Author: Cindy

No one ever accused me of not trying to look at the bright side when it comes to the rollercoaster world of publishing. Looking at the bright side has seen me through plenty of ups and downs…like selling a book to a publisher and then that publisher announcing that your book will be the last of their romance line.

How can such news have a bright side?

Because WHERE SHE BELONGS could be said to have some value as a collector’s edition. Who wouldn’t want to own one of the last two romance novels ever to be published by Five Star Expressions? In hardy hardcover and with a beautiful dust jacket? I mean, even if you hate the book and throw it against the wall, it’s not likely to get hurt. Thereby ensuring its “collector’s edition” status.

Yes, folks, I believe in serving lemonade.

My third and final excerpt from the novel follows. My laser eye surgery recovery is coming along, but I still need to restrict my computer time as the bright screen is very drying on my eyes. However, next week, please return for some exciting subsidiary rights news! (What are subsidiary rights, you ask? You’ll find out next week!)

Excerpt 3

WHERE SHE BELONGS isn’t only Jess and Adam’s story. It’s also about Jess and her mother re-establishing their relationship. The book features three points of view—scenes told from Jess’s viewpoint, scenes from Adam’s, and scenes from Jess’s mom’s viewpoint. The following scene is from Jess’s point of view but is between her and her mom, rather than her and Adam. Jess woke up early to find the door to the back porch open. Her mother is sitting in one of the porch chairs, watching the horses in the pasture and stroking her deceased husband’s sheepskin coat on her lap. While Jess and Pete did not have anything approaching a healthy relationship, Jess is about to learn that her mother has also had her own heartaches to bear.

Sitting in the second chair, she tucked her bare feet beneath her robe and clasped her mom’s hand on the armrest. “Is that Pete’s coat?” she asked quietly.

Her mom nodded. “I only came out to pick the flowers. After I put them in water, something urged me to go outside again, almost like Peter was calling me. I went around the corner, and that’s when I found this coat . . . hanging on the outside hook.”

“It looks like an outdoorsman’s coat.” Like her dad might have worn. Not Peter Olson, bespectacled supermarket manager.

“Peter wore it on our walks. We walked several times a week, even in winter. He must have left it out here before he died.” Her mom’s gaze shifted to the pasture. The breeze ruffled her short, graying curls. “Peter and I had our routines. Every morning before he went to work we’d have coffee, watch the horses. It was his idea to lease out the fields and barn, you know.”

Jess squeezed her mom’s hand. “It was a good idea.”

“Peter was a good man. I know you haven’t always believed that, Jessie, but it’s true. Yet, he could be difficult at times. I realize he was often rude to you.”

Her chest pinched. “Because I reminded him of Dad,” she whispered.

“Yes. That didn’t excuse his behavior—or mine. I should have stood up for you, honey. I knew you were hurting.”

“Mom, please don’t do this to yourself. None of us were blameless.”

Her mom shook her head. “Peter and I were to blame. You were so young.”

“I was old enough to decide I wanted to marry Danny. Old enough to realize that suddenly leaving home would hurt you. I didn’t have to act out around Pete, but I—” She swallowed. “He took you away from me.”

A tear trickled down her mother’s cheek. “Because I allowed him to.”

“That’s water under the bridge now, isn’t it? I want it to be. Because, despite how upset I was with you back then, despite all my old hurt and anger, I do know that Pete was a good man. I know that you loved him and he loved you.”

Torment drenched her mother’s sigh. “And I know my love for Peter has always bothered you, Jessie. There are many different kinds of love, though. My love for your father was strong, so strong sometimes that it wore me out. Frank gave a lot, but he demanded a lot, too.”

“I think I can see that now. I remember Dad as larger than life, full of exuberance and vitality. I imagine it was difficult keeping up with him.”

“Yes. Peter was much more my equal. My love for Peter is . . . was . . . softer than the love I felt for your father. Peter was my husband, but he was also my friend . . . what I needed most.”

“It wasn’t that way with Dad?” Jess asked through a tight throat.

“Don’t misunderstand me, Jessie.” Her mother glanced at her, hazel eyes imploring. “Frank was a powerhouse, and I loved him deeply. Even when it was to my detriment—and yours—I put him first. Just like I did with Peter. You know your father and I wanted more children. But not because we didn’t love you. I hope you realize that.”

Jess blinked back tears. “Dad wanted a big family. I heard him say so countless times.” In the pasture, the horses nickered, and the morning sun polished the dry grass gold. Soon, new spring growth would replace winter’s remnants.

“Yes.” One tiny, quiet word. “But I couldn’t give him more children. We were married ten years before I became pregnant with you.”

Jess shook her head. “How do you know it was you? Was your fertility tested?”

“No. Neither of us were tested, which makes my crime worse. Frank would have considered testing an insult, so I didn’t push it. With my erratic cycle, it was easy to assume—”

“That it was your problem? Mom, it doesn’t matter whose body was responsible. It was yours and Dad’s inability to have more children, not yours alone.”

“In hindsight, I understand that. But when you were little, I let my guilt come between us, between me and my sweet daughter.”

“You did?” Jess asked hoarsely.

“I’m ashamed to admit it, but yes. Your father loved you so much . . . ” Her mom’s hand slipped out from hers, and the cedar armrest grazed Jess’s palm. Then her mom’s hand settled on hers. Smooth, gentle, the touch of love. “Frank didn’t ask me to fade into the background. Because of my guilt, I pulled away from you. I thought he would be happier that way, so then you’d be happier, too.” A sob broke free from her. “But I messed up everything. I sacrificed your love. Can you forgive me?”

“Mom, there’s nothing to forgive. I love you.”

Her mother smiled, but it quivered. “Your father burst into my life and stole my breath away. I wanted to give him everything, and I did, including you. When he died, and then Danny . . . Jessie, you were so lost and alone, and I was such a failure.”

“Mom, you were never a failure.”

“Yes, I was, and I need to accept that. I wasn’t there for you. My sweet daughter, I’m so sorry.”

“It’s okay.” She couldn’t deny the absolution her mother obviously needed. She lifted their joined hands and kissed her mom’s. “I mean it, Mom. I love you.”

***

One last time – buy links!

Amazon

Amazon Canada

Barnes and Noble

Five Star/Cengage Winter 2011 Catalogue for Librarians

Okay, so it’s a tad later than initially promised, but I’m now extremely happy to present a second excerpt from WHERE SHE BELONGS, which is currently shipping from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Amazon Canada. Librarians can order from Five Star/Cengage. You can download a PDF of the Five Star Winter 2011 Catalogue here and present it to your librarian to make ordering (and reading!) easier and faster.

While I’m thrilled to finally see WHERE SHE BELONGS published, it’s kind of a sad time, too. Because the Five Star Expressions line, which published romances and women’s fiction, is ending with the publication of my novel and another by author Stacey Coverstone.

I didn’t kill the line, I promise! I know it looks that way, but I swear it’s not true. Five Star will continue to publish mysteries, and some romantic supsense novels and mystery romances will be included in their Mystery line. But no more Expressions novels.

I have no idea how large the print run is for my book. Or when it will sell out. So if you’re itching to read it, I’m not feeding you a line when I say it’s best to buy it now–or ask your library to order it in for you.

Enough with the doom and gloom! It’s time for another excerpt.

Excerpt 2

The first scene posted on my blog December 16th was from Jess’s point of view, so now  here’s one from Adam’s.

Jess and Adam have just taken Jess’s mother’s car to a mechanic. Adam has an SUV and a bush pickup, so he’s lending Jess his SUV while her recently deceased stepfather’s classic car is in the shop. Trouble is, she hasn’t driven a standard stick shift since she was a teenager. Adam gives her a lesson in the garage parking lot, then, well, he’s supposed to give her directions to his log house, where she’ll drop him off (that’s where his pickup is). But he wants to spend time with her, so…

“I’ll let you know when to turn. Relax.”

“Easy for you to say.” But she slackened her death-grip on the steering wheel and took two more loops around the garage, engaging and releasing the clutch in better synchronization with the gearshift. She released a breath. Pride wreathed her face as she pulled onto the highway and accelerated to a few kilometers below the posted speed limit.

Adam clapped and whistled. She shot him a humor-filled glance.

“Another milestone!” he declared when she turned onto Destiny Falls Crossroad without riding the clutch.

“Oh, shut up,” she tossed back lightly. “Can’t you see I’m driving?”

“Yes, Mother.” He slouched against the armrest like an insolent teenager. Pretending to watch the scenery, he monitored her progress from the corner of one eye. She returned her attention to the road, which curved and wound at a steady incline. The spruce and fir trees lining the shoulders increased in size and density as the houses facing the Crossroad gave way to treed acreage and forested mountains. The road narrowed, and soon thick brush obscured the signs.

“Shouldn’t we have reached Red Rock Road by now?” she asked.

“We passed it five minutes ago.”

“What? Why didn’t you say something?”

“You told me to shut up.”

“Oh, for—” She glared at him as if he were frustration incarnate. He wiggled his eyebrows like Bugs Bunny outfoxing Elmer Fudd. “Adam Wright! You tricked me on purpose!”

He showed his teeth. “Guilty.”

“I don’t believe this! I can’t turn around now without taking us into the ditch. What should I do?”

“You tell me, Jess. You’re in the driver’s seat.”

“Cute, Wright.” Twin spots of color flared on her cheeks, giving her a just-been-kissed-and-not-too-thrilled-about-it look. “As if I’m not nervous enough learning to drive this behemoth, you have to play word games.”

He shrugged. “You’re tense. I’m helping you loosen up.”

“I’ll loosen a can of kick-butt on you if you’re not careful.”

“Come on, Jess, you’re doing fine. The turn-off for the waterfall is up ahead. We’ll drive around the campsites, check out the local wonder of nature. Have you visited the falls since you came home?”

“Mom’s car hasn’t exactly been reliable, remember?”

“So, I found a way around that. I thought you’d appreciate it.”

“You’re hopeless, you know that? The only reason you didn’t breathe a word is because you knew you’d never get me in the middle of nowhere with you like this without resorting to another of your dirty tricks.”

“Dirty tricks? Moi?” He crossed his heart over his shirt pocket. “My intentions are as honorable as my gender allows.”

“Well, at least you score points for honesty.” Reducing speed, she downshifted smoothly into third gear. “Where’s this turn-off, anyway? My memory’s rusty.”

“That long, huh?” He pointed out a sign. “Take a left. Quick!”

Shifting jerkily into second, she swung the truck onto a narrow road. It bounced over a pothole, engine wailing like a wounded animal. “Sorry.”

“Did I complain?”

“No. Thank you.” She chose the fork to the right, following the loop of empty campsites nestled amid tall evergreens. Tourists rarely descended on the area until May. He and Jess would have the falls to themselves.

Good. He didn’t feeling like sharing the scenery. Or the woman.

At his suggestion, she parked parallel to the viewing deck. As if stretched to the limits of her endurance, she crumpled against her seat and sighed. “We made it.”

He laughed at her woebegone expression. “Who’d have thought it? Jessica Morgan—busy merchandising executive and world traveler—humbled by a standard SUV.”

“Humiliated is more like it. And please don’t call me Jessica.”

“Why not? It’s a beautiful name.”

“Maybe, but it’s not mine.”

“What’s Jess short for, then?”

“Plain Jessie, with an ‘i-e.’ Mom named me for her father, Jesse Banks. She always said she didn’t see the point in calling me Jessica when she never planned to use the name.”

“So your birth certificate reads?”

“Jessie Noreen. Corny, huh?”

“I think it’s great. Although unusual around here, a girl being named for her grandfather.”

“Thank God his name wasn’t Marvin.” Her voice brimmed with warmth.

Adam liked her wit. Too bad she didn’t display it more often. “I was named for my mom’s father, too—Tom McLean. My middle name is Thomas.”

“Really? I thought it was Perseverance.”

“Very funny.” He lowered his gaze to her lips. What he’d give to silence her smart mouth with a slow, deep kiss. Unfortunately, the last he knew, mature, adult “friends” didn’t hook up in parked vehicles like a couple of sex-starved teenagers. “Now do you want to see the falls or what?”

If she’d replied “or what,” he would have gone ahead and kissed her—damn the friendship. It was a farce, anyway. He knew it, and so did she. She just didn’t want to admit it.

***

Want buy links? I got ’em.

Amazon

Amazon Canada

Barnes and Noble

Information for Your Librarian to Order from Five Star/Cengage