The primary aim of the "Novel Excerpts" blog category is to showcase my creative writing, specifically from the novels I've written. Hopefully, these posts will provide a glimpse into my storytelling style, themes, and narrative skills. It's an opportunity to share my artistic expressions and the worlds I've created through my novels.
The Boaz Stenographer, written in 2018, is my fourth novel. I'll post a chapter a day over the next few weeks.
Book Blurb
Walt Shepherd, a 35 year veteran of the White House’s stenographic team, is fired by President Andrew Kane for refusing to lie.
Walt returns to his hometown of Boaz, Alabama and renews his relationship with Regina Gillan, his high school sweetheart, who he had ditched right before graduation to marry the daughter of a prominent local businessman. Regina has recently moved back to Boaz after forty years in Chicago working at the Tribune. She is now editor of the Sand Mountain Reporter, a local newspaper.
Walt and Regina’s relationship transforms into a once in life love at the same time they are being immersed in a growing local and national divide between Democrats and traditional Republicans, and extremist Republicans (known as Kanites) who are becoming more dogmatic about the revolution that began during President Kanes campaign.
Walt accepts two part-time jobs. One as a stenography instructor at Snead State Community College in Boaz, and one as an itinerant stenographer with Rains & Associates out of Birmingham.
Walt later learns the owner of Rains & Associates is also one of five men who created the Constitution Foundation and is involved in a sinister plot to destroy President Kane, but is using an unorthodox method to achieve its objective. The Foundation is doing everything it can to prevent President Kane from being reelected in 2020, and is scheming to initiate a civil war that will hopefully restore allegiance to the U.S. Constitution.
While Walt is writing a book, The Coming Civil War, he is, unwittingly, gathering key information for the Constitution Foundation.
Will Walt discover a connection between the Foundation and the deaths of three U.S. Congressmen in time to save his relationship with Regina, prevent President Kane from being reelected as the defacto head of a Christian theocracy, and the eruption of a civil war that could destroy the Nation ?
Chapter 28
I had spent all day Monday secluded. I never left the house and didn’t even speak with Regina, other than by text. I even thought about canceling my Steno class but wasn’t yet that far gone. I had always prided myself on being responsible and always keeping my commitments. My promise to Dean Naylor and Snead College wasn’t simply a duty, it was as important to me as eating and breathing. Teaching is what I had always wanted to do. Not only did I need this, but I felt my students needed me as well.
As always, I left Shepherd’s Cove at 4:40 p.m. and drove to the College, arriving in my classroom at exactly 5:00. Even though I was fully prepared when I arrived, I always liked to be an hour early. Mainly, to have the opportunity to talk with students in the unlikely event one or more of them showed up early.
Tonight, I hadn’t fully unpacked my brief case when Felicia Shea walked in. Even though the two of us had spoken privately a couple of times, it was always after class. I wouldn’t say that we had a budding relationship. For the past two weeks she had seemed troubled and distracted. All she wanted to talk about after class was how she felt incapable of helping her mother cope with her step-father’s incarceration. I had tried to encourage her to have faith in the criminal justice system to sort things out. I told her I believed she could have confidence in the system. I don’t think she believed me.
“Good evening Felicia.” I said, as she walked past me to the back corner beside the windows, bumping two desks as she walked by.
No doubt she was frustrated.
She gave me a quick glance but didn’t say a word. I walked back to her desk and said, “are you okay, you look a little flush, maybe have a fever?”
“Hell no, I don’t have a fever.”
“Sorry, would you like to talk?” I said.
“No.”
I turned and started walking back to my desk at the front of the room when she said, “I’m sorry. I never curse. Please forgive me for saying that.”
I walked back to her and leaned against the closest window. “Felicia, I meant what I said at the beginning, the first class we had together. You can talk to me about anything, at any time. I’m here for you, not only as your teacher, but also as a friend.”
“I remember, and I’m thankful for that, but there’s some things that no one can help.”
“Why not try me.”
“It’s funny what you just said. You used the ‘faith’ word, didn’t you?” Felicia said. Before I answered I looked at her and for the first time noticed how much she favored Regina. She was more like her than her mother, Belinda. Even though Regina and Belinda were twins, they were not identical twins. They were both attractive, many would say that Belinda was beautiful, especially when she was younger, but Regina was stunning. I had worn out the word gorgeous, but she was that and then some. Felicia was much closer in looks to Regina, including the deep blue eyes.
“Yes, I did ask you to have faith in the criminal justice system.”
“Then, why does Roger and his friends make fun of me for having faith in God?” I could see she was deeply troubled. She used a Kleenex to wipe her eyes.
“Well, I don’t know why anyone does what they do, what’s their motivation. I do know there is a difference between the two types of faith.” I said, turning a student’s desk around to face Felicia.
“Faith is belief in something you cannot see. Right?”
“Yes, I suppose that’s a decent definition. But, isn’t it a little easier to understand, maybe measure, the criminal justice system. It is made of actual written laws, judges, police officers, district attorneys, and juries. Where faith in God is much more remote. I know there is the Bible but most folks know it is full of contradictions.” I said.
“The Bible is true. It is without error. All my life I’ve believed in
God. Now, it seems the world is rejecting God’s Holy Word.”
“It may just be that you are more aware of the rejecting. Social media and the Internet have certainly brought people closer. A person’s ideas and beliefs now are just a click away.”
Felicia got up, straightened her blouse and walked over to the windows behind me. “Just because you cannot see me now doesn’t mean I don’t exist.”
“I agree. I don’t need to see you because I just saw you walk over there behind me. Felicia, that’s not a very good argument.”
“I know. Some days I just want to run away, all by myself. The reasons I used to use with my friends don’t seem to work anymore. I grew up hearing, ‘you just have to have faith.’ It was almost a badge of honor, especially the year after high school I was on mission, to have faith even when things were going bad, even when it seemed God had abandoned us, like when there was a hurricane that killed so many in
Haiti.”
“Could it be that you believe, have faith in God, because that’s what you’ve always done. I assume you grew up in church?”
“Oh yes, I cannot remember a time that I wasn’t at First Baptist Church of Christ right here in Boaz.” Felicia said, now back seated in front of me.
“My story is similar. But, I was lucky to have a high school Biology teacher that took an interest in me and exposed me to what I’ll call, ‘the other side.’ I started reading outside the Bible. I don’t have time right now to go into that but by the time I finished high school, I was pretty sure there wasn’t any type god.”
“I know it’s nearly time for class, but can I ask you one question?”
“Anything at any time. Remember?” I said.
“How can you be happy and find meaning in life if you don’t believe in God and in Heaven?” Felicia asked, sitting up straight and boring her blue eyes into mine.
“I know this is the only life I will ever have. I focus on it and don’t give death a second thought. When I die, I die, and that’s it. It’s over. I like what Mark Twain said, ‘I do not fear death. I had been dead for billions and billions of years before I was born and had not suffered the slightest inconvenience from it.’ Felicia, you must create your own meaning. I suspect, and don’t think I’m disrespecting you, but, I suspect you are feeling the way you do right now because you believe your life has been dictated to you so far. Start exploring the world. I suggest you start looking at the other side. I can help you with that if you want.”
“I’ll think about it. I’m sorry to burden you with this. I know I should have taken my questions to Pastor Warren.” Felicia said and all five of her classmates came through the doorway.
“Felicia, I’m available for you. Talk to the pastor if you want, but I urge you to seek out the full story.”
“Okay, I guess we better move to the front.”
The Pencil-Driven Life 