Cover Reveal Bite the Big Apple

Bite the Big Apple the fourth and final book in the Baby Girl Series. Cleo find's answers to the questions plaguing her existence!

Buy Links:
Amazon
Amazon.co.uk
Barnes and Noble

Excerpt:
I found myself in his room. My body fell back on his camel covered bed, rolling his comforter around me as if it were his arms and inhaled in the sweetness of his bed seeking any lingering Einstein scent. Instead, I smelled fabric softener. I bounced upwards from his bed like an alley cat being chased by a bulldog and ransacked his room, searching for clues, anything to tell me why he left.

I went through his drawers, tore books off his shelves one by one and found nothing. Then I remembered the hallways! Through his closet, I entered the passage and must have walked through each passage several times before a picture caught my attention. It was Einstein and a friend on what looked like a camping trip. They looked about ten or eleven. I pulled the picture off the wall and studied it. The light caught a small bump behind the picture, something was there. I took the back off and a newspaper article dropped to the ground.

On it a picture of the boy who was in the picture with Einstein. He disappeared, his dead body turning up on a hiking trail in Oregon. Stuck to the inside back of the picture frame was a map containing a list of names and addresses I remembered from my time running around the country with Einstein. Each person wealthy and of high importance, including the judge whose letter opener I stole by accident and returned by way of drunk bum.

I kept the map, the article and put the picture back, then checked every picture lining the passage ways - more newspaper articles. I laid them out and read. The court tried the person arrested as the boy’s killer, but with lack of evidence, they found him innocent. The judge on the case was letter-opener-judge. I read each article. They read almost the same - missing children, a few found dead. The list went on and the story swirled into clarity. Einstein’s mother told me he wanted to be an FBI agent, and his friend mysteriously kidnapped and murdered. Many of the homes and cities we visited contained the missing children. He searched for clues to his friend’s abduction and the other children. 

Einstein’s dated laptop called out to me. I plugged the cord into the wall and pressed the power button, it sputtered to life. I typed in Einstein as his password and it zoomed to the next screen. On a hunch I searched through every file, nothing, until I discovered an encrypted file. I felt the sides and back of the computer and bingo it had a USB drive, so I ran-tiptoed back to my room grabbed my flash drive then uploaded his documents to it.

My mind buzzed with activity, my body drained. I didn’t yet understand the connection between the children if one existed, but I’d figure it out for Einstein.

Bite the Big Apple Release

Bite the Big Apple is finally here! The fourth installment of the Baby Girl series. Cleo was abandoned at 12 and left to fend for herself. Now grown and coming full circle in book 4 she finds answers to the questions that have haunted and plagued her existence.

Blurb:
Cleo, masquerading as Shanna, is hot on the trail of learning her identity. After spending a lifetime living lies she now finds her biological family, and learns the truth about her birth. Why she was kidnapped at the hands of Perdy and why Slug hunted her down; killing her one true love.

Excerpt 1:
“Did you know my son?” The voice startled me out of my thoughts of Einstein. I looked up from my solace to see who I assumed was his mother. Her hair was blond like Einstein’s only she had streaks of white. The skin around her gentle eyes bore webs in the creases. She too was tall and thin. He looked much like her.

“No, I didn’t know him, but have heard what happened. I think it… is heartbreaking… what happened. I had a friend who… I just wanted to visit and pay my respects.” I wanted to tell her ‘yes, I loved your son’ but couldn’t bring myself to. Instead, I made up yet another story.

“My son was a very special young man. He wanted to do incredible things.” He did do something incredible. He loved and took care of me, but I didn’t say that to her.

“Do you mind me asking…? Do you know why he ran?” The questions ran out of my mouth like water from a hose. I kicked myself mentally for being so insensitive.

“I don’t feel that is your business.” The pain in her eyes was evident, although she didn’t ask me to leave. Maybe she needed to talk about it, wanted to talk about it. I needed to talk about it and didn’t want her running off so I continued.

“I’m sorry. I had a friend who ran and I don’t know why. Why kids leave a good home. You seem like such a nice woman, a good mother. My friend also had a good family but still he ran.”


I breathed a silent sigh of relief when she continued. “It seems ridiculous now. I can’t seem to forgive myself. We didn’t always see eye to eye with Burke.” For a long time we just stood there, saying nothing, each of us deep in our own sorrow for this lost young man. 



Excerpt 2:
The following day, when I came back from lunch, a man was waiting in the office, reading a paper. As I came through the door, he turned towards me. A shockwave of terror went down my spine and I felt frozen in place. It was the creepy man from the plane the one who followed me in Paris and sent Halette’s body down the river, Mr. Dancy Eyes. He found me and now my time was up!

Living in New York, working for the people who wanted to kill me, I was in the pit of the lion’s den and preferred not to be their next meal, so I started carrying a knife. Clutching my purse housing my blade closely and replaying the self defense skills Sam had taught me in Paris through my mind, I felt relatively safe. They hadn’t failed me yet, although a six foot man would be much harder to take down than a five foot woman. I wasn’t going without a fight. I kept my purse close. Doing my best to hide my nervousness I asked, “Do you have an appointment sir?”

He placed his paper on the chair beside him and stood up. I braced myself. Then he spoke. “Yes, I’m Mitchel Strat I spoke with William this morning and he asked me to meet him here at one o’clock.” The left side of his lips turned up in a quirky sly smile giving away his recognition of me.


“He isn’t back from lunch yet. Please take a seat.” I offered and quickly took my own seat behind my desk. I dropped my purse into my desk drawer and slipped the knife out, placing it on top of my purse while leaving the drawer open slightly.

Buy Links:
Amazon
Amazon.co.uk
Barnes and Noble
Smashwords
iBooks
Google Play

Social Media Links:
Website- https://elleklass.weebly.com
Blog- https://thetroubledoyster.blogspot.com
Goodreads- https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7216745.Elle_Klass
Cleo's Pinterest Page- http://www.pinterest.com/elleklass/cleos-favorites/
Twitter- https://twitter.com/Elleklass
Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/ElleKlass

Happy New Year from Cleo

Thank you Elle for giving me the opportunity to wish everyone a happy New Year. 

My life in New York has been exciting and I have found out so much. I can't wait to share it with everyone in Bite the Big Apple- Baby Girl Book 4, coming out in January.

 We only get the chance to live once and I've never been one who doesn't enjoy my surroundings- Paris, San Francisco- anywhereville. For New years I'm anxiously awaiting the chance to see the mega fireworks display and ball drop in person! 

As a child I had no idea the world I've come to know existed. My life was sheltered inside a dirty little cabin and then later spent running. I was deprived and starved of the beauty and richness that is life so when faced with new experiences I'm like a kid in a checkout lane at Walmart- I grab for everything!

Hope to see you in Times Square where we can countdown to the New Year together and drink to a toast with champagne!

Happy New Year!

Baby Girl 4 Halfway There

I have decided to participate in NaNoWriMo for yet another year. The idea of focusing solely on my writing for an entire month appeals to me. Writing and creating is my passion in life. Last year I wrote Eye of The Storm: Eilida's Tragedy (Ruthless Storm Trilogy Book 1). This year I'm writing the fourth book in the Baby Girl Series, Bite the Big Apple. The book is well underway and more than halfway there. The contest is 50,000 words so I have opted to write books 5 and possibly 6 in the series as well. November writing for me is dedicated to Cleo and her life adventure.

As an author and teacher I support creativity. That's what NaNoWriMo is about and not just for adults but kids as well. Click the link to read more. 

Last night I watched a chef show with children. Yes, children. They were cooking all types of fantastic food. These children were prodigies and amazing! Their talents were displayed across the country through TV. As a writer I want today's young author, child writing prodigies, to feel that same support and success. NaNoWriMo is one way to do that.

I have donated to the event but want to go one step further and I'm asking for your help. For the rest of November for every .99 ebook sold I will donate 100% of my royalties and for every ebook above .99 sold I will donate $1. For every paperback sold I will donate $2. If you have the books already than help spread the word to your friends and family. Creativity in our children is something to fight for.

What I've been working on...
Chapter 1 in Bite the Big apple (remember its not edited yet :-))

Miss Executive Secretary
The wine in my glass was nearly extinguished. I tapped my phones’ speaker icon with my finger so I could refill my glass. Kacy’s voice filled my small rent controlled studio apartment which had been a tip from La Tige, my ex boss and fatherly figure in my life.. 
“Girlie, how’d you land this fantastic new job?” Kacy and I spoke nearly once a week, sometimes more. It was refreshing to keep a friend while at the same time somehow disturbing. I had never kept relationships of any kind.
“His bulldog of a wife, she literally looks like a bulldog, jaw jowels, bent arms, the whole works. She was walking inside at the same time I was walking out. It was the annual Christmas party and I wanted some fresh air. The night was warm for December in New York. She slammed into me And I went flying backwards into the trash can. Thank god it was lidded or I would’ve been sitting in it.”
Kacy interrupted, “She didn’t! I woulda’ kicked her bulldog…”
“I’m not done. She scowled on the way inside, never turning her head mind you, ‘I hope that orange mop isn’t natural, you’re a disgrace to the company’.
“I totally woulda’ chased her down and whooped on that rich bully ass.” I could hear the tension in her voice.
“I’m sure you would have but I’m classier than that.” I retorted.
“Whatever! Miss I left my boyfriend without sayin’ a word.” I could hear Kacy chuckling on the other end. I also heard a slight hesitation in her voice.
“You told him, didn’t you?” My voice laced with angst over a man who wasn’t truly my boyfriend. At least the words had never been voiced. Fetch was more of a play guy, simmering hot, but no life goals. I refilled my wine for the second time and let the sweet red juice drizzle slowly down my throat.
“I didn’t…You got me I did. I only told him you took a better job in New York. I didn’t give him you’re address or anything.”
“Some best friend you are?” I sneered. The two times Fetch had called I ignored the rings allowing the messages to go to voice mail but he left none.
“He’s like the hottest guy ever. He comes into the bar like a broken puppy, droopy eyes, no spark. I’m a sucker for puppies and I told.” Kacy was a sucker sometimes but she hadn’t watched a boyfriend, my Einstein, get jolted across the road during a hit and run and die in front of her eyes or stood her next lover, Didier, up on the altar because she was pretending to be something she wasn’t. No, that was me. A broken home had led to my broken life which I was desperately trying to fix.
“I’d kick your butt if I was there.”
Silence filled the air for about 30 seconds before Kacy replied.
“Sorry sweet. I really think he’s in love with you. The two of you make the best couple I think I’ve ever seen.
“I know. I’m not angry. I… He never said the words. If I’m meant to be with Fetch it’ll work its way out, somehow, someday. If not, than it’s wasn’t meant.”
“You are a romantic fool, sometimes you gotta take life by the horns and just do it.” Sentiment creeped into each of Kacy’s words.
Wanting to get off the whole Fetch conversation I rerouted the conversation. “After bulldog slammed into me William III helped unplaster me from the trash can. We started talking. Would you believe he wasn’t allowed to watch movies like the Wizard of Oz or Oliver Twist when he was a kid.”
“No freakin’ way!” I was glad the phone was on speaker or her words would have blasted my ear drums.
“Yes, freakin’ way. According to him his parents said those movies were too scary and would give him nightmares. Instead, he could only watch the news or the stock market.”
“No Sesame Street?” She asked, genuinely concerned.
“None! I’m surprised he turned out so normal.” Not that I had watched Sesame Street either but I wished I had.
“My mind is blown, completely. Poor deprived children. How many kids are there again?”
“William III is the oldest Briggs child, then Patrice and last Candace.”
“I’m shocked they made it to adulthood.” We both chuckled at her response. “Keep going babe, wanna hear the rest.” 
“I went home and Monday when I arrived at work I had an email from him to meet at Vinny’s New York Style Brick Oven Pizza House. He even sent directions. I was stumped and nervous. An unhappily married man wanting lunch with a lowly receptionist. All kinds of thoughts and images went through my mind.”
“Creeepy.” She drug the e out for effect. 
“Exactly. Okay, We met for lunch. I was all tensed and ready to run thinking affair no way! Turns out all he wanted was to ask me to be his executive secretary. You already know I accepted. The best part, my pay has tripled!” 
“Luck finds you. Got no complaints. Love my bar, my bar is my life. No, that’s not true Javier is my life.” A touch of sarcasm entered her voice.
“Incorrect, the bar is your life, Javier is secondary.” The scent of fresh, crisp late New York December air filled my apartment through the open sliver of my window. It mingled with the garlic small from the Italian chicken I had cooked for dinner.
“He is not. He’s busy with school all the time and the bar…I love the bar, the people. It’s home to me.” She meant that literally as she had grown up above the bar. In the time we lived together I had seen similarities in our lives, although hers was a whole lot more normal than mine. Growing up in a shack with a junkie fake mom who eventually went missing, turning up dead floating in the Sacramento River had done a number on me, and forced me to grow up long before my time. Kacy had grown up above a bar with a happy family, even so she had grown up quickly.
“You’re hopeless, you know that. Javier will marry you one day and the two of you will stroll off into the wild blue yonder together, leaving us all behind.”
“So not true, My bar will be the milk and bread of our marriage, if it ever happens. At least until he gets a job that pays enough, we can raise a family.”
“Who is the hopeless romantic now?” I questioned, knowing how much she adored every millimeter of Javier.
“I totally love you Shanna.” My body cringed at that name, not that I hadn’t gotten used to it but I wanted to be me, Cleo. Not Shanna or Justine or even my mom’s name for me, but Cleo- short for Cleopatra as Einstein put it. I had to face facts I would always love the one I could never have because he was taken at too young an age. My love whom one day I would meet again if there was a heaven. I truly wanted Kacy to know everything she was my best friend, only I didn’t understand the entire story yet so how could I tell her? At this point all I knew is the Briggs’ had hired Slug as a ‘hit man’ and somehow my kidnapper-fake mom-junkie Perdy took me to protect me from evil powerful people who have been hunting me.

“Kacy, you are the best friend I’ve ever had.” And one day I will tell you the entire story.