Writing Progress- Chapter 24... "The Perfect Ending"

Dedicated to my bootleg editors Sunshine and Ol' Mean Ass Cynthia...

My homeboy, the Infamous Hen-Dog, called me early one weekday evening...

"Lee."
"What's up, boy?" I asked.
"Call Kim."
My face scrunched up. "For what?"
"I don't know, girl. It's probably something stupid. She just keep texting me, telling me to tell you to give her a call!"
"What for??" I asked, a bit exasperated and confused.
"Girl, shut up and write down the number. I'm tired of her bothering me!!"

He gave me her number. Now, I have no problem with Kim. Me and Kim are cool. She use to live down the street on the corner, next door to the Infamous Hen-Dog. It's just that Kim is a lesbian and her girlfriend "wifey" is a tatted down, gold teeth-ed (is that a word?), braided up buffed homegirl that look like she can break your neck if she gets just a tad bit angry...

...And I don't need nobody thinking that I'm trying to talk to their woman. Especially since I ain't gay... I don't want to catch a beat down from Kim's woman when I ain't even trying to holla like that! No way, no how. Yikes!!

Humph...

Well anyway, I flopped down on the sofa and called Kim...

"What's up Kim?"
"Ladylee," she yelled. "Is that you, girl?"
"Yeah... Hen said you wanted me to call you."
"I need my chapters."
"Your chapters of what?"
"The chapters I haven't gotten since I moved away. I needs my Sweet Heat chapters. I want to know what's gonna happen."
"Oh," I exclaimed, "the Sweet Heat Chapters! Yeah, let's hook up so I can get that to you!"

Kim has been one of the quickest and most useful critiquers. She will write out a couple of pages of notes and questions after she reads on why she hates one character, and why she likes another, trying to predict what's gonna happen, etc. I usually dropped chapters off in her mailbox, but the thing is, she moved a few miles away, and hasn't been able to catch up with me. So I left chapters 18-23 in my mailbox, and she picked them up.

I talked to her tonight... She read chapters 18-23, over one-hundred pages, in two days. She went on and on about parts of the chapters that pissed her off, things she liked... and there was even one part that made her just throw my manuscript down and just scream out in pure shock.

Her saying such things about my writing... Gosh darnit, it made me soooo giddy.....



I was so proud of myself to be able to draw out someone's emotions with my mere written words. ~sigh~

"Ladylee, if there were more men like Samuel in the world, I would have never turned gay!"

"Um... yeah," was all I could think to say.

"Turned gay". Alrighty then!

Anyway, that was just a funny little side story. Typical fare of what I get from my beloved few readers. But on to Chapter 24...

The usual scene at work...

I get to work, and Sunshine is standing there, eyeing me suspiciously, waiting to know if I did any writing the night before. Usually I just pull out my laptop and give it to her. Sunshine is impatient, and has taken to reading as I write. Detroit Meek-Meek, who does not have editor priviledges, snatches the laptop, too. My other bootleg editor, Ol' Mean Ass Cynthia, prefers to wait for the finished chapter.

My critiquers, especially my bootleg "work-for-free" editors, Sunshine and Ol' Mean Ass Cynthia, LOVED chapter 24. Most people, well everyone really, said that I could end the book right there...

I didn't really like chapter 24... I mean it was a'ight. Too Snow Whitish for me.

I like drama, suspense, somebody trying to tare up something...

The girly girls at work like that old Cinderella Snow White ish...

Ewww!!!

Chapter 24 was a Cinderella-ish chapter... Kevin, Vaughn's ex came back into the picture, and she confessed her love for Samuel to Kevin and told Kevin there was no chance of them getting back together. Kevin told her to keep the ring. Samuel happen to hear this whole conversation. The chapter ends with Vaughn and Samuel in her office, all hugged up at the end of the chapter. (Awwwwww... how sweet, so mushy.)

"You should end it right there, Ladylee," my critiquers wailed. "It's the perfect ending."

NO!

"The ending is perfect. Just start book 2, picking up where this story left off."

HELL NO!

That's boring!

I ain't ending it there... True enough, this is going to hit maybe right around 500 pages, so I will spend the rest of the year revising, or paring it down into 2 books... At any rate, there are about 10 short side stories that will come out of this book.

But, um...It's 'bout to heat waaaaaaaaay up, babes. Kevin's not going away THAT quick. No way...

More drama for your Mama, that's what I say...

I thought Sunshine was gonna bust out crying when I said that.

It's okay, hon... Didn't meant to make your sunny day all cloudy...You just keep on reading.

...and just make sure you hold on tight for the rollercoaster ride that's about to start!