Mistletoe Madness and the Missing Line

I’m taking part in the Mistletoe Madness blog hop and I’ve decided to bring back an old contest – What’s my first line. When “Lair of the Jaguar God” was released early this year, the excerpt that went out with it was missing the first line. The book was fine. The problem was if you read the excerpt, you went “huh?” So, I ran a “what’s my first line contest.” So to round out the year, I’m bring the contest back.  All you have to do is read the excerpt below and post a comment with the first line. (Yes, I know it’s easy to cheat.)  The prize is the “Lair of the Jaguar God” ebook.

Also hop over to the Mistletoe Madness page to register for the grand prize of a Nook pre-loaded with lots of great reading including my “Angel in the Middle” story.

Lair of the Jaguar God

“Virgin, Completely untouched.”

Kit jerked upright, knocking over one of the duffel bags piled in the back of the Jeep with him. Who’d told the professor? He stared at Owen’s gray ponytail and wished he could sink beneath the pile of supplies and disappear.

Owen glanced over his shoulder. “You okay back there, Kit?”

“Fine, Professor.” He lifted the bag up, listening for anything that sounded broken. “Your bag–”

“Clothes and an extra pair of boots. Just kick it to one side if it’s in your way.” The professor turned his attention back to the rutted dirt track they were driving along and waved a tanned hand at the trees alongside the road. “Jungle covered the old city completely. I suspect Tony knew it was there all along. Had to prove myself to him before he helped me accidentally find it.” He chuckled, and Elizabeth, sitting in the passenger seat, nodded without looking up from her clipboard.

Cheeks burning, Kit stared out into the trees. Virgin. He should have known Owen meant the jungle. He’d been rambling on about it and the dig site since they’d left the airport in Guatemala City. He’d probably rambled about it on the plane, but Kit hadn’t rated a seat near the professor. Instead he’d been stuck in a middle seat between Mitch and Gator. Which was why he’d chosen to spend the rest of the journey bouncing along with the professor’s supplies. The duffel bags were better company.

He’d paid attention to everything Owen said as they drove through the city, but when they entered the jungle, he lost focus. The sound of the traffic disappeared, and Owen’s monologue faded as the sounds of the jungle called to him. Kit could hear birds taking flight in the canopy, and when he closed his eyes, he could smell the richness of the dirt, the sweetness of fruit and flowers, and even the musky scent from the small animals hiding in the trees. It all felt familiar, though it shouldn’t have.

“Kit, I think you’ll like Tony,” Owen shot over his shoulder. “He’ll enjoy having someone new to show around the place. His jungle, as he calls it.”

“Okay.” He hoped that sounded normal. The professor’s comment couldn’t mean anything. He’d been introduced to a few guys he was supposed to “like” during his first year of college, and it had taken him a while to catch on. Just because he hadn’t–with a girl. Or even a guy. Damn it, why couldn’t anything about him ever be normal?

To enter the contest just leave a comment  with the first line of “Lair of the Jaguar God.”

Buy Lair of the Jaguar God at Liquid Silver Books

Buy Lair of the Jaguar God at Amazon

Congratulations to Rhonda and Tara who were contest winners.