Small town, big drama, happily ever after: Welcome to Elmore, South Carolina






Growing up in a small town, I know there are so many stories there. Of course, there's the gossip. Phone lines burn up when Sally Mae gets a new car, but her house in foreclosure. Then there's Mr. Graham and his secret family two counties over. But outside of the gossip, there is so much love and devotion in the small towns. Since I grew up in one, I had a good time creating one, Elmore, South Carolina. 

Not too far from Columbia, the state capital, yet close enough to Myrtle Beach for a romantic getaway. This is the kind of town where you can come back for a second chance at love, a new career or to reclaim the one who got away. 

I wrote three books in Elmore and I hope you take a moment over the holidays to check them out. 

  • Just Can't Get Enough (Published 2007) Both down-home sweet and seductive, Cheris Hodges's new novel is about breaking the rules, going back home. . .and finding more than your heart's desire. . . 

    Celina Hart had security, a steady job, a predictable fiancé. . .and nothing that was making her truly happy. She gave it all up to gamble on her talent and found success she'd never imagined as one of New York's hottest painters. But when she returns to her South Carolina hometown to care for her ailing father, she gets an even bigger surprise. That "bow-legged" neighbor's boy she used to play with has grown up into Darius McRae, a lawyer who gave up the D.C. fast-lane to get back to his roots. Now, Darius' dark-chocolate build and slow, easy smile are proving to be just as tempting as any city lights. . . 

    The last thing Darius was looking for was a relationship. He'd been burned by too many women who put finance over romance--including his conniving ex-girlfriend Cortina. But Celina's sense of humor and unpretentious ways are igniting more than his passions. And when Cortina starts stirring up a mess of trouble, Darius will do whatever it takes to show Celina a home-grown love is a dream worth everything. . 
  • If It Isn't Love (Published 2011) His star rose, but their love faded. . .
    Jason Campbell, known to his adoring fans as Jay Slade, has had enough of the spotlight. When he returns home to Elmore, South Carolina, he has one thing on his mind: winning back the love of his life, Ingrid Russell.
    But Ingrid isn't ready to take him back. She's a widow with a restaurant to run and a son to raise. There's no way she's going to let Jason back into her life. Especially when she has a secret that she's determined to keep from him. And the same women who tore their relationship apart three years ago are still there.
    But would Jason be in the small home town he hates if it isn't for Ingrid's love?
  • Another Chance to Love (Published 2018) Brian Jackson is blindsided when his marriage ends and his wife leaves him and his son in their sleepy South Carolina hometown. Now, his life revolves around his five-year-old and being a school resource officer at Elmore High School. And he was content until she drove into his life.

    Paige Grayson’s arrival in Elmore, South Carolina is her chance for a fresh start after her smart mouth got her in trouble In Nashville. She never expected to find a tempting cop living across the street.

    As Paige and Brian give in to their desire, his ex-wife returns wanting her family back. Will Paige and Brian have a chance to love or does his ex still have a place in his heart? 
 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Woman rapes a dead man and gets pregnant

Image
So, stop me if you've heard this one. Woman has a last romp with a dead man and gets pregnant. No, this isn't the beginning of a short story, this is a true story . A 38 year old female mortuary worker is being held on $250,000 bond after becoming pregnant by one of her clients-a dead man. The alleged crime took place at the Mourning Glory Mortuary just outside of Lexington, Missouri. Police have charged Felicity Marmaduke with desecration of the dead and necrophilia. According to a statement made to police by Marmaduke, the alleged victim experienced a post mortem erection while being bathed. Being alone, Marmaduke straddled the dead man and proceeded have sex with him. Much to her surprise, the alleged victim came to orgasm after several minutes. A few weeks later, Marmaduke had a positive pregnancy test while receiving a routine medical exam. Upon telling her doctor the circumstances leading to the conception, the police were notified. Marmaduke was
Read more

Django Unchained or The live version of Catcher Freeman

Image
Forget what Spike Lee has to say about Django Unchained , I want to know if Aaron McGruder recognized his work on the big screen. After reading what Quentin Tarantino said about Roots , I had plans to sit this one out. Then I got an invite to see it.  Tarantino called out Roots as inauthentic as a part of his battle with Lee, who accurately said Django was disrespectful to his ancestors. About ten minutes into this overly long spaghetti western/blaxplotation flick, I wanted to make a tee shirt that would read, SPIKE WAS RIGHT.  Tarantino should've made a western with a black hero -- the slavery aspect of the movie was just so unnecessary. Granted, this movie is a work of fiction and not based on any historical slavery story. And yes, people go to the movies to be entertained, but overly violent movies aren't entertaining to me. However, I digress.  The fact that some many people are talking about how "original" this movie is proves one thing: Y'all don
Read more

We can be so petty

Image
Sixteen year old Gabby Douglas won a gold medal in the London Olympics. She's the first African American to ever, EVER, win gold in the all around gymnastics. And you petty people are talking about her hair? And when I say YOU PEOPLE, I'm looking at the media. The Huffington Post : I really thought you all were more progressive than this. I guess your progression stops at the African American hairline. The New York Times points out how people weren't happy for Gabby. It kind of only matters that her mother, her beautiful mother, was over the moon proud of her child. And at the end of the day -- this is all that matters: Douglas, a 16-year-old who left her Virginia Beach, Va., home and her family when she was 14 so she could train and learn better gymnastics in Iowa, won the Olympic gold medal Thursday at the North Greenwich Arena. She led from start to finish, scoring 62.232 and leaving a pair of Russians, Victoria Komova and Aliya Mustafina, as disconsolate silv
Read more