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Some
cool themed merchandise at CafePress.
The
Story Behind The Story: Diggin' Up Bones
Try
your hand at puzzles made with the cover.
Excerpt:
The water washed away her
frustrations and beat at her tight muscles. She leaned back against the cool
tiles and closed her eyes, allowing her hands free reign. Of their own volition,
they cupped her breasts, holding the slight weight in their palms as her fingers
rolled her tight nipples. She lost herself in fantasy. Zach was under the spray
with her, his rough, work calloused hands holding her breasts, teasing her
nipples with his thumbs as his lips pressed soft kisses along her throat.
Gliding a hand down her stomach, she
paused at her belly button, tracing over the sensitive little valley, then
continued. Slipping a finger past her pouting lips and dipping it into her moist
core, she stroked the sensitive skin. She had been wet ever since she'd watched
Zach walk across her lawn earlier, the rising sun hitting his hair just enough
to bring out the deep chestnut with its natural highlights. Long-legged, his
strides had eaten up the earth as he moved with purpose.
He mingled with the crew, often gesturing with his hands to make his
point. A fluid grace filled his movements and her body remembered well being the
recipient of his caresses.
Thrusting her finger deep, she rubbed
her thumb over her clit, desperately trying to take the edge off her
frustrations.
Zach's presence just outside her
house had her emotions in turmoil, and it was only getting worse. She had almost
leaned forward and kissed him at the door, she wanted his touch so badly. Just
watching each of his words form on his lips had aroused her. Topped with his
voice as he spoke, it had taken all her will power to turn away from him. It
didn't help that despite not knowing why she'd pushed him away, he still wanted
her. She saw it in his blue eyes every time he looked at her. It seemed time
hadn't lessened what they felt for each other, as she had hoped. The rate it
was going, a decade could go by and she would still melt into a puddle when he
walked into the room.
Alternating her hand from one breast
to the other, she teased and pinched her nipples while she manipulated her clit
and pussy with the other. Her legs grew weak as her inner muscles tightened,
trying to milk a cock that wasn't there.
Locking her legs tight, she arched
her back against the shower wall as tremors raced through her. Mouth open, she
gasped for air. Her insides were on fire, and in her mind's eye it was
Zach's fingers driving her wild, his fingers slowly thrusting in and out of
her pussy while his mouth plundered hers.
With a soft cry, a shudder wracking
her body, she climaxed. Her essence leaked down her hand to wash away in the
torrents of water racing down her body from the showerhead. Gasping softly, she
dropped to her knees, her legs too weak to hold her. Tipping her head into the
spray, she flipped her hair over her shoulder and let the water wash away her
tears, as they streamed from her eyes.
The emptiness of not having Zack's
arms to hold her as she cried returned, along with the horrible, terrifying
memory of another man holding her down, violating her.
Additional
Excerpt offered by Phaze HERE
_____________________________________________________________
Reviews:
Alisha
for Two Lips Reviews
Water
Nymph for Literary Nymphs
Lototy
for Coffee Time Reviews
Dakota
for Sensual Reads and Reviews
Gardenia
for Whipped Cream Reviews
Title:
Diggin' Up Bones
Author: Michelle Houston
Publisher: Phaze
Genre: Contemporary
Publication date: September 2007
ISBN: 978-1-59426-747-5
Pages: 42
Series:
Reviewer: Alisha
Heat
Level: two (due to oral sex)
Rating:
4 kisses
Alisa has a book deadline coming up,
but the distractions make work next to impossible. There are men digging in her
yard, and one of them is Zach Bradford. Two years ago she and Zach had a
relationship—now they share nothing except an interest in the Cherokee Native
American bones on her property. When the bones were discovered, Alisa prevailed
upon Zach to handle the case. As an archeologist, Zach will be sure that any
remains or artifacts are properly preserved. Now, she is almost regretting her
decision.
Zach cannot understand why they are
not still together—why they broke up in the first place. Too bad his specialty
is digging up answers from the past! Zach had been persistence itself in
his pursuit of Alisa, and now wants only to know why she cut him out of her
life. He's been waiting two years to find out, and when Alisa comes to him
regarding the bones found in her yard, he latches onto the excuse to be close to
her. If she will only open up to him, and give him her heart again…
Michelle Houston pens
a tender, yet sweet, story of how humiliation and shame can undermine the best
of relationships. Alisa's humiliation over a rape several years before intruded
on her then growing relationship with Zach—but she was too ashamed to tell
him. Alisa must bury the bones of her past, and move forward if she wishes to
seduce Zach, the only man she has ever loved!
Book
Title: Diggin' Up Bones
Author: Michelle Houston
Publisher: Phaze
ISBN: 978-1-59426-747-5
Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance
Publisher's URL: http://www.phaze.com/
Nymphs Rating: 4.5 Nymphs
Review
copyright Water Nymph, for Literary Nymphs
Alisa has spent the past two years doing her best to forget the man she fell in
love with, and has had little success. When she finds finger bones and a hatchet
head in her backyard, Alisa contacts Zach; the man she knows will do the right
thing if a dig is necessary. When the items prove to be Native American in
nature, Alisa has to deal with Zach and his crew spending their days digging up
her yard and causing too much distraction for her to work. When she walked away
from Zach it had nothing to do with him and everything to do with deciding to go
through something on her own. Now it's time for them to talk and she'll have
to reveal her secret. She just hopes that Zach will forgive her for not coming
to him before, and for pushing him and his love away.
Zach Bradford is a part-time archaeologist who's more than happy to help when
Alisa comes to him about her backyard discovery. Taking on the project, he's
tortured by the sight of her each day. Still, he hasn't given up after all of
this time apart and if he has anything to say about it he'll see them together
again before his work is done.
Diggin' Up Bones is a short romantic read that's
packed with love and longing. It's clear from the start that what Alisa and
Zach shared was not meant to end. Ms. Houston pens a sizzling romance that's
sweet and emotionally captivating. The tender reunion between characters is
delightfully passion filled and provides Alisa and Zach a second chance at a
love that never faded.
DIGGIN
UP BONES
MICHELLE HOUSTON
ISBN: 978-1-59426-747-5
September 2007
Phaze
www.Phaze.com
E-Book
$3.00
42 Pages
Contemporary Erotic Romance
Rating: 4 Cups
Reviewed
by Lototy
for Coffee Time Reviews
Alisa is fed up with feeling
abused. She pushed away the love of her life because she had
been attacked and too ashamed to admit it. But not anymore, she
wants her life and her love back.
Zach Bradford is an
archeologist by trade and part Native American. He loves Alisa
but she has pushed him away for so long. He is stunned when she
asks him to supervise a dig in her back yard, but not about to
refuse.
Alisa is so scared that she
will never find peace again. After the attack by a close friend
she feels that she cannot trust anyone. Zach is the only man she
has ever loved but she is afraid that she has waited too long.
The feelings are still there. Every time she looks at him she
burns with desire. Zach is so patient and caring, that she
finally decides to take the initiative and pursue him. Zach
knows that Alisa has been hurt and he lets her set the pace. His
love for her means the world to him and he is determined not to
pressure her.
Alisa like many young women
feels shame and guilt after being raped. She blames herself and
refuses to tell anyone of the attack. Zach knows something
terrible had happened to Alisa but he is also aware that she
needed time to deal with it on her own. Ms. Houston has made her
characters and her story very honest and real. She perfectly
describes the fear and guilt of being a victim as well the
desire to love and be loved. This short story is sad, sweet, and
sexy all rolled into one.
Diggin'
Up Bones
Michelle Houston
Erotica
Phaze
ISBN: 978-1-59426-747-5
eBook
Reviewed by Dakota Rebel for Sensual Reads and Reviews
4 Roses
Alisa and Zach were in love, until Alisa’s secret forced her to break it
off. And now, after finding Native American artifacts in her back yard, her
archeologist ex-boyfriend has come back into her life. He is still in love with
her, and she still loves him too, but the violence of her secret keeps her wary
of trusting anyone again.
Digging Up Bones is a sexy read of love and trust. Michelle Houston does a great
job of using serious subject matter and not depressing the love story. This
story was fantastically written with believable characters and strong dialogue.
I would highly recommend this book for all erotica and romance readers.
Diggin'
Up Bones by Michelle Houston
Mundania Press, Phaze
Contemporary
Short Story, M/F
Review by Gardenia for Whipped Cream Reviews
Rated: 4 and 1/2 cherries on
top
In DIGGIN’ UP BONES, novelist, Alisa is trying
to meet a deadline, proof galleys, and not be distracted by the archeological
dig in her back yard. If excavation equipment, intrusive workers, and endless
noise aren’t enough to deal with, she also has to see Zach Bradford every day.
Two years and a dark secret aren’t enough to keep her feelings, and thoughts,
from the knowledge that she is still in love with him.
Although I was never aware of Alisa’s last name, Ms Houston does reveal her
secret in the first few pages. To my surprise, and relief, Alisa isn’t bitter
and angry with everyone in the story. I loved that. When most characters would
have withered into a corner and lashed out, Alisa took full charge. She is a
character that you cheer for the moment she walks onto the page and one you hope
to emulate if the need ever arises.
The subject matter is handled well and offset with humorous scenes. At one
point, Alisa has decided to put her plan in motion. She stands in a pharmacy,
facing an overwhelming selection for a purchase she would rather not buy. I
really empathized with her when the cashier scrutinized her selection. Talk
about humiliating.
Zach is respected, patient, insightful, and secure enough to follow her lead. I
loved it when he asked Alisa if she was that sure of him and she answered,
“No, I was that hopeful.” Sigh. They melted my heart.
Alisa’s character is an inspiration to anyone who has suffered a personal
tragedy. The best revenge is to live your life to the fullest, and she does just
that.
If you only have time for a quick read about a woman who refuses to be a victim
and a man who refuses to walk away, you have to read DIGGIN' UP BONES.
Archaeologists unearth the most interesting secrets.
The
Story Behind The Story
Diggin'
Up Bones
I've had story
ideas come from a variety of sources; conversations, what ifs
while reading, some of my lectures in college, etc.
But Diggin' Up Bones is certainly unique in its evolution.
Last summer (that would be 2006), I moved from Kentucky back
home to Missouri. Well, almost home--I grew up in Kansas.
Anyways, my husband and I moved first, and our daughter stayed
with his parents, since our apartment wouldn't be ready for
another month, and we were staying in a one bedroom (very small)
house in the meantime.
No cable, no real internet connection (long distance fees out
the wazzo when we did dial in), and no real money to speak of.
So we spent a lot of time together, watching movies we had on
DVD and VHS, listening to a lot of music, and playing endless
hours of computer games.
To give you a better idea of the place, we had so much stuff
(since we had an entire moving truck of stuff, for a two bedroom
house) in this tiny one bedroom place, we had wall to wall
boxes. We had boxes stuffed in the kitchen cabinets, and boxes
stacked on the counters in front of them. There was a two foot
wide walkway from the front door to the bedroom door.
My computer was set up on a chair at one end of our love seat,
and his was set up at the other end. Boxes were behind each
computer. We had no table, and no place to sit other than the
love seat and the bed.
We stayed there about 45 days.
So to stay sane, and would take walks in the evenings, just to
get out of there. On one of our walks, a line came to me.
Simple, direct, and spoken in a soft yet frustrated voice.
"Zach Bradford, part time archeologist, full time pain in the
ass."
I didn't know anything else about him, or about her, than that.
He was an archeologist, and she felt him to be a pain in the
ass.
I started playing with it from there. If he's an archeologist,
then what does he do? What does he look like? Well, he's part
Native American, so he will specialize in preserving digs of
Native American sites.
From there, the idea for the title came to me. I had the title, "Diggin'
Up Bones", one line from the story, and nothing else. That title
however, spun off other ideas. It's the title of a song, by
Randy Travis. While I don't listen to a lot of country songs, I
do enjoy that one. And it got me to thinking about their
relationship. He's a partially Native American archeologist. So
he's doing a dig at her place, but she doesn't want him there.
Why not? What's the story there? How do they know each other?
What do they mean to each other? These and a few hundred other
questions filled my mind during the mile and a half walk.
My husband walked silently beside me, not bothering me, after I
told him I had a story idea. And boy did I ever.
When I sat down that evening, the story flowed out of me. I hit
just over 5 thousand words (a milestone for me at that time). I
was happy with it. I felt the story had been told. A friend of
mine edited it, and we had it polished to within an inch of its
life, bringing it to about 7 thousand words.
I sent it off to Venus Press, and surprise of all surprises, it
was accepted. But then things happened, and I had to pull it
before it ever saw an edit there.
So I started looking around, trying to find another home for
what was quickly becoming my baby.
Phaze offered that home. But I wanted it to be more than a
HeatSheet. I knew it could be. After all, it was my baby, and it
deserved its own cover image. (Yes, that was actually a factor
in expanding the story). By that time, I had also reread it, and
there were some places I felt could be tweaked. I also had
another friend look at it and suggest some spots she felt would
be better as a longer piece. So I tweaked. I rewrote. I added
to. By the time I was done, I had hit 12 thousand words. Just
barely. 12,038 I believe was the word count. I had reached
another milestone in my writings.
And again, it was accepted. I jumped for joy, and went on to
write other things.
Then the edits came. LOL My oh my, I almost died. I admit that
freely. I flat out, no holds barred, freaked. I was devastated,
and exhilarated. I had a headache and hope at the same time.
This was the first time I had written a story of this length, so
the consistency issues, the flow of the dialog, the clothing
they were wearing, and the emotion behind the words all had a
bigger importance.
Through it all, I kept repeating the words of one of my high
school English teachers to myself. "The more red ink, the more
actual suggestions made, the more the person cared about the
story." It became my mantra.
For the first time, I allowed my husband to read it. (The
unedited version I subbed, and the red inked one). He had his
own editing suggestions. And over the course of two exhausting
days, I took both edits, used what I thought fit, added a bit
more here and there - where it was suggested a scene be added,
or some info be included - and before I knew it, I was at 14
thousand words.
I kept right on going, polishing the heck out of the story.
It was
exhausting, it took over a year from start to finish, and a kick
ass story (at least I think so anyways) has resulted.
And now, today, it is available for others to read. I am giddy,
and anxious, and nervous as hell. So I hope that you enjoy
Diggin' Up Bones. And that you disagree with Alisa. He might be
a part time archeologist, but Zach Bradford is no pain in the
ass.
Michelle
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