Excerpt

I know what you're thinking...two posts in one day? Sheesh, who does she think she is? Sorry, but I'm really excited to get the show on the road, and since I'm gearing up to do a major e-mail blast I wanted to give everyone a little something for their effort.

My completed project is a young adult urban fantasy entitled Lost & Found. Book 1 in the Three Wishes Trilogy, Lost & Found weaves elements of Aladdin together with a teen romance while exploring themes of guilt, trust and friendship, as icons of Egyptian mythology resurrect in modern DC.

Whew, say that in one breath.

Please sign up to be a follower, or better yet subscribe to receive the blog via e-mail. There are various links below.

Below you will find the first pages of Cassie's story. I look forward to sharing this journey with you.

Thanks for signing in!


CindyLou




CHAPTER 1: SPRING BREAK

In my opinion Spring Break is overrated. Okay, maybe if I had the kind of family who was doing something cool like skiing the Rockies, going to Disneyworld or even journeying to Guatemala on a missionary trip to build houses for the poor, maybe then it would have a little more appeal. If you had told me that in a week I’d believe in Djinns, I never would have believed you.

Lunch was the usual trial of determination as I sat at the end of the table, an open book in my lap the excuse to listen without participating. Everyone seemed too preoccupied with their own life to notice me, which is a big improvement from the last month.

“So Cassie, we haven’t heard what you’re doing yet.”

The challenge came from Michelle Mitchell, all tight jeans and miniature sweater underneath a perfectly perky ponytail.

I looked up, startled into answering a little too fast and rehearsed to fool anyone. “I’m actually staying around here.” I bit the inside of my cheek.

“Oh. Any plans?” Michelle went on, sensing weakness like a wolf stalking a flock of sheep.

Several people turned their attention to us. I didn’t know what was worse the blatant staring or the quick glances from me to the opposite end of the table where Ashley and Brent were whispering to each other in a private conversation.

“No, not really,” I replied hoping I wasn’t blushing too obviously. I had learned the hard way not to reveal anything.

“Oh c’mon you must have something planned?”

She was circling, going in for the kill.

“Nothing exciting.”

Cleaning out the house for your Grandmother hardly constituted as “plans” in Michelle’s world.

“Oh.”

The dismissive triumph of the one word stung, making me blush deeper. We smirked insincerely at each other before I turned back to my book and she to her friends. I wish I had never taken my eyes off the words, answering Michelle’s questions to the page instead of opening myself up for more ridicule. That would’ve been much cooler.

Why do I always think of these things afterwards?

I must be crazy, sitting here everyday, pretending I belong, trying to show that despite recent humiliations, I don’t care. I finished my sandwich in silence, folding the rumpled tinfoil into a tiny square. The clock behind the cage on the cafeteria ticked the minutes. Only a couple hours to go.

Classes passed and when the final bell rang the remaining portion of the three thousand students of Alexandria High that hadn’t been pulled out to start vacation early or who weren’t skipping, came pouring out of the building. I stood at my locker, carefully placing each book in its space and choosing which ones to take with me. Ugh, homework over spring break. But it would offer a good excuse to go to the library and escape the moving frenzy for a bit. Quietly closing the door and spinning the dial, I turned to start my vacation.