A to Z Challenge, Day 19: V is for Vinny

Before I introduce you to Vinny, I wanted to apologize for not being able to hop around a lot since Monday. I have a new house guest, my five month old grandson. He’ll be with me until my daughter gets her life together. PLEASE PRAY FOR US. Thank you.

Okay. Onto Vinny.

Ever meet a guy who was drop-dead-gorgeous but dripped with a creepy-jerk-aurora.

If you haven’t, allow me to introduce you to, Vinny.

“Hey,” a man’s voice said.

My heart jumped in my chest. The rest of me did, too, and I turned. Vinny.

“You startled me,” I said. “I didn’t see you there.”

“I know.” He smiled and studied me with his eyes. It reminded me of a neighbor, we used to have. He’d stare at young girls, and his eyes salivated.

I looked over his shoulder. Red roses trailed up a trellis, and the whole garden smelled like Gram.

He came toward me, walking with confidence, and his posture relaxed. “May I kiss the bride?” He loosened his black bow tie.

“Um.” My cheeks went hot and I looked down. He had the bluest eyes I ever saw, and from what I knew, every girl he knew had been crazy about him.

He put a hand out toward me and closed the space between us. I felt like a bunny facing a pretty fox.

His fingers caught one of my curls, and he played with it. “Too bad it couldn’t have been me.”

I trembled and the air grew warm.

His finger slid along my cheek to under my chin, and lifted it. “Can’t figure why a beautiful girl like you married a loser like Max.”

I kept my eyes down and swallowed billions of tiny lumps.

“Maybe you’re all beauty and no brains,” he said, and his voice went to a whisper. “Look at me.”

I did. His jaw clenched, making it look square and well defined. His dark blond hair was pulled into a pony tail. He looked like GQ material in his jacket open, black tuxedo. Dreamy, but dangerous. Maybe it’s an Italian thing.

“Um,” I said. “Um…I think…um….”

“Max owes me, you know?”

DISCLAIMER: No on may use this written content. It belongs to Shelly Arkon.

A to Z Challenge, Day 8: J is for Jump and Jerk

This morning, well almost everyday when writing a scene, I find myself pondering and sometimes inking other ways to show someone being startled or moving abruptly. And whenever I’d turned my work into my editor, she’d write a big, fat ‘Ack!’ or ‘Yak!’.

“Sweetie,” she said many, many times. “You don’t have to try so hard. Things like this only need to be said simply. Remember, keep it simple.”

And my poor brain still believes there has to a fancier way of showing these words.  What do you think?

Below are a couple lines from my novel.

I jumped, turning to face the doorway, almost jabbing my wrist. “Oh my, goodness,” I gasped, yanking at the scissors stuck in the lace. “You scared me.”

I jerked my hand back. “Max, there are people right outside who can see in.”

 

Disclaimer: No one may use this written content. It belongs to Shelly Arkon.