Book Extract: Just One Day – Autumn by Susan Buchanan

I am pleased to be welcoming Susan Buchanan back to Novel Kicks. She’s here with the blog tour for her book,  Just One Day – Autumn. 

Pregnant Louisa is just getting back on track when life throws her another curveball. Now, it’s not a case of how she’ll get through her to-do lists but how she’ll manage being a mum again.

No one seems to understand. How will she run her company, be partner in a new venture, look after her three kids and handle a newborn? And why does everyone think this will be easy? Except her.

All Louisa wants is to be a good mum, a good wife and have a bit of time left for herself, but sometimes that’s too big an ask. Can she find the support she needs, or will she forever be pulled in too many directions, always at the mercy of her to-do lists?

Susan has shared an extract from Just One Day – Autumn. Enjoy. 

*****beginning of extract*****

Louisa and her family are at the Ferniehall scarecrow festival. She has just bumped into her landlord who needs to meet with her urgently.

I try to put Benedict to the back of my mind so as not to spoil the kids’ enjoyment of the day. Aria plays pin the carrot on the scarecrow and is the closest so wins a hand-knitted scarecrow as a prize. Hugo plays ten-pin scarecrow bowling and comes second, so he wins a voucher to spend at several of the other stalls, and Gen, with a little gentle coaxing creates a scarecrow rap and performs it on the makeshift stage and wins. The fact only three people participated in the ‘talent show’ doesn’t matter. She wins iTunes vouchers and is delighted.

‘I’m hungry,’ Hugo announces.

‘Hugo, you’ve been eating all day long. Grazing constantly. How can you be hungry?’ I ask, incredulous even though I know what he’s like.

‘I’m a growing boy, Mother,’ he says in a withering tone.

Honestly. ‘Fine. There’s a hot dog stand at the back. Do you want one?’

A chorus of yeses greet me, including from Ronnie, who has been remarkably absent this afternoon whenever anyone’s making requests. I think he’s been enjoying wandering around the stalls. The pop-up market really enhances the village.

Hot dogs in hand, we stand in front of the stage, where the organiser is about to declare the winners of this year’s competition.

He waits for a hush. ‘For the category of best-dressed human scarecrow in the parade, in third place, is Freddie Mercury.’ A cheer goes up and the man goes up to claim his prize. Once he has shaken hands with the organiser, he retreats and quiet descends.

‘In second place is Aria Halliday. Come on up, Aria. He looks around for her. I raise my hand and point to her. ‘Up you go. Go collect your prize.’

‘Don’t want to go by my own,’ she says, burying her head into my legs, and I melt with love for her. My little extrovert having stage fright.

‘I’ll take her,’ Ronnie says. ‘C’mon, angel.’

Aria sashays to the stage, and the organiser hands her a little silver trophy of a scarecrow and a gift bag. She shakes his hand solemnly and Ronnie ruffles her hair as she stands holding her trophy aloft for a photograph for the local paper. Not that idiot, Justin Barnes, I had the run-in with, fortunately.

‘And in first place, Boris Johnson.’

The crowd cheer as Scarecrow Boris takes the stage. He beams at everyone and laughs as someone shouts, ‘Can’t tell the difference. It’s uncanny.’

Then the static scarecrow prizes are awarded. Third prize goes to the man who took Patch to the vet the night of the crash. I can’t believe I’ve forgotten his name again. Icing on the Cake wins second prize, and Barney the Builder – who? – wins first prize: for the scarecrow on the site of the crash. What? I didn’t even know there was one.

‘Barney has managed to add a little levity where a tragedy happened earlier this year. I’m sure the Hallidays won’t mind.’ The screen behind the stage flares to life and I note the presence of not one, not two, not three, but four scarecrows, each about two feet tall: a policeman, a fireman, a doctor and a builder.

Tears fill my eyes. How thoughtful. A deserving winner. He truly has managed to turn the site from an empty shell into something positive. Barney takes the stage and asks to take the mike.

‘Could the Hallidays please come up?’

A lump forms in my throat. Ronnie looks at me and silently we glide one after the other towards the stage and up the couple of steps to join Barney.

Once we’re there, Barney beams at us and speaks into the microphone. ‘The whole team who has worked and will continue to work on your house has been affected by what happened to you all earlier this year. We hope this team of scarecrows will make you smile.’

A tear plops onto my cheek and I watch Ronnie gulp. Gen’s eyes are bright. Hugo says, ‘Cool!’ and Aria says, ‘Can we keep them, Mummy?’

I choke-laugh. ‘I think so, but it’ll be up to Barney.’

Aria approaches him. ‘Mr Barney, can we keep them? They’re really special.’

Barney bends down to Aria’s level and says, ‘Of course you can.’

As Barney descends the steps a few minutes later, I squeeze his arm and say, ‘Thank you. That made such a positive thing come out of a negative one. And the kids love it.’ My voice cracks. ‘I do too.’

‘You’re welcome.’

*****end of extract*****

About Susan Buchanan: 

Susan Buchanan has published eight books in the romantic comedy and contemporary romance genres: Sign of the Times, The Dating Game, The Christmas Spirit, Return of the Christmas Spirit, Just One Day – Winter, Just One Day – Spring, Just One Day – Summer, and now Just One Day – Autumn.

As a freelance developmental editor and copy editor, if she’s not reading, editing or writing, she’s thinking about it. She loves romantic fiction, psychological thrillers, crime fiction and legal thrillers.

She lives near Glasgow with her two children and a Labrador. Oh, and her husband.

She’s a member of the RNA, the SoA, ALLI and SAW.

When she’s not editing, writing, reading or caring for her two delightful cherubs, she likes going to the theatre, watching quiz shows and eating out, and she has recently discovered a love of writing retreats.

Say hello to Susan via her website, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Click here to buy Just One Day – Autumn.

*****

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Laura

I’m Laura. I started Novel Kicks in 2009. I wanted a place to post my writing as well as give other writers like me the opportunity to do the same. There is also a monthly book club, a writing room which features writing prompts, book reviews, competitions, author interviews and guest posts.

I grew up by the sea (my favourite place in the world) and I currently live in Hampshire. I am married to Chris, have a cat named Buddy and I would love to be a writer. I’m trying to write the novel I’ve talked so much about writing if only I could stop pressing delete. I’ve loved writing since creative writing classes in primary school. I have always wanted to see my teacher Miss Sayers again and thank her for the encouragement. When not trying to write the novel or writing snippets of stories on anything I can get my hands on, I love reading, dancing like a loon and singing to myself very badly. My current obsession is Once Upon a Time and I would be happy to live with magic in the enchanted forest surrounded by all those wonderful stories provided that world also included Harry Potter. I love reading chick lit. contemporary fiction and novels with mystery.