FROM THE AUTHOR’S CORNER: WHISKEY AND MERLOT A Love Story On Amazon For $10.99!

Good Afternoon Everyone! I’m pleased to announce that Whiskey And Merlot A Love Story is now available on Amazon. For a limited time you can purchase the paperback version for $10.99, and after Tuesday, August 13, 2019 the retail price will go up to $15.99. So Hurry and Take Advantage of this Offer by clicking on the link below!

http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B06XBDKBYC

For you kindle readers, there is a kindle version available for $9.99 ongoing. All you have to do is go to Amazon.com and input the title Whiskey And Merlot A Love Story and you are on your way to purchasing your copy of this steamy, entertaining novel! I promise, you will not be able to put this one down!

Then if you happen to be in Atlanta on Saturday, September 21, 2019, there will be a Meet And Greet Book Signing with the author, Anita Dixon Thomas.

Where: Cinco’s Mexican Restaurant at Perimeter Mall

Time: From 1-6pm

Purchase your copy of Whiskey And Merlot A Love Story in advance on Amazon and come out to Cinco’s Restaurant to meet the author and have your book signed

Bring your friends! There will be light refreshments, free giveaways, a brief presentation as well as a question and answer session with the author .

Limited editions of Whiskey And Merlot A Love Story will be available for purchase at the signing for the regular retail price of $15.99. Hope To See You’ll There!

Revelations:Whiskey And Merlot A Love Story

Weeks before her first date with Lincoln Davis, Jinx Collins, Isabelle’s best friend and work colleague Kandy Crane, met in Jinx’s office one morning for one of their many chats. Not only was Isabelle surprised to learn about Jinx’s past descretions, but she was equally stunned by Kandy’s revelation about Lincoln. Jinx Collins, a red boned, slender woman with hazel-green eyes and auburn red hair styled into a short pixie stood six feet tall. She walked with a swanky strut, cursed like a sailor, and she loved teasing and playing devil’s advocate. The setting in this excerpt occurred at Atlanta’s Emory University Hospital where all three women worked as clincial social workers. Enjoy.

Two days later, Isabelle and Jinx were having their usual morning chat when Kandy Crane barged into Jinx’s office. She had been off work for several days visiting her married boyfriend in Miami. Petite and skinny, Kandy had short, thinning blond hair. Although she was African-American, her complexion was light, almost pale.

Isabelle couldn’t stand her. She tolerated her. Kandy thought herself better than others, and this irritated both Jinx and Isabelle. She was snooty and self-absorbed, a woman with no emotional boundaries, always telling her business to anyone who would listen. Isabelle made sure she kept her distance.

Kandy stood in the middle of the floor in her white lab coat, her pockets crammed with notes and pens. She monopolized the conversation, chatting away like an old hen. Isabelle sat back in her chair with her legs crossed, bored to death. 

“I had the best time with Darryl this weekend,” she beamed, shifting from one foot to the next.

Jinx rolled her lips inward as she struggled to keep a straight face. “Well, tell us about it,” she encouraged with sarcasm in her voice.

“We stayed at the Sheraton Hotel on the beach and sunbathed all day,” Kandy boasted. “The food we ate was delicious, and we even talked about getting married!”

Isabelle raised an eyebrow and Jinx bucked her eyes, turning ornery. “And his wife? Where was she?” she asked in a salty tone.

Kandy frowned, shrugging her shoulders. “Who cares?”

“How was he able to pull this off?”

“It’s not my concern,” she haughtily said, pointing her nose in the air.

Jinx bucked her eyes again. “Well, if she finds out you were sleeping with her husband and whips your little ass…I bet you’ll care.”

Isabelle burst into laughter. Thrilled Jinx jack her up.

With a clenched jaw, Kandy hissed. “You two get on my nerves!”

“Get a grip! I’m speaking truth to you, girl!” Jinx said.

Kandy snapped her mouth shut and glared at Jinx. A hush fell over the room. For five long minutes, no one spoke a word. Angry as hell, Kandy mustered up some courage and spewed venom Jinx’s way. “You used to date a married man! You got nerve!”

Isabelle whipped her head back, stunned with Kandy’s revelation. Jinx with a married man? No, not Jinx! Isabelle kept her mouth shut and cast her eyes on her lap. 

Jinx, looking wolfish, stood up. “Girl, you don’t know who you’re messing with,” she snarled.

Terrified, Kandy made a beeline to the door. She stood in the doorway with her mouth gaped open, hyperventilating. 

Jinx pretended to lunge at her. “You got something to say? Say it!”

“Okay, okay! I’m sorry! I don’t want to fight!” she squealed in a soprano voice, jumping back.

Isabelle howled with laughter, and Jinx joined in.

“Not funny,” Kandy whined after she realized Jinx was joking.

“Girl, you are in a relationship going nowhere!” Jinx chuckled as she returned to her seat.

“Not so,” Kandy insisted, still determined to think otherwise. “He loves me, and I love him. It will all work out. You’ll see.”

Isabelle snickered out loud again, and Kandy flashed her a dirty look. Jinx continued with her tongue lashing, refusing to let up. “He may love you, dear heart, but he’s never going to leave his precious wife. They never do.”

“I second that,” Isabelle piped in.

Kandy was defiant. “The man loves me! Aren’t you two listening to me?”

“Yes, we are, but it’s hard to process so much stupid at once,” Isabelle said.

“Smart Ass,” Kandy sneered with her nostrils flaring. 

“It takes one to know one,” Isabelle snarled back.

Jinx rolled her eyes heavenward and sighed. “Okay, ladies, let’s calm down.” She gave Kandy a wary look. “I hope it works out for you, girl.”

“It will! You’ll see,” Kandy insisted.

Jinx changed the subject, breaking out in song. “Isabelle has an admirer! Isabelle has an admirer!” she sang with melodious glee. Isabelle flipped her the middle finger, and Jinx ignored it. She kept up the teasing and blood rushed into Isabelle’s cheeks. 

Furious and embarrassed, Isabelle hissed at her like a snake. “Jinx! Stop it!”

“What happened?” Kandy asked. 

“Not a damn thing!” Isabelle huffed.

“Tell her,” Jinx demanded. “It’s not a big deal.”

“Tell me what?”

Isabelle slid down in her seat and folded her arms on her chest. Jinx loved kicking up controversy, even when there wasn’t one.

“Hurry up! Tell me!” Kandy said as she grabbed a chair and sat.

Isabelle pursed her lips and hesitated, taking a deep breath. “I met a man at the radio station two days ago. His name is Lincoln Davis.”

Kandy’s face lit up. “So, you took the job?” 

“Yes, I did.”

“Did he tell you his wife is expecting a baby?”

Isabelle was inwardly surprised. “No, he didn’t. He left that major detail out. When is the baby due?”

“This summer.”

“When I see him this evening, I’ll congratulate him,” Isabelle said. She was pissed. How dare he try to get in her panties, and he’s an expectant father! Damn! She couldn’t wait to get to the radio station to give him a piece of her mind.

“He’s a ladies’ man,” Kandy further explained. “Don’t let him get too close. He likes pretty women like you.”

Isabelle gave Kandy a funny look. “A compliment from you? Now that’s a first!”

Kandy smiled wide, revealing big chunky teeth. “I don’t mind giving you props!”

Jinx threw in her two cents. “So, what are you going to do girl? The man is coming after you.”

“No, he’s not!”

“Yes, he is!” Jinx said. Then her expression turned naughty. “I want to see this man. Maybe I’ll go to the radio station this week and fill out an application.”

Isabelle rolled her eyes in an exaggerated fashion. “Let me get this straight. You’re going to apply for a job so you can check out Lincoln?”

Jinx grinned. “Yep! I got to see this fine ass chocolate man.” 

Isabelle shook her head in amazement. “Unbelievable!”

She elected not to tell them about her latest encounter with Lincoln. She wasn’t in the mood for Jinx’s teasing. Kandy continued to chatter away about anything and everything under the sun until a loud knock on the door interrupted the conversation.

The door flew opened and in walked Lisa Cooper, the social work supervisor. She was a tall, attractive blond, with a Farah Fawcett haircut. Her work ethic was meticulous, and Lisa expected others to follow her lead. Now she was on the warpath looking for fault in anybody she could find. With her piercing baby blues, she sized up everyone in the room.

“Are you ladies working or goofing off?” she sweetly asked in a baby voice. 

Isabelle bolted from her seat so fast she almost lost her balance and fell. She regained her footing and smoothed out her dress. She hustled to the door. “I have to see patients,” she declared.

“Me too,” said Kandy, jumping to her feet and following Isabelle. They both ran out before Lisa had a chance to address them, leaving Jinx alone to deal with her wrath. “That was cold,” said Kandy, laughing her head off.

“She can handle it,” Isabelle giggled.

They hurried through the hall, splitting in different directions, Kandy going for the elevator and Isabelle to the stairs. “See you later,” Isabelle hollered as she exited through the stairwell. She ran up  seven flights of stairs and stopped on the seventh floor.

Red in the face, Isabelle grunted, taking deep breaths. She rested on the couch in the waiting room. Breathing normally again, Isabelle hurled herself up and hustled to the oncology unit. While there, Lincoln’s baby news crossed her mind.

A wife? A baby? So very disappointing! Despite, her disappointment, the baby was a welcome gift. In her mind, Lincoln had no business asking her out, no business at all. Fatherhood would keep him busy. The perfect plan. Until Next Time. Thank you For Reading. Purchase Your Copy of this steamy Entertaining Novel by clicking on the link below.

http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B06XBDKBYC

The Turning Point: Whiskey And Merlot A Love Story

A week before Isabelle’s romantic date with Lincoln, she witnesses a debate between co-workers on her teleworking part-time job at TLC Radio Station one evening. Impressed by his candor after being confronted by a male co-worker, Isabelle views him differently and eventually agrees to a date.

One Thursday evening, Isabelle, ten minutes late, noticed the work area was scarce of workers. Except for two women gabbing on the phone in the next aisle, the place was virtually empty. Where is everybody? Did something happen? Puzzled, she locked her handbag in the desk drawer and booked it to the break room.

Upon her arrival, Isabelle heard loud, angry voices exploding from behind the door. With her hand poised on the doorknob, she eased the door opened and looked inside. Pat, with her face puffed up like a jellyfish, was embroiled in a heated debate with Cashmere Jones. She stood over him with her hands on her hips.

Droplets of water sprayed from her lips as she shouted in his face. He slid his chair back, wiping his face with his coat sleeve, his copper-brown eyes bulging out of his head. “Woman, stop spitting on me!”

She scowled. “I didn’t spit on you!” She shoved her chair backward with her feet.

Anita Hill and Clarence Thomas were the topic of discussion and everyone in the room had gathered into a big circle. The chaotic scene looked like a boxing match between two heavy-weight fighters. Isabelle panned the room and found Lincoln sitting near the refrigerator, stroking his well-groomed mustache. He appeared introspective, deep in thought as his mocha eyes studied Cashmere.

Isabelle tiptoed in and closed the door. She settled in a chair on the back wall.

Pat, looking wolfish, kept hurling insult after insult at Cashmere. Although his name was Cashmere, there was nothing soft or luxurious about him. The dark bags under his eyes made him looked sleepy, rough, and much older than his stated age of thirty-eight. His outfit, a wrinkled black suit three sizes too big, matched the wide brim hat hanging off the side of his head. Tightly thick beaded black hair grew around his ears and temples. He looked like an old, sleazy drunk on skid road. He was three gallons of crazy in a two-gallon bucket, and his pig-headed viewpoints rubbed women the wrong way.

“Cashmere! Don’t get me to arguing and cussing with you!” Pat screamed in his face with her false teeth clicking like a softly ticking clock. “Anita Hill is not lying! The man put pubic hair in her coke for goodness sake!”

“Yeah, he also referred to his nasty ding-a-ling as his long dong silver,” hissed an angry woman with a red afro.

Isabelle cringed as she imagine pubic hair floating in a glass of coke. She scooted her chair closer to the door, ready to book at any minute. 

“She’s a temptress,” Cashmere charged with his thick lips curling. “She seduced him, and when he got some, he dumped her little ass. She got mad and came up with this cockled knuckled bull!”

Every woman in the room hissed and gnashed their teeth, popping out of their seats like jack-in-the-boxes. Spewing gross expletives out of sore mouths, they accused Cashmere of being a male chauvinist pig. Cashmere withered in his seat like a frightened little boy who just got spanked. He looked to the men around the room to bail him out, but no one volunteer.

Agony clouded his features, and he wailed in desperation, “Hey guys, help a brother out!”

With a stone face, Lincoln stood to his feet and threw up his hands. He went for the exit. “Bruh, you are on your own.”

“Man, you know I’m right!” he yelled at Lincoln.

Lincoln stopped in mid-stride and turned to face him, his eyes steely and vacant of warmth. “No, you’re not!” he said raising his heavy voice. “Clarence Thomas puts us men to shame! He’s an asshole!”

Pat screamed from her corner of the room. “That’s what I’m talking about, a man with some damn sense!”

Shouts of approval erupted around the room. Defeated and embarrassed, Cashmere scowled as he sank further in his seat. He pouted and threw his arms on his chest. 

Isabelle’s mouth gaped open. Lincoln’s response took her by surprise. His opinion, different from most men on the subject, was refreshing to her. Her view of him changed that very moment. He was strong. A true rebel. A man not afraid to stand up for his beliefs. 

Impressed, Isabelle gave him the thumbs up as he glided past her out the door. She slid out of her seat and followed him. He hadn’t gotten very far. He always took his sweet time walking with his easy swagger. 

“Lincoln!” she called out trying to keep her voice low.

He stopped and turned around and grinned when he saw her. “What’s going on?”

Isabelle strolled up to him. “You were great in there!” She smiled broadly.

“Cashmere doesn’t know what he’s talking about half of the time,” he said.

“Well, he has a closed mind. I can see why the women don’t like him,” she giggled.

Lincoln laughed.  “Baby Girl, he’s nothing but a punk in a cheap suit!”

Isabelle fell out giggling even harder. She loved his sense of humor. As they walked together, he slyly asked, “Care to get a drink this Saturday evening?”

Tickled, she fell out into a belly laugh. She couldn’t help herself. Lincoln was still trying to seduce her, only this time it was working. The corners of his lips turned up into a boyish grin. “What’s so funny?”

“Oh, please,” she groaned. “You know what you’re doing.”

He let out a frustrated sigh. “Isabelle, it’s just a drink between friends.”

For a moment, she mulled over his words. She knew he was manipulative, but now she didn’t care. He was her hero. He was the man. “All right, what time and where?”

His face dropped, stunned. 

“What’s the matter?” Isabelle innocently asked.

“Are you serious about meeting me for a drink?” he incredulously asked. 

“Absolutely,” she chuckled. “Why not? We’re friends, right?”

“Mmmm…” he said with his mocha eyes grazing up and down her body as if he would like to eat her up.

“Stop it,” she giggled tilting her head back. 

“Stop what?”

“Looking at me like…”

He shrugged his shoulders. “Like what?” 

“All sexy like!”

“I can’t look at you?” he asked raising his eyebrows as he invaded her personal space. She could smell the sweet scent of his lavender cologne, and her head swam. The heat radiating from his body made her quiver with goosebumps. She knew he was going to kiss her if she didn’t move out of his reach. So, she placed her hand on his chest and gently pushed him back. “Stop it,” she said in a syrupy voice.

“Mmmmm…okay,” he grinned, still checking her out. “So, this date we’re going on, you and me, let’s meet at Paschal’s on MLK Way.”

“What time?” she asked fluttering her long black eyelashes. 

“Eight-thirty,” he flatly said.

“Eight-thirty it is,” she said in a honeyed voice.

“Good,” he said, looking pleased. He started to walk away, and Isabelle stopped him, placing her hands on her hips. Her eyes widen in an exaggerated fashion. 

“Be on time,” she warned. “If you are one minute late, I mean one minute, don’t bother coming. This girl waits for nobody.”

He cracked up laughing. “Don’t you worry, Baby Girl, I’ll be there. You can count on it.”

The Date-Whiskey And Merlot A Love Story

In this week’s excerpt from Whiskey And Merlot A Love Story, heroine, Isabelle Perkins had her first date with Lincoln Davis at La Carousel Lounge, a jazz club owned by Robert and James Paschal in Atlanta. 

 In 1960, the club with a capacity to seat two hundred patrons opened its doors next to Paschal’s, a restaurant the brothers owned. Known as Atlanta’s “jazz mecca,” top notched jazz musicians and vocalists like Ramsey Lewis, Aretha Franklin and many others performed there on a regular basis. 

Viewed as the “happening place” for the city’s African-Americans, the Pashchal Brothers also welcomed White patrons to the club, the only establishment to do so at the time. No wonder Isabelle’s love interest, Lincoln Davis selected the club for his romantic date with her. Not only was La Carousel Lounge a “happening” place, but it was a historical trendsetter for its time. Read about Isabelle’s exciting date with the handsome Lincoln Davis below. Enjoy.

Isabelle could spot Lincoln anywhere. She saw him the minute she came through the door. Lincoln looked handsome in his blue silk suit and shiny black Calvin Klein oxfords. He wore his suit well with his fine, commanding presence, and her heart fluttered with excitement. He made his way over to her, and his lips parted into a gangster grin. His swagger and handsome looks were magical to her, and Isabelle felt her knees buckle at the sight of him.

She managed to stay upright, drawing in a deep breath as she met him halfway.  

“What’s up, Baby Girl?” he greeted her, grabbing her hand. 

Goosebumps tingled up and down her arm when she touched his hand. She knew she was in deep, deep trouble. This affair was going to hurt once it was all over. However, she couldn’t stop herself. She was swept up and dazzled by his sexual charm. 

“How are you this evening?” she asked.

“Better now,” he grinned.

The music faded into a bebop rhythm, prompting a crowd to dash to the dance floor. Lincoln led Isabelle to the non-smoking section. He pulled out a chair from the table, and Isabelle sat. 

“So, what are you drinking this evening?” he asked as he scooted his seat closer to her.

“Wine,” Isabelle said with her voice quivering a little. All of a sudden, she was nervous and overwhelmed with the whole situation.

“What kinda wine?” he inquired as he gestured for the waitress to come over.

“Merlot,” she said. The waitress bounced over, took their orders, and left just as quickly. The music changed from a bebop rhythm to a slow melodic tempo, turning the atmosphere into a romantic mood. 

Lincoln leaned in closer, and she felt his hot breath on her cheek. “Care to dance?” he asked.

“No, I pass,” Isabelle replied cautiously.

“What are you so afraid of?”  

“You,” she answered in a soft voice.

“What do you think is going to happen here?” he whispered in her ear.

Isabelle shrugged her shoulders, giggling nervously. “Nothing, I guess.”

He stood, towering over her, and grabbed her hand. “Let’s dance.”

He led her to the dance floor and pulled her to him, placing his left hand firmly on her hip. He held her close, and his muscular strength made her feel vulnerable and safe at the same time.

They floated across the room as if hypnotically synced as one. The fragrance of his lavender cologne made her swoon, and she thought she would faint. He held her closer, and she felt a hard ridge pressing on her abdomen. He was hard as a rock, and his arousal inflamed her sexual desire. When she gazed into his handsome ebony face, he leaned over, and his lips were five inches from hers.

He whispered, “The problem is…if I kissed you, I don’t think I’d be able to stop.”

“Go ahead,” Isabelle boldly said with her heart pounding in her chest. “I want you too.”

She felt the gentle press of his velvety dark lips on hers. He kissed her as if she belonged to him. For a moment, she could taste the next sixty years of her life as she surrendered to his intoxicating passion. He kissed the tip of her nose and moved to her neck gently nibbling and sucking on her soft skin. Isabelle’s eyes widen, and she pushed him away. 

“No hickeys!” she scolded him.

“Okay,” he laughed. 

“Not funny!”

He backed off. “Keep your panties on. I get it.” 

He took her hand, and they returned to the table. Their drinks had arrived, and they both sat. Isabelle tasted her wine. It was smooth and dry, just the way she liked it. 

“Mmm, very good,” she purred feeling pleased. Isabelle eased back in her seat and looked at Lincoln. “Do you come here often?” 

“Been here a couple of times. It’s okay for a drink.”

“Mm-hmm,” Isabelle said. 

They looked at each other for a long moment, and he said, “I kinda like you.”

“Kinda like me? What is that?”

He leaned in closer. “Okay, I like you.” 

“This isn’t going to work. You’re married.” 

“So?”

Isabelle’s mahogany eyes sharply bored into him. “What do you mean ‘so’?”

“Do not challenge me, woman.”

Isabelle reared back with her temper flaring. “Oooooooo, you got the wrong one, my brother! I will challenge you if I damn well please. Who in the hell do you think you’re talking to?”

He cracked up laughing. “You’re so cute when you get mad.”

“Oh, you think I’m cute when I get mad? Well, get ready handsome, because I’m about to get fine as hell!”

“Isabelle, calm your sexy ass down,” he chuckled with his eyebrows touching.

“Well…”

“Well, nothing,” he interrupted her. He stood up and extended his hand. “Let’s dance, Baby Girl. You need to calm down.”

Isabelle giggled hysterically. She loved the way he handled her. Most men couldn’t deal with her temper, but he could. Lincoln saw right through her brash exterior, and it was refreshing. She took his hand, and they danced for the rest of the evening. 

When he escorted her to her car, it was one o’clock in the morning. Before they parted, he planted a series of hot sizzling kisses on her lips and Isabelle fell for him before she even realized it. Until Next Time. Thanks For Reading. Comments Welcome. Purchase Your Copy Of This Steamy Entertaining Love Story by Clicking on the link below.

http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B06XBDKBYC