Hunter of the Heart – Sold!

Took me long enough to post this. Not that I wasn’t giddy with happiness when I got the official email, I was (!). I am!!




But I’ve mentioned the whole day job workload/stress level thing too many times to count already, so yeah, I was waiting till I had the energy to do up a post right (and for the contract to be signed) then the time got away from me….

But I digress. Wo0t!!





My editor said she’d like to have this on her 2011 release schedule; I haven’t heard anything further on that score but of course I’ll keep you all updated. :-D



And speaking of updates, my website needs some serious updating, including the excerpt of Hunter of the Heart that’s posted. It’s probably at least 8 yrs old so the writing is not as polished as the current version. Even the hero’s name has since been changed from Cal to Nathan. Yesterday I made a To Do list for a bunch of things--not just writing wise--that I need to get done. (For example got a nice ‘reminder’ in the mail this week about filing back taxes. gaaahh! Anywho..) I’m vacillating between doing the updates myself and paying someone to do it. Actually have the email saved as a draft asking for quotes but haven’t hit send yet. I think I will though. I need to clear the decks (hence the to-do list) and start fresh and I just don’t have the juice to tackle the updates right now.

So I’ll leave you with this small excerpt after the cut. It’s a small sampling the current, updated version of the excerpt in comparison to whaat’s up on the bookshelf.




Hunter of The Heart

(excerpted from non-finalized version. Copyright Vanessa Jaye)

“How many times do I have to tell you, I ain’t seasick? We cats just don’t dig the water. Look at those waves, up and down and up and down—” Mitch clamped his lips together, his whole face tight as he went from greenish to blanched.

Funny, it sure as hell seemed like sea-sickness to Nate.


“But sometimes a man has to suffer for his art.” Mitch gamely raised his glass to a busty brunette further down the bar.

“Art?”

“The way I perform? Take a picture and hang it in the Guggenheim, baby. Entertain and enlighten the masses.” Mitch began to coon in a raspy unsteady voice, “Nobody does it better. Makes me feel sad for the rest…”

“Hey, feel sad for my ears.”

“Hey, suck my dick.”

Nate just managed to hold back his laughter and he glanced around, ready suggest they be on their way, when his attention landed on the blonde again. His smile thinned.

Some no-neck nimrod was sitting way too close to her, breathing in her face. Nate told himself it was none of his business, the guy was probably her boyfriend, but if it were possible her body language was even more rigid and defensive.

As he watched, she shook her head periodically at whatever No-neck was whispering in her ear.

Nate didn’t question his rising anger, just signaled the server and ordered another bottled-water. When it came, he took it and stood.

“I’ll be right back.”

“Take your time.”

As Mitch slid off his stool and headed for the brunette, Nate turned, then wove his way through the maze of loungers to the other side of the pool.

Suntan lotion, sweat, ocean air, chlorine.., as he parsed out the different odors, one eluded him, flitting away before he could analyze it.

He was tempted to stand still, see if he could catch the fragrance again, but the male had just touched the woman’s thigh and Nate so badly wanted to break every bone in that hand.

‘Hello.’

Just before he arrived at the female’s side, he sent out the greeting on impulse. Now why the hell did he do that?

It had the right affect, though—she looked up at him expectantly.

That wasn’t supposed to happen. A queer sensation coiled inside him.

“Sorry I took so long.” He handed her the water, it was the same brand as the almost empty bottle on the table beside her. ‘I’m here to help.’

After a slight hesitation she took it from him. “Thanks.”

Her voice was a soft caress to his senses; soothing, cool to brittle fires plaguing him. He would have curled up at her feet just to hear her speak some more.

That flash of need caught him up short. This was getting too weird. Nate almost backed away; then he locked eyes with the guy hitting on her and took a step closer instead, claiming the alpha position over the seated male.

“So who’s your friend?” he asked casually.

“Uhm…Rod.”

He watched Rod size him up and come up three sizes too small.

“Who the hell are you?” Roid-tard flexed a few oversized muscles.

Nate let the bones in his face shift slightly and flashed a smile, knowing his incisors looked unnaturally prominent. I’m the thing you don’t believe in asshole.