About The Book
Derek Wellington had his life set. He was born into wealth, graduated with honors from Harvard Law, and, since high school, knew he would marry the beautiful Morgan LaRue. …but somewhere along the way, everything he thought he knew about himself, about Morgan, and even about life itself will boggle his mind, and catapult him into a world of betrayal, deception, and confusion. Somewhere in this darkness, he must search for The Light to find his way out of a maze that, if he fails, will destroy his heart and soul forever.
Praise for Jagged Edges
“Jagged Edges is definitely an easy reader and page turner.”
“From the prologue to the last chapter, Doris grabbed my heart, mind, and soul with her masterful storytelling”
Meet the Author
Doris H. Dancy is an accomplished and award-winning educator, speaker, writing consultant, playwright, wife, mother and now author. Her life’s focus has been educating our youth in an appreciation of both the written and spoken word. She received her BA Degree in English from North Carolina Central University in Durham, North Carolina and began a teaching career in both English and Spanish. She was graduated from Hampton University with a MA in English Education and eventually became Chairperson of the English Department, English Teacher Specialist, and later Curriculum Leader of English K-12 for Hampton City Public Schools. Teaching and supervising were both rewarding careers, and each taught her a different level and focus of professionalism and commitment. As the Curriculum Leader, along with many other responsibilities, she developed and provided staff development for a writing program that guaranteed student achievement.
Book Review:
Author Dorothy Dancy masterfully unfolds an enchanting and challenging love story full of twists and turns about betrayal, trust, forgiveness and friendships. This novel is an easy page turner and the writing is elegant, yet pure and full of grace and power. I love how she shares the hearts and minds of the characters. The story and the characters caused me to think about relationships and how do we forget the past , forgive and maintain trust. While Derek may have been every woman’s dream, it was something about him I did not like. That is the beauty of the book , the characters where believable and the issues relevant to challenge us spiritually without being preachy, that this story would be useful in teaching a class on forgiveness and trust. A good romantic story with real issues that is spiritually uplifting makes Jagged Edges a wonderful book to read.
Interview Questions for Author Dancy by Linda Fegins
1. What would you like readers to take away from your book?
Jagged Edges, a Christian romance, attempts to show the agony of betrayal. I want readers to take away the idea that when you betray someone, even if or when there is forgiveness for your careless acts, you can never put this relationship back to its original place of trust. That place is destroyed for a lifetime. Without trust, it is virtually impossible to have complete love, and the relationship may constantly seem to teeter on the edge of destruction. I want my readers to see that “one moment of betrayal leaves so much torn.”
2. What inspired you to write this book?
The simple and most honest answer to this question is one word: God. The more thorough answer is that the inspiration came as a result of my becoming acutely cognizant of the hurt and pain of so many people in broken relationships. It is devastating seeing their lives in turmoil simply because of betrayal, and how impossible it seems to mend these broken places. As I prayed for them, God opened a door for me to render something to glorify Him, and, at the same time, help others see how important it is to really love each other. Jagged Edges is completely dedicated to Christ and provides another way for Him to proclaim the words of I Corinthians 13.
3. What is your favorite chapter from the book and why?
My favorite chapter is chapter 8 “A Secret Place.” When Arianna leaves Paris, she is basically a lost soul. She has lost herself, and more importantly, she has lost her connection with Christ. When she stumbles upon this secret place, she is surrounded by all things natural … things created by God. In this secluded and beautiful place, she reconnects with God, and in Chapter 8 she brings Derek there to show him that “life pays benefits when we take the time to honor it.” He wants to rush into a sexual relationship with someone he barely knows, and in this place surrounded by God’s infinitesimal love, she shows him how important it is to be patient and wait for TRUE LOVE….a love that will bring great joy and satisfaction. Her message to him in this chapter is that with time and attention we grow in love, and we should avoid distractions by infatuation and sheer lust.
4. Oprah always asks, “What do you know for sure?”
There is not a great deal in life that we can know for sure; however, there are a few things we can know. One of those things is that love takes time and care. It is nothing that can be rushed. It requires patience. Infatuation and lust have a very short time span and when a relationship is based solely on those two things, it is destined to fail. That is something I know for sure.
5. Describe yourself to our visitors.
I am an accomplished and award winning educator and speaker. Additionally, I am a writing consultant, playwright, wife, mother and now novelist. My life’s focus has been educating our youth in an appreciation of both the written and spoken word.
Growing up in Raleigh, North Carolina was a joy. My parents provided me with so many fantastic opportunities like eight years of private school, piano lessons that started at the age of five, chances to visit large libraries, trips to the movies with my Mom and brother, travel experiences, a church that made sure I understood my faith, and parents and a grandmother who paid attention to everything that would help me forge a path to a successful life.
I cannot remember a time when I was not enthralled with reading a story or telling one. I can recall in my childhood, making up stories and telling them first to my eagerly awaiting dolls attentive to every word, then the neighborhood kids listening and laughing sitting under the big apple tree in my grandma’s backyard. During my teen years and college days, I found comfort in writing poetry and plays. As an English teacher, all grown up with the experience of reading, analyzing, and devouring the magic of a multiplicity of stories, I taught many of my students to love the literary word and find the secrets of the hidden meanings that unlock the appreciation of literature. Now, I have actualized the long awaited dream of penning my first novel, and it is my hope that you delight in meeting my new characters, walking in their shoes, laughing with them, crying with them, and ultimately seeing your own world through their eyes.
Throughout my life, I have found many favorable outcomes in a variety of endeavors. One of my greatest rewards has been seeing the tremendous success of so many of her students, and I have received numerous awards for excellence in educating. Two of which were The Virginia Outstanding Teacher of English and The National Award for Building Successful Readers.
Presently I live in Virginia with her husband, who is my very best friend. We have been blessed with two beautiful daughters, two talented sons-in-law, and three fantastic granddaughters. They all continue to support me as I complete Jagged Edges and begin its sequel.
6. How do you find time to connect with God?
It is hard for me to think of not finding time to connect with MY GREATEST FRIEND. We are in constant contact. There is nothing that I do where I don’t seek Him first. He is beside me daily. He is an essential part of my life so He is always present. I don’t have to “find time for Him” because He is a constant. I study His Word often, and sometimes telephonically when I talk with my friends; sometimes we are just talking about Him and all of the blessings that He provides daily. I go to church sometimes more that just for Sunday service, and some days, I go out in my backyard and pray among His creations. Too often, we spend our time caught up in worldly business, and forget that without God, things for us might be extremely different. As I go from place to place in my car, I listen to His music and pray for traveling mercy and His blessing throughout my day. At the close of a day, I sit and thank Him for His Mercy and Grace provided during the day. When my children were small, I read Bible stories to them, or sang a Godly song to them as I gave them their nightly baths. There is plenty time to connect with God if we would make Him our focus as He makes us His. In chapter 8 of Jagged Edges, I try very hard to make
~A Prologue~~The breaking of dawn is the best keeper of secrets I know; it has a pact with the close of day. At sun’s first peek, the confidence is safe, and one has no evidence at all how altered life might be by eventide~
The library at the university is quiet except for multiple pages turning and a stupid unnecessary clock facing me. I might just waste a star wish to get that annoying thing smashed. I’d do it myself, but I’d get caught, and be a greater disappointment to my parents than Ruff who still can’t sit up, roll over, or even bark like a real dog. I sigh. Deal with the clock, Arianna. You’re twenty-four years old, already have your MBA in Fashion Management and Entrepreneurship and almost ready to start your own Fashion House for goodness sakes. All you have to do is complete this little research, and you’re on your own. You’re not five. Anyway, you have far more important things to think about at 8:15 on this lonely Friday night, like how to meet that gorgeous guy sitting at the table across from you.
I sit back in my chair and just stare at him, counting how many times he glances up and quickly looks back at his work. He is doing a very poor job of pretending he hasn’t noticed that I’m staring at him. He’s on his eighth under eyed glance at me when he puts his laptop down, folds his hands, sits back, looks straight at me with a smirk, and holds the stare. I smile what I think is my very best smile. Let the games begin! After a minute and a half of staring, I’m just getting comfortable, and there is no way I’m giving up. He begins packing up his things slowly. Still staring, never glancing down to see what he’s doing, he meticulously places his laptop in his black leather attaché case. I can tell he is purposefully taking his time, and for some strange reason, his deliberate movements, to me, are extremely sensual. I almost have to break my stare when I think to myself: any man that sexy ought to be locked up and the key thrown away. He leaves his case on the table, returns two books to a nearby shelf all the while looking into my staring eyes, and then he brings his fine self over to me.
He pulls out the chair that faces me without saying a word, turns it backwards, and tries to stifle his grin from becoming a full face all teeth showing spectacle. Of course, he’s far too cool for that.
“OK, you’ve been staring at me for the last ten minutes so I thought I would just come over and ask if I have spinach in my teeth or a booger up my nose.” I laugh. He smiles.
“What if I say both?” I grin, cupping my hand under my chin and looking directly into his brown bedroom eyes.
“Well, I’ll know that’s not true,” he taunts matter-of-factly.
“And how would you know that?” I question cynically. This man is about to make my heart jump out of my body.
“Simple.” “Simple?” “Yeah, simple. It’s a trick question.” He rocks back in the chair. “I didn’t have
spinach today.” We both laugh as quietly as we can since we are somewhat aware that we are in a library, and there are a few people still pretending to study on a Friday night.
“Well, to be quite honest with you, umm…Peter? Ah…Paul?” I lift one eyebrow and continue. “…Mary?” He gives me a closed mouth smile, and plays around his mouth with his thumb and index finger.
“Well, definitely not Mary. Derek. Derek Wellington.” For the first time in my life I hear the sexiness in that baritone voice of his that will drive me insane for years to come.
“Well, to be quite honest with you…Derek, Derek Wellington, your hair caught my attention.
“My hair?” I bite my bottom lip to cover my grin, and nod my head yes. “Yes, your hair…and
definitely your eyes too,” I say with mocked seriousness… “and then there’s that mouth,” I giggle.
“Oh, is that good or bad?” he chuckles. “Oh, that’s real good,” I admit with a flirtatious grin. “Good. Good,” he nods in mock approval. “So, you… this beautiful woman sitting here toying with me, you are… Gracie?”
“No, not even close,” I laugh.
I opt here for a more serious tone. My hazel eyes, my windows to the soul, touch his. “My name is Arianna…Arianna Channing.”
“Ah, a beautiful name for a lovely lady.” “Well thank you kind sir.” I bat my eyes playfully. “You are quite welcome, my lady.” And then he does something totally unexpected. He reaches across the table, takes my hand in his, and slowly brings it to his beautiful lips. That is how it all started with Attorney Derek Chase Wellington, III and me.
I would say that we had a whirlwind summer romance. We were inseparable. Both of us were taking a break of sorts before starting full force into our careers. Derek had studied for the Bar, passed it, and in September would join a private law firm in Virginia. I had completed my studies in Fashion Management and Entrepreneurship in New York City, and studied an additional two years in Paris. Coincidentally, I was also moving to Virginia, after the summer, to start my own Channing Fashion House, the first one in the Tidewater area.
Our connection, from its inception, has that magic touch…that something special; however, there is this one thing that tears our bond, interferes with our solidarity, and will forever puzzle me. Throughout this disappointment, I am honest with myself. Common sense and life’s experiences have taught me that it will be impossible to know the essence of the truth surrounding a very deep, but damaged, relationship in Derek’s past, but that is not my issue.
From the inception of our brief courtship and after we marry, Derek and I are always completely honest with each other…we trust each other explicitly, or so I am led to believe. That is what makes my discovery so perplexing… so hurtful and a huge issue for me. The mystifying thing, now that the real truth irradiates, is that my friend, my boyfriend, my fiancée, my lover, my husband never mentions Morgan Shay LaRue to me. Not once, that I can remember, does he ever even call her name.
Social Links:
Email Address: ddancy.pen2paper@yahoo.com
Website: www.dorishdancy.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/doris.dancy.9?fref=ts
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18468130-jagged-edges
Buy Links:
Amazon ebook: http://tinyurl.com/nxwpwkk
Amazon paperback: http://tinyurl.com/mbwsnco
Amazon uk: http://tinyurl.com/l69hymc
Author Tour Schedule: http://wnlbooktours.com/doris-h-dancy/