Book Excerpt: Dying to Dream

When Jack Robesaux is found lying dead on a Louisiana beach, psychic Marin Seurat must use her gift to prove it is murder and not suicide. Though Marin knows her dreams with their messages from the dead could help, she struggles with the idea of returning home and facing a troubled past—but a phone call informing her of Jack's murder and the return of the family curse gives Marin that final push. In a surprising turn of events, Marin discovers a mystery from long ago that somehow connects to recent deaths. With the help of cryptic messages delivered by spirits, Marin races to solve the mystery of Saint Toulere.

Excerpt

     The sweltering Louisiana heat steamed up from the ground and carried through the air, along with the salt and acrid stench coming from the gulf. It burned the nostrils and caused an ache from head to toe. It didn't matter where, a body felt it. However, this particular morning it carried more. The odor of blood and urine, mixed in with other smells all too familiar to Trent Robesaux. It violated his senses while he struggled to hold back the bitter taste gagging his throat. Swallowing hard, he concentrated on the words spoken by Sam Tomaso.

     "Found him about three this morning. Somebody trolling the beach—searching with one of those metal detectors, I guess—come up on his body." The sheriff of LaForche parish wiped a handkerchief across the back of his neck.

     "When will you be releasing him? I need to call Rochere's sometime today and make the funeral arrangements." Trent kept his eyes on the swelling ocean water, anywhere but below with the scene of Jack Robesaux, his head marinating in a bloody pool, and the homicide team gathering around him. A collage of images scrolled through his mind; he filtered out the happy ones to remind him of the father who raised him.

Bio

 

Kathryn Long is a native Ohioan, born and raised in Barberton, the "Magic City". She is the youngest of five children, although the closest sibling in age is a brother sixteen years her senior. Being raised like an only child, Kathryn found reading and writing as favorable forms of entertainment. In high school as a member of the Writers' Club, she continued to nurture her writing talent.

After high school Kathryn attended and graduated from the University of Akron with a BA degree in French. Before marriage and children the author managed a Waldenbooks store and continue writing short stories and song lyrics as a hobby. In 1987 she returned to school for a Bachelor's in Education. She has been an employee of the Green Local School system since 1990 and currently teaches SLD students at the high school.

Writing took a more serious turn a few years ago as Kathryn completed her first novel-length work and discovered that mystery was her nitch. Early on, determined to improve her craft, she developed a habit of spending most of her free time in the summer and on weekends during the school year, writing story after story. Mystery merged with the color of Native American culture to create Oklahoma's Gold and A Pleasant View. Venturing into cozy mysteries and romantic suspense writing, Kathryn has created three novels with the cozy, Whips, Cuffs, and Little Brown Boxes; a romantic suspense, A Deadly Deed Grows; and the recently completed, Dying to Dream, another romantic suspense.

Kathryn has also written short stories, two of which are published in The Piker Press: "A Good Man" and "Betrayal in a Letter". She also has ventured into the young adult genre, writing the modern-day fairytale, Cinderella Geek, under the pen name, K. Sean Jennkrist.

Keeping connected is an important element of writing. Staying in tune with what goes on in the writing world and being visible are reasons why Kathryn is a member of Sisters in Crime and maintains a blogsite - Writers & Teachers as well as a facebook page.

GREAT NEWS! My latest mystery, DYING TO DREAM, has been acquired for publication by MAINLY MURDER PRESS. The target date for release is in June, 2013. So, please put this on your calendar, if you enjoy mysteries with a bit of the paranormal and spiced with romance. It's a Louisiana delight full of suspense and colorful characters.

Cast the Cards Release Blitz

Cast The Cards - Release Day Blitz

By Shyla Colt

Romantic Suspense

Date to be Published: 8/2/2013

Savannah escaped a kidnapping but her best friend Clark—the man she secretly loved—didn’t. Guilt-ridden and changed after the event, she gives up her dream of teaching and earns a position in the F.B.I as a profiler. When she’s targeted by the very same kidnappers wishing to finish the job, she is armed with her skills, backed by her first love’s twin brother, and forced to revisit her demons when Clark’s ghost appears.

After his twin’s murder, Officer Carey Carr loses more than his brother. Savannah avoids him for a decade. Her return—and her steaming-hot body—stir brand new feelings in Carey. But Clark’s reappearance has Carey battling to control his primal desires around the woman his twin loved.

As Savannah and Carey, with Clark’s help, embark on a cruel game of cat and mouse with the kidnappers, the twins come to an understanding that involves Savannah and more pleasure than the three of them have ever dreamed.

EXCERPT

Savannah pressed the cold glass of iced tea to her neck. It was a sweltering summer, and her parents’ air conditioner was on the fritz. Which chased her over to Carey’s while they worked on their case after hours.  I wonder if Clark has something to do with that. The case had become an all-consuming driving force for both of them.

Frustrated by their inability to move forward they’d opted to take a break.

“When are your parents going to get the air fixed… not that I mind.” His gaze raked over her. “I like the view.”

“Flirt. I just spent the drive over here sweating like a pig. I doubt I’m much to look at.”

“Don’t underestimate your appeal.” The gravelly quality of his voice touched her in places long unattended. Clearing her throat, she attempted to refocus her attention on anything other than the sexy man who sat across from her in a white tank top and a pair of sweats. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t keep her gaze from his tats.

“Okay, I have to ask. What do the tattoos mean?”

“Aaah. The million dollar question.”

“Is it a secret?” Intrigued, she sat up straight.

“No, just personal.” Red appeared in his cheeks. “It’s a memorial.”

“That makes perfect sense. Why are you embarrassed?”  She arched an eyebrow.

“It’s for the three of us… I sort of felt like we died with Clark.”   He placed his hand on his arm. “The rose in the Rosary represents you.”

“I’m on your arm?” she whispered. Touched, she covered her mouth.

“I couldn’t do the piece without you. It didn’t feel right. When I first started work on this I knew I wanted us all on a rosary, connected despite everything that went down.”

“Carey.” Unable to find the right words, she shook her head.

“See, this is why I didn’t want to talk about it.” He rubbed the back of his neck.

“What have you been telling people all this time?”

“That it’s a memorial tat for my twin brother. They don’t ask for more detail after that.”

“Am I the only one who knows?”

“Yeah.” His jaw was tensed. He refused to meet her gaze.  Setting her drink on the table, she walked over to him and sank onto the arm of his chair. She traced the rosary that faded into the background of the brightly-colored, old school sailor designs that surrounded it. There were red stars, a red and blue swallow, and a set of dice.

“Thank you,” she whispered. 

He tilted his head up. Their gazes locked.

“Want to hear something funny?”

“Sure.” He nodded, his voice equally soft.

Stepping back, she pulled up the hem of her tank top and lowered the top of her cutoff shorts.  A delicate brown branch with three blossoms, black, red, and pink, graced the curve of her hip.

“For us?”

She nodded. A slow smile erased the pinched, austere expression he’d held moments earlier.  He extended a finger and traced over the pattern. She sucked in a breath.  A searing heat spread through her body. Her pulse kicked into overdrive and her muscles tensed. His finger crept lower, brushing the top of her shorts. Holding her breath in anticipation of more, she watched him through half closed lids.

“Savannah?” Raspy and uncertain, his question asked for permission.

“Y-yes.” The words were out before she could over think them. His head dipped and his tongue shot out and caressed the path his digit had traced.

“Oh.”  Her nipples hardened and her pussy grew moist. Years of neglect combined together to overthrow her objections. Desire exploded inside her like a bomb, superseding her common sense. Latching her fingers onto his shoulder she allowed her head to fall back, enjoying the feel of his mouth. He nipped her skin, moving across her waist. The stubble on his chin tickled where it grazed her delicate skin. He paused at her belly button and dipped his tongue inside. Her stomach muscles quivered, and her toes curled in her flip-flops.  He pulled back, blowing on her wet skin.

“Carey.”The wobbly words made him look up.

“Do you want me to stop, Vannah?”

 “N-no.”

Holding her stare, he brought his hand up and cupped her pussy. She gasped.

“Still okay?”

Unable to speak, she nodded. He began a massage.

“Oooh.” In need of relief from the pounding rhythm of need emitting from her core she spread her legs to allow him more room to play.

“That’s it, baby, open up for me.”  Her legs trembled. The rough material pressed into her cleft. She rocked her hips against him. Needy mewls slipped from her mouth.

“It feels so good,” she moaned.

“Are you going to come for me, Vannah?”

“Y-yes.”

“Mmm. I can feel the heat from your pussy through your shorts. Are you going to let me taste you after I make you come?”

The erotic image of his head between her legs sent her hurtling up the precipice she’d climbed to at the speed of light.

The sound of a zipper being pulled down brought her back to the present. He parted the miniscule piece of fabric and worked it down her hip, stopping to kiss the new patch of skin revealed to his hungry gaze.

Shyla Colt

Author Bio

Told once 'You have to be an author, then you're craziness becomes eccentrics', Shyla Colt has always been in love with the written word and possessed a desire to write. Named after Super Girl in the comics, she often mistakes her mortality for super hero status. So, she holds many hats, Mother, Marine Wife, and writer are her top three. Writing allows her to explore new venues, face her demons, and touch others. A huge practitioner of paying it forward, and putting in what you want to get out, she hopes to inspire, enlighten, move, and entertain you with her work. Mixing humor, drama, and strong women, often with a paranormal element, she continues to soldier ahead in the writing field. One of her favorite things is talking to fans. If you'd like to learn more or just drop a line, please check her out at www.shylacolt.com.

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