Christian Fiction Friday: June 19th

Welcome to this week’s edition of Christian Fiction Friday brought to you by me and my lovely and talented co-host, Alana Terry! This is a chance for Christian authors to post short snippets from their works in progress! Easy and fun!

This week, I’ve been working on the audio book for book 1 in my Jewel Series, Sapphire Ice, so I thought it would be fun to do a snippet from that book.

Sapphire Ice, Book 1 of the Jewel Series

ROBIN propped her elbow on the kitchen table and rested her forehead in her hand. She stared at the calendar in front of her, with horror. Somehow, the week snuck up on her and here she sat, the morning of the night of Tony’s mega Viscolli Corporate Christmas party. “What am I supposed to wear to something like that?”

Maxine groaned and stretched, graceful as a jungle cat and with just as much pent up energy. “I wish you’d mentioned this before the actual day of.”

“Honestly, I was hoping that something would happen that would keep me from having to go.”

“Like what?”

“I don’t know. Flood? Meteor? Locusts? Terrorist attack?”

“Okay. Let me think.” Maxine rubbed her forehead, wishing the sinus headache would quit interfering with her thoughts. “Ugh, my brain is not functioning this morning.”

“I knew that live Christmas tree you bought would mess with your allergies,” Robin said with a touch of humor and a dose of concern.

“You enjoy saying, ‘I told you so?'” She took a delicate sip of her orange juice. “It’s in the back alley. Maybe a cat will use it as a scratching post. Or something more heinous.”

“All I could find is Midol.” Sarah came into the kitchen and set the bottle in front of Maxine, who sighed and popped open the tamper proof lid with one thumb.

“Well, my headache might not go away, but at least I won’t have cramps.”

“It has aspirin in it. Your headache will be taken care of.”

“I was joking, Sarah. Sarcasm. Ever heard of it?”

“Only since I moved in here.”

Robin groaned. “What is wrong with you two? You’ve been snapping at each other since yesterday morning.”

Maxine stared at Sarah. “If you don’t tell her, I will.”

Sarah tore her eyes from Maxine’s and stared at the table in front of her. “It’s just that… um, I mean… well….”

Maxine swallowed two of the pills with her juice and slammed the glass down, wincing at the sharp sound. “What little sis here is trying to get out is that she isn’t going down to Florida with us for Christmas.”

The words cut straight to her heart. Hoping she could keep her expression under control, she glanced at Sarah. “Oh? Did something come up?”

Her sister refused to meet her eyes. “Well, it’s just that mom and dad have never had Christmas without me. I mean, I know I’ve never been with you, either, but –”

Maxine tossed her hair over her shoulder. “Her mommy started crying.”

Sarah gasped and looked up. “You are horrible.”

“No, you are. Robin works so hard, and you’re constantly putting your parents in front of her. That was great when you were fifteen or even seventeen. We were happy you didn’t have to live our lives, then, but you’re an adult now, Sarah, and you need to learn that your mother manipulates you to keep you right there by her side.”

“That’s not true!”

Maxine raised her voice. “You want to bet? The woman cried when her nineteen year old said she had the opportunity to fly down to Florida in a private jet and spend three days in a mansion on the beach.”

“No! She’s just worried about who…” Sarah gasped and jerked her eyes in Robin’s direction.

The pain in her heart twisted like a knife. Oh, yes. What kind of element might the streetwise Robin and Maxine expose their precious Sarah to unchaperoned? The glow of a week of basking in the glory of God, in her newfound salvation, in her relationship with Tony started to dim. Robin put her hands over her ears. “Stop it! Both of you! I don’t want to hear another word.”

Now it’s your turn! Just link your Christian Fiction Friday! Here are the rules:

1. Christian Fiction Friday is a blog hop where authors post short (400-ish words or less) snippets from their current works in progress (not published pieces).

2. Keep it PG-13 or lower. No swearing, no sex scenes. If you have a particularly violent scene or deal with a heavy or controversial subject matter, please include a disclaimer at the beginning of your post.

Suggestions:

1. Visit at least some of the other Christian Fiction Friday authors each week and comment on their blogs.

2. Don’t offer critiques unless the author specifically asks for it in his or her post.

3. Please include this blurb at the end of your weekly post:

Christian Fiction Friday is a weekly blog hop where authors post snippets from their current Works in Progress. It is hosted by Alana Terry and Hallee Bridgeman.