By Mia Catherine (Guest Blogger)
I never considered myself a reader,
though I did see signs of my future obsession when I was younger. As
a teen, I remember one long weekend where I spent every possible
moment reading the "Flowers in the Attic" series. I think I
went through four books (and I seem to remember a fifth - a prequel,
maybe?) in less than three days. I was obsessed. But nothing else
ever grabbed my attention. Perhaps, even then, I suspected it could
take over my life.
At the end of my last pregnancy several
years ago, I was advised by my doctor to "take it easy."
Not a natural thing to do for a mother of two young boys. I'll never
forget the Saturday morning that changed my whole life.
Surfing the internet while doing my
best couch potato impression, I found myself in the time void many of
us have experienced at one point or another - YouTube. One clicked
led to another, led to another, and soon almost half the day was
gone, but those hours were far from a waste.
What did I immerse myself in? I found
old video clips from a TV show I watched religiously in high school.
Seven minutes at a time, I was transported to my youth, when life had
few worries—although I may have claimed differently at the time.
Those clips led me to a website, where I found many people who loved
the show as much as I did. Wow! Bonus!
As part of that website, there was a
small section of what was labeled "Fan Fiction." Fan
fiction? You mean like Trekkies? Immediately, the images of the
people I'd encountered when an old boyfriend convinced me to attend
Comi-Con scrolled through my mind. We all know these people—the
ones who dress up as their favorite aliens and seemingly live in a
world all their own. The last thing I wanted to be was one of "those"
people.
Boy was I wrong.
No, I don't dress up and attend
conferences, but I've since learned there's nothing wrong with
allowing yourself a dose of fantasy. I avoided the fan fiction area
on that website for a long time, but when boredom finally dragged me
in, I never left. Sure, there were the writings you'd expect from
amateurs, but even the lesser quality stories allowed me time to
enjoy characters I'd fallen in love with so many years ago. To my
very pleasant surprise, however, I found good stories. Really good
stories. Stories that should be one day published. By authors I truly
admired. Boom! My love of reading had been discovered.
Along with the good parts of fan
fiction, come the bad. The worst part? The stories are written
chapter by chapter, so you inevitably catch up and are left wanting
more. So, what to do? Oh, why not? I threw my hat into the ring and
began writing my own story.
As addicted as I'd become to reading, I
found myself equally as addicted to writing. No restrictions, no
guidelines, no limits. I can create my own world and control every
action of everyone who lives there. What's better than that?
I was thrilled when my story was well
received, and even more stunned when the author I admired most on the
site complimented me. Really? Wow. That meant a lot. She's now become
a great friend and together we've focused on improving our writing.
We took classes and entered contests - and of course she kicked my
butt! That process eventually led to a publishing contract, and I am
now watching the release of my very first full-length book,
"Unexpected Consequences."
If you'd told me that Saturday morning
my journey would lead to becoming a published author, I would have
laughed you out of the room. Yet, here I am, on the first rung of a
very, very tall ladder. The trepidation has dissipated, slightly, but
only hard work will quash it all together - if that's even possible.
Blurb for Unexpected
Consequences
While working to recruit his former best friend to join sides with a
notorious mob boss, Nick Jensen unknowingly falls in love with his best
friend’s sister.
Kelsey Braden has lived her life
obeying the rules, but now that she’s back in her hometown of
Brookfield after having accepted her dream job, she wants more. Stuck
in her protective shell and desperately wanting a way out, she
finally decides to be spontaneous and acts on impulse.
Nick Jensen has lived a life full of
challenges and pain. An intimidating loner, his history of mistakes
and bad choices have alienated those once close to him. Now that he
finds himself working for the wrong people, he struggles with his
current assignment – betraying his former best friend.
When Kelsey finds out the hot stranger
she's fallen for is not only working for a well-known gangster, but
that his target is her brother, she vows to cut him from her life.
Unfortunately, the powerful men Nick is involved with have discovered
the connection Kelsey has with both Nick and her brother, and decide
to use her as an insurance policy. Nick has to find a way to save his
new love, protect her brother, and prevent Kelsey from hating him,
all while battling demons of his own.
Excerpt
"I expect
you to stay in touch, Jensen. I don’t give a fuck if you did get to
town a day early. Don’t get distracted by whatever whore you’ve
got in your bed," the person with the gravelly voice ordered,
over the phone.
"Oh, yeah?"
Nick snapped. "Well, I got news for you, asshole. I’m on my
time, not yours. The clock starts at noon tomorrow. Until then, lay
off."
A reply of curse
words followed, but he couldn’t have cared less. Nick disconnected
the call and climbed off his Harley. It was time to relax.
Loud music, the
clack of pool balls, and the smell of stale cigarette smoke greeted
him when the door squealed open. Having been unexpectedly dragged
back to Brookfield, Nick desperately needed to release some of his
pent-up energy. The Rusty Spoke was the perfect place to hustle some
pool and throw back a few beers. It was just as he remembered it from
the old days—sticky floors, broken mirrors and burned out neon.
Short of spending the night with a hot woman, it was exactly what he
needed.
He set his coins
on the pool table, indicating his challenge to the winner of the
current game. He’d barely had a chance to hang up his jacket and
order a beer before his turn arrived. As his opponent sized him up,
Nick gave a terse grin. Candy from a baby, dude. Bring it.
Even at six foot
one, Nick wasn’t what many would consider a physically intimidating
man. Genetics assured his body remained lean, despite his efforts to
bulk up, but his dedication in the gym kept his shoulders broad and
his muscles well defined. He had learnt early on that respect was to
be gained from fear, and he enjoyed putting that fear into any man
who dared cross him. It was a trait that came in handy when dealing
with a sore loser.
*
* * *
An unwavering
pool shark, he handily beat his first challenger and a couple more
before he even had a chance to order another beer. He wasn’t sure
if it was his skill at the game, or the way he managed to unnerve his
opponent that made him unbeatable, but he was cocky enough to think
that, regardless, no one here could best him.
"Wanna take
me on?" a pretty blonde asked, tilting her head to the side and
giving him a sexy smile.
"Well, that
depends," Nick replied as he drank in the sight of her. She was
much too classy to be a hooker, at least compared to the hookers he’d
known. If anything, she seemed too innocent to be in a shitty place
like this. Still, if she was selling, he might have to reconsider his
rule of never paying for sex. A fine young thing like her didn’t
cross his path on a regular basis.
He took his time
as he looked her over. Her tits were full, yet pert, and he could
only imagine how sweet she’d taste, if given the opportunity. Her
skin was flawless, her cheeks had just the right hint of pink, and
her perfectly plump lips rounded in the most enticing little pout.
She was beautiful, and sexy as hell, but what caught his attention
most was the incredible depth in her clear blue eyes. They sparkled,
even in the dimly lit bar. She could’ve had her pick of anyone in
the joint, not that she even belonged there in the first place, but
here she was, hitting on him.
"On what?"
"On what you
mean by take you on."
"Well, how
about we start with a game of pool? You up for it?" She walked
past him, closer than necessary, and reached for a pool cue from the
rack on the wall. The faint fragrance of lilacs trailed behind her.
He couldn’t tell if it was her perfume or shampoo, but as soon as
it dissipated, he wanted to close in to figure it out.
He watched the
way her skirt hugged her curves. Her ass was every man’s dream.
"Baby, I’m up for whatever you’re offering. What are the
stakes?"
"How about
loser buys dinner?"
"Works for
me." He was tempted to throw the game if it meant taking her
somewhere private and getting to know her better, but he had to keep
his cool. "Wanna break?"
"Winner’s
table. She’s all yours."
He did his best
to concentrate on his task as he chalked up his cue. His ultimate
goal was getting her somewhere alone, or, better yet, in his bed, but
his pride was at stake. He couldn’t allow himself to look like a
fool by losing to her. With one fast swipe of his cue, the smack of
the pool balls rang through the bar.
Nick sank two
more balls in quick succession, trying his best to balance skill with
brevity. When he circled the table for his next shot, he caught sight
of what was happening on the other side of the table, and his hopes
for the evening began to fade.
A young
dark-haired man was now sitting beside his beautiful opponent,
showing obvious interest. He was exactly the all-American type he’d
expect a beauty like her to go for. Well, so much for that.
Trying to keep
his attention on the game, he rounded the corner for his next shot.
The distraction caused him to miss, but he could now hear what the
two were saying.
"Can I buy
you a drink?" the intruder asked her.
"No thanks,
I’m fine," she curtly responded.
"Oh, come
on. Give a guy a chance. I know how to please a woman." He gave
her a smile he’d no doubt perfected on many unsuspecting girls.
"Then please
leave me alone." Although talking to the young man, her
attention never veered from Nick, and his hopes for the evening
renewed.
The intruder
continued, clearly not giving up. "I think you want me."
She turned and
looked him dead in the eye. "Oh, you’re so right. I want you
to leave!"
Nick admired her
feistiness and waited for the young punk to walk away with his tail
between his legs. When it was clear that wasn’t going to happen, he
intervened.
"Is there a
problem here?" Nick asked the intruder.
"No, no
problem, buddy. I was just talking to the lady."
Nick’s gaze
left the punk and moved to her. "It’s your shot."
"Oh, great,
it’s time to earn my dinner!" She smiled at Nick and walked
towards the table.
Nick turned back
to the punk. "Looks like the lady isn’t interested in anything
you have to say." He then leaned closer and, with his practised
grizzly voice and gritted teeth, snarled, "Buddy."
He chuckled when
he saw the intruder lean back and avert his gaze. It was a sign of
fear Nick had come to enjoy in unsuspecting assholes such as him.
Without another word, the punk slunk away. "Smart boy," he
muttered to himself.
Nick returned his
attention to the pool table, where he found the beauty lining up her
shot. The vision made blood rush towards his growing erection and he
had to adjust his stance to allow room in his jeans. Damn, but
she’s sexy.
About Mia
Born and raised in Wisconsin, Mia Catherine is a proud Cheesehead living
with her husband and their three young sons. An avid fan of television
dramas, Mia looked away from the small screen when she became
disillusioned with the lack of substance on current shows. Enjoying the
fantasy involved in a good love story, she turned to reading and quickly
discovered a little voice in her head. That voice led to writing her
first chapter, and the second, and the third…
Now, translating that
voice in her head to words on the computer is Mia's escape when times
get tough. As words begin to form a story, she's allowed to escape the
trials of everyday life and live in her own little world, if for only a
short time.
Knowing others find some pleasure reading what she's written is just an added bonus.
http://www.miacatherine.net
