#SnippetSunday – As Yet Unnamed WIP (Vigilante/Noir) – Sunday August 31, 2014

Snippet Sunday is a Facebook group for writers I’ve been privileged enough to have been accepted into.

From the group guidelines;

“Welcome to Snippet Sunday, where writers come together to share a few sentences of their current project–whether it’s a recently released novel, a WIP (work in progress), or an older manuscript that’s being revived. Intended to hook readers, gather feedback and build an author’s fan base, Snippet Sunday is the FB group that does all three.”

This week’s snippet picks up right where last week’s left off… just after Danny’s ominous line; “He who knows what awaits us on the other side is the deadliest of men.”

The heaviness of his declaration hung around for a while. The scraping of forks on plates and the low hum of murmured conversations from around the diner provided out soundtrack for brooding.
“If I agree to this,” I began, “what am I supposed to tell the cops when they show up at my door when I’m done taking out the trash?”
“Didn’t I just tell you I still have friends on the force?”
I watched the frustration smolder in his eyes, the frustration of a man who’d once been accustomed to taking care of such matters himself. I placed my hand on his shoulder.
“What you’re asking me to do, is this prevention or revenge?”
He put his hand on top of mine and showed me a smile that had nothing to do with joy.
“I’ve found that one can often achieve the former through a judicious and thorough application of the latter.”

Thanks for reading…

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#SnippetSunday – As Yet Unnamed WIP (Vigilante/Noir) – August 24, 2014

Snippet Sunday is a Facebook group for writers I’ve been privileged enough to have been accepted into.

From the group guidelines;

“Welcome to Snippet Sunday, where writers come together to share a few sentences of their current project–whether it’s a recently released novel, a WIP (work in progress), or an older manuscript that’s being revived. Intended to hook readers, gather feedback and build an author’s fan base, Snippet Sunday is the FB group that does all three.”

This week’s snippet picks up close to where last week’s left off… We’re still at the Moonstruck Diner with Meyer and Danny. The conversation that’s turned heavy is about to get heavier… We move up a little bit in the conversation. Danny has just told Meyer that nobody in the neighborhood, including the temple caretaker who was assaulted, will come forward as witnesses.

It’s longer than 8-10 sentences. Again. I know, and I apologize. I just can’t help myself.

“Why not get Satsuke for this?” I asked him. “She’s the most dangerous person I know.”

“You, my boy, are far more dangerous.”

I dropped my french fry and forced myself to look him in the eye.

“How do you figure that?”

“You’ve met death. You’ve been in his kitchen, and you came back.”

I let the weight of his words– and his life– settle around me.

The concentration camp. The Korean War. A dozen years on the force.

He was no stranger to death himself. All he’d seen showed in the deep lines and crags worn into his face.

I felt very small in his presence.

“You’ve never told me what you experienced,” he continued, “and I won’t ask you to now, but it changed you. I know it did.”

I didn’t even try to reply.

Danny went on.

“He who knows what awaits us on the other side is the deadliest of foes.”

Thanks for reading!

#SnippetSunday – As Yet Unnamed WIP (Vigilante/Noir) – August 17, 2014

Snippet Sunday is a Facebook group for writers I’ve been privileged enough to have been accepted into.

From the group guidelines;

“Welcome to Snippet Sunday, where writers come together to share a few sentences of their current project–whether it’s a recently released novel, a WIP (work in progress), or an older manuscript that’s being revived. Intended to hook readers, gather feedback and build an author’s fan base, Snippet Sunday is the FB group that does all three.”

This week’s snippet picks up where last week’s left off… We’re at the Moonstruck Diner with Meyer and Danny. The conversation is about to get a little heavy…

It’s longer than 8-10 sentences. I know. No need to riot over it. Now, put away the pitchforks & Frankenstein rakes and have a read.

I ate some of my burger while Annie poured the coffee, then picked up Danny’s dirty plate.

He looked at my cheeseburger with the same revulsion I’d directed toward his chicken livers.

“You managed that feat well before you began working with Satsuke,” he continued.

Satsuke.

The muscles in my abdomen shuddered at the mention of my personal trainer. And his adopted daughter.

Satsuke combined natural athleticism with a sharp tactical mind to develop her own fighting style, blending the brutal pragmatism of krav maga with the fluidity of jujitsu.

She’d been working me over three times a week since Danny brought me over to his place on the night of the Cindy incident.

“She tells me that you’re ready,” he said.

I looked away, contemplating the grease on my half-empty plate.

He waited me out.

“Means a lot coming from her,” I relented, “but my answer hasn’t changed.”

He set his cup on the counter and straightened up on his stool.

“You could do a lot of good. People need you, son. Our people, among others.”

I cursed under my breath.

“Another break-in in the neighborhood?”

He nodded.

“The usual Nazi shit spray painted around? Property destruction?”

“They put the caretaker at Beth Shalom in the hospital.”

I cursed some more.

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#SnippetSunday – As Yet Unnamed WIP (Vigilante/Noir) – August 10, 2014

Snippet Sunday is a Facebook group for writers I’ve been privileged enough to have been accepted into.

From the group guidelines;

“Welcome to Snippet Sunday, where writers come together to share a few sentences of their current project–whether it’s a recently released novel, a WIP (work in progress), or an older manuscript that’s being revived. Intended to hook readers, gather feedback and build an author’s fan base, Snippet Sunday is the FB group that does all three.”

We find out a little more about the main character- Meyer Cranehaus- and his friend and mentor Danny Bergleson in this week’s snippet…

“Meyer, my boy,” said Danny, “have you given any thought to my proposal?”
He didn’t look up from his plate of chicken livers as he spoke. He knew better.
“No,” I replied. “Can’t say that I have.”
We’d been having the same conversation at the counter of the Moonstruck Diner on 23rd. after meetings, since the night of the Cindy incident.
Cindy, a regular at the 13th Street meeting, had a habit of collecting the wrong kinds of men. One of them– a biker type who wasn’t taking no for an answer– and two of his friends waited for her outside the building one night, seven months earlier.
“All I did,” I said, “was persuade those guys to leave her alone.”
Danny polished off his last bite of liver. then washed it down with a healthy swig of coffee.
“Yes. Yes you did.” He set his mug down and signaled for a refill. “You persuaded them right into the back of an ambulance.”
“Anyone would’ve.”
“This city would be a much better place if that were true.”

Thanks for reading!

#SnippetSunday – As Yet Unnamed WIP (Vigilante/Noir) – August 3, 2014

Snippet Sunday is a Facebook group for writers I’ve been privileged enough to have been accepted into.

From the group guidelines;

“Welcome to Snippet Sunday, where writers come together to share a few sentences of their current project–whether it’s a recently released novel, a WIP (work in progress), or an older manuscript that’s being revived. Intended to hook readers, gather feedback and build an author’s fan base, Snippet Sunday is the FB group that does all three.”

This week’s snippet picks up exactly where last week’s left off. We’ve just met Danny Bergleson– Holocaust survivor, veteran, ex-cop, and my MC’s mentor…

He had seven years of sobriety behind him by the time I started at the 13th Street meeting.
I had the obligatory three days.
“We want to hear from you, not from the booze,” is what they say.
Danny, a tall guy with big shoulders, a modest paunch, and one good arm, was the only person to look my way when I turned up, fifteen minutes late, that first night.
While I stood in the doorway, impressed with myself for just getting there, he shambled over and led me into the room. He explained the 13th Street lateness rule on our way in; if you show up late, you must speak that night.
I couldn’t help staring at the faded numbers tattooed on the inside of his left forearm as we walked. He caught me looking but chose not to say anything about it.
By the time I found myself at the front of the room, blurting out my sad story to a roomful of strangers, I knew Danny and I were going to be pals.
Before the end of the night we were more than pals because old Danny Bergleson had volunteered to be my sponsor.

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