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Tuesday, October 28, 2014

NEW RELEASE! FAMILY SECRETS by ZINA ABBOTT--GIVEAWAY!


Jennie Graves Howell has a secret, including being thought of as a loyal wife to her husband serving in Afghanistan, a husband who has demanded a divorce.

Jennie’s family do not want her to delve into the past. Grandpa Mike refuses to talk about his experiences in the Vietnam War and the aftermath. He wants the biggest mistake he ever made to remain hidden in the past, including family members Jennie never heard about until hints of their existence begin to seep through the cracks of secrecy.

Her new friends at the Golden Oaks Family Ties club are willing to teach Jennie the skills she needs to unlock her family’s secrets, but is she willing and emotionally strong enough to learn what her family has kept hidden?


Zina Abbott has a brand new novel out today! FAMILY SECRETS is the story of a young woman's discovery of how she fits into her family when she joins a genealogy club. As Jennie finds out, there are some secrets to be revealed when delving into family relationships! Please be sure to leave a comment along with your contact information to be entered in the drawing for a digital copy of Zina Abbott's story, FAMILY SECRETS!

EXCERPT FROM FAMILY SECRETS:

Jennie smiled, and hoped her face did not reveal the sadness inside. She wished her warrior husband was favorably impressed by her.

Then Jennie snapped her focus back to Quinn. She realized that he had shared something with her that was not common knowledge.

“So, Quinn Armitage Jacobson is your full legal name, huh? I fig-ured the “A” stood for Andrew or Allen or something like that. But Armitage! That is such an interesting middle name.”

“Interesting, huh?” he grimaced. “You are too kind.”

“But Quinn, that is a great name. I mean, Quinn is a pretty neat name in and of itself, but Armitage? How distinguished!”

“I’m happy you think so. The whole time I was growing up, if I ever told someone my middle name, they found some way to ridicule me.”

“Oh, that sounds like something little kids would do. They poke fun at anything out of the ordinary.”

“It’s supposed to be some family name,” he shrugged. “I don’t remember the details.”

“Would you try to find out? I’ll bet there is a great story behind it.”

The corner of Quinn’s mouth turned up in a half-smile.

“So, is that my assignment, Jennie? Do you need birth dates and places, too? You already have the nicknames.”

“That’s up to you,” Jennie laughed, suddenly embarrassed. “For now, I just think it would be interesting to know the history behind your middle name.”

Then Jennie asked herself, since when? Would Jennie have given the history behind someone’s name a second thought before her conversation with Mrs. Moore?

“And here with all your talk about getting to know historical people, I thought you might be interested in me, personally,” Quinn said with mock disappointment as he slapped his open palm on his chest.

“First of all, you are not a historical person—not yet, anyway. Second, you don’t need an old married lady like me to be interested in you other than as a friend. Aren’t all the other girls around here interested in you?”

“Yeah, right!”

“Well, maybe more would be if you did not throw around those big words all the time. Me, I figure it’s a test.”

“Maybe it is a test. Maybe not too many people pass the test.”

Jennie finished gathering up her backpack and slung it across her shoulder. “Maybe you should stop trying to test people and just be yourself. Try to get to know people and let them get to know you.”

“The test is more fun. Besides, I figure one thing at a time. Like you, I’m coming back to get my education. I’m not here to meet people, especially women. Maybe that’s why I like you so much. You are a woman and taken. You are safe. It leaves me free to concentrate on my priorities so I don’t get off-track like I did in my earlier days. I like being able to be just friends with you.”

Jennie felt her throat constrict. She’d been taken, all right, by her husband. At one time she would have liked the thought that she was considered “safe.” But, looking at Quinn bending his head to look in her eyes, she was not so sure now.

“I need to go, Quinn. Mom is expecting me for dinner. I’ll see you tomorrow in class.”

Jennie waved good-by as she walked away. She turned back for one last look to see how he had taken her final salvo. Quinn was still standing where she left him, watching her with his crooked little smile.

BUY IT HERE!
http://www.amazon.com/Family-Secrets-Zina-Abbott-ebook/dp/B00OVDPGDS/ref=sr_1_6?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1414376238&sr=1-6&keywords=Family+Secrets

21 comments:

  1. I really enjoyed this, Robyn! Fantastic story of a young woman's awakening self discovery through learning about her family's past.
    Cheryl

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    1. Thank you, Cheryl. My deepest appreciation and gratitude go out to you and Livia for all the support you have given me on getting this novel into print. I look forward to finishing the second book in this series. Keep up the good work.

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    1. Thank you, Lorrie. I enjoyed writing this novel and hope my readers find in insightful as well as entertaining.

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  3. Wowzer! Seems to me Jennie is more interested in Quinn than she's pretending to be. Ah, but the plot thickens.....what does Quinn's middle name have to do with who he is? And what family secret is her Grandpa Mike hiding??? Maybe Quinn and Jennie are brother and sister??? It will be interesting finding out. Great story line Zinna. By the way..I love your name.

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    1. Wait and see! Wait and see, Barb. I found the excerpt that was selected an interesting choice. You will find out the secret Grandpa Mike is hiding, but as for the middle name....patience may be required beyond this book.

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  4. Congrats on the new release, Zinna!! I'm with Barb, I'm intrigued by all the questions. :)

    Best wishes for much success!

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    1. Good, Kirsten. I hope you enjoy reading the answers to be found. I appreciate your well wishes.

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    2. Kirsten, you are the winner of the free copy of FAMILY SECRETS. Please see my comment at the bottom of the comments section.

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  5. Okay, you have me hooked. Genealogy, family, mystery, what's not to love. Best you you on this one. Doris

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    1. Thank you, Doris. There is a lot going on in this novel, and I hope you end up enjoy reading about it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

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    2. Boy, I sure massacred the grammar on that reply. Hope you got the meaning anyway....

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  6. Congratulations Zina! I've shared on my FB author's page. Best of luck!

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    1. Thank you, Connie. I appreciate your kind words.

      Robyn Echols writing as Zina Abbott

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  7. Congratulations on your new release, Robyn/Zina. I am intrigued by the mystery which seems to have some family (and maybe military) roots. I saw your character's husband demanded a divorce while serving in Afghanistan and thought what an odd time to want a divorce. So, I started assuming (maybe wrongly) about PTSD, or something devastating happened that caused him to make such a drastic request. I might be all off base here, but, in any case, it really got my wheels of interest turning about your story.
    I liked the excerpt. It seems there might be some happiness ahead for Jennie even after her husband asks for a divorce. Armitage really is an interesting name. What inspired you to come up with that name?
    I wish you the greatest success and happiness.

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    1. Actually, he asks for the divorce just before he was deployed. He has issues going on, but part of Jennie's challenge is to sort out what is him and what is being affected by his experiences in combat.

      As for Armitage, I'm not sure why that popped in my mind. I was looking for a name with a certain feel that would speak of a particular region. Not all will be answered in this book, but, with patience. you will find out.

      Thanks for your support.

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  8. WOW! It sounds like there's going to be so many twists and turns that it will be hard for any reader to put this one down. Very intriguing to say the least. I have numerous questions already and can't wait to find the answers. Congratulations on your release of Family Secrets. It's sure to be a success. Wishing you the best.

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    1. Yes, Beverly, it is actually three stories in one that all come together in the end. I enjoy reading books with 2-3 storylines that keep me guessing at first how they are all going to fit together and that is what I did with this one. Since there is a multiple generation family history theme, I think it works.

      Thank you for your well wishes.

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  9. Hello Robyn/Zina,
    First of all, congrats. Looks like there will be twists and whatnot in that story. I love the multiple generation history. Love the excerpt - and I wonder that the hell Grandpa Mick is hiding. Wishing you lots of success with this story.

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  10. Okay, I cheated. I put all the names in a deep Tupperware bowl instead of Buck's cowboy hat -- Easier to swish around to mix them up and less likely for my little half-folded tickets to get hung up on something like the sweatband. And the winner is.....

    Kirsten Arnold! Kirsten, please email me at zinaabbott AT gmail DOT com with your contact email and I will send the link for your free copy of FAMILY SECRETS.

    Thank you to all who stopped by, read the blog and left a comment. I hope you enjoy reading my novel.

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  11. Congratulations, Kirsten! You will enjoy this one!
    Cheryl

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