Feb 28, 2011

Knocking on Wood





The Keeper and the Rune Stone made the first cut in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award contest. 5000 Young Adult entries were whittled to 1000. Yippee...


Feb 20, 2011

Second Breakfast






A head broke the surface and large brown eyes studied them. The seal wiggled his whiskers at Agnes.
“Hello, luv. How are you this fine morning? Who’re your friends?” The seal asked in a rough, gravelly voice.
“This is Jack and Eleanor Driscoll. They moved into Black Ledge a few weeks ago. They are aware,” Agnes told him.
“Gathered that. Not very often I see you sailing.” He nodded. “Hullo. Pleased to meet ya,” he gruffed.
“Hi,” Eleanor and Jack said at the same time.
“Hold that thought...,” he disappeared with a splash.
Jack and Eleanor looked at Agnes, questioning, but before she could answer, Seaton’s head popped back up. He gulped, smacking his lips around a mackerel tail.
“Mackerel are in,” he told them.
“Yeah, I saw fireflies last night,” Jack agreed.
“Well, there ya go. When you see fireflies you know the mackerel are in.” Seaton nodded his head with approval. Jack had just passed some sort of test.
“What are you doing this morning, Seaton?” Agnes asked.
“Well, seeing you this morning is what you might call a fort-tu-it-tuss circumstance. I need to speak with Camedon,” the seal told her.
“I’m not a messenger,” Agnes said.
“Aw, come on, Aggie. You know I can’t very well go find him.” He waggled his whiskers at her again, trying to gain her good favor.
Eleanor turned her head to hide her smile.
If I see him, I will let him know,” the crow informed him, promising nothing. “And don’t call me Aggie.”
“Righto, luv. Well, best be off. Haven’t had second breakfast, yet. Nice to meet you.” He bobbed his head at the kids, and submerged.
“Luv doesn’t really work for me, either,” Agnes muttered.
“This is a drag, Jack. Why don’t we bag it until there’s some wind?” Eleanor asked.
“Might as well. Of course, it will still take us an hour to get back to the mooring,” he sighed. Then he brightened. “You know, I think that Seaton is right on with this second breakfast stuff.”

The Keeper and the Alabaster Chalice
Book II of The Black Ledge Series