Friday, February 19, 2016

It's Friday.

Yeah, I know. What kind of a post title is that?! Let's just say I'm being super lazy and I don't want to have to think up a better one. :P
I hope your week has been good! We've had an amazing week! Yesterday it got up to 77 degrees here in KS. It was windy, and sunny, and perfect. And defiantly not the usual February weather. We have had an extremely mild winter this year, which has been awesome! I don't particularly like the cold. ;)

I was also to get quite a bit of editing done this past week. I've been putting off editing A Question of Honor ever since I "finished" it November.
Not only did The Silent Blade take up a lot of my time, I honestly didn't know what I wanted to do with it. 
Well, I got inspired this past week, and I finally figured out what I wanted to do. I also found an amazing soundtrack that I've been listening to every. Single. Day. And I've been driving everyone in my family crazy with it. ;P
Between the soundtrack and the help of a very persistent friend, I have managed to get the first 20,000 words  of A Question of Honor edited. *dances around the room* In case you haven't guessed, editing is not my favorite thing to do!

Today I thought I'd share the first part of A Question of Honor with you guys.  Let me know what ya think! :)


David hoisted himself up on the wing of the single-seater fighter, and then settled himself inside the cockpit.
He adjusted the headset before putting it on, and starting the engine. He was confident the plane was in top shape, but he always enjoyed the test runs. While the U.S hadn’t entered the war, newer planes were being produced for training. It was his job to test them before they got sent to the U.S Air Corps airfields.
“Hey, David. You up?”
Well, not only his job. It was his job. . .and Gil’s.
David turned the plane and taxied down the runway. “Not yet. You  up?”
“Oh yeah. Up first, as usual.”
David grinned at the teasing note in his friend’s voice. “How are you enjoying the plane?”
A whistle sounded across the headset. “It’s one of the smoothest rides I’ve had. Seriously, I could get used to flyin’ these things.”
“Alright, I’m up.” The wheels of David’s plane left the ground and the sleek fighter made its way up into the clouds.
“Hey, Dave.”
David checked the gauges in front of him. Everything looked normal, just as he had expected. “Yeah?”
“Keep a sharp lookout to your left.”
David turned and looked in the direction Gil had indicated. A dark plane, identical to his own, headed straight toward him. 
“Gil, this is not a good idea.”
Gil chuckled. “These are fighters. Let’s test ‘em out.”
Despite his better judgement, a thrill of excitement coursed through David. “Alright, let’s do it.”
“Oh, yeah. Now you’re talking.”
The smile was evident in Gil’s voice and David grinned. Gil was always ready for a challenge, and he almost always succeeded in taking David along with him.
“I’m coming at you.”
David clenched his jaw and tightened his grip on the controls as Gil’s plane quickly closed the gap between them. At the last moment, David turned his plane slightly to the right, and gained another twenty feet in altitude. Gil’s plane flew directly under him, missing him only by a couple feet.
“Now that’s what I’m talking about!” Gil’s voice was excited. “These babies are quite the machines.”
David silently agreed with him. “Alright, they’re obviously in tip-top condition. Let’s head back.”
“Not quite yet. Come on now, Dave. I’m headed straight toward you. Let’s play chicken.”
“Gil, this isn’t the farm and we’re not up in gliders. I’m not playing chicken.”
“Yes you are. Come on, now.”
David sighed and gave in. “Which way are you going?”
“Left. We’re going left. Don’t break yet.”
The two planes flew toward each other.
“Not yet.” Gil’s voice was focused.
David kept the plane in a straight line, heading on course to crash into Gil.
“Alright, now!”
At last minute both pilots turned the planes and the neatly flew past each other.
“Oh, yeah. Now that’s what I’m talkin’ about! Come on, Dave. Tell me you didn’t enjoy it.”
“I didn’t enjoy it.”
“Right. Now be honest.”
“Exhilarating.”
“Yeah, that’s what I thought. Now come on, let's get machines down.”
David shook his head with a smile as he followed Gil back toward the runway.

***

“Hey, look at this.”
David glanced up from the tool bench as Gil tossed the article onto the splintered wood in front of him. His eyes quickly read the headline. France Overrun; Paris falls into German hands.
“So it’s happened then.”
Gil nodded. ‘“You know what that means? It means that the English channel and Britain are the only things that stand between Hitler having all of Western Europe in his control.”
David eyed his friend. They had grown up together, and neither had ever been able to hide their feelings from the other,. It was that way now. Gil’s eyes held a glint that made David feel uneasy. “What are you planning, Gil?”
“What am I planning? I’m planning on making my way to England and signing up to fly one of those Spits.”
“Your serious?”
“I am. I’ve already handed in my resignation at the factory. I’ll leave in three weeks.”
Silence fell between the two men, and for a moment the only sound to be heard was the pesky flies that flew around the shop. 
David knew this wasn’t anything new; Gil had been wrestling with the idea for the past several months, and David knew it had only been a matter of time. “What about Lily?”
Gil’s face softened at the mention of his wife of only three months. “She wants me to go wherever God calls. And we both feel that He’s calling me to Europe.”
“Alright. Then I’m coming with you.” 
Gil started to protest, but David held up a hand. “Elaine and I have already talked it over. We’re going to be married next weekend. She knew you were planning on going overseas when this happened." He waved a hand at the newspaper article. "And she knows that if you go, I go too. We’ve already talked about it. “Besides,” a smile entered David’s eyes. “You need someone to keep you out of trouble.”
Gil was quiet for a moment. “There no way I can convince you otherwise, is there?”
David shook his head. “No. We’ve always flown together. I’m not letting you go anywhere without me. But aside from that, I believe God’s calling me there as well. Elaine and I have talked and prayed about it for several weeks. This only confirms it.”
Gil nodded. “Alright, then.” He clapped David on the shoulder. “Those German’s better watch out. They don’t know what they’re in for with two Americans heading at them.”

25 comments:

  1. Wow! That was great! I love WW history. I'll be getting at it soon in my history book!
    God bless!
    And, hey, "It's Friday" is a great title! Really obvious what you mean. It certainly isn't Wednesday!
    Indi

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    1. Thanks, Indie! I'm glad you enjoyed it. :) I absolutely LOVED studying the World Wars in history!
      Haha, yeah, exactly. ;) At least no one got their days mixed up. ;P

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  2. Love the title, Jesseca. ;) I needed a reminder as to what day it is. I woke up thinking (uh, make that wishing) it was Saturday. B-)
    77 degrees??? What??? It was close to 50* here yesterday and, I'll admit, I really enjoyed it. I wore flip-flops to town and it felt awesome. ;)
    The soundtrack is awesome. It's not at all weird that you're listening to it 24-7. xD
    Very persistent friend, aye? Sounds like someone I would get along quite well with. ;) (Persistent sounds much better than annoying or aggravating.)
    I love David and Gil so much!!! Ahhh!!! And this scene is just amazing. I loves it. ;)

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    1. Thank you, Faith. *nods* Very happy to be of service. ;)
      Yes, it was amazing!! :D We were wearing short sleeves and sandals alllll weekend!
      YAY! See, I'm not crazy! I need to to explain to everyone in my family just how awesome it is!
      Yep, you two would get along great. Maybe he could inspire you to get working on your story. B-) And yes, I decided to try and put this friend in the very best light possible.
      I love it too. Seriously, I just want to sit here and read it over and over again and think about how much I love it. But. . .yeah. ;)

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    2. It was 60* here yesterday which was great! But then it decided to rain, so it's not so fun. :-/
      It is awesome. They shouldn't mind. B-)
      Forget what I said, okay? No, I'm kidding. I've actually finally got some inspiration for that scene I mentioned last night. ;)
      You should...because it's so good. :) I've watched the stunt scene from the movie SOO many times! I've nearly got it memorized. "Where's McCauley and Walker?" "Still training, sir." LOL.

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    3. Raffe: Come on, Danny I'm gonna teach you how to fly. Lets play some chicken.
      Danny: This ain't the farm and these aren't no crop dusters. I'm not playing chicken.
      That. Scene. Is. AMAZING!! :D

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    4. I absolutely LOVE that line of Danny's!!! It's like AMAZINGNESS!!! XD

      "Aw, come on."
      "Nope."
      "Well, I'm coming right at ya. You can turn or you can hit me."

      I'll, uh, leave out Danny's next line. ;)

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    5. Haha, yeah. then he's like "Which way you going"
      Umm, right we're going right."
      'Alright, we're going right, right?"
      "Wait, right like we're going right or right like we're going left?"
      "I don't know now you got me confused! Make up your mind"
      "Right Raffe, we're going right!! Righty-tidey!"

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    6. Haha, this is hilarious that we both know it so well. ;) I love the line at the end by the commanding officer.

      "Those farm boys are grounded! Pick up my hat." LOL

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    7. I love it!!! :D Seriously, I've watched it sooo many times!!
      Yes, it's hilarious! And I love how Raffe gets both of them off the hook when they go to see Major Doolittle. ;)

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    8. Haha, me too!! Sunday I was watching it in the car with earbuds, and Tucker was like "you've watched that same thing 10 times!!" He doesn't get it. ;)
      Hehe, yes! By flattering him. ;)

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    9. Oh, I just realized I said it wrong. Raffe says "Umm, left. We're going left." ;) I knew it didn't sound right. . . ;P

      Haha! *sighs* My family never seems to understand my obsessions with books or movie clips. But. . .I don't care. B-)

      Yep. It's awesome! And it's so something Gill would do. I have t be careful or my characters will be nearly identical to Danny and Raffe.

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    10. Oh, yeah. That sounds right. ;)

      Yeah...they just don't get it. *shakes head*

      Hehe, well so far they're not. ;) And I have to be careful and keep comparing David and Beth to Joe and Claire. ;)

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  3. I'm really excited to read some more of A Question of Honor. Can't wait for you to get it done! Glad that you've begun editing. (Ick! I can't STAND editing my own work, like essays, and my stories. But for some reason I enjoy editing other people's works, so if you need any help, count on me!) Thanks for the post, Jesseca! And . . . WHAT??!! I thought it was Saturday!!!

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    1. Thanks, Bethany! I'll need some test readers when I get further along in the editing process. (a.k.a in a few months. ;)) and I'd lve to have your help then!

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    2. I would be honored! Just shoot me an email. :D

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    1. That's what I want to know!! ;) Great story Jesseca, I look forward to more! :D

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    2. It's the "Pearl Harbor" soundtrack. The only reason I didn't mention the name of the soundtrack is because the movie really isn't good. I would totally not recommend it. It's around 3 hours long, and I think we FF about half of it. However, the soundtrack is beyond amazing! I've already gotten the piano version of it. . .it's that good. ;)

      Thanks, Rebekah! I'm glad you're enjoying it!! :D

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  5. Great story, Jesseca! :) I enjoyed it! : )

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    1. Thank you, Rebekah! I'm glad you enjoyed the clip!

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  6. This sounds so cool! I love historical fiction. :) And any post with the title "It's Friday" is sure to catch my interest! Who doesn't love Fridays?? :):)

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    1. Thanks, Jonathan! I'm glad you enjoyed reading it. Historical fiction is my favorite genre ever!!! So I love writing it some as well. :)
      I know, right?! Friday is like my favorite day of the week!

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  7. This sounds like an awesome story, Jesseca! Can't wait for the next part! :)

    Oh, and I also wanted to let you know that I tagged you for the Spectacular Book Tag. You can check it out here: http://countingyourblessingsonebyone.blogspot.ca/2016/02/the-spectacular-book-tag.html

    Have a great day! :)

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    1. Thanks, Blessing Counter! So glad you enjoyed it. :)

      Oh, thank you!! I'll try to get around to doing it soon!

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