*** FREE E-Book - Magnolia Tree ***

This is a story of family dynamics and secrets, with kidnapping, murder, and redemption. Sydney Grey must rely on her instincts to solve the mystery of her past and that of her mother’s disappearance twenty years previous.

THEY SAY YOU CAN NEVER GO HOME AGAIN, BUT IT SEEMS THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT SYDNEY GREY MUST DO TO FIND RESOLUTION.

Available FREE until January 12th. Get your copy here.

WRITERLY WEDNESDAY PICTURE PROMPT - FLORAL REFLECTION

FLORAL REFLECTION

I dug in the dirt, prepping the soil with fertilizer. As I worked, my thoughts wandered. Everything I knew about gardening was through  my grandfather’s teachings. Working by his side as a child had always been such fun. That is until as a teenager, I’d rather hang at the mall with friends than be sent to my grandparents house while my mother worked.

On one such occasion, we were planting flowers in front of the newly painted farmhouse. Grampa rambled on. I’d barely listened.

“If you paint an old house white it looks clean and fresh. And if you plant bright red flowers against the white walls, the house pops and looks new.”

I’d rolled my eyes and promptly forgot his words...until now.

Standing in front of my freshly painted white home, with the newly planted trailing red blooms and red roses, I smiled.

“I miss you, Grampa.”

***

Flash fiction prompt provided by:   http://www.writerlycorner.com/writerly-prompts/writerly-wednesday-8242016 Visit me on my Facebook Author Page HERE.

WRITERLY WEDNESDAY FICTION PICTURE PROMPT - THE FAMILY

THE FAMILY

I stared at the pictures, the younger twins, my brother and me (the older twins), and our mother. The pictures told our story in a way none of us wanted to.

It was all in the eyes. Look close and you’ll see ... the haunting, blank stares that hid our secrets and our pain.

But today was special. Today, our lives would start again.

“You ready?”

I turned towards my brother. He stood with his hands on the shoulders of the younger ones who were now ten years old.

Eight years is what our mother served for killing our abusive, alcoholic father. She’d paid the ultimate price to protect us from his rage. They released her for good behavior. My brother and I had raised our younger siblings, struggling through school and working two jobs, living for this day.

I smiled at him. “Let’s go bring Mom home.”

***

Flash Fiction Picture Prompt Provided By:

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Writerly Wdnesday Picture Prompt - Writer's Dream

Writer's Dream

I stood in the dirt track staring at what was to be my home for the summer. My heart sunk. It was nothing like the advertisement.

“Something is wrong?”

I glared at the agent who’d brought me from the airport and pointed at the structure.

“Look at it. The door and windows are boarded up and painted, the wall is crumbling, the grass hasn’t been cut. This isn’t what I paid for.”

“Please, follow.” He disappeared around a corner.

I stomped after him, stepping surprisingly into a new world of groomed floral gardens, repainted pink stucco and brightly painted trim. Standing on the veranda, I looked down into a beautiful valley of vineyards, surrounded with green rolling hills.

“Back of house still in renos. This and inside complete. Is okay?”

I smiled. “Is okay.”

My dream to spend the summer writing at an Italian villa was a reality.

***

Writerly Wednesday Picture Prompt Provided By:

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WRITERLY WEDNESDAY FICTION PICTURE PROMPT - BUCKET LIST

The weeks fly by and another story is hatched. I find it amusing how my shorts are influenced by childhood memories or events in my life. The process of creating these vignettes on a weekly basis are so stimulating and show me that writing is what I should be doing. Enjoy!

Bucket List

 We left Santa Rosa, New Mexico, heading west on Route 66. I hit the  CD track to play our ritual song; marking the start of another day on  the road. We sang along belting out the final line, ‘Get your kicks on  Route 66’.

 Retired and carefree, this trip was on our Bucket List. We started in  Chicago, making many stops along the way and were getting closer  to Los Angeles, California.

 I stared at the semi-arid landscape lost in thought. My Route 66  obsession began at age twelve when the television show aired. It was  more a teenage obsession with George Maharis during his time spent  on the show.

 I looked sideways at my partner. Always attracted to dark-haired  brooding men, my husband was no exception. He wasn’t Hollywood  handsome but he was my George Maharis.

 He glanced at me. “What?”

 I giggled. “Love ya, honey.”

 ***

Flash fiction prompt provided by:

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WEEKLY WEDNESDAY FLASH FICTION PROMPT - EMPOWERMENT

Flash fiction prompt provided by http://www.writerlycorner.com/writerly-prompts/writerly-wednesday-2242016.

This is my weekly flash fiction prompt, a short story based on a picture prompt. Enjoy!

I DID IT!

            Amanda stared at the rock that came up to her chest. What fun it would be to stand on that rock and see the world below. She turned to her grandfather and pointed to the big structure. She raised her arms to him. “Papa? Upsies?”

            Papa smiled, shaking his head no. “Climb up. You can do it.”

            With a knitted brow, Amanda turned back to the rock. She put her hands on it; her mouth turning to a pout. “I can’t.”

            Papa pointed to her and used his fingers to walk around the other side.

            Amanda stared at him, perplexed. She walked to the other side and noticed the rock was slightly lower. Leaning her stomach on the top, she pulled one knee up, pushing and panting until she lay on the rock.

            Amanda stood, threw her arms up and yelled to Papa.
            “I did it” 

New Year 2016 - Chapter 1

Today  I just want to connect and wish you all the best in the coming year. 

No one knows what the future will bring. I hope you all have a peaceful, healthy and balanced year and the inner strength and strong will to tackle any adverse situations that may arise. 

In reflection, I have a lot to be thankful for. 2015 was filled with highs and lows, a sick husband faced with a life-threatening illness, a very stressful move across British Columbia from the Interior to Vancouver Island. We lost a fifteen-year-old family pet who we miss dearly. But we survived it all and are happy to be living where we wish to be, surrounded by family. 

My 93-year-old mother is still with us and although fighting dementia, she still knows who we all are. We were lucky to have her with us for another Christmas. 

On a professional note, my second novel in The Georgia Series, Chasing Georgia, Book 2 was released in October. It has been well-received. This book was important in that it proved to me that I wasn't a one-book wonder and am truly a novelist. I'm happily working on Missing Thread, Book 3 of the series and hope to have it out by fall. I do believe this series will be done or at least for the moment.

My head is swirling with ideas for a new series called The Crossing Trilogy. I have to contain myself and focus on my current WIP and be content to jot notes down in my trusty note book for this future project.

I'd like to thank all of you have supported by first two novels. I love hearing from you about how you relate to Georgia and her adventures. The e-book Christmas Special for .99 will remain in effect permanently for Winter's Captive. So spread the word to your friends and family who use e-readers.

And if you are a writer, keep on keeping on writing.

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