Another Scene from Beyond the Smile

I tried to do this on Sunday, but Blogger kept telling me it couldn't post HTML--HTML I didn't include, so I don't know what's up with that. I never had the problem before, so I am assuming it is something to do with the formatting in Word for Mac--I solved the problem by finally telling it not to show messages about HTML errors in the body of the post. WHEW!

Angela had begun to suspect Joey Spinelli was not what he professed to be, so she began some reearch. She first discovered the address he gave had housed a shopping center for many years while the school he claimed he attended only opened recently. She took the information to Bill Winters, her brother's roommate who was also a Florida state trooper.

It took him a few days, but he discovered more than they had expected and called her on Thursday morning with a request to come to the station after school that day. When she entered the station, she was greeted by a tall, burly police officer whom she had met a couple of times at Michael’s apartment.

“Angela, it’s good to see you again. What can I do for you?”

“Bill called and asked me to stop by.”

“Oh, yeah, the research on Joseph Spinelli. I don’t think you’ll like it.” He buzzed her through the door where she found him waiting for her with computer logged on and a file so thick it looked like a book.

In short, Angela discovered some very disturbing information that would later lead her to become in fear of her life. She also saw other things in Joey that she had not previously seen and became much more cautious when she was around him.

The saga continues, and I hope you will follow me along until we discover what Angela found out and what she did with the information. Read some of the other stories by others on Suspenseful Seven Sentence Sunday as well.

Delay in Posting

Just a short note to everyone that this week's post will be delayed. I attempted to post it last night but Blogger kept giving me an error message about Meta tags which I didn't add. As soon as I find the problem I will be posting another blog.

Suspenseful Seven Sentence Sunday -- Dealing with Change

Angela was excited by Joey Spinelli and was beginning to show signs of rebellion by coming in past her curfew. Her parents were not pleased by any means but placed the blame on Joey rather than Angela. The first in a series of confrontation is the topic of this week's blog.

“Angela, we are really concerned about your relationship with this boy,” her father said one evening when she came home a half hour late. “He isn’t the kind of boy we want you to date, and the fact that he has you coming in past your curfew tells us he is irresponsible.”

Angela ran upstairs to her room, loudly stomping her feet on each step as she ascended. Her voice was full of anger when she yelled down the stairs to her father.

“Why blame everything on Joey?” she said. “Did it ever occur to you that I have a mind of my own and didn’t tell him what time I had to be home? You always want to blame someone else when I do something that doesn’t meet with your approval.”

At the time of this initial confrontation with her parents over her relationship with Joey Spinelli, Angela had not yet discovered his true colors. Her parents had seen right through him and knew he wasn't the kind of boy they wanted their 17-year old daughter to date. At the same time they were like many parents and wanted to give her an opportunity to make her own decisions.

As we continue to follow the story you will discover that Angela is not as vulnerable as she appears to be in this early scene from the story. She is not blind to Joey's faults nor will she put up with the kind of person she finds out he really is. With the help of her best friend, Diane, her brother, Michael, and his roommate, Florida state trooper, Bill Winters, she finds out the truth about Joey Spinelli, and the truth goes far beyond her wildest suspicions about the real Joey Spinelli.

Please continue to follow me on Suspenseful Seven Sentence Sunday to read more of my Work in Progress not only about Angela Massetti and Joey Spinelli but also my novel in progress about an aspiring writer and her rock star boyfriend. Until then Good Night and Sleep Tight.

Suspenseful Seven Sentence Sunday -- Another Scene

I'm sorry I missed last week, but it was actually for a very good reason: I was in the middle of a writing project. As much as I love my fiction work, it is the non-fiction articles and blogs that currently help me pay my portion of the bills, so I have to stay busy. I wanted to go in earlier and find out how to schedule the posts, but I haven't had a chance to do that yet.

At any rate, these seven sentences pick up in the story after Angela was able to escape from the stalker. This is where she first meets the hero who will later make her life one of torture. He puts on a good act for her during the early part of their relationship, but then he turns into someone she doesn't even know.

“Hi, gorgeous! Wanna go for a ride?”

He put the kick stand down to stabilize the bike and leaned back on the sissy bar with his feet propped on its frame.

“I don’t ride with people I don’t know.”

Her heart began beating faster and her rapid breathing almost caused her to hyperventilate. She had one hand on the panic button of her key ring while she held her purchase and purse with her other hand.

“Name’s Joey Spinelli. What’s yours?”

This initial meeting causes Angela to do something that is completely out of character for this level-headed 17 year old honor student, and her relationship with Joey creates havoc at home and causes a great deal of friction between Angela and her parents. As we move forward you will be able to see how Joey begins as a very attentive boyfriend but quickly reveals his true personality beginning with the need to control every move Angela makes. On that note, I will close for this week.

Please continue to follow me on Suspenseful Seven Sentence Sunday to read more of my Work in Progress not only about Angela Massetti and Joey Spinelli but also my novel in progress about an aspiring writer and her rock star boyfriend. Until then Good Night and Sleep Tight.

Suspenseful Seven Sentence Sunday -- My WIP

I realize this started several weeks ago, but to be honest, this is my first opportunity to really get in here. Between trying to write to pay the bills, being sick and having other things to do I just didn't have the time. Hopefully I will be able to keep going each week, but we'll see. At any rate, I'm including the first paragraph which ironically is seven sentences from my short story "Beyond the Smile." Before I post those sentences, let me give you a little background on the story's development.

Many eons ago (when I was a teenager in the 60s) I dated a guy for 4 years on and off who was a member of a local motorcycle gang. He was very wild and when he came to my state he was actually on the run from the police. At 15-1/2 I thought that was pretty cool because I had caught his eye. Of course, it did have some distinct advantages because when any guys any school tried to give me a hard time I only had to mention his name and they left me alone. In addition, his adopted brother went to my school under an assumed identity, so I had double protection. By the time I reached 19 it was beginning to get old--that and his lack of ability to remain faithful. Fortunately I never slept with him and told him I never would until he stopped playing around, something I knew would never happen. We finally parted for the last time in 1970, and I have seen him only twice since then and only in passing on the street.

When I was trying to think of a good topic for a short story I thought of him, and the idea of a story focused on a biker guy came to mind. Like my ex-boyfriend Joey Spinelli is on the run from the police and has a very shady background. Angela Massetti is an innocent teenager who gets caught up in the excitement for a few months of her life. Of course, this initial paragraph is not about Joey but someone who has been following Angela around--she meets Joey after she manages to get away from her stalker. Hopefully this is enough of a hook for you to want to read more. I will post some more from this story at a later date.

The guy had been following her for weeks now, and as 17 year old Angela Massetti left Rainbow CDs & Tapes, she saw him right by the entrance to the mall. His cold dark eyes and blank stare reminded her of the cold-blooded killer whose face still graced the walls of the post office in her town. When she arrived at the exit her trembling fingers made it difficult for her to hold her bags. Even in the glistening Florida sunlight it was easy to see the white of her knuckles and fingernails as she held tightly to her keys. Her hand was in the deep pocket of her shorts with her finger pressed against the panic button just in case she had to summon help. His eyes were expressionless as they looked her up and down as though he were visually undressing her. His face was wrinkled, his cheeks were sunken and he had no teeth. The smell of both alcohol and marijuana was embedded in his old and torn clothing, permeating throughout the air surrounding him.

Please continue to follow me on Suspenseful Seven Sentence Sunday to read more of my Work in Progress not only about Angela Massetti and Joey Spinelli but also my novel in progress about an aspiring writer and her rock star boyfriend. Until then Good Night and Sleep Tight.

Self-Publishing Isn't for Everyone

I usually reserve writing-related posts for my Word Press blog (http://joyofwriting.wordpress.com), but since this is more of a rant than actual writing information, I decided to include it here. This is a topic that has been on my mind for the past few months and relates to postings on other writing sites, especially within the LinkedIn Groups. Don't get me wrong, I love LinkedIn, and the groups usually offer a great deal of important information that we can use as writers. However, I have a problem with self-published writers who attempt to "shove it down" our throats.

Provide Information but Reserve Your Opinions

While I understand that some people live and breathe the "benefits" of self-publishing, I do not happen to share those opinions. I also resent those same people telling me their version of the "facts." What I resent even more is those who tell me I don't know what I'm talking about or that my information is from an unreliable source even though it comes from published writers, publishers and agents. You have a right to choose what method of publishing is right for you, but please allow me to make that same choice without telling me I'd an idiot, stupid and relying on outdated information!

Let Me Make the Decision that is Right for Me

One of the biggest problems I see today is there are many writers choosing self-publishing because they immediately see dollar signs and think they are going to make more money because there are places such as CreateSpace and SmashWords that will allow them to create their work without charge (so they say--I have no idea) and just a percentage of sales. On the other hand, if they are not artistically creative which I am not they will need to pay someone to do a cover design even if they are only choosing e-book format.

What is this sudden need for self-published authors to tell the rest of us what we should and should not do? Why should I have to adhere to what those self-published authors do? Is this not a free economy that allows me to make my own decisions? I have my own reasons for preferring traditional publishing, not the least of which is the stigma that still surrounds the field of self-publishing because so many novice writers are in such a rush to see their name on a book or novel that they don't take the time to hire a professional editor in order to make certain the book is as perfect as they can make it.

What Is Right for You May be Wrong for Me

The bottom line is that no one can make a decision for another person nor can they know what is right for that person. There are many reasons I may feel self-publishing is not right for me, and I should be able to make that decision without being laughed at, ridiculed, called names or accused of being stupid or an idiot. If you don't agree with me that's fine but please don't try to insist I see things your way.