I'm honoured to be chosen to be part of this blog hop and I’d like to
thank Marva Dasef for tagging me to participate. This gives us all a chance to view new releases from authors we admire as well as introduce us to some works in progress.
Why - oh why - oh why do I always go about things the hard
way? It would have been so much simpler to talk about my published YA
Historical novel, The Unhewn Stone, or
my Sci fi short story Happiness
Guaranteed or the MG animal short Billy
the Bonsai Bull, but I’ve chosen to talk up a work in progress. I know why.
I’m trying to get a handle on it and convince myself this story is still a worthwhile
endeavour.
So, here are my answers to the ten interview questions:
What is the working title of your
book?
Titles I’m considering for my work in progress are Motive for Murder or Fisherman’s Row.
Where did the idea come from for
the book?
At the Muse Online Writers Conference a couple of years ago,
I attended a course on ‘Writing a Cosy’ by Kim Smith. I developed a précis around
a group of tourists, a crabby old fisherman and a seaside murder. Since then I
have demoted the fisherman to an important minor character and made the three
girls Uni students who have returned home for the summer holidays. The three
young men are new to the area.
What genre does your book fall
under?
Mainstream Murder Mystery or Romantic Mystery.
Since this story is character driven it has a lot more to do
with relationships than with the mystery so I will need to study the Mystery genre
more to tighten it up. I think six friends trying to solve the mystery might be
too many main characters. If it had more humour it could resemble ‘Friends’ but
I haven’t managed that yet.
Which actors would you choose to
play your characters in a movie rendition?
For the moment I’ll stick with the cast of ‘Friends’ but will
need to add a couple who can play at being manipulatively sinister.
What is the one-sentence synopsis
of your book?
I don’t have one yet and this is my main problem. Apart from
the characters getting into heaps of trouble while trying to solve the crime
and falling for each other, I don’t have a good grip on the story yet. Oh, this might do:
Sun, sand and surf at holiday time and an impossible mystery to solve brings a group of friends much closer together.
Will your book be self-published or
represented by an agency?
If my book isn’t worthy to be accepted by a publisher, I
wouldn’t expect it to be worthy to be purchased by a reader. Besides, it will need
the input of the editors, the cover artist and the publisher to prepare the
layout and production before it is as good as it can possibly be. I’m grateful
to MuseItUp Publishing for bringing my first novel, The Unhewn Stone, up to the acceptable standard for the reading
public. And for doing the same with my short stories Happiness Guaranteed and Billy
the Bonsai Bull.
How long did it take you to write
the first draft of your manuscript?
This was a NaNo project. Write 50,000 words in a month. I
just made it with 50,623 before I ran out of puff. During the month I had a lot
of fun making my sinister character really nasty and placing my goody two shoes
in lots of danger. But the first draft is a mess. I have character arcs but no real
story arc. So the second draft is taking a long time and taking its toll on my dedication.
For me, writing is a more pleasant task when I plan thoroughly first. Still if
I hadn’t jumped in to Nano empty-headed, I wouldn’t have the good solid
foundation for Fisherman’s Row story now.
What other books would you compare
this story to within your genre?
None I can think of. What I’d like to compare it with when
it’s finished would be…gosh, I still have no idea, something written by Tami
Hoag, I guess. She’s one of my
favourites.Mine is too heavy to be a cosy and too light to be a thriller, so
somewhere in between.
Who or What inspired you to write
this book?
I wanted to follow up with another book when my first novel
was published by MuseItUp but I needed to write a story that could be
researched at home, here in Australia.
Having my YA historical novel The Unhewn
Stone, set in modern-day and medieval Switzerland, I knew how difficult
it was to travel to the location and do my research so far from home. I had already decided my
next novel would have a setting nearby and already familiar to me.
Also, I’d never written a mystery before and since this is
my favourite genre to read, I wanted to try my hand at one. I have discovered it
is more difficult than I imagined to get inside a contemporary’s head and show modern
society as reality. I’m still happiest writing in the middle ages or creating a
fantasy world to escape in.
What else about your book might
pique the reader’s interest?
The mystery in Fisherman’s
Row centres round an Aussie beachside village. Older readers might remember what having a crush on a boy or
girl was like, and younger readers will realise that when it comes to falling
in love the generations aren’t all that different. Also one theme, ‘change is
not necessarily a bad thing’, should resonate with the modern age.
What I would like
to know is, does this story sound interesting enough to finish? If not, I can
always go back to working on the Elfin Bride
trilogy J
On October 24th, my dear friends will be answering the questions about their fabulous novels. So for a treat, hop over and visit them.
I'm so excited - 'Happiness Guaranteed' has reached the Top 10 in Omnilit Best Sellers. I can't believe it! At the time of posting it is also No 1 in Best Selling Short Stories ebooks and No 1 in Highest Rated Short Stories ebook. I have to thank Lea Schizas MuseItUp Publisher, my editors Anne Duguid and Nancy Rafter Bell for their wonderful input and Tiger Matthews, cover designer, for this captivating cover.
This is a millionare moment :) I know it can't last but...while it does it will be here. OMNILIT
I just popped over to Amazon to check on my short story Happiness Guaranteed. What a lovely surprise to find six 5 star reviews. And these reviews are so beautifully written they took my breath away. I'd love to share them with everyone I know and thank Edith, Laurel, Rosalie, Michelle, Lin and Rochelle from the bottom of my heart.
These heartwarming reviews are here on Amazon Kindle.
the multi published, award winning author, well known for her popular middle gradeFantasy
series Witches of Galdorheim.
Welcome Marva,
Let's take our
cushions to the garden seat behind the hedge and sit in the sun. Fresh
lemonade? Good. Now tell us:
What's the most interesting thing about you that you believe
helped you grow as a writer?
In
college (English major, what else?), I got a part-time job at the Computer
Center assisting the programmers in documenting a new operating system. I took
a few computer science courses and a technical writer was born. This gave me
over 30 years of paid experience writing and editing documentation before I
began writing fiction full-time. This is only interesting considering that I
would never have taken any computer courses except for lucking into that
student job. Kismet.
It's strange how we are given the tools to fulfill our dreams. The trick is in recognizing them and using them. The reading public is grateful you did.
Are you comfortable in one writing
space or do you move about to change the atmosphere?
I write at
my desk since I have a desktop computer. I have a laptop, but I hate the
keyboard. I use an ergonomic keyboard to keep carpal tunnel away. You can see
it in this pic
Your desk looks like mine, nice and big, placed in front of a similar sized window. Mine faces north, though. Lovely view over the rooftops but the glare of the afternoon sun makes me close the blind.
What is it about MG & YA Fantasy
that stimulates your muse?
I love
fantasy for all ages, and I’m drawn particularly to stories based on various
mythologies. I love when an author takes a standard Greek myth such as Perseus
and turns it into something else. A great example is the Rick Riordan series in
a ‛what-if’ Poseidon’s son lived in modern times (Percy Jackson series).
I don’t get my specific ideas from any
famous books—I am not a fanfic writer. I have run into a couple of instances
when my idea turned out to be in another book I’d never read. Great minds, and
all that. My granddaughters clued me into a location used in a famous book. I
changed my location when I found out, otherwise people would think I took the
other writer’s idea. I don’t do that. Any resemblance of my fantasy to any
other writer’s fantasy is purely coincidental.
Great minds...I know. Writers and other creative people do tend to tap into the Universal Unconsciousness. Just take the story of Noah and the Flood. Almost all cultures had a version of that before they ever came in contact.
Can you give us some examples of
how you used mythology in your books?
Setara’s
Genie is based primarily on middle-eastern mythology. The genie is obvious, but
I found a few things to add to the various legends. Researching a general area
of myth invariably leads to at least one character and a plot line or two.
Cover artist:Kaytalin Platt
In the
Witches of Galdorheim series, I begin with traditional Norse and Celtic
mythology. I then abuse them terribly. I hate to leave anything well enough
alone. I’ve always loved Edvard Grieg’s Hall of the Mountain King from the Peer
Gynt Suite. I’ve always wanted to write about trolls, but make them the good
guys.
You 'hate to leave anything well enough alone', LOL I love that, hahaha.
Are you writing for a specific
person?
My
granddaughters. I like them to read everything I write as early in the process
as possible. As I mentioned above, they once saved me from a fanfic faux pas.
That's nice. I found my grandchildren were wonderfully helpful, too, causing me to make major changes which worked much better.
Do any of your characters, settings
or situations turn up in your other books?
I
deliberately use characters and settings in more than one place if I can fit it
in. I’ve researched my butt off and always have tons of spare
ideas related to those I use in one book to pass along to another book. It’s
just efficient use of material. In Setara’s Genie, I have one cross-over
character and the general setting in another book, which I hope to have
published in the future.
It's easy to love your characters and settings, Marva, so I'm glad to hear they will continue for our reading pleasure.
Does your own fat white cat influence
the personality of any of your characters?
Ha! Dusty
spends 90% of his time sleeping, so not much personality to use. However, we
feed a feral stray (don’t tell anybody; we’re not supposed to do this) who we
tried to adopt, but she’s too skittish and cranky. She’s also loud and
demanding. We named her Bitchy. She’s the model for Cait Sidhe (the cat fairy)
featured in Scotch Broom, the 3rd book in the Witches of Galdorheim
series.
Cait Sidhe
Oh my! Cait Sidhe has attitude and personality to boot. I can imagine her ruling any story she inhabits.
Do you listen to your muse, do you
trust her, or does she get in the way of your stories sometimes?
She must be
manipulating my subconscious. I give credit to her for whispering ideas to me
so subtly that I mistake them for my own. So, yes, I trust her or I don’t trust
myself.
I envy you. Mine is so timid. She wastes my time and leads me into brick walls. So I send her outside to play in the sand while I have fun wreaking havoc in my stories.
How do you juggle your writing with
family life and promotion?
Family life
is easy. I make dinners for my mom, but she gets whatever we have. She lives
close by so I’m sort of the meals on tennies service. Other than that,
promoting is the big time drain on even attempting to be creative. Look at me
right now, conversing about my writerly ways and my upcoming new release.
Having your mum living close by and being able to help her must be such a blessing. I'm so glad you found time to converse about your writerly ways with me today. I love to talk 'writing' with writers. Wish it really could be face to face.
Your new book is soon to be released. What
is it about?
Cover Designer:Charlotte Volnek
Setara’s Genie is scheduled for official release from
MuseItUp Publishing on August 17th. Most of my releases showed up on
Amazon before the official release date.
Since I sweated over it, I’ll plug the blurb here. I hope it
piques the interest of MG/YA fantasy readers.
Setara’s Genie
A girl, a genie, a few demons. What could go wrong?
Abu Nuwas sits in the bazaar on his threadbare rug; a cup and sign proclaim him a teller of tales. For one small coin, he bids passers by to listen. A poor girl, Najda, sells spices from a tray. Would he, she asks, trade a tale for a packet of spice? Abu Nuwas agrees and begins the epic adventures of a girl and her genie.
As did Scheherazade before him, Abu leaves Najda hanging in the middle of each yarn to keep her coming back. Between stories, he questions the girl about her life. He discovers that she’s been promised in marriage to an old man whom she hates, but she must wed him to save her sick mother’s life. The rich bridegroom will pay for the doctors the mother needs. Meanwhile, Najda sells spices in the market to earn enough money to keep her mother alive.
He relates the adventures of the bored daughter of a rich merchant, Setara, and her genie, Basit, as they encounter the creatures of legend and folklore: a lonely cave demon seeking a home; a flying, fire-breathing horse who has lost his mate; a dragon searching for his family; an evil genie hunting for the man who put him in a lamp; and a merboy prince cast out of his undersea kingdom.
I would like to mention that I use the frame story technique similar to 1001 Arabian Nights. Everybody knows Scheherazade has to start a new story every night, then leave it unfinished so her husband won’t kill her. It’s more complicated than that, but you can look that up.My book uses the frame story of Abu Nuwas, the story teller, relating the adventures of Setara to a poor spice seller. The frame story has its own plot, while Setara’s tales are a series of seven interrelated stories interspersed within the frame story. How clever is that? Or complicated?
Very clever! A wonderful frame for a feast of stories. I love your book trailer video and the music.
We can learn more about Marva Dasef and her books at
Marva will be giving away free ebooks to a randomly selected commenter on each of her blog tour stops (this is a pre-release stop, but still part of the tour). Be sure to leave contact info, or some way to get hold of you if you’re selected. If she can’t find you, she can’t give you a prize. Marva will also include all comments on all her blog tour spots for a grand prize including a gift certificate to MuseItUp Bookstore.
Congratulations to the winners of the ebooks at the book launch party. Pat McDermott; Rosalie Skinner; Mary Andrews; Margo Sorenson; Karen Cote; Killarney Sheffield; Alix Richards; Breezy-E; ediFanoB.
The winner have been notified.
Thank you to the participating authors and the wonderful guests who made the Book Release Party a resounding success.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE MUSEITUP RELEASES FOR 27TH JULY 2012
Rosalie Skinner
Invaded: The Darkest Day
Cover Designer:Delilah K. Stephans
A Novel: Sci-Fi Fantasy
Book Five in The Chronicles of Caleath
Trapped on a dying planet by friends he trusted, Caleath falls into the hands of his arch-enemy.
Blurb:
Trapped on a dying planet by friends he trusted, Caleath falls into the hands of his arch-enemy. Fortunately, viewing rights make the Deathbringer a valuable asset. More torture, better ratings. Nobody suffers as well as he does.
Sent back to Allorn, Caleath is the only one able to stop the invasion of his former Karadorian masters. If he keeps a cool head, accepts the help of those who betrayed him and the power offered by the dead planet’s spirit, dare he unleash the ferocious warrior lurking within?
Wrath has been waiting for his chance to take revenge far too long. His time has come--for better or worse.
A Novel: Urban Fantasy/Romance/Horror Book One in the Concilium series.
The Forest was her refuge…now it’s her nightmare.
Blurb:
“A tale of deadly creatures
and forbidden romance”
Leslee hit a strange animal with her car. Now she’s marked for death. It was a simple car accident--the animal didn’t even die--but it drew the attention of the Cruor Imbibo. Driven by their insatiable need to feed, the secret society of Imbibo has devoured the dregs of civilization for centuries.
Afraid Leslee will expose them, and put an end to their meal ticket, the Imbibo want her dead. The Concilium is Leslee's only protection. Guardian of the ancient secret and the protector of humans, the Concilium fights to control the Imbibo and end their feeding frenzy. Miller works for the Concilium. Keeping Leslee alive is his next assignment.
Now Leslee is on the run, and the only thing between her flesh and the snapping jaws of the Imbibo is Miller. He and Leslee quickly form a bond, but will falling in love make Miller’s job more difficult? Because if he fails, Leslee will be next on the Imbibo menu.
The Cruor Imbibo are coming, and they're coming for Leslee.
Blurb: In Darker Than Night, secrets and scandals are served up daily in a world where no one is safe, either sinner nor saint. The brutal predator whispers his chilling signature line to each victim before he strikes: “I come from a place darker than night.”
Reluctantly reinstated to the force, seasoned yet troubled homicide detective Carter Williams is assigned to investigate the death of a reputed child molester and murderer. The gruesome murder upsets no one, but as the killer goes on to torture and slay numerous victims, he surprisingly wins favor with the public. As the case becomes more and more personal, Williams’ own reputation is threatened as he deals with department politics, a young partner, and a fragile home life. Williams struggles to unravel the gruesome mystery while trying to hold onto everything he has so carefully strived to protect.
The most dangerous
predator in the Okefenokee swamp is a man, and
he’s hot on Claire’s trail.
Blurb: When Claire hires Tito Prescott and his partner, Harry, to find her missing father, love was not on her agenda. But a hot-shot, ex-mercenary pilot has different ideas. One look at Claire and it’s love at first sight. Unfortunately, Jake is not the only one chasing her, and the other guy isn’t looking for love, he’s looking for blood. Claire’s.
When a woman cons a man, she finds out too late that she's been conned, too.
Blurb: Three divorces should teach a man something, but hotel heir Cal McIntyre can't figure out what. Then a flashy redhead – the kind he adores – shows up. Since he's off women, he reluctantly takes a bet to seduce her. One more hook-up won't matter. Especially with this temptress. But Amanda’s hair is dyed and she’s not about to be seduced.
Her younger sister gambled with an heirloom engagement ring, and Cal won. If Amanda has to drug him to retrieve the ring and save her sister's marriage, so be it. She doesn't count on Cal's kisses awakening a long-banished sexuality. Lucky for her, he passes out before she gets carried away. She escapes with the ring and virtue intact. Now to forget him.
But Cal tracks her down. And tells her he bought the ring. From her sister. Worse, someone stole diamonds worth millions after she knocked him out. Cal wasn’t the only one set up. There must be an explanation, but her sister can't give it; she's vanished.
Now Amanda must help Cal find her sister or go to jail. She's determined to protect her sister, and he's determined to recover his diamonds. Sparks are about to fly.
Prophesy said they would save the Oracle Planet but it never said how and now it’s up to the Nemesis Team and their uneasy allies to figure that out.
Blurb:
PSIONIC SCI FI
The inevitable fusion of Man, Machine, and the Paranormal
After Earth's destruction, humans have scattered and spread across the universe. The peace is kept by a universal government. Four rogue talents unite to become an invincible Government Dark Ops team—the Nemesis Team.
But an unknown planet has turned up; a planet ruled by Oracles whose agents may be usurping the Government and suddenly, nothing is what it seems.
Follow the Nemesis Team and their uneasy allies as they race to unravel a reality not of their making before the strange world is annihilated by an asteroid.
Energy cannot be created or destroyed, but it can be changed. The chilling question for Dean Weston is: into what? By the time Dean comes face to face with the foreboding truth, it is too late. A mad man’s quest for ultimate knowledge and power has spawned true evil; an evil capable of tearing down moral barriers and leaving one thirsting for vengeance and retribution. As this evil consumes those closest to Dean, he becomes unknowingly vulnerable, leaving him and the woman he loves in immeasurable danger. Struggling to destroy a malevolent energy life form he barely understands, Dean finds his own humanity coming into question. As his moral fibers start to unravel, Dean grasps at one last thread of hope and does the unthinkable.
What danger will Todd find in the Hawaiian ravine?
Blurb: When fourteen-year-old soccer star Todd arrives in Hawaii, he hears that radical, militant Hawaiian activists have hidden weapons in a nearby ravine to use for their rebellion against the U.S. government to gain Hawaiian independence. Even though he’s warned that people are raising marijuana or “pakalolo” in the ravine, guarding their crops with rifles, pit bulls, and explosives, Todd plans to scout the ravine and find the weapons, hoping he can finally earn his family’s respect and find some adventure to offset his boring summer. What will Todd discover in the ravine that could force him to rethink everything he’s believed?
Novella: Erotic Paranormal Book One in The Twin Flames Series ADULT CONTENT:18 and over
Dreaming of happily ever after is easier than living it.
Blurb: Joy lives in her dreams, but no longer lives there alone. In an effort to escape the reality that steps from the deepest recesses of her mind, she runs away for a long weekend alone in a friend’s cabin. She hopes to use the time to gain a logical perspective on an impossible situation. Her dream man can’t be real and part of her doesn’t want him to be.
Jay needs Joy to be happy, even if it comes at his expense. Forcing himself to be patient, he walks away from the woman of his heart and soul and confines himself to his family’s cabin to give Joy the space she requests. Dreaming with Joy isn’t new, but waking with her in his arms, sexy and wet kicks his desire for her into a new stratosphere.
Confusing dreams and reality lead both to attack, neither quite ready for what destiny pushes at them. As the cold light of day closes in, nature and destiny collide, but for Joy and Jay, nothing will be the same.
A Short Story:Paranormal Romance Erotic
ADULT CONTENT:18 and over
Will Kalia and Sophia escape the deadly discrimination of the Seffmoyer Clan?
Blurb: Kalia Seffmoyer is a rarity within her paranormal world; she is an albino werewolf. Mated to the beautiful Sophia Stone and alpha of the Stone Clan, Kalia Seffmoyer hoped that her life was starting to turn around. Then, news arrives that her parents are coming in town. Kalia’s parents are known to obliterate Mates of the same sex. Will Kalia’s parents do the same to their only daughter?
The Witch Queen’s back, more twisted and determined than before. She wants to rule Earth and Kiera is the key.
Blurb:
After almost beating the villainous Witch Queen, Kiera’s triumph is tainted with sadness for the loss of Joe and Daz. When the handsome Prince Zakk asks Kiera to re-enter his world in order to save her friend, she does not hesitate. On their perilous journey Kiera realizes that she is there to save many lives. As she comes face to face with her evil nemesis once again, Kiera comes closer to finding out the truth to why she has been chosen. Will she succeed? Will this be the end to Kiera’s quest?
All book -- Available from MuseItUp Bookstore and all the main online bookstores.
IT'S PARTY TIME! FREE BOOKS TO SOME LUCKY GUESTS! COME JOIN OUR AUTHORS AS THEY MINGLE WITH YOU THEIR GUESTS IN THE MAGIC GARDEN. FABULOUS FOOD AND CHARACTERS ARE WAITING FOR YOU. THE GARDEN GATE STANDS WIDE IN WELCOME!! ENTER VIA THE COMMENTS AND HAVE A CHAT.
Hey good friend! We have passed the 200 comments mark, Yeah! No problem though. We just have to hit 'newest' right at the bottom of the comments page to see the next lot, or 'oldest' to see the earlier ones
I'm excited to be hosting a Book Launch Party in the Magic Garden for TEN Muse Authors on 26-27 ... + July. ie. 27th Aussie & NZ time but we are at least 8 -16 hrs ahead of the rest of the world.
Pop in and out of the gate via the comments, at your leisure to mingle with strange fictional characters, eat fabulous cyber food and drinks, dance and chat. Just one thing, or two. Don't venture behind the hedge and Do Not drink the water. hehehe.
Everyone is welcome to this Aussie Party where Chubby Bubby Blue is our mascot, and the gates remain open until the last tired guest finally departs. Time is irrelevant in cyber space, so are calories. :)
BRING YOUR FRIENDS AND/OR BOOK CHARACTERS AND YOUR OWN FAVOURITE FOOD TO SHARE. (Right now I can smell the real Duck à l'orange my husband is cooking for dinner. I'm bring a tray load of that. mmmmmmm)
Christmas in July Contest at MuseItUp. Fun and Easy. Read all about it! Muse Bookstore on 9th-23rd.
Ebooks to win in fun hunt, including the medieval adventure The Unhewn Stone and 14 others in a wonderful variety of genres.
You can be a Winner! Just find the 15 Christmas trees located somewhere in the links found beneath the book covers listed at Muse Bookstore.
But wait...there's more... From the Publisher -- We want to thank everyone who continue to support our authors by adding a little something to say THANK YOU. Everyone who participates will walk away with a prize. Located in our Muse bookstore (only on July 9 so don't start searching now) are 10 christmas trees. Find one of them and you win that ebook. Only one free THANK YOU ebook per person. So if you want to locate all ten and pick and choose which ebook to win, go right ahead. Send me the title of your free ebook to: publisher AT museituppublishing DOT com and I'll send you your prize at the end of the month.
My sci fi short story Happiness Guaranteed is On Sale for Limited time at MuseItUp
Bianca, a beautiful Epicurean Supremo from a privileged futuristic society has a flaw which, if discovered and reported to the Rulers, will threaten her life and that of the man she loves. Unable to pinpoint the cause she tries to hide her anxiety until an ingenious birthday present from her husband provides a respite. Now, on her thirty-third birthday, her primitive behaviour and thought patterns return; stronger and more dangerous.
Excerpt: Bianca’s bed swayed in gentle rhythm with her floating condominium. Smiling, she opened her eyes and reached across the white expanse for Derek. He wasn’t there. Damn. She’d overslept; very out of character. What if he noticed? No. He’ll return soon and find me on the balcony exactly where he expects me to be, especially today. She rolled onto her back, stealing a few extra minutes in bed and glanced up at the domed ceiling high above her: Derek’s masterpiece. The wide, stained glass panels let shafts of coloured light sprinkle life into her sterile world. She watched the lazy sunbeams paint murals on the milky walls. They tinselled the buckles on the two pairs of shoes and spotlighted the confusion of clothes on a moulded chair. Flinging back the covers, she stretched, letting the sun energize her skin. “What a glorious morning,” she murmured. Only Penthouse Dwellers, like Derek and herself attained this privilege. According to Derek, sunlight symbolized their status. For a moment she revelled in true contentment. An image of her grandfather snuck into her mind. He’d told her of a time when sunlight shone on everyone, but he’d been a storyteller, a bad influence. On her seventh birthday her parents forbade her to visit him any more, and placed him out-of-bounds. Years later she heard he’d died. Her happiness shrivelled. “Unimportant.” She scowled, jumped out of bed and slipped into clear, tensile slippers. A filigree tunic lay on the floor where she let it fall the night before. She picked it up, grabbed yesterday’s clothes off the chair, hurried to the primping room and dropped them all down the trash-chute. “There!” She stabbed her finger on the Restyle button. With her fingertips, she massaged her cheeks and studied herself in the mirror. Thirty-three, today. No obvious flaws, not yet, apart from that one little glitch Derek inadvertently fixed last birthday.
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