Moments for the Heart

Here we are Writing Community and fellow readers a new month and Spring is knocking on our door. I love spring for the change in weather. Not that we ever really have Winter or a change of seasons here in Texas. We have those brief spritzes of other seasons. Although this past Winter it was rather colder that it has been in the past. You heard me air my grievances about it, and saw my adjustments to compensate. We almost saw our first 100 degree day, it was 98 this past week. But the biggest thing I love about the switch over from Winter to Spring is the thunderstorms that come with it. I love me some thunderstorms. But on Tuesday night we had a whopper that had even me a bit nervous. I have pictures in the wrap up below. While it wasn’t at my house it was fairly close to it. It doesn’t change my fascination with weather.

Speaking of storms, Stephanie is stepping into one herself. But we left her with a chance of a reprieve. This is where I get excited about my snippets and writing. Let’s get into it.

Don’t for get about the wrap-up below and see how frightening these storms can be.

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 time we spoke Stephanie was waiting for Kevin to check in. She made her way to the lobby coffee shop to pass the time, but found a familiar stranger sitting there.


First a bit from last time:

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.


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 he .


She didn’t wait for a second invitation. Stephanie entered the restaurant and sat next to the stranger. “Are you following me?”

“What makes you think I’m following you?” Carter said.

“First the coffee shop, now here? What else am I supposed to think, Carter?”

“Ah, you do remember me, then? That’s good. It will save me the trouble of reintroducing myself.”

“I am a writer. It is my job to remember things,” Stephanie explained. “You didn’t answer my question.”

“Am I following you? That I can answer with an honest no. I am not following you. Per se,” Carter said.

“Okay,” Stephanie said, confused by his vague answer.


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


“Did your husband enjoy what I left for the two of you?” Carter asked, sipping his coffee.

Stephanie squinted, “Where in the world did you find that menu? I know you weren’t the one who stole it. Forgive me, but you’re not the thieving type. Did one of your relatives take it?”

“Let’s just say it came into my possession, and I wanted to return it to you?” Carter said.

The waitress returned and set down a cup in front of Stephanie. The aroma of hazelnut and creamer hit her senses. “Wait, how did you know?”

“The coffee shop the morning we met.”

“You remember my order?”

“I remember lots of things, Stephanie,” Carter said.

“Wait a minute. I never said anything that morning. It was a standing order. So, you couldn’t know what my favorite coffee is.”

“Fair enough. Let’s just say I know things.”

“Mmmhmm,” Stephanie said, sipping her coffee, which was perfect. The hotel knew their stuff.

“Did you talk to the barista?”

“Don’t worry about the coffee. How I know you take your coffee should be the least of your worries, wouldn’t you agree?”

“How’s that?”

Carter nodded toward the reception desk, which was now void of Kenneth.

Stephanie followed Carter’s nod. The receptionist was assisting a couple. One was an obvious tourist with a floral button-up and khaki shorts.

“I’m not sure what you mean. I’m here on business, trying to keep a client from canceling business with our firm,” Stephanie lied. She needed to keep the story straight, even if this man were never to meet her husband.

“We both know that’s not true. We can save a lot of time by being honest with each other,” Carter said with another sip of his coffee.

Finally we get Carter into our story. Whew. I absolutely love him. And after three books and four years of writing Carter, I had to give him a fond farewell. This book is written more for him than anything. So, it was hard to keep focused and allow each character to tell their stories. But I think everyone gets their fair share and the book delivers. Each book in the series has it’s own Carter moments, but this one was my favorite to write. I don’t know if it was the Christmas Carol aspect, or if it was Carter’s swan song. In any case it was fun to write and I just love him and writing him. It was hard to say good-bye.

---

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.

---

Featured Titles

---

THIS WEEK’S WRAP-UP

THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT: On Wednesday evening I was up writing when we began to hear thunder in the distance. I had heard that there was a possibility of rain in the area so I didn’t think too much of it. Then the thunder got louder. I checked my weather apps and saw the storm heading our way. Now, normally when a storm heads toward Charlotte, it splits and goes around us; we constantly joke around about this. But this one hit us head on, in fact it steered into us.

This storm was one of the loudest storms I have heard in years. My son was even commenting on how loud it was. Rain, very windy, and then some hail started. At our house we only got pea, maybe marble sized hail. What you see below is what a church friend received at their ranch which is maybe 10 miles from our place. Another family friend which is less than a mile had winds so bad they lost a shed and their back awning. There were no tornado reports, they were just straight line winds. It was a crazy hour.


Some of you long time followers know I’m a weather junkie. I love it. I have a home weather station that is linked to Weather Underground. I am a weather spotter for our local news station, and now for NWS SKYWARN as I had my training on Thursday night.

---

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.