Author: Katie Byron

Book title: Bramble Brush

Genre: Women’s Literature

Publish date: 11/11/2020

 

Blurb:

Til an End Defined by Time is a novella series about self-discovery, self-love and inner strength.

Spanning the 1970’s through the present day, travel with Kat and Rory as they discover their sexuality and capacity for love in all forms. Discovering an innate raw connection between each other doesn’t take long, and soon, Kat and Rory fall madly in love. But after struggling to balance between their happy bubble and an unrelating, piercing fear of what others may think, they question if love is enough.

Their straight and lesbian experiences clash when blending their families from diverse worlds. Ultimately, believing a guardian angel brought them together, they must now trust love will guide them on their path forward as they unite their families.

If love books about slow-burn romance, family dynamics, sensual awakenings, you will love Bramble Brush.

 

 

Story sample:

For the first time in her adult life, Rory woke feeling refreshed, cheerful, content, and giddy. With Max out of the house she could sense an energy shift on the farm.

last night before bed, Alexis and Ariana were more at ease, not bracing for and impending outburst. Her mind drifts back in time to the evening before.

“Crank up those tunes, Rory.” Ariana, now jovial and silly, crackles to her mother. She grabs Fresca by her two front paws, dancing in the family room.

Rory joins in, allowing her new individuality to breathe with her kids.

Now, returning to a new day, with the sun shining through her bedroom blinds, she stretches her arms high above her head then reaches for her phone to text Kat.

Studying the drafted text for a moment, and with no further hesitation, she clicks send. Whoosh. In a matter of seconds, the message, good morning, beautiful, shows received.

She knows Kat and bath told Olivia Stafani about the separation last night – five days after the bonfire.  Since Beth is still in Boston for most of the week, they’ll share the house, for the time being, an immediate solution that created a sense of peace.

‘Good morning, sunshine,’ chimes her phone. The instant reply sends reverberations throughout Rory’s body.

Her fingers type a response, ‘how did you sleep?’ Feeling like a schoolgirl she sends the message off.

‘With you on my mind,’ Kat texts back, her words make Rory’s heart hum along with Kat’s flirtatious nature.

‘Oh, how you tease me,’ she drafts a reply.

Well, muses Rory, I can be coy right back.

Finger over the send button, she reads over her message again, then with a grin, sends it off.

An incoming message makes her heart flutter.

‘I love teasing you, sweet Rory Lee,’ Kat’s text message reads, ‘but I floated to sleep with dreams of holding you in my arms.’

‘Get yourself over here,’ Rory replies on her phone.

She burst with a glow of happiness she’s never felt. Arching her body, stretching her back, she wonders how she got so lucky.

‘I can, this afternoon,’ Kat’s text comes within seconds.

‘I’ll be watching the clock, hoping time flies, Kat,’ she types out the words of her response.

“Who says I can’t be romantic,” giggles Rory to Sparky, her voice no louder than a whisper.

Getting out of bed, Rory hums a familiar tune.

Alexis comes into her room, Eyes scouring the room, “Mom, what’s that noise?”

“That’s me, humming.”

Alexis rolls her eyes, shrugs her shoulders and heads downstairs.

Rory’s tormented soul senses an unfamiliar sensation that feels fantastic, joyous, and buoyant. Excitement about life rather than dreading the day ahead has her looking forward to the work ahead of her. Even her most delightful experiences with her horses never created the same complete body mind, and spirit sentiment now coursing through her being.

Free, the phase whispers in her mind. That’s what this is. I’m free to be myself, to express a passion for another that’s pure and genuine.

She’s not sure if she should trust the feelings, though, because its surface is out of nowhere and feels foreign. A value in her core releases goodness to defeat the pessimistic, harsh, an insensitive path she’s walked her whole life.

Always a desire to run away, to escape, but not now.

Now, all Rory can think of is running into Kats arms. She can’t believe that this woman is interested in her. A thought creeps into her mind.

Wait, this is too good to be true, negative thoughts weigh her down. What if Kat gets to know me and …”?

Her thoughts, spared by the ping from her phone, dissipate.

‘Hey gorgeous,’ Kat’s text says, then continues, ‘I’m counting the moments until I get to see that smile of yours.’

The timing of Kats text offers the perfect remedy for the negative images flooding Rory’s mind. Reading through their messages to each other, she’s instantaneously back in her sunny place pondering all the things she and Kat will do together.

What she appreciates the most about Kat is her background. So different from her own. Kat has been to so many places in the world, is well educated, well spoken, and is so aware of so many varied subjects, and her parenting ability is right at the top of the list, the way she is so tender and soft spoken with Olivia and Stafani.

Rory can’t help but think how Kat will be such an incredible influence on her kids. They’ll eventually spend time around a person who has so much optimism.

Her mind is racing with thoughts, and a flood of inspiration about all the changes she can make to the house, to the farm, to her life, overwhelm her but she welcomes the input.

God answered prayers, she smiles to herself, and sent me an Angel to love.

 

 

 

 

 

Author bio:

Katie is an emerging author of poetry and women’s literary fiction. Born on Long Island, raised in Westchester, NY, Kathleen now resides in Western Massachusetts with her incredible family. She writes transcendent works about the individual spirit, passion, and the power of positivity through contemplative thought.