Be Late for Something Day is celebrated on September 5.

I’m sure all of us can think of a time when we were late for something. The best story I ever heard, hands down, is my daughter Ruth’s story.
I asked her to write and she complied.
After I read it, I told her it had the makings of a “Sweet Romance” novella, currently hot on today’s fiction market.
See what you think.

On being Late – A Wedding Story – by Ruth E. W. Galindo

My family and I just attended my brother’s wedding last month. It was a beautiful, happy occasion. It was also an event surrounded by careful planning, creativity, hopes, and worries. It was a little overwhelming with rehearsal, flower preparation, the dress, the shoes, the rings, the music, the party, dealing with relatives’ flights getting changed at the last minute, and so on. The pressure seemed high, as if any misstep at the wedding might portend the fate of the marriage itself.

       In the middle of this busy atmosphere, it was time to tell my wedding story.

       My husband and I eloped, with parental approval, in Japan. No family guests, no white dress, no aisle. Just me and my fiancee doing what we felt was right, confirming our commitment before God, the stretching blue-grey sea and sky, the endless unbelievably green sugar-lump mountains and rice fields, and Sasebo City Hall open 8am-5pm weekdays for couples with two witnesses.

      As two active duty Naval Officers stationed overseas, we might have to wait years before we could get ourselves and our relatives in one place for the ceremony. We hoped that “tying the knot” right away, even far away, would give us a little extra something to hang on to through the unpredictable assignments and deployments, and send a clear message to the Navy that we’d like to be stationed in the same area together from now on. But even eloping can be difficult, especially for the chronically, absurdly late and ill prepared (me).

     We had made all the arrangements with work. We planned to go City Hall Wednesday afternoon at 2pm. We didn’t have cars at the time, but it was a short walk and an even shorter bike to city hall from the ships. We each had a dear friend ready to come with us and witness. I had picked old jewelry, Grandmom’s house-dress, my favorite shoes, all my favorite and sentimental things. I guess I was nervous because I really couldn’t concentrate all morning.

     There was some kind of construction going on near my room on the ship too, very noisy. Like a little jackhammer. So I decided to go in my room on the ship during lunch, shut the door and have a little beauty-nap, with earplugs of course, it was so noisy! I set my phone alarm, but it’s too bad I forgot my charging cord at home and was almost out of battery…

     I woke up at 4:30 and panicked. I threw on my special clothes, got on my bike and headed to town hall. I got lost, riding circles through the Japanese shopping district just blocks from my destination.

     It started raining. I started crying.

     Finally, I found city hall, closing for the day. I asked in broken Japanese if my boyfriend had been there.

     No.
They seemed confused but trying to help. I finally went to the corner store and picked up a little phone charger. I got him on the phone! He was looking everywhere for me frantically.

     “Where have you been! I rode by City Hall! I’ve been calling! Nobody knows your new door combo. I was banging on your door like crazy! I’ve been looking all over town! Are you ok?!”

     *waaa* *stammer* *waaaaaaa waaaa waaaaaaaaa*

     “Just calm down, don’t cry, it’s ok, sweetheart. Come out of the rain. Let’s just meet up for dinner and try again tomorrow.” Well, Thursday did not work for his witness, so frustration and despair ensued yet again. But Friday I put on my dress one more time, and we headed to the city office during lunch with two friends at our side. The clerk seemed happy to see we finally made it.

      We signed the papers, and they gave us a lovely bag of Sasebo Tea as congratulation from City Hall. We did it! We grabbed some pizza and went back to work. Then in the afternoon we climbed our favorite mountain for vows, and a prayer, rings, and a wedding kiss. We have been married 8 years now, we have three beautiful children, and a wonderful life together.

     So don’t worry if everything goes wrong, if you are late, if you totally failed. Even if you think past mistakes have etched your future in stone, remember you are still here with the chisel making your masterpiece today, every day. Just keep trying and never give up! Keep doing what you believe in. If you love someone, if you live for something and just keep at it, bad luck and failings can’t destroy that, they can only make it more interesting.

And now our featured guest interviewee: Darlene Kuncytes

1. Who are you as a person? (brief bio paragraph)

Darlene Kuncytes is a best-selling author who was born and raised in Ohio, and still happily resides there. She is a complete smart ass with a wicked sense of humor who has been told on more than one occasion that she is irritatingly chipper in the mornings. And, honestly-she really couldn’t care less! She loves to laugh and maybe sing a verse or two of “It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood” and you can usually find her with a coffee mug in hand and a smile on her face ~ causing all kinds of trouble.

2. How long have you been a writer?

I have been published since 2013; but have been a “writer” my entire life. I have always loved to tell stories, and there are probably a ton of “books” I have started writing over the years scattered around the house.

3. Are you Traditionally or Indie published?

Indie published, and I love it. I love the control and freedom it allows me.

4. What writers inspired you? Favorite Authors?

Love Stephen King, John Saul, Dean Koontz. (yeah, yeah, the horror girl became a romance writer! I know! Go figure!)

5. What is your book/series about (elevator speech or quick tweet post)

Romance! Some laughs, some sighs, some heat and some curl your toes love! Oh! And Suspense too!

6. What is the setting and genre?

The Supernatural Desire Series and The Anthology Novella Series are paranormal romance. Wicked, sexy and fun! I also have a Suspense/Romance that I am thrilled to say is a finalist for a RONE award from InD’Tale Magazine! This is an edge of your seat romantic thriller!

7. Who is your favorite character from your book and why?

I can’t choose! It’s like asking which is your favorite child! But…If you held a gun to my head, I would have to say Desmond or Abby, because they were my first.

8. What character is most like you?

Kat. She is a smart-ass, fun loving stubborn character who is a lot like me. lol

9. If you had a supernatural power, what would it be?

Hmmm, great question. I would be happy with eternal life!! Well, as long as I was able to bite my friends and family and make them eternal too!!!

10. Would you say your book has a message or underlying theme? What is it?

Family. Whether family by blood or by love…it’s the most important thing.

11. How are you marketing your book?

I’m not a marketing person at all! But, I am very active on Facebook, Twitter, I go to signings and I talk to people. I love meeting new people. I am trying my best to get my books out there, but it is an on-going battle. lol

12. Is there one person past or present you would meet and why?

I would love to meet and spend some time with Stephen King. His mind fascinates me.

13. A wonderful thing has happened! Hollywood wants to make a movie of your book! You get to pick the actors & actresses. You want________________for your lead characters. Lol

Ian Somerhalder and, wow. Jennifer Lawrence!

14. What music do you hear (what songs) remind you of your story?

Oh, Michael Buble, Bruno Mars…and some 80’s music! Bon Jovi, White Snake. What can I say! LOL

15. What are you working on right now?

I am currently working on Book 4 in the Series. Harper’s Heavenly Embrace and I am releasing books in The Anthology Novella Series. I LOVE these short paranormal romances! They are fun, sexy, complete short stories! And… they are ONLY .99 each!

16. What future plans do you have in writing?

I just want keep doing what I love…listening to these crazy voices in my head when they speak to me and telling their stories! I find peace when I write and it takes me to a world where anything can happen and that is an amazing thing!

17. What links or website do you have? List them below. Listed below.

I am so excited and thrilled to say that 2 of my Anthology Novella’s have been Nominated for Best Indie Books of 2016.

“A Witch’s Hearts Desire” for Best Short Story

“Summer Sin” for Best Paranormal

I would LOVE for you all to take a second to vote for them! Here are those links!!

“A Witch’s Hearts Desire” is in novella http://goo.gl/6zVg5y

“Summer Sin” is in for Paranormal http://goo.gl/pJP0qc bottom of ballot

Here are my book links…

A Vampire`s Saving Embrace ~ http://www.smarturl.it/avse

A Wolf`s Savage Embrace ~ http://www.smarturl.it/awse

Marcus’ Mortal Embrace ~ http://www.smarturl.it/mme

2016 RONE Finalist! I’ll Be Seeing You~ http://smarturl.it/IBSY

*****New Releases!!!********

Anthology Novella Series!!!!!! Book 1 – “A Witch’s Hearts Desire” ~ http://www.smarturl.it/AWHD

Book 2 – “Summer Sin” ~ http://www.smarturl.it/summersin

Other links –

Amazon Author Page – https://www.amazon.com/Darlene-Kuncytes/e/B00BIO0EJY

FaceBook author page – https://www.facebook.com/darlene.kuncytes?fref=ts

Google – https://plus.google.com/u/0/113966820170828537573/posts

Pinterest – https://www.pinterest.com/vampsgirl13/

Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7013486.Darlene_Kuncytes?from_search=true

Bonus

Tell me about something you’d like to be late for …

I’d like to be late for…my funeral!
I am ALWAYS on time, so it would be insane if THAT was the one thing I was late for!

Wasn’t that outstanding? Thanks Darlene and thank you Ruth…

I was thinking of an excerpt from my own writing that I might post.  What happens when you realize FIFTY years have passed instead of FIVE?
In Voices in Crystal (Book 1 – Children of Stone) Marai has been happily working as a spice and candy merchant in the royal city. He’s in love, and hardly thinks of the task he promised to complete for the Children of Stone in return for his semi-immortality and power.

This is when he has his wake-up call:

Marai gracefully re-affixed the dark wax jar lid so securely that an observer might have thought his hands had melted the wax into place. He shooed the flies that had already discovered the new location of the date candy nearby and were attempting to light on it.

     “Go on; eat some of that before the little fellows get on it. It’s a gift from my ladies and me.” Marai eased the young sesh’s tension, but beckoned him to bend closer into the stall so he could ask him something else privately.

     “What can you tell me of Djedi, an old lector out of Sneferu, who has been in his horizon about five years?”

     The man choked on the sweet he had greedily stuffed into his mouth; his eyes wide in surprise.

     “Five years?” he sputtered. “Easily fifty or more!” He wiped his lips with his wrist, then licked it. “My grandfather was brought to him as a boy when the old one and his assistant came up the river to test his wisdom. Three kings later, the men in my family are still chosen to study in the temples year round.

     “Fifty?” Marai felt as though the ground beneath him had suddenly yawned into a vast pit. The lives of everyone he had ever known shrieked through him and faded into the mist of those years. The image of round and ancient Djedi became young, slim, and hard faced at the doorway to his horizon. It was the younger assistant posing as his teacher.  The projected illusion faded and the memory of an almost shrill utterance replayed.

     I will teach you and yours. Come to Kemet…as you will…

     The sojourner always knew the Children of Stone viewed time differently than the people of Earth sensed it. He knew something hadn’t quite matched up about the images he he had seen in dreams and the ones he saw in waking life when he arrived in Ineb Hedj, but he had always refused to think about it. Naibe’s seductiveness and his good life as a merchant had made him forget about everything, including why he came to the city with the mysterious box of stones.

     His thoughts swam with renewed memory that he had been extra thirsty upon waking in the (Children’s) vessel compared to a minor craving for water he’d had the first time. In another glimmer of insight, he now realized why three “Eternal Houses” stood across the river, and more great temples rose further south when, in his original vision, he had seen only one tall one.
His sister Houra’s image, the thought of her working rows of crops and making baskets now faded into the sullen river vapor that hung motionless over this noonday plaza. She was dead after all. No one was left of stubborn clan Ahu but himself. Now, when Marai called his family to mind, he sensed only her sad memory. The promise his heart had made to her so long ago in a dream could never come true.

     “I…er…News travels slowly, I guess.” he mumbled, hanging his head. He tried to clear his thoughts of the myriad of emotions and anxieties now crowding them. His brow throbbed and ached beneath his blue striped headband. His vision clouded and grayed as surely as if some spell had been brought forward through the presence of the sinewy dark-skinned man in front of him.

     Something had indeed been watching him through this man in the market. He sensed the brewing of Naibe’s dreams of darkness and storm, which she’d known along the journey months ago, coming into focus.

     In his struggle to appear calm, Marai began to feel faint. Tears filled his eyes, as the obverse side of Djedi’s dying utterance rang clearly in his thoughts. For the first time he heard the ancient utterance clearly:

Watching as one adrift, alone…

Without rest, without place.

Trapped in time

All shall silently witness

The error of the ages come to pass.

     Marai knew he had to find out more from the young sesh before he, already startled, darted into the crowd and disappeared. The memory of the ancient words stabbed through his forehead like a knife.

     “Anyway…I understand he had an assistant here. Perhaps I could contact him.” the big man rasped, seizing the man’s hand as it took up the jar of cinnabar he intended to purchase.

     The man took two small gold bees from a leather pouch at his belt, then left them on the table as payment.
“I was to contact the most exalted of them.” Marai glanced up, still locked in a desperate struggle against the pain. Bees…goddess…a royal house. Kings and high ones pay with gold bees…and look at me about to puke like a woman new with child. He searched the young man’s eyes for a glimmer of recognition and found none. Marai’s shoulders sagged in ache and defeat. “Never you mind then.” he sighed.

I was looking for an illustration for the excerpt and this one seemed to fit about “Getting Lost on the Path of Life.”

News: The Book 3 edit is in the final format stage. Tonight I send images and ideas as well as the rest of my submission to Createspace.

THEN THE PROMOS  BEGIN…

In the meantime.  Get your friends to sign up, here. I want to give a free book to someone soon!

Are you an author? I’d love to have you here for your promotion and your interview. Just message me or e-mail me.

Upcoming themes… I’d love an article from any of you… I love to write, but I don’t want to do it all the time!

September 12 Chocolate Milk Shake Day or National Video Games Day

September 19 International Talk Like a Pirate Day or National Butterscotch Pudding Day

September 26 Johnny Appleseed Day

October 3 Techies Day, Virus Day