Blrub
Modern love can be a headache. Just ask Annie Morgan, who, recently divorced, finds herself in the middle of the proverbial online dating jungle. Making a deal with her best friend, Annie agrees to go out on exactly five online dates out of seventy-six potential suitors.
Shane Nicholls was jaded, he had his heart broken and never got over the hurt. Now, convinced that all women are trouble, he avoids drama at any cost. Funny thing is, drama seems to find Shane around every corner. Can Annie, a romantic at heart, find love online or will she find love at first sight the old-fashioned way, by awkward, chance meetings with Shane Nicholls?
Through a number of obstacles and heartache, Annie and Shane find that love at first sight really does exist if you truly believe.
Johnny’s was packed. Standing on line to place her order, Annie took in her surroundings. Just as the owner, Johnny, was coming over to take her order, something caught Annie’s eye. The guy near the window, he seemed familiar somehow. Where had she seen him before? He was eating dinner with a pretty brunette. He lifted his head to look at Annie as their eyes locked. On no! It was the guy from the mall, the one she bumped into. She quickly spun around, knocking right into the waitress who was carrying a tray of soft drinks.
Soda soaked her shirt and dripped onto the floor. The waitress was clearly annoyed and appeared like she would have loved to tell Annie off. Instead she rolled her eyes and ran to get a towel. If Annie thought she was embarrassed before, it was nothing compared to how she felt now. Every eye in the place was on her, including the guy from the mall. Helpless to do anything else, she grabbed some napkins and bent down to sop up some of the mess.
“It seems you have a knack for causing a scene everywhere you go.” It was
his voice. The voice that filled her head with inappropriate thoughts, with longing. What was she thinking? Did she dare look up? His gaze was a magnet, forcing her to meet his eyes.
His eyes were a warmer brown than she had remembered, drawing her in.
“I...uh...”
“I’m joking. Here, let me help you with that.” He grabbed the napkins from her hand. The heat between them jolted her back. She moved quickly, surprised he could evoke such a reaction from her. Nobody had ever made her feel so exposed before. What was going on here? Annie felt foolish.
“I’m Shane. Shane Nicholls.” He extended his hand to her. They must have appeared to be quite the sight, bending over to clean up the mess while shaking hands.
“Annie.” Annie remembered her new rules of safety in the dating world. One of them was she would not reveal her last name or any other personal information until she was sure the guy wasn’t a stalker or anything.
“Annie. It suits you, I like it.” Annie had almost forgot about the woman waiting for Shane at the table near the window. She glanced over and took in a tight-lipped woman. It hit Annie that this woman was not the same stunning woman from the mall. Hmm, she had met his type before. This guy had “player” written all over him. She quickly brushed herself off and excused herself.
“Hey, Annie. Wait.” He reached for her hand. Annie forgot all about placing her order and made a beeline for the door. She didn’t look back. Well, Annie figured, it looked like it would be Chinese food tonight.
At First Sight Playlist
Soul Sister- Train
Drops of Jupiter-Train
A Thousand Years- Christina Perri
Here Without You- Three Doors Down
Hanging by Moment- Lifehouse
You and Me- Lifehouse
You and I -Lady Gaga
Blurb
Mia Dennsi is a beautiful young woman who has experienced a challenging childhood. As an out of work teacher, Mia accepts a position for home-schooling a troubled, misunderstood teenager. Mia makes it a priority to help Cassidy overcome her challenges and reach for her dreams. In the process, Mia experiences healing of her own; she is faced with issues she must now come to terms with.
Mia finds a rare friendship in Jamie, her caring and attractive neighbor. The relationship starts off as friendship, but will Mia let this healthy friendship bloom into something more or is she destined to a repeat the vicious cycle of making the same mistakes over and over again?
Through the various twists and turns of Mia’s love life, she is forced to make a decision that will affect her entire future. The reader cannot help but root for this character to succumb to true love and happiness.
I would have done anything for that girl. Anything. I have dreamed of Mia, I have waited for Mia. I have loved Mia. I can’t trust Mia. I can’t get my hopes up again, only to be crushed by her. I couldn’t stand it.
She doesn’t allow herself to be happy. What has happened in her life to cause her to reject the people who love her, who care for her?
I remember the first time I ever laid eyes one her. The way she bumped into me, how embarrassed she was. I swear to this day that she is the most beautiful creature I’ve laid eyes on. Her slim build, dark hair and striking eyes. And that smile, that smile still warms my heart.
I went to see my grandma in Maine for the weekend once I realized that I was falling in love with Mia. My grandmother and I have always been close. She has been there for me through thick and thin ever since I was a child. I grew even closer to her as I was growing up, finding my way in life. For some reason, I always found it easiest to share my feelings with Grandma, the two of us like kindred spirits.
My feelings for Mia scared the life out of me. I told my grandmother that I didn’t want to risk getting hurt again and that
Mia seemed so unsure of herself. She offered me a piece of advice that I will hold true to my heart forever: She placed her hand over my heart and said, “Go where there is love, surround yourself with love.” So I did, I went to Mia and tried to tell her how I felt, only to be brushed off with news of Josh coming back into the picture.
I’m happy with Danielle, she’s smart and she’s beautiful. Yeah,I’m going to give this a chance, I would be a fool not to. But...I think...she’s not Mia.
My heart can’t take
She has the power to hurt me, and I can’t survive that again.
Questions for main character, Mia:
- Q: I see that you’re a special education teacher. How did you first decide to pursue that career?
A: Mia: I guess you could say that I grew up with a lot of alone time. As an only child whose father left when I was small and being raised by a mom who was wrapped up in her career as a fashion designer, I vowed that I would help others who may be faced with challenging situations. My best friend, Sarah, has a brother named Billy who has learning disabilities. I have a special place in my heart for Billy and love spending time with him and Sarah. Some of my best memories include the times I spent with them. I have always wanted to make a difference in the lives of others and now I have that chance.
- Q: Why did you decide to home-school a high school student? Do you prefer this type of position as opposed to having your own class?
A: Mia: It’s funny, I’ve always thought that I would teach younger students, elementary school age. However, it seemed that there were always budget cuts and my positions prior to this involved maternity leave positions in which the teacher always returned. It’s discouraging that jobs are so hard to come by in today’s economy. The last few years, I supported myself by subbing and waitressing at a restaurant in town. Just as I was losing hope, I received a call asking if I wanted to home-school a high school senior. Imagine that! I never thought that I would work with teenagers, and as a matter of fact, I thought about declining the interview right there on the phone. Something inside of me told me that I had nothing to lose, so I decided to show up for the interview.
- Q: Why was the student being home-schooled? Why couldn’t she finish her senior year at the high school?
A: Mia: Well, that’s a very good question and that’s exactly what I wanted to know. The question was met with an abrupt, vague answer. I was told that the young teen was troubled and that she couldn’t get along with other students at the school. Of course, I delved deeper and eventually discovered that this girl was being bullied and that nobody believed her side of the story. Cassidy’s self-esteem was crushed and I promised myself that I would help this girl believe in herself. I wanted to look deeper into the bullying situation and try to help Cassidy cope with her feelings.
- Q: It sounds like you have a very rewarding career. Can we talk about your personal life? Is there a boyfriend in the picture?
A: Mia: I haven’t had much luck in the romance department. Past boyfriends haven’t always been the best choices for me. I suppose you could say that right now I’m kind of torn between a guy that I had a huge crush on and a neighbor whom I’ve become close friends with. I’ve never been friends with a guy like my neighbor before, Jamie is everything that a woman could ask for.
Q: But?
A: Mia: It’s complicated, let’s leave it at that for now. The thing is, I don’t want to lose Jamie as a friend.
Q: It seems that you have a lot to think about. The choice seems clear to me, what’s the issue?
A: Mia: Like I said, it’s complicated, but I can’t imagine my life without Jamie.
- Q: I see. Let’s move on. I’m curious to see if you helped Cassidy. If there’s one thing that you have learned in life that you could advise someone who is going through a rough time, what would it be?
A: Mia: I don’t think that I’m an expert on giving advice, but I can tell you this, be kind to yourself, believe in yourself and hold true to your dreams. I have a lot to learn myself, but I feel that I’m getting there, if you don’t believe in yourself, nobody else is going to. Hold your head high and keep your focus, that’s what I would say, don’t let anybody crush your dreams.
Where There is Love Playlist
Moody Blues- Your Wildest Dreams
Roy Orbison- Pretty Woman
The Rolling Stones -Wild Horses
Against the Wind- Bob Seger
Arms Wide Open- Creed
Mya O’Malley Bio
Mya O’Malley was born and raised in the suburbs of New York City, where she currently lives with her husband, daughter and three step-daughters. The family also consists of two boxers; Destiny and Dolce and a ragdoll cat named Colby. Mya earned an undergraduate degree in special education and a graduate degree in reading and literacy. She works as a special education teacher and enjoys making a difference in the lives of her students.
Mya currently has two new releases:
At First Sight, a contemporary romance about dating in the modern world, published by Astraea Press, and
Where There is Love, a contemporary romance in which a woman struggles with past obstacles, ultimately faced with whether or not she will open her heart to love.
Where There is Love is published with Solstice Publishing. Mya is excited to say that Astraea Press will be releasing her contemporary holiday paranormal romance titled
If You Believe on November 25, 2014. Due to be released late January is
The Calm After the Storm, published by TouchPoint Press. This novel is a contemporary romance taking place in the setting of Hurricane Sandy. The story revolves around the idea of a utility worker from Georgia falling in love with a woman in New York.
Mya’s passion is writing; she has been creating stories and poetry since she was a child. Mya spends her free time reading just about anything she can get her hands on. She is a romantic at heart and loves to create stories with unforgettable characters. Mya likes to travel; she has visited several Caribbean Islands, Mexico and Costa Rica. Mya is currently working on her sixth novel.
- What are your ambitions for your writing career?
I have many ambitions for my career as a writer. I wish to promote the books that I already have published so that I can share my stories with others. The use of social media has been tremendously helpful to me, now I would like to expand my reach to my local area as well. I would be thrilled to participate in book signings, visit with local libraries and other venues. I would also like to continue to write more books because I have so many ideas that I want to see come to life in print. I have learned a lot during the writing and publication process already, but I feel that there’s so much more information out there to gain. One of my goals is to connect with more authors and collaborate on many aspects of writing. I think it would be great to attend more author events and conferences to mingle with fellow authors.
- Which writers inspire you?
The list could go on and on. There are truly so many talented authors that have inspired me to write my own stories. Nicholas Sparks is right up there, he writes touching love stories that have great plots that stay with you long after you have finished reading his books. I guess you could say I have eclectic tastes in books, many years ago I was a huge Dean Koontz fan, I also enjoy reading James Patterson, Jodi Picoult and Lisa Jackson. In a way, all of these authors have inspired me.
- If you could say give advice to one of your characters who would it be and what would you tell them?
It would have to be Mia in
Where There is Love. Without giving away too much of the plot, I would advise her to give herself a break and look at all she has accomplished. Mia is a strong, beautiful character that struggles with her past. I would tell her that she can do anything she puts her mind to and that she deserves happiness.
- What was the hardest thing about writing your latest book?
My latest book is a young adult fantasy story about a young teen who feels that the grass is always greener everywhere else. I had so much fun writing this story as it was my first real young adult novel, my other novels fall into the genre of contemporary romance. The hardest thing was to think about my main character’s age and try to convey the thoughts of a young teen throughout the text. Also, the story’s setting focuses on an underwater village filled with mermaids. It was challenging to place my characters in the ocean and portray the actions of these characters from this setting. My antagonist in this book was complicated, however, she was also a lot of fun to create. Overall, withstanding some challenges, I had a great time creating this story. I think it’s important for authors to challenge themselves, that’s how we grow as writers.
- Tell us about the cover/s and how it/they came about.
Oh, I love my covers! I’m so excited to display my covers while marketing and showing others my books. My cover for
At First Sight is perfect for this story. The cover is fun and flirty, it portrays my characters perfectly. My main character, Annie, reluctantly tries online dating after her divorce while holding out for the idea of love at first sight. The cover has a computer mouse in the center of the beautiful cover. My publisher, Astraea Press, provided the cover for this book and the designer, Cora Graphics, was wonderful to work with. They asked for descriptions of the characters and setting, the theme of the book and feedback from me. I loved that cover immediately.
The cover for
Where There is Love, published by Solstice Publishing, is another perfect fit for my book. I selected Classy Designs to create the depiction of my main character, Mia, and the setting of my story. I communicated my thoughts for the cover with Classy Designs and I was excited to see the final cover meet my needs. Classy designs was flexible and easy to work with. I think it’s so important to have a cover design that catches the reader’s eye, I’m pleased to have covers that I’m so proud to speak about.
Mya O’Malley Links
Where There is Love
Amazon
Trailer: Where There is Love
AT FIRST SIGHT
Amazon
Barnes and Nob
Kobo
iTunes
Smashwords
Trailer- At First Sight
Social Media
Amazon Author Page
Mya O'Malley-Website
myaomalley.
Author's Blog
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