Thank you, Nikki, for having me back on Close Encounters
With the Night Kind with my adult
parody, The Cruise – All That Glitters. Written from the male
point of view, The Cruise is a twisting satire about Dean, a
cocky, self-assured mid-thirties bachelor—and a real piece of work—who is
hoping to find romance, or his version of it, on board a cruise ship.
I’ve often wondered if it was as easy as it looks. How are
men able to suppress logic and rational thought—the kind that builds empires
and creates fortunes—when distracted by the flash and sparkle of a beautiful
woman? This curious phenomenon materializes seemingly without warning,
especially in night clubs, bars, shopping malls, restaurants, and . . . well,
let’s face it, just about anywhere.
Evidence of this primal state is often characterized by
subtle changes in the subject’s appearance and demeanor—a dazed expression, an
impish grin, and a tendency to mindlessly ramble about the trivial and
superficial. I have to admit I’ve always been fascinated by the source and
design of the specific triggering mechanism that results in the male
brain-freeze. So I decided to write The Cruise from
the perspective of Dean, imagining what it would be like to evaluate the world
of women through the eyes of a groin-on-fire, pheromone-sniffing,
hormonally-charged male, stalking a jungle full of female flesh in search of
his next conquest. (Excuse me for a moment. My mind must still be in male
gender mode—I swear I just felt my pants get a little tighter.)
In the following excerpt, Dean is relaxing in one of the
ship’s hot tubs when he’s unexpectedly joined by Marcie, an attractive gal who
has an obvious interest in him. He tangles with his emotions, struggling with
his conscience and commitment to his new-found love, Angel, and yet, insists on
keeping the door of flirtation slightly ajar.
Here’s an excerpt:
I kept
fighting the unmistakable chemistry between us, telling myself I needed to
behave, as if Angel were sitting right here with us, watching me, testing me.
“I probably won’t
make it to dinner tonight,” I said halfheartedly, feeling strangely aggravated
at that part of me that wanted to flirt back.
“How come? I could
move nearer to where you’re sitting, and that way we could talk across the
table, or at least send some hand signals.”
“I’d really like
to, but I’ll probably pick up something from the buffet and take it back to my
cabin.”
She nodded. “That
sounds pretty good.”
I said nothing,
trying to conceal the sudden awkwardness with a few swats at imaginary insects.
She tried again.
“I really don’t feel like dressing up for dinner, either. Would you like some
company?”
We were both
suddenly tense, waiting for my answer. Before I could think of something to
say, she playfully mocked my continued silence. “What’s the matter? I’m not
good enough for you?”
“No, of course
not. It’s just that I have—”
“It’s okay,” she
interrupted. “I didn’t mean to push myself on you.”
“What about your
friend?” I asked. “The dark-haired girl. Won’t she miss you at dinner?”
“She’s not feeling
well. I think she got too much sun. She’ll probably spend the rest of the night
in the cabin.”
And then I blurted
it out. “Well, maybe we could meet tomorrow for breakfast. Or lunch.”
“I’d like that.”
She was glowing.
What’s the
matter with me? In less than two hours, Angel and I will be inseparable, like
two lovers on holiday. I can’t make a date with another girl. Sure, this Marcie
is pretty and sexy. And she’s got a great body, but Angel has . . . everything.
I took a deep
breath. Slowly, reluctantly, I said, “I’m sorry. We probably shouldn’t plan
anything. You see, I met someone and—”
“Oh.” She stopped
me before I could finish. Unable to hide the sudden flash of disappointment on
her face, she forced a smile and added, “Working on a shipboard romance?”
“Maybe. We just
met yesterday.”
She nodded.
“Remember, I don’t ask twice.”
We sat for several
minutes, she poking at the bubbles and me watching her, both of us occasionally
allowing a quick glance to grow into a longer, engaging stare, usually ending
with a burst of laughter. Once, she stuck her tongue out at me in a kind of
comic reprimand. And while I understood the meaning, I found myself wondering
how she would taste.
I liked her. There
was a welcome sense of acceptance in being with her, in simply talking to her.
And it frustrated
me.
The
possibility of actually meeting two girls—two interesting and sexy girls—was no
longer the fortunate happenstance I thought it would be. And now I was being
forced to choose, even though I already knew what my decision had to be.
Marcie
brought her hand up from the water and dusted the foam away from her chest.
“They’re small, but I like ’em.”
I
could sense a stupid grin beginning to grow on my face. I waited, wanting to
make sure we were talking about the same thing.
“I
had them done about a year ago. I wanted more uniformity, and a little more
size.”
She
quickly glanced behind her, as if wanting to confirm we were still alone before
rising out of the water and exposing both breasts.
“They’re
really nice,” I said, trying to sound as objectively appreciative as possible.
And
they were. Incredibly nice.
“Sure
I can’t change your mind?” She smiled seductively, and then began to laugh as
she lowered herself into the water. “I’m sorry. No more teasing, I promise. If
you’ve met someone, I understand.”
She
was open and uninhibited—not only about her body, but in her unabashed and
honest confession of wanting to spend time together. And more important, she
was funny and bright, possessing that rare kind of personality that could make
the transition from friends to lovers a possible, even natural transformation.
I
wanted to reach out and slide her onto my lap. I thought about her small
bottom, hidden under the water.
Angel
. . . I should be thinking about Angel. She’s probably thinking about me . . .
about us being together. I should be ashamed.
But
I wasn’t.
Here’s
a brief synopsis:
It’s love on the high seas for
Dean, a thirty-something bachelor taking his first cruise, hoping for a
shipboard romance. On the prowl for the elusive hard-body, he quickly becomes
disillusioned, wondering if his expectation of a boatload of beautiful sea
nymphs is something found only in travel brochures.
Until he meets Angel.
She is the girl of his dreams,
brought to life as a bewitching goddess, ready to engage in every sensual
delight. Quickly lured into submission by Angel’s seductive charms, Dean is
ready to surrender his heart and soul to this provocative beauty.
Until he meets Marcie . . .
The Cruise – All That Glitters is available now
in kindle eBook from Amazon
Author Bio: Jaye
Frances is the author of The Kure, a paranormal-occult romance
novel, The Possibilities of Amy, a coming-of-age story of high
school romance, The Cruise-All That Glitters, a humorous adult
satire about a single guy hoping to have a romantic encounter at sea, and The
Beach, a sci-fi fantasy about a man who is given the opportunity
to receive his ultimate wish—and lives to regret it. Her next book, scheduled
for a November 2012 release, is titled Love Travels Forever, a
collection of poignant short stories and essays. She is also a featured columnist for the NUSA
SUN magazine. Born in the Midwest, Jaye readily admits that her life’s
destination has been the result of an open mind and a curiosity about all
things irreverent. When she’s not consumed by her writing, Jaye enjoys cooking,
traveling to all places tropical and “beachy” and taking pictures—lots of
pictures—many of which find their way to her website. Jaye lives on the central
gulf coast of Florida, sharing her home with one husband, six computers, four
cameras, and several hundred pairs of shoes. For more information, visit Jaye’s
website at www.jayefrances.com, or
Jaye’s Blog at http://blog.jayefrances.com
My website is: http://www.jayefrances.com
My blog is:
http://blog.jayefrances.com
My Facebook Page:
Link for The Cruise – All That Glitters on
Amazon:
Amazon Author Page:
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4 comments:
I like fall the best. I live in NY and everything looks so colorful in fall. Apple season is the best.
susanmplatt AT hotmail DOT com
I like the Christmas holiday.
My Favorite holiday is definitely Halloween! I love decorating for it - and who doesn't like candy? :)
I used to like christmas, but now it´s so many "must do-s" that i don´t enjoy it as much. And since i work shifts and all days, no matter if it´s holiday or not, i just don´t feel the holidays any longer. Depressing, but true =/ Maybe it´ll change when/if i get children.
best wishes, Linda
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