Sensuous Promotions: Author Spotlight ~ Annette Bower

Annette Bower lives and writes stories from a high rise where she can see the immediate hustle and bustle of downtown Regina. However toward the horizon, she can also see the changes in the grain fields throughout the Saskatchewan seasons. She attempts to include these concepts in her writing, the immediate, like a beautiful pencil drawing, and the wider world view similar to a vast landscape painting. She enjoys philosophy and a great joke.

She has many short stories published in magazines and anthologies in Canada, US and UK. Her first electronic published novel, Moving On, A Prairie Romance: http://tinyurl.com/d4xk8pw was published by XoXo Publishing™ in Dec. 2011. In Moving On Anna will not love Nick. She won’t risk it. But he has other plans. XoXo Publishing also published a short, short, story, Christmas Wishes as part of their XoXo Hug series, in November of 2012, http://tinyurl.com/ayglyaz

In December, 2012, her second novel was published by Soul Mate Publishing. In Woman of Substance, http://tinyurl.com/cmcc5me Robbie deceived Jake for all the right reasons. She needs him to forgive her for love.

When Annette isn’t writing, she walks or bicycles around her neighborhood. She also enjoys visiting the Atlantic Ocean on Portugal’s Algarve and the Pacific Ocean on Oahu shores. While away, she observes people in their communities. She has sat in the back of a church observing strangers’ funerals or weddings. She has sat alone in coffee shops, and wondered around Disneyland on her own, always asking strangers to take her photograph. She has watched age mates sweep streets and walk on cobblestone in stilettos. Although the specifics have not found their way into a novel as of yet, the observations and feelings are described through her characters.

Annette would like to thank you for reading her biography and hopes you will relate to her heartwarming stories.

Moving On A Prairie Romance is a G-rated, one flame, sweet contemporary romance in a small package of 119 pages from cover to cover and under 68,000 words. It is published by XoXo Publishing™ and was released on Christmas Eve, 2011.

Moving On, A Prairie Romance back book cover, if there was a back book cover, but there isn’t because an e published book does not use trees, it uses electronic waves to bring a story to you.

Regina Beach’s residents know everyone’s business and they are very interested in discovering Anna’s roots while she is enjoying being a mysterious business woman who drove into town. Nick, an injured sergeant in the Canadian Army, helps Anna feel safe and comfortable in her new environment, just as he has always done for his men in strange, dangerous places. Meanwhile, he focuses on preparing for his future physical endurance test to prove that he is capable of active duty.

Anna doesn’t talk about her loss, and Nick doesn’t talk about his future and therefore she is shocked to discover that his greatest wish is to return to active duty. She won’t love a man who may die on the job again. Intellectually, she knows that everything must die, but emotionally, she doesn’t know if she has the strength to support Nick.

Moving On, A Prairie Romance is about when life throws you a curve and the dreams you were dreaming are no longer possible. Anna and Nick both have to grieve their pasts and make a decision to move on toward a different life and different dreams. I believe that this is a universal experience. The parents dream of a child and as the child develops they notice that their child doesn’t react that same as others, they need to decide how to leave one set of dreams and move on to another dream. The same happens when a relationship fails or physical health changes or we lose a job or we realize a fortune we didn’t expect. These events change our view of our present world and we as humans, adapt the very best we can with the support systems we have around us.

This is Anna’s first view of the place she has come to change:

“The windows were dirty and the exterior paint cracked and flaked. This was just the place she needed if as they say, your environment reflects your state of mind. Maybe in this place they would get off her back. She locked the doors to ward off thieves from her black suitcases piled in the car. What was she thinking? The street was empty. Besides, a battered guitar case shared the passenger seat with empty water bottles and take-away food wrappers, so it looked as if someone had already rummaged through her belongings.”

Later when Nick is in this cottage with her they have this conversation:

“She was drawn to the large windows that revealed waves washing onto the shore while his voice rose and fell in the background. She jumped when he spoke from behind her. “Looks like you’ve got a big job to make this old man’s house a place you’d want to live.” He had picked up a ship in a bottle and held it to the light.

She stood with determined confidence. “They say work is good therapy.” She felt a pang of intuitive kinship with him again. She smiled, “Do you ever wonder if they really know what they are talking about?”

Nick raised his hand and gently touched the side of her face, turning it towards him. He looked deep into her eyes as if he was searching for recognition. “Yeah, they’re probably just a bunch of clowns who think up euphemisms to confuse the rest of us.”

Both Anna and Nick have to find their way out of their old dream that won’t work and into a new one. A short except follows with their first community function.

“He handed her the dew-covered glass which she pushed into her lips. He clung to his bottle and tipped it evenly, watching her through half-closed eyes. She was an enigma. Pain and party. Her face had shown shadows of solemnity and joy of life.

He wanted to know her, but at the same time, not know her. Her pain both called to and repelled him. He didn’t want to complicate his life. Everything was fine the way it was. Besides, maybe he would be leaving soon, which wouldn’t be fair, or maybe he’d be the pegged-leg yokel staying in this town.

When he looked around, he saw his neighbors. Laurie had a bandana around her bald head. Hank’s right leg left a ridge in the dance dust on the floor. With a gulp, he reminded himself that a dance does not mean a lifetime commitment. He led her to the community table of singles. Ruth Anne was crooking her finger at him and smiling broadly. He had a job to do.

“Anna, we have a job to do.” She looked at him as if he had two heads.

“All the single unattached residents have to dance with the other singles so that everyone has a good time,” he whispered in her ear.

“Everyone, meet Anna.”

“Anna, everyone.”

Men and women nodded, lifted hands in acknowledgement. She heard, “Hi, Anna.”

“Hello, everyone.”

Before she could put her glass on the table, a round, short man reached up to her, squeezed her hand and led her through the polka. Anna watched out of the blur of fast stepping turns, while Nick held onto a blue-haired woman who smiled up at him.

After everyone at the table seemed to have had a spin with either Nick or Anna, he finally held his hand out to her and led her back to the dance floor. The line was forming as the music began. They positioned themselves behind the line and Nick slowly showed her the sequence of steps. He sensed when her body and the music blended together in movement.

Anna was no stranger to music but she was a stranger to the dance steps. However, the stomps, kicks and grapevines became less complicated with each repetition. She liked moving to the music. She watched the red boots and skirt of the woman in front of her. She saw the added swing of her hips and suggestive dips of her shoulder. Anna added these movements. When she glanced at Nick’s face, he smiled. She smiled back and tried harder to keep up with the line. During the next set, they held onto each other and swung in unison.

When they stopped at the bar this time they each had a glass of ice-cold water. She brushed the back of her sleeve across her mouth, wishing that he would trace the vagrant drops with his thumb.

She laughed. “You seem to be my thirst-quenching hero.”

“Water and hydration is a specialty of mine,” he teased.

He felt his stump which was cradled in his prosthesis throb. “I’m ready to sit out the next set. You?”

“I’d like to watch the moves. I seem to have missed this phase of dance.””

What readers are saying about Moving On, A Prairie Romance:

Moving On-A Prairie Romance is a tale for everyone. While readers of Romance will
identify with Bower's characters who, having been hurt by loss, are
caught in the age-old fear of unending pain but bravely do more
than endure, this novel is for those who either have or wish to leave
the bustle of city life for the peace of the country. Her people are
so real, they almost leap off the page and you swear they live just
down the road from you. Read on and Move on with them.

~Byrna Barclay, Award-winning author of novels and short story collections~

“Moving On: A Prairie Romance” by Annette Bower

In “Moving On: A Prairie Romance”, Annette Bower explores the
redemptive power of affection. When we meet Nick and Anna, the
characters at the centre of the novel, both are reeling from
devastating personal tragedies, and both are fearful of making a
connection that would open them to future pain. In the course of the
novel, Nick and Anna slowly but surely learn to trust and to hope.
Bower’s warm tale of the coming together of her two very likable
protagonists is told with a keen eye and an understanding heart. This
lake-side romance is perfect summer reading.
….Gail Bowen, author of the Joanne Kilbourn series.

I have just been reading MOVING ON on my Kindle. It's lovely, Annette--
a gentle, feel-good book with a nice variety of individualized
characters and a positive over-all message. The familiar setting was a
treat too. Congratulations! I would recommend it.

Mary Balogh Historical bestselling author

RT Book Reviews: September 2012 Issue #343 Page 90

Moving On

Annette Bower

* * * MILD

“ Falling under the category of “basic,” this story focuses on two people looking for a new start in life. Although the descriptions of the small-town attitude are right on the money, the actual story is extremely slow moving. Forever may be achieved, but it feels as if it takes that long to get there.” . . . “But after romance begins to bloom, they each learn to trust again.” Amy Lignor

Direct buy links:

Moving On, A Prairie Romance by Annette Bower

ISBN: 978-1-927027-82-0

Published: December 2011

XoXo Publishers: http://tinyurl.com/d4xk8pw

Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/dyblrn6

ARe: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-movingonaprairieromance-667850-149.html

Bookstrand: http://www.bookstrand.com/moving-on-a-prairie-romance