For week three, I’m featuring my first submission and acceptance with Extasy Books, published in 2007. You can read more about the story behind The Diary and the choice to set it in Chicago and the U.K. HERE.
Welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors and Snippet Sunday,
the weekly hop for everyone who loves to write – and read!
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Set-Up
Set Up: Kate’s younger sister, Luci, has disappeared. When Kate stops by to water Luci’s plants, she discovers Luci’s diary, open on her desk. She reads a snippet, is horrified, and takes it with her, planning to return it later…
EXCERPT
Ten sentences…
Ten minutes later, Luci Parry turned the key in her apartment door and let herself in. She walked quickly to her desk and smirked. Kate had taken the bait. The Diary no longer sat third in the pile of papers on the desk.
Luci sat in her desk chair and drummed her fingers. What would sister Kate make of The Diary? Would she think her half sister was debauched by an older man?
Would she try to find her? Luci chuckled. Kate had seldom been able to find her if she wanted to stay hidden.
And a little more…
She planned to lay low and see what Kate would do with the new insights into her life. If she was true to form, she’d try to identify the man in the diary and somehow hold him accountable.
That was what she’d always done whenever her little sister had encountered trouble. Sister Kate, Luci admitted, had bailed her out of one scrape after another.
Luci entered her bedroom. This time Kate wouldn’t find it so easy to fight her sister’s battles. This time Kate could be introduced to a world that might, that just might break her out of her mother-hen shell.
It was past time. Luci nodded at her reflection in the dresser mirror—way past time. Good grief, Kate had turned forty only two months ago. And what kind of life did she have—work, work, work. And hound her sister.
But Kate’s love life? Zilch! That was wrong—dreadfully wrong. Luci scowled. If it hadn’t been for her parents being killed, Kate would’ve gone on and lived a fairly normal life. Instead, she’d had to take care of a brat who had been too stupid most of the time to show how grateful she’d been.
It was time to make up for the past. And The Diary might yet be the best birthday gift she’d ever given her sister. Too bad she had to be so devious about it. She grinned at her reflection. Who was she kidding? This was about as much fun as she’d had in ages, and Kate would thank her for it someday.
BOOK INFORMATION
Book Title: The Diary
Author: Adriana Kraft
Cover by Martine Jardin
Publisher: Extasy Books, February, 2007
ISBN: 1-55410-765-2
Novel: 70,000 words
Genre: Erotic Romance
Heat Level: Four Flames. Explicit sex: M/F, F/F, Menage: F/F/M, Toys
BLURB
Lust, revenge, dark sexual escapades and the mysterious disappearance of her younger half-sister, Luci, will take art curator Kate Noble on a whirlwind transcontinental journey. The diary Luci’s left behind paints vivid images of shameless erotic exploits with a rake named only as G.C.
Can Kate learn enough under the delightful hands of her bisexual best friend, Gina, to ensnare the sensual and elusive Professor Grayson Cosgrove into a marriage proposal of her making? Can she find Luci before it’s too late? If only she could read between the lines.
The Diary ~ never have the secrets of another been so electrifying!
BUY LINKS
PUBLISHER: Extasy Books
https://www.extasybooks.com/the-diary
Currently on sale for $2.50 from the publisher.
It’s easy to download Extasy e-books to your Kindle. “Send to Kindle” instructions are at the top of the Extasy home page.
UNIVERSAL LINK for All Major Retail Outlets
Jenna Jaxon says
Not really sure in this case, but tricking someone into thinking you’ve been kidnapped often leads to unexpected consequences. The best laid plans, you know? Loved the excerpt, though! Tweeted.
Adriana Kraft says
Thanks, Jenna – yes, I suspect none of the characters knew what was coming…
Nancy Gideon says
What a schemer! Best laid plans, indeed!!
Adriana Kraft says
LOL
…Luci gets her own book in the sequel, Writing Skin.
J. Arlene says
What fun. Evil people are great… but only in books. Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the nastiest sister of all?
Adriana Kraft says
Thanks, Arlene – Luci’s well intentioned, actually, just devious. A little devilish…
Heather Boyd says
This is not going to go well. Great scene
Adriana Kraft says
Thanks, Heather – yes, anything can happen!
Iris B says
What a set up indeed. Interesting story line.
And I had good laugh at Jill’s comment. 😀
Adriana Kraft says
Thanks, Iris – kind of like in The Comedy of Errors, on which our plot was (very loosely) based.