Just as she's beginning to pick up the pieces, something unimaginable happens...MAGNOLIA LAKE available now!

Upbeat fiction that encourages teens...

Magnolia Lake By Emily Paige Skeen YA/ Contemporary Romance $3.99 eBook/$11.99 print ISBN: 978-1-943104-43-7

Cora Stephens is a typical high school senior, loving life in the small town of Davis, Georgia. Everything changes, though, one rainy afternoon when her world comes crashing down around her at the hands of betrayal. Then, just as she's beginning to pick up the pieces, something unimaginable happens, and she's forced to learn how to rely on faith, family and friends to regain her happiness.

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EXCERPT Copyright 2016 Emily Paige Skeen He grabbed my waist and crushed my body against his. Then his lips met mine with breath-taking force, only pulling away long enough to answer my question. “It was fine. Doin’ much better now that you’re in my arms, baby.” He kissed me again in a way much too private for the cinder block walls of our small high school. I caught my breath as I pushed him away and playfully swatted his arm. “Now, Jeff, you know better than that! Principal Long’ll be out here in no time, pourin’ cold water on us!” He winked at me and leaned in for one last kiss. He was much gentler this time, brushing his lips softly against mine. “Sorry, babe. You know I can’t resist.” Just then someone bumped into him, nearly knocking me down. “What the—” “Yo, Colton!” Christopher Johnson, one of Jeff’s teammates, interrupted me and rammed me against my boyfriend again. “What’s up, man?” “Hey, man!” He turned to Christopher, who was oblivious to my presence. “Whatchya been up to? Where’s your first period?” “I’m headed to English on the 300 hall. How ’bout you?” “Calculus, dude. Sucks.” I cleared my throat. “Um, Jeff, don’t you think we should get to class? Don’t wanna be late on the first day,” I said impatiently. Out of all Jeff’s friends, Christopher bothered me the most. He was cocky and egotistical. He had a habit of sleeping with girls, dumping them, and then bragging about it to all his friends. “Well, howdy, Miss Stephens.” He grinned. “Didn’t even see you there.” “’Course you didn’t,” I mumbled. “Can we go now, please?” I asked, tapping my high-heeled shoe impatiently. The carpeted floor muffled the sound, but the expression on my face was not hard to read. “Yeah, babe, I’m comin’. Later, Johnson.” Jeff turned away from Christopher and grabbed my hand. Once we were out of Christopher’s hearing range, Jeff demanded, “What’s your problem?” I came to an abrupt stop and put my free hand on my hip. “Oh, nothin’. Just that every time that guy comes around, you forget I even exist.” “You’re gonna have to get over that. Chris is my buddy. We play football together. You oughta start bein’ nice to him. Now, let’s go.” He yanked on my hand and pulled me forward. I didn’t like the way he was acting. This was definitely not his most charming moment. We walked the rest of the way to class in silence. I was pouting and Jeff was being stubborn. We barely said three words to each other during the next few hours, until it was finally time for lunch. I decided to be the mature one and give in, as usual. “Sweetie, where are we gonna sit this year?” I asked, glancing around the crowded cafeteria. Jeff’s expression was smug. He knew he’d won. “Chris is holdin’ a table for us.” I rolled my eyes. Was he seriously suggesting that I sit with Christopher every time I ate lunch for the next nine months? He made a half-hearted attempt to pacify me. “Don’t worry, baby, there’s plenty of room for your friends too.” He grinned down at me, knowing I wouldn’t argue. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Born and raised in a small Georgia town, Emily Paige Skeen takes from her own life experiences to create real, relatable characters for her novels. She loves to intertwine small-town charm with deep emotion and intrigue, creating stories that inspire readers. When she’s not writing or chasing after her two youngsters—both under the age of five—you can find Emily reading, soaking up the sun whenever possible, or shopping. She, her husband, and their kids make their home in a tiny little town an hour south of Atlanta, on a five-acre plot of land right off a bumpy red-dirt road. She loves to sit and listen as the ever-present crickets and frogs perform their harmonious concerts in the still, quiet evening hours. Writing has always been Emily’s passion, ever since she crafted her first sloppily hand-written story plastered over spiral notebook paper at the emotionally-charged age of thirteen. Now, she strives to encourage and inspire girls and young women with her writing. She believes that with a little bit of faith and a whole lot of love, anything’s possible.