Welcome, Sarah Davis!

From Sarah’s #WIP, They Had Eyes of Silver…

I am lost in this sea of faceless bodies.

Propped against the toilet stall’s metal door, Reina reread the words she typed on her phone.

Her long, dark brown hair fell forward in waves, hiding the confined restroom stall from view. Although the chilly metal greedily leached warmth through her thin sweatshirt, it also lent a sort of comfort in that it was stable against her unsteady body. Her heart was heavy, and deep shudders bled into her every breath. The corners of her lips pulled down, and her dark honey eyes shone with moisture. Her irregular schedule resulted in little sleep, usually disturbed by odd dreams which left her in a near constant state of exhaustion. Running often provided her a settling kind of rush, and yet she had spared little time to take to the trails or even the gym. She drank more to drown out the nightmares. Too much if she were honest with herself, but Reina needed tonight even if she was desperate to slip away to her home. Her colleagues and friends helped lighten her spirits. She wasn’t alone, no matter how much she might think about it. At least for now.

Sighing, she pocketed her phone and rolled her neck; the joints satisfyingly cracked and popped. Contrary to what her therapist suggested, typing the words did not reduce her pain. She brushed at her wet cheeks and rested the back of her head against the cool door for a few minutes.

Breathe, Reina. Just breathe.

She took a quick look in the mirror to check her mascara was on her lashes and not running down her cheeks. She looked past the pale skin and patchwork of freckles. Living in Los Angeles didn’t automatically mean one sported a healthy-looking tan. Arriving at work before the sun rose, working inside all day, and returning home after dark left little opportunity to see much of the sun.

A glint caught her eye. She picked up the pendent that normally hung between her breasts beneath her scrub top and pulled on it so the back indented her nape. Her fingers grazed over the cord’s woven pattern that encased the marbled stone of dusky pink and smoke, a lustrous vein of silver cutting down the center. Each knot of the cord encasing the stone was as familiar as the weariness she carried in her bones. She hadn’t taken it off since her grandmother gave it to her.

The incredible smell of the restaurant, seafood, cucumber, and garlic, washed over her as she opened the door to the hallway. She donned a bright smile that wrinkled the corners of her eyes and practiced it with the waitstaff, who rewarded her with friendly grins in return. Stepping out onto the deck, the ocean brine overpowered other smells. Water lapped against the wood pylons beneath her feet, and a lone gull cried out in the marina as she joined her friends at the couches.

Writer’s WIP Questionnaire – 2

In the past two weeks, I have felt mostly happy about the progress of my WIP.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Comment:

Honestly, it depends on the day. Or even the hour. I think I am leaning to the positive side of the scale as I go through edits from a copy editor and adjust scenes to mesh with the sequel. Why does it depend on the day or hour? Whelp, that whole imposter syndrome leaks through, or I read a bad review about my debut novel, or I listen to my inner demon who first says “who is going to read this crap?” while also saying “who cares?” and encourages me to make it steamier. *groan* I am fortunate to have a few beta readers taking each chapter as I finish and giving immediate feedback. Haven’t done that before and it has given me an extra bump to keep my pace up.

In the past two weeks, I have mostly managed to balance my writing life with the rest of my life.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Comment:

I work full time and my family expects to see me without my laptop on my lap, so… I fit it in when I can, ya know?

In the past two weeks, I have made drastic changes to my WIP.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Comment:

Imma going with 5. No drastic changes, but definitely major tightening of scenes and tying up frizzing threads. Like, would chocolate be toxic to werewolves? It can be for dogs, especially baker’s chocolate. And why did I mention that specific epiphany in two different scenes for my main character? Once would be an epiphany. Twice is sloppy.

In the past two weeks, I have mostly suffered from ‘writer’s block’.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Comment:

Defo a 10 here, but the block is not because I don’t know what to write. I am in the editing stage, post-developmental and copy editing by professionals. My “block” is work obstructing nine-and-a-half to ten hours of the day, farm and yard chores taking up one to three hours, family and company taking up the rest. And if I sleep less than eight hours, it’s not good. Not good at all.

I believe I could write if I actually sat down with my computer, but finding the time… yes, yes, I know. If I wanted the time, I could make it work. But I also want to sleep. Gah, fine. One hour each day going forward. No excuses.

In the past two weeks, I have focussed on one project.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Comment:

With the attention span of a gnat (thank you Dr. Brock for that analogy), I have to rate my work 10 because I don’t see working on multiple projects as a bad thing. Not sure any of them will win a prize, but I feel productive and I don’t care to throw my laptop away. So many beautiful stickers on the cover!

I am editing THEOS while writing its sequel, THEOG. And putting together a story about a vampire-hunting grandma, because, you know, there need to be more books about badass grandmothers who know the bonus ways to use a crochet hook. “The curved end goes through the loop of yarn, the pointy end through the heart of a vampire.” I also have another story simmering about a girl who likes to make leather boots with silver buckles. And there is another super secret project that I am not at liberty to talk about.

I also like to make t-shirts, scented candles, cupcakes that support my THEOS baby. Currently, I have tees that say “Training for Ragnarok,” moonlit forest/leather/cinnamon scented candles, and black forest cupcakes.

Wow, Sarah, you are one unstoppable lady! Thanks for sharing this with us, and I can’t wait for the arrival of #THEOSNovel! Here’s a sneaky look at the blurb, folks…sshh…

A secret lineage. A family cursed. A forbidden love that can’t be denied…

Veterinarian Reina Kirke is exhausted. So, when her best friend suggests a European vacation, she doesn’t hesitate. A much-needed break and a chance to investigate her mysterious family tree sounds perfect. Too bad she’s in no way prepared for what she finds.

The fairy tale town in Belgium hides family secrets that might be grounded in the supernatural. Legends of werewolves and witches surround her, and a taboo love affair threatens pull her into a danger she might not be able to handle.

What seems like a chance encounter with Blaise Woodward, a brooding hunk with his own secrets, sets up a sequence of events that could unravel both of their families. But only one thing is certain.

Their lives will never be the same…

You can find out more about Sarah, here:

Sarah Davis is many things…wife, mother, veterinarian, writer. An avid reader, she enjoys stories that transport her into new and exciting lands. Having read more books than she would ever admit, she has considered writing a novel for ages. It wasn’t until the idea for Inside Voices popped into her mind that she finally started pursuing that dream. She and her incredible husband share their remote home on the prairie with their three extraordinary children and one mostly human Weimaraner.