Because I’m traveling – A Treat – Loverboy

It’s the loud bang on the door that finally catches my attention. I let my eyes open and see that the TV and Blu Ray player have both been turned off. The light above the stove has been turned on for a little light to see. Nick is off the couch but the running water in the bathroom tells me exactly where he is. The knocking happens again and without thinking I pull myself sleepily from the couch to unlock the door and open it. I’m greeted with such a force that I’m blown to the ground. I feel the back of my head and elbows hit the hardwood in such a way that it stuns me more than hurts. I shake myself from the shock and sleep as realize that there is a man on top of me. I stare up and realize he’s wearing a black ski mask. He grins through the hole around the mouth. I open my mouth to let out a scream and before I can his hand clamps on it hard. Immediately I begin to cry, wiggle, fight and squirm. His hand comes down and meets my face hard and I let out such a loud whimper it can be heard through my entire apartment. I hear the bathroom door fly back and footsteps dropping heavy on the floor as they become closer. I hear one loud click and I know Nick is ready. I feel the man climb off of me and I gasp for air as I try to crawl back on the floor.

Gearing up for a Twitter giveaway

I’ve hosted special giveaways in the past, open to only Facebook fans. But, I want to do something different. I want to jump on the Twitter bandwagon and host a special giveaway. To celebrate the more than wonderful reviews for Darkness Falls: Hunted a signed copy will be up for grabs. In order to make this fun I need more Twitter followers. Lets get out, spread the word and have more fun with this. @TristaJaszczak 

Twitter name change

To make things easier with Twitter, I changed my name to @TristaJaszczak. Should be a bit easier to remember. Well, if you can spell that last name of mine. And, anyone who can, without cheating, deserves a signed book from me!

Another wonderful review!

A big thanks to VampireRomanceBooks.com for the great review I just received for Darkness Falls: Hunted! I couldn’t be happier with the review and I am so excited that you enjoyed being pulled into Randi and Xavier’s world! I can’t wait to give you more of the story soon.

If you’re interested in reading the review or just checking out the site…http://www.vampireromancebooks.com/2012/03/review-darkness-falls-hunted/

Going Through Hell

It’s a work in progress. There’s still much to do and many things to correct. I’ll keep working on it as hard as it may be. 

From the moment I met him, there was a connection. A strong connection. Pretty strong words for a couple of six-year olds. But, it’s true. I was shy and I liked my time alone. I laid there on the floor, coloring when Derek, the brattiest kid in our class laughed so loud most of the class heard him. I remember him saying he could see my “boobies.” May not seem like much, but when you’re six, it’s traumatizing. When tears were filling my eyes, I grabbed my coloring book and crayons to rush off to another corner where I could be alone. He was there. Landon was there. He marched right up to Derek, knocking him right on his butt. Not that I condone pushing in any way, but when Landon yelled, “leave her alone!” My heart melted. I remember Derek had rushed off to another part of the play area and Landon bent over helping me clean up my rainbow mess of crayons. It was at that point, we were inseparable.
Now suddenly, things were different. Too different. It took me years to get over him eating my blue play-doh. It was after all, my favorite color. This. I knew I would never get over this. Not now. Not ten weeks from now. Not even ten years from now. Landon was gone. Gone. I hated that word. I hated how it made me feel. I hated how permanent it was. He was gone. Taken from me, his mom, our life. What happened to our plans? He promised me that he would take me out for my eighteenth birthday. He promised he would take me to senior prom because my boyfriend was such a dirt bag. He promised. He promised! Landon never broke promises. Never. And, now, Landon O’Neill was gone. Gone because someone had chosen to drink and drive. I had to suffer because someone made the wrong choice.
My chest hurt and my eyes ached from hours of tears. It was pouring outside but yet it didn’t stop me from sitting outside in it. Under our tree. Our special spot. My hair was dripping wet and matted to my head. My eyes stung, though I didn’t know if it was from my tears or my eye liner running now. My clothes clung tightly to me and the cold rain was enough to chill me to the bone. But, I didn’t do anything about it, and I wouldn’t. I didn’t care. I sat, with my knees up to my chest and stared into space. A mix of raindrops and tears soaked my face. Before everything was hurting, now I was beginning to feel numb. I felt lost. The words Landon and funeral didn’t belong in the same sentence. Not now. It was way too soon. It made me feel sick to my stomach.

I miss my friend – deeply

February is a difficult month for me. It always has and always will be. You see, 10 years ago, when I was just 17, my best friend had his life taken by a reckless and senseless drunk driver.  Just typing that gives me a pain in my heart. Dallas, was only 17 years old when that man took his life by climbing behind the wheel of his car drunk. Dallas was quite possibly the best man I knew. He was bright, spirited, intelligent, happy-go-lucky. He was one of those people you wanted to be around. And, he was mine. He was my Dallas. I was his. It was as simple as that. There isn’t a single day that passes that I don’t think of him. He’s always on my mind, but February is definitely more difficult than the other 11 months out of the year. I always think about what I could have done to change things. To make him stay just a little longer. To hold him back. Anything to make his path and the drunk driver never cross. I wish I could go back in time and change things, but I can’t. Right now, just typing this I have to pause just to breathe. It’s so difficult. I can’t imagine what’d he’d look like at 27. I can’t picture how much of a better man he would be. And, that hurts.

For years, I have played with the idea, Going Through Hell. A story of a young woman, Noelle, who loses Landon, the love of her life and best friend at just 17. Yes, he’s very much based on Dallas. But, because the pain of losing Dallas is so very real to me, it’s been difficult to finish it. This year, I vow, that I will complete Going Through Hell. I will complete it and release it as special tribute to Dallas. No, I can’t bring him back, but I can keep his memory alive. 

And, please, take the keys of anyone drinking. Stand up and be a designated driver. Don’t let someone possibly cause the pain that myself and Dallas’s family have lived with for the past 10 years. Taking the keys or being a sober driver is far easier than burying someone who you love to the ends of the earth and back. 

Dallas…this one’s for you. I love you and I miss you. ♥

VampireRomanceBooks.com Review & Indie Author Month

I’m excited to announce that I will be participating in VampireRomanceBooks.com’s Indie Author Month, beginning in April. I’m also thrilled to say that both Darkness Falls: Hunted and What Lies Inside have both been sent off for review. I can’t wait. Please check back for more details! Until then, please, check out the site.

http://www.vampireromancebooks.com/2012/01/indie-author-showcase-in-april/

Review of Darkness Falls: Hunted, by Nora Chipley Barteau

Please head on over to Nora Chipley Barteau’s blog and read her review of Darkness Falls: Hunted! I am so excited to announce the book received 5 stars of 5 stars! Thank you, Nora! I can’t wait to work with you more in the future!

http://norachipleybarteau.blogspot.com/2012/02/rha-presents-darkness-falls-hunted-by.html

Lover Boy – snippet

I didn’t quite expect to see Charlotte Murphy in such a bad state. After what she had just been through, she was very lucky to even be alive. But, the cuts, bruises and swelling were a heart wrenching shock to see. I still hadn’t spoke more than ten words to her. Not after I had burst into her room last night just before she fell to sleep again. And, even I had, her memory was still incredibly fuzzy, more than likely from the amount of drugs and suffering her attacker had put her through. Up until now, she had no idea just what she’d lived through. She’d survived a brutal attack from one of the city’s most notorious serial killers. There had been five other victims. All just as beautiful and as talented as she. But, sadly, all five had lost their lives. Women in the city were dropping like flies and we as police had no idea where to even begin as the killer left nothing, not one trace of evidence behind.
I let my feet kick out in front of me as I push my uncomfortable chair back onto it’s hind two legs. I ran my hands up my face and through my hair. I hadn’t slept no more than a few hours. Just a short snooze here and there. It was too difficult when I have a job to do. Charlotte was the killer’s only survivor. We were sure he’d target her again to finish his business. That’s how I come in. To make sure that doesn’t happen. Right now, the worst thing in the world that we could do to her, would be to leave her alone.
I throw my neck from one side to the other, making it crack loudly. Waiting was the hard part. Once she woke up, I was supposed to introduce myself and ask her a few questions. Give her the run down about how she would have 24-hour police protection. But, until she woke up, here I would sit, in the most uncomfortable chair I have ever sat in before, and wait. As luck would have it, I wouldn’t have to wait long. I didn’t know which was worse, waiting or having to make the poor girl remember what she could from her attack.

A big thank you

I wanted to take another minute to say thank you to those who donated to NaNoWriMo and the OLL under my name this past November! Thank you again! Your cash is definitely going to a wonderful cause. Remember, if you’re unsure what NaNoWriMo, please feel free to check out www.nanowrimo.org for information. And, know that this November 2012 I’ll join the great month of literary abandon and work on completing another novel in just 30 short days. 

My 2011 novel, Lover Boy, is currently in one of the many editing steps. I hope to have each and every error corrected, formatting fixed and in print, just as What Lies Inside. Editing is a longer process, so bear with me.

Here’s to  hoping 2012 brings you many more books with my name on the cover, until then, happy reading everyone!