Making Your Own Power @samcheever @MusaPublishing #realitytv #multiculturalromance

Guest Post by Sam Cheever

The heroine of my newest release, The Biggest Poser, is a young woman of color who’s worked her way up to become a popular trainer for the Lose it! television show. Jillie is smart, fun-loving and determined to excel in an industry that tests a person’s strength of character with every moment before the camera. Jillie isn’t perfect. She has her own personal demons—a well-chewed fingernail is proof of that—but she’s worked hard to achieve what she has and will fight to keep it.

In short, Jillie makes her own power. Nobody gave her a top spot on a popular television show. Jillie earned that top spot. I love her for that. She’s an everyday hero in a world woefully short on heroes. Jillie isn’t sitting back waiting for her big break, she’s out there fighting every day for it. And when her spot is challenged by a nasty piece of work trainer named Deva Banks, Jillie doesn’t succumb to nasty tactics to beat the other woman. Instead, she doubles down on her efforts to beat the devilish Deva fair and square. In the book the trainers are fighting to win or keep the top spot on the Lose it! show.

But in real life the goal isn’t all about winning, it’s about staying true to yourself and using every obstacle, every challenge to create internal power that will help you weather all of life’s little setbacks. That’s what real power is…the capacity to thrive so that you can make the world around you better.

Jillie’s my inspiration. And I hope to be like her someday. When I grow up. #:0)

May the biggest liar win. Or die trying!

Personal trainer for the ever popular, Lose it! reality show, Jillie Maxwell is up for the most important award of her career. And she’s competing against the biggest b-eye-itch she’s ever met. Fortunately for her, she has the sexiest man alive in her corner. Problem is, each and every one of them has a dirty little secret that could tank a career.

For the contestants, the race is on to lose the most weight and win everything. For the staff of the popular weight loss show, the clock is ticking to the culmination of their lies and the possibility of losing it all.

Will the Biggest Poser win? Or will the lies just grow and grow until they sink the whole show? Only one thing is certain. Whatever happens, it’s gonna be an entertaining ride!

Book page with BUY links

EXCERPT

They sat in silence for a few more minutes, only the sound of water moving around Jillie’s gently circling legs disturbing the quiet.

Suddenly, Jillie pushed herself to her feet and stripped off her sexy short shorts.

Brandt looked up, catching his breath at the sight of her standing there in a teeny tiny black bikini. “You’re going swimming?”

“I have to do my nightly laps.”

“After the day you’ve had?”

“Especially after the day I’ve had. Routine soothes me. Besides, maybe I can ward off some of the soreness I’m probably gonna have after the mess I made of that run today.”

Jillie moved to the deep end of the pool, climbed up onto the diving board, and prepared herself. She stood on the very end of the board, her hands down by her sides and her eyes closed, as if psyching herself up for the dive.

Brandt pulled a leg from the water and bent it, leaning on it as he settled in to watch what he figured would be a spectacular dive. He wrapped himself up in the pleasure of watching her, smiling with the sheer joy of it. 

After a moment of contemplation, Jillie opened her eyes, swung her arms up, flattened her palms together, and bent slightly at the knees. With a powerful push of her long legs, she flew up and out, her body taking a taut bend in the middle and starting into the expected dive. But at the last moment she tucked her knees and, grinning widely, hit the water in a truly spectacular cannon ball.

A good portion of the pool’s water spewed out onto an unsuspecting Brandt and he shrieked, scrambling to his feet and jumping back.

But it was far too late. His tidy golf shirt and carefully creased khaki shorts were drenched, and water dripped from his hair and down his chin. 

Jillie’s head popped to the surface and she was laughing. She treaded water as he reached to pull the 

drenched shirt off over his head.

“You’re gonna pay for that, Ms. Maxwell.”

She didn’t look at all worried. “I don’t think you have it in you, Mr. Parkerson.”

“We’ll just see about that.” He took a running start and leapt off the side, landing on his butt in the water with a resounding smack that swamped her with water.

Jillie shrieked and disappeared under the resulting tsunami. Brandt reached for her and pulled her free of the water before she drowned. She was laughing hysterically as he pulled her out.

He snickered with her, groaning in pain.

“That sounded like it hurt,” she said.

“You have no idea. But it was totally worth it.” Brandt had hold of her arms as they both treaded water and he dragged her close.

He’d only intended to share some fun with her. Create a playful moment in reaction to her mischievous salvo. But as soon as her velvet soft, warm body pressed against his, his bare chest smashed warmly against her nearly naked breasts, Brandt forgot his good intentions and dragged her in for a kiss.

Jillie gasped against his lips, the heat of her body a sharp counterpoint to the cold of the water.

Fire and ice.

Brandt slipped an arm around her slim waist and pressed her close with a hand in the small of her back. He slipped his fingers inside the top edge of her teeny bikini bottoms.

Jillie opened her soft mouth and he captured her sigh of submission, savoring her sweet, spicy taste. She lifted her hands and slipped them over his jaw line, holding him in the kiss as her soft tongue tangled with his.

Her thighs bumped against his as they both treaded water and her rigid nipples scraped his chest.

Brandt’s body molded to her like clay warmed in the hot sun. He slipped his fingertips inside the bottom edge of her suit and groaned as he found warm, velvety skin beneath his fingertips. Arching his hips, he pressed himself into her soft belly.

He’d never before felt the kind of attraction the woman in his arms instantly inspired in him. When they were together, Brandt felt as if they’d known each other for a lifetime instead of a few weeks.

She groaned against his mouth and wrapped her long legs around his waist.

Brandt cupped her delicate chin with his hand and tipped her head, pulling his lips from hers. “God, Jillie. You make me crazy.”

Her tongue came out and swept his lower lip, tasting him. “Really?” Her lips quivered. “I guess you’re okay, but I can definitely take you or leave you.” She shrugged.

He laughed. “Liar.”

Book page with BUY links

AUTHOR BIO

​Sam's published work includes 50+ books of romantic suspense and fantasy/paranormal. Her books have won the Dream Realm Award for fantasy and The Swirl (interracial romance) Award. They've been nominated for and/or won several CAPAs, have been nominated multiple years for “Best of” with LRC and The Romance Reviews, and have won eCataromance’s Reviewer’s Choice award. Sam is published with Musa Publishing, Changeling Press; and Ellora’s Cave. She also publishes as Declan Sands, writing m/m fiction, and under her own imprint, Electric Prose Publications.

In real life, Sam lives in a cabin in the woods with 13 dogs and one husband. A self-proclaimed dog-aholic, Sam insists she's holding at 13...maybe... 

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Blog | About.Me | Amazon Author Page