Deception & Sneak Preview #3

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“You live in a world of deception.” (Jeremiah 9:6)

This passage almost single-handedly inspired much of the plot for my sequel novel. It’s such a simple statement, but it echoes with finality and certainty. It’s truth.

We may not be the Israelites, but we certainly toil with suspicious leaders and criminal politicking. There’s no doubt in my mind that finding a politician whose hands are not stained with blood and greed is a nigh impossible venture. It takes a special kind of cretin, from my view, to get embroiled with the back dealings of power grabs. I don’t know if I could ever trust a man or woman in politics the way I trust my family or friends.

That’s not to say that I’m better or incapable of sin, but just that it should be acknowledged how frequently corruption consumes our elected officials. This is regardless of political party, so partisans need not feel prideful or take offense. It’s an honest appraisal of the world in which we live.

But that’s neither here nor there. What did I mean, you ask, when I said that the above quote served as a primary influence on my sequel novel? Well, I can’t be spilling the beans, so I’ll just summarize it thusly: a God-fearing man sees the world in black and white, in sin and righteousness. But for some, morality is relative, and they operate within a sea of gray. These are deceitful, dangerous men for whom the ends justify the means. The perfect villains for any work of fiction. Or reality.

Obviously, that’s not new in any sense. It’s only natural to have ambiguous antagonists turn up in storytelling. And sometimes, the protagonist has to get his or her hands dirty, has to dip them in the black oil to muddy the waters.

You’re probably thinking at this point: why is he speaking in metaphors and not giving a straight answer? Why is he deceiving us? Well, darn it, you got me.

So here’s an apology for stringing you along (and for missing yesterday). Sneak Preview #3:

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The warmth of the covers should have coaxed Wayland Zachary back to sleep, but here, now, he knew something was wrong.

For the past two months he’d woken up in a meager underground cell. An unnamed caretaker left him food every morning, usually a plate of scrambled eggs, burnt toast, and a glass of water. He supposed it was about as fulfilling as an old timey jail meal.

Zachary had no memory of how he had been captured or by whom. He guessed they’d drugged him but the why of it escaped him.

Maybe terrorists or spies? He was the editor of the Lone Oak Gazette; what classified information could a man from a hick town have to offer? None that he could recall.

No, some whacko out in the boonies must’ve taken a liking to him. His skin would make a well-moisturized coat of human leather. Morbid, but his thoughts always turned pessimistic when he was in danger. Where was Clarice Starling when you needed her?

But that wasn’t what was wrong with his current predicament. No longer was he incarcerated in a lonesome cell. The room he found himself in now was larger, decorative, and must have once belonged to a little girl—the rainbows and fluffy clouds gave it away.

He’d grown accustomed to the damp depression of the cell. This kiddie room was jarring and creepy and not at all what he expected to see when he opened his eyes. But at least he had room to maneuver.

Zachary tried the door first. Locked. Of course. He was foolish to think it wouldn’t be. Sighing, he swiveled on his feet and surveyed the room.

There were no windows to speak of, not even barred. Scattered dolls and toys littered the floor and miniature shelves. A plastic white horse rocked in the corner. The screech of its rusty spring grated on his ears. At least it wasn’t a clown. He hated clowns; they had scared the hell out of him since that Poltergeist movie.

Suppressing the memories of a younger man, Zachary continued to sweep the room with searching eyes. The wallpaper he’d noticed earlier was a bright shade of pink, but that wasn’t what caught his attention.

Splattered on the wall in black paint were two words: YOU ARE.

Remember how I told you guys back during the Kindle Scout campaign that Wayland Zachary’s account might be important? Well, now you know the truth! He’s a main character in the sequel. He’s stumbled into a rather unsettling situation, don’t you think?

Have a great week. God bless. Peace be to you.