M.E. Sutton's Blog, page 7

Teaser Tuesday: Batter Down

Mary Sutton / @mary_sutton73

Switching to crime fiction, I bring you the opening of Batter Down, the third in The Laurel Highlands Mysteries series. Batter Down, written as Liz Milliron, is available in the Lucky Charms: 12 Crime Tales anthology from the Mary Roberts Rinehart chapter of Sisters in Crime. And the ebook is on sale for 99 cents until Christmas (on all platforms). It’s packed with great stories, so if you’re buying a tablet-ereader for someone this holiday, you might want to pre-load some reading material!

Anyway, here’s the teaser.

**************************************************************************

“Big day tomorrow, Johnny.”

Third baseman Johnny Pierce looked up. “Big day indeed.”

“You nervous?” Assistant trainer Mike Collins picked up some towels.

“Nah.” Pierce stood up and twirled his car keys. “As long as I have my lucky socks, what can go wrong?”

***

Collins showed up at the ballpark before warm-ups. He unlocked the door, noting the lights were on in the locker room. This was not unusual. Pierce liked to get some solitary batting practice before a game. He had probably turned them on.

“Hey, Johnny, you in here?” There was no answer. Maybe he was already on the field. Collins entered the locker room and stopped.

Pierce lay on the floor, eyes open and glazed. Even from a few feet away, Collins could see a shiny wetness in Pierce’s dark blond hair. Collins bent to check for a pulse. Finding none, he ran to call 9-1-1.

***

Corporal Gary Sheffield of the Pennsylvania State Police surveyed the crime scene. Tom Burns, deputy coroner, worked over the body. Off in the corner, a shaken Collins awaited questioning. Sheffield strode over. “You found the body?”

“I did.” Collins’ voice was hoarse, but steady. “I usually come in before the team. When I got here, the lights were on. I figured Johnny was here for early batting practice. I called to him. When he didn’t answer, I thought he was on the field. Then I saw him and called 9-1-1.”

Sheffield took notes. “Was that usual, his coming early?”

“Yes.” Collins looked at the body. “Johnny liked to get dedicated batting practice time before games. Everybody knew it.”

“So anyone would have known to find him here?”

“Yes. Game time is 4 o’clock. Team is supposed to be here by noon. Johnny would have come an hour before that. It’s common knowledge.”

Sheffield looked around. “Who has access to the locker room?”

“Keys are only given to team personnel,” Collins said. “Players, manager, coaches, and staff.”

“Well, that limits our suspect pool,” Sheffield said. “Thank you for your time.” He turned away.

“Officer Sheffield, wait,” Collins said.

“That’s Corporal Sheffield.”

“There’s something wrong,” Collins continued, too upset to notice Sheffield’s tone. “His socks –”

“Yes, we’ll look. Thank you, Mr. Collins. I’ll be in touch.” Sheffield walked out before Collins could say more.

Well, the trooper wasn’t going to listen. But someone had to know. Who else could he call? Collins remembered a name from his law school days.

Want to read more? Pick up your copy of Lucky Charms today, while the price is right! (Also available in print from Amazon.)

Help a Writer Out

Mary Sutton / @mary_sutton73

Now that I’ve become an author-publisher (I like that term better than “independent” or “indie” because, well, that word is fuzzy and slightly loaded), I’ve had a number of friends tell me, “If there’s anything I can do for you, let me know.”

This is very kind. And supportive. But it got me thinking, how do you support an author you enjoy? No matter what kind of publishing? Here’s a brief list of my ideas (beyond the obvious – buy the book).

1. Spread the word

Back in the day, news of a good book spread by word of mouth. You walked into a bookstore and asked, “What’s good or new?” and the clerk told you. You got a note or phone call from a family member or friend. You talked books at the office water cooler.

Guess what? Not much has changed.

Yes, it’s harder to get those “hand-sell” bookstore opportunities, especially when so many books are sold in box stories like Wal-Mart, Costco, Sam’s Club (and, dare I say it, Barnes & Noble, where you can’t be guaranteed that the young thing walking the floor actually knows anything about what he/she is selling).

But we still talk to people. May not be on the phone, or face-to-face. But all that time you spend on Facebook/Twitter/Pinterest/Instagram/Google+/Goodreads? Yeah, that’s talking to people. And if you work from your home, well, social media might be your premiere way of talking to people.

So if you read a good book, feel free to give it a shout-out on your platform of choice. Send a text to your mom. Mention it to your brother in your monthly phone call when he asks, “So, what’s up?”

Word of mouth, people. Word. Of. Mouth.

2. Leave a review

Okay, we’re all a little jaded by reviews. So much drama, so much scandal (authors buying reviews is just tacky).

Doesn’t mean it doesn’t work.

A review, posted at Amazon/B&N/Goodreads/iTunes/whatever, is another form of “word of mouth.” It’s just digital word of mouth. And all the lovely algorithms that vendors use prioritize books with lots of reviews.

It’s really easy, too. Just click the stars. Honestly. Do it.

Want to go further? Leave a few words (Amazon requires at least 20; I think anyone can do that). What people often tell me is, “Oh, but I can’t write.” Listen. You aren’t writing for the New York Times book review. It’s a casual reader review. Need a starter? Feel free to filch this text:

I really enjoyed this book. The characters felt like friends and I could almost feel/smell the setting. The protagonist’s struggle was familiar. I figured out “whodunit” but not until the very end. A satisfying read.

Honestly, that’s all you have to write. Modify for genre as appropriate. Author-publishers are often associated with “please leave me a review,” but reviews help traditionally published authors, too. Why? They help people find books.

Oh, and a word about stars. I kinda hate them, but hey, we’re stuck with it. Don’t feel that you’re letting me down if you don’t leave a five-star review. Honestly, I’m happy with three stars because, to me, it means I gave you a couple hours of enjoyment. Four is thrilling. Five is, well, wow. Because five is the epitome, the cream of the crop. Let me tell you how many books I’ve give five stars to in the last five years.

Five.

So yeah, don’t feel bad about that three-star review. It’s all good.

3. Donate a copy to your library

This is a new one on me, but I’ve heard people say it works. Libraries are great places. I have fond memories of my local library and many bike trips taken laden down with books (heavens, I just flashed on the summer I couldn’t get enough Mrs. Piggle-wiggle. Anybody else remember her?). And they are chronically strapped for cash.

So, if you read a particularly good book, check with your library. If they don’t have it, consider donating a copy. I can almost guarantee they won’t turn you down. And you’ll do two things. You’ll support a cherished institution and you’ll support an author. Win-win.

So there you go. Three easy-peasy ways to show an author some love. We’ll love you for it. Trust me.

Oh yeah, and don’t forget to buy the book!

Got any other ideas? Tell me in the comments!

Photo courtesy of Virginia Hill; used under Creative Commons license

Teaser Tuesday: Snake in the Grass

by Mary Sutton / @mary_sutton73

Enjoy this second sneak peek at Snake in the Grass, the fourth volume in the Hero’s Sword series, scheduled for release March of 2015.

*****

The rest of Mallory might have been sweltering in the late summer heat, but the interior of the manor was refreshing. I skipped a full bath, but did take the opportunity to wash my hands and face. The walk from the clearing hadn’t taken hours, but I still felt sticky and gross.

We found Starla in her favorite place, her private sitting room. It was less formal–and more inviting–than the audience hall. “She’s here, my lady,” Roger said, giving a small bow.

I followed him and tried to kiss Starla’s hand, but she waved it off and hugged me. “Oh, please, Lyla,” she said. “It’s just the three of us. No need for all that formality. I think you’ve earned the privilege.”

I grinned and unslung my bow. “As you wish, my lady.” I left the bow in the corner and followed Starla to a group of comfortable chairs. “I hear you’re expecting company. Besides me, I mean.”

“I am. Sit, please.” She indicated a chair, and I sat. “I wish the visit was a social call. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Would you like some water, or a glass of wine?”

“Just water, thank you.” I looked at Roger, who had taken the chair to Starla’s right. “Roger said something about expecting a man about a tax increase.”

“Correct.” A maid appeared with a pitcher of water, moisture dripping down the side. Starla poured a glass and handed it to me. “I was hoping you would agree to be with me when the envoy arrives.”

I took a sip. The water was deliciously cool. “I’d be happy to be at your side, my lady,” I said. “But honestly, I don’t see where I would help much. Tax increases are never popular, and I’m not sure my presence is going to make much of a difference. It’s not like the Emperor is going to change his mind just because I’m here.”

Starla took a glass of wine for herself and sat back. “No, I don’t think it will, either. How much has Roger told you about the envoy’s message?”

I shrugged. “Not much. Just that he’s coming with news of a tax increase from the Emperor. And that you plan to oppose it.”

“The Imperial army has been recruiting heavily in the last month or so,” Starla said. She ran her finger around the edge of the glass and then through the water collected on the outside. “As you might expect, maintaining an army costs money. The more men they add, the more they must spend. Not only on salaries, but weapons and other equipment, especially for those officers not provided by the estates. We are, of course, responsible for our own officers’ costs when it comes to horses and weaponry.”

Roger took up the explanation. “Despite the fact that a large number of these new troops are coming from the estates, and are not citizens of the capital, the Empire expects each noble to foot part of the bill. Just providing the men isn’t enough,” he said. “Their reasoning is that the Imperial army provides protection to all the estates; therefore, the estate owners must help with expenses.”

“Is that a reasonable expectation?” I looked between Roger and Starla. In my previous visits to Mallory, I’d never seen the Imperial army. When Devin had threatened war, Mallory had been completely left to depend on its own resources to defend itself.

Roger made a seesawing motion with his hand. “Yes and no,” he said. “Certainly, the Imperial army has, in the past, assisted with major conflicts between estates, in the interest of maintaining stability.” I opened my mouth, but he continued. “Major conflicts, Lyla. Our argument with Devin earlier this year did not meet the Emperor’s definition of ‘major,’ I’m afraid.”

New taxes? Nobody likes those. Pre-order information is coming soon! In the meantime, catch up on the rest of Jaycee/Lyla’s adventures in the first three books.

New Publisher for Hero’s Sword

by Mary Sutton / @mary_sutton73

Yesterday, I got some fairly important news for the Hero’s Sword series. After two years, my publisher is getting out of the book business. So the series will have a new publisher.

Me.

Yes, I will be taking the reins and continuing the series under my own name.

What does this mean for you?

In the short term, not much. The existing books will continue to be available from all outlets (print and digital). See the individual book pages for purchase information.

In the coming weeks (before Christmas), the digital version of Wedding Bliss will be available on platforms other than Amazon (Nook, Kobo, and iBooks).

As soon as I figure out the logistics, all titles will be republished (print and digital) so I can access things like, you know, sales data, set the prices, etc.

Speaking of prices, I don’t expect them to change.

In the longer term, this means that I (hopefully) will be able to bring out books faster. Snake in the Grass: Hero’s Sword Vol. 4 is in the final stages of cover design. Since this book will mark the one-quarter mark in the series (as it exists in my head), I think I might throw some kind of online party. What, well, I’m not sure – if you’ve got ideas, leave them in the comments!

Fire Storm (book 5) and Shadow Dance (book 6) are completed, and depending on how fast my cover designer and illustrator work, well, I’ll be setting a schedule for publication for those.

And I’m brainstorming for book 8, so I can start writing book 7.

So yeah, big news. Exciting news too, I hope. If you’re reading this and previously left an Amazon review for either Power Play or Storm Clouds, and are willing to repost your review when the new version is up, let me know in the comments or via my Facebook page. And if you’ve never left a review, but are willing to do so (for any of the first three books), contact me via Facebook to talk details.

It’s exciting. And slightly scary. But as my friend Amy says, if the idea doesn’t scare you at least a little, it’s probably not worth doing.

So onward!

Book Blast: The Jewel of Peru

About the Book

Title: The Ultimate Treasure Quest I: The Jewel of Peru | Author: Sharon Skretting | Publication Date: September 20, 2014 | Publisher: Independent | Pages: 317 | Recommended Ages: 8+

Summary: The Jewel of Peru is a magical adventure through time, taking young Captain Christopher and his loyal crew of orphaned stowaways on a perilous quest in search of Christopher’s missing parents.

After his father’s ship is found abandoned at sea, Christopher makes an unexpected discovery on board—The Ultimate Treasure Chest! Inside is a message that beckons him to set sail after the treasure and his parents. When a savage pirate and a corrupt businessman join forces to steal the treasure for themselves, the gang gets caught up in pirate chases, time travel, and an underground network of spies. Will Christopher find the Jewel and his parents, or will all be lost for ever?

* You can purchase an e-copy of “The Jewel of Peru” for only 99 cents from Amazon for the duration of the blast, so grab your copy now! *
Amazon | Teachers Pay Teachers | Goodreads
The Buzz

“Jewel of Peru took me on an adventure from page one. Sharon Skretting has captured Peru and deftly woven elements of the culture and geography into a fast-paced treasure hunt. It was well written, entertaining and introduced me to new ideas. I loved making little discoveries along the way about the people and places. I found some of the features of Peru so interesting, I looked them up the Internet and was delighted to find things just as she described. Fact and fantasy blend seamlessly in this delightful tale.” ~ Sara Marschand, Quiethouse Copy Editing

“Engaging and meaningful, the author does an excellent job crafting this story. I don’t usually read middle school novels but made an exception for this one and will be passing it on to all the children in my life.” ~ 5 Star Review, Love Reading, Amazon

“The Jewel of Peru is a wonderful piece of educational fiction that blends fact and fantasy to create a literary journey that is both informative and exciting for young readers… It’s every bit as much of a page turner as it is a learning experience…” ~ 5 Star Review, Kelley, Amazon

“Sharon Skretting has captured Peru and deftly woven elements of the culture and geography into a fast-paced treasure hunt. It was well written, entertaining and introduced me to new ideas… Fact and fantasy blend seamlessly in this delightful tale.” ~ 5 Star Review, Sara M., Amazon

About the Author: Sharon Skretting

Sharon Skretting is the author of The Ultimate Treasure Quest I: The Jewel of Peru, and the founder of Quest Teaching. She has been teaching elementary school for twenty years and lives with her husband and a cat, named Scat! Now that her three children have grown, she is spreading her wings into the realm of professional writing. Being able to use her love of writing to excite her students about learning is a dream come true for Sharon. Her goal is to write fast paced, excellent literature —filled with interesting characters, intrigue, danger and intricate plots—that will hook readers aged nine to ninety nine and make them want to read more!

* Teacher support materials to go along with the novel can be purchased at Teachers Pay Teachers *

Website | Pinterest | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

 

* $25 Book Blast Giveaway *

Prize: $25 Amazon Gift Card or PayPal cash (winner’s choice)

Contest ends: December 25, 11:59 pm, 2014

Open: Internationally

How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below.

Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the author, Sharon Skretting and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send and email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com.

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“But I don’t feel published”

by Mary Sutton / @mary_sutton73

Welcome to today’s installment of “authorial existential angst,” episode 4,584.

Today’s episode was triggered by seeing the announcement that the William F. Deeck award from Malice Domestic, for unpublished mystery authors, has extended its deadline to December 15, 2015. And I thought, “Hmm. I’m an unpublished mystery author. I have a novel manuscript. This could be intriguing.”

So I started digging to find eligibility and submission requirements. And I dug, and dug, and dug some more.

And, uh, I’m not eligible.

Say what?

Yes, the guidelines on the Malice Domestic web page say entrants must not have published a “novel, short fiction, or dramatic work” in any medium, print, electronic, or audio. I’ve had six short stories published, between Mysterical-e, Uppagus, and Lucky Charms. In fact, according to this criteria, I stopped being an “unpublished” author in September 2013 when Uppagus published my first piece (the flash-fiction story Twins).

Okay, on the one had – how awesome! Malice Domestic, one of the premiere mystery organizations out there, doesn’t consider me unpublished. Yay!

On the other hand, uh, really?

See, here’s the problem. I don’t feel published. I mean, I’ve never received financial remuneration from anybody on the “sale” of my stories. They aren’t novels. Somehow it doesn’t feel as if they count.

And here’s where several of my friends, including ones who love short fiction, are going to rightfully call me out. Short fiction absolutely counts. Those are all publication credits. I am published. In fact, one of my Sisters in Crime sibs is pretty emphatic about it (and she won a major award, the Black Orchid Novella contest, so she ought to know of which she speaks).

But none of this dispels the feeling that, uh, really? I’m published? Nah.

I would feel like the rankest fraud standing up next to some of my friends, who have actual books on the market, and claim to be published. No way.

Thus, episode 4,584 of authorial angst.

I’ve taken workshops. I know instructors, people who have a lot of stuff in the world, who would say, “Yep, you’re published.” My rational brain knows they are right. When I sent out a piece to Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, and received a very nice rejection, I listed “previous publication credits.” Mysterical-e doesn’t pay, but I’ve been told their credibility in the industry is high.

But the angsty part of my brain is not rational. Doggone it, published authors get paid, they have books for heavens sake. Right? (And note I’m restricting this to crime fiction, folks.)

Yeah, yeah, I know. Not right. Still.

So I guess, according to Malice Domestic, the next time someone asks me, “Are you published?” I can legitimately say, “Why yes I am.”

Maybe next time I won’t even feel like a fraud. Much. At least according to Malice Domestic.

Image courtesy of iConte, used under Creative Commons license

Recharging the batteries

Mary Sutton / @mary_sutton73

People I know are often a little staggered at my writing. “I don’t know how you do it.” “How are you always so productive?” “How do you get it all done?”

A lot of determination and discipline. But sometimes, even I need a break.

So it was yesterday afternoon. I’d got a few “free” hours of writing time Saturday. I’ve been slogging through editorial comments on Every Other Monday is Murder, which I hoped were going to be along the lines of tightening and instead have occasioned another major rewrite (I’m certain I’ve got three Tuesdays in one particular week, but I’m so brain dead I can’t keep it straight – next round). Then I tested at taekwondo Saturday night (I passed, by the way, last midterm in the can), and closed down Red Robin with a group of friends (seeing as I was a free agent that night with hubby and one kid away, other kid tucked at home being all artsy and stuff).

Sunday I was, well, exhausted. Physically and mentally. The weather has turned cool again. Which I love, but it really made me just want to go back to bed. I couldn’t bear the thought of more revisions. Time for a break, I thought. So I built a fire, grabbed Truth Be Told, and snuggled in for a nice read.

The book is fantastic. You should go read it. But I digress.

By the time I’d finished for the day, I was less than sixty pages from the end (I’d not even been at the 25% mark when I started). Then the hubby and I watched an episode of “Lewis” and I went to bed. Wasted, lazy day, right?

Wrong.

I woke up this morning and, while letting the hot water of the shower get me awake, thought “Hey, what if…” Essentially, by the time I arrived at work, I’d come up with a whole new ending for the book that is different, but the same as what I’ve already written.

And I think it’s better.

Lesson learned: Take time to recharge. Read your favorite author, watch some good TV. Let the ideas stew a while. It’s like a set of rechargeable batteries. You can go great guns for a while, but sooner or later you need to put them back in the charger because sure, they might still have a little juice left, but everything is sluggish. Things will run much better when you give them a little recovery time.

Today? Slap those batteries back in their rightful place, baby. I’m ready to write.

Image courtesy of Pete Slater and used under Creative Commons license.

2014 Goals Update – 3/4 mark

by Mary Sutton / @mary_sutton73

Okay, so the year is three-fourths over. I’m having a hard time wrapping my brain – what little is left of it – around that fact. Wow.

That said, here’s where I stand – and I’m not sure I feel good about it (dunno).

Write books 5-7 in Hero’s Sword

Book 5, Fire Storm, is done and read for submission to the editor. Book 6 (Shadow Dance) is almost finished. Just needs one final read-through (okay, maybe two). The plot for Book 7, which is yet untitled, is written, but I have yet to start the draft. The way I work here, I like to have the plot of the next book (in this case, it would be Book 8) written before I start drafting. So I guess I should start thinking about Book 8. This goal is still achievable (I think).

Get Every Other Monday ready for an editor by September

I got this done. I got it ready and even sent it off early. I was hoping for feedback of “you’ve got some minor issues to fix, but it’s good.” Yeah, not so much.

However, after several days of sulking, lots of chocolate, a few tears, and some well-timed exercises (courtesy of my SinC chapter’s annual retreat), I have a plan forward. I’ve talked it over with the editor and she approves the plan. It’ll be more work than I anticipated, but hey, it’ll make the story better. And that’s really what it’s about, right?

Write two more Laurel Highlands stories

Almost done with this. I released A Brew to Die For in September (available on all digital platforms). I’ve also draft what (I think) is a fun little story from the POV of deputy coroner Tom Burns. It was interesting to write and I learned a lot about Burns, too. This one needs some revision before it goes to an editor. Then I have to decide whether to release it on it’s own, or include it as “bonus” material in an anthology. Maybe both. Who knows, right?

Start releasing the Laurel Highlands as digital shorts

Done. Four stories out independently. One as part of Lucky Charms (I get the rights to this back in December, so what to do with it?). Still making a little money. It’s all good.

Attend Writers Police Academy

Done. This was perhaps my favorite writing even to date. Such a blast. Great instructors, great travel companions, great classes. I wanna do it again!

Revise and expand the Black Orchid project

I’ve done this. Well, I’m into second-draft mode and am sending through my (brand new) critique group. I expect A LOT of changes, but it’s underway and I like where it’s going. I don’t know Jackson and Max quite as well, but I’m getting there.

Continue learning craft

Ongoing, always ongoing. Read James Scott Bell’s Write Your Novel from the Middle and all sorts of light-bulbs went off. Attended the aforementioned retreat and did some fabulous characterization/setting activities that are going to be very helpful. And I learned that, although Sally hasn’t forayed into the courtroom for some scenes yet, I’ve neglected my learning about the legal/lawyer world (but my police procedure is solid). So I ordered a book today from Amazon. Hey, I couldn’t pick only one challenging writing area. No, I had to pick two (police work AND law). Color me ambitious.

So there you have it. Update at the end of the fourth quarter. I’ve got my work cut out for me for the final quarter. I’m itching to start some new projects, but I think I really have to wrap some of this other stuff up first. We shall see.

Wish me luck.

Teaser Tuesday: SNAKE IN THE GRASS

By Mary Sutton / @mary_sutton73

It’s with the editor and work is starting on cover art. To whet your appetite, check out the first (unedited) chapter of Snake in the Grass: Hero’s Sword Vol. 4.

Of all the places at Tanner Middle School, the cafeteria had to be the worst place to try to do anything. The noise I could deal with, but the stink, well, that was something else.

I looked over the top of my book as Stu dropped his tray down across from me. I wrinkled my nose at the sight of a hunk of mystery meat and potatoes swimming in a puke-colored gravy. “Just what in the name of the Empire is that supposed to be?”

“According to the menu, it’s meatloaf with mashed potatoes and gravy,” he said. He poked at the mystery meat and then started eating.

“Does it taste better than it looks?” I said. My tuna on whole wheat suddenly looked like a feast.

“Not really.” Stu gulped some milk and shrugged. “But I’m so hungry, I could eat two lunches. You are so lucky your mom packs your lunch.” He pointed. “You gonna eat those crackers?”

I had planned to eat the crackers but figured Stu’s need was greater than mine. “No, go ahead.” I pushed the baggie at him. “And my mom doesn’t pack my lunch. I do. I get up fifteen minutes early to do it. Sometimes I wonder if it’s worth the effort, but after looking at your tray, I think it is.”

Stu stuffed whole crackers into his mouth and sprayed crumbs as he spoke. “I’m too lazy for that. School lunches beat going hungry.” He finished the crackers and returned to his tray.

“I guess.” I tried to go back to reading, but my attention was drawn to a group of kids clustered around the school announcements bulletin board. Trina Poppelman was in the middle of the group, signing a paper on the board with a giant flourish. Some kids clapped. “What the heck is Trina doing?”

Stu looked around. “Probably signing up for the special election.” His voice was muffled by the food he was chewing. My mom was right. Talking with a mouth full of food was disgusting.

I’d forgotten about the special election for student council president. Lew Thorndike had moved last week, and Peter Kennedy, the vice president, had flat-out refused to step up. So the principal had decided to hold a special election for president. Trina had jumped at the opportunity for more attention.

“It’s a total waste, you know,” said Stu around a mouthful of meatloaf. He swallowed and continued. “Trina will win because no one will have the guts to oppose her. And we’ll spend the year talking about weighty topics like the décor for the Christmas formal, fall Homecoming, and spring ball instead of doing something useful, like organizing a student protest to improve the cafeteria food.”

My gaze drifted to a girl sitting off to the side by herself. She had blonde hair cut into one of those pixie styles and her clothes definitely looked trendy, right down to the sparkly ballet flats. She poked at her lunch.

I pointed at her.”Hey, do you know who that is?”

Stu looked in the direction of my finger. “Nope. No wait, some new girl. Don’t know her name though.”

“She looks lonely.”

“She looks like someone who would fit in with the cheerleaders.” Stu snorted and turned back to his mystery lunch.

I watched. Trina flounced over to the girl and said something, an invitation to join the cheerleaders, judging by her hand gestures. But the new girl shook her head. Trina said something else and her groupies giggled. The girl stood and grabbed her bag, dark pink with silver studs. “And you’re pathetic,” she said. She stalked out of the cafeteria, dumping her uneaten lunch in the garbage.

“Maybe not,” I said, facing Stu. “I don’t think Trina scored any points. I need to find that girl to say congrats.”

Stu grunted.

The lunch bell rang, and I swept up my garbage as Stu frantically stuffed the last of his meatloaf into his mouth. I pitched my trash and Stu returned his tray. As we passed the bulletin board, I could see Trina’s big, loopy signature taking up half of the election sign-up page. “So you don’t think anyone will sign up to run against Miss Popular?” I stopped at my locker to retrieve the books I needed for next period.

“No way.” Stu rolled his eyes. “And even if someone did, you know Trina. She’d just bully her opposition into withdrawing or lying down and letting her win.”

“Hmm, maybe.” I pulled my math book out and slammed my locker door. “At least we know what to expect. Meet you after school?”

“Nah, I got a dentist appointment, so I’m leaving early.” Stu stuck out his tongue. “Catch you online later, maybe?”

I glanced at the hall clock. Two minutes to get to math. “Yeah, sure. I’ll be on later. Good luck with the dentist.” I jogged off to math, arriving just ahead of the late bell.

If I’d known what was happening in Mallory, I would have skipped math and gone home immediately.

***

“I’m home.” I threw my bag on the floor in the hallway. Silence answered my announcement, and I wandered into the kitchen.

A bright pink note was stuck to the fridge. “Going to Mrs. Baxter’s – Be home around six. Dad is working late. Have a sandwich if you get hungry. Mom.”

Awesome! If Mom was at the Baxters’, I could sneak in a few hours of Hero’s Sword now and do my homework over dinner. I raced up to my room and fired up my game console. Almost immediately, I got a message from Stu. “You’re on early.”

“Mom out,” I typed. “What happened to dentist?”

“Canceled. Let’s go.”

We played for about fifteen minutes before a familiar message popped up on my screen. “Lady Starla is in trouble. Do you accept the quest?” My stomach leaped. Yes, of course I would accept the quest. I wondered briefly what would happen with Stu when I disappeared, but the thought didn’t last longer than the flash of light after I toggled “yes.”

When the glare faded, I was in my familiar clearing, sword at my hip and bow on my back. Yes! I thought.

“Lyla, there you are.”

I turned to see my good friend, Roger Woodbridge, striding across the clearing. “Here I am.” I hugged him briefly. “You must have been expecting me. What’s the emergency?”

He smiled. “Nothing compared to past events. Lady Starla is expecting a visitor, and she’d like it very much if you would be there.”

I shifted the bow on my back and followed him toward the manor. “Since when does Lady Starla need me to be with her to welcome someone?”

“This person is a special case,” Roger said. “We are expecting an Imperial envoy. Based on the letter we received this morning, he comes from the capital with news of a new tax structure. One that’s not expected to be popular, I’m afraid.”

“Are they ever popular?” I didn’t know much about taxes, but my dad certainly grumbled enough whenever he read about new ones in the paper. “I’m still not really sure why Lady Starla would need me for that. Not like I can change anything.”

“I suspect she would like you there for moral support. She plans to oppose the new taxes.” He waved at a few people as we crossed the manor grounds and headed for the front door. “But it will be better to let her explain herself. After you.” He pulled open the massive wood door and waited for me to enter.

“That doesn’t sound too terribly dangerous,” I said as I entered the cool interior of Mallory Manor.

Oh, if I only knew how wrong I was.

Look for the rest of the story coming this fall!

Snake photo courtesy of Flickr, used under Creative Commons license.

SinC September Blog-hop

by Mary Sutton / @mary_sutton73

My blog schedule has been a little erratic lately. Of course, my life has been a little erratic, too – especially since returning from WPA on September 7 (and my brain is still whirling from the experience, it was that epic).

But shortly after returning, I got an email from SinC National about a SinC-up event for bloggers. It’s pretty simple. They offered a list of questions and I had a choice what to answer and how much detail. Choices included:

What authors inspire you? (Too many to name, but special shout out to Hank Phillippi Ryan, who is always kind, and my sib Annette Dashofy who is having wild success with her Zoe Chambers Mysteries series from Henery Press and I couldn’t be happier for her).
“Nothing against women writers, but my favorite crime fiction authors happen to be men” – too bad, because you’re missing some fantastic female writers, including Hank, Annette, Julia Spencer-Fleming, Deborah Crombie, Hallie Ephron, Louise Penny, and oh gosh, so many more.
Do you listen to music while writing? Sometimes. I write at work frequently, and it gets loud, so music helps dull the roar. Exactly what I listen to depends on my mood or what I’m writing. If I need inspiration for a fight scene, the soundtrack to Pirates of the Caribbean is a hands-down favorite. If I need energy, click on some classic rock. Want to mellow? Country. And if I just need a background, classical is good.
Advice for new writers? Hold your nose and write.

But the one I wanted to delve into is “What’s your favorite part of the writing process and what’s the most challenging?” And my answer is going to seem to be a cop-out, but bear with me.

All of it.

Most writers have a definite favorite – they love first draft or they love revision. A few will admit to loving both, and I’m in that camp. Why? Well, let me ‘splain.

There’s a euphoria about a first draft. I can write anything, It doesn’t have to be perfect or pretty, it just has to be written. And there are days when the ideas are coming so fast that my fingers can barely keep up with my thoughts. Deep down I know there are issues, but I’m so caught up in the rush of words and ideas that I don’t think about the cliches or the clunky phrases. On those days, man, I’m the next JK Rowling (at least in my own mind) and this writing thing ROCKS.

Of course, the challenge is not getting TOO caught up. I mean, the first draft, while it doesn’t have to be perfect (it just has to be written) does need to make some kind of sense. And there’s a challenge in being too verbose, or too bare-bones. Again, I’ve got revision, but what comes out of first draft should be exciting enough, and coherent enough, to make me want to move on to the next stage.

Ah, revision. Rounds and rounds. Again, some writers tear their hair out on this. I admit to some hair-pulling (because this is where logic comes in – no, hospital staff cannot violate HIPAA regulations just to further my plot), but there’s a joy in bringing the story to fruition. Michaelangelo, when asked how he sculpted an elephant, said he took a block of marble and cut away anything that isn’t an elephant.

I feel kind of the same way. After the first draft, I have this giant, rough slab of marble. Somewhere in there is my story. I need to patiently chip away the edges so that story emerges. And sometimes, just like someone mining for gems, I find something totally unexpected, a hidden gleam that makes the story shine. And those, well, those are magic moments, moments where I sit back and say, “Ah! I had no idea that was going to happen.”

Because those are magic moments, too.

So there you have it. Writing is a maddening, heartbreaking way to make a living. But I can’t NOT write. If I got too many days without putting pixels to screen, I get cranky. I miss my imaginary friends. And yes, there are spots in every stage where it’s magical and spots where I wonder why I bother.

But all in all, I wouldn’t do anything else for the world.

The last part – I’m suppose to link to another writer. And I’m going to link to my friend Annette. Honestly, if you like “not quite cozy” and great mysteries with fantastic characters and setting so real you have to check a map to see if it exists, pick up Circle of Influence and Lost Legacy. I promise you won’t be disappointed.