Welcome to the Goddess Fish Untellable Book Tour. Today on my turn, I have a special excerpt and tour giveaway to share.
UNTELLABLE EXCERPT:
Elise tapped her water glass with a spoon, making a ringing sound and pausing the conversation. “I have an announcement to make.” She held up her glass as if to make a toast. Everyone else followed her lead and raised their glasses of sweet tea.
“What’s your wonderful news?” Sandra asked.
“I, Elise Moraine, was assigned today, the big job with a capital B and a capital J.”
An appreciative murmur circled round the table.
“The big job? Congratulations. What’s it about?” Linda asked.
“This job is to report on the parole of one Richard Hickam, in the state penitentiary.”
I choked on a piece of ice. Sandra gasped and slammed her glass back down on the table, sloshing sweet tea onto the tablecloth. “The penitentiary? No daughter of mine is going to a prison to get a news story!”
Jerry reached his hand up and touched her arm. “Sandra, please. Let’s hear what else she has to say.”
An appreciative murmur circled round the table.
“The big job? Congratulations. What’s it about?” Linda asked.
“This job is to report on the parole of one Richard Hickam, in the state penitentiary.”
I choked on a piece of ice. Sandra gasped and slammed her glass back down on the table, sloshing sweet tea onto the tablecloth. “The penitentiary? No daughter of mine is going to a prison to get a news story!”
Jerry reached his hand up and touched her arm. “Sandra, please. Let’s hear what else she has to say.”
Sandra crossed her arms, turned her face, and shot dagger eyes in Elise’s direction.
My whole body stiffened in anticipation. I imagined myself in a time warp, frozen in place with everyone moving and talking around me. To hear the name Richard Hickam at this table, my supposed safe place, was worse than anything I’d anticipated.
Elise opened her mouth once then snapped it shut. She shook her head and said, “That’s it. That’s the announcement. This is a huge job. I can do the interview by video conference. It’s simply to ask him what his experiences were and what his plans are.”
I could tell you what his plans are. No need to interview him for that.
“Do y’all know who Richard Hickam is?” She looked around the table at everyone’s upset expressions.
I stared at my plate, for once allowing my hair to fall forward and partially cover my face. I prayed no one would make the connection to me. I couldn’t stand it if Colton knew my father was a violent criminal.
Sandra stood up. “I won’t have it. It’s too dangerous for you to go into an interview with some man who’s been locked up for God only knows what.”
“Murder.” Elise spoke softly. “He murdered his wife in front of his fourteen-year-old daughter. His lawyer tried to get rid of the charges of murder, saying it was a crime of passion. The daughter’s testimony actually put him away.”
My whole body stiffened in anticipation. I imagined myself in a time warp, frozen in place with everyone moving and talking around me. To hear the name Richard Hickam at this table, my supposed safe place, was worse than anything I’d anticipated.
Elise opened her mouth once then snapped it shut. She shook her head and said, “That’s it. That’s the announcement. This is a huge job. I can do the interview by video conference. It’s simply to ask him what his experiences were and what his plans are.”
I could tell you what his plans are. No need to interview him for that.
“Do y’all know who Richard Hickam is?” She looked around the table at everyone’s upset expressions.
I stared at my plate, for once allowing my hair to fall forward and partially cover my face. I prayed no one would make the connection to me. I couldn’t stand it if Colton knew my father was a violent criminal.
Sandra stood up. “I won’t have it. It’s too dangerous for you to go into an interview with some man who’s been locked up for God only knows what.”
“Murder.” Elise spoke softly. “He murdered his wife in front of his fourteen-year-old daughter. His lawyer tried to get rid of the charges of murder, saying it was a crime of passion. The daughter’s testimony actually put him away.”
Suzanne Lilly writes lighthearted young adult stories with a splash of suspense, a flash of the unexplained, a dash of romance, and always a happy ending. Her short stories have appeared in numerous places online and in print, and she has placed and received honorable mentions in writing contests. Her debut novel was Shades of the Future in 2011 followed by Untellable in 2012. She lives in Northern California where she reads, writes, cooks, swims, and teaches elementary students. Find out more about Suzanne at: Amazon Website Facebook
Giveaway
Suzanne will be picking one lucky commenter to win an eBook (winner's choice of Shades of the Future, Bad Hair Day, or Rapunzel's Daughters) during the tour. Follow the tour HERE.
Aspen Dwyer, recently emancipated from foster care, is searching for a place to hide from a past with secrets too dark to share. Honey Creek, Ohio, presents itself as the best place to start a new life and stay undercover. There she meets Colton Moraine, a man with strong family ties and an even stronger sense of loyalty. His boisterous, loving family welcomes Aspen with warmth she hasn’t felt in years. She’s surprised at how quickly and deeply she falls for Colton. When a dangerous criminal comes to Honey Creek, intent on his revenge against her, Aspen must choose between two options. Should she stay and risk her life and the rejection of the people she’s grown to love? Or should she run again, and leave behind any chance of a happy future?
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