Check out my stop on the blog tour for Steel Strings by Alex Hayes!
by Alex Hayes
Genre: YA Contemporary Romance
Release Date: December 3rd 2019
Summary:
Compelled to silence, Brianna is like a cello without strings and must fight to reclaim her voice through the instruments she creates.
Brianna Jones is a nerdy, biracial teen who dreams of bringing music to the world via orchestral instruments fashioned out of recycled materials. But she must keep her project secret from her half sister, whose mission in life is to destroy everything Brianna holds dear.
Marek Lakewood is one of the few guys who sees Brianna for whom she really is and has admired her from afar for years, but he’s never been a risk-taker, not since his father was killed on a black diamond ski slope.
When a physics project lands Marek in Brianna’s sphere, he finds himself taking bigger and bigger risks, and discovers Brianna’s life and aspirations are far more complicated than he ever imagined
Steel Strings is available on Amazon and KU. Here is a universal link: https://mybook.to/SteelStrings
EXERPT :
We reach the top of the drive. Below, the road is unplowed,
while the snow continues to fall in heavy wet flakes.
while the snow continues to fall in heavy wet flakes.
“Parking’s gonna be crazy downtown. You wanna walk?” he
asks.
asks.
My eyes brush the white pine across the street. “Definitely.”
Hardly a scar shows in its thick trunk, but scars are
strange things.
strange things.
We walk in silence until I can’t hold my question in any
longer. “Why are you surprised Jac and I are still together?”
longer. “Why are you surprised Jac and I are still together?”
His shoulder twitches with a subtle shrug. “Body language.
The way you look—or don’t look—at each other. The way you never stand
close or touch.”
The way you look—or don’t look—at each other. The way you never stand
close or touch.”
I’ve kept my situation with Jac secret, but obviously Marek’s
more observant than most. It hadn’t occurred to me the truth might’ve slipped
into the open another way. “Have you studied people’s body language a lot?”
more observant than most. It hadn’t occurred to me the truth might’ve slipped
into the open another way. “Have you studied people’s body language a lot?”
A quiet laugh rumbles from his chest. “No. Just yours.” The
rumble cuts short, and he clears his throat.
rumble cuts short, and he clears his throat.
My foot lands unevenly and slides over an icy patch. Marek’s
hand shoots out and grabs my elbow.
hand shoots out and grabs my elbow.
Startled, I meet his gaze and swallow. “How come just mine?”
His grip loosens, but he doesn’t let go. “Guess it’s tough
not to pay attention to the smartest girl in school.” He looks uncomfortable
until a half-smile pulls up his lips. “Though wearing heels might not have been
the smartest choice for a hike.”
not to pay attention to the smartest girl in school.” He looks uncomfortable
until a half-smile pulls up his lips. “Though wearing heels might not have been
the smartest choice for a hike.”
“They’re usually pretty good in snow,” I murmur.
He clears his throat again. “You’ll have to be careful is
all.” His gloved hand slides down my forearm and wraps around my fingers.
all.” His gloved hand slides down my forearm and wraps around my fingers.
My lips part as my mind back flips to Jac’s departure, to
his kiss. A passionate move that suggested things were far from over for him,
but they’ve been over for me for a long time.
My conscience tells me I shouldn’t encourage Marekhis kiss. A passionate move that suggested things were far from over for him,
but they’ve been over for me for a long time.
until Jac and I come clean, but my desire has other ideas, and I find myself
gripping Marek’s hand tighter.
About the Author
Alex Hayes wrote her first fiction story when she was twelve. Inspired by her mother’s storytelling, she began work on her first novel, Ice Cracks, at eighteen.
She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English, Creative Writing from San Francisco State University. In her twenties, she moved from Marin County, California to Boston, Massachusetts, where she built a career as an IT professional in database engineering. In 2004, she self-published Ice Cracks, which became a semi-finalist in the 2005 IPPY Awards.
Alex splits her time between Grand Junction, Colorado and Guanajuato, Mexico. When she isn’t writing, she’s helping her partner, Lee, renovate a 450 year old hacienda. She is mother to one beautiful daughter and many wonderful cats.
She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English, Creative Writing from San Francisco State University. In her twenties, she moved from Marin County, California to Boston, Massachusetts, where she built a career as an IT professional in database engineering. In 2004, she self-published Ice Cracks, which became a semi-finalist in the 2005 IPPY Awards.
Alex splits her time between Grand Junction, Colorado and Guanajuato, Mexico. When she isn’t writing, she’s helping her partner, Lee, renovate a 450 year old hacienda. She is mother to one beautiful daughter and many wonderful cats.
What is your writing process like?
My writing process is constantly evolving. I’m a planner. I start by write down story ideas in Evernote. Once I’ve developed a skeleton of the story, I switch to a spreadsheet and plan out my plot points. Once the plot starts to take shape, I rough out scenes. When most of them are outlined, I start writing. I typically have to take a break around the midpoint of the story, reevaluate where the story is going, then pick it up again and drive toward the climax and resolution. The theme is important, but it isn’t always obvious from the outset, so I have to circle back.
For all my planning, writing a story is still an iterative process. The first draft contains maybe ninety percent of the scenes. A couple may have to go and a few be added, but the theme and arcing metaphors still have to be fleshed out.
In Steel Strings, color became a significant metaphor. After the opening event in the story’s prologue, Brianna loses her right to color. She sees herself as gray in a black and white world. She longs to claim color back, and Marek helps her do that. A trail of red threads the story, starting with a luxuriant winter hat and ending with a pool of blood.
Author Links:
Website - http://www.alexhayesauthor.com/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/AlexHayesAuthor
An intriguing synopsis and excerpt! This sounds like a must read for me. Thank you for sharing your book and author details
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