What are YOU Looking Forward To In 2014?

 

Happy New Years Everyone!!  And Welcome to the SSLY Blog Hop!

So what are YOU Looking Forward to in 2014?  That’s a great question.  Ever since I pressed the “publish” button on my first self-published children’s book in 2011, each year has been bigger and better.  It’s hard to think of what I look forward to.  But…I do already have some big plans for 2014!

I hope to keep publishing many more novels in 2014 and I am starting big in January with my release, Breaking the Cycle.  This book is very dear to me.  I wrote it to bring awareness to the disorder my daughter, Alex, suffers with – Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome.  However, as I have written it I have gotten to meet some incredible people.  I’ve made new friends and found a new home at Hard Drive MMA.  My little story became a community, a family.  And I can’t wait to share it with you.

I follow it up with my first published novella, The Thirteenth Knight, which began with another incredible group of people I belong to – Tuesday Tales.  These are some very talented writers I am blessed to become a part of.  Stop by and take a look.  You won’t be disappointed.

And…I may just be working on another book of the Black Irish series.  😉  Even I can’t live without Sloan, you know!

I am hoping to attend a couple of conferences in 2014.  So if you are there and see me, please say hi.  I would love to chat with you!

And I am hoping for continued success with both Cravings (Secret Cravings Publishing’s E-zine – I am the Editorial Director) and Freshly Booked (Heidi Sieverding and my weekly show with Writer’s Online Network on Blog Talk Radio).  So just like in 2013 – I will be busy!

So now that I’ve told you my big plans for 2014 – What are YOU looking forward to in 2014?  Tell me in the comments below and I will choose four commenters.  One will win an e-book copy of Black Irish, one will win an e-book copy of Heartland (Black Irish #2), one will win an e-book copy of The Troubles (Black Irish #3) and one will win an e-book copy of my medieval romance Queen of Savon.  I will choose the winners Wednesday afternoon.

And for a treat – here is an excerpt from Breaking the Cycle!

 Max stepped inside the gym. It was deserted. He glanced around. The place was no Roadie’s. There was no perfect, stainless steel trim. There was no state of the art equipment. He scrutinized the cardio machines that were lined three deep along a wall of frosted windows then scanned the weight equipment alongside it. Everything looked like it was in working order.

 The rest of the room was lined with vinyl wrestling mats. There were signs indicating to locker rooms back in the hallway. A staircase leading to a walkway on the second floor led to a couple offices and a conference room.

 Suddenly, its door opened. Max steeled himself as a young, well-built, suit-clad man stepped out and leaned against the metal rail. His slicked–back, black hair made him look like a used car salesman. He smiled down at Max.

 “Hey, Jack,” Max greeted coolly.

 “What brings you to Hard Drive, Max?”

 “I came to talk to you about the job offer you gave me.”

 Jack laughed. “How many times did I offer a job to you?”

 “At least a dozen times.”

 “And how many times have you turned me down?”

 “Just as many.”

 “Why would I offer it to you again?”

 “Because, to quote your own words, I’m the best you could possibly dream of getting.”

 “So, you suddenly got over your hang ups about working here?”

 Max took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “No. I am still vehemently against training your guys to the best of my ability so that you can toss them into an octagon and let them beat the crap out of each other. Seems to make the job pointless, don’t you think?”

 “I don’t toss them in there. They fight of their own free will.”

 “Is the job available or not?”

 “Of course, it is.” Jack was smug.

 “I have stipulations before I agree to it.”

 Jack snickered. “Of course, you do. More money? Do you want me to buy you a better car?”

 Max glared at him. “I want an assistant. Full time with benefits, especially medical. I write her schedule. She answers to me. Your fighters don’t touch her. If they do, we’re both out of here. Don’t raise the salary you offered me. Lower it, if you must. But I get my assistant.”

 “You really think you need an assistant?”

 “How many MMA fighters do you have here?”

 Max could see Jack’s brow crunch as he computed the numbers in his head. “Thirty.”

 “Then, yes, I need an assistant.”

 “And you realize that you aren’t going to teach Tae Bo here, right? You’re training my MMA fighters. And your assistant will be, too.”

 Max paused. “Yes. I know what I’ll be doing.”

 Jack pushed himself away from the rail and stood straight. “You’re hired. And so is your assistant. There’ll be no change in your salary. I’ll negotiate your assistant’s with you at a later time. I promise it’ll be fair. Be here Monday to sign your contracts. And give Roadie your two weeks’ notice. You belong to Hard Drive now.”

 Jack strode back into the conference room, closing the door behind him. Max shot one last glare at the door before he walked out the front door.

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