By Anna Cove

The Longshot

Who decides to marry their fiancée on Halloween night? In Vegas? At a thriller convention?

Carly Caldecott does. Why? Because she’s a partygirl and an heiress. She thinks it will be atmospheric. It will be a great party story. It will look picture perfect on Facebook. But as the organ music rings through the chapel and the costumed attendees stare her down, Carly feels like a caged animal. She runs.

Risk-averse Jane Torres has just learned her life savings have irretrievably vanished when Carly barrels into her cleaning closet hideout. Jane has been dreaming of a life away from her job as a maid at the Masquerade Hotel and away from Vegas, a future that has just become much less likely with no money in the bank.

When Carly decides she was wrong to run and offers Jane an obscene amount of money to help win back her fiancée, Jane can’t help but accept. But money is never free, and the arrangement causes Jane to question who she is and what she believes. When she starts falling for Carly, her life goes from stuck to impossible.

Carly is way out of her league.
And the potential life of freedom she shows Jane prompts terrifying questions. As her dreams come close to becoming reality, Jane must confront her fear of the unknown. Will it destroy her? Is it worth the risk?

Will Jane take the leap?
Find out in The Longshot.

about

Anna Cove

How much can you tell by what’s in a girl’s closet? 

Here’s a look at mine: Three pairs of boots. One pair of heels, one with a broken heel. A flute I haven’t played for a decade. Journals detailing my first great love affair and its ultimate demise. A yoga mat. A stack of every CD Brandi Carlile has ever released. Three expansion packs of Dominion.

I think that tells you more than I could with a boring bio. One that says, Anna writes passionate, steamy, romantic stories about women falling in love with other women. True, but does that tell you how I try to live the heart of those stories too? Or what about… When Anna isn’t writing, she loves to play strategic board games with her partner or friends? Is it proper to say she wallops them every time? No? These things are so stiff!

I kid, I kid. I love romance. I love stories about women. I love cool weather and flannel and good music. And I love to read and write sapphic fiction. Come find out more at annacove.com or chat with me on Twitter.

Next in the ShudderCon Series

The House

Having recently taken over her family’s Halloween-themed Vegas hotel, closeted heiress Jacqueline offers struggling novelist Agatha staggering amounts of money to show her 
around ShudderCon. Since Agatha’s an eager con guest, she can help Jacqueline—in the name of market research— and Jacqueline’s VIP privileges certainly don’t hurt. The deal allows Jacqueline to spend more time with the captivating writer, but can the two fight their growing connection when the shadow of her family’s disapproval lurks in every cobwebbed corner?

The Payoff

Ten years ago law student Cali and straight girl Esta shared a night of passion at ShudderCon. A night that ended with both their lives changed irrevocably and with Esta walking away forever. The last thing they expect is to meet a decade later at ShudderCon. Cali’s about to give up freedom for a life of office-bound drudgery, Esta’s about to find that a long-held secret isn’t quite as secret as she supposed. And they’re both about to discover that Vegas is full of risks, but that every now and then, a risk pays off. Once in a lifetime you meet the person capable of changing you forever. No one can hope for a second chance. Or can they?

The Show

Drake and Leilah are who make their supernatural TV show so popular. Yet their ravenous fans threaten to ruin their personal – and professional – lives. Can they overcome their avoidance of one another to not only make a joint appearance at ShudderCon, but address their real-life attraction as well?

The Bluff

First scandal rocked Sadie’s carefully constructed life, and now a stalker threatens her safety. Escaping to a convention for a few days is exactly what she needs, but her bodyguard might be an issue. Nic promises to keep her safe, but Sadie’s never wanted anyone more. Can they keep their hands to themselves? Well… what happens in Vegas…

The Shark

This weekend is aspiring writer Sabrina’s last chance to sell her TV script and the first thing she does at ShudderCon is stumble head-long into an elevator with her idol, the sizzling hot screenwriter, Evelyn Green. It would be fate… if Sabrina hadn’t thoroughly burned that bridge three years ago. Can Sabrina convince Evelyn to give her a second chance, or will it all go up in smoke?