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!

Loving the Dracula quotes!

“I could not resist the temptation of mystifying him a bit, I suppose it is some taste of the original apple that remains still in our mouths.”
Bram Stoker, Dracula


I'm having a marvellous time finding good quotes from the original book of Dracula to pepper liberally into my third book.


Set at a Boarding School, the whole of Year Six are expected to take part to some degree in the Year Six Play. Even if their only job is to pull back the stage curtain, every pupil has to be involved somehow.  As all my main characters are in Year Six (covers age 16 - 17), the play is a focal point for a lot of their interaction.


This year the play they are performing is Dracula. So I'm finding some quotes either for them to use or maybe to start each chapter if I can find enough that are relevant to the unfolding story.


How about this one?

“I want to cut off her head and take out her heart.” 
Bram Stoker, Dracula 

It's brilliant isn't it! I know I've felt that way about another girl once or twice in my time, lol. 
Though I suppose I should mention that actually Van Helsing says it about Lucy who has become a Bride of Dracula

I'll just leave you with this one which was clearly written about me (not)

She is one of God's women fashioned by his own hand to show us men that there is a heaven where we can enter
Bram Stoker, Dracula

 www.amazon.com/dp/B00C14KSH8


 

My Characters Have Taken Over!

Any of you who have read either The Flirting Games or More Flirting Games will know that each book has a main couple who are the focus of the story but also some secondary characters who have their own romances developing or failing in the background as well.

I'm currently writing book 3 in the series, Further Flirting Games, and the main characters are Grace and Ben.  But their story just isn't inspiring me! Instead I find that Gabriel and his two possible love interests (current stunning older girlfriend, Vanessa, and sweet young Flora who is trying to get noticed) are taking over the book as a main story line and a small character named Beatrice is suddenly becoming the real star of the whole show.  Poor Grace and Ben aren't getting a look in! That doesn't even account for Sophie and Jack who I adore but haven't even started to write their scenes.

What do I do? Do I rework the whole book around what I have written and forget about the previous main character? Or do I scrap it and force some flirting between Grace and Ben (who don't appear to be connecting at all right now)? Or do I write it with multiple main characters and let all of them have free reign? Or will that ruin it? Sigh.......

If there are any readers out there who have followed the secondary characters, then do tell me, do you care about them? Are you interested in why Gabriel is so cold and haughty? Are you bothered about whether Sophie gives Jack another chance.  Do you even remember who Grace and Ben are? Do you care about a shy plump girl who goes from being a nobody to popular somebody?

The new characters are running riot over the page and have even written their own back stories. Beatrice keeps a diary and wont stop commenting in it. Why is she making me write it? Would anyone care about her insecurities or should she just get on with winning over the boy and getting that perfect kiss?

Starting Book Three in The Flirting Series

So I'm now starting to write Book 3 and I'm getting lost in all the 'side' stories.  Do my readers just want a focus on the main characters or do they enjoy all the other story lines running along side?

In Book 1 I only had two other romances going as well as Ellie and Nate (The main characters).  Sophie and Jack are developed characters that run accross all three books and Flora and Gabriel are very secondary characters that also run across all three books. In Book 2, Rose and Leo are the main characters and just like Ellie and Nate their story is only for their own book and doesnt really run on.

Do the readers want more of the main characters from 1 and 2 in Book 3? Or new characters?

How many other side stories can I put in without drawing away from the main characters?

As Book 3 is supposed to be the last in the series (unless I get a call for more from fans) I'm finding that each time I introduce a character I want to give them a story of their own.

For example, Alex.  Alex is the brother of Ellie (Book 1) and the cousin of Rose (Book 2). He doesnt have a big part in either book but he is there. Shall I give him a back story? Shall I give him a happy ending all of his own?

If I keep going like this with all the other background characters then Book 3 is shaping up to be much longer than the first two!

Part of me wonders if the shift from character to character perspective is jarring for the reader. But then I figure that most people watch soaps and other tv shows which usually have several characters with seperate stories all running along side each other.  The major british soaps have upwards of 30 or more characters all with story lines of their own and the scenes jump between them with no problem.

Hmm, I suppose that unless I get some feedback to sugget otherwise then I'm going to have to keep letting each character take on a story of their own and just hope that Book 3 gets finished on schedule!