Thursday, August 31, 2017

Thursday's Second Scene - Melodic Dreams #MFRWauthor #Occupational Therapy #romance

Jay stared at the woman on his doorstep. For an instant he thought his dead wife had risen like a wraith to disturb his peace. Selfish, ego-entered and a thief. Delores had stormed off like a tornado ripping his emotions to shreds. His hands clenched sending arrows of pain up his arms.
“What do you want?” The sharpness of his voice made him step back.
“Don’t like him. He’s sour.”
The piping voice of the young boy diverted his attention from the look-alike. Was this woman attempting to pass off the boy as his? He knew the truth. Months after Delores’ departure and realizing she wouldn’t return, he’d sent a private detective to find her. He’d intended to present her with divorce papers. He had the report of her accident and death.
“Who are you?” he demanded.
“Maria Russo.” She pulled the boy forward. “This is Jamie, your son.”
Did she think he would fall for her line? Was she pushing her child as the baby Delores had aborted? There’d been no mention of a child in the report Amos Black had delivered. All there’d been was the article and a death notice from a small town newspaper. Delores had been the only fatality.
Jay rubbed his right hand with his left. By the time he’d read the report he’d been drunk. The scanty information had confirmed she’d had the abortion. No way was this child his.
The boy raised his head. Jay grasped the door frame. Eyes as green as the ones he saw every morning met his. This had to be a trick.
The young woman kept her hands on the boy’s shoulders. “Jamie, no tears. It will be all right.”
“He’s mean. I don’t want a mean dad.”
“We’ve surprised him. Remember what we talked about during our trip here?”
The child toed the stone landing. “Maybe he didn’t know about me.”
“That’s right.”
And true, Jay thought. He drew a deep breath. Though the boy had the eyes and seemed the right age, this Maria was Delores’ sister. She could have known about his eyes. He couldn’t commit himself until he knew more.
“What do you want?”
She met his gaze. “To talk.”
Her eyes weren’t the ebony ones he remembered. Flecks of gold made them appear to be dark honey. Her stance, though stiff, the way she held the boy, made her vulnerable. “Yes, let’s do that. I’m not convinced but the reports I saw contained no details.”
Her eyes narrowed. “You didn’t see much then.” She raised a folder. “I wouldn’t be here if there was no need.”
Her words held a ring of truth. “You have proof?”
“Yes.”
He moved out of the doorway and gestured. As she entered, he noticed how her gaze roamed the foyer and glanced at the shrouded furniture in the living and dining rooms. Doing an appraisal? The question remained unasked. He strode down the hall past the front staircase toward the kitchen.
After placing the folder on the table, Maria pulled a red truck and a top from her huge bag. “Jamie, go play while I speak to your father.”
“Okay.” He pressed his nose against the screen door. “Can I go outside? I like the flowers. There are more than in Nana’s garden. Oh, there’s the cat.”
“You can see the garden but stay where I can see you.” She turned to Jay. “Is the cat wild?”
Jay shook his head. “Shadow’s tame and shy.”
Maria turned her chair so she could see into the garden. The boy stepped outside and sat on the ground and spun the top. Tinkling noises played a simple song.
Jay sat across the table. “If you’re after money, forget it.”
Her back straightened. “ Two weeks from today I start work at Fern Lake General.”
Jay tilted his head and studied her expression. “What does that have to do with me?” He scowled. “Where did you find the boy?”
Her dark amber eyes glinted with anger. “At Branley Hospital where the doctor’s took him from my sister’s dying body.”
She was good. Her low voice remained steady. That was the hospital mentioned in the investigator’s report.
Delores’ angry thereat rose in his thoughts. “I’m getting rid of this thing and filing for a divorce. I’ll take you for all I can get.” The sultry voice that had enchanted him had turned harridan harsh.
He propped his elbows on the table. “Do you expect me to believe your story?” His doubt centered on the child’s resemblance to Delores and Maria. Except for the eyes.
“It’s the truth.”
The fire in her eyes raised a heat he couldn’t deny. He clamped his lips in a tight line. No way would another Russo woman play him for a fool.
She pulled papers from the folder and slid then across the table. “Marriage certificate, birth certificate, a copy of the hospital records and one of the police report. Check them out and note the dates.”
Jay glanced at the papers. They seemed legit but a good con artist would know how to obtain forgeries. “What do you want? Do you plan to go to court and sue me for child support?”
As she shook her head, her dark curls bounced. “I want nothing from you except the money to pay for Jamie’s pre-school so I can work to support us.”
“What did you do during the past four years?”
Sadness flared in her eyes. “Until three months ago, my mother watched him while I completed my Master’s and worked part-time.”
Jay tapped the birth certificate. “Father unknown. Why wasn’t I informed about his birth?” Knowing he had a son and caring for him might have kept him from escaping into alcohol and wandering the country. This had to be a scam. If he agreed to pay for pre-school, what would she ask for next?
She leaned forward. “My mother believed the stories Delores spouted about your vicious temper. She thought you didn’t deserve to know about the baby, especially when you had ordered Delores to have an abortion.”
“What?” Anger flared and brought an urge to yell. He pressed his hands against the table. Pain shot from his fingers along his wrist and his arm. “No way in hell. Your sister didn’t want a child. The thereat was hers.”
Maria edged back. “After Mama died we had to sell the house. I found Maria’s suitcase in the attic where the marriage certificate and some other papers had been stored. I began to doubt her stories so I looked you up and I located the other papers I’ve given you.”
Was she telling the truth? The possibility shook him. He needed time to think this thorough. “I’m a busy man and I have no idea how to raise a child.”
Her hands fisted. “I don’t expect you to physically have anything to do with Jamie’s care. Just a good pre-school with aftercare. I’ll even vet them.” She walked to the door. “Spending time with your son would be nice for him but the choice is yours.”
Though Jay wanted to deny the possibility of paternity what Maria said about the boy could be true. Wrapping his thoughts around the possibility stunned him. He had to call Amos Black and have the man check her story. He didn’t have time for this emotional barrage.
Marriage had meant family until Delores. He’d wanted a different family from the one he’d experienced as a child. No father pushing for his children to follow him on the concert stage. No mother more interested in charities that her children. No nannies or housekeepers to raise the children. Delores had agreed until she’d become pregnant. Then his dreams had vanished. For almost a year after she’d left, he’d turn inward with grief.
The day he’d learned of her death, he’d taken off and bummed around the country seeking something he couldn’t find. He’s finally reached Manon and his sister’s words had sent him back to Fern Lake and the house he’d inherited from his mother. During the past year, his muse had returned and he’d emerged from the shadows.
Deadlines faced him. The half finished movie score needed a uniting theme. The musical had barely been begun. Composing had saved him and blurred his grief over a child who had never been. Now there could be that lost child. He didn’t know what to do or say.
Maria turned from the door. “Will you help?”
“Is there no one else?”
“I have a brother.”
“Appeal to him.”
She laughed. "Not a good idea. Once he knows where you are, he will arrive and demand money for all he spent on Jamie.”
“Are you sure?”
She nodded. “If you refused he’d smear you in the tabloids. Famous Composer Denies His Child. I’m sure he and my sister had concocted a scheme to drain your bank account. She was on her way to New York City when she had the wreck.”
His shoulders tensed. Pain curled his hands. “Did you steal the boy? Is your brother his guardian?”
His name is Jamie. I’m his guardian. Have been since the day I took him from the hospital. If you’d like I’d share him with you. He’s a special little boy.”
Jay drew a deep breath and caught the subtle scent of vanilla. Maria looked like a softer version of Delores. Her features lacked the sharpness of her sister’s. Maria’s laughter and her care of the boy made her more interesting. He liked the way her dark hair curled around her face and the liveliness of her dark amber eyes. She had more curves than his dead wife. What would…Whoa. He had no time for her and the boy but…In that instant he made a decision he might regret.
“Select a school. Call me with the name. I’ll handle the finances. Then stay out of my life.”
“Jamie’s your son.”
“Maybe but right now I don’t have time for him.”
She turned from the door. Disappointment shone in her eyes. “Write down your phone numbers. I’ll call.”
What did she expect? Did she think he would sweep the boy into his arms? He refused to do more until Amos discovered if the papers she’d brought were legit. He should ask for a DNA test but that could wait until the detective made a report. He didn’t want the emotions Maria Russo had stirred. He didn’t need another Russo woman destroying his ability to create.




Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Wednesday - Hooking Seducing the Photographer #MFRWHooks #MFRWauthor #photography

Seducing the Photographer (At First Sight Book 2)


Blurb:
Meg is sure she’s made a mistake when she agrees to pick up and Injured Steve, the magazine group’s photographer from the airport. The first moment she saw him, the Blakefield Curse took effect. She fell in love and she was a forever woman. He wasn’t. Spending time with him over the weekend only cements her feelings. She has rules of life and she breaks everyone of them even the new ones she added that weekend.

Steve has been intrigued by Meg and he enjoys her blushes. He’s found ways to raise them but something more is happening here. When she leaves abruptly, he wants to track her down but his broken leg makes pursuit difficult. Now he must find a way to win her over and that takes some time and clever moves.

Excerpt:
“Wait a minute.” Meg’s shoulder muscles tensed. Once more she had leaped into a steaming cauldron. She stared at her brother. What did his cat in the cream smile mean? Was this some kind of sick joke? “You want me to do what?”
“Go to the airport. Meet Steve’s plane. Drive him home. He spoke each word as though he spoke to a child.
Meg’s emotions tumbled over each other like stones in a polishing tumbler. “I’m the last person he would want to see. Remember the scene I created three weeks ago.” Though she hadn’t shouted her accusations the words had flowed through the open office door. She would never forget Steve’s reaction. First an angry denial. Then he’d laughed and declared he would do no more photo shoots for Good Lookin’. His voice had boomed.
“Come on. Steve doesn’t hold grudges. Kiss and make up. He would enjoy that.”
“Right.” Meg glared at her brother. She couldn’t tell him or anyone about her first meeting with the photographer.
He’s the one. Her body had taken fire the moment their hands had touched. She knew she’d been taken by the Blakefield curse.
Every time he came near or when there was a casual touch her body reacted and the voice in her head repeated those fatal words. She blushed. His knowing green eyes showed he knew about the strong attraction. He always smiled and made a teasing remark. Though she’d become adept at avoiding him her feelings hadn’t changed.

Mark laughed. “Pick him up.”


Tuesday, August 29, 2017

Tuesday's Writer's Tip Goals Scene and Book.

Each scene you write has a goal for one or more of the characters. This goal may be the one you've chosen for the character in the end or it may be just for that scene. So let's look at this from a small viewpoint.  Johnny wants a date for the prom. He has always liked Cindy but has never had the courage to do more than talk to her.

The scene would begin with a meeting with her and his fumbling way of asking. Now Cindy might want to go with Roger so her goal is different from Johnny's. The scene will end when one of them fulfills their goal.

To take this to the larger picture. Years later John runs into Cindy and she has become a beautiful woman. He remembers how she turned him down or how she accepted him and he decides to pursue her. In some ways his goal hasn't changed from when he wanted a date. Has her goal changed? This will be how the longer story plays out.

So a goal is something a character wants.
The goal can be possession of a thing. The goal be relief from something.. Or the goal can be something like revenge.

Be sure to make the goal a strong one.

Monday, August 28, 2017

Meandering on Monday with Janet Lane Walters #MFRWauthor #poem #writing

Meander 1  Poem - The Meeting

Did you share the same feelings as I.
A sort of anti-climax.
Excitement filled me deep and thoroughly
Until the journey ended.
And then I saw your face so calm.
I wondered what was hidden.
You took my bag and said hello.
We went into the day.

Meander 2 - The One-Armed Writer. I wonder if this is a companion to a one armed bandit. Hardly since there is a chance with you grasp that arm you will be rewarded. Not the former. Writing one-handed works but typing and getting dressed poses a few problems. I do hope this problem will go away. Not for while since i was told to wear this rad black brace for two weeks and one has not yet passed.

Meander 3 - Writing - Still working on Sweet Tea. Two more drafts to complete. Granddaughter is helping iwth the typing so that's a help.

Sunday, August 27, 2017

Sunday's Book - Melodic Dreams - Janet Lane Walters #MFRWauthor #occupational threapy #romance

Melodic Dreams (Moon Child)

When Maria and a child she says is his arrives on Jay’s doorsteps, he is in the middle of composing a musical. Though the four year old has his eyes, Jay can’t be sure this isn’t a scam. He believes his dead wife took steps to rid herself of the child. A need for his assistance to help with childcare while she works is Maria’s reason for arriving in Fern Lake. She also believes her nephew should know his father. Can Jay accept and learn to love his child and deal with the attraction to a woman who physically looks like his dead wife? Can Maria deal with his trust issues and a threat from her own family?

Reviews


on March 24, 2015
Format: Kindle Edition|Verified Purchase


|
on June 20, 2015
Format: Kindle Edition|Verified Purchase


on May 4, 2015
Format: Kindle Edition

Saturday, August 26, 2017

Saturday's Blurbs featuring Books by S. Peters #MFRWauthor #Mystery Paranormal

Blurbs and Buy Marks / an excerpt from Unorthodox
Writing this mixed blend of genres gives a lot of opportunities for plot and subplot twists, tension possibilities, romance, other developing relationships, and of course with the supernatural there are openings for the impossible to become plausible.  I so enjoy that part and hope you do too; )

Here’s the mini tagline for Unorthodox:
Kendra’s ability of communicating with the dead is requested by her FBI criminal analyst friend to stop a killer from murdering agents.

Here’s the back cover blurb:
Kendra Spark, suspense-mystery romance author and communicator with the dead, is requested to hop on the first flight to D.C.
Jenna Powers, FBI criminal analyst and estranged best friend of Kendra, gets ghosticized in a fatal accident before relaying all the details of the FBI killer case.
Derek Knight, a dedicated FBI Special Task Force agent, takes lead on the case.
The investigation into the FBI agent killings continues as Kendra, Jenna – yes, even after death – and Derek work together on the case before Director of the Special Task Force Jackson Powers’ number is up. He’s Jenna’s father and the end-game of the killer’s target list.
Somehow the elusive killer remains undetected, until Kendra’s unique ability produces results and a final possibility at stopping his killing spree before it’s too late.

Here’s the Kendra Spark Novel series mini tagline:
Kendra sees ghosts, and then her BFF, Jenna, becomes one. The two friends and FBI agent Derek Knight fight for justice to the victims of heinous crimes.

Here’s an excerpt from the Author Review Copy: 566 word count
(From the Advanced  Review Copy: The scene – Kendra meets Jenna at a café  – D.C. location)
“Sparky.” Jenna used the pet name she’d christened me with in our younger years, her spin on my last name, Spark. It never suited my persona, and still didn’t. “I need your expertise.”   
No hug. How are you? What you been doing the last three years? “Expertise?” I repeated, maybe to alleviate the way it set me on edge. Was she inferring my criminal knowledge? My only crime awareness came from the research gathered for the mystery romance novels I wrote. If either of us were an expert, it would be her, the psychologist and analyst profiling criminals for the FBI.
 My shoulders drew tense on instinct, something that used to happen often when around Jenna. Her history of manipulation plagued my past, and even though she never did it to hurt me, I wasn’t game to pick up where we’d left off.
She grabbed my hand and pulled me into the café. We ordered and carried our coffees to a table on the outdoor patio. A waist-high brick wall surrounded us and kept the traffic noise and smelly exhaust bearable. She sat across from me, sipping her coffee, and eyed me over the rim of her cup.
Her sudden silence gave me another reason for suspicion as talking was Jenna’s lifeline.
She set down her cup so abrupt that hot liquid splashed over and dotted a trail across the table toward me. “You know what I’m talking about, right?” She swayed her body, waving her arms, and a ghostly “whooo” streamed out of her mouth. “You still see them, right?”
“Is that why I’m here? Why you called me in a panic to come to D.C.? ‘It’s a matter of life or death, jump on the first plane out of Detroit. I’ll explain it all when you get here.’ Those were your words.” I stared at her, dumbfounded and maybe a little hurt or a lot pissed off. I had deadlines to meet. No time for a ghost hunt or whatever she was concocting. “Well, I’m here. Explain.”
She stared at me, the same calculating stare I was used to seeing whenever she was about to talk me into something out of my comfort zone.
“And what does my ability have to do with anything you do?” It was like meeting up with a stranger, not my best friend, not the girl I grew up with and had known like a sister. We’d been inseparable, until she left.
She has no idea what she’s asking. I’d stopped sharing any of my apparition experiences with her because she was always horrified to know ghosts roamed around in our reality. I ended “spirit-talk” in front of everyone else before that. Being the brunt of jokes and seeing expressions toward me run the gambit of bewilderment, surprise, and then undoubtedly fear…of me, like I was mentally unstable or a quack-job had changed my public behavior.
“Derek is supposed to meet us here in a few minutes. He’s the FBI agent working with me on a case.”
So like Jenna to change the subject, her excellent form of deflection remained the same as what I remembered.
She leaned closer over the table even though there was no one else sitting on the patio. “I wanted a little time to familiarize you with the case and see if it’s possible for you to communicate with any of the murdered victims.” 

About S. Peters-Davis:
S. Peters-Davis writes multi-genre stories, but loves penning a good page-turning suspense-thriller, especially when it’s a ghost story and a romance. When she’s not writing, editing, or reading, she’s hiking, RV’ing, fishing, playing with grandchildren, or enjoying time with her favorite muse (her husband) in Southwest Michigan.
She also writes YA paranormal, supernatural, or sci-fi novels as DK Davis.


Friday, August 25, 2017

Friday's Guest - featuring S. Peters - Who She Was Before #MFRWauthor #Mystery

Unorthodox, A Kendra Spark Novel by S. Peters-Davis
About S. Peters-Davis:
S. Peters-Davis writes multi-genre stories, but loves penning a good page-turning suspense-thriller, especially when it’s a ghost story and a romance. When she’s not writing, editing, or reading, she’s hiking, RV’ing, fishing, playing with grandchildren, or enjoying time with her favorite muse (her husband) in Southwest Michigan.
She also writes YA paranormal, supernatural, or sci-fi novels as DK Davis.


What were you in your life before you became a writer? Did this influence your writing?
SPD – Hello Janet, thank you for this opportunity to guest post, and I’d also like to thank everyone stopping in to Eclectic Writer Blog. Appreciate your time and wish you all an amazing day:)
My life before I became a writer…hmmm, wife, mother are givens, a number of part time jobs while rearing my children, and then production manager at a plastic film extrusion plant, which took number of years for me to evolve into that position. I enjoyed every minute of it. The stories going around there rated as food for a writer’s fodder or should I say folder; )  When I left to pursue a writing career, everyone supported my big move – that was seventeen years ago. Whew, how time flies.

Are you genre specific or general? Why? I don't mean genres like romance, mystery, fantasy etc. There are many subgenres of the above. 
SPD – When I read a story blending paranormal, suspense-thriller, romance, and crime-mystery I’m intrigued, deeply. It’s why I use all of those in my stories, plus include in a nice dose of supernatural for the extra opportunities of creation and then I get to play at making it all plausible.

Did your reading choices have anything to do with your choice of a genre or genres? 
SPD – Yes, I read mostly the genres I write as indicated in last question. I’ve read those genres since my teen years.

What's your latest release? 
SPD – Unorthodox will be my first book in the Kendra Spark Series – it will release on September 15, 2017
I also write young adult and mid-grade books as DK Davis – Secret: In Wolf Lake released January 1, 2017, a sci-fi YA.

What are you working on now? 
SPD – I’m close to finished on the second book in the Secret Series – Secret: At HL Woods written as DK Davis and I’m co-writing a mid-grade book, Jake & Sam, Twisted Tales of Freakish Fun, with an author friend, S. Willett (Author of mid-grade Country and the Rock trilogy). 
I’ve also started Malevolent – the second book in the Kendra Spark Series.
And I’m always working on or learning about promoting/marketing and social networking, and I also consistently work to hone the craft of writing.

Where can we find you? 
SPD –

Thursday, August 24, 2017

Thursday's Second Scene _ Divided Dreams - Janet Lane Walters #MFRWauthor #romance #medical

The jangling noise of three alarm clocks startled Rob Grantlan. He straightened and stared at the computer. Must have dozed. He hit save and stretched.
Six months ago he’d signed a contract giving him his dream. The first of his medical suspense novels had been accepted. He’d signed a contract committing him to two more.
After stretching he rose. Time for a shave, shower, and coffee, before heading to Fern Lake General to okay a deal granting him freedom. He strode to the bathroom between his study and his bedroom and stripped to step beneath the spray. He shaved and returned to the bedroom. He paused at the walk-in closet, found slacks and a shirt. He dressed, checked the time and poured the last of the liquid from his gallon thermos into the cap doubling as a cup. The time had come to relinquish the last tie to his father.
Six months ago his father’s death had set Rob on a path to explore a world he’d always wanted. He could leave a profession the older man had considered marginally acceptable. Rob’s stern and money-loving father had hated his oldest son’s dislike for business. Rob’s younger brother had delighted in making, spending and losing money often not his own. At times the investment schemes had brought rich rewards and others deep losses. The younger man’s life had ended when his car plunged over a cliff after an evening of heavy drinking.
Rob strode through the main room and grabbed his keys from a hook beside the door. He revved the engine of his silver sports car and drove from the cabin to the main road. Full leaved maples and oaks shaded the lane.
He laughed. In an hour he would be free. The money from the sale of the nursing home/rehab center would repay the remaining debts left by his brother and father. With his mother settled in the Florida luxury condo he would be rid of all entanglements and able to follow his desire. With a three book contract and a savvy agent he couldn’t wait to end the old life and begin the new.
Twenty minutes later he pulled into a spot in the doctor’s lot near the hospital’s Emergency Department. He strode to the narrow door beside the wider one for ambulance arrivals. His smile broadened. Old man, I’m not following your rules. Those hated scribblings will rule my life.
According to the older Grantlan writers were dilettantes who didn’t earn important money. Even when Rob had pointed to the hefty advances offered to some authors, his father had scoffed.
As Rob stepped inside, the odors of the hospital reached him. People, antiseptics, and some less than pleasant smells, swirled in the air. As he passed the reception desk one of the women seated behind the L-shaped desk called for him to stop. He turned.
“Who are…Sorry, Dr. Grantlan.”
Rob waved. “No problem.” He strode to the bank of elevators around the corner, entered one and hit five. On the fifth floor he walked to the conference room. At a long table the Board members and two attorneys waited.
Nate Forbes, Rob’s lawyer waved. “Ready for this?”
“More than ready.”
Before long Rob had read, signed, or initialed, a stack of papers. With each stroke of the pen an ounce of weight slid from his shoulders. Finally, he endorsed the check and saw the papers notarized. After passing the endorsed check to his attorney he grinned.
Free at last.
He rose. “You know what to do with the money.”
Nate Forbes nodded. “Take care of the taxes and finish paying the people your father and brother cheated. Do you think we’ll ever find where they hid their stash?”
“Doubtful.” Rob strode to the door. Euphoria filled his thoughts. He felt as though he’d drunk a magnum of champagne. The glow of freedom filled him.
He bolted for the elevators and collided with a woman. “Sorry.”
Manon Marshall grasped his arm to steady herself. “My fault for barging out of Rafe’s office.”
“We’ll share the blame.”
“You look pleased. I guess the sale went through.”
He felt his grin broaden. “Certainly did.”
“Are you really giving up your medical practice?”
“Absolutely.”
She frowned. “Aren’t you wasting your education? You’re a good doctor. Why walk away?”
“I’ve found a different way to use what I learned.” He released a held breath. He had an answer for her but it was too soon to let everyone know. “Medicine wasn’t my first choice.”
“Then why go to med school?”
“My father insisted I pursue a real career. Even during my school and residency I felt like an actor playing a part. Every day as I drove to the nursing home I kept repeating, today I am a doctor.”
She pressed for the elevator. “Then you’re right to walk away. I wish you luck.”
“Thanks.” Though he wanted to shout to everyone that soon he would be a published author, he refrained. She wasn’t the person he wanted to tell.
Andi Sherman was, but he had no idea where she’d gone. Immediately after graduating from high school she’d left town. He’d come home from his freshman college year to find her. No one knew where she could be found.
So far his mother, Hattie, Simon, Dana, and Nate, were the only people who knew about the books.
He and Manon rode the elevator in silence. She left on the third floor. “Good luck.”
The doors closed on his response. On the first floor, with a carefree stride, he walked to the doors. He stepped outside into the warm July afternoon. The brilliant blue sky added to his joy. The air smelled of flowers, fresh mown grass and summer. He turned toward the doctor’s lot.
An ambulance blocked his way. EMTs unloaded a gurney. A third carried an occupied infant seat.
Rob glanced at the swollen face of the woman as the gurney sped past. He stared. Even though her face was bruised he knew her. “Patricia.”
The doors closed. His plans for the day changed. He couldn’t leave until he knew why his sister was here, and why an infant had come with her. He looked toward the drive expecting to see a second ambulance. Had his sister caused another accident? He sucked in a breath and entered the treatment area.
“Dr. Grantlan, can I help you?” a nurse asked.
“The woman who just arrived. She’s my sister. Where is she?”
She pointed to one of the curtained cubicles. Rob drew the cloth aside and viewed the scene. An ED physician issued orders. One nurse slid an IV needle into Patricia’s arm. Another placed a mask and adjusted the flow of oxygen.
Rob gestured to the doctor. “Her name is Patricia Grantlan. What’s her condition?”
The doctor turned. “There’s internal bleeding. Dr. Reed just arrived and we’re taking her to the OR.”
Rob stepped to the gurney. He touched his sister’s hand. “Patricia.”
Her eyelids fluttered open. So did her mouth. The mask muffled her words. He leaned closer.
“Hurts…He did…Take care of…”
A nurse opened the curtain. “They’re ready for her.” She hung a unit of blood and stepped aside.
“Do you want to observe?” the ER doctor asked.
Rob shook his head. “I’ll take care of the paperwork and stay in the ED waiting room to hear the news.”
As they wheeled his sister away Rob strode to the waiting room door. What had Patricia meant by her words? Had someone hurt her? Was she in danger? Who should he care for?
He stopped at the admissions’ desk. “I’m here about the woman who just arrived by ambulance.”
The clerk looked up. “Dr. Grantlan, do you know her? The EMTs had no idea. They found no identification, but they left two suitcases I was about to open.”
“Her name is Patricia Grantlan.” At her startled gasp he continued. “She’s my sister, but I have no idea if she has insurance. I’ll handle the bills.”
She passed a clipboard holding several forms to him. “Fill these out as best as you can.”
Rob retreated to a seat at the rear of the room. He added as much information as he could. After returning the forms the clerk gave him the suitcases. He returned to his seat on one of the plastic chairs facing a television tuned to a cooking show.
A young woman with light brown hair entered. A diaper bag hung from her shoulder. She must be the baby’s mother. Relief rolled like a stream released from a beaver’s dam. Patricia hadn’t caused a fatality. The young woman stopped at the desk.
Who was she? Though curious, knowing wouldn’t halt the thoughts galloping through his head. Something about the way she stood with one hand on her hip drew him and made him think he knew her. Her shorts revealed long tanned legs. Would her face match the rear view?
He groaned. She reminded him of Andi Sherman. Why think of her now? He’d ruined any chance of a future with her. Twelve years ago, he’d followed his father’s demands and told her he didn’t love her. Once more the words spoken in a steel-coated voice slid into his thoughts.
You want to go to college and become a doctor. Though that’s not my choice for you, I’ll accept your decision. Your brother will have the place I reserved for you. Do you want college?
Yes.”
Ditch Andi Sherman. She’s poor white trash. Members of her family are known criminals. Unless you tell her what she is, forget your plans. Forget any inheritance. Your brother will be near your trysting place and will report to me.
He’d followed his father’s orders. Rob still remembered that evening and the tears in her eyes. He swallowed memories of his failure to face his bullying father.
The young woman turned. She studied the rows of waiting people. Her face blanched.
His felt on fire. Andi Sherman was back in town. Why? She had no family in Fern Lake. His hands clenched. Her beauty stunned him. He wanted to go to her, but that would be the wrong move. She walked toward him. Her braced shoulders and stiff spine showed this wasn’t her choice.
“I’m sorry.” His voice sounded hollow.
“No reason. What happened in the past should remain there.” The coldness in her voice chilled him.
“That’s not what I meant.”
She shrugged. “The woman at the desk told me the driver of the wrecked car I came upon was your sister.”
“She was.” He drew a deep breath and caught a faint aroma of lilacs. “Is your baby all right?”
Her laughter held a strange note. “The child wasn’t mine.” She dropped the diaper bag on his lap. “The infant was in the car your sister drove. I took the little girl to my car and grabbed this. Forgot to give it to the EMTs. Looks like the baby is your responsibility.”
Rob swallowed. She was right, but he was uneasy with the news. What did he know about children? “What are you doing in Fern Lake?”
“I’m joining a friend’s pediatric practice.”
“You’re a doctor. Congratulations.”
She shook her head. “I’m a nurse practitioner.”
The door to the treatment room opened. Josh Patton waved. “Andi.”
Without another word she walked toward the other man. She turned her head and glared at Rob. He clenched the diaper bag when Josh embraced and kissed Andi.
He sank back in the chair. Andi was back in town and she’d found someone else. He owed her an apology but her glaring brown eyes didn’t promise an easy time.
He pressed his hands to his head. The baby was Patricia’s. Since his sister had fled the alcohol rehabilitation facility about a year ago, he had learned nothing about her whereabouts. Why had she returned to Fern Lake? Who had fathered her child?


Wednesday, August 23, 2017

Wednesday - Hooking Seducing The Chef #MFRWHooks #MFRWauthor #Food

Seducing the Chef (At First Sight Book 1)


Seducing the Chef - Allie Blakefield, editor of Good Eatin' wants to do a feature on Five Cuisines a restaurant across the river from NY City. Her father forbids the feature and won't say why. She's not one to sit back and be ruled by someone. She borrows a friend's apartment. 

While leaning over the balcony she sees a handsome dark haired man doing a Yoga routine. He looks up and she is struck by the Blakefield curse. Love at first sight. 

The pair start a hot and heavy romantic interlude. She visits the restaurant and is recognized by Greg, the chef's mother. The woman goes ballistic and the affair is broken. Can Allie learn what's going on and rescue her love?


A sound caught her attention and she looked down. If this was the neighbor Steve had mentioned he had been right. The man was definitely her type. He wore black work-out silk pants and flowed from one Yoga position to another. His tanned sculpted body was glorious. Her blood stirred.
She sucked in a breath. A man who looked as fabulous surely had been claimed years ago. Her last relationship had died four months ago and no one had appeared. The constant jetting about the country wasn’t conducive to long term relationships.
Face it. None of the men she’d dated in the past had made her want to remain earth-bound.
Though she had planned to walk to town for coffee, to browse in the shops and see what the local restaurants might offer for lunch she couldn’t move. She leaned on the railing and drooled. Her gaze focused on his broad shoulders, tight rear and muscular legs. His dark hair touched his shoulders. Was his face as striking as his body?
He turned. A long sigh escaped. Definitely easy on the eyes. Too bad she couldn’t see his hands to search for a ring. If he’d been hers she would have banded him with a broad one.
If you lean over the railing one more inch you’ll end up in flight. Though falling into his arms seemed a novel way to meet there was no guarantee he would catch her without one of them breaking bones.

At that moment he looked up. Their gazes met. She felt the impact to her toes. Yes, yes. Those words formed a mantra in her head. Her breath caught in her throat.

BUY LINK
Seducing the Chef (At First Sight Book 1
My Places

 http://wwweclecticwriter.blogspot.com


Tuesday, August 22, 2017

Tuesday's Writer's Tip - Building A story #MFRWauthor #amwriting #stories

When you sit down to write a book you are building a story. There are the motivation and reaction units but the important thing in a story are the scenes. Each of your scenes must have at least one purpose.

1. to establish character - To do this you must show the character's actions and reactions. They must be in agreement with their motives. Doing this gives a scene life. This is the who, the what and the why.

2.to establish place - this is the descriptive part of the story. where is the character in the world showing the characters interacting with the where is important. A character will act differently in a home, a jail or in the wild. This is an important part of developing a story. This also gives information the reader needs to know.

2 to further the plot. if you ignore the plot, the story will only be a set of scenes that aren't drawn together for a reason. The plot is this. Plot is the character or characters with a goal in mind and an end they want so each scene must bring them closer or further from the goal.

Monday, August 21, 2017

Meandering On Monday with Janet Lane Walters #MFRWauthor #Poem #Carpal tunnel #Writing

Meander 1 - Woolgathering

I sit while the speaker's voice goes on
And gather bits of fleece from the air.
A word here. A word there. These words
Are not as he says them.
They're placed in my spindle mind
Until there are enough and then
I turn the wheel and spin them into threads.
The thread is done. It's time to weave
A cloth that's strong and tight.
Some words are hs and some are mine.
But their woven fabrication is my own.

Meander 2 - Carpal Tunnel. I may have carpal tunnel syndrome but this isn't what I hear from others about the condition. It does not stop my typing but when I try to life something using my left hand there is pain and the inability to carry the burdens I'm used to. I suppose if this continues I'll have to visit the doctor. The problem with growing old is all the added aches and pains that hit the body when not expected.

Meander 3 - Writing - Still working on Sweet ea and have learned there are some scenes I must milk further to make them sing. Sometimes one tries to slide over scenes when that's not good.  Two and a half drafts until I finish and then am able to move on to the next story.

Sunday, August 20, 2017

Sunday's Book - Divided Dreams - Janet Lane Walters #MFRWauthor #romance #contemporary

Divided Dreams (Moon Child)

Rob Grantlan has given up medicine to become an author. As a Gemini, having two careers seems just right. His quiet days are overturned by the death of his wayward sister and his taking guardianship of his two month old niece. When he learns the father of the infant is his old flame Andi Sherman’s brother a plan unfolds. Years ago, he hurt her. He still loves her and he wants to regenerate that love. Andi Sherman is now a nurse practitioner in Pediatrics. She has vowed never to return to Fern Lake. The offer of a partnership in a friend’s practice is tempting. She refuses until she learns Rob has given up the practice of medicine. She believes he will leave town. On the day after her July birthday, she returns and comes upon the accident, finds the dying woman and the baby. When she learns the little girl is her niece and Rob hasn’t left town she is conflicted. She still loves him but she can’t trust him. News from her brother brings a threat. Will Tammy’s presence in their lives find a way to allow them to love and trust again?

Saturday, August 19, 2017

Saturday's Blurbs - Books by Delilah Devlin #MFRWauthor #Navy Seals #Western

1)      Big Sky SEAL: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0721631J2

Romance sparks between a bounty hunter and a SEAL on the hunt for an escaped terrorist...

A former military police dog handler, Jamie Burke, along with her former bomb dog Tessa, are still trying to adjust to civilian life. With a jaded, testy personality, Jamie has few friends. Now, a bounty hunter, she's tasked to help federal and local law enforcement search for an escaped terrorist in the Crazy Mountains of Montana.

Former SEAL, Sky Reynolds can't believe Jamie Burke is part of the task force. The last time he saw her was in Afghanistan. Back then, he thought he'd never stand a chance with the pretty, ballsy blonde, sure she had someone waiting for her back home. But here she is, still single, still prickly as hell. Assigned to stick close to her and her dog Tessa during the hunt, he'll use the situation to get close. This time, he's not letting her slip away.

When Jamie's captured by the terrorist, it's up to Sky, his fellow SEALs, and her motley crew of bounty hunters to save her...

2)      Head Over SEAL: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073RT6L18

A former military dog handler, now Montana bounty hunter, Jamie Burke's still trying to adjust to life with a live-in boyfriend. With a testy personality, Jamie's circle of friends is very small, and includes one very loyal canine best friend. Which is how she likes it. She also likes uncomplicated, but her feelings for her boyfriend, Sky Reynolds, are anything but simple.

With ex-SEAL Sky away on a weeks-long mission, she jumps at the chance to work with the Charter Group again, happy to do anything to keep her too busy to worry about him. She heads to Mexico with her dog Tessa to be part of a team working to discover the whereabouts of a cache of weapons stolen from the Army. She's thrilled when Sky meets her at the airport.

However, Sky's not happy Jamie's in the middle of this op. Having nearly lost her months before, he's going to stick close. Not a tough job it turns out, since they're staking out a beachside mansion from the mansion next door. Things heat up as they reconnect, but Jamie and Sky both worry about their future, until a cartel arms dealer arrives and bigger worries mount...

3)      Reined In: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0741SFR9X

Who says a cowgirl can't have it all?

Stormy is a rancher's daughter through and through, and although she went away to college, her soul is firmly rooted in home ground--and the cowboys she grew up tormenting. When she hears her father might be selling the ranch, she packs her bags and high tails it for home, terrified she might never get another chance to lasso the heart of one of her cowboys before the hands scatter to the four winds.

For Cam and Joe, foreman and wrangler on the ranch, Stormy was a pain in the seat of their Wranglers. But when she roars back onto the ranch, the spoiled brat they remember emerges from the cloud of dust in skin-tight jeans and spike heels and all grown up.

It only takes a hot second to figure out she's hell-bent on seduction. But if she thinks they're going to make it easy for her to pick which cowboy she wants most, she's sadly mistaken. And who says she has to choose one?

Friday, August 18, 2017

Friday's Guest - Delilah Devlin - Who She was Before #MFRWauthor #writing

        What were you in your life before you became a writer? Did this influence your writing?
2          I’ve had so many different jobs—car hop, waitress, IT project manager, comptroller, teacher—but the one job that influenced my writing the most was U.S. Army Signal Officer. I commanded units of mostly men. Roughed it in the field, served in a war zone… You get the picture. That experience helps me write “authentic” action and gave me real insight into how guys think. It’s also why I my heroines are never wusses. I didn’t have time for tears or angst. My girls aren’t allowed to wallow in self-pity. When times get hard, they do the work. No excuses.

2.                 2  Are you genre specific or general? Why? I don't mean genres like romance, mystery, fantasy etc. There are many subgenres of the above. 
Well, I’ve published around 180 stories, and I can’t think of a sub-genre in romance I haven’t written. My first love is paranormal. My second is Sci-Fi. I’m best known though for my contemporary romances—both actiony military romances and cowboy stories (I lived in Texas for many years, so I do know a thing or two about that flavor of hero, too). I’d get awfully bored with my job if I had to slog away at just one genre.

3. Did your reading choices have anything to do with your choice of a genre or genres? 
Not really. If my reading choices dictated what I write, I’d write more historicals than I do. I’m easily bored, so I have to challenge myself to keep the spark. Paranormal and Sci-Fi require more imagination, I think. It’s why I love to write those genres. I write a lot of military or ex-military men and cowboys, because writing what you know helps keep the stories grounded and real.

4. What's your latest release? 

I have so many! But I’m most excited about my Uncharted SEALs stories. My latest in that series are Big Sky SEAL and Head Over SEAL. Both are crossover stories with other authors’ Kindle Worlds, so using their characters and weaving in my own made the writing fun! Also, I expanded my SEALs’ world by adding a female bounty hunter to the mix, which inspired me to branch into a whole new series.

5. What are you working on now? 
I’m writing two stories at the moment.

One is the next Uncharted SEALs story, called SEAL Escort. This is the premise:


When “Snake” McPherson is assigned to guard a social media star, he’s not pleased. Edgy after back-to-back tours in the sandbox, the last thing he wants is to tail some “selfie-princess”. Worse, the spoiled little rich girl doesn’t want anyone to know that’s his purpose. No, she insists that he pretend to be her paid escort for a party on some billionaire’s private island. Worse, the woman doesn’t understand personal boundaries, that clothes aren’t optional, and takes risks that make his teeth grind in frustration. But that’s not the only thing about her causing him frustration…

The second story I’m working on is the first in my Montana Bounty Hunter series, and features a hunter by the name of Reaper who appeared in my two recently released stories, Big Sky SEALand Head Over SEAL.  


6. Where can we find you? 

These are my links!
Subscribe to my newsletter so you don’t miss a thing!