HIS WAY HOME - A ROUND ROBIN STORY - PART 2

Written Fireside is Lori Connelly’s brilliant idea. A variety of authors gather around the virtual fire for a month and pass a story along across their blogs.
This is my second Written Fireside contribution. I think my husband is hankering after a go as he always enjoys brainstorming with me!
This month's story was started by Lori earlier this month and I join in with part 2.


Part 1 by Lori Connelly Tuesday November 12th


Part 2

“Let me make you a warm drink,” Beth said, letting go of Walter’s hand and getting to her feet.

“How about a mug of cocoa to warm you up?”

“I don’t want to put you to any more trouble than I already have,” Walter said. “I should be going.”

"Nonsense,” Beth said. “You don’t even know what happened to your face. I’d never forgive myself if I sent you back out into the cold now. Wait here, I’ll be right back.”

In the kitchen Beth poured milk into a pan and lit the stove before taking two mugs from a cupboard. She wasn’t quite sure how she was going to help Walter. He didn’t seem to know how he’d even got here. If Matthew had been here he’d know what to do. But he wasn’t. She’d made sure of that last night. When would she ever learn to keep her mouth shut?

She poured the warm milk into the mugs and stirred in the cocoa.

“Here you are Walter,” she said, pulling a small coffee table over to him and placing the drink down on it.

He looked distant. As though his mind were somewhere else entirely.

“Did you slip in the snow, Walter?” she asked gently.

He shook his head, shrugged his shoulders. He had no idea, the poor man.

“Perhaps you were driving?” she ventured. “Maybe you had an accident?”

“Were you mugged?” she tired, looking again at the cut above his eye. That could have been caused by a blow to the head.

“No,” he said hesitantly. “I don’t think so.”

He reached into his coat pocket. Pulled out a leather wallet.

“My wallet’s still here,” he said. “So I guess not.”

He rubbed his hand over the soft leather, the confused look back on his face.

He opened it up to reveal a photograph. A woman. The same sort of age as Walter.

“Is that Rose?” Beth asked.

“No. No, that’s not my Rose.”

“Who is it then Walter?”

“I don’t know who this is.”


To be continued.... 


Read Part 3 by Zara Stoneley on Tuesday November 26th
While you wait - check out her book Summer of Surrender

 
Part 4 by Lynn Marie Hulsman on Tuesday December 3rd
 
Part 5 by Romy Sommer on Tuesday December 10th
 
Part 6 by Jane Lark on Tuesday December 17th
Part 7 by Teresa F Morgan on Tuesday December 24th
 
Part 8 by Carmel Harrington on Tuesday January 7th
 
Part 9 by Sue Fortin on Tuesday January 14th
 
Part 10 by Erin Lawless on Tuesday January 21st
 
Part 11 by Mandy Baggot on Tuesday January 28th

A WITCH BY CHANCE - A ROUND ROBIN STORY - PART 5

Written Fireside is Lori Connelly’s brilliant idea. A variety of authors gather around the virtual fire for a month and pass a story along across their blogs. It was started by Lori at the beginning of the month and I join in with part 5. This month the story has a ghoulish Halloween feel.

Part 1 by Lori Connelly Tuesday October 1st
Part 2 by Aileen Harkwood on Saturday October 5
Part 3 by Zara Stoneley on Tuesday October 8
Part 4 by Kari Lemor on Saturday October 12

Part 5

She could feel the warmth of his lips on hers and a wave of heat passed through her body.

And then he was gone.

All this was too much to take in. Was she a witch? Is that what he was trying to tell her?

Confused, she looked down at her muddy feet. Something wasn’t right. Something was missing. And then she realised… Where were his footprints?

Her thoughts were broken by Karma rubbing up against her leg and purring. She scooped him up and headed home, her head still spinning.

In the night she woke in a cold sweat. The note. She’d seen that writing before. But where? And how could that be?

Pulling on her dressing gown she went downstairs to the kitchen to make a hot drink. The noise startled Karma who was asleep on top of the bookcase. He jumped down, bringing with him a pile of dusty envelopes. Ivy picked one up. It was an old birthday card from her mother. Three or four years ago now. When they were still speaking. She opened it up and the blood drained from her face. That was where she had seen the writing before. The note was from her mother…

They had never had a close relationship. Not like her friends and their mothers. She had always got on better with her grandmother. Until she had died two years ago, that is. And her closeness with her grandmother had always seemed to bother her mother. Maybe this was why. Maybe her mother had been scared that one day Ivy would want to follow the path that she had shunned?

She had to see her. She needed the truth.

It had been a long time since she’d walked up the path to her mother’s house. So much had been left unsaid. She knocked lightly and waited, her heart pounding in her chest.

The door opened.

“Hello Ivy, I knew you would come.”

Ivy looked away. Now was not the time for reconciliation. It was the time for answers.

“Why did you send me the note?” she asked, still on the doorstep.

“Won’t you come in?” her mother said.

“I just want to know.”

Stepping out on to the path her mother pulled Ivy close and whispered in her ear.
“I had to get you to the house. It was where your grandmother was born. It was where it all started for her. And it will too for you if that’s the path you choose.”

Why was she whispering?  Ivy didn’t understand.

Her mother pulled back, her hands still firmly on Ivy’s shoulders, and looked her straight in the eyes.

“You have powers beyond your wildest dreams, Ivy,” her mother said quietly.

“I know,” she said. “Chance told me.”

Her mother recoiled back. Ivy could see fear in her eyes.

“How did you meet Chance?” she stammered. “Stay away from him, you hear me. He is bad news.”

To be continued....

Read Part 6 by Carmel Harrington on October 19th

While you’re waiting check out her new book Beyond Grace's Rainbow

Part 7 by Teresa F Morgan on Tuesday October 22
Part 8 by Lynn Marie Hulsman on Saturday October 26
Part 9 by Jane Lark on Tuesday October 29

Please come join us as we weave our magic tale!!

 

The Park Bench Test is Up and Running!

So...quite a bit has happened since my last post.
I've celebrated my daughter's 3rd birthday - quite where those 3 years went, I don't know. Nearly tore my hair out with the Hello Kitty birthday cake!
I've been on holiday - 2 weeks in Gran Canaria with the hubby and kiddiwinks! Much needed rest and relaxation!
And I've realised (once again) that I have the best mum in the world - who came and stayed while we were away and spring-cleaned my entire house!! AND not forgetting my dad who painted the cloakroom!
Oh yes......and I have had a BOOK LAUNCH!
The Park Bench Test is now officially out there folks, and already getting great reviews. It came out on the fourth day of my holiday - so, needless to say, I celebrated with an All Inclusive cocktail and a bottle of champagne presented to me during the evening entertainment!
On the day of the launch I appeared in my local paper too - The Basingstoke Gazette - so all very exciting!

COFFEE AND CAKE GETS THE CREATIVE JUICES FLOWING

So....I told hubby he was in charge of the kiddiwinks today, popped to the gym for a quick 30 minute run and then ensconced myself in our new local Costa where I drank copious amounts of coffee and got to work on the final read through of The Park Bench Test before it is published in just over 3 weeks time!! I blame the sugar rush from the Millionaires Shortbread for my mind wandering somewhat, but on a good note, during one of the mind wandering episodes I did manage to come up with not one but two ideas for my next novel! Now all I need is to find a few extra hours in my life to write the damn thing!!

PUBLICATION DATE ANNOUNCED!

So pleased to announce that I am exactly one month away from becoming a published author!! My first novel The Park Bench Test is out on September 12th, published by Harper Collins' new Digital First imprint Harper Impulse. Check out their announcement here:

http://www.harperimpulseromance.com/books/the-park-bench-test/

It's been a long journey - so long I've got married and given birth to two children between writing the book and getting it published! But it's here now!!

 

Raring to Blog...

So...I have only been gone a mere 6 years! But I am back. And raring to blog!
In this short 6 year gap, my novel has been reviewed by the RNA, read in its entirety but one or two agents and publishers, and sparked interest in some exciting places...
On a personal note, I have, in this same 6 year interim, married, changed jobs again, and had not one but two beautiful children - the oldest now nearly 3, and the youngest just 5 months old. Why I now think I have loads of time to blog is simply beyond me!

New Favourite Numbers

Well - let me just say that my lack of posts in recent days is not indicative of a lack of words written.....
I am away from my novel-writing station so I can not be exact, but would estimate my current word count at around 88,000!!! I really am on the home straight now with just a few more scenes to write!
And what is more impressive (in my humble opinion!) is the fact that I managed it despite a hectic social calendar over the last few days - ending with my very first trip to the dogs last night. On my father's advice (he has worked in horse-racing all his life) I stuck to the same two numbers - 1 and 6 - on a 'reverse forecast' all night. After eight races (and EIGHT losses) I was about to give up when my numbers finally came up, netting me £15.05! (Last of the big betters....and we won't mention the fact that I had already shelled out 12 squid...)
Anyway - frivolities over - I will be knuckling down tonight and totting up a few more words.