We are one month out from my book release, so I thought I would treat you all to an excerpt from my latest release, End of a New Life. It’s Book 3 in my Heroes of Grant’s Crossing series of standalone novels.
End of a New Life will hit the shelves on September 25, 2025, and is available for pre-order in these online shops. It’ll also be available in paperback when it goes live.
Barnes & Noble - Amazon - Apple Books - Kobo
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Here’s a quick excerpt for you. Enjoy!
Derek knocked on the door frame. “You wanna see me, Chief?”
“Yeah.” Chief Travis waved him in from behind his desk. “Come on in, Mitchell. Close the door.”
Derek exhaled but turned to close the door behind him.
Chief Travis motioned toward the chairs in front of his desk. “Have a seat.”
Derek sat down while the chief flipped through some papers on his desk, occasionally writing notes.
“How are things going with you?” he asked nonchalantly.
“Fine.” Derek’s response was curt.
“Everything at home okay?”
“Yeah,” Derek assured him. “It’s fine.”
“Sleeping okay?”
“Like a log.”
“Mmhmm,” the chief grunted, not looking up from his papers.
“Seeing anyone?”
A crease formed on Derek’s brow. “Not seriously, no.”
“Hmm.” Chief Travis gathered the papers together and tapped them against the table to arrange them in a neat pile. He set them down on his desk, folded his hands together, and finally met Derek’s gaze.
“Are you talking to anybody?”
“What do you mean?”
“I know it’s been tough since you came back.”
Derek shook his head with a pronounced eye roll. “I don’t know what you’ve heard, Chief, but I’ve been back for a while–”
Chief Travis held up his hand to cut Derek off. He reached into a drawer and pulled out a card, which he offered to Derek. “I know the VA is an option for you, but I also know that takes time. Here's someone who can help right away.”
“I'm fine,” Derek insisted.
“I’m sure you are.”
“Chief, I’m fine.”
“I saw your truck yesterday.”
“What?”
“At the cemetery.”
Derek froze in place as his stomach clenched.
“I was there putting fresh flowers on my mother’s grave yesterday morning when I saw Tank in the distance. He was cleaning up a gravesite.”
“Shit.”
“And then I saw him drive away.” Chief Travis took a breath. He continued in his usual calm voice. “Only, I saw him drive away in your truck, which made me wonder. Why would he do that?”
“It’s been two years–”
“Two years since you lost your best friend,” Chief Travis finished his sentence. “Have you ever talked to anyone about it?”
“I’m fine,” Derek’s voice carried much less strength than when he walked in.
“You’re fine. Of course.” He extended the card to Derek again. “Take the damned card, Mitchell. He’s helped out a lot of first responders. Myself included. He’s also a veteran, so he’ll relate more than you think.”
Reluctantly, Derek accepted the proffered card.
“He’s expecting your call.”
Derek stood up.
“But talk to him soon.”
“Chief ... ”
“Today, if you can. Or you’ll be on full-time desk duty and inspections.”
Derek winced at the thought. “Yes, Chief.”
Chief Travis stood up as well. “I can only imagine what happened that would give Tank cause to clean up your best friend’s gravesite and drive your truck home, but you don’t need to risk your job or your life simply because you’re too damned stubborn. There’s no shame in asking for help, Derek.”
Derek glared at the chief. “Will it help bring my best friend back?”
“No,” Chief Travis answered solemnly. “But it’ll help bring you back.”
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I hope you enjoyed a sneak peek at my next novel that I still can't believe is coming out one month from today!
Click here to sign up to be an ARC reader. Details and the blurb are included on the form.
Thanks, and happy reading!
P.S. I'd love for you to add it to your Goodreads TBR!
Pre-order your copy today!
Digital pre-orders are available at these online retailers. End of a New Life will be available in paperback when it hits the shelves on September 25, 2025.
Like all my books, absolutely no part of End of a New Life was created using generative AI. All content is 100% the creation of the author, H.M.S. Brown, i.e. me. :-)
Content Warning: PTSD, alcoholism, loss, and grief.
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