Hidden Barriers

by Sara Shirley

  Although she likes to keep her writing life separate from her real life, she can admit to some truths about herself. She’s addicted to coffee, wine, music and candy. Being of Irish/Italian decent she enjoys a large plate of spaghetti and meatballs along with a pint of Guinness just about any day of the week. Don’t judge! She loves the beach on hot summer days, outdoor hot tubs during the long cold New England winters, and her favorite movies include The Hangover, Pitch Perfect and The Hunger Games series. And yes, she can recite the lines by heart. She’s watched them that many times.

  In her off time she can be seen completing Tough Mudder courses in Vermont, skiing the slopes in New Hampshire, and kayaking off the coast on Tybee Island, Georgia. A travel nut; her next trip could just be in a town near you. If you see her, run as fast as you can, she’s known as a hugger. Put a glass of wine in front of her and she’ll be easily distracted long enough for you to make a run for it!

  First and foremost to RP for sticking with me through another book. I promise this will be last one for a while…..maybe. That might be a lie. Ok. I’m lying, but you know how hard it was for me to put down the Kindle before when I was just reading. Now look at me…I’m a writing nut. I blame you.

  Another HUGE thank you has to go to Kristina Amit, Stacia Newbill and Tracey Murphy. My Cuffs and Skates beta team who I turned to for help on every chapter. Without your ideas and notes Hidden Barriers probably would not have turned out the way it did. I returned from vacation. Stone stopped talking in my head and I thought I would never find the ending. You girls were there when I needed you every step of the way. I love you all tremendously!

  Kiki- You have such a tremendous ability to bring out the best in writers. Don’t forget to take time and breathe in between. When your day comes I’ll be there to help you with your book. You are an incredible friend and the book world is a better place because of you.

  Stacia- What are we going to do when I can’t use Jensen Ackles for inspiration anymore?? I’ve loved staring at that face for months. I guess if Tracey can still send me Nick Bateman pics I can still use Jensen pics. Fight the fairies and eat lots of pie! I’ll be needing you more than ever for Drew’s story. You are my USMC sister from the other side of the country.

  Tracey- You always thought you were pulling up the rear…that’s just because Nick’s pics were slowing you down…stop-stare-repeat. God, he’s gorgeous. It’s never about being the fastest, it’s about what you bring to the table and you brought so much with these two books. I know…more groveling! I hope Josh groveled enough for you with my tweaks. Thank you so much for the support on K&T’s blog. It means so much. Hugs!

  To my unbiased editor Paige Maroney Smith. Thank you again for teaming up with me on book two. Without your help and keen eye I would have tense errors everywhere and way too many “gonnas” and “Yankee” slang words to count. Smooshed is totally a word! LOL. You pushed me each day when I thought I lost my mojo after vacation. I hit the wall and was stuck for damn near a week. Nothing worked and the voices weren’t talking like they used to. Without you telling me to just write, Hidden Barriers would have never come back to me. There was always that big yellow blob chapter that gave me grief, but in the end I know it turned out perfect. That’s all because of you and don’t even tell me otherwise. As I retire the Page boys from the Barriers series I know you’ll be heartbroken. Josh and Jeremy have been a blast to write and I know you’ll always have a soft spot for each of my guys. Have no fear, Jake will be burning up the pages come fall.

  To my other friends who I chat your ears off every single day on Facebook. We may never meet, but you are all some of the most important people out there. You understand the struggles of writing and without you I probably would never get through the late nights. Thank you for my laughs, my daily eye candy, the nonstop pimping and just being you.

  Antoinette Candela- You’re my girl! I hope I didn’t scar Luke too badly with his cameo. It’s been a pleasure working alongside you for the last year. With BE & WR behind you I hope to pull up the rear on LIL. I may be slow going but you know I’ll be there when you need my two cents. Get ready I’m hitting it hard now that this is done. Asskicker is back! Can’t wait to hit the signing event trail with you this fall.

  Ellen Marie Small- My biggest fan on the other side of the pond. I love you beyond words. You are there when I need a smile and a virtual hug. You love my stories with all your heart and I can’t even tell you what that means to me. Someday I’ll get to the UK and the first pint of ale is on me! Until then cheers hunni and get ready because Jake is going to knock your socks off! And you know why.

  Dawn Costeria- My biggest pimp hand out there. What would I do without you and Up all Night FB posts? You are my go-to girl for clean reads and I cannot thank you enough for everything! I owe you a wine in NYC! Now that you took my fastest reader title away from me, I have my work cut out for me to catch back up.

  Jack Gallow- You seriously think I’m a freak and that’s ok. But, if it wasn’t for one of our FB chats one night I might not have found the ending to this story. I never even told you how you helped me that night, but you did. I owe you big time. And NO, I’m not telling you how you helped me. You are there to make me laugh when I need to the most with your “Gallow-isms.” Never lose that sick sense of humor. I’ll be waiting for the tour bus to pull up out front of my house. Rhino and Rabbitfoot will hump that bus into the ground! LOL. Always keep writing. You know I’ll be the first one to one-click your books no matter what.

  To my partners in crime who help provide me more topics for my books every time we hang out. Sue & Dave, Ron, Jim & Kristen. Break out the Sangria around the fire pit and we’ll get this party started! Here’s to more wild nights that lead to strip joints, boobs getting flashed and lap dances that are free of charge. Canoe race and woo woo shots anyone?

  Sue- I’ll try to keep my clothes on at the next GNO. I will not be drinking anything called the Pink Panther or Wonderland ever again after the last time out. At least I wasn’t doing cartwheels in the garage! Guess I really can’t behave! LOL

  And finally, to the people who helped put the pressure on me to make Hidden Barriers even better than my debut novel….the readers, the bloggers and the reviewers. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think writing a book was something I could ever do. Then I did it, but I did it for me as a goal on New Year’s Day 2014. I told myself I was going to do it and on 1/1/14 I started Frozen Barriers. On 3/18 I not only celebrated my birthday, but also the completion of the writing process. I was done three months ahead of my goal. When the reviews and the feedback started coming in I was blown away. So many of you embraced what the story was all about and raved about it. I loved reading each and every review and comment out there. You have no idea how much that meant to me. I started Hidden Barriers before I even released Frozen Barriers not knowing if anyone would even want to read what I wrote. It’s thanks to every single one of you that Hidden Barriers became a reality. Thank you.

  I promised my other half that I would take time off from writing for a while. As much as I enjoy writing, I also enjoy reading so many of my author friend’s stories as well. I want to read for a while and see what else has been happening in the Indie book world. But, I promise you I have voices still in my head and their stories will be told…..soon. Stay in touch on Facebook to find out where you can find me over the next year. I have a few signings lined up in New England and am set to take the road in April 2015. See you around!

  Coming Soon

  Burning Barriers, A Novella

  Lucy & Jake’s story

  Temporary Release Date Late 2014

  Broken Barriers, Barriers #3

  Drew’s story

  Temporary Release Late Spring 2015

  Continue reading for a sample of Lucy’s favorite book, The Humping Games, currently available on Amazon.com

  The Humping Games

  By Jack Gallow

  Chapter One

  I rolled out of bed and sla
mmed face first into the floor. Damn, these hangovers were getting rough. I pulled myself off the floor and checked on my sister. Good. Prissy was still asleep. I didn’t wake her when I flopped out of bed like a fish out of water.

  I hurried as I laced up my sweet ass pair of boots and then ran out the door for no reason. I guess I liked being outside. Trees are nice. Nature is cool. Sometimes I smoke plants.

  I sprinted around the forest like a methed-up ninja. My friend Gavin was hiding in a tree and called out to me. I think he likes trees too.

  “Katlick Eversweet,” he yelled.

  I stopped and looked up at him. He’s totally hot by the way.

  “Hey Gavin.”

  “Today’s the big day,” he announced, climbing down from the tree. “The annual drawing for The Humping Games.”

  “I know,” I said, barely able to contain my excitement. “I can’t wait. My name is in there thirty eight times. Hopefully it’s my year.”

  “I know what you mean,” Gavin said. He ran his hand through his gorgeous hair. “I put my name in over fifty times.”

  “Damn, boy. You must be craving it bad.”

  The Humping Games occurred once a year. It was the only time we were allowed to let our inner sexiness out and get our freak on. As for the rest of the year, all funny business was strictly against the law – unless you were married. And who the hell would want to be married?

  “You have no idea,” he said, stepping closer.

  “I wish things were different,” I said. I knew very well how much it sucked that I couldn’t give in to my carnal lust for Gavin.

  Gavin wrapped his sexy arms around me and a heavy dose of his man-scent blasted my nostrils. His bulging muscles felt so comforting around me. He was juiced out on roids, but I wasn’t about to complain.

  “Oh, Katlick,” he said. “You know you’re my best friend.”

  WTF? Did he really just friend zone me?

  “A friend, huh? You know . . . I’m also a woman.” I pushed out my chest to emphasize my point.

  “Yes,” he mumbled, his eyes lingering on my cleavage, “you certainly are. I wish things were different, too.”

  “I know, right?” I smiled at the dazed look on his face. “If our names are called today, I’m so going to violate you in that arena.”

  “May the odds ever be . . .” he stopped. “You know something? I hate that saying.”

  I stepped away from him and let my hair down. I wanted to look nice in case my name was called. He practically drooled as I braided my hair.

  “You really need your name called, don’t you?” I teased.

  His hungry eyes roamed my body. “You have no idea.”

  I left Gavin to go home and get my sister for the drawing. She was a nervous wreck. So annoying. Why did my mom have to bang out another kid just before my father’s body exploded in that terrible strip club bombing? I was perfectly happy being an only child.

  I held Prissy’s hand as we checked in and stood in line. No one was talking. We were all waiting silently for the drawing to begin.

  A freaky looking woman appeared on stage. She made some announcements about the importance of abstinence. There were grumbles of protest around us.

  “Your face is birth control,” one man shouted at her.

  Several guards rushed into the crowd to detain him. I looked back to the stage when the excitement was over. The woman reached her freaky hand into the bowl.

  It was time. She drew a single piece of paper and carefully unfolded it. The crowd was silent once again as we strained our ears to hear the name.

  “Prissy Eversweet,” she read into the microphone.

  My heart stopped. This couldn’t be happening. How could they pick my sister? I needed this!

  I ran to the front of the crowd.

  “I volunteer,” I yelled.

  The woman on stage frowned at me. Prissy gave me a dirty look.

  “Fine,” the woman said, sounding irritated. “Get up here, you tramp.”

  I looked back at my sister as I walked to the stage. She had tears in her eyes. Screw her. This was my dream.

  “What’s your name?” the woman asked me. I stepped up to the microphone.

  “Katlick,” I said. “Katlick Eversweet.”

  “Of course it is.”

  The woman reached into the other bowl for a boy’s name. I crossed my fingers behind my back, praying it would be Gavin. She held the paper up and read the name.

  “Pita.”

  “Pita?” I asked. “Like the bread?”

  “That’s right,” a man said as he approached the stage. “My family makes bread.”

  “Weird,” I muttered. At least he wasn’t ugly.

  “I volunteer,” Gavin shouted from the back. The freaky woman laughed at him.

  “I don’t think so,” she told him. “You know the rules. Only the women can volunteer. And only a sibling.”

  Pita smiled at me from across the stage. What a douche.

  “Ladies and gentlemen of Division Twelve,” the woman announced to the crowd, “we have our contestants for the 69th annual Humping Games!”