On Conversations: Excerpt from #Author Chicki Brown's Latest Book AIN'T TOO PROUD TO BEG

It is my pleasure to have author Chicki Brown on Conversations today!  Sit back with a cup of coffee and read an excerpt from her latest book, Ain't too Proud to Beg.
 Lisa~
______

AIN'T TOO PROUD TO BEG by Chicki Brown

Hollywood film star Vaughn Breland has destroyed his beloved Lamborghini, lost his latest movie role, the use of his legs and possibly his fabulous good looks. He’s depressed and mad at the world then he meets Trenyce Clark, his new physical therapist. Trenyce, and her beautiful three-year-old daughter, give him a new outlook on life. 


Excerpt:
 “Vaughn, it’s Reese.”

“Reese, how are you?” I couldn’t wait to hear her explanation of why it took this long to call.”
“How am I? Why didn’t you call me and let me know you were all right?”
I almost checked out, and she has the nerve to have an attitude? “My phone died.” And I almost did too. “I’m recovering pretty well. Thanks for asking.”
Her tone softened. “I’m sorry, but I just thought all this time I hadn’t heard from you because you were mad at me.”
Insecure women were such a pain in the ass. “Now aren’t you glad you didn’t come along?”
“That’s not funny, Vaughn. I’m so happy you’re okay.”
“Has the media given any details?”
“What kind of details?” she asked, sounding suspicious.
“About my injuries.”
“No, the report I saw just said you were in a serious car crash. Why? Is it worse than they made it sound?”
“You could say that. My face is jacked up. I broke both my legs and dislocated my hip.”
“Oh, my God!” she whispered. “So, how long will you be in the hospital?”
“I’m not in the hospital anymore. Craig Weinstein is letting me stay with him until I can get around on my own.”
“Did they tell you how long it would be?”
“They don’t really know. Physical therapy might take a year.”
“What!” Vaughn held the phone away from his ear at the shrill volume in her voice. “So, what’s going to happen to us with the film?”
Ah, that’s all she wanted to know. She’s worried about her job. Apparently the studio hadn’t yet informed the cast of their decision to replace me, and I wasn’t going to be the one to tell her.
“Us? Or you?” Silence. “That’s what I thought. I have to go, Reese.” I clicked off my cell and closed my eyes, meditating on what she had just said, but I had no reason to be disappointed in her. From the first day’s read-throughs in the studio conference room, I’d known a hook-up with Reese was inevitable. She’d seemed thrilled to meet me. That’s why I liked young actresses. So many of them were easily impressed and more than willing to do whatever it took to get to the top. Fortunately for me, they were clueless that I couldn’t do jack to get them there.  From the beginning I’d known she was only sleeping with me because she assumed it could advance her career. Yet, the fact that she hadn’t shown the slightest bit of personal concern for my situation irked me more than it should have.
What had I expected? Over the years, Devon had repeatedly told me, “Those hit and runs might serve your immediate needs, but one of these days, you’re going to need a woman by your side. One that cares about you more than anything or anyone else in the world.”

  Order Your Copy of AIN'T TOO PROUD TO BEG:

 

On Converstaions: #Page #Award #Winner Pat White talks about her winning #Screenplay

It is my great pleasure to feature Page International Screenplay Award winner Pat White on Conversations today.  Sit back with a cup of coffee and check out what it was like to receive the news for this fabulous win!!  Also check out her latest romantic comedy book, GOT A HOLD ON YOU.


A little about Pat White:
Pat White started her writing career as a newspaper reporter and public relations manager before discovering her passion for writing fiction and screenplays. She is a Romantic Times Reviewer's Choice winner for Best Contemporary Romance (Ring Around My Heart, 2004), and Grand Prize winner of the Page International Screenwriting Competition for her YA thriller, Escape. Pat writes romantic comedy, romantic suspense, young adult romance and paranormal romance. You can find her at: patwhitewriter.com.



________________________




One of the highlights of my writing career was the day I found out I’d won the 2011 Page International Screenplay Competition with my YA thriller, “Escape.”  I was at Starbucks with my husband picking out an afternoon movie (of course!), when I decided to check the Page website. I glanced at my category, saw that I didn’t take first, second or third place, and quickly closed that screen.  But just as the screen went black I thought I saw a flash of my name as the Grand Prize Winner.  Completely freaked out I checked the site again, double checked the cash prize and shoved my phone at my husband.  “I think I won something.” 

Boy, did I ever.  Once he checked, and my name came up as Grand Prize winner on his IPhone as well, reality hit me square in the chest — I really won the top prize!  Besides a wonderful cash prize and a bunch of cool stuff, what did this mean?

After the initial shock came the 25 queries from agents, managers and producers.  I had so many questions I thought my head would explode.  What happens next?  A six-figure movie deal? (You can stop laughing now ).

Luckily, I’d entered many contests as a novelist—was a six-time Golden Heart finalist, but never won—and remembered one very important comment from a Silhouette editor judge:  “Just because you win a contest, doesn’t mean you’re ready for publication.”

Great advice.  If you’re a screenwriter you know how hard it is to get features made in Hollywood these days, so I was realistic about my win.  At that point in my career my goals were:

To become a better screenwriter
Procure representation
Make more professional connections in the biz



Upon telling my book agent my news, she asked if she could pass along my script to a film manager she worked with.  A few days later, the manager called me asking if I wanted to sell the script and let it go, or if I considered myself a screenwriter.  “I’m a screenwriter,” I said, trying not to sound embarrassingly enthusiastic. 

For the next six weeks, my manager worked with me scene by scene on “Escape.”  Goal #1 was met:  I was becoming a better screenwriter through her knowledge and expertise.  I’d also met Goal #2 in that she offered to represent me. 

Keep in mind I’ve had four book agents in my career, all of them good, but for one reason or another I needed to move on.  When shopping for my current agent, I’d figured out the “deal breaker” issues for me: Will she get back to me in 24 hours?  Will she fight for more money?  And most importantly, does she LOVE my work?  Once I figured that out, I applied the same principles to signing with a film manager.  As I checked off “yes” to all my qualifying questions, I was thrilled to become a represented screenwriter. 

About six months later, my manager became an agent with Gersh LA and continues to represent me.  Her knowledge about the business is amazing.  She’s suggested I write a book series and adapt it to television (I’ve always LOVED television) so I’m onto the next stage in my screenwriting journey.

In the meantime, my book agent is shopping the novel version of “Escape,” which we hope will spark interest in the script.

Here’s is the logline for “Escape”:

“After her parents are killed in an explosion, 17-year-old Jade Masterson is hunted by a mysterious organization that wants to control her telekinetic powers.”

A writing career requires patience, determination and talent.  I list patience first because it helps to embrace the fact that things can happen slowly, but with each little step we get that much closer to achieving the dream of being a paid screenwriter.  

In the meantime I’m still writing books and will jump into the indie publishing world this month with “Got A Hold on You,” the first book in my romantic comedy series set in pro wrestling. 

Wishing you the best of luck with your writing endeavors!

Pat White
Patwhitewriter.com 

Order your copy of her latest romantic comedy book, GOT A HOLD ON YOU.


Got a Hold on You








On Conversations: Excerpt from Renee: All Hail the Queen by Brandie Davis

Please welcome Brandie Davis to Conversations today.  Brandie has a new book out called Renee: All Hail the Queen!  So sit back with a cup of coffee and enjoy reading an excerpt and learning a little bit more about this great author.
Lisa ~

_____






About Brandie:


Born and raised in New York City Brandie Davis graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in English from York College and is the founder of My Urban Books blog and Facebook book club. From home she continues to pen drama filled novels while developing her urban fiction blog, which is geared towards shining light on not only veteran authors, but also the up and coming.



 
Renee: All Hail the Queen by Brandie Davis


Molested by her step-father and verbally abused by her mother, Renee channeled her pain into passion and became the most ruthless queen-pin New York has ever seen. Haunted by her past and unable to let go of what was, she struggles to achieve inner peace while wreaking mayhem on the streets of New York. 


Renee is queen of the city and runs it with an iron fist, but everything changes when people from her past resurface to seek revenge. They will stop at nothing until she’s dead. Will Renee find happiness and let go of her demons? Or will she allow her past to finish what it started?


Excerpt

Locked in a large room with no light, Renee frantically felt around for a light switch. Nothing was in the room. All she felt was the wall’s smooth paint job and wooden floors beneath her feet. Renee was about to have a panic attack. She felt like the walls were closing in on her. Finally, she found the doorknob, but almost lost her mind when she discovered it was locked. She backed away from the door and didn’t stop until she ran into a wall.



“Get me out of here!” Renee screamed from the depths of her soul. She gave it her all. All she wanted was to escape this hellhole. All she wanted was to get out of the dark.


“Get yourself out of here,” a voice answered.


Renee began to panic. Even though she saw nothing but black, she kept looking around the room. Her survival instincts started to kick in. She began swinging, trying to keep whoever was in the room away from her.


“You always were a fighter,” the voice said, laughter following his comment.


Renee froze. How could this person see her and she couldn’t see him? Suddenly, light flooded the room and everything was visible. The room was huge, but in poor condition. The walls and floors had cracks in it and looked to have been abandoned many years ago. After examining her surroundings Renee looked up and saw him.


“Daddy?”


“Yes baby girl, it’s me.” He had the very same smile Renee always remembered. That smile used to light up a room and tucked her into bed every night.


“This can’t be.” Renee whispered.


Tears cascaded down her cheeks, one by one. She thought she was losing her mind. This wasn’t real, couldn’t have been real. Renee dropped to her knees, her legs no longer strong enough to hold her up.


“You can’t live this way anymore, baby girl.” Daniel walked over to his daughter and helped her up.


“Do you see this room? See the horrible condition that it’s in?”


Renee nodded her head, unable to take her eyes off him. She feared he would disappear, if he did.


“This is your life. You’re trapped in a room, alone and full of misery. Every day that passes, a piece of you cracks like these very walls. You can’t live like this anymore, Renee, its ok to be happy. It’s ok to let go.”


Renee backed away from her father, anger taking her over. “This is all your fault! You left me! You left me to fend for myself and look what happened! You’re damn right I’m miserable! There’s nothing but snakes surrounding me, and now that bastard child of yours pops up. Is that why you were always disappearing? How dare you!”


Renee was shaking. She had never been so angry, and she couldn’t control the countless tears covering her face.


“I needed you!”


Daniel grabbed his daughter and hugged her. He gave her the hug he always wanted to give her while watching her endure all of her hardships. He gave her the hug she always wanted, but had never received.


“I’m sorry for what happened. I never left your side, never left you alone. I was always there. These feelings Renee, these feelings of yours are too strong. You will self-destruct if you don’t get rid of the darkness. You’re killing yourself.”


Renee looked up at her father, her eyes pleading with him. “Let me come with you Daddy, I don’t wanna be here anymore I can’t do this.”


“Don’t you talk like that! You have to stay here Renee, you have to live, right your wrongs.”


Daniel squeezed his daughter in his arms, hoping that he could give her strength. He then pulled away from her and grabbed her by her arms, forcing her to look at him.


“I came to tell you that it’s ok to be happy, to let go. But Renee, the snakes aren’t done coming yet. Not everyone is who they appear to be.”

Order RENEE: All Hail the Queen





 
This site participates in the Amazon Affiliate Program where the site owner receives payment/credit for books sold by clicking through to Amazon. Clicking on the slideshow or carousel will bring you directly to Amazon.