by Sarah | Jul 12, 2015 | Books, Challenge, Holiday, Tuesday Tales, Writing
Welcome back to Tuesday Tales! This weeks prompt is this picture.
Due to time constraints, we’re jumping to the 12th book my Holidays at Lake Point series, Haunted Hearts.
Jenna Vogel is a bank teller with a side job as the host of the town’s ghost tours. She also has a secret, she’s a sensitive, which is how she manages to help people get evidence on almost every single tour.
Bryce is a lawyer with a secret as well…despite his well established reputation around town as a man-whore who can, and does, sleep with anything with boobs…he’s actually the opposite. His cousin spreads the rumors and he actually encourages them b/c he’s had his heart broken one too many times.
Bryce just moved to town and had never met Jenna before, but spots her out one day at The Diner. His cousin notices his instant attraction to the blonde and sets the up on a tour. The next evening, Bryce goes for a run at the local park and here is the all-too-brief, but in the 300 word count limit result:
The narrow dirt path wound through the thick of woods for two miles before emerging on a small tree lined lane at the back of the park. He swung around the path and back to the bridge to cross over into the main park. As he rounded the path to the bridge he stopped short in surprise.
In the middle of the bridge stood Jenna. Her arms draped casually over the side, a breeze stirring her curls as her eyes closed. Again that sexy, secretive smirk played across her lips.
His lungs seized up reminding him that he’d stopped in the middle of a good run, and that he’d managed to stop breathing altogether.
He gulped in air, bending over as his body coughed in retaliation for the world’s worst way to stop running. Both his hands pressed hard against his knees, his chest bowing at each heaving gasp until he managed to get himself together.
That’s when he noticed hands on his back, and Jenna’s quiet voice seeped into his awareness. “Are you all right?”
He nodded fiercely and held up a finger to let her know he needed another second. Once he was sure he could speak without hacking up another lung, he managed to stand. “Sorry.”
“If you wanted my attention you really only had to say hello.”
“I thought I’d go for the drama tactic.” He laughed when she did. “I mean, if that hadn’t work I could have tried breaking my ankle, now that would’ve really had you running.”
“Maybe in the opposite direction. I don’t handle others pain well.” She cringed, a delicate wrinkle forming in her nose when she did. “Your coughing fit was difficult enough, if there’s real pain I get sick.”
“Is that so?”
*~*
Hope you enjoyed it! Click on the Tuesday Tales badge to see more excellent entries!!
by Sarah | Jul 12, 2015 | All About Home, All About Me, Blogging Life, Holidays, Photography, Redefining Perfect, Snapshot Sunday
The past two weeks have been absolutely insane between Eagling up for Denver, me working more hours than usual, and odder days than I usually do, and 4th of July.
Long story short–my camera sat on the shelf.
However, the week wasn’t a total wash. My cell phone got some action throughout the week…so it’s not a huge outpouring, but at least I didn’t ignore my pictures all together. 🙂
Week – 6/28/15 – 7/4/15
Me, hours before the Eagle Ceremony with my Mother’s Scout pins.
Some beautiful roses in my favorite color, a gift from my new Eagle Scout.
The first blooms finally erupted on my Rose of Sharon.
This guy popped up on the neighbor’s door frame.
Of course, it wouldn’t be the 4th of July without some of the requisite fireworks photos.
And that’s it for this week! More to come next week…considering I get my camera back out 😀
by Sarah | Jul 11, 2015 | All About Me, Crap, Random, Redefining Perfect, Story of Me
Some years ago I had my dream job working at Barnes & Noble. I wasn’t a bookseller, I worked in the cafe–but I got all the benefits. A great discount, free stripped books, and a great lot of like-minded people to work with. Plus, being surrounded by shelves of books 40+ hours a week? Um, yes please.
I have many colorful stories from the time I worked there. Fascinating people I worked with. How many of us hailed from the same place (another state entirely). The odd customers, the good customers. That was where I worked when I had my son. It was literally the place I learned I was pregnant. I was with those people when Princess Diana died. I went out with them, they gave me my baby shower, and one of them was my labor coach.
Of all the stories I have to share, the oddest by far was the story of, well let’s call him Al. *
Admittedly, at first, I didn’t like Al much. He came in from out of nowhere and took my job from me. My manager, and good friend, was leaving the store and I was pushing to take her job as Cafe Manager. Al swooped in with his tales of culinary school, and being 10 years older than me, the store manager hired him on the spot for cafe manager.
So, clearly, I wasn’t too happy to meet him.
Over time he won me, and the whole staff, over. He was jovial, friendly, hilarious, and his wife was sweet and friendly. She worked down the street at Hollywood Video as their manager. The couple had two huge beasts of dogs that were slobbery-kisses sweet.
On weekends, week nights, whenever we closed together we’d all go out and hang out at one of the local restaurants/bars. Our most frequent haunt was the restaurant right next door, who would leave the bar open just for us booksellers.
Three months into his tenure as our manager, an odd thing happened.
He disappeared.
One day he didn’t show up for work. I, as assistant, was called in.
Two more days of me pulling double shifts later, a couple of police officers walked into the store and asked for the manager.
Turns out Al and his wife were far more interesting than we’d thought.
Skilled con artists with warrants in 12 states. In the three months she’d been at Hollywood Video, she’d embezzled almost $10,000.
We were all floored.
Shocked.
Stunned.
We thought we knew him. We’d hung out with them. We’d thought they were our friends.
And none of us ever saw him again.
To this day I don’t know if they were ever caught, or where they went to.
It was a huge eye-opener for me on how a person can truly deceive you.
I still try to be as trusting as possible, but this story has never truly left me.
And likely never will.
*Name has been changed due to my memory slipping in my old age…honestly don’t remember the guys name…
by Sarah | Jul 10, 2015 | All About Kennedy, All About Me, All of Us, Blogging Life, Friday Feels, Redefining Perfect
On a regular basis, Kennedy asks to brush my hair. I’m always happy to let her, of course. Having my hair brushed is one of the most relaxing things – ever.
On one of these occasions, Erik & I were chatting. I can’t remember the exact subject matter, just that it was a quiet conversation about everyday things.
In the course of the conversation I replied with, “Well, I used to be good, anyway.”
Kennedy, in all seriousness, leaned forward. She patted my head gently, and looked me dead in the eye. “That’s because you’re getting old.”
Needless to say, my husband (9 years my senior, thank you) busted out in laughter on the couch, and Kennedy ended up the target of the tickle monster.
Kids.
Oy.
by Sarah | Jul 9, 2015 | Books, Changing Tracks, Goals, Holiday, The Tribe, Writing
Yesterday on Facebook I saw a post from a fellow author. I can’t remember who or the exact words, but it was along the lines of:
I don’t every write anything down when it comes to my stories. When the idea hits me I just sit down and write.
I read that post and I literally said out loud, “I miss doing that. So much.”
Throughout the day the statement stuck with me. All day long and into the evening.
I thought about my goals for the rest of this year and my plans for 2016.
Then I thought about what it felt like a few years ago when I would just sit down and write and write some more. About how at times I could crank out 300k in a matter of three months. When I would snatch onto an idea and sit and write without interruption. Sure, some rewriting/reworking was necessary, but it was so freeing to sit at a keyboard and just go.
I realized that I’d already said I’m doing 5 books next year. I considered my stack of books I really want to write that have been neglected for deadlines. Then I went back to my steady stream of set release dates and contracted works I’ve had for the past two years.
See, when I started Lake Point, I wrote a stand-alone.
Santa, Maybe was written as a stand-alone story, but I loved the town so much I immediately made plans and a submission for 5 more stories to round it out to a full year.
Then, before 2014 was half over I had another proposal in for another 7 in the series.
SEVEN.
That’s seven books this year.
Yes they’re short and I can write them quickly, but those deadlines loom over my head.
I love my little town, and the people in it, but the obligation and looming deadlines are interrupting the other stories I want desperately to write.
So after Mistletoe Mixup (December 2015), the Holidays in Lake Point series is, well, taking a holiday. For at least six months, maybe a year. I have stories in mind for this little town, but I need to be free for a while.
Maybe without looming deadlines you’ll see more from this town in 2017. I just don’t know. I do know the series is NOT finished. I’ll know more after I’ve had some time to breathe and write some other stories that are screaming in my head.
What will I be working on?
Well, I had been planning on releasing my Tribe series this fall, but now I think those will dominate 2016. I have three written, one edited, and am about halfway through book 4, with two more planned to follow. I’d like to release them in rapid succession, so long as my editor and I can get on the same page, I hope for those to all be edited to be released in quick succession next year.
The town of Dominion Falls will hopefully both get new books, and some revamping of the old.
Say what? Yup, you read that right. In a recent re-read of the series I found some errors and some scenes I’d like to deepen. So I’m planning an overhaul of the first three books (and perhaps some cover modifications for the first two books). Those are also planned for next year, perhaps in time for the Dominion Falls series birthday in February.
PLUS, I hope to finally sit and write books 5.5, 6, & 7 in the series. 5.5 will likely feature a certain former Pinkerton and his lady love.
On top of that, well, if you saw my goals list, it’s pretty impressive. I have many books in mind, I have two series that have been waiting patiently for me to give them attention, and one that’s had a book published and seen no love since.
I have plenty to keep me busy, that’s for sure.
But I’m looking forward to it.
It’s kind of scary not having the set release dates and steady stream of assured business.
I guess I’ll just have to work harder at promo to make sure those books still get plenty of love.
But even without Lake Point it won’t be a quiet year, and it won’t be slow, either.
I’m excited to just sit and write.
Welcome back to Tuesday Tales! This weeks prompt is this picture.
