...Firebird Awards 2022 (Speak Up Talk Radio) First Place LGBTQ Fiction First Place New Adult Fiction First Place New Fiction (first time published) ...2022 American Fiction Awards Finalist (LGBTQ+ Fiction) ...Literary Titan Gold Book Award (September 2022) ...Readers' Favorite 5 Star Book My world turned to shades of grey as I squared my shoulders and turned around. The woman with the short, dark hair and the blue scarf was the only source of color in the coffee shop. I seemed to glide across the floor until I found myself standing by her table. She had been stunning from across the room; up close she dazzled. Suddenly, there was Sophie..... On the surface, Jensy Willett appears to have it good friends, a storied basketball career, a great job, and most important, the love of her life, Sophie Barnes. But there is a secret in Jensy Willett's past that she will not share. Not even with her beloved Sophie. That vow of silence will have far-reaching ramifications when a chance encounter results in a disastrous decision. A decision that will tear at the fabric of Jensy and Sophie's relationship and send them spiraling out of control. Can their relationship be saved?

My world turned to shades of grey as I squared my shoulders and turned around. The woman with the short, dark hair and the blue scarf was the only source of color in the coffee shop. I seemed to glide across the floor until I found myself standing by her table. She had been stunning from across the room; up close she dazzled. Suddenly, there was Sophie..... On the surface, Jensy Willett appears to have it all: good friends, a storied basketball career, a great job, and most important, the love of her life, Sophie Barnes. But there is a secret in Jensy Willett's past that she will not share. Not even with her beloved Sophie. That vow of silence will have far-reaching ramifications when a chance encounter results in a disastrous decision. A decision that will tear at the fabric of Jensy and Sophie's relationship and send them spiraling out of control. Can their relationship be saved?

Love, loss, resilience, On a seemingly ordinary April weekend, with her beloved wife Sophie out of town, Jensy Willett finds herself reminiscing about the extraordinary events of her life over the past eight years. From the long, slow arc of her recovery as the victim of a school shooting, to her hard-earned success as a photographer… from the cultivation of a dear circle of friends and family, to the spectacular “Jensyventures” she’s shared with her precious Sophie… Jensy contentedly reflects on the peace and happiness she has found at last. Now in her mid-forties, Jensy has a new career, a new appreciation for her life in the city, and a love for Sophie that has only grown stronger over the two decades of their life together. Then, an unexpected phone call shatters her world completely. In the face of devastating loss, Jensy is forced to confront the limits of her own strength. Will she succumb to despair, or will she rise from the ashes and find the courage to embrace the pleasures and delights that life still has to offer?

When the Jensy Willett Trilogy (The Touch of Her Voice, The Sound of Her Smile, and The Taste of Her Silence) was completed, I was left with ten deleted passages. Thinking that these scenes might be of interest to those who enjoyed the trilogy, I decided to put the deleted scenes into a short anthology. This compilation consists of two the background of the scene and the reason why it was cut, and the actual deleted scene itself. My purpose was to provide insight into why certain passages were cut from the final manuscript, as well as give readers another look into the lives of Jensy, Sophie, and Jamie. Enjoy!