Books

Happy Wednesday! We’re getting ready for our annual trip to my aunt’s house for food, music, family, and friends. Our “poor” puppy will be happily spoiled by the sitter while we’re gone. I’m sure he’ll miss us, but he’ll have lots of doggy fun.

In other news, my new novella, Year of the Guilty Soul, is going to be an audiobook! I selected a narrator, and she accepted my offer. I listened to several auditions, but with her, I knew within three sentences I wanted to work with her. Also, she really liked the story, which made an impression on me. It should be out this fall.

On to this week’s snippet of Minuet. I know you were all dying to know what was in Marlie’s package, so here you go. The first sentence is from last week’s, followed by this week’s bit. I may stick with this for a while, unless someone objects to some pretty frank talk among women. I really, really wish I’d had women friends like these in my twenties, but most of this is stuff no one ever talked about.

WIPmath: 8/29/2018 = 2 + 9 = 11 plus 2 bonus = 13 paragraphs of dialog

“What’s in the package?”

“Oh, that?” Marlie settled herself on the floor. “My new vibrator.”

Amelia was glad she hadn’t yet taken a sip of water, or she’d have sprayed it all over poor Laura next to her. “I’m sorry. You said that so casually.”

“It’s not like it’s some big deal. Sheesh. I’d have thought you of all people wouldn’t be weird about it.”

“I’m not weird about it!” Amelia laughed. “I’m surprised is all. You don’t strike me as the type to be open about that kind of stuff.”

Marlie nodded. “I wouldn’t have been before the whole thing with Andre and Trevor.”

“Thought we weren’t talking about them tonight,” Nia said. “None of our men are allowed.”

“We’re not talking about them,” Amelia told her. “We’re talking about vibrators. Or something.”

“Anyway,” Marlie continued, raising her voice slightly. “It’s my first one.”

“Seriously?” Amelia gaped at her, thinking about her own collection in her bedside drawer.

Marlie shrugged. “Never needed one.” Now she blushed. “After the baby…well, it’s not the same. I’ve been having trouble feeling…inspired. I thought I’d try this.”

It made sense, though Amelia was still surprised and amused. “Don’t know what I’d do without mine.”

“Spend more time at Mack’s?” Gemma suggested. Nia shot her a glare.

“Ha, ha. No,” Amelia answered. “Sometimes I’d rather just be on my own, you know? Not have to worry about anyone else.”

Like what you read? Be sure to check out the other entries and add your own. Just post a bit of your WIP, connect it to the date, and link up with us. Many thanks to Emily Wrayburn for giving us this space. Happy reading and writing!

Happy Wednesday! Music, arts, and drama camp wrapped up last Friday night, and it went well. My kids’ physicals went fine too, and my older kid is now off at cross country practice.

With our busy schedule, I haven’t had a lot of time to write. But I did get a little time last week, and hopefully things have calmed down enough this week for me to get some words down.

This doesn’t follow on directly from last week’s, but it’s in the same chapter of Minuet. Amelia is off to a women’s night at her friend Marlie’s house. Marlie was one of the main characters in the first novel of the series. And yes, I am 100% mean for leaving you with a bit of a cliffhanger here.

WIPmath: 8/22/2018 = 2 x 2 = 4 paragraphs

Marlie was hella cool for a straight woman, and she was a connecter. She planned out these nights once a month where they were free from the men. Sometimes they went out, but other times, when the guys had plans, they went to Marlie’s so she could be home with [one-year-old] Aidan. Amelia might’ve complained, but he was an angel and usually slept through the whole thing.

By the time Amelia arrived, everyone else was there. Tonight it was Marlie, Nia, Gemma, Cassie, and Cassie’s girlfriend Laura. There were a handful of others who occasionally joined them, depending on who was free. Marlie welcomed Amelia in and took her jacket then offered her a drink.

There was a stack of unopened mail on a table next to the couch, a package balanced neatly on top. Marlie picked up the whole pile and deposited it in the dining room before putting a coaster down and disappearing into the kitchen to fetch Amelia’s water. When she returned, Amelia couldn’t resist, even knowing it was a bit rude.

“What’s in the package?”

Like what you read? Be sure to check out the other entries and add your own. Just post a bit of your WIP, connect it to the date, and link up with us. Many thanks to Emily Wrayburn for giving us this space. Happy reading and writing!

Happy Wednesday! Sneaking in a little late because I’m spending this week volunteering with a music, arts, and drama camp. The kids are cute, but it’s intense putting together even a short play in just one week of half-days.

Anyway, I haven’t had much chance to write this week. A little, but it’s slow going with all the other things happening. All three of my WIPs are continuations of series, which is unusual for me. Minuet is the last main part of Notes from Boston (which I may continue in a different format later); the as-yet-unnamed YA novella is connected to Year of the Guilty Soul; and Tree of Life is a companion novel to An Act of Devotion. Despite not writing much this week, I feel surprisingly good about all of them.

I’m posting a bit more of Minuet. I love writing in Amelia’s POV. This bit is from the first chapter in her perspective.

WIPmath: 15 sentences for the 15th.

Amelia’s boots weren’t made for walking; they were steel-toed and made for kicking someone’s ass through his teeth. She’d once trained rigorously until she was finally strong enough to take on the man who’d spent the better part of her childhood using her as boxing practice. She wasn’t sorry that she’d broken his nose when he grabbed her hair and tried to haul her around like he was used to doing. He’d threatened to call the police, but she had no fear of that happening. He wouldn’t like it if the cops discovered all the shit he’d stolen, and she had ample proof.

Her sperm donor left her alone for good after that. She didn’t know and didn’t care where he was now. She’d heard through the grapevine a few months back that he was out of jail after the accident he caused out on the Cape. Misdemeanor motor vehicle homicide, they said. Took out a pregnant woman. Amelia wasn’t worried he’d come find her, not with his license suspended for fifteen years.

Which was why, when Mack called her at the end of the summer, she’d agreed to go see Sage. She had power over him, and he damn well knew it. Even Jamie didn’t know Amelia was sitting on the truth. No one was ever again going to control her or someone she cared about.

Like what you read? Be sure to check out the other entries and add your own. Just post a bit of your WIP, connect it to the date, and link up with us. Many thanks to Emily Wrayburn for giving us this space. Happy reading and writing!