Home from Within
It’s the fall of ’82, and Jessica Turner has finally been set free, entering a public high school after being homeschooled. But her mother wears a frown and her father wears his Colt .45s, with a warning: no dating allowed. Seeking warmth, Jessica finds herself in a secret relationship with bad boy Paul Peterson. When the relationship–and Jessica’s pregnancy–are discovered, Paul will be dead by nightfall.
Seventeen years later Jessica and her daughter live a quiet life with horse farmer, Matt Johnson. Marriage is on the table but Jessica’s remorseful heart will not comply. When an unexpected death brings Jessica back home, she uncovers her father’s secrets and discovers that her true path in life, and love, are just a choice away.
Readers who enjoy Nicholas Sparks & Jodi Picoult will love this story.
“This was an emotional book as you are with Jessica as she tries to sort out her emotions in the present, and deals with what happened in the past. She has decisions to make that will not only affect her life, but the lives of others too. If you are wanting a book that looks at life and love a bit differently, then I can definitely recommend this book.“
– Merissa at Archaeolibrarian I Dig Good Books!
“For me, Home From Within transformed into one of those books that had me wanting to scream both in happiness and anger, throw it across the room, and at the same time sob a bit. Nothing about this tale turned out to be what I had come to expect. It kept me second guessing the entire time and I would like to thank the author for reminding me a well written love story doesn’t always have to include a predictable ending.”
– Kristy Centeno
“Engaging characters with an enticing story. This is the perfect book to curl up with, love and tears.”
– Mary, Amazon Customer
“This book takes you on a deep journey through life, love, lies, pain, and happiness that shape who we become and how we choose to understand ourselves and those who surround us. Great read!“
-Joyce, Amazon Customer
“Once I started reading this, I couldn’t stop. I stayed awake all night to finish this book. I actually did some crying throughout while I read. This is one of the best books I’ve read in a long time.“
– Kindle Customer
“This book was well written, heartfelt and took me on an emotional journey with some unexpected twists along the way!“
-Robert, Amazon Customer
Chapter One
I have secrets that need to be forgiven, Jessica thought, staring into the darkness of her bedroom. She sat with her knees tucked under her chin, tented in bedding that was slowly letting out the warmth. The yellow glow from her bedside clock read 3:06 a.m. Jessica glanced at Matt and noticed that he never flinched when her alarm went off. They had been sharing the same bed for many years, but sometimes she hardly knew he was there.
Wrapping her arms around herself she shuffled toward the bathroom at the end of the hall, flipping on the night-light next to the sink so she could take a hot shower in relative darkness. Cranking open a small window she drew a deep breath allowing the smell of fresh dew, hay, and pine to swirl inside her nose.
A faint light shone from the bulb above the stove as she ate oatmeal in the kitchen. Various songs from her past kept flooding into her consciousness and Jessica tried to distract herself by focusing on the mundane thoughts of the morning, but that only made the songs louder. And behind the songs were voices that did not want to stay buried under her secret armor any longer.
Jessica had been able to keep her feelings about the death of her first love, Paul, buried deep. And down deeper were the memories of her father holding those damn Colt .45s that served as judge and jury for young lovers sneaking around. Jessica believed the ache in her chest would go away with time; however, it had been seventeen years.
But last night, while channel surfing, she stumbled upon the classic eighties movie, Purple Rain, starring Prince. She could not stop herself from watching despite the movie ending at midnight. Caught in a whirlwind of euphoric recall; remembering the excitement of sneaking out with her best friend, Marilee, and going to see the movie. How the sex scene jump-started her adolescent hormones. She spent countless hours daydreaming of Paul singing, “The Beautiful Ones” to her as an ode to loving her so desperately and not wanting to lose her to another. The intensity at the end of the song made her feel alive.
The songs in the movie evoked feelings in her that were a mixed bag of good and guilt. Usually those memories were ones she could bury, not wanting love and death to overpower her again. But not this time. She allowed herself to remember some of them, resurrecting other memories she could never forget.
Excerpt fromThe Story Behind the Book
“The inspiration for the book came to me during my senior year in high school, (which was a very long time ago.) A friend got pregnant and decided to keep the baby and get married once she graduated high school. As the writer’s mind often wanders into the “what if,” I wondered what would have happened if the father of her child did not know she was pregnant, because she was whisked off in the middle of the night and sent to live with relatives far away. And, after many years, the father discovers that he has a child by the girl/woman he loved (and never stopped loving) from his youth. But, they are both in committed relationships with other people, so where does that leave them, or their child?”
Excerpt from The Writer’s Life eMagazine
“The premise for Home from Within came to me during my senior year in high school, (which was a very long time ago.) A friend got pregnant and decided to keep the baby and get married once she graduated high school. As the writers mind often wanders into the “what if” I wondered what would have happened if the father of her child did not know she was pregnant, because she was whisked off in the middle of the night, and sent to live with relatives far away. After many years, the father discovers that he has a child by the girl/woman he loved from his youth. But, they are both in committed relationships with other people, so where does that leave them, or their child? I love a great love story and the hardships in navigating between the head and the heart. My novel is that journey of mapping out a path to connect the head and the heart.”
