New Release ~ Project US

Happy Friday!
I know that I said that I would release Project US on August 7th, but I decided to release it early! Who doesn't like surprises? Plus it is Friday, who doesn't like a treat on a summer Friday? Weird people obviously. Now, I did the necessary approvals for the paperback and Amazon, but it will take a couple of days for Project US to show up on there. This story is close to my heart as it took me almost 11 years to write, edit, and build up the courage to publish this book. This could have been before Family Ties or End of the Line, but I kept it back and given the changes I did I'm glad I waited.

Project US is a Young Adult novel. It is a Romantic Suspense story that is like my other works and better suitable for high school and older. It is also longer than my other works!

If you read any author's work especially an indie one if you could it would be nice to leave a review so the author can grow. :) How will I celebrate my new release? I will be spending the whole weekend packing, moving, and unpacking. So have fun for me this weekend because it might take me a little bit to get internet as well! I also made white cupcakes with chocolate frosting and crushed oreos on top last night. I'm hoping that will be a nice gesture to those helping me move!

Project US

Rachel is used to being in control of her emotions, never letting anyone get close to the real her. Nick is exactly the kind of guy Rachel has been trying to avoid getting involved with. Yet, when their school arranges a mysterious project that puts them together, they soon become trapped in a marriage that turns out to be real and legally binding, and they aren't the only ones.

While their parents try to get four hundred students out of these marriages with legal help, the teenagers must live in a compound with their respective spouses for the duration of the project. Being trapped together leaves no room for denials. As Nick begins to fall for Rachel, she does everything in her power to avoid his charms and protect her heart. All she wants is to get out of the marriage, but does she truly want out, or is she only lying to herself?



Are you still interested? You can check out the following links!

Wattpad ~ first two chapters.

Goodreads ~ Add it to your to-read list and enter a giveaway for a signed paperback!

Barnes&Nobles ~ Nook is ready to go, but the paperback will take a few days.

Smashwords ~ a site, where you can get books in any format (kindle, nook, pdf, etc.)

Createspace ~ Paperback

Amazon ~ Paperback and Kindle

Leading Ladies ~ Rachel

Hello!
With Project US being released this year it is only fair to have the characters be introduced before hand. I have already done Men of Ottilie with Nick. Just like my other books Project US is told through two characters, Nick and Rachel. I'd like you to meet the characters before hand. She was interesting to write, and I loved writing their relationship.

                Rachel Hertz

Blond hair
Loves to read
Worries for her friends
Favorite book is Wildflower Hill
She likes ice tea
Has a younger sister

Scene:

3

Rachel

Ringing, ringing, ringing; whoever was calling needed to be shot or to have the wires in the phone send out electric shocks! Rolling over, I picked up the phone as I couldn't feel movement over our makeshift of a wall, lucky jerk. The plastic of the room phone on the nightstand felt cool against my fingers. Wouldn't our cell phones have been easier?

"Hello," I spoke, hearing how drowsy my voice sounded. I wanted more sleep as I put some effort into listening to what the teacher was saying so that I could remember to tell Nick.

Hanging up the phone, I turned to look at Nick who was lying on his back as I tried to figure out how was I was supposed to wake him up. My heart sped up a little at the thought of having to touch the Nick March. Leaning over the fake wall it was crushed below me as I reached out to contact Nick's bare shoulder with hesitant fingers when I noticed his eyes were opened the smallest crack possible.

"You're awake aren't you?" I whispered incase I was wrong, my hand still not touching his skin.

"Morning," Nick responded, yawning and stretching so that his lean muscles moved under his skin, that faker.

I pushed my hair back out of my face so that the wavy pieces were out of the way.

"How long have you been awake?" I asked, my head tilting lightly so that the locks that I had just moved fell back down.

"I don't know what you're talking about I just woke up," Nick retorted, his voice airy and with a matching grin on those lips.

I shoved his shoulder as he sat up and he let out a small mock-yell.

"Rachel, you touched a shirtless guy! What a scandal!" Nick reacted. His blue eyes were wide as his fingers went to hide his nipples.

"You're insane! We've got to be downstairs in like forty minutes for whatever it is they're planning on doing with us."

I stood up, sliding my legs out of the bed. Standing on my toes with my hands reaching high above my head I stretched out my entire little-over-five-feet body, which just made me slowly, but surely, happier to be awake. Feeling eyes on me I glanced over to see Nick just sitting there watching me, which caused me to fall back onto the soles of my feet, arms crossing over my chest and for once wishing I was wearing a bra. Biting my lip I had to move my gaze elsewhere as the heat rose to my face. Guys didn't look at me and they never asked me out. My mom always asked if I thought guys were intimated by a group of girls always hanging out together. How would I know; I was quite happy about not being inside a fifteen-year-old male’s mind?

"Um…" I started, not sure what to really say, was I imagining things?

The shirt was long so I knew no stomach was showing and I was close to flat-chested.

"Is it raining outside?" Nick asked, his voice sounding sincere.

I sighed as I moved the blinds. "No it's not raining," I replied, my voice soft as I pulled some hair behind my ear.

Nick closed his eyes for a moment as he ran his fingers through his longish brown hair that was slightly curly. Nick kept running his fingers through his hair till the locks were flattened.

"Do you need a brush?" I finally asked.

"Nope, I have this hair well under control," Nick answered, shaking his strands.

Keeping my arms folded over my chest I walked away from the bed still feeling Nick's eyes on me. Bending over, I picked up my bag and not soon enough had the bathroom door closed between us. Taking a deep breath I let it out gradually as I stared at the girl before me in the mirror. The waves were begging to be controlled as the top part of my hair was slightly puffed up while most of it fell flat. Reaching down into my bag, I threw on a long sleeved purple shirt and jeans. Picking up my brush and mascara, my golden locks were tamed as my light eyelashes were once again found. Once the knots were gone I threw my hair into a mid-high ponytail. Sighing once more at my reflection, I made my way out of the bathroom.

Dropping my bag onto the ground I started to put my socks on. My purple polished toes were now covered by the white fuzzy fabric, making my feet slightly warmer instantly. Glancing up I saw that Nick was sitting on the bed still running his fingers through his hair before reaching over into his bag for a comb then for a can of body spray. The new scent, faint and husky, filled the room causing flutters in my insides. Blinking frequently I hastily moved to my side of the bed where my jewelry was so that I could put it back on. Round blue eyes watched me as I poked the earrings into my ears and my own gaze drifted onto the bed, my cheeks warming.

Finally as I hooked my necklace around my neck I asked, "What?"

"Nothing," Nick chuckled, his eyes sparkling. "When did you get your second hole in your ear?"

My face scrunched as an eyebrow arched high.

"Um, two weeks ago," I answered as I sat on the edge of the bed about to slip on my shoes, changing my mind about the socks so I took them off to then put on my black flats.

Nick stated, "So you really don't look that much different without make up."

I glanced over in his direction. "I'm sorry to disappoint you?"

"It's not that it's a bad thing…" Nick started to ramble which I could not remember him ever doing before. "Never mind, I'm just not used to living with a female that isn't blood related and they don't count."

I smirked. "Be sure to tell your sister that she doesn't count as a female, I'm sure it'll go over well."

He chuckled. "Oh don't worry, she's used to hearing that, it's nothing new. She usually turns it around saying my brothers and I aren't really guys, we're subspecies males."

I grinned. "Oh the joys of siblings," I sang, thinking of my own little sister who was probably enjoying life as an only child during the days while I'm on this trip.

A lopsided grin took over Nick's face, his cobalt eyes glittered with mischievousness. "You seriously have never been to my house before."

"No, but by the sounds of it, it kind of sounds overwhelming. Wait until karma comes back to bite you in the butt with your own kids."

Nick simply laughed. "Oh karma and I will one day be having an amusing conversation in a bar, we'll have to work out a deal."

Shaking my head slightly dry laughter slipped from my lips.

"See, and you were worried that we would fail," Nick commented as he held the door open for me to leave, I followed his lead out into the hall strolling besides him.

"It's still early," I shot at him.

Nick pressed his hands over his heart stumbling back a step or two. "Ouch, Rach, that really hurt."

I giggled, rolling my eyes. "You're absurd."

"Don't be jealous of my awesomeness."

I snickered fully at him, getting ahead of him as I hopped down the steps.

He was still behind so I waited for the slow poke, now feeling a little jittery from the giggles and hopping. Nick finally reached the bottom, but beat me to the door to open it.

Nick's voice came out slow, cautious, "So…were you able to sleep? Were you comfortable enough with the makeshift wall?"

I bit my bottom lip as my cheeks warmed. My fingers went straight to my necklace, playing with the pendant. "Yeah I slept fine, you?" My voice came out shaky.

"Always do, was limited with rolling space, but wasn't sure if you were okay."

"Thank you." Silence filtered between the two of us as I kept glimpsing over at him, only to watch his own retreating. I could not begin to guess what shade of red my face was from feeling his eyes on me. "Why do you keep staring at me?" I blurted out, my voice sounding shrill.

"Sorry." His eyes darted away in another direction, just as a thud echoed through the hall, just as I glanced over to the source of the sound.

There was Nick with his hand to his forehead. He had walked into the wall.

"Nick!" I exclaimed as I closed the gap between the two of us, my gaze skimming over his eyes to see his forehead, brushing aside chocolate strands to press my fingers against his warm skin. "Are you alright?" I could hear the panic in my voice.

"Yeah I'm fine. God your fingers are like freaking ice cubes! I don't need ice for the bump." Nick's lips became crooked.

"Sorry," I spoke, recoiling my fingers and keeping them under my shirt sleeves. "You okay though?"

"Well you've always said that I was hardheaded so I'm a-okay." Nick shrugged.

"I'm sorry!" I retreated quickly, my eyes widening as my concealed hands went to my mouth.

"Rachel, I was only joking," Nick responded as he kept moving into the entryway of the conference room towards the table we were at yesterday.

We sat down at a table that was assigned to us as I kept peeking over at my partner hoping that he was alright. Yet, his shoulders were stiff and he seemed to be avoiding eye contact. I knew he didn't want to talk about the incident anymore.

Dill was sitting across from us when he shouted at Nick, "Dude what's on your face? Don't tell me Worm did that to you."

"How the hell could Rachel hurt me?" Nick snapped then his voice got lower. "I walked into the wall."

"You what?" Dill asked with a brow raised high, judgment glistened in his eyes.

"I walked into a freaking wall, you happy?" Nick barked, causing his friend to smirk.

"Are you serious? You're so stupid and here's an example of it, you walking into the wall."

"I got distracted…" Nick rolled his eyes at his own words.

What was he distracted by? We weren't really talking at that point.

"By what?" Dill questioned, just like he had read my mind.

Nick shrugged. "I was thinking."

"Thinking doesn't work for you my friend," Dill said, taking a sip of his drink.

"It works better for me than it does for you," Nick muttered under his breath as breakfast was served.

Giveaway
Barnes & Nobles
Smashwords

ARC for Project US

Hello!
I am looking for reviewers to do a review for my upcoming Young Adult Novel. I have one or two already, but I would like a couple more. The ARC copies will be ebooks. If you agree to read an ARC can you please post on any combination of the following sites: Amazon, BN, Goodreads, blog, etc. Thank you!

August 7, 2015 is the release date!

Young Adult ~ Romantic Suspense 
Rachel is used to being in control of her emotions, never letting anyone get close to the real her. Nick is exactly the kind of guy Rachel has been trying to avoid getting involved with. Yet, when their school arranges a mysterious project that puts them together, they soon become trapped in a marriage that turns out to be real and legally binding, and they aren’t the only ones.

While their parents try to get four hundred students out of these marriages with legal help, the teenagers must live in a compound with their respective spouses for the duration of the project. Being trapped together leaves no room for denials. As Nick begins to fall for Rachel, she does everything in her power to avoid his charms and protect her heart. All she wants is to get out of the marriage, but does she truly want out, or is she only lying to herself?


If you are interested please either comment or email me at ottilieweber (at) gmail (dot) com!

If not, check out the giveaway for a signed paperback or order your pre-order copy. :)

Giveaway
Barnes & Nobles
Smashwords

Giveaway ~ Project US

Hello!
So I have been marketing my upcoming Young Adult novel Project US for a little bit. However, have you noticed that goodreads link on the side of my blog? No? I am having a giveaway for a signed paperback of Project US! If you are on goodreads, I suggest you take a look! Here is the link for the giveaway: https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/147378

Rachel is used to being in control of her emotions, never letting anyone get close to the real her. Nick is exactly the kind of guy Rachel has been trying to avoid getting involved with. Yet, when their school arranges a mysterious project that puts them together, they soon become trapped in a marriage that turns out to be real and legally binding, and they aren’t the only ones. 

While their parents try to get four hundred students out of these marriages with legal help, the teenagers must live in a compound with their respective spouses for the duration of the project. Being trapped together leaves no room for denials. As Nick begins to fall for Rachel, she does everything in her power to avoid his charms and protect her heart. All she wants is to get out of the marriage, but does she truly want out, or is she only lying to herself?

Goodreads
Barnes & Nobles -Preorder
Smashwords -Preorder

Men of Ottilie ~ Nick

Hey Lovelies,
I enjoy doing men of Ottilie and leading ladies posts. It lets me try to give you a rough visual of the character, and let you know the character a little outside of the book. Think of it as a snapshot, or a profile of the character. Nick March is a character from Project US. He was based off a dream I had when I was a freshman in high school, took that person, and threw in some fantasy/creativaity on the character. Then over the years as I edited, he picked up a few mannerisims from my boyfriend, but he doesn't need to know that! My friends in high school adored Nick, and didn't want me to write anything bad about him. Of course I loved writing him as well.

         Nick March

Brown hair
A sophomore at Adams High School
The youngest four children
Middle name is Alexander
Wants to go to college
Used to sneak cookies with his sister


Scene:

2

Nick

I crossed the entryway, my hand behind my back to close the door behind us. Rachel turned around, probably thinking she'd close it herself. She came up chest to chest, face to nape of my neck. I grinned. Rachel's cheeks had pink spreading across them. Her gaze was glued to the floor as the door clicked behind us. I watched Rachel's whole upper body rise, filling up like a balloon before letting out a long breath. Rachel has always been funny to embarrass. I held back laughter. I didn't want to make her completely uncomfortable.

The hall was surprisingly quiet especially considering the hotel was filled with high schoolers. Rachel was a step or two ahead of me despite her shorter legs. I glanced over at her. Rachel's hair was just short of her waist, blond with smooth waves that flowed down from the top of her head to the tips of her strands. Her coat was buttoned and tied close to her upper body and overlapping those dark blue jeans of hers since it was so big. Rachel's white little sneakers were just peeking out of the bottom of her pants, no I wasn't studying her.

I reached around Rachel when we got to the end of the hall to open the door before her. She tilted her head to some extent so that her big green eyes would meet mine. The corners of her lips turned ever so slightly.

"Thanks."

"No problem, Rachel," I responded.

Rachel started to hop down the stairs. When I say hop, I quite literally mean bouncing down the stairs like a small child. I took each step in haste to keep up with her. It was probably not wise to lose a short woman on a mission. My sister and mother proved that one. I was the youngest of four, two older brothers and an older sister. Plus I've had classes long enough with Rachel to know the teachers were going to fix our room situation. She was so sweet and innocent; no one would dare try to corrupt her, minus my sense of humor.

When we reached the bottom of the platform we made our way out into the lobby to see our grade traveling as a herd into another room, a big room filled with tables and chairs for dinning, most likely it was used for conferences that came to the hotel. I glanced down at Rachel who shrugged her shoulders as we followed. We were ushered to a random table.

I sat in the chair, closed my eyes for a moment and stretched, wishing that I could just go to sleep already to make up for waking up so freaking early this morning for this stupidity the school had arranged. My siblings took this trip in eighth grade, my brothers felt the need to brag about the fact they didn't have a project like us. My sister smacked them with a spoon when she was cooking to get them to shut up. That started a food fight in the March household. We were lucky my mom came home before my dad; otherwise we would have been doomed. Mom got the last word in by shoving spaghetti sauce on all of our heads then making us clean up before Dad saw. I love my family.

"It kind of looks like everyone is paired up when they're coming in here," Rachel announced in a low voice, disbelief in every word.

Oh God girls were absolutely crazy! "Rachel, I think you've been reading too many of your weird books," I started, thinking about when the book, I think it was called Flowers in the Attic, came up with some students because some kid saw the movie and Rachel straightened out the facts which left me to never look at her the same way again. "We go to a public school. We’re not people in a dating service."

I shook my head as she raised an eyebrow at me. "Don't patronize me Nicholas, look around the room," Rachel muttered, she just had to use my whole name.

I rolled my eyes as I scanned the room, observing more of my peers entering. "Okay, maybe you aren't completely crazy," I responded under my breath and she stuck her tongue out at me.

I returned the reaction and she giggled. I smiled. This was so normal for us. I really wish Rachel wasn't right as much as she was.

"Yo, dude, what the hell is happening?" A slap on my back punctuated my best friend's question.

I peeked over my shoulder and grinned. "Dill, if I knew I'd think about telling you for a good price," I told him.

Dill, Mark, John, and I were part of a close-knit group, each person coming in at different years. Dill and I were probably the longest in the group then John later in elementary school when he moved into our town. Mark moved into our town in middle school with his uncle, we were all a little different yet, still had fun busting each others’ chops. What else are friends for?

Dill had his dark hair in his usual short cut. I did not know how he could handle only half an inch of hair. I liked being able to have hair to run my hands through. I would never tell my friends that, the girl jokes that I would get. Dill had dark eyes and was a little shorter than me. Dill sat in a chair across from me, slouching back in the chair. Next to him glared Rachel's dark clothing wearing friend Bridget, big hair and all.

"Hey Rachel, maybe you had a point in being pessimistic on the whole drive here after all." Bridget still kept her eyes on Dill who appeared to be just as thrilled as her.

"Schools, you can't trust them," Rachel responded, but she was turned around not facing the three of us, still surveying the room, her voice distant.

"Rach, you okay?" I asked, placing a hand on her shoulder. She withdrew her body from me in a snap of a reaction.

"Don't touch me," Rachel said. Even through her jacket I could see her shoulders tense.

I tried to remember her friends hugging her in the halls like some of the other girls did. I couldn't think of a time I'd seen that. Actually thinking back to eighth grade graduation she was laughing at those who were crying. She kept shouting something like 'you'll see them in three months!' over and over. She'll calm down eventually.

Principal O'Doherty stepped up to the front of the room.

"Students quiet down, quiet down!" His stern voice was cutting through the voices of the whole sophomore class.

A middle aged man with brown hair that was speckled with gray and white, that I could see even this far back, was up front. A microphone was in one of his hands while his other hand was free to be able to be expressive. I scooted my chair a little so that I could see the principal, leaning back I watched around Rachel's blond head. Principal O'Doherty was a tall, lean man who always wore a pressed suit that seemed to hang just a smidge on his frame. Back when my siblings were in high school he was a decent guy, but apparently a few years ago his wife and him started having issues in their marriage. Rumors spread around the school that his wife left him, that they split up, that there was a full-on battle of a divorce. That one of them was caught cheating, you think of any form of gossip that could have been thought up, and it was mentioned. Ever since then Principal O'Doherty had been a hard-ass, ruling Adams High with an iron fist that was apparently desperately needed for a very low key suburban town.

"Before you continue to harass the teachers to fix your room arrangements, there were no mistakes made. That's your roommate." Principal O'Doherty paced, his eyes scanning the room that was now hushed except for a few whispers. One of his hands was somewhat open, rolling around in the air as he spoke. "The project will be taking place over the next few months, possibly longer depending on how things go. Spending more time with your partners will help the project develop for the full experience. That is one of the reasons we said no electronics on the trip, we want you all to be focused on the task at hand."

He stopped in the center of the platform upfront. Principal O'Doherty's body was directly facing the student body. All of us waited for him to continue so we would finally hear the details of the alleged project. My eyes drifted down from Principal O'Doherty and to Rachel. The girl was stressing from the moment the permission slips were passed out during homeroom. Rachel's emotions weren't fully furious or crazed, but more curiosity and dread of who she would be paired up with. GPA was a heavy weight on her and she was the type to stress over that since kindergarten. When our friends were a little side tracked I tried to calm her. I joked with Rachel that worst case scenario that she would mess with her partner, Rachel didn’t like that.

"We want our students at Adams High to be able to enter the real world prepared for life and what will come their way. We have a reputation to keep up. Now I'm sure you students have over the years seen on television or even from grades above you, the marriage project. You and your partner will learn to co-operate with each other, in addition to learning the basic skills it takes for a couple to function in a marriage."

"Oh, for the love of God," Rachel mumbled under her breath, with her elbow resting on the table she leaned her head against her hand.

I might never have been Rachel's number one friend, but I do try to look out for her. I admit that I have been known to pick on her over the years, but I was never that bad. I'm not that mean, like I tell her to stand up for herself against others. My picking is more like joking between the two of us than harshness. For example a few guys made a nickname for her (that she hates) and I call her that sometimes. At the same time I tell her to tell on them since a teacher heard someone saying it to her and told them to stop. When I do push her buttons it always seemed different. I can't explain it, but it just was. It was also written on her face that when I do call her it once in a blue moon, when I do call her Worm, she doesn't have the look of 'I hate you, go die'.

I leaned in close to her. "You could have been paired up with someone worse, Rachel," I whispered to her, red spreading across the side of her face.

Rachel always turned red. I smirked. Her chin was against her shoulder so that she could almost see me. She placed her index finger over her lips so that we wouldn't start anything.

"I'm hoping that even though we paired a bunch of high school students together for this assignment you'll will act as young adults instead of hormone driven teenagers," Principal O'Doherty continued, voice still stern despite the catcalls that followed.

I glanced around at all of the tables. There were the girls who did their make up between classes paired with guys from honors classes, then there were some with guys that they wouldn't usually take a second glance at. Then there seemed to be football players with cheerleaders, a couple were with girls from orchestra and some girls from ROTC with guys from choir. I smiled at the so-called social spectrum being scrambled. I peeked over at my friend Dill and he rolled his eyes once he saw that I was watching him.

"Since it's still a decent hour in the afternoon we're going to have you in your groups get organized, then head over to the historical sight. Watch for your chaperones and remember you're representing Adams High on this field trip so behave yourselves."

The teachers started to line up in front of the room to get our attention, but the chatter in the room just grew by the second. Dill rolled his eyes as Bridget next to him was putting on her long black coat, ignoring the guy beside her. I glanced over to Rachel who was always bundled up in class. She was still wearing her coat, her hands buried deep in her pockets. Rachel was already standing up as if I was taking too long.

"Ready to head over?" Rachel asked, her green eyes on me, her voice light.

I shrugged my shoulders and followed her through the mob of students. I was almost tempted to grab onto her hand so that I wouldn't lose her in the crowd. With her tiny stature she was having an easier time zipping through the people than me. I had to watch to trail after her. Rachel kept her arms curled into her chest as she weaved. I did not want to lose her. I was squishing myself between people to keep up with her. How the hell was she doing this? She finally stopped near the teacher, scanning over her shoulder till she found me. Squeezing through the last couple of people I made my way next to Rachel whose head came up to about the nape of my neck.

We moved out of the room and got onto our newly designated buses. It was a short bus ride to Williamsburg. Everyone was talking madly about this new news. We had to share a room with the opposite sex. The guys were either complaining about the girl they were with, celebrating that they got the hottie they wanted to talk to in class, but couldn't, or were too embarrassed to say anything. I didn't really know how to respond to my situation. Here I was with Rachel, even though I had a girlfriend. I kept glancing over at her but she was staring out the window the whole ride. She was acting as if I didn't exist.

Release date: August 7, 2015

Goodreads

Smashwords

Nook

Pirating E-books

Hello,
I woke up in a good mood today, I got the final edits of Project US. It will be my next novel and it is me returning to my Young Adult genre. I was also preparing my schedule to work on End of the Line 2. For giggles I sometimes google myself, it is a form of procrastination I will admit. I do not expect to be the next J.K. Rowling, but I have heard horror stories of other authors saying they find their work on pirating websites so I just like to keep an eye to see if I have hit that level.

I enjoyed seeing some people using my quotes on tumblr with cute pictures. I see quotes from Family Ties and End of the Line. I even saw a pinterest board named after one of the letters from Beneath the Scars. There were a couple other sites, pictures, and even some articles that have used my quotes. Honestly, I never thought that something like that would happen.

I came across a few sights that claimed that you could download my books for free if you signed up. I tried, but I didn't create a username/password so I only got so far. Then I came up to a discussion board. In this board there was a person asking how to download Beneath the Scars for free. It was nice to see a few people on the board talk about how they liked the book. There was one person suggesting a site to do so. Yet, there was only one person on the discussion board who stood up and said that's called pirating, and it's illegal. The person went on further saying how harmful it is for the author.

It is true I don't write for the money. However, I tend to put my books for a cheaper price. I tend to do a good amount of giveaways and made my ebooks free for libraries. I have also donated paperbacks a couple of times to libraries. I even post about how I need reviewers and that I'm giveaway free copies. It is one thing to think, okay I'm sure there are a few people getting free copies online, but to see it in writing is a little hurtful. The person also suggested borrowing from a friend. My friends and I would do that all the time in high school. There were a few books that six of us were rotating with. I have bought used copies of books when I am low on money.

So please...don't be a pirate go to your local library! Even if you have to contact the author. I know if someone asked me I'd see if their library has a copy, and if not I'd find them a deal or help them out.

Cover Revealing ~ Project US

Hello!
It's been a little bit since I have released a novel myself. However, I have one that is coming this August. This story is a touchy one for me, I'd been sitting on it for awhile, it was my go to story to work on when I had writer's block. Project US is based off a dream that I had when I was a freshman in high school. The dream had actual people in my high school, nope I'm not sharing names ;)

I remember coming home most days from high school and writing a chapter or two a day. I would post the chapters on my freewebs website that my friends all had a link to. I would get back feedback from my friends as I posted, and it might have spread around to other people in my grade as well. Oops! Over the years characters were put in, or taken out. I have completely changed the beginning and the ending. Yet, the characters Rachel and Nick have been a constant, and all of the emotions in this book. I would also say it is nice to wait this long and find out there is a genre called Romantic Suspense! I didn't know about that genre when I was in high school. These two hold a special place in my heart and I hope they do for others as well.

For now enjoy the cover reveal and the sample. Keep your eyes open because Project US will be released August 7, 2015!!

Project US

Rachel is used to being in control of her emotions, never letting anyone get close to the real her. Nick is exactly the kind of guy Rachel has been trying to avoid getting involved with. Yet, when their school arranges a mysterious project that puts them together, they soon become trapped in a marriage that turns out to be real and legally binding, and they aren’t the only ones.

While their parents try to get four hundred students out of these marriages with legal help, the teenagers must live in a compound with their respective spouses for the duration of the project. Being trapped together leaves no room for denials. As Nick begins to fall for Rachel, she does everything in her power to avoid his charms and protect her heart. All she wants is to get out of the marriage, but does she truly want out, or is she only lying to herself?


Scene:

1

Rachel

His fingers grazed hers bringing her attention back up to those brown eyes that had become so familiar to her. The air seemed to be stuck in her throat as she was trying to find the words to say to him. This was the guy that she was finding herself to be in love with. She was still in disbelief that this was actually happening to her. Butterflies seemed to flutter every time he even glanced in her direction. His mere touch seemed to turn her body aflame leaving her skin to tingle in the aftermath of his fingers. These feelings inside of her were new, almost making her nervous yet, happy.

"Look," he paused; locking eyes with her and his eyes were tensed seeming to be filled with such emotions. "I have never felt this way about a girl, and to be honest I didn't want to ever feel this way about anyone."

She felt his fingers interlacing with her as he took a step closer bringing the two to a point where they were almost touching.

"But, I love you," he whispered as his other hand brushed some of her dark hair out of her face, such a small gesture made her wonder if her heart would leap out of her chest.

Little by little, he slowly drew close to her face. Her eyes drifted close as she could feel his lips about to grace hers for the very first time stealing her breath away. Her heart started to speed up as his lips started to timidly

The bus hit a bump causing my book to jump out of my hands and my friend Bridget next to me jolt back awake. Glaring I bent over to pick up my book from the floor. I didn't grow up with long road trips and this one with school to Virginia was seriously killing me. Reading in a car gave me a headache, but I was so beyond bored I decided to risk it. My inner mind was as jittery as the characters from being stuck on this bus for so long.

I swear bus drivers purposely choose to drive over the big bumps and pot holes at obnoxious speeds to be annoying," Bridget mumbled shifting in her seat in an attempt to fall back to sleep.

"I know the feeling," I answered not really paying attention to what my friend for years was saying.

Narrowing my eyes, I scanned the pages striving to find where I was in the book as I flipped through the pages.

I really needed to figure out where I left off! Just because it was unrealistic moment in the paperback didn't mean I shouldn't enjoy a book. It wasn’t the author’s fault that the guys in my grade sucked.

"Oh God, I know that scowl," Bridget spoke in an even tone as I started tossing through again looking for key words. "Romantic scene?"

"Yup," I replied keeping my voice short, making the 'p' pop.

"You really don't have to be so cynical about love," Bridget said and I raised an eyebrow at my friend.

Bridget was wearing a floor length, peasant style, black skirt. In addition to wearing one of her corsets, a white one with black lace designs on the front with cap short sleeves. Bridget had brown ringlets. Her hair had a little volume not that I could relate with my hair that had a slight wave to it, but mine was thin. Bridget was wearing her spider choker and matching dangling earrings. She had thick black eyeliner on almost in Egyptian style.

"But, but it's so much fun picking on the lovey dovey airheads in books," I faked a whine, batting my eyelashes at my friend.

"I really can't wait until you fall in love and I can poke you for all the details all the while laughing at you because I was right," Bridget verbally jabbed before starting to repeatedly diving her finger in and out of my shoulder.

"When that day happens, I'll allow you to drop a piano on my head," I muttered.

I started to finger-stab her back, giving up a second on searching for where I was in my book to get her back. We were fifteen years old in our sophomore year of high school, but we still had our childish moments. She and I still meander into the Disney store despite the stares that we might receive. We met in sixth grade, but really bonded in eighth grade homeroom when we became closer each day over the dumbest things.

"A piano would kill you, when would I be able to gloat with you dead?" she laughed.

I smiled rolling my eyes.

"Love you too."

Bridget just grinned.

We were getting a little edgy, the class trip started very early in the morning before the sun had even started to peek into the sky and we were still not done driving from central New Jersey to Virginia. Morning wasn't any of our friends apparently…

"Man, why couldn't you and I be sharing a room?" I questioned, feeling my shoulders slump.

"I know, I really wonder who we're rooming with."

Leave it to school to turn a fun trip, a few days from classes into a project. The project was vague, 'something to teach us about working together so we can further understand the responsibility of adulthood'. Their words, not mine, my wording would be 'waste of time along with frustration of working with someone you wouldn't normally deal with'. I guess that actually could be the same wording for high school, no wonder they didn't use it. It was part of some new curriculum that the state wanted to test out on my grade. I really feel like my grade really gets all the new tests, new scheduling, added a section to the state test, and now this! We were just now taking our eighth grade trip because, the school delayed it for two years just for this project. Would two projects really be so bad?

We weren't really told much about the project just that it'll start during the trip, we will have to work closely with our partner, and that it'll last the whole school year. I really don't know what jerk thought that up, but they really should be taken out back to suffer. Possibly being tied to one of the uncomfortable desk chairs, with a broken loud speaker stuck on, and to just top it off a just for show air conditioner in August of New Jersey would be a good enough punishment for this person. Leave it to Adams High to do a project all year. I always had such bad luck with group work, they really were hell on earth.

"Think positively, maybe you'll get someone you really don't know."

I raised my eyebrow again.

"That won't take much, our grade is what, four hundred people?" I inquired thinking I really didn't care to know most of them.

Bridget shrugged, "Sounds about right."

"Aren't you worried about who you're working with?" I asked, trying to figure out if she was only as calm as she was because she was still waking up.

"Not everyone is as crazy curious as you are," she continued rubbing her eyes a little. "Did I mess up the eyes?"

I shook my head.

"I can't help it, I don't want to screw up a grade and that is a long time to work with someone."

"True, I'll worry about it when we cross that road."

I fused my eyebrows and my green eyes met her dark brown ones.

"Why can't you and I ever be calm at the same time?"

She smirked. "We balance each other out what can I say love."

I gave a light laugh. "Isn't that the truth."

An hour later our bus finally pulled up behind the other buses from our school at our hotel. The girls and boys were separated on the buses, which wasn't a detail that was presented onto us until people started to tell what their bus numbers were. Nick March, he and I have had classes together since kindergarten were talking about our bus numbers when the whole homeroom noticed the segregation of the sexes.

Nick March and I have an odd relationship and always have for as long as I can remember. We were school friends, talked when we had classes together, might say "Hi" in the halls, but never tried to hangout with each other outside of school. We were not on that level. Nick and I talk about whatever, school, movies, and random jokes or comments during class when we are near each other. This was a guy who saved me a swing once in kindergarten the day we met. He hung out with a slightly different crowd when we got to high school.

I've heard him in homeroom talking about the parties he's gone to, and having to sneak back into his house at God forsaken hours. That would never happen to me in my wildest dreams. I never really saw that side of him and I was more than okay with that. However I was pretty sure he wanted to wring my neck for trying to figure out what the project was. He was trying to push away the thought of doing more homework I knew it. We've worked enough together in class for me to know when he was trying to avoid school work.

Our two chaperons on our bus, Miss Barnes and Ms. Dixon finally seemed to remember the purpose to this trip as their discussion stopped. Miss Barnes was my English teacher who still had a very sweet childish face even though she was probably in her thirties. She had dark red hair that curled at her shoulders and freckles across her nose. She was fishing in her purse for something as Ms. Dixon my math teacher had her everlastingly formed glower on her face, a raised dark eyebrow towards Miss Barnes. Ms. Dixon had dark curly hair in a low pony tale that she wore every single day. Ms. Dixon unlike Miss Barnes did not have an endless supply of patience.

"Tell me you did not lose the room keys," Ms. Dixon spoke, her words direct, and sharp.

"I did not misplace the keys Ally. I just have a lot of stuff in my bag," Miss Barnes giggled. "Companies make bags so big these days. It's hard not to put a whole lot of stuff in them!"

Ms. Dixon didn't even crack a smile as Miss Barnes head bobbed left to right, probably humming to herself as she searched for the keys; she did that in class…

"Aha!" She wore a grand grin on her face as she held up the bundle of keys, Ms. Dixon stone face lacked the enthusiasm that Miss Barnes' had.

"Lovely, you can do your job." Ms. Dixon remarked.

Miss Barnes rolled her eyes, she did work with high school students after all. Understanding sarcasm was teaching 101. Comments never seemed to penetrate her optimism. "Was your sense of humor accidentally tossed out of the bus window? Live a little!" Miss Barnes stood up in the middle of the aisle. "Ladies! I'm about to pass out your keys so we can get the ball rolling. Make sure you listen to the directions very carefully and answer the room phones because you guys were not allowed to bring any electronics on the trip. Now, Laurie Doyle where are you?"

I turned my head taking a deep breath before letting it go slowly, in an attempt to calm my nerves from popping around like popcorn kernels in a microwave. I watched as the boys walked, jumped, and ran off their buses into the chaotic mess that was the mob of boys trying to get a hold of their belongings under the buses. I was truly not looking forward to pushing through people to grab my duffle bag. The crowd of males slowly dwindled as they were herded into the building.

Release date: August 7, 2015

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