I hope you enjoyed "The Shuffle" and "The Deal".  Keep up with "Freeborn" as the cards are added to the pile, and don't miss the first two Award Presentations coming soon. Start "Freeborn" now:   http://thedecksandtheroad.blogspot.com/2017/10/freeborn-chapters-1-3.html To get the history on the "Freeborn" characters and storyline, read  A Better Pair of Shoes at: abetterpairofshoes.blogspot.com FAQ: "What is a Suspended-Release Novel?" Answer:  A Novel that has its contents released in a suspended manner, according to the schedule prescribed by the author or publisher. Purpose:  To engage the reading audience with an interactive book publishing and book release event.   Learn more:  http://thedecksandtheroad.blogspot.com/2017/10/welcome-to-decks-of-our-lives.html Freeborn, a novel Freeborn © Grace Call Communications, LLC Copyright © 2017 by Natisha Renee Williams All Rights Reserved

The Decks and the Road book 1- Freeborn Chapter 10 Natalie - I enjoyed working at the shop on Saturdays.  Being a Shepherd was fun.  For my father, it appeared to be a great burden, but for me, it was a blessing.  I didn’t usually hang out in the back office, but my dad had me sorting out some of his files.  He was like that sometimes.  Sometimes, it seemed he wanted to ensure I wasn’t just getting by.  Anyway, no matter the task, the energy was always good and the other workers were super friendly.  It was a good break from the customers, and I got to see my father in another light.  He was not as laid back as he was at home.  He was full of orders, and actually he was full of knowledge too.  I could always tell the customers that had been around for a while, because they always seemed to want my dad to look over their cars.  It wasn’t that anything was wrong, but they waited for his blessing.  They stood at th...

The Decks and the Road book 1- Freeborn Chapter 8 Erilyn - My Husband was a strong and handsome man.  He had so much heart.  I knew he still had heart for me, but I didn’t know how much.  We were happy to have each other, but I don’t know if we were happy with each other anymore.  I saw him every day, but I wasn’t sure if he saw me.  We danced around each other, sometimes we bumped into each other, other times we pecked each other on the lips, and we always slept together, but the distance between us continued to grow.  I knew the secret I held had always kept me at a distance, but I didn’t know if all the distance between us was my own.  Over the years it grew.  It felt as though it was too big now to close, and now that Natalie didn’t need us as much, even she looked uncomfortable with it.  Each of us looked at it, thought about it, and probably in our own mind examined it, but none of us dared to go near it.  Anyway, ...

The Decks and the Road book 1- Freeborn Chapter 7 Tayeton - It was the day of reckoning.  I didn’t know how I would hold up.  My mother gave me strength.  I didn’t assume I would be as strong without her.  I also needed to hold up Kaylin.  I was just about ready, and I could bet she would be too, but I thought to check in on her.  I crossed the hall, and stuck my head into her room.  She was praying.  I didn’t know she prayed.  I didn’t really know my mother to pray, and I myself only ever prayed sometimes in my head, but she was kneeling beside her bed.  I did notice she was all dressed, and so I thought to leave her.  Funny, even as I sat for months knowing my mother was leaving me, I hadn’t really thought to pray.  It just seemed so final; so set in stone.  I didn’t bother to eat breakfast, and I found myself just sitting on my bed now deep in thought.  All of a sudden, I wanted to pray.  The image...

The Decks and the Road book 1- Freeborn Chapter 4 Dr. Kat Shepherd - I got the text from my sister late on a Friday night.  We hadn’t spoken much in recent months.  We always seemed to go a distance between calls.  It wasn’t because I led a busy life, but because we led such different lives.  She was older, and my progress had become offensive to her.  I wanted her to do better.  We all wanted her to do better, but something great pulled her to see her life in a simplistic way.  Anyway, the text was simple.  It read, “You’re going to meet someone.  Put aside everything you think you know.”  I didn’t respond.  She never needed my feedback, and besides, it got me all in my veins.   I was useless.  Almost instantaneously hope raised its head.  That was the thing about hope— it’s light-hearted that way.  Naturally, my mind wandered, but not too far.  My heart wasn’t as light-hearted, and I did...

The Decks and the Road book 1- Freeborn Chapter 1 Nathan - My father was a serious man.  He never appeared to fully relax.  His eyes always seemed to be following the movements, actions, and even the thoughts of the people around him.  I got the feeling that he hadn’t achieved all that he’d thought of achieving in his life.  Yet, he stood so tall.  He held our family up with a tight grip, and my brother and I were never really more than an arm’s length away.  In the evenings, we sat around the table waiting for him to pour out his wisdom.  My mother never sat around though.  Perhaps she’d already heard all he had to say.  I remembered a lot of what he said, but I hadn’t quite found the opportunity to share any of it.  My family looked somewhat like ours did back then, but there were secrets that seemed to keep us from gathering.  I mostly just kept my head down, and saw to it that we had everything we needed.  I ha...