This Friday Features, we welcome our visiting Veteran author AND Publisher:
J U L I A A. R O Y S T O N
Her newest release Vernice, is the story of a single mother of a high school senior about to go to college on a full athletic scholarship. Vernice and her son live in windy Chicago going about their daily lives. Vernice works hard at her job striving to get ahead and be promoted. David, Jr. works hard at school wanting to make his mother proud and himself independent. They attend church and are very active on a local and national level. Vernice would love to meet a very nice, Christian man and eventually remarry. Her son’s father wasn’t a good father so a stepfather is unnecessary but with son almost grown, her only desire is for a passionate and happy love in her life. Meet Vernice.
Enjoy this Excerpt form Vernice and see how to get your copy!
Chicago had clear and sunny skies on this April day. Vernice’s goal was to get to work on time for an important meeting with an unknown client. She was walking across the Michigan Avenue Bridge headed to her office on Wacker Drive on the phone with her mom about David, Jr.’s graduation party coming up.
“Well, the cake has been ordered, his invitations are addressed, stamped and ready to send out. Just think in about five weeks, I will have a son who is a high school graduate. Yes!” said Vernice. She was focused on the conversation and not where she was walking. “Mom that sounds like a great place. Do they accept reservations? Great. Hold on so I can get a pen to write down the restaurant’s number.” Just as she was about to find paper, she bumped into another body. “Oh, excuse me!” Vernice held on to her phone, but her purse flew out of her hands and the contents on the side walk. What a mess!
“Oh I am sorry, pardon me. Let me help you,” Vernice didn’t look at the person helping her, but realized she still had her mom on the phone. “Mom let me call you back. I just dropped my purse. I promise I will call you later today. Love you, goodbye.”
Turning her attention to the stranger, “Thank you so much. I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going. My purse holds everything, but my house,” Vernice said as she was helping the gentleman get her belongings off of the ground.
“I don’t know anything about what goes into a woman’s purse. I didn’t have the pleasure of having a sister, just a twin brother,” he answered.
“Well, you are lucky because women need..” Vernice stopped as she stood and saw the man’s face, “Myron Randolph?”
Excerpt from Vernice of Book 2 of the Women of the Fellowship Series Copyright 2016 1
Vernice
“Vernice Washington? I didn’t realize that was you.” They gave each other a very awkward hug. Myron smelled wonderful and Vernice’s soft perfume blended right in.
“I must sound like a babbling idiot. I am just talking away about stuff and purses,” Vernice was suddenly nervous.
“That’s okay. I was walking, working and not paying attention to where I was going either. That is a bad habit of mine,” Myron said.
Vernice looked at Myron with no judgment, but Myron immediately felt guilty. He hadn’t called her in the past month and needed to apologize. “I must apologize for not calling you. I got back from the conference and dove right into work,” Myron Randolph. He suddenly remembered how her mouth felt when he kissed her a month ago. Why he hadn’t called her sooner he didn’t know. He was an idiot. “No problem. I totally understand. You have been busy,” Vernice took a look at the time on her phone. She put a quick hand to her hair, adjusted her light weight coat and started the timer in her head because she had exactly 15 minutes to make it on time. “So what brings you to Chicago?” Vernice said trying to sound natural. He stood about three inches taller since she was still wearing her sneakers. She wanted to ask why he would kiss her and not call her. A kiss was a kiss, but maybe it didn’t mean anything to him.
“As usual, I am here on business. I am meeting with clients about something I’ve been working on,” Myron knew he sounded corny. He really wanted to say how wonderful she looked and smelled, but didn’t.
Vernice chuckled nervously and asked, “So how long are you staying in town?”
“I am leaving late tomorrow evening for New York to another conference.”
Excerpt from Vernice of Book 2 of the Women of the Fellowship Series Copyright 2016 2
Vernice
“Wow that is great. You are really on the move,” Vernice replied and realized she was running out of things to say.
A little voice inside his head said, ‘go for it Myron,’ so he did. “Vernice, I don’t know what your plans are for this evening, but would you have dinner with me? I know we both have to go, but I would love to talk to you more and not eat alone on my last night in town. Are you free about 7:30?” Myron asked.
Vernice wished she could be mad and say no, but she really wanted to go out, hear his explanation and maybe enjoy herself for once.
“Yes, here is my cell number.” Vernice remembered that she gave Myron her number before, but maybe he lost it.
Myron opened his phone and he dialed the number on the card, her phone rang and then he saved it. “Great. I will call you,” Myron said as he looked directly into her eyes. He hope his eyes were saying what his mouth couldn’t.
Vernice finally said, “Well, I’ve got to go. Hope to see you later.”
“You will. I promise,” Myron replied and walked quickly in the opposite direction.
