Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/dVRdjq2L3_I
Excerpt From Chapter Four:
The reception area is completely empty, and there’s a smell like metal in damp dirt circulating overhead. Farther in, the ceiling fan is hovering on high speed, and the windows are open.
A dead body inside a warm office leaves an unmistakable odor behind, as did the body Ethan found inside the stall at Walker Farm. Decomp is one smell that sticks with you forever. Adding to the office creepiness, who chose the interior’s decor? We’re surrounded by limestone walls painted an ugly shade of ochre, slightly more yellow and definitely more unappealing than the building’s exterior. The rooms will need another coat of fresh paint to cover a harsh stench known to stick to the walls like cigarette tar does.
No one is nearby, not even the receptionist.
The office cubicles are silent but for a few flapping papers. Not a single desk phone is ringing.
It’s like the office decided to have a fire drill midday, and the employees left their computers on and didn’t bother to close folders—open to anyone passing by. Frames holding pictures of sweethearts and children stand by as guardians for the people who are absent from their high-back swivel chairs.
Officer Raffa returns and mutters in heavy Italian brogue, “Il signore is waiting for his… avvocato difensore.” He points to the room with a closed door. “Come, Mr. Zavos. Your friends stay here.”
“Josh is in there waiting for his defense attorney. Back soon.” Alec touches my arm and looks aBill, sending him a private message.
Alec’s led to a side office, and the solid door closes behind them.
“Is Alec signing autographs, or should I even worry about what’s going on in that room?
Has Josh been here the entire time messing with evidence?” I ask Bill.
“Alec’s prepared for all contingencies. I’m surprised they haven’t taken Jennings down to the station by now.”
A few minutes later, Alec emerges by himself. “They weren’t going to allow us to talk to Josh, but I persuaded him. It shouldn’t be much longer.”
For what feels like an eternity, we sit in ladderback pine chairs with brown cushions while Alec keeps adjusting his watch. I don’t know what Alec had to promise the officer. Autographs are fine with me, but if he had to pay him off, I’d rather not know.
“I hope Brad is parked in the shade somewhere.” Alec looks at his watch for the eighth time in twenty minutes and turns to me. “Now that we’re here, they seem to be in no hurry to get rid of us. I’m sorry, Anna. Hold on a little longer.” His smile is an honest one full of regret.
I’ve heard the sentiment from him so often it doesn’t even register with my brain anymore. We both have a lot of work to do in the I-promise-to-do-better department.
The closed door at the back wall opens, and a guy pokes his head out, surveying the room. He’s fiftyish and, with his reading glasses, reminds me of Gen’s studious accountant.
Alec pivots, and his earlier smile vanishes.
“That’s Jennings,” Bill says quietly.
“Yes.” Alec waves to draw the man’s attention.
A confused Josh looks at us and then the floor as if he’s embarrassed. Eventually he settles his eyes on Alec. “I wasn’t sure you’d come. My attorney should be here soon. Come back to the conference room.”
Bill asks Alec, “Is it okay to go on ahead?”
Alec must have compensated the officer well to allow us entry this close to the crime scene.
“Let’s get this over with.” Alec seems queasy.
The three of us move through the aisle between desks and toward the room with a door left open for us. Josh has already gone inside. For someone who wants Alec’s help, he sure doesn’t appear happy or grateful for his effort. A huge effort. This had better not be Josh’s way of buying himself out of the woman’s death. The disgrace of being fired from Signorile after Pearce’s tragedy has to hurt his pride.
There’s news of a deadly virus moving through Europe, and the typical handshake is no longer being used between business execs.
Bill lifts his arm and catches himself. “Mr. Jennings? My name is Bill Drake, an associate of Mr. Zavos. You’ve asked to see him, and we also have some questions for you on another matter.”
“Wonderful.” The man in a sweaty, slept-in polo isn’t thrilled with us staring him down. There’s frost in the room as testosterone flies between glances. No one wants to be the first to break the sheet of ice forming around the presumed blue-eyed killer. Alec hasn’t made any assumptions yet until we talk to him, but Josh’s cool facade feels calculated to me. A superior to Alec, or something like that. For an innocent, I don’t like his peculiar behavior in the presence of a man who’s here to keep his neck from a noose.
“I asked to see Alec. Who are the rest of you?”
He’s behind a chair, using it as a shield to save himself from a CEO who wants to take his livelihood from him again. Or is it because he’s guilty of ending a woman’s life?
Alec pulls out the chair for me, and we all sit at the long conference table with a fancy letter F embellished in the center.
Josh’s temples bead with sweat, and he’s wringing his hands next to a wool felt fedora hat with a band. They seem to be popular in Italy. The guy’s bloodshot eyes and dark circles are sure signs of insomnia and stressing to the max. Wet ovals hang beneath the armpits of his beige shirt.
Alec’s unshakable gaze lands on Jennings, who abruptly turns away.
This meeting isn’t opening well.
Bill addresses Josh. “We don’t have a lot of time. Authorities aren’t thrilled with us questioning you, but they were… let’s say, swayed. Tell us what happened here?”
“She was tied and tortured in my office after I left night before last. I opened the building in the morning at seven and found her lying on her side, strapped to a chair and wrapped in wire near my desk. Lots of blood.” Josh holds a paper towel over his mouth, then uses it to wipe away perspiration. “When I left the building, she was in the conference room. I have no idea how she ended up in the office. Maybe the cat went in there.” He slides the fedora into his lap.
“Who is she?” Alec asks.
“Benita Alvarez.”
The Book Junkie Reads . . .Reckless Dreams Interview with . . . Marlene M. Bell . . .
How would you describe your style of writing to someone who has never read your work?
I like building each scene where it has a life of its own—using the protagonist’s five senses, not just her visuals, but more emphasis on smells and tastes. Adding metaphors to give the reader a sensory ride brings realism into each chapter.
My books are easy to read with shorter sentences, utilizing words most of us use every day. Because of my writer style, I chose the wrong early copyeditor, which was a miss for me. Stolen Obsession, book one in the Annalisse Series, will have a choppier flow than the other books because of my editor’s strict descriptor guidelines. (I never met an adjective I didn’t like, and she struck off most of them.)
Annalisse series chapters always end on a cliffhanger. This assures the reader will want to turn pages to find the answers. My chapters typically are short and direct whenever possible. The longest chapter is the first one in book, Scattered Legacy. Chapter one is well over 20 pages in order to bring in enough of the previous books and introduce the victim.
I write complicated mysteries to entice you into solving the true villain in each book. Lots of twists along the way!
What mindset or routine do you feel the need to set when preparing to write (in general whether you are working on a project or just free writing)?
I’m too regimented to free write. One story at a time, one idea at a time, is my motto. From my thoughts onto 3 x 5 cards to detail out each scene, finally building the cards into complete chapters. I spend a great deal of time thinking about each scene, usually from beginning with the opening and making notations about what events will happen in the book. To weave a complicated mystery with numerous red herrings, I’ve found this practice works the best to ensure that all of the plot holes are covered. If you’ve read any of my books, you’ll understand why this process leaves less room for errors.
Do you take your character prep to heart? Do you nurture the growth of each character all the way through to the page? Do you people watch to help with development? Or do you build upon your character during story creation?
Prior to starting a novel, I make up a fictitious background and character profile for each individual who makes an appearance in the book. Each person gets a thorough family history and detailed personality including their political beliefs, habits, where they were raised, nationality, and vocation, among other things. I get to know each character a head of time and add more details as I write. Sometimes the characters speak to me if I’ve made a mistake in my calculations of how he/she should act in their roles. I like to layer on personality traits with every appearance they make in the book, but I refer to the Character Profiles often.
The hardest character to write is the villain. Most of my characters have a frustrating side for the reader, which is part of the tension, but only one can truly be the ringleader bad guy in the end. I have to hold back tendencies to write the mustache-twisting guy or gal depicted best from old movies. My villains can be quirky yet likeable; that’s why they are harder to detect for the reader.
The tension between main characters, Annalisse Drury and Alec Zavos is an ongoing adventure throughout each book. If you’re looking for a solid Happily Every After at the end of each installment, I like to leave the reader with a Happy For Now, instead. Except for Scattered Legacy. I won’t give away the ending, but this one truly is a cliffhanger! Right off the cliff to set up Annalisse’s next adventure.
Do you have a character that you have been working on that you can't wait to put to paper?
Yes! I find myself drawn to reading time travel fantasy that takes place in the 1800s or possibly the 1700s. (Before modern technology and the distractions we have in our time.) In a past life, I must have lived in this timeline because it calls to me. That may be why I wrote Annalisse as an antiquities valuator. History intrigues me as much as it does her. After I finish the Annalisse Series, my next big project will be to write a time travel novel; a standalone perhaps, with the option to write it as a series. Depending upon how the words flow. A woman protagonist here too, since I can relate to women’s thoughts much easier than getting into a man’s head.
Can you share your next creative project? If yes, can you give a few details?
Book four in the Annalisse Series is in its early outline stages. The majority of that book will take place in New Zealand on a sheep station. The ending to Scattered Legacy is a jarring last page that leads Annalisse to take a break from Alec. (Don’t read the last pages first, please. It will spoil the book for you.) In Annalisse’s book four, (yet unnamed) she ventures off on her own for another mystery while savoring the place she’s longed to see— spending time with sheep in a new culture, and mysterious new characters who send her looking for her real father in earnest. Scattered Legacy concentrates more on Alec. Spent Identity, book two, is all about Annalisse’s past. The fourth book combines the characters dealing with personal issues, each on their own.
This author has a fondness for sheep too! And New Zealand is my first stop should the world open up for air travel again.
What are some of your writing/publishing goals for this year?
I recently released my debut children’s picture book, Mia and Nattie: One Great Team. (Ages 3-7.) It’s based on the true story of Natalie, the lamb we raised in the laundry room. That promotion is ongoing at the same time as the release of Scattered Legacy on November 4th. There are several Book Tours scheduled for the first 90 days following the book release, so if I can survive the bloggers and reviewers for two books in different genres during 2021, I’ll be thrilled!
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I can't wait to read this. I have books 1 and 2 and I will be reading them over the holidays.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the interview and the excerpt, Marlene and I think Scattered Legacy is a great book for me! Thanks for sharing it with me and have a magical holiday season!
ReplyDeleteHi Audrey and Stormy ~ I'm thrilled you're reading the Annalisse Series! The author and protagonist grow with each book. The series is a pleasure to share. Happy holidays to ewe both!
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