Friday, February 18, 2011

Contest?

Just a real quick check, would anybody be interested in a contest.  It would be similar to the way that Janet Reid runs hers, 100 words or less using 5 words that are selected prior to the contest.  I find them fun on her blog and wish she ran more.

I don't have any flashy cool prizes to give out.  The winner would be announced on a post, but I can't offer eternal glory.  Let me know if anyone is interested and we can try to put something together.

Friday, February 11, 2011

M. Love's Firsts

Love's firsts....M.A. Leslie.............................


Alone, she sat in the corner. Her mind was on the keys of her laptop as she wrote away and occasionally sipped the latte next to her hand. She didn’t need the caffeine, but it called to her drowsy eyes.

The curtains around her were falling and the gazes from the employees would have told her to pack up and leave, but she didn’t notice. Not until he walked into the room like a catalyst cutting through the silence.

She had spent the prior year barely looking up from her work, but the almond shaped baby blues were inspirational to the point that they required attention. As if researching for her next project, she looked at his tightly wrapped body that housed the gorgeous angelic face.

With cunning in his eyes, he made the barista melt as the words of his order flowed from his tongue. Simple, easy and far from expected, he ordered a straight black coffee and slowly and slightly noticed the gaze from afar.

Like an uncomfortable burning had hit him from her eyes, he turned away and stared to the ground. It wasn’t in his nature to be shy, but something about her poker-straight beauty called to him. It wasn’t the type he sought usually, or the look he strived for, but the eyes caught him.

Like he had known them all his life and he had just woken for the first time since birth, he, like metal to a magnet, walked toward her. Pride pulled away and unlike all of the other times before, he walked to her with a simple hello. However, knowing it would be the first of thousands of words spoken, unlike the time before, he had finally seen and met the coveted one and even though it would make sense to walk away, he couldn’t. Like enamored teenagers on their first date, they sat there in the coffee shop that they had frequented regularly and for the first time and last time, noticed each other.

Happy Valentines

Thursday, February 10, 2011

M. Assassin's Heart

Assassin's Heart.......
M.A. Leslie.......

His peering eyes tilted as the unassuming target approached, slightly, he slumped to hide his shadowy figure further into the blackness of the lone alley. He had been trained in the act of killing and knew his target would be a fairly simple matter.



Half of the payment was already in the bank and for an unknown reason an exorbitant amount of money had been paid. However, the target didn’t seem to match the price. He had killed much more dangerous for much less in the past, but he wasn’t going to say no to people who paid generously. Cautiously, he watched from his post and pulled out the tools of his twisted trade.


He knew that the ones with him may pose no extreme threat, but the protective instincts of a mother could be that to recon with. Just like clockwork the baby carrier was taken from the back seat of the car and the pair made their trek to up the concrete path to the apartment.


The time to strike was now, the light was all but gone, and the chances of an outside assault were minimal. Like a well trained predator on revolt, he jumped from the darkness and the smell of fear filled the air like the stench of a skunks spray.


First the man was taken, it wasn’t sexist, just convenient, and he knew who the real threat was. The man gurgled and fell to the ground as his contents poured out around him, posing no future threat. Then the weapon swung and despite the few defensive actions of the victim, she fell lifeless to the ground, in a cross over her dying partner.


Being out in the open was nothing but a constant threat. Taking heed, the assassin stowed his tools and took the handle of the carrier as he turned out into a run. He knew where he was going and that the chance of witnesses was nil. The destination had been set by the men who had bought the fate of the child.


In a smooth steady run, he went his hidden vehicle and with little concern for the child in the seat, he shoved the carrier into the passenger seat and took off to his destination.


Once he was at a reasonable distance from the dangers of the scene, to insure that he would receive payment, he pulled over and took down the mask that was laid over the child. Despite his nature, he slid the cloth down gently and peered into the flame blue eyes of the babe.


With forgiveness, the child caught his eyes and together they locked. A small coo sounded from swaddled package and from nowhere a hand appeared. The assassin reached in and allowed the minuscule fingers to tightly clutch around his finger.


He knew what he had been told and knew what he now felt. While the men with the money told him that the child would need to be destroyed, that he was the coming of the end of man, it just didn’t make sense. The innocence of the child told him otherwise. It was not the child or his bleeding parents that had been the threat. It only took those eyes to convince him, he had made the wrong choice. And, for the first time in his career, he would not be getting the job completely done.

Thursday, February 3, 2011

M. Final Draft Finally Considered Final

So just when I thought that the work was ready to be done, it is time to query. Why is it so difficult to write a query? One would think that after writing a whole enormous MS that one page would be easy, but it's not by any means.


Final revisions are complete and the final draft, or until an editor changes it, is ready.  I am ecstatic to have the MS to a point that would consider it done and after reading it, I am really satisfied with it.

Sorry that I haven't been posting for a few weeks, but believe me it was worth it.  Can't wait to get back to blogging and continue the other WIP.