How Charity Sunday works: for every comment made on this blog post, I will donate money to the charity named. The same promise is made for every blog site listed in the group–click the Linky Links link at the bottom of this post to see the list of participants and read/comment on any of them to see a donation go to that blogger’s charity. We’re all different! Thanks for your help and your participation!
Future Founders
While watching the news this past week I learned a bit about a group that was new to me: Future Founders. The feature had three young people (by “young” I mean seniors in high school. When I think of the things I was doing as a senior… Well, let’s just say I wasn’t starting any businesses!) who had an idea and developed it. They found that by the time kids today were taught about finances and business they’d already missed so many opportunities to expand their futures. So, they started Future Founders. ”Future Founders is building the nation’s largest inclusive community of intentional young entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial-minded leaders. To us, “entrepreneur” isn’t a job title. It’s a mindset. One that allows you to take control of your future and pursue what matters most to you. To be an entrepreneur is to be a leader. To raise your hand. To solve the problem. To take the initiative. And when done correctly, to leave the world a little bit better than you found it.” Big goals but they seem to be achieving them.
As a former teacher, I’ve moaned, complained, and screamed over our educational system these days. Kids should be taught less about being an activist and more about how to read, write, and become a contributing member of our society and culture. If things don’t change, I shudder to think where we’ll be in ten years. Future Founders is a bright light in a dark tunnel. Thank you for commenting. I’ll be sending a donation for each one.
Speaking of goals for the future, here are two novellas about just that! Your Desire
Blurb:
Your Desire. A mysterious shop appears in town for one reason: to bring the spice of passion and the thrill of love to one special person. Magic is in more than the item purchased—it’s in the heart of the buyer, often hidden, usually surprising. And after enchantment takes hold and the fantasy is fulfilled? The store fades from sight and memory, only to reappear somewhere else. Maybe in your town…?
Buy link:
Kindle Unlimited eBook: https://www.amazon.com/Your-Desire-Dee-S-Knight-ebook/dp/B085HFRSQ9
Print: https://www.amazon.com/Your-Desire-Dee-S-Knight/dp/1734761016
Excerpt:
Your Desire. The name was painted on the door in simple block print. She pulled the handle and stepped into the cramped store, where she came face to face with an older, prim man in a well-worn suit. Gray touched his temples but not his thin moustache. His dark brown eyes warmed her to her core, and she felt immediate trust in him.
The shop didn’t inspire such trust, however. It was on the shabby side of shabby-chic, and like the man’s suit, had seen better days. That explained why she hadn’t noticed the place before—it wasn’t the sort of establishment in which she usually shopped.
“May I help you?” the man asked.
She turned toward the window display. What the hell! The effect remained the same. The satin seemed to change shades of purple depending on her position. One way she noticed the beads, another she saw the pearls. Now she saw barely visible lines of sequins between folds of the skirt. Although there was no breeze, the skirt seemed to shift, and tiny shards of light shot from the sequins otherwise hidden in the yards of material.
“Yes, that dress in the window, I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“It is unique, part of our special collection.” He sounded proud. “May we make one like it for you?”
“Make one?” She stepped forward and reached out. The touch of her fingers caused swirls of violet to run through the fabric from waist to hem, and she gasped as she jerked her hand away. “No, I need the dress for tomorrow night.” Curious, she faced the man. “I can’t believe you made this. It’s wonderful!”
He closed his eyes and graciously nodded his acknowledgement.
The mannequin in the window drew her attention again. She’d never owned anything so soft and feminine. Suddenly her black pantsuits seemed totally unsuitable for the office party, dull and lifeless, even when she imagined them paired with a bright scarf or lacy camisole.
“How much for this dress?” Damn! She’d failed to keep intense interest from her voice. If she were the salesperson, she’d immediately jack up the price.
“Oh, you don’t want that. It’s only for display and very old. I can’t guarantee your satisfaction.”
Slowly Derica turned to the man, her mind turning over possibilities of why he wouldn’t want to take advantage of a sale. Did he think to haggle and increase the price, now that she’d shown her excitement? Well, if that was his game, she could play, too.
“Perhaps you’re right. I have a formal affair tomorrow night. Do you have anything else?” Casting a glance at the drab interior, she carefully kept her expression neutral. “I’m a size eight,” she offered, seeing him give her an appraising look.
He nodded. “That’s exactly what I would have said. If you’ll follow me, I think we have just what you’re looking for.”
They walked to the back of the store and through a curtained doorway. There she found a softly lighted alcove with two stuffed chairs on either side of a dark-stained piecrust table. A cup of steaming tea and a plate of shortbread were on a tray. She examined the room in amazement, not having expected a showroom. In fact, she’d barely expected curtains on the dressing rooms, based on the appearance of the shop.
“Just make yourself comfortable, and we’ll see what we have, shall we?” He waved her into one of the chairs then turned toward another, smaller doorway to her side. “Edwina, we’re ready.”
A young woman dramatically swept aside the material covering the entryway and emerged wearing a pink chiffon formal with a fitted bodice and long sleeves. What caught Derica’s attention however, was the woman’s shape. She could have been Derica’s body double with her long legs, narrow, rounded hips, and tiny waist. The woman’s breasts would have nicely filled out Derica’s own B-cup bra. The difference came in her beautiful violet eyes and heart shaped, Kewpie doll lips, painted bright red.
And also in her short spiked hair that was a most interesting shade of yellow. Derica was so taken with their similarities in shape, it didn’t occur to her to wonder why the woman was poised and ready to model formal gowns.
“This is my granddaughter, Edwina.” The man beamed at Edwina then turned his warm smile on Derica. “And I’m Nigel Brown.”
“I’m Derica Meadows. That’s a lovely gown, Mr. Brown,” she said, as the woman twirled to show off the flow of the skirt. “But it looks like something for a prom.”
His smile fell ever so slightly. “Oh, dear. Well, Edwina…” He shooed her behind the curtain.
After what felt like only seconds, Edwina came out again, wearing a lime green skirt and white ruffled blouse.
“No, that’s not right at all. I need something for a company dinner, and I want a gown that will knock everyone back on their heels.”
She’d barely taken a sip of tea before Edwina left and came back, this time in a sleek black sheath that displayed too much leg on one end and far too much cleavage on the other. Derica cringed then smiled, thinking of the reactions of The Wives if she wore this dress to the party. But a sexy little number wasn’t what she wanted. She wanted mystery underlying a thoroughly feminine sophistication.
She wanted the dress in the window.
Nigel looked at Edwina and opened his mouth to say something—probably to tell her to try something else—but Derica stopped him. “Mr. Brown, let me speak frankly. You’ve shown me lovely dresses but the only thing I’ve seen that interests me is the dress in the window. If you’re not prepared to let me buy it…?” She shrugged her shoulders. “Then I’m afraid I have no business here. So, will you entertain a purchase, or not?”
Pursing his lips and tapping his mouth with his forefinger, Nigel stood silent. Edwina disappeared behind the curtain and then moments later passed through the showroom and into the shop, dressed in heeled, dark brown leather boots, a mid-calf length brown suede skirt and high-necked white blouse. How does she do that? But Derica didn’t have time to ponder the question further.
“Would you be willing to pay two hundred dollars as a deposit? As I mentioned, it is one of a kind and I’d hate to lose the only pattern I have.” Nigel spoke without a trace of indecisiveness. Derica admired a person who took the bull by the horns once they’d made a decision.
“Two hundred dollars as a deposit? That amount won’t give me ownership?” Two hundred was a steal to buy the thing, but to rent it? He was a canny businessman after all.
“Let’s call it a lease. If you return it undamaged by the end of the month, and you’ve been satisfied with the results, your money will be refunded.”
She narrowed her eyes. “I’ve never heard of any store doing this kind of thing.”
He waved his hand. “We’re not like any other store you’ve frequented, Ms. Meadows. Can’t you tell that?”
Author Dee S. Knight:
A few years ago, Dee S. Knight began writing, making getting up in the morning fun. During the day, her characters killed people, fell in love, became drunk with power, or sober with responsibility. And they had sex, lots of sex.
After a while, Dee split her personality into thirds. She writes as Anne Krist for sweeter romances, and Jenna Stewart for ménage and shifter stories. All three of her personas are found on the Nomad Authors website (www.nomadauthors.com). Fortunately, Dee’s high school sweetheart is the love of her life and husband to all three ladies! On the last Sunday of the month, look for Dee’s Charity Sunday blog posts, where your comment can support a selected charity.
Author links:
Website: https://nomadauthors.com
Blog: http://nomadauthors.com/blog
Twitter: http://twitter.com/DeeSKnight
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DeeSKnight2018
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/265222.Dee_S_Knight
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B079BGZNDN
LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/dee-s-knight-0500749
Sweet ‘n Sassy Divas http://bit.ly/1ChWN3K
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