Yes, I wrote 'the end' at the bottom of Crime & Passion last Tuesday. While a part of me is saddened because the story is done, I'm also really pleased with how things came together. Although I loved Always & Forever, I think Crime & Passion is even better. Hmm...is that like a parent saying they like one child more than another? Anyway--moving right along.
Even though I've finished the story and know what happens now, I still have to go through what my writing partners and I like to refer to as "Revision Hell." The first step is to take all the advice my critique partners gave me and whip the manuscript into shape. Then, I will do another read through or three on my own. I then have to send it off to my editor and beta readers. All that before formatting and getting it ready for publication with a couple more read throughs at that point. It still seems like so much work, and I hope to get it all done by early spring so I can share it with the rest of you! I know by the end of this process, I will have read it so many times I'll be thoroughly sick of it, but for now it is fresh, new, and exciting, and I think you will all love it.
I talked to my cover artist, and she has scheduled me for an opening the first week of January. Yay! I can't wait! Although it doesn't have a cover, I did put it on Goodreads so you can add it to your TBR pile http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16135008-crime-passion
I want to give a quick shout out to my fabulous critique partners who make this all possible. Take a minute to explore their blogs and/or check out their books. They are all truly talented writers, and I can't thank them enough for everything they have done to make Crime & Passion great!
Michele Shriver:
Rachelle Ayala
Monterey Sirak
Kimberly Sullivan
Because I'm too excited to wait, I'm going to share an excerpt with you today! Let me give you a little set up for this scene - Madeline Scott found a body on the beach and saw someone fleeing the scene. The local newspaper reporter did a story, talking about the fact that Madeline saw something, and my hero, Donovan Andrews, is worried that the killer might be after Madeline next. Madeline has to open the dog shop/kennel she works at by herself this morning because her boss, Lindsey, has a dentist appointment. Enjoy!
Warning - this contains a profane word. Reader beware ;-)
Crime & Passion Excerpt
(c) 2012 Chantel Rhondeau
Madeline unlocked the door to Woofy Cuts, stifling a yawn. The cheery bell Lindsey placed above the door greeted her as she entered. Early morning sunlight barely penetrated the gloom of the shop. She rushed to the alarm to turn it off.
That’s strange. The alarm wasn’t beeping, and the green
light shone steadily. Lindsey said she would check in on Brutus and walk him around
eleven o’clock last night. Madeline had a hard time believing she didn’t set the
alarm.
Then again,
Lindsey used her birthday as the code--not exactly hard to crack. Madeline
shuddered, wondering if Donovan was right to worry about her safety.
A shuffling sound
from the right-hand side of the store caught her attention. Madeline cocked her head sideways, holding her
breath as she listened intently. Silence.
She gripped the
tiny pepper spray attached to her car keys and pressed her back against the wall
before flipping on the light switch. When no one jumped out of the shadows, she
allowed herself to breathe again. Still, perhaps he wanted the element of
surprise and hid, waiting to attack her once she let her guard down.
As quietly as
possible, she crept past the customer seating area toward the shelves holding
pet supplies. The middle row was the only place to hide. Madeline’s heart
hammered in her chest and her hands shook.
She tried to
calm her erratic breathing. If someone waited on the other side of the shelf,
he likely heard her ragged breaths. She’d have to surprise him. Madeline sent
up a quick prayer she wouldn’t drop the keychain and leapt forward to the row
of shelves, discharging a preemptive strike with the pepper spray. The foamy substance
flew through the air to land in the empty aisle.
“Great shot,
Rambo.” She let out a shaky laugh. “You killed
some dog treats.”
Madeline picked
up the ruined package before it could contaminate anything else. She took shallow
breaths so the pepper spray didn’t get in her lungs. It would be hard to explain
that to medical personnel. It’s no big deal,
a phantom killer attacked me so I pepper sprayed myself. Yeah right.
She threw the package in
the trash bin and walked toward the back room. “Brutus, time to get up,” she called.
Madeline reached
the doors but took one last look around the shop, trying to shake the feeling
that something was wrong. Lindsey forgot
to set the alarm, and her and Donovan’s paranoia is rubbing off on me, that’s
all. Everything’s fine.
She shook her
head and walked through the doorway, laughing at her own silliness. The only
killer in the building lived in her imagination.
The smell hit
her first. Besides the ever-present stench of wet dog, there was a coppery, hot
odor. It clung to the back of Madeline’s tongue, tainting the air. She couldn’t
quite place it.
“Brutus?”
She flipped on
the light switch in the back room, at the same time hearing the bell sound over
the front door. Madeline started to turn back to the front of the store to see
who entered, but a figure on the floor caught her attention.
“Shit!”
***
eeeChantelfff
Again, CONGRATS! I am so excited to see you moving forward to publication. :) I also see another counter above for another novel? You go girl!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Melinda! Angel's Wings is actually a memoir dealing with the death of my best friend when I was a child, the grieving process, and the subsequent miracle I experienced. I've been kicking around in my head. I'm going to offer it as a free ebook...eventually. Still so much to get done with C&P, but I'm so excited to have the story finished! Thanks for your support!
DeleteCONGRATULATIONS, Chantel! This is really great news and 'The End' are two amazing words, aren't they? The word of thanks made my day. It's been such a pleasure reading your well-written and well-crafted story, with all its exciting plot twists. I know 'revision hell' is just around the corner, but savor this moment, too. Brava!!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Kimberly! I am savoring the moment, and I know with all your excellent advice, revisions won't be as hard as they might be otherwise. Thank you so much for everything!
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