Excerpt and Guest Post: BUTTERFLY DREAMS by A. Meredith Walters Promo Tour
BUTTERFLY DREAMS – Nov 24th, 2015
In a powerful romance hailed as “heartbreaking, real, and breathtakingly beautiful” by Stacey Lynn, New York Times bestselling author A. Meredith Walters tells the story of a troubled young woman and the unforgettable guy who teaches her to live—and love—to the fullest.
She’s waiting to die. . . . Corin Thompson is paralyzed by her obsession with mortality. Having lost both of her parents, she is terrified by the idea that she too will die young, and she loses control at any sign of illness. But when Corin connects with someone who has survived a very real brush with death, she begins to see the world in a whole new way.
He’s learning to live. . . . As Corin struggles under the weight of her neuroses, Beckett Kingsley is attempting to rebuild a life that feels all too temporary. With the ever-present threat of heart failure never far from his mind, he just wants to make the most of whatever time he has left. And that means pursuing the girl he never expected to find.
Together, Corin and Beckett finally learn to let go of their fears and take solace in everyday pleasures. Who knows what the future holds? After all, nothing lasts forever—the only promise they have is right now.
Advance praise for Butterfly Dreams
“All the feels: poignant, funny, sad, beautiful, and inspiring! Your own belly butterflies will take flight.”—New York Times bestselling author Katy Evans
“A. Meredith Walters is the author I turn to when I want to get sucked into a beautiful story that packs an emotional punch.”—New York Times bestselling author Sawyer Bennett
“Butterfly Dreams is one of the most poignant books I’ve read all year. It’s heartbreaking, real, and breathtakingly beautiful. A. Meredith Walters weaves a story that draws you in from the very first page and refuses to let you go even once it’s finished.”—Stacey Lynn, author of the Nordic Lords series
“The ending nearly killed me, but I survived. I read this book in one sitting, and what a roller coaster of a story. The author did an amazing job. . . . I found myself unable to put the book down.”—The Book Hookup
“I’ve lost so many people, Beck. You scare me. You scared me. I don’t look at you as the guy who could die. I look at you as the guy who could devastate me.”
Why in the hell had I said all that?
What was wrong with me?
Damn my lack of filter!
But what I had said was true.
Because things with Beckett were precarious and terrifying.
And real.
The realest thing I had experienced in a very long time.
“Corin,” Beckett murmured, and I could see his blue eyes, bright in the dark.
It was quiet but for the sound of our breathing, shallow and loud.
He leaned in, his thumb pressing against my lips. I didn’t know what he was going to do. I didn’t know what to think. What to feel.
But I was feeling.
I was feeling so damn much.
I was drowning in these complicated, unfamiliar emotions.
He was close. So close.
Too close.
Not close enough.
“Corin,” he said my name again, softly. Oh so softly. Almost reverently. As if my name was the most important word he had ever spoken.
I shivered. I couldn’t help it.
The butterflies in my chest pushed and pressed, squeezing a beating, lonely heart.
“God, Corin,” he repeated in a tormented whisper.
His hands moved from my face to cup either side of my neck. Fingers pressed against my thumping, thumping pulse.
Electricity sparked. Blood rushed through my veins. I was dizzy and light-headed and overwhelmed.
I wished I could say something. But words were lost. None would have been good enough anyway.
Because this powerful, out-of-control moment was swallowing the both of us.
“Corin,” he whispered again, moving closer. Leaning down.
I could feel the heat of his mouth against my skin. Not quite touching.
My eyelids fluttered closed and I waited.
I gripped my hands at my sides. Scared to touch him. Hating myself because I wouldn’t.
I waited . . .
Slowly, ever so slowly, I felt it. His mouth on mine. It was warm and dry and everything it should be.
Perfect.
Favorite Scene:
I loved writing from Beckett's point of view. Those were some of my favorite parts to write in Butterfly Dreams. But there was one particular scene towards the end, it's actually the very last chapter from his POV. It's a very emotional scene, even if it's not a very long one. For me, it was a huge emotional punch for the story. I may, or may not have cried a little when writing it. I can't go into a whole lot of detail about the particulars, since it would be a huge spoiler for the story.
One thing about the characters you want readers to know:
I know that there will be a lot of readers out there who will get annoyed with Corin. She's hard to like. She neurotic. She's a total head case. She has so many issues that she isn't likable right away. But this was done completely on purpose. Corin's issues are realistic. There are so many people out there who struggle with that particular type of anxiety every single day. I felt it was important to portray her this way in order to make her change as she falls in love with Beckett more pronounced, more vivid. I just encourage readers to be patient with Corin. Don't be too harsh on her for having walls and for being rude. She's a tough cookie because she was made that way. Her experiences have defined her. But she's one of the truest characters I've ever written.
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