Guest Post | Keep On Keeping On. . . by @Marsharwest #amwriting #guestpost #bookboost #romanticsuspe
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    • Apr 30, 2019
    • 6 min read

Guest Post | Keep On Keeping On. . . by @Marsharwest #amwriting #guestpost #bookboost #romanticsuspe


Hey, everyone. I’m excited to be here. People often ask authors, “Did you always want to be a writer?”

Well, no, I always wanted to be an actress on stage, movies, and TV. And if I could’ve sung and danced along the way, I’d have been a happy camper. That wasn’t to be, but I had a great time teaching theatre in middle and high school before later becoming an elementary school principal.

One of my daughters has performed professionally. She still choreographs occasionally, but her focus is on her Pilates studio, her husband, and seven-year-old daughter. If you haven’t tried Pilates, I encourage you to do so. Great mind-body-spirit builder.

My other daughter is a real estate agent who has set her career on hold to homeschool her two kids, a ten-year-old boy and eight-year-old girl and take care of her husband and a very large dog. Now, I’m going to make you jealous. They all live 5 minutes away from Granddad and Mimi.

But back to life and writing. I’d written five books before a publisher bought my fourth book. There were many times along the way I nearly gave up. The worst year happened when I was president of my writing chapter, and that was what saved me. I felt an obligation to the chapter and those people. During that year I wrote a monthly editorial for our newsletter on the theme of Keep On Keeping On, as much to myself as to the members. Over the years, I’ve been helped by so many author friends, and I try to pay that forward.

My advice to anyone attempting something new is to Keep On Keeping On. No one can stop you, but yourself. It won’t be easy, but if you work hard and preserver you can make it. Now maybe you won’t get to be the movie star or the acclaimed artist with paintings in all the best galleries because luck does play a part in our success and some stuff is out of our control. Like you want to be a Rockette and you’re only 5’4” rather than 5’6”. Same holds true for someone who wants to play professional sports who’s not built for it. But even with that situation, you learn by trying. Making the attempt is important. You don’t want to get up in years and think, I wonder if….

The idea for The Second Chances Series came from one of my daughters. I wanted to write a series, but I had no idea what the cohesive thread could be. She suggested writing about four women friends in their forties who’d met at summer camp after second grade. Each story is a stand-alone, but all the women show up in each other’s stories. They experience dreadful and sometimes life-threatening experiences (mishandling of funds leading to a murder, losing a spouse on 9/11, a man embezzles from his ex-wife’s company, and an abusive spouse), but they always find their happily ever afters. I do write romances after all.

All of my books have heroines and heroes in their forties or fifties. Seasoned Romance: because it’s never too late to find love. I hope you’ll give my books a try.

Title ACT OF SURVIVAL, Book 4 The Second Chances Series

Author Marsha R. West

Genre Romantic Suspense

Publisher MRW Press LLC

Book Blurb

Encouraged by her friends to protect herself, Kim Mason Dennison is determined to divorce her abusive husband. Cooper Wray, an attorney, assures Kim that her husband, Hunter, can’t keep the proceedings from moving forward because Texas is a no-fault divorce state. But why is Hunter doing everything he can to stop the divorce? And will that even include murder?

Excerpt

Kim saved the doc with the logo ideas. Something nagged at her. Sixth sense kinds of things were not normally in her wheelhouse, but the skin on the back of her neck pebbled with unease. Making her way to the front door, she peeked through the tiny hole. Nothing right in front. Maybe she’d feel better if she looked through the window, but she had to do it with care. Barely moving the curtains, her gaze scanned the parking lot. Oh, God. She jumped back from the window. Hunter sat in his car not far from the entrance to her unit.

Without pausing for anything, she grabbed her purse and keys and made for the garage. She had to get out of here. If he got inside…well, she’d never get away.

After buckling her seat belt, she said, “Call Cooper Wray.” Thank heavens for Bluetooth. She wouldn’t have to juggle her cell. Without opening the garage door, she started the car, knowing as soon as it was open high enough, she’d have to fly through and make a run for the gate.

“Hey, is everything okay, Kim?”

Such a relief to hear his voice, she dragged in a deep breath. “Hunter’s in the parking lot. I’m in my car and plan to back out fast and hope to get through the gate.”

“Come directly here, Kim.”

“Okay, thanks. I hoped you’d say that. I’m about to open the garage door. I’ll keep you posted.”

Kim’s finger trembled as it touched the button on the opener, and the garage door started its slow rise. She’d never noticed how long it took to open before. Would she have time to drive out before Hunter realized what she was doing? Now or never. She shoved the gear into reverse and gunned it, getting the car all the way out without hitting the pretty tree which cut into the parking area. In the car’s rear camera screen, she caught sight of Hunter leaving his car and running her way. The tires squealed as she shifted the gear into drive and hit the accelerator. He raised his arms at her with something in one of his hands. Please God, let the front gate open fast. It took her several attempts to make the button for the gate work, then she was forced to pause while the gate began its slow swing outward.

Crash. Hunter slammed something against her window as she waited. With his second blow, the window broke and glass shattered. She screamed but accelerated keeping her foot pressed to the floor with Hunter running along the side of the car. She blew through the gate and careened into the street, which fortunately didn’t have much traffic.

“Kim. Kim? Are you okay? Answer me.”

Cooper’s voice pierced the haze of her terror.

“Yes. I got out. Hunter’s gone back for his car. I don’t see him yet.”

“Are you able to drive here? Or can I direct you to the police station?”

“No, not the police station.”

“Come here, then. I’ll be outside and will open the gate to our parking lot.”

“Oh, no.”

“Why not? What is it?”

“Hunter is following me.”

Buy Links

Author Biography

Marsha R. West, a retired elementary school principal, is also a former school board member and theatre arts teacher. She writes Romance, Suspense, and Second Chances. Experience Required. Marsha lives in Texas with her supportive lawyer husband. Their two daughters presented them with three delightful grandchildren who live nearby. Five years Charley, a Chihuahua/Jack Russell Terrier mix joined the family.

MuseItUp Publishing released her first book, VERMONT ESCAPE in July 2013; her second book, TRUTH BE TOLD, in May 2014. In the Fall of 2014, Marsha formed MRW Press LLC to provide print and e-versions of her books. SECOND ACT, Book 1 of the Second Chances Series follows up with a secondary character from VERMONT ESCAPE and begins a four-part series. ACT OF TRUST is Book 2 of the Second Chances Series. She released THE THEATRE, a stand-alone in 2016. It was followed by ACT OF BETRAYAL, Book 3 The Second Chances Series in 2017. She contributed to ROMANCE & MYSTERY AUTHORS ON WRITING, edited by JQ. Rose. Also, in 2018, she had a short story, “The Colonel & Her Major” published in her writing chapter’s anthology, LONE STAR LOVE. Book 4, ACT OF SURVIVAL released in April of 2019.

Social Media Links

You can contact her at marsha@marsharwest.com or through her web site http://www.marsharwest.com where you can also sign up for her NEWSLETTER or check out any of her social media sites.

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