I have emerged!

It's been so long since I last blogged that I'm almost ashamed to do so now. Nevertheless, I wanted to confirm that I haven't been sucked into the black hole of cyberspace as it was once believed. lol
I must admit however, that I've been having serious balance issues with everything going in my life, and (unfortunately) all of my writing suffered serious cases of neglect.
HOWEVER, I'm back now and have begun editing and writing much more, especially on Whispered Promises. In fact, I just sent a chapter to one of my crit partners today. It was wayyy (as in like months) past time for my update, and there were enough pages to it to make up another three chapters. :-o
I'm not certain how much longer it will be but I'm determined to have at least the first full draft completed and ready for editing by July 15, my birthday.
Also, I have several other stories (some short and some not so short), that are clamoring to be told, plus a fantasy/romance trilogy that's plotted itself out in my brain. Now THAT's going to be a challenge. The good news is that I've written two notebooks full of notes on two of the three stories already.
My mind is all over the board when it comes to my novels. For instance, I had a story idea that popped into my head (the beginning is posted below, by the way), that is definitely a contemporary romance and will contain a degree of sensuality yet it's a sweet story that, I believe, will leave the reader with a 'happy happy, joy joy' feeling after reading the last page.
On the other hand, the fantasy/romance trilogy I mentioned? Oh boy! The scenes are at times funny, at other times smokin hot, and at others will make the reader want to cheer out loud, at least it did me as I wrote out some of the parts. Yet that series, tentatively entitled, "What You Wish For', is on the backburner until I get some of the others completed and out of the way.
Saying that, I'm getting a burst of inspiration right now. So, without further ado, please allow me to introduce Dylan and Nakeya's story to you, tentatively entitled, 'Again.'


Again
by Naomi James
copyright 2009


Little Smiles and Dimples Daycare
August 1988


Mrs. Dunstan was in the back, changing one of the babies.
Good!
Dylan Holt tiptoed into the kitchen and eased open the snack drawer. He was pretty sure where his favorite treat would be hidden, and he was right. Under variety packs of cheese and crackers, graham crackers, and boxes of raisins, lay the best snack of all.
He grinned as his fingers curled around it. Silently, he closed the drawer and hurried out of the kitchen.
Licking his lips in anticipation, he opened the sliding glass door that led to the enclosed back yard and raced over to where his best friend, Nakeya Mitchell sat busily making mud pies for their ‘dinner.’
Dylan slid a twisted strand of chocolate flavored licorice from within the cellophane wrapper and took a seat beside her. He frowned, eyeing her brown skin thoughtfully as she worked. He then studied his own skin, so pale in comparison to hers yet just as good as anyone else’s or so his parents had taught him.
“Better,” his Great Aunt Karen had insisted at the time.
Dylan glanced down at the ‘pie’ which was nearly finished as far as he could tell. He knew he was the only one who actually ate a bite of the pies Nekeya always made, while she just pretended to try her piece. But he didn’t mind. He figured as long as she took the good time and trouble to make them for him, the least he could do was eat a little of it.
Wasn’t that what his Daddy always taught him about the shepherd’s pies his mother often made?
Dylan hated shepherd’s pie, but he always ate a ‘thank you’ bite to show he appreciated her efforts.
Daddy took more than a ‘thank you’ bite. He ate three full helpings, even though he’d once whispered to Great Uncle Wally how godawful it tasted.
Well, if daddy could do it for Mama, he could do it for Keya.
It just seemed right.
After all, he was gonna marry her someday, once he got bigger and got himself a good work ethic, whatever that was.
“Keya?”
“What?” she asked, glancing up from her chore.
“Gimme your hand.”
She complied without question, thrusting her arm out to the side with her hand flattened, chubby fingers held stiffly straight. With her free hand, she continued to put the finishing touches on the ‘pie’, smoothing the edges with the tip of an index finger.
Dylan slid the chocolate licorice in his mouth.
After a moment he pulled it out, savored the flavor then, poking out his tongue, he swiped it across the back of Nakeya’s hand.
“Ewww!” she wailed, snatching her hand back. “I’m tellin!”
Yet as she stared at her wet hand, she made no move to do. Instead, she plucked up Dylan’s free hand, stuck out her tongue and with a grimace, swiped it across the back of his hand.
He made a face but said nothing.
Nakeya, having expected a different response, frowned at him. “Why’d you do that?” She asked, wiping her hand on the side of her lavender shorts.
“You don’t taste like chocolate lick rich,” he said, clearly confused.
“Of course not, silly. I taste like people.”
Dylan thought about that for a moment. “Then why are you brown?”
“Cause God made me that way, and he loves me.” she said, echoing the very words her mother had spoken to her just two nights earlier, and effectively ending the discussion.
Nakeya scooped up Dylan’s piece of pie and handed it to him.


**I hope you enjoyed the beginning of 'Again.' I know it's a small excerpt and for that I apologize but 'Again' is going to be a fairly short story.
As in the past, let me know what you think. Good, bad, or indifferent I look forward to your comments. Be blessed!

~~Naomi

Day to Day life

Hello everyone!

I wanted to let you know that I'm working as diligently as I can on Whispered Promises in order to meet my self imposed deadline, without rushing it. I will keep you updated as to its progress, as well as submission info and whether or not it gets picked up.
Rest assured, the next time I post (which will be soon), I will be posting excerpts of another novel I have in the works tentatively entitled, A Pirate in Her Past. It's a time-travel romantic adventure about a woman of today who, through a series of mishaps, finds adventure, romance, and herself in 17th century Caribbean being auctioned off to the highest bidding Pirate.
I sincerely hope you all will enjoy the excerpts. For now, I need to hit the sheets. The morning, (and work) comes early. Until we meet again, my friends.

Naomi~~

I'm not slacking, I promise! :-)

Just a quick note to say hi to all and to let you know that I'm not slacking on Whispered Promises. Overall, I'll post the first three chapters of it. I've been working a little everyday (and quite a bit last week) to give chapter 2 a bit more depth. As I read and reread chapter 2, I felt as though certain aspects of it were rushed so I've added a little more here and there and hope you'll enjoy the results. I will have the first 2 chapters (with the additions) posted by the weekend and most likely chapter 3 by Sunday night.
Thank you for being patient as I attempt to make Whispered Promises the best it can be!

~~Naomi

PS: Though I'll only be posting the first 3 chapters, I will update you on its progress as I finish and submit it. Also, I'll post excerpts of other works I'm working on as well. Thanks again for your patience and support.

Thanks to everyone!!!

I just wanted to take a moment to thank all of you who have inquired and/or sent well wishes concerning my father. He is out of the hospital and physically seems to be doing better. Please keep he and my mother in your prayers and thoughts.
I have been tightening up chapter 1 and 2 of Whispered Promises. I have two days off work this week so I will be doing some serious writing those days. I hope you all have a wonderful 'rest of the weekend' and a blessed week!!

~~Naomi

It's official!!! Untamed: Dacien & Tia is now available!!

Untamed is now available for purchase through Whispers publishing at www.whispershome.com under new releases! Wahooo!!! I am sooo excited. I'd love to hear what you thought of it good, bad, or indifferent. Drop me a line once you read it and let me know what you thought. Thanks and thanks to all for the support!!

~Naomi

My novella, Untamed: Dacien & Tia to be released soon!!

Untamed: Dacien & Tia is being released through Whispers Publishing this coming Friday, September 26th!!! I am sooooo excited! A big thank you to those of you who have continually checked in while awaiting it's release date.

Check it out below and let me know what you think. Thanks and I'll write more very soon.

~~Naomi

Tia Matthews celebrates her new job by going to a late night ‘Salsa’ party with co-workers. Though something about the evening doesn’t feel quite right, she stays and decides to enjoy herself.

She should have trusted her instincts.

One year later, Tia has settled into her new life with all memories of that night erased. Then she crosses paths with an attractive, emerald eyed stranger who, for reasons she can’t explain, is familiar to her.

Dacien Hunt has emerged from the shadows after keeping silent watch over the strong-willed beauty, shielding her from memories of that long ago night, and from those of his breed who seek to silence her…forever. When Tia is attacked, Dacien steps in and as their passion grows, so does his desire to find a solution to the impossible demands of the renegade leader of his kind. But it may already be too late.

The breed is closing in…

Updates and Wonderful News!

Hello everyone and thank you for being so patient and supportive!

I've been working my way through an emotionally draining issue for awhile now and believe me when I tell you that, it really sapped my creative flow. I just couldn't get it together. But I'm back now and have been writing steadily and brain storming. I have so many scenes for so many stories swirling around in my head that remembering them all long enough to put them on paper is proving difficult to say the least.
Now for my news.
A tentative release date for Untamed: Dacien and Tia has been set for September 26th!!! YEAH!!!!! As you can imagine, I am very excited. Say a prayer and keep your fingers crossed that all goes well.
Oh, and by my next post, which will be soon, I'll put up a portion of a new story that I think you'll enjoy.

~Naomi