The Wing: April 5, 2026
Gift Card Giveaway đ, An Excerpt from A Mother Daughter Adventure, and a Thriller Book Rec You Might Enjoy
A Mother Daughter Adventure Perfect for Motherâs Day.
Inspired by true events.
In the summer of 2022, I set out on a treehouse tour with my youngest child for one last adventure before they left the nest. What began as a simple getaway turned into an unforgettable week of making memories with the bittersweet awareness that this chapter of motherhood was changing.
That experience stayed with me long after we returned home. From that incredible setting, I wrote my womenâs fiction novel, Up in the Middle of Nowhere, a story rooted in connection, transition, and the powerful bond between mothers and daughters.
With Motherâs Day approaching, it feels like the perfect time to share it with you. The book is currently free to read with Kindle Unlimited, please enjoy the excerpt below.
âI hate you!â
âYouâre not too high on my list of favorite people right now, either,â Tessa argued as she cranked up the volume on the radio and hummed along as frustration thrummed through her limbs. Taking her rage out on the gas pedal as she drove them home, she slammed her foot down on the accelerator. She wasnât going to fall for it. At seventeen, Nova loved to push her buttons and often had a penchant for the dramatics. Instead, Tessa kept her thoughts to herself, clamping her lips together to prevent a negative torrent of them from escaping. She knew words said in anger cut the deepest scars and could never be taken back, but containing them at the moment was proving a monumental task.
âIâm going to go live with Dad!â Nova shouted to her mother over the music.
Appalled by this declaration, Tessa yanked the steering wheel hard to the right to pull off on the shoulder and slammed on the brakes. Forcing the car into park, she turned toward her daughterâs petulant face. Dressed in black from head to toe, wearing six-inch black platform boots and copious amounts of smudged black eyeliner, Novaâs recently favored style was gothic punk. Of all the versions of her daughter sheâd experienced through the years, it was Tessaâs least favorite. During the last few months, Novaâs chosen armor was sharp edges and dark colors, a physical look that matched her daughterâs often melancholy and combative mood. A spiked choker circled the porcelain skin of Novaâs throat, and black fishnet gloves encased her delicate wrists.
As a budding artist, Nova adored theatrical clothing and dramatic makeup that made a statement and turned heads when she was in public. Nova relished the attention from random strangers, their long stares and shy compliments, but Tessaâs boyfriend, Jason, did not. He became flat-out embarrassed to be seen with Nova in public when she segued from concert t-shirts and jeans into a full-blown gothic costume. It was one of many bones of contention between Nova and Jason that had made living under the same roof lately an arduous task. Nova and Jason faced off from opposite corners of the ring, reducing Tessa to referee their frequent arguments. It was a draining dynamic Tessa fought her way through daily.
âLet me get this straight. Youâre talking about going to live with the same dad that moved a thousand miles away last year without so much as a goodbye?â
Thanks for reading Teal Butterfly Press! Subscribe to The Wing for your weekly shot at winning our bookstore gift card. Scroll to the end of this post to find out who won this week.
Meet the parrot whoâs more judgmental than your mother-in-law!
Peregrine was living his life as a con man until his life choices send him reeling into the body of the closest creature. An African Grey Parrot. He brings undeniable main-character energy to the Aura Cove Temporal Traveler series, whether the universe likes it or not.
Chapters 1-5 of Never Enough are now live in The Book Club!
A paid subscription to the book club directly supports my work and helps me remain independent from Amazon and other major retailers.
Never Enough is the FINAL book in the Aura Cove Temporal Traveler series and book club members will get to read it as I write it, comment, and become part of the process.
Book Club Members will also receive a special shout-out and thank you in the acknowledgements of Never Enough for being part of my creative process. If youâre a member, make sure to respond to the email I sent with your information to be included!
Whatâs Next in the Aura Cove Universe?
Hereâs a Few Hints:
An anonymous truth-teller stirs up chaos
Two tiny, talkative animal sidekicks named after a famous comedy duo
Set in Golden Cove (Aura Coveâs friendliest retirement community) think The Villages in FloridaâŚbut with magic.
Book Review: Dear Debbie
Iâm almost embarrassed to admit that I reach for Freida McFadden when I donât want to think too hard. Itâs the literary equivalent of Justin Bieber music (which I also reluctantly admit I enjoy) and vanilla ice cream.
She delivers an outrageous story, not entirely plausible, and spoon-feeds you the information along the way. And yet, itâs fast-paced and entertaining.
The Weekly Gift Card Winner for April 5th is: *anc*trattl*r@aol. com
(The asterisks indicate missing characters to avoid spam.) Contact us here from this email address to claim your gift card. We appreciate any shout outs and tags on social media to help more readers find our books.