My books have arrived!

My books arrived today - a day earlier than expected. It was quite a strange feeling opening the boxes here at home in the silence, by myself - an experience that was all the more surreal due to a poor night’s sleep last night. It seemed like a dream to open the box and lift out the culmination of two years hard work. Arriving the day after the acceptance of Mine to Avenge for a book review in a major magazine, has made the past 24 hours quite amazing for a first time author.

Please enjoy the following extract from chapter 46 of Mine to Avenge.

Alethea felt conspicuous standing by the locked gates, so she returned to the car to try to make up her mind what to do. Leaving wasn’t an option. She had to see Linus, even if it meant waiting outside all day. Surely he wouldn’t ignore her, knowing she intended to be there.

As she sat waiting in the car, several people passed by, but no one took particular notice of her. She knew she wasn’t easily visible to other homes in the street, as they were all hidden from view by fences or greenery, but she was worried that the neighbours might be suspicious of a woman sitting in a parked car, doing nothing.

Puzzled by the gate being unattended, she decided to see if she could find another way in. She remembered seeing a smaller side gate and wondered if that might be open. As she reached for the car door handle, she was startled when Linus appeared at the window.

Alethea hesitated and changed her mind about opening the door. She regarded Linus suspiciously, suddenly alert and cautious. She had driven all this way to see him, but his sudden appearance caught her unawares. She sat there, unsure of whether to get out of the car or to just drive away.

Linus sensed what she was thinking, so he waved at her through the window and stepped away from the car door to give her space. Alethea still hesitated but didn’t want the visit to be a waste of time. She couldn’t back out now. She opened the car door, stepped out onto the footpath and faced him. There was an uncomfortable silence, with neither of them willing to start the conversation.

Eventually, Linus took the initiative. ‘Hello, Ally, I guessed you would come, in spite of what I said this morning. I saw you on the security monitor so I came out to meet you. Do you want to come in?’

This was the last thing Alethea expected, given the nature of the conversation with Linus earlier that day. He’d told her then that she would be in danger if she came. The last thing she expected, or wanted, was to be invited in. Certainly, a moment ago she was planning to try to find a way to let herself in, but to be invited in was a different matter. She thought it would be safer to take Linus out with her somewhere in the car. She fumbled now for words.