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We flew in yesterday afternoon, ate dinner in Houston then drove home. I was exhausted but couldn’t sleep. Go figure. So I read in bed for several hours before passing out. I woke up with the headache from hell and so far nothings kicking it. :crying:

Disney was…exhausting. To be honest, it’s not really my type of vacation. There’s the whole crowd thing. I’m not much of a people person. My idea of heaven is a nice quiet beautiful place where I’m not bumping into people at every turn. Give me mountains, some camping, fishing!, a not crowded beach, a cabin in BF anywhere where there’s nothing for miles. Ahhh. Wonderful stuff!

I feel guilty saying that, like I’m some sort of freak for not adoring Disney World, but there you have it. Anytime I’m exposed to lots of people for any prolonged period of time I sort of meltdown and need time to decompress. This happens to me at conferences too. I venture out and the constant barrage of people, conversation and having to be “social” has me fleeing back to my room for “alone” time after a few hours.

And I dunno. I was pretty appalled at just how rude people are in a place like Disney. I still shake my head. Don’t get me wrong, I met lots of really nice, polite people but the really bad behavior that was rampant just made my mouth drop. I mean are manners really that difficult a concept?

In other matters, I got some really good news while at Disney :whoo: I bought a pressie to celebrate right before we left because the only thing better than good news is good news while on vacation, yes? I’ll share as soon as humanly possible. Oh and the pressie was just the perfect multi color jade bracelet. I’ve been looking for one forever.

Now it’s back to work for me *sob*

I’m doing a happy dance :banana: School is over. No more getting up early. I’m a total night owl. I like working late and sleeping in but for the past few months I’ve been working late and getting up early. This combination does NOT make me happy. I have lots to do this summer. We’re traveling quite a bit and I have lotso books to write in short order.

But for now? I just sent in Micah’s book and I’m finishing up on Songbird so I’m totally down for some vacation time where I do not think about work at all. For the next week I’m going to have more fun than a human being should be allowed. We leave Sunday morning weeee!

Oh and I had the most marvelous epiphany the other night for Garrett’s book. I’m sooooo excited because it’s just perfect! No, you’re not supposed to know who Garrett is lol. He’s not scheduled for awhile. But his story has been bugging me and now I have it all figured out.

See you guys in a week! (try not to have too much fun without me)

Pregnant by the Tycoon

She hadn’t known she’d slept with the boss. But the next morning Jewel Henley learned the exotic stranger who’d swept her off her feet was her new employer, Piers Anetakis. And before she could explain, Jewel found herself without a job…and pregnant.

After five months Piers had finally tracked his one-night lover down. Determined to explain the mistakes that had been made, he was confronted with an undeniable truth. Jewel was carrying his child. His Greek honor demanded he marry Jewel. But was there more between them than lust…and was it enough to make their marriage of convenience last?

Excerpt:

Jewel Henley shifted on the hospital bed, one hand curled around her cell phone, the other hand pushing aside hot tears. She had to call him. She had no choice.

Having to depend on the man who couldn’t get her out of his life fast enough after their one night stand wasn’t a prospect she relished, but for her baby, she’d do anything. Swallow her pride and try to let go of the burning anger.

Her free hand dropped to rest on the burgeoning swell of her belly, and she felt the sturdy reassurance of her daughter’s kick.

How would Piers react when she told him he was going to be a father? Would he even care? She shook her head in mute denial. Surely, no matter his feelings for her, he wouldn’t turn his back on his child.

There was only one way to find out and that was to push the send button. His private phone number was already punched in. She may have been fired from her job, but for some reason, she’d held on to the phone numbers she’d been provided upon her hiring.

And still she couldn’t bring herself to complete the call. She let the phone drop to her chest and closed her eyes. If only there weren’t complications with her pregnancy. Why couldn’t she be one of these beautiful, glowing women who were pictures of health?

Her thoughts were interrupted when her door swung open and a nurse bustled in pushing a cart with the computer she logged her charts.

“How are you feeling today, Miss Henley?”

Jewel nodded and whispered a faint, “Fine.”

“Have you made arrangements for your care after your release?”

Jewel swallowed but didn’t say anything. The nurse gave her a reproving look.

“You know the doctor won’t release you until he’s satisfied that you’ll have someone to look after you while you’re on bedrest.”

A sigh escaped Jewel’s lips and she held up the phone. “I was just about to make a call.”

The nurse nodded approvingly. “Good. As soon as I’m finished I’ll leave you alone to finish.”

A few minutes later, the nurse left, and once again Jewel lifted the phone and stared at the LCD screen. Maybe he wouldn’t even answer.

Taking a deep, fortifying breath, she punched her thumb over the send button then closed her eyes and put the phone to her ear. There was a brief silence as the call connected, and then it began to ring.

Once. Twice. Then a third time. She was preparing to chicken out and cut the connection when his brusque voice bled into her ear.

“Anetakis.”

It came out more of a growl than anything else, and she quickly lost courage. Her breath came stuttering out as more tears welled in her eyes.

“Who is this?” he demanded.

She yanked the phone away and clumsily jabbed at the buttons until the call ended. She couldn’t do this. Issuing a silent apology to her unborn baby, she determined that she’d find another way. There had to be something she could do that didn’t involve Piers Anetakis.

Before she could dwell too long on such possibilities, the phone pulsed in her hand. She opened it automatically a second before she realized that he was calling her back.

Only her soft breathing spilled into the receiver.

“I know you’re there,” Piers barked. “Now who the hell is this and how did you get my number?”

“I’m sorry,” she said in a low voice. “I shouldn’t have bothered you.”

“Wait,” he commanded. Then there was a long pause. “Jewel, is that you?”

Oh God. She hadn’t counted on him recognizing her voice. How could he? They hadn’t spoken in five months. Five months, one week and three days to be exact.

“Y-yes,” she finally said.

“Thank God,” he muttered. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you. Just like a damn female to disappear off the face of the earth.”

“What?”

“Where are you?”

The questions came simultaneously.

“Me first,” he said imperiously. “Where are you? Are you all right?”

She lay there in stunned silence before she gathered her scattered wits. “I’m in the hospital.”

“Theos.” There was another rapid smattering of Greek that she couldn’t have followed even if she understood the language.

“Where?” he bit out. “What hospital? Tell me.”

Completely baffled at the turn the conversation had taken, she told him the hospital. Before she could say anything else, he cut in with, “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

And then the line went dead.

With shaking hands, she folded the phone shut and set it aside. Then she curled her fingers around the bulge of her abdomen. He was coming? Just like that? He’d been looking for her? None of it made sense.

Then she realized that she’d never told him the most important piece of information. The entire reason she’d called him to begin with. She hadn’t told him she was pregnant.

Just an hour until I go get the kids from school. Oldest child is on field trip and he won’t return until late this evening. Youngest is also on field trip but hers is contained within school hours. I swear I’m soooo excited for this weekend. We’re spending it on the lake doing some tubing, swimming and some fishing. We’ll be completely waterlogged by Monday night but man will it be fun.

I’m going to enjoy every minute and not even think about work once.

Hope everyone has a fantabulous holiday weekend!

:fishing:

:weee:

Micah is done. Or Sweet Temptation as the actual story is called. Some stories are much easier to write than others. The easy ones are always nice to luck into but they don’t happen regularly enough for my tastes. Parts of Micah’s story were easy, but others…I tweaked and obsessed and mulled, binge wrote and pieced it together like some puzzle on steroids.

Now the story isn’t due yet but I’m over my “want to be finished by” date which kind of screws up some other stuff on my “to do before vacation” list. It’s not insurmountable. It just means I have to get my ass in gear and get some of this stuff off my plate.

I have some mulling to do on a project. I have to finish Songbird. I need to get Darkest Hour put to bed. Eh, what’s two weeks, right? :dunno:

But the important thing is, Micah’s done!! :banana:

Ok gang, here are the winners of signed copies of Sweet Persuasion!

Alexandra comment #9

Marcia L comment #23

Ashley comment #38

AND the prize for best reason she should get an early copy goes to Lori comment #44 :purplelaugh: I’m throwing in an extra copy because it was either send Lori drugs or a book.

Ok so, get shoot me an email at mayaATmayabanks.com and give me your snail mail address. I’m giving you guys until Monday noon to claim your book. If I don’t hear from you by then, I’ll give the book away to another randomly drawn winner.

Thanks for playing! :hug:

Edited to Add: I have my hands on a few more copies, so I’m going to up the ante here to THREE copies. I’ll give away copies to three readers and I’ll get them in the mail so guys get them no later than the end of this next week.

It’s become a tradition to give away my very first copy of my HEAT books, and since I got a couple in the mail yesterday, I’ll give the following copy away

Don’t screech at me when you get the book and it doesn’t look quite as pretty and shiny as it does on screen. I’ll lament that fact right along with you. I don’t like the paper quality of HEAT covers at all. I’m a total paper snob. Particularly since hubby’s company makes the really nice high quality SHINY stuff like what comes on the Samhain covers. I don’t even like the actual paper the pages are printed with. It’s sorta cheap feeling, and if you’ve ever read a HEAT book, you know where I’m coming from.

Anyway off my tangent :sumo: Here are the rules and blah blah associated with this giveaway. Today is Friday :banana: I want to mail this puppy on MONDAY because dude, I have lots of other stuff to mail because my post office sucks ass and they are constantly losing crap, so I have replacement packages to mail and I need to get them out and well if I wait any longer, you won’t be getting Sweet Persuasion early at all, which is the whole point of this contest.

So if you enter this contest, be prepared to come back on Sunday or even early Monday morning to see if you won. I won’t track you down. You have until then to claim the book and if you don’t I’ll draw another winner and I’ll do this until someone comes forward quickly.

I’ll ship priority so you’ll have the book in hand no later than the end of next week. Sound fair?

Okay, now to the good stuff. Just tell me WHY you want this book early and you’ll be entered to win it.

Have a great weekend!

is the longest month of the entire year for me. Kids are ready for school to be out. Family is ready to get a jumpstart on summer and vacation. So typically the month drags for eternity. But today I looked on the calendar and damn. Where did the month go? I’m not sure whether to be grateful or a little freaked.

On the one hand, I’m so, so, SO ready for vacation. We’re all tired, mentally fatigued and more than a little grumpy. We’re ready for some serious fun in the sun. On the other, given how much stuff I need to get done BEFORE vacation, I sink a little more into the pit of despair when I think that I have less than three weeks to get my shit together.

Oh well, I’ll get it done. I always do!

Mother’s Day was fun. Would have been better if oldest child wasn’t gone, but he was off in Washington D.C. on his school trip and he had an absolute blast. My two youngest kiddos went shopping with daddy and after much disagreement, agreed on a bracelet to buy me. They were so cute. They each picked out a card and wrote me a personalized note. Middle child’s totally cracked me up. Then they cooked dinner for me.

Hope all you moms out there had a terrific day!

And I appreciate the quiet because I have a lot of work to get done before we leave on vacation at the end of this month. Micah is coming along nicely and I’ve been working on a few other side projects just to keep myself fresh on them. Sometimes if I leave a project for too long, it takes me a good while to get back into it and with my writing schedule as jammed packed as it is for the rest of this year, I can’t afford any delays. I literally need to be able to move from one project to the next seamlessly. Yeah, we’ll see how well THAT goes.

Oldest son is off to Washington D.C. at the end of this week for his school trip. He’s beyond excited and he was about to lose his mind thinking they’d cancel it because of swine flu (lord knows they’ve cancelled everything else!) So he’ll be gone for Mother’s Day *sniffle* and middle child has if you can believe a “Mother’s Day Tournament” so I’ll be spending Mother’s Day at the ballpark. Yay…

Me, I can’t wait for vacation….

Going on here. I’ve sorta been on internet hiatus because I’m crazy busy with writing and family stuff. End of the school year is always a little nuts with school stuff, two kids playing baseball/softball and getting ready for vacation. I cannot WAIT for vacation. This summer is going to be an absolute blast and everyone in the family is on countdown mode. We’re all SO ready for the school year to be over with so we can get on with having fun.

I’m trying to get Micah’s book finished up early so I can get to some other stuff on my to do list and get it wittled down.

So I’m thinking I’ll be pretty scarce for awhile.