A Tall Tail… er, Tale

Casey was born in a litter of what was supposed to be red Labradors. (Red is worth more money because it's rare.) Our guy came out white, though, and with a shorter tail than he should have had. Because of this, the breeder labeled him as sub-standard for the litter and discounted him. Turns out, …

Novel Excerpt from Body Armor

Body Armor, book 3 of the Medici Protectorate series, will be released soon. It's been with the publisher for a while now, edits are done, and we're just awaiting cover design and layout. Today, I'm giving you a brief look at the burgeoning relationship between Dominico (Nico) Micelli and Donnatella (Donni) Notaro. Nico spends the …

Short Fiction: The Case of the Disappearing Socks

Okay, this is a HUGE departure from my typical fiction, but recently Mae Clair told me I hadn't posted any pet pictures in a while, so I'm combining a picture of Max (sorry it's blurry, but he almost never stays still in front of the camera) and a silly little "story" to go with it. …

Author Inspiration and This Week’s Writing Links

This was a busy week for me. I spent much of it editing in one form or another. Beta reads, critiques, actual editing projects. Even revising some of my own works. All that editing brought to mind one of my favorite writing quotes, from one of my favorite writers---Dr. Seuss. I have a tendency to …

Short Fiction: One to Remember

Mitch took a deep breath. His hands shook, trembled so much he almost dropped what he held. He needed to calm down, think things through. Without a plan, he'd botch the whole thing. And he wanted the night to be special. One to remember. A knock shattered the quiet of the room. Who could that …

Short Fiction: A Soothing Cup of Tea

Ten-fourteen. Kimber prepared a hazelnut frappé. Her hands moved from rote memory. She'd made the same drink every day at that time for the last three years. Without fail. The bell above the door tinkled, signaling the arrival of a new customer. Quarter after ten, on the nose. She looked down, letting her hair fall …

Book Review: Hacked by Sue Coletta

Shawnee Daniels wrongly assumes she’s being punished for innocently hacking the Police Chief’s photos. Okay, maybe not-so-innocently, but someone had to expose him for the dog that he is. When she arrives at the mandatory computer seminar, the FBI enlists her help in stopping a serial killer who’s remotely hacking vehicles while the owners are …

Short Fiction: First Case

"Johnson." Detective Barnes put his hand on the rookie's shoulder. "Let me give you some advice before you go down there." "It's okay, sir. They told me what to expect." "Hearing about it is one thing. Experiencing it is something else." The young officer shrugged. "Abernathy said it's a cloying sweetness. Like fermenting, rotting fruit. …

Short Fiction: Why Marketers Drink

"What is this?" Ian threw the sketches on the conference table. "You're joking, right?" Polly's gaze darted around the room, searching for an ally in the group. Finding none---expecting none---she sighed. Why was it always her the boss yelled at first? "We never really came to a consensus. But we were running out of time. …

Short Story: Winter in the Weald

"What do you mean, you locked the door?" John dropped the cooler on the weathered planks of the porch. Carrie rubbed her hands together and blew on them. "That's what normal people do when they leave a house." "This isn't a house, Carrie. It's a cabin in the woods." "I don't see the difference," she said. …