{Author Guest Post} Writing & Publishing: Molly E. Lee's Journey to Publishing "Ask Me Anything"

Hey, guys!

I'm so excited to share a lovely post from Molly E. Lee about her thoughts on publishing and her writing process as she wrote Ask Me Anything. I'm so excited for her book, so I hope you enjoy Molly's thoughts about this topic. 

Happy reading! 
Liv

      There are many types of writing processes and the way they are published. Several authors, like myself, are hybrid (we both have experience in traditional publishing and self-publishing) and are able to see both sides of the business. For me personally, it depends on the book to determine how my writing process will go. Sometimes, if I’m under a hard deadline, I have to pull ten hour days with nothing but me and the words on the page. Other times, when I have a bit more time to turn in the story, I take my time and space out my writing into little chunks each day.

      For Ask Me Anything it was an incredible process that took me an entire year from conception to receiving the final document ready to be sent to the printer. I still get chills thinking about it being out of my hands now. After working on something for so many months of my life…it’s extremely hard to let it go. I’m equally excited and terrified for it to hit the shelves and be in readers’ hands. This book (as all of my books) is extremely important to me. I fell in love with the characters and the circumstances they’re set in. Both Amber and Dean are seriously skilled hackers and I spent a great deal of my time researching the culture. I’m lucky enough to have a secret source who helped me keep every detail, no matter how small, authentic as possible. There is always a great deal of research when writing any given book, but this one was by far the one I had to do the most on. There is an entire culture of incredibly talented people that my characters are representing and I shaped each line with them in mind.

      We’re now mere weeks from release and it’s both exciting and emotional. Ask Me Anything has been my main priority as an author for a year and now that it is finished, I’m wicked proud of the work and hope it will resonate with readers as much as it did for me while writing it. Stacy Abrams, my editor, and I worked hard to push the characters and the difficult situations they find themselves in. There are some hot-button topics that are discussed through Amber’s blog—where teens write in anonymously for advice—and it was wonderfully freeing to be able to touch on each one solely from the perspective of Amber’s character. My editor could’ve told me to shy away from some of the topics, but she didn’t, and I believe the strength in Amber’s character to not fear any question from any person who needs help is what makes the book so important to me. That and Dean is pretty swoon-worthy, too. 😉

      I’m so grateful you had me over today to chat! I hope you’ll enjoy Ask Me Anything when it releases on May 7th! Be sure to check out the EPIC giveaway I’m hosting in celebration of its release! Spoiler alert—there is a laptop up grabs!!!   

More About ASK ME ANYTHING:

Goodreads synopsis:

I should’ve kept my mouth shut.

But Wilmont Academy’s been living in the Dark Ages when it comes to sex ed, and someone had to take matters into her own hands. Well, I’m a kick-ass coder, so I created a totally anonymous, totally untraceable blog where teens can come to get real, honest, nothing-is-off-limits sex advice.

And holy hell, the site went viral—and we’re talking way beyond Wilmont—overnight. Who knew this town was so hard up?

Except now the school administration is trying to shut me down, and they’ve forced Dean—my coding crush, aka the hottest guy in school—to try to uncover who I am. If he discovers my secret, I’ll lose him forever. And thousands of teens who need real advice won’t have anyone to turn to.

Ask me anything…except how to make things right.

~~~

Page count: 320 pages

Publisher: Entangled Teen

Publication Date: May 7, 2019

Preorder here!

Amazon // Book Depository // Barnes & Noble 

Happy reading,

Olivia

~Liv the Book Nerd~

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{Guest Review: Alex} Two Great Fantasies || Children of Blood & Bone by Tomi Adeyemi and Vicious by V.E. Schwab

I haven’t submitted anything to Liv’s blog since April but I have been reading a fair amount, actually. I’m going to review two books per submission and two submissions for a total of four reviews. I didn’t want to write long out thoughts on them, so I decided to compress and group them.

This group consists of Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi and Vicious by V.E. Schwab. Both stories focus on supernatural powers and abilities. The novels are clearly fantasy. Both books were really enjoyable and fun to read. I’d recommend both to anyone in the mood for superpowers and fantasy elements in storytelling.

Children of Blood and Bone (Legacy of Orisha #1) by Tomi Adeyemi 

  Rating: 4.7 Stars (4.5 for the audiobook)

  Page Count: 525

  Published on: June 27, 2017

  Published by: Henry Holt Books for Young    Readers

  Genre(s): Fantasy, YA, Fiction

  Age Rating: YA

  Where To Find It: Goodreads // Amazon

  Book Depository: {click here}

 Goodreads synopsis:

They killed my mother.

They took our magic.

They tried to bury us.

Now we rise.

Zélie Adebola remembers when the soil of Orïsha hummed with magic. Burners ignited flames, Tiders beckoned waves, and Zélie’s Reaper mother summoned forth souls.

But everything changed the night magic disappeared. Under the orders of a ruthless king, maji were killed, leaving Zélie without a mother and her people without hope.

Now Zélie has one chance to bring back magic and strike against the monarchy. With the help of a rogue princess, Zélie must outwit and outrun the crown prince, who is hell-bent on eradicating magic for good.

Danger lurks in Orïsha, where snow leoponaires prowl and vengeful spirits wait in the waters. Yet the greatest danger may be Zélie herself as she struggles to control her powers and her growing feelings for an enemy.

~~~ 

     Avatar The Last Airbender meets Africa. If Aang was a teenage girl with white hair. And could control dead spirits. And shadows. But seriously, Tomi Adeyemi has created a compelling story featuring strong male and female characters, each with their own trials and shining moments. The characters deal with prejudice, from both sides of the issue. There are some unavoidable tropes, with the evil ruler and romantic pairings, but they were written wonderfully. I liked this book so much that Liv got me an ARC after I read it and I bought the audiobook. The narrator, Bahni Turpin, did a wonderful job. I probably would have rated the audiobook higher, but I primarily listened to it while I was at work. I might listen to the audiobook and follow along with the ARC at some point in the future.

      I am impatiently waiting for my pre-ordered copy of the sequel and would love to be chosen to receive an ARC of it too.

Vicious (The Villians #1) by V.E. Schwab

 

  Rating: 3.5 Stars

  Page Count: 366

  Published on: September 24, 2013

  Published by: Tor Books

  Genre(s): Fantasy, Science Fiction, Adult,      Paranormal, YA, Fiction

  Age Rating: 

  Where To Find It: Goodreads // Amazon

  Book Depository: {click here}

Goodreads synopsis:

Victor and Eli started out as college roommates—brilliant, arrogant, lonely boys who recognized the same sharpness and ambition in each other. In their senior year, a shared research interest in adrenaline, near-death experiences, and seemingly supernatural events reveals an intriguing possibility: that under the right conditions, someone could develop extraordinary abilities. But when their thesis moves from the academic to the experimental, things go horribly wrong. 

~~~

     It’s fun to see two supervillains fight each other. One thinks he is the hero. The other knows he isn’t.

     That is how I would describe Vicious. The book follows two college friends on their quest to make superpowers a reality. They figure out a method and then go separate ways. The ex-friends come head-to-head years later in an attempt to kill one another. Neither character is a good person and that’s okay. I think the biggest selling point is that there aren’t heroes. The series is called The Villains. Schwab isn’t trying to trick readers into thinking that there is a hero.

     The book was fun to read. It felt like a Marvel film. There was a supernatural backstory, interesting secondary characters, and a climactic final fight. And a sequel. And like Marvel movies, the main problem is that isn’t ambitious enough. The protagonist wins, there’s going to be another one, and the antagonist probably won’t come back. One of the antagonists at least. The comparison probably isn’t deserved since the book came out in 2013 and Marvel had just started Phase Two of the MCU. But with my first read through in 2018, I can’t help it.

~~~

Other Reviews by Alex: {click here}

Skate or be skated.
-Alex

{Guest Review: Courtney} She's Not There by Joy Fielding

Page Count: 368 

Published On: February 23, 2016

Published By: Ballantine Books

Genre(s): Mystery, Thriller, Fiction

Source: University Library 

Age Rating: Adult fiction

Where To Find It: Amazon // Book Depository

My Rating: 4 stars

Goodreads Synopsis: 

A novel of psychological suspense about a woman whose life takes a shocking turn when a young girl contacts her, claiming to be her daughter, kidnapped in Mexico years earlier, from the New York Times bestselling author of Someone is Watching.

A lifetime ago, every year Caroline Shipley looked forward to her wedding anniversary. But then a celebratory trip to Mexico for the occasion with her husband and friends ended in the unsolved kidnapping of her infant daughter, Samantha. Now, fifteen years after that horrific time, divorced and isolated,Caroline is forced to relive the kidnapping by reporters who call every year on the anniversary of Samantha’s disappearance. However, this year when the phone rings, Caroline hears the sweet voice of a girl claiming to be her long-lost daughter. Plunged back into the world of heartbreak, suspicion and questions that led the case to run cold so many years ago, Caroline doesn’t know what or who to believe. But when she starts to figure it out, she finds the answers dangerously close to home.

~~~

      As this review begins, I want to start out by saying that I never would have picked up this book if it had not of been for my boss. The only reason this book came into my life was because my boss had become annoyed with me because I was sitting at the library circulation desk and just staring off into space. She instructed me to go find a book to keep myself occupied during a slow day at work. I got up, I grabbed the first book I saw and ended up really enjoying it. I usually read YA contemporaries, so this was definitely out of my comfort zone. In the end, I am so glad I did because Joy Fielding has become a new favorite author. I have another one of her books in my work locker to read in the near future.

     The book is filled with flashback scenes as well as scenes that are set in the present. The book starts fifteen years ago when our main character is happily married with two beautiful children. This all quickly changes when one of her children Samantha, is kidnapped from a resort on a family trip to Mexico. This book follows the events that unfold from Carole’s point of view in the years following. She becomes the victim of the media and eventually divorces her husband and becomes estranged from her other daughter Michelle.

      Out of the blew close to the fifteenth anniversary of her daughter's disappearance she gets a phone call from a young woman claiming that she believes she is Samantha and from there it takes us on the journey of finding out the truth. I won’t go into any more details to save you from the spoilers so you can take the journey I took. But I will say it is worth the read and I highly recommend it.

      She's Not There has striking similarities to the May 2007 disappearance of Madeline McCann. She was snatched from her bed in a resort in Praia da Luz, a resort in Portugal. Her abduction occurred while her parents were in a restaurant below her. The McCann case caused an uproar because of the circumstances revolving around the disappearance. Though this book is fiction and does not end like the case does in real life the similarities are definitely there but the story still stands on its own and is very intriguing. As someone who loves true crime novels and actually follows the types of cases in true crime fiction novels, I really enjoyed the plot and pace of this novel. It had me on the edge of my seat the entire time.

Thank you guys for reading! Courtney {Instagram}

{Other Reviews by Courtney}

{Guest Review: Courtney} Made You Up by Francesca Zappia

Page Count: 428

Published on: May 19th 2015

Published by: Greenwillow Books

Source: Purchased on a Half Price book adventure

Age Rating: TW sexual assault is briefly mentioned & domestic violence

Where to Find It: Amazon // Book Depository

My Rating: 4.75 stars

Goodreads synopsis:  

Reality, it turns out, is often not what you perceive it to be—sometimes, there really is someone out to get you. Made You Up tells the story of Alex, a high school senior unable to tell the difference between real life and delusion. This is a compelling and provoking literary debut that will appeal to fans of Wes Anderson, Silver Linings Playbook and Liar.

Alex fights a daily battle to figure out the difference between reality and delusion. Armed with a take-no-prisoners attitude, her camera, a Magic 8-Ball, and her only ally (her little sister), Alex wages a war against her schizophrenia, determined to stay sane long enough to get into college. She’s pretty optimistic about her chances until classes begin, and she runs into Miles. Didn't she imagine him? Before she knows it, Alex is making friends, going to parties, falling in love, and experiencing all the usual rites of passage for teenagers. But Alex is used to being crazy. She’s not prepared for normal.

Funny, provoking, and ultimately moving, this debut novel featuring the quintessential unreliable narrator will have readers turning the pages and trying to figure out what is real and what is made up. 

~~~

"I didn't have the luxury of taking reality for granted. And I wouldn't say I hated people who did, because that's just about everyone. I didn't hate them. They didn't live in my world. 

But that never stopped me from wishing I lived in theirs."

      If you know me, you know that books that contain themes revolving around mental health hold a very special place in my heart. I believe, when written correctly, they are a window into the people who suffer from these illnesses every day. I believe it is a way for us to put ourselves in other people's shoes. With that being said, Made You Up has made its way to my top ten list of 2018. The book held me at its grasp and I was unable to put it down. The book takes you on a journey where you do not know what is real and what is not because of Alex's schizophrenia and paranoia. She may be the most unreliable narrator I've read. She is unable to trust herself; however, the way that the story unfolds held me captive until the very last page.

      Our main characters world is filled with hallucinations, people, and noises that may or may not be really there. She takes pictures of the world around her knowing that reality will be there for her later in her photographs. She does perimeter checks of all the places she goes and she checks her food for poison. 

      This story also includes a romantic route, but surprisingly, I still fell in love with it even though romances are typically not my thing. This was not your typical romance. Their weird relationship was so interesting to follow because of the way that they interacted and attempted to understand each other. Their relationship had me hooked until the very end. I think the reason the relationship and love story didn't throw me off was because it was not your typical insta-love situation that usually drives me up a wall.

      In the end, Alex is able to come to terms with her mental illness. She starts the book with schizophrenia and she ends the book with it. She is not cured but that's okay. Zappia didn't romanticise going off your meds either and making it seem like everything is a walk in the park as long as the character stays on them. Because its not. Zappia also did an amazing job of treating Alex like an actual human being. There have been to many books where authors take too much from their characters and make it seem that just because they are mentally ill they must be wrong or they must not be able to make their own decisions all the time. And as someone who has struggled with her own mental health issues, it was really refreshing to see her being treated like an actual human being and not dehumanized for circumstances that are out of her control. 

      The only reason this book did not get a complete five stars was because of the ending. There was so much build up and it fell flat leaving me wanting more. It is still an amazing book that I recommend checking out and it will be one that I re-read in the near future.

{Guest Review: Courtney} Mothers and Other Strangers by Gina Sorrel

Page Count: 318

Published on: May 2, 2017

Published by: Prospect Park Books

Genre(s): Fiction, Contemporary

Source: Gifted from Liv

Age Rating: TW: adult themes and topics

Where to Find it: Amazon // Goodreads // Book Depository

My Rating: 3 stars

Goodreads Synopsis:

“My father proposed to my mother at gunpoint when she was nineteen, and knowing that she was already pregnant with a dead man’s child, she accepted."

Thus begins this riveting story of a woman's quest to understand her recently deceased mother, a glamorous, cruel narcissist who left her only child, Elsie, an inheritance of debts and mysteries. While coping with threats that she suspects are coming from the cult-like spiritual program her mother belonged to, Elsie works to unravel the message her dying mother left for her, a quest that ultimately takes her to the South African family homestead she never knew existed.

~~~

Trigger Warning: Contains themes revolving around sexual assault, suicide attempts, and eating disorders

~~~

What would you do if your parent was not the person you thought they were; and what would you do if you found out your life was based on a lie? After the death of her mother, Elsie goes on a journey to uncover the lies and secrets of her mother. She is given a box that holds pieces of her mother’s past. Within this box she finds her own death notice where she learns at one time her mother faked both of their deaths and left South Africa to escape hardship. Before her death, her mother had never mentioned the family they had left behind. After learning about the family that she was taken from, Elsie goes on a journey to discover the truth surrounding her mother and relives some of the most heartbreaking moments of her life.

I first came across the novel when Liv sent me a Snapchat of the synopsis. I knew instantly that I wanted to read it from the very first line of the synopsis. I’ve had it for a while, but I choose to put the book off for a while until after finals when I knew I’d have time at work to sit and the desk and read. I wanted to like this book, I really did but some of the themes throughout bothered me and they appeared with no real warning. My boss frowns upon crying while working and this book made the tears fall. Eliza is such a fragile, tormented soul and she had my heart breaking throughout the novel. Her mother on the other hand, made me rage and made me want to scream out loud. Her mother was very problematic and choose to only make herself happy and pretended that her daughter was not there. Her mother’s married boyfriend who she “spiritually” marries in this “group” she was a part of almost made me want to slam my head against a wall. In the end, she does leave him when he admits to doing immoral and terrible things, but by that time, it is too late and she is on her death bed.

I do, however feel that the first line from the blurb “My father proposed to my mother at gunpoint when she was nineteen, and knowing that she was already pregnant with a dead man’s child, she accepted." was very misleading. This alone made me want to read it and it was not the thriller mystery I thought it was. It’s more of a "finding yourself" novel where she is growing up and and learning about her past and coming to terms with it. Not that this is a bad thing, but it did mislead me and my expectations of this book were very different from what the book actually was. It was still a decent book, but in my personal opinion, I would never read it again. The beginning was very promising but the ending and conclusion was very dull and left me wanting more.

Thank you guys for reading!

Courtney

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{Guest Review: Courtney} My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry by Fredrik Backman

Page Count: 370

Published on: June 16, 2015

Published by: Washington Square Press

Genre(s): Fiction, Fantasy, Contemporary

Source: Paperback- bought

Age Rating: YA

Where to Find: Goodreads // Amazon // Book Depository

My Rating: 4.75 stars

Goodreads Synopsis:

Elsa is seven years old and different. Her grandmother is seventy-seven years old and crazy, standing-on-the-balcony-firing-paintball-guns-at-men-who-want-to-talk-about-Jesus-crazy. She is also Elsa's best, and only, friend. At night Elsa takes refuge in her grandmother's stories, in the Land of Almost-Awake and the Kingdom of Miamas where everybody is different and nobody needs to be normal.

When Elsa's grandmother dies and leaves behind a series of letters apologizing to people she has wronged, Elsa's greatest adventure begins. Her grandmother's letters lead her to an apartment building full of drunks, monsters, attack dogs, and totally ordinary old crones, but also to the truth about fairytales and kingdoms and a grandmother like no other.

 ~~~

Hello Livthebooknerd readers!

It’s Courtney, back with a review of Fredrik Backman’s My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell you She’s Sorry. Last month (April), Liv, Mallory and I traveled to Indianapolis and visited three book stores where I gladly spent my paycheck on some books right before our finals began. Liv managed to talked me into purchasing this book at one of the three Half Priced Books stores we visited. I’m not going to lie, I was afraid to read this at first because I was extremely close with my grandmother who passed away last summer but I am so glad I did.

I related to Elsa so much in this book. Growing up I did not have many friends, I was the brunt of unwanted teasing in school, and I was an outsider.  Likewise, I was also very close to my grandmother like Elsa, and I consider my grandmother to be my superhero. Elsa’s grandmother was described as eccentric, nutty and very independent. My grandma was very independent but unlike Elsa’s grandmother she was not shooting paint balls at people from her balcony. Her grandmother may seem out there from the surface but when you get to know her you discover so much more. Granny loves Elsa with all her heart and would do literally anything for her. Granny is able to show Elsa what it means to love others, and to be loved, and gives her the gift of friendship.

This book takes place in two worlds, our world and the world of Miramas. Miramas is where Elsa and her grandmother go to quite often throughout the novel. Miramas is located in the Land of Almost Awake and it becomes a very complex kingdom that, I admit, had a hard time following at times. Granny and Elsa live in an apartment complex together shared by an array of characters. In the beginning I thought I knew who the characters were, but by the end you realize there is more than meets the eye. The book teaches you not to judge a person by who they may seem to be if you do not take the time to get to know them first. Backman is able to link their stories together is such a fantastic way and we soon realize there is more than meets the eye and their stories will break you. Their stories make the fairy tale part of this book so much easier to understand.

Elsa’s granny does unfortunately die in the beginning of the book and Elsa is forced to take on the world without her superhero by her side and we follow her on her journey through grief. This book would have been perfect to read last summer after losing my grandmother as I was able to relate to what Elsa was feeling because my grandmother was also my superhero. This book helped me remember memories with my grandmother and at times it had me crying my eyes out at work and other times it had me smiling from ear to ear.

Fairytales are not just for children like we think they are, anyone at any age would enjoy this book and it is one I am so glad I decided to read.

Thank you guys for reading! Courtney {Instagram}

{Other Reviews by Courtney}

{Author Interview + Teaser} Mary Ting the Author of ISAN

Page Count: 330 

Published on: June 5, 2018

Published by: Vesuvian Books

Genre(s): YA, Science Fiction, Dystopia, Romance

Age Rating: YA

Where To Find It: Goodreads // Amazon // Book Depository

Goodreads synopsis:

The world has changed.
Scientists warned it would happen.

Meteors devastated the Earth. World Governments developed plans to help surviving citizens. The United States disbanded and salvageable land was divided into four quadrants—North, South, East, and West—governed by The Remnant Council.

Struggling to survive, seventeen-year-old Ava ends up in juvenile detention, until she is selected for a new life—with a catch. She must be injected with an experimental serum. The results will be life changing. The serum will make her better. To receive the serum Ava agrees to join a program controlled by ISAN, the International Sensory Assassin Network.

While on a mission, she is abducted by a rebel group led by Rhett and told that not only does she have a history with him, but her entire past is a lie perpetuated by ISAN to ensure her compliance. Unsure of who to trust, Ava must decide if her strangely familiar and handsome captor is her enemy or her savior—and time is running out.

~~~

Hey, guys!

I got the pleasure of interviewing the lovely Mary Ting about her upcoming release, ISAN! I'm so excited to read this book! Interviewing Mary was so much fun.She's an amazing person! I love what she stands for!

~~~

LTBN: What inspires you to write? When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

MT: I’ve taught kindergarten for almost 20 years. I began writing when my grandmother passed away and based the first book, Crossroads, on dreams I had in high school. Never did I wanted to be an author. It happened by chance. Writing helped me grieve the loss of my grandmother, so in a way, I feel like it was a gift from her. Now I have about 30 books under Mary Ting and my pen name for romance, M. Clarke. ☺

         LTBN: Do real people or real events inspire your novels?

MT: Yes. Crossroads is based on my dreams from high school. Chapters one and two are based on true events. Most of the characters in that novel are based on people I know or have passed away. Some of my books are set in places I had visited.

LTBN: What was your favorite part of writing this novel?

MT: Am I allowed to say everything? LOL. I love the characters, especially Ava and Rhett. I have to have action, mystery, and for sure romance in my stories. I write a story I want to read.

LTBN: What is your favorite genre to write?

MT: I love fantasy. Under M. Clarke, I write New Adult romance. I enjoy writing them, but fantasy is what I love to write the most.

LTBN: In your author biography, I saw that you tour with the Magic Johnson Foundation to promote literacy. Why do you think literacy is such an important topic and how does literacy impact the communities you visit? 

MT: Having an experience of being a teacher for almost 20 years have opened my eyes to different communities and the lack of early childhood education. They need to be exposed in the early years … I believe from the time they are born. They are a sponge ready to soak it all in. Many families didn’t have a single book in their homes. This knowledge crushed me. Some parents would say … my child doesn’t like to read.  No, not true. They just need to find the genre they love. We are all different, with different taste. Thank you! ☺

   

~~~~~~ Teaser: ~~~~~~

“Would you like my assistance? Or you can just stand there so I can stare at you a bit longer.”

Startled, I whirled toward the sound of a familiar, seductive voice. Sniper stood by the walk-in closet in a cool, relaxed manner with his hand braced on the door. His hair was slicked back, looking polished and debonair. My heart pummeled, but not in fear.

Was I crazy to be attracted to him? Mesmerized by the black tuxedo forming to his perfect body, I stared at him and wondered if I’d dreamed him up. His presence confirmed I hadn’t imagined him above the stairs earlier. Then I wondered if he’d come alone.

“How’d you know I was here?”

Unnerved, I gritted my teeth. He hadn’t heeded my warning to stay away. I should scream or plan an escape out of the bathroom, but I couldn’t move or think. His presence stirred my curiosity and I wanted answers, especially when the lunatic thought he knew me.

“It doesn’t concern you,” he said.

His nonchalant tone caused me to raise my voice. “The hell it doesn’t.”

“I’ll explain later.”

I scoffed. “Are you here to try to kidnap me again?”

I might not have Helix, but I had my heels and months of training backing me up. If there was one thing I was good at, it was bringing a person to their knees. Courage grew inside me and I dropped my dress.

Sniper snapped out of his stupor and his amber eyes grew darker. “Where are my manners? I admire the dress, but I like what you’re wearing now so much more.” He waggled his eyebrows. “You look absolutely beautiful tonight.”

No. Don’t say that.

I became breathless when he closed the gap between us. Why was I letting him? When Sniper raised his hand, I flinched. My heart galloped faster when he cupped my face and ran his thumb ever so tenderly along my cheek.

“I wish I could’ve been your date tonight. We could’ve danced together. Dancing with me always made you happy.”

I closed my eyes for several seconds, hypnotized by his voice, by his touch. I pictured us slow dancing, not because it had happened, but because I desperately wanted the happiness he described.

Then I came to my senses. Leaning into his caress, I pretended to enjoy it, which wasn’t hard. Moving slowly, I raised my knee …

~~~~~~

Happy reading!

Olivia

~LivTheBookNerd~

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