My personal image changed after
several important pieces in my life were removed. In the fall of 2010, my
youngest son headed off to college. At the same time, my husband and I moved
from Nebraska to Southern California. My empty nest had a new home. A few weeks
after we moved into our new house, my father also died. Talk about stress
factors in your life, I had plenty, but I also felt as if self-image was being
torn to shreds.
Who could I claim to be?
Yes. I was still a mother, but
the full-time job wasn’t what it once was. Now I had nights and weekends with
just my husband in a new place. No constant chatter, no kids running in and
out, no hello kisses and good-bye hugs—instead silence.
My dad dying added another
element. With my mother having passed away a number of years before him, I now
felt like an orphan, alone and abandon by my parents. I know it sounds silly,
but that’s the way I felt.
So what did I have left?
I am extremely lucky. I have a
solid marriage and a wonderful husband. My career as a writer was moving along
with having published a number of books. I reconnected with friends from when I
lived in Southern California a few years prior.
Yes, my energy level was low, but
I’ve exercised for most of my life. I knew I could lose weight and turn things
around if I got moving.
But none of that helped my
spirit. I needed something to feed my soul and spark a passion for life. So I
did what I always do when I’m lost. I threw myself into my latest release – Birth.
The second book of the Executive
Wives’ Club, Brie Sullivan’s whole life has changed too. She’s a widow, a new
mother, feeling alone and afraid. I put myself into her shoes and found her a
man who could love her. No, she not kick-butt strong, she’s feeling lost with
no self-confidence but like me she has friends and a man who cares.
Slowly, Brie began to see herself
in a new light, a person who has more to give than she thought.
Traveling on this journey with my
character helped me see I have a bright future, a great life and a passion to
share the heartaches of being a woman with others. We all can make it through
the hard times, we just need to remember to follow our dream and let the words
flow.
Excerpt from “Birth”
Pasting
a smile on her face to hide the dark cloud hanging above her head, she lifted a
plate in each hand and turned just as Jason strolled around the corner leading
into the living room. His quick pace ate the distance between them. Dark hair,
athletic build, sexy brown eyes, Jason epitomized what every woman would desire
in a man, not counting that he was also caring and kind.
Why
then, wasn't he married?
Unwilling
to reveal the depths of her despair, she lowered her gaze as unwanted desire
tingled down her spine. Not him, nor any other man in his right mind, would ever
find her desirable. She drew in a breath, struggling not to torture herself by
believing one ever would.
Stepping
forward, she placed the plates on the counter, which separated the kitchen from
the breakfast nook. “I'm sorry, but I haven't been to the grocery store since
my parents left. All I have are fast easy meals for the kids.”
“No
problem.” Jason paused by the bar and brushed his hand through the air,
indicating the food. “You really didn't need to go to this much trouble. I
could have fixed something for myself when I got home.”
Flustered
by his comment when she hadn’t gone to any trouble at all, Brie shuffled to the
cabinet and pulled down two glasses. “What would you like to drink?”
“Iced
tea is great.”
She
plopped the glasses down beside the plates, avoiding his gaze by staring at her
footwear. The tiger head positioned on top of her slippers bobbed up and down
as she walked across the room to the refrigerator. Opening it, she withdrew the
pitcher. Her hand hovered over the condiments in the door. “Would you like some
barbecue sauce, ranch dressing, or something else to go with the chicken
nuggets?”
“No,
I like them plain.” The sound of his voice drew near. The weight of the
container in her hand lightened. He brushed his free hand along her back. “I’ve
got this.”
His
rich scent teased her taste buds more than the flavorful aroma of the chicken
and his welcoming warmth tempted her to collapse into his arms.
She
wrestled with the overwhelming impulse. He didn't need her problems. Yes, he’d
been there when she needed him, and he’d been a good friend. A damn good
friend, but she couldn’t continue to lean on him. He deserved a woman who could
love him, not one with a built-in family, or one who was still in love with her
dead husband.
Tears
clouded her eyes as she realized a man would never hold her again. Her heart
ached and then slowly broke in two at the thought of her children never having
a father. Defeated, she closed the refrigerator door.
Blog – http://www.tinagayle.blogspot.com
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Tina Gayle was born in Texas, the place of her heart and
where most of her family still lives. The youngest of four daughters, she grew
up a dreamer.
She worked for years in the
business world doing a variety of accounting jobs. Then when her two sons were
little, Tina decided to go back to school to get a degree in MIS. She only used
this degree a few years before deciding to follow her passion for writing
romance.
Her first book, Pregnancy Plan
was published by The Wild Rose Press in 2007. Next, she tried her hand at
writing a paranormal story. Mating Rituals came next and is a farther step away
from her other contemporary stories with more off-world fantasy elements. Then
she wrote two more contemporary, Baby Decision and Youthful Temptations. She is
currently working on a series about four executive wives. The ebooks will come
out in 2012 and 2013.
Married twenty-five years, she
and her husband love to travel and can’t wait for Mike to retire so they can do
it more.
Always working on perfecting
her craft, Tina is a member of RWA, attends writing conferences, and can be
found in a number of writing classes. She also loves to hear from her readers.
You can email her at tinagayle (at) roadrunner.com.
