Winter Break... Part 2

In my last post on Winter Break  I wrote the number one thing I wanted to do on this break was to work on my story. I have done a lot of writing in my notebook but now I am trying to transcribe it and post it on my blog. Yesterday on my flight home and today I have been typing a lot to bring my computer and blog up to speed. So now I am up to 10 post (yeah it is a slow process). But I have enjoyed it. I will keep posting as I get more work done.


If  you missed it November was National Novel Writing Month and the goal of it is to write 50,000 words. I knew I could never do that but lots of the blogs I followed did and I have a new respect for them. In my story I have written about 34 pages and I have only written 16,000+ words. It would seem like a lot if I was writing a paper but I am trying to write a novel and it is not much at all. Oh well maybe I will finish my novel one day (it is on my bucket list). Thanks for reading...hope you enjoy.


Here is a preview of The James Family (part 3)

That night at dinner Emmy sat next to Brandon.

            "Your sister, Mr. James, tells me you are the British Ambassador's right hand man."

            "I don't know if I would say that, my sister is always too kind."

            "Didn't you just return from a trip to England where you met the Prime Minister?"
            "I did."

            "Well I would say you are quite important then."

            "You are kind Miss Cromwell."

            Emmy laughed, no one ever called her Miss Cromwell, no one called her "Miss" anything she was just Emmy. But she could see laughter was not the right thing to do by the way he looked.

            "I am sorry Mr. James, I was not laughing at you, I was laughing at being called Miss Cromwell, that title belongs to my sister. I am Emmy."

            "How old are you?"

            "Sixteen."

            "It is not right to call a lady by her first name."

            "But everyone does. Everyone calls me Emmy minus Miss Pembers. Though my real name is Emmaline."

            "That's an interesting name."

            "What you mean is odd."

            Brandon saw her sulk a bit. "No I mean not common but beautiful."

            "It was my father's middle name, I was born a month after she passed away. But everyone calls me Emmy. I am not graceful enough to have such a name as Emmaline."

            "Why do you say that?"

            "My Grandma Danford tells me."

            "Well I don't want to dispute your Grandma but I disagree."

            Emmy smiled.

            Then it struck Brandon how much this young girl looked like Marianne his love from Oxford. Their faces could almost be identical with the same almond shape eyes and sweet smile that made her nose crinkle a bit. Before he could speak again her sister Gloria had grabbed her attention. He overheard them talking about the piano.

            "Do you play the piano, Miss Emmy?"
            "Hardly, Gloria and I were discussing how she and Laurel should put on a musical number for you and Miss James. They have the beauty and musical skills. I can barely play hot cross buns."

            "You don't find music amusing then?"

            "To listen to yes, but I cannot play, even though to appease my Grandma I practice. I have neither the ear nor the talent."

            "Then how do you delight your time?"

            "With stories. I love to write stories, one day I hope to be published. Maybe be a great author like Jane Austen, Elizabeth Gaskell or the Brontë sisters," she saw his little smile. "I know it's silly," she said lowering her head.

            "Not at all," he saw her smile like she had before. "What do you write about?"

            "Adventure, passion, knights fighting for the girl he loves, princes in Africa. Everything my life is not."

            "What do you mean?"

            "I have live most of life in this house and this little town not very adventurous, and my Grandma Danford tries to stifle out all passion. "

            "Maybe one day you will see the world."

            "Maybe but it is unlikely."

            "Really?"

            Emmy realized maybe she had shared too much. After all Brandon James was a stranger and he seemed so judgmental before. But now he seemed the polar opposite of judgmental and not as cold as Emmy originally casted him as being. But he still was a stranger and Laurel would be ashamed that she had shared even a bit of their financial hardships with a stranger. So Emmy changed topics quickly asking if he played the piano. He said not really. For a bit after that they sat in quietness not knowing really what to say. After dinner the men and the women separated for the men to have a smoke and a brandy.

            "You seemed to be talking to Mr. James," Laurel said.

            "He is very nice."

            "Oh Miss Emmy," Kathryn approached Emmy "thank you for amusing my brother during dinner he seems so lonely so much of the time. I wish he could find the happiness I have found with Nicholas."

            "Is he not married?" Laurel asked.

            "No he is an old bachelor, he is far too devoted to his work and my mother and myself to have time to look for a girl to settle down with. I keep trying to match him with one of my friends but he has shown no interest in any of them. The girl who does capture his heart will be the luckiest girl in the world he is so devoted and loyal."

To read more click here

Next to come... the introduction of Caleb James who plays the Mr. Willoughby character in my story.