Meridian’s Heart is NOT a teen romance.

My biggest challenge is to convince readers (and reviewers) that Meridian’s Heart is a novel and is not in the teen romance genre. At a recent trade show the British Broadcasting Communications (BBC) booth had a statement at their entrance which best exemplifies my thoughts. It stated: “Where great stories live.” I have set out to write a novel with interesting characters set in a recognizable world, with a strong plot, emotional underpinnings, and above all gives readers a good story. A few excerpts are provided to hopefully draw you into Meridian’s Heart and see that it is different than most stories that have fairies as characters.

Chapter 1 - Flying Solo

Clear the flight deck! Clear the flight deck! Incoming in sixty sec bits. Clear the deck!

Well-trained technicians scattered, seeking safety below the corrugated blue, brushed, metallic grids. They braced for impact. Holly Timberlake was moments away from shearing through the cerulean-blue transference rings; hurricane winds had spawned an anomaly in the vortex field, Earthside of the portal entrance. Tumbling in a uncontrolled spin, Holly had blacked out. 

Luck had better trump chance, Meridian thought, as she finished securing the cord to the netting. She squinted hard, scanned the air from left to right, and frantically looked for any sign of her friend. Narrowing her line of sight with cupped palms, she spotted Holly's blinking green and red shoulder epaulet off to the right. One chance was all she'd get. 

Chapter 6 - Knights & Kings of Homestead Hearth

Mr. Adams was thinking in advance how he'd introduce each boy, emphasizing how each mimicked a famous orphan from the past. Robert was like Babe Ruth—eyes quick as an eagle and sharp with a wooden bat. Finely favored Steve Jobs—temperamental (which he would not note) and, one of the smartest when it came to hooking up the computer and cable connections. Dear Andrew, who was a delightful mix of George Washington Carver and Johann Sebastian Bach, had built a dulcimer out of wood and fine wire, and composed his own songs. When he couldn't pinpoint a perfect attribute, he'd remind a prospective parent that Clark Kent, Bruce Wayne, Spiderman, James Bond and Harry Potter were all orphans. So was Tarzan.

"We can't have these boys raised by apes," he'd say, hunching down to gain their attention—anything to focus prospective parents on the child.

Chapter 28- Game, Set, Match

O'Rourke studied her expression, Even with both front teeth missing, he was gratified to see a knowing recognition of some hidden secret or perhaps acceptance of God's plan. The young child moved her fingers to her trembling lips and blew a gentle kiss. New tears streamed down. He was humbled by her serenity-despite the quivering chin-as she waved good-bye, and the butterflies swarmed upward and disappeared. A blur of acceptance was left in their wake.

Arabella followed the fluttering departure and sat back, head bowed in contemplation. Ambulance lights revealed only a tiny figure bathed in red and white flickering lights. Mother's words finally registered. Arabella MacGregor believed!

Chapter 37-Best Served Cold

Four knights rushed the sanctuary. Ragstem of Greenhold and Quigley of Quagmire were rapidly encapsulated in the black mist and released just as fast, dissolved down to a skeletal bone. They crackled in a heap to the marble floor.

Black magna shot out from the curtain, ensnared the warrior with a thin noose, and cleanly lopped off his head. Tumbling to the ground, it joined the other three who had attempted to gain the king's favor. The fourth head cured the ambitious. 

"Any other brave souls ready to meet Vulcan?" she asked, nonchalantly. "I assure you these bold fighters would welcome more company on their journey."