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    Karaoke Queen
    Karaoke Queen
    Karaoke Queen
    Ebook193 pages3 hours

    Karaoke Queen

    By Erik Schubach

    4.5/5

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    About this ebook

    Skylar was horribly scarred by a fire in a violent crime, thoughts of suicide plagued her until she found music. It was her savior. She came forward from the shadows to express her pain through song. Karaoke bars were her salvation.

    Now in an international competition, she finds herself continually vexed by her rival, Kim, who never shows her any quarter. A strange relationship of respect grows between them, but could it be something more? Something beautiful?

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherErik Schubach
    Release dateJun 13, 2013
    ISBN9780988999831
    Karaoke Queen
    Author

    Erik Schubach

    I got my start writing romance novels by accident. I have always been drawn to strong female characters in books, like Honor Harrington. And I also believe that there is a lack of LGBT characters in media. So one day I came up with a story idea that combines the two... two days later I completed the manuscript for Music of the Soul.My writing style may not be the most professional nor grammatically correct, but I never profess to be an English major, just a person that wants to share a story. I maintain that my primary language is sarcasm.Each of my books features strong likeable female characters that are flawed. I think that flaws and emotional or physical scars make us human and give us more character than simply conforming to some "social norm".I have also started a SciFi series, The Valkyrie Chronicles which features a Valkyrie, Kara, who was left behind on Earth five thousand years ago to help the Asgard race escape the onslaught of the Ragnarok horde. With the aid of a human, Kate, she holds the line in battle to herald the return of the Asgard!If you like magic, paranormal romance and witches, then my new series Fracture might tickle your fancy. In the first book Fracture: Divergence, Alex King must stop magic from destroying reality. The problem is that Alex must solve the case in parallel universes where in one Alex is male and female in the other.There is even a modern shapeshifter paranormal series, Drakon. Featuring a fiery Irish woman with a sharp wit and sharper temper who finds out she is a dragon of legend.

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      Book preview

      Karaoke Queen - Erik Schubach

      Karaoke Queen

      By Erik Schubach

      Copyright © 2013 by Erik Schubach

      Published by Erik Schubach at Smashwords

      P.O. Box 523

      Nine Mile Falls, WA 99026

      Cover photo © 2013 By Jason Stitt / ShutterStock.com license

      ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This book contains material protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from the author / publisher, except by a reviewer who wishes to quote brief passages in connection with a review written for inclusion in a magazine, newspaper, blog, or broadcast.

      This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

      Manufactured in the United States of America

      FIRST EDITION

      ISBN 978-0-9889998-3-1

      Chapter 1 – Foreign Soil

      I timidly made my way through customs. This was my first trip to another country... no, my first trip away from London, period. And here I am in the customs queue across the pond in America... my stomach was all collywobbles as I approached the heavyset uniformed woman at the counter when my turn had arrived. She looked like an emotionless zombie, I'm sure this job is mind-numbingly boring.

      As I reached her with my almost unnoticeable limp and a slight creaking sound (I'll have to take care of that later), she held her hand out on the overly high counter.

      Passport. Customs form. Do you have anything to declare? She rattled off like an automaton.

      I handed her the requested paperwork saying softly, Nothing to declare.

      She looked at the passport then at me, reading my name out loud, Skylar Roth. She looked at me, then the picture. Can you please move your hair so I can see your face?

      Oh bollocks! I stiffened a bit, I never show my face outside of authority figures. I moved the hair I kept covering the right side of my face... my blue eyes downcast in embarrassment, revealing the mangled and twisted flesh from my cheek trialing down my neck.

      She winced at my scars as I dropped my hair back in place and then her eyes softened in the pity I hate to see on people's faces.

      Purpose for visiting? Business or personal?

      I shrugged. I'm not sure really... I'm here for the Karaoke Queen singing competition, so a little of both?

      She smiled slightly. Business.

      She stamped my passport with a flourish and slid it back to me as she slipped back into her robotic speech and dismissed me, Enjoy your stay, as she turned to the next person in line. I heard her droning, Passport. Customs form. Do you have anything to declare? as I creaked off in search of the women's loo.

      I found the cottage and looked in the stalls, the bog wasn't as manky as I would have imagined. So I locked the stall and turned to sit on the lid. I pulled my hex key and oil out of my bag and raised my right leg over my left and pulled my shoe and sock off then oiled and adjusted the pin joint on my single-axis prosthetic.

      The damn thing was loose again, it felt like the threads were starting to strip. I'd have to bodge it, I didn't want to have to use the bloody SACH while I was here. I did the best I could and got the creak out. I stared at the white ceiling tiles in frustration. I'm right knackered! The bed at the hotel was sounding lovely about now. I looked at the time on my mobile as I put the tools away and put my sock and shoe back on. Bloody hell! I spat.

      I had spent too much time on the repair, I was going to be late for the last coach and I didn't want to waste lolly on a taxi. My funds were extremely limited as it was, what little I had was all my mum and I could scratch together or borrow.

      I just thank the stars that room and board was being provided by the organizer of the competition. I still couldn't believe I was even here I thought as I made my way out to the baggage claim to retrieve the buggered up old suitcase I had borrowed from my mum. Me cringing away from coming into contact with people as I went.

      I picked my way through to the street, dragging my suitcase with its dodgy wheel clacking behind me, just to witness the coach pulling away from the curb. Damnation! I yelled in frustration. I really can't catch a break!

      I looked down the walk a bit to where the taxi's were queued, and pulled out my wallet from my purse and looked at the money I had converted into US dollars. A little less than two hundred dollars for two weeks. Damn, my cockup was going to put a big dent in my funds.

      I felt like crying in frustration, and I missed my daughter already. She was the love of my life. Samantha was going to celebrate her third birthday with my mum while I was away on this pie in the sky competition that I had no way of possibly winning. But the tiniest chance that I could get some of the prize money by making it to the top three was worth the risk.

      That kind of money could help my mum, Prudence, and I immensely. Living on the dole at twenty one like me and taking odd jobs here and there was no life for my daughter.

      Third place was a hundred thousand US dollars, second place two hundred, and the unobtainable first place being a half a million dollars and an actual real record deal with that hot new Indy label in Vancouver, Washington, Harmony Trax.

      They were the ones promoting this Karaoke Queen competition. It was backed by none other than Mandy Fay Harris! Her idea was to have a label that produced records for unknowns and market them to the world, taking only a small percentage and leaving the bulk of the profit to the singers and not lock them into any long term contracts. It's an idealized dream for any singer.

      This contest was offering that once in a lifetime chance to the winning girl singing Karaoke covers, to record their own music.

      To live that kind of dream was was exciting to everyone in the competition. I still didn't know what I was doing here. Did I even stand a chance? I'd love to do my own songs.

      As I made my way to the taxi queues I was moving past the private cars and I stutter stepped as I passed a driver holding a sign 'Skylar Roth'. What the hell? I looked at him, then back behind me for some reason before tilting my head and saying, Ummm... I'm sorry, please sir, I'm Skylar Roth.

      The tall redheaded, freckled man in a proper driver's uniform and cap smiled and lowered the sign. Hello, ma'am, I'm Heath, I'll be your driver tonight.

      He reached toward me and I flinched my head back and quickly regained my composure as I shook his hand.

      He reached toward my suitcase, asking permission with his eyes. I released it to him. He nodded slightly then quickly put it in the boot of the black sedan and returned to my side and opened the back door for me. I still had no clue what was happening as I slid into the seat, speechless, and he shut the door. I watched as he ran around to drivers side and got in.

      The hotel, ma'am? Or would you like me to suggest a club or two?

      I regained my ability to speak and I shyly said, I'm right knackered, the hotel please. Which was the truth but also saved me the embarrassment of not admitting a club would pretty much cripple my finances. I checked my mobile again 11:21pm.

      He grinned as we pulled away from the curb and tried to make smalltalk, Yes, ma'am. You're from England? I like your accent.

      I crooked an eyebrow. I don't have an accent. Though you do.

      He chuckled a bit, I suppose it is a subjective thing depending on where you're from.

      I looked down at my hands, I've never really been good at talking to people since the incident.

      He took this as him being too cheeky and taking liberties as he straightened up. Sorry, ma'am. Want me to raise the partition?

      I glanced at him, No, I'm sorry. I just truly am exhausted. This placated him and he grinned.

      No problem. We'll be at the hotel soon.

      We continued on to our destination in a comfortable silence. I almost dozed off a couple times before he pulled us up to the doors of a nice, mid-range hotel in downtown New York City. He popped the boot and jumped out of the sedan and ran around to my side and opened the door for me. My ankle went a little wonky and I had to catch myself as I shied away from his offered hand to help steady me.

      The bellhop that seemed to materialize out of the ether, took my suitcase from the boot and I looked to him.

      I'll take that, thank you. I don't know why I'm so protective over it, but then again it did contain about half of everything that I owned in this world. He extended the handle and slid it over to me with a smile.

      I looked at the driver. Thank you for the ride, Heath.

      He smiled warmly. No problem, Miss Roth. Have a nice visit. I'm at your service while you are here. He handed me his card then tilted his head to say goodbye. I watched the car pull away from the curb then turned to the revolving door of the York Royal Hotel.

      I was feeling the collywobbles again, not being a worldly person, I wasn't exactly sure what to do. So I timidly walked up to the front desk and addressed the well coiffed blonde woman in her forties, Tiffany her name badge read, with my right side angled away from her, I'm sorry. Please, missus, good evening. I believe I have a room reserved. The name is Skylar Roth.

      She smiled and typed something on her iPad. Yes, Miss Roth, the contest organizers have you rooming with Miss Kimi Solomon in room 509. She pulled a key card from under the desk and held it out with a hotel card that had 509 written on it and the checkout instructions to me. Enjoy your stay at the York Royal. She offered me a genuine smile.

      I smiled at her and took the offerings. Thank you, missus. I turned to the lobby to look around for the lifts. I made my way over, my suitcase wobbling and clacking behind and pressed the button to call the lift and made my way in when the door opened. I pressed five and leaned back tiredly against the wall as I rode up.

      The soft chime announced my arrival as the doors slid open. I wheeled the suitcase into the hall with me. The stark red carpeting in the hallway was complimented by the textured white and gold walls. I saw a plaque on the wall that announced 501-510 were to the left and 511-520 to the right. So I clunked the suitcase down to the end of the hall and put the key card in the lock and a green light lit.

      I pulled myself and the suitcase through the door and looked around. It was a mid sized room with two twin beds. Everything looked and smelled clean, that's a plus. There were three large suitcases in the center of the room. I wheeled over to the first bed and sat on it as I lifted my dodgy suitcase to it so I could get out my pajamas, just as a girl came walking out of the lavatory in a fluffy white hotel robe, drying her long, raven black hair with a towel.

      That's my bed. she stated matter-of-factly.

      I stood quickly in embarrassment, pulling my suitcase off of the bed blurting out, My apologies, miss.

      She laughed. Just messing with you, duchess. I haven't claimed one yet.

      I just stood there not knowing what to say.

      I took a second to look her over. She was actually quite stunning, slim and much taller than my 154cm, maybe 179cm or so. Her face was gorgeous with full lips and a slightly exotic look, showing Native American features and brown eyes flecked with gold slivers. And from what I could tell from what the robe didn't obscure, quite fit, and well endowed judging by the upper bulging of the robe.

      She walked right up to me, maybe a little too close as I turned my right side away from her. She had a stoic look on her face like she was sizing up the competition. Which I guess was truly the case. I flinched my head back as she raised her hand.

      Kim. she said coldly.

      I took her warm hand timidly, she had a firm shake, I replied, Good evening... Skylar.

      She scowled at me, What was that about, princess? Think I'm going to hit you or something? Then she added as she dropped my hand, Just stay out of my way here and in the competition and we won't have a problem.

      I averted my eyes and silently went to the other bed with my suitcase and grabbed my pajamas, socks and toothbrush from it then turned to the bathroom. I stopped, she hadn't moved and was just staring at me, like she was trying to figure me out. I looked down and shuffled past her into the bathroom.

      I took a deep breath. She intimidated me, she was just so... strong... confident. Unlike me. I dressed in my flannel pajamas with their long sleeves and legs. I put on my socks and finished getting ready for bed. I entered the room and she had her back to me doing something with her mobile.

      My breath hitched and I blushed a little. She was wearing only some skimpy pink knickers and a matching pink babydoll shirt with spaghetti straps. Neither of which did anything to conceal her perfect curves. I looked away as I made my way to my bed and set the alarm on my mobile. Kissing my finger and pressing it on the wallpaper background of my daughter on the screen. I glanced back at Kim. Yes, she's definitely much stronger AND braver than me.

      She glanced back over at me and sneered in apparent disapproval of my sleepwear. We're not all freaking models that sleep in our satin knickers, chippie! I turned off my bedside lamp. She slipped under her covers and did the same.

      She mumbled, G'night, duchess

      I've just met her and she's already so bloody infuriating. I sighed, just wanting to sleep. G'night, Kim, I said softly.

      I waited until her breathing had evened out then I reached under the covers and released the suction from the receiving socket and slid my prostheses off. I unwrapped the padding and rubbed my aching and sweating stump and massaged the twisted and scarred flesh of my leg for relief. I discretely left the artificial limb under the covers with me. I laid back and was out before my head hit the pillow.

      I woke up screaming from my night terrors again, reliving the incident. Someone was shaking my shoulders I think I could hear my name, I tried to fight the hands off as best I could as the fog of sleep left and my eyes fluttered open, coming fully to my senses. Kim was standing above me shaking my shoulders with a

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