Today on my blog I have the This Could Have Been Our Song blog tour. On my stop there is a spotlight, excerpt, and giveaway.
This Could Have Been Our Song (Book One)
Lucia Mpobo-Riddell
could have been a dancer like the rest of women of her family but instead she
chose music. Marcus Grant could have been a doctor like the rest of his family
but instead he chose music. She also could have not fallen for Marcus on her
birthday but she did. And Marcus, he could have told Lucia the truth about his
real reason for being in Toronto that night, but he didn't.
Now they have
to deal with big reveals and consequences: Marcus almost stealing her job and
being force to work on an album together. Marcus, because he couldn't swallow
his pride, leave Toronto and go home to London. Lucia, because she just
couldn't give up on her first amazing opportunity to produce a whole album.
And to
complicate the situation further, the band they're working for is not the
easiest one. Mary Gillis, Marcus' on and off flame, still has a hold on him.
Greg McMullen, Lucia's close friend and former dance partner is back in town
and has been in love with her for years. Then there's Marcus and Lucia, in the
middle of their own a professional and personal tug-of- war with each over and
the rest of the world. But maybe things could still work out... All things
considered, this could have been one heck of a love song!
Excerpt:
LUCIA
“The meeting is now
adjourned. We’ll meet again in two weeks’ time to discuss and finalize the hen
party.” She (Axelle) pours herself another glass. “To D-Day minus one hundred
and five!” she tells us, raising her glass. “Luce, be a dear and order another
pitcher or two.”
I order the
pitchers as well as a dirty martini for the bride-to-be.
Axelle turns to me,
her glass in her hand. “So…what’s new? And you look fantastic, honey!”
“Hey, I look good
too!” Noor scowls.
Axelle laughs and
turns to Noor. “Oh my God! Did I just compliment the wrong sister? You’re
Nooradine?”
“Jealousy is not a
good color on you, Noor,” I sneer back, filling myself another drink.
“Please, you’re
dieting,” she tells me. “She’s dieting, Axelle!” she says even louder and
finishes her drink.
“I’m so not. I’m
doing a cleanse and some yoga.”
“The one with
Beesly,” Axelle says, serving Noor another glass. “I’ve heard of it. You have
to do a lot of stretching with it.” She blows me a kiss. “Good for you, Luce,
and shame on you, Noor.”
Nice try, Noor. My
turn now. I pour myself another margarita. How many have I had so far? Three or
four glasses? Do I even care? I feel warm and tickly. “Andrew is holding out on
Noor…sexually.” Bam!
“You don’t say,”
Axelle giggles. She finishes her drink and pours another. “What did you do to
shift the balance of power?”
“I don’t want to
have the suburban house and baby talk right now. It has only been a week.” She
empties her drink. “Thanks, big mouth.”
Liar, liar, shorts
on fire! “You told me five days,” I tell Noor. I turn to Axelle. “Anyway, did I
tell you I was dancing again. Just for fun of course. Not like you or Noor.”
“Oh, I’m so happy!”
Axelle gets up and hugs me. “So are you shagging anyone?”
So, I guess we’re
back on me. I finish my drink. “Nope.”
“Why the bloody
hell not? Isn’t that Marcus bloke still in town?” she asks. And another drink.
“She doesn’t know
what she wants,” Noor interjects. Another drink there too. “Greg or Marcus.”
“Greg was in town?
Don’t you dare break that young man’s heart…again!” She raises her glass to me
and wiggling her finger.
“I never broke his
heart!” I tell Axelle. “Greg is one of my closest friends. And I don’t have a
lot of those.”
“Hey…you have us,”
Noor says.
“My point exactly,
Noor,” I say.
“That poor kid was
so in love with you back at the dancing academy and he’s still in love you.”
Axelle gives me the most loving look. “Who could blame him? My baby is
breathtaking.”
“Aw, I love you
too, Lelly.” I give her a kiss. “But I’m not going to sleep with Greg. Ever.”
“Right.” Axelle
winks at me.
“Your loss. That
man is ravishing,” Noor says.
I know he is,
inside and out. Let’s change the subject. “Lelly, do you have a dress for the
launch party?” I innocently ask.
“Yes I do. An
original Renee G creation. She sent it to me earlier this week,” she proudly
says. Of course anything for Mrs Anderson. “So… Are you bringing someone?”
Where did this come
from? I look to Noor for cover, but she’s too sloshed to be of any help.
“Well are you?”
Noor asks.
“Can I bring
Beesly?”
“Are you going to
be shagging her after? I thought she was married. And straight? And so are you.
We were thinking about a man,” Lelly tells me, laughing.
“No! Gosh, Lelly…
Marcus then,” I say and I can’t take it back.
“Are you going to
be shagging him after?” Noor asks.
“It’s good PR for
us. There will be no shagging! Please stop asking or saying it. Understood.”
I’m losing my buzz. Another drink it is.
“Okay,” Noor
chuckles.
“Right,” Axelle
giggles.
“Somebody needs to
take that stick out of her butt, or just–” Axelle says.
“Enough!” I
clumsily get up. My buzz hasn’t gone after all. “I’m going home…in a taxi…I
think.”
“I was just going
to say–” Axelle continues.
“It has been months
after all since–” Noor says at the same time.
“I got the picture,
thanks. Bye.” I’m ready to leave.
“Please stay. We’re
sorry,” Noor begs. “We just want you to get some because we care.”
“And you can’t
leave yet. We haven’t played refugee African princesses yet,” Axelle begs.
I do like to play
that bar game. Axelle is the best story teller. “One more drink and then we go
home,” I say sitting back down.
“Okay,” Noor
chuckles.
“Right,” Axelle
giggles.
Our fourth pitcher
arrives and Axelle fills our drinks.
“I don’t have to
deal with that kind of shit when I drink with Beesly,” I say, sulking.
“She’s your soul
sister. We’re blood and, Luce, it’s thinker than water and wine,” Noor
literally burps out. She looks around. “We should get some wine!”
“We’re not going
anywhere anytime soon are we?” I say, smiling at my crazy sisters. Let the game
begin. We’ll worry about getting home later – much, much later…
Book Links:
This would have
been their perfect love song…
It has been two
years since Lucia Mpobo-Riddell has made her choice between the two men in her
life. She and her beloved would have been perfectly happy if it wasn’t for… the
constant distractions from her past, her sister Noor’s complicated life, her
own doubts and fears. Maybe there wasn’t such a thing as perfection and this
was a lesson that Lucia was going to learn the hard way.
Greg McMullen and
Marcus Grant’s lives had been affected by Lucia’s choice that day in Glasgow
two years ago. Since then one had been fighting to keep her when the other had
been relentlessly trying to get her back. It soon became apparent to them that
she wasn’t the Lucia they met and fell in love with anymore. Her life and
priorities had completely shifted. To even consider keeping her or just getting
her back, they would have to accept it or they would have to let her go. But
would they ever be able to do either?
Excerpt:
IV. Marcus - Out of
love and air supplies…
“Nosy much?” I say
sitting next to her. “I just wanted to be left alone and Mary isn’t always good
at taking ‘no’ for an answer.” She looks lovely. No she looks wonderful.
There’s been something so different about her since her arrival. I still cannot
put my finger on it.
“Yes, I’m nosy you
cheeky boy! Leaving Doddy and Patrick on their own downstairs! I came to check
up on you. Now stop being rude. It doesn’t really work on me.” She puts her
head on my shoulder and takes my hand. “I did the same thing on my dad’s
funeral. People keep asking if you are fucking all right! I was just eight,
idiots, I felt like I would never be all right again.” She lightly kisses my
palm. “I promise you, you will Marcus,” she whispers.
“Luce…” I whisper
back and kissing her palm. She’s this close to bolting out of here or
retrieving into her shell. “Fancy a pity shag?” I say with a sad smug smile.
She knocks her
elbow in my rib cage and winces. “That hurts! What have you been doing with
yourself?” She asks me rubbing her elbow.
“Hitting the gym,
takes the frustration out.” And I have been a frustrated lad.
“Not even my usual
friendly nap today Sir! But I have something for you.”
“I said I would not
touch you and I have been pretty good so far haven’t I?” I plead with my best
puppy dog stare. Lucia has been falling asleep on my bed three times over the
last two days. Jetlag…but last night she fell asleep in my arms…my bed smells
of her intoxicating smell, it’s pure torture.
“Your mum gave me
this. She completely forgot about this picture,” she smiles and hands me the
photo. “You lied to me Marcus,” she adds.
“What?” She
couldn’t know about The Plan…could she? I look at the photo and flip it.
Mercutio and Lucia 1983. “Is this real?”
“Is your real name
Mercutio?” she shivers with fake disgust.
“Yeah. I never
liked it and wasn’t able to say it properly,” I shrug. It’s a two-year old me
nicely kissing a very tiny cute baby. “Is this you?” I point at the baby in the
photo.
She nods,
“Mercutio…Cushion of course! I always thought that Cushion and a long stretch
from Marcus. So…Mercutio, you kissed me first!” she laughs.
“Hey, I was two! It
doesn’t count,” I laugh back.
“I don’t know about
that. Doddy said that you wouldn’t stop snogging me and they had to take me
away. You cried when you went out of the room… aww your first crush,” she
smirks.
“You sassy–,” I
laugh, I just can’t stop laughing. I haven’t laughed in days… “–how long–“
“She gave it to me
when I arrived from London. I thought it would cheer Mercutio up,” she says a
bit embarrassed. She’s finally letting her guard down and she knows it.
“I love you Luce.”
“Marcus don’t. You
promised,” she says getting off my bed.
“What did you
expect me to say or do after that?” I haven’t let go of her hand yet. The hand
with the giant engagement ring.
“Let’s go back
downstairs with the others.” She pulls me up.
“You’re avoiding
the conversation,” I say following her.
“And you sound like
a broken record Mercutio. I’m engaged, remember?”
“Yes, how can I
forget? But I love you and I’m not ashamed of my feelings. So… pity shag is
really off the table?” I ask when I close the door behind us.
She waves her ring
at me. “Again, engaged!”
“Right, that you
certainly are.”
But
The Plan is working.
Book Links:
“My life journey is like my playlist,
amazingly unique but full of contradictions with surprising joys with every
song...”
I was born in
Quebec City, Canada from Gabonese parents but grew up in Paris and Libreville
the Gabonese capital until the age of 18. Are you yawning yet? I am...
I moved back to
Canada in 1999 after high school in Libreville to study Cinematography and
Digital movie production in Laval University in Quebec then The International
Academy of Design and Technology in Toronto. After graduating in 2003, I
decided to sell my soul to the corporate world and worked in the Benefit
Outsourcing Industry for seven in Toronto before reconnecting with her first
passion writing.
"A teacher told me in high school that
people didn't read anymore so I decided that I would make movies instead...so
that didn't stick…"
I finally went back
to school to study creative writing at Georges Brown College in 2010 and 2011.
I started to write The Coulda Woulda Shoulda Song Series as an assignment and
finished Book One in late 2011 before moving to London.
And
the rest as they say is history... Almost two years later, I'm in London and
wrote three novels: This Could Have Been Our Song! A coulda woulda shoulda
ballad... (Book one) currently available on amazon and soon in iTunes, Kobo,
Barnes and Nobles and Smashwords. The sequel This Would Have Been Our Song!
Catchy tune and dancers’ tales will be released in January 2014 and the third
part of the trilogy This Should Have Been Our Song! The happy ever after melody
will be released in January 2015. Bird Of Prey, my first mystery romance novel
has been released in October 7th, 2013. The first sequel The Plot Thickens (a
novella) release date is December 27th, 2013. The second one Polliannah Got
Married! will be released in April 2014 or earlier.
Stalker Links:
Giveaway:
Thank you for hosting today!
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