My Start as an Indie…and Proud to be One - Heather
Allen
What a wild ride
already! I am still such a newbie but amazed at the support and friends I’ve
made in this new world of Indie! I have met some amazing authors and who would
have thought they all self-published. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
I started this
thing, well really not a thing, writing, about 2 years ago. I concocted a story
about a girl with magic powers yada, yada, yada. I had my husband read the
first ten pages (there were only 60) and he couldn’t understand or get the
picture I was trying to portray. I gave up. Girls and boys, don’t do that,
never give up! Shame on me!
A year later I
started Just Breathe, a new story swimming around up there. It seemed to shape
up pretty nicely and after a year I had a full novel. This time I decided to
avoid the husband and try for someone more appropriate for my audience. I
grabbed my neighbor’s daughter, a young adult, and a reader at that! I must
have chewed my finger nails to the cuticles, waiting for her to stroll over day
after day. Finally she came knocking with a smile on her face. She loved it! I
was so happy with just that one little step in the right direction. And each
part has been another step in the right direction ever since.
Today I released
my second book, Barely Breathing. Through this book I’ve learned things that I
didn’t do for the first book, such as marketing. So, this one is more like a
double marketing job. But hey, you learn from your mistakes and fix them.
I think the most
“butterflies in the stomach” thing is the reviews. Reading other people’s
thoughts on your writing and story is so exhilarating! And so my journey
continues… What’s to come, who knows but I do know one thing, I will keep
writing because I love it!
Oh yeah enough
about me… Ha – Here is a teaser from Barely Breathing now available… Just
Breathe the first book in the trilogy is 99 cents right now!
Excerpt from
Barely Breathing from Ever’s POV
My ear buds are in and I've been reading missed chapters since I got here.
I feel an elbow in my arm so I glance up to find the source. Sasha is motioning
for me to take my ear buds out. I pull them out to hear her, " ...and he's
looking right at you." I glance to the front of the classroom to find Mr.
Griggs staring at me. I wince and look away completely embarrassed. I squirm
and sink further into my seat trying to avoid any more unwanted attention.
As he starts to lecture, I notice that someone is sitting in the seat to my
left. My heart stops, literally. That seat is just condemned. Nothing good has
come from anyone sitting there in this class. I'm scared to death to look. I
have to know though. I turn my head slightly and my eyes meet the unmistakable
green that I know so well, Alex. He glares at me angrily and looks away. Okay,
so maybe I'm not at the top of his favorite people list. Ugh, this is probably
not so good that he's chasing me down.
Class drones on forever. With every minute that passes, I am more and more
uncomfortable. I know he's going to corner me after class. I just don't know
what I'm going to say. I steel another glance his way, this time his eyes have
a softness in them, and that familiar flutter roams through my belly. I look
straight ahead. Why in the world can't I get my life together?
The bell rings. I get up and gather my things, noticing the whole time that
Alex is standing there waiting on me. Maybe if I drag it out and make him late,
he'll leave without me. Fat chance. I pull my backpack over my shoulder but he
stops me and effortlessly grabs the strap, placing it on his arm next to his
bag. Ugh, now I definitely can't run. I look over and he gestures for me to
walk in front of him.
Once we're in the hall I feel his hand under my elbow guiding me out the
doors toward the parking lot. My heart speeds up at his touch. We pass many of
my friends but they don't give us a second thought. I wonder if this is it.
Will he demand I go right back to the sea? That thought hurts a little, I don't
think I'm ready to go back.
His hand stays under my arm steering us to a black pickup truck, a few rows
from the door. Once we're next to the truck he drops our bags, turns me so my
back is against the truck, and rests his hands above my shoulders against the
black metal.
He lets out a deep breath as if he's been holding it in, "Ever, don't
do that to me again." His voice is pained at the last word. I glance into
his eyes, so much hurt. Without thinking, my hand goes up and rests on his
cheek. He leans in so that his lips are an inch from mine. I close my eyes,
knowing this is wrong but needing to feel something. His breath hitches but he
doesn't move any closer. I open my eyes and he's still right there. I close the
gap. My lips graze his gently. A feeling rises up like none I've felt. Not the
intense need or tingle I feel with Jack. A soothing feeling, a calmness, that I
welcome. His lips explore mine. It lasts only a few seconds and he pulls away
searching my eyes. My head screams at me, Ever this is wrong, what are you
thinking?
Heather Allen
Author of Just Breathe
Create Space - http://https//www.createspace.
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Hi Heather!
ReplyDeleteLovely post. Loved your excerpt. :-)
I hear you on the butterflies. lol
Best wishes for continued success!
Keep writing.
Hugs!
jan