Stepping Stones possibly falls under being a strange name for a book let alone a
romance book. And perhaps it is even stranger since there aren’t actually any
stepping stones in the story.
Have you ever heard the expression, “just take one step at a time?” You probably have since such sayings
like, “take each day as it comes,” falls alongside it.
These sayings are our way of telling ourselves or others that we
have to take things slowly, we have to take our time, and we can’t rush
decision or choices. Every day we are taking steps in our life path. Some days
we may take a couple of steps back, but it’s all about progression; about
moving forward.
Have I confused you? I apologize if I have, but I shall start at
the beginning.
The idea for Stepping Stones came in a dream. Now, I have had many
dreams and been shown scenes etc which I have immediately written down when I
have woken up, because I thought they would make interesting stories. But
this particular dream was the first and only one I have had to date where I was
basically given the story on a silver platter. Not that I am trying to say
writing this story was easy, because it wasn’t and for a couple of reasons, but
I saw everything.
In this dream I was in Maggie’s shoes. I remember pulling up in
a taxi outside this church situated on a cliff top. The bride ran straight up
to me and said that her maid-of-honour couldn’t make it and she wanted me to
take her place. I was reluctant, but she talked me round.
I remember walking down the aisle and being gobsmacked that my
ex was the Vicar marrying this couple. I stood through the service with my eyes
fixed on the wall not daring to look at him, and then when I finally could get
out of their I ran . . . right into the last person I wanted to see; my foster
brother. I was angry with him, but I missed him.
The next scene I was in the garden with my mother and father who
told me – and this is where there were some actual stepping stones – and my
foster brother to go and argue it out, and each time we told the truth, or made
a point, we could take a step forward. The aim being that by the time we met in
the middle we had to be fine and make up.
Now, it’s a bit of a strange dream, and sure it lacks in detail,
but that was the seed for Stepping Stones, and I woke up knowing that I had to
write the story. It took me two years to do so, but I finally finished it and
submitted it. Now, the book was originally published at the end of 2012, but
then the publisher shut down a year later and the rights for the story were
reverted back to me. So, I cleaned it up and submitted it to Bono Books
(Decadent Publishing) and they contracted it.
I feel that this new edition is tons better than the original, and I absolutely
love the book cover and can't wait to share this new and improved version with
you all.
But it still isn’t obvious why I called the book Stepping Stones,
is it?
Only a few of those elements found their way in to the book. I
added and padded the rest out, but I didn’t add the actual scene with the
stones. Why? Well, it probably would have worked if Maggie’s father was a
psychiatrist and had crazy exercises for getting people to communicate, but
that’s not her father, or how he is.
But even though no stones are visible or present,
the point of them, and the saying still apply to this story, because Stepping Stones is about Maggie retracing her steps.
It’s about her finding her way back home, back to happiness, and having to take
the necessary steps to fix the damage she caused six years prior.
She has to take one step at a time to figure out what she truly
wants, where she wants to be, and who she wants to be with.
And that
is why the book has been titled Stepping Stones.
~
* ~
Stepping
Stones
(Sweet Contemporary Romance)
By Elizabeth Morgan
Blurb:
There's nothing like a wedding to bring
the family together....
If not for her baby sister’s impending
marriage, Margaret West would never return home. But after six long years, she
finds herself a maid of honor who must answer to the people she left behind.
If her parents’ interrogation doesn’t drive
her to drink, facing her foster brother, Adrian, just might. To make matters
worse, her ex-fiancé is the vicar who will conduct her sister’s ceremony.
~ * ~
Excerpt:
“When is Aidy getting here?” Jessica grabbed the large bowl of scrambled eggs
and brought it closer to her plate.
“I think his flight is due in at three.” My mother placed a dish of bacon on
the table and took a seat beside me. “He will be in time for the wedding
rehearsal; don’t worry.”
My stomach clenched. “Wedding
rehearsal?” I coughed, trying to clear the chunk of toast lodged in my throat.
“What wedding rehearsal?”
“Today at four. We’re running through the service.” Jess scooped egg onto her
plate. “I told you.”
Nervous laughter bubbled in my throat and try as I may, I couldn’t stop shaking
my head. “No.” I patted my chest. “No, you never mentioned a rehearsal.”
“Oh.” She placed the bowl back in the middle of the table. “I could have sworn
I did.”
“Nope, you didn’t. Believe me, I would have remembered otherwise.” I grabbed my
mug and knocked the coffee back before finishing my piece of toast.
“Well, it’s no big deal.” Edward took the bowl of eggs and helped himself.
“Just a quick run-through.”
“Will everyone be there?” Forcing a smile on my face, I looked up at them both,
hoping like hell my question would pass as innocent and genuine curiosity.
“Anyone who is involved in the wedding itself will be.”
Great. So that meant Jessica, Edward, the parents, and the bridesmaids, plus
me. That left Adrian and…. “Will Vicar Taylor, be there?”
Oh God, did my voice just go higher?
“Yes, Margaret, William will be there. He is the one who is marrying Jessie and
Edward, so he needs to be there.” My
father skewered some bacon and tomatoes onto his fork.
Grimacing, I reached out and grabbed another piece of toast. “Just a question,
Pa.” A stupid one, but a question
nevertheless….
“It is normal for people to have wedding rehearsals, Margaret. Just because
you—”
Jess picked up the coffeepot. “Does anyone want more coffee?”
I straightened, my focus fixed on Pa. “I’m aware of that.”
“Maggie?”
My father’s shoulders went rigid. He lifted his head and our gazes locked. I
didn’t miss the way the muscle in the side of his neck ticked. Arguing with my
father in front of Jessica and Edward was not an option, so I looked away.
“Please.” I held out my mug and Jess poured the dark liquid.
I could kick myself. A wedding rehearsal hadn’t even crossed my mind. Having to
stand at the altar before William on the actual wedding day would be hard
enough, but having to do it twice…my
stomach churned.
“So, will Adrian come straight to the church?” Edward cut the awkward silence.
“Yes. He will get a taxi to the church, and then we will bring him and his
luggage back here.” My mother held her mug out to Jess.
“Adrian is staying here? Tonight?” I added sugar to my coffee. “Won’t it
be crowded? I thought—”
“No more crowded than it was in your childhood.” My father took a bite out of
his toast.
More and more good news. Of course he
would be staying here; it was his family home after all. I guess, it was stupid
of me to hope that he would go to a B&B, but my parents wouldn’t have
allowed it even if he did suggest it. I hadn’t seen him in six years, hadn’t
spoken to him. And yet, in a couple of hours I would be locked in the same
house as him.
~
* ~
Author Bio:
Elizabeth Morgan is a multi-published author of urban fantasy, paranormal,
erotic horror, f/f, and contemporary; all with a degree of romance, a dose of
action and a hit of sarcasm, sizzle or blood, but you can be sure that no
matter what the genre, Elizabeth always manages to give a unique and often
humorous spin to her stories.
Like her tagline says; A pick ‘n’ mix genre author. “I’m not greedy. I just like variety.”
And that she does, author of erotic ménage
horror, Creak, paranormal erotic
horror and UK, US & Australian Amazon best seller (Gay/Lesbian, Fiction,
Lesbian), On the Rocks, and erotic
romance, US, UK and Spanish Amazon bestseller (Erotica Short Story) Truth or Dare? She also has her hand in
self-publishing.
Razel
Dazzle, her modern adult retelling of the
fairytale Rapunzel, was her first taste of publishing her own stories, and now
she has the hang of it, it will definitely not be her last. Look out for more
information on her upcoming releases at her website: www.e-morgan.com
Away from the computer, Elizabeth can be
found in the garden trying hard not to kill her plants, dancing around her
little cottage with the radio on while she cleans, watching movies or good
television programmes – Dr Who? Atlantis? The Musketeers? Heck, yes! – Or
curled up with her two cats reading a book.
~ * ~
Thank you for having me over today and
thank you to all of you for stopping by. If you would be interested in winning
a copy of my new release, Stepping
Stones or maybe a swag pack, then please do leave an entry on the
rafflecopter. J
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