In lovely Georgia, I cannot wait for the first signs of spring. Then I walk out on my porch, dust off the rockers and visit with dear company.
Today is truly special because my friend and debut author, June Foster and her hubby, Joe have parked their RV on my lawn to chat about her new book, “Give Us This Day.”
Welcome, June, Joe. I have some sugar free scones for you Joe. You can go watch some sports with my hubby down in the man cave while, June I visit a bit.
Vanessa: So June, comfy in the wicker rocker?
June: Yes, but do you have some of that sweet tea. I hear it’s everywhere in Georgia.
Vanessa: I have a glass pitcher just for you.
After a lip-smacking slurp, we begin the interrogation.
Vanessa: Now what made you want to leave the retired life and start a brand new career, a full-time writer?
June: It does sound a little crazy. I was a happy grandma doing scrap-booking and card making. Then the Lord opened up my heart and put a story inside. When I told my daughter about the tale, she made the casual remark that I should write it. I got zapped. The spark I needed.
I read every “how to” book I could get my hands on, joined ACFW and scribes, and started writing. I didn’t intend to make a career out of it, but since I work about ten hours a day, it’s starting to look like a career.
Vanessa: Where do your characters come from? Pure imagination, a compilation of people you know?
June: My characters come from my imagination, however, many of their traits and situations come from people I know, including myself.
Vanessa: What draws you to write the romance genre as opposed to mystery or historical?
June: A great question. I don’t know. Shh, don’t tell anyone, but I never even read romance until I started writing it. I was a fan of end time fiction such as the Left Behind Series.
Vanessa: You’ve been coined as a writer who can make the ordinary seem extraordinary or dare I say it, sexy. What is your secret for making the anti-hero, the hero in your books?
June: I believe that there is a connection between godly sexuality and spirituality. Most of my heroes are Christians or are heading in that direction. Like David in the Old Testament, they have a heart for God even though they are not perfect. Because my heroes are in love with the Lord first, the heroines perceives that when the heroes reach out to them. The heroines are able to look into the heroes’ souls and see their godliness and thus their appeal.
Here’s a little excerpt from Give of This Day:
Jess held out his hand toward the brown leather couch. “Please. Sit down.”
“Jess, I’m so sorry I barged in on you like this. It’s just… It’s just I…” Another tear escaped. “Please forgive me. I thought something was wrong with you. I pictured you unconscious on the floor.” She covered her face with her hands.
He scooted next to her, drawing her toward him. “Shh, Holly. It’s okay. I’m not mad or anything.” Somehow, he had to forge ahead. He pulled away and reached in his back pocket for his handkerchief. “Take this.”
She dabbed at her eyes and lifted her gaze to him. “Jess, I’ve wanted to talk to you as well. I need to tell you how much I care about you, and something about… my past. It could change everything. You may not want to ever see me again.”
Jess cringed. Dear Lord. She’ll think I don’t want to see her again because of whatever she has to tell me. I can’t allow it. She’ll think it’s because of her I need to call this off.
“Holly, before you go on, I need to tell you something about me.” He faced her. “This will change everything, I’m afraid.” He raked a hand through his hair. “I care about you.”
“Jess, I care about you, too. I know we haven’t talked about it, but I’ve fallen in love with you.”
“Holly, don’t. There’s no future for us. That’s what I wanted to tell you.”
Holly’s eyes widened. “But why, Jess?” She dabbed her face again with his handkerchief. “I don’t understand. Maybe it’s because you don’t feel the same way.”
“I want to tell you I’m in love with you, too, but I can’t. It’s best we don’t see each other anymore.”
Holly’s tears turned into sobs. “I don’t know what my future would be like if I thought you weren’t a part of it. Whatever it is, please, let’s just work it out. I love you.” Her hands covered her eyes as her shoulders shook.
Her pleas tore at his heart. He embraced her again, and her arms slid around his shoulders as her tears soaked his shirt. How could he do this to her? “Holly, you’d be miserable with me. I’m not all you think I am. I have an addiction, to food and before this, I drank too much.”
“I’ve never seen you drink.” She put his handkerchief under her eye.
“I know. Ridding myself of one addiction made room for the other.”
“There are groups. You can get help for those things. I can help you. Jess, it’s not the end of the world.” She pleaded with him.
Jess longed to take her hand, but he didn’t. “That’s not all. My health isn’t good. I couldn’t ask you to give yourself to someone who may die at an early age. As much as I want you, desire to have you in my life, I can’t. My family’s dysfunctional. My life is a mess. Why would you want to settle for me?” If she’d give him a reason to believe they could make it work, he’d fold, give into his desires.
“What about the ‘for better or worse’ promise people make to each other?” She stared at him, expectation in her eyes.
“We’re not married. I can’t change, Holly. This addiction has encroached on me, and I don’t see any way out. It’s best you be rid of me before we make any promises.” His throat tightened.
Her voice softened as she gazed at him. “Do I need to remind you with God all things are possible?”
“Don’t you think I’ve pleaded with Him hundreds of times? He hasn’t answered my prayers. He feels so distant to me now. That isn’t likely to change with my continued disobedience.” His mouth fell open at his own words. The truth had come out. He was too entrenched in his addiction to change even when it meant losing the woman he loved.
Holly shook her head. “Don’t say that.”
“I can’t ask you to strap yourself to a fat slob. If we were to marry, I cringe at the thought of what you’d say if you saw my body. It’s not a pretty sight. It’s obese and misshapen.”
“Jess.” She gazed at him with sad eyes.
“You’re so beautiful. Your shape is so lovely.” Jess lowered his forehead into his hands.
Holly took a breath and blew it out in a steady stream. “You don’t know what you’re talking about. You honestly think you’re the only one whose body isn’t perfect.”
*****
Holly reached down and untied the shoe string of her left tennis shoe. Could she really do this?
“What are you doing?” His questioning look accelerated the nervous pangs in her stomach.
Holly lifted a restraining hand to him and continued her work. With an unsteady grip, she pulled her sock off exposing the curved metal of her prosthetic limb.
Jess stared, his eyes the size of large plates. “Oh, good Lord, Holly. What happened?”
Holly folded her jeans up to her knee exposing the entire device. She released the suction holding the hollow plastic casing over her knee stump and removed the entire leg, setting it next to the couch.
Her heart thundered as she dared a glance at Jess.
He sat motionless, his eyes wide open. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because I thought you’d reject me if you knew. Now do you see? You’re not the only one with a flawed body.” Holly leaned back against the couch, her stub barely meeting the end of the seat. Her palms were like ice. She took the risk and showed him. No turning back now. He’d always know.
Jess’s voice was barely a whisper. “You haven’t told too many people.”
“No. Only my family and Dr. Murphy know. Zack, too. I was riding on the back of his motorcycle when the accident happened.”
“Holly, I don’t know what to say.” He gazed at her with woeful blue eyes.
She wiped away another stream of endless tears. “After I came to know you, I figured you’d love me in spite of it. That’s the kind of man you are. I didn’t know how to tell you until now.”
Jess eased off the couch and slowly knelt in front of her. He folded her jeans a little higher, gazed at her with eyes of love and compassion, then bent down.
She gasped.
He lowered his lips to the stub and kissed it, then gazed up at her again.
“I can’t believe you did that. I love you for it.”
Jess blinked, a grimace painted on his face. With a groan, Jess moved back onto the couch with her. He slid his arms around her. “You’re right. It would’ve made no difference in how I feel about you, but this makes things even more difficult.”
Purchase from Amazon or Barns & Noble or Desert Breeze.
Next week: Another excerpt and more sweet tea. Many some diabetic apple pie.
Cliques, Hicks and Ugly Sticks, by K.D. Mc Crite is the second in the Confessions of April Grace series about a middle-school girl traversing the difficult years between elementary and high school. She must deal with a variety of challenges, including a snooty neighbor who moves in with April’s family, an old friend who is now the queen of the popular girls, a Christmas play she wants nothing to do with, and the coming of a new sibling. Oh brother, as if middle school wasn’t hard enough.
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