Here’s the link to the Weekend Writing Warriors central page, so you can visit all the participants sharing excerpts!

Donuts in an Empty Field is a contemporary, realistic fiction, and Young Adult novel about two best friends, the local food challenge, and letting go of anger.

This excerpt is from chapter one.

When Vanessa’s mom comes back into the room Vanessa hides the slip of paper with the bucket list on it.

I retrieve the list from under the files and walk up to take down the photograph from the corkboard. I want to move on. Nichole ushers me out of the room, clutching the unopened bag of carrots, Bluster following behind us. I clutch both the bucket list and the ripped photograph in my hands as she shuts the door firmly behind us.

Chapter One ends here! So many questions that are as yet unanswered! See where chapter two will take us in this story…

Purchase the book HERE.

Local young adult writer, Rachel Barnard, will release the first novel in her young adult For the Love of Donuts series titled Donuts in an Empty Field with Life’s a Book Publishing, June 3rd, 2016 (AKA National Donut Day). Order your copy HERE.

Letting go of anger is life’s greatest challenge.

Vanessa hasn’t been the same since her father’s death. A hero until the end, he died saving a restaurant owner’s son from a burning building. Nessa blames the boy, but her best friend Nichole thinks it’s time to let go of the past. In a last ditch effort to break Nessa’s obsession, Nichole hopes signing up for the local food challenge will bust her out of her shell. A single choice defines the road ahead for Nessa. Doing the right thing isn’t easy, but living with the consequences of doing nothing might be worse.

Subscribe to Rachel’s newsletter to receive important updates and promotions, if you haven’t already. Signup HERE

Add the book to your Goodreads shelf HERE

Here’s the link to the Weekend Writing Warriors central page, so you can visit all the participants sharing excerpts!

Donuts in an Empty Field is a contemporary, realistic fiction, and Young Adult novel about two best friends, the local food challenge, and letting go of anger.

This excerpt is from chapter one.

Vanessa has just shared her last fond memory of her late father with best friend Nichole. When Vanessa’s mom comes back into the room Vanessa hides the slip of paper with the bucket list on it.

“Are you going to tell her about the list?” Nichole asks.
I consider it. “No. I don’t think so.” I don’t want to share this piece of Dad with anyone else. Mom would make me share it with my therapist. She would minimize it and then disappear on a date.

Is Vanessa being selfish here or does her mother really not get it? How will Vanessa get over her grief if she can’t talk to her mother or her therapist about things like this bucket list?

Purchase the book HERE.

Local young adult writer, Rachel Barnard, released the first novel in her young adult For the Love of Donuts series titled Donuts in an Empty Field with Life’s a Book Publishing, June 3rd, 2016 (AKA National Donut Day). Get your copy HERE.

Letting go of anger is life’s greatest challenge.

Vanessa hasn’t been the same since her father’s death. A hero until the end, he died saving a restaurant owner’s son from a burning building. Nessa blames the boy, but her best friend Nichole thinks it’s time to let go of the past. In a last ditch effort to break Nessa’s obsession, Nichole hopes signing up for the local food challenge will bust her out of her shell. A single choice defines the road ahead for Nessa. Doing the right thing isn’t easy, but living with the consequences of doing nothing might be worse.

Subscribe to Rachel’s newsletter to receive important updates and promotions, if you haven’t already. Signup HERE

Add the book to your Goodreads shelf HERE

Here’s the link to the Weekend Writing Warriors central page, so you can visit all the participants sharing excerpts!

Donuts in an Empty Field is a contemporary, realistic fiction, and Young Adult novel about two best friends, the local food challenge, and letting go of anger.

This excerpt is from chapter one.

Vanessa has just shared her last fond memory of her late father with best friend Nichole.

“You should do it,” Nichole declares.
“What?”
“You should do his bucket list.”
“What? No way.”
Mom appears in the doorway and I slide the paper under a stack of folders on the desk.
“Everything alright?” she asks.
Nichole looks at me and I shrug.
“Here, I’ll take the boxes out to the car,” she offers.

Why did Vanessa hide her dad’s bucket list from her mother? Will she actually try to do the things her father couldn’t from the list?

All feedback is welcome 🙂

Purchase the book HERE.

Local young adult writer, Rachel Barnard, released the first novel in her young adult For the Love of Donuts series titled Donuts in an Empty Field with Life’s a Book Publishing, June 3rd, 2016 (AKA National Donut Day). Order your copy HERE.

Letting go of anger is life’s greatest challenge.

Vanessa hasn’t been the same since her father’s death. A hero until the end, he died saving a restaurant owner’s son from a burning building. Nessa blames the boy, but her best friend Nichole thinks it’s time to let go of the past. In a last ditch effort to break Nessa’s obsession, Nichole hopes signing up for the local food challenge will bust her out of her shell. A single choice defines the road ahead for Nessa. Doing the right thing isn’t easy, but living with the consequences of doing nothing might be worse.

Subscribe to Rachel’s newsletter to receive important updates and promotions, if you haven’t already. Signup HERE

Add the book to your Goodreads shelf HERE

Here’s the link to the Weekend Writing Warriors central page, so you can visit all the participants sharing excerpts!

Donuts in an Empty Field is a contemporary, realistic fiction, and Young Adult novel about two best friends, the local food challenge, and letting go of anger.

This excerpt is from chapter one.

Vanessa is remembering her last fond memory of her father on the day he died.

“He wasn’t very good at eating donuts fast, but he made us laugh. He was covered in powdered sugar and it made me think of Christmas snow. I was proud and embarrassed for Dad at the same time. He was so fun, but he was always doing weird things.”

“I remember I could taste the powdered sugar. He was eating so fast that it was poofing everywhere. Bluster kept winding his leash under his legs as he watched us. Mom and I both laughed at Dad. He managed to swallow the first donut and was already stuffing the second one into his mouth.”

Purchase the book HERE.

Local young adult writer, Rachel Barnard, released the first novel in her young adult For the Love of Donuts series titled Donuts in an Empty Field with Life’s a Book Publishing, June 3rd, 2016 (AKA National Donut Day). Order your copy HERE.

Letting go of anger is life’s greatest challenge.

Vanessa hasn’t been the same since her father’s death. A hero until the end, he died saving a restaurant owner’s son from a burning building. Nessa blames the boy, but her best friend Nichole thinks it’s time to let go of the past. In a last ditch effort to break Nessa’s obsession, Nichole hopes signing up for the local food challenge will bust her out of her shell. A single choice defines the road ahead for Nessa. Doing the right thing isn’t easy, but living with the consequences of doing nothing might be worse.

Subscribe to Rachel’s newsletter to receive important updates and promotions, if you haven’t already. Signup HERE

Add the book to your Goodreads shelf HERE

Here’s the link to the Weekend Writing Warriors central page, so you can visit all the participants sharing excerpts!

Donuts in an Empty Field is a contemporary, realistic fiction, and Young Adult novel about two best friends, the local food challenge, and letting go of anger.

This excerpt is from chapter one.

Vanessa and Nichole just found Vanessa’s late father’s bucket list where only one item was crossed out.

“The day he died.” I gulp and close my eyes for a long blink. “The day he died, he was trying to beat the world record for most donuts eaten in three minutes. I remember that day. Almost every detail. Why isn’t that on this list, why the generic food challenge?”
Nichole doesn’t answer and I continue. “He took us, Mom, Bluster and I to the dog park. He was always into getting things done. A dog and donuts on the same day, in the same place.”

Vanessa is reminiscing about her dad and the last good memory of her family together. Tune in next week as she goes into more detail about donuts in the dog park.

Purchase the book HERE.

Local young adult writer, Rachel Barnard, released the first novel in her young adult For the Love of Donuts series titled Donuts in an Empty Field with Life’s a Book Publishing, June 3rd, 2016 (AKA National Donut Day). Order your copy HERE.

Letting go of anger is life’s greatest challenge.

Vanessa hasn’t been the same since her father’s death. A hero until the end, he died saving a restaurant owner’s son from a burning building. Nessa blames the boy, but her best friend Nichole thinks it’s time to let go of the past. In a last ditch effort to break Nessa’s obsession, Nichole hopes signing up for the local food challenge will bust her out of her shell. A single choice defines the road ahead for Nessa. Doing the right thing isn’t easy, but living with the consequences of doing nothing might be worse.

Subscribe to Rachel’s newsletter to receive important updates and promotions, if you haven’t already. Signup HERE

Add the book to your Goodreads shelf HERE

Here’s the link to the Weekend Writing Warriors central page, so you can visit all the participants sharing excerpts!

Donuts in an Empty Field is a contemporary, realistic fiction, and Young Adult novel about two best friends, the local food challenge, and letting go of anger.

This excerpt is from chapter one.

Vanessa and Nichole just found a mysterious list of six items with the first crossed. Vanessa’s date wrote the note before he died.

“It’s a bucket list,” Nichole explains.
“But why?”
“What do you mean, why? Most people have them,” Nichole says.
“He would have told me.”
Nichole gives me a funny look. “Seems like your dad though. I mean, c’mon, win a food challenge?”
“Yeah, it does kind of sound like him, but only one has been crossed out.” I frown, thinking of everything Dad never got a chance to accomplish.

What will Vanessa do with this piece of her dad – his unfinished bucket list?

Purchase the book HERE.

Letting go of anger is life’s greatest challenge.

Vanessa hasn’t been the same since her father’s death. A hero until the end, he died saving a restaurant owner’s son from a burning building. Nessa blames the boy, but her best friend Nichole thinks it’s time to let go of the past. In a last ditch effort to break Nessa’s obsession, Nichole hopes signing up for the local food challenge will bust her out of her shell. A single choice defines the road ahead for Nessa. Doing the right thing isn’t easy, but living with the consequences of doing nothing might be worse.

Subscribe to Rachel’s newsletter to receive important updates and promotions, if you haven’t already. Signup HERE

Add the book to your Goodreads shelf HERE

Here’s the link to the Weekend Writing Warriors central page, so you can visit all the participants sharing excerpts!

Donuts in an Empty Field is a contemporary, realistic fiction, and Young Adult novel about two best friends, the local food challenge, and letting go of anger.

This excerpt is from chapter one.

After last week when Vanessa first opens the room to her late father’s office, she is tasked with cleaning everything out and boxing everything up with her mom and her best friend, Nichole. Vanessa found a hidden piece of paper behind a photo on the wall, a last memento of her Dad.

I read through the scribbles and turn to Nichole in confusion. I show her the note.

July 22, 2002

1. Get a dog.
2. Win a food challenge.
3. Shoot a gun.
4. Ride a motorcycle.
5. Skydive.
6. Perform a kind deed without expecting anything in return.

Why is one of these items crossed off? What does this list mean? Tune in next week to find out.

Purchase the book HERE.

Local young adult writer, Rachel Barnard, will release the first novel in her young adult For the Love of Donuts series titled Donuts in an Empty Field with Life’s a Book Publishing, June 3rd, 2016 (AKA National Donut Day). Order your copy HERE.

Letting go of anger is life’s greatest challenge.

Vanessa hasn’t been the same since her father’s death. A hero until the end, he died saving a restaurant owner’s son from a burning building. Nessa blames the boy, but her best friend Nichole thinks it’s time to let go of the past. In a last ditch effort to break Nessa’s obsession, Nichole hopes signing up for the local food challenge will bust her out of her shell. A single choice defines the road ahead for Nessa. Doing the right thing isn’t easy, but living with the consequences of doing nothing might be worse.

Subscribe to Rachel’s newsletter to receive important updates and promotions, if you haven’t already. Signup HERE

Add the book to your Goodreads shelf HERE

Here’s the link to the Weekend Writing Warriors central page, so you can visit all the participants sharing excerpts!

Donuts in an Empty Field is a contemporary, realistic fiction, and Young Adult novel about two best friends, the local food challenge, and letting go of anger.

This excerpt is from chapter one.

After last week when Vanessa first opens the room to her late father’s office, she is tasked with cleaning everything out and boxing everything up with her mom and her best friend, Nichole. Vanessa found a hidden piece of paper behind a photo on the wall.

Nichole drops the piece of paper onto the desk and I can’t help but watch is it flutters back and forth before settling off-kilter near the edge.

“What does it say?” I ask.

“I don’t know.” Nichole hands it to me. It’s a lined notebook paper with a bunch of scribbles. Sorrow hits me. I don’t recognize the handwriting, but it has his name at the top, under the date. 

The numbers blur as I hold back the tears. I’ve forgotten another part of my memories of Dad.

What does this last memento say? Tune in next week to find out.

Purchase the book HERE.

Local young adult writer, Rachel Barnard, will release the first novel in her young adult For the Love of Donuts series titled Donuts in an Empty Field with Life’s a Book Publishing, June 3rd, 2016 (AKA National Donut Day). Order your copy HERE.

Letting go of anger is life’s greatest challenge.

Vanessa hasn’t been the same since her father’s death. A hero until the end, he died saving a restaurant owner’s son from a burning building. Nessa blames the boy, but her best friend Nichole thinks it’s time to let go of the past. In a last ditch effort to break Nessa’s obsession, Nichole hopes signing up for the local food challenge will bust her out of her shell. A single choice defines the road ahead for Nessa. Doing the right thing isn’t easy, but living with the consequences of doing nothing might be worse.

Subscribe to Rachel’s newsletter to receive important updates and promotions, if you haven’t already. Signup HERE

Add the book to your Goodreads shelf HERE

Here’s the link to the Weekend Writing Warriors central page, so you can visit all the participants sharing excerpts!

Donuts in an Empty Field is a contemporary, realistic fiction, and Young Adult novel about two best friends, the local food challenge, and letting go of anger.

This excerpt is from chapter one.

After last week when Vanessa first opens the room to her late father’s office, she is tasked with cleaning everything out and boxing everything up with her mom and her best friend, Nichole. Mom dropped a plate in the kitchen, causing Vanessa to panic and get tangled up with Nichole in her attempts to get to her mom as fast as possible. Instead of something sinister, Vanessa finds her mother crying and goes to comfort her.

“It’s okay, Mom.”

I bend in to hug her and she turns to me with shaking shoulders, sniffling and blinking to stop her tears.

“It’ll get easier,” I tell her, patting her on the back.

“Grief is a funny thing. It’s never the same and it’s always a tough upward climb, but you’ll get there. It won’t be easy, but you’re strong and you’ll get through it,” Mom assures me, turning back into the parent.

Ugh. There’s the canned therapy talk. At least she’s feeling more like herself, even if I don’t.

Why does Vanessa have to comfort her mother when they both lost someone? Shouldn’t her mom comfort her? Vanessa is tired of the therapy talk and tells her mom that she and Nichole can handle the rest of the packing. Tune in next week to see what they find behind the torn picture!

Purchase the book HERE.

Local young adult writer, Rachel Barnard, will release the first novel in her young adult For the Love of Donuts series titled Donuts in an Empty Field with Life’s a Book Publishing, June 3rd, 2016 (AKA National Donut Day). Order your copy HERE.

Letting go of anger is life’s greatest challenge.

Vanessa hasn’t been the same since her father’s death. A hero until the end, he died saving a restaurant owner’s son from a burning building. Nessa blames the boy, but her best friend Nichole thinks it’s time to let go of the past. In a last ditch effort to break Nessa’s obsession, Nichole hopes signing up for the local food challenge will bust her out of her shell. A single choice defines the road ahead for Nessa. Doing the right thing isn’t easy, but living with the consequences of doing nothing might be worse.

Subscribe to Rachel’s newsletter to receive important updates and promotions, if you haven’t already. Signup HERE

Add the book to your Goodreads shelf HERE

Here’s the link to the Weekend Writing Warriors central page, so you can visit all the participants sharing excerpts!

Donuts in an Empty Field is a contemporary, realistic fiction, and Young Adult novel about two best friends, the local food challenge, and letting go of anger.

This excerpt is from chapter one.

After last week when Vanessa first opens the room to her late father’s office, she is tasked with cleaning everything out and boxing everything up with her mom and her best friend, Nichole. Vanessa’s mom just cried out from the other room and the girls dropped everything in their panic to make sure Mom is okay.

Nichole bumps into me in our haste to make sure Mom’s okay and we both fall to the floor. My world turns upside down and I bang my head against Nichole’s knee. I’m panting and scrambling to disentangle my limbs from Nichole’s. Mom still hasn’t answered.

We run out to see what happened. Mom’s in the kitchen, her hands braced on opposite sides of the sink. For a moment I’m immensely angry that she didn’t answer when I called, scaring the bejesus out of Nichole and me, but then I notice she’s crying. Shame at my anger crashes down on my shoulders.

Why is Vanessa’s mom upset? Tune in next week to find out.

Purchase the book HERE.

Local young adult writer, Rachel Barnard, will release the first novel in her young adult For the Love of Donuts series titled Donuts in an Empty Field with Life’s a Book Publishing, June 3rd, 2016 (AKA National Donut Day). Order your copy HERE.

Letting go of anger is life’s greatest challenge.

Vanessa hasn’t been the same since her father’s death. A hero until the end, he died saving a restaurant owner’s son from a burning building. Nessa blames the boy, but her best friend Nichole thinks it’s time to let go of the past. In a last ditch effort to break Nessa’s obsession, Nichole hopes signing up for the local food challenge will bust her out of her shell. A single choice defines the road ahead for Nessa. Doing the right thing isn’t easy, but living with the consequences of doing nothing might be worse.

Subscribe to Rachel’s newsletter to receive important updates and promotions, if you haven’t already. Signup HERE

Add the book to your Goodreads shelf HERE