Anna Hale, P.I., is coming to an Amazon store near you!

 

Good Morning from Canada's heartland!

Hope summer has greeted you with open arms and you are finding time for friends and family.

My husband and I are having a very busy year just the way we like it. Between his building projects and reducing the fire hazard by cutting down the trees too close to our home, and my constant need for storytelling and other activities, we are hard-pressed to get everything done in a day that we want. 👌

I did want to take a moment to let you know about a new series coming out, one very dear to my heart: Anna Hale, P.I. from Rough Edges Press. Book one, Death Secrets, is being released on July 30th. 

In honor of the release, a draw will be made for the following artist proof print of a painting done by yours truly on July 30th. Follow my facebook page for more information:                  JanuaryBainAuthor

Excerpt from Death Secrets:

“Mom, are you okay?” She rushed to her side.

She looked so tiny, so worn out, though she’d had her when she was only sixteen. She tried to speak and failed, her mother’s eyes pleading with her. A stream of blood dripped down the side of her face making Anna’s stomach roil with worry.

“Take my hand. We’ll go next door. Get help.” She crouched, put her arms around her, and tried to get her to sit up. Before she could manage it, her stepfather was on her, slamming her hard and knocking her off her feet.

“You got something coming as well, you little bitch.”

A ringing in her ears drowned out any further words, but the blows to her body and face echoed deep inside. She tried to roll over onto her mother, arms flailing to protect her, and she partially succeeded just before the world went dark.

The stench of something burning woke her. It took a few seconds for the haze in her mind to clear, to realize how dim the light in the kitchen was. She began coughing uncontrollably, her lungs trying in vain to force the heavy smoke out. Her heart raced with the effort, eyes streaming tears. Her mother was so still, curled up on her side, her body half over hers.

“Mom, wake up, we gotta get out of here!” She crawled onto her knees and shook her shoulder, but she didn’t move, didn’t respond at all.

The sounds of sirens in the distance. Help was on the way. But she had to do something. Now. She touched her throat, felt a faint pulse under her fingertips.

“It’s going to be okay. I’m going to get you out of here.” She tried to pick her up, but her arms flailed like a rag doll. She was heavier than she thought.

She’d have to pull her mother along the floor. At least the smoke was less dense near the ground. Sweat dripped in her eyes, stinging. She ignored the pain and began tugging her mom toward the back door. It was only a few feet. If she could just get her outside, into the fresh air, she would come around.

But she never did.