Blog Tour: THE CALM AFTER THE STORM by Mya O'Malley

Today we’d like to welcome the hero of “The Calm After the Storm” Jake Mack to Rambling Reads! 

Jake Mack is a divorced father of three year old Shelley. He works as a foreman in utility company from Georgia. He has deep family roots from small town, Georgia and strong family values.

Q: It’s great to have a chance to talk with you, Jake. I know that you traveled up north to help restore power after Hurricane Sandy, could you tell us a little about your experience?

Jake: Well, I can honestly say that my experience up north was life altering. I will hold those memories close forever. I didn’t quite know what to expect when I set out to New York, but it was amazing. The people I met were so grateful, especially Emma.

Q: I see. It sounds like she’s pretty special. How did things work out for you guys?

Jake: I can’t say too much, other than it was definitely a challenge, trying to make my relationship with Emma work. At first, we each had our own issues from the past to deal with, then it was the stress of a long distance relationship.

Q: But you also have a young daughter, Shelley. That must have been very hard, trying to balance your family life and responsibilities with dating a woman from New York.

Jake: Emma is a total sweetheart, but it wasn’t easy for her. Emma worked in New York City, she was very career-oriented, I think small town Georgia was somewhat of a culture shock for her, just as New York was for me. The problems were also exasperated by my ex wife, Ginny. Shelley and Emma got along great, I was so happy to see my little girl happy with the woman I love. Emma’s a natural with children. 

 

Q: That’s wonderful, but I hope you don’t mind me saying, from what I hear, Ginny’s quite the piece of work.

Jake: That she is. That was one woman I should have stayed clear of, but I learned plenty from my mistakes.

Q: That’s good to hear. So, how did things work out with you and Emma? Did Shelley get along with her?

Jake: Oh, I can’t give that away.

Q: But sometimes love has a way of working out, breaking through boundaries, right?

Jake: Sometimes, yes, but sometimes no. That being said, I’m a believer in true love.

The Calm After the Storm
By Mya O’Malley

The storm of the century raged through the northeast, causing destruction and despair, millions were left without power and hope. Weeks later, countless people were still devastated by the destruction of Hurricane Sandy, Emma Riley among them.

Determined she didn’t need the help of a man, Emma was convinced that she could brave the aftermath of the storm on her own. That is, until Jake came into her life.

After having suffered heartbreak and embarrassment, Jake Mack, a utility foreman, volunteered to travel north from small town, Georgia to assist with the aftermath of the storm. Jake was decidedly done with women. But he didn’t count on meeting Emma or falling in love so quickly. Can he trust this woman or will his past get in the way and ruin the relationship with the one woman he truly loves?

Available for purchase at 

   

Book Trailer

Excerpt

Jake and his crew had now been in the suburbs of New York for a

few days. His first thought upon entering this area was his surprise at the

devastation. Sure, he had heard about the destruction on the news and had seen

footage of the aftermath of Sandy, but it still hadn’t prepared him for the

actual sight of Sandy’s rage. Telephone poles were down, trees were snapped in

two, and houses were completed destroyed by the storm. Seeing all the

destruction only strengthened Jake’s resolve that it had been the right thing

to come. He felt proud to be able to help out and be a part of the solution to

the horrible aftermath of this disaster.

As the day was wrapping up. Jake and Chris met up with some of

their crew in the next town to finish one more area before calling it quits.

The chill in the air was something that Jake had prepared for, but was not

accustomed to. Clutching the new flannel he had purchased right before his

trip, he put it on over his thermal shirt. Thankful for his thermos filled with

hot coffee, Jake grabbed it but quickly tossed it aside.

“Come on, Chris! I asked you to stop drinking my coffee. Now

there’s none left,” he said as he shook his head, irritated at his friend.

Chris looked up at his boss sheepishly. “Sorry, man. I didn’t

sleep well last night. I needed some caffeine.”

“Well, that makes two of us.”

They rode until they approached the utility pole that needed attention.

Jake and Chris were among the first to arrive and got busy setting up for the

job. Within minutes, the rest of the assigned crew trickled in. The workers

were now familiar with the details and routine of this job, so for the most

part they worked in silence, focused on getting this last job done so that they

could grab some dinner and hit the sheets. It was cold and dark, the night

chill settling in upon them. Jake supervised and helped his crew perform their

individual duties as quickly as possible. As they were just about wrapping

things up, Jake headed over to Steve, one of the older guys directing traffic.

He looked frail and tired.

“Hey, Steve. I got this. Why don’t you call it a night, huh? We’ll

meet you at the hotel for some dinner.”

“Nah, Jake, we’re almost done here. I’m good,” Steve said as he

looked up at Jake with glaring dark circles under his eyes.

“Steve, go. I’m serious. Get in a hot shower and we’ll meet up for

dinner. Boss’ orders. Now go and take Andy with you,” Jake gestured toward

another man on the crew who looked like he was ready for bed.

Shrugging his shoulders, Steve made his way to one of the smaller

utility trucks, calling for his co-worker to join him. Jake took over the

responsibility of directing traffic, slowing people down and stopping cars when

necessary. Yawning, he waved a small SUV along, noticing that the approaching

driver was slowing down, much more than necessary. Jake squinted his eyes to

get a better look. The car came to a stop when Jake stepped up to it and its

window rolled down. Looking back at Jake was a woman who appeared pretty, even

in the diminished light. Wait, scratch that—she was stunning, with long, wavy

hair and piercing eyes. His heart faltered just a bit.

“Hi. I wanted to thank you guys for all of the hard work that

you’ve been doing. We really appreciate you guys coming up here. I think I

speak for everyone,” she said as she smiled widely. Her smile hitched his

breath ever so slightly. Jake smiled back. This was certainly a change. Since

he had been in this area, some people waved, some people smiled, others

remained with their eyes straight ahead, but nobody had yet offered any thanks

verbally. So different from the Southern hospitality way of life where he grew

up, Jake mused.

Here it was different, the pace of life was much faster. People

always seemed to be in a rush, and they minded their own business for the most

part. Sure, being so close to the big city must be nice and the landscape was

quite beautiful at times, but he didn’t think this lifestyle was something he

could ever get used to. It seemed too stressful, too impersonal. He would be

glad to be back home when his job was finished.

The woman leaned over and offered Jake a box of donuts, disposable

coffee cups, and a box of hot coffee. Jake was impressed.

“Thank you, that was very thoughtful!” Jake gushed, thrilled at

the idea of hot coffee. He thought he felt warmth spread across his cheeks

despite the chill in the air.

The woman stared back and smiled at Jake for a minute and then set

her eyes on the road ahead. She waved as she pulled away.

“Wait!” Jake called out. “Wait, what was your name?” But the words

were lost. The mysterious woman with the coffee and donuts was long gone.

“Guys!” he called out as his crew worked on cleaning up for the

night. “Guys! Our guardian angel just appeared, and she brought coffee!”

The coffee and donuts were gladly received, but the idea that

someone would go out of their way to show a random act of kindness truly

touched Jake. He felt the warm liquid slide down his throat and knew that he

would always remember the woman’s thoughtfulness. Who was he kidding? That

woman’s beautiful face was what he would most remember. He just wished that he

had gotten her name.

About The Author

Mya O’Malley was born and raised in the suburbs of New York City, where she currently lives with her husband, daughter and three step-daughters.  The family also consists of two boxers; Destiny and Dolce and a ragdoll cat named Colby.  Mya earned an undergraduate degree in special education and a graduate degree in reading and literacy.   She works as a special education teacher and enjoys making a difference in the lives of her students. 

Mya currently has several releases: At First Sight, a contemporary romance about dating in the modern world, published by Astraea Press, and Where There is Love, a contemporary romance in which a woman struggles with past obstacles, ultimately faced with whether or not she will open her heart to love. Where There is Love is published with Solstice Publishing. Mya is excited to say that Astraea Press recently released her contemporary holiday paranormal romance titled If You Believe. Mya’s first Young Adult book is now available. Miranda’s Choice is a young adult fantasy novel published by Solstice Publishing.  Coming soon is The Calm After the Storm, published by TouchPoint Press. This novel is a contemporary romance taking place in the setting of Hurricane Sandy. The story revolves around the idea of a utility worker from Georgia falling in love with a woman in New York. 

  Mya’s passion is writing; she has been creating stories and poetry since she was a child.   Mya spends her free time reading just about anything she can get her hands on.  She is a romantic at heart and loves to create stories with unforgettable characters.   Mya likes to travel; she has visited several Caribbean Islands, Mexico and Costa Rica.   Mya is currently working on her sixth novel.   

You can find Mya at 

                  

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