Sadie Jay

It was a rough week. My phone died, along with my oven. On the upside, I finished the first draft of Delicious ! (If you're interested in being a beta reader, check out my previous post.) It was supposed to be part of a series of fairy tale retellings, but I think we're just publishing on our own. I ended up with Hansel and Gretel, which was a challenge. How to retell a tale about sibling children without crossing a few lines? That's not my style. So, it's not really a retelling so much as "and then this happened" story. I never can stay within the set parameters!   There are strange noises in Grady's new house, but one night it becomes too much, and he shows up at Hanson's, still in his pajamas. Turns out, it was a refrigerator fan gone bad. (Or was it?!) Hanson fixes it and then teases Grady. Grady teases back. Told from Grady's POV:    “I’ll see you Monday,” Hanson said at the doorway. “Unless your ghost chases you into my bed again before then....

 I'm looking for Beta Readers for my latest WIP. It's a 40k "what happened next?" fairy tale. Because the end of the story isn't always the end of the story! BLURB: Grady reached his goal to be a premier pastry chef, but long days in a cave of a kitchen aren’t what he expected. Maybe it’s a midlife crisis, but the chance to write a cookbook is the kick he needs to leave the city and start afresh. Hanson jumps at the chance to refurbish the “haunted house” at the edge of town. He and his sister snuck in when they were kids, and it was creepy, but he still doesn’t believe in ghosts, despite the weird things that keep happening. Hanson and Grady grow closer even as the town legends of the gingerbread style house turn out to be more than strange noises and cold spots. Maybe fairy tales aren’t real, but this one could mean ‘The End’ for Grady and Hanson. Where’s a fairy godmother when you need one? Want to know more about my work? You can find it here . 

For many people, autumn is their favorite season. I suppose it used to be mine because I didn't like the heat. But that changed as I got older. I'd like autumn better if winter didn't follow. My mood has taken a definite downswing during the last couple weeks, when the temperature dropped 15° below average overnight. It was the end of our swimming days, and it was too soon! On the upside, no pool time ahs meant more writing time, and I finished the first draft of my WIP. Now the real work begins! It's apple time–one of the good things about autumn, I'll admit.  From my current WIP, Delicious : Grady hired contractor Hanson to refurbish a house in the country he bought, sight unseen, and has just arrived unannounced. Hanson has his niece and nephew with him, and has sent them outside while he gives Grady a quick tour. Told from Grady's POV: Through an open window, I heard [Hanson] tell the kids he’d only be a few minutes. I was oddly disappointed. I told myse...

Halfway through August? How did that happen? I don't have kids at home anymore, so it caught me by surprise when the first day of school rolled around. To be fair, they start earlier than they used to. Of course, the school year ends earlier than it used to. I'm not sure I understand why that all shifted, but everything changes. It's life! It also means I'm halfway through our Farmers Market season, and things have slowed down. I'll have to look for a new job soon, but it's been nice, having the summer off. And by off, I mean not having to dress and fix my hair, leave the house, come home, and spend the afternoon baking. Now, it's ratty shorts and barefoot while I bake. (I hate shoes.) Soft iced sugar cookies–my number one seller at the Farmers Market. From Embers and Flame ; Cherry (Charles) and Ben meet at a campground and spend the week together. But all vacations end, and it's time to head home–one going west and the other heading south. Cherry has g...

It's 4th of July weekend here in the US. I used to really like it, back when I was younger. We'd have a cook-out with friends, or go camping, then in the evening go watch fireworks. But also, back then, fireworks without a license were illegal in my state, and in my town. It's not now. And , it's not just one night of my neighbors setting off bang after bang late into the night. No, it's a week of it. It's a week of little sleep, since my jobs usually require being up by 5 am. I'm too old for this! I need my sleep.     The sun breaking through the trees during a recent walk at the local Nature Center.  This week's Snippet comes from my current WIP, Delicious . I'm slowly making headway on this novella, having gone past the halfway mark. Hanson is the contractor Grady hired to refurbish the old house he'd bought, sight unseen. They spoke on the phone, but didn't meet until the work was almost done. This snippet is from Hanson's POV: The gu...

My Rainbow Snippets have become a monthly thing instead of a weekly! Hopefully, I can find a rhythm and get more consistent. After the store I was employed at sold a year and a half ago, things have been tense. And that all got amped up a couple of months ago. It all came to a head the week before last, and I now find myself unemployed. The future is a bit uncertain, and I'll need to find a new job eventually, but I'm feeling much more at peace. The Farmers Market has started, and I'll be baking and selling cookies for the next four months, so I'm not in a hurry. After all, everyone deserves a little break now and then. Plus, I'm actually (finally) making headway on my current WIP, Delicious .  The inspiration for Hanson's fireplace. Story premise: Grady bought a house sight-unseen after deciding to move from the city to a small town, and hired a contractor to remodel it. It's a couple of months later, and Hanson, the contractor, is showing him the work he...