Jamie DeBree's Blog, page 33
October 29, 2012
On Halloween, NaNoWriMo & Blog Changes...
Prompt o' the Week: A cell phone is
inadvertently left on a counter, and the owner doesn't retrieve it until
the end of the day. Three days later, an alarm goes off for a meeting
the owner doesn't remember scheduling, with an unfamiliar name
attached...
It's odd, isn't it, that while Hurricane Sandy is bringing insanely
bad weather and dangerous conditions to the eastern seaboard here in
the US (please stay safe, east coast friends!), the weather pattern is
large enough that it's actually affecting our weather here in Montana.
Which means while those poor people are trying not to drown, we're
enjoying unseasonably warm temperatures this week - 55-60 degrees all week long,
with a slight chance of rain. Weather is wacky...
It also means Halloween night should be a very good one for
haunting trick-or-treaters...yay! We got the graveyard started
yesterday, and already have people driving by just to check it out. My
husband and I both have Weds and Thurs off work so that Wednesday, we
can put all the big props (read: really cool stuff we absolutely don't
want stolen) out and get the fog machines turned on in time, etc. And
Thursday will be tear-down day, of course. Tonight, we'll be headed to
Costco for candy and ice (for the fog chiller)...
Thursday, of course, is November 1st, and the start of National Novel Writing Month
(NaNoWriMo - my username is "outofwords" if you want to look me up!). I
skipped it last year in favor of finishing up some other writing
projects I had going, but I missed it. A lot. The sense of community and
the personal challenge to write more than I'm normally comfortable with
is just an incredible thing, and a good way to get a book done far more
quickly than I normally would (even if it does mean more editing on the
back end, though my personal challenge is to write as well as possible
while writing quickly). So I'm back in this year, which means changes
not only to my writing/publishing schedule, but also to the blog
schedule(s).
In order to serialize my NaNo novel (because we all know I write
more consistently when people might be reading), and *not* overwhelm
this poor blog, I've created a whole 'nuther blog just for the draft,
called The Drafting Desk .
Now I don't normally write *every* day during NaNo, but I do write most
of them, so that blog will be seriously hopping for the next month. I
will serialize the entirety of my NaNo novel there, so if you want to
read along, that's where to go. I'll post a once weekly list of
installments *here*, so it's not overwhelming, but still easy to find if
you want to catch up once a week or whatever.
The Handyman's Harem Girl will still be in draft on the Fantasy Ranch blog . Fit to be Chai-ed
should be finished with Wednesday's installment, and my two pen name
serials will continue on their respective blogs until they're finished.
After the current serials are complete, I won't be starting new serials
until January. In December I'll have quite a few books to edit/publish,
including an anthology to put together, so January seems like a better
time to start drafting again.
The Variety Pages will still feature my weekly
news posts, and I'd really like to get the weekly recommended read going
as well. I'm also determined to make it a "hub" for my other blogs,
with a weekly link list. The rest of the days will just be open for
whatever - if I feel like posting about something, I will, if not, I
won't. Depends on how busy I am.
So then, as of this week, the new schedule for this blog is:
Monday: News/goals/prompt post
Wednesday: Recommended Read
Friday: Network News (link list from my other blogs)
So what am I up to this week? A *lot*, with the whole holiday/NaNo thing coming up:
- Finish Chai-ed serial, send to editor (who will also be busy with NaNo, but might need a break here and there)
- Work feverishly to possibly finish the horror serial by Weds (since it's Halloween themed)
- Installment for my erotica serial
- Edit/upload a horror short to release on Halloween Day (Yikes! How did I lose track of that until now?)
- Fill treat bags for trick-or-treaters (helps us keep count of how many we get)
- Run the graveyard Weds night, tear down Thurs and restore house to normal order
- Start NaNo novel, get as far ahead as possible (good strategy tip: write more at the beginning when you're fresh!)
- Start working out again (finally)
- Go shopping for the new dog after payday (he needs tags, a
collar, training collar, leash, and a thin crate pad or blanket since he
doesn't seem to like dog beds)
- Register both dogs with the city (Lucy's is expiring, Dakota needs his in my name)
- Vote absentee! (better do that tonight or tomorrow, and get it done, since I keep forgetting)
Busy busy! But good busy. Productive busy. The kind of busy I like.
Are you doing NaNo this year? Are you brave enough to conquer my
captcha (sorry, my blog platform doesn't allow me to turn it off, dang
it) and tell me about it?
inadvertently left on a counter, and the owner doesn't retrieve it until
the end of the day. Three days later, an alarm goes off for a meeting
the owner doesn't remember scheduling, with an unfamiliar name
attached...
It's odd, isn't it, that while Hurricane Sandy is bringing insanely
bad weather and dangerous conditions to the eastern seaboard here in
the US (please stay safe, east coast friends!), the weather pattern is
large enough that it's actually affecting our weather here in Montana.
Which means while those poor people are trying not to drown, we're
enjoying unseasonably warm temperatures this week - 55-60 degrees all week long,
with a slight chance of rain. Weather is wacky...
It also means Halloween night should be a very good one for
haunting trick-or-treaters...yay! We got the graveyard started
yesterday, and already have people driving by just to check it out. My
husband and I both have Weds and Thurs off work so that Wednesday, we
can put all the big props (read: really cool stuff we absolutely don't
want stolen) out and get the fog machines turned on in time, etc. And
Thursday will be tear-down day, of course. Tonight, we'll be headed to
Costco for candy and ice (for the fog chiller)...
Thursday, of course, is November 1st, and the start of National Novel Writing Month
(NaNoWriMo - my username is "outofwords" if you want to look me up!). I
skipped it last year in favor of finishing up some other writing
projects I had going, but I missed it. A lot. The sense of community and
the personal challenge to write more than I'm normally comfortable with
is just an incredible thing, and a good way to get a book done far more
quickly than I normally would (even if it does mean more editing on the
back end, though my personal challenge is to write as well as possible
while writing quickly). So I'm back in this year, which means changes
not only to my writing/publishing schedule, but also to the blog
schedule(s).
In order to serialize my NaNo novel (because we all know I write
more consistently when people might be reading), and *not* overwhelm
this poor blog, I've created a whole 'nuther blog just for the draft,
called The Drafting Desk .
Now I don't normally write *every* day during NaNo, but I do write most
of them, so that blog will be seriously hopping for the next month. I
will serialize the entirety of my NaNo novel there, so if you want to
read along, that's where to go. I'll post a once weekly list of
installments *here*, so it's not overwhelming, but still easy to find if
you want to catch up once a week or whatever.
The Handyman's Harem Girl will still be in draft on the Fantasy Ranch blog . Fit to be Chai-ed
should be finished with Wednesday's installment, and my two pen name
serials will continue on their respective blogs until they're finished.
After the current serials are complete, I won't be starting new serials
until January. In December I'll have quite a few books to edit/publish,
including an anthology to put together, so January seems like a better
time to start drafting again.
The Variety Pages will still feature my weekly
news posts, and I'd really like to get the weekly recommended read going
as well. I'm also determined to make it a "hub" for my other blogs,
with a weekly link list. The rest of the days will just be open for
whatever - if I feel like posting about something, I will, if not, I
won't. Depends on how busy I am.
So then, as of this week, the new schedule for this blog is:
Monday: News/goals/prompt post
Wednesday: Recommended Read
Friday: Network News (link list from my other blogs)
So what am I up to this week? A *lot*, with the whole holiday/NaNo thing coming up:
- Finish Chai-ed serial, send to editor (who will also be busy with NaNo, but might need a break here and there)
- Work feverishly to possibly finish the horror serial by Weds (since it's Halloween themed)
- Installment for my erotica serial
- Edit/upload a horror short to release on Halloween Day (Yikes! How did I lose track of that until now?)
- Fill treat bags for trick-or-treaters (helps us keep count of how many we get)
- Run the graveyard Weds night, tear down Thurs and restore house to normal order
- Start NaNo novel, get as far ahead as possible (good strategy tip: write more at the beginning when you're fresh!)
- Start working out again (finally)
- Go shopping for the new dog after payday (he needs tags, a
collar, training collar, leash, and a thin crate pad or blanket since he
doesn't seem to like dog beds)
- Register both dogs with the city (Lucy's is expiring, Dakota needs his in my name)
- Vote absentee! (better do that tonight or tomorrow, and get it done, since I keep forgetting)
Busy busy! But good busy. Productive busy. The kind of busy I like.
Are you doing NaNo this year? Are you brave enough to conquer my
captcha (sorry, my blog platform doesn't allow me to turn it off, dang
it) and tell me about it?
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.
October 26, 2012
Recommended Read: Dance on Fire by James Garcia, Jr.
I've been reading this book on my lunch hours, so it's taken awhile
to get through it. But I finally finished it this week, and while it's a
little rough in spots (perhaps a little preachy in a couple), I enjoyed
it quite well.
[image error]
Dance on Fire by James Garcia Jr. is a vampire novel - a thriller,
not a romance. There is a lot of interesting relationship interplay
between the characters, but the focus is really more good vs. evil,
along with tackling the question of whether a vampire *can* be good in
any way or not. It's a book of many layers that flows well even while
telling both the story of a vampire from his (literal) childhood and the
story of a town under attack. Very intriguing, all around.
I downloaded it for free on the recommendation of another horror author I like...it's $3.99 at Amazon now, and worth it, I'd say. Heck, it's a perfect Halloween read, actually...
For more information on/links to this book and the next in his series, visit his blog.
to get through it. But I finally finished it this week, and while it's a
little rough in spots (perhaps a little preachy in a couple), I enjoyed
it quite well.
[image error]
Dance on Fire by James Garcia Jr. is a vampire novel - a thriller,
not a romance. There is a lot of interesting relationship interplay
between the characters, but the focus is really more good vs. evil,
along with tackling the question of whether a vampire *can* be good in
any way or not. It's a book of many layers that flows well even while
telling both the story of a vampire from his (literal) childhood and the
story of a town under attack. Very intriguing, all around.
I downloaded it for free on the recommendation of another horror author I like...it's $3.99 at Amazon now, and worth it, I'd say. Heck, it's a perfect Halloween read, actually...
For more information on/links to this book and the next in his series, visit his blog.
I'm not a
professional reviewer, I don't accept offerings direct from writers or
publishing houses (so don't email asking me to review your book - that's an
excellent way to ensure I never read it), and there's a very good chance
I know the authors of over half the books I'll recommend, so my opinion
is likely biased on any given day. This is just me telling you about a
great book I recently read. Nothing more, nothing less.
**Please
note - If this is your first time posting, your comment
will be moderated. Once you have been approved, future comments will post automatically.
October 24, 2012
Serial Story: Fit to be Chai-ed, Ch. 12
New chapters posted every Wednesday in draft form.
Previous Chapters
Fit to be Chai-ed
Chapter 12
Anna pushed the officer away, craning her neck for a glimpse of Erik. There were people everywhere, it seemed, but four men in navy blue huddled around a white stretcher caught her eye.
“Let me go!” She pulled out of the officer’s grasp for the second time and jogged over to the paramedics, squeezing between two of them to look down at the figure being wheeled away.
“Erik? Oh God. Is he okay?” He opened his eyes, and she jogged beside the gurney, sick at the sight of red staining the white sheet underneath him. “Are you okay? You’re bleeding...”
“Move out of the way, ma’am. He’s been shot. We need to get him to the hospital.”
Strong hands pulled her back as the paramedics loaded the bed into the back of an ambulance. She tried to follow, struggling against her captor, but he was too strong and she watched helplessly as the vehicle drove off, lights flashing and sirens wailing.
“I overheard them,” the officer behind her said when she finally turned around. “No promises, but I think he’ll be okay. You, on the other hand, look like you could use a check-up yourself. There’s another bus over here, which is where I was trying to take you the first time.”
Anna nodded, going with him to the waiting paramedics. Accepting the blanket they offered, she sat where they directed her to as they checked her over. There were so many questions to answer, from both the officer and the paramedics, and she did her best to answer them before the ambulance finally whisked her away.
The next week was a blur of doctors, pain pills and sleep. Somehow she’d escaped with only a broken rib that would heal in time, but she hadn’t been able to relax since. Will’s cohorts had been captured the same day, and Erik would heal, but there was still something gnawing at her, leaving the incident unfinished in her mind. Something she couldn’t quite put a finger on.
By Friday, she could almost breathe without the sharp, stabbing pain in her side, and after a careful shower, she decided to make the trip to the hospital to visit Detective Hansen. Purely to thank him for saving her life, of course. But when she got to the room number an officer at the precinct had given her, it was empty. A helpful nurse told her that the detective had checked out two days before.
Two days.
As she drove home, Anna gave herself a mental lecture about reading more into the situation than was really there. They’d been working a job together, that’s all, and besides, he’d practically blackmailed her into it. None of it meant anything - he had no obligation to call her when he got home, just as she had no obligation to visit him.
It was good he hadn’t been there, she told herself. He might have thought she was interested in him or something. That would have been embarrassing, considering he probably hadn’t thought of her at all. She went inside and closed the door, breathing a sigh of relief. What had she been thinking?
The invitation to the accountant’s dinner the next night winked at her from the entry table, and she remembered the day the detective had come to her office and made a bargain to go with her if she’d help him. He’d undoubtedly forgotten, but it was okay. She’d go by herself, again, and that would be easier than trying to explain who he was anyway.
Especially since none of those people would ever see him again.
Satisfied for the moment, she locked the door and went to the kitchen. Fifteen minutes later, she settled under a blanket on the couch, a glass of wine on the coffee table, a pint of chocolate ice cream in hand, and her favorite romantic comedy playing on the TV.
Previous Chapters
Fit to be Chai-ed
Chapter 12
Anna pushed the officer away, craning her neck for a glimpse of Erik. There were people everywhere, it seemed, but four men in navy blue huddled around a white stretcher caught her eye.
“Let me go!” She pulled out of the officer’s grasp for the second time and jogged over to the paramedics, squeezing between two of them to look down at the figure being wheeled away.
“Erik? Oh God. Is he okay?” He opened his eyes, and she jogged beside the gurney, sick at the sight of red staining the white sheet underneath him. “Are you okay? You’re bleeding...”
“Move out of the way, ma’am. He’s been shot. We need to get him to the hospital.”
Strong hands pulled her back as the paramedics loaded the bed into the back of an ambulance. She tried to follow, struggling against her captor, but he was too strong and she watched helplessly as the vehicle drove off, lights flashing and sirens wailing.
“I overheard them,” the officer behind her said when she finally turned around. “No promises, but I think he’ll be okay. You, on the other hand, look like you could use a check-up yourself. There’s another bus over here, which is where I was trying to take you the first time.”
Anna nodded, going with him to the waiting paramedics. Accepting the blanket they offered, she sat where they directed her to as they checked her over. There were so many questions to answer, from both the officer and the paramedics, and she did her best to answer them before the ambulance finally whisked her away.
The next week was a blur of doctors, pain pills and sleep. Somehow she’d escaped with only a broken rib that would heal in time, but she hadn’t been able to relax since. Will’s cohorts had been captured the same day, and Erik would heal, but there was still something gnawing at her, leaving the incident unfinished in her mind. Something she couldn’t quite put a finger on.
By Friday, she could almost breathe without the sharp, stabbing pain in her side, and after a careful shower, she decided to make the trip to the hospital to visit Detective Hansen. Purely to thank him for saving her life, of course. But when she got to the room number an officer at the precinct had given her, it was empty. A helpful nurse told her that the detective had checked out two days before.
Two days.
As she drove home, Anna gave herself a mental lecture about reading more into the situation than was really there. They’d been working a job together, that’s all, and besides, he’d practically blackmailed her into it. None of it meant anything - he had no obligation to call her when he got home, just as she had no obligation to visit him.
It was good he hadn’t been there, she told herself. He might have thought she was interested in him or something. That would have been embarrassing, considering he probably hadn’t thought of her at all. She went inside and closed the door, breathing a sigh of relief. What had she been thinking?
The invitation to the accountant’s dinner the next night winked at her from the entry table, and she remembered the day the detective had come to her office and made a bargain to go with her if she’d help him. He’d undoubtedly forgotten, but it was okay. She’d go by herself, again, and that would be easier than trying to explain who he was anyway.
Especially since none of those people would ever see him again.
Satisfied for the moment, she locked the door and went to the kitchen. Fifteen minutes later, she settled under a blanket on the couch, a glass of wine on the coffee table, a pint of chocolate ice cream in hand, and her favorite romantic comedy playing on the TV.
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.
October 22, 2012
On Reality, the Mundane & Doctors
Prompt o' the Week: Two friends are hired to go door to door
with a quick survey regarding consumer habits. Some of the answers they
receive are odd, to say the least. But one answer in particular has them
sneaking back to the house in the dead of night...
As
you read this (assuming you're reading during the day), I'm back at my
dayjob desk making a valiant effort to catch up on whatever work piled
up while I was away. Considering I was a wee bit burned out when I went
on vacation, there are a lot of projects that will need my attention as
well. Luckily, while I'd rather not work for anyone else, I don't hate
my job, and I think I'm ready to tackle it with renewed vigor. For a few
weeks, anyways.
In those rare moments of
breathing time, I'll be hoping and crossing my fingers that the dogs are
doing okay at home alone. While normally I'd play it safe and keep them
separate for a week or two of work hours, the new dog not being crate
trained makes that a bit more difficult and honesty, they're getting
along/communicating well enough that I'm not too worried about major
issues (if I was, I'd certainly separate them).
In
other words, back to reality. Up at 6am, shower, clothes, makeup, and
off to work we go. Home for lunch, to work again, and home around 6pm
for dinner. TV, writing, book biz stuff, reading, sleep. Rinse, repeat.
You
might think I'm crazy, but I'm actually okay with this. I love routine.
I thrive on it. I'm not saying I didn't enjoy our vacation (though it
was hard and stressful in a lot of ways I didn't anticipate), but I'm
very ready to get back to my normal routines and relatively mundane
life. Hubby and I have agreed that our next vacation "away" (normally we
just vacation at home) will be somewhere we can just lay about and be
catered too. Maybe we're getting old, but that actually sounds far more
relaxing than a ton of walking several days in a row.
Speaking
of getting old, I'm not, really. Still, I've been having some health
issues lately that are probably nothing, but could be "something". Most
normal people might schedule an appointment with their
general practitioner to have things checked out. The thing is, I've
never actually had a "family doctor". I've always just had a nurse
practitioner do my occasional "girl" exams, and called it good. I think
it's time, at the age of 37, to find myself a general doctor I can
call/see when I have issues that need to be checked or monitored.
So that's on my list for this week - pick out a general practitioner by
going through the bios/resumes online at our local clinic, and make an
appt. for an exam. Whether I stick with the first one I try, we'll see,
but I need to start somewhere. I have three federal holidays off in
November, two of which should work just fine for that purpose. Time to
act like an adult, I guess.
On that cheery note, here's what I have on tap for this week. So much to do, etc...
- 4 serial scenes (finish a story or two?)- Edits to horror short, formatting- Send physical anthology copies out- Find doc & make an appt.- Decide on a name and get ID tags for Dakota- Get most of the graveyard put up on the weekend- Vote! (absentee)- Renew Lucy's city license, license Dakota
I think that's good for now...plenty of other stuff to work on if I actually finish this particular list...
Here's to a good and productive week, eh?
with a quick survey regarding consumer habits. Some of the answers they
receive are odd, to say the least. But one answer in particular has them
sneaking back to the house in the dead of night...
As
you read this (assuming you're reading during the day), I'm back at my
dayjob desk making a valiant effort to catch up on whatever work piled
up while I was away. Considering I was a wee bit burned out when I went
on vacation, there are a lot of projects that will need my attention as
well. Luckily, while I'd rather not work for anyone else, I don't hate
my job, and I think I'm ready to tackle it with renewed vigor. For a few
weeks, anyways.
In those rare moments of
breathing time, I'll be hoping and crossing my fingers that the dogs are
doing okay at home alone. While normally I'd play it safe and keep them
separate for a week or two of work hours, the new dog not being crate
trained makes that a bit more difficult and honesty, they're getting
along/communicating well enough that I'm not too worried about major
issues (if I was, I'd certainly separate them).
In
other words, back to reality. Up at 6am, shower, clothes, makeup, and
off to work we go. Home for lunch, to work again, and home around 6pm
for dinner. TV, writing, book biz stuff, reading, sleep. Rinse, repeat.
You
might think I'm crazy, but I'm actually okay with this. I love routine.
I thrive on it. I'm not saying I didn't enjoy our vacation (though it
was hard and stressful in a lot of ways I didn't anticipate), but I'm
very ready to get back to my normal routines and relatively mundane
life. Hubby and I have agreed that our next vacation "away" (normally we
just vacation at home) will be somewhere we can just lay about and be
catered too. Maybe we're getting old, but that actually sounds far more
relaxing than a ton of walking several days in a row.
Speaking
of getting old, I'm not, really. Still, I've been having some health
issues lately that are probably nothing, but could be "something". Most
normal people might schedule an appointment with their
general practitioner to have things checked out. The thing is, I've
never actually had a "family doctor". I've always just had a nurse
practitioner do my occasional "girl" exams, and called it good. I think
it's time, at the age of 37, to find myself a general doctor I can
call/see when I have issues that need to be checked or monitored.
So that's on my list for this week - pick out a general practitioner by
going through the bios/resumes online at our local clinic, and make an
appt. for an exam. Whether I stick with the first one I try, we'll see,
but I need to start somewhere. I have three federal holidays off in
November, two of which should work just fine for that purpose. Time to
act like an adult, I guess.
On that cheery note, here's what I have on tap for this week. So much to do, etc...
- 4 serial scenes (finish a story or two?)- Edits to horror short, formatting- Send physical anthology copies out- Find doc & make an appt.- Decide on a name and get ID tags for Dakota- Get most of the graveyard put up on the weekend- Vote! (absentee)- Renew Lucy's city license, license Dakota
I think that's good for now...plenty of other stuff to work on if I actually finish this particular list...
Here's to a good and productive week, eh?
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.
October 19, 2012
Serial Story: Fit to be Chai-ed, Ch. 12
New chapters posted every Wednesday in draft form.
Previous Chapters
Fit to be Chai-ed
Chapter 11
Anna looked down to see Will standing off to the left, hands in his pockets as if he were just going for a relaxing stroll. Glancing at the ground at her feet and all the shards glittering in the sunlight, she opted to stay where she was for the moment.
“She’s fine where she is, I think,” Erik said, crouching into a defensive position. “I’m the one you want, so let’s just keep this between us, shall we?”
Will nodded, winking at Anna before looking back at her would-be protector. “Doesn’t matter. She can jump down after I kill you just as easily as before, I suppose. And that will be a good place for her to watch from.” He cracked his knuckles and then reached into his jacket, pulling out an old-style revolver.
“Now then, let’s get started.” He pointed to a spot on the wall just to the right of Anna. “You stand over there against the wall, and I’ll make this quick. It shouldn’t hurt...much.”
Erik laughed. “You don’t seriously expect me to just stand there and let you shoot me, do you?”
“It was worth a shot, so to speak.” Will raised the gun, leveled at Erik. “Not that you have much choice.”
Erik started moving backwards, hands up in front of him as if he were surrendering. Will moved too, closer to Anna, and she knew what she needed to do. Tightening her grasp on the wide concrete sill, she waited for her opportunity as Erik continued to take careful steps back.
“That’s far enough, don’t you think? You don’t want Anna to think you’re afraid now, big bad cop and all. Stand still and take it like a man.” Will raised his eyebrows and thought for a moment. “Or maybe you think you can take the gun before I shoot. Is that it? Are you going to attack me, all dramatic-like?”
Erik laughed. “Sorry to disappoint you, but no.” He stood still, hands on his hips. “What are you waiting for? You could have shot me six times by now. One might think you’re scared to pull the trigger or something.” He glanced up at Anna with a quick nod - all the sign she needed.
Pushing off hard, she launched herself from the windowsill straight at Will, landing hard against his shoulder and knocking him off his feet. A shot rang out from the gun in his hand, but she didn’t take the time to check where it went. Pressing hard on his body, she tried to keep Will pinned to the ground as footsteps thundered her way.
Strong arms lifted her off him as someone else grasped one of Will’s wrists.
“We’ve got him, ma’am...good work. If you’ll just wait over here...”
“Who are you?” she asked, then noted the police badge the man escorting her to the side was wearing. “Where’s Erik? Is he okay?”
Previous Chapters
Fit to be Chai-ed
Chapter 11
Anna looked down to see Will standing off to the left, hands in his pockets as if he were just going for a relaxing stroll. Glancing at the ground at her feet and all the shards glittering in the sunlight, she opted to stay where she was for the moment.
“She’s fine where she is, I think,” Erik said, crouching into a defensive position. “I’m the one you want, so let’s just keep this between us, shall we?”
Will nodded, winking at Anna before looking back at her would-be protector. “Doesn’t matter. She can jump down after I kill you just as easily as before, I suppose. And that will be a good place for her to watch from.” He cracked his knuckles and then reached into his jacket, pulling out an old-style revolver.
“Now then, let’s get started.” He pointed to a spot on the wall just to the right of Anna. “You stand over there against the wall, and I’ll make this quick. It shouldn’t hurt...much.”
Erik laughed. “You don’t seriously expect me to just stand there and let you shoot me, do you?”
“It was worth a shot, so to speak.” Will raised the gun, leveled at Erik. “Not that you have much choice.”
Erik started moving backwards, hands up in front of him as if he were surrendering. Will moved too, closer to Anna, and she knew what she needed to do. Tightening her grasp on the wide concrete sill, she waited for her opportunity as Erik continued to take careful steps back.
“That’s far enough, don’t you think? You don’t want Anna to think you’re afraid now, big bad cop and all. Stand still and take it like a man.” Will raised his eyebrows and thought for a moment. “Or maybe you think you can take the gun before I shoot. Is that it? Are you going to attack me, all dramatic-like?”
Erik laughed. “Sorry to disappoint you, but no.” He stood still, hands on his hips. “What are you waiting for? You could have shot me six times by now. One might think you’re scared to pull the trigger or something.” He glanced up at Anna with a quick nod - all the sign she needed.
Pushing off hard, she launched herself from the windowsill straight at Will, landing hard against his shoulder and knocking him off his feet. A shot rang out from the gun in his hand, but she didn’t take the time to check where it went. Pressing hard on his body, she tried to keep Will pinned to the ground as footsteps thundered her way.
Strong arms lifted her off him as someone else grasped one of Will’s wrists.
“We’ve got him, ma’am...good work. If you’ll just wait over here...”
“Who are you?” she asked, then noted the police badge the man escorting her to the side was wearing. “Where’s Erik? Is he okay?”
Enjoy
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October 18, 2012
On Creativity, Moving On and Other Scary Stuff...
Prompt 'o the Week: A woman working as a temporary assistant brings her lunch to work every day, but every day someone steals it from the office refrigerator before her break...
Sheesh...when I decide to take a vacation, I really take advantage, don't I? My apologies for the long absence...things have been pretty insane around here lately.
Our vacation (Universal Studios Orlando/Halloween Horror Nights) was good - but a lot of work/walking/people too, so I'm glad to be home. Making sure we had ample time afterward to recover was a very good idea, as we're both still quite tired three days later. It's weird, because normally when I go somewhere, I come back with a million ideas for new stories, but this time? Nada. I guess I had a very vague, subtle thought tease on one of the flights, but nothing interesting has come of it. Then again, going to theme parks may not be the best way to get ideas, simply because all the sets and themes and "fantasy worlds" are so complete already there's really no room for imagination, if that makes any sense. Creativity is far more likely to happen in mundane circumstances, or that's been my experience, anyways.
Not like I need any more ideas...I have enough to last me for nearly a decade of writing as it is...
Last time I posted, it was because I had to put my older dog to sleep (man, I miss him...still really can't talk about it), and poor Lucy ended up by herself while we were gone, which was a "worse case scenario" type of thing. She was extremely happy to see us when we returned, but she still wasn't quite herself, and since I doubt I'll have so many days in a row off again for awhile, we decided to go ahead and adopt another dog. And I'm happy to report that while they still have quite a lot of settling in to do, Lucy and the new dog (a 5 yr old Anatolian Shepherd/Lab mix) are getting along well, and Lucy's becoming more like her old happy-go-lucky self. The new dog has some issues to work out (all rescues do), but he's a great dog overall and I'm looking forward to seeing what he's like in a few weeks when he gets all settled in.
I know a lot of people can't stomach the thought of another dog soonish after one passes, but for me, it helps to move on. It doesn't mean I loved Gabriel any less, truly. I don't do well with long grieving periods...I never have (for animals or humans). Know thyself and act accordingly, I say. Everyone grieves differently.
On that rather morbid note, I think it's about time I started getting back into "normal mode". I don't go back to the day job until next Monday, but I do have a lot of writing/publishing business stuff to take care of, as well as some personal bookkeeping things I let get out of hand with all the pre-vacation stress to square away.
And of course Halloween is coming up. While we aren't decorating inside the house this year (no party, no deco), we'll still do the yard haunt. And it's now less than two weeks away from the big day! The last few days have been seriously windy/cold, so not conducive to working out in the yard, but today looks like it might be a tad bit more promising, and I'm hoping maybe the weekend will be even better.
Naturally, the first order of business for me in getting back to "normal" is...making a list. Here's what I'm aiming to get done before next Monday:
- Catch up on all serial novels
- Get the fence for the graveyard put up in front
- Find a rocking chair for our new "nanny"
- Laundry and other post-vacation cleaning
- Mail out author print copies for the last anthology (finally!)
- Fill out absentee ballot for the election
- Pick a new name for the new dog, and outfit him with new collar, tags, prong collar, etc.
- Renew Lucy's city license, and get new dog licensed
- Start keeping track of calories again (tomorrow!)
- Get one workout in this week
- Organize the personal finances and make a better plan for next month
A lot? Yes, but I have three and a half days to get everything done, and a lot of it is just sitting down and doing paperwork/writing/mailing labels, or running errands. Honestly, the rocking chair thing might be the hardest part...
In any case, I'd better get to work, eh? How's your week going? Anyone getting ready for Halloween, NaNo, or both?
Sheesh...when I decide to take a vacation, I really take advantage, don't I? My apologies for the long absence...things have been pretty insane around here lately.
Our vacation (Universal Studios Orlando/Halloween Horror Nights) was good - but a lot of work/walking/people too, so I'm glad to be home. Making sure we had ample time afterward to recover was a very good idea, as we're both still quite tired three days later. It's weird, because normally when I go somewhere, I come back with a million ideas for new stories, but this time? Nada. I guess I had a very vague, subtle thought tease on one of the flights, but nothing interesting has come of it. Then again, going to theme parks may not be the best way to get ideas, simply because all the sets and themes and "fantasy worlds" are so complete already there's really no room for imagination, if that makes any sense. Creativity is far more likely to happen in mundane circumstances, or that's been my experience, anyways.
Not like I need any more ideas...I have enough to last me for nearly a decade of writing as it is...
Last time I posted, it was because I had to put my older dog to sleep (man, I miss him...still really can't talk about it), and poor Lucy ended up by herself while we were gone, which was a "worse case scenario" type of thing. She was extremely happy to see us when we returned, but she still wasn't quite herself, and since I doubt I'll have so many days in a row off again for awhile, we decided to go ahead and adopt another dog. And I'm happy to report that while they still have quite a lot of settling in to do, Lucy and the new dog (a 5 yr old Anatolian Shepherd/Lab mix) are getting along well, and Lucy's becoming more like her old happy-go-lucky self. The new dog has some issues to work out (all rescues do), but he's a great dog overall and I'm looking forward to seeing what he's like in a few weeks when he gets all settled in.
I know a lot of people can't stomach the thought of another dog soonish after one passes, but for me, it helps to move on. It doesn't mean I loved Gabriel any less, truly. I don't do well with long grieving periods...I never have (for animals or humans). Know thyself and act accordingly, I say. Everyone grieves differently.
On that rather morbid note, I think it's about time I started getting back into "normal mode". I don't go back to the day job until next Monday, but I do have a lot of writing/publishing business stuff to take care of, as well as some personal bookkeeping things I let get out of hand with all the pre-vacation stress to square away.
And of course Halloween is coming up.
While we aren't decorating inside the house this year (no party, no deco), we'll still do the yard haunt. And it's now less than two weeks away from the big day! The last few days have been seriously windy/cold, so not conducive to working out in the yard, but today looks like it might be a tad bit more promising, and I'm hoping maybe the weekend will be even better. Naturally, the first order of business for me in getting back to "normal" is...making a list. Here's what I'm aiming to get done before next Monday:
- Catch up on all serial novels
- Get the fence for the graveyard put up in front
- Find a rocking chair for our new "nanny"
- Laundry and other post-vacation cleaning
- Mail out author print copies for the last anthology (finally!)
- Fill out absentee ballot for the election
- Pick a new name for the new dog, and outfit him with new collar, tags, prong collar, etc.
- Renew Lucy's city license, and get new dog licensed
- Start keeping track of calories again (tomorrow!)
- Get one workout in this week
- Organize the personal finances and make a better plan for next month
A lot? Yes, but I have three and a half days to get everything done, and a lot of it is just sitting down and doing paperwork/writing/mailing labels, or running errands. Honestly, the rocking chair thing might be the hardest part...
In any case, I'd better get to work, eh? How's your week going? Anyone getting ready for Halloween, NaNo, or both?
Enjoy
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October 9, 2012
R.I.P. Gabriel - No Serials This Week
Sorry folks. I had to put my dog down this morning, and between that and the whole vacation thing, I'm not going to get my serial chapters done this week (next week, they may be late, depending on how our Lucy dog does while we're gone). My apologies - new chapters next week. Thanks for your understanding...
October 8, 2012
On Travel Prep, Housecleaning & NaNoWriMo
Prompt o' the Week: A salesman is preparing to lock up for the night when what appears to be a homeless woman comes through the door. He politely tries to send her on her way, but she's oblivious to his hints, and begins to pick items of clothing off the racks....
T-Minus less than 48 hours until the hubby and I fly south for a few days...dude, it's a lot of work to get ready to leave for a week! Maybe it's just because I don't travel often, but it's kind of crazy how much stuff I still need to do before I'm even ready to get on the plane. Last night I had to prep all of the dog food (I guess maybe most people don't have to do that...but my dogs have special dietary needs), and today/tomorrow I need to clean house (the house sitters don't need to deal with our clutter, and we'd like to come home to a clean house anyways), and Tuesday night I'll be doing a last minute load of laundry.
Why not do it early, you ask? Um, because I actually only own enough pairs of underwear to last for 1 week (7 days). Which means in order to have clean skivvies for a six-day vacation, I have to do laundry the day before we leave (I'll also have to do laundry the day after we get back...though that seems normal). This is what happens when you don't like to shop for clothing, people. It's also a good trick if you want to force yourself to remember to do at least one load of laundry per week (but it works, just so you know...).
So...today & tomorrow are slated for cleaning and travel prep (guess I should go over the TSA restrictions too, eh?), and then 6 days in Florida. Followed by 4 days "recovering" at home before we have to go back to work. It'll be fun.
In other news, if you missed it last week, I've decided to do NaNoWriMo again after sitting out last year. I have a bang-up opening line, I have no idea what will happen after, and no idea what the genre will end up being. Which is just perfect for the whole exercise. If you're a writer doing NaNo, feel free to connect with me - my username there is "outofwords".
What does this mean for my serial stories? Well, I won't be starting another tea story here until December. The Handyman's Harem Girl will go on as usual at the Fantasy Ranch blog - I'm hoping to have those installments done ahead of time so I don't have to worry about them. And I'm hoping to do the same with my pen name serials - I have some extra time (4 hours both ways) to write on my flights to and from our vacation spot as well as four days after we get back, and I plan to use it to write my little fingers to the bone to get ahead with all of my serials. If I can't get them done ahead of time, I may just not start serials for my pen names until December - we'll see. More on that in a couple of weeks. Perhaps this seems like a setback, but my brain needs something "different" to shake things up a bit. Between my vacation and NaNo, I think you'll find my creativity will be all the better for it.
As for this week's posts, I'm going to do my best to get all of my serial installments written and scheduled before I leave, but there won't be any other blog posts until Tuesday the 16th (which is when I'll post the weekly news - Monday is a travel day).
So no "to do" list for this week, because really it's just two days of hurry up and clean, followed by a vacation with only a bare-bones itinerary. I never liked vacations that were planned out to the last second...I prefer to be spontaneous while vacationing, because I'm so schedule-oriented in my daily life that it's not a vacation if I have to stick to a "plan". Vacations are for getting up whenever, deciding what to do based on what I feel like doing that particular day and time, and just sort of rolling with things as they come. *That* is my idea of relaxing.
Enjoy your week, whatever it brings, and I'll do my best to remember to take a picture or two while I'm gone...
T-Minus less than 48 hours until the hubby and I fly south for a few days...dude, it's a lot of work to get ready to leave for a week! Maybe it's just because I don't travel often, but it's kind of crazy how much stuff I still need to do before I'm even ready to get on the plane. Last night I had to prep all of the dog food (I guess maybe most people don't have to do that...but my dogs have special dietary needs), and today/tomorrow I need to clean house (the house sitters don't need to deal with our clutter, and we'd like to come home to a clean house anyways), and Tuesday night I'll be doing a last minute load of laundry.
Why not do it early, you ask? Um, because I actually only own enough pairs of underwear to last for 1 week (7 days). Which means in order to have clean skivvies for a six-day vacation, I have to do laundry the day before we leave (I'll also have to do laundry the day after we get back...though that seems normal). This is what happens when you don't like to shop for clothing, people. It's also a good trick if you want to force yourself to remember to do at least one load of laundry per week (but it works, just so you know...).
So...today & tomorrow are slated for cleaning and travel prep (guess I should go over the TSA restrictions too, eh?), and then 6 days in Florida. Followed by 4 days "recovering" at home before we have to go back to work. It'll be fun.
In other news, if you missed it last week, I've decided to do NaNoWriMo again after sitting out last year. I have a bang-up opening line, I have no idea what will happen after, and no idea what the genre will end up being. Which is just perfect for the whole exercise. If you're a writer doing NaNo, feel free to connect with me - my username there is "outofwords".
What does this mean for my serial stories? Well, I won't be starting another tea story here until December. The Handyman's Harem Girl will go on as usual at the Fantasy Ranch blog - I'm hoping to have those installments done ahead of time so I don't have to worry about them. And I'm hoping to do the same with my pen name serials - I have some extra time (4 hours both ways) to write on my flights to and from our vacation spot as well as four days after we get back, and I plan to use it to write my little fingers to the bone to get ahead with all of my serials. If I can't get them done ahead of time, I may just not start serials for my pen names until December - we'll see. More on that in a couple of weeks. Perhaps this seems like a setback, but my brain needs something "different" to shake things up a bit. Between my vacation and NaNo, I think you'll find my creativity will be all the better for it.
As for this week's posts, I'm going to do my best to get all of my serial installments written and scheduled before I leave, but there won't be any other blog posts until Tuesday the 16th (which is when I'll post the weekly news - Monday is a travel day).
So no "to do" list for this week, because really it's just two days of hurry up and clean, followed by a vacation with only a bare-bones itinerary. I never liked vacations that were planned out to the last second...I prefer to be spontaneous while vacationing, because I'm so schedule-oriented in my daily life that it's not a vacation if I have to stick to a "plan". Vacations are for getting up whenever, deciding what to do based on what I feel like doing that particular day and time, and just sort of rolling with things as they come. *That* is my idea of relaxing.
Enjoy your week, whatever it brings, and I'll do my best to remember to take a picture or two while I'm gone...
Enjoy
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October 4, 2012
Writer's Notes: FTBC, Ch. 11
Forgive me, I'm lazy...hence the abbreviation for our story's
title. A title that is going to change, because I simply can't come to
terms with the whole "chaied/chai-ed" debacle. I'm not sure what just
yet, but I'm thinking (and open to suggestions, of course).
I'm not sure whether you noticed or not, but something's wrong with
that last scene. I'm not sure what, exactly, but I'll look at it again
come revision time, and if I can't find it, I'm sure my editor will.
Still, I like the whole end there with Anna stuck on the windowsill,
barefoot and barely clothed while Erik has to face down his enemy. It's
an old, standard trope, but common because of the classic "man
protecting his woman" thing that we (or at least I), get some measure of
comfort from.
I have to tell you though, this isn't going to end like you're
thinking it will. Although I guess I don't know what you're thinking,
but there's still a bit of a twist left to the story that will be
revealed next week, unless the characters really deviate from their
personalities (in which case I'll be very surprised). To be fair, one of
them really doesn't *know* what's going to happen yet, but it will. I
can see it coming...
A quick note on the "tea" series as a whole...I'm thinking this is
going to stretch out over the next year. And after this little Chai
suspense is done, the next one won't start until December. Sorry if that
disappoints anyone, but I have a book that is begging me to write it
(okay, I have a first line that's begging me to see what/who the heck is
behind it). And considering next month is November, and there's a
little writing frenzy called NaNoWriMo going on that I missed last year...
title. A title that is going to change, because I simply can't come to
terms with the whole "chaied/chai-ed" debacle. I'm not sure what just
yet, but I'm thinking (and open to suggestions, of course).
I'm not sure whether you noticed or not, but something's wrong with
that last scene. I'm not sure what, exactly, but I'll look at it again
come revision time, and if I can't find it, I'm sure my editor will.
Still, I like the whole end there with Anna stuck on the windowsill,
barefoot and barely clothed while Erik has to face down his enemy. It's
an old, standard trope, but common because of the classic "man
protecting his woman" thing that we (or at least I), get some measure of
comfort from.
I have to tell you though, this isn't going to end like you're
thinking it will. Although I guess I don't know what you're thinking,
but there's still a bit of a twist left to the story that will be
revealed next week, unless the characters really deviate from their
personalities (in which case I'll be very surprised). To be fair, one of
them really doesn't *know* what's going to happen yet, but it will. I
can see it coming...
A quick note on the "tea" series as a whole...I'm thinking this is
going to stretch out over the next year. And after this little Chai
suspense is done, the next one won't start until December. Sorry if that
disappoints anyone, but I have a book that is begging me to write it
(okay, I have a first line that's begging me to see what/who the heck is
behind it). And considering next month is November, and there's a
little writing frenzy called NaNoWriMo going on that I missed last year...
Enjoy
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October 3, 2012
Serial Story: Fit to be Chai-ed, Ch. 11
New chapters posted every Wednesday in draft form.
Previous Chapters
Fit to be Chai-ed
Chapter 11
Erik reluctantly set Anna down, keeping an arm around her for support when her legs nearly buckled.
“Damn it, stop fighting. I don’t know where they went, but we have to get you out of here. The fire’s spreading and you’re in no condition to walk.” He pulled her toward the door and she stumbled at his side, nearly pulling them both to the ground. Erik swung her up in his arms again, braced for more struggling that never came. He glanced down long enough to see the resigned look on her face, and wished he could make it better, but there wasn’t time.
“Fine.” She grabbed the knob as they reached the door, working it back and forth a couple times. “It’s locked,” she said, looking up at him with scared, tired eyes. “We’re stuck, just like they wanted us to be.”
He shook his head and turned around, plotting a course around the worst of the smoke.
“Hang in there, sweetheart. We’re not dead yet.” He almost told her to pull her shirt up over her face, and then realized she was still wearing only her bra, thanks to her abductors.
“This is gonna be ugly for a bit - breathe shallow, and keep your face to my shirt if you can. I’ll go quick.” He looked down for her nod, and then headed for the other side of the warehouse, moving as fast as he could. The smoke burned his eyes and his lungs, and he could feel Anna’s labored breathing against his shoulder but he pressed on.
There had to be a way out. Will didn’t want him to die - he wanted Erik out on his terms. It was the only thing that made sense, and Erik would be only too happy to kill the sick bastard when he found him.
Offices spanned the far wall, and Erik could just make out light coming through a window in the closest one. He carried Anna into the room and shut the door, all too aware that if the fire reached them and he couldn’t break the glass, it would be over. From the wide-eyed look Anna gave him as he set her down on a beat up old couch, she wasn’t thrilled with the prospect either.
“We can’t stay here,” she said, pushing up off the couch. Her legs shook, but she managed to stay upright as she went for the door. “It’s a trap. We have to find another door...”
Erik grasped her shoulders and pulled her back. “You need to just trust me,” he said, gently pushing her back to the cushions. “This is our best chance. I’m sure of it. Five minutes - just give me that long. If I don’t have us out of here by then, you can decide what we do next, okay?”
She shook her head and crossed her arms over her chest, but stayed on the couch. “In five minutes we won’t be able to leave this room. If you’re going to do something, do it now, or we’re going to die.”
He turned to the window, noting that it was safety glass, but not barred on the outside. On the desk there was a round metal paperweight that looked like an over-sized bullet, and he grabbed it, testing the weight in his hand.
“This should work,” he said, moving back to close the door. “Look away and cover your face with your hands, just in case.” He waited until Anna had followed his instructions and then threw the weight as hard as he could at the glass. Hairline cracks spiraled out from the center as the whole window bowed out, but didn’t break.
Grabbing a metal armchair, he hoisted it overhead and battered the glass, over and over until finally it worked loose from the frame and the whole thing fell outward to crash on the ground.
Anna was beside him in the next second and already scooting up on the frame when he stopped her.
“You have bare feet, and the glass is all over. Let me go first so I can keep you off that.”
She thought about it for a moment, finally nodding. He swung a leg over the windowsill and let himself drop the three feet to the ground, glass crunching under his boots. When he looked up, Anna was sitting on the sill, and he reached up for her.
“That wasn’t quite the exit I expected you to use, but it will work I suppose. I’m not one for coddling women though, so I think your little accountant there can jump down on her own, don’t you?”
Previous Chapters
Fit to be Chai-ed
Chapter 11
Erik reluctantly set Anna down, keeping an arm around her for support when her legs nearly buckled.
“Damn it, stop fighting. I don’t know where they went, but we have to get you out of here. The fire’s spreading and you’re in no condition to walk.” He pulled her toward the door and she stumbled at his side, nearly pulling them both to the ground. Erik swung her up in his arms again, braced for more struggling that never came. He glanced down long enough to see the resigned look on her face, and wished he could make it better, but there wasn’t time.
“Fine.” She grabbed the knob as they reached the door, working it back and forth a couple times. “It’s locked,” she said, looking up at him with scared, tired eyes. “We’re stuck, just like they wanted us to be.”
He shook his head and turned around, plotting a course around the worst of the smoke.
“Hang in there, sweetheart. We’re not dead yet.” He almost told her to pull her shirt up over her face, and then realized she was still wearing only her bra, thanks to her abductors.
“This is gonna be ugly for a bit - breathe shallow, and keep your face to my shirt if you can. I’ll go quick.” He looked down for her nod, and then headed for the other side of the warehouse, moving as fast as he could. The smoke burned his eyes and his lungs, and he could feel Anna’s labored breathing against his shoulder but he pressed on.
There had to be a way out. Will didn’t want him to die - he wanted Erik out on his terms. It was the only thing that made sense, and Erik would be only too happy to kill the sick bastard when he found him.
Offices spanned the far wall, and Erik could just make out light coming through a window in the closest one. He carried Anna into the room and shut the door, all too aware that if the fire reached them and he couldn’t break the glass, it would be over. From the wide-eyed look Anna gave him as he set her down on a beat up old couch, she wasn’t thrilled with the prospect either.
“We can’t stay here,” she said, pushing up off the couch. Her legs shook, but she managed to stay upright as she went for the door. “It’s a trap. We have to find another door...”
Erik grasped her shoulders and pulled her back. “You need to just trust me,” he said, gently pushing her back to the cushions. “This is our best chance. I’m sure of it. Five minutes - just give me that long. If I don’t have us out of here by then, you can decide what we do next, okay?”
She shook her head and crossed her arms over her chest, but stayed on the couch. “In five minutes we won’t be able to leave this room. If you’re going to do something, do it now, or we’re going to die.”
He turned to the window, noting that it was safety glass, but not barred on the outside. On the desk there was a round metal paperweight that looked like an over-sized bullet, and he grabbed it, testing the weight in his hand.
“This should work,” he said, moving back to close the door. “Look away and cover your face with your hands, just in case.” He waited until Anna had followed his instructions and then threw the weight as hard as he could at the glass. Hairline cracks spiraled out from the center as the whole window bowed out, but didn’t break.
Grabbing a metal armchair, he hoisted it overhead and battered the glass, over and over until finally it worked loose from the frame and the whole thing fell outward to crash on the ground.
Anna was beside him in the next second and already scooting up on the frame when he stopped her.
“You have bare feet, and the glass is all over. Let me go first so I can keep you off that.”
She thought about it for a moment, finally nodding. He swung a leg over the windowsill and let himself drop the three feet to the ground, glass crunching under his boots. When he looked up, Anna was sitting on the sill, and he reached up for her.
“That wasn’t quite the exit I expected you to use, but it will work I suppose. I’m not one for coddling women though, so I think your little accountant there can jump down on her own, don’t you?”
Enjoy
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Romantic Suspense
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| Flash Fiction | Non-Fiction
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