Rose Perfect

Quote for today…one of my all time favourites….
“Do not look for trees if there are no rhinoceros around.”

I was talking to this man today. He was sexy, funny and he listened intently to way I was saying – no, he was not gay. Anyway, as we were chatting away I could only think of one thing about this gorgeous man – and no, it wasn’t that. I kept thinking he would be the perfect hero in my next book. How sad is that? I was more interested in his mannerisms and thinking how to describe him than the actual man. I have discovered that writers get so tied up in their writing that they become blind to everything else. So, I either have to give up writing. Hmmm…no. Or pay more attention to men as men and not potential story book heroes. So blinders off. Look at the man – okay maybe jot a few notes down but look at the man. I’ll see how that goes. It could work. I believe relationships are formed when you pay attention. Anyway, I thought I'd bung in a bit from Rose Perfect - out now through Cerriwden Press.

Review
“I am trying to picture myself in this leading role, the gal next door. A man pops out of thin air and says he is from the future needing my help to stop a criminal. I loved that this is realistic and refreshing with a strong cast of personalities. This is a cross of The Time Tunnel, Star Trek and Magnum P.I. all rolled into one. For those like me that love time travel it is a must read. This gives long distance dating a whole new meaning.” Lainey - Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance – 4 Cups

The Blurb

Rosanna Harlow has just come out of the worst year of her life. 2005 was the pits. She lost her job, was ripped off by her feral cousins and she broke her big toe trying to do home renovations on the cheap. All she wants now is a peaceful, prosperous 2006 with no problems or excitement. The last thing Rosanna Harlow needs is the darkly attractive Archer McCall turning up on her door step telling her he is a Time Traveler from the year 2049 and that he needs her help to stop her best friend, Prue, from becoming a major drug lord. Sure he does. Yet, she soon discovers the Time Traveler is not mad and he is indeed telling her the truth. So why her? It’s not like she’s Wonder Woman or anything. She has no special powers. If she had, she would have used them long before this to sort out her own life.
The evil of one woman will bring Rosanna Harlow the enduring love that she never knew she needed. But will she survive 2006 to be with Archer? Will their efforts to save the future be in vain?

Prologue

Rosanna Harlow was drunk. Not falling down, gut spewing drunk though. More like happy, glowing, in love with the world tipsy. The sort of tipsy that made her cheeks glow red and her green eyes dance with happy enthusiasm. Tomorrow, of course, her face would be pale and her eyes red but that was okay. It was New Years Eve 2005. Rosanna had a lot to celebrate. She had no job and no man in her life. Add to that a broken big toe, from her latest renovating disaster and the fact that she was in debt up to her eyeballs and she was doing just swell, thank you very much. Rosanna Harlow’s life was just one big celebration of madness. She was glad to farewell 2005. As far as Rosanna was concerned, 2005 had been crap. She could not wait to see the back end of the year. Queen Elizabeth, the second, had had her annas horribilus. Rosanna Harlow, the first, was happy to drown 2005 in alcohol.
“Woo hoo!” Rosanna howled at the moon as she staggered around the backyard pool with a glass of champagne in one hand and a ridiculous shiny green party hat perched jauntily on her head. No one at the crowded party noticed her specifically. Everyone else was in varying shades of alcoholic happiness and having just as good a time at the party. It was the second one she and her best friend Prue had attended that night. They would go home soon and collapse. But for the moment Rosanna felt invincible, broken toe and all. She laughed out loud as Prue echoed her call.
Rosanna heard beeping and reached into her jeans pocket and pulled out her mobile phone. She squinted down at the display. “I have a message.” She announced out loud just because she could. Prue cheered drunkenly. Rosanna smiled as she accessed her message with uncoordinated fingers. “Archer? Who the hell is Archer?”
“William Tell was an archer.” Prue informed her in a drunken slur as she barely missed stumbling into the pool she was drunkenly trying to navigate her way around.
“William Tell left me a message?”
“Actually, I think he’s dead.”
Rosanna looked at Prue. “Why would a dead man send me a message?”
“Maybe he’s lonely.” Prue laughed out loud at her own inane comment.
“You’re drunk.”
“As a skunk.” Prue slumped down on a nearby deck chair.
Rosanna giggled and shook her head. She squinted down at the display again. “I’ll meet you 1st January 2006—caller Archer time 11:58pm date 31/12/2049” 31/12/2049? What? Someone was calling her from the year 2049? Ah huh. Either her mobile was on the fritz or she needed to stop drinking now. Preferring to think her mobile was the problem she slipped it back into her the pocket of her jeans and staggered over to follow Prue. The effects of the alcohol and the pain of her toe were finally starting to register. Okay, maybe there was something to be said for not mixing pain medication with alcohol. She slumped beside her friend on a neighboring chair.
“2006 is going to be the best year ever!” Rosanna yelled up at the night sky. The stars twinkled down at her non-committally. They had heard it all before.
“Yeah, we have nothing and no one!” Prue yelled in response.
“Here’s to having nothing and no one!” They both cheered out loud then giggled at their own silliness. Once their mirth subsided, they lapsed into quiet reflection for a moment wondering what the following year would bring to each of them. Both were aware that they were responsible for their own destiny and choices they made in the year to come. Although, 2005 had been a bitch of a year for Rosanna, she could blame no one for the events that dragged her down. Job loss, subsequent unemployment and bad choices were all apart of life. And life just happened. Mainly when you least expected it to. But, Rosanna was resilient. Experience had made her so. Life could get better. Surely the worst was over?
Prue broke the silence. “I have every intention of getting ahead.” There was a quiet determination in her voice that went essentially unrecognized by Rosanna. Later, Rosanna would think back to this conversation when the changes started to affect both their lives.
“You’ve already got a head, Prue. Why would you want two?” Rosanna pictured a two headed Prue and laughed. It was like something out of a 1950s schlock horror film.
Prue slapped her friends arm playfully. “No silly, I intend to get rich this year.” There was a calculating gleam in Prue’s eye that Rosanna was too befuddled and caught up in her own thoughts to notice.
“Oh yeah, how?” Either Prue intended to win the lotto or marry a rich man. The first option appealed to Rosanna. Winning money was always a great option. The last one didn’t. She didn’t see the point of marrying even if it was for money. The thought of having to deal with your own problems and that of another’s seemed too complicated to Rosanna. Besides who needed a man? She was quite capable of messing up her own life by herself. She was proof positive of this.
“I have plans.”
Rosanna Harlow had never had a plan in her life. She was thirty-five years of age and she had stumbled her way through life without a clear destination. She kept waiting for a destination to register in her mind but so far nothing checked in. Maybe one day all the pieces would fit together but she wasn’t counting on it. “I’m thinking about getting a goldfish. How’s that for a plan?”
“Damn fine plan!”
“To goldfish!” Rosanna toasted as their glasses clinked together.
“And to gold!” Prue added softly. “And however you can get it.”
Rosanna pulled her mobile out of her pocket again and looked at the time displayed. Two seconds after midnight. 2005 no longer. A new year had dawned. A year that was to be the turning point in her life. Just how that would happen she wasn’t sure. But positive vibes and good intentions had to count for something surely. “Happy New Year, Prue.”
“Happy New Year, Rosie.”

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