You may be forgiven for wondering why a blog post like this is suddenly appearing here on Pink Femme. After all, this has been your source of information about beauty, fashion and how to make your life a little more feminine than it was yesterday.
The truth is that a lot has happened in my private life over the past 13 and a bit months that made me hit the pause button on the volume of content that I’ve been writing for you over the past couple of years. Before you get worried, I have no intention of quitting Pink Femme and stop bringing you the sisterly advice that will help you on your girly journey. I have a to-do list of around 700 articles in addition to the final 8 steps of the 40-step program as well as building out the information about quality makeover studios.
As part of my own grieving/healing/growth process, I’ve started writing some fiction novellas as well. Although these stories are all in the romance genre, each one deals with the process of working through and overcoming an emotional challenge that nearly all of us have faced at some stage.
This year I will be publishing the first 8 books in the series with more coming next year. Not only are these feel-good romance stories that show us how challenges can be overcome, the central character that ties all the stories together is a transgender woman who is loved and respected for who she is, rather than being exploited or sexualized as is so often the case in fiction.
I’ve set the price of the Kindle versions of the book really cheaply so I encourage all of you to read a copy and gift a copy to anyone you know who enjoys reading sweet romance. You can find Trails of the Heart on Amazon by clicking this link.
Once you have read the book, I’d really appreciate it if you could leave me a review on Amazon as they only start taking a book seriously once it has had 15 reviews. This link will take you to the Reviews Page for Trails of the Heart.
Lastly, if you want to see what the remaining books are about in the series, I’ve created a books page here on Pink Femme with information about each story as well as when to expect each story to be published.
Finally, here is the opening chapter for Trails of the Heart so that you can get a feeling for what to expect.
Chapter 1:
My heart pounding, the drumbeat of anxiety reverberating within. Yet somehow harmonizing with the rhythmic percussion of my sneakers against the gravel path. This town, this park, now my sanctuary, unfolds its sprawling trails like a map to solitude — a refuge from my inner tempest. Each deliberate stride a defiant push against the gravitational pull of heartbreak. An attempt to outpace the haunting echoes of a love now shattered.
Inhaling the crisp mountain air, cool breath of liberation, a cleansing breeze through the lingering haze of my emotional turmoil. Stepping beyond the edge of the manicured park, the wooded shadows swallow me. With every step, my thoughts whirl like autumn leaves caught in a gust. Is it possible for happiness to reside amid these whispering trees or the birdsong above them?
Happiness — elusive, enigmatic. Is it a pursuit, a destination, or merely a fleeting wisp that continues to tease us, forever beyond our grasp?
I traverse the network of trails just beyond the edge of the park, their bends revealing new facets of Cedar Ridge’s rugged beauty. The ancient pines murmur their wind-charged secrets, and a distant Mountain Jay beckons me toward as yet unexplored possibilities. Can these trails bring redemption, or are they just paths etched into the mountainside, indifferent to my heart’s tumult?
As I round a bend, Lily’s petite silhouette appears to my right on a parallel trail about to merge onto my wider path. Her cascading blonde curls, a beacon of familiarity in this wilderness of shadows. Our paths converge, putting us shoulder to shoulder, the unspoken bond of lifelong friends enveloping us.
“Hey, Mia!” Lily calls out, her voice slicing through the rustling leaves. “You on a mission to conquer the world, or just these trails?”
A wry smile graces my lips. “Maybe both.”
Lily’s eyes gleam mischievously. “Well, how about conquering some trails with me tonight? A moonlight run. Harmony Brews. Eight o’clock. Bring a head-torch. Interested?”
Uncertainty flickers within me. Night time trail running? Inexperienced and alone. I’d be a stumbling disaster.
Sensing my hesitation, Lily nudges me. “Come on, Mia. It’s a different world out there after dark. There’s something magical about the trails under the moonlight. Plus we won’t be alone. It’s a group of us with a few guys who know the trails really well. It’s time you start meeting new faces.”
A silent debate ensues within me, though I do yearn for connection I find myself wrestling with the fear of the unknown – something that has held me back so often in the past. Lily cuts a rough-looking short cut. Her absence leaving me to debate her words. An invitation to step beyond my comfort zone as the autumn sun dips to the horizon.
Evening shadows deepen, casting a spell over the woods. A decision looms before me. Another evening shrouded in the familiar solitude of my cottage. Or do I embrace of the unknown, illuminated by moonlight and torches, not to mention the promise of newfound connections.
Eight o’clock at Harmony Brews, Lily’s voice echoes in my mind. A left turn brings me out of the forest and back into the familiarity of the park. The rhythmic pulse of my footsteps carries the weight of choice. A choice that will either cocoon me in the solitude I’ve grown to trust, or propel me toward moonlit trails and the potential for new connections.
Trails of the Heart: available on Amazon now. Keep up to date with all my latest femme news with the fabulous Pink Femme Newsletter. Each Monday you’ll receive an email from me that will include a chapter from the novel that I am currently writing. I will also alert you to interesting information from articles that have not yet been published on Pink Femme. The Pink Femme Newsletter is the only place to see chapters from the novels before they are published. Sign up today: PINK FEMME NEWSLETTER.