Another Excerpt

I was typing up this part up this morning and it made me smile because it's definitely shows the friendship that Cody & Shae have. :)

Yes, and speaking of which…I turn back to him. “Uh, speaking of bathrooms…”
“Aw, Shae. Seriously?” His eyes drill into me. “You just woke up and you have to go already? You women are so annoying.”
“I’ve been asleep for hours, so I should think its normal for me to have to pee.” I point to an exit sign in hopes that he will pull off. “Please? With cherries on top?”
“Fine.” He turns on the turn signal and exits the highway.
“SO where are we now?” I ask as he pulls into a McDonald’s parking lot.
“Further south than Philly. Further north than Texas.”
“Wow, profound stuff right there.” I roll my eyes. Stepping down from the Tahoe is a task in and of itself. Not only am I short, the SUV is high, so I sort-of have to jump. Which today proves to be harder than usual. I throw myself out of the door and land on the side of my right ankle.
Pain. Searing pain! Whoever I see next, I’m gonna hurt. “Cody, get over here.” I yell. ‘Cause I’m gonna hurt him, opposed to some stranger, because it seems safter.
“What?” he appears, a smirk on his face. “Oh, are you okay?”
“Would I be on the ground clutching my ankle if I were okay?” Sarcasm win – again!
“What happened?” He leans down beside me and starts touching my ankle.
I suck in a breath as he touches the part of my foot that really hurts. “I fell out of your truck.”
“Obviously we need to invest in a step-ladder for you.” He lets go of my foot. “It doesn’t seem like anything is broken. You should be fine.”
“And you became a doctor when?” I try to stand but my foot protests and I fall back onto the dirty and cold pavement.
“Today.” He rolls his eyes. “Do you want me to help you?”
“Duh.” I let him put his arm around me and help me up, then walk into the McDonald’s. When we get to the bathroom, I force a smile. “I doubt you wanna go in there, so I’ll jump.”
“Jump?” He lifts an eyebrow. “Can’t wait to see this one.”
I glare at him.
“Um, I mean, see you in a few minutes.” He grins.

~Ashley

A World Without Sound - Meet the Characters

The story that rolls around in my mind, and is written the most, is A World Without Sound. Like I said in it's description, it is about a deaf girl who is trying to find her place in the world. So for my first post on this blog, I am going to take the time to introduce you to the amazing cast of characters that take up my time and writing hand. :)

Shaelyn Hartford

Age: 18
Cover model: Hannah - a good friend of mine

Shaelyn is actually one of the most real characters that I have ever had! She's so easy to writeabout. Maybe it was because I made her a lot like me . . . and it's easier to write like that.
At any rate - she's cool.
Like I said above, Shae is deaf. She can read lips, and sign language, but can talk normally because she didn't become deaf until she was almost ten. She used to write but stopped doing that because of circumstances that happened when she was a young teenager.

The goal of the story is for Shae to look past what happened to her when she was younger and become something more.

Cody Andrew Jacobs
Age: 24
Cover model: Channing Tatum

Cody Jacobs is Trent's (Shae's older brother) best friend. They've known each other for years. Cody is like an older brother to Shae, and they pick on each other constantly - never a moments peace when the two of them get started.
But Cody has a life of his own.

He has a great girlfriend named Abigayle and a good job. Not to mention a great family with the Hartfords (Shae's family).

But his past comes back to haunt him at times, too. His parents died when he was only a child, and then he'd been shuffled around from house to house, foster family to foster family, never finding a real home, nor a real family.

So, like Shae, he's trying to live with his past and make a better future for himself that what his past was. :)

Treyson Joseph McFadden

Age: 18
Cover Model: Shane Harper

Meet Trey McFadden - all star sports player at a small Texas school. He's used to getting what he wants, when he wants it. Any girl that he wants? Yeah, he can get them too!

When Shae moves to the small town that Trey has long been living in, she isn't taken with him, to say the least. She thinks he's a jerk and that he needs to be taken down a few notches. She doesn't take his crap, and tells it like she sees it. If he's being rude, she doesn't take it.

So why is he so taken with this girl? Well, because she DOESN'T do things the way he's used to. She fights with him, and HATES him! And he likes it!

But he doesn't. He's not sure WHAT to think of his life when Shae steps it into - or more, JUMPS into it.

My goal for Trey is to grow up. To stop acting like he's better than everyone else, and to learn to be a person that people respect.

So there ya have it. My three main characters. Of course, I'll post about the other characters - the ones not to written about - soon. :)

~Ashley