Allison Merritt and her Have Novel, Will Edit blog is sponsoring a fun blog hop that features flash fiction or short stories.
Allison will choose one winner from all the contributing blogs. The winner gets book money to spend in the form of a e-gift certificate. Woot!
In addition I'll be choosing one random commenter to win my 6 book series Apocalypse Babes. Below is an imagining of the Seffy and her friends at a Christmas party. Kinda scary, and filled with clues revealed in the series.
So stay for a spell, then hop onto the next blog. The winner will be chosen and contacted on 4/30. Don't forget to leave a comment with your email!
The
Apocalypse Babes Christmas Party Before Things Went To Hell
by
Bella Street
Introducing
characters from the Apocalypse Babes series
“This was a
terrible idea.”
Seffy regarded her
red-headed and cynical friend, Addison. “You may be right.”
Gareth, her
long-time crush, slung an arm over her shoulder and scanned the
assembled group. “Is it me or do all the Christmas lights actually
make everyone look sinister?”
“It's just you,”
Lani said firmly. She tucked a lock of dark hair over her shoulder
and sent them a stern look from her wide blue eyes. “It's Christmas
time—which means you guys have to be nice.”
Addison peered into
her empty glass. “Might be easier of I had more booze.”
Gareth grinned at
her, his dark eyes twinkling. “I'll go get you a refill.”
Seffy tried not to
sigh as their tall, dark, and yummy bestie left for the bar. She
should've drained her glass if she knew he was handing out
those dreamy smiles to just anyone.
“I mean,
seriously, who invited these people?” Addison said, interrupting
her reverie.
“Addy,” Lani
scolded. “They might be able to hear you. And the people at this
party seem...”
“Felonious?”
“I was going to
say interesting.”
That was Lani,
always seeing the best in people and situations. But Seffy doubted
even her upbeat attitude could do much with the motley crowd milling
about. It certainly wasn't a jovial affair. In fact many of the
party-goers nursed their drinks while flashing sullen looks over the
rims of their glasses. A few couples whispered in corners, and the
kitchy music reminded her of a 80s rollerskate disco tune.
“What about him?”
Addison said in a low voice. “He looks like an evil henchman.”
Lani peeked over
her shoulder at bald man with cool green eyes and a dark goatee. “I
think he's kind of cute.”
“Lani!” Seffy
and Addison hissed in union.
“Well, he is!”
Seffy shook her
head. “What do you suppose those two girls are plotting?”
“I know, right?”
Addison said with a snicker. “We got a Miley and Mary-Kate who look
like they're planning to destroy someone's childhood.”
“At least that
guy is kind of cute,” Seffy said, motioning discreetly to a tall
man with dark hair and Jim Caviezel eyes.
“Yeah. Too bad
that little chick he's with has her claws in him—literally.”
A petite woman held
onto the man's arm with a grip as possessive as her bitchy
expression.
“You two are
terrible,” Lani said, looking at the other guests. “Now there's
someone who looks...fascinating.”
Addison's eyebrows
rose. “The guy in the Coke bottle glasses and plaid pants? Okay,
Lani, you've lost total credibility with me.”
“Who's lost
credibility?” Gareth said as he returned, handing Addison a
refilled Cosmo.
“The xippie to
your left,” Addison snarked.
Lani rolled her
eyes. “I'm just opposed to close-mindedness—especially at a
party! This is the time to mingle, meet new people, find new
opportunities.”
“I might be in
agreement with you there,” Gareth said, an odd note in his voice.
Seffy looked over
to see a tall, blonde woman striding into the room, her restless gaze
roaming the crowd—and coming to a stop on Gareth. A slow smile
lifted the woman's glossy lips.
What little was
left of Seffy's Christmas spirit shriveled up and died. Now she knew
how Skipper felt whenever Barbie was around.
Next to her,
Addison snorted.
My
thoughts exactly.
“Looks like the
boy has been marked,” Addison said in an undertone.
Seffy took a drink
of her Pink Lady cocktail to hide her discomfiture. Now, if her hand
would just stop shaking.
“Maybe all is not
lost,” Addison said near her ear. “Looks like you might have been
marked, too.” She made a discreet motion with her head.
Seffy allowed her
gaze to nonchalantly drift across the room. Then she saw him. A bit
taller than average, lean, with the makings of a hottie if he did
something with that shaggy, dirty blond hair and rude smirk.
The smirk deepened
when he caught her glance. He lifted his shot glass. “Scotch
whiskey, single malt.”
Seffy raised a
bemused brow. Good for you,
dude.
But when he pushed
away from the wall and made his way over, she stiffened.
Automatically her eyes sought out Gareth's soothing presence, but his
attention was elsewhere, damn him.
Suddenly Seffy
wanted to go home. She didn't like this party. She was perfectly
happy with her small group of friends. And for some reason, the man
who was now heading her way threatened to upset the careful balance
of her do-over life.
Lani beamed and
introduced herself as he came abreast of their group. Addison mumbled
her name without making eye contact. Gareth was too busy with the
blonde to notice.
As Seffy marshaled
her nerve to at least be civil to the newcomer, Lani whispered in her
ear. “Geez, just say hello. It's not the end of the world.”
But as Seffy raised
her gaze and met the gray eyes of the man in front of her, she was
pretty sure it damn well was.
