Böcker utgivna av Nancy Davy

I'd like to welcome all of you; our returning writers, as well as those of you who may be discovering my writer's challenges for the first time. My first book, Dreaming in Color, begins with a look at free style writing and gradually turns towards structured writing and poetic expression. You'll find it to be a series of challenges, posed with the hope of honing our descriptive writing skills; and perhaps even prompting the courage to aspiring writers to put a pen to paper. Word Art now adds another level to our undertaking. We explore journal-type compositions and attempt a free-writing challenge. We examine our life journeys and write about positivity, personal achievements, gratitude and a variety of emotions. We learn about the importance of releasing our grief, and, equally important, celebrating the goodness that life has to offer. We re-visit important literary devices such as repetition, symbolism, and personification as well as some favorite exercises from the first collection and add some extreme (and delightful) syllable challenges. Each of these twenty challenges is intended to reach into our mind and our heart and draw out something different. I have provided each challenge with an example. These exercises may be humorous or serious; some providing lookbacks on our past or comments on the present. My intention with both of these books is to illustrate the power of words, and help you discover that the power lies within each of us. Our words can convey a broad range of emotions. They are reactions to our life's blessings and its challenges. They can find humor when sorely needed, share passion, and express grief. All are inspiring. All are healing. I hope you'll enjoy both of these works and that they may move you; if you have not been already, to also seek a path toward sharing your thoughts and expressing yourself through the written word.

Life continues to show us that there is only so much that we can control. My first book in the Stephens Pont Series, "The Next Lap", set in the small Adirondack town of Stephens Point, N.Y., illustrated very clearly that medical emergencies can strike without notice. We're shaken as the Henderson family faces a life-threatening surgery, and we hold our breath and hope for the best as the days unfold. We're inspired by the support of loved ones, and the lesson learned about the value of each day is one we can always hold onto. My second book, "Right Place at the Right Time" reminds us that sometimes bad things can happen to good people. We're shocked as we witness the attack on Danny Tyler and the theft of her car and dog. We're re-acquainted with State Trooper Derek Bryant and feel his anguish as he sees her taken away in an ambulance before joining the hunt for the perpetrator. We're alarmed as later that night we witness a series of crimes at the Mancini family restaurant. As we look from one situation to the other, we watch as family members, friends and townspeople react and lend support. We're inspired as we wonder how we would fight back, and we learn about love, positivity, and the blessings of family. Allow me to now introduce, "Never Say Never." We're faced with the question of how one can go on after the tragic loss of a loved one. It can be crippling; sometimes causing us to blame ourselves; to give up; or to believe that life no longer holds promise. When all crumbles around us, how can we even begin to put the pieces back together? As we follow Simon James and Angela Reynolds, whom we met in "Right Place at the Right Time," we learn the details of Simon's tragedy and recall how Angela had also lost her life partner. Can they now recover - together? But their story is only the beginning. We connect again with Danny and Derek, the young couple reunited at a crime scene in "Right Place at the Right Time" to find them now planning their wedding for the spring of 2020. Those plans are soon swept away by a whole NEW level of uncontrollable tragedy - a global pandemic. We watch in horror as a dangerous virus sweeps the globe, forcing shutdowns and resulting in millions of deaths. We watch as the residents of Stephens Point try to cope and care for each other during those frightening and unprecedented times. As Derek and Danny refuse to give up on their dream, we witness a completely new form of matrimony that was implemented in response to Covid: a virtual wedding. And we learn, at the end of the day, that how well we respond to life-altering events can inspire those around us and serve as an example. The courage to keep going, to push through, comes down to these three words: "Never Say Never."

In life, there is only so much that we can control. My most recent novel, "The Next Lap", set in the small Adirondack town of Stephens Point, NY, illustrated very clearly that medical emergencies can strike without notice. Life can be snatched away, and survival can suddenly depend upon professional treatment and the support of loved ones. We learned an important lesson about what's truly important. Fast forward to the book you're now holding. "Right Place at the Right Time" reminds us that bad things can happen to good people. We're shocked as we witness the attack on Danny Tyler and the theft of her car and her dog. We're re-acquainted with State Trooper Derek Bryant and feel his anguish as he sees her taken away in an ambulance, then joins in the manhunt for the perpetrator. Alarmingly, the evening of that same day provides the backdrop to a series of crimes at the Mancini's family restaurant. Tony is witness to a theft, but, as he and his son Craig will soon discover, that's only the beginning. As we look from one situation to the other, we watch as family members, friends and townspeople react and lend support. We're inspired as we wonder how we would fight back, and we learn about love, positivity and the blessings of family. I hope you enjoy ""Right Place at the Right Time" as much as I did writing it. My followers will agree that the six novels in my recent Clairemont Series deal with life's hardships and challenges. They shine a light on those who help: police, firemen, child protective service workers, teachers, school administrators, counselors and medical personnel. But they also focus on everyday workers, business owners, and those who are willing to adopt children and give them a second chance. The common thread between that series and this one is that these books illustrate that no matter how difficult a hand we may be dealt, life still has promise, and there are still good people out there. Yes, admittedly, in life there's only so much that we can control. But if we can summon the strength to put one foot in front of the other, the future can be bright.

To all my readers who have followed this Clairemont Series from the start - thank you for staying with this small town and these extraordinary people. From the very beginning ("How Far We Have Come") when we met two young sisters and watched them grow, struggle with life's hardships, and eventually find love, we became entranced with the town and with the character of these most special people. "For Everyone, Someone" followed shortly thereafter, then "Second Chances", "Meant to Be", and "Work in Progress". These stories paid tribute to a wide range of compassionate people - from those willing to adopt and give children a second chance at life, to people in law enforcement, child protective services, trauma counseling, volunteer firefighters, teachers, school administrators, business owners and everyday workers. Each book has been presented in a continuing message of hope to those who have struggled in some way: with violence, hardships or loss. They have shown us that no matter the trials, life still has promise. I now present "Morning Boost". We are re-introduced to Cora, whom we have loved through every story to date. We are shocked as she experiences a tragedy. We follow the town and its people, many of whom we have already met, as they respond to the tragedy and help Cora and her family recover. We are introduced to Tammy, Cora's daughter, and her family. We are re-acquainted with Rusty, Cora's son, and Carrie Miller, Olivia's sister, whom we met in "Work in Progress". We watch Tammy and her husband make a decision to move closer to the family, and we follow Rusty and Carrie as they eventually find happiness together. I believe that "Morning Boost" shares with the other books in this series in carrying a message of love and compassion that is relevant throughout the ages. I hope that you'll enjoy reading "Morning Boost" as much as I did writing it.

To those of you picking up this book, I would like to preface by saying that this is not your usual collection of prose and poetry. Rather, it is a reach out to all who share my love of the written word and respect for the art of expression. I am presenting this as a look at free style writing, with a gradual turn to structured writing and poetic expression. I put this order together for a Creative Writers Workshop group that I currently work with in my community. You will find this to be a series of challenges, posed with the hope of honing our writing skills, or perhaps even prompting the courage to aspiring writers to put a pen to paper. Each challenge is intended to reach into our mind and our heart and draw out something different. I have provided each challenge with at least one example. These examples may be humorous or serious; some providing lookbacks on our past or comments on the present. My intention is to illustrate the power of words, and help you discover that the power lies within each one of us. Our words can convey a broad range of emotions. They are reactions to our life's blessings and its challenges. They can find humor when sorely needed, share passion, and express grief. All are inspiring. All are healing. I hope you will enjoy this work and that it may move you; if you have not been already, to also seek a path toward sharing your thoughts and expressing yourself through the written word.

Allow me to present "How Far We Have Come", a contemporary romance novel, set in a small fictional town in Connecticut. You'll accompany two sisters, Lee and Emily Davidson, through a series of life trials, beginning with the untimely death of their mother and the resulting abandonment by their father. You'll follow them and the people around them through the next 27 years and the challenges they meet; including a tragic murder, the loss of loved ones, new friendships, new love, encouragement and support. I can best sum up the take-away with this excerpt from the character Brett: "I guess all we can do is try to control our response. To appreciate what we are given and to love the ones we have been blessed with, because we do not know how long any of us will be here. Life is precious. And love is precious, too." I was raised, with my brothers and sisters, in a town the size of Clairemont, so it was a pleasure to create a town similar in size and atmosphere. I've used a fairly modern timeframe, as our story takes us from the 1970's through 2010. "How Far We Have Come" is not only relevant to our time, but carries a message about love and compassion that is relevant through the ages. The characters are very relatable. Please sit back, put your feet up, and let them draw you into their compelling story. Then, if you enjoy "How Far We Have Come", please look for "For Everyone, Someone", "Second Chances", "Meant to Be", "Work in Progress", and "Morning Boost" to continue the journey.