The Forgotten Child by Lorhainne Eckhart @LEckhart #Romance #Contemporary #AmReading

“Please sit down, Emily.” He extended out the flat of his hand, very much in control.

“Ah, thank you.” She perched on the edge of the soft leather seat across from a man who was too damn good to look at—a man obviously comfortable in his own skin.

Hardness set his jaw as he studied her. The tick of the wall clock seemed to echo in the silence, and Emily squirmed in her seat. Why was he looking at her like that? Maybe it was her outrageous entrance and he was wondering what kind of kook she was, whether he could entrust her with his child. Yes, that had to be it.

She swallowed hard. “I’m Emily Nelson; I talked to you yesterday on the phone about the job.”
He blinked before closing those exquisite eyes, as if he’d forgotten the reason she was here. When he opened them again, his hard judgmental expression seemed to have softened a bit.

Again he extended his large hand, taking hers in a firm grip. Just the touch of his solid calloused hand and the secure squeeze was enough to teeter her nerves back to that awkward woman at the door. She wondered what it would be like to have a man like this run his hands over you. She snatched her hand back before her face burned any brighter. Finally, he introduced himself. “The name’s Brad Friessen.” Emily kept quiet. He didn’t run on with his words. He must be a deep thinker, a doer. She could relate to that… but not to him. Her sly eyes glanced down at his left hand: no gold band, no white line, no wife or significant other. Or maybe he was one of those arrogant guys who wouldn’t wear a ring, a lady’s man. He had the looks and the attitude. Now was the time to ask about the woman who answered the phone when she called. Who was she?

“This is a working ranch I run, and I need a woman to look after my son. I’m old fashioned in my values. Children should be at home, not stuck in daycare. I’m looking for someone who’s comfortable in a kitchen and looking after children: a role that should come natural to a woman. I don’t want someone who’s got the phone stuck to their ear half the day. It’s a decent job and good pay; $500 a week, room and board, and includes all your meals.”

Her heart sank about the same time the bottom dropped out of her stomach. It was too good to be true. She wanted to cry. “But I… I have a little girl, I didn’t realize–”

His face hardened and he looked away. For some reason he was angry with her… no, furious. Emily didn’t know what to say when he let out a heavy sigh. He closed his eyes, rubbing his hand over the light brown shadow that appeared over his jaw. Then he faced her again, with those deep brown eyes now turned to steel. Emily saw that he could be a hard man.

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Genre – Contemporary Western Romance

Rating – PG

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#Author Lorhainne Eckhart & Why She Wrote "The Forgotten Child" @LEckhart #Western #Romance

What is your favorite color?

Green, anything green I love right now, especially the shade of Emerald.

What is your favorite food?

Well I am a foodie, there are so many different foods I love. But anything Italian tops the lst.

What’s your favorite place in the entire world?

Disneyland.   I love it and every year I pack up my kids and we spend a week there. Next to that it’s the Gulf Islands, each one is a jewel, and absolutely unique.

When and why did you begin writing?

For me, I have a need to write. I had always journaled. But never sat down to write a story.  I am and always have been an avid reader. I devour books. And it was in 2003 I had this dream abut  story and I sat down and started writing. I don’t know how long it took me but every morning before my children were awake I would be up two to three hours before them just writing.

How long have you been writing?

I began my writing career in 2003, that’s when I sat down to write my first novel. Now getting published is a different story, I didn’t receive an offer for publication until 2008.

What genre are you most comfortable writing?

It’s a tie really between Western Romance and Romantic Suspense.

What inspired you to write your first book?

I had a dream. Seriously, I did. It was this story and then I had a need to write it. Everyone morning I got up really early before my kids were awake and I wrote the story. It was then titled The Captain’s Lady, the publisher made some changes,but I received the rights back and with the help of my editor I rewrote the book, gave it a brand new title, and I believe now it’s a stronger story.

What made you want to be a writer?

I had always dreamed of being a writer, but it was after my daughter was born that I realized the need to write and it wasn’t long after that I sat down and wrote my first novel, which was later published by a romance publisher.

Did writing this book teach you anything and what was it?

I always do research when I write a book, whether it’s the town, the city,the characters, what they do for a living. I research all of it to get my facts straight. So everytime I write a book I am learning something.

Do you intend to make writing a career?

Well writing is a career for me, and has been for a while. This is my sole income and I have done very well at it.

What is your greatest strength as a writer?

The ability to tell a story.

Have you ever had writer’s block? If so, what do you do about it?

I have heard people talk of writer’s block. I’ve never had it. Although there are days where I struggle with a scene. But quite often that has more to do with personal demands put on me by outside influences. That’s why it’s important to set very clear boundaries, every morning from this time to this time to this time, I’m writing, so don’t bug me.

Can you share a little of your current work with us?

Yes, I’ve attached an excerpt of my new release Vanished, published just last week.

How did you come up with the title?

The title for this book was easy, The Forgotten Child. Like most of my titles it just came to m.

Can you tell us about your main character?

Brad and Emily. And this is the first book of the Friessen men and the women the love. Emily ends a loveless marriage and strikes out on her own answering an ad as a live in caregiver and cook to a wealthy goodlooking rancher. Emily moves with her young daughter. But she begins to see signs something is not quite right with Brad’s small son. And she researches the symptoms as the soft signs of autism. Now Emily has an inner strength, she’s honest, she’s loving, but she is no pushover. And she’s not the typical woman Brad would fall for, she’s short , cute but never considered he supermodel type which is exactly the type Brad has always fallen for.

Brad, is a hard man, who’s got a closet full of baggage an skeletons from his first wife, a selfish woman who abandoned his son and walked out on Brad and has continued to enjoy  lifestyle she felt she was entitled too. Brad is the oldest of three brothers, all hard headed alpha cowboys. Who try to organize the lives of the women they love. But it takes a strong, stubborn,smart woman to understand how to handle a man like Brad. Brad has met his match in Emily, and for the first time she shows him what real love is.

Why did you choose to write this particular book?

With all the books I write, the story comes to me, and it’s a need to write the book. This story was important. A man and his little boy with autism, but yet he doesn’t know anything is wrong with is son. His life, he’s just trying to get through the day until he meets Emily and it takes her to show him something this wrong. This is something that happens with autism, and it's not a criticism of parents of special needs children, because they are doing the best they can and sometimes you don’t see what’s right in front of you.