キャミー・タング著「戌年」連載小説 プロのドッグトレーナーであるマリ・ムトウは、厄年を迎えている。 犬小屋と訓練所の改築をしながら、いつも不服そうにしている家族と同居することになった。母と姉に言わせれば、犬の毛とよだれかけにまみれる仕事は、家族にとって恥ずべきものだという。彼女は元カレを説得し、数ヶ月間犬を預かってもらうことにした。しかし、彼の兄は、数週間前に彼女が誤って車に追突した、怒り狂ったセキュリティ専門家であることが判明する。 アシュウィン・ケイトウは十分な問題を抱えている。叔母が玄関先に現れ、同居を希望している。彼は彼女にすべてを借りているので、断ることができません。母親が家を出て行った後、ネルおばさんはアシュウィンと弟を引き取り、愛のあるキリスト教の家庭で育てた。しかも、弟のダスティもアパートを追い出され、居場所を求めている。しかし、彼は犬を飼っている。そして、その犬の飼い主は誰だと思いますか? しかし、旧友でオアフ島のノースショアでデイスパを経営する私立探偵のエディサ・ゲレロから依頼を受ける。マリの施設で奇妙な破壊行為があり、3年前に失踪したエディサの妹の財布を発見する。エディサはマリが危険な目に遭っているのではと心配する。警備の専門家であるアシュウィンがすでにマリを知っていることを知ったエディサは、忙しい若い女性を密かに監視することを彼に依頼する。 アシュウィンは、活発でのんびりとしたドッグトレーナーに不本意ながら惹かれていく。彼女は、幸せそうな母親を思い出させる。その母親の裏切りによって、彼は人と距離を置くようになったのだ。マリは、アシュウィンの冷たい外見を見抜き、彼が家族に忠実な男であることを認める。彼は、彼女のキャリア選択を批判するだけの母親や姉とは違う。 マリのバラバラな家庭とアシュウィンのバラバラな家庭の中で、過去を隠そうとする人たちから、彼らの周りに危険が迫ってくるようになる。彼らは、影で動く秘密に光を当てることができるのか? 過去に発表されたパートへのリンクはこちら。 *** 第8章 - 恐ろしくも真っ白な不動産書類 『みんな仲良くできないのかな?』 マリは無用に力を込めて箱に本を投げ入れた。最近、なぜ彼女は人生の中で全員と言い争いをしているのだろう?もしかすると、これは本当に悪いアイデア
Captain’s Log, Stardate 04.21.2006
Blog book giveaway:
My Monday (well, really Tuesday) book giveaway is the Flanagans series (4 books) by Marta Perry.
My Thursday book giveaway is A BABY FOR DRY CREEK by Janet Tronstad.
You can still enter both giveaways. Just post a comment on each of those blog posts. On Monday, I'll draw the winner for the Flanagans series and post the title for another book I'm giving away. Stay tuned.
Continued from Mount Hermon recap, part 4:
I have never pitched to Chip MacGregor, even before he went to work at Warner Faith. He’s been at, I believe, every conference I’ve gone to with the exception of RWA National in 2005, but he doesn’t know who the heck I am since I’m not a very good stalker (I keep losing him).
I was chatting with Sarah Anne Sumpolec one night when Chip walked into the coffee lounge. Sarah called him over to talk about the book idea with an FBI profiler co-author, which they’d emailed about previously.
“Chip, have you met Camy?”
“Nice to meet you, Camy.” Firm handshake, polite smile. The fatigue lines around his face looked like marble etchings. I wondered how many writers he’d met with today. I was just another one.
Sarah outted me. “Chip, Camy just signed a 3-book deal with Zondervan.”
Chip nearly fainted with relief that I was obviously not one of those blood-thirsty predatory novelists seeking out fresh meat to pitch my idea about radioactive frogs in a sweeping love story. “Congratulations, Camy! What’s your book about?”
I had heard that Chip MacGregor does not care for chick-lit in any way, shape, or form, so I was prepared while he was not. Enunciating every syllable like sai blades, I answered, “Asian Chick-lit.”
The man had a full-body jerk reaction. “Cringe” is too light a word. Maybe “repulsed jolt” is more appropriate.
Sarah laughed. I hooted. Yes, we were making fun of a Time Warner associate publisher.
Strangely, it made Chip more friendly to me. Although I wouldn’t advise any unpublished writer to ridicule a potential publisher—not good karma—it was highly entertaining.
The rest of the time we talked, Chip kept making cracks. “I had been really looking for Asian chick-lit, but the author signed with my rival house instead.” Or (asking Sarah), “But does your co-author write Asian chick-lit? That’s the real question.”
Tomorrow: How I got back at Chip
Blog book giveaway:
My Monday (well, really Tuesday) book giveaway is the Flanagans series (4 books) by Marta Perry.
My Thursday book giveaway is A BABY FOR DRY CREEK by Janet Tronstad.
You can still enter both giveaways. Just post a comment on each of those blog posts. On Monday, I'll draw the winner for the Flanagans series and post the title for another book I'm giving away. Stay tuned.
Continued from Mount Hermon recap, part 4:
I have never pitched to Chip MacGregor, even before he went to work at Warner Faith. He’s been at, I believe, every conference I’ve gone to with the exception of RWA National in 2005, but he doesn’t know who the heck I am since I’m not a very good stalker (I keep losing him).
I was chatting with Sarah Anne Sumpolec one night when Chip walked into the coffee lounge. Sarah called him over to talk about the book idea with an FBI profiler co-author, which they’d emailed about previously.
“Chip, have you met Camy?”
“Nice to meet you, Camy.” Firm handshake, polite smile. The fatigue lines around his face looked like marble etchings. I wondered how many writers he’d met with today. I was just another one.
Sarah outted me. “Chip, Camy just signed a 3-book deal with Zondervan.”
Chip nearly fainted with relief that I was obviously not one of those blood-thirsty predatory novelists seeking out fresh meat to pitch my idea about radioactive frogs in a sweeping love story. “Congratulations, Camy! What’s your book about?”
I had heard that Chip MacGregor does not care for chick-lit in any way, shape, or form, so I was prepared while he was not. Enunciating every syllable like sai blades, I answered, “Asian Chick-lit.”
The man had a full-body jerk reaction. “Cringe” is too light a word. Maybe “repulsed jolt” is more appropriate.
Sarah laughed. I hooted. Yes, we were making fun of a Time Warner associate publisher.
Strangely, it made Chip more friendly to me. Although I wouldn’t advise any unpublished writer to ridicule a potential publisher—not good karma—it was highly entertaining.
The rest of the time we talked, Chip kept making cracks. “I had been really looking for Asian chick-lit, but the author signed with my rival house instead.” Or (asking Sarah), “But does your co-author write Asian chick-lit? That’s the real question.”
Tomorrow: How I got back at Chip
Comments
Thanks for the welcome.
I, for one, shall certainly sleep better tonight...
:)
Yeah, you know I'm just jealous. My face is as green as the wasabi on your sushi....
What a hoot. :)