One Writer, Two Genres

Thank you Author Rescue for the interview and blog tour!

2011-10-21T08:38:00.000-07:00

Are you a writer with a new release coming out soon? I highly, HIGHLY recommand that you consider visiitng www.authorrescue.com to discuss a book blog tour with Melanie! She is fantasic and was able to set me up on a blog tour to promote Melody's Song.

I am at www.authorrescue.com today for an interview! Please pop by and comment :)
http://www.authorrescue.com/blog/

Happy reading,
Kendal

I was a guest blogger and was interviewed yesterday at The Magic Attic!

2011-10-21T08:27:00.000-07:00

I was thrilled to be able to visit The Magic Attic blog yesterday and give an interview for Melody's Song. Please visit the site and see what we discussed :)

http://theawesomemagicattic.blogspot.com/2011/10/author-interview-kendal-ashby.html

Happy Reading!
Kendal

Free Giveaway of Melody's Song on October 4th!

2011-10-02T17:50:00.001-07:00

Stop by www.excerptmonday.wordpress.com and leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of Melody's Song ALONG WITH 11 other books being donated by some awesome authors!

That's right! There are a total of 12 books being given away at Excerpt Monday on October 4th and all you have to do is leave a comment.

Good luck!
Kendal

Melody's Song is released!!!!

2011-09-11T09:02:00.000-07:00

I am thrilled to announce that Melody's Song has been released :) My first full lenght YA novel. Below the back cover blurb and the first chapter. Followed with the buy link should you want to snag a copy :)

I *love* writing and I *love* new releases!

All her life, Melody Cupid has accepted the fact she’ll be forced into the family business as a Love Muse. Then she’s given her first assignment. Instead of making her Charge’s heart flutter for someone, she finds she’s being sent to help Nathan Peterson discover his true career path as a writer.

Even though she believes the Senate is making a mistake by sending her, she gives it her all and soon finds herself in danger of breaking the golden rule of being a Muse by falling in love with her Charge. With only two weeks to complete her assignment, Melody must choose between giving up the life she’s just beginning to build in the mortal world with Nathan or sacrificing her heart to live up to the family name.

Chapter One of MELODY'S SONG by Kendal Ashby
Drifting my pen over my homework, I drew swirling circles inside little boxes. I could feel Cassie staring at me as she waited for more details. My pen dug deep and pierced a hole in my Human Studies mid-term paper. Crap. For a split second I almost wished I was mortal so I could fake being sick and skip school. I didn’t want to be human, but sometimes living up to Grandpa’s reputation sucked. A twinge of shame made me shift in the uncomfortable plastic chair.

“ Mel-o-dy”

“ Shhh.” My gaze darted around the crowded cafeteria; I was hoping no one was eavesdropping. The fine tremor in my hand made the pen jump in jagged lines. I hated when Cassie pronounced my name that way. It usually meant she was up to something.

“ You’re joking, right?”

“ Nope. Sort of wish I was.” I watched the glob of green Jell-o jiggle off Cassie’s fork and plop back into the plastic bowl. She continued to gawk at me. “Stop staring, Cassie.”

“ Sorry. Why aren’t you more excited?”

Art Milo twirled around in his seat and faced us from across the aisle, one eyebrow raised in question. “Excited about what?”

I wanted to groan in frustration. Great. Art was the class gossip. It’d be less than two minutes flat and everyone in school would know I’d been called to Mrs. Perkins’s office.

“ Mel is excused from fourth period Culture to go see Mrs. Perkins.” A hint of triumph danced in Cassie’s voice. It wasn’t often people had news that Art the know-it-all didn’t already know.

“ Shut up! Really?” Art’s voice pitched an octave higher.

“ It’s no biggie, so let’s drop it.”

“ No way, babe. Being called to the Placement Guide can only mean one thing: you’re being put into training!” Cassie shoveled a spoonful of Jell-o into her mouth, speaking between bites. “Not that it’s surprising.”

Art moved to our table, leaning close. “Yeah, it’s not like you have to go through Placement or anything. You’re guaranteed to be a Love Muse.”

“ Stop it, guys. It’s not like that.” Okay, I’m not blind to the oblivious eye roll shared between my two best friends. All my life I’d been groomed to step up and join the elite muses destined to help mortals find their soul mates. But knowing my luck, I’d end up being assigned to stand up comedy inspiration, or worse. Believe me there was always worse. “I mean it. Just cause Cupid’s my grandfather doesn’t mean I automatically get to be the Love Muse.”

“ Whatever. You’re this year’s Love Muse. Even if you weren’t Cupid’s granddaughter, who else would it be? Cindy Stewart? Right. She only knows about lust, not love.” We all giggled. Looking over at Cindy’s table, we watched her usual flock of bees buzzing around their queen. The cheerleader had fiery red hair, cloverleaf green eyes, and breasts the size of honeydew melons. It was no wonder she got all the hottest guys in school. My focus drifted to the jocks’ table and zeroed in on Jimmy Jordan. Even the back of his head was freaking perfect. His trimmed brush cut spiked out into short points at the ends. Sometimes I wished when they were setting up our plain of existence that they’d leave out the clichéd popular clicks. I’d always wondered if making our culture the same as the mortals was a good choice or not. At least I was born into a North American “house” and got to grow up with shopping malls and MP3 players. I shuddered thinking about our sister houses across the globe hidden from the very mortals they existed to help. Our house was the testing grounds to see if, in a few more generations, we’d be able to fully integrate into North American society. Sometimes I felt like a mouse in a science experiment, but overall it was cool to think that my friends and I might be the turning point in the whole muse/mortal relationship.

Maybe one day muses would live side-by-side with mortals in perfect little houses with white picket fences or some consumer driven B.S. dream like that. For now, we’d settle for our rural little village in northern Ontario that passed as a commuter town suburb. With a little magic it was easy to fool humans into accepting what they saw, even when their little brains didn’t understand. I all but rubbed my hands together in glee, thinking about learning that special trick of the trade in placement.

“ Mel, you better go. It’s almost time to meet Mrs. Perkins.” Cassie poked my hand with the back of her plastic fork.

“ Ouch. Crap. Yeah I don’t want to be late.” I rushed to gather up my bag and books. “Meet me at my locker after Cultures and I’ll fill you in.”

“ You’d better.” Art gave me a wink before I dashed from the table.

* * * *

I sat in the Placement Guide’s office and stared around the overly cheerful room, waiting for the counselor to arrive. Various posters adorned the bright yellow walls. Commit to be the best. Aim to Inspire. You can make a difference one Charge at a time. Lame. Lame. Lame. I pulled some fruity lip-gloss from my oversized backpack and dabbed it on my lips. The sweet strawberry scent calmed me as I smacked my lips together to smear the gloss between them.

The door flew open and Mrs. Perkins waddled into the room. The short round woman stared at me over the top of her thick-rimmed glasses. A wide, red lipstick painted grin made her entire face shine under the harsh fluorescent lighting. “Oh, my, my, my, Melody Cupid. I have been looking forward to this day since your father entered Placement.”

I nodded my head, not sure if I was expected to answer. She hadn’t really asked a question.

“ Early placement. Not that I am surprised.” The woman gave me a knowing wink. The same wink/nudge/pat on the shoulder I’d been getting my entire life. Again, I kept my mouth shut, unsure what to say.

Mrs. Perkins gestured for me to stand. Her red face gleamed down at me, sweat glistening at the edge of her hairline. “Come, come, Melody, we can’t keep the Senate waiting, my dear.”

“ The Senate?” The words almost caught in my throat.

“ Oh my, didn’t I tell you? I have it here somewhere.” Mrs. Perkins rummaged through the mountain of files, paperwork, and junk food wrappers. I stared in disbelief when she pulled off a hard candy stuck to a pink piece of paper and popped it into her mouth. “Yes, here it is.”

My fingers trembled as I took the pink paper she held out for me. The Senate? Oh. My. God. Cass and Art would have a freaking field day with this. “Why do they want to see me?”

“ Now, Dear, I’m not going to spoil the surprise. Let’s get going.” Mrs. Perkins gestured to the door. She led me down a spacious corridor and I followed like a wide-eye puppy trailing after a bone. Hundreds of butterfly wings flew in circles in my gut, and I had to swallow to stop them from escaping.

We entered the Principal’s office, and I stopped suddenly. Three people turned when the door opened, every eye in the room zeroing in on me. I didn’t recognize the lone woman standing rigidly behind the large desk chair. Principal Kessler stood on the opposite side of the chair and gave me a comforting smile.

I focused my attention on the man seated in the plush leather desk chair. Swallowing past the rock-size lump lodged in my throat, I managed to choke out, “Hello, Grandpa.”

* * * *

I fumbled through the pages of the file folder, trying to understand what exactly I should be looking at. Not wanting to appear like a complete idiot, I studied the papers with as much interest as I could manage. They read like stereo instructions. I closed the folder and stared at the trio who sat watching me with intense interest.

“ Melody, take your time. Read the file again.” The woman to Grandpa’s left spoke with a voice like melted chocolate. Her aqua eyes shimmered in the harsh lights. As I looked into them, a wave of serenity seeped into my bones, invading my mind. In that moment, I had clarity. My stomach stopped twitching; the acid threatening to spew from my throat disappeared. I tried to focus again on the pages in front of me. The words didn’t look like a foreign language anymore, and my eyes darted from page to page, processing the information.

Nathan Peterson, nineteen years old, a student at Ohio State University, only child of Stephen and Margaret Peterson. Fourteen more pages followed. The list was extensive with information on everything from him being a Boy Scout leader, his first car, his favorite bands, and even his Grade Point Average. Smarty-pants had an impressive three point eight GPA.

Nineteen? No one under twenty-one was ever assigned a love muse. Never. What was so special about this guy?

I read through the thick file until I got to a glossy headshot on the last page. I sucked air between clenched teeth. My pulse hammered in my veins. Nathan Peterson was hot. A wide smile spread across his handsome tanned face, showing off straight, pearly white teeth and a dimple that pinched his left cheek. His liquid amber eyes nearly stopped my heart. Heat flooded through my body.

Slamming the folder shut, I tried to compose myself before looking up at the Senate members. My gaze darted away from Grandpa.

“ I don’t understand. Seems like a normal mortal to me.” I clasped my hands over the folder, not feeling like giving it back to them just yet. My fingers itched to open the file and take another peek at Nathan.

Principal Kessler cleared his throat and spoke first. “Nathan Peterson is a Charge in need of intervention. Due to his age and the nature of the situation, we would like to send you.”

Three sets of eyes watched for my reaction. Which, let’s face it, was shock. This had to be a mistake. I haven’t even been through Placement or training yet. Giving me a Charge at this age was, well, it was freaking unheard of.

The woman with the soothing voice spoke again. “Melody, we feel you are the only one to assist Mr. Peterson. We will prepare you, but it’s your choice if you want this assignment.”

Words caught in my throat. My thoughts waged war with my nerves. It wasn’t exactly an easy yes or no. Dangling a carrot like that in front of me made it hard for me not to bite. A million questions crammed into my brain at once, all jumbling together and making no sense. I closed my eyes, trying to focus. I knew somewhere in the confusion, there were questions I needed to ask, but I couldn’t get a coherent thought together. I flipped through the file again, my fingers leading me to his photo. His amber eyes pacified the shouting voice in my head so I could think. “Why does he need help?”

“ He’s at school pursuing a career to help his family, but he is destined to be a great teacher. A mentor for the generation to come.”

Vague. I’d always heard that the Senate had a way of answering questions with more questions. Dread squeezed my chest, stealing my breath away. This wasn’t a Love assignment. They were asking me to be a freaking guidance counselor. I held in a snort of impatience. Grandpa’s piercing eyes watched me with interest, but I couldn’t read his expression. Concern? Hope? Disappointment?

Help a Charge change his career path. Not exactly something a Love Muse would be sent in for. My gut clenched like a tightened coil. Maybe I really wasn’t a Love Muse.

“ Why me?”

The woman and Principal Kessler shared a look, but Grandpa never took his eyes off me. He was the first to speak. “Nathan Peterson needs help. Is that not reason enough to accept our decision?”

Ouch. Nathan’s smiling face stared up at me from the open file on my lap. The pools of golden amber clouded my thoughts. Little goose bumps exploded across my arms. My head bobbed up and down in response to Grandpa’s question. Yes, it was enough reason. Something deep inside me pulled me to this stranger. I needed to help him.

“ Good. Good.”

For the first time since I entered the room, the trio seemed to relax. A sort of tranquility filled the room, as if my answer actually had been unforeseen. Never, in our history, had a Muse ever refused to take a Charge. It just didn’t happen. Ever. Was there even a choice? I stared down at his photo again. What was the big deal? If I didn’t take the Charge they’d just assign his case to someone else, right? A flash of jealousy pierced deep in my gut. No, Nathan was mine. My cheeks flushed hot at the intensity of my thought.

God, I didn’t want to look at the Senate members, especially my Grandpa. I controlled my movements, careful not to wipe away the sweat prickling at the edge of my hairline. Taking three deep breaths, I finally looked up, a knife wrenched into my stomach. All three adults across the table were grinning like fools, knowing smirks on their smug faces. What have I gotten myself into?

Click HERE to be directed to the publisher's website :)

Happy Reading!
Kendal

I'm at Romance Junkies today!

2011-07-11T07:39:00.000-07:00

Come by and see me. I am a guest blogger and talking about trying to read books outside my usual 'pickup' genre.

http://www.romancejunkies.com/rjblog/

:)
Kendal

50% off this weekend!

2011-06-10T17:26:00.000-07:00

Fire on the Water, my new suspense erotica is 50% off this weekend (June 10, 11 and 12th).

Here is the link: http://www.phaze.com/book.php?title=Fire+on+the+Water

Use the promo code: SCHOOLSOUT

Here is an excerpt from Fire on the Water:

“Cole?” I called out across the water, still unable to spot him. I bent
low to turn the radio off.

“Hey.” A deep, throaty voice said, only inches from my ears when I
stood back up.

A scream ripped from my throat, startled at Cole’s sudden
appearance. I twirled on my toes to give him shit for scaring me, but my
legs were weakened from my intense run earlier and failed me. My body
fell backward in slow motion and instantly Cole grabbed for me, his ice
blue eyes large with surprise. His arm extended out, but he missed and I
fell backward into the bay with a tremendous splash.

Cool water engulfed me, swallowing my body. I planted my feet on
the hard clay bottom and pushed up to the surface. Swiping away the
water running down my hair and over my face, I glared up at Cole. He
tossed his head back in a roar of laughter and I gritted my teeth until my
jaw ached.

“Not funny, Karson.”

“Depends if you’re dry or not, Rach.”

“I prefer to swim in a bathing suit, not fully clothed, thank you very
much.”

“Or naked.” Cole’s voice dipped low and the shiver that tingled
across my skin had nothing to do with the late summer temperature and
everything to do with the memory of Cole spying on my one and only
skinny-dipping adventure last summer. Apparently, wine has a tendency to
loosen my inhabitations a bit too much.

Fire on the Water is coming soon

2011-05-30T11:15:00.001-07:00

I am thrilled to announce the release of FIRE ON THE WATER from Phaze release date is to be annoucned, but it will be soon! www.phaze.com
I love, love, love this story and am excited to see if in publication. Originally this story was loosely based on the fairy tale Three Little Pigs. There is a big bad wolf, homes destoried and three friends that must work together to save their home.

Last day for 4 of my books at half price!

2011-05-30T10:56:00.000-07:00

Looking for something spicy? Or how about a sweet romance? I have both and today is the last day to get any of my books at 50% off!

Here are the links:
Room with a View - EROTICA

Caught in the Act - EROTICA

Chasing Sunrise - SWEET ROMANCE

Kissing the Sunrise - SWEET ROMANCE

I have a character crush!

2011-02-22T08:20:00.000-08:00

I am mega-crushing on a fictional character! Who is this quirky guy who has me dreaming of writing a character similar to him? It is none other than The Hatter from the 2009 tv mini-series ALICE. (Click HERE is the IMDB details). Sorry Johnny Depp, Andrew Potts has won me over!

Not only is the actor playing Hatter yummy, but the life he brings to the character has me weak in the knees. Have you ever seen a character that was so well acted, written, developed, played, that you can't help but swoon a little?

If you haven't seen this mini-series I highly recommend you do!

*sigh* this is the kind of movie and Hatter is the kind of character that keeps me awake at night dreaming of writing my next great character just like him.

Excerpt Monday! Trouble at Trinity YA excerpt

2011-02-20T18:56:00.001-08:00

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.

This is a scene from my current YA suspense, Trouble at Trinity. Enjoy!

Getting out of the boys’ dorm wasn’t hard, but getting into mine was.
The front doors were locked, and I remembered reading that at nine o’clock every night the buildings were locked down for attendance call, house meeting and final study hour. No exceptions. God, they were strict. I knocked on the glass and waited patiently for the desk clerk to let me in.
The fluffy snowfall from earlier was gone and a wet, slushy mist replaced it. The temperature hovered near zero and I shivered, burrowing deeper into Sam’s jacket. This was perfect weather for black ice on the roads. Great. I’d have to wait until tomorrow to get Josh to bring me the key.
“You’re late.” The clerk handed me a pink carbon copy page. “Take this to your EA after the house meeting.”
I glanced from the tardy slip to her disapproving frown. “Whatever,” I muttered and headed for the common room.
Every pair of eyes turned and stared at me when I entered the room. My cheeks burned as I slid into an empty chair behind the semi-circle of couches crammed with girls. My eyes locked with Jan’s and she smirked.
What a bitch.
I sat and half listened to the meeting, but mainly I tuned everyone out and thought about Sam. What was in the locker? A small part of me realized it could be absolutely nothing. Just a key he forgot to turn in after being at the club. But I pushed that thought away. I had to believe we’d make some progress once we opened that locker. If it turned out nothing was there, we’d be back to a blank drawing board.
The room burst into chaos as girls started chatting and giggling, breaking into fifty different conversations at once. I realized the meeting had ended, so I got up and headed for my room. I wanted nothing more than a hot shower and my bed, but as long as I pretended to be a Trinity student, I knew I’d better play by the rules. That meant taking the pink slip to Lancy.
The door to Lancy’s room was ajar, and I saw her sitting at her desk, already hunched over a stack of text books. I knocked and she glanced up, a smile parting her lips. “Hey, Emma. Come in.”
Her room was smaller than the double Jan and I shared, but she didn’t have a roommate. Lucky Lancy. I’d live in a closet if I could get rid of little Miss Perfect.
“I have to give you this.” I handed her the tardy slip.
“No worries. They usually don’t have us crack down until the second offense.” She gestured for me to enter the room. “I’ve been meaning to talk with you, though. Do you have a sec?”
“Sure.” The shower and bed would have to wait. I sat down on her bed.
“How are you liking Trinity Prep so far? Finding your way around? Fitting in?”
I nodded, realizing this must be part of her job. I wondered what would happen if I told her the truth. Some part of this girl radiated trust to me and made me want to open up, but I bit my tongue to keep from saying anything else. The fewer people who knew, the better. “Things are great.”
“There is nothing bothering you? Nothing you want to discuss?” Lancy tilted her head and studied me like I was hiding something. Crap. I had a feeling she wasn’t going to let me off the hook that easy.
“I, uhm, the homework is a bit much, but I’m handling it,” I rushed on. “But I mean, it is kind of a lot, you know?”
Lancy’s golden blonde ponytail bobbed up and down as she nodded, a look of relief washing across her face. What did she think I was going to say? “We can arrange a tutor if you think it’ll help.”
A tutor? With any luck, I would be out of here before exams. We’d get inside that locker tomorrow and I’d know who killed Sam. Mission accomplished. “No, I’ll be fine. Mr. Jenkins has been helping me set up a ‘game plan.’” I used air quotes and smiled, thinking of the heavy man’s enthusiasm for helping me get on track for a prestigious university. Maybe if I’d had someone watching out for me when I was in high school I wouldn’t be a coffee pusher at Tim Hortons. Nineteen years old with no future. How freaking pathetic was I?
Worry lines appeared in Lancy’s perfect complexion. “Mr. Jenkins is helping you? With what?”
“Placement stuff. I want in at University of Guelph, but he thinks I should aim for something Stateside.” I mentally slapped my forehead, trying to remind myself none of this was real. Even my transcript was forged. I wouldn’t be going to any university, let alone a posh Ivy League school in the States. Heck, I didn’t even want to be a vet. But I could understand the empty anger pooling in my gut when I thought of my future. My real one, not the one I pretended to want for Mr. Jenkins. “I have a lot of homework. Can I go?”
“Yes,” Lancy said, but her mind seemed to be a million miles away. When I got up, I noticed a poster for Yale University behind me.
“Good night, Lancy.”
She nodded, keeping her focus on the poster. A glassy expression filled her large doe-like eyes. Wherever she was in her thoughts, it wasn’t a happy place.

First line contest!

2011-02-07T12:48:00.000-08:00

It was a dark and stormy blogfest…

Brenda Lake is running a great first line contest at her blog, and I'm signed up. The winners receive critiques by the wonderful agent, Weronika Janczuk

For more information on this awesome contest first Brenda's blog and read through some of the lines being posted there. Ms. Janczuk will have a hard time choosing from some of the talented lines I saw!

Here is my first line from Trouble at Trinity, a young adult novel.

I didn’t wear mascara to my brother’s funeral.

Nano journey - Kick off Party

2010-10-29T05:17:00.000-07:00

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

2010-09-14T18:07:00.001-07:00

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

2010-07-18T15:04:00.000-07:00

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

2010-07-14T05:36:00.000-07:00

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

2010-07-06T13:00:00.000-07:00

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.

2010-06-27T19:13:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-22T14:45:00.000-07:00

Excerpt Monday

2010-06-20T18:14:00.000-07:00

How I Write - Ideas

2010-06-14T18:38:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-14T18:28:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-10T19:15:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-09T18:32:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-08T19:20:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-07T15:43:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-04T08:07:00.000-07:00

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

2010-05-16T20:44:00.000-07:00

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

2010-02-14T19:07:00.001-08:00

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

2010-01-25T18:23:00.000-08:00

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

2010-01-17T16:50:00.000-08:00

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

December's Excerpt Monday - Treasure Chest erotica

2009-12-13T20:38:00.001-08:00

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=2 0don’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.

Please enjoy the beginning of my newest erotica novel: Treasure Chest. This is the first scene. It is short, but hopefully enjoyable for you :) I will post the rest of chapter one (where Regan confronts Lanie for her 'gift' and attends a sex toy party!) in January. Cheers! Kendal

Chapter One

Somewhere between dessert and my second glass of chardonnay I realized my date was a male prostitute. Lanie was dead. So fucking dead.

I sipped my wine, and tried not to choke on the realization that my so called best friend had set me up. It gave new insight into her “Ken’s guaranteed to show you a good time” comment. My knuckles ached from the fist I had clenched in my lap.

“So Ken, what exactly is it you do for a living?” I tilted my head to the side, still clinging to the faint hope that the cute, intelligent, oh-so-charming man who’s sole attention was focused on me, little old me, wasn’t a stud for hire.

He leaned back in the plush leather chair of the bar lounge, a dimple indented his cheek when he flashed me a pearly white grin. “A little of this and a lot of that.”

“That’s vague.” I muttered, downing the last mouthful of the sweet, tart wine. Tension coiled in my stomach as I debated in my head how horrible it would be to take advantage of the situation. Is it even possible to take advantage of a prostitute? Judging by the expensive material of Ken’s suit, and the way his dress shirt clung to his taunt chest, he was very good at “A little of this and a lot of that”. Too bad Lanie wasted her money.

“And what is it you do, Regan?”

I almost snorted, but coughed to cover it up. Yeah, like I was going to tell him about my midnight shifts at Dunkin Donuts. But it hadn’t always been Grande Venti and almond biscottis. Not that long ago I’d had a career. But then I became the “other woman” and had to quit. “I’m in school taking Message Therapy.”

One eyebrow cocked high on his forehead. Right, like he had a right to give me that sly look. Hello? You have sex for money, bud.

“I’ve been complimented on my talented fingers in the past. Maybe I could show you.” His hand stretched across the table and one finger stroked over my knuckles still clutching the empty wine glass. I giggled and he smiled. Oops. How cute. He actually thought that line would work.
I gingerly pulled my hand away and glanced at my watch. “Sorry, but I really need to get going. I told the babysitter I’d be home by ten.”

His hand retreated, “You have kids?”

“A boy.” I resisted the urge to pull out my wallet and show off pictures of Lucas. I’d just gotten the pictures back from his first birthday party, and nothing was cuter than a baby covered in head to toe chocolate cake. I pushed my chair back and Ken followed suit. His prep school good looks reminded me of the doll I use to play with as a kid. But I bet, unlike Barbie’s boyfriend, this Ken actually was atomically correct and all his bits were in fine working order. A sigh bubbled up and parted my lips. Too bad I wasn’t the kind of girl to enjoy Lanie’s gift because I needed to get laid in a bad way.

****

HERE FOOTER“Links to other Excerpt Monday writersN ote: 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.

Introducing Dallas Marie!

2009-11-20T14:04:00.000-08:00

Hello all my friends! I'd like to introduce my beautiful niece, Dallas Marie!

Dallas is in grade 3 and together we are going to write a story to be posted here on my blog. Watch for this new story in 2010 (maybe there will be 2 stories if the muses allow!). She is very interested in what I do as a career and I thought this would be a great place for her to learn.

Cheers!

Kendal & Dallas

Excerpt Monday November - Trinity chapter one

2009-11-08T16:40:00.000-08:00

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.

I didn’t wear mascara to my brother’s funeral. I’d learn that lesson last year at Mom and Dad’s when I looked like a psychotic racoon within minutes of the service starting.

Not that it would matter. For some reason I hadn’t cried yet over Sam’s death. Liv thought I was still in shock over his so-called suicide, but I think it’s because I’m too pissed off to grieve for him.

Suicide? Yeah, right. I squinted as a streak of bright sunlight gleamed off the mahogany coffin and blinded me. I slid the sunglasses clutched in my hand on. God, it must be hot inside the coffin.

Behind the safety of the dark tinted lenses, my attention drifted over the crowded service. The minister spoke in his monotone voice, leading us all by the hand down memory lane and through what was supposed to be happier times. For me they were nothing more than fated dreams never to be experienced again. As my concentration floated back and forth between his words and watching the crowd, I realized he didn’t talk about Mom and Dad. Or about Sam’s death. Suicide wasn’t a hot topic these days for the man of cloth. Not that I minded, since I know Sam didn’t kill himself. I know he wouldn’t have committed suicide.

Some of the faces next to me I recognized, having seen them only last year. What’s the expression? Funerals and weddings will keep a family together. I covered my mouth at the accidental snort with a sniff. No one would mind if I cried. God, I wish I would. Sam deserved that from me. What kind of big sister was I if I didn’t become hysterical and wail with a broken heart over the loss of my brother? It was what everyone was waiting for, wasn’t it? For me to break down and lose it. It was like they were all waiting for me to realize I was burying the last member of my family. Like I didn’t already know that, geniuses.

My lack of emotions were the reason Liv and Josh had stayed glued to my side for the last four days. As if on cue, Josh’s heavy arm wrapped around my shoulder and pulled me closer to him. A sigh I’d been holding in rattled from my chest, and I tucked into his warmth. Liv’s hand stroked down my back, in a gesture I’d seen her do over and over with their cat Harold. The realization that she was patting me made me smile. But I sniffled again to wipe the smile away. How freaking inappropriate could I be?

Tucked into Josh’s shoulder, and with Liv flanking me, my eyes wandered from face to face. Some people stared at the coffin, glassy eyes overflowing with unshed tears, while others focused on the Minister, letting his words guide them through the service. A few darted quick glances my way, probably to see if I’d lost it yet. Cousins, aunt, uncles, people I didn’t know, and a few kids from Sam’s school gathered on this cool November morning to show respect to me and my brother.

Funny how no girls from Trinity Prep had attended. Not that I thought Sam was much of a ladies’ man. My brother had been tall and lanky, and had way too much success with computer hacking to bother with girls. But at sixteen, I figured he might have started dating soon. Another sigh rolled from my parted lips. Sam would never date; just like he’d never do hundreds of other things. Like go to college, meet a girl he could fall puppy dog in love with, or see the castles in Europe he always talked about. Great. All those extra shifts at Tim Hortins’ I’d been working to put money aside so we could go to England as a grad trip in two years was wasted.

A guy standing at the edge of the crowd drew my attention. He looked up from the compact earth and I saw that his dark hair matched his chocolate colored eyes. His hands were shoved into the front pockets of his pants, his posture was stiff and uncomfortable. So the guy didn’t like funerals. Big surprise. But he looked familiar and something pulled at my gut as my brain tried to remember where I’d seen him. He looked too old to be a student at Trinity -- closer to my age or maybe a year or two older. If he was in his early twenties, where would Sam have known him from? I’d be shocked if he was a teacher. Why the hell didn’t teachers look like him when I was in school? I might have actually attended class more if I had him to look at every day.

A sandy hair boy looked up and whispered something to the guy and a memory slapped me across the face when I studied the younger boy. Sam’s roommate. Calvin? Cooper? Something with a C. I’d only met him once when I dropped off Sam’s stuff at the beginning of the school year.

Liv nudged me, and I pulled my attention off the two guys standing across from my brother’s casket. I took the daisy she handed me and stepped forward. Poor Sam. He deserved to live. My eyes tingled with unshed tears and I squinted my eyes, hoping the tears would finally seep out. But they didn’t and the tingling faded.

I kissed the soft petals of the pure white daisy. The petals brushed against my lips like feathers used by a teasing lover. My hand shook slightly when I placed the flower on top of the polished wood.

Goodbye, Sam.

“Links to other Excerpt Monday writersN ote: 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.

Holiday Full Free Read

2009-10-25T18:19:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the special Halloween Full Reads for Excerpt Monday. This month, in addition to our typical excerpt week, we're having a week of full stories written by several fabulous EM writers.
Excerpt Monday site! or click on the banner above.

Please enjoy: Trick or Treat, Slap a Creep - my Hallowe'en young adult short about a date gone wrong.

Trick or Treat, Slap a Creep
By Kendal Ashby

Another scream pierced the night air, followed by the loud screech of a chainsaw. I wrapped my arms around my waist, trying to force my body to stop shaking. I hated scary stuff and that included scary movies and going to Horror Houses.

“He’s cute, huh?” Beside me, my friend pinched my arm, pulling my attention from the looming two-storey mansion in front of us.

My eyes drifted from the Horror House, over toward my date standing in the ticket line ahead of us with Amber’s boyfriend Keith. I shrugged my shoulders and rubbed the red welt from Amber’s pinch. Sure he was cute, I mean, hello, I’ve always been a sucker for the jock type. And Carl did the super cool basketball star better than Zac Efron. He didn’t go to our school, but I’d put money on the fact he played on a sports team at Trinity Prep. I couldn’t deny that my heart skipped a beat when he turned his charming smile on me. I mean come on, the boy had dimples and I’d always been a sucker for them.

“I don’t get his costume though,” Amber whispered.

I did a once over of Carl’s profile, taking in the loose fitting dress pants, crisp white collared shirt and oversize gift tag hanging from his neck; “To Women, from God.” I snorted, but covered it with a giggle. “He’s God’s gift to women.”

Amber’s mouth fell open and a glint of horror flashed in her eyes before a smile cracked her lips. “He’s either very witty or extremely arrogant.”

“The jury’s still out on that one.” I glanced down at my own costume wondering if anyone understood the Astroturf wrapped around my shoes and body, my green dress and the pink flamingo pinned to my shoulder. Amber thought dressing up like a lawn was lame, but I liked it so too freaking bad.

A chill slid over my skin, goosebumps raising the small hairs on the back of my neck as someone’s scream echoed deep in the belly of the house. It was as though an ice cube had melted down my back. A masculine laugh vibrated next to me and my eyes snapped up to Carl standing beside me. “You look scared to death, Jaclyn, and we aren’t even inside yet. Chickening out, babe?”

“No.” I wanted to say yes. Would I come off like a complete wimp? I gritted my teeth together and forced a smile. “I’m in.”

“If you’d rather skip it, I’m sure we could find something else to amuse ourselves with until Keith and Alice are done.”

“Amber.” I corrected him, not really sure I liked the suggestive tone of “something else”.

He grinned down at me and squinted one eye shut in what I guessed was a wink. He swung an arm over my shoulder and pulled me close to his side. I strained to not cough as a strong whiff of cologne penetrated my nostrils.

Our foursome moved forward in line, inching our way closer to the ticket booth. I gave the booth a fleeting look and my eyes locked with the guy sitting on a stool collecting money. His brown eyes almost glowed in the setting sunlight, glinting with a hint of gold. The tight line of his lips betrayed the humour I thought I saw reflecting in his eyes. His coffee brown hair brushed the collar of his black long sleeve hoodie, giving him a shaggy dog look. One eyebrow arched high in question, almost in a challenge. Heat flushed up my neck and my cheeks tingled. I quickly turned away from Shaggy.

The arm draped over my shoulder slid low around my waist, hovering inches about my Astroturf ass. My spine snapped rim-rod straight and I glanced at Amber for help, but her tongue was currently shoved down Keith’s throat. I almost choked, feeling panic claw at my throat when Carl’s hand moved lower to rest on my butt cheek.

“Next.”

Amber and Keith stopped their groping and turned to Shaggy. “Four tickets please.”

Shaggy took Keith’s money, but his attention kept drifting to me. Creepy Carl’s hand gripped a bit of my turf and I jumped, moving a few inches forward and away from his touch.

A hyper bundle of black hopped into the ticket booth behind Shaggy. “Time to switch, Dude.”

I kept my eyes cast down at the hard ground, but watched as Shaggy traded places with his co-worker through my thick eyelashes. He looked back at me, hesitating for a moment before pulling open a side door and disappearing.

“This is going to be great,” Keith said, pulling Amber close to him. “I hear over a thousand people chickened out last year.”

Given half a chance I’d gladly be on that list this year. I looked wearily at the house. The blacked out windows stared at me, sending a violent shiver of dread shooting through my body.
The fast, hard rap of my heart against my ribs seemed to be a message of warning.

“Just stick close to me and you’ll be fine.” Carl whispered in my ear, his hot breath blanketing me and did nothing to calm the wave of horror flooding my body.

Keith handed out the tickets and gestured for us to move up onto the porch and wait at the front door. The wooden steps groaned under our weight and a voice boomed over a hidden speaker. “Welcome to Cardin’s Haunted house of Nightmares. Once you pass through this door you’re mine, so if you’re going to chicken out, do it now. Otherwise prepare to experience fright like never before.” An evil throaty laugh crackled, and the floorboards vibrated under my feet. I jumped and clung to the nearest person to me -- Creepy Carl. His arms circled around my waist and held me close. He snickered and I resisted the urge to hit him. I gave a pleading look at Amber, but she seemed to be enjoying Keith’s attention.

The front door scraped open and a long bony finger reached out and crooked back, gesturing us to enter. To hell with it. If I was going to be on edge it might as well be from the horror house and not my date. I pushed past Carl and entered the dark foyer. A cracked mirror hung on the wall with tacky blood red velvet wallpaper. The mirror fogged up, distorting my image and like a ghost was writing in the fog, the words “Get Out” appeared. The sinister fun house trick did its job in freaking me out, but I refused to cling to Carl no matter what twisted and sick things this house contained.

I narrowed my eyes and looked behind me at Amber. She shrugged her shoulders and gave me a thumbs up sign. This date sucked. Carl lingered too close for comfort, making my skin crawl like a thousand ticks were latching onto me. When his hand rested at the small of my back, I moved forward, following the arrow leading to the winding staircase. Cobwebs clung to the walls and fake plastic spiders the size of my fist were weaved in the sticky webs. Something scurried across a step and I bit back a scream. Amber sobbed and grabbed Keith, wailing how frightened she was.

I tried hard to ignore the jerks behind me, especially the one groping my backside, and kept my attention focused on the doorway looming at the top of the staircase. Blood pounded in my ears so loudly it almost blocked out the eerie sounds filtering through the rest of the house. Somewhere below me a chainsaw ripped to life and screams filtered through the entire building.
I struggled to mentally draw a floor plan, remembering we where we’d been and where that chainsaw might be. I swallowed pass the lump of fear lodged in my throat and looked at the darkened doorway in front of me. Sweat prickled at the edge of my hairline, but I refused to wipe it away.

“Which way do we go now?” Amber asked eyeing the four doors leading off the hallway.

“You guys go in that one and we’ll go here. See you at the end...if you make it out alive.”
Keith’s attempt at a disturbing laugh was spine-chilling as he tugged Amber down the hallway and disappeared into one of the open doors. I couldn’t stop the shudder as I stared into the void of blackness in front of me.

“Frightened?” Humour laced Carl’s voice as he whispered the question in my ear. “Remember, I’m here to protect you.” His hands circled around my waist and he pulled me back against his body.

I tried to step away but he didn’t get the hint and stepped forward with me. I sighed and said, “I’m good.”

“Are you sure, babe?” His suggestive purr and wandering hands were starting to really piss me off.

“Look jerk, back off,” I hissed the words between clenched teeth and pulled away creating a barrier with my raised palms. A look of shock followed quickly by disgust flashed across his face and I didn’t give a flying fuck if God’s gift to women didn’t want a second date.

“Fine. Good luck getting out of here by yourself.” Anger blazed in his clear blue eyes like flames from a gas burner. He turned and stomped away from me, disappearing into one of the doorways. A mixture of relief and panic collided together in a cold sweat within me.

A menacing howl followed by shrieks came through the walls and I twisted on one foot, looking behind me. My heart hammered inside my chest, beating so fast it was painful against my ribcage. I stepped into the room, letting the dark swallow me. My eyes strained to adjust until I could finally make the outline of two bodies sitting on a parlour couch. As my vision got accustomed to the dim light, I could see the bloody scene laid out before me. Mannequins. Blood stained the walls, looking like something out of a T.V. crime scene show. I never miss an episode of Dexter and I bet he would have a freaking hay day with the blood splatter patterns in this room.

If I had half a brain cell I’d turn around, go back down the stairs, exit the front door, text Amber goodbye and call mom to come pick me up. But something burned in my gut, making me take another step into the gruesome room. I hated to be challenged, and Creepy Carl had basically called me a coward.

I studied the scene of blood and guts meticulously set up. The fake blood glistened in the dim light, giving the illusion of being fresh. The woman’s head rested at a broken angle, her glassy dead eyes staring at me. I fought the shiver that rippled through my body, and managed to suppress it. I moved through the room to the door behind the repugnant scene. It’s all fake, I repeated over and over in my head, just some lame horror house tricks meant to freak idiots like me who paid for cheap thrills.

The door creaked open and a rumble of maniacal laughter erupted. I paused, my feet not wanting to move forward. Sucking in air between clenched teeth, my eyes darted left and right, straining to see into the dim corners. Black curtains draped along the wall, rippling with movement. I had to walk by. I stopped and stared at them, but my oversaturated brain was so hopped up on adrenaline that I was pretty sure I’d imagined the movement. My jaw ached from grinding my teeth together, so I tried to relax and calm my racing pulse. Nothing in here would hurt me.

A bat swooped down and brushed the top of my hair. My lungs burned from the loud scream that ripped from my throat. I ducked and covered my head, cowering on the floor. My eyes darted wildly around the room searching for that rabid infested flying rat.

The “bat” hung loosely on a string, swaying back and forth. I stood up and flicked the rubber toy away, making a mental note to kill Amber later.

I couldn’t help but giggle a little, and it came out as a nervous hiccup, verging on a snort. I walked a few more feet into the room, eyeing the exit on the opposite side. Time to pick up the pace and get out of this fun house for freaks.

A second bat swung down inches from my face, but I ignored it. Fool me once...

A hand reached out and grabbed my shoulder. Everything rushed together at once. My scream was covered by a chainsaw’s wailing on the floor below me. I pivoted and landed a knee in the jackass’ groin. Creepy Carl fell to the ground clutching his damaged privates and I couldn’t help but smile. This jerk needed to learn to keep his hands to himself.

“I told you to leave me alone, you jerk.”

He grunted and raised a hand in protest. Maybe he thought I was going to hit him again. I smiled at the thought. But something wasn’t right. Carl wasn’t wearing a black shirt. I leaned closer and saw the dark shaggy hair now. Oh. My. God.

“Are you okay?” I crouched on the ground beside Shaggy from the ticket booth. “I’m so sorry!”

He wheezed a ragged breath and tried to smile up at me, but it came out more like a crooked grin of pain. “Job hazard. I’ve been punched out by a three hundred pound guy before for touching his arm.” He sucked in air and struggled to his feet.

“Sorry, I thought you were my date.” Part of me felt guilty -- a small part -- the guy still tried to grab me. But I guess he was only doing his job.

His dark eyes glimmered with humour. “Is this the way you treat all your dates?”

I smiled, “Only the ones that try to grope me without permission.”

He nodded and a small smile tugged his lips upward. The stairs squeaked from the hallway behind us and a guy and girl argued loudly. Apparently someone else wasn’t impressed with a haunted house as a great date night. “Hide here. Looks like my next victims are coming.”

Shaggy pushed me behind the black curtain and pulled two strings taunt against his chest. We stood with our backs to the wall and our shoulder brushing each other. “I’ll get you out of here as soon as these guys pass through, okay? But stay quiet while I do my thing.”

“Your thing?” I covered my mouth to muffle a giggle. He winked at me, before pressing a finger to his lip signalling for me to remain quiet. He adjusted his tight grip on the strings and we waited.

Our “victims” tiptoed into the room, the floorboard sighing under the new weight.

“You go first.” A female voice whispered. Someone exhaled noisily as the two crept further into the room.

Shaggy let go of one of the strings and a blood curdling screams echoed in the room.

“What?” The guy’s voice pitched high with fear.

“Something flew by me!”

The guy laughed and I had to wrap my arms around my waist to stop from erupting in a fit of laughter. Shaggy leaned over and put a hand over my mouth. He whispered an inch from my ear, “Wait here, but don’t laugh and ruin it.”

I nodded and he removed his hand at the same time he released the second string.

Curse words broke the silence as the guy frantically swiped away the flying toy that buzzed his head. Shaggy reached out from our hiding place and a girlish shriek pierced my ear drums.

I shook, trying to not to make a sound, but the second the guy and girl bolted from the room I collapsed behind the curtain in a fit of hysterical laughter.

“Pretty cool, huh?” Shaggy’s smile was so wide it showed his pearly white molars.

“Only if you aren’t on the receiving end,” I muttered as I managed to catch my breath and looked around the room. It really wasn’t all that scary. My attention drifted back to Shaggy when I felt his eyes on me.

A dim light filtered through the curtain and I saw his Adam’s apple bobbed up and down as he swallowed. He hesitated before saying, “Come on, I’ll show you out.”

I nodded and I felt a flush of disappointment. We stood up and he pushed opened a panel behind the black curtain I hadn’t noticed before. A set of stairs lead down to the main floor, and even though the stairs were narrow, they were well lit. Shaggy paused on the landing to the main floor. “Do you want to see something?”

“Sure.” I shrugged, not really eager to end our time together yet. Something about the way his chocolate brown eyes watched me, made me melt a bit.

He flicked a light switch and the staircase plunged into darkness. I instinctively reached out to grab the handrail but found his arm instead. He gently guided me toward him and my heart pounded like a steel drum in my ears. He placed me in front of him, facing me toward the wall.
“Remember to be quiet.”

His whispered warning sent a chill of anxiety through my entire body, but it wasn’t the same kind of on-guard warning bells Creepy Carl evoked in me. Shaggy leaned forward and touched the wall. A panel slide silently to the side and I got a view of a small parlor furnished in old Victorian style.

“Do you see that rat on the ground near the door?” His breath blanketed my neck.

I slowly bobbed my head, my ear brushing his hair as it fell forward while he leaned over me. I wasn’t sure I could speak with his body so close to mine.

“Next person to walk through the door, press this button.” His hand covered mine and guided it to a switch on the wall beside us. He left his warm hand placed over mine, and butterflies tickled the inside of my stomach.

We waited in silence, knowing our next victim would be along any second. I tried to focus on the room but couldn’t stop thinking about the cute guy leaning only inches away from me. Or about his long fingers that rested on top of mine, or how when he shifted he brushed against my Astroturf. Oh God, maybe being a lawn was lame.

“Here they come,” he whispered.

And by “they” he meant him. Creepy Carl sauntered into the room, bitter disgust distorting the face I once thought handsome. He started to cross the room and I felt Shaggy’s hand guide my fingers to flick the switch. The rat moved forward and almost tripped Carl. He jumped back and gasped, but never really lost his composure as the rat disappeared under the couch across the walkway. Disappointment flooded through me.

“Try this one when I say to.”

I nodded, letting his hand move mine down to a button mounted below the switch. We watched in silence, only our shallow breathing in the darkened stairwell making a sound. Carl neared a closed door and I took fleeting pleasure when his hand paused for a second on the door.

He twisted the doorknob and slowly pulled it open.

“Now.”

I slammed my palm into the button and a chainsaw ripped to life, its metal teeth grinding loudly. Carl jumped six feet back and screamed louder than any teenage girl I’d ever heard. The chainsaw revved its motor when I smashed the button again. Curse words flowed out, mixed with sobs of panic and he bolted from the room.

I fell back against Shaggy, my knees weakened with uncontrollable laughing. Shaggy laughed behind me, and his closeness vibrated through his chest and into my body. Tears pooled at the corner of my eyes, and I swiped them away.

“He...he ran...like...” I could hardly breathe, let alone speak. I gulped in massive amounts of air, trying to gain control, but when I turned to look at Shaggy, his expression sent me off on another bout of giggles.

“If you ever need a job, I think we can arrange something.” Shaggy said, a playful grin lifting the corners of his lips.

“I’d settle for a date.” I wanted to smack my head against the wall the second I realized what I’d said. Holy mother of God! Heat flooded across my face and I was sure I was turning five shades of embarrassed. “I, uhm, should go.”

I pushed away from the wall needing to escape, but Shaggy caught my arm. I stopped and his fingers lingered, sending little ripples of excitement through me, mixing with my burning humiliation.

“Are you free tomorrow night?”

My mouth dropped open and I forced it to close as I bobbed my head up and down. He pulled out his cell phone and we exchanged information. Vince. Yeah, he reminded me of a Vince.

“I have to get back to work but I’ll pick you up tomorrow at seven. We can go see the new Halloween movie if you want.” He said as we emerged from the hidden staircase to the outside. Fresh, crisp air tingled against my hot skin. “But I hear it’s really scary. If you would rather pass, we could do something else.”

I knew I was grinning like a fool, but I couldn’t contain the smile forcing itself on my lips. “Nope, I love scary things.”

The End

“Links to other Halloween Free Reads
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.

Excerpt Monday Virgin!

2009-10-11T09:35:00.000-07:00

CHASING SUNRISE - Available now!

Chapter One

Megan Chase scrunched her feet in the blazing sand. The small grains filtered between her toes, and the heavy tension usually knotting her shoulders started to seep away.

“This is the life.” Sadie Cardwell sighed and leaned back in a plastic lounge chair. “Thanks for inviting me, Meg. A week in the sun is exactly what we both need.”

Megan sipped her frozen cocktail of fruity pineapple and sweet strawberries. “Yeah, well, you can thank Mr. Jerkins. It’s his penny that got me this trip.”

“Here’s to the world’s best boss. Unlike the toad I work for.” Her friend lifted her wine glass up in a toast, and Megan bit back a bitter comment. She’d been careful so far not to spoil their trip by telling Sadie the real circumstances that had led to a week’s paid vacation at an all inclusive Caribbean resort.

“Holy crap, look at that guy!” Sadie bolted upright in her chair like ice water had splashed down her back. Megan turned her attention to the edge of the surf and watched two men toss a Frisbee. The blond guy tossed the disc high, forcing his friend to dodge into the thigh high waves. He made a valiant jump into the air as he plunged into the water. He emerged from the foamy waves, his hand grasping the red toy. Water glistened on his bare chest and flowed off his almost black hair in streams. A broad grin stretched across a face that could rival a Roman god. Even from this distance, she could see two dimples pinching his cheeks where his smile curved upward.

“He’s freaking gorgeous.”

Megan pulled her attention off the eye candy and looked at her friend. She knew that voice. “Sadie, don’t.”

An all too familiar twinkle lit Sadie’s eyes. “Meg, loosen up. We’re on vacation. Remember, you promised no dieting? Well, that guy is a treat I want to sink my teeth into.”

For a fleeting moment, a twinge of jealousy pooled in Megan’s stomach. Sadie always got what she wanted in the end. She had a “go out and get it” kind of attitude that men found irresistible. No one would ever call her beautiful by society’s tall, leggy, stick-figure standards, but her confidence and personality shone through on her pixie shaped face. Men tripped over their own feet to please her.

Megan glanced toward the two guys goofing around. The Roman god wouldn’t see Sadie coming; no one ever did.

“You go have fun. I’ve got my book.” Megan half-heartedly held up the phonebook thick novel sitting in her lap.

“You sure?”

“Yup.” Megan thumbed through the book to the dog-eared page marking where she’d left off. “Already reading.”

Sadie bounced off her chair and tossed her cover up to the ground. “I won’t be long.”

“Yeah, right,” Megan whispered to herself as she tried to concentrate on the page in front of her. She’d be lucky if she saw Sadie again today. Oh well, the book was just starting to get good anyway.
* * * *

Keith Gates tossed the Frisbee to Doug just as a petite blonde with boundless curls trotted toward his friend. One hour. They’d been at the resort one freaking hour, and already a woman was fluttering around Doug. The blonde’s smile shone as bright as the Caribbean sun. The man never ceased to amaze him. A few minutes passed, and it became apparent Doug had no intention of throwing the Frisbee back. Great. Just great. Placing a well practiced smile on his face, he approached the two of them.

“Hey, Keith. Oh, sorry man, I forgot about our game. Oh well, I was winning anyway. This is Sadie.” Doug nodded toward the blonde, a sheepish grin on his face.

“Nice to meet you, Keith. I hear congratulations are in order.”

“Thanks.”

“So what do you two have planned for your week long bachelor party? God, don’t say hookers. That’s just tacky. Strippers are much more P.C.” She scrunched her button nose.

“No hookers or strippers for straight laced Keith. Just some guy time, boogie boarding, golfing, and good old sight seeing. Ain’t that right buddy?”

“Della’s your sister, man. Have some respect.”

Doug’s head tossed back in a deep, throaty laugh. “Lighten up, Keith. Della’s the one who planned this trip. She gave me very clear instructions that what happens in Mexico stays in Mexico.”

Keith shot Doug a look that could kill. What the hell was his issue? Maybe he’d change his tune if he knew why his sister was so open to him having an affair. Trying to change the subject, he said, “So where are you from, Sadie?”

“We’re from Seattle.”

“We?” Doug’s attention turned to the pretty blonde, a hint of concern edging his voice.

“Oh, I’m here with my friend Meg. She’s up there.” Sadie hitched a thumb over her shoulder toward the lounge chair area. A lone woman sat reading a book,her chocolate hair piled high on her head, dark sunglasses concealing her face. Her figure was hidden behind a cumbersome cover up, but two long legs stretched out over the length of the chair. Her ankles crossed in a picture of complete relaxation. She could be an ad for a travel magazine. By the time he turned his attention back to Doug and Sadie, they were in full flirt mode.

“A personal trainer, huh? That explains your killer body.”

Sadie giggled at Doug’s lame line, and Keith rolled his eyes.

“I’m heading back to the room. I need to take a shower. I’ll see you later, Doug. It was nice to meet you, Sadie.”

“You sure, buddy?” Doug’s gaze never left Sadie’s upturned face.

“Hey, no problem. I want to check my emails and unpack. I’ll see you for dinner.”

Sadie’s golden curls swayed when she turned to look at him. “Are you guys free for dinner?”

“Of course. How about you and your friend join us? We were going to hit the buffet, but we can go to one of the culinary sit down restaurants on site,” Doug said.

“No, the buffet here is amazing. It sounds perfect. I’m sure Meg’s okay with anything.”

Memories of college crept into Keith’s mind. Back then he’d been a third wheel on many occasions. It was a common Friday night routine for Keith to return from the bar alone when Doug’s good looks drew attention from whatever walking set of headlights and pouty lip combo showed him interest. For the first time he really looked Sadie over. She wasn’t Doug’s usual type, but his friend seemed completely intrigued by the petite blonde. Clearing his throat, he started to back away. “Okay, kids, guess I’ll just catch up with you at dinner.”

“Sure, man. See you back at the room in a bit.”

“Bye, Keith.” Sadie’s impossibly wide smile spread across her entire face. He couldn’t help but like her.

He left and trotted up the beach heading to the stairs leading to the individual
cabana bungalows. When he neared Sadie’s friend, he slowed down. His gaze started at the tips of her painted toes and wandered up her smooth, long legs. The cover up hid the bulk of her figure, but her face almost made him stop. She seemed consumed in the novel she was reading; the pink tip of her tongue sneaked out and licked her lips back and forth. He wondered what color her eyes were and imagined they could be a warm brown to match the chocolate tones in her hair.

He continued to the footpath leading to the cluster of tropical white and aqua blue painted bungalows, and his mind drifted to Della. Two questions he’d been wrestling with for the past three weeks plagued his thoughts. Did he love her?

Maybe, but was it enough to marry her?

Uncertainty ate at the lining of his stomach. So much could change in three weeks. And now he was stuck here, at a beautiful tropical resort with his best friend, on a trip that his fiancée arranged in hopes of evening the score between them. More like easing her own guilt, he thought as he slid the card into the electronic reader. One way or another, he was determined to use this week to figure out where his life was heading when he got home.

****

I hope you enjoyed this section of Chasing Sunrise! Leave a post and you'll automatically be entered for my free e-book giveaways! (see post from October 6th for details!)

Kendal

Links to other Excerpt Monday writersNote: 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.

My love - hate relationship

2009-10-07T05:43:00.000-07:00

***Remember I am having a contest for 5 E-books until October 13th! -- All you have to do is leave a comment on any blog from October 6th to October 13th to enter the drawing***

Okay I`ll admit it. I HATE commas. There you go. My biggest friend-enemy is that tiny little half moon shaped thing that is used all over a document.

So this bring me to a book I recently was given to me called Grammar Girl`s Quick and Dirty Tops for Better Writing by Mignon Fogarty.

I started the book doubting it could actually help improve my comma usage. I was all over the place. One section I hardly put any commas in (which was incorrect) and another section I`d litter them in almost every sentence. I frustrated myself, not to mention my poor CPs. When I got this book I started at page one and was going to read through it from front to back, but I gave up on that and started flip-flopping back and forth in chapters because I knew some of the stuff already and only wanted to find out how to use the dreaded comma.

I found this book easy to read. The author gives realistic and funny examples on this rather boring topic. She covers so much material in the book that even though she doesn't go into overkill on any one subject, she does manage to get a lot of particial information into 224 pages. I recommand this book for anyone concerned about their own grammar.

I am always interested in reading and learning how to better my skills as a writer. If you have any "Must own" craft books, I'd love to hear about them! Please post a comment here with the book title and if you recommand it. (I am equally interested in hearing of any books that you feel are a waste of money!).

Cheers
Kendal

Blog contest! Win 5 e-books! Oct 6th to 13th

2009-10-05T19:54:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my blog! Today is RELEASE DAY!

I am having a release party and you are invited! Leave a comment on any of my posts between today (October 6th) and the last day of the party (October 13th) and five winners will be drawn on the 13th.

Each day between now and October 13th I will be posting thoughts on writing life. Your comments are welcome!

What are the party favors? Here you go:

2 copies of Chasing Sunrise

1 copy of Room with a View

1 copy of Kissing the Sunrise

1 copy of Caught in the Act

Now for the legal mumbo jumbo: One prize per winner. Room with a View and Caught in the Act are erotica content and may not be suitable for all readers.

Good Luck!

Kendal

Here is the link to Chasing Sunrise if you'd like more details!

CHASING SUNRISE - available now! Click HERE

I went on Vay-Kay and my muse came with me!

2009-09-07T17:56:00.000-07:00

This long weekend I went on vacation for the first time this year (I count RWA Nations in July as a 'working vacation'). My husband (the man), mysef, and some friends went on our annual camping trip, but this year everything was different.
Why? Because I didn't leave my muse at home. Which is not a bad thing.
I found myself sitting around the camp fire, or lounging in the sun, or riding into town on the boat, and thinking about how I wanted to descirbe things on paper.
I looked at my two best friends and realized I want to write a story about our kind of friendship; the kind that only gets stronger as the years pass. I watched my husband laughing and joking with his friends and want to put little parts of him into every hero I write. I wanted to take the warm sun and the cold water and describe how they flow over me and make me feel like my skin is icy and on fire at the same time.
But most of all - I hope I remember to pack my laptop next year for our annual camping trip!

Goodbye August. Hello September!

2009-09-01T05:30:00.000-07:00

Today marks the start of a new month. I love the beginning of a month. It feels like a new start. A time to review my progress from the month before and correct my course (9 times out of 10 this needs to be done!) and celebrate what I accomplished.

A review of August: The good and the bad.

I had two stories released!

1) Room with a View - Hot erotica.

Who knew baby making would become a chore? For the past year, Callie Malone’s sex life with her husband, Luke, has been rigorous, demanding, and boring. Determined to bring new excitement to her marriage, Callie pushes her comfort level to do things she’s never dreamed of doing. With the help of her friend and neighbor, Jillian, Callie puts on a show for Luke he'll never forget. Once she sheds her good girl behavior, she discovers being bad has never felt so good
Genre: Contemporary/Voyeuristic/Very Light F/F (petting only)Rating: SizzlingBook Length: MiniPrice: $1.99 with Freya's Bower. Link HERE.

2) Kissing the Sunrise - Sweet adult.

Grace Aldridge is ready to escape to a remote family cottage for some peaceful solitude. She wants to celebrate her one-year anniversary of being cancer free in private, giving her the time to reflect on her battle and her victory.
Crashing her car, spraining her ankle and getting lost in the dark forest were not part of her weekend plans. When Grace stumbles on to Jack Robert's campfire, the handsome stranger tries to make the best of a bad situation. Left with no other option, Grace has to rely on Jack for help.
Despite the awkward circumstances, can Grace let her guard down long enough to actually enjoy the turn of events? Link HERE

I wrote 10,000 words on a new Young Adult novel called Scavenger Hunt. It's not as much as I would have liked, but I always wrestle with beginnings. I am really enjoying this story. Karson and Regan are in for a wild night with tons of twists and turns. More details to follow soon.

I signed a contract with Freya's Bower for a new short sweet called Chasing Sunrise. Details to follow on release and blurb info, but here is an overview:

Megan Chase is vacationing at an all-inclusive Caribbean resort when her friend Sadie hits it off with another guest at the resort. Suddenly finding herself kicked out of her room, she spends the night in the hot tub and wandering the beach with a handsome stranger by her side.

Keith Gates’ best man Doug, has dragged him on a makeshift bachelor trip to the beachfront resort. Before he left home, Keith learns that his fiancée had been cheating on him and now faces the tough decision to forgive her or end the relationship. When Doug hooks up with Megan’s friend Sadie, Keith feels it’s his responsibility to entertain Megan for the night. As the night turns to early morning, Keith fights his growing attraction for Megan. Is their night together bad timing, or the clear sign he was hoping to find?

And perhaps some really big news about what happened in August: For the first time ever I submitted to agents! Three actually, and all three were requested from face-to-face pitches at RWAs Nationals in Washington, DC. I haven't heard anything back yet, but fingers crossed! I hope to hear something soon and in September I have a goal to submit to more agents. The submission is for Melody's Song, my first ever YA novel.

SEPTEMBER GOALS:

Write 20,000 on Scavenger Hunt
Submit to 10 YA agents
Plot a short ertoica: Treasure Chest
Blog twice a week here, and once a week on Romantic Inks

I hope you take the time today to reflect on where you have been and where you are going!

Cheers,

Kendal