Monday!
Jul
21
2008
Zokutou word meter
92,685 / 90,000
(103.0%)

RELENTLESS – FINAL

I have just finished Relentless. Happy sigh. It’s off to beta and when I get it back and read it over, it’ll be off to Berkley. Thank you soooo much to Anya Bast, Megan Hart and my third little crit birdie – you have helped so much! I’m relieved and happy and now I’m moving on to Outshined.

So to celebrate, how about a snippet from Undercover – coming December 2 from Berkley Heat

UNDERCOVER BY LAUREN DANE
Copyright 2008, Lauren Dane
All Rights Reserved, The Penguin Group

Her entire life as she knew it had been upended in such a short time! But the truth was, sheÂ’d felt dead inside in so many ways. When sheÂ’d walked away, she expected Ash to follow. And when he didnÂ’t and she saw he meant to go on, sheÂ’d been devastated to see the marriage every time she turned around.

For a time, she sought a replacement for him. Fucking rough men who didnÂ’t know the difference between mastery and abuse. No one had topped her and sheÂ’d never been able to let go enough to submit. It was self abuse, she knew that as she looked back. But at the time, she wallowed and became another person. It wasnÂ’t something she liked to dwell on overmuch because it was weak and she didnÂ’t condone what happened. It filled her with shame but in the end, sheÂ’d risen above it and had found something better than an empty life. SheÂ’d found a calling.

Work became her salvation. She didnÂ’t become the best at everything she tried. Instead, she worked to be the best she could be at those things she excelled at. Once she focused on languages and culture and martial arts, they took over her existence. The military became her everything and over time, sheÂ’d stopped dating and even seeing herself as a sexual being except for when the need hit every year or so. SheÂ’d engaged in brief relationships for sex only and when sheÂ’d been sated, sheÂ’d moved on. SheÂ’d been a finely honed tool in the war against the Imperialists.

And now she felt it all. So much rage, fear, pain and loss that she would have crumpled to knees and wept but the hope burning deep in her stomach saved her. Hope that no matter the outcome with these men, sheÂ’d found herself again, the part of her that was more than just a soldier.

5 comments to “Monday!”

  1. Lori
    July 21st, 2008 at 10:12 pm · Link

    Yay for you!



  2. Christine
    July 22nd, 2008 at 6:36 am · Link

    Glad to hear that you are finished.

    Great excerpt.



  3. Joy Roett
    July 22nd, 2008 at 10:56 am · Link

    WOW! I can’t wait to read this.

    Congrats on finishing 🙂



  4. Mad
    July 22nd, 2008 at 2:06 pm · Link

    Awesome…congrats, Lauren!



  5. laurendane
    July 23rd, 2008 at 12:12 pm · Link

    Lori – thanks! I’m pretty happy.

    Christine – me too!!

    Joy – aww, I hope you like it.

    Mad – thanks, doll!