Category Archives: Short Stories

Writing Prompt: Stylish….hmmm

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Stylish

My favourite hour of the day! The WordPress writing prompt word has been announced and today it’s stylish. I love this word as I love style and fashion, other than writing and reading, style and fashion are two of my very favourite things. I can sew, follow dress making patterns, alter them and adjust clothes etc   just another skill up my sleeve. I  also own a sewing machine- I just love fashion and style.

So today, you’ll learn a bit about me  when it comes to style and also about Nicholas D’Coix when it comes to style… who is he? Oh where have you been? He’s the hero in A Stranger in France and he has BAGS of style.  Before we meet him and his style here are a few of my favourite things when it comes to style:

Personal style must haves

  • I can’t leave the house without a shade of lipstick on or a spray of perfume – habit.
  • I love to wear scarfs oversized ones with bold prints.
  •  When I invest in a new lipstick it  always has to be a matte finish one, not satin, or gloss  – like my book cover that’s matte too lol ( girls you know what I mean by matte.)
  • My every day perfume choice is actually ” Lovely” by Sarah Jessica Parker or  “Look” by Vera Wang – most days, but I have lots of smells I love.
  • My nails are never bare without polish, whether its bold and bright or dark and vampy they are always painted.
  • I don’t ever where trainers, like Nikes etc I have one pair of Converse and that’s it. I’m a shoe or boots girl always have been.
  • Jeans are always dark denim, much more flattering to the bum and thighs!

Here’s an  excerpt from inside my book A Stranger in France, which shows readers just how much style Nicholas D’Coix has. When I was writing this character, in my mind as a man he is  not only drop dead gorgeous he’s so stylish with it too. He has a natural flair with fashion. Here’s Kate’s POV on his style…. when she first meets him…..

After dinner and drinks, Tanya and I hit the dance floor fully buzzed from our champagne and ready to dance the night away. I’m so tipsy, my feet are not even killing me in my strappy wedge heels. Song after song, I dance, laugh, speak bad French to the locals and forgot my troubles in London, when from out of nowhere he appears again. Mr. Tall Dark and Handsome grabs me from behind and spins me around to face him. He is even more handsome up close. In a smooth French accent, he introduces himself as Nicholas and asks me for a dance. How can I say no say no when I’m standing in front of a deep chocolate skinned, six-foot two foot man with a well cut body and enough style to make even Sarah Jessica Parker from Sex in the City jealous?

I glance around for Tanya she’s deep in conversation with a handsome stranger of her own, what the hell? I turn back to Nicholas smile and we dance, pressed against him with my arms around his neck and his hands on my hips. He has great rhythm which makes me wonder if he has this much rhythm between the sheets….

 

Amazon.com

 

One Word Writing Prompt: Silence- Poem

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Silence

Write a response to today’s WordPress one word writing prompt: silence

Sometimes it was best to just say nothing. Silence, to let you think everything was OK,

In  reality, back then everything was far from OK. But I stayed silent– what I wanted to say I’d  always kept for another day.

Let me think back to all the times I held my tongue, 

Each day there was silence, it was really because my heart was really on the run, 

Not with you anymore, and not connected to my mind either. My heart and mind were at war over what

Choices I should make, the rules and expectations I would break, if I said 

Everything that was on my mind. You’d think I was being unkind, so I lived in silence and just existed…. well hear me roar! I’m about to break that silence.

Two 5 Star Reviews!… No Way!

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Afternoon guys,

It appears readers are really enjoying A Stranger in France, those that read my preview copy here’s what they said on Amazon…

Top Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 starsThis story has something for everyone!

By Tammy Tate on September 19, 2016

Format: Kindle Edition

To the outside world, Kate has it all! A nice London apartment. A fabulous job at Clapham High Academy. Years of hard work has paid off. She’s over the entire English department. But that isn’t enough. She’s in a dead end marriage. A year ago, her husband lost his job. Now, he sits home all day drinking, smoking and thinking up ways to demean her. Her achievements remind him of his failures. The emotional abuse he imposes becomes unbearable. She wants their marriage to work. Only, he doesn’t. Not even on Valentine’s Day when he chooses football with his friends, over spending the day with her. It’s the last straw. It gives her the courage to move on.

When the academy closes for Spring break, she hops a plane to Marseille Provence, France to visit a friend. One night, they go to a fancy nightclub. Right away, Kate’s smitten with the rich, handsome club owner. The attraction is mutual. As things escalate, she’s torn between wedding vows and what her body and soul craves.

This highly descriptive story has something for everyone! Romance, suspense, and an unexpected twist you won’t see coming!

Comment One person found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? YesNo Report abuse

5.0 out of 5 starsA Good Story with a twist and excellent debut book. Well done!

By BrainybirdAA on September 20, 2016

Format: Kindle Edition

An excellent debut book. Well done! This is the kind of story that I can get my teeth into. I do enjoy books with strong women character, who show spirit and determination. Finally Kate realises that her husband is not pulling his weight in their marriage and neither is he appreciating her efforts to keep them afloat during a rough patch. With her mum and best friend to support her emotionally she decides to take a break from the marriage to clear her head.
Unfortunately her head gets clogged up with other complications while on holiday in France and she struggles with her conscience on how to proceed.
It’s easy to feel for Kate, and you get caught up with her tale from the get-go, especially as you get inside the the heads of all the character..
A good story with a twist.a-stranger-in-france-1

GRAB A COPY FROM AMAZON LINKS BELOW:

Amazon.com – international buyers

Amazon.uk- UK buyers

Paperback copy– international

Paperback copy- UK

Writing Prompt: Day #3 Get Your S*** Together!… Book Excerpt

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Togethera-stranger-in-france-1

 

 

 

 

I sat down at my laptop tonight to actually look over the current book I’m working on, I’m in the swing of things now I’m done with A Stranger in France and my Christmas book . (I’ll tell you the name, do a cover reveal and chapter reveal nearer the release date I promise.) I got side tracked this evening as today’s WordPress writing prompt word ” together.” I had two very different reactions to the word,  first it was awww I like that word I can write a nice poem or something for that, the second was Danny hmmm he really needs to get his s*** together. Now if you’re not sure who Danny is, it’s Daniel Brown the villain in A Stranger in France. One character I had fun writing. I took a risk and wrote him in a bad light and gave him centre stage along side Kate and Nicholas. So Back to Danny, a prize idiot in my view, who needs to get it together ASAP! I won’t give it all away and tell you why, but here’s an excerpt from A Stranger in France from Danny’s POV showing just how much he needs to get his s*** together.

 

 Danny is sitting at the kitchen table, it’s just gone lunch time yet he is hunched over his second beer already. In total silence in deep thought. The past two weeks have been a haze for him –literally. He arrived home that Saturday night two weeks ago on Valentine’s Day expecting to see a grieving Kate. He knew she would come around. Give her an hour or two and she’d be trying to talk with him and make peace.

The game had been good Arsenal won 2-0 against Manchester United, in his view it was well worth missing all the Valentine’s Day dribble he thought to himself, as he made his way home to Clapham from Woolwich, on the most romantic day of the year.

 But on his arrival home Danny could not believe it when he had read Kate’s note. It had been totally unexpected the bitch she’d left him. At the time all he could think was what did this mean? Were they over? Would she be back? He never once believed that Kate would up and leave him. To him Kate is a strong woman, determined and a fighter yes, but leave him? That was out of the question  ….. to be continued!

Over the last few weeks I’ve  focused on all three main characters, by posting an excerpt from inside  the book, using a word prompts which relate to each  character.If you’ve missed them and want to read more excerpts you can here just scroll through.

 If you want to know why Kate  left Danny, what he does about it and fall in love with the sexy lush Nicholas D’Coix (who I fell in love with while writing him), release day for A Stranger in France is Tuesday next week! On Amazon yippie! Just a few more days and you can escape, in this whirlwind of modern day romance- suspense set in three very different settings. And I hope you enjoy.

 

 

Can You Help Save A Life? #amwriting #charity

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Over the weekend I did a writing promideapt ” The Internet is Full of Rants”,  in this post I mentioned a charitable cause that’s close to my heart here in the UK, it’s called Shelter. 

Today, my publisher informed it’s authors about a cause they are supporting called StandUp2Cancer,  I’ve heard of this we also have the campaign here in the UK. We were asked if we’d like to help raise money for the cause, by writing a short story to include in a book.  All proceeds from the sales will go to cancer research. I’m taking part and will submit a short story to help raise money. The stories will be published February 2017.

I’d like to reach out to you all and let you know that if you find this cause close to your heart, or you’re just feeling in a good mood you too can help save a life by donating directly to StandUp2Cancer. Details are on the link below.No matter how small the donation, I’m sure it will help someone or something.

Once the book is available to buy (not until February) I’ll let you all know, if you can’t help out now maybe in February you’ll fancy reading a number of wonderful short shorties from myself and some other great authors, and if so, you can purchase the book and help out that way.

 Here you can find out more for now on this cause www.standup2cancer.org

 

 

 

Writing Prompt Day # 7: Radical SEX…. Book Execrpt

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Radical

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That got your attention didn’t it? Good! Today’s WordPress writing prompt is radical. Who loves great sex? We all do, and you can’t actually be a romance writer without writing about it, in some shape or form. How you create it is personal choice erotic and graphic or  sensual, steamy and sexy it’s really your choice. I go with the latter, I  feel like my mum is watching me write when I create a sex scene, so overly erotic is not my forte, I can see my mum with her mouth open like Kim! Where did you learn THAT? That said one day I would like to actually try it ( very erotic writing, what were you thinking??) seriously – when I drum up the confidence one day. I love writing great sensual scenes. Nicholas D’Coix is a great guy, not just pleasing to the eye, rich and charming he has  a really cool personality… and  ladies  YES he’s radical in bed.  With just 7 day’s to go until its release date…here’s an excerpt  scene from A Stranger in France from Kate’s POV.

 Back at the hotel up on the twelfth floor, we order room service and veg out on the bed, in front of an old black and white movie like a couple of teenagers having a sleep over. We order cheese burgers and fries, a very different meal from the West African delights I tasted at Nicholas’ restaurant last week. I prop up my feet on the bed, Nicholas starts to massage them with expert hands.

“I don’t know how you girls do it four to five inch heels all day every day, but I do like it.”

 He glances down at my white stilettos by the bed. I sink further into the bed as he takes me to heaven and back with his foot massage. I close my eyes and feel his hands moving up my legs, under my jeans my skin is on fire at his touch. As he turns his attention to me fully his hand stops at my groin area. He slowly presses his hand between my legs, I flinch and open my eyes abruptly and smile down at him. He swaps his hand for his mouth and starts to kiss and bite at the material of my jeans between my legs. I moan with pleasure. He climbs on the bed above me- fully facing me, then undoes the zipper on my jeans. Slowly he removes them, I don’t fight, and I don’t resist him. Laying there on my back underneath him, in just my white vest with plum coloured bra and panties I all of a sudden feel very sexy, looking up at Nicholas. He raises my knees, as he moves closer his fresh and fruity scent fills my nostrils. Without taking our eyes off each other he pulls off my panties and chucks them to one side. Moving on top of me positioned between my legs, that I’ve bent at the knees, he starts to kiss me softly, while caressing between my legs with expert fingers. He lowers himself after a moment and places his mouth between my legs, I’m lost in feelings of pleasure. Nicholas ignites a fire- a fire that Danny has failed to keep a light.

His tongue makes my body quiver, and I explode in a sea of ecstasy. I pull him up from between my legs and remove his shirt- taking in more of his delicious scent. His torso is rock solid and his arms firm. He stands up removes his jeans and boxers, then climbs back on to the bed and kisses me passionately as he picks me up and places me on top of him. He removes my vest top and bra, I straddle him on the bed. Looking me dead in the eye with a smile he lets down my hair, and I allow him to enter me. I’ve never felt more feelings of want, lust and pleasure in the last year as this. Our bodies press together, passionate kisses and teasing. As I ride him passionately I feel him explode inside me. This is a night to remember, in every way. Romantic, passionate, carefree, and lustful. We make love more into the early hours of the morning. I enjoy every moment of it.

TO BE CONTINUED!

 

Hope you enjoyed *wink

Writing Prompt: Melody -why I love you

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Melody
Melody

I LOVE music, a melody and a good beat  to the bone, I could never live without it. It’s done so many good things for me. I did a writing prompt in this before earlier this year which you can read here for the word prompt music.

This morning as I sat down and mentally drafted my to do list, before I did that I went over to my TV and loaded up Spotify and selected ”easy listening piano beats” under the ”focus” mood, as I have a lot get through today. It’s still playing and I know this background noise has helped me work through 50% of my to do list so far. My music taste is crazy! I have an old soul and like anything from old Motown hits and soul , to classical music and modern day stuff.While writing I never write in silence, in fact I don’t do anything in silence but sleep.  If I do house work the radio is on, I write it’s on ,I read it’s on, I bath it’s on, do my nails it’s on- 24/7 in my home and car. 

Music has also really inspired my writing, in  A Stranger in France  I purposely picked out songs to help set the mood or show what a character is feeling from their point of view (POV). It was a challenge but it really inspired me. Here is an excerpt using music from Nicholas’ POV from A Stranger in France.

 

Pulling out his IPhone he scrolls along his contacts to Kate, just a south London address and email address she left no number. He grips the steering wheel and internally he kicks himself. She of course has his mobile number, office number and home number! Why has she not used them or even sent a postcard? Taking a few more deep breaths to compose himself ready for the long drive over to his apartment on the upper 16th district, one of Paris’ most affluent property areas, with some of the most expensive properties in Paris. He decides he will make contact, he has nothing to lose.

 He cruises at a steady unrushed pace in his air-conditioned BMW X-5 along the motorway, with his shades on and the music loud. Nicholas has a rush of adrenaline, his emotions flipped 360 degrees from disappointment to thrill at the chase and challenge of pursing Kate from 600 odd miles away.

Put things into perspective he tells himself, Kate doesn’t strike him as a coaster, or lay about when it came to work. In his mind he rationalises that she’s probably had a busy return to London and work. He has no doubt about Kate’s hard work ethic from the intimate conversations they had while she was in France. That is it, he convinced himself, she’s just caught up, make contact and claim your lady his inner voice said. Smiling, and physically relaxed cruising along with one hand on the steering wheel and the music up, the Isley Brothers smooth vocals on Summer Breeze fill the car, he sings along at the top of his voice and enjoys the drive home.

 

Writing Prompt: Mr D’Coix Will Make You Shiver

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Shiver

For today’s WordPress writing prompt ”shiver” I want to introduce to you Mr Nicholas D’Coix , one of the male characters in A Stranger in France. Nicholas is of west African decent- La Côte d’Ivoire  or Ivory Coast in English. He arrived in Paris aged 15 from the Ivory Coast and made his way in the world, from a simple hustler and money maker to a big time baller and now one of Paris’ top 3 entrepreneurs.

 There are so many reasons (that I hope) Nicholas will make the ladies shiver with excitement and even drool a little, I know I did when I was writing him  … I won’t give them all away, but visually he’s a treat! Six-foot -two inches, with a powerful athletic build, deep chocolate coloured skin, large brown eyes, long eye lashes, shaved head and a neat beard bordering his jaw -line. Ladies , Mr D’Coix is our eye candy! He’s a sharp dresser  with more Armani suits than you can count, and when he’s dressed down you’ll find him in a nice pair of fitted jeans, a crisp T-shirt showing off his gorgeous physic and on his feet a  cool pair of old school Nike trainers, or Gucci loafers. 

Nicholas is into Kate, like really into her. He falls hard and fast. Here’s and excerpt from A Stranger in France from Nicholas’ point of view after his first date with Kate.

Standing in the romantic candlelit garden, in the chilly night air Nicholas smiles to himself. What a woman he thinks. It has been years since he had actually felt a connection mentally with a woman as well as physically. It wasn’t just Kate’s looks that made him start to fall. Her height, curvy figure, slim legs, soft brown skin and wild dark curls. She’s smart, educated and has a career of her own. Over the years since he arrived in Marseille in his yearly twenties he struggled to find everything -brains and beauty- in a woman. At thirty six he is still searching.

 With the waves crashing in the background and smell of sea salt in the air he breathes heavily. A clear erection in his pants. He had to cool off before he went inside, there is no way his staff can see him so hot under the collar. Turning his thoughts to business, the following week he is due to make a business trip to Paris for three days. He wondered if Kate will join him. He’d ask her, or would that be too much too soon? He battles internally with the exciting thought of spending three days and more importantly two nights with this sensual lady and the possibility that he is being too forward with his request for company. No, he’d ask her to come by the club later that week or may be for another meal and then he’d make his move. Slow and steady wins the race he reminds himself.

“Ready when you are.” Kate’s voice interrupts Nicholas’ fantasy he spins around, taking her in from head to toe. That purple dress, the killer heels and big hair he smiles and grabs her hand. “Let’s go.”

TO BE CONTINUED!

Daily Word Writing Prompt: Letter to a Stranger

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Expert
Mistake
Witness
Learning

I looked through my word writing prompt book this evening as I felt like writing and wanted some inspiration. I found the below  writing prompt in my book and  noticed it fits in nicely with  the WordPress writing prompts I’ve missed over the last few days: expert, mistake, witness and learning. So I’m combining  all the writing prompts into one!

Writing Prompt: Write an anonymous letter to a stranger detailing the things you’ve learned about life.

29th August 2016, London

Dear stranger,

Hey, hope all’s well and life is treating you well? I hope this letter reaches you well and in good health. You don’t know me but I want to reach out and write to a total stranger so pull up a chair grab a coffee or something stronger and let’s talk.I want to talk to you a bit about what I’ve learned in my 33 years of life so far, touching on some of the things I’ve witnessed and mistakes I thought I made.

 Now, I don’t claim to be any kind of expert in anything in life, hold on no I’m an expert at painting my nails and applying my make-up I know what suits me,but that aside I’m not real expert but here’s a few things I’ve learned.

Stranger, no matter what happens in life promise me one thing, you’ll always be yourself no matter what and at all costs. I mean this, really I do. I’ve always been a believer in people being themselves whether its how they dress, talk, sexuality whatever just do you is my motto. Just over a year ago, I learned to be myself I let go of the 20 year battle I had with my curly hair. For 20 years  I chemically straightened my hair! I loved it nice and sleek.This time last year I had a chin length nice slick straight graduated bob, but when I was pregnant with my son in 2013 the curls fought back and no matter how much I tried to chemically touch up my roots my kink remained.So for 6 months of my 9 month pregnancy I did not touch it just wrapped my hair up in colourful scarfs or pinned it up it actually looked rather cute. When my son came along I carried on the battle, but  I just decided f*ck this, be you Kim and  last July I stopped chemically straightening my hair,with the aim to grow it out and chop the ends each month.

I got to December 19th I was looking toward 2016 with a new attitude as certain things were happening in my life and one day I woke up I  head to the nearest salon and said ” chop it off  get rid of the straight ends”.I walked out with hair less than 1 inch long and I don’t regret it at all. I loved it! And still do. Lucky I’ve had short hair before ( but straight) so I knew I’d be OK with such short hair,but I never knew how I’d manage my curly hair I hadn’t seen it for 20 odd years!  That said I just wanted to be me.So that’s what I’ve learned when it comes to the outside and being yourself, just do it and forget what others think or say dress how you want, whatever just be yourself externally.

When it comes to your personality, stranger do me another favour will you? Never apologise for who or what you are. I mean it. Never EVER say sorry for who you are as long as you’re not hurting anyone, committing a crime, putting yourself or others in danger just don’t-ever. I have learned , not everyone will like you, get you or bond with you and it really does not matter at all that’s just life. Don’t try and fit in, by changing you. That is a mistake. 

If you’re a women reading  (if you are either a man or women reading this sorry to just focus on one gender as this can relate to any sex really),stranger I’m not a relationship expert at all and I would not want to be but if you look back at any of your ex-boyfriends(s) or ex-husband(s) ex-girlfriend(s) or wives and all you think is ” sh*it he/she was a God damn mistake” then you’ve not learned anything from the relationship or him/her for that matter. And you’ll  probably make the same mistakes you did  again. Or end up with another version of him/her again. Hold on, don’t pull that face, it’s true. Why? Why? Do I say this? Well your eyes are still closed! If he/she was a mistake -why, what,how,where, and when were the mistakes? Can you answer? Good  then you have learned and your eyes are open.If you can’t you need to think and then open them up so you know for next time you are swept off your feet.

In general, I have learned there are no mistakes in life, it’s only a mistake if you can’t look back and see what you’ve learned, not just in love,with everything.Work,friendship you’ve dropped, whatever.

Never be bitter stranger, ummm no it takes too much energy I’m telling you just let it go  in life in general. Don’t hold on to it. It will stop you from moving forward and thinking clearly so you can move forward. Just look back see what you learned and move on. This relates to EVERYTHING in life.

Always have plan B…. C and D  if need be too. I have learned and witnessed that if you fail to plan that is a sure plan to fail. I witnessed someone close set out to achieve something and just messed it all up,because of the lack of focus and planning and to be honest, it’s better to be organised rather than walk through life with your head in the clouds- time waits for no man, remember that PLAN.

Be positive, the glass is always half FULL not empty,where  there’s a will there’s a way, never be work shy, start from the bottom and work your way up. Be nice to everyone you meet, remember your manners  and that karma is real! All things I have learned, witnessed and feel I am expert enough to say,as I have lived most of my life by these sayings.

So in a nutshell stranger, be you and be happy being you, don’t be bitter about anything, plan and have a vision -execute it the best you can and stand up and say I f*cking rock baby! be positive, and learn from every experience good or bad.

Well, stranger, take care I hope this letter brings you some kind of new outlook or positive feeling or motivation to achieve or do something you have been sitting on the fence about. Or given you some kind of encouragement.

Yours faithfully,

Anonymous

PS

I hope you’re over 18 as I swore – my bad…. but with me  there is never a filter! Everything is from the heart.  Take care!

Psst…. Here’s An Excerpt From A Stranger in France

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Nicholas guides me to the side of the bar, to the back and unexpectedly we reach a lift, we step in and he presses P on the lift buttons. Alone in the lift I face him dead on, I can’t help myself, his scent, and presence it’s doing things to me and awaking parts of me that have been dead for so long since Danny and I hit our rough patch.

I grab his tie pull him towards me and kiss him with passion . He’s stunned and taken back I can tell; his hands are full with a champagne glass in one and a bucket with iced champagne in the other, he’s unable to touch me or push me away. By the way he’s kissing me so passionately in return I doubt very much we wants our passionate kissing to stop.

We reach our destination and I release him, leaving a lipstick stain on his lips I playfully remove it with a finger, and step out the lift in front of him swaying my hips. I  half turn around to face him, Nicholas is still standing in the same spot I left him with his champagne glass, ice bucket and a huge wide grin on his face. Damn he looks so good. “What are you waiting for Mr D’Croix?’’ I turn and say over my shoulder in a seductive way, he laughs. “You took me by surprise Ms. Kate.”

Free chapter preview here

Stranger in France (1)

Release Date September 2016