Beauty Found Preorder Link

The preorder link for Beauty Found is active. It'll be published on February 12! 

https://www.amazon.com/Beauty-Found-Fairy-Laura-McKellips-ebook/dp/B08SY8W5B3/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=laura+lee+mckellips&qid=1610992079&sr=8-3

Book Cover Chosen

I found the perfect picture for Beauty Found! In celebration, here is a snippet of one of my favorite scenes so far. 

“You bought four bottles of whiskey? Tonight?” 

“Yeah.” 

“Were you trying to kill yourself?” she asked. 

He shrugged. 

She looked at him and snapped. Walking around the couch, she made her way into the kitchen as she opened the bottle. She never dreamed she’d be performing this act again. Especially with Vincent. It’d been years since she’d made this walk with a bottle of alcohol. 

“What’re you doing?” he asked from behind her. 

She shook her head as she walked over to the sink and tipped the bottle. The whiskey swirled in the sink before sliding down the drain. It wouldn’t burn the pipes like it did someone’s throat. No need to worry about pouring too fast. 

“Hazel, stop!” 

She looked at him as she kept the bottle over the sink. She wanted every drop gone. 

“Where are the others?” she asked as she shook the bottle over the sink. 

“Why? You’re not pouring them out,” he said with his hands braced on his hips. 

“I’m not?” she asked as she set the empty bottle on the counter. “We’ll see about that.” 

She stomped past him as he leaned against the doorframe. She didn’t stop to check on him. He shouldn’t have drunk as much as he did. It was the only reason she could make it to his room before he did. Throwing open the door, she saw the three bottles on the nightstand. 

Sneak Peek of Vincent

I'm typing away on the last chapters of Beauty Found, and I thought I'd share one of the scenes. I do have a tentative publishing date in mind, but I'll release it when I've typed two little words. For now, enjoy this scene with Vincent.  

He rubbed the back of his neck as he thought about Tom’s offer. Fixing classic cars was something he did in high school to stay out of trouble. Tom took a chance on a sixteen-year-old kid detailing cars. Once Tom realized how focused Vincent was on even the smallest detail, Tom gave him free rein. Many, many hours not spent on the football field were spent in Tom’s garage. In the garage, he decided to follow in his father’s, grandfather’s, and every other man in his family’s footsteps and join the Army. 

It was his calling. 

And his curse. 

He didn’t want to be the only man to not sign on the dotted line. But it was more. He might’ve been great a football, but he never felt comfortable in his own skin. When he tried on his father’s uniform, it fit. It was comfortable. Hazel said he was a man of war. His family was full of men of war. Men of war didn’t play football. They served their country. 

Tom tried to talk Vincent out of signing, but it didn’t work. Vincent needed to honor his family’s legacy. So, he went to the recruiter’s office and took the oath. Little did he know war would be declared. 

Four tours later, he was uncomfortable. Again. He struggled to find his place. 

Could he go back to the garage? Or were the ghosts of a sixteen-year-old boy waiting to haunt him? As the ghosts of his family seemed to hang around the edges of his mind. 

Clenching his hands, he took several deep breaths. Now was not the time to revisit the past. 

Happy New Year

 Happy New Year! Here is a scene from my next book Beauty Found, which is Book 2 of my Fairy Tale Series.

“Vincent?” she called out as she closed her door.

“Hazel?” he asked as he unzipped the tent. “What’re you doing here?”

Each word seemed dragged out. He was drunk. Great.

“I brought you food,” she said as she held up the bag. “Come out. I’d prefer not to eat alone.”

“Go away,” he said as he started to zip the tent up.

“Wait,” she said as she walked toward the tent.

“What?” he asked as he popped his head out of the tent.

“The insurance agent called me. They need you to call them back,” she said as she stopped a few feet away from him.

“Why’d they call you?” he asked as he unzipped the tent completely.

“Because you don’t have a phone,” she said. “Now come on, our food’s getting cold.”

“Leave me alone,” he said as he fell back. “I don’t need anything.”

She narrowed her eyes as she thought about what she wanted to do next. His stubborn mood was no match for hers. She’d played this game long before he tasted his first drink.

“Get out of the tent!” she said as she moved further away. “Or I’ll grab my tent and sleep out here with you until you’re ready to rejoin the world.”

“Maybe I don’t want to rejoin the world,” he said without moving.

“Oh, you’re rejoining the world,” she said.

“Hazel, leave,” he said as he waved her away. “It’s not a good day.”

“When is it ever a good day?” she asked as she knelt down to see into the tent. “One day, you’ll have to rejoin the living. This in-between living and death don’t work anymore. I’m tired of babying you. Yes, you were injured in a roadside bomb, and yes, you lost men who were your family. But it doesn’t give your license to roam around as if you’re a zombie.”

“Go away,” he said as he rolled over to look at her.

“I didn’t take you for a coward,” she said as she stood up.

Ten seconds later, he tore out of the tent and rushed after her.

“Coward?!” he yelled as she spun around and stepped to the side.

He slipped and fell.

“Yeah, you’re a coward,” she said as she watched him struggle. “You wallow in your pain and misery because you’re scared to live.”

“It’s not that I’m scared to live,” he said as he stood. “I have nothing to live for.”

“Then live for me,” she said as she took a step forward. “Live for me.”

“I can’t,” he said.

“Why? I’m not changing or moving. I’m here,” she said, tapping her chest.

“Everyone I’ve ever loved is dead,” he said as he looked at her.

The hollow look in his normally warm chocolate eyes pierced her. She should’ve come out here days ago.

“I’m not dead,” she said as she set the bag of food on the ground between them. “I’m here when you’re ready.”

#beautyfound #fairytaleseries #2021

Little Known Facts

 Little known things about Mermaid Voice, since it's been out for a week.

*It was put on hold to write Siren Song which is the movie they're filming in the book. I needed certain scenes written out and decided to write that book first.

*It features one of the craziest women I've ever written who happens to be the ex-girlfriend of Caspian. I normally don't write crazy exes but the story played out that way.

*It's the first book of my Fairy Tale Series.

*All of the heroines in the series will be connected to a southern state, Syrena was from Louisiana.

*I looked up the regulations for Alligator hunting to write that scene. It's very well regulated in case anyone wanted to know.

*I had the cover image for at least a year, probably the longest I've ever selected one.

*Grimsby is probably one of my favorite secondary characters.

*It was inspired by The Little Mermaid but with a twist.

*It's the 3rd book I've published this year. I wanted to see if I could publish three in one year and with 2020 being what it is, it worked out.

*Syrena and Caspian's names are connected to water.

*I published the ebook only to Amazon for the first 90 days. The paperback is available in most online stores.

*If you would like to see what inspired me, check out the Pinterest board for Mermaid Voice.

Mermaid Voice is Live

In celebration of Mermaid Voice being published, here is one of my favorite scenes with Syrena. You can download your copy today on Amazon. 

“Uh, are you lost?” Cindy asked with her hands on her hips. 

“No,” Nessa said before smiling. “I’m looking for Syrena.” 

“Why?” Syrena asked. 

What could this woman possibly say to her? They didn’t know each other. How did Nessa even know her name? 

“You do look like the mermaid Nerida,” Nessa said as she waved her hand. 

“Uh, okay,” Syrena said. 

What else could she say? 

“I hope you don’t have any lunch plans with Caspian today. In fact, yesterday is the last time you’ll eat with my boyfriend,” Nessa said before smiling. “I’m sure you understand me.” 

Syrena glanced at Cindy before looking back at Nessa. 

“He offered food, and mine was destroyed. I ate,” Syrena said as she stood. “I don’t know what you think happened, but we were at work. It was a thirty-minute lunch break.” 

“Then why did he follow you to the bar last night? Must’ve been a great thirty-minute break,” Nessa said. 

Syrena shook her head. 

“Look, go find your boyfriend so someone can be happy to see you,” Syrena said as she grabbed her tail. “And by the way, I’ll eat lunch with whomever I want. If you can’t trust your boyfriend to keep his hands to himself, then you need to talk to him. He’s the one in the relationship, not me.” 

“You do realize who I am,” Nessa said as she crossed her arms. 

“Yeah, an out-of-work actress riding her boyfriend’s fame,” Cindy said as she snapped her fingers. “Your mother’s fame is fading, so you attached yourself like a leach to Caspian. You know what happens to leaches?” 

“No. Why would I? I’m not an animal person,” Nessa said. 

“Leaches are burned off the skin,” Syrena said as she faced Nessa. 

The woman was gorgeous with her black hair and blue-green eyes. She got her mother’s good looks, but not Rae Banks’ charm and sweetness. 

“Don’t cross me,” Nessa said as she dropped her arms. 

“Oh, honey, you don’t know me. I was born and raised in the country. You don’t want to tangle with me, City Girl. I wasn’t pampered all my life. I’ve worked for everything I have,” Syrena said as she stepped closer to Nessa. 

“Threats don’t scare me,” Nessa said. 

“Bless your heart,” Syrena said as she brushed past Nessa and walked out of the trailer. 

Cover Reveal

Happy Wednesday! I have two updates. For the first one, here is the cover reveal of Mermaid Voice. I've had this picture picked out for this book for almost two years. I'm so happy with the cover and couldn't wait to show everyone. 

And for the second update, Mermaid Voice will be live on December 16! Once the preorder link is live, I'll post. This book will be in Kindle Direct for the first 90 days. After that, it'll be available on all platforms. The paperbacks are in review and should be available on release day.