Interview with contemporary fiction novelist M. Garzon

M. Garzon is stopping here today as she tours her contemporary novel, Blaze of Glory with Goddess Fish Promotions.

As part of the tour, M. is going to be awarding the entire trilogy on Kindle or Kobo (winner's choice) to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. To be entered for a chance to win, leave a comment below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit other tour stops and leave comments there, too! 

Bio:

M. Garzon rode horses professionally for ten years, until an injury prompted a career change. She returned to school and completed a BSc; then for good measure, an MBA. After several years of toiling as a business consultant, she turned to writing in a desperate bid to regain her sanity. A mom of two fabulous children, she lives in St‑Lazare, QC and considers herself extremely lucky to be a writer.

Welcome M. Please tell us about your current release.

Blaze of Glory is the first book of a trilogy set in the horse world, more specifically the world of showjumpers. The main character, Tea (pronounced Tay-a) starts the family drama rolling by falling in love with the exact wrong person. She then proceeds to dig herself into a deeper mess by making rash, impetuous decisions (thus angering her step-father), ignoring sound, loving advice (thus frustrating her twin brother), and being stubborn and clueless about her love interest (thus… no wait, I don’t want to spoil it for you). Still, she’s only seventeen so we have to cut her some slack. And she does redeem herself somewhat in the second and third books, which are already out.

What inspired you to write this book?

I wasn’t inspired so much as held captive and forced. My muse has a mean streak.

Excerpt:

“What do you need, Tea?” he asked quietly.

The question caught me by surprise. I needed a lot of things, but what sprang to mind first was Jaden. The one thing I definitely could never have.

I gulped. “Just be my friend.”

“I will always be that.” He pulled into the lot where my car was parked. Julia and Teri were following behind us.

He turned to me. “Will you think about what I said? About telling Dec?”

Truthfully, I had filed away his request as soon as he’d made it, under the heading of ‘not in this lifetime’.

“Why is it so important to you?” I asked a question rather than lie to him.

“Because I think it will help to extirpate your feelings of guilt,” he said.

Only Jaden could use a word like ‘extirpate’ and not sound like a total geek, I thought with a smile. I turned toward him, still smiling, and found myself being pulled into a hug. I hugged him back fiercely, my heart breaking into a mad dash. His body was hard, but very warm. I pulled away first—I liked being in his arms far, far too much to stay there. This was something I’d have to get under control, and quickly.

What exciting story are you working on next?

I’m writing a kids’ book with my children. It’s called Panther and it’s been exciting for me because I’m learning a lot about Canadian horses, our national breed. I also found an awesome illustrator for it, which I think adds a lot to the story. I never thought I’d write for children, but that’s what happens when you have kids – you find yourself doing a lot of things you never suspected you would.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

Sometime between my 2nd and 3rd books it just hit me one day that this is what I am now. How lucky am I?

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

I’ve been writing “full-time” for about a year now, but I’m also a single parent and my kids live with me 100% of the time. I write when they’re in school, but between PED days (teacher days), holidays, and illness, it seems there are never enough hours. I’ve tried to write at night after they’re asleep but what I produce is mostly gibberish. This past January the kids had chicken pox one after another, so I lost a whole month of writing, although I did gain some nice bonding time with my kids.

School days start with craziness – my kids are seven and nine but in the morning they somehow revert to being preschoolers. Once they’re safely off, the dog’s been walked, and the demanding bunny attended to, then I sit down and spend six hours living in my imaginary world.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I wrote my first book all out of sequence, and put it together like a puzzle at the end.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

A horse trainer – and I was, for a while. I also, like many animal-loving children, thought about being a veterinarian, but when I got older and spent some time volunteering at vet clinics I realized it’s a very difficult profession for those with soft hearts.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

If you read the books now, you can be cool and say you liked them before they became a TV series ;)

Website | Facebook | Amazon  (also available on Kobo, NOOK, and iBooks)

Thanks for being today’s guest, M!

Interview with contemporary debut novelist Lynn Steward

I'd like to introduce you to debut novelist Lynn Steward today. She's talking about the first in a new series set in 1970's New York City, A Very Good Life.

Bio:

Lynn Steward is a successful business woman who spent many years in New York City's fashion industry in marketing and merchandising, including the development of the first women's department at a famous men's clothing store. 

Through extensive research, and an intimate knowledge of the period, Steward created the characters and stories for a series of five authentic and heartwarming novels about New York in the seventies. A Very Good Life is the first in the series featuring Dana McGarry.

Welcome, Lynn. Please tell us about your current release

A Very Good Life is set against an historic backdrop of New York City in 1974, but the themes are timeless and universal. Like many young, married career women, twenty nine year old Dana McGarry’s life is on autopilot, and signs of trouble both at home and the office are masked due to an over-scheduled calendar and exhaustion. But on the eve of International Women’s Year, when women hungered to have it all, Dana is determined to stop going through the motions, and find time for self-fulfillment and a balanced life.  

A Very Good Life chronicles Dana’s quest, while providing a behind-the-scenes look at the worlds of art, fashion, and business, alongside some of the most legendary women of the twentieth century. There is a meeting with business icon, Estée Lauder, a guest appearance at Café des Artistes by legendary Vogue editor and special consultant to the costume institute at the Metropolitan Museum, Diana Vreeland, and an art lecture at the Met by Rosamond Bernier, close friend of some of the greatest artists of the twentieth century. This is story of extraordinary women that will inspire women of all ages

What inspired you to write this book?

About three years ago, I started researching and developing characters for a TV series, and before I knew it, I had outlines for five seasons. After I developed the pilot and wrote synopses for the season, I realized that the main character, Dana, needed more drama and the plots had to be developed, and I felt the best way to do that was to write a novel. The story, however, came from my knowledge of the period, experience in the fashion industry, fond memories of New York places and events, and historic research that helped weave the plots and characters.

Excerpt from A Very Good Life:

Dana McGarry, her short blond hair stirred by a light gust of wind, stood on Fifth Avenue in front of the display windows of the B. Altman department store on the day after Thanksgiving, November, 1974.  Dana, public relations and special events coordinator for the store, pulled her Brooks Brothers camel hair polo coat tighter around her slim, shapely frame.  Shoppers hurried past her, huddled in overcoats as mild snow flurries coated the streets with a fine white powder.  It was now officially Christmas season, and Dana sensed a pleasant urgency in the air as people rushed to find the perfect gift or simply meet a friend for lunch.  The frenetic pace of life in Manhattan continued to swell the sidewalks, but pedestrians were more inclined to tender a smile instead of a grimace if they bumped into one another.  Dana often told her friends that Christmas was a time when there was a temporary truce between true believers and grinches.  As far as business was concerned, she was pleased to hear the cash registers of B. Altman singing their secular carols inside the store, but she also still believed that the holidays brought magic and balance, however briefly, into a world of routine and ten-hour workdays.  

Balance?  Dana smiled wistfully, for balance was becoming harder to achieve.  She was only twenty-nine, but the pressures of life were already assaulting her mind and spirit in numerous ways.  She tried to please multiple people in B. Altman’s corporate offices on a daily basis, not an easy task given that the seasoned professionals who were grooming her had various agendas, not all of which tallied with each other.  And then there was her marriage to Brett McGarry, a litigator at a Wall Street law firm.  Brett was as busy as she, and simultaneously attending to her career and the needs of her husband was sometimes difficult, if not downright burdensome.  His needs?  Well, “demands” would be a more accurate description of what Dana had to contend with.  Although Brett didn’t overtly order Dana around, he informed her of what he would or would not be able to do with her on any given day.  His growing air of superiority was extremely subtle and couched in affable smiles that most of Dana’s friends could not accurately read.

Brett McGarry walked confidently into the offices of Davis, Konen and Wright on the thirty-seventh floor of 80 Broad Street.  The address was in the heart of New York’s financial district, a suitable home for the powerhouse corporate law firm where Brett hoped to soon make partner.  The imposing limestone edifice of the Art Deco building, with its many tiers of set-back facades, was near Battery Park, the Staten Island Ferry, the New York Stock Exchange, and other famous landmarks in lower Manhattan.  Brett felt at ease in the financial district, and whenever he entered the area, he felt a spring in his step.  This was where he belonged, and when it was time to have a drink with colleagues, he could walk to Fraunces Tavern, the Georgian-style building on nearby Pearl Street where General George Washington had bid the officers of the Continental Army a fond farewell at a dinner in his honor.  On any given evening, one could find newsworthy faces at the tavern, and for Brett, scotch neat went down that much easier when at Fraunces.

He turned the corner of one of the quiet corridors of the firm, hitting his stride.  He had every reason to believe he was on the fast track to partnership, so the light snow and gray skies outside hadn’t dampened his spirit.  On the contrary, he felt invigorated by the cold air, with gray skies matching the venerable gray buildings on Wall Street. 

 “Good morning, Brett,” came a female voice from behind a secretary’s desk in the center of an office suite occupied by the firm’s litigators.

Startled, Brett jerked his head forward.  He had expected to find only the cleaning staff shuffling through the hallowed offices on this Friday morning.  The voice belonged to Janice Conlon, the firm’s new junior litigator.  Brett stopped in his tracks and surveyed the five-foot-ten leggy blond dressed in tight jeans and an even tighter turtleneck covered by a brown distressed suede jacket.  Long straight hair splashed across her shoulders, and her deep blue eyes gazed at Brett above high angular cheekbones.

What exciting story are you working on next?

A Very Good Life is the first novel in a five book series featuring Dana McGarry, and I will soon be starting Book Two. The synopsis is written, actually all four remaining stories in the series are developed, and I am researching historic events for the period.

Book Two begins with Dana in London on holiday. While shopping at Jaeger’s on Bond Street, she is inspired to create a similar women’s classic clothing boutique at B. Altman, but, once again, Helen, her boss, is an impediment. Back in New York, she finds a new love interest, Mark, who introduces her to Irwin Berger, a menswear manufacturer. After Dana learns that Brooks Brothers is opening a ladies department with fashions made in the cutting rooms of menswear manufacturers, she convinces Irwin to work with her to design a private label collection of tailored clothing, using menswear fabrics, to present to senior management at B. Altman. When Mark’s daughter suffers a serious horseback riding accident, she is faced with a new heartache, and the always-resilient Dana concentrates on her work. Dana meets a mysterious woman, Abby, in London, and she invites her to speak at a luncheon program at the Colony Club, but Abby doesn’t show. The book ends with Dana receiving a letter from Abby’s husband, and this correspondence sets the stage for Book Three.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

Just a few years ago, when I started putting my ideas on paper for the TV series. That led to creative writing and storytelling. Previously, all my writing was business related.

What do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

I have a busy real estate career, and my favorite time to write is early in the morning, preferably around 5:30 a.m., when my mind is clear.  It is peaceful and there are no interruptions. I won’t allow myself to even peek at e-mails. I don’t want anything to distract me for at least three hours. I am always surprised and disappointed how fast that time goes.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

My writing uniform. I always write in black cotton leggings and white long sleeve stretch-cotton t-shirts.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I wanted a career in the fashion industry, preferably buying.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

I would like to share with my post-50 readers the joy of embarking on a new adventure. We are at an age when we don’t need the approval of others, if we fail, so what. It can be fun and invigorating to get out of a comfort zone to welcome a challenge.

Website | Amazon | Pinterest

Thank you, Lynn!

Interview with sci-fi author Mark Speed

Today’s guest is science fiction author Mark Speed to tell us a bit about his novel, Doctor How and the Illegal Aliens.

During his tour, Mark will be awarding one randomly chosen commenter a $50 Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift card. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit other tour stops and enter there, too. 

Bio:

Mark Speed has been writing novels since he was fifteen. His comedy writing has appeared in newspapers as diverse as the London Evening Standard and The Sun, and been broadcast on BBC Radio 4 Extra. He performed his solo comedy, The End of the World Show, at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2011 and 2012. He is currently working on the five-volume Doctor How series.

Amongst other postgraduate and professional qualifications, he has a Master’s degree in Creative Writing from City University, London. In 1995 a chiropractor told him he’d never run again. Sensibly, he gave up chiropractors, runs every day and has completed several marathons and a couple of Olympic-length triathlons.

NLP founder Dr. Richard Bandler called him a ‘polarity responder.’

Book blurb:

Doctor How’s famous megalomaniac brother Doctor Who sold his fictional life story to the BBC half a century ago, painting himself as a lone hero. Disillusioned, their four cousins dropped out. For fifty years, Doctor How has held the line against the forces of darkness and stupidity. And he’s not that happy, since you ask.

Illegal aliens try to hack How’s Spectrel (TARDIS is a very rude word where he comes from), just as he suspects his estranged cousin Where has been compromised. When reports come in of mysterious attacks by alien creatures, Doctor How has to rely on his new companion Kevin, a petty criminal from south London, and Trinity, a morphing super-predator, as he counters this threat to humanity’s existence. Bungling agents from MI16, long desperate to capture the Time Keeper’s technology, hamper How’s efforts to combat the alien menace. Can Doctor How keep ahead of MI16, save Where and combat the alien threat?

Excerpt:

There was a red telephone box on the pavement outside. The light inside was bright – so bright that Kevin couldn’t see in – and yet the light didn’t illuminate the area immediately around it. Even the black letters of the backlit TELEPHONE sign were indistinct due to the brightness of the light behind them. The obtrusiveness of the light made it difficult to see what was beyond it. As he walked slowly past Where’s black cab, he noticed that the telephone box was not reflected in its windows or polished paintwork. Thoughts of vampires crept through his imagination.

“Doctor?” he called.

“What now? Can’t you see I’m busy?”

“Well, no.”

Once he’d skirted around the phone box, Kevin could see that the Doctor was somewhat stretched. He was standing on the bonnet of the cab, with the tip of one finger on its badge and the other touching the crown symbol above the TELEPHONE sign, which was at the very limit of his reach.

“It’d be a lot easier and faster if I could put my whole hand on both of them,” he said.

“What are you doing?”

“What does it look like I’m doing, lad?”

“Um. Is it kinda like when you have to jump-start a car with another one?”

“Yes, it’s kinda like that,” the Doctor panted. “And before you point it out in your own wonderfully literal way, yes: I’m kinda like a time-travelling breakdown recovery service.” He paused to catch his breath again, and winced. “And I can tell you it’s not particularly pleasant being the wiring. Thankfully, Where’s Spectrel should shortly recover enough to be able to take a transdimensional feed off mine. Ouch!”

Do you ever wish you were someone else? Who?

I’d never wish to be Who. However, I don’t wish I were How either – and especially not Where. Being Prince William wouldn’t be bad, but I’m happy being me.

What did you do on your last birthday?

Meditated and did a slightly longer run than usual. I wrote 1,500 words of chapter five of Doctor How and the Illegal Aliens. My then-girlfriend came over with a birthday cake, and I had my cake and ate it…

Do you have any tattoos? Where? When did you get it/them? Where are they on your body?

Some people look great with the right tattoo but I have freckles.

What are you working on right now?
Working on book two of the Doctor How series, as yet untitled.

Is your life anything like it was two years ago?
Two years ago I was preparing for three-week run of my comedy solo The End of the World Show, and preparing the spin-off book Apocalypse Later for publication. Doing a show consumes time and energy in a very different way to writing novels, and is ephemeral.

Ways to connect:

Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter

Thank you, Mark. Readers, don't forget to use the form below if you'd like a chance at the giveaway!

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Interview with non-fiction writer Kat Duff

Today's guest is Kat Duff, sharing a little bit about her newest book, The Secret Life of Sleep (from Beyond Words). We all need sleep, so I hope you find the interview interesting.

The book excerpt is quite extensive and available through the Scribd link in the middle of the interview. I hope you'll take a peek!

Bio:

Kat Duff is the award-winning author of The Alchemy of Illness (Pantheon, 1993). She received her BA from Hampshire College where she pursued a multi-disciplinary concentration in literature, psychology, sociology, anthropology, and neuroscience. Duff’s life-long love of sleep and her friendship with two chronic insomniacs led her to investigate the subject of sleep with her signature multi-disciplinary approach. The Secret Life of Sleep is her newest release.

Born and raised in Minnesota, Duff now makes her home in northern New Mexico.

Please tell us about your current release.

To the best of our knowledge, all creatures display some form of sleep behavior, a regular time of quiet when they settle into familiar postures, lose awareness of the outside world, and rest. Yet for many of us, rejuvenating sleep is as elusive as clean water and dark nights. More than 60% of Americans experience a sleep problem at least twice a week, and 40% get less than the recommended amount of sleep. In response to this emerging endangered resource, award-winning author Kat Duff blends myth, history, science, culture, and story with a contagious curiosity to unveil the hidden and invaluable healing benefits of sleep.

Drawing on the latest scientific research, literature, personal experience, as well as cultural and spiritual traditions from around the globe, The Secret Life of Sleep will help us better understand what we’re losing before it’s too late.

What inspired you to write this book?

When I returned to writing several years ago, I decided to investigate something I loved to counterbalance the suffering I encounter in my work as a counselor. Sleep was the first thing that came to mind! I like to explore common, intimate experiences that are often dismissed and ignored, so it made sense. I had come to realize in my work that sleep is vitally important to our physical, emotional and cognitive health, but I never expected that it would also offer an antidote to suffering itself.

Excerpt through Scribd | Video

       

What exciting story are you working on next?

I have a few fantasies at this point, but nothing that I have landed on.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I remember wanting to be a writer (or an anthropologist) as a child, but never actually imagined I could become one. The options for women seemed to be: nurse, teacher, secretary or hairdresser. When I finished college, I joined a women’s press collective, the Mother Jones Press in Northampton, MA and became a printer. But it did not provide a living, so I became an astrological counselor. Ten years later, I started a monthly astrological newsletter as a writing practice. I suppose that’s when I realized I was a writer.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

I don’t write full time, and don’t think I would want to, as my work improves when I leave it regularly to do other things, and then return to it. I work as a counselor to support myself, and write around the edges of that. I started writing The Secret Life of Sleep on a pinkie promise with a dear friend that I would write a total of 6 hours per week and report to her every Sunday. That worked very well for me, as I could easily give it 2 hours on a week night and 4 on the weekend. My dream is to be able to write alone half-time, and work with people the other half. They balance each other well.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I bring my writing problems to bed with me and let my sleep work on them.

Website | Blog | Facebook

Thanks for stopping by today, Kat!

Guest interview with YA fantasy author Cathi Shaw

Today I'm featuring a guest interview with young adult fantasy author Cathi Shaw.

She's talking about her newest novel, Five Corners: The Marked Ones. During her tour, Cathi will be awarding a $50 Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift card to a lucky commenter. To be entered for a chance to win use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit other tour stops and enter there, too.

Bio:

Cathi Shaw lives in Summerland, BC with her husband and three children.  She is often found wandering around her home, muttering in a seemingly incoherent manner, particularly when her characters have embarked on new adventure. In addition to writing fiction, she teaches rhetoric and professional writing in the Department of Communications at Okanagan College and is the co-author of the textbook Writing Today.

Blurb for Five Corners: The Marked Ones:

Growing up in a sleepy village untouched by distant wars and political conflicts, it was easy for Thia, Mina and Kiara to forget such horrors existed in the Five Corners. That is until the dead child is found; a child that bears the same strange birthmark that all three sisters possess. A Mark their mother had always told them was unique to the girls.
Kiara’s suspicions grow as their Inn is soon overrun with outsiders from all walks of life. Strangers, soldiers and Elders who all seem to know more about what is happening than the girls do.
After Mina barely survives an attack in the forest, the sisters are faced with a shattering secret their mother has kept from them for years. As danger closes in around them, the sisters are forced from their home and must put their trust in the hands of strangers.  With more questions than answers, Kiara finds herself separated from everyone she loves and reliant on an Outlander who has spent too much time in army. She doesn’t trust Caedmon but she needs him if she has any hope of being reunited with her sisters and learning what the Mark might mean.



Excerpt:

"It's not a dream this time, Thia."

"I know," she admitted in a whisper. "But how is this happening?"

Teague shook his head at her, his hair falling forward over his forehead. "I know you're shocked. I was, too, when I first saw you. Then I realized that what we thought were only dreams, were just forays into a different reality." Excitement lit up his features. "A reality that, at times, feels more real than this one, don't you agree?"

Thia opened her mouth to deny what he was saying, even as a dozen memories burst to life in her head.

For the first time Thia noticed he was taller than in her dreams. Not as tall as her sisters but certainly taller than she.

He looked down at her, his eyes unreadable in the fading afternoon light.

And yet the essence of him was so familiar. Before she could stop herself Thia instinctively reached out to touch his forearm, wanted to feel the warm muscles above his gloves, to reassure herself that he was real.

Teague jerked away before she could reach him and Thia felt an inexplicable sense of hurt flood through her.

"I'm real, Thia," he whispered aloud, his breath stirring the hair on her forehead. "But you can't touch me. I can't explain right now but please don't try."

What is your favorite quote and why?

My favorite quote is by Helene Cixous and is refers to the pain involved in writing. The quote is: “The only book that is worth writing is the one we don’t have the courage or strength to write. The book that hurts us (we who are writing), that makes us tremble, redden, bleed. It is combat against ourselves, the author; one of us must be vanquished or die.” It’s my favorite because it’s true. If your writing doesn’t hurt you and make you feel, then it’s not genuine.

What is your favorite ice cream flavor?

This is weird but I don’t really like ice cream. When I was a kid I had a serious intolerance to dairy products and as a result I never really ate ice cream. But I’ve never tried a type of chocolate I didn’t like.

Which mythological creature are you most like?

Eurale, the Gorgon, because my kids say my scream could really kill. Hahaha!

What are four things you can’t live without?

Coffee, books, my iPhone, and my family. Not necessarily in that order.

What is your favorite television show?

I don’t watch TV but I do have a Netflix subscription. My favorite show of all time is definitely Star Trek: The Next Generation. A close second is Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Ways to connect with Cathi:

Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr 

Buy links for book:

Publisher | Amazon | Barnes and Noble   

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Book excerpt for memoir The Predator Lies of Anorexia: A Survivor’s Story by Abby Kelly

Today I'm happy to be a host through Write Now Literary Virtual Book Tours to present The Predatory Lies of Anorexia: A Survivor's Story book blast with author Abby Kelly. There's a $20 Amazon gift card giveaway contest, too. Enter using the form at the bottom.

Genre: Memoir/Self Help

About the book:

Paperback: 196 pages

Publisher: Bettie Youngs Book Publishers (March 17, 2014)

ISBN-10: 1940784174

ISBN-13: 978-1940784175

Blurb:

I want. I want you to want me. I want you to think I am the smartest, the thinnest, the most beautiful. I want you to want to be me. I want to be enviable. I want to be impervious. I want to need nothing. I want you to know that I am strong. I want to think I am better than everyone else. I want.

I’m willing to give up everything. I will give up mind and future. I will give up health, happiness and peace. I will give up family, friends and fun. I will give up rest and comfort. I will give up food. But please, just let me keep faith.

In this raw telling of her long struggle with anorexia, Abby Kelly reveals the predatory lies that ran rampant in her disordered mind. She will lead readers through the fight to her final victory.
Readers will find empathy, compassion and insight in these pages. Most of all, they will find hope for recovery and a life beyond the battle.

Meet the author:

Abby Kelly is a nomadic, military spouse writing from wherever she momentarily finds herself with her husband, their wonderful dog, Brave, and two tolerable cats.

Abby began writing in the process of recovering from a more-than-decade long eating disorder. She credits Jesus Christ for her full recovery and for filling her with a passion to encourage others to seek freedom from their own addictions and struggles.

Now, Abby writes for numerous Christian publications as well as maintains her personal blog, Predatory-Lies. In her free time, she and Brave enjoy volunteering in hospitals and schools as a pet therapy team through Pet Partners.

Links to visit:

Amazon | Goodreads | Website | Twitter | Facebook 

E-mail: abbykelly1980@gmail.com

Excerpt:

“The Flight”

“You will never see me again!” I screamed. I knew I was running out of time as we approached the airport. 

“I’ll die there! I’m never coming home.”

“Abby, stop. You are getting yourself all worked up and we have to go inside now.” My father parked the car in the dismal parking garage. Ignoring my residual choking on tears, he got out of the car and began to extract the suitcases, careful not to get any dirt on his jeans.

Daddy always looked sharp, one more thing I hated about myself. In the last several years I had become more of a skeleton freak show than an attractive daughter he could be proud of. My face was gaunt and haggard and wore the look of an aging smoker. My breasts were flat and my waist curve-less, like a prepubescent boy. I wore sea-foam green sweat pants with the word “SPIRIT” in block letters down my right leg. The sweats hung around my thighs like a tent missing poles, but I liked them because I felt small inside them. A sloppy white t-shirt blaring “SPIRIT” as well, topped the ensemble.

“Abby, get out of the car.”

I debated for a moment, but knew that I’d never win. The wildest of my tantrums were no match for Dad’s strength, but until now, at least in the battle of wills, I had triumphed. Two days prior my parents played their trump card.

“We’ve tried everything.” My parents had me cornered in their bedroom. Mom spoke because I listened more calmly to her. “We’ve been patient while you’ve promised over and over to try. We are really, really worried about you.”

Mom’s voice broke there. Dad turned and glared at my little sisters eavesdropping from the bedroom doorway. Two sets of chocolate brown eyes and one blue pair ducked back into the hallway. Then he shut the door and stepped forward.

“You promised to gain ten pounds in two months.” Dad’s voice was taut. The six-foot-four man that I once thought invincible slouched beneath a heavy burden. “Over a month ago, you agreed to the ultimatum that you would gain eight pounds. You’re nowhere near that. You need help and this is not a discussion. Remuda Ranch agreed to admit you, and we need to be there the day after tomorrow.” Daddy turned and left the room.

I slumped to my knees on the floor. “Please, please, please, Mom! Don’t send me away. I can’t be gone for two months. You might as well disown me. I’ll die there!”

Tour Hosted by Write Now Literary Virtual Book Tour

Author Tour Page: http://wnlbooktours.com/abby-kelly/

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Live chat/interview with professional speaker/author Craig von Buseck, Sunday, March 16, 7-9PM EST

The Writer's Chatroom presents professional speaker and author Dr. Craig von Buseck.



WHEN?

Sunday, March 16, 2014

Eastern USA Time.....7-9 PM

Not sure what time that is wherever in the world you are? http://www.worldtimeserver.com

WHERE?

The Writers Chatroom at: http://www.writerschatroom.com/Enter.htm

Scroll down to the Java box. It may take a moment to load. Type in the name you wish to be known by, and click Sign In. No password needed.

Please note: The chatroom is only open for regularly scheduled chats.