I was at the top of my game until reality hit in a way I had never imagined, forcing me to face the living hell that had become my life. The ghosts and demons that once filled the pages of my bestselling novels now flooded my mind, consuming my thoughts both day and night.

She was hauntingly beautiful, and I was drawn to her in the most unimaginable way.
She was my breath when I had stopped breathing.
She was my hope when I was drowning in despair.
She was my muse when I had lost all motivation.

But nothing good lasted—not in my world anyway.
Like the last days of autumn when the beautiful leaves are stripped away by the long winter days, lurking in the distance; her caring ways and gentle soul were only temporary. Soon it would be taken from me, leaving my heart as barren as those once majestic trees. But unlike those autumn days, she remained, giving me the courage to face the cold, dark winter of my past while uncovering secrets and lies that could be the premise of a bestseller. Only, this wasn’t fiction, this was my reality—a reality I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy.