PROLOGUE
During her last moments, she did not watch as the memories of her life slid past her mind’s eye, nor did she take the time to say goodbye to those she loved.

I am proud to announce the publication of my first piece “Running in Circles.” The story is a short-short (under 200 words), but it is a milestone for me on several levels.
This marks the first time I’ve sold something I’ve written, and at the same time, it marks the first actual bylined publication I’ve secured. (It’s not uncommon for writers to make a sale only to wait an indefinite period of time for the work to see publication, and sometimes, publication never happens.)
Those of you who know me should …

I received some exciting news yesterday: on the heels of my recent rejection, the second piece I submitted to the same publication was purchased and will be appearing in the next few weeks.
When it’s released, I’ll post details here. For now, keep your fingers crossed for me to get the opportunity to read the story as well: the publisher combines written work with podcasts, and it would be a real bonus to be the voice behind my own story.

Neither the steady hum of the overhead fluorescents, nor their rhythmic flickering had an effect on Detective Wilson as he sat alone, bent over, and intently studying the hand-written words in front of him. His surroundings were as familiar as his own home, and like the unique noises of the detective’s house, the idiosyncrasies of Interview Room #3 were ingrained in his subconscious.
Wilson turned another page in the diary that lay before him on the tabletop. Over the past twelve years, the pages on which Charles Douglas Lane …

I was seventeen years old when my father murdered Rose Acres, and while I haven’t yet decided if the term murder fits, that’s the word my father used. A week after he’d done it, he’d driven his car off a cliff and was dead also. I was left alone to face a town that was still reeling from the events and divided over what was truth and what was fiction.
Since the fire destroyed almost everything I own, I can’t help but feel as if some of what my …

My name is Karen Deerborne. I am a prosecuting attorney, and as such, I am used to establishing things. I tell you this because I want to be clear: I am not a promiscuous woman. I am not a risk-taker. I have never been picked up by a stranger in a bar, and until last night, I had never had anonymous sex.
* * *
The digital clock on my desk flashed as 11:59 pm turned into 12:00 am. Exhausted and feeling the weight of the previous day settling on my shoulders, …