Balloon Wishes has been nominated to be in the Best Short Story of 2013 eFestival of Word Award Nominations
Balloon Wishes
Back page
A dying soldier's last wish is for someone to tell his wife how much he loved her, and how much he wanted to be there for the birth of their baby.
Jacob loses his leg, his faith and faces the dilemma of how to keep the dead Marine's last request without hurting the grieving widow all over again.
God's plan brings them together by using the faith of a child's innocent wish for his mother.
Excerpt from Balloon Wishes
As soon as the older man disappeared into a nearby booth, Jacob released the pent-up sigh. It was hard to believe just how nervous he was about meeting all of the kids and their parents. This job was his first paid teaching position since receiving his degree in education, and it was overwhelming to be thrown into the school’s activities before the school term had even began. When Mr. Lincoln had approached him earlier in the week about working the fair, Jacob had not felt, at that time, as if he was in any position to turn down the request. It had been the principal’s belief that with him working at the fair it would be a good way of unofficially introducing himself to the community, since school wasn’t scheduled to begin for another two weeks.
The job at Rockford High School was for him to teach three classes of advanced History and the rest of the day would be filled with his duties for the head football position. The move and job was the beginning of a brand new life for him. It wasn’t exactly how he had planned on his future to be, but life had a way of turning on a dime, so here he was at thirty years old starting a third career. After rehab, Jacob had been at a complete at a loss about what he was going to do with his life, since losing a leg to an exploding roadside bomb during his last mission in Iraq. It had taken most of the years since to come to terms with how much his life had been changed by that explosion. He not only had to learn to live with the loss of his leg, but he also had to learn how to live with the horrible memories of the soldiers he had been unable to save on that hot, sandy roadside.
One soldier in particular still haunted his dreams every night. In the quiet moments of the day and night Jacob could still hear him pleading for God to let him live. All the dying man had wanted from God was to be able to return home to see his wife again and to see his son being born. After the young Marine grew hoarse from screaming, he had whispered to everyone within hearing range, begging them to tell his wife how much he loved her and the baby.
A dying soldier's last wish is for someone to tell his wife how much he loved her, and how much he wanted to be there for the birth of their baby.
Jacob loses his leg, his faith and faces the dilemma of how to keep the dead Marine's last request without hurting the grieving widow all over again.
God's plan brings them together by using the faith of a child's innocent wish for his mother.
Excerpt from Balloon Wishes
As soon as the older man disappeared into a nearby booth, Jacob released the pent-up sigh. It was hard to believe just how nervous he was about meeting all of the kids and their parents. This job was his first paid teaching position since receiving his degree in education, and it was overwhelming to be thrown into the school’s activities before the school term had even began. When Mr. Lincoln had approached him earlier in the week about working the fair, Jacob had not felt, at that time, as if he was in any position to turn down the request. It had been the principal’s belief that with him working at the fair it would be a good way of unofficially introducing himself to the community, since school wasn’t scheduled to begin for another two weeks.
The job at Rockford High School was for him to teach three classes of advanced History and the rest of the day would be filled with his duties for the head football position. The move and job was the beginning of a brand new life for him. It wasn’t exactly how he had planned on his future to be, but life had a way of turning on a dime, so here he was at thirty years old starting a third career. After rehab, Jacob had been at a complete at a loss about what he was going to do with his life, since losing a leg to an exploding roadside bomb during his last mission in Iraq. It had taken most of the years since to come to terms with how much his life had been changed by that explosion. He not only had to learn to live with the loss of his leg, but he also had to learn how to live with the horrible memories of the soldiers he had been unable to save on that hot, sandy roadside.
One soldier in particular still haunted his dreams every night. In the quiet moments of the day and night Jacob could still hear him pleading for God to let him live. All the dying man had wanted from God was to be able to return home to see his wife again and to see his son being born. After the young Marine grew hoarse from screaming, he had whispered to everyone within hearing range, begging them to tell his wife how much he loved her and the baby.
Now available in audio
Excerpt from Love is a Promise Kept
“Where is your coat?”
She wrapped her arms around her shoulders. “Mom told me to wear one, but my dress was so pretty I thought a coat would only wrinkle it.”
Gregory slipped his jacket off and draped it around her shoulders. The woodsy scent of his cologne and his warmth surrounded her.
“You’re cold.”
She began to slip out of the jacket, but he pulled it back onto her shoulders and held it in place. “At least keep it on until your father gets here. My long sleeves will be enough to keep me warm while we wait. Your dress is very pretty, but it doesn’t look as if it will block the cold wind.”
She couldn’t help but notice the way he looked approvingly at her short hem and bare legs. The next shiver had nothing to with the cold.
Gregory pulled a cell phone from a pocket of the jacket she was wearing. He offered it to her and then waited until after she finished with her call before calling a cab for himself. They stood at the gym entrance for a moment before finally sitting on the top step of the gym landing. They sat on opposite sides of the railing.
After a moment of silence, Gregory grinned through the railing. “Well, here we are. It isn’t exactly how I thought our first meeting would go.”
A fluttering in her chest made it hard to breathe, but she somehow managed to smile in return. “How did you think it would go?”
He leaned backward until both elbows rested on the cold, concrete flooring. “I thought I would ask about your life and then I would tell you about mine.” He shifted his weight. “I wanted to ask about your future plans.” He leaned over slightly and grinned. “What are your plans for after graduation?”
The way he studied her mouth made it difficult to concentrate. “I want to open my own floral shop, but my parents want me go to the university to study business. They think I should understand business first before I rush into ownership of a shop.”
He gave the tips of his shoes some serious consideration before finally nodding. “That sounds like wise advice.”
A comfortable silence surrounded them. Mary Elizabeth leaned on the railing and finally broke the silence. “Why are you really here?”
He sat up, leaned forward, and wrapped both arms around his knees. “I needed to know if you still wanted me to wait for you.” He briefly glanced over before looking back down at the steps again. “You were very young when you asked.”
She wanted to touch his hair, but resisted the urge. “Why did you keep your promise? My parents said you wouldn’t.”
His expression was intense when he locked eyes with her. “But someone did expect me to. You did and I did. Did anyone else matter?”
She reached over then to touch the sleeve of his shirt. “There’s more. Isn’t there?”
He completely covered her hand with his own. “I wanted you to know I believed you that day. It never mattered to me that no one else believed that you were serious. I did.” He gave a shy grin. “I want you to enjoy this time in high school and at the university. Don’t give up living just because you know where our journey ends.” He increased the pressure on her hand. “You have to promise me that you will, okay?”
She nodded.
Only then did he finally release her hand. After a moment of studying her face, he stood. She stood as well.
He smiled. “When I return, I don’t want there to be any doubts about whether or not we belong together. You need this time to see for yourself if this is what you really want for your life, and if I’m the person you really want in your life.”
Before any more could be said, the cab arrived behind her father’s car.
Gregory passed Mary Elizabeth at the bottom of the steps. She slipped his jacket off and handed it to him. When he reached over for it, his fingers lingered on the top of her hand in one final caress. The touch was so brief, Mary Elizabeth would have thought she had imagined it, but he paused in mid-step and smiled before continuing toward the cab.
They both stopped and looked at each other before opening their respective car doors.
She wanted to tell him that she would wait for him forever if he would wait for her too.
While the words weren’t spoken, Gregory appeared to sense her thoughts. “I made you a promise. It is still just as good today as it was the day it was made. Enjoy your time here at school. Go study your business classes and then open your floral shop. I’ll be back soon.”
There were a million things she wanted to say.
“Is that a promise?”
“Yes, but this time, you have to make me a promise too. You have to promise to live and enjoy this time of your life.”
“How do I do that?”
“You take each day as it comes. You live each day as if it were your last day on earth.”
She could feel her father staring from inside the car, but the only person who mattered at that moment was Gregory. “I’ll try.”
He laughed. “You have to promise.”
His smile made her laugh as well.
“I will. I promise.”
“Where is your coat?”
She wrapped her arms around her shoulders. “Mom told me to wear one, but my dress was so pretty I thought a coat would only wrinkle it.”
Gregory slipped his jacket off and draped it around her shoulders. The woodsy scent of his cologne and his warmth surrounded her.
“You’re cold.”
She began to slip out of the jacket, but he pulled it back onto her shoulders and held it in place. “At least keep it on until your father gets here. My long sleeves will be enough to keep me warm while we wait. Your dress is very pretty, but it doesn’t look as if it will block the cold wind.”
She couldn’t help but notice the way he looked approvingly at her short hem and bare legs. The next shiver had nothing to with the cold.
Gregory pulled a cell phone from a pocket of the jacket she was wearing. He offered it to her and then waited until after she finished with her call before calling a cab for himself. They stood at the gym entrance for a moment before finally sitting on the top step of the gym landing. They sat on opposite sides of the railing.
After a moment of silence, Gregory grinned through the railing. “Well, here we are. It isn’t exactly how I thought our first meeting would go.”
A fluttering in her chest made it hard to breathe, but she somehow managed to smile in return. “How did you think it would go?”
He leaned backward until both elbows rested on the cold, concrete flooring. “I thought I would ask about your life and then I would tell you about mine.” He shifted his weight. “I wanted to ask about your future plans.” He leaned over slightly and grinned. “What are your plans for after graduation?”
The way he studied her mouth made it difficult to concentrate. “I want to open my own floral shop, but my parents want me go to the university to study business. They think I should understand business first before I rush into ownership of a shop.”
He gave the tips of his shoes some serious consideration before finally nodding. “That sounds like wise advice.”
A comfortable silence surrounded them. Mary Elizabeth leaned on the railing and finally broke the silence. “Why are you really here?”
He sat up, leaned forward, and wrapped both arms around his knees. “I needed to know if you still wanted me to wait for you.” He briefly glanced over before looking back down at the steps again. “You were very young when you asked.”
She wanted to touch his hair, but resisted the urge. “Why did you keep your promise? My parents said you wouldn’t.”
His expression was intense when he locked eyes with her. “But someone did expect me to. You did and I did. Did anyone else matter?”
She reached over then to touch the sleeve of his shirt. “There’s more. Isn’t there?”
He completely covered her hand with his own. “I wanted you to know I believed you that day. It never mattered to me that no one else believed that you were serious. I did.” He gave a shy grin. “I want you to enjoy this time in high school and at the university. Don’t give up living just because you know where our journey ends.” He increased the pressure on her hand. “You have to promise me that you will, okay?”
She nodded.
Only then did he finally release her hand. After a moment of studying her face, he stood. She stood as well.
He smiled. “When I return, I don’t want there to be any doubts about whether or not we belong together. You need this time to see for yourself if this is what you really want for your life, and if I’m the person you really want in your life.”
Before any more could be said, the cab arrived behind her father’s car.
Gregory passed Mary Elizabeth at the bottom of the steps. She slipped his jacket off and handed it to him. When he reached over for it, his fingers lingered on the top of her hand in one final caress. The touch was so brief, Mary Elizabeth would have thought she had imagined it, but he paused in mid-step and smiled before continuing toward the cab.
They both stopped and looked at each other before opening their respective car doors.
She wanted to tell him that she would wait for him forever if he would wait for her too.
While the words weren’t spoken, Gregory appeared to sense her thoughts. “I made you a promise. It is still just as good today as it was the day it was made. Enjoy your time here at school. Go study your business classes and then open your floral shop. I’ll be back soon.”
There were a million things she wanted to say.
“Is that a promise?”
“Yes, but this time, you have to make me a promise too. You have to promise to live and enjoy this time of your life.”
“How do I do that?”
“You take each day as it comes. You live each day as if it were your last day on earth.”
She could feel her father staring from inside the car, but the only person who mattered at that moment was Gregory. “I’ll try.”
He laughed. “You have to promise.”
His smile made her laugh as well.
“I will. I promise.”
Now available in audio
Editorial Reviews
"Mine" - A night of ghost hunting with a sexy coworker turns into a deadly game of cat and mouse with an evil spirit. Can anything save them when the spirit decides they belong to him?
"Crying through Plastic Eyes" - A messy divorce, a room filled with creepy dolls, and a missing six-year-old all create the perfect storm for a young mother's worse nightmare.
"Will Work for Food" - You see them everywhere begging for money or food. When an older couple decides to lend a helping hand to a young man and his son, someone gets more than they bargain for.
"Pieces" - A battered woman confesses to the mutilation and death of her husband, but did she really commit this heinous crime?
"Paying the Hitchhiker" - You see a beautiful young woman on the side of the road with her thumb out, asking for a ride. Who should be the most afraid: The hitchhiker or the person picking her up?
"Inheritance" - A confession from Accalia's grandmother about a curse and an inheritance are just the prologue to seven days of suffering through a living hell.
"Mine" - A night of ghost hunting with a sexy coworker turns into a deadly game of cat and mouse with an evil spirit. Can anything save them when the spirit decides they belong to him?
"Crying through Plastic Eyes" - A messy divorce, a room filled with creepy dolls, and a missing six-year-old all create the perfect storm for a young mother's worse nightmare.
"Will Work for Food" - You see them everywhere begging for money or food. When an older couple decides to lend a helping hand to a young man and his son, someone gets more than they bargain for.
"Pieces" - A battered woman confesses to the mutilation and death of her husband, but did she really commit this heinous crime?
"Paying the Hitchhiker" - You see a beautiful young woman on the side of the road with her thumb out, asking for a ride. Who should be the most afraid: The hitchhiker or the person picking her up?
"Inheritance" - A confession from Accalia's grandmother about a curse and an inheritance are just the prologue to seven days of suffering through a living hell.
Now available on Amazon
A collection of poetry
Paying the Ferryman
Where Have All the Heroes Gone
The Grim Reaper Comes Calling
The Hard Fight
The Norm
The Emperor’s Clothes
A Snowy Day
Hide-n-Seek
The Spectator
My Corner
Life’s Offer
Not Backing Down
One Spring Morning
The Master’s Feet
Useless Words
Catch Me if You Can
Hot Nails
Fireflies
Real Friends
No Superheroes
Season’s Memories
Just a Moment
The Truth
Monkey See
Let’s Pretend
Real Friends
Friends never ask how or why
They never steal, cheat or lie
They’re just unselfish deeds
And unspoken cross-our-heart creeds
The rest of the world may have deserted you
But real friends stay faithful and true
Paying the Ferryman
Where Have All the Heroes Gone
The Grim Reaper Comes Calling
The Hard Fight
The Norm
The Emperor’s Clothes
A Snowy Day
Hide-n-Seek
The Spectator
My Corner
Life’s Offer
Not Backing Down
One Spring Morning
The Master’s Feet
Useless Words
Catch Me if You Can
Hot Nails
Fireflies
Real Friends
No Superheroes
Season’s Memories
Just a Moment
The Truth
Monkey See
Let’s Pretend
Real Friends
Friends never ask how or why
They never steal, cheat or lie
They’re just unselfish deeds
And unspoken cross-our-heart creeds
The rest of the world may have deserted you
But real friends stay faithful and true
My children's picture book Borrowed Wings received a Childrens Literary Classics seal of approval.
http://www.clcreviews.blogspot.com/
Review by CLC
Borrowed Wings, written and illustrated by Regina Puckett, is the heartwarming story of a little dragon who aspires to spread his wings and fly. Sadly though, his head is too big, his stomach is too round and his wings are too small. So his mother says to him, "You may borrow my wings. They are big enough to carry two." --And off they go into the clouds where they create wonderful memories together.
The young dragon eventually grows into his wings and is able to fly on his own. His friends begin to call him Mighty Dragon; and he goes off to explore the world and beyond. But when he returns, his mother has grown old and frail. Because she is no longer able to fly, the now Mighty Dragon tells her she may borrow his wings and the two share many special moments together flying and exploring the world and beyond.
Regina Puckett has created a timeless tale about the circle of life which stirs the imagination and evokes warm feelings of the special bond between mother and child.
Review by CLC
Borrowed Wings, written and illustrated by Regina Puckett, is the heartwarming story of a little dragon who aspires to spread his wings and fly. Sadly though, his head is too big, his stomach is too round and his wings are too small. So his mother says to him, "You may borrow my wings. They are big enough to carry two." --And off they go into the clouds where they create wonderful memories together.
The young dragon eventually grows into his wings and is able to fly on his own. His friends begin to call him Mighty Dragon; and he goes off to explore the world and beyond. But when he returns, his mother has grown old and frail. Because she is no longer able to fly, the now Mighty Dragon tells her she may borrow his wings and the two share many special moments together flying and exploring the world and beyond.
Regina Puckett has created a timeless tale about the circle of life which stirs the imagination and evokes warm feelings of the special bond between mother and child.
Now available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble my second book of poetry-An Opened Heart
A collection of poetry
Thankful
The Birth of a Dream
My Friends
The Price of a Smile
Kiss the Babies
The Pretender
The Prize
Our Treasured Guest
Wasted Gifts
The Blank Page
Unwelcomed Guests
The Rat Race
Washed
An Opened Heart
Ten Thousand Voices
The Liar
Don’t Blink
The Call to Play
Life and Death’s Daily Visit
Night’s Cover
My Life
No One Heard
Chasing Time
--Sneak Peek--
"The Blank Page"
The blank page seduces and whispers my name
Knights, killers and lovers wait without shame
Eager for their moment at the next written quest
Where worlds will be formed and destinies wrest
Words spill forth and the exhilarating game is on
Battles are staged and fictional lines are drawn
After all of their performances have been cunningly played
Worlds will have been molded and new characters conveyed
Thankful
The Birth of a Dream
My Friends
The Price of a Smile
Kiss the Babies
The Pretender
The Prize
Our Treasured Guest
Wasted Gifts
The Blank Page
Unwelcomed Guests
The Rat Race
Washed
An Opened Heart
Ten Thousand Voices
The Liar
Don’t Blink
The Call to Play
Life and Death’s Daily Visit
Night’s Cover
My Life
No One Heard
Chasing Time
--Sneak Peek--
"The Blank Page"
The blank page seduces and whispers my name
Knights, killers and lovers wait without shame
Eager for their moment at the next written quest
Where worlds will be formed and destinies wrest
Words spill forth and the exhilarating game is on
Battles are staged and fictional lines are drawn
After all of their performances have been cunningly played
Worlds will have been molded and new characters conveyed
Now available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble my collection of poetry, Tilting at Winmills & Words
A Discovery
If I could peer inside your mind
I wonder what odd possessions I would find
Would it be filled with splendid thoughts and notions
Or empty, dusty shelves and hollow emotions
Would I be horrified and run away
Or settle in for a lengthy stay
If I could peer inside your mind
I wonder what odd possessions I would find
Would it be filled with splendid thoughts and notions
Or empty, dusty shelves and hollow emotions
Would I be horrified and run away
Or settle in for a lengthy stay
Now available on Amazon my new short tale of horror, Ours.
Back page
While Sheriff Wilson has no idea what really transpired the night twelve people were murdered in the old mental hospital during what was supposed to be a simple night of ghost hunting, he was at the scene moments after the lone survivor committed suicide. Now it’s a year later and a group of paranormal investigators want to set up a haunted house and invite the general public in that same abandoned mental hospital. How is he supposed to keep that many people safe from whoever or whatever killed the last group?
Excerpt
“Alan, did you hear that?”
He was just about to ask Rhonda what she was talking about when he walked face first into a spider web. “Ugh!” He tucked his flashlight under his arm and wiped at his face.
Rhonda whispered. “What’s wrong?”
The sheriff didn’t stop long enough to answer but continued furiously wiping his face and head. It turned out to be a fruitless effort because no matter how hard he tried he couldn’t find any trace of the web. “I walked into a spider web. I hate spiders.” He finally gave up and pulled the flashlight out from under his arm and turned it on again. He focused its beam on the ceiling and tried to locate it so he could pull it down before accidently walking through it again. “Where’s that damn thing at? It has to be huge. It covered my entire face.”
Rhonda shined her light at his face. “I don’t see anything.”
He finally had to nudge her flashlight into another direction. “Thanks but you’re blinding me with that thing.”
“Sorry. I was just going to say that it’s not unusual to experience that sort of thing when you’re dealing with the spirit world. It feels like you walked into a spider web but there’s nothing there. I think it’s their way of making contact with us.” She tucked the flashlight under her arm and began playing around with the recorder’s controls. “Before the whole spider web incident I was asking you if you heard a voice.”
He found himself interested in spite of his earlier skepticism. “What do you think it said?”
The sound of the recorder rewinding was unusually loud in the musty laboratory. She grunted before answering. “I’m not sure. It sort of sounded like ‘souls’ or ‘so’. I’ll play it back to see if I can hear it in the tape.”
They both leaned in and held their breaths and waited. First there were Rhonda’s questions and then a hissed ‘souls’ followed her question. Chill bumps covered Alan’s entire body. It was a voice he recognized. One he would never forget as long as he lived.
While Sheriff Wilson has no idea what really transpired the night twelve people were murdered in the old mental hospital during what was supposed to be a simple night of ghost hunting, he was at the scene moments after the lone survivor committed suicide. Now it’s a year later and a group of paranormal investigators want to set up a haunted house and invite the general public in that same abandoned mental hospital. How is he supposed to keep that many people safe from whoever or whatever killed the last group?
Excerpt
“Alan, did you hear that?”
He was just about to ask Rhonda what she was talking about when he walked face first into a spider web. “Ugh!” He tucked his flashlight under his arm and wiped at his face.
Rhonda whispered. “What’s wrong?”
The sheriff didn’t stop long enough to answer but continued furiously wiping his face and head. It turned out to be a fruitless effort because no matter how hard he tried he couldn’t find any trace of the web. “I walked into a spider web. I hate spiders.” He finally gave up and pulled the flashlight out from under his arm and turned it on again. He focused its beam on the ceiling and tried to locate it so he could pull it down before accidently walking through it again. “Where’s that damn thing at? It has to be huge. It covered my entire face.”
Rhonda shined her light at his face. “I don’t see anything.”
He finally had to nudge her flashlight into another direction. “Thanks but you’re blinding me with that thing.”
“Sorry. I was just going to say that it’s not unusual to experience that sort of thing when you’re dealing with the spirit world. It feels like you walked into a spider web but there’s nothing there. I think it’s their way of making contact with us.” She tucked the flashlight under her arm and began playing around with the recorder’s controls. “Before the whole spider web incident I was asking you if you heard a voice.”
He found himself interested in spite of his earlier skepticism. “What do you think it said?”
The sound of the recorder rewinding was unusually loud in the musty laboratory. She grunted before answering. “I’m not sure. It sort of sounded like ‘souls’ or ‘so’. I’ll play it back to see if I can hear it in the tape.”
They both leaned in and held their breaths and waited. First there were Rhonda’s questions and then a hissed ‘souls’ followed her question. Chill bumps covered Alan’s entire body. It was a voice he recognized. One he would never forget as long as he lived.
Now available on Amazon my latest short story based on a fairy tale-The Magic of Snow
In our beloved fairy tales of old, Prince Charming always saves the damsel in distress. In our modern world, sometimes the damsel has to find a way to save her prince.
When Sarah White meets the ruggedly handsome Staff Sergeant Charlie Prince, she discovers a man with a pure heart hidden underneath his warrior façade. Before Charlie leaves with his unit for Afghanistan, he promises to stay in touch, but after nine months of exchanging letters and emails, he stops writing. When the letters stop coming, Sarah waits in agonized suspense, not knowing if the man she had fallen in love with has been killed in action or if he has just decided he is no longer interested in her.
Magic is real, but it’s not for the fainthearted or nonbelievers. It takes true love to release it and hard work and determination to keep it.
Excerpt
Charlie closed the distance between them, reached out, and grabbed her hand before she could take another step backwards. His good-natured laughter filled the stilled silence. “You’re not afraid of horses, are you?”
Sarah shook her head in denial, but her face told another tale.
He tugged at her hand and she had no other choice but to move closer to him and his horse. “I promise I won’t let anything happen to you. It’ll be faster than you walking and,” he patted his coat pocket, “I have my compass. We won’t get lost. Besides, if you haven’t already noticed, the snow has been falling this past hour, covering up all of the paths you think you know so well.”
He turned her hand loose so he could pull himself up onto the horse. As soon as he was settled into the saddle, he reached down and pulled her up and in front of him. He leaned forward and whispered into her ear, “Besides, it’s not every day I get to rescue a damsel in distress.”
Sarah turned to see whether he was being serious or not. When their eyes met, he grinned. “I’m joking. There’s no doubt in my mind you are quite capable of finding your way back home, but it seemed like a good excuse to be able to put my arms around you after just knowing you for a few hours. I figure I have two weeks to get to know you before I have to leave. How am I doing so far?”
The horse shifted restlessly, so Charlie made a clicking noise to let it know to continue walking. The snow was floating down in large wet flakes and it was accumulating at an alarming speed, but the muted stillness made it feel as if they had all the time in the world to return to civilization.
Sarah could have studied Charlie’s chiseled features all night, but she turned in the saddle to face forward again before finally answering his question. “You’re doing just fine so far.”
When Sarah White meets the ruggedly handsome Staff Sergeant Charlie Prince, she discovers a man with a pure heart hidden underneath his warrior façade. Before Charlie leaves with his unit for Afghanistan, he promises to stay in touch, but after nine months of exchanging letters and emails, he stops writing. When the letters stop coming, Sarah waits in agonized suspense, not knowing if the man she had fallen in love with has been killed in action or if he has just decided he is no longer interested in her.
Magic is real, but it’s not for the fainthearted or nonbelievers. It takes true love to release it and hard work and determination to keep it.
Excerpt
Charlie closed the distance between them, reached out, and grabbed her hand before she could take another step backwards. His good-natured laughter filled the stilled silence. “You’re not afraid of horses, are you?”
Sarah shook her head in denial, but her face told another tale.
He tugged at her hand and she had no other choice but to move closer to him and his horse. “I promise I won’t let anything happen to you. It’ll be faster than you walking and,” he patted his coat pocket, “I have my compass. We won’t get lost. Besides, if you haven’t already noticed, the snow has been falling this past hour, covering up all of the paths you think you know so well.”
He turned her hand loose so he could pull himself up onto the horse. As soon as he was settled into the saddle, he reached down and pulled her up and in front of him. He leaned forward and whispered into her ear, “Besides, it’s not every day I get to rescue a damsel in distress.”
Sarah turned to see whether he was being serious or not. When their eyes met, he grinned. “I’m joking. There’s no doubt in my mind you are quite capable of finding your way back home, but it seemed like a good excuse to be able to put my arms around you after just knowing you for a few hours. I figure I have two weeks to get to know you before I have to leave. How am I doing so far?”
The horse shifted restlessly, so Charlie made a clicking noise to let it know to continue walking. The snow was floating down in large wet flakes and it was accumulating at an alarming speed, but the muted stillness made it feel as if they had all the time in the world to return to civilization.
Sarah could have studied Charlie’s chiseled features all night, but she turned in the saddle to face forward again before finally answering his question. “You’re doing just fine so far.”
NEW-My sweet short story loosely based on the fairy tale-Sleeping Beauty
A family obligation forces Phillip into accepting a late Christmas Eve invitation, but what he doesn't realize is that on this night, his life is going to change forever. A beautiful comatose woman will teach him the true meaning of life and the importance of not sleeping through the beauty of it all. While he waits for his sleeping beauty to awake from her coma, he has to face the fact that, if she does awaken, even though he has had time to fall in love with her, he will be a complete stranger to her.
Excerpt
Phillip sighed and walked around the foot of the bed to the only window in the room. The night nurses hadn’t lowered the blinds yet and even though it was too dark to see anything, he stared out at the night’s blackness. “How did I get here, Rose? I’ve told you things I’ve never told anyone. I only feel complete the moment I walk in here and see you’re okay. I have fallen in love with you and you’ve never even seen my face. I only know what your voice sounds like from your mom’s home movies. My being here is crazy, right?” There was nothing but silence for a reply, so he continued staring out the window. “The money’s rolling in for your foundation. We have enough to begin three of the dormitories, but I need your advice on what to do next. Even though I have all of your notes, it’s not the same. I need your passion for this to ever work like I know you want it to.”
He glanced back toward the bed, but there wasn’t any movement or indication that she heard anything of his words or pleas. He drew in deep breath and then released a weary sigh. He jammed both hands into his pants pockets and turned back to face the blackness. His next words were directed toward the window and he said in all but a whisper, “Who am I kidding? I need you. I need you more than I have ever needed anything in my entire life. I have been asleep to the beauty out there, but you saw it, didn’t you? My entire life I have dwelled on only the negative aspects of my life. I never saw the possibilities until I met you.
“Did you know your mother lent me all of your journals? I don’t think she knew just how much of your personal life you had entered in them. But every word in them indicates that you’ve always known your place in the universe, and what you were capable of doing to make it a better place. I’m ashamed to say that all I ever saw is what had been stolen from me. I never thought I owed the world anything. I have been so blind. Now here I am and I see what you saw all along and there you are sleeping and missing the life you envisioned. It breaks my heart to know you are missing this beauty. I don’t think you want that, so stop sleeping your life away.
“Please wake up, Rose. I want that for you more than I have ever wanted anything in my entire life. Even with me knowing the moment you do, you’re not going to remember my words to you. I’m also aware that you’re never going to feel for me what I feel for you, but that’s okay because it will be enough to have you whole again, to see you smile and just to hear your voice. It will it all have been enough.
“I will hold this time in this room with you close to my heart forever and remember your sighs. I will hold all of this close to my heart. Even though you might not remember my words to you, I’ll remember that for a short time I had to you all to myself. You are destined for more than this bed and this room. You are destined to live your life to its fullest and for me that will be enough, so wake up, my beautiful Rose. Please wake, my love.”
NEW- A short sweet tale of finding the person who sees behind the mask
Why does everyone across the university’s campus call the Medieval Literature professor, Dr. Alec Knight, a brut and a beast, but Holly Day insists there has to be a better man hidden deep inside of him? Is there really a concealed beauty in the beast or is Alec just as terrible as the rest of the world believes him to be? One snowy day out on a cold stone wall in the middle of the university, when everyone else has left for the Christmas break, Holly finds out the truth and neither she nor Alec will ever be the same again.
Excerpt
“I can see you don’t have enough sense to even get out of a snowstorm.” Damn. He sounded every bit of the ogre she had accused him of being. That comment from her had stung more than he could even admit to himself.
As if in slow motion, her warm brown eyes lifted from reading to meet his. Snowflakes were landing onto her eyelashes, but then would disappear as she blinked them away. “Dr. Knight. I’m surprised to see you out here in this too. I guess I’m not the only one who doesn’t have enough common sense to get in out of a snowstorm. I was enjoying the peace and quiet of the most perfect setting in town, but I guess all good things must come to an end.”
Why was it that each word she spoke pricked at his heart when no one else had been able to do that to him since he had been a small child? Alec dusted the snow from the front of his jacket as if that would be enough to wipe away her disdain. In spite of her unwelcoming stare, he sat next to her and gazed out toward the now heavily falling snow. It was quickly covering all of his tracks as if he had never been there. There was really no worse feeling in the world that everything you had worked so hard for didn’t matter in the end.
“What do you want, professor? There’s no audience here for you to mock and ridicule me in front of. Surely, you wouldn’t want to waste such a wonderful performance on just me. That would be such a huge waste of your talent.”
For the first time that day, Alec registered the biting wind. Instead of arguing with Holly, all he really wanted to do, and had resisted doing all semester, was to take a strand of her beautiful hair and rub it between his fingers. The question had tortured him all semester, if it was as soft as it appeared to be. What would she do if he touched it now?
Excerpt
“I can see you don’t have enough sense to even get out of a snowstorm.” Damn. He sounded every bit of the ogre she had accused him of being. That comment from her had stung more than he could even admit to himself.
As if in slow motion, her warm brown eyes lifted from reading to meet his. Snowflakes were landing onto her eyelashes, but then would disappear as she blinked them away. “Dr. Knight. I’m surprised to see you out here in this too. I guess I’m not the only one who doesn’t have enough common sense to get in out of a snowstorm. I was enjoying the peace and quiet of the most perfect setting in town, but I guess all good things must come to an end.”
Why was it that each word she spoke pricked at his heart when no one else had been able to do that to him since he had been a small child? Alec dusted the snow from the front of his jacket as if that would be enough to wipe away her disdain. In spite of her unwelcoming stare, he sat next to her and gazed out toward the now heavily falling snow. It was quickly covering all of his tracks as if he had never been there. There was really no worse feeling in the world that everything you had worked so hard for didn’t matter in the end.
“What do you want, professor? There’s no audience here for you to mock and ridicule me in front of. Surely, you wouldn’t want to waste such a wonderful performance on just me. That would be such a huge waste of your talent.”
For the first time that day, Alec registered the biting wind. Instead of arguing with Holly, all he really wanted to do, and had resisted doing all semester, was to take a strand of her beautiful hair and rub it between his fingers. The question had tortured him all semester, if it was as soft as it appeared to be. What would she do if he touched it now?
A Short Romance
This story begins with a gorgeous guy dressed as Santa and a woman who has sworn off love.
Have you ever wanted someone to look at you and see who you really are? That’s all Jordan has ever wanted, so when she meets Samuel and the sparks fly, it’s easy to become lost in the depths of his beautiful blue eyes. While she fights this attraction, Samuel is going to have to convince her that he sees her...really sees her.
Have you ever wanted someone to look at you and see who you really are? That’s all Jordan has ever wanted, so when she meets Samuel and the sparks fly, it’s easy to become lost in the depths of his beautiful blue eyes. While she fights this attraction, Samuel is going to have to convince her that he sees her...really sees her.
Within these walls you will find love, terror and inspiration.
|
|
|
|
|
Balloon Wishes is my lastest Inspirational short story.
Check out the sequel to If Love was Enough at Amazon.
|
|
|
|
Paying the Hitchhiker
Jennifer and Jason pick up a pretty young lady heading in the same direction they are going. Surely at some point their mothers told them never to talk to strangers or let one get in the car with them. What happens next will be told around campfires for years to come as a cautionary tale.
New children's picture book.
Caterpillar makes the biggest cocoon in the world, because he can't decide whether he wants to be a dog, cat, horse or cow when he grows up. But when he finally wiggles out of the cocoon, he can't bark, meow, neigh or moo.
Sometimes all we can be is the best we can be.
Sometimes all we can be is the best we can be.
Borrowed Wings is a children's picture book about the circle of life and how love always finds a way.
Six short tales of horror in one book.
Mine
Crying through Plastic Eyes Will Work for Food Pieces Paying the Hitchhiker Inheritance |
A short tale of horror
Do you believe in werewolves? Accalia didn't either.
|
Inspirational
Coming Soon-New cover for Concealed in My Heart
Click to set custom HTML
Love is a Promise Kept is now available to buy in paperback.
Now available for sale on Amazon, Smashwords and Barnes & Noble
It's a great story about love and friendship. How long would you wait for true love? Gregory would wait for Mary Elizabeth forever
Gregory believes a promise should never be broken. At the age of twelve he promises to wait on four year old Mary Elizabeth. While everyone else believes it was just a sweet exchange between two children, Gregory never forgets his promise of marriage.
Even though Mary Elizabeth doesn’t believe in fairy tales, she does believe in Gregory. While her parents continue to insist he won’t keep his promise, she knows he will. Years before, her young heart recognized the person it belonged to. But just when she believes her perfect future is about to come true, a spiteful adversary causes her to doubt Gregory’s sincerity. Now the future doesn’t seem quite so bright or certain.
Gregory and Mary Elizabeth will have to overcome many obstacles in order to stop waiting and to finally begin living and loving.
Gregory believes a promise should never be broken. At the age of twelve he promises to wait on four year old Mary Elizabeth. While everyone else believes it was just a sweet exchange between two children, Gregory never forgets his promise of marriage.
Even though Mary Elizabeth doesn’t believe in fairy tales, she does believe in Gregory. While her parents continue to insist he won’t keep his promise, she knows he will. Years before, her young heart recognized the person it belonged to. But just when she believes her perfect future is about to come true, a spiteful adversary causes her to doubt Gregory’s sincerity. Now the future doesn’t seem quite so bright or certain.
Gregory and Mary Elizabeth will have to overcome many obstacles in order to stop waiting and to finally begin living and loving.
Coming in September the re-edited and newly illustrated version of my children's book Borrowed Wings.
A sweet tale of the circle of life and love.
E Book coming in 2013
See where the Warren family's legacy started.
Charity's heart is capable of boundless love but can she trust enough to love again after losing the only man she has ever loved? |
E Book coming in 2013
Suzette is trying desperately
not to fall in love while Seth is trying just as desperately to win her love. He has songs in his heart that only meant for her ears. |
Coming in 2013-E book version of What the Heart Knows
Emily is afraid and there is only one man who will be able to help her feel safe again. Will Bill see what her heart already knows?
Coming in 2013 the E Book version of Love's Great Plan
http://indaindex.com/regina-puckett/
