キャミー・タング著「戌年」連載小説 プロのドッグトレーナーであるマリ・ムトウは、厄年を迎えている。 犬小屋と訓練所の改築をしながら、いつも不服そうにしている家族と同居することになった。母と姉に言わせれば、犬の毛とよだれかけにまみれる仕事は、家族にとって恥ずべきものだという。彼女は元カレを説得し、数ヶ月間犬を預かってもらうことにした。しかし、彼の兄は、数週間前に彼女が誤って車に追突した、怒り狂ったセキュリティ専門家であることが判明する。 アシュウィン・ケイトウは十分な問題を抱えている。叔母が玄関先に現れ、同居を希望している。彼は彼女にすべてを借りているので、断ることができません。母親が家を出て行った後、ネルおばさんはアシュウィンと弟を引き取り、愛のあるキリスト教の家庭で育てた。しかも、弟のダスティもアパートを追い出され、居場所を求めている。しかし、彼は犬を飼っている。そして、その犬の飼い主は誰だと思いますか? しかし、旧友でオアフ島のノースショアでデイスパを経営する私立探偵のエディサ・ゲレロから依頼を受ける。マリの施設で奇妙な破壊行為があり、3年前に失踪したエディサの妹の財布を発見する。エディサはマリが危険な目に遭っているのではと心配する。警備の専門家であるアシュウィンがすでにマリを知っていることを知ったエディサは、忙しい若い女性を密かに監視することを彼に依頼する。 アシュウィンは、活発でのんびりとしたドッグトレーナーに不本意ながら惹かれていく。彼女は、幸せそうな母親を思い出させる。その母親の裏切りによって、彼は人と距離を置くようになったのだ。マリは、アシュウィンの冷たい外見を見抜き、彼が家族に忠実な男であることを認める。彼は、彼女のキャリア選択を批判するだけの母親や姉とは違う。 マリのバラバラな家庭とアシュウィンのバラバラな家庭の中で、過去を隠そうとする人たちから、彼らの周りに危険が迫ってくるようになる。彼らは、影で動く秘密に光を当てることができるのか? 過去に発表されたパートへのリンクはこちら。 *** 第8章 - 恐ろしくも真っ白な不動産書類 『みんな仲良くできないのかな?』 マリは無用に力を込めて箱に本を投げ入れた。最近、なぜ彼女は人生の中で全員と言い争いをしているのだろう?もしかすると、これは本当に悪いアイデア
Captain's Log, Stardate 06.07.2006
Blog book giveaway:
My Thursday book giveaway is HEARTS ON THE LINE by Margaret Daley.
My Monday book giveaway is THE SECRET LIFE OF BECKY MILLER by Sharon Hinck.
You can still enter both giveaways. Just post a comment on each of those blog posts. On Thursday, I'll draw the winner for HEARTS ON THE LINE and post the title for another book I'm giving away. Stay tuned.
For all you writers who have finaled in a contest: Oklahoma Romance Writers cordially request your participation in our fifth annual...
Finally a Bride Contest
June is the time of weddings, and we have one just for you! Enclosed you'll find your invitation to wed your blushing manuscript to TWO of our waiting, acquiring editors.
Who's Invited? Participation is open to unpublished and uncontracted authors. The entered manuscript must have previously FINALED but not WON in an RWA or RWA chapter-sponsored contest. Manuscripts which placed in the Top Quarter of the Golden Heart, made the second round of the Molly or received Honorable Mention in the Heart of the Rockies contest are also eligible.
Your Reservation? A non-refundable fee of $30 for RWA members, $35 all others (this includes your postage).
All entries must ARRIVE by September 1st, 2006.
Appropriate Entry attire consists of:
First 30 pages of your manuscript. Proof of eligibility required upon demand.
Officiating our First Round: RWA trained, Pro and/or pub'd authors.
Categories and Final Round Officiators include (subject to change):
Series Contemporary - Patience Smith: Silhouette AND Wanda Ottewell: Harlequin
Romantic Suspense/Single Title - Natashya Wilson: Silhouette AND TBA
Traditional/Inspirational - Amanda Bostic: WestBow Press AND Melissa Endlich: Steeple Hill
Historical- Megan McKeever: Pocket AND TBA
Paranormal/Time-Travel/Futuristic/Fantasy - Leah Hultenschmidt: Dorchester AND TBA
*** Over 1/3 of the 2005 Finally A Bride finalists received requests from editors ***
The Bride (First Place Winner) in each category will receive a lovely engraved knife and cake server, suitable for cutting the cake in celebration of THE CALL. In addition, any book that is published as a result of this contest will receive a free entry into the National Readers' Choice Award the first year of eligibility.
FMI, entry form, and rules, send SASE to
OK-RWA FAB Contest Entry
202 Freeman Drive
Moore, OK 73160
Email: OKRWAbride@okrwa.com
Or check out our website at http://www.okrwa.com/
TMI:
Blogging: Thanks to Brenda Coulter giving the website that explains Technorati tags, I did a Blogger search and I'm trying to add categories to my blog here via Del.icio.us. Let's see how it works. If I don't post for a few days, you'll know it's because I somehow fried my computer.
Writing: Since Zondervan is owned by Harper Collins, who also owns Avon, and since Z's new senior editor is going to be at RWA National, she and I have been invited to the Avon Family Dinner on Friday night. I just got the invite. If it's anything like the Harlequin party that Shelley Bates told me about, it'll be very posh.
If you're wondering why I'm not shrieking and jumping, I'm kind of nervous. I'll be around people I don't know at all--I've never had to network with a completely strange crowd before. It'll be nice having Sue with me, though. I think I'll e-mail my chick-lit loops to see if any Avon chick-lit authors will be there so I won't feel so completely alone.
Star: Okay, my secret vices are Star, People, and Entertainment Weekly. I blame it on my husband.
When we were dating and I lived with my roommate Yvonne, she subscribed to the Star. Dh would come over and devour those things. She even gave him her old copies to take home with him.
He somehow snagged a free subscription, so we get it delivered to our door. At first it didn't really interest me, but lately it's been like TV--if it's there, I'll pick it up and read and read and read...
I also just noticed that several romance books put up advertisements in the Star. How neat is that?
Blog book giveaway:
My Thursday book giveaway is HEARTS ON THE LINE by Margaret Daley.
My Monday book giveaway is THE SECRET LIFE OF BECKY MILLER by Sharon Hinck.
You can still enter both giveaways. Just post a comment on each of those blog posts. On Thursday, I'll draw the winner for HEARTS ON THE LINE and post the title for another book I'm giving away. Stay tuned.
For all you writers who have finaled in a contest: Oklahoma Romance Writers cordially request your participation in our fifth annual...
Finally a Bride Contest
June is the time of weddings, and we have one just for you! Enclosed you'll find your invitation to wed your blushing manuscript to TWO of our waiting, acquiring editors.
Who's Invited? Participation is open to unpublished and uncontracted authors. The entered manuscript must have previously FINALED but not WON in an RWA or RWA chapter-sponsored contest. Manuscripts which placed in the Top Quarter of the Golden Heart, made the second round of the Molly or received Honorable Mention in the Heart of the Rockies contest are also eligible.
Your Reservation? A non-refundable fee of $30 for RWA members, $35 all others (this includes your postage).
All entries must ARRIVE by September 1st, 2006.
Appropriate Entry attire consists of:
First 30 pages of your manuscript. Proof of eligibility required upon demand.
Officiating our First Round: RWA trained, Pro and/or pub'd authors.
Categories and Final Round Officiators include (subject to change):
Series Contemporary - Patience Smith: Silhouette AND Wanda Ottewell: Harlequin
Romantic Suspense/Single Title - Natashya Wilson: Silhouette AND TBA
Traditional/Inspirational - Amanda Bostic: WestBow Press AND Melissa Endlich: Steeple Hill
Historical- Megan McKeever: Pocket AND TBA
Paranormal/Time-Travel/Futuristic/Fantasy - Leah Hultenschmidt: Dorchester AND TBA
*** Over 1/3 of the 2005 Finally A Bride finalists received requests from editors ***
The Bride (First Place Winner) in each category will receive a lovely engraved knife and cake server, suitable for cutting the cake in celebration of THE CALL. In addition, any book that is published as a result of this contest will receive a free entry into the National Readers' Choice Award the first year of eligibility.
FMI, entry form, and rules, send SASE to
OK-RWA FAB Contest Entry
202 Freeman Drive
Moore, OK 73160
Email: OKRWAbride@okrwa.com
Or check out our website at http://www.okrwa.com/
TMI:
Blogging: Thanks to Brenda Coulter giving the website that explains Technorati tags, I did a Blogger search and I'm trying to add categories to my blog here via Del.icio.us. Let's see how it works. If I don't post for a few days, you'll know it's because I somehow fried my computer.
Writing: Since Zondervan is owned by Harper Collins, who also owns Avon, and since Z's new senior editor is going to be at RWA National, she and I have been invited to the Avon Family Dinner on Friday night. I just got the invite. If it's anything like the Harlequin party that Shelley Bates told me about, it'll be very posh.
If you're wondering why I'm not shrieking and jumping, I'm kind of nervous. I'll be around people I don't know at all--I've never had to network with a completely strange crowd before. It'll be nice having Sue with me, though. I think I'll e-mail my chick-lit loops to see if any Avon chick-lit authors will be there so I won't feel so completely alone.
Star: Okay, my secret vices are Star, People, and Entertainment Weekly. I blame it on my husband.
When we were dating and I lived with my roommate Yvonne, she subscribed to the Star. Dh would come over and devour those things. She even gave him her old copies to take home with him.
He somehow snagged a free subscription, so we get it delivered to our door. At first it didn't really interest me, but lately it's been like TV--if it's there, I'll pick it up and read and read and read...
I also just noticed that several romance books put up advertisements in the Star. How neat is that?
Comments
LOL!!
Listen, don't be nervous. Just throw on your best dress and be yourself. You'll be awesome! And remember, it's not about you, it's about Jesus!
You've got something that a lot of the people you'll be rubbing shoulders with probably don't. The Holy Spirit.
Let your light shine, He'll do all the talking.
I'll pray.
But I'm still jealous.
Say hi to Oprah for me if you see her, ok?
No comment on the rag mags...I'm still in recovery myself from my People addiction...but I haven't bought one since I wrote that post on my blog, and that was quite a while ago now...yay!
LOLOL On Star...