Book Extract: Second Chances at the Log Fire Cabin by Catherine Ferguson

The blog tour train rolls in today for Second Chances at the Log Fire Cabin by Catherine Ferguson. 

It’s time to cosy up this winter…

When Roxy proposes to her boyfriend Mac in a moment of madness on live TV, she’s mortified when he rejects her. To escape the embarrassment, she takes a job working as cookery assistant at a Christmas house party at the idyllic Log Fire Cabin. Roxy hopes the new job will take her mind off Mac, because to her eternal annoyance, she hasn’t been able to stop thinking about him…

But when Mac turns up at the cabin in unexpected circumstances, things begin to go awry. Can Roxy heal her own heart this Christmas? Or is someone waiting in the wings to help her…?

Catherine and Avon have shared an extract from the book below. Let me know what you think in the comments. 

***** start of extract*****

If I don’t find work soon, I might have to move back in with Mum and Dad. As much as I love them, the idea of returning to the little backwater town on the south coast, where I grew up, and sleeping in my old single bed is not an appealing thought. I’d be miles from all my friends in Surrey.

And miles from Jackson . . .

A log shifts in the grate and makes me start. I stare into the flames, lulled by the seasonal cheer of the blaze and the thought that it will soon be Christmas. Whatever happens on the jobs front, I’ll still be spending the festive season with Jackson. It will be our very first Christmas together!

It’s so snug in the room, I feel myself starting to drift off . . .

I can’t breathe. I feel like I’m choking.

My heart is thundering as panic flares inside me. The hands of a faceless stranger are squeezing my throat and pressing on my face, blocking my airways. Slowly suffocating me.

I’m desperate to escape from the room but the door is locked. Pulling on the handle, I try to call out for help, but no sound emerges. Grasping to pull the obstruction away from my face, I find to my horror that there’s nothing there. The so-called hands choking me are invisible.

I’m going to die . . .

Someone is calling my name. At first it sounds far away in the distance but it’s getting closer.

‘Roxy? Wake up. You’re having a nightmare.’

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

About Catherine: 

Catherine Ferguson burst onto the writing scene at the age of nine, anonymously penning a weekly magazine for her five-year-old brother (mysteriously titled the ‘Willy’ comic) and fooling him completely by posting it through the letterbox every Thursday.

Catherine’s continuing love of writing saw her study English at Dundee University and spend her twenties writing for various teenage magazines, including Jackie and Blue Jeans, and meeting pop stars. Then she got serious and worked as a sub-editor at the Dundee Courier before moving to Surrey and setting up an organic veg box delivery business.

Her first novel, Humbugs and Heartstrings,  was very loosely based on Dickens’ A Christmas Carol and was the launch title for Avon’s brand new imprint, Maze. Second Chances at the Log Fire Cabin is due to be released by Avon on 1st November 2018. Click to view on Amazon UK. 

Say hi to Catherine on Twitter – https://twitter.com/_cathferguson

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Laura

I'm Laura. I started Novel Kicks back in 2009 as I wanted a place to discuss books and writing - two loves of my life. As someone who has anxiety, these two things give me, and I am sure countless others, a much needed escape.
There is a monthly book club, writing exercises, prompts, reviews, author interviews, competitions and guest posts. I cover many genres and I hope there is something for everyone.
I grew up by the sea in Dorset and currently live in Poole with my husband, Chris and three cats. I love writing and have a BA (Hons) in Creative Writing from Falmouth University. I am writing my first book. If only I could stop pressing delete. Chris has threatened to stop it from working. Haha.
I have always loved creative writing since I was in first school and would very much like to meet my teacher, Miss Sayers, to say thank you for all the encouragement she gave me then.
When not writing, I love reading, cats, Disney, singing (I can't sing but this doesn't stop me,) and falling into a good TV show or film. If I could step into any fictional world, it would be amongst the characters in ABC's Once Upon a Time.
I love reading many genres and discovering new authors.