K.C. Sprayberry's Blog, page 126
July 12, 2017
Arrogance
Authors have many enemies. We tread carefully around reviewers. Our editors are adored and given soft handling. Your cover artist is never screamed at. The reader scares the life out of us. Yet, far too many authors have developed an arrogant when dealing with these people and others involved in the pre-publication process.
As an author, I’ve often found myself frustrated with parts of the process to ready my book for publication. Editing seems to be going too slow. The cover artist just doesn’t understand the elements of my thoughts. Oh, those readers. They just plain terrify me. The urge to let the ego rage and become a diva is difficult to avoid.
Yes, you heard right. The calm and professional author has an ego and it’s at diva level. Why now? I’ve worked hard to produce my books. I have a vision when I start each one and work many long hours every single day of the week in order to follow that vision.
Yet, no one on any social media site will point to evidence of my diva side. I’m gracious, saying thank you when someone tells me I’ve done a good job. I appear to be someone totally in control of my writing career.
A few other authors, however, appear to be bent on a path of destruction. Their book becomes a Best Seller and they’re bringing in great royalties, until they hit a bump in the road…
A reviewer trashes their book. The author notices an immediate decrease in sales and promptly goes to social media to attack the offender, who must be the reviewer.
What’s the outcome?
The author’s friends immediately commiserate with the injustice done to their famous pal. They share this individual’s name and call them a hack, an individual who can’t write a book so they take out their anger on the poor author.
This information is shared widely and get back to the reviewer, who has noticed a cooling down of review requests. Said reviewer changes his/her policies and immediately sets up an agreement with all authors they agree to review—if your review is three stars or less, we’ll tell you about it but we’re not posting anything online. The reviewer is protecting themselves. As well they should.
Only, now the author’s name is turning into mud. Authors all over the web are turning to him or her, demanding to know what got into them. You never, ever trash a reviewer’s name in public. If you have something to say to the person, you email them.
The same goes with your editor, publisher, even your cover artist. When it comes to problems you see, store your arrogance in a suitcase and approach in a friendly manner. Despite any outcome you don’t like, remain professional.
After all, you are a professional. Professional’s aren’t arrogant bullies. They learn to suck up the hard parts of their job and move on.
About the K.C. Sprayberry
Born and raised in Southern California’s Los Angeles basin, K.C. Sprayberry spent years traveling the United States and Europe while in the Air Force before settling in northwest Georgia. A new empty nester with her husband of more than twenty years, she spends her days figuring out new ways to torment her characters and coming up with innovative tales from the South and beyond.
She’s a multi-genre author who comes up with ideas from the strangest sources. Those who know her best will tell you that nothing is safe or sacred when she is observing real life. In fact, she considers any situation she witnesses as fair game when plotting a new story.
Find out more about my books at these social media sites:
Website
Goodreads
Amazon Author Page
Google +
Manic Readers
AUTHORSdb
Readers Gazette
Authors Den
July 11, 2017
Kooky Relatives
Welcome to Tuesday Blog Share. Today, we’re talking about kooky relatives. We all endure them at family gatherings or in public, where they usually do their best to embarrass us. What if a relative doing all this to you can’t be seen by anyone else? What if that person vanished years ago, after awful things happened? What if this kooky relative is back, to force the truth to come out? Would you put up with their presence… as a ghost? Get Secret From the Flames on Amazon!
Blurb
Everyone pays for the mistakes of their family, but for Ciara Tressa Lafferty, that particular mistake happened almost sixty years ago, and nobody will forget it. She's constantly compared to her great aunt, and even worse, she looks like the woman.
A senior in high school with a great future ahead of her, Ciara has no clue what this Halloween holds for her. That it's the anniversary her great aunt’s disappearance is just one more annoyance as she discovers her boyfriend's great grandfather refuses to let her move on with her own life. Then Ciara finds herself thrust in a nebulous existence within her own body when Tressa Anne Lafferty, her great aunt, possesses her. Ciara tries to break free, but Tressa refuses to release her untilCiara discovers the secret hidden within the charred remains of McLaren House--a revelation which will rock the whole town.
Excerpt
The sense of time gathers speed. For so long, she dwelled in limbo, awaiting the moment when she would reunite with him. He brings conflicting emotions. Tressa loved him, yet he killed her. Logic dictates that she must hate him.
Her death came about not because he loved her, but because he had to hide his acts, what he had done to ruin his family name.
Duke Turkin was incapable of caring about anyone but himself. The only things he really loved were power and money.
"It's time, Duke," Tressa whispered into the humid, velvety night air. "Can you feel it? I'll make sure that you don't escape me this time. We're destined to spend eternity together."
1955, the year that she died, has long since vanished into the mists of time, along with the innocence of that time, but that innocence was a façade .They hid from the ugliness of the world, but what was done in the days leading up to All Hallows Eve was about to re-emerge.Tressa had awakened, and she was bent on revenge, no matter the cost, no matter who she used.
Her spirit examined what she could sense.
Duke's power in Landry, Georgia had slipped. Most of the town viewed him as an archaic has-been, part of a past the South was trying to forget. The two she had predicted would bring him down were ready to do their duty.
I can't leave things to chance. I must manipulate this, in order to best my true love forever.
"The curse," she said as her spirit gathered strength. "It's coming true."
About the K.C. Sprayberry
Born and raised in Southern California’s Los Angeles basin, K.C. Sprayberry spent years traveling the United States and Europe while in the Air Force before settling in northwest Georgia. A new empty nester with her husband of more than twenty years, she spends her days figuring out new ways to torment her characters and coming up with innovative tales from the South and beyond.
She’s a multi-genre author who comes up with ideas from the strangest sources. Those who know her best will tell you that nothing is safe or sacred when she is observing real life. In fact, she considers any situation she witnesses as fair game when plotting a new story.
Find out more about my books at these social media sites:
Website
Goodreads
Amazon Author Page
Google +
Manic Readers
AUTHORSdb
Readers Gazette
Authors Den
July 10, 2017
Music and the Story
Music appeals to the soul. The raging beast is often calmed by a well placed song. This is why so many authors love using popular songs, or even songs long gone from the lexicon, in their work. In teen books, current music can be part of defining characters—differing tastes, an anthem that speaks to them, even a haunting love song will add to your story.
There are a few things the author needs to remember about songs in their stories. Far too many of those new to the writing world don’t understand this completely and make the mistake of adding lyrics to their novel.
First of all, it’s nearly impossible to write a book these days without some reference to music. Even a country’s anthem has come into play in books with patriotic themes. Most believe that lyrics, like all other material that’s used daily, can be inserted easily into a novel. They feel this contribution will add to a singer’s fame and they can do as they please in this situation.
Hold on right there.
Are you rich enough to defend yourself against a copyright lawsuit?
Bu… bu… but, you argue. I’ve seen lyrics used in other books.
I’m sure you have. Have you contacted the author and asked if they have permission to use those lyrics? Better yet, did you bother to contact the singer’s representative and request permission to use the lyrics?
Oh, no, you say. People sing along to songs all the time. They make videos for YouTube with the songs in them. They’re not in trouble. Why can’t I do that too?
Good question. Why can’t you just insert lyrics into your novel?
The answer here is that music lyrics are probably the hardest thing an author can get permission to use. You’d better be ready to pay a hefty fee to use those lyrics if you do get permission. You can use a song’s title. According to copyright and trademark laws, those aren’t subject to copyright laws. The same as your book title. Anyone can use it as the title of your book. The only thing your copyright affords you is protection for the information contained within the covers of the book—your story.
Another thing to remember as you begin the search to find out who to contact to use lyrics in your book. There are some companies who own the lyrics and will never give permission to use them. Others will charge an amount so high that you will never make back that cost in royalties. Your best bet is to either just refer to the song by its title, or to make up a song.
About the K.C. Sprayberry
Born and raised in Southern California’s Los Angeles basin, K.C. Sprayberry spent years traveling the United States and Europe while in the Air Force before settling in northwest Georgia. A new empty nester with her husband of more than twenty years, she spends her days figuring out new ways to torment her characters and coming up with innovative tales from the South and beyond.
She’s a multi-genre author who comes up with ideas from the strangest sources. Those who know her best will tell you that nothing is safe or sacred when she is observing real life. In fact, she considers any situation she witnesses as fair game when plotting a new story.
Find out more about my books at these social media sites:
Website
Goodreads
Amazon Author Page
Google +
Manic Readers
AUTHORSdb
Readers Gazette
Authors Den
July 9, 2017
Twin Connection
Welcome to Sunday Blog Share! Today, we’re talking twin connections. Twins are special. They seek their own identity while also maintaining a special closeness. Sometimes, these twins can even feel or experience what their sibling is!
Get Lost & Scared on Amazon
When their younger twin siblings were murdered by their cold-blooded father, Shane and Keri’s own twin connection deepened. Their father shamed Shane and Keri into silence, and then went on to bring four more children into a house shuddering under the weight of his unpredictable temper.
Ten years later, what should have been a regular visitation turns into a horrific nightmare. Trapped in the Superstition Mountains with an addicted and dangerous father, Keri’s faith and determination wavers, but she knows she must save her brothers and sisters and return all of them to the home they love.
She now faces one insurmountable obstacle. He can’t afford to let her go.
The window in my bedroom that I share with my two younger brothers overlooks Main Street. I angle my head, so I can attempt to see where my twin is.
“See Keri?” Axe, my best bud, asks.
“Nope. But I do see a bunch of cars leaving.” I face him and grin. “That means she’s on her way back.”
“Great. We can leave now.”
“Looks that way.”
He and I race down the stairs. The normal noise of a large family during winter holiday break greets me, along with what can only be described as evil snickering. We come around the corner, shoving and pushing to see which one of us gets to the bottom first, with me gaining an inch on my bud.
“Yes!” I pump a fist and hop down the last three steps, the satisfaction of proving once and for all that I’m the best pass receiver on our team.
“I am so going to beat you one of these days,” he says.
We knuckle bump and clown around.
“Ready when you are, honey,” a strange female voice says.
“Huh?” I turn around.
A woman who looks like a million miles of bad road stands beside the open front door. Before I can ask who she is and what she’s doing in our house, a series of loud bangs precedes the sound of a cat yowling. That noise sends fear shivers through every inch of my body, and I don’t scare all that easily.
“What the heck?” Axe pushes me aside. “What’s going on, Shane?”
About the K.C. Sprayberry
Born and raised in Southern California’s Los Angeles basin, K.C. Sprayberry spent years traveling the United States and Europe while in the Air Force before settling in northwest Georgia. A new empty nester with her husband of more than twenty years, she spends her days figuring out new ways to torment her characters and coming up with innovative tales from the South and beyond.
She’s a multi-genre author who comes up with ideas from the strangest sources. Those who know her best will tell you that nothing is safe or sacred when she is observing real life. In fact, she considers any situation she witnesses as fair game when plotting a new story.
Find out more about my books at these social media sites:
Website
Goodreads
Amazon Author Page
Google +
Manic Readers
AUTHORSdb
Readers Gazette
Authors Den
July 5, 2017
Book Reviews
Every author is forever in search of reviews for our books. We have been known to hand out innumerable copies of our ARCs, in order to have the necessary number of reviews on Amazon to get our books on the newsletters and into better search engines.
Recently, authors have let me know that reviewers are including their opinion about a book’s formatting or cover art in the review. These reviewers are using information being spread on the internet that says they must comment on these items and list and “editing errors” found in a book as part of the review.
That is a fallacy. The way a book is formatted for any author signed with a publisher is by the publishing house’s standard, not what a blogger has told you. This means you don’t have to have one asterisk, two, three, or ten. There’s may or may not be a requirement to have spaces between these asterisks to indicate a scene change. Some publishers require a space before and after the asterisk. Others don’t. In other words, any reviewer who claims your book is improperly formatted because you didn’t follow the rules as set down by Blogger A versus Blogger B isn’t writing a review. If they give you a lower star rating because of this, they are not doing their job as a reviewer.
Another issue brought up was the cover art. I’ve had several authors contact me to say Reviewer D says their cover art is awful. It doesn’t do anything to tell the reader what’s inside the book. Again, I cry foul. Cover art is subjective. It’s based on many things. Yes, the author does have some input, but in the end a publisher also has guidelines to follow for the cover art to be successfully uploaded to sales venues. That’s who determines how cover art looks, by taking into consideration the size, the DPI (dot per inch), and the amount of bleed space. Again, if you are with a publisher, you will be held to their standard as to how the final cover art appears. That’s because the publisher knows what will work and what won’t when the upload your book.
In reality, the only thing a book reviewer should be commenting on is the contents of the inside of the book—the story itself—and nothing else. A good reviewer won’t say, “Oh, I loved the story but because the author didn’t do their formatting in this way, or their cover art totally sucks and should be done by this artist.” A good reviewer will indicate what did and didn’t work for them in the story. They will explain their reasons but always stick with the story.
Nothing else about the book should concern a reviewer.
About the K.C. Sprayberry
Born and raised in Southern California’s Los Angeles basin, K.C. Sprayberry spent years traveling the United States and Europe while in the Air Force before settling in northwest Georgia. A new empty nester with her husband of more than twenty years, she spends her days figuring out new ways to torment her characters and coming up with innovative tales from the South and beyond.
She’s a multi-genre author who comes up with ideas from the strangest sources. Those who know her best will tell you that nothing is safe or sacred when she is observing real life. In fact, she considers any situation she witnesses as fair game when plotting a new story.
Find out more about my books at these social media sites:
Website
Goodreads
Amazon Author Page
Google +
Manic Readers
AUTHORSdb
Readers Gazette
Authors Den
July 4, 2017
Paranormal Protector
Welcome to Tuesday Blog Share. Today, we’re talking about paranormal protectors. Everyone wishes they would have someone watching out for them. They want a person capable of being where they are at all times, in order to make sure they’re not running right into trouble. Imagine if a long lost relative could do that from the great beyond. Would you follow their advice?Get Mama's Advice on Amazon!
Blurb
Lorelei loses what's left of her family close to graduation, but she still has Mama to lean on, or rather she has Mama's ghost. At first, Lorelei ignores the opinion about her boyfriend, Chase, but then she figures out he is acting strangely and has a new tattoo covering a scar he never had before.
Chase, however, isn't one to give up on a girl. He dumps them not the other way around, until Mama's ghost gives Lorelei the strength shut him out of her life.
Excerpt
"Never let a boy take advantage of you, baby girl. That's one of the most important things I wanted to tell you afore this disease took me, but I never had a chance."
A tall, slender seventeen-year-old girl stands under the shady branches of a majestic oak tree. Lorelei Perrijames crouches down in front of a tombstone. With a finger, she traces the name on the cold, unyielding granite: Bethany Elizabeth Perrijames.
"I still miss you so much, Mama, even though you've been gone a year." Lorelei sniffles. "I miss your hugs. Your silly jokes, like the day you told me my dress was caught in my underwear." Even if I totally freaked, but that was part of the fun."Mostly, I miss all the things you taught me."
Sadness tinges her voice, and her finger continues to press against the stone. Her gaze moves upward, to where a misty woman smiles sadly at her.
"I graduate in three weeks," Lorelei says, "and tomorrow–" A tear slides down her face. "–night is my last chorus performance, my last solo. I brought you a recording of today's practice."
Lorelei places an i-Pod inside the heart shaped cutout in the center of the tombstone. She switches on the music and stands.
"How is your boyfriend, Lorelei? Does he treat you right?" Mama asks.
"He loves me." Lorelei smiles. "Chase Markus is the perfect boyfriend."
"A Markus? I hear things even though I'm not there with you. Your Chase might not be as good as you think he is."
"Oh, Mama! Those are just rumors. Chase would never hurt me," Lorelei protests.
About the K.C. Sprayberry
Born and raised in Southern California’s Los Angeles basin, K.C. Sprayberry spent years traveling the United States and Europe while in the Air Force before settling in northwest Georgia. A new empty nester with her husband of more than twenty years, she spends her days figuring out new ways to torment her characters and coming up with innovative tales from the South and beyond.
She’s a multi-genre author who comes up with ideas from the strangest sources. Those who know her best will tell you that nothing is safe or sacred when she is observing real life. In fact, she considers any situation she witnesses as fair game when plotting a new story.
Find out more about my books at these social media sites:
Website
Goodreads
Amazon Author Page
Google +
Manic Readers
AUTHORSdb
Readers Gazette
Authors Den
July 3, 2017
Book Themes
Like it or not, there are only so many themes an author can use for their novels. This has been proven time and again. All books fall into certain themes, and we have to work within the guidelines of those themes to produce our stories.
Many authors these days use more than one theme in their book. Often an important sub-plot requires this strategy, but overall you have to stick with the main them much as you would the main plot line. Why is this?
We don’t want to confuse our readers by having two main themes conflicting with each other. It is always best to stay with a single main plot and/or theme in order to keep the reader’s attention. Failing to do so will result in a novel that is not only confusing but will also have a less than satisfactory conclusion.
Let’s take a look at these themes…
Alienation: The effects of, the loneliness of, to cure it.
Ambition: Getting what you want, stunted by, thwarted.
Betrayal: The pain of, in love and friendship.
Coming of age: Loss of innocence.
Courage: Courage to deal with conflict, lack of, developing, conquering with.
Deception: How to deceive, results of.
Discovery: What does it take to discover new places, inner meaning, strength, even treasure.
Escape: From life, routine, prison, family pressures.
Death: How to escape, facing, what happens after, consequences of.
Fear: Driven by, dealing with, conquering.
Freedom: Loss of, gaining, handling, fight for.
Good versus evil: Survival of one despite the other, triumph of one over the other.
Isolation: Physical and emotional.
Jealousy: Trouble caused by, denial of, driven by.
Justice: The fight for, injustice, truth versus justice.
Loss: Of life, innocence, love, friends, to avoid.
Loneliness: No man is an island, or hell is other people.
Love: Love fades, is blind, can overcome all obstacles, can
Lust: For power, for sex.
Power: The search for, the loss of, what we are willing to exchange for.
Prejudice: Racism, bigotry, snobbery, dealing with.
Security: The loss of, the finding of the need for, how we act when security is shattered.
Spirituality and God: The struggle to find faith, live without faith etc.
Survival: Man versus nature
Each of themes are present in all books. Occasionally, you’ll see two themes being used well, but usually it’s only one. The author’s only job once a theme is decided upon is to create a story the reader will return to time and again.
About the K.C. Sprayberry
Born and raised in Southern California’s Los Angeles basin, K.C. Sprayberry spent years traveling the United States and Europe while in the Air Force before settling in northwest Georgia. A new empty nester with her husband of more than twenty years, she spends her days figuring out new ways to torment her characters and coming up with innovative tales from the South and beyond.
She’s a multi-genre author who comes up with ideas from the strangest sources. Those who know her best will tell you that nothing is safe or sacred when she is observing real life. In fact, she considers any situation she witnesses as fair game when plotting a new story.
Find out more about my books at these social media sites:
Website
Goodreads
Amazon Author Page
Google +
Manic Readers
AUTHORSdb
Readers Gazette
Authors Den
July 2, 2017
Friends Forever
Welcome to Sunday Blog Share! Today, we’re talking about friendship, about not giving up on a friend no matter what’s happened to them!
Get The Wrong One on Amazon
Lyssa and Kyle were born on the same day and at the same moment, but to different parents who are best friends. These children have grown up together, until the early morning hours after their fourth birthday. During those hours of darkness, they experienced what no child should and when it was all over, Lyssa had vanished and Kyle was the lone witness to several horrific murders and the kidnapping of his best friend.
One by one, the residents of Landry, Georgia gave up on finding Lyssa Winders alive. It had, after all, been fourteen years since she vanished. The men who invaded her home left behind the bodies of those she loved with all her heart. Only one person never gave up and still searches for Lyssa. Kyle Tinker battles his own demons from that night, when he hid like a coward instead of running for help. Their eighteenth birthday looms on the horizon, and Kyle is determined to bring Lyssa home.
Meanwhile, Kim Tinker is having trouble understanding her dreams about a pretty blonde girl—she has no idea that these dreams are of her life as Lyssa Winters. She also hears a guy who has recently started talking to her--in her head. All Kim wants is to get away from a family which hates her, but doing it safely is the one thing which eludes her.
On the day of the Freedom Festival, Kyle sees the girl he never thought he'd see again. And Lyssa finds the one person she's protected for the last fourteen years on their shared birthday.
Four-year-old Lyssa Winders landed with a thump on her living room floor. Her bottom hurt from the hard wood, and her head ached from all the yelling and shouting she'd been hearing. Nothing made sense. She just wanted this to stop.
Her parents, Auntie Keisha, Nana Brandy, and Grandpa Monty kneeled in front of her. They had their hands on the back of their heads, and they looked very scared.
"Gonna talk now, Jack?" the stinky man asked. Hehad carried her out of the safety of her bedroom and dumped her on the floor. "Or do I hurt your kid?"
Stinky jerked Lyssa to her feet. She couldn't run. He held her tight in front of his nasty smelling body.
"She's just a baby," Daddy said. "Don't hurt Lyssa. Let her go. She won't tell anyone anything." He stared at her with scared eyes. "Right baby? You won't say anything." She nodded, and her daddy faced Stinky. "See, she agreed. Just let her go."
"Nope." A man near her laughed.
She turned her head and saw her puppy. Rags crept out from behind the sofa. His tail stood straight in the air, and he made growly noises in his throat.
Lyssa swallowed hard. Rags couldn't come any closer. Stinky had a gun. He had a horribly tight grip on her shoulder.
She looked around the room and saw two more bad men. They both had guns. One was Quiet—he hadn’t said anything. The other's voice was low and growly.
He's Scary.
Giving names to the bad men didn't make it any easier for Lyssa. All she wanted was her safe bedroom, and her best friend, Kyle Tinker.
About the K.C. Sprayberry
Born and raised in Southern California’s Los Angeles basin, K.C. Sprayberry spent years traveling the United States and Europe while in the Air Force before settling in northwest Georgia. A new empty nester with her husband of more than twenty years, she spends her days figuring out new ways to torment her characters and coming up with innovative tales from the South and beyond.
She’s a multi-genre author who comes up with ideas from the strangest sources. Those who know her best will tell you that nothing is safe or sacred when she is observing real life. In fact, she considers any situation she witnesses as fair game when plotting a new story.
Find out more about my books at these social media sites:
Website
Goodreads
Amazon Author Page
Google +
Manic Readers
AUTHORSdb
Readers Gazette
Authors Den
June 28, 2017
The Short Story
Far too many authors refuse to consider short stories. They think of those as a waste of their time. Yet, the short story can offer your potential fans a chance to check your style, to see if they like what you have to offer.
How can you promote your novels with the short story? There are several different ways. First, a short story can ignite interest in your novels if it’s the same genre or a similar story. You might even write a prequel to your novel in a short story and let the reader get a taste of what they’ll find in the book.
The short story also offers the author a chance to stretch their writing muscles, by teaching you how to condense your work. Because the elements of a short story are that you must have all the elements of a novel, but in a smaller format, you can’t rely on long paragraphs of exposition in order to move the action along. You are forced to use one word when once you would have used hundreds.
Do you want to write in a genre that isn’t what you usually do? Start with a short story. Let your imagination fly, but keep the word count below twenty-thousand words or less. Develop those characters and situations, always remembering to leave the reader demanding more. Once you’ve done this, once you have people screaming for more, more, more is the time you set out to write a novel outside your comfort zone.
Perhaps you’re the author who only does short stories. Since the magazine market fizzled at the turn of the century, you’ve found it difficult to locate a home for your short stories. There are publishers who encourage their authors to produce short stories, whether for anthologies or as standalone tales. Seek them out and ask if they’re interested in their work. You might be pleasantly surprised at what you find.
One other thing to remember, as with the novel writer, you must be ready to promote your short stories on social media. People won’t be purchasing a magazine where your short story is prominently advertised either on the cover or in the contents listing. It’s entirely up to you to make sure people know they can get their copy for less than a dollar on Amazon!
About the K.C. Sprayberry
Born and raised in Southern California’s Los Angeles basin, K.C. Sprayberry spent years traveling the United States and Europe while in the Air Force before settling in northwest Georgia. A new empty nester with her husband of more than twenty years, she spends her days figuring out new ways to torment her characters and coming up with innovative tales from the South and beyond.
She’s a multi-genre author who comes up with ideas from the strangest sources. Those who know her best will tell you that nothing is safe or sacred when she is observing real life. In fact, she considers any situation she witnesses as fair game when plotting a new story.
Find out more about my books at these social media sites:
Website Goodreads Amazon Author Page Google + Pinterest Manic Readers AUTHORSdb Reader's Gazette Authors Den
June 27, 2017
Starlight's Curse
Welcome to Tuesday Blog Share. Today, we’re concentrating on couples torn apart by tragedy reuniting perhaps forever in a quest for answers.
Romance is a fickle thing. Often, those falling in love deny their feelings. They want to think they’re good friends. Yet, for some, the pull is so strong they can’t deny the romance blooming between them. So is the case for Jayme and Brad, as young adults who have an exciting night that produces a lovely daughter—a child who is the best of both of them. Unfortunately, years later, as a teenager, Tawni allegedly commits suicide, tearing Jayme and Brad apart. They reunite from a desire to discover the truth behind their child’s death.
Get Starlight's Curse on Amazon!
The discovery of three teenage girls found hanging from an ancient elm tree, alleged suicides, on the grounds of abandoned Starlight Mansion by a teenage boy sets him on a mission to find the truth. Nearly forty years later, now the sheriff, Big Jake finds himself drawn into the investigation of a mysterious “suicide” and the disappearance of another teenager.
Jayme Barclay sees her fifteen-year-old daughter swinging on a rope from a tree at the mansion the county commissioner is turning into a resort. Brad Patterson loses a piece of himself when he answers the 911 call to get to Starlight on a snowy December night.
A year later, the mystery surrounding Tawni's alleged suicide still haunts both Jayme and Brad. Big Jake has been shackled in this investigation, much like another sheriff so many years ago.
Reluctant teens hold back information, until Jayme returns to the hometown she abandoned, to find the truth. Brad hates that he had to intrude on her grief, but also believes this is his chance to redeem himself for not protecting the daughter of the woman he loves. Big Jake suspects who the killer is and that the person isn’t done yet, but must stand back and allow a younger man stand up against a powerful and corrupt group of politicians.
Sleet and snow whipped around Starlight Mansion. A young teen, a mere thirteen-years-old, scampered in and around the tree stumps, scooted around boulders filling a former field where corn had once grown tall, and laughed as the winter storm pelted his face and bare hands. Jake Haskins had no problem with the bitter cold. Not one bit. Even the legends surrounding the long abandoned, decrepit mansion didn’t bother him.
Being the normally curious boy that he was, Jake crept up on the rear of the fabled house and tiptoed onto the back porch. Planks creaked under his boots, held together with duct tape around the toes. There’d been hints he’d get a new pair tomorrow, if he was good. He figured being good meant staying away from Mama until she cooled off after their earlier confrontation. Of course, she might not cool off much, since their words had been those of an exasperated woman putting up with half a dozen young children and a surly teen stuck in a house that was too small at best. Getting angry with his life had never been something Jake did, but he was fed up with being called a poor pig farmer whose daddy couldn’t rub two nickels together.
About the K.C. Sprayberry
Born and raised in Southern California’s Los Angeles basin, K.C. Sprayberry spent years traveling the United States and Europe while in the Air Force before settling in northwest Georgia. A new empty nester with her husband of more than twenty years, she spends her days figuring out new ways to torment her characters and coming up with innovative tales from the South and beyond.
She’s a multi-genre author who comes up with ideas from the strangest sources. Those who know her best will tell you that nothing is safe or sacred when she is observing real life. In fact, she considers any situation she witnesses as fair game when plotting a new story.
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