TERI WILSON

Romancing the pet lover's soul

Have you ever wanted to start all over again? On your hopes, dreams or just life in general?

Chances are, you have. Most of us have been there before, whether we've made mistakes or simply get to that point in life when everything seems the same. We want to scream, or at least whisper, "do over!"

As we find ourselves approaching Easter, now is the season for rebirth and renewal. Did you know that the Easter egg itself is a symbol of rebirth and resurrection? Now is a time when we can all have that do-over - if not in the physical sense, at least in the mental and spiritual. It is never too late to reexamine where your life is going and how it can change. Earlier this year, I blogged about how this was going to be the year when I let go of fear and opened myself up to all the possibilities God placed before me. It really is the perfect time for me to start again. My only child is graduating from high school this June and will be leaving home for college. While I'll admit this thought still terrifies me somewhat, I'm doing my best to turn it over to God and trust Him with my son's future. In the process, I am discovering He has great plans in store for me, too! I've recently signed on for a rather extreme mission trip for 2010 that is so up my alley it gives me chills. More about that in a future post, though.

My Easter romance Love, Lilies & the Unbroken Straw released this morning from The Wild Rose Press in e book format. It is a celebration of starting over and renewing one's life and sense of purpose - and, of course, finding love along the way.  It is also chock full of the symbolism and beauty of spring flowers. I hope when you read it, you find the inspiration to take whatever you want to change in your life and have a do-over!

Here's a little snippet from Love, Lilies & the Unbroken Straw. Happy reading!

Excerpt from Love, Lilies & the Unbroken Straw
By Teri Wilson

      He wore a straw cowboy hat, frayed leather work gloves and faded jeans. Period. She suspected he had boots on, but he stood too close for her to get a glimpse of his feet. He didn't have on a shirt, though. That much was certain.

           Christabel drug her gaze from the stranger's rippling abdominal muscles and somehow managed to look him in the eyes. Of course, they were nearly as distracting. Clear, ice blue. Twinkling with good humor. "Um, I guess I could use a little help."

           He flashed a crooked grin. "Pop the hood and I'll have a look." 

           "Thank you." She did as he said, scooped her dog into her arms and stepped out of the car while he held the door open for her.

           A gentleman. Nice.

           "I'm Declan, by the way." He tipped his hat and gave her a wink.

           She made every effort to keep her gaze focused firmly on his face, or the car, or anywhere but his bare chest. "I'm Christabel. Thanks for your help, but I'm afraid my car might be hopeless."

           "We'll see about that." He took off one of his gloves and scratched the dog on the chin. "Cute Chihuahua. What's her name?"

           "Snowdrop." The pup's nose quivered and she licked the tips of Declan's fingers. In the past weeks, Christabel had wondered more than once what kind of dog she'd brought home. "Do you think she's a Chihuahua? I wasn't sure."

           "Definitely a Chihuahua. See the dome-shaped skull?" He ran his fingers over Snowdrop's forehead, pausing to scratch behind her ears. "It's a dead giveaway. Is she a rescue dog?"

           Christabel's tongue tripped on her reply. It was a loaded question to say the least. "Y-you could say that."

           "It looks like she's lucky you came to her rescue, then." He met her gaze over the top of the dog's head and she became transfixed by his sapphire eyes. There was an intensity to them that made her feel transparent, as though he could read her thoughts. "Snowdrop, huh? Nice name. I suppose that's because she's white like snow."

           She tore her gaze from his, telling herself she was imagining things. Of course he couldn't tell anything about her just by looking at her. "Actually, a snowdrop is a type of flower."

           "Really? I've never heard of one before."

           "They have a unique history - their own mythology." What was she doing standing here rambling about flowers? She needed to get out of here and figure out what she was going to do with her life.

           "Do they now?" Declan's brows lifted and he leaned closer, clearly interested in the story behind Snowdrop's name.

           "According to legend, the snowdrop started as a snowflake that was magically transformed into a flower to comfort Adam and Eve when they were expelled from the Garden of Eden. Now they're known as a symbol of consolation and hope." Her cheeks burned with heat and her gaze darted once again to his muscled physique. She looked away, trying to ignore the fact that he was half as naked as Adam himself.

           Declan's face grew serious, his voice quiet as a whisper. "What do you hope for, Christabel?" 

           Hope. The word alone held so much weight. She'd come here today with a heart full of hope, only to have that hope dashed. What did she dare hope for now?

Click here to purchase Love, Lilies & the Unbroken Straw from The Wild Rose Press.