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The opening was solid and a pull on the reader to continue into a world the author has created more from experince than imaginations since the details seem more real than not. She has a grip on mixing the advancement of the story with bits and pieces of observations, descriptions that never deter from carrying us along. Unfortunately for me, it's slow very slow but for someone who is inclined toward this type of development, it'll be a good read since the author knows how to write.

For people from the midwest it draws us right in with referrences to towns and city's we live near and somehow Meridith seems very much alive. I am so impressed with the writing skills of this writer and envy her wonderful vocabulary and skilled use of it. I want to call her up and find out what is the resolution in this family. Does the spouse live? Does Leola go into an AFC home or does Meridith sacrifice herself and continue to care for her? And who is Bill anyway.. I look forward to reading the rest of the story! B.

This is the second review that I have sent on this entrant. The first must be lost in space..it was submitted 10 days ago. I wanted my vote to count, so I am sending it again.

I'm an avid reader of a variety of authors and this is definitely one that I would like to read to the end. The author has gotten me interested in Meredith and Jay..what happens with Brian? When can we read the whole novel? I'm ready.

This excerpt is moving and exceptionally powerful; made from all the things that make a reader want to return for more. Angie Mccullagh writes with the lyrical style of a seasoned professional.

An immediate sensory experience. McCullagh quickly pulls you into the story as if you were there! Character depth evokes emotion and in such a short amount of time. They allow you to reflect on your own life, but not for long as you can't wait to turn the page!

I found this excerpt to be not only beautifully written but sincere and personal also. The exploration of a family dealing with terrible loss set against images of war is something that has been done many times before, but rarely with such careful and evocative prose. I am haunted by the pain apparent in Salvatore, his family, and their relationships to one another, and yet I am drawn in to read more.

All in all, I'm very pleased to see that this novel is still in consideration for the ABNA contest--it is a breakthrough like this that they are truly privileged to find. My congratulations to the author; I hope to read the entire novel soon!

The description of Sal's village claiming the statue of Saint Sebastian does a nice job of setting the scene in this excerpt, showing the values and points of pride of the people who live here.

The death of Sal's brothers is abrupt and horrifying, and sets up a situation that is sure to lead to a great deal of grieving and guilt in the main characters. It will be interesting to see the ways in which the characters deal with this terrible tragedy.

The description of the ways life goes on for Sal's family is heartbreaking, as his parents steadily pull away from him and he is left floundering, wanting some reassurance that he is not blamed for his brothers' deaths.

The thought of Sal witnessing his father's suicide made for an emotional and tense moment, and this boy's reaction to what he sees is realistic and believable.

I would have liked to have read more of this story; the introduction to the characters and their situation really drew me in and made me feel connected to them, even in this brief amount of space.

Marco Rafala opens this curious work at a full gallop as his first narrator, Salvatore, moves animatedly through a handful of events that shape the tragic story. I look forward to reading the balance of his life journey and that of the complement of narrators. While the pace of this opening doesn't match the tempo of the setting, I suspect it is a deliberate attempt to catch the reader's attention. Bravo, Marco.

A boy of nine faces the violent deaths of his twin brothers on a day of celebration as his small Sicilian village is liberated from German occupation during World War Two. His family has survived in the village under the protective gaze of a saint for generations. They have lived in caves during the occupation and have lost their home, but they and their orchards of almond trees survive. Now they must face more change as they grieve for the lost twins and the many villagers who emigrate to America. The author of this excerpt uses the voice of Salvatore as he addresses his brother David and recounts the events and emotions of the troubled time in what is perhaps the first time he has spoken of his feelings of guilt and his witnessing the near suicide of their father. The piece is unevenly written, but is so filled with genuine emotion that I found it easy to overlook its obvious shortcomings. I do hope this is chosen as a finalist and finds its way to publication.

I See the Branch of an Almond Tree by M. Rafala enters into a three pronged piece of storytelling, first from Salvatore's perspective. While at first it feels as if Salvatore is speaking to the reader, it becomes clear that he is actually relaying this tale to David (his son). Perhaps they are there in Melilli as the story is recounted.

Telling and tragic is this portion of the book. With happiness and hope rising around the village as the Allies have ousted the Germans and Italian Black Shirts, the unthinkable happens when Salvatore's younger twin brothers wander off only to find an unexploded shell. Salvatore witnesses the horror of his brothers' deaths, and the family's dynamic (especially between the parents) is forever changed.

The author does a marvelous job of giving older Salvatore a voice that so delicately and believably recalls the details of this tragedy and what transpires in the years that follow. With the mention of men going to America, his mother's words about the twins, and finding his father about to commit suicide, we see a real change is needed if any of this family is to survive.

I love being caught off guard at the end of an excerpt, and this one was no exception. I look forward to reading more of this story.

Odd couple



Daryl, it seems has always been in the public eye. She seems to be a generally good person, a role model type. Daryl's been under a microscope for so long, she finally has a chance to be liberated from her fishbowl life. She's been associated with such well mannered and highly respected men; she has found a renegade or bad boy type who lives life dangerously. She sees an opportunity to live on the wild and free side rather the safe and quiet or proper side. It also seems to me both characters give the impression they are going toward different norms for themselves. Dom is the leader of a dangerous and deadly gang, but he is playing a hero rescuing the woman in distress. Daryl, the good girl, is considering life on the wild side for a change. She sees Dom as her liberator for freeing her from her monotonous lifestyle.







Written by
Robert Iyoob

The motive I felt was most apparent in Dominick was not power, it was respect. Dominick is a man who understands power is control but, he knows if you show respect you don't need to resort to controlling a situation. Dominick could have felt this man not only disrespected the Ms. Hannah, he also disrespected the restaurant, its owner, and the guests including himself by showing his power in a physical manner. JFK Jr. made the atmosphere uncomfortable for everyone, Dominick choose to control the situation by inflicting the same actions on JFK Jr. as he did on Ms. Hannah. After he was finished, he apologized to the restaurant owner in hopes to relieve the stress of the atmosphere and to show respect to the establishment and the guests that dine there. Dominick's motive was respect from the beginning of his meal to the end.

In "The Liertador" Dominque's motivation was simply to protect Daryl from the abuse she was being subjected to. Dominque sat and watched as this woman was being hit by a very powerful man. He knew that he only had two options. He could let this happen or Dominque could take a stand and do something about it.
When Dominque chose to stand and confront JFK,Jr.I think he was motivated by anger. He was angry first that no one else was doing anything to stop the violence and second because JFK, Jr. is very rich and powerful, yet there he has no respect for women. Dominque came to her rescue even though this might risk exposing himself as the gang leader.
In conclusion, I think the motivation of the whole story is behind Dominque. Here is this man who is the leader of a notorious street gang and is well-mannered and has respect for women, yet He was teaching a well deserved lesson to JFK,JR. who is supposed to have class. It just goes to show you that you can't always judge a book by it's cover.

Dominick was not one for Domestic Violence. He wanted to assure JFK that it was something he was not going to do again. He was a man of his word, and a man who got the job done. He had Power! I believe his motive was to get his point across. Also, with his reputation and having everyone knowing who he is, he could get the job done right and have no one to worry about squealing. A sharp-dressed businessman, well-mannered indiviual who helped break up and altercation. Who would ever suspect him of being in any involvement with a gang.

This story starts in a tranquil chinese restaurant, which is a hot spot in the community. A couple are dining, the story goes on to say the tranquility is broken when the couple begins to quarrel. the quarrel escalates to the man slapping the woman in the restaurant in front of the patrons, Actually with no regard to himself either now here we are a woman is hit in a restaurant and nobody even moves an inch except 1 man against the advice of his friends. He goes to check out the disturbance and comes to Daryl's aid which is heroic beingh that the rest of the guys were punks.
At the end of the story Darlyl asks the owner who that guy was and the owner was reluctant to say. But when she finally finds out who he is she was attracted to a seemingly white man, heading up a notorious spanish untouchable gang. He is still a gentleman and a gangster who didn't kill people but was respected. So at the end when the limo pulls up we all know exacty why Daryl didn't see a gangster in the limo, she saw exactly what she needed, and had no issue getting in the limo since she felt so safe so, actually Daryl knows what she's getting into.

Virgil and Winnie Crenshaw are on a tour bus headed toward Monterey to see the whales when the bus stops at Denny's in Salinas for lunch. Winnie has been listening to Janis Joplin's Me and Bobby McGee and realizes this is where Bobby McGee left Janis. She wonders if Bobby McGee is still alive and talks Virgil into leaving the tour with her in search of the man. The two find a craftsman who claims to know Bobby and tells them Bobby, still despondent over the death of his beloved Janis, hangs around the Mission talking to anyone who will listen about their life together. Winnie and Virgil find Bobby, who's still good looking enough to make Winnie's heart flutter, and take him along with them onto the tour bus and back home, in hopes of turning his life around, never knowing that things are not always as they seem.

Betty Dravis has this special talent - in one short paragraph, the reader will have a clear view of what a character looks like, their personality, and their take on the world. Not many writers can lay claim to that. Her sense of humor shines through with this short story, which had me in titters throughout. Winnie is a real hoot and such fun to read. I thoroughly enjoyed this one.

Betty Dravis has written another winner. This short but sweet mini-mystery has it all: colorful, fully developed characters that quickly become real; a clever, fascinating plot that keeps you turning the pages; a graceful, comfortable style that is delightful and easy to read. All of that and more, in just 2400 words. Ms. Dravis' obvious talent continues to amaze and impress.

In this story we meet Virgil and Winnie, a retired couple who are clearly still head over heals with each other. On a sight-seeing tour, as their bus stops in Salinas, the couple recalls the classic Janis Joplin tune "Me and Bobby McGee". Winnie tells her husband how much that song meant to her, and gets Virgil to leave the tour and join her on an adventure to search for Bobby McGee. Of course, there is a twist to this tale, one that is sweet and touching.

Ms. Dravis writes with economy of words that produces a clear and deft tale, and that never once sacrifices detail, interest, or heart. This story leaves you with a happy smile on your face and a giggle on your lips. I really like this couple, and I wish them well on many future adventures. I recommend that you get on the bus with them and go for a ride.

A very short, sweet story about how idol worship can get the best of us, and help out a man 'down on his luck'. Will leave a smile on the reader's face.

Chrissy K. McVay
Author of 'Souls of the North Wind'

As usual, Ms. Dravis captures the reader from the first paragraph! I couldn't wait to see what surprises were in store for the retired couple, Virgil and Winnie, and was wrapped up in their adventure until the very end.

Of course, the ending...Well, let's just say that the surprise twist lends authenticity to the events.

Winnie and Virgil are so fully developed as characters, that I could completely visualize them... From the scent of Jungle Gardenia that Winnie sprayed behind her ears and the image of the two jeans-clad retirees as they disembarked from the Greyhound bus...These depictions bring the characters sharply into focus.

As they converse about Janis Joplin's music and as Winnie surprises her husband with her fascination with the singer and with "Bobby McGee", we are gifted with a portrait of a marriage...The secret fantasies of an executive wife, while her husband is off making money in the Silicon Valley. Not so unusual, considering the times.

I loved this story and hoped for another chapter in the tale of Virgil and Winnie.

Her characters are writ large but this fullness is achieved with an economically, carefully chosen collection of amazingly few words. Virgil and Winnie Crenshaw are a very special retired couple - financially secure without being ridiculously wealthy, happy with their lives and obviously very happy with one another. They're not only good friends but they respect each other, they enjoy one another's company and they're clearly still in love after a long and fulfilling marriage.

They're on a sight-seeing tour with a group of fellow members of the blue rinse set. But, not to put too fine a point on it, they're finding the company and the tour more than a little stultifying. When the bus pulls over for a rest stop in Salinas, Winnie sighs and muses plaintively over her recollection of Janis Joplin's hit song "Me and Bobby McGee". When she floats the idea of leaving the tour and searching for the real Bobby McGee, Virgil readily agrees and the hunt is on!

Ms Dravis has written a short tale that is at once wistful, charming and heartwarming. But the real delight of her quirky little story rests in the amazing "I never saw it coming" twist reserved for the final few paragraphs. "The Search for Bobby McGee" could easily hold its head high beside other short stories built around the unexpected ending - Jeffrey Archer's "Twelve Red Herrings", Jeffrey Deaver's "Twisted", "Asimov's Mysteries" or his incomparable "The Union Club Mysteries".

A wry grin, a chuckle and a broad smile are the certain rewards for a brief ten minutes invested in reading this wonderful little short story. Highly recommended.

Paul Weiss

This was a really fine read. Really unique. A different kind of setting. I look forward to getting my hands on the rest.

This is a pungent introduction to a band of quirky characters. I especially like the evocative use of color and movement to set the tone of the novel and help define the mood of the characters. The author seems to have really captured the pathos of both returning home from adventure and being the person left behind to experience the drudgery of normal life. I expect reading this book will be like peeling an onion -- each layer more pungent (and tastier) than the rest. I can't wait to have it in my hands and learn how the story evolves!

I am a fussy reader, and generally do not have the patience to read a novel that does not immediately catch my attention. This excerpt does that in spades, and I am anxious to read more. The characters ring true and have captured my interest, and the imagry is fantastic. The passage plays in my head like a movie (and I expect that this story would translate well on the big screen). I love the word choice and the tone of the prose. It helps create the mood and paint the picture. I also think there is plenty of forshadowing going on here - I supect that "baggage," which Will supposedly left behind, will be a major theme of this book. At the same time, there were several passages that made me chuckle, leaving me hopeful that the novel as a whole will continue to make me smile despite the somewhat dark subject matter. Give us the rest of this book!

The mood created with the opening paragraphs really drew me in. There's so much I want to know about the relationship between the characters. I was really fascinated by Will's attempt to establish dominance with the pressured handshake. Can't wait to read the rest.

One of the things that make this opening section of the novel a compelling read is the author's determination to not just get on with the plot. Setting a leisurely pace allows Krider to build engaging, realistic characters and situations that simply force you to keep reading. Instead of starting this race with a mad dash, he saunters out of the gate with the confident air of someone who knows that there's plenty of time yet to play his hand.

Good stuff.

The author knows his stuff; instead of hiding behind equations and leaving it up to you to work out what it all means; he tells you what in means and gives you the equations.

I am a mechanical engineer, but lately I have been doing a lot of signal processing and data analysis using MatLab. This book was a great way to get back up to speed. Its clear and concise without geting too bogged down in theory - lots of directly applicable tips and info.
Its also free for download on the author's website, www.dspguide.com, and from Analog Devices website in their training materials area, [...].

I have BS in computer science and 8 years of S/W development experience in telecommunication industry. But my primary skill is protocol development and systems programming.

But as a music lover, as a musician, I've been interested in DSP technology for a long time and tried several times to get acquainted to the technology with no avail.

I guess the reason I failed is I couldn't understand the exact meaning of mathematical languages in DSP area.

I'm still in the middle of this book but now I can understand what the mathematical languages mean. The author is very precise using math languages and translate the language into easy plain english without missing any clarity and bravity of mathematical language.

I'm gonna keep working on DSP with this book as my hobby and finally when the time comes, all I gotta do is use my programming skill to develop a useful DSP S/W.

This book tells everything you have to know about the mathematics to realise any signal processing application.
With the help of the examples (written in BASIC, I have some adapted into C) you can realize filters and signal synthesis/processing with FFT. There is no theoretical overhead.
With the help of this book I have developed a modem software within four monthes, without any basic knowledge in DSP.

I am a graduate mechanical engineering student and I have found that ALL engineers today are required to have a GOOD fundamental understanding of electricity and electronics. The most difficult of electronic concepts to grasp for the uninitiated is DSP. After skimming through other books and becoming quite frustrated hacking my way through others I have found not only the best introduction to DSP in publication, but also one of the best technical books I've ever seen...and I read a lot of technical books outside of required texts. Excellent job by the author...books like this do not come around often enough.

This piece had me hooked from the beginning. I would very much like to read the rest of the novel. It is very easy to visualize what the author is describing. The driving game Scribbler plays makes me laugh. I think this author has a bright publishing future.

Living in Michigan I loved reading the geographics of this book. I also have suffered a closed head injury from an auto accident. That made the story more interesting to me. Can't wait to read more.

Wow! Great imagery and characterization in this story! I enjoyed the way that the author seemed knowledgeable about the situations and medical terminology needed for the story, while presenting it in an easy-to-read format. This story tore me away from studying, and it takes a lot for that to happen! Can't wait to read more (and get another break from studying!)from this author!

To be compared in any way with Edgar Allen Poe & Stephen King speaks volumes in itself about this book. The visual imagery that Mr. McDaniel creates is phenomenal. The character is real, the little we can read is compelling & draws the reader to turn the page for more. Yes, a slow start, (as many books do), but running full speed by the end of the 1st chapter (which a lot of PUBLISHED books never achieve). I'd say that just like movie critics who get it wrong, 2 of the 'editorial' critics are way off. The reviews by the 'regular' people of the world speak for what is thought about this book.

Scribbler by D. McDaniel opens with Steven Harris reviewing his editor/publicist's note for the umpteenth time. For the this first quarter of the excerpt, the reader rides along with Steven as he continues to think on this note and the possibility of finally getting published.
During this we are also introduced to his 'missile' game. I chuckled at first mention of the game and even the second, but the fun Steven has with it felt like a dead horse by the time he thinks of his game stats for the final time. Not that isn't precisely how some one would think on the matter, but this is supposed to be a build up to something terrible. It feels a bit more like passing the reader's time, rather than painting a picture of ordinariness that is about to be smashed apart.
This could also be applied to Steven's thoughts on how driving worked that day, always worked, and was working again. No need to be so repetitive.

When the accident takes places, the writing is cranked up to increase the heart rate of the reader. I was feeling it. My only thought would be to trim out any unnecessary words to increase the punch.
E.G.: rapidly started to skid back ...you could cut 'rapidly' out. Given the momentum of the scene, I wouldn't think anything otherwise.

A comment: The words mosaic and kaleidoscope were each used twice in the excerpt. They aren't all too common, so if used repeatedly close enough together, their value as image words is diminished. Mosaic was seen twice within a couple of paragraphs, while kaleidoscope was far enough apart that it was nice to see it again.

Once the action of the accident settled down, and Steven is trapped in the car, he becomes intent on retrieving his manuscript, despite the searing pain. I really like the way this was written (the writer and his pain). His emotions were high, then calm after he grips the envelope. This makes the scene ripe for the dog's attack, which actually got my heart pumping more than the accident did. The attack and subsequent rescue scenes were paced wonderfully and I really felt interested in the story at this point.

Overall, the author has shown he has what it takes to create a sense of panic and terror, not only for his character but for the reader. However, the drag of progress in the first quarter of this piece makes me wary about encountering such blocks of 'time passing' again. The writing is good and engaging when the author is really working his preferred bits of the story: terror, action, mystery. Once the other parts are brought into line and tightened up, this could make for a truly spine tingling book.

I read this book in three days really, I couldn't put it down. The book is the best around for every detail in trying to prepare a documentary. It describes how, why, when, and what types of equipment to use for your projects in a professional way. It also tells you how you can save money and get help from around you to fund your documentary. This book explains how to be no, low, or high budget and still produce a professional result. I can say that I now have a down and dirty attitude from reading from a guerilla style way of shooting films. "GET THE BOOK NOW"

This book is outstanding as far as the logistics of shooting a documentary goes. It's simple and yet very insightful and covers every aspect of production from nuts to bolts.RRP

This might be the best "quick start" guide you're likely to find on any subject.

Anthony Artis' knows video and he knows how to teach. More important, he knows how to get even a rank beginner out into the field and started shooting video. Artis' writing is sharp, clear, direct and street-wise with a touch of warmth and humor. Reading "Shut Up and Shoot" is like a long conversation with a smart friend who knows all about how to shoot video.

If you're already an experienced shooter, read this book anyway. Artis will make you a better shooter than you are now.

This is the book that I was looking for, for a long time on how to do a Documentary. I like the step-by-step process that he takes you through.
I also like the section on equipment recommendations.
I highly recommend it.

I bought this guide for my 14 year old son who made his first documentary 'One Light' without any experience or knowledge at 13. He wants a bit more professional production this time in a small budget and after spending a lot of time looking for a reasonable Film making camps for teens we resorted to self learning for him and came across this guide and I am very happy about it.

He has learnt quite a bit from it. I think it is a great beginer's reference guide and covers almost all aspects of DIY project.It is simple enough for him to read and incorporate the pointers for his next production plan.


This guide could be supplemented with another book that covers developing story and plot in more depth.

Gurmeet

I took the Microsoft exam 70-216 for network infrastructure today and all I can say is AMAZING! How did the writers know what was on the exam? There is so much obscure stuff on the exam that no other book I read covered the questons on the exam. But this one did. So much of the test was troubleshooting the network, so I guess a TCP/IP troubleshooting book would be the right one. But the similarity of this book to the test is amazing.

This book was good to read too and I am using it at my job and fixing some of the problems we've had with WINS and VPN based on what I learned. Great book and best study guide for the test.

This book is heads and tails above any other TCP/IP book I've read or own. Finally understand how DNS works, the RAS section helped me put together my Win2k VPN. Get this is you wnat to understand some of the weird stuff in Win2k TCP/IP.

We are in the process of moving from NT to Win2k and my boss made me the project manager. I had to get on top of Win2k networking fast. I bought this book on the recommendation of several of my co workers. Glad I got it. The book is informative and detailed in explanations and examples. A must have for the busy guy like me.

OK, I admit it. I learned my TCP/IP for Windows NT exams from reading Exam Cram. Needless to say, I passed the Windows NT TCP/IP test, but couldn't tell a subnet from a supernet. Now I have a job in the industry and I needed to actually learn TCP/IP, especially since we are moving up to Windows 2000 in our shop.

This book is unreal in how good things are explained. Great detail in describing RRAS, WINS, DNS, and the TCP stack. Using the information in the book I am now up to speed on TCP/IP. Enough to pass the 70-216 test! Not bad for a NT MCSE!

For Real, this book helped a lot. I owe the author's a beer on this one.

This book is fresh air to someone like myself who has read at least a dozen Windows 2000 books. I get the impression that a lot of the Windows 2000 books were written by people who write books and don't work with the technology. This book doesn't fall into that class. It was great to read this book, because it renewed my faith that a tech book could be written in a way that doesn't put me to sleep.

They cover Windows 2000 TCP/IP from top to bottom. WINS, DNS, DHCP, RRAS, IIS, routing and network devices. Its all there, and its filled with little known factoids that makes me want to keep reading and have another "aha!" experience.

This book also was the major reason I passed the Microsoft 216 exam so easily. Although I didn't buy it to pass the exam, they seem to cover all the material that the exam covered. A nice bonus. I wish they made the book longer, because I'm sure they could have said a lot more that I would like to read about.

This book isn't for beginners, but neither is Windows 2000. I think once the reader is ready to manage Windows 2000, they'll be ready to get the most out of this exceptional book.

Beth Groundwater's Virtual Death is what you might call a StimRead in the year 2026 when her novel takes place. From the excellent premise of a murder surrounding a "Stimulation Suit" addict, to the quirky details of future technology and the hard police science used to solve this case, Virtual Death will keep you on your cybertoes. I look forward to seeing this one in print. Great writing and great entertainment.

I loved this from the first lines-- an echo of Ray Bradbury distilled into an intriguing mystery. Based on this excerpt, I definitely want to read the whole book!

Neil Plakcy, author of Mahu Surfer: A Hawaiian Mystery (An Alyson Mystery)

The possibilities, the possibilities! Great premise. I'm not much of a sci-fi expert so maybe this idea has been approached before, but I found the concept brash, bold and well-executed. Think computers are already integrated into your life? You haven't seen, felt or imagined anything yet. Great idea, extremely well done. Can I have some more, please?

Hey Beth, I want some of what you've been smoking. Anonymous sex online, porn be damned, who needs it in the future. A hot date, a sure thing, and I won't have to buy her dinner or meet her parents. And she won't have to pick up my dirty socks or hear me snore when it's over. But just like every great technological inovation, somebody has to ruin it. In this case, a cyber killer has figure out a way to make virtual sex deadly. Nick and Allen have to figure it out before another Sim-suited babe meets her orgasmic end. I'm thinking that victim might be Lydia, a newly, about to be satisified Simsex customer. Something horrible happened in her real sex life, so she turned to Gloves and Goggles love online. Thank heaven for clearance sales, she's movin' up to the big time now. I've got a funny feeling Nick will attempt to convert her back to the old fashion way, but she's not going willingly, I'm sure...until of course, she gets more than she'd dreamed of when the killer comes calling. I want to be there when it happens. This story is packed with vivid futuristic details, fun characters, and high stakes. Who wouldn't give this five stars?

This excerpt hooks the reader with it's immediate immersion into the near future . . . and a body. Virtual reality has evolved into near-reality, and sexual fantasies can be played out in the safety of one's own home. Or can it? I'm looking forward to reading this well-researched tale, and will definitely go out of my way to buy it WHEN it's released.

There are a couple of clinkers in the narrative that would take just a minute or so to re-work, such as, "A click signaled the house computer recognized her and unlocked the deadbolt."

Though I got this, I stumbled over it a bit.

I also noticed a couple of places where the dialogue probably should have been replaced by narrative, as when Nick explains what the hyiod bone is. I just got a mental image of the guy looking straight into the camera to say this.

Just a couple of nitpicky things. I think this is an excellent read, and I'd love to know what happens to Butterfly, and you just know that the door-buster Stimsuit she's getting is going to cause her no end of problems. This is an exciting read! Well done, Ms. Groundwater!

Bret

Nasty - Official ABNA Entrant
"Nate Jepson (a.k.a. "Nasty") is a solid entry into the P.I. hall of fame." - Publisher's Weekly