I share here, with you dear friend and reader, an excerpt from my soon to release (02-02-2020) collection of short stories and poems celebrating love, "Travels of the Heart".
Feel free to share this post and help spread the love, and the word (wink).
Excerpt begins with the introduction -
"Welcome,
“If music be the fruit of love, play on,” begins Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, expressing that ever-present longing for love in our lives. The following stories are about discovering love, be it love of other, love of self, friend, family, or lover. Love is a journey, never-ending, and here some some 'Travels of the Heart' for you to enjoy.
I created this compilation of stories, poems, and biographic sketches to explore themes of love, in its many and varied forms.
I am intrigued by the role personal relationships have on the lives and well-being of us all. We each encounter love in a myriad of forms throughout our lives. Some love comes softly and is ever present, other love catches us unawares and in its revelation changes who we are. Still others frustrate or confound us in the angst and excitement of emotion.
The collection includes excerpts from other of my work, new material, and works in progress. I hope you find a piece that resonates, inspires, entertains, or touches you."
Next I offer an excerpt from the story "Nate Meets Evelyn" -
He stood next to his long-time friend, Anton, and smiled at the elder couple with whom Anton chatted. The couple were proudly commenting on a young grand-daughter’s recent scholarly accomplishments. Anton and Nate provided an interested and respectful ear.
As he looked past the couple and across the church aisle, towards the vestry, Nate noticed a stunning woman with an infant. The woman wore a cornflower blue sweater hugging her form and highlighting her complexion. He admired the hue of her skin that called to mind the warm, rich browns of pine cones in the sun. He watched as she swaddled the infant in a flannel blanket, smiling and cooing at the child, her lips moving in intimate conversation with what appeared to be her much-loved son.
Before Nate exited his pew and made his way to the vestry, the woman was gone.
In the next few weeks, Nate met occasionally with Jada, his … how did he classify Jada? He and Jada dated during college. Then, due to the drift of life and the coming to know oneself as an adult, separated. They dated again, after graduation in that ‘comfortable with each other’ way of former attachments. Yet they were not a couple, not really; they were more pals who could rely on each other for a partner to an event, or a shared meal and a movie on a lonely Saturday.
Jada commented to Nate on one chummy outing, “I know just the women for you! She recently moved here, and I think you would get along wonderfully. She is smart and caring, and I know you would two would hit it off....”
And now, since tomorrow is my (strong, intelligent, creative, beautiful) niece's 16th birthday, I share an excerpt from my short story, "Sweet 16 Never Been Kissed"
Beth, and Eric stood on the road by the back porch, waiting for her dad to back the van out of the garage to drive Eric home. He had no license, and she only had a cinderella license, so they stood and waited. Eric was handsome and smart. Zoe was intelligent and timid. They saw each other mostly at school. Zoe occasionally visits Eric's house, or he visits hers on weekend nights. Weeks and weeks of blushes, chats in G.A.T.E. (Gifted and Talented Education - talk about an ego builder. They actually met in G.A.T.E., where else would a junior and a sophomore be in class together? Nowhere.)
Eric opened Zoe to musical variety by playing Simon and Garfunkel, the Cure, and the Cranberries. First love, so all encompassing. They would talk for 6 or 8 hours on the phone. Finch, years later, when making the mental count of past loves, did not fathom how they found so much to talk about. But in the throes of adolescent love, they talked books, religion, music, movies, people... theirs was a heady dialog. All the milestones of high school romance – flirtation in the hallway, cuddled close together in the stands of a home football game on Saturday afternoon, listening to records, often actually on vinyl, though many a mixed tape too, in his room with the door open, going on family outings...."
Get your very own print copy to follow the story further and find out what other travels the heart makes. Order now and get the benefit of the celebratory offer of 10% off through Valentines Day, February 14, 2020.
EBook edition also available! Pre-order today
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