As Janie approached the porch steps, she did a double take, hardly believing what she was seeing. Yes indeed, that definitely is a cat sitting on my front porch. Well, more like a kitten. But, what do I know about cats? She thought. All she knew at the moment was that she didn’t own one – definitely not that one. She’d always wanted one but she’d just not gotten around to going to the pound in search of one to adopt.
“Now, where did you come from?” she asked the cat even though she did not expect it to answer. “Are you lost? Do you live in the neighborhood? I don’t remember any of my neighbors having a cat.”
As she walked up the steps, the cat walked over and rubbed against Janie’s leg and let out a squeaky meow. Looking down at the orange and white stray, Janie murmured softly to herself, “You’d better watch it girl or the next thing you know you’ll be a cat owner.”
Giving it a good once over, she decided it appeared healthy. Didn’t look rough and rumpled as if it had been roaming the streets. She didn’t see a collar with a tag on it, which meant to Janie that it was definitely a stray. When Janie squatted down to get a better look, the kitty rubbed against her legs and meowed again. Round topaz eyes regarded Janie. That’s when Janie knew she was a goner for sure. Even so, she knew she’d have to come up with a plan on what to do about the kitty.
After giving it a scratch on the head, she opened the front door, where the cat dashed inside to start exploring the new territory. Janie followed and made straight for the kitchen where she dropped her books and notes on the counter.
She checked the fridge in search of something for dinner. As she was scanning the shelves the cat walked up to her, rolled over on it’s back exposing its belly for a rub and let out another meow. She bent over to give it a rub and that’s when Janie noticed that it was a male.
She named him Joey.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Meet Mil - Janie's best friend
The train was due at five. Anyone who’s ever traveled by train knows they are very seldom on time. Janie, who used the train to commute, knowing this, arrived at five.
Thus, she only had to wait twenty minutes, which she supposed was good time considering it was a Friday.
After parking the car, Janie walked up to the platform where the train would stop. Not knowing which car Mil would be on, she stood alone hoping it would make it easier for Mil to spot her first.
Janie was scanning the people as they disembarked, when she heard someone yell “Jem.” She knew who it was without looking cause no one but Mil called her Jem. She turned just as Mil dropped her bags and threw her arms around Janie in a bear hug. Janie embraced Mil at the same time. They pulled back at the same time and eyed each other.
Mil spoke first. “Girlfriend, you are looking good. Have you lost weight? I’m jealous. You hair looks great. I’m jealous. Boy, what a train ride. I’d forgotten how long they could seem. Did you drive? Where’s the car?” When Mil stopped for a breath, Janie jumped in.
“Girlie, I’m happy to see you, too. How about if we wait until we get back to the house before I answer all those questions?” Janie asked, looking down at the bags at her feet. “Are these all your bags?”
Mil picked up the overnight bag and handed it to Janie, replying, “Yes, just the two. If you carry the overnight one, I’ll lug the bigger one.” The bigger one was not really all that big, although bigger than the overnight bag. Janie was quite happy to take the overnight bag. From the look of the other bag, it looked to be busting at the seams.
She gave it the eye one more second before looking back at Mil. “I’m glad I brought the car even though it’s not that far. Lugging those suitcases will make it seem like miles and miles. The car’s parked over this way,” Janie said as she led the way to the parking lot. “Oh, by the way, I’m so happy to see you, Girlie.”
Thus, she only had to wait twenty minutes, which she supposed was good time considering it was a Friday.
After parking the car, Janie walked up to the platform where the train would stop. Not knowing which car Mil would be on, she stood alone hoping it would make it easier for Mil to spot her first.
Janie was scanning the people as they disembarked, when she heard someone yell “Jem.” She knew who it was without looking cause no one but Mil called her Jem. She turned just as Mil dropped her bags and threw her arms around Janie in a bear hug. Janie embraced Mil at the same time. They pulled back at the same time and eyed each other.
Mil spoke first. “Girlfriend, you are looking good. Have you lost weight? I’m jealous. You hair looks great. I’m jealous. Boy, what a train ride. I’d forgotten how long they could seem. Did you drive? Where’s the car?” When Mil stopped for a breath, Janie jumped in.
“Girlie, I’m happy to see you, too. How about if we wait until we get back to the house before I answer all those questions?” Janie asked, looking down at the bags at her feet. “Are these all your bags?”
Mil picked up the overnight bag and handed it to Janie, replying, “Yes, just the two. If you carry the overnight one, I’ll lug the bigger one.” The bigger one was not really all that big, although bigger than the overnight bag. Janie was quite happy to take the overnight bag. From the look of the other bag, it looked to be busting at the seams.
She gave it the eye one more second before looking back at Mil. “I’m glad I brought the car even though it’s not that far. Lugging those suitcases will make it seem like miles and miles. The car’s parked over this way,” Janie said as she led the way to the parking lot. “Oh, by the way, I’m so happy to see you, Girlie.”
Friday, October 23, 2009
First things First
I guess I should post a little bit about what the first story will be about. Duh!
The first will be the first story I came up with, which will actually be five books. Each telling the story of Janie, a young woman who quits her job, moves back to the small town of Edenton and into the house left to her by her maternal grandmother.
The only problem is she is undecided on what kind of job she wants this time around. And, the small town doesn't offer a lot of options.
What she gets is more than she's expecting.
In the snippets to come you will meet the people in Edenton and follow her journey to a new career and life.
The first will be the first story I came up with, which will actually be five books. Each telling the story of Janie, a young woman who quits her job, moves back to the small town of Edenton and into the house left to her by her maternal grandmother.
The only problem is she is undecided on what kind of job she wants this time around. And, the small town doesn't offer a lot of options.
What she gets is more than she's expecting.
In the snippets to come you will meet the people in Edenton and follow her journey to a new career and life.
My First Post
As some of you may know I have been doing a little writing. I have a number of books that are done and I am busy doing a lot of editing.
I wanted a place to post snippets of my stories where I could get feed back from family and friends.
This will be the place.
The first thing I want to mention is that it is a lot harder than I thought. Not the writing part, but getting the finished (or almost finished) piece ready to submit. In all my research, I've discovered that, unless you are an English major, you will most likely have to hire an editor to go through your work and polish it before even thinking about sending it to a Literary agent or publisher. And, the cost of this was nothing I had considered. I'll have to put this money out without a guarantee that the work will sell.
I have found two possible candidates but will have to start budgeting for it and will have to select one book a year to have edited. And, all this is before I will be able to submit it and get rejected. I've been told to expect numerous rejections letters on the path to getting that first offer. I've never been good at rejection. This, too, will be a learning process.
I am also a member of a local writer's club. We meet in LaPlata every two or three months to network and share and support other budding authors.
I am hoping that this place with help me a get snippets of my stories out there and get feedback to aid me in refining my work. With luck, some of you may even help me to focus on my best story.
And, who knows? Maybe word will reach a publisher who will like my work. I've got to stay positive, right?
I wanted a place to post snippets of my stories where I could get feed back from family and friends.
This will be the place.
The first thing I want to mention is that it is a lot harder than I thought. Not the writing part, but getting the finished (or almost finished) piece ready to submit. In all my research, I've discovered that, unless you are an English major, you will most likely have to hire an editor to go through your work and polish it before even thinking about sending it to a Literary agent or publisher. And, the cost of this was nothing I had considered. I'll have to put this money out without a guarantee that the work will sell.
I have found two possible candidates but will have to start budgeting for it and will have to select one book a year to have edited. And, all this is before I will be able to submit it and get rejected. I've been told to expect numerous rejections letters on the path to getting that first offer. I've never been good at rejection. This, too, will be a learning process.
I am also a member of a local writer's club. We meet in LaPlata every two or three months to network and share and support other budding authors.
I am hoping that this place with help me a get snippets of my stories out there and get feedback to aid me in refining my work. With luck, some of you may even help me to focus on my best story.
And, who knows? Maybe word will reach a publisher who will like my work. I've got to stay positive, right?
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