Midnight Caller (18 page)

Erin curled against Tony’s uninjured side. “God answered your prayers, Tony…and mine.” She sighed. “I can’t believe we made it through this. It’s been a living nightmare.”

Tony nodded, drew her close and rested his chin on top of her head. “I’ve been thanking the good Lord from the bottom of my heart.” He kissed the top of her hair. “It’s over now. You won’t need me to protect you anymore.”

Erin raised her face so she could look into his eyes. She
saw the doubt, the wondering if there would be a place for him in her life now that the crisis had passed. “I will always need you, Tony Marino, to love and protect my heart.”

Their lips barely touched in the softest of kisses. But it was the kind of kiss that did all the talking for them, a kiss filled with hope and love and forever after.

Dear Reader,

Authors are frequently asked where they get their ideas. My son, David, is responsible for the birth of this one. After the unexpected loss of my husband, I found myself having a difficult time transitioning to my life without him. In an attempt to lift my spirits, he encouraged me to get back to writing. I had a partial manuscript aimed at sweet romance and another manuscript started about a serial killer aimed at romantic suspense. However, I had had a major case of writer’s block for a long time and was unable to finish either manuscript.

My son suggested I combine the two. I said, “You can’t combine a sweet romance with an edgy, dark suspense.” He asked, “Why not?”

Why not, indeed?

The wheels started turning. People know bad things happen to everyone—but evil is supposed to happen to somebody else. What if evil moved into small-town America, stalked a single mom, raising her handicapped child, and brought terror and loss right to her doorstep? And what if this single mom had just found the Lord? Would her faith be strong enough to turn to Him for support or would her faith be too new and weak to sustain her, causing her to turn away? One question led to another, resulting in the story you hold in your hands.

This is my first published book and I would love to hear from my readers. You can reach me at [email protected]. I will answer as quickly as possible.

I hope you enjoy
Midnight Caller
.

Diane Burke

1. As a child, Erin felt abandoned by her constantly working father and later in life she was deserted and betrayed by her husband. How did these experiences impact her adult life?
   
2. As a child, Erin was beaten and abused by her mother—so was the villain. How did child abuse impact their lives? What do you think made the difference between them as they chose opposite paths in their adult lives?
   
3. Erin’s mother was an alcoholic. Alcoholism impacts an entire family, not just the person with the disease. Do you know anyone with this problem? How has this impacted their lives?
   
4. Erin is a strong, independent woman satisfied with the direction of her life. However, she comes to realize Tony fills an empty place in her life. What qualities draw her to him?
   
5. What draws Tony to Erin?
   
6. Erin had just found the Lord when she was forced to face significant trials in her life. Do you think her faith strengthened her? In your opinion, what forges a strong faith?
   
7. Tony was afraid to become a father because he knew the importance of the job and was afraid he’d fail. Do you think Tony demonstrated characteristics of a good dad?
   Do you think it was brave of him to admit he was afraid of failure? Have you ever been afraid to fail? What did you do to overcome the fear?
   
8. Tony told Erin that God hears her prayers even if they are merely whispers in the dark. Have you ever wondered if God hears your prayers?
   
9. Erin was drawn to the biblical passage “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for Thou art with me.” Do you believe God is always with us even in our hour of need? Do you have any examples in your own life?
   
10. God often puts people in our lives to help us when we need it the most. What roles did Tess and Patrick play that might make you think they were part of God’s plan?
    
11. Is there anything in Erin’s story that inspires you in your own life?