The Summer I Learned to Dive by Shannon McCrimmon Excerpt

Since the time she was a little girl, eighteen-year-old Finley “Finn” Hemmings has always lived her life according to a plan, focused and driven with no time for the average young adult’s carefree experiences. On the night of her high school graduation, things take a dramatic turn when she discovers that her mother has been keeping a secret from her—a secret that causes Finn to do something she had never done before—veer off her plan. In the middle of the night, Finn packs her bags and travels by bus to Graceville, SC seeking the truth. In Graceville, Finn has experiences that change her life forever; a summer of love, forgiveness and revelations. She learns to take chances, to take the plunge and to dive right in to what life has to offer.

Excerpt from Chapter 2

The cab smelled like onions and stale cigarettes. It was putrid, over powering. I tried breathing out of my mouth to take the strain off my nose, but the smell was too strong. It permeated the air. The driver looked at me suspiciously from the moment he picked me up. I could tell he questioned the motives of a teenage girl hailing a cab at midnight on an isolated street. I'm certain he thought I was a runaway. Why wouldn't he? It did look suspicious: I was carrying a suitcase hailing a cab in the middle of the night headed to a bus station.

We drove the entire way to the bus station in silence. He kept looking at me through the rear view mirror. His glances made me shudder, making me doubt the decision I had made. I tried to smile at him, but it didn't stop him from looking at me distrustfully.

The outside of the bus station felt dark and isolated. I instantly felt fear and regret for being there. I was scared and felt alone, questioning if I had just made the biggest mistake of my life. I thought about asking him to take me back home but stopped myself. I needed to do this, to meet the grandparents that had been stolen from me. He stopped the car and looked at me through his rear view mirror again, this time indicating with his dark eyes that we were there.

"Fourteen dollars," he said.

I handed him the cash and started to open the door. "I have a daughter," he said still looking at me through the rear view mirror. I questioned him with my eyes, wondering what he meant by that statement.

"I would not want her to run away," he said turning his head back toward me.

I shook my head instantly. "I'm not running away. I'm going to meet my grandparents," I said.

He looked at me skeptically. "It's late to be meeting them," he said.

"The ticket was less expensive at this time," I said quickly and closed the door. Getting into a deep conversation about my reasons for late night travel was not on my priority list. He said something else, but I ignored him and kept walking.

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Author Bio:

Shannon McCrimmon was born and raised in Central Florida. She attended Rollins College and earned a Master's Degree in Counseling. In 2008, she moved to the upstate of South Carolina. Although she has enjoyed writing since she was a little girl, it was the move to South Carolina that inspired her to write The Summer I Learned to Dive. When she is not writing, Shannon enjoys hiking, camping, reading, and watching movies. Shannon is a tea enthusiast and pop culture expert. She is inspired by music, art and the natural beauty of South Carolina. She lives in Greenville, South Carolina with her husband and toy poodle. For more information, visit shannonmccrimmon.com