Chick Lit Goddess

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Is There A Difference? Writers vs. Authors

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I don’t know about you, but it’s been a long week.  Is it (Good) Friday yet?

Anyway, back to my post:

A WRITER

Writing is a common thing in every part of the world.  It’s a way of communication.  For some, it’s the easiest for those who feel that they can be more open and honest with a pen and paper (or hands to computer).  Whether it be writing a letter, a memo, your signature, a grocery list, or even making an entry in your diary or journal, you’re still writing.  Even by sending a text, you’re still a writer.  All forms of writing are applicable – by phone, iPad, desk or laptop, or by hand.  I don’t want to get into the technical aspects or where it originated from, but if you’d like more information on the background of writing, click HERE.  I think that writing is a gift that should be treasured – no matter what your penmanship looks like, (on Monday, I’ll be talking about handwriting, so come back then), or how you type.

AN AUTHOR

When I think of the word, author, I immediately think of Emily Giffin, Danielle Steel, and James Patterson, all who have had their books published.  This means that they have gone through the (emotional) writing and editing process.  I think of book authors first because it’s what I want – I want to be an author!  This has led me to think more in-depth about what the definition of author really means.  Like writers, these days,  authors don’t just have to stick to writing books to be an author.  Writers who are published in magazines, reference books, and online websites, all are authors.  Is this all thanks to new technology?  I think so.  Places like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords, are making it easier for anyone who is a writer, to now be an author.

So, writers, this is your chance to be an author!  Come on, you can do it!

I’d love some feedback on this, so go ahead and leave me a comment!

Adding A Little “Hump” To Your Wednesday, Part II

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Last August I wrote THIS post.  By far, it’s been the highest blog views each day.  It’s something I didn’t expect.  Anyway, I wanted to add a second part, but this time being sexy in a different way.

My first thought was to show pictures of all hot men, but decided against it.  Instead, I’m going to show you some of my favorite movie couples.  Read THIS for a preview of a few.  While these aren’t always “sexy” couples, they share something that could be even more sexy – the passion these couples have for one another.

"Love Story"
"The Mirror Has Two Faces"
"P.S. I Love You"
"When Harry Met Sally"
"Pillow Talk"
"The Notebook"
"Cat On A Hot Tin Roof"
"Up"

What movie couples do you find sexy?

Vacations Are “Research” For Writers

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I’ve written about this before, but since summer is almost here, I thought you might want to get started thinking about summer your summer vacation(s)!

You’re at the point where you either know you need a vacation, or you’ve got people telling you to take one.  “Okay,” you say.  You then buy a ticket to your desired destination, pack your bags, and are prepared to do nothing except relax…and do “research” for you next book.

Example: Your desired vacation...(The Breakers Hotel, Palm Beach, Florida)

Sigh!  You’ve made it!  you’re officially on vacation, and are required to do little to no work!  You’re only required to sleep in, order room service, lounge and relax by the ocean and/or beach, while drinking a Pina colada or  strawberry daiquiri.  It’s okay to even ogle over lust after the ultra-hot surfer dude, who would never be your type.

As an author, it’s okay to break the rules!  As authors, we are trained to observe our surroundings, and we can’t help it.  We’ll look, we’ll listen, and if interesting enough, we just might write about it.  (Go to a beach, and you’re guaranteed to find something/someone who gives you inspiration for your current WIP, or your next book).

Your "vacation" awaits...

When I’m on “vacation,” it I’m often so relaxed that I want to write, so I do.  I write whenever I can, but don’t set any time or word limits on my work.  I just see how far I get, and know that it’s okay — I’ll write when I get back home.  (Writing outside of your comfort zone might even help your creativity).

So, if you get a chance to take a vacation, whether it’s a beach, mountain, or countryside vacation, go!  You’ll be glad you did!

Have you ever gone on a “vacation” that has strictly been for research?  If you’ve not, where would you go, and why?

...all you need is a daiquiri!

Fiction Relationships vs. Real Relationships

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The picture to the left is what every story requires.  Along with choosing to read a book, whether it be by your favorite author, or you like the storyline, readers shuffle through, eagerly awaiting for the climax (feel free to think of it as a sexual innuendo).  It’s what we wait for, page by page, (though, these days it’s, swipe by swipe).  that’s mostly the reason why we read the book.

It’s almost been a year since Prince William and Duchess Kate got married.  (You can read my blog post on their wedding HERE).  Anyway, I came across THIS article (isn’t that cute?!), and wanted to somehow relate it to writing.  This lead me to think about romantic relationships in fiction, and in real life.

FICTION RELATIONSHIPS:  I’ve read so many books where it goes something like this – boy meets girl, they start dating, they fight, they fix the issue, then they live happily ever after.  We might get a touch here and there about them on a good day with no action, but that’s not fun to read because readers “want drama.”  I, however, don’t.  I ‘d like to see my characters living the day-to-day life together without the drama.  I think this might be why I write like I do, because I want normalcy for my characters.  I want to see my characters working on their relationship, and making it stronger.

REAL RELATIONSHIPS:  Like fiction relationships, couples meet, they fight, they make-up, and they life (happily) ever after.  The thing is that we’re not perfect, and neither is any relationship.  We both must work on it %100 every single day, (I might be watching too much Dr. Phil – ha, ha!).  Yes, we’re going to have fights with the one we love, but that doesn’t mean that it has to be filled with drama.  Like William and Kate, it can be as simple cuddling next to one another and watching TV.  Cooking together can also be very sexy!  Climaxes in real life relationships might happen more often than in fiction relationships, but that’s okay – that’s life.

In closing, I’d like to share two of my favorite relation quotes:

“Little kindness and courtesies are so important.  In relationships, the little things are the big things.” Stephen R. Covey

“The fundamental glue that holds any relationship together is trust.” Brian Tracy

 

Cancelled

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Book Review for “Cancelled”“Cancelled,” by Elizabeth Ann West

**Watch the trailer for Cancelled HERE!**

Meet robotics engineer, Johnathan Michaels.  For three years, Alexis Rodriguez, a coworker and friend have worked side-by-side.  Over time, their friendship has grown, so much that she spends the night on New Year’s Eve with him-leaving him weak in the knees.  It’s clear to the naked eye that Johnathan’s taken a linking to Alexis.  He then begins to try to convince her that they would be good together, as they grow closer and closer each day.  Back at work while they are preoccupied trying to save a very important contract, a woman who identifies herself as Kellie-the woman he had a one-night stand with only weeks before-comes to return his shirt from that night, and then she drops a bomb on him.  She’s pregnant, and he’s the father!  Johnathan decides against telling anything of the sorts to Alexis, who becomes his fiancée soon after he learns of his impending fatherhood.

It’s clear that he’s now in a pickle, so what’s this man to do?

(CUT!)

While I would usually continue telling you more about the book, since it’s the first book in a series, I don’t want to spoil anything for you, (though it’s killing me to not know what happens next).  However, I will tell you that the ending wasn’t what I expected!

Sounds like a good read, huh?  I think so too!  I’ll be honest, when I heard that “Cancelled” was written from a male’s POV, I was very curious!  The next thing that had me intrigued was the title.  The word “cancelled” can only mean one thing, right?  (Come on and admit it.  You immediately think of weddings too, right?)  It’s easy to say that this book lived it to its expectations!

As for Johnathan, I liked him quite a bit in the beginning, but at times, he either seemed too nice or too wishy-washy, but in the end, I understood why he acted how he did.  I wish he could’ve been more of a man to tell Alexis the truth from the beginning, especially since they were such good friends, but as the book progressed, Alexis had her own faults.  I admired Johnathan’s character for picking up the slack where his immediate family left off (excluding his step-mother…I loved Anna!), which said a lot for the kind of man he was.  I found it to be a refreshing side in a man!  (Readers, I advise you on not giving up on this Hero).

I liked Alexis, as she seemed poised, sophisticated, and direct, I couldn’t really relate to her, then I remind myself that it’s not about the female’s POV, and continued on – but that didn’t stop me from wanting more dialogue, just so that I could understand her a little better.  I felt sorry for Alexis when Johnathan chose to keep the secret about Kellie’s pregnancy.

While the book focused a lot on their relationship, I never felt any real chemistry between Johnathan and Alexis-not even as friends-but since this is the first book, maybe it’s supposed to be that way.

There is quite a bit of technical word usage when it comes to Johnathan’s at work, and most I didn’t understand, but considering what he does, it made sense.  I just wish there hadn’t been so much, because I thought I took away from the main point of this book.  As for writing in a male POV, I think that Elizabeth Ann West wrote as accurate as we ladies think that a man would think!  It was an interesting read, with twists that kept me hooked, and left me with questions, so I’ll definitely be picking up the next read about Johnathan!

I give this book 3.5 out of 5 stars!

**Click HERE to read my interview with Elizabeth!

Elizabeth Ann West

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What’s it like in a day of the life of Elizabeth Ann West?  Funny you should ask that, as I’m in the process of evaluating my day by logging what I do. You see, I’m a Mom and Wife first. Writer is a distant third. 🙂

I suck at schedules. So I use a notecard system where I plan my day the night before or morning of, that way I can keep variety in my life. A typical card has my daily tasks of shower and dress, pick up bedroom 5 min, 3 kitchen clean ups, 2 sweeps of house, 1 afternoon pickup, 1 load of laundry, dinner, and baths and PJs for my kids. That’s what I HAVE to get done, and it’s worth 50 points. Yes, I assign points to my tasks and when I earn certain levels, I treat myself to things like new books, video games, or ordering dinner in. It’s how I manage my Mommy Guilt for working at home, but still being there for my kids. On the flip side are the spontaneous goals that might be errands, time for me, and time for writing. Also, all worth points. And when I don’t accomplish a task, even if it’s a REALLY good reason? I deduct the points. It keeps me honest and prevents me from constantly over-scheduling myself. My working hours, including taking time for me, are from 7 AM until 10 PM, everyday. I work a full-time job and a part-time job. LOL. 🙂 And I love every minute I’m not in Corporate America anymore.

You wrote “Cancelled” in a male’s POV.  What motivated you to do this, and did you find this challenging?  The story always came to me from Johnathan’s point-of-view. We’ve all heard the female side of dealing with the hero having a past. But I don’t know many books out there that give a man’s side of our familiar romance story lines. I knew the only way I would finish the book was to strive for something different; that would keep me motivated when things grew rough. Early on, I did try writing the story balanced between Johnathan and Alexis telling the story, but it didn’t grab me. I figured if it didn’t grab me, it wouldn’t grab a reader, either.

As far as challenging, it was a wonderful challenge! My husband helped a great deal when I asked him about certain situations. One of the criticisms I’ve heard from readers is a lack of emotional introspection on Johnathan’s part, and it’s 100% valid. But that was a deliberate decision on my part. One of the ways I kept the voice male was to model my husband’s own behavior. I have a really nasty habit of asking him “What are you thinking?” and the answer is always “Nothing.” For years, I couldn’t grasp that, as my brain never….ever…shuts off. I’m thinking about what I did, what I could have done differently, how are the kids, what’s the plan for tomorrow, next week….etc. He doesn’t borrow trouble. And after 7 years of marriage, I finally believe him and don’t ask him anymore. LOL.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of “Cancelled?”  I come from a non-fiction article writing background. I wrote web based articles for money for 4 years before writing fiction. After a few non-starts in 2009 and 2010, I decided in January 2011 I was going to write a novel that year. I outlined and wrote spontaneous scenes for two months, then really buckled down and wrote chapters in March. I used a technique called #wordmongering on Twitter, where writers join at the top of the hour, start writing, and share their word counts at the :30. I average 750-1,000 words per session.

Around the end of June, I was late on my self-imposed finish line and about 20,000 words short between when Alexis learns about the baby to connecting to the engagement dinner night. I sat my butt on the couch and glared at the manuscript, wanting to quit so badly. Thankfully, I had told too many friends and family members I was writing a book, so I couldn’t quit. Instead, I gritted my teeth, typed until my hands swelled, and wrote 18,000 words in 3 days! I officially finished the second week of July, and since I outline meticulously, the nuts and bolts of the manuscript were pretty sound. Then I took a month off away, started editing in August, and six weeks later, it was in the hands of readers. So concept to first sale, 9 months.

Will there be a sequel?  Yes! Johnathan’s story is a three-book series. Tentatively the titles are CANCELLED, SERVED, and APPROVED. It’s the Red Ink Collection. I planned for SERVED to come out in September, but the outline recently went through an overhaul… so I will know more this summer it’s release date.  It’s looking that it might be more towards Christmas or possibly early next year. I have some other characters that bugged me with their stories while I was writing CANCELLED and I told them to wait their turn. Now I have to flesh out their dramas, and then I can get back to Johnathan’s story picking up when his daughter is about to celebrate her first birthday.

Why do you love the Chick Lit genre?  I started reading chick-lit with the Shopaholic series during my husband’s extended deployment in early 2007. I was an Ombudsman for the submarine, so I had to deal with Red Cross messages (we had a wife diagnosed with terminal cancer and a miracle baby born 1 pound 1 ounce who is alive and thriving today), help 80 families move across country, and deal with my own dilemmas of living without my husband for 7.5 months. On top of that, my husband’s ex-wife was making very ignorant decisions concerning my stepson’s health, so I was regularly flying back and forth to Texas to deal with that drama. Did I mention I was 25 years old?

As an Ombudsman, you work with the wives of the CO and XO to serve the other families as much as you can. The XO’s wife and I grew very close, and she recommended the books to me. I grew up a Navy dependent, so what was technically my seventh or eighth military deployment was the first for 75% of the wives attached to a sailor on the boat. I needed laughter. I needed Becky’s Aunt Ermintrude dying of becoming septic when Luke catches her with the scarf he helped her buy. As my husband’s ex-wife was pregnant with her now soon-to-be-second-ex-husband, and I had just miscarried a baby, I absolutely NEEDED the “She’s a red-headed bitch and I hate her” T-shirt romp in Shopaholic and Baby!!!

I have drama in my life. It’s not going anywhere. I can be ashamed of it or laugh and be merry despite it. I choose the later. And that is why I love a good chick-lit story that makes me not feel so bad about my modern life.

Do you have any favorite snacks while you write?  Hershey Kisses with Almonds. The unwrapping always gives me a second to mull a detail, and it has a nut in it, so it’s half healthy, right? I am also starting to drink coffee, though I still love Prince of Wales tea. But my coffee is 50% coffee, and the other 50% is Coffee Mate’s Italian Sweet Cream creamer and milk. It’s more of a latte. Oh, and when I hit a milestone? Trip to Starbucks for a Tiramisu cake pop.

What do you do when writer’s block hits, and how do you get over it?  I am an outliner. Yes, things develop as I’m writing that can impact the outline, and that does happen, but for the most part, I am a woman with a plan when I sit down to write. If I get stuck, it’s usually when I’m in the outlining process. I’ll give a little time, and if a solution doesn’t come, I will back track and think about an alternate plot path.

Actually writing, I don’t generally get writer’s block. If I’m not really in a mood to write, but need to put words on the screen, I give myself permission to suck. I #wordmonger and just write whatever comes in 30 minutes. Every writer needs to figure out what causes their writer’s block. Mine isn’t a lack of ideas, it’s fear that they aren’t any good. When I shut up my internal Queen Bee judge, I’m free to let my fingers fly. Later on, it’s usually not half bad and just needs a little tweaking here or there to clean it up.

From the first page to a published book, what is your favorite during the writing process?  Outlining. I love, love the logic puzzle involved. I love coming up with a problem this set of characters has to solve, and then figuring out how all of the puzzle pieces fit. I ascribe to the 3-Act structure, and love to weave in my subplots so that at the end they all come together in one ending. That’s a LOT harder than it sounds. I think CANCELLED is doing so well as a debut novel, from a writer who rarely involved herself in creative writing, because I planned out every little detail and how it all ties together before I wrote the book. I honestly didn’t think I would get any 5-star reviews. I expected people would hate my characters and give a resounding thumbs down. I’m okay with being wrong! 🙂

Second favorite is editing. I love to shred my own writing. It’s the non-fiction writer in me. I’m verbose. I know it, my red pen knows it. Therefore when I wear my editor hat, I am a word killer. CANCELLED’s first draft was 85,000 words. Only 75,000 of them made the cut.

Who or what motivates you?  My husband. He and I have been together for nine years. When we first met he was a young pup in the Navy, not sure if he was going to stay in or get out. Like I said earlier, we had drama. And it never stopped us. Together, we’ve weathered many a storm, and while he’s cautious about me and my big ideas (waiting to see if they stick), he always 100% supports me. I do the same, and his career in the Navy has advanced beyond both of our imaginations to where we are very comfortably living in Connecticut with our two children. No more deployments! 🙂

I want to succeed in my writing to make him proud of me, but at the same time I know that I don’t have to because he already is. He’s my best friend, can go toe-to-toe with me in Scrabble, and I care about his opinion first and foremost.

Do you have any goals for yourself that you’d like to accomplish within the next five to ten years?  My husband’s military commission is up in ten years, so I have a rough ten year plan of publishing as many great stories as I can and build a healthy back list. I’m a business woman at heart, I love the logical side of life. Statistically, it is so unlikely to have a break out novel, let alone an author’s debut, that I never counted or coveted the overnight success story. I’m more interested in a slow, sustainable build where readers know I’m there for them, not their dollars. At the same time, I do have two children to put through braces, college, and hubby and I still have three continents out of seven to visit. 🙂 I would like to build up a catalog of titles that bring in “fun money” and maybe, just maybe, when my husband retires from the Navy after 24 years in, we can take a year off before we start our next adventure.

What is the best advice you’ve been given?  90% of life is showing up.

I once took a Constitutional Law class at the ungodly hour of 8 AM on the complete other side of campus, three times a week. Smashing my alarm clock at 6:30 AM at the stay-up-all-night-age of 19, every morning I seriously questioned my sanity when I registered for classes the previous semester. Starting with a class of twenty kids, only eight of us made it to the end. In one of my many conversations with the professor, who was our university’s counsel and had argued in front of the Supreme Court of the United States, he cut through my undergraduate bullsh*t whining one day by telling me that life is about showing up. You didn’t do the reading, you didn’t finish the project, who cares? Show up. Because you can’t accomplish anything, especially making up where you are already behind, if you don’t show up.

Following that simple advice landed me on the Dean’s List that semester, a challenge I didn’t feel compelled to do again. But still, eleven years later, I am my own worst enemy when it comes to if I can’t do something perfectly by my standards, I end up not doing it at all. It’s a quirk I have. I have to really push myself to accept less than perfect to get anything done. I push myself to just show up. It sounds like a false flaw to have, but believe me, when you have what I call “crippling perfectionism,” you know what I mean when I say you end up accomplishing nothing. But your plans to get stuff done? Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant.

Do you have any current projects going on that you’d like to tell us about?  I am working on a stand alone novella titled STONE. Melanie Stone still dreams of walking into a department store and browsing a clothes rack with her name on the label. A single-mom and owner of an alterations shop, Melanie auditions for a spot on a reality TV show for fashion. Not expecting to find a handsome stranger along the way, Melanie puts the romance on hold as she frantically fulfills dozens of prom and Easter dress orders to pay her bills. But this new beau just won’t take “I’m busy” for an answer. Stressed by her judgmental mother, Melanie struggles to forgive the woman who abandoned her and her grandson five years ago, find greater financial security, and oh yeah, kick out the total creep worming his way into her world. There’s NO TRESPASSING in Melanie Stone’s life.

STONE is due to come out early this summer.

– Thank you so much for this opportunity to be on Chick Lit Goddess! 🙂 I love answering interviews, and hope one day to do a few life events via Google Hangouts. You are helping so many readers and authors with your blog, Isabella. I send you hugs and big smiles! Thank you. 🙂

**For more information on Elizabeth, contact her below:

E. A. West Writing

Follow Elizabeth on Twitter

**HERE is my review for “Cancelled!”

Here’s A Teaser: Chapter 1

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It brings me great pleasure in posting this blog post.  It’s one that I didn’t think that I’d put up, but after a lot of positive feedback and encouragement from family and friends, here goes!  I’ve decided to share a small part of the first chapter for my current WIP, Somewhere Down In Texas.  Please keep in mind that this is an unedited piece.  If you’d please leave a comment after reading telling me what you think, I’d really appreciate it.  Thanks in advance! xoxo

CHAPTER 1

My graduation dinner with my granny ended early so I decided to surprise my boyfriend, Clay, at his house.  His parents were out of town, and for the first time, we were planning on spending the night with each.  We had made love only a few times, but we’d never known what it was like to spend the night with each other.

I smiled when I saw his black Chevrolet truck was in the driveway. We had shared so many fun and memorable times in that old beat up thing.  After glancing at myself in the mirror I added some lip-gloss, then quietly got out of my car and closed the door on my new BMW convertible.  I walked up to the porch, and slowly twisted the knob on the front door.  Nobody in Amarillo, Texas, left their doors locked, and the Dennis family was no exception.

When I didn’t see him watching the blaring TV in the family room I thought was probably in the kitchen, so I tiptoed my way around the corner.  Again, there was no sight of him.  He must be in the bedroom, waiting for me, I thought.  Just thinking of being with him turned my cheeks pink.  I quietly made my way down the dark hallway that was covered with pictures of Clay and his younger sister, Caroline.  The door to his room was cracked.  When I pushed it open, what I saw horrified me.  My high school sweetheart and Lila-my worst enemy-and Clay were in bed together.  The door banged against the wall, startling them, and they turned to face me.  Lila rapidly pulled away from him and covered herself up with his sheets-the same light green sheets that I had been tangled up in after a passionate lovemaking session with “Amarillo’s Sexiest Cowboy,” quoting the magazine cover of the local magazine, The Amarillo Man.

“Addie!” Clay said, as he instantly jumped out of the bed, stumbling to put on jeans.  “This isn’t what it looks like,” he said.

My eyes were filled with tears and I could barely speak.  Finally, I managed to say, “What…what is this?”  I looked at him and then at Lila, who sat on his bed looking pleased for causing trouble.  I glared at her and it took everything in me to not run across the room and start a catfight, but I didn’t-my daddy taught me better than that.

Clay tried to reach for me and try to explain, but I pulled away.  “Don’t touch me,” I said firmly.  “It’s over.”  I walked out of his room, down the hall, and out of his house.

“She means nothing to me, love.  It’s you I want.”  He pulled my turning me towards him.  “It was a mistake.  Baby, please forgive me.”  His eyes squinted together and the fear of losing me covered his face.  “I need you, Adalina, I love you.  Please, don’t leave me.”  His voice sounded desperate now.

I ignored his dark puppy dog looking eyes-the expression I never could resist.  “I hope Lila was worth it,” I said, my words icy.  I pressed the key remote to unlock my door, got in my car and closing the door behind me.  I sped away not bothering to look at him in my rearview mirror, or to the life that we had planned.

I blinked my eyes, bringing me back to present day.  I was holding a legal document that I held said that I was now the owner of my daddy’s ranch, in Amarillo, Texas.

“He left it to me?” I asked the man in a dark suit who stood before me, my desk separating us.  I squinted my eyes, confused and began reading the words again.

“If you see,” he said pointing at the document, “Miss Andrews, your father, William Eugene Andrews, left you his ranch after he passed away…”  The Texas lawyer’s voice was slow and mechanical as if what he said was on repeat.

Now that I was a fast-paced New Yorker, I had to interrupt him before I lost my patience at the twangy sound and slow speed of his voice.  I hadn’t heard anyone speak like that in a very long time and I didn’t miss it.  “Please, call me Addie,” I said, quickly.  Crossing my legs and tapping my high-heeled foot nervously against my desk, I flipped through the legal sized papers, all which seemed legit.  I felt the impatient lawyer’s eyes on me, but I continued to look over it once more.

“You are certainly welcome to have your own lawyer look them over if…”

“That won’t be necessary.  Mr…” What was this man’s name?

“Mr. Smith,” he reminded me with a smile.

“Yes, Mr. Smith.  What are my options?”

“The property is yours,” he repeated.  “So, Miss Andr…Addie, you can do what you want with it.”  He tilted his head and took off his king-sized cowboy hat.  “I knew your father for years, and I’d like to think that not only was I his attorney, but that I was his friend too.”  He paused as if he were remembering something, and then continued.  “I know he would want you to take it over, make it your own, and maybe raise your own family there.  He was proud of the property and hoped you would be too.”

I sat back in my seat and looked at Mr. Smith.  He could pass for being in his early sixties, but his tired face and heavy belly aged him into his mid-seventies.  I took a breath and then looked at the clock on my phone.  I had a meeting in ten minutes, and I had to get this over with.  I reached for a black pen and said, “Okay Mr. Smith, I will sign the papers and take over my dad’s ranch.”  My speech was fast as I did my best to quickly end this conversation.  I scribbled my name on four black lines and voila, I was the owner of The Lonely Doe ranch in Amarillo.

“Thank you, Addie.”  He put the legal-sized papers back in an envelope and closed it shut, and stood up.  “I’ll be in touch and if you need anything, please let me know.”  He faintly smiled, “Good day,” and with the tip of his hat he exited my office.

I turned and looked out the window of my high-rise office building that was on the Upper East Side of New York City.  It was complete opposite from the piece of property I had just inherited-the place I tried not to think of, along with the memory of Clayton Dennis in bed with my enemy, Lila Baker.

I was startled when my phone buzzed, then I heard my assistant, Jules, say, “Addie, they are waiting for you in the conference room.”

“I’ll be right there.”  I gathered three folders as I did the best I could not to think of the images of them in his bed-the sheets, and his massive…

“Stop it,” I instructed myself, something that I had trained my brain to do over the past few years.  Clay and Lila finally disappeared from my mind.  I was now ready to have my meeting, and ready to discuss the headlines that would be on the cover of Couple’s Magazine next month and who, along with who would be the “Couple of the Month.”

*****

I’ve been at Couple’s Magazine for a little over six years.  My beginning position was a Copy Editor, and then I moved to Fact Checker, and now I’m Assistant Executive Editor and am in love with my job.

I was the last one to enter the room and I took a seat next to my boss, Diane.

“Nice of you to join us,” she said with a smirk, not bothering to look up from her folder.  Her reading glasses sat low in her nose, looking almost as if they were going to fall off at any minute, but with a nudge of her slender index finger she pushed them closer her face.  Diane was in her early fifties and her delicate and motherly face showed no signs of aging whatsoever.  Her auburn hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail.  She put her pen down and that’s when she looked at me.  “How’s your morning going?” she smiled.

I looked around the room observing my coworkers who sitting around the long conference table as they talked amongst themselves, and then looked at Diane.  “Just fine,” I replied, pushing back thoughts of Clay that were beginning to come up.

She tilted her head and then said, “Good.”

Did she know anything about why Mr. Smith was in my office?  I looked at her and before I knew it, she was speaking to the group.

“Okay, everyone, let’s start,” as she tapped her pen on the wooden table.  Almost immediately everyone halted speaking and the room was silent.  Diane looked to Hannah who was a contributing writer, and also my best friend, and asked, “How many couples have entered the Couple of the Month contest?”

Hannah smiled and then opened her folder.  “Well, forty-eight of them, but I looked them over, and I think that only three of them are worthy for the article.”  She smiled at me, then took a sip of her coffee, one of the two which sat in front of her, a coffee addict.

Diane nodded and then turned to Robert who was also a contributing writer to the magazine, “What have you come up with?” she asked.

“Well, I think I have an idea.  Beau and I were driving through Texas and there were a lot of attractive cowboys,” he began, as he looked around the room eying us all for a response.  When none of us said anything he continued, “Women like cowboys, right?”  He paused again and then nearly all the women in the room, even Diane, nodded.  “I was thinking about maybe doing a piece on cowboys.  Maybe something like the Dr. Pepper commercials, from back in the day.  It would appeal to all aged women,” he nodded towards Diane in a joking way, and everyone laughed.  “What do you think?”  Robert had been with the magazine for about a year and every week he seemed to have fascinating ideas for the magazine.  Over the past few months, he and I’ve grown close.  On occasion, I would join him and his boyfriend, Beau, of two years, for dinner.  Sometimes even Hannah would join us.

Cowboys, really?  Thought of Clay drifted back to the first time I met him.  It had been the beginning of the summer before I was going to be a sophomore in high school and my dad was teaching me how to bail hay, which was the last thing I want to do.  When Poncho Juarez, the foreman drove up to talk to my dad, he introduced me to Clayton Dennis, the new worker who was going to help out on the ranch during the weekends.

“Hi,” I smiled brightly as I twisted my hair with my finger trying to flirt with him.

Clayton raised his chin and reached out his hand.  “Call me Clay.”  He clasped our hands together, but there were no fireworks.

“Hi, Clay.”  I observed his clothes, broken in work boots, tighter than tight jeans, and a light blue pearl snap shirt.  He looked to be nearly a man, and there I stood in my brown cowboy boots, jean cutoffs, and a white T-shirt.

Daddy, Poncho, and Clay talked for a bit, then they got back in the truck.

“It was good to meet you, Addie,” he hollered over Pancho, and they began to drive away.  When Poncho drove away, Clay held his gaze with mine in his passenger side mirror until we couldn’t see each other anymore.  It was something in that moment that changed my mind about the rugged cowboy.

A few weeks later Daddy hired Clay to work full-time because he was such an “important asset to the ranch,” as he put it.  During that unforgettable summer, Clay and I were inseparable.  I helped Clay with his chores on the ranch and to my dad’s surprise, he saw me flourish at becoming the “country girl,” as he knew I was meant to be.

The night before I school, Clay and I made love overlooking the favorite pond on the ranch in the bed of his truck.  It wasn’t his first time he’d ever been with anyone and for that I was a little intimated and nervous, but he made my first sexual experience everything I imagined and hoped it would be-he was gentle, loving, and sensual.  He hadn’t forced me to do anything that I didn’t feel comfortable with however, once we got started I became the aggressor that night.  I had wanted him and needed to be with him, and I ached to be without him.  When Clay dropped me off at home that night he kissed me and then said, “I’ll love you forever, my Addie.”

Though I knew it was cheesy, I replied the best way I knew how, mainly from sneaking my mom’s Nora Roberts’ novels into my room at night.  “Always and forever.”

“Addie?  Addie?” Diane said as she brought me back to the present day.  “Didn’t you grow up in Texas?” Diane asked confirming what she already knew.

I nodded, “Yes, but…”

She cut me off and said, “Okay, then it’s settled, you’ll be going to your hometown to get a piece of a real life Cowboy.”  Diane tilted her head down and pushed up her sleeves, then scribbled something down on her notepad.

“But I-I’m not a writer.”  I tried to defend myself in front of everyone in the conference room, but didn’t quite know what to say.  “Diane, really I can’t…”

She took her glasses off and looked at me, a full smile on her face.  “Yes you are.  You’re the perfect one for the job.  The rest of us are from the north,” she said, her eyes scanning the room.

I looked at her, and once we both knew that I’d be going, I sighed.  “Okay, I’ll do it,” I nodded.

“I promise, it’ll be worth it.  Have fun in Texas.”  She turned her attention to Robert, “Great job on finding that piece.  I think it will be just what our readers will want.”

TO BE CONTINUED…(MAYBE!)

George Strait Songs That Have Inspired My Next Book

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HERE is just a  little part of why I love King George!

While I might live in the city, deep down I’m a country girl and am proud of it!  I’ve never written a complete MS based upon a country girl, so this is a fun challenge.

About fifteen months ago, George’s song, Somewhere Down In Texas, came on and it sparked something my imagination for a book that was based on the song.  Cool, I got this, I thought, but as time has gone by, I find myself using more songs by George, to help create certain scenes in the book.

In alphabetical, but in no particular order for the book, here is the long list of songs I find myself listening to over and over in my head.

Thanks, George, for helping me create my first country girl Chick Lit book:

Amarillo By Morning

Baby’s Gotten Good At Goodbye

Cowboys Like Us

Don’t Tell Me You’re Not In Love

I Ain’t Her Cowboy Anymore

I’d Like To Have That One Back

If I Know Me

Oh, What A Perfect Day

She’ll Leave You With A Smile

Texas

The Man In Love With You

Today My World Slipped Away

What’s Going On In Your World

When Did You Stop Loving Me

You’re Something Special To Me

Finding Out How Much You Love Writing…Once Again!

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I’m still on a high from what happened yesterday.  I wrote, and it felt great-no, it was better than great-it was rejuvenating.  I really haven’t written since November for my NaNoWriMo piece, so it was nice to get back to where I it all started.

Three nights ago I was talking to a writer friend who asked if I had done anything with a project he had read part of.  I told him that I hadn’t picked it up in quite a while (15 months).  It’s funny he mentioned it because the characters, Addie and Clay, had been on my mind for the past couple of weeks-I missed them.  Well, yesterday morning I got a Tweet from a friend of mine who encouraged me to write!  Since I had worked a lot on what I needed to get done during the weekend, I decided that there was no time like the present.

After sending out a few emails for a guest review that’s coming up, I was ready.  I decided to read the whole thing over to refresh my memory.  There were only 35 pages, but I felt it was important.  I edited the whole way through, and finally at ten thirty last night, I started writing, and didn’t want to stop.  I was exhausted, so I decided to try to go to sleep, but that didn’t happen because my mind was racing with ideas for my MS.  With the hubby sleeping, I got my laptop and continued to write until 3 o’clock in the morning, but I didn’t want to.  I’ve heard the same advice from some authors, “stop writing when you don’t want to,” or “when you’re at a peak point.”  Normally, I would find this difficult, but I decided to give it a try, and I’m glad I did.  When I woke up this morning, that “peak” point was the first thing I thought about!  It’s for this, that I look forward to doing some serious writing today!

Have a great day!