J is for Joy!
Joy when inspiration strikes and you just know that it is a good thing.
Joy when life seems to jump out and embrace you.
Joy when you want to get something out and when you do, it strikes just the right note.
Joy oh Joy!
Here's a snippet that brought me joy. The working title is Swamp Story, LOL.
Brant smiled and laughed at the camera. The red light came
on signaling the end of the session and he sighed and sat back, smile gone.
“Thank god that’s over.”
He laughed and glanced over at Charles, nodding in
agreement.
“For the night. Tomorrow’s another day.” His chest felt
heavy. It wasn’t easy reporting the news. Every day it seemed to get worse.
“This country’s going to Hell in a handbasket.”
“What can we do?” Brant shrugged, knowing worry pinched his
brows together. He agreed with Charles. “With the political climate being what it is, now
would be the worst time in history to come out.”
“I fear we must.” Charles swayed, his features taking on
characteristics of the animal inside. “I can feel a change in the air.”
“So can I, and it’s not a good one.” Brant looked out from
the set. “I fear all we hold dear will pay the price.”
“Should we allow the humans to continue? How much of the
earth should we let them destroy? How many lives must be lost before we step in
to take control?”
“It can’t be like that. If we step in to take control, they
will fear us and rightly so. They will hunt us to extinction.” Brant stood,
feeling his animal pressing to take control. “I want my clan to be safe.”
He turned abruptly to Charles. They had been best friends
since grade school. Charles had been the elder and it hit him first,
unexpectedly. They had been camping in the woods behind Brant’s house. One
moment he was standing before him throwing marshmallows. The next a large copperhead
had been in his place.
Brant had stood stunned. He had known Charles was a shifter.
They had an unmistakable scent that humans just didn't give off. There was no
hiding it. He just never thought he was a snake. His name should have given him
a hint, but as a cub he had never thought of it.
Now it amused him. Charles Iyola,
best friend to Brant Baier. In the tongue of their Timucua mothers it meant snake. The next year, Brant’s bear had made an appearance. Regardless of how their animals were natural enemies in the everglades, the two of them had bonded.
Once an area almost exclusively shifters, their town had
grown now letting humans outnumber them two to one so of course they stuck
together. Sure there were other shifters in school but only Charles and he were
in the same class, year after year.
It seemed the bumper crop of babies were either older or
younger than the two of them. Not to mention that most shifters home schooled
their young. The two of them were in public school due to the fact that neither
had a mother at home.
Charles mother had died at his birth. Brant’s mother had
been in the military and died on a training mission. Their father’s had done
the best they could after they lost their mates. Neither boy had missed having
something they didn't know, but growing up with grief stricken fathers had
bonded them. A bond that would last a lifetime.
“So do I. But we need to do something to keep them safe.”
“I've been trying.” Brant turned to Charles. “I've been
buying land. As much as I can. As much as is not protected. Land is going dirt
cheap in Florida.”
“You’re going home.”
“Not yet. I’m buying as much land as I can for my clan.” Brant
looked at Charles. “For our clans. Perfect setting for us both.”
It will rest at this point as I finish up a dragon shifter novella I've been working on for way too long! I do keep going back to it and changing it. A bit here and a bit there, slowly adding as I swear I'm not going to touch it!
I love the mystery of the everglades, it's been way too long since I've visited. Just imagine what you'd see if you really looked hard. The thought brings joy to my heart!
What brings joy to yours?
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