Living the Dream

Welcome to this week’s Tuesday Tales. Our word prompt is TOUCH. Once again, I’ve used a form of the word. My scene is from Forever in my Heart.

The drive that should’ve taken fifty-minutes took twice as long. Once they were through Lake Louise, the weather worsened, and the snow turned to freezing rain, making the road even more treacherous.

In the distance, he could see the flashing lights of the police cars blocking the road to keep the traffic back—not that there was much.

Carl screeched to a halt in front of one of the two Royal Canadian Mounties’ vehicles.

Getting out of the SUV, he followed Carl over to the officer in full winter gear, from the fur cap and coat to the heavy boots.

“Carl,” the officer said, extending his hand. “Dispatch said you were coming. It’s bad. We’ve gotten the woman out of the vehicle … she didn’t make it, I’m sorry.”

“I’m Mike Branscomb,” he interrupted. “What about my brother?”

He knew Luke was still alive, he could feel it in his heart, but he must’ve lost consciousness since the pain was gone.

“We were told you were coming, too. They’re having trouble getting him out, and now that this shit has turned to freezing rain, it isn’t really helping. They’re about a quarter-mile ahead. Looks like he hit a bull moose before smashing into the rock face. Get in your vehicle, and I’ll let you through.”

“Much obliged,” Carl answered before turning to Mike and touching his arm. “Luke’s always been a fighter, Mike. Don’t forget that.”

Mike nodded, unable to form any words in response.

Carl got behind the wheel, waited for Mike to buckle his seatbelt, and edged forward, the officers opening a path for them between their cars. He’d only gone a short distance when they arrived on the scene.

Flashing lights from a half dozen different emergency vehicles danced over the snow. Combined with the coating of ice and the freezing rain, the bright LED lights set up by the firefighters working to liberate his brother from the car gave the scene a surreal quality.

After Carl cut the engine, they hurried out of the vehicle. While Mike was grateful the occasional stabs of pain had stopped, he worried about the reason for it. Ignoring the stinging freezing rain, he slipped and slid his way over to the RCMP officer, recognizing his old friend, Jacob Sweeny, one of the guys he and Luke played pick up hockey with on Tuesday nights. The officer’s clothing was ice-covered, but he stood there, manning his post.

That’s it!

Stay safe and don’t forget to check out the other Tuesday Tales

It’s always a thrill to see my writing up there with such talented authors. I’m always a little in awe, and this time is no different..

Sweet & Sassy: A New Beginning is an eight book multi-author boxset written by New York Times, USA Today Bestselling, and Bestselling Authors.

Despite thwarting dogs and Mother Nature’s wrath, these couples fight to begin again and forge a new path. Sometimes their second chances arrive where they least expect them or even wave through a window. Whether best friends, co-workers, or strangers, these men and women struggle with roadblocks that pop up all around them.

Join us as these romances enlighten your reading time with miracles, poker games, hiding from the past, disabilities, political shenanigans, military tactics, and starting life over for a new lease on life.

From starting over to second chances, all these heroes and heroines are looking for one thing: A New Beginning.

Unexpected Desires written by USA Today Bestselling author Stacy Eaton – Kelly Smith keeps to herself and has only a few work friends, so when questions arise, it’s easier to pack up and leave, then answer. That is until Mike scares the bejesus out of her at the cemetery and then shows up at her place of employment.

Kissing Plans written by New York Times Bestselling Author Mona Risk – He’s been her best friend for ten years. She regrets agreeing to an arranged marriage and he promised to help her, only to realize he can’t let go of her.

A Window to Love written by USA Today Bestselling Author Katy Walters – Samantha Davies vowed never to trust another man when her husband left her and their two children for his secretary, but then Doctor David Roberts waved to her through the window.

The Tactics of Love written by USA Today Bestselling author Alyssa Bailey – Marine Pilot Chopper Frazier and Army doctor Felicity Torrez each retired early to start a family, but their new life seems to be full of roadblocks.

Casey’s Charade written by USA Today Bestselling author Susan Jean Ricci – Royce Cooper is zesty, captivating, and knows how to play a good game of poker. With his talent for bringing out the best in people, Casey considers leaving her unconventional job and the past to start anew with this interesting man – that is, if their dogs approve their humans’ blooming relationship that’s getting hotter by the second.

All Gia’s Men written by USA Today Bestselling author Taylor Lee – Logan and Gia faced a bigger challenge than mere political shenanigans. Fiercely independent, accustomed to controlling and managing every element of their lives, they run into a force bigger than either of them—Mother Nature.

Holly’s Gift, written by USA Today Bestselling Author, Josie Riviera – Miracles don’t always come easy. Sometimes it takes a secret wish to light an angel’s way. God answering a prayer? Tim doesn’t hold his breath. But one faith-filled woman makes him want to pray one last time for a Christmas miracle

Forever & Always written by Best Selling author, Susanne Matthews – Brandi’s entire life has focused on ballet. When an accident leaves her crippled, she’s adrift without a future. Jarrett has loved the petite ballerina all his life. Can he help her find a new lease on life?

Forever & Always was one of my favorite books to write. While the heroine might be a ballerina who’s lost her ability to dance, she represents anyone who’s ever had their most precious dream snatched away and has to live with the consequences–wallow in self-pity or move on and start over. Easier said than done.

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Welcome to this week’s Tuesday Tales. We have a picture prompt, so our scenes are shorter.

This is the picture I chose.

Here is this week’s post from Forever in my Heart.

The grainy snow fell, unmindful of the season, reminding him of Christmas and lanterns, the good times before his Mom and Dad had been killed.

It had been a long time before he saw the ranch as anything but a place filled with memories and pain. His twin had never blamed him for surviving when no one else in the vehicle had. Jake had stayed home with an upset stomach that morning, thus avoiding being on the road when the accident had happened—the same road he was on now.

Another wave of pain washed over him, and he inhaled sharply as the Alberta Sheriff’s Branch SUV came to a halt. He reached for the passenger door, forcing back the pain.

“You okay?” Carl asked, his face a mask of concern. “You’re as white as a sheet.” His eyebrows rose as the truth dawned. “You can feel him again, can’t you? Just like when we were kids.”

Mike nodded. “And it’s bad, Carl, way worse than anything I’ve felt before … and he’s scared. I can hear him calling my name, begging me to get to him.”

“Then we’d better not waste any more time here.”

He put the vehicle in gear and pulled away from the clinic, heading toward the Trans-Canada Highway that would take them to the Icefield Parkway.

Mike sat there, mesmerized by the windshield wipers, oblivious to the shrill siren and flashing lights, absorbing the pain in his body, focusing on his twin, trying to convey the message that he was on his way, praying they would arrive in time. Although it was barely after one in the afternoon, it was dark and visibility was poor.

That’s it!

Stay safe and don’t forget to check out the other Tuesday Tales

Well, here we are again, the start of another month, this one perhaps filled with more hope than the previous ones have been, at least it is for me. I’m now fully vaccinated as are the adult members of my family. The children have all had their first doses and will get the second one before school starts.

This month’s question is What would make you quit writing?

I suppose the ultimate answer would be death. That would put a stop to my career quickly enough, but I think there might be a few, less drastic reasons. For one, my age. I’m not a spring chicken and sooner or later, my brain will begin to slow down, the ideas won’t come, and I’ll have to accept that. Another thing, which goes with age, is physical disability. I have arthritis, and while it’s controlled most of the times, I can’t pretend it won’t get worse. It’s true that I could use a speech to text program–I have one–but it isn’t the same. Finally, it could be discouragement. I’ve noticed that sales and pages read have been lower the last year or so. Sure, some of the blame goes on the pandemic and the disasters, both real and manmade, but the fact is people aren’t reading as much. I’ve looked into audiobooks but they are way out of my wheelhouse and financial ability.

But, all things being equal, I’m not ready to quit yet–slow down, maybe, but quit? Not yet.

Check out other opinions here. https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html

Welcome to this week’s Tuesday Tales, the weekly blog where authors share their works in progress with you. I’m working on a Christmas story, Forever in my Heart. Each week, we write to a word or picture prompt. This week, our word is WATCH and I’ve used a form of the word. Enjoy!

Like a robot, Mike ended the call and finished bandaging Cupcake before putting her back inside her cage. The cat would spend the night at the animal hospital under the watchful eye of his night staff.

Moving to the basin, Mike washed his hands before removing his surgical gear. Gritting his teeth to mask the pain, he stepped into the small lobby.

Lucy stood next to his assistant, Danny. From the grim look on their faces, the sheriff had shared the news with his wife before speaking to him, not surprising since the couples were close friends.

“The Madsen cat is ready to go to Recovery. We’ll keep her overnight. Call Mildred to let her know the animal will be fine and she can pick her up in the morning.” He turned to the young vet. “Danny, you’re going to have to take over. By now I’m sure Lucy’s told you about the accident.”

The sheriff’s wife blushed.

“I know you didn’t mean anything by it, and she’s your friend,” he said, his voice filled with concern and sympathy. “Carl’s driving me to the scene, just north of Lake Louise. In this weather, it’s going to take twice as long to get there. Call in Allie or one of the others to help out. The night staff comes on at eight. I’ll let you know what’s what when I get there.”

“Of course, Mike,” Lucy said. “You tell my husband to be careful. Last thing we need is two accidents today.” She reached out her hand and touched his arm. “I hope they’re both okay.”

He licked his lips and nodded. He hoped so, too—but he doubted it. His guts were still on fire, and it was a miracle he could stand, let alone walk. He grabbed his coat and boots, shoved a knitted cap and his gloves into his pockets and was out the door seconds before the sheriff arrived.

The cold cut through him, just as it had that fateful day twenty years ago, the day his parents had been killed in an avalanche while he’d survived. Almost destroyed by guilt and remorse, he’d left Timberton for Calgary and veterinary college, where he’d specialized in large animal care, avoiding coming back to the small town as much as he could, but the bond between him and Jake … His twin had stayed and had taken over the family ranch.

That’s it!

Stay safe and don’t forget to check out the other Tuesday Tales

Welcome to the last week of June 2021. Time seems to fly even if there’s no place to go. This week, I’m starting a new story. The working title is Forever in my Heart. This week’s word prompt is SOLVE. Enjoy.

Mike Branscomb had just finished suturing Mildred Howard’s cat when a wave of pain so profound it nauseated him, washed over him, dropping him to his knees in a manner far more effective than any football tackle had ever been.

Luke! The last time he’d felt anything close to this had been when his identical twin had been thrown from a horse almost thirty years ago … but this was a thousand times worse.

Something had happened to Luke—something bad.

It might only be September, but freak snowstorms were nothing new in this part of the Rockies. Timberton, the small town of less than two thousand or so hardy souls, was ready for anything at this time of year. The temperature had been in the eighties only three days ago, and now it hovered around twenty-nine. Mother Nature couldn’t make up her mind about rain or snow, so she’d solved the problem and had sent both.

The impossibly loud jangling of the phone yanked him upright.

“It’s for you, Doctor B,” his receptionist said, opening the door to the small surgery, her face chalk white.

He reached for the handheld extension on his desk and pressed the call answer icon.

“Dr. Branscomb speaking.”

He prayed it was a mistake, but the unbelievable pain still making him weak said otherwise.

“Mike, it’s Carl Madsen. The RCMP just called. There’s been an accident just outside of Lake Louise, along the Icefield Highway.” The sheriff paused, his tone ominous. “No way to sugarcoat it. It’s Luke and Cassie. They got caught in a blizzard on their way back from Jasper. Not sure what happened. Might’ve swerved to avoid an oncoming car or an animal. Anyway, he slammed into a rockface. They’ll be air-lifted to Calgary as soon as the weather clears.”

“That could take hours. I’m on my way. Can you let whoever’s in charge know?”

“I’ll do better than that. I’ll pick you up at the clinic. My vehicle is better equipped to travel in this weather than yours.”

“The girls?” He could barely utter the words.

“They aren’t in the car. I asked. I assumed they’re back at the ranch with a babysitter.”

“Of course. Luke had mentioned taking Cassie away for the weekend. I’ll be waiting for you.”

Stay safe and don’t forget to check out the other Tuesday Tales

Welcome to another edition of Tuesday Tales. Summer is here, and with it comes all the anticipation of getting closer to as normal as we can get. This weekly blog takes you into the current manuscripts of a select group of authors including myself. We write to a word or picture prompt. This week, our 400 word scene is based on the word QUESTION. This will be the last post from this story since the paperback version goes to the publisher today. Make Mine a Manhattan.

Enjoy.

The sirens blared once more, making me jump.

When I get my hands on him…

I reached for the phone before the alarms sounded again and checked the call display.

Crap! It was my agent. She would have questions, and I had no answers. My latest romance novel, Afternoon Delight, the one I’d started well over a year ago, had soured on the page, the victim of poor planning on my part and the pandemic on the other. For weeks, the situation had been so dismal that it had been impossible to write anything. Once I’d started again, the deadline looming, threatening to crush me, I’d rewritten the same chapters over and over again—the chapters she’d described as poorly written and snooze-worthy.

In her words, If this is a contemporary romance, what planet are you living on? What the hell, Robin? Where’s the damn sex? This is as exciting as watching paint dry.

Hardly a vote of confidence. Unfortunately, she was right, which was why I was in such a bad mood, as my mother put it, and hoping for a miracle.

Groaning, I pressed the call answer button and put her on speaker.

“Gina, good morning.”

My voice was so saccharine sweet and bubbly it made me want to barf. I glanced at the clock. It was just after eight. How could one day start off so badly? The coffee fiasco, the blaring phone ring, and now this.

Swallowing my distress, I resumed the call.

“It’s rather early, even for you. To what do I owe the honor?”

She laughed, the sound lacking the slightest twinge of humor.

“You know damn well why I’m calling, Robin. My inbox is empty. Why is that? Let me guess. You don’t have the revised chapters and the rest of the first draft you promised me. You probably haven’t added a word to that literary disaster since we spoke a month ago.”

“Wrong. I’ve been plugging away at it,” I lied, picturing her in some sleazy, black leather, Dominatrix outfit, befitting her current tone of voice, the cheeks of her well-rounded ass hanging out while she cracked her whip.

The research into shall we say more unusual sex play was getting to me, although I hadn’t unboxed the dildo I’d bought online, the truth of the advertising claim, better than any man, yet to be verified—not that I’d had many to compare it to.

Stay safe and don’t forget to check out the other Tuesday Tales

My father is no longer with us, but I know he would appreciate a humorous look at one of the recent controversies. I’m all for political correctness, but sometimes, people go too far!

Have you read the recent posts suggestion the word mother be replaced by birthing parent? Not sure about the accuracy here. Usually a birthing assistant is someone who helps with the delivery. Maybe it would be more fitting to consider the baby carrier, or the Incubator, but all those words apply to something else too.

But if they are going to change good old mother to hatcher or something along those lines, then they should be changing father, too. I have a couple of suggestions they could consider.

The first, sperm donor, has been around for decades, ever since artificial insemination became a thing. Let’s face it, the hen carries the eggs, but it’s the rooster than turns them from breakfast entree into Sunday dinner. Essentially, a father does the same thing–donates sperm to the female to create the child.

My second name suggestion could be a new Marvel superhero. The Ejaculator. A shot in the dark and nine months later, voila! Now if that isn’t a superpower, I don’t know what is.

But all nonsense aside, it takes more than conception to make a Mom and a Dad, and while any male can be a father, not all of them can be a dad. It takes love and nurturing. My dad may not have been the most affectionate man on the planet, but he loved us and made sure we had everything we needed. I still miss him.

My husband is also a great dad. He has always done his best by me, by our children, and by our grandchildren. He worked tirelessly back when they were small to give them everything they needed, if not everything they wanted, and continues to do so.

To all the men and the occasional women who have stepped up to the plate to be a dad to a child, you have my respect. It takes a lot of love to set your own well-being aside for the welfare of others. You walked the floors with crying babies, held the bike until their balance was strong enough to ride on their own, taught them to play catch. You bandaged knees and drove to the ER when things were beyond your ability–and yes, you cleaned the poop and the vomit, even though it made you sick.

You are the real heroes, the dads your kids will love for the rest of their days. Maybe they should just forget about changing names and stick to the basics. As long as they don’t try to change dad, I’ll be fine with it.

Just in time for your summer reading!

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Mimi Barbour – Special Agent Makayla: Makayla hears the cries of children in trouble. USA Today and NY Times Bestselling Author

Callie Bardot – Tracked by Trouble: Trouble. On my trail. Tracking me like a killer. I’d rather be tracked by love. USA Today and NY Times Bestselling Author

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Rebecca York – Scene of the Crime: Can he find out who framed him for murder? USA Today and NY Times Bestselling Author

Taylor Lee – Ain’t No Place for No Heroes: Mathis Cross, the hard-driving police commissioner, cleaned up a corrupt city and a more corrupt police force. Taking Gen. Patton’s advice to heart, his motto is “Lead me, follow me, or get the hell out of my way.” USA Today Bestselling Author

Susanne Matthews – Echoes of the Past: Born Mohawk, raised white, Michelle Thomas is trapped between two worlds—can she solve the murders, save the sacred waters, and fulfill her destiny? Award-winning and Bestselling Author

Susan Jean Ricci – Shady Knoll: Will her forbidden pregnancy keep her from getting a second chance at love? USA Today Bestselling Author

Stacy Eaton – Garda – Welcome to the Realm: Will Brock be able to direct Corey down the right path, or will she cross the line and fall from grace? USA Today Bestselling Author

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So far June is promising. Let’s hope the summer’s the same. Welcome to this week’s episode of Tuesday Tales. Since we have a picture prompt, we’re limited to 300 words.

I’m continuing with Make Mine a Manhattan. Here’s the picture I chose.

Enjoy!

I’d just finished feeding the cat when an idea sent me racing upstairs to my computer. After weeks of not being able to write a single word, my muse was alive and well and raring to go. I opened my laptop to a new page and settled down to write, the scene in the coffee shop taking on a far more sensual life of its own.

The raucous sound emanating from my cellphone—screeching sirens—obliterated my train of thought.

“What the hell … Nooooo!” I wailed and banged my head on the desk, before sitting back and covering my face with my hands. “Why me, Lord? Why me?”

For days now, not a single thought, and just when I finally had one … Gone, snatched by my seven-year-old nephew’s prank. That was the last time I let the little scamp play with my cellphone.

Shakespeare, hair standing on end, tail high in indignation, raced out of the room. The cat would find another place to settle shortly, while I … Why was it each time I managed to get my creative juices flowing again, something happened to stop me in my tracks? This book was cursed.

I pushed back a strand of hair that had escaped the confines of my bun. For some reason, when summer had officially arrived three days ago, Colorado had become tropical, with even the needles on the pine trees wilting. The windows were open, but there wasn’t a hint of a breeze, even the fan blew only hot air. How the hell was I supposed to get any work done? My brain was fried. It was time to consider air conditioning, but with the luck I’d been having, we would have snow before it could be installed.

Stay safe and don’t forget to check out the other Tuesday Tales.