Now Available: The Accident: An Epistolary Novella by A.M. Heath

It’s here! It’s finally here! The Accident is my first published novella, my first epistolary, and my 6th publication, so there’s much to celebrate. I can’t wait to introduce you to Chris, Ashlyn, and Danielle. I think you’ll find someone you can relate to between the three of them. We’ve all gone through difficult seasons or have experienced troubled relationships. Ashlyn and Danielle bring a lot of honest feelings to light in this novella. And Chris is such a sound word of wisdom to them both. I hope you’ll grab yourself a copy soon and enjoy it! Keep scrolling for a sneak peek. 

Can a wrong number bring true love or only heartache? 

Ashlyn Conner’s life is spiraling out of control. She’s already lost her father, and now that her mom is battling thyroid cancer, she fears being orphaned at fifteen. When a friendly stranger texts the wrong number, Ashlyn finds a confidant she didn’t realize she needed. The more Ashlyn gets to know Chris Knowles, the more she’s convinced he could be the caring husband and loving father the Conner women so desperately need.

If only she’d been honest and hadn’t made him believe he was texting her mother, Danielle.

When the truth comes out, will she lose her friendship with Chris and damage her relationship with her mother? Or can God make something beautiful out of her lie?

Told through text messages and Ashlyn’s journal entries, The Accident is a heartwarming, family-centered story.

The Accident is available on Kindle Unlimited or for purchase on Amazon. Ebook copies are .99 and paperback is coming soon. You can also add it to your Goodreads shelf.
I’m looking for bloggers for the upcoming blog tour. If you’re interested in reading and reviewing The Accident on your blog, please fill out the form. *Form closes on Jan 22, 2019.
And if you’re curious how a story can be told through text messages and journal entries, please enjoy this sneak peek … 

Chapter One

May 18, 2017

Chris 6:03 pm:

I’ve been in a car accident. They say I’ll live, but I’ll be in some pain for a while yet. My car on the other hand …

Chris 6:05 pm:

Oh, I’m in room 321 at the hospital.

Chris 9:36 pm:

Sis?

Danielle 9:39 pm:

I’m very sorry to hear about your accident! But, ummm, you’ve texted me three times tonight by mistake. Your sister didn’t get your messages.

I hope you feel better soon.

Chris 9:45 pm:

I’m terribly sorry! I had no idea! Here I was wondering why my sister didn’t bother to respond, and it’s because I’m an idiot. I’ll blame it on the pain meds. LOL

Danielle 9:47 pm:

LOL It’s no problem, I promise. I hope you finally got ahold of your sister.

Chris 9:48 pm:

I did. She was properly concerned and insisted on seeing me first thing in the morning. She also got a big kick out of my blunder. I still can’t believe I did that.

Danielle 9:53 pm:

It’s ok, really. I’m not bothered, but I am curious about something. How did you text the wrong number? Isn’t your sister in your contacts?

Chris 9:54 pm:

That’s a mystery to me. Darn phone lost everything during the accident. It was like a factory reboot or something. It was so weird. But I’m just glad it still works.

Anyway, I was texting from my memory … which turns out is as dependable as my phone.

Danielle 9:54 pm:

Weird. LOL

Chris 9:55 pm:

Definitely. But nothing about this night has been normal.

Danielle 9:55 pm:

Sounds like it.

How are you feeling? What happened? … If you don’t mind me asking.

Chris 9:57 pm:

Someone pulled out in front of me. I tried to stop in time but couldn’t. Unfortunately, I flipped the car over, got a lump on the side of my head (which is why they’re keeping me overnight), severely bruised some ribs, and broke my wrist.

Oh, my name is Chris Knowles, by the way.

Danielle 10:02 pm:

YIKES! I’m so sorry. That sounds dreadful.

And I’m Danielle Conner.

Chris 10:04 pm:

Thanks for keeping me company, Danielle. I probably should leave you alone now. It’s getting late.

Danielle 10:06 pm:

It’s no biggie on my end. I’m not ready to sleep, and there’s nothing on TV anyway. But I’m sure you could use the rest.

Chris 10:07 pm:

Are you kidding?! I work a night shift, so I’m used to being up during this time. The nurse would feel better if I slept, but I’m a little too wired for that. The energy drink I had just before the accident may be part of the reason.

Danielle 10:07 pm:

Is that where you were going when you had the accident?

Chris 10:08 pm:

Yep. I’ve been at the pencil factory for the past two years. And this just happened to be my last week on night shift. What a way to go out.

What about you? Why aren’t you rushing to bed like normal folks?

Danielle 10:09 pm:

LOL The simple of it is this: Life for me hasn’t been normal in far too long. Plus, I’m a bit of a night owl.

Ashlyn Conner’s Diary:

I lied! I still can’t believe I did it! I was sitting here, thumbing through the channels — there really should be more cool stuff on TV! Where did all the good stuff go, anyways? Like I want to watch another home remodeling show! Or worse, some old guys picking through cluttered barns for some worthless “treasure!” — Anyways, mom’s phone kept going off. I didn’t recognize the number, so I didn’t bother to answer it. There’s nothing worse than a wrong number who keeps texting you, so I finally answered it to set him straight. Turns out, it was someone trying to tell his sister that he was in the hospital!! What are the chances?! I felt bad for not answering him sooner, but how was I to know? We chatted for a bit. The guy says he’ll live and they’re only keeping him overnight for observation. Lucky! He said his name is Chris Knowles, but when it was my turn to give him my name, I panicked. I gave him Mom’s name instead. I really shouldn’t have done that! But, I mean, I know lying is a sin and all that, but Mom’s always on my case about not talking to strangers or giving out my name and stuff. Urg! I should have just stopped texting him … but I didn’t. I can’t explain it. He seemed … lonely. Don’t ask me how I know that. I just do.

Chapter Two

May 19, 2017

Chris 11:34 am:

You are not going to believe what just happened. I’m sitting here, waiting for my discharge papers, when this girl just walked into my room. LOL She just walked in as pretty as you please, then stopped in the middle of the room and stared at me. I asked her if I could do something for her, but she just stood there, then asked if this was Charlie’s room. When I told her it wasn’t, she apologized and took off like a rocket.

LOL Well, if I can dial the wrong number, then I suppose she can wander into the wrong room.

Danielle 11:41 am:

LOL That is so funny! Do these sorts of things always happen to you?

Chris 11:42 am:

Nope. But maybe I needed a little variety in my life. LOL

Danielle 11:45 am:

Maybe. LOL But I’ll stick to variety in my ice cream. I mean, variety in life isn’t always so pleasant.

Ashlyn’s Diary:

I saw him! I couldn’t help myself!! I know I shouldn’t have, but I couldn’t resist. I was sitting here in Ms. Amber’s room. She had hip surgery this morning. Momma said that she had brought us too many tuna casseroles not to go visit her. So we just happened to be at the hospital when Chris texted to say he was about to be discharged. It was my one shot to actually SEE the man that I was texting last night. He’s perfect for Momma!! He was sitting on the edge of his bed when I walked in — And I did walk in. I can hardly believe it, but I just walked into his room and stood there, staring at him, — and I could tell by the way his legs stretched out onto the floor and continued out that he was tall. My legs barely touch the floor. His hair is a sandy color. And his eyes looked green. He’s so handsome!! And his smile is so soft and welcoming. I can hardly put into words how he made me feel when he smiled at me. It was like coming home. LOL It’s funny now because Chris texted me about it right after I walked out. He just thought I was a confused kid. But he was really cool about it. In person, I could tell that he was surprised, but he offered to help me. Over the phone, he just laughed it off. I know it was wrong of me to continue to lie to him about who I really am, but it was comforting to know that he wasn’t just being nice to my face, you know? He meant it.

Chris 4:15 pm:

Danielle, I’ve had something on my mind all afternoon. I’m sorry for not asking sooner. Are you alright? I don’t know. Maybe I’m making a big deal out of nothing, but you mentioned twice that things weren’t so pleasant for you. I know I’m virtually a stranger to you and all, but I just want you to know that I can be a friend to you if you need. I can listen. And who knows, maybe talking to a stranger will be easier than talking to someone around you. Anyway, I don’t mean to scare you off or anything, but my offer stands. Take it or leave it; it’s your call.

Ashlyn’s Diary:

Chris asked me if everything was alright, and I didn’t know how to respond. I just sat there, curled up on the chair beside the window, and stared at the screen. Momma is asleep again. It’s one of her bad days, probably because she insisted on getting out today when she was already dragging. I hate seeing her like this.

People say that rest is a good thing, but it doesn’t feel good to watch her sleep this much. Seeing her so droopy all the time just reminds me of how sick she is and that she may never get better.

The doctor said her lack of energy is due to being off of her thyroid meds. He said she’ll feel much better after her treatment is over, but she has this long diet to endure first. He said it’s normal and that I shouldn’t panic, but he’s not standing by day in and day out, watching her fade away like this. It makes remission look impossible and death all the more certain.

Back to Chris, I don’t know what to do about him. I want to talk to him, but how much can I say? How trustworthy is this man? Then again, he doesn’t know me or anyone I know, so what’s the harm in being honest with him?

~~~

I took a break for lunch. Food has a way of bringing clarity.

I’m going to text Chris back. I’ve decided that much. I still don’t know what I’ll say, or how I’ll get around to telling him that I’m not Danielle, but her daughter, or maybe I never will. But I can’t keep writing in a journal that doesn’t answer. Or waiting for a God who doesn’t speak. Chris will answer back at least, and that’s something more than I have right now.