Reasons AKA Excuses

3:20 PM Elizabeth Seckman 18 Comments

I didn't do this much damage, I promise. 

A reader (thanks Barbie!) gave me the genius idea of sharing a story on Wattpad while I wait (and wait) for publishing feedback on my latest WIP. I was intrigued by the idea...share a story chapter by chapter as it's being written?

How dangerous...I'd be showing the world how my freaking brain is often a mess of chaos and confusion. But exciting to be sharing, in real time, a story with readers. I love my beta readers...you guys are awesome...but there is gold in them there reader's words.

The first three chapters was decently received with readers asking when they will get more. I promised Monday. I delivered today. A day late.

How very me of me.

But I have reasons (or excuses, you decide).

You see, all the boys are at school or work so that makes me my husband's assistant. Deer season is coming and he knows how much his boys look forward to it, so he wanted everything ready to go on day one.

First up was fixing a broken four-wheeler. It started out all right, though I was freezing cold because I'd worn the pretty boots with small purple flowers instead of the more manly-looking insulated pair. But I did good work. I even held the flashlight properly. (I have a tendency to get distracted while holding the flashlight, being a daydreamer and all...)

It still wouldn't start. Chad (my husband) decided to tow start it, which basically means he hooked a tow rope from the running 4 wheeler to the broken one in hopes that while it's on the move, it will jump start itself. (I probably just explained that wrong, which only provides proof that I didn't know what the hell I was doing!)  Long story short, I kept getting yelled at verbally corrected for my improper towing technique, so I suggested he be the tow-er and I be the tow-ee.

Big mistake.

He forgot to tell me to use brakes when needed, so here we go through the field, over a little roll and I'm picking up speed...rapidly. I yelled, "Oh shit my goodness!" and slammed into my husband. (Him recently upping his life insurance money had NOTHING to do with this, I swear!)

He was like, "Why didn't you use the brakes?"

I said, "You didn't tell me to use the brake."

He said, "Self-preservation and logic should have told you to use the brakes."

Hmm. Seems he doesn't know me quite as well as he thinks he does. We all know I'm functioning at a much higher level of thinking than either logic or self-preservation can penetrate. As I was careening down the hill, I imagined that hitting the brakes would yank on my husband's 4 wheeler and flip him over backward.

Which would have been very bad, right? In that line of thinking, I tried to go around him. That didn't work because you can't go around someone when you're tethered to them. Once we were out of rope, we crashed side-by-side. (How poetic, right?)

He was like, all right, let's try this again.

I was like, No. Screw this. Let's move on to the other jobs on the list.

By the time we finished the work and stopped for ice cream-- because it's not every day you survive your wife on an ATV, thus making it a cause for a celebration-- it was too late to proof the next chapter for sharing, much less write a blog post to remind people where they can find it.

So, here it is. The link to Second Chances, the ongoing-online WIP.

Read Chapters 1-4 on Wattpad




18 comments:

  1. hahaha maybe he never should have told you about the life insurance. Whoops.

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  2. Your husband sounds a bit like mine. I've been schooled on "common knowledge" stuff as he calls it. Like "it's common knowledge that you don't put flammable stuff on things that generate heat." Of course, this was in reference to not putting any sort of paper on top of the clothes dryer. Except that I'd grown up in a home where that was the place were we put all of our mail plus a box of tissues, so I guess it was common knowledge to me that the top of the dryer was a relatively safe place to set stuff. Ah well. I've opted to appease the husband and just put my stack of papers some place else.

    Glad you survived the ATV!

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    1. I didn't know the dryer could be a fire hazard-- excluding cleaning out the lint trap. I have all kids of stuff setting on mine. Uh oh.

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  3. Hahaha That'll teach him to let YOU help again. I'm glad you two are okay.

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    1. He never learns NOT to let me help. But then, I am all he has some days, so beggars can't be choosers.

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  4. I'm glad you're both okay. Although, admittedly, I've ever had to get a tow to do a push-start. I think I'd have him push from behind (And not on an ATV, either) next time.

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    1. I think it's just the sort of job I get a hard pass on. It's just not my cup of tea.

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  5. Oh that was fun. Guys! I think you did great, Elizabeth!

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  6. I'm just glad you did not end up on an episode of Snapped. That up in life insurance would have got you in trouble. Also no wife wants to lose a good hubby. Congrats on sharing your book.

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  7. I commend you on your courage for sharing your book as you write. I couldn't do that. I'm already a bundle of nerves when I hit publish! One of my hubby's favorite sayings is, "Common sense ain't so common." mmmhmm.

    Elsie

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  8. Glad you both turned out okay. That was quite the shenanigan!

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  9. As excuses go... I've heard better ;-) Sounds like you'll be much more prepared for towing next time though!

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  10. HA! Your "excuse" is hilarious! (You should write more comedy, kiddo.) My hubby and I learned a long time ago that the best possible way I can "help" him when he's doing a job like that is to stay the hell out of his way. (Of course, when he came home with a deer, THEN it was "fine" for me to help clean and package that sucker for the freezer...I LOVED the meat, but HATED that job.)

    P.S. If you have time, would you mind writing a quickie review or doing a quick rating on Goodreads for "Explosive Beginnings?" Feedback has been sooooo slow, it'd be a boost to see something new... anything! HA

    I haven't made time to read your online WIP yet, but I will... soon!

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  11. Woo HOO! I just read your story on Wattpad. It's reeeeeally good!!! (Not that I'm surprised...)

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  12. That is quite a story. It was great reading this.

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  13. Loved the ATV story and I so would have done the non-braking thing, too! I'm useless when it comes to anything machine-y if I haven't been told what to do.

    And, yeah, glad y'all are ok, and think of it this way, it's going to make for a good Christmas story to share with the boys/extended family :)

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  14. Excuses? Nah. It's life. Pesky thing always gets in the way of every well thought out and good intentioned plan. I need to read your last chapter still (I'm not even going into my excuses). These chapters have caused me to join and read Wattpad. I'm even thinking of adding something myself. So thanks for the inspiration!

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  15. Sounds fun. But I'm glad it all turned out okay!

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