TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE by Marta Tandori
A young runaway takes refuge in a makeshift shack under the Hollywood Freeway, forcing the autistic woman in it to find milk for her sickly newborn – a search that ultimately ends in tragedy when the woman is run down by a hit-and-run driver after a violent confrontation with several teenagers. When one of those teenagers, seventeen-year-old Karen Devane, is implicated in the woman’s homicide, the tabloids are quick to exploit the tragedy, thanks to Karen’s recent antics as a spoiled Tinseltown “celebrat” riding on the coattails of her famous grandmother, the legendary Kate Stanton. Complicating matters is the dead woman’s daughter, who’s determined that Karen be held accountable for her mother’s death, even after the charges against Karen are dropped. With tensions between Karen and her family near breaking point and the paparazzi relentlessly hounding her every move, Karen makes a startling discovery which finally puts her on the road to redemption – and links the dead woman to her beloved grandmother.
Karen’s discovery raises a host of troubling questions for Kate, forcing her to revisit the horrors of her past in search of answers. But Kate soon realizes that some questions are better left unasked after a seemingly random shooting leaves her granddaughter fighting for her life and Kate scrambling to stay one step ahead of a killer who’s determined to end her life in order to save his own.
Description
Find more from this author on:
About the author:
By the time Marta Tandori reached fifth grade, she was an avid reader and writer with a stack of short stories collecting dust in a box under her bed but it wasn’t until she began studying acting in her early twenties at the prestigious American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York that Marta realized acting wasn’t really her passion – writing fiction was. What followed was years of writing workshops as well as correspondence courses in writing for children through the Institute of Children’s Literature in Connecticut. She credits the award winning author, Troon Harrison, as the instructor who helped her find her literary voice. Marta’s first work of juvenile fiction, BEING SAM, NO MATTER WHAT was published in 2005, followed by EVERY WHICH WAY BUT KUKU! in 2006. With her more recent endeavors, Marta has shifted her writing focus to “women’s suspense”, a genre she fondly describes as having “strong female protagonists with closets full of nasty skeletons and the odd murder or two to complicate their already complicated lives”. To learn more about Marta, visit her blog, The Marta/Kindle Project at http://martatandori.com.
What inspired you to write your book?
My love of all things Hollywood inspired me to write this book.
Here is a short sample from the book:
“These roses are lovely,” said Esther in delight. “It was nice of you to bring them for me.”
“I know how much you love roses,” Kate told her as she placed the roses and baby’s breath in a crystal vase, doing her best to hide her surprise at Esther’s wan appearance. “How are you feeling today?”
Esther avoided Kate’s eyes as she smoothed the covers over her lap. “I’m no better or worse for wear, as the saying goes.” She took Kate’s hand and pulled her down beside her wheelchair. “Now you didn’t come all the way out here just to talk about my health, did you?”
“I didn’t?” asked Kate, feigning innocence.
Esther gave her a knowing look. “We’ve been friends for a long time and I know when something’s bothering you. Lucky for you, I’ve got all my marbles today, so shoot.” She sat up straight in her wheelchair. “I’m all ears.”
Kate grinned at her, unable to suppress her amusement. “Has anyone ever told you you’re a nosy old busybody?”
“I should hope so,” the older woman shot back. “It’s what keeps my ticker ticking. So, what gives?”
“Paul Wagner has decided to put out a special anniversary edition of the Paisleys’ Greatest Hits Collection and he’s asked me to be a part of it.”
“And you said?”
Kate sighed. “I agreed to do it. It seemed fair considering he practically handed me the listing on his estate.”
Esther nodded thoughtfully. “Maybe your head is telling you the time is right.”
Kate decided to tell her what had been uppermost on her mind for the past few days. “Paul’s also invited me to go with him to an art gallery in a few weeks,” she said hesitantly, “in San Francisco.”
“Really.” That one word spoke volumes as Esther gave Kate a shrewd look. “It seems to me like there’s a bit more than just a tit for a tat going on between you two.”
Kate grimaced. “I wish you wouldn’t use those words. Anyway,” she forged ahead, “we’d leave Friday afternoon and return on Sunday.”
“Make sure you pack a few sweaters,” her friend offered sagely. “It can get chilly at night this time of the year – from what I can remember, of course.”
Kate looked at her in exasperation. “Is that all you’re going to say?”
“What else do you want me to say?” Esther asked reasonably. “Do you want me to tell you that you shouldn’t go?”
“Of course not.” Kate flipped open one of the magazines lying on the table. After a moment’s pause, she sheepishly asked, “Should I go?”
“It depends on what you’re afraid of.”
“What makes you think I’m afraid of something?” Kate impatiently threw the magazine back on the bedside table, studiously avoiding her friend’s gaze.
“Because you keep answering my questions with questions.” Esther took hold of her hand. “You don’t have to tell me you’re attracted to the man. Anyone with half a brain can see that.” She held up her hand to ward off her friend’s immediate protest.
Kate slumped down onto Esther’s bed. “So, it’s that obvious, is it?” Seeing Esther’s lascivious grin only made her feel worse. “Don’t answer that.”
“Let’s examine the facts.” Esther straightened her back, all businesslike as she began ticking points off on her arthritic fingers. “He’s a single, attractive man, last time I saw him. Takes after his father in the looks department. He’s got a healthy bank balance and he’s straight. What’s not to like? Hell, I’d even go if he promised to spring me from here.”
“Maybe I’m reading more into his invitation than I should be,” Kate argued. “After all, we’re supposed to be looking for a piece of art for his main foyer.”
“Maybe you’re not,” Esther countered.
Kate fiddled with the coverlet on Esther’s bed. “This is ridiculous. I’m acting like an inexperienced school girl trying to figure out how far to go on a first date.” She stared at her friend helplessly. “What should I do?”
“I think you should go,” said Esther firmly. “Marcus would want you to go. Just make sure he uses a condom.”
“That wasn’t funny!” Kate pretended to glare at her balefully. “Someone your age shouldn’t have their mind in the gutter.”
“Someone my age is just grateful to have my faculties at all – most of the time, anyway,” Esther retorted wickedly. “Besides, you’re never too old for a lecture on safe sex. And you’re forgetting one thing.”
“What’s that?” asked Kate suspiciously.
“If all Paul Wagner wanted to do was jump your old bones, he could’ve asked you to go with him somewhere on his jet and then deflowered you in the sky.”
Kate rolled her eyes. “I think I’m a little beyond deflowering.”
“The point is, there are worse things you could do than be in the man’s company for a few days, right?”
“Right,” she admitted.
“Good.” Esther pointed towards the door. “Now that we’ve got that settled, you can take me for a spin in this Godforsaken contraption.”
Related products
-
Curvy Girls Love it Hot by Marisa Michaels
My best friend since elementary school, Trevor Larrson, is a handsome professional football player who was just traded to our local team in our hometown. Trevor always dated skinny girls who looked like models, not girls like me. When he moved back and sparks started to fly between us, it was a dream come true. I had lusted after Trevor for a long time. I didn't think a curvy girl like me would fit into Trevor's world, but the way he looked at me said that wasn't true at all.
Fourteen Shades of F*cked Up: an Anthology by ML Rodriguez
Fourteen authors have brought you stories of pain and love.
Struggle and dissonance.
PETITION DENIED by Alyson Hale
DARKNESS CONSUMED by Ariel Marie
EXCITABLE by Brittney Coon
CONSENSUAL by Cristina Slough
F*CKING ADDICTED by J.A. Kerr
FOREVER PROMISES by J.L. Baldwin
A STRANGE AND DISTANT SAFETY by Jennifer Loring
WICKED GAMES by Lilly James
AFFLICTION by Marie Skye
STORY OF US by ML Rodriguez
HER MISTAKE by N. Mills
MISS X by Quinn
KILLER DOM by S. Valentine
ANOTHER LAST GLANCE by Zack Halford
Duty and Desire by Kristina Wright
The only thing stronger than the call of duty is the call of desire. Duty and Desire enlists a team of hot-blooded men and women from every branch of the military who serve their country and follow their hearts. Stateside and abroad, these warriors meet passion and danger head-on.
From the army grunt who unwraps his wife like a gift in “Fighting for Fresno,” to the injured soldier who sets his heart on the line for the nurse who healed his body and soul in “Out of Time,” these tales embrace the ache of deployment and celebrate the sweet relief of shore leave. With a foreword by bestselling author Cat Johnson, Duty and Desire features stories of U.S. soldiers, sailors, aviators, marines and many more. Uniforms have never been sexier.
With contributed stories by Delilah Devlin, Connie Wilkins, Shanna Germain, Craig J. Sorensen, Ericka Hiatt, Kelly Maher, Lucy Felthouse, Catherine Paulssen, Anya Richards, Sacchi Green, Elizabeth L. Brooks, J.K. Coi, Charlotte Stein, Christine D’Abo, Mercy Loomis, Lynn Townsend, Michelle Augello-Page, and Kristina Wright.
Boxed Set: My Alpha Billionaire, A New Adult romance by Tawny Taylor
For fans of Fifty Shades of Grey, a sexy New Adult boxed set by USA Today Bestselling author Tawny Taylor.
A USA Today Bestselling Book!
An Amazon Kindle Top 10 Bestseller!
A Barnes and Noble Top 20 Bestseller!
An Amazon Top 10 HOT NEW RELEASE (Erotica)!
An Amazon #1 Bestseller (Coming of Age and New Adult & College)!
AT LAST, YOU CAN BUY ALL FOUR BOOKS AT ONCE AT THIS SPECIAL SALE PRICE. AN $8.99 VALUE!
This ebook contains:
Book 1: What He Wants
Book 2: What He Demands
Book 3: What He Craves
Book 4: What He Needs
Billionaire Shane Trant is used to getting what he wants. What he can’t buy, he takes. When he sees Bristol Deatrich for the first time in over ten years, he knows he wants her. But there’s a problem. Only complete possession of her mind and body will satisfy him. He’s not sure the sweet little Bristol is ready for his brand of extreme carnal play.
But that’s not going to stop him from trying. After all, he learned a long time ago, nobody wins if they don’t take risks. If this risk pays off, they’ll both win.
What Do Lesbians Do In Bed? 21 Sapphic Stories by Giselle Renarde
Have you ever wondered what lesbians do when they get together? Is it all fingers and scissors and lips between legs, or is there WAY more to the slippery story of lesbian sex?
In this hot new anthology, enjoy twenty-one explicit tales of lesbian love. From shoe fetish to opera gloves, sex in public to quiet winter mornings, from a taste of taboo to strap-on DP to extremes that shan’t be mentioned here to full-on Sapphic bukakke, even connoisseurs of fine girl-on-girl action are likely to discover a new idea or two in this sexy new collection.
Whether you can appreciate this book’s title ironically or you’re authentically curious about what girls who love girls do in bed (or in parked cars or at the office or in a church basement or in a restaurant bathroom), grab a copy today and get in on the nitty-gritty secrets of lesbian sex.
Giselle Renarde’s erotic fiction has appeared in over 100 anthologies, including prestigious collections like Best Lesbian Erotica, Best Lesbian Romance, Best Women’s Erotica, Girl Fever, and the Lambda Award-winning collection Wild Girls, Wild Nights.
Box Set: Shades of Pleasure (Five book bundle) by Tawny taylor
Dominant billionaires. Secrets and blackmail. Fantasies come true. Shades of Pleasure brings you five books from New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Tawny Taylor. This decadent five book bundle of novellas contains: What He Wants, At His Mercy, Pleasing Him, Ties that Bind and Enslaved by Sin–a total of over 90,000 words. If purchased separately, these books would cost over $12.00.
What He Wants (My Alpha Billionaire, 1)
Billionaire Shane Trant is used to getting what he wants. What he can’t buy, he takes. When he sees Bristol Deatrich, he knows he wants her. But there’s a problem. Only complete possession of her mind and body will satisfy him…
At His Mercy
Sometimes freedom can only be gained through captivity…
Elena Caine has secrets. The kind that could devastate her life if they’re revealed. And now a selfish bastard is dragging the skeletons out of her closet. She’s being blackmailed. There’s no way out–but to turn to the man Elena trusts least, the quietly seductive Dom Kyler Pierce.
Pleasing Him
Britt Olsen is shocked when the man who bought her house, the gorgeous Andre Cruz-Romero, shows up at her front door a week after closing. Now Britt has her chance to get to know the enigmatic man who has inspired a fantasy or two, or more. But she is both shocked and thrilled to learn about Andre’s extreme erotic tastes…
Ties that Bind
Illusion. A word shaded with nuance, making the men who practice it–the masters–enigmas. Particularly when they magically materialize from the shadows of a woman’s past.
It’s been fifteen years. No longer the tormented young men Blair knew and loved so long ago, Damon and Trey still know how to touch her heart, how to draw out her secrets, and how to bring her to the edge of ecstasy. Blair has two weeks to unravel the ties that have bound the three of them together. Two weeks to solve the mysteries veiled by her seductive masters’ illusions. And two weeks to surrender to the smoldering desires burning in her body as she submits to their darkest demands.
Some ties can never be severed.
Enslaved by Sin
Over two hundred years ago, the Master of Sin welcomed guests to Castle Greh, inviting them to taste decadent carnal pleasures every night. Now, some claimed the castle was haunted by the dark prince and his many lovers. She was about to learn the truth…
Top 100 Reasons to Love: 12 Book Boxed Set of the Most Popular Best Selling Shifter, Billionaire, Rock Star & Bad Boy Romances by Julia Kent, Aubrey Rose, Cerys du Lys, Adriana Hunter, Eve Langlais, Emma South, Marina Maddix, Deanna Roy, Dez Burke, Krista Lakes, Marian Tee, Michelle Fox
“Her First Billionaire & Her Second Billionaire by Julia Kent — Two secret billionaires. One curvy woman. Zero reasons to choose.
Me, Cinderella? by Aubrey Rose — A sweet BBW new adult Cinderella story with just a touch of spice.
The Billionaire’s Ultimatum: His Absolute Need by Cerys du Lys — Falling in love wasn’t supposed to be a part of Jessika’s temporary job description.
Taming the Alpha by Adriana Hunter — A contemporary BBW shifter romance.
Two’s a Couple, Three’s the Law by Eve Langlais — Bad boy werewolf or suave vampire? Why choose when the law demands she take on two?
Remember Our Song by Emma South — Can the lightning of true love strike twice after amnesia tears the perfect couple apart?
Laid Bear by Marina Maddix– Can true love survive when worlds collide?
Forever Innocent by Deanna Roy — Torn apart by tragedy. Reunited by chance. A love to never let go.
First Moon by Michelle Fox — A curvy beauty feels the bite of the wolf and heeds the call of the wild.
The Rockstar I’ve Loved for So Long by Marian Tee — A new adult billionaire rock star romance.
Skin Deep by Dez Burke — A scarred race car driver. A beauty afraid to take a chance. Can their love overcome?
Champagne Kisses by Krista Lakes — A contemporary romance with lost love & second chances.”
Seasons of Love by Annette Evans
Delve into this collection of six romantic short stories that are perfect for any season.
Second Chance: After a tragic childhood, Miranda Larsen cuts herself off emotionally, but can Tom Wilson break through the wall that Miranda has built around herself?
The Good Guy: Josie spent her childhood summers with best friends Trey Wheeler and Adam O’Brien until the death of her grandparents. When she moves back to town all grown up, who will she choose — Trey or Adam?
The Rancher & the Lass: Holden Campbell promised Bridget Monaghan’s father that he would take care of her if anything ever happened to him. But how can a man tame a fiery Irish redhead especially in the wild west of 1885?
The Road Home: Sara Damalio returns home after eight long years and encounters a modern day hero in Dean Merritt. But how will Sara react when she finds out who Dean really is?
Never Too Late: Denise Emerson has spent the last twenty years married to George, but yearning for Mark Patterson. Will a chance encounter with Mark end Denise’s marriage or strengthen it?
Love & Football: Sofia Grimaldi is still mourning her dead fiancé when she meets the handsome Erik Collins. Can a winning season carry the Baltimore Ravens to a Super Bowl victory and bring Sofia and Erik together?
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.