An old book, some new books, and a Short Story
Nov 16, 2023 5:16 am
Between the Pages
Hi
Have you noticed the shops are full of Christmas decorations already? Daylight saving is well-established, and we're enjoying long days of gorgeous weather. Longer than I might like, thanks to the birds that start calling at around five am, but it gives me time to sit up and read or perhaps do some writing.
I've been getting a new garden established at the front of my cottage, and was intrigued when I found a new variety of Kangaroo Paw plant. I had never seen that delicate lilac colour before, and planted two of them. Sadly, one has definitely not survived transplanting, and the other is just hanging on. I have my fingers crossed there.
All is not lost thought. As I checked the garden this morning, I discovered that a Jacobean Lily, also recently transplanted, had burst into bloom. These bright red lilies always make me happy. They are so easy to grow, and as they multiply, I am able to share a few bulbs with others. It's a beautiful Christmas flower.
Short Story Offer
Subscribers to this newsletter who signed up after downloading a coping of Romance in the Stone will have read one story called The Letters, but readers who joined the newsletter via other offers won't have seen it. Written initially as an entry for an RWA short story competition (it was short-listed), the story introduces a couple of characters who later feature in the Sandy Bay Series.
Scroll down to the bottom of the page to find out how you can download the story for free.
regards
Emily
In this week's newsletter:
- Ambition and Passion
- Hopes Haven
- A Billionaire's Wedding Wager
- Escape to Sandy Bay
- The Letters
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Ambition and Passion
If you're looking for a light-hearted but engaging Christmas story, the sparks that fly between Miranda and Hugh are sure to delight.
The price of success was higher than she thought.
A mixture of sass, technical know-how and steely determination swung the IT contract Miranda’s way. Now all she had to do was deliver. The connection with Hugh Paterson was an unexpected bonus—until it wasn’t.
Working in close proximity was unavoidable, and Miranda was surprised to discover the creative side of his personality. Not quite as surprised as discovering the hot body and passion beneath that business suit. It was a lust equally matched by hers.
Then the universe conspired against her. The mysterious break-in, the system hack, the shock allegations – it was enough to make a grown woman cry. Except she didn’t. Miranda came out fighting.
She didn’t expect Hugh to abandon her when it was all over. Christmas had never looked so bleak.
You’ll love the twist the Universe delivers. Download it to find out more.
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Hopes Haven
by Sage Parker
36-year-old Tessa Grave’s life has never been the same since that night. Losing her family and nearly her own life is something she’ll never fully recover from.
That’s why starting Hope's Haven, a shelter for women in need, is so important to her. With the support of her two best friends, and an uncanny ability to detect when others are lying, Tessa helps women in ways others can’t. It won’t bring her family back, but it’s allowed her to start rebuilding her life.
Until she discovers a shocking secret that changes everything.
What began as just another case, quickly becomes a desperate search for the truth, and there’s one man, the mysterious Beau Reeves, who could have the answers. Except Tessa’s unique ability doesn’t work on him.
And just as hope in uncovering her tragic past is starting to fall apart, Beau realizes he is the only thing standing in the way of her and disaster.
Hope's Haven, set in the picturesque Great Smoky Mountains, is a feel-good women's fiction that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Scroll up and grab your copy today!
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A Billionaire's Wedding Wager
by Marcy Hart
I'm a master at the poker table, where confidence and calculation reign supreme.
Love? Never part of the high-stakes game I play. Until now.
Stacy, with her vivacious charm and teasing allure,
Inhabits a world far removed from mine.
Then, a daring wager propels me into a charade with this most unexpected adversary.
The sizzling attraction between us sets our worlds on fire.
Amidst the glittering façade of our fake engagement,
My icy composure melts away like a forgotten poker face.
Leaving me exposed and vulnerable,
To a smoldering connection, I never saw coming.
Now, I'm trailing her to the bustling, luxurious world of New York,
Where the stakes soar higher than any poker hand,
And I find myself at a crossroads,
Torn between the life I've always known and the love that may slip through my fingers.
Author's Note: This steamy HEA standalone novel has no cheating or violence, with explicit love scenes and a happy-ever-after. Intended for 18+ audiences.
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Escape to Sandy Bay
I had a satisfying number of pre-orders for this book, and was thrilled at receiving some five star reviews in the first week. If you have purchased and read the book, your review will be so helpful for future readers. If you haven't got your copy yet, what are you waiting for? It's a great Christmas read.
I'm making progress on book 2 in this series, Return to Sandy Bay, spurred on because I already have pre-orders for that too. That book will be released early in the new year.
As a successful lawyer, Alyssa’s life is on an upward trajectory. A shock betrayal sees her carefully curated future collapse around her and sends her running to her childhood haven of Sandy Bay. She doesn’t expect to become embroiled in a local community crisis, nor with the man she thinks is driving it.
Single Dad Max cares for son Jeremy, while establishing his environmental consultancy. She stirs the emotions in ways he didn’t expect, but when he believes she has neglected his son, he is quick to lash out.
They each have to address conflicts associated with their pasts, and as Christmas approaches, either one or both could be celebrating alone.
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The Letters
To download your free copy of this story, made available to subscribers, click the link below. The offer expires on 31 December 2023.
Jacinta had loved spending holidays with her aunt in Pt Reilly. Her aunt was an artist, and they often wandered up and down the coastal area, while Cynthia worked on her latest seascape and Jacinta swam or collected shells.
On arrival at the seaside cottage each year, she would check that nothing had changed. She found reassurance in the consistency of the things in the house, the times they shared, and her aunt’s unquestioned presence.
Except one day Cynthia wasn’t there anymore, and Jacinta learned that the house, its contents, and its memories had been left to her. As she sorted through the last of her aunt’s worldly possessions, she discovered the tragedy that had shaped the path of Cynthia’s life.
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Kind regards
Emily Hussey - Author, Poet, Coach
Find me at https://linktr.ee/emilyhusseyauthor
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