I’m an international, multiple award-winning author with a passion for the voices in my head. As a singer, songwriter, independent filmmaker and improv teacher and performer, my life has always been about creating and sharing what I create with others. Now that my dream to write for a living is a reality, with over a hundred titles in happy publication and no end in sight, I live in beautiful Prince Edward Island, Canada, with my giant cats, pug overlord and overlady and my Gypsy Vanner gelding, Fynn.

Début

The world struggles around It, a back and forth seesaw of demand and denial. It flops inside its box as the world spins, turned upside down. One of the shining, pearl-topped pins jabs Its leg. The pain is a shock. But It is unable to do anything about the agony. Gravity lets go and It floats for what seems an eternity before crashing into something hard.

The box remains intact, at least. Its home, Its safe haven.

Still, It has no fear, only confusion and need. Where is the girl in whose image It was created?

Silence. Darkness. Waiting.

All the while, the pin. And the pain. On and on forever.

Alice isn't popular. Alice isn't pretty. Alice isn't likable--at least, that's what she's been told most of her life. Moving to a new town hasn't helped any, not with her nasty brother torturing her almost daily and her too-cool, uber-popular cousin making her life miserable. When Alice finds an old doll in her grandmother's attic, she feels an unusual connection to it. She just can't bring herself to feel bad when horrible things start happening to the people who are cruel to her...

Pins and Needles

It wasn't until they were in the car, driving away from the home, Alice pulled her thoughts together enough to start drilling Rose for answers.


To her surprise, Rose didn't fight her this time.


   "This is your family's business," Rose said. "But it's mine, too, Alice." She relaxed her grip on the steering wheel, twisting off the radio before glancing sideways to meet Alice's eyes. "You want to know who Oscar was."


Alice waited, breathless, hand inside the purse, fingers stroking the doll.


   "My great uncle," Rose said. "Juliette's son. He was a strapping, handsome black man in love with a rich white girl." Alice knew her history. Sixty years ago, such a union would have been impossible. Especially in the South. "Greatmama truly believed Grace loved Oscar. So she agreed to help them. To protect them and secrete them out of town."


Escape. Safety. "What about the curse?"


Chapter 27: Family Business