FUN FACTS ABOUT CHASING FIREFLIES--ARCs NOW AVAILABLE!!

Time for another fun fact about CHASING FIREFLIES!

To see last week's post, go HERE.

Available on AMAZON for pre-order.

CHASING FIREFLIES takes place in China.

It is based off of some of my daughter's experiences while she spent a semester there teaching English.

However, it also includes a few personal touches from my life also.

At the beginning of the book, I feature the following quote:

Climb every mountain, ford every stream,

follow every rainbow, 'til you find your dream.

A dream that will need

all the love you can give, 

every   day   of   your   life   for   as   long   as   you   live.

-Climb Every Mountain, The Sound of Music

Perhaps this seems like a strange quote to place at the beginning of a book.

But, ultimately this is the quest of my herione; to find "A dream that will need all the love she can give."

My reasons for using this quote are highly personal.

While I was growing up, my mother owned and operated a ballet school.

One year for our annual performance we did "The Sound of Music."

Yes, a dancing version!

Just because I was the ballet teacher's daughter didn't mean I automatically received the lead role. We employed two other teachers and they all had to agree on who got what part. My mom made me try out for my part in the program, just like everyone else.

She made me earn the role of Maria.

And I did it.

I LOVED playing Maria.

I was eighteen when I performed the role of Maria, an extremely influential age.

I was deciding what I wanted to do with my life.

The woman who played the part of the Mother Abbess could sing with the voice of an angel. When she sang, "Climb Every Mountain," on stage, I did not dance. I simply listened, just like Maria did in the movie version.

I didn't just listen as Maria, the part I was playing.

I listened to the words as well.

And they spoke to my heart.

I knew that whatever I did with my life, I wanted "A dream that will need all the love you can give."

These words had a great impact on me.

(The picture of the program makes me a little teary. My sister and brother are also pictured. My sister played Liesl. My brother played Friedrich. He passed away at the age of 27 and I miss him.)

I chose to be a stay-at-home mom to four beautiful children. Anyone who is a mom knows how much love that takes! I can say I fulfilled my dream.

Years later, to include those words in one of my books is meaningful to me in ways I can't explain.

If you're interested in reading and reviewing an ARC of CHASING FIREFLIES, please contact me at taylordeanbooks(at)gmail(dot)com. I have ARCs available for Kindle only. All I ask for in return is a fair and honest review on Amazon and Goodreads, posted on release day.

My sisters think I’m crazy.

But, I’ve never forgotten the mysterious woman from my childhood who told me Paul is the name of my one true love.

She told me to search far and wide for him.

I haven’t stopped looking ever since.

When I stumble across an article about a successful American entrepreneur named Paul who lives and works in China, I’m intrigued. When the opportunity to teach English in China presents itself on the same day, I know it’s not a coincidence.

It’s destiny.

My sisters say I’m chasing a dream.

Just like the fireflies we tried to catch on the warm summer evenings of our youth, the dream seems beyond my grasp.   Will my quest for the elusive Paul always be just short of fulfillment?

My sisters tell me it’s a fool’s errand.

Until I remind them of the day we saw the Red Bird.

The memory silences them.

The Red Bird Incident remains inarguable—and proves my search for Paul is not a silly fantasy.

I will find Paul . . . I will.

GOODREADS


To see the next post about CHASING FIREFLIES, go HERE.