Twelve Nights, four shortbread recipes and some Blue Moon Romance

Tags

Blue Moon lake Series, Christmas, Kensington Lyrical books, recipes, Romance, Sharon Struth, Shortbread recipe, Twelve Nights

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Twelve Nights: A Blue Moon Lake Novella

bySharon Struth ISBN: 978-1-60183-637-3 Publish Date: 11/10/2015 Format: ePub

 

Book Blurb:

“Struth has a gift for layering stories within stories while keeping them all connected.”—Library Journal   “Struth is an author to watch!”—Laura Drake, author of RITA-award winner The Sweet Spot   “Sharon Struth writes a good story about love and loss. She knows her characters and has a path she wants them to take.”—Eye on Romance.

 

 

Every Christmas is a reminder of their love. This one could be a second chance…

True love waits forever…   For Erik Lindholm, it’s been a long climb to the top of his company. Now, as president he has the power to bring his vision to life and speed his company in bold new directions. If that means a complete staff overhaul, so be it. If that means firing the woman who left his heart in tatters fifteen years earlier, it’s a business

decision, not personal…   Beryl Foster is highly competent and respected by everyone at the office. But rumors of a big shake-up are rampant and—surprisingly, scarily—Beryl’s job as CFO is on the line. Fifteen years ago she made a decision to put her career before everything else. It was also the last time she and Erik shared a life together. Every Christmas is a reminder. This one could be a second chance…

Book Trailer:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wq5-jrLJn9k&feature=youtu.be

 

 

About the Author:

Sharon Struth is an award-winning author who believes it’s never too late for a second chance in love or life. When she’s not writing, she and her husband happily sip their way through the scenic towns of the Connecticut Wine Trail. Sharon writes from the small town of Bethel, Connecticut, the friendliest place she’s ever lived.

SHARE THE MOON, book one in the Blue Moon Lake Romances, is a finalist for a RONE Award and a Chatelaine Award for Romantic Fiction! Look for series book two, Harvest Moon (12/22/15), and Twelve Nights, A Blue Moon Lake Christmas Novella

(11/10/15).

Buy Links:

Amazon/   Barnes & Noble   /   Kobo   /   Google   /  Apple​   / Amazon UK

 

 

Social Media

Website

Musings from the Middle Ages

Facebook

Twitter

Goodreads

Excerpt:

 

 

Beryl perched on the tips of her sling-back pumps and tried to catch an early glimpse

of whoever had followed Saul inside. Nothing stood out but familiar faces. She returned to her normal stance as a knot twisted tight in her stomach.

“In selecting my replacement, I asked myself one question. Who could take the top-notch crew I have here now and guide Global to great heights in the future? Although we possess huge talent within our fine organization, I wanted a fresh take on the business and decided to search outside of our four walls.”

Disappointment rushed through Beryl. Time to update her résumé, just in case.

“So, without further ado, I’d like you to welcome the new president of Global Business Solutions—believe it or not a former employee of our firm—Erik Lindholm.”

Beryl’s body numbed. Loud applause faded in the background as his name pounded inside her skull. It couldn’t be. It wasn’t possible.

Erik stepped up to the platform and shook Saul’s hand. Beryl blinked, thinking this might be a bad dream, a hallucination, or one too many trips to the bar.

Darcy touched Beryl’s arm, ruling out the first two. “A former employee?”

Beryl was too stunned to speak or even nod. Erik’s dirty-blond hair was still parted on the side and worn short, with thick wisps sweeping his high forehead. He smiled, making the dimpled cleft in his chin deepen and softening the rugged angles of his sculpted face. Old emotions bubbled to the surface. Love. Happiness. Anger.

Erik shook hands with employees seated near the podium, his smile still as confident as it had been years ago. Last she’d heard, Erik worked in Chicago and teetered at the top of the corporate ladder with the Holder Group, a competitor of Global’s who could never quite beat her firm’s status as number one in the industry. The same firm Erik had gone to after they split up nearly fourteen years ago.

“Did you ever hear of this guy before?” Darcy whispered in Beryl’s ear.

Beryl nodded, her gaze stuck on the man she’d almost married.

 

 

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Seven facts about Snotra from The Viking and The Courtesan

Tags

Aubrey Wynne, blog hop, Erin Moore, Lady Malice, Mishka Jenkins, Sharon Struth, Snotra, Soul Mate Publishing, The Viking and The Courtesan, writing

Wow….where have I heard that before?

 

 

Too right it should have been. As if any of these lovely ladies whose posts are up today—three of them are anyway, Sharon’s was already up–would be anything like Snotra.

Seriously Erin, Aubrey and Mishka are following on in Sharon’s footsteps and their posts have serious wow factor.

http://aubreywynneauthor.com/2014/09/01/meet-my-characters-blog-hopmeet-rolf-from-rolfs-quest/

http://awriterslifeformeblog.wordpress.com/2014/09/01/meet-my-character-blog-hop/

http://www.authorerinmoore.com/1/post/2014/09/meet-my-characters.html

What characters. I can well recommend Erin’s book

and I can’t wait for the other two now! Going back to Sharon who kindly invited me onto the hop, I’m loving her book.

http://sharonstruth.wordpress.com/2014/08/18/meet-my-characters-blog-hopmeet-sophie-shaw-from-share-the-moon/

In your hamstah dreams, little buddies.

 

 

 

I’ll put it to the vote…..

I’ll put that to the vote too….

Hmmmmm…. What did I say about vote?

Now…a Malice and Snotra extract. From that first meeting to be precise….

“Good Gna…a… troll. No! No!”

“Snotra..”

How far did Malice’s heart go out, knowing how viciously people had whispered about her?  Actually? Not at all. Why should it? All was fair here in love and war and as Gentle’s flattening of her on the deck had shown, this was war.

Snotra? A madam? She just needed a little cultivating. That was all.

And wasn’t Malice, as the owner of Strictly just the one to do it too?

“No! No! I won’t have it. A troll! Good Gna, a troll. Oh… Oh…”

It was astonishing, wasn’t it, that at that moment, as he grabbed Snotra by the arm—he tried to anyway–Snotra began to shriek, scream and back away. She held her fingers out too.

A sign was a sign in any language. Maybe this one wasn’t quite as crude as some Malice had seen when she was little and some of the local children had spat at her calling her a witch and a gypsy. Maybe it wasn’t crude at all.  More a sort of save me from that troll sign.  Still Malice must consider, seeing as it was inches from her own nose—why on earth was Snotra making that sign at her?

 

Coming soon from

The hamster’s head. The importance of POV part 2

Tags

Catherine Cavendish, Hard To Hold, Incy Black, Linden Manor, Point of view, Sharon Struth, The Hourglass, the Second Wife, The Unraveling of Lady Fury, writing, Writing tips

Abso…and so you should well be praying little hamstahs after that little display the other day. The general..

AND, the fact WW3 was declared over point of view in a story.  PLUS the signing of a publishing contract with Catherine Cavendish, author of to name a few AND a few to come soon too, keep your eyes peeled for Linden Manor,

to produce works of great hamster merit, such as

 

DO step aside Mr Dickens.

All that has saved you from going back to the cages on this occasion is that you did SORT of get it right re point of view.

 

You must have read the lovely Sharon Struth’s post on the subject.

http://writerswow.blogspot.com/2014/03/wwow-writing-from-guerillas-point-of.html

SO….Point of view. Well, cards on the table, this is one of the things I found hardest setting out to try and get published. You see you think you can have as many viewpoints as you like in a scene and in a story. But to quote my heroine, her ladyship Fury, herself…

there are rules.

You can argue this all you like…

but as Sharon Struth also says, it makes that manuscript you’ve slaved over like the proverbial hot stove, look unprofessional, which is not the name of the game.

Okay. Some of it is a matter of trend. For example ….

God wouldn’t have the scene or the story–sorry Ratsy–because the omnipresent is out of fashion. Yep and some  of the best known writers ever, wrote that way too. Mr Dickens to quote but one.

The rabbit, if he’s a secondary character wouldn’t have the scene or the story either.

Don’t shoot me. I’m only the poor writer trying to get it right the very same as you are. The rabbit is just …..the rabbit.

One of my first efforts, a western story  penned at the age of 17 started with 6 people–none of whom were what they seemed– arriving in a small town.

There was the hooker, the hooker’s sister, the hooker’s jack of all trades, the ranch hand, the bank robber, the housewife. Each with a little secret in tow, plus the potential to blow the town apart.

Of course I gave the scene to the stage coach driver. Well.  He was best placed to give us the low down, wasn’t he?

Abso.

To this day I still think he was, cos the story was about the impact this six had on the town. I might still think so. But that would be all. AS Fez would say to the coachman…

cos he wasn’t after that scene. Not only that he had a touch of the Clint Eastwood’s about him.

No name.

But there’s probably worse mistakes to make. There’s……

 Head hopping in other words. You know where one minute we’re with one character and then with each successive paragraph we’re with another. Again you can argue it’s great to know what each person is thinking. Till you’re blue in the face too.

Meantime the slush pile reader has also hopped...it…to the next submission. Yours is in the trash basket.

Yeah, yeah, I know. you look at books from 20 years ago and they are full of head hopping. But this is 20 years on. It’s a tough biz for those who want to succeed.

So?  POV. What are the rules?  Well, these days it seems you tell the story from one or two viewpoints. Probably, unless you’re Tonto’s horse or something, taking  a new slant on The Lone Ranger,  you tell it mainly from one with a  dash of two.

You decide at the start of the scene whose head you’re in. You might stick in that head for the whole scene. The whole chapter, or chapters too. If you switch, the advice is don’t then switch back again in that scene. Do it afterwards by all means.

Personally, in terms of viewpoint I start the scene in the head of the character with the most to lose at this particular point.

Sharon Struth makes great points about why it’s good to have, or not have the other person’s viewpoint. Think of the suspense for a kick off if we don’t know what a character is thinking, while the other is busily hamstering beavering away.

Then there’s the fun to be had from them coming at something from entirely opposing angles…….

extracts copyright The Unraveling of Lady Fury. Etopia Press.

You can also mirror what your other characters…any of them, no matter  how minor…are thinking. so your scene isn’t white space that way.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Writing Process…

Tags

Anne Lange, blog hop, Elyzabeth M. Valey, Jane Hunt, Sharon Struth, writing processes

I interrupt this all things Scottish series cos you know me–big gub–who couldn’t just say….to the lovely and talented Sharon Struth

author of and lander of a 3 book contract –oooh– when she asked me to join the My Writing Process Blog Hop, I said…

SO here I am. Answering the specified questions and handing on the baton to three other lovely authors who will each post about their writing process on their blogs, next Monday. Ooh lucky them! You can check Shaz’s answers to the set questions here.

http://www.sharonstruth.wordpress.com/ 

as well as  the answers of Ellen Butler http://www.ellenbutler.net/ and another fab writer pal, Noelle Clark, who Sharon also chose. http://noelleclark.blogspot.com/2014/02/my-writing-process-blog-tour.html

All brill when it comes to showing how things work….or don’t.

What am I working on?

Right now? Finishing that cup of coffee, the bag of peanuts and NOT eyeing up the vino. Sorry was I meant to be discussing my writing process? Do I have one? Oh. Okay. I am working on book 2 of

….Splendor, who is not actually a Starkadder Sister as such, more their general do-it-all skivvy, and her obviously sizzling (Ahem) romance with the somewhat difficult and a tad bad tempered Earl Stillmore.

But also–why stick at one–a  sumexy little, presently at 80 thou words,  something involving a sumexy bed-slave owning Viking….

How does my work differ from others of its genre?

Okay? In a nutshell? I think The Book Review probably says it better than I can.

‘If you are looking for the traditional regency period historical romance, you won’t find it here. This is one of the darkest Historical romances I have read in a good long while.’

I guess I just don’t do flounces very well and I don’t have my characters falling easily either. To quote another reviewer on Amazon –

Ms Moore specialises in thrawn, feisty, troubled characters who refuse to bow down to what life throws at them.

My absolute preference is for flawed people because let’s face it, we are all flawed in some way. No-one is perfect. Every saint has a past. Every sinner has a future. Think of the realism it adds. Does my sumexy new hero, Hawley, go down on bended knees to declare his undying love for Saff for her cooling hand on his brow—— —–he suffers battlefield flashbacks coupled with  paralyzing fevers caused by his opium addiction and a poisoned leg? No. What he goes is titz cos she’s used all his shaving water.

In terms of plotting….To me… 

Completely… Cos I am, so why not think outside the square? Throw the pieces in the air, do the exact opposite of what is expected? A bed-slave owning Viking? I know what you’re thinking this is going to be about and how it’s all going to pan out. But you’re wrong.

Why do I write what I do?

Lol. Because what I would like to write doesn’t fit neatly into tropes and genres. For example you get told that you can’t have a book with several mains when it comes to characters nowadays. Pass.

But there it is.  I loved books like Again the kind an author would get told to red pen these days .It’s got to be about one main….

Romance as a genre, is so popular you can break into it. And believe me I despaired of ever breaking into print. Period. I had to think long and hard about tailoring my writing, learning to write a romance –it’s actually not easy–and ok, doing it my unflouncy black-humoured way because that’s the niche I want to carve for me. The bits of me I didn’t want to sacrifice to get into print. I chose historical because my passion is the past. Lol. Probably I was influenced by all these creaky old movies I adore…. Beautiful women, Handsome men.

Let’s face it, the fundamental things apply, whatever.

Of course I have a little raunch in it. Why not? That’s fundamental too!

How does your writing process work? 

Er…… does it ? Do I have one? Well. I sit down and I hit a few keys. Then I go have a coffee. Then I go have another. 

Honestly? I have no idea where I am going next. Something comes on the page and I think WTF? Hawley is an opium addict? Fury got up to stuff in Jamaica? The Black Wolf gets it page one the heroine is a lying be-atch. What?

Scenes never go the way I want them. Right now I am ready to blood eagle that damned Viking. Instead of being nicey-nicey  to the heroine -FINALLY- as I’ve set it up for him to be,  he went and got in another  fight with her. Don’t ask. So long as I get there in the end is all that matters.

So now I am handing the baton on to three lovely ladies who will post next Monday. Please check them out! They are worth it!

My Naughty Days of Christmas blog hop buddy.  Anne Lange

http://authorannelange.com

Anne is a wife and mother who works full time and lives in Canada. Books and shoes are her passion.

She started writing in late 2009, realized she needed to figure out what in the world she was doing, and began her trek of workshops and networking, and writing. She finally got her break in October 2012, when Etopia Press asked if they could publish her novella, Worth the Risk. Her second book Friends With Benefits was recently released.

My doodle buddy . Elyzabeth M. Valey

Defined as weird since she was about eight, Elyzabeth honors the title by making up songs about her chores, doodling stars and flowers on any blank sheet of paper and talking to her dog whenever he feigns interest.

Losing the battle to the voices in her head is her favorite pastime after annoying her younger sister with her singing. Writing stories full of passion and emotion where love conquers all is her happy pill and she’ll forgo sleep to make her readers live the dream. www.elyzabethmvaley.com/

The latest addition to Lady Fury’s book club.  Debut author- Jane Hunt. 

As a child Jane  had a complete stable of make-believe horses and her  imagination remains as vivid. Now it creates characters and scenarios which provide the inspiration for her stories. The Dragon Legacy is Jane’s  first published novel and she is excited to be sharing it with a wider audience.
When  not writing Jane  enjoys reading, book reviewing, social media and walking in the countryside. She is passionate about animal welfare. She is mum to two children and was, of course, a child bride. www.jolliffe01.com/

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What a time it was, what a time….

Tags

Aimee Duffy, Anne Lange, Antonia Van Zandt, Aubrey Wynne, BOok Week Scotland Loud and Clear Day, Charley Descoteaux, Faith Ashlin, Incy Black, Nikki Dee Houston, Sharon Struth, Susan Arden

Let’s start with that happy news shall we, even if it’s now almost the second? A sort of belated advent calendar opening, plus a seasonal, tart up of  the blog with the snazzy snow effect I had the bright idea and the nervous breakdown over earlier.

Time for a hat on Teenie I think.  All that is needed is a wee bit music and we’re off.

So, how the Book Week Scotland reading yesterday? In answer to the emails, that have kinda stacked up here…No I was not keeping a low profile. Me? I was just waiting for the blond to send me the pictures and the video. I did say she was a blond right? SO there are no pictures and no sound on the video either.

But we do have….

Les Chair…. Much more intimidating than that hot seat I keep here for characters to chargrill their creators on. And we do have a sort of blurry…..

Me on the chair reading to the lovely people who were there. And we do have many pics of Mr Shey’s  pint of beer afterwards.  We also have several pics of gentlemen in kilts we took in the pub afterwards too–you can tell the sort of night it was, St Andrew’s actually.  These were for Sharon Struth’s benefit. Needless to say some of my author buddies wanted to come  but they live too far away. But it was probably as well. I mean let’s face it…. Sharon now, she would have got us flung out, chasing every kilted guy in sight in order to get a nosey. As for Anne Lange, she’d have been chasing Flint. Did I tell you I auditioned one?

Incy Black….   

I fear Ince and I might have depleted voddiie stocks. Aimmie Duffy and me,

jaeger bombs… Noellle Clark would simply have partied

Faith Ashlin would have turned up on the wrong day..oe the wrong reading, sorry Faith but you would, Susan Arden

would have hit the chocolate machine. Aubrey Wynne,….

I am sure she is corruptible. Charley Descoteaux…no way would she have been sitting knitting, unless it was some of her very interesting garments.

As for Nikki Dee Houston..I ain’t going there. And it would have taken the refined and very mysterious Antonia  Van Zandt to flash her European royalty credentials and save us all been chucked out.

Yeah we often say if only we could all meet but hnnnnnnn. My guess is that would be the result. And if we threw in Ranting Crow now… I am saying no more.

.

‘A fine and dangerous season’

Tags

Anne Lange, Catherine Cavendish, Dark Recesses Magazine, Do Something Nice Day, Erin Moore, Etopia Press, Facebook, Facebook giveaway, Fire Prevention Day, Halloween, Hermit Day, Jianne Carlo, Katya Arncok, Moldy CHeese Day, name Your Car Day, Noelee Clark, October, Renea Mason, Sharon Struth, Steve Emmett

It is I suppose. Firstly His Judas bride is going on tour. And Anything involving Kara and Callm tends to be dangerous.

But there is a gift card giveaway for a randomly drawn commenter.

October 7: Books on Silver Wings
October 8: http://www.blog.kybunnies.com/his-judas-bride-shehannemoore/
October 9: Books to Light Your Fire
October 10: Farm Girl Books
October 11: WriterAshleyL
October 14: Susana’s Parlour
October 15: Booklover Sue
October 16: Writing Novels That Sell
October 17: The Most Happy Reader
October 18: Queen of the Night Reviews

Secondly,

blogging about the fine and dangerous time I once went trick or treating. And yes, again there’s book prizes.

Thirdly Nancy Cassidy, one of the fabulous editors at Etopia Press–no she didn’t break my arm to say that- -is hosting a Facebook fest.

Actually the idea is pretty amazing. Did you know there were so many days in October? Yes, of course there’s 31, but did you know each one is a world something or other day?  I didn’t. Today is National Custodial Worker Day. (I must be nice to mine, maybe she’ll let me out) October 5th is World Teacher‘s Day. There’s even a Name Your Car Day, Bald and Free Day, a Punk for a Day (Whit? ! No hunk for a day?) day, etc, etc, etc.

Anyway what Nancy’s done is allocate a day to some of Etopia’s best books.

and authors –the fabulous Mz Mason is going to visiting here very shortly by the way….. Other fantastically talented authors include, Jianne Carlo, Ally Shields. Dani Lynn Alexander, Rhonda Laurel, many who have guested here like J.M Stewart, Katya Arnock  and the fabulous Anne Lange. Also the up and coming hotly talented Nikki Dee Houston who sold her manuscript in less than a day!

Nancy then asked these authors to say why their book would fit that day. If you visit Etopia’s facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/etopiapress

you can see the answers –as we reach that day anyway. So far it is only the 2nd but already the fest is under way.  If you leave a  comment and share the post, then you could win that book. Some days have more than one book up for grabs. Every type of book is there too.

Contrary to expectation Fury does not have Mother-in-law Day. She has  October 9th Moldy Cheese Day…..

which I imagine she will be shouting about, especially when I reveal why. But come on…I would hardly be given Cookbook Launch Day now would I?

So, I hope you can come along and join the fun of this dangerous season.

Lastly, I have nothing to do with this but  if you do like scary, or write scary, the devilish Mr Emmett, who has also guested here, has  an article in the most amazing FREE online magazine launched by Edward Owen.

http://www.darkrecessesezine.com/

and he welcomes submissions… SO don’t be shy. It’s the spooky season after all……….Happy October. The month of mayhem. May you be well scared……

On NOT Getting Published

Tags

Braveheart, dealing with rejection as a writer, Etopia Press, Publishing, Sharon Struth, The Hourglass by Sharon Struth, Writers Resources

Oh God, another helpful post on that. Just what you don’t want to read on a wet Wednesday if you’ve just received your twentieth rejection slip of the day on your perfectly crafted  manuscript and the sugar bowl is all out of sugar so you can’t even sweeten the coffee and that drip, drip sound isn’t just your enthusiasm dripping away but a leaking roof tile.

Can’t these slimy  authors just feck the hell off with their success stories and leave you alone to your misery?

Well.  You will be dancing on your leaking roof to know we can’t. Because today I am going to introduce you to a special guest. Polly Positive. .  

Oops sorry. Just what you don’t need to see on a wet Wednesday… No. Here she is.

Polly isn’t actually mine before you don the boxing mitt and smack her where the sun doesn’t shine. She belongs to author Sharon Struth. Oh dear….another author shoving their success stories and their buy links in your face. Mine are over the page by the way. 

But the fact is it is a lottery getting a publisher. and while we’re busily getting our teeth kicked in, on the prowl we do hear all these marvellously depressing  success stories.  There’s even me oh blah, boast, six days to Etopia Press.  We don’t always hear of the dark moments behind them. The years behind the six days. The times we think ..right that’s it.

Personally I’ve recently come across two fabulous articles. One by author and writing pal, Noelle Clark–oh that’s another thing we do, blab about our fabulous writing buddies. Noelle’s article is a very nice piece though about writers who weren’t in the first flush of youth when they finally made it.

Hey! Not as depressing as all that. You can read it here.  http://www.noelleclarkauthor.com/2013/05/late-bloomers-are-budding-with-great.html

The second was by Sharon Struth. She talked so honestly of her struggle to find a publisher, I’ve asked her here today.

Shey. I wasn’t actually  first drawn to you as a fellow writer because we share the same stable. It was Polly Positive. Sharon, can you tell us a little about that?

Sharon.  I’m so glad you liked Polly Positive, who publically appeared in a piece I had published in “Better after 50.”  She’s a constant companion, only veering from my side on occasion. I’m a true optimist, so naturally that helps a great deal in my new job as a writer. Here’s a link to my “Polly” story: http://betterafter50.com/2013/05/its-never-too-late-for-a-new-career/.

Shey. So how old were you when you started to write? Or is that big girl’s secret!?

Sharon. I became a full-time writer around five years ago, at the age of forty-eight.

Shey. Just how it feel when that phone didn’t ring?

Sharon.  I’m a realist. I knew that a writing career would take time, hard work and commitment. I knew it wasn’t for anybody lacking in a thick skin. My skin isn’t terribly thick but I had Polly Positive (you know, my sidekick mentioned above.) She reminded me to stay focused on my tasks, not worry about the outcome. 

Shey.  Even when you had an agent? And still waited?

Sharon. Having my agent has been a true godsend. For the first time, I didn’t feel alone. I had an ally who wanted to see my work published, too. Sure, once she began to submit, we got rejections. I stayed positive, at least for a while…

Shey. I’m just thinking of the line from Braveheart here.

And dying in your bed many years from now…. Was that an all time low? Did you consider giving up?

 Sharon. I had one dark moment where my writing career seemed so bleak that I went into total blackout mode. Polly Positive left my side and I was one step from getting out the “Want Ads” to find an office job to go to each day rather than my trusty computer. Well, the planets must have been in perfect alignment that day because that’s the exact moment my agent called with an offer on The Hourglass, my new release. I still can’t believe it happened that day but am thrilled that it did!

Shey. What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

Sharon. Learn everything you can, write every day and find other writers to hang out with (critique groups, professional groups, RWA etc.). Oh, most of all, never give up.

Shey. So there you are. Of course Sharon does have a book out. But I think we can only commend her on her steel teeth. Finish our coffee, phone a roofer AND get back to that manuscript.

Blurb for THE HOURGLASS by Sharon Struth:

Can forgiveness survive lies and unspoken truths?

Until Brenda McAllister’s husband committed suicide, she appeared to have the ideal life: a thriving psychology practice, success as a self-help author, and a model family. But her guilt over her affair with Jack’s best friend prevents her from moving on. Did Jack learn of her infidelity? Was she the cause of his death?

The release of Brenda’s second book forces her into an unexpected assignment with arrogant celebrity author CJ Morrison, whose irritating and edgy exterior hides the torment of his own mistakes. But as she grows closer to CJ, Brenda learns she wasn’t the only one with secrets—Jack had secrets of his own, unsavory ones that may have led to his death. While CJ helps Brenda uncover the truth about her husband, she finds the path to forgiveness isn’t always on the map.

Excerpt:

An unexpected gravitational pull swelled Brenda’s anger. Her cute quip ran into hiding. She no longer cared about winning this man’s favor. His rudeness left her feeling as if she’d been doused with hot coffee this time. Brenda clenched her fists. A year of internal browbeating over Jack’s suicide had left her easily irritated.

Brenda gripped the frail edges of her self-control. “I once again offer my apologies for the accident, by definition an unplanned event with lack of intent.” He looked down his sturdy, Grecian nose at her, so she stood and put her hands on her hips. “Shouldn’t you, as a writer, know that?”

Every line on his face tensed. “I could do without your sarcasm.” He leaned closer. “Thanks to you, I missed my meeting. Maybe tomorrow morning you could get room service.”

The brunette unleashed a tight smirk. CJ motioned for them to move on.

Brenda fumbled for a good retort. As he stepped away, the last word went with him. The same way Jack had the last word in their life together. A silent explosion went off inside Brenda’s head and propelled her anger forward.

“Mr. Morrison?” She raised her voice to be heard above the crowd.

He looked over his shoulder and arched a questioning eyebrow.

Brenda crossed her arms and fixed a phony smile as she nodded toward his companion. “It’s so nice of you to bring your daughter to the conference.”

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                                ~ About the Author ~

Novelist Sharon Struth believes you’re never too old to pursue a dream. The Hourglass, her debut novel, received first place in the Dixie Cane Memorial Contest and second place in the Golden Heart. She writes from the friendliest place she’s ever lived, Bethel, Connecticut, along with her husband, two daughters and canine companions. For more information, including where to find her published essays, please visit www.sharonstruth.com