Book Details

In Her Dreams

When Kayla McCallister leaves her ritzy job, nice home and failing marriage behind in California, she doesn't expect to end up in Parker, Arizona; a Colorado River town that people pass through, not travel to. Her arrival there awakens Kayla's latent ability to have premonitions she doesn't want and can't handle. While dealing with her abilities, Kayla learns the value of friendship, renews her faith in love and reveals the identity of an attempted murderer who could change the lives of everyone around her if she doesn't learn to trust her instincts and visions. Will Kayla learn how to manage her dreams, or go crazy trying to avoid them?

 

Book Excerpt

******************************Free excerpt from Chapter 3!******************************

Kayla felt the life draining out of her. Searing pain shot through her body from the pressure of her assailant's knee pushing into her pelvis.

He slashed. She screamed.

She grasped toward him with her right hand, but it was quickly pinned to the bed. She flailed her legs, hoping to fling him off her bed, but the sheets were wrapped around them, sticking to the beads of sweat that had surfaced from her fear. She smelled the sour stench of his hot breath as he labored to stay on top of her. His facial features melted into the dark background, as if covered by an opaque mist.

Moonlight reflected off the blade of the knife and she caught a glimpse of her own blood. She screamed again, but all that came out this time was a hoarse, scratchy sound. There wasn't enough air in her lungs to get past her vocal chords. He punctured my lungs, she thought to herself.

He covered her mouth with his gloved hand. She bit it. He screamed and slapped her so hard her ears began to ring -- and ring, and ring.

It was the phone. She woke up and fumbled to pickup the receiver.

"Kayla, are you all right?" It was Mrs. Sanders, her landlady.

"Yes Mrs. Sanders. It was just a nightmare," she assured the old woman. She looked, just to make sure there wasn't any blood on her over-sized shirt or her sheets. She could almost taste the latex of the glove in her mouth and sweat still covered her body.

"Honey, you'd better quit watching those scary movies," she joked. Mrs. Sanders owned a two-story home perched on the edge of the Colorado River. After her husband died, she modified the house and turned the top floor into an apartment. Kayla was her first tenant.

"I tried knocking on your door, but you didn't answer. I hope I didn't startle you with the phone."

"No, Mrs. Sanders. I'm sorry if I bothered you. I'll try and scream quieter next time." Kayla squinted to fend off the 7 a.m. sunshine assaulting her through the window.

"Very funny. You know, I worry about you, being all alone up there."

Kayla unwrapped her legs from the sheets. "I know. I�m fine. I've got you to look out for me, don't I?"

"You sure do. Goodbye, child."

"Goodbye, Mrs. Sanders." Despite her attempt at humor and the sleepy calmness in her voice, Kayla's hand trembled as she fitted the receiver back into the cradle. A strange tingling feeling, one that had occurred more frequently since her arrival in Parker, worked its way up her fingers, through her hands and up to her shoulders. Kayla wished her nightmares were only the result of watching scary movies. Unfortunately, they stemmed from something much more terrifying.


*************************
Readers -- Come take a journey through the deserts of Arizona and beyond as Kayla adjusts to a life of premonitions and danger.

 

About the Author

C. S. Engeron

Charlene S. Engeron is an award- winning journalist and photographer with honors from the California Newspaper Publishers Association.
In addition to hundreds of hard news and feature articles, her writing credits include short fiction and magazine articles. Her personal essay was featured in The Blessings of Barrenness by Christi Kari (2006). Charlene is a lifelong resident of Southern California where she lives with her husband and daughter.

 

Multi-Media

Press the play () button to listen to the author's audio file
Paid