The manuscript, she is done! Deep Blue is printed out! Ready to go! The merman lives! I can’t believe I wrote a book about a merman. HE DOES NOT HAVE A TAIL. Just so you know. So, today is my day off!! I’m going to spend it cleaning the house. Waitaminute, I can’t remember why I’m excited….
Click the “read more” button below to read a short, steamy excerpt from Deep Blue and please look for it in February, 2006, from Silhouette Intimate Moments!!!!
The water was dark, swirling with shadows and one big, fearsomely powerful man. Sienna felt light and heavy, panic and shock so familiar now. Nightmare that would never end, that’s what she was living.
Crazy strangers with guns above.
Crazy stranger holding her captive below.
Below water.
She was going to die. She was going to drown. He was drowning her. And she was going to have a full-blown panic attack. No way could she think straight. She felt sick, afraid of dying, out of control. She burst to the surface, clawing wildly at the water.
Her feet couldn’t touch bottom. She flung her arms desperately, fighting hysteria. Then something pulled her back down, under the surface, and her mind screamed even as she held onto the gulp of air she’d gotten in that second above the water, and for a sickening beat, she didn’t know what had hold of her.
All she knew was that she was going to drown because whatever had her, it was pulling her down, deeper, and she couldn’t stop it.
Something hit her feet, and she realized with a shock that it was sand. It was the bottom of the lagoon. She contorted her body, fighting frantically, and something pulled her tighter, held down her flailing arms. She was slammed against a hard wall.
No, a chest. A very powerful chest. Him. The man who’d shoved her in the water even as he’d claimed he was saving her life. And there was no way she was going to break free of his grip.
She lifted her head, stopped fighting, knew she was going to die now because she couldn’t hold her breath one more second, and her eyes locked with a fierce liquid gaze that stunned her, it was so near, and then it was even nearer. Something touched her lips–
His lips.
And in complete, unthinkable shock, she opened her mouth-—that was it, she was going to drown–and his mouth closed over hers and suddenly– She was breathing.
She was breathing.
How could she be breathing? She forgot the water that had been suffocating her a second before. Forgot the deadly men on the bridge, the attacker at the apartment. Forgot that she’d almost been killed more than once in the past twenty minutes.
Then she realized his strong arms had slid around her back and he was stroking her, comforting her, calming her down with efficient control. The sudden gentleness of his hold struck her, and the shocking intimacy of his mouth breathing life into her mouth had her gasp against him, and her tongue touched something warm and sweet. Something that moved against hers. His tongue swept inside her mouth even as he continued to stroke her back, her arms, her shoulders, and she clung, desperate for his air, his amazing, mysterious safety.
Safety that made no sense. She’d been running from him moments before! And yet—-he was everything she knew in this dark, wet world, everything keeping her alive. All the pain and fear and panic receded into a surreal vortex as he sweetly, tenderly, claimed the last shred of her sanity.
Katie says:
OMG – I’m ready for more – Deep Blue – I’m waaaaaaiting……
On May 31, 2005 at 8:14 am
Joely says:
Have a super day, Suzanne. What a great read–thanks for sharing! Feb 2006? Sigh.
On May 31, 2005 at 8:25 am
kacey says:
congrats of finishing! But not on the housecleaning :yuck:
I cannot WAIT until this book comes out! A merman, who would have thought?? And I know, I know…no tail
On May 31, 2005 at 9:09 am
Mary says:
Isn’t that a great feeling to get the manuscript off? Have a wonderful day ans celebrate. Love the book.
On May 31, 2005 at 9:51 am
Danni says:
Feb 06?!?! This is cruel! This is inhumane! This is…what I get for hanging out with people who work in an industry where work must be completed a year before it sees the light of day. I’m tellin ya, it’s HARD being a reader!:cry:
Ah well, at least there’s stuff out until then! Enjoy your housecleaning. I’m so sunburned I’ve swelled up like a balloon. Not much moving around for me today.
On May 31, 2005 at 9:58 am
mary beth says:
oh wow! I can’t wait to read it!
On May 31, 2005 at 10:18 am
Melissa Marsh says:
Don’t you just love to hold that big chunk of paper in your hands and say, “I did this!”? I know that how I felt when I printed out my first finished MS. I’m betting the feeling never goes away.
Congrats on finishing!!! :bananadance:
On May 31, 2005 at 10:36 am
Margery Scott says:
OMG, what an awesome opening!!! Congrats on finishing, even if it does mean housework now.
On May 31, 2005 at 10:36 am
Kelly says:
Wow, how interesting and original, Suzanne! I really LOVE paranormals. Going to be a great read!
On May 31, 2005 at 10:43 am
Suzanne says:
Thanks, everyone! Melissa, nope, you’re right, that feeling never goes away! It’s always a shock–wow, I made that??–when you hold the complete in your hands.
Thanks, Kelly! I tried to make my super-powered PAX agents different, unique, not your mother’s paranormal heroes. LOL. My werewolf (PAX 1) is not like any other werewolf, and in PAX 2, the hero doesn’t have second sight–he has third sight (when my editor wanted to call the book Third Sight, I said–but no one will know what that is because I made it up and she said–that’s what will make people pick up the book–LOL). And my merman (PAX 3) is not like any other merman! People will either like this or think I’m insane. 😯
On May 31, 2005 at 11:12 am
Suzanne says:
And look! Google has zapped in mermaid and nautical angel ads into this post. And ads for breathing troubles. LOL.
On May 31, 2005 at 11:15 am
Jordan says:
Congrats! I bet you’re walking on sunshine.:shocked:
On May 31, 2005 at 11:37 am
Carol says:
CONGRATULATIONS! :bananadance: This is sooooo good. I can’t wait until it is out! :yes: I wish it didn’t take so long!
On May 31, 2005 at 11:40 am
Amy K. says:
Thanks for the teaser! :thumbsup:
And CONGRATS on finishing! Let’s go mail these suckers (I’m off in about an hour to do just that.) Got that marg machine warming up (or is it cooling off?) :yes:
On May 31, 2005 at 12:02 pm
Beth C says:
Suzanne, that finished manuscript is a beautiful sight, and the excerpt is FABULOUS. Congratulations! :thumbsup:
On May 31, 2005 at 12:03 pm
Trace says:
Congrats, Suzanne!! The excerpt is awesome! You write beautifully.:bananadance::bananadance:
On May 31, 2005 at 12:28 pm
Tori says:
We’ve got to wait almost a YEAR before we can read the rest???? :hissyfit: SO not fair!!!
On May 31, 2005 at 2:01 pm
Danica says:
I REFUSE to read this teaser, do you hear me? REFUSE. You got me sucked into this whole PAX thing MONTHS ago, and now you want me to get sucked into a merman PAX book? NO NO NO. :hissyfit:
Okay, fine. You know I have no will power. Dang, that is some good stuff Suzanne. Your baby looks great, and the scene… Wow.
However, please be aware that I am declaring today “Suzanne is evil” day. It is just wrong to torment us with great scenes like that knowing it’ll be almost a year before we can hold that baby in our hands. I will console myself with the fact that PAX 1 is almost out.
On May 31, 2005 at 2:17 pm
Robyn says:
What a day this must be for you! Congrats,
Suzanne.:hyper:
On May 31, 2005 at 2:35 pm
Suzanne says:
LOL, Danica!!!!
On May 31, 2005 at 2:43 pm
BJ Deese says:
Thanks for posting the excerpt, Suzanne! I am definitely looking forward to the first in the series.
Take care & have an AWESOME June!
On May 31, 2005 at 4:36 pm
Michelle says:
Wow, what a great opener! Congrats and can’t wait to buy it! :):guitar:
On May 31, 2005 at 4:53 pm
Lis says:
Congratulations on finishing the manuscript! Love that feeling when its finally printed and you can see it in front of you. For me it always seems to make it more real 🙂
Great teaser, though I’m suddenly wishing for it to be February (well without the freezing freezing cold we get up here then!)
On May 31, 2005 at 6:08 pm
Lynn says:
Congrats on getting it done! WOO HOO! :bananadance: I’ll admit I didn’t read your excerpt. Not because I’m not dying to, but because I know I’ll be hooked and frustrated because the story’s not out yet. :shocked:
BTW–Saw your UnkyMood in the sidebar and I had to go and get signed up for one myself!
On May 31, 2005 at 7:25 pm
Suzanne says:
Lynn, isn’t the unkymoods thing fun? I love it!!:bananadance:
On May 31, 2005 at 7:28 pm
Alyssa says:
Oh, man! This sounds great! I can’t believe I have to wait until next February for the complete story.
:wall:
Alyssa
On May 31, 2005 at 10:08 pm
Steph T. says:
Congrats on being finished! I remember when you first started talking about the merman – it seems like you wrote this in such a short period of time and I’m jealous! And thanks for the excerpt!:bananadance:
On June 1, 2005 at 3:51 am
Teresa H says:
Yay! Congrats on finishing Suzanne! What a great teaser, too bad we have to wait so long to read it all! argh! :wall:
On June 1, 2005 at 4:31 am
Melanie says:
You know… technically if he doesn’t have a tail it’s not really a merman…
…I’m interested to see how you pulled that one off. I might have to check it out.
On June 1, 2005 at 8:44 am
Suzanne says:
Melanie, my merman is definitely based more on sci-fi concepts than fantasy. He has more in common with Aquaman than King Trident. He is, I hope, my unique spin on a merman. I hope you’ll give Deep Blue a try! 🙂
On June 1, 2005 at 11:23 am
Melanie says:
Ooooh, Aquaman… I confess my weakness for such things. I’ll have to give it a look- I’m definately interested. 🙂
On June 1, 2005 at 3:25 pm
Anna Lucia says:
I HATE WHEN YOU DO THIS!!!
You hook my into a book so that I’m desperate to read something I won’t be able to read for MONTHS!
Evil, evil woman….
:hissyfit:
On June 2, 2005 at 5:06 am
Suzanne says:
LOL, Anna!
Melanie, if you read the book after it comes out, I’d love to know what you think!:smile:
On June 2, 2005 at 6:19 am
Silma says:
Awwww… That’s a beauty! I’m sure you’re feeling stress free now. :thumbsup:
On June 2, 2005 at 9:44 pm
Carol Burnside says:
Nice excerpt! Way to tease, woman.
How long before that book comes out??? 😕
On June 4, 2005 at 5:05 pm
Suzanne says:
Thanks, Carol! Deep Blue comes out in February 2006!
On June 4, 2005 at 5:08 pm