Through an Author's Eyes - Part 7

 Good morning, readers,

Autumn has come. Yes, we are supposed to get some Indian summer days still, but it's been cooler at night and we haven't had the AC on since Tuesday. I love the crunch of leaves, the trees that are just starting to turn colors, the squirrels, bluejays, and crows who are busy and noisy. I need to get all my fall colored clothes out so I can wear them.

This week has been good, hard, busy, and productive.

We got news that not only has my grandma (who we went to visit last week and who is 93) been diagnosed with dementia, but she ended up in the hospital Monday night where they discovered she also has cancer. The doctor doesn't give her long–a few weeks to months. She's being cared for in a place my Grandpa really likes as some of his friends spent their last weeks their and he visited them. We are very glad we got to spend time with them last week.

Work on the house keeps going on. For a while it felt as though nothing was getting done. I couldn't really help with anything, and the thought of it taking months longer was very stressful. But now things are looking better. I helped yesterday and got the siding off so we could put in new windows. A friend of ours who does construction and stuff is supposed to come over this afternoon and help. Dad's hoping that we will be ready to put in the insulation early next week. Then we need the guys to do the drywall. Maybe, maybe I can paint things in a few weeks!

As far as writing goes, I got some done. Reached my goal for the mini camp. It was only 3k, so that isn't much, but at least it's something. I'm still trying to get other things done like formatting and cover design for the pocket books I'm wanting to release.

Oh, and I'm playing in a wedding tomorrow morning. That will be fun.

Here's the next part of this story. If you haven't read any of it, you can read the parts in the tab above, and then read last week's part. (I haven't had time to add last week's part of the tab.) Enjoy!

 Part 7

    “Is she any good?” questioned Vic, looking up from his supper.
    “Nope.”
    “Why not?” Uncle Cleveland looked interested.
    With a sly grin, she replied, “Because her instructor is too busy texting his girl to pay any attention to how she’s doing.”
    “Hey!” Levi protested as a general laugh went around the table. “I haven’t been that distracted except for today maybe. And besides, I was checking on that mountain hike you were wanting to take.”
    “Surely not all the time,” Savanna teased.
    “Well Jaina is going with us, so . . .” The rest was lost in laughter at his expense. Though he tried to scowl, his grin couldn’t be hidden and he joined in the laugh. “Okay, so maybe it was a little more than just about the hike. She said she could come for supper tomorrow, Mom.”
    “Good.”
    Annette exchanged glances with Savanna. Would anything happen involving a ring? Both girls were eager, but neither one said a word about it until they were washing the dishes together. Everyone else had left the room, the guys to finish the evening chores and Ava and Aunt Yvonne to find something in the attic.
    “Do you think he’ll propose tomorrow?” Annette whispered.
    “I don’t know. I would think he’d want the rest of her family here when it happens, but maybe they’re coming too though he didn’t say anything about them.”
    “Would your mom know?”
    Drying a plate, Savanna shook her head. “If they were all coming, I’m sure Levi would have said something because he’s good at giving Mom a heads up when company is expected.”
    Annette couldn’t help sighing a little. “I was hoping for an engagement.”
    “So you could add it to your story?”
    “Yep. Of course Kate really doesn’t know anyone very well yet so I’ll probably keep that until the end. I don’t really want to write a romance. What are we going to do tomorrow?”
    “Well, it’s Saturday. I thought of calling Bethany and seeing if she wanted to come on a trail ride with us. Levi said you could go.”
    “Wait, who’s Bethany?”
    “My cousin. On Mom’s side. She’s a year younger then me. She’s got four brothers and they live on a ranch not too far from here. They’ve been busy or I’m sure they would have been over sooner. The boys often help on our ranch during the busy times. What’s so funny?”
    Rinsing the sink, Annette chuckled. “My story has cousins in it too. Only there were three boys and a girl. And all three girls already knew each other. Now things are going to get more interesting. You have any more cousins up your sleeve?”
    “Nope. Mom only has one sibling, Bethany’s dad.”
    Finishing up the dishes and cleaning the kitchen, Savanna told her cousin about her cousins. “They all have Bible names. The oldest, Judah, just got engaged in the spring. It’s going to be a fall wedding. His fiancee is out of town right now for two more weeks. Judah was with her for a week, I think she’s visiting a grandmother, but he had to return to the ranch. The others aren’t married.”

    Saturday dawned clear and bright. Tossing back her blankets, Annette padded to the window and looked out. She couldn’t watch the sunrise from her room, but she could from the front porch if she hurried and dressed. It took barely two minutes before she slipped from her room, her Bible in hand and tiptoed down the hall, down the stairs, through another hall and into the front room. No one was there, and she opened the front door. The porch was empty and she soon settled herself on the steps. It was too dark to read and she was glad she had tucked her small book light into her pocket. Turning it on, she soon found her place in the New Testament and started reading, looking up now and then to watch the changing colors in the sky. A soft whine sounded before a cold nose was pushed under her arm and John Wayne looked up at her.
    “I’m glad they don’t have little bitty yappy dogs, she murmured, gently petting the dog’s head. “I like big dogs best. And you are sweet even if you won’t keep the rabbits out of Aunt Yvonne’s garden.”
    John Wayne’s tail thumped against the porch and a soft whine came from his throat.
    “Oh, you think so, huh? Well, I agree about the rabbits. I always did like them. I even had one for a pet once. She was a lopped-eared one. She wasn’t always nice, but I did like her. Oh, look at the sky!”
    The dog forgotten, Annette gazed in rapturous awe at the horizon.
    The soft yellow glow had changed to gold and above it was spread a bright pink dotted here and there with purple clouds. Soon the pink changed to orange near the rising sun and above the pink, the sky was blue fading into a darker blue. Mesmerized by the color display, Annette could only think of the words of the Psalms “The Heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament showeth His handiwork.”
    “I wonder if Mom and Dad were watching the sunrise this morning,” she mused thoughtfully, rubbing her thumb over John Wayne’s ear. “Of course it would have been hours earlier. I wonder what it looked like there.”
    Finishing her quiet time, Annette was startled when the dog suddenly sprang up, his head cocked and then with a sudden leap off the porch accompanied by a deep bark, he dashed away. Puzzled, but figuring that one of her cousins or perhaps her uncle had gone out to start on the chores, she rose, picked up her Bible and, acting on an impulse, decided to follow the dog.
    There was no sign of anyone but she could hear John Wayne’s barking and the excited whinnies of the horses coming from the corral. Stopping at the back porch to leave her Bible on the chair, she hurried toward the commotion forgetting all about Savanna’s advice of wearing boots on the ranch. 

How has your weather been?

Have you ever played for a wedding?

Did you enjoy this part of the story?

Through an Author's Eyes - Part 6

 Good Morning,

Happy Friday. We can at least pretend it's Friday since I'm still not sure what day of the week it is. And if anyone finds any extra days, they are probably mine because I seem to be missing several days a week.

This was a different week. I worked on the house Monday and Wednesday. Went up and visited my grandparents on Tuesday, and yesterday and today I'm working on computer things, camp things, writing things, catching up things, etc. and helping on the house when needed. It was nice to actually wear something besides my work clothes! Our house is slowly getting put back together. Praying our friend who does construction and building and such will be able to come over and help soon. He said he would, but we don't know when.

 I wrote last evening. It was the first time since last Tuesday. And I got 414 words written. That's the most I've written in one day since August 9. 

Well, I'm keeping this short because I have other things to do. Besides, you get a full 1k words today. Yep, this is the next part of Through an Author's Eyes. I hope you enjoy it.

 

 Part 6

    It wasn’t until the next day that Levi had time to give her a lesson in horseback riding. “I don’t know a thing about horses,” Annette admitted, eyeing the horse before her with some doubt. “Are they supposed to be this big?”
    “Yep. They haven’t changed sizes since yesterday.”
    “They seem bigger, at least this one does. Or maybe I feel smaller just thinking about riding one. Are you going to lead the horse?” she asked, buckling on the helmet Levi handed her.
    “Just at first. Mouse is a gentle horse. She won’t buck you unless you try any tricks.”
    Swallowing hard, Annette squeaked, “What sort of tricks?”
    An amused grin had crossed Levi’s face. “Oh, like putting a bur under her saddle blanket, or trying to stand up in the saddle. She doesn’t like trick riding.”
    “You don’t need to worry, Mouse,” Annette whispered, gingerly patting the horse’s neck. “I don’t have any burs and there is no way anyone could pay me to stand up in your saddle!”
    “Come on, let’s head out to the ring. Here,” he thrust the reins into her hands. “Lead her out.”
    “Alone?”
    Levi rolled his eyes and gave her a slight push. “Get going. You’re the one who wants to ride a horse, remember?”
    Squaring her shoulders, Annette tipped her chin up and started off. Wearing Savanna’s boots made her feel as though she had to take long strides. “Come along, Mouse,” she said, hoping the nervous feeling in her stomach would disappear. “I’m going to ride a horse today, and you are it.”
    Once in the pen, Levi asked, “Do you know how to mount?”
    “I should, I’ve written about it often enough. Want me try?” At his brief nod, she moved to the horse’s left side, reached up and grasped the saddle horn with one hand and the back of the saddle with the other. Now all she had to do was find the stirrup with her left foot. It all looked so easy in movies. Somehow, after a bit of hopping on one foot, she found the elusive stirrup and stuck her foot in it. Mouse side stepped and Annette found herself hopping even more.
    Somehow, she wasn’t quite sure how, she managed to swing her right leg up and over the saddle. Letting out a sigh, she slouched. She had done it.
    “Sit up straight!” Levi’s quick command, jerked her upright. “Both feet need to be in the stirrups.”
    Looking down, while still trying to sit upright, was a bit of a challenge, but she found the other stirrup and rested her foot in it. She was on a horse. She had no idea what would come next, but she was on it.
    “Let me adjust the stirrups,” Levi commented, pushing her foot out of one and making adjustments on some buckle.
    After the second one was fixed, and her booted feet were back in, Annette looked at her instructor. “What now?”
    “Put your heels down.”
    “Aren’t I supposed to put my toes in so the heal of my boots hooks on the stirrup?”
    “No! You don’t want to get your feet caught in the stirrups if something should happen and you get thrown from the horse.”
    At that Annette’s face grew slightly pale. “Th-thrown?”
    “Don’t scare her, Levi,” Savanna ordered from her perch on the fence. “Annette, Mouse isn’t going to throw you.”
    Levi showed her how to hold the reigns and then stepped away from the horse. “You know how to turn her?” he asked.
    Annette nodded. “I think so. Like this?” And she moved the reins. When he nodded, Annette ventured a question, “Is this a soft mouthed horse?”
    An amused expression crossed Levi’s face but he replied, “Pretty much all our horses are. Are you ready to try it?”
    Trying to decide if she was nervous, scared or just plain excited, Annette nodded.
    “Okay, then, touch her with your heels and tell her to walk on.”
    As the animal started forward at her words and the touch of her booted heels, Annette gripped the saddle horn with her free hand. For several minutes all she could do was hold on in disbelief. She was doing it. She, Annette Jasper was actually riding a horse by herself! Making sure she sat straight with her heels down, she walked the willing horse around the corral. “I’m riding!” she managed to exclaim venturing a glance at Savanna as she rode past her.
    “Uh huh. You look pretty good on there too.”
    “Nudge her a little more,” Levi instructed from the center of the ring. “You can’t really call it riding until you’ve ridden faster than a walk.”
    Though she swallowed hard, Annette again followed orders. Each step seemed to jar her backbone until she got settled into the rhythm.
    When Levi finally told her to pull up the horse, Annette was feeling pretty good. “I rode a horse. Can I go on a long ride soon? Please!” she begged, looking down at Levi as he stood at the horse’s head.
    He looked up. “Soon. If you head out on a trail ride tomorrow you won’t be walking for a few days. As it is you’re going to be mighty sore. Go ahead and dismount.”
    Swinging down from the saddle wasn’t hard, but when she attempted to walk, she knew Levi had been right. “I don’t know if I’ll be able to walk properly again,” she moaned with a grin.

    The next few days were busy for Annette, she adjusted to the different time zone, rode Mouse any time Levi had time and would let her, and helped here and there, writing off and on. So far there had been no real adventures, but her characters were enjoying themselves, so she didn’t worry.
    At the supper table, several days into her stay, Uncle Cleveland turned to her and asked, “How is your story coming along?”
    “Okay, I guess. Kate, she’s my MC, is learning to ride a horse.” A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.

Do you want the next part of this story next week?

Have you found any extra days?

How has your week been?

Authentic?

 Good morning Friday Fiction Fans,

I hope you've all had a good week. Mine has been one of those weeks where you're not sure if you've gotten much done but the days are disappearing much too quickly.

I'm continuing to do what work on the house that I can. Sometimes this means I only get a few boards out in a day because they are difficult. They could be screwed or nailed, and if they are screwed the heads might be stripped which means they are almost impossible to get out. Nails are easier except when they've been "pigeon-toed"into a top or bottom board and you really can't get anything in there to loosen it. The floor has been jacked up and today the plan is to start putting new solid floors down.

As for writing, I wrote on Monday and Tuesday. Nothing since then. But I did format two pocket books and got the covers done. And I started work on the cover for one of this year's Christmas Collection stories. So I guess I've gotten something done.

Oh, and I've been working on the Five Fall Favorites stuff. Usually I have everything almost ready by this time, but not this year. This year has been so much busier than other years. Pray that it all comes together well.

 I'm only giving you a short story/scene I wrote at camp, but I did post a new page called "Through an Author's Eyes" which is 5 parts (5,000 words) of a story I started a few years ago that was a "just for fun" story. Next week I'm planning on giving you Part 6, so if you haven't already read Through an Author's Eyes, go check it out so you'll be ready for the next part. Now, enjoy! (And yes, I'm keeping things short so you have more time to go read the other story.)

 

    Courtenay stood by the side of the old stone wall. It was more than just a wall, it was part of a building, an old home, a store. Ivy grew up one wall across the narrow road, and there were signs of more on another wall. Underfoot were cobblestones, and just ahead the narrow road led under an arched entryway. The clop of horse’s hooves, and the rattle of wheels over the stones were the only sounds to be heard in the silent street.
    Pressing herself closer to the wall, Courtenay observed the bier approaching the barred gates of the local prison. It stopped and a guard appeared.
    One of the doors creaked open and a rough wooden box was carried out by two men and shoved into the back of the bier. As one of the guards turned from the box, he sneezed loudly. Before he could do anything a second and then a third sneeze cut the silence. The fourth sneeze sent the man’s hat and wig onto the cobblestones and everyone, guards and driver burst into laughter.
    Clutching her notebook in front of her, Courtenay marched forward a smile twitching her face. “Jared, this is the third take we’ve done of this scene and you keep sneezing! What is wrong?”
    “It’s . . . it’s . . . Achoo!!” Jared sneeze once more and stepped away from the horse-drawn conveyance. “I think it’s the authentic ancient dust you requested. I don’t sneeze except when I’m around the bier. Maybe . . . may-- Achoo!”
    Courtenay shook her head. “Authentic, ancient dust indeed. Maybe we’ll just have one of the other guards carry the coffin out because a sneezing guard doesn’t fit the grim story we are telling in this film.”
    “That would be very nice,” Jared nodded pulling out a handkerchief and blowing his nose. “I know biers are nothing to sneeze at, but I-- Achoo!”
    A general laugh went around the group, and Courtenay shook her head. 

 

Have you read "Through an Author's Eyes"?

Do you have any "authentic ancient" or even "antique" dust?

Has your week been normal or extra busy?

Yiayia's Door

 Good morning,

How can it be Friday already? And how can it be September? It's still July, isn't it? I don't know where the days and weeks have gone. I keep working on the house and working on the house, and somehow managing to fit in some writing, some blog stuff, and some other things, but it's so crazy.

I worked on the house on Saturday, and taught Children's Church on Sunday followed by a fellowship meal where I got to hold and cuddle the 1month old baby. That was special. I had needed some baby snuggles.

The rest of this week has been such a mix of things that I'm not sure what happened on what days. I've taken apart bookshelves (these are big, sturdy shelves that were built onto the walls), taken Sheetrock off different parts because we are either taking that part of the wall out, or want to know what is behind the wall. I've helped fix the phone/internet line because it got messed up since it is in the rooms we are working on. I've taken wallpaper off in the hall, practiced the violin, written about 100 words a day, and done some computer stuff.

But there are so many thing I would really like to do.  I'd love to design and create the cover for a story called "Keeping Up Hope" and the cover for this year's Christmas Collection. I need to format those two stories and my other short story "Beyond Comfort." I need to finish creating something on a website, get blog posts done, and get ready for the Five Fall Favorites because that is coming up super quickly! Speaking of which . . .

 I hope you are planning on coming.

Today's story is the one I write on July 2nd at Camp. Enjoy

 

    The sunshine was warm, and I was convinced I could faintly smell the Mediterranean. Everywhere were colors. Happy colors. Bright colors. Colors that spoke of smiles and laughter. Colors that brought back so many happy memories of the summers I spent here in Greece with my yiayia and my parents. I hadn’t been back in five years.
    Life changes in five years. At times it seems to stay the same. Same job, same friends, same places to shop. But then the changes come. Some are good. Some are bitter-sweet. And others leave you with an ache in your heart and tears in your eyes. I’d experienced all those and more in the space of five years.
    I’d gotten married to the boy-next-door; Patrick had been my best friend for as long as I could remember. Every summer when I stayed with Yiayia, I would write him letters. He only answered one or two, but I kept them. After we’d been married for a year we’d moved from our hometown to the suburbs of a larger city for Patrick’s work. That was bitter-sweet. I love traveling, seeing new places, meeting new friends, but it was hard to leave our parents, our first home, our church and friends.
    Last year was the hard year. My mama died. It was all quite sudden. I had time to tell her goodbye and to tell her about the baby that was coming. Then she was gone. The ache hasn’t completely gone and the tears still come though not as often now that little Charis, my mother’s namesake is here.
    But here I was back in Greece again. I walked down the familiar streets drinking in the sights, the colors, the smells. The Lord was good to allow me to come back with my husband and daughter.
    “Cilla.” Patrick’s voice brought my mind back from its wanderings. “Are you sure your grandma will be okay with us just showing up?”
    I laughed. “Okay? She’ll be more than okay. Yiayia will be ready to have a party. Aunt Sophia said she was bringing the rest of the family over tomorrow to see Yiayia, but wasn’t going to tell them we were here.” I gave a little bounce as I walked. I don’t care if I was a married woman with a baby. I was excited.
    “Is Charis still sleeping?”
    Patrick chuckled. “Nope. She’s as wide awake as you are.”
    As though to prove him right, Charis popped her little head up from her daddy’s shoulder and smiled her toothless smile that always melts my heart.
    Turning a corner, I caught my breath. There. Just ahead. We were almost at Yiayia’s. I felt tears rise in my eyes.
    In front of us was a stairway leading up the hill to the courtyards behind the houses. The house walls on either side were painted two shades of blue. I smiled. Ever and anon the walls would be repainted. Some summer they would be the same colors, sometimes different. Hanging on the walls were flower pots, each one painted a different bright color. And just to the left was Yiayia’s door.
    My hand shook as I knocked.
    I heard footsteps and then the door opened.
    “Yiayia!”
    The white haired woman stared for a moment and then held out her arms to me as a torrent of Greek words tumbled from her lips falling like balm into my heart.
    “Yiayia,” I said, smiling through the tears which streamed down my face, “I brought my Patrick, and--” I turned and took my little daughter from my husband. “I brought your great-granddaughter.”
    “The Lord has been good to me,” Yiayia said, clasping her hands together. “So very good. Come inside and you will eat, and I will hold my great-granddaughter. Tomorrow we will invite the family and then the neighbors. A time of celebration has come.”

Are you planning on attending the Five Fall Favorites?

How was your week?

Which of my new stories are you most excited to read?