Well knock me down with a feather and call me Big Bird. Secret Intentions has made it onto the MyBookstoreandMore Bestseller list.
Yes. I confess I am rather excited.
So a jinormous thank you to everyone who has bought the book. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
And in other news I'm guest blogging over at the deelicious Jess Dee's blog tomorrow...
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Secret Intentions - First Review
Angel at Samhain Cafe had this to say...
Another interesting and exciting read from Caitlyn, with a multilayered mystery and some sizzlin' lovin'.
Secret Intentions - OUT NOW!!!
Yee har! I'm a multi-published author! After a nervous wait last night... yes I have no idea why but I was so nervous I couldn't sleep... Secret Intentions is now published in its e-version.
You can get it from...
http://www.mybookstoreandmore.com
Curious?
Here is an excerpt of the first few pages...
Sheltering in the lee of the bell tower, Zani Best stared up at the imposing façade of Edes House and wondered whether suicide would be an easier option than going inside. It probably would, if she chose a painless, non-messy version. A bus roared past, charging up North Street toward the Market Cross. She almost managed a smile at the irony.
Cyanide, perhaps? Strychnine? She glanced around at the grey council chambers across the road and the huge cathedral that loomed behind her. Little chance of finding cyanide around here.
A movement in the shadowy cathedral porch made her hesitate and look more closely. She peered toward it, shivering a little, trying to make out the dark figure she thought she’d seen. The light rain had misted her glasses, and she pulled them off, squinting uneasily as she polished them dry on a corner of her scarf. The porch was empty when she put them back on. Must have been the ghost.
The wind gusted, and a cold drip from the roof of the bell tower landed on her head. She couldn’t stand there forever. She had a choice: Go inside, face Corbin de Villiers, lie, spy, do everything required to find out if he’d begun to stealthily orchestrate a management buyout. Or she could leave, go back to her own warm, safe office at the marina and seal her father’s fate.
She looked up at the building again. Her father’s words echoed in her mind: “Please, Zani, I could lose everything. We need you, darling.”
A tight ball of guilt lodged in her throat. She didn’t have a choice at all. She never had. Suddenly impatient, she hurried into the building.
“Just go on up, two flights of stairs then first door to your right.” Sunberri’s cheery receptionist pointed the way. “He’s expecting you. Don’t take the lift, it’ll be hours.” She was a local girl with a soft Sussex accent. Hours sounded like “aaahs”. “Good luck,” she added with a grin.
Zani climbed the stairs slowly. Her legs felt like lead. Each step took her closer to Corbin de Villiers. Closer to the man who could ruin her family. Anger at his transparent greed warred with fear. What if he succeeded? She couldn’t bear to think about it.
“Hello,” she called, and cleared her throat peering anxiously into the empty office, then took a couple of hesitant steps through the door.
Papers rustled and there was movement through a doorway on the opposite side of the room.
“You’re nearly four hours late.” He strode in frowning. “And then you go and waste even more time hanging about outside.”
“What?” stuttered Zani. “I’m sorry, I…” She scrambled to come up with an apology, twisting the end of her scarf around her fingers. The truth, that she’d been hiding in her own office at the marina until guilt and emotional blackmail from her father drove her to reluctantly drag herself to the Sunberri office in Chichester, would not help in this situation.
“Still, I suppose you’re here now, and that’s better than nothing,” he continued. “Do you think you’ll be as useless as the last temp I had?”
Zani knew one thing for sure. She’d make the last temp, no matter how woeful, look like an administration angel.
“Only if she spat in your coffee,” she said.
She tried not to enjoy the startled silence.
“I beg your pardon?”
“I said, only if she spat in your coffee. It was a joke.”
She’d seen a couple of blurry photos of Corbin de Villiers in the local papers, but they hadn’t done justice to the black smudges under his eyes and his grey face. He looked dreadful.
“I don’t appreciate your sense of humour,” he snapped.
Zani unwound her fingers from her scarf and settled her bag more firmly on her shoulder.
“That’s probably because you’ve got a cold.” She smiled sweetly.
“Somehow I doubt that, and I’m not sick.”
“You look sick. Your eyes are all bloodshot and your nose is red,” she said with some satisfaction. It wasn’t every day you got to tell local most-eligible-bachelor he looked awful. Though, despite his cold, his wavy chocolate hair and crystal blue eyes made an enticing combination. She’d imagined him to be shorter, more evil looking, with piggy greedy eyes or a cunning squint. “You should take something for it.”
His scowl became even more forbidding, and there was another silence, this one not quite as enjoyable as the last.
“Look. Here.” She dug about in her handbag and produced a crumpled foil packet of painkillers. “Take two of these, they’ll make you feel better.”
His frown didn’t budge. “Thank you but no, I don’t believe in drugs. When I’m sick I believe in letting my immune system fight the infection.”
“What, your body’s a temple, is it?” she asked, snorting in amusement at the thought.
“Which agency did you say you came from?” He asked the question mildly, though the threat was crystal clear.
Zani twisted her fingers in her scarf again. She hadn’t come from an agency. Her brother Paul, Sunberri’s Chief Financial Officer, had hurried her into the role, telling the head of Human Resources she was his stockbroker’s niece. Obviously nobody had mentioned it to Corbin de Villiers.
She hesitated, the carefully rehearsed explanations fading as she realised how ridiculous they were going to sound. Stockbroker’s niece? What had Paul been thinking?
De Villiers’s gaze dropped to her hands and the twisted scarf.
“Is this my desk?” She pointed with the end of her scarf and strode past him in a brusque, businesslike way.
“Yes, but—”
Zani glanced around quickly enough to see him examining the ceiling with an expression of pure exasperation. He muttered something that sounded distinctly uncomplimentary and shook his head slightly. “You haven’t told me your name yet,” he said and followed her across the room. She moved quickly around the desk, wanting to keep it between them, as if it’d provide some protection.
“Oh Zaniah, er, Chis…um, Chiswick, but everyone calls me Zani.”
The lie came more easily than she’d thought. Chiswick had been her mother’s maiden name, and to say it aloud was almost a comfort. Almost. Corbin de Villiers watched her expectantly, and she wondered if she should hold out her hand, shake his, but then baulked at the thought of touching him. Touching tended to be something she avoided, especially when bad-tempered, virus-ridden company CEOs were involved.
“Zani, then. My name is Corbin le Joli de Villiers de Saint Marc. I shorten it to de Villiers, but you can call me Corbin. This is your desk, Zani.” He gestured toward it with a faintly mocking smile. “Please, take a seat.”
You can get it from...
http://www.mybookstoreandmore.com
Curious?
Here is an excerpt of the first few pages...
Sheltering in the lee of the bell tower, Zani Best stared up at the imposing façade of Edes House and wondered whether suicide would be an easier option than going inside. It probably would, if she chose a painless, non-messy version. A bus roared past, charging up North Street toward the Market Cross. She almost managed a smile at the irony.
Cyanide, perhaps? Strychnine? She glanced around at the grey council chambers across the road and the huge cathedral that loomed behind her. Little chance of finding cyanide around here.
A movement in the shadowy cathedral porch made her hesitate and look more closely. She peered toward it, shivering a little, trying to make out the dark figure she thought she’d seen. The light rain had misted her glasses, and she pulled them off, squinting uneasily as she polished them dry on a corner of her scarf. The porch was empty when she put them back on. Must have been the ghost.
The wind gusted, and a cold drip from the roof of the bell tower landed on her head. She couldn’t stand there forever. She had a choice: Go inside, face Corbin de Villiers, lie, spy, do everything required to find out if he’d begun to stealthily orchestrate a management buyout. Or she could leave, go back to her own warm, safe office at the marina and seal her father’s fate.
She looked up at the building again. Her father’s words echoed in her mind: “Please, Zani, I could lose everything. We need you, darling.”
A tight ball of guilt lodged in her throat. She didn’t have a choice at all. She never had. Suddenly impatient, she hurried into the building.
“Just go on up, two flights of stairs then first door to your right.” Sunberri’s cheery receptionist pointed the way. “He’s expecting you. Don’t take the lift, it’ll be hours.” She was a local girl with a soft Sussex accent. Hours sounded like “aaahs”. “Good luck,” she added with a grin.
Zani climbed the stairs slowly. Her legs felt like lead. Each step took her closer to Corbin de Villiers. Closer to the man who could ruin her family. Anger at his transparent greed warred with fear. What if he succeeded? She couldn’t bear to think about it.
“Hello,” she called, and cleared her throat peering anxiously into the empty office, then took a couple of hesitant steps through the door.
Papers rustled and there was movement through a doorway on the opposite side of the room.
“You’re nearly four hours late.” He strode in frowning. “And then you go and waste even more time hanging about outside.”
“What?” stuttered Zani. “I’m sorry, I…” She scrambled to come up with an apology, twisting the end of her scarf around her fingers. The truth, that she’d been hiding in her own office at the marina until guilt and emotional blackmail from her father drove her to reluctantly drag herself to the Sunberri office in Chichester, would not help in this situation.
“Still, I suppose you’re here now, and that’s better than nothing,” he continued. “Do you think you’ll be as useless as the last temp I had?”
Zani knew one thing for sure. She’d make the last temp, no matter how woeful, look like an administration angel.
“Only if she spat in your coffee,” she said.
She tried not to enjoy the startled silence.
“I beg your pardon?”
“I said, only if she spat in your coffee. It was a joke.”
She’d seen a couple of blurry photos of Corbin de Villiers in the local papers, but they hadn’t done justice to the black smudges under his eyes and his grey face. He looked dreadful.
“I don’t appreciate your sense of humour,” he snapped.
Zani unwound her fingers from her scarf and settled her bag more firmly on her shoulder.
“That’s probably because you’ve got a cold.” She smiled sweetly.
“Somehow I doubt that, and I’m not sick.”
“You look sick. Your eyes are all bloodshot and your nose is red,” she said with some satisfaction. It wasn’t every day you got to tell local most-eligible-bachelor he looked awful. Though, despite his cold, his wavy chocolate hair and crystal blue eyes made an enticing combination. She’d imagined him to be shorter, more evil looking, with piggy greedy eyes or a cunning squint. “You should take something for it.”
His scowl became even more forbidding, and there was another silence, this one not quite as enjoyable as the last.
“Look. Here.” She dug about in her handbag and produced a crumpled foil packet of painkillers. “Take two of these, they’ll make you feel better.”
His frown didn’t budge. “Thank you but no, I don’t believe in drugs. When I’m sick I believe in letting my immune system fight the infection.”
“What, your body’s a temple, is it?” she asked, snorting in amusement at the thought.
“Which agency did you say you came from?” He asked the question mildly, though the threat was crystal clear.
Zani twisted her fingers in her scarf again. She hadn’t come from an agency. Her brother Paul, Sunberri’s Chief Financial Officer, had hurried her into the role, telling the head of Human Resources she was his stockbroker’s niece. Obviously nobody had mentioned it to Corbin de Villiers.
She hesitated, the carefully rehearsed explanations fading as she realised how ridiculous they were going to sound. Stockbroker’s niece? What had Paul been thinking?
De Villiers’s gaze dropped to her hands and the twisted scarf.
“Is this my desk?” She pointed with the end of her scarf and strode past him in a brusque, businesslike way.
“Yes, but—”
Zani glanced around quickly enough to see him examining the ceiling with an expression of pure exasperation. He muttered something that sounded distinctly uncomplimentary and shook his head slightly. “You haven’t told me your name yet,” he said and followed her across the room. She moved quickly around the desk, wanting to keep it between them, as if it’d provide some protection.
“Oh Zaniah, er, Chis…um, Chiswick, but everyone calls me Zani.”
The lie came more easily than she’d thought. Chiswick had been her mother’s maiden name, and to say it aloud was almost a comfort. Almost. Corbin de Villiers watched her expectantly, and she wondered if she should hold out her hand, shake his, but then baulked at the thought of touching him. Touching tended to be something she avoided, especially when bad-tempered, virus-ridden company CEOs were involved.
“Zani, then. My name is Corbin le Joli de Villiers de Saint Marc. I shorten it to de Villiers, but you can call me Corbin. This is your desk, Zani.” He gestured toward it with a faintly mocking smile. “Please, take a seat.”
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Monday, September 22, 2008
Better Now
Well thank the lawd for anti-biotics. The purple, pus-encrusted goobs of flesh that were my tonsils, I am happy to report, are more or less back to normal.
What? What was that? Too Much Information you say? Aah yes. My speciality.
Just wait until I stop being shy and start sharing about awesome spots I've squeezed... hey I could take photos as well...
Well, it'd beat telling you all what I've got playing on my iPod. (Snooore - and I don't mean snoore because my taste in music is boring, just that I never have any idea about what songs people are talking about when they write that sort of thing on their blogs. If it wasn't a hit in the 80s or currently being played on the radio then I have NO idea).
And yes, I did download a-ha from iTunes last week. I dearly wanted to lose my virginity to Morten at the age of 14 and nothing has changed since then. NOTHING.
I love you Morten.
What? What was that? Too Much Information you say? Aah yes. My speciality.
Just wait until I stop being shy and start sharing about awesome spots I've squeezed... hey I could take photos as well...
Well, it'd beat telling you all what I've got playing on my iPod. (Snooore - and I don't mean snoore because my taste in music is boring, just that I never have any idea about what songs people are talking about when they write that sort of thing on their blogs. If it wasn't a hit in the 80s or currently being played on the radio then I have NO idea).
And yes, I did download a-ha from iTunes last week. I dearly wanted to lose my virginity to Morten at the age of 14 and nothing has changed since then. NOTHING.
I love you Morten.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Crock Pots
I am goddamn stupid bloody sick again. I know. Its starting to get really embarrassing. So embarrassing that I'm keeping it a secret. Okay, maybe telling the entire internet is not exactly how one goes about keeping things secret, I do take your point on that. However, I know you guys wouldn't tell a soul. My secret is safe. Yes?
Anyhoo. I was supposed to go out last night with the girls. Couldn't due to soaring temperature and rapidly deteriorating temprement. Am most extremely cranky about this. It'd be what... two months since I got to go out to a place that doesn't knowingly allow any under 18s. Then I have to cancel.
So, instead of blogging about the rollicking good time I had and bemoaning my seedy hangover. I am going to chat about tidying the pantry and my new slow cooker.
Yes.
I don't see why if I am to miss out on a good time you all shouldn't be punished as well.
Look at it this way. Am currently editing Drive Me To Distraction. Trying to make it so that the punctuation actually follows the rules set out by... Actually that's a point. Who did set out the rules for grammer? Well, that's another blog post. But what I'm trying to say is that I could be rambling on about comma splices, passive voice and run on scentences. So consider yourselves lucky it's just kitchen gadgets and an oversupply of baked beans.
So here is my pantry....
Anyhoo. I was supposed to go out last night with the girls. Couldn't due to soaring temperature and rapidly deteriorating temprement. Am most extremely cranky about this. It'd be what... two months since I got to go out to a place that doesn't knowingly allow any under 18s. Then I have to cancel.
So, instead of blogging about the rollicking good time I had and bemoaning my seedy hangover. I am going to chat about tidying the pantry and my new slow cooker.
Yes.
I don't see why if I am to miss out on a good time you all shouldn't be punished as well.
Look at it this way. Am currently editing Drive Me To Distraction. Trying to make it so that the punctuation actually follows the rules set out by... Actually that's a point. Who did set out the rules for grammer? Well, that's another blog post. But what I'm trying to say is that I could be rambling on about comma splices, passive voice and run on scentences. So consider yourselves lucky it's just kitchen gadgets and an oversupply of baked beans.
So here is my pantry....
Oh KIDDING. That is Chris Jordan's pantry http://www.notesfromthetrenches.com/. Yes, it makes me want to lick the screen as well.
This is my pantry.
And this. 
What am I going to do with all those plastic bags? Err, yes I do use my nifty green bags, but um, sometimes I forget. Okay, more than sometimes. Possibly frequently. Yes, the Entire Environmental Crisis is due to me. Sorry about that. The guilt is a burden I shall carry always.
The four visible cans of tomatos are just the tip of the iceberg. Tucked away at the back I have enough stockpiled to see us through the current financial crisis and into the next one.
Hubby has promised to spend the afternoon clearing it out and making it orderly. (Yeah right).
And this is my new slow cooker, or crock pot. It does plug into the electricity, I just had to photograph it sitting on the hob because the rest of the kitchen bench tops are a foot deep in clutter. And no I am not photographing that as I am trying to maintain the myth that I am a total and utter neat freak.
I love it. Today is going to be 32 degrees (that's 89.6 in American) and I'm still planning on using it.
K, am going back to bed now.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Intrigue at the House of Nicholas
Yes. We have a mystery.
At 5.31pm on Monday 15 September a dull thud echoed through the House of Nicholas followed my much muttered swearing. Upon investigation the following crime scene was found.
There are five suspects. Each has a watertight alibi.
Miss Bugalugs: Under table, feeding playdough to dog.
Miss Beaniebaby: In garden, burying toys in Sandpit.
Ella The Dog: Eating playdough.
Pepper The Cat: Miaowing pathetically outside the kitchen window.
Hubby: "I didn't do it. I SAID I didn't do it. Now go away. I'm cooking."
Alas, the camera never lies.
At 5.31pm on Monday 15 September a dull thud echoed through the House of Nicholas followed my much muttered swearing. Upon investigation the following crime scene was found.
There are five suspects. Each has a watertight alibi.
Miss Bugalugs: Under table, feeding playdough to dog.
Miss Beaniebaby: In garden, burying toys in Sandpit.
Ella The Dog: Eating playdough.
Pepper The Cat: Miaowing pathetically outside the kitchen window.
Hubby: "I didn't do it. I SAID I didn't do it. Now go away. I'm cooking."
Alas, the camera never lies.
A Question of Trust
Have just started reading the wonderful Jess Dee's latest release. Its called A Question of Trust and its HOT.
Really hot.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Watermelon
Yes, watermelon, that would be the shade of my face earlier on today. Have been to the gym, for a fitness test. Managed to do 17 pushups in 60 seconds - who knew! Lugging the small but dense screamies about the place must have given me more upper body strength that originally assumed.
Still, it was around about push-up 16 that I got a weird tearing sensation across the front of my chest.
Yes, I thought I was having a heart-attack as well. At that point I wouldn't have minded much because I would've got to lie down and not move.
But, thankfully, nothing so dramatic. Have managed to pull all the muscles in my left arm and across my chest. So it really hurts when I hang out the washing. I KNOW. Have resigned from all washing hanging duties in order to look after my health and spend more time with my family. SEE. I could've been a sportstar. I can talk in nothing but cliches.
Yes, 36 years old, 10kgs overweight and I harbour fantasies about being an elite athlete.
Who said I wasn't an optimist?
Still, it was around about push-up 16 that I got a weird tearing sensation across the front of my chest.
Yes, I thought I was having a heart-attack as well. At that point I wouldn't have minded much because I would've got to lie down and not move.
But, thankfully, nothing so dramatic. Have managed to pull all the muscles in my left arm and across my chest. So it really hurts when I hang out the washing. I KNOW. Have resigned from all washing hanging duties in order to look after my health and spend more time with my family. SEE. I could've been a sportstar. I can talk in nothing but cliches.
Yes, 36 years old, 10kgs overweight and I harbour fantasies about being an elite athlete.
Who said I wasn't an optimist?
Wednesday, September 03, 2008
Waxing Lyrical
Came across a great blog on literary tattoos. http://www.contrariwise.org/
Its about people who've tattooed themselves with literary quotes and why they did it. This one resonated with me the most....
"I shall not live in vain."
The poem it comes from is called Not In Vain, by Emily Dickinson.
Love it. Love it. Love it.
Its about people who've tattooed themselves with literary quotes and why they did it. This one resonated with me the most....
"I shall not live in vain."
The poem it comes from is called Not In Vain, by Emily Dickinson.
If I can stop one heart from breaking,
I shall not live in vain:
If I can ease one life the aching,
Or cool one pain,
Or help one fainting robin
Unto his nest again,
I shall not live in vain.
Love it. Love it. Love it.
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