8/27/21
Bitter Secrets Snippet
“Roth navigated easily through the bumper to bumper traffic. His years in London showed as he took back streets and never once referred to his phone for directions. The Rolls Royce’s soundproof interior was so complete, only the faintest hint of the downpour reached her ears. Roth didn’t turn on the radio to fill the silence. Like her father, he hated unnecessary noise and that included music or talking. They lived in their heads. So did she.
While she built fictional worlds, they created in the real world, molding everything around them to their will. Both required intense concentration. She had never noticed that similarity before. When she moved in with her father, they spent most of their time in the library, working at their own desks, not speaking. They didn’t have deep, meaningful conversations. Most of their communication was unspoken, instinctive. Spending hours in the same room with someone, listening to the rhythm of their work, told her more than asking her father one hundred questions. They sensed each other’s moods and adjusted accordingly.
Sitting in silence with a stranger was uncomfortably intimate, but even when she was getting to know Roth, it had never bothered her. She adjusted to his pattern so easily, just as she had this time. Why was that? ”
Book Update
I haven’t completed PT 2 yet. I hurt my arm from overuse, so when my forearms start burning, I know it’s time for a break. I’ve been working on two flashbacks this week—their first and second meet. Knowing what I know about these characters in the present and even the future, traveling back seven years to their first interaction and exploring her mind set and family life back then is so jarring. Most startling are her references to Ford, her fiancé at that time. I had several drafts of their first meet, but as usual, I had to scrap most of it because things have changed. I’m very pleased with how it came out, though. Even during their first conversation, you see a hint of the man Roth will become.
I love flashbacks because you get the full scope of the characters. I tend to shy away from characters meeting at the beginning of the book because I love when characters have a lot of messy history—it’s much more fun that way! Letting these scenes play out shocked me. The original drafts were brief and didn’t really go that deep—i just focused on girl meets boy and moved on. For some reason, I decided to show more and this resulted in the longest chapter yet. I’m so glad I spent more time on it. This may be too much story for people who are only focused on the romance, but I’m interested in who they are as people because that has a huge impact on them as a couple. Watching the evolution of their relationship is fascinating.
Personal Update
I’m writing this blog a day before my 33rd birthday. Creeping toward my mid-30s isn’t as scary as I thought it would be. I’m actually very content with where I’m at. I still think of myself as young and then I realize that I graduated from high school… omg. i just calculated it and now I’m a little less okay with my age. LOL. Where has the time gone?!
My sister and nephews were supposed to visit on the 30th for a week, but they all came down with the flu so their whole trip is up in the air and it doesn’t look like they’ll make it. :( Maybe during the holidays…
I hope you’re all having a great week!