Alaskan Nights by Nadia Scrieva
Publication date: April 2013
Genre: New Adult Contemporary
Synopsis:
When Brynne left Alaska, she promised herself she would never go back.
The day after graduation, she got in her beat-up Honda Civic and drove down the west coast to pursue her dream of becoming a Hollywood makeup artist. Growing up in a rural fishing village with dirty, rundown buildings, and dirty, rundown men, she longed for the glitz and glamour of the silver screen. She had no qualms about leaving behind her dysfunctional family and her nowhere-job at her mother's fishing tackle shop. She didn't even think twice about leaving behind the cute boy who came in to buy gear almost every day, shamelessly flirting with her and always leaving a generous tip. Well, maybe she thought about it twice; but she knew that a relationship with Callder Murphy would only be bound to lead her deeper into nowhere. She was sick and tired of being nowhere—and no one.
Brynne set out, determined to prove to the world that she was much more than just a fisherman’s daughter. Unfortunately, her luck and tip money ran out in Seattle when her car broke down. Exhausted from the stress of travel, she decided to take a waitressing job in the city for the time being. “For the time being” ended up being far longer than she would have liked. That was four years ago. Now, a call from home has alerted Brynne to some bad news. She needs to get back to Soldotna promptly, but she has been living paycheck to paycheck and can’t even afford a plane ticket home. Enter a ghost from her past as her knight in shining armor. Unexpectedly showing up outside her restaurant in a red Ferrari, Callder is determined to take her home with him, and keep her there for good.
* * *
Perpetually drunken playboy, Callder Murphy, is currently loaded. Of course, that’s only because he stole his big brother’s credit card. He was off in Vegas, doing what he does best (absolutely nothing) when he received the call from home. A name he hasn’t heard in years pulls him out of his mindless haze of stumbling from one wild party to the next: Brynne Ambrose needs his help. Pleasant memories of the rude, tomboyish, and completely adorable girl-next-door come rushing back to him with a vengeance. He drops all of his shenanigans and cleans up his act instantaneously. He uses his brother’s credit card to buy an impressive car, and sets out to win over the girl of his dreams. He knows he’s no good for her, but he can’t stay away.
Callder has been waiting his whole life for the opportunity to be her man, and he’s not going to let her slip away again.
Goodreads:
Alaskan Nights Guest Post
Brynne and Callder are two already-beloved characters from my Sacred Breath series. Many people have expressed interest in seeing more of their interaction, since they are such a hilarious and oddly mismatched couple. Callder, the younger brother of Trevain Murphy, is usually swallowed up in the spotlight of the older man, but in this book, he gets his moment to shine. Brynne is a brazen firecracker of wit and insults, while Callder is vulgar and obnoxious, and the two butt heads in the most delightful ways.
In this story, I dig deeper into their pasts to a time when Brynne was not the tough and take-no-prisoners chick that we currently know her to be. We see her as an uncertain and vulnerable teenager, struggling to find her place in the world. She aspires for greatness, but constantly finds roadblocks in her way, ones which will harden her and help her find the right path—and the right people for her life.
Callder is a troubled young man who seeks to prove himself to the woman he loves. Despite his constant screw-ups, he is an endearing and sweet guy who turns out to be the perfect foil to Brynne’s ambition. His laziness works out to be an excellent balance to her drive, and his feel-good, happy-go-lucky approach to life helps to ease her tension and melt away her stress.
Come along on the road trip to Alaska with this fun and crazy couple, and discover the secrets of their past and the possibilities of their future.
Purchase:
No purchase links available yet--book not yet released.
Alaskan Nights, Excerpt #3
“Oh my god, I can feel it. We’re getting close to home,” Brynne said with excitement. “I recognize these mountains. These roads! Those houses!”
“Can I stop to take a leak?” Callder asked.
“No!” she told him. “Keep driving. We’re almost there.”
“Brynne, I’m serious, I really need to take a leak. That Canadian coffee is starting to kick in. My bladder is starting to feel like a balloon about to pop, and I really don’t want to mess up the new Ferrari. I’ve cleaned vomit stains out of too many nice leather seats in the past…”
“God, you’re like a whiny little girl. Here,” she said, pulling the empty coffee cup out of its holder. “Just empty it back in here. You can do that while driving, and I can’t. So take advantage of your anatomy.”
“Are you out of your mind?” he asked in horror. “I can’t do that with a lady sitting beside me. I do it all the time on my own, but…”
“It’s not like I haven’t seen your junk before,” Brynne told him, shoving the coffee cup at his nether regions. “Please, Callder? Please just pee into the cup for me so we can make it home without stopping.”
“Fine,” he agreed sullenly, “but you’re going to have to hold the cup. And everything else. I was taught to keep both hands on the wheel while driving.”
“What? You’ve been driving with one hand for the past thirty hours. Callder, don’t be a douche…”
“You’re the one who commanded me to pee. So help me pee.”
“Fine,” she mumbled, reaching over to undo his pants. She held the coffee cup in position, and looked away. “Go ahead. You can star peeing.”
A few seconds passed. Callder cleared his throat. “Maybe this is a little more awkward than I expected. Give me a moment to get the plumbing working.”
Brynne began to whistle in boredom. “Hurry it up already. I can’t hold your clogged faucet all day.”
“You’re holding it too firmly. Just be gentle. You don’t have to squeeze the pee out, you’re not milking a cow. Just let it flow.”
“Sorry, I’ve never helped a guy pee before.” Brynne glanced to her left, surveying the technicalities of the situation. “Hmm. It’s really small like this. I’ve never seen it this small before.”
“I think that’s about to change. Yes, this isn’t working as well as I thought it would.”
AUTHOR BIO:
Nadia Scrieva lives in Toronto, Canada with no husband, no kids, and no pets. She does own a very attractive houseplant which she occasionally remembers to water between her all-consuming writing marathons. Nadia has a degree in English and Anthropology from the University of Toronto. She likes knives. Her writing always features powerful females and (mostly) honorable male characters. "Ms. Scrieva is clearly a very talented writer with a natural gift for weaving beautiful, sometimes lyrical prose that kept me entranced for hours." - Stacy Decker, Goodreads reviewer
What inspired you to become a writer?
It seemed a natural progression from reading. Stories all seemed magical and perfect, but the moment I became dissatisfied with a children’s book, I began to think I could do it better and needed to try!
When did you attempt your first story? What length was it? What's become of it?
I wrote my first story at age 6, and I still have it in a box of old mementos. It is safely tucked away with the stories I wrote at 7 and 8, and each was progressively longer. Ten pages, twenty pages, and hundreds of pages by the time I was ten.
How many stories did you complete before you sold your first?
I wrote dozens of stories and uploaded them onto the internet for feedback. I didn’t want to sell a novel until I was certain that I was good enough to warrant doing so.
What’s your favorite genre of all to write in?
While experimenting in contemporary romance, I prefer to write fantasy/science fiction, because that is what I most enjoy reading and experiencing. I love escaping to worlds where more is possible. Bending the laws of physics is fun!
What is the best piece of writing advice you ever received?
The best advice is easy: Write. You can’t imagine how tedious and difficult it is to set aside thousands of hours to just sit in one spot and write, when there are so many other fun things and people I could be doing.
How do you deal with negative feedback?
By drinking myself into oblivion, of course! Alternatively, I do a carefully choreographed happy dance when I receive positive reviews.
Would you/have you own(ed) a snake or some other exotic pet?
Ideally, I’d love to have a dragon, but I would settle for a tiger.
Which do you prefer: rain or sun & warm weather or cold weather?
I enjoy the cold, because I love wearing fancy fur coats.
If you could live anywhere in the universe, where would it be and why?
Anywhere in the universe? Well, I would definitely choose somewhere off the planet, and I’d like to sample all the intergalactic hotspots carefully before making my decision. Ideally, a planet where they worship me and give me manservants.
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