Excerpt from FOR EVERLY by Raine Thomas

Today I thought I'd fill folks in on what I've been doing lately. My last release, Elder (Firstborn Trilogy #3), came out on December 27th. After promoting that for a couple of weeks, I put on my publisher's hat and focused on the launch of Marilyn Almodovar's debut novel, Interred (Chronicles of the Interred #1) on January 22nd.

That pushed me into February without having written a word. I fully planned on writing a YA or NA futuristic thriller novel about a male protagonist named Parish. He talks to me every so often, whispering plot ideas. But the fact was that I couldn't get into building his futuristic world. There were so many unanswered questions that I got overwhelmed.

Enter Everly and Cole.

Right alongside Parish, Everly Wallace and Cole Parker liked to pop up and tell me about their story...a New Adult Contemporary Romance involving a 22-year-old student pursuing her doctorate in physical therapy and a 24-year-old professional baseball player trying to save his career. I tried to tell them that I had no intention of writing that genre. They wouldn't listen.

Now, 70,000 words later, their story is nearly ready to be read. I committed to a photo shoot for the cover only yesterday, and I'm so excited about it! I've never had a custom-made cover before. This will be an experience.

For now, I thought I'd share an excerpt from the novel, titled For Everly. Please note that this excerpt hasn't been edited in any way and is subject to change before publication. I hope you'll let me know what you think

For Everly - Chapter 1

Cole knew when he hit the first curb that he’d had too much to drink. He cursed as he jerked the wheel to bring the car back into the correct lane, nearly swiping a garbage can on the dark residential street. Pain shot through his shoulder as he righted the wheel, generating a more vicious curse.

You dumbass! The thought penetrated the haze coating his mind. Don’t ding the Maserati.

Focusing intently and clutching the wheel until his knuckles went numb, he registered he was less than a mile from home. He wanted to get there before he ended up with a DUI. Management would likely bench him for half the coming season if he screwed up like that.

His marinating brain decided this meant he should go faster. Get home quick before getting caught. He picked up speed, weaving along the back streets leading to his house. Thank God the downtown Atlanta nightclub was less than five miles from home.

Just as his driveway came into sight, the glaring lights of an oncoming car pierced his windshield. He slammed on the brakes and swerved to avoid the collision. The Maserati hit a patch of ice. The world spun as the other car passed without impact.

The last thing Cole registered was the large bulk of a magnolia tree speeding toward him and the fleeting thought that his beloved car was about to get much more than a ding.

Inspiration for Cole

Inspiration for Everly