Where do I know you from?

“Where do I know you from?”

“I don’t think you do know me.  I certainly don’t recognize you.  Leave me!”   She gestured dismissively.

“No, but really.  I’m sure I know you from somewhere.  Were you in the south of France last year?”  The persistent person of dubious national origin peered into her face solicitously.

“Why would you ask such a personal question?”  She allowed her glance to run up and down the person, in a way which suggested doubt about the legality and advisability of someone continuing to stand just there.  “If you do not leave, I will be forced to call the management.”

The person took a step backward, clearly struck by the force of the idea of the management entering into the discussion; but also clearly not intending to leave just yet.  “Why, it just seems to me that you might be a little kinder to the person who saved you from the clutches of the mercado pirate.  You recall – the one you had handed over your entire life savings to, and almost your – ah – reputation?” 

“Indeed.”  The direction of her gaze rose up, like bubbles floating to the surface, until they met the eyes of her accoster.  There they stopped and became like green lasers.  “You mistake me for someone else.  Now please be on your way, lest I mistake you for someone I once knew, and do what I ought to have done then.”  She paused.  “I’m sure you understand me.”

Book Blurb

Who’d ever choose to live in a town like Randallville?  Or, more importantly, who would choose to die there?!?

Three deaths in one week bring together a strange assortment of characters: a cowboy, who loses his boss at the ranch he’s been working for 40 years; a 10-year-old autistic boy, who notices things in ways no one else does; a detective, who finds cause for cool suspicion and hot desire; a female construction worker as confused by life as she is by her male co-workers; and a host of other town-folk just trying to live their darned lives. 

An epic of swirling emotions, earth-shattering plot twists, wrenching confrontations, and heart-warming connections and salvation!

Book Blurb

Life was tumbling along like a tumbleweed, just like any other hot, dusty town in the dry heat Arizona.  Until, that is, 5 deaths occurred in the same week and arose suspicions in Madeline the detective’s mind. Benji, the local 10yr old autistic boy, had his own ideas as did Jake, the Cowboy from Casa Grande.  Add in a passing- thru- town musician/serial killer and you’ve got yourself an eventful summer.

Diana’s Book Blurb

Who dun it?  The question would be easier to answer if only there were an it that had been done.  When Madeline gets the call to investigate the death of a small town’s wealthy patriarch who, to all appearances, was merely the victim of a random car accident, she is unprepared for the twisting maze of possibilities that suggest how Manfred Randall’s life and death are intertwined with those of a spinster librarian, a 10 year old autistic boy, a displaced cowboy, and welder with a Ph.D.  Introduce a serial killer in the mix and Madeline discovers that the meaning of life, death, and culpability are not quite what she thought.

3 Golden Apples and a Princess

When, she wondered moodily, and by what means, had the precedent been established that Princesses, such as herself, could be bought and sold by means of golden apples?  It bothered her very much indeed that there was such a way to put a specifc value on her – and, not only that, but to compare her value to that of another princess.  The first time she had been purchased, by a kingdom severely lacking in princesses, it had been for one golden apple.  She had been a pint-sized princess then, quite young, and had thought the golden apple pretty – when she realized that she could not keep it, but instead it was going to live where she had been, while she went somewhere else, she had thrown a tantrum.  That was, she reflected, the first time she had realized that she was a princess.

Over the intervening years, she had been bought and sold a few times, for various numbers and parts of golden apples.  Most recently, she had been Princess-by-purchase in a kingdom that already had several princesses, but had wanted to “deepen the bench,” so to speak.  It needed a variety of princesses for formal occasions, and she had fit nicely into the put-in-an-appearance-at-the-ball niche.  Now, however, one of the local princesses was old enough to do that duty herself, and so word had been put about that there was an experienced princess available, for a reasonable price. 

And three golden apples was, really, a not unhandsome offer.  Moreover, they were quite good golden apples.  Still, she had heard that a princess two kingdoms over had gone for more than five golden apples; and she was not satisfied with it.  The new place, where she was going, had need of a princess to handle the happily-ever-after story with one of their princes.  This would be her first time in that role, and she was, she admitted grudgingly, looking forward to experiencing it.  Nevertheless.  Only 3 golden apples.

A knock sounded at her door.  “Madam Princess, Your Once and Future Highness, it is time.”  Sighing, she arose, throwing her long travel cloak about her shoulders.