Sneak Peek Sunday

NOT WITHOUT RISK:

The sign affixed to the door read Conroy Photography. Justin rapped his knuckles twice into the center of it. Behind him, the unusual quiet of the street unnerved him. The absence of everyday sounds—like traffic, barking dogs or children at play—tightened already-tense muscles. Made him wish he had strapped his Glock to his side before he‘d left his home. The thought disappeared the moment the door swung open.

Paige Conroy stood in the doorway, framed in the light from the room behind her. Gone was the woman he‘d met that morning, a woman who‘d exuded a surprising strength and professionalism. In her place stood a woman who unnerved him more.

Her hair hung down and fell in long, loose curls over her shoulder, nearly to her waist. The fingers of her left hand were tucked in the front pocket of a pair of faded jeans, worn white at the stress points and ripped at the knee. Old, comfortable jeans that fit her like a second skin, drawing his gaze down her long length of legs and to her bare feet. He took his time studying those feet, their red toenails and silver toe ring that he found ridiculously sexy. Enough time that when his gaze returned to her face, he found her frowning at him, her arms crossed before her.

“Sergeant Harrison, isn‘t it? Can I help you Sergeant Harrison?”

Her tone was ice cold, her stance forbidding. He‘d expected this, had been prepared for it even. But he had not been prepared to discover that beneath her outward appearance of strength, in a face washed clean of make-up, was a frailty that had been missing that morning. Dark shadows and small lines of fatigue ringed her eyes.

The urge to pull her to him and offer comfort surprised him. She was unusually tall for a woman. He stood six-foot-three and even with her feet bare, she nearly looked him in the eye. He liked his women shorter—blonde and petite. Paige Conroy was neither, but the thought of her in his arms, their bodies lining up perfectly, chest-to-chest, pelvis-to-pelvis, warmed his blood.

“Sergeant?”

“I need to talk to you.”

BUY Not Without Risk:

AMAZON / BARNES AND NOBLE / ARe

Check out the other Sneak Peak Sunday authors at:

http://sneak-peek-sunday.blogspot.com/

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New Book Video

I have two new trailers that the amazing Amie Louellen created for me. The long book trailer for NOT WITHOUT RISK can be found under the 'Book Trailers' tab above. I also have a shortie or teaser trailer that I think is fun. Check it out!

What do you think?

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The Page 99 Test ~ Not Without Risk

The Page 99 Test is simple: After reading page 99, would you want to turn the page and keep reading? About a month ago I posted page 99 of my contemporary romance, After Midnight. Because it was so much fun, I thought I'd do it again.

Let's have a look at my romantic suspense, Not Without Risk:

    As her legs suddenly went weak, Paige forced away the thought. She couldn't get involved with him. Couldn't let herself care.
    She dragged in a shaky breath. "I'm sorry I've wasted your time."
    Justin set his jaw. His hand curled against his thigh. "I never said you were wasting my time."
    She'd been so afraid, coming out of a nightmare then hearing someone move around downstairs. So sure of what she'd heard, certain of someone in her studio. Now...
    Maybe it had been a dream, or the panicked imaginings of an exhausted mind. Paige didn't think so, but couldn't be certain. "I must be overreacting."
    "It would be understandable."
    She closed her eyes against the kindness she heard in his voice. They snapped open at the feel of his finger beneath her chin. He tipped her face to his. "Then there's the broken bottle in the darkroom. Imagination doesn't explain that."
    Relief filled her, driving away some of her tension. Maybe she wasn't losing her mind, after all. "Thank you."
    "For what, doing my job?"
    "For answering my call, even though you were probably busy with something else. For believing in me. Again."
    "We aren't going to start this again, are we? I wasn't busy." Justin explained as he lifted his hand and traced his fingertip along her jaw. "I had dinner with my mother earlier. On my way home, I stopped off for a drink. That's where I was when you called."
    Paige took a deep breath, trying to slow her racing heart. The caress of his fingers across her skin made her pulse trip. "I'm glad." She wasn't supposed to care where he went or who he spent his free time with, but she had to admit to being thrilled he hadn't been on a date. Just the thought of him touching another woman the way he touched her now made her stomach clench painfully.

So what do you think? Would you keep reading?

Want to join in the fun? I'd love to read your page 99.

Post it on your blog and let me know where to find it.



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Snippet Sunday

Since I've spent so much time lately talking about my newest release, I thought I'd go ahead and change things up today and share with you a snippet from my debut romantic suspense, NOT WITHOUT RISK.

Good God, she was beautiful. And strong, stubborn, driven—things that he never imagined he could find so alluring. Still teasing himself with the feel of her beneath his fingertips, he trailed his hand down her throat toward the gentle swell of her breast above the neckline of her blazer. His palm itched to continue on, to cup her. He wanted his hands on her, wanted his mouth on her.

He fought back the urge by reminding himself that Paige had wants of her own. She wanted her life back. The life she had before St. John’s murder, before the threats and the fear. The life she’d had before him. It would do for him to remember that.

Instead, he chose to recall the taste of her. Her throaty moan of approval as his mouth had taken hers. The way her body had strained against his, seeking release, a release she craved as badly as he. Emotion pulled at him, threatened to drown him. Scared the hell out of him the way those photos had just a few hours ago.

Justin hadn’t known a man could want like he did. He wanted her even though she made him wish for things he’d never even considered, things he wasn’t certain he even believed existed. He wanted to risk, to reach for that ever-elusive something that snaked through him whenever she set those green eyes on him.

Damn, but just admitting that to himself made him wonder if he’d lost his senses completely. He’d been trained not to risk. In his line of work, risk could get him killed. Yet ever since that fateful evening some six months before, the feeling that he was missing out on something in life ate at him.

Her eyelids eased open. Justin went from staring into her sleep-softened face to staring into the endless green of her gaze. A smile curved her lips, lit her up from the inside out.

“Justin.”

He didn’t know which he liked more, the way she said his name, or her smile. His pulse kicked into high gear. Desire sucker-punched him in the gut. “Were you expecting someone else?”

She sat up slowly, her fingers moving to his jaw. Her gaze slid to his mouth as she traced his smile, dipped her thumb into his dimple. “Hmm…your smile is incredible.”

“Is it?” Justin held perfectly still, worked to draw oxygen into his suddenly deprived lungs as she eased her body closer and closer. Her thigh pressed against his, her breasts brushed his chest.

“So is your mouth,” she murmured, her voice like a caress across his flesh. Leaning into him, she used her teeth to nip at his lips, following the sharp bite with a swipe of her tongue.

Leave her alone, the voice of reason whispered, but Justin ruthlessly shoved the thought aside. Blood pounding, mind reeling, he settled his left hand at her waist, slid it up to cup her breast through her jacket and captured her moan with his mouth.

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Six Sentence Sunday 11/27

He was gentle at first and then, as she surrendered, his mouth explored hers with greater intent. He kissed her almost roughly, completely on fire, sweeping his tongue possessively into her mouth. His hands settled on her hips, gliding upward beneath her shirt until his palms closed over her naked breasts. His moan of approval, so raw and husky, vibrated into her mouth and made her heart pound even harder. The sensation of bare flesh against bare flesh sent waves of heat spiraling from her head to her toes. Her nipples hardened.

Be sure to visit all the Six Sentence Sunday authors. You can find a list of them HERE. See you next time!



*Not Without Risk by Sarah Grimm

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Snippet Saturday

A sudden thump sounded against the door, then a second time, louder than the first. Paige jumped, her pulse skipping as the sound came again and again. She screamed when with a resounding crack, the front door swung in and slammed against the inside wall.

The man stood, framed in the doorway, one arm raised and holding the door against the wall to keep it from swinging back at him. His glasses were gone now and the sight of those eyes looking at her, staring at her from a stranger’s face, actually made her feel faint.

Her breath clogged in her lungs. Her body began to tremble even harder. She’d seen those eyes before, staring down at her as she slept. She’d thought she’d dreamed them, but here they were. Eyes so blue that had she not known better, she would have believed they were colored contacts.

“It can’t be,” Paige whispered, clutching her cell phone so tightly her fingers went numb. “You’re dead.”

“Put down the phone, P.C.”

Not Without Risk
available now:
The Wild Rose Press
Kindle
Nook

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Six Sentence Sunday 9/11

To all of those affected by the 9/11 tragedy 10 years ago, my thoughts and prayers are with you.

~*~

Welcome to Six Sentence Sunday. Thanks so much for stopping by! This week's snippet is from my romantic suspense, Not Without Risk.

“So you say.”

“You don’t believe me.” She was surprised by how much that hurt. “You still suspect me of killing Leroy, don’t you?”

“I believe in the evidence, Ms. Conroy, and until I have evidence that proves otherwise, you will remain a person of interest.”

“You actually think I would blow up my own car to divert attention from myself?”

For more fantastic authors visit the Official Six Sunday site. And as always, thanks for stopping by and commenting.

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Six Sentence Sunday 9/04

Welcome to Six Sentence Sunday! In honor of my 2011 Readers Favorite Award win, I'm going to share with you six from my silver medal winner, Not Without Risk.

Each stroke, each caress of her hand pushed his blood pressure up another notch until he had to steel himself from closing the distance and pulling her into his embrace.


Want consumed him. He wanted her hands on him, not just on his car. He wanted to taste her, feel her, to fist his hands in her hair and sink into her warmth. It’d been too long, far too long since he’d been with a woman—six months, ten days and twenty-two hours to be exact, and he missed it. He missed it more than he missed nicotine, more than he missed being able to draw a deep breath without the slightest twinge of pain.

For more fantastic authors visit the Official Six Sunday site. And as always, thanks for stopping by and commenting.

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Not Without Risk is a Winner!

I can't possibly explain just how excited I am to make this announcement, but here goes...NOT WITHOUT RISK was awarded the Silver Medal in the 2011 Readers Favorite Awards!


Honestly, I never really believed I would make it to the finals, let alone place! I'm still trying to wrap my mind around it, but I've received the 'Official' notification so I need to get over my doubts, don't I?

It's like winning the lottery. Really. As writers we struggle against self-doubt every day.

Will my editor like this story?

Will the reader connect with my characters?

And on truly bad days, when the characters have stopped talking to us and no matter how hard we try, we can't seem to find the right words...

Why do I even try?

My fellow writers are out there nodding their heads right about now. We've all been in the position to ask ourselves these questions at one time or another. But as writers we plug on, stomp those doubts into dust (at least temporarily) and keep writing. Why? Because we can't NOT write. We're just wired that way.

So to discover that my editor did like it, a reader did connect with my characters - not just enough that I was awarded a 5 Star review, but enough that I was awarded a second place win...that's an incredible boost to this writer's self-confidence!



Interested in reading more about the award? You can do that HERE

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