The laundry, the writer and the timer they both used

I wrote 8500 words last weekend. I decided to sit and write my story for the JOURNEY project and get the first draft done after weeks of excuses. I did write, but other stories, so I wasn't procrastinating. I was avoiding the story that I should have been writing. The reasons for the avoidance are many, but let's just say that writing a story where grief is the main theme just after my mother passed away, was not going to be easy and I dreaded that. But I did it.

Before I get into the how of that, a small laundry lesson. My washing machine beeps when it has finished the program I had chosen for that load. I use that as my timer. I don't have to watch the clock or worry about how much time or how many words I still have to do. I write, and the washing machine's beeps will call time for a session. Since the lengths of the programs vary according to the load, how many rinse and spin cycles I chose, etc., I can use that to suit my energy levels.

Mid-morning will require a shorter cycle since I have to watch my blood sugar and eat at predetermined intervals. After I had something to eat, I can select laundry that requires a longer cycle. While this might be weird to you, it helped me to write a story that I had to write, but had been avoiding. With a deadline (that I set) not too far away, I had to make a plan to force myself to do this. And here is how I did that:

Saturday - it was short before 11 am, and I had to have a meal at about 12 pm. I went through my laundry basket and chose light fabrics, of mixed colours - typically clothes I would wear to work that won't get dirty because my job is mostly office based. Cycle = 40 minutes.

I started writing at 10h56. I didn't hear the machine beep because of music playing on my computer and the air-conditioner running in the passage outside my home office. I stopped at 11h57 and managed to get from 466 to 1651 words in that time.

The scene was emotionally draining, and I felt tired, so I took a long break. Took care of the laundry, had lunch, took some time to play with the dogs and got back to my computer at 13h39. I had another load of laundry ready but this time, the cycle was 1hr and 35min.

Again I stopped at 14h49 and managed to get to 2921 words. I was beginning to see a pattern that had nothing to do with the story. I could sit and write for about an hour before I had to get up and move around because of a back problem. I had noticed this before (also at work) but never really paid attention until I had this story to write. Okay, now I could work around that too.

Saturday evening I added a few more words and went to bed with 4527 words written. Not bad for a day where I had multiple tasks to do and had a story to write.

The requirements for the story are a minimum of 9000 words, so I was aiming towards that. This was the basic story, I would have to do a lot of editing, but this minimum target was not a bad place to aim for.

On Sunday my husband and I had our usual breakfast out, so I could only start writing again once we were back home a few minutes before 10 am. I didn't do much laundry, except some underwear because I was running low. Since I now knew that my body could handle being still for an hour at a time, I could work with that without worrying about the clock or my word count.

Here is how my Sunday went:

10h07 to 10h49 - I added another 858 words.

By 12h03 I had 6042 words in the story.

14h23 - 6451 words

14h34 - 6663 words

16h35 - 7485 words

16h50 - 7751 words

17h01 - 7984 words

17h31 - 8455 words

18h11 - 8975 words

As you might guess, I wasn't writing continuously, but that was okay. I had been able to consistently add words to my story until I felt the story was done. The above info I wrote down on a piece of paper next to my computer. This habit of mine to keep track of my words helps me to keep going.

Yes, my story is not 9000 words, but it will require more words to paint the complete picture that I want for my readers.

Don't misunderstand me - I cannot do this every weekend. I have other obligations most weekends, and I was utterly exhausted afterwards. So much so that at work on Monday I was having a hard time focusing. This it not the most number of words I have written over a weekend. If memory serves, I have done more than 10 000 words for NaNoWriMo one year.

These 8500 words came at a high emotional price for me, but having read the story afterwards (not ready for editing yet) I feel it could it be a story worth publishing. Let's hope my writers' group agree otherwise I will have to come up with a new idea - and soon!

The Friendship Affair

Not all long lasting marriages are happy. But what do you do if divorce is not an option?

University friends, Stephanie and Nick, meet again after twenty years. But life has not been easy or simple for either of them. Will this friendship affair stand a chance against reality?

 

CHAPTER 7

They met the following Sunday afternoon at the coffee shop.

“How has your week been?”

“Rough, but I managed. Yours?”

Nick smiled at the memory of his kids' visit two days earlier. “Splendid actually. Work was busy as usual.”

Stephanie pointed to his mouth. “That smile tells me there is more.”

A few minutes later she was laughing with him.

“Sounds like your children want you to be happy.”

He nodded. “Yeah, I think so too.”

They finished their coffee and decided to go for a walk in the fairy garden. They didn't go to the cottage but stayed on the public paths.

There were more people in the garden, some even with dogs or baby strollers out to get a breather from the heat.

They didn't talk much, each lost in their own thoughts.

He wondered what she would say to a change in their relationship. The more time he spent with her, the more he wanted to kiss her, hold her, make love to her. And yet something was holding him back. She was not like the others. They were friends and he wanted that connection to stay.

Maybe it was people always saying that you lose the friend if you gain the lover.

He watched the sun sprinkle highlights in her red-brown hair, and wondered why they hadn't been lovers all those years ago. She was highly intelligent and beautiful on top of that. They were almost the same age, and yet time had been her friend when he compared her to other women of his era.

When the path might a tight turn, they were almost enclosed by trees and shrubs in their own little world.

He caught her looking at him.

“Will you—”

He cut her words off by sealing his lips to hers.

And then the world exploded in an array of colours and flavours.

* * *

Stephanie caught herself smiling at the oddest moments. Even her oldest friend knew something was up when they met for lunch on Monday.

While Denise knew about her husband, Stephanie never told anyone about the affairs, fearing her friend's censure and loss of friendship.

With a great deal of effort, Stephanie managed to get through lunch without making a fool of herself.

Neither did she tell Denise about meeting up with him again. She too knew him at uni, might even have dated him once or twice. But Nick was her secret. Something she didn't want to share with friends and family. Her own happiness.

Stephanie stopped in her tracks. Happiness?

When was the last time she felt something even remotely resembling that emotion?

She opened the door to the building of her afternoon appointment. After signing in at security, she got into the elevator.

Many people returned after going out for lunch and the car stopped at every floor. She stood at the back and watched the numbers of the floors slowly roll over.

Her cheeks heated with the memory of the kiss in the garden. She touched her lips remembering the way his moved and teased hers. Even her body recalled its heated reaction.

Nick wanted to be lovers, he made that clear, but he didn't kiss with sex on his brain. There was desire, and heat, which they shared once she got over the shock of that first touch. She wanted him too. All because of a kiss that made her happy. Happy? Could a kiss do that? How could he do that?

The floor number rolled around that woke her mind to the reality of getting back to work.

Missed the previous chapters? Read them on Wattpad

Linzé's Mischief: 21 February 2016

It has just gone past 7 pm and I am exhausted. I set myself the target to sit and write the first draft of Galen's Hope this weekend. I have been coming up with excuses for weeks now and on Friday, I decided that enough is enough. So I kept my notes close, the box of tissues closer and I wrote the story.

Yesterday was bad. I had to do the scenes where Galen's found out that his entire family was killed, except his sister. Then he had to watch her die. Man, it was exhausting. I was crying so much my nose started bleeding. I also seemed to have a burst vein in one eye, although that could have been from the pressure test the optometrist did on Friday. The crying probably made it worse, but yeah, it wasn't fun.

Today's scenes were as emotional but the story was not an easy one to write. I have asked for people to read it to see if the story works. If not, there is still enough time for me to do another one before the JOURNEY project's deadline.

But it's done and I am not going to touch it for a few weeks before editing it.

On a lighter note, I have started editing another story for my blog - The Billionaire Baritone. It is a sweet romance that will soon grace the pages of the Broomstick.

On that note, people have been saying that the links to early chapters of The Friendship Affair were not working. Since I have not had such difficulties, I also published the chapters (already available on my blog) to Wattpad. Now you can read them in order. You can also follow me on Wattpad to get the latest instalment right away.

Look out for several reviews coming over the next few weeks. And they are not just romance novels, I promise.

You might have seen the post about my mother's passing a few weeks ago. In there I mentioned her love for cross-stitch. My dad gave me all my mom's embroidery stuff and the finished projects. I have been pondering what to do with them since the colour schemes of the various designs she had done do not fit my home.

Then I got the idea to make a quilt - a couch cover really - and to use them in such a way that they will blend in with the colour scheme of my living room. So my project for the upcoming winter will be to make the quilt. I have done it before, but this will be a challenge of a different kind. Will keep you posted.

I am going to get some coffee, put my feet up and read the next Embroidery Mystery by Amanda Lee, Cross-stitch before dying ( loving the series!)

Until next time!

The Friendship Affair

Not all long lasting marriages are happy. But what do you do if divorce is not an option?

University friends, Stephanie and Nick, meet again after twenty years. But life has not been easy or simple for either of them. Will this friendship affair stand a chance against reality?

CHAPTER 6

“Hey, Dad. What's up?”

Nick smiled at his youngest holding out a beer to him while she sipped her soft drink.

“I am good. So how was the last official day of school?”

“Surprising,” she replied. “I thought I would be ecstatic, but there is a lingering sadness too. Too weird.”

He nodded. “I get that. It is a phase of your life that will soon be over. I think it's okay to feel a little sadness about that.”

Lindie curled her legs up on the chair. “I guess.”

She took a long drink and pointed the bottle top at him. “So what are you going to do?”

“What do you mean? I will still be here.”

“You should get married again. Then you won't be so alone all the time.”

He almost snorted beer through his nose. Luckily most of it went down the right hole. After wiping his nose with a handkerchief, he eyed the young woman. When did she grow up on him?

“Did your brothers put you up to this?”

She grinned. “Nah, but we all agree.”

“Agree on what?” two more, deeper, voices echoed.

After a lot of hugging and teasing, the younger men settled down and popped their beers. Both having detoured through the kitchen on their way to the outside patio. Neither lived at home, but they always seemed to pop in at the right, or was it wrong, time.

“Dad needs to get married again,” Lindie supplied the belated answer.

The guys tapped their bottle necks together and took a long swallow.

Ñick swallowed around the tightness in his throat. He was so proud of them. Gary and Albert both went to university on scholarships for which they had worked their butts off, saying that he should save his money for their sister. Lindie wanted to go to medical school, and scholarships were rarely awarded to students right out of high school. The boys went into engineering, albeit different disciplines.

“Yeah, Dad. You have been taking care of us all this time. It is time to find someone of your own again.”

“I thought you should have done so years ago, but now you cannot use us as an excuse anymore,” the cheeky chirp came from his other side.

He coughed, even though he had nothing in his mouth. “Why this sudden matchmaking scheme?”

The three siblings laughed together, but it faded into the quiet Friday afternoon. “We know how tough it has been to raise us after our mother had left, but we thought to tell you that we are okay with you getting married again.”

Still trying to get over the shock, he stared at his children. They were laughing and joking about something else, but he simply watched their faces. They were all technically adults, but his eyes had opened to the incredible people his children had become.

Too bad their mother would never see that. Even though he had tried to make their marriage work, it had been clear that she had no interest in doing the same. Lindie had barely been a week old when Lena packed her bags and asked for a divorce.

He had never told them where she was, although they had only kept in contact out of necessity.

He smiled when the youngest and oldest conned the middle one into getting everyone another round. Yeah, they turned out more than just alright.

Missed the previous chapters? Read them on Wattpad

I need your help...for a character

Synopsis: Juliana needs a man that has some adventure in his blood. She meets Ryland on her way home, but does not see his face. She becomes intimately acquainted with his hands though. To preserve the mystery and the excitement of their public affair, she never tries to look at him when he touches her on the crowded bus.

My Intimate Stranger is the first in a trilogy of two people who embark on the sexual relationship adventure of a lifetime.

My challenge to you: I need an occupation for Ryland.

He has to have the kind of job where a regular bus ride would not be out of character, even if it's not an everyday occurrence. It has to be the kind of job my readers will associate with an adventurous, confident man in his early thirties.

Juliana is a forensic accountant the same age as Ryland. Her confidence and adventurous spirit are reflected in the story in the way she dresses and wears her hair.

Share your answer in the comments below and remember to leave a way (one link will suffice) for me to contact you (email, blog URL, Facebook page or Twitter handle). I will choose an answer I think will work best for the story and give the winner a discount coupon for a free download of my erotic romance ebook, Their+1.

The competition closes on the 14th. I will announce the winner on the 15th on my blog and my Facebook page.

I look forward to your suggestions!

Linzé

LOVE IS BLIND - Blog Hop 12 to 15 February 2016

Find some awesome bloggers and authors blog hopping this weekend with me!

http://francishpowellauthor.weebly.com/love-is-blind-blog-hop.html

The Friendship Affair

Not all long lasting marriages are happy. But what do you do if divorce is not an option?

University friends, Stephanie and Nick, meet again after twenty years. But life has not been easy or simple for either of them. Will this friendship affair stand a chance against reality?  

CHAPTER 5

Stephanie knew she was running late, but had warned Nick of the possibility earlier in the day. The meeting had taken longer than usual since the client had misplaced an invoice she had needed to calculate the VAT.

She rushed forward a few steps, then stopped to consult her tablet for his directions.

Five minutes later, she stopped again, this time, to admire the view.

Like the week before, she couldn't believe this place existed.

A tiny cottage, hidden from view in the fairy garden. She had passed several people on the main path.

“For a secret, this place was popular,” she muttered to herself.

Only when she reached the fifth bench situated on the left-hand side of the path did she pause to look around. Once she was sure she was alone, she quickly stepped off the path and slipped into the trees behind the bench.

The trees and bushes were denser, but it wasn't too difficult to find the overgrown footpath.

He was waiting at the entrance.

“Glad you made it.”

She ran a hand through her hair, pulling out a few leaves that were caught in her curls.

“Me too.”

He waved a hand to his left. “Shall we?”

They walked a few meters away from the cottage into a small clearing.

“A picnic?”

“Had to offer you at least something to drink in this heat. Make yourself comfortable.”

While the pencil skirt wasn't exactly suited for casual wear, she managed to sit down on the blanket without making a fool of herself. Of course, holding his hand had helped. That was after she almost let go when she felt an electric current sizzle up her arm.

She only relaxed when it appeared that he hadn't noticed.

After making himself comfortable, he reached into a cooler camouflaged as a backpack and pulled out a bottle with two long stemmed glasses.

Her eyebrows rose. “Are we celebrating something?”

The bottle opened with a pshh.

“Yep,” he replied as he poured and handed her the first glass.

Bubbles tickled her nose when she smelled it.

“Sparkling apple juice. How appropriate.”

He grinned. “Can't have you drinking during working hours now, can I?”

He touched his glass to hers. “I ended it with Danielle.”

She took a sip of the refreshing juice. It was better than anything she had had before. Or maybe it was the surroundings.

“Why? I thought you kissed and made up after the previous time.”

He reached into the backpack and pulled out a prepackaged platter with cheeses and an assortment of crackers beautifully arranged around slices of apples and pears.

Waiting until she had helped herself, he leaned back against a tree trunk.

“I found someone better to spend my time with.”

Nick's words followed her the rest of the week.
When she was updating the books for her clients, or doing the laundry or shopping, it was as if he was haunting her. Not in a bad way, but somehow his presence was everywhere.
When she called the hospital, a sense of guilty relief enveloped her, when the nurse reported that “he was not having a good day”. Those good days were becoming less and less frequent.
She sighed after thanking the woman.
In the beginning, she naively thought that he would remember her and be the man she had married. Now she called first. It was painful to see him as lifeless as a dummy, or so aggressive that she often feared he would hurt her.
Shaking her head to let go of the depressing thoughts, Stephanie poured herself some iced tea and got back to work.

~ Read Ch 1  Ch 2  Ch 3 Ch 4 

~ Next week: Chapter 6

Book Feature: 4 Novellas by Stevie Turner

1. Lily (Historical/ Paranormal)

 Lily is 92 and failing in health.  Her family tells her she is going on a little holiday, and although she finds herself still on her beloved Isle of Wight, to her horror she is now living permanently in a residential home at the mercy of Bridie, the ‘horrible’ one. 

To make what is left of her life happier she thinks about years gone by, and once again wonders about the strange disappearance of her 14 year old sister Violet in 1897.  However, every cloud has a silver lining, and amidst the daily horror of her life she is delighted to find out that somebody at the home can shed new light on the mystery.

Buy Link  http://bookShow.me/B018TA6NPS

2.  The Noise Effect:   (Women's Fiction/ Suspense)

 What lengths would you go to in order to ensure a peaceful existence?  Newlyweds Eve and Leigh Chandler are thrilled to be given a council house on a recently built estate after living with Eve’s parents for a year, and are eager to get to know their new neighbours.  Eve quickly forms a friendship with Tessa Patterson at number 16, but things turn sour when Mark Denny moves into number 18 with his two teenage sons.

 The Dennys enjoy playing their music loud enough for the whole street to hear.  Leigh and Eve, both normally easy-going and placid, complain to the council after being driven to distraction by noise emanating from the house next door.  However, this only serves to make them a sitting target for Mark Denny’s anger, causing Eve to discover a previously hidden side of her new husband that she was totally unaware of.

Buy Link  http://bookShow.me/B018TA6NPS

3.  The Pilates Class:  (Humorous)

 The Pilates Class is a quick read, and a humorous look at the lives and loves of several different characters attending a Pilates exercise class for the first time. 

Roger is a down-to-earth builder type, Judy is the harassed single mother of four teenage boys, and Thelma is a librarian who usually looks as though she's been sitting on a wasps’ nest for most of her life.  Neville is on the lookout for a woman (any woman will do), and Julian just wants to be young again.  Edie is the wrong side of 70, and Roz is a size zero fitness queen.

These characters, together with one very overweight Alice, all meet up for the first time at their local Pilates class.  Petra, the class instructor, has no idea what she has let herself in for!

Buy Link  http://bookShow.me/B018TA6NPS

4.  Cruising Danger:  (Thriller / Suspense)

 When Pauline Edmunds agrees to accompany her friend Shirley on a Caribbean cruise, she is disappointed to be left alone almost at the start when Shirley starts a holiday romance with Joe Collins, a guitarist in a band working on board the ship.  However, Pauline does not like the look of Joe, and tries to dissuade Shirley from continuing the affair.  When Shirley suddenly cannot be found one morning, Pauline suspects that Joe may have something to do with her friend’s disappearance and she starts to investigate deeper, opening up a whole can of worms amidst a background of Caribbean scenery and sunshine.

About the Author 

Website: http://www.stevie-turner-author.co.uk

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Stevie-Turner-432183066899400/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/StevieTurner6

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7172051.Stevie_Turner

WordPress: https://steviet3.wordpress.com/

The Friendship Affair

Not all long lasting marriages are happy. But what do you do if divorce is not an option?

University friends, Stephanie and Nick, meet again after twenty years. But life has not been easy or simple for either of them. Will this friendship affair stand a chance against reality?

CHAPTER 4

“Hi Annie, have you been waiting long?”

Two bright red spots appeared on Stephanie's cheeks. “I happened to be in the vicinity to see a client.”

He sat. “Did you change your appointment to another day?”

Both knew Nick didn't need to elaborate on who the appointment would have been with.

She waited until the waiter, a young woman today, delivered his coffee, before replying. “I broke it off. Last week. After our talk, I realised that he was getting involved.”

She looked down at her hand resting on a picture of the lunch special. “I couldn't let it go on any longer.”

“Are you okay with that?”

She shrugged, turned the page on the menu and then turned it back. In the end, she pushed it away. “If you wonder about my emotional state, there is no need. I will find something else to help me forget for a few hours. Maybe join a book club. I saw a notice at the library—”

He took her hand. “Talk to me. We are still friends, aren't we?”

She nodded. They were friends. She could feel that.

He pointed to the door. “Let's get out of here and go for a walk. What do you say?”

He dropped a few bills on the table, and ignoring her protest, took her hand in his and led her to the door.

“There is a park close by,” he said and promptly turned right.

Two blocks down they entered the park and took the path to the left.

“It's like a fairy world,” she whispered turning around and around. Small twinkling lights were hanging from almost every tree. Next to the path were statues of gnomes and fairies. Even a dragon made its presence known.

“It is a local secret,” he said standing a few steps away watching her face.

“How do you know about it?” she asked when she joined him, still glancing here and there not to miss anything.

He laughed softly.

She stopped and stared.

He had a lovely way of laughing. Warm and sincere. “My Dad built this place when I was about nine years old. He was the city parks' landscaper. When the city wanted to build another exercise park, you know the kind with obstacle courses and jogging paths, the residents went up in arms. The city relented and brought my dad in to redesign the area. It placated the locals, and it has been a green area ever since.”

“It is beautiful. I think the kids must love this place.”

He nodded with a smile. “Mine sure did, when they were still children.”

She shared a grin with him. “Teenagers?”

“The youngest. She will finish high school this year. The boys are working already.”

She turned in a circle once more. “I would love to live in a place like this.”

“Quiet. Peaceful. Inspiring.”

She shared a sad smile with him. “Yeah. If only....”

Stephanie stopped and shook her head. This was her escape time. Reality wasn't going anywhere.

He waved her closer. “Come with me, I want to show you something.”

~ Read Ch 1     Ch 2     Ch 3

~ Chapter 5: Next week

Linzé's Mischief: 31 Jan 2016

In memoriam: Leonora de Vries

My mother touched many people's lives in different ways. She came from a large family of eight children. She raised two children, whom she often referred to as a rugby team. Yeah, my brother and I well hell on wheels when we were kids. Probably because I am only a year and half older than him. It was funny putting it that way since none of us actually like rugby.

My mom was a cricket fan and could argue tactics and team selections with the best of them. She loved the shorter forms of the game, T-20 and 50 overs, and tolerated the classic 5-day version.

The longer version took too much time and she often said she had too many other things to do than sit in front of the television the whole day.

She loved her daily soap opera and we knew better than to call her during that time of the day. But, if you had a real problem she never minded if you did. I think my brother learned to cook in those time slots. If Mom hadn't helped, he might have burned down his place a time or six. Yep, a call in soapie time from him often was a real emergency.

She was odd in some ways. I remember that we lived in an area in South Africa where poisonous snakes were abundant. She hated snakes. And yet we often came home from school to find a twitching or dead snake at the back door of the house; she had killed it with a broomstick. If you have never done that, let me help you out - you have to get very close to a snake to kill it with a broomstick, trust me.

She wasn't a fan of camping, but had no objection if we went camping as long as the basics were available, ie. electricity and proper plumbing. I guess I got that one from Mom, because I am exactly the same. In some ways I am like her, and that is not a bad thing either.

On a more personal note, there were two things I really appreciated about my mother. She never felt that she was too old to learn - I taught her to do cross-stitch when she was in her early sixties, and she was very good at it. Sometimes I think she was better at it than I am.

The second thing, which I realised very early in my adult years, was that mother stopped treating me like a child when I left home. To many people, it might sound weird, but in my case it made a huge difference in our relationship. I was raised to think for myself, but living at home often created unnecessary fights because of it. As soon as I left home, our relationship underwent a radical change for which I was grateful and continued to be until her passing last week.

She lost a three-year battle with cancer on 28 January 2016. She was 74 years old.

Mom, you had a good innings and I will always miss you.

The Friendship Affair

Not all long lasting marriages are happy. But what do you do if divorce is not an option?

University friends, Stephanie and Nick, meet again after twenty years. But life has not been easy or simple for either of them. Will this friendship affair stand a chance against reality?

CHAPTER 3

“What happened?” Stephanie asked after they sat and ordered coffee. The region was gripped in a heat wave, but the coffee shop was blessedly cool, so coffee seemed okay.

Nick pulled a face and waited until the waiter had left. He glanced around, but the shop was not busy. Probably too early yet for the lunch crowd.

“Didn't come,” he replied quietly just in case. “She was pissed.”

She frowned. “You or her? Not coming, I mean.”

He shrugged. “Me. She did.”

Her frown deepened. “Why would that bother her?”

He snorted. “You have to ask?”

“Okay. The 'I am not sexy enough anymore' speech. Bitch.” Despite her words, her tone was just as quiet.

He nodded and for the first time looked at her. “You okay?”

It was her turn to avoid his gaze. “You're not the only one having a hard time.”

He took her hand. “That must have dented his ego.”

The electric heat from his hand surprised her. It took a moment to get her voice back. “Big time. I got fed up and left.”

She pulled her hand away. “What you are going to do?”

“Don't know. Break it off, I guess. You?”

She played with the empty sweetener packets. “Been thinking about it for weeks.”

“Same here. What an odd pair we are.”

Her lips twitched into some semblance of a smile.

“You guys want something else?”

They looked up at the waiter.

“Do you have time for a bite?”

Stephanie woke up her tablet and consulted her calendar. “Looks like I do.”

After ordering the quiche of the day for both of them, and more coffee, silence descended once more. It wasn't uncomfortable, so neither tried to fill it.

The coffee shop became noisier as they finished their meal.

When she tried to pay, he stayed her hand. “My turn.”

“Sorry. Habit.”

He waved it away. “See you next week?”

~Read Chapter 1     Chapter 2

~Chapter 4: Next week

The Friendship Affair

Not all long lasting marriages are happy. But what do you do if divorce is not an option?

University friends, Stephanie and Nick, meet again after twenty years. But life has not been easy or simple for either of them. Will this friendship affair stand a chance against reality?  

CHAPTER 2

Stephanie reached out and touched his hand for a moment.

“Are you happy?”

Nick slowly shook his head. “Not really. Not that it would make a difference does it? It is not just my marriage.”
He leaned back and looked up at the ceiling of the coffee shop. It must have been one hell of a party; he wondered distractedly at the shoe prints.

He sat forward again and played with the teaspoon.

She could see he was not the same person she had met at university. They never had a relationship. It was funny, thinking about it now.

“Why did we never go out?”

He gave a short laugh. “I don't know. Maybe we are just meant to be friends.”

She smiled. “I know. We just never had that chemistry.”

“Yeah,” he replied, also smiling now.
Their smiles faded.

“Then again chemistry is overrated,” he muttered.

Thinking back at her own situation, she had no counter argument to offer. There were the general opinions she could mention, but it felt jaded, fake somehow, so she kept quiet.

They sat there staring at nothing for long minutes. It was both awkward and yet not. The world around them kept talking, drinking coffee, reading their mobile phones, typing away on their computers.

Was this what their lives had become?

“It is sad isn't it?”

She looked up when he spoke. There it was. The hopelessness of life sucking away at the happiness they were all supposed to find after uni.

Instead of replying she nodded in the general direction of the hotel where they ran into each other three days ago. “Does she make you happy?”

He waved to the waiter, and they ordered another round.

“How could she? How could anyone be happy with a few hours of forgetting every month?”

“Then why?”

He shrugged. “Why do you do it?”

She shrugged too. “Forgetting, is a good way to explain it. There is nothing else there for me. I doubt that he feels anything either.”

Their coffee came. He added sugar.

She tore open the packet of sweetener.

He played with the miniature milk jug.

She watched his fingers make the leftover milk bounce to the edges.

“How often?” he asked, avoiding her eyes.

She didn't need clarification. “Once a week. Sometimes more. You?”

“Standing arrangement. Twice a week.”

“Do you always go to a hotel?”

He shook his head. “No. She lives alone.”
He shrugged again. “Hotels can be risky. People start remembering your face.”

She nodded. “Yeah, he mentioned that.”

To her right a couple were holding hands and staring into each other's eyes. She didn't spot any rings. Still dating then.

“He's married.”

“Lots of lonely people out there.”

She stirred the coffee and patiently let the last drop fall from the teaspoon before putting it in the saucer.

“He loves fucking around. Thrill seeker I suppose.”

“Yeah, you get those too,” he replied before lifting his cup to take a sip.

Somewhere behind him, there were bursts of laughter. The kind sounding like students taking a break. It was loud, yet short. Almost too much.

“You want to take a walk?”

She waved her hand for the bill. “Can't. Have a meeting in half an hour.”

Holding her hand on the folder when he wanted to take it. Their eyes met.

For a moment, there was life in the battle of wills. It faded when her hand won.

“Next week?”

~Read Chapter 1

~Chapter 3: Next week

Linzé's Mischief: 17 Jan 2016

I have been lazy the past week. I should have finished the research for my story, Galen's Hope, but still have one more paper to read. Yeah, I am using academic research papers for a fictional story about a Gryphon. It is challenging to say the least. Not only is my main character not human, the research can only help me up to a point. Hopefully, I will pull my weight and get started on the writing this week.

At least, I have not done nothing. I have been uploading chapters of The Friendship Affair and working on another short story, an erotic series of three stories involving the same characters.

Project JOURNEY had its kick-off meeting yesterday and I was happy to see how everyone involved were ready to go. Some of the authors have already started writing, and I cannot wait to read their stories.

One of the authors also write erotic romance and we are thinking of doing a project together in this genre. It does not suit everyone's taste, so we will not have to same number of contributors as the JOURNEY anthology. Will let you know what we decide on that later.

Life is back to normal after the festive period. Work and writing and managing everything with all Francois' photographic responsibilities - yeah, we're back to the normal hectic schedule in this house.

We plan to go to Botswana again in May (not the same place as in 2014) and then I will be accompanying him to the PSSA conference in Langebaan in the Western Cape in August. Since it is being held at a resort on the South African west coast, it is going to be a great writing break for me.

I had an email from www.allaboutwritingcourses.com about an upcoming writer's retreat not far from my home, and am seriously contemplating going to that. I have done some of their writing courses and retreats before, and really enjoyed it.

Lots happening the past week, and these breaks may just be what I need to survive this year.

Oh, and I lost 1kg. Not much, but it did surprise me. Maybe it shouldn't have given all the steps my activity monitor recorded last week - over 38,000 of them!

Look out for the next chapter of The Friendship Affair on Tuesday and I will see you again next week.

The Friendship Affair: Chapter 1

Not all long lasting marriages are happy. But what do you do if divorce is not an option?

University friends, Stephanie and Nick, meet again after twenty years. But life has not been easy or simple for either of them. Will this friendship affair stand a chance against reality?

CHAPTER 1

“Stop! Just stop. Please.”

“But you're—”

He grimaced and gently rolled away to sit on the edge of the bed. He ran his fingers through his hair. The movement caught his eye in the mirror of the dressing table.

Ignoring her, he got up and closed the bathroom door behind him.

Leaning on the counter, the mirror even bigger than the one in the room, he saw a world-weary naked man staring back at him.

A man with salt in his pepper on top. Lines over cheekbones that hadn't been there the last time he looked. A stomach not as lean and hard as it used to be.

Abruptly he turned his back.

“Are you okay?”

He ran his hand through his hair again. It wasn't her fault, but the sympathy he heard in her tone didn't sit well with his pride.

Quickly disposing of the condom, he washed his hands not looking in the mirror.

“Yeah, I am fine. Just give me a second.”

Her, “okay,” floated away from the door.

He couldn't hide in the damn bathroom the whole day, so he went back to the room and started dressing.

She touched his arm. He swallowed and looked at her. She was a lovely woman and deserved so much more. But he bit his tongue. It wasn't the time.

“Next week?” she asked with a smile, albeit a little tentatively.

He smiled back and kissed her, but didn't linger. “Yes.”

He waited a few minutes after she had left, before doing the same.

The elevator pinged a minute later, and the door slid open.

Stephanie Ross-Jackson froze and slowly dropped her hands away from fixing her hair.

“Nick?”

Nicholas Granger blinked twice before recovering his composure and getting into the elevator on the fifth floor of the Regency Hotel.

“Annie? Is it really you? What are you...?”

He suddenly stopped talking and looked at the floor. She looked just as flustered as he felt. Fixing her hair. In a hotel elevator. Middle of the morning.

He grimaced. Just because he was, didn't mean she did.

He looked up when she shifted.

“I am...”

He held up his hands. “No judgement. Honest. And, it is none of my business.”

Her cheeks turned the sweetest pink, but she nodded. “Thank you.”

They stepped out into the foyer and headed towards the front door.

“Can I give you a lift?”

Stephanie smiled. It was a real one and yet he got the feeling she didn't do much of that.

“Thanks, but I have my car.”

He laid a gentle hand on her arm to prevent her from walking away.

“Do you want to grab a coffee sometime? Catch up?”

She looked surprised, and then she nodded. “I would like that.”

~ Chapter 2: Next week.

Linzé's Mischief: 10 Jan 2016

Heatwaves are not easy weather conditions to live with. We have experienced another this past week; our third for the past two months. Being at home is one thing, working when these conditions are present is trying to say the least. We are experiencing a reprieve (thank you, Lord) since yesterday when it started raining.

Now in our part of the country, we don't have rain, we have thunderstorms with rain. Nasty rumblings and lightning strikes that go on for hours. Not only are our dogs upset, but life is difficult when you have to switch off and unplug the devices one would normally be using, such as the TV or computers. It is then that I appreciate the battery power of the Macbook.

I had been playing with long fake nails and removed them on Friday. I miss my long nails. I am blessed with hard, fast growing fingernails that I would wear long until I got tired of them, clipped them off and then started the process all over. Typing with these was never an issue. But it is my skin condition (I suffer from psoriases) that forces me to keep them short. Not really a problem, but damn they do look so much nicer long and painted a lovely red or shiny blue. Oh, well.

I rearranged my office the last few days. I planned to do that during my December break, but other stuff took longer so I didn't get around to it. I finally managed to figure out a way to have all the stuff around me that I want to keep close (pens, notebooks, books to read, dictionaries, tissues, scissors) without cluttering up the whole available surface. I can actually now put my elbows on my desk with my computer and not worry about things falling off. Half of my office looks good, the other half will have to wait until next time.

Since I have already used my art weekend in January, the coming weeks are devoted entirely to writing. I have to finish the research for Galen's Hope and start editing Waiting for Adrian. Actually, it is the final edit before I send it for professional editing.

I do my final edit on paper. I think this story has been edited about ten times already, so it is about time that I get it done. The printed manuscript is lying next to me, ready for my red pen.

I also started a new story a few days ago. It is called My Intimate Stranger. It is the first one in a three part story featuring the same characters.

There are several stories that need a final edit for publication this year. I still haven't decided which ones to tackle after Galen and Adrian's stories. So much to do.

My weight-loss program has shown neither progress nor decline - yeah, that is frustrating too. I will have to have a think about that too.

My word count since the start of the year is 6624 so far at an average of 662 per day. At least, I am writing, although I am not yet near the average daily word count of last year. It is not important, but I still like to know that I am keeping up the effort.

Until next week!

Linzé

Linzé's Mischief: 3 Jan 2016

It is 20h50 and I am in my office at home, trying to stay cool. Even in my pj's, that is proving to be a challenge. Constant high temperatures in summer are not fun if you are of the overweight class like I am. Yeah, the weight-loss thing has not been going too well over the festive season. Not losing anything over the past two weeks was disappointing. I am grateful, though, that I didn't gain a gram either. Silver lining and all that.

I made a New Years resolution for this year. Nope, not the weight thing since that is ongoing. I undertook to spend more time on my art projects. Instead of waiting until December, and then spending days getting back into the groove, I am now going to take one weekend every month for my art. It then also means I don't stop writing in December. Which has also proven to be a frustration.

So 12 weekends equals 24 days (plus a public holiday here and there) and that makes up the days in December I would have spent painting or sketching instead of writing. I think it is a win-win situation for my creative alter ego.

Since I am still on leave, I took my art weekend this first weekend. It works out well for all the January getting-back-to-work and my writing schedule issues that invariably happens.

Project JOURNEY will kick-off next weekend and I will get into 'writer' mode by finishing my research in the next two weeks. My short story has already taken shape in my mind, so the writing part should not take too much time...I hope.

Hubby is off to work tomorrow, so the usual weekly routine of photo club meetings (affecting our dinner planning), writers' group meetings (affecting our Saturday planning) and other social engagements commences.

If you are new to my blog (welcome!) I have always had a public journal page, called Linzé's Mischief. I deleted the page when I gave my blog a facelift. The posts will now be at the usual time (Sunday evenings) as a normal blog post instead of a page update. The length of the page was making my blog very slow and cumbersome to update. All these posts will be tagged 'journal' if you want to read them again.

I am also starting a blog serial (from 12 January) where I will post a chapter of a story every Tuesday. The chapters are short and will not take more than 3-5 minutes of your time to read. If you missed a chapter, you can find it by clicking the 'blog serial' in the keywords.

It is a new year and it is going to be hectic. And boy, am I excited about it.

Until next week!