TUESDAY POTPOURRI: FIRST PARAGRAPH/FIRST CHAPTER/TEASERS — MARCH 20

Today I’ll be participating again in First Chapter First Paragraph, hosted by Diane, at Bibliophile by the Sea. 

I’ll also be spotlighting the excerpt in Teaser Tuesdays, at Should Be Reading.

I’m featuring another of my own creations today:  Embrace the Whirlwind.

Synopsis:  How does one person connect to another in a meaningful and satisfying way?  Can a tortured past and tangled family history impede prospects for finding happiness in the future?  The author explores the multidimensional character of Amber Cushing, a young woman whose conflicted relationship with her mother propels her into a whirlwind of bad choices.  Her growing addiction to love pushes her out of control and thwarts any chance at happiness.  But when she begins to explore her own feelings and understand the reasons behind her actions, Amber starts to forgive herself and to forge a brave new future.

***

She hadn’t trusted in the myth of “happily ever after” for a very long time, but despite herself, she had believed that he was going to be the love of her life.  After all, the two of them had been hanging out pretty regularly now for a couple of months.  He came to the roadhouse where she worked, usually right after he finished up with his construction crew, and they had fallen into the habit of leaving together after her shift ended.  But tonight had been different, right from the start.

 First of all, he had barely acknowledged her presence when he got there.  Still, she had tried not to take it personally, telling herself that he was just catching up with the guys.  But then he’d started flirting with some of the other girls who had come in halfway through the night.  Toward the end of her shift at the roadhouse, she had watched Buck walking out with that little twit, the one who had been hanging all over him all night long, and she could see the handwriting on the wall:  he was moving on.     

She had struggled along anyway, trying to pretend that none of it bothered her, until finally she was able to leave for the night.  She headed toward the parking lot, and after she climbed into the old beat-up pickup truck, she huddled up inside for a few minutes wishing she could somehow disappear.  She wished she could close her eyes, and then, once she opened them again this whole day would have magically turned out to be nothing but a dream.  A nightmare, of course, but just a dream all the same!  The humiliation of it all!  She could still see the faces of the others as Buck had turned on his heel and walked out that door with someone else.

***

Now I can’t wait to see what the rest of you are sharing!  Come on by and share your thoughts.