Surprised as can be - my Amazon ranking on Tuesday
#574 in 45-Minute Romance Short Reads
#7,722 in Holiday Romance (Kindle Store)
#9,464 in Holiday Romance (Books)
Scene Set - Life is not treating Giselle well. She just collapsed in front of the largest store in a large North American city on the east coast.
Excerpt -
Icy droplets fell from the sky, settling on my neck. It wasn't quite snow but was no longer rain. And it was a raw cold right through to my core. I pushed up to standing, brushing away the frigid sleet from my arms and legs. I pressed my scraped palm against my hip to stop the bleeding, then checked my bag. It and its contents seemed all right. Yes, my existence has been reduced to having pretty much everything I own in a bag or two.
My life wasn't always like this. How I got here doesn't matter. Another sad sob story. A cruel twist of fate. A dream shattered. I could go on using a dozen more clichés, but I'm pretty sure you get the idea.
So again, I say, hitting rock bottom is hard. And, I might add, it sucks.
Three well-dressed ladies scooted past me, bundled in warm coats, scarves and high-heeled boots. Each holding a large takeout cup from the high-end coffee shop just up the block. Hazelnut. The smell tickled my nose. Probably a cappuccino. My stomach rumbled. My head swayed. I inhaled a deep breath and steadied myself.
A police officer strode toward me. His brow creased. Was he worried about my collapsing on the sidewalk? Or was he concerned for the Christmas shoppers, having their joyous holiday spending frenzy interrupted by the pitiful sight of me?
Turns out it was my second guess. He held my elbow and directed me to move along as he steered me toward a side street. I protested, saying—or rather, lying—that I'd slipped and fallen. But after a quick scan of my unkempt appearance, I knew that he knew I wasn't being totally honest.
He pointed down the side street, Prospect Avenue, and told me about a soup kitchen that was a couple of blocks up behind a large stone church. He smiled, rubbed his stomach, then told me the aroma had been very tempting when he passed by earlier in his shift.
I offered up a grateful smile and hobbled on partially frozen feet in the direction of my first meal in two days. I walked along dreaming about hot chicken noodle soup. Warm broth slipping over my tongue and down into the cavern that was my stomach. Floppy noodles trying to slip off my spoon, but with a quick slurp, I'd catch them all.
Little round green peas nestled in a spoon next to a piece of actual, honest to goodness chicken. The thought of the aroma made me lick my dry, chapped lips in anticipation. Or maybe it would be beef vegetable. A dark, rich broth filled with colourful vegetables. My stomach was torn between protesting its emptiness and celebrating the future meal.
Have I mentioned that fate's a bitch?Blurb and Buy Link
Can a slice of pizza and a flute erase the ravages of life and allow Giselle and Ethan to fall in love by Christmas?
Collapsing in front the biggest department store in the city on one of the busiest days of the holiday season was not how Giselle imagined her day. Cold and hungry, she trudged through her daily existence wondering if she'd ever find happiness again.
Teenagers. Ethan loved working with them and turning their raw musical talent into something beautiful and rewarding, but that didn't fill the black void in his soul.
Like fate, the songwriters' muse nudged Giselle and Ethan together. But can Giselle overcome her fears and can Ethan get past the darkness that surrounds him, so they can find love?
NOTE – This book will only be available in ebook as it is too short to be put into print.
What's happening in November on Romance – Sweet to Heat
20 – Backlist Saturday Spotlight – Hot and Hotter
21 – Weekend Writing Warriors #8Sunday
22 – #OpenBook Blog Hop
23 – Free Read
– Flashette
24 – Book Hooks #MFRWhooks #MFRWAuthor
25 – Daryl’s Thoughts and Motivational Things #motivation
26 – My Blog. My Post. My Books
27 – Backlist Saturday Spotlight –
28 – Weekend Writing Warriors #8Sunday
29 – #OpenBook Blog Hop
30 – Spotlight – Christine Schulz - Dawn of a Demon
Sign up for my every other month newsletter
No comments:
Post a Comment