I’m happy to welcome Wild Rose Press Susan Dalessandro. Today, Susan shares her new release, A Whisper in the Trees.

Blurb

For Gabby Patterson, a dedicated, but sometimes obsessive, cross-country runner, junior year is her time to shine. She has to start thinking about tomorrow: the future college recruiters and scholarship offers. But today means beating her impossibly skinny rivals any way she can.

Then eerie encounters in the woods and a cute secretive guy with the same quirky musical tastes interfere in Gabby’s plans. Sweet CJ is connected to the forest mystery… and to what’s happening to Gabby. But hard truths aren’t that easy to run from…

Excerpt

My stomach groans and I brace my hand on the trunk of a small tree, a sudden bout of dizziness overwhelming me.

I can’t stand here all day, so I proceed into the woods, beneath the canopy of tall, sturdy oaks and sheltering pine trees. Fallen leaves crunch underfoot as I follow the dirt path, narrowing as it skirts the edge of the cliff. Hurrying, I push deeper into the heart of the forest before I steel myself and take the plunge into the clearing, the place that’s caused me such angst these last few weeks.

I pause as a breeze splays loose strands of my ponytail across my face. The cool air refreshes as it passes through my nose and my mouth, filling my lungs. Okay, this isn’t so bad. But as I shuffle to the other side, a fog descends upon me like damp, heavy drapes. Dizziness slams me and I lose my balance, my vision blurring. I slump to the ground, fatigue sinking into my bones. That’s when the music cues and the song streams through me. An ache throbs in my head. My empty stomach groans as I rise off the grass and brush myself off. Just leave me alone.

Author Bio and Links

I’m a lifelong lover of books and storytelling and hold an M.A. In Applied Math, a subject which finds its way into many of my stories.

I live in Bucks County, Pennsylvania with my husband, two sons and two dogs. I gather story ideas as I run in the early mornings with my dogs. Running is the perfect environment for me to think and create.

My debut novel, Complex Solutions, a YA coming of age thriller, released March 16, 2021. Strong Enough, a YA novel, part of the Play Like A Girl series, came out on August 8, 2023. My latest novel, A Whisper In The Trees, a YA romance with paranormal elements, releases on June 30, 2025 with The Wild Rose Press.

Instagram | Bluesky | Buy Links

Giveaway

Susan Dalessandro will be awarding a $25 Amazon/Barnes & Noble gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Find out more here.

Follow Susan on the rest of her Goddess Fish tour here.