Writester.net

Name: Kelly Bennett
Website: www.kellybennett.com
Website: www.jillmax.com

Questions:

Q: Where are you originally from?
A: I was born in Santa Cruz, California. And grew up living along the Central and Southern California Coast. For the past 8 years I lived in Katy, near Houston, Texas. Now I live in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Q: Can you tell us your latest book news?
A: My new picture book is called NOT NORMAN, A GOLDFISH STORY, released in February, 2005 by Candlewick Press. Its illustrator Noah Z. Jones’s first book and I’m delighted with his bold, fun art! Norman is one amazing fish! My next book, written with my writing partner, Ronnie Davidson and using the name Jill Max, is a Cambodian Khmer Rouge Survivor story called STRANGERS IN BLACK, should be out this year.
(Read on …)

You do have a smart mouth don’t you Anna Pemberton and it does seem you have a nasty sucker punch as well.” Robert grinned as he held his jaw, with the palm of his hand.

“So what is it that you like about me Robert Marsh?” Anna challenged for an answer with a little smile across her lips.

“Actually everything.” He announced in a low raspy voice. “That’s why I wanted to talk with you.”

Anna felt like her heart was in her throat; she could only hope that meant what you thought it did. Was it possible Robert loved her too? She could only pray this was what he wanted to talk about.

“Anna you know I’m promised to another in marriage in England when I return?” Robert asked watching her closely. He had come to realize more and more that he didn’t think he wanted to live without this woman. Robert knew he wasn’t the only man in England that desired another woman other than the one they were promised to marry. A mistress was a common thing in England; he just hoped Anna would agree. He wanted her to agree to go back with him to England but he was unsure how she would handle his proposition.

Anna found a crate at the bow of the boat to sit on and waited for Robert to do the same. She felt a little guilty about the slug she gave him to his jaw earlier; it was a bit bruised looking already. The darn man shouldn’t keep trying to push her around. He should have learned that by now, she thought to herself.

“Does your jaw hurt?” She questioned in an apologetic tone. “I didn’t mean to hit you so hard but you got my temper riled up.”

Robert watched her with amusement, and noticed how she skirted around the apology without actually making one. He finally busted out laughing, and then moaned at the same time because it made his jaw ache.

“Have I ever said how much I enjoy being around you?” He asked, with a hint of laughter in his bright blue eyes.

“Why no you haven’t Robert.” Anna laughed too. “Is it the way I throw a sucker punch?”

Anna had to admit to herself she liked Major Robert Marsh too. The worst part of the voyage ending was never seeing him again, she had realized. The man had the charm of a rattlesnake at times, but she loved him nonetheless. He might be a rogue but he was the rogue that she fell in love with and desired.