Deleted Scenes...

Movies have bloopers. Sometimes they'll leak a scene that was cut. Well, novels have lots of deleted scenes. An author writes the first draft and then tweaks what works, slices what doesn't. But these manuscripts are like our babies - actually "deleting" what we wrote is painful. So the scenes tend to get tucked into a file and often never read again. 

Today, I'm offering up a deleted scene from SHE'S MINE. If you've read the book, you will find vague referencing to the Memorial Day parade. In the first drafts, there was actually a chapter with Sean and Caitlin interacting at the parade; Caitlin even rides in one of the fire trucks with Sean in the parade. It just didn't advance the plot enough and I was able to put the little bit of pertinent details in subsequent chapters (where they actually worked better). Still, I liked the scene. Here is a portion of it, for your reading pleasure. Enjoy!

“Janelle has arranged for you to ride in another truck so you can have a front seat view of the parade.”

She looked over his shoulder, realizing why Sean had joined the group. Sitting in the front would be more fun than being squeezed between two rambunctious six-year-old boys. Janelle grinned. Caitlin narrowed her eyes and tried to telepathically communicate I know what you’re doing, to her best friend. Sliding her gaze back to Scott, she nodded.

He opened the door and jumped down. She faced the truck and climbed carefully. The feel of hands suddenly on her hips surprised her. A quick glance showed Sean guiding her. He dropped his hands as her feet hit the ground.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to get touchy-feely there. Just didn’t want you to fall.”

“I have a pretty good sense of balance.” Not wanting a repeat of the other day she added, “Thank you for being considerate.”

He arched an eyebrow. “Thanks for giving me the benefit of doubt. Truck’s over this way.”

Long, quick strides carried him across the parking lot. She stared at his departing form. He moved with confidence. The dark blue pants and white shirt of the fire department uniform looked good on him. Wavy blond curls edged over his collar. Her mouth went dry. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.

He stopped beside a red F350 Super Duty. She hurried to catch up. When he turned to look at her, she was struck by the contradictions in his face. Broad with angular planes, his expression could be hard and a bit intimidating. Harbor blue eyes might’ve been chilly. Instead he smiled and his face became round, cheerful, almost boyish.

“This is the forestry truck.” Sean spoke with pride.

“It’s like your truck, only red.”

“And a bit bigger.” He smiled. “This one holds over two hundred gallons of water, plus she’s got a pump that’ll send out five hundred gallons per minute. That is the hose reel.” He pointed as he spoke. “There’s a generator onboard, four 15 amp outlets, two telescoping lights and rear scene lights.”

Caitlin stared at the truck, awed by its implied capabilities. She pointed to the built out front bumper. “Do I even want to know about that?”

“No.” His smiled dimmed, as if recalling unpleasant memories. “That one is a Briggs and Stratton power unit. The others are called Hurst tools. Ask Scott if you want to know more. I’d rather not get into a discussion about car accidents.”

“Okay with me.” She let a smile claim her lips. Sean was pleasant to talk to when she wasn’t being rude. “I’m not much into blood and guts.”

“We’ll get along fine, then.” Pronounced dimples appeared as his grin returned.

Caitlin held her smile, trying to hide her nervousness. In jeans and t-shirt at the farm, Sean had a down-to-earth, regular guy kind of look. Today, in uniform, he looked like a rough-edged gentleman. Both were attractive and that worried her.

Adam always behaved like a perfect gentleman. Dressing smartly, his black hair cut short and combed straight and neat. Yet Adam had played a role, luring her into a trap. And she hadn’t known until it was too late. Then he’d revealed his true self: a manipulating, conniving narcissist. What proof was there that Sean was who he seemed to be?

“Caitlin?”

He’d been talking and she hadn’t heard a word. Now he held the door, gesturing for her to get into the truck.

“Sorry, got lost in thought for a moment.”

“Having second thoughts about riding with me?”

If you haven't read SHE'S MINE yet, grab a copy for your Kindle at http://amzn.to/1MHwhp1 It's only $4.99 - - or FREE with Kindle Unlimited! 

SHE'S MINE is FREE!!

For 5 days only, May 7th to May 11th, I'm offering my newest novel for the low, low price of FREEE!! Be sure to snag this 5 star Romantic Suspense while it is so reasonably priced (after May 11th, it's still pretty reasonable at only $4.99...but free trumps any dollar amount every day!!)

Click here to go to the Amazon page: http://amzn.to/1JmgW8S

Or click on the book cover below. I'd love to have SHE'S MINE skyrocket into the top 10 for its category. You can help - the more people that download it while it's free, the better my sales ranking will be. And you can say you were pivotal in creating a Top 10 Bestseller!

CELEBRATION TIME!

This week, I had the honor of having my novel, SHE'S MINE, chosen as winner of the January Clash of the Titles!! It's so exciting because this is a competition where readers choose which book they'd most like to read based on the cover and a brief blurb. So not only did my blurb catch interest, but the beautiful cover designed by my talented artist daughter, Tiffany Doherty, is also a winner! (you might be able to tell by all the exclamation points that I'm a little excited about this award!!!)


As I've mentioned before, Naultag - the fictional setting of SHE'S MINE - is based on the area of Massachusetts where I live and grew up. At one point, Sean takes Caitlin to a restaurant called Claudia's. Here's an interest tidbit of trivia: a friend, and former childhood babysitter, used to own a restaurant in town. She's always been supportive of both my writing and our family perennial nursery business. So I named the diner in my book after her - Claudia. Here's what the real restaurant looks like:

I'm excited to share more of my part of the world with readers. Look for more posts in the future with photos of the central MA region. And be sure to check out Clash of the Titles blog for more clashes each month. You may find a new favorite author. If you haven't yet bought a copy of SHE'S MINE, what are you waiting for?!! Hop over to Amazon and get it for your Kindle or in print.

Naultag, the middle of nowhere

When Sean Taggart first meets Caitlin Harrington, his initial impression is that she's too sophisticated for a small town. "She didn’t belong in the middle of nowhere, which was pretty much the exact map location for Naultag, Massachusetts."

This is Lake Lashaway - the "model" for Lake Naultag

I patterned Naultag after my hometowns. I grew up in North Brookfield, moved to Brookfield, then moved back to North Brookfield. We're pretty close to the town line for East Brookfield. And I've worked in West Brookfield. Sounds like a lot of Brookfields, doesn't it? They're just four small towns smack-dab in the middle of the state. Chock full of everything you'd expect in an area that used to be very rural and is slowly creeping toward suburban. 

In this post, I want to give readers a peek at what Naultag might look like. So here are some pictures of the Brookfields. As you read She's Mine you just may recognize some landmarks.

the pond on Brickyard Road - yes, it's a real place!

Main Street, North Brookfield

First Congregational Church of North Brookfield

Asparagus & Flower Heritage Festival 

the new Police Station in North Brookfield, MA

Haston Library, Main Street, North Brookfield, MA

Merriam-Gilbert Library, West Brookfield, MA

Explore more of Naultag and get to know Caitlin Harrington, Sean Taggart and the rest of the residents in She's Mine, now available on Amazon

Naultag Cemeteries

It's October and Halloween approaches. Nothing's spookier than a cemetery at night, preferably a moonless, cloudy, perhaps even foggy, night - - on Halloween! But I'm not writing that kind of post. Around here, we have some beautiful old cemeteries. With the brilliant colors of autumn leaves to decorate both the trees and the ground, it seems like the perfect time to share photos of a few with you.

This is Adams Cemetery in Barre, MA. The two leafless, craggy trees frame the view nicely. Imagine how creepy they must be at night! I wish there was a good ghost story to go along with this photo, but to my knowledge none exists for this cemetery. If you know of one, please share it!

The entrance to Evergreen Cemetery in New Braintree, MA, is stately yet inviting - if it's right to use that word for such a place. I like the stone-pillar gate posts as well as the wrought iron fence. The hedges are always kept trim and neat.

This cemetery does have a ghostly legend. The story goes that a young woman named Elsie died on the eve of her wedding day. People have claimed to see her spirit walking beside the stonewall that runs between the cemetery and Route 67. Likely an urban legend, there is no Elsie buried in this cemetery but there is an Elsie Newton, who died at age 11, buried in a nearby cemetery. For more about the local legend, check out this Worcester Telegram & Gazette article, "Legend Has It."

In the center of North Brookfield is the Maple Street Cemetery, or Old Cemetery. I don't know any legends or ghost stories about this location but it's a great sight for doing gravestone rubbings. The old headstones (and some footstones) are still legible for the most part, though some are heavily encrusted with lichen and moss. Wandering amongst the graves, one easily understands how blessed we are to live in this modern time.  Many families are buried side by side, and the children often died quite young. There is no sign giving the name of this cemetery. The only signs read: This Cemetery is Closed From Dusk to Dawn. Maybe that's why there are no ghost stories here!

We have several cemeteries here in North Brookfield, most no longer in use and containing rich history about the region. This one on Elm Street is called French Cemetery. The stone bears the date 1899. This cemetery served the French parish of St. Ann’s Independent Church, formerly on Grove Street, from 1900 to 1904. Only one marker remains visible. To learn more about other old cemeteries in North Brookfield, check the Driving Tour PDF put together for the 200th Anniversary.

Across from the French Cemetery is Walnut Grove Cemetery, currently the only active public internment facility in use, although the St. Joseph's Cemetery is also in use for St. Joseph Parish members and family. Walnut Grove was established in 1860 and has a Boy Scout monument, placed in 1970 as a memorial to scouting. Though no ghost stories circulate about this cemetery (to the best of my knowledge), there is a story about one "resident." Elizabeth R. Hill. A Worcester Telegram & Gazette article sums up her story: "She was an outspoken property owner, traveler, teacher and newspaper reporter who often rankled those in power in the small community with her opposition to the taking of her land by the railroad. She frequently filed lawsuits against the town and others...""Local officials twice had her committed to the Worcester Lunatic Asylum. She was released once, but at age 78, she was sent there a second time and died there 16 years later..." In 2010, the remains believed to be of Elizabeth Hill were brought home to rest alongside her sons.

I noticed this interesting headstone as I drove out of Walnut Grove Cemetery. Can you tell how I took the photo? Yup, in the side mirror of my car! Look closely at the name - it's backwards!

If you know of a good cemetery ghost story, or historically interesting story about a cemetery, please share with us. Everyone loves a good ghost story for Halloween!

Winter Storm Alfred

Still two months to go before winter officially arrives and we've already had close to 1 1/2 feet of snow. If you live in the Rockies, you're thinking, "so what?" Well, we live in the Northeast. Halloween weekend is supposed to be about trick or treat and cute kids in semi-scary costumes. Sure, it's snowed on Halloween in the past - a kind of fluffy, wet, and very cold rain that didn't stick to any surface.

In years past, big winter storms were known for when the occurred: Blizzard of '78, Ice Storm of 2009, the April Fool's Day storm, that sort of thing. This one should've been "The Halloween Storm" but instead it got a name, just like a hurricane: Alfred. I just hope Alfred is an only-child-orphan with no family to come following his path!

What late October SHOULD look like in central MA

 

What October 30, 2011 ACTUALLY looked like

Kind of scary - good for Halloween!

Pretty, too, in an awe-inspiring way

Next post - what to do when you've had no power for 3 1/2 days and little hope of getting it back for at least 3 more.

Hurricane Irene

So by the time Irene reached central New England, she wasn't a hurricane anymore. Tropical storm force winds are still powerful, especially coupled with the rain attacking already saturated soil. Our town got off pretty easy compared to some areas in Massachusetts. Had Irene still been a category 3 hurricane, things would've been nightmarish. Instead, we were inconvenienced.

This is a shot of the tree that fell down the road from our house. It ripped out of the ground, bending down over the lines, then broke up and took out a couple structures. No one was hurt, which is what really counts.

More property damage

Branch on the wires

More fallen trees

Need truck to get through here!

Choppy lake!

Beach? The waterline is usually about 3 feet to the left of that string!

This tree crew (below) was from Michigan. They thought we were all very polite - we were just grateful to have the trees cleared off the power lines.Thank you!

National Grid got our electricity back on just before 8 pm Monday. YAY! We could hear everyone cheering from down the road. Glad to have this first big hurricane over - now on to the first day of school!

Flower Time!

Perennial plant sales are in full swing at Inishowen Farms - our family business. Between spring fairs, farmers' markets and regular business hours PLUS having to water and care for the plants, I've had very little time for writing.

 Sean and Caitlin have been tugging at my thoughts for the past couple of weeks. To make matters worse, Sean's cousin Randy has started chiming in; he's anxious to get into print so he can finally hook up with veterinarian Gio MacKenzie. Then there's Caitlin's best friends, Janelle and Scott Bartlett, who may get involved in solving a old Naultag mystery. And Randy's sister Jen has found the perfect place to work with horses, helping physically and mentally challenged kids, but there's something strange going on behind scenes. So you see, writing is calling to me :-) I'll be back at it real soon.

Meanwhile, I do manage to find some time to read. The ECFL Hot Summer Reads blog tour began this week and I'll be posting my four choices on July 18th. If you want to learn more, check out Edgy Christian Fiction Lovers.


Here's a few beautiful garden photos to close out this post. I took these last year. This is the back of St. Joseph's church in North Brookfield; it's an inspiring spot, no matter your faith or denomination.  

Small Towns Then and Now

When I decided to write contemporary romantic suspense, I chose the setting as small town New England. It's where I'm from and what I know. There are things I love about the area where I live. Other things aren't so wonderful. All together they make up a charming community that hovers somewhere between colonial charm and fast-paced, high tech land. Perfect for my novels. And easy to research.



Main Street, North Brookfield, MA (current)

What happens, though, when you have a fictional town set in a long-ago era? My friend and critique partner, Nike Chillemi, has just such a situation. She's writing novels set in fictional Sanctuary Point on Long Island during the late 1940's. I've invited Nike to stop in and share some of what's involved in writing about a familiar location in an unfamiliar time period.

North Brookfield, MA (circa 1900)

Welcome, Nike :D Grab a cup of coffee or tea, pull up a comfy seat, and let's chat. First, what made you choose Long Island for the location in your novels? And why the late 1940's?

NIKE: Tammy, thanks for inviting me to Naultag. What a lovely town you have here, quite a bit like my imaginary village of Sanctuary Point.

I chose Long Island for the setting of BURNING HEARTS because I love the Atlantic Ocean and wanted a village on the sea. Well, what I got was a village on the Great South Bay, which is very large and opens on to the Atlantic. I know the area well. Our family has gone to the beach many summers there so I knew of a spot right between Long Beach and Oceanside where I created my village. It has a wonderful cove, which I needed as the earlier generations of the richest family in Sanctuary Point ran whiskey on their boat during prohibition.

I chose 1946, one year after the close of World War II because it was a time when ordinary Americans had class and dignity. It was also a pivotal time in our nation. So many American soldiers had fallen in the war that America seemed to be losing her innocence slowly but surely. I wanted to create characters who struggled with these issues that framed the America we live in today.


Tammy, what would your two main characters say is the best thing about a small town and the worst thing?

TAMMY: Hmm, that’s an interesting question. Caitlin’s immediate response would be to tell you the worst thing about small town life: gossip. Everyone knows everyone, and they all talk. She’s the victim of mean-spirited rumors in SHE’S MINE, so this is a sore spot for Caitlin. As for the best thing - probably the memories. Caitlin grew up in Naultag, raised primarily by her grandmother, even before her parents’ nasty divorce. Being back in Gram’s house reminds Caitlin of the happier times, when she felt cocooned by love and had a sense of controlling her own destiny.


Sean Taggart left town for college, where he met and became engaged to a woman he thought he loved. She intended to keep him in her world—the big city with its “movers and shakers.” Sean had planned on a career in the financial market but when his fiancé made clear her disdain for “county bumpkins” he realized he was on the wrong path. One of the best things about small town, for Sean, is the friendliness. Everyone knows everyone; you don’t have to lock doors and you can keep your windows open even when you aren’t home. The worst thing is the gene pool – Sean is related to at least half the town! Which means his mother’s matchmaking efforts have included women he would never consider dating, but finding someone who isn’t his cousin is difficult!


I know Erika has lived in Sanctuary Point all her life and likely takes most of it for granted. What would she say is the best and worst about a small town? And Lorne – he’s the newcomer, running from a past he wants to forget. Does he like the quietness small town life offers? Or is he planning on moving on soon?

NIKE: Erica Brogna loves the village of Sanctuary Point until arson at the dress shop where she works kills Ada, her mentor and friend. She becomes heartsick wondering what happened to her village. She thought she could trust everyone who lives there and now, obviously, there's a killer lose. She's emotionally shattered by this. She's always known there are "haves" and those perceived to be "have nots" in her village and that her family falls into the lesser category. The residents whose families have been there for generations go to the well-established church and are mostly of Dutch, Irish, Scottish, or Scandinavian decent. They look down on the recent Czechoslovakian immigrants who go to a small chapel on a bluff looking over the bay. Erica is somewhat of a free thinker. She reads a fashion-forward magazine and has copied a few pair of slacks modeled in its pages. She wears these pants in the village. The daughter of the richest man in the village taunts her about this and starts rumors about her. She's not happy about that, but she's tough and able to fight back.

Lorne Kincade is a different matter. He's not come from a secure background. He came to this tiny village because he's running from the psychological demons of his childhood and from the horrors of World War II where he was an Army Ranger fighting in the European theatre. He inherited a ramshackle cottage in Sanctuary Point and had decided it's time to stop running. The thing that bothers him most is he's treated like an outsider. Some village residents think he's the arsonist/murderer which makes him feel even more isolated. He likes that he can ride his Harley Davidson on the highway and county roads that stretch all the way east to Montauk Point. The wind in his face is comforting and he can stop at any number of beaches along the way and watch the surf come in and go out. This seems to calm his troubled soul.


SHE'S MINE has characters in families who know each other well. These characters may have grown up together. What are these relationships like? How do some of the longtime residents react to Caitlin coming back after a long absence away from Naultag?

TAMMY: Sean Taggart is an only child but his mother’s sister has a large family. Sean spent a lot of his childhood hanging out with his cousins. The Taggart family has been in Naultag since the mid-eighteenth century; it isn’t surprising that Sean is related in one way or another to many residents. He’s gregarious, for the most part, and gets along well with the majority of people he knows...even the relatives.

Main St, E. Brookfield, 1962

Caitlin Harrington’s family, on her mother’s side, has been in Naultag for about 4 generations. Her aunts and uncle married and moved away so she doesn’t have any close relations living in town. But her grandmother, Sophie Baxter, was well-loved by everyone and Caitlin is welcomed back by most people. Except for whoever is leaving the ominous notes stating she doesn’t belong here.


The Harrington family isn’t from Naultag. Caitlin’s father, Jack, was a rising star in the Red Sox baseball franchise until a shoulder injury ended his career. He’s still considered a local celebrity. Caitlin never had a good relationship with her father.


Do you think family relationships play a big part in small town communities? Erica has a wonderful family – mother, father and brother, but Lorne has no one. Are his memories of his mother and father a factor in how he reacts to Sanctuary Point, the arson/murder, and most of all Erica?

NIKE: Something I didn't realize until the manuscript was in editing is that Erica's mom is very much like my maternal grandmother. Both had a great sense of humor and ran a boarding house. Mrs. Brogna is not only the glue that holds her family together , but also a nurturing force for her boarders.


The Dutch characters in BURNING HEARTS come from families that settled on the Great South Bay of Long Island as early as the 1600s. The most prominent family in Sanctuary Point, the MacTavish family, settled in the area just prior to World War I. They made their money smuggling whiskey by boat across the Great South Bay during prohibition. So, there's no shortage of generational sin. In addition many of the more established residents don't appreciate the new Czechoslovakian immigrants who are settling in the northern section of the village. That sub theme builds conflict right into the plot.

Lorne, an outsider to the village, inherits a ramshackle cottage from his uncle just before a house fire breaks out that takes the life of a young widow. The village chief of police is naturally suspicious of outsiders and looks at Lorne as a suspect. Lorne has a nightmarish childhood and his World War II military experiences in Europe have left him scarred. It doesn't help that he's being framed for arson/murder.


TAMMY: Poor Lorne! He’s such a wonderful character. Without giving anything away, I can assure readers that Lorne rises above all the suspicion like a true hero. I hope you’ll all join me in reading BURNING HEARTS, because then you’ll see why I love this novel. Pop over to Amazon.com to buy your copy today!

Nike Chillemi has been called a crime fictionista due to her passion for crime fiction. BURNING HEARTS is the first book in the crime wave that is sweeping the south shore of Long Island in The Sanctuary Point series.

Note about the photos in this post: many of the vintage photos were borrowed from VintagePostcards.org. Please visit their site for more wonderful scenes from the past. The E. Brookfield photo is courtesy of that town's website;they have a great Then & Now page. I took the photo of Main Street, North Brookfield shown at the top and the circa 1900's photo is from EPodunk.