Time to crank up the promo

Forgive me readers for I have sinned. It has been many, many weeks since my last confession blog post.

Howdy! How are you?

I don't know where time is going these days. One minute I only had a few chapters written , the next I was typing 'The End' and contemplating life without Craig and Amber. I feel like a mother waving my child off into the big wide world and fearing I will never see them again. They have been my life for the past twelve months, talking to me even when I told them to shut the eff up because I needed to sleep.

But here I am just a few days away from the big Silver Dove cover reveal and only weeks away from release. So, as it's Teaser Tuesday, I thought I'd share the Prologue with you. I hope you enjoy!

Silver Dove 

Copyright: E.J, Shortall 2014

Coming 28 October 2014

Amber - Aged 7

“I can’t do it, James. I just can’t do it.” My plimsoll clad foot kicked out at my pink and silver bike that was, yet again, lying in a scratched up mess next to me. “It’s stupid and I’ll never get the hang of it,” I huffed and dropped my forehead onto my scraped and throbbing knee.

James, my older brother by six years, crouched down beside me. “Hey, don’t beat yourself up kiddo. You’ll get this, I promise,” he reassured me in that soft, calming tone of his that was reserved only for me. “What is it Mum says… If at first you don’t succeed-”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” I mumbled cutting him off. I used James’s outstretched hand to help pull me to my feet and then reluctantly reached down to pick my bike up for the fiftieth time that day. For three weeks James had been trying to teach me how to ride my bike without stabilizers. The trouble was I had no sense of balance and as soon as he let go of my seat I would wobble, panic and then fall off. Of course the other boys down the street always thought it was funny and would stand there and laugh at me. That just made me more nervous, knowing they were watching, and so I could never just relax like James wanted me to do.

“This time Ambs, I’m not going to tell you when I let go, okay? Ignore the idiots and focus on keeping your handlebars straight and your eyes forward. You can do this. I know you can do this.” I looked up at James as I climbed on the bike and smiled. James always made me smile. It didn’t matter what was happening, how sad or angry I got, James always made me smile.  He was more than just my big brother, he was my hero.

“Are you ready?” he called out as I grabbed the handlebars and focused on old Mr Peterson’s yucky brown car parked down the street. With my eyes narrowed and focused on my target, I started peddling. James ran with me shouting out words of encouragement as I sped up with a determination that this time I would make it, I would ride my bike all by myself. I can do this. I can do this, I kept repeating to myself as I got nearer to the old car.

“Keep going, Ambs, you can do it,” James shouted but he sounded too quiet, in the distance. I immediately sensed he wasn’t holding onto the back of my seat anymore and began to wobble.

No, no, no Amber, you will not fall again. I tried, I really tried to keep those handlebars straight and make sure I sat up upright to keep my balance but as soon as Soot, Mrs McGreggors Scottish terrier, ran up to the gate and started yapping, my concentration faltered and I fell. My bike crashed to the ground, again, and I landed with a thud. A jagged stone cut into my knee and the pain was so bad I burst into tears, crying like a baby.

Simon and Eric were sitting on Eric’s wall laughing at me as I sat there sobbing, embarrassed I’d fallen yet again, angry at myself for having fallen yet again, and in pain from scraping my knees, yet again. James ran up to me and wrapped his arm around my shoulder. “What are you two laughing at?” he growled and they immediately shut up.

“We, um, just-” Eric stuttered.

“Shut up! If I hear you, either of you, laughing at my kid sister again I swear I will punch you so hard. You hear me?” I peered out the corner of my eye as both Simon and Eric swallowed hard and with wide eyes nodded their heads. They knew not to mess with James. They knew he would follow through on his promise. “Good! Come on Ambs, let’s get you indoors. I think you’ve had enough for today.”

James helped me to my feet, wiped my tears and, pulling my bike along by the handlebars he walked me back home.

“What happened to you?” Mum said rushing over to me when we stepped indoors and she heard my sobbing.

“She fell again.” I hiccupped on a sob as Mum lifted me onto the counter and inspected my scraped knees. “She’s getting better though, right Ambs?” James continued. I didn’t agree. I couldn’t. I wasn’t sure I would ever be able to pick it up.

“Wait there sweetie, let me get some antiseptic and plasters and make you all better.” Mum smiled brightly and rubbed my cheek before walking off to get the first aid kit.

I hiccupped again and swung my legs against the cupboards. “When I grow up, I want a husband just like you.”

James laughed. “Oh yeah? Like what? Handsome and strong?”

I shook my head. “No, nice. I want a husband who helps me up when I fall down and who will shout at the mean boys who laugh at me.”

James’s laughter stopped and he looked at me like I was his sun, lighting up his world.

“And you will sweetheart. You will,” Mum said returning with a smile and the first aid box.