Nano journey - Kick off Party

Life is busy. Between life, work, family and having just a tiny little bit of you time, when do you write?

I kook forward to November and the approaching NANOWRIMO with the anticipation of a kid starting a new school year. There is excitement, but also that underlining fear of failure.

But then my husband pointed out something. If I write and write and write and only get 40,000 done, have I really 'failed'? Part of me wants to jump up and down and shut 'Yes you fool! My goal was 50k, not 40K!', but maybe he's right.

I have always wanted to write a story with a theme/journey that it is not about winning, it is about finishing. Maybe that will be my 2011 Nano story!

Happy writing!
Kendal

Looking ahead - Nanowrimo

It is hard to believe September is half over already! Wow the time is flying by this year. I am looking ahead, realizing November is only 1 1/2 months away! Ekk. I wanted to finish my current first draft of Scavenger Hunt (YA contemp) and I am only about 25% done. I'd better get moving.

Why the big rush? What is the deadline I am working toward? I'm an going to be one of those people chained to my laptop in the month of November while I hammer out a new YA novel. Have you heard of Nanowrimo? If not, check it out! www.nanowrimo.org

My game plan this year is to have a fully plotted story before I sit down on November 1st.

If you are taking part in this month of dreams and torture, you'll find me there too!
Cheers,
Kendal

Excerpt Monday July 2010

Once a month, a bunch of authors get together and post excerpts from published books, contracted work or works in progress, and link to each other.

SETUP: This is a scene from my Young Adult novel, Melody's Song. Melody has a run in with Nate - literally.


The cool night air slapped me in the face when I opened the side door to escape and it took me a second to realize it was drizzling. The misty rain pattered down against my hot skin. The chill felt good. It might not be that long before we got snow. It snowed in Ohio, right? A tinge of excitement coursed though me. My first snowfall! My eyes widened as I strained to look at the misty rain, searching for that alluring first white flake.
A low chuckle came from the semi-darkness behind me. I pivoted to search for the source, my balance tittering on an unsupported ankle and I crashed to the ground.
Two hands reached out to grab my arm, but my rear hit the cold pavement before they could get to me. Nate knelt down, concern etched on his handsome face. Well, concern and amusement. My heart skipped three beats, forgetting for a moment how to work.
“Are you okay?” I could hear him straining to keep from laughing. Smart guy.
“Yeah, I’m fine.” I tried to brush off splatters of mud clinging to my jeans, but like day old grease in a grease trap, it fused to my pants.
“Let me help you up.”
“No thanks, I got it.” An edge of annoyance crept into my voice. Did he purposely wait in the dark to scare me? The rain started to pick up, fat droplets plunging to the ground around us, sounding like fingers tapping on a desk. I ignored his outstretched hand and struggled to my feet.
Pain shot through my ankle and rippled up my leg. Hot tears prickled at the edges of my eyes, but I swiped them away. Nate’s arm encircled me before I tumbled back to the wet pavement.
“Whoa. Steady. Your ankle?”
“No my ear. Idiot,” I snapped. It felt like a smoking red hot poker straight from a blacksmith's forge was searing straight through the skin and skewering the bone. I desperately wanted to stop the tears threatening to overflow. But it hurt. I mean it really hurt. Like the kind of pain I imagine a guy would feel if his dick got caught in a zipper. A zipper with razor sharp teeth.
“Can you walk on it?”
I clung to Nate’s strength, his warmth seeping through my shirt and into my chilled skin. Our eyes locked and for one blissful second I forgot about my ankle. His chest rubbed against my side, my hands gripping his taunt biceps. Our faces were only inches from each other and his breath a wisp of vapour.
“Can I take a look?”
I nodded as he assisted me over to a bench near the store’s front door. The rain pelted off the tin roof above us making a musical hymn. I concentrated on the sound, trying to keep my mind off the pain. He knelt on the ground in front of me and held out his hand, palm up. Our eyes met and I hesitated. Was I doing something wrong? Could I screw up my assignment anymore? I’m pretty freaking sure falling for your Charge was a big no-no. What would the Senate think? What if they reassigned Nate’s file? What if…wow he smelled amazing. I filled my lungs with the earthy scent making me light headed. I lifted my leg and let his warm hands examine it. My stomach did a nosedive when he touched my skin. A jolt shot through my blood and tingled from the tip of my toes to the top of my ears.







Links to other Excerpt Monday writers
Note: I have not personally screened these excerpts. Please heed the ratings and be aware that the links may contain material that is not typical of my site.

HIW - Finishing a story

HOW I WRITE is a blog series where writers of different genres discuss how they go about the business of writing a book. Like snowflakes, writers are unique and we have unique ways to produce our creative product, our books. So walk with us, learn from us, and help us become better writers in the process. Click HERE to visit the other authors in this series!

There is a quote I read last week that went something like this: True happiness in life is having my beginnings than ends.

I really took that quote to heart for my personal life, but not so much for my writing career. This topic had me reviewing what I have on the go and I have at this moment (drum roll please) 5 wips - 2 of which are full novels.

What is the negative to having all this on the go?
1) In theory I should never hit a wall. If I have more than one story to focus on, I can keep my plot bunnies working all the time.
2) When I decide to refocus on one story, I have to reread what I have written to get back into the voice and groove of the story. This will either excite me and prove that I am on the right track, or I will start edits to fix what wasn't working anyways.
3) If I hear of a submission call...hey, I might just have something tucked away.

But what are the negatives?
1) Sometimes (mind you it is rare) I have the desire to work on two stories at the exact time.
2) It takes longer to finish a WIP if I am jumping too it.
3) I look at the amount of open stuff I have on my plate and want a nap. The pressure and self-induced stress can feel overwhelming not having enough time in the day to get to the deadlines I want too.
4) Heaven forbid I have a major writing sprint and finish everything - I'll have to edit everything at the same time and I hate to edit!

Having more than one WIP on the go doesn't work for everyone and to be truthful I wish I didn't work that way myself. I rather focus and get one writing, edited and out first, but where the fun in that? And that's really what it comes down to for me - writing is a passion for me at this point before it is a money making career, so at this point in my career I am letting my imagination, heart and plot bunnies led the way. :)

Has having more than one WIP on the go been a good or bad experience for you?

Happy writing,
Kendal

HIW - Starting a new WIP and tools to get the job done

HOW I WRITE is a blog series where writers of different genres discuss how they go about the business of writing a book. Like snowflakes, writers are unique and we have unique ways to produce our creative product, our books. So walk with us, learn from us, and help us become better writers in the process. Click HERE to visit the other authors in this series!

Starting a new story and tools I use

I was giddy to see this topic! Something I have knowledge on! Is it a problem that at any given time I have 6 WIPs? What can I say, I don't like writer's block. The more pans in the fire the more I can jump around.

I just started a new WIP - a sweet, adult short aimmed for a submission call of 20-25K. Since the story has such defined word count guidelines, I wanted to do things a bit different with this story (isn't there wisdom in the old truth that when we stop learning we die?) So in the spirit of that, I wanted to try something new. For this story I used character graphs *gasp* and I plotted the story from start to end, chapter by chapter. I am very excited to sink my teeth into it because there is zero chance I will run into a wall - I seriously hope I am not going to have to eat these words.

Here's the odd thing: The ending came to me before anything else. I had a vague idea of the story, but was unsure how to make it work. Then out of nowhere, boom, I actually visualized the ending. So I wrote that down in point form in a Word doc. Then I bugged my CPs, my husband, my dog - I'd say even my cats, but nothing bothers them - until the rest of the story fell into place.

I am attaching a copy of a character chart below, but in summary, I think this is a new way for me. I can't foresee any roadblocks or reasons why I can't work through things. I feel I can easily wrap up the story within the 20-25K guidelines. And I think I have a pretty great little story here!

Okay, off I go to write! Good luck everyone! If anyone would like a blank copy of the character chart (the pretty one in Word) send me an email at kendalashby@gmail.com or leave your email in a comment here and I will make sure I send it to you.

Cheers!

Kendal



Here is the chart I used for the heroine, Amber Sinclair. (it has pretty colours and is divided into boxes, but I am not techincal enough to get it to appear that way here)

Character: Amber Sinclair
Role: Heroine
Height: 5'5"
Hair: Blond
Eyes: Brown
Body Type: Slim
Age during Story: 32
Profession: Runs the animal shelter in small town.
Background/childhood: Normal family life. Parents still together and live in the same small town she grew up in. Her husband left her last year, cheated on her with more than one person from town. She threw herself into the animal shelter and the animals, giving up on love.
Archetype: The Nurturer

Goal (physical need, what they THINK they need) To raise $8,000 to pay back taxes, insurance and repairs on the shelter – otherwise she will have to close it since government funding has dried up.

Motive (emotional need, what they really need) Her entire life is the shelter and the animals. She will be heartbroken and lose the purpose of her life if she can’t raise the money.

External Conflict (physical): The auction is a lot of work and she is determined to make it a success. When Em (bff) suggests they add a bachelor date-off part, she is hesitant but agrees. She is also worried about money, and with old Dr. Morgan retiring as the town vet, she is afraid the ‘new guy’ won’t give her a break on the outstanding vet bill or a discount on future services.

Internal Conflict (emotional): Worried about the attraction she is feeling for the new vet, Dr. Rick Barron. But since he’s so secretive and hot, she is determined to get him in the auction.

Positive Traits: Optimistic (not about love), Determination

Negative Traits:Unrealistic, poor book management, self-sacrificing

Fatal Flaw (Achilles heel, the one thing designed to bring them to a standstill in their present way of being): If she loses the shelter, her world, which has only been holding together since her ex husband left her, will fall apart.

Secret (the lie they tell themselves to get by): Her animals are all that she needs to feel love.

Epiphany: If she opens her heart to Rick, she might find love.

Once a month, a bunch of authors get together and post excerpts from published books, contracted work or works in progress, and link to each other. Four times a year, some of us get write and offer a full free read (the next one will be Halloween themed in October!)For more info on how to participate, head over to the Excerpt Monday site! or click on the banner above.


Please note that this is from my alter ego Kendal Corbitt so fair warning it is of the Erotica nature. I will leave it on the blog until August and then move to www.kendalcorbitt.com as a free read and focus more PG stuff on the blog.

Wedding Disaster by Kendal Corbitt

My fingers brushed over April’s rigid nipple. It flushed deep pink, begging for attention. I lowered my head, my lips suckling the bumpy edges while my tongue flicked back and forth over the raised peek. April writhed underneath me, her long, warm fingers scratching down my bare back. That’d leave a mark, I mused, trying not to wince.

My penis throbbed, on the edge of coming, but I held back. Taking April to bed had been a priority since the moment I met her, and I had zero interest in rushing through the motions. She was nothing like the quiet, shy woman Kate had introduced me to. I’d seen through her facade, sensing the feisty wildcat dormant within her.

“Grant.” She half shouted, half hissed between clenched teeth. Her back arched off the mattress, pushing more of her breast into my eager mouth. I sucked harder, trying to fulfill her needs.

“More,” she panted.

“Soon,” I promised. Pleasure at watching her enjoy how I touched her body, sent a shiver down my spine.

“Now.”

A throaty chuckle rumbled from my chest. She wasn’t a one-night stand kind of girl, and I could respect that. We both had a big day tomorrow, important roles and obligations to fulfill, and I didn’t want to have any awkwardness between us. I might have the worse timing known to man, but I had something to say.

“Tomorrow—”

“No.” April stiffened under me, and a shiver ran through her body, leaving a wake of goose pimples. Her voice was sharp, and I pulled back to look down at her passion-flushed face. A mixture of emotions flashed across her face; anger, confusion, until finally hope settled into her deep blue eyes. “Let’s not talk about tomorrow, Grant. Let’s just enjoy tonight.”

I wanted to argue with her and push the subject, but when she reached her hand between us and her fingers encircled my stiff penis, all thoughts melted. Her warm hand began to stroke up and down my shaft. I tried to focus, tried to remember what I’d wanted to say, but words failed me, and I couldn’t form a sentence -- couldn’t remember what had been so important to say just a minute ago. My lips crushed into hers, and our tongues danced while our bodies rubbed together. Friction sparked between us as we both panted with desire.
Tomorrow. We’d talk tomorrow.

****

I switched my weight uncomfortably from one foot to the other. Staring at the door,
I cleared my throat. “Katie, do you need help?”

Silence came from the bathroom stall.

“Katie?”

“Grant, you’re my best friend, and I’m thrilled you are standing up for me today, but come on, helping me pee? Step to far, hon.”

“But this is part of my Maid of Honor duties, right?” Okay, my main duty consisted of preventing Katie from crying on her wedding day. I thought assisting her to pee was part of the kit and caboodle.

“Friend of Honor.”

I could hear the humor in her voice. I’d been insisting on the traditional title she kept correcting me since the moment she asked me to stand up for her when she married Jeff.

Regardless of what I was called -- let’s just call me Katie’s best friend with a penis -- we still had a problem. In the bulky white dress, she couldn’t go to the bathroom without help. Jeff wasn’t allowed to see her. Her Moms where waiting outside the door, but they’d be no help. Jill had a video camera glued to her hand and she itched to capture the perfect video. My bet wagered that the woman hoped she’d capture the next grand prize video for America’s Funniest People.

Jill’s relaxed attitude completely contrasted of her partner’s. Dot had wept non-stop since we arrived at the church, anxiously waiting to walk her daughter down the aisle. As a guy, I didn’t really get the crying at a wedding thing, but when Jill and Dot corned me at the engagement party last month, the message had been absolutely clear - don’t screw up. Neither woman was too thrilled that Katie had picked a guy to be her Friend of Honor, and Jeff had a girl as his Best Man. You’d think a married lesbian couple would have a bit more liberated view on the whole thing. I personally thought their priorities were a bit off. Their daughter was getting married to a guy she’d meet five weeks ago in a bar, and they weren’t happy with me being her Friend of Honor?

“Grant. Let us in.” Speak of the devils.

Katie hissed behind the closed door, “Don’t you dare let my Moms in here.”

“Should I get April?”

“Yes! Oh, Grant, please go get April.”

“Sure babe, whatever you need. Be back in a minute.” I unlocked the bathroom door. Jill and Dot descended on me like vultures to a fresh road kill. I held up my hands, stopping them mid pounce. “Ladies. All is fine. Katie has asked that you check on the arriving guests.”

Jill nodded an understanding while pulling a misty eye Dot out of the small dressing room at the front of the church. “Come on, Dot, I bet there’s something good out here to get on film.

I followed, shaking my head. My mind geared for the new task at hand. I had to find April before Katie’s bladder exploded. Besides I’d been trying to find a reason to see her before the ceremony began. I felt bad about leaving her at my hotel room this morning. At least I’d left a note. She’d been sleeping so soundly, no doubt after I’d worn her out with my incredible love making skills. Three orgasms baby. I knew I was grinning like a fool, but we were good together, and my body reacted just thinking about it. Two bottles of wine between us, one not so innocent dance at the rehearsal dinner, and wham-bam -- we ended back at my hotel room.

Okay, so I wasn’t all that proud that we were a bit drunk, but I couldn’t get straight-laced April to even glance in my direction without slipping a bit of liquid courage into the girl. When she put her inhabitations aside, the girl could party. It’d taken every ounce of charm I had to finally catch her eye, but it’d been worth it. Since I met her at Jeff and Katie’s engagement party, I hadn’t been able to get her off my mind, or out of my fantasies. She was simply gorgeous. Everything about her was adorable from her pixie shaped face to the whimsical dance in her walk and the way her voice sounded like a laughing melody.

Glancing out the stain glass window, I caught a glimpse of Jeff pacing back and forth down the side of the Church. Wherever Jeff was, April had to be close by.

“Yo, Jeff, where’s April?” I called from the side entrance.

Jeff ignored me and continued to walk in a four-foot circle, around and round over the same stretch on the concrete sidewalk. April was nowhere to be seen.

“Jeff.”

No response.

“Jeff Reynolds.” I raised my voice higher. Huffing out a frustrated breath, I took the steps two at a time and landed in Jeff’s path.

He looked up at me, a blank expression in his dark eyes. “Grant?”

“Yah, buddy. You ok?”

“Sure. Sure. I’m great. Besides the fact that my estranged and utterly insane father is here. He’s claiming he’s married to Katie. He’s declared he will stand up in front of our friends and family and discredit our marriage when Pastor Daniel asks if anyone objects. Oh, yeah, I’m fine. Peachy.” Jeff’s eyes darted back and forth like a rabbit escaping a predator. “How’s Katie?”

“She has to pee.” My mind worked a mile a minute. My goal to prevent Katie from crying was unravelling, and this new Mr. Reynolds glitch looked like a big issue. “We’ll take care of everything, man. I promise. Where’s April?”

Jeff gestured to a side entrance of the church and then continued his pacing. I left him, trying to prioritize the growing number of disasters threatening to ruin the wedding. and a startled gasp passed her lips. Her cell phone tumbled from her hand, and she fell backward to the floor.

I reached out and grabbed her around the waist, just inches from the ground. We locked eyes, her baby blues wide in surprise. Her breath came in short pants, and I could feel her breasts rising with each breath against my chest. A vivid memory from last night flashed in my mind. I could almost hear her throaty need beckoning me to take her tight nipples between my teeth. I shifted my weigh, trying to hide my body’s reaction to her closeness. I couldn’t wait to get this crazy ceremony over with and onto the reception. I needed time alone with her. “April, I—”

“Hello?” A distant voice from April’s open cell phone called out.

We stood up, and she grabbed her phone off the floor. April fixed a cold stare at me, her eyes void of emotion, unlike the feisty heat that poured from them mere hours ago. “I don’t have time for any of your games, Grant. Not now.”
Without a backward glance, she pulled the outside door open and disappeared.
Games? What freaking games? Confusion fogged my mind as I tried to connect the angry, frustrated woman I’d just collided with to the loving and passionate woman who’d shared my bed. What’d I do wrong?

Crap! Katie. I grabbed the door before it latched shut. By the time I caught up with April, she was at Jeff’s side and snapping her phone shut. “Okay Jeff, Harmony is sending someone over to collect your dad. I put him in the back room until they arrive.”

“Your father is from Harmony Institute?” I couldn’t help but blurt out the words, unable to mask the shock in my voice. Okay, so that wasn’t exactly one of my more tackful moments in recent days. Hey, my mom always said I was a work in progress. “Katie never said anything to me.”

April shot me a dangerous look, kind of a mixture of “shut up” and “back off”.

“She doesn’t know,” April said between clenched teeth.

“Why the heck not?” I fired back. If Jeff’s father was a member of the town’s loony bin -- oops, Mental Health Facility, much more PC -- Katie had a right too know. Why would he keep his father a secret from his soon to be wife?

April shook her head. Her blond ringlets swayed from side to side. Her sapphire eyes looked up at me, pleading through a curtain of thick lashes, tears threatened to over flow her eyelids and slip down her pink cheeks. I wrestled with the decision to argue on my best friend’s behalf or drop the issue to stop the woman I might love from crying. Whoa. Love? Hell, I hardly knew her. One night, no matter how good, had never thrown me through a loop like this.

“Can I talk to you? Now.” April firmly grasped my elbow and turned me around. She half dragged me, half-lead me around the corner of the church out of ear shot of Jeff. I was mildly disappointed when she released her grip.

“About last night—”

“Last night was fun. One night, yup I get it. It was nothing. I was warned you aren’t a commitment kind of guy, so no biggie, okay? Drop it, and let’s focus on what’s really important.”

Shards of ice jabbed at me with each word. It was nothing? Drop it? Okay, so I’m the first to admit that a one-night stand was how I usually preferred my dates to end, but I really thought April and I had something special going on. I studied her. She worked her bottom lip between her teeth, pushing and pulling the tender flesh back and forth. It was an erotica gesture, and my body jumped to attention.

“It was something to me.” Even I couldn’t believe the words that just came out of my mouth.

She stared straight at me, her eyes wide and unblinking for a full minute. I could practically see the ticking of her brain analysing my words, weighing them against that internal lie detector most woman seemed to have. Did she believe me? How could I convince her?

“April, I enjoyed--” I sounded lame. How the heck do I say that I wanted more? Maybe I didn’t need a line or some corny cliché. “Hell, I want more than just last night.”
I waited for a reaction from her, hoping she’d take my words at face value and believe me. There was a minuscule twitch at the corner of her mouth. It was so quick I might have missed it if I wasn’t so obsessed with staring at her kissable lips. There it was again; a tiny smile.

“Grant, we do not have time to go into this. Later. I promise. Right now I need to calm Jeff down, get his dad out of here, and make sure things go smoothly. Understood?”

I grinned like a kid with a new toy. She’d smiled. That had to be good, right? “Katie needs to pee.”

Seriously, where the heck did my filter between my brain and mouth go when I was near April? I tried to explain. “It’s a dress issue. She needs a woman’s help.”

Thank God, at this revelation she seemed to understand without me having to go into detail.

“Okay, lead the way. But first I want to check that Mr. Reynolds is staying put in the back room.”

We pushed are way through the side entrance, and the first person we ran into was the pastor performing the ceremony. “Hello, Pastor Daniel.”

The Pastor looked up, taking a stumble towards me. His reaction was more than a fraction too slow, and I reached out to prevent him from falling to the floor. A strong whiff of whiskey burned my nostrils.

“Call me Pastor Dan. No, I like Danny Boy better. Oh, how about Master P Danny Boy? I’d like to be introduced like that.” The husky man rumbled with laughter. April rolled her eyes as I wrestled with the desire to slug the holy man.

“Go,” I said to April. She gave one curt nod and disappeared down the hall, leaving me to deal with Master P.

I dragged the portly man behind me toward the church basement steps and the glorious coffee I smelled brewing. At the bottom of the steps, I saw a small group of the ladies from the choir, and a flood of relief swam through me. “Ladies, can I get a little help here?”

“Oh, my honeys! Master P is in da’house. Can I get a woot-woot?”

An elderly lady pushing at least eighty gave me a kind, understanding nod. “I’ll pour the coffee, dear. He’ll be right as rain in twenty minutes. You go on. We know how to deal with him.”

I didn’t have time to consider how weird things were. I needed to get April to Katie. Jogging up the basement steps, I was starting to get winded. Who knew that getting married was so strenuous?

Rounding a corner and down the hall to me, bumping into my chest. She clung to my tux jacket, steadying herself. My arms circled around her and instinctively pulled her close. “We have to stop meeting this way.”

“Grant! He’s gone.” Panic seeped into her voice. Her eyes were wide, and her skin clammy where my hands touched her.

She didn’t need to say anymore. We had to find Mr. Reynolds -- now. I smoothed a strand of hair that’d fallen from her fancy hairstyle and tucked it behind her ear. “We’ll find him, April. You take the left, and I’ll take the right. Meet at the front doors.”

One curt nod of understanding, and she dashed from my embrace down the hall. I entered the main area of the church. A hundred or so guests where already starting to fill the white wooden pews. Darting down the right aisle, I kept my attention peeled for a man who didn’t look like he fit in.

I found April waiting for me when I reached the front doors. She practically vibrated with nerves like a wobbling plate of jelly. “Grant--”

“I know. I didn’t find him either.” My brain snapped into gear, suddenly remembering Katie. “We have to get you to Katie.”

My fingers linked with April’s. Warmth seeped from her slender fingers to mine. Opening the door to the bridal room, I stopped short. April bumped into my back, and I tried to make sense of the scene.

“Mr. Reynolds!” April voice seemed three octaves too high, bordering on something only dogs in the neighboring town could hear.

Katie’s eyes shot up to mine. Fat tears brimmed over the edge of her smokey eyes, cutting a damp trail through her makeup. Anger boiled in the pity of my stomach. “Get away from her.”

April pushed forward and came between me, Katie and Mr. Reynolds. “Stop. Stay back.”

It took me a second to realize she was talking to me. I clenched and unclenched my fists, trying to figure out why I shouldn’t clobber the man that was ruining Katie’s wedding day.

April put one hand on my chest, pulling my attention to her. Two warm eyes glowed up at me. Concern and understanding etched on her face. “Grant, can you go get Jeff?”

I looked over at Katie, another tear slipped down her cheek. Mr. Reynolds stood tightly pressed against the corner wall. He resembled a petrified mouse trapped by a cat. I didn’t understand the situation or the vibes in the room. My head tried to make sense of April’s protective posture, Mr Reynolds’ scared cower, and Katie’s tortured face.

“Please, Grant, trust me.” April’s voice poured over me like a sip from an expensive twenty year old scotch. She leaned in close, pressing herself against my chest; a look of pleading crested her cute face, her mouth pinched.

I lowered my head and captured her lips. In that second, this crazy day melted away and only April and I existed. Without hesitation, she kissed me back. Her lips welcomed mine, and encouraged me to deepen our embrace. Electricity melted us together, and I mustered all my self-control to finally pull away. Her chest raised and fell like my own, trying to catch our breath. I couldn’t think of anything to say, so I gave her a wink-- a promise to continue later-- and rushed from the room.

I returned with Jeff on my heels, and Katie ran into Jeff’s arms immediately. She moved with the speed of an Olympic racer, nothing but a ball of white lace sprinting across the room.

“Why didn’t you tell me about your father?” She asked.

He hugged his beautiful bride to be, tears threatening in his own eyes. Jeff’s attention focused on the man, still pressed against the wall.
His voice was low and strained. “I didn’t know how to tell you.”

April came to stand beside me, and I sensed she felt as awkward as I did. I was unsure how to help the situation, but didn’t dare to leave.

“Your dad would like to stay and attend the ceremony. I’d like that too.” Katie grasped Jeff’s hands.

“You would? Be he’s…sensitive. He thinks he’s married to you.”

Katie nodded, her pretty face shining up at her groom. “It was a misunderstanding. Isn’t that right, Douglas?”

For the first time, the man in the corner spoke; his aged voice had a childish pitch to it. “She looks so much like your mother.”

“Yes, Douglas. I look like your late-wife, but I’m not, right? I’m your soon to be daughter-in-law.”

Douglas nodded eagerly at Jeff. His entire face lit up with excitement. “Yes. There’s a wedding today. Yes. Yes.”

Katie turned her attention back to Jeff. “I think today would be even better if our parents, all of our parents, were here to celebrate with us.”

Jeff’s eyes misted over a little, not that I could blame him; I was fighting to swallow the lump in my own throat. Talk about Soap Opera family reunions. I stood back, my arms wrapped around April. She leaned into my chest and sniffled. The magic of this special day filled the room.

I’d failed at not letting Katie cry, but what wedding didn’t come with a few hiccups? In the end it was a stellar success. Jeff and Katie would have a beautiful wedding. Douglas Reynolds had a new daughter-in-law, and I had April. Yes, destiny promised a great day.


The End

HIW - Research

HOW I WRITE is a blog series where writers of different genres discuss how they go about the business of writing a book. Like snowflakes, writers are unique and we have unique ways to produce our creative product, our books. So walk with us, learn from us, and help us become better writers in the process. Click HERE to visit the other authors in this series!

Research

I'm a big believer in writing what you know. However, you can't always do that. Not when the plot bunnied grab hold demand you explore new direction. I'm not big on research. There I said it. I look up whatever details I need, but that's about it. For example I wrote a short involving a cruise ship so I went and got some of those glossy booklets (day dreamed about going myself for 'research' purposes) and used them to help with description etc.

I recently picked up a great book to help me get to know different citys and towns. Since I am Canadian and most of my stories are based somewhere in the States, I find this book very handy. Writer's Guide to Places by Don Prues and Jack Heffron may be worth checking out. Some of the things it anwsers are: In what New Orleans neighborhood would your villian commit a crime? What kind of food is your Vancouver native most fond of? What slang does your Ohio character use?

Happy writing!

Cheers!
Kendal

Excerpt Monday

Once a month, a bunch of authors get together and post excerpts from published books, contracted work or works in progress, and link to each other.

SETUP: This is a scene from my Young Adult novel, Melody's Song. Melody has a run in with Nate - literally.


The cool night air slapped me in the face when I opened the side door to escape and it took me a second to realize it was drizzling. The misty rain pattered down against my hot skin. The chill felt good. It might not be that long before we got snow. It snowed in Ohio, right? A tinge of excitement coursed though me. My first snowfall! My eyes widened as I strained to look at the misty rain, searching for that alluring first white flake.
A low chuckle came from the semi-darkness behind me. I pivoted to search for the source, my balance tittering on an unsupported ankle and I crashed to the ground.
Two hands reached out to grab my arm, but my rear hit the cold pavement before they could get to me. Nate knelt down, concern etched on his handsome face. Well, concern and amusement. My heart skipped three beats, forgetting for a moment how to work.
“Are you okay?” I could hear him straining to keep from laughing. Smart guy.
“Yeah, I’m fine.” I tried to brush off splatters of mud clinging to my jeans, but like day old grease in a grease trap, it fused to my pants.
“Let me help you up.”
“No thanks, I got it.” An edge of annoyance crept into my voice. Did he purposely wait in the dark to scare me? The rain started to pick up, fat droplets plunging to the ground around us, sounding like fingers tapping on a desk. I ignored his outstretched hand and struggled to my feet.
Pain shot through my ankle and rippled up my leg. Hot tears prickled at the edges of my eyes, but I swiped them away. Nate’s arm encircled me before I tumbled back to the wet pavement.
“Whoa. Steady. Your ankle?”
“No my ear. Idiot,” I snapped. It felt like a smoking red hot poker straight from a blacksmith's forge was searing straight through the skin and skewering the bone. I desperately wanted to stop the tears threatening to overflow. But it hurt. I mean it really hurt. Like the kind of pain I imagine a guy would feel if his dick got caught in a zipper. A zipper with razor sharp teeth.
“Can you walk on it?”
I clung to Nate’s strength, his warmth seeping through my shirt and into my chilled skin. Our eyes locked and for one blissful second I forgot about my ankle. His chest rubbed against my side, my hands gripping his taunt biceps. Our faces were only inches from each other and his breath a wisp of vapour.
“Can I take a look?”
I nodded as he assisted me over to a bench near the store’s front door. The rain pelted off the tin roof above us making a musical hymn. I concentrated on the sound, trying to keep my mind off the pain. He knelt on the ground in front of me and held out his hand, palm up. Our eyes met and I hesitated. Was I doing something wrong? Could I screw up my assignment anymore? I’m pretty freaking sure falling for your Charge was a big no-no. What would the Senate think? What if they reassigned Nate’s file? What if…wow he smelled amazing. I filled my lungs with the earthy scent making me light headed. I lifted my leg and let his warm hands examine it. My stomach did a nosedive when he touched my skin. A jolt shot through my blood and tingled from the tip of my toes to the top of my ears.







Links to other Excerpt Monday writers
Note: I have not personally screened these excerpts. Please heed the ratings and be aware that the links may contain material that is not typical of my site.

How I Write - Ideas

Welcome! Click a picture above and link to the HOW I WRITE! home page so you can visit all of the writers involved in this week's blog series! I big thank you to Ansha Kotyk for being the organizer of this blog series!

I am very excited to get out and read how other writers come up with their story ideas because I really struggled with this topic.

I'm not really sure how I come up with my ideas - but interestingly enough, earlier today I did plot out a new short! I got my newest idea from watching tv and seeing a character trait I wanted to write. So I got out my pen and paper, put a gender twist on a classic idea and wrote out a few things things that could happen. At this point in my "Idea" stage, I don't have names (these come much later and after much time wasted on http://www.babynames.com/).

Truth be told, the notes I wrote today most likely won't get another look or thought on for about 6 months. Later tonight, I will add it to my word doc called "Plot bunnies" with point form bullets. Once I am looking for something fresh to write, I will consult that file, see what outline grabs my attention, and start working on it.

So, back to the key question, where do I get my ideas from? Mainly they just hit me over the head like little pebbles pinging off a second floor bedroom window of a teenager. The stories come in pieces - usually the key conflict first, the scene/plot next and lastly the characters.

It is worth noting that for the passed 3 years...the same amount of time I have been writing...I had a long commute to work (1 1/2 hour drive each way) and my plotting, story creation and ideas came to me while driving and listening to the radio. Now that I am working from home, I have been tempted to just get in my car and drive when I am blocked, but I can be a bit scattered brain and am worried I'll end up a day's drive away from home before I realize I should turn around.

I am thrilled to be part of the HIW (How I Write) blog series and look forward to next week's topic : Character/World Building.

Thank you for reading!

Cheers,

Kendal

Lost count of days - Writing Goals

I had a great weekend! The wedding we went to was beautiful. Now I am back and ready to get back on the ball. Today I've had my wip open most of the day but haven't gotten a lot done. In total I have 300 words in a scene I was dreading writing so that is exciting.

Tomorrow I plan to pre-write a special post for Wednesday (so come back on Wednesday!) and get 1,000 words in.

I had a lot of time today to think about time management. I use to be so good with my time but these days it seems to slip away from me too quickly. My goal for this month is to get a better handle on my time and how I spend it.

I hope to break 500 words tonight! Back to writing.

Cheers,

Kendal

Day 4 of 29

Ugh. Another zero word count day. But surprisingly I am okay with it. Here is why: I did a lot of research on a contest/conference I want to attend (New Jersey's Put Your Heart Into a Book - late October) and committed to entering the contest! As a result I polished my first chapter, inserted two crit changes I had on it and sent it to a friend to get her feelings for it.

The contest also calls for a dreaded synopsis so I started one for the book.

So even though the word count actually dropped 50 words with the edits, I still feel like I had a productive day. It just goes to show that it is not only about writing, there are a variety of other important parts to being a writer.

Friday to Sunday I am away at a wedding. At this moment I am hoping to get up in the morning and work on the synopsis I have to have first draft done by Sunday night (that is my goal) but the truth is we already have to be on the road at 7:30 a.m. so the chances of actually writing are slim lol. At least I am being honest with myself and my goals.

Have a great weekend! I'll be posting against starting Monday. Also starting Monday is the first day of my goal to July 26th to get Scavenger Hunt completed (1st draft done).

Cheers,

Kendal

Day 3 of 29 Writing Journal

Today was almost a complete bust and for no reason! I had the day planned to just write. As always, other things cropped up. I did manage to crit 11 pages for a CP and we are meeting tonight to discuss the pages we have exchanged.

But seriously, where did the time go? I didn't surf as my internet was acting up, and yes I did work for my 'other' job...but 7 hours worth?

Finding a balance is going to be a challenge for me. Now that I am home full time with two careers on the go, I need to dedicate time for each. By the end of these 29 days I was hoping to have a near complete MS, but maybe I will have something of equal importance - an understanding on how I best work and how to time manage two at home careers.

I just looked at my break down of when I want things do be done. On July 26th I am going on a family vacation. So my goal is to take Scavenger Hunt and have first draft (35,000 K away) done by that day. That gives me 43 writing days to write 35,000 - given a buffer of 7 days for non-writing in those 43 days, that means I have to write 1,000 words a day starting this Monday (June 14th) to Sunday, July 25th. I always find breaking things down makes it seem more achievable!

Off I go to plot out the scene for tomorrow.

Cheers!

Kendal

Day 2 of 29

Day 2 and I am disappointed to say I didn't get any writing in yet. Due to personal family stuff, I spent the day with my family out of town. I am looking forward to tomorrow when I have almost all day to write. My goal is 1,000 words or more. Maybe I'll really push and aim for 2,000! I'll post an update at the end of the day.

Tomorrow is Wednesday and I am meeting with my CP in the evening to go over the pages we exchanged. I love this online meeting time to talk about our wips and bounce new ideas off each other.

Tomorrow my many focus is finally to write a major scene I skipped before because I am worried about doing it justice. But enough time has passed and I have to bite the bullet and just do it. As a writer, I find it easy to move forward but more challenging to go back and actually fill in what is missing, but if I don't go back, I'll never reach the true end.

Happy Writing!

Kendal

Day 1 of 29 Writing Journal

First day of my 4 week writing journal goal has gotten off to a bit of a rockie start. I left early this morning and traveled to my family's home for a visit. I love the long drive as I find I plot the best in that time. I set the cruise control, turn up the radio and let the wheels turn in my head while I plot.

The story I am working of for the month of June is called Scavenger Hunt. It is my contemporary YA and even though I am only at 16,000 so far with a goal of 50,000, I'm loving it! I hope to post excerpts throughout the month and if my plan stays solid, I might even get a synopsis put together. At the very least I'd like to have my tag line for the book ready :)

Tonight I had an assignment for my personal life. I am in a wedding party this weekend (hense why out of my 29 writing days I will be away for 3 of them and not able to write) and have been asked to write the centre piece giveaway game using the words LEFT, RIGHT and ACROSS. Everytime I say one of those words the prize is passed to the next person until the story is done and the last person holding the prize wins it!

This was a great way to get the juices flowing! I thought I'd post the story here for kicks. Now that my duties as a bridesmaid have been completed, I'm off to do some writing on Scavenger Hunt.
Cheers!
Kendal

Everyone understands the rules, RIGHT? I said, everyone understands the rules, RIGHT?
Kelly and John meet at Camp Khalanie RIGHT before Labour Day in 2005. RIGHT from the start they had a chemistry no one could deny. From that weekend on, wherever Kelly was, John was RIGHT beside her.
Their relationship and passion grew quickly, and if LEFT no doubt to anyone that they were meant for each other. Within the first year, Kelly and John went ACROSS the ocean for a wedding and to spend a romantic week in Paris.
Something must have gone very RIGHT well halfway ACROSS the world because shortly after they returned they decided to move in together. Kelly LEFT Tottenham and John LEFT Pickering for their new home in Burlington.
Even though they were moving halfway ACROSS Ontario, it LEFT all of us wondering what would happen next.
The following year LEFT them with lots of happy memories and before we knew it, it was time for our annual camping trip back to Camp Khalanie. John had a huge surprise planned. John made the RIGHT decision and got down on his RIGHT knee and asked Kelly to marry him RIGHT where it all started.
Kelly jumping on the bridal train and started her search for the RIGHT dress, she LEFT no store unsearched and travelled ACROSS Toronto until she found the perfect one. Next they confirmed the RIGHT location and the RIGHT date.
All their hard work has paid off with this beautiful wedding we are so fortunate to be part of.
Just for fun though, pass once more to the LEFT. Now see, that was fun! RIGHT?
There really isn’t anything LEFT to say, so let’s enjoy the evening and celebrate the love between two people who are so RIGHT for each other. To Kelly and John (ring bell).

Finding Time to Write

It is the struggle that we all face. How do you juggle life, work (if you are like most writers and have a primary day job) and writing? For me, I have been debating this question a lot lately. In May, I left my full time employer to start a new home based business with the goal (or hope) of being able to write more.

A month has come and gone and I have written nothing. I have made great headway with the new business but I am not feeling satisfied. Writing has once again taken a backseat to the other things I have on my plate. So what can I do about it?

Easy. I can trust myself and my dreams and actually put the time in to make them come true. Gosh, it sounds so simple when I actually write it down.

So starting Monday, I am going to write. Each and every day. I will be positng an online journal here on this blog, not so much for my readers to follow but so I have accountablity for my actions. I know the month of June will be a difficult one to meet my goal since I have a 3 day wedding, a mini vay-kay planned, and of course - hours and hours (and hours) of setup time on my new business. But regardless of all those, I will write. From June 7th to July 5th - 4 weeks (29 days) - I committ myself to writing 25 of those days and posting on this blog 25 times.

On another note, I have joined Excerpt Mondays! Coming Monday, June 28th we are having FULL FREE Reads!

Cheers!
Kendal

Once a month, a bunch of authors get together and post excerpts from published books, contracted work or works in progress, and link to each other. You don’t have to be published to participate–just an writer with an excerpt you’d like to share. For more info on how to participate, head over to the EM website! Below is a snippet from my story ALL ABOARD. I love to share beginnings and hear what you have to say, so please leave a comment and let me know :) Enjoy!

Chapter 1

“And now as an expression of your hearts linked together in love, join your hands.” The minister’s voice carried from the altar to the back of the church.
“Blake, do you take Hilary to be your wedded wife, to live together in marriage? Do you promise to love her, comfort her, honor and keep her for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and health and forsaking all others, be faithful only to her, so long as you both shall live?” The minister paused, before looking at the couple. “Now, of course do not answer that today, Blake. We’ll save the official answers for tomorrow.”
A few laughs filtered through the room. Cayley Summer’s heart was a tight lump in her throat. Tomorrow it would be official. Blake would marry Hilary. She let out a deep breath and focused on Blake. He was so gorgeous in his jeans and collared golf shirt. The man could wear a burlap sack and still give her chills. God only knows what he’ll look like in his tux. A single tear slid down her cheek, and she wiped it away with the back on her hand.
“Do you need a tissue dear?” a voice whispered beside her.
Startled, Cayley turned to the older lady sitting in the pew beside her, and gratefully took the Kleenex she held out.
“Thank you,” she said, dabbing her cheek.
Cayley sighed. So it was over. Well, almost. Tomorrow would be the best day in Blake’s life and the worst in hers. Her heart broke in two and for the umpteenth time, she wanted to kick her own ass for falling in love with him. Stupid! Stupid! She gave her forehead a mental slap.
She watched like a muted robot as Hilary and Blake continued to get instructions from the ministry on how things would unfold. They stood behind the signing table, and someone from the wedding party snapped a few pictures.
Blake looked up from the table, and his eyes swapped from the gathering of friends and family until they settled on her. One eyebrow arched high, that adorable way he had of asking a question without speaking. She held up a manila envelope containing paperwork from the office needing to be signed before he left on his honeymoon. He gave a nod and wink before turning his attention back to something the minister was saying.
“Tomorrow I will lead the happy couple to this point on the stage and say ‘it gives me great pleasure to present, for the first time ever, Mr. and Mrs. Rigney’. Pictures can be taken at this moment. ”
The church erupted in applause and a lone cat-call whistle that spurred a few laughs. But Cayley didn’t feel like laughing.
“Do you know the bride or groom, dear?” the elderly woman asked, smiling up at Cayley as they retook their seats.
“I work for Blake.” At least for now. She’d been mulling over the idea of looking for a new employer. Yup, the day Blake announced his engagement to Hilary, the old resume came out and started getting a spruce up.
****
“Sorry about this,” Cayley said, pointing at the next place on the page requiring Blake’s signature. “They came in late this afternoon.”
“No worries.” Blake grinned up at her, given her one of his trademark smiles that always made her knees wobble together like a teenager girl with a secret crush. “Are you coming to the rehearsal dinner?”
“No.” The single word slipped out more abruptly then she wanted. Getting through the wedding and reception tomorrow was going to be hell enough for one lifetime.
He leaned his hip against the pew and studied her. “You okay? You’ve seemed a bit distracted all week.”
His cell phone vibrated, and he pulled it free from the clip on his belt. A moment stretched on as he scrolled through a text message. Blake’s brows knitted together, and his eyes flashed from sky blue to dark and stormy in an instant.
“Is everything okay?”
A look of surprise flickered across his face like he’d forgotten she was there. Her fingers reached out and rested on his forearm. The tense muscle quaked under her touch, wound as tight and hard as a piece of steel.
“I hope so.” He snapped his phone closed and shoved it back into the holder. “It’s nothing to worry about.”
Cayley swallowed, trying to keep her nerves in check. Her hand dropped back to beside her waist. She put on a well-practiced smile, the same one she’d been using for the last six months. “I’m not sure I’m the one who’s been distracted, boss.”
“Cayley, it’s nice of you to join us.” Hilary’s voice intruded their private moment.
She turned toward the soon-to-be Mrs. Rigney. The old expression that all brides are beautiful held true for Hilary. Actually she was beautiful any day of the week and today she was drop dead gorgeous—being the center of attention really agreed with her. Heaven knows tomorrow, she’ll be the picture perfect bride. She wore a short black satin dress painted on her trim figure. Giving Cayley another reason why her size eight ass hated Hilary’s size two ass.
“Congratulations, Hilary,” she said with a smile pasted on her face.
“Thank you.” Hilary shifted her attention to Blake. “We really need to get going, honey, if we are to have dinner served on time.”
Cayley had been effectively dismissed. Bitch. She smiled at Blake to let him know everything was fine and waved him away.
He mouthed “Thanks”, as Hilary’s claws wound around his arm and pulled him toward the front of the church. She watched them disappear down the steps until they were swallowed by the darkened night.
“Shit.” He hadn’t signed the last page. A frustrated breath blew up her nose. Looks like she’d be going to the dinner after all.

EM - Room with a View - Erotica

Once a month, a bunch of authors get together and post excerpts from published books, contracted work or works in progress, and link to each other. You don’t have to be published to participate–just an writer with an excerpt you’d like to share. For more info on how to participate, head over to the Excerpt Monday site! or click on the banner above.

Below is a snippet from my story Room with a View available HERE

****

The phone vibrated in his hand and the shrill ring echoed off the dining room walls. “Hello?”
“Welcome home, baby,” Callie’s voice purred through the phone line.
“Where are you?” Curiosity and impatience waged war in him. He really wanted to see his wife.
There was a pause over the line, and her voice trembled slightly when she finally replied. “Look up.”
He glanced at the ceiling, and a nervous laugh greeted his ears. “No, silly. Look through the window.”
Across the short distance, Callie stood in Jillian’s living room. Her pale skin sparkled like a thousand mini diamonds. His eyes darted up and down her nearly naked body. A sheer bra pushed her ample breasts together, and her nipples played peek-a-boo with the edges of the black lace. Matching panties, smooth legs, and high heels completed the outfit. His cock instantly throbbed to life, forcing his hazy mind to play catch up.
After his eyes had thoroughly devoured her sexy body, he finally looked up at her face. Pouty red lips curled upward into a huge smile. She held a phone up to her ear. “Like what you see?”
“Hell yes.”
She turned slowly, and he noticed the thong cut panties that exposed her tight and firm ass cheeks. God, he wanted to reached out and touch them, to run his fingers over her creamy skin. She put down the phone’s receiver and clicked a button. “You’re on speaker, hon. I hope you like what we have planned for you. I love you.”
“I love you, too,” he said, his mind not fully understanding what the fuck was going on. Had she said “we?”
His pulse pounded in his veins like molten lava under his skin. Luke sat back in the chair, waiting to see how everything would play out. Like a kid waiting to unwrap a present on Christmas morning, he tried to contain the growing excitement and nerves that merged together inside. High heels clicked on hardwood and Jillian enter the room. The two women shared a mischievous look before Jillian approached the window.
“Hi, Luke,” the petite redhead’s voice waffled over the phone.
“Hi, Jillian.”
Dryness parched his throat, as though he’d been stranded in the Sahara for a week. But no way in hell was he leaving to get a drink. He stared from his wife to his neighbor and back again. A pink satin slip painted Jillian’s trim figure. The two women turned to each other, and a moment stretched on. Neither moved, and Luke held his breath. He sat forward to the edge of the seat. His penis throbbed against the confinements of his pants.
Silence crackled over the phone line, and he felt like he was right there in Jillian’s living room with them. Callie turned her wide mocha eyes from Jillian and locked with his. He melted in their warm depths. They stared at each other for a moment before he found his voice. “It’s okay, honey. If you don’t want to, just come home.”
Emotion he couldn’t read flashed in her beautiful eyes. Her soft curls swung around her face as she shook her head from side to side. “No, I want this.”
Across the distance, she gave him a little wink, and his heart battered almost painfully inside his chest. Her hand slowly rose and brushed aside long locks of hair that hung over Jillian’s shoulder. His fingers clenched into a fist, gripped the armchair. Watching this show of seduction was driving him crazy with desire. An equal mixture of strange frustration and impatience swirled in his gut. He wanted them to continue. His mind urged them on as he sat and stared transfixed out the window. His penis pulsated, and blood rushed to his core. Sweat gathered at his hairline and he swiped it away. For once he didn’t have control of the situation, and the sudden release of power surged through him. He liked it.
Hell, he liked it a lot.

****

I hope you enjoyed this snippet and will be back next month for more!

Happy Reading,

Kendal

Excerpt Monday site!

Twitter, Tweetdesk and Me

I have recently joined Twitter and it was suggested I use Tweetdeck. I just downloaded it and find it very busy to look at. I'll update in about a week about how addicted I become :)

Do you tweet? come find me as KendalAshby.

I've attended a fair amount of writers workshops and talked to multiple writers about the great debate about marketing yourself and the time consuming efforts vs pay off. Everyone has different opinions and I am going to share mine:

I believe that if you are at the unpublished stage you still need to show a professional platform. This means having a website, a blog, and joining at least one forum where you can both grow valuable friendships but also learn from peers about the business (I highly recommend Romance Divas if you write any form of romance - click here)

But I also believe that you shouldn't waste all your time with building your online platform if it is costing you valuable time for writing and learning how to write. Like everything in life, there needs to be a balance.

Thoughts?

Kendal

EM - Melody's Song

Once a month, a bunch of authors get together and post excerpts from published books, contracted work or works in progress, and link to each other. You don’t have to be published to participate–just an writer with an excerpt you’d like to share. For more info on how to participate, head over to the Excerpt Monday site! or click on the banner above.

This is a scene from my YA called Melody's Song. Melody is packing before her big assignment: to help mortal Nathan Peterson find his true career path.




I sat on my bed trying to focus on the checklist I’d scribbled down. Toothbrush? Check. Laptop? Check. Self-doubt that I could actually succeed at this assignment? Double check.
Cassie and Art stood at my open closet. Almost every piece of clothing I owned lay in a heap on the floor at their feet. They were arguing over a buttery yellow sundress.

“Why would she need a dress?” Art asked.

“In case they go out somewhere nice,” Cassie fired back, tossing the dress toward the small pile of clothes they’d agreed upon.

“Like a date?” Art snorted. “This isn’t one of our field trips, Cass. This is an assignment.”

“She might need to cozy up a bit with the Charge.”

I pretended to concentrate on my checklist, letting them fight. My fingers slid under the front flap of Nathan’s folder, pulling out the glossy headshot.

“Cozy up? That is not allowed,” Art hissed between clenched teeth.

“Get your mind out of the gutter, dummy. The rules are a bit grey on flirting, and whatnots.”

I stared at Nathan’s pink lips, thinking about grey areas and whatnots.

“You two are so boy crazy, I swear.”

“What about you? You can’t stop obsessing over Lisa. If I hear one more comment about Lisa, I’ll monkey bite you so hard your arm will be bruised for a month.”

“Oh no, you won’t! Melody will protect me.” Art darted across the room and jumped on the bed. His big arms grabbed me around the waist and pulled me off the bed. In a tangled mess of limbs, we crashed to the floor.

“Get off me, jerk. You deserve a monkey bite!” My fingers formed pinchers and sought out any bare skin I could see. They clamped down, and twisted the wad of flesh caught between them. Art screeched like a girl, and Cass howled with laugher above us.

“Not nice, Mel. Not nice.” Art got up and sat at my computer desk, sulking and rubbing a patch of bright red skin.

Cassie and I ignored him and went back to packing. “Did they give you any instructions on stuff you’d need?”

By “they” she meant the Senate. She hadn’t referred to them as the Senate since I told her about my assignment. “No, not really. They gave me some petty cash. I guess I’ll just buy whatever I need.”

“Are you nervous?”

Why lie? “Yes.”

“You’ll do great.” Cassie gave me an endearing smile. She always had the utmost faith in me.

“Thanks. I just wish I knew what they were thinking. This is big.”

“Huge.”

“Enormous,” Art piped in. “Gigantic”

Cassie giggled. “Mammoth”

“Okay! I get it.” Talk about beating a dead horse.

“Colossal,” Cassie whispered under her breath. I flung a teddy bear at her.

“Ohio U, right?” Art asked, typing away at my computer’s keyboard.

“Yeah.” I glanced over at the screen, watching him navigate around the University’s website. I had to concentrate to stop from throwing up.

“And they didn’t say why they were sending you?” Art turned in the desk chair pinning a curious look at me. Cassie stopped trying to stuff my makeup case into the jam-packed suitcase. Talk about calling out the elephant in the room.

“No.”

“And this is about this guy taking the wrong major or something like that?”

I nodded, keeping my attention focused on my checklist.

“Not exactly Love worthy if you ask me.” Art muttered under his breath.

“Shut up, you idiot. Mel will do great. This is just to get her feet wet. Right, Mel?” Cassie tone was filled with hope.

“Sure. Maybe.” I flung a shoe I didn’t want into the corner. It hit the wall with a thud and landed on a pile of discarded clothes.

“But why you?”

My mind felt like an over-saturated sponge, unable to concentrate on anything. I’d been racking my brain since this afternoon trying to figure out that exact question. I wouldn’t be surprised if ooze started to leak from my ears soon. “I don’t know. They didn’t elaborate.”

“But—”

“I don’t know,” I snapped, cutting Art off before he could ask another question I didn’t have an answer too.

“Mel.” Cassie’s calming voice soothed my frizzled nerves. “We’re only curious.”

My head felt like it was being pinched between the forefinger and thumb of a giant. “Sorry, Art.”

“It’s okay.” Art turned back to the screen, studying the campus’ site. “Hey, did you know they have an on-site bar? Are they giving you a fake I.D.?”

I pulled the Canadian driver’s license I’d been given and flicked it toward him.

“Nineteen? That blows. Twenty-one and you could have drank.”

“Not everyone’s goal in life is to become a lush and toss up in a shrub, Art.” His face reddened at my not so subtle reminder of the end of summer bash. I’d never seen anyone look so ill. His skin literally took on a pale sea-foam green tinge.

A soft knock interrupted whatever response about to form on Art’s lips. My mom stuck her head in the room. “All packed?”

“Almost.” I watched Cassie struggling with the zipper on my bulging suitcase.

“Grandpa is downstairs. He wants to see you.”

“Down in a minute, Mom.”

I waited for her to leave before glancing at Cassie and Art. They both acted weird around my Grandpa. I got that he was Cupid. Yeah, couldn’t exactly forget that fact. But still. “I’ll be back soon.”

My two best friends shared a look, but neither said anything. I gave an exaggerated eye roll and headed downstairs. Maybe Grandpa would be in a less evasive mood then earlier.

****

I hope you enjoyed this section of Melody's Song!
Happy Reading!

Kendal

Once a month, a bunch of authors get together and post excerpts from published books, contracted work or works in progress, and link to each other. You don’t have to be published to participate–just an writer with an excerpt you’d like to share. For more info on how to participate, head over to the Excerpt Monday site! or click on the banner above.