My Heart is Yours
by Amanda Leigh
Release Date: 05/18/15
169 pages
Summary from Goodreads:
Samantha
Marie Ramsden has three brothers. Craig, John and Matt. When tragedy strikes
their family, Craig takes on the task of becoming his siblings legal guardian.
It’s hard enough being someone’s guardian, but when you’ve only recently
entered adulthood yourself it’s almost impossible to know where to draw the
line between sibling and ‘parent’.
Marie Ramsden has three brothers. Craig, John and Matt. When tragedy strikes
their family, Craig takes on the task of becoming his siblings legal guardian.
It’s hard enough being someone’s guardian, but when you’ve only recently
entered adulthood yourself it’s almost impossible to know where to draw the
line between sibling and ‘parent’.
This
is made even harder on him when Sam starts to get close to a long time friend,
Jason. It looks like their friendship could turn into something more. An idea
that Craig has never been too happy with. Spanning six years, My Heart is Yours
explores family, friendship, love and much more. As well as asking the
question: Would you defy family for love?
is made even harder on him when Sam starts to get close to a long time friend,
Jason. It looks like their friendship could turn into something more. An idea
that Craig has never been too happy with. Spanning six years, My Heart is Yours
explores family, friendship, love and much more. As well as asking the
question: Would you defy family for love?
About the Author
Amanda Leigh graduated with a BA in English and
Communications and a double minor in Psychology and Creative Writing. During
college, she worked on the literary magazine and loved every minute of it. She
adores cats and has one named Sawyer – named after one of her favorite
characters in Lost. Amanda enjoys reading, writing avidly in a journal, writing
poetry, fiction and creative non-fiction, cooking, listening to music, singing,
swimming and art – particularly photography. Amanda is a bit of a chocoholic
and is slightly obsessed with office supplies. She has many ideas for stories
so keep an eye out for more work from her.
Communications and a double minor in Psychology and Creative Writing. During
college, she worked on the literary magazine and loved every minute of it. She
adores cats and has one named Sawyer – named after one of her favorite
characters in Lost. Amanda enjoys reading, writing avidly in a journal, writing
poetry, fiction and creative non-fiction, cooking, listening to music, singing,
swimming and art – particularly photography. Amanda is a bit of a chocoholic
and is slightly obsessed with office supplies. She has many ideas for stories
so keep an eye out for more work from her.
Author Links:
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EXCERPT:
Prologue
Five
and a half year old Samantha slept in her white threadbare sheets. Tonight the
wind was coming through particularly strong from the cracks in the wooden
boards on her window. Her small body shivered.
and a half year old Samantha slept in her white threadbare sheets. Tonight the
wind was coming through particularly strong from the cracks in the wooden
boards on her window. Her small body shivered.
The door creaked open and her mother
entered. Sam had the same blonde hair as her mother. Her eyes were her own
though. Changing from blue, to grey, to blue-grey, to green or any combination
of these colors seemingly simultaneously. Sandra’s hand approached
her daughter’s shoulder and she shook her roughly awake. The clock on the wall read
three o’ clock in the morning. Sam rubbed her eyes. “Come on!” Her mother said as she looked over her shoulder. “Get out of bed, now!”
She grabbed a hammer from the toolbox they kept
in Sam’s room, went to the boarded up window and started tearing the boards
to the floor. Wood splintered through the air. “Go on.” She
gestured to the window. “Get
out. Go.”
entered. Sam had the same blonde hair as her mother. Her eyes were her own
though. Changing from blue, to grey, to blue-grey, to green or any combination
of these colors seemingly simultaneously. Sandra’s hand approached
her daughter’s shoulder and she shook her roughly awake. The clock on the wall read
three o’ clock in the morning. Sam rubbed her eyes. “Come on!” Her mother said as she looked over her shoulder. “Get out of bed, now!”
She grabbed a hammer from the toolbox they kept
in Sam’s room, went to the boarded up window and started tearing the boards
to the floor. Wood splintered through the air. “Go on.” She
gestured to the window. “Get
out. Go.”
Sam hesitated for half a second then
climbed through. She knew she couldn’t ask questions. She got into trouble when she
asked questions.
climbed through. She knew she couldn’t ask questions. She got into trouble when she
asked questions.
Sandra wiggled through the window;
she cursed aloud as the glass cut her shoulder.
she cursed aloud as the glass cut her shoulder.
“Don’t try to run away from me!” The hoarse shout came from behind them. Sam’s father. Sam knew
what it meant when he was like this.
what it meant when he was like this.
Sandra
pushed Sam into the car, ran to the other side and jumped in. “Mommy.” Sam said as they went speeding past houses. “What’s wrong?”
pushed Sam into the car, ran to the other side and jumped in. “Mommy.” Sam said as they went speeding past houses. “What’s wrong?”
“If you
must know, your father’s more drunk than usual. He has a gun and he
says he’s gonna kill us. Satisfied?” Sam’s eyes widened as she looked in the rearview mirror. There was a car
right on their tail. Sam stretched in the front seat to see who it was; she
recognized the face of her father. “Mommy!” She
yelled. Her mother ignored her. “The only reason I’m taking you with me is cuz as a single parent
with no job I might get some money from the government.”
“Mommy!”
She yelled again. “Otherwise I’d just let him kill you.”
The car stopped, jolted forward and stopped
again. “Damn it. We’re out of gas.” Sam’s mom muttered. Sirens wailed in the background.
must know, your father’s more drunk than usual. He has a gun and he
says he’s gonna kill us. Satisfied?” Sam’s eyes widened as she looked in the rearview mirror. There was a car
right on their tail. Sam stretched in the front seat to see who it was; she
recognized the face of her father. “Mommy!” She
yelled. Her mother ignored her. “The only reason I’m taking you with me is cuz as a single parent
with no job I might get some money from the government.”
“Mommy!”
She yelled again. “Otherwise I’d just let him kill you.”
The car stopped, jolted forward and stopped
again. “Damn it. We’re out of gas.” Sam’s mom muttered. Sirens wailed in the background.
Beside them, Sam heard the screech
of tires. Blonder hair hit Sam’s face as she turned her head toward the noise.
In the car beside them her father scooted across the front seats; his eyes wild
with rage. A flash of black came from
behind him. Sandra frantically tried to get the car started. Too late. An arm
shot out around her neck; holding her fast. Her husband held the shiny black
gun to her head and before Sam could scream from the sound, the trigger boomed
and her mother’s body slumped over on the steering wheel. Deep red blood gushed out
of her head forming a pool on the floor. ;
of tires. Blonder hair hit Sam’s face as she turned her head toward the noise.
In the car beside them her father scooted across the front seats; his eyes wild
with rage. A flash of black came from
behind him. Sandra frantically tried to get the car started. Too late. An arm
shot out around her neck; holding her fast. Her husband held the shiny black
gun to her head and before Sam could scream from the sound, the trigger boomed
and her mother’s body slumped over on the steering wheel. Deep red blood gushed out
of her head forming a pool on the floor. ;
Excerpt #2
“Hey!” John’s voice echoed through the house. “Damn it!”
Sam grinned to herself; John did the same thing
every time he got home from work. He’d swing open the door, scream “Hey!” then stub his toe on the dark brown wooden coffee table and curse
under his breathe. He’d done the same thing every weekend since Sam
was fourteen. That’s when he got his part time job at the deli
about four blocks away from their house. He kept half of his pay; the other
half went to paying the bills.
Sam grinned to herself; John did the same thing
every time he got home from work. He’d swing open the door, scream “Hey!” then stub his toe on the dark brown wooden coffee table and curse
under his breathe. He’d done the same thing every weekend since Sam
was fourteen. That’s when he got his part time job at the deli
about four blocks away from their house. He kept half of his pay; the other
half went to paying the bills.
“What are you doin’?” Matt asked as he walked into their small kitchen/dining room.
“Craig
and I are making dinner. Which means you and John get to do the dishes.”
and I are making dinner. Which means you and John get to do the dishes.”
Matt’s face fell into a
frown, doing dishes was his least favorite chore. His baby fat hadn’t all gone away yet, so his face still had that slightly round shape.
Matt was a little more pale than the rest of them. His eyes were sky blue and
thoughtful. The eyes of a dreamer. He had light brown hair with dirty blonde
highlights; it was a little long. When their mom was still alive she would
always beg him to get it cut. (He rarely did).
frown, doing dishes was his least favorite chore. His baby fat hadn’t all gone away yet, so his face still had that slightly round shape.
Matt was a little more pale than the rest of them. His eyes were sky blue and
thoughtful. The eyes of a dreamer. He had light brown hair with dirty blonde
highlights; it was a little long. When their mom was still alive she would
always beg him to get it cut. (He rarely did).
“Hey,
baby sis!” John
said as his slightly tan hand messed up Sam’s hair. Sam grinned
an amused and frustrated grin. “Baby sis”, that’s what John always called her. Even though she constantly reminded him
he was only about a year older than her.
baby sis!” John
said as his slightly tan hand messed up Sam’s hair. Sam grinned
an amused and frustrated grin. “Baby sis”, that’s what John always called her. Even though she constantly reminded him
he was only about a year older than her.
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I enjoyed the excerpt, thank you.
Thank you for stopping by my blog! I am so glad that you enjoyed the excerpt.