E.D. Martin's Blog, page 35
March 22, 2015
Weekend Writing Warriors 3/22/15 #8Sunday
Still pulling from my women’s fiction 
novel The Lone Wolf.
After her husband’s infidelities are revealed, Kasey Sanford just wants to rediscover who she is. After an abusive childhood and years as a career soldier, Andrew Adams just wants someone to tell him that he’s doing the right thing with his life. When their paths cross, Kasey and Andrew embark on a tumultuous journey that demonstrates just what they’re willing to do to save the ones they love.
In this scene, Kasey has just had a small argument with her husband David because she won’t come in from working in the garden to make him breakfast. He’s trying to make it up to her.
* * * * * * * * * * *
I turned back to the flower bed, but David grabbed my hand and said, “I’m sorry. We can go out for breakfast, okay?”
I stared at him, not saying anything.
He pulled me towards him and said, “Don’t be like this. I’ll make breakfast for you.”
“You’re a horrible cook.”
He grinned. “See, that’s another reason why I need you around: you keep my ego in check.”
* * * * * * * * * * *
Post a link to your eight sentences blog entry, or join the fun at the Weekend Writing Warriors website.
You can get a copy of The Lone Wolf at Amazon and Barnes and Noble, or the audiobook at Amazon, Audible, or iTunes.
March 15, 2015
Weekend Writing Warriors 3/15/15 #8Sunday
Spring break has begun! I still have to work, but a week off from classes will be nice – it’ll give me time to catch up on homework and writing. One of my current projects is plotting out the sequel to my debut novel, The Lone Wolf, which I’m excerpting this month.
After her husband’s infidelities are revealed, Kasey Sanford just wants to rediscover who she is. After an abusive childhood and years as a career soldier, Andrew Adams just wants someone to tell him that he’s doing the right thing with his life. When their paths cross, Kasey and Andrew embark on a tumultuous journey that demonstrates just what they’re willing to do to save the ones they love.
In this scene, Kasey and her six-year-old daughter end up staying at Andrew’s apartment. He’s on the couch, while they take his bed. Kasey has just been awakened in the middle of the night by a noise coming from the living room and is going to investigate.
* * * * * * * * * * *
The sound came from a large, dark shape on the couch.
“Andrew?” I whispered, cautiously approaching him.
He lay on his side, facing me, eyes tightly closed, body tensed as he moaned, whimpered,
and shook his head.
I crouched down next to his head and gazed at his troubled features, fascinated by his
vulnerability, wondering what could disturb this man’s sleep so deeply, then without hesitation,
seemingly involuntarily, I lightly stroked his cheek, felt the sandpapered texture of a day’s
worth of stubble. As my fingers touched his skin, he sighed softly but didn’t wake. I left my
hand resting gently on his face, and the tension melted from his body, his features calming,
becoming more relaxed. It crossed my mind that I wouldn’t be able to explain this if he woke,
but I pushed the thought away.
Once he was breathing slowly and rhythmically, once I was certain the dream had passed, I
leaned forward and lightly kissed his sleeping lips, then stood and returned to bed.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Post a link to your eight sentences blog entry, or join the fun at the Weekend Writing Warriors website.
You can get a copy of The Lone Wolf at Amazon and Barnes and Noble, or the audiobook at Amazon, Audible, or iTunes.
March 8, 2015
Weekend Writing Warriors 3/8/15 #8Sunday
Stupid time change, but at least that means it’s spring, right?
From my debut novel, The Lone Wolf. Kasey has ducked back into her house to talk to her husband, and when she returns she couldn’t find her 6-year-old daughter anywhere. Panic is setting in.
***********
She wasn’t hiding in the car either; perhaps she’d gone back inside. As I fished my keys out of my purse, the sound of giggles drifted out from the front flowerbed. Huge hydrangea bushes lined the front of our house, the pale blue blossoms perfuming our yard. Tulips in vivid reds and pinks overflowed in front of them, adding their fragrance.
And their laughter. I smiled as my heart rate dropped.
“Looks like my hydrangeas ate a little girl,” I said in a loud voice. “I wonder if I can buy another one at the farmers’ market?”
***********
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March 1, 2015
Weekend Writing Warriors 3/1/15 #8sunday
New month, new story. Because I just finished outlining its sequel (although I don’t have any free time to write it!), I’m pulling from my novel, The Lone Wolf, published by Evolved Publishing in December 2013.
After her husband’s infidelities are revealed, Kasey Sanford just wants to rediscover who she is. After an abusive childhood and years as a career soldier, Andrew Adams just wants someone to tell him that he’s doing the right thing with his life. When their paths cross, Kasey and Andrew embark on a tumultuous journey that demonstrates just what they’re willing to do to save the ones they love.
In this snippet, Andrew is enjoying some downtime during a tour in Iraq. While checking in on his unit he notices a bunch of guys gathered around a clothes-covered cot.
* * * * * * * * * * *
I walked over to the cot, looked down, and saw that what I’d mistaken for clothes was a sleeping soldier—Butch, a short skinny guy who was anything but. “Is that…Where the hell did you find yourself Saran wrap in the middle of a desert?”
“My girl sent it to me,” Reyes giggled. “Isn’t this awesome?”
They’d securely attached Butch to his cot with plastic wrap, and judging by its opaqueness, there had to be at least a dozen layers.
“Watch this,” Reyes said as he grabbed a bottle of water and poured it over Butch’s face.
Butch jerked his body up but the plastic held, and I had to admit, they’d done a great job. Butch’s sputters quickly changed to a profanity-laced tirade against his fellow soldiers, their mothers, and the US military in general.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Post a link to your eight sentences blog entry, or join the fun at the Weekend Writing Warriors website.
You can get a copy of The Lone Wolf at Amazon and Barnes and Noble, or the audiobook at Amazon, Audible, or iTunes.
February 22, 2015
Weekend Writing Warriors 2/22/15
For the past couple months, I’ve been posting excerpts of a novella series based on fairy tales. MC Nyah’s sister Payton has been taken hostage by an army of barbarians outside their village. Last week the village council refused to do anything to get her back, so Nyah decided to take matters into her own hands. In this scene, she’s walked into the camp and demanded to see their leader, Brandulfr. To her surprise, she was led right to him.
***********
“Dolan,” Brandulfr called, and the tall man who’d led me to the leader entered the tent.
“Did you let this girl in here?”
“Aye, she asked to see you.”
“I’m busy,” Brandulf said, gesturing at the maps spread on the table in front of him, “and as flattering as it is, I can’t be interrupted by every girl who wants to be the camp whore. Please, escort her back to the village.”
Camp whore? If this barbarian thought I would let him touch me, after what he’d done to my sister…. I marched over and slapped him across the face. “I am not a whore; I’m here to demand the release of my sister.”
***********
Post a link to your eight sentences blog entry, or join the fun at the Weekend Writing Warriors website.
February 15, 2015
Weekend Writing Warriors 2/15/15 #8sunday
So far this year I’ve been posting from the first book in a series of retold fairy tales. The first story is Beauty and the Beast.
Brandulfr, the leader of an army, has just come into MC Nyah’s village. Last week he told the villagers nothing bad would happen if they cooperate and as an incentive for them to cooperate, he took her sister Payton as a hostage. The village’s mayor has met with Brandulfr to discuss his demands and is now meeting with the village council. Nyah has forced her way into the meeting to get answers about her sister.
* * * * * * * * * * *
“He plans to keep her, to ensure we do as he wants,” the mayor said.
“Keep her?” I said as I stood up, knocking over my chair. “And you agree to this?”
“What choice do we have?” asked a merchant, “ when his army could easily crush us.”
“So we just let him keep my sister?”
Wynne laid his hand on my shoulder, and I angrily shrugged it off as he said, “We’ll get her back, just have patience.”
“I don’t believe this,” I huffed as I stared around the room, but no one would meet my gaze. “Fine, if you won’t rescue my sister, I will.”
* * * * * * * * * * *
Post a link to your eight sentences blog entry, or join the fun at the Weekend Writing Warriors website.
Weekend Writing Warriors 2/1/15 #8sunday
So far this year I’ve been posting from the first book in a series of retold fairy tales. The first story is Beauty and the Beast.
Brandulfr, the leader of an army, has just come into MC Nyah’s village. Last week he told the villagers nothing bad would happen if they cooperate and as an incentive for them to cooperate, he took her sister Payton as a hostage. The village’s mayor has met with Brandulfr to discuss his demands and is now meeting with the village council. Nyah has forced her way into the meeting to get answers about her sister.
* * * * * * * * * * *
“He plans to keep her, to ensure we do as he wants,” the mayor said.
“Keep her?” I said as I stood up, knocking over my chair. “And you agree to this?”
“What choice do we have?” asked a merchant, “ when his army could easily crush us.”
“So we just let him keep my sister?”
Wynne laid his hand on my shoulder, and I angrily shrugged it off as he said, “We’ll get her back, just have patience.”
“I don’t believe this,” I huffed as I stared around the room, but no one would meet my gaze. “Fine, if you won’t rescue my sister, I will.”
* * * * * * * * * * *
Post a link to your eight sentences blog entry, or join the fun at the Weekend Writing Warriors website.
February 8, 2015
Weekend Writing Warriors 2/8/15 #8sunday
So far this year I’ve been posting from the first book in a series of retold fairy tales. The first story is Beauty and the Beast.
Brandulfr, the leader of an army, has just come into MC Nyah’s village. Last week he told the villagers nothing bad would happen if they cooperate.
* * * * * * * * * * *
“And if we refuse?” Wynne called out. I cringed; did he not know the threat these men posed?
Brandulfr’s smile no longer reached his eyes. “Perhaps then I should give you an incentive.” He scanned the crowd, then charged.
Villagers scattered amidst screams. I grabbed tightly at the hand of Payton, my younger sister. Not tightly enough, however, as the warrior swooped in, hauled her across his saddle, and galloped away.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Post a link to your eight sentences blog entry, or join the fun at the Weekend Writing Warriors website.
And then take part in my Futility of Loving a Soldier Valentine’s Day Giveaway!
It’s on sale this week at Amazon: $.99 from Thursday through Saturday, and $1.99 Sunday through Tuesday. As a reward for helping me spread the word, I’m giving away some Amazon gift cards.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
ÈB;_
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February 1, 2015
Weekend Writing Warriors 2/1/15 #8sunday
Continuing on from my novella series of retold fairy tales. This is the first one, based on Beauty and the Beast.
MC Nyah spotted a large army outside her village. Last week the villagers tried to hide, but three men rode into the village before they could all be protected. This picks up where last week left off.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Frightened cries rang out from the villagers. The men wore chain mail vests over leather tunics and horned helms that hid their faces. Their swords were sheathed, but it was obvious they were prepared for battle if necessary.
“Hail!” the man in the middle called out in an accented voice, “I am Brandulfr Gudrodarson, leader of this army. We are in need of a town out of which to base our operations. Cooperate with our demands, and we will leave you unharmed.”
My heart leapt into my throat. Based on the accent and Father’s stories of his travels, this man was a barbarian from across the North Sea, an enemy of my country and not to be trusted; what business could he have here?
* * * * * * * * * * *
Post a link to your eight sentences blog entry, or join the fun at the Weekend Writing Warriors website.
January 25, 2015
Weekend Writing Warriors 1/25/15 #8sunday
Continuing on from my novella series of retold fairy tales. This is the first one, based on Beauty and the Beast.
Last week, MC Nyah and her sister noticed a group of strange men approaching their village. In this scene, Nyah is talking to the mayor, Earc, who is also the father of her betrothed.
*************
“We must take action immediately,” I told him.
“What can we do?” he asked, waving his hand at the spiked fence along the village’s perimeter, then continued, “Had we even the time and resources, we still couldn’t build a wall strong enough to keep out that army. The only hope is to pray to God and throw ourselves on their mercy.”
I stared at him, open mouthed, then said, “They’ll kill us; you’ve heard the stories.”
He shook his head and turned to the villagers who had gathered, yelling, “Into the chapel!”
People hurried their way towards the stone building, the strongest in the village but too small to hold everyone.
Before more than a dozen people had settled inside it, three horses burst into the square.
The army had arrived.
*************
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