Short Excerpt from Time of Death

If Alex could ever get a damn paper, she’d read the ads. What was happening in the world? Why did their newspaper disappear every day. Mr. Foley’s son swore he left it every morning. An idea dawned, and she smacked herself in the forehead, then grabbed the phone book.

“Mr. Foley, what time does your son deliver the paper to Isobel Devore?” She’d see what happened to it for herself. “Thanks.”

Oleander

In the morning, she’d be there watching. A thick stand of wax myrtle and palmetto would hide her, and she’d catch the thief with his hand in the box. It couldn’t be an animal, had to be human—or maybe Neanderthal. She wondered if Neanderthals read or if they used newspaper for something less appealing. Dismissing the mental picture, she locked the door and hurried to the car. At least she had a plan.

Her meeting with Tucker worried her. The drawings were coming with increasing frequency. What if something happened while she was off guard. He wasn’t going to be receptive, she could tell.

She crossed into Mt. Pleasant and turned on Johnnie Dodd Boulevard. At least she could read the papers at the library.

A flash of dull red in a filling station caught her eye. She slammed on the brakes and whipped into the parking area, leaving an angry driver hitting his horn.

An old Land Rover sat to one side, a small For Sale sign in the window. “Yes!” Chelsea leapt from the VW and ran as quickly as her stiff body would allow to the window. Wiping away a layer of dust, she peered inside the car, testing the handle with her other hand. It opened. Stains and a couple of rips marked the cloth seats. She climbed in and sat down, bouncing in spite of her bruises. 

“You interested in this baby?”

The voice at the window surprised her. A young man in jeans and a plaid shirt stood with his hands in his back pockets, his head tilted to one side.

“Yes. What year is it?”

Alex's Defender

“Nineteen ninety Defender. The real thing. She’s a little dirty right now, but she drives good, got some new parts.” He straightened and pulled a single key from his pocket. “Think you can drive it?”

“Of course.” She looked at the heavy gear in the floorboard. “Well, maybe a few pointers would be good.” She smiled at him. This was her car. She could feel it. A Land Rover! “Is it yours?”

“Yep. I’m the mechanic here. I bought it four years ago. I wouldn’t give it up, but me and my wife are about to have a baby, and she wants a more regular car.” He pushed long strands of hair out of his eyes. “Want to go for a ride?”

Available at Amazon, print , audio, and Kindle
Audio sample

Time of Death excerpt

TIME OF DEATH 

FREE for Kindle September 24 and 25, 2014

Alex, the artist. After a tree falls on her house, she joins her aunt on an unspoiled island, but something wakens her family psychic streak. She draws eerily accurate scenes of violence, but she knows nothing about them.

Connor, the prosecutor. He’s building a case against a drug lord one piece of evidence at a time. For him it’s personal, and he can’t risk a relationship with a witness, especially a psychic who’ll blow his case out of the water. 

Rollins, the killer. He’s a cog in a much bigger wheel, and the witness to his acts of violence threatens his operation and his life. He’ll do anything to see that doesn’t happen.

When violence is near, Alex is compelled to draw the scene. While she relaxes on an unspoiled island near Charleston, South Carolina, violence disrupts the tranquil scene when a dead man takes shape on her sketch pad. She knows nothing about the man, but the killer believes she witnessed the murder and sets his sights on Alex. After seeing her drawing, the police think she's involved, and the prosecutor fears a psychic witness will destroy his case. Now, with danger at every turn, she must uncover a killer before he destroys her and her loved ones.

Excerpt

Ace Basin, near Charleston, SC. Dave Allen Photo

Alex smoothed the paper on her board and took a number 2 stick of Payne’s gray from the box, gazing toward the water. The bleached skeleton of a tree lay on its side, smooth and ghostly in the fog. Thin light from the morning sun touched the trunk, giving it a shimmering, ethereal glow. She began drawing, selecting pastels without conscious thought. She worked steadily, intent on capturing the scene before her.

When she was satisfied, she replaced the used sheet with a fresh one and shifted so she could see the old pier. The last wisps of mist hung there, creating the image of a translucent walkway floating above the water. The fog hid the broken board—senseless violence. She sketched without thought, her hand moving automatically over the paper. The pier faded from her vision as her fingers flew. A face, swollen and distorted, took shape under the charcoal.

She blinked, startled by what she’d done. Not the mist-shrouded wooden structure, but a dead face. The face that belonged to yesterday’s body, so misshapen she couldn’t tell if she’d ever seen it. Shaken, she ripped the paper off her board and crammed it into her bag. Later she’d examine it, think about what she’d drawn. Now she wanted only to get away. She packed her materials and hurried from the cove, heading toward Chicora’s breezier ocean side to clear the images from her mind, to concentrate on happier things.
P.S. I've turned comments on again, but spam is overwhelming so I've resorted to the dreaded Captcha Codes. Sorry. I wish there were a better way. 

Time of Death excerpt

Alex

TIME OF DEATH 

Alex, the artist. After a tree falls on her house, she joins her aunt on an unspoiled island, but something wakens her family psychic streak. She draws eerily accurate scenes of violence, but she knows nothing about them.

Connor, the prosecutor. He’s building a case against a drug lord one piece of evidence at a time. For him it’s personal, and he can’t risk a relationship with a witness, especially a psychic who’ll blow his case out of the water. 

Rollins, the killer. He’s a cog in a much bigger wheel, and the witness to his acts of violence threatens his operation and his life. He’ll do anything to see that doesn’t happen.

When violence is near, Alex is compelled to draw the scene. While she relaxes on an unspoiled island near Charleston, South Carolina, violence disrupts the tranquil scene when a dead man takes shape on her sketch pad. She knows nothing about the man, but the killer believes she witnessed the murder and sets his sights on Alex. After seeing her drawing, the police think she's involved, and the prosecutor fears a psychic witness will destroy his case. Now, with danger at every turn, she must uncover a killer before he destroys her and her loved ones.

Excerpt

Ace Basin, near Charleston, SC. Dave Allen Photo

Alex smoothed the paper on her board and took a number 2 stick of Payne’s gray from the box, gazing toward the water. The bleached skeleton of a tree lay on its side, smooth and ghostly in the fog. Thin light from the morning sun touched the trunk, giving it a shimmering, ethereal glow. She began drawing, selecting pastels without conscious thought. She worked steadily, intent on capturing the scene before her.

When she was satisfied, she replaced the used sheet with a fresh one and shifted so she could see the old pier. The last wisps of mist hung there, creating the image of a translucent walkway floating above the water. The fog hid the broken board—senseless violence. She sketched without thought, her hand moving automatically over the paper. The pier faded from her vision as her fingers flew. A face, swollen and distorted, took shape under the charcoal.

She blinked, startled by what she’d done. Not the mist-shrouded wooden structure, but a dead face. The face that belonged to yesterday’s body, so misshapen she couldn’t tell if she’d ever seen it. Shaken, she ripped the paper off her board and crammed it into her bag. Later she’d examine it, think about what she’d drawn. Now she wanted only to get away. She packed her materials and hurried from the cove, heading toward Chicora’s breezier ocean side to clear the images from her mind, to concentrate on happier things.

Man's Best Friend

My best friend

Dogs are truly man’s best friend. Nothing else gives you the same unconditional love or accepts you as you are—tall/short, fat/thin, ugly/amazing—nothing matters if you care about the dog. That’s all he asks. I’m a dog lover, always have been, always will be.

From childhood I’ve had wonderful dogs. They’ve shared everything with me—my bed, my Brussels sprouts, and my heart. They licked away my tears, lay by my side when I was sick, and stole my lollipops. They were my best friends, and I grieved for each one when their time on earth was up.

I’m also fond of heroes. So when I found Kevin Hanrahan’s blog about Military Working Dogs (MWDs), it seemed perfect. He has wonderful true stories about these heroic dogs and the work they do in Afghanistan, Iran, and other areas. They’ve saved many lives and, just as our military men and women do, often give their lives. Many suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).  For many years, they were euthanized after their service was over. President Clinton made them eligible for adoption, at least those with the right temperament.

Kate, Muffet, Misty

On Kevin’s blog, I read about a soldier named Marc and his dog Anax. You can read their story at http://khanrahan.com/2012/01/25/marc-and-anax/ 

At the same time, I was having trouble bringing one of my characters to life. As soon as I read about Anax, Jax sprang into my heart. He became Connor Moran’s dog in my new book, Time of Death, giving life to both of them. Jax is a hero in his own right, one of my favorite characters.

I have pictures of most of my characters, and I wanted one for Jax.  His real name is Zakhar, but he’s my Jax. I fell for the alert, caring look on his face.

Here’s Jax’s history as told by Connor, from Time of Death.

“Were you in the Middle East?”

Jax

“Afghanistan. Jax and his handler were assigned to my unit. Jax alerted on the wall of a house we were searching. It had a thin stucco surface, clearly a new addition. We figured, judging by Jax’s behavior, it hid weapons or explosives. We backed off to wait for the bomb squad to do their thing, but a little kid ran out and fired directly into the wall. The whole thing exploded, and the unit came under heavy fire. Jax’s handler was hit. When the insurgents swarmed us, Jax stood over him, protecting him. They killed his handler and shot Jax. It cost him a leg and he had to retire. I only had a few months left, so I adopted him.”

How about you? Do you have dogs or memories of your best friend from childhood? 

The Next Big Thing

Exciting new author Jerrie Alexander tagged me in this interview game. Her new novel is GREEN-EYED DOLL, due out December 7, 2012. You can check her out at http://www.jerriealexander.com/  .

I tagged some other authors at the bottom, so be sure to check out their answers and their books too.

Amazon eBook and Print

Q. What is the title of your book? 

A. TIME OF DEATH. It's available now from Amazon.

Q. Where did the idea come from for the book?

A. Psychic phenomena have always interested me, and I love Charleston and the coast. Art is another interest, so when the three things came together in my head, it seemed like a natural. I love the characters too. 

Q. What genre does your book fall under?

A. Suspense with a little romance.

Q. Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

A. Teri Hatcher is Isobel, maybe Jason O’Mara for Connor, and the cover model, whoever she is, for Alex. Her face, especially the eyes, is perfect.

Q. What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?




A.  Artist Alex Jenrette draws scenes of violence with uncanny accuracy, but will anyone believe she never saw them happen?

Q. Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

A. Self-published, my choice for the foreseeable future.

Q. How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

A. Of and on for more than a year.

Q. What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

A. Maybe a bit like Nora Roberts's Carolina Moon. May I mention my own? Haunting Refrain, which will be free Nov 14-18. J

Q. Who or what inspired you to write this book?

A. My grandmother, who had a psychic ability much like Rosalind’s in the book. It really does run in the family, but I didn't get the fuzzy gene. 

Q. What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

A. The bad guys. I could see them so clearly, and one made me cry.

Okay, for all you authors out there…here are the rules:

 •Give credit to the person/blog that tagged you

 •Post the rules for this hop

 •Answer these ten questions about your Next Big Thing on your blog

 •Tag two or more writers/bloggers and add their links so we can hop over and meet them.

I tagged these two wonderful authors. Check them out!

L.A. Sartor at http://anindieadventure.blogspot.com

Magdalen Braden at http://www.promantica.com

My New Cover for TIME OF DEATH

Time of Death will be available from Amazon November 18th.

When murder strikes on a South Carolina island, artist Alex Jenrette’s psychic streak compels her to draw the scene with eerie accuracy. The police think she’s involved in the crime, prosecutor Connor Moran fears a psychic witness will get him laughed out of court, and the killer believes she saw it all. 

I'd love to hear what you think of the cover.

Those Talking Heads

Use dialogue to give the reader needed information, but avoid talking in a vacuum—talking heads. Talking heads are created when characters exchange information but do nothing. They might as well be reading the news.

One way to create interest is to have the dialogue take place during some activity, such as over a meal or pursuing some activity that might later come into play in the story. The activity helps create a picture for the reader to see and shows something about the characters. Does the character fancy herself a gourmet cook? Is he a sports addict? Use gestures and actions to show mood and emotion. Is the character trying to hide something? Perhaps he’s toying with his food or gulping it down.
Almost any conversation can be made more interesting by creating pictures for the reader. 

Here’s an excerpt from Time of Death (shameless promotion for my new book) with everything but the dialogue removed. See what kind of picture you get.

“Want me to go in, Mr. R.?”

“No, I do not. Just sit here and watch for anything that goes by in either direction.”

“But she can’t be going to Chicora.”

“I want you to check for official-looking vehicles—you know, cops, ambulances, the rescue squad?”

“Oh. Yeah. Right.”

Do you have an idea of the characters’ mood? What they were aiming at? Did you see the conversation or feel as if you were present?

See if this is any better. It’s the real excerpt.

Jelly pulled into the Sugar Shack parking lot. “Want me to go in, Mr. R.?”

“No, I do not.” No one would tell Jelly a woman’s whereabouts without calling the police as soon as the hulk left. “Just sit here and watch for anything that goes by in either direction.”

“But she can’t be going to Chicora.”

“Jelly,” he said with exaggerated patience, “I want you to check for official-looking vehicles—you know, cops, ambulances, the rescue squad?” Jelly Belly turned into Jelly Brains long before the man left the boxing ring.

“Oh. Yeah. Right.” Jelly settled his large frame behind the steering wheel and stared at the road.

What do you think? Does one show more than the other? What’s your style? How do you feel about bare dialogue? Does it ever work? When?

Playing Fair with Readers

Forensics team at murder scene

Hmmm. Question. How much information do you have to give the reader? I believe you have to play fair and let the reader know what the main character knows. The detective can’t find a note under the calendar that gives her a major clue and not share the information with the reader.

Withholding important information from the reader, things the main character learns, is cheating in my opinion. It can be up to the reader to put things together and figure out the answer, but the information should be there so she has the same chance as the main character to solve the problem.

Planting clues before you need them is a good way to hide them in plain sight. If you slide them in with something more dramatic or attention-getting, the reader is likely to focus on the dramatic event and not remember the clue.

I'm working on the ending of a story now, and I have a scene with a body. The main character doesn’t know who it is at first, but she sees something that she connects with one of the other characters. No one has seen the person’s face yet, but she remembers the something. The reader saw it when she did, so he or she has the same chance to remember. But I don’t spell it out for a while. Is that fair? I think it is. But you can decide in November when Time of Death comes out.