tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26325102045886213322024-03-04T22:28:09.075-08:00Musings Under the Willow TreeMarianne Spitzer's BlogMariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09250703273643400917noreply@blogger.comBlogger133125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632510204588621332.post-45375136027465521952017-11-14T07:09:00.002-08:002017-11-14T07:09:50.182-08:00 THE ATTRACTION OF MYSTERY STORIES<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-line-height-alt: 14.4pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1;">
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The simplest definition of curiosity is a need to know. We are born with that need. Babies are extremely curious. Each of us is curious on some level. From that curiosity is born the love of mystery. Mysteries offer a chance to feed our curiosity in small bits or large chunks.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.thenewsinbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/full-moon.jpg"><span style="color: #9dbb41; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-decoration-line: none;"><v:shapetype coordsize="21600,21600" filled="f" id="_x0000_t75" o:preferrelative="t" o:spt="75" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" stroked="f"> <v:stroke joinstyle="miter"> <v:formulas> <v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"> <v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"> <v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"> <v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"> <v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"> <v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"> <v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"> <v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"> </v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:formulas> <v:path gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect" o:extrusionok="f"> <o:lock aspectratio="t" v:ext="edit"> </o:lock></v:path></v:stroke></v:shapetype><v:shape alt="full moon" href="http://www.thenewsinbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/full-moon.jpg" id="Picture_x0020_2" o:button="t" o:spid="_x0000_i1026" style="height: 149.25pt; mso-wrap-style: square; visibility: visible; width: 225pt;" type="#_x0000_t75"> <v:fill o:detectmouseclick="t"> <v:imagedata o:title="full moon" src="file:///C:/Users/Marianne/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image001.jpg"> </v:imagedata></v:fill></v:shape></span></a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We are able to sit and read a cozy mystery by Agatha Christie. Her Miss Marple character is my favorite. Stephen King will also offer you an excellent mystery at the opposite end of the spectrum. He adds horror to many of his mysteries and keeps his readers on the edge of their chairs.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">When did the love of mystery begin? No one knows for sure. There have been cave drawings telling stories of men being chased by wild animals or strange spirits in frightening masks. Without words, the curiosity of the human mind takes over, and the solving of a mystery begins.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Fairy Tales were written to teach lessons to children. They are like small mysteries in themselves. The adults hoped children would learn a lesson, but for a child, the mystery took over. They were told what happened to The Little Boy Who Cried Wolf and Hansel and Gretel, but I’m sure the children began to imagine worse case scenarios. They would have dreamed up bigger mysteries and solved them in their minds. I know that is what I did when I heard a scary story when I was a child.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">When Mary Shelly or Bram Stoker put pen to paper to bring Frankenstein and Dracula to life for those able to read, they filled the curious mind with possibilities. That curiosity sprang more mystery to life in the minds of Sir Arthur Conon Doyle, Edgar Allan Poe, and H.P. Lovecraft among others.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Mysteries fulfill the curiosity in most of us. We may not be able to climb a mountain to see what is on the other side or help the police hunt down a killer. However, when we pick up a mystery book we can do these things and more. We can be immediately transported to a different time or place. We meet characters we never would in our everyday lives. Our imaginations run wild trying to solve the mystery before the end of what we are reading. Our curiosity is satisfied. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Mysteries will be around as long as curious minds need something to solve.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Happy Reading!</span></div>
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Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09250703273643400917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632510204588621332.post-44686399809628041812017-10-31T06:50:00.002-07:002017-10-31T06:50:47.499-07:00Beliefs of Protection from Evil<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">For centuries people have tried to find a way to protect themselves from evil. A few things became popular through the centuries. Garlic is one of the most popular that comes to mind. It has been used to ward off vampires for as long as people have believed vampires exist. A string of garlic can be hung on windows and doors to keep vampires away. Also, crushed garlic smeared on keyholes or around other entrances that can’t be locked such as fireplaces will keep vampires away. It can also be worn around the neck. A string of garlic worn as a necklace will keep the vampires away from anyone. This was a popular practice when a person slept and had no other way to protect themselves.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;"><v:shapetype coordsize="21600,21600" filled="f" id="_x0000_t75" o:preferrelative="t" o:spt="75" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" stroked="f"> <v:stroke joinstyle="miter"> <v:formulas> <v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"> <v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"> <v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"> <v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"> <v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"> <v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"> <v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"> <v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"> </v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:formulas> <v:path gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect" o:extrusionok="f"> <o:lock aspectratio="t" v:ext="edit"> </o:lock></v:path></v:stroke></v:shapetype><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_1" o:spid="_x0000_i1025" style="height: 159.75pt; mso-wrap-style: square; visibility: visible; width: 232.5pt;" type="#_x0000_t75"> <v:imagedata o:title="" src="file:///C:/Users/Marianne/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image001.jpg"> </v:imagedata></v:shape></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Burning and salt are also two ways usually used in conjunction to kill off a spirit or assure it never returns. In the movie version of Shirley Jackson’s <i>The House on Haunted Hill, </i>a character is heard to say the house should be burned to the ground and the earth salted. This is also a widely used method in the wildly popular TV series <i>Supernatural. </i>Demon or spirit bodies when killed are salted and burned to make sure they do not return. I am a big fan of the show and find their new use of salt in shotgun shells a unique use of an old staple. I don’t have any myself, but if we’re ever invaded by spirits, I’ll be sure to run out and buy some shells and fill them with salt. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Religious objects have long been used to ward off evil. Since churches are blessed and considered holy ground, it is believed that no evil can enter. It makes it the perfect place to hide if one believes they are being pursued by an evil creature. Crosses are also used to ward off evil especially vampires. This belief goes back hundreds of years. Crosses are not only found in and on churches, but in many homes. It symbolizes a person’s belief in God and also many believe it protects them. Many hang one above their bed. That’s where I have mine. Silver crosses worn around the neck are popular. Not everyone who wears one believes they ward off evil. Most wear one for their religious beliefs. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Through the ages, other objects have been used for protection. Crystals, stones, coins, jewels, small statues, rings and all types of jewelry have been used for protection against many forms of evil. Crystals, stones, and jewels have been used in amulets. Whatever can be easily carried and a have a spell placed on it can be used for protection. These items are found in every culture, books, fables, tales, and stories told around campfires. Wherever people believe there is evil, there will also be a way to prevent or stop it. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Happy reading!</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09250703273643400917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632510204588621332.post-68522569850644875832017-09-10T07:02:00.002-07:002017-09-10T07:02:57.313-07:00Six Sentence Sunday <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">I've been busy writing the next Kellie Conley book, Lethal Waters, but I haven't shared many bits of the story. I'll share with you a peek at a few sentences from two more chapters. Each week I'll add a bit from two chapters until the book publishes. Look for the book near the end of September.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Chapter Seven</span></b><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">Amber shuffled through the papers again and read what she’d learn about collecting souls. Maybe there was a quicker way than killing one person at a time. If there was, how could she be sure she’d catch all the souls? Amber groaned and walked to her desk. She pulled the drawer open and glanced at the glass jars again. Did she have three souls or did she have three empty jars? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Chapter Eight</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Claudia’s gaze shifted to the other side of the room
and she stilled. After a few moments, she looked back at Kellie. “Before we
discuss the haunting, you need to know a few facts about the soul collector.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Haunting?” Taylor mumbled dropping her muffin onto
her plate. “Are you talking about two separate entities?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09250703273643400917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632510204588621332.post-73267530739863531772017-09-03T06:41:00.001-07:002017-09-03T06:54:17.910-07:00Six Sentence Sunday<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I've been busy writing the next Kellie Conley book, Lethal Waters, but I haven't shared many bits of the story. I'll share with you a peek at a few sentences from two more chapters. Each week I'll add a bit from two chapters until the book publishes. Look for the book near the end of September.</span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Chapter Five</span></b><br />
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alarm, and reached for the phone. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Hello,” Kellie bounded out of bed as she listened and
answered, “Give me five minutes.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Max mumbled, “Who was that and what are you doing?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Kellie, struggling to
push her legs into her jeans, said, “It was Taylor. Andrea was attacked on her
way into work. Someone tried to strangle her. </span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Chapter Six</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Kellie caught her uncle’s gaze and took a deep breath.
She knew he wouldn’t believe Andrea’s attack was anything but some crazed man
terrorizing their town, but if he considered just a fraction of what Andrea
said as truth it would turn his world upside down again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mike stopped in front of Kellie and stared at her for
a moment before he spoke, “I did as I promised. I didn’t yell at Andrea or
upset her, but that doesn’t mean I trust all she said as the actual memories of
a rational woman. She was traumatized and when the brain is deprived of oxygen
for even a few moments, the mind plays tricks.” He stared at Kellie for another
minute, nodded, and strode toward the door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09250703273643400917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632510204588621332.post-76009625536577341982017-08-27T07:36:00.000-07:002017-08-27T07:36:03.074-07:00Six Sentence Sunday <br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">I've been busy writing the next Kellie Conley book, Lethal Waters, but I haven't shared many bits of the story. I'll share with you a peek at a few sentences from two more chapters. Each week I'll add a bit from two chapters until the book publishes. Look for the book near the end of next month.</span><br />
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<b style="font-size: x-large;">Chapter Three</b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Hope spoke, “Mom, you should take a nap today. You know there’s nothing to worry about. Miss Annabelle told Faith and I that we’re safe and so is Aaron.” She smiled at Kellie her blue eyes sparkling with innocence and finished her glass of milk.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Max’s eyes cut to Kellie and then back to Hope. “What about Miss Annabelle? Did you have a dream?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="font-size: x-large;">Chapter Four </b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“You don’t want breakfast,” Rita asked and turned to look at Mike. “Oh, Lord, not another one.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Mike nodded and Rita melted into his arms trying to hold back tears.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “What’s happening, Mike?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">“I don’t know, but I’m going to find out.” </span>Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09250703273643400917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632510204588621332.post-34152153278227890522017-08-22T05:59:00.001-07:002017-08-22T05:59:55.400-07:00Full Moon and the Paranormal<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">What are the effects of a full moon on everyday life and does it affect the paranormal events people experience? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">I have a friend who is a nurse and she told me that she finally has enough seniority that she can request any day of the month off. She always takes off the night of the full moon. Working on a medical floor, she treats a variety of illness and some surgical patients. The night of the full moon brings strange occurrences that are not always explained. When she worked in the emergency room, she said they would admit more people who have tried to commit suicide or had some sort of breakdown than any other night. Many people feel more anxious on the night of the full moon. Does this strange phenomenon cross over into the paranormal world?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Many people know believe werewolves are active the night of the full moon. The belief in werewolves has been around for centuries. Is there any truth in this myth? Many believe in werewolves and other things affected by the phases of the moon. Farmers plant some crops according to the phase of the moon. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Paranormal events are said to occur more often during the full moon phase. Three days before the moon is full, the night of the full moon, and the three days after it is full. This is also the same time span most people who are sensitive to the full moon feel most anxious. Is there a correlation? Do spirits feel the pull of the moon emotionally or are humans more in tune with the spirit world during the moon cycle?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Ghost hunters are more successful during this same seven day period. Since they use electronic equipment to find and monitor ghosts and do not rely completely on visual or sensory experiences, it might be possible to draw the conclusion that spirits are more active during the full moon cycle. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">The full moon is also responsible for romantic settings which are not in any way associated with the paranormal. However, it is possible that the same pull of the moon which causes humans and spirits to act out in negative ways may cause lovers to feel a stronger than usual emotional reaction.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Until a ghost hunter or psychic is able to ask a spirit what effect the moon may have on them, we must rely on what little we know. The full moon will always add romance or inject more fear into a story. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Happy reading. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Image obtained from freedigitalphotos.net</span></div>
Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09250703273643400917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632510204588621332.post-44074582574253312112017-08-19T07:33:00.001-07:002017-08-19T07:33:53.558-07:00Six Sentence Sunday<span style="font-size: large;">I've been busy writing the next Kellie Conley book, Lethal Waters, but I haven't shared many bits of the story. I'll share with you a peek at a few sentences from the first two chapters. Each week I'll add a bit from two chapters until the book publishes. Look for the book near the end of next month.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Chapter One:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Kellie sat cross-legged on her sofa watching the news report. She felt a tingle run down her spine at the thought of the poor young woman murdered along the jogging trail but didn’t understand why. She didn’t feel any spirit activity near her. It must be the horror of the violent crime that brought on her case of nerves. Kellie jumped when her phone rang beside her. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Hello, Claudia, how are you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 32px;">Before Kellie had a chance to slip into the powder room to splash her face with some cold water, her phone chirped with a text from Claudia.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 32px;">Chatter is active today. There’s been another death.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 32px;">Something evil is brewing.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 32px;">Kellie texted back:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 32px;">I was afraid of that. Let me know if you learn anything.</span></i></div>
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<b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;">I'll add a peek at two chapters each week until publication. If you don't want to miss one, scroll down to near the end of the page and click the blue Follow button. Thanks and I can't tell you how much I appreciate all the kind words and inquiries about when the next Kellie book will be released. God bless.</b><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;"> </i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09250703273643400917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632510204588621332.post-26520806303259540592017-07-14T07:49:00.000-07:002017-07-14T07:49:07.579-07:00Christmas In July Giveaway <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib71OiT2TBBjOfjEJGMD3-ryzREYLx383SzDrG9uf4KjhBW5prCp612cf-NzqJG1FUHrv46-3h0vb8THNK0Uy506GsM1xXnD-vdkurS9ePRXcKHlx3lo2p1DbOmUT44RLIw0eafYPvODg/s1600/cij+meme.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="612" data-original-width="792" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib71OiT2TBBjOfjEJGMD3-ryzREYLx383SzDrG9uf4KjhBW5prCp612cf-NzqJG1FUHrv46-3h0vb8THNK0Uy506GsM1xXnD-vdkurS9ePRXcKHlx3lo2p1DbOmUT44RLIw0eafYPvODg/s320/cij+meme.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/deca94d5353/?" target="_blank">Pop over to the Rafflecopter and enter to win all the books shown above. Just click on this link. Have fun and good luck.</a>Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09250703273643400917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632510204588621332.post-36759403484899241392017-07-12T07:21:00.001-07:002017-07-12T07:21:38.544-07:00Graveyards<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Graveyards or the more conventional term cemeteries strike fear in many people’s hearts. Perhaps it is from the pain and grief we associate with them. Anyone who has attended the funeral of a loved one will understand how difficult it is.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;"><v:shapetype coordsize="21600,21600" filled="f" id="_x0000_t75" o:preferrelative="t" o:spt="75" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" stroked="f"> <v:stroke joinstyle="miter"> <v:formulas> <v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"> <v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"> <v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"> <v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"> <v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"> <v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"> <v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"> <v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"> </v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:formulas> <v:path gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect" o:extrusionok="f"> <o:lock aspectratio="t" v:ext="edit"> </o:lock></v:path></v:stroke></v:shapetype><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_1" o:spid="_x0000_i1025" style="height: 200.25pt; mso-wrap-style: square; visibility: visible; width: 300pt;" type="#_x0000_t75"> <v:imagedata o:title="" src="file:///C:/Users/Marianne/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image001.jpg"> </v:imagedata></v:shape></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Ghosts or spirits are said to haunt the places they have a strong connection to or the place of their deaths. If that is true, why do people fear graveyards? Very few, if any, people have died in the actual graveyard and wouldn’t be haunting it. Why then do people claim to see spirits hovering over graves and moving through the graveyards?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">It is possible that those brave or foolish enough to enter a graveyard after dark are young people looking for fun. These young people also have strong imaginations. A flash of light from a passing car, a group of others in a far section of the graveyard holding a flashlight, or someone lighting a candle trying to attract a spirit could cause others to believe what they are seeing is an actual spirit. One person sees something strange, screams, and the rest see something, too. What they see most likely is completely different, but they are all sure what they saw was a spirit. The story spreads, more people investigate, become frightened, and the town has a haunted graveyard on their hands.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">If you believe in spirits, there might be a reason that a spirit walks the graveyard at night. Some believe that a body separated from its head will never come back to life. To control the evil they believe existed in the person, the head is buried elsewhere. Could a spirit walk the grounds looking for its head? I’m not sure. I have never seen one, but that doesn’t mean they don’t exist.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">There are stories of people murdered and buried by whoever caused their deaths. If two people were involved, one might kill the second and drop the body in the grave to be hidden forever. Would this spirit return looking for revenge? It might explain the spirit roaming the graveyard at night.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">I love graveyards, especially old ones. I love reading the dates of when the person was born and died. Older tombstones sometimes contain how they died or a piece of poetry. Others have a comic remark engraved. The best way to see these is on a bright sunny day. I may enjoy walking through a graveyard, but I am not going at night. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Not only do I want to avoid any spirits that might roam around, it isn’t a safe place to walk. Imagine falling and breaking an ankle. Then you’d spend the night in the graveyard and with my luck, my cell wouldn’t work and I’d be alone speaking to headless spirits in search of their heads.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Happy reading and writing.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09250703273643400917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632510204588621332.post-37006431396566377852017-04-19T18:01:00.000-07:002017-04-19T18:15:47.788-07:00New Kellie Mystery?<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Kellie # 9<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Cooper’s Restaurant was quiet at one
o’clock that Friday afternoon. Kellie and Taylor were enjoying a cup of coffee
and a slice of pie while Kellie’s son, Aaron, did his best to mash cookies into
his hair. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Taylor smiled at Aaron and commented, “I
remember when Kayla ate like that. Thank goodness she’s outgrown it for the
most part.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Shaking her head, “Kellie answered, “He’s
much different than the girls. They were little ladies from the day they were born, and now they’re nearly nine. Where has
the time flown, Taylor?”<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">She took a sip of coffee and looked at
Aaron. “I don’t know. It’s hard to believe Aaron’s two, Kayla’s four, and Ethan
and your girls have birthdays in a few weeks. At least it’s been quiet since
Miss Annabelle’s spirit left and you found the last rose.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Thank goodness. I think that last single red rose meant our lives would quiet
down and the spirits would leave me alone. Max certainly is happy that I
stopped battling evil,” she said and slid the last bite of pie into her mouth. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Six hours later, a jogger found a body
dressed in jeans and a pink sweatshirt edged with embroidered red roses. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09250703273643400917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632510204588621332.post-56897656305496649762017-03-12T12:03:00.000-07:002017-03-12T12:03:23.313-07:00Six Sentence Sunday <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: left;">
<b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;"><span style="font-size: large;">The following six sentences are from Chapter Ten of the third Annie Ryan cozy mystery, <i>Bones, Booze & Bouquets, </i>due out spring 2017.</span></b></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Have you lost your mind?<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">That’s all Georgie’s text said. I waited, and she didn’t text again. I think she
thinks I’m joking. I’ll give her some time to adjust to the idea of searching
Old Lady Hagenbak’s haunted house. </span></span>Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09250703273643400917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632510204588621332.post-76097963256814468842017-02-26T07:10:00.002-08:002017-03-12T12:03:46.041-07:00Six Sentence Sunday <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 200%;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;"><span style="font-size: large;">The following six sentences are from Chapter Nine of the third Annie Ryan cozy mystery, <i>Bones, Booze & Bouquets, </i>due out spring 2017.</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-size: large;">We stopped next to
Georgie’s car. She leaned against her car door and suggested, “If the mayor’s
family made part of their money from bootleg booze, I don’t think he’d try and
hide it. It wasn’t his crime, and he
can’t be held responsible for his grandfather’s crimes.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“True, but it could tarnish his reputation. He
might not be re-elected. People have
killed for less than saving their reputation. </span></span>Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09250703273643400917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632510204588621332.post-24432794784652590332017-02-19T15:16:00.001-08:002017-02-19T15:19:27.611-08:00Six Sentence Sunday <b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;"><span style="font-size: large;">The following six sentences are from Chapter Eight of the third Annie Ryan cozy mystery, <i>Bones, Booze & Bouquets, </i>due out spring 2017.</span></b><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 22.4px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-size: large;">I removed Yummy from his carrier, and he tore down the hall toward the living room barking his little head off.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Yummy, no be nice,” I heard Laci call out from the kitchen.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 200%;">Be nice</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 200%;">? Now I know something’s going on.<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;"><span style="font-size: large;"> <span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">I walked into the living room to find Laci holding a small ball of pure white fur. “A kitten, you brought a kitten home?" </span></span></span>Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09250703273643400917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632510204588621332.post-29721434511272824352017-02-12T05:27:00.000-08:002017-02-19T15:18:50.823-08:00Six Sentence Sunday<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 200%;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;"><span style="font-size: large;">The following six sentences are from Chapter Seven of the third Annie Ryan cozy mystery, <i>Bones, Booze & Bouquets, </i>due out spring 2017.</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 200%;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">I hurried upfront and
stopped dead in my tracks. A man stood just inside the door. At least I think
it’s a man. I kid you not; this man looks
like the grim reaper in a suit. Tall, gaunt, pale skin and eyes, gray hair, and
a strange smile made me look twice. <o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 200%;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">“Mrs. Ryan,” the man’s
gravelly voice grated my nerves.</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09250703273643400917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632510204588621332.post-35737554926986878652017-02-07T06:29:00.001-08:002017-02-07T06:29:26.294-08:00Six Sentence Sunday<b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;"><span style="font-size: large;">The following six sentences are from Chapter Six of the third Annie Ryan cozy mystery, <i>Bones, Booze & Bouquets </i>due out spring 2017.</span></b><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></b>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>“Whistler’s Body Shop is
just ahead. Kill the headlights,” I told Georgie as I looked around the empty
highway in case there were any other vehicles around.<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>“Geez, Annie, you sound
like a crime movie,” Georgie chuckled again as she killed the lights and pulled
into the body shop lot.<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>“Pull over there between
those two cars,” I pointed to her left. “No one will see the car from the road.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>She backed into the
parking spot and glanced at me, “It’s faster to escape if I don’t have to back
out.”</i></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09250703273643400917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632510204588621332.post-33455780739286031852017-01-31T06:35:00.000-08:002017-01-31T06:46:33.596-08:00Six Sentence Sunday<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;"><span style="font-size: large;">The following six sentences are from Chapter Five of the third Annie Ryan cozy mystery, <i>Bones, Booze & Bouquets due out spring 2017. </i></span></b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Hi,” Georgie said. “I
see it went well with the mayor.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-size: large;">I groaned and told her
about my meeting.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Georgie doubled over
laughing until tears ran down her cheeks.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-size: large;">“It wasn’t that funny,” I
insisted tapping my foot.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“I would pay money to see the look on the
mayor’s face not to mention Phillips. You really
tossed the mug out the window and hit his car,” she gasped for air as she tried
to talk while laughing. </span></span>Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09250703273643400917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632510204588621332.post-62803006523834112602017-01-09T07:19:00.000-08:002017-01-09T07:19:10.584-08:00Six Sentence Sunday<b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;"><span style="font-size: large;">The following six sentences are from Chapter Four of the third Annie Ryan cozy mystery, <i>Bones, Booze & Bouquets due out spring 2017. </i></span></b><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 22.4px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></b>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-size: large;">He turned to look at me
doing his best to wipe the grin off his face. “You know, Annie, you may drive the rest of the city council and me crazy at
times, but I can’t imagine Heavenly Corners without you. Not to mention, if I
make you angry enough you may run against me in the next election.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-size: large;">I stared at the man
believing he did lose his mind.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Phillips added, “That’s
not funny, she’d probably win.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">The mayor glared at
Phillips and Phillips mumbled, “Well, this town loves Annie.”</span><i> </i></span></span>Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09250703273643400917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632510204588621332.post-62470043595028881332016-10-27T20:45:00.003-07:002016-10-27T20:45:47.149-07:00Halloween <div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Halloween is a holiday celebrated on October 31</span><sup style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">st</sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"> of each year. Adults and children wear costumes and go trick or treating. Costumes range from the most popular fairy princess of the current year to frightening creatures no one would want to meet in a dark or well-lit alley. Children ask for candy at each door with the familiar yell of “trick or treat” and then invariably eat too much candy on their trek home. It is also a holiday</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> that </span>writers</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"> love to add to frightening stories. Why?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Many towns now have their trick or treat celebrations at night. Darkness adds to the story’s eeriness. The idea of everyone wearing a costume including the maniac who lives down the street or a traveling </span><span class="" style="font-size: large;">serial killer</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"> sets a creepy scene with little backstory needed. The serial killer dons nondescript jeans and a dark sweatshirt. He slips on a scary rubber mask and mingles with the very people he wants to kill. He is anonymous, and others may even enjoy his costume or antics. That is until he chases them with a large butcher knife.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9hSSL4vtynnFRi6Ce1k_5YJK960xa5MedxyPilaGoeEZjW9ocDZQqXFIGzbDHK38ewcMlxzbVmy0c98qmX8w3cUQfR06lNVLo_qdQPS0K0H3jr-Rz1ftHeEjBXheRCNO17U_kQ-moyvI/s1600/cat.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9hSSL4vtynnFRi6Ce1k_5YJK960xa5MedxyPilaGoeEZjW9ocDZQqXFIGzbDHK38ewcMlxzbVmy0c98qmX8w3cUQfR06lNVLo_qdQPS0K0H3jr-Rz1ftHeEjBXheRCNO17U_kQ-moyvI/s320/cat.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Using Halloween as a backdrop for a story adds a layer to the story before the first words are written. Graveyards and abandoned houses take on a special, scary air about them on Halloween. If ghosts do not walk the grounds every night, they are sure to be there on Halloween. The reader will feel the fear of the holiday before the addition of whatever the writer wants to add. If the writer starts with the idea of something evil happening on Halloween night, the reader is ready to turn on all the lights before the end of page one.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">It is what a writer strives for, to hook the reader from the first sentence or paragraph. Horrific tales can and have been woven around other holidays, but it is fun to start with one that carries fear in its name.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Another approach is to start with a sweet Halloween story and then turn it into a paranormal or horror story. Going back to the serial killer who blends in so well with the neighbors. Perhaps he is dressed as a clown and entertaining the kids and adults alike. When one of the young moms disappear from the party without a trace, everyone may point a finger at the clown who has also disappeared. However, no one can describe him/her except for approximate height or weight. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">The beginning of a frightening mystery is set.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Working the holiday into a story is a fun way to add that additional layer sometimes needed to grab the attention of your reader. Try it with different holidays. A clown at Halloween, Santa at a Christmas party, an Easter bunny during an Easter egg hunt, or a villain dressed as a turkey at a community Thanksgiving dinner can strike fear into the reader. Want to add a touch of paranormal? Make your costumed villain a ghost. It works every time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Happy Writing. </span></span></div>
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<a href="http://freedigitalphotos.net/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Image obtained from: Freedigitalphotos.net</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></div>
Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09250703273643400917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632510204588621332.post-6869758525179408722016-10-14T18:28:00.000-07:002016-10-14T18:28:03.353-07:00A Tale Well Travelled <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0070c0; font-family: Pristina; font-size: 36.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;">A Tale Well<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0070c0; font-family: Pristina; font-size: 36.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;"> Travelled</span></b><b><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0070c0; font-family: Pristina; font-size: 36.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Multiple Genre, Interactive Book<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Which Path Will You Choose?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixAGwnAwhQQH3mKYMTXhAoNHaXqZEd0YHaH3ZcYPbEkchLW5j-GEQw6uRD5pdPKnX45OIYtPpaYIeO75eXbbEWS_G-o2YwDxqxY3wbDwqTWJTomEcFFhsiUa6XJZjKktQJQT2gT0hhagw/s1600/Susan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixAGwnAwhQQH3mKYMTXhAoNHaXqZEd0YHaH3ZcYPbEkchLW5j-GEQw6uRD5pdPKnX45OIYtPpaYIeO75eXbbEWS_G-o2YwDxqxY3wbDwqTWJTomEcFFhsiUa6XJZjKktQJQT2gT0hhagw/s320/Susan.jpg" width="308" /></a></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Presented By<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Susan Horsnell, Kathleen Kelly,<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Cherry Shephard, Dzintra Sullivan <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">and Margaret Tanner<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0070c0; font-family: Pristina; font-size: 26.0pt;">BLURB<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 104%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">When young archaeology student, Mitchell, discovers some unusual items, while digging up a paddock, he believes it could be a major find.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="uficommentbody"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="uficommentbody"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Following his instinct Mitchell risks his job and refuses to dig any further until Professor Phinneus Groves, the most respected archaeologist from the university gives him the all clear. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="uficommentbody"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Will the find be significant? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="uficommentbody"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">What tale do they have to tell? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="uficommentbody"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">YOU now sit at the crossroads, YOU are in control, YOU have five unique tales to follow. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="uficommentbody"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Which way will you go?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Which path will you choose?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="https://books2read.com/u/bQZJXw">B&N, KOBO, IBOOKS</a></span></span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0070c0; font-family: Pristina; font-size: 26.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">EXCERPT<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<h2>
A Tale Well Travelled<o:p></o:p></h2>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_Toc456014077"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_Toc456013976">Chapter One</a><o:p></o:p></h2>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Two more hours and I can get off the damn front loader and go for a beer. Digging dirt for a new housing development is as boring as hell and, after ten straight days <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">I’ve had a gut full. One more year and I’ll have my Archaeology degree and yep, I’ll still be digging the stuff but it will be a hell of a lot more interesting. Instead of moving dirt from one place to another to add to the never ending concrete jungle, I’ll be moving it to uncover the past. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">A flash of white in the long grass catches my eye and I shut off the machine. You can never be too careful on neglected sites where the undergrowth can be as high as three or more feet. It could be an animal, a child hiding from its parents or nothing more than a pile of stones. Whatever it is needs to be checked out. I could never forgive myself if I injured someone. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">I jump down from the loader and stride through the grass which waves around me in the wind. I stand six feet four inches tall and the grass reaches my hips. Glimpsing the flash of white again, I warily approach. Pushing the vegetation aside, I find what appears to be a rock formation but it’s not natural. It’s shaped like a small pillar, around a foot high and two inches in diameter. My gut tells me it has been placed here for some specific purpose. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">My curiosity is peaked and I crouch down to get a closer look. The rock of the pillar is smooth, weathered white, almost like marble. As the grass is blown by the wind, other pillars are revealed. I stand and examine each one. They are all identical, around the same height and arranged in a semi-circle. I’m intrigued. This is something my professor at University would be interested in having a look at. Pulling my phone from my back pocket, I punch the button for his direct number and wait for his answer. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">“Professor, Phinneus Groves.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">“Professor, it’s Mitchell Symons.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">“Mitchell, what can I do for you?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">“As you know, I work a front loader for Dry River Construction Company during my breaks from University and I have uncovered something I think may interest you. It may be nothing, but my gut tells me it could be something of significance.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">“Hmmm, what is it you have found?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">“I was working at clearing the plot out by the old Dry River crossing, the one at the top of the hill that looks out over the river. I’ve found six stone pillars arranged in a semicircle. They’re all around the same height, weathered white and I think they were placed here a long time ago.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">“Are you there now?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">“Yes.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">“I’ll meet you in twenty minutes.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">“Thank you, Professor.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">“Symons, what the fuck are you doing?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Patrick Johnson, my boss, is standing over me as I crouch down having a closer look while waiting for the professor. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">“I found these pillars and I think they could be archeologically important. I’ve called my professor from the university.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Patrick crouches beside me and pushes the grass to one side. “Looks like a bunch of rocks to me. Get on with the job.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">“No, sir. This needs to be investigated. It could have important historical relevance and I will not destroy them until we know for sure.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">“I’ll take it out of your pay and if this land isn’t cleared by tomorrow evening, consider yourself out of work.” Patrick pushes to his feet and storms off. I will not miss that asshole when I finally quit. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">I return to examining one of the pillars. I note small indentations and scrape marks and take photos with my phone. I hope this is a finding of some note, it will be disappointing if it proves to be nothing more than some quirk of Mother Nature.</span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0070c0; font-family: Pristina; font-size: 26.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">TRAILER<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU"><a href="https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B9f_Va1U57-_SE9vNDdiNWVZTGM"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Click Here</span></a></span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0070c0; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0070c0; font-family: Pristina; font-size: 26.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">CREDITS<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Trailer: Maci Dillon<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Cover: Dzintra Sullivan<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Teasers: Dzintra Sullivan and Cherry Shephard<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Beginning Chapters, Formatting and Published by: Susan Horsnell<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Promotion: Cherie Cam from LLEP<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: #0070c0; font-family: Pristina; font-size: 26.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">PATHWAYS<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Contemporary <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Are the stones hold a secret from Mitchell's past?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Paranormal/Wiccan <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span class="uficommentbody"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Does the necklace might hold some magical secret?</span></span><b><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">M/C <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span class="uficommentbody"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Are the pillars are connected to the Dry River MC?</span></span><b><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Historical <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span class="uficommentbody"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Are the stones could be cursed?</span></span><b><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Western/ Native American Indian<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Does the strange arrangement of stones have something to do with Native American Indians in the days of the Old West?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></b><b><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The choice of where to begin is now yours. When one pathway has been read, visit another.</span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">One book.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">One Beginning.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Five completely different stories to solve the mystery of the arrangement of stones.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Which story will you believe?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Which story will be your favourite?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09250703273643400917noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632510204588621332.post-30270148102710419392016-09-18T11:51:00.000-07:002016-09-18T11:52:48.459-07:00Six Sentence Sunday<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The following six sentences are from Chapter One of the next Kellie Conley/Lance Cain mystery, </b></span><i><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Deadly Wishes, due out fall/winter 2016.</b></span> </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Detective Stellion’s door flew open, and a young officer rushed in holding a sheet of paper. The door partially hid Kellie, and the officer didn’t take the time to look around before he blurted, “It’s a fax from the coroner. He said he needs to contact all the local dentists about trying to match dental records to the severed head we found in that woman’s freezer.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-size: large;">A slow smile spread across Kellie’s face. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Get out,” Mike hollered leaning across his desk toward the officer. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The officer paled.</span></span>Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09250703273643400917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632510204588621332.post-6494669634700469532016-07-31T11:25:00.000-07:002016-07-31T11:25:05.657-07:00Six Sentence Sunday<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 200%;">The following is from Chapter One of<i> </i></span><span style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;"><i>Sarah’s Heart</i> the next book in the </span></span></b><b style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;">Gentle Falls </span></b><b style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;">Mail-Order Bride </span></b><b style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;">Romance series. </span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Matthew spoke directly to Sarah, "I tried to get another bride and that woman at the agency has the nerve to write and tell me I’m not qualified to be one of her grooms. Me? Not qualified? It’s Penelope’s fault and since she’s married and you’re not, you have to marry me today. I paid for one of her brides, and you’ll do just fine.” He crossed his arms and stared at both women.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09250703273643400917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632510204588621332.post-78349135175753156972016-06-26T07:16:00.000-07:002016-06-26T07:16:28.223-07:00Six Sentence Sunday <b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;"><span style="font-size: large;">The following six sentences are from Chapter Three of the third Annie Ryan cozy mystery, <i>Bones, Booze & Bouquets. </i></span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Georgie whistled. “A
skeleton, bootleg booze, and now a body. We have a mystery to solve.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I grabbed her arm. “I think we do, but first, we need to know who died and how. I hope
it was natural causes." </span></span>Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09250703273643400917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632510204588621332.post-40525776747552200102016-06-16T15:42:00.000-07:002016-06-18T14:31:45.557-07:00New Release<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">New Release and a new genre for me. Meet Penelope and the residents of Gentle Falls, Wisconsin.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;">Eighteen-year-old Penelope Langton lives a quiet life as a cook for a wealthy family in 1880 Chicago. She’s resigned that her life will remain routine and uneventful. Marriage is the furthest thing from her mind. Her best friend tries to convince her to leave before her employer’s despicable nephew returns for the summer. </span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;" /><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;">Penelope believes her friend’s plan to become a mail-order bride is foolish. With her friend gone and the family’s nephew’s early arrival, Penelope finds herself fighting for her virtue and looking for employment. </span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;" /><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;">Will Penelope find a way to freedom and safety by becoming a mail-order bride? A visit to the matchmaker seems her only way out, but will her new life as a bride be more complicated than the life she leaves behind? </span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;" /><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;">A sweet romance. Steam level=sweet. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCf9ZlxLgVuWnhXDzxpmGDzrFDw1hEJsgthYBi8-QRnFGxRAORpixhm0ByttsjWrBbfmk7Mk_0Eo6_UVjMraUVLsh6COKJDy6dpWXnxdOG9H8heD8sQgRVd9jt3nrVHbeIphWEmHroBwg/s1600/Penelope%2527s+Heart+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCf9ZlxLgVuWnhXDzxpmGDzrFDw1hEJsgthYBi8-QRnFGxRAORpixhm0ByttsjWrBbfmk7Mk_0Eo6_UVjMraUVLsh6COKJDy6dpWXnxdOG9H8heD8sQgRVd9jt3nrVHbeIphWEmHroBwg/s320/Penelope%2527s+Heart+2.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://amzn.com/B01H4JCTVC" target="_blank">Available on Amazon</a>Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09250703273643400917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632510204588621332.post-580165350186012612016-04-28T07:41:00.001-07:002016-04-28T07:41:40.680-07:00My review of Violated by Carolyn Arnold.<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">My review of the novel, <i>Violated, </i>by the talented author, Carolyn Arnold. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Violated may be the fifth in the Brandon Fisher FBI Series, but it is in no way mundane. Ms. Arnold brings back the agents we love in the previous books with the added twist that one may be a killer. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Agent Paige Dawson plans on a vacation with her boyfriend only to come face to face with a horror from her past. Is Paige responsible for the crime she’s accused of committing? Is this a case of wrong place, wrong time or a carefully orchestrated plan of revenge? A local detective latches onto Paige’s possible guilt as if it was a bone and refuses to listen to reason.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Her FBI team intends to get to the bottom of the crime regardless of whether or not Paige is guilty. Will they discover a diabolical killer or a brilliant agent behind the crime?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Ms. Arnold touches on a subject relevant to the times with enough twists and turns to keep any reader turning page after page. The plot rushes forward at a quickening pace and comes to a surprising conclusion. It is one I did not see coming.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to read a gripping crime novel. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Available at: <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://www.amazon.com/Violated-Brandon-Fisher-FBI-Book-ebook/dp/B01BA441F4/ref%3Dasap_bc?ie%3DUTF8&source=gmail&ust=1461940651067000&usg=AFQjCNHRsUd3-BewdzNsXwov5Irf-lemig" href="http://www.amazon.com/Violated-Brandon-Fisher-FBI-Book-ebook/dp/B01BA441F4/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" target="_blank">Amazon</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/violated-carolyn-arnold/1123346034?ean%3D2940152830477&source=gmail&ust=1461940651067000&usg=AFQjCNEIvHt44pJg3olL4soJwZbSKVlpiQ" href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/violated-carolyn-arnold/1123346034?ean=2940152830477" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">, </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://geo.itunes.apple.com/ca/book/violated/id1080195262?mt%3D11%26at%3D1001l5GE&source=gmail&ust=1461940651067000&usg=AFQjCNHKE0A9-PXkF_hcxfTlNkmRt66v7g" href="https://geo.itunes.apple.com/ca/book/violated/id1080195262?mt=11&at=1001l5GE" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" target="_blank">Apple</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">, </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://store.kobobooks.com/en-ca/ebook/violated-7&source=gmail&ust=1461940651067000&usg=AFQjCNF1s748E-TfEwy_PII8UTOUdy2wew" href="https://store.kobobooks.com/en-ca/ebook/violated-7" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" target="_blank">Kobo</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">, </span></span><br />
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Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09250703273643400917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632510204588621332.post-87423103304244166632016-04-23T20:41:00.000-07:002016-04-23T20:43:35.242-07:00Six Sentence Sunday<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The following six sentences are from Chapter Two of the third Annie Ryan cozy mystery, <i>Bones, Booze & Bouquets. </i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><i>“A dead body is a laughing matter?” My handsome fiancé asked. “What is that smell?”</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><i>“Bootleg booze.” Georgie was laughing hard enough now that tears ran down her cheeks.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><i>I looked at Clark and said, “I think she’s high from the fumes.”</i></span>Mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09250703273643400917noreply@blogger.com0