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In Your Shoes ePub giveaway!

Dec24

I’m using rafflecopter to give away an ePub copy of In Your Shoes through my Facebook page. I’ll pick a winner on Sunday, the 27th (one day before my book is available)!

Be sure to enter an e mail address so I can contact you if you’re lucky enough to be the winner. I won’t sell, trade, exploit, or in any way maim your e mail address. I promise! If you log in through Facebook, we need to be ‘friends’ for my message to reach you directly.

On your marks, get set, go!

Where can I buy In Your Shoes?

Dec24

Rights for this book were returned to me on December 31st, 2017, which means it will not be available for sale until I re-release it in the coming months. Thank you for your patience!

Don’t forget to review on the site where you purchase my book and on Goodreads. I live for good reviews!

 

In Your Shoes Excerpt

Dec24

Chapter 1

The sun had set an hour ago. Scott was late. Again.

The headlights of his car swept through the trees lining the street in his neighborhood. The spring buds on the branches cast knobby shadows across the pavement.

He was almost home. He wanted to sit down, have a nice meal, and maybe watch a little TV, but as he pulled into his driveway, something fluttered by the side of the car. Scott shifted into park, turned the key, and squinted through the windshield. He jerked back as a pair of underwear landed in front of his face on the large plane of glass—his underwear.

He frowned as he stepped out of the car and then ducked as a shoe whizzed past his ear and then another.

“What the hell is going on?” he muttered as he walked up the curving sidewalk toward the front door. He stooped to collect the debris covering his lawn and driveway. He tried to twist the doorknob. Locked. He dropped the load on the front porch, unlocked the door, and opened it slowly. The sound coming from upstairs made his heart race.

An angry rant spilled out of their bedroom, down the stairs, and assaulted him. He’d never heard anything like it.

He closed the door as quietly as possible and crept up the stairs. With his back pressed against the wall outside their bedroom, he listened to Nicole, half crying and half screaming. Nothing made sense. The string of sounds embodied anger and sorrow.

Forgetting his frustration with their new lawn ornaments, Scott pushed the door open. His mouth hung open. Half the drawers from the dresser had been yanked out and dumped on the floor, and a heap of hangers and clothes decorated the closet floor. His clothes, well, at least the clothes that hadn’t made it out the window yet. As if on cue, Nicole grabbed a handful of socks and threw them as hard as she could. He could imagine them sailing through the dimly lit yard and landing in the shrubs by his car.

“Nicole? What’s going on? Where’s Hanna?”

Her eyes widened as she spun to face him. Mascara streaked her cheeks. She pressed her lips together and shook her head. “You have a lot of nerve showing up here.”

“What’s going on?” He frowned and took a step inside the room.

Nicole’s finger thrust out in front of her. Her hand bled. “You know damn well what’s going on.”

“Listen, I’m sorry I’m late. The Danson project–”
“Don’t lie to me!” Fresh tears ran down her face.
“Sweetie, I–”
“Don’t you sweetie me!” Her voice went up an octave. “I saw the pictures. Get out.”

“Pictures? What are you talking about?” The last pictures he’d taken with his phone were of a property on the west side of town. An empty lot. “Why don’t we just calm down and talk about this?”

“No!” she screeched. “I’m not going to calm down.” The muscles in her jaw clenched tight.

He put his hands up defensively. He took a deep breath. “I think if we just take a deep breath–”

She squeezed her eyes shut. “How dare you!” She shook her head and growled, “Get! Out!”

To make her point, she started throwing clothes at him. Scott dodged to the side just as a metal hanger hit the door.

“Get out!” A rack full of belts directed at his torso accompanied her words. They hit the wall just outside their bedroom, gouging the paint and landing on the hall floor with a dull thud.

Scott backed away from her. “Where am I supposed to go?” He posed the question more to himself than anything, but Nicole heard him.

Her voice screeched through their open bedroom door. “I don’t give a crap where you go. Why don’t you call your girlfriend? I’m sure she’d be happy to have you over.”

A pair of shoes came flying down the hall. Scott didn’t get out of the way in time, and one of them connected squarely with his chest.

Girlfriend? He’d clearly missed something, and as much as he wanted to find out what had made Nicole so angry, he knew her well enough to let her cool off.

It took twenty minutes for Nicole to finish tossing his clothes out the window and another ten for him to pick them up off the lawn. He dumped them unceremoniously in the back seat of his car.

Just as Scott fished the last pair of socks out of the shrubs, Nicole stormed through the house, turning off the lights as she went, submerging the yard into near darkness. The lock on the front door clicked into place, followed by Nicole’s muffled sobs.

He sat in his car and rubbed his eyes. What am I supposed to do now? His brother had been in a similar situation a year and a half ago when his wife kicked him out. Of course! His brother! Luke had offered his couch more than once in the last few months when Scott and Nicole fought. Perhaps he knew what was going on with her. He was going to ask him, right after he got there.

* * * *

“Are you sure she said girlfriend?” Luke took a sip of his beer and raised an eyebrow.

“Yes. I’m sure. I don’t know what the hell is going on.”

Luke shook his head. “There’s no talking to ’em when they get like that. Best to just wait it out a bit. I’m sure this will all smooth over in a couple of days.”

Scott’s head fell into his hands.

“Don’t worry about it. Drink your beer. Beer makes everything better.” Luke patted his back. “Listen, I have an empty closet in the workout room, so you can hang all your stuff up if you want to, and the couch is all yours, for as long as you need it. Nicole just needs time, that’s all.”

“Thanks, Luke.”

“You did the same for me. It’s what brothers do.”

The week after Luke and Nina had broken up had been rough for everyone, not only because Luke was sharing their house but also because Nicole was on Nina’s side. Truth be told, Scott had taken Nina’s side too. Nina had every reason to throw him out. There was no room for infidelity in a marriage. As much as Scott loved his brother, he couldn’t deny Luke’s mistake.

They worked together to unload Scott’s car, taking armfuls of clothes inside. “I just don’t get it. Why would she think I have a girlfriend?”

Luke shrugged. “Maybe she thinks it runs in the family.” He looked at the ground. “Anyway, I’ll go get you a few hangers.”

“Why do you need a workout room, anyway? I thought you had a gym membership,” Scott called across the hall to his brother’s room.

Luke stood in the doorway with a dozen hangers. “I do. The gym is a great place to meet women. But you know how I feel about other people’s sweat. Speaking of that, if you’re going to use my equipment, you have to wipe it down. Otherwise, it might be grounds for eviction.”

Scott inhaled sharply. “Ooh, harsh!”

They shared a laugh, helping ease a little tension out of Scott’s body. Luke was right. Nicole needed a little time.

 

In Your Shoes Blurb

Jun24

On the verge of divorce, Scott Erickson will do anything he can to save his marriage. After years of growing apart, Nicole isn’t so sure it’s worth saving, especially when she finds pictures of Scott with another woman. With the help of a marriage counselor, they attempt to communicate with each other, but each appointment is worse than the last until, finally, during a hypnotherapy session, they switch bodies.

Faced with challenges neither of them is equipped to handle, they both must learn to survive in their new roles and unfamiliar bodies, but is there a way to switch back? And if so, can their marriage be restored after they’ve walked in each other’s shoes?

Kiss & Ride Excerpt

Feb5

Here’s a little snippet from my short story:

 

 

When Anne first began working in Washington DC, the Metro ride was just another part of her monotonous day, filled with the dull sounds of people living their lives. But last April, when gas prices skyrocketed, mass transportation became very popular. There wasn’t an empty seat, and the commuters were forced to stand closer and closer together. Judging by the exasperated sighs of the other passengers, no one was thrilled to squeeze into their ever-tightening spots, but Anne was different. The forty-minute train ride to and from work became the highlight of her day.

Shoulder-to-shoulder with strangers, Anne closed her eyes and let her body sway with the train. She could pretend she was being hugged and rocked like a child. Well, how she imagined someone would hold a child: comforting and warm.

A creature of habit, Anne always rode in the fourth car, near the back. Most of the passengers were her age, in their early thirties, dressed in business casual blues and grays. They never spoke more than needed, everyone politely wedging their bodies this way or that to make room for the people coming and going at each stop.

Crowded together on the train, Anne enjoyed her anonymous human contact. They felt real to her, despite what Dr. Hughes said. But no one ever stood out; like extras in a movie, all blending into variations of the same generic person.

On a Tuesday morning, while waiting for the train, a little old woman started talking to Anne. Really talking. She was from a lost era: a time when people spoke face-to-face, a skill that had been lost with the technological advancements of the twenty-first century.

“Lovely day, isn’t it?” The little old woman squinted up at the sky where the clouds were just starting to brighten with the sunrise.

Anne nodded and smiled.

“I’m going to see Hank. We’ve been married fifty-five years. He’s at the university hospital in the city. They have the best cardiologists in three states. That’s what they tell us anyway. I’m inclined to take their word for it. What do I know about heart transplants? Not a lot. Hips, on the other hand, those I know a lot about.” She tapped her right hip. “Got it replaced two years ago. But hearts are different. Our daughter is a nurse in Maryland, so she’s been helping me with all the jargon. Thankfully!”

Anne smiled and checked the time on her phone. The alarm would ring any minute.

“Have you ever been to the university hospital? Nice place. The waiting room has coffee, and it’s not half bad!” She stopped to smile. “Do you take the train every day?” Her eyes swept up Anne’s body, taking in her pencil skirt and blouse. “You look like a lawyer. Are you a lawyer?”

Anne chuckled and shook her head. “I work in an office.”

“Last I heard, lawyers have offices.” Another smile. “I like riding the train. Good thing too, Hank’s the driver in our house. I haven’t driven for decades, so if it weren’t for the train, I wouldn’t have a way to see him. I do hope it gets here soon. I have neuropathy, so my feet get kind of sore and numb if I stand too long.” She leaned against the stand holding The DC Daily, the local paper, and wiggled her toes inside her slip-on shoes. “Listen to me complaining. At least I woke up this morning!”

Anne focused her gaze on the woman’s wrinkled face and struggled to imagine what it would be like to spend a lifetime with someone, only to watch his body fall apart. It was a frightening concept, but the woman didn’t look scared. Just the opposite, she was downright cheery.

The alarm on Anne’s phone rang, letting her know it was time to catch the train. The little old woman followed Anne from the edge of the Kiss & Ride parking lot into the Metro station. When the train doors hissed open, Anne hovered behind the woman, overcome with the desire to help her get to a safe place. She became more aware of the commuters around them. The sea of blue and gray became a group of individuals. It was the first time she really saw him: the man who gave up his seat for the little old woman.

Anne spent the next week observing the man on the train. He always wore a suit and his tie had some sort of green that matched his eyes, whether it was squares, paisleys, or stripes. He gave up his seat every day, and on the days the old woman rode the train, he always gave it to her. He was gracious and kind to everyone, the corners of his eyes crinkled when he smiled, and his brown hair was always meticulously styled.

On one of the days the old woman wasn’t on the train, he offered his seat to Anne, but she declined. She couldn’t get hugged if she sat down. The seat went to another woman, who was grateful for his generosity.

He wedged his briefcase between his shoes and gripped the railing right next to Anne’s hand. His gray dress shirt pulled taut against his chest as his jacket opened. The train lurched around a corner, knocking Anne against his firm body. Heat bloomed across her skin as his scent and warmth invaded her senses. She didn’t usually breathe through her nose on the train, because along with warm hugs, the confined space also brought an odd mixture of aromas: food, perfume, and sometimes the pungent stink of someone in need of a shower. But the only thing she could smell was him, and he smelled as good as he looked.

“Sorry,” she muttered as she righted herself. A pang of regret tugged at her as they parted.

Anne turned away from him and took a step backward as a new wave of commuters squeezed in with them. It was the last big stop before the uninterrupted ride into the city. When the train started moving, their bodies were touching again, her back to his front. Anne smiled and closed her eyes, pretending he was holding her. It was the best stranger hug she’d ever gotten.

When she got to work, she was still floating on cloud nine. One encounter with the man on the train had changed something in her. Her coworkers must’ve noticed it, because for the first time in five years, someone talked to her during lunch. Dr. Hughes would be proud. She spent the rest of the day watching the clock, counting down the minutes until five, or more importantly, time to catch the train.

Kiss & Ride Blurb

Feb5

Like many other people, Anne rides the Metro to work, and she loves every second of it. She’s spent years isolating herself from real people, so the anonymous contact with a sea of strangers becomes the one thing she looks forward to every day, and then she meets Kristopher. He stands out from everyone else with his kindness, humor, and generosity. Anne fantasizes about a life with him, but when he starts to slip through her fingers, she must face reality and learn how to trust in order to hold onto the man of her dreams.