Book Tour ~ Hi Love, You Just Dropped Your Glove - A McCusker Mystery by Paul Charles

 

HI LOVE, YOU JUST DROPPED YOUR GLOVE

by Paul Charles

June 1 - July 10, 2026 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

A McCusker Mystery

 

Thomas Barry, Lefty Kelly, and Brendy McCusker were all teenage boys who were roaming the streets of Portrush, County Antrim, in Northern Ireland in 1976 when Thomas Barry quite literally bumped into Isabella Scott, and he uttered the words of the title. In July 2019, the same Thomas Barry's remains were discovered at the foot of the Pilgrim's Steps in the Portrush Harbour. There were an extra 200,000 people visiting Portrush that week as The Royal Golf Club played host to Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy and the UK Open Tournament.

McCusker and DI Lily O'Carroll are conscripted from the PSNI (Police Service of Northern Ireland) in Belfast to help the already stretched local police force work on the case. They discover McCusker's childhood friends Barry and Isabella Scott had married and then...well then, everything became very complicated relationship-wise involving Isabella's sister, Colette, lawyers, accountants, and showband singers. Thomas had become an ultra-successful property developer, sometimes in partnership with the Buckley Brothers, at least one of whom doesn't mind the cowboy approach to work. Meanwhile, McCusker is pining over a recent relationship he had started back in Belfast with O'Carroll's sister, Grace.

Set against the backdrop of the (actual) UK Golf Open taking place in a small seaside town, where absolutely everyone has an opinion, and their opinions they are keen to share.

Praise for Hi Love, You Just Dropped Your Glove:

"Paul Charles' Hi Love, You Just Dropped Your Glove is a page turner par excellence. Written written with Charles' customary verve. Another brilliantly compelling atmospheric effort from a master crime writer."

"A welcome return for Brendy McCusker... Charles crafts with such a careful eye on the sparks that can fly—some of them charming, some witty, some downright menacing—between characters who don't happen to see eye to eye, or sometimes even to be operating in the same galaxy. Once again, it's hard to resist a hero who realizes, 'He just had a habit of opening his mouth and not knowing what was going to come out."
~ Kirkus Reviews

"Charles's skillful depiction of the many sides of love and its strange bypaths lifts this clever novel well above the genre average."
~ Publishers Weekly

"Paul Charles is an outstanding author of crime fiction novels. They are models of character development and powerful observations of people the detectives meet. I enjoy reading his books."
~ Irish American News

"Charles's skilful depiction of the many sides of love and its strange bypaths lifts this clever novel well above the genre average."
~ Publishers Weekly

"Charles has a wealth of experience in the crime genre from his past Kennedy and Starrett novels and the McCusker series delivers the same blend of mystery and engaging protagonists. The characters have an authenticity that Charles has fine-tuned throughout his writing career. Charles ability to weave real-like details helps bring the story full to life. A Day in The Life of Louis Bloom is both a love letter to Belfast and a gripping thriller."
~ Aoife Bradshaw, Hot Press

"Charles In Full Bloom With Novel... a thrilling page-turner."
~ Sunday World

"Amusing light-hearted entertainment from Paul Charles."
~ The Irish Independent

HI LOVE, YOU JUST DROPPED YOUR GLOVE Trailer:

Book Details:

Genre: Police Procedural, Crime Fiction
Published by: Level Best Books
Publication Date: March 31, 2026
Number of Pages: 382
ISBN: 9798898201050
Series: A McCusker Mystery, Book 3 | Stand Alone
Book Links: Amazon | Kindle | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | BookBub | Level Best Books

Read an excerpt:

Chapter One

I was born here and I’ll die here, against my will.
—Dylan

‘Hi love, you just dropped your glove.’

When she turned to face him, he was amazed. He remained totally in shock to the extent he became a blabbering idiot.

‘Just now as it fell from your coat pocket…’ he continued, ‘I caught it before it hit the wet ground… Honestly it didn’t get wet. I mean it’s a little wet, but only from the rain and not the pavement…agh…’ and mid-sentence he reluctantly turned and chased after his two mates.

She was the most beautiful creature he’d ever set his eyes on during his seventeen years on this earth. When she’d passed him a few life-changing seconds beforehand, she was walking, arms interlinked in the midst of two friends with her head bowed to the pavement. Consequently, he’d missed her green eyes, hidden by her long black hair, and he’d missed her quiet demeanour, but, most of all, he’d also missed the chance to make a connection.

He insisted his two mates, Brendan and Lefty, continue walking around the streets of Portrush with him until darkness fell ninety minutes later. He was working on the theory they’d bump into the three girls again. They’d discovered, to his cost, the only thing more difficult than finding someone in Portrush in the peak holiday season was finding someone on the deserted streets of Portrush during the off-peak season, when Ulster’s number one tourist centre reverted to its more comfortable status of winter ghost town, aka Ghostrush.

Thomas Barry—Tommy to his acquaintances, Tom to his good friends—minus his two mates was back on the streets the following morning, just before eight o’clock. He walked the short distance from his parents’ house in the sedate Antrim Gardens to the nearly (but not quite) refurbished railway station in Eglinton Street, passing the moth-balled Barry’s (historic) Amusement Arcade on the way. It was a journey just like he’d done most days of his life. Most other days of his life. though, he’d just taken Barry’s (no relation) and every other local landmark, for granted. That Sunday morning in October 1976 though he’d studied every nook and cranny around the streets of the Port as if his life depended on it.

He felt it did.

When his friends met up with him just before lunch time, he admitted to them he’d already had tea and toast in Portrush’s Holiday Hostel, with its ultra-colourful rooms; the once elegant Adelphi Hoteland The Atlantic Hotel, with its spectacular views, in the vain hope the three girls were out-of-towners. The other hotels and guest houses were all closed for the winter, he claimed. Still, he’d tried them all, “just in case, you understand.” He also, for one who’d always gone to great trouble to keep the majority of his feelings inarticulately to himself, articulately explained he felt for the sake of his well-being, if not his life, he needed to find this girl. He also admitted that, not only did he not know what he was going to say to her when, and if, he met her, but if such an accidental, on purpose, meet happened he’d be so tongue-tied again, he might even need to walk on past her. He just knew he really needed to find her. He told them he’d been awake all-night thinking about her. Lefty put him out of his misery by offering to take him to some of the out-of-town hotels. The two of them hopped on Lefty’s trusted red Vespa 125 scooter and headed off out past Kelly’s trailer park and bar and on to Castle Rock, Portstewart, Portballintrae and even Bushmills.

They returned just over an hour later with the Vespa’s petrol tank empty and their four arms all the one length.

Thomas Barry admitted to his two best friends he’d never felt so convinced about anything before in his life. A real-life girl had never ever had such an effect on him before. Isabella Adjani on the silver screen yes, but a real live human, certainly not. He most certainly accepted the fact he was never ever going to meet the long-haired, green-eyed girl again in his life.

He admitted how weird this feeling was to him.

Nonetheless he continued his search.

He thought of all the things he could have done, should have done. Perhaps all of them were things capable of scaring her off for life. But what did it matter now? He’d most certainly lost her for life.

The lads wanted to go to the Old Harbour Bar. Even with the new glitzy restaurant extension, accessed by a half a flight of wooden stairs, it was still the cosiest bar in the winter and their favourite watering hole. He declined, suggesting he might join them later. Once again, he took to the streets of Portrush. The same familiar streets he had taken for granted all his life, but which now took on major importance due to the fact they may be keeping him from finding the green-eyed girl. He tried chastising himself for feeling sorry for himself. It didn’t work. How could it possibly work when someone, something, a God even, if such a spirit existed, had allowed him to experience this special creature and then not equip him properly about how to approach her? He chastised himself further for not considering what he’d say to her if, or when, he met her. He’d already let himself down once by blabbering away when he had the perfect excuse to greet her. Equally he felt if he had something rehearsed it would have sounded too false, stifled, insincere and a chat up line. He kicked himself over his rap about her glove being wet not because he had let it fall on the wet pavement but because it had gotten damp in the rain.

He’d never been one for the chat up lines. They’d left those to Lefty. Funny enough this approach hadn’t worked out for their lead wingman either. Thomas Barry had often wondered if they’d become mates, “blood brothers” just so they could hang out together and look for girls. Anyway, they had launched their little gang, the BLTs. They even had their own unique motto: May the Sauce be With You. It was funny at the time. They’d picked it over a meal together in Morelli’s as they simultaneously chased the food-saving flavouring known as HP. They’d also debated using: Life is a Beach and Then the Tide Goes Out,. Considering their endgame objective, they had unanimously voted against this option on the grounds it was too negative. As he wandered around the deserted streets, now it had gotten down to the nitty-gritty, he wasn’t so sure about their motto either, or even about their gang in the first place. Lefty was always complaining three wasn’t a good number to hang out in. If they met two girls and got through the even more complicated task of chatting them up, then the girls would surely feel sorry for the additional boy they would have to exclude due to the mathematical impossibilities. He reckoned maybe they could possibly have made the problematic maths work down in the more liberal Belfast. In the meantime, they had agreed they would figure out such a scenario as and when it arose. Lefty had claimed the girls would probably make their preference known and they, the boys, would just have to deal with it. They’d been happy to leave the tactics to Lefty. Even though Lefty’s tactics had, so far, been 100% unsuccessful, they still left him in charge. The alternate didn’t bear thinking about.

Tommy wondered if it would be any easier if, and when, one of them found a girlfriend and peeled off their gang as it were. He wondered who’d be the first to find a girl. He thought if you were a betting man and you followed the odds, then Lefty should be the first to find a girl. But then what would they do? They’d surely be lost without the tactics man. Or would they?

‘At least the rain has stopped,’ he said aloud, as he rounded the corner of the forsaken Mark Street Lane and into the desolate Atlantic Avenue.

‘Hi Love,’ he thought he heard a ghostly breathy voice say, not much above a whisper, ‘you haven’t found another glove, have you?’

There she was, there right in front of him on what would now become the hallowed, Atlantic Avenue. His green-eyed girl’s green eyes were smiling straight at him.

He was so intent on finding her he pretty much nearly walked straight into her. He knew if she hadn’t spoken first, he would have walked past her. Lucky enough before he’d a chance to figure out what he was going to say she spoke again.

‘What am I like?’ she started, ‘I’m forever losing a glove, thankfully never both at the same time, mind you, always just the one at a time. The one you picked up for me I…’

‘I’ve been looking for you all day,’ he admitted, his voice sounding a lot calmer than he felt.

‘Mmmm,’ she replied, studying his face and sounding like she knew, and accepted, such an admission wasn’t as weird as he feared, ‘you’d look good with a moustache.’

Of all the things he’d imagined her to reply, and most of them also included her rushing off as quickly as her shapely legs would carry her, this was not even in the top 1000. It wasn’t as though he had actually come up with more than three possible replies.

Before he knew it, they were involved in a natural freewheeling conversation.

She seemed inclined to linger rather than to walk away.

At a very brief lull in the conversation, they both silently acknowledged they didn’t want the conversation to be stifled, so they spurted out their next questions simultaneously.

‘Do you live here?’ Tommy asked.

‘Who were you talking to as you walked around the corner?’ she asked over the top of his question.

‘No, I’m at the University of Ulster in Coleraine and one of my course mates invited me and another friend over to her parents’ house for the weekend. Her parents own a wee guest house over by the West Strand,’ she said in response to his question.

‘I was talking to myself,’ he admitted, ‘what’s your friend’s name?’

‘Gilly Hutchinson.’

‘Oh,’ he said, without even meaning to.

‘You know her?’

‘Well I know of her,’ he replied, ‘I know her sister.’

‘Which one?

‘Gilly would have been a few years ahead of me,’ Tommy replied.

‘Right,’ she replied, without allowing him to finish, ‘so you’d know the youngest, Emmi Mae.’

‘Yeah we were really good friends when we were…oh 13 ish and then she outgrew me.’

‘Ah yes, it happens at 13 or even 13-ish.’

‘Tell me about it,’ he offered more to himself, ‘so was that Gilly the blonde-haired girl with you yesterday?’

‘No, Gilly was swotting, you saw the eldest sister, Adele, who’s just great craic altogether.’

‘Okay, figures, I don’t know her at all,’ he replied.

He looked at his green-eyed girl out of the corner of his eye. He couldn’t see her as well as he’d seen her yesterday when they’d met face to face. She still looked stunning even though her long dark hair covered the side of her face. He couldn’t see those amazing green eyes though. On the upside what he’d missed yesterday was her personal scents. She smelt of a blend of soap, shampoo, mixed with little hints of a heather based perfume. The combination was totally intoxicating. ‘I’m Tommy,’ he offered, extending his hand, and knowing it was an excuse to steal another glimpse of her stunning emerald eyes, ‘Tom Barry.’

‘I know,’ she said, offering her own hand in return.

‘You know?’ he said, surprised while noticing two of her top teeth protruded a wee bit to the extent it looked like her top lip was going to have trouble covering them.

‘Yes, Adele told me,’ she said, as she smiled, ‘she also said you weren’t part of the other Portrush Barry family.’

‘Yeah, sorry about that,’ he said, still holding her soft skinned hand and shaking it gently, determined to never let it go again if he could get away with it. ‘’Fraid it also means I’ll not be able to get you free rides on the dodgems.’

‘I’d be more of a Barry’s Big Dipper kind of girl, anyway.’

‘Ditto on the Big Dipper, although I can’t pull any strings there either,’ he offered regretfully, while thinking he didn’t see her as being a Big Dipper kind of girl. All that screaming seems so alien to one so reserved and private. ‘I could get you a pony ride on the beach though if you wanted?’

‘Accepted,’ she replied, seeming content to leave her hand where it was, she leaned towards him, her nostrils wriggling the more they bridged the gap to his ear, ‘but not being part of the amusements also means you won’t smell of petrol and grease and candyfloss.’

‘Or Daulse and Yellowman,’ he added, attempting to complete her list and praying it was a compliment, ‘oh look…’ he continued and pointed with his free hand to the cuff of her red duffle coat, ‘there’s your missing glove, stuck up the sleeve of your coat.’

Sadly, for Tommy, this gave her an excuse to break away from him.

‘I’m Isabella,’ she said, retrieving her glove, ‘Isabella Scott and the pleasure to meet you on this wintery weekend, is all mine. That’s twice you saved me, Tommy, which means I’ll never forget you.’

And that, was how Tommy Barry and Isabella Scott first met.

Neither Isabella, her two friends, Gilly Hutchinson and Jane Murray nor Tommy Barry’s two friends, Lefty Kelly and Brendan ‘Brendy’ McCusker, would ever forget Tommy Barry. This fact was even more definite now that forty-three years later (bar three months) on Wednesday July 17th, 2019, the very same Tommy Barry died a very unnatural death.

***

Excerpt from Hi Love, You Just Dropped Your Glove by Paul Charles. Copyright 2026 by Paul Charles. Reproduced with permission from Paul Charles. All rights reserved.

 

 

Author Bio:

Paul Charles began his career in music at fifteen years old, managing his first band, The Blues by Five, in his hometown of Magherafelt in Northern Ireland. He moved to London in 1967 intending to study civil engineering but was quickly drawn back into the music world. In the 1970s he worked in multiple roles for the Belfast prog rock band FRUUPP, who signed to Dawn Records and toured widely across the UK and Europe. Charles lyrics for Sheba's Song were later sampled and used as Soon The New Day by Talib Kweli featuring Norah Jones on the album Ear Drum which debuted at #2 on the Billboard Top 200 chart in 2007. After FRUUPP disbanded Charles co funded the Asgard Agency and has represented major artists including Crosby Stills & Nash, Jackson Browne, Tom Waits, The Kinks, Van Morrison, Robert Plant, Ani DiFranco, Gordon Lightfoot, Nick Lowe, Elvis Costello, Loudon Wainwright III, John Lee Hooker, and Ry Cooder. He has programmed the Acoustic Stage at the Glastonbury Festival for the last 38 years. A life long writer he published his first Christy Kennedy mystery in 1997 Level Best Book have just published his 22nd mystery - Hi Love, You Just Dropped Your Glove.

Catch Up With Paul Charles:

PaulCharlesBooks.com
Amazon Author Profile
Goodreads
Instagram - @paulcharlesbooks

 

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HI LOVE, YOU JUST DROPPED YOUR GLOVE by Paul Charles | Gift Cards

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Book Tour ~ The Old Cranberry Ladies Garden Club by Bill Cusano

 

THE OLD CRANBERRY LADIES GARDEN CLUB

by Bill Cusano

June 1 - July 10, 2026 Virtual Book Tour

 

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THE GHOST AND THE KEY

With a pitchfork through the man's groin and another through his chest, it is clear that someone had murdered Chester H. Cranberry. It's not something that could have happened accidentally. But that was 192 years ago. As Mildred Cranberry, the current family matriarch, puts it, "We have two women, two keys, two pitchforks, and one dead two-timing man." Who in their right mind would want to dig up that cold case and try to solve it? It's not like the murderer could be prosecuted in 2024, right? But what if a key piece of evidence can be dug up (literally)? And what if a descendant of Chester's illegitimate child can get her hands on it? Mildred will need more than the Old Cranberry Ladies Garden Club members to solve this bizarre case. The spiritual support she needs may not be what she expects when the ghost of Elcira Cranberry, the widow murderess herself, arrives to do what? Tell the truth or protect her reputation?

The Ladies Garden Club of Old Cranberry, Connecticut, has a 200-year history that has remained shrouded in secrecy for so long, it has been lost to history, until now. Elcira Cranberry and freedwoman Deborah Townsend knew the men of the town would have no interest in a garden club, so it was the perfect cover for their secret organization. Now, nearly two centuries later, the current members have no idea what those ladies were up to in the early 1800s, right here in Connecticut. But the secret will soon be out.

 

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THE WIDOW MURDERESS

Connecticut, 1833. A year after Chester Cranberry's unsolved murder, the town that he founded continues to suspect that his wife, Elcira, ended his life. With insufficient evidence to bring her to trial, and little effort to find another suspect, the town gossip labels her "The Widow Murderess." But Elcira has seven children to feed, ranging in age from three to nine, and her nanny, Deborah, a freed slave, is pregnant with her husband's illegitimate child.

All eyes are on these two women, expecting them to fail to keep the farm and the family together. When the general store cuts off Elcira's credit and refuses to sell anything her farm produces, the alliance between Elcira and Deborah grows stronger, and the women set out to do something unthinkable, something that can cause one to be whipped and the other thrown in jail. They opened their home to runaway slaves seeking freedom along a secret route north. Behind the facade of a ladies' garden club, the women run a clandestine school, teaching the formerly enslaved and runaways to read and write-a dangerous act that could destroy everything she's built.

When a mysterious murder during a violent storm brings old secrets to light, the truth about Chester's death threatens to surface. With the town's suspicions mounting and powerful enemies closing in, Elcira must decide how much she's willing to risk to protect those she loves and maintain the underground railroad that runs through her land.

A gripping historical novel about courage, family, and the price of freedom in pre-Civil War New England, The Widow Murderess explores how one woman's determination to survive becomes a beacon of hope for those seeking liberty.

 

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THE SPARROW AND THE CROW

The last time the crows circled the old farmhouse, her husband Chester was found dead and the town named her a murderess. Thirty years later, the truth she buried with him is stirring again, the country is splitting in two, and the family she fought so hard to hold together is being pulled apart by a war that hasn't yet been declared.

Her grandson Auggie wants to fight for the Union. His mother, born to a Virginia plantation family, will do anything to drag him south instead. Millie — the rector's daughter with golden hair and a satchel full of letters — waits at home for a boy who may never come back. And in the chapel behind the lilacs, Elcira and the women of her garden club continue the work no one is supposed to know about: sheltering freedom seekers as slave catchers tighten their grip on the Connecticut coast.

Then a telegram arrives. And another. And the war everyone said would never come has come for the Cranberry's all at once.

  

Perfect for readers of Kristin Hannah, Marie Benedict, Paulette Jiles, and Charles Frazier's Cold Mountain — a story about what families inherit, what they hide, and what they're willing to risk when the country they believed in begins to come apart.

Book Details:

Genre: Cozy Mystery, Historical Mystery
Published by: 4610 Publishing
Series: The Old Cranberry Ladies Garden Club

 

Author Bio:

Bill Cusano is an author, a retired deacon in the Episcopal Church and a believer that it is the process rather than the outcomes that matter most in our lives. Retired from the corporate world and an eight-year stint running a non-profit feeding program, Bill attacks every project as a ministry, giving it his full commitment. Needing to readjust to life after losing the love of his life to leukemia in April of 2024, Bill returned to writing full-time, resulting in The Old Cranberry Ladies Garden Club series, the motivation and inspiration for which came from his wife’s voracious appetite for reading historical fiction. While this is Bill’s debut novel, he has always been a writer, publishing short stories and poems early on, and then beginning a daily spiritual blog in 2008. You can follow Bill’s Reflections From The Garden Bench along with other writings on his Substack account.

Catch Up With Bill Cusano:

BillCusano.com
Bill's Substack
Amazon Author Profile
Goodreads - @billcusano
Instagram - @billcusano
X - @CusanoBill
Facebook - @bill.cusano

 

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Book Tour ~ The Vanishers by R. G. Belsky

 

THE VANISHERS

by R. G. Belsky

June 15 - July 10, 2026 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

Megan Foley knows she saw the little boy. So why does everyone at the perfect seaside house insist he never existed? The house was perfect. That was its first lie.

When Megan and her husband Patrick accept an invitation to spend the summer at a luxurious house share in Stone Beach, Connecticut, everything seems too good to be true. The rent is absurdly low. The host, Mrs. Monahan, is attentive to the point of unease. The other guests are pleasant — until they aren't.

One day, Megan sees a boy, Tommy, playing… and the next, Tommy is simply gone. Not moved. Not spoken of. Erased, as though he never existed. All the other guests at the house look at Megan blankly when she asks.

One by one, the guests succumb to long hours in front of the television in a glassy trance. Patrick grows cold and distant. Something stirs in the attic.

Megan alone seems immune — but for how long? As she begins to doubt herself and the house tightens its hold, she must confront the terrifying truth about Mrs. Monahan, the attic room, and the price of a perfect summer.

A chilling gothic thriller for fans of atmospheric domestic horror — available in Kindle Unlimited.

Book Details:

Genre: Paranormal Gothic Thriller
Published by: dp DIGITAL PUBLISHERS
Publication Date: May 7, 2026
Number of Pages: 298
ISBN: 978-1918343335
Book Links: Amazon | KindleUnlimited | Goodreads | dp DIGITAL PUBLISHERS

Read an excerpt from The Vanishers:

PROLOGUE

Hudson Lake, Michigan

I know everyone in this diner is looking at me like I’m strange.

Well, I’m sure used to that by now. It wasn’t always that way, of course. I mean I’m blonde-haired, just turned 30 and once – a million years or so ago before the terrible times happened – people said I was pretty. But now I realize that I look old beyond my years. I’ve lost a lot of weight, my face is pale and gaunt and I’m trembling noticeably right now even though it is the first real warm day of spring.

I make my way unsteadily over to a stool at the diner’s counter and sit there quietly, without talking, even when a guy comes over and asks for my order.

“What’ll it be, ma’am?” he smiles.

I stare at him with a confused look on my face. Nothing people say these days - even simple questions like that - seem to make sense to me anymore.

“Ma’am,” he repeats.

“Pardon?”

“My name is Danny. Danny Heller. I own this place. What do you want?”

I think about if for a second, then say: “Do you think I could have some tea?”

“Tea, sure.”

He walks over to the kitchen area, pours a cup and brings it back to me.

“How about something to eat?” he asks. “A sandwich. Some soup. Maybe a nice piece of pie. We got some nice pies today. Apple. Cherry. Lemon meringue.”

“Lemon meringue?”

“Sure. Want a piece?”

I nod. “Yes, that would be nice.”

Danny Heller cuts an extra large slice of the pie, places it onto a plate and carries it back to where I am sitting. I begin eating. Silently and without any emotion. Just like I do everything else now.

“Are you from around here?” he asks.

“No, not from around here.”

What’s your name?

“Uh, I’m Megan…

“Well, I’m glad to meet you, Megan. Are you just visiting around these parts?”

“I’m…,” I hesitate, because it’s painful to say the words., “I’m…looking for a vacation house.”

“Hey we’ve got some good ones. The lake this time of year is one of the prettiest spots in all of Michigan. Or anywhere else, for that matter. Have you looked at many houses?”

“Not here. Other places.”

“You’ve been traveling then?”

“Yes, I’ve been traveling quite a bit.”

The truth is I have been traveling for nearly a year. I started back east, moving from resort town to resort town along the New England coast. When fall came, I started moving down along the coast toward the winter resorts. Miami Beach. The Gold Coast. The Gulf Shore. Then, with the advent of spring, I had come north and inland to look at lake areas. Ohio. Minnesota. And now Michigan.

In all the places, I’ve done the same thing. Gone through ads for house rentals. Checked with real estate brokers. Driven aimlessly around shore areas looking.

Always looking.

Looking for the house.

The house I can never forget.

The house of my nightmares.

“We have some local house listings on that bulletin board over there,” Danny Heller says, pointing to a wall at the end of the counter. “People with a place to rent put stuff up there. Maybe you’ll find something you want.”

I get up from my stool and walk over to the bulletin board.

Looking through the ads posted on the bulletin board without really expecting to find anything.

But then I see it.

And I scream!

I scream so loudly that everyone in the diner stops eating and looks at me.

It’s a scream that keeps gathering momentum as it goes on like a runaway train, terrifying everyone there.

“What’s wrong?” Danny says, rushing over to where I’m standing by the bulletin board.

I point to a picture of a house in one of the ads.

“It’s here,” I whisper.

“What?”

“The house.”

And it is.

The house I’ve been looking for.

The house from Pleasant Street.

“I don’t understand,” Danny is saying.

“It’s the house,” I sob. “Oh, my God, it really is the same house…”

***

Excerpt from The Vanishers by R. G. Belsky. Copyright 2026 by R. G. Belsky. Reproduced with permission from R. G. Belsky. All rights reserved.

 

 

Author Bio:

R.G. Belsky is an award-winning author of crime fiction and a journalist in New York City. His newest mystery, THE VANISHERS, was published by dp DIGITAL PUBLISHERS. Belsky has published 26 novels. He also writes thrillers under the name Dana Perry. And he is a contributing writer for The Big Thrill magazine and BookTrib.

Catch Up With R. G. Belsky:

www.RGBelsky.com
Amazon Author Profile
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BookBub - @dickb79983
Instagram - @dickbelsky
Threads - @dickbelsky
X - @DickBel
Facebook - @RGBelsky

 

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The Only Thing Vanishing Here Is Your TBR Time

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Book Blitz ~ Children of Eternity - Being the First Part of the Apocalis by Macaulay Christian

 

Children of Eternity: Being the First Part of the Apocalis
Macaulay Christian
Publication date: March 10th 2026
Genres: Adult, Science Fiction

Thirty years ago, an impossible transmission pierced the cosmos. Hidden within it were instructions for a device no one fully understood—an extragalactic Telegraph built to answer the call.

On a distant world in neutral space, humanity and its former enemies resolved to build the device, a rare moment of unity and a calculated gamble that shared purpose might overcome politics.

The answer is not what anyone expected.

The colony is devastated. Reality fractures. Technology fails. People vanish without a trace—among them soldiers, citizens, and voices no civilization can afford to lose. Aboard the warship Banterra, Captain Heron Agathon is dispatched into the unknown to search for survivors and the truth behind the signal.

Beyond the galaxy’s edge, something older than civilization is observing humanity’s first steps into the uncharted—measuring what it will become when fear, power, and principle collide. The answers lie in the dark between stars. And the truth behind the signal is older—and nearer—than anyone suspects. There is no going back.

The human adventure is about to begin.

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EXCERPT:

P R O L O G U E

holindrian returns

A shimmering light fell all around Holindrian, hoisting him high into the sky, his feet dangling beneath. First, he could see just the top of the palace as he rose through the dense black smoke. A little higher and he could see the city itself. Fires burning, consuming whole wards at a time. The sounds were muffled, but he knew there would be the clanging of swords, the whizzing of arrows, and the miserable, painful screams of wretched, dying souls. Higher, Holindrian continued to rise. Boats had sunken in the harbor. The fighting on the rocky hills surrounding the town seemed to have calmed. A haboob traveled in a northeasterly direction, a transitory wall of brown, choking death.

The light continued to shine. All the colors of the rainbow streamed down, carrying him up, up into the clouds. He was higher than the mountains! There seemed to be no limits to his ascent. The definitions, the contours, the distinctive features of the land blurred together. Muted, people vanished into minute dark specks, fields became strokes of green, the clouds white wisps overlaying the canvas. He could see the whole of the blue world from up here….

Holindrian stood alone in a hallway with concave walls of a featureless white. He could not be certain what the material was. It was surely not any metal familiar to him. Everything seemed pristine. Not a blemish or scuff mark to be found. Feeling his eyes wince, he thought the white of the walls too bright, beyond adept description by man. No marble stone or cloud or snowflake compared. They seemed to be pulsating. Flashes of an even more intense white coursed through their…veins? As though the walls were alive, as though this vessel were alive.

The ceiling was black. Not just black but the absence of all light, the deepest shade of black imaginable. It contrasted brilliantly with the sterile surfaces of the walls. The black was not uniform in its composition, but rather composed of discernible shades of navy and violet and…were those stars? Stars sparkled and glimmered, specks of diamonds in a cave of darkness. It was remarkable how similar the ceiling was to the night sky.

When he looked down, and saw that the floor mirrored the ceiling, Holindrian first thought his heart might permanently lodge itself in his throat. The feeling of panic dissipated quickly, as he reassured himself something solid and firm was indeed beneath his feet.

“His reaction was much like your own.”

Holindrian looked up. He recognized that voice. “Uilliam?”

Uilliam’s long hair fell more than halfway down his back, wavy and rigid as though carved from marble, an ethereal white bearing just the traces of its past golden color. His face narrow and accented by sharp features framed by dark eyebrows. The eyes though, those magnificent eyes, were like windows into the past as well as portals to the future. They were an electric blue, the pupil an orb of mystical energy. Holindrian could see it all, the whole of the history of Uilliam’s race encapsulated within those eyes.

The Before…the Aeternam’s eyes could not or would not reveal the secrets pertaining to the Before, though there were shadows, vague, indefinite figures standing on the edge of history…something or someone had knowledge of the Before, and they were out there, somewhere. Uilliam had met them.

What could be seen was the ending that gave rise to humanity’s beginning. Space and time emerged from oblivion, a singular fixed point of eternity. There was no sound; it had not yet been invented. There was light of untold intensity, rings of magenta and sapphire clouds that swirled, intermingling, mixing. Then came flashes, all different shades of reds, oranges, yellows, and blues, rippling throughout the nebulous clouds like the pattering of rain on a pond. A wave of warm, tender, and loving heat washed over him. Holindrian could feel the fiery heat as birthing contractions on a boundless scale shuttled the first generation of galaxies into existence, infusing them with life, spiraling engines of genesis. Ah! There was the sound. It had finally caught up. It came as a rushing roar, a wind sweeping through streets and between buildings just as it would through ageless trees and over sky-kissing mountains.

Author Bio:

Macaulay is a graduate of the University of Arizona where he received his bachelor's degree in political science with an emphasis in American government and international relations as well as a minor in classical (Greco-Roman) history. He is also an alumnus of the fraternity Phi Delta Theta, where he served in a variety of leadership positions, including two terms as president. Macaulay received a master's of legal studies from Arizona State University's Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law before beginning a career in the commercial construction industry. He has worked on a variety of projects, from airports to data centers. Macaulay lives in Dallas, Texas with his wife and their two dogs. In March 2025, Macaulay released the science fiction novel "Holindrian & The Human Revolution". He is currently pursuing a doctorate in public administration where he is researching the impacts of public education and policy shifts on the industry and investigating recommendations to rectify the on-going skilled labor shortage across the country.

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Children of Eternity Blitz

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Book Blitz ~ Summer of the Blue Jay by Mike DeMaio

 

 

Literary Fiction Novella

Date Published: March 30, 2026

Publisher: Manhattan Book Group

What would you do with the last 24 hours of your life?

For nineteen-year-old Tina, the answer is simple: live.

After receiving devastating news, Tina refuses to spend her final hours confined to a hospital bed. With time slipping away and an impossible dream still burning inside her, she convinces Jake, a fellow patient, to run. Together, they escape the hospital, steal a car, and set out for New York City—determined to squeeze an entire lifetime into one unforgettable day.

As their frantic parents race to find them, Tina and Jake chase freedom through the heart of the city. From the peaceful lawns of Central Park to the dazzling lights of Times Square, every stop becomes a stolen moment, every laugh an act of defiance, and every heartbeat a reminder that time is the one thing no one can bargain for.

But as the sun begins to set, their breathtaking adventure turns into a race toward one final, symbolic destination—one that will test their courage, their bond, and the meaning of a life fully lived.

Emotional, urgent, and deeply human, Summer of the Blue Jay is a poignant contemporary novella about friendship, love, resilience, and the power of choosing joy when the clock is running out.

Perfect for readers who enjoy heartfelt coming-of-age fiction, emotional literary stories, and thought-provoking books that ask life’s biggest questions, this unforgettable debut reminds us that tomorrow is never promised—and that one day can hold the meaning of a lifetime.

 

About the Author

Mike DeMaio is an author and seasoned technology professional whose career has spanned more than twenty-five years in corporate Information Technology, including leadership roles supporting global teams across the pharmaceutical, biotech, and specialty food industries.

After decades of solving complex technical challenges, Mike turned to writing as a way to explore the human stories behind pressure, change, resilience, and time. What began as humorous reflections on life in IT soon evolved into a deeper creative calling, leading him from industry commentary and tech-focused articles into fiction.

His debut novella, Summer of the Blue Jay, asks one of life’s most powerful questions: what would you do if you only had twenty-four hours left? Inspired by Mike’s own reflections on career disruption, identity, and the urgency of living intentionally, the story blends emotional depth with a fast-paced journey about friendship, courage, and the priceless value of the present moment.

Mike continues to develop a diverse range of writing projects, including humorous technology-inspired work, fiction, and thriller concepts. Through his storytelling, he hopes to remind readers that time is never guaranteed—and that the moments we choose to truly live are the ones that matter most.

 

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Book Tour ~ Navigate Cancer - Coaching for Resilience by Teresa Ferreiro-Vilarino

 

Coaching for Resilience

 

Leadership / Self-Help / Health / Business

Date Published: April 29. 2026

Publisher: Serapis Bey Publishing, Arizona, USA

 

This empowering book launches the new Cancer Compass; an essential self-leadership resource for people facing cancer. It extends its reach to caregivers, healthcare professionals, and organisations committed to offering meaningful support to anyone in their workforce dealing with cancer. It encourages us to see cancer not solely as a medical challenge, but as a profound moment to honour the resilience of our human spirit, embrace growth, and reclaim control of our lives for a brighter future.

Teresa Ferreiro-Vilariño challenges her readers to shift their perspective, prioritising personal empowerment, connection and purposeful living. Her insights about resilience coaching and each person’s human potential are uplifting. Her book is deeply rooted in practical application, including thoughtful exercises and tools that prompt us to access our inner resources, engage in self-discovery and cultivate our secure bases. These unique gifts guide us to align our decisions with our values and goals, helping us chart a path forward with choice, clarity and confidence.

Foreward

 

It is both an honour and a privilege to introduce Teresa Ferreiro-Vilariño’s remarkable book, Navigate Cancer: Coaching for Resilience. My connection with Teresa began at IMD (International Institute for Management Development), where her transformative coaching work has left a lasting impact on our leadership programs. Over the years, I have observed her unparalleled ability to guide leaders through some of their most daunting challenges. Teresa’s wisdom and sincere empathy have enriched us all. It is also the foundation for this inspiring book.

Teresa builds on core concepts central to my own work—like the power of ‘secure bases,’ those relationships or guiding values that anchor us in times of adversity. She emphasises the importance of making deliberate choices and explores how grief, while deeply painful, can act as a catalyst for healing and growth. It is profoundly moving to see how she has refined these ideas into a framework uniquely suited for navigating the complexities of life with cancer. Through meticulous research and firsthand experience, Teresa has crafted a pioneering framework that empowers individuals to approach their circumstances with courage, dignity, and purpose.

At the heart of this book is a transformative message: while cancer presents undeniable hardship, it also opens the door to meaningful personal growth. Teresa challenges readers to shift their perspective, viewing cancer not as an enemy to conquer but as a journey—one that prioritizes empowerment, connection, and purposeful living. Her reflections on resilience and human potential are uplifting and deeply rooted in practical application.

What truly sets this book apart is its hands-on and reflective content. Teresa offers thoughtful exercises and tools that prompt readers to access their inner resources, engage in self-discovery, and cultivate secure bases. These tools guide individuals in aligning their decisions with their values and goals, helping them chart a path forward with clarity and confidence. While the principles in this book foster resilience in leaders in all contexts, I am inspired by how Teresa has adapted them to support self-leadership for people facing cancer.

Her insights are grounded in rigorous academic work, drawing from her doctoral research on coaching and personal empowerment. At the same time, the inclusion of personal stories gives the book a warmth and relatability that makes its lessons accessible to all. This seamless integration of theory and real-life experience ensures the book’s credibility while making its message profoundly human.

While this book is an essential resource for people facing cancer, it extends its reach to caregivers, healthcare professionals, and organisations committed to offering meaningful support to anyone dealing with cancer. It encourages us to see cancer not solely as a medical challenge but as a profound moment to honour the resilience of the human spirit, embrace growth, and reclaim control over our lives.

Reflecting on Teresa’s personal journey of facing cancer and the work we’ve shared, I am moved by her unwavering commitment to empowering other people. Her rare ability to combine compassion with actionable strategies. She has a deep understanding of self-leadership and leading others that make her coaching uniquely transformative. With this book, she offers a roadmap for confronting life’s formidable challenges with inspiration, grace, and hope.

Whether you are a leader, a caregiver, or a person touched by cancer, this book reminds us that resilience, determination, and purpose lie within each of us. No one needs to be a hostage to a cancer diagnosis. This is a must-read book. Read it fully, engage deeply, and let Teresa’s wisdom inspire your journey to recover the full joy of life.

Professor George Kohlrieser, distinguished professor of leadership and organisational behaviour at IMD Business School, Switzerland

 

About the Author

Teresa Ferreiro-Vilariño is the Founder and CEO of Kimberlite (https://www.kimberlite.es), an innovative organisation dedicated to providing comprehensive support to people navigating cancer—particularly within corporate settings—through professional coaching. A Master Certified Coach (MCC) accredited by the International Coaching Federation (ICF), Teresa brings more than 20 years of experience working with leaders and organisations worldwide.

At the age of 36, a breast cancer diagnosis marked a turning point in her life, redirecting her focus toward empowering people living with cancer. In the years that followed, she authored her first book, I Have Breast Cancer–What Now?, recognised for its inspirational and practical guidance, embraced motherhood, and founded a charitable initiative supporting young women navigating motherhood after cancer. She later earned a PhD focused on applying professional coaching methodologies to the specific needs of people facing serious health challenges. In recognition of her commitment to patient advocacy, she was honoured with the European Patient Champion Award by EyeforPharma in 2019.

Teresa is also an executive coach and coaches across multiple programs at IMD Business School in Lausanne, Switzerland, including the flagship High-Performance Leadership (HPL) Program, supporting leaders in developing resilience, clarity, and sustainable performance.

 

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Book Blitz ~ Storms of Crick Road Bridge

 

 

Crime Thriller

Date Published: April 8, 2026

Publisher: MindStir Media

Eden Valley is a quiet town in northwestern Pennsylvania still healing from a dark chapter in its history. Two years ago, the community was shaken by a kidnapping and a series of murders. Tom Stallings, the celebrated town hero, solved the crimes and identified the evil demon responsible. In an effort to revitalize the town, Tom's son, Josh, has purchased the town's orchard, naming it The Stallings Orchard at Crick Road Bridge.

However, Tom is soon informed by the local sheriff that he and his family are the targets of a threatening letter, mysteriously signed "The Avenger." The unknown author accuses Tom and Josh of being land-grabbers with blood on their hands and vows to seek revenge.

Against this tense backdrop, three individuals-each driven by their own pain and misguided sense of justice-embark on separate journeys of revenge. While the first merely seeks to resolve personal grievances and jealousy through minor acts of vandalism, the other two harbor far more sinister intentions, representing both physical and metaphorical storms on a path of chaos and destruction.

 

About the Author

 

 David Kerr grew up in the small, rural community of Enon Valley, Pennsylvania, in the '50s and '60s where the main source of employment was farming or working in the steel mill industry. Surrounded by families who struggled to maintain their middle- class lifestyle and hold tightly to the American values of God, family, and country, little did he realize that these people and places would become the inspiration for his novels.

A graduate of Georgia Southern University, Kerr served as an English teacher and school administrator for forty-four years. Following his retirement, he wrote and published two mystery novels, Secrets of Crick Road Bridge and Storms of Crick Road Bridge.

Today, he and his wife, Lois, live in Woodstock, Georgia, where they enjoy being close to their daughter Paige, son-in-law, Chris, and grandsons, Banks and Ford

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Book Blitz ~ The Edge of Motherland - A Novel by Michael Leppert

 

Literary Fiction

Date Published: May 14, 2026

Publisher: Manhattan Book Group

A moving literary novel about friendship, identity, belonging, and the search for home in a divided America.

In the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic and the racial reckoning of 2020, two unlikely friends are forced to confront what home really means.

A young Black man and a middle-aged White man meet through the Indianapolis tech company where they both work. Though separated by age, race, and life experience, they discover a powerful connection through music, poetry, and the emotional landscapes that have shaped them. What begins as an unusual friendship becomes something deeper as both men find themselves questioning the world around them—and their place within it.

Disillusioned by their state’s response to the pandemic and shaken by the racial strife unfolding across the country, the two men leave Indianapolis on a transformative journey. Against the eerie backdrop of a fractured America, they face isolation, grief, uncertainty, and the complicated truths that define love, loyalty, friendship, and identity.

As the road carries them away from everything familiar, they begin to reevaluate their beliefs, their histories, and the meaning of belonging. Through shared adversity, conversation, art, and memory, they forge a bond that challenges them to see themselves—and each other—with greater honesty and compassion.

The Edge of Motherland by Michael Leppert is a moving work of cultural heritage fiction for readers who appreciate character-driven literary fiction, contemporary historical fiction, stories of unlikely friendship, and novels that explore race, resilience, connection, and hope during uncertain times.

“Motherland is a poignant story about love, friendship, identity—and the music, poetry, and places that shape us.”

—Lesley Weidenbener, Managing Editor, Indianapolis Business Journal

 

About the Author

 

 Michael Leppert is an award-winning lecturer, columnist, essayist, and author based in Indianapolis, Indiana. A longtime communicator, public affairs professional, and educator, Leppert brings decades of experience in government, policy, business, and storytelling to his work.

He teaches speech and writing at Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business and serves as an adjunct professor at IU’s O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs. He earned his B.S. in Public Affairs from Indiana University and his M.S. in Communication from Northwestern University, building a career rooted in the two fields that have shaped his life: government and communication.

Before entering academia and writing, Leppert spent thirteen years in public service for the State of Indiana. His career began at the Indiana Boys School, where he worked for five years and later served as program manager in the Intensive Treatment Unit. He then spent eight years at the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission, ultimately serving as Executive Director of the IURC. In that role, he became known for his ability to explain complex and often controversial issues with clarity, insight, and accessibility.

After leaving state government in 2002, Leppert spent two decades as a private-sector lobbyist, public affairs consultant, and communications advisor, working with corporations, nonprofits, government leaders, community organizations, and business executives to help advance strategic priorities. His experience with public policy, political systems, and institutional decision-making has deeply informed his fiction and nonfiction writing.

Leppert began writing a weekly column in 2014, with his work appearing in newspapers throughout Indiana. His first book, Contrary to Popular Belief: A Chronicle of a Progressive in Indiana, was published in 2016. His novel Flipping the Circle, published by Greenleaf Book Group in 2021, is a political thriller that draws from his deep knowledge of Indiana politics, lobbying, and government culture. His fiction explores power, corruption, identity, morality, and the complicated human stories behind public life.

At the heart of Leppert’s work is a passion for helping people understand complicated ideas through story. Whether in the classroom, in public commentary, or on the page, he is driven by the belief that storytelling can bring clarity, challenge assumptions, and create meaningful connection.

Michael lives in a historic neighborhood in downtown Indianapolis with his wife, Amy Levander, and their rescue dog, Birdie. He has two adult children, Alex and Jack. He and Amy are competitive golfers, beach walkers, and enthusiastic lovers of live music, comedy, and theater.

 

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Book Tour ~ What the Heart Carries - Inspired by A True Story by Susan Appel

 

One Secret, Two Lives

 

Women's Fiction / Family Life / Religious

Date Published: April 21st, 2026

Publisher: Lucid Books Publishing

 

Stephanie grew up cherished yet haunted by questions no one would answer. Carmine’s life, in contrast, was marked by tumult, loss, and an unrelenting search for belonging. They lived as strangers, unaware of each other’s existence—until fate, and a single phone call brought the truth crashing in. Their discovery binds them in an instant—and alters everything.

What the Heart Carries traces their breathtaking discovery and the devastating tragedy that followed. At nce a story of grief and of redemption, it asks: How do we begin to heal when everything we know is torn apart?

Spanning from Brooklyn’s tight-knit neighborhoods to the sun-soaked streets of Florida, this is a powerful novel of family secrets, faith, and the unbreakable ties of blood. Inspired by true events, it is a story that will linger in your heart long after the final page.

 

 Chapter 1

The Beginning (1966)

 

Cecilia adjusted the strap of her purse as she walked along 86th Street under the El, the scent of fresh Italian bread and coffee drifting from the corner bakery. Car horns, laughter, and the distant rumble of the subway filled the air, but her mind was focused on the errand her mother had sent her on. She was to pick up a spool of thread from the fabric store and then head straight home. Simple. Routine.

Just as she arrived at the corner of Stillwell Avenue, she stopped short at the sight of him. Through the large glass window of the neighborhood gym, she saw a man, his dark hair slicked back, his muscular arms flexing as he lifted a pair of weights. Stunned, her breath caught in her throat. He was unlike any man she’d ever seen before—confident, strong, and completely engrossed in his workout. A few girls near the gym’s entrance were watching him as well. Giggling, they stole glances in the man’s direction. They were animated and giddy, but Cecilia was rooted in place, unable to move, unable to look away.

Then, as if sensing her gaze, he turned. Their eyes met through the glass.

Cecilia’s heart thudded in her chest. For a moment she considered looking away and pretending she hadn’t been staring, but something about the man’s expression—the amused smirk, the spark of curiosity in his eyes—held her there. Slowly, deliberately, he set the weights down and wiped the sweat from his brow. Then, to her surprise, he walked over to the door.

Cecilia panicked. She knew she should leave, turn on her heels and pretend this never happened. But before she could make herself move, he was walking straight toward her.

“Enjoying the view?” he asked as he approached, his voice deep and playful.

She felt herself blush. “I was just passing by.”

His smirk widened. “Sure you were.”

She folded her arms, trying to steady herself. “Well, are you going to tell me your name?”

“James,” he said, offering his hand. “And you?”

“Cecilia. Cecilia Russo.”

Their hands met, and an undeniable current passed between them. Cecilia swallowed hard. She had heard about men like him—charmers, flirts, troublemakers—the kind of men her mother had warned her about.

And yet as he held her gaze, none of that mattered. Awestruck, Cecilia could only think about this man named James.

“I’ve never seen you around here before,” James said, tilting his head slightly. “Are you new to the neighborhood?”

She shook her head. “No. I live a few blocks away. My mother sent me to the fabric store.”

James grinned. “Exciting afternoon, then.”

She laughed despite herself. “Not quite as exciting as lifting weights in front of an audience.”

He chuckled, stepping a little closer. “I don’t mind an audience, especially when it includes a girl as pretty as you.”

At the compliment, Cecilia fought again the urge to blush. She should have walked away. She should have smiled politely, excused herself, and continued on her errand. Instead, she lingered, drawn in by the easy confidence in his voice and the way his eyes darkened when they met hers.

“I should go,” she murmured, though she made no move to leave.

James studied her for a moment and then cocked his chin just a bit. “Alright. But let me walk you to the store.”

She hesitated, knowing she should refuse. But despite her better judgment, she found herself nodding. And so they walked side by side, the summer sun casting long shadows on the sidewalk as they went.

That evening, as Cecilia and her family sat down to dinner, her sister Linda quietly scolded her: “You shouldn’t talk to men like that.”

Their mother, Concetta, bustled around the kitchen scooping out steaming portions of pasta, oblivious to the conversation between the twins.

“Daddy would’ve had a fit if he’d seen you flirting this afternoon with that guy outside the gym,” Linda continued.

Cecilia rolled her eyes but kept her voice low. “I wasn’t flirting.”

Linda snorted. “Please. You didn’t realize it, but I was by Mr. Morelli’s soda shop a few doors down. I saw the way that man looked at you—and the way you looked at him.”

Their father, Leo, sat at the head of the table. He was a man of principle, his presence alone commanding respect. He was unaware of the tension building between the twins. The girls were always whispering, and he took no notice of it.

Cecilia had spent her life trying to be the good daughter, the obedient one. But this evening, for the first time, she felt a pull toward something—someone—that didn’t fit neatly into her world.

Cecilia’s family was loving but strict. Her father was a retired boxer and former Navy man, and he ran their household with a firm but caring hand. He had worked tirelessly to provide for his family, instilling discipline and respect in his children. Their home was warm and filled with the aromas of baked ziti, sautéed broccoli rabe, and chicken parmesan, but there were many unspoken rules. Cecilia knew those rules well, and today she had broken one of them for the first time.

Then there was James and Cecilia’s first real date. It was anything but ordinary. James pulled up to the corner of her block—out of sight of Cecilia’s parents—in a sleek, black 1965 Pontiac GTO, its polished chrome gleaming under the streetlights. The low rumble of the engine sent a thrill through Cecilia as she slipped into the passenger seat.

She had told her parents she was going to the movies with Linda, which wasn’t a complete lie—Linda was coming along. But their parents didn’t know anything about James or their real plans for the evening, and her parents certainly didn’t know that James was bringing along his friend Tony as a date for Linda.

Linda sat in the back seat, exchanging flirtatious glances with Tony. Cecilia could hardly focus on anything but James’s hand resting casually on the gear shift. He drove with an effortless cool, weaving through the streets of Brooklyn in the evening light.

As they reached Coney Island, the scent of salt water and fried food was thick in the air. The two couples walked along the boardwalk, the sounds of carnival rides and laughter surrounding them. James bought Cecilia some cotton candy, his fingers grazing hers as he handed it over. The touch sent a shiver through her. They wandered through the games where James easily won her a stuffed bear. When they rode the Wonder Wheel, he rocked their seat just enough to make her laugh and grip his arm.

As the night stretched on, Cecilia felt the weight of the rules she was breaking, but with James beside her, it didn’t seem to matter. The way he looked at her, like she was the only girl in the world, made her forget everything else.

When they pulled up to a spot just a few doors down from her house, Cecilia noticed that the porch light was on—a reminder of the world she had to return to. James leaned over, brushing his hand against her cheek. “I had a good time tonight,” he said.

She beamed with delight, her heart pounding. “Me too.”

For a moment, it seemed like he might kiss her, but instead, James simply grinned.

“Sweet dreams, Cecilia.”

The weeks flew by, and Cecilia never told her parents about her new boyfriend. She swore Linda to secrecy. Her twin often covered for her. As Cecilia got to know James better, their stolen meetings became more frequent, and their conversations got deeper.

It wasn’t long before one night, parked at a secluded spot near the Verrazzano Bridge, James kissed Cecilia with an urgency she had never known before. The city lights shimmered in the distance as his hands traced her skin, each touch setting fire to her senses. She knew nice girls didn’t do this, that she was breaking both her parents’ rules and God’s. Yet she gave herself to him completely, believing in the moment, believing in him.

 

About the Author

 

 Susan Appel is the author of What the Heart Carries: One Secret, Two Lives, a debut novel inspired by her own family’s story of loss, faith, and restoration. She writes with honesty and heart, exploring themes of identity, grief, and the enduring bonds of family. Susan believes deeply in the power of words to heal, to connect, and to remind us that even in life’s darkest seasons, hope can be found. She cherishes quiet moments and laughter-filled days at the Jersey Shore with her husband and two children. Susan finds joy in simple traditions, lasting friendships, and the spiritual journey that continues to guide her steps.

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