Cathy Spencer's Blog, page 8

"The Dating Do-Over" Serialization - Ch. 5

Information about the serialization ("The Wattpad Experiment")  
Links to: Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4

I'm uploading Chapter 5 a day early because I'll be away from my computer on Easter Sunday. Enjoy, and have a wonderful weekend! 


Chapter 5Viv was stretched out on Sabrina’s couch flipping through a Vogue magazine on a Saturday night two weeks later. Sabrina bustled into the condo, tossed her jacket into the closet in the foyer, and sat down on the bench to unzip her knee-high leather boots.Viv turned a page and called out, “How was dinner?”“Great.” Sabrina dropped her boots onto the floor and padded past the kitchen into the living room. She paused with her hands on her hips to study her friend. Viv was dressed in grey sweat pants, a nubby blue cardigan, and sweat socks. Again. Sabrina shook her head in disgust.Viv looked up. “Who did you eat with tonight?”“Trina and Barb from the office.”“I thought you were going to a club afterward?”“I am. Trina told me about a great new cocktail bar called The Shoe Horn. It’s part bar, part shoe store.  She tried it last night and loved it so much that she asked us to go back with her tonight.“Where is it?”“At College and Ossington.”“Why’d you come all the way back here? Did you forget something?”“Yeah ‒ you.”“What?” Viv was paying attention now.Sabrina stomped into the room and leaned over her. “I’m giving you just fifteen minutes to get your ass off my couch, put on something that doesn’t make you look like a bag lady, and brush your hair. I called Julie, and she’s going to meet us at the bar in an hour.”Viv sat up, her eyes narrowing and her face red. “I do not look like a bag lady!”“You do, and it’s got to stop. It’s time for the Sabrina O’Sullivan two-step program to restart the human heart. Step one is to go out with women friends. Step two is to go out with a man.” She brushed a strand of hair away from Viv’s face. “Believe me, hon, I’ve felt low on more than one occasion, but I’ve never given up the way you have.”Viv glared at Sabrina. “I have not given up. I’m just going through a grieving period. Everyone knows that you have to grieve after a major break-up.”Sabrina glared back. “For two months, every minute you haven’t been at work, you’ve been on that couch. Your butt has even left an imprint.”“Where?” Viv stood up and turned around to look. Sabrina locked her arm through Viv’s.“Look, you’ve got to start going out again, and tonight’s the night. You’ll like the Shoe Horn. It’s just a bunch of women getting together for pretty cocktails and fabulous shoes. No men. It’ll be easy.”Viv’s shoulders drooped. She felt guilty, having imposed on Sabrina for two months already. She didn’t want to be a drain on their friendship, but she still felt so vulnerable.“I know you and Julie are worried about me.”“Your dad’s worried, too. I promised him I’d get you back on your feet, and I will.”“Just not tonight, okay? I’m really not up to it.”“Nothing doing,” Sabrina said, marching her toward the guest bathroom. “We’re going to start with make-up and hair.”“I’m not going!” Viv protested.“Shut up.” Sabrina pushed her into the bathroom. “So much to do, so little time.”  An hour later, Sabrina and Viv were inside the Shoe Horn. ““What do you think? Isn’t this fabulous?” Sabrina shouted. “Oh, wait. There’s Julie. Over here!” she bellowed, waving her hand over her head. Viv stared around the room; she was suffering from sensory overload. A live jazz trio played in a corner while waiters ferried colourful cocktails from the white leather bar to the chattering women sitting on tufted couches. Shoes were displayed on the white, silk-lined shelves fastened to all four walls. Glittering mirrors slanted up from the floor, allowing the customers to check out their trendy footwear as they strutted up and down the red carpet running the length of the room. A two-tiered, circular chandelier with white and pink crystals was suspended from the ceiling, adding to the glamour. Viv searched her purse for her bottle of headache tablets, and downed two.Julie pushed through a group of women bottlenecked in the entrance to catch up with her friends. The pixie cut that emphasized her dark, liquid eyes was spiked, giving her an edgier than normal look.“Wow, you look fabulous,” Sabrina shouted into her ear.“I thought I’d dress up for a change,” Julie hollered back. She was wearing a cropped jacket, a magenta silk blouse, black jeans, and studded ankle boots. “You look pretty good yourself. Love your dress, too, Viv.”Viv nodded. Fortunately, Sabrina had forced her to wear something nice, or else she would have felt underdressed as well as overwhelmed. The trio’s set came to an end, and she relaxed as the noise level decreased enough to allow conversation.Sabrina pointed to a couch on the other side of the room. “I think we can squeeze in over there.” Viv and Julie nodded, and the three friends threaded through the crowd of chattering women. When they arrived at the couch, its two occupants smiled and shoved over to make room for them.Viv sighed as she sat down and dropped her purse on the floor. It had taken a lot of arguing and arm-twisting to convince her to come tonight. Maybe Sabrina had been right to call her a wimp. Maybe it was taking her too long to stop grieving and get on with her life. Not that she was ready to start dating again, but at least she was sitting on a different couch. And this wasn’t such a bad place. Better to be stuck in a shoe store with alcohol than endure another round in the bathroom with Sabrina.“Now that you two are settled, I’m going to say ‘hi’ to Trina and Barb,” Sabrina said. “Be back soon.” Viv was staring after her when a gorgeous young waiter suddenly materialized right before her.“Hi. What can I get you?” Viv stared at him. He was adorable with long, blond bangs falling into his eyes and an endearing smile. She couldn’t help returning it.“I’ll have Sex on the Beach.” She winced, colouring. Would he think she was coming onto him? It was a Freudian slip, but her id had better just pipe down. She peeked up at the waiter, who seemed unfazed.“Mojito for me,” Julie said. She grinned knowingly at Viv.“Great. I’ll be right back with those.” He produced a pad from his shirt pocket and tore off two sheets. “Have a browse through the shoes, and if you see anything you like, write down the tag number on these. Your shoe server, Kelly, will be happy to help you.” He nodded at a frazzled-looking young woman kneeling beside a stack of boxes on the far side of the couch. She glanced up, and Viv smiled at her. When Viv turned back to the waiter, he was gone.“What a cutie patootie!” Julie nodded at the young man’s retreating back.“Yeah.” Viv frowned as Julie wiggled her eyebrows. “Don’t be so obvious. And stop worrying. I’m depressed, not dead.”“Good to know you still have a libido. I was beginning to wonder.”“Very funny. Come on, as long as we’re here, let’s check out the shoes.” Viv grabbed Julie’s elbow and tugged her to her feet. Together they studied the display behind the couch, a brand name collection of chic summer sandals.“Check out that pale green crocodile wedge with the ankle ribbon,” Julie said.“I don’t know. I’m not convinced that I can get away with wedges. If I wear three-inch-thick soles, I end up clomping around like Frankenstein’s monster. I’d have to be as tall as you to carry them off.” Viv pointed at the shoes next to the wedges. “How about those pink-and-white striped kitten slingbacks?”“They’re nice.” Julie leaned closer to study the price tag. “Whoa, $900!”“I’m not saying that I can afford them, but they are Manolos. They’re worth it.”“Maybe, but my car needs a new battery.” Julia glanced over Viv’s shoulder. “Here comes the waiter with our drinks.”“My treat.” Viv pulled out her credit card. As a single parent with mortgage payments, Julie didn’t have much disposable income. And Toronto was the most expensive Canadian city to live in, next to Vancouver. Vancouver, she thought with pain. Kyle.Taking a gulp of her drink, Viv rejoined Julie on the couch. Kelly, their shoe server, hurried out with another armful of boxes for the two women sitting beside them. Julie glanced at the woman next to her.“Nice.”The sturdy blond frowned, her pant legs rolled halfway up for a better look at the shoes she was trying on. “You don’t think the ankle strap makes my calves look fat, do you?” Her voice was unexpectedly deep.“Hardly. You’ve got great calves. Strong and defined. I bet you’re a dancer.”The blond perked up. “I am, one of the stars at Dora’s Divas.”“Hey, didn’t I see you on their float at the Pride Parade last year?”“You did. I was Madonna.”Julie did a double-take. “I remember you. You were lip-synching to ‘Material Girl.’ You were terrific!”The blond nudged her friend, who was trying on a pair of last season’s boots. “Hey, Vanessa. We’ve got a fan here.”Julie offered her hand and introduced herself. Soon all three were talking about the shows at Dora’s Divas until Vanessa changed the topic to an upcoming gall bladder operation. Viv got bored and wandered off to see what had happened to Sabrina. A really attractive red-plaid purse distracted her, however, and, veering toward the table, she came face-to-face with a display of Rouge shoes.Of course. A designer store like this was bound to carry them. Pursing her lips, Viv took a step closer to study this season’s specimens.She had to admit, the old woman hadn’t lost her touch. The summer collection was a confection of pastels featuring floral cut-outs and charming bows. They looked so delicate that it was hard to believe they were crafted from leather, but that was part of the magic. The shoes were the height of feminine indulgence, and priced accordingly.Viv felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see Sabrina gazing down at the collection. They exchanged an awed glance, and turned back to stare at the shoes.“They are beautiful,” Sabrina said, daring Viv to contradict her. Viv remained silent and sipped from her drink. Sabrina picked up a blue pump with a pearl-grey toe. “How long has it been since you’ve seen Véronique, by the way?”“Not since I graduated from teacher’s college six years ago.”“Hmm. You know, this collection is a real departure for your mother. Her shoes are usually so bold, so dynamic, but these are girly and pretty. If I didn’t know better, I’d say she designed them with you in mind. They’re perfect for someone with your looks.” “Yes, Mother has that effect on people. You think she’s doing something special just for you when, all along, it’s all for her.” Viv turned her back on the display. “Come on, let’s go find Julie and have another drink.”The music started up again as Viv linked arms with Sabrina, making civilized conversation impossible. Sabrina frowned, but allowed Viv to tow her away.  Two hours later, Viv snuggled under the futon covers while Sabrina turned off the living room lights. Viv felt pleasantly tipsy and drowsy, as if she were floating on a pink, fluffy cloud from one of her old Slumberland picture books. She giggled. It had been a long time since Daddy had read her a bedtime story.Sabrina stopped to lean against the wall outside the office. The space was just large enough to hold a computer table and the futon. Viv used the table to stack her clothes and a few books.“I heard you laugh,” Sabrina said. “I haven’t heard that in a long time. It sounded good. Did you have fun tonight?”“I did. You were right about the Shoe Horn.”“I’m glad, Vivvie. Maybe next weekend we’ll go out to dinner with a few friends. Night,” she said as she walked away.Talking about going out with friends reminded Viv of Sabrina’s plan to forget Kyle. Her pink cloud turned grey, and she felt morose. Before Sabrina could disappear, Viv called, “Why did Kyle leave me?” It was a question she had asked herself many times over the past weeks, usually with tears in her eyes. She wasn’t crying now, and maybe Sabrina could provide some insight.Sabrina hesitated before turning around. She said, “Men like him are always on the lookout for the next best thing.”Viv sat up and put her arms around her knees. “What do you mean?” she asked in a small voice.Sabrina sighed and walked back to perch on the mattress beside Viv. “I’ve got some friends in Vancouver, hon. I heard that Kyle is seeing one of the partners at his new agency.”Viv gasped. “It can’t be true.” She paused to think. “Wait a minute ‒ I thought all of the partners were men.”“There’s a Grace Chan.”“Oh.” A few more seconds passed before she asked, “When did they start dating?”“When he flew out for the second interview. My friend saw them together at a restaurant one night.”“Maybe it was just part of the interview process? Maybe they were . . .”“No, hon. They were holding hands.”“I can’t believe it. Kyle would have told me if there was someone else. He was always honest with me.”“No, Viv, he wasn’t honest. Isn’t it time you pulled off those rose-coloured glasses you’ve been wearing all these years?” Viv shrank away, and Sabrina reached for her hand. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that. I’m just tired of hearing how perfect Kyle was, and how lucky you were to have been with him.”“What else do you know?” Viv’s voice sounded flat.“For one thing, your father had to help Kyle get his first job.”“I knew that. Why shouldn’t Daddy have pulled a few strings for Kyle? Daddy always said he wished someone had given him a leg-up.”“Yeah, but did you know that Kyle would have been fired his first year if it hadn’t been for your father?”“No. Why?”“Because Kyle almost lost the firm one of their authors. He made a rookie mistake with a new contract that would have cost the client tens of thousands in royalties. If one of the partners hadn’t stepped in to fix it, the firm would have lost the author for sure. Your father had to do some serious wining and dining to stop them from throwing Kyle out on his ear. Gabe convinced them that everyone is entitled to a second chance. Then he sweetened the deal by making a sizable donation to the author’s pet charity. But I’m not surprised that Kyle didn’t tell you.”“No, he didn’t. Neither did Daddy. But why did Daddy tell you?”Sabrina shifted uneasily on the futon. “Because your father didn’t trust Kyle. He thought he was a wheeler-dealer, and that he was using your name to advance his career. Between your father and your mother, you have some pretty sweet contacts, you know.”“I know. If I had gotten an MBA instead of a teaching degree, I’d probably be a millionaire by now.” Viv twirled the pearl ring on her right hand. “I know Mother was disappointed when I didn’t go into the design business. Maybe Daddy is disappointed in me, too.”“Don’t say that.”“Daddy didn’t trust me enough to tell me about Kyle. Maybe he thinks I’m too gullible, too soft to deal with the truth.” Viv started to tremble, and Sabrina pulled her into her arms.“That’s not true. You are the centre of that man’s universe. He thinks you’re the sweetest, kindest, most loving person in the whole world, and he wouldn’t want you any other way. He knew how much Kyle meant to you, and he didn’t want to upset you by talking against him.” She stroked Viv’s hair. “Cynical old me, I always think someone’s trying to cheat me. Your father just wanted someone watching out for you, that’s all.”Viv pulled away and fumbled on the floor for the box of tissues. She blew her nose and moaned, “I’ve been such an idiot. I spent all that money helping Kyle pay off his student loans.”“How much?”Viv paused to calculate. “Around eighteen thousand, I’d guess.”Sabrina winced, but patted her friend’s shoulder. “It’s all water under the bridge. You’re better off without him, no matter how much it cost. The sooner you start realizing that, the better.” She kissed Viv’s cheek. “Come on.” Viv lay down while Sabrina drew the covers to her chin. “We’ll talk some more tomorrow. Have a good sleep.”Viv nodded and closed her eyes, but it took her hours to fall asleep that night.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Poor Viv, the truth hurts. But how did you like the idea of a combined bar and designer shoe store? I made that up myself, and I think it would be a terrific idea. If you think so too, please leave a comment. Check back on Wednesday, April 8 for Chapter 6! You can get The Dating Do-Over for just $0.99 this week using a Smashwords coupon to purchase the book in the format of your choice. All you have to do is click on the "Contact Cathy" app at the top right of the page and leave your name, e-mail address, and a message saying that you want the Smashwords coupon for The Dating Do-Over. I will e-mail the coupon to you ASAP. But hurry - the price will go up as more chapters are posted!If you would like to receive an e-mail when a new Cathy Spencer novel is released, just leave your name and e-mail address with the "Contact Cathy" app to the right of this post.

Minion Easter Eggs

Let me tell you up front that I am not a crafts person, but this year I couldn't resist trying Minion Easter Eggs. As you no doubt know, Minions are those adorable, well, minions, from the animated movie, Despicable Me. They seem to pop up everywhere these days, but if you don't know what I'm talking about, here's a picture of two of them.



I saw a Facebook post on how to turn Easter eggs into Minions with dye, googly eyes, glue, string, and a Sharpie, and to make it even simpler, I left off the string. I got dye on my finger tips and, unfortunately, left marks on some of their heads. I also discovered that I'm not very good at drawing a circle around the top of an egg. After a while, I asked my husband, who's more crafty than I, to help me finish up because I was getting tired. Here's two pictures of the results. Not perfect, but cute. By the way, you'll notice that not all of the eggs are yellow and blue, like the Minions. It was too hard to resist using some of the other colours. My explanation is that the non-traditionally coloured Minions are cousins from foreign locales.





Now that they're done, it will probably be a couple of years before I try anything like this again, but it was fun. Happy Easter!

If you would like to receive an e-mail when a new Cathy Spencer novel is released, just leave your name and e-mail address with the "Contact Cathy" app to the right of this post.

A Terrific Review of "The Dating Do-Over"

I'm trying out a new review site for my books, a site where I give interested bloggers a copy of my e-books in exchange for an honest review. The site is called "Giveaway Service." Here's the link. Check them out - you may want to become one of their "authors" or reviewers.

One of the bloggers just wrote the most engaging review of one of my books that I've ever read. As I said in the comment I left on the "Informed Sharing" site, I want to read The Dating Do-Over to see what happens next, and I already know! The reviewer is Sandra Lynn, and she is a very interesting, upbeat woman. For example, I just watched a video of her shaving her head. There is also information about White Dog Art, a digital film production company headed by Sandra Lynn's husband, Gary (Wedding pictures included under "Image Gallery." Looks like they had a terrific day.)

If you'd like to read the review to see how an expert does it, here's the link.

"The Dating Do-Over" Serialization" - Ch. 4

Information about the serialization ("The Wattpad Experiment")  
Links to: Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3

I couldn't have timed this better. Happy Easter!




Chapter 4

“Viv, Happy Easter! Sabrina, nice to see you again. It’s been too long,” Gabe Nowak said. He threw open the door to his semi-detached house in the Annex. Viv was busy flapping her umbrella in a flurry of raindrops, but Sabrina stepped inside with a smile and a quick kiss. Viv hurried to give her father a long, damp hug. “Happy Easter, Daddy,” she said, rising on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. “You should come around more often ‒ I’ve been worried about you.”“Sorry. I’ve been busy at work.”“Sure, sure, I understand.” In a heartier voice, Gabe added, “Let me take your coats, ladies.”“Thanks, Gabe,” Sabrina said. She slipped out of hers to reveal a daffodil-yellow silk shift, and his square, ruddy face brightened.“Don’t you look lovely, sweetheart.”“Thanks. You look pretty dapper yourself.” Gabe was dressed in a blue-and-cream-checked shirt and navy dress pants tailored to mask his paunch. He bowed to acknowledge her compliment.“Here you go, Daddy.” Viv handed him her coat. She wore a black-and-white-striped sweater and black pants that bagged on her petite frame. Gabe brushed her cheek with his hand.“You look lovely, too, Peaches. Come on, everyone into the kitchen. Magda’s been cooking up a storm, and she’ll be offended if you don’t start stuffing yourselves immediately.” He put his arms around the young women’s shoulders and led them down the hallway into the kitchen.The daylight filtering through the French doors overlooking the dripping garden made the room feel bright and airy. Magda was pulling a rosy ham from one of the stainless-steel ovens, and the aroma filled the room. The ham was large enough to feed a dozen people, not the four who had gathered to celebrate the holiday together. She hoisted the roasting pan onto the range top and turned with a grin on her flushed face.“Viviane!” Magda rushed forward with the oven mitts still on to hug the young woman. She rocked Viv back and forth with her bare, muscular arms before holding her out for inspection.“What have you been doing? Starving yourself?” She took off a mitt to pinch Viv’s arm, making the young woman squawk.“No, of course not,” Viv said, rubbing her arm. “But now that it’s just Sabrina and me, I don’t cook as much as I used to.”Magda tsked. “No point crying over that worthless Kyle. Put on a pretty dress and go dancing. Show the young men in this town what a treasure you are.” She turned to Gabe. “Am I right?” Gabe tried to keep a straight face as his daughter scowled. “Who am I to argue? You’re always right, Magda.”The housekeeper nodded. “You bet. As for you young lady,” she said, eyeing Sabrina, “you’re skinny, too, but you’ve got great legs. Those shoes you’re wearing are murderers.” Magda’s own feet were encased in pink bunny slippers, but her floral skirt ended a saucy two inches above her knees.“I think she means ‘killer,’” Viv said.“Why, thank you, Magda. That’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.” Sabrina pointed the toe of her white stiletto with its splashes of black, green, yellow, and pink.“Let’s not talk about her shoes,” Viv muttered.“Why not?” Magda asked.“They’re ‘Rouge.’”“Oops! Well, they’re still beautiful.” Viv shook her head, but Magda put her arm around Viv’s waist and pulled her toward the island crowded with serving dishes and platters. “Come on, beautiful girl, help me get the food on the table so we can eat.”The table was decorated with pussy willows and a vase of pink and purple tulips, plus a red or purple Easter egg with an intricate geometric design in front of each plate. Magda passed a serving bowl to Gabe.“What’s this?” he asked.“Cranberry and low fat feta with greens. Take some.”He spooned some onto his plate, but took two servings of scalloped potatoes when Magda wasn’t looking. “I’m trying to get your father to eat more green vegetables. The doctor says his cholesterol is too high.”“How high is it, Daddy?” Viv asked with concern in her voice.“Ah, don’t worry about it. With all the exercise I’m getting flipping houses, it’s not a problem.”“What are you working on now?” “A duplex in Cabbagetown. We’re converting it back into a single-family home. I’m working with a new contractor.”“The cowboy,” Magda interjected.“He’s a cowboy?” Viv asked.“Nah. Magda just calls him that because he lives on a horse farm near Oakville and drives a pick-up truck. His name is Tom Lockhart. Good man. A carpenter by trade, and he does nice work. Mike Birch from the bank recommended him.”“How do you like early retirement, by the way?” Sabrina asked, nibbling some greens from her plate. She had skipped the potatoes and loaded up on salad, braised red cabbage, and fresh asparagus. “It’s been ‒ what ‒ over a year now? Do you miss working at the bank?” “Sometimes, like when I discover asbestos in the walls, or have to dig up a front yard to replace the sewer pipes. Managing a mutual fund portfolio is clean work, if you don’t mind wearing a suit and sitting on your ass all day.” He shrugged. “It was getting old. Time to have some fun. What about you, Sabrina? Still happy climbing the corporate ladder?”Sabrina fluttered her fingernails in the air. They were painted a shiny black with gleaming gold tips. “Real estate banking works for me. I don’t like getting my hands dirty.”“Like slinging drinks in your mother’s bar?”“That would mean living back in Newfoundland. No thank you. That’s why I went to university here in Toronto.” She pointed her thumb at Viv. “I wouldn’t like looking after Viv’s kiddies all day, either. But chacun à son goût.”Gabe turned to his daughter. “How’s work?”“Good,” Viv said, spooning some mustard onto her ham. Magda’s home cooking was making her hungrier than she’d felt in weeks. “The kids keep me sane. Six is such a fun age. It’s when they start recognizing simple word patterns and figure out that five and three make eight. There’s a new discovery every day, and I’m there to see it. I wouldn’t earn my living any other way.” Her face lit up as she spoke, and Gabe smiled at her affectionately. Viv had been such a loving kid, mothering all her playmates even before she was old enough to start kindergarten. A grade school teacher was all she had ever wanted to be, and her love for children and learning shone through her eyes. Despite her setback with Kyle, she was a lucky woman, if only she knew it.“And how’s it going, you two, living back together again?” Gabe asked. “You’ve got a condo just outside the Distillery District, don’t you, Sabrina?”“Three blocks away. It’s great having Viv back again.” Sabrina smiled at her friend. “Just like old times.” “Sometimes I worry that I’m cramping your style,” Viv said.Sabrina shook her head, but before she could say anything, Gabe interrupted. “You know, I’ve been thinking about that, Peaches. Why not move back in here with Magda and me? We’ve got tons of space, and you can have your old room back.”Magda had got up to fetch a basket of rolls from the kitchen. “I’d love to have our beautiful girl back again,” she said over her shoulder. “You wouldn’t have to worry about a thing, Viv. I could cook for you and do your laundry, just like I used to. We could have girl talks again!”Viv glanced at her father’s hopeful face. She had to admit, moving back in would have its advantages. After sleeping on the futon in Sabrina’s office for seven weeks, she was longing for a real bed and some privacy. Sabrina was seeing a new man pretty regularly, and it was awkward when the two of them were feeling amorous in the one-bedroom condo, especially since the office didn’t have a door.   On the other hand, how pathetic would it be, a thirty-one-year-old woman moving back in with her father? It wasn’t as if he needed her anymore, not with Magda living in. Gabe had hired Magda to be their housekeeper when Viv was only ten. Magda had kept the house clean, looked after the laundry and the shopping, been there when Viv got home from school, and cooked supper every night. It was handy having her live in, especially when Gabe was away on one of his overnight business trips. Magda became like a mother to Viv, helping her survive the insecurities of adolescence and dating, until Viv had graduated from high school and was ready to start university. She had refused to stray further afield than the University of Toronto, however, not wanting to be too far away from her father, but ready enough for her first taste of independence to move into residence.Could she stand being coddled by these two again, and having heart-to-hearts with Magda? Viv shuddered. At least Sabrina left her alone to mope in private, but Daddy would probably invite men home for dinner, anxious for her to start dating again. It might be cramped at Sabrina’s, but at least she wasn’t being smothered by good intentions.“I don’t know. I’ll think about it,” she said, reaching out to take Gabe’s hand. She didn’t like lying, but it was better than hurting his feelings. “It’s sweet of you to ask,” she added. He smiled and squeezed her hand.“Who’s got room for dessert?” Magda asked, setting down a traditional Polish Easter cake, a white-frosted lamb kneeling on a plate of green-tinted coconut.At the end of the afternoon, after the young women had thanked Magda for the fabulous meal and Viv had kissed her goodbye, Gabe escorted them back down the hallway. Viv and Sabrina each carried a pink straw basket brimming with chocolate and marshmallow eggs, jelly beans, and a chocolate bunny. The rain had stopped, and sunlight poured onto the grey slate floor when Gabe opened the door.“Don’t be strangers, girls. Come visit an old man now and then.” Viv hugged him and kissed his cheek. “I promise, Daddy,” she said. “Sorry I haven’t felt much like visiting these past couple of months.”“I just want to see you happy again, Peaches.” He kissed both her cheeks. “Don’t forget to go out and have some fun now and then.” Sabrina slid her arm around Viv’s waist. “Don’t worry, Gabe. I’ll make sure that she does.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Stay tuned for Chapter 5 on Easter Sunday, April 5!

You can get The Dating Do-Over for just $0.99 this week using a Smashwords coupon to purchase the book in the format of your choice. All you have to do is click on the "Contact Cathy" app at the top right of the page and leave your name, e-mail address, and a message saying that you want the Smashwords coupon for The Dating Do-Over. I will e-mail the coupon to you ASAP. But hurry - the price will go up as more chapters are posted!

If you would like to receive an e-mail when a new Cathy Spencer novel is released, just leave your name and e-mail address with the "Contact Cathy" app to the right of this post.

"The Dating Do-Over" Serialization - Ch. 3

Links to: Chapter 1, Chapter 2 

I hope you're enjoying the story so far!




Chapter 3
It was after midnight when there was a brisk rap on Julie’s front door. She rushed to answer it before her daughter woke up.“Where is she?” Sabrina asked, bursting through the door.“Shhh. Olivia’s asleep. Viv’s on the couch.” Julie nodded toward the living room. “Thanks for coming on such short notice.” She closed the door behind her friend.“Not a problem. I ditched my date early. It was no biggie ‒ he was just a ‘better him than nobody’ date for Valentine’s Day.” She slipped off her coat and handed it to Julie.“Whoa! That’s what you wear for a ‘better him than nobody’ date?” Sabrina smiled and twirled, her auburn curls flying from her shoulders. She was wearing a cream-coloured halter dress with two strands of pearl beading accentuating her exquisite back. “I thought I’d throw the poor guy a bone. After all, he bought me five courses at Café Vert.”Julie whistled softly. “Olivia and I had homemade chicken fingers and sweet potato fries for dinner,” she said wistfully.“Sounds good to me,” Sabrina said as she followed Julie into the living room.Viv was sprawled in a corner of the couch with her eyes closed. She was wearing grey sweat pants and a “Hello Kitty” t-shirt, a treasured Christmas gift from one of her Grade 1 pupils. Her long blond hair was pulled back into one of Olivia’s scrunchies, and her face was puffy and red from crying. An empty wine glass sat on the coffee table next to her.“Oh, hon, I’m so sorry.” Sabrina sat down on the couch and pulled Viv into a hug. Viv sniffled, opened her eyes, and rested her head on Sabrina’s shoulder.“S’okay, Bri. I felt bad before, but not anymore. I don’t feel anything anymore. I’m dead inside.” Sabrina glanced over her head at Julie, who frowned.“That bastard, Kyle,” Sabrina sputtered. She rubbed Viv’s back in tight, angry circles. “I never liked him. He took advantage of you, Viv. Of your beautiful, generous, loving nature. You’re too good for him ‒ you always were.”“S’not true.” Viv detached herself from Sabrina’s arms while peering blearily at her. “Kyle took care of me. I was hopeless before him. He taught me stuff. Like how to roast a chicken. How to do the laundry. He even did my taxes.” Her face crumpled. “Now who’s going to do my taxes?” she sobbed, collapsing into Sabrina’s arms. Julie snatched a bunch of tissues from the box on the table and mopped Viv’s face.“You don’t need Kyle, Vivvie,” Sabrina said over her weeping. “An accountant can do your taxes.”Viv stopped crying and lifted her head to peer at her friend. Sabrina nodded encouragingly. “S’right,” Viv said with a sniff. “Who needs stupid old Kyle?” But her face fell, and she toppled back onto the couch. “Who am I kidding? I do!” she wailed.Sabrina stood up and pulled Julie a short distance away to where Viv couldn’t overhear them. “How long has she been like this?” she whispered.Julie checked her watch. “Almost two hours. She was hysterical when she got here, so I gave her a glass of wine. But we’ve almost polished off the bottle, and I’ve only had one glass.”“She can’t go back to her apartment like this.”“No. She can stay with me for a couple of nights. I’ll tell the school tomorrow that she’s sick ‒ let her sleep it off ‒ but we’ll have to figure out a better plan over the weekend. I just don’t have enough space for her here.” “She can move back in with me, temporarily. It’ll be tight, but we’ll make it work.” Julie nodded gratefully, and they returned to the couch, taking a seat on either side of their soggy friend.“Sweetie, you’re going to sleep here tonight,” Julie said. She stroked Viv’s hair. Viv nodded and wiped her face with her sleeve. “Stay home tomorrow. I’ll tell them you’re sick.”Viv shook her head. “No, I gotta go in. Tomorrow’s Super-Star Friday.”“Super-Star Friday? What’s that?” Sabrina asked, looking at Julie.“Every Friday, one of Viv’s students dresses up like his or her hero. Viv takes the kid’s picture and puts it on a special wall of fame.”Viv hiccupped. “Tomorrow’s Noah. He’s gonna be Spider-Man. Can’t miss it. Can’t let him down.” She sighed and slumped against Julie’s shoulder.“Don’t worry, sweetie. You get some sleep, and I’ll wake you up in time for work. How’s that?” Viv nodded without opening her eyes, exhausted from her ordeal.“Good.” Julie slid out from beside her and went to fetch a throw while Viv nestled her head on a pillow and fell asleep immediately.“Poor thing,” Sabrina whispered as Julie draped the throw over Viv. “I’d like to kick Kyle right where it would get his attention. Didn’t she have any inkling that this was coming?”Julie shook her head. “Totally blindsided.”Sabrina sighed. “Sometimes I just hate men.”
“I’ve got no use for them whatsoever,” Julie replied.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Stay tuned for Chapter 4 on Wednesday, April 1!

You can get The Dating Do-Over for just $0.99 this week using a Smashwords coupon to purchase the book in the format of your choice. All you have to do is click on the "Contact Cathy" app at the top right of the page and leave your name, e-mail address, and a message saying that you want the Smashwords coupon for The Dating Do-Over. I will e-mail the coupon to you ASAP. But hurry - the price will go up as more chapters are posted!

If you would like to receive an e-mail when a new Cathy Spencer novel is released, just leave your name and e-mail address with the "Contact Cathy" app to the right of this post.

The Wattpad Experiment - Part 2

Since I began the Wattpad experiment last Saturday, which is serializing the first half of The Dating Do-Over on Wattpad to try to increase the book's visibility, I've tried a few strategies. The first was to create a diary of my experience with Wattpad on Wattpad. Since all the stories I've seen on the site have covers, I quickly created one using Microsoft Publisher. There's the cover at the top of this post. I created a description explaining how the experiment came to be, published a first chapter explaining how the experiment was to work, and a second with the Wattpad link to The Dating Do-Over.

Here's the link to The Wattpad Experiment:  Or This is the Exciting Part!
And here's the link to The Dating Do-Over  as it appears on Wattpad.

Next I wondered how to get some Wattpad readers. I discovered this manual:  How to promote a story and have fun on Wattpad. Basically, it talks about how to promote your book on social media, provides HTML tips on how to format text, add links and book covers (which was useful to me in posting with group discussions, but didn't seem to work while posting the book chapter), the do's and don'ts about Wattpad spamming, etc . . .

Here's the link to How to promote a story and have fun on Wattpad.

Then I checked out the "Community" tab at the top of the site, which had 4 drop-down options. "Clubs" was useful. Each literary genre has a club, and authors can promote their stories in their book category. The Dating Do-Over's category is romance, so using the HTML tips from the manual, I posted the cover, synopsis, and Wattpad link for the book. I also had a look at the discussion threads in the Romance forum and found a discussion about what was the most romantic thing that ever happened to you. Since this was the topic of my 2015 Valentine's Day contest, I was able to contribute to the discussion.

Finally, I posted the second chapter of the book yesterday, right on schedule.

What are the results? Wattpad counts the number of people who've had a look at your story, as well as the votes for when someone likes your story. So far I have 10 look-ins for The Dating Do-Over, and 3 look-ins for The Wattpad Experiment. Hopefully that number will grow as I post more book chapters over the following weeks. I'll also be posting the chapters here on Sundays and Wednesdays, so don't forget to check back .

If you would like to receive an e-mail when a new Cathy Spencer novel is released, just leave your name and e-mail address with the "Contact Cathy" app to the right of this post.

"The Dating Do-Over" Serialization - Ch. 2

As promised, it's time for Chapter 2 of The Dating Do-Over.

You can get The Dating Do-Over for just $0.99 this week using a Smashwords coupon to purchase the book in the format of your choice. All you have to do is click on the "Contact Cathy" app at the top right of the page and leave your name, e-mail address, and a message saying that you want the Smashwords coupon for The Dating Do-Over. I will e-mail the coupon to you ASAP. But hurry - the price will go up as more chapters are posted!

Viv pulled the mustard-and-rosemary-encrusted rack of lamb from the oven and set it on the counter to rest before resetting the temperature to 375°F. The individual cappuccino soufflés were in the fridge ready to go into the oven ten minutes before they were ready for dessert. The Scallops Yakitori was on the table.  Potatoes mashed ‒ check ‒ brussel sprouts with bacon on low on the burner - check ‒ Spanish red wine breathing on the table ‒ check. It was all good.She rummaged through the cutlery drawer for the box of matches and hurried to light the two white candles on the table. It looked like a page out of a decorating magazine with its white linen cloth and the red placemats and napkins she had picked up on sale after Christmas. The smoke from the blown-out match curled toward the ceiling while Viv took an appreciative sniff from the wine bottle. The Toronto Life wine critic was right; she really could smell raspberry, chocolate, and vanilla in the bouquet.Viv heard a key turning in the lock and tossed the matches back onto the kitchen counter. Running her fingers through her hair, she started toward the door with an eager smile as Kyle stepped into the apartment.“Kyle!” she sighed, wrapping herself in his arms and snuggling against his chest. He smelled deliciously of musky cologne, and his black alpaca overcoat was soft against her cheek. He dropped his briefcase and overnight bag on the floor and pulled her onto her toes for a kiss.“I’ve missed you, Sugar Lips. Boy, something smells good.” He let her go. “I’m starving ‒ I haven’t had anything except a bagel since breakfast.” Depositing his scarf and coat on a chair, he put an arm around her waist. “Wow, you look hot in that dress! Did you just get that?”“Uh huh. From the money Daddy gave me for Christmas, so it didn’t cost us a thing. Do you like it?” Viv twirled so that Kyle could appreciate the dress, a red metallic with skinny straps and a short skirt. “I’ve always liked you in red. You should wear it more often.” He drew her to the table and lifted the casserole lid. “What’s this?” “Scallops Yakitori.”“Looks great.” He nabbed a skewer and tore a scallop and mushroom from the end with his teeth. “Good.” “Never mind about the food.” Viv turned him around to face her. “Tell me about the interview. Did you get the job?”“I sure did.” The grin on his face was huge. Viv threw her arms around him and kissed him. “That’s fantastic! I’m so proud of you!” “Thanks, baby. All my hard work is finally paying off.” He patted her bottom. “Come on, let’s eat.” She released him, and they sat down at the table. He bit into another scallop while she beamed at him.“Did they give you a start date?”He nodded, picking up the wine bottle and sniffing. “March 1st. What’s this?”“It’s a 2010 Ribota. But that doesn’t give us much time. I’ve got to give notice at school, and we have to let the landlord know.”He poured wine into their glasses. “Don’t worry about it. Let’s not spoil dinner with the details. It looks like you’ve made another fabulous meal.” He handed her a glass and picked up his own. “Happy Valentine’s Day, Viv.”She clanked her glass against his. “Happy Valentine’s Day, sweetheart.”

Kyle ran his spoon around his dessert cup and licked it before dropping it onto his plate. “That was so good, but I ate too much.” He leaned back in his chair and patted his flat stomach. “I’m going to have to go for an extra-long run tomorrow to burn this off.”Viv spooned some of the chocolate sauce from her cup and let it melt onto her tongue. “I can think of a good way to start burning calories tonight, if you like,” she said, playing with the spoon against her teeth.“Come here, Sugar Lips.” She sashayed around the table and slid onto his lap. Bending to reach his mouth, she kissed him with a tantalizing slowness, feeling the rush of heat from his lips course all the way down to her toes. When the kiss had ended, he bit the dress strap off her shoulder and nuzzled her skin with his lips. It tickled, and she giggled.“Don’t think I forgot about getting you something special for Valentine’s Day,” he said in a husky voice. The other strap slipped from her shoulder while Viv squirmed against him.“I know. There was a phone message from Superior Jewelers when I got home,” she said in a breathy voice.He lifted his dark head to gaze into her eyes. “So, you think I bought you jewelry this year?” One of his eyebrows arched as he smiled teasingly at her.“I’ve been wondering what it was ever since I got home from work.”“Well,” he said, sliding a brown velvet box from his jacket pocket and holding it up on the palm of his hand for her inspection, “I’d better not keep a lady waiting.”Viv gulped. Ohmigod, the moment she had been waiting for was finally here! She held her breath as Kyle lifted the lid. Nestled inside were two golden drop earrings with diamond-encrusted hearts. Her own heart plummeted.“Pretty, aren’t they? The store only had them with emeralds, so I had to special order them to get diamonds. Do you like them?”“I don’t understand.” Viv dragged her eyes from the earrings to stare at him. Kyle frowned. “You don’t like them?” “No, sweetheart, they’re really nice. I just thought that with the new job and the move to Vancouver and all, it might be something different.” She looked away, feeling disappointed and small. “I thought you might want to propose to me tonight.”Kyle stood up, forcing Viv to scramble from his lap.“Look, we need to talk.” “What about?” She was suddenly apprehensive, and began fidgeting with the ring she wore on her right hand. It was a single pearl with two diamond chips on either side. Daddy had given it to her on her sixteenth birthday.He drew Viv to the couch and they sat down. “This new job is going to be a great opportunity for me, you know. It’s going to make my career.”“I know. Jenkins, Weber, and Chan handle some of the biggest sports stars in Canada. They’re a great firm, and you’ll do a wonderful job for them. You’re not having second thoughts, are you?”“Are you kidding? I’m so ready for this. Plus, I’ve been wanting to make a fresh start somewhere, and Vancouver is just the city to do it in.”“Then what’s the problem?”Kyle took her hand and gazed into her eyes.  “I’m going to Vancouver on my own.”Viv’s stomach sank. “I don’t understand. Do you mean you’re going ahead to find us a place to live?”He shook his head. “We’ve been together a long time, Viviane.”“I know. Six years.” “Yeah. It’s time we decided where this relationship is heading. I think it would be best if we spent some time apart to really think things through. We were awfully young when we got together, you know. Just kids starting out after school.”Viv’s bottom lip started trembling. “You mean, you don’t want to get married?”“Not now. This job comes with a whole lot more responsibility. I’m going to have to focus one hundred percent to be on top of my game. I can’t be worrying about anyone else. You want me to be a success, don’t you, Viv?”“Well sure, Kyle.”He nodded and flashed her one of his dazzling smiles. “I knew you would. You always want what’s best for me.” He started to rise from the couch, but she snatched his arm and tugged him back down again.“But maybe I can come visit you in a couple of months, after you get settled.” Her eyes searched his face for reassurance. It couldn’t be over between them. “We could talk then, see where we are.”He paused, one knee on the couch. “I think it best if we made a clean break, don’t you? You’re young, Viv. You want marriage and kids. I can’t do that now, but I wouldn’t want to hold you back if you found someone else. It wouldn’t be fair to you.” He raised her hand to his lips and kissed it before standing. “Let’s make this as painless as possible, shall we? I’ll come by tomorrow to pick up my clothes while you’re at work.” He glanced around the room. “Most of this stuff is junk, anyway, so you can keep it or donate it to charity. I don’t want it.” He threw on his things and picked up the briefcase and overnight bag. “I’ll put my apartment key through the mail slot when I’m finished. Take care of yourself, Sugar Lips. You’ll always have a special place in my heart.”
He was out the door just as the tears brimmed over and cascaded down her cheeks.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Stay tuned for Chapter 3 on Sunday, March 29!
If you would like to receive an e-mail when a new Cathy Spencer novel is released, just leave your name and e-mail address with the "Contact Cathy" app to the right of this post.

"The Dating Do-Over" Serialization

Sunday, March 22, 2015

As I promised you in yesterday's post about the "Wattpad Experiment," I'm going to be posting the first half of The Dating Do-Over, one chapter twice a week, from March 22 until May 16.  Chapters will be posted on Sundays and Wednesdays, so stay tuned.

As of today, I will also be offering you, my loyal blog readers, a Smashwords coupon that will allow you to download the entire e-book in the format of your choice for just $0.99! All you have to do is click on the "Contact Cathy" app at the top right of ths page, leave your name, e-mail address, and a message saying you want The Dating Do-Over Smashwords coupon, and I'll e-mail it to you ASAP. But hurry! The price will go up as more chapters are posted.


Cover design by Design Your Cover
During the Women’s Liberation movement, women were told that they could have it all. Later, they discovered that having it all was exhausting. This book is dedicated to all those women who still haven’t figured out what they want.



Chapter 1
Viviane Nowak hummed as she toted the bulky grocery bags up the last few stairs to her second-floor apartment. She was looking forward to impressing her boyfriend, Kyle, with a gourmet dinner. Pausing to unearth her keys from the abyss that was her purse, she wrestled the door open and kicked it shut behind her. Oops, the message light was blinking on the phone. Carefully depositing the bags on the living room floor, she plunked herself down on the sagging couch, kicked off her shoes, and called voice mail.  “You have one new message. Message received at 10:15 a.m.,” the automated voice intoned.“Hello, Mr. Weaver? This is Dennis calling from Superior Jewelers on Thursday morning. Just wanted to let you know that the special item you ordered came in and is ready for pick up. The number here is 1-800-555-0199. Let us know when you’re coming. Talk to you soon. Bye!”Viv inhaled sharply and punched in the number on her phone, her heart fluttering with excitement as she waited for the call to connect.“Hello, Superior Jewelers? Is this Dennis? Hi, I’m calling on behalf of Kyle Weaver. You left a message for him on his home phone. He was on a flight from Vancouver this morning. He’s been by the store already? Oh, that’s great. I was afraid he wouldn’t get the message in time. By the way, I’m Kyle’s girlfriend. I don’t suppose you could tell me what the ‘special item’ is he ordered? What’s that? Yes, there are lots of secrets on Valentine’s Day. No, I understand. Okay. Thanks. Bye.”Viv ended the call and sat still while the information that Kyle had special-ordered something from a jewelry store sank in. Three seconds later, she was bouncing up and down and shrieking with joy while the sofa springs groaned in protest. Forcing herself to calm down, she called one of her two best friends. The phone rang twice before it was picked up.“Julie, guess what,” Viv blurted.“Heddo?”“Olivia, is that you? It’s Viv. Where’s your mommy, honey?”There was the sound of footsteps crossing the floor and a voice saying, “Did you answer the phone, Olivia? Give the phone to me, honey,” while the two-year-old squawked, “Heddo? Heddo?”Finally, a voice said, “Hi, it’s Julie.” “It’s me. You’ll never guess what happened.”“What?” “There was a phone message for Kyle from a jewelry store when I got home.”“Really? What’d it say?” “It said that the ‘special item’ Kyle had ordered was in.”“What do you think it was? Wait, you don’t think?”“I do. I think that Kyle bought me an engagement ring!” “Oh, sweetie, that’s fabulous! I’m so happy for you! How romantic.”“I know. It’s just perfect. The most wonderful man in the world is going to propose to me on Valentine’s Day. This is going to be the happiest day of my life.”“What about the job interview? Has he called yet?”“No. We agreed not to talk about it until he got home from work. He doesn’t want anyone to suspect he’s applied for a new job until he’s sure he got it.”Something clattered to the floor in the background, and Julie said, “No, Olivia, wait for mommy. Viv, I’ve got to run,” she said, returning to the conversation. “I promised Olivia we’d make cookies, and she’s getting antsy. But I’m so pleased for you. It’s about time Kyle proposed.”“I know, but he’s been worth the wait.”“Uh huh. Call me tonight, if you get a chance. Let me know if Kyle got the job, and what the ring looks like.”“I will, if I can, but I’ve got a feeling that we’ll be doing some pretty heavy celebrating.”“I bet. See you at school tomorrow.”“Bye, Julie.”Viv put down the phone and stared around the apartment in a happy daze. It had been their little love nest for the past six years. Sure, the walls needed a fresh coat of paint and the furniture was mostly shabby hand-me-downs from their university days, but Kyle had insisted that they not go into debt buying new stuff until he had finished articling and she had a permanent teaching job. Later, when their careers were established and they could afford a roomier apartment, he had convinced her to spend their money paying down his student loans ahead of schedule so they could save on the interest. He was so smart with money and so disciplined; not like her, having trouble sticking to a budget. She was lucky that Kyle was planning for their future. She smiled at the place fondly; they had made a lot of happy memories here. Part of her would be sorry to say goodbye if he got the job in Vancouver. It would be really tough leaving her friends and her father behind, not to mention the kids at school, but entertainment law was a competitive field, particularly here in Toronto, and this opportunity could be a real boost to his career. Oh, she could hardly wait until Kyle got home and told her what had happened!Viv glanced at her watch. Five fifteen! Less than two hours to prepare dinner and do her hair and make-up. She wanted to look especially pretty for when he proposed. This was going to be a memorable evening for both of them, one they could share with the grandkids someday. Scooping the bags up off the floor, Viv trotted into the kitchen to start dinner.

For Chapter 2, check back on Wednesday evening.
If you would like to receive an e-mail when a new Cathy Spencer novel is released, just leave your name and e-mail address with the "Contact Cathy" app to the right of this post.

The Wattpad Experiment

                   

Once an author  begins to feel more secure in her craft and has a few published titles to her credit, the next thing she starts to feel anxious about is discoverability. This is especially true of an indie-published author because she doesn't have the promotional assistance of a traditional publishing company behind her. What is the good of having a writing career, she asks herself, if people aren't finding her books? She knows she must be patient - it takes time to build an audience - not everyone can be on the bestseller's lists with her first book - but she must do something to help her readership grow besides writing and publishing the next book. So she tries all sorts of things - guest blogging, scrambling after book reviews, running sales, contests, and giveaways, and buying what ads she can afford - but it is slow going.

One day she reads about Wattpad in an article about indie publishing. She has heard about it, but never tried it. In this article, she discovers how a first-time author posts her romance, chapter by chapter and for free, on Wattpad, building a readership of ten million people before publishing it on Smashwords, where it becomes one of the site's top-selling romances and one of Smashwords'  twenty-five best-selling titles. Not only does the new author have all kinds of input from the Wattpad readers about what they like and don't like about her book as she is writing it, but all kinds of buzz to help promote it when she's ready to publish.

By now you've no doubt guessed that the author who is trying to increase her discoverability is me. I write in two different genres, mystery and romance. The mystery series I write, now in its third installment, is doing fine. It's thrilling when I see the second and third books selling separately, which means that people enjoyed the first book and are buying the rest of the series, or when, glory be!, someone buys all three books at once. In the romance department, things are a bit different, however. I've written two stand-alones, one a sweet regency and the other a contemporary romantic comedy, so they don't have the support of a series going for them. The regency does okay - sales are slow but steady - but my contemporary romance, The Dating Do-Over, which came out last September, could frankly use a boost. And what better place to try it out than on a website with a built-in audience? 

Serialization has been successfully done before. Charles Dickens, as a matter of fact, published all of his novels as serials first. But he was printing them in newspapers or magazines and getting paid as he grew his readership. I will not get paid for publishing The Dating Do-Over as a serial on Wattpad, nor am I willing to just give it away, a sacrifice some new self-publishing authors make when trying to build their readership. Suffice it to say, I would not ask you, if you were making bottles of ketchup for a living, to supply me with free ketchup.

However, I would be willing to publish half of The Dating Do-Over for free with the incentive of giving Wattpad readers a Smashwords coupon that would enable them to buy the entire e-book at a discounted price in the format of their choosing. I would do this on Amazon Kindle too, by the way, if they had a coupon system, but they don't, unfortunately.

So here's how the experiment is going to work. The Dating Do-Over has thirty-one chapters. I'm going to post the first sixteen chapters on Wattpad, one chapter twice a week for eight weeks. Let's choose the days now. I will post a new chapter each Sunday and Wednesday. The e-book is priced at a competitive $3.99. For the first 3 weeks, I will offer any Wattpad reader who wants to purchase the entire book for just $0.99 a Smashwords coupon to do just that. In return, all they will have to do is visit this website, click on the "Contact Cathy" at the top right of the page, leave me their name and e-mail address, and I will e-mail them their Smashwords coupon. However, once the first three weeks are gone, the price of the book goes up $1. From week 4 to week 6, they can purchase the e-book for $1.99. That's half-price and quite a deal. From week 7 to the end of week 8, if they want to buy the e-book, the Smashwords coupon will allow them to buy it for $2.99. That's still a bargain at a third off the price. At the end of the 8 weeks, however, the coupon deal is over, and Wattpad readers will have to pay the regular price of $3.99 to purchase the e-book. 

This is so exciting! I'm going to blog about how the experiment is going right here, so stay tuned to see how effective Wattpad can be. And just to show that I value my blog readers, I'm going to do the same thing right here. That's right, I'll be posting the same sixteen chapters, starting March 22, with Chapter 1, right here on my blog, and offering the same Smashwords coupon deal. So, if you'd like to read Chapter 1 of my romantic comedy, The Dating Do-Over, for free, and get a Smashwords coupon to buy the book at one-third of the cost, come back tomorrow. Cheers!



If you would like to receive an e-mail when a new Cathy Spencer novel is released, just leave your name and e-mail address with the "Contact Cathy" app to the right of this post.

"The Marriage Market" Preview

The next project on my author's to-do list is to revise The Marriage Market, a sweet regency, stand-alone novel. The Marriage Market was the first book I ever wrote back in 2008. Its inspiration came from a dream - occasionally my subconscious hands me a story concept on a plate - and I went for it. But when the publishing rights reverted back to me in 2014 from the e-publisher I was working with, I decided not to re-release it along with The Affairs of Harriet Walters, Spinster and Framed for Murder. It needed some reworking, and with three additional novels under my belt, I feel ready to tackle it.

And now, here's the opening scene from The Marriage Market.


Chapter One

  With one daughter approaching a marriageable age and another not far behind, Admiral and Mrs. Larke had a problem to consider. They discussed it in the admiral’s dressing room as they reviewed his wardrobe, a task necessitated by his recent retirement from the British Navy.  “Caroline is adamant in her opinion? She will not marry a navy officer?  “So she says, Frank.”  “Well, that is rather insulting, considering her father’s profession.”  “No, you mustn’t look at it in that light. She has the utmost respect for the Navy and its members — particularly for you, of course. She simply does not wish to marry someone of that profession. This shirt collar needs mending. What do you think of the jacket?” Mrs. Larke pulled the article from the trunk and gave it a shake.  “It will do.”  “Here, stand up and try it on. I haven’t seen you wear it these past thirty years.” She stretched up on tiptoe to assist her husband. The admiral’s figure was more distinguished than it had been in his civilian days, and the buttons failed to fasten. He began to flush with the effort and brushed her hands away.  “Never mind the jacket, dearest. Let us return to Caroline. She was always such an amiable girl. Whatever have you done to give her such a low opinion of the Navy?”  Mrs. Larke, a mere bird of a woman, drew herself up to her full height and glared at her husband. “Do you accuse me of complaining to the child, sir?”  The admiral sank back into his wing chair. “No, of course not, Martha,” he grumbled. “You have always been my strong right hand on the home front. There is none more game and reliable than you. You are not a complainer.”  Mollified, Mrs. Larke knelt beside his chair and helped to remove the jacket. “Caroline is an obedient and genial girl, but underneath that sweet exterior lays a flinty will. I always tried to hide my nerves from the children while you were away fighting that villain, Napoleon Bonaparte, but Caroline guessed my fear and decided against the life of a navy wife. She once told me that she wants a husband who will sit in front of the hearth with her at the end of the day. I know how lonely the life of a sailor’s wife can be, Frank. I said that she could go to sea with a captain husband, but she wants her own home. Caroline is nineteen now, and eager to marry. I think that we should help her to find a stay-at-home husband.”  Admiral Larke harrumphed. “But we live in Portsmouth. Not marrying a navy officer leaves out almost all the eligible gentlemen we know. Just whom is she going to marry?”  Mrs. Larke laid the jacket next to the trunk and stood. “I know it’s a problem. I’ve been talking it over with my sister, and she thinks it best we move away.”  “Move away! But I’ve just come home after thirty years at sea!”  “I understand that this is upsetting. I’m very fond of our home myself, but there is more than Caroline to consider. Have you not noticed a change in Patricia?”  “Confound it, madam, she has not voiced a prejudice against the Navy too, has she?”  “No, I mean in her appearance.”  “Not my little sprout!”  “Your little sprout is seventeen, just two years younger than Caroline. She’s becoming more womanly every day. In two or three years, we will be looking for a husband for Patricia too. We should be living where there is a selection of fine young gentlemen to choose from. We don’t want our daughters to settle for just anyone, do we?”  The admiral sighed. “Did you and your sister also decide where we should move to?”  Mrs. Larke nodded. “Bath.”  “Bath! That’s a little dear, isn’t it?”  She folded her arms across her chest. “Yes. Dearer than Portsmouth, but less expensive than a house on a good street in London. Listen to me, pet. I’ve been running this household on the same budget you gave me when you made captain fifteen years ago. It’s time to loosen the purse strings. We shall begin with new clothing for you. Your uniform must retire too. We’ll not find a fine gentleman for Caroline with you wearing clothes fit for the gardener!”  The admiral sighed and lowered his head in defeat.
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