Please help me welcome Draven St. James to my blog today. She’s given me a great interview that I think you’ll find interesting.

Tell us about yourself.

I’m a northwest native and love the stormy weather. I actually am able to write better when the weather is on the dark side. I’ve traveled a great deal and am a part of an extensive family/friend base. All of those in my life are very supportive and I firmly believe that has helped in my success.

Have you had other careers before becoming a writer?

Yes, prior to dedicating my time to being a writer, I was a psychological profiler. It was a unique and interesting job to be a part of. Never boring, but it definitely had its disturbing qualities. It actually helped me to develop a better grasp on creating more in depth characters.

Tell us about your current series/WIP.

My current series is Firehouse Six, which revolves around the lives of the firemen and other medical professionals who work in that region. It is in the m/m genre and it tells the stories of how these amazing men fall in love. The first was Grey’s Hidden Fire, which was the story of how Mica and Grey met. It’s fairly heated in many different ways. The steam they create with one another, but also what they have to overcome to be together. The second book, Fire and Mistletoe, is a sequel and revolves around Grey and Mica’s developing relationship. I’m in the process of working on a third book, which will be Simon’s story. He’s one of the side characters in the first two books.

What is your next project and when will it be released?

My next project will be released in the spring and it is a standalone. I delved into my past experience in psychological profiling and gave a little peek into a boss-employee connection, with a great many roadblocks keeping them apart. It is a m/m contemporary erotic novel and I hope Aspen and Garren inspire people to keep reading!

Do you have critique partners?

I have a couple of people I go to when I have writers block, and those who read my books to give me input. One person in particular I send him excerpts all the time to see if a single scene, standing alone, can inspire an emotional response. I think that is important.

How likely are people you meet to end up in your next book?

I wouldn’t ever develop a character entirely from one individual person. I do however, take pieces of people that I know, at times, and mold them into the characters that I’m creating.

Do you have any words of inspiration for aspiring authors?

Don’t give up. If writing is what you love than keep writing and sharing your work. Sometimes it is hard to find your niche, but if your passion comes through your work, than you can be successful.

What sort of promo do you do? Do you have help?

I primarily do guest posts on other blogs, cover reveals, giveaways, blog hops, radio interviews and just getting the word out there with friends and fellow authors. I think the most amazing thing about the writing community, that I’m lucky to be a part of, is that it doesn’t feel competitive. We support one another and share our wisdom as we come across it.

Where can readers find you?

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/draven.stjames
Blog: http://dravenstjames.wordpress.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DravenStJames
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/dravenstjames/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7155623.Draven_St_James
Email: Dravenstjames@gmail.com

Where can readers find your books? Print/Ebook?

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=ntt_athr_dp_sr_1?_encoding=UTF8&field-author=Draven%20St.%20James&search-alias=digital-text&sort=relevancerank
Loose Id: http://www.loose-id.com/authors/a-f/draven-st-james.html
http://www.loose-id.com/fire-and-mistletoe.html

Excerpt
For Mica, there was nothing better than starting the day watching Grey saunter shirtless around the kitchen, preparing him breakfast. Grey’s only clothes were a pair of sweats that hung so low on his hips Mica couldn’t help but be amazed they didn’t slide off. Hell, that was what he anticipated happening.

Such an event would truly be the beginning of a merry Christmas. Mica sat on a stool next to the island at the center of the room to continue his ogling.

“Stop objectifying me,” Grey said before looking over his shoulder and smiling.

“You like it,” Mica teased. The muscles of Grey’s back flexed each time he reached for a spice or stirred the eggs. His hair was wet from his shower and glistened with shades of gold and cinnamon in the overhead lighting.

“I may like it, but you need to eat, and then I have to work. If you’re lucky, when your double shift is over, I’ll entertain those dirty thoughts I know you’re having.”

“Oh, now that’s promising. How about we compromise for the moment? Drop your pants and bring on the food.” Mica leered comically at him. Grey’s face became an adorable shade of pink. He loved that even now Grey had his shy moments. There were so many things Grey did that made his life more complete, both at home and at work, because he was lucky enough to work and play with his lover. He’d met Grey when he’d made the best decision of his life and transferred over to Firehouse Six.

It also didn’t hurt that the man was a fantastic cook. He pivoted to stir the scrambled eggs, and Mica moved to stand behind him. With a deep inhale he breathed in the intoxicating, spicy scent that always clung to Grey, and nuzzled his face against Grey’s neck. He wrapped his arms around him, tracing his fingers along Grey’s abdomen before pulling Grey fully back against him.

“Are you sure you can’t fit me in before breakfast?” Mica whispered and nipped his ear playfully.

The vibrations from Grey’s moan resulted in an answering hardening of Mica’s cock.

“You are the worst tease,” Grey admonished.

“And you’re so damn practical.”

Grey shifted around in Mica’s arms and grinned. “That is one of the many things that you love about me.” He ran his fingers through the damp strands of Mica’s hair. “As it is, because of our shower time, I’m already going to be late.”

Mica trapped Grey against the counter and gave in to the temptation of Grey’s soft lips. Grey’s hands tightened in his hair and drew him away.

“Before you, I was always on time.”

“I exist to create fun chaos in your life.” Mica wiggled his eyebrows.

Blurb

When Greyson Hayes envisions the perfect first Christmas with Mica Cruz he sees twisted sheets, a bottle of wine and a roaring fire. What he doesn’t see is a holiday spent with the uproarious Cruz family. Grey hasn’t taken part in a family Christmas since the death of his parents. Despite his misgivings, he can’t seem to form the word no when it comes to Mica.



Mica knows that Grey’s not a grinch. Hell, the man shares so much Christmas cheer during the holidays that he leaves no time to experience any for himself. Not this year. Mica plans to make a few changes, starting with a few wicked and whimsical gifts. He enlists the help of his co-workers at Firehouse Six. They band together and strive to provide Grey with the same joy he gives to everyone else–with five a.m. tree hunts, strategically placed mistletoe and Mica playing Santa’s not-so-little helper.

But while Mica is busy being nice, Grey has plenty of time to be naughty…


Bio:

Draven St. James is a born and raised Oregonian. She has traveled extensively in search of mischief and mayhem to fill her books. Her ventures have been quite successful in inspiring a wealth of stories. Of course at the end of the day, coffee within reach, laptop at the ready is where she finds her peace.

Please help me welcome Lana Williams to my blog today. Lana has given us a wonderful interview and I hope you’ll leave her lots of comments.

Tell us about yourself.

Thanks so much for having me, Cynthia! I’m excited to share the excerpt for my latest release, Unraveling Secrets, set in Victorian London. This is my fourth book and begins a new trilogy. My previous three books (also a trilogy) are medieval romances, so this is a new time period for me, but so fascinating!

I live in Colorado with my husband, two growing sons, two labs, and have been writing for what seems like forever.  I love writing historical romances and thus far, all of my stories have a pinch of paranormal.

If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be, and why?

I think I would like to have 4-5 houses in different areas and rotate! Wouldn’t that be great? You could head toward the beach (love Nassau!) during the winter months, maybe hit Vermont in the fall. I do love Colorado and would have to spend time here, too. Perhaps a month or two in England or Ireland would work as well. After all, I need to do some research!

Tell us about your current series/WIP.

The Secret Trilogy tells the story of three young men who assisted their professor at university with an electromagnetic experiment that went terribly wrong. This accident leaves each of the three men with the ability to read auras. The first story in this trilogy is Unraveling Secrets and it opens with Abigail Bradford confronting the man who killed her father–a man she thought was dead. Stephen, the hero, comes upon them. With his ability to read auras of good and evil, he can see that Abigail has good intentions but why she’s in the dirty streets of London’s East End is definitely a puzzle. LOL

The heroes in each of the books read different auras. In the second book, Passionate Secrets coming out later this year, the hero reads auras of success and failure.

What is your next project and when will it be released?

Passionate Secrets is the second book in this trilogy and is a loose twist on My Fair Lady.  It follows Michael’s story, who we meet in the first book. He has the ability to see auras of success and failure. Someone from his past makes a reappearance in his life and he’s torn between trusting her, suspecting her, and helping her. It will be released in 2014.

How does your family feel about your writing career?

I’m very lucky as I come from a family of avid readers. My mom always has a book going and my sisters love to read as well. Even one of my brothers has read my books – twice! They are incredibly supportive of my writing. My husband and sons have grown used to me having my laptop out, typing away while we watch football. They are my biggest fans.

How much time do you spend promoting your books? What works best for you?

Promoting your books is tricky, isn’t it? What seems to work well one time only has moderate success the next. I am on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, and Pinterest. I have an author newsletter to share news with interested readers. I guest blog at several blogs when I have a new release. Promoting can take a lot of time and it’s difficult to determine what’s effective. While I am a firm believer that the best promotion you can do is write the next book, I do enjoy connecting with readers and authors on social media, as long as it doesn’t take over my whole day.

What advice do you have for other authors wanting to self-publish?

Self-publishing has been a wonderful experience for me. My advice would be to learn as much as possible as to what goes into the process, what your choices are and what resources are available. There are some great books out there by authors who share everything they did. One of the best ones is The Naked Truth About Self-Publishing.

Knowing that your book is going to be read by the public somehow helps you become more objective about your writing. It’s been easier for me to determine what’s working in the story and what isn’t. I now trust my instincts as I’m editing to help me know whether I need to go through a scene one more time, or whether it’s polished as much as I can. All that has definitely taken my writing up a notch. Self-publishing comes with lots of freedom. You are your own boss. You get to decide what you write next. You can write what you think the story calls for and revise as you see fit. You set your own deadlines. You have total control over the project. All that freedom doesn’t work for some people. I’m grateful that I’m surrounded by other writers who are very ambitious and that helps me to push myself. Learn as much as you can so you make the right decision for you. And remember, it’s not either or between traditional and self-publishing. You can choose to be a combination of both.

Do you have any words of inspiration for aspiring authors?

The best thing you can do is keep writing. Do it daily, if at all possible. I feel like my writing really improved substantially when I started making a concerted effort to write every day, even if it was only for 15 minutes. Though I thought I needed longer periods to really get into my story, those did not come often enough with a day job and a busy family. By writing daily, the story stays in your mind and your subconscious seems to work out scenes and provide you with ideas when you finally get a chance to sit at the keyboard. Get a kitchen timer and set it for 15 minutes. Smile. Write. Repeat. Most writers I know can get a page written in that length of time. Everybody has 15 minutes, right? And when you do have longer blocks of time, that productive habit will really pay off.

Why have you become a published author?

Books have been such a lovely treasure throughout my life. When I was in college, reading a book was my reward for studying all night for a test. When I was sad, I could pick up a book, learn something new, and travel to someplace different. There was nothing I looked forward to more than diving into the pages of a book. Being published means I have the chance to give that gift to someone. I have never had a job I loved as much as I love to write. It is the most challenging thing I’ve ever done, and the most rewarding. I can’t imagine doing anything else.

Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? If so, what do you do to combat it?

If I’m struggling with a particular scene, that usually means there’s something wrong with it. I’m coming at it from the wrong point of view or at the wrong time. When that happens, I step back and try to think of other ways to approach it and list the reasons why I think the scene needs to happen. If I’m having a problem trying to decide what should happen next, then I think of 3 choices of what could happen next and pick one. And sometimes I go back to setting my timer for 15 minutes and force myself to type something, even if it seems like crap. Often that loosens up the log jam in my mind.

Where can readers find you?

Website: www.lanawilliams.net
Facebook: www.facebook.com/LanaWilliamsBooks
Twitter: www.twitter.com/LanaWilliams28

Where can readers find your books? Print/Ebook?

Amazon: http://amzn.to/18wWuV3
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1cyNx9I
Kobo: http://bit.ly/IVk4zl
Paperback: http://bit.ly/1ji9DpW

Excerpt:

The dim glow cast by the carriage lamp created an intimacy he would’ve preferred to avoid. After the events of the evening, a part deep inside him strained to be closer to her, to absorb her golden light and soothe his darkness. The temptation of her surrounded him until he could hardly breathe. Her face was hidden in shadows but he didn’t have to see her expression to feel her displeasure. Perhaps that would help him keep his distance.

“My apologies for interrupting your evening of drinking and brawling, but two days have passed since I’ve heard anything from you.”

“When I have something to tell you, I’ll contact you. Following me serves no purpose.”

She huffed in response. “Are you telling me you still don’t know of Simmons’ whereabouts?”

Stephen’s frustration pushed him to the edge of his seat. “I’m sure you remember me mentioning other problems that have arisen which occupy my time. Perhaps you could consider for a moment that the world does not revolve around you.”

She sat forward as well until her face was mere inches from his, not backing down. He tried his best to ignore the fact that her reaction was exactly what he’d hoped for. That she’d push him beyond the bounds of gentlemanly behavior, and he’d be left with no choice but to touch her.

“My family’s safety is at stake. I have difficulty believing anything you’re doing in some disreputable pub could be more pressing.”

Her gaze dropped to his lips, and the fragile restraint he had on his desire for her snapped. Before he could think twice, he took her mouth with his.

She tasted so sweet, as though she’d just drunk a golden elixir blended specifically to entice him. Her lips curved to fit his. They were soft and supple, and he lifted his hand to caress her cheek. Her skin was just as smooth and silky as he’d remembered.

She responded to his kiss tentatively at first, as though uncertain what she should do. He’d caught her by surprise, of that he had no doubt.

He waited, expecting her to shove him back and put him in his place. Instead she tilted her head and deepened the kiss. Desire speared through him, almost painful in its intensity. It had been so long since he’d felt like this, since he’d been with a woman who stirred him so.

Her hand touched the back of his neck, curving around the sensitive skin at his nape, her gloved fingers running through his hair. Her touch was pure magic, at once soothing him and making him yearn for more.

He opted for more, plundering, parting his lips to taste her more fully. She stilled at his sudden invasion then opened her lips to return the favor. Her ardor added to his own until his head swam with her sweetness.

Please help me welcome Jaleta Clegg to my blog today. As a special treat she is giving her book away to all reader of the blog. Read on for how you can get your copy.

If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be, and why?

Tahiti. Or a small tropical island with plenty of fresh water and food service. Okay, make that a tropical beach hotel somewhere completely uncrowded. I want warmth and ocean breezes but no people. The older I get the more I hate people. I’m becoming more of a hermit every year. But forget the cave on a mountain. I live on a mountain and it gets much too cold up here.

Are you a full time writer or do you have a “day job”?

I have too many day jobs. I’ve got eight kids, four still at home. That eats up 90% of my time and energy. I started graduate school recently and that takes a lot out of my day, too. I also work part-time at the Discovery Space Center http://www.discoveryspacecenter.com/home/. I have my own planetarium system to play with, plus we have starship simulators. It’s full-on space LARPing. And it all ties in to my writing, too. We’re creating our story universe and it’s partially based on my series.

What genre(s) do you write in and why?

Space opera, mostly. I love astronomy. I’ve always been captivated by stories like Flash Gordon, Buck Rogers, Star Trek, and Star Wars. Grand adventures, space travel, aliens, with just a dash of romance thrown in. I also dabble in fantasy, mostly high fantasy settings, and silly horror. I’ve tried writing straight romance but I was just too tempted to toss in aliens and unicorns and fairies and evil wizards, and the next thing I knew, it wasn’t a straight romance anymore.

How has your experience with self-publishing been?

It’s been a mixed bag. I like controlling my own schedule, publishing as fast as I feel I’m ready. I like being in control of the cover, editing, typesetting, formatting, and everything else. But on the other side, I hate having to make all the decisions. Sometimes it’s easier to let someone else do it. If it’s awful, I can blame them. But in self-publishing, I have no one to blame but myself. Overall, it’s been worth it, despite all the stress.

What was the deciding factor in self-publishing your book(s)? Did you decide on ebook or print only or both?

I was pushed into self-publishing. I never really wanted to do it on my own. I know some authors that just love it, but I was very reluctant. I wanted a publisher and I’m glad I had two good publishers for the first three books. But my sales weren’t good despite good ratings and reviews, so my latest publisher broke up with me. I looked at the situation and knew the only way my series was going to get finished was if I published it myself. What publisher would pick up a series at book four? So I took a deep breath and jumped into the self-publishing pool at the deep end. It helps that I’ve done graphic design for the last 18 years so I have experience with layout and design work. I’ve put out four books since August in both ebook and print formats. It takes a couple of hours to format for both, I do separate files for them, but since it costs me nothing more than time to get them up for sale, why not provide both print and ebook.

What went into the process? Writing, editing, cover design, formatting, etc. Share your ups and downs and how you went about it. If you used a service, can you share?

Writing the story and editing it dozens of times happens long before any author should ever start the publishing process. Tweak it, get the editing done, polish it, beta read the story – do all that before you even think about hitting the publish button. Cover design can take me anywhere from a couple of hours to weeks depending on whether I have a good idea of what I want and/or if the right pictures fall into place for me. I do two versions – ebook and print. Formatting takes a few hours for ebook, then a few more for print. Then I write up the blurb and all the sales pitch materials. Only after I have all this tweaked and in place do I go to the publishing venues and start uploading. Then I proof the copies and files to make sure they look good. Proofing can take up to a month before the final version is available for sale. It takes time to do a good job. When an author says, “I just wrote a book. I’ll have it up for sale in a couple of days,” I just want to shake some reality into them. Yes, you can publish it and have it for sale in a few days, but have you really taken the time to make it as good as you can? Editing takes time. Rewrites take time. Formatting and design work take time. Proofing takes time.

What advice can you offer to anyone deciding to self-publish?

Take time to make it good. Don’t jump before you’re ready. But don’t spend too much time dithering on the fence. When that story is as good as you can make it, go for it. Jump. Hit publish. Then write another book, and another, and another. Don’t pour everything into one book. And don’t be offended when someone hates it. It’s bound to happen sooner or later. You’ll get a 1-star review and it will hurt. But leave it alone, shrug it off, and go write something else. A thick skin is healthy in this business.

What did you want to be when you were a child? Did you always know you wanted to be a writer?

I wanted to be a race car driver, until I saw Star Wars. Then I wanted to be Han Solo or an astronaut. But I get vertigo on a swing set so that wasn’t going to work. So I settled on being a computer programmer until I did enough to realize I hate doing it. Then I got into electronics. I love soldering and circuits. But it wasn’t a practical career for me at the time. So I got a degree in Geology, specializing in Earth Science Education. Then I stayed home with my kids since my job at Dairy Queen was a bust. When I couldn’t stand that anymore, I got a job at the space center. I think I still want to be Han Solo when I grow up. Or Ursula, the sea witch.

Did you have several manuscripts finished before you sold? If so, did you send them out yourself?

I had an eleven book series written and edited before I ever submitted anything to a publisher. Just a word of advice, write a stand-alone novel first. It’s just easier.

Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? If so, what do you do to combat it?

Writer’s block? No. I just suffer from a lack of energy and time some days. When the words won’t come for whatever reason, I either throw in explosions or zombies or mutant zebras or possibly giant gorilla-bees. Or I watch old sci-fi shows for ideas.

What are you reading now?

Mostly books for class. I’ve got one on Affective Assessments I’m supposed to be wading through. When I have the chance, though, I love a light-hearted adventure. I’ve been reading some great YA fantasies lately.

Where can readers find you?

I’m on Facebook as Jaleta Clegg and I have a page for my series – Jaleta Clegg’s Altairan Empire series. https://www.facebook.com/AltairanEmpire. I blog twice a week at The Far Edge of Normal – http://jaletaclegg.blogspot.com/ I love to hear from readers. I occasionally hit Goodreads and Twitter and some of the other author/reader sites.

Where can readers find your books? Print/Ebook?

I’ve got a website in progress that lists all my publications, short stories and novels. It’s a blog at the moment, because I hate building websites and procrastinated about it. http://www.jaletac.com My series can be found at http://www.altairanempire.com.

Anyone who would like a taste of my science fiction adventure series, you can have the ebook of Nexus Point, book 1, for free. Use code AA47G at https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/10672
Thanks for inviting me!

Please help me welcome Brenda Maxfield to my blog today. She has a wonderful interview to entertain us.

If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be, and why?

There are so many places I’d love to live. This week, I think I’d choose Rome. Rome amazes me! The energy is contagious. (Although, in the cold weather, I might opt for the Dominican Republic!)

Are you a full time writer or do you have a “day job”?

I teach high school English right now. Since I write YA, it works out quite nicely! 😀 My students give me lots of fodder for stories.

Tell us about your current series/WIP.

My current series is Ocean Mist which takes place on the Washington Coast. It highlights contemporary teen drama: romance, jealousy, revenge, illness, overcoming. You name it! (And I’d love to hear your ideas!)

What is your favorite part of writing?

I love creating characters and getting to know them. They surprise me sometimes. In Player, which is an Ocean Mist short story, one of my main characters turned out to be a total creep. I didn’t see it coming!

What is your least favorite part of writing?

Trying to fit it all in. I’m petitioning that days be lengthened to 28 hours!

How does your family feel about your writing career?

I’m totally blessed in that they support me and cheer me on. Especially my hubby! Sometimes, I’m holed up for hours in the evenings on my computer, and he flows. Or he comes and joins me with some quiet work of his own.

What advice do you have for other authors wanting to self-publish?

Go for it! And there’s a WEALTH of information online to help you. Plus, there are many authors willing to give advice and support. I can’t even count how many times I’ve yelled, “Help!” and wonderful people have come to my aid. I try to return the favor whenever I can. 😀

What did you do to promote your work?

Facebook, twitter, yahoo groups! I’ve started a street team and would love to welcome new members! (http://brendamaxfield.com/join-my-street-team.html) I love to be a guest on blogs. I’m always trying something new and eagerly soak up advice from others.

Do you have critique partners?

I do! I have some marvelous critique partners through my local RWA group. I also belong to an online critique group. It’s the best thing I’ve ever done for my writing. I learn SO much from these wonderful people.

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

I’m a plantser! I do some plotting, but I always add and tweak as I go. I don’t have all the details perfectly hammered out from the get-go. As I mentioned, my characters often sabotage my plans and enforce their own. It can be quite an adventure.

Where can readers find you?

I truly love to interact with my readers. If they go to www.brendamaxfield.com, they’ll see lots of ways to find me. My books are also on all the main vendor sites. If anyone would like to write me directly, my email is: contact@brendamaxfield.com Thank you so much!

Author Bio:

My passion is writing! What could be more delicious than inventing new characters and seeing where they take you?

I’m a teacher so I spend most of my waking hours with young people. I love chatting with them and hearing their views on love and life. My students are magical, and I am honored to be part of their lives.

I’ve lived in Honduras, Grand Cayman, and Costa Rica. Presently, I live in Indiana with my husband, Paul. We have two grown children and a precious grandbaby, special delivery from Africa.

When not teaching, I love to hole up in our lake cabin and write — often with a batch of popcorn nearby. (Oh, and did I mention dark chocolate?)

I enjoy getting to know my readers, so feel free to write me at: contact@brendamaxfield.com . Visit me to learn about all my books and some smart and sassy, clean teen reads: www.brendamaxfield.com Happy Reading!

Contact Links:
Website: http://www.brendamaxfield.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorBrendaMaxfield
Goodreads Author Page: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6570620.Brenda_Maxfield
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrendaMaxfield
Blog: http://www.brendamaxfield.wordpress.com
Email: contact@brendamaxfield.com

Buy Links:
Player: Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/kv2jmrn ;
Buried Truth: Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/nwojo8e ;
Smashwords for Buried Truth: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/341243 ;
Ocean Mist Books: http://brendamaxfield.com/ocean-mist-series.html

Excerpt from Buried Truth:
Longacre High’s annual junior class beach bonfire had once again lived up to everyone’s low expectations. I stepped back from the blistering heat and watched the crackling sparks fly upward like disappearing flashes in the night sky. Beside me, Brianna jabbed a gooey marshmallow stick near my face.

I jumped and knocked into Courtney Phillip’s elbow. “Sorry, Court.” I turned to Brianna. “Watch out.”

Being Bri’s friend was like serving combat duty. Duck, hide, defend yourself. You needed to do it all.

“Ooo, sorry you guys. Mags, did I poke you?” She plunged the marshmallow stick into the sandy dirt at my feet.

“No, I’m fine.” Through the shadows, the stick vibrated back and forth like it was alive. “No one will want to use that anymore. Dirty s’mores aren’t exactly appetizing.”

Her dark eyes widened, and she pulled the stick from the ground. I grabbed it before she flailed it in somebody else’s face. “I’ll take it. No worries.”

I needed an excuse to walk over to the picnic tables anyway — Andrew was over there. Nobody surfed on this stretch of the Pacific Ocean, but Andrew still had the body of a surfer and a smile that made my legs turn to gummy worms. I held the stick point down and drifted over.

Andrew looked up, and his eyes roamed over me. At his half-smile, my knees went weak and my breath quickened. I tossed the stick on top of a wobbly stack of campfire supplies. To prolong my stay, I fussed with some graham crackers and chocolate.

“Not much of a s’more without the marshmallows.”

Andrew’s deep voice rolled easily above the joking and laughing around the fire. I opened my mouth, hoping for a smooth reply, but my voice stuck to the sides of my throat. I slapped some broken squares of chocolate onto the crackers and kept my eyes down.

“Are you getting s’mores ready for the entire junior class?”

One sentence and a question. Even though our school wasn’t huge, Andrew and I had never really talked, never really became friends. The most I’d ever gotten from him was a hey or a what’s happening — not that I kept score.

I raised my gaze to his and even in the flickering shadows I saw the mischievous glimmer in his eyes. I stifled a strange impulse to reach up and touch the rugged stubble on his face, but thank God, I kept my hands on the chocolate and crackers.