July 9, 2021
Bitter Secrets Snippet
“There was no need to restrain any woman I fucked. They were all too willing.”
He jerked out of the way before she could slam the back of her head against his mouth. She cursed as he gripped her hair and forced her head to the side.
“You don’t know when to stop, do you?” he chided, but he didn’t sound upset. His voice was warm with approval. “You shouldn’t challenge me. It rouses my fighting instincts and we both know I’ll do whatever it takes to win.”
“You—” She stopped abruptly when his teeth clamped on her ear.
When he was certain he had her compliance, he released her and nuzzled her cheek as he husked, “You know I don’t fight fair. Provoke me and I won’t be responsible for what happens.”
“I’m not going to bow down to you,” she hissed.
“I would be disappointed if you did.”
Draft of Bitter Secrets © 2021 Mia Knight
Bitter Secrets Update
I spent this week preparing to delve into PT 2 of Bitter Secrets. I mentioned that PT 1 is about 1/3 of the story and I'll be working on the next 2/3 over the next 2 months. PT 1 was 88k words and I have about 40k words of PT 2, but they're just fragmented scenes and ideas that haven't been nailed down yet. Some of these scenes I wrote two or more years ago. Most of it will be scrapped since things have evolved so far from the initial idea, but we'll see.
I spent 3 days carrying my iPad around like a security blanket, staring off into space as I sketched (what some call outlining or brainstorming) for hours on end. I know how this book ends, I just don't know what happens along the way. There are dozens of scenarios, but you have to pick and choose which situations/events would reveal the most about the characters and propel the story forward. I have a list of things that can happen, but I don't know what will happen until I get to that point. It's kind of like driving a car along a winding road at night. You're driving a little slow because it's unfamiliar territory and you can only see what's directly in front of you. I'm excited and nervous, but happy to be in this portion of the story because it's mostly uncharted and I can see light at the end of the tunnel.
This book is emotionally heavy and strangely complex. The amount of notes I have for it is ridiculous. I keep bouncing between past, present, and future to make sure everything is cohesive. The consensus from the patrons is that Roth is a sociopath. LOL. I, for one, think Roth is more scary than Gavin. Gavin will kill you while Roth will make you watch as he strips you of everything you hold dear. And he'll do it without gloating, without any sign of remorse or triumph. Just... nothing. That's more chilling to me. No one quite knows what to make of his actions--if he's lying or telling the truth, or it's a combination of both. Shrug. Sometimes, even I'm not sure.
Personal Update
We had a nice, two-day celebration for Independence Day with the customary hamburgers and steaks on the grill. I did some end of the month admin stuff and then started making notes on PT 1 for the future rewrite and then turned my attention to daydreaming about PT 2 before I dive in.
Gas here is now $4.52 and diesel is more expensive. (Enter shooketh face here). I live on the Big Island, which means... it's huge. LOL. It takes me about 45 minutes to get to a Target or Costco. My dogs vet is about 35 minutes away. Going to an appointment means you'll be gone at least 2 hours which is why I hate appointments of any kind. Thankfully, my car is pretty economical and since I rarely leave the house, I usually just fill up my car once a month, but for everyone who has to fill up once a week, has a long commute, or owns a gas guzzler... whoa.
I hope you guys are staying cool in this summer heat, that you have something to look forward to, and you're happy with whatever you've got going on. I've been trying to be more positive lately. This is easier to do since I'm off social media, but I consider myself a realist, which means I prepare for the worst. Sigh. I'm trying to be more of a Pollyanna. It's not easy, but I think I'm making progress!