C.L. Wells's Blog

                                                                        Play                                                              By Sarah Ashwood   “Do you play?” he asked. “A little,” she replied. With a sweep of the eyes, he gauged her, examining her from head to toe. “Very well, then,” he said slowly, retreating a step to give her room. “Play for me.” She gulped, suddenly shy. “Play…for you?” His dark head tilted quizzically. “You said you played. I would like to see you do it.” She licked her lips, a thousand objections leaping to mind. I am not very skilled. I’ve never had a lesson. All I know I learned from observing others and listening to my father as he taught his students. You won’t be impressed. “Are you afraid?” She glanced up sharply at the question, caught the twinkle of good humor in his blue eyes. But she saw something else besides humor: a challenge. A challenge to show him what she could do, to prove her ... click here to read the full article.

Isaiah knew that there would be no birthday party for Locklyn. No cake, no presents. Nothing waited for her in that run-down old mansion of hers but silence. If she was lucky, that was. He had asked his mother to make chocolate chip cookies over the weekend, and while she was tired from her overtime shifts at work, she managed to bake a batch that came out just as Lock liked them – not too soft, not too crispy. He made sure to pack extra in his lunch that day. His father had noticed, as he prepared his thermos of coffee to bring to work on the counter beside Isaiah that morning. “Must be growing, to be so hungry.” His father patted him on the back as if he was a little kid rather than ten, in fourth grade and almost big enough. Almost. The bus ride to school and ... click here to read the full article.

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The chains squeak overhead as the child swings. Up and down. Up and down. Driven by the gentle push over Mother’s hands against her back. Up and down. The child reaches her hands towards the sky. White clouds beckon. She longs to reach those clouds, to break the chains, and soar, to fly away. A stronger push, more speed, and she will escape. No more tame park. No more cut grass. No bedtime or rules. In the sky birds are free to travel the world, to touch the heavens. The child will join them. She just needs to go higher. “High like tree!” the child cries, and Mother pushes harder. The air swishes by. The sky grows nearer. So close now. Then, with a jerk, the descent begins. The clouds slip from her grasp, and she falls. Escape. She needs to fly. The great blue beckons like a sea. Dive ... click here to read the full article.

War threatens. The game board is set. But the Minstrel is missing… Advancing his growing power, the Dread Prince breaks free of his prison and brings a faction of dragons under his control, stirring unrest and hatred in the newly united kingdoms of Tellurae Aquaous. When the dragon wards of Kallayohm are targeted in a ruthless attack, the High King travels there to administer justice. But the trial results in a crippling blow that leaves him reeling. On the heels of defeat, an unexpected message from the erstwhile Minstrel arrives, pleading with his friends for rescue. Together, the High King and his companions must follow the fragile trail, braving peril and darkness that will test the measure of them all… Book Links: Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Minstrels-Call... Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...? from_search=true   Rafflecopter Giveaway:  I am giving away 1 Dragon Sword, 1 252-piece puzzle of the artwork forMinstrel’sCall, and 1 signed paperback copy of ... click here to read the full article.

Gazing into the rearview mirror, she tried to see the driver. The scraggly hair and beard was all she could make out of his features in the light of dawn. She briefly wondered if he wore a disguise. No other figures appeared to be in the cab of the truck. Creeped out and worried about being on the lonely highway with only the truck, she decided to pull off at a gas station. She didn’t need fuel yet but topped her tank off anyway. When she went inside, she purchased a coffee and a muffin. Before leaving, she’d scanned the area and saw no sign of the truck. Relieved, she climbed back into her Jeep and took a right turn down the long access road back to the highway. The same truck came into view a short distance later. It sat on the side of the road and Lisa remembered ... click here to read the full article.

My sandals tapped out a steady rhythm on the cobbled-stone street of Ghibellina as I made my way back to my apartment. Today would be my last in Florence, Italy. A mournful sigh escaped me at the thought and my heart squeezed. I placed my hand on my chest, but kept moving. I’m going to miss this. The aroma of coffee from the tiny shop on the corner filled the quiet street. The neon sign lit up before me signaling they were now open for business. A clunking noise disturbed the silence and I smiled to myself. A minute later, Mr. Cima came around the corner pulling his wooden vendor cart. Daily, he made the six-block trek to the San Lorenzo market to sell his goods. Short and spry, his trim gray hair could be seen below the brown flat-cap he always wore. “Buongiorno, bella.” He greeted as we approached ... click here to read the full article.

A Woman Loved by God ~ The unintended sequel to my first novel, Memoirs of a Girl Who Loves God, is in the beta reading stage. Once the betas are done, it will go to editing again. So please forgive any errors below. I plan to publish it this year, likely during Fall. The cover is still being worked on so I can’t reveal it yet. This is all I’m willing to show at the moment. Sorry! In the sequel, Krystal is all grown up! She’s twenty-three! You’ll get to see what kind of person she became and how she handles the unique set of problems that come with working in a homeless shelter. Here is the first chapter: Chapter One Krystal swung her car into the only empty spot in front of the convenience store.  Like every morning, T & G’s was slammed. Customers, bundled-up like Eskimos, pressed their ... click here to read the full article.

From RJ Conte, weaver of deep, emotional fiction, comes a touching collection of short stories about love and unique relationships – including the bestselling Lucent Sylph! RJ Conte, formerly Rachael Lynn Thomas, has kissed only one boy in her entire life. And she married him, inspiring her to write about sweet or powerful love stories ever since. She writes a blog on parenting, publishing, painting, and perorating at http://blonderj.wordpress.com/ RJ Conte writes realistic, issue-driven fiction that explores human nature and the depths of the soul, while pointing readers to their Creator. Each of the five short stories touches on love in different, unique relationships: caregiver and child, parent and child, man and woman, teen and pet, and warrior and unsuspecting victims. The collection of short stories will be released on Amazon on Valentines’ Day, February 14th!  https://www.amazon.com/Bottle-Glass-H... Brief blurbs on each story: GEM: When Soleil is hired as caretaker to a young boy ... click here to read the full article.

COMING SOON! The Reflections of Faith team is back and excited to offer you the third volume in the ‘Light Leads’ series. The theme of this anthology is ‘Love!’ Watch for it. It’ll available at the end of Jan 2018! Free for a limited time! Happy New Year! “By this, everyone will know that you are my disciples.” Love lies at the heart of the Christian’s journey, but in moments of crisis, love often seems the toughest of the virtues. In this anthology, nine of the brightest voices in independent Christian fiction offer stories about individuals at the crossroads, and the opportunities they have to respond with Christian love in all its forms. Love can be patient and kind, or it can take the form of embracing one’s enemy. It can come in the shape of a second chance, or it might look like walking away and never turning back. ... click here to read the full article.