Good Morning Friends!
Although this is not part of the Rocking Summer Romance blog hop, I am so pleased to bring you a guest post by my friend and fellow Pelican Book Group author, EA West!
Like Jezebel Smith, the main character in my new YA novel
DIFFERENT, I was an undiagnosed autistic child. I didn’t receive my diagnosis
until I was an adult, so I spent a lot of time wondering why I never fit in and
why I always felt so different from everyone else. Those feelings along with
the impaired social skills that go with autism made it difficult for me to make
friends... with people.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved animals. I grew up with all kinds of pets, from dogs and cats to guinea pigs and mice. While I struggled to connect with others my age, I could always count on my furry friends to love me unconditionally. They understood me, and I understood them. If I had a bad day, they made me smile. When I had exciting news I longed to share with someone, my animal friends were more than happy to listen.
Although I had a few human friends, the animals held a
special place in my heart. I didn’t have to pretend with them. I could be as
weird as I wanted or needed to be, and they never judged me. Even now, one of
my best friends is my dog Paisley. She’s almost always by my side. If I need a
hug, she’s more than willing to give it. And she’s always ready for playtime,
which improves even the worst days.
Animals make great companions for anyone, but for those of
us who are different for one reason or another, they can be some of the best
friends we’ll ever have.
E.A. West, award-winning author of sweet and inspirational
romance, is a lifelong lover of books and storytelling. In high school, she
picked up her pen in a creative writing class and hasn’t laid it down yet. When
she isn’t writing, she enjoys reading, knitting, and crocheting. She lives in
Indiana with her family and a small zoo of pets. Find more about EA at the following places....
Anything can happen when the rules change.
Jezebel Smith is different. She can’t talk, she doesn’t look
like anyone in her family, and no matter what she does it’s always the wrong
thing. God accepts her for who she is, but He’s the only one who does. Then she
finds an unconscious man in her favorite cave, and her life is turned upside
down. New people and new rules collide with the old, leaving Jezebel unsure of
which set of rules apply to her life. When the strangers in town attempt to
help her out of the nightmare she’s grown up in, it promises to change her life
forever.
Excerpt
As they
approached the house, a man stepped out of the truck, and a shaggy black and
white dog followed him. The dog immediately ran toward Peter and Jezebel. It
slid to a stop in front of her and gave her a thorough sniffing. She smiled and
knelt to rub the dog’s head as Peter chuckled.
“I think he
likes you.”
Jezebel
nodded and continued to pet the dog, who licked her chin and wagged his tail.
Shoving the dog’s snout away from her face, she noticed the man join them with
a smile.
“Sparky, be
a good boy. No licking her face.”
The dog
plopped his rear end on the ground and sat panting in Jezebel’s face. She
leaned away from his smelly breath and smoothed his soft fur as she studied the
man before them. He had dark hair like her and wore jeans and a light blue
shirt. A quick glance revealed he had green eyes, and then she focused on the
dog again.
“Roger, I’d
like you to meet Jezebel,” Peter said.
“Hi. I’m
glad to meet you,” he said. Jezebel stood and moved closer to Peter as Roger
continued. “Sparky’s already introduced himself, and I can tell he likes you.
He’s a border collie, by the way, so don’t be surprised if he starts trying to
herd you.”
“Let’s go on
up to the house,” Peter said, and they moved in that direction.
Sparky stayed by Jezebel’s side, and she was glad for his
company. She preferred animals to people because they were less confusing, and
she found them comforting.
Well folks, hope you enjoyed this Tuesday Treasure. Stay tuned for more Thursday Thoughts, Saturday Spotlight and check back often for more Rocking Summer Romance reads!!
Until later... Take Care & God Bless!
PamT
