SFRB Showcase July 2016!

The banner takes you right to the place to find all kinds of amazing authors and their offerings for July.  Check it out.  Not only are they talented writers, they’ve gotten me through a lots of bumps in the road to publishing, and surviving after publishing.

On to a snippet.  I’ve rewritten this scene a few times, and while I can’t guarantee it’s done being tweaked, I think it is.  So for something completely different, I’m going to post the snippet, with my personal thoughts interjected in parenthesis.  This is really how my brain works.  you’ve been warned.

Hunter and Shannon have a reunion, about halfway through Renegades: Book 2 of The Wildblood.  Read the bold lines first, that’s the actual snippet.  Reread.  My smarmy comments are in italics.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

“You’re not wearing body armor,” Hunter observed.

(Did you really think he wouldn’t notice that??)

She glared at him, dropping her canteen and clamping her mouth shut instead of saying something rude.

(You’re so lucky she didn’t punch you.  She’s twenty, for god’s sake.  Her hormones are running amok.)

He knew that look. “And you’re pissed at me. Because I kissed you?”

(I was right, you really are clueless.)

For a moment, Shan was astonished. “You think that’s why I’m angry?” She put her hands on her hips, only accentuating the fact she was mad, and that she wasn’t wearing body armor.

(No comment.)

“Apparently, no. What did I do wrong?” Hunter asked, leery.

(Oh, Hunter, you silly, silly man.)

“You could have asked me to come with you, when you left Estes Park.”

(You’re not paying enough attention, Hunter.  You should run now.)

“You told me not to.”

(See previous statement.)

“I might have alluded to it. The point is, you should have asked.” Shan was frustrated. He wasn’t like the other men she knew, the ones she’d grown up around. She had no trouble expressing herself to the select few of Team Three’s inner circle, or talking them in to things.

(Men.)

There was no winning the argument, he knew from past experience. “What about Mac?” he expressed his own frustration.

(Noooooooooo!!  You did not just say that!)

“Mac?” she repeated, puzzled.

(It’s OK, Shan.  He’s clueless.)

“Tall guy. Wears a cowboy hat, watches a lot of old movies when he’s off-duty. You two are . . . involved.”

(I’ll bet she knew that.)

She sighed. “I forget, sometimes. You think my relationship with Mac has some bearing on my relationship with you. It doesn’t.”

(TAKE THE HINT.)

“Maybe not for you,” Hunter corrected. “And maybe not for him. I have trouble working around that. Once I figure it out, I’ll tell you all about how I feel.” He knew exactly how to push her buttons, or to make her think about it. His choice was the latter, this time.

(~headdesk~)

“I don’t even know how to respond,” Shan decided after a moment.

(Me, either.)

“What do you need my help for?” he changed the subject none too smoothly.

(YOU EEEDIOTT!)

“I’m a Scout, I might as well see what I can about this trade route. Maybe it will keep Command from firing me, later.”

(looks for another cup of coffee)

Hunter folded his arms, never sure if she was joking when it came to Command.

(You know nothing, Hunter.  Nothing!)

“There are times I really despise that . . . smug look,” she folded her arms, daring him to respond.

(You’re really not going to let him walk away like that, are you?  ARE YOU??)

 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Renegades: Book 2 of The Wildblood will be release this autumn.  In the meantime, you can catch up with The Vista: Book 1 of The Wildblood, and Backlash, a prequel novella.  They are available on all e-formats, links on my website.