WIPpet Wednesday

Happy Wednesday! Squeaking in late because it’s been a super busy, intense day. The school year schedule is definitely in full swing.

I haven’t written much in the last week. I added a bit to Minuet, but not much else. I really need to figure out a better system because I’m already getting behind on tasks.

Anyway, this snippet is still in the same chapter I’ve been posting from. Trust me, I’m working up to something. There aren’t spoilers in this section, or not directly. But there is ultimately a point to this conversation.

WIPmath: 9/12/2018 = 11 paragraphs of dialog because I used up the bonus one last week. And also it’s late and I can’t math.

“I take it you never read smut or watched porn, either,” Amelia said.

“No, I did.” Marlie blushed again. “I read a ton of fan fiction. No porn.”

“None?” Now even Nia’s eyebrows rose.

“I’ve seen it now. I don’t like it that much. I don’t know. All those skinny women with big boobs, and the noises they make!” Marlie did a fantastic impression of the breathy, high-pitched sounds, which sent a fit of giggles around the room.

“You ever try watching the gay ones?” Gemma asked.

“Oh, hell no,” Marlie replied. “I live with men who are having sex together. I don’t want to watch them, and I don’t want to watch anyone who reminds me of them. It feels…inappropriate, like I’d be intruding on something intimate for them.”

“Would it be?” Amelia asked. She and Mack had only occasionally invited in a third, but both watching and participating was intense and sexy.

Marlie shrugged. “It’s not like I’ve asked them, but they’re private people. Everything is separate. Their relationship with each other, and their relationships with Nia and me.” She swallowed visibly. “And Trevor’s relationship with Jamie.”

Amelia studied her for a moment in the quiet that followed. “You know, it wouldn’t hurt to talk to them about how you’re feeling.”

“Maybe,” Marlie agreed, her cheeks turning pink once more.

“What about you all?” Gemma turned to the others. “Straight or gay porn?”

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! I almost forgot to post this. Tomorrow is the first day of school for my kids: 8th and 10th grade. (For people unfamiliar with the US school system, my kids are 15 and 13.) Lots to do to get ready.

Meanwhile, I’m making very slow progress on my WIPs. Today, I’m actually writing a bit in Minuet. Some of the characters have been chatty lately, and Amelia’s frank and open nature is helping her friends find new dimensions to their relationships. I didn’t expect that, and I’m not sure Amelia did either!

Anyway, since everyone seemed okay with last week’s open conversation, I’ll share a bit more of it this week. I didn’t set out writing this to be “educational” or anything. It came from a conversation ages ago with some ex-religious friends who were lamenting how she wished she could’ve had these types of conversations with her friends. So I wrote women doing that because it should happen far more often.

WIPmath: 9/5/2018 = 9 paragraphs of dialog, +1 bonus because it’s the first post of the month.

They were quiet for a minute before Cassie spoke. “When was the first time you figured out masturbation?”

“Thirteen,” Gemma said. “This girl at school told me about sneaking a sex positions book her parents had so she could look at the dongs. I found out my parents had the same book.”

“I was in high school,” Laura admitted. “I didn’t get any tingly feels from boys, so I thought something was wrong. Finally figured out I was going after the wrong gender.”

“I think I was about five or six and realized I could use my Barbie’s feet.” When everyone else just stared at Amelia, she shrugged. “It’s not like I really understood it until I was a lot older.”

“We should have one of those sex toy parties,” Gemma suggested.

“Oh, God. No.” Amelia groaned. “Those are for repressed middle class white women.” She had the sense to feel embarrassed when Marlie’s face fell.

“That was me. I grew up like that. Like Laura, I thought something was wrong, but it’s because I did like getting off. I would do it and then feel so guilty, like everyone at my church youth group was going to know just by looking at me. Any time we prayed silently to confess our sins to God, that’s the one I used. I asked God to make me stop wanting to.” Marlie’s voice broke.

“Holy shit,” Amelia said. “I’m sorry.”

Laura handed Marlie a tissue. “So how did you overcome it? I eventually just had to tell my religious family to go fuck themselves. Haven’t spoken to them in years.”

Marlie wiped her eyes. “I had sex with Trevor. It was the summer we were both eighteen, and…” She trailed off, looking at Nia to see if she was going to affirm the no-menfolk rule; she didn’t. “It was a relief, actually. The world didn’t end.”

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! 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!

Happy Wednesday! I haven’t been around for a few weeks for a bunch of reasons. My job took up a ton of time last month. We usually only have 1-2 releases with my publisher, which was true in July as well. But it was an anthology, which meant promoting each author/story separately and together. Lots of work!

Aside from that, I’m really struggling to write. I have a novella that just released a couple of days ago, Year of the Guilty Soul, and I’m working on the sequel. I’m also working on Minuet. Neither project is making me happy right now, and I struggle to put words on the page every time I try. Some of it is work, some is family stress, and some…well, I don’t know. I’m just not motivated.

But I’m here today, and I’m sharing from Minuet in hopes it will spark something. I miss sharing here and reading the other WIPs. And if anyone has a suggestion for a way to get myself organized and stay the heck off social media, I’m all ears.

This is a bit of Amelia’s POV. I love writing in her voice. This gives a bit of insight into who she is, but there’s another familiar name in here too.

WIPmath: 8/1/2018 = 18 – 1 = 17 paragraphs

“How did you and Mack meet? Was it through the band?” Jomari crossed his legs underneath himself.

Amelia didn’t answer right away. She didn’t know how soon it was appropriate to tell Jomari the truth. Eventually, she settled on saying, “We went to school together.”

It didn’t fool him. “You took a pretty long time to answer that,” he remarked. “I sense there’s a story there. I mean, you don’t have to tell me, but I’m curious.”

Drawing in a deep breath, Amelia braced herself. “Our parents were—are—all alcoholics. Mine, Mack’s, and Sage’s.”

“Sage,” Jomari said slowly. “Why do I know that name?”

“Jamie’s ex.”

“Oh, him.” The muscle in his jaw twitched, but he didn’t say anything else. He didn’t need to.

“The school counselor got this brilliant idea we should all be in a group together to ‘work through our issues.’ It was technically a social skills thing, since we were all pretty isolated. We figured out the truth pretty fast. The whole point of the group was to get to us before we took the same sorry routes our parents did.”

Amelia didn’t look at Jomari, but she felt him shift. She didn’t know whether what she’d said made him uncomfortable. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to talk about it. More like she didn’t know how. Those years were a strange time in her life, full of figuring things out. She’d blamed her father—and his beatings—for a lot of things, but she wasn’t sure he deserved all of them.

“Did it work?” Jomari’s hesitant question snapped her back to the present.

“Yes and no.” Amelia sighed. “I can’t tell you about Mack because I think it’s his place to give you details. For me? I put my energy into learning how to fight back.”

“So that’s how you became a personal trainer.”

“Sort of, yeah.” She wasn’t ready to tell Jomari about breaking her father’s nose. “Anyway, this group was the three of us and two other kids. I don’t know what happened to them.”

“Funny that three of you turned out to be queer,” Jomari remarked.

“Yeah. I thought for a long time maybe my father’s minister was right and it could be caused by having shitty parents.”

“Oh?” Jomari’s eyebrows rose.

“My father…” She took a deep breath and let it out bit by bit. “He was a former boxer, and let’s just say he had a well-practiced right hook. I declared myself a lesbian until well into high school. I hated even the thought of dating guys, despite the fact that I was fascinated with dicks. Mack said he was straight, but he was trading blow jobs for homework help by the time he was fourteen. We both confessed everything to each other right before the first time we had sex.” She snorted. “Only Sage was completely open. He flaunted it because his parents were such assholes, and he wanted their attention. Even bringing his boyfriends on their precious boat didn’t make them take notice.”

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!