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Sunday, September 30, 2018

Audiobookworm Presents: The Way We Were by Rik Stone; #AudiobookTour, #RomanticInterludes, #NowAvailable, #OutNow, #Review




Author: Rik Stone
Narrator: Bob Sterry
Length: 6 hours and 13 minutes
Publisher: Silver Publishing
Released: July 31, 2018
Genre: Short Stories & Anthologies
Rating:  3.5 Stars


I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Rik Stone. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.


It seemed more than a little odd that he might meet someone exactly like his ex and on the first night he'd been out since being dumped for bad behavior. If he could get to show her his other side, things might be a little different this time around. But was that likely after what he said in the first two minutes of meeting her?

Jon loved Sally unconditionally, and them keeping him from her was tearing him apart. But they seemed to have complete control over him. How could he possibly turn things around?

Three sisters arrive in a new country. The last thing they expected was to end up on the wrong side of an interrogation table, but does it turn out to be what they'd always hoped for?

Widowed several years earlier, Annie's mom cajoled her into starting again, but the world seemed so different now, and there were those who were out to separate her from her money. She wanted to crawl back to the comfort of her self-imposed life of a hermit but that wouldn't be fair on those worse off than her. The detective she hires to get to the bottom of the problem is really quite a dish, but she had to remember, he was only working for her.

Melanie has a schoolgirl crush on Joe Romano, and when he asks her out, she is more than excited. But he lets her down, and she cries all the way home, swearing never to speak to him again. Six years later, their working lives cross paths. Joe has always carried a torch for Melanie and does everything he can to make up for his boyhood stupidity. Is it too late?







The Way We Were
Jon: A gentle soul, Jon had been bullied from day one at school … but not for long. While placid, he was also strong willed and took it upon himself to step up to the challenge. Waiting for one of the bigger boys to pick on him, he threw himself into attack. The beating he got made him wish he hadn’t bothered, but suddenly the bullying stopped. He’d always thought that day of rebellion had given him a strong character. Maybe, but life wandered on devoid of prospects and he aged without a direction, until he met Sally. It wasn’t as if he hadn’t been out with girls, in that department he was much the same as any other man, but with Sally it had taken but a single date to know she was the one. Only months after that night out they married, and something in him changed. He wanted to become a somebody, show Sally he’d been worth the risk. Normally, thinking of opportunity as being for someone else, he never put himself forward … for anything. But now he had Sally. Putting in a lot of hard work, a chance presented itself and he jumped in with both feet. Time brought further promotions and their financial life moved into the comfort zone. With a little money behind him and having the love of his life by his side, Jon felt blessed. He’d found his Shangri-La.
Sally: From childhood life had been sweet for Sally. Not because everything was easy and ran smoothly, more that she’d  had a contented spirit and readily accepted things as they were. And she had a passive influence on people, at least, those she was close to. They seemed to strive for something better and it was clear from their words, the sway was because of her. Hard to fathom why, maybe they were in search of the place she’d found. It wasn’t that she’d lacked ambition or drive, merely that she was content with every level she attained. A blind date through mutual friends and Jon came into her life. She came close to pulling out; it really wasn’t her thing, but she’d made the arrangement and she wasn’t one to back on her word. Strange, she thought she knew him already, but no way had they ever met. Over the course of the evening, he said so many things that were totally at odds with what she believed, so why hadn’t she walked away? She would have done so with anyone else, but there was something about him that had stopped her. He was different and she could feel that his words were no more than fluff and that he’d ventured down a road of no return in order to impress. After that night there was no looking back and subsequent dates proved his blabbering had been no more than that. She fell in love with Jon and everything else in life paled into insignificance.
Out of the Ashes
Irina: Born in Poland, Irina came to Britain to study English and hoped to get a job where she would earn enough to send home to her family. With a poor command of English and not knowing anyone in the community, she made searches for local Polish groups. An older woman she met there said she could put a word in for her and it was from that she got a job as a waitress in a wine bar in West London. She met a boy called Edi who worked in the kitchens as a dishwasher, an Albanian who was very sure of himself for one so young. In a short time, she moved in with him and things changed. He became dominant and stopped her attending college. He took her wages which left her unable to send money to her mother in Poland. The wine bar closed and she became a financial burden on Edi, so he passed her on to a Polish commune in East London. In a short time, they had her stealing, committing credit card fraud, shoplifting, and evenings she was hired out as a personal hostess. The men easily controlled her by saying they had people in Poland who would bring harm to her mother.



Rik came into the world surrounded by the slum-lands of fifties North East England. He left school at fifteen without academic qualifications and worked in shipyards on a local river, spent time in the merchant navy and then took employment in quarries in South East England.
The time came he yearned for change, so he studied and worked his way through to gaining a BSc. degree in mathematics and computing. But reading being his first love, he yearned to write fiction. An early retirement from the IT sector gave an opportunity to pursue the dream seriously and he hasn’t let go the figurative quill pen since.
Rik and his wife live in the county of Essex in the UK.

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Narrator Bio



Bob Sterry is a voice over actor, audiobook narrator, writer, singer, occasional stage actor and humorist. Originally trained in England as a research analytical chemist, he immigrated into the United States in 1973 working as a wine waiter in New Jersey, a steel yard fork lift truck driver in Connecticut, before spending a professional career in the marketing of scientific instruments and services in New Jersey, Hong Kong and around the world.

It was not until he started writing short articles, essays and poetry in the nineties that his creative talents found an outlet, reading poetry at open mics. and began to sing seriously in choirs and extemporaneous groups. In 1999 he and his wife Anne-Louise Sterry, a well-known speaker, singer and storyteller, founded a short lived but much loved faux cowboy wannabe band, ‘Anne-Louise and the Cascade Urban Cowboys’. Discovering his on stage talent he took the step to starting his own show of songs and spoken word. His singing is cabaret satire with Broadway and the English Musical Hall grinning in the wings with an occasional nod to the classical style. Recent shows were ‘The Bob Sterry Atomic Summer Show’ and ‘The Book of Bob’, and ‘A Sterry Sterry Night’ with Anne-Louise Sterry. Adding voice over acting was an obvious step, and thanks to voice coach Lesley Bailey and recording genius Marc Rose at FuseAudio Design Bob offers his voice to anyone who needs it. Bob continues to write poetry and essays reflecting very much his cabaret style, with excursions into more serious commentary on life, humor and outright comedy. Hi collection of essays, short stories and poetry ‘The Bob Sterry School of Burglary’ will be published in September. By the way he is passionate about cycling, cooking, language and literature.
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This is actually a series of stories which I didn't realize especially after I heard the words "The End" shortly after I started to listen to the book - just a warning so you don't end up with the puzzled face like I did. On a positive note, I did enjoy listening to Mr. Sterry's voice. He helped me imagine some of the scenes as they were going by. On a not so positive note; I heard every swallow and every breath which after a while become very off-putting. I will say, in his defense, I'm not very tech savvy so I don't know if there is anything I could have done to my iPod to get rid of all the unnecessary background noise. At times it got so bad that I stopped listening to the story which I didn't realize until I had that "what did I miss" moment.

I was surprised to find out that our author is a male. Mr. Stone created some very nice vignettes. The ones I could listen to left me wanting more. It made me think of times gone by when romance meant something slightly different. To do this book justice, I think that I need to get an actual copy of the book so my mind can do justice to the work that he has created. And again it could just be my lack of experience with technology that hindered my enjoyment of this audio version. I see he has other books available and will have to check them out - I'm not willing to give up, yet.







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InkSlinger PR Presents: Whiskey Sour by Nazarea Andrews; #BlogTour, #NowAvailable, #OutNow, #Excerpt

 


Today we are celebrating the release of WHISKEY SOUR by Nazarea Andrews. Whiskey Sour is an adult contemporary romance, standalone novel, and it is the fourth book in the River Street Bar series. Purchase your copy now.

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WHISKEY SOUR 
by Nazarea Andrews
A Standalone Contemporary Romance
(River Street Bar series, #4)

Blurb:


Calvin Landers is a mess.
He has a great job and a steady string of men and women in his bed, and has been in love with the same couple for so long he can't remember a time when he wasn't. Coming off fresh heartbreak, he's ready to move on, to give up on romance and sex altogether and moves in with his best friend, Davis, while he looks for something more permanent and tries to figure out what the hell he's doing with his life.
Ava Liu isn't looking for anything more than something to distract her from the book she's supposed to be translating. Something to distract her from why the hell she's in River City in the first place. But the boys who share a fence are more than a little distracting and pushy, when they realize just how much Ava needs someone--and how much they all need each other.
Sometimes life happens just when you stop looking.



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EXCERPT:


There’s a man there, in faded jeans and a green henley and a big grin—although, that grin kind of stutters, dips into confused and speculative as he stares at me.
“Uh. This is—I’m looking for 9800 Blackmore Lane?”
I point to the side, where the old Miller house is sitting in all its innocent glory. “I’m 8900. Go bang on the right door.”
He gives me an apologetic smile and wags a coffee at me.
It’s a coffee from Cool Beans Cafe, something I only get when I can talk Kip into grabbing it before she drops in. And that’s rare enough—she has opinions about how much coffee I drink.
“Peace offering?” he says, with a hopeful little smile that shouldn’t be as charming as it is.
I huff and snatch it from him, inhaling the scent. I give a tiny noise, soft and satisfied. Then I blink, because a stranger is still standing on my porch staring at me, bemused.
“Sorry for snapping,” I mumble.
He laughs. “Sorry for being the unobservant dick who woke you up so early.” I smile at that, pleased, and he extends a hand. “Davis Emmerson. I’m moving into 9800.”
“And you don’t know what it looks like?” I say skeptically.
He laughs and blushes, rubbing the back of his neck in the most adorable display of self-conscious embarrassment I’ve ever seen. “Yeah, no. My best friend is moving in first—he came yesterday. He picked the place. I’m just here for the excellent wifi.”
Oh. Interesting.
“Well, I’m sorry, ma’am. I’ll let you get back to your morning.”
“Ava,” I offer shyly and he glances back at me. “My name. It’s Ava.”
A smile slips over his face and he nods. “You should come by tomorrow. I’m making cookies.”
Surprise flickers in his gaze, but he grins as he backs down the stairs. “I will. See you soon, Miss Ava.”
I breathe through the flush on my skin and shut the door as he hits the sidewalk. Then I sit in my favorite chair and slowly savor my coffee, letting my mind drift aimlessly while I do.
It’s only when the coffee is gone and I’ve dressed and done my makeup for the day—it’s only then that I panic.
I have no fucking clue how to make cookies.




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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Nazarea Andrews (N to almost everyone) is an avid reader and tends to write the stories she wants to read. Which means she writes everything from zombies and dystopia to contemporary love stories.

When not writing, she can most often be found driving her kids to practice and burning dinner while she reads, or binge watching TV shows on Netflix. N loves chocolate, wine, and coffee almost as much as she loves books, but not quite as much as she loves her kids.

N is a self-professed geek and enjoys spending her spare time lost in her favorite fandoms and can often be found babbling about them on social media.

She lives in south Georgia with her husband, daughters, spoiled cat and overgrown dog. She is the author of World Without End series, Neverland Found, Edge of the Falls, and The University of Branton Series. Stop by her twitter (@NazareaAndrews) and tell her what fantastic book she should read next.


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Saturday, September 29, 2018

InkSlinger PR Presents Strong by Kylie Scott; #ExcerptTour, #NowAvailable, #OutNow, #Excerpt

 





From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Kylie Scott comes a new story in her Stage Dive series…

When the girl of your dreams is kind of a nightmare.

As head of security to Stage Dive, one of the biggest rock bands in the world, Sam Knowles has plenty of experience dealing with trouble. But spoilt brat Martha Nicholson just might be the worst thing he’s ever encountered. The beautiful troublemaker claims to have reformed, but Sam knows better than to think with what’s in his pants. Unfortunately, it’s not so easy to make his heart fall into line.

Martha’s had her sights on the seriously built bodyguard for years. Quiet and conservative, he’s not even remotely her type. So why the hell can’t she get him out of her mind? There’s more to her than the Louboutin wearing party-girl of previous years, however. Maybe it’s time to let him in on that fact and deal with this thing between them.

**Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you'll enjoy each one as much as we do.**


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“Ooh, busted,” said Lizzy. “The bodyguard caught you looking.”

“Shut it.” I inched my chin up a bit, trying not to frown because frowning gave you lines. “Sam and I have known each other for years and nothing has ever happened. You’re completely wrong about this.”

“Am I?”

“Yes, there’s nothing between us.”

“So that’s why you were staring at him?”

I chose not to answer that. “And you know he prefers to be called executive protection officer instead of bodyguard.”

At this, Lizzy burst out giggling, a malicious glee in her eyes. No wonder I liked my sister-in-law these days.

Ben shot us both an irritated glance. We both ignored it.

Of course, I’d known Sam would probably be here. Rock stars going out in public could be a delicate thing. People had a tendency to get overexcited. And while one person wanting an autograph wasn’t a problem, twenty or thirty of them suddenly swarming definitely could be. Having once been part of the entourage, I’d seen it happen to Ben and his fellow Stage Dive band members enough times to be wary. And you couldn’t get by with ordinary security. Rock stars needed protection from their over-zealous fans, but on the other hand they didn’t want the fans roughed up or hurt in any way. It required a delicate balance: control, experience, and a whole gamut of scary physical skills. Hence Sam.

Still, Portland seemed generally less crazy than the good old days back in LA. All of the guys seemed calmer and more settled away from the constant craziness of the party scene. Not to mention the effect of all of the wives/partners and various offspring. The biggest rock band in the world had officially been domesticated.

It was kind of cute. Or sad. I don’t know.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to stir you,” she lied. “What do you think of your brother’s new musical bromance?”

On the small stage set up in the corner of the room, a young man wailed his heart out while playing an acoustic guitar. Much angst about a girl who only called him after midnight. Trust a rockster to turn a simple booty call into a heartbreaking ballad. The song was damn good though. He had talent. If only I hadn’t had my fill of the type when I was younger. The kid looked to be in his early to mid-twenties. Lanky with lots of tattoos. Your typical rock ’n roll Prince Charming. Gag. These days my type ran more toward…actually, what I needed or wanted in a male was a total mystery.

And my gaze did not stray back to Sam. That did not happen.




Kylie is a New York Times and USA Today best-selling author. She was voted Australian Romance Writer of the year, 2013 & 2014, by the Australian Romance Writer’s Association and her books have been translated into eleven different languages. She is a long time fan of romance, rock music, and B-grade horror films. Based in Queensland, Australia with her two children and husband, she reads, writes and never dithers around on the internet. You can learn more about Kylie from http://www.kylie-scott.com/




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Friday, September 28, 2018

Social Butterfly PR Presents: Wicked Lies by L.A. Cotton; #TeaserBlitz, #ComingSoon, #TBR



✮ ✮ ✮ Wicked Bay Series ✮ ✮ ✮ 


The edgy, angsty, addictive YA/NA crossover series from L. A. Cotton continues...


"I will challenge you to find an author who writes teenage emotions any better than this lady! She's truly a superstar and any of her books are a must read." - Amazon Reviewer 


Grab Wicked Lies Today!





Some secrets are better left buried...
To the outside world, seventeen-year-old Kyle Stone has it all. A future playing the sport he loves, money and status, and his forever girl by his side. But Kyle's good at pretending; hiding what he doesn't want others to see. Because Kyle has secrets, the kind that can change everything.

Pretty, popular, and dating one of Wicked Bay High's rising football stars, Laurie Davison is living the life most girls only dream about. But behind closed doors, she feels like a fake. Keeping up appearances is exhausting, and the one person she should be able to turn to is the person pushing her away.

They say love conquers all, but lies destroy. And when the truth comes out, hearts don't only get hurt.

They get ruined. 

Pre-Order Wicked Needs!


Coming October 24th!

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Ardent Prose Presents: The Ocean Between Us by Michelle Heard; #BlogTour, #NowAvailable, #OutNow


 
#BlogTour  #NewRelease #TheOceanBetweenUs  #MichelleHeard  #RomanticSuspense #AllTheFeels  #HotCop 







Model Credit: Drew Truckle.
Photographer Credit: Eric David Battershell.
www.ericbattershell.com
Cover Artist: Sybil, PopKitty Design.



Dying to experience life, I cross an ocean to get away from my fears. I find my safe haven in the form of Detective Aiden Holden. He shows me what love is, but then our lives collide. Our little world shatters, and I'm caught in the crossfire.

I'm forced to return home, to let go of the only person who has made me feel like I could be more.

How do you return to a cage once you’ve tasted freedom?

My only hope is that Aiden will cross an ocean for me.



When I open the front door, Emma forces a smile to her lips, but I can see it doesn’t reach her eyes.
It feels like I’ve lost her, and my heart clenches painfully.
Emma steps inside, her body tense as she glances around the foyer, and up at the stairs.
I hate that she’s uncomfortable in my home.
Having little to no strength left after the nightmare of a week, it feels like I’m about to break.
“Emma.” I close the door and take a step closer to her. “Tell me what happened. What you’re feelin’ and thinkin’? Let me help you.”
My eyes get stuck on the purple discoloration around her neck.
I know from experience what causes marks like that. Emma was choked. It explains why her voice is practically gone.
Rage makes me bite the words out, “What happened to your neck?”
When she presses her lips firmly together, refusing to talk, I take a step closer to her. Her body instantly goes tense, and she clenches her hands.
Fuck, not that.
“Emma, what did they do to you?” My voice is low with fear.
“Nothing,” she whispers.
I can’t stand the distance between us and I take the few steps separating us. I take hold of Emma’s clenched hands and pin them to my chest. She won’t open them or look at me.
“Please, Em. Let me share the pain. Let me help you through this.” She shakes her head, her breath catching in her throat. I brush my fingers over her cheek and lean closer. “Who hit you?”
She opens her mouth, and at first, only a rasp of air comes out.
It hurts like hell to see her like this.
Then she presses her forehead against my chest and finally whispers, “Colton.”
Fucking bastard. I wish I’d killed him when I had the chance.
I wrap my arms around her, wishing I could give her all of the strength I have left. I’m used to being in control, to being able to handle everything, but all my power has been stripped away from me.
Pressing a kiss to her temple, I softly say, “Tell me what they did so I can make them pay.”
She pushes against my chest, and I take a step back.
Her face is tight with anger. “You think you can actually do something about it?”
I frame her face and make her look at me. “Emma, I can. I’m not your dad. I’ll prosecute them with everything I have.”
“This is not about my fucking dad,” she screams, her voice breaking over the words. “You can’t do anything about it, Aiden. It fucking happened. It’s done. Nothing you do will change that.”
Her arms wrap around her waist, and hunching over, a broken cry tears from her. My heart shatters at the sight of her crumbling right before my eyes.
I move forward, but she sags to the floor, whimpering, “Don’t touch me.”
Feeling helpless as fuck, I watch the woman I love with every single beat of my heart, fall apart.
I sit down beside her, needing to let her know I’m not going anywhere.





Michelle Heard is a Bestselling Romance Author who likes her books hot, dirty, and with a touch of darkness. She loves an alpha hero who is not scared to fight for his woman.

Want to be up to date with what’s happening in Michelle’s world? Sign up to receive the latest news on her alpha hero releases, sales, and great giveaways → http://eepurl.com/cUXM_P




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Lady Amber's PR Presents: Extra Innings by Lynn Stevens; #BlogTour, #NowAvailable, #OutNow, #Review, #99Pennies


Title: Extra Innings
Author: Lynn Stevens
Genre: YA Sports Romance
Cover Designer: Najla Qamber Designs
Publisher: Siren Press
Publication Date: September 18th, 2018
Hosted by: Lady Amber’s PR
Rating:  4 Stars
Told in the first person.

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received this book for review from Lady Ambers Reviews & PR and the author.  I was not compensated nor was I required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are my own.  I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255:  "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising".


Blurb:

Victoria Hudson is a seventeen-year-old with a passion for baseball. When her grandmother buys a new house in the city, Vic discovers a way to play the game for the first time since getting kicked out of little league. She just has to move in with her hippie grandmother and make sure her father, a U.S. Senator and prospective Presidential candidate, doesn’t find out what she’s up to over the summer break.

After proving her abilities on the field, she catches the attention of Daniel Cho, the team’s catcher. Everything seems to be falling apart, and yet falling into place. Vic settles into a life she’s always wanted, that of a normal teenage girl. But Victoria Hudson is anything but normal. Once the press learns that the potential First Daughter is crossing the gender line to play baseball, Vic is thrust back into the spotlight and making headlines. The life she tries so hard to get away from simply won’t leave her alone.


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My Thoughts:

Let me start by saying that I loved the way the author broke down her chapters.  An easy and nice way to get the reader involved in what’s going on or going to happen.  Another way is having it feel like the characters are talking directly to you or at the very least having you feel apart of the scenes.

Victoria “Vic” Hudson seems to always have to prove herself.  Then I reach a point in the first chapter where she says something.  It made me wonder the meaning behind that statement.  And if you want to know, like me, you’ll have to keep on reading to see if she lets us know.  She does have her ups and downs but I did have to wonder if she could be considered a role model for young girls that have the same feelings.  Personally, some of what she was going through I could not relate to since my sport was swimming.

I think this is a story that even though it’s listed as a young adult read could be read even by adults.  Maybe you take your own kids to little league/baseball games but need a little distraction.  Why not take this with you?  But be careful because you could end up getting lost into what’s going on.  Maybe you have a daughter that’s similar to Victoria?  It just might be a good read for her or a way for you two to connect.  She also may have some of the same anxieties – especially when trying to have a relationship with a boy. 

Even though baseball is a theme I’m not to sure that boys/young men will want to read.  They would probably find it too mushy - although I would be happy to be proved wrong.  It’s a book that may even have you thinking of your teen years.  Our author did have me thinking of all the times that I used to spend with my grandfather listening to the ball games on the radio – yes I’m that old.  One thing that didn’t set right with me was the hint of underage drinking.  So as a parent that is something you will have to take into consideration as to whether you should read the book first before giving it to your child.  But it does add realism to the story because we know it goes on.


Lynn Stevens flunked out of college writing her first novel. Yes, she still has it and no, you can't read it. Surprisingly, she graduated with honors at her third school. A former farm girl turned city slicker turned suburbanite, Lynn lives in the Midwest where she drinks coffee and sips tea when she's out of coffee. She’s the author of Full Count and Game On..


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Top of the 1st

Acid waved in my stomach, reaching for the peak of my throat.
Stop it. You can do this. Just go at it like you own the place. Stride up to the coach like Mom does when she’s on the donation hunt.
The fields sat at the southern end of Jackson Memorial Park: one for softball, one for baseball. I had parked on the baseball side by a beat-up orange truck. The boys were already there, tossing balls and joking loud enough that I heard them through the closed windows of my car. Thankfully, the softball field was empty. Taking a deep breath, I climbed out of the car, pulling my equipment from the backseat.
Maybe it was my BMW, or maybe it was me, but the only sound I heard as I stalked toward the field were birds chirping to one another. No doubt the guys recognized a girl when they saw one. Mother Nature blessed me a bit too much in the boob department for anybody to mistake me as a boy.
I strode onto the soft dirt of the field and straight toward the older man with the clipboard. Coach Bernie Strauss stared back at me. He was easily six-eight with tree trunk legs and arms that UFC fighters would die for. He looked more like a Marine Corps drill instructor than a summer league baseball coach. I totally wanted to test him by shouting “Semper Fi.”           
 I stopped in front of him, waiting for what I knew was coming.
“Softball practice ended about twenty minutes ago.” He sounded like he ate gravel for breakfast.
“I’m not here to play softball, Coach.” I straightened my back and channeled my mother’s unbending confidence. “I’m here to help you win the city championship this year.”
No one laughed like I expected. So I exhaled, relaxed. Big mistake.
“Get off my field. I ain’t got time for this,” he shouted loud enough that birds scattered from a nearby tree. Coach Strauss turned his back to me and continued to bark at the team. “If you don’t get back to practice, you’ll be running laps in three … two …” His slight Texan accent made the “you’s” sound like “ya’s”.
The boys started throwing and stretching again, but they didn’t stop watching us.
“Coach –” I began.
“I ain’t your coach.”
I lost my cool, just like my father. “This is bullcrap. Look at your registration sheet.” He didn’t, so I snatched the clipboard from him and pointed. “See the name Vic Hudson? Well, that’s me. I paid to play. And I fully intend to. It isn’t against the rules.”
Coach ripped the clipboard from my fingers and flipped to another page. I waited. He read. I tapped my foot. That’s not nearly as dramatic on a dirt infield. The boys stopped warming up again.
He looked me up and down. “Fine. I’ll give you a shot, Hudson. You suck and you’re gone.”
“I can deal with that.”
“Get out there.” He pointed at a tall, super skinny boy. “Delvin, warm her up.”
I tossed my bag into the dugout and jogged onto the field. It didn’t take me long to figure out why Coach Strauss told Delvin to warm up with me. He kicked his leg like a pitcher and tossed a pretty nasty fastball. If I had to guess, he could hit ninety from the mound on a good day. It would’ve been stupid if I said anything, even though every ball he threw at me stung my fingers like tiny pricks of a hundred safety pins. I didn’t even try to throw my hardest. I warmed up like it was any other day.
Then he began stepping back. One step here, then another.
Idiot.
I threw hard and high to make my point. Delvin had to reach to get it. He may throw harder, but I can throw farther.
“Alrigh’, get in here,” Coach yelled. He raised his eyes at Delvin, who shrugged. “I know most of you from last year. We only got two potential newbies. One’s a girl. Anyone got a problem with that?”
If they did, they sure as hell weren’t going to tell Coach Strauss.
“Good. I expect you to treat her like you’d treat anybody else.” He looked at me and softened his tone. “What position do you play, honey?”
“Third.” I glared at him. He smirked then turned back to the team. Before he could open his mouth, I said, “And I’m not your honey.”
His head snapped back like he’d taken a right hook to the cheek. “Excuse me?”
I pointed at Delvin. “Do you call him ‘honey’?”
Delvin’s cheeks glowed light pink with either rage or embarrassment. I didn’t know which and really didn’t care.
Coach didn’t answer me though. His chin grew beet red, which crept up his cheeks all the way to his pale yellow crew cut. Steam came out of every clogged pore on his face as he yelled, “Everybody at third. Jayden, get your ass to first.” He sneered at me and I expected to get kicked off the field. “We’re going to field some grounders and see who handles them best. I’ll hit you three then rotate. Hudson, ladies first.”
Crap. Me and my big mouth. He’s going to either hit me a line drive at a hundred miles an hour or make me go so far out of range that I make an ass of myself.
I jogged to third and dug my cleats into the stubborn dirt. The rest of the guys lined up along the fence, amused grins matching Strauss’s own jack-o-lantern expression. Coach tossed the ball into the air.
Crack.
I jumped spread eagle and dropped my glove between my legs, catching the line drive. I came down ready to throw to first, but Jayden wasn’t on the bag. He stood three steps off with his mouth open. Smiling, I rolled the ball back to home plate.
Coach didn’t give me time to get back into position when he hit a grounder to my left. In a game, the shortstop would’ve played it, but this was a different type of game. I dove and knocked it down. My throw to first was in the dirt, but I was on my butt when I whipped it across the infield. That shouldn’t be held against me. It was an almost impossible play.
The last ball went up the line. I hustled and would’ve had it clean until it hit the bag. It took a nasty bounce that was nearly out of reach. I jumped and brought it down barehanded, throwing to first off balance as I fell into foul territory.
I stood up without looking to see if Jayden caught it and walked to the fence to wait for my next turn. The guys gawked at me as I leaned against the fence, ignoring them. I’d made my point. I could field. My next time up, Coach hit some routine grounders.
After rotating through every infield position, it was time for batting practice.
 “You’re up,” Coach announced as he pointed his chunky finger my way. “Delvin, pitch to her.”
While Delvin threw some warm up tosses, I pulled my large batting gloves on, stretching them over my long fingers. The shin guard came loose as I walked to the plate, but I didn’t dare adjust it. Not yet anyway. I’m a switch hitter in softball but more natural from the right side. So that’s where I started when I stepped into the box. I wasn’t entirely certain I could hit a fastball from the left anyway.
Delvin dug at the rubber. I did the same at the plate. Kicked some rocks out from under my right foot. Buried my left foot in the front of the box. Right arm cocked at a ninety degree angle, my bat perched above my shoulder, I waited. A trickle of sweat ran down my cheek. This felt more like a playoff game than a practice.
My swing was graceful as I rocked the fastball over Jayden. He stretched, revealing his dark walnut skin. His long braids smacked his back as he dropped to the ground. Jayden could jump for a big guy.
“Nice,” Coach said.
The Asian boy behind the plate whistled low and said, “Sweet.”
Delvin tossed a few more pitches before Coach snapped at me to get to third. I didn’t hesitate, grabbing my glove and hustling onto the field.  
“Get in the dugout,” Coach commanded after everyone had hit.
I stood at the end of the bench, waiting for the axe to drop. I’d played well enough to warrant sticking around, but I was still lacking the mandatory testosterone. If Coach told me to go, I would. It was his team and I wasn’t about to make things worse by throwing an epic hissy.
“We got a tough schedule this year. Last year, the Rebels kicked our ass to take the district. Well, half those boys can’t play no more. Hell, we’re missing three of our own. It’s time we take our game to the next level. The Rebels need to rebuild more than we do. We can take ‘em. Now get outta here. I’ll see you tomorrow.” He glanced my way. “All of you.”
I grabbed my gear and practically bounced out of the dugout when Coach called me and Shane Anders back.
Shane was short, plump, and had a face pot-marked by zits and craters. Something told me that his dad made him play to get him out of the basement. Coach Strauss towered over him. Shane tremored a little.
“Alright. Vic, what’s your real name?”
“Vic.”
He sighed, sending a poof of peppermint my way that didn’t conceal his bad breath. It smelled like he didn’t bother to brush his teeth in the morning. Ever. “Don’t bullshit me, girl.”
“I’m not, Coach. Vic’s short for Victoria.”
He stared at me and shook his head. “Fine. Here’s the drill. We practice every day at the same time, at the same place until the first game. Ain’t hard to remember. No excuses for tardiness or missin’ a game. Miss a practice, you don’t play the next game. Bring your own equipment. Forget your glove or your cleats, you don’t play.
“Games start next week. Your jersey will be clean. If it ain’t, you ain’t playin’. We play on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays for six weeks. Team that wins their district plays in the city championship tourney. I don’t know nothin’ about either one of you, but there are a couple of boys here that could move on to college ball. Scouts look at summer programs, too, especially if they’re already interested in a player. Neither one of you is goin’ to play baseball at the next level. I just ask that you don’t screw it up for everyone else.
“Now get out of here. Today’s practice was a short one. Tomorrow’s not gonna be this easy.”
Shane took off in a hurry. It was obvious he was scared of Coach. We watched him run to a small pickup truck and scamper in.
“Can I ask you something, Vic?” Coach crossed his arms and glared at me.
“Yeah, sure.”
“Why’re you here?” He nodded toward the empty softball field. “You could be playin’ ball over there. Tell me the truth.”
I knew the question was coming, but I didn’t expect any sincerity behind it. “Softball isn’t baseball, Coach. It may seem similar, but it isn’t the same. I wanted to play ball one more time. That’s all.”
He nodded, then turned away from me and started gathering his bats.
“Am I really on the team?” I asked. I needed absolute confirmation.
“Yeah, got no choice.” He straightened up and smiled at me. “Looked at the regs. Doesn’t say this team is for boys sixteen to seventeen. Just says players. But you already knew that, didn’t you?”
I smiled. Of course I did. “See you tomorrow, Coach Strauss.”
He grunted and I took off to my car, trying not to skip like a ten-year-old.
I’m in. I’m going to play ball again.


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