Guest Post & Giveaway: Got Caged? Blog Tour with Amber Lynn Natusch

We are here to celebrate the Got Caged? Blog Tour with the author Amber Lynn Natusch. Scarred, the fourth book of the urban fantasy Caged series, is being released September 24, 2012. Together we are looking at where this series began. So enjoy the guest post by Amber in which she gives us an excerpt of Caged and explains why she likes this scene so much. And don't forget to enter the giveaway below for 2 ebooks of Caged.

by Amber Lynne Natusch

When I was asked to compose a guest blog post, I had no idea what to write. As an author, it was an especially low moment. Then a great friend suggested that I take an excerpt from the first novel in my series, Caged, and explain what I loved about it. Genius! Times like this illustrate my need for a team of levelheaded people around me―an entourage of rational thinkers.

The unfortunate reality for me was that my favorite scenes from Caged all contain spoilers, but I still managed to find some good ones :)

For this blog, I chose a scene that involves three of my favorite characters: Ruby, Sean, and Ronnie. The combination of them together in one scenario led to some cheeky dialogue and a whole lot of tension. Ronnie's keen observational skills combined with Sean's uncanny ability to disarm Ruby create a recipe for her complete embarrassment. Unfortunately for Ruby, it's not the first time.

Without further ado, I give you Ruby, Sean, and Ronnie, in the infamous “Crash” scene:

As I changed into the handpicked outfit, Dave Matthews Band's "Crash" came over the speakers in the shop.  It was clearly a sign.  I'd always had this theory that it couldn't be a bad day when that song came on the radio.  I smiled to myself in the mirror as I pulled the blouse on and arranged it so it sat perfectly on my frame.  A pair of cognac-colored boots were thrust into the dressing room just in time.

 "Thanks," I told the disembodied arm.

 "You're welcome.  I forgot that Peyta wears the same size as you.  I think she was hiding them for herself.  You'll never believe where I found them," Ronnie replied, chuckling to herself.

 As I unzipped the boots to put them on, the jingling bells signaled another customer entering.  "Can I help you?" Ronnie asked, sounding a little sweeter than usual.

Hot guy for sure.

"Got any vintage rock shirts?  Preferably something from the seventies?"

Oh.  My.  God.

 "Sure. Over there in the corner.  I have some in the back too.  I'll go pull them for you," she said, sounding all too happy to oblige.

 As soon as the coast was clear, I stuck my head out to see Sean standing where Ronnie had directed him, rifling through the tees.

 "Do you work on your stalker qualities, or are you just stalker-tastic by nature?" I asked him while his back was facing me.

 "Ruby," he said without turning around right away.  When he finally did, the remnants of a smile were barely visible on his face.  "Nice outfit," he said, giving me elevator-eyes.

 "Evasion and flattery will get you nowhere.  Do I need a restraining order or what?" I asked, trying desperately to stifle the grin that was tugging on my lips, threatening to expose my true sentiment.

 "Maybe," was his only response.

 "I found these four in the back.  They look like they should fit you," Ronnie said as she shot through the strings of beads.

 "It's not for me, but thanks.  The size should be fine."

 "Is it your boyfriend's birthday?" I asked, mockingly.

 "Don't worry, Ruby, he's just a friend.  You know it's you I really want," he kidded.  I turned eighty shades of red.

 Ronnie cocked her head to the side as she watched us, clearly amused with something as the right corner of her mouth twitched and turned up.  I rolled my eyes at her and bit the proverbial bullet.

 "Ronnie, this is Sean.  Sean, Ronnie."

 They exchanged pleasantries before Ronnie focused her attention back on me.

 "Just beefing up the wardrobe my ass" she said with the piercing eyes that only a mother possesses.  I said nothing in response.

 "I'll take this one," Sean said, breaking the brief silence which I had no intention of filling.

 Ronnie turned to him and took the shirt before heading over to the counter to ring up the purchase.

 I scoffed to myself and muttered something under my breath.

 "What was that?" Sean asked.

 I sighed heavily in an attempt to convey my displeasure with repeating myself.

 "I said 'so much for that theory'."

 "And what theory would that be?" he asked casually.

 I sighed again.

 "My theory that it can't ever be a bad day when Dave Matthews sings 'Crash' on the radio."

 He smiled boyishly.

 "You like that song?" he asked.

 "It's one of my faves.  Why?"

 "You do know what it's about, don't you?" he asked, choking on a laugh.

 "Apparently you do, so why don't you enlighten me?" I asked, getting frazzled by his persistence.

 "It's about masturbation.  He's a Peeping Tom, Ruby," he said, just before he roared with laughter.

 "You're disgusting.  It is not...it's about love."

 The more I tried to defend my tune, the harder he laughed.Ronnie finally cleared her voice from behind the counter.

 "It's forty-five dollars, please," she said to Sean.

 He wiped the tears that were welling in his eyes from the strain of laughing.

 "Sorry," he said as he reached into his pocket and pulled out the necessary cash. "Here you go."

 He took the bag that Ronnie extended to him before turning back to me.

 "I guess your theory was wrong.  You really do look like you're having a bad day."

 "You're an ass" was all I could muster in response.

 "Never claimed to be anything else," he said as he strode past me flashing his impossibly green eyes down to mine.  "You should buy it.  Especially the boots.I have the perfect place for you to wear them,” he said plainly.  “I'll see you soon, Ruby."

 I stared blankly at the door from which he'd just exited, completely speechless.  I heard Ronnie come up beside me.

 "I'd do more than beef up my wardrobe for that one," she said, her comment laced with innuendo.

 "It's not like that, Ronnie," I defended.

 "It should be.  It really, really should be,” she said, staring me down.

 

 

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Summary
I stood in the middle of the room, unmoving – I barely breathed. My life had just become surreal, impossible, and one enormous lie. I needed to go, to run somewhere, anywhere to beat back the reality that was rapidly closing in around me. The image of him was burned into my retina, flashing over and over again like a warning. He was trapped somewhere between human and decidedly not, and I realized that was my new reality.

I was too.

After the death of her parents, Ruby awakens from a lifetime of shadows and finds herself alone, thrust into a world of lies, deceit, betrayal and the supernatural.

As her quest for truth continues to come up short, she realizes that maybe some questions really are best left unanswered.

When her true identity is finally unveiled, she is forced to choose between two of the mysterious men who continually seem to crop up in her life.

She chooses poorly.

Now abandoned, Ruby must learn to call on the darkness within to survive, or spend a hellish eternity imprisoned because of it.

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Enter for two chances to win the ebook Caged by Amber Lynn Natusch. This giveaway is international. Your choice of MOBI, EPUB, or PDF. More info on the Rafflecopter.

 

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