Why give something away for free?

A reader recently posed that question.  And it’s absolutely valid.  I’ll try to explain my logic – which should not be extrapolated out to other authors as they have their own marketing strategies.

I’ve written a series.  I didn’t intend to.  I had a few book ideas swimming around in my mind for years.  I’d write a couple of chapters for this book, add a scene to another, come up with some random idea for a third.  Nothing ever gelled.  I moved around in that nebulous space for fifteen years.  Then, ten years ago, I decided the time was right to take writing seriously.  I started writing a book, wrangled a secondary character who wanted their story told first, finished a book…then came up with something completely different and wrote that book.

Then, after I sent that one off to a publisher, I kept writing.  Best piece of advice I ever got as a writer: write the next book.  So I did. Then I picked up some of those half-written manuscripts and dusted them off – and actually finished several!  And then I sat down and put all those ideas floating around in my head on paper.  I had exactly fifty stories I wanted to tell.  50 books to write.  And since they were all set in the same small town, I decided to make them into a series.

The publisher rejected my book, but by then I’d written 21 full or partial other books in the series.  I’d gotten a hang for it and had created a world with people who were absolutely real to me.  And I’d created more secondary characters who also wanted books – my series bible was up to almost 75 stories.

Knowing I’d never find a publisher for 75 stories, I decided to self-publish.  I hired an editor (a critical step) and then I set about learning everything I could about self-publishing.  I attended conferences, workshops, met writers who would become mentors, and generally absorbed stuff for years.  Meanwhile, under a different penname, I wrote gay romances set in that world, using characters I’d created.

Finally, this year, I was ready to launch the first few books.  Now, starting a new penname means no one knows me.  The advice given by most gurus is to create a newsletter.  One way to get people to sign up for your newsletter is to give them a book.  Some authors do short stories, or some kind of special content.  I’d written another book for a publisher they’d rejected.  A perfectly good story that required a good edit.  Once I did that, I had a 65k word book that I’d written for fun.  Now, I paid to edit it and get a professional cover, but I didn’t have a lot invested in the book.  I was happy to put it out as a prequel to the series and ask, gently, for people to sign up for my newsletter in exchange for a copy of the book.  People can always unsubscribe, of course, but I try to give them a reason to stick around.  My hope is they’ll read that book.  And pick up the next book in the series.

Today, though, I’m giving away book 1 of the series on Amazon.  Now, I love this book as much as all the others.  Although it’s book 1, I only wrote it last year.  I’ve had time to settle into my small town and had an idea of a series arc I want to create.  A reason for readers to keep coming back.  I also hoped to pull in some of the readers of my gay romance books, so I had a few cameos with favorite characters.  I’m giving away that book today in the hopes readers will pick it up, read it, love it, and want more.  It’s a risk, for sure.  With thousands and thousands of free books out there, what are the odds I’m going to find the right reader at the right time? That they’ll fall in love with my book and be so intrigued by the secondary character that they can’t wait to read her story? (That character was always quite mysterious and although her book was written first, I realized I needed a bigger lead in.)

I hope that explains how I’m trying to launch my new penname.  Delilah’s been great about letting me share the journey with you and I appreciate you hanging in there as I show you how the sausage gets made (or how you launch a new penname/series in 2023…)

To celebrate, I’m giving away not just the free book, but a $5 Amazon gift card.  Let me know – what is your thought of free books?  Do you think they have less value?  Or do they give you the opportunity to try a new author you might not otherwise?  Drop a comment and a random winner will win the GC.

Love in Cedar Valley Series

What’s better than love in the beautiful Cedar Valley in British Columbia, Canada? Find small town romances with a touch of angst, a bit of heat, and a lot of heart…

Each novel is a standalone, but they are best read in order:

The Luminosity of Loriana Harper (A small town interracial romance)
The Making of Marnie Jones (A small town enemies-to-lovers romance)
The Redemption of Remy St. Claire (A small town single-father fake-marriage romance)

The Luminosity of Loriana Harper
FREE READ!

Loriana Harper is the head librarian of the Mission City Public Library. She considers herself a matchmaker in this little town in British Columbia—especially for her employees. When a gorgeous technician arrives to update their computers, she can’t help musing about who might be his perfect match. Except, the more time she spends with Mitch, the more she wants him for herself.

Mitch Alexander left in disgrace from a good job in California. He’s come to this small town to make a new start where no one knows him. Although he has no plans to get involved with anyone, he’s drawn to the nosy, vivacious librarian who makes him smile. The local matchmaker might go overboard, but she has good intentions. Except he’s not in the market for any match, unless it’s with her.

When Mitch’s past catches up with him, and the police come calling, he has to decide if he’ll stay with Loriana or leave to save her from the taint of being associated with him. Loriana’s not ready to let her new man go without a fight—but maybe this is a match that wasn’t meant to be.

The Luminosity of Loriana Harper is an older-woman age-gap interracial romance with a touch of angst and a large cat named Plato. The book is the first in the Love in Cedar Valley series set in a small town in British Columbia, Canada.

UBL: https://books2read.com/Loriana
Amazon US:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BVL3X4JZ
Add it to GoodReads:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/122872288-the-luminosity-of-loriana-harper

About the Author

Gabbi Powell has been a lover of romance since she first put pen to paper in the eighth grade to write her first romance.  She writes her novels while living in Beautiful British Columbia with her trusty ChinPoo dog a as companion.  She also writes gay romances as Gabbi Grey and contemporary dark erotic BDSM novels as Gabbi Black.

Personal links:
Website:   http://gabbipowell.com/
Newsletter sign-up: https://sendfox.com/gabbipowell
Bookbub:  https://www.bookbub.com/profile/3142441314
Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/authorgabbipowell/
Facebook (personal): https://www.facebook.com/gabbi.powell.9/
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/powell_gabbi
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Gabbi-Powell/e/B08T8NTQNY
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21065056.Gabbi_Powell

The Redemption of Remy St. Claire was the third book I ever typed ‘the end’ on. Really, though, it should’ve been the first.  I had a story in my mind – two single people, responsible for toddlers, finding their way to each other.  I was so new to writing that I didn’t even know what a trope was.  Truthfully, single-parent was big a decade ago and remains so today.  With more than half of all marriages ending, it’s inevitable people wind up parenting solo.

I realized early on that this story would have a bit of angst – another thing I inherently understood but had never put a name to.  Most of my books have some degree of angst.  I’ve also learned a lot about warning people what might be in my books.  I won’t get into the debate about trigger warnings.  As an author, I’ve been called out for not warning people against things I didn’t even realize could be hurtful.  Sometimes those mentions in the synopsis give away the critical plot points – but I don’t want someone to read the book who might be hurt by it.

Now, because of this book – and several others – I’ve learned to be careful what I name secondary characters.  To me, Rusty’s wife was a throw-away character.  A drug addict who’d endangered her baby. Someone who needed to be kept as far away from their daughter as possible.  I even gave her what I considered to be a throw-away name.

I was so so so wrong.  I was barely a chapter into Remy and Rusty’s book when Rusty’s soon-to-be ex-wife stood up and said hey, over here!  Notice me!  You need to tell my story! I’m not a throw-away. I have reasons why I am the way I am and I want you to tell my story. Right now, goddamnit!

I’ll admit I was at a low point in my life and, frankly, had never had a character talk to me like that.  I pivoted.  I tucked away Rusty and Remy and endeavored to write Sissy’s story.  You want angst?  I went there – prostitution, on the page drug use – I sank her as deep as I was.  And then sank her lower.   Even as I wrote her story, though, I knew she’d survive.  That she’d find love. That she’d be redeemed.  I don’t know if that book will ever be published.

Moving on, a story in the headlines caught my attention and I wrote the book that wound up as book 2 in the series.  Finally, I was ready to move on to Remy and Rusty’s story.  Sissy plays an integral part in the story, and I feel like her character is better fleshed out for having written her book.  I rarely do that anymore – write out of sequence.  But I’m glad I did, and I hope readers enjoy Remy and Rusty’s book.

I would love to give away a $5 Amazon Gift Card.  How much angst do you enjoy in your stories?  Is there such a thing as too much?  A random commenter will win the prize.  And thank you, Delilah, for hosting me!

The Redemption of Remy St. Claire

What’s better than love in the beautiful Cedar Valley in British Columbia, Canada? Find small town romances with a touch of angst, a bit of heat, and a lot of heart…

Each novel is a standalone, but they are best read in order:

The Luminosity of Loriana Harper (A small town interracial romance)

The Making of Marnie Jones (A small town enemies-to-lovers romance)

The Redemption of Remy St. Claire (A small town single-father fake-marriage romance)

Love without limits…

Remy St. Claire is engulfed in grief, overwhelmed with caring for her three-year-old sister Calleigh after the death of their parents.  As an assistant crown prosecutor, she works to put monsters in jail. She can go toe-to-toe with the most hardened of criminals, but a distraught toddler might be her downfall.

Rusty Stevens has his hands full raising his three-year-old daughter Miracle on his own.  Applying for the job to be Calleigh’s nanny solves two problems at once—more time with his child while still earning money, and a playmate for Miracle. He worries his new boss works too hard, but he’s proud to be able to provide a stable home for all of them.

Then Rusty’s wife appears, and secrets from both Rusty’s and Remy’s pasts threaten the fragile relationship that has developed between them. When all the secrets are laid bare, will their trust survive, or will the truth drive them apart forever?

The Redemption of Remy St. Claire is a second-chance, single-parent, marriage-of-convenience romance with a touch of angst and two adorable three-year-old girls. There is mention of a previous sexual assault. The book is the third in the Love in Cedar Valley series set in a small town in British Columbia, Canada.

Links:
UBL:  https://books2read.com/RemyStClaire
Amazon US:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BVL2HMZH
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/the-redemption-of-remy-st-claire-a-small-town-single-father-fake-marriage-romance-love-in-cedar-valley-book-3-by-gabbi-powell
Add it to GoodReads:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/122782130-the-redemption-of-remy-st-claire

About the Author

Gabbi Powell has been a lover of romance since she first put pen to paper in the eighth grade to write her first romance.  She writes her novels while living in Beautiful British Columbia with her trusty ChinPoo dog a as companion.  She also writes gay romances as Gabbi Grey and contemporary dark erotic BDSM novels as Gabbi Black.

Personal links:
Website:   http://gabbipowell.com/
Newsletter sign-up: https://sendfox.com/gabbipowell
Bookbub:  https://www.bookbub.com/profile/3142441314
Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/authorgabbipowell/
Facebook (personal): https://www.facebook.com/gabbi.powell.9/
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/powell_gabbi
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Gabbi-Powell/e/B08T8NTQNY
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21065056.Gabbi_Powell

UPDATE: The winner is…Anna!
*~*~*

The first book I ever typed ‘the end’ for is still sitting in the back of my closet.  I’ve gone so far as to buy a cover for it and take a peek at the file.  Then I close it, wallow in the knowledge of how much editing it requires, and I move on to another book.

The second book I typed ‘the end’ for wasn’t nearly such a disaster.  Instead of an unwieldy 126k words, it sat at 85k – the perfect length for Harlequin Superromance.  I devoured those books, with favorite authors such as Tara Taylor Quinn, Janice Kay Johnson, and Jean Brashear.  After reading so many books, I understood the structure without having studied stuff like that. (I’ve since taken some great classes which have built from that inherent understanding…)

I named this book The Making of Marnie Jones.  I printed it out and sent it to Harlequin – vaguely dreaming of contracts and seeing my book on shelves.

Quickly, I received an email from the editor I sent it to.  She wanted a digital copy.  I shot it off and waited.  And waited.  And waited.  Eventually, I gently poked, and she invited me to her office where we discussed the book in depth.  She had tons of notes and invited me to do a R&R (revise and resubmit).  I took a week off work and spent 12 hours a day for 9 days fixing that sucker.  I sent it back, even more confident.

Crickets.

I’ve since learned that editors want you to take weeks, if not months.  Otherwise, it doesn’t seem like you’ve done the work.  Only I had – I completely rewrote the book.  And was convinced the book was better for it.

I gently poked.  She said she’d see me in New York for the Romance Writers of America conference.  Now, I’m not a fan of big cities, strong smells, or noise.  NYC was so NOT my jam.  But I enjoyed the conference, met the editor, met my favorite narrator, and came home, believing I was *this* close.

Still nothing.

Eventually, Harlequin held a Canadian Hero contest.  Great!  My hero’s Canadian.  My whole book is set in Canada.  After the contest ended, the editor reached out with a tentative yes.  After two-and-a-half years, I wasn’t ready to party.  Four months later I saw, in a tweet, that Superromance was being discontinued.

I never heard back from that editor – never got the rejection (or acceptance) I deserved.

When I tell this story to other writers, they question why I didn’t submit elsewhere.  But if your number one pick expresses that much interest, why would you go elsewhere?  Lesson learned.  I submitted Marnie for contests.  I pitched her to editors and agents.  I got a few nibbles, but no bites.  Three years ago, I decided I would go it alone.  I hired a freelance editor.  The next year, I secured a cover. Finally, I wrote a book to come before it – I just didn’t feel Marnie should be the first in the series.

One more thing I should share – best advice I ever got as a writer: write the next book.  While Harlequin sat on my book, I wrote another 16 in that series.  The first year I waited?  I wrote a million words.  I was convinced they’d take my book and then take the next stack.  As you now know, that never happened.  But I have (now up to) 20 books that need editing and are ready to publish.

I’ll always be protective of Marnie – I love the angsty story.  I submitted her for a contest and the lovely Grace Burrowes was a judge.  She tore the opening apart and made it a thousand times better.  I kept her edits and dedicated the book to her – seemed the least I could do.

I believe in this book.  I also warn readers that the subject matter is dark – but that’s often how I write.  Now, I’m putting the book out into the world and am forever grateful I didn’t sell it to a publisher.  I likely would’ve never found someone who’d take all 20 or so (with more to come).  And because I knew this world so well, I’ve written several gay romances in the same world – just under a different penname.  I’ve created a place I hope readers will return to again and again.

Okay, thanks for reading that.  Thank you, Delilah, for letting me share my story.  I hope other newbie writers can see that sometimes the long game is the best way to go.

I’d love to give away a $5 Amazon Gift Card.  Tell me: what do you love about series?  What makes you want to go beyond the first book?  A random commenter will win the prize!

The Making of Marnie Jones

What’s better than love in the beautiful Cedar Valley in British Columbia, Canada? Find small town romances with a touch of angst, a bit of heat, and a lot of heart…

Each novel is a standalone, but they are best read in order:
The Luminosity of Loriana Harper (A small town interracial romance)
The Making of Marnie Jones (A small town enemies-to-lovers romance)
The Redemption of Remy St. Claire (A small town single-father fake-marriage romance)

Love without limits.

Librarian Marnie Jones has reinvented herself. After horrors that changed her forever, she’s built a new life and has found what she believes to be safety and quiet happiness. She hopes she’s outrun her past, but all that changes when a stranger comes to the small town of Mission City, British Columbia.

Links:
UBL:  https://books2read.com/Marnie
Amazon US:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BVL11FBY
Add it to GoodReads:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/123132378-the-making-of-marnie-jones

About the Author

Gabbi Powell has been a lover of romance since she first put pen to paper in the eighth grade to write her first romance.  She writes her novels while living in Beautiful British Columbia with her trusty ChinPoo dog a as companion.  She also writes gay romances as Gabbi Grey and contemporary dark erotic BDSM novels as Gabbi Black.

Author Links:
Website:   http://gabbipowell.com/
Newsletter sign-up: https://sendfox.com/gabbipowell
Bookbub:  https://www.bookbub.com/profile/3142441314
Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/authorgabbipowell/
Facebook (personal): https://www.facebook.com/gabbi.powell.9/
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/powell_gabbi
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Gabbi-Powell/e/B08T8NTQNY
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21065056.Gabbi_Powell

UPDATE: The winners are…Deb and Laura!
*~*~*

Come on, baby. Break a few rules…

When a Texas deputy’s motorcycle club trashes a bar with him leading the brawl, the sheriff decides his punishment will be serving as the bouncer/enforcer for the pretty owner while she runs a booth serving bikers during a weekend-long motorcycle club convention.

For a chance to win your choice of one of these Cowboys
on the Edge stories, answer me this!

Texas, Wyoming, Montana? Or do you love cowboy stories set somewhere else?

    

(Click on a cover if you’d like to learn more!)

Don’t know what you’re missing in this cowboy series? Read an excerpt…

Snippet from Lawless…

Ty Nolan ignored the nudge against his shin. Last thing he wanted to do was open his eyes. From the already harsh glare burning behind his eyelids, he knew opening them would be damn painful.

“Ty, come on. Wake up,” came a harsh whisper. “Sheriff’s here.”

Sheriff? What the hell? And what was Tank doing in his bedroom? Another moment passed before he realized his mattress was damn flat. Where the hell was he?

“Ty,” came another voice, this one louder and with an irritated edge. “Hate to interrupt your beauty sleep, but I’d like a word.”

Fuck, it really was the sheriff. Which answered the question of why his bed was so damn uncomfortable. He peeked in the direction of Sheriff Josh Penske’s voice—bars stood between them. Oh hell, I’m going to hear about it now.

With his head pounding, he accepted Tank’s hand up.

His buddy grinned. “Never knew you were such a lightweight, bro.”

Ty grimaced at Tank’s wisecrack—and his crushing grip. Tank was built like a…well, a tank. Ty had played football for the defensive team in high school, so he wasn’t exactly puny. It took a few seconds to stuff his shirt back into his jeans, wincing as his bruised knuckles brushed denim. Before he turned toward Josh, he raked a hand through his hair. Josh stood beside the open cell door, shaking his head.

Good Lord, was he about to lose his job? Be suspended?

Josh turned and led the way down the corridor to the station’s bullpen door. Ty was glad he was still too hung over to blush as he completed the walk of shame past his fellow deputies, whose mouths were crimped, no doubt to hold back their laughter. Josh led him inside his office then waved him toward the vacant chair in front of his desk.

Ty slumped into the chair. He was going to be fired, he just knew it.

Josh sat back in his chair and turned his chair to the side, his gaze going to the window. “You know, I thought it was a simple assignment.”

“To be fair, I had the night off—”

Josh held up a hand to cut him off. “No matter whether you’re in uniform or not, your duty is to keep the peace, not start the dang fight.”

At this point, Ty knew better than to try to correct Josh’s impression of what had happened the evening before. He’d only piss him off worse than he already had.

“I don’t know what to do with you…”

Ty wished he’d framed that statement as a question, because he would’ve offered suggestions—short of firing him, of course. He liked his job.

And he needed it. He needed to succeed if he ever wanted to put in his application to join the Texas Rangers. He sat straighter in his chair. He’d take his lumps and move on. Figure out what was next in his life. Life after the Army wasn’t turning out to be the cakewalk he’d expected.

“Can you imagine my surprise when the mayor called to inform me that she’d seen you hauled off in handcuffs, along with a dozen other ‘miscreants’—her word?”

The mayor hadn’t been so keen on this weekend’s festivities. He’d had a bird’s-eye view of just how unhappy she was when she’d marched into the station the morning before and asked Josh to lock the fairground gates.

Apparently, she’d changed her mind about allowing bikers to gather there. “Yes, I know I approved the club’s permit, but have you seen how many bikes are parked all up and down Main Street? Caldera will not be another Waco!” she’d said, tapping her foot.

Ty had grimaced at the mention of the infamous shootout between members of two rival motorcycle clubs, that had spilled out into a restaurant parking lot where cops had violently ended that shit. Ty’s Veterans Posse Club wasn’t like that. Not involved with drugs or criminal activities. Opposed to violence, they did however get pissy about disrespect from any other club. Composed entirely of former vets, the club gave its members a safe place to be, with people who had shared similar experiences that most folks couldn’t empathize with or even conceive of.

What had happened last night at Ruby’s Roadhouse had been…his fault. One too many beers and a sneering, snide comment from another club’s snarky member, who shouldn’t have been there in the first place, and he’d waded right into a fight.

“Look, I got the down-low from Ruby at the bar,” Josh said. “She said that guy from the club was being a dick to one of the waitresses, and that when you approached him, he insulted your club…”

Ty opened his mouth, but Josh gave a curt shake of his head, again cutting him off.

“Ruby Tackett’s bar got trashed. I asked her what she wanted to have happen.”

Here goes… Ruby was a hardass. She’d turned off the jukebox to read the riot act to all the bikers who’d filled her bar last night—before shit had gone down. “No fights,” she’d said, her arms crossed over her ample bosom. “No hassling my girls. When I say you’re cut off, you’re cut off. No fights! Got it?”

He and his buddies had all grinned and nodded. “Yes, ma’am,” they’d answered.

And still, all hell had broken loose.

“She expects your club to clean up the mess.”

Ty nodded. “Of course.”

“She’s closing the bar for the duration of the convention. But she already has a booth set up at the fairgrounds where she’ll be serving beer in the campground area—to keep the visitors off the road and out of her place. She wants you behind the bar with her.”

UPDATE: The winner is…Beverly!
*~*~*

It’s Monday! I’m wide awake despite the time change. Let’s have some fun!

Have you read my Montana Bounty Hunters: Dead Horse, MT series yet? Well, you might want to catch up! I’ll tell you why, but first, here are the links:

Cage
Preacher
Hardman
Chase
Cowboy
Eli

Or you can find more links to other vendors selling these stories by heading to my series page and scrolling down to Montana Bounty Hunters: Dead Horse, MT: Series Page

Okay, with that out of the way, there are a couple of reasons you should catch up reading and soon!

#1

Besides the fact the entire series is packed full of adventure, sexy times, and humor, there’s another story coming your way…

It’s out in June, and I have to start writing it next month, so I’m not 100% sure what’s going to happen (I never do until it happens while I’m writing!). You can pre-order your copy here: Gabriel

#2

This guy…

I had been toying with an idea to branch off the bounty hunters and write some small-town stories, set in Dead Horse. Not planning or plotting. I just kept the idea in the back of my head. UNTIL, I found this photo.

And I knew who he was, where he lives, and I know who she is!!! If you read Eli, you know there’s a repair/body shop called Ride or Die. He’s the owner. And he doesn’t like the way the bounty hunters have taken over his town. They’re not Dead Horse (another line from the stories you’ll just have to read to see why it’s funny). So, I’m thinking about a series name for this offshoot project, and the only one I think fits is, “We’re Dead Horse!”

The series has some fun characters, my favorite being the persnickety waitress, Nadine, who works at the Dead Man Walk-In Diner. She’s always doing or saying something to my hunters that gets their attention, and she’s made quite the impression on some of my readers, so I thought, this girl is somehow related to Nadine. Which will make things a bit sticky and funny for this couple. She’s going to do the chasing, obviously.

So, where does the fun part come in to play for you?

Tell me about them. Suggest some names and a title of a book. Even think of something she can do to try to get his attention. Have fun with it! If you play, and comment below, you’ll be entered to win a $5 Amazon gift card!

A redhead, Kendra Price doesn’t shy away from pinks or reds but shines in those colors. She chooses red, coral, pink, or turquoise for most of her clothing, and she always carries a signature orange bag. After a challenging childhood and a traumatic end to her relationship with her first love, she left Spencer, Colorado with her sights set on a dance career. Her talent has earned her success and a monetary payoff, so she can afford to buy herself nice clothing. Her attire gives her confidence.

Because she dances every day, she has a wide assortment of dance attire—leotards, shorts, and stretchy midriff tops. She has never kept her costumes but offers them to dance schools and students. She has a passion for teaching growing teens not only dance but how to care for their bodies and avoid injuries.

While on her travels, she has shopped in department stores across the country, so her clothing is unique and of good quality. She would probably never wear something ordered from a catalog because she likes to shop and try on her ensembles.

One of Kendra’s favorite things to do is spend a day fishing from her aluminum runabout on Twin Owl Lake, and on those days, comfortable shorts, a summer top, tennis shoes, and a sun hat are her go-to outfit.

Here is my Pinterest board showing Kendra’s clothing:
https://www.pinterest.com/cheryl_stjohn/dancing-in-the-dark/

Dancing in the Dark

An excerpt from Dancing in the Dark…

He opened the screen door, closed it behind him and walked across the porch, taking the stairs two at a time. I hate it when you leave, but I love to watch you go. That backside and those long legs in a pair of jeans could stop hearts. An elusive memory came into focus. He was fourteen or fifteen, tall and lanky, his shoulder-length hair bleached from the sun as he walked toward his dad’s old Mercury, turning back with a grin to wave at her. The image was so clear that she felt the same peculiar sense of loss and longing she experienced every time he’d left to go home. But today Dusty didn’t turn around…or grin…or wave. He put his toolbox in his truck, climbed in, and turned the vehicle around in the drive.

She watched the truck until it reached the road and stared after it long after the vehicle had disappeared behind the trees. He had never married. What did that mean? He was probably liked by everyone in Spencer, and he was a catch. Surely there were women who’d gone after him. He couldn’t have held out, thinking there was still hope for the two of them. She’d made that crystal clear.

This wasn’t the life she’d planned. She didn’t want to be bitter or unforgiving, but here she was, watching him go. She missed what-could-have-been so badly that she lived with an empty ache. But she had dance. She had determination. She had self-respect.

What she didn’t have was the man she’d wanted with her whole heart.

Dancing in the Dark and the first six books are now in Kindle Unlimited!
Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Dancing-Dark-Aspen-Gold-Book-ebook/dp/B07XMFSKWG/ref

Thank you for a chance to share on your blog!

Cher  😊

About the Author

Cheryl lives in a big city in the Midwest. When she’s not writing or spending time with her family, she’s checking out garage sales, flea markets & antique malls. Among her collections are teacups & teapots, roosters, vintage spice tins, wooden recipe boxes, Barbies®, charm bracelets, vintage jewelry, Kokeshi dolls, white stoneware, Delftware, Goebel birds, Royal Copley planters, vintage hankies and, of course, books. Cheryl admits she’s a bargain hunter with the heart of a hoarder, trying to live as a minimalist. The struggle is real.

Cheryl kicked off the Aspen Gold Series with Dancing in the Dark. She and her critique group devised a continuity series filled with diverse and entertaining characters. Fans of Robyn Carr’s Virgin River Series will enjoy this multi-author series set in the fictional tourist town, of Spencer, Colorado.  https://www.aspengoldseries.com/

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:

Newsletter Signup: https://tinyurl.com/CherylStJohn
email Cheryl at: cheryl@cherylstjohn.com
amazon author page: https://tinyurl.com/y6js92y8
Visit her on the web: http://www.cherylstjohn.net/
BookBub:  https://www.bookbub.com/profile/cheryl-st-john
Like her Facebook author page:  https://www.facebook.com/CherylStJ
Amazon:  https://tinyurl.com/y6js92y8
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/_CherylStJohn_
Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/cherylstjohn/
She’s a Pinterest junkie!  https://www.pinterest.com/cheryl_stjohn/
Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/24516.Cheryl_St_John