Sadie Jay

I just finished my third viewing of Heated Rivalry . I find myself, on each rewatch, catching something I've missed during previous viewings. There are so many emotional scenes in the series, but the one that makes me teary every time is the conversation between Shane and Yuna in The Cottage. It's just this gut-punch, and I think it was handled beautifully.  I don't have many coming-out scenes in my books because most of my characters are older, in their 30s or 40s, but in Smoke and Sparks , Daryl and Vaughn are 21 years old when they meet. Meeting Vaughn is the catalyst for Daryl coming out even to himself. And I have a scene with his mom. Sorry, I've gone way past a paragraph or two, even though it's compressed from the full book version: I sat at our kitchen table, alone in the big room, except for Mom. With six siblings, that was a rare occurrence. She set a mug of coffee and a slice of apple pie in front of me and then dropped onto her usual chair. I glanced at...

Because of work schedules, we haven't had "Christmas" yet, but my daughter arrived yesterday, and my son is off tomorrow. I'm fixing us a nice dinner and we're going to open presents. The day we celebrate doesn't matter as much as being together, after all. So what did I do Christmas day, you ask? Rewatched episodes 4 and 5 of Heated Rivalry while I waited for the Cottage! For too many people, the holidays aren't a happy time, and it was that way for Vaughn in Smoke and Sparks .  To his family, it's all about keeping up appearances and nothing about actually liking each other. Vaughn is dreading the week, as well he should. FYI Matthew is Vaughn's brother:   The car Matthew sent wasn’t a car—it was a limo. With him in it. And here I thought the day couldn’t get worse.  All the plans I’d made to not go until Christmas Eve were dashed when Claire mentioned she’d covered my shifts after Father’s secretary contacted her. That was followed by a text f...

Anyone, readers and authors, get in on the big free romance book give-away this weekend? My book, Smoke and Sparks , was included. I had a lot of downloads, but I realize that doesn't guarantee a lot of reads. But I hope those who do enjoy it.  I'm snipping from Smoke and Sparks this weekend. This scene comes from Vaughn and Daryl's first kiss. Daryl has only recently come out and this is his first kiss with a man. Told from Daryl's POV: An explosion of heat and want rolled through me as Vaughn sucked and licked at my teeth and then my tongue. The taste of the Coke he’d been drinking earlier was strong, but that orange-cinnamon flavor faded as the kiss deepened, leaving only a slight sweetness that was hot and heady. Surely this must be what Vaughn’s skin tasted like, I thought. Except, if I ran my tongue over his jaw and down his throat, I imagined there would be a hint of saltiness from his sweat. Those romances that I’d read, they all said that. Salty skin, salty te...

And now we come to the end of 2022. Honestly, compared to the 5 or 6 years that proceeded it, I have to say it was a decent year for me. Were there some challenges? Of course. Money has definitely been tight. But I released four books and got to go to the GRL Retreat for the first time. And my daughter came home for a week over Christmas, which made my heart happy. I have a couple of trips planned for 2023 and a few book goals that I hope I can meet. For the rest, it will fall as it will.  The hall of banners at GRL! I'm snipping from Smoke and Sparks , a book I released earlier this year. This scene, told from Daryl's POV, takes place when he takes Vaughn to his hometown to meet his family and friends:  “It’s just a bar,” I stated. “Nothing fancy. Half the crowd will come straight from work. There’ll be everything from flannel to suits and ties. You won’t stand out.” That wasn’t necessarily true. Vaughn would stand out, but not because of his clothing. It would be because he ...

This week nearly get the better of me, between taking care of some Farmers Market loose ends and attending a Celebration of Life for a friend who died a couple of weeks ago. But I made it through, and I'm ready to hit this next week with gusto! My book, Smoke and Sparks , is available for free this month in the Romance to Read give-away. Find it, along with many other books,  by clicking here .      [As we kissed], I pictured the starlets of the old black and white films, a dainty foot encased in a pointed stiletto rising as her lover kissed her. It made sense to me as the itch reached my toes and they curled in my Nikes. I fought the mad need to shuffle my feet, to drag them across the ground, seeking relief, and I broke away, drawing in air even as a chuckle escaped, my inner fancies impossible to explain but so amusing to me that I couldn’t stop the grin from spreading across my face.     Daryl looked up at me, his eyes glassy and dazed until he ga...

Smoke and Sparks is live! Releasing the three books so closely together means I'm spending more time on promo than anything else right now. It's exhausting. Cinders and Ash releases next, on May 26th, and then maybe I can focus on something else! A glance at Vaughn and Daryl's first kiss! From Daryl's POV:     Vaughn’s kiss was nothing more than pressure against my lips, something akin to a promise instead of an actual kiss. Still, I was frozen in that moment, holding my breath as my eyes fluttered closed. He broke the connection between our mouths and shifted, pressing his forehead against mine, and my held breath came out in a puff.      I still didn’t open my eyes. Closed, I could better hear my heartbeat and feel the heat of his hands on my skin. The small space between us was charged, a zing of electricity that smoked and sparked. If I opened my eyes, would I find the air glowing? Smoke and Sparks–Campfire Stories Book 2  Couch-surfing is fine for th...

Is April really over? That month flew by quickly! I've spent so much time this month on formatting, publishing, and promo, I've lost track of time. I can honestly say, I never get bored! But I've still managed to fit in a few walks to enjoy the Bluebells! The three books in the Campfire Stories series all have camping scenes in them where the romances take their first big steps. In Smoke and Sparks , Daryl and Vaughn are sharing a tent with Lindsey. It puts a bit of a damper on things, as you can imagine. Told from Vaughn's POV: “‘Morning,” Daryl whispered, doing his best to not wake Lindsey.  “Sleep okay?” I whispered back. I wiggled to the edge of the mattress as I attempted to see him better. He mirrored my movements, bringing us only inches apart. “Better than I thought I would.”  Unthinking , I reached out and pushed his hair behind his ear. His eyes widened and he tensed but didn’t pull away. Encouraged, I trailed my fingertip over his cheekbone and then traced th...

  This month has flown by so quickly! It always seems to go that way when there are deadlines, whether they are outside deadlines or the ones I impose on myself. This month has been a little of both, which makes it twice as bad!   Everything is budding out and there is color everywhere. I love Spring! This week's snippet is taken from Smoke and Sparks . Vaughn is a college student who works in a coffee shop close to campus. He's having a rough time of it, but things aren't completely bleak: My thoughts were interrupted when my next customer asked for a large black coffee. My mind went blank. Large. Black. Coffee. No extra shot of anything, no request for some kind of milk that wasn’t milk. Just coffee. Black. Pour it in a cup and put on the lid. Much too simple. I couldn’t remember the last time someone had ordered a regular coffee, and I felt as if I was forgetting something as I poured it. I laughed in sheer delight after she left, cup in hand and phone to her ear. She’d ...

Embers and Flame released this week, and Smoke and Sparks is up for pre-order. It's made for a week of graphics and promo and little writing. Which means I've very behind on my CampWriMo goals. But I'll get there...eventually! This week's snippet is from Smoke and Sparks . Vaughn's brother has shown up unannounced to make sure he comes for Christmas, even though their parents have basically dismissed him. Told from Vaughn's POV: " You don’t want me around any more than Mother and Father do.”          "That’s not true. Of course we want you there. Oddly enough, your niece and nephew miss you.”           “It’s not that odd. I’m Jenny’s godfather and probably the only adult that’s ever played with her and Troy.”          My brother flicked his hand dismissively, as if he was swatting at some annoying bug. I’m pretty sure I was the bug. “They have their nanny and tutors. Text Mother, let her know you’re coming, ...

The bitter cold has truly and fully settled in, here in southern Illinois. We had a little snow this week, just enough to cover the ground and make it slick. Our forecast for the upcoming week includes snow and ice. I'm over it already! Bring on Groundhog's Day (because regardless of what that groundhog sees, spring is approx. 6 weeks away.)  Uptown, February of 2015. I'm hoping we don't get a repeat this week.  This week's snippet is from Smoke and Sparks . I'm doing another round of edits and this passage caught my eye. Vaughn and Daryl live in different states and are Face Timing for the first time on an evening that Vaughn is finding particularly difficult. Talking to Daryl improves his mood tremendously. Told from Vaughn's POV:  “You called me Darling,” I said softly. He’d pronounced it in the slight hill-billy twang that occasionally peppered his speech, saying ‘dar-lin’ like the old Conway Twitty song.            “That okay? Calling yo...

Like so much of the US, we got hit by extreme cold and snow. It wasn't horrible-- it was less than a foot by a couple of inches. Despite the broadcast warnings to stay off the roads because of white-out conditions, there was a rash of wrecks on the Interstate with additional numerous cars off the road. Not surprising, most of the vehicles involved were out of state. It happens every time!    Silver watching it snow, and happy she chose to be a house cat! This week's snippet is a continuation from last week and is taken from the prologue from  Smoke and Sparks , told from Daryl's POV. He has just discovered his cousin Ben is bisexual and he is beginning to accept that he, himself, is gay.  (part 6 of 6-- click here for parts 1-5 )           Later, in the shower room, I braced my arms with my hands on the sink and stared at myself in the wavy mirror. I was short, a little thick in the waist, and dark-headed with a pointed face, like my mo...

  Smoke and Sparks (Book 2 of the Campfire Series) Couch-surfing is fine for the short term, but what Vaughn really needs is a roommate. Vaughn’s future was mapped out: Attend college in St. Louis. Become a Physical Therapist. Come out to his ultra-religious family-- after he’s financially stable and probably 40-years-old. But that was before he got caught with the pool-boy. Now he has to make new plans, quickly. A small-town mechanic from Indiana, Daryl has never met anyone like Vaughn. He’s instantly fascinated by the tall college student in the skinny jeans and open-backed shirt. Vaughn is funny, intelligent—and wears silk underwear. Daryl is instantly smitten. A temporary job offer moves Daryl to the city and solves Vaughn’s roommate problem. But while their former long-distance friendship has the potential to turn into something more, Vaughn fears he’ll end up heartbroken when Daryl moves back to Indiana. The spark between them glows brighter, but will it be smothered before i...

I'm aromantic-- something I couldn't define until just a few years ago. I just knew I was different from my friends. I didn't date and I never planned on getting married (even though I did, and have been with the same partner for nearly 34 years). And yet, I'm fascinated by romance. I guess that's why I read and write it!   Our wedding day. It was definitely not a serious/solemn event! This week's snippet is a continuation from last week and is taken from the prologue from  Smoke and Sparks , told from Daryl's POV. He has just discovered his cousin Ben is bisexual and he is beginning to accept that he, himself, is gay.  (part 5 of 6--  read part one here ,   part two here , part three here , and part four here . )   Cherry was a flame that drew me, and after my fourth beer, I got brave enough to sit next to him as the group settled around the campfire. It was midsummer and hot, and still, we’d built a fire and gathered around as if it was some pr...

I think January 2021 must have been about 60 days long— or at least, that's the way it's felt. I wonder how long February will be? I've spent the week on edits. I'm itching to do some writing, but I can't decide what project I want to concentrate on. I guess that's a writer's problem, if there ever was one! Florida dreaming. I want beaches and sunshine.  This week's snippet is a continuation from last week and is taken from the prologue from  Smoke and Sparks , told from Daryl's POV. (part 3 of ?--  read part one here and part two here )   As it was, I froze when a surprised Ben stepped out of his camper, followed by an auburn-haired man. A very nervous, flushed, auburn-haired man. But who wouldn’t be nervous, when confronted by a dozen strangers gathered at the door, staring, all agog? “Ben's gay?” was my first thought. “We shouldn’t be here,” was my second. And, “Oh My God! They were totally having sex in there!” was my third thought as I n...

Two years ago this week, I was on my first (and only) cruise. I was nervous, but that didn't last. I spent an hour or two every afternoon, reading on the deck.  It was so relaxing. And warm. It's something I definitely want to do again once we're able to travel safely. This week's snippet is a continuation from last week and is the first paragraphs of the prologue from Smoke and Sparks , told from Daryl's POV. (part 2 of ?-- read part one here. )           What did I know? I was barely 21-years-old. If my older cousin and his friends invited me to tag along, I tagged along. I wasn’t about to question it. We’d traveled from our southern Indiana hometown to an Illinois campground to meet Cherry Honey, our other cousin’s mystery lady from St. Louis. I had no clue why the guys at the garage called her that, because I was sure it wasn’t her real name. I was simply looking forward to a weekend without all the hustle and bustle of home-life with my...

Over the last two weeks, I've been working on a rewrite, filling the plot-holes that my beta readers pointed out. We all hate criticism, but the nice thing was, they all seemed to hit on the same snags. And yes, I consider that a win, because it means the rest of the story worked. First and foremost, it was suggested that I'd started in the wrong place, and after some debate, I decided to write a prologue instead of a full chapter. Hopefully, it reads better now. Why does January always feel like I'm living life on still-pause? I think Peppercorn feels it, too. The prologue from Smoke and Sparks , book two of the Campfire Stories series. This snippet is told from Daryl's POV (part one of ?): July 2016 “Don’t worry, Daryl, it’ll be fine,” my cousin Mike said to me. “Ben won’t care.”             What was fine , according to Mike, was crashing Ben’s weekend camping-rendezvous with a woman he’d been dating for a few weeks.           ...