Twisted
By: N.L. Greene
Genre: NA Contemporary Romance
Release Date: September 13th, 2013
Blurb
Growing up isn’t always easy. But for most teenage girls, they can rely on their best friend to help them get through the process. A BFF is something that is truly treasured and completely irreplaceable. You share all of your secrets, and are loyal and honest with each other, even when you’re acting just a little bit crazy. You have each other’s backs no matter what and you form a bond that is virtually unbreakable.
At least that’s what normal teenage girls experience.
Nat and Mel have been bestie’s since childhood and Nat has followed her blindly ever since. But as Nat’s friendship with Mel begins to lead her down the wrong path, she starts to question the sincerity of their relationship. Nat starts to see Mel’s manipulative, deceitful ways become more focused on her. Will Natalie hold on tight to the friendship she’s had her entire life, no matter what it cost her? Or will she let her heart lead her to a relationship that’s not so twisted.
Excerpt
Mel had been badgering me about my virginity. She had lost hers over the summer to some
random guy she’d met at a party she’d gone to with Ash. One that I hadn’t been allowed to go to. She kept telling me that it wasn’t a big
deal, and that I needed to lose it quick.
I was going to be seventeen in a few weeks, and no guy was going to want
to date a seventeen year old virgin. I
started to freak out. I wanted a
boyfriend, and I wanted those feelings that came along with having one. I wanted a guy to tell me I was amazing and
beautiful. I wanted him to hold my hand,
hug me, kiss me, and look at me like he couldn’t stand to be away from me. I wanted to be cherished and loved. Validated.
I didn’t know why I craved that confirmation so much. My parents may have been strict, but I always
knew they loved me unconditionally so I wasn’t lacking in that department. But after feeling the way I’d felt when
Miguel had been with me, even if it was just for a little while, I knew I was
missing something marvelous and I wanted it.
My birthday that year fell on a weekend again, and Mel
insisted we celebrate by going to a party where I would have the ‘perfect opportunity’ to take care of ‘my little problem.’ I hated it when she referred to it that way,
but I’d given up arguing about it a long time ago.
We were at lunch when Mel turned to me with her brilliant
idea. “So, this weekend is your
birthday…” She trailed off with a waggle of her eyebrows that I knew meant she
was up to no good.
“Oh geez, what are you up to?” I asked with mock horror.
“Oh really? And does
this lucky guy know that he’s going
to be your next boyfriend?” I honestly
couldn’t help but giggle at her. She was
so outrageous sometimes.
“No he doesn’t, but he will soon enough,” she said smugly,
and I didn’t doubt her. Mel usually got
what she wanted.
“So how did we find out about this guy and the party?” I started to clean my lunch up, knowing the
bell was about to ring.
Mel did the same. “He
goes here, actually. He’s a senior and
on the football team. We have art class
together, and he invited me to the party.
And because you’re my girl, you are invited as well,” she said
arrogantly. I wasn’t offended though,
because I knew it was true. Mel was the
popular one of the two of us, and I was always invited by default.
“Name please,” I said as I dumped my trash and we walked out
of the cafeteria. Thank God we didn’t
have to sit in that horrible gym anymore for lunch!
“Sean,” she stated simply, and waited.
“Oh!” I squealed and
jumped up and down. “I totally know who
you’re talking about! He’s the
quarterback and he’s one of the
hottest guys in school!”
“Yes, I know.” She
lifted her chin haughtily, but then glanced at me out of the corner of her eye
and started to giggle. “He’s totally
mine! I cannot wait until this weekend!
Your parents are going to let you go, right?”
“Ugh! I hope so. I’ll start working on them today. I’ll do some extra chores and all that stuff
so they’ll let me sleep at your house this weekend. You goin’ to your dad’s or your mom’s?”
“Slave drivers,” Mel mumbled under her breath, and I rolled
my eyes. There was no use defending them
to her, and I’d stopped trying years ago.
“My dad’s,” she said after a quick hesitation.
My stomach dropped, but I didn’t give any outward sign of my
distress. Mel watched me out of the
corner of her eye and I could tell she was looking for it. I’d told her that I was finally over Miguel,
and if I gave the slightest any indication that I wasn’t, she would never leave
me alone about how much of an ass he was, how badly he’d treated me, the
hateful things he’d said to her, or how she thought he was trying to get in
between us. Yes, those were all things
that were discussed ad nauseum for weeks after the ‘bathroom incident’. I just didn’t want to deal with it, so I
pretended that I wasn’t still totally crushing over him. I don’t know why but as hard as I tried, I
couldn’t seem to forget about him. He
was seared in my brain and on my heart.
Maybe Mel was right and I should
just hook up with a guy. Maybe it really
would help me forget about Miguel for good.
When she seemed satisfied with my lack of response, she continued with
explaining our plans for the weekend; telling me that Ash was finally sleeping
over too and that we were all going together.
“Cool. I’m so
excited!” Since I hadn’t been over at
Mel’s as often as before, and since now she was splitting her time between her
mom and dad, I hadn’t seen Ash as much.
She still drove us to and from school, but since it was her senior year
she was crazy-busy. We didn’t have lunch
together anymore either. I really missed
her.
“Good-because there will be a ton of hot guys there, and I
think you should seriously consider picking one to sleep with,” she said before
she hurried off to class; leaving me standing there, staring at her retreating
back like an idiot.
My writing process...
by N.L. Greene
I don’t know if I actually have a writing process. I know I don’t do the ‘normal’ thing we were taught in school when it comes to my writing. I don’t start out with an outline, building my characters and storyline, or anything like that. There is absolutely no organization involved when I start a new story.
Instead, I start with an idea that usually comes from something like a movie, another book, or a personal experience. I’ll see or hear something interesting and think to myself, what’s the rest of that story or what is that they aren’t telling us? It could stem from a side character or a small, insignificant event, anything really, but if the question is asked then I can’t help myself. I have this issue with letting things go. I want to know more about those things we weren't told or the people that seemed inconsequential. So then I’ll come up with this small kernel of an idea that means absolutely nothing but I want to find out what it could mean.
So I start to write.
I’ll decide on a character or two and get an idea of what I want them to do or where I want the story to start and a vague idea of where I think it might go. Then I’ll talk to my husband about it and he’ll just start throwing ideas at me. Usually I don’t like any of them, but they always spark another idea that I do like. Then I sit down and start writing the story. After the first few chapters, it usually takes on a life of its own, which is why I don't do an outline. I totally wouldn't stick to it and I would have wasted all that time I could have been actually writing the story.
I have an office with a desk that I sit at to write, but I can’t force the ideas or the story so I usually end up writing from anywhere but my office. I take my laptop everywhere with me, from the car pickup line, to soccer practice, to dance practice, so that I’m prepared. If an idea for a scene strikes me, I open up my laptop and write it down. The good thing is that ideas strike often and I usually write until my fingers start to hurt and I’m forced to stop. Its kinda of chaotic and always disorganized but it works well for me. I like the freedom of writing when I feel inspired instead of being forced to stick to a guideline. I feel like the story is more natural that way and flows better for the reader.
Plus, I can be surprised too when the story ends and I find out what happened.
About the Author
N.L. Greene, who is 1/2 of the author duo Riana Lucas, has decided to venture outside of the Fantasy world that she and her best friend created with Poppy and The Deadly Flowers Series to write a few books on her own. While she loves working with her best friend, writing solo has allowed her to explore interest that had solely been her own. She spends a lot of time reading her favorite authors which range all over the place and in every genre, but spends just as much time with her husband and two daughters, traveling, shopping, and playing video games. Nichole was born in Pennsylvania but grew up in Florida, where she and her high school sweetheart live with their two children.
Giveaway
1x$20 Amazon Gift Card
No comments:
Post a Comment