Thursday's Thirteen - Where's my mind?

It's official! I've lost my mind. Here are the places I think it might be.

1. jumping on the jello in the fridg
2. fishing at the pond
3. reading a good smut book in the hammock and not being disturbed by small children
4. alone in the bathroom
5. having a nice cocktail on a beach in Barbados
6. running naked through the woods hopefull not being chased by a bear... something bare might be okay tho as long as he's yummy
7. hiding under the mess on my desk
8. eating pizza in Chicago
9. in the National Art Gallery in London
10. in a cozy cabin in norther Michigan with this guy

11. somewhere in Hershey, PA surrounded by chocolate
12. under the coffee dispenser at one of my favorite coffee shops
13. under a super soft pillow, sound asleep

I'm participating in the annual neighborhood garage sales...my boys are being very helpful...can ya tell?

Free Samples - Better Than Chocolate

Everybody enjoys a free sample! How many times can you resist the lady at the market holding out a yummy fresh baked pastry for you to sample? What about those little sampler boxes of chocolate? Yeah... admit it... we all like that little tease!

Well I'm offering a little tease, a sampler of my own and it's lower in calories than a pastry and better than chocolate.

It's a free sample of the Soul Series. You send me an email maryquast@yahoo.com with "Tasty Sample" in the subject and I'll send you a PDF of the book covers and first chapter from the first three books of the Soul Series.

The Soul Series
Contemporary romance with a twist... lots of twist.


Painted Soul is Book One of the Soul Series. ISBN-13: 978-0-9814739-3-2

A contemporary romance that takes the reader on a wonderful ride in an artist’s life, through the streets of London, and into the shadows of the underground.

Elizabeth McAlister was only eighteen when she met the art student, Puzzola in a London nightclub and gave him her heart. Ten years later, they meet again when a summer of intense passion and dark secrets begins.

As Elizabeth falls deeper in love with Puzzola, she tries to rescue him from tortured memories he refuses to discuss. Eventually, his double life and erotic past are exposed in a local newspaper just as he is involved in a life-threatening accident. Will their love survive?


Tormented Soul - Book Two of the Soul Series. ISBN 978-1-935407-22-5

Erick McAlister is known as London’s Most Dangerous Bachelor; he enjoys scotch, women, and spending time in the London underground club, The Skunk’s Den.

He’s never had a real relationship; women only want him for one thing- he desires more. When the one he vowed he would never toy with, Lynn Westmore, gives him an unexpected proposition, his life takes an enjoyable turn. Just as he is beginning to find happiness, tabloids headline him, a woman from his past announces she’s expecting his child, someone is
trying to kill him, and he finds himself questioning his relationship with the young courier he’s hired to teach him to ride his new motorcycle. Even though his life is in torment, he begins to believe in love, something he never thought he’d feel.

Unfortunately, Lynn doesn’t think Erick could ever be faithful to one woman, let alone be in love with her, so when she finds herself in love with him she runs. Erick falls into a spiral of depression, and it takes his brother and closest friends to bring him to his senses. When he finds out a magazine has rated him as the World’s Most Dangerous Bachelor, he agrees to do the interview only if Lynn is the photographer and he uses the opportunity to let Lynn know how he feels; he offers his heart to her one more time...


Lonely Soul - Book Three of the Soul Series. ISBN 978-1-935407-94-2

The eldest of the McAlister siblings is responsible and always putting his brother and sister before himself. Now that Erick and Elizabeth were enjoying their married lives, the time had come for Michael Casey McAlister to find his soulmate. A man with a deep sense of family and honor, yet at times could be manipulative and very controlling, always doing what he thought was best for others.

Featured on The Most Dangerous Bachelors list with his brother, but for his love for daring
outdoor activities; he searched for a woman who wasn’t a high society princess. With his good looks, wealth and sexual prowess, he has attracted many ladies but when the one he thinks is Miss Right doesn’t like his dog he shows her the door.

Lonely and discouraged, he dedicates himself into a New York City community garden project
with his friends and busies himself with his comic strip he has created under the name of Mike Casey. Mike meets Lauren “Wren” Avery with the help of their dogs in the park while he’s working on a cartoon. He sees her as a chance to improve himself and not follow his father’s path of unhappiness. He certainly didn’t expect to fall in love with the graphic artist. Wren falls in love with him as the cartoonist not knowing he is the co-owner of McAlister Enterprises, the same company she works for.

He knows he’s wrong not telling her the truth, but his world falls apart when she's transferred to the London office and she finds out who he really is. He realizes that in while building the company and interfering in other interfering in other people’s lives he may have lost control of his own life and what truly matters.

The Soul Series by Mary Quast

Sizzlin' Summer Sellabration!

June 1 through Labor Day, 2009

All summer long, things are sizzling at Vanilla Heart Publishing, with specials and surprises, new releases, twofers, and more!

June Special
Buy your favorite VHP fiction titles in print version from Amazon, and for every copy purchased, select a FREE ebook (with full cover covers, front and back) from our entire Ebook Catalog!

Simply send verification of print copy purchase (your Amazon order number – last three digits only, date of purchase, your name and email) to Sizzlers@vanillaheartbooksandauthors.com and include the name of the free ebook you have selected. Within just a few short hours, you can be reading your free ebook, while waiting for your print copy to arrive!

Check out the contemporary romance Soul Series books for some hot summer reading!

Thursday's Thirteen - Truths About Love

Thirteen Truths about Love
In a Kids Point of View

“I think you fall in love why you get shot with an arrow or something, but the rest of it isn’t supposed to be so painfull.”

“One person who has freckles finds somebody else who has freckles and they fall in love.”

“Falling in love is like an avalanche where you have to run for your life.”

“If falling in love is anything like learning how to spell, I don’t want to do it. It takes too long.”

“No one is sure why people fall in love. But I heard it has something to do with how you smell. That’s why perfume and deodorant are so popular.”

“Beauty is skin deep. But how rich you are can last a long time.”

“Lovers hold hands. They want to make sure their rings don’t fall of because they paid good money for them.”

“When people hold hands they are just practicing for when they might have to walk down the aisle someday and do the matchimony thing.”

“I’m in favor of love as long as it doesn’t happen when SpongeBob Squarepants is on TV.”

“Love is foolish…but I still might try it sometime.”

“To make a person fall in love with you, tell them that you own a whole bunch of candy stores.”

“Love with find you, even if you are trying to hide from it. I’ve been trying to hide from it since I was five, but the girls keep finding me.”

“Love is the most important thing in the world, but baseball is pretty good, too.”

Character Sketch - Puzzola/Andrew Somerby

A dark brooding man with a strong passion and desires hidden behind his Caribbean blue eyes. Tall, thin with long fingers along with his black hair makes him a presence to behold. He moves like a black panther in the black clothes he always wears. Seductive, sexual, yet very much in control of himself, yet prone to emotional and artistic outbursts.

His self portrait titled "Painted Soul" pretty much sums him up.


Andrew Somerby grew up on the estate next to Hampton House and is a close friend of the McAlister brothers. His parents were ashamed of the white stripe of hair on his head so he was forced to die it most of his life. Andrew didn’t want to be apart of the family banking business; instead, he always wanted to be an artist. After his grandparents’ death, he moved to Italy to attend art school and earned the nickname, Puzzola. Because of his father’s disapproval, Andrew’s funds were frozen so he had to look into other ways of making money. Unfortunately, he was preyed upon by a seductive manipulator.

When Andrew met Elizabeth McAlister at the nightclub, The Place, she didn’t recognize him so he introduced himself as “Puzzola”. Instant attraction passed between them, but they weren’t given the opportunity to experience their relationship farther. While Puzzola was in dark despair in Italy, memories of Elizabeth kept him sane.

As a man, he returned to England as a popular artist but with deep dark, hidden secrets. Emotionally scarred, he withdrew from society, love, and lived two separate lives… one as a banker, the other as the mysterious underground artist. How long would it be before he’d be pulled apart by his life? Would Elizabeth ever be able to turn him back into a man with a soul?

Purchase Painted Soul the debut novel of the Soul Series.

Thursday Thirteen - Where's my Desk?

Yep... I've been super busy writing these days. Everyone is amazed I can get any work done since my desk is actually not seen because of all the piles covering it. Hey! It's an organized mess! Really!

When I sat down to write today's thirteen, I went blank and just stared at my desk. Here's what I see:
1. the outline for Fortunate Soul
2. yummy pictures of Travis Fimmel who looks alot like my hero
3. a printed copy of what I've writen so far
4. my datebook
5. my son's report card
6. 4 copies of Penthouse Forum (sorry, I count those as one) for research
7. notebook with all my site addresses, passwords, and such stuff I always need but never can remember
8. chocolate candy wrapper (I'm sure there is some more around here)
9. empty tea cup (hey, I put the wine glass in the kitchen)
10 a stack of fliers for next weeks neighborhood garage sales
11.a notebook with scribbles of ideas for said book
12. matchbox car
13. a Spongebob Squarepants football

Can I go back to work now?

Let's see... where did I put that mouse?
Maybe it's under this picture of Travis...hmmmm...

The Proposition

Erick stood and looked out the window. The evening was closing in.
People leaving work, going home or stopping at favorite pubs filled the streets. He
hoped Penny was all right. This was the longest he had left her alone. The least
she could do was chew up his running shoes; he needed a new pair anyway.

The night before he had taken her on a long walk along Regent Street,
looking for a particular address. Once found, Erick noticed the crummy
conditions his courier lived in. The building, as broken down as it was, housed a
couple of small shops and several tiny apartments. An advertisement for an open
apartment was taped on the door. It was a two-bedroom space for four to six
people. Erick thought of his large flat and how many times it felt small to him and
Michael.

He felt more determined than ever to make an offer to Duncan Phillips.
When he arrived at fifteen past ten in the morning Sally gave him a sealed
envelope with his name on it. Inside was a note to stop by Erick’s office after he
finished work and an enticing amount of money. If the kid didn’t show he at least
had some spending cash, but Erick was confident he would come.

A knock on his door turned his attention from the window and his thoughts.
The young man clad in black leather, holding the white envelope stood in the
doorway. His hair pulled back in a ponytail, bangs fell in his green eyes. He stood
with confidence but his face held the look of bewilderment.

“Duncan Phillips?” Erick asked.

He nodded and shook Erick’s hand when it was offered.

“I’m Erick McAlister.”

“I know.” He sat in the chair Erick pointed to. “What do you want with
me?”

“I have proposition for you.”

“Wait a minute!” Duncan jumped up. “I don’t know what you think I am,
but I don’t do that sort of thing!”

“Calm down, sit!” Erick laughed. “You remind me of myself. Unbelievable. If we weren’t so close in age, I would have thought I could be your father.”

Erick stood close to Duncan and looked down into his face. His eyebrows
were dark, his forehead broad, his nose ended with a round tip, just like his own.
Poor kid was confused about being there; best tell him, he thought.

“I bought a bike and I want to hire you to teach me how to ride it. I’ll pay
you well for your time and your silence.”

Duncan slid deeper into the chair, thought for a moment then broke out in
a laugh. Erick was pleased that he didn’t intimidate him. The kid was bold.

“You want me to teach you how to ride a motorbike?” He laughed. “And
you’ll pay me?”

Erick sat on the edge of his desk in front of Duncan.

“Yes. It’s that simple.”

“Why me?”

“I’ve seen you ride. You’re good. I hate driving in London. I watch the couriers and they make it look so easy and fun!” Erick turned to Duncan. “I want to feel that freedom.”


Excerpt from Tormented Soul - book two of the Soul Series

The Soul Series - by Mary Quast

A new music video for my books in the Soul Series. Check it out!

Shadows

Opening a bottle of Scotch, he sat in his window and watched the night fall
upon the city. London wore the cloak of darkness like a beautiful woman wore a
black dress. She called to him and he couldn’t resist her. He might not ever love a
woman, but he loved London. He walked over to his stereo and loaded his favorite
Underground music and began his ritual.

First he showered. Then he carefully picked out the right leathers to wear
for the night. He slid his boots on, then stood in the mirror for one appraising look
of confidence.

His black leather boots were polished. His black leather pants fit like a
second skin, soft and supple. He adjusted the collar on his red velvet oversized
shirt. His hair was tousled; some hairs stuck up, others hung in his eyes. He glared
at himself with hatred for a moment before drinking the last of the Scotch and
putting on his floor length black leather duster.

The dark figure shot out the door and onto the street. People moved out of
his way. Night was full of life in London. Some people lived for the night, some
were lost, some searching. Some with a destination in mind. Erick walked toward
the entrance of The Place.

He was greeted by the familiar elf named Tucker Tripp. Before entering
the passage to The Skunk’s Den he felt as if someone was watching him and turned.He only noticed a small group of kids waiting in line to get into the dance club. One of the young men stood with confidence, leaning against the building. His
black jeans fit tight over strong legs. He pulled his black leather jacket against the night chill. Blonde hair fell onto his shoulders and into his green eyes.
Erick went over to Tucker and pointed them out.

“The blonde kid with the black leather. Get him and his friends inside.” He
palmed some money into Tucker’s hand. “Give them their first drinks on me.”

“Yes, sir. So good of you.” Tucker corralled the kids inside.

The green-eyed boy watched Erick and nodded his head in his direction
before entering The Place.

Pleased, Erick continued to The Skunk’s Den, not noticing a dark shadow
watching him.

“Your playboy days are numbered my little friend,” the deep Italian voice
said. “It is time for you to pay for your game.”

Excerpt from Tormented Soul - book Two of the Soul Series.

Have a Great Weekend

I'm deep in my sea of writing. Everywhere I go, everywhere I look, I seem to be picking up vibes and inspiration. My heart is full of emotion, my mind is full of story lines, and even my dreams are haunted by my characters. In all honesty... this is the fun part. It is the time when the hurricane of words and images slows down enough for me to tell the story.

So many times I wished my dad was alive to see my work. I know that he would be very proud of his "baby". My father was my hero and served his country during WWII as a marine in the South Pacific. I will think of him and honor his memory this holiday. A portrait of my dad graces my office; when I write his shitty grin is always smiling at me. (Yes... it's the same shitty grin a couple of my characters have.)

I hope everyone has a wonderful and safe weekend.


Write on!