Neither rain nor April snow nor global pandemic shall stop this book from coming. That's the attitude of resiliency I have adopted as I put the finishing touches on my 15th book, Take a Chance on Me. Here's what it's about:
Moving to Hicklam is the last thing Gloria Benedetti wants to do, but it's her final hope at having a normal life. After spending almost a decade as a near recluse and virtually paralyzed by crippling panic attacks, an alternative therapy might be her only shot at regaining her life after trauma. Trauma that forced her to give up everything, including a promising career on the stage.
Staying in Hicklam is the last thing Grayson Keene planned on doing, but The Edison Theater has been in his family for generations, and he can't let it sink on his watch. Unfortunately, things with The Edison have gone from bad to worse, and Grayson needs all the help he can get to save the old girl. He needs one successful season to make things work, and then maybe, just maybe, he can get his life—and his Broadway career—back.
As Gloria's on the verge of the health and healing she's been working toward, the one thing that will save The Edison may just break her once and for all. If she protects herself, it'll cost Grayson everything. This may be the one chance that's too big to take.
This story takes place in a small town in Upstate New York, centering around the main characters' journey to find themselves while saving a family-run musical theater. Ideas for this story have been germinating in my brain for years. I've always been a large musical theater fan and unfortunately, was not blessed with a singing voice to support my passion. It doesn't stop me from belting it out while cooking dinner, much to the chagrin of my family members. Every summer, my brother, parents, and I are season ticket holders for a musical theater company which served as the inspiration for The Edison Theater in Take a Chance on Me.
As I'm going through final revisions and edits, preparing to introduce Gloria and Grayson to the world, the theater from which I drew my inspiration should be doing the same thing. They should be knee-deep in rehearsals for their opening show, debuting right around the time Take a Chance on Me does. But we all know the reality of the world has closed the curtain for the time being.
I'm sad, as the rest of my family is. I know the actors who only want to be on stage are crushed. I know there is a theater family who has worked for over fifty years to bring high-quality shows to Columbia County who are worried that their theater won't survive. Spoiler alert: this is much the plot of Take a Chance on Me. With life so imitating art, since I can't break out into song and dance (well, I can but I really shouldn't) to advance the plot, I'm going to do the only thing I can.
Drum roll please ...
50% of my royalties from the pre-orders of Take a Chance on Me will be donated to the Mac-Hadyn Theater in Chatham, NY. It may not be much, but it could be a lot. That's up to you, my loyal readers. The more of you who pre-order, the more I'll be able to donate to Mac-Hadyn's Bright Future Fund. You don't have to do anything, other than purchase my book.
You can pre-order the book here:
I'm simply one small business owner trying to support another. Please help us both out. You can find out more about the Mac-Hadyn Theater by visiting their website and following them on Instagram.
Remember, if you've never read one of my books, now is the perfect time to take a chance. Let's help the curtain rise for the 2021 season. Thank you and stay well!
Telling stories of resilient women with humor, heart, and a happy ending, Kathryn R. Biel is an award-winning author of numerous women's fiction, romantic comedy, and contemporary romance books. Her latest book, Take a Chance on Me, releases May 21, 2020.