Lightning Struck Twice

Happy Summer 2022!

I know, I know, technically summer begins tomorrow, but I’m on Cape Cod, I’m wearing my Nantucket red rope bracelet, and I haven’t worn socks in two weeks, so…

Welcome to my newsletter! With a new book coming out in September I was told I needed one.

Yes, that’s right, I’ve got a new book! Half In: A Coming-of-Age Memoir of Forbidden Love will be released September 20. Honestly, I never thought I’d finish writing it. Not because of the writing process, but because of the healing one. This story is not unlike my first book, What Papa Told Me, in that my grandfather had to push himself to talk about his past. Now it’s my turn.

Half In takes place during my post-college years when I was clueless about my future and learning to make decisions on my own, and living with the repercussions of those decisions. It’s also a love story, one only a few people know about.

Am I scared to release it? A little. Sure, I could have shoved it back into the proverbial drawer, but I needed to tell my truth and move on from my past. I didn’t write it for “likes,” I wrote it for me. However, in playing the publishing game, I needed endorsements. I told myself, “Even if the reviews aren’t positive, you accomplished your dream. Be happy about that.”

And then.

I received a letter in a cream-colored envelope, my name and address handwritten on the front. I looked at the return address. Who did I know from Virginia? I opened it and my hands began to shake. My eyes filled with tears and there was a lump in my throat. In my hand was a letter from Rita Mae Brown, an author whose books I love. Who hasn’t read Rubyfruit Jungle? During the pandemic I took a chance and contacted her, asking if I could use two of her poems in my book. She was gracious and supportive and said yes. I was certain lightning never strikes twice, but figured I’d reach out again and ask for an endorsement. Turns out, lightning can strike twice and when it does, it can be just the spark you need. 

Staring at her kind words about my book, I felt like I was dreaming because for so long that exact moment had been a dream. When you work hard on something and you receive the slightest bit of validation, it doesn’t feel real. Not at first. It took days for it to sink in and when it finally did, I realized how important it is to never stop reaching for your goals. Never.

What’s your dream?

Keep smiling.

Felice

A little about Half In…

What if your first love was a forbidden one?

At twenty-three, Felice Cohen was, like other recent college grads, hesitant about entering the real world, with the added stress of coming out in the early nineties. Focused on how to land a full-time position as a writer, falling in love was the last thing on her mind.

But fall in love she did. With her boss, a woman thirty-four years older.

Felice and Sarah embarked on a high-stakes, year-long love affair. Addicted to the high of first love, Felice was enthralled by Sarah’s attention and content to hide their love in the shadows. Sarah, meanwhile, threw caution to the wind, risking her comfortably established life that included a prestigious job and long-term girlfriend. Though not perfect, it was enough. 

That was until their secret was exposed, forcing Felice to publicly acknowledge their illicit love or start a new life for herself. Felice chose to walk away. 

In this candid coming-of-age memoir—as compelling as a novel—Felice chronicles the happiness and heartbreak of an age-gap love affair while struggling to figure out the direction of her future. Ultimately, this is a story about navigating life’s unpredictable path while following one’s heart, and finding acceptance.

Half In: A Coming-of-Age Memoir of Forbidden Love will be released on September 20 in paperback and ebook, and is available now for pre-order on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo or wherever you buy your books. Audiobook to follow!

website: https://www.felicecohen.com/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4349946.Felice_Cohen