Book Extract: Nadine by John Steinberg

A big hello to John Steinberg and the blog tour for his novel, Nadine.

London 1974 – and Peter Greenberg is riding high. Thanks to his magic touch, every play he puts on in Theatreland is a hit and the money is rolling in. The young man’s empire feels secure – but then everything changes. One evening, he calls in to see a rival’s musical and falls head over heels in love.

The beautiful Paris-born dancer who catches his eye is Nadine – a major star in the making. Like Greenberg, the young dancer too is in love – but with someone else. The eternal triangle is complicated by the birth of a child, and by tragic secrets that go back before World War Two; slowly, those secrets reveal themselves in a drama that out-performs anything on the West End stage or Broadway.

Nadine is a poignant story of unrequited love, a love that will one day be returned – and in a most unexpected way…

John has shared an extract today. Enjoy.

**** beginning of extract*****

INTRO

Greenberg has lost his theatre and his luxurious Georgian home. His wife has run off with his accountant with whom she’s been having an affair and he’s been relegated to living in a one bed flat above a North London Florists. With too much time on his hands, Greenberg is teetering on the edge of depression.

A phone call from an unexpected source, Nadine’s father, offers him a lifeline and a chance to salvage his reputation.

*****

Jacques Bertrand had described himself perfectly. Medium height, with a full head of white hair and a tanned complexion. He resembled Alan Ladd, the 1940s Hollywood actor, Greenberg thought to himself. They had arranged to meet at Nadine’s graveside. It was probably his last chance, Jacques said, to see where his daughter had been laid to rest and to beg for her forgiveness.

***

Greenberg couldn’t believe what the other man was proposing. The chance to put together a major musical production based on his daughter’s life seemed completely surreal. It was, in the old man’s words, his ‘last opportunity to try to make up for the despicable way he had discarded Nadine when she had needed him most’.

‘Alors, Monsieur Greenberg, do we have an agreement?’ the old man said, suddenly coming to life.

‘Jacques, it’s very kind of you, but I’ll need to give it some thought. What you are asking is a huge commitment.’

‘Forgive me for being, as they say in French, présomptueux, but I was of the opinion that your business affairs have recently taken a turn for the worse.’

‘I see that you are very well-informed,’ Greenberg said, embarrassed.

‘Let us just say there are times when a great deal of probing is required to get what one wants,’ Jacques stated, a crafty look on his still magnificent face.

‘What I don’t understand, though,’ Greenberg said frankly, ‘is why you want me when there are several West End producers I could name who are better suited for the job.’

‘But none who loved Nadine the way you did,’ came the swift response from across the table.

**** end of extract*****

About John:

John Steinberg was born in 1952 and spent many years in business before becoming a writer in 2007. Since then, he has co-written and produced comedies for the stage and has created a series of books for children. Nadine is his third novel. He is married with three children and lives in North London.

For more information, visit https://steinbergstories.com, like on Facebook and follow on Twitter.

Click to view Nadine on Amazon UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nadine-John-Steinberg/dp/1912014289/

Click to view on Amazon US – https://www.amazon.com/Nadine-John-Steinberg/dp/1912014289/

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I’m Laura. I started Novel Kicks in 2009. I wanted a place to post my writing as well as give other writers like me the opportunity to do the same. There is also a monthly book club, a writing room which features writing prompts, book reviews, competitions, author interviews and guest posts.

I grew up by the sea (my favourite place in the world) and I currently live in Hampshire. I am married to Chris, have a cat named Buddy and I would love to be a writer. I’m trying to write the novel I’ve talked so much about writing if only I could stop pressing delete. I’ve loved writing since creative writing classes in primary school. I have always wanted to see my teacher Miss Sayers again and thank her for the encouragement. When not trying to write the novel or writing snippets of stories on anything I can get my hands on, I love reading, dancing like a loon and singing to myself very badly. My current obsession is Once Upon a Time and I would be happy to live with magic in the enchanted forest surrounded by all those wonderful stories provided that world also included Harry Potter. I love reading chick lit. contemporary fiction and novels with mystery.