Gwen has finally landed her first fashion design job, working under her amazing boyfriend, Cole. While her girlfriend, McKayla, is busy with her modeling job, things start to shift in their unique relationship. 

Unexpected surprises cause a whirlwind of change to sweep through their once happy lives.  

As the people around her change, so do their relationships… When all is said and done sometimes only heartbreak is left. 

Just when Gwen thought life was good, she is thrust into one catastrophe after another.  

Will Gwen’s life be able to withstand even more turmoil, tears and blood?  

Can she fulfill the dreams she has held onto for so long, while accepting new dreams that she never knew she had? Or will everything come crashing down on her? 

Gwen shook her head again. This morning she was in a very reflective mood apparently. She quickly grabbed a boring light grey knee length business dress that had a high collar and tiny sleeves that barely covered her shoulders. She was just stepping into it when Cole walked into the closet.

“Hm. I think I might just never let you leave.” Cole said as he leaned against the door frame between the bedroom and the bathroom wearing a towel slung low around his hips. He had showered after Gwen. She hadn’t been able to sleep and got up early to start getting ready.

“What are you gonna do? Lock me in the closet? Heaven knows if I ate clothing I’d be able to survive a few years at least.” Gwen laughed gesturing at the large closet.

“No.” Cole said before taking the few steps it took to close the distance between them. He wrapped his arms around her waist before nuzzling his face in her neck. He took a deep breath and slowly let it out before speaking again, “I think I could wake up to see your face every day for the rest of my life. Just to find you standing in just a pair of sexy panties, thigh highs and a little bra in my closet every day, I think I just might give up everything I’ve worked so hard for in my life. I might never let you leave my life. ”

Will the Real Abi Saunders Please Stand Up?

Abi Saunders might be a kickboxing champion, but when it comes to being the center of attention, she’d rather take a roundhouse kick to the solar plexus any day. So when her trainer convinces her to audition to be the stunt double for hot teen starlet Tilly Watson, Abi is shocked—and a little freaked out—when she gets the job.

Being a stunt double is overwhelming, but once the wig and makeup are on, Abi feels like a different person. Tilly Watson, to be exact. And when Tilly’s gorgeous boyfriend, Jon, mistakes Abi for the real star, Abi’s completely smitten. In fact, she’s so in love with her new life, it isn’t long before she doesn’t have time for her old one.

But when the cameras are turned off, will she discover running with the Hollywood A-list isn’t quite the glamorous existence she thought it was?

Excerpt

“Abi, for God’s sake, concentrate,” Zak shouts. “Fairies don’t look like elephants when they fly. Legs together, arms graceful, and glide. Please.”

I began writing books when I was in first grade and my teacher, Rita Thrasher, recognized my gift early on. In fact, she pulled me out of class and gave me the time and space to write all the books I wanted to write. Her motive was to keep me interested in school work that didn’t challenge me. But that early recognition of my talent and my passion to write left a lasting impression. Later, when I handed in my final exam in an English literature college course, my professor looked at me and said, “Someday we’ll be reading you.” I wonder if that professor knew what a boost that was to a young woman struggling between the choice of a mainstream occupation and to follow her dreams of becoming a writer. My life has been filled with personal struggle beside so many other strong women who can say the same. We seem to always rise above. My writing allows me to capture the spirit of strong women and share that undying determination with my readers so they can be inspired to deal with life’s challenges with grit and fortitude. That’s my joy- that I might influence my readers to be all they can be, follow the example of the strong female characters in my novels, and live the life of their dreams.

Book Title: Yearning Devotion

Author: Rachael Orman

Release Date: July 28,2013

About Yearning Devotion:

Gwen has lived a hard life. She has endured many situations that would have broken a weaker person. But she has found love in her life and it keeps her from completely losing it when things get rough. That is, until one day a man enters her life that changes everything.

Will this man help Gwen become a stronger woman or will he completely destroy her?

Rachael is a stay at home mom with 2 young daughters and a husband that keep her constantly on her toes. She lives in the extremely hot state of Arizona, where she reads and writes away the blistering heat outside.

She is a cancer survivor with a quirky personality. She’s been an avid reader for as long as she can remember and been writing since she was in high school. Her hopes of being a writer were crushed when she was young but one day she decided she was going to do what makes her happy and that was to write.

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She quickly slipped into a skintight strapless dress with no bra, no panties. Might as well be easy since that’s exactly what she was going over for. As she walked out the door, she slipped on a pair of 4 inch black heels that were sitting next to the door. She hailed a cab and gave herself a pep talk the whole way. When the cab arrived she paid and headed up the elevator. She stopped and listened in front of his door. She could hear music softly playing but didn’t hear any voices. She knocked softly on the door.  She waited a minute. But she didn’t hear anything. Taking a deep breath, she knocked once more, a little harder this time. Still nothing. She turned and walked the few steps back to the elevator.

She pushed the down button berating herself the whole time. Why had she come here? What was wrong with her? This was not something she would have ever done in the past. Did she seriously think that sleeping with him in a strip club would change who she was? He probably just felt bad for her earlier when he had kissed her in his apartment. Men always wanted to have the upper hand, right? She put her forehead on the wall and told herself how stupid she was to have come back to his place.

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Gwen has lived a hard life. She has endured many situations that would have broken a weaker person. But she has found love in her life and it keeps her from completely losing it when things get rough. That is, until one day a man enters her life that changes everything.

Will this man help Gwen become a stronger woman or will he completely destroy her?

Rachael is a stay at home mom with 2 young daughters and a husband that keep her constantly on her toes. She lives in the extremely hot state of Arizona, where she reads and writes away the blistering heat outside.

She is a cancer survivor with a quirky personality. She’s been an avid reader for as long as she can remember and been writing since she was in high school. Her hopes of being a writer were crushed when she was young but one day she decided she was going to do what makes her happy and that was to write.

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Yearning Devotion on Good Reads 

Cover done by Rebecca

Buy It Here

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Barnes & Noble 

“Mick, I’ve never felt attracted to a man… EVER. He actually makes me want to have hot sweaty sex with him. I want to run my hands all over his body and kiss him for days.” Gwen groaned as she jumped off the counter. She stomped her foot in frustration.

“One step at a time. He seems willing to go at whatever pace you set. Just go with the flow.” McKayla winked at her. She pushed between Gwen’s knees and ran a hand over her hair. “I know you like me, but there is nothing wrong with liking men. Most women do, if he can make you happy and share you with me, I’d be willing to try and welcome him into our life. But, that’s for you and him to figure out. So, come on, it’s Wednesday, hump day, that means you should watch me dry hump men at work. Hey, I’ll even let you do body shots off me!” McKayla laughed wiggling her hips around in the air. “Plus, if we make out, I’ll make crazy tips and take you out for an early breakfast.”
“Alright, fine, but you’re buying my drinks.” Gwen slid off the counter. McKayla pressed her back against the counter with her hips. She cupped both sides of Gwen’s face. Her bright blue eyes met Gwen’s honey brown ones for a moment before she pulled Gwen forward to plant a kiss on her lips.

Gwen has lived a hard life. She has endured many situations that would have broken a weaker person. But she has found love in her life and it keeps her from completely losing it when things get rough. That is, until one day a man enters her life that changes everything.

Will this man help Gwen become a stronger woman or will he completely destroy her?

Rachael is a stay at home mom with 2 young daughters and a husband that keep her constantly on her toes. She lives in the extremely hot state of Arizona, where she reads and writes away the blistering heat outside.

She is a cancer survivor with a quirky personality. She’s been an avid reader for as long as she can remember and been writing since she was in high school. Her hopes of being a writer were crushed when she was young but one day she decided she was going to do what makes her happy and that was to write.

Facebook 
Amazon 
Good Reads 
Yearning Devotion on Good Reads 

Cover done by Rebecca

Buy It Here

BUY it Amazon
Barnes & Noble 

McKayla knocked her hip into Gwen as she walked passed, pushing her towards Cole before quickly making her way towards the door that lead to the back. Gwen fluttered her eyelashes in frustration. She took another big gulp before setting her glass down and walking sexily towards Cole. What the hell, why not?

Yep, it was for sure the alcohol leading her now. Or maybe it was just because Cole was involved.
“You don’t have to…” Cole started to say, but Gwen just waved her hand in a stop motion at him.
“I don’t work here, but the same rules go. No touching from the male customers.” Gwen put a leg on either side of his pushing his thighs together before slowly sliding her thighs up the outside of his so she was straddling him at the same time her hands slid from his upper arms to his shoulders. Still up on her knees, putting her breasts almost right in his face, she waited for him to answer.

Chloe Lane is about to find out. When her childhood pal, Ethan Webster, asks her to play the part of his girlfriend in order to test this theory, she reluctantly agrees. As a work-crazed fashion designer, boutique owner and soon-to-be reality show judge, Chloe has no time for a real boyfriend, but being part of a faux pair will do just fine. Not that she has any intention of trying to attract someone else.

However…

Opportunity unexpectedly knocks when Chloe meets fellow reality judge, William Shannon. Super successful and super sexy, this high-powered entrepreneur inspires Chloe to test Ethan’s theory herself. Now, on top of keeping her fashion business productive, carving out a new role as a television personality, maintaining a fake relationship and attempting to lay the groundwork for a future relationship, she’s lying to William, lying to her friends, lying to her family and quite possibly lying to herself. Will Chloe be able to keep it all together, or are things about to explode?

Find the author on Twitter @LibbyMercer1 

Her blog 

Her author page on Goodreads 

Amazon buy the book

Jazzy secretly wants to get back together with her ex boyfriend, Curtis, so when he calls and reveals that he’s got something important to tell her, she’s got no idea that he’s about to propose—to her first cousin and bitter rival, Mercedes.

 The annual family dinner is coming up, and fearing that she will spend the evening seething while Mercedes flaunts her four-carat engagement ring in her face, Jazzy asks Reggie, an Adonis she met at the mall, to accompany her. As fate would have it, not only did Reggie and Mercedes used to date; that backstabbing, leopard print wearing cow is still carrying a torch for him! Revenge. It has never been so sweet. 

 But falling for Reggie? Holy crap! That wasn’t part of the plan! She has enough on her plate as it is with a mother who spies on the neighbors and a sister and best friend with men problems that could land them on Jerry Springer. 
So when Curtis comes sniffing around again—this time, with an accusation that sends her blood pressure shooting through the roof—the one good nerve that Jazzy’s got left has just about run its course. 

 Goodreads | Amazon | B&N

Quanie Miller grew up in New Iberia, Louisiana. 

She fell in love with reading at an early age and spent most of her time at the Iberia Parish Library discovering new authors like R.L. Stine and Christopher Pike (she was often found walking back home from the library with a stack of books that went up to her chin). 

She holds degrees from Louisiana State University and San Jose State University. She has been the recipient of the James Phelan Literary Award, the Louis King Thore Scholarship, the BEA Student Scriptwriting Award, and the Vicki Hudson Emerging Writing Prize. 

She loves writing humorous stories about strong willed, sassy women who can’t keep themselves out of trouble. She lives in Charleston, South Carolina with her husband and is currently, as always, working on another novel. 

To find out more about Quanie and her works in progress visit quanietalkswriting.com.

I parked on the street and realized that my palms were sweaty, so I wiped them on the seat and took three deep breaths. When I got out of the car, I tried to remain calm, but by the time, I reached the door, the butterflies in my stomach had turned into bats. I knocked. A few seconds later Curtis answered, and I stood there, shocked. 

He looked so damn good I had to stop myself from taking a flying leap and wrapping both my legs around his waist.

He had a beard (he was always clean-shaven when we were together) and was actually dressed….well….nicely! He was wearing a white button down shirt with khakis instead of those blue jogging pants with the yellow paint stains and the white muscle shirt with the holes in it. And for once, he smelled like he hadn’t bought his cologne from some guy in a beanie on a street corner. 

He even had the nerve to look like he’d been hitting the weight room, which shocked me because the whole time we were together, the only exercise this man got was running from bill collectors. Before I knew it, I felt a tingle in the part of my body that’s off limits to everyone except my gynecologist. Then, I got pissed. How dare he open the door looking like a chocolate wet dream? I, the dragon slayer, did not get slayed. I did the slaying. I regained my composure.

“How are you, Curtis?

“Fine, Jazzy. You look good.”

I wanted to say, “Chile, this girdle is cuttin’ off my circulation like you wouldn’t believe.” But instead, I smiled and said, “Thank you. So do you.” We walked inside the beautiful foyer and, as always, the winding staircase took my breath away. I followed Curtis into the living room and immediately noticed that it had been remodeled. The carpet had been replaced with hardwood floors, the walls painted a deep red, thick curtains were draped over heavy rods, an oil painting hung over the mantel piece, and a glass coffee table stood between two full-length leather sofas. I was so busy marveling at the decorating that it took me a while before I noticed the atmosphere in the room: cake, balloons, and all the children doing cartwheels. For a second, I thought I heard some of the kids singing, “Ding dong the wicked witch is dead.” 

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The adults seemed happy (but maybe the cocktails had something to do with that), and no one, except for me, was wearing black. It didn’t seem like a re-pass  It seemed more like a celebration.

I said, “They seem to be taking it well.”

He shrugged. “I think they’re grieving on the inside. Do you want something to drink?”

“Do you have lemonade?”

“Yes.”

I didn’t want any alcohol. When I got even just a little bit tipsy, for whatever reason, I became a rock star in my head. The last time, at karaoke night at some dive bar, I really got down with my bad self. I ended up on stage singing “Shoop” by Salt-n-Pepa. The next day, to my horror, it ended up on YouTube. 

For weeks, people walked by me singing that damn song and laughing and pointing at me. It even ended up on the six o’clock news in the segment: “Local woman gets down with her bad self”. I was humiliated (they still play it sometimes in a segment called “Dopey clips you might have missed”).

Curtis brought me a glass of lemonade and said, “Let’s go somewhere we can talk.”

We went to the sitting room where a huge picture of Grandma Laney and her shotgun looked down at us. Curtis cleared his throat. “As I told you on the phone, there’s something very important I need to talk to you about.”

“Okay.”

He looked me right in the eyes. “I’ve done a lot of growing since we broke up. I finally know what I want to do with my life, and I’m on my way to financial stability for the very first time. I’ve changed, Jazzy.”

“Okay….”

“And, well, there’s something I need to ask you.”

At this moment, his mother, Ms. Kay, stuck her head in the room. She was a triathlete and had a body like Angela Basset when she’d done What’s Love Got to Do With It. I knew that even in her fifties, I’d be eating her dust in a footrace. She smiled when she saw me and I hopped up to give her a hug. “Ms. Kay! How are you?”

“I’m fine. Thanks for coming.” She nodded to Curtis. “Can I see you for a second?” They left the room and I walked around looking at all the pictures of Grandma Laney. She was frowning in every single one. Even in her wedding picture where she wore a long, black dress and scowled with a cigar in one hand. I shuddered, thinking what that honeymoon night must have been like for the poor groom. I sat back down and noticed that underneath a lamp sat a light blue box that looked like it might be carrying a set of earrings. Curious, I opened it and was shocked to discover a diamond engagement ring. I sniffed it. Holy shit, a real diamond! It must have been at least four carats! I sat the box back then stood nonchalantly as I heard Curtis saying something to a relative as he walked back towards the room. When he got back inside he said, “Sorry about that.”

“That’s okay. Curtis, what’s this about?” I gasped because it hit me: something to ask me, him looking good enough to eat, and the ring. Sweet Jesus, this man was about to propose! I hopped on a chair and threw my hands in the air.

“Wait!”

He looked confused. “What?”

  

“You have to ask me something very important right?”

“Right.”

“And this could affect both of our lives forever?”

“Yes.”

Dragon slayer my ass. I was getting married! “Hold that thought.” I hopped off the chair and ran to the bathroom because I wanted to make sure my breath wasn’t funky and that I looked as stunning as I did when I had left the house. Who’d have thunk it? Me, getting married! How unexpected! I knew that we shared a bond and that there was something still lingering between us, but I had no idea he was thinking about making me his wife! I was proud of myself. All of that tough love I gave him, telling him he needed to get his finances together, refusing to loan him money, drafting a one year plan so that he could get caught up on his student loans; and now, he was financially stable and wanted to thank the woman who had made it all possible. I got teary eyed thinking about how I almost gave up on him. I checked myself one more time, and when I realized that I wasn’t going to get any more stunning, I headed back to the sitting room.

I walked over to Curtis and said like a sweet little angel, “Please. Go on.”

He took a deep breath. “I just wanted to be the first to tell you that I’m happier than I’ve ever been in my entire life.”

  

Enough with the small talk, buddy. Gimme the ring already.

“And well…” He wiped his forehead. “This is harder than I thought!”

I grabbed his hand. “You can tell me anything.” Now stop your yappin’ and give me the damn ring!

Suddenly, I heard the clicking of heels on the wooden floor. Curtis looked up at the same time that I did, and there she was. Decked head to toe in a leopard print dress and donning a hat that you would expect someone to wear to the Kentucky Derby. She was cradling her black Chihuahua, Kee-Kee, and dabbing her eyes with a Kleenex. She sobbed. “Oh, Curtis!” It was my cousin, Mercedes (or, as I sometimes liked to call her behind her back, Broke Ass Pinto).

When she finally noticed me she turned up her nose. “Oh. It’s you.”

“Yes. It’s me. And hello to you too, Daihatsu.”

  

She sat Kee-Kee down and frowned at me. “Now is not the time for your antics, Jasmine. A woman has died and I will not stoop to your level of commonness. Have you learned nothing since you crawled barefoot out of the bayou and slithered here on your pudgy little belly?”

I scoffed. “There is nothing pudgy about my belly. And don’t act like we’re not from the same place just because you have some job doing…oh, never mind. I forgot; your ass ain’t got no job.”

She took one of those handheld fans out of her purse (with her picture on it) and fanned herself. “I just so happen to be on sabbatical.”

“From what? Finding sugar daddies?”

 “Just because a man wants to wine and dine me does not mean he’s a sugar daddy. Can I help it that they just so happen to want to take me to five star restaurants while your dating life consists of sitting across from some gold-toothed fool while scarfing down biscuits at Jack in The Box? Don’t hate the player, honey.”

“First of all, I have never dated a man with a gold tooth. Except for that one time in high school. And second of all, I happen to love Jack in The Box—especially their biscuits. And third, shouldn’t you be somewhere, sleeping upside down in a cave or something?” 

Kee-Kee became antsy, so Mercedes stooped down and picked her up. Mercedes rubbed noses with her. “Don’t worry. The lady is just being mean to mommy because she’s fat.”

Before I could reach over Curtis’ head and grab her by that goofy looking hat (or trip her while she was walking so that she would go sprawling headfirst into a plant), Curtis said to her, “I didn’t expect you until eight.”

“Should I leave?” She looked at me with more disdain than normal, and then it hit me; what the hell what she doing there? While Curtis and I dated she wouldn’t even acknowledge him as my boyfriend. She called him that poor guy Jazzy put roots on.

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I said, “What are you even doing here anyway?”

“I’m here for Curtis, you moron.”

“I mean why. Since when are you two friends?”

“Who I’m friends with is none of your business.”

Curtis turned to me. “Jazzy, I hadn’t planned on doing this in front of you. But I want to let you know that our relationship is one of the main reasons I had to take a good look in the mirror and say, ‘Curtis, it’s time to grow up.’ And because of you, I was able to find the love of my life, and I just want to say thank you.” He grabbed the blue box and turned to Mercedes. He got on one knee and grabbed her by the hand. “You are the most wonderful woman I’ve ever met and it would make me the happiest man alive if you were my wife. Mercedes, will you marry me?”

She tossed poor Kee-Kee (who yelped) onto the sofa and put a hand on her chest. Then, she covered her mouth and shot one hand in the air and screamed, “Yes! Yes! Eat your heart out, Jazzy!” He put the ring on her finger as tears rushed from her eyes. She waved the ring in my face, then ran out of the room holding her hand in the air and screaming, “Suck it, Peacock!”

          Slowly, before my blood pressure spiked any further, I said to Curtis, “Is this why you asked me over here?”

          “I didn’t plan for it to happen like this; I just wanted to tell you in person before you heard it from anyone else.”

          “When did you start seeing Mercedes?”

          “Right before we broke up.” He shook his head. “I mean right after.” He said something else, but in my mind, he sounded like Charlie Brown’s teacher. “Jazzy, um, you know, whaa-whaa-whaa-whaa-whaa.” I felt my head nodding even though I wasn’t comprehending a thing he was saying.

I think I blacked out because one moment, I’m in the sitting room with my hands wrapped around Curtis’ neck as Mercedes and Ms. Kay tried to pry my fingers loose, and the next moment, Curtis was running down the street, and I was chasing behind him with a heavy, cast iron skillet in my hand.