NOTE: Because of subject matter, the following stories may not be published by "Desert Breeze Publishing" who is publishing my novel "The Path Chosen" in April of 2016.
Also, there are a number of polls on this page, please feel free to mark them, or to not vote for any. :) If you have a comment about any story idea on this page, you can go ""HERE"" to leave your comment.
Thank you.
Also, there are a number of polls on this page, please feel free to mark them, or to not vote for any. :) If you have a comment about any story idea on this page, you can go ""HERE"" to leave your comment.
Thank you.
Works in Progress
DISCLAIMERS: The following excerpts are pre-edits; the actual text may vary upon publication.
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Contemporary Romance
Someone Else's ChildWhen Tammy Williams learns of her best friend's death, she returns to the town she no longer calls home solely to offer commiserations.
Ryan McLain always considered family number one priority, so when his step-sister is killed in a car accident he doesn't hesitate to uproot his Sydney-based life and move home, where he, along with his mother, can help in the raising of his niece. It doesn't take Ryan long to realise little Chloe needs more than an uncle and a distracted grandmother -- and that's where Tammy comes into the picture. However, Tammy's plans are based around anything and everything that enables her to live without family. With one eye on her past, and the other on the horizon, the last thing she needs is a reason to stay. |
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Supernatural Thriller
Return to HellWhen Amber, Scott, and Todd Robinson discover their father still owns their childhood home, in which their mother and sister died twenty years earlier, they, along with their loves ones, return for the weekend, so they can plan the sale of the property.
Amber dreads the idea of returning to the house where the abuse started. Had her therapist not believed this would be a great opportunity for her to gain closure, and had she not been concerned about upsetting her brothers (who must face their own issues), she wouldn't dare step foot in the old place. However, had she known her wheelchair-bound father and the ghosts of the past would join them for the weekend, digging up memories long forgotten, she would have stayed away, no matter how much disappointment she may have caused anyone. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Chapter One
"Ok, I'll go... but I get to kill him." (End of chapter)
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Historic Drama
Matari
NOTE: Matari is an aboriginal word meaning "Man". In my novel, 'Matari' is the name of the Aboriginal man my heroine falls in love with.
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The year is 1860. Our Protagonist (OP) is in her late 30s. The hope is to live a romantic dream. The reality facing her is bleak. The future is anything but promising.
Upon moving from England to Australia, to be with, and to support, her new husband in the Outback, OP is devastated to learn her husband is not the affectionate soul he pretended to be, and the glorious life he offered is little more than a cabin on miles of red earth, where even the flies go to die. In the depths of loneliness, OP is befriended by her Aboriginal cook, Millyn. Through Millyn, OP meets Matari. Their attraction builds over a short period of time, and they discover they're having a baby soon after. OP will have to find a way to convince her husband it is his child, then fake the child's death upon its birth. However, in a world where "mixed blood" is looked down up, and where divorce is not an option, trouble for OP and Matari continue, with no 'happily ever after' in sight. |
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Historic Drama ca 1860
Unrequited Love
Unrequited Love grew out of my first novel The Path Chosen. In needing back-up characters, I 'met' Robert and Elizabeth Farmer in Sydney, 1858.
I realised Elizabeth deserved her own novel when her backstory broke my heart. Elizabeth is in her early 20s. Marrying Robert Farmer was not her choice. All she wanted to do was enjoy nature and write poetry, with the hope of one day falling in love and living happily ever after. Robert Farmer is in his late 30s (if not early 40s, by looks of him), and has no love for Elizabeth whatsoever. He does love her money, though, and she is young enough to produce a male heir. What else could a man need from a woman? In The Path Chosen (although we don't see this in that story), Elizabeth is attracted to the single, and very handsome, Dr Tom Atwood. While Dr Tom is attracted to a married woman, it is not Elizabeth. |
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Historic Drama ca 1905
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The Lady Said No...
Inspired by my mother, Shirley Keevers (nee Smith of Wyong, Australia).
Our Heroine ("OH" -- possibly 30 yrs old) is stepping into the 20th Century, where women's rights are on the rise. Although the plot for this story needs to be worked on, OH is a humble soul hiding a passionate heart. [Possibly] When OH is betrayed by the man she loves, she joins the Suffragette movement and faces much rejection and many challenges for doing so.
I'm not sure how this story will end. All I know is, OH is an independent, passionate soul, who longs to step out of society's expectations, and refuses to spend the rest of her life in the shadow, or under the control, of any man.
NOTE: After my mother passed away in 2007, I have spent a great deal of time wondering who she was outside of 'mum and wife' or 'daughter and sister' and so on. I wish I had thought to ask her about her wants, dreams and passions, beyond marriage, beyond society's demands, and beyond anyone's expectations. While looking for clothing to suit my novel The Path Chosen and posting it to Pinterest, I came across dresses created between 1890 and 1910 which I could imagine my mother wearing -- even though she wasn't born until the 1930s. Adding the image of my mum's passionate soul to the dresses of that time, my imagination took over and this story was born. It is my hope to honour the heart of Shirley Keevers -- or, indeed, Shirley Smith, through this story. I like to imagine her being a free spirit, fighting for her rights, the rights of other women, and for the freedom to be whoever she wants to be.
Also, in explaining the idea for this story to my mum's sister, my aunt said, "Can she have a younger sister who is jealous of her?" :) So I'm adding an altered version of my aunty to this story also -- with her permission. :)
The Lady Said No is set around 1900... it will depend on social events here in Australia during that time. Also, it's possible the title may change.
Our Heroine ("OH" -- possibly 30 yrs old) is stepping into the 20th Century, where women's rights are on the rise. Although the plot for this story needs to be worked on, OH is a humble soul hiding a passionate heart. [Possibly] When OH is betrayed by the man she loves, she joins the Suffragette movement and faces much rejection and many challenges for doing so.
I'm not sure how this story will end. All I know is, OH is an independent, passionate soul, who longs to step out of society's expectations, and refuses to spend the rest of her life in the shadow, or under the control, of any man.
NOTE: After my mother passed away in 2007, I have spent a great deal of time wondering who she was outside of 'mum and wife' or 'daughter and sister' and so on. I wish I had thought to ask her about her wants, dreams and passions, beyond marriage, beyond society's demands, and beyond anyone's expectations. While looking for clothing to suit my novel The Path Chosen and posting it to Pinterest, I came across dresses created between 1890 and 1910 which I could imagine my mother wearing -- even though she wasn't born until the 1930s. Adding the image of my mum's passionate soul to the dresses of that time, my imagination took over and this story was born. It is my hope to honour the heart of Shirley Keevers -- or, indeed, Shirley Smith, through this story. I like to imagine her being a free spirit, fighting for her rights, the rights of other women, and for the freedom to be whoever she wants to be.
Also, in explaining the idea for this story to my mum's sister, my aunt said, "Can she have a younger sister who is jealous of her?" :) So I'm adding an altered version of my aunty to this story also -- with her permission. :)
The Lady Said No is set around 1900... it will depend on social events here in Australia during that time. Also, it's possible the title may change.
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Mrs Treaty's Secret
I love this woman. :) She's been living in my heart for years now. I have planted her in the country, moved her to a small town, added her to a children's story, then ripped her back out, and have now placed her in Sydney, while trying to find the ideal setting for her and the task set before her.
As it stands at the moment, Mrs Treaty lives in a Victorian (or a Georgian) home in Sydney... which means I will probably grab a house from out of nowhere and set it close to the heart of the city for the sake of the story.
Mrs Treaty is an old lady, who is full to overflowing with love. She has turned her home into an apartment building and, with the use of what appears to be some sort of magic, she arranges for 5 adults (and one child) to move into 4 apartments.
The tenants are as follows:
(names are yet to be confirmed; and all but the 'child' are in their 20s.)
Mrs Treaty's Secret is about everyone's desire to belong somewhere, and their stand against prejudice in one way or another. However, as each of these characters fight for their rights and the rights of a few others, they will come to see they hold prejudice of their own against 'one person or another'.
What is Mrs Treaty's Secret...? Well, you'd have to read the story to find that out, ay. ;)
As it stands at the moment, Mrs Treaty lives in a Victorian (or a Georgian) home in Sydney... which means I will probably grab a house from out of nowhere and set it close to the heart of the city for the sake of the story.
Mrs Treaty is an old lady, who is full to overflowing with love. She has turned her home into an apartment building and, with the use of what appears to be some sort of magic, she arranges for 5 adults (and one child) to move into 4 apartments.
The tenants are as follows:
(names are yet to be confirmed; and all but the 'child' are in their 20s.)
- A single, Caucasian mother of one. She is the daughter of a Christian pastor, who was rejected my him when she fell pregnant outside of marriage. Her daughter is, in the eyes of the world, handicapped, and cannot, or does not, speak.
- An Aboriginal woman.
- A homosexual Caucasian male.
- An African male raised in America.
- A male with Muslim faith.
Mrs Treaty's Secret is about everyone's desire to belong somewhere, and their stand against prejudice in one way or another. However, as each of these characters fight for their rights and the rights of a few others, they will come to see they hold prejudice of their own against 'one person or another'.
What is Mrs Treaty's Secret...? Well, you'd have to read the story to find that out, ay. ;)
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