Take a moment with me to relax. Take a deep breath and roll your shoulders. Take a sip of coffee. Mmmmmm. Close your eyes for a few seconds and listen. Absorb the sounds and smells. Perhaps a fresh pot of coffee brewing. Life is good.Take time to enjoy it.

One of my favorite ways to relax is with a good book. When I read, I want to escape. Do you want to escape?

Imagine that things aren't going the way you want. Tragedy has made an appearance once too often in your life lately. But then, you have a chance - a chance to move to a new place, and start a new life. Would you go? Would you pick up and move, with the prospect of getting a million dollars in a year's time?

That's exactly what happens to Beth, and I invite you to escape with her - move to a horse ranch south of Kansas City, Missouri, just outside the little town of Moscow. Take on the challenges with her, enjoy the sights and sounds and smells of the country, and make new friends. Let a little romance into your life. You deserve it.

DENIM & DIAMONDS IS NOW AVAILABLE (NOTE: if you would like an autographed copy, please email me to make arrangements). It makes a great gift for birthdays, Mother's Day, anniversaries, and graduations.

Here's the first chapter, so you can get a taste of the story:

CHAPTER ONE

Elizabeth peered nervously through the driving sheets of rain, slowing down even more. The windshield wipers swished, but weren’t keeping up with the torrent. Beth flipped the switch to high and the wipers flip-flipped frantically, but she still couldn’t see any better. The crackle of the radio irritated her already jangled nerves. She frowned and glanced down just for a second to flip the radio off, but when she looked up there was a flash of brown and white fur in her headlights. She swerved, and slammed her right foot down on the brakes. The car skidded wildly on the wet blacktop. She spun the steering wheel, desperately trying to correct the skid. The car skidded right, then left, then plowed through the ditch. Her head snapped forward, striking the steering wheel. The seatbelt cut painfully into her stomach and chest.

It was all over in a split-second. Elizabeth slumped in her seat, her breath ragged and painful. She blinked slowly. The windshield wipers still flip-flopped, and the rain thumped angrily against the roof of her Camry. She took a couple of deep breaths, and ran through a mental inventory of her limbs. Everything seemed to be attached and was still working. Gingerly, she touched her forehead and was glad the gash seemed to be small, and not bleeding badly. Her car was still running. That was good. No airbag. That was bad. She glanced back at the road. No Bambi corpse. That was good. She carefully put the gearshift in reverse and pressed gently on the gas. The wheels spun in the mud and grass, but there was no traction. That was bad. And things were starting to tilt, and the darkness seemed to be closing in. That was really bad . . .

Headlights swept over her car and she looked over her shoulder just in time to see a jacked-up truck pull over on the shoulder behind her. She wondered for a moment if this was good or bad. Good if he was the hero-type. Bad if he was the ax murderer type. The way her luck was running, it could go either way. She felt herself start to drift off.

The knock on her window startled her. For a moment there, she had thought she was dreaming. She looked out and saw the perfect man. She was sure she had seen him in a cigarette ad once upon a time. But then again, she vaguely seemed to remember that he had died.

“Ma’am! Ma’am! Are you okay?” The cowboy shouted over a clap of thunder.

She nodded slowly, admiring his strong, angular face and dark, brooding eyes. She sighed when she realized he was wearing a black cowboy hat, and a leather duster. Perfect. The door swung open and suddenly the cowboy was only inches away. She smiled in what she hoped was seductive way, and brushed a stray tendril of hair out of her face.

“Hi.” Her voice sounded hollow.

“Hi, yourself. Are you sure you’re okay?” His voice was deep and warm, a nice contrast to the cold, blowing rain. Frown lines creased his tanned forehead. She didn’t know cowboys were still around, rescuing damsels in distress. A giggle escaped at the thought that she was a damsel in distress.

“I had an accident.” Elizabeth answered.

“I see that. What happened?” the cowboy asked.

His eyes were roaming over her. Maybe checking her out, maybe looking for blood. She shrugged.

“An animal ran in front of me and I swerved. I guess I’m in a ditch. My car’s stuck.” Elizabeth smiled and took a shaky breath. He didn’t smell at all like cigarettes. He smelled good. It sort of reminded her of fresh grass.

“Don’t you know you should never swerve to miss an animal? It’s dangerous.” He reached in and took her gently by the arm, to help her out of the car. She thought that being so close to him was pretty dangerous, too. Her experience with men was limited to city types, mostly accountants and lawyers. No cowboys that she could recall.

He helped her up to his truck, both of them slipping and sliding up the rain-slicked grass, the rain relentless in its pursuit of them, and put her in on the passenger side. She watched as he slipped back down the bank and walked around her car, leaning down a couple of times to take a closer look at the damage. It was hard to see his ass because of the long duster, but she was pretty sure it was nice. The water pouring down the glass distorted everything, and it all seemed like a dream. She sighed and let her head fall back against the rough cloth of the seat. Her head was starting to throb, and she was so, so tired. She didn’t hear him open the door, and didn’t feel the truck start to move.


ELLE ROBB Denim & Diamonds, a novella


Please join me in celebrating the publication of my first novel, Denim & Diamonds!! Take a moment with me to relax. Take a deep breath and roll your shoulders. Take a sip of coffee. Mmmmmm. Close your eyes for a few seconds and listen. Absorb the sounds and smells. Perhaps a fresh pot of coffee brewing. Life is good.Take time to enjoy it. One of my favorite ways to relax is with a good book. When I read, I want to escape. Do you want to escape? Imagine that things aren't going the way you want. Tragedy has made an appearance once too often in your life lately. But then, you have a chance - a chance to move to a new place, and start a new life. Would you go? Would you pick up and move, with the prospect of getting a million dollars in a year's time? That's exactly what happens to Beth, and I invite you to escape with her - move to a horse ranch south of Kansas City, Missouri, just outside the little town of Moscow. Take on the challenges with her, enjoy the sights and sounds and smells of the country, and make new friends. Let a little romance into your life. You deserve it. DENIM & DIAMONDS IS NOW AVAILABLE (NOTE: if you would like an autographed copy, please email me to make arrangements). It makes a great gift for birthdays, Mother's Day, anniversaries, and graduations. Here's the first chapter, so you can get a taste of the story: CHAPTER ONE Elizabeth peered nervously through the driving sheets of rain, slowing down even more. The windshield wipers swished, but weren’t keeping up with the torrent. Beth flipped the switch to high and the wipers flip-flipped frantically, but she still couldn’t see any better. The crackle of the radio irritated her already jangled nerves. She frowned and glanced down just for a second to flip the radio off, but when she looked up there was a flash of brown and white fur in her headlights. She swerved, and slammed her right foot down on the brakes. The car skidded wildly on the wet blacktop. She spun the steering wheel, desperately trying to correct the skid. The car skidded right, then left, then plowed through the ditch. Her head snapped forward, striking the steering wheel. The seatbelt cut painfully into her stomach and chest. It was all over in a split-second. Elizabeth slumped in her seat, her breath ragged and painful. She blinked slowly. The windshield wipers still flip-flopped, and the rain thumped angrily against the roof of her Camry. She took a couple of deep breaths, and ran through a mental inventory of her limbs. Everything seemed to be attached and was still working. Gingerly, she touched her forehead and was glad the gash seemed to be small, and not bleeding badly. Her car was still running. That was good. No airbag. That was bad. She glanced back at the road. No Bambi corpse. That was good. She carefully put the gearshift in reverse and pressed gently on the gas. The wheels spun in the mud and grass, but there was no traction. That was bad. And things were starting to tilt, and the darkness seemed to be closing in. That was really bad . . . Headlights swept over her car and she looked over her shoulder just in time to see a jacked-up truck pull over on the shoulder behind her. She wondered for a moment if this was good or bad. Good if he was the hero-type. Bad if he was the ax murderer type. The way her luck was running, it could go either way. She felt herself start to drift off. The knock on her window startled her. For a moment there, she had thought she was dreaming. She looked out and saw the perfect man. She was sure she had seen him in a cigarette ad once upon a time. But then again, she vaguely seemed to remember that he had died. “Ma’am! Ma’am! Are you okay?” The cowboy shouted over a clap of thunder. She nodded slowly, admiring his strong, angular face and dark, brooding eyes. She sighed when she realized he was wearing a black cowboy hat, and a leather duster. Perfect. The door swung open and suddenly the cowboy was only inches away. She smiled in what she hoped was seductive way, and brushed a stray tendril of hair out of her face. “Hi.” Her voice sounded hollow. “Hi, yourself. Are you sure you’re okay?” His voice was deep and warm, a nice contrast to the cold, blowing rain. Frown lines creased his tanned forehead. She didn’t know cowboys were still around, rescuing damsels in distress. A giggle escaped at the thought that she was a damsel in distress. “I had an accident.” Elizabeth answered. “I see that. What happened?” the cowboy asked. His eyes were roaming over her. Maybe checking her out, maybe looking for blood. She shrugged. “An animal ran in front of me and I swerved. I guess I’m in a ditch. My car’s stuck.” Elizabeth smiled and took a shaky breath. He didn’t smell at all like cigarettes. He smelled good. It sort of reminded her of fresh grass. “Don’t you know you should never swerve to miss an animal? It’s dangerous.” He reached in and took her gently by the arm, to help her out of the car. She thought that being so close to him was pretty dangerous, too. Her experience with men was limited to city types, mostly accountants and lawyers. No cowboys that she could recall. He helped her up to his truck, both of them slipping and sliding up the rain-slicked grass, the rain relentless in its pursuit of them, and put her in on the passenger side. She watched as he slipped back down the bank and walked around her car, leaning down a couple of times to take a closer look at the damage. It was hard to see his ass because of the long duster, but she was pretty sure it was nice. The water pouring down the glass distorted everything, and it all seemed like a dream. She sighed and let her head fall back against the rough cloth of the seat. Her head was starting to throb, and she was so, so tired. She didn’t hear him open the door, and didn’t feel the truck start to move.