Moments for the Heart

Hey, Weekend Writing Warriors. So much has happened. I went to the doctor for my follow-up. She said more surgery is in my future. It wasn’t that they didn’t get it all, but that the tumor, was larger than what she feels safe with, so she want’s to remove more tissue to be safe. No, she didn’t give it a stage, as many have asked. Nor has anyone used the ‘c’ word. Just tumor. She did refer me to an Oncologist and they will determine if I need chemo or not, but she said since she removed the tumor, she doesn’t feel I will need it. With the holidays all of this is moving so slow. But it is somewhat of a good thing with Carolyn’s job loss situation and our insurance delay’s.

Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. It’s been an interesting ride. We shall see what happens when I see at the end of the month when I see the surgeon again for my next surgery and the Oncologist.

The Five Barred Gate is available on Amazon! Pick up your copy today to get caught up before the second installment hits shelves in late February.

SYNOPSIS:

With NaNoWriMo, I am taking you on the journey with me and giving you snippets from the book I’m writing. Keep in mind that these will be raw and unedited. So, excuse errors and grammar.

My piece for NaNoWriMo will be The Five Barred Gate III. Considering that The Five Barred Gate II will be released on January 5th, it would be my next logical piece to pen. Enjoy.

The Five Barred Gate is a dystopian world where the government has enacted laws against freedom of speech. This has hurt the religious community the most.

SNIPPET:

Summary:
The Five Barred Gate III picks where The Five Barred Gate II leaves off. Derrick Andrews is talking with his wife, Rachel, and feels he needs to go with is dad, Jacob, to Austin to talk with the authorities. They’ve been demanding Jacob to release his sermons for scrutiny before they are delivered from the pulpit. He has refused. Facing arrest, he now wants to make his appeal.

Here is a bit from last week.

“Well, I’m the reason those laws are in place.”

Megan Woodland’s head tilted at Jacob then with clarity she picked up the file in front of her. “You’re the same Jacob Andrews from twenty years ago that Nathan Edwards tried to assassinate in Pleasantville?”

“Yes, Megan. I am.”

Megan grabbed her phone and dialed, “Tracey, I will need an hour blocked out for Mr. Andrews. Thank you.” Then she hung up. “Okay, Jacob. You have my attention.”

We pick up where left off. But we are switching scenes. We are now with Rachel, Michael’s wife and Frank her grandfather. Millie is mentioned, she is Frank’s wife.


“Thanks, Pops, for sitting with me. I’m nervous for Michael.” Rachael said, sipping her tea.

“Not a problem dear. Anything for my granddaughter,” Frank said. “Millie said she was sorry she couldn’t be here. She is up at Dunham’s Two putting out a fire. One of the waitresses quit suddenly and she had to fill in a shift.”

“Once a waitress, always a waitress.”

“Secretly, though, I know she loves it. Unless that woman is slinging hash and talking to locals, she will never be truly happy.”

“Oh, come on Pops, you make her happy.”


::There is your ten, or so, but let’s continue a bit with the scene.::


“And how. Not sayin’ I don’t. But you know how much she loved her job at the diner. It’s the business. I love it as well with the steakhouse. It’s what we love about each other, the passion for food and feedin’ folk.”

“Yes. She would just be unhappy at home I suppose. Heh, but we’d be well fed.”

“Ya know it,” Frank laughed. “Have you heard anything?”

“Not since right before their meeting. Michael texted me and said they had just been called into the office.”

“When was this?”

“A couple hours ago,” Rachel said checking her phone again. She sighed and checked her ringer.

“Millie left an Apple Crisp. And I do believe there is plenty of vanilla ice cream.”

Rachel looked to the ceiling to check on wild radars at the mention of sweet things. Quiet footfalls of simple child play led her to believe they would be none the wiser to their secret snack.

With a smile and a corner bite of her lip and his acknowledged grin Frank headed for the freezer for the ice cream and she to the dessert tray for the crisp. She grabbed two bowls and spoons on her way back.

“This feels illegal,” Rachel said taking a scoop of crisp into her bowl. “We should be careful, or we’ll have a couple of Officials bust the door down on us.”

“Naw, not here. Fences are electrified, the place has cameras that are set to alert of any intruders, and I’m armed to the teeth. And the animals would alert us to anyone snoopin’ around. We’re safe, darlin.’ Scoop away.”

Rachel laughed. “That’s why I love being here. I know I am safe. Thanks for letting me stay, Pop. I just hope we aren’t imposing.”

“Nonsense. You and the kiddos are welcome to stay anytime for as long as you like.”

“I’m still getting used to being alone,” Rachel rotated the glass in her hand staring at it. “That cell.”

“Don’t you go thinking about it again, Rachel. It’s in the past. Living there won’t get you onto your future. Don’t let them win.”

“I know, Pops. It’s all still so fresh. I can still smell the cell and feel its chill sometimes. I got to talk with Jacob a bit before he left. He helped me having been through it. But my mind does still sometimes slip back and get lost. Jacob said that would happen. He said that he still struggles. And he has been past his experience almost twenty-five years.”

“The good thing about your experience is that you were in a jail cell and not in a pit.”

“Yes, I know. Although I was in the pit for almost a day. I couldn’t imagine what it would’ve been like to live there for three months,” Rachel said.

“We are here for you, Rachel. We are family and you will never have to deal with any of this again. You have my word.”

Millie had been the waitress in the local eatery in the first book. Frank Dunham was a widower. It felt natural for their pairing through the gap between one and two. I had a long backstory written, especially how she was integral in him expanding his chain into two restaurants, now in this book building the third. You can read more in the Five Barred Gate. Check out the links below.

---

Featured Titles

---

Follow me on Social Media. There is always something happening!!

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. — I am way behind on this… sorry.
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.

---

In His Exciting Service,

Jeff S. Bray

Check out amazing established and emerging writers at Weekend Writing Warriors. Each week we post n ew 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.

---