Word Count Wednesday

Happy Wednesday Everyone

Today is Word Count Wednesday. I've been working so many hours on other things that the third book in the Rough Hewn Trilogy, Return to Kilmservy Village, is still sitting at 18,335 words. This, after I deleted a chapter and half of another. They simply were not working for me and so I cut them out. I'm certain there will be more of that along the way. For now, I'm comfortable with the direction of the final Rough Hewn book. Of course, these words will receive a once-over (and over and over, perhaps) from a brilliant editor, yet to be named, before it is published.

Here is a snippet from book three.

Raymond sat in the passenger seat while Gabriel steered the bus out of town. “If you had told me one week ago that the lot of us would be heading to the beach in a fine bus like this one, I would've said you were dreaming.” He watched through the window as the village where he grew up shrank away in the rectangular side mirror. He thought of his and Charlotte's plans to see their own child enter the world in that disappearing village.

“I wish we could've done it under different circumstances, Ray.” Gabriel looked at the clock on the dash. It glowed 10:05AM, much later than he intended to get on the road but he knew it couldn't be helped. It meant they would arrive well after dark at the beach house. “We’ll be late getting in down there Ray. I still think it'll be better to drive straight through rather than stop and move Carrie into a motel. I suppose we could stay in a campground somewhere along the way. What do you think?”

Raymond looked at the clock. “There are plenty of spots for us to lay down back there if you want to stop at a campground but I think driving straight through would be better. Really, it's up to you. I can help drive if you get tired.”

“We’ll just go till we get there. It's only about twelve hours, give or take an hour. I’ll be fine for that length of time but I’ll let you know if I need a break.” Gabriel reached back and pulled the armrest on his seat down.

∞

I have the night free of other work but instead of working on Rough Hewn, I will be writing the ending to the short story that I started in late January. It is a paranormal story with a bit of humor thrown into the mix. I'm calling it Ziggy Returns. The word count on it stands at 10,448. I expect to wrap it up around 20,000 words.

Here we have Ziggy and Minna interacting after an avoidable accident.

Minna's gaze fixed on the hand. His forefinger looked like ground sausage, the blood still pouring out from around the shredded meat and splintered bone. "I'd have to agree with you. It's not good at all. Come on and get in the truck. I'll take you to the emergency room."

"No, no, I'm not going to the hospital." He rolled his arm over and rested his hand on the butt of the pistol in front of him. "Go in there and get me one of those panty liner things you use and wrap it up for me."

"What?" Minna tried to hide the giggle threatening to escape her throat. "You have to go to the hospital. You can't just wrap this up and expect it to heal especially with one of those." She watched as his eyes began to glaze over. "I think you need to get down on the floor there before you fall out of that chair, Ziggy." She grabbed a cushion from the sofa in the living room and dropped it on the floor beside the table. "Get down there." She urged.

 

∞

 

Until next time ~ Keep smiling & reaching for your star
 

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Saturday Sneak Peek

Here is today's Saturday Sneak Peek post. An excerpt from chapter eighteen in my WIP, "Rough Hewn". Here we have a conversation between Charlotte and Lorianna, two important characters in the life of Carolyn Dunsmorrest Breckenship.

∞

Charlotte began clearing the table. “Ray, take Gabe in there and show him what you are doing in the nursery. We’ll have some of Lorianna’s delicious cake with coffee in the living room in a few minutes.”

“Yes ma’am.” Raymond saluted his wife. “Come on back here Gabe. I’ll show you the wall I tore out. Maybe you can help me figure out how to put it back up.” Charlotte shot him a ‘you better not have’ look. “Don’t worry honey, I’ve got it all under control.”

“Famous last words.” Lorianna was stacking dishes next to the sink. “He is such a comedian, Charlotte.”

“Yes he is. We laugh a lot in this house. I think that is what kept us going in the rough times.” Charlotte shared.

“Rough times?” Lorianna questioned Charlotte.

Charlotte smiled. “Oh yes. We have hit a few bumps in the road along the way. Nothing we could not work out though. We always knew that our love was paramount in every situation. Even when we were angry with each other we never forgot that.”

Lorianna smiled at Charlotte. “It amazes me when I see two people so much in love. It makes my heart smile.” She thought of Carolyn then. How sad her life had been since she married Jim. “I wish all my friends could have the kind of happiness you and Ray have.”

“Me too.” Charlotte agreed. “You and Gabe are next. The two of you have to find your other halves.” She laughed. “Well, that is sort of a weird thing to say isn’t it? You know what I mean, right?”

“I know exactly what you mean. I am still not ready although, I do think of it sometimes. As for Gabe, his heart is filled to the brim with Carrie Dunsmorrest. Well, Breckenship now. There will never be an empty spot in it for anyone else.” Lorianna looked at her reflection in the window glass over the sink. She realized in that moment that she really did want someone of her own. Someone to share her life - hers and Billy’s. Billy needed a male influence in his life. How could she teach the boy how to be a man in this world when she knew nothing about growing from a boy to a man?

“Lorianna?” Charlotte tapped her shoulder. “Earth to Lorianna.”

“I’m sorry. I was lost in my head there for a minute.” She dried her hands on the towel Charlotte handed her.

Charlotte picked up the coffee tray. “If you’ll grab that tray with the cake on it, we’ll go into the living room and see what Gabe has on his mind.”

“I’m right behind you.” Lorianna followed her into the living room. Setting the dessert tray on the coffee table, “Can you believe the nights are already getting cool enough for a fire in the fireplace? It is going to be winter before we know it. I hope we get at least one good snow this year. I’m looking forward to taking Billy sledding on that big hill in the pasture behind my parents place.” She sat on the rock hearth watching the low flames dance above oak logs.

“He will have a blast flying down that hill with you. I think we are in for a rough winter. The hornets are building their nests underground instead of in the trees. That usually means a bad winter.” Charlotte shared.

∞

 

This excerpt is from the first draft of Rough Hewn. The novel Vanda's Calling is still percolating while I edit Rough Hewn & the sequel for publication. It was odd how these characters demanded that I tell their story before Vanda's. I hope to get back to her story soon. In the meanwhile, I do hope you will drop back in for updates on my current projects.

Thank you all so much for visiting. A great big thank you to my beta readers out there. Without you I would be swimming in a sea of confusion some days. *smile*