Hey all,
Since I don't do anything online on Sundays, I'll use this day to share with you about some of my work. Let's start with my latest
release, Do Me A Favor.
This story is the second of the Second Chances series. We met Keeton and Favor in Waiting in the Wings, and now you'll get to know them a little better. You'll see how they actually got together.
Here's a quick blurb...
Since I don't do anything online on Sundays, I'll use this day to share with you about some of my work. Let's start with my latest
release, Do Me A Favor.This story is the second of the Second Chances series. We met Keeton and Favor in Waiting in the Wings, and now you'll get to know them a little better. You'll see how they actually got together.
Here's a quick blurb...
When country music sensation Keeton Metro’s plane goes down in a freak mountain storm, his entire crew is killed and he is left barely alive. He is pulled from the wreckage by a mysterious mountain woman who tends to his wounds and brings him back from the brink of death.
Favor Rowan has lived on her mountain alone since her beloved mother died. When she rescues the handsome singer, healing him using a special empathic gift, she doesn’t expect to fall head-over-heels in love with him.
A shotgun wedding propels Favor into Keeton’s world, and confused, heartbroken and angry, they both have to decide if what they had on the mountain was nothing more than a false spring, or a cozy, winter promise of a forever kind of love.
**The author is donating a portion of the proceeds to NFIL. For more information please go to http://www.nifl.gov .
Favor Rowan has lived on her mountain alone since her beloved mother died. When she rescues the handsome singer, healing him using a special empathic gift, she doesn’t expect to fall head-over-heels in love with him.
A shotgun wedding propels Favor into Keeton’s world, and confused, heartbroken and angry, they both have to decide if what they had on the mountain was nothing more than a false spring, or a cozy, winter promise of a forever kind of love.
**The author is donating a portion of the proceeds to NFIL. For more information please go to http://www.nifl.gov .
As mentioned in the previous sentence, a portion of my royalties--50%--will be donated to the National Institute for Literacy. Each one of the books in this series is about a serious social situation that can affect women, and I hope, in some small way, to make a difference.
Available from Aspen Mountain Press, E-book $7.00 Print Book Coming Soon from UTM
Here's a never before seen excerpt from Do Me A Favor. Enjoy and please let me know what you think!!!
It was absolutely silent. So quiet he could hear his own heart beating. The silence bothered him for some reason, but he couldn’t put his finger on why.
When he took a deep breath he could smell something other than smoke. A delicious scent, one that made his stomach growl. He shook his head in wonder, immediately regretting the move when it ached in protest. Where was he? His eyes widened as adrenaline shot through him, making the base of his skull pound even harder. More importantly...
Who was he?
He shot upright as sweat filmed his body. Panic set in. Flinging the covers off, he barely noticed the bandages on his leg and torso, or the pain shooting through him. He ignored the fact he was naked. His only thought was to escape the knowledge of knowing...nothing.
He’d barely gotten his legs off the bed when the door opened. His first impression was of a huge beast and a pile of walking clothes. He could only stare and shiver as the cold of the outside chased away the warmth inside the cabin.
The figure slammed the door shut and turned back to look at him. “What are you doing out of bed? You’ll tear your stitches.”
He knew that musical voice and unconsciously relaxed. It had been the one connection to reality all that time he’d drifted in and out of pain. Opening his mouth to answer, he was stopped when the animal—a wolf, he could see now—growled menacingly at him.
“Hush, Wahya.” The figure moved around the beast and shuffled to the bed. “He ain’t gonna hurt me. He ain’t up to doing anything but going back to sleep.”
Sleep sounded marvelous. Suddenly he realized how exhausted even that small amount of effort had made him. He didn’t argue when he was pushed gently down, and his legs lifted back onto the bed. The covers were pulled over him again, and he watched silently as the figure went to the fire and pulled out a heated stone. When the stone was wrapped in a fur and placed at his feet, his whole body sighed in relief. Warmth. Wonderful, blessed warmth.
“Who...are...you?” he managed. At least he now knew the voice belonged to a she. It was distinctly feminine. Maybe an old mountain woman who lived alone in the woods.
She gave a little chuckle as she moved away. “At least you’re talking sense now. I worried the blow to your head damaged your brain.”
Lifting a hand to his forehead he discovered the bandage. “It hurts.”
“I’m sure.”
“I don’t understand what happened to me. I don’t remember anything.”
There was no answer as she moved near the door and kicked off her shoes before removing her coat. He blinked as the first bulky covering came off. It was more of a fur cape than a coat. Under that was an oversized man’s jacket, then another coat, before a smaller and more girlish one was revealed. When that came off, followed by the big hat that protected her head, his mouth dropped open.
This was no old lady. This was a beautiful, young woman.
He could only watch in shocked silence as she walked back towards him. She was tiny, but her body was definitely put together in all the right ways. Even under the long skirt and flannel shirt she was wearing he could tell she was nicely shaped. She had long auburn hair—so long it trailed past her rear, even in the tight braid she wore. But it was her face that intrigued him most. Heart shaped and pixie-like, with fine clear skin and high cheekbones. Lips as pink as a rose smiled at him, and her small nose turned up at the end. And her eyes...tilted at the sides, they sparkled with mischief and a subtle knowing he couldn’t understand.
Faerie eyes... The thought shot through him as he looked into the golden ones gazing back curiously into his. That’s what she reminded him of. An elf maiden who’d just wandered out of a forest glade to dance in the moonlight.
He grinned at the fanciful thought, and she smiled back, revealing even white teeth. “You’re beautiful.” The words left his mouth before he thought, and he was charmed by the blush that touched her cheeks. Lifting a hand he caressed the soft line of her jaw. “Tell me your name.”
Blushing harder, she moved his hand back under the covers. “My name is Favor.”
Frowning, he watched as she went to the fire and stirred something. Memory surfaced and he knew he’d seen her do that more than once. “Favor? That’s an odd name.”
She shrugged. “My Ma gave it to me. Said God did her a favor when he sent me to her. I guess the name stuck.”
“Your last name?’
Shrugging again, she poured some of the liquid she was stirring into a cup and blew on it. “Don’t have one. Favor is the only name I got.” She walked back and sat on the bed beside him. Without speaking she helped him sip at the warm brew.
“What is this stuff?” When he wrinkled his nose at the taste, she giggled.
“Medicine,” she answered simply. “You’ve been very sick.”
All at once his lack of memory came back to him, and panic raised its ugly head. Lifting haunted eyes to hers, he grasped at her hand. “I don’t remember anything. What happened to me or why I’m here.” He swallowed hard. “I don’t...even remember my name.”
Favor’s eyes went wide and then just as quickly filled with compassion. Her hand cupped his cheek. “I’m so sorry.”
Fighting back fear and pain he held on tightly to her. “Who am I?” The memory of being embraced by a lover swirled through his mind. “Am I your husband? Boyfriend?” As soon as he said it he knew it couldn’t be true. Surely he’d remember making love to a woman like her.
She blushed again. “No. Nothin’ like that. I’m sorry, I don’t know your name. I don’t know who you are. I...I found you in the woods.”
“Found me?”
Nodding, she helped him sip a little more of the medicine. “After a snowstorm. A flying airplane went down and I—”
With an oath, he pushed the cup away. His mind reeled as memory sliced through him with the fury of a hurricane. Names, places and faces swirled frantically through his head. All he’d known and what he’d just lost filled his brain to the bursting. It was agony...misery. A pain that went on and on. He knocked the cup from her hand as he reached up and grabbed the sides of his head.
“No!” he shouted. “It can’t be. No!”
End of Excerpt
Remember to let me know what you think. And pick up this book by clicking HERE.
Hugs and see you on Monday!
Available from Aspen Mountain Press, E-book $7.00 Print Book Coming Soon from UTM
Here's a never before seen excerpt from Do Me A Favor. Enjoy and please let me know what you think!!!
It was absolutely silent. So quiet he could hear his own heart beating. The silence bothered him for some reason, but he couldn’t put his finger on why.
When he took a deep breath he could smell something other than smoke. A delicious scent, one that made his stomach growl. He shook his head in wonder, immediately regretting the move when it ached in protest. Where was he? His eyes widened as adrenaline shot through him, making the base of his skull pound even harder. More importantly...
Who was he?
He shot upright as sweat filmed his body. Panic set in. Flinging the covers off, he barely noticed the bandages on his leg and torso, or the pain shooting through him. He ignored the fact he was naked. His only thought was to escape the knowledge of knowing...nothing.
He’d barely gotten his legs off the bed when the door opened. His first impression was of a huge beast and a pile of walking clothes. He could only stare and shiver as the cold of the outside chased away the warmth inside the cabin.
The figure slammed the door shut and turned back to look at him. “What are you doing out of bed? You’ll tear your stitches.”
He knew that musical voice and unconsciously relaxed. It had been the one connection to reality all that time he’d drifted in and out of pain. Opening his mouth to answer, he was stopped when the animal—a wolf, he could see now—growled menacingly at him.
“Hush, Wahya.” The figure moved around the beast and shuffled to the bed. “He ain’t gonna hurt me. He ain’t up to doing anything but going back to sleep.”
Sleep sounded marvelous. Suddenly he realized how exhausted even that small amount of effort had made him. He didn’t argue when he was pushed gently down, and his legs lifted back onto the bed. The covers were pulled over him again, and he watched silently as the figure went to the fire and pulled out a heated stone. When the stone was wrapped in a fur and placed at his feet, his whole body sighed in relief. Warmth. Wonderful, blessed warmth.
“Who...are...you?” he managed. At least he now knew the voice belonged to a she. It was distinctly feminine. Maybe an old mountain woman who lived alone in the woods.
She gave a little chuckle as she moved away. “At least you’re talking sense now. I worried the blow to your head damaged your brain.”
Lifting a hand to his forehead he discovered the bandage. “It hurts.”
“I’m sure.”
“I don’t understand what happened to me. I don’t remember anything.”
There was no answer as she moved near the door and kicked off her shoes before removing her coat. He blinked as the first bulky covering came off. It was more of a fur cape than a coat. Under that was an oversized man’s jacket, then another coat, before a smaller and more girlish one was revealed. When that came off, followed by the big hat that protected her head, his mouth dropped open.
This was no old lady. This was a beautiful, young woman.
He could only watch in shocked silence as she walked back towards him. She was tiny, but her body was definitely put together in all the right ways. Even under the long skirt and flannel shirt she was wearing he could tell she was nicely shaped. She had long auburn hair—so long it trailed past her rear, even in the tight braid she wore. But it was her face that intrigued him most. Heart shaped and pixie-like, with fine clear skin and high cheekbones. Lips as pink as a rose smiled at him, and her small nose turned up at the end. And her eyes...tilted at the sides, they sparkled with mischief and a subtle knowing he couldn’t understand.
Faerie eyes... The thought shot through him as he looked into the golden ones gazing back curiously into his. That’s what she reminded him of. An elf maiden who’d just wandered out of a forest glade to dance in the moonlight.
He grinned at the fanciful thought, and she smiled back, revealing even white teeth. “You’re beautiful.” The words left his mouth before he thought, and he was charmed by the blush that touched her cheeks. Lifting a hand he caressed the soft line of her jaw. “Tell me your name.”
Blushing harder, she moved his hand back under the covers. “My name is Favor.”
Frowning, he watched as she went to the fire and stirred something. Memory surfaced and he knew he’d seen her do that more than once. “Favor? That’s an odd name.”
She shrugged. “My Ma gave it to me. Said God did her a favor when he sent me to her. I guess the name stuck.”
“Your last name?’
Shrugging again, she poured some of the liquid she was stirring into a cup and blew on it. “Don’t have one. Favor is the only name I got.” She walked back and sat on the bed beside him. Without speaking she helped him sip at the warm brew.
“What is this stuff?” When he wrinkled his nose at the taste, she giggled.
“Medicine,” she answered simply. “You’ve been very sick.”
All at once his lack of memory came back to him, and panic raised its ugly head. Lifting haunted eyes to hers, he grasped at her hand. “I don’t remember anything. What happened to me or why I’m here.” He swallowed hard. “I don’t...even remember my name.”
Favor’s eyes went wide and then just as quickly filled with compassion. Her hand cupped his cheek. “I’m so sorry.”
Fighting back fear and pain he held on tightly to her. “Who am I?” The memory of being embraced by a lover swirled through his mind. “Am I your husband? Boyfriend?” As soon as he said it he knew it couldn’t be true. Surely he’d remember making love to a woman like her.
She blushed again. “No. Nothin’ like that. I’m sorry, I don’t know your name. I don’t know who you are. I...I found you in the woods.”
“Found me?”
Nodding, she helped him sip a little more of the medicine. “After a snowstorm. A flying airplane went down and I—”
With an oath, he pushed the cup away. His mind reeled as memory sliced through him with the fury of a hurricane. Names, places and faces swirled frantically through his head. All he’d known and what he’d just lost filled his brain to the bursting. It was agony...misery. A pain that went on and on. He knocked the cup from her hand as he reached up and grabbed the sides of his head.
“No!” he shouted. “It can’t be. No!”
End of Excerpt
Remember to let me know what you think. And pick up this book by clicking HERE.
Hugs and see you on Monday!
CJ England
Follow Your Dreams
9 comments:
Wow! Sounds great. I liked how her comment about the flying airplane crash caused the memories to rush back into his mind. So many stories drag the remembering out and the luv story is based on luving someone you dont even know who or what they are. You chose not to take the "same old road" w/amnesia theme. Makes for interesting reading...Thanks for the excerpt and have a great day!
jo
The excerpt was great, sounds like a story I want to add to my tbb list. Great that your donating a part of the proceeds to aid literacy!
CJ, I loved this excerpt, and didn't want to stop reading there. This is a "MUST READ".
Sandie
WOW! CJ awesome excerpt I too like the way the memories returned not lasting until the end of the book to return. They have to deal with the reality now not at the end. It will be on my tbr stack very soon.
Sounds like another winner CJ!
Thanks, Jo.
While I don't mind the amnesia type story, this one is more about discovery of love and all that means.
They'll have enough trouble making it work without some mind injury! LOL
CJ
Maria,
Literacy is so important. I can't imagine not reading. It's so important I set 2 hours aside every night to read a book.
In my busy life I won't allow time to snatch that pleasure away from me. And if I can help another person know that pleasure, I'll willingly donate to the cause!
When you get the book, read the afterword. It says it all.
CJ
Hey Sandie,
Once you do, please let me know what you think. I always love to hear your thoughts!
CJ
Thanks, Kathy.
Once you read the story, you'll see why the memories returning early are so important.
Favor and Keeton getting to know and understand each other is the story.
Toss in beautiful mountains, the ins and outs of the country music scene plus a friendly and protective wolf and you'll see why I love this story!!!
CJ
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