The last time I wrote anything on this blog was back in June when I shared that I started an organization called Jumping Waves. After that I got really caught up in planning my wedding (yes, I got married!), being apart of my sister's wedding and moving across the country (NYC to AZ). Now, I'm not exactly settled but I got tired of waiting. I felt the need to get back on my grind and start working towards my goals again. First off, SElleCameron.comgot a new look and a new host!
Crazy Little Thing Called Love is almost complete (literally like a chapter or two away from being done), My novel I wrote back in 2010, Smoke & Mirrors will get some attention from me by being reworked and released, not to mention Jumping Waves will be making some waves. These are my goals for 2017. Not to mention, I want to create a website for Wanderlust, my blog I started back in March that is dedicated to my travel affairs around the world. That will be reworked from scratch.
I want to start video blogging as well but my webcam on my computer no longer works but this won't stop me. Hopefully sometime in the upcoming months I'll get around to purchasing one so I can get going. I'm currently wracking my brain trying to come up with new ways to reach more people. I don't desire anymore breaks and I want to keep it moving.
Here's a list of projects coming in 2017 (so far):
What Could've Been
Crazy Little Thing Called Love
Smoke & Mirrors
More short stories
Video updates
More activity from Jumping Waves
Launch a website for Wanderlust (my travel blog)
The re-release of A Tragic Heart (my first novel)
Follow me on my social media accounts for updates on projects:
As most of you already know I started writing a new book, entitled Crazy Little Thing Called Love. It's inspired by my last short story of the same name (http://bit.ly/1RAhI4k).
Readers of the A Tragic Heart series may find it odd that I'm writing about 2 characters who never shared a love interest and barely interact in any of the books but this book would be an extension of What Could've Been (TBR). It's really just a hypothetical story told in present tense to make it seem like it happened.
The cool thing about this story is that it is a totally Rihanna inspired book. Now, I know that may sound weird but let me explain! Every chapter is a one liner from a different Rihanna song from a different Rihanna album. Basically, Rihanna's music inspired a pretty cool novel.
Initially I said the novel would be about 120-200 pages, now it looks as if it will be about 180-220 pages...so basically it's another full length novel as opposed to a short one; but it is shorter than my previous work.
I'm not counting this novel as part of the A Tragic Heart (http://amzn.to/1SH7qCY) series but it will definitely help if you read the series in order (A Tragic Heart, RED, Turn It Off, What Could've Been) before reading this one. The series will end with What Could've Been but there will be other short stories and short books to the series. Think of it as a TV series with multiple seasons and just about anything can happen. Lies, cheating, deceit, joy, anything...
Well, here's some good news for you readers out there! A Tragic Heart is completely free for any and all Kindle users from today, March 31st-April 4th. All you have to do is download it from Amazon and you're good to go! All I ask is for you to leave a review on Amazon. My goal is to reach 25 reviews by the end of the year (that's the amount an author needs in order for Amazon to start suggesting it to readers). I'm at 12 as of now and while 25 may not seem like a big number, it's much harder to reach than you think. Reviews help out a lot, so just take some time and write a quick one. Thank you for the support and grab your free copy here:FREE Copy of A Tragic Heart
If you don't own a Kindle you can simply download the app on your smartphone or tablet for free! See, today is all about taking advantage of the free things in life!
NEW SHORT STORY ALERT! This one is extra special because it's going to be part of a book I am going to start working on very soon. It's connected with the A Tragic Heart series but is strictly told from Adalyn and Jackson's POV. Two supporting characters are being turned into the stars!
At first I was iffy about the idea because I didn't want to drag it but I realized while on Parahoy that Paramore's music inspired it and as long as they're going to continue on, why shouldn't I. I won't make this book part 5 of the series but it will act as a stand alone novel that is heavily associated with the others. Basically, it will help a lot if you read the first 4 before reading this one but you won't have to. It won't be a long one either...probably 150-200 pages maximum. The name of the book will be the same as this short story, Crazy Little Thing Called Love. I'll give you more info on it in another post very soon. For now, check this one out (and the last short story if you haven't). If it fit with any book it would be part of What Could've Been (Book 4) Also, you may want to take a look at where the story stems from: Jackson: The Surprise
Listen to "Two Weeks" by FKA Twigs on repeat while reading for the full experience:
Jackson: Crazy Little
Thing Called Love
She
comes behind me and wraps her arms around my shoulders. She plants soft kisses
on my neck, distracting me from time on my guitar. I place it to the side and
she knows that’s her cue to take its place on my lap.
“Are
you sure you can’t stay the night?” she asks poking out her lip, already
knowing the answer.
“I
gotta get back home to Megan. We’re working it out,” I reply in a defeated
tone.
She
looks down. I know just what she’s thinking. “Then what are we doing?”
“I love
you,” I told her touching her face. “You know that…me and her…we just have two
kids and I didn’t think you would ever want me the way I wanted you…”
“I’m
sorry for hurting you the way I did…for being so indecisive but I know what I
want now and that’s you. This situation is really fucked up and I know that…I
would’ve never thought I could do something like this but-“
“No
need to explain. I know. We’re in the same position,” I say pulling her closer
to me.
Time on
tour together turned into something neither of us ever expected. After I found
Megan in bed with another man while our kids were asleep in the next room, I
left for tour and never confronted my feelings. I was pretty down and out for
most of the time but it was her who brought me back. She showed me a good time
one night and that was that. I never meant for any of this to happen and
neither did she. Besides, she had something going on with my sister’s ex-husband
and she used to date the lead singer of her band, who is currently my sister’s
husband and one of my closest friends. Complicated, huh? Not to mention, she’s
now my sister’s best friend…in a way they’re like sisters so this makes it all
the more complicated. These are the reasons it has to remain a secret. I’m a
married man having an affair. I’m just as bad as my wife.
After
catching Megan in the act we separated for a while. My heart was intent on
divorce and that’s when Adalyn and I started our fling. It was purely sexual at
that time but I fell for her in ways I never imagined. It was her beauty,
physical and internal. I poured my heart out to her one night and scared her
away. She told me what we had was just for fun…nothing serious. It was cold and
harsh; meanwhile my wife wanted to work it out with me so I gave into her.
There was no point in being lonely. I mean, I still loved Megan, I just
couldn’t look at her the same way, but I was willing to try.
Long
story short: when I was gone she realized she loved me too and now we’re here. After
her confession we tried to avoid each other as much as we could but I had to
give in. I wanted something new…someone who didn’t hurt me. With Megan it
started to feel forced but with Adalyn it was all natural. She started as a
friend and ended up being so much more. Everything was easy and it was just
what I needed. Fast forward and here we are: loving each other in secret,
afraid to let anyone know because of what they might think.
“I’ll
come by tomorrow night after I put the kids to bed. I’ll just tell her I’m
utilizing some studio time solo,” I say caressing her arm.
“You’ve
used that lie too many times…why not the truth?”
She’s
ready for this to come out and in a way I am too. It’s just that I know the
timing isn’t right. I haven’t wrapped my head around leaving my family for
someone else. I mean, I would never abandon my children, they’ll always be a
major part of my life and Adalyn understands that. I’m just not ready to take
them through another separation knowing this time it’ll be permanent. I’m not
sure how they’ll take having a second “mommy” around so soon.
“I’ll
tell the truth…eventually…” I reply. “You just have to be patient. I know you
have been for a while now but it’ll come soon. I just have to find the right
words and the time.”
“There
will never be a right time,” she corrects me.
I see
where this is going and it’s heading nowhere fast. I roughly grab her face and
kiss her. She doesn’t seem to mind. I let go and stare into her eyes. The light
quickly reflects off of them causing them to look a lighter shade of brown for
an instant.
“See
you tomorrow?” she asks as if she’s uncertain that I’ll be there.
“Yeah,
you can count on it.”
She
stands up and I follow her lead. I allow her to walk me to the door but I can’t
help but notice that disappointing look on her face. I’m not trying to hurt her
or Megan but it seems that’s all I’m doing lately. I touch her face one last
time and she gets what I’m trying to say. I kiss her cheek and she smirks.
“I love
you,” I tell her once more.
“Same
here…”
And
that was it for the night…it was time to head back to my wife and kids…
Please leave your comments with opinions and suggestions! Would you like to read a full novel on a secret Adalyn and Jackson could've possibly shared? Do you want more from the A Tragic Heart series? Sound off below!
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Although the official release date is December 13th (this Sunday), Turn It Off is now available to order (Paperback version at least). The link is below and I hope you all enjoy it. http://www.amazon.com/dp/1940938678
"Life is funny. One minute you're trying to find something to live
for, and the next, it comes walking through your door in the middle of
the night." Turn
It Off follows the life of Peyton Giordano (from A Tragic Heart) as he
struggles to find strength to live following the tragic loss of his
mother all while falling victim to the lures of drug addiction, mental
illness, reckless romances, and countless other internal and external
demons. Tormented by his mother's death, and both the absence of his
father and the physical abuse he experienced by his step-father, Peyton
embarks on a journey to find balance in his life. After
starting a new life under his aunt and uncle's care, Peyton finds
himself yielding to the evils inside of him more than ever before.
Terrified of exposing his true feelings, he learns new ways to turn off
his pain. Peyton quickly comes to realize that just because it doesn't
hurt for a moment, doesn't mean the pain is really gone. The
more he tries to shut everything out, the more he indulges in his dirty
habits thrusting his life into a vicious cycle of chaos. As life always
has a way of revealing, however, there are but so many times we can go
around before we decide to jump off the ride. Turn It Off acts as a prequel to A Tragic Heart and is the third installment to the RED Tragedies series.
I missed last week but here's a new character profile. As promised, I'm taking a break from the girls and introducing one of Peyton's boxing friends. He's actually in A Tragic Heart as well but Turn It Off shows how they met in the first place. Let's take a look at Riley! For the previous character profile, click here: /sellecameron/2015/10/character-profile-from-turn-it-off_9.html
Full Name: Riley Tristan Johnson
Birth Date: September 7, 1992
Gender: Male
Age During Turn It Off: 16-17 years old
Eye Color: Hazel
Hair Color: Black/Dark Brown
Height: 6'0
Weight: 190 lbs
Relatives: Anne Johnson (Mother), Martin Johnson (Father), Chloe Johnson (Sister), Cameron Johnson (Brother)
Interests/Hobbies: Boxing, Football, Basketball, Almost any sport, Hanging at his family owned Pub with friends
Positive Character Traits: He's a very approachable person and a loyal friend. He loves to have a good time and will never turn down a night of fun. Riley is reliable and a great boxer.
Negative Character Traits: Fun can be his downfall.
Choice Quote From Turn It Off: "A
rough neck, I see. Your kind is the best. You guys always think you know all
there is to know about fighting but once you get in the ring with someone who’s
your match…well, it can be a whole different story.”
That's all for this week! I'll see you in another week with a new character profile.
By the way, if Riley was a song he'd be "Wouldn't You Like To Ride" by Kanye West
It's been a while since I wrote a short story based on the characters from my book series (RED Tragedies aka A Tragic Heart series) but tonight I'm giving you another short story. This one is from the POV of Peyton Hayley (Peyton and Taylor's daughter). If it were to fit into a book it would be part ofRED (Book 2). It's a short scene between her, Alex and Jackson.
Listen to "Throwing Punches" by Paramore on repeat while reading:
Peyton
Hayley: No Need to Catch Me (I’m Not Falling)
I lie
across Alex’s bed stuffing strawberries into my mouth as we talked about
nothing important. I was in one of his t-shirts that met just at my thighs and
his hand rested just above my knee. It’s hard to pay attention to anything he’s
saying because I can only think about how much I’ve missed him. We were forced
to stay away from each other by almost everyone. My uncle, Jackson, forbid us
to be together mostly because I was 17 and he was 25 and he claims he knows
Alex better than I ever would; but I know that’s not true. They may have been
close friends but Alex has shown me parts of him that no one else was ever able
to see. Now that I’m 18, there’s nothing stopping us from being together.
I
stop him in the middle of his sentence with a kiss. He responds just as I want
him to and before I know it the strawberries I was eating were scattered on the
floor while he was on top of me. It didn’t get too out of hand, mostly because
it never got the chance to. We were interrupted by the doorbell.
“Ignore
it,” I urge pulling him into another kiss. He obeys and we’re both acting as if
we’re afraid to part.
The
way Alex and I started wasn’t exactly applauded. I was underage and he was a
major rockstar. I had a faithful and charming boyfriend and he was a good
friend of my very famous uncle. We were a recipe for disaster. So many things
were sacrificed for us to be together but the only thing that matters is that
we are together. Age was never an issue for either of us. Since that kiss in
his car when I was 16, I knew somewhere deep down we would be together along
the road. It was only a matter of time and growing up. We vowed to wait until I
was 18 to go any further but that didn’t happen…we couldn’t keep our hands off
of each other and I’m glad we didn’t. Everything had to fall apart so they can
fall together.
“I’m
so glad I have you,” he whispered in my ear before lightly tugging on my
earlobes. I giggled before kissing him on his neck. I was just about to kiss
his lips again until the doorbell rang once more.
He
looked me in the eyes and told me not to lose the feeling because he’d be right
back. I roll my eyes as he gets up and walks out of the room.
“Might
as well clean up these strawberries,” I say to myself as I begin picking them
up one by one. No one’s ever “right back” once they answer the door.
After
I clean up the mess we made I realize that things were taking a little longer
than they should have. I gave it a few more minutes before I decided to walk
down the stairs to see who it was. It was 10pm and unusual for it to be one of
Alex’s bandmates. They always call before they just show up.
“Hey,
Al! Who is it?” I ask before I fully make it down the stairs. I stop in my
tracks when I see Jackson standing there. He hates Alex, why would he be here?
“Jack?!”
“Peyton…of
course you’re here with him.” Jackson turns away and laughs to himself for a
second before speaking up again. “You know what, this was a mistake. I
shouldn’t have come by.”
“Why
did you?” I ask folding my arms across my chest. Jackson has always been one of
my favorite people. We were so close it was hard to believe we were niece and
uncle. He’s the coolest uncle anyone could ever have. He was more like a big
brother or best friend. We fell apart once Alex and I got together.
“I
wanted to make amends with Alex. We’ve been friends for some time and I don’t
want us to be enemies anymore but I just got a reminder on why we are. You
could’ve at least put on clothes before coming down to see who it is.”
“I
didn’t know it was anyone worth putting on clothes for,” I shot back.
“Woah!
Guys come on. Let’s not,” Alex interrupts. “I would like for all of us to get
along. Jack and Peyton you guys are family…act like it…and Jack I’m sorry. Look,
I know she’s your niece and you helped raise her but I’m in love with her.” He
looks at me and I have no expression. I never heard him admit it out loud.
“Alex,
you love yourself,” Jackson replies as if he was correcting him.
“You
may not believe me yet but it’s different with her. She’s young, I know that
but…what we have is good and you’re going to have to accept that sooner or
later.”
“Don’t
fucking tell me what I have to accept,” Jack raises his voice and steps a
little too close to Alex. The last time they were this close, Jackson left Alex
with a bloody nose.
I
rushed between the both of them just to insure Jackson wouldn’t throw any
punches. I don’t want a repeat of last time.
“Jack,
you should go. There’s no need for you to be here,” I say staring him in his
eyes. It’s a cold stare. Never would I have thought Jackson would be my enemy.
“Peyton,
you’re making a huge mistake. Just come back with me and things can be a lot
different,” he pleaded.
“I
don’t want things to be different. I want Alex and if you can’t accept that
then you have no reason to be here…or in my life.” I could tell it broke his
heart, hearing me say such harsh words but if he truly wanted to make amends,
he would know he’d have to accept this.
“Okay.
I got it. I hope you two are happy,” he says before walking away towards the
door. Before he left he turned around and said, “Peyton, I may not be there for
you when you need me because trust me, you’re going to need me.”
For
some reason his words struck me hard…almost hard enough to knock me over. Alex
gently touched my shoulders and kissed my neck. I wanted it to relax me but all
it did was send a chill down my spine. Alex and I will be okay…Jack will see
just like everyone else will…
It's another week which means I got another character profile from Turn It Off. I decided to do one on Sophia because she's pretty important in Turn It Off even though she's only in it for a short amount of time. Back in July, I also wrote a short story based on her past life called Runaway. You can view that here: /sellecameron/2015/07/sophia-runaway-short-story.html .
In the book, Sophia is one of Peyton's many girls and she's the one who gets him deep into his troubled ways. In A Tragic Heart, Peyton ran off a list of girls he's been with before Taylor and she was one of the girls he mentioned. Specifically he said, "Sophia was the girl I liked a lot. The feeling was mutual, so it didn't take long for me and her to-you know." (Page 201 of A Tragic Heart).
Turn It Off is the back story of A Tragic Heart and how it came to be in the first place. I like to think of it as a prequel to the very first novel of the series. Introducing Sophia Lawson!
Full Name: Sophia Kae Lawson
Birth Date: August 5, 1992
Gender: Female
Age During Turn It Off: 15-16 years old
Eye Color: Brown
Hair Color: Brown
Height: 5'1
Weight: 110 lbs
Relatives: Bethany Holmes (Mother), Roger Lawson (Father), Paul Holmes (Step-father), Sean Lawson (Brother)
Relationship Status: It's complicated
Interests/Hobbies: Hanging with friends, partying, acting, listening to music
Positive Character Traits: Sophia is an extremely fun person and is always very upbeat. It's hard to keep her down because of her positive attitude and her bubbly personality. You can easily get lost in her world because she's so addicting to be around.
Negative Character Traits: Although she is a bubbly person, she also has a dark side. Sophia was molested and raped by her step father before she became a runaway. This caused her to lead a life of drug addiction and promiscuity (leading Peyton into a similar life). Some of the things she calls fun aren't the best things to do.
Choice Quote From Turn It Off: "...Everything was fine until that happened."
And that's Sophia! She's wild and fun but she also has a soft side (specifically for Peyton). Maybe someday in the future I'll get to write a book only on her. She has a lot to talk about and she went through a lot in her life at such an early age. You can check out the teaser to Turn It Off here: http://www.amazon.com/S.-Elle-Cameron/e/B00FNI34X4/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1
I'll be back with another character profile shortly... By the way, if Sophia was a song she would be Runaway by Pink:
Now that the book shower is over and RED has been released and met with great reviews it's time for Turn It Off to shine. I will say that this is probably my favorite book from the series as it focuses exclusively on Peyton and his trials while coming of age. He was a very different person before Taylor came into his life and his life was a bit tragic to say the least.
Turn It Off is told from Peyton's point of view only and is structured as the average novel. As of now the intro and first chapter of the book is available on Amazon for purchase. It's $2.99 for Kindle users and $4.65 for paperback. It's the first 42 pages of the book unedited just so you can have a taste of what's to come. There is also an important message from me in the beginning letting you all know where I gained the inspiration to write the novel (thank you Paramore!).
Turn It Off acts as a prequel to A Tragic Heart and you will see a lot of references and moments from the first book but most of it is what led up to A Tragic Heart. In my opinion, this book is just as important as A Tragic Heart because without Turn It Off, A Tragic Heart would've never happened.
I'll start a giveaway on Amazon for Turn It Off (Intro & 1st Chapter) and will embark on a blog tour to support the novel. I'm hoping for an October/November release for the novel. I will keep you all updated but for now check out the first 42 pages of Turn It Off here: http://www.amazon.com/Turn-Off-Intro-Chapter-Tragic/dp/1508591970/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
Back to editing Turn It Off...next/last stop What Could've Been!
As many of you know, I had a book shower this past Saturday, June 20th. I called it a shower because it wasn't like an ordinary book signing. I showered my fans/guests with gifts, food, dessert, and prizes. It was a blast and went well...so well I'm going to do it again next year around the same time.
Each table (that was named after a character from A Tragic Heart and/or RED) received a gift based on that character's personality. I'm happy to say that everyone was pleased with what they received. Taylor gave out flash drives since she saves her writings on them, Peyton gave out music note bottle openers since he's a musician and a great cook, Mason gave out blank books with pens since he's also a writer, Jackson gave out book lights since he writes most of his music late at night, Alex gave out prescription bottles with pills that had encouraging messages in them since he was a bit of an addict, Peyton Hayley gave out earbuds with built in microphones since she's a musician and had a thing for blocking things out with music, Ronan gave out double sided photo frames since he's a photographer, and Adalyn gave out music note bookmarks since she's the bass guitarist in Peyton's band and an avid reader.
There were also favor bags and prizes that were won during the games. Everyone's feedback was positive and I almost sold out of all 75 books that were there. No one left empty handed. I'm glad to say it was a success and I hope next year can be even better. I also hope to see more people (hopefully new people) and to keep making each year bigger than the last. Check out some of the pictures below!
Last week I posted my first short story based on the characters from my book series (RED Tragedies Series or A Tragic Heart Series, whatever you want to call it) and here I am this week with a new one. You can view the one from last week here (Peyton: The One) before reading this one if you want. As I stated in my initial post about the short stories they will be posted in no particular order and can fit any book.
This week the story comes from Taylor's point of view and if it belonged to a book it would belong to A Tragic Heart (Book 1 of the series). It's entitled "The Greatest Liar" and would fit perfectly with the triangle that happens between Taylor, Mason, and Peyton. Enjoy!
Listen to "The Greatest Bastard" by Damien Rice while reading:
Sometimes
I wonder if we’re really in control of our decisions or if fate forces us to do
what we do. Either way we have to pay the consequences. I guess life is unfair
that way. I let one single tear fall before opening the door to our apartment.
This used to be the only place that put a smile on my face after a hard day and
now I can’t even call it my safe haven. It’s been built upon lies.
I
fake a smile towards the once “love of my life”. He really did keep his promise
about trying to be a better man for me even after the infidelity and the whole
getting another girl pregnant thing. The problem is that I just couldn’t
forgive him as easily as I thought I could. It hurts all the time, just the
same.
He
smiles back at me and pulls me into a hug as he kisses me softly on the cheek.
He was lying across the couch watching a game he probably didn’t even care
about. It was just something to pass the time until I came home.
I
told him I had something to take care of with Jackson since he came back to
town. I told him he only had a week here and I wanted to spend time with my
brother. It was a lie…all of it. Jackson is really in town but I wasn’t
spending time with him…I was with Peyton. Mason knows Peyton and I are best
friends but he would even find it weird that I chose to spend the entire night
with him on a day we had a date planned. Truth is I would rather spend my time
with Peyton at his place than go out into the real world with Mason. The
biggest problem about that is Mason’s my husband and Peyton’s his closest
cousin. Guilt consumes me once more.
“How’s
my love?” Mason asks with a grin. He’s been extraordinarily welcoming lately.
“I’m
good,” I lie.
“I
was thinking since you canceled our date maybe we could pull an all-nighter and
watch a few movies over junk food. I bought your favorite cheesecake from your
favorite bakery.”
He
flashes me his puppy dog eyes and I can’t decline that. He’s really trying.
He’s really sorry. I wish I could say the same about myself.
“I’d
love that, Mason,” I reply in a soft voice. “Just let me take a quick shower
first.”
I
walk past him hoping he doesn’t ask why I need a shower. Honestly, I feel dirty
after spending the night loving Peyton just to come home and fake it with his
cousin. Mason and I had a good run but it’s over…I just can’t fully let him go.
I’m doing to him what he did to me first but I think I’m the greatest liar in
this situation.
Eventually
I’m going to tell him; I’m just trying to figure out how and when. This is
going to crush him more than it crushed me. At least Lauren wasn’t a friend or
a family member. Peyton is practically his brother. They were raised together
and even grew up in the same household. They took on the world together since
forever and here I am breaking up one of the greatest bonds that ever existed.
The stories of Mason and Peyton are legendary…but this one is going to go down
as the most iconic.
I strip off my clothes
and turn on the shower. The moment the warm water hits my face I let the tears
fall. How could Mason cheat on me for so long without it affecting him like
this? It’s only been about two weeks since Peyton and I started this affair and
I feel like I’m already breaking.
I tried to justify my
actions by remembering that I probably was always in love with Peyton from the
start and just didn’t realize it. Peyton recently told me he was in love with
me from the first time we ever spoke to each other. He saw me around from time
to time and always thought I was his type of girl, he just never acted and
Mason got there first. I thought Mason was all I ever wanted but once I got to
know Peyton, I saw just how wrong I was. It was fate.
That’s exactly what I
want to tell Mason when I break him the news. I want to tell him that it was
fate that brought Peyton and I together. Our bad decisions weren’t ours at all
but it was something in this cosmic universe that conspired to put us together
before time even started. We’re soulmates and as foolish as it sounds it must
be true because we both felt the attraction the moment we stood in front of
each other. Peyton wasn’t just meant to be my best friend…he was always more.
I’m his extra rib and Mason…Mason is the pawn that was played to bring us
together. Maybe if I explained it this way Mason would understand and wouldn’t be
as hurt; but even I know that’s not true.
I turn off the shower
water and step out. I wipe off the foggy mirror in the bathroom to take a good
look at myself. I still look intact and Mason wouldn’t suspect a thing. I hurry
and head straight to our bedroom to get dressed. I throw on one of Mason’s
t-shirts and walk back into the living room. He bites his bottom lip as I sit
next to him.
“I always liked that
shirt on you,” he says coming closer.
“I know, that’s why I
wore it,” I reply as I forced him to cuddle with me.
His skin is always so
warm and something about that makes me feel like everything is going to be
okay. Part of me wants Mason forever but I know I have to make a choice…or
maybe the universe has already done that for me. In the end, I don’t think the
choice is really mine at all. I was made for Peyton and Peyton was made for me;
but for the time being I’ll just enjoy the movie and cheesecake with Mason.
Find out more about Mason and Taylor in the RED Tragedies series here! Mason appears in A Tragic Heart, RED, Turn It Off (Coming Soon), and What Could've Been (Coming Soon). Taylor appears in A Tragic Heart, Turn It Off and What Could've Been.
The short story is entitled, "The One" and takes off from the part in A Tragic Heart where he and Taylor comes back from their vacation with Mason in Australia. If "The One" belonged to a book it would fit right in with What Could've Been. It's an excerpt based on Peyton not going for a ride that night in A Tragic Heart. Enjoy!
It’s
hard to believe in just a few short days I’ll be leaving her just to follow my
dreams. It feels a little selfish but I know she wouldn’t want it any other
way. A few years ago I wouldn’t have dreamed of deciding to live my dream or
staying home for a girl…I never thought I would be so tempted to choose the
second choice.
I run
my fingers through her black hair as her head is on my lap. She fell asleep on
the couch while we cuddled watching TV. It’s nothing new. She does this all the
time; suggests we should watch something but falls asleep not even thirty
minutes in. The thought puts a smile on my face.
We
just got in from our trip to Australia with Mason and we’re both a little jet
lagged. I’m surprised she was able to fall asleep so easily. During most of the
trip I was a little bothered thinking about how I would have to leave her
almost as soon as we get back from our trip. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed
myself with her and my cousin, it’s exactly what I needed but it was
bittersweet knowing that everything finally fell into place when I have to
leave.
I
thought about going for drive to clear my head but decided to stay right here
with her. Usually a drive out on the town would help but I thought why leave
her when I have to be out of here in a few days anyway. Besides, it’s pouring
out there and that may not be a wise decision. I want to savor every moment
with her…even if it means watching her sleep.
Funny
how two years ago I was a kid running wild and now here I am, engaged and ready
to start a family with the most amazing girl I’ve ever met. I’m only seventeen
and four months shy of my eighteenth birthday but I feel like I’ve aged at
least a decade since then.
I
leaned over to kiss her softly on the side of her face. She moves around a
little before finally waking up. She sits up and yawns with a stretch. God, she’s
so adorable! I admire every second of this moment.
“Hey,
what happened? You were watching it without me!” she whines as she looks back
and forth from the TV and me.
I
smirk at her and shake my head a little. I knew this part was coming. She falls
asleep and then blames me for still watching the show.
“Actually,
I was watching you,” I correct her.
“Well,
that’s not creepy at all,” she replies sarcastically.
“So
you’d rather me watch the movie without you?” I raise one eye brow and stare at
her.
“Ugh!
Shut up and kiss me.”
I
love when she demands me to do something. She can be so feisty at times and I must
admit I love it. I submitted to her and did as I was told. She always demands
me to kiss her when she knows she’s lost a debate.
“I
can’t wait to marry you,” I whisper to her before she kisses me again.
“Neither
can I,” she replies after biting her bottom lip. She knows what that does to
me.
I
start to caress her arm and she knows what’s coming next. I can’t keep my hands
or eyes off of her. Every day is almost like I’m just seeing her for the first
time.
“Aren’t
you tired?” she asks with her head slightly tilted to the side.
“Not
tired enough,” I say staring into her beautiful green eyes.
I
pull her into me and kiss her a little rougher this time. She doesn’t interrupt
and goes along with it. I grab the sides of her face and lightly run my fingers
through her hair. She does the same to me, letting me know we’re on the same
page.
I lay
her on the couch and she bites her bottom lip and lets out a small laugh. She
excites me in the most non-sexual way possible. I genuinely love her and adore
every little thing about her. I can’t imagine this any other way.
I
slowly lean myself on top of her just to stare into her eyes. I have to
reposition myself because my side is still sore from the stab wound Karson gave
me. She notices it and lightly touches my side.
“It’s
okay. We don’t have to,” she says with a serious look.
“No,
no, I’m fine. I’m good,” I assure her. I kiss her once more and I feel her hand
touch the back of my neck. It gives me chills in the best way. “I hate that I
have to leave you so soon.” I stare at her waiting for a reply.
“It’ll
be okay. We’ll be okay. Go follow your dreams and have the time of your life
with your band. I’ll be right here waiting for you when you get back.” She
smiles at me and I can’t help but smirk back.
“This
is why I love you so much,” I respond kissing her on the cheek.
“I
can’t even begin to mention the reasons why I love you,” she says.
We
kiss again but this time it lasts for much longer. She knows how to make me
feel good about any situation. That’s when you know you’ve met the one. I can’t
wait to leave so I can come back home to my baby.
Find out more about Peyton and Taylor in the RED Tragedies series here! They appear in A Tragic Heart, Turn It Off (Coming Soon), and What Could've Been (Coming Soon)!
Hey all! Very recently I posted onto my social media accounts that I was thinking about creating VERY short stories based on the characters from the RED Tragedies series. I wasn't sure if this was a good idea or not but I've decided to give it a go.
Every so often I will post a new story equivalent to 1-2 pages based on one or more of my characters. These very short scenes will be based on various times of their lives and will not be written in any specific order. For example, you can read about 15 year old Peyton or 25 year old Peyton. You can read about Taylor's life with Peyton after A Tragic Heart (if it existed) and you can read about Taylor's life without Peyton. Basically, it's all for fun and games while giving you all an occasional dosage of the characters you've come to know and love.
Most of it will be a day in the life of ___________. I will also provide a song to listen to while reading (more than likely the song that inspired me to write the scene) so it can put you in the mood. I'm actually very excited about this new project and I can't wait to see what I will come up with. These stories will be written from the characters' POV in some cases and in others it'll be written as if a narrator is telling a story.
I will post each story on my blog as well as my Wattpad account. Hope you all are ready!
Characters who will be included are as follows along with the books they are present in (but more will be added as stories progress):
1. Taylor (A Tragic Heart, Turn It Off, What Could've Been)
2. Peyton (A Tragic Heart, Turn It Off, What Could've Been)
3. Mason (A Tragic Heart, RED, Turn It Off, What Could've Been)
4. Jackson(A Tragic Heart, RED, What Could've Been)
5. Adalyn (A Tragic Heart, RED, Turn It Off, What Could've Been)
6. Alex (RED)
7. Peyton Hayley (A Tragic Heart, RED, What Could've Been)
8. Ronan (RED)
9. Lauren (A Tragic Heart, Turn It Off)
A Tragic Heart & RED are available now while the intro and first chapter of Turn It Off is available. What Could've Been is coming soon!
Sorry I went away for a while without a word but a lot of new things happened to me so my schedule has been unusual and it took time to get used to it all. I haven't forgot about my duties as a writer and from now on I intend to keep up with my true career.
Actually, in a way I have been keeping up with my writing career, just not through social media and the internet. For starters, I have a new logo and slogan that I posted below. I thought the tagline, "All love is a tragedy!" is very fitting for my novels/work. I believe even the greatest love is a tragedy because we leave ourselves wide open while firearms are pointing in our direction and we don't care if they're ready to shoot...all in the name of love! So yeah, that's where that came from...
Anyway, on to something a tad bit more important than my tagline and new logo...my book shower! All is welcome, the more the merrier! It's all going to happen on June 20th from 2-5pm at 281 Babylon Turnpike, Roosevelt, NY 11575. It's something you really don't want to miss so if you can find a way to make it then do so!
There will be food...TONS OF FOOD (which includes desserts and hors d'oeuvres), games, prizes, surprises, and of course books for sale just waiting to be signed by me! I will update you all as time goes by but it is also important to RSVP (it's free unless you want a special package) since I plan to have assigned seating. Each table will be named after a character from my books so you never know whose table you'll be sitting at and what surprise that character has in store for you!
It seems as if I'm releasing book after book but I promise this is the last one for a while...maybe. I decided to release RED(The Mini Book) so you all can add the character profiles, poems, and lessons/themes to your RED Tragedies collection. It's a compilation of the things I've posted on my blog but this time you can have it in one neatly packed (mini) book for only $6.00 for the paperback and $2.99 for the Kindle version.
If you're unsure about purchasing RED, you can check out the mini book for scenes from the full length novel and to get to know the characters better. The links are posted below:
I know, I know! I just released REDbut I thought it would be a great idea to release Turn It Off...well the intro and first chapter of the book at least. Turn It Off still has a while before it comes out (I still don't have a specific month or date) but it's never too early to give people a solid taste of what's to come. It's now available on Amazon for only $6.00 for paperback and $2.99 on Kindle. It's the unedited version of the book so pick up a copy and let me know what you think so far by leaving a review!
Turn It Off is the third installment to the RED Tragedies series (also known as A Tragic Heart series) so if you haven't yet, pick up your copy of A Tragic Heart (that's now only $2.99 on Kindle) and RED. Always remember to leave a review!
After all of the blogging and promoting for RED it's finally here! The second part to A Tragic Heart is now on Amazon and here is the link: http://amzn.to/17xvcPy . I hope you all enjoy it and don't forget to leave a review!
Since RED is set to come out on Valentine's Day (5 MORE DAYS!), I've decided to make finding each character profile and poem from the character's POV easy. Remember that RED is the 2nd part to A Tragic Heart so catch up before the big release! Here is the pre-book to RED!
Full Name: Peyton Hayley Giordano
Birth Date: April 4, 2010
Gender: Female
Age During RED: 16-18 years old
Eye Color: Green
Hair Color: Red
Height: 5'6
Weight: 130 lbs
Relatives: Taylor Caldwell (Mother-Deceased). Peyton Giordano
(Father-Deceased), Mason Taylor (Cousin), Adalyn Voyvodich-Taylor
(Cousin-in-law), Jackson Caldwell (Uncle), Nick Taylor (cousin), Ryan Taylor (cousin), Lila Taylor (cousin)
Positive Character Traits: She's compassionate although she rarely
shows it. She has a strong attitude and stands up for herself. Peyton
tends to lead her own life without caring what others think. She's
extremely talented and smart.
Negative Character Traits: She self-sabotages frequently, she can be
quick to anger, and she's a bit of a martyr at times. She's also
impulsive.
Choice Quote from RED: "When we want
something bad enough we tend to only look at the positive side of
things. We ignore the negative because we don't want to go there."
That's all for now! If you want to learn more about Peyton, you can pick
up your copy of RED when it is released in the Winter of 2015. For now,
you can learn about some of the other characters in RED by reading part
one to the novel, A Tragic Heart. By the way, if Peyton were a song she would be The (After) Life of The Party by Fall Out Boy.
Battered and Shattered (A Poem From Peyton's POV + New Scene From RED)
Sitting on the hard, cold ground alone
Scared, battered and shattered
I don't know who I am
I have no one to call
And the night is black
I'm just scared, battered and shattered
They're asking me questions
That I don't have the answers to
Alone, battered and shattered
My tears do the talking for me
Words won't come out my throat
I'm alone, battered and shattered
I've made my mistakes
But do I deserve this?
Confused, battered and shattered
My blood runs red
And my mind is running wild
I'm confused, battered and shattered
"Tell me your name"
"Do you have any family?"
Just leave me battered and shattered
I've come this far on my own
No one to guide me
He left me battered and shattered
Here's the scene from RED, Battered and Shattered was inspired by. Hope you enjoy it and remember RED will be released this Valentine's Day!
I
don’t recognize myself. It’s more than that
bad. It’s horrific. I become speechless and let my tears do the talking for me.
I want to let something out. I want words to come out of my mouth. Suddenly, I
hear screaming, a female’s voice that echoes through the night. It takes me a
while to figure out that it’s my own. I can’t believe he did this to me.
The
police and ambulance arrive as Robyn tries her best to console me. This can’t be
happening. This can’t be real. I must be dreaming. An officer and a paramedic run
up to me and bombard me with questions that I can’t answer right then. The
paramedic walks me over to the ambulance and sits me in the back of the truck.
He shines a light on my face and gently touches it.
“The
most we can do is treat these wounds. You have a contusion on the upper left
corner of your face but you’ll heal. Let’s get you to the hospital. You’ll need
X-rays and the police can take your report there. Do you have anyone we can
call?”
I
nod my head yes and he calls the police officer over to the truck. They all
look so sympathetic. I wonder if they all have daughters and are imagining what
if this happened to them. I’m afraid to witness what Mason would do.
“I’m
going to need a phone number, your mom or dad?” the officer says trying not to
look too concerned.
“I
don’t have a mom or a dad, just cousins.” I speak lowly in a monotone voice.
“I’m
going to need someone’s number,” he replies.
“I
tried to call Adalyn. She’s my cousin’s wife but she didn’t pick up.”
“What
about your cousin?” he asks now seeming concerned.
“He’s
in California on business.”
“Well,
I’ll tell you what. Give me both of their numbers and I’ll try my best to
contact them.”
I
give the officer all of my information and he says he’ll follow me to the
hospital to get the report after I’ve been fully examined. I lie back on the
stretcher as the ambulance drives away from the dark and lonely street that has
drops of my soul
scattered on it.
I
try to close my eyes but every time I do I see the image of Marcus. I’m not a
crier but lately my emotions seem to be taking control of me. The ride is
silent and I’ve never felt so alone in my life. How do I fix this? How do I
walk into school? What will Mason and Adalyn think? God, I don’t want all of
these answers at one time because that means there will be problems to go along
with it.
*************************************************
Young Mason Mason as he would appear in RED
Full Name: Mason Dale Taylor
Birth Date: May 4, 1992
Gender: Male
Age During RED: 34-36 years old Eye Color: Green Hair Color: Black Height: 6'1 Weight: 202 lbs Relatives: Adalyn Voyvodich-Taylor (Wife), Jean Taylor (Mother),
Brian Taylor (Father), Peyton Hale Giordano (Cousin-Deceased), Cathleen
Taylor-Giordano (Aunt-Deceased), Peyton Hayley Giordano (Cousin/Adopted
Daughter), Taylor Caldwell (Ex-Wife-Deceased), Jackson Caldwell
(Ex-Brother-in-law), Lila Taylor (Daughter), Nick Taylor (Son), Ryan
Taylor (Son) Relationship Status: Married
Interests/Hobbies: Writing & Basketball
Positive Character Traits: Mason is very loving and accepting. He
doesn't like to give up on people he truly cares about and he would die
for the ones he love. He is full of compassion and protects his family
at all costs.
Negative Character Traits: He can be stubborn at times and he has a
bit of a short fuse. There are times he is quick to anger and he can be
sarcastic at times.
Choice Quote from RED: "In reality, I had no idea what I was waiting for but I just knew that the time wasn't right."
And that's the end of Mason's character profile. I hope you all feel a little closer to him but if not make sure you check out RED when it is released this Winter. For those of you who have no idea who Mason is, you can still check out A Tragic Heart before RED is released to get to know about him and his past. Until next time... By the way, if Mason was a song he would be "Dare You To Move" by Switchfoot.
Dreaming Alive (A Poem From Mason's POV)-New Scene From RED Included!
Last night I dreamed of you while I was awake
And I prayed to the Lord my soul He'll take
Just so I can be back with you
Do you know what it's like to dream while alive?
To see the damning images deep inside your mind?
But it was worth it because I was with you
The sparks in your eyes, they were still there
But the fire spread and you disappeared
I'll burn all over again just for you
My eyes are wide open and my heart has been closed
I can't love another because you're all that I know
And I wouldn't have it any other way because of you
I tasted your mouth and you tasted mine
I think we forgot all about the time
But life always worked that way with you
Last night I dreamed while I was alive
But in reality you were on the other side
What I would give for you!
Because last night that dream brought me alive...
Here is the scene from RED, Dreaming Alive was inspired from. It's a
scene where Mason dreams of his lost love Taylor (from A Tragic Heart).
***
Every
time I try to close my eyes, I see her. I keep trying to think of
something new, but she won’t get out of my head. Sixteen years and she
still haunts me.
I wake up to the smell of breakfast so I quickly get up and brush
my teeth. I practically rush down the stairs before something stops me in my
tracks.
“Hey, make sure your dad is up. I know how much he hates having to
heat up food,” I hear her voice say
from the kitchen.
I’m afraid to walk in and be disappointed. It couldn’t be. Is it
all a dream? Did it never happen? For a second I feel relieved but then realize
that when I open the kitchen door it wouldn’t be her.
I stand in front of the kitchen door for a while before pushing it
open. I close my eyes and say a short prayer before viewing what’s in front of
me.
“Never mind!” she calls out. “You’re right on time,” shesays
with a beautiful smile. The smile that’s been imprinted in my mind since the
first day we met.
“The smell woke me up,” I say relieved that she’s standing there in front of me again. “Is this real?” I ask her a little confused.
“Last time I checked,” she
sounds just as confused as I feel.
“Don’t ever leave me again,” I say touching her beautiful face.
“I won’t. We were young before, it’s different now. I love you.”
“I love you too. I always have and always will.”
She leans in and kisses me passionately. We almost get carried away
but the smoke that fills the air reminds us that she’s cooking.
“SHIT!” I yell opening the kitchen window and turning the fan
above the stove on.
She laughs a little and tells me to watch my mouth. I stare at her for a long time before she acknowledges it.
“What? Why do you keep looking at me like that?” she asks never wiping that smile off of
her face.
“I just had this terrible dream,” I say unable to take my eyes off
of her.
“What was it about?”
“I don’t want to bring it up again, but I dreamed that after Peyton died you fell into this deep
depression and…” it’s hard for me to say it even though I know that it never
happened, “you asked me to watch Peyton for a while, and you never came back.
You left me in the worst way possible. I found you on your apartment floor
covered in blood. It was the worst thing I’ve ever seen.”
She doesn’t say a word. She just
looks at me with glossy eyes as if she’s
trying to hold back tears.
“I’m sorry. I really didn’t mean to bring it up again,” I say before
reaching out to touch her.
She moves away from me and tears fall from her eyes.
“If I knew you loved me this much I would’ve never done it. I
regret it every day,” she says through
her tears.
I don’t understand.
“I’m confused, what are you talking about?” I ask still trying to
move closer to her.
“I would have given you a second chance. You deserved it. I ruined
her. I ruined everything! You’re doing such a great job, Mason. It’s not your
fault. You’re not the reason why she’s so angry. It’s all my fault! I just wanted
to see him again but now I’m stuck!”
She moves back towards the stove and I yell for her to move out of the way. The stove catches fire without good explanation and quickly spreads across the
kitchen forming a barrier between us. I try grabbing her to pull her with me
but I can’t get to her.
“Don’t leave me!” I yell back at her while reaching for her
hand. “Please! Don’t leave me again!”
I
jump out of my sleep more startled than I’ve ever been. I look over at the
clock and see it reads 5:45 am. I quickly get up and walk to Peyton’s room. She
still isn’t home. The hairs on the back of my neck are standing on end and I can’t
relax. I walk into the den on the top floor and try to relax by watching some
TV. I can’t get that dream out of my head. I say a short prayer and whisper to
myself, “Baby, wherever you are, I hope you’re safe and happy.”
Relatives: Mason Taylor (Husband), Lynn Voyvodich (Mother), Michael
Voyvodich Sr. (Father), Michael Voyvodich Jr. (Brother), Lila Taylor
(Daughter), Ryan Taylor (Son), Nick Taylor (Son), Peyton Giordano
(Adopted Daughter), Jean Taylor (Mother-in-law), Brian Taylor
(Father-in-law)
Positive Character Traits: Adalyn is caring and helpful. She's the
person who is by your side through whatever you go through. She's the
exact opposite of judgmental and she's easy to talk to. Adalyn can also
be outspoken when needed. She's the friend everyone wants.
Negative Character Traits: She can hold feelings/emotions inside for far too long causing her to react in questionable ways.
Choice Quote from RED: "I guess
that's the difference between men and women. No matter whether we're
wrong or right, we're willing to fight for what we have." Welp!
That's it for now. I hope you all feel like you know Adalyn just a
little better than before. I look forward to all of you getting to know
her more when RED comes out this
Winter. The editing process is going great and I can't wait to share it
all with you guys! To learn more about Adalyn in the meantime you can
pick up your copy of A Tragic Heart by clicking the link. You still have time to catch up before RED is released. By the way, if Adalyn was a song she would be "Break Free" by Ariana Grande.
Mistakes (A Poem From Adalyn's POV + New Scene From RED)
Mistakes are lessons
Mistakes are certain
But it's always ugly revealing what's behind the curtain
He wasn't ready for it
Neither was I
But I caused it and left us to die
Mistakes are normal
Mistakes cause heartache
But I didn't mean for his heart to break
He was never there
And I was lonely
In my heart, he's my one and only
I did something that I can't take back
There's no way of erasing the facts
But where's forgiveness when you need it?
I wait by the phone and I sit and sit
Mistakes are things we all must make
Mistakes are the things that raises the stakes
They test you when things are low
They make sure things are never the same
Mistakes cause you to remember you're the one to blame
I'm tired of pointing fingers
I just want us to be us again
But the trials from my mistake won't ever end
You left me all alone
And I may deserve it
But let's not act like you were perfect
You dreamed about her while you were awake
I was second best and that's what I can't take
You put me last when I should've been first
You buried me with her in the dirt
Now I'm done with pointing fingers
I just want to make you see
That I wasn't the only one who did something ugly
You raised her from the dead
While I was alive
So I made a mistake...that I can't deny
Here's the scene from RED that inspired Mistakes. Remember RED will be out this Valentine's Day.
“Adalyn,
what’s going on?” he says frantically.
“I
don’t know what happened but Lila said-”I began to speak in my weak voice before he interrupts.
“Where
were you when this happened? Why don’t you know what happened?” He raises his
voice.
“Um,
Mason I know you’re upset but you may want to tone it down a little,” Peyton
warns as she touches his shoulder.
He
takes a deep breath and I decide it’s a safe time to speak.
“Look
Mason, I know that you’re upset and you have so many reasons to be right now. It
was a lapse in judgment on my part and-”
“Yeah,
Adalyn you’ve been having a lot of those lately, haven’t you?” he snaps at me.
I
look at Peyton whose face tells me how sorry she is for everything. I don’t
know what to say to him. Everything I say to him is going to be wrong.
“I’ll
stay here just in case someone comes out with news on Ryan. I’ll let the nurse
know that I’m here with you guys. You two should head outside and talk this
out,” she offers in the kindest way possible.
Mason
seems hesitant about her suggestion but eventually obliges. I follow behind him
like a lost puppy and can’t help but think how much I’ve missed him.
“Now
will you let me explain?” I ask the moment we reached outside the hospital’s
entrance.
“Go
ahead,” he responds coldly.
“I
let the kids play outside for a while so I could get a few things together
around the house. I had no one there to watch them so I told Lila to look out for
her brothers being that she’s the oldest. Everything was fine. After I finished
cleaning up and making sure everything was in order I looked at the time and
saw that it was time for them to eat lunch. Before I went to the kitchen I went
to the backyard to check on them and told them that it was time for them to
come inside. I only left for a few minutes. I honestly don’t know what happened
in that short time span but I heard screaming from the kitchen so I ran as fast
as I could and-” I try to hold back my tears but I’m not strong enough.
My
words strangle me causing my voice to become inaudible. I swallow harshly and
struggle to finish my sentence. Mason shows no signs of sympathy.
“That’s
when I saw it. Ryan was floating face down in the pool. I immediately pulled
him out and started CPR. Lila said she wasn’t paying attention and he and Nick
were running around the pool. Nick said they wanted to see who could make the
biggest splash by diving in and Ryan went first. Nick said it took him a while
to come up and when he did he wasn’t moving. They know they can’t swim, I just
don’t understand why they would do something like this,” I finish while wiping
my tears away from my eyes.
“I
know why. Because they’re kids Adalyn! That’s why you should be watching them
at all times! Why would you let them play outside by themselves? Especially the
backyard! You know we never let them back there alone! How could you be so God
damn stupid and careless?”
“You
know what, Mason? Maybe if I had some help this wouldn’t have happened! Maybe
if you’d come home sometime I wouldn’t have to deal with things like this! I
made a mistake and I’m so sorry! It won’t happen again!” I shout back.
“You’re
damn right it won’t happen again Adalyn because I’m getting custody of my children!
I didn’t want life to change for them too drastically but this stunt that you
pulled leaves me no choice at all. I’m calling my lawyer first thing in the
morning!”
Something
comes over me. I’m not sure what it is but it takes over my entire body. I’ve
never felt anger rise inside of me so quickly. He wants to challenge me for my
children. This is what we’ve come to.
I
draw my hand back and smack him harder than I thought I could. The left side of
his face turns red in an instant. For the first time in a long time, I don’t
feel sorry.
“What
the fuck?!” he shouts loud enough for the entire parking lot to hear.
“If
you think that you’re going to take my children away from me and I won’t fight
you, you have another thing coming to you, Mason! I made one mistake by
cheating on you but you don’t get to take it out on them! What happened today
could have happened if either one of us was watching them. Don’t try to make me
sound like a bad parent when I was the one who practically raised them while
you were always away working somewhere or obsessing over your dead ex-wife!” I
state pointing my index finger at him as if I’m reprimanding a child.
“You
have no right to talk to me this way, Adalyn,” he says in a much deeper tone.
Mason
can be scary when he’s angry but I don’t let it bother me. I have to show him
that I’m capable of being stronger than him.
“You’re
an asshole, Mason! You want to know why I’ve been so side tracked lately? It’s
because of you. It’s because you won’t talk to me or even look at me! It’s
because you’re not even man enough to confront what happened between us.
Instead you want to run away as if that’s going to fix things. Well it’s not!
You ran away from Taylor, you ran
away from Peyton, and now you’re
running away from your family. Stop running and learn to deal with the cards
given to you! Whether you like it or not you need to come back home so we can
settle things like adults. You can keep your new fancy condo just in case you
decide we can’t make it. I really don’t give a damn about the decisions you
make anymore, Mason, but at least respect your family enough to decide
together. You may not want me right now and it’s completely okay with me
because at this moment I’m not sure if I want to be with you either!”
Before
he can speak another word Peyton comes out to tell us that the doctor would
like to see us. I don’t wait for Mason to make a move. Instead I quickly walk
back into the entrance of the hospital ignoring everything else around me.
Mason can rot in hell for all I care. He’s not going to get away with trying to
take my babies away from me. They are all I have left.
Relatives: Taylor Caldwell (sister-deceased), Henry Caldwell
(Father), Eva Caldwell (Mother), Kristen Caldwell (sister), Tyler
Caldwell (brother-deceased), Mason Taylor (ex-brother in law), Peyton Hale Giordano (brother in law-deceased), Peyton Hayley Giordano (niece), Grayson Caldwell (son), Charli Caldwell (daughter)
Relationship Status: Single/Divorced
Interests/Hobbies: Singing, Guitar, Piano, Playing on stage with his band, Songwriting, Spending time with his family, Women, Recreational use of herbs (occasionally)
Positive Character Traits: He's loving and would go to new heights to
protect the ones he love. Jackson is the cool uncle/brother that
everyone wants. He's very laid back and hates confrontation but he will
fight if it comes to that. Jackson is/was Taylor's guardian angel on
earth.
Negative Character Traits: Sometimes he can be "too cool" and not
make the right decisions. For example, there are times he was/is too
lenient on his sister and niece.
Choice Quote From RED: "Stop crying, forget your mistakes, and move on!"
So that's it for Jackson! For those of you who are familiar with him I
hope this got you a little more excited to read about him in RED. For those of you who didn't know him until now, I hope you feel like you just met Jack for the first time. RED will be out this Winter (I get the edited manuscript back this week! Yay!) which means there is still time to catch up with A Tragic Heart. It's the first part to the RED Tragedies series, with RED being the second. Thanks for stopping by and getting to know the characters in my head. :-)
By the way, if Jackson was a song he'd be "Radioactive" by Imagine Dragons!
Reminisce (A Poem From Jackson's POV + New Scene From RED)
In my mind I can see your face so clearly
The years went by but it all still feels the same
I can live an eternity & I'll still miss you severely
Nothing can replace you, none of my fortune and fame
I gasp for air because you're not here
It's like your memory chokes me until I can't breathe
Losing you was always my biggest fear
Your memory haunts me, I can barely speak
I never thought it would all end like this
You, untouchable, while I suffer in silence
Living everyday is a hit or miss
There's an inner battle, I suffer the violence
Now I sit back and reminisce
Nostalgia sends me into a dark place
I'm so sorry you felt you had to go out like this
I would give it all just to see your face
And she's dying here without you
But I don't want to place blame
But there's nothing I can do
Nothing was ever the same
I can't breathe without you but I have no choice...
Here's the scene from RED that inspired Reminisce. It's Jackson's inner monologue after he holds a conversation with Peyton. RED
is set to be released this Valentine's Day (February 14, 2015)! Any
Peyton that is in bold letters refers to the Peyton from A Tragic Heart.
My time with Peyton results in me needing
some alone time anyway. My stomach is in knots and there is a huge lump in my
throat. I head to my room and lock the door. I close my eyes and exhale trying
to make the pain go away but it’s stubborn. It wants to hang around for a
little while longer.
Almost seventeen years later and the pain is
still as arresting as it was the day I found out. That day when Mason called me
to tell me that he found Taylor in a pool of her own blood with a giant knife
sticking out of her chest. I didn’t want to believe that she took her own life,
as it would have been easier to know that someone else was to blame. I hated
blaming my own sister for her death.
I remember it so clearly. I couldn’t speak,
my mouth was dry and the lump in my throat prevented me from forming words.
This feeling that I am feeling right now is all too familiar.
My brain shut down on me. Taylor was my
best friend and to hear Mason tell me that she was no longer with me was my
biggest fear. I never imagined a world without Taylor. I’ve tried to several
times before but the thoughts were in flashes. I never took the time to ponder
how I would go on without her because I knew it would hurt too much.
I was angry. Why wouldn’t she call me like
she normally did? Why didn’t she think of me? If she wasn’t going to stay for
her baby girl, why not stay for me?
Matt, my bass guitarist had to pull me
together. I had a show that night and it was too late to cancel. I had to go on
stage in front of thousands of people and try my best to smile. I broke down
during every break throughout the set. I guess that moment made me a stronger
person because nothing could stop me from performing now. Performing through
that circumstance taught me how to play through anything with a smile on my
face.
Taylor was too young to take on the
responsibilities she placed before herself. She should have enjoyed life as a
teenager but I could understand why it was so difficult for her. So many
unfortunate things happened to her before she reached her fifteenth birthday. I
was her only confidant and when I left to tour after high school, she felt
alone. Part of me blamed myself for her problems but I knew I had to live my
life too. I just wished that there was something else I could have done. I did
my best to stay in contact with her but some days were harder than others. She
never understood just how much I loved her. Words weren’t enough.
I would take my own life just to save hers
if I had a choice. At the funeral I could barely stand to look at her lying
there. I wanted to believe that she was only sleeping and it was some sort of
sick joke but my gut reminded me that it was all real. The truth is I almost
didn’t show up. Mason forced me to come. I called him the day of the service to
tell him that I wasn’t going. Ten minutes later he was at my doorstep forcing
me to get ready. He told me that I’d regret it later.
I told him that the thought alone was
killing me and I wouldn’t be able to take seeing her in that state. It didn’t
make sense to me that I’d never see my little sister again. It didn’t make
sense that I’d never hear her voice calling me ever again or that she no longer
existed. It didn’t make sense to me that she would take her own life…although
it made perfect sense to me.
She loved Peyton more than her own life. She loved him so much that she would
choose selfishness over thinking about the ones who still loved her that were
here on earth. She couldn’t have thought about what it would have done to me.
She mentioned me in her suicide note but it wasn’t enough. She couldn’t tell me
to stay strong and that she loved me if she was going to do something so
drastic. She didn’t understand and every day I ask God to show her mercy
because she didn’t know what she was doing. She wasn’t in her right mind. I ask
Him every day to punish me rather than her. I deserve it more than she does.
She was good throughout her lifetime. She made one irreversible mistake…just
one. I plead all the time for Him to go easy on her. She needed grace more than
anyone else I’ve ever come in contact with.
Peyton
died in a tragic way. No one could have
predicted it and everyone asked “why him?” He was only seventeen and had so
much life ahead of him. He was supposed to be right next to me selling out
arenas. The kid had undeniable talent that was out of this world. He obviously
passed it onto his daughter. I think she’s more like him than Taylor. She has
his hair and eyes…it’s almost scary. Anyone who knew Peyton could tell that she was all him. She has some of Taylor’s
attitude and slight traits in her personality but her nature was every bit of
her dad’s.
Her rebellious temperament, her musical
ability, her wild ways are all Peyton.
He slowed down a lot after meeting Taylor. In many ways she saved him too.
Taylor always credited Peytonfor her happiness but he claimed that
he was a changed man because of her. He gave up his heavy drinking, drug use,
partying and women just for her. He told me all about his past life before
Taylor while we were on tour. In fact, his past life was eerily similar to his
daughter’s present life.
We became really good friends and I looked
forward to having him as a brother-in-law. I already saw him as the brother I
never had. Damn, Peyton if you never left, Taylor would still be here and if
Taylor was still here your daughter would be okay.
There’s no time to play the blaming game.
All is how it is and there’s no changing that. We have to learn how to deal
with the present without falling down…and if we fall we need to learn how to
pick ourselves up. If not for ourselves,
for someone who cares about us. I wish Taylor would have known that. I wish
I would have told her that the day I visited her a little after Peyton was
born. Maybe those words could have saved her life. She always thought highly of
my opinions and advice.
The pain that I’m feeling isn’t showing any
signs of letting up anytime soon. My thoughts race a
million miles per hour
leaving me sitting at the edge of my bed with tears falling from my eyes. And the pain never goes away...
Relatives: Jane Connolly (Mother) & Paul Connolly (Father)
Relationship Status: Completely in love and devoted to Peyton Hayley Giordano (in other words, TAKEN)
Interests/Hobbies: Photography & Art
Positive Character Traits: Ronan is an extremely compassionate and
forgiving person. He doesn't hold grudges and he's probably one of the
sweetest guys you'll ever come to meet. He has a great swagger about him
and seems a little tough on the outside but he's completely soft and
loving on the inside. He's a fantastic boyfriend/partner and believes in
honesty. Basically, his parents did a great job raising him. Not to
mention, he was born and raised in Ireland giving him a hot Irish accent
to go with all of these things.
Negative Character Traits: When it comes to his girlfriend he can be a
bit of a pushover but that's probably because he's completely
mesmerized by her. He can be blind to her actions at times.
Choice Quote from RED: "She was temptation itself but nothing about her seemed sinful. It was all heavenly."
That's all for this month! Next month I'll have another character to
introduce to you all. He's a bit of a rebel who shakes things up in the
story. Without him, RED wouldn't
be complete. I can't wait for you all to meet him, but for now I hope
you all feel a little closer to Ronan. There will be a lot more of him
in RED. Remember, RED is the second part to A Tragic Heart and the second book in my RED TRAGEDIES series. You still have time to catch up before the release of RED!
By the way, if Ronan was a song he'd be "Simonize" by Pete Yorn.
My Defeat (A Poem From Ronan's POV + New Scene From RED)
New week, new poem! This one is coming from Ronan's POV and it's a bit of a love poem.Ronan is Peyton's
love interest in the novel but their relationship is nothing short of
rocky and passionate. There's so much love there but there's also a lot
to worry about. RED will be out on Valentine's Day and you can check out the final cover for it here (just click on the word "here"). For now check out My Defeat and if you missed last week's you can view it here.
Today I saw the clearest view
The best part of it was looking at you
You're someone I could love forever
But that's only if you give us a chance to be together
We can take it slow if you'd like
Because I know how much you love to put up a fight
That's one of the many things I love about you
It's never easy, no matter what I do
And you're my favorite song on repeat
You're my demise, my defeat
There was just something about the way you smile
The way your green eyes made it all worth while
There's so much love yet so much doubt
Your eyes wander and I can't figure you out
Yet I want to love you for an eternity
I say that with all certainty
You're the photograph I stare at all day
No matter what you do I won't have it any other way
I can be so much more than the others
I want to be so much more than your lover
The way you hurt me feels so good
I guess I wouldn't change it if I could
So I'll let you be my defeat, my demise
Just say you love me while looking me in the eyes
Here's the scene from RED that inspired My Defeat. I hope you all enjoy it and remember to pick up your copy of RED on Valentine's Day!
Ilaugh
to myself when Peyton purposely interrupts mine and Tara’s conversation. She
can pretend she doesn’t have feelings for me but it’s so obvious that she does.
I’ve never been a guy with a huge ego but I have enough confidence to know that
I can have almost any girl in this school. They’ve been trying since day one
and I have been successfully ignoring them all just for her.
The
moment I see the girl with hair as red as communism, and eyes greener
than the most well-watered grass, I know what I want. I’ve heard all of the
rumors and know about all of the guys but her past doesn’t mean a thing to me.
She’s beautiful and confident and I just want her to share it all with me.
It
amazes me how she can pretend that I’m invisible to her. She’s been my best
friend for the past few weeks and every day I fall more in love with her.
He
doesn’t deserve her. Marcus is an asshole and I know that she knows this. She
says he treats her well but I know she notices how he talks about other girls
and how he stares at them while she’s with him. She deserves so much better.
I
wish she’d just let me want her and love her the way I do in my mind. It breaks
my heart slowly every day that I have to wait for her, but if waiting is what
it takes, then that’s what I’ll do. I wish I could tell her how beautiful I
think she is and how no photograph I’ve ever taken can measure up to her
beauty. What I would give to photograph her every day for the rest of my life.
“What
are you doing tonight?” I whisper, leaning closer to her.
I
love the view that’s right next to me. It’s more beautiful than any landscape
in the rural parts of Ireland. I swear a window’s frame or glass has never seen
anything so flawless.
“Date
with Marcus,” she answers after taking a quick glance at me.
“What
about tomorrow?”
“I
don’t know.”
“Movies
at my place? It’s awfully lonely in that big house by myself. I know you’d hate
yourself if I got so depressed I drove myself insane.”
She
smiles and my heart shatters inside of my chest.
“Sure,
tomorrow at your place is fine. Now let me pay attention, at least one of us
would have to know what we’re doing,” she whispers while looking at me from the
corner of her eyes.
Relatives: Unknown as a result of Alex being disowned by his family.
Relationship Status: Kind of single, always ready to mingle!
Interests/Hobbies: Sex, Drugs, and Rock and Roll! He's also the drummer in a famous band
Positive Character Traits: He's a great lover and an amazing drummer/songwriter.
Negative
Character Traits: He's not a one woman kind of guy. He doesn't know how
to love even when he feels it. Alex isn't known for making the best
decisions and he's pretty stubborn. He likes to party and his reputation
isn't the greatest in the tabloids...yet women love him!
Choice Quote From RED: "We have opened Pandora's Box and all of the sin of the world exploded within us...I've never felt so alive."
That's
all for this month! Alex is a really interesting character that you
will both love and really hate. He brings the book on a lot of roller
coaster ridesand I can't wait for you all to get to know him better. For now, I hope you all have a better idea of who he is. Remember, RED is the second part to A Tragic Heart and the second book in my RED TRAGEDIES series. You still have time to catch up before the release of RED!
By the way, if Alex was a song he'd be "Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)" by Marilyn Manson.
Lust You (A Poem From Alex's POV + New Scene From RED)
I'm one second away from tearing off your clothes
Even though I know much better than this
It's the way your eyes look, the way your hair flows
I want to add you to my list
Isn't it okay if you act older than your age?
I mean, who would know if you don't tell?
Let's give a performance in my room, my bed will be the stage
I'll buy whatever it is you're willing to sell
And I know this is supposed to be wrong
But I bite my lip and stare anyway
And to think it all started with a simple song
I think today just may be the day
That you forget about him
And let me win
I can't wait to hear the noise you make when I go in
God, this feels too good to be a sin
But you're more to me than just a body and lips
Although, I will admit I love the feel of your hips
When I'm holding you while you tighten your grip
I swear to God you take me on the best trip
I might've gone insane
Because this isn't right
But it's all pleasure, no pain
So I won't even fight
Well, well, well, there's your first taste of Alex Kinsley! Hope you enjoyed what you read. Here's the scene from RED that inspired this little piece. Only a few more weeks until RED's Valentine's Day release!
Alex:
Control
It
was a stupid decision but I make it anyway. Lust took over and I did something
that I thought I could never do. I keep telling myself we’re not even a full
eight years apart but it doesn’t make me feel any better. She’s not even
eighteen. I knew we’d go this far I just pictured it happening a year from now.
She tried so hard to ignore me the entire time we were together and that only
made me want her more.
It was the song. Hearing her voice
sing lyrics that hit so close to home didn’t help. It’s not just lust, I
actually like her but I won’t be able to show it to anyone. I’m not worried too
much about her boyfriend because they’re still young. They’re bound to break up
eventually, right?
We didn’t speak for the entire car
ride. She didn’t even say that she’ll see me later. I sit in my studio alone
and roll a joint. God knows I need one. I play her track again and close my
eyes as I inhale. I picture everything that happened in full detail from
beginning to end. I can’t wait to see her again.
Relatives: Marsha West (Mother), Garrett West (Father), Jeffrey West (Brother)
Relationship Status: Single/Too busy having a good time to be tied down
Interest/Hobbies: Partying, Hanging out with friends, Modeling
Positive Character Traits: Robyn is as loyal as loyal can get. She
sticks by her friends and loved ones through any circumstance and never
judges anyone. She's easy to talk to and would drop whatever she's doing
at the drop of a dime for someone she cares about. Not only is she
loyal but she's also giving.
Negative Character Traits: Sometimes she parties too hard but she's sure to grow out of it. She's young, let her have her fun!
Choice Quote From RED: "Things may
not go back to the way they were immediately, but I think eventually
they will. It's just going to take some time..."
That's all I have for Robyn! Although she's a very minor character I
feel she still deserves a character profile. Robyn is a beautiful person
inside and out and I think we all can learn a thing or two from her.
Forget her partying ways; she's someone we all should strive to be more
like. As a reminder, RED comes out this Valentine's Day (February 14th) and is the second part to A Tragic Heart (which by the way will have a new cover for its re-release) so I strongly urge you all to catch up. Until next time...
By the way, if Robyn was a song she'd be Right Here by Jhene Aiko!
Relatives: Mary Adams (Mother), Benjamin Adams (Father), Christina Adams (Sister), Jimi Adams (Brother)
Relationship Status: Single and free to roam
Interests/Hobbies: Music, Singing, Songwriting, Guitar. He's the lead singer of the band he's in with Alex Kinsley.
Positive Character Traits: He's caring and protective, especially when it comes to Alex. Alex
is like a brother to him so he's willing to go the distance for him. He
looks out for the ones he love and is a pretty loyal person.
Negative Character Traits: He can jump to conclusions often and sometimes may be quick to walk away.
Choice Quote From RED: "Maybe someday there'll be some miracle and
this will all be forgiven but for now it's too heavy and new."
...And that's all folks! Remember that RED
will be available on Valentine's Day and that it is the second part to A
Tragic Heart. It's pretty important you know the basis of the story
before you begin to read it. With that said, you can find A Tragic Heart
by clicking on the link. It's available on both Kindle and paperback.
Hope you all enjoyed these character profiles and poems from their POVs.
Hopefully you all feel like you know them a little better.
By the way, if David was a song he'd be "Bold As Love" by Jimi Hendrix
It's February which means this is my LAST character profile for RED. It's crazy how time flies, isn't it? I started this whole thing in July and now it's finally ending. RED will be available on Valentine's Day and I couldn't be any more excited/nervous. Anyway,this character profile is for another minor character in the novel. He's Alex's best friend and band mate. Here's David Nelson:
Full Name: David Gregory Nelson
Birthdate: April 8, 2002
Gender: Male
Age During RED: 24-26 years old
Eye Color: Brown
Hair Color: Brown
Height: 5'9
Weight: 154 lbs
Relatives: Mary Nelson (Mother), Benjamin Nelson (Father), Christina Nelson (Sister), Jimi Nelson (Brother)
Relationship Status: Single and free to roam
Interests/Hobbies: Music, Singing, Songwriting, Guitar. He's the lead singer of the band he's in with Alex Kinsley.
Positive Character Traits: He's caring and protective, especially when it comes to Alex. Alex is like a brother to him so he's willing to go the distance for him. He looks out for the ones he love and is a pretty loyal person.
Negative Character Traits: He can jump to conclusions often and sometimes may be quick to walk away.
Choice Quote From RED: "Maybe someday there'll be some miracle and this will all be forgiven but for now it's too heavy and new."
...And that's all folks! Remember that RED will be available on Valentine's Day and that it is the second part to A Tragic Heart. It's pretty important you know the basis of the story before you begin to read it. With that said, you can find A Tragic Heart by clicking on the link. It's available on both Kindle and paperback. Hope you all enjoyed these character profiles and poems from their POVs. Hopefully you all feel like you know them a little better.
By the way, if David was a song he'd be "Bold As Love" by Jimi Hendrix
It's official! The final cover for RED is here! I love this cover so much because I feel like it's attractive yet it also depicts the main character Peyton so perfectly. Of course, the background is red but I love the glittery look it has to it because it almost makes you want to touch it. It's symbolic of how Peyton is. Beautiful and eye catching on the outside but when you get close enough to touch, it's pretty rough; kind of like the saying, "all that glitters is not gold." The original cover for RED was just a plain red background with black bold letters. This cover follows the same concept but it has a bit more pizazz! My sister says she thinks of ruby slippers and that's totally acceptable too. It's more simple than the new cover for A Tragic Heart but it's just as beautiful too. This makes me excited for the cover to the third installment of the series, Turn It Off! Anyway, take a look at the final cover for RED below:
Young Mason 
Mason as he would appear in 
