The Last Train Home

Jae J. Jenson

Casual hook-ups are not Katherine’s usual modus operandi. She’s level headed, confident and definitely not into throwing caution, and her knickers, to the wind.

However, when the last train becomes the stranded in a pitch black tunnel train, she finds herself alone in the dark with a gorgeous stranger, who makes her an offer she ought to, but can’t refuse…

Author Bio:

Jae J Jensen is the name under which I have stepped into the world of M/F Erotic Romance. Some of you may know my alter-ego, Lisa Worrall, under which I write M/M Erotic Romance.

I live in a small seaside town just outside London and am ordered around by my two children and a dog who thinks she’s the boss of me. I’ve been writing seriously for two years now and am loving giving voice to the characters clamouring inside my head–although sometimes they ignore me completely and do exactly what they want!

You can find Jae J. at her blog and you can purchase The Last Train Home at Amazon US and Amazon UK

Writing flash fiction is where I began, and so I shall continue. I haven’t written a flash fiction piece in… wow. Way too long. This particular flash ruminated in my brain for a while now, and I decided to take the plunge and see where my fingers took me. This is set in RIGHTEOUS, Cordelia Kelly #2.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The peaceful night called to me, singing a sweet melody as I walked down the steps to the row of mailboxes. After I unlocked my box and opened the door, I stared at the contents inside. A mix of sorrow, happiness, excitement and fear laced my blood.

The package was addressed to me, but I wasn’t expecting anything. I hesitated for a moment, a few dangerous scenarios playing out in my mind, but in the end, I decided the likelihood of my enemy trying to kill me via postal mail seemed so anti-climatic. After I tore open the brown paper, nothing but a small, nondescript container spilled out into my hand.

I opened the honey colored bottle and almost fell to my knees. The scent I love so much and dreamed of bottling so I could smell him anytime I wanted, affected my heart, my mind, and tears streamed down my face before I even knew I was crying. The sensory and memory overload created a vortex of thoughts and emotions. My body trembled, my fingers shook, and my vision blurred. I almost dropped the bottle to the ground, spilling the beads from the bracelet I’d had made for him all over the grass. The force from all I tried to lock up threatened to break free. In that bittersweet second, elation sprung from my soul once more before plunging back to reality, and the truth.

I leaned my face over the bottle one more time and inhaled deeply, settling his scent in my pores, my aura, a sudden potent dream of being wrapped in his embrace calmed my wayward heart, and I closed my eyes, as well as the container, sealing his scent inside. The hope I could smell him again another time when I was weak, and missed him made me smile, but the smile was short lived as the roar of an engine sped down my street, straight for me.

The super bright LED headlights blinded me, as fear grabbed me by the ankles and rooted me.

If you haven’t already purchased your copy of Duality, Cordelia Kelly #1, you can find her at Amazon, Smashwords, B&N, Kobo, Sony and in paperback…

I’m stuck.

There, I said it. Send the pitchforks, blast me with fire, blow my house over with a million breaths. I’m stymied. Table for Two, my hot lunch #3, is sitting in my folder, and every time I open it up – I stare at the scene, the words written, the direction I am going, and then… nothing. Nothing comes. No divine inspiration. No prose. My fingers hover over the keyboard and my mind reels, but not with anything useful.

Ryan and Samantha wait patiently for me to get my shit together, but the truth is – I don’t have my shit together. When I write, it’s usually from some emotional place, only right now, I feel like a black hole. A vacuum. Every thing has been sucked out of me, and I am bereft.

I’m lonely without my characters whispering to me, urging me, demanding I write. I know what other prolific authors say to do – just sit down and write. Anything. You can always fix it later, but just force yourself.

I can’t. For some reason, I’m blank.

Sigh. The lights on, but there is no one coming to the door. No pounding, knocking, yelling, smiling, whispering. Just… darkness.

Good Morning fair readers, Eliza Prince coming to you live from my… bedroom. *Winks* I’ve wrangled the hellions up and they are playing games, so I have a few moments of peace to write you this important blog post.

First, let’s start with a video called “It’s not about the nail,” for some laughs, though the the couple in the short do touch on a sensitive topic.

It’s Not About the Nail from Jason Headley on Vimeo.

There are many ways of listening to your partner. Sometimes I want to smack Jett upside the head and say, “Dude. Shut the fuck up and hear the words that are coming out of my mouth! Don’t interject, don’t give me your advice, and for the love of… don’t tell me how I feel!”

How many of you out there have experienced this level of “OMG, Just listen, already!” I know I have. I know Jett has as well. Ha – I bet you thought this was going to turn into a bash men post, well, guess what? Us ladies have to be good listeners as well. That means not getting so defensive about everything, and when we do want to rail at the fact he left his dirty clothes in a heap on the floor, as well as a trail of mud from his boots across three floors… Take a breath. Remember – His needing to talk about something, isn’t about you. Let me say that again – “It’s not about you.” (Well, unless it is about you, but that’s a whole ‘nother topic, yo.)

Why do we get defensive? Out of fear. We feel threatened by sensitive topics, afraid we will be asked to change, stop doing something our partner detests, or do something uncomfortable. (Kinky sex aside here, gutter tweeps. Experimenting might be another post, but it doesn’t totally relate to where I’m headed right now)

Defensive listening creates distance, people. You can have a closer connection with your partner by listening with an empathic ear. Focus intently on your partner. Keep eye contact. Don’t interrupt, even if you really, really want to.

I’m going to post a list from therapist Marcia Naomi Berger, on “How to Actively Listen to your partner.”

First, make sure that the conversation about a potentially sensitive topic occurs when both of you are calm and when distractions are unlikely. Then follow these six steps:

1. Stop what you are doing. Take the necessary time to really listen to your partner.

2. Look at your partner. Eye contact expresses that you are ready to listen. Body language and facial expression also indicate an interest in listening. Focus on your partner. Try to push everything else from your mind.

3. Listen to your partner. Listen without interrupting, arguing, or giving advice. If you are having a strong emotional reaction to the words, notice it. Breathe in and out slowly a few times to center yourself. You will have a chance to express yourself later, but for now, just listen.

4. Rephrase or repeat what your partner says. This step encourages us to be good listeners. It also helps us understand the other person’s meaning and feelings. Rephrasing also helps the partner recognize and clarify his or her feelings. Start with, “I hear you saying ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­__________________.”

5. Always check with your partner whether your interpretation of what was communicated is accurate. Ask, “Am I understanding what you are saying correctly?” The speaker should clarify his or her meaning if the partner’s interpretation seems inaccurate, after which step 4 should be repeated.

6. Be empathic. Seek to understand your spouse’s emotions in the situation she or he is describing. Try to put yourself in your spouse’s position. Save your advice for another time.

Then, reverse roles if you need to clarify your opinion, or viewpoint, or share your thoughts and feelings, do the same six steps for your partner.

Don’t presume to know what your partner is thinking, feeling, or going through. Just Listen, and try to understand. At the end of the day, that’s all your partner wants. For you to understand them. You don’t always have to agree, in fact, differences breed personal growth in my opinion, so embrace your differences, but listen with an open heart, an empathic ear, and zipped lips.

Sincerely,

Eliza from Finding Time.

I unknowingly unleashed a heated debate on my facebook page this morning about Parenting. This was what I posted…

Parenting Fail: #546

DS (5yr old) “Mom! I know what rhymes with Suck.”

Me: O.o

DS: “Fuck!”

Me: O.o :face palm: stone face — feeling guilty.

Which sparked a huge discussion on swearing and cursing. Now, I love a good debate, but judging me? Yea – that doesn’t fly. I know who I am, what I’m about, and what kind of person and parent I am. I don’t need validation, or judgement from anyone. I live my life – you live yours. Debate is healthy, and can be fun. When it becomes personal with emotions flaring and flying, well, time to step back and take a breath.

I’m ready for round two though, just saying. Debating with a Virgo is at your own risk.

Monday arrived after a turbulent weekend – My dh’s birthday, Mother’s Day, four children who seemed hell bent on making the decibel level rise to noxious levels, just to torture me for their amusement. Yet here I sit, pondering life and choices. There are moments when I believe in fate, karma, past lives, reincarnation, soul mates, bonds etc. Then there are moments where I question my sanity, the world, life, and meaning. Days where I try to stay positive, upbeat, happy, when all I want is to cry for reasons unknown to me.

Do you believe in Totems? Lately, this past month, I’ve seen this Peregrine Falcon. (This is a photo from the internet, but the same coloring as the one local to me)

This is one article I read on Falcon totems: and holds true for what I am going through. (Just thought it was interesting, and I’d share)

The Angelic Shaman Totem of the Falcon almost always refers to the Falcon’s meaning of a past life connection and protection. Expect to meet someone from a past life that you have a strong connection with. You may have been sister, brother, mother, father, friend or foe in past lives; whichever the past connection it is time for your souls to work things out.

Falcon medicine also brings and suggests swift movement, mental agility & higher vision over all of the BIG PICTURE. Way back in history the Falcon originates as an emblem of the SUN, thus falcon medicine promises success, victory and rising up above a situation as so does the rising sun. The falcon also represents Archangel Michael as a sun symbol.

The Falcon is king of all birds & can also suggest a huntsman, or the Germanic sky-gods Wodan & Frigg ~ also symbolizes the trickster Loki.

The Falcon can be considered a warlike symbol.
Falcon medicine promises ‘animal totem visionary ability’, wisdom and guardianship of your visions.

Falcon medicine also indicates an awakening of visions that may lead you to your life purpose or an expansion of your life purpose as in developing unseen gifts you may have learned in past lives.

The Falcon almost always carries a message of transition and change through soul growth and healing – perhaps in your craft, work, hobby, residence, sensitivities, new level of talent, new gifts of spirit being brought that will change you.
Falcons hover in slow motion over their hunting grounds & are also very patient to sit for hours watching out for prey. Once the prey has been spotted the falcon will move swiftly towards its prey.

Falcon medicine asks us to use our mind in seeing our best move BEFORE we act at an opportune moment. It asks us to focus on precision in our decisions with strategy towards building our dreams. Sun symbols like the falcon often represent dreams that we are very passionate about in our heart. Dreams that make us happiest that maybe we have not manifested before. Spirit sends falcon to ask you to take part in your own dream by researching and planning strategy as pursuing a hunt.

The Falcon shows deepest of majestic mystery… the grace to fly alone with the dignity of knowing that not all men & women know all facts on Earth so they may not understand the solitary flight amidst the highest spheres. The falcon whispers of old secrets of our soul…

http://angelicshamanministry.com/2012/01/28/falcon-angelic-shaman-totem/

I question everything. I constantly wonder. There have been choices made in my life, by me, and by others, that I can’t explain or control. That I can’t define or make sense of.  So, I sit here staring out my window into my front yard, happy the trees are finally turning green after a long and cold winter, yet I am filled with a an inner flux. A discord. I feel disconnected and disjointed. I’m not sad. I’m not happy.

I wonder what prose I will write today.

Perhaps a new story about a Falcon.

Good Morning,

I created my first podcast yesterday and uploaded the lovely piece. I listened to it and laughed my ass off. I’d never used Garage Band before on my Mac, so I didn’t realize there were different mic settings. The beginning of my podcast showcases me in all my high pitched, chipmonkey glory. I thought about re-doing it, but the recording was over thirteen minutes and I just didn’t want to do it again. Plus, it is rather funny.

“Because I love cupcakes!”  Makes me laugh hysterically every time I hear myself say it.

Without further ado, here, go take a listen and learn a little about me, and my stories.

Well, it certainly has been a long time since my last confession, hasn’t it? What can I say? I’ve been writing, in emotional overload, chaos has swirled around my life and my kids, well, the hellspawn are in top form. I’m still not sleeping, eating junk food, watching sports and I can’t wait for Dexter to start back up in June. Right now I’m invested in Game of Thrones, The Voice, Nurse Jackie and the NBA playoffs, though the Celtics are now out O.o.

I can’t believe May is already upon us. Seems like just yesterday it was February, and I was at the Casino with my best friend.

So, what to confess this time around.

I’m hypersensitive. Too much noise, too much light, too much chaos and I start to shake, and my head hurts then my body shuts down and I retreat. I can’t be outside without sunglasses. Whether it’s sunny, hazy, or snowing, I have to wear shades. I have wicked light green eyes, and my heritage hails from Scandinavia. (Finnish and Swedish)  I have freckles and natural blonde hair with red highlights. I’m fair skinned and pale.

Part of my hypersensitivity stems from a gift, and part of the overload comes from when my emotions get the better of me.  Sometimes large crowds affect me, other times they don’t. I never know when the HS will set in and take over. I’m not a captive to it, I don’t allow it to run my life, but occasionally I hermit myself away.

Anyway. There is my confession for the week. I hope you all have a fantastic weekend.

Today is my middle daughters birthday – She is Seven. Happy Birthday Sweetie <3

Duality Excerpt: Copyright – Author ER Pierce 2012

His hands were tender as they removed my soaked clothes. I don’t particularly like my body, and I should have blanched at the notion of him seeing me nude, but for some reason I didn’t. Maybe I was just plain tired. However, I kept my eyes closed just in case he didn’t like what he saw.

“He had a driver. Dixon did. He saw me. Named Jackson.” I babbled.

Sol swore under his breath, and I think I heard him mutter, “Fuck, is there anything else I have to fix?”

“I’m sorry.”

He sighed. “Sleep now, baby, and don’t worry.” Sol said as he lowered me onto my wool mattress and covered me with layers of blankets. His soft lips lingered on my forehead, and his fingers brushed my wet locks away from my face. “I’ll be back soon, and we’ll figure out what to do.” His footsteps retreated. Then everything went dark and quiet…

Thanks for reading, and have a fabulous day!

You can buy Duality on Amazon, and Smashwords.

Short description

Duality is a paranormal romance/urban fantasy hybrid featuring elemental empaths and a realistic world full of believable characters. Love, betrayal, honor, light and dark, good vs evil.

Extended description

Cordelia Kelly is running from her past and her destiny. She is a dual-natured empath – meaning she is receptive to the emotional aura, positive and negative, of those around her. Cordelia struggles to create harmony between the light and dark sides of her existence. She’s also an elemental, but her inherent powers are slowly manifesting with age and time. The scales of good versus evil are tilting in the wrong the direction.

Will she succumb or evolve to fulfill her destiny?

Sol Winterborn is not your typical hero, if anything he’s an anti-hero. Moral indecision riddle his path to redemption, but the undeniable truth he holds onto is his search for his lighthouse – his soul mate. When fate throws Cordelia in his path, he’s unprepared but can’t stay away. Her siren call sings a song he can’t ignore. He sees in her a kindred spirit, and possibly the one he’s searched long nights to find. Will Cordelia be the key to unlock his heart?

When his own dark past catches up with him, will he risk his life for love?

]]> http://erpierce.com/duality-excerpt/feed/ 0 http://erpierce.com/fan-made-duality-quote-pictures/ http://erpierce.com/fan-made-duality-quote-pictures/#comments Tue, 30 Apr 2013 13:11:49 +0000 ERP http://erpierce.com/?p=2906 Special thanks to Lorraine Masterson for making these awesome photos.

Thank you so much, these are awesome!

So, with the release of Duality today, I found myself up at 2:45a this morning, lightly dreaming about Waffles. I know, sounds silly right? There I was, in the cupcake wars kitchen (The show from TLC) Well, it was sort of like the cupcake wars kitchen. Anyway – I kept coming up with good waffle recipes. I decided to make Lavender and Chamomile infused waffles. Doesn’t that sound delicious?

My first batch, one of the judges, Candace – Choked, because they were so dry. Florian didn’t like the texture, and the celebrity judge just stared at them and shook his head.

The next batch I made, I used store bought whipped frosting to make them sweeter. (I know – that was a bad move) They hated them.

I made yet another batch – this time making a heated cinnamon butter to drizzle on the waffles, along with a honey sauce. They liked these but said the plate was too sweet.

I kept going. And going. And going. Just like the movie groundhog day. Over and over I made waffles. I kept going until the waffles were freaking perfect. Only they never were.

I made a homemade mint whipped cream. A fruit sauce, homemade maple syrup – I even dusted them with powdered sugar and dark chocolate shavings.

By the end I’d made so many waffles my hands hurt and the judges always found fault with something. Nothing was perfect. I wanted them to be, but I always failed.

Wow.

So, to analyze that dream – the answer seems pretty obvious to me – at least with where my head was at. Of course – now I want to try and make these waffles for real

I know I can fix it after it’s uploaded, but then it will take a while because of how Amazon does things.

Sigh. Woe is me.

Still, if you’re interested in the story, check it out – Duality on Amazon

By pledging you can earn cool prizes like an exclusive paperback print, swag, advanced reader copies of Duality and even dinner with me! You might be able to name a character in book two, “Righteous” or have a line in the story.

If I don’t succeed in my funding, that’s okay. Duality will still be published, but the funding will cast a broader audience net.

So, take a moment to peruse my prize packs, and if you can donate the price of a cup of coffee – awesome. If you can’t donate but are willing to help spread the word – Thank You. Word of mouth is precious to authors and artists.

Be a part of making Cordelia Kelly and Duality a smashing success!

12 days to pledge! Hurry!

I trust you’re all having a lovely, fantastic day so far. With all the covers I’ve designed for Duality, something always felt off. I saw this image featuring the same model and new it was the one. The image captures most of the uniqueness about Cordelia Kelly and her story.

I hope you love Cordelia as much as me. Without further ado, here is the new cover.

Blurb:

Cordelia Kelly is running from her tortured past. She’s run from her destiny all her life, and now she’s forced to stop running by events beyond her control. Cordelia is a dual-natured empath – meaning she is receptive to the emotional aura, positive and negative, of those around her. Dark and forbidden emotions call to Delia, the remorseless dark entity who shares her body. Cordelia struggles to create harmony between the light and dark sides of her existence. She’s also an elemental, but her inherent powers are slowly manifesting with age and time. Now the scales of good versus evil are tilting in the wrong the direction. Will she succumb or evolve to fulfill her destiny?

Sol Winterborn is not your typical hero, if anything he’s an anti-hero. Moral indecision riddle his path to redemption, but the undeniable truth he holds dear, is his search for his lighthouse – his soul mate. When fate throws Cordelia in his path, he’s unprepared but can’t stay away. Her siren call sings a song he can’t ignore. The internal battle she wages to blend her conflicting dual natures is reminiscent of his own struggles. He sees in her a kindred spirit, the one he’s searched long nights to find and she just might be the key to unlock his heart. When his own dark past catches up with him, will he risk his life for love?

“We can be redeemed only to the extent to which we see ourselves.” ~ Martin Buber

You can add Duality to your Goodreads to be read list

The publishing date is tentatively scheduled for April 16th (in ebook) with paperbacks to follow in May.

Starting around midnight, or whenever Amazon decides to change the price, Eating Out will be free for this weekend, March 16th, and 17th. The reason is because I’m partaking in the GET LUCKY facebook event run by Shayne McClendon and Karli Rush where hundreds of Indie Authors are offering you their books for free as a gift.

Eating Out is free on Amazon starting around midnight tonight through midnight on Sunday. Enjoy, and tell all your friends!

Well, I did it. I just typed THE END to Duality (Cordelia Kelly #1). What started out as an interesting story I projected as a short novella around 15-20K, turned into a 40K badass story. I’m so excited. Obviously, I’m not near done, as the real editing work, transitions and gutting the story now begins, but the meat is cooked and I am so pleased with how the story turned out.

I’m going to send her off to my beta readers for feedback, then on to my editor for the first round. Phew. So much work left to do. I know I’m behind schedule, well – my own self imposed schedule, but the extra time I think will pay off for you.

I also decided on a new cover. Do you like it? I’ve been thinking about having Duality turned into a paperback. It’s long enough and I am going to do it. First I have to design the jacket. *sighs* Work is never done!

Good Afternoon my friends,

I’m sorry it’s taken me longer to finish Table for Two – Ryan and Samantha volume three. Life has gotten in the way and I’m behind schedule. I apologize, but I know you will enjoy where Ryan and Samantha have taken me in their latest installment. There is so much depth to these two characters, more than just good sex and an office romance. They surprise me on every page.

I’ll be done soon, I’m about 3/4 complete. You’ll meet some new characters in Table for Two, Jackson, Philip and Katie.  Also, Table for Two will be substantially longer than Eating Out and Hot or Cold.

Thank you for your continued patience

“I want – ” I snapped my mouth shut, looked away and stared out the window into the pre-dawn morning. The world outside remained in the grey void, the peaceful moment before the sunrise cast the demons out of the world and sunshine ruled the earth once more.

“What do you want?”

Unsure how to answer without giving myself away, without giving him a way to hurt me, I continued to stare out the paned glass as tiny rays of color peeked through the rain splatter and peppered my floor with prisms of unfiltered happiness.

He reached over and grabbed my chin, pulling my face back towards his and I helplessly locked eyes with him, his aura tugging me deeper, holding me closer, forging a bond so close to love I barely saw straight. “Tell me, Cordelia.”

He rested on his arms above me, and his strength called to me on a primal level. A complex layer I didn’t fully understand because I’d never experienced this deep and profound ache in my life. In the honest moments of my mind, I feared he would break me when he left. I feared giving him the power to hurt me but I had no choice. The words wanted to escape and move into his heart.

A small piece of me still believed in hope. However minute or unattainable it seemed, I wanted to hope. “I want you to love me. I need someone who needs me. But most of all, I know you understand me, and I crave that bond so much that when I’m with you, it’s all I feel. It consumes me. Fires me. Eats at my fine tuned control until there is nothing left of me but the feel of you in my bones.”

To shave my legs, or not shave my legs…that is the question. I leave on Sunday with my mom and two girls bound for Disney. (Well, Orlando and Animal Kingdom, sun, and a beautiful resort) I’ll also hopefully get to meet up with my beta reader (Shellie Marshall!) at some point before I come home.

I confess – I hate shaving.

But I don’t wanna shave It’s winter up here in the north, and shaving makes me itchy like a mother fucker. But the societal stigma is pressuring me to shave. Now, I’m a natural blonde, so the hair on my legs is light, but tell me, my readers and friends…

Hairy legs bad, or hairy legs ok?

And… Go!

If I shave – then I’m scratching at my legs like a damn kitten on a post.

Doesn’t hair serve a purpose? Why else would we have it? :Crosses arms: and :glares at razor:

And why are they ‘girlie’ colors. Does pink make taking a sharp object to my sensitive skin more enjoyable? Pleasurable? What? Does it attract me more? Hell no. I look at it like an instrument of itchy death!