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 Schoolteacher, written in 2018, is my fifth novel. I'll post a chapter a day over the next few weeks.
Book Blurb
In the summer of 2017, Katie Sims and her daughter Cullie, moved from New York City to Katie’s hometown of Boaz, Alabama for her to teach English and for Cullie to attend Boaz High School . Fifteen years earlier, during the Christmas holidays, five men from prominent local families sexually assaulted Katie. Nine months later, Katie’s only daughter was born.
Almost from the beginning of the new school year, as Katie and fellow-teacher Cindy Barker shared English, Literature, and Creative Writing duties for more than 300 students, they became lifelong friends.
For weeks, Katie and Cindy endured the almost constant sexual harassment at the hands of the assistant principal. In mid-October, after Cindy suffered an attack similar to Katie’s from fifteen years earlier, the two teachers designed a unique method to teach the six predators a lesson they would never forget. Katie and Cindy dubbed their plan, Six Red Apples.
Read this mystery-thriller to experience the dilemma the two teachers created for themselves, and to learn the true meaning of real justice. And, eternal friendship.
Chapter 2
“I’ll have four eggs over-easy and a pound of bacon.” Ryan Radford said as the young and shapely waitress multi-tasked writing down his order and fending off his left hand that was attempting to rub her lower back.
“You’re going to die at 40 if you don’t lay off that fat.” Fulton Billingsley said. “You may be as tall as your dear late father, but he used his head, exercised, and ate sensibly.”
“What’s so important we meet today and not Sunday’s as usual?” Justin Adams asked sipping a steaming cup of coffee.
“I have a final walk-through at 7:00, so let’s make this quick. This is my biggest sale in Pebblebrook.” Danny Ericson mumbled as he wolfed down a stack of pancakes. “And Fulton, if you call a meeting, make sure you show up on time.
“Are you going to answer my question? Justin said motioning for the newest and hottest waitress at Grumpy’s Diner to come take his order.
“Two words. Katie Sims.” Fulton said just as Ryan moved his hand across his throat indicating for Fulton to go silent until Tina, the waitress, came and went.
“What the fuck are you talking about?” Danny said. “We promised a decade or two ago to never mention the lovely Katie.
“She’s in town. For good.” Fulton always liked being rather terse.
“For whose good?” Ryan asked.
“Stupid. She’s moved here from New York City. She’s teaching English at the high school.” Fulton said almost becoming windy.
“How do you know?” Justin asked.
“I didn’t see her, but she came to the bank yesterday afternoon to open a checking account for her daughter. I saw it early this morning on the New Accounts printout.” Fulton said alternating looking at each of his three friends and scanning the dining room for potential eavesdroppers.
“I say this doesn’t even justify a quick heads-up on the phone, much less a meeting. What’s the big deal?” Ryan said cramming three slices of bacon into his mouth at one time.
“I agree.” Danny added. “She doesn’t know anything. We made sure of that. Even if she did, all we need do is deny everything she would say. By the way, where is Warren? Why is he not here?”
“Nashville. A pastor’s conference of some sort. He’ll be back tomorrow. I’ll tell him then.” Fulton said eating the last spoonful of his oatmeal.
Ryan let out a low groan as he looked over at Tina two tables over. “I wouldn’t mind having that for breakfast. Come to think of it, I have an idea. Why don’t we do us a little replay with the lovely Katie. She liked it rough, just like me.”
“Ryan, get your mind out of the gutter. We’re not teenagers anymore.” Fulton said regretting having to spend a minute with the crude and vile Radford.
“As Ryan says, what’s the big deal?” Justin asked, looking at Fulton.
“Cullie Sims was born September 23, 2003. I saw it on her account application. That’s exactly nine months after our little roll in the hay with Katie Sims. Doesn’t that strike any of you as more than mere coincidence?” Fulton was always the most serious of the sons of the Flaming Five, the fathers who broke every high school basketball record within a hundred miles when they thrilled audiences during the early seventies.
“Let me make sure I understood you. Exactly. You are saying that one of us, including Warren, is the father of Cullie Sims?” Danny asked, laying his cell phone face down beside his plate.
“Right. How could it be anything else? I don’t know much about genes and science, but it seems to me that one of our little sperms found its way to one of Katie’s little eggs.” Fulton’s statement surprised the other three. It was so out of character for him to attempt any humor.
“I say you’re making too much of this. That was nearly fifteen years ago. What would she gain from bringing it up now? We would deny it and she would look silly. Even if she proved that I was the father of Cullie, couldn’t I say that we had consensual sex and had never been told Katie became pregnant.” Justin said.
“Let’s hope, at the worst, it would be that simple.” Fulton said looking for the time on his cell phone. “I have to go.”
“Me too.” Danny added.
As the four went their separate ways it wasn’t a stretch to guess that each of them, today, and Warren, tomorrow, would spend countless time pondering the potential effects from Katie Sims move to Boaz.
The Pencil Driven Life 