It’s been an action packed few weeks, the kind where I’m wondering where the kitchen and laundry fairy is. Alas, I am proud to announce the release of my short story collection, Hearts Unbroken.

Paperback available now.

e-book pre-order available now and June 1st pub date

The paperback is available now and if you prefer an e-book, it’s available as pre-order and will be delivered to your e-reader on Friday, June 1st. (click on images to buy)

Why should you be interested? Well, I believe anyone who has been through divorce or difficult relationships, will appreciate these stories. In each one there are challenges that we relate to, and yet there is a great deal of hope.

You may recall it was formerly titled Lost Hearts and before that it was The Icing On the Cake. So, to be clear, I have officially changed the title after my last blog post when I shared my works in progress.

A few of you shared your thoughts on the title Lost Hearts and they were mixed. So I came up with Hearts Unbroken which felt perfect for the collection. Yes, there are a few other titles close to it, but there always is on Amazon with billions of books out there. You’re unlikely to come up with a title that has not been already used in some similar way.

I’d like to share the new blurb and an excerpt from the first story in the collection to pique your interest.

Blurb

In six carefully crafted short stories, Hearts Unbroken explores a variety of themes with relatable characters, from unexpected love to inexplicable abandonment. This collection is certain to satisfy contemporary fiction readers.

In New York Dreams, Kora may be the wife of a well-known, award winning actor, but she’s also an abused woman. Facing this fact and coming out of her fog of denial, Kora must devise a plan to save herself and her daughter.

Mack is a broken-down Chevy of a father but he keeps on plugging, for the sake of his two young children in Taking Flight. He’s learning the demands and irony of motherhood a little too late.

In False Cohesion, although Ava prides herself on her religion, she is a sinner who isn’t necessarily looking for repentance.

Robert has been divorced for a year and is finally seeing the potential of a new life. It also happens to be a hot summer day. While he makes a last minute decision to hit the beach, he has no idea his destiny awaits. The Red Bikini promises a sweet love story.

We learn from these characters that we too, are capable of rising from the ashes of loss, to rebound and heal again.

Excerpt

New York Dreams

…Tears pooled in Kora’s eyes again as she realized the truth of Alice’s statement. The unexpected slap across her face, his desire to control her and Jacqueline’s whereabouts; it was all so obvious. Although Kora had opened up to Alice like no one else before, she still secretly held the most violent events in the corner of her breaking heart. She supposed it was shame that held her back from telling the whole, ugly truth or maybe by keeping some secrets, she could pretend everything was normal.

“Jack wouldn’t go that far—” but even as she began the sentence she stopped short, remembering the most violent incident. It was a few months ago. He came at her with both fists in the air. Jacqueline was asleep in her crib. Kora dodged his fists initially, but he managed to get his hands on her neck and squeeze for a terrifying moment. When he let go, he breathlessly looked at his own hands as if questioning their power. Kora bruised her shoulder when she fell back into the corner of the wall. His release was as violent as his brief hold on her. She gasped for air, tears flowing freely, she tasted fear. The security guard was on break. There was no one to turn to. Kora’s first thought upon recovery was for her baby girl. She rushed to the nursery to see with her own eyes, the infant peacefully asleep, her gentle lips were sucking her tiny thumb.

“Kora, there is never a reason,” Alice unwittingly interrupted Kora’s ugly memory, leaning closer. “I think you should have all of these phone numbers just in case. I’ll sleep better knowing you have a plan. Look, he might take your cell phone and with it, your contacts,” Alice held her gaze. Kora nodded reluctantly.

A switch flipped in Kora. She finally admitted to herself, that if she didn’t get out, she would pay with her life—one day, maybe not this day but one day.

Voices and laughter from the next table, the hissing of the espresso machine and other coffee house noises reminded Kora, that it was just another day. For her though, it was a day to think about the risk she faced by going home. A place that was supposed to be secure, comforting and above all, safe, was rapidly becoming the exact opposite.

Jacqueline broke the conversation with her baby babble and made both Alice and Kora laugh and lightened the mood if only for a moment. Kora reached over and took Jacqueline out of the high chair and snuggled her on her lap. Pat-a-cake always brought out the giggles. Alice watched them with a smile. But Alice’s words hung heavy in the caffeine-filled air.

#

Later, at home, Kora got the baby out of the bath and ready for bed. Jack wasn’t home yet and their security guard, Nick was nowhere in sight. Normally, Nick was on duty on a Tuesday night. This fleeting thought made Kora uneasy. Anticipating Jack’s footsteps, Alice’s words kept playing through her mind. Kora, you need to be prepared. I used to think that way too. It doesn’t go away.

She jumped at the sound of the door. Footsteps echoed through the hall. Kora peeked around the door jamb of the baby’s bedroom. She saw Jack reach for a tumbler and the carafe to pour a drink at the bar. Her heart beat faster.

“Kora! Where the hell are you?” Jack bellowed. She quietly closed the door with a last look at sleeping Jacqueline, her tiny face half illuminated blue by her night-light. “Jesus Christ, Kora!” The edge in his voice echoed off the stone countertop in the kitchen.

“Shhhh, Jack. You’ll wake Jacqueline. She just went to sleep,” Kora’s voice was barely above a whisper even though she was now well into the living room and far from Jacqueline’s bedroom. One look at Jack and she knew there was something wrong. Obviously, this wasn’t his first drink of the day but there was something else. She barely had the courage to look him in the eye, afraid to see his fury. Of course, he was likely catching on to her outings without the bodyguards. She shouldn’t have met Alice today.

“Please look at me when you speak to me,” his voice was quieter, like velvet.

“Where’s Nick?” Kora asked, helplessly trying to change the focus from herself to their bodyguard, secretly praying he was close by.

“’Where’s Nick’ she asks,” Jack mocked Kora, putting her further on edge. “Why do you even care, Kora? You go out and don’t give a shit about protection.”

The silence grew. Jack took another sip. Kora couldn’t think of anything to say quickly enough.

“Well? Fuck! Now you don’t have to answer any of my questions?” Jack stared her down, threateningly.

“Jack, please…why are you—?”

“’Jack, please’ ‘Jack, oh you won’t hurt me will you?’” Jack continued in that exaggerated voice.

Kora became a weak child in this moment. She blinked and saw red. She opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out.

“Kora, I’ve been hearing shit about you. I’m not happy about it. Not—At—All,” he emphasized the last words, swaying slightly still holding his half empty tumbler. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing walking around the streets of New York with our baby? What do you think is going to happen when people realize you’re my wife? ‘Hey, there’s Jack’s wife…the stupid cunt’.”

“Jesus Christ Jack. Do you have to use that language?”

“Apparently I do, Kora because you don’t listen to me otherwise.”

“Jack, I went for a coffee —“

“Bullshit! Don’t fucking lie to me. You keep it up? You won’t be taking Jacqueline anywhere…and by the way who is this ‘friend’ you meet for ‘coffee’?” Jack’s lips tightened, the corners turned down. This had the effect of showing his age. Another reason, Kora thought, he wasn’t snagging the prime acting roles as frequently as he once had. He turned to the bar table and refilled his glass. Kora turned to go into the kitchen. She had to create some distance and figure out how to deal with him. She took a deep breath. She knew now, she was in grave danger. Put your cell phone in your pocket, a voice said. Do it now!

“Don’t you walk away from me,” he followed her into the kitchen. She quickly grabbed her handbag that she always kept on the desk in the kitchen. She reached her hand in and searched for her cell, while keeping an eye on Jack.

“What do you think you’re doing?” he reached out to grab her purse and missed.

“I’m going to the bathroom. I’ll be right back,” Kora turned her back on him with false confidence and held her hand bag safely to her chest.

“Like Hell you are,” he reached for her hair and missed. She continued down the hall. Don’t react yet. Stay calm. Stay brave.

She quickened her step at the end of the hall and quickly shut and locked the bathroom door. Think. She had to figure out how to get Jacqueline out with her, safely. It might not happen tonight. You might have to wait. “I can’t,” she muttered under her breath. Kora knew in an instant the risk of leaving was less than the danger of staying one more night. …

I hope you found this excerpt interesting. I will be sharing excerpts from the other stories here at the blog in the up coming weeks. I will also continue to blog about the usual stuff.

Please share any thoughts or comments on the story excerpt.