I have been dreading posting this guest post on my blog just as much as this author had a hard time writing it. This amazing author was the first author I featured here on Ali's Bookshelf with her amazing books and now its time to say goodbye to the characters I love in these books.
Below is Author Michele Richard's words and a glimpse into her next book!
Enjoy!
This has been without a doubt the hardest guest post to write. It's literally tortured me for weeks. Ali's question coupled with the fact that I feel like I am not only saying goodbye to two of my characters, who have become like two of my children, has made it the most difficult by far.
Ali has been reading my books from the very beginning of my career. She was amongst the first to review my works. In effect I feel like I am also saying goodbye to the bloggers who have been with me since the beginning of the Mocked by Faith Trilogy. Sure many will still be with me as I move forward, but it will be for different books.
Mocked by Faith was my first leap into showing my writings to others. Until I braved up and entered it into a contest with Mocked by Destiny, I hid my love of writing. Those who know me, know I am not one who says here is my next bestseller. I always worried that my new novel would be my downfall. Truth is: it's just steppingstone on my way through life.
When an author says to me they're afraid of what people are going to think, I can't help but smile. Most of the time the stories are so well received the author is left stunned. So there is my advice to those who are struggling to share their works: you will never know until you do it.
So — how does it feel to finish up the Mocked by Faith trilogy with affirming the Faith? It's gut wrenching. A piece of me is left on those pages between the covers. I've laughed, loved, and cried with them through every huddle they've had to overcome. Justin and Alexia are always in my heart and head. So in honor of Ali being the last blog to host it, I am going to give you a peek at my next Mocked by series book. Mocked by Silence is a spin off of Mocked by Faith; however, it will stand alone as Raphael is taking over his own life and disability.
Mocked by Silence: Shoving the glass door to the arboretum open, I howled into the air. I’d run from the one person who understood me. Not just my sign language; Giselle knew me more than any other person outside of my family. It wasn’t until I felt Jayden’s hand on my shoulder did I realize I’d dropped to my knees in the grass. “Raph, you can’t run from it.” “Jayden, you don’t get it! What if I do it wrong? What if I hurt her? I want her so bad it hurts my soul.” Shaking his head, he signed, “Raphael, you won’t. God instilled the instinct to procreate. That means: she wants this just as much as you do.” “You don’t know that! I won’t be able to see her hands, hear her if she wants me to stop, or . . .” “When she screams your name?” “Yeah. This is not the first time in my life I wished I could hear like everyone else.” “Raphael, you are such a beautiful soul. Do you really think you could hurt her? You have waited for so long to have her as your own. There is no way you will mess this up. Now watch my face. When she looks like this it hurts,” It was clear by the pained expression what he was showing me. “but if she looks like this.” Jayden’s brow knitted and his lips formed an O shape. “then you are doing it right. But most of all this,” He pointed to his face again, “this mixed with her inner walls clenching around you . . . that’s when you know you did it right.”
Thanks so much Michele for everything you have done for me and for writing the amazing books that you write and share with all of us. If you haven't read her books, please head over and do so right away.
