Long days and Spring Cleaning

 I need to be better about these. Every week. I've been... busy. To say the least. I finally got the editing on Trust done and moved on to finish writing Moonlit. I'm not scheduled to edit it until May, but I've decided I need to get a little bit of a head start on it ahead of camp. 

Speaking of camp! Sir Innkeeper, Lady Benevolent Witch, and I started our own Discord server! Because everything with NaNo is a mess... we've decided to hold our own writing events. We EXPLODED in members so fast we've been scrambling to manage it all. It's been great. I love it there. The people are great, and the vibes are the best. I'm super grateful for all of it!! So, I'll still be writing Waterlogged in April, it will just be for our event instead! 

I'm spring cleaning this week, so I'm exhausted, BUT! My house will be clean! Like, really clean. Scrubbing the baseboards, cleaning out every cupboard and closet kinda clean. It'll be awesome when it's done, but right now, I'm feeling tired and sore and ready for it to all be over. 

Something AMAZING happened this week! I wrote for a sub call about a year ago and I hadn't heard anything about it, so I just assumed they didn't take it. I got an email this week... THEY ARE GOING TO PUBLISH IT! Details will be coming soon! I'm super excited! I can't wait! 

Ok, until next week ♥

Lyrics in my head:

And I wouldn't marry me either
A pathological people pleaser 
Who only wanted you to see her
And I'm fadin', thinkin'

and

All that I am 
All that I ever was
Is here your perfect eyes
They're all I can see

From Nic's Kitchen: Potato Soup

 

Trust Excerpt 4: Riley

 

“Vanessa!” someone yelled as they ran through the gathered crowd. All of a sudden, I was almost knocked over as someone wrapped their arms around me and squeezed. “I’ve missed you so much! I just wasn’t sure if you’d want me to drop by.”

“Riley?” I asked, surprised. “They told me you’d moved to Briar.”

“I came back after the attacks,” she said, eyes filled with tears. “I knew they needed me here if it happened again.”

“You are always welcome to anywhere I am,” I said, pulling her into another hug. I swallowed hard, trying to keep the tears back. “Always.”

I hadn’t seen her since I dropped her off in the village 13 years ago. We were passing through and she wanted to stay. She was so young then, but eager to learn from the fairies here and to help. She was, and always would be, one of my kids. Seeing her, alive and taken care of, overwhelmed my senses.

“Sorry, I know there is a lot going on, but when I was told you were here… I just had to see you,” she said stepping back and wiping her eyes.

Her long dark hair was swept up into a pony tail, and she had dirt all over her face and clothes. I knew she would be grown now, but it was hard to really believe it. She had been so young when James and I left her here. Somehow, she had stayed that way in my mind.

“I’m really happy to see you, too,” I said, hastily wiping the tears from my eyes. “I think about you a lot. I’m glad you’re well.”

“I’m going to help them defend this place,” she said, clearing her throat. “I’ve been pushing my magic to build the strength.”

“Just make sure you take care of yourself, ok?” I said.

“You too,” she said.

“When this is over, I owe Lottie and Denis coffee,” Nic said. “You're welcome to join us.”

“I would like that,” she said with a smile.

“I’ve got a few teams scattering to get the word out,” Ben said as he marched back into the square. “We will make sure none of them fall.”

“Thank you,” Nic said, extending his hand.

Ben clasped Nic’s forearm and bowed his head slightly. A softness slid across Nic’s face as he bowed his head in return.

“It will be an honor to serve with you,” Ben said.

They both pulled their hands back, pressed their fists against their lips, and then lay their palms flat against their chests.

“The honor is all mine,” Nic said.