September Roberts's Blog, page 5
June 24, 2015
In Your Shoes Cover
This is my first attempt to create my own book cover! I hope you like it!
In Your Shoes Blurb
On the verge of divorce, Scott Erickson will do anything he can to save his marriage. After years of growing apart, Nicole isn’t so sure it’s worth saving. Especially when she finds pictures of Scott with another woman. As a last resort, Nicole agrees to seek the help of a marriage counselor. Unfortunately, each appointment ascends into a hell of its own. At the suggestion of the counselor, Nicole and Scott attempt to empathize with each other with hypnotherapy. Unable to reach even this small goal, they leave the final session angry and hurt … and in the wrong body. Nicole in Scott’s body and Scott in Nicole’s.
Faced with challenges neither of them are equipped to handle, they both must learn to survive in their new roles and unfamiliar bodies, but is there a way to switch back? And can their marriage be restored?
June 16, 2015
January 22, 2015
Kiss & Ride Review by CheyTur
Sweet in its simplicity, and couched in descriptors so vivid you can feel the sway of the train, Kiss and Ride is a lovely read. With a ‘happily ever after’ that will make you view your own morning commute with fresh eyes, Anne (with an ‘e’) and Kristopher’s story is one we can all relate to – I’m looking at you, hunky bearded guy at the coffee house this morning – and a much needed reminder to follow your heart.
July 28, 2014
Kiss & Ride Review by Cricket
Original review on Amazon. 4 stars
A Story about taking a chance and living!
Have you ever met someone you just couldn’t shake? Someone that brought you out of your shell and showed you that not all people are evil and unlikeable? Well that is exactly what Anne has found in Kris. He is sweet and charming and you get to see what it takes to bring someone who prefers not to be around people back into the light and living again.
The journey is sweet and short, but it shows us the power of saying what is on your mind and in your heart before it’s too late. I loved how these two interacted together and the little old lady who thought they were a couple before they were made you believe they were meant to be together.
Moral of this story. Say it and say it with conviction and love.
I give this novella 4.5 sweet lipstick kisses!
~B~
May 13, 2014
Kiss & Ride Review by Carmen
Original review on Amazon. 4 stars
Great Story!
A great short story! The story line and characters are refreshingly realistic. It’s nice to read such a sweet love story with the kind of setting & conflict that are so touchable and hit closer to home than most of us like to admit.
February 6, 2014
Kiss & Ride Review by Laura
Original review on Amazon. 5 stars
Loves it, a must read!
Sweet well written with a great ending, loved it. Just as a short story should be written. A must read!
February 5, 2014
Kiss & Ride Excerpt
Here’s a little snippet from my short story:
When Anne first began working in Washington DC, the Metro ride was just another part of her monotonous day, filled with the dull sounds of people living their lives. But last April, when gas prices skyrocketed, mass transportation became very popular. There wasn’t an empty seat, and the commuters were forced to stand closer and closer together. Judging by the exasperated sighs of the other passengers, no one was thrilled to squeeze into their ever-tightening spots, but Anne was different. The forty-minute train ride to and from work became the highlight of her day.
Shoulder-to-shoulder with strangers, Anne closed her eyes and let her body sway with the train. She could pretend she was being hugged and rocked like a child. Well, how she imagined someone would hold a child: comforting and warm.
A creature of habit, Anne always rode in the fourth car, near the back. Most of the passengers were her age, in their early thirties, dressed in business casual blues and grays. They never spoke more than needed, everyone politely wedging their bodies this way or that to make room for the people coming and going at each stop.
Crowded together on the train, Anne enjoyed her anonymous human contact. They felt real to her, despite what Dr. Hughes said. But no one ever stood out; like extras in a movie, all blending into variations of the same generic person.
On a Tuesday morning, while waiting for the train, a little old woman started talking to Anne. Really talking. She was from a lost era: a time when people spoke face-to-face, a skill that had been lost with the technological advancements of the twenty-first century.
“Lovely day, isn’t it?” The little old woman squinted up at the sky where the clouds were just starting to brighten with the sunrise.
Anne nodded and smiled.
“I’m going to see Hank. We’ve been married fifty-five years. He’s at the university hospital in the city. They have the best cardiologists in three states. That’s what they tell us anyway. I’m inclined to take their word for it. What do I know about heart transplants? Not a lot. Hips, on the other hand, those I know a lot about.” She tapped her right hip. “Got it replaced two years ago. But hearts are different. Our daughter is a nurse in Maryland, so she’s been helping me with all the jargon. Thankfully!”
Anne smiled and checked the time on her phone. The alarm would ring any minute.
“Have you ever been to the university hospital? Nice place. The waiting room has coffee, and it’s not half bad!” She stopped to smile. “Do you take the train every day?” Her eyes swept up Anne’s body, taking in her pencil skirt and blouse. “You look like a lawyer. Are you a lawyer?”
Anne chuckled and shook her head. “I work in an office.”
“Last I heard, lawyers have offices.” Another smile. “I like riding the train. Good thing too, Hank’s the driver in our house. I haven’t driven for decades, so if it weren’t for the train, I wouldn’t have a way to see him. I do hope it gets here soon. I have neuropathy, so my feet get kind of sore and numb if I stand too long.” She leaned against the stand holding The DC Daily, the local paper, and wiggled her toes inside her slip-on shoes. “Listen to me complaining. At least I woke up this morning!”
Anne focused her gaze on the woman’s wrinkled face and struggled to imagine what it would be like to spend a lifetime with someone, only to watch his body fall apart. It was a frightening concept, but the woman didn’t look scared. Just the opposite, she was downright cheery.
The alarm on Anne’s phone rang, letting her know it was time to catch the train. The little old woman followed Anne from the edge of the Kiss & Ride parking lot into the Metro station. When the train doors hissed open, Anne hovered behind the woman, overcome with the desire to help her get to a safe place. She became more aware of the commuters around them. The sea of blue and gray became a group of individuals. It was the first time she really saw him: the man who gave up his seat for the little old woman.
Anne spent the next week observing the man on the train. He always wore a suit and his tie had some sort of green that matched his eyes, whether it was squares, paisleys, or stripes. He gave up his seat every day, and on the days the old woman rode the train, he always gave it to her. He was gracious and kind to everyone, the corners of his eyes crinkled when he smiled, and his brown hair was always meticulously styled.
On one of the days the old woman wasn’t on the train, he offered his seat to Anne, but she declined. She couldn’t get hugged if she sat down. The seat went to another woman, who was grateful for his generosity.
He wedged his briefcase between his shoes and gripped the railing right next to Anne’s hand. His gray dress shirt pulled taut against his chest as his jacket opened. The train lurched around a corner, knocking Anne against his firm body. Heat bloomed across her skin as his scent and warmth invaded her senses. She didn’t usually breathe through her nose on the train, because along with warm hugs, the confined space also brought an odd mixture of aromas: food, perfume, and sometimes the pungent stink of someone in need of a shower. But the only thing she could smell was him, and he smelled as good as he looked.
“Sorry,” she muttered as she righted herself. A pang of regret tugged at her as they parted.
Anne turned away from him and took a step backward as a new wave of commuters squeezed in with them. It was the last big stop before the uninterrupted ride into the city. When the train started moving, their bodies were touching again, her back to his front. Anne smiled and closed her eyes, pretending he was holding her. It was the best stranger hug she’d ever gotten.
When she got to work, she was still floating on cloud nine. One encounter with the man on the train had changed something in her. Her coworkers must’ve noticed it, because for the first time in five years, someone talked to her during lunch. Dr. Hughes would be proud. She spent the rest of the day watching the clock, counting down the minutes until five, or more importantly, time to catch the train.
Kiss & Ride Blurb
Like many other people, Anne rides the Metro to work, and she loves every second of it. She’s spent years isolating herself from real people, so the anonymous contact with a sea of strangers becomes the one thing she looks forward to every day, and then she meets Kristopher. He stands out from everyone else with his kindness, humor, and generosity. Anne fantasizes about a life with him, but when he starts to slip through her fingers, she must face reality and learn how to trust in order to hold onto the man of her dreams.
