Fiction

School is officially back in session, and my younger child is now in public school. So far, after one day, she loves it. She already has some new friends. After telling me I wasn’t allowed to ask her about her day the minute I saw her, she decided to tell me about her day before I could say a word. Seventh grade is off to a good start for my older child, and it looks like it’s going to be a good year. Meanwhile, I started my first days without the kids by celebrating with a nasty sore throat and a head cold. Fun times!

On to this week’s WIPpet. When last seen, Adam was having a one-time fling with his coworker, a fellow graduate assistant in his department. They’re not romantically involved, so the fact that Adam’s mind is on someone else isn’t worrisome to her in the least. She’ll show up later, but I’m trying to keep her from being the annoying and meddlesome friend—I can’t stand that trope (usually).

WIPmath: 9 + 9 = 18 + the 5 from 2015 = 23 sentences.

Rising from the bed, Adam looked down at his not-quite-aroused state and really did groan. Regardless of how hot Mr. Health Center was or how good a night he’d ensured with his ridiculous condom assortment, that man had no business whatsoever haunting Adam’s dreams. He was not allowed in any way, shape, or form to reduce Adam to a bumbling mess of incoherent words. Adam was going to have to go right back there the minute the health center opened to return the unused condoms and demand normal ones instead, just in case his next date wasn’t as cool as Renee. It had absolutely nothing to do with needing a better look at the fine specimen of manhood stationed at the desk. Nope.

Adam dragged on a pair of sweats and padded out to the kitchen, where he said a proper good morning to Renee with a kiss on her temple. She grinned and handed him a mug of coffee.

“Up and at ‘em,” she said. She kissed him quickly on the lips. “I had a great time last night. Nice way to unwind from work. See you around the department?”

“Sure,” he said. “Maybe we can do this again sometime.”

Renee smiled. “That would be fun. We didn’t get to try out the political-themed condoms, after all.”

She winked then took off, and Adam leaned against the counter, blowing on his coffee. He sighed. The health center opened in an hour, which gave him plenty of time to gather what he needed and walk over. He hoped there was someone else working the shift so he wouldn’t have to deal with…oh, who was he kidding? He prayed to whatever Sex Gods existed that the hottest man he’d ever seen would be there, followed by an equally fervent prayer he wouldn’t screw it up with his lack of adequate communication skills.

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 K. L. Schwengel for giving us this space. Happy reading and writing!

Well, I’m back this week, though I’ll be taking next week off for an out-of-town vacation. I’m sorry I missed last week, but things have been such a mess this summer. I’d already had two weeks when I didn’t get to everyone’s WIPpets, and I figured it was better not to post. I always miss it when I’m away.

So much is going on in my writing world. I just signed a contract on a novella for an open call, and I have an official editor to whip it into shape for publication. I just sent a longish short story out to another publisher for their open call; hopefully I’ll hear back by my birthday on that one. I’m nearly done with edits on Anthem, which is good. Gotta get that off to my publisher. Meanwhile, I need to finish An Act of Devotion (current WIP) and edit it. Sadly, edits on the story about my favorite redhead will have to wait until all of that is done. I miss him, but we’ll get to spend some quality time together during launch month—Passing on Faith will be out in November.

On to my WIPpet. Last time, I posted about Adam being obnoxious to the man in the student health center. This is the result of his behavior. Warning: At least one or two people might find themselves blushing. Nothing explicit, but things are implied, and there is more liberal mention of condoms. Also, keep in mind this is Adam’s POV—the last sentence is up for debate whether it’s true or he just wants to think it’s true.

WIPmath: 8/2015 = 15 – 8 = 7 + 2 = 9 sentences.

In the morning, Adam stretched, his arm brushing against the hair half-hidden under the blanket. Renee had stayed the night, which had turned out to be fun for both of them. At first, Adam had been a little annoyed—the man in the health center had clearly wanted to mess with his head. He’d given Adam an assortment of condoms ranging from glow-in-the-dark to neon colors to decorated varieties. Adam had worried how Renee would take it. Other than the one marked with a ruler, he didn’t mind, but it wasn’t like they’d had a big conversation about weird condoms before making out on his couch. She’d been a good sport, though, especially with the glow version. Those hadn’t been as interesting as they sounded; they were a bit too thick. However, Renee had seemed to like watching him strut around in the dark, on display for her.

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 K. L. Schwengel for opening the wardrobe door for us. Happy reading and writing!

Well, it’s been interesting around my house. My spouse turned out to have pneumonia, not bronchitis. Meanwhile, we had a double birthday party for the kids and a visitor from out of town. Needless to say, it’s been a wild week here. I think we’re finally back on track, though. At least, I hope so!

On the good news front, we found out our younger child will be in an inclusive education classroom. This is the best possible placement for her. She doesn’t need a self-contained special education classroom, but her learning needs make it an ideal environment for her. I think this is an indication of a great year to come.

Now for my WIPpet. If you’ll recall, I started posting a new story last week, and I’m sharing from the first chapter. This week’s post is immediately following last week’s entry. I’ll save the follow-up to this conversation for next week. This exchange is going to come back to haunt Adam. Let’s just say it’s unwise to be a jerk to someone you want something from.

WIPmath: 8/12 = 8 + 1 + 2 = 11 paragraphs.

Content warning: Some swears, a bit of rude humor, and liberal reference to condoms. Nothing explicit; it’s only a conversation.

Adam returned his attention to the counter, but he stood rooted to the spot, momentarily having forgotten why he was there in the first place. The low throat-clearing startled him, and he shifted his gaze from Sexy’s torso to his face. The man’s lips twitched, but he didn’t smile.

“May I help you?” he asked.

“Uh…” Adam mentally slapped himself. He was not one to lose his words over anyone, no matter how attractive. Time to take control back. He stepped up to the counter. “Yeah. I need a couple of things.” He lowered his voice and put on what he hoped was his sexiest expression. “I came in to get condoms.”

Once again, amusement flashed on the other man’s face. “No problem. You can leave a donation here.” He shoved a jar forward on the counter.

Adam almost laughed at the pink paper label taped to the front. It read, Condoms—Tip Jar. Still feeling off-kilter, he snipped, “They’re not free?”

“They are. We’re asking for donations because we offer a lot of of free stuff here, and it helps offset the cost when people give a little.” He looked Adam up and down. “I’m guessing you’re non-traditional or a graduate student, so maybe you can spare some change.”

Adam sneered, but he reached into his pocket for his wallet. He withdrew a dollar and stuck it in the jar then held out his hand. The other man reached under the counter and came back up with one condom, which he slapped into Adam’s palm.

“You have got to be kidding me. You want me to pay a dollar per condom? I’m going to need more than one,” Adam huffed. “For less than that price, I could buy them at the drug store.”

The man laughed. “I’m messing with you. You’re being a huge dick about making a small donation to the health center, so payback is fair.” He snorted. “Although, look who thinks he’s such a stud. If you need that many, why not buy them at the store?”

“Because I live in student housing, and this is more convenient. If you must know, yes, I have an important date.”

“I’m sure.” The man’s smile was condescending. “Fine.” He reached under the counter again and came up with a handful of condoms. “Enjoy them, with my blessing.”

Like what you read? You should see the other entries. Read, add and share if you want. Thanks to K. L. Schwengel for making space for us. Happy reading and writing!

I can’t believe how fast the summer is going! It’s been busier (for me) than I expected. The rest of the family has a lighter schedule, but I’m actually in crunch mode. I have an editing job I have to finish and several other projects going, so I’m spending a lot of time working. Unfortunately, my spouse ended up really sick with bronchitis, so I’m a bit behind where I had hoped to be. But getting him healthy again and keeping the household running meanwhile is far more of a priority.

Anyway, enough of that. On to the fun stuff. One of the cool parts of being an author is sharing space with my fabulous colleagues. Occasionally, that means working with another author’s characters. In this case, Adrian Smith has been kind enough to lend me one of hers. She introduced the delightfully immature, occasionally obnoxious, and totally loveable Adam Lansing in her novel Memoir in the Making (which you all need to read as soon as possible). He’s the best friend of one of the main characters. When she asked me to write Adam’s story, I jumped at the chance to reform him into a more mature version of himself. Not that he starts out that way; that wouldn’t be any fun. It’s a process.

Believe it or not, I already have a cover, even though the story isn’t finished. I’m not doing a big reveal, so I’ll share it here for you to enjoy. I was thrilled; it captures exactly what I want it to. I’ve thrown Adam into a situation where he has to work with my very uptight (but incredibly good-looking) activist, AJ Mancuso (the last story I wrote about him was a YA short). When they meet, AJ is caught up in solving everyone’s problems but his own. Looks like Adam’s not the only one in need of a little reforming.

Today’s WIPpet comes from the first paragraphs of the first chapter of the novel. Since it’s also the first Wednesday of the month, I’m posting this without any fancy math. In this brief passage, you get to meet both Adam and the man who captures his heart.

Adam Lansing sauntered into the campus health center. A new year, a new school, a new job—he’d been there less than a week, and the feeling of good things to come hadn’t left him yet. He’d already managed to secure a date with the other graduate assistant in his department, necessitating the trip to the health center. Not that he always expected a date to end the same way—all right, maybe he usually did—but odds were better than fifty-fifty a good time would be had by all. He didn’t want to be caught out unprepared.

Inside the one-floor building, there were half a dozen other students. Two of them were going through boxes; they looked like undergraduates on work study. Two were sitting in chairs in the waiting area, probably to see the nurse practitioner in the back offices. One was flipping through brochures in the rack on the wall, and the last one was behind the desk. When Adam saw him, his jaw nearly hit the floor.

The man—because this was absolutely not one of the gangly, barely-adult boys in abundance on campus—was gorgeous. No, not merely gorgeous. God-like in his stunning beauty. He was practically a work of art. His skin was bronze, and he had a mass of thick, almost black hair that lay in heavy waves. Under long lashes, his dark eyes shone, and his lips were full and pink. He wasn’t quite clean-shaven, and the light, purposeful stubble oozed attractive masculinity. Even seeing only his upper body, it was obvious he was muscular and toned in a way Adam barely aspired to.

Like what you read? Be sure to visit the other entries and leave some love. Many thanks to K. L. Schwengel for creating this space for us. Happy reading and writing!