Amy R. Anguish's Blog, page 34

When Plans are Cancelled--Retreat!

This post was supposed to be about how amazing my first writers' conference was. But, COVID-19 hit and cancelled the conference. So, we're going to talk about something else.
I don't know about you, but I'm very much a "people" person. I love being out and seeing others. I'm a hugger. I'm someone who likes alone-time for only so long and then wants to be around different people. Needless to say, being told "don't go out unless you absolutely have to" is about to kill me ... and it's only been a week.
When the conference was cancelled, I got online and chatted with my author sisters who were also disappointed to have those plans changed. We knew we needed to get together soon anyway so we could record some more youtube videos, and with us trying to write a trilogy together, we needed to chat about that, too. Why not retreat for a weekend, just the three of us?
We found a little cabin on Kentucky Lake and met up for about 24 hours. The setting was beautiful, the hours were fast, and the conversation was great. I'm pretty sure I haven't laughed that much in 24 hours in a long time, and laughter is supposed to help keep you healthy. We even got some work done. Picture-proof below.
I don't recommend this for everyone, but for us, it's going to get us through the next little bit. And it helped kick-start our creative juices again so that we can move forward on some projects.
What are you doing when plans get cancelled? Have you come up with fun alternatives? How are you social distancing without going crazy? I'd love to hear about it!

Skyping to Texas

Last week, I got to have a new fun experience. A book club in Texas used my first book, An Unexpected Legacy, as their read for February. And then, they had me skype (or actually facebook messenger) in to their meeting so they could chat with me about the story and other things about my writings. It was so fun to hear their thoughts and take-aways from something invented out of my head several years ago. I am always touched when people tell me my book made them FEEL. It means I've done something right, something that makes the story and characters come alive to the reader. It was a true pleasure chatting with these ladies in a state I came to love in the eleven years we lived there. I'm pretty sure I made a roomful of new friends.
If your book club would like to have me visit, and you're too far away for me to drive, this is a really neat option. I look forward to doing this many more times. Thank you to these delightful ladies for hosting me, and who's next?

Author Interview: Jessica White

Today on my interview, I have someone I've only met online, but have gotten to know quite a bit through chats on Facebook over the last year. We're both with Mantle Rock Publishing and have worked together on a couple different things over the last few months. Jessica White has a new book coming out this month, and I know you're going to love getting to know her.

Jessica, your third book is about to release. Is this story totally different from what you've done before? Can you tell us a little about it?

Yes. My Healing Seasons Series is historical, set in 1920s’ rural America. It centers on heiress Abigail Morgan and her struggle to honor her parents’ legacy to “do what’s right no matter the cost” despite the injustices she experiences and witnesses. The ripple effects of her decisions bring her and her brother into the care of a Montana doctor who is grieving the loss of his wife and failing at raising their son on his own. God brings these characters together to heal them and the communities they serve over the four book series.
 
One drawback of my historical series is the need to read them in order. When I was encouraged to try writing a contemporary romance, I knew I wanted to write stand-alones and decided to base them on characters from Greek mythology.
 
Song in the Dark is a Hades and Persephone inspired romantic suspense. This book explores what it means to overcome our darkest struggles.
 
For harpist Jenna Fields (Persephone), it delves into growing up with a narcissistic parent whose love is conditional on her performance and how she makes her mother look. We discover the self-destructive coping mechanisms Jenna has relied on to take back control and her struggle with her predatory ex who sees someone he can manipulate.
 
It also tells the story of homicide detective Dean Blackburn (Hades) who feels tainted by death. He doesn’t see himself as a rescuer but as the one who seeks justice for the dead. He struggles to accept there is a place for light and hope in his life.
 
When he sees that Jenna’s goodness isn’t because she’s never faced the world’s ugliness, but despite it, he determines to help her break free of her mother’s gilded cage.
Those all sound great.
What first inspired you to write stories? And what gave you the idea to retell a Greek myth in a contemporary way?
 
I’ve always loved to read, and I am a non-fiction nerd who started at the beginning of the Dewey Decimal system. Greek mythology falls in the 200’s and 300’s so I delved deep into mythology when I was in high school. I was drawn to the universality of world myths—how almost every culture has a creation story, a flood story, a resurrection story, etc. I was also fascinated by how the gods and goddesses (even our own) had human qualities or were at least described with human attributes.
 
I’d just started reading the Percy Jackson series to my kids when my critique group leader challenged me to write a contemporary romance for a novella collection. Taking the Greek gods, stripping them of their deity and powers, and exploring their flaws and personalities, I created my own pantheon of characters who felt like people you could meet on the street.
 
Was it hard to take a story based on Greek gods and give it a Christian spin?

Definitely. First there was the obvious issue of who was Zeus without his thunderbolt and Hades without an Underworld to rule? But really the hardest issue was the incest, rape, and violence inherent in Greek mythology. Stripping of their deity and divorcing the Olympians of their familial ties, I laid them before the Lord in prayer and asked Him how He’d work in their lives? Could He really love them? Were they really redeemable? And as always He answered “yes, even them.” So I started writing.
 
Wow. That's a great way to look at it.
You mention that stories are like labyrinths. Can you elaborate on that a bit and give us a hint about how your newest story works in a labyrinthine way? It's such a neat concept.

I’m so glad you asked this question. So labyrinths in Christianity are paths that have no dead ends and no ways to get lost. They meander in a circuitous path to a center point. For me, timeless stories are the same. Once the reader has committed to opening the first page, they should feel the journey twist and turn. They can’t turn around and go back, but must follow it through to the end. They should feel at times like they can see the end and then be pulled away to travel into the depths of the point-of-view character’s problems, flaws, wounds, and lies. And as they explore the depths of the character, they also explore their own depths and reach some central truth. When they arrive at the end, it feels like the only place you could have ended up and yet you walk out a different person than when you opened the book.
 
You also run a group that helps writers write ten minutes every day of the year. For me, only having ten minutes to write is practically pointless, but I know a lot of people benefit from your group. How does it work? Do you find you accomplish much in such a short amount of time?

It’s not just 10 minutes a day, but to work in 10-minute increments. For those who work outside the home, stay-at-home parents, retirees who have a life full of volunteer work, sometimes the dream of being a writer doesn’t seem practical. 10 Minute Novelists makes it practical and achievable.
 
I personally have more time than that to work, but I’ve learned that too much time is just as crippling to productivity as feeling I have none. Studies show, whatever time you give yourself, your project will fill. So this blog post for example, I gave myself 20 minutes to write. I’m currently at 15:43. If I’d given myself 30, I probably would have spent more time thinking about my answers, worrying about grammar, but might not have written anything of higher quality.
 
The founder, Katharine Grubb, wrote her first book (and all the ones since) in between raising and homeschooling five kids and running the group. With a few teens off at college, now she’s expanding 10 Minute Novelists into a business to provide writers the support and tools to reach their dream in practical small increments of time, whether that’s writing, editing, querying, building platform, or self-publishing. All of it can be achieved if you take advantage of those wasted time spots in your day.
 
One more question, which I ask all my authors. Can you tell us one interesting thing about yourself that very few people know?

I’m a pretty open book, even with strangers—especially strangers. And maybe that’s something most folks don’t know about me. Despite being an introvert and needing lots of recharging time, I am fascinated by people and their stories and seek them out. I love groups like Humans of New York that give us glimpses into real stories.

I see Jesus in every person I encounter, whether or not their heart knows Him. They are His beloved, and thus my brother and sisters in Christ. And I have watched Him chase them into dark places without fail over and over again, just like sometimes He comes after me when my “I can do this” gets me trapped up on some mountainous ledge realizing “I can’t do this.”

I bring my own experiences to the table when meeting someone new and focus on finding common ground or being able to honestly say, “I can’t begin to understand how that feels because I haven’t had to face that, but I’m willing to sit here and listen and help if there is something I can do.” Because that’s what Jesus did every day of His life. He listened. He empathized. He offered help where He could when it would be received.

Thanks for joining us today, Jessica. I'm glad you gave us that twenty minutes of time. :-)
​
If you'd like to know more about Jessica or her latest book, keep reading.
Song in the Dark​

After graduating from Juilliard, harpist Jenna Fields returns home to Albany to escape her manipulative ex and prove to her controlling mother that she can orchestrate her own life.
Homicide detective Dean Blackburn spends his days seeking justice for the dead. But darkness taints everything, including him.
When his three Dobermans lead him to Jenna playing in the park, he tries to resist the beautiful musician and focus on his cases. At least until he witnesses Jenna’s ex attempt to blackmail her and learns she’s being stalked, just like one of his homicide victims.  
When her world crumbles beneath her feet, and Dean learns she has her own dark secrets, he helps Jenna see that the key to escaping her mother's gilded cage is already in her hands. Jessica is a prayer warrior who loves to encourage and create safe spaces for the hurting and lost. She’s committed to living out God’s love and standing for equality, diversity, and justice in her community and publishing.
She has a B.A. in Educational Studies and published her first book, Surviving the Stillness, in 2014. She’s a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. She also is a founding member of 10 Minute Novelists LLC, an international group of time-crunched writers.

Find the Book at Links:
Goodreads
Amazon
Bookbub
Suspense Zone
Fiction Finder

A New Excuse to Read

As if I didn't read enough already, I am helping form a book club this year. We had our first meeting last week, and I very much enjoyed it. Nothing quite like talking about books you've all read. Last month, we read Finding Dorothy by Elizabeth Letts. It's fiction, but based on the true story of L. Frank Baum's wife Maud and how everything happened to get him to the point of writing The Wizard of Oz and then later how she was involved (or at least tried to be) with the making of the movie. It was fascinating and sweet, but also sad because of the reality of the times.
We've set up our list of reads for the rest of the year, and I'm looking forward to delving into several I've read in the past as well as quite a few new to me, including a few mysteries, not usually my go-to genre.
So, why are groups like this important? Well, not only for the camaraderie and joy, but also because it gets me a little more out of my comfort zone. I might never have discovered that book if my friend hadn't recommended it for our club to read. And then to be able to discuss things about the story that bothered us or encouraged us, sometimes can bring to light little details someone else might have missed in their reading. It adds depth to the experience.
Want to know what we're planning to read the rest of the year? Here's what we've penciled in.

Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen - March 2
Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder - Joanne Fluke - April 6
Willa of the Wood - Robert Beatty - May 4
The Shack - Sam Worthington - June 1
Designer Bag at the Garbage Dump - Jackie Macgivrin - Jul 6
Of Literature and Lattes - Katherine Reay - Aug 3
The Language of Flowers - Vanessa Diffenbaugh - Sept 14 (cause 7th is Labor Day)
The Masterpiece - Francine Rivers - Oct 5
Saving Grace - Amy Anguish - Nov 2
A Redbird Christmas - Fannie Flagg - Dec 7
Anything sound good to you? Are you in a book club? I'd love to hear what you're reading, too. This is a great way to find new books we might otherwise miss! Happy reading!

Book Spotlight and Author Interview--Erin Howard

Normally, my author interviews are on here on the first Monday of every month, but we moved it one day this time because TODAY is the book launch day for my friend, Erin Howard. She's been on here a couple times now, and I'm so excited to celebrate the birth of her new book today, The Silencer. This is the third and final installment in her urban fantasy series, The Kalilah Chronicles. If you like fantasy, I highly recommend you check them out. They're all great.
Erin and I have gotten to know each other over the last few years through KenTen Writers Retreat and through the Mantle Rock Publishing group. She's become a great friend and we often trade manuscripts to edit or critique. We also launched our Once Upon a Page YouTube channel last year with our other friend, Heather Greer. I've loved getting to know this creative gal and I can't wait to share her with you.
Okay, without further ado, here's Erin.

This is the final book of your series, The Kalila Chronicles. Does it feel finished to you now?
 
In some ways, it does feel finished. I think it will feel even more real when I can place the print copy next to the others on my desk. But honestly, I love this series and story world, so much, that I would have loved to keep going.
 
The farther into the series we got, the more different groups and characters you introduced. Was it hard for you to keep up with everything and make sure all your backstories worked together?
 
Yes! The more the story world emerged and expanded, it could be difficult to keep track of everything. I had to keep detailed notes spanning the whole series, and sometimes I would have to go back and look to see what I said in The Seer or The Soul Searcher.
 
Will we see more from these characters or are you going to move on to something else now?
 
I’m working on a couple of projects at the moment. But the first one is a novella series that is in the same story world as The Kalila Chronicles. You will see some familiar societies and new characters. Maybe some familiar faces in the future. I’m also working on a dystopian romance novel with my Once Upon a Page authors.
 
What is one of the best things you've learned on this journey of publishing three books in three years?
 
Make sure you take care of yourself. For me, writing can be draining. I think it’s because I put so much of myself and my emotions into the stories. I found that I had to make time to recharge. I can be such a perfectionist and a procrastinator. Not a fun combination at deadline time. But if you’re serious about writing, make the time and write. Don’t worry about the first draft. It doesn’t have to be perfect. You can fix it in the re-write and editing stages.
 
I know some of your other interests have taken a bit of a back burner while you were working on finishing your series, but now you've reopened an online craft store. Can you tell us a bit about it and why you decided to do that?
 
Crafting has always been a part of me. They seem to go hand in hand. Crocheting, and making other crafts, re-charge my creativity for writing. I owned and operated a retail store before my youngest son was diagnosed with Leukemia. I made items every day and sold other local artisan's work. I loved every minute of it. We had to close the store while he was getting treatments, and now that the treatments are over, I’m trying to add things back into my life that I’ve missed so much for the past three years.
 
I know this is your third interview with me, and you know how I end all my interviews. Can you think of something else to tell us about yourself that very few people know about you already?

I hate going to the movies by myself. I don’t like to go out and do things alone. But I have friends who say they love it and I wanted to be able to say that I’ve at least tried it. So I went. It was horrible. I felt awkward the whole time and wanted to get up and leave so many times. Perhaps, I shouldn’t have gone to eat alone beforehand either. It was too much. LOL!
 
That's funny! I think I'd feel the same way. I like going with people so we can share looks like, "did you just see that, too?" Thanks for joining us, Erin. We can't wait to see what you come up with next!

To know more about Erin's new book or how to find her online, keep reading. The Silencer

Sam’s parents asked him to do the unthinkable:
And it cost him everything.

When Sam Hart was forced to walk away from everything and everyone he knew, The Kalila became his new home. He thought he could keep the past buried but after an unexpected visit from his brother, a family secret is revealed.

Already reeling from a murder of one of their own, an unimaginable chain of events leaves everyone questioning each other’s loyalty. Will Sam, Viktor, and Matthias be able to stop this newest threat before they lose another?
​
Available here. Erin R. Howard is a Developmental Editor, YA Urban Fantasy Author of The Kalila Chronicles, and has earned a Bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing/English from Southern New Hampshire University. When she's not writing, Erin enjoys spending time with her family, fueling her craft addictions, and teaching writing workshops. Erin is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and the KenTen Writers Group. She resides in Western Kentucky with her husband and three children.
 
Follow her on any of the sites below:
​
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Pinterest 
Newsletter
YouTube

Author Interview: Michelle de Bruin

Happy New Year. It's the first Monday of the month, so time for another author interview. This time, I'm bringing you Michelle de Bruin. She is a fellow Mantle Rock Publishing author and writes historical romance. I think you're going to enjoy this one.​

Thanks for joining us today, Michelle. What first inspired you to write?

I never thought I would ever write books. I enjoy reading, and admire people who have written, but I never expected to be one of them.
My main concern with writing is to communicate spiritual truths that portray God accurately. My own relationship with the Lord and spiritual growth inspire my writing. I have a religion degree from our local liberal arts college, so my background and inspiration for writing all tie together in my creation of real and interesting characters who are dealing with life's struggles and perplexities just like all of us are. We want to win and overcome in our own personal contexts, so hopefully when the reader sees my characters gaining victory and resolution, they will feel encouraged and maybe even see their own challenges in a new way.

That's a great goal. I know your stories include some Dutch influence. Where did the Dutch heritage come from? Tell us more.

I have a Dutch heritage. My husband has a Dutch heritage. Both of our parents and extended families have a Dutch heritage. My maiden name is "Van Zante," which is quite Dutch. My married name is "De Bruin," (pronounced Dee Bryan) which is also very Dutch. The town of Pella, where I live, was settled by Dutch immigrants in the 1840's who left Holland and settled in the Midwest in search religious freedom. This area of the state has many of those descendants still living here farming the land, working in business, pursuing careers, and raising their families.

Wow. How hard was it for you to do the research for a historical novel? Is that something you enjoy?

Not too hard. Historical research is something I enjoy, so finding accurate facts for the time period is interesting to me. I've acquired photo albums and various documents from my family on genealogy, church history, and farming practices to help me get a good start for writing historical fiction.

Nice. Will there be a third book in the series? What else are you working on for the future?

Yes, there will be a third book in the series. It will be titled "Dreaming of Tomorrow," and will release November of 2020.
I have ideas for more stories that center around the town used as the setting in the third book.

That sounds like fun. Okay. One last question. Tell us something fun about yourself that not many other people know already.

I have a personalized license plate on my car from the college I mentioned earlier, Central College in Pella, Iowa. The license plate is red, a perfect match to the Ford Focus I drive. The white letters and numbers on the license plate say 4EVER35. I put this on my license plate because I graduated with my bachelor's in religion when I was 35 years old. I commemorated that occasion with this saying on my license plate because I knew I had gone as far as I could on my own in getting my education. Any further venture into a career and ministry was up to the Lord. Of course my physical age is no longer 35, but as far as my dependence on the Lord goes in relying on his guidance and provision, I will always be 35.

That's definitely interesting! Thanks for your time today, Michelle. We look forward to seeing more about you and your books.

​If you liked what you read above, keep scrolling to see more about her story and where to find her online. Karen Millerson dreamed of teaching high school but now finds herself boarding with a farm family and teaching country school. She is engaged to marry Logan De Witt and is getting prepared to share in ministry with him. But when she gets blamed for the tragic fire at the school, Karen's future grows uncertain.

Logan De Witt is working to clear his family's name with the bank. But when he breaks his leg, hindering his ability to work the farm, Logan is faced with life-changing decisions. When his best friend can't offer the help he requested, can Logan find a way to care for his family and court Karen at the same time before his love for her destroys all of them?

Want to know more? Check it out here.
Michelle De Bruin is a spiritual services provider. She lives in Iowa with her
husband and two teenage sons. A romantic at heart, Michelle is always looking for glimpses of
God’s love through the window of a good story.

You can follow her here.

What to Expect in 2020

2019 has been a pretty good year, hasn't it? Don't get me wrong. There are few things I would have preferred to go differently, but all-in-all, this year has been full of blessings and happy times. In my writing life, my second book was released, I wrote a few others, and edited a couple more, not to mention signing another contract. Not too bad, right?
Now, we face the 20s. A whole new decade. It's exciting. A blank slate. Full of promise.
So, what can you expect from me this next year?
I'm scheduled to Skype with a book club in Texas in late February, and am pretty excited about that opportunity. I adore the thought of all those ladies reading my story together, and I love the fact that they want to include me in the discussion. If you're in a book club and would like to do something similar, reach out. I'll work you into my schedule!
Also in February, I'm participating in a multi-author giveaway, so be watching for more details on that.
In September, my third book will release. It's called Saving Grace, and I can't wait to hear how you like it. I'll be working on that through the year as my editor gets me changes to make.
I've got a manuscript I've been editing and hope to start submitting to publishers soon so we can try and get it published, too. It's called Writing to Home, and is an old-fashioned romance where they fall in love through sending letters. It's the one my Facebook fans decided sounded like the one you'd prefer to read next, so I'm trying to please!
I have plans to edit at least one more book, if not two, this year, as well as hopefully writing the other two books in my roadtrip romance series that I started last year. I love this momentum that I've been building and definitely don't want to let things slow down.
I'm sure I'll add more as the year progresses, but that's what's on the schedule for now. After all, I have to squeeze in being a wife and mom, Bible class teacher, preschool teacher, and several other things, too. ;-)
I look forward to sharing my progress as we go. What's on your agenda for 2020? Anything exciting?

A Christmas Legacy 5

Thanks for stopping by. This is day five of my Christmas gift to you this year. It's a short story based on characters from my book, An Unexpected Legacy.​ If you missed day four, you can go catch up here.
This section is just a bit longer than the others have been because I wanted to do it full justice. I hope you enjoy the end of this Christmas story.        “Well, look at that.” Chad stood at the front window early the next afternoon.
     ​Presents had been opened that morning, and Jessica hadn’t noticed anything that would have caused Chad and Aunt Ruth to have such mischievous looks about them yesterday afternoon. She’d tried to settle in and simply enjoy the day with her family, but the sense of something not quite right still hung about her shoulders and clung tight. She rubbed her upper arms as she moved to stand next to Chad and look outside.
     Gentle white flakes drifted from the sky. Already the grass was more white than brown. Her breath fogged the glass as she let out a breath of wonder. Snow on Christmas.
     “Think it will last long?” Brittney looked through the other window.
     “Probably not. This is Arkansas, after all. We almost never get a white Christmas.” Her dad peered over their shoulders.
     “Humbug to you, too, Daddy.” Jessica smiled and took in the wonder of the fluffy crystals swirling in the breeze. “It’s so beautiful.”
     “Let’s go walk in it.” Chad tugged at her hand.
     “Walk in it? It’s going to be so cold.” She resisted only for a second. After living in central Texas for several years, she yearned for weather like this every now and then. There was nothing more magical.      “Maybe we can borrow scarves and gloves from Aunt Ruth.”
     It only took ten minutes to find enough cold weather gear to satisfy Jessica. Then, out they headed into the winter wonderland. The bit of accumulation crunched under their shoes as they walked down the driveway. Chad clasped her mitten-ensconced hand and swung their arms between them. She giggled as she stuck out her tongue to try and catch a flake. Nothing like snow could bring out the inner child quite so quickly.
     Without discussing a direction, they both turned and meandered toward the park down the street. Chad dusted off one of the swings and motioned with a bow for her to sit. She lifted her legs as he gave her a gentle push, sending her flying through the swirling precipitation.
     “This year has been so different than last year.”
     “If I remember correctly, we ended up here on Christmas night last year, too, though.” Chad laughed.
     “And you gave me my necklace.” She glanced over her shoulder with a grin. “And told me you didn’t want anything from me.”
     He reached out and caught her swing to slow down her momentum. “And I still feel exactly the same way, though I do love that pocket knife you had under the tree.”
     “I’m glad you like it. It took forever to decide on the perfect gift.” She stood and snuggled into his arms.
     “Jessica?”
     “Hm?” She didn’t want to move away from his warmth.
     “I have a question for you.”
     “Okay.” She back away just enough to be able to look up into his blue eyes.
     He loosened his hold and got down on one knee.
     She gasped and swallowed hard. Everything from the weekend suddenly seemed to make more sense.
     “I’m going to need to take this off for a minute.” He tugged at the mitten she’d insisted on wearing.
She nodded.
     ​“This ring.” He held up a diamond that looked familiar, though she couldn’t remember why. “When Uncle Andy gave this ring to your aunt, he meant it as a promise of a lifetime of love. Their story didn’t get the finish they wanted. Aunt Ruth said it’s time this piece of jewelry has a happy ending. Will you let me promise to love you forever and help me give this ring the story it deserves?”
She nodded, fighting the lump in her throat. “Yes. Yes, yes, yes.”
     He slipped the cold metal on her finger and then pressed a kiss to her hand. She tugged him up, needing to be in his arms, to feel him and know this wasn’t simply some magical fantasy playing out in the unexpected winter wonderland. As his lips found hers and he swung her around with a “whoop” that was sure to be heard all the way back to Aunt Ruth’s house, she couldn’t stop the laughter that bubbled up.
     “This is why you and Aunt Ruth have been acting so sketchy since we arrived, isn’t it?” She poked him in the chest as he set her back down.
     "Aren’t you glad you didn’t walk in a minute sooner and ruin the surprise yesterday?”
     She backed up and put her hands on her hips. “Wait. When you answered my question yesterday about who I was marrying, you knew you were going to do this?”
     “I can’t wait to see you in that dress.” He wiggled his eyebrows.
     She shook her head, bent down and scooped up some of the wet snow. “Right now, I think you need to be the one wearing white.”
     He yelped as her snowball slammed into the side of his head. “Hey! This was supposed to be romantic.”
     “It was. And now I get to get back at you for making me worry the last few days.” She threw another missile.
     “Oh, this is war.” He knelt down to get his own weapons.
     “Bring it on!”
     “We want to play, too.” Brittney and Trevor came walking up. “And Mom says hurry back because she wants to see the ring on your finger.”
     “She knew, too?” Jessica threw a ball at her sister. “I’m declaring war on everyone!”
     “I think she can take it.” Brittney’s snowball caught her in the shoulder.
     They tossed the wet projectiles at each other all the way back down the street. On the porch, right before joining the others inside, Chad stopped Jessica, pulling her into his arms.
      “You know, a year ago, we shared our first kiss here.”
     “Here’s to many more.” She pressed a quick one to his lips and then slipped inside to find her parents.
     “That wasn’t nearly long enough.” Chad complained as he slipped from his jacket.
     “We’ve got a lifetime to do that.” She smiled and admired the ring once more. “But right now, I want to go rummage around in the attic and find my Grandma’s wedding dress.”
     “That’s the perfect way to have a white Christmas.” Her mom came up behind and hugged her. “Ruth is already up there. Let’s go.”
     Time to start planning her happily ever after. Fun historical note: they really did get almost a foot of snow in Arkansas back in 2012, when this is set. I giggled when I looked it up. Thanks so much for revisiting these characters with me. I did enjoy seeing what they got up to after the end of the book.
And if this has made you want to check out these characters in their original setting, you can find that story here.

A Christmas Legacy 4

Thanks for stopping by. This is day four of my Christmas gift to you this year. It's a short story based on characters from my book, An Unexpected Legacy.​ If you missed day three, you can go catch up here.      ​Where was that boy? Chad wasn’t in the living room with Dad, Brittney and Trevor. He wasn’t in the dining room. His car was still in the drive. She wandered closer to the kitchen, pausing as she heard the murmur of voices. One sounded like Aunt Ruth. Surely, he wouldn’t be in there with her.
     She pushed against the door and a flurry of movement on the other side made her flinch back once more before trying again. Aunt Ruth and Chad both stood on opposite sides of the room, slightly guilty expressions on their faces. Jessica glanced between the two of them, completely perplexed. This day continued to grow stranger the longer it went on.
     “Hey.” She leaned against the wall and crossed her arms. “What’s going on?”
     “Your aunt was just showing me something for later.” Chad’s grin looked forced.
     “Later? Like a present? Because we don’t usually open gifts until tomorrow.”
     “Did you see the forecast for tomorrow?” Aunt Ruth opened the fridge and started digging around.           “They say we might actually get a white Christmas this year.”
     That was a random subject change. Jessica studied Chad once more, but he wouldn’t meet her eyes. Something was definitely going on.
     “Snow, huh?” Jessica tapped her foot. “Do we need to run and get some salt for your porch steps and driveway?”
     “Oh, no, honey. It’s not like we’re planning to go anywhere tomorrow.” Ruth straightened, setting a ham on the counter. “We can just hunker down and enjoy the time together.”
     Jessica pursed her lips, but it looked like no one was going to ‘fess up. “Okay, then. Mom said she’ll be in from the porch in a few minutes. She was looking through old family photos.”
     “Which album?” Ruth glanced around.
     ​“The one with Grandma’s wedding photos. I didn’t realize she had such a pretty dress.”
     Ruth let loose a rare smile. “I used to dream of getting married in that dress. I think it’s still up in the attic somewhere.”
     “That’s what Mom said, too.”
     “Maybe one of you girls can use it instead. Assuming it’s still in any kind of good condition.” Ruth dug some potatoes from the cabinet.
     “I bet Jessica will look great in whatever she chooses to get married in.” Chad’s voice held all the warmth of his grin. She had forgotten he was there.
     “And just who am I supposed to be marrying?” Jessica lifted an eyebrow.
     “I guess we’ll have to wait and see.” He winked. “I’m going to go check out what your Dad and Brittney are up to. I’ll only be in the way in here.”
     Not the answer she had been expecting. Not that she knew exactly what he was supposed to say to that question. After all, they’d been dating for almost a year and a half, but only mentioned the future every now and then, and never with any surety. But wasn’t it strange for a boyfriend to not suppose himself to be the groom? Come back tomorrow for day five (the end)! And if this has made you want to check out these characters in their original setting, you can find that story here.

A Christmas Legacy 3

Thanks for stopping by. This is day three of my Christmas gift to you this year. It's a short story based on characters from my book, An Unexpected Legacy.​ If you missed day two, you can go catch up here.      “Brittney thinks Dad is being too hard on Trevor.” Jessica brought some cookies onto the sun porch where her mom was looking through a picture album.
     “Oh really?” Her mom looked up and patted the seat beside her.
     “Evidently, Dad was questioning him about everything.” Jessica grinned. “Brittney wishes they were like Chad and me.”
     “Oh man.” Her mom leaned back and shook her head. “I don’t think she knows what she’s wishing for.”
     “Right?”
     “What your dad is doing to Trevor is nothing compared to the hurdles you and Chad overcame last year.” With a sigh, her mom reached over and squeezed Jessica’s hand. “But after that, your relationship has been so strong. I’m proud of you for not only making it through that intact, but also getting to the root of the problem. We might not be here having this peaceful holiday otherwise.”
     “I’m not sure it’s truly peaceful, though.” Jessica leaned forward with her elbows on her knees. “There’s this undercurrent I keep picking up on. I thought Aunt Ruth was doing much better, but now I’m not so sure.”
     A frown creased her mom’s forehead. “Do you think it’s related to what happened last year? Or could it be something else?”
     “I honestly don’t know. Chad told me not to worry about it.”
     “He’s probably right.” Her mom looked around. “Where is he? You two are usually no farther than a stone’s throw from each other.”
     “I’m not sure, actually. I saw you out here and thought I’d bring some treats before they were all eaten, but he didn’t follow me. Maybe he got to talking to Trevor or something.” She pushed to her feet. “Enjoy your cookies.”
     “Thanks, Sweetie.” Her mom patted the old album. “I’ll be in to help get dinner started soon, but I got caught up looking at these old photos.”
     “Is that you?” Jessica leaned over to look more closely at a picture of a bride.
     “No. That’s my mom.”
     “Her dress was gorgeous.” Jessica traced the outline of the lace gown with her finger.
     “Yes. I think it might still be stored away in the attic somewhere. No telling what kind of shape it’s in after all these years.”
     “It’s so pretty. Almost exactly what I would want for my own.”
     “Well, maybe we can dig it out when it’s time to think about things like that.” Her mom squeezed her hand.
     ​“Maybe.” Jessica stood once more. “Who knows when that will be.” ​Come back tomorrow for day four! And if this has made you want to check out these characters in their original setting, you can find that story here.