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The new novel is coming soon. But here's a taste...
Ray’s assistant let Sophia into his office and closed the door. He was faced toward the window rubbing his chin as he listened to the conference call blaring from the speaker. Hearing the door close, he turned gave her a quick wave and held up two fingers. Sophia nodded and plunked down at the round table. She opened her notebook and pretended not to listen, tuning into the conversation while she relished the view. Because the corner office was on the 16th floor, she could see towering cumulonimbus clouds approaching across Lake Michigan, gigantic white puffs casting ominous gray shadows on the water. Ray walked over to the phone on his desk. “Thank you, guys. I appreciate the update. Watch those quality numbers, I’d like to see them above the required range. I’m hopping off the call now, keep up the good work.” He clicked the phone off, made a note on his laptop then looked up and smiled. “Think it will blow over?” Ray’s aquamarine eyes sparkled like the lake behind him. Sophia relaxed, noting his mood -- it was always more fun to talk with him after a call with good news. Ray walked over to the leather couch. “Since I had my office re-arranged, I’ve gotten addicted to the view. It’s constantly changing — waves and boats when it's sunny, and if not, great cloud patterns. I can’t believe I worked with my back to the window before.” “Perhaps you wanted to get more work done before?” She teased as she followed him to the couch, sitting next to him and crossing her legs carefully in her tight black skirt. The heel of new her beige pump slipped off and dangled, something her old shoes would never have done. Designer shoes were cheeky. “No doubt.” He said casually. It was actually the opposite. After a PR trip to Asia that turned perilous, Sophia had become a friend as well as his Account Exec. She knew Ray had instituted sweeping changes to his organization and life; the layout of the CEO office was just a visible indicator. “How’s the family?” She prompted, knowing Ray loved talking about the two girls whose pictures filled every spot on his credenza. She’d also spied a new picture of Karen, his ex-wife. “The girls are doing very well.” He paused. “I didn’t think you’d miss the new picture! And yes, you can consider me a success in your advice giving statistics. In fact, I’m now an official Soccer Dad.” “Really?” “Oh, don’t give me that astonished look.” He shook his head with a smile. “When you have kids, you’ll get to enjoy all sorts of activities you never imagined you’d be a fan of! Anyway, I see all of them every Saturday, and not just for soccer. Karen and I are officially dating again.” Sophia eyebrows arched. “Like high school or college?” she asked playfully. “There's a difference.” Sophia couldn’t resist her reporter’s need to dig, despite the fact that Ray often baited her by dangling information to make her curious before changing the subject.
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Story starter! A picture can conjure up all types of stories -- what do you think happened here? Share your caption or micro story in the comments below! Have fun!  Reviews have power! Even if all you feel comfortable writing is just a couple of sentences like "Kept me on the edge of my seat...", "Couldn't put it down...", or "Engaging characters", "I want to see more from this author...", or "I really enjoyed this, can't wait for more..." Those sentences plus a star rating can help that author's work get more exposure on Amazon. It is extremely helpful for Indie authors who are trying to get their name out, but may not have budget to spend on promotion. (not to mention helpful to readers looking for a fresh new author). So be empowered, write a review! Your favorite author will appreciate it.  “If you love something, set it free.”
That’s not exactly the quote, but it was what I was thinking yesterday when I set my manuscript out to a select group of readers for critique. It’s always hard to let go – the story is like a small child going to school for the first time. You know you have to let go eventually; it’s the natural process. But you worry. Will the story make friends or will it be best to keep it home longer? Maybe it needs stern editing or bit more time to mature. Will the teachers be kind but not too kind? There may be things that need to be corrected, parts that need development, and perhaps the plot doesn’t make sense because I forgot to write a key scene. Stories, like people, sometimes need a bit of guidance to develop. I’m anxious to hear the comments. Hopefully you’ll be looking forward to reading the finished product! All the best, Nancy |
Nancy MacCreeryInsights on writing, characters, humor and other tidbits from the author of the "Scoops and Schemes" series of novels. Join the conversation on Facebook !
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