Moments for the Heart

Welcome back Weekend Writing Warriors and Writing Community. Another week, another snippet. It has been a slow work writing week so I’ve been nose deep into editing The Five Barred Gate II. With Little Reminders of Who I’m Going to Be done and it being a slow week with my clients, I was at a loss of what to do. I’m now seven chapters into the edit and it’s not as bad as I thought it was going to be. For that I’m grateful. It’s giving me the chance to iron out some details and fix some others.

NOTE: One reason I don’t like writing two books at once. I was creating this weeks snippet and in the Five Barred Gate II the MC has two kids, they are twins. In Little Reminders the MC has two kids, they are NOT twins. So when I went to create this snippet it mentions the kids and it split the ages up and I freaked out thinking I had messed up. So I started to fix my error. Then I remembered the two different books. UGH. Oh well. Glad I caught it. It’s late and time to go to bed anyhow.

God bless, Writing Community and all. Hope you enjoy this weeks snippet. We are finally where I want to be. It is bit long this week because I’ve wanted to get to this specific point in our snippets together. Talk to you next week.

Also, please keep a friend I know in prayer. Her husband had been missing for over six years. This last week they found his body. I had known him from my truck driving days.

SYNOPSIS:

Stephanie Marshall is the owner of a successful Charlotte, NC writing firm. She and her staff advertise for some of the biggest names up and down the east coast. Even though the writer’s life is exciting, and her company is in demand, she struggles with the monotony of home life. Stephanie is on the verge of an affair and has chosen to take the next step in that relationship.

… And then there is Carter.

Our angelic friend is back, and he visits Stephanie to teach her three lessons about her life. One that involves her past, one about her present life, and one that will challenge her to the reality of the choices she makes.

SNIPPET:

Summary:
Last week we left Stephanie and Kenneth hand in hand on their way to the North Carolina coast. Stephanie, what are you getting yourself into?

First a bit from last time:

“Nuh-uh. I don’t buy it. For you, I would make the time. You see here; We are on our way somewhere. Time has been made. Nothing has gotten in the way.” Kenneth reached out, took her hand, and kissed it.

Stephanie smiled and allowed her hand to be held for most of the rest of the trip. She also let go of her nervousness and turned on the radio. She learned that their taste in music was not the same. Well, you can’t win them all. Kenneth paired his phone and music app to the car. While she wasn’t much of a fan of jazz, she did appreciate that he did and enjoyed several songs on his playlist.


Now let’s get into our new snippet:

We are in a new chapter. Kenneth and Stephanie have arrived at the hotel and they begin to unpack the car. Stephanie gets a whiff of the salt air and is taken back to a memory of her and Jason being at the beach after their daughter’s hospital stay after being born. After she was well, his parents took the kids and they had a weekend at the coast. She is reminiscing about this as we open our snippet.

“You okay?” the voice asked, pulling her back again.

Stephanie turned, and Kenneth had their bags in his hand. She shook the memory off, “Yeah, I’m fine. Sorry, just taking it all in.” Stephanie pointed toward the highway and the Atlantic behind it. “You can hear the ocean if you listen.”

He shrugged, “All I hear is the sound of the traffic passing. Come on, let’s get inside.”

He handed Stephanie her bag and nodded toward the building, “We should check in. It’s getting late.”


There is your ten (or so). And now we continue to finish the scene:


“Is there somewhere we can go around here? I’m kinda hungry?” Stephanie said. She wasn’t sure of his immediate intentions but didn’t want the only reason to come down here to be a secret rendezvous. If there were going to be an affair, he would have to earn it.

“Uh, yeah, sure. There may be a place or two along the boardwalk still open. We can ask the hotel.”

“Oooohh, a boardwalk. I like the sound of that,” Stephanie said with a wink.

Kenneth’s smile returned, hers seemed to grab his attention and divert his mind from any immediate intentions.

“Let’s check in and see what they recommend,” Kenneth said. He crooked his arm this time, she accepted it, and they walked toward the hotel.

Stephanie broke the embrace and stopped short as they rounded the corner, “Maybe we should check in separately. Just to be safe.”

“If that would make you feel more comfortable,” Kenneth said. He waved toward the entrance, allowing her to go first.

“You first. I need to use the restroom anyway. We can meet after we’re in our rooms. That boardwalk idea sounds fabulous.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Kenneth said and entered the hotel.

Stephanie followed after a moment and found the restroom. When she thought she had taken enough time she exited, but Kenneth was still registering. She didn’t want to approach the desk until he left so she walked through the lobby. She saw a restaurant with a few lingering patrons, but could tell they were closing. Perhaps she could at least grab a cup of coffee.

The attached restaurant resembled an old diner but with a modern two-thousands feel. There was a counter with circular stools. One of the patrons sat at the far end of the counter. He was nursing a cup of what she assumed was coffee, with the creamer decanter and packets of sugar littering the counter. The man had a familiar air to him. He wore a coat and a head of white hair. On the counter sat a tweed hat, the same color as his coat. Stephanie almost lost her footing when she realized who she was looking at. It was the man who had given her the lost menu.

“So, are you going to stare at me all night, Stephanie, or will you sit and enjoy a cup of coffee with me?” Carter said, looking up at her.

Here we go. Menu guy, or rather, menu angel. If you have read he other two books you know when Carter appears, amazing things happen. Let’s see what happens here with Stephanie. Maybe it’s not too late for her.

Sorry this was a bit long this week but I had to get to the introduction of Carter. As you read, it was worth it.

Please read my my Wrap-Up below.

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Monday is Memory Monday
We remember an important event that occurred on that Monday or sometime that week.

Tuesday is Two Twenty-Two Tuesday
A weekly vlog where I talk about writing or something that’s been on my heart, all in two minutes and twenty-two seconds.
This is posted on my YouTube channel.

Wednesday is when I post my blog for the week.
I speak from my heart on various topics from writing to faith.

Thursday is This or That Thursday
A weekly two-option poll that raises the question, do you like this, or do you prefer that?
I host this on this on Twitter, IG, and Facebook.

Friday is Fun Fact Friday
I find and share interesting or obscure facts on my pages.

Saturday is for Weekend Writing Warriors
Saturday is for Snippets from a current piece or past work.

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Featured Titles

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THIS WEEK’S WRAP-UP

Thanks for reading this week. Friends, I covet your assistance. Below you see a small building. It is the future site of the Charlotte Family Clinic. It looks differently than it does below as some work has been done to it, but much more work needs to be done. The clinic is seeking state funding and has a Change dot org petition up for signing to see about funds. we are seeking 100 signatures. I am on the committee for the clinic. I am personally asking for your assistance to help our community of Charlotte, TX to receive the funding it needs to have our clinic built. We are not asking you for funds, just a signature so we can receive governmental funding. Thank you in advance for your help.

>> Help Charlotte Family Clinic <<



The white stone building to the right is the Charlotte Public Library. You have heard me talk about this place quite a bit in my snippets. It in itself has as story. It is awesome to have the clinic to be on the same grounds as the library. Both these have such an amazing story to the Charlotte community I wish I had the time to go into it. But this is the place for the health of our small town and county. Please consider signing the above petition. Again, we’re not asking for donations, just a signature. Thank you!!

In His Exciting Service,

Jeff S. Bray

Check out amazing established and emerging writers at Weekend Writing Warriors. Each week we post new snippets from either published works or works in progress for each other to comment on. Gain insight into how the mind of a writer works and a behind-the-scenes look at works before they hit bookstands everywhere.