springtime in California, and much more

After an unusual amount of rain, spring has finally come to southern California. This has been one of the rainiest seasons in recorded history for us, and the hills and meadows are springing to life in an amazingly gorgeous way. The desert, always so close to us, is covered with flowers not seen for some time. Apparently those seeds lie dormant, ready to show even after years of drought. The desert flowers are different than we're used to, clinging close to the sand. Tiny and creeping but lovely. It's quite special. I live between the ocean and the desert. Believe me, everything is beautiful and I dearly love this time of year.

I'm also experiencing a springtime of my own. After my husband's recent death, I had several long months of writing like an idiot. My critique partners were patient while I wrote drivel.

Now I finally feel in my bones I'm writing well again.

Here's an excerpt from my WIP, Seducing Simon.

Simon spent hours at his beloved piano, astonished that he’d ever neglected it. Dear heaven, he’d really been out of his mind. Sitting and perfecting his technique gave him more peace than he’d enjoyed for some time. Still, premonitions snaked around in his head, telling him Troy was in danger and he’d better be there to protect her. It made no sense, knowing she was already guarded by her father and his magic. Still the warnings in his mind loomed stronger, and finally he gave up fighting them.

Mentally throwing up his hands he headed for Hunter’s Haven and Troy. He pushed his car relentlessly, a sense of contentment filling him and assuring him he was doing the right thing. Every instinct told him Troy would need him soon.

He found himself wondering what Troy’s children would be like. Beautiful and bright, but maybe not his. Hers would be so special he couldn’t truly envision them. Quickly shutting off his thoughts he channeled his recalcitrant mind onto less dangerous paths. The best remedy he’d found so far was mentally reviewing the complicated fingering for his latest attempt in improving his music. Although even this escape mechanism seldom did much good.

The image of Troy always waited, ready to pounce into his mind and turn his thoughts to impossible dreams. Erotic visions haunted him both day and night. Troy stalked through his head at will, generally nude and glistening, her shapely arms reaching for him and her eyes pleading. He’d lay her on the nearest surface, sometimes with care and sometimes roughly. He’d caress her beautiful body, building them both to a sexual and intense peak that nearly shattered him. But every time, just as he started to insert his penis she vanished. 

His dreams always left him shaking but he forced himself now to focus on the road and get to Troy quickly."

w