Title – Stopped
Cold
Author – Gail
Pallotta
Genre – Christian teen sports mystery with romance
Publication Date – April 10, 2013
Publisher – Front
Porch Romance - http://www.frontporchromance.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=33&products_id=194
Cover Artist – Designs by Charisma
Book Blurb/Synopsis –
Things
aren’t what they seem in peaceful Mistville, North Carolina. Margaret McWhorter
enjoys a laid-back freshman year in high school flirting with Jimmy Willmore,
swimming and hanging out with friends—until that day. Her brother, Sean,
suffers a stroke from taking a steroid. Now he’s lying unconscious in a
hospital. Margaret’s angry at her dad for pushing Sean to be a great
quarterback, but a fire of hatred burns inside her to make the criminals pay.
Looking for justice, she takes Jimmy and her
best friend, Emily, through a twisted, drug-filled sub-culture. A clue sends them
deep into the woods behind the school where they overhear drug dealers discuss
Sean.
Time and time again they walk a treacherous path
and come face to face with danger. Even the cop on the case can’t stop them
from investigating. All the while Margaret really wants to cure Sean, heal the
hate inside, and open her heart to love.
Amazon Kindle
Link – : http://www.amazon.com/Stopped-Cold-ebook/dp/B00CBAT37I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1365693797&sr=8-1&keywords=gail+pallottaSmashwords Link –https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/305506
EXCERPT
I strolled to the
other side of the car and got in. “Remember, if we see Joe, we don’t know him.”
“Got it.” Emily got
in, backed out, and headed to the restaurant.
“I wasn’t going
out, but Mom says Sean would want me to get back to a normal routine.” I choked
up.
Driving the speed
limit, thirty-five mph, Emily looked straight ahead. “Right now there’s nothing
you can do for Sean. Your mom and dad are probably worried about you.
They don’t want you
to put your entire life on hold. I think it would help them to see you have
fun, even if it’s just a little.” She glanced over at me then right back to the
road.
“You should try for
their sakes.”
I’d heard bad times
brought out true friends. Emily really cared about my family and me. “Okay, but
Sean needs me. After all he’s done for me surely there’s something I can do.”
“For sure. As he
recovers you can support him.”
If only he would
get well.
Emily pulled into
the parking lot in front of The Grill and cut the engine. Outside, the brick
building appeared as sedate as a house with no one home. We opened the brown wood
door into a crowded, busy room, live with chatter and soft rock playing in the
background. Some co-eds gathered at tables in the middle of the floor. Others
stood around the counter or in front of red booths packed with students.
My mouth gaped. Joe
Garrett sat amid the high school crowd. Here already? He fit right in wearing
his light blue polo shirt, his hair hanging below his ears. I re-directed my gaze
away from him as Emily and I strolled by. A group of kids sitting in the booth
behind him got up and left. Emily and I slipped into it.
Ray hurried over
and took our orders, a chicken salad sandwich for Emily and a hamburger for me.
He returned with
the food at the same time Jimmy Wilmore squeezed past the masses gathered in
front of the cashier’s counter. My pulse pounded in my ears as Jimmy walked
toward Emily and me. My mind went blank for fear he could see right through me
with those piercing blue eyes
of his, even to my
innermost thoughts, including how cute I thought he was. I nearly dropped my
hamburger, but managed to hold it in mid-air while I looked down at the
butcherblock table.
“Hi Margaret, I’m
really sorry about Sean. I’m keeping him in my prayers.”
Excitement raced
through my body as words failed me. Dare I look into his eyes? I focused on his
lips. “Thanks.”
“Hi Jimmy, have a
seat.” Emily sounded casual and friendly.
He sat beside me.
My heart thumped so
hard I worried he heard it as he put his arm around the back of the seat and
touched my shoulders.
“How’d your classes
go today? I wanted to talk to you after English, but you got out before I had a
chance.”
Thank
goodness. Seeing him here was less stressful. I fidgeted with my paper cup
then sat it down and tore tiny pieces off the napkin in my lap. “It wasn’t bad.
Everyone was so good to me.”
“Well, they better
be.” Jimmy’s voice sounded protective. My heart melted. I let my eyes meet his.
They looked caring and sincere like those of a friend. I stopped tearing up the
leftover napkin.
“So--what happened
while I was gone?” I tried to sound laid-back.
“In class, the
usual, homework, tests, same old stuff.” Jimmy shifted in his seat and moved
his arm.
Had something
unusual happened outside of class? Did he know anything about Winstrol V? That
would be strange because Mike said he didn’t, and he played football. I wanted
information so bad. “What about sports?”
Jimmy leaned back
and wrinkled his brow. “Funny you would ask I’ve heard some athletes are taking
steroids.”
I stopped
breathing.
Emily’s eyes grew
wide as she leaned across the table. “Really?”
Jimmy raised his
blond eyebrows. “Yeah, a couple guys mentioned it after we played soccer.”
I took in air. My
insides raced as if someone turned my nerves on high, but I had to stay calm. I
needed answers. I didn’t know Jimmy played soccer. “Are the soccer players taking
them?”
“You’re awfully
interested. Do you two want to buff up?”
I gagged and
couldn’t speak.
Emily gasped. “No.
Of course not. We’re just curious, that’s all.”
Jimmy shrugged his
shoulders. “I have no idea. I overheard the conversation, but I didn’t join
it.”
I ripped the rest
of the napkin into tiny bits. “Well think. Exactly what did you hear?”
AUTHOR BIO:
Award-winning
author Gail Pallotta’s a wife, Mom, swimmer and bargain shopper who loves God,
beach sunsets and getting together with friends and family. She’s been a Sunday
school teacher, a swim-team coordinator and an after-school literary
instructor. A former regional writer of the year for American Christian Writers
Association, she won Clash of the Titles in 2010. Her new teen book, Stopped Cold, is a best-seller on All
Romance eBooks. She’s published short stories in “Splickety” magazine and Sweet Freedom with a Slice of Peach Cobbler.
Some of her published articles appear in anthologies while two are in museums.
She recently developed a program for youth fellowship.
Calling Youth Fellowship Leaders: A F. I. S., Fun, Informative, Spiritual Youth Fellowship program
based on Stopped Cold is available.
For more information visit Gail’s web site at http://www.gailpallotta.com
STALKER LINKS:
All Romance
e-Books - https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-stoppedcold-1157330-176.html
Here is the link for the Facebook
Event – part of signing up for the tour is making sure to share the link in the
event. This allows the author an easy place to go and view each blog post on
their tour. Please make sure to join the event and share your link - https://www.facebook.com/events/559677804080616/?ref=22
GIVEAWAY
An
e-Book (EITHER PDF, Kindle OR Epub) of Stopped Cold.
A
PDF download of Sweet Freedom with a Slice of Peach Cobbler (anthology).
Thanks for being part of the blitz today
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ReplyDeleteThanks for having me. I look forward to meeting your readers.