Jamie DeBree's Blog, page 14
January 1, 2014
2014 - Life Intentionally Askew
Balance being unattainable, stop striving for it, and instead work with personal growth & fulfillment in mind.
Happy New Year! And so it begins...
I'm not normally one for "life mottoes" (mottos? whatever - you know what I mean), but this year, I'm adopting one: "Life Intentionally Askew". After years of chasing that illusive thing called "balance", I had an epiphany while I was writing up this year's resolutions.
Balance is unattainable. Something is always going to take priority over something else, whether that be work, or play, or hobbies, or certain people...there is no way to achieve perfect balance, and striving for it is a futile exercise. Instead, it's a better use of time and resources to work simply toward personal fulfillment, no matter what I'm doing or where I'm at.
So with that in mind, here are the resolutions I'm making this year. Balance is not the goal...the goal is personal fulfillment and the enjoyment of life as it is *now*, rather than as I envision it could be in the future.
Personal
- Spend at least a few nights a week/weekend cultivating hobbies
- Make the house/yard/gardens a priority this year...get everything looking and functioning well
- Clean all personal stuff out of the storage unit (toss, use or sell) by August 2014
- Get at least three crowns done for teeth (I need six).
- Be active. Yoga in the mornings, something at night, work with the hands, get up and move.- Respond to blog comments (also business, but mostly personal)- Drink alcohol moderately. I currently rarely drink, but there are quite a few studies out there showing positive health effects (including lessening risks of things like Alzheimer's & strokes) for people who drink in moderation (we're talking very little alcohol per day for the average woman...like half a shot glass or so). So...vodka in cider? Schnapps in cocoa? Rum-soaked raisins? Bring it on! I'm all for being more healthy. (Incidentally, those same studies show decreased brain function in people who drink more than just a little bit daily, so don't go telling people I'm advocating getting plastered every night, K? Use alcohol at your own risk...). - Donate more to local charities, in terms of money and needed items.
- Get out of the house every six weeks or so. Go to the zoo, see a show/play, visit the art museum...something to expand our horizons and be a part of the community.
Writing
- Work on structuring stories to different lengths (novels, novellas, novelettes, shorts)
- Establish a "sweet" romance line under my main name- Publish at least one dystopian work in progress under a pen name- Expand the horror name into more mainstream thrillers- Work on more complex plotting techniques- Learn how to effectively use sub-plots, especially within series work
Publishing/Business
- Develop an efficient book launch plan, and use it- Once a week relevant blog posts for alter-ego blogs- Simplify the BSB site/store down to a single site/format, with a simple ordering system & links to all online etailers (maybe keep the store & blog, get rid of the site?)
- Add sales links & free books to all relevant author sites
- Expand distribution
- Expand audiobook catalog- Get and keep bookkeeping up to date
- Update old covers and blurbs- Weekly book excerpts on social media sites- Make and sell hobby items for book lovers in the BSB store to generate more traffic.
Yes, I'll still be posting serial draft stories, against the advice of pretty much every other writer out there, professional and amateur. Because it's just...what I do, and it makes me happy to make readers happy. And it also reminds me that I write because I love it, not just for money. But I'll be more careful this year not to overbook myself (pun not intended, but cool how that worked out...) as far as drafts go, so that the whole thing is less stressful. And I'll probably be writing some things "behind the scenes" as well, that faithful serial readers will have first dibs on before they're released to the public.
There are a few more blog-related changes (positive changes, methinks) I'll be making this year, but I'll save those for next Monday's post.
It's going to be a great year, and if you're along for the ride, I'm very happy to have you.
Happy New Year! And so it begins...
I'm not normally one for "life mottoes" (mottos? whatever - you know what I mean), but this year, I'm adopting one: "Life Intentionally Askew". After years of chasing that illusive thing called "balance", I had an epiphany while I was writing up this year's resolutions.
Balance is unattainable. Something is always going to take priority over something else, whether that be work, or play, or hobbies, or certain people...there is no way to achieve perfect balance, and striving for it is a futile exercise. Instead, it's a better use of time and resources to work simply toward personal fulfillment, no matter what I'm doing or where I'm at.
So with that in mind, here are the resolutions I'm making this year. Balance is not the goal...the goal is personal fulfillment and the enjoyment of life as it is *now*, rather than as I envision it could be in the future.
Personal
- Spend at least a few nights a week/weekend cultivating hobbies
- Make the house/yard/gardens a priority this year...get everything looking and functioning well
- Clean all personal stuff out of the storage unit (toss, use or sell) by August 2014
- Get at least three crowns done for teeth (I need six).
- Be active. Yoga in the mornings, something at night, work with the hands, get up and move.- Respond to blog comments (also business, but mostly personal)- Drink alcohol moderately. I currently rarely drink, but there are quite a few studies out there showing positive health effects (including lessening risks of things like Alzheimer's & strokes) for people who drink in moderation (we're talking very little alcohol per day for the average woman...like half a shot glass or so). So...vodka in cider? Schnapps in cocoa? Rum-soaked raisins? Bring it on! I'm all for being more healthy. (Incidentally, those same studies show decreased brain function in people who drink more than just a little bit daily, so don't go telling people I'm advocating getting plastered every night, K? Use alcohol at your own risk...). - Donate more to local charities, in terms of money and needed items.
- Get out of the house every six weeks or so. Go to the zoo, see a show/play, visit the art museum...something to expand our horizons and be a part of the community.
Writing
- Work on structuring stories to different lengths (novels, novellas, novelettes, shorts)
- Establish a "sweet" romance line under my main name- Publish at least one dystopian work in progress under a pen name- Expand the horror name into more mainstream thrillers- Work on more complex plotting techniques- Learn how to effectively use sub-plots, especially within series work
Publishing/Business
- Develop an efficient book launch plan, and use it- Once a week relevant blog posts for alter-ego blogs- Simplify the BSB site/store down to a single site/format, with a simple ordering system & links to all online etailers (maybe keep the store & blog, get rid of the site?)
- Add sales links & free books to all relevant author sites
- Expand distribution
- Expand audiobook catalog- Get and keep bookkeeping up to date
- Update old covers and blurbs- Weekly book excerpts on social media sites- Make and sell hobby items for book lovers in the BSB store to generate more traffic.
Yes, I'll still be posting serial draft stories, against the advice of pretty much every other writer out there, professional and amateur. Because it's just...what I do, and it makes me happy to make readers happy. And it also reminds me that I write because I love it, not just for money. But I'll be more careful this year not to overbook myself (pun not intended, but cool how that worked out...) as far as drafts go, so that the whole thing is less stressful. And I'll probably be writing some things "behind the scenes" as well, that faithful serial readers will have first dibs on before they're released to the public.
There are a few more blog-related changes (positive changes, methinks) I'll be making this year, but I'll save those for next Monday's post.
It's going to be a great year, and if you're along for the ride, I'm very happy to have you.
**Please
note - If this is your first time posting, your comment
will be moderated. Once you have been approved, future comments will post automatically.
December 31, 2013
2013 Year in Review
Alrighty then. Despite my grumpy/contrarian post yesterday (I'm
feeling much better today, thanks), it's my nature to end the year with a
review, and start the new one with a fresh list of goals. This review
certainly shouldn't make anyone feel "less than", due to the sheer
number of things I didn't hit the mark on last year.
We'll talk
about goal/achievement comparison and why it's unhealthy tomorrow, K?
So...here's
my list of resolutions from last year. I'll just go down the list and
strike through those that were completed, and give a quick commentary on
the ones that weren't. Ready? Here we go:
Writing- Serialize only published or waiting-to-be-published workTotal fail. Tried it, missed it, went back to it. We'll revisit this tomorrow.
- Minimum of 1k words per day, 5 days per weekI have no idea - I don't keep track of word count, only scenes finished. So fail, and unnecessary.
- Writing time 11pm - 12am Mon/Tues/Thurs/Fri, & while the dog food "incubates" on WedsYeah...no.
This past year I decided to write in shorter snippets on my breaks at
work, and then a longer session right after work, which is better
because that's my optimal "awake/alert" time.
- Publish at least one story every monthAnother
fail...because I still haven't mastered the art of tailoring my stories
to specific lengths, and I also have focus issues. Another one to be
revisited, though perhaps not in this exact form.
- Write one short story/novelette per month along with other drafts.See
above - I have plotting issues (namely, I'm a pantser, though I know I
can still learn better structuring techniques to make stories fit).
Business- Get accounting in order and maintain monthly bookkeeping scheduleI did this for about 6 months, and then bombed again. *sigh* Guess what's going back on the list?
- No Anthologies- Cut blogging back for all blogs (schedule out serials/excerpts so content is largely automated)- Once monthly BSB newsletter, newsletters for author names on new releases only.- Light promo, review copies, site updates, formatting & cover art evenings while watching TV.
Personal- Make time on the weekends for hobbies- Keep up with housework weekly- Continue morning yoga workouts- Workout at least 3x nightly per week - focus on strength & toningFail on this...but still managed to lose weight and stay healthy, so not as big a deal as it could be.
- Reorganize morning routine for better efficiency- Archive tea & nail blogs
So,
out of 16 resolutions for last year, I completed 9...which is actually
better than I thought I did. Go me! Normally my goal lists (daily,
weekly or yearly) end up about half or less complete, so that's not bad.
You'll
note that many of the resolutions I missed the mark on were writing
goals...and a lot of that is because I'm just not experienced enough as a
writer to tailor stories for specific lengths yet. And honestly, in
this day and age there's no real reason I have to be, since a story can
be whatever length it needs to be and doesn't have to conform to any
specific word count (though longer stories do sell better, and I think
it would be good, creatively speaking to have that kind of control over
the craft).
I
also side-tracked myself in a couple different ways last year - one was
taking on an impromptu project that ended up being far more
time-intensive than I thought it would, and the other was going back to
the serial drafts, rather than forcing myself to learn a new, possibly
more efficient way of writing (or learning how to split the difference,
anyways).
And of course there's
that whole bookkeeping fiasco I just can't seem to get a handle on. But I
need to, and I will. Somehow, someway. It simply has to happen.
Overall
though, it was a good, productive year - I published 12 new titles of
varying lengths under my three names, and released several audiobooks as
well (with two more in production). I also picked up my crochet hobby
again, learned how to knit, and rediscovered the joy of getting away
from the screen in the evenings/on weekends and doing something with my
hands. Yes, sales were down this year, and that might have been because I
was less visible online, but it could have been a zillion other things
as well. No way to know, and no sense worrying about it now.
Tomorrow,
the 2014 list, a discussion on comparisons, and some links that I think
you'll find interesting and/or helpful as you go about setting up your
own goals for the new year.
In the meantime, feel free to share how your 2013 went...I'd love to hear about it!
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
feeling much better today, thanks), it's my nature to end the year with a
review, and start the new one with a fresh list of goals. This review
certainly shouldn't make anyone feel "less than", due to the sheer
number of things I didn't hit the mark on last year.
We'll talk about goal/achievement comparison and why it's unhealthy tomorrow, K?
So...here's
my list of resolutions from last year. I'll just go down the list and
strike through those that were completed, and give a quick commentary on
the ones that weren't. Ready? Here we go:
Writing- Serialize only published or waiting-to-be-published workTotal fail. Tried it, missed it, went back to it. We'll revisit this tomorrow.
- Minimum of 1k words per day, 5 days per weekI have no idea - I don't keep track of word count, only scenes finished. So fail, and unnecessary.
- Writing time 11pm - 12am Mon/Tues/Thurs/Fri, & while the dog food "incubates" on WedsYeah...no.
This past year I decided to write in shorter snippets on my breaks at
work, and then a longer session right after work, which is better
because that's my optimal "awake/alert" time.
- Publish at least one story every monthAnother
fail...because I still haven't mastered the art of tailoring my stories
to specific lengths, and I also have focus issues. Another one to be
revisited, though perhaps not in this exact form.
- Write one short story/novelette per month along with other drafts.See
above - I have plotting issues (namely, I'm a pantser, though I know I
can still learn better structuring techniques to make stories fit).
Business- Get accounting in order and maintain monthly bookkeeping scheduleI did this for about 6 months, and then bombed again. *sigh* Guess what's going back on the list?
- No Anthologies- Cut blogging back for all blogs (schedule out serials/excerpts so content is largely automated)- Once monthly BSB newsletter, newsletters for author names on new releases only.- Light promo, review copies, site updates, formatting & cover art evenings while watching TV.
Personal- Make time on the weekends for hobbies- Keep up with housework weekly- Continue morning yoga workouts- Workout at least 3x nightly per week - focus on strength & toningFail on this...but still managed to lose weight and stay healthy, so not as big a deal as it could be.
- Reorganize morning routine for better efficiency- Archive tea & nail blogs
So,
out of 16 resolutions for last year, I completed 9...which is actually
better than I thought I did. Go me! Normally my goal lists (daily,
weekly or yearly) end up about half or less complete, so that's not bad.
You'll
note that many of the resolutions I missed the mark on were writing
goals...and a lot of that is because I'm just not experienced enough as a
writer to tailor stories for specific lengths yet. And honestly, in
this day and age there's no real reason I have to be, since a story can
be whatever length it needs to be and doesn't have to conform to any
specific word count (though longer stories do sell better, and I think
it would be good, creatively speaking to have that kind of control over
the craft).
I
also side-tracked myself in a couple different ways last year - one was
taking on an impromptu project that ended up being far more
time-intensive than I thought it would, and the other was going back to
the serial drafts, rather than forcing myself to learn a new, possibly
more efficient way of writing (or learning how to split the difference,
anyways).
And of course there's
that whole bookkeeping fiasco I just can't seem to get a handle on. But I
need to, and I will. Somehow, someway. It simply has to happen.
Overall
though, it was a good, productive year - I published 12 new titles of
varying lengths under my three names, and released several audiobooks as
well (with two more in production). I also picked up my crochet hobby
again, learned how to knit, and rediscovered the joy of getting away
from the screen in the evenings/on weekends and doing something with my
hands. Yes, sales were down this year, and that might have been because I
was less visible online, but it could have been a zillion other things
as well. No way to know, and no sense worrying about it now.
Tomorrow,
the 2014 list, a discussion on comparisons, and some links that I think
you'll find interesting and/or helpful as you go about setting up your
own goals for the new year.
In the meantime, feel free to share how your 2013 went...I'd love to hear about it!
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
Romantic Suspense
| Erotic Romance | Contemporary Romance |
Horror | Flash Fiction | Non-Fiction
**Please
note - If this is your first time posting, your comment
will be moderated. Once you have been approved, future comments will post automatically.
December 30, 2013
On Long Days, Plugged Sinuses and Whiny Blog Posts...
How's *that* for a title on this, the last Monday of the old year?
Things
you may be wondering (or not, if you don't hang on every word I say and
anxiously watch whatever I do, which is probably safe to assume):
Q) Why wasn't your blog post up this morning, like normal?
A)
Because I couldn't focus late last night to write it, and my workday
was...well...Monday, so I skipped my breaks to get stuff done and read
at lunch like I usually do. If it makes you feel better, I didn't get
any fiction written either. Dang it.
Q) What's up with the plugged sinuses?
A)
Allergies is my best bet. Or the weather. Or both. Probably allergies.
We (and when I say "we", I mean "hubby") vacuumed yesterday for the
first time in three weeks, so a lot of dog hair and dust flying around.
Q)
What's up with the whole whining thing? You survived the day, no one
noticed the lack of blog post, and a new year starts in just over 24
hours!
A) I'm human. I
whine. More often than you might think, actually - just ask Carol.
Normally I try to spare blog readers my whiny-side, but today, my
filters are tired and you get...well, this. You're welcome.
Q) Are you going to post your goals for this week?
A)
No, because someone called me an over-achiever on FB last week, and I'm
contemplating not sharing my weekly goals anymore so people stop
comparing themselves to me and coming up short. It's either that, or
balance it out with a list of all the stuff I didn't get done the week
before so folks realize I'm really very lazy and unmotivated a lot of
the time...I haven't decided yet. But no goal list for this week. Sorry.
Q) So are you making resolutions this year? Are you going to post *those*?
A)
Yes, of course I'm making resolutions. It's what us over-achievers do,
after all. I'm still debating whether to share them or not. We'll see.
Q) You really are whiny today, aren't you?
A) Yes. And it's driving *me* nuts, so I knew you'd want me to share the nuttiness with you. Because sharing is caring.
Q)
You should probably just go do something else now. Like make dinner, or
play with yarn. But don't strangle anyone. That would be bad. Bail is
expensive.
A) Was there a question in there?
Yeah.
So tonight, dinner, crochet, TV, and sleep, if my husband doesn't
strangle me for being grumpy. With any luck, I'll have shaken off this
funk by tomorrow, and be in far better spirits to start the new year...
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
Things
you may be wondering (or not, if you don't hang on every word I say and
anxiously watch whatever I do, which is probably safe to assume):
Q) Why wasn't your blog post up this morning, like normal?
A)
Because I couldn't focus late last night to write it, and my workday
was...well...Monday, so I skipped my breaks to get stuff done and read
at lunch like I usually do. If it makes you feel better, I didn't get
any fiction written either. Dang it.
Q) What's up with the plugged sinuses?
A)
Allergies is my best bet. Or the weather. Or both. Probably allergies.
We (and when I say "we", I mean "hubby") vacuumed yesterday for the
first time in three weeks, so a lot of dog hair and dust flying around.
Q)
What's up with the whole whining thing? You survived the day, no one
noticed the lack of blog post, and a new year starts in just over 24
hours!
A) I'm human. I
whine. More often than you might think, actually - just ask Carol.
Normally I try to spare blog readers my whiny-side, but today, my
filters are tired and you get...well, this. You're welcome.
Q) Are you going to post your goals for this week?
A)
No, because someone called me an over-achiever on FB last week, and I'm
contemplating not sharing my weekly goals anymore so people stop
comparing themselves to me and coming up short. It's either that, or
balance it out with a list of all the stuff I didn't get done the week
before so folks realize I'm really very lazy and unmotivated a lot of
the time...I haven't decided yet. But no goal list for this week. Sorry.
Q) So are you making resolutions this year? Are you going to post *those*?
A)
Yes, of course I'm making resolutions. It's what us over-achievers do,
after all. I'm still debating whether to share them or not. We'll see.
Q) You really are whiny today, aren't you?
A) Yes. And it's driving *me* nuts, so I knew you'd want me to share the nuttiness with you. Because sharing is caring.
Q)
You should probably just go do something else now. Like make dinner, or
play with yarn. But don't strangle anyone. That would be bad. Bail is
expensive.
A) Was there a question in there?
Yeah.
So tonight, dinner, crochet, TV, and sleep, if my husband doesn't
strangle me for being grumpy. With any luck, I'll have shaken off this
funk by tomorrow, and be in far better spirits to start the new year...
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
Romantic Suspense
| Erotic Romance | Contemporary Romance |
Horror | Flash Fiction | Non-Fiction
**Please
note - If this is your first time posting, your comment
will be moderated. Once you have been approved, future comments will post automatically.
December 27, 2013
Serial Story: Jasmine Betrayal, Part 21
This story is presented weekly in draft (that means unedited)
format every Friday right here on the blog for free. When the story is
done, it will be edited, polished and available for sale at all your
favorite online retailers.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 |
Jasmine Betrayal
Part 21
“Yeah.” The man who answered Genevieve’s call sounded vaguely familiar, which was good, she supposed.
“I have the diamonds,” she said without preamble. “Meet me at the diner in three hours, and they’re yours.”
The man chuckled. “No need, sweetheart. I have a man there now. Just give him the goods and we can all just forget this ever happened.”
“Your guy is down,” she said, hoping it was still the truth. “And he’s too low on the food chain. Since Jenkins is dead you’re up, and I’ll only hand them over to you. Either show up in three hours, or I’m calling the authorities and putting the whole mess on them. Your choice.”
She hung up before he could say anything else, her heart beating fast as she looked out the window toward the back of the diner. Shadows moved inside the window, but she couldn’t tell how many there were, or if Max was one. When he finally came out the back door and jogged to the trailer, she breathed a sigh of relief.
“Did you make the call?” he asked as he entered the trailer again. She nodded, handing him the phone.
“Was the guy still out?”
Max shrugged. “He was conscious, but cold. Now he’s just cold.” He dialed a number and waited. Genevieve could hear the ring tone at the other end of the line until finally it cut off.
Rattling off a string of letters and numbers into the phone, Max waited again, and then repeated the sequence. Another minute on hold, and Genvieve finally heard the sound of a human voice come on the line.
“Three hours. Pete’s Diner out on the frontage road. Westlake - that’s right. Thank you.”
He disconnected the call, nodding at Genevieve. “It’s done. They’ll be here, if they can. And as soon as we hand over those diamonds, Jenkins’ men will be taken into custody. Now we just wait.”
Genevieve sat down on the couch, weariness seeping through her bones.
“If this works, it will all be over, right? All those men will go to jail, and I’ll finally be out of danger.”
“Yep.” Max sat down beside her, close enough for her to feel his body heat. “You should even be able to keep the diner, if you still want it.”
She shook her head, relaxing back into the old hard cushions. “There’s no point in staying here now. Everything about it is tainted, and I’d always be looking over my shoulder, wondering what would happen next. I think it’s time to start over somewhere else. Maybe I’ll move into Little Rock, get an office job or something.”
“What did you do before the diner?”
She shrugged. “Odd jobs, mostly. I graduated with a degree in business, but it’s surprising how truly useless that is without the experience to go with it. I’d been trying to find something when Dad died and left me the diner, so...”
Max took her hand, laced his fingers with hers. Could he feel the quick beat of her pulse where he touched her wrist?
“Maybe you could start a shop of your own. A little cafe, or a tourist shop of some sort.”
She smiled. “I have always wanted to open a tea shop, actually. I’ll have to wait and see what kind of capital I can come up with from selling the diner. Maybe I’ll even relocate. Somewhere boring, like Kansas or Oklahoma.”
He laughed, squeezing her hand. “Somehow I don’t think boring suits you. But if you want to move north, I might have a few suggestions...”
Tires crunched on the gravel outside, and Genevieve looked at Max.
“It’s way too early--”
He held one finger to his lips as a car door slammed, and then another. Going to the window, he peeked out around the blinds, replacing them quietly as he went back to her and reached out a hand.
Taking it, Genevieve let him pull her up and into a close embrace, his lips against her ear.
“It’s a couple I don’t recognize - elderly, probably harmless. Stay here and keep quiet - I’ll get rid of them.”
She nodded, his heady male scent infusing her senses and making it hard to focus. When he turned to go and his words finally registered in her brain, she reached out to stop him.
“Wait,” she said, grabbing his arm. “I probably know them, if they’re regulars. Let me go.”
He shook his head. “No way - it’s too dangerous. I wouldn’t put it past either Jenkins’ men or the FBI to have snipers moving in for cover. Stay here.”
Two shots rang out just as Max reached for the door.
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
format every Friday right here on the blog for free. When the story is
done, it will be edited, polished and available for sale at all your
favorite online retailers.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 |
Jasmine Betrayal
Part 21
“Yeah.” The man who answered Genevieve’s call sounded vaguely familiar, which was good, she supposed.
“I have the diamonds,” she said without preamble. “Meet me at the diner in three hours, and they’re yours.”
The man chuckled. “No need, sweetheart. I have a man there now. Just give him the goods and we can all just forget this ever happened.”
“Your guy is down,” she said, hoping it was still the truth. “And he’s too low on the food chain. Since Jenkins is dead you’re up, and I’ll only hand them over to you. Either show up in three hours, or I’m calling the authorities and putting the whole mess on them. Your choice.”
She hung up before he could say anything else, her heart beating fast as she looked out the window toward the back of the diner. Shadows moved inside the window, but she couldn’t tell how many there were, or if Max was one. When he finally came out the back door and jogged to the trailer, she breathed a sigh of relief.
“Did you make the call?” he asked as he entered the trailer again. She nodded, handing him the phone.
“Was the guy still out?”
Max shrugged. “He was conscious, but cold. Now he’s just cold.” He dialed a number and waited. Genevieve could hear the ring tone at the other end of the line until finally it cut off.
Rattling off a string of letters and numbers into the phone, Max waited again, and then repeated the sequence. Another minute on hold, and Genvieve finally heard the sound of a human voice come on the line.
“Three hours. Pete’s Diner out on the frontage road. Westlake - that’s right. Thank you.”
He disconnected the call, nodding at Genevieve. “It’s done. They’ll be here, if they can. And as soon as we hand over those diamonds, Jenkins’ men will be taken into custody. Now we just wait.”
Genevieve sat down on the couch, weariness seeping through her bones.
“If this works, it will all be over, right? All those men will go to jail, and I’ll finally be out of danger.”
“Yep.” Max sat down beside her, close enough for her to feel his body heat. “You should even be able to keep the diner, if you still want it.”
She shook her head, relaxing back into the old hard cushions. “There’s no point in staying here now. Everything about it is tainted, and I’d always be looking over my shoulder, wondering what would happen next. I think it’s time to start over somewhere else. Maybe I’ll move into Little Rock, get an office job or something.”
“What did you do before the diner?”
She shrugged. “Odd jobs, mostly. I graduated with a degree in business, but it’s surprising how truly useless that is without the experience to go with it. I’d been trying to find something when Dad died and left me the diner, so...”
Max took her hand, laced his fingers with hers. Could he feel the quick beat of her pulse where he touched her wrist?
“Maybe you could start a shop of your own. A little cafe, or a tourist shop of some sort.”
She smiled. “I have always wanted to open a tea shop, actually. I’ll have to wait and see what kind of capital I can come up with from selling the diner. Maybe I’ll even relocate. Somewhere boring, like Kansas or Oklahoma.”
He laughed, squeezing her hand. “Somehow I don’t think boring suits you. But if you want to move north, I might have a few suggestions...”
Tires crunched on the gravel outside, and Genevieve looked at Max.
“It’s way too early--”
He held one finger to his lips as a car door slammed, and then another. Going to the window, he peeked out around the blinds, replacing them quietly as he went back to her and reached out a hand.
Taking it, Genevieve let him pull her up and into a close embrace, his lips against her ear.
“It’s a couple I don’t recognize - elderly, probably harmless. Stay here and keep quiet - I’ll get rid of them.”
She nodded, his heady male scent infusing her senses and making it hard to focus. When he turned to go and his words finally registered in her brain, she reached out to stop him.
“Wait,” she said, grabbing his arm. “I probably know them, if they’re regulars. Let me go.”
He shook his head. “No way - it’s too dangerous. I wouldn’t put it past either Jenkins’ men or the FBI to have snipers moving in for cover. Stay here.”
Two shots rang out just as Max reached for the door.
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
Romantic Suspense
| Erotic Romance | Contemporary Romance |
Horror | Flash Fiction | Non-Fiction
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December 25, 2013
Serial Holiday Shorts: Mr. Mysterious - Christmas (Final)
Mr.
Mysterious is one branch of a three-pronged holiday short series by
myself and two of my alter-egos. We follow three women through the year,
each with a different goal that may be achieved in ways they can't even
fathom just yet. This is the last installment of Laura's story. You can read the first part here. All stories are posted in draft form. The combined, edited version will be released in January 2014.
Valentine's Day | St. Patrick's Day | Easter | Memorial Day | Independence Day | Labor Day | Halloween | Thanksgiving
Closure
Laura nodded to the security guard, watching him walk away before she turned back to the clear plexiglass wall in front of her. On the other side, Melanie sat in a simple metal chair, her hands folded neatly in her lap and a serene expression on her face.
“David came to see me the other day,” Melanie said. “He’s looking well. I hope our chat was beneficial for him.”
Laura nodded. “I think it was. He didn’t tell me what was said, but he seems more...peaceful. Thank you.”
Melanie inclined her head ever so slightly in acknowledgement. Now that she was incarcerated and had dropped all pretense of being normal, Laura wasn’t sure how she and Jodi could have missed the obvious signs that their friend was a sociopath, and a dangerous one at that. Luckily, Melanie seemed to have formed an attachment to them, or they could have just as easily been turned into canvases like her other victims.
“You never told me why you turned yourself in.” The direct approach had always worked best with Melanie, and Laura saw no need to change that now. “You’re obviously very smart and perfectly able to stay hidden when you want to. Why choose this?”
“I owed you and David closure,” she said, her voice never wavering. “I don’t know why, but I consider you and Jodi family, and David is an extension of that. I made a mistake taking him, and a bigger one listening to someone I shouldn’t have. I guess you could say I’m paying a debt.”
Laura nodded, though she was still confused. “I don’t really understand how your...uh...disorder works, but thank you.”
Melanie shrugged. “Even the psychologists don’t know how this works. It’s different for everyone, though there are certain commonalities. I’ve agreed to work with the staff here in exchange for certain...amenities. Until I get bored.”
“I’m glad. Is there anything you need? There are a lot of restrictions, but...”
Melanie shook her head. “Thank you, but no.”
Laura couldn’t think of anything else to say, and Melanie seemed content with the silence. Laura stood.
“I guess I’ll go then,” she said, not really knowing how to leave either. “I’ll come by again, see how you’re doing later.”
Melanie nodded. “Whenever you’d like. It was good seeing you. Give my regards to Jodi and Ty, please.”
“I’ll do that. Merry Christmas, Melanie.” She went to the door and knocked on the window, glancing back over her shoulder as the guard opened the door to let her out. Melanie sat perfectly still in front of the plexiglass, her face blank, her eyes unblinking.
Stifling the urge to shiver, Laura walked away.
* * * * *
Pulling up to her house twenty minutes later, she was a little relieved that Jodi and Ty hadn’t arrived yet. The visit had been more draining than she’d realized. A little time to recover would be helpful. As she went up the walk, the front door opened and David stood in the doorway, a concerned expression on his face.
“How’d it go?” He held his arms out as she got closer, and she gladly walked into his comforting hug.
“Okay,” she said, walking inside with him and letting him take her coat. “Weird, actually. She’s the one who doesn’t feel much emotion, but I feel kind of...numb, I guess. And worn out, honestly.”
He put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close, leading her into the living room. They sat down on the couch, and she couldn’t help but smile at the two wine-glasses of what looked like eggnog sitting there waiting, along with two square packages, one small, the other slightly bigger.
“It’s a lot to deal with,” David said. “I think the important thing to remember is that you’re never going to truly understand her, or why she did what she did. All we can do is move forward.” He reached for the larger box, about four inches square. “Here. This came for you today. It has her name as the return address.”
She took it, and then took a sip of her eggnog before setting the glass back down.
“How do you suppose she got it out of the facility?” She turned it over and tore the tape, the back of a picture frame coming into view.
“It was hand-delivered by someone,” David said. “My guess is that she probably arranged for this before she turned herself in.”
Setting the last of the paper aside, Laura turned the frame over and held it up to examine the artwork. Behind the glass lay a small square canvas with three delicate red roses painted in the center, with red stems and leaves, and long blades of red grass to ground the flowers. The center rose had a tiny rosebud growing from the side of the stem.
Laura remembered Melanie’s odd gait the day she’d turned herself in, and the two square patches of skin that had been missing from her legs when she went through booking.
“It’s her.” She dropped the frame on the coffee table and sat back, her mind blank. Vaguely aware of David picking up the gift, she turned her head to look at him, blinking back tears.
“It’s her. It’s Melanie. Her own skin.”
She didn’t know what to do, or think or say. And then the doorbell rang, and she jumped up from the couch, her only thought to warn Jodi about the gift.
When she opened the door, Jodi stood there holding an identical frame, Ty behind her with his hands on her shoulders.
“Melanie--” Jodi said, stopping when Laura nodded.
“I got one too,” she said, stepping back to let them in. “I...don’t even know what to think about it.”
She gave Jodi a hug and forced herself to smile. “Merry Christmas, anyways. I’m so glad you two could come over. David’s in the living room. Why don’t we join him?”
David was standing by the couch, frame still in hand when they entered, and he shook hands with their guests.
“May I?” he asked, pointing to the frame in Jodi’s hands.
She handed it over willingly, and he spent a long time comparing the two before he handed it back.
“They’re nearly identical, as far as I can tell. It would seem that your friend wanted you both to have a piece of her. Literally, as awkward as that is.”
Laura took the other one, looking at it more closely as the initial shock lessened. “Each rose has one of our initials on it,” she pointed out.
Jodi nodded. “It’s amazing work, if you didn’t know where the materials came from.” She looked up with a worried expression. “How many do you think she actually sold or sent out, without people knowing what they are?”
David held up his hands. “Let’s not entertain that particular question just now, okay ladies? It’s Christmas, we have a nice meal to enjoy, and there are a couple of gifts in the tree that I suspect you’ll want to open after we eat. I propose we move this into the dining room, shall we?”
Laura nodded, placing the frame on the fireplace mantle, and Jodi put hers beside it. Kissing David on the cheek, Laura smiled.
“Always the smart one. Let’s eat.”
They filed into the dining room and the next hour was spent laughing, talking, and enjoying each other’s company. Laura was struck by how easy Jodi and Ty were together, noting the way she always deferred to him, but he took care to see that her needs were met. They were good together, and she was glad that Jodi had finally found her mate after all these years.
After dinner, they took glasses of eggnog into the living room and sat around the tree, exchanging small trinkets and laughing until only two packages were left. David handed one to Ty, and kept the other for himself.
“You want to go first, or should I?” David asked.
Ty grinned. “Go ahead. I can wait.”
Laura looked at Jodi. “This could get interesting...”
Jodi just laughed, her eyes flicking past Laura. “I think it just did.”
Laura turned back, finding him beside her on one knee, a tiny black-velvet ring box balanced on the palm of his hand. Her heart raced and she couldn’t contain her smile as he flipped the top open, revealing a beautiful solitaire set deep in a gold channel ring.
“Laura, it’s been a long time coming,” he said, his hand shaking ever so slightly. “But I knew from the second time we spoke online that you were the one for me. And after everything we’ve been through this year, I’m even more sure now. If you’ll have me, that is. Will you marry me?”
She nodded, blinking back tears as she tried to keep her composure. “Yes! Yes, of course I will. Come here.” She leaned down and grabbed him around the neck, kissing him hard as Jodi and Ty laughed and clapped behind them. When she finally let go, David slid the ring on her finger, and kissed her one more time before he settled on the couch beside her, tucking her to his side under one arm.
Ty’s smile faded as he looked down at Jodi, and she frowned, tilting her head from her spot on the other end of the couch.
“Something wrong?” Jodi asked him, her voice just a little unsteady. Her eyes darted to the package in his hand, and Laura waited for him to reassure her, but he didn’t. Just held out a hand to her, pulling her off the couch and to his side.
“I’m sorry folks, but I think we’re going to head home now. Thanks for the meal though, and for having us over, and congratulations on your engagement.”
Laura’s smile faded. “I hope it wasn’t something we did,” she said, getting off the couch as well, aware of David right behind her.
A small grin did pass Ty’s lips just then, and she relaxed.
“Not at all. I just need to have a private conversation with Jodi, is all. She’ll call you later, I’m sure.”
Laura nodded, looking back at David. He winked. Apparently there was some sort of guy code she was missing here, but hopefully it would all end up okay.
She looked at Jodi, who was nibbling nervously at her bottom lip.
“Call me tonight, okay? I want to hear everything.”
Jodi nodded, taking her gift from Melanie off the mantle.
“I will. Thanks for having us over, guys. We had a really great time.”
Laura stood in the doorway, watching her friend drive away until she couldn’t see them any longer. Going back inside, she locked the door and couldn’t help but smile when she saw David standing just a couple of feet away, shirt off showing off that lean torso he’d worked so hard to get back in shape, and pants unbuttoned, revealing a clear lack of underwear that she found inexplicably enticing.
“Not so mysterious now, are we?” she teased, moving forward to press her palms against that warm expanse of skin. His arms closed around her, drawing her tight against his body, his erection hard and thick against her abdomen.
“Not even a little bit, darlin’. Now let’s get you out of those clothes and celebrate our engagement properly.”
She grinned. “That’s the best idea I’ve heard all year.”
###
Thanks for reading along this year - I hope you've enjoyed Laura's story! The final, edited version will be available for purchase in early January 2014, or you can get the whole Holdiay Pact Collection in one volume. Read the final installments for Melanie at AlexWesthaven.com (horror), and Jodi at TrinityMarlow.com (erotic romance) - both installments will be posted late this afternoon/evening. Happy Holidays! Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
Mysterious is one branch of a three-pronged holiday short series by
myself and two of my alter-egos. We follow three women through the year,
each with a different goal that may be achieved in ways they can't even
fathom just yet. This is the last installment of Laura's story. You can read the first part here. All stories are posted in draft form. The combined, edited version will be released in January 2014.
Valentine's Day | St. Patrick's Day | Easter | Memorial Day | Independence Day | Labor Day | Halloween | Thanksgiving
Closure
Laura nodded to the security guard, watching him walk away before she turned back to the clear plexiglass wall in front of her. On the other side, Melanie sat in a simple metal chair, her hands folded neatly in her lap and a serene expression on her face.
“David came to see me the other day,” Melanie said. “He’s looking well. I hope our chat was beneficial for him.”
Laura nodded. “I think it was. He didn’t tell me what was said, but he seems more...peaceful. Thank you.”
Melanie inclined her head ever so slightly in acknowledgement. Now that she was incarcerated and had dropped all pretense of being normal, Laura wasn’t sure how she and Jodi could have missed the obvious signs that their friend was a sociopath, and a dangerous one at that. Luckily, Melanie seemed to have formed an attachment to them, or they could have just as easily been turned into canvases like her other victims.
“You never told me why you turned yourself in.” The direct approach had always worked best with Melanie, and Laura saw no need to change that now. “You’re obviously very smart and perfectly able to stay hidden when you want to. Why choose this?”
“I owed you and David closure,” she said, her voice never wavering. “I don’t know why, but I consider you and Jodi family, and David is an extension of that. I made a mistake taking him, and a bigger one listening to someone I shouldn’t have. I guess you could say I’m paying a debt.”
Laura nodded, though she was still confused. “I don’t really understand how your...uh...disorder works, but thank you.”
Melanie shrugged. “Even the psychologists don’t know how this works. It’s different for everyone, though there are certain commonalities. I’ve agreed to work with the staff here in exchange for certain...amenities. Until I get bored.”
“I’m glad. Is there anything you need? There are a lot of restrictions, but...”
Melanie shook her head. “Thank you, but no.”
Laura couldn’t think of anything else to say, and Melanie seemed content with the silence. Laura stood.
“I guess I’ll go then,” she said, not really knowing how to leave either. “I’ll come by again, see how you’re doing later.”
Melanie nodded. “Whenever you’d like. It was good seeing you. Give my regards to Jodi and Ty, please.”
“I’ll do that. Merry Christmas, Melanie.” She went to the door and knocked on the window, glancing back over her shoulder as the guard opened the door to let her out. Melanie sat perfectly still in front of the plexiglass, her face blank, her eyes unblinking.
Stifling the urge to shiver, Laura walked away.
* * * * *
Pulling up to her house twenty minutes later, she was a little relieved that Jodi and Ty hadn’t arrived yet. The visit had been more draining than she’d realized. A little time to recover would be helpful. As she went up the walk, the front door opened and David stood in the doorway, a concerned expression on his face.
“How’d it go?” He held his arms out as she got closer, and she gladly walked into his comforting hug.
“Okay,” she said, walking inside with him and letting him take her coat. “Weird, actually. She’s the one who doesn’t feel much emotion, but I feel kind of...numb, I guess. And worn out, honestly.”
He put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close, leading her into the living room. They sat down on the couch, and she couldn’t help but smile at the two wine-glasses of what looked like eggnog sitting there waiting, along with two square packages, one small, the other slightly bigger.
“It’s a lot to deal with,” David said. “I think the important thing to remember is that you’re never going to truly understand her, or why she did what she did. All we can do is move forward.” He reached for the larger box, about four inches square. “Here. This came for you today. It has her name as the return address.”
She took it, and then took a sip of her eggnog before setting the glass back down.
“How do you suppose she got it out of the facility?” She turned it over and tore the tape, the back of a picture frame coming into view.
“It was hand-delivered by someone,” David said. “My guess is that she probably arranged for this before she turned herself in.”
Setting the last of the paper aside, Laura turned the frame over and held it up to examine the artwork. Behind the glass lay a small square canvas with three delicate red roses painted in the center, with red stems and leaves, and long blades of red grass to ground the flowers. The center rose had a tiny rosebud growing from the side of the stem.
Laura remembered Melanie’s odd gait the day she’d turned herself in, and the two square patches of skin that had been missing from her legs when she went through booking.
“It’s her.” She dropped the frame on the coffee table and sat back, her mind blank. Vaguely aware of David picking up the gift, she turned her head to look at him, blinking back tears.
“It’s her. It’s Melanie. Her own skin.”
She didn’t know what to do, or think or say. And then the doorbell rang, and she jumped up from the couch, her only thought to warn Jodi about the gift.
When she opened the door, Jodi stood there holding an identical frame, Ty behind her with his hands on her shoulders.
“Melanie--” Jodi said, stopping when Laura nodded.
“I got one too,” she said, stepping back to let them in. “I...don’t even know what to think about it.”
She gave Jodi a hug and forced herself to smile. “Merry Christmas, anyways. I’m so glad you two could come over. David’s in the living room. Why don’t we join him?”
David was standing by the couch, frame still in hand when they entered, and he shook hands with their guests.
“May I?” he asked, pointing to the frame in Jodi’s hands.
She handed it over willingly, and he spent a long time comparing the two before he handed it back.
“They’re nearly identical, as far as I can tell. It would seem that your friend wanted you both to have a piece of her. Literally, as awkward as that is.”
Laura took the other one, looking at it more closely as the initial shock lessened. “Each rose has one of our initials on it,” she pointed out.
Jodi nodded. “It’s amazing work, if you didn’t know where the materials came from.” She looked up with a worried expression. “How many do you think she actually sold or sent out, without people knowing what they are?”
David held up his hands. “Let’s not entertain that particular question just now, okay ladies? It’s Christmas, we have a nice meal to enjoy, and there are a couple of gifts in the tree that I suspect you’ll want to open after we eat. I propose we move this into the dining room, shall we?”
Laura nodded, placing the frame on the fireplace mantle, and Jodi put hers beside it. Kissing David on the cheek, Laura smiled.
“Always the smart one. Let’s eat.”
They filed into the dining room and the next hour was spent laughing, talking, and enjoying each other’s company. Laura was struck by how easy Jodi and Ty were together, noting the way she always deferred to him, but he took care to see that her needs were met. They were good together, and she was glad that Jodi had finally found her mate after all these years.
After dinner, they took glasses of eggnog into the living room and sat around the tree, exchanging small trinkets and laughing until only two packages were left. David handed one to Ty, and kept the other for himself.
“You want to go first, or should I?” David asked.
Ty grinned. “Go ahead. I can wait.”
Laura looked at Jodi. “This could get interesting...”
Jodi just laughed, her eyes flicking past Laura. “I think it just did.”
Laura turned back, finding him beside her on one knee, a tiny black-velvet ring box balanced on the palm of his hand. Her heart raced and she couldn’t contain her smile as he flipped the top open, revealing a beautiful solitaire set deep in a gold channel ring.
“Laura, it’s been a long time coming,” he said, his hand shaking ever so slightly. “But I knew from the second time we spoke online that you were the one for me. And after everything we’ve been through this year, I’m even more sure now. If you’ll have me, that is. Will you marry me?”
She nodded, blinking back tears as she tried to keep her composure. “Yes! Yes, of course I will. Come here.” She leaned down and grabbed him around the neck, kissing him hard as Jodi and Ty laughed and clapped behind them. When she finally let go, David slid the ring on her finger, and kissed her one more time before he settled on the couch beside her, tucking her to his side under one arm.
Ty’s smile faded as he looked down at Jodi, and she frowned, tilting her head from her spot on the other end of the couch.
“Something wrong?” Jodi asked him, her voice just a little unsteady. Her eyes darted to the package in his hand, and Laura waited for him to reassure her, but he didn’t. Just held out a hand to her, pulling her off the couch and to his side.
“I’m sorry folks, but I think we’re going to head home now. Thanks for the meal though, and for having us over, and congratulations on your engagement.”
Laura’s smile faded. “I hope it wasn’t something we did,” she said, getting off the couch as well, aware of David right behind her.
A small grin did pass Ty’s lips just then, and she relaxed.
“Not at all. I just need to have a private conversation with Jodi, is all. She’ll call you later, I’m sure.”
Laura nodded, looking back at David. He winked. Apparently there was some sort of guy code she was missing here, but hopefully it would all end up okay.
She looked at Jodi, who was nibbling nervously at her bottom lip.
“Call me tonight, okay? I want to hear everything.”
Jodi nodded, taking her gift from Melanie off the mantle.
“I will. Thanks for having us over, guys. We had a really great time.”
Laura stood in the doorway, watching her friend drive away until she couldn’t see them any longer. Going back inside, she locked the door and couldn’t help but smile when she saw David standing just a couple of feet away, shirt off showing off that lean torso he’d worked so hard to get back in shape, and pants unbuttoned, revealing a clear lack of underwear that she found inexplicably enticing.
“Not so mysterious now, are we?” she teased, moving forward to press her palms against that warm expanse of skin. His arms closed around her, drawing her tight against his body, his erection hard and thick against her abdomen.
“Not even a little bit, darlin’. Now let’s get you out of those clothes and celebrate our engagement properly.”
She grinned. “That’s the best idea I’ve heard all year.”
###
Thanks for reading along this year - I hope you've enjoyed Laura's story! The final, edited version will be available for purchase in early January 2014, or you can get the whole Holdiay Pact Collection in one volume. Read the final installments for Melanie at AlexWesthaven.com (horror), and Jodi at TrinityMarlow.com (erotic romance) - both installments will be posted late this afternoon/evening. Happy Holidays! Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
Romantic Suspense
| Erotic Romance | Suspense/Thriller
| Flash Fiction | Non-Fiction
**Please
note - If this is your first time posting, your comment
will be moderated. Once you have been approved, future comments will post automatically.
December 23, 2013
On...Stuff.
You know those boring people who only ever have one or two things
to talk about? Yeah, that's kind of me right now. I'm not even being
dramatic when I say that last week consisted solely of work and crochet
and writing - and nothing else. No good TV (that's totally not my
fault), barely any social interaction online or off, and the only other
thing I did was spend three and a half hours putting together a digital
jigsaw puzzle to try to earn more digital money for more digital puzzles
- I was resting my hands at the time (sort of...my left hand, anyways).
Crocheting for that many days in a row with a plethora of different
fibers is really quite hard on the hands (builds good muscle though!).
I
got signed into my Simpson's Tapped Out game on my tablet again too
(apparently one of the latest updates finally fixed it on my Galaxy Note
8 after the Thanksgiving update broke it).
Important things, you know.
I
did finally finish all of the gift scarves I was working on (the last
at 2am this morning), and the afghan is very nearly done...just need to
finish the border and taking care of all the loose ends. I'll finish
that tonight. The wrapping is mostly done too, which is good. And I
have a good idea of what I'll do for gifts next year, which is also
good...I'll start in January and hopefully finish early next year.
*fingers crossed*
I
also got a good deal of writing done last week - finished off the
Christmas installments of the holiday serial stories, so those will be
posted on Wednesday as promised, and the completed drafts are with the
editor, so they'll be out sometime in early January, as promised. I also
got all the regular serial scenes done, as well as started working on
the MacKenzie draft again, so with any luck, I'll have another
installment of that story to post soon as well. Ever forward, right? I'm
happy to be getting back to that story...I'm anxious to see how
MacKenzie & Josh are going to get through this latest hurdle (and
the one I'm about to throw at them too).
This
week will be weird with the holiday right smack-dab in the center, and
our time scheduled for pretty much all of it. Christmas eve with the
in-laws right after work on Tues., brunch on Christmas morning with my
parents, and then Christmas dinner with the in-laws again later that
afternoon. So a good 30 hours or so of bouncing back and forth for
holiday engagements. But we have caramel vodka and apple cider, which
should make at least a couple of those hops a little more pleasant.
Around all that? Here's what's on my list for the week:
- Write four serial scenes for the ongoing serial stories
- Finish up the last gift, wrapping, and get through the holiday stuff without too much angst
- Push through a couple good-sized day-job projects while it's quiet
-
Get all the decorations down and the house cleaned up this coming
weekend for the new year. (I haven't even vacuumed in two weeks due to
Christmas projects)- Pop a few "sorry this is late" cards in
the mail, and mail a couple gifts that didn't make it out on time to
arrive for Christmas.
- Work on the business plan and personal resolutions for 2014.
Whatever
you celebrate, I wish you and yours a very happy holiday week, and may
you have plenty of alcohol and dessert to help you deal with family
along the way.
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
to talk about? Yeah, that's kind of me right now. I'm not even being
dramatic when I say that last week consisted solely of work and crochet
and writing - and nothing else. No good TV (that's totally not my
fault), barely any social interaction online or off, and the only other
thing I did was spend three and a half hours putting together a digital
jigsaw puzzle to try to earn more digital money for more digital puzzles
- I was resting my hands at the time (sort of...my left hand, anyways).
Crocheting for that many days in a row with a plethora of different
fibers is really quite hard on the hands (builds good muscle though!).
I
got signed into my Simpson's Tapped Out game on my tablet again too
(apparently one of the latest updates finally fixed it on my Galaxy Note
8 after the Thanksgiving update broke it).
Important things, you know.
I
did finally finish all of the gift scarves I was working on (the last
at 2am this morning), and the afghan is very nearly done...just need to
finish the border and taking care of all the loose ends. I'll finish
that tonight. The wrapping is mostly done too, which is good. And I
have a good idea of what I'll do for gifts next year, which is also
good...I'll start in January and hopefully finish early next year.
*fingers crossed*
I
also got a good deal of writing done last week - finished off the
Christmas installments of the holiday serial stories, so those will be
posted on Wednesday as promised, and the completed drafts are with the
editor, so they'll be out sometime in early January, as promised. I also
got all the regular serial scenes done, as well as started working on
the MacKenzie draft again, so with any luck, I'll have another
installment of that story to post soon as well. Ever forward, right? I'm
happy to be getting back to that story...I'm anxious to see how
MacKenzie & Josh are going to get through this latest hurdle (and
the one I'm about to throw at them too).
This
week will be weird with the holiday right smack-dab in the center, and
our time scheduled for pretty much all of it. Christmas eve with the
in-laws right after work on Tues., brunch on Christmas morning with my
parents, and then Christmas dinner with the in-laws again later that
afternoon. So a good 30 hours or so of bouncing back and forth for
holiday engagements. But we have caramel vodka and apple cider, which
should make at least a couple of those hops a little more pleasant.
Around all that? Here's what's on my list for the week:
- Write four serial scenes for the ongoing serial stories
- Finish up the last gift, wrapping, and get through the holiday stuff without too much angst
- Push through a couple good-sized day-job projects while it's quiet
-
Get all the decorations down and the house cleaned up this coming
weekend for the new year. (I haven't even vacuumed in two weeks due to
Christmas projects)- Pop a few "sorry this is late" cards in
the mail, and mail a couple gifts that didn't make it out on time to
arrive for Christmas.
- Work on the business plan and personal resolutions for 2014.
Whatever
you celebrate, I wish you and yours a very happy holiday week, and may
you have plenty of alcohol and dessert to help you deal with family
along the way.
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
Romantic Suspense
| Erotic Romance | Contemporary Romance |
Horror | Flash Fiction | Non-Fiction
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December 20, 2013
Serial Story: Jasmine Betrayal, Part 20
This story is presented weekly in draft (that means unedited)
format every Friday right here on the blog for free. When the story is
done, it will be edited, polished and available for sale at all your
favorite online retailers.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 |
Jasmine Betrayal
Part 20
Max plucked Genevieve out of the grass and carried her to the trailer, kicking the door in when he found it locked. She was freezing, shivering in his arms and he put her down on the couch, ignoring the faint whimper of protest as he left her to find some blankets.
Pulling a comforter off the bed in a back room, he went back and pulled her shaking frame into his lap, wrapping the blanket around them both for warmth. It was a good twenty minutes before she finally stopped shivering, relaxing her hold on his shirt ever so slightly.
Stirring, she opened her eyes and looked up at him, blinking as confusion and then relief crossed her face.
“Max? Where are we? How did you get away?”
“I got lucky,” he said, giving her a wink. “And we’re in your dad’s trailer - I found you freezing outside half an hour ago. What the hell happened? And why didn’t you wait for me at the house like I told you to?”
Her eyes grew wide, and she struggled to get off his lap, but he held tight, reluctant to lose the contact.
“Let me up - we have to get out of here. There’s a man...I locked him in the refrigerator but he’s probably out by now. And more are probably on the way. The diamonds are there, and I think he might have seen me. We have to go now! I can’t believe they haven’t found us yet...”
She pulled harder and he let her up, rising from the couch himself.
“Just hang on a minute,” he said, blocking her way when she reached for it. “I haven’t heard anyone drive up, so we’ve got a little time, at least. Did you see what the man was wearing?”
She looked at him like he was crazy. “Who cares? He attacked me - I wasn’t exactly worried about fashion just then. Sorry.”
Max chuckled. “If he’s wearing a suit, it’s probably one of Jenkin’s men. If not, we may be dealing with someone else. But I can find out pretty quickly. You stay here,” he held up his hand to silence her when she started to protest, pulling a card out of his pocket with the other and handing it to her.
“I’ll go check it out. While I’m doing that, you call this number, and tell whoever answers to meet you at the diner in three hours and you’ll hand over the packages. You said you found diamonds, right?”
She nodded, scrutinizing the card he’d given her. “Who am I calling?”
“Jenkin’s right hand man. When I get back, we’re going to tip off the FBI that there’s a deal going down in three hours, and hope they get here in time.”
She shook her head. “But--”
Max laid three fingers on her lips. “We don’t have time to argue about this. Make the call, and I’ll go check on our friend and make sure no one else is out there. If I’m not back in ten minutes, get to your car and get as far away from here as possible. Understand?”
Genevieve blinked, hesitating for a long moment before she finally nodded. He might have imagined it, but he felt her lips purse gently against his skin for a split second, and taking it as an invitation he moved his hand to her neck and drew her forward, covering her mouth with his. She melted against him for a sweet second, her tongue giving his a teasing flick before she drew back, pushing him away.
“Go,” she said, her voice husky and tight. “Just go, and get back here, okay?”
He nodded, clenching his fingers and turning toward the door to keep from pulling her back to him. When this was over, he and Gen were going to share a serious discussion. Among other things.
“Make the call. This will all be over soon.” He opened the door and scanned the parking lot, relieved to find it still empty save his own vehicle. Stopping long enough to retrieve his revolver from under the front seat, he strode toward the diner and hoped his plan would work.
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
format every Friday right here on the blog for free. When the story is
done, it will be edited, polished and available for sale at all your
favorite online retailers.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 |
Jasmine Betrayal
Part 20
Max plucked Genevieve out of the grass and carried her to the trailer, kicking the door in when he found it locked. She was freezing, shivering in his arms and he put her down on the couch, ignoring the faint whimper of protest as he left her to find some blankets.
Pulling a comforter off the bed in a back room, he went back and pulled her shaking frame into his lap, wrapping the blanket around them both for warmth. It was a good twenty minutes before she finally stopped shivering, relaxing her hold on his shirt ever so slightly.
Stirring, she opened her eyes and looked up at him, blinking as confusion and then relief crossed her face.
“Max? Where are we? How did you get away?”
“I got lucky,” he said, giving her a wink. “And we’re in your dad’s trailer - I found you freezing outside half an hour ago. What the hell happened? And why didn’t you wait for me at the house like I told you to?”
Her eyes grew wide, and she struggled to get off his lap, but he held tight, reluctant to lose the contact.
“Let me up - we have to get out of here. There’s a man...I locked him in the refrigerator but he’s probably out by now. And more are probably on the way. The diamonds are there, and I think he might have seen me. We have to go now! I can’t believe they haven’t found us yet...”
She pulled harder and he let her up, rising from the couch himself.
“Just hang on a minute,” he said, blocking her way when she reached for it. “I haven’t heard anyone drive up, so we’ve got a little time, at least. Did you see what the man was wearing?”
She looked at him like he was crazy. “Who cares? He attacked me - I wasn’t exactly worried about fashion just then. Sorry.”
Max chuckled. “If he’s wearing a suit, it’s probably one of Jenkin’s men. If not, we may be dealing with someone else. But I can find out pretty quickly. You stay here,” he held up his hand to silence her when she started to protest, pulling a card out of his pocket with the other and handing it to her.
“I’ll go check it out. While I’m doing that, you call this number, and tell whoever answers to meet you at the diner in three hours and you’ll hand over the packages. You said you found diamonds, right?”
She nodded, scrutinizing the card he’d given her. “Who am I calling?”
“Jenkin’s right hand man. When I get back, we’re going to tip off the FBI that there’s a deal going down in three hours, and hope they get here in time.”
She shook her head. “But--”
Max laid three fingers on her lips. “We don’t have time to argue about this. Make the call, and I’ll go check on our friend and make sure no one else is out there. If I’m not back in ten minutes, get to your car and get as far away from here as possible. Understand?”
Genevieve blinked, hesitating for a long moment before she finally nodded. He might have imagined it, but he felt her lips purse gently against his skin for a split second, and taking it as an invitation he moved his hand to her neck and drew her forward, covering her mouth with his. She melted against him for a sweet second, her tongue giving his a teasing flick before she drew back, pushing him away.
“Go,” she said, her voice husky and tight. “Just go, and get back here, okay?”
He nodded, clenching his fingers and turning toward the door to keep from pulling her back to him. When this was over, he and Gen were going to share a serious discussion. Among other things.
“Make the call. This will all be over soon.” He opened the door and scanned the parking lot, relieved to find it still empty save his own vehicle. Stopping long enough to retrieve his revolver from under the front seat, he strode toward the diner and hoped his plan would work.
Enjoy
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Romantic Suspense
| Erotic Romance | Contemporary Romance |
Horror | Flash Fiction | Non-Fiction
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December 16, 2013
On Hyper-Focus, Deadlines & Holiday Schedules...
I just spent the entire weekend crocheting - and that includes Friday night. All Christmas gifts, of course, and since I'm way behind/should have started earlier, I needed to really focus on reaching certain points in projects this weekend to ensure I'd be able to finish by Christmas.
I whine and complain like everyone else that there's not enough time, what was I thinking, etc...but the truth is, there aren't many crafters out there who will actually be finished with every gift item on their list until at least a week before the holiday, and many of us will still be working frantically on Christmas eve to finish up those last-minute projects. It's tradition, of a sort. Though one I hope to do away with next year, with a lot more careful planning and working throughout the year. The homemade gifts idea was a whim, so I did get a rather late start on things. Even so, I think it'll all turn out pretty well in the end.
Christmas is an immovable deadline, of course, hence the last-minute panic. I still have two more serial story installments to finish for Christmas Day as well, so I'll be really focusing on getting those done this week, along with my normal weekly serial scenes. That's probably going to require some hyper-focus as well during my writing sessions, and if I don't get them done, next weekend too.
Fortunately for me (not necessarily for readers), publishing dates are movable deadlines, and I'm afraid I'm going to have to move the deadline for The Holiday Pact stories yet again. I was going to try to get them all formatted and released between Christmas and New Year's, but with all the gifts I still have to finish, that's just not going to get done in time. Plus they still need to be finished & edited, and there's no time for that either.
So they'll come out sometime early in January, after I can spend the necessary time getting them all gussied-up for you. In the meantime, the final installments will be posted Christmas Day on all three blogs, for those reading along with the drafts.
I didn't realize until last Friday that I'd actually missed posting the books post on Wednesday of last week, but it's because of these projects I'm working on. I don't see anything changing this week, since I still have a lot to get done, and the following Weds. is Christmas, and the one after that is New Year's. So I'm going to suspend the Talkin' Books posts until after the first of the year...then we'll get back to discussing reading material.
It's 1am, and I'm tired and have to work tomorrow, so I'd better finish this up and get some sleep. What all do I need to get done this week? Let's see...
- Scenes for all three weekly serial stories- Finish the holiday serial installments- Finish all scarves needed for gifts- Finish the afghan I'm working on- Wrap all gifts (next weekend)- Create a draft business plan for next year- A couple projects at work that I really want to wrap up, so to speak.
That's more than enough, and probably more than I have time for, but it's all gotta be done (aside from the business plan, so that might wait another week). I hope that wherever you are and whatever you're working on to get ready for Christmas, that everything is going smoothly!
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
I whine and complain like everyone else that there's not enough time, what was I thinking, etc...but the truth is, there aren't many crafters out there who will actually be finished with every gift item on their list until at least a week before the holiday, and many of us will still be working frantically on Christmas eve to finish up those last-minute projects. It's tradition, of a sort. Though one I hope to do away with next year, with a lot more careful planning and working throughout the year. The homemade gifts idea was a whim, so I did get a rather late start on things. Even so, I think it'll all turn out pretty well in the end.
Christmas is an immovable deadline, of course, hence the last-minute panic. I still have two more serial story installments to finish for Christmas Day as well, so I'll be really focusing on getting those done this week, along with my normal weekly serial scenes. That's probably going to require some hyper-focus as well during my writing sessions, and if I don't get them done, next weekend too.
Fortunately for me (not necessarily for readers), publishing dates are movable deadlines, and I'm afraid I'm going to have to move the deadline for The Holiday Pact stories yet again. I was going to try to get them all formatted and released between Christmas and New Year's, but with all the gifts I still have to finish, that's just not going to get done in time. Plus they still need to be finished & edited, and there's no time for that either.
So they'll come out sometime early in January, after I can spend the necessary time getting them all gussied-up for you. In the meantime, the final installments will be posted Christmas Day on all three blogs, for those reading along with the drafts.
I didn't realize until last Friday that I'd actually missed posting the books post on Wednesday of last week, but it's because of these projects I'm working on. I don't see anything changing this week, since I still have a lot to get done, and the following Weds. is Christmas, and the one after that is New Year's. So I'm going to suspend the Talkin' Books posts until after the first of the year...then we'll get back to discussing reading material.
It's 1am, and I'm tired and have to work tomorrow, so I'd better finish this up and get some sleep. What all do I need to get done this week? Let's see...
- Scenes for all three weekly serial stories- Finish the holiday serial installments- Finish all scarves needed for gifts- Finish the afghan I'm working on- Wrap all gifts (next weekend)- Create a draft business plan for next year- A couple projects at work that I really want to wrap up, so to speak.
That's more than enough, and probably more than I have time for, but it's all gotta be done (aside from the business plan, so that might wait another week). I hope that wherever you are and whatever you're working on to get ready for Christmas, that everything is going smoothly!
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
Romantic Suspense
| Erotic Romance | Contemporary Romance |
Horror | Flash Fiction | Non-Fiction
**Please
note - If this is your first time posting, your comment
will be moderated. Once you have been approved, future comments will post automatically.
December 13, 2013
Serial Story: Jasmine Betrayal, Part 19
This story is presented weekly in draft (that means unedited)
format every Friday right here on the blog for free. When the story is
done, it will be edited, polished and available for sale at all your
favorite online retailers.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 |
Jasmine Betrayal
Part 19
Genevieve froze in place, listening for any sound of movement around her over the too-loud beating of her own heart. She hadn’t turned on any lights outside the freezer, and apparently whoever was at the diner with her hadn’t either, because she couldn’t even make out the window in the door.
Breathing shallowly and closing her eyes, she remained completely still. Determining whether or not she was alone on this side of the door was the priority for now. She wasn’t sure how long she stood there before the need to move became too great to ignore, but it seemed like hours as the cold penetrated deeper into her body and she couldn’t hold off the shivers any longer.
Moving deliberately, she placed the diamond back into the bag of tea, pushing it deep within the leaves to protect it. She’d been facing the makeshift safe when the door closed, so she carefully leaned forward, reaching out to feel around the edges so she could put the package back with the others. Swinging the door shut, she latched it quietly, and then pushed the boxes she’d moved back in front of the door to hide it.
Trying desperately to control the shivering that caused her teeth to click, she wrapped her arms around herself and tried to remember what she’d passed on the way in that could work as a weapon. If she could hold on to anything, that is. Her fingertips were painfully cold, and the thought of grasping anything frozen was more than she could really think about at the moment.
Stepping lightly, she worked her way toward the door, using one of the racks to the side as a guide. At the end of the rack, her right foot bounced off something - it would have hurt, except her toes were already numb. Bending down, she felt the crate she’d used to block the door with. It would have to do.
It was only two more steps to the door, and she carried the crate in one hand while feeling around for the emergency latch release with the other. Pulling it down, she nearly gasped at the rush of warm air as the door swung open.
A dark shadow came out of nowhere, flinging himself right at her and she instinctively moved to the side, listening as he landed on the floor of the freezer. Forcing her legs to move, she spun around the door frame and grabbed the big door, swinging it shut behind her and locking the man in - until he found the release, anyway.
A quick limp on her frozen feet was as fast as she could move, and Genevieve used all of her strength to get out the back door and across the parking lot to the trailer. She had to get to the car, to Max if he was still alive. But she was so very cold, and the night air wasn’t helping. She considered going inside for a minute, finding a blanket, warming up, but she couldn’t risk being trapped again. She had to get what she knew to someone who could help, and hope it wasn’t too late.
Tires skidded on gravel, and she sank down in the tall grass behind the trailer. Would they search the property? Would they find their guy in the freezer and come looking for her? Had he seen the diamond, and where it was hidden? The questions swirled in her mind as she hugged her knees to her chest, shivering and waiting for it to all be over.
She was tired, suddenly. So very tired, and the world around her started to fade away. Jerking herself awake, she shook her head, but the fatigue was overwhelming, and the last thing she remembered was a whisper in the grass, and something warm - almost too hot as it brushed against her skin.
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
format every Friday right here on the blog for free. When the story is
done, it will be edited, polished and available for sale at all your
favorite online retailers.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 |
Jasmine Betrayal
Part 19
Genevieve froze in place, listening for any sound of movement around her over the too-loud beating of her own heart. She hadn’t turned on any lights outside the freezer, and apparently whoever was at the diner with her hadn’t either, because she couldn’t even make out the window in the door.
Breathing shallowly and closing her eyes, she remained completely still. Determining whether or not she was alone on this side of the door was the priority for now. She wasn’t sure how long she stood there before the need to move became too great to ignore, but it seemed like hours as the cold penetrated deeper into her body and she couldn’t hold off the shivers any longer.
Moving deliberately, she placed the diamond back into the bag of tea, pushing it deep within the leaves to protect it. She’d been facing the makeshift safe when the door closed, so she carefully leaned forward, reaching out to feel around the edges so she could put the package back with the others. Swinging the door shut, she latched it quietly, and then pushed the boxes she’d moved back in front of the door to hide it.
Trying desperately to control the shivering that caused her teeth to click, she wrapped her arms around herself and tried to remember what she’d passed on the way in that could work as a weapon. If she could hold on to anything, that is. Her fingertips were painfully cold, and the thought of grasping anything frozen was more than she could really think about at the moment.
Stepping lightly, she worked her way toward the door, using one of the racks to the side as a guide. At the end of the rack, her right foot bounced off something - it would have hurt, except her toes were already numb. Bending down, she felt the crate she’d used to block the door with. It would have to do.
It was only two more steps to the door, and she carried the crate in one hand while feeling around for the emergency latch release with the other. Pulling it down, she nearly gasped at the rush of warm air as the door swung open.
A dark shadow came out of nowhere, flinging himself right at her and she instinctively moved to the side, listening as he landed on the floor of the freezer. Forcing her legs to move, she spun around the door frame and grabbed the big door, swinging it shut behind her and locking the man in - until he found the release, anyway.
A quick limp on her frozen feet was as fast as she could move, and Genevieve used all of her strength to get out the back door and across the parking lot to the trailer. She had to get to the car, to Max if he was still alive. But she was so very cold, and the night air wasn’t helping. She considered going inside for a minute, finding a blanket, warming up, but she couldn’t risk being trapped again. She had to get what she knew to someone who could help, and hope it wasn’t too late.
Tires skidded on gravel, and she sank down in the tall grass behind the trailer. Would they search the property? Would they find their guy in the freezer and come looking for her? Had he seen the diamond, and where it was hidden? The questions swirled in her mind as she hugged her knees to her chest, shivering and waiting for it to all be over.
She was tired, suddenly. So very tired, and the world around her started to fade away. Jerking herself awake, she shook her head, but the fatigue was overwhelming, and the last thing she remembered was a whisper in the grass, and something warm - almost too hot as it brushed against her skin.
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
Romantic Suspense
| Erotic Romance | Contemporary Romance |
Horror | Flash Fiction | Non-Fiction
**Please
note - If this is your first time posting, your comment
will be moderated. Once you have been approved, future comments will post automatically.
December 9, 2013
On Christmas Stuff, Automated Lights, & Cold Weather Clothing...
Happy (?) Monday! I hope you all had a good weekend. Hubby and I pretty much stayed inside, due to the super-cold outside temps. Saturday I spent most of the day/night crocheting and knitting, and Sunday I cleaned house and started putting the Christmas decorations up. It took awhile to get everything clean enough to decorate - world's best housekeeper I am certainly not - but I managed to get the tree put up and half-decorated, which is pretty darn good, all things considered. Thankfully, we switched from a 7ft floor tree to a 4ft tabletop tree several years back, so I don't have to move the furniture anymore. Just relocate a lamp, some plants and a few Smurfs, and we're good to go. I'll finish the tree and put up a few Christmas-y things in the dining room tomorrow night, and that will be it for the year. Plenty, really, considering I'll just have to take it all down again in three weeks.
Our outdoor holiday lights are seriously messing with me this year. We have a very cool staked outlet with six places to plug stuff in, and a digital timer/programmable console in the center of it all. When I put the lights up a week ago, I *thought* I set it to come on around 6ish, and go off around midnight. They came on okay, but never turned off, so for the past week, I've been manually turning them on when I get home from work, and off whenever the dogs go outside for the last time.
Saturday night, I looked outside around 11:30ish, and they'd turned off by themselves. It seemed so unlikely that I actually went out and manually hit the button to turn them on/off, just to make sure we didn't blow a breaker or something.
So tonight (Sunday), I went out to turn them on around 4:30 or so, and I kid you not - the second I walked out the door, the lights came on all by themselves. And now it's nearly midnight, and they're still on. They're messing with me, I tell ya. It's ironic, I suppose, that someone who spends a good chunk of every weekday programming web applications can't program her own light timer, eh?
It doesn't help that it's been bitterly cold here this past week with sub-zero temps for a few days in a row, so going out to turn those lights off isn't really first on my list of "want-to-dos". We're supposed to warm up this week, a balmy 15 degrees (f) above zero today (it's after midnight now), and up into the 30's by the end of the week. I was chatting with my buddies on FB this weekend about cold-weather gear, and how people in different climates have completely different wardrobes and views on clothing. It's interesting, don't you think? After that convo, I laughed when a fellow Montana writer who lives up near the Canadian border posted this blog post about her cold-weather wardrobe, which is a few more layers than we need here in the city, but not by much (and I know people even down here in southern MT who still go with all those layers, depending on their job). Our laundry tonight consisted of three loads instead of our normal two, due to the extra layers needed in these frigid temps. Nearly everyone wears at least two shirts in this weather, and a lot of people wear long-johns/thermal underwear under their pants. Two pair of socks aren't uncommon, and big, heavy coats, scarves, hats & mittens or gloves for outerwear. Boots that cover the ankles are pretty much necessities when the snow gets deep as it has been.
This is why, when I visited Florida last year, I had a completely wrong wardrobe for the trip. I neglected to take any shorts with me, and I certainly didn't need the sweatshirt or extra socks I'd packed. My perspective was skewed, since 80 degrees in late October never, ever happens here. Crazy, isn't it? Much worse though for those people in areas that don't normally get cold who are getting it now. At least up here, we're ready for anything. In the south and pacific northwest on the coast, cold weather like they're getting now shuts everything down, because they have no way to deal with it (and, I'd imagine, no good wardrobe for that either).
Though when you get down to it, the best way to deal with cold weather is really pretty universal. A cozy couch, a blanket to snuggle in, something warm to drink and a good book to read is all any of us really need to ignore the weather and get lost in another world. Right?
In any case, with a new week comes...well, stuff that needs to be done. I made decent progress last week, but I'm still behind, so this week, more of the same:
- Write three serial scenes- Work on the holiday serial installments- Finish audio-proofing project- More cover art, if I have time- The BSB newsletter- Finish Christmas decorations- Christmas cards (?)- More afghan squares- More work on my scarves in progress
And with that, I'm off to turn those dang lights off again and get some sleep. Away we go - stay warm, wherever you are!
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
Our outdoor holiday lights are seriously messing with me this year. We have a very cool staked outlet with six places to plug stuff in, and a digital timer/programmable console in the center of it all. When I put the lights up a week ago, I *thought* I set it to come on around 6ish, and go off around midnight. They came on okay, but never turned off, so for the past week, I've been manually turning them on when I get home from work, and off whenever the dogs go outside for the last time.
Saturday night, I looked outside around 11:30ish, and they'd turned off by themselves. It seemed so unlikely that I actually went out and manually hit the button to turn them on/off, just to make sure we didn't blow a breaker or something.
So tonight (Sunday), I went out to turn them on around 4:30 or so, and I kid you not - the second I walked out the door, the lights came on all by themselves. And now it's nearly midnight, and they're still on. They're messing with me, I tell ya. It's ironic, I suppose, that someone who spends a good chunk of every weekday programming web applications can't program her own light timer, eh?
It doesn't help that it's been bitterly cold here this past week with sub-zero temps for a few days in a row, so going out to turn those lights off isn't really first on my list of "want-to-dos". We're supposed to warm up this week, a balmy 15 degrees (f) above zero today (it's after midnight now), and up into the 30's by the end of the week. I was chatting with my buddies on FB this weekend about cold-weather gear, and how people in different climates have completely different wardrobes and views on clothing. It's interesting, don't you think? After that convo, I laughed when a fellow Montana writer who lives up near the Canadian border posted this blog post about her cold-weather wardrobe, which is a few more layers than we need here in the city, but not by much (and I know people even down here in southern MT who still go with all those layers, depending on their job). Our laundry tonight consisted of three loads instead of our normal two, due to the extra layers needed in these frigid temps. Nearly everyone wears at least two shirts in this weather, and a lot of people wear long-johns/thermal underwear under their pants. Two pair of socks aren't uncommon, and big, heavy coats, scarves, hats & mittens or gloves for outerwear. Boots that cover the ankles are pretty much necessities when the snow gets deep as it has been.
This is why, when I visited Florida last year, I had a completely wrong wardrobe for the trip. I neglected to take any shorts with me, and I certainly didn't need the sweatshirt or extra socks I'd packed. My perspective was skewed, since 80 degrees in late October never, ever happens here. Crazy, isn't it? Much worse though for those people in areas that don't normally get cold who are getting it now. At least up here, we're ready for anything. In the south and pacific northwest on the coast, cold weather like they're getting now shuts everything down, because they have no way to deal with it (and, I'd imagine, no good wardrobe for that either).
Though when you get down to it, the best way to deal with cold weather is really pretty universal. A cozy couch, a blanket to snuggle in, something warm to drink and a good book to read is all any of us really need to ignore the weather and get lost in another world. Right?
In any case, with a new week comes...well, stuff that needs to be done. I made decent progress last week, but I'm still behind, so this week, more of the same:
- Write three serial scenes- Work on the holiday serial installments- Finish audio-proofing project- More cover art, if I have time- The BSB newsletter- Finish Christmas decorations- Christmas cards (?)- More afghan squares- More work on my scarves in progress
And with that, I'm off to turn those dang lights off again and get some sleep. Away we go - stay warm, wherever you are!
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
Romantic Suspense
| Erotic Romance | Contemporary Romance |
Horror | Flash Fiction | Non-Fiction
**Please
note - If this is your first time posting, your comment
will be moderated. Once you have been approved, future comments will post automatically.
