Guest Blogger Lori King

The Music of the Pencil…


I know a lot of authors say they’ve always known they were meant to be a writer, but in my case it’s the honest to God truth. I’ve been writing since I was big enough to hold a pencil. At the age of seven I wrote my first one act play, The Pony Princess. It was a musical piece full of drama, intrigue, and a pretty dress with a matching tiara for the star of the show….betcha can’t guess who that was.  I took it upon myself to cast my fellow daycare attendees to act in my show, and we performed it for our parents. This would be when I realized I liked sitting in the Director’s chair.  My mom tells me that from then on I was spinning tales of crazy creatures in imaginary places that had magical abilities. I find myself daydreaming no matter where I’m at. Lost in a world only I can see, and talking with people that no one else hears. Yeah, I know, this is also called schizophrenia, but that’s one of the few afflictions that I DON’T have.


Second to my passion for writing, is my love of music. I tend to link music with various events and people in my life. Every time I hear  the song “Getting Jiggy With it” by Will Smith, I’m transported back to the summer of my Junior year in high-school when I nearly got caught skinny dipping in the lake with a group of friends.  “Paradise By the Dashboard Lights” by Meatloaf, is one of my mom’s favorite songs, so I think of her when I hear it. “Because you Loved Me” by Celine Dion, brings tears to my eyes because it’s the song that I danced to with my Dad at my wedding. “Another One Bites the Dust” by Queen, is the song my husband and his groomsmen walked down the aisle to in preparation for saying his vows-believe me this was a crowd favorite, and my friends and family still talk about it.


I personally love to listen to music while I write, and I have had several stories that grew out of musical inspiration. Miranda Lambert’s “Mama’s Broken Heart,” Rascal Flatts’ “I Melt,” and Rhianna’s “California King Bed,” are just a few of the songs that I’ve used to inspire my characters and my stories. My new book, Sidney’s Triple Shot, (Releasing April 2!) was inspired by the song “Breakaway” by Kelly Clarkson. It follows the journey of a woman who has been abused and neglected as she finds love in the unusual town of Apache Crossing.  I have plotted out five books for the Apache Crossing series so far, and each on is inspired by a different song. I will be sharing the playlist for each book when it releases, so that my readers can indulge all of their senses while reading them.


I’d love to hear if you have songs that bring to mind a specific event or time in your life. Does a particular song bring someone to mind?  Leave a comment for me, and be entered to win an ARC of Sidney’s Triple Shot, which releases April 2!

Blurb:

Sidney Rowe has been abused in ways that most people can’t even imagine.  After a horrific miscarriage, she left behind everything she had, to escape her ex-boyfriend.  She finds refuge in the kindness of the three Dawson brothers. They give her a job and a sense of security in the small town of Apache Crossing.
Xavier, Tyce, and Noah Dawson, have built their bar, Triple Shot, into a profitable enterprise.  The three former Marines, have also built a reputation for integrity in the community, but their sex appeal and charm are legendary. They enjoy their playboy status…that is until a jumpy, skittish Sidney stumbles into their lives needing their help.

Sexual tension explodes when the brothers decide they want to protect and share Sidney, but to have her they have to stop her ex from haunting her. Can they keep her safe, and win her damaged heart?



Excerpt:

Tyce, Xavier, and Noah whipped into the parking lot of the restaurant, and all three men exited the huge SUV, heading directly toward Sidney. She swallowed hard as her heart jumped at the view. Three sexy men stalking toward her with fear and concern on their faces was mind numbing. Her own personal cavalry had come to the rescue. Xavier’s blue eyes were hard, but she could see the barely concealed desire rippling under the surface. Tyce looked worried, and his gaze scanned her from head to toe before turning to look at the wreckage of her car across the street. Noah’s eyes held hers for a moment and he smiled reassuringly.

“Are you okay, love?” Tyce reached her first and pulled her into his arms, brushing a kiss on her forehead. She nodded against him. Inhaling his masculine scent, she let out a heavy sigh, and all of her muscles relaxed now that they were there.

“I’m sorry, Tyce, but I didn’t know who else to call.” Her voice cracked, and she drew in a shaky breath. She hated that she was showing weakness in front of them, but she had no strength left in her body to fight the wave of bleakness that overwhelmed her.

“Hush, Sidney. You have nothing to be sorry for. You did exactly what you should have, baby.” Xavier’s arms went around her from the back, rubbing gently against her belly and lower ribs. His head dropped to place a gentle kiss on the tendon between her neck and shoulder, and she shivered, remembering with the last time she was in between Tyce and Xavier. After a moment Tyce released his hold on her hips, allowing Noah to take her into his arms. Now Xavier and Noah held her, while Tyce continued to grip her hand tightly in his, giving her silent comfort. Tears began to slip down her cheeks again, but this time the tears were a release of sorts. She was able to let go of the overwhelming feeling of despair that she had been swamped with just minutes ago, because they were there to take the burden.

“You can always call us…for anything. We will be there no matter what.” Noah’s voice was full of emotion, but she wasn’t sure she wanted to examine it too closely right now. This was the closest to safe she had ever felt in her life, standing in the circle of their arms.

“Do you know what happened yet?” Tyce asked quietly, and she shook her head no. She was surprised at the sense of emptiness she felt when Xavier and Tyce both released her into Noah’s hold alone.

“Stay here with Noah, Sid. We’re going to go talk to the deputies,” Xavier said, and she just nodded sinking deeper into Noah’s warm embrace. He was so solid and comforting that it would be easy to pretend none of this night had ever happened. She wished she could just start over, but when she started to think that way, she realized that she didn’t know where she would start.

The desire that Tyce put in her belly reminded her that she was still a woman, and she didn’t want to give that up. She didn’t want to start over before she left Robert, because Robert was no good and would have eventually killed her anyway. She didn’t even want to start over before she met Robert, because if everything had been different, then she wouldn’t have met her guys. Her heart jumped when she realized that she had just mentally claimed them. Clearly, exhaustion was getting to her, because they hadn’t even offered her more than a wild night of sex and their protection. Fear swamped her, and her breathing became shaky again. Robert would kill her if he found out that she wanted the Dawson brothers or, even worse, kill them.

She turned her head to watch Xavier and Tyce talking with the sheriff and his deputy. The fire was completely out now, and they were investigating its cause. How could a parked car just go up in flames? She hadn’t had anything even remotely flammable in it, and her keys were in her pocket so there was no way she left it running. She watched the two men as their faces grew dark with anger. In the back of her mind suspicion tickled at her brain. What if Robert had tracked her down already?




Keep in touch, and find out more about my current works in progress:

www.lorikingbooks.wordpress.com

Facebook: http://facebook.com/LoriKingBooks 

Twitter: @LoriKingBooks

On Bookstrand: http://www.bookstrand.com/lori-king 




As always Live, Laugh, and Love like today is your only chance!~Lori