BOOKS:
The Button
: I'm doing a more detailed editing. I put together different points of view to make sure it's consistent. There are still a few more run-throughs before it's ready for Beta reading. A couple of character changes came up and I followed that. Still no idea on cover, yet.
Just her Poetry
: I just added some more poems and have one of my latest in an upcoming blog to share.
Dolphin’s Cave
: No news…I’m hoping for a spring or summer release this year! Fingers crossed.
BLOGS:
EXCERPT:
Here's an extremely
RAW AND UNEDITED
“first draft” excerpt from
The Button c
hapter one. We’re in 1983 after visiting 1976 in the prologue to see an important event in Lynn’s life. Lynn and Stacy are out for a night of fun at a local bar. Here they are meeting the first men of the night:
“My name is Jeremy, and this is Stan. What do you say we dance until the drinks arrive?”
Stan with the thick, black hair cut into a mullet smiled and winked at Stacy. Lynn almost shuddered with her immediate dislike of him.
“Sure, why not.
Andrea
?” Stacy asked.
“Yeah, sure
Sally
,” Lynn replied with a grin and quickly claimed Jeremy.
Lynn and Stacy never gave their real names unless they were sure about the guy. They were never sure about anyone they met in this bar. These two disco rejects who had to be at least 30 years old, quickly lost interest when Stacy and Lynn weren’t enthusiastic about an orgy. At least they got a drink out of them.
“Talk about weirdos,” Lynn shouted over the music to Stacy who shrugged.
Lynn quickly finished her second 7 and 7, provided by Stan and Jeremy, while watching the disco rejects approach two heavily made up girls-- that always were at the club. Those girls didn’t require a dance or drink, Lynn noted, as they strolled out of the bar together. Lynn waited to see if they would return. They didn’t.
Those guys got their orgy
.
It wasn’t too long before the next guys approached and asked them to dance. Lynn changed dancing partners that didn’t hold her interest a few times, while the free drinks kept coming. The band was attempting the new Joan Jet song, “I Love Rock and Roll”. The girl couldn’t hit the lyrics hard enough to make it work. It was obvious she was dating the guitar player the way he looked like he wanted to devour her. Lynn couldn’t see her passing any
singing
audition. The songs began to blur as the night went on and she left another reject and headed to their table.
“Oops!” Lynn declared with a giggle when the table caught her and prevented her from falling.
Blushing, she glanced around the room. No one had noticed, but she was definitely wasted. It was time to do some cocaine, so she didn’t get the spins later from drinking--or make a fool of herself. Lynn was pretty sure Stacy still had some left in her purse. If not, there was always someone willing to share. Just a couple of lines or spoonfuls of coke made it, so she could keep drinking and not have to pay for it later. Although, Lynn wasn’t a fan of the white stuff if she wasn’t drinking. If she was straight it made her feel edgy--like she needed a tall glass of milk to calm down.
Lynn quickly found the small brown-tinted glass vial that was half full in Stacy’s purse. She made her way to the expected line for the women’s bathroom while keeping the smoky-colored bottle hidden in her hand. She didn’t want to have to share something that wasn’t hers.
There were about ten girls in line ahead of her to use what was jokingly called
the
throne
, because there was a crown painted above the toilet.
How creative her fellow bar patrons were
Lynn thought with a smirk. Lynn leaned against the wall behind two girls who were literally gushing about the guys they just met. They were convinced the guys had money and couldn’t wait to ride in their Porsche. Lynn knew from experience about lines from guys in bars. The Porsche was more likely their dad’s or they stole it. She remembered one
winner
her and Stacy had met at the bar.
“Let’s continue the party at my house,” he’d said.
A group of over 20 people followed
his
black Porsche to a mansion. Wine and champagne flowed throughout the night with a well-stocked bar and wine cellar. The fun ended abruptly when the guy (whose name Lynn couldn’t recall) took someone on a ride-- and crashed the brand-new Porsche 911.
“Well, I’m sure insurance will cover it, right dude? Plus, you can just buy another one, right?” One of the other party guests had asked.
“No man. I’m just house sitting…” he admitted with a single tear running down his face.
That ended the party. Lynn almost felt bad for the people who hired that idiot to take care of their house, but she had to wonder about their judgement hiring him in the first place. But it wasn’t her problem to deal with, so she left.
These two airheads in front of her weren’t her problem either.
They’d never been friendly to her or Stacy in the past, so, let them learn for themselves
Lynn thought smugly.
HAT DRAWING:
All you must do is respond to this newsletter-- and you are entered. Let me know what you think about the newsletter, the excerpt, or just a quick spring hello! Then, I enter all the names into the hat and pick two winners. I’ll take all responses until
April 22
nd
by 8:00 pm PST!
I'll announce who won the two $10 Amazon gift cards on Twitter and Facebook! Good luck everyone!
Embrace your inner child, D.L. Finn!
