In case you’re wondering, here’s a little Sweet Redemption update:

It’s going very well! I’m pretty confident that I will have it ready for my editor by October 27th, which is just shy of one week from today. (EDIT: when I posted this originally on Tuesday, I forgot to explain that October 27th is the deadline my editor needs the manuscript in order to publish by November 13th (Amazon’s requirements) so that the book can be released on November 23rd. So, in other words, I feel good about it and believe I can make this deadline.)

It doesn’t feel as nerve-racking as it had been when I was on vacation or when I had made that announcement about changing the release date. I had many scary, OMG moments even AFTER that announcement, but it’s funny how much can change in only a week’s worth of time.

The thing is, had I not been out of the country for an entire month, Sweet Redemption would have released on schedule. Unfortunately, as you know, that’s not what happened and here we are. But I can honestly tell you that I’m actually REALLY glad things worked out the way they did, because this book is going to be better for it. I’m telling you. If I had not gone on vacation and did all my editing, then published on 10.14 (for release of 10.24), then the book I have today would not exist.

And I promise you, the book that DOES exist today is way better than the book that would’ve released on 10.24 had I not gone on vacation.

So…YAY for that!!!

If that confused you, I apologize heheh I don’t know how to explain it other than sometimes only time, place, and specific circumstances can evoke certain thoughts or ideas, and especially words. I can guarantee you that what I was inspired to create this past week was way better than what I would’ve created last month.

I hope that clears things up. Anyway, I hope you had an awesome start to your week. In the meantime, how about a Sweet Redemption teaser?!?!

~

I waited on pins and needles for what’d happen next. It was torture, and I had never felt so insufferably helpless. Especially when a knock on the door had my scalp prickling to attention and ears trained for any and all sound outside my place of concealment. I wouldn’t be able to see what was going on, but I sure as heck would be ready for action if need be.

I listened to the sound of the door being opened, followed by the maidservant asking, “May I help you?”

“Step aside,” a male voice ordered. I didn’t hear footsteps, but that was normal for these creatures. I had to assume she did move and whoever had asked her to entered.

My grandfather demanded, “What is this about? I do not recall sending a party invitation.”

“Search the premises,” that same voice boomed with authority, ignoring Döron’s attempt at humor. And I couldn’t help ignoring it as well as my heart dropped to the pit of my stomach. Who I assumed to be a guard, added firmly to his order, “Thoroughly.”

“I beg your pardon,” Döron snapped. “Is that necessary? What reason do you have to search my home. Where did your order come from?”

“By order of King Aglar. You need not be concerned with the reason,” the guard retorted bitterly.

Oh, god, no. No, no, no. Please, no. Don’t come searching here…please not here…

I couldn’t hear where they were stepping or how many were searching, but slowly, I could feel a great evil pressing against my chest. The longer the guards searched—the longer I sat waiting in the dark—that evilness became unbearably harsher to resist. It was choking me—suffocating me—seducing me to abandon my hiding spot and reveal myself. It was so strong as it did its best to consume me wholly. Sweat dripped from my temples as I fought against it—as I resisted the urge to give in.

My hand was reaching toward the door, and I silently grabbed it with my other, holding myself back. What the heck?! I gritted my teeth and clenched my hands into fists before sitting on them completely. What was wrong with me? It had to be some sort of elven trick of theirs to lure out hiding prey.

“Leave it,” Döron’s voice demanded viciously right outside the door to the pantry I was hiding in. Oh, freaking crap. Shadows played beneath the crack, reminding me of another time and place. A much darker time, and a much, much darker place. Not that this was any better than hiding from Ray in my closet as a little girl, watching his shadow creep closer. But you couldn’t really compare one evil to another. They both sucked majorly.

That demanding voice I was already beginning to hate, countered with conviction, “Do not adhere to his orders, Cílon. He is no longer in command of your service.”

I about died right then and there. My heart completely stopped and my lungs might as well not have existed, since they were no longer doing what they were supposed to. I sat frozen in horror—the anticipation of the pantry door being opened to reveal my “abominable” self to these scouts disabled all normal bodily functions.

But I couldn’t afford to be a coward. I would have to be ready. And so I squeezed my fists that I set atop my knees even harder until my nails dug into my palms painfully. The first thing the Tavas guard would see when he opened that door would be my determined warrior face.

And that was exactly what he got once the light flooded in the small space I crouched in and the wooden enclosure widened to its fullest point. Cílon announced to the room, “That was much too easy. I might even feel a bit bored.”

~ Sweet Redemption (Sweet Series #4), coming November 23, 2014

Don’t forget to pre-order it to LOCK IN that special 50% off price!!!
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