Short blurb: A kidnapping and vicious murder leave David Maguire and Jada Atwood with few options—remain in the clutches of their abductors or attempt an escape. But the attraction they discover for each other could change their lives. Will they find their way home or die in a Pennsylvania forest?
Please
tell us five random things we might not know about you.
My great grandfather was a Catholic Priest. In
fact, my next book is inspired by him.
I didn't start writing until I was 65.
My granddaughter is a wrestler.
My other granddaughter is studying to be a doctor.
I lived full time in our RV on and off for 15
years.
Why did you choose to
write this book?
My editor asked for volunteers to write a story where the hero and
heroine meet then go on an adventure. But when I began writing, I had no idea
the direction the plot would take. This is the first time I've ever written a
murder into the story.
What
one thing about writing do you wish non-writers would understand?
Authors ponder every word they pen on the page. It
is tough work.
What is the toughest test you've faced as a
writer?
I have to admit, it was getting rejections from
editors and agents. I had to stop taking it personally and keep persevering.
What do you hope
readers to take away from your novel?
The heroine in The Long Way Home asks God to save her at the point
of a dire catastrophe. I'd like readers to embrace the hope that we don't have
to wait until we've exhausted all resources, but we can receive God's grace
even when our lives aren't in crisis mode.
What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of,
writing-related or not?
I am proud that
I had the opportunity to raise two daughters who received the Lord in their
lives.
Back
cover blurb:
David Maguire's
tour of duty in Germany is over, and he's returning home to Oak Mountain,
Alabama in search of a job. After a long flight from Frankfort, he shares an
Uber with Dallas resident Jada Atwood.
Jada Atwood, a
registered nurse midwife, is on her way to a medical conference in Queens. If
only she could live up to her father's legacy at the hospital where she works,
she could prove worthy of his reputation. Marriage awaits yet her fiancé has
yet to offer a ring.
When the Uber
driver must make a stop to pick up a passenger at a Queens shopping center, two
men who robbed a nearby bank commandeer the Ford as a getaway car. But when
they discover two passengers, they have to get rid of the extra baggage.
After the kidnappers
murder the Uber driver, David and Jada fear for their lives. Will they find their
way home or die in a Pennsylvania forest?
Chapter One
If David Maguire
wouldn't look like an idiot, he'd kneel down and kiss the hot, well-traveled
sidewalk outside the airport. Finally, he stood on U.S. soil. A new beginning
awaited, and God willing, a new job after his interview next week. The thought
thrilled him more than Christmas morning as a kid.
The silver Ford
sedan described on the Uber app inched up behind a line of cars at passenger
pickup. He stood on tiptoes and waved at the driver who neared the curb. Then
David moved his thumbs over his cell's screen. Mom. Just landed. Can't wait to see you guys.. Got a flight from JFK to Birmingham tomorrow.
The driver stopped
and jumped out. "Lieutenant Maguire?" His accent hinted of Middle
Eastern origins. "I'm Hadjira Khan, your driver." He whipped off his
ball cap, wiped his brow, and plopped his hat on again. "Let me get
this." The driver grabbed David's duffle bag and set it in the trunk next
to a light pink suitcase.
"Appreciate
it. I'm going to the Rockford Hotel in Queens."
"Yes, sir. I
have two more passengers besides you."
"No
problem." The cheaper fare suited David just fine. He couldn't be too
extravagant since his army pay would end soon. He sure didn't want to sponge
off of Mom and her new husband. "However I can get there is fine. I'm just
glad to be home." He opened the door, tossed his backpack in, and sat.
A woman with long,
dark hair and dressed in white jeans and a tight filmy blue blouse sat on the
other side. She looked up, nodded, and then continued tapping her cell's
screen.
David smiled then
focused on his text when his phone dinged.
I can't wait to see you. Let me know what time to pick
you up from the airport. Mom
Tomorrow at 3:13. See you then. Love you.
No matter how hard
he tried to disguise his smile, the wide grin stretched his lips. He'd be in
Oak Mountain soon.
The Uber driver
pulled from the curb. "You two comfortable back there?"
"Yeah,
sure." David took a deep breath and glanced toward the woman again. He
tried to identify the aroma emanating from her. It wasn't likely Hadjira that
smelled like roses.
"Yes,
thanks." She peered at the driver then cast a quizzical look to David.
He gave her a weak
smile and turned to face the front of the car, mentally kicking himself for
staring too long.
Hadjira pulled off
on a main thoroughfare and lifted his chin to glance into his rearview mirror.
"We stop at a strip mall off 135th for one passenger. Then I take you to
Rockford Hotel, sir, and you to Regal Gardens, ma'am."
"No problem," David mumbled, trying not to draw
out the words into multiple syllables as his southern drawl tended to do, worse
when he got nervous.
So the woman was staying at a hotel in Queens as well. He cleared away the
hesitation that impeded his question. "Where you coming from?" Ugh.
The most uninspired conversation starter he could've thought of. And to make
things worse, this lady was probably a big city woman and resented his
intrusion into her space.
What do you do for fun when not writing?
I love to go shopping and to lunch with my
daughters. I work out at the gym, and I love to watch Hallmark movies.
What
are you working on now?
I am just about to begin my next novel which has
no name at the present time. It will be a contemporary romance inspired by my
great grandfather's romance. A Catholic priest and a young parishioner fall in
love.
Where else
can readers find you online?
junefoster.com
https://www.amazon.com/author/junefoster
https://twitter.com/vjifoster
Bio:
June Foster is an award-winning author who
began her writing career in an RV roaming around the USA with her husband, Joe.
She brags about visiting a location before it becomes the setting in her next
contemporary romance or romantic suspense. June's characters find themselves in
precarious circumstances where only God can offer redemption and ultimately
freedom. Find June at junefoster.com.
