#MySexySaturday 155: My Sexy Reunion

by with One Comment Dave & MelindaExcerpts

What's your idea of SexyLong time no blog, eh?

I’m on vacation from the day job this week, so I have nothing but time to do all the things I want to do more often—and that includes jumping into this week’s My Sexy Saturday blog hop.

This week’s theme is “My Sexy Reunion”—and I can think of no more appropriate reunion than that of Dave and Melinda in Diva in the Dugout. Here, they renew their carnal acquaintance five years after a one-night stand made them parents—a fact of which Dave remains unaware for nearly five years.

Enjoy!

***

Diva In The Dugout | Arlene Hittle“Mom knew me better than I knew myself, because I was already on my way to life in the slow lane. Another woman changed me, Mel.” His voice dropped. The gentle stroke of his thumb against her cheek fluttered her already-faltering heartbeat. “I never forgot the blonde bombshell who left me in the middle of the night.”

The husky declaration melted her last shreds of resistance. If he truly had never forgotten her, maybe they could have a happily-ever-after like her parents. Mel wanted so much to believe that. She needed to believe. She leaned into his caress, then closed the gap between them and brushed her lips to his.

Strong fingers threaded through her hair, and he deepened the kiss. Memories rushed back, memories of how strong she’d been all those years ago. How fearless. How easily they fit together, like two halves of one whole. So hot—and so right.

She wanted that again.

A whimper escaped from deep within her. From a place only one man—this man—had ever touched. Dave’s tongue stilled.

“Don’t stop now,” she murmured.

Mischief danced in his eyes. “I wasn’t planning to.” In one smooth motion, he slid one hand under her blouse and undid her bra.

Diva in theDugout is available at all major e-retailers. This handy universal link will take you to your choice of the Big Four, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo and iBooks.

#MySexySaturday: A Long, Sexy Time

by with 3 Comments Dave & MelindaExcerpts

Welcome to this week’s My Sexy Saturday blog hop. The theme, “A Long, Sexy Time,” is designed to spotlight love that has been around for a while:

“… It’s all about those who have loved another for a long time. This love could have started when they were kids, when they were dating or even from afar.”

That pretty much leaves my couples out. They tend to meet and experience love  — or hate — at first sight, and then overcome whatever obstacles are in their path to happily ever after. Dave and Melinda from DIVA IN THE DUGOUT are the closest I have to a couple who’s known each other for a while … and that’s only if you count a one-night stand, nearly five years ago, as knowing one another.

In this scene, Dave and Mel are trying to get along for their daughter’s sake. He’s just landed in Amarillo so he can meet Mel’s parents — something she’d denied him years earlier by not telling him she was pregnant. Keeping Tara a secret was a decision she had what she thought were good reasons for, but is now starting to regret.

Enjoy!

***

Diva in the Dugout by Arlene HittleMel bounced from foot to foot in the arrivals area of the Amarillo airport Wednesday afternoon. The steady flow of travelers slowed to a trickle before Dave strolled through the gate.

Damn, he looked fine. He walked tall and proud, his shoulders impossibly broad in a burgundy suit jacket. He carried a duffel the same color as his coat—his team colors.

When, for once, her smile didn’t feel forced, Mel realized she was glad to see him. “Welcome back, Muscles.”

He studied her for a moment before dropping his bag at his feet. Then he stepped up and folded her into a hug. His arms circled her waist, pressing her tightly against his flat stomach and broad chest. Her nerve endings started to sing, especially the bits of her rubbing all that hard muscle. Mmm.

“You feel even better than you look.” The thought popped out of Mel’s mouth before she could stop it. Her cheeks burned, and she could only hope the words were too muffled by his jacket for him to hear.

No such luck. His chest shook with laughter. “If I’d expected such a friendly greeting, I’d have come back sooner.”

Mel flattened her palms against his shoulders and he let her go. What the hell had she been thinking, falling into his arms like that? Just because he was trying to build a relationship with Tara didn’t mean he wanted one with her. After what she’d done, she was probably the last person he’d consider getting romantic with.

DIVA IN THE DUGOUT, the first book in my All Is Fair in Love & Baseball series, can be found at Turquoise Morning Press, Smashwords, All Romance Ebooks, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo and iTunes.

P.S  If you liked this snippet, my friend Lizzie Shane is giving away a copy of DIVA on her Facebook page this weekend. She’ll draw a winner Monday morning. Click here to enter.

My Sexy Saturday: Too sexy?

by with 2 Comments Dave & MelindaExcerpts

LynnSexySaturday_bannerThis week’s My Sexy Saturday theme, “I’m too sexy,” necessitates a trip back through time…way, way back to October 2013, when my first book came out.

Okay, so it was only a little more than a year ago. Not long at all in the big picture.

DIVA IN THE DUGOUT’s hero, Dave, is arguably the sexiest of all my heroes. Whether he’s on the field or on the playground with the 4-year-old daughter he just met for the first time, the Arizona Condors’ bad-boy shortstop is smokin’ hot.

Because, really, what’s sexier than a man who obviously loves his child?

Need proof? Google “Chris Hemsworth with baby.” An ovary explosion is guaranteed.

***

Diva in the Dugout by Arlene HittleWhen they got to the park, Melinda hung back with her camera phone, documenting daddy-daughter time. She wanted Tara to have a reminder of this day in case Dave hightailed it out of here, never to be seen again.

It amazed Mel how easily Tara had accepted Dave. The sheer joy on Tara’s face every time she looked at her father made Mel wonder if she’d done her baby wrong by not looking for him.

But she wasn’t ready to concede the point. He could be a jerk…he could be a pervert….

He waved away a fly that landed on Tara’s head and then ruffled her hair as she chortled at something he’d said.

He could be a fantastic father if you give him half a chance.

Melinda swallowed hard. She owed Dave that much, just as she owed him more than a couple of hours with Tara…if he wanted it.

She crossed the playground to the curly slide Tara was clambering up. Dave shadowed her, ready to catch Tara if she started to fall. Regret squeezed her heart again. Maybe keeping him in the dark hadn’t been her wisest choice.

Find DIVA IN THE DUGOUT at Turquoise Morning Press, Smashwords, All Romance Ebooks, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo and iTunes.

What a difference a year can make: Celebrating Diva’s one-year anniversary

by with No Comment Dave & MelindaMusings

Diva in the Dugout by Arlene HittleIt’s hard to believe my debut novel, DIVA IN THE DUGOUT, came out a year ago today. Yet it did.

My book baby has been out there for 12 months. 365 days.

Wow. It’s been a crazy year.

In its 365 days “in the wild,” it’s gotten some attention. Among the notice: six reviews on Amazon (nothing below a 3-star) and 24 ratings on Goodreads (3.79 average). A 3.79 average might not seem that impressive, but then I remind myself that some of my favorite authors’ books have similar scores.

No matter how beloved they are, no author can please everyone. DIVA garnered my first one-star review. I know, I know. I’m not supposed to read the reviews. Confession: I did it anyway. It was thoughtful and I can respect the opinions it expressed.

Back to DIVA’s wild year. It hovered on various Amazon bestseller lists for months. I learned to love that “Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction  > Sports” designation. “Kindle ebooks > Romance > Sports” is also pretty sweet.

Taken at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 13 ... DIVA's sales rank was the highest I've seen.
Taken at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 13 … DIVA’s sales rank was the highest I’ve seen.

DIVA also garnered attention from my publisher. When Turquoise Morning Press celebrated its 2013 Best of TMP this summer, I was recognized three times.

Best of Turquoise Morning Press 2013 Best of Turquoise Morning Press 2013 Best of Turquoise Morning Press 2013It received a nod in the 2013 TMP Readers’ Choice awards, too. Ultimately, it didn’t win—but like all the movie stars say, it was an honor just to be nominated. A nomination meant that enough readers enjoyed DIVA so much that they thought it deserved to be included on the list.

And when I decided to enter the RITA competition, it became a print book. It’s definitely selling better in its ebook form, but it was a thrill to hold my book baby in my hands.

(No, it didn’t receive a RITA nomination. Too bad. You only get one shot at “best first book.”)

Diva in the Dugout | Arlene Hittle | Turquoise Morning Press
In print!

My debut isn’t perfect. I know that. For example, I didn’t resolve Dave’s issues with his father. I realized it on one of my read-throughs and figured my editor would call me on it. When she didn’t, I let it slide. That turned out to be a mistake. More than one reader has pointed out the omission.

Another confession: I set the story in Texas because I wanted to sell to Harlequin American and so many of their stories are set there. I picked a part of Texas I’d driven through on my move from Indiana to Arizona, but still…I should stick with writing a place I know. That’s why most of my stories are set in either Arizona (like BEAUTY AND THE BALLPLAYER, SLIDING INTO HOME and the upcoming BREAKING ALL THE RULES) or the Midwest (HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS and BLIND DATE BRIDE). I lived the first 28 years of my life in northern Indiana and have been in northern Arizona for the last 15.

Still, DIVA is an entertaining read. I fell in love with Dave and Mel, and their daughter Tara. I hope you will, too.

Get DIVA IN THE DUGOUT: Turquoise Morning Press, Smashwords, All Romance Ebooks, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo and iTunes.

 

My Sexy Saturday: Celebrating Diva’s anniversary

by with No Comment Dave & MelindaExcerpts

LynnSexySaturday_bannerHappy birthday! My first novel, DIVA IN THE DUGOUT, debuted a year ago today.

Diva in the Dugout by Arlene HittleTo celebrate, this week’s My Sexy Saturday snippet is from DIVA, the first book in my All Is Fair in Love & Baseball series. Arizona Condors shortstop Dave Reynolds is one of baseball’s bad boys, but the death of his mother has left him wondering if it’s time to change. An ultimatum from his boss to clean up his act or lose his job at season’s end further fuels his desire for something different. In this scene, Dave has discovered that a one night stand five years ago with a woman who wouldn’t tell him her name resulted in a child he had no clue existed—until now. The girl’s mother was the only woman to sneak out on him in the middle of the night.

Melinda Cline had her reasons for not exchanging names with the sexy ballplayer she picked up in the bar she sneaked into with a fake ID. And she’d lived with the consequences of her rash decisions ever since. She loved her daughter, but she hated being the subject of town gossip. And now the man she’d never planned to see again insisted on being a part of their daughter’s life. Even worse? She wanted him in her life, too.

Let the games begin!

****

Melinda glanced down at the big hand engulfing hers. That same hand had once helped her forget the humiliation of being dumped for a woman twice her age. She coughed and raised her eyes back to the face she’d never forgotten. Muscles—Dave—hadn’t changed a bit. He still had the same chestnut hair and eyes that looked straight into her soul. She suspected he also had the same easy smile, even if he wasn’t laughing now. She saw it in the crinkles at the corners of his piercing hazel eyes.

She swallowed hard against memories best left forgotten. “I’d like to say I’m pleased to meet you.”

“Why don’t you?”

Because I’m not. Mel was polite enough not to speak the words aloud. “Excuse me for having mixed feelings.”

Dave’s answering bark of laughter didn’t reach his eyes. “You have mixed feelings?”

“I never planned on seeing you again.”

“Obviously. Please tell me you didn’t get yourself pregnant on purpose.”

DIVA IN THE DUGOUT is available at Turquoise Morning Press, Smashwords, All Romance Ebooks, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo and iTunes.

Celebrating Diva’s one-year anniversary: Exclusive excerpt for newsletter subscribers

by with No Comment Dave & MelindaExcerpts

Diva in the Dugout by Arlene HittleMy debut novel, DIVA IN THE DUGOUT, will be one year old Saturday.

How can I mark this momentous occasion? Well, I have a few blog posts scheduled. I also got the okay to release the rarely seen deleted first chapter—in full.

You can find a My Sexy Saturday snippet here, but the whole story will be available only to folks who subscribe to my newsletter.

Sign up now. I’ll send out a newsletter with a link to the password-protected page on my website a week from Friday.

The cellphone is insidious

by with No Comment aboutDave & MelindaGreg & JennMeg & Matt

Cellphone is one word now—at least according to the Associated Press. And since AP style is drilled into my head at the day job, one word it shall stay, even if it drives me up the wall.

The AP also recently changed style on under way. After two decades of swearing “under way” was two words in all uses except nautical ones—as in underway flotilla, whatever that is—it’s cropping up in stories as “underway”—and … you guessed it … making me crazy.

Enough about AP style—or lack thereof. I wanted to talk about cellphones for a moment. Coconino County, where I live, recently passed a ban on most cellphone use while driving. (Hands-free devices are an exception.)

What’s that you say? A great idea?

There was a time I’d have agreed with you. I remember when I got my first cellphone, circa Y2K. I swore I would NEVER talk and drive. I’d pull off the road to answer and/or make a call.

For a while, that’s what I did. But as time passed, the phone’s newness wore off and I developed new habits.

I found myself answering the ringing phone on the road. Then I started actually making calls from a moving vehicle. A few months ago, I caught myself checking the screen when I heard it beep with a text message. (I didn’t answer it, just quickly read the preview on my lock screen—but even that made the Boyfriend yell. Like he never uses his phone while driving …)

Even worse, when I’m sitting at a stoplight, out comes the phone so I can scroll through tweets or Facebook posts … or take a quick peek at how well my latest release is doing on Amazon.

Hey now—I never said they were good habits.

They are, however, habits I’ll have to curb—and fast. The county’s ban takes effect in a few short weeks. Maybe I’ll start keeping my purse in the back seat instead of the passenger seat. I’m just afraid that when it starts ringing, it’ll drive me nuts.

Email with DIVA and BEAUTYSpeaking of Amazon, I woke up this morning (well before my alarm) to an email advertising not one but two of my books. Beauty is No. 1 on the list; Diva is No. 4.

I love it when Amazon advertises my own books to me. Hopefully it’s an indication they’re being pushed on other folks, too.

That’s what I’m assuming, anyway, despite the well-known dangers about what happens when you assume.

SLIDING INTO HOME is getting its fair share of attention, too. Earlier this week, it received not one but two reviews on Amazon. One was a four-star, one was a five-star.

The highlights:

While reading this book I felt happy, I laughed out loud. One of my favorite quotes is “ So help me, if you apologize for kissing me, I will stab you with the scissors that came with my new desk set.” “ I wouldn’t dream of it.” …
This is my first book by Arlene Hittle and it definitely will not be my last. It’s a very fast paced story, I couldn’t put it down. I read this book in less than one day! Arlene is a very talented author!!

— from a 5-star review by Bre

I really liked this book. It was funny and romantic and sexy. Greg struggles with all these emotions about his relationship with his father. He feels like he is always in his father’s shadow and can’t find a way to get out from underneath it. Jenn is sweet and really like Greg. She wants to find a way to help him. They have great chemistry. The book was very well written and the characters were engaging. I will defiantly be reading the other books in this series.

— from a 4-star review by badkat17us

Now when I pull up SLIDING’s Amazon page, DIVA and BEAUTY pop up as “also-buys.” Not too shabby, I’d say.

Screen Shot 2014-04-25 at 11.14.58 AM

Your turn: Do you have any bad cellphone habits? How do you break yourself of them? 

 

 

 

Hop on over …

by with One Comment Dave & MelindaMeg & MattMusings

Last week, I shared the details of my writing process.

This week, if you hop on over to Susie Haught’s place, she’ll tell you about hers. It’s hard to believe we’ve only known each other for three years. She really is one of my biggest supporters, always ready with words of encouragement and willing to read for me.

I’ll be giving away some of Susie’s bookmarks at the Chocolate Affaire in Glendale, Ariz., next weekend. Did I mention I’m signing copies of DIVA IN THE DUGOUT Saturday? It’s my first book signing. If you live in the Valley, be sure to stop by and say “Hi.” I’ll be there from 2 to 10 p.m.

I ordered 15 print copies of DIVA, and would love to sell out so I have to order more for my next signing at Desert Dreams in April.

The book is gorgeous — trade paperback size, 198 pages.

2014-01-24 18.35.12When the box arrived on a Friday night, I took a dinner break from work just so I could run home and see it. (Give me a break — it was my first time seeing the print version. When I ordered copies for the RITA, I had them shipped directly to RWA HQ.)

It looks amazing!

When I go to the Chocolate Affaire, I’ll also be bringing a sign-up sheet for my newsletter, and some bookmarks for BEAUTY AND THE BALLPLAYER. Its mid-March release date is getting closer. Only about six more weeks and BEAUTY will join DIVA on virtual shelves.

In fact, this happened last week:

2014-01-27 12.57.05I got the galley for BEAUTY AND THE BALLPLAYER, and spent several days combing through it — twice.

I’m a little scared that I missed something. Susie had a chance to read the galley of DIVA for me. Between us, we found quite a few things to change. This time, I went it alone.

Fingers crossed that I had my editor’s hat pulled low over my ears, firmly affixed to my blonde head. (You know, I think I saw a few strands of gray in there the other day … I’m so not ready for that.)

As I worked, I started making a list of some of my favorite lines. Not sure where or how they’ll pop up, but rest assured you’ll be seeing them somewhere.