Did you catch Monday's blog featuring this month's Classic Author ad choice, Endings & Beginnings, selected by Valkyrie? If not, go check it out and get your copy of a small graphic that you can use for your personal signature if you want to share the love for Viv's story. We had a couple of reviews from fans on Monday's blog, but Valkyrie has her thoughts on Viv's story and also got to pick an excerpt to share. Read on to find out what she picked and why!

Valkyrie said: Viv's writing is clear, descriptive, and left me salivating for more.  The story I picked, Endings and Beginnings, is the first in a five part series titled Underneath this Big Ol' Sky.  I chose this excerpt because it's a good introduction to the series, and drew me in immediately when I first read it.  Just a word of warning if you read all five stories... you will want more.  Viv left room for the story to continue, and can only hope that one day she does.  

The subtle vibrations of the paved road had given way to the bumpier terrain five minutes back as the weathered blue pick-up truck turned onto some obscure dirt road Tracey was sure he wouldn’t be able to pick out again if he had to. Somehow, as if that thought wasn’t unsettling enough, the rocky climb up the bluff had him bouncing uncomfortably against the steel door frame, and the occasional jolt that heaved him forward without warning, was starting to make him doubt their safe arrival at Kingsman Bluff. The rugged winding country road didn’t seem to bother Paulette any though, as she navigated through it in a way that told Tracey she had done it countless times over.

    Paulette seemed nice enough, Tracey decided, but she sure didn’t have much to say, and when she did, it seemed more to Tracey, that her words were just part of some mental list overflowing into a place where he could hear them. Then again, it wasn’t like she was happy about this arrangement, or him being there. Truth be told, he was only half listening anyway, his thoughts were elsewhere as he recalled the scene back in the courtroom earlier and the way his old man had hung him out to dry. Bastard, he thought, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the door handle tighter, but if it was out of anger or self preservation, he didn’t know.

    ”You’ll stay in the bunkhouse with Will,”; Paulette said, checking off another item from her mental list.

    ”Yes Ma’am,”; Tracey mumbled in acknowledgment, as if he had a choice, he thought.

    Tracey knew he had been out to Kingsman Bluff before, had to have been, since he caused all that damage to their property, but hell if he could remember it, or how he got there. He shrugged to himself, that didn’t concern him as much as the words that still echoed in his head. You want me to treat you like a man; well you got it, Son. You’re on your own this time.

    ”What are you saying Mr. Marshall?”; Judge Whitman asked as he looked down at Frank Marshall over his wire-rimmed glasses. “Reparations need to be made to the Kingsman property.”;

    ”Your Honor, what I am saying, is that it seems that Tracey will have to find another way to make those reparations himself, ‘cause I’m not paying for it anymore,”; Frank Marshall declared adamantly, with a stubborn tug on his jacket lapels, his suspenders showing at his plump waistline.

    ”Hmmm,”; Judge Whitman mumbled, weighing the remaining options. “It seems that I’m left with no other choice then, but to have this young man make the repairs himself,”; he decided out loud.

    ”Your Honor, there must be some other way,”; Paulette Kingsman stood insistent, plenty perturbed that things had gone in this direction.

    ”I’m sorry Mrs. Kingsman, but I don’t see any other way. This young man has no money, and no job, and the only resource he has to make these reparations to you, is himself,”; he concluded.

To read more, check out the rest of the story here.