Dianne Hartsock
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GENRE: psychological thriller
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:
Alex is twenty and confused. He always is. The world presses on him with its horrors and pain, with scintillating auras that bewilder his eyes and drive the migraines deeper. He hears the cries of the children, sees the brutal images of tortured victims. He feels out of control and his mind slips…
Severely abused as a child, he is left with horrible scars on his body and even worse scars within his mind. Even though it puts him in danger, he’s compelled to help those who call to him. He’s driven, motivated by his visions to rescue them and hopefully uncover the killer. When he can, he helps the police; yet some detectives suspect he’s involved. Often, Alex finds himself alone and afraid in a world he doesn’t always understand.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT
He glanced up in bewilderment. The sea of faces startled him. He sought out Jane and she moved to his side, placing herself between him and the classroom. She ran her fingers over the charcoals. “What’s next?”
He took a shaky breath and picked up a gray so light it appeared almost white against the bold lines. Gardinar motioned for silence and quietly wrote the shades of charcoal on the board as Alex used them. In time, he became absorbed in his work and forgot anyone was watching. His hair slipped in his way, but he impatiently pushed it behind his ears. His gaze narrowed as he tried to capture the essence of the burnished copper.
The class watched spellbound as the random lines came together and the pot took shape, only more vibrant and warmer than the original, as if lit from within; the copper shown like fire. In minutes, the main body of the pot was finished. Alex added a few sharp lines above it, and then suddenly recalled himself. He stepped reluctantly away from the projector.
“I guess I got carried away.”
Gardinar carefully lifted the sketch to the counter. “Not at all. Thank you for the demonstration. You can finish this on Wednesday.”
The students applauded and he smiled awkwardly.
Jane came to his rescue and slipped an arm through his. Gardinar turned to his class. “I have an announcement. This lovely couple has just become engaged.” He waited through a smattering of applause. “Unfortunately, the engagement ring was lost near the forest. I suggest a field trip to help them find it.”
The lively voting was unanimous and the students filed out. The brunette who’d spoken earlier sidled up to Jane as they crossed the parking lot and began chatting good-naturedly to her.
“Excuse me, Alex…Mr. Elson.”
Alex turned to look into a pair of amber eyes so light they appeared almost golden. His hair caught Alex’s eye as they walked toward the trees. It was bleached almost white and shone in the sun; the ends sweeping his shoulders were a striking blue. “Yes?”
“Call me Kyle,” the young man said, then sketched an impudent bow. “Kyle Bronsin, at your service.”
Alex rubbed at an ache starting in his temple as the radiant colors of Kyle’s aura bewildered him. “Did you need something?”
Kyle laughed softly. “I’m impressed with your work. You’re amazing. I wonder if you would look at some of my sketches sometime.” His full lips twitched. “I’d like your opinion.”
“I’ll be here Wednesday evening if you’d like to bring them by,” he said diffidently.
“That would be wonderful. Thank you.” The admiration in the man’s gaze was disconcerting. Alex glanced away and found Gardinar giving them a hard stare. He was glad when they reached the woods and the group spread out.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Dianne grew up in one of the older homes in the middle of Los Angeles, a place of hardwood floors and secret closets and back staircases. A house where ghosts lurk in the basement and the faces in the paintings watch you walk up the front stairs. Rooms where you keep the closet doors closed tight at night. It’s where her love of the mysterious and wonderful came from. Dianne is the author of m/m romance, paranormal/suspense, fantasy adventure, the occasional thriller, and anything else that comes to mind.
She now lives in the beautiful Willamette Valley of Oregon with her incredibly patient husband, who puts up with the endless hours she spends hunched over the keyboard letting her characters play. Dianne says Oregon’s raindrops are the perfect setting in which to write. There’s something about being cooped up in the house with a fire crackling on the hearth and a cup of hot coffee in her hands, which kindles her imagination.
Currently, Dianne works as a floral designer in a locally-owned gift shop. Which is the perfect job for her. When not writing, she can express herself through the rich colors and textures of flowers and foliage.
Blog: https://diannehartsock.wordpress.com/
FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/diannehartsock
FaceBook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/diannehartsockbooks/?show_switched_toast=1&show_switched_tooltip=0&show_podcast_settings=0
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4850270.Dianne_Hartsock
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diannehartsock/
JMS Books: https://www.jms-books.com/dianne-hartsock-c-224_445/alex-p-4993.html
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/alex-dianne-hartsock/1104468927?ean=9781685506599
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/alex-76
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1519070
No comments:
Post a Comment