Michelle L. Levigne's Blog, page 2

Excerpt: RETURN OF THE LIVING PROOF, Neighborlee, Ohio, Book 9

 "Atleast, we hope. We need a safe place for her to hole up until the demon spawnare born."

Sohelp me, I wished I had a fly swatter. I knew Maurice liked Cerb, so hewouldn't say something like that unless he was either in a viciously snarkymood, or he was joking. Still, I wanted to hit him hard enough to send him allthe way to home plate at Progressive Field. Considering how far away we werefrom Downtown, that would take a lot of muscle power, aided by my telekinetictalent. I was sure I could manage it. How dare he say something like that aboutbabies who hadn't been born yet?

Unlesshe wasn't joking?

"Umm,Maurice … what will the babies look like when they're born? Do they take afterthe physical bodies of their parents, or are they …" I couldn't finish thequestion. I looked into Loralee's big amethyst eyes and I couldn't find thewords. 

Yeah, ever heard of anormal, ordinary dog with amethyst eyes? Proof she was otherworldly.

Excerpt: RETURN OF THE LIVING PROOF, Neighborlee, Ohio, Book 9

 Justa few days after that, Maurice rode over to my house on Cerb. I hadn't seen myguardian hound-angel for a while, and one look at the smaller, cuter houndsitting next to him told me why.

"Cerb,you dog." I couldn't help it.

Thehound was a girl, and since she was visibly pregnant, chances were good she wasthe sweetheart for whom Cerb had taken voluntary exile and guardian service onEarth.

Hesnorted and his mouth fell open, tongue lolling out extra long, with lots ofdrool. His gross way of laughing at me. Maybe getting back at me for theteasing.

"Hey,Lanie," Maurice said, and leaped off Cerb's back to hover in front of me.I knew he was uncomfortable with all the sparkle and glitter of his wings,which were part of his punishment when he was exiled to Earth, but watchingthem go at nearly sonic speed to keep him hovering was … mesmerizing. "Weneed your help."

"Felicityis as close as you're going to get to an OB-GYN for … well, anthropomorphicinterdimensional travelers."

"No,not that." He swallowed and looked a little green for a few seconds. Thecolor hovered longest in the tips of his tiny pointed ears. The guy was onlyfive inches tall, but that was a vibrant shade that just stayed visible."At least, not yet. Loralee isn't due to pop for another month." 

Cerb made a sound somewherebetween a cough, a choke, and a grunt.

PRE-ORDER AND GET SOME GOODIES!!

 

My next Book & Mug Mystery, SKELETONS IN THE CELLAR, is slated to release October 15

IF YOU PRE-ORDER, and email me the Amazon receipt, I'll send you the epub file for a short story set in Cadburn Township, along with a JPG of the town map. Follow this link to get to the Amazon page!

https://amzn.to/4625CRf

SKELETONS IN THE CELLAR

A tale of small town legends, rumors, and academic rivalries.


Local legends speak of a Cadburn daughter who ran off to fight in the Civil War, disguised as a boy, and never came home. Other legends tell of a girl's ghost, in Civil War costume, haunting Cadburn Creek. And then there are the stories of Underground Railroad tunnels going from Cadburn Creek to suspected station houses. But no one has ever proved those stories true.

Three years ago, those rumors mixed with the usual wrangling between the two rival historical societies in Cadburn Township, complicated by the activities of the Spirits of '62, the local Civil War reenactors group, and the bickering between their leader, Steve, and Lyndsy, a history student hoping to make a name for herself, no matter the cost.

Olivia, head barista for Book & Mug, finds herself in the middle of everything, when Lyndsy rents a room in the same historic home and stirs up trouble with an old man obsessed with the Cadburn ghost. She and others breathe a sigh of relief when Steve and Lyndsy leave town abruptly, and the political in-fighting seems to be resolved.

Until an unusually rainy fall causes flooding in Cadburn Creek, revealing the rumors of tunnels to at least be true. When secrets buried for three years are uncovered, the rumors and rivalries and bickering return to the light of day. Saundra, Kai, Eden and Olivia join forces to separate truth from rumors and let the dead rest at long last in peace.

This is the 4th Book & Mug mystery, and I've already got a few things set up at the end of this book to prepare for Book 5, tentatively titled, CARRYING A TORCH.

Email me with your receipt to get your free short story: MichelleLevigne@gmail.com

Excerpt: RETURN OF THE LIVING PROOF, Neighborlee, Ohio, Book 9

 

Justtwo days later, Hayward responded with information, classified for now becauseof its oddness: images of churning, unusual weather patterns in the area of theBermuda Triangle. What looked like the "seeds" of hurricanes, thereone moment, with streaks of electric blue going through them, and then gonejust a few heartbeats later. And no signs that anything had been disturbed,other than broken palm fronds or foam on the water.

Imight have found some hope, to share with my brothers. The disturbances thatseemed to be tied into Lost Kids or Hunt activity were in the vicinity of theTriangle. However, there was a big blank area, clearly visible once thelocations of all the disturbances were marked onto one map. Smack dab in themiddle of that blank area was the hotel where my parents had been staying whenthey vanished. And, as Daniel had revealed to us last summer, where hisgrandfather, Arthur, had been staying. He had been in Bermuda at the same timeas my parents, following up his own research. We were all disappointed to learnthat he hadn't been there to meet my folks or pursue a similar line ofresearch. It was all luck. Maybe bad luck on Arthur's part. He had been knockedflat by something that was still inexplicable, about the same time my folksvanished. He had been drained physically, and his memory of several days wipedaway. Arthur had taken months to recover.

Ofcourse, Neighborlee sat in the middle of a big blank area, too. All sorts ofelectrical energy and disturbances, and our town was in the proverbial eye ofthe storm.

Kindof makes you wonder, you know?

Neighborlee Visitor's Guide: RETURN OF THE LIVING PROOF, book for September

 

Return of the Living Proof

What do a pregnant, shape-changing,interdimensional visitor, a questionable summer job at an even morequestionable new business, a college life sciences project, and returningnemeses have to do with finally finding out what happened to Charlie and RainbowZephyr?

That's what Lanie and her growing teamof allies are trying to figure out.

Cerb is back, with Loralee, the"girl" of his dreams -- both of them stuck in dog shape while onEarth -- and looking forward to a "blessed event." Instead ofsuffering cravings, Loralee digs up Lanie's yard, in her sleep, uncovering jewelsand bones and trouble.

Then there are strange visions thatresult from unwise exploration of Black Water Pool and Jinx's pond. Both areoff-limits spots in the quarries that have been seriously and strangelyaffected by past magic. And Senior Prank Night escapades.

When magically altered water seems toopen a doorway to view the past, Lanie and her brothers take  advantage of a chance to figure out whathappened to their parents in Bermuda, going on two years ago. The question isif they're preparing to rescue their parents -- or if they are the cause of themystery after all.

 

Remember to check out YeOldeDragonBooks.com for information on the book and discount pricing all September.

Check back here later for the quiz, to earn points toward FREE books!

Excerpt: SHRUNK: THE EXILE OF MAURICE, Neighborlee, Ohio, Book 8

 

"Okay …"Maurice nodded. "I see what you mean. Didn't see that coming. I do likeStar Trek …" He clasped his hands under his chin and fluttered hiseyelashes.

Angela sputtered,fighting laughter. "We'll see. If you behave yourself for the next coupleweeks. Now, to business. The guardians can handle the reality of you, intheory. With others who are sensitive enough to see you, we must tread lightly.To avoid tipping them in the wrong direction."

"Like Ken?"

"Perhaps. Kennoticed something, even if he isn't sure what. You don't want to get off to abad start."

"I think I'm offto a great start. Helping two lonely hearts has to make big points with the FaeCouncil, don't you think?"

"Did you makeKen--"

"Nah, he thoughtof that all by himself. Guys like that need full-time keepers, helping othersand ignoring themselves." His frustrated look faded into sympathy."They'd look good together, you think?"

"I think thosetwo would be very good together, yes." Angela tugged Maurice's outfitstraight. "And I think they could do with a little help. A little.Not interference. A few nudges. Clearing a few obstacles out of their path.That sort of thing. Nothing drastic to catch the attention of Humans, and nostrong use of magic."

"What strongmagic?" he snarled. "When the Council pasted these stupid wings on meand shrank me, they shrank everything."

"If you don'tfix that attitude, you can spend the entire Christmas season on thattree." She fought not to burst out laughing when terror blanched his ruddycomplexion.

"It's kind ofhard not to have an attitude when you're used to being over six feet tall andyou're condemned to five inches for two Human years," he moaned He glancedtoward the doorway and leaped into the air, before vanishing in a shower of purplesparks.

Jo came back into theroom, accompanied by Holly. She wore a royal blue calf-length knit shirt-dressthat hugged her slim frame. "What do you think?" She turned around,making the skirt flare out.

"You are goingto knock them dead. They'll have to make you secretary to the president whenyou interview," Angela said.

"I'll just beglad to have a job with regular hours, indoors, and no newsprint or dieselfumes or engine pieces all over the floor."

"Go on back intothat room," she made a twirling motion with her hand, "and don't comeout until you have at least one outfit for each day of the week. That's anorder."

Jo and Holly pickedout three more dresses, two skirts, two pairs of dress pants, and several sweatersand blouses. They chattered excitedly as they left together, hauling Jo's newclothes out to her car.

Angela curved herhands around the Wishing Ball. The dragon's ruby eyes glowed softly in the dimafternoon light. "I wish for you a happily ever after," shewhispered. Sparks spun up out of the Wishing Ball and shot out across the shop,through the front door. They split into two streams outside, following thepaths Jo and Ken had taken.

Excerpt: SHRUNK: THE EXILE OF MAURICE, Neighborlee, Ohio, Book 8

 The moment theyvanished down the hall, the light in the main room lost some of its warmth. TheChristmas tree shuddered. Angela's smile flattened. The angel shot off applegreen sparks, fluttered his wings, and slid down a succession of branches untilhe was eye-level with Angela. He used the last branch as a springboard and dida quadruple twist through the air to land on the counter in front of her.

"Maurice."

"Angela."He gestured at his angel outfit. "Mercy? Haven't I been a good boy most ofthe day?"

"Most of it."Her lips twitched as she fought a smile.

His gold and whiterobes changed to the camouflage clothes he had stolen from G.I. Joe. Mauricesighed in relief, then glanced sideways at her.

"You know whatI'm like. You read that report Asmondius sent you. You asked for it when yousentenced me to the top of the tree in that ridiculous get-up." He crossedhis arms and returned her glare for five seconds. Then they both grinned. "Comeon, Angie-baby. If I have to help Humans, I can have a little fun, can'tI?"

"A 'little fun'is what got you sent here." She stepped back and looked him over."People see more at Divine's."

"Uh, duh,"Lanie Zephyr said, wheeling into the room. "First winkies, now …mini-Legolas?"

"Hey,babe." Maurice saluted, bending over far enough to make himself turn asomersault in mid-air. "Thought I saw you seeing me."

"Nice to knoweverything we went through this summer hasn't driven me bonkers just yet."

"Lanie, couldyou let Maurice and me deal with some business?" Angela said, never takingher gaze off Maurice.

"Hey, sure. Justwanted to make sure I wasn't …" She twirled her forefinger by her righttemple. "I gotta run, committee meeting. You're not into Star Trek, areyou, Maurice?"

"Please."Angela rolled her eyes, but her lips twitched, fighting a smile. "That isthe last thing we need. Most of the people who might be able to hear or evensee Maurice belong to your club. It might not be wise. Not yet, at the start ofhis exile."

"Exile?"Lanie looked like she was going to ask more questions. She took a deep breath,shook her head, and turned to head out of the room. "They'd be less likelyto notice at our Christmas party. Someone's always trying to spike the fake Romulanale …"

"Lanie,go!" 

She flashed the Vulcan salute and her wheelchair speddown the hallway and out of sight. Without touching the wheels.

Excerpt: SHRUNK: THE EXILE OF MAURICE, Neighborlee, Ohio, Book 8

 "Hey,Angela?" She yanked her baseball cap off, letting her sweaty,toffee-colored curls fall down around her shoulders.

"What do I knowabout Ken Jenkins and Myerhausen?" She leaned forward on her partiallycleared counter, blue eyes sparkling. "Myerhausen is about eight milesnorth of Neighborlee. It handles a lot of the shipping, logistics andwarehousing for companies around Cleveland. As for Ken..." She sighed andshook her head. "Ken is a nice guy who always lends a helping hand, butnever seems to get a break."

"That's what Ithought," Jo murmured. She thought of Ken's big, chocolate brown eyes, hissnub nose and his short-cropped hair. Something warmed deep inside.

"The two of youwould make a nice couple." Angela almost sang the words, under her breath.

"Don't even gothere. Until Auntie's hospital bills are all paid up, I'm too busy workingthree different jobs to have a social life, much less..." Jo sighed.

"Get distractedby a truly nice guy?"

"Hormones.Especially if I end up working with, or even for, my Santa Claus. So Myerhausendoes warehousing and shipping, huh? Well, that suits me. All my clothes looklike this." She slapped at her grime-streaked clothes. "Working allthe time has been great for my diet, but not my wardrobe."

Jo had worn heroldest clothes today to help haul boxes out of storage. Her good clothesweren't much better. She had lost a lot of weight since coming to Neighborlee,so her baggy clothes made her look like a ragamuffin. That hadn't matteredbefore, because her paper route and other odd jobs didn't leave her time forsocializing. With Aunt Myrtle's bills to pay off, she didn't have the money toshop for a new wardrobe now, either.

"You are notaiming at a dirty warehouse job," Angela scolded. "I have some nicedresses in the back, just perfect for an office job." She hooked her thumbover her shoulder, in the direction of the secondhand clothing room. "Holly,you helped me hang them up, you know where they are. Don't let her leave untilshe has something nice." 

Holly saluted. She wiped her hands on the seat of herjeans as she crossed the room. When Jo didn't follow her immediately, shegrowled teasingly and grabbed hold of her hand. They went laughing through thedoorway, Holly pretending to drag her.

Excerpt: SHRUNK: THE EXILE OF MAURICE, Neighborlee, Ohio, Book 8

"Good luck."Ken held out his hand. He caught his breath when a spark shot up his arm at thetouch of Jo's warm, smooth hand.

His last task beforehe left the decorating party was to haul two garbage bags to the back storageroom and put them in the wheeled garbage bins. Angela was waiting for him whenhe picked up his coat from the pile in the book room.

"I hope youdon't think making that wish was a waste of time." She rested a hand onhis arm.

"I'm not exactlyin a mood for believing in wishes and magic." He felt almost ashamed tosay that to her. What was Divine's Emporium, if not a magical place?

Angela sighed, andthe sympathy in her eyes was warming, and didn't tie him up in knots insidelike the sympathy he saw in other people. That was part of the magic of thisplace, too. A magic he could still believe in, maybe even needed, desperately.

"Just becauseBrittney used you to get Allistair's attention doesn't mean you, Ken Jenkins,are worthless or a fool. There is still magic in this world. There is stilltrue love. And those who are willing to look for magic and love will find them.Take a chance."

~~~~~

Jo sighed as the lastfew people left the decorating party. Only she, Angela and Holly were left inthe main room, though she thought she heard Lanie and her brothers talking inthe book room. She watched Ken stride out the front door, into the swirlingsnow. His shoulders were bowed like Santa Claus carrying an impossibly heavypack.

He seemed like SantaClaus right now. In the three years since she had moved to Neighborlee to takecare of Aunt Myrtle, Jo had made many wishes at Divine's, but none had evercome true this fast and this clearly before.

She laughed silentlyat herself when she felt the business card crumple in her fist and watched Kentugging his Willis-Brooks College varsity jacket closer around his shoulders.Her smile faded, remembering the stress lines around his mouth and eyes.Somebody needed to do something nice for him. How many people nowadays liftedtheir heads out of their own problems to help someone else?

See You At Books In the Barn!

 

Can you Come??

Saturday, August 23, 202510 AM – 3 PM5530 Radnor Rd, Radnor Ohio
It's going to be great! This will be my third year, and I'm really looking forward to it. Lots of books, vendors with all sorts of goodies besides books, indoors in the shade -- and did I mention there will be BOOKS?
Family-friendly, kid-friendly, fun, interesting BOOKS!