I’m delighted to be hosting, fellow West Devon author, Jay Jones today.
Jay is here to share the opening lines of her latest novel, Back For Good.
Back For Good is a touching and uplifting tale of second chances, personal growth and the transformative powers of guidance from the spirit world.
Follow Sasha as she navigates heartbreak, self-discovery and healing together with her feisty and unconventional spirit guide Zinnia who brings humour and wisdom to the journey.
Blurb
Sasha Denning doesn’t ask for anything – ever.
Feeling unappreciated and stuck in a crumbling marriage with her husband, Mark, she’s suddenly given a dramatic escape: a near-death experience. Returning to life with a mission to help others, Sasha is thrust into a series of challenges that range from comical to heart-wrenching.
Zinnia, her determined but rule-bound trainee spirit guide, wants to help Sasha mend her life and marriage. But with the Spirit Guidance Rule Book restricting her every move, Zinnia faces her own struggles to prove she’s ready to qualify. When disaster looms, Zinnia must decide what matters most – her career or Sash and Mark’s future.
***
Here are the first 500 words…
It All Started with a Big Bang
“How many times do I need to remind you, Zinnia?” said Hebron as he materialised next to me with a grumpy headmaster face on. “The rule book is there for good reason. Until you’ve mastered the contents, they are non-negotiable.”
I hadn’t even broken a rule (this time); I’d just been, let’s say, considering it. And if you want to know how annoying The Spirit Guidance Rule Book is, this is the screensaver on my training tablet, tailored especially for me:
- Remain emotionally detached from one’s protégés.
- Do not interfere.
- Only assist when called upon by your human or advised by your mentor.
So restrictive and I didn’t do restrictive well.
“You know this is only until you’re qualified,” said Hebron, his demeanour softening fractionally. “We don’t want any more slip-ups before you’ve learnt how to make the right choices. If you practise the rules and follow my tuition, you’ll soon get more involved.”
Being involved was why I’d chosen to be a spirit guide: supporting an individual as they experienced their human life, sharing their ups and downs. I’d spent so much time with my soulmate Daziel, a revered spirit guide, I’d been sure I’d ace the role. And I loved being back on the Earth plane, albeit in spirit form. Okay, so it hadn’t been as simple as I’d hoped and I’d failed Level II the first time round but I was getting there.
“So far, you’ve done an excellent job with Sasha,” encouraged Hebron. “Remember you are free to present her with opportunities so long as they support the paths she chooses.”
Unassuming Sasha, who I’d been matched with for my Level III field work, hadn’t been difficult to guide. But now her marriage with Mark was heading for heartache and I could so easily help.
“All I want to do is give Sasha a tiny nudge,” I said, totally ignoring Hebron’s words of wisdom. “If a creature was struggling to cross a busy road and you pointed out the safest place, it would just be a prod in the right direction rather than changing the course of nature.”
“Is that what you were thinking with Oswald?”
Ouch – that was a low blow. Oswald was the first human I’d been put in charge of. He’d been a hardworking serf, oppressed by a greedy landowner who always came up with new ways to keep the peasants down. One night, when I couldn’t bear seeing him suffer any more, I’d fed Oswald a few insights on what was happening, to encourage him to move to a better manor. I hadn’t banked on him confronting his master with descriptions of his visions, which led to accusations of witchcraft and devilry. It hadn’t ended well for Oswald. Or for me, to a less terminal degree; I was demoted to Level I.
Why did I bother arguing my case with Hebron?
“Don’t lose faith, little one,” he said. “I do listen to…
***
You can find out what happened next, by purchasing your copy of Back For Good from all good retailers, including:
https://bookguild.co.uk/bookshop/contemporary/back-for-good
Bio:
Jay Jacobs, a Jack-of-all-trades and mother of two, was inspired to write her first novel after her sister shared the account of a little boy’s near-death experience. Exploring a wealth of similar stories, uncovering a fascinating and life-affirming perspective, this journey ignited her creativity, resulting in an uplifting novel intended to inspire and resonate with readers seeking hope and transformation.
Jay explains: “I became fascinated with near-death experiences after my sister told me about one. When I discovered a website full of these, I found them so uplifting and I knew I had to write a story around the subject.
I love the thought of having a spirit guide by my side, helping me through tough times, and I hope readers will enjoy the exploits of Zinnia, a far-from-typical spirit guide.
Many thanks for sharing your opening lines, Jay.
Happy reading everyone,
Jenny x
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