Novel Talk
#SampleSunday | A Snippet From ‘Blur’
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Another game of Gin with drinks of the same name.
“Five…four…three…two,” Jade rapped along with the song before she flashed an Ace of Hearts, the final card in her grip, then slammed it down to win her third hand in a row. “One, run, ya done when I see…you…”
Kyle smirked as she celebrated. “All that and you ain’t nowhere, playa,” he said casually as he calculated the score and raised the notepad so she could see for herself. “I’m still up forty…but keep dancin’.”
Jade stopped and frowned.
“Your deal. Just make sure you don’t give me what I need to get this last seventy or this game is over.” Kyle sat back and watched as she snatched the cards, stacked them up and began to shuffle. “But I must say that I appreciate how you don’t let all those L’s get you down, baby. Didn’t expect you to catch up this quick either…then again, you do tend to take these bitches down to the wire—”
“Cut,” Jade snapped, narrowing her eyes.
“My pleasure.” He cut the deck and nodded for her to proceed. “Run it.”
Jade tossed cards back and forth between them as they continued talking shit.
Just like old times.
This was exactly what she was hoping for on the way to his house…a chance to press the reset button on their friendship and get back to whom they’ve always been—two homies stretched out with nothing but dap, digs, drinks and no drama between them.
They were still avoiding what happened the other night and Jade was completely okay with dodging that conversation because it was the last thing she wanted to talk about…
And because it never should’ve have happened.
‘BECAUSE MY HEART SAID SO’
Available Now on Amazon & Barnes & Noble.
‘Acceptable Losses’ by Nia Forrester
‘Blind Expectations’ by Jacinta Howard
‘Blackbirds’ by Lily Java
‘Blur’ by Rae Lamar
#TeaserTuesday | A Snippet From ‘Blur’
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“I told Mark. Confessed the whole thing before I left.”
“See, that’s what I don’t understand,” Kyle replied, shaking his head. “After all he’s done, you didn’t owe him shit.”
“I didn’t want him to find out from someone else. Mark wasn’t perfect by a long shot, but that doesn’t mean that he deserved what I did. No one deserves that.”
“No one except you, right?”
Jade cringed at his tone…and the truth. “Well, what does it matter now? That’s all behind me. I’m moving on.” With a glint in her eyes, she grinned. “And you’re gonna help me.”
“Yeah?” Kyle narrowed his eyes. “How so?”
“By being my Fuck It Coach.”
Leaning back against the booth, Kyle remained quiet. A full minute passed as he considered her request. “Nah,” he concluded. “You be fightin’ the fuck it.”
“That was then.” Adjusting her posture, Jade lifted her chin and held his gaze. “C’mon man…I’m ready now. I promise you I can do this. I have to.” She sighed and looked down as her bravado deflated. “I need to move on. Please.”
When Kyle cursed under his breath, Jade looked up to see his shoulders sag in defeat.
“So that’s a yes?” She smiled, doing her best not to show all of her teeth. “You’ll be my Fuck It Coach?”
“Not to my level, but okay,” Kyle clarified quickly. “I’ll coach to a level that works for you.”
Unable to contain her excitement any longer, Jade clapped her hands then clasped them together before she propped her chin on her fists. “Okay, Coach…where do we start?”
“First off, I need you to be for real about this.”
She nodded eagerly and waited for further instructions.
“Next, shield up.” Kyle pinned her with a serious look. “You are the gatekeeper through which all fucks must pass. No gives unless it’s worthy.” He narrowed his eyes. “This ain’t a game, J-Dub. Stay woke.”
“For real?” She snickered until his frown killed her amusement. “Wow. You’re really serious, huh?”
“Dead ass.”
“Okay, okay. I just never heard it that way before, so my bad…I’m listening now. For real, for real.” Forcing herself to keep a straight face, Jade acknowledged the gravity of Kyle’s directive with a curt nod. “What do I need to do first?”
“You need to focus on you,” Kyle stated plainly. “Then, find something legitimate to give your fucks to.”
Now it was Jade’s turn to frown.
“Let’s break this down,” he continued, bracing his elbows on the table. “It’s all about the anatomy of a thing.” Kyle saw the hint of a smile tease Jade’s lips and paused. When her face was straight and she appeared focused once again, he continued. “From this point forward, it’s critical for you to understand that fucks are life. Why? Because a fuck equals time plus energy…with said energy being body, emotions, mind, and spirit.”
Confused but intrigued, Jade bit her lip and nodded hesitantly. “Oh…kay?”
“Fucks are also like coins,” Kyle explained. “And coins are…”
When she realized he was asking her a question, Jade’s eyes searched her surroundings before she finally met his gaze. “Currency?”
“Exactly. Currency that must be invested wisely and is too valuable to be wasted…because fucks equal…”
“Time plus energy,” Jade answered confidently. “So…basically, I should stop wasting my time and energy on things and people?”
“Unrealistic.” Kyle watched as her face fell at his sharp rebuttal. “We’re human,” he quickly added. “We can’t completely check out on things and people because we need things and people. So what I’m saying is…since fucks have to be given, it’s your job to make sure to only give them to legit things and worthy people.”
“Oh,” she replied, still unsure. “That makes sense.”
Watching her wrestle with his words, Kyle’s eyes softened. “Look, I know it’s hard for you to really process all this because, deep down, you’re a sweetheart, Jade. Always have been. It’s your nature to give; it’s who you are and there’s nothing wrong with that. I’d just like to see you become more selective about who and what you give a fuck about…because everybody and everything don’t deserve it.”
She smiled. “I can do that.”
“You know how they say don’t waste words on people who deserve your silence? Same applies for fucks.” Kyle relaxed against the booth, stretching his long legs underneath the table. “So…rule number one?”
Recognizing his prompt, Jade leaned forward to reply. “Don’t waste your fucks on people who don’t deserve…” Her eyes fell to the table as she searched for the correct response. At a loss, she finally looked up and waited for a hint.
“You, Jade,” he said as she stared at him in surprise. “Your smile, your wit, your beauty, your humor, your warmth, your charm, your affection, your generosity, your loyalty, your heart—stop wasting your fucks on things that don’t really matter and people who don’t deserve you.”
‘BECAUSE MY HEART SAID SO’ is available now on Amazon & Barnes & Noble.
About This Weekend . . .
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Y’all. I’m EXHAUSTED… but in a great way. My weekend has been craaazy; the entire week, actually. I enjoyed every moment of it though — the great discussions with the participants in the classes I facilitated during the week, the release of ‘Because My Heart Said So’, celebrating a friend’s birthday, Father’s Day with my family, out watching Game 7 of the NBA Finals… yeah, great times! But I have to say that the Indie Love In The A Soiree at the Riverside EpiCenter on Saturday was definitely EPIC! 😀
Jos-Renee Marks, you are a jewel! ❤ Thank you so much for having the vision and the heart to bring it to life for all of us! And to every soul who had a hand in the soiree's execution…y'all are the best!
To everyone who traveled long and short distances, THANK YOU for all the love, encouragement and support! My favorite part of the event was the opportunity to see and talk to FB friends in person for a little while — y'all are amazing people and fun, fun, fun! I appreciate you more than you will ever know. ❤ To those I met for the first time, thanks so much for chatting with me and giving me a chance… let's stay connected! 🙂
To my fellow authors, I FINALLY got to meet y'all in person too! lol Know that y'all are incredible and that I truly respect your pen game and who you are. All the very best to all of you, always! ❤
And now I hear that there will be a repeat of this next year?! YES… can't wait!
I'll post pictures on my Facebook author/book page at some point but, right now, I need to catch a few hours before I get back into my 9-to-5 grind mode. You already know how painful waking up is about to be for me! lol
G’night!
✦✦✦ Release Day Spotlight✦✦✦ Because My Heart Said So by 4Writers4Love
It’s Release Day and #4Writers4Love are in the Spotlight at My Reading Nook… check it out! 😀
This interview was fun, fun, fun…. thanks so much to Colette Benson for having us! ❤
For this month’s Author Spotlight, MRN is doing something a little different. Instead of featuring one author for June, MRN is hosting 4Writers4Love and their just released anthology, today in fact, Because My Heart Said So – A Friend-to-Lovers Collection. If you don’t know who 4Writers4Love areyet, you will by the end of this month.
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Check Out the Playlist for ‘BECAUSE MY HEART SAID SO’!
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***BECAUSE MY HEART SAID SO’ PLAYLIST | CLICK HERE TO VIEW & LISTEN NOW***
#MusicMonday with #4Writers4Love
Nia, Jacinta, Lily and I have created a playlist for each story in the collection — music that inspired us as we wrote. Listen now… listen as you read… listen after… but, most of all, enjoy! ❤
‘BECAUSE MY HEART SAID SO’
A Friends-To-Lovers Collection
By Nia Forrester, Jacinta Howard, Lily Java & Rae Lamar
Pre-Order ‘BECAUSE MY HEART SAID SO’ On Amazon
Lily’s Path to More
#4Writers4Love | Because My Heart Said So… A Friends-to-Lovers Collection
We switched things up and headed over to Nia Forrester’s blog for the final interview before our June 15 release…the final and the best! 😀 Lily spills it all and it’s fantastic — check it out!
Over the past three weeks, you’ve gotten acquainted with three of the writers from my upcoming collaboration, ‘Because My Heart Said So’. One by one, Jacinta Howard, Rae Lamar and I have submitted to the inquisition of the author who has played the role of project manager, house-mother and general herder-of-the-cats, Lily Java. Sure, she […]
#4Writers4Love Presents . . . ‘BECAUSE MY HEART SAID SO’ Book Trailer!
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#4Writers4Love Presents…
‘BECAUSE MY HEART SAID SO’ Book Trailer
Coming June 15 | Pre-Order NOW on Amazon
#BMHSS
Check Out My New Fan Page!
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So I don’t know why I waited so long to this but better late than never, right?
http://www.facebook.com/RaeLamarBooks 👀
Check it out… I hope you “Like” it. 🙂
Rae Does Her Celebratory Booty Dance.
So…this happened. 😀
Check out my interview on Lily Java’s blog! I’m talking ‘bout stumbling out the gate, collaborating with three of the dopest writers out here in these indie streets and appreciating f-bombs.
Good times. Check it out!
Once again Sydney Tarr’s has commandeered my blog but I am not mad at her y’all because she came with her third interview from the team that wrote Because My Heart Said So, A Friends-To-Lovers Collection being released on June 15th and available for pre-order on Amazon now for a discounted price until release day. Today she is speaking to the captivating author Ms. Rae Lamar. Have at it Sydney!
Sydney: Hi Ms. Lamar, I’m really happy to meet you. I have to tell you I’ve actually read the Aris Series (at Lily’s prompting) and I loved the books. After reading your work I heard that you’ve been writing for a long time and that you’d published several books before the Aris Series hit the market. Is that true?
Rae: Hi Sydney! It’s great to meet you too. And please, call me Rae. I’m so glad to hear…
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#SampleSunday | Because My Heart Said So
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Hey, y’all… exciting news! 😀
Because we love you… Because My Heart Said So is now available to PRE-ORDER on Amazon at the special low price of $3.99 for a limited time! This upcoming Friends-To-Lovers Collection by Nia Forrester, Jacinta Howard, Lily Java and yours truly is set to release June 15. Until then, I’m excited to share the blurb and an excerpt from my story, Blur.
About Blur by Rae Lamar
Jade Warner is back home. The bad part? Starting over. The best part? Reconnecting with Kyle Malone. Picking up where they left off years ago, it feels just like old times…except for the mutual attraction and questionable feelings, which are all brand new. For Jade and Kyle, it’s unthinkable to hook up given the history of their fail-safe friendship, but anything can happen when you live under the same roof…
Excerpt from Blur
Kyle eased to a stop behind the car in his driveway. After memorizing every single detail including its license plate, he cut the lights and killed the engine.
What should have been an all-nighter ended up being a lot shorter once another photographer arrived at the site. Kyle had called Freddie to step in and take over, having full confidence that he would finish it off beautifully now that the client’s complaints had been mitigated by Kyle’s ability to quickly relocate to an ideal setting. In record time, they arrived at the studio owned by a close friend who didn’t hesitate to offer it up to the group as a favor to Kyle.
It had all been resolved in less than two hours.
On his way home, Kyle refused to think about why he had been so quick to remove himself from the chaotic scene. Any other night, he would’ve had no problem taking over and finishing the shoot himself. That’s why he’d received the call in the first place; the enraged client had fired the contracted photographer due to creative differences. With time ticking away, the remaining staff scrambled to figure out what to do next until several of the models on set announced their collective recommendation.
They all wanted Kyle Malone.
But Kyle wanted to get back home to Jade.
When he arrived on set, Kyle immediately voiced his gratitude for the glowing endorsement, assessed the scene and got to work. This was his element; he naturally thrived in tense, tumultuous environments.
But this time, it felt…different.
Dismissing the internal disruption, he did his best to push through it but the night’s chaos soon brought clarity. Before he could question his decision, Kyle chatted with the models, strategized with the client, made some calls and found a way to fully satisfy everyone involved before rushing back to his car.
Rushing back home to Jade.
Kyle pressed a button above his head to active the garage door, still staring at the unfamiliar car in his driveway. After sitting quietly for a few seconds, he got out and stalked toward the front entrance of his house. Just as he arrived, the door swung open to reveal the profile of an anxious Jade, who was too busy frantically waving her hand to rush the owner of the unfamiliar car through the entryway to notice Kyle watching her every move. When she finally shifted her gaze to find Kyle staring back at her, Jade’s eyes widened in surprise.
Kyle shifted his gaze to the man standing behind her.
“Kyle,” Jade said in a shaky voice. “Umm, hey… you’re back pretty early…”
“Kyle? So you’re the big brother Jade talks so much about.” Stepping through the doorway, the man looked Kyle in the eye and extended his hand. “What’s up, man…I’m Daryl.”
The look Kyle gave him was lethal.
Jade glanced at Daryl and smiled in apology. “Maybe you should go. I’ll call you later.”
Daryl hesitated, causing Kyle to take a step forward and Jade to nod anxiously for him to leave. Shrugging, Daryl mumbled goodnight and walked away.
“I’m really sorry about that,” Jade said to Kyle after Daryl was out of earshot. She attempted a genuine smile…and failed. “How’d the shoot turn out—”
“Hey!” Daryl yelled from the driveway. “I’m blocked in!”
Jade looked past Kyle to see Daryl standing with his arms spread. She pressed her lips together and reluctantly lifted her eyes to Kyle’s in a silent plea to move his car so Daryl could leave. When he didn’t budge, she sighed. “Kyle, please—”
“Who the fuck is dude, Jade?” Kyle finally asked in a low voice as he pinned her with a steely glare. “And what the fuck is he doing in my fucking house?”
Because My Heart Said So… pre-order your copy TODAY!
Rae Lamar 