Andrea Boyd's Blog, page 4

Upon A Dream- 1st Chapter

oneSomething was amiss.She felt it as soon as she sat down to breakfast.The aunts had something up their sleeves.From over the rim of her coffee mug, Talia’s gaze made its way around the table, starting with the eldest and stopping on the youngest of the three. Whatever was going on, Eva would be the first to break. And if she was the instigator…Lord, please don’t let it be another setup attempt. You know her track record. The woman’s been through more men than Taylor Swift.It was true. Eva seemed to attract the worst losers on the planet, but she still hadn’t given up on a happily ever after—for herself or for Talia.Eva glanced nervously at her and then back to her breakfast. If a setup was in the works, she’d be giving her a moon-eyed look right now.A little of Talia’s tension eased away. She could handle anything else the aunts cooked up better than a setup. The thought of having to make awkward small talk with a blind date ranked somewhere between stubbing five toes at once and having all the hair plucked from her head one at a time.Aunt Gloria slid a plate stacked with blueberry pancakes across the table. “Aren’t you going to eat, dear? I made your favorite this morning.”And why is that?Talia eyed the middle of the three sisters as she slid two of the pancakes onto her plate. Aunt Gloria smiled back at her with that guileless, wide-eyed look of hers. Nothing to read there. She was the only one of the siblings to have found true love, but her husband had passed away before the ink had time to dry on her marriage license. Bless her heart.According to the rest of the family, Gloria hadn’t been quite right ever since. The fact that she made what she considered to be Talia’s favorite this morning was the only tell that something wasn’t right.“Thanks, Aunt Gloria. What did I do to earn blueberry pancakes?”“Nothing, dear.”Talia took her first bite and tried not to grimace. She’d ordered blueberry pancakes at a restaurant once and had mentioned how good they were, and that’s what put the idea in Gloria’s head that they were her favorite. Only this aunt’s idea of cooking was to ‘doctor up’ prepackaged food. She liked to experiment, so you never knew what to expect. This morning, the pancakes tasted—lemony. Not necessarily horrible, but unexpected.She turned her attention to Aunt Carol, who stared right back at her. Nothing phased this woman. Being the eldest, Aunt Carol was in charge of everything—or maybe it was her iron-will personality that made her the boss. Whatever they were up to this time, she was the one behind it. Maybe it had something to do with the theater.The sisters owned the Grand Rose Theatre. Their grandfather had built the theater in 1906 and had passed it down to them when he died almost thirty years ago. Carol ran it, of course. Eva did hair and makeup for all the actors, and Gloria… well, she helped in her own way, but mostly she handled things around the house.Talia worked there too. She did the behind the scenes grunt work, like digging props out of storage—which was on her agenda for the day. She and her assistant spent Monday clearing out all vestiges of Oklahoma. Today they would be getting ready for a production of How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Unless…“We are still setting up for The Grinch today, right?”Aunt Carol set her coffee cup down on the table and looked at Talia. “About that…” She glanced at the other two as if seeking moral support. Uh oh. This hardly ever happened. Usually Carol was the one everyone else leaned on.The two bites of pancakes turned to stone in Talia’s stomach. “What is it? What’s going on?”Carol’s lips formed a thin line and her brow puckered. “You know I was never really sold on The Grinch. A young man contacted me a couple of weeks ago with a different play in mind.”Two weeks? She’d known plans had changed two weeks ago and she was just now bringing it up?“He wants to be a director, and this will be his first play put on solely by himself. You know I always give precedence to those with the initiative and the desire to get into the business.”No doubt about whom that last remark was aimed at. Aunt Carol had been trying to get her to take over as director for years now since she would eventually inherit the business. When the time came, Talia planned to hire someone. She had no desire to be in the position where she had to tell people what to do.“If this is his first time, how do you know he’ll be any good at it?”“Talia, you know the answer to that. I won’t allow him to do anything to jeopardize our reputation. It’s in his contract.”Right. Having grown up in the theater, Talia knew how everything worked. She had hoped that once Carol started talking, she’d spill whatever it was they dreaded her finding out. Talia closed her eyes and massaged her forehead. It hit her that there could only be one reason behind their hesitation. “What play are we putting on?”“I know it isn’t a Christmas play, but we’re doing Sleeping Beauty. The director—his name is Mr. Downing—has decided to do the traditional arrangement, but I have asked that there be some Christmas elements added since it will be put on in December. We don’t want to disappoint our patrons.”What about me?Tension knotted her stomach. She looked around the table at her aunts’ faces. Aunt Carol’s eyes held compassion but there was a firmness around her mouth. Talia could almost hear what she’d say to a protest. I’m sorry you feel the way you do, but we’re doing this.Talia looked across the table at Aunt Gloria.“You haven’t had a spell in almost a year.” She pushed the plate of pancakes toward her. “Have another pancake, dear.”More pancakes were not going to help. Besides, she’d only taken a couple of bites from the ones on her plate. Talia felt a squeeze on her hand and turned to look at Eva.“Sweetie, you’re twenty-six years old, and Gloria’s right. It has been a long while since the last episode. I’m sure you’ve outgrown the family curse by now.”The Family Curse. Kleine-Levin Syndrome—or more commonly, Sleeping Beauty Syndrome. But it was nowhere near as glamorous as the fairy tale name suggested. Sleeping up to twenty hours a day for weeks, sometimes months, on end. Having no memory of anything during that time. No friends. No boyfriends. She wouldn’t even be able to hold down a job if not for the family theater. KLS was her own version of a living nightmare.It was so rare that only one in a million ended up with the disorder. Because of its rarity, some suffered with it for years before being diagnosed. But she had been fortunate, or so she’d been told. One of her ancestors had been plagued with it before they even knew what it was. Family lore had it that the original Sleeping Beauty was part of the line. That’s why the aunts referred to it as the family curse. When Aunt Gloria had mentioned it to the doctor in that witless way of hers, he had been able to diagnose Talia more quickly. “Talia, it’s been nine years since the last time we did Sleeping Beauty. This used to be your favorite play. Don’t you think it’s time to enjoy it again?”She glared at Aunt Carol. “The last time we did Sleeping Beauty, I had the worst episode ever. Over three months of my life that I can never get back.”Carol huffed. “We don’t know that those two things are related.”Talia pushed her chair away from the table and took in a cleansing breath. “It doesn’t matter. The decision has already been made and I have no choice but to go along with it. It isn’t like I can go out and get a job somewhere else.” She stood. “Speaking of which, I need to go get ready.”“Talia, don’t be like that.”She ignored Aunt Carol and headed through the living room to her private sanctuary. Her bedroom had been added on to the sprawling craftsman-style house the year she was diagnosed with KLS. It was complete with a sitting area, a kitchenette, and her own private patio. She never had to enter the main part of the house unless she wanted to, and about now, she was tempted to keep to herself for the next little while.Her two African grey-headed lovebirds, Dunkin and Frita, chirped a happy greeting when she entered. She opened the door to their cage and fed each one a dried fig treat. “I hope your morning so far has turned out better than mine. The aunts are making me prep for Sleeping Beauty today. Can you believe it?”Dunkin answered with birdy noises and bobbed his head, as if he commiserated with her plight. It did make her feel better.Three years ago, she had awakened from a five-week episode to their happy chirps. The aunts had brought them in while she slept, hoping they would bring her out of her slumber earlier. It hadn’t worked but the two lovebirds had been the sweetest gifts she’d ever received. Most days they were her only companions outside of the aunts.Moping around wasn’t going to change anything. As much as she dreaded what was to come, she needed to get to work. After going through her routine to get ready, Talia headed out to her own private garage. It was built to look like part of the house and only big enough to hold her Honda Clarity—another gift from the eco-minded aunts.She stopped short at the sight of the car. My aunts have been so good to me and I’m acting like a little snot all because of some stupid play that has nothing to do with me. Lord, please forgive me.She still didn’t want to do the play, but she would change her attitude. The aunts deserved better.Upon A Dream is part of the Once Upon A Christmas Collection.Preorder from Amazon now! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VQN13BM

Love's Redemption- chapter 1

Jeremiah 31:3 …Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.1What did it say about Izzy Tanner—that she had been happier with her sister living on the hurtful side of a bad marriage? They had always been complete opposites, but at least before Vivie moved to Walden Beach they had seen each other more often and talked on a regular basis. Things had been more equal between them. Well, not equal. Vivie had always been everything pure and lovely, and Izzy… just wasn’t. And never would be.Now everything revolved around Vivie’s future husband, Bo Manning. Which was as it should be. Vivie was a saint. She’d earned the right to be happy. And Bo made her happy. Despite the disheartening gap that continued to grow between her and her sister, she loved Vivie more than anyone else and wanted nothing more than for her to finally have what she deserved.Izzy made her way through the throng of women making over Vivian as she readied for the wedding, in search of her liquid courage. She zeroed in on the pink plastic cup with seashells glued to it. She’d picked the gaudiest one she could find. Wouldn’t do for someone else to mistake her cup for their own. A long sip from the plastic straw made everything right again. The cherry Coke soothed her tightened throat and the bourbon sent a calming warmth through her limbs.The closer it got to time for them to head to the sanctuary, the more her stomach churned. She could blow any minute now. A beach wedding would have made more sense. For one thing, the reception would be held there. The groom-to-be had a nice home with an ocean view. He’d hired a deejay and had a makeshift dance floor set up. He’d even prepared some of the food himself. Plus, Vivie loved the beach.But no, Izzy was forced to darken the doorsteps of a church—something she had successfully avoided for over twenty years. If the whole building didn’t implode the minute she walked in, it would be a miracle.“Doesn’t your sister look lovely?” Her mom put an arm around Izzy’s shoulders and squeezed. “Just goes to show, it’s never too late to find love.”Izzy looked at the bride, hoping her mom didn’t smell the whiskey on her breath. Someone like Jackie Tanner would never understand why anyone might need a little something to help them through a difficult time. The woman had never lacked confidence. “She’s beautiful. I helped pick out the dress. What do you think?”The white material of the simple gown flowed with every movement. One side was strapless while the other had a row of ruched fabric roses lining the wide strip over her shoulder. The skirt stopped just at the ankle, making it perfect for the dancing to come later. And it suited Vivian more than any other she’d tried on.“You picked it out?”Izzy looked at her mother, hesitating to answer. Maybe she had been wrong about the dress being the right one for Vivie. “Yeah. You don’t like it?”“No, it’s perfect. It just doesn’t look like something you would choose.”Oh. She got it now. She was being measured and judged. Again.Normally, it didn’t bother her. Her sharp tongue could deliver a cutting remark that would put the judgmental person in their place. But this was her mom. Exceptions were made when it came to family, so she kept her mouth closed this time.Her back stiffened when her mother’s gaze traveled down the length of the dress she wore. “Did you pick this one out too?”Izzy’s dress was made in the exact style of Vivian’s, except hers was coral and the hem stopped just above the knee. When she’d helped pick out the dresses, Izzy had put her own sense of style aside and focused on what she thought her sister would want instead. It was Vivian’s day, after all.“Yes.” Brace yourself.“I love it. You should wear stuff like this more often. And this color looks good on you.”Izzy didn’t need a translator to know what her mom really meant. Even with one bare shoulder and a shortened hemline, this dress was conservative compared to what she usually wore. Her mom’s remark was meant as a hint as to how she should dress.Vivie’s new roommate, Felicity Sutton, held up five fingers and had somehow forced her mousy voice to rise above the drone. “Five minutes, y’all.”As much as Izzy didn’t like the woman, she was glad for the interruption. Careful not to breathe out, she kissed her mother’s cheek. “I’ll see you out there in the sanctuary.”Just saying the words caused the twisting sensation to return in her gut. She lifted the plastic straw up to her lips and took in another long draw.You can do this. The ceremony will be over in minutes. Pretend you’re somewhere else. It might do better to pretend she was someone else. She didn’t belong here.Vivian’s daughter, Aimee, was the last to leave the Sunday school room they were using as a dressing room. Pregnancy had already given her a belly, causing her to lean slightly as she gave her mom a hug. “Momma, I’m so proud of you for doing this. I know y’all will be happy together. Bo is a good guy.”Yeah, one of the few left on the planet.“I know. It’ll be great.” Vivie patted Aimee on the cheek. “Could you do me a favor? Make sure your pawpaw knows it’s time. I’ll be heading to the vestibule right behind you.”Vivian looked about two minutes from falling apart. Izzy took her by the hands, hoping to offer her reassurance. “Are you nervous?”“Yes. I know this is right. I know God means for me to be with Bo. But after…”She didn’t need to finish that statement. Her first marriage had been a disaster. Cold feet were to be expected. Izzy rubbed her thumbs across the backs of Vivie’s hands. “He is no Craig. You couldn’t ask for better than Bo. But if you decided to back out, I made sure my Mustang didn’t get blocked in. I can have you out of here in no time at all.”Vivie smiled and shook her head. Izzy was only half-joking and they both knew it. But she also knew Vivie wouldn’t take her up on the offer. Once she made it up in her mind that God told her to do something, no one could convince her to veer from that path. Despite the fact that Izzy didn’t trust God with her own future, she admired Vivian’s faith.A knock sounded on the door just before their dad stuck his head through. “There’s my two girls. Are you ready for this?”No.Vivian met their father across the room and gave him a hug. He put his arm around her and smiled at Izzy. At seventy years old, Haywood Tanner still looked good in his uniform. He had served in the Army for twenty years before becoming a mail carrier. He and their mother had moved to Colorado after he retired five years ago, making it easier for Izzy to ignore their disappointment in how her life had turned out.They were headed for the door when Vivian pivoted to look at her, panic coloring her features. “The flowers! And do you have the ring?”Izzy hurried across the room to retrieve the bouquets. It was a wonder that Vivian hadn’t picked someone else to be her maid of honor. Any one of her friends would have been better suited for the job. She checked to make sure Bo’s ring was still tied to her bouquet. She could just picture the thing slipping from her fingers and rolling out of sight beneath one of the pews when it came time to hand it over.Don’t screw this up, Izzy.Her gaze caught on her gaudy cup of courage. It was tempting to take one more swig, but if she did, it might become obvious that she’d been drinking. Her limbs were already beginning to feel like rubber.She handed Vivian her bouquet and then followed the two of them into the vestibule. Felicity peeked out at them as soon as they arrived. She motioned for Izzy to come forward and then opened the door wider.This is happening too quickly. I’m not ready.It became harder to take in a decent breath as panic set in. She could hear her own heartbeat. Why does it have to be in a church?“Are you okay?”She looked at Vivian and the concern she saw there set everything right again. She could do this for her sister. A nod of her head was all she could give due to the tightening of her throat.Izzy took a couple of steps into the sanctuary. She scanned the front of the church trying to find a focal point.Anything besides the preacher. Whatever you do, don’t look at him.Bo looked past her, no doubt trying to catch his first glimpse of Vivian in her wedding dress. Then her eyes locked with the groomsman.Of all the people Vivian had become involved with here in Walden Beach, Izzy felt most comfortable around Bo’s son, Gabe. Even though he claimed to be a Christian, with his tattoos and motorcycle, he seemed like her kind of people. He and his girlfriend had just announced that they were expecting their second child together and they didn’t seem to be in a hurry to march down the aisle.Izzy breathed a sigh of relief. She had made it to the front of the church without stumbling or throwing up. The vows were said, and she handed off the ring without dropping it. If she could just make it back out of the sanctuary, she’d be home free.♥Her nerves were as frayed as her favorite pair of Levis—minus the comfort. But she had gotten through the worst of it. Now to the reception. Izzy unscrewed the lid of her cup and dumped the watered-down contents at the edge of the parking lot. No drinking and driving for her. She’d get a refill once she got to the beach. But not too much. She wouldn’t lose control in front of her family.The warmth of the mid-September sun had heated the interior of her car to a toasty level. For now, it felt like a wonderful embrace, chasing away the chill of being in church. However, the sun was on its way down, and she’d soon be hunting for something warmer to wear. Shouldn’t be a problem since Bo’s place was right down the beach from where she and the rest of her family were staying.She relaxed back in her seat and pulled her phone from the small purse she’d bought to match the dress. No missed calls. Only one text message from Cade.Tonight?He had gotten way too casual about asking for what he wanted. It was time to end things between them. She shook her head and deleted the text. There wasn’t really anything to end. If she ignored him enough, he’d go away. That’s the way it worked with guys like him.Her thumb hovered over Holden’s name for only a few seconds before she convinced herself that it was okay to call. After all, he managed her restaurant. She had every right to call him for an update.“Hello?”“Hey, Holden.”“Izzy, I thought you’d be at a wedding right about now. What’s up?”Her family were the only ones who called her Izzy. Everyone else in Bethel Ridge knew her as Blaze, but Holden refused to call her that. When he’d first come to work for her three years ago, he called her Elizabeth. It was only after meeting Vivian that he shortened it to her childhood nickname.“The wedding’s over now. I’m about to head to the reception. How did things go today?”“Same as always.” There was a long pause before he spoke again. “You know I’d call if something came up, right?”Her shoulders slumped. “I know. I just…” wanted to hear your voice, “…thought I’d check in.”“Everything’s fine. I’ll see you when you get back. Goodnight, Izzy.”“Goodnight.”After ending the call, she let her hand drop down to her lap. Thinking about—talking to—Holden Armstrong was her one guilty pleasure. He was too wholesome for her, and there’d never be more than a working relationship with him. But it didn’t hurt to occasionally imagine what could be.The parking lot had almost emptied out in the little bit of time it had taken to make that call. She should already be at the reception. But there’d have to be a stop at the store on the way. She was almost out of cherry Coke.

How a scene is born.

It started out with this inspiration picture(on the right) I found on Pinterest for one of my characters for the book I am working on right now, Love’s Redemption. Elijah Burris runs his own smokehouse business. He is an AA sponsor and a mentor to one of my main characters. (I have two mentors in this story, and God has used both to speak directly to me. But I’m saving that for a later post.) When I saw this picture I thought, At some point in this story, he is GOING to wear a hat like this. I love it!I mulled this over as I wrote and then I remembered this wallhanging(on the left) I made years ago. It was for a challenge put on by the York County Quilters. We were given the blue checked fabric and told that we had to use it somewhere in an art quilt and we had to have a house somewhere in the scene. So I made this one featuring Billie Holiday and labeled it “House of Blue.”This is how I came up with the idea for a Jazz Club. A one-time party for recovering alcoholics with a 1940’s vibe and live jazz music.Here’s a little taste from Love’s Redemption. (Keep in mind, this is a first draft. Feel free to point out any errors you see, though. I can use all the help I can get!)Surreal.That was the only word Izzy could think of when she and Holden stepped into Mr. Cordell’s barn. The outside still looked like a weathered old… well, barn. But the inside… it was like the swankiest old-school nightclub she’d ever seen. Thick black paper, like the kind used for roofing, covered the interior walls. Candles placed in the center of tables lining the edge of the room and strings of lights across the ceiling added a romantic appeal to the atmosphere. The plywood covering the floor wobbled slightly as Holden led them to one of the tables where Sheba and Elijah already sat. As she followed, Izzy took in more of the barn’s interior. A collection of instruments, including an upright piano, sat on a platform at the back of the room waiting to be played. At the moment, a lone man stood on the stage playing a saxophone. At few couples swayed around on the dancefloor to the soulful tune.I can’t wait for y’all to read this! Expect to see it sometime early next year.

Persuaded- Chapter 1

One pull of a cord and they were flying. Below, the sound of the motor powering the boat as it skidded across the surface of the water competed with the roar of the ocean. Up here, nothing but the gentle flap of the brightly colored parasail above them could be heard.Felicity looked over at the man beside her. Hands that used to hold hers had a white-knuckle grip on the bar in front of him. And his lips… oh, she remembered the searing kisses those lips had delivered. Right now, they were pressed tightly together.It wasn’t fear causing his tension. Jaylon Briggs had always been somewhat of a daredevil. Parasailing didn’t rank high on the list of stunts he had no doubt pulled. How could he still be angry with her after all these years? Eighteen of them, to be exact. She remembered the breakup like it was yesterday, and apparently, he did too.Even though she had truly loved him, she had been the one to end their relationship. Would he ever forgive her?His sister was to blame for this awkward situation. Caleigh usually played the part of friend except when it came to her brother. No way had Jay known Felicity was coming on this trip when Caleigh invited him. This was a perfect opportunity to rub it in Felicity’s face what she had given up—like she didn’t already know.“Caleigh tells me you are back to working in your dad’s old shop now.”Of course she did.Despite the politeness of his words, they were full of venom. For one thing, no one had ever referred to her father as dad. Everyone called him Pappy, including Jay. Pappy had been the one to influence the breakup. He had been the one to push her into going to college to make something of herself. Had even planned out her career trajectory. And now she was back in her hometown, working in a shaved ice hut turned coffee shop.Boy, Pappy’s plan worked out great, didn’t it?All those eighteen years ago, Pappy had pointed out that though Jay had graduated high school a year ahead of her, he had never held a real job, nor did he have any plans to go to college.Jay had used the excuse that he had been waiting for her to graduate so they could start a life together. He would take a menial job working in his uncle’s shipping yard down the coast in Charleston after they married, but he swore he’d make it big one day.Evidently, his lofty dreams had come true, minus the part about her being at his side. Every time the opportunity presented itself, Caleigh would bring up the fact that Jaylon owned a successful shipping business. Apparently, she was also keeping her brother informed on what a failure Felicity had become.“Pappy had a stroke a couple of years ago. I moved back home to take care of him.”“I heard about that. And he still needs your help?”Felicity looked out over the choppy, gray ocean beneath them. It neared as they were being reeled back into the boat. Jaylon always did know how to cut to the core of every issue. Truthfully, Pappy probably no longer needed her, but she had no desire to go back to the life she had before. “No, but I’ve decided to stay anyway.”“I see.”Silence prevailed again as they were drawn back into the boat to join the rest of their group. Besides Caleigh and her husband, Dalvin, two more had come along on this adventure. Vivian Emerson, who had recently moved to Walden Beach, and Bo Manning.Bo put his arm around Felicity’s shoulder as soon as she was released from the harness. “How was it?”Jay looked their way for a moment and then walked over to lean against the boat railing. Did he think she and Bo were a couple? They never had been but were often mistaken for such. The two usually paired up together whenever they went out as a group. She had expected to be Bo’s partner today, but ever since Vivian moved to town, his attention had been focused on her. Not that Felicity minded. She and Bo were always meant to be nothing more than friends.She smiled up at him, glad for the friendship he offered. “It was great.”Bo squeezed her shoulder and then moved away to take his turn at parasailing. Felicity doubted he was aware of her and Jaylon’s past relationship, unless Caleigh or Dalvin had mentioned it. She hadn’t known Bo back then, and there was no use bringing it up now.She and Jay would never go back to what they were—two people so in tune with each other, so much in love, that the only next step should have been marriage. After all these years of separation, she still felt a connection to him somehow. But the bitterness he displayed today let her know that he didn’t feel the same way.After everyone had gone up and the boat delivered them back to the shore, they discussed where they would go to eat later in the evening. Hidden behind a pair of sunglasses, it was easy to look her fill at Jay without anyone being the wiser. He wasn’t the lanky teenager anymore. Muscles stretched the fabric of his blue t-shirt across his chest and upper arms. His hair was a darker shade of auburn. And the manly stubble on his face had filled out from the adolescent beard he’d tried to grow back in high school.“I’m afraid I’ll have to miss out on dinner. I’ve already made plans.” Jaylon’s declaration was unsurprising—and a relief. They had managed to avoid each other for the last two years since she’d been home. Caleigh usually mentioned an upcoming visit from her brother, making avoidance easy for Felicity. But that would no longer be necessary. The ice was broken, at least. The difficulty of seeing each other again had been lessened even if her regrets had not.If possible, Felicity Sutton was even more beautiful at thirty-six than she had been at eighteen. He’d always loved the fact that her height nearly matched his. Time had filled her body out in all the right places. Wisps of light brown hair had come loose from her long ponytail, accentuating her flawless features. Only, her smile was missing, and the one glimpse he had gotten of her gray-green eyes revealed a sadness that he had only seen once—on the day she left him, bound for college.“So, what are these plans that you didn’t mention before? I know the real reason you aren’t going out to eat with us is because of her. I’m sorry the two of you can’t let bygones be bygones. I thought you’d be over it now that you’re engaged to someone else.” Caleigh glanced over her shoulder from the front passenger seat with her lips pressed together, making sure that he was aware of her displeasure.“Kathryn and I broke up.”Her jaw dropped open, and she turned further around in her seat. “What happened?”Jay looked out the side window, watching the world go by. “I’m not ready to talk about it.”“How can you drop a bomb like that and then refuse to give details?”“I just don’t want to talk about it, okay?”Her lips pushed together in a pout just before she turned back to face the front of the van. “Whatever you’ve done, she’ll forgive you. Kathryn is a smart woman. She’s not going to let someone like you get away. Wait and see, you’ll get back together.”No, they wouldn’t.His recent breakup had only fueled the bitterness he felt for Felicity. The more time he had spent in her presence today, the more his resentment grew. It had taken a year after high school for him to decide which direction he wanted his life—their life together—to go. And that year of contemplation had cost him the woman he loved.The plan he’d come up with had been a good one. He’d go to work in his uncle’s shipping business, starting at the bottom and working his way up. Money would have been tight at the beginning, but they would have gotten through it together. And he’d had no plans of staying at the bottom. He would learn everything there was to know about the shipping business until he became owner of his own shipping yard.Then Pappy had convinced Felicity that there was no future for a man without a college degree. She had accused him of having no ambition, no way to finance their future. It had all come down to money.His breakup with Kathryn had been about money too. Ironically, this time because he now had too much of it. He worked too many hours, cared more about his business than about her. Said she was sick of coming second to his job.Women.The trip to Caleigh’s this morning had been on impulse. A few days to reflect on what had happened between him and Kathryn. He had planned to share the news with his sister as he was leaving. Now there would be no rest. She would bug him about it until he spilled the details.The last person he expected to see on this trip was Felicity. Well, that wasn’t entirely true. They had managed to avoid each other in the past, but as soon as Caleigh said where they were going, he knew she would be there. What had he hoped to gain from seeing her again?Maybe it was closure he needed. Did she regret breaking up with him now that he owned a multi-million dollar business? He certainly had no intention of ever asking her about it. With the instant bitterness that cropped up the minute he laid eyes on her, he’d decided it was best not to acknowledge her at all.Jay had tried keeping his mouth shut while trapped in the parasail’s seat next to Felicity, but the fact that she had given up her sought-after career in advertising to come back and run her father’s old nothing shop stuck in his craw. It wasn’t right.According to Caleigh, she wasn’t even running the place. She had tried to bring the business out of the red by turning it into a coffee house, but Pappy wouldn’t give up control. No surprise there. Without a doubt, the old man had been the one to get inside her head, making her think she could do better than Jay. If anyone was to blame for their breakup, Pappy Sutton carried that guilt.

Books/Series with Southern Coast Settings

Summer is coming, though I admit that I’m beginning to wonder about the truth of that statement. Along with summer comes trips to the beach—my favorite destination! Even if you can’t make it to the beach, you can still travel there through books. Here is a list of ones set on the Southern coast of the United States. I put an * beside the ones I believe are most comparable to Irresistibly Yours.Lantern Beach Series by Christy Barritt*Walden Beach Series by Andrea Boyd*Still Waters by Lindsey BrackettMade in Savannah Series by Hope CallaghanThe Ringmaster’s Wife by Kristy CambronSecrets of the South Series by Mary EllisSouthern Hearts Series by Janet Ferguson*Coastal Carolinas Series by Normandie FischerA Broken Kind of Beautiful by Katie GanshertThe Art of Losing Yourself by Katie GanshertMark of the King by Jocelyn GreenJane Austen Takes the South by Mary Jane Hathaway*Royal Wedding Series by Rachel HauckLove’s Rescue by Christine Johnson*Savannah Series by Denise Hildreth JonesMilford Series by Jan Karon*Isle of Hope Series by Julie Lessman*Love Finds You at Folly Beach, SC by Loree LoughCarolina Gold by Dorothy Love*Coming Home Again by T I LoweNorth of Broad by Kimberli McKayWhen Crickets Cry by Charles MartinSavannah Series by Eugenia Price*Sidelined Christmas by Toni ShilohHow Sweet the Sound by Amy SorrellsGulf Coast Chronicles by Beth WhiteThe Tides of Truth Series by Robert WhitlowBefore We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate*Heart of the Carolinas Series by Alice J Wisler

Book Boyfriend- Noble Rynallt

Noble Rynallt is just… perfect. Seriously, I can’t think of one area in which he lacks. Well, maybe one. He was a little slow starting the, um, honeymoon, but I’m sure that was for the benefit of the reader.This isn’t the first time one of Laura Frantz’s heroes has ended up on my Book Boyfriend list, and I doubt it will be the last. As a matter of fact, I don’t believe I have given one of her novels below five stars. I love how she brings history alive.

Teen Writers’ Workshop- FREE Resources

Websites for writing helpGo Teen WritersGrammar GirlEva DeverellFigment.comCritique Circle for finding critique helpWriting Software/AppyWriter- software like ScrivenerEvernote- You can link up to two devices.FormattingAcceptable fonts for eBooks- Garamond, Cashon, Minien, Janson Text, Palatino, *Georgia, Times New RomanDraft2Digital- You do not have to publish with them in order to use their formatting service.Calibre- to change your DOCX into other formatsCover DesignCanvaGimp- like photoshopTineye- to find the source of a pictureImageraider- to find if the same image is on another sitePicmonkey- free imagesPlaces to share your workWattpadInstafreebieWhen you’re ready to publishAmazonCreatespaceDraft2DigitalSmashwords

First Chapter of Irresistibly Yours

Craig Emerson would turn over in his grave if he could see her now. Rolling down Highway 22 toward Myrtle Beach, windows down, radio blaring a classic rock station, the wind blowing through her short hair, with a three-inch wedge sandal pressing down on the accelerator. No one—not even his wife—ever drove his orange and black, 1970 Plymouth GTX.“Craig, are you seeing this?” Vivian Emerson had been talking to her husband this way ever since his death almost a year ago. After this weekend, she decided these little talks would come to an end. There had been plenty of things for her to get off her chest—things she had wanted to say while he was alive, but he would never listen.So many times in the past year, she would go out to the garage, sit in Craig’s car, and pour her heart out. Sometimes she would talk quietly while tears streamed down her face, and other times she would yell. But this was the first time she’d actually driven his car. So far, her one-sided conversations on this trip had been backed with laughter. This trip to the beach would be her last act of letting go. She was ready.Vivian smiled at her reflection in the rearview mirror as she ran her fingers through her dark brown hair. Craig had wanted her to keep her hair long, and she had. At her first stop for a bathroom break, she had tried to brush through the long, tangled mess thanks to driving with the windows down. As the brush snagged another knot, she decided right then it was time for a change. A search for the nearest hair salon on her cellphone’s GPS landed her in front of The Cut and Curl.After everyone oohed and aahed over the GTX and she finally sat in the angled chair, Vivian told the stylist that she didn’t care how it was cut, as long as it was shorter and easier to manage. Less than an hour later, she emerged with a slightly longer version of a pixie cut. The style suited her, and it definitely showed off her eyes. Why hadn’t she done this years ago? She headed back out on the road feeling light and carefree.She crossed over Highway 17 and carefully turned into Walmart’s parking lot. The muscles in her upper arms tightened in response to the lack of power steering. No wonder people had been in better shape back when this car was made. As she searched for a spot closer to the door, she started making a mental list of things she needed to purchase to get her through the next four days.Her ankle twisted a little with her first step toward the store. Vivian had not worn heels in over twenty years because Craig had only been an inch taller than her. She was determined to get used to wearing them again. In fact, she’d bought herself a whole new wardrobe last weekend. Gone was the drab clothing that now hung loose from her frame due to the thirty-five pounds she had lost in the last year. No diet or exercise had been necessary. The junk food Craig loved so much was no more. Plus, she had lost her appetite for a while right after his death.Vivian tugged the bottom of her orange sweater down in the back. It was a warm day for mid-March, but the wind whipping through the open windows of the GTX had still been cool. She was extra thankful for the layers of clothing when the air-conditioned breeze greeted her as the automatic doors slid open. In less than fifteen minutes she was headed back out into the warmth of the sun.After loading her groceries into the trunk with the rest of her stuff, she carefully made her way through the parking lot in the tank-like car. Thankfully, there was a stoplight that would make it easier for her to get back onto the busy highway. The light was red and she had almost come to a complete stop when the brake pedal suddenly dropped to the floor. The car rolled past the line until the front end completely blocked the first lane of the road in front of her.She gripped the steering wheel and her whole body tightened as she prepared for impact. Her head jerked to the left at the sound of screeching tires and a blaring horn. A huge burgundy Suburban stopped just a few feet from her, close enough for her to see the scowl on the face of its curly-haired driver.Vivian looked in her rearview mirror. A man stepped out of the car behind her and walked toward her. Fear coursed through her. The urge to roll the window up before the stranger got there was strong. But that would be silly. He wouldn’t harm her with so many witnesses.Another horn blared as the angry woman in the Suburban finally moved around her, tires squalling once she got past the nose of the GTX.“What’s the problem?”Vivian jumped at the sound of the man’s voice, but the tension in her shoulders eased when she looked up into his smiling face. “The brakes won’t work. The pedal went down to the floor.”“Have you got it in park?”Why did she feel like she’d done something wrong? “I didn’t want it to roll any further.”“That’s good. Do me a favor and pump the pedal a few times. Does it feel like you have brakes now?”The pedal didn’t go down all the way this time, but it felt softer than usual, like it would give with enough pressure. “It’s better than before, but it still doesn’t feel right.”“They should work well enough for you to get off the road. I’ll back up so you can.”“Okay, thanks.”She watched in the rearview mirror as his car backed up a good distance away from her before she put the car in reverse. As soon as the road in front of her was clear, her helper moved around the GTX and left the parking lot. He didn’t even look back as he passed by. The only person he’d been trying to help was himself.What now?She needed a wrecker but had no idea who to call. Craig had always been the one to take care of things like this, and before him, her father had done it. According to them, a mechanic couldn’t wait to see a woman come into his shop because he could charge whatever he wanted, and she would be none the wiser.A car pulled up behind her and blew the horn. She hunted around on the steering column until she found the switch for the emergency blinkers and then waved the car to go around her. She was alone now. Craig was gone, and her parents were in Colorado. She didn’t even have a son she could call on. There was nothing left to do but handle this the best way she knew how. Vivian slipped her phone from her pocket and began scrolling through her options on Google.Bo would’ve noticed the GTX even if he wasn’t looking for it. When it came to classic cars, this model was one of his favorites. Plus, it was partially blocking the exit to the parking lot. Cars honked as they tried to maneuver around the nuisance. The lady had said it was still drivable, so why hadn’t she moved it out of the way? He parked the rollback in a clear row near the edge of the lot.He walked over to the car, admiring the black stripe against the orange paint as he approached the driver’s door. Orange wasn’t his favorite, but it was a good color for this particular model. Solid black would work too.Alarm shot through him when he got to the driver’s window. The woman inside had her face buried in her hands. Her shoulders were shaking, and as he leaned down, her soft sobs reached his ears through the open gap at the top of the window.“Ma’am.”She jerked up, looking his way.“I didn’t mean to startle you. I’m Bo Manning from Manning’s garage. You called for a wrecker. I’m here to pick you up.” He paused. “Is everything okay?”“Yes.” Her breath shuddered as she let out another sob. She swiped away mascara-stained tears that were quickly replaced with more.Had she been attacked? Surely not out here in the open. His protective instincts kicked into high gear. He opened the car door and squatted down closer to her. He tentatively touched her shoulder and when she didn’t jerk away, he stroked her arm in what he hoped was a soothing sort of way. “Tell me what happened.”She turned and leaned toward him. “The car broke down, my husband is dead, and I have no one. There’s no one who can help me, and I’m alone.” Heart wrenching sobs separated each word.All it took was slight pressure on her arm and she leaned closer and placed her head on his shoulder. He patted and rubbed circles on her back while she cried. It had been a while since a woman cried in his arms. “It’s going to be all right. I know what you’re going through. Trust me, it might not seem like it right now, but everything is going to be okay.”It didn’t take long for her to pull away. Using the bottom corner of her sweater, she began drying her face. “I’m sorry. I don’t usually go on like this and especially with a stranger.”Bo wished he had a handkerchief to give her, but even if he had one, it would probably be covered in grease. “Don’t worry about it. Believe it or not, I’ve been right where you are. I lost my wife fourteen years ago. I still remember how it feels, but I promise you, it does get better.”Someone in a green VW pulled up behind the GTX and blew the horn. While he’d held her, he had watched as every other driver redirected themselves to the other exit. Why did some people want to be difficult on purpose? He looked back at the woman next to him. What was her name again? She had told him over the phone.For the first time since he arrived, she looked directly at him. Jade green eyes that were only made brighter by the tears peered back at him, still beautiful even red-rimmed and devoid of makeup. A tingling sensation ran down his arms. A feeling of possession that he’d only experienced once in his lifetime came over him—like this woman belonged to him.This is crazy.He stood and glanced toward the back of the car to see if the VW had found another way out. Anything to break contact. Vivian. That was it, Vivian Emerson. The name came to him just like that. He leaned down just enough to look at her again, “Um, Vivian, could you scoot over to the passenger’s side so I can move the car?” He pointed to the edge of the parking lot. “My rollback is right there. I’m going to drive over to it. You did say it runs, right?”She looked over her shoulder and then back up to him. “Going is not the problem, stopping is what you have to worry about.” She scooted across toward the passenger’s side as she spoke.Bo sat down behind the wheel and pressed the brake pedal. With enough pressure, it would go all the way to the floor, but the brakes would work well enough to get him to the rollback. He turned the key, and the beast rumbled to life. Nothing else had quite the feel of a Plymouth. He would love to get this thing out on an open road and see what it would do.There was nothing behind them now. Everyone seemed to have finally gotten the message not to come this way. He backed into the parking lot and lined the GTX up with the back of the rollback, leaving enough room to tilt and slide the bed out in front of it. “Is there anything you need to get out of the car before I load it up?”Vivian glanced into the empty back seat. “I don’t guess so. There are groceries in the trunk that were frozen, but they’ve probably already begun to thaw by now. You know what, I’m not even worried about them.” She took a deep breath and let it out with a huff. “Sorry, I’m rambling. I don’t need anything except my purse.”“You can sit in the rollback while I load up. Maybe some air conditioning might help you feel a little better. Can you believe this kind of heat in the middle of March?”She only shook her head as she opened the door and got out.Bo ran ahead to unlock the doors and crank it up, making sure the air was on. After loading the car and strapping it down, he knocked on her window, and waited for her to open it. “I’m going to run into Walmart to grab something to drink. You want a Coke or Pepsi or something?”“Pepsi would be good. With cherry if they have it.” She reached for her purse.“No, I’ve got it. I’ll be right back.”The tears had stopped, but she still looked weary. Hopefully the sugar and caffeine would help. He wondered what had happened to her husband and how long ago it had been but knew better than to ask. He looked over his shoulder at the woman one last time before heading into the store. What could he do to ease her pain right now?

A second chance at love- My inspiration behind Irresistibly Yours

“You look pretty today.”Surprised by the statement, I turned to find my husband carefully studying my features. It wasn’t like him to give out random compliments. In fact, I was hard put to gain one from him even when I put forth the effort to dress up. I told him thank you, and then got up to go look in the bathroom mirror. My private perusal told me what I had already known. No make-up, unbrushed hair, and the last time I wore this orange sweater he had said I looked like a pumpkin. Did I mention that I’m fat? Well, I am.Nothing about my appearance had changed. Was he being insincere? I didn’t think so. My appearance had not improved. It was his attitude that had changed. For two thirds of my marriage, I had lived with a verbally abusive man who, at his own admission, didn’t love me. I married a Christian, but then he had gotten away from God and things had spiraled downhill from there. For years, I prayed for him to find his way back to God. I knew that was the key to turning his attitude towards me around. Then we got the news that he had non-alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver. His daddy had died from the same thing, but his daddy was an alcoholic. Because of that, Tommy had never even drunk one beer. And now he was dying from the same disease. How ironic.So we began the process of him dying. Let me tell you, he didn’t go through this alone. In some ways, it is harder on the spouse of the dying person. I did stuff in taking care of him that I never thought I’d be able to do for anyone. There are moments of anger, depression, and fear like I had never felt before. What was going to happen to me?You ask this out loud, and you will be judged. One thing I was sure of- I would never remarry. I would never again take a chance on another man. I couldn’t go through another loveless marriage. I told a friend this—one who knew what I had endured. Instead of judging me for thinking about my future without Tommy, she lightened the mood with a joke, leading to a conversation which I would later use when writing Irresistibly Yours. After having this conversation, Bo Manning showed up in a series of dreams. Some of these scenes ended up in the book too. But then a miracle happened. A few of them, actually. Tommy got things right between him and God. He got a new liver. And then, he made things right with his wife. I hardly recognize this man I’m married to now- the one who randomly tells me I look pretty. I feel beyond blessed by this second chance God has given us.About a year after his transplant surgery, the memory of Bo resurfaced. I realized Tommy was my Bo—my second chance at love. I felt a strong urge to write the story. I talked it over with Tommy and asked if it would bother him for me to write this book. His answer said more than he did. “If you feel lead to write it, then write it. Besides, it’s part of my testimony now.” So I did.

My favorite books for 2017

A New Shade of Summer by Nicole DeeseAll of You by Sarah MonzonTo Wager Her Heart by Tamera AlexanderThe Art of Losing Yourself by Katie GanshertA Broken Kind of Beautiful by Katie GanshertA Moonbow Night by Laura FrantzAn Inconvenient Beauty by Kristi Ann HunterA Note Yet Unsung by Tamara AlexanderGetting to Yes by Allie PleiterHow to Lose a Guy in 10 Dates by Lacy Williams