Excerpt:
Justine watched her sister take another long drag from the cigarette. “Leah?”
Her sister peered at her.
Justine crossed and uncrossed her feet. She’d been practicing the runaway arm, a trick she’d made up for her sister, to make Leah laugh. Justine lifted her right knee, pulling it into her chest, and wound her left arm. “Look,” she cried, winding, winding, her arm spinning, spinning, out of control. “The runaway aaaarrmmm.”
When they stopped laughing, Justine said, “Can I ask you something?”
Leah brought the cigarette to her lips, her eyes squeezed into slits. “If you want,” she said, through a mouthful of smoke. “Can’t promise I’ll do it.”
Stop smoking, Justine wanted to say. “It’s not anything big. I don’t want you to take me anywhere or lend me anything or anything. I just want you to—” Justine felt like a six-year-old, talking too fast, tripping over her words. “Want you to—”
“Spit it out.” Shpit, it came out.
“Stop smoking,” Justine blurted. “Cancer runs in the family. I’m scared you’re gonna get cancer, like Grandma.” And die, she thought. I don’t want you to die.
“Don’t get liver cancer,” Leah rolled her eyes, “from smoking.”
Of course you don’t get liver cancer from smoking. Justine was not a moron. It was the predisposition to cancer she worried about. Her honors science class was doing a section on genes. Their grandmother dying of liver cancer, she’d learned, put them at risk. Justine didn’t say that, of course. She would feel like a geek. Instead, she said, stupidly, “You sure you’re all right?”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Terri Giuliano Long has written guest posts for nearly 100 blogs. A contributing writer for IndieReader, she’s written for news and feature articles for numerous publications, including IndieReader, the Boston Globe and the Huffington Post. She lives with her family on the East Coast and teaches at Boston College. Her debut novel, In Leah's Wake, has been an Amazon Kindle bestseller since August 2011. For more information, please visit her website: http://www.tglong.com/
Website: http://www.tglong.com/
Blog: http://terriglong.com/blog/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/tglongwrites
Twitter: @tglong
Praise for In Leah’s Wake
“A very moving and, at times, heartbreaking story which will be loved by many, whether they are parents or not.”
--A. Rose, Amazon UK, TOP 100 REVIEWER
“Pulled me right along as I continued to make comparisons to my own life.”
--Jennifer Donovan, 5 Minutes for Books, Top 50 Book Blog
“Easily the best read that I have enjoyed in 2011.”
--Bonnie Erina Wheeler, author of Fate Fixed: An Erris Coven Novel
“Multiple ripples of meaning contribute to the overall intensity of this deeply moving psychological drama.”
--Cynthia Harrison, author of Sister Issues
"Sometimes scary, sometimes sad, and always tender."
-- Susan Straight, National Book Award finalist, author of Take One Candle Light A Room
"In Leah's Wake is a beautifully written and absorbing novel."
-- Margot Livesey, Award-winning author of Banishing Verona
"This is a story that will stay with you for days and weeks."
--Radical Parenting, the award-winning parenting blog written by teens
"In Leah's Wake is an irresistible read."
-- Holly Robinson, author of Sleeping Tigers
Summary:
The Tylers have a perfect life—beautiful home, established careers, two sweet and talented daughters. Their eldest, Leah, an exceptional soccer player, is on track for a prestigious scholarship. Their youngest, Justine—more responsible than seems possible for her 12 years—just wants her sister’s approval. With Leah nearing the end of high school and Justine a seemingly “together” kid, the parents are set to enjoy a peaceful life…until Leah meets Todd, a high school dropout and former roadie for a rock band.
As Leah's parents fight to save their daughter from a world of drugs, sex, wild parties, their divided approach drives their daughter out of their home and a wedge into their marriage. Meanwhile, 12-year-old Justine observes her sister's rebellion from the shadows of their fragmented family - leaving her to question whether anyone loves her and if God even knows she exists.
Can this family survive in Leah’s wake?
Tracy Riva, Midwest Reviews, calls In Leah's Wake "an astounding story of a family in transition.”
When happens when love just isn't enough?
Reviewer-Nominated for Global eBook Award, 2012
Recipient of the CTRR Award for excellence
2011 Book Bundlz Book Pick
Book Bundlz 2011 Favorites, First Place
Follow the rest of the tour here!
Terri will award three eBook copies of In Leah's Wake to randomly drawn commenters at every stop, plus a grand prize of a $25 Amazon GC and an autographed copy of In Leah's Wake to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour. She will also award a $25 Amazon GC to the host with the most comments (excluding hers and the hosts).
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Just reading the reviewed comments I know I will feel the same way.
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