Introducing The Distant Shore by Mariam Kobras
Today I'd like to introduce you to my novel The Distant Shore.
It was the first book I ever wrote. My publisher Buddhapuss Ink LLC signed it before I had even finished editing it, and it won the Bronze Ippy Medal only months after being published.
Jon, the hero of The Distant Shore, has never given up on his one true love, Naomi. He never gives up his search for her, or the belief that if only he can find her, everything will be well.
Here is an excerpt of The Distant Shore for you. Jon has found Naomi, and he takes her to London to propose to her. Being who he is, he does it in style.
THE CAR TOOK them the short ride to Bond Street, and Jon dismissed it until further notice.
“I’m going to buy clothes,” he stated. “Enough to last me for a while. I just don’t feel like having someone pack up my stuff back in LA and send it here. It’s kind of nice to start out fresh, don’t you think?”
She was not going to spoil these precious, enchanted days by voicing her worries and doubts, so she sat and watched as he ordered the shop girls around, picking out shirts and shoes, a new black leather jacket, and fine cashmere sweaters that looked a lot more natural on him.
There were, on a display right next to her, a couple of purses, and she picked one up, enjoying the touch of the fine leather and the exquisite stitching.
“Hey, Babe.”
She had not seen him, absorbed as she was, and returned the thing to its place guiltily, as if he had caught her in an illicit act.
“Is there anything you want? That purse? You want it?”
Naomi shook her head.
“Naomi, don’t be ridiculous. If you want that bag, it’s yours and you know it. Hell, Baby, anything you want. Please?”
She drew up her shoulders and clamped her hands in her lap. “Later. I want to go to Harrods for some tea and maybe...”
Jon looked at her for a moment. “All right,” he said very softly, then went to pay for his things.
Back out on the street he took her hand and began walking. It was a busy time of day, with many people around, strolling, chatting, moving in and out of guarded store entrances. They walked past all the big labels until Jon stopped in front of Tiffany’s.
“This is it, then.” He turned to face her, right in front of the liveried valet. “Will you marry me? And soon? Will you set a date, right now, no more waiting?” His fingers gripped hers tightly. “Please let me set this right. We should have done this all that time ago.”
The valet was trying very hard not to listen, but Jon was oblivious, bent on getting the answer he wanted. She opened her lips for a reply, but nothing came.
“Don’t be afraid,” Jon urged. “It’ll be alright. You know we can’t walk away from each other anymore. You know this is the only possible future for us.”
Silently she shook her head at him.
“I just can’t let you go, Naomi. I don’t care where we live or if I never release another song, but I don’t want to give you up ever again. You’re afraid of living in Los Angeles, I understand that. So we won’t go there. But I want you with me. And if you don’t want to marry me, fine. I’ll just...I’ll just hang around.”
“Oh, but I do.”
It took a moment to register.
“You’re so stupid sometimes,” Naomi said. “What did you think?
You promised it would be okay, so I’m going to take your word for it.” And, after a pause, “Anyway, I won’t ever get to see Sean again otherwise, right?”
For once he chose to ignore her teasing and repeated his question. “Will you marry me, Naomi?“
“Yes, I will.”
“Well then.”
She protested, overwhelmed by what he was doing, but he would not listen. “You are my fiancée now,” were his words, “and as such you should be wearing my ring. So let’s buy you a ring.”
They were seated in a discreet niche and served champagne by a black-clad salesman while trays of diamond rings were displayed for them.
She let Jon pick one. “It’s your promise to me,” was her reason, “so you should be the one to choose.”
Afterward, looking at it, she had qualms. But it was his choice, and it looked like the statement he wanted to make. It was a large diamond, the platinum band set with smaller stones all around, a glittering, luxurious thing of incredible beauty.
And even though she had never thought it possible, something changed between them. The moment he put that ring on her finger, so solemnly and slowly, the feeling shifted. There was a sense of closeness, of belonging, and he gave her a look he had never given her before, and with a proprietary pride in his expression, he escorted her through the door.
