I usually aim for two posts a week. I wrote a book review earlier (I think it was Monday?) and was hoping to finish a “What’s the Difference” post or a post about constructive criticism in reviews, but I’m too tired to put much thought into anything right now.
So I’m doing something a bit different today.
Story Snippets! I want to know what you’re writing–tell me all about your writing project by dropping a snippet or a line/sentence or two from your current WIP(s). Or, if you’re not a writer, tell me what you’re reading. If you want to do both, please feel free to.
Below are a few snippets from my three WIPs plus a quote from my most recent read. The snippets have not been thoroughly polished, so there may be a few errors.
IRON
“There’re two of us and one of him. What can go wrong?”
“Everything?”
One action-packed scene later:
Heavy breaths announced Denton’s presence. He looked as terrible as Carter felt, with multiple tears in his shirt and blood staining at least half the material. A long cut graced the right side of his jaw with another just above his left eye.
Carter glared. “This is why you never ask what can go wrong.”
“How was I to know someone wanted to use you for target practice?”
The Baker and the Bodyguard
Some explanation is required for this one. I want BatB to be a Redwyn Chronicles prequel novella. I haven’t written much on it, but it’s already promising to be hilarious.
____
Something burned in the kitchen, and it wasn’t her sister’s cooking.
____
Detectives did many things: snooped around, asked questions, wrote answers in notebooks, and used logic criminals hoped they’d forgotten.
What detectives did not do was play bodyguard. That was reserved for common law officers and soldiers and actual guards.
Kaden was not bodyguard material, nor was he interested in changing professions.
Officer Endstrom didn’t care. With his overabundance of mustache quivering and his round eyes narrowed to slits, he firmly reiterated that Kaden had just been demoted from detective to bodyguard.
Granted, he was still to investigate, but his primary job would be protecting a wilting flower who thought a slight cut merited fainting.
Shattered Reflection
Lord willing, this book will release later this year. The brave souls who beta’d this hodgepodge mess of a story will understand the significance of the first snippet. (And *cough* for you betas, I made things a smidge better for Marcus.)
____
“I forgive you.”
____
“You weren’t the only one who fought.”
“I didn’t see you on the battlefield.”
“I was on the council.”
“Which is just another way of saying you were too cowardly to pick up a sword and fight.”
____
“Our reflections are two-edged blades. We can look at ourselves and see, with humility, what God has created, or we can look and see ourselves as worthless because we do not live up to others’ standards.”
“What do you see when you look at your reflection?”
The simple question knocked the breath from him. He hadn’t thought about it through his time as a Night Guard. Afterward, he found himself unable to decide. Was he viewing his Maker’s craftsmanship or a man whose hands were stained by the blood of innocents and those he was unable to save?
____
Heaven help him. Three matchmakers were running amok through the palace.
I just finished ARC reading Forgotten Memories by Penny Zeller. I couldn’t contain my enthusiasm and posted my review early on Goodreads. Forgotten Memories is on a special preorder sale: the ebook is $0.99 only for preorder.

I CANNOT WAIT FOR IRON AND SHATTERED REFLECTION!!!!! Those snippets from all your WIPs are gold. And I feel like I’m going to love Carter and Denton. (They remind me of Rogan and Holder a bit. XD)
Also, I love that quote from Forgotten Memories! It’s on my TBR. The graphic is so beautiful as well. 🙂
Here’s a snippet from Where Faith Remains:
—
He was the one who had been yearning for her. He was the one who had been searching for her, the one who had not given up until he found her. He was the one whose heart was one with hers. He was the one who would shelter her, comfort her, keep her safe. He was the one who loved her.
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Thank you! I’m rather fond of the stories. XD Carter is much less intense than Rogan, but Denton is a bit like Holder–finding trouble at the most inopportune times.
“Forgotten Memories” is probably my favorite thus far of Zeller’s books.
Ack! That’s so beautiful, Joy! So heartfelt and gentle and just so sweet!
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One of my book groups is reading The Boston Girl by Anita Diamant. Just finished James Patterson’s autobiography.
Sent from my iPhone
>
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I’ve not heard of the first author, but the name James Patterson rings a very distant bell.
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AAAAA!!! The BatB sounds SO hilarious (and the inspiration board is just awesome)!! ❤ Oh dear, Carter and Denton sound like they're in a pickle. 👀🤭 I so enjoyed this post, Madi – it was a blast to read. 😉 😀
Here's a snippet from my story…
“But you didn’t answer my question.” He raised his eyebrows in an anxious way. So out of character for him.
I haven't written much this week, but I got a few words in today. 😉 Always thankful for even a little progress!
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Oh, and I just realized you just finished ARC reading Forgotten Memories!! EEEE!! I’m so excited to read it!!!
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It’s *so* good! I just stared at the wall for a few minutes going, “It’s over? How can it be over?”
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Thank you! I hope it’ll continue being hilarious. Jo and Kaden are quite the couple.
Aw! What’s going on? I must know!
Same, girl. Always grateful for even a little bit of progress.
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I’m sure it will!! 😀
Ahh!! 😀 Welllll, let’s just say Ean’s asking a question that’s very hard for him to ask, and Gillory (the heroine) is kinda evading it, unintentionally. Poor guy.
So true!
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Ooh. Evasion. Good way to add drama and suspense!
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Wow! Sounds like you have been super busy. Can’t wait to read “Iron”.
By the way, thank you for the shoutout about “Forgotten Memories”. 🙂
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Of course! Thank you for writing such an excellent story.
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I really liked the humor in your snippets! 😀 Thanks for sharing them!
Here’s a snippet from my Christian Dystopian WIP:
Sky flopped onto the pavement, panting. “Well, we made it. Thank you, Aira, I don’t think-” she broke off as I switched my knife open. “Aira?”
“It’s Renee, actually.”
“What?” She stared, as if I was a ghost. Recognition flickered over her face.
“Ah, so now you recognize your own sister.” I shrugged, “Makes sense. You forgot about me pretty quickly, after all.”
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Wait, wait, wait. WHAT? You can’t leave me hanging! I must know more! What happened???
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Haha! I’ve become the awful-cliffhanger-author I’ve always wanted to be! 😀 But I’ll be merciful and explain; the sisters were seperated years before and through a miscommunication Renee came to believe Sky abandoned her.
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Aw! This sounds so good!
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You girls, these snippets are awesome!!! Madi, you need to do this more!
My snippet:
“Sir, you said to make it to the top of the Wall without getting killed. Is there something dangerous about the Wall?”
“Besides its a hundred foot death fall, yes. Where the cement ends and the bricks begin is a maze of electrical wires. Every wire has the velocity to kill thirteen humans at a time. If you gradies don’t make it to the top I won’t be surprised.”
“Oh joy,” one of the boys muttered.
“Keep your chins up, guys…and girl,” Garret said while frowning with a confused expression at his vest. “At least we have Marshall here to test out the hot spots for us.” Garret abandoned the vest to wrap his arm around Marshall’s shoulder and grin like a hyena.
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Hoo boy. You sure like putting your characters in difficult situations. They made it, right? Please tell me they made it.
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Its my specialty. But I don’t put them in half the tough situations as you do.
Guess you’ll have to wait for the book. 😏
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I know it is, and so you say. *unimpressed glower* I don’t threaten to electrocute my babies, unlike *someone* I know.
Hmph. Meanie.
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If you wrote what I am you would. *returns glower* But you do follow through with threats to torture, maim, and utterly annihilate their emotional compatibility with life. That’s even worse than electrocution!
I is nice. Tis why you don’t get the book till its finished. *Some people* don’t understand the real emotional trauma I keep them from by with-holding my writing.
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Hahaha, this post was AMAZING! “Overabundance of mustache,” indeed. 🤣🤣
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Thank you!
Have you ever seen those guys with the untrimmed mustaches and it hangs past their top lip, almost like a curtain? That’s what I was imagining (so gross and I’m sorry if it gives a mental image XD ).
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Haha, yes! Like Chief Inspector Japp from Poirot? 😆 I’m not quite sure why, but I don’t like beards and mustaches in general. They’re okay, but I always find myself thinking people would look better if they shaved. 😂
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I’ve never seen the movie, but probably. XD Ugh. I *despise* facial hair. So nasty. My mom always told us our grandpa kept snacks in his mustache for when he needed a munchie. That just grossed us out. Then, thirteen years later, a client confirmed that does indeed happen. I almost threw up. So. Gross.
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I love watching the TV episodes of Poirot. They’re highly recommended from me! 😉
Phew, glad you agree! XDD Ohh, goodness, I don’t even want to think about that!! My dad said once that maybe gals who grew up around fathers who had beards usually liked beards better than gals who grew up around clean-shaven dads. My father never had a beard, so that makes sense to me (did yours, though?). That would be a fun study to conduct, to be honest!
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I’ve never heard of it. 😀
Oh, I barf everything I read about a bearded character. Then I mentally change it so I don’t get nauseated. That’s why my main male characters will never have a beard. Yeah, he’s probably right. My dad hates facial. He only had a beard once, and that was when some guys at his work held a contest to see who could grow a beard for the longest duration of time. I think he won, but it wasn’t a flattering look, and Mom was quite pleased when he eliminated it. XD It would be!
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😂😂😂 Goodness, I’m so happy right now that someone understands! I basically never picture male protagonists with any facial hair, but sometimes the authors themselves commission fan art or have the covers done so that the characters do have facial hair, and it just ruins me!
Wow, that’s interesting! I would be VERY surprised if I married a man with a beard. 😆
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