award-winning – Nomad Authors Blog

Charity Sunday: 1 Jar Foundation

How Charity Sunday works: for every comment made on this blog post, I will donate money to the charity named. The same promise is made for every blog site listed in the group–click the Linky Links link at the bottom of this post to see the list of participants and read/comment on any of them to see a donation go to that blogger’s charity. We’re all different! Thanks for your help and your participation!

For two years Jack and I lived just outside Chicago and his brother and sister-in-law still live in the city. It breaks our hearts to see the state the city is in and hear about the violence that kills so many, especially the innocents like Janari. To help a bit, we’d like to donate this Christmas season to 1 Jar Foundation (www.1jarfoundation.org) so some little kids can receive gifts. 1 Jar’s mission is: “Protecting and securing a purposeful future for our kids and all youth!” Working to ensure a safe environment for Chicago kids to grow and develop into productive adults, Janari’s mom and family have moved from tragedy to a giving, loving resource for children of all walks of life. We’re happy to give to such a worthy cause for a city we love. Please comment and help us!

Finding a Christmas Miracle by Jan Selbourne and Anne Krist

Blurb:
Two exceptional novellas featuring two men engulfed in a war no one understands or wants—Vietnam. They’re both hoping for a miracle with little expectation of finding it.

Jan Selbourne lends her award-winning writing talent to A Miracle in the Outback. Nick Saunders is in a hurry to escape a family argument and also to return to his Army base in Wagga Wagga. He doesn’t need another complication. Rachel Garth is a woman with a broken down car, a small girl, a deadly snake, and a baby on the way. She needs Nick’s help. He doesn’t know it, but he needs hers, too.

In award-winning author Anne Krist’s The Miracle of Coming Home, Army PFC Tom Stabler wins a trip to his parents’ Nebraska farm for Christmas. He needs the time away from the war. Lately, he’s been feeling lost and too alone. Trouble is, being home is almost as bad. Then Susan Swensen arrives, just as sweet and pretty as he remembers. Can Susan help him find himself again, or will it take a miracle?

This December, Finding a Christmas Miracle will be released in paperback.

Buy link:
Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Finding-Christmas-Miracle-historical-novellas-ebook/dp/B09MR8PKYT

Excerpt:
Miracle in the Outback

Noelle’s face turned red as she let out another loud wail.

Ellie pointed to the crib. “Mum, Noelle’s crying.”

“I know, I know.” Rachel closed the sliding glass doors and pushed the hair out of her eyes.

Another louder squeal.

“Mummy, Noelle.”

“I can hear her, Ellie,” Rachel snapped, and went to the sink to wash her hands. “The whole bloody street can hear her.” She picked up the little noise machine and felt the wet clothing. Pulling off the soaked nappy, she reached for a clean one to wrap around the squirming baby.

“Scream, feed, and pee,” she muttered as she opened her blouse. Like an alarm clock, every three and half hours, day and night. So different from quiet, placid Ellie and she was so tired. As soon as the little piranha finished feeding, she’d give Ellie colouring pencils and toys and try to snatch an hour’s sleep.

Rachel rested her head against the back of the sofa and reached over to Ellie. “You are such a good girl, come sit next to me. When we go shopping tomorrow, I’ll buy you a present for helping me with this noisy baby.”

Twice a week, she pushed the pram, with Ellie sitting on the toddler’s seat, to the shopping centre. Always early to avoid the heat and between feeds so Noelle would, hopefully, sleep. Then wash the pile of baby clothes and nappies. She’d take a few more dollars from her stash and buy more disposables.

Fifteen minutes later, Noelle had fallen asleep against her breast. She gently laid her in the crib, turned on the fan, and lay on the sofa.

A shrill noise jerked her awake. Blinking, she sat up and rubbed her eyes as the front doorbell shrilled again. No way was she climbing the stairs to see who it is. They can come back later when her mother was home. Probably the Jehovah’s Witnesses. Last week it was the Mormons and she’d told them where to go in very blunt language.

She lay back down and felt herself drifting off when footsteps on the side path made her sit up. Two men in suits were walking towards the sliding glass doors. They looked around the back garden before knocking.

Now alarmed, Rachel hesitated before opening the door a couple of inches. The two men produced ID badges.

“Rachel Garth?” The tall man with piercing eyes asked.

“Yes.”

“Detective Thomas and”—his hand flicked to the man beside him—“Detective Jones. Sydney City Police. We’d like to talk to you.”

The Miracle of Coming Home

Susan Swensen flew into the small three-bedroom house she shared with Carol Buley and Mildred Hammersmith. “I won!” she shouted. “I won, I won, I won!!”

Carol stepped out of her bedroom and into the hallway, brushing her hair and already In her blue flannel pajamas. “Won what?”

Susan dropped an envelope on the scarred coffee table and threw off her wool cape, tossing it onto the used couch dressed up in a winter slipcover. A Christmas tree displayed prominently over the center cushion. Brightly wrapped gifts beneath a midnight-blue sky scattered with stars filled out the rest of the space. This was the second year the women had used it to hide the worn arms and cushions of the sofa, and it saddened Susan somewhat that it would be the last. The three would graduate from nursing school in June and go their separate ways.

She reached to remove the pins that secured her white cap to her blonde curls and then slid the bobby pins onto the edge of the cap before placing it carefully on the table. Then she picked up the envelope and removed the letter she’d read three times already.

“Susan Swensen. This is to inform you that your submission to the Home for Christmas contest sponsored by WCHI Radio Chicago has won one of seven prizes. WCHI has confirmed that PFC Thomas J. Stabler will be transferred from Saigon, South Vietnam to Norfolk, Nebraska (via Omaha, Nebraska) on or about December 16, 1970 until December 27, 1970. The Department of Defense is relaying this information to PFC Stabler’s commanding officers and to him. WCHI is happy to be a part of this Christmas homecoming. Thank you for your heartfelt submission. Merry Christmas! John Marbury, President, WCHI Radio.”

Susan looked up at Carol with a smile that felt like it might split her face. “Tom is going to be able to come home for Christmas.”

Reviews:
“Both stories grab your attention quickly and carry you along with the fast moving plot lines! Both main characters are flawed perhaps due to the service to their country! One saves a young mother about to deliver her second baby alone in the outback. The other brings the Vietnam war home! Kudos to both ladies for their exemplary stories!” 5-star

“Two fabulous reads with relatable characters and heartwarming emotion. Both stories dealt with war but we saw the personal side of it and the way the horror impacts normal people. … I was rooting for both couples to find their Happily Ever After.

“Both novellas are stirringly heartwarming holiday romances.” 5 Stars”

“Well done, both ladies.” 5 stars

“For heart-warming Christmas romance, the two novellas in Finding a Christmas Miracle certainly fit the bill.” 5 stars

“Two wonderful books. … I enjoyed every turn of the pages. So good to feel the love Always in awe of this wonderful talent Of putting words to paper. Looking forward to the next novellas.” 5 Stars

“YOU CAN’T GO WRONG READING THESE TWO BOOKS!!” 5 Stars

Author Jan Selbourne:
Jan Selbourne was born and educated in Melbourne, Australia and her love of literature and history began as soon as she learned to read and hold a pen. After graduating from a Melbourne Business College her career began in the dusty world of ledgers and accounting, working in Victoria, Queensland and the United Kingdom. On the point of retiring, she changed course to work as secretary of a large NSW historical society. Now retired Jan is enjoying her love of travelling and literature. She has two children, a stray live in cat and lives near Maitland, New South Wales.

Author Anne Krist:
A few years ago, Dee S. Knight began writing, making getting up in the morning fun. During the day, her characters killed people, fell in love, became drunk with power, or sober with responsibility. And they had sex, lots of sex.

After a while, Dee split her personality into thirds. She writes as Anne Krist for sweeter romances, and Jenna Stewart for ménage and shifter stories. All three of her personas are found on the Nomad Authors website (www.nomadauthors.com). Fortunately, Dee’s high school sweetheart is the love of her life and husband to all three ladies! Once a month, look for Dee’s Charity Sunday blog posts, where your comment can support a selected charity.

Jan author links:
Website
Twitter
Facebook
LinkedIn
Newsletter:

Anne author links:
Website
Blog
Twitter
Facebook
Goodreads
Newsletter
LinkedIn
Sweet ‘n Sassy Divas

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New! Sci-Fi pre-order: The Moon Crossing by Eileen Troemel and Jan Selbourne

USA Today Bestselling Author Eileen Troemel and 2019 Coffee Pot Book Club Historical Book of the Year Silver Medal winner Jan Selbourne present an alternate history, sweet romance of life after the Moon Landing in 1969. Release date: November 13.

Blurb:

In 2030, World Correction Center – the Earth’s most secure prison – is a miserable place to land. Since it’s on the moon, it’s inescapable. It contains the worst criminals Earth has ever seen. So why are the brilliant minds across the globe being sent to this black hole of the justice system. When renown archaeologist Micky Cooper is charged with embezzling, his sister Susan knows it’s a set up. It’s up to her to prove his innocence. Susan thinks she might be paranoid but she swears she’s being followed and should she trust the nice man whose cousin has disappeared as well? Was it a chance meeting or is he against her too? Teaming up with Greg Tanner, a man equally resolved to prove the innocence of his cousin, Samantha Tanner – a word leading linguist – Susan and Greg seek clues wherever they can find them, but they’re barely keeping one step ahead of those who want them to stop. They begin to unravel the web of lies, fraud and cover up. Just when they start to put pieces together, Susan and Greg are forced to run for their lives. With a nudge from Samantha they find someone to help. Is this woman an ally? Or simply part of a greater conspiracy to hide the truth? What exactly is on the moon and why are the Earth’s greatest minds being sent there to serve time?

Pre-order link Get your copy now for 99¢:
Amazon US

Excerpt:
Could the government really make someone disappear? The little voice in her head replied, ‘yes they could. Taking a step back into the alley, she watched Greg enter the coffee shop. “Okay. Do I trust his or not?” she muttered. “What if I just listen? Would it hurt to listen?

“Shit, I’m nutso standing in a dark alley talking to myself,” Susan said. Closing her eyes, she tried to consider her gut instinct. She didn’t know. At five minutes past, she raised her chin and opted to trust – for now.

Looking both ways, she crossed the street. She deliberately wore practical clothes, tennis shoes, blue jeans, and a tank top. Over the top, she wore a hooded sweatshirt. Seeing herself reflected in the glass door, she wondered if she dressed too casual. Too late to change now.

He sat in the back facing the door. A smile lit his face as soon as he saw her. Is he faking it? It looks like a real smile. He stood, sort of old fashioned but Susan liked it. He seems sincere. Feeling awkward for analysing his every expression, she approached the table. “Hi.”

“I wasn’t sure you’d come,” he said.

“Me neither,” she slid into the booth. He sat opposite her as the waitress brought their coffee. “They have a good peach pie here.

“It’s really good today,” the waitress said

“Give us two pieces,” Greg said.

Waiting for the waitress to leave, Susan assessed him. She liked what she saw but this was not a date. “Did you find out more about your cousin,” she asked as she sipped her coffee

“A colleague of hers said she worked day and night on a project. It’s who my appointment was with yesterday,” he said. “I know how she gets. She has a puzzle, and she won’t stop until she solves it.”

“Do you think she got sent to the moon as well,” Susan reached out to touch his hand. It felt warm and strong.

“I don’t know,” he said. He gripped her hand. “They said a secured facility. The moon is for the worst of the worst… or so their website says.”

“The prisoners are only allowed visitors once a month,” she said. “I get they’re bad people but they still deserve to have visits. Do you know how much it costs to get to the moon?”

“You’d go,” Greg said. “I watched a few of the first launches.”

“They have the shuttle now,” Susan said. “I saw a video of a recent launch.”

“From their site,” Greg asked.

“No this was on the internet,” Susan said. “It was in one of the chat rooms.”

“You’re a bit of a computer geek,” Greg grinned.

She liked his smile, firm lips surrounding white teeth, a light in his eyes indicated laughter even though he hadn’t laughed yet. “A bit,” she said. “I tinker a bit with it.”

“If we believe our loved ones are innocent,” Greg said.

“We do,” Susan said.

“Then how were they both falsely accused and convicted of crimes they didn’t commit,” he asked.

“It’s more than that,” Susan said. “Not only were they convicted but they were sent to the worst prison. Why? How does it serve them? What could they have been working on to annoy someone so much they wanted them out of the picture? They timed it well. I was out of the country.”

“Wait, so was I,” Greg interrupted.

“See, it’s no coincidence you and I, their closest relatives, were out of the country. That’s what we’re talking about isn’t it?”

Greg sat back and rubbed a hand through his hair. “What if it wasn’t they wanted them out of the picture but rather, they needed them on the moon for some purpose,” Greg asked.

“Why wouldn’t they just ask them to work for them or with them,” Susan countered.

“Maybe they did but they turned them down,” Greg leaned forward again gripping her hands.

Susan glanced at their hands. “This is crazy. You know what this sounds like?”

“We’re a couple of conspiracy theorists,” Greg shook his head.

She couldn’t look at him, staring at their hands she considered all they discussed. Could the government kidnap scientists?

“I… I’m staying at my brother’s house,” she said slowly. “I’ll have a look through his things.”

“Want help,” Greg asked.

She stared into his warm caramel eyes. Did she trust him? Was this too convenient? She hadn’t a clue how to help Micky, but could she rely on this man? With a deep breath, she said, “Sure.”

The waitress returned with two plates of pie. Greg asked, “I’m really sorry. Can we get those to go?’

“Sure,” she said. They rose and followed her to the counter.

Susan paid, she insisted on it. As they stepped out of the coffee shop, Susan saw a flash of light. Across the street, a black SUV parked in the line of mid-sized cars. It looked out of place. She couldn’t see the plates. Were they watching her, following her?

“Everything all right,” Greg asked.

“No, it’s not,” Susan said walking away from the street. “Have you ever felt like you were being followed?”

“Yeah,” he scanned the street. “More often recently.”

She stepped close to him, pulled him close to her. She brushed her lips across his. His arms slowly closed around her. “I think we’re being watched,” she murmured as she made it look like they flirted and had an assignation rather than plotting… whatever they were plotting.

Meet the authors:

USA Today Bestseller Author Eileen Troemel writes action packed and emotionally powerful fantasy, scifi, romance. She’s versatile and writes in many genres. She’ll try almost any genre if it means she can tell a good story. In addition to her writing, she loves to read, crochet, and research genealogy. Her best days are spent with her family of three adult daughters and her husband or writing.

Website: https://eileentroemel.com/
Twitter https://twitter.com/EileenTroemel
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/EileenTroemelAuthor/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/eileentroemel/
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/eileen-troemel-6667825b/
MeWe https://mewe.com/i/eileentroemel
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7868345.Eileen_Troemel

Jan Selbourne was born and educated in Melbourne, Australia and her love of literature and history began as soon as she learned to read and hold a pen. After graduating from a Melbourne Business College her career began in the dusty world of ledgers and accounting, working in Victoria, Queensland and the United Kingdom. On the point of retiring, she changed course to work as secretary of a large NSW historical society. Now retired, Jan is enjoying her love of travelling and literature. She has two children, a stray live-in cat and lives near Maitland, New South Wales.

Website: https://nomadauthors.com/JanSelbourne/index.html
Blog: http://nomadauthors.com/blog
Twitter: http://twitter.com/JanSelbourne
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jan.selbourne
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14661584.Jan_Selbourne?from_search=true
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Jan-Selbourne/e/B0184OSZ6E/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0
Newsletter: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/h8t2y6
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-selbourne-2817b6140/

Please indulge me: The sweetness of recognition #MFRWHooks

This is a blog hop. Be sure to check the link at the bottom to see posts from other authors!

No matter how humble we all tell ourselves to be, it’s always thrilling, and just plain sweet, when something we do gets some special recognition. Am I right? So when one of my books, Burning Bridges, written as Anne Krist, was awarded the Gold Medal for Best Romance of 2020 by Coffee Pot Book Club earlier this month, I felt all those giddy things we try so hard to guard against when we write a book and then send our baby out into the world. If you’ve seen this announcement other places on social media, forgive me. I’m happy. And it’s a great way to end this year that’s caused so much pain and sadness. Celebrate with me! Thanks! Recognition sometimes doesn’t come along all that often.

Blurb:
Not your typical “secret baby” book! This Southern romance packs in the emotion.

Letters delivered decades late send shock waves through Sara Richards’s world. Nothing is the same, especially her memories of Paul, a man to whom she’d given her heart years before. Now, sharing her secrets and mending her mistakes of the past means putting her life back together while crossing burning bridges. It will be the hardest thing Sara’s ever done.

Buy link:
Amazon Kindle Unlimited

Excerpt:
Sara stared at the letters arranged before her in numerical order. The moment in time she and Paul shared was long ago, yet her dream had conjured his presence as though she’d just seen him. In her mind, his blue eyes darkened with passion before his lips captured hers, and he moaned his appreciation when their tongues met. She tasted his sweetness and knew the steel of his arms as he held her. How many nights had she put herself through hell reliving those memories? Too damn many.

After the concert, they’d met clandestinely on weekends, mostly at Sandbridge, where they could walk and talk undisturbed. With each meeting, stirrings built deep in Sara that pushed her to want more, but Paul insisted they restrain themselves because of her age.

Then the weekend before he shipped out, she’d planned a surprise and her life changed forever.

The kettle screeched, bringing her back to the present. Sara prepared a cup of tea and then picked up the envelope marked twenty-eight. At one time, she would have given her right arm to hold this letter. Now, curiosity and the desire for a brief escape drove her more than the passion of youth. Blind love had faded when she’d had no word to bolster her during the long weeks after the ship left.

First had come the waiting. No letters arrived, even though she wrote him daily. There were no phone calls, no notes, no anything, for days that dragged into weeks then crept into months.

Anticipation morphed into anxiety. She worried he was sick or hurt and unable to write.

One day she admitted that Paul must be afraid to write for some reason, and she feared what he would say if she did receive a letter. That their time together had been a mistake, that she was too young to be in love. That he really loved someone else and Sara had been only a stand-in while he was in Virginia. Perversely, she began to sigh with relief when she arrived home and found no word.

Now, knowing why she hadn’t received mail, what would she feel if she opened this letter and her old fears proved to be true?

“Nothing,” she murmured. “Paul’s dead. He can’t hurt me anymore.” At the very least, his letters might allow her to put his ghost to rest. For that reason alone, she had to read them.

She slid her thumb under the flap and ripped the envelope open. A single sheet held his hurried scrawl.

Reviews:
From Readers:
“I loved it! And now my daughter’s reading it.” Sherry, a reader

“I just finished reading BURNING BRIDGES. Thank you for writing such a powerful story about how real love can overcome all obstacles. I appreciate the fact that Sara and Paul were imperfect and made mistakes. They needed each other to polish off their rough edges and make them complete. How nice that characters of middle age were written as attractive and sexual human beings.” A reader, Virginia

From Reviewers:
“Burning Bridges by Anne Krist is a story of a love that will not be denied — that cannot be denied. Time does not change what the soul knew before Sara and Paul ever met. Their love is eternal, and they can weather any storm, any lie, to the very end of time if necessary. I loved every minute of this book. If you are looking for your next great romance, then look no further. Burning Bridges has it all, and then some. I Highly Recommend._
Review by Mary Anne Yarde.
The Coffee Pot Book Club.

“If you love dramatic family sagas with plenty of emotion, you have to read Burning Bridges. Highly recommend!”
N.N. Light

Author Dee S. Knight/Anne Krist/Jenna Stewart:
A few years ago, Dee S. Knight began writing, making getting up in the morning fun. During the day, her characters killed people, fell in love, became drunk with power, or sober with responsibility. And they had sex, lots of sex.

After a while, Dee split her personality into thirds. She writes as Anne Krist for sweeter romances, and Jenna Stewart for ménage and shifter stories. All three of her personas are found on the Nomad Authors website. And all three offer some of the best romance you can find! Also, once a month, look for Dee’s Charity Sunday blog posts, where your comment can support a selected charity.

Website: https://nomadauthors.com

Blog: http://nomadauthors.com/blog

Twitter: http://twitter.com/DeeSKnight

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DeeSKnight2018

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/265222.Dee_S_Knight

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B079BGZNDN

Newsletter: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/h8t2y6

LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/dee-s-knight-0500749

Sweet ‘n Sassy Divas: http://bit.ly/1ChWN3K

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Coffee Pot Book Club Gold Medal for Burning Bridges!!

I’m so honored and grateful to let you know that my non-erotic romance (written as Anne Krist), Burning Bridges, has been awarded the Gold Medal for Best Romance of 2020 by Coffee Pot Book Club!! You can see the list of all the 2020 winners on Coffee Pot Book Club’s blog page. Scroll nearly to the bottom to find the Romance listings.

Winning recognition for Burning Bridges is wonderful for me personally because it is truly the book of my heart. I lived in Virginia Beach during Vietnam. Jack was #68 in the draft lottery, and had he not been attending school at VMI (they figured they would get him eventually), he would have gone over, just as the book’s hero did. The war touched all of us in that time–especially the lovers.

Blurb:
Not your typical “secret baby” book! This Southern romance packs in the emotion.

Buy link:
Amazon Kindle Unlimited

Excerpt (Sara calls her mother to find out how she came into possession of letters nearly thirty years old, from a man long dead–a man she loved:

“I thought it would be you. Have you read the letters?”

“No. What happened, do you know?” Scattered on the table, the three packets drew her gaze and she stared as though trying to read their meaning through the sealed paper.

“Only what the Department of Navy letter said. Some bags of mail were lost. I suppose if I weren’t still receiving part of Dad’s retirement, they wouldn’t have found me.”

Sara closed her eyes and leaned against the wall. “I mean, do you know what happened to the rest of the letters?”

“What?” There was no mistaking the naked fear in her mother’s voice.

“The envelopes are numbered. I have twenty-eight through thirty. What do you think happened to the others?” Tension radiated through her shoulders and neck. Her mother was about to say something she didn’t want to hear, she knew it.

“Sara, you have to understand, Dad and I only wanted what was best for you. You were a child, a high school senior with a wonderful future in front of you. You’d been accepted at William and Mary. The last thing you needed was to get mixed up with a sailor who would love you and leave you. Which, I might add, is exactly what he did.”

Sara could barely suck air into her lungs. Her fingers whitened with the hold she had on the phone cord. “What did you do, Mother?”

“More than anything, we didn’t want you hurt.” Moments passed. “Your father made the decision, but I was in favor of it, I want you to know that. He’s not here, so if you’re going to get mad, I suppose it will have to be at me.” She ended with a sigh. “After—that man—left Virginia Beach, we determined it would be best for you to make a clean break. We never had any doubt that he was wrong for you. So, we intercepted the letters.”

The blood drained from Sara’s face and she pulled over a chair. If she didn’t sit she’d fall. “You did what? How could you do that?” Her voice broke.

“You put your letters in the mailbox and I took them out after you left for school. And his…”

All too well, Sara remembered days of rushing into the house to sort through the stack of mail on the hall table, never finding a letter from Paul. Each day with no news added a stone to her wall of doubt that he loved her and depleted her store of faith that he’d stand by her.

Sara moaned. “Do you know what you did with your meddling?”

“Sara, you were seventeen, a child. Do you know what that means? He could have gone to jail. Your father was in favor of going to his commanding officer—even to the police. It was fortunate for your friend that his ship left.”

Sara envisioned her mother sitting alone in her living room. About this time each afternoon, a gin and tonic sat on the table beside her. She’d wear a skirt and blouse and her hair and make-up would be flawless. Sara also didn’t doubt that her mother’s posture was rigid and that her thumb rubbed the tips of her index and middle fingers. Those were indications her mother’s emotions—anger, frustration, fear, whatever—were threatening to override her normal control. Today she deserved every terrible, panicky feeling she was experiencing.

Mary Ellen sighed. “Try to see it from our point of view. You were a good girl with a good future. He destroyed all of that in a matter of weeks. You were our responsibility and we protected you the best way we knew how.”

“Protected me!”

“Yes, protected you. We loved you more than anything on earth.” She quieted, as though considering the next bit. “He died in service to his country. That was at least an honorable thing.”

A sob broke from Sara.

Her mother softened her tone. “I have no doubt he might have been a good man, but not for you, and not at that time. I don’t regret ending the relationship, whatever else happened.”

“I can’t believe you did this. I don’t even know what to say to you.” A headache inched its way forward to throb behind her eyes. She used her free hand to block the light coming through the kitchen windows. “The horrid things I thought about him, the certainty I had that he’d forgotten me…all wrong. I mailed the first letters from school. I wish I’d kept on doing that and asked him to write me at Cindy’s house. Who knows what might have happened?”

“Sara, it’s been so long. I thought you’d be able to understand after all this time, but maybe I was wrong. Put the whole episode with that man behind you, darling. Just throw those letters out. What difference could they possibly make now?”

“I don’t know.”

“Darling? We shouldn’t talk about this over the phone. I can be there in a few minutes and then—”

Sara’s eyes shot open. “No! I may never forgive you for this, Mother. In fact, I’m hanging up before I say something I probably shouldn’t.”

“Sara, let me—”

Sara pressed the end icon and dropped her phone onto the table. Vaulting from the chair, she paced around the kitchen table. Squared stopped eating and turned to watch, his Siamese-blue eyes following her path. In agitation, she picked up the letter from the Navy, glanced unseeing at the words then tossed it back. Stomping to the sink, she poured a glass of water, then drank it all without taking a breath. Finally, she turned and stared at Paul’s envelopes.

Reader and Reviewer comments:
Readers:
“I loved it! And now my daughter’s reading it.” Sherry, a reader

“I give Burning Bridges 6 stars out of 5!! A true love story…I’m ready for more.” – A reader, Byron, TaylorMade Bod

“I loved it, just loved it! I was going to take it with me on vacation but I started reading and didn’t want to stop. It was addictive.” – Chiara, a reader

“Loved it. Just loved it.” – Beverly, a Beaufort reader

Reviewers:
“Burning Bridges by Anne Krist is a story of a love that will not be denied — that cannot be denied. Time does not change what the soul knew before Sara and Paul ever met. Their love is eternal, and they can weather any storm, any lie, to the very end of time if necessary. I loved every minute of this book. If you are looking for your next great romance, then look no further. Burning Bridges has it all, and then some.
I Highly Recommend._
Review by Mary Anne Yarde.
The Coffee Pot Book Club.

“If you love dramatic family sagas with plenty of emotion, you have to read Burning Bridges. Highly recommend!”
N.N. Light

“…an emotionally captivating tale from beginning to end. … a beautiful story about a young love ripped apart that burns bright through two decades of separation.”
5 Ribbons, Chrissy Dionne, Romance Junkies

“I absolutely adored this story … packed with real emotion … There was a powerful “WOW” factor…”
5 Hearts and Reviewer Top Pick, Diana, Night Owl Romance

“Rarely does a story come along which touches one in countless ways from every affecting scene, yet this writer does so with her first release. The name of Anne Krist will become recognized as an author who conveys genuine and heightened feelings between her memorable characters.

With surprising twists and believable interplay between characters, BURNING BRIDGES is an unforgettable love story filled with passionate desires and potent emotions.”
5 Stars, Amelia, eCataRomance, eCataromance Reviewers’ Choice Award Winner

“Burning Bridges is a yummy romance. Anne Krist has a talent for conveying great emotion. Keep a box of tissues close at hand when you read Burning Bridges. I was wiping tears throughout the book. The plot quickly captured my interest, and I felt I was part of the drama. The tension between Paul and Sara (both are stubborn and hardheaded) left me tingling. The love they shared was obvious. I did not want this story to end. Fans of romance should place Burning Bridges at the top of this summer’s reading list.”
5 Stars, Anne, Review Your Book

“…a strong and poignant love story… Displaying unwavering talent when dealing with delicate situations, Anne Krist’s BURNING BRIDGES stayed with me long after I finished.”
5 Pixies Recommended Read, Twila King, Dark Angel Reviews

“Ms. Krist has a heart-warming, emotional story on her hands. … This is one I highly recommend!”
5 Cups, Krista, Coffee Time Romance

5 Stars from N.N. Light!

About Anne:
Anne Krist is the “sister” to erotic romance author Dee S. Knight. She is quieter, more reserved, and certainly more circumspect about S-E-X than her wild and crazy sibling. Thus, she’s more comfortable writing sweet(er) romance, where there might be a few sensual scenes, but no more than that. One thing about Anne: she’s not less romantic than Dee. They both write in happily ever after and share the solid belief that love can last forever and beyond!