#WeWriWa ROMANCE REKINDLED What's in the box?

Welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors where authors share an 8 - 10 sentence snippet. Be sure to visit the other authors. You can find them here. Sorry for missing last week. I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. 

I've been sharing excerpts from ROMANCE REKINDLED (formerly titled From Jailbirds to Wedding Bells), a romance with a little mystery. This snippet is still in the first chapter. Please excuse the rogue commas.

When Abby finished draping the garland, she grabbed the empty tote to add it to those already stacked in the dining room. The boys had left that heavy box in the way. Using her foot, she tried to push it aside, but the weight made it move only a couple of inches on the thick tan carpet. Maybe if she took out some things it would be easier.

“What are you doing?” Mother screeched.

“I can’t move the box,” Abby ripped the rest of the packing tape, “I need to take out a few things so it isn’t so heavy.”

“Stop right there, don’t—”

Abby pried open the lid. The box was filled to the brim with cards, letters, and journals.

Abby Ten Eyck likes her life the way it is. She runs a successful business, has a well-adjusted teenage daughter, and has managed to keep men at bay since her divorce fifteen years ago. Just before Christmas, she’s hit with change. Her mother decides to sell the family home. Then she’s arrested, with an unknown man. Could this new man in her mother’s life create more upheaval? Or could his handsome son be just what Abby needs to revive her dormant feelings?

Sam Watson embraces transition from frenetic Wall Street to a small Michigan resort town. His health is worth moving close to his dad who seems over the moon in love. But it’s the daughter of his father’s girlfriend who fascinates him. Abby Ten Eyck reminds him of his driven self. He must help her slow down before she burns out. Like he did.

 ROMANCE REKINDLED will be released on Monday, December 4th at the usual online booksellers.

Be sure to check out the other WeWriWa authors. 

#WeWriWa JAILBIRDS Diversionary Tactics

Welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors where authors share an 8 - 10 sentence snippet. Be sure to visit the other authors. You can find them here.

I'm sharing a new project, a romance with a little mystery. It's a work in progress, so I'm open to suggestions. This snippet occurs after last week's. Still, in the first chapter. Please excuse the rogue commas.

“Why are you upset about that box?”

Mother waved the soggy tissue and stood. “Not important, time to get back to work. You can wrap the garland around the banister—you always do such a nice job.”

Before Abby could pursue the issue of tears, Mother bustled out to the kitchen. “Don’t wind that garland too tight.”

When Abby realized what her mother had done, she thunked her forehead. By focusing on the garland, she’d gotten Abby off the topic of the box in the dining room. As she wound the silk strands around the banister and rail, she wondered what could possibly be in that box to make Mother cry?

The blurb is also a work-in-progress.

From Jailbirds to Wedding Bells blurb:

Abby Ten Eyck hates change. Her mother is arrested, with an unknown man, and she’s selling the family home—Abby’s worst nightmare. For fifteen years since her divorce, she’s kept men at bay. A handsome newcomer revives her dormant feelings, until she discovers his dad is dating her mother. How much change can she take?

Sam Watson embraces the transition from frenetic Wall Street to a small Michigan resort town. His health is worth moving close to his dad who seems over the moon in love. But it’s the daughter who fascinates Sam. Abby Ten Eyck reminds him of his driven self. He has to help her slow down before she burns out. Like he did.

Be sure to check out the other WeWriWa authors. 

Have a great Thanksgiving. I won't post next Sunday. See you in 2 weeks.

#WeWriWa - Jailbirds: The Box

Welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors where authors share an 8 - 10 sentence snippet. Be sure to visit the other authors. You can find them here.

I'm sharing a new project, a romance with a little mystery. It's a work in progress, so I'm open to suggestions. This snippet occurs a little later than last week's. Still, in the first chapter.

“Abby, what is this box doing here?” Standing in the doorway to the dining room, Mother had fisted her hands on her hips. “You shouldn’t have brought that down.”

“Fine time to tell me, Mother, the boys just left. It does say Christmas on the side.”

As Mother crossed the foyer into the living room, Abby followed her. 

“Mother, what’s wrong?”

Sitting in the closest chair, Mother used a tissue to wipe away a tear. “Take that box upstairs.”

The blurb and cover are also works-in-progress.

Abby Ten Eyck hates change. Her mother is arrested, with an unknown man, and she’s selling the family home—Abby’s worst nightmare. For fifteen years since her divorce, she’s kept men at bay. A handsome newcomer revives her dormant feelings, until she discovers his dad is dating her mother. How much change can she take?

Sam Watson embraces the transition from frenetic Wall Street to a small Michigan resort town. His health is worth moving close to his dad who seems over the moon in love. But it’s the daughter who fascinates Sam. Abby Ten Eyck reminds him of his driven self. He has to help her slow down before she burns out. Like he did.

(I used canva.com to make the cover. My 1st attempt.)

Be sure to check out the other WeWriWa authors. 

#WeWriWa - Jailbirds

Welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors where authors share an 8 - 10 sentence snippet. Be sure to visit the other authors. You can find them here.


I'm sharing a new project. It's a romance with a little mystery. It's a work in progress, so I'm open to suggestions. The story begins with this snippet.

  

“Mom,” Bethany leaned around the corner of the living room, “I’m sorry to bail on you, but I have to go to work.”

Abby Ten Eyck finished hanging the ornament on the Christmas tree that graced her mother’s living room window. She wiped her hands on her jeans—live evergreens always made her hands itchy. “I appreciate all the work you and the boys have done.”

Why Mother wanted them to bring down all the Christmas decorations was beyond her.

Abby glanced at her watch. “You’d better leave now. You can’t keep those hungry shoppers waiting.”

The last place Abby wanted to be on the Sunday after Thanksgiving was at a store while the thundering horde fought for bargains. Friday and yesterday had been nightmares at her shop and would be until December twenty-fourth.

 Apologies for the misuse of commas. The blurb and cover are also works-in-progress.

Abby Ten Eyck hates change. Her mother is arrested, with an unknown man, and she’s selling the family home—Abby’s worst nightmare. For fifteen years since her divorce, she’s kept men at bay. A handsome newcomer revives her dormant feelings, until she discovers his dad is dating her mother. How much change can she take?

Sam Watson embraces the transition from frenetic Wall Street to a small Michigan resort town. His health is worth moving close to his dad who seems over the moon in love. But it’s the daughter who fascinates him. Abby Ten Eyck reminds him of his driven self. He has to help her slow down before she burns out. Like he did.

(I used canva.com to make the cover. My 1st attempt.)

Be sure to check out the other WeWriWa authors. 

I'm Back

It's been way too long since my last Monday Morning Musing post. If you've followed any of my posts on other blogs (Paranormal Romantics and The Roses of Prose) you know my summer was chaos. Our no-longer-in-Arizona family, Son, DIL, Toddler Girl, and their two dogs--Big (Lab) and Bigger (Great Dane) lived with us for two months while they searched for a house nearby. Happily, we all survived and are still friends. LOL What a wonderful bonding, esp. with Toddler Girl.

Knowing that our routine would be non-existent, I decided I wouldn't stress out over not writing, that included this weekly blog. I just enjoyed each day. They now have a house (about 2 miles from us). We all have our own space again. Although Son and DIL had jobs to go to each day, our house isn't large. In fact, it's just right for two people. But . . .

The best part was getting to know our daughter-in-law better. I am so blessed. Smart Son for marrying her. The time with Toddler Girl was marvelous. Watching her vocabulary grow and her imagination develop made me so proud. Signs of the "terrible two's" began near the end of their stay. Thank Goodness. LOL She's still such a sweetie. The older grandkids had a great time with her. I wasn't surprised at how the oldest (10) enjoyed playing with her cousin. The surprise came when I saw how nurturing the 7.5 year old was. I thought he would (sort of) ignore her since she's a girl. He didn't. He helped her make a spaceship out of a box, helped her decorate it, and together they "zoomed" into outer space. As for Toddler Girl, she is madly in love with her cousins.

Now that everyone is settled (sort of) in their respective homes, school has started, and so have routines. I'm back to writing in the mornings. Before summer began, I was writing a novella that takes place in Far Haven (the fictional resort town on Lake Michigan, home of Alex O'Hara, PI). I was a little over a third into the story. Now I have the last big scene to write and the ending. Then it's editing, revising, and proofing before it goes to my freelance editor. I hope to have From Jailbirds to Wedding Bells available in November.

Along with keeping stress out of my life by not writing this blog, I also didn't plan to write much during the family stay. Then one of the authors who's part of the group newsletter I participate in thought of a great idea. (She thought it was great. LOL) We'd all submit a short story for an anthology that we'd give away to new subscribers to our newsletter, because we all have a short story or two laying around. Right? Not me. And I had to write it in a month. Yikes! I took another character from Far Haven and wrote a short mystery. As soon as it's available, I'll let you know.

I lined up a few book festivals to participate in. They are listed on my website. This Saturday (Sept. 23) I'll be at the Alpena (MI) Book Festival. I did this all-day event last year and had a wonderful time. If you're in the area, please stop by and say hi.

This Wednesday, I'll begin a new venture as a contributor to an online magazine, Pandora's Box Gazette. My column on Family Life will appear on the 3rd Wednesday of each month.

Busy, busy, busy. I'm having a great time writing and more fun talking (either in person or online) with so many terrific people.

How was your summer?