Playing Dead

DEATH TRAP _{by S.R.Claridge}

Fourth book in the Just Call Me Angel series

 

When Giovanni’s private jet explodes with Angel presumably on board, the family is thrust into a state of crisis and mourning.  When they learn the explosion was not due to a malfunction but a well-planned attack, Angel’s men set out on a course for revenge; while Giovanni must face the hard reality of assigning a new Boss to the family.  Unknown to anyone Angel is alive, but is forced into hiding from the terrorist group enacting revenge on her grandfather, Salvatore.  She watches in horror as her men are lured one-by-one into a trap of death, with their only chance for survival falling on the shoulders of a stranger with an unstable past.  Tempers flare and bullets fly as the lines of family loyalty blur into a melting pot of Mafia destruction, thickening when Angel’s men discover that the stranger behind the attack isn’t a stranger at all.  Emotions run high as Angel must face the suffocating reality that her only hope for staying alive is to play dead.

The Just Call Me Angel series has received rave reviews...

 

So, don't delay...start reading the series today!

Everything You Could Want - Mafia Style

I’ve been working on the fifth book in the Just Call Me Angel series, which has given me the opportunity to learn more about the Mafia in the States and abroad.  The research has been fascinating.  As I’m wrapping up the story, I realize my brain is already working on the next book, causing me to go back and plant tiny seeds of relevance for future installments. 

Part of the fun in writing an Italian Mafia series is in naming my characters.  I first develop the character’s outward appearance, pointing out some basic attributes like height, weight, hair color and eye color.  Occasionally, I note whether they have a pointy chin, squinty eyes or dimpled cheeks.  Next, I’ll describe any quirks they might possess.  For example, they might pop their gum, twirl their hair, fidget in their seat, or waddle when they walk.  Next comes speech.  I’ll assign an accent or an impediment; describe the pitch of their voice and any frequent phrases, like “babe” or “sweetheart,” “Merciful Heavens” or “crazy-ass.”  At this point, I usually feel as if the character has been brought to life and is in need of a backstory, if applicable to the plot, and a name.

I find names in various places.  From television programs, to the radio to internet searches, names are literally everywhere.  Sometimes one will just stick with me and other times I combine parts of several names to make a unique one.  Here are some of my favorite names from the Just Call Me Angel series:

Giovanni Maratinzano, Salvatore Buscetta, Enzo, Stephen Manucci, Joseph Venturini, Charles Andriachini, Rinaldo Rosenalli, Grayson Gallente, Mike Maletta, Carlos Cullato, Sean Shepherd, Scotrovi, Anya Grovashik, Stefano, Dr. Manzini… just to name a few.

After the real name has been assigned, I get to give pseudo-names or mobster names and this is where it gets really fun.  In the series, I have had characters called The Shark, The Snake, Big Mike, Trig, Chito and T-Rex. 

There are good cops and bad cops, Tasers, grenades, Uzi’s, comedy, drugs, drama, a love triangle, sex and most of all revenge done mafia style.  It has everything you could want in a suspense series, so if you haven’t joined the fun yet… pick up your copy today. 

 

 

Mafia Madness

The Just Call Me Angel suspense series is based on the Mafia, in Chicago, New York and Sicily.  Angel Maratinzano is granddaughter to the Capo di Tutti Capi in the States and granddaughter to the Head of the Costa Nostra in Sicily.  This places her in a unique and dangerous position.  As the first and only female Boss, Angel isn’t always accepted in what has thus far been deemed a man’s world; but she is slowly learning to hold her own.

With Mafia life comes the reality of unspoken rules, some of which are slightly twisted from the norm and paint a dark picture.  Good guys don’t always win.  Everyone is guilty until proven innocent.  Death is imminent.  No one can be trusted; not even your own family.  Loyalty comes at a high price and love is often its casualty.   Nothing in her formal education prepared her for mafia madness; but experience has taught Angel that the learning curve is high and one mistake could cost her, her life.

 

 

Not only is Angel’s position unique because she is female, but also because she’s the youngest Boss and consequently her outlook is far less jaded than that of the others; particularly than that of the older generation. 

Often finding herself trapped between her grandfather’s wrath and her compelling need for justice, Angel is learnind the importance of honing her mob instincts...before it's too late. 

 

 

Coupled with her Great Aunt Olga and her mother, Sophia, the Maratinzano women make a dynamic threesome of generational female power that turns the Mafia world on its ear.  Some want them dead, while others just sit back and shake their heads; watching and hoping for the moment when Angel will fall. 

How long can she survive as head of the Maratinzano family?  If Olga and her Taser have anything to say about it, Angel will be around for a long time.  ~

Don’t delay… start reading the Just Call Me Angel series today!

 

 

If I Could Be Angel...

I was speaking at a book club meeting and one of the ladies said, “Sometimes I wish I was Michelangela Maratinzano from the Just Call MeAngel series.”

Another woman gasped, “Why would you want to be in the mafia?”

“I don’t want to be IN the mafia,” the woman explained, “I want to RUN a mob family.”  Needless to say, the room grew quiet as she continued.  “Just once I’d like to be in complete control, have all the hot Italian men I want, whenever I want, eat authentic Italian food, never worry about money, and have a ton of big men with big guns protecting me.”  She raised her eyebrows and made what I call a ‘yummy’ face.

There were varied reactions throughout the group… most quite comical.  But the topic got me thinking, and made me realize that there’s a part of me that’s living out a fantasy on the pages of the Angel books too.

Let’s face it, Angel is young, attractive and thrust into a position of power unlike any woman in the mafia world has ever held.  She’s strong, daring and conflicted, to which I think we can all relate on some level. 

Now, I adore my husband and children and wouldn’t want to go back to that single lifestyle; however, I think I probably live out a sexual fantasy every time Angel engages in romantic encounters with Tony and Andrew.  I’ve certainly modeled those characters after men I would find interesting and alluring; and in my single days, wouldn’t have turned down a romp in the hay with either of them.  J

Power.  Money.  Romance.  Great food.  There are definitely advantages to being Angel, but the downside is that she lives in a violent world, where life has less value than loyalty.  Can Angel change the way the mafia has always been run?  I don’t know, but she’s hell-bent on trying, and if I’m honest I have to admire her courage.

Would I want to be Angel for a day?  Well…. maybe for a couple of hours…just long enough to spend some quality time with Tony and Andrew, to eat some of Olga’s homemade Cannoli and to have a late night conversation with Giovanni.  Oh, and shooting the handheld Uzi one time wouldn’t be so bad either…. but only at a target, not a person.  

The truth is.... each time I write an Angel book I lose myself in her world and I enjoy every minute of it.  ~

 

 

Tasers, Lasers and Phasers

When I grow old, I want to be like Aunt Olga from the Just Call Me Angel series.  I want to appreciate each day, have a positive outlook and a spunky demeanor.  I want to make people smile with my silliness or whimsical wit.  Sure, Olga can be an eavesdropping, mis-match-making, Taser toting nuisance at times; but she’s always there for Angel.  That’s the solid sort of woman I want to become, especially for my children.

 

I might be over-zealous, explosive and downright difficult to handle, but my loyalty and devotion will never be in question.  I want my loved ones to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I’m “in”… that I’m down with it, hip to it, up for it, in the mix, got a grip, rockin’, rollin’, willing and ready to participate in whatever life brings.

Whether armed with Tasers, lasers or phasers, I want my family to know I’ve got their back; that there’s nothing in this world we can’t work through and walk through together.

I don’t want years or fears to slow me down because the way I see it, we get one life and, like Olga, I want to live in the moment…every moment of every hour of every day. ~

 

A PussyCat with an Uzi

My mother-in-law works at a funeral home in Missouri, where many of her co-workers read my books.  They particularly like the Just Call Me Angel series.  After reading the series, one lady asked her if I was a violent person, wherein my mother-in-law chuckled and said, “Oh, no, she’s a pussycat…with an Oozie.”

I have spoken to numerous book clubs wherein a similar question has been posed:   How do you come up with all of the different ways to kill people in your books?

I started thinking… I wonder how many of my readers ponder the same question?  Does someone who writes about acts of violence have to be a violent person?

The Just Call Me Angel series is set in Chicago and deals with the Mafia from a feisty female viewpoint.  It’s unique because it shows a balance between the cold-hearted killer mentality and the tender-hearted nurturer perspective.  Sometimes lines are crossed, just like in real life; but, for the most part, Angel’s hope is that no one would die.

I’ll admit, when writing an Angel book, I study guns and explore the possibilities of how a particular weapon will cause death.  It’s morbid to think about in real life, but in the context of researching for a novel, it becomes exciting.

Does it make me a violent person?  No.  It makes me a creative person, who explores acts of violence only on the pages of my novels. 

Sometimes in life, violence is necessary.  For example, acts of self-defense, or in defense of another person, etc., but it certainly shouldn’t be the norm; and in my life it is not.

I only run around making people offers they can’t refuse in my books.  In real life, I am a pussycat who, for the most part, keeps her oozie tucked quietly away.  J

 

 

 

 

Ass-Grabbing Gestapo

My husband and I go to Chicago at least twice a year because we love the city and I so that I can conduct research before I begin writing the next book in the Just Call Me Angel series, which is set in Chicago. We were standing on the Navy Pier, watching our kids ride the swings for the umpteenth time.  We were standing below them, waving each time they flew around overhead.  Adherent to the name “Windy City,” the breeze coming off of the lake was chilly and my husband wrapped his arms around me to keep me warm.  I was wearing a red sun dress and as he snuggled me close, he let his right hand rest just below the small of my back, against my bottom.  Now, let me point out that he was not obnoxiously grabbing my ass nor fondling me in public.  His hand was simply resting there as he held me.  Quite honestly, I didn’t even notice it was on my butt.  That’s how non-sexual his touch was. 

So, you can only imagine my surprise when this woman tugs on arm and says to me, “He needs to take his hand off your backside.  You’re in public.”  She was clearly appalled.

I smiled politely and apologized.  “I’m sorry.  I didn’t even realize it was there,” I said, and reached back and pulled his hand further up so it was now resting on the small of my back.

She huffed and walked away and it got me thinking.  (Beware:  Rant Ahead)

Who the hell did she think she was?  The ass-grabbing Gestapo?  I could understand if he was stroking or rubbing or even patting my butt in public, but he wasn’t.  There was nothing inappropriate or graphic or sexual in our contact whatsoever.  I was cold, he held me close to keep me warm.  Period.  No kissing.  No thrusting.  I didn’t drop to my knees to indulge in indescribable acts of pleasure right there on the Pier.  For heaven’s sake!  What gave her the right to tell me where my husband could put his hands? She obviously hadn’t been laid in a long time!  Seriously, people, if something that non-offensive offends you, look away and keep walking; because, trust me, the problem lies with you.  I was polite to her, though she certainly didn’t deserve it.  I should have taken his hands and placed them squarely on my breasts, or pushed my bottom into his groin, bent over in front of him and screamed, “Oh, yes!  Yes!  Harder!  Faster!” If she wanted something to complain about I’d have been more than willing to oblige.

If I could go back and do it over, I’d smile at her, as I reach over, grab my husband’s manliness and say, “If he can’t touch my ass, then I’ll just stroke his assets for a while…is this better?”

Yes, next time I encounter an uptight, hasn’t-been-laid-in-years, mean old sphinx, I’m going to flash my tits or do something really offensive.   Why?  Because I can’t stand people who go out of their way to stick their judgmental, little, condemning noses into other people’s business.  You want to judge me, I’ll gladly give you something to judge and it will start with me bending over and you kissing my big, white ass. 

I mean, after all, if I flash my tits they're no longer concerned about my ass, right?  Tit flashing sounds like the perfect solution to stop the ass-grabbing gestapo. ~

Death Trap - Excerpt Contest

Guess correctly in the comment section below or via email to authorsrclaridge@gmail.com and win a free copy of my 2013 Pushcart Prize nominated short story, Petals of Blood.  Be the very first to provide the correct answer and you can win a free downloadable copy of Death Trap.  Good luck!  :)

The excerpt below is from the fourth book in the Just Call Me Angel series, entitled Death Trap.  Who is Angel with in this scene? 



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Before she had a chance to ask him what this was all about, he pressed her against the side of the wall and kissed her; deeply and passionately.  He kissed her in a way he hadn’t done in a long, long time and Angel felt her body melt beneath his touch.  His fingers wrapped around the back of her neck and weaved through her hair, as he pulled her close, using his other hand to guide her hips against his.  She felt his wanting and wished for a moment she could make the world and all of time stand still so they could openly express the ignited desire trapped between them.  His fingertips brushing gently over her breasts confirmed something she knew all along; her body ached for him.  Other men had come and gone but he knew her like no one else.  There was no awkward fumbling, no questions and no fear of embarrassment; he knew exactly what she liked.  The truth was, despite her mixed emotions, she had missed him.  They’re relationship had ended so abruptly that her heart never truly learned to let him go.

“I don’t know what to say,” she whispered.

            “Say you feel what I feel between us,” he urged.

            “I do.  You know I do.”

            He grunted frustration and then pulled Angel into another deep kiss.  “I want you.” He smiled and his brown eyes sparkled with desire.  “I want you so bad I can’t concentrate.”

            Angel knew the feeling.   There was a part of her that wanted to push him into one of the patio chairs and climb on.  The thought sent shivers of delight up her back and she wondered if he knew what she was imagining.

            Leaning his hands against the wall on each side of Angel, he whispered in her ear.  “Someday I’m gonna bring you out here, when the night is clear and you can see a million stars stretched across the sky; and I’m gonna make-love to you.”

            Angel couldn’t stop the smile from spreading across her face.

            “I’m gonna touch you in ways no man has ever touched you,” he whispered and she could feel the warmth of his breath against her ear.  “I’m gonna bring you more pleasure than you ever dreamed possible,” he said and then ran his tongue up her neck and fondled her ear lobe.  Angel’s body flushed with desire.  “I know how to take you there,” he said and Angel knew he wasn’t bluffing.  She remembered his magic fingers.  “I’m going to make you tremble and shake in my arms,” he whispered and Angel felt like she was going to explode from the longing that was filling her entire being.  He brought his lips close to hers.  “Do you want that as much as I do?”  He asked.

            Yes!  Omigod, yes, yes, yes!  She didn’t say it aloud, but gave a simple nod of her head.  While she was hanging in the anticipation of another passionate kiss, he pulled back. 

            “I gotta go,” he grinned, “but I’ll be back to finish what we started.”

 

"You Will Not Budge Me"

When a person says, “You’ll never budge me,” what they are really saying is that your opinion, what matters to you, and how you feel are of unimportance to them.  Can there be anything more painful than knowing your heart doesn’t matter?

I look back at many of the situations in my life, when I made poor choices and hurt people with wreck-less behavior or selfish actions.  If I could go back in time I’d certainly do things differently.  Despite my many flaws, and there are many, I can honestly say I have never ignored someone who came to me out of concern for my well-being.  I never arrogantly said, “You will not budge me.”  I never egotistically turned a blind-eye and uttered, “We’ll just agree to disagree.”  I think that’s because, deep down in my heart, I always respected the people who cared about me.  Even if I was angry at them, I still held a certain respect for the fact that they loved me and that they wanted only the best for me.  In my most rebellious moments, their words were not ignored; but sank deep into my heart and tenderized the places I had become hardened.

Years ago, when I moved to Los Angeles and became involved in a New Age cult-type movement, my mother and my husband confronted me with their concerns.  In fact, it was the fact that they took the time to study the movement and continued to talk with me about it, that eventually led to me opening my eyes and realizing how dangerously false it was.  Even when I thought I was right and they were wrong, I listened and I never said, “You will not budge me.”  Deep down, I knew their words came from love and I respected them enough to know that they wouldn’t come to me with lies; but only with the truth.

In looking back, I realize that God strategically placed people in my life to help steer me away from danger.  Had I arrogantly blown them off, I shudder to think where I would be today…or if I would even be alive today.  Egotism often blocks our ability to see the truth, even when it lies right in front of us.

 

In the Just Call Me Angel series, Angel often struggles with a desire to rebel against the rules of the Mafia world. But she realizes that the people around her, her family, want the best for her and help provide balance in what can often be a violent, dangerous place. She learns quickly that arrogance can get a person killed and she must trust those who love her with her life; knowing they care enough to protect her. Even when Giovanni’s words are not what she wants to hear, she respects the fact that he will not mis-lead her; and despite their many disagreements, she never says, “You will not budge me.” Deep down she knows that her God-given family will never let her down.

 

Most of us don't live in the Mafia world, but I think it is important to realize the danger of arrogance in the real world.  I think it is crucial to understand that the human ego can be used as a weapon and can hurt the people that love you.  It might not get you killed like in the Just Call Me Angel series, but arrogance can certainly kill relationships.

 

Proudly uttering the words, "You will not budge me," might come back to haunt you, because one day, you might want to budge and you will have pushed everyone who truly loves you, out of your life. ~

 

 

 

For more information on the Just Call Me Angel series, please visit www.AuthorSRClaridge.com

 

 

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Angel and Andrew's "Prayer" Time

In book one (Tetterbaum's Truth) of the Just Call Me Angel series, Angel meets Andrew and in book two (Traitor's Among Us) the attraction between them grows beyond friendship.


In the scene below Andrew and Angel give new meaning to what it means to "pray together."

________________________________________________________________

The meeting with the Bosses was to take place at Tetterbaum’s Pub at 7:00pm,  which gave Angel a couple of hours to sleep before she had to get ready and rehearse the speech she and Andrew had prepared.  She lay her head against the arm of the couch and closed her eyes, thinking of Olga and her mother.  She quietly prayed, dozing off with every word.   “Our father, who art in Heaven…” her voice tapered off.

“Il nostro padre, che è nel cielo,” he whispered.

 “Hallowed be Thy name…” she mumbled.

“Hallowed è nome di thine,” came his voice again. 

Angel opened her eyes, certain she was half in and out of sleep, but aware she had heard something.   “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven,” she finished the sentence.

His voice came from behind her.  “Il tuo regno prossimo, tuo sarà fatto su terra come è nel cielo.”  She rolled onto her back and gazed up at Andrew, who was freshly showered and standing near the end of the couch.  “Give us this day,” he prompted.

“Give us this day our daily bread…”

“Diaci questo giorno il nostro pane quotidiano,” he came closer.

 “And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us,” she spoke softly.

            “E perdonici le nostre trasgressioni mentre perdoniamo coloro che trasgredice a contro di noi.”  He lowered himself onto the couch.

“Lead us not into temptation…”

 “Conducali non nella tentazione…” he inched closer.

“But deliver us from evil,” her voice quivered.

“Ma trasportili dalla malvagità,” he lay down on top of her.

 “Amen,” they whispered in unison and his lips enclosed on hers.

Andrew made good on his promise to show her what an Italian lover could do, and Angel melted beneath his touch.  He wasn’t the first Italian lover she’d had.  Tony was her first.  Grayson, her second.  The third was definitely the charm.  When the euphoric glow of passion gave way to exhaustion, Angel drifted to sleep with her head on Andrew’s chest and the sound of his heart beating in her ear.

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The Just Call Me Angel series can be purchased in ebook or paperbook at Amazon, Barnes&Noble and Smashwords.

 

FREE Read

Please enjoy a FREE sample of several of my novels, and if you like what you read, please leave a review and share this with your friends.  There is nothing more fulfilling or rewarding for a writer than to hear that people are enjoying their books.    :)

Grinning Ear-To-Ear

I spent some time yesterday reading reviews of my books that are posted on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.  I just want to share some of my favorites, particularly those pertaining to the Just Call Me Angel  suspense series.

BookWatchMagazine called the series, “a non-stop ride of action and adventure.”

APEX Reviews called it, “a bona fide suspense thriller.”

RipeReviews said it was “suspense at its best.”

“A non-stop, action-packed thrill ride” said CanadaReviewers.

All Book Reviews says the series is “murder, suspense, and thrills-all enmeshed in wild, intelligent plotting.”

 

If you haven't read the Just Call Me Angel series yet, and you like suspense novels, I hope you'll order your books today.  If you have read the series, please take the time to write a review and post it on either Amazon, Barnes&Noble, Smashwords, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.  Nothing makes a writer grin from ear-to-ear like hearing from their devoted readers.  ~

 

Mafia Queen

I have had the opportunity to be featured in an interview, entitled "S.R.Claridge Mafia Queen" with Smoky Zeidel.  It was a fun interview and I hope you will follow the link (in red) below and check it out.  Also, come back here and leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of one of the novels in the Just Call Me Angel series.


 

S.R.Claridge Mafia Queen by Smoky Zeidel

 

 

Gun Talk

There is much conspiracy now about the Second Amendment, and I find it rather ludicrous.  We have the right to bear arms.  Period.  It’s part of our American heritage.  It’s who we are.  It’s one of our many freedoms and it should not be revoked.  That being said, should anyone be allowed to purchase an AK47 combat rifle?  I would ask this…. Why would anyone, outside of our military, who are fighting for and defending our freedoms, need an AK47 machine gun?  [ I mean, with the exception of the traditional Mafia families like those found in my Just Call Me Angel series, who fight the Russian Mob and need big guns for more action-packed pages!]  

Should there be restrictions on the type of gun an average American is allowed to purchase?  Maybe.  I don’t know.  It seems to me that laws, rules and restrictions only affect the morally upright person who will obey them, and those aren’t the people who are going to use a gun (of any make and model) to go on a killing spree.  Your morally bankrupt killers will find a way around the restriction and get whatever gun they want anyway…. so, to me, the argument seems rather moot.

I’m an American.  I have freedom of speech.  I have freedom of religion.  I have the right to bear arms and I own the responsibility that comes with this freedom.

Allow me to share an article featuring advice from several Concealed Carry Instructors:

The Rules of a Gunfight

A: Guns have only two enemies - rust and politicians.

B: It's always better to be judged by 12 than carried by 6.

C: Cops carry guns to protect themselves, not you.

D: Never let someone or something that threatens you get inside arms length.

E: Never say "I've got a gun." If you need to use deadly force, the first sound they hear should be the safety clicking off.

F: The average response time of a 911 call is 13 minutes, the response time of a .357 is 1400 feet per second.

G: The most important rule in a gunfight is: Always win - cheat if necessary.

H: Make your attacker advance through a wall of bullets . . . You may get killed with your own gun, but he'll have to beat you to death with it, ‘cause it'll be empty.

J: In a life and death situation, do something . . . It may be wrong, but do something!

K: If you carry a gun, people call you paranoid. Nonsense! If you have a gun, what do you have to be paranoid about?

L: You can say 'stop' or any other word, but a large bore muzzle pointed at someone's head is pretty much a universal language.

M: Owning a gun doesn’t make you aggressive… it give you the opportunity to save yourself and your family if, God forbid, that need arises.

If you're in a gun fight:

1. If you're not shooting, you should be loading.
2. If you're not loading, you should be moving.
3. If you're not moving, you're dead.

 

Believe in the 2^nd Amendment.  Believe in your freedom.  Believe in America.

 

 

Meeting Your Match

The other day I was asked if I publish my own books and if I publish other writer’s books.  I’ve been asked this question A LOT.  The answer is no.  In fact, I know little about the literary world from a publishing aspect.  I have several writer friends who have chosen to self-publish their books through Amazon and other outlets; some are happy with their decision and others are not.  I have friends who have signed with literary agents and those who have signed directly with publishers.  I don’t believe there is a right or wrong path.  Each avenue presents positives and negatives.  Each route has challenges.  I think the important thing is for every writer to ask themselves what they want and then pursue the avenue that best matches that outcome.  One must realize that writing is a subjective field, just as all other facets of entertainment.  A book that I may love, the next person may deem mediocre.  Getting published is a matter of finding the right “fit” for your work and for yourself.

When I began my journey toward getting my debut novel (No Easy Way) published, I received thirty-six rejection letters and did about a million re-writes.  Then, I entered a contest and my book was nominated for The Heart of Molly award through Heart of Denver Romance Writers.  Before I knew it I had found the right publisher for my book…the right “fit” for my work and for me. 

Since then I’ve had five novels published and one short story and I couldn’t be happier.

If you’re a writer who is considering getting your work published, ask yourself what you want, research the available outlets and then don’t give up.  Finding that perfect publisher for your work can feel like online dating… you might have to jump through a lot of hoops and kiss a lot of toads before you finally meet your perfect match. ~

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