Interview with Joseph A. Pinto

I love being a writer.
I get to meet amazing people and become friends with them. In the 16 months that I have been blogging and such I’ve met some amazing writers. (I’m also lucky because I get to beta read their work and get exclusive interviews) Today I got to interview a brilliant Horror writer, Joseph A. Pinto. I greatly enjoy reading his work on his own site Author Joseph Pinto and at Pen of the Damned  (where he writes with other amazing authors) If you enjoy reading Horror, this author is a must!

When did you start writing stories?
I started writing when I was a little kid (trust me, if it made any sense it was purely by accident lol). But I loved books and craved to recreate the worlds I discovered between the pages I read.

What’s your long-term writing goal?
My long-term goal writing is to become a name readers remember. Continuously crank out novels & short works of fiction. Of course, I’d be thrilled with a book contract someday, but I’ll let the chips fall where they may.

What’s your writing goal for this year?
My writing goal for 2014 is simple: write. I’m pulled in so many different directions, and in 2014 I hope to curtail that as much as possible. I have several projects that are screaming for completion, and I hope to devote more time to that.

Something I also need to do. 😀

What’s your favorite genre to write?
Of course, my favorite genre to write would be horror, hands down. I’ve never attempted to write anything other, with the exception of poetry.

What’s your favorite genre to read?
Again, that would be horror, although I do immensely enjoy reading periodicals like National Geographic as well.

What’s your favorite novel?
My favorite novel is ‘The Wolf’s Hour’ by Robert McCammon.

What made you decide to write?
I don’t think I ever made a conscious decision to write. It was more of a calling. It was there at my fingertips; there in my mind. A writer, much like a musician, is a creative beast. Either it’s in the fabric of your being or it’s not.

Where do you get ideas from?
I get my ideas from people watching (a favorite pastime of mine lol). The news is a good source. Mostly, I see visions…snippets of movie panels, for lack of better word…running through my head. The harder I try to envision something, the more I get nothing, so it’s important for me to stay calm and allow it to flow on its own.

Has anyone influenced you to write?
No one on a personal level has influenced me to write, although many authors have influenced me. Over the years, I’ve made sure to vary my readings so that no one author’s voice “sticks” with me.

Do you have an author Role Model?
No, not really.

Do you have any real life experiences that have influenced your work?
I have many, many real life experiences that have influenced my work, but I never reveal too much and won’t now. Any good magician keeps his tricks to himself; I think a writer’s creativity should be respected that way as well.

Any paranormal experiences that have influenced your writing?
Good question. I have a few experiences, but nothing that has made its way into my fiction. Yet.

Do you believe in ghosts?
Absolutely!

Which do you prefer Zombies or Vampires?
Hmm, to be honest, I think both are so overdone in the world of fiction. It’s not one of the choices you’ve given me, but I’m going with werewolves.

I should have known this… 😀

Which do you prefer night or day for writing?
Lord, any time I can squeeze my writing in! lol But my preference would be writing at night. My brain “sees” things differently then.

I personally think the dark lends to the atmosphere of Horror and Paranormal 😉

In one sentence why should we read your books?
You should read my books because my ideas, as well my prose, are refreshing and often times outside the box.

What’s the craziest writing idea you’ve ever had?
My craziest writing idea has been that people close to you will be genuinely interested in what you’re attempting to achieve. At least in my case, it’s the farthest thing from the truth. So that’s the chip on my shoulder to continuously push myself.

What’s the best advice anyone has ever given you?
My English teacher from high school, God rest his soul, once told me: “Write what you know. Just twist the hell out of it.” Point well taken.

Is there a theme song for your books?
Great question! I don’t have a theme song for my books, or any of the stories I’ve created, but a great deal of musical inspiration is involved in them.

Thank you for such a wonderful interview Joseph. Everyone reading…. scroll back up and click on those links. Enjoy some awesome horror stories. Grab a cup of  your favorite drink and some snacks. You’ll be there for a while. 😀

Also Joseph was recently published in a top Horror magazine. There are links on the side of his site to his published books. 

Interview with Author Zoey Derrick

I’m so very happy to have Ms. Zoey Derrick, author of Finding Love’s Wings and Give Me Reason here today. Thank you so much Zoey for coming by today. I’m ecstatic to have you hear and for your jump into the Paranormal genre. So why don’t we get this interview started. Everyone’s here to learn more about you not to hear me gush about your work.

 

When did you start writing stories?
I started writing stories when I was in high school. Preferring to tell stories in my papers rather then honing in on the facts. I stopped writing stories all together until a college course last year when I was tasked with a creative writing project. That project was to be 4 pages long and before I knew it, it was 28 pages long and Finding Love’s Wings was born.

Why Erotica?
Why not? Just kidding – I love writing erotica because it gives me a chance to fulfill my own fantasies and even the fantasies that I never knew I had. Plus, writing about sex is just so much fun! Also, after reading Twilight (yeah I know, I’m a sekret Twihard at heart) I realized that to me Love and Sex are synonymous, you cannot have one without the other -in my mind.

Why did you decide to not go the erotica route for Give Me Reason?
Give Me Reason has no erotica in it (yet-as a series- is still to be determined) because Vivienne is such a strong character with a very devastating background that I needed her to be in a good headspace in order to allow for that passion to flow and grow.

Why did you choose to self-publish?
This is a tough question to answer. I decided that self=publishing would be best for me (for now) because it allows me the freedom and flexibility to write what I want, when I want it, and how I want it. It also gives me the ability to be able to work a full-time day job (again, for now) to make ends meet without being tied to publisher demands. There is also the freedom of writing. I cannot write if I am not in the mood, and stories come to me when they are ready to be written down and I cannot force them.
Lastly – I absolutely hate rejection! LOL!

* I understand the Muse demands attention when she demands it. She’ll leave if I can’t engage in her Muse.iness *

What’s next? What can we expect from you?
Wow, there is a big long list of what’s next. Give Me Reason is book 1 in a 4-part novella series that I’m working on as we speak. Give Me Hope – Book 2 has been written and is in the process of editing and development. The books will be released about 8 weeks apart from each other, concluding on Valentines Day 2014.
After GMR(Give Me Reason) I will be deep in the throws of Finding Love’s Wings 2 (I know – Finally right?)
I also have plans completing Devilish Desire as a counterpart to the Reason Series. If you haven’t read Devilish Desire – You can find it on www.deadlyeverafter.com

*Yay! I’m so excited for more of GMR and Devilish Desire is **faints** Finding Love’s Wings, well that was amazing too. I can’t wait for all the progress*

What’s your long-term writing goal?
To keep writing, and writing and writing some more. I have no plans in the near future to stop writing.

What’s your writing goal for this year?
See above about what to expect from me – but by December 31^st 2013 I plan to have the entire Reason Series completed and begin writing Finding Love’s Wings 2 (Title to be determined)

What kind of author do you want to be remembered as?
A creative one. I want my stories to be unique in their characters. Plot lines are sometimes hard to be unique, but as in FLW, you see that though the story line may be similar to a lot of other stories out there, you have two amazing characters to bring you along for the ride.

Would you ever write a novel targeted just to men?
No, I can’t say that I will, though I have a mountain of short erotic stories that some day may make it onto the interwebs and those particular stories may have a larger male audience.
 

What’s your favorite genre to write?
At first, before-during-after Finding Love’s Wings I would have said Romance/Erotica. But the Reason Series is giving me new love for the Paranormal, Angels and Demons more specifically.

* Once you go Paranormal You never go back. ROTFLOL! Seriously 😀 *

What’s your favorite genre to read?
Oh Boy! This is hard to answer because I can’t say that I have a favorite genre – I love Romance, Mystery- Suspense, Erotica, Paranormal (Vampires more specifically)

* Oh, that last one hit my soft spot! Paranormal and VAMPIRES!! *

What’s your favorite novel?
Uhm, there isn’t just one, there are a mountain of them.. But the ones that I go back to again and again make this list.
J.R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood Series. (Vampire)
Marata Eros’s Druid Breeders Series. (Vampire)
E.L. James’s Fifty Shades of Grey, Darker, Freed (Romance/Erotica/BDSM)
Jamie McGuire’s Beautiful Disaster (New Adult/Romance)
Sylvain Reynard’s Gabriel’s Inferno/Gabriel’s Rapture (Romance)
Anything by Nelson DeMille (Mystery-Suspense)
Sylvia Day’s Crossfire Series (Erotic Romance)

What’s your favorite Story?
Stems from my childhood – The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe and every book after that! 🙂

What’s your favorite Poem?
Tell Tale Heart – By Edgar Allen Poe

What’s your favorite type of music?
Country – Love me some cowboys!

What’s your favorite band or group?
All time favorites include Iron Maiden, Pink Floyd, and Creed/Scott Stapp are the ones I always return to.

What’s your favorite song?
This changes DAILY! But right now my favorites are “Just Give Me A Reason” by P!nk, “Stay” By Rhianna and Mikky Ekko and these are mainly because they are the two songs that have been driving The Reason Series.

Do you listen to music while you write?
All the time. Usually whatever playlist I’ve created for the book I’m writing.

Who is you hero?
My Mom. Her strength gives me strength and I hope to one day be more like her.

Who was your childhood hero?
Other than my Mom, I can’t say for sure that I had one.

What are you proudest moments?
I have a Son who is 8 – Do I need to say much more than that? 🙂

What one thing would you like to learn to do?
Drive a motorcycle.

List five things on you bucket list. If you have one.
Go to Europe – Ireland, England, France, Germany, Italy.
Drive the entire historic Route 66.
Go to Australia
Write a New York Times BestSeller
See one of my books on the big screen. 

What message do you want your readers to get from your work?
This question is going to have a very specific answer in terms of Give Me Reason – I want everyone to know that there is help available to those who suffer from PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) and more importantly that the women who are victims of Domestic Violence know there is help out there.

What are your favorite things to do when you not writing?
Reading, reading, oh did I mention reading -though lately my TBR pile has grown to the size of a small mountain.

What do you like best about your hometown?
I don’t think I can pin point one thing specifically about my hometown that I like best – Where I live now is so far removed from what I grew up in that I think I love both equally. 🙂!

If you could trade places with a famous person for one day, who would it be?
I cannot think of anyone that wouldn’t get me into trouble – You know all those wives jealous over another woman spending time with the super sexy husband! :-P!

If you could spend the day with anyone, living or dead who would it be?
Oh my goodness – this is a tough question to answer because there are SO many on my list.
William Shakespeare is top of that list though.

What do you think is your best trait?
That I’m crazy enough to go out on a limb and do things, like write books.

What’s one of the most important things you learned from you characters?
To be honest, to stand up and fight for what you believe in and most of all that you can find love in the most unexpected places.

Do have any words to live by?
Carpe Diem – Seize the Day!

What song is the anthem of your life?
This requires and entire album and then some. I don’t have one particular song that fits me completely because of the close relationship I have with my mom is a song by Jamie O’Neal called Somebody’s Hero.

What would you take with you to a deserted island?
Books, lots and lots of books unless of course I could take the actual characters from those books, then that would be one hell of a party.

Do you consider yourself romantic?
I can be, when the moments are right or if they’re with the right person.

If you could live anywhere, where would it be?
See bucket list above. Any of those European Counties or Australia.

Whom, if any, would you like to work with?
I would LOVE to work with a list of Authors on a book or collaboration but the first one that comes to mind is Debra Anastasia (Author of Poughkeepsie, Bittersweet Seraphim and Crushed Seraphim). Her humor and overall attitude on life is inspiring.

 

Thank you so much Zoey, for stopping by and talking with us. I can’t wait for the sequels to these great works.

Here are Zoey’s links so you can follow her. I think we should all keep our eyes on this very talented woman. 

Author Links

Amazon Author Page

Facebook Author Page

Facebook Personal Page

Goodreads

Twitter

Website

World Building

While creating a fictional world much thought must be given. What is needed to make the world or town complete? You may find yourself at the table with paper spewed out. Rulers and pencils within you reach. You may be making a grid or already have a grid, you will use this to map out your world.

If you are building a world, (I have yet to build a world, forgive me if I lack in my details). You must decide on the climate, landscaping, and bodies of water. Countries, States, and towns are created and labeled. You’ll have to name all of these countries, states, cities, and towns.

If you are building a city or town, you begin naming roads, deciding what building and offices you need and where they should be. How many schools do you need? Do you have enough residents to need a hospital or will you have an on call doctor. Is your town close enough to get to another city with a hospital?

Most of this has to be done before you start writing. I have to know my characters and a little about them before I could start to build the town of Sathan. I’m still not sure about it; I keep adding some things and moving others to make the story work the way I want it to.

Some of it is just strange. I need things that my own small town doesn’t have. I am the person who questions everything. Therefore, I have to stop and really decide if my made up town has to follow the rules of my local town. I search to find town with similar populations to see if they have hospitals, or separate middle and high schools.

When we build our world settings, I think the most important thing to do is think about what world we are working with. If we are building a normal Earth town, I really don’t think it’s necessary to freak out so much about the size of your town and what buildings, stores, or schools you have. If you’re building a foreign world, I think you have to go into extreme detail. It might not all be written in your story but YOU as the author have to know everything there is to your world.

We as writers will be able to make our readers believe what we right only if we ourselves believe what we write.

Did I leave anything out? Do you have something to share? Have you built a town, city, or world?

In the beginning

As writers were told to start at the beginning, but, what or where is the beginning. We obviously don’t want to start at the protagonist’s birth (or do we). Who is to say that was truly his/her beginning, maybe the Protagonists’ parents were the beginning. We should start where the beginning of the story starts…

Where is the beginning of the story? In the words of Shakespeare, That is the question.

I keep hearing the beginning is where the action starts. What if you’re writing a romance.. there is no action. Well, there is acation, but. . .

So you’re writing a romance, you’d start when the romantic interests comes into the picture right? That’s not a good idea, why, you might be asking me. We are suppose to show what is normal for our Protagonist if he or she changes because of the romance we wouldn’t know that.

What if our Main Character smokes, yet the guy she’s crushing on is a Health Nut and hates smoking. So she’s forcing herself to stop. If we (the readers) aren’t given at least one smoke break where she decides to quit so Health Nut will pay attention to her, then savors her last drag before squishing the butt. We wouldn’t understand what she might precieve as the ulimate sacrifice to prove her love.

We might think she’s normally cranky when it’s really the withdrawal that’s making her act that way. She could be as sweet as pie to Health Nut, and be cruel to everyone at home, in attempt to hold her withdrawal symptoms from her crush but her family understands what’s happening and they get all of it directed to them. If the reader isn’t told this in the beginning, insanity would likely be the culpirt they think up. Is your MC insane….

Maybe but that’s not what we’re going for here.

So as you can see your beginnings are very important.

I hate starting a story, I personally don’t sit down and start writing at the beginning. The first words I may write might be at the end or the middle of a story. I usually don’t write what I believe to be the beginning until I’ve written a couple thousand words.

I prefer it this way. If I were to try to start at the beginning I wouldn’t ever write a thing. I would be so stuck that I would just sit here and stare at a black screen. I write what I am told to write. (Remember my characters talk to me) I go in later and connect scenes. There are times when I can write around 5 pages of a story. There are other times when I write ¼ of a page. When I go in to “patchwork mode” all of the pieces that make sence together get added together. I “patchwork” when I’m ready to make chapters…usually once there’s so many documents in my folder I can’t find the one I’m looking for. .. This isn’t about beginnings anymore..

So WHAT I’m getting at if you want to write but the beginning has you stuck. Or maybe you already are writing but your stuck somewhere else in your story…

It isn’t necessary to write in the order your story will be read. I don’t do it (unless its a short story of around 1000-2000 words. Sometimes I don’t do it even then.) I’ve been told that my writing is good. So you can copy me if you’d like.. and still end up with something other’s would like to read. Or you can sit at with your blank page and wish you were writing.

In all honesty, you can’t be a writer if you don’t write. You won’t get better at your craft if you don’t practice. So I give you permission to break any precieved rules about writing. You can do whatever you want, if you don’t like it or it doesn’t work out for you, that’s fine, call it a learning experince and start over. Keep what works (that you wrote) and toss what doesn’t. (Or save it all in a scraps folder. What you wrote might be something tha will be beautiful later in a different project.)

What Tools Do You Use

When you write do you use your PC/ laptop or good old-fashioned pen and paper?

If you use pen and paper, do you have a favorite pen or favorite style of paper or notebook?

I use both.  it depends on where I’m at but also my mood.

I use regular college ruled notebooks and at times whatever scraps of paper I can find, but I love writing with a silver pen. (Have to keep the evil away 😀  I plan to kill my bad characters with my pen! Ha ha ha Bad pun. I didn’t even notice that until right now. I was thinking I’d stab them with my silver pen, but I could just write them dead… The pen is mightier than the sword or the pen in this case.  )

During the day, I scribble out notes that come to me. At night, I try to write out scenes from those notes. The next morning I type them. I try to type them straight away, but there is only so much time a day in front of a keyboard that you can spend without going crazy.

I heard that you shouldn’t have a special routine or equipment when writing because you won’t be able to write if you’re missing some part of that routine or equipment. My favorites aren’t necessary for my writing. If I have red ink at the time, I use it. Sometimes to increase creativity I write in colored inks. It’s quite fun! My notebooks are full of black scribbles, and looking boring then all of a sudden there is purple and green scribbles, or red and blue or even orange. I don’t recommend orange; it’s hard to read later. Anyways, you get the point.

What do you use when writing? Do you have a special routine; you have to do before writing?

The Need To Write

Have you ever had a story floating around in your head? You hear voices talk to you, but no one else hears them. They become your friends. They tell you their stories and you happily listen. Maybe it drifts around in your mind begging you to share it with the world.

You tell these new voices in your head that you are not the one to write for them. You don’t have the time; or you don’t have the grammar and spelling skills needed to be a writer. You may not even want to write. However, the voices won’t listen to your excuses. There is no excuse that will be accepted. I say excuses because that is what they are. They convince you to try. You may start writing to make them shut up! If you’re like me…. The words begin to sting your mind and burn at your fingertips.

This is a dangerous time to be a new writer. The Inner Critic appears at this time. He/she knows your excuses well. She will feed them to you faster than an RSS Feed keeps you updated on the news. When you pick up your pen or sit down with your keyboard, she will rattle off your To-Do List, or remind you about that TV show or the book you started reading. She might call your attention to your grammar or spelling mistakes. She will mock you when you pick up your dictionary and search for spellings.

I had one of these stories. I came across one last year. I didn’t have the time to write it. I homeschool my four children, that is a job of its self. I make everything we eat from scratch (almost everything) because of the severe food allergies one of my little munchkins have. I really didn’t have the time to write. My Muse laughed softly. “I’ll find the time for you to write,” she whispered, “Will you try it?” Inner Critic laughed loudly.

My Muse glared at her. “I need you to do this.” I nodded timidly. My Muse left and allowed the Character (Emily) to take her place. I became friends with her. I listened to her stories and wrote as fast my fingers could move. At times, other characters would doubt my ability to write their story, but Emily and My Muse believed in me. We got that novel done and we’re currently working on revisions and a sequel.

Emily’s story may never be known by more than a select few. It might be published be important to others. I don’t know (I’m leaning towards the latter.) All I know is that my need to write, the story burning in my fingers resulted in a full novel. The need to write has given me loads of short stories, a couple of poems, and a few novels in progress.

If you feel anything similar to what I just shared…. follow it! Don’t let your inner critic take the experience away from you.

**My dear friend Kristen of The Undead Duo post a great post yesterday about writing. She mentioned that they don’t try to tell you how to write. I am in no way trying to tell you how to write or what to do. I’m allowing you into my mind. I’m telling you what works for me, and or how I do it. If I ever tell you “how” to write, tell me to shut up. Writing is very personal and no one can tell you how to do it.

So excited!

I’m so excited!

The very first article I’ve written that isn’t fiction is now live on Penandmuse.com
Pen and Muse

It’s about social media.

I’m so honored that the Muses have found my work worthy of their wonderful website.

Please stop by and leave your comments or drop me a note here.

Now I’ll leave and happy dance all over the house again.

An hour worth of interuptions

This is a few hours of how my morning goes.

Breakfast is done dishes are washed, kitchen is clean. The first lessons of the day have been given. I drop into my chair start up Word, and stare at the blank screen. Soon My Muse is standing behind me and we start writing. My fingers are tapping across the keys happily. Then it starts!

(Color coded for easier understanding. Four children, 4 colors)

Mom…

Mom….

Mom, how do you multiply?

Mom, how do you divide fractions?

Mama, Mommy. What color for this flower? 

Give me a minute please. I try to continue typing over their constant jabbering.

Mom.

Mom.

MOM.

MOMMMMYYYYYYY!

What is your multiplication problem? Fourteen times three. If you have three pile of fourteen M&Ms how many M&Ms do you have? 30? No. 43? No, Okay, I get it.

I twist in my chair, What is your math problem? Never mind. I don’t need help anymore. 

Let me see your paper. Preschooler brings her worksheet. You have to color the flowers pink. Okay? Yeah.

Look at oldest…Do you need help? She hands me her math book. I explain areas. She starts working.

MOOOOOMMMMMMMMM! What color is this pink? Holds out crayon. Bubble Gum Pink. This one? Holds out second crayon. Carnation Pink. Which pink do I use. I don’t know pick one. I can’t! I love pink, I can’t pick one! Let me see you paper. Oh, I read it wrong, it says color the flowers different colors of pink. She nods and starts coloring.

I turn back to the screen and type a few words. After staring at the screen without touching the keyboard I bang my head into the desk. I look over my shoulder. My Muse, Where are you?

The boy isn’t working. What are you doing? What do I do now? Are you finished with your math lesson? It’s lesson 32, you told me not to do it. Sit down at the table, and get ready, I’ll be right there. I proceed to save all the Word documents. I’ve learned to never leave anything unsaved. (small children, don’t ask)

I go and get the teacher manual and another book that explains math. I sit down beside the boy who is contently drawing pictures of some video game (Mindcraft maybe?)

Why haven’t you got your paper ready. Oh, I didn’t know I was going to do math. I thought you wanted me to do grammar or something. He starts writing his name and lesson number on the paper.

I’m hungry.

Me too.

You just ate an hour ago. I’m hungry too. My screen mocks me…Did you really think you could do it all? Here I sit all alone, and you will not return for some time.  My Muse has run away. I think she doesn’t understand math. 😀 I read through the books and get the boy working on his lesson then make something to eat.

Two and a half to three hours later, kids have full bellies and new lessons. I return to the mocking screen. I look around for My Muse. She is no where to be seen. I pull out the earphones and begin to trudge my way through a few sentences, with music blaring in my ears.

My Muse will you return later today?

Assylum-Friday Fictoneers 11/23/12

This week’s Friday Fictioneers picture is from Joyce Johnson

I really enjoyed this last week. Thank you, Friday Fictioneers for welcoming me so warmly!

Copyright Joyce Johnson

**Assylum**

Father and Uncle Tom each held one of my arms. They dragged me down the sidewalk.

“It should be around here,” Father said.

They continued to drag me farther down the road.

Uncle Tom tilted his head towards the bronze figures in the wall. “Just a little farther.”

I looked up. “No!” I screamed, “Please, don’t take me there.” I tried to pull away from them. They both gripped my arms tighter.

“Please behave,” Father said, “If they don’t think you should be there, you will be released quickly.”

“No! Please, Father, I’m not crazy!”

Word count: 95

Edited to fix grammar.

The beginning

My mystery novel … “Secrets of Sathan” was put on hold to work on NaNo.

I thought you may like to read a little so I decided to give you the first three paragraphs.

 Haylee sat on the bar stool that was pulled up against the counter. She watched her mom move around the stove as she prepared dinner; the steaks sizzled, as she laid them into the hot pan. “I don’t know what to do Haylee. We have been here long enough, we’re all settled. You have friends here.” She started chopping vegetables. Haylee’s eyes wondered up the pale yellow wall. She stared at the wallpaper border at the top of the wall. She thought of the sunflowers that grew wild on John Wayne Road in the spring. She remembered of all the times she would drive on that stretch of road with her dad, when he was teaching her to drive. They would drive thirteen miles south to a closed café.  She would pull into the gravel parking lot; a chain link fence enclosed the white brick building. Her father would sigh when he saw the closed café. She would turn and drive back home.

     “Haylee?” Her mom said curtly, calling her out of her happy memory and back to the moment.  

     Haylee shook her head, “Sorry mom. I was thinking about the wild sunflowers back home.”   Her mother smiled as she remembered her own memories.  

     “This is home now, Haylee.” Her voice wasn’t as convincing as she hoped it would be.  

     “It can’t ever be home.” She answered shaking her head, then propping her right elbow on the counter and rested her head in her cupped right hand.   Her left index finger doodled invisible patterns in to the Formica.

      “Is it because. . . “ She couldn’t find the words to finish.

Her eyes welled with tears.   

Haylee jerked her head up, “No! Mom, please don’t!” Her mother turned around, her right  hand wiping at her face.”It’s not that.  I miss him. We all miss him and if. . . . We wouldn’t be here, in Sathan. We’d still be at home in Maricopa.”  

     “We have to move on, Haylee,” her eyes filled with tears, “he would’ve wanted it that way.”

Haylee pulled the steaks out of the pan and placed them on the cutting board to rest.

     “What can we or you do to make sure this ends now? I can’t have Principle Reynolds calling me at work.”  

Haylee sat back down. “I’m trying mom. I do all of my lessons.” She  dropped her head on  the counter and folded her arms over her head.  

     “I want you to keep a planner. I want to check you lessons every night before you go to sleep. Your principle thinks that you may be ADD.”  

     “What! Why didn’t any of my teachers in Maricopa think that?”

     “She said the teachers probably didn’t catch it in Maricopa.”

Haylee rolled her eyes.

      “Seriously Haylee, I don’t have the time for this. If this doesn’t end soon; I’m not going to let you volunteer at the senior citizen home anymore.”

      “Mom!” 

So what do you think? Do you want to read more? Any advice how to make it stronger? Leave me your comments or advice.