J.R. Pearse Nelson's Blog, page 15

New Children of the Sidhe Covers

In preparation for the release of the fourth book in my Children of the Sidhe series, I've commissioned new covers from Kellie Dennis at Book Cover by Design. Check 'em out!

A Crazy New Venture: Meet Delilah Vane

So. You're about to learn how crazy I can be.

I took a leap last week, after seeing this blog post from Joe Konrath. He let it slip that he's done some crazy things under pseudonyms, including challenging himself to write a book and publish it within an hour. He did it four times -- while drinking beer (his words!). The results are completely goofy and off the wall. And here's the kicker, they were FUN for him to write and get out there.

This strikes a chord with me. Too often I get mired in perfectionism, in pride, and in fear. It doesn't stall me completely, but at times I feel like any progress is achieved at a molasses pace because I have all these hangups over projects that I am probably TOO attached to. Writers, do you hear me on this?

Anyway, Joe Konrath challenged others to write and publish fast -- his 8 hour ebook challenge. I accepted, and I ROCKED IT.

The result is the creation of a brand new pseudonym, Delilah Vane, focused on paranormal and fantasy ebooks for teens. The book I wrote to conquer Konrath's challenge is called My Undead Life: Waking Up Dead. And yes, that's a live Amazon link to a 2,700 word episode that I wrote last Thursday. Last weekend I wrote and published the second and third episodes, Girl Vampire and Roses Are Red.

I did everything myself, and I went from zero idea what I was about to a storyline and one completed episode out of ten, with cover art, editing, formatting and publishing -- in under eight hours. (For those of you thinking it, yes, this is what happens when I attempt my own cover art. :) But the point was to push limits and experiment. I definitely pushed out of my comfort zone.)

As my inspiration, I credit the fact I'd been re-watching season 5 of Buffy, and mentioned to a buddy last week that it was past time for my vampire to show up (an old joke with me at this point)…add in the fact that I've been wanting to try a serial for a while, and the whole mess combined to create…My Undead Life! A teen vampire story that should also be fun for supposed grown-ups like me, who love Buffy and Angel and remember with fondness all those great late 90s teen angst shows like My So-Called Life. (As an aside: Did you know that someone who fell in love with Angel in the first season of Buffy in 1997 could now have a fifteen year old daughter…named Angel? It could happen. Really. And then that girl could totally meet a vampire and end up another vampire named Angel. (As a further aside: Yes, this is how my mind works. It's a fun place to be.))

Do I have any idea what I'm up to here? Well…I'm going to finish ten episodes and then combine them into one book. And I have a couple of other ideas that I've struggled with due to the younger age of the anticipated audience. So, I believe Delilah is here to stay. I'm not sure whether I'll start a new blog, or make a Delilah page on this blog, or do zero promotion and see what happens.

I couldn't decide whether to post about this or not, but I know some of you would have been upset with me if I didn't even mention it. I'm also excited, because I had my most productive week of the summer last week, writing 8,000 words of this new story.

If you do check it out, I'd be interested to know whether it seemed like the same writer or someone new, and what you thought of it. It's free until September 3rd. :)


Waking Up Dead It's fifteen-year-old Angel's first day as a vampire…
Angel Rose Channing didn't ask for the added drama of being turned into a teenage vampire. School was hard enough when she didn't have to avoid the sun. She used to be able to make a mistake without somebody dying, but now she has to watch her every move as she comes to understand what it means to wake up dead.
Waking Up Dead is the first episode in the larger young adult story, My Undead Life. This 2,700 word short story contains a bit of scare factor that may be inappropriate for readers under age 12…because it's about a vampire, for goodness sake.

Indie Life: Long Summer Days

Welcome to another month of Indie Life, a chance for indie authors to meet, exchange news and tips, and commiserate on what it means to be an independent author. If you'd like to join us, go here.

So...those summer days. They are long. I'm not sure where they're going. :)

I've noticed a fair number of my author friends taking chunks of the summer off from blogging, and even from writing. It's a great decision. Long summer days should pull us outside, get our bodies moving and having those experiences that lead to the rich internal life of an author. You must live to write. Late in the spring I was feeling the need for some space, so I slowed my writing pace over the summer. I think it will serve me well when the weather cools off and I'm ready to hunker down in my nest with my iPad. I'll have all those words stored up. Ha!
Our family has postponed vacations until the end of the summer. We're headed to Hawaii in a few weeks, for a full week. A solid chunk of my husband's family is going, and we're gonna have a blast! That said, between a big trip and the new school year, I've been swamped with logistics and schedules. I'm ready to move beyond the packing lists and high-tail it outta here! 
What have you done recently to rejuvenate and add inspiration?
I'll be in Kona next month during Indie Life. Enjoy these long summer days! :)
The Hawaiian seas are a-calling me. :)This is a blog hop!

Sunday Update: A Decent Week

It was a busy summer week, with kind of an odd-ball work schedule that had me in the office on my usual day off. We also went to Eugene for a sibling's wedding reception and to stay over with my husband's Dad and step-Mom.

Adding to the swirl of excitement over the weekend was the fact that we're heavy into planning our trip to Hawaii in early September with this same part of the family. The folks are about to have their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary; we're having our tenth this month; and little sis and her husband are having their fifth anniversary. So -- to the islands!! A crazy scheme hatched at little sis's wedding reception five years ago, and now it's so close to being a reality….time really flies.

On to writing progress! I had a minimal week in terms of word count. I wrote Monday through Wednesday, accumulating my minimum goal of 2,000 words. And then I haven't touched my manuscript since. Fail! But…like I said, it's been an oddball week. According to Kait's challenge for the week to add 10%, I'd be shooting for 2,200. I'll do better than that, people. I want to finish this draft!! Still somewhere around 13,000 words remaining.
I did great on the editing front, thanks to help from hubby and then the grandparents on Saturday morning. I finished my paper edit of Descent. This week, I'll incorporate the paper revisions. Next week I'll add a couple of scenes I need to write. Then it's off to my editor, who's expecting it by the 15th. Even with my trip to Hawaii, I can probably still publish this book at the end of September. My hope is to get it in beta hands by September 5, so betas can have at it while I'm off working on my vitamin D levels. 
My third goal this round is to read fiction every day, even if it's just for ten minutes. I'm not doing well here. I've been afraid to get distracted from my own writing by picking up one of my favorite authors -- Carrie Vaughn -- whose recent release in her series about Kitty the werewolf has been sitting forlornly on the shelf above my desk for weeks… Well, the universe gave me a little kick in the rear over this a few days ago. I subscribe to Asimov's Science Fiction magazine, and I picked an issue up when I had like two minutes. What did I open it to? A short story from Carrie Vaughn!! See? She needs me to read her books. So I'd better fit that in. I've been reading that short in two-minute increments, and I will be picking up that new Kitty book. Love this series. :)

Sunday Update: Feeling Good, Making Progress

I'm glad I made the choice to reduce my word count goal to 2,000 words a week for the summer. Several weeks I've beaten that mark. While it is a cheap trick, somehow 4,000 words a week feel AMAZING when my goal is 2,000, and only so-so when my goal is 3,500. You know? So here's to embracing a cheap trick or two. (Don't tell your mother I said that. Ha! Er…sorry. I have a raunchy sense of humor sometimes.)

I also think I'm enjoying my summer more having given myself a mental break about production. The writing gig is a marathon, a life-long journey, and I need to enjoy my life, too. :)

I already told you about Monday's word count of 1,900. That was super! Here's how I did the rest of the week:

Thursday - 900
Friday - 800
Saturday - 750

That puts my word count for the week at 4,350 -- more than twice my summer minimum goal of 2,000 words a week. Yay!

I've reached the three-quarter mark in this book, and now there's a ton of action to fit in before I wrap it up. Double yay! I have about 15,000 left to write. I'm not going to pressure myself about finishing FAST, but the way I've felt the last few days, it might not take much longer.

I've also made a touch of progress editing/revising Descent, the next novella in my Children of the Sidhe series. Feeling good on that front. I'd love to finish my revision by mid-August and get this puppy in my editor's hands. That's three weeks out, so I'll put the hustle on my paper revision this week. I'll still need to make all of the changes (and the additional revisions that inevitably ensue) in the electronic manuscript.

I didn't read every day this week. I'm about to pick up a Carrie Vaughn book -- Kitty Rocks the House, about Kitty the werewolf (the best urban fantasy series EVER) -- and I usually fly through those. We'll see if I'm brave enough to pick it up this week and get carried away.

Have a great week!

Knight Blindness by Chris Karlsen Book Blast!

Fellow Pacific Northwest author Chris Karlsen has a new release out, titled Knight Blindness!


Ready for battle, Medieval English knight, Stephen Palmer, charges into the French enemy’s cavalry line. Heeding a warning given months before, he hesitates as he comes face-to-face with the knight in the warning. Struck down in the year 1356, he finds himself landing in the year 2013. Grievously wounded, he’s taken to a nearby hospital. Confused by the new world surrounding him, he attempts to convince the staff he’s from another time, only to find they think him mad.
Rescued by friends, who, to his surprise, have also come through time, he must find a way to function in this odd modern England. He is quickly enchanted by the kind Esme Crippen, the young woman hired to tutor him. Unfortunately, she too thinks him adorable, but mad. He must discover the means for getting her to believe the truth, all the while, unknown to him, he didn’t come forward in time alone. The enemy knight has also traveled to 2013.
French noble, Roger Marchand, doesn’t question why the English knight who charged him hesitated. That fraction of a pause gave him the advantage needed and he brought his sword down upon the Englishman’s helmet hard, unhorsing the knight. He moved to finish the Englishman off when the world changed in a rush of sensations as he is ripped through time.
Seeking a reason for the terrible event, he enters a nearby chapel. There, thinking God has chosen him for a quest to turn French defeat that day in 1356 to victory, he sets out to find the English knight. The man he is convinced holds the key to time. If he returns to the day of the battle, he can warn his king of mistakes that snatched victory from them.     
Excerpt
She knocked and a short, compact man with grey, thinning hair, cloudy blue eyes, and the reddest lips she’d ever seen on a man answered. In a way, he reminded her of Rupert Bear. He wore a red sweater vest over an open-collared white shirt, unfashionable brown plaid cuffed trousers that looked a size too big, and well-worn brown, wing-tipped shoes.“You must be Esme Crippen.” He gestured for her and Electra to come inside. He closed the door and extended his hand. “Will Davison.”“I’m Esme,” she said, shaking his hand. “This is my sister, Electra.”“Electra, a fine literary name,” Davison said as they shook hands. Esme took a quick scan of the cluttered office, surprised a curator, even of a small museum, hadn’t a secretary. “You said you’re looking for a drawing lent to us by the National Gallery in 1960. The Black Prince at Crecy, you said.”“Yes. Does it sound familiar?”“I was an apprentice here then. I believe I know the work you’re speaking of, an impressively detailed rendering considering the environment. It was done on vellum, we believe for the king, as colored inks were used, including gold, although no gold leaf was applied. We think the work was probably done by one of his priests. Unfortunately it was placed into storage back in the seventies and the facility burned to the ground in 1979.”The news sucked every ounce of energy from her. She had so much hope. Why didn’t Davison tell her over the phone and save her the trip? The bloody drive took three hours. Bad enough to waste those hours not to mention they’d hit the London rush hour on the return. She’d like to wrap her hands around his scrawny neck and shake the fillings from his teeth. “Fortunately,” he continued, “We had a copy made prior to the drawing going into storage. “The original was fragile, obviously. The curator and I worried it might deteriorate more if it stayed on display. As the Black Prince was the subject, and is such a big part of Canterbury’s history, we did want to keep a representation exhibited. We had it copied in oil. It hangs in the main room of the museum. Come, I’ll show you.”He led them to a side door of his office that also served as a door to the rear of the museum proper. This section of the museum displayed artifacts and pictures from the Victorian period up to and including the hard fought air war, the Battle of Britain. Through another archway to the next room, Davison led them to a painting. The gilded-framed oil was about a meter wide and a half meter high and hung in the center of one wall.“Remarkable isn’t it?” he said. “It depicts the aftermath of the battle. This is where the young prince raised up so many young men who fought alongside him to knighthood.”“Oh my God,” Esme whispered. Shocked, she stared unable to take her eyes from the painting. How could this be? Identical down to the wound on the chin. She’d seen the scar on Stephen’s chin up close. Unlike the larger, more famous sister institutions, the simpler Museum of Canterbury didn’t employ infrared protective alarms that go off when a visitor gets too close to an exhibit. Davison’s hand on her arm stopped Esme as she stepped forward, fingers inches from the canvas. “No touching allowed, Ms. Crippen,” he warned and removed his hand.“Sorry,” she said, moving back to drop onto the bench in front of the painting. “What is it?” Electra asked. “Are you ill, my dear?” Davison asked. She shook her head, too numb to speak. Electra joined her on the bench. “You look like you’re going to faint. You’re white as a ghost.”“Would you like some water, Miss Crippen?”Finally, she found her voice. “No. Thank you but I’m fine,” she told Electra and Davison.Esme turned from the painting to ask, “Is this an exact copy of the original?”“Yes. The curator at the time was meticulous man and would not approve even the slightest deviation.”“You’re positive?”He nodded. “Very.”“Esme—”She held up her hand to stop Electra’s question. “Thank you, Mr. Davison. This is more than I expected when I asked about the drawing. If it’s all right, I’d like a few minutes more to appreciate the excellent artistry.”“No worries, Miss Crippen. If you require no more of me, I’m going to return to my office. Take as much time as you like. The museum is open until five.” Davison gave each a polite tip of his head and left. As soon as he was out of the room, Electra said, “Esme talk to me. There’s something up with you and this painting. I want to know what.”“The young man kneeling, two over from the prince’s left, the one holding a bloody gauntleted hand under his chin.”“What about him?”“He looks just like Stephen.”From Electra’s sour expression, she found the explanation anticlimactic. “That’s all? Jeez, I thought it was something really big.”“You don’t understand. He could be Stephen’s double. That’s not all. The man standing behind him I’d swear is Alex Lancaster. A younger version but hand to heart, I think it’s him.”“I’ve only seen pictures of Alex Lancaster when he’s been in the press. I agree. It does look like him. But it isn’t either Stephen or Alex since those men,” she tipped her chin toward the painting, “lived close to seven hundred years ago. Why are you weirding out?”Esme ignored the question. Too many of her own occupied her thoughts. How had his face wound up on this medieval man: the narrow too long nose, the strong jaw, the broad forehead, even the shape of his eyes...his injury didn’t change the slight downward tip to the outside corners? “Hello,” Electra waved her hand in front of Esme’s face.“Stop it.” She dug her cell phone out. Conscious of how light and shadow might affect the shots, she took pictures of the painting from different angles. Electra tugged on her arm, pulling the camera away from her face. “He’s not Stephen. Maybe he’s his ancestor, five-hundred times removed, but he’s not Stephen.” She let out a heavy sigh.
Giveaway
Each blog participating in this blitz will be giving away an ebook copy of Heroes Live Forever and Journey in Time.  To enter for the giveaway here, submit a comment on this post by midnight on Monday the 29th. Please include your email address and your preferred ebook format (.mobi or .epub).
Chris Karlsen is also providing a tour-wide giveaway of•   an ecopy of the set of Heroes Live Forever and Journey in Time•   a swag bag with a tote that has the covers screened on, a "medieval" style bracelet, and a small package of rose petal shaped soap leaves.
To enter for the tour-wide giveaway, fill out this rafflecopter!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
About the Author
I was born and raised in Chicago. My father was a history professor and my mother was, and is, a voracious reader. I grew up with a love of history and books.
My parents also love traveling, a passion they passed onto me. I wanted to see the places I read about, see the land and monuments from the time periods that fascinated me. I’ve had the good fortune to travel extensively throughout Europe, the Near East, and North Africa.
I am a retired police detective. I spent twenty-five years in law enforcement with two different agencies. My desire to write came in my early teens. After I retired, I decided to pursue that dream.
I currently live in the Pacific Northwest with my husband, four rescue dogs and a rescue horse.
You can catch up with Chris Karlsen at her site, www.chriskarlsen.com.

Mid-Week Update: Rolling, Rolling, Rolling

I've been a bit remiss in updating, and I must be fast this morning. Last week I wrote just 1,600 words, and did some plotting work for both the remaining chapters of Chaos Calling and the fairytale world I'm working on. I also continued revisions on Descent, the next book I'll release.

While last week's progress wasn't grand, at least I was moving forward, and I'm going to count it as a win, especially when it's followed up by….

Monday! Oh, happy Monday -- I churned out 1,900 words of Chaos Calling!! Yay!

I'm hoping to go crazy on this book Thursday through Saturday, and have a great report for you on Sunday. :)

Best wishes for a happy and productive week!

Hot Summer Romance Giveaway Winner

Good morning! The Hot Summer Romance Giveaway Hop was a lot of fun over the weekend. The grand prize winners will be chosen in the next two days, but I have a winner of my $10 Amazon gift card to announce NOW! :)

Wanda! You won a $10 Amazon gift card! I've just sent your prize. :)

Thanks to everyone who participated, and all the new folks who stopped by my blog. Fun times! Come back again!

Hot Summer Romance Giveaway Hop!

Welcome to the Hot Summer Romance Giveaway Hop! Around 150 authors are participating in this hop sponsored by the Insatiable Reads Book Tour.



Since you're here, I'm guessing you're just like me, and you have your Kindle all loaded up with steamy reads for your summer vacation. Whether it be a trip to be beach, a resort, a cruise or camping, books are your best friend on trips.

I'm headed to Hawaii in September for my 10th wedding anniversary. Yay! (Can't wait, Honey! Talk about romance!).

This is the first plane trip I've been on since being addicted to ebooks. Not to mention that airlines charge high fees for even the first checked bag now -- and since we'll be traveling with two young children and their carseats, we're going to need to check baggage. So the idea that I can take my Kindle, iPad and iPhone and have CHOICES of what to read on the flight and during the trip, without even the weight of a laptop or a single paperback, is radical!

In celebration of ebooks and hot summer romance, please take me up on a free paranormal romance for your Kindle! My recent release Flight is free on Amazon through the 22nd.

Flight (Children of the Sidhe, #3)
Nathan Jeffries doesn’t entirely understand his affinity for hawks, until he finds he can shift into one. Fae blood is to blame for his good looks and luck with the ladies – but now that luck has turned. Nathan is on an Otherworld assassin’s hit list, and the only person stepping forward to help him just may be playing for the other side in the Sidhe Blood Wars.
Tessa Anndrais isn’t sure where she stands. When Abarta – the assassin – threatens to reveal a family secret, she’s determined to protect her own. She’s never approved of thinning Sidhe blood by mixing with humans. Yet she finds herself watching Nathan, the half-human son of the Lord of the Skies, with enough approval to keep her warm all through the night.
***

And there's more!! Add your comment to this post to be entered for a $10 Amazon gift card. Tell me what it is that keeps you coming back to reading romance -- and please remember to include your email address so I can contact you if you're my winner. :)

Of course there are grand prizes for the entire hop, too! The first grand prize is a Kindle Fire, and the second is a $50 Amazon gift card! Every comment on a participating post is an entry for the grand prize, so get hopping!

Check out Amy Maurer Jones' New Book Fly Away

Young adult fantasy author Amy Maurer Jones has just released the second book in her Wildflower series. She's shared a generous excerpt with me for this post, so read on!
Fly Away by Amy Maurer Jones Sneak Peek 

Chapter OneDear Sherry
Dannie
May 8, 1940
Dear Sherry, I arrived safely somewhere in North Africa. Our trip over was very quiet and uneventful. One of the other companies had a lot of excitement in the form of torpedoes.From what I have seen of these North African cities, I am left with the feeling of appreciation that I come from the good old U.S.A. I am writing this letter from our new base, which is located on top of a hill overlooking a large vineyard grove. It's lovely, but pales in comparison to my memory of you and the shorelines of the Cape Cod Bay. Your letter arrived yesterday, and I was overjoyed at receiving it. I always am. I was so thrilled when you agreed to write me back in Falmouth. Please don’t think I’ve got a string of girlfriends because I’m a pilot. I did go out quite a lot at home, but that was almost a year ago. I’ve not the slightest idea what you think of me, and I know perfectly well I’m no prize package. If you only knew how much I’d like to tell people you’re my girlfriend.Well, Sherry, I will close hoping I receive another letter from you soon.
Love, Dannie
         I lay wide awake in my cot surrounded by snoring men. I should be snoring too but as usual my thoughts drift to Sherry. Never before had a girl affected me so profoundly. What’s worse is that my best friend was drawn to her first. I saw Josh walking with her on the beach. They were strolling, arm in arm, talking and laughing. While Josh never proclaimed her as forbidden territory, it was obvious he was intent on making her his own.         I tried to steer clear of her, I swear, but it was impossible. Seeing her at the diner, day in and day out in that cute little pink uniform with her luxurious black hair twisted and coiled at the nape of her neck nearly drove me mad. I kept imagining her long, dark mane unfurling around her shoulders while she stood bare legged in one of my tattered old tee shirts. God help me.          I was a lost cause. When I saw her for the last time that morning in the diner, I’d asked her to write me to keep me company overseas. She agreed happily and we’d shared a few letters in the past months. I’d never mentioned it to Josh, and I wonder if she is writing him as well. The idea of the possibility makes me nauseous and jealous, jealous of my best friend. Damn it! This is so wrong, but I can’t help myself.          I finally managed the nerve to ask Sherry to be my girl, to make things official between us. Waiting for her reply has been hell. If she says yes, how will her choice affect Josh and my long cherished friendship with him? If she says no, will it mean she is in love with him and not me? Will I still be able to love Josh if she chooses him? I both long for and dread the arrival of her next letter.


Chapter TwoReunion
Laney
I could barely contain my excitement at seeing Joshua again today at school. His dad had held him on a short leash during summer break. While I’d texted and spoke to him nearly every day, I’d only actually seen and spent time with him on a number of occasions. He’d spent the last month before school began with his grandparents in Florida. He hadn’t seen his mom’s folks since the Christmas holiday, and they begged him to spend part of the summer with them. Naturally, Joshua’s dad was thrilled with the idea since it meant placing more distance between us. You see, Joshua’s father, who is employed and presently brainwashed by Gracie Henderson’s father, is convinced my family is involved in some type of evil cult worship or equally bizarre and unappealing practice. Needless to say, he’s a bit uncomfortable with the idea of Joshua and me dating. He’s so paranoid he even made Joshua quit his job at Papa’s ranch. We can’t seem to catch a break.My stomach tightened and my pulse raced at the sound of Joshua’s Jeep pulling into my driveway.“I gotta run! I’ll see you after school!” I yelled to whoever might be listening before I shoved my strawberry Pop-Tart between my lips and darted out the front door. “I sure have missed you.” Joshua beamed encircling me into a deep bear hug.He’d been waiting outside the door to his Jeep like usual so he could help me climb into the massive vehicle. “Me too.” I smiled, stretching onto my toes to give him a quick peck on the lips.“Whoa, get back here! That wasn’t the type of kiss a guy gets from his girlfriend after a month of missing her in misery. You better give me some real sugar, baby,” he teased. In an instant his lips were on mine. At first the connection was soft and tender, but eventually his lips parted and his warm slippery tongue begged for entrance into my mouth. I obliged happily. I savored the taste of his delicious tongue snaking along my teeth. He moaned contently as he licked my lower lip. My tongue traced along the edge of his mouth until his lips parted wider. I darted my tongue inside his mouth and he responded by sucking hard on my soft flesh. Soon we were panting and frenzied. Finally, we forced ourselves to break our embrace.“That’s more like it,” he breathed in a daze.I giggled, pleased with his satisfaction. “Remind me to pick up where we left off later, but right now we better get to school,” I reminded him as I lightly kissed the edge of his jaw line. “You’re killing me, Laney.” He half smiled at me mischievously. “But you’re right.” He opened the door to his Jeep and assisted me as I hoisted myself into the passenger seat.“So, the Hendersons still have your dad convinced that Laney is a bad influence?” Carly inquired innocently. “Carly,” I warned.“No, she’s right.” Joshua sighed. “My dad’s still freaked out about the fact that Laney and I tried to run away together last winter. Granted, Mr. Henderson doesn’t help matters much, but at the end of the day he’s mostly afraid of losing me.” Mike Bangs had lost his wife, Rachel, to cancer a little over a year ago. Of course the thought of losing Joshua too would be unbearable.“But Laney isn’t trying to come between you and your dad,” Carly persisted. Joshua shrugged at her words, unable to respond. He agreed with Carly, but he had failed to convince his father of the truth her statement offered. “Let’s talk about something else,” I suggested.“At least he’s compromising,” Carly continued as if I’d said nothing at all.I rolled my eyes as Joshua glanced at me in sympathy. “Well, I’m off to the library. I’ve got to find something interesting to pass the time in history today. It’s going to be so boring!” Carly complained.And she was gone.“She’s right, you know. Dad’s being ridiculous. I’m just glad you put up with him. Any other girl would have bailed by now.” He grabbed my hand and kissed my knuckles.“I don’t have a choice. I love you,” I explained.“Thank God.” He smiled impishly. “You wanna come over and work on our homework this afternoon?” “I suppose I could pencil you in,” I teased.“Please do. I’ve been looking forward to finishing what we started this morning all day long.” He winked.My stomach tightened at the memory. God, I love him!Homework after school at his house was his dad’s only concession where I’m concerned. No ranch, no visits to my house and no dates. Of course, that won’t stop us from getting creative. Joshua realized he could tell his dad he had plans with Scott while conveniently leaving out the detail that it was a double date including me. And, if all else failed, we could still travel together in the spirit world, but that would be a last resort.

Thanks for sharing that sneak peek with us, Amy! 

Fly Away was just released today! Check it out!