Purple Prose:
Shot in the Dark

©Stina Lindenblatt

Kelly Lyman tagged me last week for the latest, cool tag game going on. I’m not going to talk about my WIPs. They’re still a secret. But I will talk about the book that I’m currently querying.

What is the working title of your book?

Shot in the Dark

Where did the idea come from for the book?

I have a background in sports physiology and performance enhancing drugs. My ex-boyfriend and I disagreed about the use of steroids. He was all for them. I thought he was an idiot. That’s the short version. An issue of Sports Illustrated Kids had an article about steroid use and that sparked the idea for the book.

What genre does your book fall under?

YA contemporary but it also has romance and suspense.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

I have no idea. Chace Crawford is how I imagine Daniel Ackerman. Maddie White reminds me of Snow White with attitude.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

After her twin brother commits suicide, Seventeen-year-old Maddie teams up with his best friend and digs into the secret, steroid-trade culture of her town—unknowingly making them a target to the people desperate to see the secrets kept, at any cost.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

Which version? Nuff said.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

In my query, I focused on comparison authors instead of books: Simone Elkeles, Kody Keplinger, and Katie McGarry

Who or What inspired you to write this book?

It was inspired by my annoyance of steroid use in sports, and how teens feel it’s necessary to use the drug in order to excel or to improve their appearance. The drug is dangerous.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

Although Daniel (hot love interest) is the senior varsity quarterback, his real love is Latin Dance.

And the tag goes to . . .

Katie Mills (Aka Creepy Query Girl)
Christina Lee
Janet Johnson
Kelly Polark
Leigh T Moore (author of The Truth About Faking It. Great book!)

Because I'm going to be super busy Friday and this weekend due to a RWA workshop in my city, I won't be blogging this Friday. I wish you all a great week and weekend.

XOX

This is an excerpt from my WIP, Shot in the Dark (YA contemporary). Maddie and Daniel were watching a movie at his place. She fell asleep and had a nightmare. This is their first real—and I mean steamy—kiss together. Oh, and in case you’re wondering, they’re not dating—yet.

<<<3

“Sorry,” I say, voice little more than a croaked whisper. “I guess I should have warned you about the nightmares.”

He sweeps a strand of hair behind my ear, the same worried expression still on his face. “Are they because of the attack?”

The intensity in his eyes ignites a spark inside me. The warmth of it flickers hungrily, wanting, needing something more.

Half aware of what I’m doing, I lean toward him. His faint spicy smell soothes me, makes me feel safe. My gaze drops to his mouth then we’re kissing.

It starts out sweet and tentative at first, but the desire to soak him in, to taste him becomes overwhelming. With my teeth, I gently tug on his lower lip. A muffled moan escapes him. He tangles his fingers in my hair, pulling me closer, if that’s even possible.

The warmth inside of me swells as his lips part and our tongues dance together, touching, teasing. It never, ever, felt this way when I kissed my last boyfriend, and I never want it to end.

I tentatively slide my hands around the waist band of his jeans and inch them under the edge of his t-shirt, eager to touch and explore every part of him. Okay, almost every part of him. There’re some places I’m not ready for yet.

My earlier exhaustion has vanished. All I want to do is keep kissing him and escape the memory of my nightmare.

<<<3

For more steamy kisses, check out the list on Christina Lee's blog (my partner in crime for this blogfest). There are tons of great ones to get you in the mood for today.

First, I want to remind those of you who signed up for the Kiss Already Blogfest that it's for this coming Monday. I can't wait to read all the entries.

Now for the That's YAmore Blogfest . . . .

This is an edited version of an excerpt from my WIP. Maddie is Nordic skiing with Daniel, the potential love interest. She's faking a sprained ankle after he attacked her with a snowball.

<<<3

Daniel’s so busy examining my ankle, he doesn’t notice me scoop up a handful of snow until it’s too late. He tries to dive out of the way, but doesn’t move fast enough. I shove it squarely into his face.

Laughing, I roll onto my side and try to scramble to my feet. Only this time Daniel’s the faster one. He grabs my wrists and pins them on the snow above my head while I try to squirm my way to freedom.

An evil gleam appears in his eyes. “You surrender yet?”

“Never,” I breathe, suddenly aware of his muscular thighs on either side of my hips, his face close to mine. If I thought my pulse was fast from skiing, that was nothing.

For a long second, I wonder how his lips would feel against mine, but then shove the thought aside. It’s so wrong on too many levels.

I try to twist away from him, but he tightens his hold. He then shifts his weight so that one hand keeps both of my wrists in place, and with his free hand, he unzips my jacket. The cold air kisses my bare stomach. My long sleeve t-shirt must have wiggled its way up during our wrestling match.

He takes a handful of snow, and with a devious grin, rubs it onto my stomach. I shriek at the freezing sensation and try to buck him off.

“You asshole!” Maybe it would have sounded more convincing if I wasn’t giggling.

He grabs another handful of snow. “Surrender?”

<<<3

There you go. For a much steamier excerpt, check out my entry on Monday's post.