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Girl Behind The Veil-Chap 1
Hello, you amazing humans! It’s been a while. I know I’ve been MIA. But, such is life at times. It moves way fast…so fast, it’s hard to keep up at times.
Quick update on my writing adventures. I’m planning to republish my Chaysing Trilogy in paperback form as an indie author. I’m currently going through it and changing some things a bit. I’ll have my amazing cover designer make some minor changes. Hopefully, I’ll have the books available in paperback form by the end of the year. Fingers crossed!
In the meantime, I wanted to share Chapter One of Girl Behind The Veil. I’m really proud of this story, so I hope you like it.
The Mission
Kaden
My assignment was simple. Buy the girl and get out. It shouldn’t be too difficult since I’d been in much more dangerous missions than this. Piece of cake.
Besides, being in the Special Forces for the United States government had trained me well to perform under pressure. At the age of twenty-five, I was one of the younger soldiers in my unit. But I had more than proved my worth. Not only was I picked for this assignment because of my age, but I was one of the top combat and weaponry agents, as well as being fluent in four languages.
I was disguised as Pier Silvani, a wealthy son of a very successful Italian businessman. Pier had a reputation of getting what he wanted, even if he had to break the rules to get it. It made me sick how many human trafficking operations existed in the world. These evil men found ways to obtain the innocent girls in their possession and sell them to the highest bidders.
I rode in the back of the Jeep while the two Pakistani men with their guns in their hands sat in the front. They had picked me up from my hotel couple of hours ago and were bringing me to check the girls out in person. I was well aware that I was at a complete disadvantage with no weapons of my own. I wasn’t even allowed to bring a cell phone with me.
Typically, I wasn’t assigned to such missions, but this one was different. Apparently, they had kidnapped the wrong girl. It looked like this girl I was to save was somebody important. I was never informed of her father’s identity, but was told he was a big shot in the political world. As soon as he found out his daughter was missing, he contacted the right connections with enough influence to have my team be brought in to find her.
Once it was determined that this human trafficking organization had kidnapped her three weeks ago while she was shopping at a bazaar, we were given strict instructions to keep it all very simple. I would act as a client, buy her from the organization, and get her out. We would then see her safe to her father, and the mission would be completed.
I only hoped that she never told her kidnappers her true identity. If they realized they had a goldmine in their hands, God only knew what they’d do to her. Even I wasn’t notified of much information about her. I was merely shown a picture of her and was told she was only nineteen years old. My unit hadn’t even told me her name.
Luckily, we had enough contacts to get me in as one of the potential clients. At first, I was given photographs of girls to choose from by the kidnappers. I wasn’t interested in any of the other girls, though. Sure, it would be pretty awesome to be able to save them all, but their fate was out of my hands. I was after the one and only—the girl with the beautiful, gray eyes.
Since my team had already shown me numerous photos of her, I recognized her picture immediately when it was presented to me. She had a hijab around her face, so her hair was completely covered, but her gray eyes were unmistakable. Whereas the other girls had cast their eyes down, this girl had stared straight into the camera with a look of defiance.
To keep it believable, I’d chosen four different girls out of the twenty pictures they’d shown me, one being the subject. Now, as we approached the compound—which appeared to be in the middle of nowhere in northern parts of Pakistan—my senses were on high alert. Already driving for two hours, there was nothing around us but vast land.
As we got closer, I noticed five different Jeeps parked, and two large tents were set up. I was guided into one of the tents by the driver and was ordered to stay there until further instructions. Knowing I was with no weapons in the middle of nowhere and responsible for saving somebody of great importance made my adrenaline pump even faster. But the fact that they believed I was very wealthy who liked to live on the edge helped me get this close to the subject.
When they brought the four girls into the tent, each was covered from head to toe in her traditional attire. Five men with guns were accompanying them. One of the men, who appeared to be their leader, approached me and shook my hand. He smiled as he pointed to the girls behind him. I smiled back, showing him I was looking forward to the business transaction.
“Welcome, Pier Silvani. I think you’ll be pleased with these girls, yes?” The man spoke in Urdu.
“Yes, very pleased,” I replied in Urdu. I wasn’t that good in the language, but I was able to wing it if needed.
“Shall we speak in English to make it easier for both of us?” he asked in a heavy accent.
“I would prefer it,” I agreed, being careful to speak with an accent as well. “Thank you.”
With a swift move, he approached each of the girls and pulled their garments off them. Four completely naked girls stood before me, and it took everything out of me not to react at their humiliation. As much as I wanted to cover the girls, I pretended to inspect each of them by circling around them. Some of the girls whimpered, some trembled out of fear, and all but one kept their gaze down to the ground.
I knew who the girl I was searching for immediately. She was the one who kept staring straight ahead, her lips drawn into a thin line, showing defiance. Her skin was as clear as a porcelain doll, and the contrast of her jet-black hair cascading against her snow-white body took my breath away. Her almond-shaped eyes were the most unusual color of gray, and I was certain that the depth in them could pierce one’s soul.
Whereas the other girls stood with their shoulders stooped forward, she remained erect with her shoulders and head held high. There was not a sound coming from her while she stood strong and held onto her pride. Even though her hands were rolled into tight fists and she kept her chin up, I could tell she was hanging on by a thin thread, holding onto any little dignity that remained.
An overwhelming urge to cover her with my own jacket from the prying eyes of the disgusting pigs snuck up on me. I wanted to protect this girl—a complete stranger—and whisk her away.
“Don’t worry, they’re all virgins. We inspected them.” The man laughed as if he was sharing some inside joke with me.
I forced myself to laugh with him and then pointed to the girl I was after. “I want her.”
“Ah, yes, she is special, yes? We call her Azmia. A beautiful girl, yes?” He approached her and smacked her on her bare bottom.
I saw Azmia close her eyes and clench her jaw, trying to keep herself together.
I stepped right in front of her and cupped her chin in my hand, forcing her to look at me. She stared deep into my eyes, daring me to make the next move. Leaning forward, I brushed my lips against hers ever so softly, causing the men to laugh and whistle. She, however, kept her lips tight, maintaining indifference to my kiss.
“Azmia,” I repeated the name. How fitting since Azmia meant brave. “Yes, very beautiful. I want her. Here’s the money you asked for.” I held out the briefcase containing $50,000 in cash.
The man grabbed the briefcase from my hand and opened it. Once satisfied of the content, he nodded. “Yes, you’ll enjoy this one. We have her papers and her new IDs for you. You should have no problems getting her out of the country.” He then turned toward his men and spoke in Urdu. “Cover the girls up and get this one ready to go. And keep your hands off her!”
I wasn’t surprised that he had to remind his men to keep their hands to themselves since it appeared they wouldn’t hesitate one bit to fulfill their wildest fantasies with her.
Within ten minutes, the girl named Azmia was sitting next to me in the back seat of the Jeep, covered from head to toe in her black garment. This time, the man who spoke English was riding in the front as a passenger, but the driver remained the same. They were supposed to take us to the airport in Islamabad where they believed my private jet was waiting for us. It was a three-hour drive, and if everything went as planned, we should be at the airport before sunset.
My goal was to just keep us safe for the next three hours, and then my assignment would be done. My team was already waiting for us at the airport, and they’d take over. They were supposed to check us in through the gates as if we were any other passengers to avoid suspicion. All I had to do was to get Azmia to that point. Once there, they’d get her to her father.
As we drove through a completely deserted road, I kept my eyes on the men in front of me. I was well aware that both of them had handguns attached to their waists. We had been driving for nearly half an hour, and I knew the nearest sign of any civilization was probably another hour away.
The men were talking amongst themselves and would occasionally say a couple of things to me. They were mostly making jokes about my time with my new girl. I humored them and laughed at their silly jokes. But when I heard a sudden pop from the side of the Jeep, I had a sinking feeling that we had a flat tire.
“What happened?” I asked.
The driver got out and answered to his boss in Urdu. “Flat tire, Sahib.”
I showed my irritation. “I don’t have all day. I need to get to my destination while it’s still daylight.”
“Oh, don’t worry,” the leader said to me in English. “The rest of my men are not far behind us. We’ll use one of those Jeeps to get you to the airport.” He grabbed the radio and spoke in Urdu to explain the situation. He then turned toward me again and said, “See, they’ll be here in twenty minutes.”
The driver entered his seat again while we all waited. My senses were so focused on the men that I didn’t notice when Azmia suddenly lunged toward me. Caught off-guard, she was instantly on top of me, punching and scratching.
Before I could take control of the situation, the leader jumped out of the Jeep and pulled her off me. Snatching her hijab off, he grabbed her hair and dragged her out of the vehicle. I leaped out as well, trying to calm everybody down. The driver had remained in the Jeep, waiting on the leader to handle the girl.
“I told you to learn your manners! He’s your master now!” The man screamed at Azmia in Urdu while shaking her like a rag doll. He pulled his gun out and held it to her face.
“Stop!” I ordered. “I can handle her. She’s mine now.”
“She has to be taught a lesson for her behavior,” the man replied back to me, shoving her to the ground.
Azmia landed hard, but only a soft whimper escaped her lips.
“I said, I’m her master now. She’s mine! I’ll handle her!” I kept my voice stern.
The man turned to me, taking in heavy breaths as if to calm himself down. “Fine! But I warn you, girls like this one must be controlled.” He then bent down to pull her up to a standing position. To my horror, he punched her on the side of her face.
As Azmia toppled down again, I could no longer hold back my fury. I dove forward, tackling him down. The impact caused him to drop his gun, and I took the opportunity to grab him in a chokehold. When I saw the driver stepping out of the Jeep, instincts took over. Without hesitating, I snapped the lead guy’s neck, and he lay limp in my arms.
I knew I had to act quickly as the driver ran toward us with the gun pointed at me. Everything happened all at once. The gunshot echoed into the deathly silence of the isolated road. The driver went down, and I realized Azmia had just shot him. She was standing still with the leader’s gun in her hand, her eyes wide with shock.
I stood up slowly, stepping toward her. When she pointed the gun at me, I raised my arms up, showing her I was harmless.
“It’s okay,” I said in English. “Do you understand English at all?”
She remained quiet, but continued pointing the gun at me.
“I’m here to help you.” I then spoke in my broken Urdu while I kept taking small steps toward her. “Your father sent me.”
A look of confusion crossed her face, and I took the opportunity to grab her wrist and snatch the gun out of her hand.
“It’s okay. I won’t hurt you.” I placed the gun on the waist of my pants and continued, “We have to go. The rest of the men will be here in no time.”
When I saw her trying to weigh her options, I moved quickly. I grabbed the driver’s gun and checked the back of the Jeep. Seeing the backpack, I breathed a sigh of relief when I noted the content in there. It had some water bottles, first aid kit, a knife, a military blanket, and some military rations.
“Bingo,” I whispered to myself. Placing my arms through the backpack, I turned to her. “Let’s go! We have to get out of here before the rest of them arrive. We have to go through the woods where they can’t follow us with their Jeeps.”
I was speaking in English because there simply was no time for me to try to figure out how to translate everything into Urdu.
“I killed a man,” she stated in Urdu, staring at the dead body.
“It’s okay. We must go.” There was no way I could deal with her mental state at the moment. I grabbed her arm and began running toward the tree lines.
Although Azmia still seemed to be in a state of shock, she ran alongside me. I held onto her arm to help set her pace. We needed to get as much distance as possible before the rest of them found their men dead.
Okay, folks. That’s all for now. I would love for you to read the rest. The story is really heartfelt and brings to light many real problems such as human trafficking, PTSD, cultural differences… Here’s the link: Amazon
Broken (Chap 1&2) from Loving You Hurts So Good
Hello, lovelies! Hope life has been good to you since my last post. I wanted to share my short story, Broken, with you all. It’s really a heart-felt story, and as a physical therapist, I’ve always been drawn to patients with spinal cord injuries. I will post a chapter every week (this one has two chapters since Chapter One was so short). Hope you enjoy. 🙂
Broken
Chapter One
“There’s a good chance you will never be able to walk again.”
The doctor’s words echoed in Jed’s mind. Back home with his parents in Texas, Jed couldn’t imagine the rest of his life in a wheelchair.
The doctor had went on explaining, “You’re lucky to be alive. They think the car that ran through the red light was going at least seventy miles per hour.”
Lucky to be alive? Jed would rather be dead than feel this helpless. Three months ago, the accident had left him with a spinal cord injury, paralyzed from waist down. The therapists kept insisting since it wasn’t a complete spinal cord injury, and he had some movement and sensations in his legs, he shouldn’t give up hope.
The shock of this drastic change in his life had done a number on him. Even with his parents’ support and his sister’s encouragement, it was impossible for Jed to not fall into depression.
Today, though, he couldn’t spend all day in his bed. His agent, Nick Tasky, was flying in from Los Angeles to check on him. Through rehabilitation, he had learned to perform basic, everyday tasks. Forcing himself to get into his wheelchair, he propelled it to the bathroom to start his day.
When Nick finally arrived a few hours later, Jed was prepared for the lectures that were bound to come.
“You look great, man! You shaved for me?” Leave it to Nick to lighten up the mood.
“Okay, you caught me. I shaved for you because I didn’t want to hear your damn nagging.” Jed and Nick were sitting on his back porch, enjoying the Texas heat.
“Well, why else do you think I’d fly all the way down here and suffer in this hot weather?” Nick laughed, punching him on his arm.
“So, what’s up?”
“I want you to get your life together, man. You can’t just do nothing. You’re only twenty-nine years old. I told you over the phone to work on a new album through this experience. You know it would be a hit. The public is waiting to hear from you. Do you know how many fan letters and emails we receive every single day?”
“What the fuck, man! Did you notice I can’t walk?”
“So, that means your life is over? You are huge right now. You can still sing and play your guitar or the piano. Look, I just don’t want you to give up. I think your music may be therapeutic for you. I really believe it’s just what you need to heal.”
Jed took a sip of his iced tea and continued watching Jade, his Labrador Retriever, chasing after a squirrel. “I know you mean well, Nick. And I appreciate you coming out here to talk to me. I just need some time to figure things out. I’m lost right now.”
“Listen, you can just come back to LA with me. That’s where you belong, and you know it. You can continue your rehab there. I think being busy there will help to get you out of your funk.”
“I’m not ready for that. Like I said, I need some time to think about what the hell happened. And, to be honest, I need to be back here, home with my family.”
Nick sighed. “Okay, I get that. But, I refuse to watch you give up. You need to join a support group. At the very least, maybe see a psychologist. As your agent, I won’t allow you to throw your career away. As your friend, I won’t allow you to throw your life away.”
Jed remained silent, but a part of him knew Nick was right.
Chapter Two
Trina, Jed’s sister, and Nick got along instantly. When she suggested they go to the local bar to get a bite to eat later that evening, Jed didn’t know how to get out of it. He hadn’t been out since the accident, and he definitely didn’t feel like socializing—especially with anybody from this town. But, he didn’t want Nick alone with Trina since he knew firsthand about Nick’s reputation with women. Jed reluctantly agreed, making them promise they’d all be back in couple of hours.
Rocky’s Sports Bar had been the hangout spot years ago when Jed used to live here. As they pulled up, it looked like it was still the place to go. Immediately, Jed regretted the decision of coming here. He silently prayed he wouldn’t run into anybody from his past.
Once inside, they got a corner table, and Jed was happy that not only did he not recognize anybody, but nobody recognized him either. That was one thing he liked about this small town in Texas. The people were so wrapped up into their own lives and drama, they had no idea what was going on with the rest of the world.
When Trina excused herself to go to the bathroom, Jed turned to Nick. “Look, Nick. Stay away from my sister.”
Acting surprised, Nick said, “What are you talking about?”
“You know exactly what I’m saying. Don’t think I haven’t seen you flirting with her.”
Nick laughed. “Your sister is beautiful. What do you want from me?”
“Damn, Nick! That’s my little sister. I know how you treat women. I, of all people, should know.”
“You’re no saint, either, Jed. Actually, you may be worse than me. I’m pretty sure I had to deal with many women’s phone calls after you broke their hearts.”
Jed took a swig of his beer. “I’m not trying to bang your sister, though! Look, Trina is different, okay? She believes in love and all that crap. Plus, like I said, she’s my baby sister.”
“She’s one year younger than you, which would make her twenty-eight years old. Pretty sure she’s an adult, my friend. But, hey, I hear you loud and clear. Don’t worry, I’m leaving tomorrow anyway.”
Jed nodded, knowing Nick was true to his word. When he saw Trina returning to the table, he didn’t say anything further about it. He knew his sister was smitten by his ruggedly handsome friend, and he was glad Nick was leaving the next day.
The conversation between the three was easygoing, and Jed was actually beginning to relax. But, just that quickly the mood was broken, when he heard Trina say, “Oh my God! What’s Sage doing here?”
Instantly, Jed’s heart stopped beating. Sage? She was supposed to be out of the country. Why would she be here? He hadn’t seen her in years, and he certainly was not ready to see her at that moment.
Before he could figure out what to do, Trina was already standing up and waving her over. Jed’s fingers tightened into a fist around his bottle of beer. He knew he was holding his breath, hoping against hope that somehow Sage wouldn’t notice them.
The familiar voice penetrated into his deepest core. A wave of emotions collided into him, drowning him. He knew he had to quickly take control of himself before she reached them.
“Hey, Trina!”
“What are you doing here, Sage? When did you get back?” Trina asked, delighted to see her friend.
Without even turning around, Jed could feel her presence near him. His shoulders were suddenly tight, and he tried to slow his breathing down. How could this woman bring such emotions out of him after all this time?
“I just came back–maybe couple of hours ago. I tried to call your cell, but you didn’t answer.” Sage pulled Trina into her arms for a tight hug.
“My phone is buried in my purse, of course. Did you come here looking for me? How did you know I was here?” Trina continued to hold onto her friend.
“Of course I came here for you. You know you’re my only friend in this stupid town. I called your parents, and they told me I’d find you here.”
Jed was praying that somehow she wouldn’t notice him. She obviously hadn’t realized he was there yet. He just wanted her to disappear.
“Hello, I’m Nick.” Nick smiled and extended his arm for a handshake. “Would you like to join us?”
“Er, sorry, where are my manners?” Trina blushed, suddenly flustered. “Um, Sage, this is Nick, my brother’s agent.”
Sage’s friendly smile disappeared, and her face drained of color. Forgetting about Nick’s extended hand, she slowly turned her attention toward Jed. She took him in—his gorgeous face, his dirty-blond, messy hair, his blue eyes staring back at her with no emotions, and finally, his wheelchair.
When she didn’t say anything, Jed finally said, “Hello, Sage.” His voice remained guarded and indifferent.
As if that helped her get out of her trance, Sage nodded back. “Um, hey, Jed.” Turning her attention back to Trina and Nick, she said, “I actually can’t join you guys. I have to go.”
Without saying anything further, she raced out of the front door.
“Wow! What was that all about? I take it you guys have a history together?” Nick asked Jed.
Jed ignored his question, wanting nothing more than to leave and hide in the safety of his room.
“I’m sorry, Jed. Sage wasn’t due back for couple of weeks. If I had known, I wouldn’t have brought you here,” Trina mumbled, embarrassed by the entire encounter.
“It’s fine,” Jed said. “Are you guys ready to get out of here?”
Hope you enjoyed the first two chapters. More to come next week. If you want to read the full story, you can get it from Amazon. It’s also free on Kindle Unlimited. Link: here
As always, thank you for your support.
Girl Behind The Veil Cover Reveal
“Opposite worlds. An impossible dream. A forbidden wish.”
I’m so so excited to share this cover for Girl Behind The Veil. It totally captures what the story is about. I hope you guys love it as much as I do.
And, the best part? It’s available for preorder for a special introductory price of only 99cents! This is for limited time so get our copy now. I know you’ll love this story. Amazon link to preorder
Here’s the blurb:
His assignment is simple.
Buy the girl and get out.
Going undercover to catch the bad guys is nothing unusual for the American soldier, Kaden Reid.
But this time, it isn’t the bad guys he is after.
This time, he has to save the mysterious, gray-eyed girl behind the veil.
While visiting her father in Pakistan, Salena is suddenly kidnapped.
Three weeks in captivity.
Three weeks of torture.
Lifetime of invisible scars.
When the paths of two strangers from opposite worlds collide, their lives are irrevocably altered. Can they overcome not only the society’s barriers, but also their own inner turmoil? Can their hearts find the courage to fight for the forbidden dream?
Sense8 Continues (Fanfic Chap 1)
Since the announcement of Sense8 being cancelled, I’ve had a very difficult time focusing on my own work. I’m just one of those people who needs closure. If anybody has watched Sense8 on Netflix, you know how it ends. It was a crazy cliffhanger ending, and frankly, I just can’t let it go.
I’ve been standing by my Sensate family from all over the world, doing whatever I can to try to convince Netflix to renew it. I don’t know what the future will hold for Sense8, but damn, I’m still heartbroken.
To help find my own resolution, I’ve decided to write this fan fiction. Writing has always been therapeutic for me, so, hopefully, this will do the trick. I will post chapters on my website as I complete them.
This fanfic picks up right where the season finale ends in Season 2. Wolfgang is captured and the cluster has come together to try to rescue him. They end up taking Whispers and Jonas as their prisoners and Will’s last words to Whispers are, “You want war? We’ll give you a war.”
I have no idea where the brilliant writers intended this story to go, so I’ll just listen to the voices in my head and write my own version.
Disclaimer: I own no rights to Sense8 or the characters. I’m simply writing this fan fiction to provide some closure to myself as well as hopefully, some of the other die hard fans who are lost like me.
Chapter One
Still Alive
He was lying there, still tied up…barely awake, barely breathing. Kala could feel his every emotion—rage, pain, anxiety, and even fear. But she knew he wasn’t fearful for himself. No, he was frightened for his friends. He worried for his cluster he would die for. It no longer mattered to him what they would do to him, but he didn’t want the same fate for any of them…especially Kala. His Kala needed to live. She had too much to offer to the world.
Now that Whispers knew her identity, she was vulnerable. He had to kill Whispers. Damn it! That was the main thing that kept him alive right now. The only way to protect Kala was to terminate Whispers once and for all.
It would be so much easier to just let it all go. At least the pain would stop. He would finally be able to find some peace. Death would be welcomed. But no, he had to stop Whispers. He would endure all the agony and torture to protect her.
“Wolfgang.” Her voice was soft and full of concern and pain. She was here.
When he opened his eyes, he saw her tear-soaked face leaning toward him. He could barely speak, but he managed to mumble, “Kala, you can’t be here. They’re watching me. He knows you. Whispers knows you.”
“No, it’s okay! Shh, don’t talk. You must save your energy. But don’t worry. We have Whispers. Do you know where you are?” She touched his face, caressing it softly…the same way she would when she needed to feel him. To make sure he was there. The same way when she’d tell him how much she loved him without saying a word.
“No, I don’t know. What do you mean you have Whispers?” he asked. He wasn’t sure if he heard her right.
“I can’t say much because I don’t know how much they’re getting inside your head. But, Will has a plan. We’re going to get you out of here. I swear it. But you have to promise me something…promise you’ll hang on.” Kala was desperate. She knew the torture he’d endured was too much for anybody, even Wolfgang.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen, but you can’t come back here. Too dangerous.”
“Just promise me you’ll hang on. I need you to say it,” she insisted, squeezing his hand.
Wolfgang knew she wouldn’t leave until she got her way. “I promise,” he whispered.
Kala leaned forward and kissed him. “I love you. Remember that. I’m nothing without you. Come back to me, Wolfgang.”
Her lips lingered on his and he closed his eyes, cherishing this moment. He never thought he was capable of loving somebody like he loved her.
“Oooh, I see she’s here again.” Lila’s taunting voiced echoed in the room.
Wolfgang flung his head toward her. All he wanted was to wrap his hand around that pretty little neck of hers until her last dying breath.
“What is it?” Kala asked, immediately recognizing somebody else was in the room with them. “Is it Lila?”
Wolfgang remained silent, but pure hate was reflecting in his eyes. Finally, he turned to Kala and begged, “Just go. Please, you must go.”
Rage ignited inside her, and on impulse, she jumped into Wolfgang’s body. She needed to see the woman she hated so much.
“So, Wolfgang, I’m here to tell you that I’m going to find this love of your life and the rest of your cluster. When I do, you’ll get to watch me tear them apart, piece-by-piece. But first, your beloved will witness you and I making love. One way or another, you will be mine,” Lila continued as her hand travelled down his chest and rested at his groin. “You’ll see.”
Kala glared at her through Wolfgang’s eyes. “Over my dead body,” she promised.
Lila laughed, throwing her head back. “There’s not much you can do right now. Your words mean nothing because you see, Wolfgang, you’re the one who’s tied up and completely helpless.”
Kala continued to stare at her enemy straight into her eyes. “You will die, Lila. And I’m the one who’s going to kill you,” she swore.
Struggling to free herself, Kala tried to leap toward Lila. She’d never been a violent person, but right now, she wanted to suck the life out of the evil bitch.
“Kala, wake up! You’re dreaming.” Sun shook Kala when she saw her friend yelling and flailing about in bed.
Flinging her eyes open, Kala recognized the one bedroom apartment that had been their home in London for the past two days.
“He’s still alive,” she whispered, closing her eyes. “He’s still alive.”
Chaysing Dreams
Hello there!
This is a quick post to let you know that Chaysing Dreams is on sale this week for only 99cents on Kindle. The sale will end on Sunday, May 8th. This is the first of a trilogy, and it’s #1 Amazon best seller and a multi-award winning series.
Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Chaysing-Dreams-Trilogy-Book-ebook/dp/B00EMMQSO4
Chaysing Dreams has been awarded the gold medal from Readers’ Favorite International Book Awards in Romance Suspense. It has also received book of the month seal on multiple sites. This is a coming of age tale, but it’s also filled with plenty of romance and suspense.
Teasers
As always, thank you for your support! 🙂
My Perfect Imperfections Reviews
Reviews are starting to come in from the ARCs of My Perfect Imperfections! I am so excited to see these reviews! Humbled beyond words.
THIS.BOOK.OMG
I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
As soon as I learned what this book was going to be about, I knew it would amazingly beautiful. Once I got to actually read it… I was blown away. I will just say that I am a very emotional person…but not as a reader. I hardly cry with books. But I bawled my eyes out while reading and finishing this WORK OF ART. This isn’t just a romance, or a story about a girl with Cerebral Palsy. It is a story about hope, true love, real inspiration. It is a story that will open your eyes and your heart. It is one of those stories that helps put everything in perspective, and when you think you life has knocked you down…you get back up and say, I CHOOSE STRENGTH. I will remember this book for years to come, yes it is that beautiful and touching and most definitely real. -Amanda Walker Goodreads reviewer 5 stars
I am not quite sure where to start! This is not my normal genre, but having read Ms. Williby’s previous works (and loving them), I had to read this one as well. I loved everything about the book! It is hands-down one of the most touching stories I’ve ever read, and I’m so glad I did!
Lily is absolutely the strongest female lead I’ve ever read. What she goes through and overcomes is extraordinary. The supporting characters are also very strong, but Lily just blew me away. The way she is portrayed sheds new light on Cerebral Palsy and gave this reader great insight into the life of someone with CP. I still think about the characters and story even a few weeks after reading it.
You cannot go wrong with this book, no matter what genre you read. Jalpa Williby is also an author to add to your must-read list. Every book she writes, she grows stronger as an author. I just know her future works will be even more amazing!
I was provided an ARC copy of the book by the author in exchange for my fair and honest review. –Angie Martin (International Award-winning and best selling author) 5 star review!
My perfect Imperfections by Jalpa Wilby is by far one of the best book I’ve read not only this year, but in the last few years. I wish there was more than five stars to give it. It’s a breathtaking story of strength, love, and living life to the fullest each day. Lily Cooper is a strong, smart, and beautiful woman. She also was born with Cerebal Palsy. This in no way defines who she is. It’s Lily’s twin sister and best friend Layna, who helps Lily see that she has so much to offer. Their relationship is one of my favorite parts of the story. The connection they have gets them through everything. When Lily feels down because she thinks no boy will ever like her or ask her to a dance, Layna is there to tell her there will be someone. I don’t want to give anymore away about this story because the way it unfolds is masterfully done.
Over the course of this story you’ll be hit with so many emotions. Even now just thinking about this book, I can’t help but think about certain parts that stick out because of the range of emotions I felt. Above all that there is this incredible heroine Lily. Even though you know she has CP, you forget about it. She’s vibrant, witty, sarcastic at times, full of love, smart, beautiful, and makes sure to take each day as a gift.
The people she meets and the hope and chance at love, ties everything together so perfectly in this story.
Jalpa Willby does a superb job with this story. The detail, characters, and emotions she conveys so effortlessly in My Perfect Imperfections, is what makes this one of the best books of the year. She shines a light on how society looks at people with disabilities and shows that there is so much more. What she does best, is tell a story of love and strength that you will fall in love with and never forget.
*Note: I was given an ARC of this book by the author for an honest review. -Elena Cruz (blogger/reviewer) 5 star review!
I was given a copy of this book through a book blog I help run and I was hesitant to read it at first because it isn’t what I would usually read, BUT I am so glad I took the leap and read it. This story will rip your heart out, repair it and rip it out again. It leads you on am emotional roller coaster that you will not want to get off of. I highly recommend this for anyone who wants something different that the norm, or for anyone who is looking for a deep read, this book is definitely not light. -Christina Escue (blogger/reviewer) 5 star review
From the moment I first heard that the author was working on this book I was intrigued. As publication got closer and teasers and more information started coming out, I knew I had to read it. I found the idea of a girl with cerebral palsy as the heroine so refreshing. I was absolutely thrilled to receive an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
I have been trying to decide what to include in the review for days since I finished it. The 5 stars was a no brainer – it is a fantastic, deeply moving book that you will not soon forget no matter how much you read. I can honestly say I’ve never read anything quite like it, which is both refreshing and a sad statement on the overlooked in our society. A beautiful love story? Absolutely! Inspirational? Without a doubt. Heart-wrenching tear jerker? Definitely has that covered. I am not usually one to cry when I read, but this one tore me up. It should come with a jumbo sized box of tissue, even for the most cynical and jaded amongst us.
The writing itself is fantastic, from beautifully prosaic to brutally real, it is all carried in a lovely cadence. Between Jalpa’s unique voice and a wonderful job editing there is nothing to complain about stylistically. A wonderful, realistic romance with all the highs and lows that real life brings, but it is so much more than that as well. The heroine has disabilities that most of us cannot begin to understand, but the struggles of her heart are the same any of us have gone through. The struggles with her body, while heart breaking, are a true testament to the resiliency of the human spirit and so inspirational. No matter what you are struggling with, it will bring perspective. The knowledge of the technology available to help those with severe disabilities is woven in such a way that you do not realize how much you are learning at the time, but in retrospect you have to respect the author’s research/knowledge and skill in relaying the information to the reader in such a subtle way.
I do not feel I am really doing the story any justice with this review, but it comes with my highest recommendation to almost any audience. -LaDonna (Blogger/reviewer) 5 star review!
My Perfect Imperfections Preorder
Did you know My Perfect Imperfections is available for preorder? Release date is August 18th! Yikes! I’m nervous and excited at the same time. Here’s the link: http://www.amazon.com/My-Perfect-Imperfections-Jalpa-Williby-ebook/dp/B011H491IE
Oh, and here’s a special treat… My Perfect Imperfections trailer! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kw4dGuhtlB0
As always, thank you for your support. 🙂
Chaysing Destiny Chapter One
Chapter One
May 2030
The distant, shrilling screams and the deathly scent of smoke in the still of the night have me springing off of the tiny cot. I swiftly scan the small hut that’s been my home for the last couple of weeks. Snatching the clothes from the plastic container that’s placed in the corner, I quickly change into my baggy black pants and shirt. After putting on the ghutra around my head and wrapping the black scarf around my face with my hair pulled back, I’m confident that I can easily pass as a man.
The screams grow louder, and the footsteps scatter in panic. There’s something terrible happening out there, but I’m not too worried yet.
I’ve prepared for this.
I grab my knives and stick them in my boots and the side of my pants. As the stench of smoke invades me, I seize my gun and soundlessly slither out of the hut.
Fire.
The small homes and huts of the village are engulfed in angry flames. The villagers are screaming and running, trying to save their loved ones. I quickly assess the scene, suspecting that the fire must have been deliberately set.
Who the hell would do this?
And then I see them. Men in their Jeeps are yelling at the villagers, their guns drawn. I’ve heard of attacks like this. These men may be part of the radical rebel group that has been terrorizing the villagers and robbing them of little they possess. My gut tells me it must be the group, FILO, which Tom Sterns has warned me about. Sterns is still the leader of our special operation forces and my mentor, so I trust him completely. Instantly, my blood boils at the possibility that these rebels may have some direct or indirect involvement with Chayse’s death.
Don’t lose control, Tess.
I have to remain focused. I can’t let my emotions push me into making poor decisions.
My mind drifts to the little boys and girls I’ve been helping in the small medical clinic, and I silently sprint toward the homes to save the kids. I think about little Akbar and Sheyla, who have already gained a special place in my heart. The brother and sister’s hut is not too far from me. As I move closer, I helplessly watch the blaze consume their home. My heart crashes to the floor, and I pray they escaped.
Don’t panic, Tess. Think!
I hear wailing of a child. As my head spins toward the sound, I see a stranded little girl standing in the middle of the chaos, crying by herself. Where is her mother? And then I notice her. The mom is lying on the ground unresponsive and not too far from the toddler. I race to the girl and grab her, trying to bring her to safety. Holding her securely under my arms, I rush toward the clinic.
The girl is terrified, probably thinking I’m one of the men who attacked them. Unfortunately, I can’t stop to reassure her right now.
When I kick the door of the clinic open, somebody tries to hit me with a stick. Luckily, I block the strike easily and take the stick away with one arm while still holding the child with the other. Just as I’m about to pull my gun out, I notice it’s my assistant, Tanveer. I yank my scarf down to show him my face.
“It’s me! Dr. Johnson!” I yell. Sterns, who sent me on this mission, didn’t want me to use my real name. My identity in Iraq has been Dr. Karen Johnson.
He takes a step back in shock. “What is happening, Doctor? Why are you dressed like one of them?”
“I can’t explain right now. But you must trust me, okay? You have to take this little girl out of here. Her mother is no more. You can’t stay in here. I think you need to take as many people as you can and try to flee into the woods. Maybe you need to escape to the next village. They will probably set this clinic on fire as well. I’ll try to save as many people as I can, but you need to get a group going and get out of here. Do you understand?”
Staring at me in disbelief, he finally responds. “Yes. Okay, I understand. I will wait by the edge of the woods and see if more people come. They can meet me there, and we will escape together.”
“Okay, go now. I’ll tell whoever I can.”
“Wait, what about you?”
“I have to help them, Tanveer. I’m not leaving.” I then turn to the little girl who is still crying. In her native language, Arabic, I gently say, “Hey, sweetie, this is my friend. He will help you, okay?” I’m not sure if she hears anything I say to her, but at least the gentle tone of my voice calms her a bit.
Placing the scarf back on securely to cover myself, I sneak back out of the clinic and sprint toward the madness. To my horror, I see a man on the ground, dead, with a woman hovering over him, screaming. One of the attackers approaches her and pulls her off of the man. He takes his gun and shoots the man again, as if rubbing his death in even more to the woman. A shrilling sound escapes her as she yells something to him. He turns around and strikes her across the face. She tumbles to the ground, her face buried into the dirt. The man points his gun to shoot a fatal shot to her head. As if accepting her fate, the woman lies still, not resisting.
Without hesitating, I aim my gun and shoot straight through the man’s heart before he can pull the trigger. Making sure none of his men has witnessed my kill, I rush to the woman and pull her up. I instruct her in Arabic to head toward the woods to make her escape. She has no idea who I am since I still have my face covered. Luckily, she realizes that I just saved her, so she follows my instructions.
Before running, she turns to me and grabs hold of my arm. “Kill them all!” she whispers fiercely.
As I find more villagers, I give them the same instructions. I try to avoid calling attention to myself from the terrorists, but at times, I do have to use my gun or my knives. There’s no way I can take on all these men. There are at least ten Jeeps here, so from my estimation, there are probably forty to fifty men, all heavily armed. Although, I’ve already killed eight of them, it’s impossible for me to get them all. The best I can do is to try and save as many people as I can.
As the fire swallows the small village, I bring the last batch of people to the edge of the woods. Tanveer is still waiting with the small crowd, all of them crouched low behind the trees.
To my relief, I notice Akbar and Sheyla standing with Tanveer. Happy to see them, I give them a quick hug. At first they are frightened, but when they hear my voice, they recognize me and hug me tightly. Feeling their tremors, I assure them everything will be okay.
Shifting my attention to Tanveer, I direct him on the next move. “I think you need to start taking everybody out of here before those bastards realize what’s happening. I’ll go back to the village. If I find anybody else, I’ll bring them with me. Start heading toward the east. There’s a village that’s about seven or eight miles from here. Hopefully, they can help.”
“Okay, doctor. You going to be okay?”
“Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.” I give Tanveer a quick nod and turn toward the burning village again.
As I sneak back, I hear many of the men yelling in Arabic.
“Who the hell is killing our men?”
“And where are all the villagers?”
“Somebody dare to challenge us? I want them found. Do you hear me?”
I stay hidden. The men scatter about to search. Damn it, I’ve been hoping they wouldn’t find any of the dead bodies of the men I’ve killed yet. I have to remind myself to stay focused on my mission. What I need to do is try to capture one of the men and find some information about Saheim. My instincts tell me he is the missing piece of the puzzle.
I’m confident these men know about Saheim. He’s one of the main leaders of groups like these. If I obtain some information on him, then he can potentially lead me to Chayse’s killers.
Sterns has warned me about him—Saheim is a wanted criminal. He’s ruthless and one of the most dangerous leaders of FILO, Future Iraq Leaders’ Organization. None of the villagers have been willing to talk whenever I’ve brought his name up. I’ve gotten the feeling that some of them have heard his name but have been too afraid to say anything.
I suddenly notice that some of the men are heading toward the woods where the villagers escaped. Running out of time, I have to think quickly and stop them. Moving swiftly and silently like a predator about to zero in on its prey, I pursue them.
Briefly scanning, I notice twelve men going toward the woods. They all have their bandanas on and have their guns drawn. I have to distract them. It’s now or never. I leap in the opposite direction and shoot toward them. When they hear the shots, they yell and race toward me. I’m confident they don’t have a visual on me, but they know the general direction of the shots. I’m not worried about being caught because I can easily outrun them. My sole hope is that they all follow me, so I can steer them away from those innocent people.
I don’t run too fast initially, making sure they continue to pursue me. I purposefully go toward the west, luring them as far away as possible. When they’ve been on my tail for at least fifteen minutes, I speed it up and try to lose them. With enough distance between us, I climb up a tree to hide out. I’ll head back toward the village once everything settles down a bit. I’m bound to bump into some of them since they’ll probably still be searching for me. At the first opportunity, I plan to take one of the men as my captive and make him talk about Saheim.
As I wait in the tree, I think about all of the innocent people who lost their lives tonight. Shit, what is wrong with this world? To make matters worse, everybody is afraid to stand up to these groups that go around terrorizing.
I’ve already been here for two weeks, searching for answers. Tonight is the closest I’ve come to finding some information. But damn it! Saving the village was not part of the plan. I had no idea these horrid men were going to go on a killing spree and burn everything down. At least it gives me some pleasure to know I took out quite a few of them tonight.
But not enough.
No, they all have to pay—every single one who’s responsible for Chayse’s death. I don’t care if they’re involved directly or indirectly. They will pay.
Two weeks away from my son. My Jace. My heart and soul. Oh how I miss my baby. I promised him before I left that I would be home soon. And it’s already been two weeks.
I can’t believe he’s going to be two years old in four more months. With a head full of dark hair and big gray eyes, Jacen reminds me of Chayse every day.
As I hide in the tree, I think about my life since Chayse’s death. I remember my pregnancy, the birth of my son, and how every day and night, Chayse has been on my mind and in my heart.
Chaysing Memories: Book of the Month Poll through Long and Short Reviews!
This is so exciting! Just found out that Chaysing Memories is up for the Romance Book of the Month Poll through Long and Short Reviews! Yeah!!!! Would love your support! Please vote. The voting is only through Thursday and it’s listed amongst some great authors- Yikes! The winner will be announced Friday (so you have to vote soon). Thank you in advance!
Here’s the link to vote: http://www.longandshortreviews.com/uncategorized/march-non-erotic-romance-book-of-the-month-poll-2/
And here’s the link to their review: http://www.longandshortreviews.com/book-reviews/chaysing-memories-by-jalpa-williby/
Here’s their full five star review:
They say you can’t beat Fate. Maybe they’re right.
What would you do if you can’t remember the one person in your life that means the world to you? What if you don’t have any of his memories?
Chaysing Memories feels so personal. I think this is where I congratulate the author. Though the first book was good, this second book was incredible. The writing was exceptional, emotional and descriptive.
Tess doesn’t remember Chayse but her world comes crashing down when she realizes she has lost three weeks of her life. From then on starts a fight where life and happiness is at stake. Chayse is trapped in hell and the only person who can save is the one who does not remember him.
Maybe I am being a little cheesy but this story shows you the power of love and of the mind and how fate has a hand in our lives.
A lot of secrets in her life are unraveled. A myriad of different events occur that will make her much stronger. The plot was well developed and the author made sure the mystery and suspense element of the book stayed through until the end.
I loved every part of this, from the beginning to the end. My heart went out to them every time it felt like they are going to lose each other. But they stayed strong until the end. The ending….I was surprised. I think that’s all I can say without giving something away.
For readers, I would very much recommend they read from book 1 first. l loved the second book. It made me cry and hope for more of this story to come. Those who love an epic love story should check this series out.
Chaysing Destiny Update
Many of you have been waiting anxiously for the final installment of the Chaysing Trilogy. Let me assure you that I work on it every evening and every weekend—literally, every spare moment. Trust me, I’m dying for my closure too. 🙂
The good news is that the story is done! Man, does that feel good! I’ve gone through it once already, but I’m going through it again. It’s just what I do. I have to go over it to enhance the scenes, work on proper wording, the sentence structure, grammar…you know, just get it right.
For me, it’s imperative that my readers are “there” with the characters. I want my readers to feel the joy, the sorrow, the pain—everything that my characters are going through. So, as a writer, the emotional piece is priceless. I truly get inside my characters’ heads and try to portray what they’re going through.
That being said, what’s next? Well, when I’m done going through it a few more times, I will send the manuscript to editor(s). Then, I’ll revise it some more. When I’m completely satisfied with it, I’ll send it to the publishers. There, the publishers take another couple of months to format it and make it available to the readers on all major sites. Yeah, it is a long drawn out process, but my goal is to send it to the publishers by the end of this year.
So hang in there! I promise it will be worth the wait! I absolutely can’t wait for you all to read it because I love how the story developed.
In the meantime, here’s a little prologue for Chaysing Destiny. Enjoy!
Prologue
The pain is unbearable, but the reward makes it tolerable. I have to push harder to bring my baby into this world. As the fear for my baby’s safety consumes me, an overwhelming sense of sorrow sends tears cascading down my cheeks.
The sound of the explosion has me running toward the source. I have to save him. Screams and cries of women and children urge me to run faster.
Blood everywhere. Too many dead, mutilated bodies are all around me. No, please, no! I’m too late.
Suddenly I’m running through the field of beautiful wild flowers. I’m playing with Gem, and while I laugh, she barks with excitement. I glance over my shoulder to see Chayse running after me. I feel him tackle me, his weight holding me down. I laugh.
When he turns me over to face him, his eyes are not happy. Without any warning, the force of his knuckles land hard on my face.
Everything goes black.
The nightmares continue to haunt me. The dread of not knowing if these nightmares are a part of my past, present, or future petrifies me.
Too many questions. Not enough answers.
But I won’t back down. I will find my answers.
Jalpa Williby 