Oops! I forgot Jen's Page 69 Trial, so here it is! :)

Good Thursday morning, world!

In looking back, I see that I didn't give y'all Jen's page 69 trial.




So, without further ado, here's the equivalent of a page 69 trial for Jen, The Shelter Director.




Hearing the door was close was a harsh wake up call for Jen. She was alone now. Liz had been off for so long to tend to her, and now the idea of being alone and home-bound was hitting her hard. She felt good today, though. Knowing that she needed to get into a new routine, she decided to clean the house.

After dusting, scrubbing, and spraying, the time to vacuum had come. The vacuum was upstairs. Jen figured she’d just vacuum the upstairs, bring the vacuum down with her, but she’d let Liz haul it back up when she got home. It seemed like the perfect plan.
Jen thoroughly vacuumed the master bedroom, the hallway, and guest bedroom. It took longer than she had expected; she was starting to tire, and feel sore.

“I can’t believe I’m tired already.” She said to herself.”No, I should be gentle with myself. I’ve done a lot today. But boy do I hate the idea of leaving the downstairs un-vacuumed. There’s no rush. I can do it. I’ll just take my time.”
With all of her might, she dragged the vacuum to the top of the stairs. She grabbed the railing with her right hand, the vacuum with her left, and slowly stepped down to the first step.”Okay, that wasn’t too bad.” Jen thought.
She stepped down to the next step, again without issue.

As she started to walk down to the next step, she could feel she was losing her grip on the vacuum. Without thinking, she took her right hand off the railing to grab the vacuum. Putting all of her weight to the side to keep the vacuum from falling, Jen began to lose her equilibrium. She tried to steady her balance, but the vacuum was too heavy and it pulled her down.
She lost her grip on the vacuum and it bounced around until it the floor with a deafening crash. Jen fell forward. She tried to curl into a ball as the stairs tossed her around like a ping pong ball. She finally fell with a thud, lying on her stomach; she was unsure of where her arms and legs were. She felt her body ache all over, and yet her limbs felt numb. She couldn’t really feel them.

As she lay on the floor, she was thankful for the carpeting on the stairs and floor. How much worse could it have been if they had been a hard surface?

Jen lay there for a moment, in extreme agony and embarrassment. The vacuum lay just a few feet in front of her; small parts were scattered all around. She didn’t feel that she had the strength to get up. She tried to breathe deeply. It was hard. Between laying on her chest and her sore body, it was difficult at best. The longer she lay on the floor, the more comfortable she became. She knew, though, that she couldn’t stay there forever. She had to get up.

As Jen continued to lay still, she could feel one of the cats come up to her. The others had surely hidden in fear from the noise. Their beautiful Japanese Bobtail, Metallica, came up to ensure that Jen was alright. She walked delicately in front of Jen. With what little strength she had, Jen petted her soft orange and white fur.

“Oh sweetie, you’re so good. There is something very special about you.” Jen weakly said to her.”You are wise and gentle. And you’re always concerned about everyone else.”

With a few sniffs, Metallica knew that Jen was going to be alright, so she quietly walked away and watched as Jen tried to get up.

Slowly, painfully, she rolled over. As she did, she saw that her cell phone had fallen out of its belt clip, but was within arm’s reach. As gingerly as possible, Jen reached out for her phone. She gently pulled it towards her, and hit 3 on the speed dial.



Hope you liked it! ;)

Happy reading!

Maria's Page 69 Trial

Hey gang!

Happy Thursday before a 3 day weekend! ;)

As if you needed more reasons to read The Writer, here is Maria's Page 69 Trial.

Enjoy!!!




Marisol’s number came up. Maria reached for the phone and answered.

“Hello sister!” She answered jovially.

“Hola.” Marisol was short and curt.

“What’s wrong?”
“Necesitamos hablar, hermana.”

“Why? What do we need to talk about?”

Marisol sighed heavily into the phone. “Tu novia. And I really wish you would speak in Spanish.”

“Why? What difference does it make? Is it because of her? She lives with me now. She’s just in the other room. And you forget, she speaks Spanish, too. Whether it’s in English or Spanish, she will understand just the same.”

“Fine.” Marisol huffed. “There is a problem with her.”

“There is? What’s the problem?”

“She…” Marisol paused for several moments. “She is not right. She is not good. Even Mama says it.”

“What? Why? What isn’t good? What did Mama say?”

“Look at her. She is how much younger than you? She is digging for gold! She is using you.”

“There is no gold digging here as she makes far more money than I.”

“I don’t like it. I don’t trust her.”

“Why? What is there to not like? Why are you distrustful?”

“Even Mama doesn’t like her.”

Maria stood up and began pacing around the room. “You are not answering my questions. Why don’t you like her? I must admit, it’s especially difficult to accept and believe coming from you. You didn’t like Adelaide. Everyone else liked her. You were the only one in the family that did not come to her funeral. So for you to tell me that Stephania is bad is just…unbelievable. Show me – tell me. Give me a good reason why.”

“Look at her background. Look at her job! Can you really respect anyone that does that for a living? She’s a who…”

“Don’t you dare say that word, Marisol! If you knew anything of her or her work, you would know that’s not true.”

“Look at you defending her and rationalizing. Who are you trying to fool? We don’t believe that and you know that you don’t believe that, either.”

“I believe in what I see and what I know. I have seen every image from every shoot she has ever done. There is nothing to defend because there is nothing offensive there.” Maria stopped, and took in a deep breath. “Now, tell me the truth or hang up. I do not need this in my life.”

“Mama doesn’t like her. She said she is too young. She said that she just didn’t like her here. She said that your precious little trophy girlfriend is not right, and that she does not belong in this family. She thinks you are throwing your life away; wasting it on some stupid girl. You are intelligent, she is not.
“So what if she is making more money than you now? Hers is a career that won’t last forever. She’ll use you to support her and her shopping habits or drinking habits or drug habits or whatever have you!”

“Mama said that?”

“Yes.”

“Our mother said all of that? When she and Stephania joked around like two school girls? When Mama told me she was happy to see me with someone again? When Mama hugged and kissed her and told her she loved her when we left? I find that all very hard to believe.”

Marisol took several deep breaths. “We have wanted to say this to you for a while. Meeting Stephania was the last straw for Mama.” There was a long pause. “Maria, Mamá doesn’t like that you’re gay. She doesn’t approve of you being with other women, especially one that is younger than you. She thinks your life is an abomination, and she fears you going to hell when you die.
“She asked me to do this because she does not have the strength to argue. She cries herself to sleep every night and prays for your salvation every morning.
“This needs to stop. For yourself, for your family, for your mother. Please, Maria. Change your ways. Be the good Catholic Mamá raised you to be.”

Maria looked at the phone and shouted, “I am Catholic!”

“Not as long as you’re living that lifestyle. Please. Mamá said she can’t see you until you leave this sinful life.”

“Do not make me choose between my spouse and my family. I can’t do it.”

“You are making that decision as long as you continue to be that way. Don’t come around until she is gone. Neither of you are wanted here.”

There was a click, and then there was silence. A brutal, awful silence. A silence that slashed Maria’s heart in two. A silence that weighed heavily on her shoulders. A silence that strangled her.

Stephania walked into the room; she stopped when she saw Maria standing motionless. “What’s wrong?”

Maria bit her lip, trying not to cry. “Nothing, mi amor. I just need to be alone for a while.”

“Uhhh…okay. If there’s anything you need, tell me.”

“Thank you,” she hacked out the words.

Stephania slowly backed out of the room and left Maria in that deafening, murderous silence.

And Now for Something Completely Different...

Hello, everyone!

Yet another Thursday is upon us.



So what could I possibly have in store for you today?

How about an announcement?


That's right, y'all. I have a wonderful announcement.











BOOK # 7, THE WRITER, IS COMING OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!






Yes, this weekend, for your reading pleasure, Maria's amazing story will be available! If you want some good weekend reading, this is it! :)





Everyone has that one friend; the mother of the group. Maria is that one friend; nurturing, wise, and with a spicy streak, Maria is the matriarch of the clan. Cerebral, emotional, and even sometimes comical, Maria’s story is the seventh in the Loving Her series.




Happy reading!!!!!

What Comes After Z?

Happy Thursday and Happy May Day!

So now that we're in May, it's time to go back to our regularly scheduled blog.

Starting next week, I am coming back full force to talk more about...books! LOL.

Until then, have a great week and happy reading!!! :)