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Excerpt from Mile Marker 139 (WIP)
Calvin’s words strike Mike straight through. His mouth hangs open for several seconds, the intake and exhale of breath slow. He’s lost, disoriented, and can’t seem to find the ground beneath his feet. There it is–the bench solid under his backside. The phone–real and clutched in his hand. He closes his mouth and swallows, trying…
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Excerpt from Mile Marker 139 (WIP)
The coffee shop job and potentially dating a nice guy like Benny are great, but it’s not what she wants. Five years ago, she had dreams of living in New York and striking it big in the fashion industry. She imagined having guys ogling her, hanging off her arms. From their many conversations while working…
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Excerpt from Mile Marker 139 (WIP)
As she joins her family, although the jovial talk, singing, and laughter ring true, an undercurrent of concern for those who don’t have it so good hangs in the back of Sarah’s mind. Jon, whose drug addiction has nearly broken his marriage; her aunt Anne who drinks too much; and a mysterious woman at the…
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Excerpt from Mile Marker 139 (WIP) – Chapter 9
Chapter Nine: Russ Jacobs “You know I ain’t gonna be surprised,” Russ grumbles as Brandy drives. “Can you at least pretend?” his sister asks. Russ casts a glance in her direction. Her wavy brown hair is pulled up in a high ponytail, and she’s dressed up for her, which means her nice jeans and a…
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Excerpt from Mile Marker 139 (WIP) – Chapters 7-8
Chapter Seven: Mike Popkins “What are you doing here, Mike?” Janice asks as she fills the cappuccino machine with fresh espresso beans. Mike steps up to the counter. “Can I order something?” “You know it’s on the house, Mike,” says Walt at the register. The rest area is almost empty. Somehow, the cheap decorations hanging…
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Excerpt from Mile Marker 139 (WIP) – Chapter Six
Chapter Six: Russ Jacobs It never fails. The drive from New York City to Cleveland should take about nine hours at most, not counting breaks. Russ doesn’t usually have a load to drop off in Cleveland, but with traffic delays that inevitably happen, he’s forced to stop for the night somewhere near the Midwest city.…
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Excerpt from Mile Marker 139 (WIP) – Chapter Five
Chapter Five: Sarah Wilcox A jazzy rendition of “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” plays in the background. Most people are oblivious to the music, but as Sarah spins out another order on the cappuccino machine, she sings softly and rocks her hips. Caught up in the love of Christmastime, she whips up peppermint mochas and…
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Excerpt from Mile Marker 139 (WIP) – Chapter Four
Previous chapters: one, two, and three. Chapter Four: Mike Popkins He’s out of breath. Mike rests his hands on his thighs as he leans forward a bit, trying to calm his heart and get some oxygen. He glares at the treadmill next to him. Ten minutes. Ten lousy minutes and the thing whooped his backside. Barb used to…
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Excerpt from WIP Arianna – Part of Chapter 4
When I walked into Nana’s house that day, she turned, elbow-deep in flour as she made bread, and said, “You’re home early.” “I quit.” I took a seat at the table, placed my interlocked hands on its surface, and stared at my peeling nail polish. “You what?” “I quit my job.” “Why would you do…
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Excerpt from WIP Arianna – Beginning of Chapter 3
After leaving Brad’s house, I drove in circles until I pulled into McDonald’s and ordered a large fries, two cheeseburgers, and a Coke. I found a spot under a tree in the corner of the parking lot and turned off the car. I kept the radio on and spent the next ten minutes eating…