In a Flash: Sneak Peek {unedited}
Meet Katie's next assignment from Karma. Adrienne Thorne.
Adrienne Thorne pulled into the well-manicured parking lot at Aura Cove High School and parked her reliable Camry in the designated spot. She pulled her bag and the pyrex container she filled with fresh baked banana nut muffins from the backseat and walked in the darkened school. She was often the first one in and the last one to leave and over the last seven years as principal, the school had quickly become her second home.
Dressed in a cobalt blue power suit with a pencil skirt that hit just below the knee of her long legs, the converse sneakers on her feet made her more approachable to students. They were also infinitely more comfortable than the heels she stashed in her back pack for the meeting with the school board later that evening. At forty-seven her classic beauty still turned heads, and she knew how to dress herself to play up her attributes. Thanks to good genes, an efficient metabolism, and a natural knack for makeup application, she easily passed for early thirties.
Juggling her keys and the muffins, she swiped her key card to open the door at the faculty entrance. She quickly navigated the darkened halls with ease and turned on the lights in the main office, taking the time to set a warm muffin on a napkin in front of her secretary’s computer. She pulled out the Thank You card she’d hand written and set it in front of the muffin. Dory Miller was an invaluable member of her staff and Adrienne never missed an opportunity to appreciate her hard work.
Desperate for caffeine, she stumbled into the teacher’s lounge and made herself a steaming mug of breakfast blend that she brought back to her office. She sipped it slowly savoring the final moments of calm before the storm of students would rush through the doors before classes would begin.
She tucked an thick chunk of her blond highlighted hair behind her ears as she logged into her computer to take a look at her email and drummed her red lacquered fingernails on the desk as she culled through the thirty-three emails she’d been sent since seven p.m. last night.
A few minutes later Dory arrived and ducked her head Adrienne's office, holding the muffin aloft, “Thank you.”
“You're welcome. I know who keeps this school running and my schedule manageable. I never want you to ever feel you contribution around here is unappreciated.”
“You’re the best boss I’ve ever had.” Dory said. Her gray hair was pulled into a bun at the base of her neck and she was wearing a conservative blue cardigan sweater with a long skirt. She pulled the liner from the muffin and look a bite murmuring with pleasure. “You know, if this principal gig doesn’t work out, you would have a real future as a baker.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” Adrienne grinned as she checked the watch on her wrist. She spent the next ten minutes prioritizing her schedule and at precisely seven fifty five, she walked to the front entrance of the school and stood in the sun soaked atrium. A few minutes later, like a well-oiled machine, a bright yellow school bus yawned open its door and a flood of teenagers made their way to the front entrance, moving slowly as they started down at their phones in the palms of their hands like zombies.
Hope you enjoyed this first peek! In a Flash is book five in the Midlife in Aura Cove Series and is filled with twists, turns, and relatable humor. I cannot wait to share it with readers.
Hawt Flash is finding readers all over the world!
- Milwaukie, Oregon
- Santa Clarita, California
- Saskatchewan, Canada
- Dayton, Ohio
- Austin, Texas
- Meridian, Idaho are just a few places who discovered the series in the last week!
What Readers Say:
"Hawt Flash is full of amazing characters. There is Arlo, Katie's rescue dog, and only man in her life, who talks. Her best friend Frankie, whose sassy mouth and uncouth sexual innuendos, make her a perfect counterpart to sugary sweet Kate.
Only a truly creative and gloriously funny writer could come up with Frankie's love interest, Harrison (Harry) Willey! I laughed until I couldn't breathe when Harry and Frankie first met! Blair Bryan redefined the meaning of "meet cute" with that scene.
I especially enjoyed Katie's ball-busting lawyer, Davina. Why is it when male snarky divorce lawyers pin their opponents to the wall, they are shrewd but when women nail them they are bitches and shrews? Blair Bryan threw away the mold when she created Davina. We need more Davina's in our lives!
Let's not forget the two other members of Kate's magical family triad, her great-great grandmother Zoya, and her grandma Yuli. The two matriarchs are so well-developed I could swear I heard their Ukrainian accented English and saw their picturesque manner of dress in whatever scene they showed up."
Hilarious Revenge is My Specialty!
Midlife in Aura Cove is feel-good fantasy. It's not heavy hitting literature that will tear your heart out and make you cry. It's a light hearted romp with relatable characters you will fall in love with. Here's a peek of what is waiting for you in Hawt Flash: Midlife in Aura Cove 1.
Currently Writing: The Outline for the FINAL Book in the Midlife in Aura Cove Series. Flash of Love.
PRE-ORDER FLASH OF LOVE NOW for Early Access in September 2024. Available Worldwide Wherever Good Books Are Sold on Oct 1, 2024.
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