Summary Sunday

Exciting news! I'm almost finished with my first draft of Lucianna's story! I'm hoping to finish it up this next week. Then I'm going to let it sit while I do another round of revisions on The Lady and the Minstrel. As close as I am to the end, I was hoping to be even further along with Lucianna's story before I posted some new sentences, but Friday turned out to be another very-bad-awful-sick-day that was a total blowout for writing. Hopefully there won't be another repeat of my very-bad-awful-sick-day again for a very long time (or even better, never!) and I really am hoping to finish the story this week!

Here is a sampling of what I did accomplish this week, before that very-bad-awful . . . well, you know what I mean. ;-)

Monday: Sir Balduin did not answer. Too many curses hovered on his tongue to be certain one of them might not slip out at any delay that Triston caused him.

Tuesday: Sir Balduin’s blood had begun a familiar pumping, reminding him of the days before his injury when he had ridden into battle at the sides of the masters of Vere.

Wednesday: He broke off, his voice shaking with emotion. For it had all become clear to Sir Balduin in his chamber when Lucianna had told her story, sealed on his heart when she had said, “Non più. No more.

Thursday: Again and again Lucianna had kept her gaze on Siri because she had known herself safe in the young woman’s love. It nearly cleft Sir Balduin’s heart in two that she had not felt herself safe in his.

Summary Sunday

My sister's gone. I miss her big time, but on the bright side, I got some good writing in again on Lucianna's story. I see the end in sight! Here is a sampling of new sentences from this week.

Monday: There was too much spite in Serafino’s face to hope he might be driven from Vere Castle without exposing her.

Tuesday: “But my hopes are dashed and once and for all, I wash my hands of you.” Serafino struck his palms together twice in Lucianna’s direction, as though literally divesting them of something unclean.

Wednesday: “But you did not marry Vincenzo,” Siri said as Lucianna allowed herself to slip into the increasingly soothing rhythm of gathering and folding Sir Balduin’s scattered clothes. Siri gave a tiny gasp. “Or did you?”

Thursday: Lucianna gave a sharp shake of her head, but her stomach continued to feel like heaving, molten lead.

Friday: No, she could not live like this, grieving for a man she loved, knowing him still so near, feeling his revulsion for her stretching between their castles.

Summary Sunday

My sister is visiting this week and next, plus I was sick one day (I know, excuses, excuses!), so my work on Lucianna's story has slowed down a bit, but I did get four days of minimized writing in to keep the story advancing. Here is a fresh sampling of where the story is going!

Monday: Sir Balduin reached for Lucianna’s nearest hand, the one she still had balled into a fist. She flung it behind her back in a panic.

Tuesday: (sick - blah)

Wednesday: “And see! He is a slob as well, I will forever be picking up after him.” In truth, the disorder of Sir Balduin’s chamber had somewhat dismayed Lucianna.

Thursday: “I believe I have some say in this matter, sir,” Sir Balduin said to Serafino with a fierceness that startled Lucianna.

Friday: (Lucianna): I will lose him either way. Better one swift, searing break than to watch the long, slow withering of his love.

Loyalty's Web and Illuminations of the Heart on sale!

My sweet medieval romances, Loyalty's Web and Illuminations of the Heart, will both be on sale for only 99 cents during the Bookmarked Bargains Sales Event sponsored by Indie Author Hub. Check it out on May 22-24. There will be bargains in every category, romance, fantasy, mystery, suspense, YA, sci-fi, and more! Plus Indie Author Hub is giving away a free Reader's Party Pack.

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Summary Sunday

I made better progress with Lucianna's story this week. A particularly fun episode to write was an exchange between my hero, Sir Balduin, and Triston's young son, Perrin. I've only included two snippets of that scene here, but I look forward to sharing it with you in full when the story is finished. :-)

Monday: (Seven year old Perrin to Sir Balduin): “One day Papa suggested that Siri was eating too many sweets and Siri burst into tears and said, ‘I am not fat, I am having a baby,’ and Papa said, ‘That is not what I meant—’, but I never found out what he did mean because he just started apologizing until Siri quit crying, and then she apologized too, and then they looked at each other all goggly eyed—you know, the way you and Lady Lucianna used to look at each other—and the next thing I knew they were kissing, so I left the room.”

Tuesday: (Seven year old Perrin to Sir Balduin again): “Father Michel said it is not refined for a baron’s son, but he won’t let me swear, either. I have to say something when I am vexed. So I say bah.”

Wednesday: Serafino appeared to be trying to charm Siri with one of his angelic smiles and some words that flowed from his lips in those same enchanting accents that Lucianna spoke in.

Thursday: The symbol had suddenly become dear to Sir Balduin again on the day he had asked Lucianna to be his wife. As he had let out his anxiously suspended breath at her blushing assent, the obscure future he had grown to envision for himself suddenly took on vibrant meaning at his anticipation of sharing his life with her.

Friday: (Serafino to Sir Balduin): My sister may be, shall we say, a little beyond the bloom of youth, but she is still a maiden whose virtue I consider myself honor bound to defend.”