INTRODUCTION

Hi everyone My name is Victoria Zumbrum, 40 years old, married 14 years with 1 son. This is my very first blog. So bear with me. I have always wanted to have my own blog. I have always loved to read. I enjoy getting lost in a good book.
I love becoming part of the story and characters. I am hoping to bring my love of books to my readers.

I love reading different genres such as paranormal, young adult, romance, romantic suspense, mystery, Christian fiction, some horror, etc. The list goes on. I started reviewing books a couple of years ago and have done reviews for different blogs and even some authors. I really have enjoyed reviewing books and I will continue to do so. If anyone is interested in me reviewing a book for them, please contact me. I still have a lot to learn regarding my own blog so bear with me. I welcome and appreciate all followers.

Thursday, July 31, 2025

Preorder Blitz The Lovelace Protocols by Mikala Ash




Steampunk Romance

Date Published: August 1, 2025



Lust in space!

Automaton engineers Clara Wheeler and Edmund Blake, groundbreaking developers of the first robot program, the Lovelace Protocols, are sent by Queen Victoria to the moon on a mission of vital importance to the Empire. They are to help Mon Ilson, the Lunarian Emperor of Space, conduct experiments on their bedroom automatons: Jack and Jill.

There is a darker aspect to the experiments. Spiritualist Cordelia Warrington, her automaton lover Adam, and Harry Kincaid of the Home Office are there to do the unthinkable: transfer a human soul into an automaton’s body.

Supervised by the beautiful Lunarians Pamela Fyfe and Burton Sobel, the group pass the three days of the journey with card games, dancing, and a wild weightless orgy. To her horror, Clara discovers that her machines have more than sex actuating their cogs and pistons. Death is also on the program.

 


EXCERPT

 

Clara Wheeler, Automaton Engineer

1868 -- A Royal Command

Edmund says composing riddles is childish, but I find them to be so much fun. Even while working.

Knowledge, he has, But never ideas.

Skills, he has, But never control.

No children has he, Nor can ever be.

Dependent souls has he, But master he can never be.

What is he?

“Slower,” I commanded.

JN32’s response was sluggish.

“Stop.”

“I saw,” Edmund muttered, and took his trusty turnscrew to JN32’s exposed innards.

I gave my aching thighs a stretch before resting my ankles on JN32’s broad shoulders. The automaton had not yet been given a face, so I was looking at the brass framework from which distinctly inhuman oculi stared down at me with mechanical indifference.

“Hurry up. I’m getting cold.”

“Just a jiffy.”

The certification room never seemed to be at the right temperature. One would think being rogered for two hours without pause ought to have raised my body temperature enough to boil water, and that may have been true in the first thirty minutes where I usually achieved several climaxes. But when it came time to make final adjustments, my level of passion had declined markedly. So far JN32 had performed to a standard which, by human standards, was spectacular.

Edmund began to whistle a music hall tune he’d picked up during his last weekend pass. He had been deliberately torturing me with “Champagne Charlie” ever since.

“This does not qualify as a jiffy,” I complained.

“Nearly there.” He finally stepped back and gave me that quirky smile of his. “When you’re ready.”

“Resume,” I commanded, and JN32 began moving his hips. Slowly at first, following the appropriate Lovelace Protocol, one of several thousand which governed all the behaviours the automaton could express. This particular set ensured that the pace and magnitude of his strokes built up gently so as not to injure the customer with a sudden assault. A half minute later when he’d concluded the sequence of graduated steps, I commanded him to go faster. His response was also to specifications, and his thrusts accelerated. Automaton cocks, if not restrained, are like the pistons of a locomotive, and the resulting friction could be discomforting and downright dangerous.

“Lubricate.”

The rim of JN32’s cockhead immediately released a measured amount of specially blended synthetic oils that matched the average viscosity of vaginal fluid, and I felt the improvement almost at once.

“Again.”

“What?” Edmund asked, looking at me over the top of his notebook.

“I was just getting a little dry,” I replied.

He raised a quizzical orange eyebrow. “That’s not like you.”

I returned what he unkindly termed my Medusa glower. “Faster, JN32.”

I was rewarded with an immediate quickening. My body shook with each thrust so that my breasts jiggled and swayed. Now came the test of Edmund’s adjustment.

“Slower.”

This time JN32’s response was immediate, and the protocol smoothly reduced stroke speed by a quarter, then a half.

“Faster.”

JN32 complied.

“Slower.”

“That’s good,” Edmund muttered. “No lag that I could see.”

“Nor I,” I responded between gasps. A pleasant pair of climaxes had surprised me.

“He found the spot, did he?” Edmund quipped.

Another series of small climaxes overtook me. “Never… you… mind…” I replied as waves of pleasure pulsed through my body, radiating from quim to chest in gusts of white-hot flame. “Stop.”

“What’s wrong?”

“I just need a moment.”

Edmund’s gaze travelled from my eyes to my heaving breasts and to my quivering belly to where my body joined with JN32’s. My gaze dropped to the decided bulge in Edmund’s trousers. I pushed away the readily evoked images of his thick ten inches ploughing the artificial sheath of a female automaton. After a few moments I had collected myself enough to resume the test.

I took JN32 through the advanced routine where his cock would vibrate at variable speeds sequentially from the head down to the base of his shaft. Then with the “wiggle” command the top half of his shaft moved up and down and then side to side as his cock moved inside me.

This is my favourite part of the test, one which gave me exquisite pleasure, particularly on the outstroke where the movement stimulated my swollen nub. I must admit it made me squirm every time. I peeked through my eyelashes to note that Edmund had seen my response. The bulge had doubled in size. Served him right for inflicting me with one of Charlie’s song lines: “Come and join me in a spree.”

 

About the Author

Aussie Mikala Ash used to be a mild-mannered training & development consultant by day, and a wild sci-fi and paranormal adventure writer by night. Now she is a brazen full-time writer and nature photographer who is concentrating on having among other things, “… bags, and bags of fun!” Mikala can be found on Facebook and on Twitter.


Author Links

Author on Facebook

Author on Twitter

 

Publisher on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok: @changelingpress

 

Pre-Order Today


RABT Book Tours & PR

David H. Millar The Conall Series Book Tour and Giveaway

 


Heroes and villains from myth, legend, and history converge in this saga set in the vast ancient forests, treacherous bogs, snow-capped mountains, and mysterious lochs of Scotland some four hundred years before the birth of Christ.


The Place of Blood – Rinn-Iru

Conall Book I

by David H. Millar

Genre: Historical Fantasy




Over four hundred years before the birth of Christ, the island of Ériu is a patchwork of feuding kingdoms, vast plains, and frozen bogs. Battle, intrigue, betrayals, and courage are part of life for the Celts who call Ériu home.


At the same time, from their underground halls, the mysterious demi-goddesses of the Aes Sídhe seduce brave warriors, turning men into kings and binding them with fearsome geis.


Conall Mac Gabhann is content with his apprenticeship with the local blacksmith. Content, that is, until he finds his family slaughtered in their home. Two men share responsibility for the massacre: a mad Irish king and a dissolute Roman. Conall will have his vengeance or die in the attempt.


Accompanied by his childhood love—the beautiful but dark-spirited—Mórrígan, and the veteran warrior Fearghal, Conall's quest takes him northward through unfriendly kingdoms to a confrontation beyond the ancient earthworks of the Black Pig's Dyke.


Along the way, Conall and Mórrígan will gather an army and come under the influence of the Aes Sídhe. If Conall desires, an apprentice blacksmith will become a king. Who knows what Mórrígan will become?


The Conall Series contains scenes of sex and violence and language appropriate to the period (400 B.C.) it is set in. It is not recommended for those under 14 without parental consent.

 

 

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The Raven's Flight – Eitilt an Fhiagh Dhuibh

Conall Book II



Conall II: The Raven’s Flight continues to chronicle the story of Conall and Mórrígan and the epic journey of the warriors from Ériu (Ireland).


Conall and his brooding queen, Mórrígan, lead over two thousand warriors with their followers across the narrow sea separating Ériu from Albu (Britain). Their quest: the capture of Cassius Fabius Scaeva, the dissolute Roman held responsible for the slaughter of their families.


The Ériu encounter human, natural, and supernatural foes and friends. At the mercy of the Aes Sídhe, a race of demi-goddesses who demand that he fulfil his geis, Conall is named the Hand of the Goddess and given the instrument that will crush the Na Daoine Tùrsach—a tribe of fanatical, blood-lusting priests.


They battle fierce northern tribes: the Forest People's one-eyed king, Drostan Ruadh, opposes their presence, as do the Na Mèadaidh, led by the sly Finnean Mac Sèitheach. Yet, not all are enemies. The Raven People offer their support, although it too comes at a price.


Heroes and villains from myth, legend, and history converge in this saga set in the vast ancient forests, frozen bogs, snow-capped mountains, and mysterious lochs of Scotland some four hundred years before the birth of Christ.

 

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The Sisters – Na Deirfiúracha

Conall Book III




It is 406 B.C. The Gaels tramp battle through the vast forests of Northern Albu and cross the brooding moors and marshes to reach the grain fields of Southern Albu. The majestic stone brochs, crannags and dùin of the north give way to the great hillforts of the South.


The Sisters is the third book of the series. In this tale, the fearsome women surrounding Conall take centre stage.


A malevolent queen bent on conquering Northern Albu launches an invasion and kidnaps the twin daughters of Conall and Mórrígan. The king's and queen's blood oath promises no mercy until the young twins are returned.


A merciless assassin stalks the community, and Tadhg is given the unenviable task of tracking the killer down. His mission worsens when the signs point to one of the women close to Conall, and he becomes the target.


Which partners are loyal to their hand-fasting oaths, and who will betray them? Will honour be redeemed on the battlefield?


Amid the battles, betrayals and intrigue, Mòrag, a tall beauty and fearsome warrior, desires Conall at any cost. A clash with Conall’s queen, also known as The Dark Huntress, is inevitable.

  

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A Brace of Eagles - Snaidhm Iolar

Conall Book IV



Butter-gold and cruelly hooked, the beak ripped a ragged gash across the newborn’s throat.”

Blacksmith’s son, Conall Mac Gabhann’s only desire was to follow in his father’s footsteps and enjoy a long life with his childhood love, Mórrígan. The slaughter of their parents dashed those dreams. Fuelled by vengeance, both embark on the dark path of retribution.


From the ancient forest, two great eagles take wing. With amber-gold eyes, Fate and the Goddess watch, ready to guide and meddle in human lives.


Conall, now Clann Ui Flaithimh’s ‘king over kings’, must complete his geis—at any cost. He takes another stride closer to Rome and a reckoning with Marcus Fabius Ambustus. Flat-bottomed biremes carry Conall’s army across the Muir nIocht to crash on the shingle beaches of Northwestern Gaul.
New enemies and uneasy alliances flourish. Assassins, treason, and betrayal thrive.


Above all, Conall values loyalty. Thus, treason within the tribe sours his belly. Mercy will have no part in his response.


The fourth novel in the Conall series, Conall IV: A Brace of Eagles, is a rousing epic of Celtic heroes and villains, bloody battles, political intrigue, honour, betrayal, tragedy and forbidden love.

 

 

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Retribution - Díoltas

Conall Book V



Witch!” Tullus gasped.
“You are not that fortunate, Roman,” came the menacing reply.”


Blood has purchased a fragile peace for Conall and Mórrígan and the close circle of friends they call family. However, allies and enemies alike wonder if the king and queen have lost the thirst for vengeance on those who slaughtered their families. Alarmed, gods, kings, and despots conspire to poke the slumbering fire.


Brennus of the Senones smarts at his defeat at Conall's hands and covets his lands and wealth. Will a bruised ego and hubris overrule the Gaulish king's typical pragmatism?


The Gaiscedach want revenge for the defeat and execution of their queen. In the dead of night, like cockroaches, they scuttle over the walls of Lugudunon.


Marcus Fabius Ambustus tolerates no challenge to his plan to be the Dictator of Rome. But has arrogance blinded him to the enemy he has nurtured?


The gates of Rome and retribution draw closer. But Conall needs his enemies as much as his friends. Still, who are enemies and who are friends? It is a time of schisms and rebuilding, of loved ones endangered, and assassins and spies revealed.


Yet, there has always been one constant: only the foolish doubt that Conall and Mórrígan will show mercy to those who threaten their family.


Conall V: Retribution is the final novel in the Conall series.



The Conall Series contains scenes of sex, violence, and language appropriate to the period (400 B.C.) in which it is set. It is not recommended for those under 14 without parental consent.

 

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Born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, internationally published and award-winning author David H. Millar is the founder, owner, and author-in-residence of A Wee Publishing Company—a business formed to promote Celtic authors and literature.

David is the author of the five-volume, ancient Celtic-based Conall series and the spin-offs The Dog Roses, The Dog Roses: Resolution, The Blood Queen and Brianag: A Blood Queen Novel.

David resides in Houston, Texas, with his family and two recent family members, tuxedos Beau and Stiletto.

 

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Follow the tour HERE for special content and a $50 giveaway! 




Wednesday, July 30, 2025

Evie Able Author Spotlight and Giveaway

 


Have fun adventures with Evie Able’s multicultural children’s fantasy books! 


The Bad Little Fairy

by Evie Able

Genre: Multicultural Children’s Fantasy



Jenny is a bad little fairy. She knows how to play and have fun. She's far too busy to learn the joy of being considerate. Thankfully, curiosity is the fairy of invention. With numerous full page color illustrations and rhyming text, The Bad Little Fairy will engage pre-readers of all cultures to imagine the magic of kindness.

 

Author’s Site * Amazon * B&N * ThriftBooks * Bookbub * Goodreads

 

The Bad Fairy Baker

by Evie Able

Genre: Multicultural Children’s Fantasy



Jenny wants to bake muffins. Baking isn’t easy, but patience wins the day. Take a kitchen journey with the bad little fairy and bake grain-free muffins with your kids with the recipe at the back!

 

Author’s Site


Hiding Dragons

by Evie Able

Genre: Multicultural Children’s Fantasy



There is a boy, a curious boy, who just moved to the hood. If you watch close, and books aren't near, he will be misunderstood.

Some friendships begin with discovering hidden treasures. Learn the magic of making new friends in Hiding Dragons.

 

Author’s Site * Amazon * ThriftBooks * Goodreads





A Story

by Evie Able

Genre: Multicultural Children’s Fantasy



**Winner of the 2025 Golden Wizard Book Prize Award!**

 

Stories are for everyone. Follow this story through the African rain forest and out to the Sahara as animals of all kinds discover the power one story has. For 6 months and older.

 

Author’s Site * Amazon * B&N * ThriftBooks * Goodreads






Evie Able is the author of the Bad Little Fairy, Hiding Dragons and Phoenix Ashe books series and winner of the Kroger Award for Excellence in Creative Writing. Able Focuses on interweaving paranormal elements into multicultural children’s and young adult stories, creating unique worlds which re-conceptualize how we learn to be good people. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators and the Authors Guild. 

 

Website * Facebook * Instagram * Bluesky * YouTube * Bookbub * Goodreads



Follow the tour HERE for special content and a $30 giveaway!


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Preorder Blitz Memphis Heat by Marteeka Karland

 


Paranormal Romance

Date Published: August 1, 2025

Publisher: Changeling Press

 


Memphis, Tennessee. The Russian mob has declared war on the MPD, leaving a team of dead cops in their wake, and the city of Memphis caught in their crossfire.

Stakeout (Memphis Heat 1)
Jarod took a bullet to the chest. But he didn’t die. While he was bleeding out, he was bitten. By a werewolf. Now he can smell his partner’s attraction, but his bite didn’t exactly come with instructions. Two partners who always have each other’s backs share everything -- but the one thing they need to share the most.

Streetwise (Memphis Heat 2)
When Officer Butch Carson and his rookie trainee, Regan “Sundance” O’Malley, are caught between the MPD and the Russians, they have no one they can turn to but each other. The more they learn about being werewolves, the tighter their own bond becomes. And the more determined they are to stop the assassins who nearly added them to the growing list of victims.

Strikeforce (Memphis Heat 3)
Lt. Jamie Callahan’s convinced there’s a mole in their pack, and he and his new partner must figure out who set them up -- and who’s responsible for the deaths of their former lieutenants.

Takedown (Memphis Heat 4)
Two packs fight for the heart of the city. The Russian mob and the MPD stand at odds, the city of Memphis caught in the middle. The new Alphas plan to leave their enemies in the dust. But it’s their friends they should be watching out for.

When the final takedown comes, there will only be one Alpha standing.



Excerpt


All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2025 Marteeka Karland & Shelby Morgen


Excerpt from Stakeout

"You're a real asshole, you know that, don't you?"

"Yes, dear," Jarod answered with a suppressed chuckle in his tone.

She was going to smack him any moment now. "That. That right there. That's the reason you're paying alimony to two ex-wives. Fuck you and your yes, dear. I've had shorter dry spells between engagements. I. Need. To. Fuck. Now!"

"You're just bored."

Belle squirmed in her chair, practically grinding her pussy against the worn upholstery. "No shit. What gave it away?"

"Told you not to come. ADD and stakeouts don't go well together."

She pointed the butt of her service revolver at him, resisting the urge to throw it. "Somebody has to watch your back. Besides. You used to be better at keeping me distracted."

A sideways grin quirked his face. "We used to have... interesting... ways of keeping ourselves entertained, didn't we? Not exactly professional, but..."

"Used to being the operative phrase here. What the hell is wrong with you, anyway?"

"Wrong with me? I got shot, remember?"

As if she could forget. "Yeah. And by all reports you should have died. But you didn't. And ever since you've been treating me like..."

"I'm trying to act like a professional. I've been treating you like a cop. Like my partner."

He attempted to look offended at that. Nearly pulled it off. Professional, my ass. "We were a hell of a lot more than just partners, Jarod. You can't deny that."

"Yeah, well, maybe if I'd been acting a little more like a cop and a lot less like your lover, we wouldn't have been in a position where you could have gotten killed." The bitterness in his tone surprised her.

She kept her voice low and steady, bottling up the frustrated anger that threatened to overwhelm her. "I wasn't the one who got shot, Jarod."

"Could have. Could have been you first up that alley, just as easy as me. And it would have been my fault."

This argument was getting them nowhere. Damn it, she was horny as hell and he was right there! "Shut up and fuck me --" she reached for her police baton -- "Or I'll do it myself."

Binoculars focused on the dilapidated warehouse across the street, he didn't even glance her way. "Go ahead."

Did he think she wouldn't? Staring at Jarod's lovely backside, Belle unzipped her jeans and shimmied them down her hips enough to give herself access to her pussy lips. It was his own fault. He was tall, handsome, built and reasonably single, if you didn't count the excess baggage, but she still might have resisted -- if he didn't smell like liquid sex poured into a cop suit. She wanted to reach over, undo his belt, and suck his cock right down to the root. Then they'd see how professional he could be. Fuckhead.

With that thought Belle kicked the jeans the rest of the way off and switched the baton around so the handle lined up with her pussy. With one thrust she impaled herself right down to the crossbar.

Fucker. If he didn't get off on that, he was gay.

"Shit, Belle! What the hell are you doing?"

"We're undercover. Normal people do not sit in sleazy, run-down motels next to vacant buildings for hours at a time and stare at locked doors. Only reason to be here is to fuck."

As if he'd suddenly gotten into the spirit of things, Jarod reached out and grabbed her shoulders, throwing her against the window. His mouth found the juncture of her neck and shoulder, and he bit down with more aggression that she was used to from him, but she was so horny, she didn't give a shit.

He yanked her head back, and his mouth found hers in a jaw-breaking kiss before he broke away, pushing her back. "You wanna play? Fine. Your turn to watch the Russians." He pulled her closer and spun her around. She braced her hands on the dirty plate glass window...

 

About the Author

Marteeka Karland is an international bestselling author who leads a double life as an erotic romance author by evening and a semi-domesticated housewife by day. Known for her down and dirty MC romances, Marteeka takes pleasure in spinning tales of tenacious, protective heroes and spirited, vulnerable heroines. She staunchly advocates that every character deserves a blissful ending, even, sometimes, the villains in her narratives. Her writings are speckled with intense, raw elements resulting in page-turning delight entwined with seductive escapades leading up to gratifying conclusions that elicit a sigh from her readers.

Away from the pen, Marteeka finds joy in baking and supporting her husband with their gardening activities. The late summer season is set aside for preserving the delightful harvest that springs from their combined efforts (which is mostly his efforts, but you can count it). To stay updated with Marteeka's latest adventures and forthcoming books, make sure to visit her website. Don't forget to register for her newsletter which will pepper you with a potpourri of Teeka's beloved recipes, book suggestions, autograph events, and a plethora of interesting tidbits.

 

Author Links

Author on Instagram & TikTok: @marteekakarland

Author on Facebook

 

Publisher on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok: @changelingpress

 

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RABT Book Tours & PR

Book Amplifier Tour The Next Breath by Laurel Osterkamp

 



Amazon: http://bit.ly/3GeVJqO

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/212336698-the-next-breath

 

In The Next Breath, Laurel Osterkamp paints a quietly devastating and ultimately hopeful portrait of a woman navigating love, loss, and emotional truth.

Robin has never stopped grieving Jed, the intense, brilliant man she fell for in her twenties. He warned her not to believe in permanence, but she did anyway—and when he died, she was left breathless in the worst way. Now, ten years later, she’s found new air in Nick, a sweet, grounded man who might just offer the stability she’s never known. But Robin is keeping secrets: she’s about to star in the play Jed wrote for her, and Jed’s ghost still visits her dreams, urging her to move on. With her heart split between memory and possibility, Robin faces the painful realization that healing doesn’t mean forgetting—and loving again doesn’t mean loving less.

Laurel Osterkamp writes emotionally intelligent, literary women’s fiction about women at turning points. Her books explore the messy intersections of identity, love, and grief, with protagonists who are complex, flawed, and deeply human. Laurel lives in Minneapolis and teaches ESL and middle school enrichment. She’s the author of several novels including Beautiful Little Furies, Favorite Daughters, and The Side Project, which have earned her a devoted readership and Amazon bestseller status. Find more at laurellit.com or on Instagram.

Jed stood on the porch, alternately breathing and coughing. He didn’t have a beer, just a bottle of water that rested against the railing. I stood next to him. “Hey. What are you doing out here all by yourself?”

“Too smoky in there. I need a break.”

“Yeah…” It was a cool night; fall was resigning to winter. Hugging myself, I pulled on the sleeves of my belted sweater, worn over a black t-shirt and stretch pants. My beatnik look.

“What’d you think of the play?”

He coughed so he could speak. “You were brilliant.”

“Right.”

“No, really.”

“I’m pretty much the scenery, Jed.”

He shook his head. “That’s not true. During Jacques' ‘All the world’s a stage’ speech you have this great look on your face. I love how you respond to him.”

“Why?”

Jed yanked the strings of his grey hoodie, which was attached to a denim jacket. “Because that speech is a load of crap. Your face rescues the entire scene.”

“It’s a load of crap?” I searched his watery eyes, for a sign that he was joking, but his face held firm. “It’s one of Shakespeare’s most famous speeches.”

“Yeah, and it makes this assumption that everyone’s life is the same. That we’re all male, we’ll all live to be old, and we all experience the same stuff at the same time.” Jed cleared his throat and up came indignation. “People are more unique than that.”

I shivered. Time to tread lightly. “Well, sure. But some of what we experience is universal, isn’t it? We all have our exits and our entrances, and we all play many different parts.”

“Some of us get more parts than others.” He coughed again, so hard that my own chest tightened.

“I don’t know what to say.”

“That makes you the first.” He coughed again, a mad, racking sound that echoed in the night. “People always have something to say.” Jed squeezed his eyes shut with a wince. “Sorry. I try to be more than just my illness. I don’t want CF to be the most fascinating thing about me.”

“It’s not.”

His voice was flat “Oh yeah? Then what is?” He looked me straight in the eye, daring me to answer.

I blew out a steady stream of air. “Your attitude. You’re not afraid of anything, you find almost everything interesting, and I’ve never met anyone less shy than you.” I gripped the porch railing and stared at my cold fingers. “If you were a boat, you’d never be tied to the harbor.”

“If I was a boat, I’d sink.” He hacked and took a swig of water. The night air was static, but we could hear the boisterous party noise coming from inside. I put my hand on his shoulder and he turned towards my touch.

“Wanna know a secret?” He whispered. “I’m just an actor, like everyone else.” Then he closed his eyes,and when he opened them I thought I saw longing. Like the beginning of a tsunami.

“All the world’s a stage, right?”

Jed tilted his head. “Yeah.”

We hovered for a moment, moving towards each other. When our lips met, his mouth was soft, inviting, and powerful enough to make my toes curl. He let out a little sigh, like he was relieved to be kissing me, but before I could wrap my arms around his shoulders, he stepped away.

“No,” he said. “This is a bad idea.”

“Why?” I tried to sound jokey, light. “You’ll sleep with anything that moves.”

He matched my tone. “That’s not true. I’ll only sleep with human females, in my age range, and attractive.”

“Don’t I fit that requirement?”

He looked me up and down, his nostrils flaring. “Yeah, of course you do.”

“Then why?”

Jed stepped back again, making new space between us. “I just think we’re better off as friends.”

I squared my shoulders to pretend I wasn’t wounded. “If it’s because you think you’ll corrupt me, don’t worry. I’m not a virgin.”

“Okay.” He raised his hands in defeat and kept his voice steady, like I’d bite him if he wasn’t careful. “Look, I’m not in a relationshipy place right now; I can’t be, with all my health issues. If we were together, you’d have high expectations because that’s how you are.”

“You don’t know that.”

“I see you, Robin. You don’t hide or lower your standards. I like that about you, but it also makes us bad for each other.” Lines crumpled his forehead as he held my gaze. “Tell me I’m wrong.”

I leaned against the side of the house. How had I gotten to this point, practically begging Jed to have sex with me? I was a pathetic cliché.

“No, you’re right.” I forced out a weird, strained laugh. “We’d regret it, you and me…” I tilted my head towards the stars and groaned. “Never mind. Delete the last couple of minutes from your memory.”

I turned to go inside.

“Robin…” He grabbed my arm and I let him pull me towards him. The yearning on his face told a different story to the one he’d just recited. I put my hand at the base of his neck, but withdrew my fingers in shock.

“Oh my God. You’re burning up.” His forehead was clammy and hot and not the way a healthy forehead should be.

He ducked from my touch. “I’m fine,” he growled.

“No you’re not.”

He started to hack. “Just tired.”

“Can I help you get home?”

“I don’t need your help. And I’m not ready to leave yet.”

He slammed the door as he went back into the party.

 

Guest Post: What’s the Appeal of a Heart-Wrenching Love Story?

 I’ll admit it; I love a good cry, especially while reading a novel or watching a film. But I don’t want to be manipulated. To me, vicarious heartache only works if it feels authentic. That’s why I wrote The Next Breath. I figured it would be a unique challenge, writing something both heart-wrenching and authentic.

Because, there is an undeniable allure to love stories tinged with tragedy. We’re drawn in by the reflection of raw, unfiltered, and complex human emotion. In the age of Instagram, we need a reminder. Neither life nor love is ever perfect. And rarely is it easy.

That’s why the appeal of a heart wrenching love story lies in the deep connection we feel with the characters. Their joys and sorrows echo our own experiences or fears. When love faces insurmountable obstacles, we remember the resilience necessary to hold on, to fight for what matters, and to accept what’s beyond our control. And, if we as readers can witness someone enduring all that and making it through to growth and emotional recovery, that’s incredibly uplifting.

It’s like when I was nine months pregnant with my first child, and I became obsessed with watching A Baby Story on TLC, which followed women giving birth. My husband noticed and asked why. I quickly replied, “It helps me, seeing someone get through childbirth.” The truth is, I was scared.

I believe that’s similar to why many of us enjoy sad love stories. We’re all afraid of loss and grief. But if we can live vicariously through a character’s pain, and also through their healing, then it helps us deal with those fears.

Tragic love stories make us cry, but they also make us feel alive. The pain becomes a cathartic release, allowing us to confront our own vulnerabilities. They invite us to embrace the full spectrum of feelings, from joy to sorrow and from hope to despair. We revel in the characters’ pain, but we also experience the profound capacity of love’s transformative process. We’re reminded that even in loss, there is a form of beauty, a testament to the depth of our capacity to feel and to care.

If a heart-wrenching romance is well done, then it lingers long after the final page, as a poignant reminder of love’s power and its inevitable fragility.

And, it allows us the opportunity to indulge in a good ol’ cry.





Writing Process & Creativity

 

Your book is set in Des Moines, Iowa. Have you ever been there?

I have been there many times because my best friend lives in Kansas City and I live in Minneapolis. At least once a year, we drive a few hours either north or south, and meet in Des Moines. I love that city because there are many fun memories connected to it.

 

What is your next project?

Currently, I’m working on a novel titled My Winter Song to You. It’s a fake dating, friends-to-lovers, holiday romance inspired Shakespeare’s “problem” play, The Winter’s Tale. And it takes place in Sugar Pine, Colorado, where I also set my novella, I Bet You Think About Me. (You can download that novella FREE when visiting laurellit.com!)

 

What is the last great book you’ve read?

I just finished Emma Grey’s Pictures of You. I was riveted! She does a great job with the dual-POV, flashback/flash forward structure. Such a great job, that she makes it seem easy, but it’s anything but. And, the story captures the feelings of love young while also dealing with some very serious topics with care.

 

What were the biggest rewards and challenges with writing The Next Breath?

While writing The Next Breath, I wanted to make sure I wrote about cystic fibrosis in a realistic way, so I did a lot of research. Same is true for feelings of loss and grief. But, both my biggest reward and challenge was writing Jed’s play within a novel. I started writing plays before I ever began writing novels, so it wasn’t completely out of my comfort zone. However, I was kinda dumb, to set it up in the novel that Jed’s play is REALLY GOOD. I put a lot of pressure on myself. And, it’s while performing Jed’s play that Robin finally confronts her grief. This was definitely the most difficult scene I’ve ever had to write, ever, in any book of mine. But also the most rewarding.

 

If your book were made into a movie, what songs would be on the soundtrack?

Funny you should ask! Here’s a link to my Spotify playlist for The Next Breath.

 

Fun & Lighthearted Qs

 

What is your theme song?

My theme song is constantly changing, usually to fit the POV of whichever character I’m writing from at the moment. Not sure what that says about me, but oh well. When I was writing from Robin’s perspective, Sara Bareillis’ “Brave” really resonated. I imagined her mother singing it to her from up above.

 

Tell us about your longest friendship.

I met my best friend Shauna in kindergarten. We were goofing off during gym class and became instant BFFs. Now, decades later, she’s like my sister. No one knows me better than her. (She’s the one I meet up with in Des Moines at least once a year.)