Plotting a Strategy #SampleSunday

Welcome to Sample Sunday. Today I’m sharing an excerpt from my published book, FUR BALL FEVER, a romantic crime mystery that tickles the funny bone. In this snippet, Auntie Beth is behind the wheel, driving Grace away from an attempted infiltration of Kinki, a Jersey Shore fetish club. The pair are debating a different strategy for locating a suspect who might have stolen Miss Coco Chanel, the prize poodle Grace was dog-sitting for an elderly friend.

“Nick’s a good man, Gracie,” Auntie Beth said. “Work with him to find Miss Coco.”

The very idea made Grace shudder. If she allowed Nick into her life again, she stood a good chance of losing a giant chunk of herself, the chunk that made her who she was, simply to please him. She couldn’t, make that wouldn’t, take the risk.

She stared blindly out the window. Darkened cityscape whizzed by at warp speed. After a while, she said. “I know you want what’s best for me, but I need to stay away from Nick.” When her aunt started to protest, Grace added, “I’ll find the dog myself.”

“Ah. The strong, independent, pig-headed route.” Auntie Beth hunched her shoulders, radiating disapproval. “What’s your next step?”

“Find Krissi,” Grace said promptly. “Julius and Oliver hang out at Kinki. I bet Krissi does too. I need to figure out a way to infiltrate our favorite fetish club.”

The car hummed along quietly as Grace considered various options. Sometime later, she said, “Remember my pet spa client, Shawn Easedale, or Shannon Easy, as he calls himself? He’s the lead singer for Queenz in Concert.

“Damn straight I remember Shannon. I adore him, uh, her. She’s real talented, sounds exactly like Céline Dion.”

Grace gave an exasperated sigh, but allowed herself to be sidetracked. “How would you know who Shannon Easy sounds like?”

“Last month, me and the girls drove down to Atlantic City to see Queenz in Concert. Shannon’s version of The Power of Love brought the house down. It involved a blow-up doll, fellatio, and some fancy maneuvering.”

Grace tried to dismiss the picture that popped into her mind, that of Auntie Beth with her cronies at a drag queen concert, all of them no doubt lightly stoned on Acapulco Gold, and swaying in rhythm to a ditty about an inflatable lover. “But we digress.” She blinked the vision away and got back on topic. “Shawn owes me big time for helping out after his bulldog had a run-in with a skunk.”

Auntie Beth took the Saltwater Harbor exit. “I see where you’re headed. Queenz in Concert performs in clubs across Atlantic City. If anyone can get us into Kinki, it’s their lead singer.”

Us?Grace eyed her aunt in alarm. “Uh-uh. No way. You’re not coming with me, and don’t try to follow me again. I’ll coax Shawn into escorting me to the club for Rodeo Nite tomorrow.” She paused. “What do you think Rodeo Nite is?”

Reviews for FUR BALL FEVER:

  • “This laugh-out-loud, sizzling hot story had me hooked right from the start and didn’t let go until the end.”
  • “One for the Money meets Best in Show.”
  • “Romance, mystery & dogs with personality, all wrapped up with humor.”
  • “Delicious, humorous, and a cast of amazingly quirky characters make for a memorable read.”

My Books:

FUR BALL FEVER:

Amazon.com: http://amzn.to/QqYdOC
Universal Amazon URL (all countries): http://amzn.to/150fiHb

THE JAGUAR LEGACY:

Amazon.com: http://amzn.to/MscwTW
Universal Amazon URL (all countries): http://amzn.to/13PIvaQ

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you have an amazing week of writing and reading.

 

 

 

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