Some of My Best Friends Aren't Real

MUSE MONDAY

I'm very close to having book three of the MacKenzie Chronicles completed, which means I'll be saying goodbye to a cast of characters I've grown close to in the town of Joshua, Arizona. Getting all sentimental reminds me of the last series I completed and how I felt.

The Love and Murder Series is a five-book series, so the time spent with those people was a few years. I still think about them. I remember vividly the last line of the last book:

“Well, then, sugar. Let’s get started.” 

With those last words, I typed The End to book five in the Love and Murder Series. Sniff, sniff. 

The Deep Well of Love and Murder ended the series, and I sadly bid farewell to a cast of characters I’d loved and lived with for a few years. I still Lacy’s level-headed personality, Chance’s dedication to peace-keeping, Phoebe’s sassy, gypsy style, Mason’s sexy attitude, August’s feistiness, Wolf’s James Bond coolness, Penny’s braveness, Jake’s soft side, and last, but not least, from The Deep Well, Laura’s independent flare and Randy’s…there’s too much to miss about Randy. 

When I write a book, I know so much more about the characters than I can include between the pages. It’s a satisfying feeling, putting their stories to rest, but it’s also as if they move on without me. Can they? I suppose Randy and Laura are just fine without my meddling, but honestly, I miss checking in on them every day. 

The Deep Well of Love and Murder Excerpt:

“You let me be the judge of what messes I choose in my life.” His hands twitched at his sides, longing to hold her and stifle her anger. He narrowed his eyes and stared deeper into hers instead. “Taking care of your ex is a mess I look forward to.”

“This is my mess, not yours.” Her tone grew more combative. “I’ve handled what I’ve been dealt, and I’ll continue handling whatever gets thrown at me.”

“I don’t see it that way.” He kept his voice level, but hard edged. His own emotions, convincing her while fear of losing her, hammered his self-control. “You’re locking me out. Why? Because you think you aren’t allowed to be happy?”

Her mouth pinched in a tight line, and she glared at him. “Randy—”

“I think it’s about damned time you stopped blaming your mother, your ex, or whoever for your unhappiness.”

She whirled away, ready to flee, but he couldn’t stop now. He needed her and had to make her see how much she needed him. “Don’t be afraid of me, Laura Jane.” He shuffled a half-step closer.

“I’m not afraid.” She faced him again. “But I don’t need you to tell me how to run my life, if that’s what you think you can do.”

Perro jumped and planted his paws on Randy’s hip, panting heavily. “For Pete’s sake, Perro—”

Laura’s brow furrowed. “Do you smell that?” “What?” As soon as he’d asked, the hot, smoky scent assaulted his senses.

Fire.

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