Guest Post: M.C. Rayne, author of OUR WALK TO REMEMBER

On November 22nd, Renaissance Romance Publishing released "Our Walk to Remember," a novella in the Fall Fires anthology. As part of Mr. Rayne's blog tour to celebrate his new release, he stops by today to talk about what element of the story he believes readers will enjoy most. I encourage you to check out the summary and excerpt below!



One day I will be telling them how its about Charlie and his daughter Elisha doing a charity walk, reflecting on the life they have with Sammy, his husband and her father. Then another day I will be explaining how its about the relationship between these two men; how they met, fell in love, and became fathers.
No matter which version I am going for, I do point out that this is an emotional piece, one which is so close to my heart and has me reflecting upon it even now; so long after finishing it. The friends who read this before I submitted it to the publisher always had the same reaction, and I guess this is what I am most proud of - that the emotion I wanted is instilled into each and every one of them.
For the new readers who are unfamiliar with both the story, and my writing, I hope this is a story they will enjoy, one which will stay with them long after reading. The worst thing would be if someone just read this for the sake of doing so, to add to the number of books they challenged themselves to read that year, and failed to appreciate my short story. Its my hope that they take a few moments after they finish to reflect on everything I wrote, to feel what I wish them to feel. In days, maybe weeks, I want them to find themselves remembering what happened and going back to read it again; seeing it through newer eyes.
I think parents may like my novella, see the love Charlie and Sammy have for little Elisha, enjoy the lives they share as one solid unit. Above all, lovers of romance may find this story pulling at their hearts, making them turn the page (or click the button on e-readers) to experience all the boys are going through while witnessing true and unconditional love.
There is another element to my story, a darker side to the romance, and it’s this aspect I believe will be for those who like a different kind of love story. Above all, I hope my first novella will be one to have people liking my work, and looking out for more releases to come their way.



Summary:
For the Robinson-Shae family, an annual charity walk means more to them than any expensive holiday abroad. After all, it’s where Elisha’s fathers met, and this year it’s even more important to her. Sammy couldn't make it this time, so she asks Charlie to share memories of how they met, and fell in love.

Excerpt:
Elisha looks back at me and pulls on our adjoined arms, giggling happily to herself while dancing her knee-length, yellow summer dress around her body so it moves with the warm breeze. I forget how much she loves this annual event. We’ve always done it together. She gets excited to see all the people she’s grown up around. I hope she never grows tired of this venture, never loses herself to the world of television and computer games when she could make a difference doing something small, yet huge. Such thoughts make me shudder, thinking someone as delicate as little Elisha could ever be a slave to the mediocre. Not our baby, no way!“Tell me again, Dad,” she interjects, turning towards me and smiling with joy. “Tell me about when you met Daddy?” Her brown eyes sparkle when she looks up at me, lighting her porcelain face. Can a father ever refuse his daughter? How do you say ‘no’ to the product of your love, the person who found a home in your heart without trying and looks to you to lead them along the right paths?“Again?” I tease. “You know this story so well, you can probably tell it better than me.”Warmth fills my cheeks, bringing colour back into this aging man’s face while he toys with the light of his life, the only other person he loves without question. So many times Sammy and I have sat before a roaring fire while Elisha recounted our history like she’s reading a book. Her voice is always filled with such passion that we hang on her every word. One would be forgiven for thinking it’s her past she is detailing, but I guess my husband and I never get bored with sharing how we came to be the lovers we are today.“I like it better when you tell it, Dad. Don’t worry; I will fill in any parts you miss,” she chimes in an assertive manner, and I know without a doubt she will.“Okay, baby,” I commence, drawing her in close so I don’t have to shout too loud. I don’t need unwanted ears to hear something that will forever remain unwritten, a story that’s stamped into my heart and is ours alone. Sammy has his own version of the life we share, but this is all from the very soul of Charlie Shae — this is how I found my love. This shouldn’t be so hard to recollect, but I’ve never had to share our story without my counterpart sitting next to me, relishing my retelling. While the warm breeze runs through my free fingers again, I try to grab onto the emptiness and envision that Sammy isn’t very far away. Sadly, my mind isn’t that creative.Swallowing the pain, I lose myself to the words flowing from me and find myself on auto pilot. “It was the summer of 1996. I had just finished college. . .” 

About M.C. Rayne:



M. C. Rayne got into writing after the passing of his mother, and used it as an outlet to get through the difficult time. He never really thought about becoming an author, but since putting pen to paper he has never looked back
Currently he lives in Leeds with his two best friends Dae and Pete, and his guinea pig, Bean. He spends a lot of time reading and writing, and far too much time procrastination online.
Blog http://simplymcrayne.blogspot.co.ukFB https://www.facebook.com/pages/MC-Rayne-Author-Page/534108516611284?ref=hlGoodreads http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7255637.M_C_RayneTwitter https://twitter.com/SimplyMatt2