When she lunged for the sleek knife block, Roth pinned her wrist just shy of her goal.
“You don’t think it would be that easy, do you?” he whispered darkly before he sank his teeth into her shoulder.
Her thick jacket offered little protection from his fierce bite.
She thrashed beneath him. “Roth!”
When he released her, he muttered something under his breath b... 2023-11-07 16:00:02 +0000 UTC View Post
Listened to the first chapter of the Bitter Heat audiobook last night and I am ecstatic! It's so weird listening to the first chapter when I'm elbows deep in book 4. I always think he's unhinged now, but his behavior in the opening hospital scene was far from normal or civilized. I love my narrator and I think she's doing a great job for Roth's voice! She's supposed to finish toward the end of the month. I can't wait to listen to it, which will come in handy since I'm revising Bitter Confessi...
2023-11-06 22:42:03 +0000 UTC View PostThis is a continuation of the previous snippet about her childhood playmates.
“Things changed once Maximus died.”
One of her trusted personal security defected once her father passed? The fact that her whereabouts could be passed on without her knowledge to anyone willing to pay the price sent a chill down her spine. If her security coordinator, Sunny, sus... 2023-11-05 16:00:05 +0000 UTC View Post
She got the impression he wasn’t pleased that she knew so much about the inner workings of the business world. “Most men would be relieved their partner knows what they’re doing, so they don’t embarrass them.”
“It’s impossible to embarrass me.” His eyes tracked over her face and rested on her lips. “You argue and laugh with people who have the power to influence entire industries. It’s not easy witnessing the effect you have on others.” 2023-11-04 16:00:03 +0000 UTC View Post
Continuation of this scene after phone call with Ariana:
“Who was that?” he asked.
“Ariana.”
“She’s asking you for help?”
The chill in his voice had her straightening and crossing her arms defensively across her chest. “No. She was sharing her challenges since Colette’s on maternity, and she’s jugglin... 2023-11-02 16:00:07 +0000 UTC View Post
Currently working on a chapter titled "Roth declares himself." I already have one dozen drafts of different topics and scenarios and finally settled on a version I feel is the most poignant. I feel like the deeper we get into the series, the more unhinged and volatile Roth becomes and he even acknowledges that in this scene. It's edgy, shocking (to me, at least), heartbreaking and coated in a layer of agonizing desire.
I don't know how many times I've walked away during these conv...
2023-11-01 23:14:36 +0000 UTC View Post
In honor of Halloween, I present demonic Roth:
His voice was detached, impersonal, completely devoid of all emotion, but his eyes belonged to the devil. Unblinking, malevolent. The fact that he was able to keep his expression blank while his demons raged sent a chill down her spine.
**This is a raw draft of Bitter Confessions. Please do not share or distribute.
When I wrote Bitter Heat, I wanted to write a super detached, emotionless anti-her...
2023-10-31 16:00:03 +0000 UTC View PostShe paused in the entrance of the kitchen, flooded with morning light. There was no trace of the storm that had raged just as furiously as they had. She searched the counters for a coffee maker or espresso machine, but they were completely bare. She frowned and started opening cabinets and jumped when her phone rang. Desperate to make it stop, she snatched it out of her pocket and answered without looking to see who it was.
“Hello?” she whispere... 2023-10-29 16:00:02 +0000 UTC View Post
We're going back to the beginning of the book! Bitter Confessions ends after the Trentham Ball, so I'm going back to the beginning. I'm currently writing book 4, Bitter Sins, and am going to try not to show scenes from that book since it would just make everything so much more confusing. (Bitter Sins picks up on the same night that BC ends.) I'm trying to get as far as I can on that book before I start revisions on BC (January). I listed my schedule and more detail about the series in my 2023-10-28 16:00:03 +0000 UTC View Post
Blog post on my website about completing the first draft of BC, upcoming translations release, and audiobook production--short summary of what I've been updating on here! :) Just posting here as well for y'all!
2023-10-26 23:54:35 +0000 UTC View PostBack in the penthouse after the Trentham Ball.
At some point, she glanced at her reflection and saw that she looked as horrible as she felt. Bloodshot, swollen eyes, her fake eyelashes barely hanging on, patches of foundation missing, lipstick smeared. She looked ridiculous wearing a pink tracksuit with the bling she forgot she was wearing. Feverishly, she slipped off the diamonds before she washed the remnants of this horrible night from her face.
She b... 2023-10-26 16:00:03 +0000 UTC View Post
Does this make sense? It's like "have your cake and eat it, too" but:
“You don’t own me, you’re renting me for a year so you can have your revenge and fuck it, too.”
**This is a raw draft of Bitter Sins. Please do not share or distribute.
2023-10-26 01:28:02 +0000 UTC View Post
Image inspiration for the chapters I'll be working on from Roth's POV.
Roth is locked down tight so I'm dedicating a day or two to writing from his POV to figure out what's going on with him. Hopefully, this gives me clarity on what tact to take moving forward. Hanging out with him is always illuminating. I try not to switch to his POV because it's addictive and it's hard for me to switch back once I'm in that state. But, I'm a little lost so I have to tap into him to see what's g...
2023-10-25 00:40:51 +0000 UTC View PostSorry for the double post! I went all the way back to the beginning of the book and was scheduling snippets chronologically and had one scene building on the next and then accidentally posted this one, which is why it's coming out of nowhere. I deleted it, but belatedly realized it went to emails already so reposting so you guys can comment on it. Sorry!
Jasmine perched in the kitchen window seat of Roth’s penthouse at 432 Park Avenue with both hands around a steaming cup of ... 2023-10-24 06:41:06 +0000 UTC View Post
On the ride back to 432 Park Ave after the Trentham Ball. **Edited to cut out spoilers.
She managed to blot out her surroundings so successfully that Roth’s fingers on her cheek made her jerk away violently. She knocked her head hard enough against the window for Mo to take his eyes off the road.
“What the fuck?” Roth hissed. “Did someone touch you?”
“No!” she shouted and shoved at him. “Just leave m... 2023-10-22 16:00:03 +0000 UTC View Post
Thank you to everyone who came out to our meetup last weekend. It was a blast! We ended up chatting on Discord for over 2 hours. I tried to answer as many questions as I could, and there were some great ones! You can go through the messages on Discord and look under Social>Meetup.
One of the first questions, of course, was about a release date for Bitter Confessions. Quick answer: early 2024 (I’m estimating March??). But, the other part of that is that I’ll be extending the Singe...
2023-10-21 22:19:47 +0000 UTC View Post**Edited to take out major spoilers...
She kept her gaze lowered and watched shiny shoes, heels, and expensive fabrics whip out of their path as people hurried to get out of his way. Roth didn’t stop until a pair of Italian shoes faced off with them. She didn’t have to look up to know who they belonged to.
“Take her home,” Lyle ordered.
“That was the plan,” Roth said tersely.
She glanced up in t... 2023-10-21 16:00:04 +0000 UTC View Post
This is an edited version of the sneak peek I showed as a bonus at the end of Bitter Secrets. I had to take some spoilers out, so this isn't exactly what you'll see in the book, but similar.
Once she emerged from the hallway, she searched the ballroom, ignoring the women twirling on the dance floor and the sweet, melancholy melody that tickled her memory. It didn’t take long to spot Roth, since he was one of the tallest men in the room. She started in his direction, mov... 2023-10-19 16:00:05 +0000 UTC View Post
A few images to give you an idea of the scene I'm currently working on...
I was stuck on the previous chapter for almost a week. It took me forever to get the dialogue, choreography, and tone right. Finally had a breakthrough on Sunday and got through that electric scene. It. Is. INTENSE. One of the most eye-opening, gut-wrenching relationship talks yet.
I would say the whole section I'm on is a cross between that London office chapter and the cabin scene at beginning of Bit...
2023-10-17 22:09:29 +0000 UTC View PostContext: Still at Trentham Ball. Roth puts her in the library to get her out of the way because there was another incident (not Tucker Baldwin, someone else). He’s finishing up business in the ballroom and she’s ambushed by Warren who we met in Bitter Secrets the night Roth & Jasmine met.
Although Warren wore a tailored suit, it was wrinkled and hung oddly on his pudgy frame. The years hadn’t been kind to her father’s former business partner. He had one patch of hai... 2023-10-17 16:00:07 +0000 UTC View Post
With a polite smile, she turned away and hailed a server for a glass of champagne. At her father’s functions, they weren’t allowed to drink alcohol, but they were more than halfway through the night, which she felt deserved a celebratory drink. Despite the dress, her scandalous past, and the sidelong glances, they avoided a nasty scene—
“You have a lot of nerve showing your face here.”
She closed her eyes for a moment before s... 2023-10-15 16:00:03 +0000 UTC View Post
Looks like we're meeting today at 5pm PDT (Pacific Daylight Time)!
For those who are new, this is an hour long chat on Discord where you can ask questions, get to know each other, and we talk about any and everything :) I won't be revealing spoilers, but I try to answer as much as I can! If you haven't joined our Discord server yet, here's the link. Once you're logged onto the server, look under Social>meetup. That's...
2023-10-14 17:00:04 +0000 UTC View Post
Context: They're at dinner at the Trentham Ball. Nathaniel and Charlotte are Sullivan Trentham's kids who are running their empire.
As dinner wound down, she sat back in her seat, feeling much more at ease with the company and her role. She glanced at Roth, who was deep in conversation with Nathaniel and the media mogul. All three of them had their heads together. She had no doubt that this was a portion of the business he had to see to tonight. Roth received at least one dozen... 2023-10-14 16:00:03 +0000 UTC View Post
Looks like we're meeting this Saturday, October 14 in the evening. I'm going with PDT (Pacific Daylight Time). What time are we meeting? Select a time below.
For those who are new, this is an hour long chat on Discord where you can ask questions, get to know each other, and we talk about any and everything :) I won't be revealing spoilers, but I try to answer as much as I can! If you haven't joined our Discord server yet, here's the 2023-10-13 20:00:04 +0000 UTC View Post
Omg my first translation! Just got tagged in this last night. So excited to see my book in a different language 😍
2023-10-13 16:00:10 +0000 UTC View PostMore than half of the prominent guests on Colette’s list she met within the first half hour. She shook the hand of government officials from all over the world, renown billionaires, a pop, and football star, and had just finished shaking the hand of a former President of the United States when she found herself faced with Daiyu’s father, Jiang Wu.
“Mr. Wu.” She bowed her head respectfully and would have done the traditional fist and palm salute if her ... 2023-10-12 16:00:03 +0000 UTC View Post
Looks like we're meeting on Saturday! Should we meet:
2023-10-11 16:00:06 +0000 UTC View Post
Sullivan presented her to the crowd as if they had finished a choreographed number on a dance show. “Jasmine Roth!”
There was a smattering of applause, but mostly people’s heads were together as they gossiped. She wasn’t sure what to do, so for the first time in her life, did a freaking curtsy and desperately searched for Roth. Sullivan spotted him first and headed in his direction. She was elated to see Colette and Lyle standing beside him. Lyle wore ... 2023-10-10 16:00:06 +0000 UTC View Post
Inspirational pic for what I'm working on today. It's a super emotional scene with a heavy discussion after that I've been dreading and kind of avoiding because I haven't struck the right tone and words yet, but we'll get there.
You guys! Last couple of chapters, I've been so tempted to put in Roth's POV, but putting it in would ruin everything. I've even considered doing Mo or Johan's POV just to get a different perspective on what's happening but they aren't around for the key m...
2023-10-09 21:19:45 +0000 UTC View Post