“Okay. Just a bit more.” Chris wedged his shoulder under the microwave while Tyler screwed it in above. “There.”

“That’s it?” Chris stepped out but kept a hand underneath it, just in case. The memory of the microwave taking a nose dive earlier was still fresh in his mind.

“That’s it. Let’s see.” Tyler pushed the plug into the wall and the screen flashed four green zeros. “Ta da.”
​
“I wish I’d called you in the first place. You might have kept me from almost getting electrocuted.” Chris stepped all the way back and admired their handiwork. Jane had been right. This one looked much nicer.

If Chris had half the faith in how easy this project would be that Jane did, he wouldn’t have read the instructions three times. But he’d never been very handy at fixing things. Not like Jane’s dad and grandfather. And yet, she kept coming up with these “easy” projects she wanted them to tackle.

The idea of letting her down in any way tore him up inside. So, here he was again, trying to live up to her expectations. And wondering how he was going to fail this time.

The screws on top came out easily enough. He worked them all the way up and then lowered himself to where Jane held up the appliance. Now, to lift it off ...

“Okay. I’m going to try and lift it away. Ready?”

“Got it.” She stepped back, allowing him room to maneuver.
​
He gripped each side and jerked it forward, but it barely moved. 

​Thanks so much for joining us this week to read my birthday gift to you, a short story. If you need to catch up, the first day is here. Have fun!

Jane shouldn’t hover. But much as she tried to convince herself to back off, she remained seated at the table, watching Chris unbox her new microwave. Maybe hooking up appliances wasn’t romantic or fun, but ever since they’d moved into their house two years before, the microwave already installed over the stove had deteriorated with a rapidity that led her to believe its demise was imminent.

She was simply being proactive.

Chris gave an extra-loud grunt as he lifted the thing from its Styrofoam cushion and plunked it onto her grandmother’s dining table. Jane bit back a groan as the possibility of scratches in the antique oak zipped through her mind. Not worth it. He was doing this for her.

“Okay. Now what?” Jane rubbed her hands together.

“Now, you let me look over the instructions.” Chris glanced at her above the new appliance and then returned to perusing the paperwork spread out in front of him.
​
“Right.” She plopped back into her seat.

For the last few years, I've shared a short story here on my blog, one piece a day for the week of my birthday. And once a person starts a tradition like that, she can't really stop, can she? So, I've written one for you this year based on something that really happened to my husband and me this summer. I'll let you guess which parts are true and which are made up. Enjoy!

​Here's part one.

“I don’t want a bunch of stuff for my birthday.”

Could there be any scarier statement than that? Chris could almost hear the threat between the words. He lowered the book he’d been reading and waited for Jane to drop the bomb.

“What? Don’t give me that look. It’s true.” Jane’s pretty lips took on the pout that always made him want to kiss her, no matter what crazy plot she had brewing.

Best to get it out at once instead of letting her torture him with all sorts of imaginings. “So, what do you want?”

Please don’t say a puppy.
​
“Well ...” A certain look entered her blue eyes, telling him what was coming might be worse than a new pet. “Know how we’ve been talking about replacing the microwave over the stove?”

It's my birthday next week. Know what that means?

It means we're going to have fun! Want to know how?

I've got several ways this year.

I don't read a ton of suspense novels, because I like mine to be a little less ... stressful. Ha! But, if I were to go pick one up, the author I'm interviewing today is one who would tempt me. Cindy Bonds is part of the Scrivenings Press family with me, and her second book released a few months ago. I think you're going to enjoy getting to know her a little more, as well as learning about her books. Read on!

Hey Cindy. Congrats on your second book! Is this book connected to the first book, or are they both stand-alone?

Both of these books are stand alone. Since I’m relatively new to the market, I wanted to get my foot in the door and learn with these two first! There are some similarities as in most of my books. I enjoy a strong female lead and someone that can stand up for herself. The other side of that also means that the male protagonist has to be strong as well and willing to put up with a bit of a stubborn streak!

What is it about suspense that makes you love that genre the most?

I love the tension and mystery in suspense. How all the characters interact and fit together, how the mystery clings and characters change and evolve through the story is a wonderful thing to read. Figuring out the mystery as to not only why, but how everything connects is what draws me in.
When I’m reading a really great suspenseful novel, all the mystery connects beautifully and makes it one of those books you want to read over and over again! One day, I aspire to be that writer with that book!