Saturday, February 29, 2020

Sneak Peek: HERE WITHOUT A TRACE



IT WOULD TAKE my entire Rock Hills High School volleyball team to stop my forward momentum and get me back into the hypnotist’s chair. But they’re not here. My screams drift in the air, shrill. And my terror. I hover off the floor like a resurrected ghost in a bad dream, unable to sit back down, unable to open my eyes.
“Hailey,” a familiar male voice croons, “I’m going to count down from ten and when I reach one you’ll open your eyes and feel rested and calm.”
Oh no I won’t. My heart is pounding, my body thrumming with frustration.
“You won’t remember what’s made you so afraid.”
But I will. No smooth-talking, pointy-nosed, over weight snake-charmer is going to wipe these images from my brain with a bit of trance-inducing meditation. The scent of stale smoke, strong mouthwash, and my own dried sweat swirl around, biting.
“Ten, nine, eight …”
My eyes roll back in my head and sharp fingernails scratch at invisible scabs.
“… seven, six, five …”
I can’t suck in enough air, but I feel the chair hard against my thighs. I’m sinking back, no longer hovering.
“… four, three, two, one.”
Nothing. Maybe I never was off the seat. The monotonous vibrations of a moment ago have ceased, vanished into uncomfortably thick air.

Tuesday, February 18, 2020

HERE WITHOUT A TRACE just released




In my latest Young Adult novel 17 year old Hailey hunts for her friend who disappeared “without a trace.” Aided by Logan, a boy who has kept his feelings for her hidden, the two discover a parallel world where they can access the abilities they could only have in dreams. Now one of them can fly.