***GirlXGirl Romance*** Living in New York you learn to keep up with the quick pace of the city, myself included. I was never the one to stop and smell the roses, but that was until I met her on that dull September afternoon. Her eyes were light and dark at the same time, as if a devil and an angel lived inside of her. Time itself had stopped, and since that day everything had changed, ever since I had crossed paths with Drew Wilder.

Growing up in white-bread Omaha, Nebraska, Rachel Shukert was one of thirty-seven students (circa 1990) in Nebraska’s only Jewish elementary school. She spent her days dreaming of a fantasy Aryan boyfriend named Chris McPresbyterian, a tall blond god whose family spoke softly in public and did not inquire after his bowel movements. She spent her nights frantically plastering her bedroom with pictures of intimidating co-religionists such as Henry Kissinger and Bette Midler, hoping to repel the Gestapo officers she was certain were lurking behind the drywall. Even back then, Rachel knew she was destined for greatness. After winning the Omaha Metropolitan Area Theater Arts Guild Award for Best Youth Actress–and imagining herself as the biggest talent to come out of Nebraska since Montgomery Clift–Rachel finally arrives in Manhattan. Intent on making her mark in the glittering world of Show Biz, she isthwarted at every turn by episodes of anorexia, verbally abusive sock puppets, and a certain terrorist attack you may have heard of. She nevertheless soldiers on, as her people have done from time immemorial. In this hilarious, mordant, and moving memoir, Rachel Shukert tackles topics as diverse and weighty as life, death, love, Jewish paranoia, and errant feminine hygiene products with a fresh and irresistible mixture of humor, brains, and candor, proving that having no shame can sometimes be a very good thing indeed.

*** Just a few intro chapters - full book available on Amazon, or you can read the original version for free on Wattpad *** Pay your stake. Roll the dice. Do the dare. Getting divorced at twenty-five sucks. Teaching over-confident rich kids when you ought to be designing handbags for Mulberry sucks. In fact, every single aspect of Daisy Fitzgerald's life is one big fail. But when Xander, a veritable Knight-in-Shining-Cricket-Pads, knocks her off her wedge heels, Daisy topples into his world of It-girls, players and Michelin stars. At a party, buoyed up on champagne and escapism, Daisy agrees to play Forfeit, the ultimate game of dares. Round One was a fun way to pass an hour, Round Two wasn't for the faint-hearted, but no one wants to stake £5,000 to play Round Three, not until they're persuaded by a vitriolic social media campaign that's about to go viral. £25,000 is up for grabs, but the game's called Forfeit for good reason. Blackmail, betrayal, revenge... move over Gatsby, there's a new bunch of bored young things in town. *** Caution. Forfeit's rated at PG-13, but it does contain strong language and scenes of a sexual nature. Just sayin'. Cx *** Being open and honest, I'll only be posting the first 30% or so of #Forfeit here. If you like it and want to read the rest, it's available on Kindle. It won't break the bank - 77p, 99c are the launch prices and the Kindle App is free! Keep posted for chances to win signed copies and Kindle freebies. If you feel cheated that you can't read it all for free, the first/ original draft of Forfeit is still on here. It's posted as a book in its own right, but it's also at the end of the new #Forfeit chapters in this version. Thanks for reading. Cx

Six long-time friends gather for their annual New Year’s Eve party. They are meeting at Craig and Hannah’s spectacular home in the country. Hannah is a best-selling romance novelist. Craig is her adoring husband. All seems perfect. Except nothing is. No one knows that Craig left Hannah several months ago and is living across town with another woman. Tonight, Craig and Hannah will play the part one more time. Because tomorrow will be soon enough for broken dreams and reality. Tonight, they just have to get through the party. But they didn’t plan on the snowstorm. A snowstorm that will keep them all snowed in together for the next three days - including two ex-spouses who have both brought dates! Anyone can "play nice" for a short time, but three days is plenty of time for secrets to be discovered, for illusions to be shattered, and for resolutions to be broken. So, dab a little perfume behind your ear, put your party dress on, and slip into your favorite heels. You’re invited to the party!