A few years ago, I wrote a love story simply titled Stay. I wanted to explore the subject of love because I had been in a very bitter and cynical position for some time prior to it. So like any true scholar, I decided to do some research. I thought there had to be a silver lining. Not everyone could have had bad experiences like me. Someone out there was living the elusive “happily ever after.”
I came up with a list of three questions to women I knew personally, authors I admired and online friends.
- Have you ever been in love?
- If so what was it about them that made you fall in love?
- What hardships have you faced and what has kept you together?
Nearly everyone I queried replied and their answers were both heartwarming and inspiring. Not all of them are currently married or in a relationship, more than a few shared their past love stories or lack thereof. But it gave me an idea and I knew the kind of story I wanted to share.
Stay is about a mortal girl who fell in love with the wrong guy. This guy just happened to be the immortal god of the seas. And when he thinks she betrayed him, he curses her. Not only will she live an eternity alone, but she is called to pursue love in the world and help humans stay in or find love. A couple millennium later and she has lost most of her humanity. Until she stumbles upon a human who looks exactly like her first love. She has to help him fall back in love with his ex while fighting a sudden resurgence of emotions.
I love this story because it was very much part of my personal journey. Not even a year after I published it, I met my husband and discovered true love is for real. But I credit Stay and the women who helped me write it as the reason I was open to the idea of true love. And I dedicated this novel to the women who loved and lost only to find love again.
Long story short… I recently had the fantastic Champagne Formats redesign the manuscript and Najla Qamber Designs recover the outside of the novel. I hope you enjoy the new and improved Stay! For a limited time, I am offering free digital epub copies to celebrate the re-release. If you would like a copy, please visit the Smashwords page and type in the following code: KG76S. This ticket will last until May 1st so make sure to grab your copy while you can!
Jennifer Silverwood 