It is far too late for her to escape - #Vampire #MonthOfMagic #MFRWHooks

Welcome to this week’s MFRW Book Hooks blog hop. My excerpt today is from Fin d’Espoir, one of the other paranormal books I have on sale during my Month of Magic. This is another vampire book, a bisexual romance. It’s quite a bit more serious than Fangs, Fur and the Single Girl.

Blurb

Bitter and alone, Etienne de Rémorcy haunts the forest around the ruined plantation of Fin d'Espoir. He has sworn to never again taste human blood. Then a fierce storm and a runaway horse bring a slender, raven-haired beauty to his lair. When she begs him to take her, he cannot resist.

Madeleine and Troy hope that a carefree vacation in tropical Jamaica will reignite their faded passion. On a mountain trail ride, Maddy's horse bolts, carrying her deep into the jungle. Injured and lost, she is saved by a giant of a man whose mere presence kindles unbearable desire. By the time she understands his dark nature, it is far too late for her to escape.

When Maddy returns, Troy finds her greatly changed : ravenous in bed, restless and disturbed otherwise. The elegant stranger he meets on the beach holds the key to her transformation - and soon has seduced Troy as well.

Tortured by his conscience, Etienne is determined to set the young couple free. But their love may be his last hope for redemption.

The Hook (Rated R)

Iron and salt. The taste woke Madeleine from voluptuous dreams. For a moment, she clung to the fleeing visions of naked flesh. She didn’t want the pain of consciousness. Her shoulders ached, her neck burned and her pussy felt raw and sore. Something sticky was smeared across her lips. She opened her mouth. Iron and salt flowed over her tongue.

“Swallow, now.” The elegant French-tinged voice was irresistible. She obeyed, only to have another gout of the thick liquid dripped into her mouth. Wearily, she opened her eyes.

Etienne sat beside her, wearing a grim expression. He held his hand close to her face. Crimson fluid dribbled from a two-inch gash across his wrist, a shocking contrast to his inky skin. “Drink, Madeleine. It will restore your strength.”

The bright droplets called to her, but she was too weak to raise her head.

“Here.” He pressed his oozing flesh to her lips. She lapped at the blood, then fastened her mouth on the wound and sucked. The flavor grew on her, became complex and nuanced. She tasted cinnamon and pepper, almonds and ripe plums. The scent of roses filled her nostrils, making her head swim. She closed her eyes in bliss and increased her suction, each swallow making her want more.

“That is enough.” Etienne removed his wrist. “That should be sufficient to restore you.”

“Just another few drops,” Maddy pleaded. Her myriad pains had vanished. She felt alert and invigorated. She heard the bleak call of an owl outside the shack and the groan of branches in the wind. She smelled the charred coals on the grate, rotting wood, and her own sweat. She searched Etienne’s somber face, trying to read his thoughts. “Please?”

“No. It would be too dangerous.”

Maddy wriggled lasciviously on the damp sheets. She fondled her breasts, which were outrageously sensitive, and parted her sticky thighs.

Etienne’s brows knitted together in a scowl. “I said no, and I mean no. Do not try to tempt me again, girl. I have done enough damage already.”

His obvious misery slightly dampened her blood-lust. She took his hand in both her own, noting in passing how her wrists were chafed from his belt. “It’s all right. You only took what I offered. It was not your fault. You’re not responsible.”

“Of course I am responsible!” He tore his hand from her grasp. Rising like a black colossus, he hovered over her. Maddy had the fleeting notion that he wanted to strangle her. Instead, he paced back and forth, oblivious to the splintered floorboards under his bare feet.

“You are a fool. A child. You do not understand who or what I am, not even now, after I came close to drinking you dry. All you can see is my glamour, my cursed beauty that makes every mortal desire me.”

“I can see your sorrow,” Maddy whispered, raising herself to a sitting position so that she had a better view of his graceful, powerful form. “When you drank from me, I could feel it. Your loneliness and your fury.”

Etienne halted in mid-stride, searching her face. She held his eyes, surprising herself with the strength of her challenge. “So?” he continued after a moment, a bitter edge in his voice. “What good does that do you? Or me? Do you think you can save me, girl?” Still, he sank onto the edge of the bed and allowed her to take his hand once more.

“I swore that I would never take a human again.” His resonant voice trembled. “After I killed her—after all the blood she forced me to spill—I made a vow that even as a monster, I would rise above what she had made me. Now, for the first time in nearly a century, I’ve broken that oath.”

“Blame me,” said Madeleine. She stroked his face, marveling at the cool smoothness under her fingers. “I seduced you.” She placed his hand on her breast and was thrilled when he did not remove it. Instead, he kneaded her flesh gently, twisting her rising nipple between his finger and thumb. “I forced you to take me.”

“No one forces me to do anything,” Etienne answered, a welcome hint of laughter in his tone. “Though it is true that you are very beautiful.” Without any intervention from her, he moved his hand to her other breast. “With your dark hair, your pale complexion, the mischief in your green eyes, you do remind me, a bit, of her.”

Fin d’Espoir is only 99 cents for the entire month of October. You can find all the buy links here: https://www.lisabetsarai.com/findespoirbook.html

Be sure to visit the other authors participating in today’s Book Hooks!

 

Review Tuesday: Expanding Hubby's Horizons by Lawrence Westerman -- #Femdom #Erotica #ReviewTuesday

Expanding Hubby’s Horizons by Lawrence Westerman

September, 2026

These days, the world is awash with smut. Authors (including non-human, LLM-fueled text generators) simply select a few prominent kinks then spin a flimsy story around related sex acts, produce a barely decent cover that features plenty of flesh (especially of the mammary variety) and throw it out onto Amazon. Since sex is the main point, issues of characterization, plot and emotion are be mostly ignored. As long as the tropes are clear, there seems to be an unlimited audience for this sort of book.

Having spent more than twenty-five years writing erotica—real erotica that is more than just wank material—I find the current situation pretty sad. These stories are so shallow, I don’t understand how anyone could find them interesting.

Every now and again, though, even when wallowing in today’s sea of slop, I read a book that is seriously arousing. Almost always, this is due to the fact that the author is personally turned on by the fantasies and actions they chronicle. You can tell the difference, for instance, between one of my BDSM stories (because yes, submissive desires lie at the heart of my sexuality) and something written just to make money or take advantage of a trend. (Remember all the awful D/s tales that followed the success of Fifty Shades?)

Expanding Hubby’s Horizons by Lawrence Westerman is one of those books. Even if the author didn’t talk about this in his bio, you would know immediately upon reading the book that female dominance is, for him, a huge turn-on.

This novel chronicles the protagonist Martin’s “education” by his wife Nicole, who is just learning the ropes (so to speak) about female-led relationships, and her professional Domme lover Kai. Every step, every act of obedience, every humiliation, rings true because the author vicariously participates in Martin’s experience. Some of the kinky activities in the story are relatively extreme—golden showers, for example, or sodomy by his wife’s bull. I could feel the author daring himself to write about these actions and sense the catharsis he felt when he’d done so.

The result is a genuinely erotic book that also has a sort of charming innocence. Martin’s journey is more than just a series of sex scenes. He’s learning all the time: learning to trust the two women who control him, learning to be honest about his own desires, learning to let go.

One of the things I liked best about this novel is the clear love and caring that exists among all the characters. Martin is devoted to Nicole and Kai, his Goddesses. He obeys them at least partly because he delights in service. The two woman can be tough on him, but they always treat him with affection and never push him beyond his limits. I’ve read a few femdom stories where the woman is cold, demanding and vicious—where she really believes that the man is dirt, worth nothing and deserving of the worst possible treatment. The relationships in Expanding Hubby’s Horizons could not be more different. (Speaking of which, I should mention that the lesbian sex scenes between Kai and Nicole are incendiary. When Kai takes the lead, Nicole has the opportunity to explore her own submissive tendencies.)

The cover for this novel says it all. This is the story of a man who adores his Goddess and will do anything for her... by a man who in the real world feels very much the same.

An adventurer’s paradise... #HaremFantasyAdventure #IndianaJones #Giveaway

Blurb

IT'S INDIANA JONES WITH MORE ASS (and GIANT ROBOTS!)

Titan Mage Orion “Rion” Havoc has a reputation to match his name—and that’s exactly what the captain of the airship Indigo Gryphon is looking for.

The world of Haven is an adventurer’s paradise, brimming with mysterious ruins, ancient artifacts, and dangerous secret powers the Arcane Index’s combat archaeologists just can’t help but unleash. Fortunately, the Index has a protocol for that, and it involves giant mechs called titans—and their pilots, the titan mages.

***

When mousy archaeologist Mery Arkady hires the Indy for an expedition to the lost city of Aeterna, Rion fully expects danger and derring-do. He even expects her to have more secrets than she’s letting on.

What he doesn’t expect is to be joined by Sanja Grimes—a rough and tumble titan mage, a vigorous partner in rank and in bed … and the one who got away.

Nor did he expect their shared academy rival Nepherik Damian Oldershaw to show up, suspiciously interested in Mery’s expedition and as vicious as he is vindictive.

Even in an adventure that takes them through monster-infested ruins, sky pirate territories, untamed jungles, and lost cities, their greatest threat might be from their own pasts.

Embark on the adventure of a lifetime with Amazon bestselling author Edie Skye in this brand-new action-adventure fantasy series. If you’ve ever said “I like the Indiana Jones movies but I wish they had more ass,” this just might be the story you’ve been waiting for.

WARNING: Titan Mage Havoc is a fun mecha fantasy adventure where the hero saves the day and gets all the girls. (So don’t read it and then complain about the spice. Y’all know exactly what you’re getting into.)

Excerpt

“We came all the way out here so you could ask her to join us. So do it.”

“It’s not the right time.”

“Why not?”

“She’s reading.”

“Do you mean to say the great Orion Havoc is being thwarted by a book?” Sevas squinted across the room. “And not even a challenging book, but a smutty adventure romance?”

“Sevas, which of us has been on zero dates, and which of us has a nightstand full of women’s calling cards?”

“Fair point, but I don’t see how you expect not talking to her to somehow result in a partnership.”

“It’s about timing; I’ve interrupted enough book girls to know that’s the first way to piss them off.”

“They still went back to the dorm with you.”

“Yeah, but only after I started reading the books so I could talk about them. Book girls are next level. It takes more than all this to entice them.” He gestured to indicate himself.

Rion wasn’t vain about his appearance, but puberty had knocked him from fat kid to a dark slab of a man. That bulk added the illusion of years to his age and made it impossible to hide in a crowd, so women noticed him whether he wanted it or not, and often licked their lips when they did it. (Not that he minded.)

“YouEdie’s Buy Links: could simply choose a partner who’s not a book girl.”

“Are you kidding? I know what kind of books those girls read.”

About the Author

Edie Skye wrote Titan Mage as a joke and, in doing so, discovered that while she really likes writing smart stuff, she also likes writing smut. Pretty spicy smut, too, ‘cause if you’re gonna do it, you might as well do it hard.

Specifically, she likes to spin fun (and funny) adventure fantasies about badass women and the equally badass dudes who want to do them. Vigorously. There’s action and monster-punching galore, sometimes with airships and mech upgrades, sometimes with monster girl gamers, but always with a substantial side of harem and fun-for-all-involved graphic spice. (Which is to say, it’s super NSFW. Unless your workplace is, like, really cool.)

Edie’s Social Media Links

Edie’s Buy Links:

Website: https://edieskye.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/edieskyeauthor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edieskyeauthor/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@edieskyeauthor

X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/edieskyeauthor

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@edieskyeauthor

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/edieskyeauthor

Edie’s Buy Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Titan-Mage-Havoc-Frigid-Flame-ebook/dp/B0H3LTT8L5

Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/Titan-Mage-Havoc-and-the-Frigid-Flame-Audiobook/B0H9ZYZ4CW

Signed Books at my Direct Shop: https://store.holowriting.com/pages/titan-mage-havoc

Edie Skye will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.

Don’t believe all the myths – #ParanormalEroticRomance #99cents #MFRWHooks

Welcome to this week’s MFRW Book Hooks blog hop. I’ve got another snippet from Fangs, Fur and the Single Girl to entertain you today, this one featuring the other paranormal protagonist, vampire Jim Bush.

The book is still on sale for only 99 cents. Grab a copy before the price goes back up to $4.99!

Blurb

The city is full of fanatics who believe vampires are real. Bianca knows that’s a fantasy. Then a blond, blue-eyed blood drinker walks into her office and turns her universe upside down. Trying to escape from the vampire’s seductive influence, she collides with a wolf shifter whose mere presence inspires irresistible lust. How can Bianca resolve her feelings for her two mutually hostile lovers?

The Hook

Bianca stopped short, staring at Jim’s figure, bundled up in his overcoat. “It’s daytime,” she accused, stabbing her finger into his chest.

“So?”

“Well, what about the sun? I thought that vampires couldn’t be out during the day.”

“Not much sun,” Jim commented, peering up at the leaden sky. “I can’t handle direct sunlight, but in weather like this, I’m fine. Sunscreen or a hat helps, too.”

“But—then you’re not really a creature of the night!”

Jim grabbed the hand poking him. Slowly and deliberately, he rubbed his thumb over the tiny puncture wound on her wrist. Bianca trembled, remembering. “Sort of depends on your definition, doesn’t it?”

His smile made her cringe with embarrassed desire. Damn! She’d have to get hold of her reactions if they were going to work together. When he released her, she fought an urge to sink to her knees. Instead, she took his arm and steered him around the corner toward the pub.

“Don’t believe all the myths,” he continued. “Garlic doesn’t bother me. I can sleep in a church or take a bath in holy water with no ill effects. Electromagnetic radiation, on the other hand, could probably kill me. Even a cell phone makes me weak. A taser would likely do me in.”

Bianca shifted the bag with her phone to her other arm.

“Loud noises are a problem, because my hearing is so sensitive. Explosions. Sirens. I went deaf for a week, early on, when my roommate turned up the volume on Ozzy Osbourne. Now I always carry earplugs.”

“The vampire hunters always carry a wooden stake…”

Jim grimaced. “I don’t have any experience. My guess would be there’s some truth behind that legend.”

“And what about flying? Or becoming invisible?” Bianca remembered the way he seemed to appear and disappear in her office.

“I can move extremely fast, when I want to. However, I have nothing whatsoever to do with bats!”

They arrived at Donnie’s, the place she’d been aiming for. It was, as he had requested, dark and quiet, especially at four in the afternoon. Settling them in a corner booth at the back, Bianca ordered a gin and tonic. Jim asked for a glass of cabernet, grinning at her raised eyebrows.

They shucked off their outerwear. Jim sat next to her on the bench. His thigh was a mere inch from hers. It was just so strange that she couldn’t feel his body heat through her tights. She wondered about his masculine equipment—was it cool like his neck, or warm like his lips?—then scolded her wayward mind.

“Perhaps I’ll get the chance to show you.” Jim flashed her a brief grin.

Bianca felt the flush climbing to the roots of her hair. “Damn it, can you hear every thing that I’m thinking?”

“Not really. Sometimes it’s all muddled together. But it seems as though the more emotion there is associated with a thought, the more clearly it comes through.”

He reached over to brush her bangs away from her eyes with gentle fingers. “You seem to be quite an emotional person, Bianca.”

Emotional? That certainly conflicted with her self-image. She saw herself as rational, businesslike, organized and ambitious. She didn’t let her feelings intrude on her life or influence important decisions. Mark had even called her “cold”. That wasn’t true; he was just being spiteful about the break-up. She was simply disciplined. Self-controlled.

It was difficult to maintain control, though, sitting next to this beautiful and seductive—phenomenon.

 

The book is available in audio as well as ebook format. Find all the buy links on my website: https://www.lisabetsarai.com/fangsfurbook.html

Be sure to visit the other authors participating in today’s Book Hooks!

A life among the stars – #Biography #Astrology #Giveaway

Blurb

New Age trailblazer Linda Goodman wrote best-selling books and empowered millions with astrology’s insights. Strong willed, complicated and fiercely independent, she had three husbands, six kids, legions of fans, and extraordinary success. An idealistic seeker, she believed she could create the world she chose; yet with her daughter’s suicide at 21, she shrank from reality. Dazzled by the Light covers Linda’s West Virginia roots, her relationship struggles, professional achievements and financial setbacks. Enriched with in-depth research, vivid portraits of New Age figures, friends’ candid recollections, and Linda’s effervescent prose, this comprehensive biography illuminates the life and times of an enigmatic icon.

Excerpt

Linda’s TV breakout, 1967

Not long after her in-depth study of astrology, Linda Goodman did a reading for Emmy award-winning producer David Susskind. A Sagittarius born in 1920, he hosted a weekly TV show on local New York station WNEW. Susskind courted controversy, with guests airing views on politics, organized crime, sexuality, pornography, Vietnam and race relations.

The talk show regularly featured astrologers and psychics like Wall Street analyst Charles Jayne and columnist Sydney Omarr. Astrologer Noel Tyl remembered watching an episode: “There were three women there with what I recognized to be old ways of presenting astrology… and Susskind was just ripping them apart. I said… “What these people are saying is valid… But they’re saying it so poorly!”

Linda may have seen it, too, but she later became a better guest: lively and attractive, she knew her Sun signs cold, and was armed with historical information legitimizing astrology. She appeared on two episodes in February and March of 1967. Syndication repeated the shows across the country over several months, increasing the audience.

Linda appeared with two other astrologers, both professionals and writers involved with the astrological community for decades. A New Jersey paper featured the shows: “Three dedicated astrologers offer on-the-spot predictions, analyze zodiac signs and defend themselves from disbelieving members of the audience.”

Over forty at the time, Linda always projected an upbeat, youthful appearance. And there is quite a lot an astrologer can convey with Sun signs alone. The show got a lot of attention. After it aired, Goodman said, “a literary agent called and suggested a book.” 

About the Author

A consulting astrologer for over 20 years, Karen Christino has written nine books about astrology, and horoscopes for Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Modern Bride and Seventeen magazines. She has a B.A. from Colgate University, and also studied at Columbia University.

Website: https://karenchristino.com/

Dazzled by the Light: book’s page: https://karenchristino.com/books/dazzled-by-the-light-linda-goodman/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100014294347020

Dazzled on Amazon: https://link.amazon/B0hZwAWIm

Karen Christino will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.

Review Tuesday moved to Monday: Kieran's Light by Sadira Stone -- #ReviewTuesday #TrappersCove #BeachTownRomance

  

Kieran’s Light by Sadira Stone

July, 2025

I wish I could visit Trappers Cove. It’s not just that I love the beach (though I do). Sadira Stone’s fictional town on the Pacific Northwest coast is a true community: a place where people matter, where quirkiness is a positive virtue, where differences are respected—and where everyone, eventually, finds a personal happy ending. The town offers an antidote to the selfishness and negativity that seem to have taken over most of the rest of the world.

Sadira Stone manages this magic without denying that darkness exists. Kieran’s Light is in many ways the most serious of the Trappers Cove romances, focusing on two very damaged individuals struggling to build normal lives.

Addy Connor is a military surgeon who’s toured Afghanistan and experienced firsthand the horrors of war. She has saved many lives, but the cost has been devastating. Suffering from persistent PTSD, she finds it increasingly difficult to give her work the attention it deserves. She escapes for a planned week-long vacation in Trappers Cove to contemplate whether she should re-enlist, return to her toxic family in Nebraska, or somehow find another path.

Kieran Gallagher survived a horrific explosion on the oil rig where he worked. The burn scars that disfigure his body are nothing compared to the emotional trauma of having seen his closest friends consumed by flames. He has found some sanctuary in Trappers Cove, living alone in his modest cottage and serving as a guide for visitors to the town’s picturesque lighthouse, but his peace is fragile.

When Addy and Kieran meet, thanks to the antics of Addy’s rambunctious dog Snoot, they’re both astonished by the swiftness with which they establish a relationship of honesty, comfort and trust. Equally startling is the powerful sexual attraction that sizzles between them. Still, as much as they want to be together, their past experiences have made them cautious, even skittish. Addy, in particular, is at a crossroads in her life. Her stay in Trappers Cove was supposed to be temporary, and the sudden bloom of feelings for Kieran is not something she’s ready to believe in.

The conflicts underlying this romance revolve primarily around the protagonists’ fears and insecurities. Though it’s clear to the reader that Addy and Kieran belong together, they don’t see this as a smooth path. And perhaps it will not be—love heals, but we cannot leave our pasts behind.

As usual, Sadira Stone does a stellar job describing the conjunction of the physical and emotional that turns sex into love-making. Her love scenes are simultaneously graphic and graceful.

She has also created a vivid “character” in Snoot. The chocolate Lab is, like Addy, a veteran of combat. He’s simultaneously a disciplined soldier and an uninhibited bundle of fur with a very active tongue. If you’re a dog person, you will definitely fall in love. In fact, I’m a cat person, but I still adored the silly, loyal canine.

Let me also mention the food. Ms. Stone likes to cook (according to her bio) and this finds its way into her books. I warn you, some of the descriptions of meals may make your stomach growl!

I believe I’ve read all but one of the Trappers Cove series at this point. I’ve enjoyed them all, but I think this one might be my favorite. Addy and Kieran have a gravity, a seriousness, that gives their story special impact.

By the way, this book is set around Halloween and even includes a ghost. To me, that actually was a bit of a distraction from the love story. Love is enough of a marvel, even without the supernatural.

Every story hides a secret long buried – #SpeculativeFiction #HistoricalFiction #Giveaway

Blurb

On the eve of President John F. Kennedy's final trip to Dallas, an irreverent narrator from the Ether begins to reveal the hidden chain of events that history never recorded. Spanning decades and weaving together Hollywood legends, political dynasties, secret affairs, and forgotten tragedies, Coincidence imagines how seemingly unrelated lives become entangled in the most infamous assassination of the twentieth century. From Joseph P. Kennedy and Gloria Swanson to Jackie Kennedy, Mary Pinchot Meyer, and the young Lee Harvey Oswald, every choice, passion, and betrayal sends ripples through time. Behind every headline lies another story, and every story hides a secret long buried. As the strands converge on November 22, 1963, the line between fate and accident begins to blur. Rich in historical detail and provocative speculation, Coincidence asks: was it really coincidence at all?

A quick conversation with the author

Lisabet Sarai: How do you handle the fact that modern readers are probably unfamiliar with many historical personages you have cast in your historical or alt-historical fiction?

Jon Ketzner: Well, first, I think part of the fun of reading historical fiction is deducing which characters and events are actually historically verifiable and which are fictional supplements added by the author to sex up the narrative. In Coincidence, I have characters who are historical well-knowns, especially to Baby Boomers and the huge crowd of Kennedy assassination obsessives, conspiracists, and groupies. I also have characters who are fictional stand-ins for real folks or composites of real folks. For example, Billy and Sharman are pretty obviously stand-ins for F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald. Then there is an army of fictional characters whose story arcs weave in and through the historical record. Many of these characters have names the same or similar to friends and relatives of mine. These people are so thrilled to be included they often buy multiple copies of the book and give them out as gifts, having signed the pages where they appear. 

Do I sweat the fact that many modern readers have no clue who the Fitzgeralds were or the breathtakingly fascinating Mary Pinchot Meyer? Not really. First anyone with an I-phone can quickly get a tidy Google bio of the real characters. AI does much of the heavy lifting now in tracking down the bios and anecdotes about these people. Reading an historical novel probably implies that the reader has a high sense of curiosity about the individuals and events covered by the fictional take on real history. If I can whet their appetites for doing some off-line research about people they stumble upon in my story then I make no apology for that. I certainly operate that way in my consumption of historical fiction. The challenge, of course, is to make these long dead folks so compelling that a reader will want to learn more about them. As a writer I generally only want to cast historical figures who were demonstrably interesting or have the potential to be plausibly written that way.

I trust the intelligence and curiosity of my readers to not make me slog down the story narrative with asides and tortured, unnatural dialogue putting meat on the bones of historical characters. I hope the actions assigned by my storytelling will adequately reveal their real selves without tired expository paragraphs adding to the novel's word count. These are readers of historical fiction...amateur historians essentially...not readers of fantasies or bodice busting romances...they'll do the necessary heavy lifting to educate themselves about interesting but previously unknown historical characters. My job is to tweak their curiosity through my dialogue and atmosphere.

Excerpt

Jackie rarely consulted him about her clothing. Her sense of style, if not her sense of humor, was notorious.

“The pink.”

She seemed surprised. “Why the pink?”

“Texas. All those tired cowgirls raising their brat kids to be Miss America. They adore pink in Texas.”

The First Lady eyed the pink at arm’s length. She shrugged. “Okay. The pink.”

“But the hat,” POTUS said, “could you do without the hat. I hate those things.”

Jackie shook her head.

“I’ll need the hat. Without the bubble top on, my hair would be a mess.”

The president leaned back against the pillows on his rock-hard bed, supine in his boxers and the argyles Bobby had given him which bore the presidential seal. He grinned.

“Remember the times when we would drift down the Potomac, standing by the rail, the wind blowing wildly through your hair, and there on the river in the middle of the city you would sink sexily to your knees…”

“Drop dead, Mr. President.” Words Jackie would soon want back.

The door to Suite 850 opened and George Lapp entered to help The President dress. He nodded at Jackie. He had seen her naked many times and was indifferent to the marital scenario into which he had strolled. Jackie smiled curtly and sidled toward her own room to don the pink Chanel, including its matching hat.

Before she left, the President grinned and said to his valet. “I might need the back brace today, George, had a strenuous night.”

About the Author

Jon Ketzner was born in Cumberland, Maryland in the lovely Appalachian foothills. He grew up in Baltimore then graduated from Towson University with a degree in mathematics and went on to a long career as a consulting actuary. For many years, Jon and his family lived in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania before moving back to Cumberland in 1990.

As a recovering actuary and inspired by the Maryland Writers Association’s “Notable Authors” monthly challenges, Jon decided to try his hand at writing and give his left-brain side a rest. He cites as influences: Henry Fielding, Joseph Heller, Gregory McDonald, and Tim Dorsey.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/34506564.Jon_Ketzner

Jon Ketzner will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.