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Love Blossoms in Sage Hill - Book 2 Possible Cover Page Choices

 There are two book covers I have created for my 2nd book in the Love's Never-Ending Gifts Saga.  Love Blossoms in Sage Hill is almost done, but I need your help in determining the best book cover for this novel.  Choose one of the two:  

                                                                         Book One

Book Two

A Mother's Love

 

“A Mother’s Love”

By: Marsha D. L. Kelley

His small hand in hers; his eyes looking up;

One loose tear trickles down his mother’s cheek.

Children on the playground as he looks all around

And the sounding of the bell sends them all on their way.

She stands there watching ‘til they are all gone

And slowly turns for that short walk home.

Is it love, is it the love of a mother for her son?

Watching him grow and as only a mother knows;

Today is the beginning of a new life for him.

Tears of pride streaming down, for no fear had he shown;

Leaving him on his first day of school; now she feels so all alone.

She sits wondering how life went by so fast;

One day he’s so small, the next so tall.

Six foot two he proudly stands; he grew into such a fine man.

Where did the time go; the time that once was hers?

Now he is grown, and she is on her own.

Is it love, is it the love of a mother for her son?

Watching him grow and as only a mother knows;

Today is the beginning of a new life for him.

Tears of pride streaming down, for no fear had he shown

With his bride close to his side, but now she feels so all alone.

On this day, the day Liberty cried,

Thousands of innocent civilians died.

Her son is called up, and overseas he flies,

To defend America and all that she stands for.

The sad news comes from a messenger in blue;

Freedom has claimed another for her cause.

Is it love, the love of her mother for her son?

Watching him grow and as only a mother knows;

Today is the beginning of a new life for him.

Tears of pride streaming down, for no fear had he shown.

She always knew a hero he was, but now she feels so all alone.

A cold, fall morning, people standing all around;

An American flag covers the coffin beneath.

She falls to her knees unable to bear her greatest loss.

Pressing her head against the cold coffin lid as she begs of God;

Forgive a foolish mother for her love of her son;

She joins her only child, never to part from him again.

Is it love, is it the love of a mother for her son?

Watching him grow and as only a mother knows;

Today is the beginning of a new life for him.

Tears of pride streaming down, for no fear had he shown;

Her soul joins his in heaven, never again to be alone.

Broken Chains

 “Broken Chains”

By: Marsha D. L. Kelley

From parent to child the tradition is passed,

To spring upon another innocent generation.

Emotionally, mentally, and physically they suffer,

As the pain of abuse is shared without hesitation.

The search goes on from dawn until dusk,

For words of loving praise that will never come.

Trusting hearts of youth now age as shattered lives,

While the harshness of love can never be undone.

Fear guides the children through endless days,

As they struggle to do what they feel is right.

Keeping their terrible secret hidden deep inside,

Hoping for peace as they sleep into the night.

A quick thrash of pain can strike them down,

Regardless of how hard to please they try.

Always in doubt of what they have done,

They slink out of sight as they hide to cry.

Deep within their eyes the pain lives on,

Showing the scars of their hearts and minds.

Ruled by insecurity as anger marks them forever,

Passing on the horror of their parents’ crimes.

Children in desperate need of their parents’ love,

The love that is never seen until they are grown.

Too late to stop the old tradition from being passed on,

To each of their children they now call their own.

Within themselves they seek the truth of life,

For all they suffered and could not understand.

This is only a start in healing a shattered world,

That was dealt to them by their parents’ hands.

Focusing on the way they wished life had been,

Before their innocence was crippled with pain.

Unconditional love is the most important key,

To becoming the final link in a broken chain.

Lift Me Up

 “Lift Me Up”

By: Marsha D. L. Kelley

Lift me up to the stars.

Take my heart, my soul, my mind.

Give me strength to face my fears.

Oh, Lord - I need you.

So, lift me up into your arms.

Keep me close in Thy care.

Help me know your tender love,

and make me worthy of his blood.

Days are hard; nights are long.

Left all alone with my pain

Peace is lost without your love.

Oh, Lord - I need you.

So, lift me up into your arms.

Keep me close in Thy care.

Help me know your tender love,

and make me worthy of his blood.

Tomorrow will come and call on me.

Angels will sing for all to hear.

Heaven’s gates will open wide.

Oh, Lord - Take me Home.

So, lift me up into your arms.

Keep me close in Thy care.

Help me know your tender love,

and make me worthy of his blood.

"A New Beginning" Book Cover

 My debut novel's cover page is complete. All that is left for us to do is the final revision/edit. Once I approve the final changes, if any, my book will be put in print and go on the market. I am so excited. 

Publishing Company Writer's Clique's Review of "A New Beginning" now in publication

 The latest review of my novel - Love's Never-Ending Gifts Saga: "A New Beginning" was written by Anne, the HOD of Writer's Clique. "I must say that you have written a very creative manuscript. The way you have created the scenarios is phenomenal. You have done an amazing job. The manuscript is interesting and structured very well. I hope it gets a lot of sales after publishing. All the best from my side."

I am still not sure about the cover artwork. They are working on it, and I hope they will be able to use my picture with enhanced color and clarity. I'd like to see the girls' faces clearly. Time will tell, and I will keep you all posted.

This is the final cover page for my novel Love's Never-Ending Gifts Saga: A New Beginning

Love's Never-Ending Gifts Saga: "A New Beginning" is being published.

 "A New Beginning" tells the story of 14-year-old Lisa Upshaw. It is an inspirational story of a young girl who has lost everyone she ever loved in a six-month period. She is angry at the world, but mostly the aunt she never knew who forced her to move away from her life-long home where she shared her fondest memories with those she loved.

Far from the home she loved, Sage Hill, Texas, was her new torment. She refused to let anyone in. She refused to love or be loved. Her anger grew each day; she blamed her black sheep aunt, Betty Lou Lindsay, the kids she was forced to hang out with, Eva and her posse, and above all -God.

Due to the way she was raised, her six-week rebellion against the world slowly dwindled as she discovered a new and different group of teenagers. Eva and her posse were the kids you never hear about within the school system and town, despite the fact that they exist in all schools. They introduced Lisa to a friendship she had never experienced before. They were the GOOD KIDS. Their love for one another and belief in helping all in need mesmerized Lisa. They took in the kids, at school, who were introverts, bullied, and misfits. This blew Lisa's mind and softened her heart.

She took her frustration and anger out on her aunt, until she discovered her aunt's past life of heartaches that led to her never returning to her childhood home in Marshall, Texas. Lisa tried to stay strong and hate her aunt, but the more love Betty Lou showed her, the more her heart melted.

This inspirational story shows the readers the hard knocks of life's never-ending lessons. It demonstrates the power and strength of love, family, and friendships. Lisa offers hope to all those teens who have been trampled by losses of loved ones, gives hope to those who have been tormented by their peers, and offers the love of God as Eva teaches her to open her heart again and learn the truth about faith.

My saga takes readers on Lisa's journey to self-discovery. It is for all audiences. Lisa, Eva, and her posse share their stories of life-long friendships that are passed on for generations. The saga teaches all of us that no matter how hard things get in life, no matter what happens and how far down we fall, love, hope, and faith will see us through.

 FANTASTIC NEWS: My novel, "A New Beginning" is being published. I will keep you all posted on the release date. Wish me luck!

They are using my Cover Page, with enhancement techniques, for the cover of the novel. Woohoo, color me excited.

An Author's Obession

    I made significant changes to parts of this novel. I have been debating whether or not to make the changes. If I did, I would have to make a massive change to the next novel. It took me two weeks to make my decision.  I spent the entire evening, the night before last, making the changes that needed to be made. I am a continuity nut. I always check on the novel I have already written to make sure I don't mess something up. As a reader, that is one of my big pet peeves. This is also true when I watch television series or movie series. They forget what their viewers have already learned about their characters and plots. Drives me nuts. If a reader, or viewer, has to do a double or triple check, then someone didn't do their job. I hope I won't be that writer. I check, double-check, and triple-check. Then, I start over. 

    With this human fallacy of mine shared, I have been giving a lot of thought to what I was going to put in the new novel (third written, second in sequential order). In sequential order, Love's Never-Ending Gifts: "A New Beginning" needed a few rewrites to make it coincide with what I wanted to put in Love's Never-Ending Gifts: "Love Blossoms in Sage Hill." What this meant for me as a writer, I had to decide if I wanted to take out the twenty-page Chapter 4 or do a massive rewrite. I did the rewrite. That is why it took most of the evening. I didn't pay attention to when I started the extensive rewrite, but I know I finished at 10:30 p.m. My husband was such a trooper. He waited up for me to finish so we could go to bed together. Once he asked if I was ready to go to bed, I started clock-watching.  When we went to bed, both stories were the way I wanted them. I printed out the pages changed and read them slowly and carefully for mistakes or ways to make the passages better. I only had a few changes, so I made them and printed out the corrected pages. I put them in my 3" 3-ring binder sleeves. Task was completed. I sleep so soundly for the first time in weeks.

    If you are a writer or know one, then you know how hard it is for us to sleep. As soon as I lay my head down, my brain takes off 90 to nothing. It starts reviewing what I have written and starts writing the next chapter. Right now, I am writing 2 novels. I started writing my Christmas novel because I was putting off the dreaded 'What to do about Chapter 4. I opened "Love Blossoms in Sage Hill" a few times but kept closing it. I knew it was going to be a long task, and I dreaded it. To take my mind off of what I was dreading, I decided to relax by writing about an orphan at Christmas time. It was a welcomed relief. I love the little orphan girl my mind created the night before when I should have been sleeping. Creating Tina gave my mind time to think about something other than making the dreaded decision of what to do with the other story. With the first two chapters completed in "A Christmas Angel's Tale," written, revised and edited - twice, and published on my social media, the decision was made to take on the massive challenge of rewriting Chapter 4 of my other novel. I told my husband that I had to tackle the rewrite, or I'd never get the book written. The detour of writing a carefree Christmas story got me mentally prepared to make the necessary changes. The story is better than it was. I am so glad I decided to leave Chapter 4 in and make the needed changes I wanted in the story. The decision was a good one. Now, I can continue writing about Lisa, Eva, and her posse. I will take one day out of each week to work on my Christmas novel. Who knows, maybe I can get them both finished in a couple of months. I love to write!!!!!

                                                   

A Novelist's Disappointments Self-Publishing Services Rated by the Alliance of Independent Authors

   I haven't posted recently, so I thought I'd share the harsh reality of becoming a published author. A few weeks ago, I received five, yes five "We want to publish your work." I couldn't decide between two of the offers. The two I knew I wouldn't use didn't offer an Author's Courtesy Package. That means the author would not receive Complementary copies of their novel to give to special friends/family. After all, the author actually paid for them!!! They don't offer bookmarks, posters of their book cover, etc. They offered nothing; therefore, after contacting them about receiving the courtesy packet, I ruled them out. They said, 'We don't offer that." Why go with a company that doesn't give authors an incentive package when there are publishers out there that do? To help me decided, I did deep research on self-publishers. I typed in which self-publishers should authors avoid. To my chagrin, all five were on the 'Maddog' 'list, and a few other sites, as use caution or not recommended. One of my two finalists have several lawsuits currently unsettled. That was a big shock. The other publishing company had one "Stay away from >>>>>>>" Then, on 'Maddog', they had six, yes 6, caution alerts. Wow, that blew my mind. Alliance is a major company that investigates self-publishing companies and makes recommendations to help authors. I am glad I found it before I invested in any of the companies.  

  Writers, use this site to protect yourself if you wish to self-publish... Now, I am starting over. 

Self-Publishing Services Rated

by the Alliance of Independent Authors

Chapter Two: Jessika Riley's Search "A Little Angel's Christmas Tale"

 

Sam Rivers                                   Chapter Two: Jessika Riley’s Search

 

   Jessika was franticly searching the orphanage high and low for Tina. How she escaped the orphanage was beyond her. The kids were never allowed to leave the orphanage, but Tina was gone. What was going to make finding the small child difficult is that Tina never talked – to anyone, not since Joseph died. She stopped smiling and talking; it was as if his death was her own. Her only hope was that Tina would come to her if she recognized Jessika’s voice. She didn’t blame Tina for running away; she couldn’t count the times she wanted to do the same thing, but where would she go? She never had the courage Tina seems to have. When Jessika was Tina’s age, she was afraid of being out alone, in the dark, and lost with no place to belong. The only thing that made her feel loved was Joseph. Unlike Tina’s childhood, Jessika grew up with Joseph and his parents as her family. Many of the children, in the orphanage today, felt as Jessika used to, but Tina was more afraid of what would happen if she stayed. Jessika heard Tina’s muffled sobs late into the night; she tried to comfort her, but Tina would push her away. Tina shut everyone out. There was no joy, no laughter, and no hope within the walls of the orphanage.

   Jessika donned her coat and gloves before leaving the building. She often went for the meager groceries she was sent to purchase. Other than that, she was as much a prisoner as the children. Her parents were killed in a traffic accident when she was Tina’s age, seven years old. Unlike Tina, Jessika had fond memories of her life with her parents and brother, Johnnie. She cringed as she remembered how much she loved her younger brother. He died of pneumonia four years after they were placed in Cartwright’s Home for Children. Back then, some children were fortunate enough to be adopted. The Cartwrights did everything they could to help the wards placed in their care find loving homes. They refused to split siblings up; therefore, it was harder to find families to take them in.  This was the case for Jessika and Johnnie Riley. They were two years apart, in age, and looked like identical twins. Mr. and Mrs. Cartwright didn’t have the heart to separate them. The loss of her brother tore Jessika apart. The last of her family was gone, and she was left alone with her memories to keep her company. She felt like Tina does now, hopeless. Once the Cartwrights died, Jessika’s life became almost unbearable. Left in the care of Joleen, anger filled her heart. She suffered survivor’s guilt; wishing she had died with her family, or at least with Mr. and Mrs. Cartwright or Joseph. They were her makeshift family; now, she had lost two families she dearly loved. Being raised by the Cartwrights and hated by Joleen was difficult. The love given to the children was tarnished by the hatred of a jealous and petulant daughter. How could one child be filled with so much hate? The fact is she made everyone else’s life miserable; now, that hateful girl was in charge and ruining the happiness of all within the walls of the orphanage.  

   Jessika thought back to how it used to be with the other three Cartwrights as a part of her life. She remembered the birthday parties given to each child. They made a special day for each of the children with gifts, cake and ice cream, and most of all, happiness. They all felt loved. How can Joleen be so different from her family? Christmases were special, too. Socks hung around the fireplace and were filled with different fruits and nuts. The halls, bedrooms, and main hall were decked with Christmas decorations making the home a festive place to live. A large Christmas tree was in the main room, and the children got to decorate it as they pleased. Each orphan had a Christmas present to open, and the day was filled with laughter as the children played. Now, the halls and rooms are silent since Joleen preaches and enforces, the “Children are to be seen and not heard” policy every day - all day. The only time the children’s voices are heard, in whispers, is when Joleen goes shopping, running important errands as she calls them, for herself. They also speak in hushed whispers as they lay upon their beds at night. Joleen is in the other wing of the home and can’t hear them; even still, the children speak in hushed tones, so they won’t be heard beyond their doors. Joleen takes excellent care of the part of the home she lives in, as well as the main rooms anyone might see if they visited the home, and she neglects the rest of the building. It doesn’t matter to her if everyone else is comfortable or not. There haven’t been visitors in years; no one ever came; no one ever saw what slum conditions the children were forced to live in. Jessika shook her head in disbelief.

  As she walked slowly down the streets looking in every nook and cranny for Tina, her mind wandered to the time happiness filled the orphanage and children mattered. What a miserable life they all lived, now. No wonder Tina ran away, but Jessika was worried about her safety. She began to call out, “Tina, Tina, where are you? The weather is getting worse. Won’t you please come to me?” Down one side of the street and up the next, nothing. The wind was whirling about her making her clasp her coat and pull it tighter to keep the cold out. The calamity of the wind’s voice swirled around her head preventing her ability to hear anything else. She knew if she couldn’t hear anything other than the loud moans of the wind, then the odds of Tina hearing her were next to impossible. Again she called out to Tina; she couldn’t give up. Tina couldn’t survive in this weather, and it was going to get worse as darkness cast her shadow across the sky. The temperature was expected to fall below freezing. Remembering the weatherman’s warnings about the dangers of being out during the night made her hasten her steps. She called down every alley; she asked those she passed if they had seen a young girl, alone. No one had seen Tina. Panic began to fill Jessika’s chest and throat. It had been a long time since she had had a panic attack, but she knew what was happening to her. She put her back against the wall of a bakery and tried to calm her breathing, but the strong, cold wind sucked the air from her lungs. She collapsed on the sidewalk. Dread filled her as she struggled to get air into her lungs; she took out her inhaler, but her hands were shaking uncontrollably; she dropped the inhaler and began to shiver from within. She knew she was about to pass out.

   Just as her inhaler hit the sidewalk, a stranger walked up to her and bent down to pick it up. He held it in his open hand offering it to the lady in trouble. “Take this,” he said with worry in his voice. “Take it slow.” He saw her hands shaking so badly that she almost dropped the inhaler again. “Let me.” He held it up to her mouth as she opened it to breathe the albuterol in. He squeezed the pump twice as she took two deep breaths. He then took her shaking hand into his to ease her fear. Slowly, her throat began to open up. Once she could breathe, somewhat, he helped her to her feet and tried to direct her into the bakery, but she pulled away. She tried to tell him she had to keep looking, but her voice was still paralyzed from the panic attack. He guided her into the warmth and ordered hot chocolate for both of them. Her hands still shaky, she pulled off her gloves and held the hot mug to warm her hands. The heat felt good. She wanted to put the mug close to her face, but she didn’t have the strength to do so, so she just held it.

   “I am Dirk Bentley,” he said. He waited for her reply, but it didn’t come. She sat there staring at him. “You had me worried. Are you going to be ok?”

  She nodded her head, then took a slow drink of the hot liquid. It felt good going down her throat. The burning sensation she felt as the air was sucked out of her was becoming less painful, and her ability to speak was returning.

   “What were you doing out there? It is way too cold for someone in your condition.”

   Fury flashed across her face. “Someone in MY condition,” she echoed. “Who do you think you are?” she ranted in a raspy voice.

  “Whoa, hang on there. I don’t mean to appear insulting. I just meant with asthma, a day like today can cause problems. My brother suffers from asthma, and I have seen him struggle as you were. I thought you were going to pass out. If that happened, I don’t know how I would have been any help to you.”

  “You don’t know anything about me. I don’t have asthma. Inhalers are used for other purposes, too.”

   “Sorry if I spoke out of turn, but you scared me.”

  Laughing with disdain, “I scared you. I am not the one that shoved you into a building when you didn’t want to go in. I believe that was you.”
   Irritated by her ungrateful nature, “I’d say I am sorry I stopped, but I’m not. You were in trouble, so I did what anyone would have done. As far as pushing you into this building with warm air goes, I believed it is what was needed to help you recover from Whatever you were suffering from.”

   “This is getting us nowhere. I am glad you stopped to help me, but I don’t need your sympathy or pity.” She got up, on shaky legs, and headed for the door. “I am fine and will be fine.  Thanks for your help.” She walked out of the door without looking back.

   His ire was boiling over. “What an ungrateful shrew.” He blew air out of his lungs from sheer frustration. “Next time, I will just keep walking.” He drank the last of his hot chocolate and left the bakery in a fit of anger. As he walked towards his apartment, his mind drifted to when he first saw the woman in trouble. He couldn’t see her face, but he did notice her all-too-thin, frail body. He began to chastise himself for jumping to conclusions. His first thought was that she was in trouble, but then he judged her as a woman who couldn’t take care of herself. She was obviously poor, undernourished, and sickly. Was his initial opinion of her wrong? Maybe she was thin because she had been ill. Maybe her coat hung on her like an oversized rag because she had been sick and lost too much weight. Maybe she had a right to be mad. Did she pick up on what he was thinking? Was it written on his face? Now, he became furious with himself. He knew his one great human fallacy was his judgmental attitude. Then, he shook his head. There is no way she knew what he was thinking. He ran the words he had said to her over in his mind. He hadn’t said anything wrong or rude. He may have been a little judgmental when he said, ‘someone in your condition’, but that was no reason for her to go off on him like she did. He climbed the stairs to his apartment and went inside. He decided it was time to forget about that woman.

   Jessika was having trouble getting back to herself. She was struggling to breathe, but she couldn’t give up her search for Tina. Where could she be? Jessika didn’t have a clue as to where she should look, and it was getting late, so she headed back to the orphanage. Maybe, just maybe, Tina told one of the girls where she was going. If not, she knew she had to pray for Tina’s safety through the night. If she called the police, Joleen would fire her and kick her to the curb. What else could she do? Once she was back at the orphanage, she asked all the children if they knew where Tina went, but none of them even knew she had left. They thought she was hiding and keeping to herself as she often did.

   The night was long, and Jessika could hear the wind howling outside as if it were an angry wolf killing its prey. Tears streamed down her face as she thought of Tina being lost out in the harsh, winter night wondering if she was safe. She vowed to go out again as soon as daylight lit her way. She had to find Tina, and if she couldn’t, to the devil with crazy Joleen. She’d go to the police station and ask for their help.

  Early the next morning, Jessika bundled up warmer than she did yesterday and set out to find Tina. She asked everyone she passed if they had seen a little girl and described her coat, gloves, and knit cap, but no one had seen her. She walked up and down every alley calling her name, but nothing was her response. The wind had calmed down, but the bitter cold would cut through Tina’s coat. Jessika knew if she went and asked the police for help, she couldn’t go back to the orphanage. She didn’t know where she would go, or where she could take Tina if they found her, but she knew they were not going to go back to Joleen. She also knew that Joleen wouldn’t report them missing; if she did, they’d see the way the orphans’ were forced to live. Maybe that would be the best thing that could happen. No one ever went near that place; they didn’t want to think about the children behind the walls, so they shut the place and children out of their minds. The only thing that kept the four young adults (ranging from 18 to 21), who grew up there, from reporting Joleen was that they would be out on the street with nothing but the clothes on their backs. Not one person would look at them much less give them a chance in life; they’d be on their own – homeless and without a chance to survive. Fear was a powerful weapon to use against anyone who talked.

  Jessika walked until her legs became weak. She knew she needed to go inside and sit down for a little while. Her face felt frozen, and she had a mental image of a tiny child curled up in an alley somewhere frozen to death. Tears began running down her face. They almost froze in their tracks, so she wiped them away quickly. She had no money to buy a hot beverage, so she didn’t feel comfortable going into a food shop. She kept walking until she saw a sign for a kids’ outreach club – Boys and Girls Club of Wheaton Street. She never knew that this club existed. As she walked in, she saw kids from every nationality shooting baskets and having fun. They were off the streets and out of the cold. This made her heart glad; she wondered if she might get lucky and find Tina here. She walked around taking in everything; there was a mixture of kids playing cards and dominos, doing arts and crafts, and setting up a long row of tables with food and beverages. She realized that there were a lot of city kids who might not get enough to eat at home and was grateful they had this place to come to. In a corner, reading a book, she saw a small, familiar figure. It was Tina. She ran to her and picked her up giving her a tight hug.

  “Where have you been? I have been so worried about you. Did you sleep here last night? Are they treating you well? I am so glad I have found you.”

  A startled young face turned away from her. “I won’t go back, and you can’t make me.”

  “I am not going back either. I ran away, too.”

  Slowly and reluctantly, Tina looked into Jessika’s eyes. “We don’t have to go back? Won’t Ms. Joleen be mad? Will she call the cops on us?”

 With a huge smile on her face, “No sweetheart, we don’t have to go back. Who cares if she gets mad, and no, I don’t think she will call the cops. They would see what she is doing and take everything away from her.”

  “Will they arrest her? Maybe we should tell them to.”

   Startled to hear Tina’s question, “If we do, they will take you away from me and send you somewhere else. I don’t want that.” Suddenly realizing that Tina was talking to her, she gave her a hug and kissed her dirty face. “We will stay together; if that is ok with you.”

   Tina’s eyes widened. “Yes. Oh, yes.” She grabbed Jessika around her neck and squeezed as hard as her little arms would allow. They talked about Tina’s small adventure, and Jessika was astonished at how street-smart Tina was, especially since she had never been out of the orphanage since she was dropped off there at four months old.

   “Is there a girls’ restroom we can go to and clean up? I don’t want the people here to look at us and cause us any trouble. I think we will be safe here if we clean up a bit,” Jessika coaxed.

  “Yeah. This way.” They both went in, and Jessika washed Tina’s dirty face and used her fingers to brush through her hair. “There, much better don’t you think.”  Tina smiled and nodded her approval. They walked around the club to learn what the club offered to kids from the streets. Jessika hope to find rooms for them to sleep in tonight, but there weren’t any. She began to worry about what they would do when the dark nighttime fell upon the town. Amarillo winds can be strong and blow non-stop. On a cold, winter night, that is not something she was looking forward to. What she did know was that both Tina and she couldn’t fit inside Tina’s cardboard fort. She would have to ask about other places that offered shelter for those who were homeless hoping that it wouldn’t bring trouble to both of them. The fear of declaring them homeless was all too real for Jessika. The fear of having Tina taken from her and placed in another home sent shivers down her spine. She decided she needed to think about the best way to approach this problem for both of their sakes. In the meantime, a bell rang out and a voice called for all to come and have a nice, warm lunch. Tina pulled Jessika’s arm as she urged her to get in line. They were serving peanut butter sandwiches with hot, chicken noodle soup and milk. Tina spotted another table with a few cakes on it. “Can we get some of that, too?” Jessika nodded yes, and they both filled their bellies with the warm lunch. This was the first time Tina had ever seen a cake and didn’t know what it was; all she knew was it looked really good. Her eyes lit up and the largest smile Jessika had ever seen beamed up at her when Tina took her first bite of the sweet treat. “Yum, this is the best thing I have ever eaten,” Tina declared. Jessika couldn’t stop the laugh that followed.

   Jessika asked one of the club volunteers if she had a phone book. The lady gave her one, and she searched for shelters. She found nothing. The disappointment on her face was clear to the lady clearing the tables. With Tina reading a book, Jessika offered to help with the cleanup. She wanted to repay the kindness they had been shown. This had been the best meal Jessika could remember in a long, long time.

  “That isn’t necessary. Why don’t you join your daughter and read her a story?” the kind lady asked.

  “I want to help. Y’all didn’t have to feed us, but you did, and I am truly grateful. Please, let me help. Tina will be fine; she promised not to move from her spot.”

  “I am, Alma Hernandez. I would love your help.”

  “I am”… she stammered not wanting to tell her real name. She didn’t feel safe. “I am Jessika.” No last name was given. Alma knew Jessika was uncertain of her surroundings and maybe the safety of her daughter and herself.

  “It is nice to meet you, Jessika. Your little girl is precious.”

  Not correcting her, “Thank you.”

 They worked together keeping the conversation on a safe topic. The longer Alma worked with Jessika, the keener her sixth sense became. She waited until the kitchen help had left before she approached Jessika. “I am not trying to pry, but I sense that you and your daughter don’t have anywhere to go.”

  Jessika began to panic when Alma reached out and hugged her. Shocked, Jessika pulled away. “I don’t know what you mean,” she barely got out.

  “Honey, I have been here a long time, as long as this boys and girls club has been open. I have seen my share of people in trouble, and I see it in your eyes.”  Jessika wanted to run, but Alma stopped her. “Please, don’t be afraid. I want to help you. I don’t have much in this world, but I do have a warm bed and roof over my head. It is a one-bedroom flat, not much, but you and your daughter are welcome to come home with me, tonight. You can both take a warm bath and have a safe place to sleep. You don’t have to be afraid of me. I have been where you are. Life is hard enough without people turning their backs on those of us who are going through hard times. Please, you can trust me.”

   Unsure of what just happened or what to say, “I… I don’t, know.”

  “I want to be your friend and help you. A few years ago, I got very sick, but I didn’t have health insurance, so the bigger hospital wouldn’t take me. They shipped me to the community hospital for the poor. The health treatment isn’t good there. I was sick for a long time. When I got out, I had been evicted from my home and all my possessions had been sold to pay for some of the past-due rent. It was hard, nearly impossible, for me to get a job. I didn’t have clean clothes and did the best I could to clean myself in outdoor restrooms near the park, but no one would help me. I didn’t have an address, a phone, or a place to sleep. I slept on a park bench until the police ran me off. I found myself under trees in the woods. Where my story is different from yours, I was homeless during the summer. That has to be easier than sleeping in the cold, harsh, winter’s air. You see, I know you are afraid, but you don’t have to be afraid of me. Ron, the owner of this club, took a chance on me and gave me the job I have today. He let me sleep in the back of the storage room, so I could save my money and get a better place to live. Because of his kindness, not only do the kids have a safe place but so do I. I want to pay it forward and help you and your daughter. Won’t you let me?”

  Stunned to hear how freely Alma shared her story with a perfect stranger, Jessika found herself drawn to this woman who knows a little about what it is to have no place to call home. She looked over to the reading corner and saw Tina laughing as she read her book. “If you are sure. I don’t want to cause you any trouble or put you out.”  Jessika, nor Tina, knew what it meant to belong or to be wanted. This was a new experience for her. She remembered the love her parents had for her, but as time ticked on, her memories began to fade and the harsh reality she found herself trapped in took over.

  “Wonderful. As soon as we are done here, we can go.”

   Jessika went to where her ‘daughter’ was and quietly whispered to her. “We are going home with Ms. Alma tonight. She has offered us a place to sleep. She thinks you are my daughter, so please, can you play along so she doesn’t think something is wrong and call the police? If she doesn’t suspect I have taken you, we should be ok.”

   “But you didn’t take me. I ran away.”

  “I know, but can’t we play along?”

  “Ok.” Tina put her book down and asked, “Can I come here tomorrow and finish my story? It is getting good.”

  “We will see how tonight goes. If Ms. Alma doesn’t mind, we can come back.”

  Alma joined them and asked Tina her name. Tina looked at Jessika. “Her name is Tina,” Jessika replied, although she had already mentioned her name in the kitchen. Alma knew that Jessika was protecting her child and wasn’t upset that Tina didn’t answer her question. She is a stranger, and they must have gone through an ordeal being on the streets. They walked home with Alma. She gave them towels and something clean to sleep in. Tina loved taking a bath. Alma put some kind of bubbles in it that smelled good. Once she was done, Jessika took a hot shower. Alma ordered delivery pizza, and they had a hardy meal before making up the fold-out sofa. It was good to sleep in warmth.

My New Novel: "A Little Angel's Christmas Tale" By: Sam Rivers First Chapter: A Wondering Angel

 

Sam Rivers                                         Chapter One: A Wondering Angel                            

 

   Alone, a small child wanders the streets in tattered clothes. She was shivering from the wet, cold snow that lays on the ground; her curly, brown hair was sticking out from beneath the collar of her oversized coat. She sniffles as she wipes her runny nose on the ragged sleeve of her coat; the little angel looks around as if she is lost. She stands on the edge of the road, invisible to all who pass her. Her shoes are too small and have cardboard inserts for soles. The snow seeps through the thick paper soaking her feet. She begins to walk with a limp on her way to anywhere but the orphanage she escaped from. As the snow begins to fall thicker and faster, she darts into an alley looking for shelter. She has been walking the streets of the Bronx all day with an empty stomach. It didn’t seem to bother her much; she was used to it. There was little to eat at the dark, damp orphanage she has lived in all her life. She was dropped on the doorstep of Sister Joleen’s Orphanage in the poorest part of the Bronx when she was a baby. No one ever visited this orphanage; only wayward and unwanted children often dotted the filthy windows as they looked out at their small world. To these small waifs, it appeared as if no one cared about them. They had been thrown away.

   Sister Joleen wasn’t a sister, not in the religious sense. The home for unwanted children was the dream of her older brother, Joseph Cartwright, which was passed on to him by their parents. He was a kind and gentle man who believed all children deserved a home filled with love. As did his parents, Joseph kept immaculate records of all income that came into the home. His parents had left him a small fortune to run the home, but taxes took a large chunk of it. He worked hard to take care of the children in his care and held special events to attract potential parents for the children. He never gave up hope of all of them being adopted. Unfortunately, upon his death, Joleen inherited the home. What mattered to her was the money that came with the place. She used it for her own selfish needs while the children received the barest of necessities. She changed the name of the home from Cartwright’s Home for Children to Sister Joleen’s Orphanage. Under her care, the place had turned into ruins. She was disgusted by the ‘small, good-for-nothing beggars’ as she often referred to them. She grew up resenting the orphans for taking ‘Her’ place in her parents’ hearts. She longed for all the attention the other kids received; she wanted all of her parent’s attention. They tried to teach her to love those around her, and how rewarding it was to help the less fortunate, but the lessons never took. She had grown into a bitter woman. The only help that inhabited the orphanage are those unwanted kids who turned 18 and had nowhere else to go. They worked for room and board and were treated as badly as the children. They were all prisoners trapped in a world, not of their making.

   The small angel, known only by the name Tina, took the chance to find a home for herself. She couldn’t take being shut in the awful place she knew as home. The children were never allowed outside. For all appearances, the people of that area had forgotten that children lived there. They were fed only corn meal mush in small portions for breakfast and were made to clean the floors, dust, and do kitchen duty throughout the day. They didn’t have lunch. The children went to bed hungry; at night, they received a slice of bread, a small portion of beans, and water. They hadn’t seen fruit, much less decent food, since Joseph died. The birthday parties and Christmas left with him, too. Tina missed the kind man who smiled at her and called her ‘Pumpkin’.

   Well, she was out now and vowed to never go back. The snow was falling hard and steady, now; Tina saw a couple of cardboard boxes beside a dumpster and created a child’s fort, tucked behind the dumpster, to crawl into. She climbed up on wooden crates so she could dig in the dumpster and found a half-eaten sandwich – ham and cheese. This was a meal fit for a princess, in her eyes. She ate it hungrily then continued to dig in the dumpster for anything she could use as covers. Her feet were freezing; she knew she had to do something to warm them, but what? She tore off the bottom tab of one of the cardboard boxes to replace the wet cardboard in the soles of her shoes. She found old towels someone threw out and wrapped them around her feet. She dug deeper and found old clothes and a ragged quilt. She greedily pulled them from the dumpster and took them to her new fort. She took off her coat, put on the large clothes, and put her oversized coat back on, then wrapped herself in the quilt before pulling the boxes together to shut out the snow. For the first time in ages, her stomach was full, and she fell asleep while the snow whipped around the air in a whirlwind.  

"A New Beginning" review

Old cover page.

 Review on "A New Beginning" book one of my saga - Love's Never-Ending Gifts, from Austin McCaulley Publishing, based out of New York, our Editors stated," Your story was found to be a powerful and immersive story, very well written, with a moving emphasis on a young girl who loses her family and must start over in a new town. The Board was keen to comment on your ability to frame a cast of characters that builds and sustains the story, through a very well-conceived and developed plot. The reader would find much to absorb them in in Lisa's poignant story as she learns to open herself up to love again, allowing for reflection and understanding to continue some distance past the final page. The Board also commented on the dynamic writing style and believes the story has the potential to excel within its genre."

Emma Lee's novel "Blood of Honor"

 Received my fifth Yes. We want to publish your book, today. I have a big decision to make soon.

Author Emma Lee Joy's new novel. A must read!

Emma Lee Joy is one of my favorite writers. Her novel is a must read for anyone who loves futuristic mind control mysteries full of non-stop drama.

Review by Samantha Kate Rivers

5.0 out of 5 stars Blood of Honor symbolizes the sacrifice of blood, given and taken, in the attempt to protect tribal ways and their people.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on October 27, 2022

This novel is written as a futurist and thrilling Sci-fi that consist of many plot twists that leaves the reader guessing, unsuccessfully, about what is taking place and what could possibly happen next. Readers must continue reading to grasp the full depth of what is taking place in the newly, war torn world the story is sharing. Emma Lee's story is the first novel I have read where I never knew what was going to happen. She has carefully and brilliantly written a story of real possibilities in a world consumed by devastation and the greedy hunger for the ultimate power. Her story is for both men and women to read. It will keep you on the edge of you seat with the Mind-Blowing action that never ends. Great story Emma Lee. You are a very talented storyteller and author.

"A New Beginning" Ryan's Review. 11-11-2022

 Received another yes for this novel. Ryan said he loved the book; it was well written; the dialogue was fantastic, and what Lisa Upshaw experiences throughout the story is so realistic because people go through the same tragedies in life and have to find the strength within themselves to survive, love again, and find their way back to God. He told me that he truly believes this book will become a movie, and he will watch it.  The best praise so far. Thank you, Ryan. 

My Second Book in the Five Book Saga: Love's Never-Ending Gifts Saga: " "Love Blossoms in Sage Hill"

 I received my third YES. Just waiting for all the possible positives, and then I will choose the contract that is in my best interest. 

I have typed the first five chapters of my third novel in my five-book saga: Love's Never-Ending Gifts.

The fourth book, "A Heart Shattered" was, actually the first novel I wrote. My plan was to write two flashback novels showing how Jennifer Gate's life-long friendship with Susan Williams Lewis began. The foundation, of my saga, is built on a friendship that continues through multiple generation's.  The life-long friendships and deep love began with their parents - Eva and Rob (Susan's parents) and Lisa (Jennifer's mom). This family tradition will continue in the generations to come.

Several publishers informed me that they prefer publishing books in sequential order. One particular, traditional publishing company told me to write the other two books and submit them, and if they were as good as the original, first novel, they would be interested in publishing my novels, so that is what I am doing now. The publishing order will be:

Love's Never-Ending Gifts: "A New Beginning"                                   Completed

Love's Never-Ending Gifts: "Love Blossoms in Sage Hill"                   Writing Now

Love's Never-Ending Gifts: "Life After Graduation"

Love's Never-Ending Gifts: "A Heart Shattered"                                 Completed

Love's Never-Ending Gifts: "Happily Ever After"

First Book in Five Book Saga: Love's Never-Ending Gifts Saga: "A New Beginning" Contracts Offered

 I have received two YESs, today. Woo Hoo. One is hybrid publishing and the other self-publishing. I haven't given up hope that I will get a yes from either a literary agent or traditional publishing company. Fingers Crossed.