North
Star Angel Excerpts:
Excerpt
#1:
“Hey, baby, you here alone?”
Her runaway thoughts evaporated
and she looked up to a man holding a beer bottle. He didn’t ask before dropping
into the seat across from her. Far from her usual type, the mid- to late-
twenty-something man wasn’t bad-looking. He stood at about six feet tall with
slicked back hair and a grin that ate up half his face. His smug vibe betrayed
him as the type to finesse and smooth talk.
“I’m here with a friend. He’ll be
back any minute.”
“Shit, hope I’m not in his seat.
He won’t mind if I join y’all, would he? Name’s Chuck,” he said casually. He
invaded more space, folding his elbows onto the table with his bottle in hand.
“Between me and you, I’m waiting on someone. First date.”
“That sounds nice,” she humored.
“But my friend and I were leaving soon, so you should probably find someone
else to wait it out with.”
“I don’t mind if y’all leave.
Hell, this booth’ll be ours if you do. I come here all the time, but I’ve never
seen you here. You new in town?”
“I’m passing through. I’m headed
home for winter break.” The beer stirred a candor out of her that made her
flinch upon second thought. She doubled down on keeping her next replies
ambiguous.
“Ahhh, a college gal. I thought
you looked young. Where do you go? Graduated from Tennessee U myself.”
“Not there.”
“Then where?”
“I don’t think it matters, does
it?” She gave him her best polite smile.
“You’re right. It’s none of my
business. Just saw a pretty girl sitting by herself and figured I’d come over
to say hi.”
“And your date?”
“Alright,” he said, holding up
his hands and chuckling. “You caught me. There is no date. That was a pick-up
line. Pretty good, eh?”
“It’s better than what’s your
sign. But it’s still a fail. And I was serious about my friend. He’s coming
back.”
“You’re spoken for. I get it. I
can take a hint. Figured I’d shoot my shot. It can never hurt,” he said,
leaning forward. “How about I buy you a drink? That one’s almost done for.”
“What’s going on?”
Mariah and Chuck looked up to find
Mason standing in front of the booth. His face rivaled stone, the opposite of
Chuck’s broad grin.
“Guess this is the friend. I’m
Chuck.” The tall man held out his hand and chuckled. “I was just telling your
gorgeous lady friend here that I ought to buy y’all a round of drinks. What’s
your poison?”
“You’re in my seat,” snapped
Mason.
Chuck’s eyes darted from Mason to
Mariah and back again. His grin widened. “Buddy, I come in peace. I’m just
tryna enjoy my night. Mingle and make some friends. Swear I was only coming by
to say hello—”
“Nobody asked you to. Get outta my seat and go. Now.”
Excerpt #2:
Mariah closed her eyes and
exhaled. The jig was up, but her agitation only amplified. “Look, it’s none of
your business what I’m doing here—or what’s going on with my car. Can you please
take a hint and go? I’m good. I’m fine. I got this. Bye.”
“Alright, I will. Didn’t wanna
intrude…just thought it was strange seeing you out here like this.”
“And it’s not weird for you to be
out here?”
“I’m ’bout to hit the road.
That’s why I’m here—stopped to get gas.”
“Okay, and so was I. Happy?” she
asked, crossing her arms. “I was going to drive to Texas to see my dad.”
Mason’s brow creased. “Figured
you’d spend it with your mom like you’ve been the past couple years.”
“This year’s different. I decided
not to. I wanted to spend it with my dad in Texas, but obviously that’s not
going to happen now that my car’s dead.”
A long beat passed between them
where neither moved and neither spoke. His eyes bored into hers and the gears
in his brain could practically be seen turning. Her own burned with irritation
as she edged toward a dismissive goodbye and returned to her car. Finally, a
slight smile cracked onto Mason’s bearded face.
“I’ll drive you,” he said
quietly.
“What do you mean drive me?”
“I’ll take you if you want. I’m
headed to California. I’ll drop you off on the way.”
Mariah blinked and stared. Words
scrambled around uselessly in her head. “Me and you? Drive to Texas together?”
“Why not?” he asked, turning his
gaze onto the parking lot. His pickup truck waited parked on the opposite end.
“I’m already headed that way.”
“It’ll add extra time to your
trip…”
“I don’t mind. I’ve got the time
for it,” he said vaguely. He shrugged again. “Choice’s yours. If you don’t want
to, I get it. But I need to know. I’m already thirty minutes off schedule.”
The crossroads left her more conflicted
than ever. On one hand, she couldn’t imagine spending the next couple days
solely in his company, forced to endure the tight confines of his truck after
what they’d been through. But on the other hand, the ghostly college campus and
chaotic household with Mom and Bill seemed much worse. Then she pictured Dad,
alone and sullen in his townhouse for Christmas. She drew in a shaky breath and
listened to what her heart whispered.
“Okay,” she said with a hesitant
nod. “I’ll go with you.”
What inspired you to write this book?
I have a tradition of writing a holiday story every year
around December. At the time I wrote North Star Angel, I wanted to write
a holiday story that didn’t completely revolve around Christmas, but instead a
story that happened with Christmas as a backdrop. I was also planning a road
trip in the coming months, which helped me think of the road trip element of
the story. Everything else unraveled from there as I began writing.
What can we expect from you in the future?
I’m still on a mission to write love stories featuring women
of color. I’m really looking forward to 2021 and the projects I have planned.
So many fun ones!
Can you tell us a little bit about the characters in North
Star Angel?
Mariah Rowland is a stubborn, book smart eighteen-year-old
freshman in college. She’s a little overwhelmed by all of the changes going on
in her life right now, so she seeks solace at home during the Christmas
vacation—at least that’s what she thinks she’s doing when she heads home and
realizes everything has changed. Mason Wright is her ex-best friend who agrees
to drive her on her cross-country quest. He’s laidback but secretive, and he’s
on his way to California for reasons of his own.
How did you come up with the concept and characters for
the book?
Christmas and road trips were my two big ideas I wanted to
incorporate with this book. Everything else I improvised from there since I’m a
pantser. One of my favorite romance tropes is friends to lovers, so I knew I
also wanted that incorporated. The characters created themselves as soon as I
started writing. I had no clue who they were until I reached the end.
Where did you come up with the names in the story?
Titles are so difficult! Probably one of my least favorite
parts of the book process. All of the good titles are taken, he he. I do try to
make my titles as unique as possible, even if that’s not always feasible. With North
Star Angel, it’s kind of a dual meaning for the characters. I can’t go into
too much detail without giving away aspects of Mariah and Mason’s relationship.
But the title is about both of them.
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