WEEKEND WRITING WARRIORS #14


How Weekend Writing Warriors Works

It's simple and fun. Sign the linky list, found on the Weekend Writing Warriors website. Then on Sunday, post 8-10 sentences from a current writing project, published or unpublished. Visit other participants and offer opinions, critiques, support. Writers hanging out with writers, a good time with a great group of people.

This week, I'm posting from my current WIP (Work in Progress) CAROLINE. This is a Jane Austen Fan Fiction (JAFF) piece and is a continuation of Jane Austen's, Pride & Prejudice. It started with my muse asking me, 'whatever happened to Caroline Bingley after her brother and unrequited love interest married the Bennet sisters?' - and the story grew from there.
Without further ado - here is my excerpt.

He was inexplicably drawn to the shape of her lips. He wanted to lose himself in their silken texture and know beyond a shadow of a doubt that her attention was solely on him. Without thought he brushed his lips against hers, drawing her full bottom lip between his teeth, savouring the flavor of mint candy on her breath.

Her soft mewl of surprise didn’t stop him. His mouth slanted over hers, urging her lips apart. Hesitantly, she complied and he deepened the kiss, revelling in the tremor that quaked through her body. The fact that they were in the stables of his benefactor never once crossed his mind. Not until the whinny of a nearby horse pierced the haze of desire that clouded his reasoning. Caroline must have heard it too because she broke away from their kiss, covering those well-kissed lips with her fingertips.
     What had he been thinking?


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WEEKEND WRITING WARRIORS #13


Welcome to my Weekend Writing Warrior post. I'm continuing with the story of Caroline.

Mr. Darcy is dining with the Bingley's & Hurst's. He has announced it is tradition for his family to host a ball prior to the wedding. Darcy's family is noble and proud, spattered with various Earl's and Viscounts and Caroline well remembers the manners, or lack thereof, of the Bennet family.
We host a ball Thursday prior to the wedding. As both Charles and I, along with our brides shall depart directly from the wedding breakfast, this is a chance for everyone to meet and become better acquainted in a less formal setting.”
“Are you quite sure you’re ready for your esteemed family to become better acquainted with your new in-laws, Darcy?” Caroline should have listened to the small voice of reason that urged her to temper her words, but still smarting over the set-down by Charles earlier in the day, she spoke without thought.
Darcy set down his eating utensils , leaned forward in the chair and speared her with a haughty look of contempt, his lips thinning in anger.
“Those who cannot accept this marriage are not welcome at Pemberley, Miss Bingley. Our wedding breakfast would not be a sad affair if there were one or two fewer settings at the table.”
She gripped her fork tight as she fought to control her emotions. However enraged she was at these two fools, she couldn’t allow herself to act upon her volatile feelings. She willed herself to smile and be congenial and took a bite of her salmon, which felt and tasted like sawdust in her mouth.
Poor Caroline. When will she learn to dissemble her remarks in front of Mr. Darcy...?

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WEEKEND WRITING WARRIORS #12


Welcome to my Weekend Writing Warrior post. I'm continuing with the story of Caroline. This scene precedes my previous post, but that's okay.

Caroline has just discovered that her brother Charles is to be married to Miss Jane Bennet. As ghastly as the she finds this, what infuriates Caroline more is the fact that Mr. Darcy will be wed the same day to none other than Miss Elizabeth Bennet. Five years of planning ruined in one fell swoop.

She pivoted away from the window and sat on a settee near the fireplace. Her foot bumped something beneath the small couch and she pulled out the pillow she'd been stitching. Tension snaked through her body at the sight of her attempt to capture Pemberley and she nearly tossed the unfinished reminder of her failure into the fireplace. Instead, all of her anger, her frustration, her tattered hopes and dreams coalesced into a fit of fury and she tore the pillow to shreds. Minutes later, her fingernails broken and fingertips bruised she threw the mangled mess to the floor. Great gasps racked her chest as she fell to the floor and sobbed.
"Caroline!"
She raised her head at the sound of Charles' voice. He rushed to her side and helped her onto the settee. With an impatient huff she swatted his hands from her arms and turned her back to him.

Nothing like a good temper tantrum to get the blood flowing, right?

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WEEKEND WRITING WARRIORS #11


Welcome to my Weekend Writing Warrior post. I've been absent from the list for a while  -  I blame life in general interfering with fun stuff, like writing. I'm sure you can all relate.

This is from a new work that I've been posting/working on at a Jane Austen Fan Fiction (JAFF) site. I'm having loads of fun with it and hope I can convey what's going on in just 8-10 lines.

If you are a fan of Pride & Prejudice, you know that Caroline is the villainess we all love to hate, but I've often wondered what happened to this arrogant miss AFTER her brother and unrequited love interest both married Bennet sisters. As you know, when writers begin to ask the 'what if' question, characters begin to speak to them. They can become downright annoying, intrusive and totally self-absorbed - much like Miss Caroline Bingley. However, every villain believes they are right and she is no different. However, I feel that she is totally redeemable, with the right man to help her along....

I hope you enjoy my excerpt from 'Caroline'.

"Miss Bingley, have you ever looked at Mr. Darcy as a man?" Nathan queried.
"What kind of question is that?" She drew back in disgust and made a motion as though she were going to walk away. He touched her forearm with a light touch, forestalling her retreat.
"What I mean is... do you view him as a means for a comfortable life, given his vast estate and fortune or do you view him as a man, with wants, fears and desires?"
"What a preposterous notion, of course I think of him as a man--"
"What's his favorite color?"
"Favorite color?" She blustered and once again attempted to step around the annoying man who saw too deep into her soul.


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CHRISTMAS NOVELLA

Looking for a lighthearted holiday romance?

Blurb:

Never tell a bold faced lie - unless you can follow through with flawless precision...

Kristen Wainwright has been dumped in the most humiliating way possible - only at the most posh restaurant in all Ravenwood, La Crème, and to add insult to injury, her ex has taken up with the office mean queen, Janine Fehr.

Unable to tolerate the snide comments and subtle insults, Kristen, in a moment of weakness tells Janine that 'yes, she's coming to the annual Christmas gala', and 'yes, she's bringing a special someone - her new fiancé'. Now all she has to do is find one.

How hard can that be?

Available HERE

Excerpt
“You what?”
“I know. I couldn’t help myself.”
I sat, curled up on the couch in my Team USA sweatpants, the phone tucked between my ear and shoulder. On the other end was Stephanie, my best friend since middle school.
“She said she couldn’t help herself.” Stephanie relayed our conversation to Bryce, her husband. I heard him in the background, commenting how it would bite me in the derriere. She spoke into the phone again. “Bryce said—”
“I heard what he said. What am I going to do? I’ve got three weeks to find a fiancé.”

Stanley rolled over onto his back, inviting me to scratch his chest. I quit worrying my thumbnail and petted him. Soft purring vibrated against my thigh. Too bad Stanley wasn’t a guy. He’d be the perfect date. He adored me, hung on my every word and didn’t expect me to have sex with him.
The idea hit me faster than I could blink and I sat up straight. Stanley scrambled off the couch at my sudden movement.
“I have a fabulous idea.”
“Oh, I don’t like this. Last time you had a fabulous idea, I wore a cast for six weeks. I still can’t straighten my arm completely.”
“That was years ago,” I said, brushing aside her concern. “This one will work. Do you have any exceptionally handsome men friends, willing to be my fiancé?”
“Now I know you’re crazy.”
“Hear me out. They’d only have to pretend for a couple of weeks. Show up to a few office functions, maybe a movie or two and then we’ll have a mutual parting of ways.”
As I said the words I became more and more convinced this would work. This idea was freaking brilliant. 

#1LineWed - May 5

Today is #1LineWed on Twitter. RWA's Kiss of Death chapter posts a theme on their twitter feed (@RWAKissofDeath) and then you post a line from your current work in progress based on the theme. Here are the rules:
All writers from ALL genres are welcome to share their writing by posting lines from a Work In Progress.
"1 Line is whatever fits in 1 Tweet"
#1LineWed is about writing, not advertising please
NO BUY LINKS
Theme for May 11 is:
OPENING LINES

My opening line for GRETCHEN'S SONG is:

Keeping secrets was bad.
Keeping secrets from family and friends was a recipe for disaster...


Friday With Friends #7

I met Miss Julie Joyce at the Lori Foster Reader Author Get Together in 2012. #RAGT12
She wasn't published - yet - and came as an avid reader and fan of our mutual friend, Margaret Ethridge. In her 'posse' was her beautiful mother, who passed this year and another lady from my neck of the woods. In honor of her mom and of that momentous year, I grabbed a screen shot of Julie and her extremely fun-loving mom taken at RAGT12.

Take it away, Julie.


Hi, everyone!  

I’m so excited to be here today on my pal Sue’s blog! This has been a rocky year for me, with lots of highs and lows, but one of the highest highs was finishing the novella I’ve been working on since last year. It’s especially satisfying because it’s also the first book I’ll be publishing under my actual name, Julie Evelyn Joyce. This weekend I’ll be subbing my baby to all the pretty publishers of the world and crossing all my digits that someone will say YES. :)

In the meantime, I’m gonna share the blurb and a little snippet from my story, Steeped in Love. Ready? Okay! 

Le blurb: Addie Mitchell is a pie-on-the-fly entrepreneur who’s finally ready to settle down in the big, empty house her late great-aunt Edna left to her. Frustrated with her lack of success in romance, Addie turns to another gift her great-aunt passed on to her, the art of reading tea leaves, to aid her in her search for the ideal mate.  

Novelist Ethan Holtz is having a hard time sinking his teeth into his next project, but he finds Addie fascinating. Mainly for her ability to make her dates disappear in fifteen minutes flat. He can’t help but eavesdrop on her dates in the local coffee shop, his writing haven, and soon finds himself taking pointers on what not to do from her failed suitors.  

Though her methods seem nothing short of mad, he falls fast and hard for the pixie-haired pie-pusher. She thinks they’re all wrong for each other, but Ethan teams up with the tea leaves to prove they’re so right.  

And here’s an excerpt from Steeped in Love: 
Ethan flagged down Gwen and ordered the damn danish. She topped up his mug as she dropped off the pastry. When he lifted his head to acknowledge the gesture, an entirely different woman caught his eye. Adelaide Mitchell, owner and operator of the one and only Pie-Cycle. He couldn’t help but stare as she entered the cafe, a pixie-haired woman with wide brown eyes, pink lips, and short-shorts that made him wish for the first time in his life that he were a bike seat.
He rarely got to see Addie up close. She was always in such a hurry, selling her freshly-baked hand pies at all the hubs in this town and the neighboring ones. The fillings could be sweet or savory. He wondered if it depended on her mood. Not that he’d know if they were any good. He’d never tried one, being that he was partial to danishes, but a girl like Addie, well…she might tempt a guy to give pie a try.
Addie ordered, then took a seat a couple tables over, her back to him. She pulled a tube of lipstick from her pocket and used an old bicycle side mirror from her bag to apply it, which he found more comical than peculiar. Her short hairstyle emphasized the long, slim column of her neck. She was jumpy, anxious. Her aquamarine bike shoes slapped against the floor, like it pained her to sit still for too long. He found himself growing impatient along with her.
Gwen returned to Addie’s table with a steaming mug. “Here’s your tea,” she said. “Good luck. Hope you find what you’re looking for.”
Well, that was an odd thing to say. What was she looking for? The missing word in a crossword puzzle? The meaning of life? The perfect ratio of honey to lemon in her tea—
“How’s the writing going, Ethan?”
He jumped, startled to find Gwen hovering over him with a knowing smile on her face. When the hell did she get there? “Fine,” he muttered. 
Her soft hum proved she’d seen the blank page he failed to minimize fast enough. “Hope your hands don’t cramp up,” she teased, then scurried back behind the counter to cash someone out.  
Ethan missed those days—when his fingers could barely keep pace with the words flowing from his brain. It was hell to find inspiration when you knew what you were writing would tank before it even hit the shelves. Releasing a heavy sigh, he rubbed his temples. He could be bitter and cynical all he wanted, but the fact of the matter was that he needed to rebrand himself if he had a hope in Hades of selling anything. He’d still be a thriller author, but his stories were about to take on an entirely different spin. Every successful book nowadays had ‘girl’ in the title: Gone Girl, The Good Girl, The Girl on the Train...The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.
He glanced up, suddenly curious beyond all reason if Addie had any tattoos. She didn’t. At least not from his angle. But even more intriguing, she wasn’t sitting alone anymore.
There was a man sitting at her table. That’s what Gwen meant. This was a date. A date with a man she was obviously meeting for the first time. Addie Mitchell was looking for a man.
 
Hope you enjoyed that little teaser! I’m still working on my new blog, but you can follow me on Twitter to keep up with the latest and greatest in the life of Julie! https://twitter.com/JulieDoner 

Have a delightful day, my dears!  

xo Julie
 

 

WEEKEND WRITING WARRIORS #10


Welcome to my Weekend Writing Warrior post. This week I'm sharing from my newest #WIP - Gretchen's Song ~ Welcome to Ravenwood ~ Book Three

In this scene, Sheriff Rafe Crawford has staked out the Tipsy Seagull. His interest is fully engaged when Gretchen Swanson exits the pub and behaves in a manner that makes him think she's had WAY too much to drink. When she stumbles against her car and drops the keys he almost hops out of his truck to lend a hand - until he notices her taking a quick glance around. Almost as though she expects someone to be watching.
After the parking lot is empty (all other patrons have exited) she finally starts her car and begins to back out. He pulls in behind, blocking her exit and approaches the driver's side window. They engage in conversation and he realizes she hasn't had anything to drink. There is not even a hint of alcohol on her breath. So, he asks her what the act was all about.

This selection has been modified slightly to meet the 10 line requirement. Enjoy.

“I’m the D.D.”
His eyes narrowed. “In case you forgot, you didn’t drive anybody anywhere.”
“Not D.D. as in designated driver, D.D. as in designated decoy.”
"The what?" He pushed back his hat and for a brief moment she treasured his look of disbelief. Rafe Crawford was a hard man to catch unaware.
"Designated Decoy." She waited while that thought tumbled around his razor sharp mind and mentally began a countdown to when he’d figure it out.
One…Two…Thr—



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Friday With Friends #6

I'm so happy my friend Maddie James has come to visit today. Maddie gave me my first 'push' into the publishing world and for that I will be eternally grateful.

Welcome Maddie, and take it away.


Some stories fly from brain to fingers to computer screen. Others take their good ol’ time in coming. This book falls into the latter category.

The storyline for Wind Ridge came to me while living in central Kentucky horse country, back in the 1990s. Nearby, was a small country farm named Wind Ridge. There was another horse farm, complete with Federal style mansion, down the road in the opposite direction. Supposedly, the new owner was a foxhunter, and stories were, that he ran his horses and hounds over neighboring fields and land, much to the irritation of the locals.

The juxtaposition of those two things—the small country tobacco farm, and the more stately southern horse farm—wove their way into my head and a story took wings. Over 100,000 words later, the story was finished, but sad to say, it lay fallow in my computer for many years. Other stories had their day, blessed by the publishing world, but Wind Ridge stayed hidden from public consumption.

I always loved the story; however, it was written at a time when I was still learning how to write. I knew it needed a lot of tender, loving care. About six months ago, I realized I needed to tackle the story again, embrace it, rip it up, even let my editor have her way with it. So, I did. We did. Now, I am so very pleased that Bekah and Collin’s story is finally ready to share with my readers.

Here’s more about the story:

Rebekah McCauley is back home after ten long years of living and working in New York City. She left the Big Apple under circumstances she’d rather not share with her family—not yet, anyway—and all she really wants is time to heal and recover from the mess she’d made of her life. Luckily, her grandparents’ Kentucky bluegrass farm, Wind Ridge, provides the safe haven she craves, and the solitude she needs to heal.

Collin Kramer, the fox hunter next door, seems determined to infiltrate that peace and quiet, and invade her safe haven—not only with his noisy hounds running amok over her land, but with his Alpha male, take-charge attitude running roughshod over her wounded heart.

But as Bekah softens to Collin’s conquest, he realizes his own toughened heart needs mending. And just when he thinks he has that conquered, as well, all hell breaks loose. Poisoned horses, a gutted dog, and a barn fire are only the beginning. When Bekah’s farmhouse burns to the ground too, they know someone means business. But who? And whose past, Bekah’s or Collin’s, has come back to haunt them?

Want to read more? The Prologue is posted on my website at this link: http://www.maddiejames.net/2013/07/wind-ridge.html

****

Maddie James writes romance – don’t try to pin her down to one genre. From edgy suspense to flirty contemporary romance to darker erotic titles, she just wants to silence the people in her head. Find out more at www.maddiejames.com.

 

Friday With Friends #5


I think I've adored Julie since we first met. How could I not? We bonded over winky napkins at a reader/author convention in Cincinnati. She, on the other hand, is leery of me because apparently I am the only person who liked the 'Book That Shall Not Be Named'. What can I say? The book trailer was to die for.

I've followed her career with interest. Cheered her successes. Begged her to come visit me on my blog and she finally gave in... I mean, she graciously accepted.

I give to you, Julie Anne Lindsey.


If You Don’t Like Romance in Your Mysteries, My Books Aren’t for You.
There. I said it. I can’t help myself. I think romance has a place in cozy mystery. Most cozies have a romantic thread somewhere, but it’s often understated and nearly invisible. Some reviewers, I’ve noticed, don’t like romance soiling their mysteries. So, I should probably give everyone a heads-up. I like romance in cozies. Mostly, I like real, and romance is real. Why not add it generously to cozies? I mean, romance is something every reader can relate to. It’s one of the amazing and torturous perils of being single. If writers are hoping to find common ground with readers while writing about what they know, adding romance seems like a great way to reach two goals. Right? Plus, if I’m being honest, I love it. I love reading those toe curling will she / won’t she scenes and I adore writing them. So, I do.
Don’t worry, I don’t write sexy things (if you’re opposed to those sorts of books). No. My stories are definitely rated G, and they’re mysteries first, but there’s always chemistry. I write new friendships into each series and make sure readers feel the potential for more. I hope readers long to see where those friendships will lead as much as my heroines do. Maybe it’s me, but I think that’s how life works. I mean, we’re only human.
Here’s another argument for including romance in cozies: Incredible heroines. A smart loveable heroine is the heart of every cozy mystery. You know what else? She’s always SINGLE. Please tell me where in the world a smart, loveable, single woman goes unnoticed for long? Nowhere. As long as there are men on Earth, there will be romantic interests, pitfalls and obstacle courses. It’s fact. Romance is one of the most frustrating and wonderful things about human nature. How could I leave that out?
Answer: I can’t. I won’t. I don’t.
My new series, Geek Girl Mysteries, are no different. My stories revolve around a fantastic young woman, Mia, and feature all the sticky situations every single woman faces, from unreturned feelings to new crushes and the overwhelming need to scream on occasion. Mia handles the emotional trials with heartwarming, and hopefully humorous, doses of awkward, and she does it while solving a murder.
If you’re in the mood to get your geek on, I hope you’ll check out A Geek Girl’s Guide to Murder. Either way, I’d love to hear about one of your most geeky moments. We all have a few. Who wants to share? Anyone?

A Geek Girl’s Guide to Murder, The Geek Girl Mysteries, book 1

IT manager Mia Connors is up to her tortoiseshell glasses in technical drama when a glitch in the Horseshoe Falls email system disrupts security and sends errant messages to residents of the gated community. The snafu's timing couldn't be worse—Renaissance Faire season is in full swing and Mia's family's business relies on her presence.
Mia doesn't have time to hunt down a computer hacker. Her best friend has disappeared, and she finds another of her friends murdered—in her office. When the hunky new head of Horseshoe Falls security identifies Mia as the prime suspect, her anxiety level registers on the Richter scale.
Eager to clear her name, Mia moves into action to locate her missing buddy and find out who killed their friend. But her quick tongue gets her into trouble with more than the new head of security. When Mia begins receiving threats, the killer makes it clear that he's closer than she'd ever imagined.
Amazon       Barnes&Noble       Carina Press     iTunes    Kobo
About Julie:

Julie Anne Lindsey is a multi-genre author who writes the stories that keep her up at night. She’s a self-proclaimed nerd with a penchant for words and proclivity for fun. Julie lives in rural Ohio with her husband and three small children. Today, she hopes to make someone smile. One day she plans to change the world.
Julie also writes The Patience Price Mysteries series.
Learn About Julie at:
Julieannelindsey.com

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#SnippetSunday


It's been so long since I've done a snippet, I almost forgot how.
Today I'm sharing from Gretchen's Song, Book Two ~ Welcome to Ravenwood.

She fell in love with Rafe Crawford at the age of thirteen.
Blocked from entering the school by a group of boys who demanded a kiss as payment to enter, she’d clutched her books and stood there mute. When Joey Campbell grabbed her arm, she squeezed her eyes shut, opening them to the sound of shouts and skin meeting skin.
The first thing she saw was Rafe standing over Joey, his knuckles reddening. She didn’t know if the color was from a punch, or from the copious amounts of blood spurting from Joey’s nose. Already topping out over six feet, the eighteen year old looked like an avenging angel as he glowered down at Joey.
“Stay away from Gretchen,” he snarled. “Touch her again, and I won’t stop at your face.”
From that moment on, her tender heart was his – and he never knew. The very next week, following his graduation, he joined the army with her eldest brother, Morgan and was shipped off to Afghanistan.

Friday with Friends #4

I've known Maggie Wells, or rather Margaret Ethridge since 2009 when I was learning the art of writing. I'm still learning. Margaret and I were members of an on-line critique group and we just kinda 'clicked'. She's such a talented writer and I lurv her. Through her I was introduced to Turquoise Morning Press where I sold my first book.

Maggie Wells, Margaret's naughty persona, writes stories that need a warning label attached. Hot and Sexy with ADULT content. So, if you're interested in checking out her latest books ~ you've been forewarned.


 

 
About the Book
Nothing draws a magnate like a steel magnolia…

Harley Cade is back in town—and the former bad boy is downright irresistible now that he’s donned a hard hat and set to work restoring the South's finest homes to their former grandeur. While wealth may have gained Harley entry into high society, it’s going to take a lot more than a fat bank account to win the lovely Laney Tarrington.

Laney isn't open to giving the self-made magnate a second chance—no matter how much she needs him. With her family fortune gone, Laney finally has to stand on her own two feet. The last person she’d ever lean on is Harley, the man who left her behind with nothing more than memories of the passion they once shared….

With the attraction still burning hot between them, Harley isn’t above seduction—or secretly buying Laney’s bankrupted family’s estate. After all, he no longer has to prove himself to anyone, least of all the daughter of Mobile, Alabama’s most prestigious family. But will pride keep Harley from gaining the biggest prize of all—a place in Laney’s heart?
 

 

So... You're Retired


My husband is slowly going crazy. I retired last June for various reasons. Health issues and care for our grandchildren getting top billing. That said, he's extremely jealous that I am now retired and he has to still work for another five years. (Maybe two and a half if our mortgage is paid off - which is our goal)

He makes loads of comments about how I'm 'not working', so I decided to follow myself today. Give you a bird's eye view of how I fill my time now that I'm not working 9-5

  • 0800 - wake up with a nice leisurely stretch. Still can't believe I can sleep past 0630
  • 0830 - head downstairs and make coffee. Feed the cats (3 - don't ask) their soft kitty food and make sure they get their treats. Head downstairs to clean kitty litter, vacuum up the debris around their litter boxes, and fill the empty bowls with new hard cat food.
  • 0850 - empty the dishwasher. Do some light housework (dusting, straightening, water plants)
  • 0900 - log onto my computer. Check e-mails, social media and pay bills on-line.
  • 1000 - start writing. Am working on Book Two of my Welcome to Ravenwood Series
  • 1200 - call Honda and make appointments for the car.
  • 1210 - shopping for groceries and fill the car with gas.
  • 1240 - arrive home and unload groceries.
  • 1300 - Prepare and bake a cake.
  • 1330 - I have an hour while the cake bakes and attempt to get back into the writing mood.
  • 1430 - Remove the cake from oven and place on cooling rack.
  • 1445 - head to school and wait for grandkids to be released for the day
  • 1550 - everybody is loaded in the CRV and we start back home.
  • 1550 - arrive home, provide grandkids with a nutritious snack.
  • 1600 - Start preparing supper. Must have the grandkids fed and homework done by 1730 when their mother comes to pick them up
  • 1730 - Grandkids are gone for the day. Tidy up, wash/dry dishes that don't go into the dishwasher. Feed the cats, again, check their kitty litter, again.
  • 1800 - Cake has cooled sufficiently to be iced.
  • 1830 - Hubby arrives home from latest trip. We chat about what happened during the four days he was away while I make his supper.
  • 2000 - Survivor is on - need I say more
  • 2100 - check my e-mails again and sneak a peek at Facebook
  • 2130 - Where does the time go? Turn on the dishwasher, grab my Bible and do my devotions.
  • 2200 - Off to bed. Brush my teeth. Wash my face. Lights out.

Whew! I'm so glad I'm not working.....

And the Winners Are...


This has been a fabulous month of FREE!

The winner from my visit to Karen Docter's blog is:

Kathleen Bylsma (AK)

And the two winners from my Goodreads giveaway were:

Nadine Keels (WA)
Cynthia Schwarzer (FL)

Print copies of Man of Her Dreams is on the way to you. Thank you for participating. It's readers like you that make this writing thing fun.  Much love.

Love is In the Air

Happy Valentine's Day

Do you have any plans? Romantic dinner? Movie night? Long soak in the tub with loads of bubbles and a good book?

Top Gun and I are watching horrible movies on TV. We're clicking on movies we've never seen before, or heard about and they are absolutely horrendous. We should have stuck with the tried and true. The ones we've seen a gazillion times, but still love.

Is there a movie you watch again and again without tiring of it? Care to share?

Mine is Pride and Prejudice - all versions (except the one with Greer Garson and Laurence Olivier) *shudder* Sad thing is - Top Gun won't watch this with me. I have to wait until he's away, (which is about four nights a week), before I can camp on the couch with my Doritos and watch Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth spar verbally.