Release of Trilogy Edition Box Set!

Please give a big Ooh and Ahh for the Box Set of The Flirting Games Trilogy!

Available here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00G0WPJJE (US Edition)
and available here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00G0WPJJE (UK Edition)

It's nearly time! Plus another sneak preview

I've finished it! Book # 3, Further Flirting Games, is due for release this weekend!

And for a limited time Book  # 1, The Flirting Games, is now FREE at:  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00C14KSH8


Here is another snippet from Book #3 as a little taster:

As Alex watched Diana recline on the cushions he could only think that Jack really did know everything about women, and that Jack had given him the best birthday present ever.

But what was he supposed to do now? He was fairly sure she had just given him his cue to kiss her, but he didn’t know how to start.

He shuffled awkwardly across the cushions to get closer to her. His knee slid into a gap and banged hard on the floorboards beneath him. He tried to ignore the pain and moved forward again. The cushion slid away from him and his glass tipped in his hand, cascading the wine over Diana.

“Oh hell!” He was utterly mortified.

Diana looked slightly annoyed. “If this is a ruse to ‘get me out of those wet things’ then I’m not going there.”

Alex cringed. “It’s not, I promise, I’m so sorry.” He swiped ineffectually at the droplets on her top.

“Do you mind?” She pulled away.

Alex looked at the floor, downcast. “I’ve made a proper mess of this, haven’t I?”

“Yes.” Diana began to look amused. “But as I don’t think I could do much better myself, I guess we will just have to work through it.”

Alex looked up hopefully. Diana put her own glass carefully to one side. “Come here, you clumsy idiot.”

Alex leaned in eagerly for the kiss he hoped she was offering. Too eagerly. Their teeth crashed and his glasses caught in her hair.

“Buggeration! This would never happen to Jack!” Alex retreated again, but his glasses remained in her hair. “I’ve totally spoiled the moment now. I’m so sorry.”

Diana laughed. “Stop apologising. Actually it’s quite sweet. It helps make me less nervous; I’m not exactly experienced at this sort of thing myself. It all seems so straightforward in books, doesn’t it? The hero and the heroine kiss and it’s like a fireworks display.”

“I think this is more like a damp squib,” Alex said forlornly. “You can leave if you want to, I don’t mind.”

Diana untangled his glasses from her hair and set them beside her wine glass.

“Look, let’s try again. Only this time a bit more slowly.”

They kissed, a very chaste kiss. Then they kissed again.

“Fireworks,” said Diana.

“Really?” Alex blinked at her in amazement.

“Really,” said Diana, “But not in here, over there.” She grinned as a rocket went off above them. The planned fireworks display had started at the other end of the garden.

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Halloween, it's nearly here!!

It's October and I'm getting super excited already about my favourite (it's not spelt wrong, I'm just British) festival of the year, Halloween!

I know that in the US everyone dresses up in whatever costume they like but in the UK it is strictly a themed event. Bring out your dead! It's zombies, witches, vampires, ghouls and ghosties galore out for the night.

But it's also a great pickup night. How many sexy 'devils' are going to be running around town in tiny skirts and red horns waving their mini plastic pitchforks? A LOT!

I would like a quick recap of some of my favourites for flirting:

Ok, we all know vampires are hot. That's a no brainer. 

But Zombies are totally getting a look in with the release of recent living dead romance movies. I've definitely kissed a few in my time.

I might be in a minority with this one, but I really find Hannibal Lector kind of sexy. I saw a great one last year, the guy had on a blood stained t-shirt and a the grisly lector mask, that was the full extent of his costume. I think it helped that he had great muscles, but it worked for me!

Insane doctor is a definite vote winner for the good looking guy. All you need is a white lab coat, a stethoscope and bit of fake blood and you're going to be hounded by the girls wanting their heart rate checked.

The Grim Reaper. I love the mystery of the dark hooded figure. A must have costume if you don't feel comfy in skintight Lycra. He is such a dude (or dudette, lets not assume!)

Witches, they are definitely the most fun of the cute girl costumes, especially if you work the spiked heels and the black and white stripey tights.

I also adore that vintage Elvira look for girls. So retro chic. See picture below.

Hope some of that helps you get an idea, it's good to prepare in advance! All the best costumes go so quickly, I'm not the only one loving this festival!

Oh, I'm so hooped on Halloween, I'm going to write a novella especially I think. I'll try and get in all the die hard dead, undead, and dark characters I can think of...
 

New Cover Reveal!

The Flirting Games Book 3 : Further Flirting Games

I'm getting into overtime now to finish writing book three, feeling the pressure, but all the late nights were worth it when I got my new cover today from the designer. Yay, I'm so pleased with it, it gives me the incentive to write harder and get the book out there to you lovely readers.
If you want to join my mailing list and be informed as soon as the book goes live then just click here http://eepurl.com/wEMmD
I'd love to know what you think of it, and a free piece of cake to anyone who can guess which two characters it portrays? Hint: They have appeared frequently in book 1 & 2.

Is this kiss too much?

Here is a section from Book Three in the Flirting Series, Further Flirting Games, due out end of September 2013.

I feel like I'm treading a fine line between balancing the age of the characters and keeping it appropriate for my younger teen readers. I would appreciate any feedback (either here, on Twitter or Facebook) as to whether it is too much, or maybe not enough?

I also hope you enjoy the sneak preview!!

Gabriel picked up the script. “Ok, so the first bit is a voice over, we don’t have any lines, we just act it in silence right? I’ll pick up my helmet and you sort of try to keep me from leaving, then we kiss. I’ll read the Prologue out first so we can hear it and then we’ll try acting it.” He began to intone “Constantinople had fallen.  Muslim Turks swept into Europe with a vast, superior force, striking at Romania, threatening all of Christendom. From Transylvania arose a Romanian knight, of the Sacred Order of the Dragon, known as Draculea. On the eve of the battle, his bride Elisabeta whom he prized above all things on earth knew that he must face an insurmountable force from which he might never return.”

Gabriel picked up an imaginary helmet and Beatrice tried for tears as she clung to his arm and attempted to pull him back from the door. Gabriel, his face full of resolution and sadness, pulled her against him in a crushing hug. The moment he looked down at her, she knew he was about to kiss her and Beatrice shut her eyes and puckered her lips.

Nothing happened.

She opened her eyes, Gabriel was still holding her close but obviously not about to kiss her, instead he seemed to be trying not to laugh.

“What?” She said self-consciously.

“You look like you’re going to kiss your Grannie, not your lover.”

“Oh.” She was lost trying to work out what she should do differently. How could she tell him that she was seventeen yet never been kissed?

“We’re not going for a peck on the cheek here. Your beloved husband is about to leave for war! Try to think when you last felt real passion for someone.”

He looked down into her nervous eyes and read the truth there.

“Oh right.” He rubbed the back of his neck thoughtfully. “I tell you what; let’s start with a gentle kiss, and work up to passionate, ok?”

She nodded, wishing her hands would stop shaking.

He smiled kindly. “Close your eyes. Tilt your head to the right, a little bit less. Open your mouth, not that much, just part your lips slightly and don’t use any tongue.”

His lips met hers and softly moved against her own.

It felt…nice.

He stopped and she opened her eyes.

“You alright so far?” He questioned, still looking like he was trying not to laugh. “Of all the things I thought I’d have to teach you, this was not one of them.”

She grinned back at him shyly. “Did I do it right?”

He gave into his laughter. “Oh Beatrice, we’ve only just started. You wait and see. I’m going to kiss you again now, but it will be a much deeper kiss. Just follow my lead.”

She closed her eyes again. Tilted her head and parted her lips. His mouth brushed against her once, twice, before their lips joined. He held her tightly and she tired to remember to breathe. He moved more this time, kissing the corners of her mouth, sucked at her bottom lip a little, his teeth nibbled on it and then she felt his tongue. He ran it across her lips, and despite him telling her not to use her tongue, she instinctively touched his with her own. He carried it on for a few more seconds, before breaking off again.

She opened her eyes slowly, she hadn’t wanted him to stop.

“Not bad Miss Greene.” He teased her, “I think you’re a natural.”

She smiled at him dreamily, aware that she wasn’t nervous anymore. Gorgeous Gabriel had just kissed her, and she liked it.

When she was fifteen she had written in her diary about how she fantasised her first kiss would be. If she could go back and tell her fifteen year old self that it would happen with Gabriel Brenner, she would never have believed it.

A small part of her had always hoped it would be with Owen. Her face clouded slightly. She would be with the envy of every single girl in the school if they knew she had just snogged Gabriel, but it wasn’t real. It would count as great practice, but her first kiss should have been with someone who properly liked her.

“Lang is an idiot.” Gabriel said grimly, watching her.

She stared at him for a second wondering how he did that, how did he know what she was thinking? Then mortification kicked in. She covered her eyes with her hands.

“Oh my god. You know? Does he know?”

Gabriel removed her hands from her face gently. “Everybody knows. You could do a lot better.”

He ran one finger down her flushed bumpy cheek. “Do you want to do something about these spots?”

“Well obviously!” She got defensive to cover her embarrassment.

“Mix some rock salt with a little lemon juice and rub it into them.” He advised.

“Really? Does that work?”

He nodded. “If you’re skin gets too dry from it, then beat an egg white and smear it on like a mask. Just don’t forget to wash it off after a few minutes or it will really smell!”

“That’s kind of a girly thing for you to know?” She started to laugh feeling cheered up. She was really warming to Gabriel.

“Nate got it out of one of his mothers books. He had really bad acne in the third year. But don’t tell anyone or he’ll kill me.” They both laughed. “Right then,” he said, getting all business like again. “Are you ready to try for passionate kissing?”

Her eyebrows shot up. “That wasn’t passionate?” She asked referring to their last kiss.

He smiled and shook his head condescendingly. “Not yet I’m afraid.”

“Ah ok, well let’s get it over with.” She joked, already feeling the adrenaline high at the thought of kissing him again.

Gabriel glanced at the door, double-checking the blind was down over the little window in it. Beatrice followed his gaze. “No one would believe it if they saw it!” She commented.

“You have to believe it, otherwise we can’t make it look real on the stage, would it be so hard to feel something when you kiss me?”

Beatrice wasn’t sure how serious Gabriel was. Was he mocking the fact that she should be overcome by his kisses, because he was hot and she was a nobody, or was he not like that and genuinely concerned about the play? She knew he took his acting very seriously.

“I’ll try my best.” She said lightly.

“Ok. It’s going to be a bit more full on, stop me if you get uncomfortable.” Gabriel advanced on her and she giggled getting nervous again.

This time he pulled her right against him, they seemed to be joined all the way from their feet to their mouths. She hadn’t ever been this intimate with anyone before, it felt weird but definitely passionate.

This time when he kissed her she knew what to expect and moved her mouth against his following his pace. When his tongue touched her teeth she met it with her own and their tongues danced together. She bit down on his lip a little, and he seemed to like it and pulled her head even closer. His other hand roamed down her back and came to rest on her bottom, holding her firmly against him.

That was when she forgot it wasn’t real. Passion was definitely igniting inside her. She wanted to get even closer and her own hands moved up his back and into his hair. Gabriel almost crushed her mouth as the kiss went into warp drive. She gave a soft moan of enjoyment and he released her instantly. Putting a good foot of distance between them.


Book One of the Flirting Series - The Flirting Games is available on Amazon here:
US Edition UK Edition

Flirting Tip, The Power of a Smile

Smile Smile Smile

“There was a girl sitting in the cafeteria from the year below me. She was reading and suddenly she smiled at something in the book. It was a wicked secret smile, like she knew something the rest of us didn’t. I think I fell in love with her at that moment.”

I did a poll of boys this week. they were 15, 16 and 17 years old.

For the single boys I asked what would attract you to a girl?  The answers were varied and of course several crude, but joking aside almost every one said the same thing: they were looking for a girl who was fun to be with.

Digging a bit deeper into what that meant, it meant they didn’t want a girl who was moody, who miserable, who had lots of issues and insecurities.

Of course we all know this is totally unrealistic, what teenage girl doesn’t have insecurities? Who can possibly be happy and laid back all the time? No one! But this isn’t about how to hold a man, this is just how to attract him in the first place, because that’s 90% of the battle isn’t it?

So today’s tip is most definitely to come across as a good laugh. Be non-critical, friendly, try to appear confident (much more on that another day), and above all smile and laugh.

Why smile and laugh? Because half the boys I spoke to were already in relationships. I asked them what attracted them to their current girlfriend?

I had to roll my eyes at some comments about melons and reputations, but when they had done all the obvious innuendos, it wasn’t those things at all.

Again and again I heard “She had such a nice smile” “She smiled at me like I was interesting / funny / the only person in the room”. “She has a fantastic laugh.”

My favourite quote from a boy is the one I started this article with. He says his girlfriend is really quiet and shy and sits on her own a lot reading all the time. It took him six months to work up the courage to ask her out as he was worried she might be too clever and think he was an idiot. Just goes to show you the power of a smile.

Boys get really nervous too. But a nice smile makes you more approachable and less scary. They don’t think you will crush their fragile egos if you are a friendly person. You might say no, but you would do it nicely.

Who wants to be with someone who makes them miserable? Well, actually quite a few guys dig the moody vibe, but most want to make a girl laugh, to see her enjoying his company, it makes them feel ten foot tall.

So give a guy a break. Make him feel special. Give him a glowing smile, go on.

Buy The Flirting Games:
On Amazon.com

On Amazon.co.uk

How to flirt in 15 Steps

To Buy The Flirting Games Click Here (Young Adult Novel)

Flirting In-Person

1. 1
   Make eye contact. Eye contact is the best and easiest thing you can do to start flirting. Consider using it in these ways:
   
   
   
   • Get caught looking. Don't stare, but do throw small glances at someone. Keep doing it until he or she catches you. Hold the gaze for a second, smile, and look away.
   • Look into his or her eyes when you talk, particularly at meaningful points in the conversation (for example, while you're paying a compliment).
   • Wink. It's cheesy, but it works if used sparingly. Do it when you're looking at someone from across a room, or if you're talking in a group and say something really meant for him or her.
2. 2
   Smile. You'll probably smile automatically if you're talking to someone you like, but you can use your pearly whites to your advantage before the conversation even starts. Try these variations:
   
   
   
   • Smile slowly. If you're looking at someone but not talking to them, try letting a slow smile spread over your face instead of breaking into an insta-grin. It's hard to say why, but slow, languid smiles are generally considered sexy.
   • Smile when you make eye contact. If you're suddenly looking into someone's eyes, toss in a smile for extra appeal. (If it's a genuine smile, the other person will see it without even looking at your mouth — it will crinkle your eyes, and is known as a Duchenne smile.)
3. 3
   Start talking. Take the next opportunity to casually say hello next time you see this person. You don't have to commit to a full conversation — acknowledging him or her in passing as you walk by can be sufficient for a first contact.
   • Make a habit of verbally acknowledging your crush. This can lead to conversation later.
4. 4
   Introduce yourself — or maintain the mystery (optional). If you don't already know the person you're flirting with, an introduction (or lack of one) can be a great thing to build flirting around.
   • If your crush doesn't know your name and you're a naturally gregarious person, try introducing yourself at some point. It can be as simple as, "Hi, I'm [name]. And you are...?" Make sure you get the other person's name. To help yourself remember it, try repeating it after he or she says it to you. (Such as "Lily. I love that name.")
   • Or, if you want to make yourself seem like a bit of a challenge, work to keep your identity a mystery for a little while. If the other person really wants to know, he or she will ask around or keep pursuing you.
5. 5
   Initiate a conversation. Whether you already know the other person or not, a conversation is the best way to move the flirtation forward. Here are a few guidelines:
   
   
   
   • Talk to someone you don't already know. Perhaps the best way to strike up a conversation is to start with an observation which ends with a question: "Nice day, isn't it?" or "This place sure is packed, eh?" What you say isn't important — you are simply inviting the person to talk with you.
   • Find common ground with someone you do know. If you've already met the other person, strike up a conversation based on a shared experience or interest. For instance, you might talk about a class you're taking together, or the train you both take to work. Again, the topic itself doesn't matter — what matters is that you're inviting him or her to interact with you.
   • Gauge the response. If the person responds pleasantly, continue the conversation. If the person doesn't respond or seems preoccupied or disinterested, he or she probably isn't interested in flirting with you.
   • Keep it light. Don't bring up anything too personal when you're talking. Talk about the environment around you, the show you just saw, etc. Keep personal information (such as religion, money, relationships, education, and so on) out of it, unless the person enjoys intellectual debates without becoming over-emotional. Generally, it's best to avoid debating topics personally relevant to either of you (such as either yours or their religion), and to rather discuss topics you both don't have a personal stake in.
6. 6
   Use body language to communicate your intentions. Non-verbal cues can say a lot more about how you feel than what's actually coming out of your mouth, so make sure you're communicating how you feel. Try the following:
   
   
   
   • Keep your stance "open." Don't cross your arms or legs, as these are generally signs that you wish to isolate yourself from the other person.
   • Turn your body toward the other person. Stand or sit so that you're facing the person you're flirting up. Angle your torso toward him or her, or point your feet in that direction.
   • Break the "touch barrier". Casually initiate physical contact by touching him or her on the forearm as you talk, or by "accidentally" walking too close and brushing up against the other person.
     • The first few times you touch your crush, be careful not to "trap" them. Depending on the area the contact should be long enough to be more than accidental, but no more. Avoid grasping a hand or arm, and instead try gestures such as brushing an imaginary speck of dirt off of their arm, or "accidentally" touching feet or knees without pulling away. All of these touches can be rejected without humiliation or offense, so if your crush is not ready for that kind of contact, you will not be forcing them to reject you entirely.
   • Play with your hair (girls). Playing with your hair is usually a sign of nervousness, which is a good thing if you like the other person — you almost want him or her to know you're nervous, because it means you're interested. To consciously communicate this, slowly twirl a strand of hair around your finger as you talk.
7. 7
   Compliment the other person early in the conversation. It might seem too forward, but letting him or her know you're interested in dating before a solid friendship begins is the easiest way to detour around the friend-zone. Get confident, and don't let the opportunity slip by — you never know when you'll get another one. Here are some techniques to try:
   • Maintain eye contact while you're complimenting. Looking away might accidentally make you seem insincere.
   • Lower the tone and volume of your voice slightly. Paying a compliment in a slightly lower register than your usual speaking voice makes it seem intimate and sexy. Plus, it might also coax the other person to come closer to hear you.
   • If you don't know your crush very well yet, but you're working on it, use a compliment oriented in this direction. Something like:
     • "You're fascinating. I LOVE talking with you."
     • "I kind of can't believe I'm getting to know someone as gorgeous and interesting as you."
   • Use your crush's other interests to your advantage. If you know this person is dating (or interested in) someone else, you can use this to your advantage in a compliment.
     • Say something like, "I hope [other person] knows how lucky he/she is to be dating you."
     • Or, if that person comes up in the conversation, you could jokingly throw out something like "I'm super jealous of [name], he/she has something I REALLY want." If your crush presses and asks what it is, play coy and say something like, "I can't tell you, but it's about someone beautiful/amazing/talented/[other adjective]."
   • Try weaving the compliment into the conversation. For instance, if the girl you like is talking about how she had a terrible day, you could say something like "I hate seeing someone as beautiful as you feel so unhappy. What can I do to help?"
   • Be careful about complimenting looks. A girl might like it if you notice her eyes, but she might label you as creepy if you say she has a nice figure too soon. Play it safe and stick to these physical features:
     • Eyes
     • Smile
     • Lips
     • Hair
     • Hands
   • Be bold. If none of the suggestions above appeal to you, go for broke and pay your crush a bold compliment. Try these possibilities, using the adjective that fits your crush best or substituting your own:
     • "I hope you know you're gorgeous/beautiful/amazing/my favorite person to talk to/etc."
     • "Sorry if this is too forward, but I have to say that you're incredible/an amazing person/so beautiful/etc."
8. 8
   Keep your interactions short and sweet. Remember that the key to creating demand is making supply scarce, so try to limit your interactions with the object of your flirtations. Consider these limits:
   • Don't talk to him or her every single day. Make it a special event and save it for a few times a week.
   • Don't let conversations drag on for more than 5 or 10 minutes. The longer they go on, the higher your odds of running into an awkward silence.
   • Let the other person come to you. After you've put in the work of starting up the interaction and sparking an interest, pull back a bit and see if he or she seeks you out for an interaction. This can be a good way to gauge interest, as well as build tension.
9. 9
   Close the deal. If your flirting has been successful so far, and you want to get to know the other person better, it's time to see if you can turn it into a date. Here are a few approaches:
   
   
   
   • Ask if the other person has plans at a later date. For instance, you might say, "So, what are you up to on Saturday night?" Try to keep this an open question, instead of one that requires a yes or no answer — you'll get more information that way.
     • Don't ask someone what he or she is doing tonight, or even tomorrow. Try to schedule the date a few days out so that you don't come off as overly desperate.
   • Suggest a specific event, and ask if he or she would like to come along. This is the best approach if you're trying to arrange a group date. You could say something like, "So a bunch of us were going to see a movie on Friday, and I'd really like it if you came with us."
   • Be straightforward. If you're feeling extra confident, go in for the kill without any pretense. For instance, you could say something like, "I'd really love to take you on a date. When are you free?"
10. 10
    Don't take it too seriously. Keep in mind that flirting is supposed to be fun, and try not to be crushed if your efforts aren't successful — not every interaction will be a perfect 10. Stay positive, and try again with someone else. As with anything else, flirting improves with practice.

Thanks to Wikihow for this!