Hold My Finger

 

Chapter 13 was a bit longer than originally intended. For reasons I can’t explain (sensibly), Chapter 12 was supposed to be about ten pages longer and Chapter 13 ten pages shorter. However, I liked the stopping point of the previous chapter, so this one seems large.

Click here to read Laramie, Chapter 13.

This chapter overlaps autumn with Coffee at 9. One has Cooper’s perspective, and one has Laramie’s. And if you want to relive the full effects of Cooper’s birthday, click here to read Coffee at 9, “October,” Chapter 9.

In a previous post, I mentioned that the whole incident of Laramie slicing into his finger happened to me in real life. I do love the whole “Hold my finger” connection between them. Many couples have their own cute things just between them. I had Lance and Jakob “hold feet,” which came from my other half and me actually doing that. I had friends who didn’t hold hands, they held pinkies. I hope my readers have that special little something between them that only they share. If you are in a relationship and have something of your own, let me hear it. I dig that stuff.

For me as the author, it was really nice to relive many of these scenes. I loved writing them the first time, and now seeing them through Laramie’s eyes is equally enjoyable. The garlic alfredo kiss, the dance floor scene, the nervousness in bed and their first time to make love — sheer joy to write. You’d think catching Laramie up to the previous book would be a chore, but making sure it aligns and seeing it from his eyes was still engaging to me as a writer. Portraying people falling in love is its own payoff.

For most people, dating sucks. It’s all nerves in trying to figure out expectations of the other person. I tried to put much of that anxiety into these scenes. Let’s face it, every date doesn’t go well.

A reader recently wrote to me saying he had come to really like Laramie through his backstory and was so relieved to know the outcome, as he could see Laramie retreating into his shell following a lifetime of disappointment up to this point.

The good thing is that we still haven’t reached the halfway point (in terms of page count) in Laramie’s story. There is SO MUCH to this character yet to be developed. You’ll see.

This chapter ends just before Cooper descends into his love triangle of hell. I loved writing about the holidays too, so we have that to look forward to next. Once that arc is completed, it is all fresh content for Laramie.

In a slight bit of news, I have started both Book Seven and Book Eight — at the same time. I was formulating plotlines in my head, and both excited me. Something tells me I will write them concurrently if that enthusiasm continues. And some of you may not care whatsoever. As Laramie continues, it leads into both of them.

Your support of my writing is a heartfelt gift. Thank you. I hope someone holds your finger on a regular basis.