A ROSE BY ANY OTHER NAME
a Beyond Fairytales story
By
Landra Graf
Blurb: Zombies don’t belong in fairy tales….at least not those with a good chance
of a happily ever after…
Jason Prince, Charming's once-upon-a-time star
jock, only attends his Charming high school reunion to find his way into the
heart of a certain wallflower who had no date for the prom.
Shy, geeky, chemical engineer, Emma Fay has been
keeping her love for Jason a secret because she knows Jason and Rose belong
together. But, when Rose Briar pricks her finger, fulfilling a prophecy about
death and a plague, she throws a wrench into the class reunion that not even
the best planning committee can tackle.
Can Jason and Emma stop Zombie Beauty Rose before
she turns their loved ones into her undead court and sends them forth to spread
the infestation to the rest of the world? Or will human flesh become the daily
special at diners everywhere? And will there be enough left of Jason and Emma
for romance to blossom?
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Excerpt (Option 1):
That’s when she saw him, and, damn—he looked
better than he had in high school. Back then, he’d been equal proportions of
muscle on top and bottom, but since then his shoulders and upper body had
filled out. He looked like a bronzed god. Even though it was fall, he still
sported a tan, his blonde hair a shade lighter than she remembered, most likely
from time spent outside. Seeing him sparked errant thoughts of finding out what
he was doing now. His eyes connected with hers.
His lips moved, but she couldn’t hear anything as
he walked her way. She rolled down the window when he reached her door and
angled down to lean against it.
“Emmaline Fay, what are you doing? Hiding in the
car like a scaredy cat?”
The rich, deep sound of his voice coupled with
his childish taunt made her feel self-conscious, and a flush of heat and anger
coursed her skin. She’d forgotten about his ability to aggravate her at the
drop of a dime.
“No, just trying to decide if this is a good
place to park. You know how you country boys tend to scuffle your way over and
around cars after a few too many.”
“True, but we’re men, and we have to impress the
ladies somehow. You can’t tell me a scuffle doesn’t make you smile.”
She tried to keep her expression civil even when
Jason’s familiar scent found her nose, inspiring a fresh round of stomach
squirminess. “The only time I feel like smiling is when the cops show up to
make an arrest.”
Jason grinned. Even his teeth were perfect. Rose
had definitely picked a winner. He took a step back and winked. “Come on out of
the car, kitty claws. Maybe we can find a scuffle together if you’re that
excited about the law.”
“Always the jokes and nicknames. You haven’t
changed.” She rolled up the window and removed her keys from the ignition. Hilarious
how he riled her up and got under her skin with only a few sentences. Keeping
her distance should be her key objective of the night. Otherwise she might lean
in and sniff him or, worse, engage in one of those arguments she loved to
start. Pathetic. Maybe her decision to stay out of the dating game was a
liability.
She walked to the curb, Jason trailing behind.
Glancing over her shoulder, she saw him jerk his head up, and she stumbled on a
piece of raised sidewalk.
“Whoa there. Everything okay?” He put a hand to
her waist, and she barely kept herself upright.
Her skin went hot. Everywhere. “I’m fine.” But
she wasn’t.
Author Bio: Landra Graf consumes at least one book a day,
and has always been a sucker for stories where true love conquers all. She
believes in the power of the written word, and the joy such words can bring. In
between spending time with her family and having book adventures, she writes
romance with the goal of giving everyone, fictional or not, their own happily
ever after.
Author Links:
Website: http://landragraf.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LandraGraf
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/landra.graf
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/landragraf/
