Mark Your Calenders!

BETWEEN OCTOBERS is listed on Goodreads!
Coming June 17th...

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21839778-between-octobers

Cover Reveal!

http://arriverabooks.com/

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Blog has moved

Check out my latest post on my new author blog!
http://arriverabooks.com/

Flash Fiction-- Walking

My wonderful Publisher (you can find them here) thinks I might be good at Flash Fiction.

To be honest, I wasn't sure what it was when they asked, but pretended like, "Sure, I can totally do that."

Then, I had to Google "What is flash fiction?"  

 

So, Good Sport that I am (that was sarcasm font in case you didn't know), I am trying.

 

 

WALKING

 

 

 

I was alone on my side of a padded booth plucking a curly fry from the paper container when Jake sat down across from me, still wearing his work clothes.

“Hey, that looks good.” He said, smiling as he stole a fry. “You started without me?”

      “You were late and I'm a slow eater.” Last I checked it was a measly forty minutes until the movie started and the theater's a few minute’s drive from here. If I didn’t start eating right away, we might miss the previews. But I opted for the double cheeseburger before considering my appetite, which isn’t much since I had a late lunch.

      Jake began telling me about a guy he works with, Paul, who'd been out sick with the flu.

      “The flu? Really?” I asked with thick sarcasm. Jake was sick last week and went into work anyways.

      “I know." He began with an eye roll. "He asked me to help with some reports. He’s having trouble catching up.”

     As I considered my burger, I noticed a blurry figure a few feet away. It was a thin man just inside my peripheral vision wearing a faded, red parka. The intense gawk made me self-conscious. I set the food back on the plastic tray.

      “Poor guy, it’s raining out and he’s got no shirt. He needs a belt, too.” 

      I stared into Jakes face. His soft gaze was set in my direction but his large brown eyes strayed beyond mine, over the top of my head to the man who was now walking towards a table in the opposite corner of the half-empty fast food restaurant. 

      “It was freaking me out,” I confessed, “the way he was staring.”

      “Eve, he was watching you eat. He’s hungry.”

      I turned to get a glimpse. 

      A long, dirty hand held onto tattered denim at his waist, clenching the fabric in a fist. If the man let go for any reason his oversize pants would fall to the ground.

      “You’re right, he really needs a belt.”

      The homeless man appeared about forty, but it was hard to tell. His features, masked by lines, strained his countenance to a permanent scowl.   

      Jake inched to the edge of his seat with several bills—probably all the cash he had on him—concealed in his hand. He walked towards the stranger and quietly introduced himself. Shaking the man’s hand, he discreetly gave the gift and struck up a conversation. From what I could tell, Jake offered to buy him dinner, too. The man looked at his hand and shook his head.

      That would be enough for me, but not Jake. He’s different. Better than most. Without a word, he stripped his own belt from his waist and set it atop the man’s table. 

      “You have a good day, sir.” He said before returning to his seat across from me. 

      “How do you like that?” He asked with a grin, “He wouldn’t let me buy him dinner, said he had enough with what I gave him.”

      “That’s why you gave him your belt, isn’t it?” Emotion lodged in my throat as I slid the tray of food towards my friend.

      “I have another.” He said, picking up the burger to take a huge, satisfied bite. 

 

 

**I'd love to know what you think, reader! Leave a comment or link to your own Flash Fiction below.

Gossip-ish

My blog description reads, 'reading writing and celebrity gossip.'
So, why haven't I blogged any gossip lately??
Well, I could give you the truth...
I was sick and...
I've been busy trying to catch up on all the stuff I fell behind in, so I haven't had time to...

Nah, I'm just gonna get right into the good stuff and try to keep it positive!

....

...I'm gonna leave that alone.

 

 

But what about the Grammys? Did you catch them?

 

Beyonce was all doin' her thang, like...

 

And the world was all like,  

 

And I was like,

I couldn't watch anymore after that.

 

Until Imagine Dragons performed!

 

Then, yesterday, The Rover Trailer happened! You can get load more info on that, here. It's the best site for all Pattinson-related news.

 

 

And that's it for my Celebrity Gossip!

Music and Writing --"Woo-Hoo!" Wednesday

Music 

 

 Inspiration



Plot threads

They seem to go hand in hand. For me, at least.
As I was writing Between Octobers (out June 17th) I was semi-obsessed with the self-titled album by a band called The Paper Tongues.
There were several songs on the album that directly inspired plot threads and a few of them that simply embodied my story.
One of them is this song:
Get Higher...

I started this manuscript way back in 2008, and to this day, Get Higher is still one of my all-time favorite songs. The lyrics and melody move me.

All of this got me thinking about the way music inspires and how, as I wrote, a soundtrack sort of developed. And I thought it might be nice to share some of that music with you.
Now, I'm not one of those people that watches much television or listens to the  radio, so some of what follows will be stuff you've never heard of.
But just because the songs aren't by "top 40" artists, does not mean that their music stinks. In fact, most times, the opposite is true. IMO
But I'll let you judge for yourselves.
Enjoy!!

 

More Paper Tongues because I LOVE this guys unusual voice!

Evan-essence (hehe...read the book and you'll get it...

Relient K

In my imagination, this song is on Graces' iPod...

 

 What about you, fellow writers, (Show of hands--who loves to write?? *crickets chirping* Anyone?) what type of music inspires you?

Mark Your Calendars!

I'm so excited I can barely stand it!

Publishing date for my debut novel

Between Octobers is set for this summer!

June 17, 2014!!!!

Big News!

It feels like Christmas morning!

 

 

I'm officially listed on my publishers (Take Two) website!

 

Check me out here! 

"Woo-Hoo!" Wednesday

Okay, so "Woo-Hoo!" Wednesday really isn't a thing.

Until Now.

 

 

 

Because I'm making it one.

 

My very first "Woo-Hoo!" post is all about books that have inspired me.

Actually, It's about this 

 

 

 

My very first blog mention from my awesome publisher, Take Two Publishing.



Go on....

You know you want to look!

 

Heads Up!

 

As we close in on my TBD publication date, I'm learning.

A lot.

For instance, one of the spectacular things involved with publishing is...

Promotion.

 

One part of promotion is blogging.

 

 

And soon, as part of promoting my book, my blog will have a new look and new domain.

 

Stay tuned.

 

 

 

As soon as I know the who, what, when, and where, you will too!

 

Happy New... Outlook

 

Resolutions Can Suck It

"Never give up on a dream just

Because of the time it will take to accomplish it.

The time will pass anyway."

-Earl Nightengale

Well, it’s a new year and everyone is talking about their resolutions.
Who’s making them?

What they should be?

Can I really keep them?

…Yada, yada, yada….

 Anyone who knows me knows I don’t make resolutions. I have nothing against them, except that I never keep mine. If I did, I’d be perpetually 25 years-old (for real!) and able to consume mass quantities of carbohydrates without a second thought because I actually exercised. And I’d dress better, too.   

 So if you love announcing resolutions every year and struggling to keep them, more power to you! Go right ahead and show the rest of us how awesome you are! We’ll cheer you on the whole way there.

 But know, if you are that person, this post is not for you.

 This post for those of us with the unspoken resolutions. The quiet ones we make without realizing and keep to ourselves. The weaknesses we don’t talk about. The excuses, the fears, the lack of confidence.

We all know these resolutions, don’t we? Excuses, especially, have been a long-standing favorite of mine.

They come from the very deepest parts of us, our dark places where we store all the crap, all the wrongs that have happened to us or because of us. We shove them in a closet and almost forget they’re there, until something comes up. Like this whole, “New Resolutions for the New Year!”

Then, we sit back, take out our predetermined excuses and hold them out.

“No, I can’t do this/that because…” insert issue here.

But what if 2014 really is a different year?

What if this year happens to be YOUR moment? Or mine? What if this year is the year we have been waiting for? The one year that you and I were meant to toss our complaints in the trash and step out of the shadows? To live what we dream about?

When I think about the impossible things I have seen and felt this past year and all of the crap that I had to wade through to get to this point in my life, it energizes me. And when I think about what is coming in 2014 (Shameless plug: my debut novel, Between Octobers, will be published!), all of the things I’m looking forward to, the opportunities that I’ve been afforded….

I am so grateful, for the good and the bad, because you know what?

I’m still here. I am going to make it.

It’s 2014 and I wish everyone could feel my excitement. Not just for me, but for all of you, too!

So let’s toss those resolutions that keep us in one place. Throw out the insecurities and weight of those moments that keep us chained. It’s time to cover up those wounds, bury the past, and forge ahead.

I’m not saying you have to, I’m just asking if you want to.

Because I sure do. I’m done getting by, surviving. I’m ready to thrive.

I’m ready to take this bull by the horns and wrestle it to the ground.

And when I get discouraged about the time it’s taking to get where I want to be, I’m going to be thankful that, at least I’m not where I used to be. And I’m going to think of the quote at the top of this post.

“The time will pass anyway.”

 

I’ve seen enough years come and go to know how very true that is. And I see no point in wasting any more of them.

 

So to be clear, I’m not making a resolution.

I am simply saying, don’t give up, because tomorrow just might bring the breakthrough you’ve been waiting for.