The Writing

I guess I’ve been talking about my books and it’s kinda hard to know what I’m talking about without reading any of it. Like I said previously it’s middle grade—for ages 8-12.

Enjoy!

Excerpt from HURRICANE DANIEL:

“I’m gonna make some popcorn. You want some?” Mom asked.

“Sure, you want me to pause it?” asked Dad. He reached across the coffee table to get the remote.

“Okay.”

Mom went to the kitchen and got two bags of popcorn from the box in the snack drawer. She looked over at Daniel and his friends in the family room. They were gathered around Daniel’s laptop, tracking the storm. She put one of the bags in the microwave and went down the hall to the bathroom.

It was dark in the hallway and she stepped on something small and furry. She thought it was Darwin for about a half a second and then realized it was some kind of toy. Maybe one of Darwin’s little squeaky toys. She reached along the wall inside the bathroom door, feeling for the light switch. She felt something along her arm, like a cobweb or a stray hair or something. She switched on the light and jerked her arm back out.

At first, she wasn’t sure what she was seeing. The air in the bathroom was so thick that she couldn’t even see her hands held out in front of her. Wait, this can’t be right. I took my shower hours ago. How can it still be all steamy in here? It didn’t feel right, either. It should feel warm, but this stuff felt cold and misty. She could definitely hear the wind from the storm in here.

She reached back and flipped the switch for the fan. The air started moving and swirling and cleared up a little. She took one of the blue hand towels from the little holder by the sink and started wiping down the mirror with it. Then something in the mirror caught her eye. Some kind of movement behind her. She turned around quickly and made a small gasping sound. The fan cleared more of the steam from the room and she was able to see that the bathroom window was open just a crack. Is it coming from outside? Is it fog? During a hurricane?

She walked over to the window and pushed down on it but it wouldn’t close all the way. She stood on her tiptoes to get some leverage and pushed as hard as she could. It still wouldn’t close. She shoved it back up a little and then slammed it. This time it went down easily. A loud clunking sound followed, coming from outside the window. It sounded like something hitting the side of the house. She pulled the little metal clasp over to lock the window and ran out the door almost tripping over Darwin in the hall. She reached down and gave him a little hug. Darwin tried to pull away. She let go of him and he walked into the bathroom and stood in front of the window.

He growled softly in his throat.