Hint for Healing

In "Monica's Healing" the Weston family has endured dishonesty, rejection, and humiliation; but no one seems to have been as emotionally wrecked as Monica.  She is damaged, hurting, and alone -- for the time being.

Patrick wants to change that.  He's spent the last two years trying to convince Monica that what they share is special; and she has been running from him the entire time.  Now, as she is struggling to build a new life after her mother's death, she hopes that his love is as strong as he says.

While Monica and Patrick try to cope with their changing world, old hurts, stubborn habits, and family drama threaten to destroy everything they are creating.

Getting Ready to Party with Valerie, Tony, Monica, and Patrick

I can hardly believe that my Book Release Party on Facebook is only a couple of weeks away!  I've been busy (with the help of some AWESOME ladies) planning trivia and contests, deciding what pictures to use, and working on my playlist.  In addition to the online party, a few friends are coming to the house and we're going to participate together.  It's an exciting time.

"Time for Tenderness" and "Monica's Healing" have been projects for years; so, it's with great joy that I prepare to celebrate finally releasing those works to the world.  Join us on July 15th from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. because we are definitely going to have fun.

Hint: Keep checking back for teasers and excerpts that might help you win a prize or two.

Sincerely,
Brynette

Here's A Tender Teaser

In "Time for Tenderness" -- Valerie loves Tony; but she has spent the past three years pretending otherwise because she had serious doubts that their love could survive all of her flaws and fears.  Regardless, Tony knows that Val is the only woman who could ever make him happy.  When she agrees to marry him, she believes they can build a life for their young daughter that is better than how Val was raised and more realistic than what Tony has always expected.  She trusts him to accept her and to always be her partner.

Unfortunately, the drama and destructiveness from her past inserts itself into their world in a way that Tony can't accept.  No matter how hard she tries, Valerie can't shake the fear that maybe love does not conquer all; and the couple must discover whether they are really able to survive through anything.

EXCERPT FROM "TIME FOR TENDERNESS" (release date July 15, 2014)

Val sensed his presence although she hadn’t heard him approach.  Maybe she had detected the familiar scent of his cologne.  Still, she was not ready for the discussion he wanted to have.  Closing her eyes and holding on to the railing, she enjoyed the few remaining moments of calmness.   

Tony’s hair was still damp and he had dressed in dark jeans and a navy shirt.  He stood at the sliding glass door watching her, thinking as always that this woman was exquisite.  He was in love with everything about her.  

When he realized she was stubbornly not going to acknowledge his presence, Tony stepped on to the balcony and stood beside her.  His fingers unsnapped the ponytail clip so her hair hung freely.  Then he wound fingers through her hair and lifted it aside so he could kiss her neck.  Both her hair and skin were so wonderfully and familiarly soft.  She stiffened and continued to look out at the water.

He stopped kissing her and walked away in frustration.  When he spoke, she tried to ignore the anguish in his voice.  “What’s wrong with me wanting you, Val?  You know I love you.”  Did he really expect an answer?

She took another deep breath and determined it was time to get the discussion over with.  She couldn’t think straight around him and was afraid he knew it.  Val continued to stare out towards the water as she spoke the words she had rehearsed in her mind.  “What am I supposed to say that hasn’t already been said?  Obviously, we will always be connected because we have a child.  But that’s not enough to build a future on.” 

When Tony didn’t respond, she turned to see where he was.  The angle of the sun kept her from being able to see the expression on his face but he stood just inside the doorway.  She was suddenly feeling trapped on the small balcony. 

He said, “Let’s talk about what wasn’t said three years ago.” 

“What do you mean?” 

“Do you love me, Val?  We’ve been part of each other’s lives for a long time; yet, those were words you carefully avoided,” he explained.  “I’ll admit you’ve made it easy for me to be with Sherry.  And I’ve always been grateful about that.  But now I need you to say how you feel about me.”  Valerie forced herself to swallow the anxiety that was fluttering in her throat.  She didn’t want to answer that question.  Could she deflect the focus of his inquiry? 

“Our relationship is over, Tony.  Why can’t you let go?  Is all of this some ego trip because you want to know that you were special?  Will you accept it if I admit you were?” 

“Ego trip?”  He stepped on to the balcony, his eyes clouded with intense emotion.  “This is the same brother that begged you to be my wife.  For three years, I’ve put my pride aside and let you run the show.  This is no damn ego trip, and you know it!”

“Tony –”

“Stop, Val.”  He reached over to expose the ring still hanging around her neck and gave a mocking smile.  “I’ll get on with my life as soon as you do the same.”   

Valerie felt defeated and wanted to wipe that smugness off his handsome, caramel-colored face.  “Tony, why are you making this so difficult for me?”

“Because we made a mistake, and it needs to be corrected.” Tenderness laced every word.

“No; we made the right choice.”

“Val, you made that choice.  I went along with it because I loved you and our unborn child too much to keep fighting about it, but mostly because I didn’t want to lose you and I was afraid that you would completely shut me out.”  He shook his head.  When he spoke again, all the years of anguish and isolation he’d felt surfaced in his voice and in those light brown eyes.  “I was wrong, Val.  I should have argued with you; should have made you understand how much I loved you and wanted a life with you.

“Well, now I’m asking you to consider more than just what you want.  I’m miserable without you; and I always have been.  I live for the weekends so I can see you and spend time with our child.  Sherry belongs with both of us, and we all deserve better than weekend visitation.”  He sighed.  “It’s not enough, Val.  I need my daughter, but I also need you.  We ought to be a family.”

“I can’t believe we’re having this conversation.  Tony, there isn’t anything to say that hasn’t been said; and I don’t have time for a journey down memory lane.”  She tried to push past him but Tony reached for her hand and held on to it.  He felt the slight tremble of her fingers.

“Don’t,” he said firmly, stepping closer.  “I know you too well, Val; I’m not buying your act.  So drop it.”   His eyes looked deep into hers.  “I don’t want to fight with you, but if that’s what it takes to make you stop running away from this discussion, then get ready for a fight.  We are going to finish this.  Today.”

EXCERPT FROM "MONICA'S HEALING" (release date July 15, 2014)

Patrick paced around his room at the economy motel.  Mr. Weston had been clear in his concerns about Monica’s mental and emotional health.  She had crumbled and was struggling to recover.  Her father was uneasy enough about her state of mind to have asked Patrick, a man he did not know, to come back to Columbus where he could try to help Monica.  He wasn’t sure how to accomplish that, but Patrick was absolutely sure it was a task he wanted to tackle.

Monica had always projected a cold façade and quick temper; and at first Patrick wasn’t sure he wanted to be involved with someone who had as many issues as she apparently had.  Long before she had ever noticed him, he had observed all of her routines.  She’d shot down brothers at school so quickly and icily they hadn’t even realized they’d been hit until she was well on her way.  Several months of watching her in action around campus convinced him that she protected herself by not letting other people get close to her personal life, by quickly discouraging any man who thought of her as sensuous and intriguing, by being stubborn in a way that was designed to drive away all intruders.  He, however, knew how to charm himself back into her good graces, how to sidestep her when she was pushing for a fight, how to let her win when arguing over nothing important.

For Patrick, Monica held an energetic beauty that drew him and held him captive.  And she was gorgeous in her determined spirit that matched the physical attractiveness of her dark chocolate skin, exotic eyes, and athletic figure.  

He was sure she was also attracted to him, but she’d rejected his attempts to be more than just study partners so consistently that he’d told her he was giving up hope of them getting together as a couple.  Yet, during the summer, he’d been unable to get her out of his head; and he realized his heart was already too involved to just walk away. 

Patrick had spent that following fall semester developing a casual comfort between them.  Finally, during the winter break, Monica had agreed to increase their time together.  She’d even come to his aunt’s house for Christmas dinner.

Over the next year and a half, they’d gone to dinner and movies and shared whatever other moments she would let them squeeze out of two hectic schedules.  She had smiled shyly at his compliments or a touch of his hand.  He had seen the quickly hidden flashes of passion in her eyes, and felt her relax at the weight of his arm around her shoulders.  Did she feel the same tingle as he when he softly kissed her goodnight?  Monica was beautiful, and brilliant, and complicated; she was sometimes childlike and confused. 

And he wanted her to belong to him.

Of course, until this past May, they’d both been busy working and going to school, so he hadn’t been able to see her as much as he’d wanted.  And, it bothered him that on special holidays she’d refused to let them be together.  Then, he’d graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Health Services Administration and been unable to find an immediate job in Columbus.  On top of that, family problems had pulled him back to Pennsylvania.

When he’d left he’d also been discouraged and unsure about the status of his relationship with Monica.  Now he stood in front of the window in this hotel room looking down at the outdoor swimming pool that had been covered for the fall, not really seeing it.  He was where he wanted to be – near Monica.  Patrick had returned less at her father’s request than because he wanted to be the person she could turn to when she was in need.  But, how would he even begin to break through her barriers? 

Her mother had recently died, and despite their growing friendship, she had reverted to shutting him out.  She was hurting.  Alone. 

She did not have to be alone.  He closed his eyes and reveled in imaginings of them together, her slender five-foot-six body pressed against his own muscular bulk, her beautiful auburn hair loose and wildly soaked with the sweat of their lovemaking, her dark brown almond-shaped eyes reflecting back at him the emotions he knew she was hiding.  He wanted her – heart, body, and soul – and he wanted her to want him, to say she would stay with him.  Forever.

He shook his head to clear away the fantasies, his black locks swinging with the act.  None of that was important.  Not right now.  First, he must find a way to reach through her suffering and help her find some strength to hold on to. 

“Please, Monica, let my love heal you.  It’s all I have to offer.” 

He closed the curtains, took off his clothes, and slid between the cool sheets.  Tomorrow he would phone his aunt to let her know he had arrived and get directions to her new condo.  She had agreed that he could stay in her guest room; but he needed tonight to be by himself and think about what he would say to Monica.  How would he explain his presence without giving away her father’s involvement?  How would he convince her not to shut him out of this painful time in her life?  He’d have to be careful.   

With his arms folded beneath his head and his knees bent to keep his feet from hanging over a bed that wasn’t compatible with his six-foot-four frame, Patrick played over and over in his head the scene that would likely occur at Monica’s house in the morning.  He gazed at the ceiling, letting words and reactions and hopes float in and out of his mind.  Then, he said a brief prayer, turned on his side, and dozed into a light sleep.

Detour is my debut novel.  It started one afternoon while I was sipping tequila, listening to Country music, and thinking that I really wanted to write something that included a taste of the small-town atmosphere.  My grandparents lived in rural Georgia, and I have many fond memories of summers spent in a place that was relaxing and romantic - ahh how I imagined steamy nights spent under the stars.  Now, many years later, I wanted to mix those experiences with the reality of also being a city-girl.

Jessica, my heroine, is definitely not from a small town; but, she finds love and possibilities with a man who lives in one and operates a diner just off of Interstate 70 between St. Louis and Indianapolis.  Her priorities for her love life and her career change as she realizes the attraction between the two of them is something that has to be explored.  The only problem is that this city-girl has obligations that could make it impossible for her to shift directions.

Jake knows all about the high expectations Jessica and her family have placed on her.  He used to share her corporate goals; but he chose to walk away from that demanding lifestyle in favor of one that would bring him peace.  Now, he has to re-examine what he wants, not just for his relationship with the brilliant and ambitious Jessica but also for his own future as the owner of the diner.

The couple faces challenges because they come from different backgrounds.  Can Jess blend her dreams with her new reality?  She wants Jake in her world, but she also wants the career she has prepared to have for all of her life.  Can Jake find a way to stay in Jessica's life, in whatever role she will allow?  Their journey is classic.  Their love is strong.  And their solutions are hard-won.

I hope you will fall in love with them.  Even more, I hope you will share your impressions on this site as well as on Amazon.com.  I've already been asked whether I've considered a sequel (even if it's only a novella) because people want to know more about this couple.  Let me know what you think.


http://www.amazon.com/Detour-Brynette-L-Turner-ebook/dp/B00KJ3FEG8/ref=sr_1_7?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1401747007&sr=1-7&keywords=detour

Sincerely,
Brynette

Welcome to my blog!  I'm very excited to have this way to communicate with you about my upcoming books and to share with you news of books published by other authors.  I hope this will be a place where we can have lively discussions about my characters, you can ask questions and provide me with your feedback on my latest novel, and we can laugh about the things that impact our lives and our creativity.  Take a deep breath, exhale, smile, and let's get started.

As you will soon discover, I am an African American author who writes contemporary romantic fiction with strong characters.  Not all of my characters are African American, but I hope each will engage you to the point that you fall in love with their personalities.  While I love a good spicy love scene, my main focus is always the relationship that is building, struggling, and surviving the challenges that life throws at us.

Please feel free to email me (btromancewriter@gmail.com) with suggestions of other blog sites I might want to post here or other fan pages I might want to support.  I'm on Facebook (Brynette L. Turner, Author) and will posts sneak peaks, excerpts, and promotions there - so keep connected with me.

Thank you for being interested in me and what I'm doing as a writer.  I'm looking forward to a fun-filled and satisfying journey with each of you.

Sincerely,
Brynette