STEALING TIME by Isla Grey

MUSE MONDAY

Please welcome Isla to another Muse Monday!

Writer’s write.  Well, at least that’s my motto.  With an overloaded schedule that includes family, work, a seven-year-old’s social calendar and trying to get dinner on the table, some days it’s a struggle to get more than a few words written on a page.  Since I’m “old school” at writing, I tend to have some sort of pen, pencil, paper, post-it note or, if desperate, the back of a store receipt, handy at all times in the event a couple of free moments open up.  These are some of my favorite (and quirky) places to “steal time”.

Car Pool Lane – I have to admit, this is my favorite place to put pen to paper.  Whatever story I’m working on tags along with me.  I head out about an hour beforehand to write…er, I mean…to pick up my daughter from school.  It’s quiet and it’s actually the place where I wrote most of my book, “Asylum Harbor”.

Doctor’s Office –Well, I figure if I’m going to have to wait, I might as well be doing something productive.

Parking Lot –This is for the occasion when someone says “it’ll only take minute” and they actually mean thirty.  Either way, I’m covered.

Restaurant—No, not when I’m out with my family for dinner.  But sometimes I just want to stop at that nice coffee shop or deli for a few minutes and while I’m sitting at the little corner table, I like to jot some ideas down.  If you’re stopping at Panera Bread around 9:30 in the morning, keep an eye out for me.

Bed—I’m one of those who’ll cut on a night light in the middle of the night to write down something.  It’s not always a good idea—or coherent—but on occasion it’ll help me to remember a new story idea or how to work out a scene I’m working on.

So, where are some of the places you like to “steal” writing time at?

Blurb

Trouble is the last thing Devon Brown needs when she leaves the painful memories of her past behind and heads to Shell Island.  As the Salty Dog’s new bartender, she finds herself drawn to Kerr, the Shell Island harbormaster.  But finding her happily-ever-after is difficult when dealing with an obnoxious bootlegger who supplies the bar with illegal liquor and a jealous coworker.

A standoffish loner with damaged emotions, Kerr avoids relationships like the plague.  Things change when Devon catches his eye.  When a simple flirtation grows serious, the coworker and bootlegger quickly become obstacles to any future Kerr and Devon may have together.  As the situation worsens, Devon realizes that even the still waters of Asylum Harbor are no refuge during a storm.

Excerpt

“You already got dibs on this one Kerr?”

Porter shot an evil glare at the opposite end of the bar and looked back toward her.  “I’ll see you tonight.”  He flicked his tongue.  “After work.”  He raised his glass in a mock toast and chugged it in one gulp.

          The lights dimmed for Victoria’s dance of the night.  Devon watched Kerr, who was usually headed for the exit by now, and breathed a sigh of relief when he remained glued to his seat with his back to the stage.  He wasn’t staying for Victoria’s peep show.  There must have been something about this Porter character that got under his skin in a bad way.

          Devon was eager for the quick break.  She hustled to the back as the chords to “Simply Irresistible” began to pelt over the speakers and ran some cold water over her forearm.  A red welt was beginning to show where Porter had held onto it.  She hoped he would be gone by the time she got back.

          Making it out before mid-song, Devon rounded the bar when someone snagged her wrist and thrust her hard against the bar, knocking the wind out of her.  She could smell Porter’s alcohol-laced breath as his weight pinned her under him.  One of his grubby hands shot under her shirt while the other wrestled with the button on her pants.  “Let’s give them a real show.”

Asylum Harbor Buy Links:

The Wild Rose Press:  http://www.wildrosepublishing.com/maincatalog_v151/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=195&products_id=6370

Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Asylum-Harbor-Salty-Dog-Book-ebook/dp/B013XZTWCK

Amazon UK:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Asylum-Harbor-Salty-Dog-Book-ebook/dp/B013XZTWCK/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1439668954&sr=1-2

All Romance Ebooks:

https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-asylumharbor-1872864-153.html

Barnes & Noble:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1122527329?ean=2940151148269

Bookstrand:

http://www.bookstrand.com/asylum-harbor

Kobo:

https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/asylum-harbor