The Stage (Phoenix Rising #1) (41 page)

I don’t know what to say. “The sprinklers will come on. Okay? Plus, Kolton put in those fire escapes. They can get out that way. I’m going to call the police,” I say, taking my phone out of my back pocket. “Take a deep breath. They’ll get out, Riley,” I say, my voice quivering. I’m trembling so badly, it’s hard to punch the numbers into the glass screen. The doors open and Riley and I escape into the lobby in a plume of smoke.

911.

Ringing.

Ringing.

“911, what’s your emergency?”

“What’s going on?” The doorman asks.

“Fire. Wilshire Thayer. Kolton Royce. Thirteenth floor. It was arson! Come quick! He’s still up there. There’re still three adults up there, including the arsonist!” The doorman runs over to the phone and then the alarm starts to sound. He picks up a walkie talkie and yells, “Fire! Thirteen floor. We have to evacuate the building.”

“What’s your name, ma’am?” the 911 operator asks.

“Mia. Mia Phoenix,” I say. “It’s Kolton Royce who’s up there. Please. Send help, now!” Tears burn down my face as Riley falls to the ground outside the building. “Kolton Royce? Does he live there?” she questions. Her voice changing.

“Yes.” I pace. I count. I put my hands together like a prayer.

Oh, God! Please don’t let them be dead
, I pray.
Don’t let them be hurt
. Ten bushes outside the building. Bricks, I’m counting—up to forty-eight bricks. I hold Riley outside the lobby, tears running down her cheeks, waiting to find out if our lives are changed forever—just like last time. How could we have lost the family we’ve just created? How could this happen again?

Finally, in the distance, I hear the sirens. I sit down on the cold concrete, close my eyes, and kiss Riley on the top of her head.

“They’re on the way. Okay?” She’s nodding and wiping her face with the sleeve of her pajama top. Families start running out of the stairwell. The evacuation is taking place. Who’s crying so loudly? Is it me? It’s like I’m outside my body watching this new life come to an end.

But he’s so strong, so beautiful, so kind. And he loves me. He’s a survivor. They have to make it out. They have to.

The sirens, they’re coming. Flashing lights. Red trucks. An ambulance still in the distance.

But, can they come fast enough?

The Tour: A Phoenix Rising Novel, Book 2.
(Kolton and Mia’s HEA)—Fall of 2014

The Reclaiming Life Series:

Sadie’s Mountain (Book One, Sadie’s story)

Sadie Survived
(Book Two, Dillon’s story)—no release date

Almost Whole
(Book Three, Renae’s story)—no release date

Shelby grew up between two mountains and a lake in Wasilla, Alaska. She used to run around in the tall grass, catch frogs, rescue dragonflies, ride horses, and ice-skate during recess. She still likes adventures and has even gone skydiving. Today she lives in Northern California with her husband, John and their daughter, Elise, their two dogs, and a fish named Jade.

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The Stage: Playlist

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http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7161929.Shelby_Rebecca

If you enjoyed this book, don’t forget to add your review to Amazon, Goodreads, or Barnes and Noble. When you do, be sure to email me at
[email protected]
and I’ll send a personal email to thank you.

Thank you for helping to support Indie authors by letting others know what you think. To help spread the word, you can loan this book and tell your friends! Take care and keep in touch.

To my family, especially John and Elise, thank you for your patience with me while I’m writing, and when my characters are in my head and I don’t hear what you’re saying until you say it twice. We’ve been through so much during the time I was writing this manuscript. Our lives changed forever; we became stronger. It sucks when life tests your resolve, and we had multiple tests. I think we passed with flying colors. I love you, and recognize the sacrifices you’ve had to make while I live my passion—writing. Now, let’s buy a cabin in the woods and never come out unless we have to.

To The San Antonio Spurs, thank you for winning the 2014 basketball season thingy. Your timing for being awesome and beating all the other teams couldn’t have been better. Since hubby is your biggest fan and “from Texas” and all, he watched all your games, and I got to finish my book. Yay, us!

I have to thank my blogger peeps. Debra Presley and especially, Paula Agnes at
The Book Enthusiast Promotions
, Jennifer at
Read and Share Book Reviews
, and T London from
Crystal’s Many Reviewers
, who connected with me after I’d published my debut
, Sadie’s Mountain
. All three of you have been my cheerleaders, waving me toward a finished book. It means so much to get an email or pm from you guys asking how I am, reassuring me that I
can
write. That everything’s going to be okay. Telling me you can’t wait to read it. It helps; all of it. So thank you.

Realistic writing is not a solitary process. It takes reaching out to others for support when you need an expert. I had the extreme luck to meet Rudy Pariss from Season three of
The Voice
at one of his shows. The timing couldn’t have been better, as I’d just started writing
this book
about a singing competition show. He was able to explain the process for trying out, how the show is shot, and the order that things are taped—or even small details like how an earpiece feels when it’s molded to your ear. He’s a talented man with a new album coming out. I hope his good will toward me will be paid back ten-fold.

I also have the extreme luck to have a brother who’s a helicopter pilot. I knew Kolton wouldn’t fly commercially after what happened to him, so I reached out to my little brother, Joe Davis, and he walked me through a flying lesson over the phone. It’s such a cool process, especially the positive exchange of controls. I thought it was so symbolic of Kolton learning to let go, and Mia learning to trust again. So thank you, Poes. You’re the best.

To my beta readers: Paula Agnes, Nikki Lynn Barrett, Cara Olson, Kat Brooks, and Renee Hicks, your input has been vital in the process toward making this story the best in can be. I hadn’t shared the manuscript with anyone at all until it was finished, which was a far cry from writing it on Fiction Press, like I’d done with
Sadie’s Mountain
. I was so afraid that they wouldn’t like it, but criticism is the only way to make it better. On their end, it can be scary to be honest with someone, but all of you were able to tell it like it is, and do so in a constructive way that didn’t hurt me, but only made me better. I’d love to have you all beta read for me any time.

To my editor Juli Valenti of
Juli’s Elite Editing
, I think we make a great team. I see you like a sculptor, taking my design and removing the unnecessary words and helping me say what I’d meant to say. It takes talent to do. I’m so glad to work with you again.

To my cover designer, Kari Ayasha at
Cover to Cover Designs
, I love how you take my thoughts and make it an even better reality. You’re so talented, and I’m proud to have your work adorning my book.

To my proof reader, Marlene Engle at
Book Mama Blog
. Thank you for working so hard to help me reach my deadline. I love that you help me by finding those little oops! moments. Thank you so much.

I’ve also found an awesome swag company called
Rock Wat Designs
run by Lisa Watmough. She’s a rocker at heart, and so talented. I know my readers are going to love your key chains. Amazing job you did!

Thank you to all the talented and successful authors who’ve answered all my questions, from cover art, formatting, and marketing. There’s one important thing I’ve learned during this last year, and that is, even though we run our own—well, everything from writing to publication and marketing, we Indie authors aren’t really doing this alone. Thank you to all the authors over at Club Indie for taking me under their wing and answering all of my questions—even helping me through those low moments when I think I’m making the wrong choices, or when I’m obsessing about things I can’t control. You all teach me to just keep doing what I love—writing.

And to my readers, thank you for taking a chance on my writing and trusting me to take you on this journey. A book is nothing without a reader, so I wouldn’t do this without knowing you’d be on the other end reading it and caring about my characters like I do. I promise you, their story is not over. We’ll all get our happily ever after.

Thank you so much.