Official Website of USA Today bestselling author Tawdra Kandle
ONE week from today, When We Were Us will be live on all venues, everywhere!
And to celebrate that fact, I’m excited to share with you the beautiful trailer created just for this book by the talented Olivia Hardin.
You can preorder When We Were Us now at all major retailers.
iBooks/Amazon/Nook/Kobo/Google Play
Read an exclusive excerpt right here!
Once upon a time, we had three black cats. They were two sisters and a brother, and they lived together in perfect harmony, along with the puppy who they tolerated.
And then my third daughter’s best friend, Sarah, found a cat outside her house. That cat, Sammy, turned out to pregnant. On June 6, 2010, we were in Augusta, Georgia, at a friend’s birthday party, and Sarah called to tell us Sammy had given birth!
That very day began Cate’s campaign to adopt one of the kittens. For a solid six weeks, she coerced, pestered, begged, made a persuasive movie, posted signs through the house . . . until her daddy gave in. Chessie, short for Cheshire Cat, came to live with us.
The black cats were not pleased. However, the puppy was overjoyed! He fell in love with Chessie
right away and adopted her as his little sister. He was afraid of the other cats, but Chessie was his baby. He’d nose her around, roll her over and nuzzle her little kitten tummy.
As long as we lived in Apopka, Chessie was an aloof, independent striped kitty. But when we moved to Sanford, Chessie wasn’t so happy. She hid in my son’s closet for days, and she would only come out for me.
From that time on, Chessie was a mommy’s girl. She doesn’t like to be separated from me . . . for 
any reason. She has the thickest, most luxurious fur, big eyes, and she rarely meows: instead she trills and chuffs, like a tiger. Pretty sure she might be part big cat!
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What could make seven contemporary romance shorts by award-winning and best-selling authors even better? Add seven sweet, scene-stealing pets . . . and then make the whole project a benefit for animal rescue charities!
That’s just what we’ve done. LOVE PAWS features short stories with a little bit of steam, a little of sweet and happy endings all around. Each story also includes a pet, just to give the romance a little boost.
This anthology releases April 19th, in celebration of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month. You can preorder your copy today through iBooks, Amazon, Nook, Google or Kobo!
Each author will donate her portion of the proceeds to a specific animal charity.
Becca Boyd: Fire Up
Rene Folsom: By Chance: A Playing Games Spin-off Novella
Alison Foster: Saving Grace: A Beautiful Ruin Story
Olivia Hardin: All in the Takeoff: A Rawley Family Romance
Tawdra Kandle: My One and Always (An Always Love Short)
Lyssa Layne: Dig Deep
Juli Valenti: Taunt : A Twisted Wolf Tale
Ten years ago this coming fall, my oldest daughter entered her senior year of high school, and she was worried about the new English teacher she was going to have. She attended a small high school of performing arts, and the teachers and students all had a tight bond. Devyn was worried about having to get to know a brand-new teacher at the end of her school career.
I began to notice over the ensuing weeks that the words, “Ms. Gail says . . .” were becoming an almost daily part of our lives. Ms. Gail was apparently the exact teacher my daughter needed at this point, and I was so grateful for her compassion and support over the course of what was a very difficult year for our family.
Six years later, I was a published author, living in Florida, and during a trip to New Jersey, I spoke to the English classes at my daughter’s alma mater. One of the high points of the visit was connecting once again with ‘Ms. Gail’. Over the course of our conversation that day, Gail shared with me about a book she had written.
I think she sent me the first Annie book about a month later. I read it, and I fell in love.
Annie Crow Knoll: Sunrise was published in July of 2013. The second book, Annie CrowKnoll: Sunset came out a little over a year later. I was so honored and blessed to be involved with the publication of these beautiful books.
The third and final Annie Crow book is in final stages of production. I’m reading it again just now, giving it another read-through, and I’m so loving it. Gail has done it once again.
I don’t have a release date for this book yet, but I’ll share here when the book goes live. Meanwhile, if you haven’t read the first two Annie Crow books yet, do it now. Jump on them and devour them so you’ll be ready when Annie Crow: Moonrise is released.
And that’s what I’m reading this Wednesday.
When We Were Us (Keeping Score Book 1) releases on April 7th–that’s next week! I cannot wait!
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“That’s crap. And while we’re on the subject, you dating her? That’s crap, too. What the hell are you thinking?”
Leo stood up, hands on his hips. “This is probably something we don’t want to talk about, Nate. We’re not going to agree on this one. Quinn and I are together. Period. It’s not going to change.”
“That’s what you say now, but let’s be honest about this. We both know you can’t stick with one girl. You’re going to play with her for as long as it takes, and then once you’ve fucked her, that’ll be it. You’ll lose interest. And guess who’ll be around to pick up the pieces? Me. I’ll be the one who sticks when you’ve decided you’re bored. When you’ve moved on to the next girl. Keep that in mind.”
“I know how I’ve been in the past, but those girls weren’t Mia. She’s different. We’re different, together. I’m not just in this to get into her pants, Nate, no matter what you think. I . . .” He exhaled, raking his hand through his hair. “I love her, Nate. I always have. And now it’s even more.”
“You had a funny way of showing it the last few years. You know, when you were screwing your way through the cheerleaders and—well, just about any girl who wasn’t Quinn. Do you know how much that hurt her?”
“I was scared. I was afraid I’d let her down, and I couldn’t deal with it.”
“Ah, poor Leo. Having to dull the pain of not being good enough for the one girl he could love . . . by fucking all the other girls. You really are a tortured hero, aren’t you?”
Leo spoke through gritted teeth. “I’m not doing this, Nate. I’m not going to argue with you. I know you’re only talking like this because you’re hurt, and you’re afraid you’re going to lose Quinn. But I don’t want to take her away from you. Why can’t we be like we used to? When we were kids, we all got along. We could be friends again.”
I’d thought this through this afternoon, after Quinn had left. I wasn’t going to lose her over this, even if it meant putting up with Leo and putting a happy face on a situation I hated.
But I wasn’t going to let that happen without making myself very clear.
“We can be friends, Leo. Sure. But never forget that I know the truth. I know what’s going to happen. You’re going to hurt Quinn—that’s a given. But worse, you’re going to ruin her. You’re going to take this girl who’s funny and smart and unique—and you’re going to try to change her. You’re going to drag her into stuff she doesn’t want to see, and you’ll break her. You’ll destroy her, and I just hope I’m still around to help put her back together.”
I expected him to flip out at me. I expected him to rail at me, defend himself and swear none of that would happen.
But he didn’t. I saw something in his eyes, an anguish and fear, that shocked me by its depth. And when he spoke, his voice was almost defeated.
“You’re not telling me anything I’m not terrified about. Why do you think I pulled away from you guys? Why do you think I stayed away from Quinn, when I’ve wanted her? I know the potential’s there. But God, Nate. I’m trying. I’m doing my damnedest to not do that. I don’t want Quinn to change. I want to protect her, and see her keep growing and being who she is. Quinn’s got the truest heart I’ve ever known. And that heart loves us both. Why can’t we accept that?”
~~~***~~~
The Keeping Score Trilogy is a New Adult contemporary romance. The first two books may not give you
complete closure, but hang in there for Book 3; I promise the pay-off is worth it.
You can preorder When We Were Us now at all major retailers.
iBooks/Amazon/Nook/Kobo/Google Play
Read an exclusive excerpt right here!
For me, every book I write has not only a playlist of music, but one song that defines it. It’s
that song that gets me through every block as I’m writing the story, the one that just so perfectly fits this set of characters and circumstances, it’s as though the music was written for this book.
Scanning the playlist of When We Were Us, one song jumps out at me as an obvious choice for the defining song. Shouldn’t it be the song that gave the book its title, We Were Us by Keith Urban and Miranda Lambert? Well . . . maybe.
But I have to admit, the tune from this list that I listened to most often was really We Belong by Pat Benatar. This one is a special sentimental favorite of mine; it’s been on more than one of my playlists, and deservedly so.
Many times I tried to tell you
Many times I cried alone
Always I’m surprised how well you cut my feelings to the bone
Don’t want to leave you really
I’ve invested too much time to give you up that easy
To the doubts that complicate your mind
This is so much Quinn, so much the cry of her heart, and yet, there’s some Leo in there, too, and even some Nate.
I can always count of Pat.
Check out the entire When We Were Us playlist right here!