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“Going out there is all that matters.” After fifteen years in middle management, Boz Trimble is phased out by his company. Now he questions the goals and comfort he accumulated over the years and seeks an identity free from complacency and a prescribed path. As the months shift from winter into spring, Boz juggles his family’s tightening finances, opportunities disappearing as quickly as they arrive, and reversals of fortunes complicating his life. But while he searches for meaningful work and struggles to redefine himself, he deepens his relationships with his wife, children, sister, and disabled brother in ways he never planned; reconnects to his father’s days of stock car racing in the South; and wrestles with newfound courage to pursue a course not laid out.
Fire In Hand Media
320 pages
ISBN (print): 9798986092751
ISBN (ebook): 9798986092768
A book’s success can thrive on word-of-mouth and grassroots marketing. Producing and promoting stories requires time and money, and independent authors like me are often overlooked because of trends, sales, and genre. I’m asking you to help spread the word about A Long Road Home. Anything below you can do can positively impact me and my work:
Order the book.
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A Goodreads Giveaway for A Long Road Home ran from 11 April 2026 through 11 May 2026. Ten winners received a free Kindle copy of the novel.
1,155 entered and 1,043 shelved the novel as Want to Read.
Congrats to the ten winners; hope you enjoy the story. Thank you to everyone who entered. And please spread the word.
And now the first chapter from A Long Road Home.
A Long Road Home – William Auten
Copyright © William Auten
Into a box Boz drops his card with Happy “Retirement” someone inked quote marks around. The intern wipes content from Boz’s computer, and the screen drops into black then brightens with Welcome… and a percent-complete bar as software loads.
Boz glances down the vacant cubicles. “They’ll get you next.”
“They trained me to do this.”
“If they trained you, they can train anyone.”
The progress bar switches to Input Your Password. The intern types. The input box shakes. Wrong Password – Try Again. The intern types. Wrong Password – Try Again – One Attempt Remaining. Boz snickers while the intern fumbles around and her purple nail taps her form’s string of letters, numbers, and symbols. The software finishes installing and transfers files, scans, and generates reports. A computer glows in a nearby cubicle: Receiving and evaluating…
“Did you turn in your fob?”
Boz unclips it from his keychain.
The intern checks the form labeled Employee Off-Boarding. “Thanks for your…” She flips to another page. “Fifteen years of service. Who does that much?”
“Nobody after this.” Cradling his box, he strolls by cubicles darkening as coworkers turn off lamps and cubicles brightening as interns type in passwords and software loads.
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