Surviving Harmony (Pretty Wings Chronicles, #1) by AF Diamond​

The author…

Aislin Somers walks through life haunted by the monsters of a past she can’t escape. For twelve years she has shut herself off from the real world, but her rising success as an author forces her into the spotlight where she’ll have to face her fears. Will shedding her anonymity and stepping out of the shadows allow a New Monster to find a way to her doorstep?

The actor…

Taylor Mandrake is a rising star. Often spotted with several of Hollywood’s sexiest starlets, he’s developed a reputation as a bit of a playboy—willing to share his bed but never his heart. Until he meets her.

He’s everything she could ever want.

Charming.

Sexy.

Smart.

Gentle.

Affectionate.

Understanding.

Loving.

Passionate.

However, his past may be all it takes to convince Aislin that he can’t be trusted with her fragile heart.

When these two guarded souls come together, will they be able to survive the monsters of their pasts in order to embrace the love of their future?

SNEAK PEEK: Surviving Harmony: Prologue

January 7, 2002

Harmony, NE

Darkness is defined as the absence or lack of light.

At this very moment, that definition not only describes my surroundings, it describes me. The fact that I’m still breathing is the only light in my life that’s left.  Everything else feels dark. Dead.

I’ve been pulling against the rope so long, I can no longer feel my wrists. All I feel is the wetness dripping down my arm. I don’t know if the darkness is due to the time of day or just the fact that I cannot open my eyes since my face was used as a punching bag by the monsters keeping me in my own private version of hell.

I lie here shivering on the cold concrete floor, and no longer count the seconds going by. I no longer pray for a savior that I know isn’t coming. I simply bask in the nothingness.

I never would have thought that I would long to feel numb, but after being subjected to so much pain, my brain has short circuited and now I feel nothing—and feeling nothing is much better than what I’ve endured for the last two days. Wait . . . has it been two or three days? I’ve lost concept of time. I’m just happy that the monsters have gone away and left me in my darkness. Although I doubt it was their intent, to gift me the quiet. It is a dark paradise I revel in.

We grow up with “stranger danger” drilled into our heads. We learn to fear the stranger who offers candy to lure us to some unknown hideout to do despicable things.Strangers will hurt us and steal us away from our families. Strangers attack ladies who go for jogs alone. Strangers are monsters who possess the power to hurt us.

But the monster that lured me away didn’t need candy. The lure was acceptance, love, things I thought my friend was offering.

That’s the problem with “stranger danger:” nothing is ever edified about fearing the monsters we know. The people who live among us, gain our trust and use it against us, doing far worse than any stranger ever could.

I learned this lesson a little too late.

I understand God punishing me for my stupidity. My mother always said I was too trusting. My sister Tangy used the word innocent. I can accept my fate because maybe I deserve this for being so naïve, and trusting whatever I’m told. But why, oh why, did she have to follow me? Now they are teaching us both lessons we will never forget. I just pray we will get the chance to learn from them. I pray we live through this experience so history will never be forced to repeat itself. If I am ever able to get out of this place, trust will only be granted to the deserving, if it’s granted at all. If I try really hard, maybe I can focus on finding a way out of this hell.

Warm air blows against my skin, and though I should welcome it, I don’t. Whenever the warm air returns, so do they.

I try to mentally prepare myself for what’s next. I know I can’t stop whatever they have planned but I can retreat to that place in my head where I don’t feel much. If I survive this I know one thing for certain, I will never let my guard down again. I won’t be so trusting and naïve. I will never leave myself open for another monster to deceive me.

Surviving Harmony

Copyright © 2015 by A.F. Diamond

A.F. Diamond is a pen name for a lavender loving, elephant collecting, tea drinking, wine sipping, book hoarder, who woke up one morning and said, “Gee, I think I’ll write a book.” She’s always had a passion for reading. It wasn’t until recently that her love of escaping into the pages of a great novel, sparked her desire to write them as well. A.F. Diamond lives in Omaha, Nebraska with her sports loving, playing, and coaching husband. She is blessed to be a mom to an inquisitive, dancing Princess and a rambunctious, athletic little Prince. She is also blessed to be “bonus-mom” to two amazing teenage girls.

When A.F. Diamond isn’t writing, she enjoys drawing with her daughter, reading, playing video games with her son, reading, cuddling on the sofa with her husband, reading, crocheting, reading, being a football-basketball-dance-Mom, and did I mention how much she loves reading?

If you enjoyed Surviving Harmony, I hope you will continue to read future releases in the Pretty Wings Chronicles.