Gratitude & Giving Day 27 - Sharita Lira

 Thanks to K-Lee for having me. As always, the year had its highs and lows, but I’m grateful to say there has been more good than bad. Of course there are things I’d wish to be better, but I’m looking forward to a great year to come. With today being my 44^th birthday, here are the wonderful aspects of my life I’m very grateful to have.

Family – I don’t have a huge one beyond my husband and kids, but other members of my family including the in-laws have made things a lot easier. When I lost my father to cancer in September and my hubs lost his grandmother just about a month later, everyone was very supportive. My lovely husband was right by my side when I visited my father in the hospital, he did favors for my mother in her time of need. More than that, he supports me in everything I do. I’ll always be grateful to God for giving me the ultimate partner.

Friends – I don’t have a lot. Um, you know I’m an author right? *laughs* I keep my circle small, mostly because outside of Facebook, I’m a boring person. My best friends forever supported me through thick and thin all this year. BFF one helped me with my father’s memorial preparations and all my other friends, including Facebook buddies sent me words of encouragement.

Readers – For everyone who has taken the time to read my work, I thank you. I couldn’t be happier when I hear from you in emails, Facebook posts, messages, and/or reviews. I don’t think I say how much I appreciate my readers. I’d hope they would continue to read my work going forward because I have a bunch planned for the new year. I got three muses you know. *winks*

There are more things to be thankful for, but those are the most important. I did mention how boring I am, right? *laughs* I do thank you for taking the time to read my post, and again, thanks to K-Lee for letting me take a space on her blog.

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CONTEST – For my birthday today, I’d like to give the winner the complete series for N’awlins Exotica. That’s 4 books, including an advanced reading copy of Living in Sin. Just comment and tell me what you’re grateful for? Make sure to include your email address! Contest will be open until January 1st.

Blurb: 

On the cusp of finding his true self, accepting his partner on the force as the love of his life, Vance Morain is ready to live large and proud.

The Big Easy has always been home to the born and raised Texan, however, his desire for Orrin sends him back to the family ranch in Dallas to confess to his parents.

Considering how small minded his dad is, a confession of undying love for another man won’t be a walk in the park. Throw in his father’s discovery of terminal disease and it brings Vance’s plans to a screeching halt.

Can their newfound love handle the distance, or will it break?

This is the follow-up to No Denying Sin N’awlins Exotica Book 3. The series must be read in order.

Excerpt:

Clearly the killer wasn’t willing to allow Vance Morain and his partner, Orrin Daugherty, the chance to enjoy their after dinner romp with friends Kajika Fortier and Frankie Choteau. In a mad scramble, the three cops exchanged kisses with Kajika and ran to the club where another dancer had been murdered. To quell any sort of undue attention, the three of them drove in two separate cars to the crime scene.

Much to Vance’s chagrin, the fifth murder of a New Orleans dancer didn’t afford him any time to think over what had transpired over the past few days with Orrin either. Surprisingly, his thoughts of how to tell his Bible-thumping Republican parents reigned second, compared to the lusty feelings he’d started to feel for his partner. 

Am I falling for him too fast?

Really, Vance couldn’t figure out if he was coming or going. He needed some time off, and fast. Despite this, he didn’t want to give Orrin too much space to change his mind. Something told him that his desired man would run faster than a herd of cattle running from a barn fire.

Vance drove Orrin to the club, arriving within twenty minutes. He parked the car in the alley and immediately jumped out, pulling his badge from his back pocket and putting it around his neck.

Orrin did the same, nodding at the uniform cops as they walked under the tape, avoiding the small crowd of onlookers and news cameras. Seemingly half the neighborhood was gathered in this little spot to find out what had happened and why these crimes were continuing to occur in their city.

“Hey, ya’ll. What’cha finding so far?” Vance nodded at the rest of them and Frankie as if they hadn’t seen each other earlier.

“Hey, Vance and Orrin. We got another one here, I’m afraid.” Waylon, the crime scene investigator spoke first.

“Uniform cops responded to a call around one that a young woman had been found unresponsive and near death in the back of the door.” Frankie briefed them of the situation and took a picture.

“Who made it?” Orrin asked.

“Don’t know. Dispatch has no idea. One of the dancers says Jesselyn got a call right before she left out. The new guy, Brayden, actually offered to walk her to the door, but she refused.”

“Damn,” Vance muttered under his breath.

“I wonder if the killer made that call,” Orrin added.

Vance eyed the body, noticing the same kind of red rope around the dancer’s neck and similar bruises found on the other victims.

“Shit. What a nasty fuck.” Kenina shook her head and placed the sheet back over the corpse. “This monster, male, female, or whatever, has no shame, none at all. Kill her right here, in the back of the club?”

“Yep, but it appears they’ve gotten more clumsy,” Waylon interrupted, still leaning over the body with a flashlight in hand. “Unlike the other bodies, there looks to be some things left behind. Perhaps some fibers or hairs to give us the lead we’re looking for.”

BIO

Author Sharita Lira: In one word, crazy. Just crazy enough to have 3 4 different muses running around in her head, driving her to sheer exhaustion with new plot bunnies and complex characters.

In addition to being a computer geek and a metalhead, Sharita loves live music, reading, and perusing the net for sexy men to be her muses.  She’s also a founding member and contributor to the heavy metal ezine Fourteeng.net.

For more information, please visit http://www.thelitriad.com as well as her Facebook fanpage, The Literary Triad.

  

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