Chelle Ramsey's Blog, page 76

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO MY 3 MOTHERS

I would like to wish all the mothers out there a Happy Mothers Day. May God bless you and you keep you in peace and good health this Mother's Day.

And to my Triumphant, Terrific 3...I love you! (Mama, Mama Jean & Grandma). It is because of you, I am. You molded & shaped me into the beautiful, strong woman God ordained me to be.


My mother taught me to believe in myself and she always told me that I could be or do anything that I wanted to in this life. She would tell me "Baby you have to know you're beautiful and think it, because if you don't no one else will." My mother went through a lot of hardships in life for the sake of her four children. She accepted things in life that she should not have and sacrificed her own happiness for our sake. She taught me strength and fire. She taught me to be accepting of others because of their differences, not in spite of them. She taught me how to have self-respect and to be a lady and what was and wasn't acceptable for ladies. There were times when I was so hard-headed and difficult; times that I thought I was grown and had way too much mouth; and there were times when I couldn't find the strength to fight and she had to teach me to have a backbone. She has been a source of support for our children when Marvin and I needed her there as they have grown older. Thank you. And she loved me through it all and still does every day. Mama I love you with all of my heart, little lady. You are my world.

My grandmother taught me faith in the Lord and how to pray. She taught me what it was to be loving towards my enemies and how to find peace in the midst of turmoil. She taught me how to call on the Lord in times of trouble and trust that He will be there. She taught me how talk to Him anywhere I go at any time at all; and she taught me that He is my friend. And she had unbelievable patience with the wild child that was me. I grew up calling her "Mama" and she is definitely that for me. Thank you. And she kept loving me, and still does. I love you Grandma from now until eternity.

My mother-in-law taught me how to stand strong as a wife and a mother. She taught me how to be a wife, and hold my mule at times when I didn't want to. She taught me what it means to be a patient and loving mother even in the challenging times. She taught me how to find a place of refuge and peace in the Lord. She taught me what it means to discipline children in a firm, yet loving manner and how to bring out their gifts. She understood my moodiness and the desire to be left alone sometimes with my books and writing. She saw the true me that others around could not see, and she protected that side of me. She nurtured me in a time when I was 500 miles away from my own mother and needed a Mama. She helped me with raising my kids when they were babies. Together we worked on a project that enabled me to look at marriage in a different light and gave me new, fresh eyes that I needed. She loved me in moments that I couldn't see myself, and she still does. This third lady that I call Mama has held true to that title also. Thank you. Mama you hold a special place in my heart, and I will love you forever.

I found this beautiful poem online that describes all three of these ladies.
Mother -

Black, beautiful intuitive and strong.
The matriarch the stabilizer the earth's backbone
From the beginning she excels determined to survive.
In her womb the seed of trillions through the ages she will provide.
Unfazed by obstacles perpetual is her drive
Kings, Queens all royalty alike are inherently in her blood line.
Against all odds she presses on not a moment does her love wane.
She looks down through the annals of time and realize she must maintain
Her aura of invincibility her spirit of strong will
Her disposition of I will succeed regardless of the mountainous hills
She is black, bold and beautiful her strength personified from birth
She is the matriarch, she is our mother the backbone of the earth.
© Mitchell M. Gissendanner

Source: Powerful Woman Poem, Mother http://www.familyfriendpoems.com/poem/powerful-woman#ixzz2Sv3GNhIq


HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL THE MOTHERS.
JUST WRITING MY DREAMS,C. Michelle Ramseywww.cmichelleramsey.com

EXCERPT V...IS THE GRASS REALLY GREENER?

Until death do we part is what they vowed, no one told them that the death would be that of their son, and that such a tragic event could cause them to part.  When a wife fights for her marriage to no avail, she begins to wonder what is she fighting for anymore and is it worth the fight? Today we feature an excerpt from our final character reveal #5...Courtney.  SCENE_DOCTOR'S OFFICE:                                                   "Nate…welcome.” “Thank you. Let me start off by saying I’m here to support Courtney. I don’t need any help dealing with what I’m going through or my grief; and I’m not interested in sharing my feelings with anyone. My wife knows how I feel and that’s about it. Other than that, Courtney feels like she needs to talk, and I’ll sit here and listen to her and support her anyway I can. But I’m okay dealing with my feelings and I really don’t need help,” Nate stated as he leaned forward on the couch with his hands clasped.

“Okay then let me ask you this, are you open to any possible resolutions that Courtney may come up with while working with me Nathaniel?” Dr. Fiske asked in her clipped British tone.
“I’m always open to resolution Doc. I’m just not participating in the process. I mean what, you and my wife sit and talk about feelings, over and over again until you come up with some resolution that I’m supposed to go along with? If it’s reasonable, I’m game. But I don’t want to sit and discuss my feelings,” he responded leaning back on the couch.
Courtney glanced sideways at her husband, wondering why he had bothered to come if he was going to be difficult. She could feel the tension radiating from his body, and wished things between them weren’t so tense.
“Nate, I asked you once before would you be more comfortable speaking with a male therapist, rather than myself and you never answered me. Can I pose the question again?”
“Look I said I don’t have a problem with you Doc in the last meeting. I still don’t. I just don’t think you can fix what’s wrong with me, or help me in anyway; you can’t and nobody else can. Can you bring my son back to life?” he hesitated a moment waiting for her reply. Finding none and knowing he had caught at least his wife off guard, he continued, “Right…I didn’t think you could. So to answer your question, no I wouldn’t be interested in speaking to someone else,” he remarked rather coarsely in a deep voice reflecting his thick Bronx accent.
“Nathaniel, you have a lot of anger and rage within you about the loss of your son. And it’s understandable, but I think based on my few interactions with you that you tend to hold it all inside. It’s too much for one person to try and handle on his own. You’re right ,no one can bring AJ back to life, but maybe we can help you learn to live with the pain and realize that he will always live on inside of you. It’s up to you and Courtney to keep his spirit alive, and you do that one day at a time and by sharing your memories with one another as well as your pain and your grief.”
“Look, I’ve told you that I don’t need you in my head. I’ve got me covered; you talk to Courtney and help her resolve her issues. Court…I’ll be back,” he said as he pulled his 5’11, 205 pound frame from the couch and ambled across the room and out the door; he pulled it firmly shut behind him.
Courtney reached for a box of Kleenex on the table beside her and pulled a pink tissue from its slot. Allowing the tears that she fought back when Nate was in the room to fall, she felt some measure of relief. The tension that was in the room when he was there had been unbearable. She knew that he hurt and didn’t know how to help him because she couldn’t help herself. She knew that he had gone to the restroom to “deal with his emotions.” She no longer saw it, but she knew that he still cried. He cried in the middle of the night when he thought she was sleeping, and he cried in the shower when he came out eyes red from tears, pulling the towel across his entire face wiping away the water from the shower.
“Courtney what is your greatest fear at this moment,” Dr. Fiske asked.
“That he will leave me and we won’t have a future together and the chance to have children.”
“Why?”
“Because he blames meeee…” Courtney sobbed.
“Why do you think he blames you?” “Courtney, why do you think he blames you?” Dr. Fiske repeated after Courtney didn’t respond.
“I just know he does…” she sniffled, wiped her nose and continued, “he asked me where was I when it happened. I told him I didn’t know but thought I was in the laundry room. He asked if I had the monitor with me, and I told him I’d forgotten it in the kitchen. He asked how long I was in the laundry room, and I honestly didn’t remember. That night we had an argument because he said if I had taken the monitor I would have heard a change in his breathing; or if I had not stayed down there so long it could have made a difference,” she held her head down and began to sob again.
“You know Dr. Fiske, he may be right. If I had taken the monitor with me I would have noticed the difference. I know that I would’ve because I always listened to him carefully on the monitor. I know that I could’ve done something, if I had just taken the monitor, or if, or if…I should’ve kept him downstairs with me,” Courtney broke down into sobs again releasing months of pent up anguish and guilt.
 LATER THAT EVENING
“Nate…why did you leave me like that?” Courtney asked walking into the bedroom where he was reclined in his leather chair watching TV. She had finished her session with Dr. Fiske only to be told by the receptionist her husband had signed out and left. She had gone outside and didn't find his car in the parking lot. She knew he had returned to work.
Nate continued to flick the channels on the remote ignoring his wife. He didn’t want to deal with this shit right now. He told her he didn’t want to go; she kept forcing him and he gave in, he told the doctor he didn’t need her help, and she kept forcing him, so he left. He didn’t need all these people pushing their will on him, God had given him free will and he couldn’t take the control anymore. His mother constantly pushed him to go to therapy, his sister, his boss/best friend Marc, and his grandmother. His brother left him alone with his feelings, but every now and then he would tell Nate that he needed to get help. His dad was the only one that didn’t pressure him and just listened when he wanted to talk. Most times when he did talk to his dad, he didn’t talk about AJ. He couldn’t talk about AJ, nobody understood his hurt and pain and he couldn’t figure out why they kept trying to.
Courtney plopped down onto the bed and took off her red Jimmy Choo crown platforms. Aggravated she got up and walked to her dresser and threw her grey structured jacket onto the chair alongside her red purse she had sat down when she came into the room. Pulling her red V-neck blouse over her head, Courtney pulled her fiery red, bob cut hair into a short ponytail. She stared into the mirror and outwardly saw a beautiful woman. Her bedroom eyes were framed by long, thick lashes set under high arched eyebrows. Her mocha colored skin was free of blemishes. At 5’8 she weighed 135 pounds and her clothes looked good on her slender frame. But inside there was a terrified, lonely woman who wanted and needed to be treated like a woman again and appreciated for such.
She walked in front of the TV and began stripping off her clothes, removing her grey, boot cut pants first, and standing there in her black lace push up bra and matching panties. She slowly undid her 34 D bra and pranced to her husband. She sat on his lap and faced him with her legs straddling the recliner. He continued to gaze past her at the TV.
“Mmmm…” she moaned, kissing his neck and grinding against him. He let out a loud, frustrated sigh and flicked the channel again.
Courtney pulled back and gazed into Nate’s frowned up face, “Baby what’s wrong?”
“You,” he replied continuing to stare past her and not at the TV.
The remark stung and Courtney found herself getting up from the recliner and headed to her walk in closet. She came back out wearing an orange satin robe, grabbed her pillow and headed to the nursery. She locked herself inside and laid on the daybed across from AJ’s crib and cried herself to sleep.  Thank you for visiting today. I hope you enjoyed this excerpt from "Is the Grass Really Greener?" as much as I enjoyed sharing it with you.

If you liked this excerpt please click the "Join This Site" in the right hand column...and don't forget to leave your comments. I look forward to them. The past 5 weeks revealing a new character and their excerpts have been fun. It's not over...it's just the beginning, come back next week for more spice and fun.  JUST WRITING MY DREAMS,C. Michelle Ramsey www.cmichelleramsey.com

COURTNEY_FINAL CHARACTER REVEAL

Five weeks later and we're at the end of our character reveals. But that doesn't mean it's the last week I will share tidbits of "Is the Grass Really Greener?" So I want you to stay tuned for the reveals, the secrets, the juiciness, and maybe a little gossip from our characters as they host the blog for a day.

Tragedies can turn your life upside down and make it impossible to move forward. Sometimes, you feel as if you can't breathe, but somewhere deep inside you have to dig up a little courage, a little strength, and a little faith to persevere. I know a little something about tragedy, and I must admit you come out on the other side a different person...stronger I cannot say, but definitely different.



The final character reveal is Ms. Courtney, Curator at the Northern Atlanta Cultural Museum of Arts, fashion diva, wife, sister, good friend, and once a mother. When her life is plagued with a tragic event and a series of emotional roller coaster rides, she must draw on her faith to pull her through.

Courtney and Nate had vowed until death do they part; however, they did not count on the death of their only child being the reason they parted. When an explosive encounter leads to a mysterious phone call into the local radio station, their marriage takes a turn for the worst. Courtney has an avid group of supporters to pull her through, but even the most well intentioned of friends may not be strong enough to help pull her marriage from the brink of destruction. And the forces waiting on the other side of that destruction may be too strong to allow her to go back. And she may not even want to. What could possibly be waiting on the other side of devastation?

Join me tomorrow for an excerpt of Courtney's character from my upcoming novel "Is the Grass Really Greener?"

As usual please comment and join us if have not already, by clicking the "Join this Site," in the right hand column. For more information on my writings you can visit my website found below my name.
 JUST WRITING MY DREAMS,C. Michelle Ramseywww.cmichelleramsey.com

RANDOM RAMBLINGS...A LITTLE BIT OF SPICE

Every Wednesday I pick random topics to ramble on about. Usually they are hot topics in the news or something else that I deem important or of interest. This week I decided to stay focused on books...my true love. I would like to treat you to an excerpt from Real Secrets:

Although it was a strip club, Jasper went for a nice elegant look and didn’t want it to be a regular hole in the wall. The lights turned low made the gold walls look a darker shade than they were in the daytime. Candlelight shone from the sconces on the walls and gave the place a somewhat chic feel. Gold and black chairs or barstools would sit four at a table, which was decorated by candlelight.

Three stages in the club allowed entertainment for all depending on their location in the club. Two were small round stages that a gentleman could pay a small fee to dance on with a dancer or two. Big bodyguards stood close to prevent the dancing from becoming out of control. The main stage stood in the center of the floor and was a huge inverted U shape with three poles set at equal intervals on there. This of course was always the main attraction as two to three dancers gathered on stage and begin performing separate routines but inevitably came together in acts that simulated sexual performances to drive the audience wild.

There was a line of mirrors behind the bar which was illuminated by gold lighting. When gentleman went to the bar to have drinks or just to chill, they could still get a view of what was going on onstage from the reflections in the mirror. The waitresses were very nice to the customers and conversed and flirted with the men. But most of the guys that frequented the place were respectable and they often had some who were big tippers. Every now and then someone would get out of hand and would have to be removed from the club.

An elderly gentleman made his way towards Tamara. He was dressed in tan linen pants, a sky blue silk crew neck sweater and darker tanned shoes. He had a simple gold chain around his neck, a matching bracelet on the right wrist and a Rolex on the left one. On his hands he wore no jewelry other than a plain gold wedding band. He stood about 5'8, he was dark skinned with a low hair cut and a beautiful white smile. Although he was in his early 60’s he still had a well built physique. When he sat down at the table next to her she inhaled the scent of Bora Bora that was his trademark scent.

“Hey Jasper, how’s it going?” she asked smiling at her former boss.

“It’s going well Tamara, how’s things going with you and the UPS man?” he asked leaning over to accept her kiss on the cheek.

Tamara smiled at him and let out a soft giggle, shaking her head at him. Jasper knew Darren’s name and he refused to call him anything other than the UPS man. She had waited until late evening to come when she knew the lighting would be low. Although she had carefully applied her makeup, she didn’t want Jasper to get a hint that Darren was abusing her. One of the dancers named Cinnamon had gone through a similar issue last year, and her boyfriend wound up in the hospital after getting mysteriously jumped.

“Things are cool with us, but I’ve gotta make my own money Jas. You know that I can’t rely on a man to take care of me. I need to be able to hold things down until I finish school so that I can get that big money making job. I know that I didn’t give you a lot of notice when I took off Jas, but I need to come back. I know that you’ve gotten a girl to replace me, but I will take a position as a waitress or dancing a couple of nights a week, but I do need it Jas.”

Jasper smiled up at the waitress who brought him a glass of coke and rum and nodded his appreciation to her. She looked at Tamara and asked if she needed anything to drink and she shook her head declining it.

Tamara smiled at the waitress who was now sashaying away realizing that she must be newer than Tamara expected. She was obviously working on getting the boss’s attention, especially since he was sitting with someone she didn’t know.

“She ain’t met Eve yet has she?” Tamara asked knowing that as soon as Mrs. Cartwright, Jasper’s wife, appeared at the club she would put an end to all of that.

Jasper giggled and shook his head. “Uh-uh. I’m not quite ready for her to, I’m enjoying it while it lasts,” Jasper teased. “Now where were we?” he asked picking up the conversation where they left off.

“We were discussing when Eve’s coming by the club,” Tamara joked teasingly regarding the new waitress’ upcoming meeting with Jasper’s wife.

“Okay Tamara, you’ve got jokes,” he smiled and continued his conversation, “Look a side piece of advice, I know I ain’t your dad but I told you that boy was gon’ be your downfall when he first come in here. I’ve seen a lot in this business and out, and I’m a good judge of character and that boy is shady. He either don’t want what you want out of life and ain’t willing to work hard enough for it, or he jealous of what you got and gon’ try to hold you back. Tam, I want you to come back long enough to finish school and get out of here and do something with your life for you and your baby boy.”

“Thanks Jas, and another thing, I need to change my name and persona because Darren does have friends that frequent your club, and I’m sure he probably comes in every now and then.”

“Tamara, what’s the problem, are you in any danger with that boy?”

“No, he just doesn’t like me doing this. I agreed that I wouldn’t anymore.”

“But you know that you made yourself a name and when the fellas see you they’ll know you as Choc-o-Lot.”

“That’s just it Jas, I want to wear a mask now and there’ll be a new one every week, to keep the mystery in things. And also my performances are going to bring a different kind of spice.”

“Okaaay . . . if you think you can pull it off, I’m down with it. Now what’s your new name?”

“Wet,” Tamara said with a smile and a devilish glint in her eye.

To learn more about Real Secrets visit me @ www.cmichelleramsey.com

As always thanks for visiting, and please leave a comment. I love to hear from you. If you would like to join us, please click the "Join This Site" button and enjoy the journey of a fiction author and my escapades.

JUST WRITING MY DREAMS,C. Michelle Ramseywww.cmichelleramsey.com

BOOK SPOTLIGHT REVIEW...LONG TIME COMING

For those of you who know me you know I love a good mystery and romance novels are okay from time to time, but not my preference. Well the book that I've selected for this week, had a mixture of the two so I thought it might be an interesting read. Little did I know the "suspense" was more along the lines of a paranormal and I absolutely do not like those type books. However, all credit to Edie Claire the book still proved interesting and she maintained my curiosity because I just had to know what was happening and why. She didn't disappoint me.

Long Time Coming is the story of veterinarian Joy Hudson. She has returned to her small hometown in Kentucky to take care of her ailing and aging father. It has been 18 years since Joy first left home after the death of her best friend Jenny, who died in a horrific car accident that left a number of victims behind.
 
Joy finds that returning home forces her to deal with her sorrows, and face a recurring nightmare she thought she had long since put behind her. However, as she attempts to unlock the doors and secrets of the past she is no longer sure she wants to know what's lurking behind those doors. Everything Joy once thought was real is no longer true, and she's questioning everything she thought she believed in and those she didn't believe in; including those that can't be seen.

As I stated before I am not interested in paranormal books; however, looking beyond that the book was an excellent read. The main character Joy believes that her best friend died hating her and she holds a certain guilt about it. She has shut down those days before and after the accident and cannot determine why she feels guilty and why her friend would hate her. But when she returns home to assist her mother in the caregiving of her elderly father she finds herself coming face to face with the demons of the past.

Joy purchases the old home that her best friend Jenny grew up in and begins experiencing other worldly activity. As she does, it forces her to begin unlocking the mysteries of the past and recall why she hates Jenny's ex-boyfriend; now a highly respected town doctor and most eligible bachelor in town. She soon discovers the reason that she hates him was built on a figment of her imagination and she has other reasons for the danger she senses when he's around.

Edie Claire did a wonderful job of cloaking the mystery of the past and pulling together the romance and suspense contained in the book. As you read you find yourself becoming so involved in the primary story that you completely miss a separate story that is ongoing within the book. The only hint I will provide is that it involves an old neighbor. What the mystery is I won't say...you'll have to purchase the book on Amazon just like I did.

I would rate this book a "3" - Holdin' It Down.  Click on the tab up top labeled "Book Discussions" to learn my rating system. I would love to have you join me on my book journey (book reviews, and the impending release of my new novel). Click the "Join This Site" in the right hand column.

JUST WRITING MY DREAMS,C. Michelle Ramseywww.cmichelleramsey.com

MOTIVATIONAL MONDAY_LIVE YOUR LIFE

www.geograph.org.uk  

We have this one moment in time. We are not promised another year, another tomorrow, or another second. For every breath we take, we must be eternally grateful and striving to be the best that we can be. We must learn to shake off our inhibitions and live life for today; free from regrets and free from fears.

We all make mistakes because we're only human; therefore, we cannot live our lives grounded in those mistakes constantly second-guessing ourselves or berating ourselves for poor decisions we have made. We will never grow if we allow ourselves to become stuck in that mentality. We must learn from those mistakes, pick our feet up, and keep moving along. Understanding what we want out of life and going for it is the only thing that matters in the end.

So strive for your dreams, shoot for the stars, and keep forging full steam ahead. Let nothing stop you once you have made up your mind what you want to do. You must persevere in the trials and tribulations. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and keep on keeping on. Believe in you because you will triumph. Yes hard times will come, but God uses those times to strengthen us and to build our character. We must surround ourselves with others whose faith is firm and strong during those times. We must know that, "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another." (Proverbs 27:17).

You know how they often say people are watching us even when we don't know it? Well who knows as you pursue your dreams, and be the best you that you can be, you may inspire someone else who's watching you. And without knowing it you've changed a life because you've lived your life.

My husband loves this song and I would like to share it with you:

   PLEASE LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS. I REALLY ENJOY HEARING FROM YOU. JUST WRITING MY DREAMS,C. Michelle Ramseywww.cmichelleramsey.com 

EXCERPT IV...IS THE GRASS REALLY GREENER?

High school teacher, and single mother to a young son and troubled teen, Rayne has no time for love. But when it comes knocking at her door, can she say goodbye to an old ghost to release her past, and forgive herself? Today we feature main character #4...Rayne.


It was a rainy Saturday evening and they were stuck in the house with nothing to do. She had been working on a lesson plan while he watched TV and Bryant had just let for Troy’s house. Finishing her work and setting it aside she left her desk area and went to sit next to him on the couch in their family room.
Picking the boy up and sitting him on her lap she took a deep breath to inhale his scent. Fresh from a bath he smelled like Dial Spring Water soap and Johnson & Johnson shampoo. He looked nice and cozy in his Spider Man PJ’s.  She kissed the top of his head and rocked him in her arms.
“Mommy I’m bored…I’ve watched all the Toy Story movies and I want something else to do,” he complained.
“Like what honey?”
“I don’t know…I wanna play Legos,” he pouted.
“Okay baby come on we can play Legos,” she conceded removing him from her lap and preparing to follow him down the hall.
“I don’t wanna play with you,”
“Why?”
“Because you don’t play fair,” he explained, and then he crossed his arms and stomped to his room.
Puzzled by what this act was all about she decided to go along with him and followed him into his bedroom.
Pouring out all the Legos he began to assort the Legos into pile according to color.
“Honey, what did you mean when you said Mommy doesn’t play fair…sure I play fair,” she remarked.
“Uh uh…you didn’t play fair with Thierry,” he continued to pout.
“Ohhh. So is this what all the pouting is about?” she asked and reached for a blue Lego but cocked her head to the side when he snatched it out of her reach.
“You don’t Mommy. You got mad at him and never let him come back to play,” the little boy reminded her.
“Baby, it wasn’t like that at all. I was never mad at him, we just had different opinions and…”
“What’s an umpenyum Mommy?” Brody asked tilting his head sideways and screwing up his face forgetting for a brief moment he was supposed to be mad.
“An opinion is what we think about something; it doesn’t mean that it is true or real, but it is how a person thinks or feels about a particular thing. So Thierry and I had different opinions about some things in life that we couldn’t come to agree on and we needed to go different ways in life,” she explained hoping to put the subject to bed.
“So if you don’t agree with me we’re gonna stop speaking too?” he asked somewhat appalled at the thought of not speaking to his mommy again.
“No baby! That would never happen…it sometimes happens with adults but not mothers and their children,” she patiently explained. She didn’t relay to him that she and Thierry were speaking again. She didn’t want to get his hopes up, but they had been talking on the phone three times a week to check in on each other.
“What about daddies and their children?” he asked.
“Never them either, they love their children just as much as mommies do,”
“Will we ever get a new daddy mommy?”
“Mmm baby…I don’t know what the Lord has in store. But I’m sure that He will bless us with a daddy someday, and if He chooses not to, we’ve got enough love in store for me, you and Bryant to always be okay.”
“How come Thierry couldn’t be our daddy? He wanted to,” Brody shared.
That statement left Rayne speechless, how could he possibly know that Thierry would want to be a family? He hadn’t really expressed that to her.
“Baby what you mean he wanted to?” she tenderly asked afraid of the response.
“He said it. I asked him if he could be our daddy and he said he would love to be our daddy and he would be proud for me to be his little boy. He said he luuuved me and he said he luuuved you! He said he wanted to get to know Bryant too. But he might not love us no more cuz you broke his heart and Bryant’s always being mean,” he stated matter-of-factly in his wise six-year old manner.
“Umm baby…you finish playing with your toys. Mommy has some work to do okay?” she said fighting back the tears.
Rayne curled up on her bed infant style, pillow cradled to her chest and she cried and cried until she couldn’t cry anymore. What had she done? Why did she have such a hard time trusting anyone with her heart?  What did Thierry think about her? They no longer discussed personal matters or feelings. It was an unspoken rule that personal discussions were off limits. She had been such a damn fool! When she couldn’t cry anymore and the cries turned into hiccups and her face was full of snot, she got up and went into the bathroom to clean her face. Looking herself in the mirror she promised that she would swallow her pride and make a phone call that she knew she needed to make. Why did life have to be so hard?
I hope you enjoyed today's excerpt from "Is the Grass Really Greener." If so join me again next Thursday for our final character reveal. Please leave your comments, it really makes my day to hear your thoughts and feedback. Be Blessed!
 JUST WRITING MY DREAMS,C. Michelle Ramseywww.cmichelleramsey.com

RAYNE_CHARACTER REVIEW

Wow! It's been one month since we started these postings for "Is the Grass Really Greener?" I cannot believe we're in the fourth week. Time flies when you're creating.

Sometimes it's easier to wish you were on the other side of a thing. Looking into someone else's "fabulous life" can make you want what they have and not consider the cost. Not to say what that other person has is a bad thing, but you have to calculate the costs and determine if you're willing to pay.

If so then you have to put on your "Big Girl Panties," pull up your boot straps, and dig in because the hard work is just beginning. After you've gone through all of that then you can look back and make the determination is the green grass worth having?


This week's character review from "Is the Grass Really Greener" is Miss Rayne, high school teacher, and single mother of two boys. She has faced her challenges in the past and overcame each one. She may be tough in the classroom, but she's a softie with her boys and the girls. Rayne is the soft-spoken one in the group, always looking for the brighter side of things.

But now that a special someone is knocking on the door to enter her life and share his love with her, she is not sure if his timing is right. She is the strong force in her boys life and she's not sure if they're ready to have a man in their lives. She's been in the game of love before and it ended in tragedy. Her only desire is to protect her sons from further hurt and abandonment. Or is Rayne looking to protect herself? Can Rayne let go of the ghosts of the past, or will she continue to peer across the other side of the fence?

Visit me tomorrow to check out the excerpt from, "Is the Grass Really Greener" only here on Writing My Dreams.
 JUST WRITING MY DREAMS,C. Michelle Ramseywww.cmichelleramsey.com

RANDOM RAMBLINGS...HERE I GO AGAIN

     
Okay so last Wednesday I was rambling on about writer's block. Welllll I read enough quotes and advice by well known authors about that horrific phobia. As a result, I've been writing my butt off. Matter of fact I've been writing so much that I had to slow down and refocus on my book. Anyhoo I just wanted to update you that I am now writing articles for Examiner.com. I will still be here at Writing My Dreams everyday, but I'm putting a different spin on things over yonder.

I would love for you to come on over there, join, and see what I'm going on and on about. You can find me at:

http://www.examiner.com/human-resources-in-atlanta/c-michelle-Ramsey

My first article that was published on yesterday can be found at:

http://www.examiner.com/article/company-relocations-bring-hope-to-atlanta-job-seekers-2

You know I want you to join me, subscribe and see what's the hot topic over there...can't wait to see you all.
 JUST WRITING MY DREAMS,C. Michelle Ramseywww.cmichelleramsey.com

BOOK SPOTLIGHT REVIEW_DEADLY STILLWATER

I've said it a million times before and I'll say it a million times again...I LOVE MYSTERIES!!!!!!!!!!! A good bowl of ice cream, nice peace and quiet, my comfy couch, and a good mystery makes this Southern girl absolutely happy! I try to figure out who did it and why from the first page (because yeah I'm nosy like that) and I love it when I'm absolutely wrong (that's the crazy side of me), which is not as often as you might believe...and I'm OVERJOYED!!! Why? Because I LOVE MYSTERIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now that I've gotten that all clear let's move on. Lately I've been reading romance and family drama books, which are more along the genre that I write, but I had to take it back to my main love a good mystery and that's exactly what Roger Stelljes did for me.

When high profile attorney Lyman Hisle's diabetic daughter Shannon is kidnapped  the clock is ticking. She is without her insulin and she has Type I diabetes. This case has truly become a life or death matter and Chief of Police Charles Flanagan calls in his boys to bring her home safe and as quick as possible. Enter: Mac McRyan and his constituents Riles, Rock, and Lich.

Everyone gathers around the table on pins and needles to wait for what they're sure is coming...the ransom call. However, no one expects that the next news they will receive is another kidnapping and this one is least expected. When Chief Flanagan's daughter Carrie goes missing, FBI kidnapping specialist John Burton is brought in to assist Mac and the gang. It's time to put egos on the shelf and work this case like no other.

With all the expertise in one room working the case hard and when money is not an object the force is sure they will be more than ready to capture the suspects. However, the kidnappers appear to always be one step ahead of the police. Mac and the boys can't catch a break no matter how hard they try, but when they start breaking the rules of the game and help comes in from the streets, they just might have a chance to solve the case after all, and save the girls' lives.

This book left me constantly guessing and just when I thought I figured it out I realized how wrong I was. There were plenty of people who stood to gain from these kidnappings, but with all the possibilities out there it was difficult to narrow it down. This book was a great read, highly entertaining, and did not disappoint. There was plenty of adrenaline, just a hint of romance, and a lot of suspense throughout the book for my nosey readers (like me).

Roger did an awesome job writing this second book in the McRyan series. Once I learned who the culprits were and how they stayed a step ahead I was satisfied. However, the only thing that I disagreed with was the connection between the kidnappers. It's not to say that it could not happen, but I found it somewhat unrealistic. I can't share with you what the connection was...you'll have to read it for yourself to find out. And then come back and tell me whacha think...cuz I really wanna know.

And for that reason I will give this book a: 3- Holdin' It Down. (Check My Book Discussions Page to interpret the rating).

WRITING MY DREAMS,C. Michelle Ramseywww.cmichelleramsey.com