Hello everyone! Super excited to be a part of this Wattpad Block Party. A big thank you goes out to KellyAnneBlount for hosting this event, and another one goes out to MelodyHall for her hard work in creating the graphics.

A bit about myself: I am a Wattpad Star based out of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. My completed works list is relatively short, with only one full length novel to my resume. That would be "Playing By The Rules", which won a Wattys award in 2016. I have a few more stories on the way, including the one I'm about to show you in this sneak peek.

Outside of Wattpad, I'm an university student working towards my degree in marketing and management. I'm also very passionate about sports, having been on numerous teams before I turned to coaching.

But enough about me, let's talk about the story!

A Penny For Your Thoughts is inspired by my trip to San Francisco in the summer of 2016, APFYT will be my second full length novel. Here is the story description:

As an accountant, Dylan Reed's life revolves around revenues and expenses. Until a trivial encounter brings him and a free spirited surfer named Penny Campbell together. Spontaneous, energetic and lively, Penny shows Dylan that there is more to life than just numbers.

When an accident takes away Penny's vision, the tables turn. Suddenly vulnerable, the formerly radiant surfer isolates herself from the rest of the world, including Dylan. As the girl he has come to love becomes a shell of her past self, Dylan takes it upon himself to help Penny discover the beauty of life from a whole new perspective.

Aside from the romance between Dylan and Penny, readers will also find a secondary focus on setting descriptions. The city is breathtakingly beautiful and I want to highlight that to my readers. Without further ado, here is an excerpt from the opening chapter of my new project.

***

I was told to stand on the right side of the cable car. The grip man, noticing my uncertainty, had offered me that piece of advice.

"With a clear view of landmarks such as crooked Lombard Street and the infamous Alcatraz Island, this side provides the most bang for your buck!"

Judging by his enthusiasm, I suspected that the grip man thought I was a tourist. I supposed I did seem like one. Even though I was born and raised in the Bay Area, I never took the time to explore everything San Francisco had to offer. As a result, my knowledge of the city was limited to that of a traveler's, if not less.

I wasn't completely oblivious to my surroundings. While most neighborhoods were a mystery to me, the Financial District was my saving grace. I knew that section like the back of my hand. Especially the corner of Merchant and Montgomery.

On that corner, overshadowed by the iconic Transamerica Pyramid across the street, was Armstrong & Lynch. I had been working every day at the firm for the past half decade. Barring a holiday, I was in my office five days a week, fifty two weeks a year, for five years.

My Cal Ripken-esque streak would have continued if Paul Armstrong, my supervisor and one of the partners of the company, hadn't threatened to fire me for stockpiling vacation time. He was joking about the firing part. Not so much about taking a brief vacation.

With the busy tax season in our rearview mirror, Paul insisted that I take a two week break. I was reluctant to comply at first, but Paul wasn't going to take no for an answer. Once the paid vacation card was played, I realized that I only had one choice. After putting some more thought into it, I decided that a slight deviation from my regular schedule didn't seem like a bad idea.

That brought me to this cable car ride.

Twenty eight years into living in the Bay Area, and I had yet to set foot on the iconic transport network. I felt a little guilty, even a little less San Franciscan, but with a car at my disposal, I never found the need to take the cable cars. Especially since the lines didn't connect to my workplace.

As the cable cars left the market and headed towards the wharf, I could understand why they were a smash hit with tourists and locals alike. With its relatively slow pace, the cars allowed riders to fully enjoy the sights and scenes of the city, and there was something inexplicably romantic about that.

The grip man had also told me to ignore the seats and take a standing place at the front of the car. Thankfully, I heeded his advice and I reaped the benefits of doing so.

Standing made for an adventurous ride. I was inches away from the road, but the pole that I held on to prevented me from being roadkill. This freedom felt wonderful, especially when I compared it to the confinement of my daily routine. Home, office and car. I was boxed in for most of the past few years.

Aside from the view, the standing area was also invaluable for its fresh air intake. My light blue dress shirt - the one I wore on the first day of work - billowed in the gentle summer wind. There was simply no alternative for the seaside breeze. Air conditioning was great, especially in the summer, but it was a far cry from the fresh winds coming in from the coast.

That was just something San Francisco was blessed with, and we were grateful to have it. Admittedly, I didn't take full advantage of this, but a quick whiff reminded me of the city's natural beauty.

A slight nudge on the back of my leg aroused my curiosity. I peered over my shoulder and noticed that a girl, perhaps a few years younger than me, was climbing on to the car, unseen by the conductor or the grip man. Since it was a Saturday, there were more than a handful of riders on the car and the girl used the wall of bodies as a cover for her move.

My parents were dedicated in ensuring that I was raised with a strong sense of morals. I knew the difference between right and wrong, and what this girl was doing definitely fell on the latter side of the ledger. For some reason, though, I was unwilling to hold my ground. I watched as the girl struggled to climb on the moving car and something tugged at my heart. It might not have been the right choice from a legal standpoint, but I offered the stranger a hand and pulled her on to the car.

The girl straightened out her apricot colored blouse, which was only a few shades lighter than her persimmon orange hair, and took her place beside me. As she reached for the pole for support, her wash worn jeans gently brushed against mine and I felt an odd sensation in the pit of my stomach.

"Thank you." Her rosy lips curled upwards and formed the sweetest smile I had ever seen. It wasn't just the lips. Her lustrous green eyes sparkled in the afternoon sun and her soft nose crinkled ever so gently in response to the brisk wind. For a moment, I found myself unable to look away.

When the stranger's smile changed from gratitude to amusement, I knew that I had overdone it. My usually light colored cheeks turned pink as blood surged to my face.

"You - you're welcome." Flustered by my actions, I stumbled with two simple words and made a fool out of myself.

It should be noted that I was never good with speaking or females, much less the two combined. Some of the other businessmen had that savvy style and made communication look simple, but that was a skill that I lacked. My strength was with numbers, not with people.

I turned away in embarrassment and looked out towards the street, where the cable car museum was slowing coming into focus. Two people were jogging off in the distance, taking advantage of the moderately warm June weather to exercise.

"Weather's looking beautiful," the girl remarked. Her desire for conversation pulled me in, despite my lack of grace in that department.

"It's not bad. Maybe a bit chilly, but I can't complain." As if to support my statement, a gust of wind made my dark brown hair wavier than ever. Likewise, the stranger's curly orange locks began dancing in the breeze.

"It's San Francisco," she stated matter-of-factly, before bursting into laughter and I couldn't help but to chuckle along with her.

There wasn't anything funny in her statement. After all, mild climate and the city went hand in hand. That was a well documented fact. It was the pure joy in her laughter that made me want to share her happiness.

In a city famous for its history in the California Gold Rush as well as its current participation in technological advances, this girl was an oddity. A good kind of oddity. There was something refreshingly natural about this stranger. The way she emanated an easy flowing happiness seemed to uplift my mood. I knew next to nothing about this girl, but I knew that I felt relaxed around her presence.

Now that we were on talking terms, I felt like it was time to mention my concern. "That wasn't right, you know?"

The girl arched an eyebrow and tilted her head up towards me. She was only a few inches shorter than my six foot two frame, but that move further trimmed down our distance. I could feel her warm breath on my face, and my heart pounded faster than ever.

Up close, I could see the her beauty wasn't perfect. A dazzling array of freckles lined her cheekbones, and a few acne spots tainted her fair complexion. Her appearance wasn't perfect by most standards, but somehow, every little aspect of her face came together to create an odd sense of perfection.

***

If you would like to read more, the first few chapters of the story are now posted on my profile. Also keep an eye out for any new works!

That's all from me. If you would like to contact me, feel free to drop a message in my inbox, write on my wall, or find me on social media (usernames listed below!)

Signing out,

Brandon Wong

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