Kyle Ann Robertson Author Spotlight and Giveaway

 

 

Behind Closed Words: Exploring the impact of miscommunications and misperceptions within families, delving into the chaos that ensues, even when driven by love.

 

White Picket Fences

Behind Closed Words Collection #1

by Kyle Ann Robertson

Genre: Women’s Fiction

 

White Picket Fences is a heartfelt family drama fueled by an honest story of motherhood, written for those of us caught up in our own self-searching journeys. The one thing Julie Cahill knows because of her transitory upbringing as a military brat is that she never had a hometown. So she has made sure her kids would grow up in one forever home, in a forever neighborhood, with lots of forever friends. Yet her dream of a permanent hometown has her feeling fenced in.

Set in the Delaware Bay area, Julie has achieved her dreams but struggles with having to accept invisibility, underappreciation, and being taken for granted by her family in trade for her unconditional love. Her guilt over not being available for her family on that one fateful day has her challenging karma by tightening her grip on her daughters and husband, ultimately pushing them away.

 

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Not So Little Things

Behind Closed Words Collection #2

Tina Edwards loved her childhood and creating fairy houses, a passion shared with her father, a world-renowned architect. But at nine years old, she found him dead at his desk and is haunted by this memory. Tina's mother abruptly moved away leaving Tina with feelings of abandonment and suspicion. Raised by her loving, wheelchair-bound Aunt Liddy, her father's sister, 33 year old Tina has become a miniature room artist and cherishes the control she has over her life in Northeast Georgia as she works hard to please her beloved dead father's wishes of following in his footsteps in art and history. 

 

 At the same time Mr. Jake Martin, all six-foot three of him, with a heavy southern drawl and winsome dimple, hires Tina to build replicas of the original rooms of his own family's Victorian mansion purchased to turn into a B&B, Tina's estranged, dying mother re-enters her life with family secrets that must be told. Amid their research for Jake, Tina and her assistant find out that stories from his past were unfounded and prove that miscommunications and misperceptions passed down through families create unwarranted, painful separations, echoing Tina's life story.

 

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Since achieving her Creative Writing Certificate from Emory University, Kyle Ann has authored the children's book series " Nissa The Woodland Fairy." as writer BB Walsh. is the CWO (Chief Writing Officer) of the blog IF CORKS COULD TALK. And now her first novel WHITE PICKET FENCES with more to come. Kyle Ann's a retired Physical Therapist Assistant with most of her education coming from raising four children who are all out of college, happy in their own space, and paying their own bills! She spends as much time as possible reading, writing, golfing, gardening, and enjoying a glass of wine with friends and family. KyleAnnRobertson.com

 

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A Year of Firsts: A New Season Story by Liz Flaherty

A Year of Firsts

A New Season Story

by Liz Flaherty

Book Blurb:

A New Season began, as most stories or series do, with the crossing of a bridge into somewhere or something different, something new—something that is a change. Only this time it was a real bridge. I don’t remember where we were, but the green sign identifying the span identified it as Fallen Soldier Bridge. 

While it is true I’ve been known to forget my own name, my kids’ names, and what I came into the kitchen for, the name of that bridge stuck. For months. 

Until I met Syd Cavanaugh and she decided to tell me her story.  

After selling the house she and her late husband had spent most of their marriage renovating, Syd did what he requested in their “marriage book.” Give yourself a year to mourn if you think you need to, then put it away. Make the next year a time of firsts. Do things you’ve always wanted to but haven’t because life—or I—got in the way. 

She started with a red car—Paul had always hated red cars—and ended up in Fallen Soldier, Pennsylvania, where she met Clay McAlister at the Have A Cup coffee and tea shop. Second chances. Loving again. Starting over. 

Could she? 

A Year of Firsts, Book One in A New Season, is Syd and Clay’s story. I hope you like it.  

Buy links:  

Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/43bz9ssu 

D2D: https://books2read.com/u/b5w1NR 

Excerpt: 

If I fall in love again, this will be how it happens.  

The thought came from nowhere she could identify, although she knew deep in her soul that it had to do with the tall man in shorts and a polo shirt walking up the incline of her yard to meet her. The man whose heart would likely not last as long as her own, whose every wince made her fear he was having a heart attack. His attitude toward exercise and diet was that of the middle-aged man in perfect health he appeared to be, not one who had a zipper-like scar up the center of his chest.  

But just the sight of him, with his light brown hair that needed cutting blowing into his eyes even though his graying beard was as always short and neat, made her heart beat harder and faster. She smiled, remembering his explanation of why he had a beard.  

At first he’d said it was because he had a weak chin he didn’t want anyone to notice, but then he’d admitted it had been an ongoing struggle between him and a producer of his show. “He was pushy and I was usually compliant. It was a great gig and I knew it. But it got to where he wanted to…create the brand he wanted me to be, I guess. I mostly went along because he was a pretty smart guy who knew his stuff, but when I came back from vacation with a beard and he gave the order to have it gone before I went on the air, it became the proverbial last straw.” 

Everyone had last straws sometimes, she thought abstractedly, stopping and waiting for him to join her. “Rehearsal was okay, wasn’t it?” she said, thinking her voice sounded horrifyingly breathy. It went along with the movie scenario. “I didn’t make a complete idiot of myself, did I? Or mess things up for other people? I never want to do that. Where’s Toby?” 

Of course, she didn’t. People who were pocket protectors protected not only themselves, but others from themselves.  

During all the long months of his illness, Paul had never seen her angry. She’d confined that to times alone. She’d hidden her anger to protect him, yet it had probably created a chasm between them. She should have let him see her last straws sometimes.  

“He’s asleep. Braxton is staying the night.” Clay didn’t hesitate as he joined her, just put his arms around her and led her into a dance. “You were great.” 

Syd wasn’t a good dancer, by any means. When friends used to tell her to “listen for the beat,” she always said, “what beat?” because she could never hear it. But she’d loved to dance anyway. It was emotion in motion, and sometimes…sometimes after Paul got sick it had been better than running screaming into the woods behind the house, which had been both an alternative and a temptation. Abba and Billy Joel and Journey had often brought some semblance of peace to the crashing cacophony of her anger. 

She couldn’t remember the last time she’d danced in a man’s arms—probably at the girls’ weddings, when Paul was already having trouble moving but had been determined to dance not only with Haley and Shiloh but with Syd as well. It had been excruciating, the fear that he would fall and be injured or become so exhausted he couldn’t stay to enjoy the receptions.  

The memory was fleeting, and of happy times, and then it was just Clay McAlister. Taller and more muscled than Paul had been, his arms creating a circle of light for just the two of them as they danced across the grass.  

When he kissed her in the shade of the willow tree, she wasn’t sure where the stars came from, only that they filled her eyes and, for a long and tender moment, her heart. She’d been so tired when she came outside, but weariness gave way to the magic of the clear night and being in Clay McAlister’s arms. She’d set her glass down somewhere, or he had, leaving her arms free to go around him.  

It couldn’t go anywhere, whatever “it,” this meeting of hearts and minds, was. She couldn’t go through it again, the caring for and ultimate losing of a man she loved. She didn’t think Clay wanted to settle into a committed relationship, either, and she didn’t know how to have any other kind.  

“Boat ride?” he said quietly, meeting her gaze in the dim lights from the deck. 

She nodded. That much, she could do. Saying no never even occurred to her. 

Bio and links: 

Retired from the post office, Liz Flaherty spends non-writing time sewing, quilting, and wanting to travel. The author of 20-some books and her husband Duane share an old farmhouse in North Central Indiana. 

Liz thinks one of the things that keeps you young when you quite obviously aren’t anymore is the constant chances you have to reinvent yourself. Her latest professional incarnation is as a fledgling women’s fiction author and she is enjoying every minute that she’s not scared to death.   

She can be reached at lizkflaherty@gmail.com or please find her at any of the places listed in Linktree at https://linktr.ee/LizFlaherty?subscribe 

 

Don't Forget To Write by Sara Goodman Confino

Don't Forget To Write

by Sara Goodman Confino

Amazon Buy Link

Book Blurb:

In 1960, a young woman discovers a freedom she never knew existed in this exhilarating, funny, and emotional novel by the bestselling author of She’s Up to No Good.

When Marilyn Kleinman is caught making out with the rabbi’s son in front of the whole congregation, her parents ship her off to her great-aunt Ada for the summer. If anyone can save their daughter’s reputation, it’s Philadelphia’s strict premier matchmaker. Either that or Marilyn can kiss college goodbye.

To Marilyn’s surprise, Ada’s not the humorless septuagenarian her mother described. Not with that platinum-blonde hair, Hermès scarf, and Cadillac convertible. She’s sharp, straight-talking, takes her job very seriously, and abides by her own rules…mostly. As the summer unfolds, Ada and Marilyn head for the Jersey shore, where Marilyn helps Ada scope out eligible matches—for anyone but Marilyn, that is.

Because if there’s one thing Marilyn’s learned from Ada, it’s that she doesn’t have to settle. With the school year quickly approaching and her father threatening to disinherit her, Marilyn must make her choice for her future: return to the comfortable life she knows or embrace a risky, unknown path on her own.

Review:

I enjoyed this book.  I wasn't sure I would, at first, but the more I read, the better I liked the book.  Marilyn is a rebellious young woman from a strict home with a father who believes women are meant to be married and have kids and nothing else.  She gets in trouble and is sent off to her aunt's house.  Her aunt models an assertive woman who charts her own course and is respected.  Marilyn learns there is a world that is a lot wider than her father's world out there just waiting for her.  Will she make the leap?   If you like coming-of-age stories, you will probably like this one.  While not a romance, per se, it has romance and a happy ending.  I would read something else by this author.

 

She Calls Her Mom by Kana Wu

 

 

She Calls Her Mom

by Kana Wu

Genre: Women's Fiction, Romance, Mystery 

A journey of shattered dreams, unexpected love, and a quest for self-discovery.

If you enjoy stories that delve into family dynamics, grief, love, loss, self-discovery, and navigating challenging circumstances, this novella is perfect for you.

Zoey Matthew is excited to celebrate her upcoming 21st birthday and begin building the life she’s always wanted. However, her dreams are shattered when her sister and brother-in-law die in a hit-and-run accident, leaving their baby, Ella, in her care. Suddenly she has to learn how to take care of an infant and juggle her new career while grieving the loss of her sister, who had been like a mom to her after their own mother abandoned them. And losing her dad at a young age right before her mom left without a word has Zoey feeling lost and less than adequate for the job of becoming a mother to Ella.

Encountering frequent challenges, Zoey gives up her career to care for her niece and throws in the towel on ever having a love life since she believes no man will be interested in her—a woman with a baby. Feeling alone and vulnerable, she finds hope and joy in the presence of new friends: a kind-hearted Claudia and a charming-baby whisperer, Derek.

Zoey realizes that her life can never truly be at peace until her sister’s murderer is brought to justice and she finds out who is behind the mysterious weekly grocery deliveries. Will she uncover the truth and find closure, or will the disclosures shatter her world even further?

#ComingOfAge #FamilyDynamics #GriefJourney #SelfDiscovery #NewBeginnings #MotherhoodChallenges #Resilience #LoveAndLoss

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Kana Wu is a bilingual author who writes her novels in English as her second language. She also enjoys traveling and incorporates the places she visits into her books.

Her debut novel, No Romance Allowed, won the Romance category for the 2020 TCK Publishing Readers’ Choice Awards Contest.

Her second novel, No Secrets Allowed, earned a 1st Place Blue Ribbon for the Chatelaine Book Awards for Romantic Fiction, a division of the 2021 Chanticleer International Book Awards.

Currently, she resides in beautiful Southern California with her husband, surrounded by her books and the occasional hummingbird or wild birds’ visitor.

Keep up with Kana's latest news and updates by visiting her website or following her on social media.

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Three Coins by Kimberly Sullivan

 

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Three Coins

by Kimberly Sullivan

Genre: Women's Fiction, Romance

One Eternal City. Three women. Three wishes. Three coins.

Emma, an American expat living in Rome for twenty years, can’t count on her ex-husband to help out with the kids when things get tough. Dario Rinaldi, famed plastic surgeon to the stars, is too busy gallivanting around Europe with young women to take an interest in his family.

Beautiful Tiffany, born and bred in Iowa, is desperate to get a spot as a dancer on an Italian television show. But is she willing to do whatever it takes to make her dreams of TV stardom come true?

Annarita, from an Italian-American family in Yonkers, teaches English to over-privileged Italians and regularly has her heart trampled by boyfriends all wrong for her. As her mother is always quick to point out, nothing has gone right for her since she moved to Italy. And she isn’t getting any younger, either.

Emma, Tiffany and Annarita all meet up by chance at a 1950s movie night while on a restorative holiday at a beach resort off-season. The triumphs and hardships of these three very different women become intertwined as they form an unlikely friendship and work to better their messy lives.

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I write the women’s fiction stories I love to read, both contemporary and historic tales of women and the rich lives they lead along their journeys of self-discovery. A lifetime admirer and longtime resident of Italy, I’m often guilty of sneaking the bel paese into my stories.

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A Blaze of Poppies by Jennifer Bohnhoff

 

 

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A Blaze of Poppies

by Jennifer Bohnhoff

Genre: Historical Romance, Women's Fiction

In 1916, Mexico is on the brink of revolution. Despite armed bandits streaming over the border and prejudices against female ranchers, feisty little Agnes Day is determined to keep the family ranch and run it on her own terms. The last thing she wants is to fall under the authority of a husband who will keep her from the land she loves.

Her ally in the fight is Will Bowers, a strong and silent New Mexico Guardsman assigned to nearby Camp Columbus under General Blackjack Pershing, but Will hides a dark and disturbed background that stops him from committing to any one or any place. Then the United States enters World War I and both Agnes and Will are swept into conflagration.

Can Agnes secure a peaceful future on the Sunrise Ranch after the insanity and bloodshed of war? Dare she hope to share that future with someone else?

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A lifelong New Mexican, Jennifer Bohnhoff loves travel and history, so it should come as no surprise that many of her books are historical novels set in beautiful or interesting places.

She taught Middle School Language Arts and New Mexico History for years, but has left to become a full time author. She loves helping people reach that "ah hah" moment when they suddenly understand the connections between themselves, the past, eternity, and the world around them.

Mrs. Bohnhoff is the mother of three handsome men, the mother-in-law of three beautiful daughters and the grandmother of three very smart granddaughters and one grandson. She lives in the mountains of central New Mexico with her husband, Monstro the wonder dog, and a petulant stinker of a cat who cares nothing for her writing.

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THE SPA AT LAVENDER LANE

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The Spa at Lavender Lane

by

Phyllis Melhado

Women’s Fiction

Date Published: May 7, 2020

Publisher: Black Rose Writing 



Take a peek behind the curtain of wealth and glamour in Phyllis Melhado’s sassy and sultry beach read. The guests who arrive for a 10-day stay at the nation’s premier spa at Lavender Lane seem to have
everything a girl could want: high-flying careers, social and financial prowess, access to the top fashions and beauty products, and even a dash of
fame. Yet each woman is in need of rejuvenation from insecurities, flatlined business motivation, or failed relationships – problems that will require more than the spa’s renowned anti-aging quince cream to fix. As the women learn to trust one another, they each figure out how to take a second chance at life, and reclaim what’s most important.

“We’re here, Miss,” the driver said, jarring Toni Etheridge from a state roughly approaching relaxation.

She pushed her sunglasses up into her tousled auburn hair and snapped open her bloodshot hazel eyes, almost sorry the ride was over. The trip from LAX had provided the first pleasant moments in an otherwise horrendous travel day filled with an insane traffic jam on the way to JFK which nearly caused her to miss her flight, a terrible seat at the rear of the plane where the cabin staff were constantly rattling cans and refilling their carts and a raucous group of drag queens on their way to a competition in LA, who didn’t shut up for a minute during the entire five-hour flight. But the capper was the sudden drop in altitude that put her stomach firmly in her mouth and sent her stumbling to the bathroom to make sure that her body had not betrayed her like it had done a few years before. Happily, what she found was just the result of a leaky bladder and not the catastrophe she had dreaded.

“May I help you?” asked the good-looking young man as he opened the car door and offered his hand. He smiled broadly, gleaming white teeth set off by eager blue eyes and deeply tanned skin.

Even though they were miles from the sea, Toni thought he had perfect California surfer looks, complete with thick, wavy blonde hair and a tall, well-built body.

“Did you have a good trip?” he inquired.

“Good trip!” Toni grunted, pushing her glasses back down to shield her eyes from the southern California desert sun. “Do you really want to know?

She leaned back and looked at him for a long moment, then laughed. “Of course you don’t want to know! I’ll spare you.”

There was an audible sigh of relief.

“Ms.,” the limo driver interjected, appearing with two mismatched and beaten-up travel bags.

“Oh, thanks. You can dump my stuff over there,” Toni said, pointing to a collection of Gucci, Vuitton and Prada bags waiting to be delivered to the rooms of other newly arrived guests.

“Now, Michael?” she asked, focusing on the name badge pinned to the surfer boy’s neat white Lacoste shirt. “Where to?” She grabbed his arm and gave him one of her most engaging smiles.
Michael smiled politely and tried to usher Toni in through the front door. “They’ll take good care of you at the desk, Ms...”

“Etheridge,” Toni said, taking off her sunglasses, but making no move to walk in.

“We’ve got to get you checked in quickly, Ms. Etheridge. Madame Demidova runs a tight ship.”

“I’ve heard that, Michael,” Toni said, toying with his nametag. I’m sure she depends on you to, uh, keep things moving.” She flashed him a coy smile. “And I certainly don’t want to get you in any kind of trouble.”

There was an awkward pause.

“I would sure appreciate that, Ma’am.”

“Ma’am!” Toni shrieked. “Dear God. I’m not that old!”

“Of course not!” Michael said quickly as he encouraged her through the door to reception.

“Ah, Ms. Etheridge,” the front desk clerk said. “Welcome!” But before Toni had a chance to reply, the cell phone buried in her huge tote bag began to ring. Damn, she thought, remembering the rules she had read in Lavender Lane’s confirmation letter: No men, other than staff, allowed on the premises. No loud talking in the public areas. And absolutely no cell phones. She began fumbling in her bag. “Shit!” she said, quite audibly. “Where is the damn thing?”

“Ah,” she heard a voice say softly. “You must be Antoinette Etheridge. We’ve been expecting you.”

Toni looked at the small, impeccably dressed woman who had silently advanced toward her. Clearly Chanel, and definitely the real thing -- and oh-oh. It could only be one person.

“Oh, dear. I am so sorry,” she said sheepishly. Her phone, which had migrated to the bottom of her bag, somewhere between a prickly hairbrush and a plastic bag full of broken pretzel bits, continued to ring. “Guess I forgot to turn the darned thing off.” Gee-sus. Do you believe this? Toni felt her face flower into a full flush. She rummaged around her bag and after two more excruciating rings, finally located the phone and turned it off.

The woman in Chanel stood silently, a patient smile on her face.

“My apologies,” Toni said.

“Nothing to be concerned about,” the woman said in a soothing tone. “You’re here, now, and it’s time to leave behind those dreadful little machines and all that New York stress.” She offered her hand. “I'm Nadia Demidova, dear. Welcome to Lavender Lane.”

About the Author

The former Vice President of Public Relations for Estee Lauder, Phyllis Melhado has had her work published in Town & Country, Cosmopolitan, and The Scarlet Leaf Review. She has also ghosted a best-selling beauty book as well as a nationally syndicated beauty column. She earned her Master’s degree in Communications from NYU and lives in New York City. The Spa at Lavender Lane is her first novel. To learn more about Phyllis and her work, visit https://www.phyllismelhado.com.

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WHEN I CHOOSE

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Contemporary Romance & Women's Fiction

Date Published:  3/30/2020

Publisher:  The Wild Rose Press

CAMELLIA HOLIDAY wants it all – love, family, and a career in fashion design. At twenty she snagged a dream job with one of the top designers in New York. However, scandal in the fashion world unravels her life when her boss is accused of stealing a famous fashion ingénue’s designs. Entangled in the sordid mess and with her fashion future in ruins, Camellia decides to return home to Serenity Island to start over and be with family. The downside? She must face her past, which include her ex-fiancé Noah and her longtime nemesis Trina who both seem determined to ruin any chance of reconstructing her life.

Old rivals, new love, and a needed do-over challenge Camellia to design a new, stronger self. It will take home, family and caring for a young boy to help her find the right path and make the right choices.

Excerpt

“Ha. I’m a long way from thirty. Besides, hooking a guy and landing a marriage are not at the top of my to-do list.” Camellia stepped toward the closet. A sudden queasiness rippled through her stomach and she wasn’t feeling hungry any longer.

“Oh, I’ll agree to a certain extent. Careers are essential for either sex. Gotta make a living, but I hope for marriage and a family someday. Don’t you?” Freesia’s eyebrows puckered into a frown.

“Maybe.” Camellia lifted her bag out of the closet and straightened. She caught the concern on Freesia’s face. Pausing for a moment, she fished out her keys. “Of course, I think about those things. I imagine every woman does, but the situation doesn’t require a time table. Not nowadays. I do know one thing.” She slid her finger playfully along the bridge of Freesia’s nose. “If and when I decide to get married, you’ll be my maid of honor.”

“Nice.” Freesia’s grin spread from ear to ear. “Maybe I’ll be your matron of honor, if I beat you to the altar.”

Camellia shrugged. “I could take your words as a challenge, but I won’t. Because I don’t care. Thirty, forty, or whenever, I’ll wait until the time feels right. You’ll be wiser to think the same.” She squeezed Freesia’s shoulder. “Now, I’m off. I have tons of errands to run and things to do at my shop.” My shop. Those words sounded pleasing. Despite the tragic news of Gloria’s death, she grew more confident about her decision, her shop, and her fashion line. The idea was becoming her own possible reality.

Interview With Kathryn Long

Please tell us about growing up.

I’m the youngest of five. The sibling closest to me was 16 when I was born. And I have a sister who’s 23 years my senior! Growing up was like being an only child. I was shy, and I’d often spend my free time reading and escaping into imaginary worlds rather than socializing with other kids. I’ve lived all my life in northeast Ohio and I’m second-generation American on my mom’s side, third-generation on my dad’s.

A mix of German, Irish, and Yugoslavian in my heritage makes for fun and interesting celebrations. I’m married with three children, two daughters and a son. Fortunately, all live close by so we get together quite often. My life has been the textbook definition of arrested development. When I turned 22, I learned to play the guitar. I started my career in teaching at age 40. And I had my first novel published at the age of 53. Never let people tell you it’s too late to try something new!

When you’re not writing, what’s your favorite way to relax and recharge? Hobbies?

I have two adorable grandsons—ages 3 and 1 ½. I love spending time with them and with the rest of my family. Vacation getaways to a cabin in the Pennsylvania Allegheny Forest and anywhere near a beach are always relaxing and fun. I enjoy playing the guitar. Though currently, I’d say my skills are a bit stale. LOL.

How long have you been writing?

Mine is the typical writer’s story. I began writing poems and stories almost as soon as I learned how to put words to paper. However, I didn’t get serious about it until high school. I never attempted writing a novel until in my late forties…and that was twenty years ago! Since my first effort, I’ve written and published a dozen novels, both mystery and romance. It’s been a fun ride, and I guess I’m a testament to the saying, “better late than never”.

A lot of us were late bloomers. LOL Where do you prefer to write? Do you need quiet, music, solitude? PC or laptop?

I have an office, yet I seem to spend more time sitting in my family room and comfy chair, typing away on my laptop. I need quiet while writing—no tv, no music, no talking, no distractions whatsoever. When editing, I can listen to music, but not television. Way too easy to get wrapped up in whatever show is on!

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

Mostly plotter. I outline by writing chapter summaries, which, of course, I always tweak along the way.

Tell us about your writing schedule. Do you set goals? Do you write daily?

I don’t have a daily schedule, but I try to keep up with a set word count per week when I’m on deadline. For instance, I have a manuscript due in July. So, I’ve set a goal to write X amount of words each week, leaving a month to spare for polishing and editing. In truth, it takes the joy out of it somewhat, but I believe in the advice that the more you write, the better your writing can become. Let’s hope!

Tell us something about yourself that might surprise readers.

I actually spent a few years, in my thirties, writing songs, and I tried to sell some but unfortunately without success. It was fun trying, though. And my kids loved it!

What advice would you give to unpublished authors?

It’s not enough to say if you love writing, you’ll keep trying. I mean who wants to go at it blindly? Every writer needs direction. For instance, you should learn as much as you can about the industry before attempting to get your work published. Check out author/writer chats on query dot com and other sites like it. Join a writers’ group to stay aware of current trends, to be inspired, and of course for the opportunity to engage with other writers who enjoy talking about writing as much as you do! As for improving your skills, read a few how-to books on the craft. Stephen King’s ON WRITING is one of my favorites. And finally, read lots of books, contemporary ones, in your genre.

What has helped you in your writing career?

My stubborn, dogged attitude to never give up, for one. As I mentioned above, books on the craft helped me tremendously, and the author friends I meet with keep me inspired.

What do you hope your writing brings to readers?

Entertainment and escape. I’m not, nor ever want to be a nonfiction author. I read fiction because I enjoy that escape into another world. I hope to reach my readers in a similar way.

About the Author

Kathryn Long is a retired teacher and novel-reading addict who loves weaving intricate details together into stories readers can’t help but enjoy. When writing and the creative muse take a break, this author loves to travel, especially to warm, sunny beaches, and to watch heart-wrenching movies with happy endings.

Kathryn lives in the City of Green located in northeast Ohio with her husband and little pooch Max. She is a member of Sisters in Crime and International Thriller Writers. Besides her contemporary romance WHEN I CHOOSE, Kathryn has several other published works, including romantic suspense A DEADLY DEED GROWS, and her more recent release, BURIED IN SIN, a murder mystery set in the rural Allegheny Forest of NW Pennsylvania.

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AN UNEXPECTED GIFT

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An Unexpected Gift 

by
Krista Grayce 

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Women's Fiction 

Publication Date: November 25, 2019

Janie Nolan’s future had never been more uncertain, she was just learning to live with the loss of her mother from cancer, she suddenly finds herself jobless after an unexpected diagnosis with autism at the age of fifty-five. The thought of moving back to her childhood home in the idyllic town of Cape May, New Jersey to assess her future is a daunting proposal. It is in that sleepy shore town that she must reconnect with her abusive father. Now ailing, he has handed over control of the family business, a failing small theater, as a possible means for a fresh start. However, Janie is uncertain as to what his true motives might be.

Alec Ryan, a handsome, former intern of her father’s and now a successful Broadway producer and director arrives from New York carrying his own tumultuous past with plans to assist Janie in restoring the theater to its former glory. Along the way, Alec discovers qualities in Janie that prove she is more than just her diagnosis and resolves to help restore Janie as well, simultaneously putting his own demons to rest and learning to love again.

But when the small town gossip mill begins to buzz about Alec and a piece of jewelry left by her mother is revealed, Janie learns of a secret that may take things in another direction could change the course of her life forever. 

Seagulls were calling her outside the windows. Their cries welcomed Janie home. She felt she could not rest in that house without hearing their voices high in the morning breeze outside. They were brazen and never shut up. She could relate to that; they were her kind of bird. Their sharp squawks soothed her as they always did. The Cape May beach, light from the lighthouse, and those crazy birds, was all she needed to remain calm and content.

"The way I see it, Alec, forgiveness is letting go of all negative emotions and memories; it’s moving on with whatever goodness remains. For years I had punished myself, feeling that if I forgave more, then he would love me and accept me, and I would have more friends, but the truth was, it was never in the cards or in God’s plan. Forgiveness was the life lesson that the Lord wanted me to learn."

Janie felt her heart start to speed up. Adrenaline flooded her system as if on an IV. She thought her heart was going to explode. Her eyes widened trying to focus despite the neon and fluorescent lights. Janie wanted to either run for the hills or crawl under a table. Instead, she stayed close to Alec who was unaware of her current predicament. She wanted desperately to suppress the hammering in her chest, but any attempt would be futile. Janie was overwhelmed and her skin felt clammy and cold. The noise in the pub seemed to be getting louder and louder, leading to humming and buzzing in her ears and drowning out her own thoughts. She placed her hands over her ears and closed her eyes tightly. She began to hyperventilate and moved her hands to her throat to relieve the tightness that was developing there. It was then that Alec took notice.

"Janie, are you okay?"

"NO, NO… I have to go, I have to go, I am so sorry!" Janie turned and ran out the door.

What Alec saw when he really looked at Janie, was that despite shutting off her emotions for self-protection, she was still working on saving, helping, and loving others... in a way that was enhanced by her apparent lack of emotions. Whether it was called autism, or Asperger’s, if people couldn't see her immeasurable love for others then they were truly blind.

The Cape May shore was a graceful sweep of sand, glittering under the spring sun. This was where the placid ocean came to rest. The waves rolled in with a soothing sound. The beachgoers walked along the crest of the dry and wet sand, picking up the seashells that lay every few feet or so. These shells were treasures of an aquatic world just out of reach. The footprints they left behind were soon erased. The sun was high at noon and getting warmer. The aroma of sea air mixed with the smell of fudge coming from the stores on the promenade was as fragrant as it always was and brought back some very comforting memories.

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Krista Grayce, Author

HI! Just to tell you a bit about myself, I have lived in Seattle, WA most of my life. However, I was raised in New York and spent summers in Cape May, NJ. Most of my work is set on the beaches and beach towns of the Jersey Shore. I wrote my first novel when I was thirteen years old and continued to write poetry and short stories for the following years. I have had articles and papers published as well as photographs that were published in a book entitled "Rock and Roll Memorabilia II". 

I hold an AA degree in Business Management. I never obtained a degree in Literary Arts or Writing per se but I feel I come by my writing talent organically as William Shakespeare is my 1st cousin 12 times removed. 

"An Unexpected Gift" is my debut novel. Like Janie, the main character in the novel, I was diagnosed with High Functioning Autism at the age of forty-eight. However, I am proud to share this diagnosis with Ralph Waldo Emerson and Emily Dickenson as well as many others. I see my autism as a gift from God. It has given me a high intellect and innate talent that I use as a tool to enlighten the rest of the world to the plight of adults with autism. 

Like many people on the spectrum, I never married or had children which is sadly my greatest regret. I currently live with my wonderful sister Kendra and my three cats Tyler, Tabitha and Teddy in Spokane, WA. I am planning to move back to the New Jersey Shore as soon as possible. 

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