It’s one of the best days for an author. And it’s one of the most anxious days as well! Release Day — full of excitement, hope, anticipation, and more than a few butterflies in the stomach. Putting your hard work into the public can be a scary thing–will readers like it? Will it get glowing reviews? Will bookstores and libraries add it to their shelves? We hold our breath and launch, hoping that our book babies survive and thrive.

On Oct. 1, I’m releasing my newest women’s fiction novel–Hard Lemonade. It’s a book about hopes and dreams, mothers and daughters, friends and family:

Her husband fails. Her marriage fails. Does that make Emily Sherridan a failure?

With high hopes and rose-colored shades, Emily Sherridan leaves her family and friends to build a new life with her screenwriter husband in sunny Los Angeles. There, she learns that love conquers all…until the rent is overdue, the rejections pile up, or the test is positive.

As months, then years, go by and Eric’s career fails to launch, Emily is determined to hold everything together. But when he brings danger into their lives, it’s over. When the cops arrive at her doorstep, anguish mixes with anger. She wonders how low they can go—until one of the officers hands her the number to a women’s shelter.

Broke and broken, her dreams are dashed and her confidence is shaken. With Eric’s taunt about running home pounding in her ears, Emily pushes forward though she’s unsure of her direction. She cannot give up. Her daughter deserves more.

From rosy dreams to real-life roadblocks, Hard Lemonade is a compelling story of friends, family, and fierce sheroes.

Excerpt:

Joe loosened his tie as he entered the room then planted a light kiss on her lips. “How was your day?” he asked.

It was a standard question, but these days Julia had to try and read his mood and discern whether he wanted the truth or a shallow everything-is-fine response.

“Nothing too exciting,” she told him.

He opened the refrigerator and took out a beer. “Yeah? You get the trip worked out?”

Okay, they were going for real tonight. “Yes, everything’s booked.”

He took a long pull on the beer. “Want to trade places?”

Julia choked out a laugh. Neither one of them had a carefree couple of days ahead of them, but she agreed Joe got the short stick. “No, thanks. I want to see this apartment. I suppose the fact that she’s letting me go out is a good sign.”

“Yeah, I have a hard time feeling grateful about any of this.”

Julia let out a long sigh. “Me, too. But it could’ve been worse. They could’ve eloped or run off to California together. At least we got a wedding. That shows commitment.”

Through watery eyes, she’d watched her daughter walk down the aisle with the naïve optimism of youth shining in her eyes as she looked at Eric where he stood waiting for her. She looked so young, hardly any different than the day she graduated from high school. Of course, that had only been two years ago.

The wedding had been a dismal affair, woefully short of what she’d always imagined for her only child. Her beautiful daughter wore a shimmery white tea-length dress with silver shoes and carried a bouquet of blush-pink roses. A jeweled comb that had belonged to her maternal grandmother sparkled in her glossy chocolate-colored curls. Julia had seen to those details herself.

Eric had splurged on a charcoal gray suit, choosing to buy it rather than rent a tux. “He’ll need to look good for his interviews,” Emily had told her. Julia just hoped those interviews would materialize. And soon. He was a handsome man with a boyish look about him. With his thatch of blond hair, he’d fit right in with the California crowd. She couldn’t help but feel that his marrying their daughter against their wishes said something about his character, but she couldn’t argue with the way he looked at Emily. Julia wanted to believe he cherished her daughter as much as she did.

Julia leaned against the counter next to Joe. “She loves him. She’s happy.”

“Mm-hmm. What would you like to do for supper?”

She shrugged. “We’ve got some leftover pulled pork.”

In the silence, she followed his gaze to the kitchen table.

“No,” he said abruptly. “Let’s go out.”

She sensed that he, too, struggled with having dinner at the table with Emily’s empty spot.

He tugged at his tie. “Let me get out of these work clothes.”

She watched him bound up the stairs, and her heart ached. When would their lives feel normal again?

 

Look for Hard Lemonade in ebook or paperback formats Oct. 1!

Here’s a sneak peek from my Pinterest storyboard.

Darlene