Guest Author, C. Lee McKenzie

Guest Author, Charles Suddeth IWSG Post and Rats Overhead

Guest Author, C. Lee McKenzie

Today I have the awesome C.Lee McKenzie at my pad telling us about her newest release, Not Guilty.

Hi Sherry. Thank you so much for giving me a chance to chat about this latest book I’ve titled NOT GUILTY. You asked me where the idea for this book came from, and that made me think back a few years. I found it quite interesting to trace this story from its beginning to now.
I discovered that no single idea generated Not Guilty, but my interest in exploring the theme of justice started the ball rolling. I love to think that there is such a thing in this world--even in the face of so much injustice. In fact, I wrote an earlier story with this same theme, but it’s still buried in my computer and may never be published. Maybe it was just a test run for this one.
When I set out to write Not Guilty, I had a very different plot in mind; then suddenly I had this clean-cut, middle-class basketball player of a kid locked up in juvenile hall for something he didn’t do. And while justice started out as my main theme, the one of friendship stepped up and took center stage. Surprise!
Well, I love surprises, so instead of trying to avoid this change in focus, I ran with it. Here’s a short scene where Devon (my MC) remembers how his long-time friend once left him to face the consequences for something the friend had done. This same friend has turned his back now that Devon’s in trouble, but not guilty...again.
... he wanted to get rid of the white noise inside his head. The noise that sputtered guilty. He’d only heard it once before when he was in the fifth grade playing ball in his backyard. His best friend, Colin Mayhew, had made a solid hit with his bat, but the ball hadn’t gone the direction it was supposed to. It had gone straight through their neighbor’s front window, shattering the urn on the mantel. But not just any urn. This one held Mr. Shipley’s ashes that were now scattered on the floor. Mrs. Shipley hysterical. Dad commandeering the broom and dustpan from him when he failed to sweep up Mr. Shipley fast enough. Mom trying reason and mint tea. Him, Devon Carlyle, wishing the bat hadn’t been his. Colin long gone. That moment was sharper in Devon’s memory now than ever before. He’d apologized. A lot. His dad had paid for the window and purchased a new, very expensive urn. Colin never owned up. Devon never told them what really happened. Nobody liked narcs, and there was something in his dad’s face that sealed his lips. So Mrs. Shipley and his parents always thought Devon had been the one who hit the ball.
Later, while Devon’s in juvenile hall, he finds friends who stand by him, ones who’d never leave him to take the rap for something he didn’t do.
So far my young adult writing has also explored themes like self-abuse, homophobia, grief, and guilt. And I’ve just finished a draft of a new book with intolerance and discrimination at its core.
A topic that Sherry suggested I might also discuss is my favorite genre. I can’t say I have a favorite one, but after so many serious young adult stories, I look forward to a magical middle-grade journey once in a while. I often jump into ones like Sign of the Green Dragon or my series of Pete and Weasel adventures (Alligators Overhead, The Great Time Lock Disaster, and Some Very Messy Medieval Magic). These are my sorbet between those young adult courses.
Thanks again for letting me be here on your great site, Sherry. And thanks to your readers for taking the time to find out more about Not Guilty.
You're welcome, Lee! Best of luck with your new book!

Here's my review:

When high school basketball star, Devon Carlyle, is wrongfully accused of assaulting a man on the beach with a knife, his world is turned upside-down. He needs to prove his innocence and find the true culprit.

Not Guilty is not just a story of social injustice and dealing with the aftermath of being wrongly accused. It is a story of friendship. Devon forms bonds with his juvenile detention roomies, Ice, Tats, and Chewy, who help him unravel who really committed the crime.

The book is well-written with fully-developed characters. Although it is obvious that Devon is not guilty, it is still interesting to watch the friendships develop and eventually learn the identity of the one who committed the crime. Recommended for Y/A readers. 5 star.

If you'd like to purchase a copy of Not Guilty, you can find it here:
AMAZON BARNES and NOBLE KOBO SMASHWORDS Goodreads