xpressobooktours – Page 62 – Sincerely Karen Jo

Best Case Scenario
Dirk B. Sayers
(Nyra’s Journey, Act 1)
Publication date: April 16th 2018
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult

More than a year after graduating from college, Nyra’s beginning to wonder when her life gets started. Was it like this for her mother? Nyra doubts it, but things were different then. Her reality is nothing like her mother’s.

Nyra gets that every generation faces its own challenges and she’s smart enough to know its on her to overcome them. That’s why she worked two jobs all through college, studied so hard and tried not to think too much about the mountain of student debt weighing down her tomorrow.

Still, this feeling of wading through quicksand is getting old. Buried deep in the half-formed jumble of dreams for her future, Nyra hears the siren song of hope whispering to her. She’s so ready. But is the song she hears really hope or is it illusion?

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excerpt

The mirror in the women’s room leaves no refuge from Nyra’s conflicted pride and dissatisfaction. Expressive green eyes set off by her light olive complexion get lots of second looks. A prominent hawk nose calls attention to high cheekbones and overall symmetry. Striking—even pretty, maybe. Time to tweeze her eyebrows, though.

Lips a taste too full for her thin “ish” face? A boyfriend from a couple years ago had called them “kissable.” He’d wanted to do more than kiss, but had moved on to the busty blond in their Mass Marketing class—just when Nyra’s simmering sexuality was about to overwhelm Sister Elise’s warnings against “promiscuity.”

The modest swell of her breasts is all but camouflaged by her flowy tunic. Turning sideways in the mirror, Nyra pulls it tight and pouts. Does anyone even notice? She twists and stands on tip toe, for an over-the-shoulder look at her stern. Does her slender waist make her ass look too wide?

She’d once overheard her brother’s best friend Mark commenting on her “sassy chassis.” Nyra’s all-through-high school crush on Mark dated from his off-hand remark. He’d flirted persistently, but nothing ever came of it. Had Kip warned him off?

The door swings open and in walks Toni, the IT Applications Manager. Nyra pivots hastily toward the mirror.

“Hey, Nyra!” Toni smiles, pulls plum-shaded lip stick from her purse and gets to work. “You look just fine leaving, if that’s what you were wondering. How goes it in the call center?”

“Nothing but a party.” Nyra fishes lip-gloss from her own purse and concentrates unnecessarily on applying it.

“One of those days, huh? I feel you… Had a few of those working the IT help desk before I got my certification.”

“Nothing I won’t get over,” Nyra says.

“That which does not kill us?” Toni’s lips twitch in irony.

Toni has most of what Nyra wishes she had. Full, prominent breasts, perfect symmetry. Her mahogany skin seems to glow, calling attention to generous, kissable lips.

A light dusting of freckles across her nose and cheeks spills down both sides of her neck, inviting speculation. A thick cascade of glossy black curls frame her face, brushing her shoulders. And those liquid brown eyes…

abouttheauthor

Dirk Sayers grew up in a university town in Iowa, where he spent his formative years with one foot in the simplicity of farm country and the other in the frenetic environment of a university town immersed in the social upheaval of the sixties. He managed to survive it all, sometimes in spite of himself.

After graduating from college, he was commissioned a Lieutenant in the Marine Corps, serving for 22 years on five continents, during peace and war. He was decorated five times and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel. On retiring, he discovered, (among other things), his experience and six dollars would get him a cup of coffee everywhere…but not necessarily a job.

Accordingly, Dirk took an eighteen month sabbatical to earn a Master’s degree in Organizational Development. Hired shortly after completing his thesis, he applied his new degree as a Corporate Trainer and District Manager. After eleven years with the same company, Dirk became a casualty of the 2008 financial crisis, along with many of the men and women he helped train.

Since then, Dirk has published numerous articles and short stories and two books; a non-fiction work entitled, The Woman’s No-fear Guide to Online dating and his first novel, West of Tomorrow. He is also working on the first volume of a science fiction series, Tier Zero, Volume I of The Knolan Cycle and an anthology of short stories, entitled Through the Windshield, Drive-by Encounters with Truth.

Dirk currently lives in Laguna Niguel, with his wife, two psychotic cats, a Ball Python named Corona and a crow with a deformed talon named Hop-along. His author’s web site is dirksayers.com where he blogs about a variety of issues of interest to us all & posts the latest news regarding his writings.

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sincerelykarenjo2

Royal Attraction
Tiffany Truitt
Published by: Entangled Embrace
Publication date: September 18th 2017
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

Alexandra Ryans’s life has been anything but normal. Some might even call it a fairy tale. As the daughter of the former U.S. ambassador to England, she grew up within the palace walls, best friends with the three young princes. Adored by the press and the British people. What more could a girl want?

If only the press knew the real story behind her relationships with the Dudley boys. Then, they’d really sell some papers.

Oliver Dudley, youngest son and third in line for the throne, loves everything about his life. The fame. The parties. The women. The utter lack of expectations and responsibilities that come with being last in the line of succession. But while the world thinks he has everything he wants, there’s one thing he was never able to call his own—the beautiful and spunky American Aly Ryans. But how can he convince her when she hates everything about his life? And what is he willing to give up to get her?

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excerpt

“I’ll only be here a little while longer, Ollie,” I manage in between breaths. “Then everything can go back to the way it was. Like I never returned.”

The lines in his forehead deepen. “You think that’s what I want? To go back? Tell me your life has been better since you left,” he challenges, raising an eyebrow.

I place my hand against his chest and attempt to push him out of my way, but he doesn’t budge. Not even an inch. Instead, he places a hand against my cheek. I inhale sharply, caught off guard by the sudden gentleness of the action. “You tell me right now that since leaving here your life has been better, that you’re happy, and I’ll walk out of this greenhouse. I’ll pretend that seeing you here doesn’t drive me wild. I’ll ignore all the things my body wants to do to yours. I’ll forget the fact that you leaving without a goodbye wrecked me.”

I open my mouth to argue, but he cuts me off. “You wrecked me, Ryans,” he reiterates, his voice desperate.

I prepare to tell him that I’m happier. That life has been easier without being caught between him and Aiden. That I enjoy not having to worry the press is lurking around every corner. That I prefer being a normal girl. That the day we shared together was just that—a day. It didn’t mean anything. It didn’t define me.

But the words refuse to come out of my mouth. Instead, a small gasp breaks free, and I know that if I don’t bolt soon, my resolve will shatter. Ollie’s hand slowly trails down my cheek and across the length of my neck, stopping on the delicate skin above my collarbone. My breathing picks up.

Tell him to stop, Alexandra.

He tugs at the collar of my jersey, bringing my face dangerously close to his. I bite down hard on my bottom lip. Ollie’s eyes travel down to my lips. My body gravitates toward his till it’s nearly pressing against the length of him.

When did it become this? This need? Because need is coursing through me like wildfire.

“You said it, Ryans. You won,” he reminds me, his voice all throaty and hoarse and incredibly sexy. “You want me to spend the rest of your time here ignoring all that’s left unanswered between us? Say it. If you desire to go back to that emptiness, that life that you seem so anxious to return to, I won’t stop you. Just say it’s what you want. ’Cause I can’t stand the indecision anymore, the what-ifs. I’ve lived three years of that. Wondering what could have happened if things had been different. ”

abouttheauthor

Tiffany Truitt was born in Peoria, Illinois. A self-proclaimed Navy brat, Tiffany spent most of her childhood living in Virginia, but don’t call her a Southerner. She also spent a few years living in Cuba. Since her time on the island of one McDonalds and Banana Rats (don’t ask), she has been obsessed with traveling. Tiffany recently added China to her list of travels (hello inspiration for a new book).

Besides traveling, Tiffany has always been an avid reader. The earliest books she remembers reading belong to The Little House on the Prairie Series. First book she read in one day? Little Woman (5th grade). First author she fell in love with? Jane Austen in middle school. Tiffany spent most of her high school and college career as a literary snob. She refused to read anything considered “low brow” or outside the “classics.”

Tiffany began teaching middle school in 2006. Her students introduced her to the wide, wonderful world of Young Adult literature. Today, Tiffany embraces popular Young Adult literature and uses it in her classroom.

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