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Rekindling friendship after 20 years, authors release debut book 'Smitten' together
After two decades, the last thing former best friends Amy Ledbetter Blake and Coby McGuire expected to do was see each other again.
However, that's just what they did. And through the power of social media, Greencastle High School graduates Blake and McGuire have rekindled their friendship and bonded anew over a shared passion for romance novels and writing.
Deciding it was time to team up and pen their own tale, the two wrote "Smitten," the first volume in a planned "Our Journey" series.
"We didn't even see each other until the novel was finished," Blake said with a laugh. "After we did, it was as if no time had passed. We picked up right where we'd left off and I think our friendship is even stronger."
Written from differing perspectives, "Smitten" is the story of two high school students who couldn't be more different, and yet can't seem to stay away from each other.
Shy sophomore Emily O'Riley is struggling with her feelings for Tyler Kane, a vastly more experienced senior with demons of his own. When the two embark on a relationship, "Smitten" begins its journey of lust, heartache and all the confusion that comes with first love.
Emily's world begins to be altered as she finds herself daydreaming about Kane, a football star, whom she believes does not know her name. She is conflicted about talking about the changes she is facing with her father, an outgoing sister who is overly protective or her friends who are obsessed with boys. She tries to ignore the feelings on her own but gets caught spacing out due to a childhood habit -- a habit that gets her caught in awkward situations.
Kane, an intense high school senior, is forced to make unwanted decisions regarding his future. His lack of experience with emotion and a complicated relationship with his father create a challenge to pursue the only thing he is sure he wants -- Emily. He has only known pleasure from pleasing others and longs for the unexplained emotional bond he has felt in Emily's presence.
Fueled by passion, and lust Emily and Tyler embark on a journey of discovery, not only with each other but within themselves.
In the short time since its release, "Smitten" has already earned a five-star rating on Amazon and rave reviews from readers touched by the story.
"The book accomplishes one of those rare feats and actually gets better the more you read," wrote an anonymous Amazon customer. "I read the last 14 chapters in two days. As I started reading and identifying with the characters the 'adult me' was taken back to my teenage years and my empathy for the characters grew with each chapter. I don't typically read this genre but I will absolutely return for the second book to see what happens with Tyler, Emily and all their friends."
Judy B was equally impressed. "This is a clever teenage romance that leaves you wanting more," she wrote. "The uniqueness of this book is that the main characters give their points of view of the same event in alternating chapters. You get a very intimate understanding of each character and a desire to help them. It is funny and full of drama, emotion, love and confusion ... it's all there with all the hormones and energy of the young. I can't wait until the next book comes out."
To McGuire, still a Greencastle resident, the series is rife with possibilities.
"Amy and I just write so well together, and the way the novels are told from the viewpoints of both main characters leaves the door wide open for so much growth and emotion," author said. "It's rare for readers to get to see how both people in a relationship are feeling -- that interplay is a fascinating thing.
"There's no greater compliment you can hear as an author," McGuire said, "than people telling you they couldn't put the book down. The buzz since the release has just been fantastic and I can already tell that continuing with this series will be such an adventure -- both for us, and for the readers."
The authors of the "Our Journey" series have rekindled through social media. Without seeing one another they communicated solely through email and social media to write the series. It wasn't until after the book was completed that they finally agreed to finally see each other. Once they did, they picked up right where they left off. Their kids instantly connected and became great friends.
Amy Ledbetter Blake is a mother of two. A graduate of Indiana University, she has been an avid reader, often found reading one of her 2,000 plus books on her kindle with her dog by her side.
She also enjoys playing tennis, traveling and is her kids' No. 1 fan with their rock bands. After writing for a living for corporations, she decided she wanted to write what she enjoys with the help of McGuire.
McGuire, a devoted father and caregiver, is often found watching the Chicago Bears with his Lhasa Apso by his side. He enjoys playing the drums, and admits to being a sap for romance films.
Inspired by the likes of Shakespeare, Coleridge and Silverstein, his first literary love is poetry. He has had two successful published chapbooks: "Passion ... Pain ... and Poetry" and "Choices: Praise Through Poetry."
"Smitten (Our Journey)" is available at http://amzn.to/1hCgpq5.