There were things the Sagamores could and could not do:
William defied all social norms.
Georgie could be trusted with any secret.
Georgia Anne did as she pleased.
And, John Richard would kill a man for hurting her.
But,
William could not keep his feelings hidden.
Georgie could not let an innocent man die.
Georgia Anne could not be a slave.
And, despite going to hell, John Richard could not stop loving her.
The hot ice of Eleanor’s voice brought the world back with crashing awareness. The center of the Conrac Ball was not the place to kiss Georgia Anne, to hold her intimately.
Eleanor stood shoulder to shoulder with Augusta Conrac and her husband Jesse Senior. Doctor Will and Uncle John followed them over, and behind them all, Lucy and Jesse Jr. held twin smirks.
“What do you think you are doing, young man?” Jesse Sr. puffed himself up to his full height of five foot seven.
“I will not tolerate this behavior in my home.” Augusta Conrac pointed to Georgia Anne.
“Hasn’t she caused enough scandal?” Although Eleanor was right up on them, she didn’t lower her voice. “You besmirch the Sagamore name.”
“Littlebit, get your wrap. We’re going home.”
Shaking, Georgia Anne turned away.
Lucy dogged her.
Eleanor opened and closed her fan with exaggerated force. “What an outrageous spectacle. This behavior must cease, at once.”
“We’re leaving, Mother.”
“I demand you remove that negro-hussy from my house.” Mrs. Conrac raised her voice to match Eleanor’s.
“Now, ladies,” Uncle John tried to push the sound down with both hands. “Calm down. He said they were leaving.”
“Leaving, I should hope so.” Jesse Sr.’s head bobbed up and down.
“You should never have brought her,” Eleanor said.
“This is a respectable home,” Augusta reminded them.
“Actually, William brought her—”
“Don’t muddle the issue, Will.” Eleanor shooshed him. “John Richard, I demand you apologize for…for…everything.”
“I demand you atone for the sin you’ve brought into my home.” Augusta nodded, agreeing with herself.
Jesse Sr. said, “This party cost me a fortune, young man. You’ve ruined it. I demand reimbursement. Every penny.”
Eleanor added one more requirement to the list. “I demand you get rid of that niggra.”
“Yes,” Augusta said. “It’s the only way.”
A muscle in John Richard’s lip twitched, as if he would smile. “Demand, and be damned.”
Novelist, Reviewer, Content Editor, Blogger, T-shirt Wearer, and Professional Snacker; Tracy A. Ball is a native Baltimorean and a veteran West Virginian whose family is blended from three cultures. She has opened her home to foster children, drug addicts, AIDS victims, and anyone who needed an assist. She knows people who have committed murder and people who have dined with the pope.
Which is why she writes sweet stories about tough love, tough stories about sweet love, and takes long naps.
Lazarus super soldier Jett is the perfect predator. He’s faster, stronger, and far deadlier than a normal man—because he isn’t normal. Brought back from the dead, Jett is supposed to be little more than a machine. His heart should be ice cold, but it’s not. His heart beats fast and hard for the one woman he should never be able to possess, Savannah Jacobs.
He’s the hero she didn’t expect.
When Savannah is kidnapped, she doesn’t think she’ll escape her captors. Then mysterious Jett breaks in and takes out all of the men in the room—the masked men who’d yanked her right off a busy public street—and Jett barely breaks a sweat in the fight. Jett is tall, dark, and as sexy as every sin that Savannah can imagine. When he takes her to safety, desire explodes between them. Savannah falls fast and hard for Jett…then he walks away.
But he broke her heart.
Jett knows he can’t have Savannah. A woman as perfect and sweet as Savannah can’t possibly stay in the nightmare that is his world. He gives her up—the hardest thing he’s ever had to do—and disappears from her life. But then Jett learns that he’s been set-up. Savannah was kidnapped as part of a dark plan to throw her and Jett together, and, now, Savannah is in more danger than ever before. She’s pregnant with his child—the first woman to conceive the child of a Lazarus test subject—and Jett’s enemies will stop at nothing to get her and the baby she carries.
And she can’t ever forgive him.
Jett has to protect Savannah—and the baby. His problem? Savannah hates him, and she knows nothing about the secrets he carries. He has to earn back her trust, he has to fight for the woman who owns his heart…and he also has to reveal the painful truth about himself to her. Jett is a dead man walking. A soldier without a soul.
HOLD ON TIGHT…the Lazarus soldiers are back, and they are ready to raise some hell.
1. For those who might not be familiar with you, would you be a dear and tell the readers a little about yourself? How did you get your start in the writing business?
Tracy: As with most writers, I am a life-long book lover, but, once figuring out the story became a habit, the next logical step was creating my own. I have a fairly colorful bio which has exposed me to some unique characters. Everyone thinks their life should be in a book. I try to accommodate.
2. Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? If so, please share how you handle it.
Tracy:I stay too busy to notice. If I’m not writing, I’m editing, researching, rewriting, reading, marketing (I hate marketing), etc., or writing something else. I usually have at least three projects in need of attention at any given time.
3. Contrary to what some people envision about a romance writer’s life, it’s not all glitz and glam. Well not for the majority of us. With that bubble sadly busted, when you’re not writing, how to do you spend your time?
Tracy:I read (of course). I paint. And, most importantly, I have an eighteen-month-old grandson.
4. I know many writers, such as myself, keep their pastime/career a secret. Do those close to you know you write? If so, what are their thoughts?
Tracy:Everyone knows I write. My family is more supportive than I deserve. Sometimes more critical, too. But I love it. They keep me honest.
5. Will you share with us your all time favorite authors? If you’re like me, it’s a long list so give us your top ten.
Tracy:I tend to bounce between romance, fantasy, and young adult. These are not in any particular order:
J. R.R. Tolkien
George R.R. Martin
J.K. Rowling
Rick Roidan
Jenifer Blake
Sharon Kay Penmen
Karen Marie Moning
Christine Feehan
Clair Delacroix
Sherrilyn Kenyon
Kam: You and I have multiple authors in common. Maybe we need to start a book club and dish about them and their wonderful creations. 😀
6. If you could choose one book to go to the big screen, yours or otherwise, which book would you choose and whom would you love to see casted in the parts?
Christian – Alexander Ludwig/ Theo James/ Tom Felton- Christian
Commander Joffener – Edward Noton
Lieutenant colonel Briggs – Robert De Niro
I’m open if anybody wants to produce it (lol).
AREINA ELLIOT, guidance counselor for Presque Isle Academy, discovered her idea for making students loyal to the government is being implemented in the Excellence Program to further the war. It has become her life’s work to undermine that effort. When she is arrested for being a Revolutionary sympathizer, her brothers, KAIDEN, FISHER, and SILAS rescue her with help from three of Lareina’s top students; ALEC, ORION, and YUKIYO. On the run but armed with intelligence and more, they seek to learn how she was exposed and by whom.
CHRISTIAN DEVERELL, the agent assigned to Lareina’s case is relentless. She can’t escape him. It doesn’t matter that he and Lareina are on opposite sides of the law, or that their history is dirty. It doesn’t matter that he commissioned her adopted brother, Silas, to assassinate her. The only thing of importance is his love for Lareina and his promise to protect her.
Silas MCKADE, soldier elite, Lareina’s secret weapon. The man who never misses is on the Government’s payroll to do whatever he likes to whomever he chooses. He has a death warrant for Lareina—the woman who means everything to him—and a heart full of hatred for Christian—the man he wants to be. He’s either going to break Lareina’s heart or stop it altogether.
7. Would you care to tell us what you’re working on now? That is if it’s not top- secret information. If so, just whisper it in my ear. I swear it’ll go no further.
Tracy:I just finished a short story for a charity anthology – It’s a sweet fairytale. I am working on a romance. The tag for that one is: Hope Floats meets Castaway. And, I am drafting another dystopian romantic suspense after the fashion of Get Out and The Stepford Wives.
(Tracy) Dragonfly Dreams is my short story contribution to the Anthology. The Anthology is due to release on Feb 15th.
10. Before we conclude this enlightening interview, do you have anything else you’d like to share? The stage is all yours.
Tracy:Most of my stories tend to be genre-bending because I write about love. When, where, and how it happens. Sometimes that’s on a farm or boat, other times it’s during the last Civil War or next one coming. Some of it is fluffy-sweet and some of it is rolling in heat and muck. But all of it is tough love because none of my main characters belong together. Their stubborn hearts refuse to listen.
**I know Tracy A. Ball is one helluva author but check out what others are saying about her.**
Reviewer K. Coly(5⭐): “I’m a huge fan of Kayos, by Tracy Ball. I couldn’t pass up the chance to revisit the world of mind games, conspiracy, and romance. The only disappointment was that the story wasn’t longer!!!! The glimpse we get into the couple’s tumultuous past is riveting and nothing like what I was expecting. If you’re tired of the boring romance where everything works out just as predicted, The Tiger and The Snake is definitely worth the read. Without getting into spoilers, the witty banter and unabashed manipulations make this couple a welcome change. You don’t have to read Kayos to love this, but you’ll want to read (or re-read) Kayos when you’re done. Hopefully this just the beginning of what would be an amazing series.”
Reviewer Bruce Logan (5⭐): “Set several decades into the future, this book is reminiscent of, and every bit as avant garde as was George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four when released in 1949. For the fan of dystopian fiction, it’s a feast and for and for anyone interested in a good yarn with equal doses of love and warfare, it’s a page-turner. This work is exceptionally well written by an author with a lively imagination. A spirited read. Well done, Tracy.”
Reviewer J.L. Cook (5⭐): “Such a brilliant way to tell a futuristic love story. Even amid a dystopian society, love wins! This book captured my attention from the beginning, and left me wanting more (in a good way) in the end.”
This prequel to KAYOS: The Bad & The Worse is the need-to-know origin of Lareina and Christian’s impossible relationship and includes the how and why the members of KAYOS are who they’ve become.
Print Length: 40 pages
Love thy enemy. Thoroughly.
“Oh, Lord. He’s back.”
Lareina and Christian had the love of a lifetime, a lifetime ago. Now, they’re frienemies with not enough benefits for either of them.
Christian wants to get past their problem, but Lareina is not having it, or him. Until a desperate call and a fateful day changes him; changes her; changes everything. Love has forced them to play a dangerous game called KAYOS.
Lareina hated Christian. She hated loving him. She hated being her best, happiest self with him. She hated how he made her laugh…and cry. Damn the man. Why did he ever make her cry?
An amazing dinner. A perfect moonlight stroll. His touch was electric and his kisses held every promise she ever wanted. But…
He was working. The evening was a carefully crafted delusion meant to fool an observer into believing they were in love. She wasn’t his woman. She was bait. It didn’t matter what he made her feel. Tonight, she was bait.
Other than to indicate the men following them, and when a team member happened to be near, Christian said very little about his game or her part in it. Being herself was all he required from her. She toyed and flirted and let him see the depth of her feelings. Promising him tomorrow would be an altogether different day.
“How will we know if this is working?” She asked on the way back to the hotel. She curled up under his shoulder as he drove.
“We won’t. You’ll have to spend the night with me to be sure they believe I’m fully distracted.”
“In your wildest wet dreams.” She used the opportunity to rub his crotch. “And, you are fully distracted.”
“Do it again. I dare you.”
“Nope. But only because you want me to.”
“Coward.”
“Absolutely.” Over their quiet laughter, she said, “You have me for one more hour, Christian. Once we’re done here, you are going to stay away from me for the rest of the weekend. Understand?”
“You know better. One, I’ve put you out there, I have to protect you.”
“I can protect myself.”
“I have to protect you. Two, avoiding me would blow my cover. And three, you don’t want me away from you any more than I do.”
“You’ve got one hour. Make it special.” She squeezed his leg and slid out of his reach.
For Royal Chanticleer, forging false IDs was basically joining the Peace Corps: make a little money and help refugees. But when his employers branch into human trafficking, Roy decides to steal his share and cut ties.
George Morrison, a lapsed Catholic and non-practicing gay in Ireland, has his lonely Christmas disrupted when a dangerous gang demands he abduct a fleeing con-artist by threatening his family. George manages to capture Roy… when Roy mistakes George for the average local, he charms and seduces him.
Suspicion and desperation soon war with their growing love for each other as Roy struggles to escape and George fights to protect his family from the gang that might kill them both.
“Another beer, cutie?” The man behind the counter sashayed and winked at him.
George nodded trying not to see the bartender.
“Sure I can’t interest you in something hard? We serve great cocktails. Sex with the bartender is my favorite.”
George shut his eyes and blocked out the suggestive remark. “No, but thanks. Just another Guinni.”
The bartender went away and George could breathe again. He had to figure out a way to get a hold of Dizie and get Roy into his car. Had to stop thinking about sex.
How to do that? When right there was the dance floor. Male bodies grinding. George had no idea there were that many gay men in Galway, though with the tourists…
Boyish cheeks leaned against neatly trimmed beards. Lips on ears. Bulges in tight jeans or tenting pressed trousers, over here rubbing against the firm globe of another man’s ass, over here against a stranger’s thigh, then his hand. Sex just there for the asking. All George’s dirty DVDs came to life and surrounded him in this prissy club, suffocating him with the heat and promise, drowning him in the scent of wine, sweat, and his own desire.
Then Roy stumbled out of the crowd, smiling, laughing at someone else’s joke or maybe his own happy thoughts.
Roy grinned wider seeing George. “You’re still here! Merry Christmas Eve to me.”
His eyes shone with too much liquor and he staggered toward George, then fell into his chest. Instinctively, George caught him under his arm to bolster him. He’d caught many falling drunks in order to sit them down and call a taxi.
But Roy was different. For one thing, Roy hugged him.
George’s breath sucked out of him. Accident of gravity, sure. Just a faltering step, sure. But the look in those big brown eyes, the way his fingers lingered to trace a circle over the flannel of George’s shirt, made George’s cock lunge.
“Hello there.” George tried to steady the American on his feet. “I think you’re drunk, mate.”
Roy closed the gap between them. No accident. Not in the way the American pressed his lean body against George’s mass and squeezed away any space between skin and muscle. “As an otter in a Kansas cornfield.”
“Is that a real expression ’cross the pond or just drunk nattering?”
The bartender returned with George’s beer and cooed with approval.
“No! It’s not like that. He’s just—” George tried to step away from Roy, but the bar prevented him and besides Roy was … Roy took his hand.
George was aware he was stronger, that he could easily break the drunken hold on his wrist and pull away, but his hand went obedient and limp where Roy lead it. His fingers settled on the swell of Roy’s ass. George trembled weakened by the wave of desire.
“What’re you doing, Roy?”
Roy was smiling. “It’s yours for the asking, Cowboy.”
Fuck.
George stared at him, lacking the strength to move away. Instead, he found the fresh beer and drank half in one gulp. “You’re … paralytic drunk, man.”
“Can we anyway?” Roy’s entire weight hung on George’s arm, so much trust, so poorly placed.
George sipped the beer. It was a way to get him to his car, to keep him close until Dizie could tell him what to do. Take him home. Be a gentleman, put him on the couch. Yeah. That was the way.
“I don’t care that you’re into girls.” Roy rubbed his body against the boulder in George’s trousers, spoke near his ear. “I just want you.”
On its own volition, George’s hand squeezed Roy’s ass. So taut. That’s what was meant when they talked about a juicy bottom. The music, some British bitch crooning over and over again “take me, take me home”, pulsed through his body. His blood matched the beat and his cock hammered along.
“Fuck…” George muttered.
“That’s the idea.” Roy’s lips moved at George’s ear, then lower and Roy kissed him.
Not just a little peck, either. A mouths-parting, tongues-tangling kiss. It stole George’s breath, will, and senses.
A kiss from a dead man. Fuck.
George was undone. Before he could think to stop, before he could reorient himself and this man he intended to betray, George grabbed Roy’s ass with both his hands. He squeezed the soft mounds tight and jerked him even closer.
“You have no idea the hurt you’re in for, riling me up like that, you fuckin’ slut.”
(review request submitted by the author for an honest critique)
No good can come from crossing the mob, right? Well if you answered yes then you would be wrong. Roy is on the run from the Silent Skulls, the German mob. He has something they want, 20,000 euros. To get it back they have hired George Morrison to abduct him and find their missing loot. George does in fact find their money but, more importantly, he found something more valuable. Passion. Love.
To George, Roy went from a mark to something more. In a small span of time, these two men shared a passion neither has every experienced with another. To say their scenes were simply hot would be putting it mildly. L.J. Longo designed some extremely kinky scenes. So kinky, at times, chains were included. One bondage encounter had almost pushed my comfort limits but it turned out for the best in the end. Both men were okay with the extreme play. Ropes, chains, it’s all good in my book as long as every party is consenting to the act.
Speaking of the sexual encounters, I had a problem with some of the dialogue during these intimate moments. Now, I know others are into name-calling and that’s their prerogative but I can’t seem to enjoy it. Words used such as bitch, slut, and whore are a mega turn off. It kills the vibe a writer is creating. However, if you take those words aside, the scenes were top notch. I also think you’ll enjoy how George and Roy handled the Silent Skulls. Bloody brilliant!
L.J. Longo is a queer author, a geek, a feminist, and is ARe best-selling author of Erotic Romance. The Dishonest Lover is L.J.’s first solo project through Evernight Publishing, though you can also find L.J.’s stories in Dark Captive: Manlove Edition and in Owned by the Alpha: Manlove Edition. Find more thoughtful, hot erotica at Graceful Indecency where L.J. offers free erotica and contests to win romance e-books. L.J. also sometimes takes a break from writing and messes around on Twitterand Facebook.
My name is Tracy James Jones and I am a blogger, reader, reviewer, writer, former actor and artist, with much love for films, music, books, and friendly people. :o)
Born and raised in Waxahachie & Dallas, Texas, I have had a lifetime love affair with the entertainment industry. Starting with singing in my church choir, I later ventured into stage productions with my local community theater and eventually feature films.
I started writing in high school, with the help of an amazing Journalism teacher, which I continued as my major in college, with a minor in mass communications. Switching from journalism to creative writing came into play after I was offered the opportunity to write the life story of a local boxer, which later became a documentary film. Writing his story opened the door for me to begin writing my own novels and short stories.
To date, my literary portfolio is 24 pages long, featuring talent resume, newspaper articles, book tours, author events, book promotions, and reviews. My writing includes 2 screenplay adaptations of my original fiction novels, “Searching For Eden” & “The Inhabitants of Magnolia Park.” My novel, “Secrets & Lies,” is also being formatted for film.
In the future I plan to write more human interest novels & short stories. I also hope to translate more of my work for screen. At present time, all of my books are available on amazon. Free shorts and excerpts are available on my blog and/or wattpad.com.
Can be just as intriguing as a reason for telling lies…”
”Secrets & Lies” is an emotional journey into the private lives of four central characters that can be defined as a contemporary multicultural romantic family drama with a twist. Overall, this book is about a group of not-so-ordinary people, all from very different backgrounds, whose secrets and lies leaves a trail of deceptions waiting to upset the rituals of their daily existence.
* * *
Kennedy Jordan is a handsome young man with a secret past and a challenging future that keeps him in the balance between having what he wants versus what is expect of him.
Camilla Vargas is a beautiful ambitious young woman with dreams of success that she plans to obtain by any means possible, and vows to not let anything keep her from it.
Ulanda Jefferson is a hip outspoken fashionista with a fiery attitude. Armored with sharp-wit and an uncensored tongue, she is more than just a force to be reckoned with.
Bren Searcy is a grown-up lost in transition, (literally from male to female). There is almost nothing she wouldn’t bear to hang onto the happiness she has finally found.
* * *
In the end, for everyone involved, even the elements of true confessions gets lost in translation as the explicit details of who they are brings the group together in a surprising, yet necessarily finale that could change the course of their lives forever…
Print Length: 40 pages
