Title: Missing Pieces
Author: Stephany Tullis
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Diamond T-K
Cover Designer: Designs by Dana
Hosted by: Lady Amber’s PR
Blurb:
The partnership she's petrified to refuse and afraid to accept
As Chandlerville prepares for a series of local celebrations in honor of the annual Kentucky Derby in nearby Louisville, Kentucky, chaos ensues threatening to cancel the town's festivities.
Rachel Blakely's (editor of the Chandler County Chronicles), partnership with ex-NYC socialite, AJ Manning crumbles in the midst of their planning for the town's Derby-related activities. AJ is the mayor's wife and Rachel discovers that Fitzgerald Manning, the mayor's father, has close ties to an unidentified conglomerate of farm investors who may be coercing local farmers to sell their land.
Jairo Aquino, aka Blue, a handsomely, mysterious newcomer is trusted by no one and appears to have an investment scheme of his own. Arriving in Chandler County from Miami, Florida, Aquino has decided to put Chandler County on the map. "His plan was air tight. He just had to find a few missing pieces."
Rachel and Blue continue to cross paths until they reach a point of no return where they accept they can no longer ignore the sizzle of their interactions and their constricted heart strings that cause them to question the true nature of their relationship.
Can she trust him? Can he trust her? Can they together find the missing pieces?
In my world, there is no life without writing, traveling, family, music and my love of politics. My loves and interests are central to my writing.
I published my first novel The Master's Plan, A Novel in November 2013 (Edition 3 issued in 2016) and my first Christmas novel, 48 Hours 'Til Christmas, in November 2014. In 2015, I released Love, Peace & Joy: 3 Short Stories.
BLUE LADY (a short story) published in February 2015 launched my first series, The Angelica Mason Series. The first full installment in this series, entitled BLUE LADY'S Sweet Dreams was released July 2016 to be followed by BLUE LADY'S Mission Impossible in 2018.
In June 2016, I launched my second series (B.B.B.) with a novella entitled, Beach Baby Blues (part of an 11 author Beach Anthology, Stories of Sun, Sand and Sea). I hope to publish the sequel in this new series, entitled, Baby Boomer Blues by July 2017.
The sequel to The Master's Plan, entitled, Forgive, Forgotten, Forever is scheduled for release in the Fall of 2017.
I am pleased to partner with my friend and fellow author, PJ Fiala to sponsor the Chandler County multi-branded author series and will soon be releasing two books in this series. Missing Pieces is currently on pre-order with an April 11th 2017 release date and my second book in this new series is entitled Missing Chances and will be released in November 2017. Nine other authors will publish their books in this exciting endeavor during 2017. All books are based on our fictional towns, Chandlerville and Bourbonville Kentucky, 'where the unbridled spirit of romance roams'.
I live in Georgia with my family where I continue to write professionally and have published on Examiner.com as Atlanta's Society and Culture Examiner and in various health related peer review journals.
Author Links:
Readers Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/StephanyTullis/
Buy Link:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2l9209a
CHAPTER 11
"Every decision you've made has brought you to where you are today… exactly where you are meant to be."
~Unknown~
She woke to the silent sounds of nothingness but didn't rise, searching instead for solace in the comfort of her bed. Refusing to open her eyes, she wiggled and scooted her body in the cocoon-like wrapping of her down-filled comforter. Her body luxuriated in and sought the protective assurance that her blankie offered. Assurance that she needed. Assurance that she was increasingly fearful without. Assurance that she could go forward. Assurance that her world wouldn't disintegrate. Again.
In a further effort to fight the start of another day that she had no reason to believe would be better than yesterday, she shielded her eyes with her arm. Her thoughts rambled, twisted, and turned. Meditative breathing, prayerful enjoinders, and burying her head under her pillow failed. She wondered why experts raised false hope by guaranteeing results claiming research-based success stories. Meditation was the answer. Not! Prayer always worked. Not! Protect yourself! How? Her morning save thyself rituals failed. Again.
She succumbed to her despair, accepted the inevitable start of another day, and opened her eyes. The early morning sun greeted her through her sunflower yellow bedroom blinds. She lay still searching for meaning in the glittering rays.
After about five minutes, the rays shouted.
Get up off your butt! Face the music. What is the song of the day? Cry me a river?
Tears formed.
She fumbled for the pack of ciggies in her side table and rolled out of bed. What the heck? Why bother?
She tiptoed to the window and peeked through the blinds as though embarrassed that the universe heard her indignant retort.
She peered down at the town's early morning greeting to the start of a Chandlerville, Kentucky morning. Drivers travelled at a higher than normal speed as they hurried to their jobs. Shop owners headed to their stores, preparing for their early morning customers. The vinyl blinds protected her much like her blankie and her one-bedroom studio apartment conveniently located above the CCC office, her second home but first love.
She adored everything about Chandlerville. Its Southern charm, the food, the rolling grassy landscape, the artistry… the friends she had made. Most importantly, she loved her job. She'd heard that the town was looking for someone to run the local newspaper at a large crafts festival in Berea, Kentucky a few years ago. She was writing an article on the annual Berea Crafts Festival for a travel magazine and ran into a colleague, a professor who taught at Berea College.
The rest was history. She lied to herself. Her first love was long ago buried but not forgotten. She lied to others. This time, no lies. Period. History would not repeat itself.
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