTddBkmMKEM7UdD4F7cceneRTxfjmnquz92Yn1xWmFPBBgNQ0DYThU9RZ3_bgHJnMD0X-kNEyfD6B43/s320/thedecidingfactor_800.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The Deciding Factor</span></b></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">by Ayla Ruse</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">First Published January 17, 2011 by Totally Bound Publishing</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Word Count: 37K</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Genre: Contemporary erotic romance, menage m/f/m; short novel</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Being with two men
suddenly became a lot more complicated … </span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Reuniting with both a first
love and a first lover within a matter of days is enough to make any girl’s
head spin. Alycia Delaney is no exception. About to turn 30, Aly decides to
take charge of her lacklustre life and to live with a try-anything-new
attitude. Too bad her attitude didn’t account for fate throwing two of the most
important men from Aly’s past straight into her arms.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Sawyer Test and Luke
Coldwell are best friends and each man wants Aly for himself. Leaving the
choice to her, Aly opens door number three and decides they should embark in a
summer-long ménage.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">When talk turns into action,
each participant is forced to question their impulsiveness, and Aly is left
caught between the safety of a painful decision and the perils of following her
heart.</span><br />
<br />
<i><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">5 Stars from JERR</span></b></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">"...The Deciding Factor is a charming yet scorching, sexy summer read that will have you thinking of your own 'firsts.''</span></i><br />
<br />
<b><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">4.5 Blue Ribbons from Romance Junkies"</span></i></b><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">"</span></i><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span></span></span><span class="arttext"><span>THE DECIDING FACTOR is a fun, thought provoking story that brings to mind the question ‘what would you do?’<span>"</span></span></span></span></span></i><br />
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<u><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Chapter 1</span></u></div>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">“Are
you ready for this, Aly?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Alycia Delaney gazed up into Sawyer Test’s sky blue eyes. “Of course I’m
ready. Don’t worry about me. I’m fine.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">“You’re right about that,” Sawyer teased in a low voice. He stepped
close, raising his hands to cradle her face, and met her lips with his own. Aly
opened for the kiss with a smile, loving the languorous way his mouth moved
over hers. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">She wound her arms around his neck and threaded her fingers through his
thick, blond hair, moaning as his tongue tangled lazily with hers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">“Have I told you how lucky I am you answered my ad?” Sawyer murmured,
raining sweet, open-mouthed kisses down the column of her neck.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">“Almost every day,” Aly answered and tilted her head in encouragement. “Have
I told you how glad I am I answered?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">“Not nearly enough.” He hummed low against the hollow of her throat. “Oh,
you taste so good.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Aly shivered at the deep timbre of his voice and inwardly revelled at
how truly alive she felt for the first time in ages. It still amazed her how a
change of attitude had transformed her life in only a couple of weeks. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Sawyer’s teeth nipped gently up her throat and teased at her earlobe. She
could remain in his arms forever. Tall, strong, and skilful, this was a man in
whom she could lose herself. She ran her hands across his wide shoulders and
gave an appreciative sigh when his fingers plucked at the buttons of her
blouse, teasing her. Playing with her. Would he flick them open this time or
not? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">They’d kissed a few times already in the past couple of days, and every
time he’d kiss her a little longer, touch her a little more, stir her
long-forgotten desires just enough to make her whimper. To make her hold him
tighter. To make it harder and harder to stay away. She was a mouse to his cat,
but she thrilled to the game.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Aly opened her eyes, intending to pull back, wanting to see his smiling
face and to give him more opportunity to slip that first button from its hole,
but the sights around her snapped her back to reality. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">They weren’t in any bedroom. They weren’t even behind closed doors. They
stood in the parlour-turned-classroom where students would arrive at any
minute. She stiffened and pulled away from his questing hands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">“Where are you going?” he asked, snaking an arm around her waist.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Aly started to answer, but Sawyer stopped her with a dare-me look and
sealed his lips to hers once again. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">What the hell, why not? Just
one more kiss. </i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Sawyer became more aggressive, and a moan escaped when he pulled her
tight against his body. His erection pressed into her belly and she quivered,
shamelessly grinding her hips forward.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">As soon as she responded to him, his aggression left. His body relaxed
its hold from hers without breaking the kiss, and she wanted to yank his hips
back. This back-and-forth bit was fun, but it was getting old really fast. They’d
been lovers a long time ago and surprisingly, she couldn’t wait to renew some
of their old relationship, but he seemed to like dragging it out. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Again, Sawyer left her mouth to kiss her neck and she pushed at his
head, trying to encourage him to dip his kisses lower when voices in the
hallway let her know their time was at a temporary end.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">With regret, Aly pulled back a second time, a playful scowl on her face
to his soft laughter. “I’m enjoying this more than you know, Sawyer—”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">“I think I know how much—”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">She intentionally ignored his smug interruption and continued. “But you
keep stringing me along and there are other things to do here.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">“Stringing you along?” Sawyer asked with a chuckle. Again, Aly ignored
him.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">“You did, after all, hire me to teach this class that’s starting in less
than ten minutes. As much as I’d love to keep kissing you, I am a professional
and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">we’re</i> not in the lesson plans for
tonight.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Since he wanted to play, she’d show him she could give as good as she
got. She forced herself to step around the small podium serving as her desk,
planting it between the two of them. She had to get herself ready to teach. There’d
be time for Sawyer later. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">“There you go,” he murmured in what sounded like approval. “Have a good
class tonight.” He smiled and headed towards the door. “I’ll see you later.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">“That you will,” Aly answered quietly to his retreating back, itching to
feel the hard warmth of his muscles against her bare hands. Before last week,
it’d been somewhere around eight years since she’d seen him, not since they’d
dated in college. Not since she left him because she thought her heart had
still longed for another…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Nope. Not going there right
now. </i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">She shook her head and glanced over her notes. A tiny slip of yellow
paper caught her eye. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I’ll meet you after class. </i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Remember, dinner at my
place. </i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Game’s over tonight. </i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sawyer.</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Ever since her interview with him a week ago, sparks that had never
quite died out had heated back to life between them. Seeing his note made her
smile. When she’d entered the room earlier, Sawyer had already been there and
it made sense to her now how he quickly intercepted her before she walked
behind the podium. The kisses were a great distraction, she’d hand that to him.
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Now, thinking about the evening ahead and the implications of his note,
her belly tingled. A sleep-over seemed imminent. All his stringing her along
would surely lead up to a climax to end all others. She smiled, remembering
this is exactly how he’d seduced her virginity from her, only it’d taken a lot
longer than a week. Sex with Sawyer had always been fantastic and given the
years that’d passed, she imagined earth-shattering moments for tonight’s
interlude. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Two students wandered in and were engrossed in their own conversation,
so Aly simply nodded her head and smiled, looking around the classroom that
looked more like an old-fashioned parlour with its settees and single
upholstered chairs set next to dark, folding tables. She absorbed her
surroundings and let her own thoughts ramble. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">If Mr. Desque could see me
now</i>, she thought with wry humour, thinking of her
stuffy job-by-day boss, the headmaster at Reno Prep High School. He’d actually
done a double take when she turned down his usual offer to teach a summer
school class. She’d never turned down the extra job before. If mister
straight-laced knew she was teaching a class that delved into graphic sex he’d
probably fire her on the spot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She still found it hard to
believe that barely two weeks ago, she’d been a staid, high school English
teacher. She’d turned in her final grades for the year and realised she had
nothing to look forward to for her summer except thumb-twiddling time off and a
big, uneventful 3-0 birthday looming in the fall.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">It’d been the reality of soon turning thirty that had caused her to take
stock of her life—finding herself severely lacking. She was a boring person. She
did nothing, had no friends to speak of, no life to brag about, and most
discouraging of all, no sex in God knows how long. Wanting to shake herself out
of her monotony, Aly made the decision to do everything she’d shied away from
since college. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Since her little epiphany, her life had indeed turned a new page. She
hadn’t watched a single television show in over a week, her library books were
actually overdue and her bulging bank account dwindled happily with the new
clothes and pampering she’d given herself. Within the first week of summer
vacation, she’d cut off her waist-length hair, received a professional manicure
topped with fire engine red nails, purchased a pair of sturdy hiking boots for
the mountain trails she intended to blaze in the Tahoes, and… </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Then, her life turned upside down. She had run across a curious ad for
an evening instructor at a private school.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Remarkably, it turned out Sawyer owned this private school, The Centre
of Erotic Arts and Learning, CEAL for short. Aly still wasn’t sure if he’d
hired her because of her teaching experience or because of their brief history,
but it didn’t matter. Teaching an erotica class hadn’t been on her original
break-out to-do list, but she wouldn’t pass up the chance to do something
completely new.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Not only that, Sawyer was apparently eager to pick up a new, no-strings
attached, for-old-times-sake…something, with her. She wouldn’t call it a
relationship, but a summer fling had a nice ring.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 14pt;">* * * *</span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Sawyer set his paperwork aside. Aly was absorbing too much of his mind
to focus on work tonight. A glance at the wall clock reminded him he’d be
meeting with her in about an hour and a half. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Knowing better than to force himself to work, he locked his office
before heading towards the back stairs that would lead up the two flights to
his apartment. It never ceased to amaze him that despite having both his school
and his residence in a single refurbished mansion, he didn’t lack for room or
privacy. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">“Hey, Sawyer!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Sawyer turned with a grin as his best friend, Luke Coldwell, caught up
with him.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">“Good to see you, Luke. Are you running late or just switching around
classes?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">“I’m late. I got hung up at the hotel or I would have been here sooner. I
don’t know which class I’ll audit for you yet, maybe a couple of them?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">“We just started a new semester this week so there’s plenty to choose
from.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">“Don’t worry, just be glad I’m here at all,” Luke added with a chuckle. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">“Trust me, I am. I appreciate your input, you know I do. Your
observations have really helped the classes, and the teachers. I still wish
you’d let me hire you on. You know more about eroticism than anyone else I know.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">“Except you,” said Luke.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">“Well, that’s a given,” Sawyer answered with a grin.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">“Thanks man, but you know I’m not teacher material. I like running my
hotel too much.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">“Why, I’ll never know. Okay then, have a good night. I’ll see you
around.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Sawyer turned to go but Luke stopped him once again. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">“Will you be upstairs later? We haven’t hung out in awhile. Maybe we
could grab a beer and I’ll tell you my thoughts about whatever class I attend.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">“We’ll have to do that another time. I’ve got a date when I close up
tonight, so hanging with you is the last thing on my mind.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">“Ah, gotcha. Sorry for holding you up. Is it Melissa you’re going to
see?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">“Actually, no. Do you remember me telling you about that really hot girl
I dated early on in college?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">“Which one?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Sawyer rolled his eyes. Luke had a point. By the time they’d met in
their senior year in college their previous girlfriend lists could rival Santa
Clause’s naughty or nice list. At least the naughty ones, they’d liked to
stress.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">“Yeah, she and I were over as an item long before you came to campus. I
ran into her recently and we’ve gone out a couple of times. I’m counting on
tonight being an all-nighter.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">“Say no more. I’ll call you later in the week. See you.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">With Luke finally taking his leave, Sawyer jogged up the stairs to his
apartment to make sure all would be ready. He had a dinner to prepare and he’d
picked up flowers earlier in the day he wanted to place around the apartment. He
remembered Aly had always loved flowers and he hoped she’d appreciate the
effort on his part.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">He didn’t want to admit to Luke just now how much Aly had meant to him
when they’d dated years ago. He hadn’t said how much seeing her recently had
affected him. In the past nearly ten years, Sawyer had tucked her memory away—a
fond one, but hazy, like a distant thought that she had been his one missed
chance for love. Then last week, she’d shown up in his office looking for a
summer job. The sight of her had brought everything tumbling back and his
breath had caught. Maybe this was a second opportunity, one he didn’t know if
he wanted to take, but he wasn’t about to let her slip through his fingers
either. He’d dropped Melissa the same day he’d talked to Aly, knowing there was
still something between them. Luke, being the proverbial ladies’ man, wouldn’t
understand. One woman was the same as the next for that guy.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">But do I want to get serious
with Aly?</i></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">He shrugged, undecided. For now, he’d take her any way he could get her.
There was something there. He couldn’t pinpoint it, but there was something
about her that made his mind implode and his cock want to explode. Dating and
fondling had been okay, but enough was enough. He knew she was ready, too. Tonight
would be a night to remember. He’d make sure of it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 14pt;">* * * *</span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Two minutes into class time, Aly wanted to leave. Her palms actually
sweated. Teaching distracted teenagers Shakespeare was one thing. Teaching the
small group of interested adults about erotica, another. Still, she’d pull this
off, no matter how much she’d have to fake her “knowledge” of erotic art,
literature and film. Especially the film part, which—<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">lucky me—</i>featured in tonight’s class.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">It took a little effort, but soon she found herself smiling and chatting
with the students. She reminded herself these people were strangers and were
probably more nervous than her. It should be uncomfortable talking to them
about anything sexual, but in no time, Aly was guiding the students into a
discussion on what made an erotic film different from run-of-the-mill
pornography. Silently, she found herself curious and listened attentively to
their talk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The bluntness of the students’ debate enlightened her, though it did
make her blush. Sex had always been a private thing between Aly and her few
lovers. Open and frank discussions about having multiple partners and strange
positions were things she might have thought about but never actually <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">talked</i> about. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">She tried to focus, without gawking, on a conversation about the merits
of close-up shots when movement at the doorway caught her eye. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">She froze and stared in shocked disbelief. Her heart tripped. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Her startled eyes met a ghost from her past. A ghost in the very
physical form of Luke Coldwell. Her first love from high school and the one
that got away, as the saying went. She hadn’t seen him since graduation. He’d
been handsome as a teenager. As the man coming into her class now, his looks
were devastatingly stunning. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">His eyes caught hers. Recognition flashed in their dark depths and his
lips curved into a wicked smile. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">“Sorry I’m late,” he offered as an apology. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Luke sauntered into the room, his stride purposeful but easy. He didn’t
just walk, he <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">moved</i>. The very air
around him seemed to part. His hair, thicker and blacker than hers,
complimented his permanent, deep tan—which was courtesy, he’d once told her, of
Shoshone blood from somewhere in his ancestry. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">He slid, gracefully for his large, well muscled size, into a chair next
to Ms. Arbuckle, who had earlier introduced herself with pride as a young
sixty-year old, one of the oldest students in the class. To Aly’s astonishment,
Ms. Arbuckle tried to pinch Luke on the thigh. He must have expected the move
because he easily avoided her and sent the older woman a devilish grin.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">“That’s Alycia Delaney.” Aly watched mutely as Ms. Arbuckle filled him
in. “She’s new here.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Luke turned his hooded gaze to Aly. “Hi.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">She didn’t know what to say. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">“Alycia?” a student asked, drawing Aly’s attention. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">“Um, yes, Derrick?” As Aly tried to concentrate on his question, she
couldn’t get Luke out of her mind. Or her eyesight. He sat right in front of
her<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">, </i>decked out in designer slacks
and a deep blue silk shirt, the top two buttons undone, sleeves rolled up. She
bit her tongue to keep from licking her lips. She wanted to taste that exposed
part of his neck so badly she hurt. This man radiated sin like it was free for
the taking. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">This is not right. I should
not be feeling like this</i>. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Then again, Luke had always been sexually devastating. Why she never
slept with him when they’d dated in high school, she couldn’t fathom. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Yes, she could. Stupidity on her part. Only sixteen, she’d been stupid
in love and had wanted forever with him. Yet even as a teen she’d known that he
didn’t love her in the same endless way she did him. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Luke caught her eye and winked. Her heart jumped. Nah, she couldn’t
still feel that love for him, could she? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Oh, please let the class end
soon.</i></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Aly did her best to ignore Luke, even though his stare made her feel
like she taught naked. He never said a word, but simply sat in his chair,
making various notes in his notebook and giving her dark, intense looks that
made her constantly lose her train of thought. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">When his long, thick fingers idly stroked the pen in his hand, she had
to fight the imagery of him caressing her skin. When she caught him giving her
a slow bodily once-over, finishing with an open smile of promise, her throat
dried up and the words she’d been speaking died on her tongue, embarrassing her
when one of the students asked if she was okay.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">No, I’m not okay,</i>
she’d wanted to shout. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">My skin is burning
and my insides are melting and if Luke doesn’t leave this classroom right now
I’m going to straddle his lap and lay to rest all the curiosities I’ve always
had about having his body inside mine!</i></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Instead, Aly straightened her shoulders, cleared her throat and turned
away from Luke’s knowing gaze and bedevilling smirk. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I’m a professional educator.
I can resist that man. I did it once before, I can do it again. </i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">And she could keep lying to herself, too, but still, she made it through
the discussion part of the class without any more incidents. During the brief
break before the film, she kept herself occupied in a conversation with two
other students. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I am not avoiding Luke. I’m
simply being a teacher.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Walking as tall as her five-foot five-inch frame—with heels—would allow,
she dimmed the lights, grabbed the remote and started the movie. One of the
students pointed towards an empty seat for her to use. Graciously, Aly thanked
the lady. As she sat down, however, she wished she’d opted to stand at the furthest
back corner of the room instead.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Luke sat barely more than an arm’s length from her. Yes, she was
somewhat kiddie-corner to his back, but she couldn’t watch the movie without
seeing him.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">He shifted in his chair, leaned back, turned his head and flashed a
smile so full of heat her thighs clamped together. She forcefully returned a
pleasant smile, as if his presence didn’t matter one way or the other to her. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Yeah, right. All you want to
do is crawl over to him, strip him down and have your way with him. Oh God,
somebody help me. </i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Surprisingly, the movie did help by pulling her attention to the wide
screen at the front of the room. To her astonishment, the abundance of sex
worked in well with the story line. It fit naturally. Plus, the movie had
actual dialogue, clothed characters from time to time, and a plotline to
follow. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">On the other hand, the longer the film progressed, the more Aly squirmed
in her seat. There might have been a story to follow, but there was also a
whole lot of graphic sex. She desperately wanted to reach down between her legs
and rub her clit just to stifle the building ache. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Luke stretched, and Aly’s gaze swung to the thick arms raised high over
his head. She wondered what they would feel like around her. Would his embrace
feel crushing or tender? Would she feel trapped or exhilarated? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">She squeezed her eyes shut, berating herself for these images about Luke
when she would no doubt be sleeping with Sawyer in a few hours. Fate could not
be this cruel to her. She shook her head, trying to sort her scattered
thoughts.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Surely some of her mixed up feelings could be excused because it wasn’t
every day a woman saw both her first lover and her first love within a one-week
time span. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And as for Luke, of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">course</i> she’d think about sex with him. He
was the one man she’d always wanted and never had. There should be no guilt
with those thoughts, she decided. It was only in her mind after all.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The guttural moan of a man’s pleasure snapped Aly’s attention back to
the movie. A female character crouched on her knees, busy giving the male
character a blow job. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Aly couldn’t help but wonder what it’d be like to do that to Luke. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Like right now. His arms had come down, crossing over his chest. His
legs were splayed out before him. She let her thoughts go…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">She’d have to move the little prop table from in front of him, then she
could sink down to her knees between his hard thighs. She could almost hear the
scraping sound of the zipper as she opened his slacks. His cock would spring
out, eager for her touch. She’d wrap her hands around the bulging shaft. She
could just imagine how it would look, dark and thick and completely ready for
her wet mouth…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bang!</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Aly started. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">“Sorry.” A muffled apology sounded from behind her. Someone must have
hit their table, but the distraction worked to rip her out of her fantasy. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Glancing randomly around the room in an attempt to clear her lust-filled
head, she pondered again her run-ins with both Sawyer and Luke recently. Why
now, instead of months or years apart? Why here, at this private school? A
sudden thought sent a shiver up her spine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">What if Luke and Sawyer know
each other?</i> She balked. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">No,
it’s coincidence, that’s all. Happens to people all the time.</i></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Besides, Luke no doubt had a girlfriend or maybe even a wife, and she
was about to embark on an affair with Sawyer. Her answer should be simple. She
had to tamp down her libido for Luke. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">After all, what kind of woman lusted after two men? What kind of
self-respecting woman, who was planning to have sex with one guy, still wanted
to have sex with another? She told herself to be daring this summer, true, but
there would be no way to have two separate affairs. Would there? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">She shook her head sharply. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Get
your head out of the movie, girl. You should not be having such diverse
fantasies.</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">She should be having fantasies about <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sawyer</i>,
not Luke. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Hot…sexy…erotic Luke. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The same man who even now turned his head to look her way, watching her
with a hunger that seemed to want to eat her up. Literally. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">She quickly turned her head before he saw the heat in her own eyes. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Aly suffered through the rest of the film, trying desperately to ignore
Luke while she constantly imagined them doing all the delicious things playing
out before her eyes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Why not give these three a spin? Pick up your copy today from:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.totallybound.com/book/the-deciding-factor" target="_blank">Totally Bound</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Deciding-Factor-Ayla-Ruse-ebook/dp/B004WLO4M8" target="_blank">Amazon</a> <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-deciding-factor-ayla-ruse/1104299666" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-deciding-factor/id896095517?mt=11" target="_blank">iTunes</a></span></div>
<br />Ayla Rusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04822310915656190053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5939334896859182691.post-10471683882198168142017-01-13T00:00:00.000-05:002017-01-13T00:00:11.593-05:00My Family vs My Writing #MFRW<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaeGOWqngEcM0PphrfaQraBNwNgAR62DUX4vuBIt52hx33l0HicPJbdmsGrhtZEJsh7zYVJ1QOPAICsR66zYCzTGTcydaqqMkE62y-k5gkTsANxBmNfPLAwUlhJqbJ7j6-vmHn71nqsRsN/s1600/mfrw+badge+blog+challenge+2017.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaeGOWqngEcM0PphrfaQraBNwNgAR62DUX4vuBIt52hx33l0HicPJbdmsGrhtZEJsh7zYVJ1QOPAICsR66zYCzTGTcydaqqMkE62y-k5gkTsANxBmNfPLAwUlhJqbJ7j6-vmHn71nqsRsN/s200/mfrw+badge+blog+challenge+2017.png" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Hmm...What an interesting title for this post. I simply typed what came to mind as I sat down to address this week's blog challenge: 'How my family survives my writing,' and the above is what tripped off my fingers. Verses. One <i>against</i> the other. But, it's true.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">First, I need to identify my family. It consists of three parts: Immediate (spouse and kids), my side (parents, siblings and their families), and my husband's side (parents, siblings and their families). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I'll go ahead and state that <i>no one</i> on my husband's side knows of my published status. They may know that I like to write, but that's as far as it goes. The reason for this is what I write. Erotic Romance. While a couple individuals may give me nods and a high five if they knew, most wouldn't. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">My side of the family knows I write and knows what I write. A couple have even read some of my books because hey, I wrote them. At first I received the congratulations, but now it's old hat. No one on my side is a huge fan of erotic romance, so it's a subject that's simply understood, but never discussed. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">My immediate family is about the same way as "my side." The kids all know I write, and as they're boys and hitting teen-age years, I simply tell them I write romance and love stories. It keeps them away. They know my pen name and I've threatened them to keep it mum. As for my husband, he's a silent supporter, even though he wishes I'd write in a different genre because he doesn't read erotic romance either. He's never even read one of my books! lol I don't know if it's because he can't handle the heat or can't handle that his wife is writing the heat or what the issue is--he refuses to confess his reasons. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtCrqz0TAVpCgkZb9TVYJw8yDlS5IisYno-hoKU4pkLX39UORF3Gxf3MSiSiBteNnyu41YME1X7wj9VxjU7wYN6fvqq5fC-32low9LDYwJCtJPeow_QiPO8LMG2JLnaAHLdzYES_uNI_go/s1600/Fotolia_19083233_XS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtCrqz0TAVpCgkZb9TVYJw8yDlS5IisYno-hoKU4pkLX39UORF3Gxf3MSiSiBteNnyu41YME1X7wj9VxjU7wYN6fvqq5fC-32low9LDYwJCtJPeow_QiPO8LMG2JLnaAHLdzYES_uNI_go/s200/Fotolia_19083233_XS.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Aside from who knows and who doesn't, when I actually write, my family can be understanding. They know if I'm writing I need total silence and absolutely no distractions. My kids will keep themselves quieter at bedtime and DH will hie off to the den for his TV fix. When I can swing several hours with no obligations (not as often as I'd like), I "disappear" somewhere away from everyone to write. It may be into the cottage on the property (even though it's so not set up to be writer-friendly), it may be to the library or coffee shop. But they know it's mom's writing time and no phone calls, no distractions. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The crunch time--and where the family vs. writing comes into play--occurs when I'm meeting a deadline and when I have a new release. Then it's harder to get understanding because my writing time will <i>interfere</i> with the wacky order of the day. It's no longer a night-time or get-away-time thing for me, it's an I-don't-have-a-choice-time issue in which I get bombarded with "check this test," and "you should have finished that already," to "remember I have an appointment today," to "you don't have to do promo." Ugh! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Despite the seemingly negative odds that face me sometimes, I find comfort and solace in that I'm doing something I want. <i>For me.</i> And the fact that I can share this with others is a huge bonus and keeps me doing what I'm doing. The family, I love them all. Yes, they don't truly "get" the whole writing thing, but that's okay. They don't have to. Would it be easier for me if they did? Absolutely! But I'll take what I can get. And if it's a few hours here and there to lose myself in my story, I'll grab it with both hands and hold on tight! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Thanks for hopping by and don't forget to swing by these other blogs to discover their survival points. </span><br />
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<!-- start LinkyTools script --><script src="http://www.linkytools.com/basic_linky_include.aspx?id=275820" type="text/javascript"></script><!-- end LinkyTools script -->Ayla Rusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04822310915656190053noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5939334896859182691.post-88602691403437687492017-01-11T06:00:00.000-05:002017-01-11T06:00:17.234-05:00Visit Me Today<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I'm over at Kate Hill's blog: Compelling Beasts, sharing a snippet from my latest re-release, <i><b>Party Girl</b></i>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><a href="http://kate-hill.com/compellingbeastsblog/2017/01/11/story-sample-party-girl-2nd-edition-soul-debt-by-ayla-ruse/" id="LPlnk140422" target="_blank">http://kate-hill.com/compellingbeastsblog/2017/01/11/story-sample-party-girl-2nd-edition-soul-debt-by-ayla-ruse/</a></span></span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Stop by anytime!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">~Ayla </span></div>
Ayla Rusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04822310915656190053noreply@blogger.com0