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As many of you know, I've been working on the third book in the Jayne Stanford Mystery series.  This book, tentatively titled, No Reservations, continues Jayne's story on a girlfriend getaway to Colorado.

I'm excited to announce that I won first place in the Desert Sleuths Write Now! conference first line competition. For those of you who follow the series, I'm including a snippet from the beginning. This working copy may be different than the final version. Until I complete the entire story and run through several rounds of edits. every word is subject to change.

I hope you enjoy this teaser.

No Reservations


Three hours and twenty dollars that’s all I had to get my life in order. I clutched hastily written instructions in my sweaty hand. I repeated the most important part—be at the airport at nine a.m. and not a minute later.

            I may have overreacted slightly. My best friend Bailey called me at way too early to be awake for a night shift worker to invite me as her plus one. This trip was last minute but who questions an all-expenses paid trip to a stunning resort in Colorado—not this girl. Unfortunately, I’m not the most organized person and most days I struggled to find something clean to wear from the pile on my bedroom floor. I was pretty sure I wouldn’t be allowed to board the plane sans clothes. I gulped a can of super strength energy in the form of a diet soda and hit the road on a mission to find appropriate attire for cold weather.

            As a server at the Wild Bronco Steakhouse in the small town of Cave Creek my limited budget, has made it difficult to afford groceries, let alone buy a winter wardrobe at the last minute. My Arizona warmed body was not accustomed to any temperature that fell below sixty. I needed to beg, borrow or steal, well not steal, but purchase at a super good price, everything.

I started with my friend and co-worker Emmett, because he had a two bedroom apartment, one bedroom which was used exclusively as a closet. It’s not as if we were the same size but if he didn’t have something, he always knew who would.

Emmett was my mentor in the restaurant business since I started a year ago. More significantly he was my closest guy friend and the big brother I never had. His model good looks and impeccable taste made him my go to person if I needed to dress better than my usual wrinkled capris, t-shirt and flip flops.

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Stay tuned for more from No Reservations.
Happy Trails,
Leslie


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