Ginger's Six Sentence Sunday

Well, there's been a change in plans.  My contract for Sarah's Journey has expired, so I'm looking to another publisher to re-release it.  The book is in the process of some minor changes, so once again, I've decided to switch horses midstream, so to speak, and I'll be sharing snippets from my WIP, Chugiak Moon.

By sharing six sentences with you every Sunday, I will effectively be pressuring myself to become more dedicated to finishing this historical novel.  I started researching this project during my trip to Alaska last year, and the Tanaina Culture within the Athabascan Indians is the feature of my story.  Since I'm going to start at the very beginning, I don't think I'll need to set up anything for you.  As a die-hard pantser, we'll all find out the story as it progresses.  I have no idea where my heroine, Nasnana, is taking me.  (big smile.)

After you finish my six here (and hopefully leave a positive comment), please head back to Six Sentence Sunday and follow more of the links.  Here's my six today:

A wolf’s howl pierced the night--a chilling sound, too close for comfort.  Although Nasnana's pallet sat atop birch branches inside her family's lodge, a chill crept over her and sent her snuggling deeper into her caribou blankets.  Despite the downy softness, she shivered. Perhaps fear rather than the cold iced her.  Pulling the fur higher, she ducked her head beneath it.  She hated noises at night.

Ginger's Six Sentence Sunday Offering

It's not an April Fool's joke.  Hattie's Heroes is finished and has been submitted.  There's just one little catch...what started as an historical western with only one hero has turned into a time-travel with two heroes, hence the change in the title and the cover.  My friend, Ro, did the final reading for me, and she gave it a big thumbs up, but then we both think alike when it comes to leaving out a lot of boring stuff that for us makes the story drag.  I'm a firm believer in getting to the point and moving on.  I hope you approve of my final six from Hattie's Heroes.  Next week, I'll be switching gears a bit.

Cover by Dawne Dominique

 Set Up:  After passing signs of Indians earlier in the day, Billy is standing guard over Hattie as she washes clothes.  Hearing a noise in the tall grass along the river, he disappears from sight, and all she hears is "Swim for safety, Hat--":

Hattie’s heart pounded and she eyed the rapid current.  Terror cloaked her, but she dove into the river, surfacing with a gasp for air. Billy wouldn’t have urged her to save herself for no reason.  Churning water whisked her away like a dandelion fluff in the wind.  She tried calling for help, but water filled her mouth, gagging her and drowning out her words.  She craned her neck to keep her head above the white caps, flailing her arms and shivering from fear. 

Now that you've finished with my six, how about returning to Six Sentence Sunday and following some of the other links?  There's some great stuff out there.

Ginger Simpson-Six Sentence Sunday

It's SSS again and Super Bowl Sunday.  Hope those of you who aren't football enthusiasts will continue on with my time-travel with an historical twist, Sisters in Time.  I hope you're enjoying the bits I've been sharing.  To refresh your memories, Taylor has awakened on the Rocking C Ranch in the 1800s while pioneer wife, Mariah has been in Denver's best hospital and is now on her way home with David, the man who insists she's his wife.  They've stopped in front of a set of doors, and while in her wheelchair, Mariah questions why they're waiting.  David has simply said, "Elevator," like she should know what it means.

Today's six:

The massive doors slid open to reveal a strange little room. Without a word, David turned the wheelchair around and, tugging at its resistance to a raised threshold, bumped her up, over, and inside. He pushed another button, and the doors came together and sealed them inside. The metal prison sucked every bit of air from Mariah’s chest. She panted in quick gasps, detesting the feeling of confinement in such a small area. David seemed unaffected and obviously didn’t notice her state of panic.

Sisters in Time is available via Eternal Press or on Amazon in both download and print.  And don't forget to go to Six Sentence Sunday for more links, especially to Angela Quarles, a fellow time-travel author.  See you next week, when we'll discover some of the strangeness Taylor's discovered.

Ginger's Six Sentence Sunday

Sundays seem to roll around faster and faster.  Welcome back, or if you're a first timer, I'm sharing six sentences from my time-travel romance with an historical twist, Sister's in Time.  The story isn't confusing when read as a whole, but in bits and pieces, it requires a little set up.  

Two women switch bodies and eras, finding themselves far removed from their own husbands and comfort level.  Mariah, my pioneer wife is in a modern-day hospital, meeting a television for the first time:

When the nurse pushed another button, the screen immediately changed to a man kissing a woman. She depressed the button again—a person cooking, then someone talking about feminine hygiene. Mariah’s mouth gaped. Why would they talk about such a private thing? What was this thing called a remote control? Was it a product of the devil himself?

Find Sisters in Time at Eternal Press or on Amazon.



Be sure to check back at Six Sentence Sunday for more links from the SSS participants.  I have so many favorites there I'm following.  You're bound to get hooked.  Make sure to visit Angela Quarles, who features another time-travel that I'm loving.

Six Sentence Sunday - More Sisters in Time

Welcome to Six Sentence Sunday.  If you click on the hyper-link, you'll find a whole passel of authors who share an exciting six with you every week.

Last week's six concerned Taylor, (Sisters in Time) the feisty, female attorney from the 20th century who awakens and finds herself in a room someone might find on a dude-ranch.  Actually, she's traveled back in time to Denver territory, and is on the Rocking C Ranch in the 1800s.  She's in possession of her mental faculties, but she's in Mariah's body, and of course, you saw her reaction to Frank when he insisted she was his wife.

Continuing on, Mariah is awake in a modern-day hospital in Denver, and a strange man sits by her bed, calls her darling, and is totally blind-sided when she insists she isn't who he believes her to be.

My Six:

My name is Mariah Cassidy.”

She seemed so serious; it worried him. “Fine, sweetheart. Whatever you say. You rest and I’ll go get the nurse or a doctor or…somebody.”

He cast a final confused look over his shoulder as he walked out the door.

****

I hope you'll continue to join me as we learn more about Sisters in Time, available on Amazon or at Eternal Press.

Six Sentence Sunday

Welcome to SSS again.  I'm continuing with another six from my time-travel with an historical twist, Sisters in Time. In this scene, Taylor has just awaken in Mariah's bedroom, in the late 1800s.  The last thing she recalls is driving her Lexus to work in downtown Denver, fiddling with the radio to quell the onset of static, and then hearing a crunch of metal.  She's bruised, bandaged and dizzy, and dealing with a strange man who insists she's his wife, and she's losing patience with him.  He's trying to refresh her memory my mentioning their daughter, Callie.

 Taylor winced when she squared her shoulders. She massaged her temples with her fingertips. “Look, Frank, or whatever your name is. I don’t know any Callie, and I don’t know what you’re trying to pull, but it’s not working. Don’t piss me off. Either call me a taxi or bring me the damn phone!”

Tune in next week for Frank's reaction.  :)

Six Sentence Sunday

It's Six Sentence Sunday again...where you can find links to some great reads.  I'm happy to be part of such impressive company.  This week  I'm jumping back to  my latest release, Embezzled Love. Part of any relationship includes fighting and making up.  Evan's good at getting himself back into Cassie's good graces.  :)

She stood, peering out the window, when Evan walked up behind her, put his arms around her and pulled her close. They didn't speak.

The aromatic smell of apple dishwashing detergent still hung in the air even though the soapy water had disappeared down the drain. His warmth permeated her robe and brought a secure feeling that dispelled his presumed past.

"Cat got your tongue, baby girl?" His toasty breath drifted across her neck. "Do you have any idea how much I love you?"

*****

I look forward to sharing more with you and  I wish each of you...

Six Sentence Sunday

Here we are again.  Does it seem like the Sundays are getting closer together?  Boy, once you hit fifty, the downhill side races by.  :)  Today, I'm sharing six sentences from my time-travel romance with an historical twist.  A modern-day female attorney and a pioneer wife find themselves locked inside the other's body, in an era far removed from her own, and facing a husband who can't understand she isn't who she appears to be.  From Sister's in Time:

“Look fella, I’m not Mariah. Evidently you’re in the wrong place if you are looking for someone by that name.”

The stranger rushed over and took her in his arms. “Oh my sweet angel, the bump on your head is worse than Doc Samuels thought.”

Taylor shoved him away. “Take your hands off me. Who is Doc Samuels, and who in the hell are you?”

You can find Sisters in Time at Eternal Press or featured on my Amazon page.  Now head back to Six Sentence Sunday and follow some of the other links.

Six Sentence Sunday

Welcome.  This is another six from my upcoming release, Embezzled Love.  Just to catch you up...Cassie and Evan have moved in together after meeting on an Internet dating site.  The road has been rocky, and things are coming to a head. She's worked hard to get where she is in the insurance industry, and now she fears her job is in jeopardy.  Here's today's six.

Palpitations skipped thought her chest, and the black pit of depression beckoned after so long. All her adult life, she'd worked hard to get where she was in business, and everything couldn't end with an announcement at a stupid meeting. The least Takeda could have done was let people know if they were among those making an early departure. Not knowing was akin to having an axe hanging over your head. She didn't know whether to volunteer for the farewell party committee planning group or wait to be invited to one. Her sense of dread grew like a wart from a virus.

Now head back to Six Sentence Sunday and follow some more links.  :)  Thanks for coming, oh, and Embezzled Love will be available soon from Books We Love.

Six Sentence Sunday

Does anyone but me feel like our Sundays are getting closer together?  Anyhow, welcome, or welcome back, as the case may be. Last week, I added a second blog to the roster and I guess I did something wrong as neither were linked. Trying again, today, I'm sharing another six sentences from Embezzled Love, my December release coming from Books We Love.  The last two weeks, I shared an argument between Cassie and Evan, so I'm switching gears.

As tired as she felt, the thought of being in his arms and letting go of the day’s stress did sound inviting. His angular chin, the twinkle in his eyes, the bulge already evident in his jeans…everything about him heightened her craving.

Despite their rollercoaster relationship, the man had changed her life for the better. She’d even stopped taking her anti-depressants and no longer suffered from the horrible black thoughts that once haunted her. She went willingly to him, her heart overflowing with joy that someone loved, desired, and wanted to share a life with her.

After holding her right for a few minutes, Evan pulled back and gazed into her eyes. 

***
Now, head back on over to Six Sentence Sunday's site and follow some of the other links there to find additional engaging sixes.  Yes...I think mine's engaging.  :) 

Six Sentence Sunday

Welcome.  Today I'm continuing with six from the argument scene I started last week. Embezzled Love, a very "different" romance, is releasing in December from Books We Love. 

...If you weren’t so stupid, you could handle things here and I wouldn’t have to be the one to bail you out.”
"Bail me out?"  Her voice raised two octaves.  "You've got to be kidding.  Look around.  I was doing just fine before we met.  Starting two businesses at once was your idiotic idea.  My stupidity was letting you call all the shots...

Now return to Six Sentence Sunday and enjoy more from my very talented peers.  Beware...you'll get addicted.  Don't forget to come back next week.

Six Sentence Sunday

 Welcome, or if you've been here before, welcome back!  Today, I'm sharing an argument scene between Evan and Cassie.  His continued spending is raising her hackles, and he's growing tired of her lectures.  The sparks are flying...check it out, but don't get burned.  :)  Once you've read my six, click back to Six Sentence Sunday for more.

Evan grabbed her by the arm, yanked her closer and stared at her. His warm whiskey breath assailed her senses. “You walked into this relationship willingly, and I already told you I’m not gonna answer to anyone for my business decisions. I’m not a kid who does chores for an allowance. I’ve been looking under every stone I can turn to find homeowners in need of landscaping. You have no idea how to convince a total stranger he needs everything you want to sell him, but I do...


Books We Love is releasing Embezzled Love in December.  Hope you've been tempted enough to get your own copy.  Remember, books make excellent gifts, and "tis the season."   Good grief, I'm another year older than I was last time you were here.  Where has time gone?  Don't forget to come back next week for another six.

Six Sentence Sunday

Thank you for stopping by to share six sentences from my soon-to-be-released, Embezzled Love.  Cassie Fremont has joined a computer dating site and met the man of her dreams...or has she signed on for a nightmare? This story is based on my sister's true-life experience and just might make you think twice before putting yourself out there, or not.  :)

In this scene, the luster is starting to wear off the relationship already.  Doubts have crept in...

Work all day, her ass!

Earlier, she’d considered a nice Chablis with dinner, but in her mind, wine was a celebratory drink and she didn’t feel much like proposing a toast.  She filled water glasses, placed them on the table and took her seat. Evan’s cheery whistling signaled his approach.  What if she was wrong and he had been working all day?  She might believe that except she’d just seen her credit card yesterday and now it was missing.  Her jaw tensed when he appeared in the doorway and flashed his confident grin.

Embezzled Love, coming in December from Books We Love. 

Now, click back to Six Sentence Sunday and follow some of the other links.   Hope you come back next week for more from Embezzled Love.

Six Sentence Sunday

Welcome back.  Today, I'm sharing six sentences from an upcoming release, Embezzled Love.  This story was actually published and offered in print, but since I've regained the rights from the publisher, I'm contracting with Books We Love and offering EL as an e-book.   The story is based on a non-fictional accounting of my sister's misfortune.  Names have been changed to protect the innocent.  *I always wanted to say that.*  At the end of the book, I've offered some valuable insight as to how the story is written, so if you want to know, you'll have to download it when it becomes available in December.   Gotta run...I have lots to do before then.  OH...and don't forget to click back to Six Sentence Sunday and read other titillating sixes.

In my scene, Cassie is meeting with her brother and sister, who don't approve of her new-found Internet romance.  They've done a little research and called her over to share their findings.  Clearly, she's not impressed.  Without further ado...here's my six sentences about my sister's roller coaster ride to hell:

Frank slid a piece of paper in front of her.

“This is from Maricopa County, Arizona. You’ll notice the name on the complaint is Evan Dennis. This person embezzled over three hundred thousand dollars from customers under the guise of landscaping contracts.” 

She pushed the paper away, annoyed by Frank’s smugness and not impressed with his investigatory work. “There must be a million people who share Evan’s name.”

Six Sentence Sunday

I apologize for not reciprocating visits last week, but I wasn't feeling well again.  I promise to do my best today.  I'm going to share another six sentences from my western historical WIP, Hattie's Hero, as it encourages me to write more, and faster.  I need to finish this story and get it published.  Hattie's wasted time by being silent and she's finally talking to me again.  Yippee!

Remember, Hattie is young, naive and experiencing new feelings around boys.  She's grown up in a orphanage and has always been the older child.  Now, striking out on her own as caretaker for the three Franklin children on a wagon train to California, she's attracted to Billy Monroe, the young man  Mr. Franklin has hired to accompany the family for extra protection and help.  Enter another handsome young man in the form of Deputy, Tom Wainright, and Hattie is even more confused...especially about why she is drawn to Tom when she likes Billy so much.  Here's one of the latest scenes between her and Billy after she's met Tom:

 

Billy side-stepped away and removed his arm from around Hattie.  He flashed a sheepish grin, wondering if she would say anything about his bold move.  The redness in her cheeks and the manner in which she shifted from foot to foot showed her uneasiness without her muttering a word.  He steeled himself and gathered his nerve.

“I thought he was payin’ a little more attention to you than he should have.  I wanted him to know that someone is lookin’ out for you so he didn’t get any notion that you’re…."

For more snippets from other authors, click back to Six Sentence Sunday and enjoy yourself.  I'm number 125 this week, and the number is still growing. You'll get addicted, so watch out.  :)  Want more?  Come back next week.

Six Sentence Sunday

Comments in my blog the other day indicated I might have made a boo boo in identifying today's blog as SEX Sentence Sunday.  It surely was a slip of the finger, but I decided to leave it since the majority of the snippets I've read are laced with desire, sex, and lots of heat.  Me, I'm better at sweet romance with a hint of allure and desire, so with that said, I'm sharing six sentences from Hattie's Hero.  Until very recently, Hattie and I weren't speaking, and finally, after way too long, she and I have restarted our journey together to end this novel.  I feel confident the storyline is going to be one to hold your interest. 

Let me set the scene:  Hattie is traveling with a family to California via wagon train.  She's grown up in a local orphanage and nabbed the job of helping out with the three small Franklin children as her way to escape and get a life of her own.  Billy Monroe has also been hired by to accompany the family, adding extra security and assistance for the mister.  Of course, Hattie is naive and inexperienced, and Billy has been on his own for quite a while.  Right when they are discovering the pleasantries of keeping company, another young man shows up and threatens to stop their romance dead in its tracks.

Here are my six sentences:

He sauntered into camp, rivaling Billy in every way. Sun kissed skin, dark hair, broad shoulders, narrow waist…even the rugged good looks.  Rather than sky blue eyes, sparkling chocolate ones peered from beneath the dust-powdered brim of his hat. The light reflected from the gold star pinned to his shirt. Hattie slid Zachary off her hip and stood him on the ground.  She smoothed her skirt with dampened palms and flashed a nervous grin.  “H-hello.”

 If you want to read more, visit Six Sentence Sunday and click on the authors' links.  You're bound to get addicted.  Thanks for coming back this week and I hope you'll come back again.  I can't wait to finish Hattie's store and share it.  I already have a stunning cover and I'll be sharing that too as I get closer to completion.

Six Sentence Sunday

Welcome, or welcome back if you're a return visitor.  It's Six Sentence Sunday again and time for another dose of Joy's Revelation.  It's a little scary how close together the days of the week have become.  I feel like I just posted SSS yesterday.  Anyhow...Joy is still reeling from finding a birth certificate that displays the name of someone else and wondering if it has anything to do with the scar on her abdomen.

On with my six sentences:

Joy wavered between crying and pacing the length of her bedroom.  Prickled by nervousness, she questioned her decision.  Surely Scott would be repulsed by the revelation of the secret.  Should she offer back the ring before he demanded it?  Images of the beautiful gown she’d picked out floated through her mind and disintegrated into tattered rags.  The imagined sunshine on her upcoming wedding day disappeared behind massive thunderclouds. 


To read more teasers, click on the link above and pick your poison for the huge list of authors that tends to grow every week.  Joy's Revelation is a short story available from Muse It Up Publishing...and guess what?  Muse celebrates their first year anniversary with a WOWZA 50% off Weekend Special. That's right, as of today until midnight on Sunday, MuseItUp would like to thank everyone for their support this past year by offering you 50% off any purchase. Just add the following code in the discount box in our bookstore's cart before you move on to Paypal:  MFAS2011
 

Six Sentence Sunday

I'M BAAACK!  Gosh, being sick is a drag, but I'm better and signed up for today's Six Sentence Sunday.  Hooray!  I'm going to continue with bits of my latest release, Joy's Revelation available on Amazon and at Muse Publishing.  Joy has already given her fiance her virginity, but how is her discovery going to affect their upcoming wedding?

Lead in...Joy Garrett is preparing to marry the man of her dreams and needs her birth certificate in order to get a passport for her honeymoon.  For some reason her mom wants to avoid the issue and urges her to enjoy the good ol' USA.  While pilfering in her mother's things in the attic, Joy comes across a birth certificate, and although the date, hospital and doctor are a match with her, the paper certifies the birth of someone else... What secret is her mother keeping?

“Joey Andrew Garrett.” Born the same day, same hospital, and delivered by the same doctor

her mother had mentioned. But a male child? Joy touched her abdomen—the scar. A million

questions roared in her mind, but none she wanted to ask. The answers might be too frightening.

If you want to read more six sentence offerings, click here and be on your way.  Thanks for visiting and please come back.  :)

 

What Happened?

This was supposed to be my western-themed time of the month, and I did receive a few great posts to share with you...like Annette's from a few days back.  Unfortunately, I made a little trip to the ER which resulted in a five day hospital stay, and then the house we made an offer on closed within a mere two week period, and we moved.  When you aren't around to remind folks of their blogging appointment and to post to FB and Twitter, things sort of fall apart.  I apologize, but do hope you'll stay tuned for those folks who did submit something from the "old west."

Today is the anniversary of a very tragic time in US history.  Like all other atrocities, rather than relive them, today I chose to say a small prayer for those seeking comfort of the bad memories and ask that I be used as an instrument to continue to do good things in a world so divided.  If you are one who is mourning a loss today, I send you a virtual hug, but life is for the living, so let's celebrate the moment.  :)

Living is what Odessa wanted to continue to do in her story.  When her father dies beneath the crushing weight of their over-turned wagon, her determination drives her to find a way out of the desert and back to civilization.  Sometimes, even when you set your mind to something, it doesn't always work and a little divine intervention works wonders.

Enter Zach Johnson, a would-be outlaw, who is wrestling with his conscience.  I could give away the story when hero and heroine travel together, but you'll have to read to find out what happens when Zach meets up with the leader of a gang determined to lighten the load of a wage-bearing stagecoach and a trusted companion who helps him find Odessa when she is carted away by grudge-bearing gunslinger.  Things aren't always as they seem.

Thanks for continuing to come back to Dishin' It Out, and now that I'm in and settled once again, perhaps I can get back to the pleasure of writing and blogging.  In the meantime I'm waiting for the bills to start pouring in from the tag-team of doctors who visited me in the hospital.  Thank God for health insurance and please...keep Obamacare from my doorstep.  Oops...that was political, wasn't it.  Sorry. :)

Oh, next Sunday, I'll be back to Six Sentence Sunday which I've missed because I get to share such great tidbits from others.  I almost forgot to add that Odessa is offered by Eternal Press and on Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com plus a myriad of other places on the Web.

Six Sentence Sunday

  

I had planned to share more of Searchers with you, but because I'm hosting Young Adult authors for the next few days, I'm kicking off the event with six sentences from my own, Shortcomings.  Yesterday, I visited a "Safe Home" for women and children and spoke with one of the counselors there.  Because my grandson, Spencer, is autistic, bullying and mistreatment have become topics of great interest.  I'm planning to use the study guide I created for my book to talk to middle and high school students, and if I can stop one person from being abused, then I will have accomplished something special.  If I could go back in time and do things differently when I was a young person, I would flash back in the blink of an eye.  I'm haunted by the young man who rode my same bus...the person who committed suicide because he was bullied every day.  It was easy to turn a blind eye to avoid becoming a target myself, but I often wonder if I had spoken up, moved over and let him share my seat, or just given him a smile, if things might have been different. Maybe if  we thought about what we said before we said it, someone's ego might not suffer.  In proof, I offer the first six from Shortcomings:

“Hey, gimpy, wanna race.” Amidst a gathering of her groupies, pep squad captain, Sally Rogers, yelled at Cindy Johnson from across the street. Sally fanned her shoulder-length auburn hair back from her face and stood with one hand on her curvy hip. “If you win, maybe I’ll buy you something new to wear.”

Her taunting tone ate at Cindy, but she refused to respond. Sagging against the tree at the bottom of the hill leading home, she wished she could sprint the distance to escape the piercing stares and haunting laughter. 

You can join in the fun of Six Sentence Sunday by clicking the link and finding the names and urls to more participating authors.  There's a bunch of 'em.   Oh, and if you like what you read, Shortcomings is available from Muse it Up Publishing or on Amazon.com.  Although it's advertised as Young Adult, it's suitable reading for all ages, and I believe the message it delivers is important.