Forget Me Not Sneak Peek & Progress Update

Happy Monday, and welcome once again to new readers and followers! I received edits back for Forget Me Not from my proofreader, Rachelle Rea, last week, and I've started incorporating them (just barely, but I plan to dive in more fully this week!). This round of editing should be much shorter than the previous round because, while I do plan on adding/rewriting a bit, I don't think I'll be rewriting huge chunks like last time. My goal is to have an e-ARC ready to send to reviewers sometime next week - so if you are a blogger who would like to be part of the blog tour and review the book, please feel free to e-mail me at amberstokes@editingthroughtheseasons.com. I should be sending out formal invites soon, as well. After that, it should just be one more read-through (aloud, to catch errors otherwise "unheard") before I can start the publishing process for the e-book format and send the manuscript to my formatter (Lena Goldfinch) so she can prepare the paperback version. We're getting there!

Forget Me Not is even shorter than Bleeding Heart... The first draft was in the low 60Ks, but after rewrites and edits, it's dropped to the low 40Ks, and I don't think it will grow much in this next stage of editing. So, you can consider it either a very short novel or a novella - take your pick! My hope is that either way you'll find it to be a tight, focused story that doesn't require a huge time commitment to read, but still leaves an emotional impact and some thought to ruminate on after you close the book.

Want a glimpse into the story? Here's a snippet from Chapter 1:

***

Clear Creek Canyon, Colorado 
Summer 1885 

Forgotten. The word echoed on the wind through the ponderosa pines, brushing across David’s shoulders and thoughts in cold sweeps. He tugged his hat lower over his forehead and sank into his coat, letting Liberty lead the way home. His quarter horse weaved between the trees, her white and black splotches ducking in and out of dusk's shadows. David stroked the horse’s neck, more for his own sake than hers. Her warmth and the creak of the shifting saddle took away some of the sting of the wind’s whispers.

Forgotten. The word seemed more potent at this time of day, when the moon and stars desperately absorbed the light of the sun before the rays completely disappeared from the sky.

Forgotten. The word came on bursts of air like the pulsing smoke of a departing train. The feeling of being left behind was never assuaged. It didn’t matter that he had forgotten once. They had forgotten him first and forever after.

Forgotten. If only it all was. But memories tugged at his collar and slipped cold deep beneath his skin.

Dear God, help me. The familiar prayer had barely risen in his chest before another plea caught his ear. He pulled on the reins and turned the horse’s head, glancing to his left. Into the canyon. A scream rose again, and he thought of the freezing water that came off the mountain and formed Clear Creek, winding its rocky way below.

***

You can read the book's blurb and find the "soundtrack" on the Forget Me Not site (link at the top of the page). I look forward to sharing this story of my heart with you very soon!