Update and Curses Snippet (May 15) (Patreon)

This book continues to be all banter. I'm at that point in rewriting where it feels like there's no plot and it's just my characters chatting back and forth. This is a totally normal feeling for me--I focus on the scene I'm writing and somewhat forget all of the things that came before so it feels like nothing happens ever. Then I reread it and go, "Oh, wait, no, they're all very busy." It's worse with this book, because it feels like a totally different plot than I'm used to. I have to keep reminding myself that being uncomfortable when I'm writing is a good thing--it means I'm trying new things and growing as a writer and all that nonsense.

 I'm concentrating on Curses this week because Man Friend is in Vegas at a work conference. I want you to take a minute and try to imagine a hotel in Vegas full of body piercers. Whole lobbies full of tattooed weirdos. It makes me weirdly happy to think about. Next year I should go with him just so I can see the spectacle. In the mean time, I'm living vicariously though Instagram shots. If you want to take a peek, you can look up @safepiercing (the Association Of Professional Piercers IG page), Slavetotheneedle_piercing (his shop's IG account) or @adamxaman, but just FYI its mostly picture of people's piercings.

...I got distracted. Anyway, because of that, my writing time is sparse, so what time I have is going toward finishing up Curses. I'll shoot for a new East Bound post next week and maybe a text exchange featuring Sam. In the mean time, here is some banter from Curses. (Just FYI, DuMont is Tevin's last name, and him saying it as an excuse for his behavior is a joke from the chapter before. Also, Merit is a somewhat terrifying looking beast.)

Enjoy! 

Lish

****

Tevin took her arm and threaded it through his. “The whole exercise is pointless if you act like I’m infectious.”

“You are infectious,” Merit said, though she left her arm where he put it. “You had a terrible idea and then you passed it along to everyone else.”

“You’re in charge, you know. You could have told them no if you really wanted.”

Merit sighed, adjusting her straw hat. “Then you would have still done it, only you would have been sneaky about it. This way I can at least help.” She frowned. “How are we supposed to do this, anyway? I’ve never properly courted anyone.”

“Not even your unsuitable boy?” Tevin asked, feeling a useless stab of jealousy. 

“As he was unsuitable, there was nothing proper about out courting.”

“Ah, then you’re back on common ground. There’s nothing suitable or proper about our courting, either.”

Merit pinched him. “We can’t just walk in circles. We have to do something and we need to look…friendly. But appropriate. Appropriately friendly.”

Tevin thought on this for a second, then leaned over and sniffed her neck. 

Merit stiffened. “What are you doing?”

“Being appropriately friendly. I can’t kiss you, and you’ve walked like this with other suitors, but now I’m the only one who has sniffed you. But, you know, in a gentlemanly fashion.”

“Absolutely mad.”

“DuMont,” Tevin said, as if that answered everything. “Shall we go take a peek at the barn kittens? Shem said they just opened their eyes. You can talk about how cute they are and Shem can glare at me. Fun times will be had by all.”

“He really hasn’t warmed to you,” Merit said. “Probably because you’re the kind of person who goes about sniffing people.”

“We all must have our bad habits.” He leaned in and did it again. “What is that? Perfume?”

“It’s a blend of oils Genevieve came up with to keep bugs from infesting my fur.”

“It’s those kind of choice details that really snare a man.”

Merit tipped up her snout. “If you can’t handle me at my bug infestation, you don’t deserve me.”

“You’re absolutely right. Now, let’s go look at kittens.”