I have to say, you meet the nicest people when you're "training'! Tonight, it was Laura. Somehow, my Amtrak reservations had gotten garbled, with one ticket being sent to one email address, and the rest being sent to another. Laura (with her smiling voice) talked us through getting everything sent to one email address. Then she found me a direct dial number to the internet support department, so tomorrow I can call them direct (no computerized routiing system—thank you, Laura!) and see if they can combine the various emails and reservations into one coherent account.
So, thank you, Laura! If all the Amtrak employees are as nice and as helpful as you, I'm going to have a wooonnnnderrrrfulllll time traveling by train. Like I said, you meet the nicest people on the train!
OK, a little business to take care of, then it's time for another sample. Here's the deal, agents, editors, and publishers like to hedge their bets. In other words, they want—if at all possible—to have a guarantee that a book is going to sell, before they ever offer the writer a contract.
So, here's how you can help.... If you are enjoying these samples, and you think you would buy the book if it were available, pleeeeeze leave a little note in the comment section where you say, "I'D BUY THE BOOK!" and your first name and last initial. And if you live in the U.S. or Canada, please include your state or province, or if you live elsewhere, the name of your country. No commitment. No obligation. Just that it's something you''re willing to consider. Thanks!
Now, on to the sample....
By the time they reached the tree line, Eva realized that this skill—walking—was something she could conquer, and she began to push herself to master it quickly. When they reached the edge of the clearing, and Aidan turned her to walk back the other direction, she gently pulled her hands from his and began to walk alone. Once or twice she fell, sitting suddenly with a soft flump on the cushion of grass, but she rapidly developed skill and confidence. Her steps lost their shuffling hesitancy, maturing into an energetic stride.
When Aidan saw her determination to learn, he began to show her variations on walking. He walked backward, hopped on one foot, jumped across the stream. Eva copied his moves, nervously at first, but with growing courage. Her favorite “trick,” though, was running. From the first time she saw Aidan flash past her, something responded deep inside. She wanted to move like that, too! Her first attempt at running brought a rush of pure joy she could scarcely have imagined. The air brushed her face as she rushed past it, and she could feel it lifting her long, copper-colored hair, making it flow and flutter behind her as she ran. The drumming of her heart and the impact of her feet on the ground connected her to all of creation around her in a manner she couldn’t explain, and in some way she felt even more alive.
The dogs charged from their places in the circle and bounded after her, tails waving and tongues lolling. They caught up with her, circled around her, rushed off the the stream for a drink, before racing back to her. They settled into a companionable trot, one dog on either side of her, as she jogged around the edge of the clearing.
So, thank you, Laura! If all the Amtrak employees are as nice and as helpful as you, I'm going to have a wooonnnnderrrrfulllll time traveling by train. Like I said, you meet the nicest people on the train!
OK, a little business to take care of, then it's time for another sample. Here's the deal, agents, editors, and publishers like to hedge their bets. In other words, they want—if at all possible—to have a guarantee that a book is going to sell, before they ever offer the writer a contract.
So, here's how you can help.... If you are enjoying these samples, and you think you would buy the book if it were available, pleeeeeze leave a little note in the comment section where you say, "I'D BUY THE BOOK!" and your first name and last initial. And if you live in the U.S. or Canada, please include your state or province, or if you live elsewhere, the name of your country. No commitment. No obligation. Just that it's something you''re willing to consider. Thanks!
Now, on to the sample....
By the time they reached the tree line, Eva realized that this skill—walking—was something she could conquer, and she began to push herself to master it quickly. When they reached the edge of the clearing, and Aidan turned her to walk back the other direction, she gently pulled her hands from his and began to walk alone. Once or twice she fell, sitting suddenly with a soft flump on the cushion of grass, but she rapidly developed skill and confidence. Her steps lost their shuffling hesitancy, maturing into an energetic stride.
When Aidan saw her determination to learn, he began to show her variations on walking. He walked backward, hopped on one foot, jumped across the stream. Eva copied his moves, nervously at first, but with growing courage. Her favorite “trick,” though, was running. From the first time she saw Aidan flash past her, something responded deep inside. She wanted to move like that, too! Her first attempt at running brought a rush of pure joy she could scarcely have imagined. The air brushed her face as she rushed past it, and she could feel it lifting her long, copper-colored hair, making it flow and flutter behind her as she ran. The drumming of her heart and the impact of her feet on the ground connected her to all of creation around her in a manner she couldn’t explain, and in some way she felt even more alive.
The dogs charged from their places in the circle and bounded after her, tails waving and tongues lolling. They caught up with her, circled around her, rushed off the the stream for a drink, before racing back to her. They settled into a companionable trot, one dog on either side of her, as she jogged around the edge of the clearing.
Several pairs of birds, hawks and swallows included, joined the impromptu procession, swooping, and diving, calling to their mates and to the other birds as they rode the air currents, their circle and curves weaving an intricate pattern in the sky over her head.
The entire family of cats—from calicos and civets to lions and cheetahs—sprinted from their places around the clearing as if to join the pursuit, although in reality they were grasping the opportunity to race madly around in circles for no apparent reason, ducking and dodging around each other and veering off inexplicably.
