It's been a really productive week here. I got all the way through one pass big of revisions on the first story in the short contemporary romance series I've been tinkering with for a little while. One of my co-workers has been reading this series, and I'm hoping to get her take on this one this week so I can make any fixes from her read-through. I'd like to get through the second one this coming week, at least once. (That isn't on my list of November goals, so it's a bonus if I manage it. I have already checked off two big things, leaving just a couple small things, so I'm happy.)
I've also made up my mind to ask for help with critiques on these manuscripts I have plans for. If you're like many of us, including me, asking someone to help is not the easiest thing to do. Haha. But sometimes it's necessary, so I'm getting ready to muster up some courage and just do it. Why is it so hard? Sometimes, at least for me, it's an aversion to needing the help, or feeling guilty about asking someone to take time away from their life to help me with something, even if it's not a big thing. Some of us feel like we should be able to handle it all. We can't. Sometimes it's because someone let us down when we asked for help, so we don't want that to happen again. But the truth is, we all need help at one time or another, and we shouldn't be afraid to ask for it. Wish me luck!
Today has been a 'happy music' day for me, randomly digging into my digital music collection for albums that make me happy while I'm working. The latest is this 'oldie' from the late 80s, Whispering Jack by John Farnham. I still have this one on the original cassette tape from when it was released (though that tape doesn't sound as good as it did then, haha). I bought it when the first song was released (Pressure Down, I think), but I loved the entire album, especially the song You're the Voice (the original video for the song is here.) A few years later, David Foster released a version of the song as well. Heart has an awesome version, and I'm sure lots of other performers as well by now. More recently, I stumbled across this version which made me happy since some of my favorite singers are participating. Often I'm not all that happy when a song I love gets a remake. This one for me is an exception--the lyrics are so powerful and (unfortunately) eternally apropos that unless someone butchers it really badly, I haven't yet found a remake that I don't like. It could happen, but hasn't yet. Have you heard the original version before, or did you discover the song via a remake? Or are you hearing it for the first time now? I'd love to know.
Before I get too far astray (I could talk music all day long!), I have a quick snippet for you today from Light the Way Home.
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Lucie didn’t argue when Nate refused her help with the dishes. Her insides still quivered from the realization that he was attracted to her.
“I’ll see you in the mornin’, Lucie!” Hayden shouted, hopping on one foot.
She smiled as she put her sweater on. “Yes, you will.” They’d already decided Hayden would join her after breakfast so Nate could cram in a few hours of work before he headed to the hospital to see his dad–and try to get his mother to come home rather than sleep on the less-than-ideal pull-out chair-bed in his dad’s hospital room again.
She wasn’t sure that was a battle he would win, but she understood his concern.
Hayden gave her a quick hug and then ran back to his book in the living room.
“I really do appreciate this, Lucie,” Nate said from where he stood at the sink.
“It’s nothing, Nate,” she said lightly. “Keeps me from having to spend endless hours on job search sites and getting more depressed than I already am.” She kept her head down as she buttoned her sweater up to her chin.
“It isn’t nothing to me.”
His firm, quiet tone snared her attention, and her mouth went dry. The shadows in his brown eyes made her curl her fingers around the edges of her sweater to keep from reaching out.
“I’m not accustomed to asking for help.” He cleared his throat. “I appreciate it.”
She swallowed. “It’s no problem,” she whispered. Dammit–hot, attracted to her, and vulnerable. Shit, that was trouble. She took a slow breath. “I’ll see you in the morning then.” She inched toward the door.
A hint of awareness darkened his eyes, but he stayed where he was. “Good night, Lucie.”
She took two more steps, clearing the doorway to the mud room, and a little relief sank into her belly. Until she heard footsteps behind her.
Within reach of the back door, she whirled. He stood at the open doorway of the kitchen, undisguised desire in his eyes this time. Her heart skipped a beat, and she felt a quick rush of excitement that she tried to squash as he stepped into the mud room. She held her breath as he took another step. One more. Until he stood a foot away, and her breath rushed out.
He studied her face for a long moment, and she wondered what he saw, what he was looking for. Impulsively, she moved closer to him, noting the way his eyes rounded, and she stretched up to brush a kiss on his mouth, lingered for a second, then stepped back.
“Good night, Nate,” she whispered, reaching behind her for the doorknob.
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I'd love to hear what you think of the song I shared above. And, while we're at it, what excuses do you use for not asking for needed help with something? Now I'm going back to my happy music while I do some writing.