Sunday Morning Musings: Waiting is the Worst

Hello. It’s May 28, and while we haven’t had any consistent warmth, we do have leaves on trees and the perennials are up and allergy season is in full bloom.  My sinuses are so clogged, they’ve plugged one ear. Ah! The joys of the season.

I did have a furry visitor drop by this week. Not sure how he got in or out of the yard, but he ran around in there a good half hour before I stopped watching.

This week, I finished the first round of edits on my latest Crimson Romance novel, No Good Deed. Now I have to wait to see what other changes the editor will suggest. Selling a book to a publisher essentially means giving up control of your story. The editor’s job is to make a “good” story better, but sometimes, you have to wonder. I get the “show don’t tell,” but sometimes I want to tell! I want the reader  to move on not spend their time”thinking about the mouth turned down–Is that anger? Is it disdain? Is it boredom.  The same thing with the furrowed brow: confusion, anger, what?  Why is saying: “Her eyes filled with angry tears,” so wrong?

But enough of that. I cried my way through them, got them done, and will not so anxiously await the next round.

The other thing that ended this week was my Kindle Scout Campaign for Sworn to Protect. A huge, heartfelt thank you to everyone who nominated the book. I will know within the next week whether or not it was accepted for publication, but based on all the style errors and telling not showing, I’m not as hopeful as I was. Fingers crossed that it will get chosen, but if it doesn’t and because I adore the cover, I will indie publish this one.

So what’s next? I’m going to take a little break and then work on finishing Wedding Bell Blues, my Tuesday Tales novel. After that, I’m committed to completing the Tales of Eloisia, my sci-fi novel that stagnated at three episodes.

I have never been the most patient person in the world, and waiting is always the hardest. I will leave you this morning with a scene from Desert Deception.

“I’m here,” Randy said, coming to her rescue. “If I were you, I’d make him wait and change into something else.” She chuckled. “Wet, baggy, and wrinkled isn’t a good look for you.”

Casey made a face. “You’re mean—accurate, but mean.” She turned to Jaxon. “See you later, kiddo.”

Hurrying to her room, Casey rummaged through the clothes she’d brought with her, wishing she’d added something sexy instead of just practical, opting to wear the blue sweater again, but this time with a pair of denim crop pants and matching flats. She fluffed her damp hair, knowing that if she tried to brush it, it would become an unholy mess, and fixed her makeup. Adding a pair of gold hoops, she used tortoiseshell combs to pull her hair behind her ears.

Taking a deep breath, using all of the self-control she possessed, she walked calmly down the stairs, wanting to run into his arms, but forcing herself not to.

“Hi,” she said, annoyed by the breathless sound of her voice.

He’d showered and shaved, and while there were shadows under his eyes, he looked good enough to eat—man candy at its best, and while she knew candy wasn’t good for her, Cole was.

“Hi, yourself.” The heat in his gaze told her he wanted to kiss her as much as she wanted him to, but he wouldn’t act on the impulse in front of her parents.

“Jaxon’s still in the tub painting himself. Why don’t we go and sit on the porch?”

Casey stepped around her mother and led Cole onto the veranda. They’d barely made it away from the windows when he dropped the package onto the table next to the swing and pulled her into his arms.

“I missed you,” he said. “I’ve waited all day to do this.”

His lips met hers in a soul-melting kiss that chased away whatever doubts she had about the rightness of this relationship. His tongue licked her lips, and she opened to him, savoring his taste. The long, lingering kiss was one of promise, but when he pulled away, his eyes were filled with worry rather than passion.

“How did your day go?” she asked, trying to understand the contrary emotion. Perhaps he was just tired, concerned about this latest crime.

“Not good. I’m sure you heard about last night’s fire.”

“And the body discovered in the mountains. That’s all anyone’s talking about. Even the return of the prodigal daughter has taken a back seat to it.”

“Yeah, well, what can I say?” He chuckled. “Fortune’s like Hollywood. You get your five minutes of fame, and then, the limelight moves on.” He sobered. “The fire was a bad one, Casey.”

“I know. Was it an accident?”

“No. It was deliberate.” His brow was furrowed, his lips pursed.

“Like the others?” she asked, concern eating at her.

Have a great week. Hopefully, next Sunday I’ll have good news to share!