The Cost to
Go Back
A novel
She can rewrite her past.
But every button she pushes gambles her family’s existence.
Read the opening chapter of the novel drawn from one woman’s real experience surviving a traumatic brain injury and discovering that the life she was trying to reconstruct was never really hers to control.
From Chapter One
She puffed out her cheeks in frustration and glared at the man who had scared it all away.
“It’s all your fault! They stopped the concert because of you. Couldn’t you wait until they were done?” she snapped, her voice stern and cold, eyes locked on him.
She turned back toward the field, hoping the music might return if she just waited.
After a long, frustrated sigh, she stood frozen while the man watched her, bewildered. When he reached out and touched her arm again, she didn’t even flinch. She didn’t seem to notice at all.
“You need to come back with me. It’s time to go.”
The man furrowed his brow as she pulled her arm away. Her reaction made no sense to him.
She let out a longer sigh and groaned, “Never mind. They seem to have left.”
Hanging her head, she began to turn away but as she moved, she glanced up at the man and froze.
Who was he?
She looked around. Where was she?
The questions struck all at once, hollowing her out from the inside. Dread rose in her chest, and her whole body began to tremble.
“You’re so cold, you’re shaking violently! Here, put on my jacket.” Without hesitation, the man shrugged off his coat and wrapped it around her shoulders. He rubbed her arms briskly, then pulled her into a hug, his hands moving in slow circles along her back. It felt natural to him, instinctive, and at first, it eased her tension.
But as the warmth seeped in, she took a deep breath and inhaled a scent that stopped her cold.
Orange. Cedar. Vanilla.
Her stomach clenched.
She didn’t recognize him. Not really.
But she knew that scent.
Who was holding her?
The rest of chapter one is waiting for you below.
Get the Full Chapter
Read Where
Elena’s Story Begins
Enter your email and I’ll send you the full first chapter immediately.
You’ll also be the first to know when an agent says yes.
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. Your inbox is safe with me.
Delivered to your inbox the moment you sign up.
You’ll hear about publication milestones before anyone else.
Occasional letters about what it cost to write this book.
Early access to The Rhyolite Chronicles as it’s written.