Wednesday, December 5, 2018

Paper Girl by Cindy R. Wilson ~ Excerpt


ISBN: 9781640631885
RELEASE DATE: DEC 4, 2018
PAGE COUNT: 352
IMPRINT: TEEN




I haven’t left my house in over a year. My doctor says it’s social anxiety, but I know the only things that are safe are made of paper. My room is paper. My world is paper. Everything outside is fire. All it would take is one spark for me to burst into flames. So I stay inside. Where nothing can touch me.

Then my mom hires a tutor. Jackson. This boy I had a crush on before the world became too terrifying to live in. Jackson’s life is the complete opposite of mine, and I can tell he’s got secrets of his own. But he makes me feel things. Makes me want to try again. Makes me want to be brave. I can almost taste the outside world. But so many things could go wrong, and all it takes is one spark for everything I love to disappear…



Her eyes met mine. Her scarf looked like it had lily pads on it, and it matched her eyes. “Good.”
            I’d done something right. Probably my optimism.
            “You usually say ‘If that’s what you want,’ or ‘Whatever you want,’ when what I really want is for you to just tell me how you feel,” she said as if reading my mind.
            She sounded just like Jackson. Straightforward. To the point. He told me how he felt. Come to think of it, BlackKNIGHT did, too. I was the only one who couldn’t ever seem to say how I was feeling.
            Instead of sitting, Gina walked to the Milky Way wall and examined the sun, which was only halfway finished. “It’s big.”
            “One hundred and forty-three sheets of paper so far. But I’m not finished.”
            She looked closer. “That’s a lot of paper. How do you fold those pieces at the center so small?”
            “I have small fingers.” And patience. There was nothing more soothing than focusing on one sheet at a time, hour after hour, folding it into tiny triangles to make one larger piece.
            She chuckled, and a wave of warmth washed over me. So far so good. I wasn’t embarrassing her or myself.
            “I like how it’s tinier at the middle and gets bigger as it expands.” She turned to face me. “I heard they’re doing a paper art exhibit at the museum.”
            Delight hit first, then dread. Yes, I’d love to go. No, I couldn’t go.
            “It starts next week,” Gina said. “A good amount of time.”
            I ducked my chin. “For what?”
            “To work up to it. How did your assignment go?”
            “Project: Mailbox,” I mumbled.
            Her shoes moved into my vision. All I could think about were Jackson’s socks. Jackson’s warm hand on mine. Jackson saying he wanted to help, and me wishing desperately for the courage to let him.
            “How did it go?”
            “Mae went with me.”
            “That’s all right. Sometimes we all need a little help getting from point A to point B.”
            “We took the elevator, and I walked to the mailboxes.”
            “Good.”
            “And then I couldn’t breathe.”





PRAISE


 “Wilson made me care about the major and minor characters, root for their successes. I read Paper Girl in one sitting.” – Amy’s Book Reviews
Paper Girl was unique in the way other elements were explored so that the whole story wasn't just focused on teenage anxiety.” – Hayley (Backpacking Bookworm), Goodreads
“…this book is amazing, and I believe Cindy R. Wilson did an excellent job telling this story.” – Heather, Goodreads
"Highly recommended to anyone that like YA contemporary novels.” – Bookish Tiffany
“I LOVED this book. It's a really sweet story, and I loved how pro-therapy it is.” –Julie, NetGalley
“I loved the characters, the storyline, and the sweet romance! A must read for anyone who loves YA!” – Jessica Kapp, Goodreads
“I absolutely adored this book, and will be eagerly anticipating Cindy’s next books!” –Beautiful Bookland
“Truly a beautiful book!”  – Milky Way of Books
“This book hooked me from the start and didn't let go. Within hours of starting, I finished it because I had to know what happened to both Zoe and Jackson.”  – Epilie Aspie Chick blog
“I feel that each of the characters developed beautifully and dealt with real-life issues, which helps readers because it is far more relatable!”  – A Few Chapters ‘til Love
“This story is identifiable and real and raw. I highly recommend it.”  –    Victoria Bunce, Goodreads


ABOUT THE AUTHOR


Cindy lives at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, and loves using Colorado towns and cities as inspiration for settings in her stories. She's the mother of three girls, who provide plenty of fodder for her YA novels. Cindy writes speculative fiction and YA fiction, filled with a healthy dose of romance. You'll often find her hiking or listening to any number of playlists while she comes up with her next story idea.

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