Yesterday, I was sitting out on my hokey bench visiting with Buster. After some lovin’, some rolling around playing with my fingers and swatting at the long strands of my hair moving in the breeze, he went off to play in his amusement park. Our backyard. As he played on the nearby woodpile and with the ornamental grass next to it, I looked down at the rocks covering what I call our ‘bench area’. I was trying to come up with an idea to blog about today. I didn’t want to just promote an anniversary of a book.
I’ve always enjoyed looking at rocks, looking for the unique and the beautiful. But then, at that moment, I saw it. For every unique rock there is, a writer can write about an equally unique character. Wow! No more carbon copies – what an amazing concept? Not every person is alpha or beta, wimpy or strong - there are other types of characters, all those personalities in between.
However, as my toes moved the rocks around allowing me to see those beneath them, I laughed. Those beneath the visible are the supporting base for what we’re meant to concentrate on. The pebbles, the secondary characters we surround our heroes and heroines with give them a layer of realism.
From the response I’ve received, I think I’ve managed a few unique rocks in my work and for that, I have to thank the characters themselves.
The first series I wrote, the workplace-the work family, is the primary backdrop. I wrote the stories over a twelve-year span, though ten of those years, I didn’t write at all. [altogether a story in itself] In this series, I knew who the main characters were for the first three stories. I knew who the supporting team members were. I also new who one of the main characters would be for the fourth story, but as for other, I had no clue. It was tricky as I had an idea of the plot, too. Ha-ha-ha – the jokes always on me when I think I know. Even at that point in my writing, I knew better than to have my own ideas.
Well, anyway, I was writing book three back in 2006, when the heroine’s sister came into the picture. OMG! She wins the award for ‘Best Supporting Pebble’ of the twentieth century. At least in my work.
Summer is an attorney, funny, open-minded, she was educational in ways most older sisters wouldn’t dream of. My mind literally spun with delight as she came alive. She had me laughing my butt off, while the heroine had me shedding tears. I recall I did a jig around the house. I had my counterpart for the fourth story.
Realignment of Unity
The Fraudulent Colonel
Crossed Circuits
Camouflaged & Explosive
Sounds military, doesn’t it? It is. My husband was a Radar Technician in the Air Force. He was part of the Communication Squadrons at Williams AFB, Kuang Ju AB, Ellsworth AFB, did a TDY in the Azores, and Robins AFB, where the series is set in the years of 1996-1997, before major implementations began.
I went on from this series with the intent of doing something totally different. I wrote a story with a hero and heroine who were different than I’d been writing. I went on from this story to another, and another, and another, writing to my hearts content.
What I’d done without realizing it was write another series with the workplace as the backdrop. Crazy how it happened without my knowledge, but I’m never in control.
Servin’ It Up book two came out one year ago today. I think of Last Glass of Wine with sadness and fondness. The man I dedicated it to had been my boss. I didn’t know him well, but enough in my spirit to know he had the potential to not only handle a GM’s position, but more. Why didn’t he take it? Why didn’t he? I honestly didn’t know the reason he left instead. The story is my tribute to the man without actually writing the man I did know. However, I did insert an instance that seared him in my heart forever. Memories keep people alive. He came through the door, sliding on one knee singing the chorus to a song embedded in my mind and wouldn’t go away. Total Eclipse of the Heart by Bonnie Tyler.
The excerpt I’m going to leave with you today is one I share very little. It’s realistic of many of my family get-togethers over the years.
Here’s to summer fun:
She stepped up and swung her arm back and let the shoe go on her forward motion. It went wide, again.
Cole waved his arms in the air. "Holditholdit!" His words slurred together.
He staggered over and stood behind the pole in the sand. When he bent over, he nearly fell to one side, but her partner caught him. Damn! Could he be any sexier than he was right now with that goofy grin? She set her empty hand on her hip and laughed.
"Lana, the shoe…goes here," he instructed.
"Where does it go?" She held up the shoe and framed his face in it, then swung her arm back.
"No, wait'll…" Cole dove out of the sand pit as she let the shoe go. It landed next to him. Laughter filtered across the yard.
"Kind of hard to tell which gray pole she's supposed to aim at," someone said.
"Yeah, you shouldn't wear gray shorts," Lana told him.
"Ok." Cole grabbed the waistband and started to push them down.
Janet jumped up. "Cole, don't do it!"
He shrugged, picked up the shoe and started across the yard. Lana shoved her thumbs in the back pockets of her jeans. "I told you, I don't play."
Cole put his arm around her waist and, with his mouth almost touching hers, told her, "I'm showin' you how to play."
"Don't promise what you can't back up." She tried to step back, but he held her there.
"Sweetheart, when I finish with you, no one'll match us." He moved around her and put a horseshoe in her hand, his fingers covering hers. With his face next to hers, she could smell the vodka and cranberry mixture; it drew her eyes to his mouth. She wanted to taste it on his lips. It had to be better than over ice. She felt herself closing in to find out.
"It's all in the wrist," he told her.
"All in the wrist," she repeated. She could feel his body pressed into her backside when he drew her arm back.
"Keep your arm close to your side, and don't wait until your arm rises above your waist to let it go."
"You're going to give a tent show when you move away."
"You'll have to take care of it, since it's your fault," he replied.
Her mouth went dry, and her crotch became wetter. "If you're willing to reciprocate."
"Give it a try and see how close you come."
Hell, if he continued to rub his cock against her, she was going to come. She shivered and watched him step away from her, face the forest and attempt to hide his erection. Lana quickly inhaled and let the air out before she concentrated on the fuzzy site of the far pit. The pole stood somewhere in the center. She let the shoe fly and heard the clang of metal hitting metal.
"All right, a ringer!" Jerome cheered.
Cole staggered over to her with a raised hand. She smacked it and walked over to where her glass sat. Hot, she fanned herself, eyeing the strong muscled calves as he returned to his side. If she shoved him against the tree and rode him, they'd hold them.
After a long drink, she set the empty glass down, took a deep breath and watched Jerome and Cole toss the shoes back to her pit.
"Want another drink, Lana?" Taylor asked.
"No. I'm good. Thanks." And I'm going to get better in a little bit, from all signs of things. She picked up her horseshoes and waited for Taylor to toss his.
When the game ended with Cole and Taylor winning and Cole doing his little winner jig, she walked over to the pool. She wanted nothing but a cold shower, but the cool water would do. Splashing water on her arms, she found herself being lifted and landed in the water.
Last Glass of Wine
ISBN 1-60601-050-9
Bookstrand.com
Here’s to many, many years of with rocks building on pebbles. And the acceptance thereof.
Bekki
Contemporary romance with sizzling sensuality
Jewel of the Sun’s BLOOD DESTINY – coming soon
LOVE, Stalker of the Heart - AVAILABLE NOW
Last Glass of Wine AVAILABLE NOW
A Psychic Hitch AVAILABLE NOW
Servin’ It Up Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble
http://home.mchsi.com/~bekkilynn
www.myspace.com/bekki_lynn
I’ve always enjoyed looking at rocks, looking for the unique and the beautiful. But then, at that moment, I saw it. For every unique rock there is, a writer can write about an equally unique character. Wow! No more carbon copies – what an amazing concept? Not every person is alpha or beta, wimpy or strong - there are other types of characters, all those personalities in between.
However, as my toes moved the rocks around allowing me to see those beneath them, I laughed. Those beneath the visible are the supporting base for what we’re meant to concentrate on. The pebbles, the secondary characters we surround our heroes and heroines with give them a layer of realism.
From the response I’ve received, I think I’ve managed a few unique rocks in my work and for that, I have to thank the characters themselves.
The first series I wrote, the workplace-the work family, is the primary backdrop. I wrote the stories over a twelve-year span, though ten of those years, I didn’t write at all. [altogether a story in itself] In this series, I knew who the main characters were for the first three stories. I knew who the supporting team members were. I also new who one of the main characters would be for the fourth story, but as for other, I had no clue. It was tricky as I had an idea of the plot, too. Ha-ha-ha – the jokes always on me when I think I know. Even at that point in my writing, I knew better than to have my own ideas.
Well, anyway, I was writing book three back in 2006, when the heroine’s sister came into the picture. OMG! She wins the award for ‘Best Supporting Pebble’ of the twentieth century. At least in my work.
Summer is an attorney, funny, open-minded, she was educational in ways most older sisters wouldn’t dream of. My mind literally spun with delight as she came alive. She had me laughing my butt off, while the heroine had me shedding tears. I recall I did a jig around the house. I had my counterpart for the fourth story.
Realignment of Unity
The Fraudulent Colonel
Crossed Circuits
Camouflaged & Explosive
Sounds military, doesn’t it? It is. My husband was a Radar Technician in the Air Force. He was part of the Communication Squadrons at Williams AFB, Kuang Ju AB, Ellsworth AFB, did a TDY in the Azores, and Robins AFB, where the series is set in the years of 1996-1997, before major implementations began.
I went on from this series with the intent of doing something totally different. I wrote a story with a hero and heroine who were different than I’d been writing. I went on from this story to another, and another, and another, writing to my hearts content.
What I’d done without realizing it was write another series with the workplace as the backdrop. Crazy how it happened without my knowledge, but I’m never in control.
Servin’ It Up book two came out one year ago today. I think of Last Glass of Wine with sadness and fondness. The man I dedicated it to had been my boss. I didn’t know him well, but enough in my spirit to know he had the potential to not only handle a GM’s position, but more. Why didn’t he take it? Why didn’t he? I honestly didn’t know the reason he left instead. The story is my tribute to the man without actually writing the man I did know. However, I did insert an instance that seared him in my heart forever. Memories keep people alive. He came through the door, sliding on one knee singing the chorus to a song embedded in my mind and wouldn’t go away. Total Eclipse of the Heart by Bonnie Tyler.
The excerpt I’m going to leave with you today is one I share very little. It’s realistic of many of my family get-togethers over the years.
Here’s to summer fun:
She stepped up and swung her arm back and let the shoe go on her forward motion. It went wide, again.
Cole waved his arms in the air. "Holditholdit!" His words slurred together.
He staggered over and stood behind the pole in the sand. When he bent over, he nearly fell to one side, but her partner caught him. Damn! Could he be any sexier than he was right now with that goofy grin? She set her empty hand on her hip and laughed.
"Lana, the shoe…goes here," he instructed.
"Where does it go?" She held up the shoe and framed his face in it, then swung her arm back.
"No, wait'll…" Cole dove out of the sand pit as she let the shoe go. It landed next to him. Laughter filtered across the yard.
"Kind of hard to tell which gray pole she's supposed to aim at," someone said.
"Yeah, you shouldn't wear gray shorts," Lana told him.
"Ok." Cole grabbed the waistband and started to push them down.
Janet jumped up. "Cole, don't do it!"
He shrugged, picked up the shoe and started across the yard. Lana shoved her thumbs in the back pockets of her jeans. "I told you, I don't play."
Cole put his arm around her waist and, with his mouth almost touching hers, told her, "I'm showin' you how to play."
"Don't promise what you can't back up." She tried to step back, but he held her there.
"Sweetheart, when I finish with you, no one'll match us." He moved around her and put a horseshoe in her hand, his fingers covering hers. With his face next to hers, she could smell the vodka and cranberry mixture; it drew her eyes to his mouth. She wanted to taste it on his lips. It had to be better than over ice. She felt herself closing in to find out.
"It's all in the wrist," he told her.
"All in the wrist," she repeated. She could feel his body pressed into her backside when he drew her arm back.
"Keep your arm close to your side, and don't wait until your arm rises above your waist to let it go."
"You're going to give a tent show when you move away."
"You'll have to take care of it, since it's your fault," he replied.
Her mouth went dry, and her crotch became wetter. "If you're willing to reciprocate."
"Give it a try and see how close you come."
Hell, if he continued to rub his cock against her, she was going to come. She shivered and watched him step away from her, face the forest and attempt to hide his erection. Lana quickly inhaled and let the air out before she concentrated on the fuzzy site of the far pit. The pole stood somewhere in the center. She let the shoe fly and heard the clang of metal hitting metal.
"All right, a ringer!" Jerome cheered.
Cole staggered over to her with a raised hand. She smacked it and walked over to where her glass sat. Hot, she fanned herself, eyeing the strong muscled calves as he returned to his side. If she shoved him against the tree and rode him, they'd hold them.
After a long drink, she set the empty glass down, took a deep breath and watched Jerome and Cole toss the shoes back to her pit.
"Want another drink, Lana?" Taylor asked.
"No. I'm good. Thanks." And I'm going to get better in a little bit, from all signs of things. She picked up her horseshoes and waited for Taylor to toss his.
When the game ended with Cole and Taylor winning and Cole doing his little winner jig, she walked over to the pool. She wanted nothing but a cold shower, but the cool water would do. Splashing water on her arms, she found herself being lifted and landed in the water.
Last Glass of Wine
ISBN 1-60601-050-9
Bookstrand.com
Here’s to many, many years of with rocks building on pebbles. And the acceptance thereof.
Bekki
Contemporary romance with sizzling sensuality
Jewel of the Sun’s BLOOD DESTINY – coming soon
LOVE, Stalker of the Heart - AVAILABLE NOW
Last Glass of Wine AVAILABLE NOW
A Psychic Hitch AVAILABLE NOW
Servin’ It Up Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble
http://home.mchsi.com/~bekkilynn
www.myspace.com/bekki_lynn
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6 comments:
Sexy, flirty excerpt, Bekki!
Fascinating about how you write your novels and your series. I can't wait to read your military series - it sounds utterly fascinating.
I love the idea of characters as rocks and pebbles!
Great blog!
Thanks, Lindsay.
I just never know what will my mind pop.
I've started going through the military series. I'm hoping to offer it next year.
Bekki, great tease at the end of your excerpt.
Just that scene gives so much insight into Cole and Lana.
Heck, I'm always looking at rocks. They're fascinating. And I like using them for landscaping. Where I once lived there was a lot of rock. I would see one I particularly like and ask it where it wanted to be placed... and I'd always find the perfect place for it... in the yard part of the two acres.
Oops, congrats on the anniversary.
Thanks, Savanna.
Rocks are amazing things. As a child I loved searching through them for the odd colors, the gem like looks, the fossils. I still do.
I'm so easily entertained by nature.
Great glimpse into the way you construt things, Bekki. :) I like what you said about supporting charcaters too, and how you can carry those though. Why not? Effective suporting characters have stories all of their own, and thank goodness! How one-dimensional a book is without fully developed SC's. Yours sound fully-fleshed!
Jane x
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