Back in the Blog Saddle!

by Mahalia Levey

I’m so excited to be back on the 1NS Blog again. Once you begin writing for this series it’s hard to stop. I have so many ideas plotted that I can barely keep up with writing the current one, in favor of starting the new idea. The loss of my hard drive a few months ago delayed my progress in writing period. While on hiatus, I did nothing but read and write a bit on paper.

In Burn Me if You Can, I took a trip to the exotic Caribbean and disappeared into the exotic culture, cerulean blue waters and white sand beaches…where anything is possible. I enjoyed the pulsating atmosphere both romantic and seductive. Having a place where two strangers could enjoy each other’s company without the stressors of conventional dating.

Blurb:

Working for the Wichita Tribune is the best thing that's ever happened to Rebekah Shayne, until she takes an assignment aimed to take down a prestigious matchmaking firm. She’s determined to ferret out the falsities, schemes, and swindling companies manipulating lonely souls.

Ashton Foster doesn't believe in on line dating. When his mother takes charge of his personal life, he knows it’s useless to fight her and would rather go through a few dates with strangers than let her push the unending stream of locals down his throat vying for his pocketbook. In this he finds the perfect opportunity to downplay who he is and become a regular type of guy.  

Buy Burn Me If You Can HERE

After I wrote Burn Me If You Can, I wanted to dip into the paranormal and found my love for a sweet heroine and hunky fallen angel. I wanted to tell a story where anything is possible, even to those who’ve lost hope that there is something better in store for them.

Dancing isn’t easy. Four nights a week Caileigh disappears into the persona of ‘Autumn’ to make a decent buck. The foster care system didn’t prepare her for what happens after turning twenty-one. Armed with only a high school diploma and forty bucks, she’s thrust on the hard cold streets, where she takes the only job a young girl with no prospects can get. Selling small pieces of herself to strangers isn’t the life she wishes for. Deep down she aches for a better life.

A scant piece of paper gives Orias the name of a seedy business and a photograph to keep vigil over his newest target. To find such beauty among the dredges of society wrecks every ounce of intelligence he possesses. For once, despite his being fallen, Orias thinks to disobey a direct order—never touch the protected. The way she moves on stage entrances him, but the sadness hidden underneath a facade of sexual promise makes him want to battle all her demons. Underneath his dark soul, he craves her light and the warmth of love. Will Fate allow them a life together?

Buy Tell Me No Lies HERE

That brings me to what I’m working on now!!!!!!

Have you ever had friends in your life that have horrible dating habits? I not only have one…I have two friends who make me feel so glad I’m not in the dating world anymore. One of my girlfriends is what I call a serial cyber dater. She belongs to multiple online dating sites and goes on the quick ten minute dates at coffee shops. She’s the type of friend who has  an ‘inside boyfriend’. I use this term in the story I’m writing because when I found out what it meant, I was dying laughing!

An inside BF or GF is a person you only date from Nov to March. Most dates occur inside and this person is great for cuddling and short term sex with minimal commitment. You do not consider this person in any shape or form a keeper and once spring hits they must go. Make a clean cut and move on better prospects. Yep…this person’s sole reason for being is so that a person isn’t lonely during the cold winter months. Hits dislike button

My other best friend is a constantly-looking-for-better. He is good for the time being and he treats her well, but she’s on the move for someone either on the same financial level as she is or higher. She doesn’t give anybody a chance if she makes more money than they do, doesn’t matter if they are in a union with a good job.  The issue with my best friend's insane way of dating is that guys aren’t stupid. They can smell a gold digger a mile away. She has insane standards of dating that boggle my mind.

These two lovely ladies in my life have given me the perfect opportunity to make a heroine that needs to take a step back and re-evaluate why they’re both still single.

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Visions of Mahalia Levey

A sweet author emailed me the detail sheet for this series and suggested that I think about penning a fun story in addition to a host of other talented authors. Honored of course, how could I say no? Once I read the detail sheet my mind began to spin a mile a minute. I had so many questions about the absolute parts needing mentioned in all the stories. All this coming from a panslotter, my term for being half a panster and half a plotter meshed well.

Once I had a road map I was off and running with names and possibilities running through my mind. I dinged the editor to ask the locations of the ones submitted and gave a lot of thought to where I wanted ‘my’ magical one night stand to happen. It couldn’t be just any one night stand, I had to challenge the aspects of the detail sheet and manipulate them to my advantage to bring both a light fun loving weekend and an endearing special time spent proving unforgettable. How then could I do that in Vegas, or in California, In the States period?

I couldn’t. I wanted a tiny island paradise for two lovers to forget their personal biases and to find magic in the unknown, even for a fleeting moment, because one fleeting feeling is worth its weight in gold in comparison to never experiencing greatness. From then on I let the word weaving begin and watched the vibrant visions in my mind take shape on paper.

I invite you, summon you even. C’mon see just how things turn out for Bekah and Ashton on this paradise adventure. Oh! It’s not free. The buy link is at the bottom of the page! Happy Reading.

Blurb:

Working for the Wichita Tribune is the best thing that's ever happened to Rebekah Shayne, until she takes an assignment aimed to take down a prestigious matchmaking firm. She’s determined to ferret out the falsities, schemes and swindling companies manipulating lonely souls.

Ashton Foster doesn't believe in on line dating. When his mother takes charge of his personal life, he knows it’s useless to fight her and would rather go through a few dates with strangers than let her push the unending stream of locals down his throat vying for his pocketbook. In this he finds the perfect opportunity to downplay who he is and become a regular type of guy.

Log: Two people out to prove nobody can pull one over on them ... little do they know just one glance can burn through their skepticism.

Excerpt:

If she’d thought she suffered from butterflies coming into the establishment, entering the Aqua Lounge was much worse. She cast a surreptitious glance at the bar, her eyes widening at the sublime man chatting easily with the bartender. It was all Bekah could do not to fall over or drool. He presented a side pose, his relaxed shirt fitting the contours of his broad shoulders and back. Land sakes, when he stood up, she got the most delicious view of his ass. And what an ass it was—nice, round, and muscular. He stuck his hand in his pocket and shrugged at something the bartender said. She eyeballed him for all she was worth, getting the ogling out of the way. One glance was all she wrote. She hadn’t expected her date to be ultra hot. If not for her drenched panties, gravity would’ve pulled her cream along the inner seam of her thighs. The décor of the lounge fell away. Honed in on her date, she sashayed her way across the floor, adding a little bounce to her step, her breasts jiggling. The stool next to him remained unoccupied. She smoothed her kimono-style sundress to mid-thigh.

“Ashton.” Where did her normal voice go, and when did she start speaking in such an earthy tone. Hands clasped ladylike in her front of her, holding onto her pocketbook. Her breath came out in a swoosh when he turned to face her. A burning warmth filled the sexiest eyes, and not just any brown, but the color of milk chocolate, a shade lighter than her skin tone.

“Bekah, we finally meet,” He extended his hand to take hers. She accepted his hand and let out a startled sound of surprise, ill prepared for the jolt of awareness humming from such brief contact.

“Yes, we did…do.” She fell over her tongue, color rising in her cheeks. Boy, did she feel hot. He broke out in the sexiest smile—lordy above, a perfect smile—and her name all but purred from his mouth. He could call her Bekah anytime.

“You okay?”

“Peachy keen.” She licked her lips and studied him from under her lashes.

“Would you like a cocktail?”

“Can we just go straight to shots?”

“Nervous?”

His teasing demeanor made him all the more attractive. His manners pleased her, as well, when he stood, showing her his height, and pulled out her barstool. She sat, and he returned to his position on the stool next to her, his gaze never leaving hers, until she had to break eye contact to gather her thoughts. He inspired instant hot, naked, orgasmic fantasies. A flicker of question crossed his features, pulling her back to the present. Fantasy in check she smiled. “Very.”

“Me too,” Ashton said, motioning for the bartender.

“Really? You have such confidence about you.” She found herself relaxing, and hoped her mic caught all their byplay. When he leaned over to whisper in her ear, her first reaction was to pull back, but his warm hand settled over hers, brushing in gentle sweeps. She gulped in anticipation.

“I half thought you would run the other way when you entered.” The bartender approached and wiped her hands on a towel. “Two shots of coconut rum.” Ashton kept his eyes on Bekah while he ordered, pinning her with his gaze.

“The thought did cross my mind.” She didn’t admit the gravitational pull demanded she park her ass right next to him. “Being paired with you astonished me. I wasn’t expecting the full package, you could say.” Bekah took the shot of rum and raised it to his. “To new people.”

“Cheers.”

They tossed their shots, and Bekah licked a drop that lingered on her lips. Her date’s nostrils flared as he watched. She inhaled in a shallow breath and fought to clear the fog hazing her self-control. Seduction at that moment wasn’t planned. Yet, as his face descended toward hers, she didn’t pull away but leaned forward to meet his lips. Awareness spiked to new levels as he kissed her with masterful control, easing her mouth apart to taste her. Under his spell, she drowned and placed her hands on his shoulders for an anchor. He tasted of whiskey. Just as she got used to his delicious invasion, he broke the kiss with an abrupt halt. Shaken, she witnessed him rein himself in. Had he lost control with just a kiss? Hell, she was stuck for words her damn self. Flushed with arousal, she brought her eyes level with his.

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~Mahalia Levey