Shark Out Of Water is Finally Here!!!!

Celebrating the Release of

Shark Out of Water
Date Shark Series (Book 2)

by DelSheree Gladden

Guy Saint Laurent is too busy cursing his sister for roping him into taking over Eli's Date Shark business to prepare himself for the slew of bizarre women he's about to get involved with. This is the last venture he intended to take on, but somehow he's just become Chicago's newest, most reluctant Date Shark. 

On top of dealing with bug-toting, mothering, obsessive women, Guy faces personal tragedy that changes his outlook on life, whether he wants it to or not. He's not sure what it is about Charlotte Brooks that draws him in, but getting her off his mind after a brief encounter proves impossible. 

As Charlotte tries to help Guy deal with his loss, he begins to get the impression she's hiding something from him. He knows he could simply walk away, continue as he always has, but he suspects whatever she's hiding, she won't be able to face it alone. 

Charlotte is the one woman who can capture his attention, but she may also be the one woman capable of breaking him.

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Charlotte was breathless when he pulled back, and the plaintive expression on her face killed him, but he had accomplished his goal. He gestured to the IV hooked to her arm and Charlotte stared at it in surprise. “I didn’t even feel it!”

“I told you I could distract you.”

“Damn near distracted me, too,” the nurse muttered. 

Excerpt

Vance was smart enough to see signs that Guy was now on the defensive. He redirected, asking, “Tell me about Charlotte. Why are you having deep conversations with her instead of flirting and seducing her back to your flat?”

Sulking like a child, Guy muttered, “Je ne sais pas.”

“You don’t know?” That seemed to truly surprise Vance. “Well, I suggest you find out.”

“What?” Guy snapped. “That is your advice to me? Find out?”

Vance nodded. “Oui, mon ami. Find out why Charlotte has done what it has taken me years and years to do. Why let down your barrier between public and private for someone you barely know when I had to practically force you to do the same thing today.”

“Why?”

“Why?” Vance repeated. “Because you need to know. You won’t stop obsessing about her until you do.”

“Obsédé? Who says I am obsessing over her?”

Vance folded his arms across his chest. “She is in your thoughts so much that you mentioned her name when you clearly had no intention of revealing her to me.” Leaning forward, he looked at his friend seriously. “Guy, I have known you for a long time. You have surprised me today, but I know how you can be like a dog with a bone. You’ll drive yourself crazy wondering what it is about Charlotte that got past your defenses until it either drives you crazy or you figure it out. Given the line of work we’re in, I’d suggest figuring it out.”

“I thought I was here to talk about Patricia,” Guy grumbled.

Leaning back with a smirk, Vance said, “We are. Just had to find something you wanted to talk about even less to spur you on, apparently.” He shook his head when Guy rolled his eyes. “Something else is bothering you when it comes to Patricia. The funeral is tomorrow. You’re avoiding talking about it. Why?”

Guy did not respond right away. His breathing escalated to the point that Vance reached forward and put a hand on his shoulder. “Her parents… they came to see me at the hospital.”

“How did they react?”

Shaking his head, he still struggled to understand their reaction. Instead of answering Vance’s new question, he answered the original one. “They requested I stand as a pallbearer.” His head fell into his hands. “I don’t know if I can. It is too difficult.”

“It will undoubtedly be difficult,” Vance said with compassion, “but it is difficult for Patricia’s parents as well. They see you as the one person who truly tried to help her. I think it comforts them to think of you being there to help her on this one last transition.”

“I don’t know if I can do this for them.”

Vance squeezed Guy’s shoulder. “You don’t have to if it is too much.”

“Not doing it feels like a betrayal of Patricia.”

“Guy, don’t make this about Patricia or her parents. What do you feel comfortable with and how do you want to say goodbye to Patricia?”

That was not an easy question. Guy sank back into the chair. Vance waited with the patience of a saint as Guy forced himself to confront the answers. He had been through so much with Patricia, watched her move forward only to fall so far again and again. She never stopped trying, and he never stopped trying to help her. “I want to help her this one last time,” Guy said finally.

“Then call Patricia’s parents when you get home and tell them you’ll be there.”

Feeling more at peace, Guy nodded.

“Stephanie and I will be there as well.” Vance held his friend’s gaze for a moment longer, making sure he knew he did not have to face the funeral alone. When Guy’s shoulders relaxed, Vance sat back. “Now why don’t you tell me about the day you met Patricia?”

As Guy began recounting the first time Patricia came into the crisis center wanting to talk about everything from the side effects of the medications she was taking to how her puppy would not stop peeing on her kitchen floor, his thoughts returned to Vance’s earlier challenge. Patricia had struck a chord with him, and so had Charlotte, in surprisingly similar ways. He understood why he has connected with Patricia, a struggling and confused young woman, but Charlotte was more of a mystery. What would it take to find out why Charlotte had affected him so much? 

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Date Shark (Book 1)

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

DelSheree Gladden

DelSheree Gladden lives in New Mexico with her husband and two children. The Southwest is a big influence in her writing because of its culture, beauty, and mythology. Local folk lore is strongly rooted in her writing, particularly ideas of prophecy, destiny, and talents born from natural abilities. When she is not writing, DelSheree is usually reading, painting, sewing, or working as a Dental Hygienist.

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#TensList: Top ten talents you didn't know I had

I get a lot of crap from friends and family for being able to do too many things. Really, I just have a short attention span and a love for collecting hobbies. BUT... here are a few talents you probably didn't know I had :) 

#1: Being clumsy.

I trip over things all the times, and slip on the stairs, and bump into things. I don't know if I'm just not paying attention, or I'm in too big of a hurry, or what, but I have perfected the art of being clumsy. 

#2: Closing kitchen cabinets. 

This must be a talent, and I must be the only one in my house who has it. I can normally walk into my kitchen on any given day, and any given time of the day and find at least two kitchen cabinets open. How do I teach this talent to the rest of the house? 

#3: Finding random things. 

This really is a talent. Unless it's my own car keys, I am usually the one who ends up finding whatever it is that went missing. It's usually in plain sight, so I'm not sure how talented I really am at this, but you get the point. 

#4: Killing plants. 

I'm a really bad gardener, which is a shame because I love flowers. At least half the plants in our front yard die every year, and less than half of what I plant in the backyard actually grows, and I typically do a pretty good job of killing at least half of what does grow. Mums and yuccas seem to be about the only things I can grow consistently, and even the yuccas are tricky. I've killed several. 

#5: Losing important papers.

I swear I put them where they'll be safe, but they get up and walk away. I once lost our tickets to go see The Lion King at UNM. I still have no idea where they went. I put them in the black box... and they vanished. I had to go pick up new ones at the UNM ticket office in Albuquerque. 

#6: Being terrible at pool. 

This must be a talent when my seven-year-old can beat me. I have no excuse, since I used to play a lot when I was a teen, but I'm just really bad at pool. Actually, I'm pretty terrible at any sport involving a ball of some kind. 

#7: Insomnia. 

This probably isn't really a talent, but I've certainly developed it as much as any talent. I frequently have trouble getting to sleep. It gives me quiet time to works on plots or dialog as I lay there staring at the ceiling, but it would be nice to just fall asleep once in a while. 

#8: Falling off things in video games. 

I don't like games that make you fight on ledges, or walk across beams. I will fall off and die pretty much every time. It's like somehow my questionable balancing skills in real life get zapped into my avatar as soon as I pick up a controller. 

#9: Crimping hair. 

I know this is not a currently fashionable talent, but what can I say. I spent a lot of time crimping my hair when I was a teen (and that was in the early 2000s, so it wasn't exactly high fashion then either, but I made it work). Now, my daughter loves to have her hair crimped, so it's still a useful talent to have! 

#10: Drawing straight lines. 

If you don't think this is a talent, you've never had to consistently draw straight lines. As an art major (before becoming a dental hygienist), I had to draw plenty of straight lines, and it's tougher than you might think. I owe this uncommonly handy talent to my favorite art teacher, Bill Hatch, who explained that you have to use your whole arm when you paint and draw, not just your fingers. If you don't agree, go try it. Draw ten really straight lines. No cheating! It's not as easy as it looks :) 

What funky hidden talents do you have?

#BlogTalkRadio: Top Ten Book Boyfriends

Today was the launch of A Special Kind of Crazy Radio Show! 

Come join myself, Amanda Strong, and Gail Wagner talking about our picks for the Top Ten Book Boyfriends!

Current Books Podcasts at Blog Talk Radio with A Special Kind of Crazy on BlogTalkRadio

Vlog Episode 3

Vlog Update! Today I'm answering questions from the lovely Susan Stec, about where Ketchup came from. Check it out!

#TensList: Ten Things I love...

Just for the heck of it... here are ten things I love, some of which are probably silly to admit to, but oh well. 

#1: Old Cartoons

I'm talking about early nineties and older. My favs are shows like The Flintstones, Scooby Do (not the new ones. It's supposed to be a real estate scam EVERY time!), Yogi Bear, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the old X-Men. They're fun and silly without having to be obnoxious and just plain stupid. 

#2: The names of paint colors

I know that sounds really dumb, but I can help enjoying names like cerulean blue and alizarin crimson and pthalo green. Don't they just sound like awesome colors? And then I get to mix them all together and make something new. In general, I love color and everything you can do with it. 

#3: Brand new colored pencils

There's just so much promise in a brand new, sharp colored pencil. It never writes quite the same after that first initial stroke. Some colored pencils are better than others, and my good ones are NOT to be used by my kids, but they hold up the best even after they lose their sharpness. 

#4: Bobs shoes

No, I didn't steal Bob's shoes. Bobs are, for lack of a better description, knockoffs of Toms. I'm not going to spend the amount of money it takes to get Toms, but the pair of Bobs I have are literally the most comfortable shoes I own. I wear them to work year round. 

#5: The Dresden Files

I really shouldn't have to explain this one, but just in case you don't know about The Dresden Files, it's a series by Jim Butcher about a Wizard who is in the phone book. Yep. I think that pretty much tells you why you have to read these books. They are amazing, and yes, Thomas is way more masculine than Edward any day of the week even with the fact that he owns a salon, bleeds pink, and has been known to dress as a pixie. 

#6: Yoga

Seriously, everyone should do yoga. I'm thinking about going back to teaching a few classes because my back has been killing me, but it's not just about pain. It's great for stress relief, focus and meditation, and staying fit. If you haven't tried it, go find a class. You'll be sore, but it will totally be worth it. 

(and yes, I can totally do the pose in the picture. For real.)

#7: Folk Music

Some of my favorite bands are Mumford and Sons, The Oh Hellos, Angus and Julia Stone, Fistful of Mercy, and Hozier. I love music that tells a story, often a somewhat dark story, while still maintaining a bit of an upbeat sound that doesn't totally depress me. 

#8: Dark Chocolate

I know a lot of people think dark chocolate is gross, but they are so very wrong. It's delicious. I don't like sicky sweet candy, and dark chocolate is so much smoother and melty than regular chocolate. Ghirardelli makes the best, but Lindt is a close second. And if you through in some sea salt... heaven. Seriously. 

#9: Old Movies

Bing Crosby, Fred Astair, Ginger Rogers, Audrey Hepburn, Vivien Leigh... I could watch them all day. Holiday Inn is just plain adorable, and not just because of Bing Crosby's ears, which always remind me of my dad's childhood pictures. His voice is pure delight, but he had this smooth, sweet personality that makes it impossible not to like him. And Audrey Hepburn... can you think of anyone who more accurate defines grace and poise. I love it. And now I want to go watch Charade. 

#10: Sticky Notes

They are a life saver. I have outlined entire books on sticky notes. I have a billion of them stuck to the whiteboard in my office as we speak. I use them at work. I have stuck them to the back of my phone to remind myself to call someone or pick something up. The traditional ones are the best, though. I don't particularly care for the accordion style pads. It's annoying trying to figure out which side you're supposed to pull from each time. 

So, there are my ten things I love, what do you admit to loving even if it might be silly?

Summer Reads Scavenger Hunt

It's Time to play! Who's read for the Summer Reads Scavenger Hunt!

The Summer Reads Scavenger Hunt will run from TODAY until midnight on SUNDAY (19th July). To enter to win FORTY signed paperbacks by a wide range of authors PLUS $30 worth of Amazon Gift Cards, simply hop around ALL participating stops, collect all of the highlighted numbers, add them together, and then go enter the requested details along with your calculated answer in the ENTRY FORM. You can find more information on how the stop works HERE. All stops will direct you to the next place to hop across to. And don’t worry if you get lost, because the entire list of participating authors can be found HERE.

Top 5 Summer Reads (according to me)

Sign of the Throne by Melissa Eskue Ousley. 

Winner of a 2014 Eric Hoffer Award

Abby is haunted by dreams of an ivory castle, blood-thirsty monsters, and a striking stranger. Working as the babysitter for a family of mythology lovers in wealthy Newcastle Beach, she struggles to define herself among the elite class while trying to make sense of her strange visions. Upon meeting David, the doppelgänger of the mysterious young man in her dreams, Abby's life changes forever.

The Ghost Files by Apryl Baker

Cherry blossom lipstick: check

Smokey eyes: check

Skinny jeans: check

Dead kid in the mirror: check

For sixteen year old Mattie Hathaway, this is her normal everyday routine. She's been able to see ghosts since her mother tried to murder her when she was five years old. No way does she want anyone to know she can talk to spooks. Being a foster kid is hard enough without being labeled a freak too.

Normally, she just ignores the ghosts and they go away. That is until she see's the ghost of her foster sister... 

Arcadia's Curse by Jesi Lea Ryan

Most people who experience death don’t live to tell about it. 

When sixteen year old Arcadia “Cady” Day wakes in a hospital after experiencing what can only be called a psychic episode, she finds her family in tatters. With her twin sister gone, her dad moved out, her mom’s spiraling depression and her sister’s boyfriend, Cane, barely able to look at her, the only bright spot in her life is Bryan Sullivan, the new guy in school. When Bryan’s around, Cady can almost pretend she’s a regular girl, living a regular life; when he’s not, she’s wracked with wild, inexplicable mood swings. As her home life crumbles and her emotional control slips away, Cady begins to suspect that her first psychic episode was just the beginning…

Eolyn by Karin Rita Gastriech

Lands Ravaged. Dreams destroyed. Demons set loose upon the earth.

War strikes at the heart of women’s magic in Moisehén. Eolyn’s fledgling community of magas is destroyed; its members killed, captured or scattered. 

Devastated yet undaunted, Eolyn seeks to escape the occupied province and deliver to King Akmael a weapon that might secure their victory. But even a High Maga cannot survive this enemy alone. Aided by the enigmatic Mage Corey, Eolyn battles the darkest forces of the Underworld, only to discover she is a mere path to the magic that most ignites their hunger.

What can stop this tide of terror and vengeance? The answer lies in Eolyn’s forgotten love, and in its power to engender seeds of renewed hope.

The Awakener by Amanda Strong

Seeing Micah for the first time in years, Eden wants nothing more than to run and hide. Tall and handsome, Micah is no longer the scrawny kid she remembers. Eden tries to slip by him unnoticed but unfortunately, her body acts on its own accord. In a moment of sheer embarrassment, she throws her arms around his neck, unaware she's just changed her childhood friend forever. 

With angels and demons fighting around them in a battle that began long ago in the ancient City of Enoch, both Eden and Micah must find their own personal courage in order to triumph. ... For if they fail, they could lose everyone they love.

And... just because, here's one more :) 

Curiosity Killed the Crow by Gail Wagner

When Avalon Gregory left for a summer archaeology program, she got more history than she bargained for.  After an unfortunate accident she is thrust into an ancient battle.  Surrounded by enemies, human and non, she must finish what was started almost a millennium ago or die trying.

Giveaway #2

Courtesy of the lovely Autumn Kalquist!

Autmun is offering up an eBook copy of her novel, LEGACY CODE!

Enter to win on the Rafflecopter Widget below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

What's My Number? 

All the scavenger hunt stops are assigned a number, and you need all the numbers to enter the giveaway. Don't forget to add this one! 

12

Where do you go next? 

Next stop is the blog of...

Aimee Laine

Or, if you have all of your numbers and are ready to enter, then hop across to the Summer Reads Scavenger Hunt Entry Form.

Fan Mail!

One of my lovely Wattpad readers was so sweet to share her version of cover art for Wicked Hunger. Check out Jazz Monroe's stylings!

Thank you Jazz! They look amazing!

If you'd like to read Wicked Hunger, it's FREE! In ebook anyway ;) 

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iBooks

Wednesday Writers: The Kickoff! (DelSheree Gladden)

Welcome to the Wednesday Writers Series! 

I'm very excited to kick off this new adventure, but before I get to my main post, I wanted to explain a little about the series. 

The fabulous Gina Larson also made this logo for the series!

My lovely friend and aspiring writer, Gina Larson, sent me a link to an author's profile that read more like a character out of an erotic novel than a profile. It got me to thinking. How often to readers actually get to know something real about authors they enjoy? This series will stray from the pat author bios "So and so was born in ..." and stay away from unrealistic portrayals. We want to know the person behind the words, why they write, what they care about, and who they really are. So I'm here to kick off the series. I hope you all enjoy getting to know more about some amazing established and up-and-coming authors!

~*~

One question that authors get asked more than almost any other is, "Why do you write?" Let's face it, writing isn't easy. It takes a lot of hard work. There is tons of rejection. Literally, tons. It can take years and years to ever get noticed or feel like you've accomplished something. There are easier hobbies to indulge. So why do it? Ask most any writer, and I guarantee there's an answer deeper than what you were expecting. 

So what is my reason? 

At first, it may sound like what a lot of writers might say. I was a ridiculously shy kid. Answering questions in elementary school gave my anxiety attacks. I didn't speak unless I absolutely had to. As I got older I grew out of some of my shyness, but certainly not all of it. I loved reading and could spend hours upon hours getting lost in someone else's world. Like I said, this may sound like what dozens of other writers might say. My shyness and love of reading are part of why I starting writing, but not all of it. The reason behind my bottomed out self-confidence was the biggest reason. 

My dad and I have always been close, but I knew from a young age that it was different with my mom. I honestly can't tell you why she despised me so much, but I knew without a doubt that she didn't like me. It showed in the way she treated me on a daily basis. She told me constantly that I was jealous of my siblings and that was why any fight that broke out between me and my little brother or sister was my fault. If I wanted to participate in an activity outside the home that required her to drive me somewhere, she made sure I knew what an inconvenience it was. There were times when I would ask for something for a birthday or Christmas and she would get it for my sister instead. I rarely received anything from her without there being a hidden cost. Everything took a back seat to what she wanted. 

My mother was like this to all my siblings on some level, but I certainly seemed to take the brunt of it. She was unstable and manipulative, and caused a lot of hurt to our family before eventually leaving. My mother and I no longer speak, because she was not a good influence on me or my children. I don't want to harp on my mom, because I hope one day she realizes her mistakes and lives a better life. I am sharing this with you because I know many kids grow up with emotionally abusive people in their lives, and I understand how damaging that can be. It changes your perception of yourself. It changes what you think you are capable of. It can determine how your life turns out if you let it. 

I was lucky to have had a few wonderful friends like Amy Brimhall and Melissa Caston who were always supportive and reminded me of my worth. They kept me from giving in to the belief that I was undeserving of others attention. They were the ones to help me realize that my potential had nothing to do with what my mom thought of me. 

So, aside from loving the written word and feeling more comfortable expressing my thoughts on paper than in any other form, I write because I want to share something with my readers. It doesn't matter what situation you were born into, stumble into, or are forced into. No one else is allowed to determine your self-worth or your potential. There are times when you may not be able to get away from the kind of people who want to tear you down, but there are always others who will do everything they can to build you up. Seek them out. Sometimes you have to be that person for yourself, and then when you're able, be that person for someone else. 

Thank you for taking the time to stop by the kick off of Wednesday Writers. I hope you to come back every Wednesday to meet a new author and get a glimpse of the person behind the words. 

And because writers are shameless self-promoters, here's where you can find my books. If you want to connect on social media, just search "DelSheree" and you'll find me. I'm pretty sure I'm the only one!

Amazon

B&N

iTunes

Smashwords

Scribed

Whohoo! Ten Reviews!

Trying to market Date Shark has been a challenge since I'm used to targeting teens, but Date Shark has made it up to 10 review (yeah!!!) and I felt like that deserved a preview from book 2 (for which I still haven't come up with a title for yet). 

This scene was inspired by all the awesome readers who shared their worst date stories :) 

Oh and please excuse the French... literally... I haven't had it checked for syntax errors yet. I will be calling on Liilia soon. 

~*~

Again, the thought crossed his mind that this was all Sabine’s fault. Eli had been set up with Lewis to take over the remaining Date Shark clients already on the schedule until he met Sabine. Guy knew his sister was très magnifique. She was a European fashion model, after all. Could she not tone it down on occasion? Like when it might end up dragging her brother into being Chicago’s newest, not-so-willing Date Shark? 

“The client’s issue is what?” Guy asked. 

Hedging, Eli said, “Why don’t you just wait and see?” 

Fantastique, Guy thought. That bad? He settled back in his chair and sighed. Drinks had been ordered, and appetizers were being contemplated by the time a commotion at the front desk brought the maître ‘d with the terrible French accent tripping in her six inch heels to cut off a woman carrying the largest purse Guy had ever seen. 

“Mr. Walsh, Mr., uh, Guy,” she said, apparently not wanting to make a second attempt at his last name. 

“Your third guest arrived. I tried to tell her …” 

Standing slowly, Eli tried not to let his embarrassment show, but Guy knew him too well to be deceived. He faced the frazzled maître ‘d and said, “It’s okay, Lauren. I’ll handle it from here.” 

“But, but she …” 

“I already spoke to Conrad about it.” 

Lauren’s shoulders dropped and her hands flapped against her body once, defeated. She simply turned and walked away after that. Guy was tempted to do the same. What did the purse hold? Should he be concerné?

“Deliah,” Eli said politely, “thank you for coming, though I believe we already had a discussion about the insects.” 

Insectes? Guy thought, his stomach turning involuntarily. He could not be serious, nes pas? Surely she did not … Oh, but she did. Guy watched with a strange mix of horror and fascination as Deliah carefully began pulling variously sized boxes out of her bag and setting them on the table. The tarantula wasn’t so bad, but the hundreds of meal worms wriggling against each other and the giant black and red centipede thing had both Guy and Eli squirming and scooting away from the table. 

“I know what you said, Mr. Walsh, but how could I leave them at home? Mortimer escaped and tried to eat everything the last time I left them alone,” Deliah said as if that excuse made it acceptable to bring a possible infestation to a restaurant. 

“Mortimer? Qui est-ce?” Guy asked, barely managing to get out the words without gagging. 

“Mortimer,” Deliah said, “is my python.” 

She looked at him expectantly. Guy wasn’t sure if she was waiting on him for a response of some kind, or confirmation that she wasn’t a complete maniaque, but there was no chance of either from Guy. This woman was clearly crazy. How did Eli expect to fix her? 

“Deliah, why don’t you take a look at the menu?” Eli said, more calm than he was a few minutes prior. “The waitress will be returning to take our orders shortly.” 

“Oh! Of course,” she said, “I just had one more …” 

Guy and Eli weren’t the only ones to jump back in surprise when Deliah pulled out a caged bee the size of her palm. 

“Bordel de merde!” Guy exclaimed at the sight of it. Even in a cage, the thing had Guy scrambling out of his chair. “What is that?” 

“A Japanese giant hornet,” Deliah explained happily. 

She seemed completely oblivious to Guy’s discomfort and Eli’s head in his hands. She held the cage closer to Guy and it took everything he had not to bat it out of her hand. Only the fear of the lid springing off when it hit the ground and coming after him kept him from lashing out. That and the fact that he was très allergique to bees and preferred not to end the night in the Emergency Room. 

Holding his tongue was not so easy, though. “Put that …”

“Deliah,” Eli interrupted before another round of French curse words spilled out of Guy’s mouth. “We have already discussed how your insect collection might make other people uncomfortable. Guy has a severe allergy to bees, and whether or not that translates to Japanese giant hornets, he is not comfortable having it thrust in his face.” 

For a moment, Deliah just stood there, holding the trapped monstrosity out in front of Guy. Her brows scrunched together, possibly trying to figure out why her repulsive bug collection would upset anyone. Eventually, she shrugged and sat the plastic cage down on the side of the table furthest from Guy. She managed to find her seat shortly after. Both she and Eli moved on from the incident as if nothing had even happened. Guy supposed that in Deliah’s twisted mind, nothing had. Eli was simply a better actor than he. 

“Sauve-moi,” Guy muttered under his breath. He knew no one was going to save him, though. Not this time. Sabine was going to pay for this. 

~*~

I hope you had fun with this! Feel free to comment with any other interesting date stories you might have :) I hoping to have this one ready for publication in early fall, so keep checking back for updates!

New book, giveaway, and romance!

Want a chance to win a copy of my new book, Date Shark? 

Limitless Publishing thought you might ;) 

So, here's your chance! First check out a sneak peek at Eli and Leila's story, not to mention the beautiful cover art, then scroll down and enter the giveaway on the Rafflecopt widget. 

Last step...share the giveaway with your friends!

Blurb

Life as the marketing director for a popular fashion boutique is overwhelming for Leila Sparrow, to say the least.

She's not sure what ever possessed her to add revamping her dating life to her already hectic schedule. Calling in renowned Date Shark, Eli Walsh seemed like a good idea until she actually met with him...

Date Shark was only meant to be a side-enterprise to his thriving couple's therapy practice, but Eli Walsh knows it's become more of an obsession.

At least, it was until he agreed to take on Leila. Somehow she has stolen his entire focus. He wants to admit his fascination with her and growing romantic interest, but he knows coming on too strong will scare her away.

His plan to convince her that she is worth any man's interest by first being her friend is challenged when his tips start to pay off and Leila begins dating Luke.

Will his friendship with Leila mean the end to any romantic pursuit?

Excerpt

Despite the fact that Eli held his arm out for Leila to take again like they were some kind of fairytale couple, she started forward without him. Pierce was there to open the door for her. Leila gave him a polite goodbye, careful to watch the inclined entrance as she left. The city air outside the restaurant was undoubtedly filled with pollution and ick, but she breathed it in anyway. She had such high hopes for tonight. All she wanted to do now was climb into bed and pretend she didn’t have to meet with Eli the next day. 

“Where did you park?” Eli asked. 

He was smart to guess Leila hadn’t used the valet. She had never been to a restaurant that had a valet, so she hadn’t been sure how it worked. Every once in a while Leila thought ahead and prevented herself from doing something stupid. “I’m three blocks down. I couldn’t find a space near the restaurant.” 

“North or south?” 

“Um, south,” she said, glancing that direction then back at Eli. It must have rained while they were inside. Leila wasn’t too worried about her shoes, but she worried Eli’s monkstrap dress shoes and tailored slacks might not survive the trek. The crisp April air made the dampness even more profound. “Look, Eli, you’re sweet to offer to walk me to my car, but I know you have better things to do. You don’t need to feel obligated since …” 

“Since this isn’t a real date?” he finished. 

Leila nodded.

“Real date or not,” Eli said, placing her hand on his arm, “I have no intention of letting a young woman walk three city blocks at night all alone. Lead the way, Leila.” 

He was really only offering because his sense of chivalry was several notches higher than the majority of the male gender, but Leila still found herself smiling at his kindness. She clutched onto his arm a little more tightly and started forward. The three blocks passed quickly, but without incident. Leila was sure it was the nicest part of the whole night. 

When they reached her car, Eli said, “Are you still all right meeting for lunch tomorrow?” 

“Yes,” she said after a moment’s hesitation. 

“Good. I will see you tomorrow at The Fifth Street Café. Twelve o’clock.” 

“I’ll be there,” Leila said, even though she would rather be just about anywhere else. 

Smiling as though he knew exactly what she was thinking, Eli opened the car door for her. Before she could get in Eli stopped her. His hand resting lightly on her shoulder made Leila’s tense muscles bunch up even more. “Hey,” he said, “relax. Go home and do something just for you. You should feel good, proud of yourself.” 

“Why?” Had they been on different fake dates tonight? 

“Because if nothing else, you just survived a night with the most notorious date shark in the city.” 

“Notorious, huh? Nothing about you strikes me as notorious.” Debonair, maybe. Handsome and generally fabulous. 

Eli laughed. “Goodnight, Leila Sparro.” Then he did something completely unexpected. He kissed Leila’s cheek and walked away. 

Leila slid into her car and touched her cheek. He must do that for everyone, she thought, but her skin seemed to pulse where he had kissed her. The only thing that broke up her amazement was Eli’s comment about tonight. She hadn’t survived the most notorious date shark in the city yet. Tomorrow she would get to hear about all the ways she screwed up. There was no way she was surviving that. 

Psst, if you're one of those people who never win anything (like me), you can grab DATE SHARK for 0.99 right now on Kindle!! Hurry, I have no idea how long the sale will last :)

Buy it on Kindle!

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Luck 13?

This spring has been a marathon of book releases!

Last fall, my original spring book-related plans involved releasing Intangible (Aerling Series #2) and Soul Stone (Escaping Fate #2).

Two books, that's not to bad, so how did it turn into releasing FIVE books within four months? 

It started with the fact that the publisher I was signed with at the time was not holding up their end of the bargain and I was very unhappy with them. I ended up breaking contract and taking Wicked Hunger back. I wasn't looking for another publisher (I was pretty done with that by then), but my friend Leah recommended Clean Teen Publishing to me. Now, Leah always has the best ideas, so naturally, I listened.

At the same time, another friend and fellow author, the talented Apryl Baker, recommended her publisher, Limitless Publishing, to me for Invisible, which was doing really well on Wattpad then and now.

So, I decided to test them both out. I sent a query for Wicked Hunger to CTP and one for Invisible to Limitless. CTP got back right away and absolutely loved Wicked Hunger and wanted the whole series. They were so put together and excited, I decided to risk what could possibly be another bad publishing experience, and signed the series with them. I am absolutely thrilled that I did because they have been amazing, and that added two more books to my spring release schedule, since Wicked Power was nearly finished at the time.

Limitless had been inundated with queries at the time I submitted, since the only rarely open up for
submissions, and by the time they got to Invisible they had already closed YA submissions. But... they still read the book, liked my writing, and asked if I had a contemporary romance. As it so happened, I did! I sent them Date Shark, which was scary because NO ONE else had read it (I don't recommend this), but they loved it and offered me a contract for a three book series. I was thrilled, and it added one more book to the spring schedule, topping it off at 5.



This spring has been incredibly hectic having released two indie books and three traditionally published books, but I wouldn't trade the craziness for anything. I now have 13 published books, all of which I am so thrilled to share with my readers. Wicked Hunger and Wicked Power are doing awesome thanks to the tireless hard work of the CTP team, and Date Shark just hit the digital and regular shelves. I consider myself so amazing blessed to have found two publishers willing to get behind me and my books, even when I'm up late at night finishing edits or writing blog tour posts or sharing links on every Facebook group known to man. I also have some of the most amazing fans who share my books with anyone who will listen and never lose their enthusiasm.

If you want to see what all the craziness has been about, you can find my new releases here: 

Date Shark

Wicked Hunger (FREEBIE)

Wicked Power

Soul Stone
Intangible

So, what's coming up this summer? 

Lots and lots of writing. My Wattpad fans are waiting for Invincible (Aerling Series #3) as patiently as the possibly can. CTP is eager for Wicked Glory (Someone Wicked #3). Limitless has Date Shark #2 on the schedule. I also have Oracle Lost outlined and waiting patiently for its turn. It'll be a busy summer, but I'm looking forward to it!

What do your summer reading plans include? 

Cover Reveal: Date Shark!!!

When It Comes to Choosing Between Obsession and Passion, 

Some Lines are Meant to Be Crossed

Life as the marketing director for a popular fashion boutique is overwhelming for Leila Sparrow, to say the least. She’s not sure what ever possessed her to add revamping her dating life to her already hectic schedule. Calling in renowned Date Shark, Eli Walsh seemed like a good idea until she actually met with him. She isn’t supposed to be fantasizing about her dating coach. Leila knows he only sees her as a client, but when their business relationship becomes more of a friendship, it’s hard not to imagine what might be.

His Date Shark business was only meant to be a side-enterprise to his thriving couple’s therapy practice, but Eli Walsh knows it’s become more of an obsession. At least, it was until he agreed to take on Leila. Somehow she has stolen his entire focus. He wants to admit his fascination with her and growing romantic interest, but he knows coming on too strong will scare her away. His plan to convince her that she is worth any man’s interest by first being her friend is challenged when his tips start to pay off and Leila begins dating Luke. Will his friendship with Leila mean the end to any romantic pursuit? 

Date Shark was just released from Limitless Publishing !

Grab a KINDLE copy now!

In the mean time... Enter the giveaway below for a chance to win a $10 Amazon Gift Card and an ebook copy of Date Shark!

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Wicked Hunger Book Trailer Debut!

I know I'm a little behind in getting the book trailer for Wicked Hunger finished up and released, but here it is! I hope everyone enjoys it!

Interested in grabbing a copy? 

Wicked Hunger is available now on: 

Amazon/Kindle

B&N

Book Depository 

(free shipping worldwide)

Smashwords

...and coming soon to all your other favorite ebook stores!

Wicked Hunger Release Day!!!

WICKED HUNGER by DelSheree Gladden

Release Date: TODAY! Wicked Hunger is Finally Available!!!

Genre: YA Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Clean Teen Publishing

 

 

“Save him and hurt him, don’t save him and hurt him. Pain, either way. Delicious pain. Hunger will be the only one that wins. Hunger always wins.”

Vanessa and Zander Roth are good at lying. Their whole life is a giant web of deceit made in an effort to conceal the deadly secrets that plague their family.

Zander will do anything to forget his mistakes, including pushing everyone away. He was barely surviving in his self-forced solitude before Ivy Guerra entered his life. The new girl in school, with her pink-striped hair and unyielding curiosity, incites something wicked inside Zander that can only be blamed on his family genes. Now Zander is forced to fight an internal war and make a choice between loving Ivy Guerra and killing her.

Vanessa wants nothing more than to shed the strange powers she wields and be normal. Because if Van were normal, she’d be able to have normal things… Like a relationship with the boy she’s been secretly in love with for years. Unfortunately, her life is anything but ordinary. That boy who owns her heart just happens to be her brother’s kryptonite and a potential liability for her entire family. When choices between love and family loyalty have to be made, Van finds herself faced with an impossible decision.

As if the Roth family needs anything more to worry about, a vicious plot to expose Van and Zander for what they are is uncovered. When it becomes apparent that someone close to them is at the center of this devious plan, the fight to maintain control and keep their cover ensues. It's a seemingly impossible battle because something is causing their powers to stir stronger than ever before… and it won’t stop until Van and Zander give in to their wicked hunger.

Wicked Hunger is the first book in the all-new paranormal series, Someone Wicked This Way Comes.

KIRKUS REVIEW OF WICKED HUNGER

Teenage siblings with a dark secret find their lives complicated by the arrival of a mysterious girl.

Zander and Van are tougher and heal faster than ordinary teenagers. However, the price is a terrible, mysterious hunger—a bloodlust that becomes intensified by specific individuals. Younger Van does her best to suppress it so she can have friends and a normal life; Zander instead keeps everyone at arm’s length and warns Van that once her 16th birthday hits and her powers reach full strength, she should do so as well. Ivy, a new girl—cousin to one of Van’s friends—puts everything at risk. Both Zander and Van hunger to hurt her, but Zander falls for her in a push-pull love story reminiscent of Twilight, right down to Zander’s sneaking into Ivy’s room to watch her sleep. Van, however—when she’s not busy with a love triangle of her own, with a mysterious boy she’s just met and her trusty best friend, Ketchup—is suspicious that certain things don’t add up with Ivy. The conclusion, made strong by unraveling secrets and formula-shattering twists, sets up a sequel.

The pairing of a formulaic start and formula-breaking ending makes the book ideal for paranormal-romance readers seeking a new spin on the familiar. (Paranormal romance. 13-17)

EXCERPT FROM WICKED HUNGER:

“Oscar,” I snap. His mouth stops blabbering and he looks up at me. “I need to know if Zander’s in trouble.”

“Trouble,” Oscar says. He nods deeply. “Tell me everything.”

So I do.

I force myself not to look over at Ketchup once during my explanation. I hadn’t been planning on letting him in on the secrets of our family right now, or any time, to be perfectly honest, but what else was I going to do. There was no chance I was going to ask him to step out. Not only would that be incredibly unfair after I forced him to bring me here, but also, as much as I love Oscar, I do not want to be left alone with him. My mouth spills out the details of Ivy and Zander’s bizarre relationship as I pretend Ketchup isn’t listening to a word of it. I tell him about our hunger reactions, my suspicions, Zander’s love, his likely confession, and his slip that Ivy was somehow going to help him.

At that last part, Oscar’s entire body goes rigid. His eyes latch onto me like a barbed dart, painful and difficult to be free of. “She thinks she can help him?” Oscar says. “She won’t. She won’t help him. She doesn’t really want to. Ivy, Ivy. Ivy is lying. Ivy Guerra. I don’t like her name. Vines and War, that’s what her name means. She will wrap herself around Zander and strangle the life out of him, start a war that none of us can win. Ivy Guerra can’t be trusted.”

“I…what? Her name means war? What are you talking about?”

Oscar tsks at me, one finger of his bound hand bobbing up and down. “I told you to keep up with your Spanish, Van. It’s always useful to know languages. Shows you things that others miss. Guerra means war. Ivy is here to start a war.”

“How could you possibly know that?” Not that I disagree with him, but he’s actually crazy. I suspect Ivy is trouble because of what I’ve seen. I want to stop her, but I’m not going to launch a full out campaign against her on the word of my murdering, psychotic brother.

The dull thud of Oscar’s head hitting the metal table startles me. I look down at him. Panic creeps under my skin. Is this the end of his lucidity? It can’t be. I have more questions still. “Oscar. Oscar! How do you know Ivy is here to start a war? You have to tell me or Zander might get hurt.”

“Oh, Zander will get hurt.” The muffled slur of his words makes them even more ominous. “That girl is no good. If you want to save Zander, you have to stop her, but he’ll still get hurt. Save him and hurt him, don’t save him and hurt him. Pain, either way. Delicious pain. Hunger will be the only one that wins. Hunger always wins.”

My fingernails are digging into Ketchup’s skin. Pain ripples around his wrist, but I pay it no mind. All my focus is on Oscar. “How do you know about any of this, Oscar?”

“They didn’t want me to know, but I found out. Someone tried to help me, and I didn’t believe them. I searched and asked and demanded and screamed until someone told me. They didn’t want me to know, but I found out. I found out, and it made me angry. So, so angry. Furious. Irate. I wanted blood and pain and death when I found out. Nothing could feed my hunger enough, not after being starved for so long. I found out, and they paid for it. I made them pay.”

“Oscar,” I whisper, his words making more sense to me than I wish they would. He made them pay. They didn’t want him to know. He made them pay. My shaking rattles the uneven legs of my chair against the floor, a skittering noise that fries the last of my barriers. I ask my last, most frightening question. “Oscar, why did you kill Mom and Dad?”

“Because,” he hisses, “because, because they lied to us. They knew. All along they knew who we were, what we were, but they tried to pretend, change us, turn us into something we aren’t, starve us, deny us, make us suffer for years and years and years! They said they loved us, but they lied! They lied! They lied! THEY LIED!”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

DelSheree Gladden lives in New Mexico with her husband and two children. The Southwest is a big influence in her writing because of its culture, beauty, and mythology. Local folk lore is strongly rooted in her writing, particularly ideas of prophecy, destiny, and talents born from natural abilities. When she is not writing, DelSheree is usually reading, painting, sewing, or working as a Dental Hygienist. Her works include Escaping Fate, Twin Souls Saga, The Destroyer Trilogy, and Invisible. The first book in the Someone Wicked This Way Comes series, Wicked Hunger, is scheduled to be released through Clean Teen Publishing on April 1, 2014.

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