So, this is my temporary bloggy home. I combined my fiction blog with my regular blog into one place. In a matter of months, I will have a brand-new page that I built (well, okay, that my husband built for me), complete with beautiful graphics that I’m actually paying someone else to create. There will be some other good stuff on there as well, and I’m really excited. For now, all my online writing is in this space so I can keep it nice and tidy until Moving Day.
In other news, I’m sort of dragging my feet over my new story. It takes me a long time to feel like I really know the characters and settings. The one I’ve been posting, tentatively titled Lower Education, took me 6 months before I had some good flow. It started as a vastly different kind of story and evolved. I have no doubt the new one will be the same.
This is the second to last post about Phin and Company. I’m running out of things I want to share (I have to save some of my best lines for actual publication!), and I can’t give away too much of the plot. My WIPpet math: 19 (today) + 3 + 1 + 4 = 27 sentences. The context is that outside of his work at the school, Alex is a dance instructor. He’s organized a charity event, and he and the kids have all performed. This takes place immediately afterward.
They accompanied Dani when she went to round up the kids from backstage. When they arrived, Dani discovered that Phin had beaten them there and was talking to Alex.
Gia’s expression dissolved into a pout. “Why are all the good ones always taken?” She sighed. “He’s a little old for me anyway. He’s still cute, though.”
“And has a nice ass,” Dani and Eunice chorused.
“You’ve only mentioned that fifty times or so,” Eunice said.
Gia discovered her inner five-year-old and stuck out her tongue at them just as Alex and Phin joined them.
“Great job,” Eunice told Alex. “Very nice. I haven’t seen you do that one before.”
He nodded. “Just a little something I’ve been working on especially for tonight.” He exchanged a glance with Phin, and Dani was sure Phin’s cheeks grew faintly pink.
Phin changed the subject by turning to Gia and saying, “I heard what you said just now, and I’m flattered that you have such high regard for my ass. But you’re selling yourself short. What about that one guy at school who brought you your phone? I think he likes you.”
“Who? Oscar?” Gia frowned. “I don’t think so. He hardly says a word to me.”
Phin shrugged. “Then maybe you need to do the talking.”
All right. So for my last (*sniff*) post about these people (I am really struggling to let them go!), what do you all want to see? Here are the options I’m considering:
- A humorous incident with Phin really out of his element
- A nice (and somewhat amusing) moment between Dani and her teenage son
- A steamy interaction (well, part of one, anyway–I don’t want to spoil it)
Leave a comment, and whichever has the most interest, that’s what I’ll post.
As always, thanks go to K. L. Schwengel for hosting. Come out and play with us by adding your link here. Happy reading and writing!
I’ve always been a fan of fish-out-of-water scenes, myself, but I wouldn’t say no to steaminess.
Love this snippet. My inner 5 year old comes out a lot. 😉
The out-of-his-element one is the first one I thought of, but the others sat there temptingly in their folder asking to be shared too.
My inner 5yo hangs around quite a bit too. 🙂
My inner 5 year old and I are on really good terms.
#1 I love characters out of their element. It’s so fun to be mean. 😉
Me too. The scene in question is one of my favorites and was based on something that actually happened (with key details changed to protect the not-so-innocent, of course).
I’d really like laughing, so I vote for number 1. Getting characters in awkward situations is the best way to see who they really are. Nice excerpt and looking forward to this book!:)
Lots of votes for #1! Looks like that’s what I’ll post. Hopefully it will live up to expectations. LOL!
Another vote for #1 from me! I love that Phin heard the comment about his ass. 😉
And he’s vain enough to be pleased, of course.
Yup, fish out of water for me too. 🙂
Nice excerpt by the way. And it’s a good sign when you can’t let the characters go. 🙂
Thanks. 🙂 Yeah, it kind of feels like I’m breaking up with them. LOL!
Hmm, no preference, I guess. I think being surprised works best for me…
Phin doesn’t feel like the Phin of earlier WIPpets. Hmm, not sure why
Yay! You picked up on that! Yes, Phin is different here. A lot has happened since Phin’s been there, and he’s changing as a result. This scene, which is from Dani’s POV, actually ends after Phin has left, and Dani notices the change too–it makes her Spidey Senses tingle.
Mmm… I don’t know – maybe a steamy scene?! Great excerpt by the way. I love how Dani’s trying to figure Phin out, noticing his cheeks turn pink as he exchanges a glance with Alex. Good stuff! 🙂
Ooh, I’m glad you noticed that about Dani trying to figure Phin out. She doesn’t know at this point that there’s anything going on between the guys, but she’s certainly on alert.
Looks like most people want the fish-out-of water part. I’ll just have to write a steamy scene for the next novel, right? 😉
Oh definitely!
I vote Dani and her son. 🙂
🙂 The scene between them is probably my favorite. I likely won’t post it, since most people seem to want to see what Phin does when he’s out of his element. But essentially, their conversation is Dani and her son admitting to each other that they’ve been hiding relationship stuff. I have a running joke with a couple of author friends that I have a thing for someone mentioning birth control, so this time, I have Dani reminding her son he’d better use some–which embarrasses him, of course.
I vote for 1 or 3. Not that 2 isn’t a good option, just the other ones appeal to me more.
This scene was quite nice. Maybe as nice as his ass. 😉
LOL! The quality of Phin’s ass is a running thread in the story.