Hello and welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors, the blog hop where writers from a wide variety of genres share from their work in excerpts of ten sentences or fewer, or more. But don’t worry, there’s a “more” warning, in case your time is precious.

I’ve started sharing from my soon to be released contemporary gay romance, Shameless in Seattle. Aaron Schafer, reporter for the Seattle Times, is meeting with his pal Melanie for a drink in Pioneer Square. She’s hinted that she has some personal intel for him. He doubts that it’s anything good. You can read last week’s snippet here.

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“Oh, no, no more blind dates with hapless clients, Mel.  I don’t care how hot or hung he is.”

“Nothing like that, I swear.  So how are you, Aaron? Order a drink or two, then we’ll talk.”

He shook his head, leaned back and tried to relax.  He’d half expected her to have another potential mate sitting beside her when he arrived, so he took a moment to be thankful she was alone. Ever since his misguided fling with Melanie Parker, she’d adopted him as her pet project.  Instead of taking his decision to stick strictly with men personal, she’d rallied to the cause and seemed determined to hook him up with desperate ex-cons.  Her job as a defense lawyer gave her an endless supply.

That’s ten. Here’s a bit more if you’re so inclined:

He nodded at the waiter, Vic, who nodded back and bee-lined for the bar. “I’m fine,” he said.

“Fucked-up, Insecure, Neurotic and Egotistical? How nice.  Glad nothing’s changed.”

“Why am I here?” he asked.

“Because you love me.  I know you’re still pining, poor dear.” She patted his forearm and slurped her drink. Truth was, Mel was like the nosy older sister he already had and didn’t need any more of. Still, she was compelling, like a runaway train headed straight for him.  He couldn’t quite make himself jump off the track.

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Blurb in progress:

Aaron Schafer, star reporter for the Seattle Times, is shocked to find out he’s the inspiration for a series of bodice-ripper romances written by a reclusive author no one has met.  He’s even more surprised, and disturbed, on discovering intimate secrets from his past buried in the pages of Shameless in Seattle. Who is this mystery author, who has clearly been stalking him and stealing details from his life? Are they dangerous? And worse, will they reveal Aaron’s darkest secret to the world? Aaron decides to stalk the stalker, a decision that will change his life forever.