7 Lucys Excerpt

Here's a short excerpt from my new short story

"7 Lucys"

FREE on Amazon!

     Mondays were the worst.  I hated Mondays.  The job had always been boring, so mind-numbingly boring.  That is, until she showed up.  

     I was drawn to her for some reason.  Rolled over the maid’s foot tryin’ to get to the window.  I couldn’t take my eyes off her.  I wondered where she’d come from and what misfortune had brought her to motel hell.  She definitely didn’t fit in with all the low-lifes who frequented this place or the lost families who wandered in.  She was bright and clean and beautiful.   

     There she was unpacking her shiny car.  Corey must’ve checked her in when he was covering the front desk while I was fixing a toilet in one of the rooms.  I searched the sign-in book for her name….  

     Lucy.  She just signed it Lucy.  She wrote it in a funny way:  all in fancy cursive caps.

     That happens a lot around here.  People reluctant to give their real names, I mean.  Signing only their first name or using a fake name.  Corey’s policy is to look the other way.  “Beggars can’t be choosey!” as he would say.  In my mind, it isn’t always clear who the beggars are, us or them?  We get desperate for customers sometimes.  There are times when the motel is deserted, and we’re not sure if we can even keep the lights on.

     I wondered if Lucy was her real name.  Her yellow skirt fluttered around her shapely brown legs as she walked in and out of Room 27.  She was like a fresh summer breeze.  I didn’t usually go for brown chicks.  I say brown ‘cause from a distance, I couldn’t really tell what race she was.  She could have been Hispanic or African-American, wasn’t for sure then, and I’m still not for sure.  I’m not racist or anything.  I just can’t tell you if she was black or Hispanic or both.  It didn’t matter to me.  Pretty is pretty… and she was pretty.  I guess the truth of the matter is that I’ve always been too chicken shit to ask a girl out if she wasn’t white.  They seemed out of my league somehow.  That sounds stupid now that I’m putting it out there.  But, I suppose we all have stupid voices in our heads that talk us out of going for what we want, and this wheelchair doesn’t make it any easier for me....

CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING... 

7 Lucys

CLICK HERE to download now!

Boone is a 35-year-old disabled Iraq vet.  He’s had some tough breaks, and he’s just going through the motions until the sweet release of death.  In this short story, he recalls the day that changed his whole outlook on life.  It was the day Lucy walked in to the motel he runs with his ex-military buddy.  He can’t figure out if she’s crazy with multiple personalities or if she’s a spy.  But, Boone’s encounter with Lucy sparks something inside him, and he will never be the same.  This is the calm before the storm.  Get a glimpse of Lucy before she wreaks havoc in the novel “Ripples”.

FREE Kindle Edition!

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LGYBVMU

Maya Angelou's Last Tweet

Listen to yourself and in that quietude you might hear the voice of God.
— Maya Angelou (@DrMayaAngelou) May 23, 2014

You Know It's a Good Book When...

You know you’ve read a good book when you turn the last page and feel a little as if you have lost a friend. –Paul Sweeney ... pic.twitter.com/AAexI1sZpQ

— Y.L. Cantrell (@YLCantrell) May 21, 2014

The Love Makers - Excerpt 2

Who doesn't need more love in their life? 

Take a peek inside  
"The Love Makers - Extended  Edition"!

You'll find more lovin', more Vivionne & Boris, 

and more behind the scenes of their extreme love tactics! 
Order your copy directly from this blog and save a few bucks! 
[Find the PayPal button in the right column above the book trailer video. 
Only $13

Here's the new paperback! Buy now! --->

     ...Then, shocked by the sight of Luther, who stepped in from the hallway, Vivionne blurted, “Oh my God!”  She entered the kitchen and flipped a switch on the wall, turning on bright ceiling lamps. 

     She could not believe that Luther was in her house, standing in her kitchen.  The nerve of him to dare to invade my life after all this time!  For seven years, she had struggled to bury the traumatic memories and endured the nightmares of what that low life piece of scum had done to her.  As she approached them, her head became swarmed with memories which made her feel like that weak 22-year-old girl who let that perverted degenerate intimidate and manipulate her to keep silent.  She never told a soul.  She could not have predicted that mistake would come back to haunt her.  But there he was, standing there looking smug and undressing her with his eyes.  She felt her stomach turn. 
     Boris and Luther ogled Vivionne as she marched toward them wearing a blood red silky dress which revealed the absence of underwear.  Her strappy four-inch metallic heels made music as they clicked across the tiled floor under her feet.  Their mouths dropped in awe of her raw sexy everything:  her shapely legs, her curvy hips that swayed in hypnotizing rhythm, her nipples that pointed her perfect perky breasts at attention, her full succulent lips, and her black wavy hair whipping across her shoulders and long neck.   
     She looked through Boris and glared at Luther.  If looks could kill, Vivionne’s laser stare would bring new meaning to the phrase:  drop dead gorgeous.
     Boris was too focused on her bouncing un-haltered bosom to notice her glare boring a hole into Luther’s skull.   
     Andrei hung back and leaned on the dining room door frame, watching the unfolding drama in amusement.  Being the free-spirited drifter that he was with no commitments or obligations, he had no horse in this race.  He was just along for the ride.  He had never seen Vivionne so worked up, so he was eager to see how it would all play out.
     Luther was unaffected by Vivionne’s hostile reception.  “Nope, it’s not God, just your old pal Luther.  Remember me, Vivionne?  Yeah… Boris picked me up from G.P. and he was speeding like a bat outta hell to get me here!  I think it could be repressed anger.  What do you think, Dr. Phyllis?”
     Boris elbowed Luther and shook his head to warn him to back off.
     Vivionne ignored Luther’s creepy banter and moved in between Boris and Luther.  She raised her hand in front of Luther's face in a dismissive manner.  
     But Luther kept on talking, “Get it?  Dr. Phil… Dr. Phil-lis or less,” he snickered.
     She turned her back on Luther.  “What the hell is he doing here?” she asked Boris.  “Please tell me this isn’t the surprise you were talking about!”
     “Nice to see you too, Vivionne,” Luther said with a smirk.
     Vivionne lowered her hand and grabbed Boris by the arm.  “We need to have a talk, Boris Sutton.”
     “Ooh!  Boris Sutton... you're in trouble now,” Luther taunted.
     Vivionne turned back and snapped her fingers to signal Andrei to keep an eye on Luther as she exited the kitchen with Boris in tow.  She yelled, “And clean up, would you Andrei?”
     Luther was left in the kitchen with Andrei.  As Andrei obediently began to clean up, Luther sized him up.  “So who are you supposed to be?” Luther asked.
     In his thick Eastern European accent, Andrei answered, “I am Andrei.  I am whatever Vivionne wants me to be.”
     Luther folded his arms and scoffed.  His only concern was for himself.  He was confident that Vivionne had kept her mouth shut about what happened between them, but not so sure what she would do now.  Would she tell our little secret?  Well, no one would believe her.  It’s her word against mine!  Luther’s plan was to take what he could get from this situation until he could figure something else out.  This was a sweet set up for him:  a free place to stay and a paycheck.  All he had to do was make the occasional appearance at this stupid job because he was sure his old buddy Boris would hook him up with a fat paycheck.

     Andrei sensed that Luther would be trouble and that he was underestimating Vivionne.  He wondered if he should warn Luther that Vivionne was no pushover.  No…  That’s the good stuff that’s coming!  And Andrei was happy to have a ring-side seat for that show.  He did not need to know what this creep had done to make Vivionne despise him.   
     Not another word was said between them....

Read the original eBook here!

"The Love Makers" Extended Edition Release

Are you hungry for more? 

A new paperback EXTENDED Edition of
 "The Love Makers" 

will be available soon! 

That's right!  More Vivionne the diva... 

More antics of Boris and his 
band of brothers from other mothers... and of course 

more steamy love scenes!

Good news! The paperback version is coming soon! Until then, click to download the eBook on Amazon or view the links on the left for more retailers.

A Review of "The Love Makers"

Check out this glowing review of my novel on Yahoo Voices!

The Love Makers - a Hot, Steamy Romance

A Sizzling Romance with an Intriguing Premise

Joanna Ammons, Yahoo Contributor Network
Apr 7, 2014

http://voices.yahoo.com/the-love-makers-hot-steamy-romance-12602899.html?cat=38

Love is a tricky thing. Sometimes, you might fall in love with the wrong person, or with someone who doesn’t even acknowledge you. And, even though you know you should probably give up on the idea of a relationship, you still can’t suppress your feelings. So, what if there was a possibility to make two people fall in love completely without even realizing they were conditioned to do so? Would you become a client if there was a company that could provide such services?

“The Love Makers” is Y.L. Cantrell’s debut novel, and it is based on one of the most interesting and original premises. Vivionne Wayne is a psychologist who came up with the idea of creating a company that would specialize in the field of… romance. Thus, the Love Markers Agency, or LMA, was born. The organization operates on a theory that rarely fails: people tend to fall in love if they are forced to go through a traumatic ordeal together. This theory works because it is based on the psychological condition called the Stockholm Syndrome, which explains how two people can become very close if they have to face a life-threatening situation. The pressure and desire to survive makes them develop strong feelings for each other.

The LMA agents stage dangerous and exciting adventures for their clients, which immediately develop into sizzling hot romantic encounters. Sure, their methods are at least questionable, but no one complains as long as the clients are satisfied. However, things get complicated when Vivionne and her business partner, Boris, find themselves in a situation that is very similar to what they are used to creating for their clients. Despite always trying to be professional and ignoring their feelings for each other, not they have to face their attraction and hope for the best.

Y.L. Cantrell is a truly talented author whose writing easily brings the characters to life. Readers will root for Vivionne and Boris, and they will find themselves turning the pages as fast as possible to see what happens next. “The Love Makers” is one of those addictive books that you read in one sitting and then wish it would have never ended.

Find it on Amazon and iTunes.

Blank Page

Happy Throwback Thursday!  Here's a pic of my soon to be released novel "Apocalypse of Eden" one year ago.  That's right, I wrote two novels last year!

Witness the birth of "Apocalypse of Eden"

This is not how "The Love Makers" novel began, however.  It began as a screenplay that I wrote 10 years ago, and I literally wrote over the script to adapt into a novel.  I actually began writing "The Apocalypse of Eden" last January, then took a break in June for a few months when I had to kill off one of my darlings in the 2nd draft.  (That was a traumatic cut for me.)  I also needed a break because I had begun to experience nightmares from writing about demon monsters taking over Earth.  I finished it in October.  So, technically "The Love Makers" is my first novel to be published, but I didn't finish writing it until December 2013, two months after finishing "Apocalypse of Eden".  Confused yet?  So am I.  It's all a blur to me now.

Anyway, I thought it would be easier and quicker to write "The Love Makers" since it had already been written as a screenplay.  After all, I had all the characters fleshed out as well as an intricately developed plot, shouldn't have taken more than 4-6 weeks, right?  Boy, was I wrong!  It took 6 months!  A screenplay is so different from a novel, it's just action and dialogue with minimal setting descriptions.  I found it difficult to add exposition, characters' inner thoughts, and detailed descriptions of the settings of all the scenes.  It was like filling in the blanks.  

I have 2 other screenplays to adapt into novels later this year.  I am hoping it will be an easier transition.  I'm thinking of using the screenplays as more of an outline rather than a "paint-by-numbers" canvas, filling in as I go along.  Nope!  I will start with a BLANK PAGE next time, using the screenplays like a treasure map.

In the meantime, I am trying to find a really good editor for the "Apocalypse of Eden" novel.  Do you know of one who would do it for less than 100 bucks?  'Cause I am officially over-budget!  Then, I will probably self-publish again.  Or maybe I'll land a good publishing deal?  Not sure what the future holds.  Fun stuff!  Stay tuned....

Meet Luther

Read more about bad boy Luther Zombardi! Download "The Love Makers" now!

The Love Makers Excerpt

Here's a peek inside my new novel!

 

The Love Makers

by Y.L. Cantrell

© 2014

The screech of Claude’s leather gear echoed in harmony with the hoots and howls of the night creatures as he paced up and down a dark roadside, discharging his nervous energy.  He was spooked by the fog that was so thick he could hardly see his hand in front of his face and by the moon’s rays that seemed to glow from within the eerie clouds of fog. 

Claude’s stocky 6’5” physique looked like a gigantic shadow creature haunting the deserted road.  He lifted his motorcycle helmet to glance down at his Harley, which lay on its side on the damp blacktop, staged to look as though he had wrecked.  He hoped the vehicle he was waiting for would emerge from the dense fog and not some monster semi tearing out of the dark instead, smashing both him and his bike to smithereens.  Maybe wearing all black wasn’t such a good idea.

Luther was hiding in the trees that lined the road, ready to play his part in this dramatic charade.  But Claude had never worked with him before, and he wasn’t sure he could trust Luther.  Before Claude could spend too much thought about his irritation with his cousin Boris, who should have been there with him tonight instead of Luther, a pair of headlights pierced through the fog up ahead.  He bent down to turn on the bike’s flashing lights in order to flag down the approaching vehicle.

Claude began to wave his arms wildly, hoping the driver would see him in time.  He held his breath as the SUV began to slow, screeching to a halt just a few inches from his combat boots.  He saw a young couple inside, appearing pale-faced and alarmed.  

The couple quarreled about stopping, but the driver prevailed and rolled down his window.  “Hey, is everything OK?” he asked in a forced deep masculine voice, obviously trying to sound more alpha even though he was intimidated by Claude’s massive stature.

“Hey!  Hi!  Thanks for stopping.  I took a nasty spill there.” Claude’s powerful voice reverberated through his helmet as he walked backward toward the motorcycle, motioning for the young man to follow.  “C'mon... C'mon... I need help getting my bike into your SUV.  You'll give me a ride, won’t you?”

         Again, a whispered debate began inside the SUV.  Then moments later, the young man cautiously opened the door, giving Luther his cue to rush out from behind the trees.  

        But instead, Luther jumped out brandishing a gun with a little too much enthusiasm.  Luther adjusted his ski mask and gloves as he rushed up to the driver’s side and grabbed the door.  He pointed the gun at the young man’s head and shouted, “Don’t move or I’ll blow your fucking head off!” 

        The young man froze as Luther reached over him to turn off the engine and grab the keys.

        The young woman screamed as she tried to open her door.  Luther motioned to Claude and shouted, “Get her!”

       Claude rushed over to the passenger side and yanked the girl out of the SUV and pulled her down onto the ground.  Then he put a burlap sack over her head as she screamed and struggled to free herself from his grasp.

      Her companion shouted, “No! Let her go!” and went for the gun, but Luther quickly overpowered him and dragged him out of the SUV.  With the butt of the gun, he began to beat the young man mercilessly.

     Alarmed by Luther’s brutal attack, which was not part of the game, Claude quickly muzzled his victim by wrapping duct tape around her neck to secure the sack on her head and tied her hands and feet with rope with such rapid skill that one would think he had done this sort of thing many times before.  He then carried her to the rear of the SUV and shoved her inside.  When he closed her in, he rushed over to see the young man face down on the ground moaning as Luther kicked him in the legs.

      No longer the gentle giant, as he’d been nicknamed by his family at the age of sixteen when he seemed to sprout overnight from a puny boy to a 6’3” tall young man, Claude angrily charged at Luther. “What the fuck are you doin’?”  He towered over Luther, who stood seven inches shorter, and grabbed him by the collar.  In a rage, Claude pushed him hard against the SUV, causing Luther to bounce onto the ground. “Back off!” Claude barked.

     “Hey you’re gonna put a dent in Boris’ precious Cadillac Escalade!” Luther began to laugh maniacally as if getting off on the thrill of provoking Claude’s rage.  

     Claude picked him up and again body slammed him into the side of the SUV, this time knocking the wind out of Luther.  As Luther dangled like a rag doll in Claude’s grasp, Claude squeezed Luther’s collar and leaned in close to his face.  Luther began to choke as he struggled to catch his breath.  Through the ski mask, Claude could see a wild look in Luther’s eyes that sent chills down his spine. 

     “Don't make me hurt you, man!  Go get the damn rope!” Claude shouted and released Luther, who then limped away to the back of the SUV.  Claude bent down to check on the driver who was spitting blood and writhing on the pavement. “You OK, man?”

         “Yeah, I think I'm OK.  What did you do to her?  Don't hurt her please!” the young man pleaded as he tried to pull himself together.

         “Don't worry, she's OK.  Just be cool,” Claude warned.  

        Luther returned with rope.  He leaned down as if he was about to hogtie his prey, but Claude snatched the rope from him and demanded, “Go get the bike!”

        Minutes later, the SUV sped down the road just a few miles from where the couple had been car-jacked.  

       Claude ranted, “I can't believe you did that!  You must have lost your freakin’ mind, or somethin'!  That's not the way it's supposed to go, you psycho!  Nobody ever gets hurt!  I don't know how the hell you were cleared for this assignment, but... As a matter of fact...”  The tires screeched as the SUV came to a sudden stop in the middle of the road.  “Get out!” he shouted at Luther.

       Luther scoffed, “What?”

      “Oh you think this is a joke, muthafucka?  I'm not playin' witchu, man!  Get the fuck out!”

      Luther opened his door and stumbled out.  They stared each other down, nostrils flared.

      “Wait till Viv hears about this!” Claude exclaimed as he revved the engine.

      “What am I supposed to do, walk?”

      Claude reached over and slammed the door shut in Luther's face. “I don't give a flying flip what you do, Luther!  You just need to get the hell away from me, that's all!”

      Luther pleaded, “You can’t just leave me here, Claude!”  As the SUV began to pull away, he pointed toward the now shattered rear window where only the motorcycle could be seen inside, no sign of the couple. “Claude!  At least leave me the motorcycle!  Claude, c’mon dude!” Luther cried out as the SUV disappeared into the fog. 


***********************************************************

"The Love Makers" debuts next week!  

What's this thrilling romantic tale about?  

     A company uses questionable scare tactics to ignite romance for their lovelorn clients.  Meanwhile, the agents of the Love Makers Agency (LMA) become entangled in their own adventures when a dangerous predator turns the tables on them, forcing Vivionne and Boris, best friends and business partners, to face their true feelings for each other.  Their underground organization is the brain child of Vivionne Wayne, inspired from her stalled career in Psychology.  LMA operates under a theory based on the psychological condition called the Stockholm Syndrome.  This theory explains why people, no matter how seemingly mismatched, fall in-love after going through a traumatic ordeal together.  The Love Makers Agency simulates dangerous and exciting adventures for their lovesick clients, sparking many sizzling hot romantic encounters.  
    Their company motto is:  “Romance + Danger = Explosive Passion!  
We MAKE love happen for our clients!”

Please feel free to comment below.  

I'd love to hear from my new readers! 

"The Love Makers" will be available on Amazon Kindle, iBooks, Nook & more!