Let Me Tell You A Story

A story about a boy and a girl who fell in love almost 4 years ago.

Who lived 16 hours apart and quickly became best friends.

Who chose to give a long distance relationship a try.

Who have now been dating almost 2 years.

Photo of me and my man taken by Marley Felicia Photography

So as you all know it’s Valentine’s day and because of that I want to share about how my boyfriend and I met and basically just use this opportunity to try and explain what an amazing human my boyfriend is. Basically it’s gonna be a lovey dovey post so if that isn’t your things then you can stop here.

Kolton and I met through online school in October 2014. We both bonded over our love for video games, more specifically Skyrim, which happened to be both our favourites. True nerd love right there. After that, we texted and/or video chatted every single day. Just talking and getting to know each other. It wasn’t until the early spring of 2015 when I told him I liked him, even though I liked him pretty soon after we started talking and at first he said he didn’t like me back but we still kept talking and getting to know each other and it wasn’t soon after that Kolton told me he liked me back.

First time we met

The first time we ever met in person was at a conference in May 2015. I remember being so nervous to meet him worried we would meet in person and everything would go so wrong and he wouldn’t like me after that. But then he let me borrow a huge box of books so clearly it was love…Okay but book jokes aside it was scary to meet him! Cause I liked him so much and I was worried I wouldn’t be who he thought I was or I would make a fool of myself.  That following July he came to my house the first time and I was head over heels by this point and I knew I wanted to date him one day. Sometime after that I asked him to be my escort for grad in June 2016. I’m not sure when but I asked him anyways but in hindsight I was such a nervous wreck about it. I kept dropping NOT so subtle hints cause I was so scared to ask him. But the whole time he was patient and waited for me to actually say it. (In hindsight it was also a total embarassment…but in the end it got me a hot date for my grad/next few years of my life so its not all that bad) Up until my Grad in June 2016 we met up as often as we could, Kolton staying at my house with me and my family for a few days to a week at a time. We officially became a couple and started dating June 13th 2016 (after both his and my grad as we were each other’s escorts) and it’s been a beautiful and sometimes crazy and frustrating journey all the same.

Despite all insanity of every day I’m reminded why I love Kolton. 

Aside from the obvious that I find him extremely good looking, he is such a funny person. He always knows how to make me laugh and his pun game is on point. (Hello, we took a photo in a corn feild during our photoshoot because he said it would be a corny photo…)

He has always been kind and caring – always so considerate of everyone and how they feel. Like, if you have met this guy you know what I mean. I have never met a more caring soul in my lifetime. He just genuinely cares for everyone he crosses paths with. And though I bug him about being too social (any introverts in the house?? or is it just me?) it’s really an admirable quality I wish I had.

He goes out of his way to help friends, family or myself when we need it withough batting an eye. I remember over Christmas break this year he knew my mum was going out and so he went outside and cleaned off her vehicle so it was ready for her to go. There has also been countless times he has made food for me just because or taken care of me when life has gotten tough or I’ve been sick.

He is my best friend and number one support. And despite my impatience and wanting to just get engaged/married already (I mean why wouldn’t I?) he always reminds me to be patient and to wait on God’s timing. Sometimes he annoys me so much because he keeps reminding me I need to be patient and wait on God for things and while it’s annoying as heck cause I just want to do what I want on my own time sometimes (I’ll admit to my impatience. I’m working on it) he ALWAYS points me back to God and reminds me to be patient and trust God with everything.

 

So yeah. This is our little story. Hope you enjoyed it and Happy Valentines Day everyone! I hope your day is filled with overwhelming amounts of joy and love you can carry with you for the rest of your life.

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Sometimes You Gotta Refocus…

Rethink.

Refocus.

Move Forward.

So I have some more guest posts coming in the next week or two but I thought I should pop in and share some thoughts with you as well as a verse of encouragment. As I’ve mentioned a little bit here and there, this year I really focused on upgrading some high school courses so I could attend college this fall and I have arrived! But with that, I want to talk about focus and priorities.

Reaching your goals takes a lot of doing what you don’t feel like doing and also hard times. And when that happens, sometimes you’ve gotta refocus. I really learned that over the last year as I had to buckle down and do work I didn’t want to do and meet deadlines that feel almost impossible to meet. As I sit here at college having survived the first week of classes I’m realizing that it’s all the same as before. Slightly harder work and lots of it but still the same. And in those moments of stress and frustration when I feel like I’m drowning in all I have to do I’ve had to learn to stop, take a minute or two to just breathe and then reflect about why I’m doing this all and what it’s for. – What the point is behind all this paperwork and daily readings for classes the next day.

Refocus on my goals then move forward knowing that this is not pointless. That there is a plan and final goal in mind.

A long-term plan.

So just remember that if you feel exhausted, or swamped with homework, studies, work or even just life to stop and take a minute to breathe and reflect on what will come from what you are doing right now.

^{11 “}For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.¹² Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. ¹³ You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” – Jeremiah 29:11-13

 

Don’t Give Up Hope

“What can feel like the ending could just be the beginning. Don’t give up hope.” -Third Day

-Third Day

Over the last 11 months since I moved out (I can’t believe it has been almost a year!) I’ve been learning a lot about being on my own and actually being independent out in the big wide world far from home. Throughout this last year, I’ve been greatly challenged in all areas of my life. Especially when it comes to my faith and boy, it has not been easy.

God has been teaching me so much over this last year and all I can really do is sit here and thank Him for not writing me off as a lost cause and forgetting about me cause I can be so stubborn it’s actually not even funny. (Like it’s really not)

But one thing God has really been pushing me with is my trust in Him. Trusting that he has got my life planned out and under control and believing that He created me to fulfill some awesome and amazing things that I can’t even begin to imagine and it’s been HARD. Even now I’m still working on it but as I’ve made moves to trust Him in His plans for my life I’m slowly starting to see what living like that is like. It’s not always a walk in the park and sometimes I doubt myself and doubt God about what He is doing and where He is leading me.

But as I sit here in my college dorm, having been here a whole week, I realize none of this could be anyone or thing aside from God. I still can’t believe that I made it here and even though I’m not certain about my degree I’m going for and if I’ll be at College for 2 or 4 years. I know that I need to not give up Hope when things get hard and be open to God and trust Him to show me what He wants me to do with my life and where He wants me.

No matter where you are and all seems hopeless and confusing or you just feel lost, don’t give up hope ❤

Mrs. Potato Head

Oh, Mrs. Potato Head, tell me, is it true that pain is beauty?

 

**Today’s post is pulled from and inspired by Melanie Martinez’s song ‘Mrs. Potato Head.’ 

If you weren’t born with it
You can buy a couple ornaments
Just be sure to read the warning, kids
‘Cause pretty soon you’ll be bored of it, ha-ha
Sexual, hey girl if you wanna feel sexual
You can always call up a professional
They stick pins in you like a vegetable

 Kids forever, kids forever

Kids forever, kids forever
Baby soft skin turns into leather
“Don’t be dramatic, it’s only some plastic.”
“No one will love you if you’re unattractive.”

Oh, Mrs. Potato Head, tell me, is it true that pain is beauty?
Does a new face come with a warranty?
Will a pretty face make it better?
Oh, Mr. Potato Head, tell me
How did you afford her surgery?
Do you swear you’ll stay forever?
Even if her face don’t stay together
Even if her face don’t stay together

If you want a little more confidence
Potatoes turn to french fries, yeah it’s common sense
All you need’s a couple more condiments
And a hundred thousand dollars for some compliments
It’s such a waste
When little girls grow into their mother’s face
But little girls are learning how to cut and paste
And pucker up their lips until they suffocate

Kids forever, kids forever
Baby soft skin turns into leather
“Don’t be dramatic, it’s only some plastic.”
“No one will love you if you’re unattractive.”

Oh, Mrs. Potato Head, tell me, is it true that pain is beauty?
Does a new face come with a warranty?
Will a pretty face make it better?
Oh, Mr. Potato Head, tell me
How did you afford her surgery?
Do you swear you’ll stay forever?
Even if her face don’t stay together
Stay forever, stay forever
Even if her face don’t stay together

 

Melanie Martinez album titled Cry Baby is one of the best albums I’ve listened to. Not only for her unique sound and lyrics but the message in a lot of her songs. One of those impactful songs is called Mrs. Potato Head, which I quoted above. The approach this song takes is eye opening in the way that she shows what society defines as beauty or that if you don’t have anything going for you, you can just pay thousands of dollars to fix whatever you hate about yourself.

We see this daily in the celebrities so many people idolize. It’s a common thing in our society and I think it says so much about how messed up and confused our society is and it’s actually sad. The media is telling us we have to look or act a certain way in everything we do, say, like, wear, and what we look like and it’s heaIt’sreaking. It’s heartbreaking because we are all made to be ourselves and not one of us is the same in appearance, personality, likes, talents or whatever!

We were not all created to fit in and be the same but to be ourselves and stand out!

Because of society and its ideas of what beauty should be, I know some amazing women who don’t believe that they are beautiful. Even I don’t always believe I’m beautiful even though I know that everyone is unique and different and that in itself is beautiful. There are days where I look in the mirror and wish my tummy was smaller or my thighs weren’t as ‘jiggly.’

I know a girl who I feel hasn’t been told enough times that she is beautiful…and because of it, she covers her face in layers of makeup and always changes her hair (whether cut or style) Even though she is stunning with or without makeup, dressed up or in sweats and a t-shirt, she doesn’t believe it because society gives this image of beauty that she doesn’t ‘fit’ into and through her 19 years of life not many people have told her she is beautiful just the way she is.

So I just want to encourage you and say: Don’t define yourself by society’s definition of beauty. Embrace you and your body and be beautifully and unapologetically you! ❤

 

Loving People Like Jesus

Hello there!

I’m so sorry it’s been so long since I’ve blogged. My priorities have been to focus on my upgrades for college and now that those are done it’s a waiting process to get my marks back. Since that’s done I’m hoping to be able to put a bit more of a priority on my blogging and novel writing. But today I’m gonna work on writing up some posts and finishing up ones I started so today my friend Cori has written another guest post so I’ll let her share what she’s written.

Growing up I learned that people are not always the easiest to love all the time. I was taught that you have to love everyone, even if you don’t like them.

One of the most important commandments is to love your neighbors as yourself. God said that himself. Treat others the way you would want to be treated is something my youth pastor would say often. Although not always the easiest route, it is the way that Jesus lived himself.

Jesus hung out with people that you wouldn’t really expect. He made friends with the liars and cheats. The outcasts. The people nobody wanted to be. I think He did this to set an example for us today. He didn’t have to love on those people. But he chose to show them the love and respect every person needs.

Now that doesn’t mean that Jesus took crap from people either. He would correct them when they were wrong, in a very polite yet clever way most of the time.

Don’t think I’m telling you to hang around a murderer and be best friends with them. But I am telling you to love that person no matter the sins they struggle with because, in the end, his sin is the same as mine. Even if mine seems minuscule in comparison God sees all sin as the same.

When I was in grade school the teachers would always pair the new kids or the weird kids with me because In my house you treated everybody the way you would want to be treated, therefor I was always the nice one in class, even when I didn’t want to be I was paired with them. Now I was a very shy kid. It was pretty hard for me to do this. But I felt the call that God put on my life to follow him at a young age and I knew it was the right thing to do.

There was this one kid who nobody got along with. I’m not gonna share her name but she was a nice kid. Just a bit strange. Once one of my friends asked me why I hung out with her so much. I simply told them that she deserved to have friends too. At the end of the school year, we went our separate ways but her mom came up to me and thanked me for being so nice to this girl. She was a bit hyper and talked A LOT but I did enjoy her company and learned to love her very much.

I wish more kids would give each other a chance rather than judging a book by its cover. It’s so hard for me to see all the bullying and abuse that goes on In schools these days. It’s sad.

I learned pretty young that it’s honestly so rewarding and worth getting to know a person no matter how much they annoy you.

Now I know we aren’t all in grade school here. That was just one example. I have another. Take homeless people for example. I have worked and served homeless people for as long as I can remember. But some people won’t even look in their direction. Some Christians don’t even see them as people.

I’ll never forget the day that I went up to a homeless man and gave him some food and he looked at me with tears in his eyes. He said nobody would even look at him that day. He searches in his bag for a ring he had made and he gave it to me saying that he wishes there were more people like me in this world.

I’ve given people on the streets Christmas presents that haven’t gotten anything for 25 years and they’ve broken down and asked me to watch them open it. It wasn’t much just some essentials and little things and a book but he was so thankful for his gift. He said that maybe there really is a God that loved him all because I treated him like a normal person for a few minutes.

I love these experiences. Ones with people who think they don’t even deserve it anymore. Broken people. I see them as a beautiful creation of God and it’s almost magical seeing these moments.

If people could just open their eyes and see them as people in a bad circumstance the world would be a much more beautiful place. But let’s move on to another example.

Now we’ve all had that one neighbor that everybody hates right? I have anyways. Those people are one of the hardest to love. Just the meanest most annoying people you’ve ever met right? Well God calls us to love even them. I know crazy right?! Well, I know for a fact that Jesus would have gone up to that guy and said: “I love you no matter what the sin you are struggling with.” So we are called to do the same. That’s not always the easy thing to do but sometimes the hard choice is the best choice.

So many times in the Bible the Pharisees would scold Jesus for hanging out with “that guy” like why would a guy like you hang out with a guy like them? Love, that’s the answer. Unconditional unfailing love.

I know these words aren’t really something easy to read but it’s very important. So next time you just can’t stand someone, pray for them. It not only changes them but it changes your heart towards them. I’m not saying you have to like them, but you must love them.

“Lord help me to love like you do. Help me to love my enemy’s and pray for them. Help me to go up to the weird kid and be their friend. I thank you for your love and grace on us. We don’t deserve it but you made us deserve it by dying on the cross for us. Help me to spread love through out the world and shine your light through me. In Jesus name, I pray, Amen”

Loving Who God Made You To Be

Hello there lovelies!

Today we have a guest post from my friend Cori. She was one of the first people to volunteer to write a blog post for this new blog post series I wanna do throughout the year and I LOVE what she has to say.

I hope you all receive some encouragement from this lovely gals words of wisdom.

Well, it’s a new year again and our social media is filled with “New year new me” posts and new years resolutions that will last a couple of weeks.  Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t see anything wrong with trying to better yourself, but when its all about me, me, me I think we might just be missing the point. My resolution is to grow closer to Christ and to love who He made me.

        The world tells us that it is all about you. You do you. You only live once. I agree to make the most of your life but when your life revolves around you and you only that isn’t exactly what God has planned. God tells us to live humbly and to always put your neighbor before yourself. He tells us to give a homeless man the clothes off our backs if he doesn’t have any. He tells us to pray for our enemies and love them no matter the harm they’ve caused you.  That may not be very easy, but that is what we are called to. There is a difference between loving who God made you and being a self centered jerk

        Now my life hasn’t been that easy. I was sexually abused, I’ve harmed myself and did for many years, and I even attempted suicide. Growing up I’ve had major self esteem problems.  I would look at myself in the mirror and hate everything about my reflection. I would cry at night because I wasn’t good enough for society or even myself. It wasn’t until recently, actually, that I realized  I wasn’t living how God had planned. It took a mental hospital being waved over my head for me to finally get my act together.  My point is this: God made you who you are for a reason and you are perfectly and wonderfully made. He planned out every inch of you, beautifully, inside of your mother and God, the God of the universe, does not make mistakes. (Psalms 139:13-18)

        Now I pray that in this new year you learn to love yourself for who God made you. Not for what the world wants you to be. Serve your Lord with all your heart soul and mind and love every bit of yourself because the creator of everything there ever was and is to come made you and that is pretty amazing if you think about it.

    Now I still deal with all of these things today. I am not saying that life is gonna be a bundle of joy on a sunny day. Life sucks, there’s no other way to put it, but it is so much easier to have hope and to love who God made you to be then to dwell on things and to try to be this perfect person society makes the standard out to be. You will never be perfect. You will never be “Good enough” , but you know what? That’s why Christ died for us. So that in Him we are good enough and always will be. God doesn’t look at us for all the bad things we have done.  He looks at us as perfect, just as He made us perfectly.

“Lord help me to love who You made me to be. Help me serve you in any way that i can in this new year. I pray that in the new year i grow spiritually and grow to love others more than myself, thank you for all these blessings, i pray that my self esteem will be high this year. In your name I pray , Amen.”

Yours Truly,
Cori Heck

2017

Hello lovelies!

Sorry I haven’t posted at all this month life has been crazy and all over the place but I’m hoping to explain some of that here and my post plans for the new year!

 

So the new year has come and gone and its almost February! Like what?! My apologies on the lack of posting. I’ll explain why, but hopefully there wont be so many apology posts this year due to lack of posting. Part of the reasons is I don’t feel like apologizing anymore.

Not that I don’t love you lovely readers or that I don’t care but in the past I’ve missed posting and torn myself down for it. I don’t want to be doing that anymore so my blogging is going to be a little more relaxed this year.

I have a goal to try and write one blog post a week on top of my busy schedule but at the same time I don’t want to beat myself up every time I don’t post! The reason being because I started blogging because I had (and have) things to say and it was fun to express it in that way. My passion and love for my blog hasn’t changed but with my more busy schedule this year, posting will be less frequent for sure as I have other things that (sadly) hold a higher priority over blogging.

WITH THAT SAID! I still have some exciting things for this blog. So lets talk about exciting things because I’m not stopping posting entirely! Just gotta adapt my blog schedule to my busy life.

On the blog this year I want to turn this around from a book review blog (as I started to do when I changed the name) to more of a personal, thought sharing, encouragement blog. There will still be book reviews or discussions on my writing and music and stuff every once in a while for sure but not as often.

I want to focus on not only encouraging and building up you guys but also growing myself in the process. I would argue that self-love and self-care for women is especially hard and I’m seeing that more and more each day. I personally am tired of looking in the mirror and calling myself ‘good enough’ or not liking what I see at all and I want to change that. This year I want to go on a journey to change how I feel about myself and my body and take time to grow closer to God.

Spend more time doing life. And I want to encourage others through this process.

To help me kick this off I have asked some wonderful people (girls and guys alike) on my Facebook page and twitter to help me out and guest post for me. (if you wanna join in too, contact me!) Speak whats on their hearts. Tell me about their struggles and what they are doing to turn those into positivity, self-love, and growth!

On top of that I already have a lot of exciting things in my life in 2017 that I can’t wait to share as they happen!

 

Hope to see you around and that you benefit from this journey as much as I.

 

 

Orbits – Album Review

I was given a copy of Keith Kitchen‘s newest album to review and that’s what I intend to do!

So I’ve never reviewed an album before really. I’ve attempted it and am not sure how well I did at it so I’m just gonna talk about why I love it and hope you all get the idea on how amazing it is.

 

My rating: 

 

My Thoughts: I’ve been a fan of Keith Kitchen for a while now, having seen him in concert and my family owning all his albums. So I was REALLY excited when I saw he was working on a new album and now that its out in the world!

Something about his music is absolutely mesmerizing and relaxing! On top of that the story telling and such in the songs is beautiful and can only come from a lot of time put into writing each song. With this album I honestly couldn’t choose a favorite song. They were all just beautifully written and once again I’m blown away by the sheer beauty of the songs themselves.

 

You can purchase Orbits or Keith’s other albums on his website or even have him come play at your local church or event! Trust me, it would be totally worth it!

 

 

 

 

Long Distance Relationships – The Real Thing ft. My Boyfriend

So fun fact about me: I’m in a long distance relationship. This is a collab post with my boyfriend to give you a little insight to what that might be like.

Hiiiiiiii I’m Boyfriend

Also by the way, so there is no confusion as to who is talking as it’s a collaborative post between Kolton and I, if you see colored text then it’s my boyfriend.

 

 

So I figure I should start off this post telling you a bit about how Kolton and I met. We actually didn’t meet until almost a year after we met…if that makes any sense at all. (She means in person) Kolton and I first met through our school board. We were both in an online homeschooling program for high school and that’s how we ‘met.’

 

Okay. So Adriana didn’t tell the whole story here.

 

Well sorry. Was trying to give you the opportunity to do some storytelling here too…

 

Yeah yeah sure you were. Okay, so here is the real story about how we ‘met’. So one day after I was done my classes, one of my friends and I decided to see how many people we could invite to a group chat before the system crashed. (#thejoysofonlineschooling ) I’m fairly certain we had over 50 people in the chat. Nevertheless, Adriana was one of the people who got invited. The chat was complete chaos but someone mentioned Skyrim (a game both Adriana and I love) and we went onto a private chat and started talking and we have been talking every single day since then. THERE THAT IS THE STORY!!!!

 

Well…That’s the story (basically) of how we met summed up. We didn’t meet in person until May 2015 (a little over 6 months after we first started talking) at a youth conference called YC and the rest is history basically. You will kinda figure out a little bit more as this post goes on but today, Kolton and I wanted to talk to you about what (for us) a long distance relationship looks like.

 

 

So one thing we wanted to discuss is: What does our relationship looks like on a daily basis?

• Lots and lots of text messages and lovey dovey emoji 

• Random and spontaneous video chats.

• Constantly missing the other person and hoping that they are doing well.

• Wondering if the other person misses you as much as you miss them.

• Days we do get together are either meticulously planned or consist of no planning what so ever there is no in between.

 

 

What have you learned from being in a long distance relationship?

Well in all honesty, Kolton and I have only been dating since June but I mean we have known each other for about two years now and have liked each other for a fair chunk of that time. We both just decided not to rush into a relationship as when we met he lived 16 hours north of where I lived.

Here is a list of Pros and Cons we put together to show what we have learned from a LDR.

Pro:

• The time we spend together is special and greatly cherished as it is few and far between whereas if we lived a lot closer we would spend more time together and it wouldn’t be as big of a thing when we spend time together (if that makes sense)

Con:

• The amount of times we see each other is very little compared to seeing each other all the time if we lived in the same place. In result it makes things very difficult. (since we started dating we have seen each other twice once near the end of summer and once in the middle october)

 

 

Pro:

• You talk a lot and communicate very well. In that sense you’re able to build a stronger relationship with each other over time because of the distance and the constant communication.

Con:

• Sometimes you just really don’t care about the ‘stronger’ relationship aspect of distance because you just want your boyfriend/girlfriend right here, right now and you wanted them here yesterday

 

 

 

Pro:

• As many of you probably know Adriana is a Christian, and no one probably knows that I am a Christian as well. This is something that we both were looking for in a partner and something I would not have been able to find without going into a Long distance relationship.

Con:

• The only con for that one ( ^^) is really just ‘Long Distance’ HAHA

 

 

Something I get asked often (I can’t speak for Kolton) is that people have asked me why I chose to be in a long distance relationship and how I manage it… So before we end this post I just wanna highlight that aspect. 🙂

 

 

So how do you do it? It must be sooooooooooooooo hard.

I honestly love when I get asked if I have a boyfriend. Why?

      1. Because I get to brag about my boyfriend and how awesome he is

And

2. I get to watch the shock and horror on their face when I tell them I’m in a long distance relationship…. Especially when Kolton and I lived 16 hours from each other. People’s reactions were priceless! They literally resemble something like this GIF I posted below:

I choose a long distance relationship because to me it’s not about where the person you love is to me it’s about who you love and my girlfriend has the qualities that I have found to be extraordinarily attractive and ones that in this world are found few and far between. I have fallen in love with her and she is one in which i see myself to have a future with beyond dating (which should be the real true reason you date someone (truth)) and to be it’s a huge bonus that she is super attractive. *winky face*

Long distance may be hard but if you find the right person at the end of the day it is totally worth it. No matter if you are 2 hours apart or 20 however much you put into the relationship that is what you are going to get out of it. If you truly like or love this person and you truly see a future with them you will make it work similar to people in a ‘normal’ relationship. You cherish the time you spend together and you await the next visit. The final thing you do is hope for the day when you never have to be a part again. That’s what Adriana and I do. Isn’t that right, babe?   

Totally true. Also I know that I personally get the question a ton about how we make it work and really it’s the same as what any relationship should be like. You put in what you get out of it. (I already made that point you nugget) With the long distance, he and I have to make that extra effort to communicate and just make our relationship work BUT I feel like it should be the same in any relationship no matter the difference. Really the only difference between a LDR is just the long distance. Really everything else is and should be the same as any other relationship.

Unwritten Melody Blog Tour

Hello  lovelies!

Today I’m excited to share in this blog tour and tell you all about a lovely new book. ❤

 

 

 

Does breaking free require breaking the rules?

Cassie Gilbert lives every day in the shadows of her deceased mom’s rebellion. But now that she’s seventeen, she finds herself longing to break away from her grandmother’s suffocating rules, experience what it’s like to be a regular teenager, and fulfill her songwriting dreams.

James Russo, former American Spotlight contestant, escapes to small town Willow Creek, SC hoping to flee from his tarnished past. When a school project pairs him with the shy principal’s granddaughter, he’s determined to get to know this Emily-Dickinson-obsessed and typewriter-using girl. His plan? Convince Cassie to co-write songs for his demo album.

As Cassie gets to know James over “project meetings” (more like opportunities to match her lyrics with his melodies), she becomes intrigued by his sense of adventure and contagious passion for music. But soon, his past becomes exposed. Cassie’s left to wonder—did she make the same mistake Mom did by falling for the bad boy?

Then, Grandma’s control pushes her over the edge. Cassie must choose between remaining in the chains of yesterday, or delving into her own freedom by completing the melody her mom left behind.

 

Book Links:

• Mark “Unwritten Melody” on Goodreads
• View “Unwritten Melody” on Amazon
• View “Unwritten Melody” on Barnes & Noble

 

 

 

 Excerpt 

 

© “Unwritten Melody” Excerpt – Written by Tessa Emily Hall – Published by Clean Reads

 

“Why are you staring at the keyboard like that?”

“Like what?” James’s question lurches me back into the present moment, out of the thoughts that had me buried as he played our song for the second time.

A broad smile expands across his face. He rests an elbow on the keyboard and tilts his head. “Like it’s a cheeseburger and you’ve gone days without food. Like it’s a positive magnet and you’re the negative. Like—”

I laugh. “Alright, I get it.” My smile fades, though, because how could he tell? When James brought the song to a close, I couldn’t tear my gaze away from the keys. It’s mesmerizing, how the dance of his fingers can breathe life into a melody.

“Let me guess—you wanna play?”

I plop my head against the back of the leather chair and fight the so-called magnetic attraction. “I can’t.”

He shifts on the bench and turns toward me. “What do you mean, you can’t?”

“Just another one of Grandma’s absurd rules.” I tell James about the white baby grand piano at our house—how he was the first to play actual music on it since Mom passed. How, for my entire life, the piano has served as a constant reminder that my dreams were not within reach. “Any time I’ve asked permission to take piano lessons, Grandma’s refused.”

But I’ve always wondered what would happen if I could play. If I were allowed, would I pour my emotions, longings, and thoughts into music, just like Mom did? Would I be a natural, if I learned how to play?

I often wondered if Mom’s legacy could, somehow—through the mysterious power of music—live on through me. And if the melody she’d begun on the music sheet could find its completion through me.

“Come on.” James scoots to the edge of the bench and pats the space beside him. “Let me at least teach you the chorus to The Other Side of the Road. It’s simple.”

That magnetic attraction he referred to? It’s doubled in size. And for the first time, someone—a famous musician—is offering to teach me a chorus on the piano.

My feet plant themselves onto the ground, but it takes an extra dose of effort to stand. Not because I don’t want to, but because Grandma’s voice booms in the back of my mind, all the times she’s forbidden me from going near our piano.

The floorboards squeak as I shuffle across the worn rug then lower myself onto the bench next to James. I’m not sure what’s more terrifying—sitting so close to James Russo, or finally being taught to play piano.

But my hands stay glued to my lap. It’s as though the keys are alcohol, and if I take a sip, I’ll become drunk on its melody; my fingertips will be stained with the music notes, and I’ll come home reeking with its fragrance.

James’s azure eyes stare down at me, inches from my face. “Follow my lead.” His fingers curl around my hands, and with the gentlest touch, he places them on the keys. His left arm wraps behind my back, over my shoulder, until his hand is clasped on top of mine.

My heart flutters at our closeness, at the way his presence is a warm shield from the brisk air in this music room. I inhale a deep breath, almost intoxicated from his overpowering cologne and the fresh-out-of-the-wash scent of his sweater. And during the brief moment of him aligning my fingers along the keys, nerves mount, causing my chest to constrict. Who knows how many rules of Grandma’s I’m breaking right now?

But when he places his fingers onto mine causing me to strike the first note, a soothing peace washes over me and calms my nerves. I feel myself relax as he guides me through the brief chorus.

“It’s only two chords.” James’s voice sounds deeper than usual, his breath tickling my cheek. “But it’s the same for the entire chorus.”

I don’t even know what he means by that. All I know is I’ve tasted this indulgence, and there’s no way I can resist the magnetic pull from this moment forward.

 

 

Giveaway

Enter for your chance to win the Unwritten Melody Prize Pack! Two winners will be selected and announced on Tessa’s blog the final day of tour (Friday, December 9^th) and will be notified via email.

 

 

 

 

This prize pack includes…

• E-copy of Unwritten Melody
• Signed paperback copy of Purple Moon
• Unwritten Melody mug, filled with goodies
• Unwritten Melody swag, including a bookmark, pen, and poster
• Starbucks mocha flavored instant coffee
• Free Unwritten Melody: Page-By-Page Secrets PDF
• Handmade journal
• Typewritten thank you note

 

*This giveaway is open to the US only 

 

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About Tessa

 Tessa Emily Hall writes inspirational yet authentic YA fiction to show others they’re not alone—and because she remembers the teen life like it was yesterday (or a few years ago). The debut novel she wrote at 16-years-old, PURPLE MOON (Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas) was a Selah 2014 Finalist. Her second novel, UNWRITTEN MELODY, releases with Clean Reads November 2016. She’s the Founder of PursueMagazine.net, a magazine that inspires teens to embrace their calling. Tessa also enjoys helping writers achieve their dreams through her internship at Hartline Literary Agency.

 

When her fingers aren’t flying 116 WPM across the keyboard, Tessa can be found making healthy homemade lattes, speaking to teens, decorating her insulin pump, and acting in Christian films. She writes in a small town nestled between the Blue Ridge Mountains and Southeastern coast. Her favorite way to procrastinate is by connecting with readers on her blog, mailing list, social media (@tessaemilyhall), and website.

 

 Connect With Tessa

• Website: tessaemilyhall.com
• Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/2ef5bu1
• Blog: www.ChristisWrite.blogspot.com
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/tessaemilyhall
• Facebook page: www.facebook.com/tessaemilyhall
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/tessaemilyhall
• Pinterest: pinterest.com/tessaemilyhall

 

 

Blog Tour Schedule

 

Don’t miss the next blog tour stop! Be sure to visit the following blogs on its designated tour date. You can also email tessaemilyhall (at) gmail (dot) com and request to receive the Blog Tour Packet. At the end of the tour, Tessa will send you the downloadable PDF that will contain all of the content from each blog tour stop.

 

Tues., November 1 – Christ is Write

Wed., November 2 – Adriana Gabrielle Writes

Thurs., November 3 – The Depth of My Faith

Fri., November 4 – Sarah Ruut

Mon., November 7 – God is Love

Tues., November 8 – The Bibliophile Angel

Wed., November 9 – Emily Rachelle Writes

Thurs, November 10 – Word Changers For His Glory

Fri., November 11 – Christian Teen Book Reviews

Mon., November 14 – Phyllis Still

Tues., November 15 – In The Bookcase

Wed., November 16 – Girl Meets Publishing World

Thurs., November 17 – Anna Schaeffer

Fri., November 18 – Ramblings of a Writer

Mon., November 21 – Naomi and Books

Tues., November 22 – Reading is My Superpower

Wed., November 23 – Zerina Blossom’s Books

Thurs., November 24 – Jennifer Slattery Lives Out Loud

Fri., November 25 – Labor Not in Vain

Mon., November 28 – Barbara Bruitt

Tues., November 29 – Katy Kauffman

Wed., November 30 – Jen Pheobus

Thurs., December 1 – Northern Belle Meg

Fri., December 2 – 2Me From Him

Mon., December 5 – Nicole Quigley

Tues., December 6 – The Destiny of One

Wed., December 7 – Catherine Castle

Thurs., December 8 – Rachelle Rea Cobb

Fri., December 9 – Leslie L. Mckee