Trisha Sugarek's Blog, page 109

March 3, 2013

Don't Miss It! Tuesday, an Interview with Susan Elia MacNeal

interviews, authors, writers, Winston Churchill     Walk the halls at #10 Downing Street with Winston Churchill during the War years in

these clever and historic mysteries.


Just a reminder!


Author, MacNeal shares her writing world with us beginning  this Tuesday, March 5thSusan_Elia_(c)_Lesley_Semmelhack

in a three-part interview.


You won't be disappointed!!

 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on March 03, 2013 06:30

March 1, 2013

Read my novel...FREE..."Women Outside the Walls" (part 71)

women's fiction, prison, love, family, writing,                (continued)   “Mr. Lancaster, I must insist….” Sandy tried to interject.

“Now that's the spirit!” Charlie said as if Sandy hadn’t spoken. “Let's see…one hundred thirty

times five thousand bucks a pound, what does that come up to?”

“Six hundred fifty thousand.” Edward said.

Charlie whistled through his teeth. “That's some serious money.”  He patted Kitty on the head.

“That sounds about right, don't it Duchess?  You worth six hundred, fifty large?”

“Edward, what are you doing?” Kitty whispered.


“I need some paper…something I can write on.” Edward said.

“Gerrard, find something this fine gentleman can write on.”  Charlie instructed.

Sandy reached into her jacket for a pen and a scrap of paper and handed them to Edward.

“You don’t have to do this, Mr. Lancaster.”

“Thank you, Ms. Gerrard, but I think I do.”  He began writing.


“Here's the phone number for my attorney, Baldwin. Call him and instruct him how to get the money to you.

He'll be expecting your call and will already have the money available. Please don't harm my wife.  I give you

my word that the money will be there if you just let my wife go.”

“Now, see, Sandy…that's ne-goti-at-in'!  See how smooth that went?  Why can't you be that way with me?”

Charlie chuckled. “Nice doin' business with ya, Lancaster.”

“Will you give me your word that you won't hurt her?  Gentleman to gentleman?”

Charlie burst out laughing, slapping his knee. “Oh.. …Goddamn…Lancaster!  You slay me…you really do…

'gentleman to gentleman'?  Okay, what the hell?  I'll even shake on it.”


Charlie leaned forward, and extended his hand to Edward. “Ya wanna shake, Lancaster?”

“Mr. Lancaster….”

Before Sandy could react, Edward stood and leaned across the table to take Charlie’s offered hand.

Charlie took Edward’s hand and suddenly pulled him up close to his face. Edward tried to break free.

Sandy jumped to her feet and stood frozen.

“It's a deal, Lancaster. But, listen up close.”  Charlie jerked Edward closer.  “If you screw me, I'll kill your

little kitten here.  And before I do, I'll make her sorry she was ever born.  Ya got that?”

Edward tried not to flinch.  “Yeah, I got it.  You just call my attorney; you'll get your money.”

Charlie let Edward go and shoved him back.

“Okay, then, get the hell outta here.  Gerrard, get 'im outta here and get things movin'.”

“Edward…”  Kitty cried.

“Just stay calm, Kit.  Do everything he says…it'll all be over soon, I promise.”

“Eddie…I love you…”


Edward smiled at Kitty. “I know…I love you too, Kitten.  I'll see you soon.  Don't worry.”

“‘I love you too, Kitten'” Charlie mimicked Edward. “Ain't that sweet?  Go on you two, get!”

Sandy stood and walked to Edward. She took him by the elbow and they turned and crossed to the door.

Edward kept his eyes locked on Kitty as long as possible as they left.

As the door closed Edward said, “I’ll see you soon, Kit.”


* * * *


The inmates complained loudly about the lock-down and cold food served to their cells. No one was allowed in the chow hall.  Sandy Gerrard stood gazing through the glass as meals were served to each cell through the narrow slot in the cell’s door.

A few minutes ago six trays had been placed in the lock down chamber for the people in the visiting room. There was an air of expectation in the control room. She held her cell phone to her ear and waited impatiently for her call to be connected.


“Yes, it’s Sandy Gerrard.  What’s the latest?”

“Sorry, its bad news, I’m afraid,” Agent George Bryant replied.  “Santana was gone by the time we got there. But at least now we know they’re in AC.”

“Damn it!  Didn’t ACPD have the casino covered? Christ!  What about the girl?”


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


The next segment will appear Monday. Hope you'll return to find out what happens next to the women inside the visiting room.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Start your month off right!! DON'T MISS UPCOMING BLOGS. INTERVIEWS with other best-selling AUTHORS!     
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


To receive my posts sign up for my blog, blogs, blogger, writer, author, playwright, books, plays,fiction  Go to the home page; On the right side you'll see a box where you can enter your email address. Click on "join my blog". You need to confirm in an email from 'Writer at Play' . Thanks!


 

 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on March 01, 2013 02:10

February 28, 2013

So how Do You Avoid Ending up in the Slush Pile?

In part one of this expose' (Blog February 26th)  I talked about insider facts of the publishing housespublishers, writers, authors,


Now for the solution:


Five years ago if you had decided that whatever it took, your book must be shared with the world you were looking at a $15,000 to $30,000 investment in printing, storage, and marketing.  Then it was up to you to schlep your books from city to city, state to state because there was no one else to do it.  And most times because this would be a gargantuan task, your books would, for the most part, expire in a storage unit somewhere.


As an example, I wrote a stage play (documentary) back in 1996.  I tried everything to get "Cook County Justice"  published.  IT WAS IMPORTANT!  The true story of a man, at age seventeen, falsely accused of murder and sent to prison for life.  When I began the story/script he had been in prison 45+ years.  A model inmate, and even with the sentence of life with possibility of parole as part of the deal, they would not let innocent men, felons, prison,injustice,freedom,self publishing,him go.


Admittedly there are things wrong with my script....starting with a cast of fourteen men.  Where are you going to be able to cast fourteen men in a play.  My fellow directors and producers are silently laughing  at me right now.  But, surprisingly it has been produced a few times to rave reviews.


So this play has languished for twelve years until self-publishing and 'print on demand' came in to being. (more about that later ).


Another story that had to be told was of the women who lead normal lives; married, employed and raising children.  Until that day when their oh-so-normal husbands take a wrong turn.  It might be a disagreement over a football game at the local sports bar that turns deadly.  Or driving a family member to the corner store for a pack of cigarettes.  Or wrong time, wrong place where there are drugs present.  It happens to decent men every day.


I was compelled to write about these women. Many years ago I wrote a full length play about this; women who find their lives torn apart when their husbands are sent to prison.  For those of you who don't know the restrictions of play writing:  the writer must crammed the story into 100 pages; have one or two set changes, and a manageable sized cast.   Over the years people had begged me to tell the rest of their stories; a novel would have none of these time or place restraints.


And that is how "Women women's fiction, prison, love, family, writing,Outside the Walls" was created.  No traditional publishing house would touch it and those that would accept an unsolicited submission immediately plopped it in their 'slush pile'.   I have a three-inch thick folder of 'rejection' letters to prove it.


Not so many years ago the term 'self-published' was a dirty word.  They were called 'vanity books'; published by the author because they weren't good enough for a real publisher to accept.


That has all changed!  'Self-publishing' has become so respectable that the publishing houses are actually considering offering an independent publishing option within their companies.


With most Self-Publishing Platforms you are also given DISTRIBUTION.  This, of course, is almost as important as your book being published.  My books and scripts are on amazon.com around the world.  They are sold at Barnes & Noble and on all the on-line sites selling books.


My books are in local book stores and my friends at Drama Book Shop in New York carry most of my scripts.

This has been such a successful solution for me that I no longer pursue a traditional publisher for my books and scripts.

PS.  Hey!  What about a literary agent, Trish? 
Can't they get you published?  The answer is 'yes'.  But for 16 years I have tried to get an agent to represent me.  If you're not published, no agent, if you don't have an agent, no publisher.  I got off that merry-go-round. .....I'm just saying...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Start your month off right!! DON'T MISS UPCOMING BLOGS.  The NEW SERIES, "The Writer's Corner" INTERVIEWS with other  best-selling AUTHORS!


I have had a wonderful response from other authors and plan on featuring an interview once a month .  I have invited such luminaries as:  Ann Purser, Susan Elia MacNeal, Mark Childress, Robert McCammon, Rhys Bowen,Dean Koontz, Sheryl Woods, Jo-Ann Mapson, Elizabeth Gilbert, Walter Mosley, Nora Roberts, Jeffrey Deaver and many others.


So come along with me; we shall sneak into these writers' special places, be a fly on the wall and watch them create!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


To receive my posts sign up for my blog, blogs, blogger, writer, author, playwright, books, plays,fiction Go to the home page; On the right side you'll see a box where you can enter your email address. Click on "join my blog".  You need to confirm in an email from 'Writer at Play' .  Thanks!

 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on February 28, 2013 02:00

February 27, 2013

Read my novel...FREE..."Women Outside the Walls" (part 70)

women's fiction, prison, love, family, writing,Chapter 30


Sandy and Kitty


             Early the next morning Sandy Gerrard was standing near the control room with inmate, Edward Lancaster.  Sandy needed to set down some rules and coach the prisoner.

“….so no matter how he provokes you, you've got to keep your head, Mr. Lancaster.  Our whole goal here is

to get everyone out safely, especially Mrs. Lancaster.”

“My wife, she's all right… she's unharmed?” Edward replied.


“Yes, she's doing fine.  A little tired, but they all are.  Did you hear what I was saying?  About keeping your composure?”

“Yes, yes.  Please, when can I see her?”

“Right now. I want you to stay close to me. Be certain to stay out of reach of Baldwin.  You ready?”

“Yes, I just want to see my wife, make certain she's all right.”

Okay, then, here we go.”

Sandy speed dialed Charlie’s phone.  “Hey, Charlie, as you requested I’ve to Mr. Lancaster here with me.

We’d like to come in.”

Charlie grinned at them through the glass.  The distortion in the double glass made it look more like a

horror movie grimace.  “Sure thing, doll.  I’ve been lookin’ forward to this.”


Sandy led Edward through the doors and into the visiting room.  As Edward entered Charlie said.  “Well, well, well,

look at who the cat dragged in, Duchess.  How's it hangin', Eddie?

Kitty tried to jump up when she saw her husband.  Just as quickly, Charlie roughly pushed her back down to the floor.

“Edward!  My God, help me. Stop this maniac. Make him let me go! Please!”

“Kitty darling, it's going to be all right. Just stay calm, and do what this man tells you.  We'll work it out Kitten, I promise.”

“Ohh…ain't that sweet? 'Kitten’…that what he calls you, Duchess?  Maybe in the sack?”

“Okay, Charlie, let’s keep it constructive.” Sandy said.  “Mr. Lancaster's here.  What now?”

“Shut up, Gerrard.  Sit over there where I can see ya while I talk to Mr. Big Shot here.”


Charlie turned back to Edward.  “That's you, ain't it Eddie?  Mr. Big Shot?

Edward followed Sandy to the table.

“Uh-uh…Lancaster, you sit right here in front'a me.  We got some serious negotiatin' to do.”

Edward turned and sat at a table in front of Charlie.  He smiled reassuringly at Kitty.

“ Eddie, please, help me…do something.”

“Shut up, Kitten! See what I got here, Lancaster?”  Charlie patted her head.  “Where's your protection now, huh?

Where's Washington now?  He ain't so big and mean now, is he?”

”What is it you want, Baldwin?  You want me instead of my wife?  Fair enough!  Let's trade.”

“Edward, no!” cried Kitty.

“That’s not going to happen. Charlie.” Sandy interjected.

“We had an agreement that if I brought Mr. Lancaster down it was just for talk. If you think you’re going to

bargain with who stays and who goes, I’m taking him right out of here.”

“All ya! Shut up!” Charlie yelled.  “What the fuck?  Like any of you's got any say here.  Who's got the gun, huh?

Dumb shits!”  He turned his attention back to Edward.  “I don’t want you, Lancaster.”


“Okay, so you don't want me...then, it must be money, right?”

“Bingo!  You're not as dumb as you look, Lancaster.  When I leave, I'm takin' the Duchess here with me.  I'd be

willing to drop her off somewheres, all safe and warm, if you make it worth my while.”

“Baldwin, I cannot sit here and watch while you extort money right in front of me.  I'm taking Mr. Lancaster

out of here, now!”

“How much, Baldwin?”  Edward asked ignoring Sandy.

“Oh…I don't know…what's she worth to ya?” Charlie scoffed.

“The world…she's worth the world to me. How much?”

“Let's see…how much ya weigh, Duchess?  One forty? One fifty?”

“One hundred twenty-three.”  Kitty said. “Edward…don’t give…”

“I told ya to shut up!  Okay, we'll call it one thirty. Women always lie about their weight, don't they guys?

So, let's sell the Duchess by the pound, how 'bout that, Lancaster?”

“Whatever you say, Baldwin.”


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


The next segment will appear Friday. Hope you'll return to find out what happens next to the women inside the visiting room.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Start your month off right!! DON'T MISS UPCOMING BLOGS. INTERVIEWS with other best-selling AUTHORS!      A NEW SERIES, "The Writer's Corner"


I have had a wonderful response from other authors and plan on featuring an interview once a month . I have invited such luminaries as: Ann Purser, Susan Elia MacNeal, Rhys Bowen, Mark Childress, Dean Koontz, Sheryl Woods, Jo-Ann Mapson, Jeffrey Deaver, Elizabeth Gilbert, Amber Winckler, Walter Mosley, Nora Roberts, and many others.


So come along with me; we shall sneak into these writers' special places, be a fly on the wall and watch them create!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


To receive my posts sign up for my blog, blogs, blogger, writer, author, playwright, books, plays,fiction  Go to the home page; On the right side you'll see a box where you can enter your email address. Click on "join my blog". You need to confirm in an email from 'Writer at Play' . Thanks!


 

 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on February 27, 2013 02:00

February 26, 2013

Color me naive...an Expose` of the Publishing Industry (part 1)

books, authors, book stores, women writers,Call me naive...but I honestly thought that publishing houses chose manuscripts based on the quality of the writing and then book sales would take care of itself.  Au' contraire.  I just finished reading an expose` of the publishing industry and it rocked me to my toes.publishers, writers, authors,


First, you know that book you can buy that lists the publishers that accept unsolicited manuscripts?  Detailing which genre' they are looking for, and what age group they represent?   And the publishing houses that hype the public (writers) that they are actually looking for unsolicited books?  (translation:  'unsolicited' = 'crap').  Well, that's exactly what it is, hype and not true.


Your manuscript ends up in a 'slush pile' and the publisher has a whole storage room  for these manuscripts.  NEVER TO BE SEEN AGAIN!  No miracles, no happy accidents, no chance of even an editor's assistant reading your work.


Okay, but say a miracle happens and someone reads your book and likes it.  I'm certain that it happens. But the process that a manuscript goes through and the likelihood of your manuscript making it to the store is phenomenalwriters, authors, publishers!


Let's say that an ambitious editor's assistant's assistant is told to take a stack of manuscripts to the 'slush pile room'. Leafing through the top one, as she rides the elevator, something catches her eye and she decides to read on. She tucks it in her briefcase for reading over the weekend.  She comes in Monday morning and during a coffee break shares her enthusiasm with the editor's assistant.


The assistant agrees to read it 'when she has time'.  Months go by and now she has read it and thinks it's worth taking it to her editor.  Said editor is buried in work, with the authors that she has been assigned, but she doesn't want to discourage her young, bright-eyed assistant, so she agrees to read it 'when she has time'.  Months go by....you see where I'm going with this.


Okay, the editor liked your book enough to take it to the monthly editorial meeting.   Each editor must 'pitch' the new books that they are excited about to the other editors and (probably) an associate publisher.    They have to 'sell' even known authors at these meetings so you can imagine how difficult it is to 'pitch' an unknown author like you and I. The book makes it through this meeting.  Now comes the bi-yearly sales meeting,  attended by not only the editors but  the publisher and associate publishers. Also, and most importantly, the  sales reps, who will in turn try to 'sell' the book to their accounts. (book stores and retailers).


authors, writers, publishers, I will forever be grateful to my publishing house (Samuel French, Inc.) for having faith in the  plays that they chose to publish. But what about the other 40 scripts that I have written? The ones that they passed on? Are they just not good enough? Are they terrible? Too politically incorrect? Too dark? Too light? Too....something??  NO!   They just didn't fit what the publisher believed would make money! I asked my editor about this and he made a very profound statement: "Trish, there is only so much 'real estate' in our catalog."


Knowing what I now know about publishing, I did indeed experience a miracle with French. They picked me up, an unknown playwright, and published four of my scripts. See?....miracles do happen!  But don't sit around waiting for yours! Take action!


See Part II and the solution in today's publishing world coming on  February 28th.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Start your month off right!! DON'T MISS UPCOMING BLOGS.  The NEW SERIES, "The Writer's Corner" INTERVIEWS with other  best-selling AUTHORS!


I have had a wonderful response from other authors and plan on featuring an interview once a month .  I have invited such luminaries as:  Ann Purser, Susan Elia MacNeal, Mark Childress, Robert McCammon, Rhys Bowen, Dean Koontz, Sheryl Woods, Jo-Ann Mapson, Elizabeth Gilbert, Amber Winckler, Walter Mosley, Natasha Solomons, Nora Roberts, Jeffrey Deaver and many others.


So come along with me; we shall sneak into these writers' special places, be a fly on the wall and watch them create!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


To receive my posts sign up for my blog, blogs, blogger, writer, author, playwright, books, plays,fiction Go to the home page; On the right side you'll see a box where you can enter your email address. Click on "join my blog".  You need to confirm in an email from 'Writer at Play' .  Thanks!

 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on February 26, 2013 04:01

February 25, 2013

Read my novel...FREE..."Women Outside the Walls" (part 69)

women's fiction, prison, love, family, writing,Chapter 29


Sandy ~ much later that night


Sandy walked into her apartment around two in the morning.  A shower, a couple hours of sleep, a change of clothes then

back to the prison.
She’d been away three days and had run out of clean clothes.  Her apartment smelled closed up and

neglected.  Sandy walked to the kitchen and opened the window over the sink a crack.  Sandy had talked, at length,

to the prisoner about his daughter. She had seen his devotion.


He wasn’t a hardened, brutal killer while he spoke of her.  He was simply a father desperate to find his daughter,

to keep her safe.  She wondered if she had missed out by not having children.  Instead, she had fabricated two

imaginary daughters to try to get next to Charlie. This was what negotiators did, invented a life close to the

bad guy’s; got a dialogue going separate from the dire situation they all found themselves in.


She could have chosen to stay with Sam, have the kids he wanted so desperately. The house, the white picket fence,

the dog, and her career. But she knew her career would always be front and center. She would always, if a choice

needed to be made, have chosen it first.   That would have been unfair to the kids and husband she didn’t have.

No, this was better. Her life was exactly what she wanted.  But, she wondered what it would feel like to risk it all to

protect a child.  Right or wrong, that’s what this inmate was doing.  In mortal fear for his daughter, he'd been

pushed to the edge. This rough, foul mouthed bully would risk a life time in prison and even death to get out,

to get free long enough to find his daughter and kill the man who had taken her.


And Sandy’s job was to not let that happen.  It was further complicated by the inmate’s wife being among the

other hostages.  What a mess!  Sandy walked into her living room, flipped her shoes off and stripped out of her jacket.

She crossed to the drinks cart and poured a whiskey, neat.  Carrying her glass, she sank back into the soft leather of

her expensive sofa.


Funny how we got off on old movies, she mused. Sometimes I forget that these felons had a life before crime.

Charlie insisted that Shane was just wounded, slumped over the saddle horn like that, and would be back.

Wonder what that was all about.  Could an incurable romantic be hidden inside that crude exterior?
And I

stumped him with ‘Gas Light’.
That made her smile. She sipped her drink and thought of the pain that lurked

behind the rage in Charlie’s eyes.  Every second must be a living hell for him, thinking of good ol’ Rick Santana

with his daughter.
She could certainly understand his desperation. It seemed that Santana had been after the girl

for a couple of years now.  And the mother, Elma?....no that’s not right…Alma, that’s it! She was complicit in that

Santana was her boss at the club. Letting the slime bag get anywhere near the girl.


How ‘f’d’ up was that?  Sandy wondered. Ah well it was hard to figure some people.  She sighed and closed her eyes.

A couple of hours of down time and she’d be good to go.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


The next segment will appear Wednesday. Hope you'll return to find out what happens next to the women inside the visiting room.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


To receive my posts sign up for my blog, blogs, blogger, writer, author, playwright, books, plays,fiction  Go to the home page; On the right side you'll see a box where you can enter your email address. Click on "join my blog". You need to confirm in an email from 'Writer at Play' . Thanks!


 

 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on February 25, 2013 02:00

February 22, 2013

Read my novel...FREE..."Women Outside the Walls" (part 68)

women's fiction, prison, love, family, writing,  (continued)   Hattie frantically whispered to Joe. Joe put his arm around her and shook his head.

“Joe, don't let him take me.”  Hattie pleaded.  “My kids…” Hattie turned to Charlie and raised her voice.

“Please  Mister, don't take me. I got four kids alone at home.”

“Shut up!  Washington! Shut her up.”

“Hattie, hush girl.” Joe said.  “Do like the man says now and be quiet.”

“But, Joe, what's to become…”

Joe gently put his fingers to Hattie’s lips, silencing her.

“It’s gonna be all right.” Joe whispered. “I won’t let you go.”


Tears tracked a dusty trail down Hattie’s cheeks but she remained silent as she looked at Joe.

“Charlie, let’s see if we can find another solution.  You don’t want to be in here for the rest of your life.  Kidnapping these ladies will add twenty years at least to your sentence.  Don’t you want to eventually go out into the real world and be with your daughter?”

“Wha’cha mean?  This here is the real world.  Why else do ya think these stiffs keep comin’ back?”

“Charlie….” Sandy said.


“Enough!   I'm through talkin, Gerrard. I get away clean. You and your guys back off for forty-eight hours and I let the Duchess here go. And Washington's ol' lady too.”

“What about your wife, Charlie?  Why get her mixed up in this?”

“She’s already in it up to her pretty little neck!” Frustration poured off Charlie in waves.  “Did ya know, Gerrard, that Chels was gone for a week before she said a fuckin' word to me?  God!  Alma, how stupid can you be?”

“I didn’t know what to do, Charlie, honest.”

“Listen, Charlie… reconsider, let’s give the Feds time to find Chelsea.” Sandy asked.

I said, NO!  Now get your ass in gear and get me that car and the cash.  Go on now, get outta here.  And be quick about it!  I ain’t waitin’ around!”


Sandy rose and walked towards the door.

“Hey! Gerrard!”

Sandy turned around. “Yes?”

“Send Lancaster down here.”

Kitty looked up in shock and with a glimmer of hope.

“I wanna talk to ’im while you're gettin' me the wheels and the moola.”

“Excuse me?”

“Ya heard me. Get Lancaster down here now.”

“Everything's locked down.  What do you want with Mr. Lancaster?”

“We got some unfinished business. Get him down here; I ain’t gonna tell ya again.”


Charlie pulled the gun from his waistband and put the barrel to Kitty’s head.

“Please, Ms. Gerrard,” Kitty pleaded.  “Let my husband come in.  He must be frantic!”

“Hey, Duchess…did I give you a vote? Huh?”

Kitty flinched and didn’t speak.  “Answer me, Duchess.  Did I give you a vote or not?”

“No.” Kitty whispered.

“That's what I thought.”


Sandy frowned.  “Look, Charlie, I've been fair with you so far…but, I can't hand you another hostage.”

“Shit, I don't want that little weasel as a hostage, Gerrard.”

“What, then?”

“I just want to talk to him.”  Charlie patted Kitty’s head. “Show him what I got here.  He's been a pain in my ass since he got here. Thinks he’s better than everybody but he wears con-denim just like the rest of us.”

“What's the point, Baldwin?” Joe asked. “Leave him alone.”

“Oh, ho…now everybody's got an opinion.”

“Mr. Washington, please stay out of this.” Sandy said.

“Yeah, shut up, Washington.  This is between me and Lancaster now. Get movin', Gerrard.”

“I need your word, Charlie.  You just want to talk to him. Is that right?”


“I give you my word of honor, Sandy. I won't keep Lancaster more'n ten minutes, then you can have him back.”

“And I need to be here the whole time.”

“Sure, sure.  Get busy!” Charlie waved Sandy on with his gun.

“It’s going to take a few hours to arrange everything you’ve demanded, Charlie.” Sandy moved to the opening doors to exit the visiting room.

“And Gerrard?  Send in some more food and water… please?  I’m getting’ hungry again.”

As Sandy walked through the second door, she could still hear Charlie’s laughter.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


The next segment will appear Monday. Hope you'll return to find out what happens next to the women inside the visiting room.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Start your month off right!! DON'T MISS UPCOMING BLOGS. INTERVIEWS with other best-selling AUTHORS!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To receive my posts sign up for my blog, blogs, blogger, writer, author, playwright, books, plays,fiction  Go to the home page; On the right side you'll see a box where you can enter your email address. Click on "join my blog". You need to confirm in an email from 'Writer at Play' . Thanks!

 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on February 22, 2013 02:00

February 21, 2013

The Big Top! Nostalgia (part 3)

circus tent           I grew up in an era when 'the Big Top' meant huge canvas tents, sawdust, the smell of animal dung and the 'side-show' of freaks. Barkers calling out to you in whiskey, smoke- ruined voices.  "Step right this way,  see the tallest man, the fattest woman, the calf with two heads, the strongest man in the world.....See the eighth wonder of the world."  And for ten cents you could see it all.  This was long before the circus was housed in the 'civic center' or the 'Super Dome'.


You drove out-of-town to the cleared pastures of some farmer.  Even before you paid your fare and entered you caught the excitement when you saw the colorful trucks and trailers parked off to the side, circus wagonpromising wild animals and the man on the flying trapeze.


Every year my Dad would buy me a chameleon lizard on a string with a tiny safety-pin so I could wear it home.  It was like any other pet; I loved it dearly.  One year a drunken friend  (Irish household, remember) of my Dad's killed my little pet.  I was heartbroken.


But to this day I remember those happy days.  "The Circus Was Coming To Town!!"


CirqueThe first time I ever saw Cirque du' Soleil was in 1990.  A large tent had been erected in the parking lot at a Mall  in Orange County, CA.

Never having lost my love of the circus we detoured over to see what it was all about. A French circus? No one had ever heard of this now world-famous circus.  Even in those early days the show was spectacular!  The audience had never seen anything like it.  This was a circus but infinitely BETTER!!Cirque.costumes


Years later I wrote the "Fragrance of Life"©  (poetry) and I share an excerpt with you here:


Steaming manure in fresh straw,

roasted peanuts filled the air

pink, spun, sugary sweet


the pungent animals stalk the cage

Sawdust under old canvas glows like

burnished gold

in a shaft of wintry sun light


The Big Top!

Childhood rushes back


'What's she trying to tell me?', you ask.  Just this:  a good place to begin, to start the art of writing is to go back to your own experiences.  Use something (like my circus memories) you lived through and write a story around it.  It will come across as honest and true because you started with truth.

trapeze

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Start your month off right!! DON'T MISS UPCOMING BLOGS. A NEW SERIES, "The Writer's Corner" INTERVIEWS with other best-selling AUTHORS!


I have had a wonderful response from other authors and plan on featuring an interview once a month . I have invited such luminaries as: Ann Purser, Susan Elia MacNeal, Mark Childress, Robert McCammon, Rhys Bowen, Dean Koontz, Sheryl Woods, Jo-Ann Mapson, Jeffrey Deaver, Elizabeth Gilbert, Amber Winckler, Walter Mosley, Natasha Solomons, Nora Roberts, and many others.


So come along with me; we shall sneak into these writers' special places, be a fly on the wall and watch them create!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


To receive my posts sign up for my blog, blogs, blogger, writer, author, playwright, books, plays,fiction  Go to the home page; On the right side you'll see a box where you can enter your email address. Click on "join my blog". You need to confirm in an email from 'Writer at Play' . Thanks!

 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on February 21, 2013 02:00

February 20, 2013

Read my novel...FREE..."Women Outside the Walls" (part 67)

(continued)           “Audrey Hepburn, Charlie.”

“Naw, that ain't right.  Hepburn was Spencer Tracy’s lady. She played in ‘African Queen’ with Bogie.”

“Yes, but that was Kathryn Hepburn.  We’re talking about Audrey Hepburn.”

“No kidding.  That’s weird… two movie stars with the same last name.  They related?”

“Not that I know of.  Audrey Hepburn is from Belgium originally and Kathryn is from Connecticut.”

“I’ll be damned.” Charlie said, truly impressed with Gerrard’s knowledge of some of the old great actors.


This is going well, Sandy thought.  There was a particular phenomenon between hostage takers and the negotiator that if a common ground of any sort could be found between the two, there was ultimately a better outcome at the end.

“What’s your favorite movie, Charlie?”

“Oh, that’s easy.  Hands down!  ‘Shane’. Now, there was a guy you could respect!”

“That’s a good one.  Alan Ladd, right?”

“Yeah, Ladd.  Bogart, Ladd, Randolph Scott, Jimmy Cagney. They don’t make actors like them no more.”women's fiction, prison, love, family, writing,

“Too bad, Shane dying in the end, huh?”

“Hey!  He didn't fucking die!”

“Sure he did.  He’s all slumped over in the saddle as he rides away.”

“You don’t know shit!  He’s just wounded, see?”

“Well, yeah, he could be wounded. I never thought of it like that.” Sandy agreed.

“Damn straight!  ‘Cause he’s gotta come back for the boy.”

“Who played the little kid?”

“How the hell should I know?”


Charlie was suddenly fed up with all this talk.

“Wha’d I look like, those Sickles and Hebert faggots?  Hey, enough of the chatter. When am I getting’ outta here, Gerrard?”

“We’re workin’ on it, Charlie…we’re also trying our darnest to find Chelsea.”

“Well, you can dance me around the room just so long but we still come back to the same place when the music stops… I WANT OUT!”

“I know you do.  That’s what I want to talk to you about.  Here's the plan. Give us forty-eight hours to find Chelsea.  You’re just one guy, I’ve got dozens of guys on the lookout.  We’ll…”

“To hell with that!  I’m just one guy but I know all the holes Rick can crawl into. Places your guys never dreamed about.”

“But…”


“Forget it! Here’s the way this is gonna play out, Gerrard.  I want a car, full size, gassed up. And police issue vests.  I want one hundred large in unmarked bills…"

“One hundred thousand?  That changes things, Charlie. Ups the ante on the time you'll face when you're caught.”

If  I'm caught…Oh yeah, and don’t try to dye bomb the cash ‘cause that bag is gonna get the hell beat outta it before I leave here.”

“Okay, say I can guarantee all that for you, right now.  What are you going to give me?”

“I ain't givin' you shit!”

“If I guarantee the car, the cash, I want two hostages released now.”

“Fuck you, Gerrard. Ya get nothin' now. When I see the car and the cash, maybe I’ll think about giving you Kowalski over there and Washington.”

“Before you walk, I get Mrs. Washington and Ms. Gaynor.” Sandy insisted.

“Uh-uh…no deal. They go with me.”


Joe’s head snapped up upon hearing Charlie’s plan.

“That’s not a good idea, Charlie.  That adds kidnapping to the other charges.  How about this?  Leave everybody and take me with you.”

“Nope. The women they go with me.”


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


The next segment will appear Friday. Hope you'll return to find out what happens next to the women inside the visiting room.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Start your month off right!! DON'T MISS UPCOMING BLOGS. A NEW SERIES, "The Writer's Corner" INTERVIEWS with other best-selling AUTHORS!


I have had a wonderful response from other authors and plan on featuring an interview once a month . I have invited such luminaries as: Ann Purser, Dean Koontz, Sheryl Woods, Jo-Ann Mapson, Jeffrey Deaver, Mark Childress, Elizabeth Gilbert, Amber Winckler, Walter Mosley, Nora Roberts, and many others.


So come along with me; we shall sneak into these writers' special places, be a fly on the wall and watch them create!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


To receive my posts sign up for my blog, blogs, blogger, writer, author, playwright, books, plays,fiction  Go to the home page; On the right side you'll see a box where you can enter your email address. Click on "join my blog". You need to confirm in an email from 'Writer at Play' . Thanks!

 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on February 20, 2013 02:17

February 19, 2013

My Creative Self has ADD!

writing, blogs, authors, creating,writers           Here I sit, once again, in my night T-shirt........... and it's 2 o'clock in the afternoon. 


It was just fifteen minutes ago (six hours ago) that I sat down to read and respond to email while my morning tea brewed.


As I was replying to my mail, a new author interview response came in and I couldn't wait to read it and prepare it for my blog.  It was from Jo-Ann Mapson and was so rich with details about her writing life that I couldn't wait to put it on the blog's calendar for this month. (February)


I am also in the middle of editing a new short play, "A Dime Bag of Weed".  As I mentioned before I write things in my head for several days, then slam it down on paper, (in my case, computer screen), and then I begin editing.  It's been the toughest one (of the 25) to write because I didn't want the story line to become a cliché. I had to find a way to approach it from a teen's prospective and not mine;   'Parents against drugs'....'adults know better'...lecture, lecture, blah, blah, blah.  A sure-fire turn off for teenagers.


I'm also editing (once again) my second children's book for the AUDIO market place. Every time I go through the editing process, a better book pops out the other side.


An idea for a murder mystery bubbles up and I push it away.....'Go away, wait a bit, I've got enough to do....'  but it is insistent!


And then I began to write this posting in my head .......and then thought of a few more authors I want to contact to ask them for an interview....see? bona fide ADD.


Is this cerebral chaos  a bad thing?...I don't think so...it seems to work for me.   I wanted to tell you just how crazed my writing life can be so that any pressure you might be feeling will ease.  There is no right or wrong way to how we work when we are writing.  The most important thing is to keep writing, every day if you can, even if you think what you are writing is not important; it just might  be someday.   I think even now, in the early days of my interviews with other authors, that fact is shining through.


.......so guess I'd better go shower, eat something, play with the dogs, (a tennis ball is calling) and turn off my brain for awhile.  HA!  Fat chance of that!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Start your month off right!! DON'T MISS UPCOMING BLOGS.  The NEW SERIES, "The Writer's Corner" INTERVIEWS with other  best-selling AUTHORS!


I have had a wonderful response from other authors and plan on featuring an interview once a month .  I have invited such luminaries as:  Ann Purser, Susan Elia MacNeal, Mark Childress, Robert McCammon, Rhys Bowen, Dean Koontz, Sheryl Woods, Jo-Ann Mapson, Elizabeth Gilbert, Amber Winckler, Walter Mosley, Natasha Solomons, Nora Roberts, Jeffrey Deaver and many others.


So come along with me; we shall sneak into these writers' special places, be a fly on the wall and watch them create!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


To receive my posts sign up for my blog, blogs, blogger, writer, author, playwright, books, plays,fiction Go to the home page; On the right side you'll see a box where you can enter your email address. Click on "join my blog".  You need to confirm in an email from 'Writer at Play' .  Thanks!

 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on February 19, 2013 04:00