Top Contemporary Books {Five Fall Favorites}

Some avid readers use knapsacks, some book bags, and some simply use their arms to carry their prized possessions—precious works of art.  Literary art.
So grab your pack, stuff it full of your favorite books, and follow me on an adventure to find more to add to your overflowing backpack.

I'm not much of a typical contemporary book fan, but I thoroughly enjoyed these!

I Don't Dance by Jesseca Wheaton

Ty and Jen have been friends for nearly as long as anyone can remember. But when Ty goes off to college and leaves her behind, he has to face the reality that he cares for her as more then just a friend. 

As graduations approaches and with only one summer left before he begins basic training, Ty must make a decision. Military life is never easy; is it fair to force it on the one he loves? 

In the midst of wrestling with the question and coming to the realization that summer is quickly drawing to a close, Ty struggles to face questions he cannot answer, and is forced to examine his own heart. 

Is it possible that God has a future for him with Jen? Or will the summer close with only memories of days gone by? 

Their relationship would be old fashioned. But that was okay. Because old fashioned and whimsical fit perfectly with a southern summer.

Ty and Jen's relationship was #goals.  And their willingness to do what God said, even if it meant giving up each other... oh goodness, it felt so real.

Dandelion Dust by Faith Potts

Like a speck of dandelion dust riding the tides of a prairie wind, life is fleeting. Though I never realized just how fragile it was until that day . . .

Charity always had a dream. It was simple, really. Find a guy, fall in love, and get married.
The day she met Ryder, Charity knew he was the man God had chosen for her. But she never expected their relationship to be tested and tried through the fires of a freak accident. Suddenly, her world is thrown into chaos, and the bleak, white walls and sterile smells of a city hospital fill every spare minute. And then there comes the dreaded news. It was likely Ryder would never make it out of the hospital bed.
As her carefully laid plans for the future come crashing down around her and the sun seems to set on her dreams, can Charity still find hope in the dark of night?

Like a dandelion, life is beautiful. But treasure every moment. . . . for one day, the flower will be gone.

This flawless piece of art is the cutest thing ever!  This is the book that made me realize that I might actually like a liiiitle romance if it's done right. ;)

Code of Honor by Alan Gratz

Live by the code. Die by the code?

Kamran Smith has it all. He’s the star of the football team, dates the most popular girl, and can’t wait to enlist in the army like his big brother, Darius. Although Kamran’s mother is from Iran, Kamran has always felt 100% American. Accepted.

And then everything implodes.

Darius is accused of being a terrorist. Kamran refuses to believe it. But Darius has been filmed making threats against his country, hinting at an upcoming deadly attack. Suddenly, everyone in Kamran’s life turns against him and his family.

Kamran knows it’s up to him to clear his brother’s name. In a race against time, Kamran must piece together a series of clues and codes that will lead him to Darius—and the truth.

But is it a truth Kamran is ready to face? And is he putting his own life at risk?

*flaps hands* um um um um I read this entire thing in one day and I couldn't put it down and though it's a secular book and I could've done without the beginning, and there was a bit of profanity, the rest was spot-on and I'll stop now before I make a fool of myself (if I haven't already).  This is the other mom-picked (she actually found it at the thrift store and picked it up because she thought it looked like something I'd enjoy) book that I talked about on Tuesday.


Raptor 6 by Ronie Kendig

Captain Dean Watters keeps his mission and his team in the forefront of his laser-like focus. So when Dean’s mission and team are threatened, his Special Forces training kicks into high gear. Failing to stop hackers from stealing national security secrets from the military’s secure computers and networks isn’t an option. Zahrah Zarrick is a missionary teacher to Afghan children in Mazar-e Sharif. And a target. When Zahrah is captured because of her expertise in quantum cryptology, compromising the US military, Dean is forced to crack the lockbox around his heart—a move that might come at the highest cost.

Oh my... so intense.  Almost too intense for me a couple years ago.  The torture scenes, though incredible, aren't exactly for the faint of heart.  But acccckkkkk, soooo good. (The book, not necessarily the torture scenes.  Even though those were pretty epic too... but that sounds bad...)


The Davidson Case by Julie C. Gilbert

Somebody wants her sister dead ... FBI Special Agent Ann Duncan knows how to face down danger, but once again, she's not the target. Her baby sister, Joy Davidson, has stumbled upon a conspiracy and made some powerful enemies. Luck and God's grace help Ann save her sister the first time, but she knows the bad guys will try again. With Patrick on a university tour and perhaps the most important case of her career weighing upon her mind, Ann must find the strength, wisdom, and heart to find out who wants her sister dead, what Joy discovered, and how to stop the conspirators. Ann instinctively knows that if she fails the Davidson case will only be the first of many tragedies.

Oh my goodness, the Heartfelt cases!!  A love for mysteries with agents and such hold a prominent place in my heart.  And these are no exception.  Suspenseful, intriguing, and... yeah.

All that said, visit Rebekah's blog to find more contemporary recs!

Top Read-aloud Books {Five Fall Favorites}

'Tis the season for shorts replaced by jeans, coats drug out of closets, and fuzzy scarves thrown haphazardly around necks.  Trees turn every imaginable shade of red, orange and yellow, and walks in the park become a favorite routine.
Let's take a walk of our own, shall we?  We'll take a stack of cozy reads and find a bench to park (pun unintended) ourselves at for awhile.

These are all books that have been read aloud to my family at some point or another, so I can testify firsthand that these are family-friendly! ;)

Duncan's War by Douglas Bond

Young Duncan M'Kethe finds himself caught in the web of Sir James Turner, the former Covenanter turned military leader of the persecutors. Duncan is torn by his hatred of Turner's dragoons, who have treated his friends cruelly, and his father's instructions to love them. He must be true to Jesus Christ while attempting to rescue his father from enemy hands.

A much-loved book that not only has been read aloud to us twice, but I also read it myself, along with the following books in the trilogy.  They're all epiiiic.

The Lost Clue by O.F. Walton

In this intriguing mystery, Captain Fortesque finds himself torn between two loyalties. Having been educated in the finest schools of England, he enjoyed acceptance in high society, but kept his true upbringing a secret. Then the day came that changed the course of his life. It all started with the mysterious note that could only be read after his father’s death. Will he be able to endure the dramatic challenges he will now face?

In the meantime, everything in Daisy Bank seemed crooked and out of shape. Across stretches of dark stagnant water, Marjorie wandered over the wilderness of ashes, wondering how anything could grow in such poor and barren soil. But she learns that even in the midst of that bleak, coal-mining region, she can be ‘a tree of the Lord’s planting,’ bringing sunshine and growth to the dark, dreary world in which she finds herself.

Really, all of the Lamplighter books are really good to read aloud.  Except for The Hidden Hand, which about put me to sleep, but we won't go there.  The Lost Clue made us laugh, and the plot was super intriguing.

The Curse of Urumbu by Piet Prins

Jack Westerbann is a Dutch immigrant to Australia.  His father's execution by the Germans during World War II put a severe strain on Jack's faith.  While in Australia, working as a cowhand, he abandons his faith.  He decides to retrace his roots, but first he wants to cross the continent once more and visit places he's never seen before.

On his journey he kills a wallaby, not knowing he has thereby violated an aboriginal taboo.  The tribe's witch doctor pronounces a curse on Jack and the hunt is on.

The story is fast-moving and exciting.  Jack's flight lands him in on predicament after another.  Yet this is not action pure and simple; the story is laced with vivid graphic descriptions of the fascinating Australian landscape.

Ahh, just rereading that synopsis makes me think it's time for a reread.  So.  Much.  Suspense.  The entire family loved this one—even the boys!  Plus, it takes place in Australia, which is cool, mate!

Shepherd of the Hills by Harold G. Wright

In The Shepherd of the Hills, Wright spins a tale of universal truths across the years to the modern-day reader. His Eden in the Ozarks has a bountiful share of life's enchantments, but is not without its serpents. While Wright rejoices in the triumphs, grace, and dignity of his characters, he has not naively created a pastoral fantasyland where the pure at heart are spared life's struggles and pains. Refusing to yield to the oft-indulged temptation of painting for the reader the simple life of country innocents, Wright forthrightly shows the passions and the life-and-death struggles that go on even in the fairest of environments that man invades. The shepherd, an elderly, mysterious, learned man, escapes the buzzing restlessness of the city to live in the backwoods neighborhood of Mutton Hollow in the Ozark hills. There he encounters Jim Lane, Grant Matthews, Sammy, Young Matt, and other residents of the village, and gradually learns to find a peace about the losses he has borne and has yet to bear. Through the shepherd and those around him, Wright assembles here a gentle and utterly masterful commentary on strength and weakness, failure and success, tranquility and turmoil, and punishment and absolution. This tale of life in the Ozarks continues to draw thousands of devotees to outdoor performances in Branson, Missouri, where visitors can also see the cabin where the real Old Matt and Aunt Mollie lived.

I suppose I could've put this in my western section... but I adored this book when Daddy read it aloud to us a few years ago.  It'll draw you through the pages to the Ozarks.

The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare

He trains my hands for war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. –from the Song of David (2 Samuel 22:35) 
The Bronze Bow, written by Elizabeth George Speare (author of The Witch of Blackbird Pond) won the Newbery Medal in 1962. This gripping, action-packed novel tells the story of eighteen-year-old Daniel bar Jamin—a fierce, hotheaded young man bent on revenging his father’s death by forcing the Romans from his land of Israel. Daniel’s palpable hatred for Romans wanes only when he starts to hear the gentle lessons of the traveling carpenter, Jesus of Nazareth. A fast-paced, suspenseful, vividly wrought tale of friendship, loyalty, the idea of home, community . . . and ultimately, as Jesus says to Daniel on page 224: “Can’t you see, Daniel, it is hate that is the enemy? Not men. Hate does not die with killing. It only springs up a hundredfold. The only thing stronger than hate is love.” A powerful, relevant read in turbulent times.

When The Bronze Bow was read aloud to us so many years ago, I regrettably didn't pay much attention.  I wished I had when I picked it up a couple years later to read myself—it was so good!  And his relationship with his little sister... <3


Don't forget to check out Rebekah's blog for more read-aloud recommendations.  More recs coming your way tomorrow!

Another thing to remember—the giveaway!

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Top Western Books {Five Fall Favorites}

There's just something about old-fashioned barns that seems to spell 'fall'.  Let's grab some books and climb to settle in and read in the haymow.  Bring some coffee, tea, or hot chocolate if you like (or any warm drink that suits your fancy).

I'm a western lover.  Watching western shows for my whole life probably had something to do with it.  Anyway, here's some of my favorites!

Beneath a Dakota Cross by Stephen Bly

"Boys, somewhere up there is a place the Lord has for me.  I'm goin' north to find it.  Might be Wyoming.  Might be Montana.  Might be the Black Hills.  I'll know it when I see it."

With these simple words, Brazos Fortune sets out on his journey in the first of Stephen Bly's 'Fortunes of the Black Hills' series.  When locals threaten the lives and property of his family, Brazos abandons his Texas homestead for a new ranch in the West he has seen in a dream.  It's a war against corrupt lawmen, wild outlaws, and bitter winter weather as Brazos wrestles with his newfound hunger for gold and the burning desire to be reunited with his family.  He must test himself against the untamed frontier, confront the greedy miners who try his Christian convictions, and find the new home God showed him Beneath a Dakota Cross.

One of my all-time favorite authors, Stephen Bly pulled this entires series off with flying colors!  The characters are all amazing and they're all fabulous and I'll stop flailing now before I start looking like a windmill.

Thick as Thieves by Susan K. Marlow

Fourteen-year-old Andrea Carter would rather ride her beloved palomino, Taffy, than do anything else.  But life on the Circle C ranch in 1882 is busy.  Between school and chores, Andi is left with little time to prepare for Taffy's first foaling.  Then when the event finally arrives, it nearly ends in disaster.

Returning to school keeps Andi hard-pressed to find time for foal training.  And she now has a new problem on her hands—Macy Walker, who has been assigned as Andi's seat mate.  The new girl's crude manners and cruel behavior bring storm clouds into Andi's life, as does the news that cattle rustlers have moved into the valley.

When the cattle rustlers turn to stealing horses and strike the Carter ranch, Andi's only hope for recovering her precious colts lies with Macy.  Can Andi trust this wild girl?  Does she have a choice?

Another of my very favorite authors.  This beginning book to yet another Circle C series is incredibly read-worthy.  And... yeah, um I'm not sure what else to say without using caps.  So I'll just shove you to the beautiful thing.

The Unexpected Request by Rebekah A. Morris

Ty Elliot returns to his home after an absence of two years, knowing full well the danger which threatens him each hour he lingers in the old cabin in the mountains. But with his father on his death bed and his younger sister exhausted, Ty knows he must remain for a time at least. When his father makes a strange request and begs his returned son to "find her," Ty promises but is bewildered. Who is he to find? How can he set about the task of honoring his word? The only clues the dying man can give his son are a broken locket, a small photograph of a woman and a few last whispered instructions; "Take care of your sisters." In confusion, Ty turns to his father's childhood friend, Carson, for advice. Would the older man be able to help Ty and his sister, Sally? How much time did Ty have at the cabin before 'they' found out? Join Ty, Sally and Carson on their journey in search of the missing sister. The dangers they encounter, the hardships they face, as well as the friendly homes they visit, will keep you turning the pages. Set in the untamed west of the mid-1800s, this is a story the whole family will enjoy.

Awww!  Ty's devotion to Sally is so sweet, and though it was just a little hard to get into at first, the rest of the book definitely made up for the beginning in adventure.  A real page turner to be sure!

My Father's World by Michael Phillips & Judith Pella

As the wagon train made its descent from the mountains, the warm colors of autumn tried in vain to cheer the weary young travelers. Their mother had perished in the desert, and they had heard that their father was dead some years before. With the help of the wagon master, fifteen-year-old Corrie Belle Hollister is the only one left to bring her two brothers and two sisters into a raucous mining camp during the California Gold Rush to find their Uncle Nick.

Her mother's dying words to Corrie: "A woman's got to be strong. She's got to be able to make her way alone if she has to." When the little troop arrives in Miracle Springs and discovers that Uncle Nick has skipped town and the sheriff is after him, the "land of promise" turns into one of fear and unknown danger. Shouts of "gold" and "new strike" fade away as Corrie stands in the middle of a strange town with everyone turning them away.

When my mom found the first five books in this series at a thrift store and brought them home for me, I was a little skeptical.  Why, I don't know; I should know by now that pretty much every book Mom finds for me will be good (I've got another one coming in a couple days).  But have I yet learned?  Noooo, Kaitlyn doesn't learn easily.  Because this book was excellent.

Never by J. Grace Pennington

Travis Hamilton never expected to be a killer. One day he was studying to become a schoolteacher in the little western town of Spencervale, and the next he was sentenced to ten years hard labor in the Dead Mines outside town -- from which few return alive.

Ross Hamilton is no detective. But when his brother is convicted of murder, he has no choice but to abandon his ranch and do all in his power to find out just what happened the night of the killing, and who is really responsible.

Neither brother is prepared to be stretched and tested to his limits and beyond by an adventure that is much bigger than either of them ever imagined.But in the next few days, they will be. The only way to survive is to never compromise. 

*melts into a puddle* OKAY UM READ THIS BOOK.  Seriously, it's intense, and Travis is so sweet, and Ross's diligence and loyalty during the whole ordeal... just so much yes.  You can actually read my incoherent review here.

And thus sums up my western recs!  Today was actually supposed to be humorous books, but I couldn't think of five legit comedies, so I decided to replace it with one of my very favorite genres.  Do you like westerns? Or do you prefer comedies?  Either way, check out Rebekah's blog for some books that made her laugh, as well as the links to the other blogs in the party!

Top Pro-life Books {Five Fall Favorites}

Even a bookworm like me has to get out in reality every once in awhile.  So grab your bike, throw some books in the basket, and follow me!  After a vigorous ride, we'll find a grassy slope to collapse on and reward our exercise with some reading.

This is day one of a week full of books, books, and more books.  So stick around if you're a fellow book lover!  Today we'll be taking a look at some pro-life (adoption, elderly, special needs, etc.) recommendations.  Each and every life is precious in God's eyes, so they should be the same to us as well.  Remember that while you read.

A Horse for Kate by Miralee Ferrell

A horse of her own would be awesome. But Kate figures that might be a long way away, especially since she had to give up riding lessons and move to her late grandfather’s farm. Besides, it would be a lot more fun to have a best friend to ride with. When Kate discovers a barn on their new farm that’s perfect for a horse, and a dusty bridle too, she starts to think that her dream might come true. Then she meets Tori at school, who is totally the best. So when they discover a thoroughbred that appears to be all alone, could it be the answer to her prayers? Maybe. If she can convince her dad ... and figure out what’s going on with that horse.

Even though I love western movies, I'm not exactly what you'd call a horsey person.  Just ask my sis, the horse nut.  But I really enjoyed this book (and all Miralee Ferrell books that I've read), and bonus points for the main character being named Kate!

Edward's Eyes by Patricia MacLachlan

Jake is a part of an extraordinary family. He has a life filled with art, music, and long summer nights on the Cape. He has hours and days and months of baseball. But, more than anything in this world, Jake knows he has Edward. From the moment he was born, Jake knew Edward was destined for something. Edward could make anyone laugh and everyone think. During one special year, he became the only one in the neighborhood who could throw a perfect knuckleball. It was a pitch you could not hit. That same year, Jake learned there are also some things you cannot hold. 

Okay, um, it's been several years since I read Edward's Eyes, but... it was so good.  It'll rip your heart out, though.  Just sayin'.


Angels Walking by Karen Kingsbury

When former national baseball star Tyler Ames suffers a career-ending injury, all he can think about is putting his life back together the way it was before. He has lost everyone he loves on his way to the big leagues. Then just when things seem to be turning around, Tyler hits rock bottom. Across the country, Tyler’s one true love Sami Dawson has moved on. 

A series of small miracles leads Tyler to a maintenance job at a retirement home and a friendship with Virginia Hutcheson, an old woman with Alzheimer’s who strangely might have the answers he so desperately seeks.

A team of Angels Walking take on the mission to restore hope for Tyler, Sami, and Virginia. Can such small and seemingly insignificant actions of the unseen bring healing and redemption? And can the words of a stranger rekindle lost love? Every journey begins with a step.

It is time for the mission to begin…

AWWWWWWW!!! That's really all that needs to be said about this book.  The baseball aspect of the book really drew me in, and Ty's relationship with Virginia... allllll the heart eyes.

While Mortals Sleep by Jack Cavanaugh

Josef Schumacher is a pastor in Berlin witnessing the rise of Adolf Hitler's Third Reich and the increasing influence of the Nazi youth movement on the young people of his church. Fearful of the sway of prevailing rhetoric and misguided patriotism, Josef risks everything to counteract the lies of a Facist government and the charismatic power of the Fuhrer. When Nazi doctrine begins manifesting itself within his own congregation, Josef can no longer remain silent. Josef's wife, Mady, about to give birth to their first child, finds her world turned suddenly upside down. Will she realize the depth of Josef's love for her? Will she recognize its reflection of divine love?

Wow... what a wild ride!  It was so intense, the writing was flawless, and I was hooked even in the slower parts!  So, so amazing, and through this series I definitely found a new favorite author.

What Child is This? by Caroline B. Cooney

Not everyone is lucky at Christmas. Some people would call 16-year-old Liz Kitchell and her family truly fortunate, but it doesn't feel that way to her. It seems that only a miracle can give 8-year-old Katie her holiday wish. She wants a family, something she does not have as a foster child. As for 17-year-old Matt, he too is in a foster home and is finally letting himself feel a sense of belonging. When he allows himself to do a good deed for Katie, he doesn't realize what would happen. Is the spirit of Christmas strong enough to grant the impossible?

This book now holds even more interest to me since I wrote Beloved (foster care, y'all).  Even though he was a grumpy teenager, Matt was my favorite—he tried so, so hard to make this Christmas one that Katie would never forget.  Did he succeed?  Read the book to find out!

And thus ends day one of the Five Fall Favorites blog party!  I'll be back tomorrow with some books from one of my very favorite genres.
On a side note, the books room (if you're thrown off by the word 'room' like I was at first, here's a hint—today I'm the bikes room.  Each blog is a different 'room' every day) each day this week will have a free book of theirs available for download, so check out Rebekah's blog to find the book room every day!

Also, this week, we've got a giveaway!  Books, and a mug, and... yeah, it looks quite epic.

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What Fall Means to Me

Happy first day of the epicest season of the year, folks!!

The weather is FINALLY beginning to cool down, the garden is nearly finished (yes, for me, that's a good thing XD), and we're looking forward to Thanksgiving and Christmas.

But, of course, that's not all that Fall means to me.

Fall means... starting the fireplace.

Hoodies and jackets.

Hay rides.

Rustic decor in every nook and cranny.

Scented candles that fill the house with their fragrance.

Shorter days.

The guys coming in from work at 7 or 8 in the evening instead of 9 or 10.

Soybean harvest.

Foliage turns every shade of red, orange and yellow.

Nearly freezing my toes off when going outside barefoot, not yet willing to give up the best part of summer.

Longer skirts on Sundays.

Full coat racks.

Cattle grazing on the winter wheat.

Leaves crunching in the park.

Amazingly cloudy days.

Guys going hunting.

Many birthdays.

NaNoWriMo (all you writers know what this is...)

Cool breezes.

And, last but not least, Five Fall Favorites.  FFF is a blog party I've seen around, and this year I will be participating in it!  It's going to be a weeklong party full of book recommendations, not to mention a giveaway and freebies, so stay tuned!

I could probably think of a whole lot more given a few more days, but this is what I came up with off the top of my head.  What does Fall mean to you?

Silly Songs with Kaitlyn

The part of the show where Kaitlyn comes out and... well, pretty much does nothing but ramble about one of the best kids' shows of all time.

Because if you like to talk to tomatoes, if a squash can make you smile, if you like to waltz with potatoes up and down the produce aisle...

How can you beat VeggieTales?!  I know some don't exactly like it... but you're missing out!  VeggieTales is a classic, fun, and lesson-filled show.  It's even got puns and jokes with meanings only people teenaged and older will understand woven throughout the entire thing.
And of course we can't forget the interruption in the middle of the show—"And now it's time for Silly Songs with Larry, the part of the show where Larry comes out and sings a silly song."

One of my very favorite episodes is The Ballad of Little Joe.  Not only does it bring back amazing memories of watching it with my siblings during sleepovers at grandparents' houses, but it's downright funny!  Like dodge ball city.  The dodge ball avalanche still cracks me up.  And I still sing along to the birthday song—"Yippee-ki-yo-ki-yay, today is a special day!" and "Look, I made a frosting cow!"  Besides, it's a western.  You can't beat westerns.  Especially when this particular western makes references to Gunsmoke.

Along with the movie, the silly song in the middle is one of my very first VT memories.

"Belly button?" "Uh-uh!"

Yeah, I'm still fuzzy on the point of that song.  I mean... Mr. Lunt has no belly button?  Oh, the tragedy!

One silly song that nearly broke my heart when I was little, though, is Pizza Angel.  The poor dude waited for hours and hours, and then his hopes were dashed when the delivery boy shows up, having eaten Larry's entire pizza—and says, "you don't have to tip me or anything."  Made me mad, but it also devastated me, actually almost brought tears to the eyes of little me.  I guess back then the saddest things I knew were missing pizza.

One of my least favorite silly songs would have to be the one that of course happens to be Birdo's favorite.  And, since he's such a good impersonator, he naturally enjoys mimicking Mr. Lunt.  Drives me nuts.  But then again, driving little sisters nuts is what brothers do best, right?

And... it's about cheeseburgers.  They do say the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, so I guess it's no wonder.

"Cause you're his cheeseburger, his lovely cheeseburger, he'll wait for you-ooooooo!"
That's another song that made me sad.  And mad.  He betrayed the cheeseburger!  For bacon & eggs!


Y'know, now that I think about it, there were several that made me sad.  Pizza Angel, His Cheeseburger... and The Hairbrush Song.  I mean, Larry can't find his beloved hairbrush!  And we come to find out that Bob actually betrayed Larry and gave his hairbrush to the peach—a FRUIT—without permission!
Not that it was wrong for Bob to share.  But to share poor Larry's hairbrush?  Shame on you, Bob.

Well, now that we're on the subject of sad songs, another one is Oh Santa.  Larry made Santa cookies and stayed up late just to meet Santa and give him the cookies he worked so hard on.  And then comes a bank robber, a viking, and that very same peach that took his hairbrush—and ate his cookies!

A song that really cracks me up is Hopperena.  Especially when Archie starts dancing.

I'll stop with the silly songs for now.  Though I could go on with The Water Buffalo Song, Barbara Manatee, The Song of the Cebu, among others.
Do you enjoy VeggieTales?  What's your favorite silly song?

Flash Fiction & a Giveaway

When my critique partner suggested the idea of a flash fiction war, I loved the idea.  But I had one drawback—I'm terrible at flash fiction.

Every time I've tried, it turned into something much longer—either a whole book or an unfinished story buried in my docs.  Granted, flash fiction basically is an unfinished story, but I've never been satisfied with the way mine have ended.

Until now.  So, since I haven't shared any of my writing, other than a few snippets, since Katie's Christmas over a year and a half ago, I figured I'd give it a go.

I don't really have a title for it... maybe Dressed in Blue or something like that but not as cheesy... any suggestions?

On another note real quick, Inside Out Designs is hosting a giveaway!  A front book cover, plus book formatting.  Check it out!

So anyway, on to my adventure with flash fiction!  This was inspired by a pin on Pinterest:

I'm warning you now, this is almost completely unedited.  Continue reading at your own risk.

Even the clouds seemed to rejoice.  Scattered across the expanse of blue sky, they morphed into various shapes—namely, birthday cakes and candles.

At least, that’s what it seemed like to me.  But then again, I probably would’ve seen birthday candles on a child’s face that day, as focused as I was.  Birthday candles and my wife’s face.

It had been so long since I’d seen her.  Too long. I ached to hold her in my arms, to tell her over and over again how much I loved her.  A smile broke across my face. My wife. My wife of six wonderful years, and yet it seemed like just yesterday we’d said “I do”.

I toyed with the ring on my left hand absentmindedly, her image filling and consuming my mind.  She was so beautiful… so perfect.  I chuckled to think of the way my little brother would react if he knew what I was thinking.  He’d pretend to gag, then bat his eyelashes and say something about how perfectly wonderful and perfect everything about everything was.  Mock me.

Which was exactly why he didn’t know my thoughts.  Right now, he was concentrated on the road ahead, which was just fine by me.  The fact that he’d had to retake his driving test twice didn’t do anything for my comfort during the ride.

He pulled over.  “Okay, Alan, here’s where you get down.”

I unbuckled and tried to crouch down in the foot well of my seat—no easy task for a man of five feet, eleven inches.  Finally I gave up and climbed over the F-250’s console and laid out on the floorboard. “Just drive careful, Elliott, okay?”

Elliott rolled his eyes.  “Yeah, whatever.” He eased off the shoulder of the road and back onto the pavement.  That was one thing hard to get used to about this area of Washington. Even out in the middle of nowhere, pavement still reigned.  I still had yet to see a dirt, or even a gravel, road. Driveways didn’t count.

Finally, the truck rolled to a stop, and Elliott peeked over the back of his seat.  “Hang tight, I’ll be right back. She’s on the south side of the truck, a little to the west.  Give me two minutes to keep her occupied and moved to the edge of the water.”

My nerves were as frazzled as a fraying towrope, but I managed to contain my blood pressure until my wristwatch read exactly two minutes since Elliott left.  Finally, time to take action. I opened the north side door—thankfully at my feet, so I didn’t have to worry about climbing out on my arms—and crawled out, shutting the door quietly.

Crouching, I crept to the front of the truck and peeked out from behind the grill.  Then I saw her. Her back to me, she stood on the beach and watched Elliott trying some sort of nutty stunt involving a pool noodle and a kayak paddle.  The breeze caught her hair and played with it, and her shoulders shook with laughter. I simply watched her, mesmerized, until finally I shook myself and crept forward.  My boots made silent imprints in the sand behind me. Faster, faster.

Finally, I was crouched directly behind her.  I let out a “Hooyah!” and darted forward, grabbing her in my arms and rushing toward the water, ignoring the screaming in my ear.

She went sailing, arms and legs windmilling, hair flying, until finally she and the water made contact with a splash.

Sputtering, her head resurfaced.  “Alan Marshall Henderson!”
“Happy birthday, Mrs. Henderson!”  I laughed in reply.

Her face broke into a grin, and she slogged through the water to the shore.  “Why, thank you, Mr. Henderson.” Without warning, she threw her arms around me and kissed me like there was no tomorrow.  “This is the best birthday gift you could’ve ever given me,” she whispered in my ear. “Oh, Alan, my Alan… welcome home.”

She leaned against my chest and soaked the front of my shirt, but I didn’t care.  I don’t know how long we stood there, until finally her soft voice floated up to my ears.  “I prayed you’d come.”

I rubbed her back again.

“I told God that if He would just bring you home for my birthday, if I could take you from the Navy for even just a day, I wouldn’t ask for anything else.”  She sniffed, pulled back and smiled at me through her tears. “And here you are.”

“It’s good to be home again.”

She leaned into my embrace again.  “Y’know, I didn’t exactly expect a dunk in the ocean to be a part of my birthday gift.”

Chuckling, I shrugged.  “Thought you might like to take a trip down memory lane.”

She began to shake with silent laughter.  “How could I forget? I’m pretty sure you’re the only husband that dunks his wife in the lake on their honeymoon.”  She paused, then added, “You look good in blue.”