Like most writer I listen to music when I write.  One of my favorite groups is Lady Antebellum.  They write beautiful love songs, I write romance novels. Kind of a match made in heaven. 

When their concert was schedule in Des Moines I wanted tickets. I went to their website, joined the fan club and got pretty good seats.  Not great, but good to listen to the music.  Up popped a sign-up for a “Meet & Greet.”  What the hell, I would love to meet them, I never win any of these, but being always hopefully I put my name in the pot. On a particular unpleasant day I receive in my email-“You’ve Been Selected to Attend a Lady Antebellum Meet & Greet!”.  OMG!

Since I am first a writer, the fan of Lady A stuffed and autographed copy of the Writers of the Lake first book in her purse.  Off I went to get shuffled from one line to another, but I didn’t mind.  This was an experience of a lifetime.  My turn came for the photo opt, I handed them the book and babbled about how I write to their music, and yada, yada.  They were so gracious and kind I was blown away.

So here’s the picture of me (the short one in the middle) and the fabulous and ‘I will be a fan until I die” Charles, Hilary and Dave. Notice our book in her hand.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_3_5?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=jordyn+meryl&sprefix=jordy

So I have already made it through the first two stories in the new book! WOW! I definitely think the 2 chili peppers was deserved and I loved that you took it up a notch! Sid and Carmy – LOVE LOVE LOVE! What a dynamic duo! They played extremely well off of each other and what personalities! They fit perfectly into the story! As for Mark and Paige, I want to be in that relationship! Lol so glamorous! It was a beautiful escape and I am so proud of you! I can’t wait to read the third story and the next book!

CHAPTER ONE

“What the f*#? Seriously?”

“Oh damn, I am so sorry.”  The deep male voice came from the large, sturdy body that slammed into Paige Therriault.  Her long auburn hair tumble to her shoulders as her trendy women’s newsboy cap was knocked from her head.

Oh, hell no! This is Monday morning.  Not happening.

Spilling her fresh, white chocolate latte on her black coat, the man’s arms steadied her as she started to fall back. Catching her balance, the plastic cup slipped out of her wet hand, landing on the sidewalk, splashing the black expensive Italian leather shoes of her assailant.

Shaking the remainder of the coffee from her now empty hands, she huffed and looked up at the man’s face.  Stopped cold by the most beautiful eyes, shiny and dark as wet slate, she had ever seen. Her words frozen in her throat.

“Are you all right?”  His voice, polished and soothing was full of concern.

Numb, all she could do was nod.  The handsome man holding her was taking her breath away.  Some kind of chemistry she had never felt before was flowing between them.

Taking a step back out of his grip.  “I’m…fine.”  Brushing away the coffee beading up on her water-repellent trench coat, feeling her face get red, she was wanting to get away from this person, this..

God he’s good-looking

…man blocking her path to work.  But he wasn’t budging.  He had taken a linen handkerchief from his pocket and was dabbing at the remaining coffee on the front of her coat.  Even though his touch was light and barely felt through the heavy material, just the gentleness was bringing her a sweet reaction to him.

Again she stepped back and hit a lamp pole with her head. 

Damn that hurt. 

Tears sprang to her eyes, again the man was touching her. Holding her up with his strong arms.

His eyes reflected his concern.  “Watch it.  Here let me get you to where you are going.”

Long awkward pause between them.

She lost herself in his eyes again, so dark, so deep, so…

His voice cut through her thoughts.  “Where are you going?”

Shaking her hurting head, breaking away from his hold, she looked around.  Then up at the building they were standing in front of. 

 ”Here, I work here.” 

Get it together, girl. 

Hiking her messenger bag/brief case back on her shoulder, she straightened her back.  The man had picked up her cap from the sidewalk.

I just bought this damn hat.

Snatching it from his hand, she squared her shoulders as if she was totally back in control. “Thank you for your help, Mr. …?”

“Winston.  Mark Winston.  I work here too.  I’ll go in with you.  Make sure you make it okay.”

Paige stopped short.  “Winston? Of Winston, Bradley and Smart Ad Agency?”

His smile was dazzling. “Yes, that would be me. Well kind of.  I’m Tom’s youngest son. You know of us?”

“Yes, I work for you.” Her smile as well as her spirit was weak.  “I’m your Art Director.  Paige Therriault.”  She had heard the younger son of the boss was joining ‘the team’.  The prodigal son returning home type of thing.

Optimistically he took her arm.  ”Well good, I’ll walk you up.  You can show me around.”

Sure thing.  What a great way to make an impression.

***

          “Way to go slick.  You almost gave her 1st degree burns.”  The first angel said to the second, sitting together on the newsstand watching Mark and Paige go inside.

“Sorry, but I needed them to meet before they met at work.”

“And why is that?”  The first angel was a beautiful, dark-skinned male that had not really wanted this assignment in the first place.  Let alone with the angel of Never-Ending Love.

“Meeting at work inhibits the spirit.  Bumping into each other is fate, kismet.”  Rolling his eyes the second male angel was fair-skinned, handsome and adorable.

“Well they met.  What do we do now?”

The second angel’s wings fluttered.  “We go watch what happens.”

Following cute and adorable, the dark angel asked.  “You weren’t by any chance on the Titanic, were you?”

“You stupid-cheating-mother-f@#king-son-of-a-bitch!”

The heavy stoneware plate hurled from Jessica’s hand headed towards her husband.

Sweat lingered over her eyebrows running in her sea green eyes. So infuriated she didn’t even pause to wipe it away.

Charles, a middle-aged, non-athletic nerd, jutted to his right at the last second as it hit the wall behind his head shattering into pieces.

Raising his hands out in front of him to block her onslaught, his wire-rimmed glasses twisted on his nose. “Damn it, Jessica. Buying the café was a mistake. I just can’t stay here and work all the time. I feel stifled.”

Her words came at him in a blaze of pure rage. “What the hell do you mean, mistake? We sold everything we owned to get the money to buy this café.”

“Well I just don’t think this business venture is going to work.” Charles still had his arms up in a defensive block.

Jessica grabbed two more plates, angrily releasing one. “What do you mean it’s not going to work?” Charles dodged the first plate.

Her tone of voice seethed with white fury. “What’s the real reason, Charles?”

The second one soared at high speed.  It nicked his forehead, just above his eye. Blood oozed from a cut.

“Okay!  I want someone else. Bambi and I want to have a life together.” He held his hand over the wound. “Enough! I’m leaving. It’s all yours, honey. Do whatever the hell you want. I’m done, finished, out-of here.”

With another plate in her hand, Jessica watched as Charles twisted around and did a hasty escape out of the door.  Blonde Bambi was waiting for him outside. Dragging his little sex kitten behind him, Charles exited indubitably out of her life.

“Get home now!  We have been robbed!”

Still stuck in one spot, I turned around.  The window screen was laying open, cut to allow the intruder to enter.  The laptop that was supposed to be on the stand, wasn’t.   The cute little purple netbook that rested on my matching purple laptop holder was gone.  My knees started to buckle.  My writing!  I had not back up my computers.  All my writing is gone!   Despair hit me like a brick.  OMG!

My husband came in, looked around and started asking questions.

“Did they take your jewelry?”

Yes, the precious pieces of good jewelry I had collected from 45 years of marriage, hoping to give to my grandchildren. Gone!

“The gun?”

I got down on my hand and knees to look under the bed, where it was kept in a locked box.  Gone!

Anything with loose change in it was gone.  I had created a shrine for my mother, with her pennies from heaven and a necklace that said “Mom” a friend had given me at Mom’s funeral.  Carefully resting in a Waterford bowl.  Gone!  Bowl and all!

The police were called, but little hope was given of ever finding our stuff again.  And even less chance of finding the laptops.

So when I was asked to write an article for the newsletter about protecting my work from theft, my first thought was ‘About what?  How to do it wrong?’  But that is what I am going to tell you.

First:  Back-up, back-up, back-up.  Through the help of my dear writer friends I have received many pages of my lost manuscripts.  But it’s the last chapters I had just finished that I had not shared with anyone that are gone.

Second:  Register your computer and then copy the serial and model numbers in an e-mail and mail them to yourself.

Third:  Install an alarm system in your home.  Many homes are being broken in to and this will help safe guard your house.  Secure your windows and doors.  Do not trust that just because you have lived in a neighbor for many years, you are safe.  My husband and I have lived in this house for 20 some odd years.

Fourth:  Someone suggested I get a dog.  Not quite ready for that.  But if that’s your thing, I have heard that a dog will discourage robbers.

Fifth:  Be angry.  Someone has invaded your space.  Put a hole in your comfort zone.  You have the right to feel violated.

Sixth:  After you have had your pissed-at-the-world time, be grateful that they did not hurt anyone.  That they just took stuff.  As mad as you are about that, Stuff can be replaced.  People cannot.

My new laptop arrived today. It’s like making a new friend.  I will piece my stories back together like a puzzle.  I can do this.  I am a writer.  Everything will be back-up three times to Sunday.

So is the saga of the Judester getting robbed.  I’m pretty sure I know who did it.  The POS that lives next door.  I would just shoot him, but he stole my gun!

That’s right! The book, “Blue Jeans and Stilettos” arrived on Wednesday, May  11, 2011.  Yippee!  Here’s a pic of me showing off the cover.  We were all so excited to hold the actual first copy in our hands.  There’s no feeling like seeing your name on the cover of a book you wrote.

Holding a book in your hand and feeling the texture of the cover and smelling the aroma of those new book pages.  For writers, it’s the best.

Hope everyone can make it to the book’s actual book launch party on June 23, 2011!  Contact me for more details.  If you’re not able to attend, you can pre-order your autographed copy now!

Come join us for the fun!

An analogy of three,

Count ‘em three

Romance Stories by the:

HOT-Jordyn Meryl

“When Dreams Change”

HOTTER-C. Deanne Rowe

“It’s Better in the Dark”

HOTTEST-Maggie Rivers

“Take a Chance”