Big news this week: I’m about to have a web site of my own! My amazing graphic designer finalized my banner this week, so as soon as everything’s in place, I will do the big drum roll and reveal. Stay tuned, because my web site (and its name) are a-changin’.
On the ROW80 front, I managed to meet my goals so far. (You can read other updates and join in here.) Refresher course:
- Write in Passing on Faith for an hour a day: √ Also wrote a bit on a short story
- Read a book for 30 minutes a day: √ I have two going now
- Write a blog post that’s not WIP/ROW80 once a week: √ Posted my review of Across Worlds: Collision, an erotic sci-fi novel
For today’s WIPpet, I’ve got another bit between Micah and Cat. In case you missed it, ages ago I posted about Micah discovering the inside of the lake house is pretty bad. He made it worse by smashing stuff his father and stepmother were packing up before Dear Ol’ Dad died. Let’s just say he’s not in a good mood. Maybe Cat will cheer him up…or make it worse. WIP math is 7 – 1 + 6 = 12 paragraphs.
Micah stood up, wiping his eyes with the heels of his hands. He sighed and yanked the sheet off an old chair. He flopped down in it and buried his head in his hands, still sniffling a little. He decided he would sit right there until he was struck with a brilliant plan for how to manage his misfortune. It might have been a whole two minutes before someone knocked on the front door. Huffing, he rose and went to answer it.
He held back a groan when he saw who it was. Cat, his oddly chipper neighbor, was back. He had a glass of what might have been lemonade in his hand and a lopsided smile on his face. When he looked up at Micah, his expression changed. His smile slid away and his eyes widened.
“You okay?” he asked.
Micah ran a hand through his hair and contemplated telling Cat it was just allergies. Instead, something made him say, “No. I am not okay. But if you want to come in and sit down on my couch, risking black lung from all the dust, by all means.” He stood aside and swept his hand, indicating Cat should join him.
Hesitantly, Cat stepped over the threshold. He extended the glass to Micah. “Thought you could use this. Maybe you need something stronger, though.”
Micah snorted. “Yeah, probably, except I don’t drink.” He accepted the lemonade and took a sip. The tart liquid was refreshingly cool against his burning throat. “Thanks for this.” He tilted the glass toward Cat.
Cat grinned. “I was a little worried for a minute there. Want to tell me about it?”
“Not really.” Micah dragged the sheet off the couch, and Cat perched on the end as though he thought it might contaminate him.
“Fair enough.” He continued to watch Micah, though.
Micah sighed heavily. “I inherited this house. My father just died.”
“I’m sorry,” Cat said, his voice soft and warm.
“I’m not.”
And I’ll just leave it there.
On a completely random note, here is a video for your amusement.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Gv0H-vPoDc&w=560&h=315]
WIPpet Wednesday is hosted by the excellent K. L. Schwengel. You can read the other entries and add your own here. Just post a bit of your work-in-progress, connect it to the date any way you can, and share it with us. Happy writing!
“I’m not.”
BOOM
So excited to see what you’re doing with your site!
Yep. Micah’s specific reasons for why not shall remain a mystery, at least for now.
I love the ending of that. On another note, with the Wierd Al thing, I love it! I saw that yesterday and thought it was hilarious! Can’t wait to see your site!
I cannot wait to reveal my header. The artist is fantastic. Obviously I will be recommending her. She made my letters all scrolly and beautiful!
And yeah, Weird Al wins with that one. LOL!
Another nice excerpt, although I did a double take when Cat suddenly turned out to be male. *g*
Something to maybe look at — in the first par you have several sentences in a row starting with “he.” Just something I noticed.
Looking forward to your new web page!
Ah, yeah. This is the first draft version, so it’s unbeta’d. I’ll have a look at that and fix it.
Yes, Cat’s a guy. But he’s…different. LOL!
It looks like you went beyond your goals. Good job! And that’s exciting about your new website. Fun stuff!
Great excerpt. 🙂
I expect I’ll have a harder time keeping up once the kids are back to being home full-time and I have to work weird hours again. I’m trying to cram as much as possible into the next week and a half.
Congrats on meeting your goals. Collision sounds like an interesting book. (I went over and read the review.)
Thanks! Yes, it’s a very good book (if one likes aliens and erotica, that is. 🙂 )
Well, I like aliens and a plot-oriented erotica might be my cup of tea. I agree that most of the ones I’ve read are boring due to lack of plot.
Ah, then you’ll probably enjoy this one. There’s also a good deal of humor and a bit of romance, too. I don’t read a lot of erotica, but this is one of the most fun ones I’ve ever read.
pssst *whispers* if you want to check it out before you purchase, there’s chapters on wattpadd http://www.wattpad.com/user/BooksbySnow *giggles and hides*
LOL. Okay.
There will be 1 new chapter every Friday until release on wattpad. =P
I think Micah and I have a lot in common. … =/
🙁
Micah, Cat, and Weird Al for the win!
And that last line….it says so much in two short syllables.
Gosh, yes. I’m holding off on the real reason Micah’s not sorry. That’s just too much in terms of spoilers. Fortunately, revealing it doesn’t happen until pretty far into the story, so I’ll worry about it then.
I can wait to find out. Being voluntarily estranged from my own parents, I may be able to extrapolate…
I hope Micah can find some comfort in a sassy and sympathetic Cat bearing lemonade….
O wow, what a zinger of a last line! I like Cat and his careful willingness to listen without pushing himself
Yep. Cat’s a bit overbearing, but he does know when to shut up and just listen.
Great excerpt Amy. Poor Micah – he’s got a lot on his plate hasn’t he? Glad Cat came round at a good time. Well maybe not entirely good from Micah’s point of view, but at least he’s got someone to share his woes with. 🙂
He needs a friend, that’s for sure. Now if only he’s willing to trust Cat a little. 🙂
Mmm… lemonade. 🙂 Cat really seems like a nice neighbor, even if he is a bit over-social. Does Micah’s tee-totaling have anything to do with his dad?
Yes, it does. But to say more…well, spoilers and all. I’m not sure how much will end up revealed through WIPpets.
Right. 🙂 Well, it (almost) never hurts to ask. 😉
“if you want to come in and sit down on my couch, risking black lung from all the dust, by all means.” I love Micah, have I mentioned that? Cat is still going to take a bit. I’m sure he’ll grow on me eventually.
Congrats on the website. Can’t wait for the grand unveiling. Would you like to borrow the flying monkeys? Perhaps some of the instruments I seem to be collecting?
LOL! I love Micah too. Cat’s much more complicated than he seems, though, so we’ll see.
I may need those flying monkeys! 🙂
I’m interested to see how long Micah holds out against Cat now. With his thoughtful consideration of Micah in this piece, Cat’s becoming a real sweetie. And Micah… The hurt, whatever it was, is deep.
Love this Weird Al video. Danke!
He is indeed very sweet. Micah’s hurt is very, very deep, and he’s pretty stuck in it at the moment—and it will get worse before it gets better. Cat has his own secrets, but he is a good listener. 🙂
Having his own secrets is required (for a good story tat least)… as is having things get worse before they get better.
I like Cat more and more each excerpt! I just want to squeeze him! Poor Micah though 🙁
Yeah. They’ve both have histories, but the specifics and how they’ve dealt with it have been vastly different. And I agree—Cat is very squeezable! 😀
Particularly the description of Cat as “chipper” made me imagine one of my friends, whose name is Cat… except she’s a woman, so then my brain got a bit confused for a second. 😉
Great excerpt, I like the differences in the dialogue, Cat being neighbourly and Micah is clearly cranky but trying to show it too much. That last line is very powerful.
LOL! When I started, I wasn’t sure what to call Cat. It’s not his real name, but there aren’t too many guy names that could have it as a nickname. So there’s kind of a story there. Maybe someday, I’ll get around to writing his story.