| I'm pleased to welcome my Sizzle and Sass sister, Kristina Mathews to my blog today. I first met Kristina when we were starting our Facebook page and was delighted to meet her in person in San Antonio last summer. She writes books about baseball, one of my favorite sports. In fact, this past fall, my KC Royals met her SF Giants in the World Series. It was a lot of fun to talk to her about the games. Here's a peek at the next book in her More Than A Game series. |
Remember, these Wednesday pieces are works in progress:
Excerpt from Earning A Ring:
Bryce Baxter sat alone in the San Francisco Goliaths’ clubhouse. He didn’t want to go home and watch the replays of tonight’s game. There was enough of that in going on his own head. He’d blown the game. How many times had he made that play since he first picked up a baseball at the age of five? A thousand? Ten thousand? Probably more. Not tonight. Tonight it was as if he’d forgotten everything he knew about the game. His job was to cover second on routine grounder to the right side of the diamond. What did he do? Nothing. He just stood there. The second baseman fielded the ball cleanly but when he went to flip it to his shortstop, the base was empty. Until the runner rounded the bag and started for third.
What should have been an easy double play ended up being the game winning run. The loss put his team even farther behind in their division going into the second month of the season and had reporters questioning their chances of repeating a World Series run. Some were even questioning the team’s decision to re-sign Baxter to the big contract extension. The biggest one he’d ever inked. So naturally, he was having his worst start to the season ever. He couldn’t hit. Couldn’t draw a walk to save his life. And when he struck out, he did it in spectacular fashion.
Last November he’d been king of the world. San Francisco’s biggest hero since Willie Mays. As World Series MVP, he was awarded a brand new Corvette. His face was on the cover of magazines. He made the talk show rounds. Met the President. Women lined up outside his door. And he had his choice of endorsement deals, including a line of men’s hair care products. If his game didn’t improve, his agent would be lucky to get him a spot peddling adult diapers.
Reluctantly he headed toward the parking lot.
“Hey Bryce, you got a minute?” He recognized the voice of the woman standing beside his car. A month ago he would have been happy to see her. Professionally, personally, a little bit of both. But not now.
“Look, Rachel, I’m not giving any more interviews tonight.” He was so down all he wanted to do was go home and crawl into bed. Alone.
“I’m not here for an interview.” She would have waited in the clubhouse if she had. He knew that. Rachel Parker was a professional. The in-game reporter for Bay Area Sports Network. “Can we go somewhere? Somewhere private?”
“I’m not giving that tonight either.” He waited for his body to protest, recalling the dozen or so encounters with the sexy journalist. She’d been hot. Real hot. Hot enough for him to forget his rule of one and done. They’d been hooking up “off the record” since before Spring Training of last season.
“Look, I really do need to talk to you.” She seemed a little nervous. Not her usual confident, perky, and always upbeat self who was part bubbly cheerleader, part hard-hitting reporter. She was still hot. But instead of smoking, she was…smoldering. His body stirred. Enough for him to think that maybe spending the next several hours in bed might not be such a bad idea.
But it probably wasn’t a good idea either.
“You know, I think maybe we should take a step back.” He raked a hand through his hair, still damp from his long shower after the game. “I’m not good for anyone right now.”
Rachel gave him a weird look, almost as if her eyes slipped out of focus. Her face drained of color. She turned and stumbled toward his car, bracing herself against the front fender. Then she threw up on the hood of his Corvette.
“Rachel, are you okay?” He took a step toward her.
“No, Bryce I’m not okay.” She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. “I’m pregnant.”
Oh boy! He didn't see that coming, did he? We first met Rachel and Bryce in Better Than Perfect, book one in this series. I'm thrilled to see them get their own story. Can't wait to read more. Thanks for sharing Kristina.
Excerpt from Earning A Ring:
Bryce Baxter sat alone in the San Francisco Goliaths’ clubhouse. He didn’t want to go home and watch the replays of tonight’s game. There was enough of that in going on his own head. He’d blown the game. How many times had he made that play since he first picked up a baseball at the age of five? A thousand? Ten thousand? Probably more. Not tonight. Tonight it was as if he’d forgotten everything he knew about the game. His job was to cover second on routine grounder to the right side of the diamond. What did he do? Nothing. He just stood there. The second baseman fielded the ball cleanly but when he went to flip it to his shortstop, the base was empty. Until the runner rounded the bag and started for third.
What should have been an easy double play ended up being the game winning run. The loss put his team even farther behind in their division going into the second month of the season and had reporters questioning their chances of repeating a World Series run. Some were even questioning the team’s decision to re-sign Baxter to the big contract extension. The biggest one he’d ever inked. So naturally, he was having his worst start to the season ever. He couldn’t hit. Couldn’t draw a walk to save his life. And when he struck out, he did it in spectacular fashion.
Last November he’d been king of the world. San Francisco’s biggest hero since Willie Mays. As World Series MVP, he was awarded a brand new Corvette. His face was on the cover of magazines. He made the talk show rounds. Met the President. Women lined up outside his door. And he had his choice of endorsement deals, including a line of men’s hair care products. If his game didn’t improve, his agent would be lucky to get him a spot peddling adult diapers.
Reluctantly he headed toward the parking lot.
“Hey Bryce, you got a minute?” He recognized the voice of the woman standing beside his car. A month ago he would have been happy to see her. Professionally, personally, a little bit of both. But not now.
“Look, Rachel, I’m not giving any more interviews tonight.” He was so down all he wanted to do was go home and crawl into bed. Alone.
“I’m not here for an interview.” She would have waited in the clubhouse if she had. He knew that. Rachel Parker was a professional. The in-game reporter for Bay Area Sports Network. “Can we go somewhere? Somewhere private?”
“I’m not giving that tonight either.” He waited for his body to protest, recalling the dozen or so encounters with the sexy journalist. She’d been hot. Real hot. Hot enough for him to forget his rule of one and done. They’d been hooking up “off the record” since before Spring Training of last season.
“Look, I really do need to talk to you.” She seemed a little nervous. Not her usual confident, perky, and always upbeat self who was part bubbly cheerleader, part hard-hitting reporter. She was still hot. But instead of smoking, she was…smoldering. His body stirred. Enough for him to think that maybe spending the next several hours in bed might not be such a bad idea.
But it probably wasn’t a good idea either.
“You know, I think maybe we should take a step back.” He raked a hand through his hair, still damp from his long shower after the game. “I’m not good for anyone right now.”
Rachel gave him a weird look, almost as if her eyes slipped out of focus. Her face drained of color. She turned and stumbled toward his car, bracing herself against the front fender. Then she threw up on the hood of his Corvette.
“Rachel, are you okay?” He took a step toward her.
“No, Bryce I’m not okay.” She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. “I’m pregnant.”
Oh boy! He didn't see that coming, did he? We first met Rachel and Bryce in Better Than Perfect, book one in this series. I'm thrilled to see them get their own story. Can't wait to read more. Thanks for sharing Kristina.
| Blurb A ballplayer and a team owner would give anything for a championship—even their hearts… After inheriting majority ownership of the San Francisco Goliaths baseball team, Hunter Collins wants to prove to herself—and the rest of the league—that she’s got what it takes to build a champion. Her first move is to trade for a hot left-fielder. He’s got it all, speed, power, and a desire to win. Not to mention undeniable charm. Marco Santiago is tired of being the new player in town. After four teams in six years, he’s facing free agency at the end of the season. He wants nothing more than a long-term contract and a World Series win. Hitting on his new owner probably isn’t the best way to get it, but love may be the most powerful challenger either of them has ever faced... | 
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Want to check out more of this unique series? Here are some links to Worth The Trade, book 2 in the series.
Amazon:
Barnes & Noble:
Google:
Kobo:
iTunes
Amazon:
Barnes & Noble:
Google:
Kobo:
iTunes
And in case you frequent Books A Millions, Kristina's book, Better Than Perfect is one of the Lyrical High Note books featured in those stores. I went to my local bookseller her and snapped a picture for her, and then I snapped up the book.
Here's the Amazon link for this book. Go grab both of them.
I'll see you next week, when Tera Shanley will be my guest.
Here's the Amazon link for this book. Go grab both of them.
I'll see you next week, when Tera Shanley will be my guest.
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