Through an Author's Eyes - Part 11

 Good morning and happy Friday!

I hope you have had a good week. I have. It's been a bit crazy at times. We didn't end up babysitting my nieces and nephews last Friday after all because my youngest niece (22 months) got sick in the night. On Sunday I taught Children's Church, and then had choir practice afterwards.
Tuesday was the crazy day. In the morning I built another cube shelf for the sewing room. Then in the afternoon I was able to get 500 words written before all the nieces and nephews came over. We had to eat supper early because my two oldest nephews had basket ball practice. Oh, and my sister's last shelf for her fabric, and the last shelves for our bookcases came while we were eating. And we celebrated my middle niece's birthday. Yeah, it was rather crazy. But fun.

Busters (nickname for my 4-y-old nephew) loves to look in our paper recycle box and find envelopes that haven't been opened or ones that haven't been used, and invoices. And anything else he find interesting. He'll take them home to use for whatever he decides. Anyway, he had been finding "treasures" and after cleaning everything else up he came to me with an ad for shoes. "BehBeh," he says, "this needs to get recycled. It's just junk. It's not good for anything!" :D

Goosey-girl (nickname for 22 month niece) is funny. Suddenly, when I was holding her, she pulled her hands into her sleeves, bent her arms and started flapping them while saying, "Quack! Quack! Quack!" I asked her if she was a duck, and she grinned and said, "Yeah." Then she did more flapping and quacking. I wish I had a video of it.

On the writing front things have been going well. Over 2k on Monday, and while I only got 500 words on Tuesday, I have since gotten at least 1k or more the other days. My goal for this month was to finish my secret project and write 20k. Well, Secret Project is finished (not edited or anything), and I've written 25k words. I've been working on Lawrence & Lenexa this week and it's so nice to get back into it. I'm starting to get tiny glimpses of why Mrs. Johnson acts like she does. We'll see what happens.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this next part of this story.

 

Through an Author's Eyes

Part 11

 

    After a nap and a leisurely stroll down the lane, Annette, though she still felt stiff and sore, could move about with more ease and no longer dreaded the stairs. Sunday supper at the ranch was a relaxed affair. And then everyone gathered in the living room and listened to the latest story Uncle Cleveland had written. Or at least the latest installment.
    “I get my best critics from my own family,” he laughed to Annette. “I’ve tossed entire chapters because they declared they were too something or other. And would you believe it, they want things to be real.”
    “You mean they don’t think kidnapping and bad guys escaping from jail, killers on the loose and people with dark pasts they are trying to hide are everyday happenings?” Annette pretended to be shocked as she settled herself in the corner of the couch.
    Uncle Cleveland laughed. “Nope. Did you bring your story down?”
    Somewhat startled, Annette shook her head. “No . . . Was I supposed to?”
    “If you want to run it through the gauntlet of the Ranch Mill. If it passes them, it’ll pass your readers.”
    “I don’t think my story is ready to be read yet,” she began slowly. “It’s still rather new and Kate hasn’t even woken up to realize how sore she is from her ride. Actually, she isn’t even done with her ride yet. I kind of left her . . .” She shrugged sheepishly.
    “Maybe another time,” Aunt Yvonne suggested. “We’d love to hear it.”
    “Would I have to read it aloud?” Annette watched Levi and Vic who had just come in from finishing up some chores, find seats and stretch their legs out in preparation for the coming story. “I don’t read aloud very well unless it’s a children’s picture book.”
    “I’ll read it!” Savanna offered. “I’m longing to read those descriptions you wrote.”
    Since everyone had arrived, Uncle Cleveland cleared his throat, a habit Annette was to discover happened any time he read his own work, and began. It was a fascinating story and Annette was soon lost in the tale of two brothers who set out to prove to their wealthy father that they could be happy without money and fame. When the short story was over, the comments began. Annette listened in silence wondering if she would dare to show her little story to this group of critics. No one said anything really bad, but there were a lot of discussions and some suggestions. She would wait and see what her story was like in another week. After she’d had more time to write.

    “Just how do you expect me to get back on that horse and ride when I’m still having trouble walking right?” Annette demanded of Levi, folding her arms and staring at her cousin.
    Settling the saddle on the back of Mouse, Levi turned his head briefly and glanced at her. “The way you’ve been doing it. Put one foot in the stirrup and swing up.”
    “I’d like to see you do it,” she muttered, though the corners of her mouth twitched with the smile she was trying to hold back.
    Levi didn’t reply but handed the reins to Annette and said, “Take her to the pasture gate.”
    Suspicion clouded her mind and she looked narrowly at her cousin. What was he up to? She always rode in the ring except when she went on a trail ride Saturday and paid the price. But Levi had disappeared back into the tack room and Mouse gave her a nudge as though suggesting they follow directions.
    Walking out to the gate, Annette surveyed the lovely scene around her. She couldn’t see any cattle as they were farther from the house, but even so the landscape with it’s rolling hills and green fields made her want to run through the grasses and wander among the hills to the foot of the towering mountains.
    “Ready?” A voice beside her brought her mind back with a start.
    When she turned, she saw Levi mounted on his favorite horse. “What . . . Where are we going?” she asked making no move to climb aboard her trusty steed.
    “Just out to check the cattle and the fence on the south slope. We’ll ride easy.” When she hesitated, he added, “You did want to learn about ranching, didn’t you?”
    “Yeah. I think anyway.”
    “Then mount up and let’s get going. The day’s awaisting. You’ll be back in time for lunch so stop worrying.”
    Feeling her muscles scream in protest, Annette climbed somewhat stiffly into the saddle and gave a sigh. “There should be some easier way to learn to ride a horse.”
    Levi chuckled. “There is.”
    “How?”
    “You can start riding a horse as soon as your old enough to sit up, or,” he added when she grunted, “you can take a long time and ride a little here and a little there. Eventually you’ll get used to the saddle and won’t be sore.”
    “But I don’t have lots of time.”
    “Exactly.”
    The ride proved to be a pleasant one even if her muscles were still not pleased with being used again. Levi had her dismount and mount several times as they checked the fence. At one time she even helped him fix one of the strands of wire that was loose. Well, she at least helped somewhat. She felt like she wasn’t doing any good, but Levi was a patient teacher and before long the wire was tightened and they were riding on again.
    “Levi,” Annette asked after they had ridden some time in silence, “Do you always want to be a rancher?”

How was your week?

Would you rather have one crazy day or several busy days?

Would you be willing to have your unfinished story read aloud for comments?

Snowy Adventure - Part 3

 Good morning, faithful Friday fiction fans,

It's cold this morning. As in 7º F cold. (That's -14º C in case you were wondering.) No snow. That came last Saturday, stuck around Sunday, and was gone on Monday. It was in the 50s Tuesday, then in the 20s on Wednesday with a bitterly cold windchill. Yesterday was sunny but never got much beyond 21º. Today it is supposed to get just above freezing.

This week has been another good one for writing. Not only have I already gotten 6k written, I'm almost to the end of my secret story. Even though I had to rearrange the last 6k words because I realized the scenes weren't in the right order, I managed to write almost 2k yesterday. I'm really hoping I can reach the end today, but my nieces and nephews are coming over this evening, so I'll have to write at a different time. We'll see what happens. I still need to clean the house. (Do any of you clean your house on Fridays?) And wrap some presents for my niece who is turning 7 today. My sister is going to make a large cookie for dessert.

I also need to do a few more things, but we'll see how much time I have. I know this is short. I guess I just don't have a lot to say right now. Enjoy the last part of this story! I still think it needs a little more in the middle of this part, but I didn't have a chance to write it.

Snowy Adventure

Part 3

 

    “Well, I was just exploring, and trying to find one of those old cabins you mentioned,” Coral tried to explain. “I saw one up there,” and she gestured with the flashlight to a nearby cliff, “but I slipped and kind of hurt my leg, so I thought I’d just sit here and read.”
    “Didn’t you realize no one knew where you were? You caused quite a lot of worry, young lady.” Micah’s voice was stern. “You should have been heading back to the lodge not sitting here reading. I–”
    The radio crackled to life.
    “Micah, can you read me? Come in, Micah.”
    Snatching the radio, Micah let out a sigh. “I read you, Isaiah. I’ve found her. We’ll be heading back. She’s okay.”
    “Glad to hear it. I’ll let the team know.”
    “Thanks. Let my wife know too, please.”
    “Will do. Over and out.”
    Micah silently replaced his radio. “Come on, Coral, let’s head back.”
    Without a word, Coral unzipped her coat and put her book and flashlight in the inner pocket and then zipped her coat shut again. “I’m sorry, Micah,” she whispered. “I wanted to go back, but I couldn’t. My leg hurt too much and I–”
    It was only then that Micah realized his sister had mentioned hurting her leg. “Which one?” His voice became less stern.
    “My right one. I can’t stand on it, Micah, I tried.” Tears filled Coral’s eyes and one spilled down her cheek.
    Crouching down, Micah gently felt the injured leg. It was hard to tell if it was broken or only sprained under the layers of clothes. “Where does it hurt?”
    “My knee. My ankle, and between. I’m not sure exactly except that it all hurts when I tried to walk.”
    “Can you bend you knee?”
    Gingerly Coral did so. “Yeah. Some.”
    Micah pressed a little more firmly on her leg, trying to discover the extent of her injury without resorting to exposing her leg to the cold and snow.
    “Ow!”
    “Sorry, Pink.” Sliding off his pack, Micah quickly pulled two splints and a bandage. “This may not be the most medically correct way to treat an injury like this,” he remarked. “But it will have to do. There’s a storm coming and we need to get back to the lodge before it hits. Are you cold?”
    With her lips pressed tightly together to keep back any cries of pain, Coral shrugged.
    “I’ll take that as a yes. You’ve been sitting here long enough to catch cold if not worse.” He pulled out the emergency blanket and a hot pack which he broke and unzipping his sister’s coat, he slipped the pack inside the front.
    “Why didn’t you come home with Candle?” Micah asked after he had wrapped the emergency blanket around her and then shouldered his pack again. “She’d been back an hour before anyone realized you weren’t back.”
    “I wanted a vacation too.”
    “A vacation?” Micah echoed. “Here, put your arm around my neck so I can pick you up. Did you bring any food along because I’m sure you weren’t this heavy this morning.”
    Coral gave a half giggle. “You wouldn’t know, you didn’t pick me up.”
    “No, but I did the day you arrived.” After calling Candle who was sniffing around a few yards away, Micah started down the slope with his sister in his arms. “Now, what was that about wanting a vacation?”

*

    Coral lay on the couch with her right leg resting on a pillow, the bright pink cast was covered with signatures and little pictures. She looked at it and gave a little sigh. It had been a long night. By the time she and Micah had reached the edge of the trees the snow had become thick and heavy and had it not been for Candle’s ability to find her way, things could have been different for the lodge was not visible in the snow.
    Then there had been the trip to the hospital in Micah’s truck with the snowplow on the front as soon as the storm had stopped at midnight. Her leg had been broken, just a simple break for which she was very thankful, and a strained knee and ankle. The doctor had advised her to only try for one injury next time not three on the same leg.
    Mom and Dad had talked with her about going out by herself but agreed that being laid up with a broken leg was punishment enough.
    Now she resting at the lodge. Everyone else but Grandma who was taking a nap, and Grandpa who was working a cross-word in the other room–if he hadn’t fallen asleep–were outside in the new snow. Giving another sigh, Coral laid down her book and frowned. She could read all she wanted now, and wasn’t asked to help in the kitchen or play with the younger ones. But somehow she wasn’t interested in reading. She missed being wanted and needed.
    A cold nose touched her hand and Coral smiled as she gently stroked Candle’s head. “I’m sorry, Candle,” she said softly, “I should have listened when you wanted to go back to the lodge. You were a lot smarter than I was. Thank you for finding me.”
    She looked up and saw her big brother. “And thank you too, Micah. I don’t think I’ll like the snow quite as much after this.”
    “Oh, I don’t know,” Micah said, pulling up a chair and sitting down. “You can enjoy the snow just as much; it’s the exploring on your own you need to be cautious about.” He grinned. “But that cast should keep you from too much mischief. For six weeks at least.”
    Coral wrinkled her nose at him.
 

When do you clean your house?

Do you think this story needs a little more?

Have you ever felt like Coral in wanting a vacation during a vacation?

Snowy Adventure - Part 2

 Good morning and happy Friday!

I hope you all have been having a good week. I have. It's been a week of words. No, I haven't talked all week. ;) But I've read, I've helped move and shelf, and rearrange, and sort books, books, and more books. And I've written! On Monday morning a new story idea just hit me out of the blue. I have no idea where the plot came from, but I couldn't get away from it. So I did what most sensible writers who have stacks of unfinished stories do. I wrote the idea down. Only I shared it with a few people who begged for the story. No. I am not going to write this story until I get some other stories finished. That's final. Until that evening. I'd been working on another story (shall remain unmentioned for now) and after getting over 1k written on it, I did decide to write the first scene of the new story since it was already created in my mind. 317 words got written. And the story left me alone on Tuesday. On Wednesday it came tiptoeing back and begging me to write just a little more. So, once again, after I'd written my 1k+ on the other story, I wrote just a bit more. About 100 words this time. And so far, this story has been pretty content to wait. Thankfully! But in spite of being interrupted by this new story, I've managed to get 6k written already. (My goal was 5k for the week.) And I'm hoping I can get 2k more between today and tomorrow.

That's pretty much been my week. I have also gotten to get outside and walk several days this week. So nice! There's chance of snow here tomorrow. We'll see what actually happens. 

Well, this is a bit late, but here's the next part of this story. Enjoy!

 

 Snowy Adventure

Part 2

 

    Micah glanced outside and then looked at his wife. “Call Isaiah, would you? Let him know we may need a search and rescue team. I’ll go out with Candle and maybe we can find Coral without help, but just in case–” He let his sentence die unfinished.
    His wife knew what he meant.
    “And Beth, let the adults know, but don’t let any of them go outside! Tell them to pray. Not one of them is used to this kind of snow.”
    Bethany nodded.
    Having worked as a volunteer with the local search and rescue team for the past two winters, it didn’t take Micah long to get ready. He had his rescue pack that contained a first-aid kit, hot packs, a blanket, matches, and more.
    Just before he stepped outside, Dad came in, his face worried. “Let one of us go with you, Micah.”
    “Sorry Dad. No. None of you are experienced in the snow and it would only slow me down. I have Candle, and I’m hoping she’ll be able to find Coral quickly. You stay here and pray that the snow stops. Oh, and you could check the vehicles just to make sure she’s not hiding in one of them reading.” He smiled slightly trying to ease the worry he knew his dad was feeling.
    Dad nodded and stood silently by as Micah and Candle slipped out into the white world.
    Remembering that he’d seen his younger sister behind the lodge, Micah turned his steps that way. “Come on, Candle. Find Coral. Where did she go?”
    Candle barked and raced around the lodge as though knowing where she was going.
    Micah followed. It was rather easy to follow Coral’s tracks across the open field at first, but the snow continued to fall and the wind was picking up. Time was of an essence. Tipping his head back slightly, Micah squinted into the flakes. They seemed as fine as the grains of sand in an hourglass. “Dear Father,” he prayed aloud, “would You stop the snow for a time? Turn the hourglass on its side and let me find Coral. Please, Father.”
    A crackling noise made Micah reach for the radio he used during rescue missions.
    “Micah, can you read me?”
    “Loud and clear, Isaiah.”
    “The team is standing by. What’s your plan?”
    “Following Coral’s tracks now. If the snow doesn’t stop tracks will be covered and it will be guess work if Candle can’t find her. I’ll give you an update in fifteen.”
    “Roger that. Ten sixty-five.”
    Clipping the radio back to his pack, Micah checked the time on his watch and frowned. If Candle had been let in an hour ago, there was no telling how long Coral had been separated from her. “She’s heading toward the trees.”
    A few minutes later he reached the trees and found to his relief that the snow hadn’t covered her tracks yet.
    “Coral!” His shout seemed to disappear into the silent woods.
    No answer came.
    “All right, Candle,” Micah said, “let’s go find her.”
    Candle started forward, sinking now and then into softer snow but still pressing forward.
    “Pink!” Micah shouted, cupping his hands around his mouth. Still no answer.
    When a quarter of an hour had passed, Micah reported to Isaiah and asked about the weather forecast.
    “Temperatures are supposed to start dropping in a few hours. Five to ten inches of snow expected before tomorrow.”
    That was not what Micah wanted to hear.
    “Do you want the team out?”
    Micah scanned the woods. “No, I can still see her tracks. If the snow doesn’t get any heavier I think I can still follow them.”
    “All right. Report in another fifteen.”
    “Roger that.”
    The tracks began to go uphill and Micah prayed she hadn’t gone far. “Coral!” He tried the nickname he’d used since she was a baby. “Pink!”
    Suddenly, Candle let out a bark and her tail began to wave.
    “Pink!” Micah shouted pushing back his wool hat so he could hear better.
    A faint sound from somewhere to his left but higher up, made Micah turn his head and scan the snowy woods. He couldn’t see anything. “Find her, Candle. Go to Coral!”
    The dog, as though released from an invisible leash, left the tracks and plunged into the unmarked whiteness; her master following. Over fallen logs, through brambles and thorns, around towering pines, Candle went. Her tail waving and her tongue hanging partway from her mouth.
    “Coral!” Micah shouted again.
    This time he could hear her voice. “Here!”
    “Stay there. I’m coming!”
    It took ten minutes for the searching dog to reach the girl. Candle began to bark and whine until Micah joined them.
    “Pink, what were you doing?” Micah asked, seeing his sister sitting beside a pile of snow covered branches under the overhand of a large rock with a book in one hand and a flashlight in the other.

What do you do when a new story idea hits?

How was your week?

Would you go and read in the snow?

Snowy Adventure - Part 1

 Good morning!

Yes, this is late. We slept in and I'm just now getting to the computer. My sister has the nasty cold that I had last week. Prayers that she'll be well enough to go to church on Sunday would be greatly appreciated. 

This week has been good. I've felt like I've had a productive week. I have actually written every day since Monday! The last time I wrote 4 days in a row was the beginning of September when I was finishing up the 100-for-100 challenge. I've also helped get books on our new bookshelves in the hall! It's actually starting to look like our hall with books on shelves. Well, sort of. We've never had white shelves and finished walls and floors before.

Anyway, I'm keeping this short as I have other things I need to do before breakfast so I can clean the house after breakfast. It needs it! I hope you enjoy the first part of this story. Since we got snow yesterday, it just seemed to be the right story.

 Snowy Adventure

Part 1

    Coral Williams stepped from the door of the lodge her family was staying in and grinned. There was snow everywhere. Since she was from Alabama, snow was a novelty to her and she didn’t want to miss a chance to get out in the cold white stuff.
    Something brushed against her leg and she looked down at the golden retriever who had followed her outside. “Hello, Candle. Did you want to play in the snow with me?”
    The dog wagged her tail and panted.
    “Then come on.” And Coral left the porch and started off across the snowy yard. Since the front was well trampled from the family’s time outside yesterday building snowmen and forts, having snowball fights, and writing messages with sticks, Coral made her way around to the back of the lodge. Here the land was open in a large field of white until it reached the forest sheltered by snow laden branches.
    The mountain’s dark rocky wall, which offered shelter to the lodge, stood out in sharp contrast to the white landscape below it. Overhead the clouds hung low and only a faint glow in one part showed where the sun was shining in the blue sky above.
    For a while Coral was content to wander here and there, making snow angles and throwing an occasional snowball for Candle to chase. She was glad to be outside away from everyone. It wasn’t that she disliked her nieces and nephews or her brothers and sisters, cousins, aunts, uncles, parents or grandparents, it was just–
    “You understand, don’t you, Candle,” Coral said, crouching down and hugging the dog. “There’s just too many people sometimes and all the little ones want me to play with them all the time. And when I don’t someone cries and then one of the grownups asks if I’d be willing to watch a different little one, or help in the kitchen. I’m always in demand by someone. Why, I haven’t even had a chance to pick up a book once since I’ve been here!”
    Candle tipped her head and her ears perked up.
    “I know,” Coral went on. “I thought this was going to be a family vacation.” She sighed. “I think everyone else is having a vacation but me.” Standing up, Coral gave a decided nod. “But I’m going to have a vacation right now. I’m going to find a nice cozy cabin and read. Micah said there are old cabins in these mountains, and he ought to know since he lives up here.”
    Candle gave a bark.
    Coral laughed. “Of course I brought a book. I zipped it inside one of the inner pockets of my coat. I thought of reading in one of the cars, but they get cold. You can come with me.” In her imagination, Coral could already picture the small, rustic cabin, a warm fire blazing in the fireplace and a comfortable rug or chair where she could read uninterrupted.
    She looked about her for a minute and then set off across the trackless snow. There really was no wind and everything was hushed and quiet. She made her way to what appeared to be a narrow trail leading into the trees. She loved exploring.
    “Come on, Candle,” she said, “maybe we’ll see some deer or even a fox on the way to the cabin.”
    But Candle stood in the open and whined. Coral coaxed and begged, but Candle refused to go. Instead she looked toward the lodge, and back at Coral and barked.
    “No, I’m not going back there yet,” Coral said, crossing her arms. “I’m not cold, and I don’t want to play picnic or dress-up or bunnies. I want to go explore. Come on, Candle.”
    Candle wagged her tail slowly and gave another bark.
    “Fine,” Coral sighed. “Go back to the warm lodge. Micah said you liked the snow. Maybe you only like it a little while.” With that she turned and started up into the woods.

*

    “Has anyone seen Coral?” Bethany asked, bouncing a fussing twin in each arm. “She’s so good with the twins that I thought maybe she’d like to cuddle one.”
    “Isn’t she back yet?” Dad asked. “I told her she could go out and play in the snow two hours ago.”
    Micah looked up from the book he was reading for the third time to some of the little ones. “Candle went out with her and she’s back, so she’s probably around somewhere, Beth.” Micah returned to the book not caring if his pronouns were clear or not.
    A few minutes later, after refusing to read the book for the fourth time, Micah noticed his dog standing by the door as though wanting out. “You were just out not long ago, Candle. Didn’t you have enough cold and snow with Coral?” He bent and ruffed the dog’s fur up affectionately. “Besides, it’s starting to snow.”
    “Micah?” There was something in Bethany’s voice that made Micah turn quickly. “No one has seen Coral. And Ben said he let Candle in about an hour ago but he didn’t know Coral had been out with her.”

How was your week?

Have you had snow yet?

Would you go exploring like Coral did?