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In just two weeks (August 12, 2019), my second book baby will be out in the world! The Stranger I Knew is my newest young adult mystery novella. You can read about the journey on The Stranger I Knew book page. In summary, The Stranger I Knew is the second edition of my first ever published book. It’s been rewritten and redeveloped to the story I’m proud to call mine. 

Synopsis:

Angela Nash is on track to being the youngest cheer captain at Falsetto High. That is, until she is kidnapped by someone who can’t possibly be a stranger. Yet, she doesn’t know who he is. Her fate on the cheer team is on the line as Angie tries to escape the stranger she knew.

Now, it’s almost ready for you! And if you’d like to help me promote my book baby you can preorder today or join the blog tour which runs from August 12-16, 2019.

Are you ready for this Stranger morsel? It’s the first 600 words of The Stranger I Knew, so be prepared to be hooked with Angie’s story.

Already excited and want to preorder The Stranger I Knew for only $1 USD? Go ahead this post will be here when you get back!

Now, that you’re back, here is the final morsel before The Stranger I Knew release on August 12, 2019!

The Stranger I Knew 

Written by Jennifer Leigh

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Chapter 1

My feet pound against the red track. The warm summer air is thick against my skin. I know the others are catching up; they always do at turn three. I slow my pace, take a deep breath in, then sprint the final stretch until I hear Coach’s whistle.

I grab my water bottle from the cooler, then I plop into the grass letting the breeze dry away the sweat. The other girls trickle in, laying in the grass beside me. We gasp for breath to slow down our burning lungs.

Coach takes her place in front of us. We look up in unison to meet her disappointed gaze.

“You girls shouldn’t have any problem running half a mile. High stamina is a requirement to be successful on our cheer team.” She pauses, looking at each of us individually. “I’ll see you girls tomorrow in the gym after school. Be prepared to perform your best. If not, there won’t be room for you on this team. Now, I’ll meet you in the locker room.”

The team collects their water bottles and heads back towards the school. 

“Angie,” Coach Anders calls out. Her short blond bob bouncing in the breeze.

“Go on ahead. I’ll be right behind you,” I tell Jordan. I use my hand to wipe away the small beads of sweat on my forehead.

Coach Ander’s eyes meet mine. “Angie, you’ve shown your dedication to this team. You’ve shown that you can learn a routine fast. You have initiative that we don’t see often around here.  I’d like you to consider trying out for cheer captain at tomorrow’s tryouts.”

My eyes widen and all I can do is nod. The position I worked for all summer with Jordan is within my grasp. I’ll be the first Sophomore cheer captain in Falsetto High’s history. 

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Coach Anders says. She sits on the cooler and picks up her clipboard.

“Thank you, Coach Anders. I’ll be there.”

I jog to catch up with Jordan. She is far behind the other girls.

Jordan nudges my arm. “Can you believe Coach Anders said you should try out for cheer captain?”

I turn to face my best friend of 16 years and see her matching blond hair and brown eyes staring back at me with a smile on her face. “How did you hear her? Oh never mind, I know Coach Anders talks loud. But, of course I knew she was going to say something. I didn’t work all summer not to get the spot.”

Jordan’s eyes fall to the ground. “Some of the other girls were talking about Natalie trying out.” 

A deep laugh escapes my throat. “We both know Natalie will never make cheer captain. She never remembers the routines and her stunts always fail. Don’t you remember I had to cover for her at Nationals?”

Jordan scrunches her nose. “Didn’t you learn that routine two days before?”

I purse my lips. “I can take this team all the way to first place at Nationals this year.”

The rest of the team disappears behind the woods that separate the school’s fields from the school. We hurry to catch up. Cassie stands behind, holding the locker room door open for us.

The locker room is full of conversation. There is talk of going social dress shopping at Tanya’s, the most expensive store at the mall. Others are talking about who is going with who. 

Some girls stare as I walk by with Jordan. Though I can’t tell if the unease in their eyes is aimed at me or Jordan.

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Now that you’ve gotten that sneak peek, are you excited for the full novella? I hope you’re as excited as I am and I look forward to seeing you during release week which is August 12, 2019!

If you’re interested in preordering The Stranger I Knew and forgot to preorder it at the beginning of the post, go ahead and head on over to Amazon to preorder The Stranger I Knew and secure your copy for $1 USD before the price increases.

Are you ready for The Stranger I Knew to release? What do you think will happen next for Angie? Talk with me in the comments below!

The Stranger I Knew Cover Reveal Post

Another book by Jennifer Leigh, Not Like Everyone Else

A Dystopian Bookshop Oasis Writing Prompt

This page may contain affiliate links. Click to read full disclaimer. I only promote products I support.

 

 

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