A Word Please

As many of you know, I’m working on the edit for my upcoming novel called Secrets. I wrote the original manuscript a couple of decades ago. The printed pages have been sitting in a box, and I’ve juggled that box from one spot to another with each move over the years.

A couple of months ago, I decided I have too many unfinished projects. I pulled the Secrets box out of the cabinet on the side of my desk and decided I had to do one of two things:

1. Give it a final edit and release it to the world.
2. Pack it away where I wouldn’t have to see it and continually be irritated by its presence.

This was a harder decision than you might think. You see, the story is dark. Yes, I know, most of my stuff is dark. But this one tackles a difficult topic and I knew the content would set some people on edge. That’s one of the reasons it gathered dust for so long.

Then I thought, Since when do I shy away from controversy?

Way back, when I was seeking an agent and a traditional publisher, I knew this book wouldn’t fit the neat little set of expectations. Then the indie movement happened, and it’s been years since I’ve even considered going mainstream. I looked at the manuscript again. Controversial, sure. But I’d written the story for a reason. And that reason wasn’t to have it sit in a box for eternity.

One of the first things I realized when I dove into the edit was how much things have changed in two decades. I wrote this before Windows was invented for computers and we didn’t have cordless phones, much less cell phones. I knew right away I couldn’t update the story. The inclusion of ‘modern’ technology would have forced me to make too many changes. Much of the story wouldn’t work if my characters suddenly had access to an entire world with the click of a mouse, or if everyone was walking around with cell phones. I wanted to be true to the original story, so I kept the setting in 1991.

Now I’m on the tail end of the major edit. Afterward, I’ll do another read and minor edits. I’m hoping to be done with that by late June. From there, it’s off to my editor. I hope to have the book out to the world around the first of September.

Last week, I shared the blurb. This week, I’d like to share an excerpt. This is not the final edit, though most of it will remain as is:

Thunder crashed angrily outside Samantha’s bedroom window. She sat motionless, as if the slightest rise and fall with each breath would cause the lightning to strike her. Moments crawled, each feeling like hours. Lately time ran together in a jumble of emptiness.

Gradually the thunder subsided. The quiet made it too easy to think. She didn’t like to think, because it allowed room for the memories she’d buried deep to force their way into her consciousness. She pushed them back, almost physically, to the corners of her mind.

She uncurled herself from the tight ball she’d wrapped herself in. Rising from the bed, she stepped slowly toward the brass floor mirror. Her blonde hair hung in loose curls past her shoulders. Her large blue eyes glistened. Dark lashes, long and thick, fluttered above them. Delicate features gave her face a kind of china doll beauty. Stunning, she was often called. But what did it matter?

Discouraged, she walked away from her reflection. No one understood her depression. After all, she had everything a woman could want. Only twenty-two years old, she was a successful model married to an incredibly handsome and equally successful advertising agent. So what was her problem? Why did her moods change drastically from one moment to the next?

How could she explain a past that never happened was now haunting her?

The sound of the doorbell broke into her thoughts. She chose to ignore it, a habit she’d been practicing increasingly more often. She turned back to the mirror, studying herself intensely. She saw the sparkling blue eyes looking back. But within those eyes she saw something no one else did. Emptiness. Sadness. A fear that gripped her so tightly she couldn’t breathe.

She jerked away from her reflection. Memories flashed like ten second movie blips. Images. Voices. Never anything specific. Just broken pieces of a distorted puzzle.

Her past. It forever haunted her. But remember, it isn’t real.

I’m stepping out on my shaky limb today and speaking up about something that irks me. What is up with this trend of giving books negative reviews based on bias toward content? If you don’t want to read a violent murder scene, you should not purchase a suspense or thriller novel because that is likely what you will be reading. Censoring content is up to the reader, not the writer.

All of my novels and short stories fall somewhere in the mystery/suspense/thriller genre. This is a broad category that includes everything from the cozy mystery, which is the mild whodunit that downplays violence, to the heart-thumping crime thriller that feeds off issues like violence, murder and revenge. In between, you’ll find romantic suspense, paranormal mysteries, psychological suspense, supernatural thrillers and more. The mystery/suspense/thriller genre encompasses a broad spectrum of writing and not every book written within this genre will please fans of specific subgenres. But this is not the writer’s fault.

The writer’s responsibility is to craft the best story he/she can, while remaining true to the plot and the characters. If I am writing about gang members or serial killers, chances are slim that I’ll fit into the cozy mystery subgenre. Writers know this and readers need to, as well.

While I have had some negative reviews based on the reader’s dislike of the violence and/or language in a few of my books, those reviews did not trigger today’s rant. You see, I am not only a writer. I am an avid reader and reviewer. I read a wide variety of subjects but mystery/suspense/thriller has always been my favorite fiction genre. I enjoy everything from mild cozy mysteries to graphic thrillers. Content doesn’t offend me, providing it fits the writing style, plot and characters. I want to make that clear because I am not a fan of gratuitous violence or graphic scenes used merely for shock.

I’m aware when I pick up a book labeled as a thriller that I’m stepping into dark territory. The choice to do so is mine alone. I am responsible for reading the product description and deciding whether I want to enter that writer’s world. Lately, I’ve been reading negative reviews for suspense and thriller novels that I’ve loved, only to find that the sole issue the reader had was violent content. This is completely unfair to the writer.

I would not purchase a book within the erotica genre, then give it a poor rating based on the sex being too graphic. Nor would I purchase a fantasy novel, only to write a review slamming it for being too fantastical. But these genres make it easier for readers to predict content. We all know that erotica will contain graphic sex. We also expect that a fantasy novel will take place in a made-up world.

The mystery/suspense/thriller genre is a gigantic playground made up of innocent children on a swing set and bodies buried in the sandbox. Anything could be lurking in the shadows or standing out in bright sunshine. For those who are offended by content, it is vital to play close attention to plot description and subgenre. You must approach this wide genre with this understanding. Choose your reading material wisely. If the plot description tells you there are serial killers, hit men, mafia, gang activity and/or murderers running loose, be aware that violence, to some degree, will be a part of the story. Please do not slam a book and its author for not living up to your personal censoring requirements.

Each Wednesday, I’ve been hosting a character guest in my Tell me one thing… feature. My own characers have been complaining about not being invited to play. I see their point. That’s not very nice of me! To rectify that, today I’ve invited Skye Summers from my novel The Cutting Edge. Skye’s ten words all begin with the letter I.

Welcome, Skye!

Thanks for having me here today! I’m a little nervous about this. My business has always involved getting other people to talk about themselves. My clients rarely wanted to hear about me, so bear with me. I’ll do my best!

I know you’ll do great! Here we go. Tell me one thing about you that is…

Imperfect: Only one thing? My math skills are imperfect. The other day, I found a jacket I loved at the mall. The price was $57 but there was a sticker on the tag that said to take 15% off. I swear they do that just to mess with people like me. Why not tell me what the sale price is, instead of giving me a math problem to solve? Scott, my husband, bought me a mini calculator that I keep in my purse for times like these.

Indifferent: I’m indifferent toward the mother of Scott’s daughter. I used to despise her and with good reason. The woman made it her life’s mission to destroy my marriage. Things had gotten so bad that I fantasized about killing her in the most gruesome ways possible. Then all kinds of craziness happened in all our lives, which you can read about in The Cutting Edge. Now I don’t spit nails every time I hear her name but I won’t claim to like her much, either.

Ironic: I’m a lifelong vegetarian, raised by vegan parents, but I’m on a first name basis with my local butcher. I love my dogs and they are big-time carnivores. They get fresh chicken, beef or lamb each week and Harry the Butcher saves them the best bones.

Intriguing: One of my clients turned out to be a serial killer.

Impetuous: Fortunately for me, I’m able to control most of my impulses. One thing that I am impetuous about is spoiling my dogs. I once went to a craft fair with my mother and spent $100 on a hand-embroidered dog bed. That night, Jack, my big Lab mix, got into something out in the yard that he proceeded to throw up all over the brand new bed. That’s when I found out the thing couldn’t be put in the washing machine. That was not one of my wiser purchases.

Innocent: My childhood. I was brought up by the last of the sixties flower children. We grew our own food and sang Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young songs while coloring peace symbols on our jeans. My parents showed me all the good in the world.

Invaluable: My ability to smile politely while fantasizing about causing physical harm to the person speaking is invaluable.

Irrefutable: People can say a lot of things about me but there is no questioning my love for animals. After all, how many people would spend $100 on a dog bed you can’t wash?

Inspiring: I think that the way I’ve turned my life around, since that messy period in my life when my surgically sharpened sheers took over my fantasies, is inspiring. You’ll have to read The Cutting Edge and let me know if you agree.

Irritating: Me, irritating? Never! Okay, I know I’m forced to confess to something here. One irritating thing about me is that I don’t like to wake up. It makes no difference if it’s six in the morning or noon. The very act of waking makes me temporarily grumpy.

As Skye mentioned, readers can find her in my novel The Cutting Edge. Here’s a look:

My name is Skye Summers. I’m a hairstylist and I can’t stop fantasizing about killing my clients. Not all of them, of course. I only want to kill the ones who irritate me, which, if I’m being honest, is most of them. My occasional fantasies have turned into chronic daydreams. They’re bloody and vivid, like watching a slice-and-dice movie on IMAX.

I also want to kill my husband’s ex-girlfriend. She’s not a client but she tops my list. Eighteen years ago, she gave birth to his daughter and she has tormented him ever since. I should be troubled by this growing desire to use my surgically sharpened shears for more than a haircut. Instead, I wonder how I can get away with it.

You can read an excerpt on my website here: www.QuietFuryBooks.com/thecuttingedge.html

Thanks for reading.

Today, I’m am thrilled to introduce everyone to Stacy Juba! I recently read Stacy’s first book, Twenty-Five Years Ago Today, and it captivated me! I can’t wait to read her next one!

A little about Stacy:

Stacy Juba is the author of the mystery novels Twenty-Five Years Ago Today and the upcoming Sink or Swim. She is a former journalist with more than a dozen writing awards to her credit. Her web site is www.stacyjuba.com and her blog is http://stacyjuba.com/blog/.

Her Book:

Obit writer and editorial assistant Kris Langley feels like the newsroom slave – that is, until she stumbles across an unsolved murder while compiling “25 Years Ago Today” items from the microfilm. Determined to launch her reporting career, Kris investigates the cold case of Diana Ferguson, an artistic young cocktail waitress obsessed with Greek and Roman mythology. She soon learns that old news never leaves the morgue and that yesterday’s headline is tomorrow’s danger, for finding out the truth about that night twenty-five years ago may shatter Kris’s present, costing her love, her career, and ultimately, her life.

I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to speak with Kris Langley today! Kris unwittingly stepped into the starring role in Stacy Juba’s book Twenty-Five Years Ago Today. At the time the story began, Kris had no idea her life would be interesting enough to write about. However, a few small choices led her down a path she (and her readers) will never forget.

Kris, welcome and thanks for coming! You decided to make a sudden career switch and wound up as an editorial assistant, while also writing obituaries for a newspaper. Was writing something you’d always wanted to do?

I was always good at writing and it came easily to me, but I wouldn’t say it was something I always wanted to do. To be honest, I never really knew what I wanted to do. It was more, where did I want to go and where could I escape from the stressful thoughts and nightmares that always plagued me. College wasn’t fun for me in the way that it was fun for my roommates. I thought it would be exciting to live in New York after graduation, but my administrative assistant job didn’t fulfill me and all the noise of the city just made me even more unsettled. I fell into journalism after I moved back home and took the newspaper job, and I feel fortunate to have re-discovered writing. I now have an outlet for all those emotions I’ve been suppressing – things I can’t say out loud, I can voice through my writing. And the written word has power. You’ve probably heard the expression “power of the press.” That makes me feel empowered also.

Can you tell us how you went from writing obituaries to investigating a murder?

One of my tasks at the newspaper is compiling the 25 and 50 Years Ago Today column. One day while researching my column, I stumbled across the 25-year-old cold case of Diana Ferguson. I was disturbed to see that the case had been unsolved all these years. I decided to snoop around a bit, and as a result, met Diana’s sister and mother. That made Diana even more real to me, and I felt compelled to do what I could to bring justice for her family.

What was it about Diana Ferguson’s case that tugged at your heartstrings?

I’m no stranger to murder. My cousin Nicole was murdered when we were kids and I’ve always blamed myself for that. Thanks to my childish prank, she was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Finding Diana’s killer was a way of redeeming myself from my past mistakes. I thought if I could solve Diana’s murder, in some small way, maybe it would make up for what I did to Nicole. I was also intrigued by Diana. She worked as a cocktail waitress in a seedy bar and didn’t have a lot of ambition. Her father’s death had devastated her and it was like part of herself had died with him. But as a hobby, she painted these beautiful, haunting scenes of Greek and Roman mythology. I really wanted to know what Diana’s paintings meant and whether they might provide a clue to the murder.

Now that you’ve fully confronted the trauma of your youth, have you been able to forgive yourself for the part you thought you played in your cousin’s death?

I will always regret what happened with Nicole and I don’t know if all of the guilt can ever be erased. But, now I’m ready to stop being so hard on myself. I can admit that I’m only human and I was just a kid back then. For the first time, I’ve been talking about it with people rather than bottling it all up inside, and there is something freeing in that.

You and Eric Soares had a lot of chemistry, even at the start when you weren’t sure you trusted each other. Might there be an Eric Junior in your future?

Eric and I have a lot of obstacles to overcome, but I’d love to see where that path leads. I’m in no hurry to settle down and have kids, though. For one thing, I just need to have fun. I haven’t had a lot of fun in my life. Also, I’m just starting to find myself. I don’t think I’d be a good mother right now. But someday… yes. I’d like a husband, two kids and a white picket fence. I’m starting to realize that I deserve happiness.

Do you plan to use your investigative skills to hunt down the killers in other unsolved murders?

You never know!
***
You can purchase Stacy’s book on Amazon by clicking here!

You can also purchase it through her publisher, Mainly Murder Press:
http://mainlymurderpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=33, as well as Barnes and Noble and a variety of other bookstores!