Mel Favreaux: A Review for Madness By Jas T. Ward

Mel Favreaux: A Review for Madness By Jas T. Ward: Review of Jas T. Ward’s Madness By Mel Favreaux An  electrifying  read that makes walking the fine grey line between good and e...

The Bitches of Eastwick: Interview with author Jas T. Ward

The Bitches of Eastwick: Interview with author Jas T. Ward:        Hello friends Sgt Tibbs and I would like to introduce you to a new friend of ours author Jas T. Ward. Thanks for stopping by Jas. W...

Bread (A Short)

"Look. It's not that hard. All you have to do is distract and I'll grab okay?"

She nodded as she peeked around the corner at the bread truck. Her mouth watered with just the thought of fresh bread rather than stale slices in which she had to pick off spots of mold after it had sat in a dumpster for days. She was weak from hunger but fired by craving for that warmed baked goodness.

Her friend was the fastest runner she knew for Timothy had lived on the streets longer than she had. She also had a bit of a crush on the seventeen-year old boy, two years older than her, but she would never tell him or anyone else that. No, that would be a weakness and she had learned that weakness was one thing you could never show.

"Ready?"

She nodded as he all but shoved her around the corner. She stood there on the sidewalk wearing her dirty long sweatshirt over torn jeans with duct tape wrapped sneakers on her feet in which she kept stuffed with tissue because they were two sizes too small. People scorned at her, quick to circle around her as if touching her would somehow make them homeless too.

She mumbled as she fidgeted with the hem of her shirt in her fingers. "Distract...how do I?"

The delivery man was turning to grab the last tray which meant the doors would be locked and their chance would be over. She had to think fast or Timothy would be so mad. She couldn't make Timothy mad. Being on the streets was dangerous so having a partner in crime to help as well as safety in numbers, she couldn't let that happen.

Think Elsie think...

She heard Timothy's warning behind as she ran forward and grabbed the delivery man totally winging it. "Dad!" She threw her arms around the delivery man's neck to pull him away from the truck. "I miss you. Mom said you were supposed to come home years ago. I came to find you! She'll be so happy!"

Her eyes tracked Timothy as he ran over to grab the crate of fresh bread before turning to run.

The delivery man yanked her off of him and shoved her away. "You're crazy. Get off of me. And get a damn bath." It was at that moment the man saw Timothy and yelled. "Hey! You! Stop!"

The shove sent her back against the truck as the delivery man went after Timothy. "No!" She grabbed at the delivery man but instead just hit the pavement, scraping her palms when she landed. The delivery man chased after Timothy as they ran across the traffic.

It all happened so fast that it seemed like time had slowed down. Timothy clutching that crate of bread as he almost got across the busy street...until a dark car slammed into him and sent him skyward. Elsie watched the bread fly up to send slices of bread everywhere as Timothy's body came slamming down on the pavement behind the car. "No!!"

She started to run to check on Timothy but was grabbed from behind and then thrown to the ground, her chin striking the pavement. Police had shown up and one had her pinned to put zip-ties on her wrists as another squatted down to check on Timothy. She was yanked up as the delivery man was pointing and telling the officers in a rage what had happened.

But Elsie couldn't take her eyes off of the still form of Timothy laying there on the dark pavement with white squares of fresh bread scattered around him. She frowned when she realized the ones closer to him were turning dark red...

"Get her to the car. Call the meat wagon for the other one."

And Elsie cried as her one weakness laid dead surrounded by bread she would once again not be allowed to eat.

Never show your weaknesses. Because they always hurt when they are gone.

A Week of Good. A Week of Bad

What a week. It's been full of both ups and downs. Reveals and peoples true nature bubbling up when you least expect it. But all and all? It's good to just shed some of the BS regardless of the backlash from doing so. Those that truly care and have always been there...are well..still there and for that I am grateful.

On the writing front:

Madness is almost done. And even I am amazed how it evolved and became so much deeper than I would have ever thought it could. It has aspects to it that even I hadn't thought about in regards to Heaven and Hell and a war that just created itself within the still being written pages.

I admit, I'm rather sad to see it be done as it was such a tribute to the fans that have come to love Reno. Yes there are five books total in the series. But this was Reno and Emma's. And that crazy guy has such a big piece of my heart and so much of my soul.  And their love story is truly a twisted fairy tale. So... I'm glad his book will do both them justice and the fans proud.

On the DBP Front:
I'm finding both inspiration and frustration there. But maybe how things happen is for the best. That truly talented spark is looking for a home. I just have to be patient until it finds it way to DBP.

Take care- JTW

Where are John's Pants or Life Story? Guess What I Chose.

So, my personal writing challenge didn't quite go the way I planned. Some family health issues derailed it early on. But it hobbled it's way along the tracks and recovered.

Romance writing. I cringed at being called a romance novelist. I can't even explain why but prior to writing Kat and Matt's real life based tragedy, heartache and yes, romance, I do have a new respect for the GOOD romance writing (Admit it, some of it is just cheesy, fluff, so far from reality...well, I could go on and on here) that uses real people, real life situations of the every day. No bad guys. No superheroes, no men that are chiseled, broad yet so sad on the inside being chased or chasing females that flutter when they see their chest, or swoon when they speak or just have no real backbone. THOSE romance writings are the ones I would be falling on a sword rather than to be said I write.

You all know what I'm talking about...they have covers like the one below (By the way-- if ANY publisher puts a cover like this or closely related to this, or has a naked anything on it, I will stab said publisher with my pen. Consider that a warning. And yes, I know, I still use a pen to write, deal with it. I'm old school. I did NOT say I WAS old....). You know what I'm talking about. The book you can't even be seen reading at work or in public because then people know you're a sucker for cheesy romances....like..this one. Yeah...why do all the men have no clothes? And whose breasts look like that?

Get some damn pants John. Sheesh. Shirt would be nice. It is the wilderness I believe. There's bugs there. And other creepy things. And by the way? Your hard, throbbing member is doing NO good in the middle of her shoulders-- might just be me, but that's not really considered an entry point. Shrugs. But I don't really know romance criteria. Or anatomy apparently. But I do wear pants. Score one for the writer.

Anyway...(Eyes back here reader-- stop wondering about John's pants)....

So I couldn't. I did romance the Jas T. Ward way. Figures right?

I've written a book that is seen every day with people you see every day. With problems, and bills, heartache and pain along with so much bitterness and resentment that the reader really wonders if they don't have the right idea in staying as far away from each other as possible.

That would be great if these two didn't love each other in the midst of hating each other that they just can't walk away. Not again.

She doesn't flutter nor give and chances are she's like the kind of woman most romance readers wouldn't want as a friend. Matt is just not a nice person and you wonder if ANY woman would want to have to put up with him, much less someone like Kat. But they have such heart. If they can get past all pain.

This story was inspired actually by real life couples that have had to face some of the hardest of spots in a marriage. Physical and health problems that destroy most all couples leaving very few standing together in the end. With Kat and Matt? They were so far apart before this incident happened that only it could bring them together to work out what was left of their love, if there was anything left of their love....or just realized it too had died with all the rest.

I do love Katy and Matt. Their voices were like a soft beckoning in the crowd of paranormal, supernatural demands in my head. They are so achingly real that even I have shed some tears writing as they told me their story.

It's been life changing to write it. It made me look at some very real aspects of my own life and decide--- you need to face the pain. You need to face the harshness. And you need to show you are not ashamed. You are not less a person but you are not who you want to be.

But I can be.

So I owe Matt and Kat so much. And I couldn't just toss the book away after not completing it in my two weeks self-imposed challenge to finish a romance cover to cover in that time (Which dear reader, is not my nature. I am a challenge driven person. Twiz is relentless in that regard) . Because to be honest? It's not a romance novel truly. Its a life book.

So in appreciation of what Kat and Matt have done for me in allowing me to write their story, their story will be published as it is. Painful and raw and full of so much love and loss that maybe it can change each of it's readers too.

There is hero in all of us. There is an amazing ability to heal and move on.

So, maybe they are heroes in their own way.

Just like each one of us should strive to be.

Just well, with more clothes and more common sense. (Wink)

Take care.

-JTW

*******************************************************************************
Matt and Kat's book - Love's Bitter Harvest is slated for publication on Valentine's Day 2014 from Dead Bound Publishing.

Writing Challenge - Meet Kat (Day Three)

Katherine Speaks

So, I am well into the novel challenged by some to write (Yeah Wendy- I'm talking about you woman) and its well on its way. The characters have found their voice in my head and that is at times the hardest part. Now to just keep them speaking to me and telling me the tale they have to tell. With that? I introduce you to Katherine McCall. Goes by Kat, though family calls her Katy (Which she doesn't like). 

Kat is 31-years old. Four years ago she left her small town upbringing clutching her degree in Art and a few belongings to move to New York. What did she leave behind? A husband who thought the sun rose with her and the moon came up only to shine on her skin so he could watch her sleep. But Kat had dreams and ambitions and when told to choose?

She chose to go. 

Fast-forward four years later and a tragedy back home forces her to face what she left behind. The pain and heartache, the rejection of love and home. But now she was the top in her field with a six-figure income and the respect of everyone she worked with. The finest of everything with the small town plain-brown paper country girl she used to be? No more. 

She left herself behind to make herself anew. 

She left behind her best friend, the only man she had ever loved or made love to... Matt. 

Because something very horrible has happened.

And now. She's going home. 

Just One More Page.... (Day Two)

So, day two of my personal writing challenge.

I dove into this romance novel I almost felt challenged and dared to do. It's going well. I got 4 chapters done today (remember dear friends and fans- I had told myself 10 a day---- can you say very long sleepless weekend to catch up? Ignore what my GF says, I will get back on target).

I was about to go to bed and the main character Matt decided to make himself known. Katherine, the female lead was pretty easy. But Matt was a bit elusive. Until the moment I told KB that we were heading to bed. And then BAM, Matthew McCall decided to make himself known. He's a total jerk, a brutish asshole that seems very, very familiar. Hmm... no idea why? (Yeah, I smirked when I typed that) But anyway, he started babbling and bitching in my head so I started writing the next chapter where he shows his real nature. I'm not sure if the ladies will truly appreciate the complexity of Matt until later in the book. I really don't know if Kat can even like him at this point. He sure as hell doesn't like himself, at all. 

But...I like him. But us assholes have to stick together.

So..back on track, but still running behind. But at least I'm on the track and not sitting on the side saying I need to get my ass on that track.

We'll see...maybe I'll even reveal some character back-stories of Matt and Kat later in the week. 

Yeah...add that to my to-do-list. 

Until tomorrow....back to Matt and Kat.