Welcome to my Second Acts Series!

Today, we have Wild Rose Press author Chloe Holiday sharing the radical change that catapulted her into an extraordinary second act.

Here’s Chloe!

Briefly describe your first act.

For many years I practiced medicine, in and out of the military. It was a challenging labor of love, between the complicated management of cancer patients, their emotional needs and those of their families, and the long hours. While it was tremendously rewarding, it took a toll, leaving little time for my family and almost none for me, for many years.

What triggered the need for change?

Things started to happen with my colleagues—serious diagnoses and even some deaths. I had a couple of health scares myself, and a family member developed serious mental health issues. Dealing with these required a radical change: leaving medicine since I could no longer devote the time to doing it right. This was horribly scary, and made worse by the dire predictions of coworkers that I’d feel empty without practicing but I knew something had to give.

I developed terrible insomnia the first year after this change, and read a hundred novels that year—a great luxury, since I’d read mainly medical journals for years. I thought, “maybe I could do this” and during the next Insomnia Edition, I started to write my first novel.

It wasn’t great—two stories squished into one, but it had potential and it was really fun, to unleash the creative side of me. I learned all I could about writing, and worked to fine-tune my prose to an easy-reading, fast-paced style.

Where are you now?

I’ve just published my seventh novel, Fly Boy. It’s about a crop duster in Texas, and have become a “number one best-selling Amazon author” and am branching out into audiobooks. I love writing and connecting to readers and other authors, and hope that my stories can give people a much-needed escape and positivity.

Do you have advice for anyone planning to pursue a second act?

Do what you can to plan it—the finances, the timing, etc. so that you can “look before you leap” but understand that in the end, it takes courage and faith to commit to taking that step—you’ll always have a reason not to do it. Realize that while many will be supportive, some people in your life might actively discourage you, because your bravery in stepping off the treadmill will make them worry that they are making the wrong choice to stay. That creates cognitive dissonance and emotional stress for them, so they resolve it by taking the position that you are being foolish. Let them!

Any affirmations or quotations you wish to share?

Growing up, our family had two informal mottos. The first was, “How hard can it be?” and the second was “What’s the worst thing that could happen?”Those have stood me in good stead for every new endeavor, including making the jump to author.

Tagline

Tricia needs to liquidate assets to keep her late grandmother’s orchard out of foreclosure, but Travis—the guy who stood her up on prom night years ago—claims he had a handshake deal with Nana to buy the crop duster.

Blurb

Travis burned her once, but now Tricia must choose:

Flame him, or forgive and forget? Maybe he’s changed.

But … what if all the rumors are true?

Photographer Tricia Carlisle inherits her beloved grandmother’s orchard and leaves Chicago for her Texas roots, steeling herself to be immune to the charms of the small town—and those of Travis Walker, who stood her up on prom night seven years ago. Worse, she arrives only to find Nana’s place is in foreclosure. To have any hope of saving it, Tricia has no choice but to sell down assets—including her grandfather’s crop duster.

Travis Walker loses his last true friend when Nana Carlisle passes. Will his handshake deal to buy her crop duster survive now that Tricia is taking over? She’s cash-strapped and probably still hates his guts. He needs that plane—it’s his ticket out of this small town that sees him as a crook—but it’s on Tricia’s radar now.

Fly Boy is a steamy, stand-alone second-chance novella in the All-American Boy Series. It’s set in Deacon, Texas—home to sexy country boys and sassy, tough women. Warm, lazy afternoons in a hammock and swimming holes in a shady creek. Hot, heavenly Tex-Mex and even hotter kisses.

Come on down, y’all!

Author Bio and Links

Chloe writes steamy, fun novels about ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances, smart women and men who aren’t jerks. Her stories feature friendships—close women or a good bromance—with all the feels: the thrill of a smoldering gaze or the barest brush of fingertips, the shocked gasp at the underhanded villain, the angst of heartbreak, the joy of reunion, and of course, happily ever after!

She enjoys humor and embarrassing situations as well as a vicarious sneak peek into intriguing groups (military personnel, medicine, another culture like Greece, sailing, diving, or rock climbing…) A little danger is always fun, so many contain a suspense subplot.

She hates to read the same old thing, with only the names and places changed, so her goal is to bring you a fresh, fun, new story every time, with NO CLIFFHANGERS: a rollicking, great escape that whisks readers away and love prevails.

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | BookBub | Amazon Author Page | Universal Book Link | Universal Audiobook Link

Other Books by Chloe Holiday

The Helios Series

Finders, Keepers | Helios | New Heights | Submerged Hopes | Hard Truths

The All American Boy Series

A Boy & His Dog | Fly Boy