The Story Continues. . .

We interrupt our regular Author Interview program this Wednesday to bring you an episode in Deana Barnhart's Blogfest--Week 2: The Story Chain. Though I'm not in the market for an agent, this looked like a lot of fun so I jumped on board. Then I got my assignment and I panicked. Introduce a subplot? Really? Can I do this? At least I've got some salacious "s" words to incorporate--suffocate, sell, and shut up. On that note, here goes nothing. Read what came before over at Callie Kingston's

"Wait. Did you say my parents drowned in Istanbul?"

"Wait. Did you say my parents drowned in Istanbul?"

Tony wiped his hand over his face. "Did I say Istanbul?"

Dio's parents were not in Turkey. They'd gone to Prague to sell a rare thunder egg. "Why are you lying?" Dio asked. 

"Shut up and get in the car," Sandy said, motioning to Tony. 

Dio stared at their faces. How had she not noticed? The mole under Uncle Tony's right eye had moved to the left and the dimple in Sandy's chin had disappeared. 

Who were these people? 

Dio turned to run, but the man posing as Uncle Tony grabbed her, putting his hand over her mouth and nose. "If you don't settle down, you'll suffocate and die, and you'll never see your parents again."


Read what comes next at my buddy, JRo's

The Page Turner

First off, I'd like to give a warm welcome to all of you lovely people who have started following this blog in the past year. Some of you I know, others I've not yet gotten acquainted with. Thank you for taking the time to visit. I hope you are all benefiting in one way or another. I look forward to knowing you better.

 Deana Barnhart is hosting a blast of a blogfest this month for all sorts of writerly types, especially for those preparing to cross that bridge from unagented to agented. Even though I crossed that bridge earlier this year, I thought the party looked like fun, so I decided to pop in for the kickoff this week.

This party's getting started with a writing question that you all are supposed to help me answer. So here is the question that is burning in my mind right now:

 What is it about a story that keeps you turning the pages until you get to the last one even though it's 4 am and you need to be at work in less than 3 hours?

Not that anything like this has ever happened to any of you, right? I'm still gathering my ideas on this question and will share them at the end of the day. What are your thoughts? What makes a page turner?