JAYNE WELCOMES CATHIE LINZ
Jayne, here, to welcome author Cathie Linz back to RWQ and to gush, rave and generally jump up and down about Cathie's terrific new novel, BIG GIRLS DON'T CRY. Nobody, but nobody does romantic comedy better than Cathie and the proof of that is in the fabulous advance reviews this book is getting. Trust me, if you're looking for humor, heat and heart, run, do not walk to the nearest bookstore and pick up this wonderful story.--Jayne
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Hi quill runners, I'm so happy to be here and delighted that Jayne invited me back as a guest blogger. Even though I haven't posted much in the past few months, I have been reading a number of the blogs and replies here as it's one of my favorite sites. Right up there with Godiva.com
After her plus-size modeling career tanks, Leena Riley becomes a receptionist in her hometown veterinarian's office. Too bad the vet is Cole Flannigan, who taunted her all through school. Now that Leena has grown into her curves, she's going to make Cole pay—big time.
BIG GIRLS DON'T CRY - CHAPTER ONE
Broke and skinny beat out broke and chunky every time. Leena Riley was convinced of it. She should know. She was a size sixteen, plus-size model in a swizzle-stick, size-zero world.
How ironic that now she was down on her luck, she was forced to return to her down-on-its-luck hometown of Rock Creek, Pennsylvania. Leena hadn't been back since she'd left for the big city of Chicago at eighteen and honestly hadn't missed the place one bit.
Things had changed...a little. The Tivoli theater was open again. The nail salon and comic book store were new additions. And there was a new vet in town. Looking for a receptionist. Leena pulled the Help Wanted sign out of the window as she strolled into the animal clinic.
She needed this job. It was this or work the graveyard shift at Gas4Less. Rock Creek wasn't exactly a hotbed of financial opportunities.
But the vet's office appeared to be a hotbed of total mayhem. Leena ducked as a parrot dive-bombed her while a beagle howled in the corner accompanied by a yowling cat in a carrier. Another cat, the biggest one Leena had ever seen, hissed from atop a metal file cabinet while a pair of wiry terriers yelped at the pissed-off mega-feline from down below.
The situation called for drastic measures. No problemo. Her sister Sue Ellen was the Queen of Drastic Measures so Leena instantly knew what had to be done. Putting two fingers in her mouth, Leena let out an ear-piercing whistle that made cabs on Chicago's Mag Mile squeal to a stop beside her.
The room instantly fell silent. Realizing that would only last a second or two, Leena spoke quickly. Her dad had done a stint in the Marine Corps and had never lost his drill sergeant voice. She mimicked him as she barked out orders. "Okay, terriers and owners outside. Beagle and owner in there." She pointed to an empty exam room. "Parrot, come here." She held out her hand and -- miracle of miracles -- the bird obediently flew onto it with a flurry of feathers. "Cats, as you were."
"What's going on out here?"
Leena stared at the hunk in the white lab coat who'd just drawled that question. She knew this guy. She recognized the wicked twinkle in his blue eyes. Cole Flannigan.
She thought he'd be bartending in some tropical hotspot by now, his Hawaiian shirt hanging open to reveal his muscular chest. At least his chest had been muscular the last time she'd seen it. Of course that had been almost a decade ago.
Still, he didn't look like he'd gained a beer belly yet. In fact, his worn jeans made him look lean and extremely bedable. By a lean and equally bedable babe. Not by her, broke and chunky Leena Riley.
Had her career really taken off the way she'd told her sisters it had, why then things would have been different. Then she'd have had the confidence to stroll right up to Cole and kiss him silly, had she wanted to.
Her lack of confidence had to do with her empty bank account, not her body image.
Well, okay, maybe it did have something to do with her body image. I mean, she wasn't a saint...or a nun.
"You want to know what's going on here?" Sister Mary repeated. "I was just telling your patients that I can't give last rites to a hamster."
"What about a special prayer?" the little girl asked.
"I told you that Harry is just fine," Cole reminded the family. "You didn't have to call in Sister Mary."
"Well, since I'm here, I'll might as well say a prayer." Sister Mary spoke bent down and spoke quietly to the little girl and Harry the Hamster. So quietly that Leena couldn't hear what she said but it made the kid feel better, judging by the shy smile she gave the nun.
"Your next patient is in exam room one," Leena efficiently announced.
"Really?" Cole pinned her with a stare. "And you are?"
"Your new receptionist."
Cole raised an eyebrow. "You're applying for the job?"
"No, you're hiring me," Leena stated confidently.
"Why is that?"
"Because you need me," Leena told him. "I'm here to rescue you from utter chaos."
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A quick note from Celeste: In her blog last week she mentioned that Lynea Lattanzio/Cat House on the Kings would be competing on the Animal Planet for a 2007 Hero of the Year or 2007 Cat Hero of the Year award and that she'd let you know when the voting was open. Well, voting is open until October 8th and you can cast your vote at http://animal.discovery.com/convergence/hero_of_the_year/poll/cat-poll.html.
posted at 1:19 PM
