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Excerpt

Tory loved the way the slanting October sun filled her office. The woods around her house were mostly eastern cedars and sugar maples, but one venerable oak tree spread its branches just outside her sliding glass door, and the sun reflecting from its red and yellow leaves splashed gold-tinged light across her desk. It shone on Jack’s high school portrait in its braided leather frame, and made the faint gold butterfly gleam from the green depths of the Murano glass paperweight.

The easy chair where her clients sat faced the profusion of colorful leaves. The view seemed to soothe them, and to encourage them. With her back to the light, she could watch their faces as she listened to them talk, and give free rein to her intuition.

She relied on her intuition–her little fey, as her grandmother had called it–more than anyone knew. It often prompted her to ask the right question, to focus on the right problem, to suggest the perfect exercise. It could be immensely helpful, though it was an erratic companion, sometimes somnolent, occasionally so subtle she almost missed it, often so intense she could hardly bear it. Nonna Angela had warned her about that. On the same day she bestowed the Murano glass paperweight on her little granddaughter, she reminded her that her fey could be a curse as well as a gift.

Nonna Angela had been right. Today, Tory’s fey had failed her utterly. The light, pouring so generously through the glass door, seemed to darken as she watched her client’s freckled face change and close, her pale eyes grow flat and dangerous. The air in the office grew chilly, and the looming presence of the black revolver, so recently discharged and now locked in the file cabinet, made Tory’s stomach crawl. Still her fey had not warned her.

Her client said, “You’re my therapist. I’m supposed to be able to tell you everything.”

Bio

I'm a proud graduate of the 1993 class of Clarion West. Since Clarion West, I've published 15 (gulp!) novels--The Glass Butterfly makes 16! I'm a former concert and opera singer, now having a great time as a full-time writer. I was the Pollyanna of my Clarion West class, and it turns out I was right--everything turns out for the best. So far.

Publications

Please visit my website for the full list in one quick screen shot!

Writing Description

I write feminist, fantastic fiction, sometimes set in the past, sometimes in the future, and often in a most curious present.

Writing Goals

I have a young adult novel to complete before I go on to my next contracted work. I plan to try to do that in the six weeks of the Write-a-thon.

Fundraising Goals

I'd be thrilled (and a little startled) to raise $100!

Website

www.louisemarley.com

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