Click to see other participants’ progress reports

Here are the “FAR” goals I established for this round of ROW80:

F-INISHING works in progress by adding >500 weekly new words, net.

A-DDING >1000 weekly new words to works with 10k words or less to them, and

R-EVISING two works for submission (converting one from adult to new adult and editing one based on feedback.) by tackling at least ONE chapter per week.

Here’s what I did so far this week:

FINISHING:  Nothing.  (weekly goal not met)

ADDING:  Nothing. (weekly goal not met)

REVISING: Nothing. (weekly goal not met)

Well that was inspiring. Not. What did I do? I worked some long day job hours then crashed in front of the television set watching the Olympics. I’ll probably continue on this trajectory until they’re over. Hopefully I’ll come back re-charged with Olympic-level ferver!

In the meantime, so you don’t totally feel like you wasted a trip to my blog, here’s a weekly meme excerpting some of my work:

From my WIP, Three Dates, about a single mother (Lucy) employed by a matchmaking agency and tasked to handle the more difficult clients (Griffin, in this case). Lucy is the narrator.

“Let me walk you to the door,” I said jumping in to fill the chasm of awkwardness.

He stood too, and with one hand pressed lightly against the small of my back, he motioned with the other for me to lead the way. Out the kitchen and into the living room, we walked. My back missed the warmth of his hand. A ghost-like finger, icy but imagined, traversed the length of my spine. I couldn’t help but feel like I was throwing him out, which I wasn’t. The decision to leave had been his. He retrieved and pulled on his coat from where he’d hung it, taking his time to button every button, adjust the cuffs, the bottom hem. Finally arranged to his satisfaction, he unlocked and opened the door. At the threshold he paused, opened his mouth to say something, but shut it again. Instead he leaned down and kissed my cheek, a quick peck, nothing sexual or romantic. But he did it so sudden-like, he caught me by surprise. “Goodnight, Lucy.”

I gave him a smile I hoped was sisterly and not as discombobulated as I felt. “Goodnight. Drive safely. Thanks again.”

He nodded once, lips pressed into a grim and determined line, turn and walked toward the parking lot. I shut the door behind him. In the safe solitude of my apartment I pressed a hand to my cheek to check if it felt as hot to my hand as it did my body. How odd the whole evening had been.

Odd that he had insisted on coming over to return my coat—he didn’t have to do that—and in the late hours of the evening no less.

Odd that he stayed for coffee.

Odd that, for the first time, he expressed a date preference.

Odd, very, very odd, that he kissed my cheek. Why did he do that? I was being paid to do what I was doing for him, unlike his trip over to deliver my forgotten coat.

“Oh Griffin. What am I going to do with you?” I asked aloud. Nobody answered my question, but my heart gave an extra flutter.

If you want to read more mid-week teasers, head over to the host’s blog, Ms. Sandra Bunino to read her and others’ posts in the Linky List there.

Thanks to all my visitors and commenters. 🙂