Weekly Update

I had hoped to have Headphones: In From The Cold done by yesterday, and I'm close, maybe only a chapter and a half. And I might have made it, but something family related came up that cut into my hours on Friday and Saturday. And I had a bout of the stomach bug going around that kept me in bed most of yesterday. Even so, I got in 7810 words, taking the novel to 66691. So I passed my 60K goal easily enough. Fingers crossed, I should be done in a day or two. And then I'm finishing my edit of Embers And Flame so I can query it. Then back to Headphones. Going to run a quick edit on this one, and hopefully find a beta reader or two before I start on the next book in the trilogy. Hopefully, the next two will go quicker!

Excerpt from Chapter 20:
Scoey did his best to concentrate on his customers, but his efforts were marginal at best. Over the course of the next two hours, his attention continued to wander back to the couple in the corner. He analyzed every movement; the way Jay brushed his hair behind his ear or looked up through his eyelashes. He bristled when the man laid his hand on Jay’s arm, a touch that lasted two seconds too long. The twinkle of the mop-head’s laughter was clear, even over the jukebox and raucous clamor of fifty voices. Somehow, without realizing it, Scoey found the bottom of the bottle of whiskey.
As Scoey announced last call, the two stood and leaned together, whispering into each other’s ear before sharing a full-bodied clenching hug. With stomach reeling and head swimming, Scoey threw the washcloth back into the sink and crashed through the swinging doors into the storeroom. He braced both hands on the wall while his body heaved with his shaky breaths. When a shadow solidified behind him, he turned to find Jay contemplatively watching him. “What do you want?” he barked.
“Need my jacket. I left it here.” Jay was puzzled by Scoey’s harsh tone.
“Are you leaving with him?” Scoey asked, emphasizing the “him”.
Jay looked down and replied quietly, “No.”
Drawing a steadying breath, Scoey pushed away from the wall and turned to face Jay. “Why not.”
He could barely hear Jay’s reply as it came out as little more than a whisper. “Because I don’t want him.”

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