Welcome back to Anna’s World!! I’m so excited this week!! This is the week Remember Our Promise will make its debut. I’ve often talked about this story. It’s one of my favorites and for good reason. The storyline and characters popped into my head one night as I was putting the finishing touches on one of my other books. It wouldn’t leave me alone…the characters were literally screaming at me to tell their story. I finally had to stop, type up the outline, which I did from start to finish, and then return to the other book.

When the other book was finished, it was nearly time for NaNoWriMo to begin. I’d never taken part in it before and when another author encouraged me to do so, I thought, “What the heck?” For those of you who don’t know, National Novel Writing Month begins at midnight on November first and runs through the entire month. The goal is to write a 50K novel in thirty days. At midnight on November first I was sitting in a hospital room at IU Med Center in Indianapolis with my husband, who was undergoing treatments for cancer. I pulled out my laptop and began the story. I continued to write and when we went home, I wrote some more. The story was literally writing itself…I was only along for the ride…and it was finished in sixteen days. Something almost unheard of, and certainly a new experience for me.

I sent it to Rebel Ink Press, one of my publishers, and I received a contract for the story. I went back and self-edited it, using the things my editor, Dawn, had taught me in previous books’ edits and sent it back in. When I received Dawn’s edits, there were only a few minor punctuation issues to be corrected. This book was truly a once in a lifetime achievement for me.

I absolutely LOVE the story, and the characters, and I sincerely hope that you will too. Rebel Ink Press will release it later this week and it will be available at Amazon, B&N, and Allromance.com.

Here’s the Blurb for Remember Our Promise:

Lily Wells has been in love with David Black since she was fifteen years old. When she was eighteen, he broke her heart, leaving her with a promise that the year they turned thirty, if neither was married, they would find a way to reconnect. As fate would have it, twelve years later, while she is in her hometown for her grandmother’s funeral, she runs into David.

 Still as breathtakingly handsome as ever, now a prominent Texas attorney, he makes it clear he’s a confirmed bachelor. After one perfect, romantic weekend together, Lily returns to her job as the acquisitions editor for a New York City publishing house, knowing that a life with David is still her heart’s desire.

 Believing that to him she’s only one of his many female companions and that he has no recollection of the promise she’s clung to for the past twelve years, she goes on with her life in the Big Apple. She and David remain in contact with each other, however, seemingly growing closer. Will he break her heart a second time or is it possible that she’s misreading the signs?

And here’s an excerpt:

“We’re young and we have our whole lives ahead of us. We should take a break from each other, at least for a while.”

She looked at him in disbelief. “What exactly are you trying to tell me, David?”

“We have four years of college ahead of us in different states. How are we going to see each other?  We’ll be thousands of miles away from each other. Neither of us needs to be tied down right now.”

“Are you breaking up with me?” she asked, not believing the words she was hearing.

“Don’t you think it makes sense?” He looked at her with a serious look on his face and gently removed her hand from his thigh. He lifted her hand to his lips and planted a tender kiss on her palm.

“No, I don’t. I will always find a way to be with you. We can email and call and get together on holidays,” she argued vehemently.

“Lily Beth, think about it. You’ll be in Chicago and I’ll be in Dallas. We may not even be home at the same times. Yes, we can still email and call, but what kind of life would either of us have if we have to be apart for all important school functions. We won’t be able to attend any of those together. I think it’s for the best that we stay in touch but agree to see other people.”

As tears welled up in her amethyst-gray eyes, she replied, “If that’s the way you want it, then fine. Don’t feel obligated to stay in touch.”

“Babe, don’t talk like that.” He leaned over to kiss her.

She tried to pull away but he pulled her to him. She gave in to the kiss, losing herself in it as she always did. When he released her she said, “I love you, David, and I always will.”

“You think that now but you don’t know that once you get to Illinois you won’t meet someone else.”

“I won’t ever love anyone as much as I love you,” she answered softly.

“Then let’s make a promise.”

“What kind of promise?” she asked, looking at him warily.

“In twelve years, when we both turn thirty, we’ll find a way to reconnect.” He caressed her cheek and went on. “If we’re both unattached then we’ll find out if this is the real thing or not. And if it is, I’ll buy you the prettiest diamond engagement ring I can find and we’ll get married, just like you want.”

“Twelve years?” She looked at him as if she thought he had lost his mind.

“Yes, Lily Beth, that gives us plenty of time to finish school, establish our careers, and experiment with dating other people, maybe even see the world a little,” he stated seriously.

“Shall we shake on it?” she proposed sarcastically.

“How about we kiss on it?” he asked as he took her in his strong arms again. 

And there you have it…a young couple saying goodbye, but making a promise to each other…will they fulfill that promise? Or is this really goodbye? You’ll have to read the book to find out!   See you again soon…Love, Anna