Ava Michaels used to think she was special.
As a child, she fantasized about having magical powers . . . making things happen. But Ava grew up and eventually accepted the fact that her childish dreams were just that, and maybe a normal life wasn’t so bad after all.
Now a young college student, Ava meets Caleb Foster, a brilliant and mysterious man who’s supposed to help her pass physics, but in reality has another mission in mind. What he shows Ava challenges her view of the world, shaking it to its very core.
Because Caleb isn’t quite what he seems. In fact, he’s not entirely human, and he’s not the only one.
Together, the duo faces a threat from an ancient race bound to protect humans, but only after protecting their own secrets—secrets they fear Ava may expose. Fighting to survive, Ava soon learns she’s not actually normal . . . she’s not even just special.
She’s a little bit more.
Young Adult Paranormal Suspense/Romance: Intended for readers 13 years of age and older.
MORE
By T.M. Franklin
Excerpt
“Caleb!” she screamed, unsure why she would call out to him, but it seemed almost instinctive.
Her attacker covered her mouth again, more carefully this time. “Caleb’s occupied at the moment,” he growled. “Now, relax. I’m not going to hurt you. Not yet, at least. But if you scream, I’ll have no choice but to knock you out.”
Ava whimpered behind his hand.
“Are you going to be a good girl?” he asked mockingly. “Nice and quiet?”
Ava nodded slowly, terrified. He released her, taking a step back, and she caught her breath for a moment. Finally, she asked, “What do you want with me? And how do you know Caleb?”
The man smiled humorlessly. “Caleb and I go way back.” He stepped over to the gate, peering out to make sure no one had heard her shout. “As for what I want with you. Nothing. But my job is to bring you in for testing.”
Ava’s eyes darted to the open gate and the huge bulk of man blocking her way. If she could just get him to relax, maybe she could make a run for it. She shuffled slightly to the right. “Testing?” she repeated, eager to keep him talking.
“If things are normal. You’ll be released. No harm done.” He backed away from the opening, pulling a cell phone from his pocket and tapping on the screen.
“ ‘Normal?’ ” she repeated. “And what if they’re not . . . normal?” Another small step to the right. And another. He kept tapping away.
“None of my business,” he muttered gruffly, not sparing her a glance. He stared at his phone, absorbed, and paced a bit toward the dumpster.
It wasn’t a lot of room, but Ava feared it was her only chance. She lunged for the gate, grabbing the edge of the fence to pull herself through. A band of iron locked around her waist, and she felt herself thrown back against the wall, the huge man smiling wickedly as her head cracked against the brick. Her vision swam as she swallowed against the nausea bubbling inside her.
“You didn’t really think you’d get away?” he taunted. “You’ll never escape me.” He stalked toward her, reaching out with a beefy arm, his massive form looming even larger in the dim light from the single bulb over the back door. He raised his hand, and Ava knew the strike was coming, as he’d threatened. She clenched her eyes shut, throwing her arms up in front of her face on instinct, a scream dying in her throat.
Then, a muffled thud, and the blow she feared just didn’t happen. She huddled against the wall, trembling, only to wince as a hand closed on her arm.
“No!” she gasped, her eyes flying open.
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T.M. Franklin started out her career writing non-fiction in a television newsroom. Graduating with a B.A. in Communications specializing in broadcast journalism and production, she worked for nine years as a major market television news producer, and garnered two regional Emmy Awards, before she resigned to be a full-time mom and part-time freelance writer. After writing and unsuccessfully querying a novel that she now admits, “is not that great,” she decided to follow the advice of one of the agents who turned her down—write some more and get better at it. Her first published novel, MORE, was born during National Novel Writing month, a challenge to write a novel in thirty days. She lives in the Pacific Northwestwith her husband, Mike, is mom to two boys, Justin and Ryan, and has an enormous black dog named Rocky who’s always lying nearby while she’s writing. Whether he’s soothed by the clicking of the computer keys or just waiting for someone to rub his belly is up for debate.
In addition to MORE, Franklinpenned the Amazon best-selling short story, WINDOW, as well as another short story, A Piece of Cake, which appears in the ROMANTIC INTERLUDES anthology. THE GUARDIANS, BOOK TWO IN THE MORE TRILOGY, will be released in the fall of 2013.
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