Books By Jo Cattell

Books By Jo Cattell

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Six Sentence Sunday "Summer Rain"

“Chloe, the stuff about your dad, you really weren’t invited to the wedding?” Nick asked.    “See the illusion is starting to crack, and you are starting to see the real me.  They have made it clear that I’m not a part of their life. It use to hurt really bad at first, but after a few months I just got use to it.  It’s my normal anymore.  I told you, I really am not the girl you think I am.” She was fighting to keep tears from falling.

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Six Sentence Sunday

There was something about Chloe Gardner that intrigued him.  She seemed different than the girls back in Michigan.  Her strawberry blond hair was pulled back with a metal butterfly clip just so that you could see the intensity of her sketch she was doing. Unlike her friends she wore the crisp white blouse with the tie tucked into the dark blue vest.  She wore her pleated blue and gray checkered skirt the required length which showed off her shapely legs.  Most of the girls wore stocking, but not Chloe.  Her navy penny loafers housed her bare feet, he knew this because she had slipped them off and on again as she worked.

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Six Sentence Sunday: Summer Rain

Chloe  closed her eyes, wanting and waiting for his lips to find hers. Nick's lips brushed hers just barely kissing her bottom lip. He kissed her softly, trying not to make too much noise.  And with each gently pass, she opened to him more, allowing him to kiss her deeper and stronger.  The warmth of his mouth embraces hers as his arms pulled her closer.  He couldn’t pull himself away from the sweetness of her lips or the warmth of her hand that were now on his face. 

Saturday, January 14, 2012

What it is to be a crazy writer...

         Muse has been somewhat quiet the past few days with the exception that she has decided to play the movie of my story in my mind just when I want to go to sleep.  Something that drives me crazy, but it comes with the territory of being a writer.  In starting to actually take this path, I have meet so many new and wonderful people who are writer and authors too and can now truly say, No, I’m not crazy for hearing voices in my head or fighting with my MC because they won’t listen.  It all comes with the job and description of being a writer.  A good friend and I talked about that just today.  We were introduced threw a mutual friend for being writers, unique mom’s and a little out there, so to speak.  (Kidding but we both have a lot of the same ideas)  We have chatted threw Facebook and read each other’s work, giving each other pointers and laughed and cried with our charters. So today was the first time we actually talked on the phone.  For 3 and a half hours, lol!  And it was so nice to talk to someone who was as crazy as I am.
     She and I both talked about our charters and how the plots may play out.  It was the first time I could talk about it without getting yelled at about how I could do that. The only one who can truly understand a writer is another writer.  Most people when we sit and talk about our stories or say we are going to kill off so and so look at us like we need to be committed for thinking such thought.  I actually had my daughter and mother fight with me about Summer Rain when I was writing because I had wanted to kill off Nick and then have Chloe turn to his older brother Kevin for comfort.  I thought that it would make the story more interesting.  If they could have had me arrested for thinking such a thing I think they would have.  We are the ones who paint this world, and I painted it so well for my test readers when I think to suggest such things they battle me about it.  I have made these people real to them and they don’t deserve what I want to do.  This was something we also talked about.  How cruel we are to our charters.  I have to admit, I was really cruel to Chloe.  I put a lot on a young 16yr-17 yr old girl. But threw her I was releasing my emotions of my grief for my niece.  If we have anger problem it plays out on the page. But then our scenes can affect us too.  I went into a very dark place in one of mine and 6 pages later because I had to get out of it, I delete it. 
     Jade the other day asked me if she could be a singer when she grew up. I told her she could be anything thing she wanted.  Her older sister wants to be a DR and she has the whole world ahead of her. I wish I was that age again so I could go back and really focus on being the writer I want to be.  Focus on the tools I need and really take in so I can put that threw in my work and not be afraid because someone told me it was a waste to write the way I did.  That I was a little crazy to think some of the stories I came up with.  Now I know I am in such good company.  Oh and Jade after thinking about it, excitedly said she wanted to be a gas pump person.  There is a story in there, just have to find it….

Peace, Love, & Hope~JC

Sunday, January 8, 2012

I won't give up.....

So today I’m refreshed after a couple hours of sleep and a late night writing session that left me totally and completely drained.  It may be that I still have my own demons I’m still dealing with that caused me to write such an emotional scene for me.  In the end of the scene my MC finally got the satisfaction of putting the woman who abused her all her life in her place so to speak.  I will never really have that satisfaction.  The woman who is my personal demon will never go away.
I started writing Summer Rain last April, at a time when things in my life were normal, (if that ever really is true).  Then the unthinkable happened and I lost someone very close to me.  Someone who wasn’t here that long, but touched my heart in so many ways.  After her passing, my emotions spilled onto the pages and brought Summer Rain to life.  Now, as I try to find someone who will publish it for me, I felt that there was more to the story that needed to be told.  Hence the Allen family trilogy.
 As I work on the new book, Autumn Wind, I find that I’m still dealing with a lot of these raw emotions and again, they are pouring onto the pages.  A lot of what was said last night in the scene is a lot of what I want to say to this person that has harmed my soul so to speak.  But as what happened last night in my scene, happeneds in real life, that person will never see that they have done wrong.  I find that in life that is so true in so many different things.  So the real question is forgiveness?  In the scene, Chloe in a way forgave her father for the years of abuse he and his so called wife caused her.  I wonder if I will ever find that forgiveness for this person that has caused me so much heartache that I can’t forgive her for what has been done, and the life that was taken so very young.
So when finally got ready to close up last night I did what a lot of my writer friends do and check Twitter and Facebook one last time, to see what I missed.  I noticed a post in my Twitter timeline.  I will get so much teasing from my friends as I put this down, but in a way, it goes with my “Things happen for a reason” thinking.  The post was from all people Kevin Jonas, yes of the Jonas Brothers.  It was simple. “I Won’t Give up by Jason Mraz=greatly crafted song.”  So I go to ITunes and listen to the song and then download it.  I highly think if you are dealing with things you should get this song.  I have listened to it like 100 times already and it has so many meanings to me.  It kinda could be a theme song to Autumn Wind in a few ways, lol. 
 So many times since April I have wanted to give up.  To crawl into a hole away from my own children, my husband, my friends and the story I had just started to write and close myself off from it all.  And something in the song made me think of that time again. “We have a lot to learn, and God knows we are worth it.” And “I’m still trying to find out who I am. But I won’t give up.”  At the time, I couldn’t give up; too many people depended on me.  At times through this process of trying to publish these books, I won’t give up, because the story needs to be told.  And lastly, I won’t give up trying to deal with these demons and trying to find forgiveness.   So yes, Jason Mraz, greatly crafted song!  And thanks Kevin Jonas for posting that! I have to laugh because like either one of they would read my silly blog.
Peace, Love and Hope~JC

Friday, January 6, 2012

Sneak Peak From Autumn Wind

Here is a little sneak peek from my new WIP Autumn Wind, let me know what you think.

     He was in the room again.  Standing in the back, not able to move any further.  Blank faces passed him and mumbled their condolences.  There were so many people that he couldn’t see the coffin.  Mark and Nick both approached him in their dark suits. 
     “You have to face this, Kevin.  It was your fault and you have to face what you didn’t do.” He could feel Mark’s anger as it raged at him.
     “I tried, but there was nothing I could do.  I did everything I could to try and save him.” But the words he spoke were muffled. 
     “Did you, did you really Kevin?  If you had he would still be here.  Now he’s gone.  How could you let him die?” Nick’s words cut threw him.
     “Nick, you said he was already gone.  You said it wasn’t my fault.” He begged him to say it again. 
     “It was you fault Kevin, you have the blood on your hands to prove it.” Mark spat at him. 
     Kevin looked down at his hands and they were covered in his father’s blood.  “No, I tried.  Don’t make mom see his blood.  Stop pulling me up here.” He fought with his brothers but they were too strong for him. 
     Approaching the casket, he saw three women.  They were draped in black. First it was Claire that turned to him, and shook her head.  Her mouth had been sown shut with black thread.  Her eyes accusing him in some way of his father’s death.  Next was his mother.  Her pale face covered with a black veil, hiding the loathing she felt for him.  Nick and Mark let go of him.  He fell to the floor and begged her to forgive him.  She walked away, his bloody hand prints covering her dress.  He looked as they all turned on him. 
     “It’s time Kevin, you have to say goodbye. You can’t leave her like this.” It was Chloe’s soft voice. 
     He was confused by what she had just said.  He stood up and approached the casket.  It was veiled in pink toile. This wasn’t right.  It was supposed to be his father.
     “It’s your fault, you know.  She died of a broken heart.  You ran away and left her.  Her heart died and then her tears turned red.  You said you loved her.  You promised you would never leave like he did.  Now Dave has her again.” Chloe said pulling back the draping revealing Gabbie’s lifeless body still wearing the engagement ring he had told her to keep.
     Gabbie’s blood red eyes opened and her crimson lips asked “Why?”
     He sat up trying hard to catch his breath.  The cold sweat took over his body and he felt like his heart was going to escape his chest leaving the void it felt on a daily bases. It was a dream, it was only a dream, he kept trying to tell himself.  Kyra’s warm lips kissed his shoulder and her hands soothed his aching head.
     “Shh, darling, it was just a dream.  Let it go.” She soothed him.  She had been through this before with him a few times.  They were always worse when he took the X.  Getting out of bed, she went to the mini bar.  She found a small travel bottle of Scotch and poured it into a glass.  “Drink this darlin, it will help.”
     Kevin drank it down in one gulp. He handed her the glass back and put his head in his hands.  It was always the same dream.  She always looked at him and asked why. Kyra sat next to him and ran her hand down his face.  “You want to tell me about it?”
     “No.”
     “Kevin, you can’t keep running from these demons.  Someday you have to face them.  Sugar, I know you keep things locked in the head of yours, but it has to come out or you’re gonna go insane.  If you don’t wanna tell me then tell that little brother of yours.  You seem to be tight with him.” She suggested.
     “We weren’t always this close and he has his own things to deal with.” He thought about Nick and wondered how he was doing right now.  He had practically raped Chloe in the elevator and she was begged him not to stop when they reached the floor. He had seen a side of them that he could never imagine, but knew it had to be the effect of the drugs on them.  Any other time Nick talked of her lovingly.  Tonight they were raw and uninhibited.  He didn’t like what he had seen, but his mind had been playing tricks on him most of the night.  Maybe that was what he saw. 
    Falling back onto the bed, he pulled Kyra with him. “At times I can’t feel anything.  How can I talk to Nick about it when I can’t seem to understand why things keep haunting me?”
   Kyra got back between the sheets and covered his body like a warm security blanket.  She rested her ear on his heart a listened as it calmed.  His hands stroked her back moving her hair off her shoulders.  She loved this man, but would never tell him because she knew he had these dark demons that haunted him.  He came from money; she had struggled for it and done things she wasn’t proud of. If she hadn’t she would not be here with him now.  They had played this game for almost a year now.  Hungry lovers searching for something they both couldn’t have.  For him it was to find peace after his father’s death and for her, it was for Kevin to finally let her into his heart.  She kissed his chest and looked up at him.
     He rubbed his curled fingers against her silky cheek.  “Why is it you stay when you know I can’t give you what you want?”
     “You need me and my sexy ways to pull you out of this.” She teased him, not really able to tell him what she really wanted to say.  “You have a big day, you should go back to sleep.”
     He halfhearted laughed at that.  “I’ve done shoots on less sleep then this.  You need sleep though; I don’t need you to have puffy eyes.”
     Laying her had back down she closed her eyes.  “Should I move or can I stay right where I’m at?” She was still really tired.  Sex with him did that to her all the time.
     “Come up closer and lay in my arms.” He said softly knowing he would go back to sleep as long as she was close.  Kyra snuggled into his arms and his kissed her forehead. “Thank you for being here my ebony goddess.”
     She smiled to herself.  “Just keep me around and I will always talk you back.  Now sleep camera man.”

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Title for my new book

So I have been working on my sequel to "Summer Rain" and have been stumped with a title for the new book.  Since there are going to be 4 books to the series, I am going with a seasonal kind of theme.  So right now I am working on Autumn Wind.  Hoping to post a little teaser in a few days.  I am thinking about going the self publishing route for Summer Rain.  In looking into it more I think that for the first book that this will be the way to go.  And it would be out by hopefully May.  I found a self publisher and the price isn't too bad.  And it would get it out there, and it would be in paperback and I would get to see it that way.  It would be in ebook too, but I really want to see the printed book.  I want to sign a few copies.  I know it may sounds silly, but hey it is my dream, lol.  So look for more news to come.

Future Title in the Allen Family series:
1. Winter Storm
2. Summer Rain
3. Autumn Wind
4. Spring Beauty

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Summer Rain

Nicholas Allen ended his summer mad at the world.  He hated his parents for making him move again, his brothers for telling him to get over it and his life because he had to start over yet again.  This time things were going to be different.  He would not let himself get use to this new town or make any friends let alone any girlfriends.  That was until a chance meeting with one of the local girls changes that.
     Chloe Gardner was seen as one of the popular girls at school and also the subject for various rumors that circulated around about her. In her Nick saw something different, the side no one knew about.  The deep dark secretes that she hide behind her bright green eyes. The pain surrounding her mother’s death and the feelings of rejection brought on by her father’s loathing of her. He discovers there is more to her then just the pretty face has to offer.
    As their feeling grows, they learn what real love is and question the promise that was made on their Purity Rings. Taking that step, they learn how it affects not only their lives but those around them.  When Nick is forced to leave with his family on a Missionary mission, Chloe finds they were not as careful as they had thought.  She is forced to decide how to handle the news on her own which is only complicated when her step mother finds out and plans to keep the child as her own.
     When Nick returns he finds that Chloe has fled and will stop at nothing to find her. But finding her doesn’t mean they will remain together.

Welcome 2012

It's a new with new begings and neew possablities. This will be the start of my blog with updates on my writing, publishing, and idea process. This will be my year in review for the world to see and follow along with my life as a amature writer and mom. I may also post some reviews of books that my dear friends have asked me to do for them.

Along the way you will get to sample some of my writing, meet my crazy family and friends and get to know me, as a writer and where some of my crazy ideas come from. 

So lets start with where I'm at in the writing process.  I have just finished my first book entitled "Summer Rain" and I am now doing the work to try to get it published.  I have had a few people test read for me and loved it.  A description of it will be posted on here soon along with a sneak peek of the story.  Now I am working on two books that will go along with "Summer Rain" one is a prequel and the other is a sequel to it.  Both are untitled but well see as the year goes what happens. 

So thats it for now, hope you enjoy and I look forward in hearing from you!

Cheers 2012