Monday, March 7, 2016

Stormy Weather and Tempestuous Lives by Dara Franklyn



MUSE MONDAY
Please welcome Dara to Muse Monday!
 
Visiting family in New Jersey after Hurricane Sandy finished its destructive path in 2012, I still saw the devastation that remained.  Live wires were dangling in the road a month after the storm!

The memory of what I saw stuck with me.  And, that became the backdrop for the creation of Celia. What would it be like for people living at the Jersey shore whose livelihood relied on tourists visiting their charming seaside town?

While writing Celia, I found Sandy colored the experience, heightening the jeopardy and characters’ lives.

In 2015, Celia was published. Shortly afterward while I was attending a conference in New York City, I met a woman who had survived Sandy, but was still dealing with the aftermath. Government agencies were not supportive of the people who had lost their homes and livelihoods.
 
The most recent “Storm of the Century” to land in New Jersey hit in January, 2016.  Blizzards, record snowfall and road closings ensued. 

Some people cannot catch a break!
 
Book Blurb: Celia
Living at the Jersey Shore and running her family’s gift shop, Celia Costa spends her time creating pottery.  She’s a romantic who has given up on love.  Then Max, a photographer and location scout for an upscale magazine, arrives and everything changes.  Can their new relationship survive the hurricane that destroys the Jersey Shore?

Excerpt: Celia
Reaching for his card, Celia dialed his number.  Suddenly, as the phone rang, her palms were clammy, her mouth parched, and her pulse broke new speed records.
On the third ring, his warm, mellow voice answered.
“Hello, this is Max, how can I help you?” Max answered in a rehearsed voice.
“Hi, Max. This is Celia, you know Celia from Sea Drift,” Celia said, her voice strained.
Max’s response came through very clearly, changing tone… “Hello, Celia. Of course I know who you are. I’m so happy to hear from you. What can I do for you?” He paused on “for you” in a way that made Celia’s knees turn to jelly.
What could he do for her?

Be sure to look for my next book, Angie's Secret, to be published by the end of April.  The protagonist is Angie Costa, Celia's mom, who has her own adventure and relationship.
 
Buy link: Celia
Available only on my website: DaraFranklyn.com
With a Secure link, available in print or pdf.


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