February White Lies
A Cat Collier Short Story Mystery
by Carol Ann Kauffman
Join Cat Collier from January Black Ice as she starts her own detective agency, Red Cat Investigations, inside the gorgeous old Palazzo Castellano Hotel and solves her first real paid case, the case of Shotzie, the missing French poodle. Just when she feels she is destined to find lost pets and missing luggage for the rest of her life in her beautiful new office, complete with business cards, magazines in the waiting room, and her Red Cat logo painted on the frosted glass door, a lovely, mysterious woman named Ms. White hires her to find out who is stalking her. A dead rat on her car. Being run off the road. A car bombing. Someone wants her frightened or maybe…dead.
Cat’s relationship with the handsome Erick “Carter” Larsen is put in jeopardy when she teams up with Officer Kiernan Scott from the Heaton Valley Police Department to unravel the mystery in February White Lies.
Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01BJYOTQG
EXCERPT:
Chapter One
DNA Proof
“The roads are horrendous! It’s freezing out there. I don’t think you should go. His flight arrives in the middle of the night. He told you not to go get him. It’s extremely dangerous and inconvenient. He’ll find a way home,” my mother snipped.
“I’m sure he could find a way home, but I want to go get him. I’ve missed him.” I spoke calmly but glared at the phone, wondering if my mother called me just to make me crazy.
“That’s not a smart decision,” she said. I could hear her wrinkling up her nose.
“Well, I’m going anyway, Mother.”
“If you’re not concerned with your own safety, then what about all the poor, hapless people who happen to be on the road at the same time as the daredevil Cat Collier?”
“I’ll steer clear of all other vehicles. Don’t worry about me, or any unfortunate soul on the highway with me. We’ll all be fine. I’ll talk to you tomorrow. Good night, Mom.”
“Good night, wild child. Be careful.”
After the conversation with my mother, I needed aspirin and a nap before heading to the airport to pick up my boyfriend because alcohol, my first choice, would have seriously impaired my driving ability.
Hours later, I pulled out of the parking lot of my apartment building, refreshed, excited, and in happy anticipation as I slowly crawled through the icy, snow-covered, country roads to the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport.
“Flight 211 from New York has landed. Passengers will be arriving at Gate Three,” the United Airlines flight representative announced. I scrambled to the gate and waited as the weary, red-eye travelers quietly trickled passed me from the gate. The sleep-deprived commuters shuffled to baggage pick-up in a zombie-like state.
But my eyes were glued on the doorway. Finally, I saw his gorgeous head of dark, wavy hair towering above the others.
Now, you need to know something about me. I never get the handsome guy. I’m never even in the running. I’m short, more round than the publicly sought after elongated image of beauty, and I have this wild mop of uncontrollable red curly hair. I have freckles. I’m stubborn. I have an odd sense of humor. I don’t like to be told what to do.
My mother says I lack social refinement. I don’t care. She also says I have bad taste in men and has never liked one of my boyfriends…until Carter, that is. Why this sweet, kind, smart, handsome creature left his underwear model girlfriend for me, I don’t know. But I’m deliriously happy.
“Carter!” I shouted and waved. I startled some of the near-by sleepwalkers. “Sorry,” I whispered.
He searched the waiting crowd, broke into a giant grin when he spotted me, and rushed towards me as fast as he could without knocking over the stragglers.
“You’re here!” he picked me up, hugged me, and kissed me. “I told you that you didn’t need to come and get me. I would’ve rented a car. It’s the middle of the night. And it’s freezing.” His smile lit up the airport terminal. His hug was warm and strong. Everyone else was dragging, but the tall, dark, and handsome Erick Carter Larsen was full of energy. “Thank you for coming, sweetie.”
“Oh, my pleasure,” I said. I saw he had his carry-on bag. “Do we need to go to baggage pick-up?”
“No, I had the rest of my stuff shipped. It’ll all be here Wednesday.”
“Then let’s go home,” I said. I reached for his hand.
“Home. Sounds wonderful,” he said, clasping my hand as we walked out the door.
We slipped and slid our way to my old, red Chevy Cruze, clutching onto each other for support.
“Oh, safe!” he said as he closed the car door. “The sidewalks and parking lot are treacherous. Have these people never heard of rock salt?”
“It’s too cold for rock salt to work right now and… we’re not safe yet. The roads are slick. Luckily, everybody else is home asleep, so we’ll have the road back to Heaton Valley all to ourselves. Buckle up, honey, and hold on tight.”
I pulled out of the parking lot and slid sideways, just missing the unmanned ticket booth.
Carter shrieked and covered his face while I howled with laughter. I’m used to driving in this kind of weather.
“You almost took out that ticket booth,” he panted.
“The operative word being ‘almost.’ Quit fussing,” I laughed. “I had a good four-inch clearance.”
Carter groaned. “I think there are more dents on your car since I left you last week.”
“No. Some cowardly paint may have run off in fear, but no new dents.”
Carter raised an eyebrow at me.
“Excuse me, Mr. Larsen, would you prefer to drive?”
“No, absolutely not, Miss Collier. You’re doing a great job. Fantastic. No complaints.” He searched the floor and in the back seat.
“What are you looking for?”
“Helmet. Mouth guard. Knee pads. Shin guards. Rosary beads to wear around my neck. Holy water. Race car shoulder harness. Tibetan prayer shawl.”
“Rough flight, honey?” I laughed.
“Not until now,” he teased with a wink and a smile.
I took the center of the snow-covered, deserted road.
“Don’t you have to pick a lane here in Ohio?”
“Not until we see something coming at us. The center’s not as icy as the traffic lanes.”
The night was pitch black against the iridescent white snow. I followed the broken white line down the center of the road.
“You’re unusually quiet,” I said. “Are you sleepy?”
“No. Scared. I don’t want to take your mind of the road. We’ll talk later.”
We arrived at my apartment unscathed.
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Good Morning, Engy M. Donia, and welcome to Vision and Verse, the site for Art and Authors. Can you tell us a little about yourself?
First, I would like introduce myself to the readers. I’m an Egyptian author and historian. Married and a mom of two amazing boys. I have a bachelor degree in business administration, but I didn’t take business as a career.
I grew up in a house full of books, because my grandfather was a great historian. I still remember the first time I asked him for a book to read and he gave book about ancient Egypt history, since that day, I’ve become obsessed with my ancestor’s history. And four years ago, I decided to pour my obsession onto pages, so I wrote my first novel ‘Birdees and the bracelet of the five gods’ it’s young adults and teens historical fantasy novel, based on real Egyptian figures (Kings, queens, priests) lived from thousands of years during the old kingdom. Also based on real prophecies, real spells from the book of the dead, real schools of magic, they were temples actually, and real antagonist, a sorcerer; his name was deliberately obliterated from the ancient papyrus scrolls. You can say; it’s a mix of adventure, time travel, magic, mythical creatures, sense of humor. It has multiple main characters form all ages, and doesn’t contain bad language or erotica, because I wanted to write a book my kids can read too.
And a few months ago, the book published traditionally by a major publishing house in U.S.A https://penitpublications.com
Available as a paperback and e-book on the publisher’s website, Amazon, Barnes&Noble, e-bay, just google the book title and you’ll find it in many bookstores across the globe.
What is your favorite genre to write?
Historical fantasy.
Favorite food.
The Egyptian food of course!
Tea or coffee?
Tea, especially during writing.
Pizza or ice cream?
Pizza!
Wine or beer or soda or what?
Soda, fresh juice.
Where would you like to visit?
China! Because it has a great, long ancient history, just like Egypt.
Favorite musical artist.
Celine Dion. I love her!!
Do you listen to music when you write? What?
No, just a quiet place is all I need to write.
What makes you laugh?
My kids! When they speak seriously, or try to give opinions relate to adults’ issues.
They’re my life, I love them so much!!
Favorite work of art or sculpture.
As I’m Egyptian, it’s hard to mention just one. Ancient Egyptians were masters in the art of sculpture, in fact, they were the first ones. And one look at the massive statues of the ancient Egyptian kings at the temples of Luxor, Aswan, or Nefertiti’s bust, or Tutankhamun’s mask and coffin, you’ll definitely believe me!
How old were you when you started writing?
I wrote a few short stories and poems during high school, but I kept them for myself. Then I got married, got kids, I couldn’t write but I kept reading history books.
Now, the kids started to grow up, depend on themselves, I finally got time for myself to write.
Do you plan out your book with outlines and notecards? Or just write?
I usually write down the main plot, main idea my book based on it, then I leave my characters to lead and show me the way while I’m writing.
Describe your perfect evening.
My perfect evening when my husband and I spend the night watching a horror movie with a big bowl of popcorn, after the kids go to sleep of course!
Where do you get your inspiration?
Ancient Egypt history.
What do you do when you get a writer's block?
I leave my manuscript for a while, and read, a lot, books in my genre. Reading, always works for me.
Who is your favorite author?
J. k. Rowling.
Best book you ever read.
Harry Potter.
Last book you read.
Carve the Mark by Veronica Roth.
What would you do for a living if you weren’t a writer?
I think I would walk the business path.
Who is the one person who has influenced your personal life the most and why?
My grandfather. He was a great historian. I used to see him writing and reading all day, and because of him, I fell in love with books.
If you could sit down and have a conversation with ONE person, living or dead, real or fictional, who would it be and why?
Oh, that’s a hard question! Because there’re many, mostly from the ancient time!
I would love to meet, King Userkaf, he was the high priest of god Ra. He established the Fifth dynasty in ancient Egypt, and he’s one of my main characters.
I chose him because his rule faced conflicts, conspiracies, and mysteries surrounded him. He even ascended the throne by a revolution against king Khufu’s rule.
What advice would you give someone who aspired to be a writer?
Believe in yourselves, in your work, and read! You will be amazed how reading can improve your writing.
Do you have some links for us to follow you?
Yes, my Facebook author page, which dedicated only to ancient Egypt history. https://www.facebook.com/EngyM.Donia/
Or @Engy M.Donia
Also you can reach me on Good reads https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/58113982-birdees-and-the-bracelet-of-the-five-gods
VISION AND VERSE DISCLAIMER
Note:
Vision and Verse does not store any personal information like email addresses, home addresses, etc. We do not give any information to third parties. And cookies? We eat cookies.
VISION AND VERSE DISCLAIMER
Note:
Vision and Verse does not store any personal information like email addresses, home addresses, etc. We do not give any information to third parties. And cookies? We eat cookies.
VISION AND VERSE DISCLAIMER
Note:
Vision and Verse does not store any personal information like email addresses, home addresses, etc. We do not give any information to third parties. And cookies? We eat cookies.
VISION AND VERSE DISCLAIMER
Note:
Vision and Verse does not store any personal information like email addresses, home addresses, etc. We do not give any information to third parties. And cookies? We eat cookies.
Kevin Kilgarriff
Warrington, PA
United States
Good morning, Kevin, and welcome to Vision and Verse, the site for Art and Authors, and those who love them. What have you written?
1. Broken Pledges
2. Always in Session - Ten Lessons for the Student of Life
What is your favorite genre to write?
Mystery
Favorite food.
Pizza
Coffee as a vice. Herbal Tea when I’m smart enough to be healthy
Pizza or ice cream?
You’re really going to make me pick??? Ok, then…Pizza...I suppose. And then Ice Cream for dessert!
Wine or beer or soda or what?
I’m a true fan of beer. I love trying different selections from local breweries when I travel.
Where would you like to visit?
Ireland. I saw a photo recently of the home that my Great Grandmother supposedly lived in back in 1901 before leaving to come to Philadelphia. I would love to see it for myself.
Favorite musical artist.
Bruce Springsteen. His lyrics actually taught me a lot about how to convey emotion using writing.
Do you listen to music when you write? What?
I actually try to keep things quiet when I’m writing. I tend to really get into a good song. It’s hard to write and play air guitar at the same time.
What makes you laugh?
Almost anything! My mind will take anything and turn it into a comical situation. If you see me smirking to myself for no apparent reason, it’s a good bet I looked at something and created some off-the-wall scenario in my head.
Favorite work of art or sculpture.
The Thinker by Rodin. I’m woefully unexposed to most of the great works of art in this world. But I grew up in Northeast Philly. So bus rides into Center City were normal for school trips. The Rodin Museum is right on Benjamin Franklin Parkway, where there is a casting of The Thinker. It has always struck me as important. It makes you wonder. What is he thinking about? What is going through his mind? What kind of problem is he facing? It promotes thought, but does it without the viewer even realizing it. Not everyone is an art fan. So many people look at art and just think that it looks cool, maybe not even that. That’s not the case with The Thinker.
How old were you when you started writing?
I didn’t start writing seriously until I was in my 20’s. It was right after my brother died. He was a serious writer, and it felt natural to take to writing as a way to cope with his loss.
Do you plan out your book with outlines and notecards? Or just write?
I definitely plan it out. Well, at first I start writing from the top of my head. This gives me an idea of whether or not I’m enjoying the story. Then I start planning based on what I’ve learned about the characters after the initial writing sessions. While coping with my brother’s death, I wrote a story about someone who found out that their brother had faked his own death. I wrote it out without planning a storyline. It turned into a book-length story, and it…well it was not very good! It was disjointed and didn’t flow well. Some of it didn’t even make sense in relation to the rest of the story. In the end, while not only helping me cope, it also taught me the importance of storyboarding. I need notecards laid out to make sure everything makes sense.
Describe your perfect evening.
Summer. 85 degrees. Hanging out on the back deck. Sun is getting low in the sky. Filets, corn on the cob, and baked potatoes on the grill. Music coming through the speakers. Family and friends around. That’s all I need.
Where do you get your inspiration?
Nowhere in particular. Sometimes ideas just hit me out of everyday situations. The inspiration for Broken Pledges came from getting together with some old fraternity brothers from college. For some reason my mind just thought, “what would have happened if there was a murder in our fraternity while we were in school?” There wasn’t…to be clear. But what if there were? From there, my mind just went from one “what if” to the next, and the story started writing itself.
Take a break. Sometimes long breaks. Days. But if it goes on too long, I just start forcing myself to write something. Anything! I just need to get thoughts on paper. I’ll often just write out dialogue, as if I’m taking dictation from a scene playing out in my head. Then I’ll make them sound nice later and fill in the gaps.
Who is your favorite author?
I’ve got a few, I suppose. All cliched probably. But with good reason. James Patterson’s “Alex Cross” series was a big inspiration for me. Dan Brown’s “Robert Langdon” novels all moved so quickly for me and taught me to keep it fast paced if you want to keep the reader’s attention. David Baldacci. Brad Meltzer. John Grisham.
Best book you ever read.
Last book you read.
Calico Joe, by John Grisham. Great book about baseball…on the surface. But in the end it’s really about relationships. Not your typical Grisham novel. But a very pleasant departure, nonetheless.
What would you do for a living if you weren’t a writer?
Well, I’m doing it actually. I manage a Support team for a software company. Writing is my passion. In a perfect world, I’d be doing that full time. But since I didn’t really get serious about publishing anything until later in life, it hasn’t quite worked out that way. (yet?)
Who is the one person who has influenced your personal life the most and why?
My wife, Chris. Had we never met, I can honestly say that I don’t think I’d have made it to where I am today. My life would have taken a completely different path without her. And I’m fairly certain that it would not have been a better path.
If you could sit down and have a conversation with ONE person, living or dead, real or fictional, who would it be and why?
My Mom. She passed away when I was twenty years old from Ovarian Cancer. I would have so much to tell her about what I’ve become and what her granddaughter is becoming. I’d have so many questions for her. I never really got to experience life with her as an adult. I have more than half a lifetime of conversations to catch up on.
What advice would you give someone who aspired to be a writer?
To paraphrase Dory in “Finding Nemo”... just keep writing. Just keep writing. Keep the fingers moving and keep the ideas flowing. Hone your craft. Share your work. Submit it to places. Have confidence in it and don’t keep it to yourself wondering if it’s any good. And finally, do your research on the best ways to market it and start the process before anything is published. If people don’t know about your work, no matter how good it is, it’s not going to be read. Spreading the word takes work.
Do you have some links for us to follow you?
(social media links to your amazon, Facebook, whatever else you want publicized)
https://www.kevinkilgarriff.com/
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKevinKilgarriff/
https://twitter.com/KevinKilgarriff
https://www.instagram.com/kevinkilgarriff/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19504483.Kevin_Kilgarriff
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Note:
Vision and Verse does not store any personal information like email addresses, home addresses, etc. We do not give any information to third parties. And cookies? We eat cookies.
