FINALLY! I have release dates for The Jinx.
It will be released digitally August 29, 2008 and released in print February 27, 2009.
Joy! Joy! Joy!
To celebrate, I would like to share the beginning of The Jinx. My hope is it will make you want to buy the book when it comes out.
Here goes:
Is this it? Is this all life had to offer? Rick Braswell sat behind his desk in his darkened office. Even though it was late, the air conditioner kicked on, but it seemed to only blow the hot air around the room. This sweltering Georgia night was doing nothing to improve his mood. In fact, it fit right in with his pity party, his birthday pity party. Rick kneaded a rubber ball with his right hand. Denise, his secretary, had given it to him for his thirtieth birthday today. Called a “stress ball,” this was Denise’s way of telling him to lighten up. It reminded him of the Stretch Armstrong he had had as a kid. It contained some kind of goo. He and his best childhood friend, Ronnie, had cut open Stretch to see what the goo looked like. Man, weren’t those the good old days? What did he have to worry about back then? Rick remembered playing all day Saturday in the ball field with his buddies. And he would come home in that wonderful little Podunk town of
Santana when the street lights came on; then he, Mom, and Dad would sit down at the table and eat supper. Here in Juniper, Georgia, nobody waited at home for him now, so most nights he stayed at the office doing paperwork, which he never seemed to catch up on.
He hated going home. It’s not like he didn’t have anybody. Maggie would marry him in a second if he gave her half a hint. She was company; somebody to go out with, but he didn’t want to marry her. She had no higher objective than to marry someone and mother his children, which
was admirable enough, but it made her clingy and too dependent. He had liked those qualities at first. After all, who didn’t want to be needed? But lately, she had been nearly suffocating him. And to be married to that seemed worse than coming home to an empty house. He shouldn’t
be leading her on. He should break up with her and let her find someone who would marry her and give her those kids she wanted so badly.
What was missing from his life? He had everything he had always wanted: a successful business, a beautiful, if somewhat clingy, girlfriend, and a good life. Shouldn’t he be happy here in Juniper? It was a great place to live.
What was wrong with him?
The telephone rang, and he drummed his fingers on the desk wondering if he should answer it. It had to be Maggie looking for him. She’s the only one that called him up here this time of night. He sighed again and picked up the telephone.
“Please, help me!” A female voice in distress sounded from the other end.
So, does it make you want to keep reading? If not, please let me know so I can take it off the blog and put a love scene in its place!
