Gut Feeling

We're all familiar with that feeling. That cautionary tingle in the pit of our stomach that tells us to stop. Sometimes we listen and other times we throw caution to the wind in spite of the seemingly deafening rumblings of that gut feeling. "Gut Feeling" is the tale of a young woman who for many years found herself a prisoner of the pressure and pursuit of perfection; until one day she decided to break free. Her "liberation" came with a great cost as she embarked on a whirlwind forbidden romance. Her gut told her to flee from the temptation, but the voice on the other end of the phone urged her to let go and maximize the moment.

He was 13 years her senior. When she was celebrating her sweet 16, he was celebrating his wedding anniversary. She was a girl about to leave home for the first time. He was a man building a home. He was a man who had experienced things she hadn't even thought of. By the time she was 21, he had been around the world and back several times. She was still trying to find her way through this thing called life. Yet, somehow their paths crossed. Now, two adults, one still getting their feet wet and the other had swam, coached other swimmers, retired and was now swimming again. Those thirteen years were easily upped to twenty once you took into account his experience and her life inside the bubble. He took on the role of teacher and she took on the role of his student. She was ready to learn and eager to please. Their approach to the situation was obviously totally different. For her, it was living life on the edge, outside the bubble and a far cry from the life she'd imagined. For him, it was nothing out of the norm. His seniority made him priority and her inexperience made her the ideal pupil. He knew what to say, when to say it and how to convince her what he was saying was genuine. She, thinking she was ready for the world, kept her guards up at first before succumbing to the fantasy and falling into a world she knew nothing about. Her gut told her to flee from the temptation. However, the voice on the other end of the phone encouraged her to let go and maximize the moment. She was definitely no innocent angel, but this was certainly uncharted waters.

Rachelle Danielle was born in Goldsboro, North Carolina. She has a gift and passion for both writing and dance. While light on her feet, she has often leaned heavily on her pen as a way to express herself. Spending the early part of her life (11 years) as an only child, led Rachelle to find solace in her pen and pad. She is a graduate of NCCU where she obtained a Bachelors of Business Administration with minors in Accounting and Marketing. Rachelle has a passion for young girls and dedicated over 10 years as a dance teacher. She continues to pour into the lives of young women through community outreach, ministry work and now through her writing. "Sometimes we're able to express more when we write it and accept more when we read it," says Rachelle of the beauty of literature. While she will never hang up her dancing shoes, she proudly wears her author hat and hopes to inspire, empower and entertain with her books.