Wednesday Special Spotlight
Shines on
Leave Yesterday Behind
By
Lauren Linwood
Blurb:
Callie Chennault vaulted to fame on the nighttime soap Sumner Falls, but after a decade of playing the same role, she is ready for a new acting challenge. When Callie is attacked by a stalker on the streets of New York, she takes a leave of absence from the show and returns to her roots in Aurora, Louisiana, to heal both physically and emotionally and determine her next career move.
Former professional baseball pitcher Nick La Chappelle has also come to Aurora to lick his own wounds after a messy divorce. A Cy Young winner and one-time ESPN broadcaster, Nick longs for the quiet of a small town in order to write murder mysteries under a pen name.
Sparks fly when Callie believes Nick is taking advantage of her great-aunt’s hospitality, but they resolve their differences—and surprise themselves by falling in love. Their bond is tested when both Nick and Callie become the focus of a serial killer nicknamed Lipstick Larry. Can they outwit a murderer bent on seeing them dead and survive to build a lasting relationship?
Excerpt:
Maybe she should take a cab home. But her subway station was only a block and half away. It would be foolish to stand out in a downpour after nine at night when she could duck in and be on her way downtown in a couple of minutes. Callie liked that people left her alone on the subway. A few sometimes stared at her and frowned, wondering if they’d ever seen her before. Most turned away, not quite able to place her.
After all, she left Jessica behind at the studio every day. No chic clothes, Ravenous Red mouth, or fancy hairstyle. She didn’t often get recognized in real life unless it was a die-hard fan. Even then, most New Yorkers were cool about it and simply ignored her.
Chill out. Just move.
“Jessica?”
She turned automatically and saw a man standing behind her. He was probably the reason she’d had the feeling of being followed. He seemed a little out of breath, as if he’d been keeping up with her awhile. It had happened before. She knew it would happen again.
And always with this type.
He was non-descript in every way—average height and build, brown hair, glasses. Harmless looking. Dopey grin on his face, like he’d hit the lottery because he’d actually had the balls to speak to the crush of his daydreams. She knew enough to be firm. Give him a brief little personal moment, a smile and her signature on something, and get back to her life.
Then a quick flash of John Lennon signing an autograph for Mark David Chapman zipped through her brain. He’d been average, too.
And he’d killed Lennon hours after someone snapped a photograph of them together.
“You don’t look like Jessica up close.” His voice was silky, almost caressing, yet the tone was definitely disappointed.
Her pulse quickened. She took a step back to put a little distance between them and brushed against a brick wall.
“I like to give my skin a rest away from the studio. All that heavy make-up and hairspray can cause a girl some damage.” She kept her tone calm and friendly as she glanced over the man’s shoulder.
No one was in sight.
“I want to see Jessica. She’s my favorite.”
He pulled something from his pocket and held it up. “Put this on. It’ll help. It’s the perfect shade.” He smiled shyly. “I’ll even let you do it. You’re the expert.” He reached out and grabbed her wrist and laid the item in her hand before letting go.
Chills ran through her as she opened her palm. In it lay a gold tube of Jessica’s signature Ravenous Red.
Buy Link: http://amzn.com/B00WXJIXP0
Lauren Linwood’s Social Media Links:
Website: http://www.laurenlinwood.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/laurenlinwood
Twitter: http://twitter.com/LaurenLinwood
Blog: http://www.laurenlinwood.com/write-up-my-alley/
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Lauren-Linwood/e/B00CSSG8BC/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1406670019&sr=8-1
Reblogged this on NEVA BROWN & BOOKS.
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Thanks for hosting me with my very 1st romantic suspense, C.D.! And I appreciate the reblog, Neva!
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You’re welcome Lauren. We find your writing enjoyable and your characters believable.
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