S.K. Nicholls's Blog, page 73
November 1, 2013
Need for Objective Eyes: Prologue: Crime Novel
Prologue
Independence day, 2005
Maria touched the diamond pendant on her chest, adjusted the rear view mirror, and drove to the nearest 7-11. Not wanting to wake the children, she pulled the car far around to the left side of the store in the last parking space next to the dumpster. She would only be a few minutes, they would be fine. She rolled down the windows a crack and locked the doors. The store was having a slow night for a holiday, and there was no one at the gas pumps. When she rounded the corner, the clerk was standing at the front door smoking a cigarette. He opened the door for her, tossed his cigarette away, and came inside.
Maria quickly grabbed the items she needed and made her way to the counter. The clerk rang up her purchase and she left the store holding a big bag full of groceries, a gallon of milk, her purse on her shoulder, and her keys in her hand.
A car had pulled up alongside of the BMW. She made her way not noticing if the car was occupied or not. She stepped between the dumpster and the BMW, and began fumbling to get her key in the door. It was an old Beamer without remote access. She managed to get the door open. Then she heard a kind voice, “Here, let me help you with that.”
“Sure,” she said, half muttering some sort of expression of appreciation as she handed over the carton of milk and the bag. She didn’t notice the gloved hands or think of it odd in Florida in July. She turned to her car, leaned in, and flung her purse onto the car seat. She started to turn back to retrieve the items from the kind stranger.
She heard the bag tear, the crash of the plastic container, and felt the cold milk hit her bare legs. Startled, she looked around to see the silver blade glinting in the dark of the night as it came up to her chest. Shadowed by the figure, she saw no face. First the pressure, then the sharp pain, someone had her by the left shoulder; the pressure again and again. Oh, the pain! She pushed away against the door; was trapped, and too weak to fight. She wanted to scream, but found herself voiceless. There was no time to think. It happened in a flash. There were too many shadows swirling in her mind. Wanting to fight, she felt her grip tighten on her keys, her nails digging into her flesh, but the pain in her chest was sudden, intense, like a fiery hot coal exploding in her heart. It was blinding, this pain. Crippled by it, her hands relaxed. She dropped the keys. The perpetrator held to her. The scent of sensuous cologne and her own blood filled her nostrils; hard and heavy breathing in her ear. There was heat from the breath on her face, warmth, wet and trickling, now gushing down her abdomen, onto her thighs, and then nothing.
********
2008
“It’s been pure hell. We’ve been the prime suspects for three years. It was a vulgar crime. The children lay sleeping in the back seat while the criminals abducted, murdered, then urinated on their prey, leaving her dead body on the front seat of the BMW in a pool of blood. Torn grocery bag, busted gallon of milk, loaf of bread, donuts, cereal boxes scattered between the dumpster and the car. It appeared that she had fought them off furiously. Upon the supposed safety of her vehicle, she had attempted to find refuge there in escape. The perpetrators of this crime were brutal, far more hostile in their display of enmity than I could have been. Though, there were tormenting times when I thought myself to have conjured them, to have called them up from deep sub consciousness. Eerie, it was, to see the photos of her sprawled there on the car seat looking so helplessly frail. She was stabbed seven times in the chest. Dreadlocks lay loosely in a right hand that was once so tightly clinched in fight that her own nails marked her palm. Her wedding ring was missing from the left hand. Her purse and cell phone were gone. The diamond pendant she wore around her neck had been taken. There was some talk among authorities that she had been sexually assaulted, as well, but it was such a difficult scene to imagine in the side parking lot of a 7-11 at near midnight. DNA from hair and urine samples taken at the scene matched, but did not match the semen sample, giving rise to the notion of at least two, or more, abductors. None of them were either one of us.”
Questions:
Does it make you want to read more?
Is it cohesive enough between the actual murder and the suspect’s recollection of the police report information.
Did it leave you with questions?
What do you feel you need to know now?
It is 800 words. Too long or too short?
Filed under: Writing, Publishing, & Marketing Tagged: crime novel, Does it work?, murder mystery, objective opinions, Prologue, W.I.P.
NoNaNoWriMo4Me
November is a busy month for me anyway. That’s what I told myself. I won’t be doing NaNoWriMo this year. I have decided that I can’t commit. I don’t have the courage.
Commitment means I have to follow through. I can’t agree to walk your dog and not do it. I can’t promise to bake you a cake and not bring you three. I feel awful when I miss a doctor’s appointment, and I am paying him money for the pleasure of my company.
There is my paperback in progress, my birthday, Thanksgiving, preparing for Christmas, shopping, a mini vacation planned in this beautiful Florida weather on the boat.
I thought about putting a little text window of some sort on my blog and updating it every Sunday with my word progress, just so my readers know that I haven’t abandoned writing this month. Maybe I will. I applaud each and every one of you who have the courage to have taken the plunge.
Filed under: Humor, Writing, Publishing, & Marketing Tagged: commitment, courage, NaNoWriMo, November, obligations, plans, word count, writing
October 31, 2013
Book Review: “Twelve Days: The Beginning” by Jade Reyner
Click here for Amazon link U.S.
Click here for Amazon link U.K.
Today is the last day of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month in the States. Although there are horrifying statistics relative to domestic violence around the world, they can only begin to show the tip of the iceberg. Survivors must know that there is support and hope for them. I saved this book review for today as this novel shines a bright light on the abuse which is often tucked away into a dark corner. I applaud people willing to write on the subject. Jade Reyner, one of our own WordPress authors, has done just that. It is not my habit to read contemporary romance, but this novel struck a chord with me as a health care provider, because it deals with so many contemporary issues that affect women’s health. Marriage, romance, desire, love, domestic violence, loss, and hope are explored in a modern day setting.
The book is technically sound, well written and well edited. Some of the characters are deeply developed and some are superficially shallow, and that is how people in the real world strike me socially, so the novel is most realistic. The main character is challenged as she examines both her heart and her societal commitments. It is a love story that involves a lot of pain and growth.
From the very beginning, it is evident that domestic violence, including marital rape, would be prominently featured. Reyner did very well throughout her story, to illustrate the excuses and cover ups that women employ to prevent discovery and deal with the shame. The viciousness of the cycles and the honeymoon phase play a part to some degree, also adding to the realism. There is quite a bit of slapping around and throwing punches in this fast paced novel. Reyner also does very well to demonstrate the emotional extremes of both men and women. There are a lot of twists and turns making a rather common plot interesting to me.
The romance that the main character develops, while giving her some sense of joy, increases her shame as she struggles to come to terms with what is important to her. There are several graphic sex scenes; hot, erotic, and steamy. Interesting to me personally, were the British idioms and colloquialisms. I would highly recommend this read for those who enjoy contemporary romance, and those who may live, or touch the life of one who lives, in the shadows of domestic violence. The series promises to carry the reader further on this romantic journey of self discovery. I give this book 4 stars out of 5.
Filed under: Book Reviews and Books Tagged: 12 Days: The Beginning, book review, domestic violence, growth, Jade Reyner, love, pain, romance
Author Interview with Charles E Yallowitz
Reblogged from Kristen Hope Mazzola:
Do you write under any other names?
No. I use my real name.
What are you currently working on?
I am currently working on the Legends of Windemere series. I'm editing book 3 of the series with a close friend when she is free and book 4 when I'm on my own. I've already finished the first draft of book 5 and will edit that once I'm done with book 4.
Get "Catalysts" now, today, and others by this Master of Fantasy, "Beginning of a Hero" and "Prodigy of Rainbow Tower" by Charles Yallowitz, for 99 cents. And check out this interview of the author!
October 30, 2013
Blogging How To (Request Feedback Button)
A brand new feature to me that is AWESOME!
Read more about here: http://en.support.wordpress.com/writi...
Okay, thanks for watching!
:mrgreen:
Another great wordpress "How To" post from Green Embers.
Squirrel Possessed
Reblogged from rona black photography:
Happy Halloween
Rona Black has some amazing photography on her blog, but you really have to check out this cool possessed squirrel, just in time for Halloween!
The Varsity in Atlanta: A Place That Would Serve Blacks in 1954, Outside.
In the novel, “Red Clay and Roses”, Sybil and Nathan, an interracial couple, must find a suitable restaurant in which to dine in Atlanta. They needed food, but no sit-down service would accommodate them in 1954. They ended up at The Varsity, a drive-in restaurant that I will be showcasing today.
Many younger people today cannot begin to understand or relate to the oppressions of the black/African American race in the 20th century. Although the Civil War was over in 1865, and African American slaves were set free, the oppression of people of color lingered with prejudice, particularly in the Deep South, south of the Mason-Dixon Line. The Jim Crow laws were state and local laws in the United States enacted between 1876 and 1965 . They mandated de jure racial segregation in all public facilities in Southern states.
Some examples of Jim Crow laws are the segregation of public schools, public places, and public transportation, and the segregation of restrooms, restaurants, and drinking fountains for whites and blacks. The U.S. military was also segregated. The new laws in 1965 did not change much for a very long time in the South. I was born in Georgia in 1960 and my schools were first integrated in 1971, when I was eleven years old and in the fifth grade. We are; perhaps, the last generation in the U.S.A. to be forced, by law, into segregation.
line map between Penn. and Maryland
Mason-Dixon Line
As for public places, restaurants were some places that had a very serious policy of segregation. White and blacks did not dine together. Blacks could cook and serve the food, but weren’t allowed to dine at the whites only establishments. Even after the Jim Crow Law was abolished in 1965, many made their establishments; schools, restaurants, and nightclubs, “Private” or “Members Only” to skirt the law. The Drive Through service restaurant really didn’t catch on until the 1970s.
In-n-Out Burger claims to have built the first Drive-Through restaurant in 1948.
Sierra Vista, Arizona, was the first city to have a McDonald’s drive-through. The first McDonald’s drive-through was created in 1975 near Fort Huachuca, a military base located adjacent to the city—to serve military members who weren’t permitted to get out of their cars while wearing fatigues.
Before the infamous Drive Through service, Drive In service burger joints had the market on quick service feeding frenzies. These offered a drive up curb service where patrons were often met by girls in shorts or short skirts on roller skates in the 1950s.
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One of the earliest and most famous was originally named “The Yellow Jacket,’ Now, The Varsity, it was established in 1928 at the corner of Luckie Street and Hemphill Avenue in Midtown Atlanta.[5] Its founder, Frank Gordy, a Reinhardt University graduate, briefly attended The Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) but dropped out in 1925. Then, as now, the restaurant catered heavily to Georgia Tech students. The present structure, on North Ave. now covers two city blocks, and boasts to be the world’s largest Drive In restaurant. 600 cars can be accommodated at The Varsity at one time in a multi-level garage. In one night, they served 30,000.
One of the best-known employees at the Varsity was Erby Walker, who worked there for fifty-five years until he died in 2008. He started at the Varsity at the age of fifteen sweeping floors, and was nearly fired on the first day, but soon graduated to the kitchen. Mr. Walker was noted for his ability to move the service line quickly, especially during the rush period right before a Georgia Tech football game. His signature catchphrase was, “Have your money out and your food on your mind, and I’ll getcha to the game on time!” He retired in 2003, but came back three weeks later. That year Walker was inducted into the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau Hospitality Hall of Fame
Comedian Nipsey Russell began his entertainment career at The Varsity in the 1940s as a car hop. The creative and resourceful Russell would dress in a flamboyant style and pepper his order-taking duties with jokes and amusing songs, thereby earning him extra tips. U.S. presidents Jimmy Carter, George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama all visited The Varsity during their terms in office. Madartist Jack Davis has done advertising for The Varsity.
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Nipsey Russell in “The Wiz”
Along with ‘What’ll ya have?” the Varsity staff, as was common practice, developed their own jargon when calling out orders. Being a restaurant with an open grill, the customers could overhear the staff’s slang and eventually began adopting it as their own when placing orders. Recognizing that the customers enjoyed being ‘in on the joke’ the Varsity eventually began listing its items with both their conventional and jargon references on both their overhead and printed menus.
Hot Dog
a hot dog with chili and mustard
Chili Dog
same as a hot dog
Naked Dog
a plain hot dog in a bun
M.K. Dog
a naked dog with mustard and ketchup
Regular C Dog
a chili dog with ketchup only
Red Dog
a naked dog with ketchup only
Yellow Dog
a naked dog with mustard only
Yankee Dog
same as a yellow dog
Heavy Dog
a hot dog with extra chili
Walk a Dog (or Steak)
a hot dog (or hamburger) to go
Steak
a hamburger with mustard, ketchup, and pickle
Chili Steak
a hamburger with chili
Glorified Steak
a hamburger with mayonnaise, lettuce, and tomato
Mary Brown Steak (or Dog)
a plain hamburger (or hot dog) without a bun
Naked Steak
a plain hamburger
Sally Rand
a naked hamburger
Sally Rand Through the Garden
a naked hamburger with lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise
N.I. Orange
a Varsity Orange without ice
F.O.
a frosted orange shake
Joe-ree
coffee with cream
P.C.
pure chocolate milk (always served with ice)
N.I.P.C.
a P.C. without ice
All The Way
with onions (on a hot dog, hamburger, etc.)
Bag of Rags
a bag of chips
Ring One
order of onion rings
Strings
French fries
Sideways
onions on the side
V.O.
Varsity Orange, the original carbonated orange soda drink
L.G.
Lazy Gordy, a Naked Dog and a Sprite
Filed under: Settings and Feature Articles on Red Clay and Roses Tagged: dining, Drive ins, interracial, mason-Dixon, opression, Red Clay and Roses, The Varsity, whites only
October 29, 2013
My Brand of Horror: Ghost Prompt (Week of October 27th)
Reblogged from The Community Storyboard:
I had to use all of the pictures to tell a story with a poem.
Seven Sisters of the Sacred Hearts
Rented a boarding house near the park
Its cupola a place for praise
Its storied rooms where souls were saved
Its basement beneath all dark and damp
Where a serial killer made his camp
One by one they disappeared…
This Halloween week's prompt at the CSB! Come on over and Trick or Treat!
My Brand of Horror: Ghost Story Prompt (Week of October 27th)
Reblogged from The Community Storyboard:
I had to use all of the pictures to tell a story with a poem.
Seven sisters of the Sacred Hearts
Rented a boarding house near the park
Its cupola a place for praise
Its storied rooms where souls were saved
Its basement beneath all dark and damp
Where a serial killer made his camp
One by one they disappeared…
This Halloween week's prompt at the CSB! Come on over and Trick or Treat!
Remember to get Catalysts for Halloween!
Reblogged from Legends of Windemere:
Your daily reminder to pick up a copy of Catalysts for Halloween! This new horror novella is a gripping scare for 99 cents. Be sure to search by the book title and author name, so more people will learn about it. This is how books end up on the 'Also Bought' and 'Also Viewed' lists that you see on product pages.
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