Thursday, November 28, 2013

The Watcher Book Blast and $50 Giveaway

the watcher coverThe Watcher Millennia ago, he fell from heaven for her. Can he face her without falling again? Fascinated with ancient civilizations, seventeen-year-old Mia Crawford dreams of becoming an archaeologist. She also dreams of wings—soft and silent like snow—and somebody trying to steal them. When a horrible creature appears out of thin air and attacks her, she knows Michael Fontaine is involved, though he claims to know nothing about it. Secretive and aloof, Michael evokes feelings in Mia that she doesn’t understand. Images of another time and place haunt her. She recognizes them—but not from any textbook. In search of the truth, Mia discovers a past life of forbidden love, jealousy and revenge that tore an angel from Heaven and sent her to an early grave. Now that her soul has returned, does she have a chance at loving that angel again? Or will an age-old nemesis destroy them both? Ancient history is only the beginning.  

From November 28th to December 1st The Watcher is on sale for just $1.99!

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Download your copy today!!

Praise for The Watcher
"Voisin's THE WATCHER blends paranormal mystery and romance into a book that is sure to keep readers turning the pages late into the night." -- Eileen Cook, author of THE ALMOST TRUTH

"Perfect for fans of angels and demons, Lisa Voisin has created an uplifting tale of redemption, love, and spirituality that gives hope. Never preachy, THE WATCHER is the perfect answer to critics who claim Young Adult literature is too dark." -- Stephanie Lawton, author of WANT and SHRAPNEL

"The Watcher is stunning! A paranormal romance that you won't want to put down. Voisin will enthrall you until the very last page." -- Stephanie Keyes, author, THE STAR CHILD series

"Grips the reader, pulls them in and leaves them cheering for good!" -- InD'tale Magazine “The Watcher is my favorite angel fiction tale yet.” -- Katrina @Kindred Dreamheart

“This book is phenomenal! I was hooked in right away and didn't want to stop.” -- Michelle @Michelle’s Paranormal Vault  

  Book Trailer
 

Excerpt Instead of saying more, he brushed his fingertips along my cheek, and his halo glimmered. I could hear the waves slapping the rocks behind us, the wind driving them in. That same wind whipped against my skin, but the touch of his hand on my face was all I could think about. It sent a current through both of us and filled me with longing for something I wasn’t sure I understood. “I’m sorry.” He stepped back and shoved his hands into his pockets as the light around him faded. “You don’t know what it’s like. Being near you now, remembering those moments we had…” His hair blew into his eyes, but this time he didn’t move. I wanted to brush it back, but I didn’t know how he’d react. Would touching him be bad? “You want to know who you were?” he asked. “You may look different, but you’re the same. I look into your eyes and see you.” He took in a deep breath, fixing his attention on the horizon. I’d seen and heard so much now that the logical part of my brain had long since given up arguing with me. I could feel what he was saying was 
true. All of it. 

lisa vAuthor Lisa Voisin A Canadian-born author, Lisa Voisin spent her childhood daydreaming and making up stories, but it was her love of reading and writing in her teens that drew her to Young Adult fiction. A self-proclaimed coffee lover, Lisa can usually be found writing in a local cafĂ©. When she's not writing, you'll find her meditating or hiking in the mountains to counteract the side effects of drinking too much caffeine! Though she’s lived in several cities across Canada, she currently lives in Vancouver, B.C. with her fiancĂ© and their two cats.  



 

BookBlast Giveaway $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 12/18/13 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

Monday, November 25, 2013

Blog Post Tour

I was invited by Camelia Miron Skiba to participate in a blog tour for writers to answer a few questions about our writing process, and then pass the baton to other authors. So here are my answers to the specific questions.

What Am I Working On?

I'm nearly finished with a contemporary YA titled The End of Feeling. It's about a teen named Benjamin who seems to have it all: gorgeous, popular, star football player, straight-A student, can get any girl he wants. But it's all an act, he's hiding a secret that can destroy his carefully built world. Enter Charlie, new girl in town, who has her own secrets she's keeping, and who just might be the one to get Benjamin to feel something again.

How Does My Work Differ From Others of Its Genre?

I try to make my characters realistic, even if they're in one of my fantasy or paranormal stories, because I feel that character development is one of the most important things in a book. I also refuse to let my characters fall in love right away. Attraction is surely there, but there needs to me more to their relationship than "You're cute, I love you."

Why Do I Write What I Do?

I was introduced to the world of YA about 5 or 6 years ago, and fell in love with the genre. The stories are good, exciting, fresh. And there's generally not a heaving bosom in sight. I've always written, but never completed a manuscript. YA lit a fire under me, sparked an excitement that I couldn't ignore. I love writing about teens in that unsure, hyper-emotional, trying-to-discover-who-you-are time of life.

How Does Your Writing Process Work?

I come up with an idea from any number of different ways (I have about 10 stories swirling in my head right now fighting to get out). I sometimes have the opening line (as I did for The End of Feeling) or sometimes I have the ending. Other times I might just have a vague idea for the story with no real idea of where it's going to end. I sit down and just start writing. I almost always write from beginning to end, though on occasion I have a scene that begs to be written, so I'll write it and then work it into the story. As a general rule, I don't outline. I prefer to just begin and see where it goes, see what my characters are going to do in any given situation.

Next week take a peek at Karey White's blog to read about her writing process. Karey is the author of Gifted, For What It's Worth, and My Own Mr. Darcy. I've read all three and I can tell you Karey is one talented author. Gifted will wring your heart, For What It's Worth has a huge awww factor and a yummy recipe at the beginning of each chapter, and My Own Mr. Darcy is one of the cutest, funniest romances I've read.

Sunday, November 24, 2013

Last But Not Least in The Great Blog Game


As we wind down the blog tour for A Fantasy Christmas, I want to shout from the rooftops a "THANK YOU" for everyone who helped us out on this tour. I wrote two other posts with those who were on the early  parts of the tour, which you can read here and here. These are the last - but not least - of the bloggers who hosted us on the tour.

Aimee at Getting Your Read On gave us a fantastic review, including:

I have enjoyed books from all three of these authors so I was super-dee-duper excited to sign on to be a part of this tour.  I had high expectations going into it because I know all these ladies can write fabulous stories.  I'm here to tell you that I was not disappointed in the least.


This is the perfect holiday book idea for yourself (wink, wink) or someone you know who enjoys a good, clean romance . . .  it can be enjoyed when you should be making dinner.  (what?!? nobody starved.)  This book is guaranteed to put you in a holiday sort of mood and make you smile.  


A special apology goes out to Aimee's hungry family. You can read the review in its entirety here.


My good friend, and amazing author, Camelia Miron Skiba only had the chance to review Sherry's story, but here's what she had to say about that:


As with everything else Sherry Gammon writes, I had to read her newest story titled Loving Marigold. What a delight it was. I’m not saying that because I’m afraid Marigold will turn me into a toad but because I truly enjoy the story, the characters, and the plot line. . . A great read, definitely a keeper for my bookshelf.


You can read the rest of her post here.


Author Jamie Canosa, who I'm a huge fan of, was kind enough to review the books for us. Here's some of what she had to say:


Sherry Gammon and Cindy Bennett have been on my Favorite Authors list for a while. And now, Stephanie Flowers has joined the club. I absolutely loved this anthology just in time for the holidays.
Each story in this collection brought it’s own bit of wonder. I flew through the pages and devoured each one in a single sitting. I couldn’t put them down. Because of that, I decided each story deserved it’s own review.

You can read the individual reviews she gave each story here.

Shauna at I Love to Read and Review Books said:

I LOVED this story!
I really LOVED LOVED LOVED this whole book!
Get in the holiday spirit with this MUST READ for romance and Christmas magic!


You can read her spin on each of the books here.

We want to thank these blogs for allowing us to stop by:

Author Christy Dorrity

Soon-to-be-Author Lindzee Armstrong

Min Reads and Reviews


Buy your copy now at these online retailers:

Amazon Barnes & Noble Smashwords CreateSpace

Friday, November 22, 2013

Win a Kindle Fire

Holiday Kindle Fire Giveaway

 Just in time for the HOLIDAYS - Win a Kindle Fire HDX, Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash ($229 value)   This is a joint AUTHOR & BLOGGER GIVEAWAY EVENT! Bloggers & Authors have joined together and each chipped in a little money towards a Kindle Fire HDX 7".


The winner will have the option of receiving a 7" Kindle Fire HDX (US Only - $229 Value)
  Or $229 Amazon.com Gift Card (International)
  Or $229 in Paypal Cash (International)
   
  Holiday Kindle Fire Giveaway #1 Sponsors:
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  6. Confessions of a Librarian in Training...
  7. Bea's Book Nook
  8. Author Kary Rader
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  10. A Book Lover's Retreat
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  18. Author Terah Edun
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  Sign up to sponsor the next Kindle Fire Giveaway: http://www.iamareader.com/category/kindle-giveaway-sign-ups   Giveaway Details 1 winner will receive their choice of an all new Kindle Fire 7" HDX (US Only - $229 value), $229 Amazon Gift Card or $229 in Paypal Cash (International). There is a second separate giveaway for bloggers who post this giveaway on their blog. See details in the rafflecopter on how to enter to win the 2nd Kindle Fire HDX 7". Ends 12/18/13 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the participating authors & bloggers. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.  

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thursday, November 21, 2013

Even More Great Blogs

Okay, this is how scrambled my brains are these days. I wrote this post a few days ago, but was waiting to update the links on the blogs to post it - and then completely forgot to post it. So some of the blogs from the past couple of days of the tour aren't on here, but will be on the post after tomorrow.


As you know, A Fantasy Christmas is currently on tour. I posted the other day about some of the early blogs on the tour (you can see them here). Today I want to tout some more of these amazing people who have given of their time, and blog space, to help us out.

We had a few bloggers who reviewed the book. I wish I could convey how very much we love an appreciate our reviewers. Seriously, without them, any author's books are dead in the water. Okay, not any author (as proven by JK Rowling's book that did nothing until it came out that it was her book under a pen name, but for most authors). So here are some people who did us a solid and reviewed the book, as well as some of what they had to say.

Amanda at Wicca Witch 4 Books, who's always an amazing supporter, had this to say:

Wonderfully Done! Cindy, Sherry and Stephanie blew me away with these three short Christmas stories. They were beautiful, inspiring and deeply romantic!

I have read Cindy and Sherry's work before and I am a BIG fan of them both! I was equally in love with Stephanie's story and style of writing and would definitely would like to read more from her in the future.


masterful work ladies! I couldn't put the book down! the stories were amazing! if you haven't read this wonderful piece of work it should defiantly be on your TBR list as it is a for sure read for the holiday season! 


You can read the rest of her review here.

Heidi from LDS and Lovin' It said:

A delightful collection of clean, fantasy-related romance, A Fantasy Christmas provided a great deal of enjoyment for me.  Not only are the stories well-written, but the characters are unique and made me smile. With plenty of magic and mayhem, the authors sent me on a fun journey through love and adventure.  A series of stories that I can highly recommend.  I only wish they had been a little longer so I could have stayed with the characters just a bit more.

You can read her 5-flower I Loved It review here.

Sherry Gammon, who happens to be one of the amazing authors of this book, ran a guest post written by your truly on her blog titled "Christmas Fantasies Dancing in Our Heads".  

Other blogs who allowed us to stop by and say hi are:

 Bookworm Lisa, who planned to do a review but due to family emergencies didn't have time. We're very grateful she did take the time to write a post in spite of her many stresses.

Author Anna del C Dye

Author Shantal Sessions

You can see who else is coming up on the tour here.

Pick up your own copy of the book today at these online retailers:

Amazon Barnes & Noble Smashwords CreateSpace

Monday, November 18, 2013

Nominated!

This week I found out that my book, Rapunzel Untangled, has been nominated for TWO awards! I'm so excited I can hardly stand it.

The first award it's been nominated for is a Whitney Award. To be nominated for this one, you have to have your book nominated at least 5 times by 5 different people. So while I was not told who nominated it, I'm very grateful to those who did.


The second award is a Cybils Award. I'm not exactly sure how the nomination process for this award works, but I suspect it was nominated by my publisher, Sweetwater Books, which is very cool of them to nominate my book out of all their books.

If you're curious about Rapunzel Untangled, you can read the blurb below.

A Girl Trapped in a Mansion
A Mysterious Old Woman
The Boy Who Will Change Everything

Fab Fane Fannigan: Are you saying you live at GOTHEL MANSION??? 
RG: My mother calls it Gothel Manor, so maybe that’s different?
Fab Fane Flannigan: No, Rapunzel, there’s only one that I know of. It has to be the same. So you live in the tower?
RG: Uh, the tower? I don’t know. Is it a tower?
Fab Fane Flannigan: Yes, it is. I know where it is. Rapunzel, promise me one thing.
RG: Okay.
Fab Fane Flannigan: Don’t Google your house.
 
Rapunzel is not your average teenager. For one thing, she has a serious illness that keeps her inside the mysterious Gothel Mansion. And for another, her hair is 15 feet long. Not to mention that she’s also the key to ultimately saving the world from certain destruction.

But then she meets a boy named Fane, who changes all she has ever known, and she decides to risk everything familiar to find out who she really is.

Filled with romance, adventure, and mystery, Rapunzel Untangled is one story you won’t want to put down. Discover the true meaning of love and friendship in this modern twist to the classic fairytale.

Buy your copy today:

Amazon Barnes & Noble Deseret Book photo Deseretbook_zps877b35a8.jpg  photo fec81cb2-e6f5-4fd8-bb7e-7f7216f7fc25_zps3f520044.jpg

Thursday, November 14, 2013

Gratitude Giveaway Hop



Each year I participate in the annual Gratitude Giveaway Hop hosted by I Am a Reader, Not a Writer because I have an abundance of gratitude for all of my readers, followers, co-authors, and bloggers. Without you all, I would just be having a fun hobby in my writing. They say it takes a village to raise a child, I say it also takes a village to raise a book. From critique groups, to reviewers and bloggers who help advertise, other authors who give helpful advice, and ultimately you, my readers, who make it possible for me to do what I do. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

In gratitude I'd like to give you a copy of my newest release, A Fantasy Christmas as well as a $10 Amazon gift card for you to spend how you'd like. This is a trilogy of fantasy Christmas novellas by myself, Sherry Gammon, and Stephanie Fowers. We're currently on virtual tour with the book. You can see the participating blogs here. All you have to do is follow me by either GFC or email and sign in to the Rafflecopter to say you did. Then click on the other links at the bottom for other gratitude giveaways.

What do Witches, Elves, and Greek Gods (Oh My) have in common? They are part of the romantic Christmas anthology, AFantasy Christmas, written by Cindy C Bennett, Stephanie Fowers, and Sherry Gammon

Halfling by Cindy C Bennett

Banished from the South Pole, Kara tries to carve out a new life among the elves of the North. It’s not easy with a secret to protect—a secret she's cursed with by the unusual circumstances of her heritage: half-elf, half-fairy. In the North, she’s assigned to work with Seb on a special project. He's the most gorgeous elf she’s ever seen - and the orneriest. 

As if being banished wasn’t punishment enough. 

Seb introduces her to Trystin, a fairy from the nearby fairy forest. Trystin discerns her secret right away and promises to teach her how to use the powers given to her by the very thing she’s fighting to keep hidden.


Aphrodite by Stehanie Fowers

Nothing is simple for Aphrodite’s daughter, especially love. 

Scorned by society in regency England, Affry longs for romance. Upon encountering a dashing nobleman at her aunty's Christmas' ball, Affry gets caught in a lovely intrigue with disastrous results. Worse, she wins the interest of the gods. 

Now the furies of the underworld and Hades himself are after her. When all is fair in war,  Affry must use love as her weapon—but only for the one who’s stolen her heart.
Loving Marigold by Sherry Gammon


Young Marigold Yarrow has a secret. She’s also in love with Jack Mahoney. In the middle of her ninth grade year, Jack's family up and moves to Port Fare, New York, leaving the small town of Sugar Maple, West Virginia - and Marigold - far behind.

Nine years later Jack and Marigold meet again. They join forces to weed out the shady Abbott boys. The unscrupulous brothers are illegally selling moonshine near her home on Sugar Maple Ridge. And they'll do anything to get Marigold to leave the ridge. Anything.

Pick up your own copy today at:

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Awesome Blogs



As most of you know, A Fantasy Christmas, the fantasy trilogy I wrote with Sherry Gammon and Stephanie Fowers, is on tour. For the past few days we've had some fantastic blog stops and a great review.

Author Cami Checketts was kind of enough to read and review the book. You can read the entire review here. Here's some of what she had to say:

"I thoroughly enjoyed each of these short romances and their Christmas connection . . . My recommendation would be to buy yourself a little Christmas present and download A Fantasy Christmas."

I Am A Reader Not A Writer and Amie Borst were both kind enough to let us take up space with guest posts. On I Am A Reader Not A Writer, we talked about how each of us got started writing. On Amie's blog Sherry gives some ideas on how to overcome writers block - and who couldn't use that advice?

Other blogs who helped spotlight the book are: Black Words White Pages, Author Wendy Knight, and Author Stephanie Connelley Worlton. We want to thank all of the bloggers who have participated.


I also wanted to mention that yesterday we had a launch party on Facebook, and what a blast that was! I hosted the first hour, Stephanie hosted the second hour, and Sherry hosted the final hour. We played a bunch of games and gave away 28 prizes. We want to thank everyone who participated and who helped make the event so much fun!

Here's some info about A Fantasy Christmas and links to where you can pick up your copy today!


What do Witches, Elves, and Greek Gods (Oh My) have in common? They are part of the romantic Christmas anthology, A Fantasy Christmas, written by Cindy C Bennett, Stephanie Fowers, and Sherry Gammon
Halfling by Cindy C Bennett
Banished from the South Pole, Kara tries to carve out a new life among the elves of the North. It’s not easy with a secret to protect—a secret she's cursed with by the unusual circumstances of her heritage: half-elf, half-fairy. In the North, she’s assigned to work with Seb on a special project. He's the most gorgeous elf she’s ever seen - and the orneriest. 
As if being banished wasn’t punishment enough. 
Seb introduces her to Trystin, a fairy from the nearby fairy forest. Trystin discerns her secret right away and promises to teach her how to use the powers given to her by the very thing she’s fighting to keep hidden.

Aphrodite by Stehanie Fowers
Nothing is simple for Aphrodite’s daughter, especially love. 
Scorned by society in regency England, Affry longs for romance. Upon encountering a dashing nobleman at her aunty's Christmas' ball, Affry gets caught in a lovely intrigue with disastrous results. Worse, she wins the interest of the gods. 
Now the furies of the underworld and Hades himself are after her. When all is fair in war,  Affry must use love as her weapon—but only for the one who’s stolen her heart.

Loving Marigold by Sherry Gammon
Young Marigold Yarrow has a secret. She’s also in love with Jack Mahoney. In the middle of her ninth grade year, Jack's family up and moves to Port Fare, New York, leaving the small town of Sugar Maple, West Virginia - and Marigold - far behind.
Nine years later Jack and Marigold meet again. They join forces to weed out the shady Abbott boys. The unscrupulous brothers are illegally selling moonshine near her home on Sugar Maple Ridge. And they'll do anything to get Marigold to leave the ridge. Anything.

This time it may be magic that tears Jack and Marigold apart.

Buy your copy now at:
Amazon Barnes & Noble Smashwords CreateSpace

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Halfling Excerpt

Read this excerpt from Halfling, then go to the FB Launch Party for A Fantasy Christmas on Facebook and answer the question there for a chance to win a prize!

Chapter Six

Kara stripped her jacket off and spread her wings wide. She rolled her shoulders, the movement sending a relaxing shiver across her wings, through each feather. She stood inside her cottage, afraid of going to the cliff. Though she’d not found anyone in the bushes on her last flight, she still couldn’t shake the feeling of having been watched. The thought terrified her.
She glanced up at the ceiling, wondering if it would be all that difficult to just do a little flutter around the room when a knock sounded on the door. She jerked, instinctively pulling her wings in, grimacing against the pain of the movement. She quickly grabbed a sweater and pulled it on, her mind immediately panicked at the thought that someone might see through a slit in the curtains, in spite of the fact that she’d secured them tightly.
She took a deep, calming breath and moved to open the door, pulling it only far enough to peek out. She nearly slammed it when she saw who stood on the other side. Seb. Instead she simply stared at him dumbly. Long moments passed before he lifted one brow sardonically.
“I’m not going to bite you.” Pause. “Unless you want me to.”
Kara’s jaw dropped then snapped shut. “Do you always have to be such a—” She clamped her mouth shut. Why did he prod her to such meanness?
“I’m kidding,” he said. “I came to see if you wanted to go for a walk.”
“Why?” she blurted.
“Don’t worry; it’s business.” Remoteness shuttered his face as he stared at the doorframe, not meeting her eyes. “I have some ideas I want to go over with you.”
“Oh. Um.” She glanced back into her cottage, as if the answer to his question could be found there.
“Do . . . do you have someone there?” he asked, taking a step back. “I’ll just talk to you tomorrow, then.”
“No,” she said quickly, holding a hand toward him as if she could stop him with the gesture. Oddly, he sounded upset, which was reason enough to let him go. Honestly, she preferred to get outside for a while, even if it was with such a grump. “Hold on, just let me grab my coat.” She came back as she pulled it on. “Let’s go.”
He shoved his hands in his pockets as they walked past his sled in the road. Was she so wrapped up in stretching her wings that she hadn’t heard him drive up? Not good. What if he’d just opened her door? It would be highly unusual for an elf to be so rude, but if anyone would, Seb would.
“So?” she prompted.
The snow crunched lightly beneath their feet, glistening in the moonshine. “I’ve been thinking about the logistics of the floor,” he said. “In order for it to have the lighting we want, we need to suspend it. That means building it a little higher off the ground than we planned.”
They talked back and forth about how it would work. Seb thought they’d need an appointment with the engineer to finalize the plans once they decided on the flooring. They’d need to meet with an engineer at each part of the building process to make sure they could proceed as they wanted.
Kara didn’t understand why Seb needed to discuss this with her. It wasn’t anything new that she didn’t already know.
“Was there something else?” she asked after they walked in silence for a few minutes.
Seb stopped short and she faced him. The moon lit Seb from behind, throwing a halo around his dark hair. Even in the shadow, his blue eyes stood out, two sapphire jewels glowing in the night. He was tall, even for an elf, something she knew from the moment she’d first seen him. Now, standing in front of him in the moon’s reflective light, she realized just how much taller he was. Not just taller, but broader, too, in a very real, very tangible way. She’d certainly been attracted to other elves before, in the South, in spite of the fact that she knew nothing real could ever happen with any of them. But never before had she felt the gut-deep pull she felt to Seb. She only wished he weren’t so dang gorgeous!
He shuffled the snow around with one foot, dropping his eyes. “I just . . . we have to work together, and spend a lot of time together, so I thought . . . sometimes, the way you look at me…” He looked up at her. “Kind of like you’re looking at me now.” She blinked and tried to adopt a completely neutral expression. She had a suspicion she failed miserably. “There can’t be . . . I’m not interested in . . . getting involved . . .”
As his words slowly sank into her psyche, she realized what he was saying—or rather, trying to say. She bristled, her wings quivering against her back. She scoffed—loudly. His eyes widened at the sound. Even in the shadows, it was clear.
“Are you kidding?” She laughed, not an ounce of humor in it. “You think I’m . . .? Please!” She pulled away, walking back toward her cottage. She might be in absolutely no position to even consider someone romantically, but for him to basically tell her no possible way . . . it hurt.
Kara heard his quick footsteps as he jogged to catch up. “Look, I’m sorry if it sounds—”
She whirled on him. “It sounds ridiculous.” She jabbed a finger into his chest. His very solid chest. She withdrew her hand as if burned. “Guess you can’t imagine any girl who wouldn’t just be falling all over herself for you, huh?”
She swung away again, stalking through the snow. This time he kept pace with her.
“If I misread your looks, I’m sorry. It’s just that you don’t look at other—”
“And you know me well enough to know how I look at other people?” she half-yelled, not looking his way.
“You don’t look at Blue that way, even when he’s so clearly hitting on you.”
“Look at him like . . .” She huffed, mainly because she knew he spoke the truth, and embarrassment flooded her. She should have known she was being too obvious in her admiration for his beauty. That’s all she admired, and though it was blinding at times, she should have kept her thoughts from her face. Sometimes she hated that the only thing she seemed capable of hiding was her cursed wings.
“I’m sorry.” He sounded anything but. “I don’t mean to offend. I just wanted to make sure we were clear . . .”
Kara’s anger drained. He was right. She hated that he was right, but that didn’t change the fact that he was. He might be a jerk sometimes, but at least he was honest. That was something she could admire. Besides his face. And those eyes. And his broad shoulders. And muscular arms. She shook her head and her steps slowed until they were walking a normal pace. They walked in silence until her cottage came into view.
“Kara,” he said. “I’m—”
“Please,” she said, holding a hand up to stop his words, not looking his way. “Don’t apologize again. It doesn’t suit you.” Then realizing her rudeness, she gritted her teeth. “That was uncalled for. Sorry. It doesn’t matter. You were only saying what you thought.”
“But, I—”
“I’ll see you tomorrow.” She jogged the last little bit to her cottage, ducked inside and slammed the door. Slumped against the door, she blinked and a rogue tear rolled down her cheek. Silently cursing her stupid girly-ness, she pushed away from the door. When she heard his sled start up, she stripped off her coat and threw it angrily to the floor.