C. Desert Rose's Blog, page 5

Hero vs Super Hero Villain vs Super Villain

Greetings Readers, C. Desert Rose here.

Today my writing colleague, Carol Cassada, and I are getting together to discuss a bit about our passions … writing.

Oh, but it isn’t just writing we are going to talk about. It is about the variation of writing within our individually preferred genres. Mine being Paranormal Romance, and Carol’s being Contemporary Romance.

Carol, would you like to say hello to everyone?

Hello Everyone.

I’m Carol Cassada. As Rose mentioned, I’m a romance writer. Throughout the course of the article, I’ll be offering my take on the contemporary romance genre and giving you a glimpse into my books.

Woot!

Curses, Y. Correa! You have infected us with the “WOOT Virus”!

At any rate, let’s get started, shall we?

Yes, let’s get started. We have a lot of topics to discuss.

I’ve realize that there is an enormous difference between the construction of a Hero and a SUPER Hero.

Yes, 2 words in this instance, not one. Let’s do the math.

Super = More than

Hero = Main Character
Total sum of = Super Hero, or a main character that is more than the Average Joe.

Not to be confused with Superhero, which is the likes of Batman, Superman, Antman. Well, you get it.

In my opinion, when creating a Super Hero, one must make him akin to a Superhero. He must be amazing AND powerful. But, that’s not all. He must also be every ladies dream man. Yes, the whole enchilada, if you will. Easy on the eyes, physically speaking–a given, of course–but also transcendent in personality, form and abilities.

Let’s take Azriel, the main character of “If Death Should Love Me”. He is the Angel of Death, yet, he is much more than just that, although he doesn’t quite know it.

Azriel is a human that upon having passed away was presented with the calling of becoming the Grim Reaper. Good? Well, that’s all in the eye of the beholder.

But …

In the character of Azriel we see a man who is much more than. While still a human, he had no bigger abilities than all men do. He was bound the by limitations of the human form. Yet, when he passed away and consequently became Azriel, his human form no longer confined him to these limitation. It was then, that I, as the author, had to decide what his skills would be.

There were a series of questions I had to ask myself.

If God had to endow a man with super human powers so as it fit his calling, what would they be and why?
As a superior being, what types of things should the character be able to accomplish that would sound feasible?
What is believable and how do I make is so?
What types of struggles, if any, would this present the character with?
And, most importantly, what would attract the reader?

You see, the thing about people who enjoy paranormal romance is that fact that they pick it up BECAUSE it’s more than. Period.

So how does an author execute a story with a Hero who is ethereal, unparalleled, attractive AND believable, but also GOOD? That’s the main struggle with writing Paranormal Romance. Because the main character, the hero of the story, MUST encompass ALL OF THESE THINGS.

Carol, if you please, can you tell us a bit about the differences between my main character and yours?

Rose, I agree with you about the dream man part for romance heroes. When writing a hero, he’s got to ooze that appeal that drives readers wild. Of course the looks are important, but a big part of making a memorable hero is his personality.

With most contemporary romance books, the hero is portrayed as rugged. A strong hero is the type to make readers swoon because he’ll do anything to for the woman that he loves. By showing his devotion to the heroine, readers are going to root for him.

However, with strong heroes, you have to be careful not to make them look like jerks. I’ve read a couple of books, where the guy was macho and came across as egotistical. I was thinking to myself “Am I supposed to love him?”

With my heroes, I like them to be strong, yet have a softer side. A good example is Cole Ashton in Going Home Again. He’s a mechanic, loves to work with his hands, and drives a truck. The epitome of a manly man. Yet, you also see his nice side as he helps Rachel and her family. Reading about his good deeds and his past with Rachel, you can’t help but fall in love with him. At the end, you want him to find the happiness he deserves.

Some readers may think heroes with a soft side are weak, but in my opinion that’s what makes them stand out. Having your strong hero with a sensitive side is showing that it’s okay not to be tough all the time. It shows that they’re human like the rest of us.

Of course, as well all know, every ying has its yang. Such is the case with the villain.

When creating a hero, one must then consider what elements his opposite must portray? What things would that character have that counterbalances his counterpart?

The thing is, when the Paranormal Romance author creates the SUPER Villain, he must be just as conglomerate of the hero. His makeup should be just as complex and layered. However, he must also be the opposite of the hero–evil in every way. Even if said evil is hidden behind a guise of goodness.

Such was the case for my Super villain in “If Death Should Love Me”.

Gabriel.

Everyone who knows anything about angels, knows Archangel Gabriel. He is one of the primary angel figures that most of us recognize as a monumental source of good within the spirit realm.

Yet, I took what was known as good, and turned it into evil. It was in implementing this “twist” that I gave Gabriel many layers; one that most readers could understand and relate to. I also used the already renowned mythological history of Archangel Gabriel to establish his “more than” factor.

Easy peasy?
Hell no!
Hard! As! Hell!

For 2 reasons:

He had to be accurate to mythology.
He also had to be believable as a villain.

It is in the ability to play with these factors and make them persuasive, that us, the paranormal authors, find our biggest challenge. But, it’s also in the capacity to marry them that we find our greatest victory and win our largest feat.

Carol, what’s it like creating a believable villain for you?

When creating a villain, I want someone who’ll get the readers riled up.

To me, a villain has to be so bad that you as a reader can’t wait for them to get their comeuppance.

In Going Home Again, Rachel’s boyfriend, Jeremy is a villain. He’s the exact opposite of Cole, whereas he’s insensitive, selfish, and a cad. Seeing Rachel with him, readers are aghast to how he can be so heartless towards her in her time of need.

He’s one of the reasons why Rachel and Cole are kept apart. Even though, Rachel’s heart belongs with Cole, she feels a need to stay loyal to Jeremy. Yet, she slowly begins to realize her “perfect” boyfriend isn’t so great at all.

As I was re-reading the story, there were times I wanted to give Jeremy a kick in the butt or shout at Rachel to leave that jerk. In my opinion, that’s one of the things that make a great villain. For readers, I want them to feel like jumping through the pages and slapping the villain.

I find that it’s incredibly hard creating characters of any kind; normal or paranormal. Each element encounters its own challenges. If I were to be completely honest, it’s a wonder that we accomplish it at all. LOL

Sessions with C. Desert Rose: My Afinity

Hi there peeps!

Here we are at another “Sessions with C. Desert Rose”. Today I was asked …

Will writing about angels and demons ever get old to you?
I LOOOOVE THIS QUESTIONS!
Short Answer; NO!

Long Answer …

For a person like me, which know a whole lot about angel and demon mythology, writing about them will never get old.

When you think about it, the myth of angels and demons are as old as pre-written history, also known as pre-recorded history or prehistory. Since the moment in which mankind had questions which couldn’t be answered they attributed the explanation to gods, angels and demons. And, trust me when I tell you that much like today’s catholic church and/or spiritualists, there is an angel/demon for EVERYTHING.

Catholics predominantly call them saints. Spiritualists of all walks of life, refer to them as angels, demons, spirits, Spirit or energies. Difference religions have their own variation of supernatural entities. Some, very much believe that these beings are tangible humanoids that walk among us on a daily basis, living their celestial lives in conjunction with ours.

And again …
There are SOOOOO MANY to choose from!

Just to name some (and I REALLY mean “some”) there are the likes of the weekly archangels. That is to say, the archangels that some believe protect us on each given day of the week,

Michael, the Patron of Sundays
Gabriel, the Patron of Mondays
Raphael, the Patron Tuesdays
Uriel, the Patron of Wednesdays
Selaphiel, the Patron of Thursdays
Raguel, the Patron of Fridays
Barachiel, the Patron of Saturdays

Lets not forget some of the demons known in various religions (in alphabetical order, of course. LOL

Week One of Gratitude

Recently I’ve really come to the realization that I am highly hard on myself. Much more so than I should be. In venting with my mentor I was able to pinpoint the basis of the self-angst.  It comes from the many years I sent being told that I was nothing and would never amount to anything. It was THAT which led me to be harder on myself than need be, and strive for ABSOLUTE perfection. The sort that can never be achieved by any human. We can only ever be as good as humanly possible; learning to accept our virtues AND faults is imperative. That is where I was having the trouble. I could only accept my faults, and could no longer see my virtues.

After a very long and therapeutic conversation with my mentor, I came to the conclusion that perhaps in changing my overall perspective of myself, I might garner a better understanding of myself, and subsequently a bigger love for myself.

THAT is where the “Gratitude Challenge” began.

I thought to myself, “If I can come up with 30 consecutive days of things I am grateful for, then maybe I can learn how to be grateful for my existence.” The challenge consists of my posting a Tweet each day on something I am grateful for that day. Due to some extremely busy days, I haven’t kept on it each day, but HAVE made up for it in “bulk” posts, if you will.

I’ve assigned the Hashtag “#gratitudechallenge” to my self-given assignment so that whoever looks up those words can find what I’ve posted. Here are is my last week of Gratitude Posts.

Day 1: Grateful for friends

Day 2: Grateful for chocolate

Day 3: Grateful for sweet love

Day 4: Grateful for honest people

Day 5: Grateful for deep thoughts

Day 6: Grateful for kindness

Day 7: Grateful for wine

Day 1 was important because we can all use good friends. Days 2 & 7 I was thinking of food and drink, obviously. LOL.

Go Y! Get you Sci-Fi Swagg!

Greetings!

Today we are celebrating the release of the 2nd installment in the Earth 8-8-2 Saga, “Earth 8-8-2: Genesis’ Rebellion“.

To celebrate this release, it’s imperative to share with you the concept of birth of the Saga.

In 2014 Y. Correa was preparing a concept for the then “soon to be released” Concordant Vibrancy: Unity. Being that Y. Correa is a Multi-genre author, who’s an immense lover of Science Fiction and the theme of that anthology was unity, Y thought to herself, “Wouldn’t it be cool to unify genres and various fictional beings?“

Instantly the premise of the Earth 8-8-2 Saga was born. Part Science Fiction, part Paranormal and part Dark Drama, the Earth 8-8-2 Saga encompasses the life of a being which was created to be the Savior of Earth 882’s Mankind. Traversing parallel universes, multiple earths and various lifeforms, the Earth 8-8-2 Saga tells that tale of Genesis, a being which is a hybrid of an 882 Earthling, vampire, goddess and superhuman.

In the first installment, “Earth 8-8-2: The Genesis Project”, Y. Correa lays the foundation for the saga by telling the tale of Genesis’ creation.

In this NEWLY RELEASED installment, “Earth 8-8-2: Genesis’ Rebellion”, Y. Correa further elaborates on Genesis’ enterprise to obtain reprisal.

Chapter 2

The beeping sound which resounded amidst the silence of the scarcely occupied room did nothing to alert anyone, for those there were already at attention. Endeavors such as these were bound to have an audience.

Three sets of eyes peered into the mammoth glass, liquid filled container that housed Project Armageddon (Code Name: Experiment Eight-eight-two-dash-five-point-one); General Townsen’s, Doctor Theodor Belt’s and Acinom Zenit’s. The tank: a matrix created to nourish and sustain Project Armageddon—grow and strengthen it to its fullest capacity.

Acinom pushed a button then flipped a switch on the rotundus supercomputer which covered over half the wall and the sound ceased.

“Acinom,” called Doctor Belt, his voice raised, as though she were in another room, “check his pulse.” Acinom’s eyes shrank to slivers, the disdain of being yelled at pestered her.

“Yes, Doctor.” Acinom reached over, pushing another button which caused a spectacle of waves and numbers to appear on the computer screen in front of them. “Normal, Doctor.” she concluded.

“Good, good.” responded the happy Doctor.

Before any more hoopla could transpire, General Townsen trumped the tangible glee in the room, his voice filled with animosity. “How much longer before Experiment Eight-eight-two-dash-five-point-one is activated?” the dryness in his tone leaving much to be desired. Acinom frowned then squinted; chomping at the bit to put him in his place, although that was not necessarily her place.

Doctor Belt interjected, “Well Commander,” he walked towards the titanic, rectangular, transparent glass cistern which had a wide array of tubes and mechanisms affixed to it, and placed his hand on the glass, as though attempting to touch his creation. “It shouldn’t be much longer.” The gleam in Doctor Belt’s eyes was akin to a maniacal scientist basking in the glory of his creation—mad and euphoric. Doctor Belt pressed his forehead to the glass and shut his eyes, then released a long sigh of gratification.

Inside the immense vessel, attached to innumerable contraptions, floated the inanimate body of being liken to an Earth 8-8-2 man, but not.

General Townsen huffed his satisfaction, turned, pivoting like a soldier about to march, and left the room.

For a limited time only, you get can get “Earth 8-8-2: The Genesis Project” FREE on Kindle!

But … don’t delay!
GET YOUR COPY OF
“EARTH 8-8-2: GENESIS’ REBELLION”
ON AMAZON TODAY!

Blog Tour Swagg! WOOT!

Rose here, bringing you an inside look at my buddy, Y. Correa’s upcoming book, “Earth 8-8-2: Genesis’ Rebellion”. One word …

So … I asked Y a question, and here is what I got from her.

Rose: Who are your most favorite and least favorite characters in the saga? You can pick from either book.

Y: Hmmm … You know, when you grow to love a book you’ve written, it’s hard to pick just one of each. So I am going to have to give this some thought.

Let me see here …

I guess, my favorite character is Doctor Frederick Scott. The creator and father of Genesis. There is something that I really love about his persona. Maybe it’s the “sexy nerd” thing that I am a really huge fan of. But, I think that mostly it’s his personality. He’s kind, intelligent, sometimes antsy, but mostly a good man, with some quirks, that has something to prove. However, in time he grows into a father. And a damn good one at that.

My least favorite character would have to be General Townsen. He’s just a grumpy, old, ass. *insert side eyes here*

Well, with that being said, I want to remind you all that “Earth 8-8-2: Genesis’ Rebellion” releases next week on the 17th! Don’t miss it!

OH! And by the way, the first book in the saga, “Earth 8-8-2: The Genesis Project” will be FREE from the 17th until the 21st. So, don’t miss that either.

Cover Reveal of Earth 8-8-2 Part 2

Dear Readers, Writers and Precious Patrons,

Cheers and welcome to this Cover Reveal Celebration of Multigenre Author Y. Correa’s next installment to the Earth 8-8-2 Saga.

The first book, “Earth 8-8-2: The Genesis Project” marked the commencement of a Sci-Fi Mashup of epic proportion.

BLURB:

Could Science Serve as Salvation?



One-fourth Human.

One-fourth God.

One-fourth Superhuman.

One-fourth Vampire.

For Dr. Scott, the combined strengths of each life form represent the answer to the onslaught of malice and tyranny plaguing his Earth. When his creation—Genesis—begins developing, the lines between scientist and father become blurred. Soon the time approaches where Genesis is expected to fulfill her purpose. Does she go along willingly, or will her rapid evolution obliterate everyone’s best laid plans?

In the newest installment, “Earth 8-8-2: Genesis’ Rebellion” Author Y. Correa endeavors to start where the last one ended and continue the adventure that is the Earth 8-8-2 Saga.

BY
BLURB:

What happens when Science’s Instrument of Salvation blazes her own path?

In the second installment of the Earth 8-8-2 saga, Genesis is heartbroken, disillusioned, but most of all … angry: angry that she has no say-so in the narrative of her own purpose. In the absence of choice, the only response that makes sense is rebellion.

As Genesis elicits the intensity of her powers, General Townsen must act quickly to develop a counterbalance to this previous experiment gone askew. Will the General’s army rise effectively against this unlikely nemesis, or will all see the literal overtures of what occurs when powers that be attempt to regulate true evolution?

Now, without further ado, we are pleased to present you with the cover of “Earth 8-8-2: Genesis’ Rebellion”.

Aspiring to Inspire Part 1

So, I’m supposed to write a couple of blog posts that are meant to reignite my love for my own works. While at first I twisted my mouth a bit at the idea, I then realized, and thought, “You know what? Re-reading my own stuff…? I can dig it.” So then I was all in.

The idea is to share tiny excerpts with you of from my own favorite parts of my stories, but they can’t be any longer than 3 paragraphs each.

Being that I have a collection of books, and then a hand full of short stories, I’ve opted to do 2 separate posts and break them up a little.

Alright, let’s get it started then …

I am most well known for The Fate’s Endeavor Collection. Because “Fate’s endeavor is fate’s design.”

Here are a few excerpts from the above shown stories.

If Death Should Love Me

I could not control myself, it was the impulse that commanded me. I had to tell her, I had no choice. What occurred however, was not my initial intent. My plan was to tell her the truth, though somehow, I came to the realization that this was the truth.

Honestly, I thought that this truth was the only one that really mattered at this very moment. I was unfathomably in love with her. For the longest time I was under the assumption that these human emotions were lost along with my humanity. I had been wrong. The actuality was that I’d not found the one person that could revive them within me. And Sophia, my Sophia, brought them to palpable life. Tangible and true.

I’d heard many times before that love conquered all. I could only hope that it was true. If our love was not destined to be by the creators of fate then it had much to defeat, as it would then be meant to defeat fate itself.

For Love & Enchantment

Edeli was not mischievous, nor disobedient, she was simply the curious sort. Many things caught her attention, and she deemed it her job to discover them and investigate the many mysteries that life had to offer.

She’d heard too many times to count about the legend of the Amazon and all the mysteries therein. Her family, her friends, neighbors and many more were faithful zealots of the superstitions that surrounded Brazilian Rainforest. They insisted that their constant mumbling were warnings, not to be taken lightly.

Yet, Edeli took all warnings with a grain of salt. Ever being curious, ever inquisitive. Such was her God given mien and she made no apologies for it.

Demoness Enchanted

Early morning peeked through the horizon—golden hues of sunshine beamed over the hills and plains of Feijo. The sun made her entrance like a Queen over her people, raising her fanciful scepter, bright and majestic. Roosters announced her arrival, like nature’s heralds, crowing loudly for all of the world to hear.

The richness of the sun’s auspicious rays slowly grazed over the extent of Feijo, little by little turning the purple shades of night into the orange blush of morning.

From within the bounds of the gray, peeling walls, and enormous windows of our large room, I heard giant trucks running down uneven roads. People jargoned loudly and scrambled around to get to their morning rituals. Market owners prepared their kiosks, making them ready for the day’s business. All of the commotion could be heard from within the thin shabby walls of our provisional home, for provisional it was. At least until I had gathered together enough money to give the children something better.

Well, there you have it, peeps. Part 1 of my Aspiring to Inspire project. I hope you enjoyed it.

Andrew Boyd’s WORDPLAY

Facebook|Twitter|Andrew Boyd, Poet

Andrew Boyd is a student of poetry, blogging, and story telling. Andrew became a self-published author on February 27, 2013. He is one who is honest to where he made people mad, yet they respect and respected what he had, have, and has to say.

A two-time kidney transplant recipient, Andrew is one who looks at the world in a way that gives and gave him perspective as to how his life would be shaped due to his medical experiences, as well as helping others by exuding inspiration and compassion to those around him.

He is a graduate of the Class of 1996 from Germantown-Lankenau Motivational Program Annex, where his writing prowess was born in the 10th Grade, and continued on while attending Arcadia University in 1996. After a writing hiatus in 1997, a trip to New York City in March 2010 reignited his passion for writing. While posting several of his writings on social media outlets, he also performs and performed spoken word poetry in the Philadelphia and New York areas. He is currently performing on Black Poetry Cafe’s (BPC) internet radio show “FEVER FRIDAYS”.

When the world needs your light, the supply is unlimited. When you need the world’s light, the service is disconnected. Shrouded in darkness, with not even a candle’s flicker to show the way, how does one heal?

Andrew Boyd’s result is to conduct his own Therapy Session. This fifth book in the WORDPLAY poetry series is a chronicle of crepuscules that Andrew has faced throughout his life, some unbeknownst to those who believed knew him best. What he hopes to accomplish through this psychoanalysis is the prescription to understanding, development and sustainable peace.

 

Hate

Sitting on the floor in front of a crowd,

My legs are crossed Indian Style,

Elbows on the knees.

Head bowed down and temperament apparent,

My microphone will melt with what I will say.

Hate is a strong word: never to be taken lightly.

There are many who do not use the word when

Expressing the feelings they have for others.

I Hate the fact that there is suffering,

I Hate the fact that there are immoral people.

I Hate that those who do the most harm are

The ones worshipping under the steeple.

I Hate how they lie to innocent parties.

I Hate that they rage on another.

I Hate how they do not hold themselves accountable

As they break the heart of their mother.

I Hate how people turned their backs to me.

I Hate that they feel they are seen as priority one.

I Hate that patience to them is a waste of time

Yet they look to me to jump the gun.

I Hate how people say that they are by my side,

Yet their actions speak louder than their words.

I Hate the fact that they lied to me that way

To the point where I show them my flock of birds.

I Hate that I trust some people early:

I Hate that part about myself.

There should be many people walking with shirts

That read “Trusting me is bad for your health.”

I Hate this life that I live:

I can only blame myself.

I Hate that I placed myself in these situations:

I Hate that I cannot see my worth and wealth.

To acknowledge that I Hate myself

Tells me personally that I see more than I care to see.

I need to stop hating the reflection in my mirror,

If I am to change things around and about me.

*Special Thanks to Monica F. Brown and Yasmin Correa for helping me with all things “WORDPLAY: Therapy Session”, from the inside of the covers to the cover itself*

Writers Block Or Just Plain “Nothing”?

It’s been a while since I’ve vented and/or had an honest conversation on here. So … here goes. Grind your gears, everybody.

Alright … so …

You all are meeting an individual that has never experienced Writers Block. So, since I never have, I dunno what it’s suppose to feel like.

Funny enough, I hear about it all the time, but it’s always mentioned in sort of a generalize manner. Kind of like: “Oh man, I have such a bad case of Writers Block!” or “This Writers Block is killing me, I can’t complete my novel.”

 All the while, I’m sitting here sort of like …

What is this “Writers Block” you speak of?

I guess, what I’m trying to say is that I would love an explanation of what it’s like so that I can utilize that information in order to determine whether or not that’s what I’m currently experiencing.

In laymen terms:

What’s Writers Block FEEL like?

Here’s the dilemma …

As of late I’ve been encountering this sort of “emptiness”, I guess is the best word to describe it. Like, there is just NOTHING THERE. Typically when I’m writing, whatever story I’m working on plays like a movie reel in my mind enabling me to see everything clearly. So, all I have to do is put on paper what I see in my mind’s eye. Easy-peasy, right? Right!

Oh, but wait …!

WRONG!

Because lately, whenever I sit in front of the computer and ready myself to see the mental movie, NOTHING IS THERE! Like, is my mental TV broken or something? Shoot, I dunno!

Ah wait, for the plot thickens.

All of this is further complicated by the fact I actually KNOW what I’d LIKE to write … in a “almost, kind’a sort’a, just about” sort of way. That is to say, I have a general idea of WHAT I SHOULD be writing. It’s just that “film” is coming up blank and the words aren’t there either.

Further elaborating on the analogy of the “movie”, here is what I see whenever I try to write.

Are you ready?

And, even THAT has fuzz, which is a step up from where I’m at.

It’s a terrible, terrible feeling because this emptiness seems to be consuming me. And the chasm is just getting deeper and deeper. I can’t see a way through it. I mean, how can I get past and through nothing in order to come out towards the miraculous light on the other side?

I WANT to be able to write something, but the cipher is still there, eating away at my words and the images, that on a normal basis, are as real to me as anything of value.

What happens when your words are your conduit, yet they aren’t there?

Someone, anyone, help?!

Meet Carol Cassada

Hello Everyone!

Today, the spotlight in on fellow All Authors Family Member, Ms. Carol Cassada.

Carol has shared with us a bit about her book “Going Home Again”.

Blurb:

Fashion photographer Rachel Mitchell was living the good life in New York; she had everything she ever wanted. However, the death of her mother sends Rachel home to Virginia to be with her family. Upset she seeks comfort from her ex-boyfriend Cole Ashton and they start to reconnect. Their reunion makes Rachel question her life and she’s left with a difficult decision, either stay in New York or start a new life with Cole in Virginia. Which will she choose?

Excerpt:

Rachel took a sip of water and heard a tender voice. “At long last we finally meet.” Water dribbled from the glass onto Rachel’s chin. She wiped her chin with her hand and turned to see Cole. He looked the same the last time she saw him. Same short brown hair and dark brown eyes that could hypnotize anyone. He wore a gray suit, with a white button shirt and black tie, the first time Rachel had ever saw him in a suit. She couldn’t believe Cole Ashton; her ex-boyfriend was standing in front of her. Feeling uncomfortable, she began to fidget; running her fingers through her hair. She didn’t know what to say or do.

Finally Cole broke the silence. “Hey, Rach.”

“Hello, Cole.” Rachel took another sip of water.

“I’m sorry about your mom.”

“Thank you.”

“She was a great woman.” Cole picked up a cracker

“I’ve been hearing that a lot lately.”

“It’s true, she really was. I’ve always thought a lot of her. She was always nice to me, treated me like I was her son.”

Rachel took a few more sips of water. It was no secret that her family adored, actually loved Cole. They always thought he was the perfect man for her. It broke their hearts more than it did hers when she and Cole broke up. But Cole remained a close friend of the family. Whenever Rachel called home, her mother would give her updates about Cole. Even though Rachel acted like she didn’t care, she was curious about what went on in his life. “She treated everyone like they were family.”

“I know. I’m going miss her. She was my best customer.”

“Customer?”

“Yeah, she trusted me with the repairs on her car.”

“So, you’re still working as a mechanic?”

“Yes.”

“Which shop are you working in?”

“Actually, I have my own shop.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, my cousins and I opened our own repair shop.”

“That’s good. I’m happy for you. That was always your dream.”

“Thank you. Your family keeps us in business. It seems like every week they’re coming in with a new problem.”

“They were never any good at car repairs.” Rachel gave a half-smile. “I can see why they came to you.”

“Every time I see them they talk about you.”

“About me?”

“They talk about your life in New York. Your mother bragged the most, she really loved you.”

“We’ve always had a close bond.” Rachel looked down at the water in her glass. Sadness began to overwhelm her again.

Cole sensed Rachel’s moodiness and quickly changed the subject. “So how long are you going to be in town?”

“I’m leaving in two days. I just came back for the funeral and to help my sisters.”

“You know, if you’re ever in town again and want to get together to catch up on old times, give me a call.”

“Okay, I’ll think about it.”

“It was good seeing you, Rach.” Cole held out his hand.

“Good seeing you too.”

With a quick handshake, Cole and Rachel said goodbye. Rachel watched as Cole and his mother left. She felt relief sweep over her, glad her meeting with Cole was over. For the second time, Cole was out of her life. But little did she know how much he would be a part of her future.

Want to connect with Carol Cassada, or get her book? Then visit these links!

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