Lingering Echoes by Erica Kiefer Promo and Guest Post!

LINGERING ECHOES

BY: Erica Kiefer

New Adult Contemporary Romance

(Also Young Adult Appropriate.)

Clean Teen Publishing

She's broken with guilt.

He harbors a chilling past.

It's safer if they keep their distance...

But, the echoes that linger connect them. 

Returning to Hidden Pines is the last thing Allie Collins wants to do during her final summer before college. For her, the family cabin she spent her youthful summers in, now holds a dark memory that has haunted her every day for the last year. 

While struggling to forget her past, Allie runs into Damien, a local rebel with secrets of his own. He's dark, dangerous and he keeps showing up when Allie least expects him to. She has every reason not to trust him. So why does she find herself opening up to him in a way she hasn't been able to with anyone?  

As pieces of Damien’s identity emerge, answers to a rumored mystery begin to unfold. By the time Allie unearths the secrets of Damien’s past, she realizes just how intricately they are connected. Now she is caught in a dangerous battle that threatens her life and those she loves.

RUMORS (A FREE Novella)

BY: Erica Kiefer

New Adult Contemporary Romance

(Also Young Adult Appropriate.)

Clean Teen Publishing

Allie Collins wants nothing more than to forget the past and move beyond the recent death of her beloved cousin. If only it were that simple.

Upon returning for her senior year of high school, rumors quickly spread about the tragic summer accident that left the school’s star athlete grieving in the shadows. Now, the last thing Allie wants is the limelight. But the relentless pressure for normalcy from her friends and family leaves her with no choice but to surrender. Rejoining her basketball team and spending time with popular boys might seem like the perfect senior year, yet Allie struggles to embrace this identity that once came so naturally.

With the help of a special teacher, she learns that some things cut so deep, the scar lasts forever. Sometimes you can't go back to the way things were, but must find the way to become who you are meant to be.

Still, tragedy is no stranger to Allie. As the gossip swirls, influencing Allie’s every decision, the events that unfold will draw readers into a well of emotion in Rumor’s, a Lingering Echoes Novella.

Rumor's is a prequel Novella to the best selling book: Lingering Echoes by Erica Kiefer.

Excerpt From Lingering Echoes:

My hand brushed against the coarseness of the tree trunks, tracing the lines and curves of the bark with my fingers. Haunting laughter filled my mind, bidding me towards the river I knew too well. With an aching heart, I followed. I kneeled by the river’s side, collecting the fallen pine needles and cones. I tossed them in, watching the ruthless current drag them along. The leaves glanced off protruding boulders before they were sucked underneath the surface.

I let out a long sigh and glanced upwards, allowing drizzling rain to kiss my face. A silent flash of light lit up the darkened sky, followed by a mumble of thunder. As the sky shed its heavy tears, I remained huddled on the muddy soil, staring up into the grayness.

The abrupt rumble of a motor caught my attention, clashing against the sounds of nature. I stood up, straining my eyes through the curtain of rain to find its source. Across the river I could make out a figure on a motorcycle. He was dressed in dark clothing, his head sheltered with a helmet.

He seemed to be staring at me.

Curious, I stared back. Neither of us moved.

What was he doing out in the rain? He was probably wondering the same thing about me, wondering what I was doing outside all alone. Wiping water from my eyes, I took a step backwards, not taking my eyes off him. Why was he was still staring? I stepped backwards once more, assessing this stranger.

He revved the motor, once, twice, three times. Then he seemed to come to a decision. His bike roared towards me, closing the gap between us. The bridge was off to my right. I didn’t wait to see if he was going to cross it.

Unsure of his intentions, instinct told me to run. I spun around, sprinting towards the cabins. Adrenaline fueled my blood, warming my cold limbs, as I dodged trees and bushes. I didn’t look behind me, even when I was sure the motor was becoming louder, closer. I kept running.

The cabins were in sight. Only then did I dare to glance over my shoulder, my heartbeat thumping in my ears too loudly to hear the motor for sure.

He was gone.

Guest Post :

Kiss It Better

There are certain words that are magic for a child. “Mama, kiss it better…” my three-year-old daughter says to me, holding up her arm containing the scrape, or pointing to the bruise on her knee. I bring my lips to her “owie,” and if I don’t quite kiss it in the right spot, she clarifies, “No, right here.” I try again, knowing I have succeeded when I see her smile and feel her hug me with a sincere “thank you, Mama!” No matter how small the injury, often times “kissing it better” seems to be enough.

I’ve pondered the magic behind those words, appreciating that the true magic does not lie in the words or gesture itself; rather, the healing power is contained in the meaning behind the gesture. When we kiss a child’s injury, we are saying (without words) that we recognize she is hurt, and we are willing to take a few moments to notice.

Despite the age gap, adults’ needs are more similar to children’s than we sometimes think. The adult term for “kiss it better” is validation. When we are hurt, whether physically or emotionally, often times the most helpful medicine is receiving a bit of attention. Recognizing someone’s pain, even if it’s simply to say, “Hey, I’m sorry that happened to you! That has probably been a rough experience,” demonstrates that the person in distress is important—that despite how busy life is, someone is willing to take the time to show concern. As the consoler, you don’t have to know the “right thing” to say. Or maybe, in supporting the well-known phrase, “actions speak louder than words” perhaps verbal comfort is unnecessary and can be bypassed through other gestures. For sure, it’s best to avoid downplaying the experience with, “oh, that’s not a big deal. You’ll be fine…” or similar phrases that only negate the person’s feelings or pain.

Honesty in children is refreshing. One of my favorite books is The Five Love Languages, by Gary Chapman. To paraphrase, he talks about how as adult, we stray so far from how straightforward and direct children are when expressing their needs. When children are hurt, they cry. When they want something, they will certainly tell you! Somewhere in the span of growing up, adults tend to go through phases of forgetting this primary skill that we received at birth. I love that my daughter takes the time to point out exactly where she is hurting and isn’t afraid to ask me for help, whether it be a Band-Aid or more likely, a simple kiss to make it all better.

  

About the Author: 

Erica Kiefer was born on Christmas Eve in Southern California to an American father whose ancestors arrived from Europe during colonial times and a Thai mother who moved to the US during high school. Adding to her rich and varied heritage, Erica grew up living abroad in Asia, including Taiwan, Fiji, Thailand and Indonesia. She gained a great respect for the beautiful mosaic of cultures found in various parts of the world. After graduating from International School Bangkok, she attended Brigham Young University in Utah, where she earned a degree in Recreation Therapy. Her career as a Recreation Therapist has allowed her to work with at-risk youth since 2007. 

Erica made the best decision of her life by marrying her husband in 2005 and is currently a mother of three, one of whom awaits her in heaven. Erica also loves singing, reading, writing and satisfying her sweet-tooth with chocolate-chip cookies. Playing collegiate rugby was one of the most memorable experiences of her life, thus far. 

Erica's first book, Lingering Echoes, was signed by Clean Teen Publishing and is scheduled to release in early November 2013. 

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