A Writer’s Life
by Kelly F. Barr
Write, write, write;
Edit, edit, edit
And repeat time after time.
Could drive you crazy if you let it.
Spend hours staring at a blank page
You’re tempted to say, “Forget it!”
But you plod on;
You toil and strain.
For the right words
You rack your brain.
When you type the final page
Satisfaction replaces all the pain.
Photo by Barr Photography
Today’s Top Ten Tuesday as suggested by The Broke and Bookish is to be Top Ten Favorite 2016 Releases So Far this Year.
Since I do not read only new releases, my list will not have a full ten books on it.
I have not read all nine of the novellas in this book yet, but the three or four that I did read were wonderful. They had well-developed characters and great story lines. I enjoyed the ones that I read and look forward to reading the rest of them soon.
2. 
I LOVED this story! You can read my book review on it here.
3. 
This was also a very enjoyable read. You can read my book review on it here.
4. 
I did buy this book, but I have not read it yet. However, I am looking forward to reading it and I expect a great story because Terri Blackstock has never failed to deliver.
I hope you have found something of interest in my very short list. Happy reading!
We all know that writing is a solitary activity, and that most writers are introverts. That is why we, writers, have to push ourselves to step out of our comfort zones and connect with other writers?
“Why?” You may ask. “I’m happy in my little corner of the world.” You may say.
Well, writers are a great group of people. They enjoy talking about writing with other writers. They like to help on another along the writing journey. I have found this to be true with every writer I have ever met.
If you’re truly happy hiding away in your little corner of the world, you can connect with other writers without stepping outside that little corner by use of the internet.
Let’s face it, as writers, we sometimes get stuck, frustrated, and feel like giving up. That’s when it’s great to have at least one other writer we can connect with, either in person or on the internet.
In addition, we can learn from one another’s experiences. Brainstorming with others is a lot more fun than brainstorming alone. Critiquing one another’s work is invaluably helpful.
I have been blessed to find writers’ groups in my community that I can meet with face to face. I have also been blessed to connect with some wonderful writers through blogs, Twitter, Facebook, and an online writers’ group.
So, don’t hide alone in your corner. Reach out and see what a bright spot you will find by connecting with at least one other writer either in your community or on the worldwide web.
Are any of you part of a writers’ group? Is it a community group or an internet group?
She sat reading a book. When she turned the page, a slip of paper floated to the floor.
What could that be?
She bent to pick it up. The edges were yellow and the paper was thin, fragile.
My Darling,
If you have found this note,
it means we have been separated and my heart is yearning for you.
Remember how we pledged each other our love?
I’ll never stop loving you as long as I live.
If you have found this note,
I am searching for you.
I’ll never stop searching until I hold you in my arms again
and kiss your soft, sweet lips.
Forever Yours,
Alex
Oh, what a romantic, heart-wrenching note. Who is Alex and who is his darling? Oh, to be loved like that. She closed her eyes and imagined a gentleman with black hair and deep blue eyes searching, calling. She put her hand to her heart.
“Clarissa. Clarissa.”
She opened her eyes with a start.
“Clarissa, are you all right?”
“Yes, Father, I am fine. I was just lost in my thoughts for a while.”
“Well, it’s almost time we should be going. Please go and prepare.”
“Yes, Father.”
She arose, tucked the fragile note into her pocket and went to her room to dress for the party, thoughts of a devoted Alex still on her mind.
* * * * *
She and her father rode in the carriage. She felt her father’s eyes upon her before he spoke.
“Clarissa, I do hope you will find one of the young men at this party to your liking. You are quickly approaching the age where it will become harder for you to find someone suitable to marry.”
She sighed. She hated these parties. Her father paraded her around and introduced her to one young man after another, all from good quality stock, of course.
All so young and arrogant.
“I know, Father. I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be difficult, but I don’t want to marry just to increase our fortune.”
“Clarissa, you must let go of your silly notion of romance. If we find you a good match, you will learn to love him, and he, you.”
Clarissa turned to the window willing the burning tears not to spill over. Her father didn’t understand. Times like these she wished her mother was still here. She was sure her mother would understand. Oh, how she missed her.
The coach stopped, interrupting her thoughts. She pulled herself together, took one last deep breath and smiled at her father. “Well, maybe this time, we’ll both find what we’re looking for.” Her voice sounded more confident than she felt.
* * * * *
As Clarissa looked around, she saw no new faces in the crowd. She tried not to show her disappointment. Several young men approached and asked to put their name upon her dance card. She smiled and allowed them to write their names.
It wasn’t that these young men weren’t attractive. Many were even kind and polite, but they just saw her as a prize, a possession, and she wanted to be so much more than that. She wanted to be a gentleman’s most valuable treasure. She wanted to be cherished.
When there was a break on her dance card, she made her way to the veranda doors. She looked around to be sure no one noticed and then slipped out for a breath of air.
She walked away from the doors to the railing and peered into the lovely garden below. She could smell the magnolia and she breathed deeply of their heady aroma.
“Clarissa!”
She turned.
“Oh my darling, it is you!”
Her hand flew to her breast. She could barely breathe. It couldn’t be. Before her stood a handsome man with black hair and deep blue eyes. Was she about to faint? Was she dreaming?
“Alex?” It was barely a whisper.
He closed the distance between them and took her in his arms. She breathed in the wood scent of his shirt.
“Oh my darling, I had begun to fear I’d never see you again, but I couldn’t give up.” Then his mouth claimed hers in a tender kiss that spoke of his longing.
When their lips parted, she clung to him breathless and weak-kneed. Had he released his grip on her she surely would have crumbled to the floor.
How could this be? His arms felt like home, and his kiss. . . his kiss was familiar. But that note. It had been old. How could she and this man be the couple the note spoke of?
“Oh, Alex, how long has it been?”
“My darling, don’t you remember? We have been apart since the war. Your father would not allow you to marry a man who’s family sided with the Yankees.”
The Yankees? The Civil War? But that was a hundred years ago.
“I will not lose you this time, Clarissa. I cannot. I will die if we part again. Please say you’ll run away with me if your father will not give his blessing for us to be wed?”
Her head was spinning. This couldn’t be real but it all felt so right and something inside her remembered him. She took his hand.
“Come, we shall go inside and you can ask my father for my hand now.”
His eyes grew round.
“Don’t worry, my dear Alex, if he refuses, I will leave with you anyway. I won’t lose you again.”
Turtle
Home upon his back.
He’s never in a hurry.
A pleasant fellow.
I Love the Sun
Sunbeams on my head
Bring warm and cozy feelings.
Sunny days bring joy.
Today’s Top Ten Tuesday as suggested by The Broke and Bookish is the “Top Ten Most Anticipated Releases for the Second Half of the Year”, or “Most Anticipated Genre”, “Debut Authors”.
I have to admit, yes, I LOVE books and I LOVE to read. However, I do not follow anything that keeps me in the know of what’s due to come out and have no idea where to find this information. I tried to Google it and was unsuccessful.
I only know when an author I follow and really like has something due to release, so I will tell you of two books that I have been anxiously awaiting:
Kill Devil by Mike Dellosso released recently. It is the second book in the series that Mike began with Centralia, which was a great edge-of-your seat thriller, and I have no doubt that Kill Devil will deliver heart pounding action and suspense as well. I can’t wait to get my hands on this book, and I highly recommend that you get your copy soon as well, and if you haven’t read Centralia, get that one and read it too.
2. 
Courageous by Dina L. Sleiman is the third book in Dina’s “Valiant Hearts” series. These books are filled with adventure and the main characters are strong women. Dauntless was Book 1 and Chivalrous was Book 2 of this series. They are great books that will keep you turning pages. I look forward to the release of Courageous in July 2016!
I suppose some of you may be missing my book reviews. I know it’s been quite a while since I’ve done one because I have been reading books in the genre I am trying to write in hopes to help me with my scene setting.
Therefore, I have been reading a lot of Love Inspired Historical Fiction books and other Historical books about the old west. Some of the titles I recently finished are:
The Love Inspireds:
Wagon Train Reunion by Linda Ford
The Runaway Bride by Moelle Marchand
Hill Country Cattleman by Laurie Kingery
Other Historical Fiction:
Heart of Gold by Robin Lee Hatcher
I enjoyed each of these stories and if you like romance stories of cowboys in the old west, you would enjoy them as well.
I’m not sure when I will get back to doing book reviews because my main focus is writing my novel, and now I have begun to read the Love Comes Softly and Prairie Legacy series by Janette Oke. These are older books but are still great stories of the old west as well, and so I continue to read for help with my writing.
Do you like old west stories involving romance with cowboys?
An elderly lady sat upon a park bench on a sunny afternoon. She was watching the children playing, when she realized someone had sat down next to her. She turned to see a tall, thin, young man dressed in tattered jeans, a black t-shirt and black leather jacket. She looked him up and down and found him also wearing black leather army boots. In one hand, he was holding a lit cigarette, in the other, a bottle of beer. His bleached blond hair was cut in a mohawk style and spiked high. He had an earring in his nose.
* * * * *
He saw the look of fear flash over her face to be quickly replaced by uncertainty. He smiled at her.
“Nice day, isn’t it?”
She smiled. “Yes, it is.”
“You from around here?”
“I live a few blocks away. I like to walk here on nice days and watch the children play. The walk does my body good and the children do my heart good.”
“You remind me of my grandmother. I sure do miss her.”
“Did something happen to her?”
“She passed away when I was ten years old. She had cancer. She used to make the best chocolate chip cookies and tell me the greatest stories, stories about her childhood and her life with grandpa when my dad was growing up.”
“Sounds like you and she loved each other very much.”
“Yeah. We sure did. I spent a lot of time with her. So, how ’bout you? You have grandkids?”
“No, I have one son who lives in the midwest. He and his wife are very career minded and don’t have any children. They’re busy. I haven’t seen them in three years.”
“That’s too bad. You seem like you’d make a good grandma.”
She smiled and stood up to go.
“Can I walk you home?”
“That would be kind of you, and it just so happens that I have some chocolate chip cookies that I baked yesterday. They may not be the same as your grandma’s, but you’re welcome to have some with a glass of milk when we get there.”
He stood and offered her his arm. She took it and they began to walk slowly.
“What’s your name?” He asked.
“Sadie Thompson. What’s yours?”
“Zach Jeffries.”
“You know Zach, I think we were supposed to meet today. We just might become good friends,”
“I’d like that.”
Kelly F Barr 