Welcome to my stop on the book blast tour for CENTER OF GRAVITY by Laura McNeill, a Women's fiction/suspense available July 15, 2015 from Harper Collins.
BLURB
Her whole life, Ava Carson has been sure of one thing:
she doesn’t measure up to her mother’s expectations. So when Mitchell
Carson sweeps into her life with his adorable son, the ready-made family seems like a dream come true.
In the blink of an eye, she’s married, has a new
baby, and life is grand.
Or is it?
When her picture-perfect marriage begins unraveling
at the seams, Ava convinces herself she can fix it. It's temporary.
It’s the stress. It’s Mitchell’s tragic history of loss.
If only Ava could believe her own excuses.
Mitchell is no longer the charming, thoughtful man
she married. He grows more controlling by the day, revealing a violent
jealous streak. His behavior is recklessly erratic, and the unanswered questions about his past
now hint at something far more sinister than Ava can stomach. Before
she can fit the pieces together, Mitchell files for divorce and demands
full custody of their boys.
Fueled by fierce love for her children and aided by Graham Thomas, a new attorney in
town —Ava takes matters into her own hands, digging deep into the
past. But will finding the truth be enough to beat Mitchell at his own
game?
Center of Gravity weaves a chilling tale, revealing
the unfailing and dangerous truth that things—and people—are
not always what they seem.
EXCERPT
The road rushes under the wheels. I rearrange snippets of the frantic
conversation. Gash. Some blood. Breathing fine. Emergency room. A few
more miles to the hospital.
I flash back to this morning. Packed sack lunch, flop of dark hair across
his bare forehead, navy backpack slung over one shoulder. A surge of
pure love courses through my heart. A stab of worry steals my breath.
I force myself to focus.
The traffic light ahead flashes green to yellow. Intersection’s
clear. I push the accelerator to the floor, glance in the rearview mirror. Air from
the open window catches Sam’s wisps of hair. He smiles, showing off
his first few baby teeth, and reaches a chubby hand at the rays of sunshine
streaking by, trying to catch the light.
Thump. Thump. The Jeep jerks to the left. I guide the wheel, hold it steady, and
take my foot off the gas. When I pull over and brake, the abrupt stop
sends up a dust cloud.
“Uh-oh,” Sam says.
I unbuckle, jump out, and survey the damage. A glance at the tire
confirms it. Flat. Dead.
Hands on my hips, I bite my lip.
Tentatively, I grab the jack from the back of the Jeep, the weight
of it solid and heavy in my hands. I can fix this. After all, in my
former life, as a school counselor at Mobile Prep, I was the problem-solver, crisis manager, and shoulder to cry on. I
always handled situations. And I didn’t need help.
Then my eyes fall on Sam as he babbles and blows bubbles in the back
seat. I hesitate, gripping the metal between my palms. As the sun beats down
on us, heating my skin, my pulse begins to race. Maybe I was fearless
because I didn’t know any better. I wasn’t a mom then. I didn’t
have two children depending on me. Trusting me to do the right thing,
be on time, and not screw up.
AUTHOR Bio and Links
After six years behind the anchor desk at two CBS affiliates, Laura
moved to the Alabama Gulf Coast to raise her family. Her accolades in
broadcasting include awards from the Associated Press, including Best
News Anchor and Best Specialized Reporter.
Laura works at Spring Hill College as the school’s web content and
social media manager and is active in her community—participating
in fundraisers for the American Cancer Society, Ronald McDonald House,
and Providence Hospital’s Festival of Flowers.
Laura was recently awarded a 2-book deal with Thomas Nelson Publishing,
a division of HarperCollins. Her novel, Center of Gravity, set in Mobile,
Ala., will be published in July of 2015. Laura is represented by Elizabeth
Winick Rubenstein, president of McIntosh and Otis literary agency in
New York. Her writing awards include those from William Faulkner-Wisdom
Creative Writing Competition, Writer’s Digest, RWA, and the Eric Hoffer
competition.
She holds a master’s degree in journalism from The Ohio State University and a bachelor’s degree in English
from Clarion University of Pennsylvania. She is currently pursuing a
second master’s degree in interactive technology from the University
of Alabama. She is a native of Upstate New York and currently resides
near the Alabama Gulf Coast with her two children.
Author's Website: http://lauramcneill.com/
Author's Blog: http://lauramcneill.com/layouts/blog/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lauramcneillauthor?ref=hl
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LauraMcNeillBks
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/lauram052
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5280308.Lauren_Clark
Instagram: https://instagram.com/dixiegirlwriter/
GIVEAWAY
Laura McNeill will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn
winner via rafflecopter during the tour, and a $10 Amazon/BN GC to a
randomly drawn host.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Dear Tallulah ~ <3 Thank you SO much for including Center of Gravity on your blog! Thrilled to be here on Release Day!!!! ~ Laura
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