Alane Ferguson's Blog, page 3

I Had a Brainwave!

Revisions can SUCK, but it's actually really fun when your editor is totally awesome, like mine. She's been pushes for something more concrete in one chapter of my book. So I had to come up with more specific rules for the game show in The Dead Giveaway, which had me walking in circles going, 'How, exactly, do I create a believable reality show and how can I spice up the 'rules'? Then my wonderful daughter-in-law Mandy came over and we threw out everything I had and just started making up new rules that are hilarious/creepy/just-wait-Hollywood-will-really-make-a-show-out-of-this and now I have that last chapter to rework and huzzah - DONE! Please keep lighting those candles for me to create/write/work, since I'm speaking in Florida at the end of the month and I want TDG finished before I leave. You're rooting really helps! I can feel your positive energy all the way out here in Colorado... :)

I Heard From My Editor!!!

Yeah - back-flips and cartwheels - I heard from my editor about the revision, and she wants me to write and new first chapter that will then be followed by the Chapter One I posted on this site. I had an idea that she loved, and I'm madly working on it right now. I'll post it as soon as she says this new submission will be the final final final published manuscript. Ah, the world of a writer! On a fun note, they hired a beautiful model for my cover, and will carry out the shoot next week. I saw a mockup and I LOVE what they are doing. Penguin ROCKS! That's what is happening, which I know is frustrating for you but equally frustrating for me, because first chapters are the hardest and I'm back to square one. Revision is part of the process. And truthfully, I like my new direction. Wait and see.... Hope everyone is gearing up for the holidays and that you are surrounded by family and friends! Thankfully, I've got my decorations up and my gifts purchased, which means clear sailing for theisrevision. I should have it in by Christmas!

Still Waiting for my Editor!

Hi to my wonderful friends - just another quick update to let you all know I'm still WAITING to hear dates/release/permission details from Penguin. There's been a HUGE takeover of Penguin in the publishing world, so that may be the cause of the delay. I'm so glad I have other projects that are keeping me crazy in the meantime! Yes, I did catch more ghostly activity on my last ghost hunt at the New Mexico's very haunted Legal Tender, which will be so useful when I write Dragonfly Eyes. But I'm also working on a book/movie for famous producer Bill Borden, and just today I found out my National Geographic series is being optioned for television. The television adaptation of Body Language (the Cammie forensic books) is still underway as well! So, as I've said before, my brain has to move from aliens (The Book of the Dawning: Blood and Tears) to ghosts (Dragonfly Eyes) to the forensic series (Body Language) - aack! At least I love what I do!

Happy Halloween!

Thanks for everyone who has written concerning my next two chapters - I think the hold-up at Penguin is that they've just been bought out by a German company and we are consolidating with Random House into one of the largest publishing companies in the world! On top of that, Hurricane Sandy hit New York and shut everything down, so I've had to postpone my talks with my editor and agent. Sorry for the delay - I'm working on getting their permission! in the meantime, I'm off to New Mexico for a real ghost hunt in a very haunted, very old building. It's called the Legal Tender, and my team and I are actually spending the night! On our last ghost hunt at a residence in Ault, Colorado we caught an actual ghost on my infrared camera, which I will post. So...Happy Halloween, stay safe, and I'll check in when everything calms down in New York! XO's, Alane Ferguson P.S. I really, truly appreciate all of your support for Cameryn and Justin! Love to you all!

So Happy You Liked The First Chapter!

I had a bit of trouble with the text in Chapter One (I couldn't get any indentations to show up, which made the paragraphs run into each other. Aack!) I wrote about my margin frustration but those comments somehow mysteriously disappeared upon posting, so sorry it came out in such a chunky block! Anyway, I already had one positive, cheerful response to my setup, which makes my heart sing! As for chapter two, there are legal issues when posting copyrighted material, so I'm not sure if I can sneak that in or not. I'll try to find out. In the meantime, thanks again for the positive feedback. You won't believe what happens to Cameryn in California, mawhahah! (And yes, it has to do with Justin!) XO's, Alane

THE DEAD GIVEAWAY!

Chapter One “Cameryn, open up. I’ve got a surprise for you!” Justin exclaimed as he knocked on Cameryn’s dorm room in a rapid-fire rhythm. “Oh, come on!” Lyric moaned to Cameryn as she raked blue fingernails through her freshly dyed, pumpkin-colored hair. The two of them were nestled into their battered, used loveseat that had been draped with a blanket to hide its preexisting stains. Curled up, with Cameryn’s boney hip pressed against Lyric’s plump one, they’d been preparing to once again watch Cameryn’s audition for a new television reality show called The Dead Giveaway, a forensic program where college students competed for a dazzling money prize. “This is girl’s night and you promised to watch,” Lyric protested. Deliberately aiming the remote, she pressed ‘play’. The television flashed. My name is Cameryn Mahoney and I live in Durango, Colorado, where I am a freshman at Fort Lewis College. It has been my lifelong dream to become a forensic pathologist! Cameryn’s image chirped from the screen. “Cammie!” Justin cried, his voice more insistent. “I know I’m interrupting but you really need to see this.” “I’ll be right there!” she called to her door, which was flimsy enough to allow sound to pass through. “Sorry,” she sighed to Lyric, “it must be important.” Planting her palms on either side of her of her hips, Cameryn lifted herself as she hopped off the loveseat. Lyric rolled her blue, kohl-rimmed eyes. “All right, I will hit ‘pause’ for five minutes, but that’s it.” She aimed the controller at the set so that Cameryn’s image froze in place. “Must I remind you that your best friends needs time, too? And now he’s here,” she swooped the controller through the air, “– again! I understand you guys can’t live without each other but I really wanted to watch the part where you pop off the skull with that screwdriver-thingy. It’s so disturbingly cool.” “I’ll be quick,” Cameryn told her. “I promise.” Although she tried to make her expression serious, for Lyric’s sake, Cameryn couldn’t help but smile, happy that Justin had provided an excuse to get out of yet another viewing. Winning a spot on The Dead Giveaway had filled her dreams during the months since she’d sent in the audition DVD. The problem was she’d never gotten used to seeing her image on film. I look too young, she thought whenever she’d viewed herself in those overlarge pale green, hand-me-down morgue scrubs, paper booties and the stiff, bouffant cap that puffed from her head like a gauzy cloud. With her long hair pulled up, her large, dark eyes appeared almost alien; her voice sounded too thin, too high. Cameryn knew her slight build and short stature made her look much, much younger than her eighteen years, and that would most likely kill her chances at being chosen out of the thousands who had applied. Bang bang bang. Justin’s knocking became more insistent. “Okay, okay, I’m coming!” Cameryn’s bare feet padded against the linoleum squares as she made her way to the one person who knew her almost as well as she knew herself. When she flung it open his dark hair had been dusted in a fine layer of Durango snow that reminded Cameryn of powdered sugar. “You’re out of breath!” she said, brushing the snow off his shoulders. “Sorry,” he huffed, “I ran across the parking lot - took the stairs at -top speed.” He sucked in another gulp of air. “Lyric is not happy you’re here,” she whispered. Rolling onto her toes, she kissed his cold cheek. “I was supposed to be on best friend duty tonight, remember?” “Yeah, I’m seriously thinking of burning my ‘Team Justin’ tee shirt,” Lyric’s singsong voice chimed. “My – apologies - Lyric.” Cameryn laughed as she shook her head. “So…what is it? What’s the 911 emergency?” “Something came today.” His eyes, like lasers, were attuned to her now. It was the way he looked at Cameryn that made every hair on her arms rise up with her gooseflesh. From the inside of his jacket he removed a FedEx envelope, gasping, “They sent it to your old house by mistake – the Hollywood geniuses missed the fact you’re in college now.” His fingers bent the cardboard as he gripped it too tight. “I told your mammaw I would drive it down.” Cameryn froze, staring. “Are you sure it’s from them?” she asked weakly. “It says The Dead Giveaway,” he answered, “So yeah, I’m sure. This is it, Cammie.” In an instant Lyric was at her side. “Oh, my God!” She reached out for the envelope. “What are you waiting for? Let’s open it right now!” “Uh…wow. Okay. Just, give me a second.” Cameryn ran her fingers through her curls and braided them into a long rope, buying mental time. Because inside that cardboard sheath lay the answer to her future, a knowledge both terrifying and exhilarating. It contained the ‘yes’ or the ‘no,’ the ‘go’ or the ‘stay,’ the fame or anonymity. It was everything. Or maybe nothing at all. Standing tall against the doorframe Justin was rigid. Cameryn understood his body language well enough to know he wanted to open that envelope with her alone, without Lyric’s prying eyes, but he was waiting for Cameryn herself to make the decision about what happened next. “Ohhhh,” Lyric breathed out the word. “I get it. I’m not wanted, which is incredibly awkward since this whole thing was my idea in the first place. But, no worries.” Her hand flew up as Cameryn began to protest. “I’ll just go knock on Sara’s door and see if I can score me a Coke. But Cammie, you’ve got to promise to text me as soon as you open it!” “Thanks, Lyric,” Justin told her softly. “For understanding.” “Well, just so you know, my psychic powers are amped to overdrive – and Cammie - you’re going to Hollywood,” she squealed. Lyric stepped around Justin, her pink faux fur slippers whisking against the floor as her terrycloth robe wound between her legs until she vanished around a corner. Cameryn watched from the doorway, chewing her lip. “Aren’t you going to open it?” Justin asked, raising an eyebrow in a dark arch. His breathing had slowed, and he raked back his too-long hair, revealing eyes that were the color of deep water, the blue-green found in the center of a mountain lake. He must have just gotten off of work because he was dressed in his almost-uniform: faded jeans, his green aviator jacket with the collar flipped up, the cowboy boots that had become as worn as a true westerner’s, and a deputy badge hanging from a cord around his neck. A smile lifted the corners of his mouth. “Cameryn Mahoney, you actually look scared. Aren’t you the person who puts her hands inside dead people?” He extended the envelope toward her so that the purple FedEx logo was just inches away, and yet she could not bring herself to take it from him. Her fists remained clenched firmly at her sides. “Come on,” he said, and this time his voice had an edge. “This is my life, too.” Still, she could not move. “Okay, then I’ll do it.” He pinched his fingers and began to pull the thread-like tab. “No - stop!” she cried, so loud it startled a pair of girls ambling by. They glanced at her before moving on, their backpacks bumping together as they walked on. “Sorry, I’m just…freaking out. I mean, I know I had a huge advantage since I work for a medical examiner, but, bottom line, only ten people get chosen for this reality show. Ten. As long as I don’t look, I can believe there’s still a possibility I got picked. So please, let me hope for a minute longer.” “That does not sound like the scientific Cameryn I know,” he replied. “I’m complicated.” She shook her head. “Anyway, it doesn’t matter. Lyric’s wrong. It’s a ‘no’.” She pointed to the envelope. “I can feel it.” He didn’t even try to hide his pleasure as his face erupted into a crooked grin. “If The Dead Giveaway turns you down, then I win.” “And I lose.” Her words hung in the air, and she hated herself for the hurt that flickered behind his eyes. But it only remained a moment before it dipped beneath the waves and his face was impassive once again. “It depends on how you look at it.” As his fingertip brushed against her cheek, she could feel herself leaning in to his touch. And then came his voice, lower now, “Would it really be so bad to stay here with me?” When she hesitated the flicker returned to his eyes. “Look,” he said, “I’m not trying to be selfish, but I don’t want us to be apart, Cammie. Not after everything you and I have lived through. With something this big – like a move and Hollywood - people change. Even if they don’t mean to.” She nodded, because of course she wanted to be close to Justin, safely enrolled in her freshman year at Fort Lewis College, a mere hour from her father and her mammaw. Moving to the city of Durango had been a comfortable transition, a new beginning rooted in old earth. The essence of her small town life had been packed into her Jeep along with her clothes and her laptop and Tupperware filled to the brim with her grandmother’s Irish Lace cookies. Even Dr. Moore had offered her a part-time job as his assistant, a position she’d readily accepted, and she’d stepped into the role without missing a beat. But when Cameryn and Lyric had moved into the Cooper Dorm in July, she’d stood on their cement balcony, wondering at how Durango’s stars exactly mirrored Silverton’s night sky. And why wouldn’t they? The San Juan Mountains cradled Durango in the same way they’d cupped tiny Silverton, and she’d realized that Durango was just a grown up, polished twin of her home town. That sameness had been a comfort, a blanket of continuity in which she’d wrapped herself, cocoon-like and safe. She’d been content with that. Until Lyric had planted the idea of trading the mountains for an ocean. Doctor Moore had been outraged, blaming Lyric for putting such a crazy plan into her head, but Cameryn knew it wasn’t Lyric’s fault. Because the truth was, deep down, a seed had been germinating since she’d moved into the dorm. At night she could almost hear the whispers in her subconscious, fading echoes that hinted there might be more out there in the world, beyond the life she seemed preordained to live. It made her feel guilty. In the eight months since he’d been stabbed, she and Justin had grown together, the two of them becoming all but inseparable. The milestones of their lives had come in quick succession: his returning to his job as deputy of Silverton, her graduation with honors, her move to Fort Lewis, their weekends split between Durango and Silverton. And she’d been happy. So the notion of her walking away, even for three months, was painful because it ripped away at what they’d woven together. And yet…she was only eighteen and had barely been outside the borders of Colorado. That was when it hit her: she’d spent so much time speaking for the dead she wasn’t sure what she had to say for herself. And now an answer was waiting only inches away, clenched in Justin’s hand. Bouncing the soft side of his fist against the doorframe he said, “So open it already.” The flush on his cheeks made Justin’s eyes look electric. “I will. It’s just…I don’t want to do this in the hallway. Come inside.” “But your pop said I couldn’t enter the premises unless –” Before he could finish speaking she grabbed his jacket and pulled him into her dorm room, a small square just large enough for the loveseat and two twin beds, one covered with peace signs and the other, Cameryn’s, made up with a simple denim comforter. “Justin,” she said, “I’m making the decisions now. And it’ll be okay.” Sinking onto her bed, she patted the end and said, “Sit.” He sat. For a moment the stayed that way, with Justin’s hand in hers, until he tossed the envelope to one side and thrust out his arms. Without a thought Cameryn folded herself into him, resting her head against his shoulder as she listened to his heartbeat thump, steady and strong. She felt she could stay there forever, in the twilight of possibilities, but it was Justin who pulled away. “Let’s get it over with,” he said. Reaching past her fingertips he picked up the envelope and placed it in her hands. The return address typed in black ink: The Dead Giveaway, Audition Department, Warner Hollywood Studios, 1041 N. Formosa, Hollywood, CA 90046. With her finger she traced the letters, swallowing hard. Then, grasping the cardboard tab, she pulled hard across the top. There was a ripping sound as she released the plastic thread. Justin was right – there was no point in dragging it out any longer. So it shocked her all the more when he reached out to stay her hand. “Wait,” he said. “Why?” “I want you to kiss me first. For luck.” “Your luck,” she whispered, “or mine?” “Mine.” Leaning close, he tipped his head so that his lips lightly brushed hers; she noticed the taste of peppermint and registered the roughness of his chin. When his lips pressed harder she had a crazy idea, because it seemed as though she could almost feel the pounding of his thoughts, as if the word ‘stay’ pulsed in time with his heartbeat. But she couldn’t let herself be swayed. This was her dream, her rainbow and her pot of gold. Breaking free, she popped opened the envelope and felt for the paper inside. The paper was thick, like linen, and at the top there was a blue and gold seal that made her think of gilded wedding invitations. Dear Ms. Mahoney, it began. As her eyes skimmed the rest of the words her hand flew to her throat as she gave out a cry. “I’m in, Justin!” she screamed, jumping to her feet. “I’m actually in!” Twirling in an arc, the paper flapping in her hand, she felt something inside rise up, a bubble bursting. “I can’t believe it! I made it! Me! They want me! They want me!” If Justin said something in reply she didn’t hear. The colors of the room whirled past her as she spun herself like a whirligig. A single thread of her cocoon was unwinding as she turned again and again until she felt Justin’s hand on her arm, stopping her cold. It took a moment for her eyes to refocus. She could tell that for her sake that he would do his best to pretend he was happy. “Congratulations,” he said woodenly. “I know, right?” she cried as she hugged her sides, unable to contain herself. “Lyric is going to go insane – I’ve got to text her! Doctor Moore hates reality television so he’ll pitch a fit when I tell him, but he’s not the one paying for my college, so -” “That’s not what worries me,” Justin’s voice cut across her. “No,” he put his finger to her lips, “let me say it. Just this one time. Cards on the table.” Cameryn closed her eyes. “Justin, please. Don’t spoil this. This is a good thing. It’s an amazing thing.” His finger slipped past her lips and tucked beneath her chin. With a gently motion, he raised her face to his. “Look at me, Cammie.” Reluctantly, she opened her lids. “What worries me is a number. Three. Three months. That’s a very long time. You and me -” “ – will be fine,” she brushed his objections away as she took a step back. “It’s only three months if they don’t boot me off. Every contestant leaves with money. All of it will go to my student loans. So just…don’t. Don’t make me feel like I’ve let you down. Because this isn’t about you or us. It’s about me and what I want!” It was as if her words had literally slapped him in his face. His expression took on a strange intensity she’d never seen before. Finally, with a quick nod, he leaned down to kiss her on her forehead. What was different from a thousand other kisses was the way he lingered, his lips pressing hard against her skin, cool and dry. “You’re right,” he finally said. “I am?” “Yes. I’ll be rooting for you, Cameryn Mahoney. And I promise, I’ll be waiting.” “Thank you!” Cameryn drew him close as he buried his face in her hair, hugging her so hard she found herself on the tips of bare toes like a ballerina on pointe. She could tell he wanted to say more, but she stopped his lips with another kiss until he gave up and gave in. It wasn’t hard to guess what he was thinking, but she hoped for once he couldn’t see into her mind. Because it wasn’t the thought of leaving Justin or Durango or the mountains that was making her heart beat like mad. It was the thought of her new reality. The reality of The Dead Giveaway.

Last Page!

I'm on my last page of The Dead Giveaway revision! Hurray! When I get back from my Florida trip, I will post the first chapter. YEAH!

Why I Called Myself The Worst Blogger

Someone just asked me what I meant about my comment that I was 'The Worst Blogger' - and to me, it's really clear that I am terrible at reminding myself to check in and write to you guys! My excuses are many, ranging from my family needing me to the tornado that touched down by my home (three miles away) after which came the fires in Colorado (it hailed ash on our house) to the horrible shootings in Aurora (because my friend was murdered, I was very shaken by the violence) to the traveling and the writing of two additional pieces for publication and, above all, my retooling The Dead Giveaway, which I'm told is (blush) the best book yet! I hope so, because I've sweat buckets over its intricate plot-line. And best of all, I'm on the last few pages of my final, final polish! So my apologies for being so lax in sharing my thoughts! (I'm also writing a blog entry every month for The Australian Literary Review - yikes, I'm always at my keyboard!) I have much to share when I come up for air (I'm about to leave for another speaking trip to be held held in Florida, and then I'll be back and stay in Colorado for over a month). I'll be sharing with all of you who are wondering what is next for Cameryn and Justin. The answer is: A LOT! I'll be starting on book six in August, so I've got plenty more in store for those two, with lots of twists and turns. And there is a possibility of the books being turned into a television show, directed by none other the the uber-amazing David Ehrman of The Secret Circle, 24 fame! Keep those candles lit, and I PROMISE I'll try to get better at letting everyone know what's been going on in my life and in the lives of my characters! (Another hint about me - I had the most AMAZING ghost hunt in New Mexico where I captured incredible voices that literally answered my questions. No LIE! I'll try to get everything uploaded when I get back from my trip!) Cheers to all! Alane

I Have Been Naughty, Naughty, Naughty!

I am so sorry for the radio silence - life just got the best of me, along with technical difficulties with my computer. But now for the news - YES, I finished The Dead Giveaway, and it is on my editor's desk as we speak! No news as to when it will be out, but I'll let everyone know as soon as I do. We had a wedding in December (my son Daniel to his lovely bride, Mandy) and a new baby named Emilie born in January to my daughter Kathy and son-in-law DJ, plus I wrote a l-o-o-o-o-n-g piece about the writing process for The Australian Literature Review in addition to blog post which you can find at the following addresses: www.auslit.net;www.writingteennovels....
I also wrote an essay for Roaring Brook press and have been speaking all over the country, and am about to leave again in two days. CRAZY BUSY at Chez Ferguson! A bit of fun news between all the madness is that TWO producers are interested in turning these stories into a television series, so we shall see. It's always fun to dream!

My New Year's resolution was to be better at keeping up with my blog, which, as you can see, has been a dismal failure. Here's to doing better as the spring blooms!

An Interesting Forensic Conversation!

This question came to me via an online writer's group called Rockcanyon. It's from an author, and I thought I'd share her query and my reply. (The things I pick up as a mystery writer!) Before reading further, though, I want to give a kind of 'parent advisory' that the material below is real and disturbing. For those who still want to peek into my world, my goal is for you to see the kind of research necessary to write dark characters - what I have to grasp in order to capture their motivations. To create that mindset I have to understand it, which means endless digging and reading! So, if you're not feeling squeamish, here is the author's query and my answer. She was specifically interested in serial killers working as a pair, and asked if that was ever true in real life.

Question: What I'm curious about is how does a serial killer find someone with similar interests? That doesn't seem like something that would come up in normal conversation. And maybe if I'd read your book I'd know this (it's on my list) but how do serial killers appear to others? Do they seem fairly normal, have a normal boring job? Or do they seem pretty freaky? Also, is it possible to use those tendencies in a more appropriate way like being a sniper or writing books about serial killers ;) or something? Also how did you become interested in this and how do you research it? Sorry for all the questions. You don't have to answer them. I'm just curious.

Answer: I know this one since I've researched (and written) so many books involving this subject. For me, it's taken an even more personal tone because my best friend Savannah Anderson was murdered by a serial killer, thus thrusting me on the path to write forensic murder mysteries. So, in a nutshell, most serial killers who team up either have an established relationship (as in the Blanchi/Buono case, where the two men were cousins) or the perpetrators meet in prison, although the internet has unfortunately changed and expanded that dynamic. A third rail is a man enticing a woman to be his accomplice, as in the Jaycee Dugard case where Phillip and Nancy Garrido worked as a team to keep her captive. (There is a theory that at least one more girl had been kidnapped and killed, but I haven't heard the verdict on that, just that they are still looking into it.) Also, the Elizabeth Smart case involved a woman, Wanda Barzee, who cowered beneath Brian Mitchell's reign. Anyway, there is usually a psychological 'master' and a weaker accomplice. The gender of the perpetrators could come down in any combination, but by far the most common is a dominant man with a submissive man, then the man/woman followed by the woman/woman, which is extremely rare. The only case I can think of that might qualify in that instance is the Aileen Wuornos/Tyria Moore case, but the suspicion of Moore being part of the murder spree was never proven. Women serial killers, while real, are very, very unusual.

Last point: a serial killer is a sociopath/psychopath, so they applaud the actions of their peers because they see nothing wrong in what they do, other than the fact they may get caught. To them, they are normal, because they live inside their own heads and they are completely narcissistic with zero feeling for others. They have no empathy. To outsiders their image is usually that of a loner who doesn't quite 'fit in,' but some, like the BTK (Bind Torture Kill) Dennis Rader was a church deacon. He was able to pull off 'normalcy' but only for a short time, so he, as others like him, chose a job that gave him a lot of 'alone time.' I read a book by a forensic psychiatrist who wrote that the sociopath could only keep the veneer up so long before he cracked. (I think it something like six hours, but I'm not sure...) Anyway, there is definitely a profile.

Okay, I'll stop now, because as Dan said, most people don't want to know this stuff. The good news is that the folks you'll meet will be charming, warm friends. You will most likely never, ever cross paths with these crazies, so don't fret. Although I know this stuff, I choose to walk in the rainbows and sunshine. And it's a reminder to carpe diem!

Alane Ferguson

So, dear readers, that is the kind of information I must be fluent in so that I can make up a character like Kyle O'Neil or Dr. Jewel. I not only need to understand the science of forensics, but I must also dig into the minds of those who commit these unspeakable crimes. At the end of the day, though, I go back to what I said at the end of the Rockcanyon post, and that is that I walk in the sun purposely. Yes, the world has darkness, but it also has light. It's where I begin my day and where I end it. So, cherish and love your life. I know I do!