My Story, My Way ~ An Indie Adventure: 2013-08-18

Blurb:

Shayla Monroe fled her hometown of Helena, South Carolina, after a shocking situation broke the heart of the only guy she’d ever loved. Years later, after losing her job in Atlanta with her name once again shrouded in scandal, she has nowhere to go but home.

Now a devastatingly handsome and well-respected man, Devin Jones became a successful doctor as a way to forget Shayla’s betrayal. When she returns as infamously as she left, he plans to put aside old feelings and treat her as any other person in town. But after looking into her soft brown eyes, the feelings he thought long dead quickly rush to the surface.

Ignoring rumors, disapproval from family and friends, and promises to avoid each other, the two become friends ... then lovers. Devin wants all or nothing, but Shayla, haunted by her past, is afraid their relationship will damage what’s left of her reputation. Can two broken hearts survive the fight against past and present demons to heal and find love?

Excerpt: Note from Synithia: This is Devin and Shayla’s first kiss:

Shayla threw down her fork and dropped her head in her hands. “Stop it, stop it, stop it,” she said. She rubbed her eyes, hoping the movement would prevent the memory of that night from coming. The drinking. The shadows. Tony’s body. Devin’s anger. She slapped her hand on the table.

“No!”

It was time to get out of the house. She jumped up and looked for her keys. It was nearing dusk. No Hangman’s Woods, thanks to her promise to Devin. Her options were limited. The one good thing about being home was that there were plenty of country roads she could drive fast on, with the windows down and the music blaring loud enough to drown out stupid old memories. On the way home she’d stop by a convenience store and pick up a bottle of wine. It wasn’t as if she had a job to go too. She could spend the night drinking away the memories.

She snatched her keys of the counter, before nearly running to the front door. When she wrenched it open she gasped. Devin stood on the other end with his hand raised to knock. She stepped back and placed a hand over her pounding heart.

Concern replaced the startled look in his eyes. “Are you okay?”

She nodded. “Yes, I was just about to leave. I need to get out of here.” She tapped her hand on her leg, her eyes looking everywhere but at him.

He looked over her shoulder. “Did someone hurt you?”

She shook her head. “No.” A caustic laugh escaped her. “Yes. Just not today.”

He stepped into the house and placed his hands on her shoulders. They were large and warm, and just like in high school, sent shivers down her spine whenever they touched her.

He kicked the door shut and leaned down to look into her face. “What’s wrong? I’m sorry about yesterday. I shouldn’t have dug into you like that. But I’m still your friend. You can talk to me.”

She lifted her gaze to his and stopped breathing. Whisky brown eyes stared back at her. The dappled sunlight through her window caught the gold in their depths and the woodsy scent of his cologne washed over her. Then it happened. The concern in his eyes switched to desire. Her nerve endings sizzled, her skin heated. His gaze lowered to her mouth and despite herself, she drew her bottom lip between her teeth.

He groaned.

She gasped.

Kia was forgotten as he slowly brought his head down. Her skin tightened when his lips pressed against hers and without a thought she sank into him.

Bio:

Synithia Williams has enjoyed romance novels since she was 13 years old, so it’s no surprise that she began writing her own. When she isn’t reading or writing, she’s working on sustainability initiatives in the Midlands of South Carolina. She lives with her husband, Eric, and two boys.

Links:

Website: www.synithiawilliams.com

Books: Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Heart-Heal-Crimson-Romance-ebook/dp/B00CA9DEWK/ref=la_B008QGXWCI_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1365641770&sr=1-3

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-heart-to-heal-synithia-williams/1115218285?ean=9781440566608

Crimson Romance: http://www.crimsonromance.com/crimson-romance-ebooks/crimson-romance-books-by-author/synithia-williams/

Social: www.facebook.com/synithiarwilliams

http://www.twitter.com/@SynithiaW

It is my pleasure to bring you Synithia Williams who is gracious and fascinating in her interview posted below.

And don't forget Synithia's excerpt from A Heart To Heal on Saturday Aug 24th.

Bio: Synithia Williams has enjoyed romance novels since she was 13 years old, so it’s no surprise that she began writing her own.

When she isn’t reading or writing, she’s working on sustainability initiatives in the Midlands of South Carolina. She lives with her husband, Eric, and two boys.

Hi Leslie Ann! Thank you so much for letting me visit your blog today. I hope your readers enjoy learning a little bit more about me.

LA: Hi Synithia, I'm so happy you're with us this week. Ready to start?
Which aspect of writing do you love the best, and which do you hate the most?

Synithia Williams: I love revising more than I do actually writing. It’s hard for me to take off my editor hat when I’m writing and just get the words on the page. I have to force myself to focus on getting the first draft written. Which means it’s awful, but I get to make it so much better during revisions. Then I feel like, wow, this story is really coming together.

LA: Describe for us, if you will, your writing style, as in plotter vs. seat of the pants, and do you put more time into developing characters or plot or are they equal?

SW: I am a plot driven writer. Mostly I think of a situation and then write a story around that. Now I’m learning to put more focus on developing my characters. No matter how interesting a situation may be, if readers don’t care about the characters then they’re not going to be invested in the storyline. Now that I’m focusing on my characters, it’s fun to see the way they react to the situations I put them in.

LA: What do you do when you find yourself overwhelmed with all the stuff that goes along with writing and publishing?

SW: I find that happening to me all the time! My day job and family keep me busy, and sometimes when I think about all of the stuff I need to do to promote my books I want to panic. I’ve tried to embrace my calendar more and check it often to see what’s coming up. I also set goals for myself, such as dates to finish revisions, time to spend on social media, and delegating certain days for working on blogs and other responsibilities.

LA: What themes do you like to write about?

SW: I like to write about learning to love and trust. Relationships aren’t always easy. People have baggage and old wounds that aren’t always overcome just because they fall in love. My stories usually involve someone changing the way they view relationships and learning to trust in the love of another person.

LA: Coffee, tea or other?

SW: Both! Coffee in the morning is a must (as my daily Twitter greetings show). I’m a tea drinker on cold afternoons in the winter.

LA: Tell us something about yourself we might not expect!

SW: It is soooo hard for me to talk with strangers. People find that hard to believe when they meet me and colleagues are so used to seeing me talk at meetings and during workshops that they assume it comes easily.

LA: If you were a dessert, what would you be and why?

SW: Strawberry shortcake. It’s fun and sweet, but also kinda luscious.

LA: Do you have a day job, too?

SW: Yes, during the day I work on sustainability programs and policies.

LA: Are you superstitious?

SW: Yes (thanks, Dad). I don’t open umbrellas in the house (bad luck), I don’t like to walk across someone on the floor (you cut off their life), and if a cat crosses in front of my car I mark an X on the windshield (prevent bad luck).

LA: Societal pet peeve … sound off.

SW: Not that I’m a fashionista or anything, but I hate the overall lack of care about what’s appropriate to wear in public. It’s “okay” to go to a show in wrinkled jeans and a t-shirt, or the grocery store with shorts so skimpy they could actually be panties, and I hate seeing guys in underwear—because that’s what an undershirt is—and sagging pants. It would be nice if everyone took pride in their appearance no matter where they went.