My Two Secret Projects

Many moons ago I made this post. It was about the first novel I "finished."  I have now "finished" a second, though, to be honest I was working on them both at the same time. (I say "finished" because I've told my husband at least a dozen times that I have "finished" my novels only to pick them up and start working on them again.)

My little novels have been read by small circles of my closest and most intimate friends and family and so far the reviews are favorable (granted I chose people who love me unconditionally, so I know it doesn't really count.)
It has taken me over two years to get them both to the point where I am unembarrassed for them to be discussed/read/criticized in public, and finally I am sending them out like little boats upon the ocean to see if they will come back to me filled with riches and fame and glory...or struck by lightning, capsized by waves and seized by pirates.

So since I am sending them to agents now I decided I might as well give you, my two or three devoted followers, some teasers.

Here is the first book, called THE MESSENGER. It is a historical fantasy, set in ancient America and targeted toward young adults.

A rich, self-absorbed prince lives in a dazzling city where his people dine on succulent foods, enjoy every comfort of life and entertain themselves with over-the-top human sacrifices. But when he accidentally befriends an intriguing sacrifice-to-be, (who also happens to be a beautiful girl with one blue and and one brown eye who can see into the future through her dreams), she challenges everything he's ever been taught about life and love and the nature of the gods. They, of course fall in love, but that doesn't change the fact that she is scheduled to be tied and thrown into a cenote (aka ancient sacred well) at the end of the year. Does he save her? Does she escape? Do they drown together? Does he ever become king? Let's hope someday this book is published so you will find out.

The next book is also a historical fantasy, set in ancient America, but it is for the adult crowd. It is a little creepier than the novel I described to you above. It is called THE CENOTE (more on what a cenote is in a future post) and here is the gist:

Temple Mound is a village built upon the ruins of an ancient Mayan temple. This village is a happy little place where everything seems perfect. But it is not perfect because the men can hear something coming from the village cenote (aka ancient sacred well, also the only place where they can get water). To them the sounds are like beautiful, alluring voices. What do their wives hear? Nothing. The village women have no idea what the men find so fascinating about the cenote. What they do know is that every few months one of the men is found, face down in the water, with his brains eaten out. Yikes!
Of course, each time this happens the women are alarmed and upset. But the men always reassure them that it was only an accident. In an effort to save their men the women seek out the secrets of the cenote on their own. Once they discover that not only can the men can hear voices, but that the voices belong to ancient, beautiful but super-creepy ghost women who like to knaw through men's heads and suck out their minds they have varied reactions. Some try desperately to become more attractive, others become suspicious and over-protective, and some decide their man isn't worthy enough to save. In the end the story is about what we will sacrifice to save the people we love.

So there you have it. For the better or for the worse, my secret is out! More info on writing to come. . .