On August 18, 2008, I started writing a story called Going for the Gold that changed my life.

It's the story that in so many ways, proved to me that I could write and I could write fiction.

Even though it's been 8 years, I still get so many positive comments from readers who are discovering it for the first time.

Last year, Angel Lawson, a writing friend who I initially met through this fandom, suggested that we all write books set at the 2016 Olympic Games. "It'll be like that great story you wrote," she told me, "but original fiction, not fanfiction." I thought it was a great idea; even EIGHT years later, I still get so many hits and comments on this story around the Olympic Games.

So I wrote one. It's called SUMMER ATTRACTIONS, and it's now available for sale here: amzn (.com) / B01H13CGNW

Here's a summary:

All Jemma Keane wants is to find her voice at the sports and pop culture blog she writes for. But she's been stuck fetching and fact-checking until she wants to scream. It isn't until an unexpected opportunity at the Rio Olympic Games presents itself that she begins to discover a Jemma that she'd buried away long ago – a risk-taker and an adventurer who doesn't just want to speak her mind, she wants to yell it from the top of Christ the Redeemer.

Gabriel Rocha hasn't been back to Rio since he and his mother left more than ten years ago. He'd always imagined showing his best friend the real Rio during the Olympics, but when disaster strikes, he's stuck with Jemma instead.

Jemma isn't anything like what he expected. Gabe only means to protect her, but she weasels right past his guard and makes him want whatever she'll give him. Sure, Gabe's seen enough romantic comedies to realize how a fling with Jemma might end, but what he anticipates the least is that he never wants it to.

I hope you guys enjoy reading about Jemma and Gabe as much as I enjoyed writing about them!

Thanks!

Beth Bolden (formely known as bethaboo)