Excerpt: Train Tracks: Where Worlds Collide

The author, who was writing this book, frowned as she looked at her rival Kayla’s word count. A little over 25k. The author was impressed, and looked at her own measly word count. A little over 22k. She was dismayed at how few words she had written. She had thought she was getting ahead, but then Kayla pulled a fast one on her and added 3k words to her word count! The author shook her head, continuing to type nonsense as she tried to make sense of this whole ordeal. She had remembered telling Kayla to not bring a knife to a gunfight, and Kayla had replied with a warning, saying to be careful because she could do a trick with the knife… or something of that nature. The author did not remember how that conversation had been exactly. But what she did know, as her glazed eyes stared beyond her computer screen, was that Kayla had indeed pulled a fast one on her. Kayla had indeed brought her knife to the gunfight and done a trick, and now the knife was embedded in the author’s poor, saddened heart. But the author looked up, resolve firmly lining her features. She would not lose the war to this wolf, this knave! She likened it to the battle of Gettysburg and sat up taller, with a little more confidence to her bearing. Yes, the Union had lost a few important battles, but the battle of Gettysburg decided it all in the end. Let Kayla, that Confederate, win a few battles, the author thought with determination. Let her rival throw a few punches! Because in the end, the author resolved that she would prevail. She would win the Civil War with a pen and a paper! She corrected herself with a chuckle. No, she would win the Civil War with a lap top and a keyboard!