Happy Birthday America!!

Just in time to celebrate freedom of speech, and the right to read it, comes the Celebrating Independence Blog Hop!

There will be fireworks, BBQ’s, and if you're lucky, I'll have a special gift for you for participating!

So here’s how the hop goes each of the participating authors (List on the Event Page HERE) is going to run a contest on their blog for the readers to enjoy! So make sure you stop by all the stops on the hop. I know you won’t be disappointed!

Contest starts Sunday, July 1, 2012 and ends Wednesday, July 4, 2012 at midnight.

I heated you up; cooled you off; now it's time for a sneak peek at the 5th book in my Arbor U series, Endless Love.  Remember to leave me a comment on any of the three posts for a free PDF download of Balancing Act.  Plus, please like my Amazon Page!

Endless Love: 

      Caitlyn McCarty also thinks she has her life planned out:  Marrying her high school sweetheart, Bryan Johnson, and teaching elementary school.  But when Bryan's life turns upside down with an unexpected turn of events, will Caty stand by her man?  Or will she abandon him in his time of need?  And when she starts to question her life, will she find the courage to make up her own mind, rather than stay on the 'safe' path?

 

Excerpt:

July 4, 1984
Lake Schaeffer, Monticello, In

             The fireworks exploded against an inky backdrop of the midnight sky.  The gentle sound of the waves lapping upon the shore of the beach barely registered as the two young people relaxed on the wooden dock.  The distant approval noises from the crowd at Indiana Beach echoed across the lake as the sky burst with color, a midnight shower of reds, purples, blues, and greens.  As the finale died away, and all that remained were fading gray streaks, Caitlyn McCarthy shifted her gaze from the sky to the young man beside her.  Bryan Johnson, his medium dark hair ruffled by the slight breeze, reclined on his elbows on the thick cushion of blankets they had spread on the hard wooden planks.  He wore dark blue shorts, white t-shirt, and white athletic shoes and socks.  His steady brown eyes gazed into hers.  He reached out a hand and touched her shoulder.
             "What's wrong, Cait?"  His deep voice was full of concern.
             With a sigh, she settled into the circle of his arms.  "Just hold me.  Maybe the night won't end."
             "You don’t want to go to Canada, do you?"
             "You know me so well.  We only have one more month before college, and my parents plan a three week fishing trip, in Ontario.  What's wrong with fishing in the lakes around here?"  She fell silent, enjoying the closeness.  "Besides, I can't understand why they wouldn't let you go with us."
             "You know why." His arms tightened around her.  "We've been together for four years, and our parents think we need some time apart."
             "But...that's why you're going to the University of Illinois, and I'm being shipped off to Arbor U, wherever in the hell that is.  The town is so small, only the university is on the map."
             Bryan’s body shook with laughter.  "You're not even taking this seriously, are you?"  Caty sat up, tears beginning to pool in her eyes.
             Bryan coughed.  "Sweetheart, I've loved you ever since that day you cut into that frog in biology class, and flipped it across the room into Beth Eiken's hair."  He took her hands in his and looked into her eyes.  "No matter what our parents think, I will always love you, even if we're a couple hundred of miles away from each other.  No, look at me."  He tipped her chin up with one finger.  "Let's make a pledge, right now, that when, in four years, if our feelings haven't changed, we'll still be together."
             "But what if something happens?" Caty's mouth trembled.  "What then?"
             "Then we'll be the best of friends, the closest of friends."  His fingers stole into the thick chestnut curls.  "Promise?"
             Caitlyn nodded, the tears falling down her face.  Bryan's lips claimed hers in a searing, desperate, promising kiss.
             "God, I love you, Cait," he whispered as his lips found her ear.
             "And I love you, Bry..."  

Look for Endless Love to be available Fall 2012:)

Good luck on the Blog Hop; I'll notify the winner via email by Friday.

Happy Birthday America and God Bless the USA!