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Mainstreem/Commercial/Literary
Title: O! Jackie
Author - Mercedes King
Date to be Published: 12/29/2012
Synopsis:
Despite her poise and graceful smile, Jackie Kennedy’s life was far from perfect. Behind closed doors, Jackie struggled with bouts of depression, endured a heartbreaking road to motherhood, and had difficult relationships with those closest to her. Ravaged by insecurities and humiliation, she even wrestled her own temptations for both other men and divorce. But Jackie clung to the belief that she could make JFK abandon his wandering ways. Through the years, though, Jack Kennedy’s lustful escapades grew in carelessness and frequency, and most needling for Jackie were his trysts with Marilyn Monroe. When Marilyn becomes erratic and unstable, Jackie must decide how far she will go to protect the presidency and to save her marriage.
EXCERPT
Since becoming the
senator’s wife, Jackie had faced a difficult adjustment. Jack traveled
extensively, but the loneliness was tolerable. He regularly brought home a
parade of friends and aides, unannounced, but she grew accustomed to the
in-house crowd. Frequent moves were taxing but doable, the whirlwind lifestyle demanding
but manageable. What drained and anguished her most was Jack’s family.
The Kennedy clan was
loud, rambunctious and numerous. They preferred heated debates at the dinner
table and rough games afterward. Jack thrived on his family’s presence and basked
in their company.
Jackie’s quiet nature
and polished manners made her transition into the family awkward. An introvert,
she received lackluster attention from Jack’s sisters. Some Kennedy women
interpreted her shyness as a snub.
Somehow, the couple
would need to create a balance as they meshed their different worlds.
For now, she
dismissed thoughts of her in-laws and picked up her pace. After all, she could
be spontaneous. Jack would be pleased, she reminded herself. That made Jackie
all the more eager to see her husband.
After working her way
through the Senate Office Building toward Jack’s office, Jackie found that his
secretary was away from her desk. As she glanced around, she suddenly heard
giggles from behind office door No. 326. Puzzled, she decided to let herself
in, with only a gentle knock to broadcast her entry.
“Surprise, darling…,”
she began.
And was he ever.
Jack sat in his chair
behind the desk. A beautiful young woman was between Jack and his desk,
buttoning her blouse. Her cheeks flushed, and she fumbled as strands of her
blond hair kept falling in her way.
Jack nearly sent
sparks flying as he zipped his pants.
The young woman
hopped off the desk and straightened her skirt. She avoided looking at Jackie
as she made a beeline for the door. Then she paused, as if her escape was
interrupted by programming, and asked Jack, “Is there anything I can get you?”
An obnoxious wave of her perfume stung Jackie’s nose.
Jack shook his head
and scowled at her. He stood and went to his wife, who had not taken her eyes
off him since entering the room.
“Jackie. Wh-What are
you doing here?” He forced a weak grin.
Jackie didn’t answer.
Didn’t blink.
Jack’s smile widened
and he reached to embrace her. He was stopped by a gloved but sharp slap on the
cheek.
Jackie gasped,
bewildered by her own action. Jack stared at her, his face awash with
disbelief. As the shock slowly faded, he gave her a look that warned her not to
do it again.
“Jackie, it’s not what
you think,” he lied. His natural, winsome smile appeared and he batted those
heavily-lidded eyes. “She’s just some intern or aide. Meaningless.”
“Meaningless to you,
perhaps. But if you found me tangled in the arms of another man, would that be
meaningless to you, Jack Kennedy?”
Jack sidestepped that verbal trap.
“Don’t be upset,
Jackie. You should’ve telephoned and let me know you were coming.”
“Obviously.”
Jack held his wife in his gaze. He
expected his charm to put her at ease. It was one of the best weapons in his
manly arsenal, and it served him well with the ladies.
Shouldering the shame
that should have been her husband’s, Jackie averted her eyes. She huffed and
turned to leave.
Jack held the door
shut as she grabbed for the handle.
“Don’t leave
like this,” he said. “There’s no need for a scene. Just calm down a minute. Let
me take you to lunch.”
Jackie flashed him a
look of disgust. Would she ever be able to eat again?
He placed his hand on
her arm, but Jackie swiped it away as if his palm was laced with disease.
Surprised, Jack rocked back on his heels and lost his hold of the door.
“Don’t touch me!”
Jackie snapped before darting out of the room. She fought back the tears
swelling in her eyes.
What Makes Marilyn Monroe Unforgettable? (Guest post by the author)
Here we are, fifty years after Marilyn Monroe’s tragic
death, and the actress still has a strong following and thriving fan base. Many
starlets of today may see a spike in their fame, even a rise in popularity throughout
their careers…but how many of them will be selling memorabilia long after their
departure? Few, if any. So what was it that gave Marilyn Monroe legendary
status? Why do people keep tributes, tattoo themselves with her image, and
refuse to let go?
Author Bio:
A founding member of Sisters in Crime Columbus, Ohio, Mercedes King is an active member and past president. She graduated from Capital University with a degree in Criminology, and since then has been crafting stories with a scandalous flair. A born and bred Buckeye, she writes in a variety of genres and is hard at work on her next novel.
Contact Links:
Amazon - http://amzn.to/Ut5IHnu
Despite her poise and graceful smile, Jackie Kennedy’s life was far from perfect. Behind closed doors, Jackie struggled with bouts of depression, endured a heartbreaking road to motherhood, and had difficult relationships with those closest to her. Ravaged by insecurities and humiliation, she even wrestled her own temptations for both other men and divorce. But Jackie clung to the belief that she could make JFK abandon his wandering ways. Through the years, though, Jack Kennedy’s lustful escapades grew in carelessness and frequency, and most needling for Jackie were his trysts with Marilyn Monroe. When Marilyn becomes erratic and unstable, Jackie must decide how far she will go to protect the presidency and to save her marriage.
EXCERPT
Since becoming the senator’s wife, Jackie had faced a difficult adjustment. Jack traveled extensively, but the loneliness was tolerable. He regularly brought home a parade of friends and aides, unannounced, but she grew accustomed to the in-house crowd. Frequent moves were taxing but doable, the whirlwind lifestyle demanding but manageable. What drained and anguished her most was Jack’s family.
The Kennedy clan was loud, rambunctious and numerous. They preferred heated debates at the dinner table and rough games afterward. Jack thrived on his family’s presence and basked in their company.
Jackie’s quiet nature and polished manners made her transition into the family awkward. An introvert, she received lackluster attention from Jack’s sisters. Some Kennedy women interpreted her shyness as a snub.
Somehow, the couple would need to create a balance as they meshed their different worlds.
For now, she dismissed thoughts of her in-laws and picked up her pace. After all, she could be spontaneous. Jack would be pleased, she reminded herself. That made Jackie all the more eager to see her husband.
After working her way through the Senate Office Building toward Jack’s office, Jackie found that his secretary was away from her desk. As she glanced around, she suddenly heard giggles from behind office door No. 326. Puzzled, she decided to let herself in, with only a gentle knock to broadcast her entry.
“Surprise, darling…,” she began.
And was he ever.
Jack sat in his chair behind the desk. A beautiful young woman was between Jack and his desk, buttoning her blouse. Her cheeks flushed, and she fumbled as strands of her blond hair kept falling in her way.
Jack nearly sent sparks flying as he zipped his pants.
The young woman hopped off the desk and straightened her skirt. She avoided looking at Jackie as she made a beeline for the door. Then she paused, as if her escape was interrupted by programming, and asked Jack, “Is there anything I can get you?” An obnoxious wave of her perfume stung Jackie’s nose.
Jack shook his head and scowled at her. He stood and went to his wife, who had not taken her eyes off him since entering the room.
“Jackie. Wh-What are you doing here?” He forced a weak grin.
Jackie didn’t answer. Didn’t blink.
Jack’s smile widened and he reached to embrace her. He was stopped by a gloved but sharp slap on the cheek.
Jackie gasped, bewildered by her own action. Jack stared at her, his face awash with disbelief. As the shock slowly faded, he gave her a look that warned her not to do it again.
“Jackie, it’s not what you think,” he lied. His natural, winsome smile appeared and he batted those heavily-lidded eyes. “She’s just some intern or aide. Meaningless.”
“Meaningless to you, perhaps. But if you found me tangled in the arms of another man, would that be meaningless to you, Jack Kennedy?”
Jack sidestepped that verbal trap.
“Don’t be upset, Jackie. You should’ve telephoned and let me know you were coming.”
“Obviously.”
Jack held his wife in his gaze. He expected his charm to put her at ease. It was one of the best weapons in his manly arsenal, and it served him well with the ladies.
Shouldering the shame that should have been her husband’s, Jackie averted her eyes. She huffed and turned to leave.
Jack held the door shut as she grabbed for the handle.
“Don’t leave like this,” he said. “There’s no need for a scene. Just calm down a minute. Let me take you to lunch.”
Jackie flashed him a look of disgust. Would she ever be able to eat again?
He placed his hand on her arm, but Jackie swiped it away as if his palm was laced with disease. Surprised, Jack rocked back on his heels and lost his hold of the door.
“Don’t touch me!” Jackie snapped before darting out of the room. She fought back the tears swelling in her eyes.
What Makes Marilyn Monroe Unforgettable? (Guest post by the author)
Here we are, fifty years after Marilyn Monroe’s tragic
death, and the actress still has a strong following and thriving fan base. Many
starlets of today may see a spike in their fame, even a rise in popularity throughout
their careers…but how many of them will be selling memorabilia long after their
departure? Few, if any. So what was it that gave Marilyn Monroe legendary
status? Why do people keep tributes, tattoo themselves with her image, and
refuse to let go?
It’s simple. Marilyn was as blessed as she was cursed,
ordinary as she was extraordinary, had it all, then died suddenly, tragically,
with nothing.
She started out as Norma Jeane, doing her part for the war
effort when she was ‘discovered’ by a photographer. Through the years she
transformed from a nobody into the actress, Marilyn Monroe. People want to
believe fame and fortune can find them, too. But for Marilyn, her time in
Hollywood was a roller coaster. Stage fright plagued her, some of her movies bombed,
true love evaded her. She wooed a president, intoxicated a nation, but critics
panned her, troubles stalked her.
We would like to believe that all the spunk and
flirtatiousness she shared with the world meant that she was happy and
fulfilled, when in reality, Marilyn was vulnerable and lonely.
Her story ends suspiciously, under mysterious circumstances.
Did she commit suicide, or was someone else responsible for her death? The
truth is we want to know but never will.
Author Bio:
A founding member of Sisters in Crime Columbus, Ohio, Mercedes King is an active member and past president. She graduated from Capital University with a degree in Criminology, and since then has been crafting stories with a scandalous flair. A born and bred Buckeye, she writes in a variety of genres and is hard at work on her next novel.
Author Bio:
A founding member of Sisters in Crime Columbus, Ohio, Mercedes King is an active member and past president. She graduated from Capital University with a degree in Criminology, and since then has been crafting stories with a scandalous flair. A born and bred Buckeye, she writes in a variety of genres and is hard at work on her next novel.
Contact Links:
Amazon - http://amzn.to/Ut5IHnu
What a terrific book. I definitely plan on reading this one. Athena
ReplyDeleteThanks, Athena. I hope you share your comments when you get a chance to read it. Writing and researching O! Jackie was such a pleasure. I loved visiting and recreating this period in our nation's history. Thanks again! ~Mercedes
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