Hello readers!
Welcome to this week’s installment of First Sentence Friday and Free Book Friday! For the foreseeable future, the free book is a signed Advance Reader Copy (ARC) of When the Jessamine Grows. ????
Ah – there’s so much I could say about this week’s sentence, but as always, I want to keep things spoiler free! So, this post is going to be a bit, um, vague. ????
The Civil War left no one untouched. While the story of When the Jessamine Grows is focused on Joetta, other family members experience their own turmoil emotionally and physically, like that of her youngest son, Robert. After his older brother, Henry, runs off to join the fight, Robert is distraught because he bears some guilt in this event. Joetta allows him time to think about his culpability and spends her days working and worrying about Henry. It’s when Robert overhears a conversation between his parents about Henry that his guilt turns to anger at Joetta and how she handles the situation.
Much of what happens in the ensuing days and weeks that follow reveals Joetta as patient and loving as ever, understanding he too, is dealing with these monumental changes in the best way an eleven-year-old boy can. Meanwhile, she continues to go through her days, working as hard as ever while hoping Robert will come around. It was never like this before. Robert was easygoing, softhearted, and never embarrassed to show his affection. He is no longer her Robert, and he continues to change every time there’s a development he believes is because of Joetta and how she’s handled Henry’s disappearance.
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Chapter 17
Robert came to the back door that evening, hesitating at the threshold as if unsure he wanted to be there.
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FREE BOOK FRIDAY!!!
For this week’s chance to win a signed ARC of When the Jessamine Grows, tell us about a time you were misunderstood about something that happened, or blamed for something you didn’t do, and how did you re/solve it? (hopefully, I’m not opening Pandora’s box! ????)
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PRE-ORDERS
Pre-orders gauge the interest and signal to the publisher readers are eager for an author’s work! Please consider pre-ordering because it really does help! If you’re holding out because you might win an ARC or a finished copy, remember you can always give away the extra as a gift to one of your reader friends. ????
Pre-order links for your convenience:
Kensington Publishing Corporation
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- Add WHEN THE JESSAMINE GROWS to your Goodreads “To Read” shelf
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When I was working, I was in charge of 300 second through fourth graders every day before school started. We met in the gym, and the only way for me to keep my sanity and avert chaos was to have them read silently (or do homework, study for tests etc). There was a group of mothers that I referred to as the posse who would come in and glare at me during that time, furious that I was “making their child read”. One day my principal and I sat down with them (at the parents’ request) and I told them exactly why I did this every day—they actually got it!! When you tell parents you’re trying to keep their kids safe, they tend to listen. It still infuriates me!
I visited my granddaughter’s school on Grandparent’s Day, and honestly, I don’t know how teachers do it. Kudos to you for handling that situation so well – and I’m glad they understood, finally!
coworker misheard what I said because he was distracted
comment name: bn100
coworker misheard what I said because he was distracted
I can relate – because that happens every day in my household between me/husband. ????
Oh gosh! That just happened yesterday. I was texting my sister and she completely misunderstood what I was saying. So she fussed at me and I fussed back tell her I didn’t say anything like she was interpreting what I said!! Wow texting is not always a good thing.
I have had this exact conversation with SO many people! The nuance of face-to-face communication is invaluable. Texting leaves so much to interpretation – even a simple “yes” can seem abrupt, or off-putting. Sometimes I hate the new ways we interact with one another! I’m subject to just call – and do this often – when I “feel” my text reply is bound to be misunderstood.