A new novel is in the works - the first in a series of four. It's set in Colorado and has lots of cowboys, a little mystery, team roping and the challenges of finding love. I think you'll love Jace and Hailey and their story Crossfire.
To help me transition from children's stories and Icelandic tales, I've been writing some flash fiction - very short stories - to encapsulate emotion. Here's a recent one entitled This Day
Her hands trembled as she took the first step, heart thumped
wildly in her chest. Taking a deep breath, she willed her legs to move forward,
towards her goal. The aisle of the church stretched out in front of her. She
felt lightheaded, the buzzing in her ears nearly drowning out the melody of the
slow organ tune. The church was filled with hushed whispers. As she moved
forward, she felt the weight of many sets of eyes watching her.
She saw him at the altar. His beautiful profile so familiar
to her, the face of the man she loved. He was still and silent in front of the
priest. Later, this moment might be remembered as a brief flash, but right now,
time seemed to stand still. The scene wavered, blurring, and she blinked
quickly to squelch the tears before the overflowed. Her mind was filled with
the memories of them, him and her, the love they shared and the undeniable
connection. She was vaguely aware that she put one foot in front of the other,
moving toward him. The scent of so many flowers overpowered her senses.
Suddenly, he was there in front of her. She reached out and touched
his hand. So cold. He lie there, his beautiful blue eyes hidden beneath lids
that would never again raise. His lips were arranged in a restful line, no hint
of the teasing grin he so often wore. He had aged since she last saw him.
Behind him, his widow and several grown children stood, as a testament to a
life filled with family and love. His choice. Her choice. Their love was one
without limits, but against destiny, saved for a time that never came. He had
been a part of her, in her heart and thoughts as she pursued her career in
medicine. She knew with every fiber of her being she had been with him, in the
back of his mind even as he was surrounded by the family he built without her,
the life he lived with them. Their connection transcended all that.
She leaned down to kiss his cheek and whispered “Not a day
has passed that I haven’t loved you. We might have been just a memory of past
love, but maybe our time is yet to come. Find me in the next life.”
-Heidi Herman 2018
