As the years passed, my
writing turned into an escape mechanism as much as a form of
self-entertainment. My husband (at that time boyfriend) discovered my
stories stored away in a closet. He spent the next 16 years encouraging me to
share them.
Drawn to mystery books, my
writings are anything but. Although they each hold an element of suspense, my
books focus on real life situations, real drama, and real people, in a
fictional story. I write stories that delve into the
inner soul of the woman: her deepest secrets; her wildest dreams; and her
darkest fears.
I take a look at life from two sides: urban and
suburban, and the challenges each pose in pursuing the reality of individualism
in a controlled society. If I can show my readers they are not alone, in
dealing with their challenges, and that they can rise above their limitations,
I have achieved my goal. My novels are designed to take your emotions on a
roller coaster ride, one page at a time.
“Is the Grass Really Greener?” was preceded by
“Reflections of Promises” and “Real Secrets” in 2012.
FB: Author C Michelle Ramsey
Twitter: @CMichelleRamsey
Pinterest: authorcmramsey
BLURB ~ IS THE GRASS
REALLY GREENER?
Five women, five lives,
five secrets. Each woman is battling her own personal demons, and hiding a
secret from her friends and family.
Each of them envies another's life, wishing her life was different, wishing she had what the other woman had. But what happens when what appears to be real, is all a façade?
Battling breast cancer, single parenthood, infidelity, the loss of a child, and managing the single life, can become overwhelming for these ladies.
Not satisfied with their lives, looking for something better, they contemplate alternative choices to improve their lives; crossing over to the other side of the fence is a very real possibility. We can't see beyond the choices we make, but we must be held accountable for them.
And after they have crossed the fence, they realize two things simultaneously. Yes, the grass was greener on the other side; and also their grass could have been just as green had they taken care of it.
Each of them envies another's life, wishing her life was different, wishing she had what the other woman had. But what happens when what appears to be real, is all a façade?
Battling breast cancer, single parenthood, infidelity, the loss of a child, and managing the single life, can become overwhelming for these ladies.
Not satisfied with their lives, looking for something better, they contemplate alternative choices to improve their lives; crossing over to the other side of the fence is a very real possibility. We can't see beyond the choices we make, but we must be held accountable for them.
And after they have crossed the fence, they realize two things simultaneously. Yes, the grass was greener on the other side; and also their grass could have been just as green had they taken care of it.
EXCERPT:
Courtney found herself
nodding her head to the beat of the music, more than she was focused on her
report. Anita Baker’s “I Apologize” was on the radio playing softly in the
background on KSTORM. She had to get this report done for tomorrow morning’s
budget meeting. Stretching back in her chair, she let out a long yawn and shook
her head to shake the sleep off. It was 11:55 at night and she knew that she
had to be up at four in the morning. But these numbers just weren’t shaking out
right.
The right thing to do
would be to put it away and go upstairs with Nate and go to bed. She found
herself going to bed after her husband more and more these days. She used to be
the one who was knocked out by eight or nine o’clock, but not anymore. Some nights
she was still up until two or three in the morning, if she didn’t have an early
day at the office. Nate didn’t question it, because he didn’t want to be
bothered with her anyway. She couldn’t remember the last time they had sex. She
stopped to ponder that thought, had it really been five months now? Damn, it
had. Seems as if she was always attempting to get him in the mood, and the last
time she had done that he had brushed her off and he didn’t show even the
slightest interest in her.
“Lonely hearts, find
someone to love. Fellas, take care of your women; remember to love them long
and strong, ‘cuz if you don’t, another brother will. And to all my lovely
ladies, I’m wishing you a good night out there in the ATL; thanks for spending
another night with me. And come back tomorrow for another night of love with
Hypnotiq on the Storm.”
And with that he blew
his traditional kiss and Pierce was off the radio for the night. As if this
were some subliminal cue, Courtney closed her folder, switched off the radio on
the bookshelf behind her, walked over to the doorway, switched off the light in
her office, and walked upstairs to her bedroom. She was halfway up the steps
when it hit her.
Damn,
she thought to herself, I’ve been staying
up half the night every night to hear the voice of a stranger. I’m falling for
a man who I don’t even know. She started walking back down the steps to her
office and flicked on the light and sat in her chair behind her desk.
Courtney furiously ran
her hands through her hair shaking her head in disbelief. What the hell is this? I’m falling for a man I don’t know? He’s a kid
from the old neighborhood that’s what it’s got to be. He brings back pleasant
memories for me at this rough time in my life. Hell I had one cup of Joe with
this man and ran into him at my art exhibit, and I sit up every night to hear
his voice on the damn radio, how pathetic am I? He might have a girl, hell for
all I know he might not be interested in women anyway, or black women, she
shook her head laughing at that one. The way he came on to her that night she
highly doubted it. “This is crazy, it
doesn’t even matter. I’m a married woman…not happily, but I’m married just the
same and I love my husband with all my heart,” she said aloud, “I’m taking my
butt to bed, I’m tired…that’s what it is,” and once again she repeated the
steps she had just taken, not even three minutes earlier.
But this time when she
got to the bedroom Nate wasn’t asleep. He was sitting in the bed staring at the
TV. She could tell he wasn’t watching it. Courtney decided it would be best to
not say anything, because she didn’t want to argue. All of their words turned
into arguments these days and they couldn’t have decent communication. But it
wasn’t to be.
“Courtney, I want a
divorce,” Nate said.
Thinking she must have
lost her mind, or maybe forgot to clean the wax from her ears, she turned over
in the bed to face him. “Huh?” she said, a little befuddled.
“I want a divorce,” he
repeated in that same monotone he had just used.
“Why?” she asked with
panic rising up in her throat.
“I don’t wanna be here
anymore, I can’t do this,” he explained.
“Do what Nate?”
“Do us, this thing we
call a marriage, this faking it we’re doing day by day, I can’t do it anymore,”
he said with a little emotion coming into his voice.
“Look Nate, I know that
you’re hurting, I’ve been hurting, too. And what’s hurting the most is that
you’re shutting me out. You won’t even talk to me. I know you’re grieving baby,
we’re both grieving, but you didn’t suffer this loss alone. I did, too and just
like we lost him together we have to find a way to heal together, to go on with
our future,” she pleaded.
“I don’t think you
heard me. There’s no future for us,” Nate responded a little more passionately
this time.
Thank you for having me today Catalina, I am so excited to be hosted at your blog as the first stop on my tour. It's an honor. :)
ReplyDeleteSo glad to have you here
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