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November 2008

Volume I  Issue 13

 

Table of Contents

Letter to the Editor

Shelly Laurenston Interview

Thanks for Giving

That Magical Number Three

Three Year Olds

Cutting Words From Your Manuscript

Torture Your Characters

Inside a Writer's Twisted Mind

 

Recipe: Southern Turkey Cornbread Pot Pie

 

Fiction: The Price of a Kiss

Fiction: Political Assassination

Fiction: Fear Itself

Fiction: Bayou Life

 

New Releases From Samhain Publishing

Check out the latest!

 


Samhellion Editors

Anne Cain

Bethany Morgan

Beth Williamson

Bianca D'Arc

Carolan Ivey

Denise McDonald

Isabo Kelly

J.C. Wilder, Managing Editor

J.L. Langley

Lionel LaVergne

Lindsey McGurk

Melissa Schroeder

Marie Harte

Mary Eason

TJ Michaels

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Letter to the Editor

 

Greetings Samhellion Readers!

   It's November and the holidays are just around the corner. Where did 2008 go? This month we're celebrating Samhain Publishing's third birthday and the upcoming holidays! We have an interview with the fabulous Shelly Laurenston and a variety of articles and recipes to ignite your imagination. Best of all, we have a wide selection of fiction from some of Samhain Publishing's finest authors.

   Have a happy and safe holiday!

   J.C. Wilder, Managing Editor

   P.S. - Look for an exciting announcement from Samhain about some exciting December festivities...


Interview: Shelly Laurenston

Marie Harte

 

   Shelly Laurenston is a multi-published author for both Samhain and Kensington. Dragon Actually, written as G.A. Aiken, was just released from Samhain. Shelly writes about shifters and dragons, and her quirky characters are laugh out loud funny, full of witty banter, surprising vulnerability and real depth. I don’t think I’ve enjoyed a book quite so much as I did The Mane Attraction, and I can’t wait to read more of her work. If you haven’t read a Shelly Laurenston book, you’re missing out. 

   Shelly has gracefully accepted our demand, er, request for an interview.

 (Bring on the SHELLY!)


Thanks for Giving

Mary Eason

 

   It’s almost Thanksgiving. Halloween has passed, fall is in the air, Christmas is coming. And a new year is just around the corner. For me, this is a time for reflecting, which got me to…well, reflecting.

   What if there was no Thanksgiving?

   Got you thinking, didn’t I? Just consider for a moment what might be if those brave pilgrims had braved the perils of crossing the ocean in those three tiny boats only to be met with hostility. Where would we here in the U.S. be right now?

   Well, the ramifications are enormous.

   First, there are the commercial ramifications. There would be no Thanksgiving Day parade, no day-after-Thanksgiving-Day sales and no huge meals, which means no outlet for all those turkeys! And horror upon horror, no Thanksgiving Day football game.

(Touch my drumstick and DIE!)


That Magical Number Three

Debra Parmley

 

   This month we are celebrating Samhain Publishing’s third birthday, and I have been thinking about the number three.  Once I started looking for the number three, I found it everywhere.  It can be found all throughout mythology, religion and philosophy.

(continued below)

  Many cultures consider three to be a lucky number.  Lucky shamrocks have three leaves.   To the Chinese the number three means life.  Three, the triune or trident concept is found in almost all spiritual traditions.  For the Hindu it is Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva— creator, preserver, destroyer.  In the Christian tradition it is Father, Son, Holy Spirit.  Some cultures celebrate the three stages of woman as virgin, mother and crone.  Visually, the number three resembles a pregnant woman.  Three is about creation, cycles, connection, reproduction and balance.  These meanings show up in western numerology and the Tarot, though there are other meanings as well.

  In astronomy there are three types of galaxies.  Earth is the third planet in our solar system.  Atoms are made up of protons, neutrons and electrons.  White light is a mixture of red, green and blue.  Our universe is perceived to have three dimensions.   

   I do not think it is an accident that all the mystic teachings incorporate the number three.  Spirit, mind, body.  Past, present, future.  Thought, feeling, emotion.  Three is the birth of wisdom and unlimited potential.

   When we come together to do something, we sometimes say, “on the count of three” or “ready, set, go.”  And that is exactly where Samhain is poised for the following year.  Happy birthday to everyone in my Samhain family.   

   Ready, set, go! 

 --

Debra Parmley is thrilled to have published her first novel, A Desperate Journey, with Samhain Publishing.  Whether penning tales of the Wild West, packing her bags for another trip or dancing as a gypsy fortune teller with her belly dance troupe, Debra is always traveling somewhere.  To learn more about Debra, please visit www.debraparmley.com.


Three Year Olds

Shelley Munro

 

   I remember the day you were born, a bouncing baby with a charming smile. Some say the second year of life is traumatic. They call it the terrible twos. Thankfully, you slipped into routine like a champ and didn’t go through the same tantrums other two-year-olds display.

  So what can we expect during the third year of your life?

   You’re growing, learning your place in the world. You’ll test your parents, learning what is acceptable and what isn’t. There may be the odd tantrum since you’re still learning how to handle anger and aggression.

   You’ll have vivid fantasies and travel to new and exotic destinations in your imagination. Sometimes you’ll invent invisible playmates. You’ll constantly move between reality and imagination. Some days you’ll want me to address you as “Your Majesty” while on other days you’ll be Samhain.

   I’m afraid I’ll have to monitor your television viewing since you can’t always differentiate between fact and fantasy. Only PG rating shows for you! Of course, privately I’m hoping you’ll continue to slip in those saucy little reads I’m so fond of downloading.

   Your speaking repertoire will continue to grow, and you will even start to use sentences containing more than one verb. Your speech is clear and strangers will comprehend everything you say.

   Physically, you’re set to grow. Sometimes you’ll grow quicker than you can put on pounds, which might make you look a little lanky. You’ll run, jump and walk. Climbing becomes second nature, and you’ll be able to handle scissors with proficiency.

   You’ll interact more with your peers and dip into group fantasy, creating elaborate scenes and use both imaginary and household objects as props. Can I say “Yay!” to this?

   These days you play nice, sharing your toys and taking turns. You’ll start to identify with your own gender, but still play well with both boys and girls. Variety is a good thing.

   You’ll want to do things your own way, and as parents, we want to support you in this. We’re going to keep you busy with household chores, keep your behavior positive so you never move toward the negative. We’re going to stay firm but kind and dole out regular hugs and love so you evolve into a likeable child. Actually, we’re pleased with you now and very glad we’re a part of your life. You make us proud.

   Happy third birthday, Samhain Publishing!

--

Shelley Munro writes for several publishers. Her most recent release is TEA FOR TWO, published by Samhain Publishing. Read more about Shelley at www.shelleymunro.com


Cutting Words from your Manuscript

Anne Whitfield

 

   As an editor and author, I find many writers have either edited their work too much or too little.

   The key is to edit well enough to create a great story, but not too much that your work no longer has heart.

   When writers are confronted by the prospect of cutting words, they panic and think it can’t be done without destroying plots and characters.

   In actual fact, most writers will learn that there is a skill to trimming word count. Once that skill is learnt, they can apply it to other works, and this will change the way they write future manuscripts.

   Sometimes, the act of cutting words from the manuscript is simply a case of re-writing the odd paragraph, of eliminating passive writing or over telling, deleting repeated or redundant words. Look for instances where you have explained the same thing more than once, but perhaps in different ways or by different character’s viewpoint. There are many good websites built to aid writers in writing the best work they can. I have a list on my website of several such websites.

   http://www.annewhitfield.com/writingwebsites.html

   In the end, write the story of your heart, but edit it with a business mind and the chances are you’ll have a better prospect of becoming published and the journey with your future editor may be also smoother.

-- 

You can visit Anne's website at http://www.annewhitfield.com


Torture your Characters

Evangeline Anderson

 

   Are you thinking of writing a book?  Want to try your hand at a hot blooded erotica or maybe a mysterious paranormal?  Whatever your genre I have some advice if you’re just starting out—torture your characters.

   Yes, I said torture them. Not in a put-them-on-a-rack or beat-them-with-a-whip kinda way (although if you’re writing an erotic BDSM novel that might be an option.) No, what I’m saying is don’t make things easy on them. Think about it—when was the last time you wanted to read a novel about someone with a perfectly calm life? Calm equals boring so shake it up and put your protagonist through the meat grinder to get the best out of them and the most thrills and chills out of your plot.

   For example, in my new romantic/erotic comedy, Wishful Thinking, Philomena Swan and her sisters have a problem. Being only one eighth fairy means they don’t have any magic of their own, but they do qualify for a fairy godmother who grants them all birthday wishes. Sounds great, doesn’t it?  But if I wrote a story about three pretty girls who got all their wishes granted and lived a perfect life it would be incredibly dull. In order to torture my characters and keep things interesting, I wanted to make the yearly birthday gifts a problem

   So while Phil, Cass, and Rory seem to have an ideal situation what they really have is trouble. Their godmother is a chain-smoking, anorexic fairy bitch who resents being forced to grant birthday wishes for “half-breeds” like Phil and her sisters. This makes her pretty careless with her magic, and she really doesn’t care if it helps or hurts the girls. And mostly, it hurts.

   Phil and Cass and Rory have all had their problems in the past. There was the time when she was a kid that Phil wished she could wear all of her Barbie’s clothes. Instead of making the clothes big enough to fit her, their fairy godmother made Phil eleven inches tall. Or the time Rory wished to be able to talk to animals and their fairy godmother turned her into a Schnauzer. Or the time in high school that Cass wished for a bigger bra size only to end up with double G “porno” boobs.

   All these disastrous events have made the Swann sisters extremely careful when making their birthday wishes because they’ve found it’s surprisingly hard to make a wish that doesn’t backfire. As the book opens, Phil is about to turn twenty-five and she is trying to think of something to wish for that won’t ruin her life forever.

   Of course, since Phil is my protagonist in this book, I couldn’t let her off easy. One thing about Phil is that she has a very mild personality. She doesn’t like to rock the boat, and she’d rather die than make a scene. So when she accidentally makes a wish to be able to speak her mind, it makes her life a horrible mess because she literally has to say everything she’s thinking.

   From telling off her annoying coworkers to letting her misogynistic boss know what she really thinks of him, Phil is on a roll. And because of her shy, retiring nature, it is complete and utter torture for her. She can’t believe the things that are pouring out of her mouth, but because of her fairy godmother’s magic, she can’t stop them either.

   I think my favorite part of the book is when Phil is forced to tell her best friend Josh about an erotic dream she had about him. Josh is one of those guys that lights up the room when he comes into it—he’s always cracking Phil up, but she knows he’d kill anyone that tried to mess with her. He’s an IT guy with big brown eyes and adorably tousled hair, but under his geeky clothes and computer skills he has a smokin’ hot bod which Phil tries not to notice since she has a fiancé. Unfortunately no one told her subconscious not to notice—hence her incredibly naughty dream.

   Phil tries everything in her power not to tell her best friend she’s been dreaming about him, but because of her fairy godmother’s magic she’s forced to confess it all.  Every last erotic detail.  See? More torture. Luckily for her, Josh isn’t adverse to listening, and for the first time Phil begins to see him as more than just a best friend.

   And that’s only what I put Phil through in the first part of the book. After she begs her fairy godmother to reverse the spell everyone in her life is forced to tell her exactly what they’re thinking.  She finds out some startling facts about her friends, family and coworkers including Josh who tells her how he really feels about her which leads to some pretty steamy scenes.

   Okay, I have to admit the yummy, naughty sex parts of the book aren’t exactly torture but they were lots of fun to write. And in between the juicy parts, Phil’s life is still spiraling out of control.  Every time she begs her fairy godmother to reverse or change her wish, things get worse. Worse for her, but more fun for the reader.

   I don’t want to give everything away so you’ll have to read Wishful Thinking, coming out Nov 17th, to find out what else I put Phil through. And after Phil, it’s her sister Cass’s turn. I’m about halfway done with her book now, and you wouldn’t believe what a mess she has to go through to get her HEA.

   So whether you’re just sitting down to write your first novel or you’re only in the idea stages with a cast of characters knocking around in your head, remember not to make things too easy on them. Character torture can move your plot and give depth to your novel like nothing else.

   Plus it’s lots of fun.

-- 

She is the author of over thirty published novels but Wishful Thinking, the first book in the Swann Sisters Chronicles, is her first book for Samhain. You can visit her and join her newsletter for monthly updates and naughty excerpts at www.evangelineanderson.com or friend her on MySpace or facebook.


Inside A Writer's Twisted Imagination

Denise Agnew

 

   If you are a reader without any writing inclinations, you may wonder how an author takes the fruit of first ideas and turns it into a full-fledged novel. I’m as guilty as the next reader, wanting to know what my favorite authors do, wanting to understand the process that brings their exciting tomes to life. Two authors I admire are Stephen King and Dean Koontz. Reading interviews and articles about them is fascinating, and I was inspired beyond expectation by King’s book ON WRITING. When I realized that my processes, my way of thinking and what can inspire me is often the same thing that motivates these men, I felt a kinship.  My imagination can be as twisted and impatient as theirs can, and this is gratifying.

   I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had people ask me, “Where do you get ideas for your books?” I also can’t tell you how many times I haven’t given a coherent answer. I should be able to explain how I get from slot A to tab B. Ah, perhaps not.  Explaining a writer’s imagination is complicated because most writers are complex people with a rich fantasy world. In grade school, we doodled too much and daydreamed too much.  We created elaborate universes only we could see, and we often had imaginary friends. Many times, we saw the forest and the trees at the same time, and yet could only explain the forest and not the trees.  Sometimes we could give you the answer to a math problem, but we couldn’t tell you how we arrived at the correct answer. Writing is a right brain and left brain activity combined.  So when many writers are asked how we come up with our ideas, we often stare at the questioner as if they’ve lost their mind. There is simply no easy way to explain it, for most of us.

   There are two types of writers when it comes to creating stories, those that outline and those that don’t do much, if any.  I fall in to the “don’t do much, if any” category. Recently I had to write a synopsis and it almost turned me into a babbling idiot. I rewrote it nine times before it came together properly. Condensing a hundred thousand word manuscript into nine pages coherently isn’t my forte. My thought processes can be chaotic, and because I don’t outline my novels for the most part, I create by virtue of “what comes next” without a flow chart. For many logically oriented, left brained individuals, the idea of creating on a high wire with no rope is foolhardy. Yet it works for me and many other writers.

   So where do I come up with those ideas? Out of nowhere. Some authors will say the ideas come from something they saw on television or read in the papers. For me it is more a notion that jumps out from a clear blue sky.  Two weeks ago, I remembered my trip to the tunnels under the South Bridge in Edinburgh, and that creepy experience in the tunnels gave me an idea. I wanted to write a story revolving around catacombs. That book is now a work in progress.

   I wrote Love From the Ashes because I’d wanted to write a story for years set during the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. I wrote Midnight Rose because of my lifelong interest in the Jack the Ripper case.  My ideas can come from anywhere, day or night, and logic has nothing whatsoever to do with how I formulate the idea.

   One other thing I’d like to say about imagination.  Sometimes writers forget that our imaginations are extremely potent and above average.  Our imaginations prove that everything that can happen, can be thought of first. A tragedy happens and reporters say, “No one ever could have imagined this horrible tragedy.” I shake my head, because I know it’s not true. I find that most writers have the same reaction as I do. Few things surprise us when it comes to tragedy whether created by man or nature.  Writers are in the business of envisioning possibilities, and that includes the very worst and best things in life, even those most terrible or “unthinkable”. 

   As a writer, I used my imagination and trekked into jungles I have designed in my own head, been to 1906 San Francisco during the earthquake, been through a tornado, a warehouse fire, a building collapse, tangled with supernatural forces and escaped from a serial killer. Believe me, writers have thought of it and they will continue to think of it. Nothing is beyond imagination. What makes the best writer?  Those who can open a vein, spill emotion and imagine every scenario.  This is why writing is often exhausting work.  A good piece of writing can reflect the deepest lows and the highest highs.  Excellent writing shows dedication to authenticity, to finding the unique in things everyday, and the ordinary in the extraordinary.

   I’ve run into plenty of people who’ve asked me how I come up with such heinous villains. Simple, really. The best villains I’ve written are my versions of Jack the Ripper in Midnight Rose, the serial killer in Treacherous Wishes and the crazed Fort Leavenworth prisoner in Sins and Secrets. While I like the “bad guys” in Dangerous Intentions and Combustion quite a bit, I think I found a particular stride with Jack, the villain in Treacherous Wishes, and the insane fellow in Sins and Secrets.  Why? Because I was willing to let it all hang out and not be afraid of what people might say or think that little ole Denise could create monsters like these.  And as Gavin De Becker says in the fascinating book, The Gift of Fear, criminals, even the most odious, are not as different from the rest of us as we might think.

   I’ve given you only a tiny peek into a writer’s twisted imagination. I hope you enjoyed the journey.

-- 

Romantic Times Book Review Magazine called her romantic suspense novels “top-notch” and she’s received a TOP PICK from Romantic Times Book Review Magazine in erotic romance. Visit Denise’s website at www.deniseagnew.com to read excerpts, enter contests and sign up for her chat group and newsletter.


Recipe: Southern Turkey Cornbread Pot Pie

Mary Eason

 

Wondering what to do with all those Thanksgiving leftovers?

 

INGREDIENTS

1 (10.75 ounce) can Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup (Regular or 98% Fat Free)

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 cups cubed cooked turkey

1 (8 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained

1 (11 ounce) package refrigerated cornbread twists

 

DIRECTIONS

Heat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Heat the soup, black pepper, turkey and corn in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat until the mixture is hot and bubbling. Pour the turkey mixture into a 9-inch pie plate.

Separate the cornbread into 8 pieces along perforations. (Do not unroll dough.) Place over the hot turkey mixture. Bake for 15 minutes or until the bread is golden.

 

FOOTNOTE

Easy Substitution Tip: Substitute cooked chicken for the turkey.


The Price of a Kiss

Misty Evans

 

   That summer was hot; the woman I was torturing, hotter.

   The CIA had rotated me out of the field to run new recruits through The Farm, a training camp located in the Virginia woods where spies learn paramilitary and tradecraft skills. Because of my background, I was in charge of Isolation and Interrogation in the mock prison camp set up as alternate reality where recruits are subjected to torture much like fraternity hazing. My kill rate—getting students to break under extreme stress—was a hundred percent. Until that summer, until that woman.

   To graduate The Farm, you must jump from a tower positioned at the exact height to break your neck if you land wrong or the rope harness snaps. You must fling yourself from a helicopter with an M-16 machine gun ready to fire the moment the helo lands. You must survive being hunted through the Virginia woods without food, water or bug repellent by qualified military specialists. And you must fail Isolation and Interrogation.

   Every person, even a trained operative, will break at some point. If you want accurate information, you must manipulate a person’s weaknesses; break their mind along with their body.

   The woman in the three-by-three isolation chamber was like no other student I’d dealt with. She’d sat in the corner, knees bent, head bowed, not in frustration or worry, but calm rest for forty-eight hours. She’d shown no signs of separation anxiety, panic or agitation.

   Digging for what made her tick, I scanned her classified file, reviewing her history, Myers-Briggs personality test results and psych eval. Julia Torrison was a high analytic who preferred working alone. She sought out peace and quiet and avoided socializing. She was a lone wolf that isolation alone would not break.

   Changing tactics, I sent in other trainers to get in her face. They yelled at her like drill sergeants, told her raunchy jokes like drunken sea dogs, interrogated her about the delicate subject of the child abuse she suffered at the hands of her stepfather.

   She gave up nothing.

   More hours passed. She leaned against the cell wall, unmoving, her eyes hard as stones. What would it take to make this woman dissolve into tears? To make her beg me to let her go?

   Entering her cubicle, I moved in close to her, pressing her body against the cold concrete wall with mine. Her eyes were a startling emerald green, but the fire I’d seen in them earlier was gone. Still she locked her gaze on me, a battle line being drawn, as I lowered my face so close to hers our noses almost touched.

    “I’d love to kiss you,” I whispered. I wasn’t lying. Since the moment I’d spotted her in the new recruits, she’d become a wicked form of Venus taunting me day and night. Her flirty lips teasing me, her gutsy bravado challenging me, her carefree attitude pissing me off.

   She hadn’t slept more than an hour in four days. She’d eaten only bread and water. Her long hair was a wild tangle around her pale face and there was dirt smudged on her jaw line. In the two months of watching her excel at everything from hand-to-hand combat to passing a lie detector test, I wanted her just as badly as ever.

   Waves of heat rolled off her body onto mine. Something sparked in her eyes, the fire in her gut not dead after all. In one swift movement, her knee connected with my balls.

   I buckled, white-hot pain searing my groin. As I fell, she snatched the gun from my waistband and pointed it at my head. “The price of a kiss is your life, Conrad Flynn.”

   My perfect record took a hit that summer, but I got what I wanted.

   The kiss was just the beginning...

-- 

Misty Evans believes a natural born adventurer lies in the heart of every woman and writes her super agent suspense series in order to let hers out to play. Her first CIA suspense, Operation Sheba, is available from Samhain this month. To find out more about Misty and her super agents, visit www.readmistyevans.com


Political Assassination

Jerri Drennen

 

   Langdon Gregory sat at his desk and stared in disbelief at the bold headline on his computer screen topping the front page of the Daily Journal.

   Margo Emerson Whitman Found Murdered.

   This was his fault. He’d set the events of Margo's death in motion by discussing the strange e-mail he’d received a few days ago. About an unidentified woman floating in the Mississippi river, rumored to have been a local politician’s mistress.

   The sender had insisted he look into the story—into the private life of a man who’d never so much as had a parking ticket. Remington Steward III was a pillar in the community, happily married with two children, hardly the murderous type.

   Langdon hadn’t taken the correspondence seriously, but Margo had found it intriguing and asked if she could pursue the story. Now he was certain there was something to the e-mail, and what his fellow journalist unearthed had gotten her killed. Hopefully, he’d be able to sniff out what Chicago’s notorious society columnist had learned before she died—before he became their next target. After all, he’d been the one to receive the e-mail in the first place.

   A new message popped into the corner of his computer screen, from an address he instantly recognized.

   The same person who’d sent him the e-mail—watchdog15@realm.com.

   He clicked on the link, his pulse working its way off the charts.

   When the e-mail opened, his heart sunk.  

   Do you believe me now?

   What was Langdon going to do? Contact the police? What if they didn’t believe him? Worse yet, what if they thought he’d killed Margo? He was the last person to see her alive.

   No. He had to handle this on his own—had to find out who watchdog15 was first. That way the person could verify his story if he needed them to.

   Just then, an idea struck him. A few years back, long before he’d taken on the political column at the newspaper, he’d met someone who had the ability to hack into computer systems, including the government’s. Maybe she could find out the e-mailer’s identity, even locate a physical address.

   Where had he put that phone number?

   Right. He’d tucked it into a special compartment in his wallet. Langdon dug through the pocket and found the slip of paper, then punched the digits into his cell phone, praying she hadn’t changed numbers on him.

   On the fourth ring, a woman picked up with a soft, “Hello.”

   “Is this Gail Bradley?” Langdon wasn't sure he recognized her voice.

(Who is she?)


Fiction: Fear Itself

Saje Williams

 

December 8, 2010

Saratoga Springs, NY

Another Earth

   The music died and the lights came on. Maggie took a deep breath and smiled shyly out at the audience, her heart thundering in her ears. 

   “Thank you,” she murmured, stepping down from the stage and handing the mic off to the hunky host.

   “That was Maggie Hart, singing her rendition of Bonnie Tyler’s ‘I Need A Hero’.  What a great job, Maggie.”

   Feeling herself blush and despising the reaction, Maggie ducked past and found her seat, taking a long drink of her rum and Coke and looking anywhere but at the other patrons.

   Maybe karaoke was a weird hobby for someone with extreme social anxiety, but it was one of her few pleasures in life these days.  As long as she pretended she was alone and singing in the shower or in her car, she had no problems at all with it.  The minute she actually acknowledged the many eyes watching her she risked losing her concentration and failing miserably.  And nothing frightened her more than the idea of public failure and humiliation.

(No, No...not THAT!)


Fiction: Bayou Life

John Karr

   Del ambled along the raised dirt road that cut through the dark still waters. Used to be she would hum when she walked, but not anymore. Not since Momma’s murder. Del would start a tune, but it would wither on her lips after only a few sad notes.
   Now and then she paused to pick up a rock that poked the soles of her bare feet. When she had a bunch she tossed them high into the steamy air, way up past the hanging moss on the branches, like Steffy used to do whenever he and Uncle Jimbeau and Aunt Faye came to visit. For a city boy, Steffy sure was a swamp rat. He always had to see it whenever he came over, and he would tease her until she finally agreed to go with him. She hadn’t appreciated it then, but the Bayou, with all its snakes and gators and dagger-beaked white herons, was their getaway together. Del and Steffy were close, like brother and sister, but for a long time now she’d had to walk their favorite paths alone.
   Steffy said the swamp would whisper its secrets to you if you listened good enough. Del didn’t know about all that. Still, there was something that connected her to this place. A sense of natural peace, maybe.
   Or maybe it was just ‘cause she got away from Daddy.
   For a little while. 

   She watched the rocks rain down upon the glade in little plopping splashes, scaring the snappers off the cypress log that still had grey moss clinging stubbornly to its outstretched branches like torn sleeves on twisty old arms. One of the rocks struck the rounded bole of a cypress tree and then bounced into the water where it disappeared below the brackish surface. Three fish swirls immediately followed, as if the critters had been dozing and suddenly scared off by the interruption. As the ripples died away she tried to remember the last time she’d seen Steffy, who hated to be called by his full name of Stefan almost as much as she hated to be called Delilah.
   Pulling a strand of damp blonde hair from her eyes, Del thought back to Momma’s funeral, almost a year ago. She’d seen Steffy then—after all, Auntie Faye and Momma had been sisters. Del and Steffy didn’t have time to walk through the swamp that day; what with all the other friends and relatives coming back to the house with jambalaya, crawfish etoufee, gumbo ya-ya, catfish po-boys and bus loads of more food. Plus Del hadn’t felt much like doing anything except cry. She had tried to hold it in until most everyone left, but she couldn’t help herself when Auntie Faye squeezed her tight and sobbed in Del’s ear.
   “S’all right, chile. It’s gonna be all right. Yo’ Momma’s gone, but we love you, cher. Ain’t no justice in the world when a fine woman like my sis gets gunned down by hoodlums in de street! Oh, I wish I’d gone inta Baton wit’ her—maybe it wouldn’t a happened! The Lord’ll take care o’dem if your daddy don’t catch ’em first . . .”
   Steffy had come up then and handed Del a coke. Good ol’ Steffy. His eyes were glassy when he looked at her. Del had tried to smile at him as she accepted the soda, even though she wasn’t thirsty.

(Don't stop NOW!)

From Our Editors

 

From Our Authors

 

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