I exhale a shaky breath.
Hesitantly, Asa reaches pats my hands. “It’s okay, Emmeline.”
It’s not okay. Edward may be dead and I may be going home, but will my family welcome me back? Considering how almost two years ago, we had many disputes about me immigrating to America. I told them I wanted a better life and America would give me that. They were convinced it wouldn’t, and they were right.
The buggy comes to a stop. Asa and I look at each other before he hops out and holds the door open for me.
He extends a hand. “Are you ready, Emmeline Grace Hambleton?”
I’m not, but what choice do I have? Pasting on a smile, I take his hand. “I’m ready.”
FIVE DAYS LATER, salt air clinging to me, I’m tired and in dire need of a bath, but I see my homeland in the far distance. I smile. Protectively, I wrap a hand around my stomach and give it a small pat. Very slowly, it’s starting to protrude. Within a month, it will be impossible to hide my pregnancy. It’s impossible to know, but deep in my gut, I know my baby is a boy.
The blaring horn of the boat sounds.
I bend my head. “We’re safe here, Henry. Our adventure starts now.”
As always, thank you to my amazing beta readers: Talon Smith, Tosha Khoury, Darla Williams, Lori Sabin, and Alyssa Cole. Thank you for taking the time to read the rough draft and giving your honest feedback. It always means so much.
Thank you to Lisa Rutledge for answering all my poker questions and making me seem like I know what I’m talking about.
Thank you to Nathalie Rade for the French translations and for being such a wonderful muse for the fictional Nat.
Huge thanks to Regina Wamba from Mae I Design and Photography. You created this stunning cover four years ago and I still fall in love with it every time I see it.
Thank you to Cassie from Joy Editing for making Serene’s story sparkling clean and making me look smarter than I really am. It was a pleasure working with you.
Thank you to Angela from Fictional Formats for formatting The Surviving Trace. What would I do without you?
Thank you to Shayna for creating the most amazing teasers for The Surviving Trace. They are stunning and completely authentic to the book.
Big thanks to Christine Estevez for proofreading TST and ALL THAT YOU DO. I could list everything, but then the acknowledgements would turn into a novella. I am so grateful to have you as a friend.
Thank you to my husband, Joshua. Without you this story would’ve never been written. None of my stories would’ve, actually. I am so thankful that you encouraged me to put pen to paper. That I timidly told you my idea about a woman time-traveling back to 1912, and all the plot ideas running through my head and you solemnly nodding before you said, “I think you should write it. Sounds good.”
I love you.
College seemed like too much stress for me. Traveling across the world, getting married, and having four kids seemed much more relaxing.
Yeah, I’m still waiting for the relaxing part to kick in…
I change addresses every other year. It’s not by choice but it is my reality.
While the crazies of life kept me busy, the stories in my head decided to bubble to the surface. They were dying to be told and I was dying to tell them.
I hope you’ll enjoy escaping to the crazy world of these characters with me!
For more information on Calia Read visit her blog:
http://caliaread.blogspot.com/
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Calia Read, The Surviving Trace
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