Hey gang! It’s Saturday, which means it’s time for a snippet. Welcome to everyone who followed the links to get here, from the Seductive Studs & Sirens, Weekend Writing Warriors, and Snippet Sunday groups!
After you’ve finished reading, check out my Christmas in July contest here. It’s a mini scavenger hunt with 7 prizes including ebooks, swag and gift cards. And then click on over to the lists to read more great fiction.
Since it is Christmas in July time, these sentences are from the opening of my holiday story, Toy Run. It’s on submission right now so hopefully posting a little something from it will be lucky and it’ll be accepted for this year’s Dreamspinner Advent Calendar.
Here’s something like a blurb—both it and the snippet are unedited, but hopefully that’s only temporary.
IAN BOWEN, former physical therapist and reluctant loner, has mastered the art of bad ideas that end in quick getaways. He’s good with people too, as long as the person in question isn’t a man with an invitation in his eyes. Ian’s looking for a man to inspire him to park his Harley for a while, but doesn’t have much hope of finding him. Ian took to the road after the death of his grandfather who raised him, and from his base in Northern California has been through most of the western states. He rides into Oregon for a Toy Run collecting donations for the local children’s hospital and the kids of deployed soldiers and finds more than a group of charitable bikers out for a good time.
Ian stops at a diner the morning of the run and meets ED GONZALEZ, another involuntary loner with a pile of toys lashed to his bike. Ian’s not sure whether Ed wants to fuck him or kick his ass, but he’s sure which he’d prefer.
It was a terrible idea, riding north. For the same five hundred miles I could be in Vegas or San Diego—but terrible ideas were sort of my specialty. Besides, if it all goes to hell I’ll just keep moving. Another specialty.
I backed-up to the curb, killed the engine and sat leaning against my pack. Hours early, again. It’s not easy to arrive fashionably late when you have nowhere else to be. I flipped the helmet visor up and glare from the fog and mist made me want to flip it back down.
Thanks for reading!
Don’t forget to check out my contest and all the snippets!
Charley Descoteaux 
Oh, yes. The running concept. I so get it. I’m always running. Hopefully Ian finds something worth staying put for.
Thanks, Thianna! I think even folks who’ve never fled can relate to the desire to run. I hope so, anyway. 🙂
Interesting snippet and character. Makes the reader want to know both what he is early for and where he is…and if he’ll run again this time or if life changes and he won’t. Nicely done.
Thanks for commenting Susan!
I didn’t realize that in trying to make the “blurb” short I took out something so important as why Ian’s in that parking lot in the first place! *facepalm* I’ll go add it–it’s a Toy Run collecting for a local Children’s Hospital and the kids of deployed soldiers. Kinda important . . .
Wonderful clip, Charley! **crosses fingers for good luck**
Thanks CC! 🙂
Good luck on your submission, Charley. If you ever want help with blurbs, I’m pretty good with them. And I loved the line about “Hard to be fashionably late when you have nowhere to be.” Nice. 🙂
Thanks Siobhan — & thanks for your offer! I may take you up on that because I’m not as good as I’d like to be (obviously :)).
Ian may be a rough-tough-burly biker, but he’s still conscious of how the other guys see him. 🙂
If you have a Christmas story, be sure to let me know. I’ll be running Ana’s Advent Calendar 2.0, and kink-friendly authors will get to showcase Christmas-themed books. Best of luck!
(If you don’t have Christmas books but still want to participate, there will also be slots for that!)
Thanks, Anastasia! I had one out last year so I’m hoping to make it two in a row. *fingers crossed* My rope story will be out around then too . . . hmmm, maybe I’ll send Ross & Miles to play at Ana’s house. 🙂
Great description and detail — very easy to visualize the scene and action.
Thanks! That’s great to hear! 🙂
Good luck with your submission! 🙂
Thanks! 🙂
Love the way his thoughts work in this snippet. It’s very engaging. Good luck with your submission.
He has his M.O. down, doesn’t he? But I get the feeling he wouldn’t mind finding someone who wants him to stay, even through the tough times.
I love this, Charley. He’s got a loner feel to him, which fits the description. I like it. It draws me in and makes me want to know more. Great snippet!
Aw, this is very affecting. The notion that terrible ideas were his specialty makes you want to root for him instantly. Best of luck with your submission!
Really an effective excerpt, I feel like I know this person from what you’ve shared. I definitely want to read more!
Oh, but it seemed like a good idea at the time. And the time before. And the time before that…;) Cute snippet.
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