Dare to Dream blends romance and drama for
New Adult readers
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Author S.B. Alexander has drawn on a childhood experience and her love of baseball to inspire her upcoming New Adult novel, Dare to Dream (July 17, 2015). The book is the much-anticipated follow up to her 2014 release, Dare to Kiss.
Brimming with drama and romance, Dare to Dream continues the saga of Kade Maxwell and Lacey Robinson. Kade, a tall, sexy and drool-worthy bad boy, has watched the death of his sister tear apart his family. He prays for his mother to heal and return home, and he asks God to watch over his brothers and father. But the one thing Kade doesn’t dream about is his own future. Until he met Lacey, he had been haunted by nightmares. A light that cuts through his darkness, Kade admires Lacey’s beauty, determination and dedication to overcome her own tragedy and gives him hope that he could one day dream again.
After the tragic deaths of her mother and sister, Lacey developed post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. Once a victim of terrifying panic attacks and blackouts, Lacey has healed with Kade by her side. She dreams of three things – to find the person who killed her family, playing baseball for ASU and a future with Kade. But with several roadblocks thrown in her way, not all of her dreams may come true.
“The story developed from something that happened to me when I was a child,” Alexander said. “And from that experience the story unfolded. The message in the story: With the right help and people around you, a person might be able to overcome PTSD. I’m not saying they will, but taking the right steps can certainly help to heal some of the symptoms associated with PTSD. I will never get the image of my experience out of my head, but I’m not afraid anymore.”
Dare to Dream is the second book in The Maxwell Series. The first book in the series, Dare to Kiss, claimed the #1 bestseller spot in Amazon UK’s sports fiction category. Alexander has also written a thrilling young adult series, Vampire SEALS, which has drawn praise from fans across the world. Alexander is a former navy veteran, high school math teacher and college professor. She currently works as a corporate sales manager, but is always looking for her next story, character or scenery.
Meet S.B. Alexander
S.B. Alexander’s passion for writing began when she read her first Stephen King novel, The Shining. Over the years she kept telling family and friends she was going to write a book. Fifteen years later, on the advice of a friend, she sat down and wrote her first novel. Two years later, she has published five novels with more to come. Her books are targeted toward the young adult and new adult markets.
Her young adult series, Vampire SEALS, includes three books, On the Edge of Humanity, On the Edge of Eternity, and On the Edge of Destiny, which have garnered high praise from readers. Dare to Kiss was the first book in her new adult series. The follow up, Dare to Dream, will be released on July 17, 2015.
Alexander’s career has been colorful—a former navy veteran, high school math teacher and college professor, sales consultant, coach, and manager. She loves baseball, especially the Boston Red Sox. She enjoys playing golf, is moved by music and great stories, and will go out of her way to help people.
Alexander currently works full time in corporate America and writes any chance she gets. She believes words are the key to opening the door to extraordinary places with amazing characters that tell a great story.
Dare to Dream
BOOK DETAILS
Dare to Dream by S.B. Alexander
July 17, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-9887762-9-6 (print)
ISBN: 978-0-9887762-8-9 (ebook)
268 pages
New Adult Fiction
Bad boy Kade Maxwell knows all too well the pain and loss of the death of a loved one after his sister’s death tore his family—especially his mother—to pieces. He longs for the day his mother can heal from the mental anguish and return home to live with her family again. He prays every day that God will keep his brothers safe and that his father will one day be reunited with his wife. He doesn’t dream of his future. In fact, he had nightmarish glimpses of what his life would’ve been like as an adult until he met Lacey. She’s a light that cuts through his darkness. Her beauty, her determination, and her dedication in overcoming her own tragedy energizes his belief that maybe—just maybe—he can dream again.
Lacey Robinson has suffered tragedy at the hands of a killer who took away her sister and mother. After a change of scenery and a new life, her PTSD is on the mend. With the love and strength from Kade Maxwell and the help of her psychiatrist, she’s been able to work on the triggers that cause her panic attacks and blackouts. With a clear head and a clear road to the future, Lacey dreams of three things: She longs to find the person who killed her family. She wants to play baseball for ASU so bad she can taste it. And she wants a future with Kade Maxwell. But with several roadblocks thrown in her way, she may not get everything she wants. A trip to California opens a door that could expose the killer. Aaron Seever is up to his psychotic, bullying antics, and Kade has his own path for the future, one Lacey isn’t sure includes her.
Kade vows to love and protect Lacey even if that means his life for hers. Lacey vows to push through her demons and show Kade and her family that she has what it takes to rise above tragedy, even if she has to run into the arms of a killer to save a loved one.
Strong language. Sexual content. Violence. Intended for audiences 18 years and older.
About Dare to Kiss
BOOK DETAILS
Dare to Kiss by S.B. Alexander
September 30, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-9887762-5-8 (print)
ISBN: 978-0-9887762-4-1 (ebook)
340 pages
New Adult Fiction
Besides her family, Lacey Robinson’s only other love is baseball. She’s on top of the world when Arizona State University approaches her to discuss a scholarship. To be the first girl ever to grace a college boys’ team is beyond what she has ever dreamed.
Her fastball is impeccable, her curveball equally as good, and her slider annihilates anyone who dares to step in the batter’s box. But fate has its own way of throwing curveballs. When she looses her mother and sister to a home invasion, baseball and her dreams die with them. Tragedy has a way of seeping deep into her psyche, causing nightmares, panic attacks and blackouts. Diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, her psychiatrist recommends a change of scenery and picking up the things that she loved to do, and for Lacey that is baseball.
After a move clear across the country, only two things matter to Lacey—overcome her PTSD and make Kensington High’s baseball team. But trying out for the team comes with obstacles—the captain, Aaron Seever, doesn’t want a girl on the team.
Her life is further complicated when she meets Kade Maxwell, a tall, sexy and drool-worthy bad boy who has a magical touch that awakens her feminine side and a kiss that slowly erases her nightmares. But getting involved with him may be dangerous when Kade’s archenemy returns to town to settle a vendetta.
To complicate matters, her PTSD has taken a turn for the worse. She has to find a way to heal otherwise she may not have a chance at anything in life, especially love.
Q&A with S.B. Alexander
Where did you get the idea for the plot of Dare to Kiss?
Growing up, I was an active little girl in just about every sport. But the one that captured my heart was baseball. I loved everything about the sport. Since girls couldn’t play, I wanted to create a world where they did. I also wanted to show that no matter what obstacles a person is dealt, with hard work, dedication and the help from loved ones, a person can find the right path in life.
Noting your love of baseball, is the character of Lacey Robinson modeled after you?
When I started writing Dare to Kiss, I had a feisty character in mind for Lacey Robinson. But as I continued to write, Lacey’s personality turned out to be so much more. She’s strong, determined and lovable. She has weaknesses that get in her way, but her determination is what shapes her. Part of her is modeled after me. But I was never feisty growing up. I was actually a shy kid.
Was Kade Maxwell based on anyone in your life?
Kade Maxwell is the boy I wished I knew when I was in high school. He’s a strong alpha who protects family above all else, and he goes out of his way to make sure the girl he loves is treated like royalty. I’ve met a couple of guys like Kade, but he’s not based on anyone in my life.
What will fans of Dare to Kiss like about Dare to Dream?
I think they’ll love reading from Kade’s POV. They’ll also enjoy how Lacey grows into a stronger person, and the mystery and suspense of the storyline will keep them turning pages.
Can you tell us a little about the role of PTSD in your books?
The heart of the story in Dare to Kiss and Dare to Dream is a girl who is attempting to understand and live with her PTSD after having lost part of her family to homicide. In doing so, she’s constantly challenged to not black out or panic when faced with certain triggers that remind her of the tragedy she’s endured. PTSD is an illness that can consume a person’s life, but baseball, friends and meeting a boy who has had a similar experience gives Lacey the opportunity to slowly put the pieces of her life back together.
After writing two Young Adult books, what inspired you to write New Adult fiction, and how was writing this genre different?
I didn’t think too much about the genre. I wanted to get the story down on paper. As it unfolded it just happened to fit into the New Adult genre, although as I was writing Dare to Kiss I found I had a little more freedom to detail the romance element.
How do you balance your time between working full time and writing on the side?
I travel quite frequently for my job, and in doing so, I find a snippet of time on an airplane or at night in a hotel room. I also dedicate at least one day on the weekends to writing.
Without any spoilers of course, what can we expect from the next book in the series?
Up next, will be Dare to Love, and the focus will be on Kelton Maxwell. Here’s a short summary: Playboy college student, Kelton Maxwell, is on track to enter Harvard Law School. He needs one more item to complete his resume—to land a summer job at a prestigious law firm in Boston. But fate may have other plans for him when he gets arrested for the murder of his roommate’s father, and all because the devil decided to spit him out and into the arms of the one girl who severed his heart. The one girl who he thought he’d never see again.
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