 | 22 Feb 12 |
Available NOW!!
Many of you may already know that our first ever MurderSheWrites anthology went live yesterday. It’s been a heck of a journey, and we’re all feeling a bit like proud mama hens
GUNS AND ROSES features all-new stories from some of your favorite authors of romance and suspense! Learn more here, or get your copy now:
My story in the Guns & Roses anthology does not feature characters from any of my series.
Nope. Instead, it features a character who is the protagonist in any number of books that have not yet seen the light of day. His name is Joe Bashir and I first imagined him into existence back in the summer of 2007. I’d written romance and women’s fiction before then, but never a full-fledged mystery, and I knew I would need a really special character to build my new book around.
Joe Bashir is the sort of hero who never set out to be a hero. While trying to balance the demands of a traditional culture while growing up an American teenager, the unthinkable happened – Joe’s father was the victim of senseless violence, a post-911 hate crime. Joe set aside his plans to become an engineer and became a cop instead.
I’m just a little bit in love with Joe. In addition to being ferociously committed to justice, he’s also, ahem, easy on the eyes and powerfully built (he practices an obscure form of Chinese martial arts). I built him a whole supporting cast of characters, wrote him into several short stories and a novel called HOLD FAST TO THIS, and outlined several more. So far, Joe has yet to see publication in a full-length novel, but his day – I hope – will come.
In “A Punishing Night,” Joe investigates a murder that takes place at his alma mater, the fictional University of California San Bernardino. Here’s an excerpt:
- – - – - – - -
Through the wide double doors that opened onto the dormitory lounge, Joe could see the girls, at least a dozen. Most were still wearing what they slept in, which ranged from baggy T-shirts and boxer shorts to thin camisoles which barely covered their breasts. They lay about the sofas and chairs of the dorm’s lounge like women in an Ingres tableau.
Noticing Joe, a girl got to her bare feet and padded over to the door. Her thin tank top read “Boys Suck”. Her eyes were a beautiful, clear green, the effect ruined by smudged black rims. It looked as though she’d lined them with a magic marker and a shaking hand.
“Are you in charge?” The girl demanded.
“I’m Detective Bashir. I’m working with Officer Collier. And you are?”
“Kaylanna Pace. We just want to know if we can like take a shower or something. Or if we have to be stuck in here, you could maybe get some coffee sent up?”
She was clearly the leader, the queen bee. She looked into his eyes with a directness that Joe still found surprising in people her age; his own niece and nephew, the second generation born in California, retained a trace of the bashful gaze cultivated by Pakistani-American parents in their children. Madiha and Taj looked adults in the chin.
“I’ll see if I can do something about refreshments,” Joe said.
“But what if we have to pee?” a girl called from inside the room.
That was a bigger problem, indeed.
In the bathroom down the hall, a dead man waited for Joe.
###
I suppose that in a sense, Joe Bashir is “the one that got away,” my dream man who I haven’t quite found a place for yet. Anyone else have a man in your past who you look back on fondly? Let’s swap some man stories, people – and I’ll be giving away a copy of the anthology to a random commenter!
© 2012, Sophie Littlefield. All rights reserved.
Sophie grew up in central Missouri, daughter of a history professor father and an artist mother. She earned a degree in computer science and made very little use of it. After living in Chicago for ten years, she and her husband packed up the kids and moved to Northern California in 1998.
Most important influences on Sophie's work? The critique group she's belonged to for a decade; her brother, writer Mike Wiecek; and members of the romance and mystery writing communities, who have made for excellent company along the road.
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Hi Sophie,
by Laura Griffin February 22nd, 2012 at 7:33 amI can’t wait to read about Joe! Sounds like he needs his own book.
well, that’s what *I* thought….
by Sophie Littlefield February 22nd, 2012 at 7:51 amI’m with the second girl–”what if we have to pee!?” Can’t wait for Joe’s response! Hope Joe gets his own book, maybe books
The only thing that’s getting away from me right now is time! I have an antho to read–Bobbie Faye has a disaster, Bullets to Catch and who knows what Julie and Martinez are getting in to??? All that and work expects me to show up and do the job they pay me for?? Huh, the nerve
No need to enter me for the antho, I’ve got it!!!
by Catherine February 22nd, 2012 at 7:49 amaw, thanks for picking up the antho catherine!
by Sophie Littlefield February 22nd, 2012 at 7:51 amHooked in a handful of words . . . gotta have me some more Joe!
Thanks, Sophie.
by Leslie February 22nd, 2012 at 8:19 ambless your heart, leslie! i’m getting more and more determined to write more joe stores….
by Sophie Littlefield February 22nd, 2012 at 1:59 pmoops that was supposed to be “stories”…
by Sophie Littlefield February 22nd, 2012 at 1:59 pmMy copy of the anthology is now downloaded. I want to stop everything and start reading! Like right now! *sigh* Unfortunately, life is being beastly and I can’t. Yet.
As for Joe? Yes, he definitely needs his own book. What’s wrong with the in *charge*?!?!
by Silver James February 22nd, 2012 at 8:23 amDang it. I should have waited. LOL In case I won. Oh, well. And I also should have read your post all the way through. I was so excited about Joe and the anthology. *headdesk*
Men who got away? RL or fictional? Since I’ve been married forever, I’m going with fictional (rather than pleading the fifth–or drinking it!
) I have four men, actually, still looking for a home–a sexy former Templar knight turned vampire, a werewolf undercover FBI agent, a fae described as the Queen’s Seducer, and a gargoyle who takes up all the air when he walks into a room. I keep hoping some kind editor will “adopt” them! They’re housebroken and everything.
by Silver James February 22nd, 2012 at 8:29 amyou have the same problem i do, silver – an imagination that turns out potential heroes faster than we can write them…hope you enjoy the anthology!
by Sophie Littlefield February 22nd, 2012 at 9:15 amYou’re an angel, Silver. Silver Angel. Hmm, good title??
by Allison Brennan February 22nd, 2012 at 10:48 am*laughs* Angel? Me? Naw…. Not me, Allison.
And that would make a good title! *swats Iffy and takes her scissors away* No, no bad Muse. I have enough work to do, thank you very much! No new ideas!
by Silver James February 22nd, 2012 at 11:24 amha! i know all about muses who won’t behave!
by Sophie Littlefield February 22nd, 2012 at 2:00 pmI’m just a little bit in love with Joe too, S!
by Lori Armstrong February 22nd, 2012 at 10:38 amoh and if you could see the way i envision him, Lori – yikes, he’s somethin’!
by Sophie Littlefield February 22nd, 2012 at 1:54 pmNo man stories to swap, but I love your snippet! I love stories where someone has one goal, but life intervenes and their goal changes. Engineer … to cop. Dillon Kincaid, in one of my books, was going into sports medicine until his nephew was killed, then changed to forensic psychiatry.
I started reading the anthology last night–I’m so lucky to be in GAR with all of you!
by Allison Brennan February 22nd, 2012 at 10:47 ami started reading the anthology too and have had it throughout my morning of errands etc. DAMN we are a talented bunch of women, if I do say so myself. And i can say that with modesty because mine is toward the back and it will take me a while to get that far!
by Sophie Littlefield February 22nd, 2012 at 1:55 pmDid you ask if we have “a” man in our past…that’s funny. Far too many for this little comment block!
Love your descriptions and how much info you pack about both characters in one exchange.
So honored to be in this antho!!!! xo
by Roxanne St. Claire February 22nd, 2012 at 11:26 amha ha ha i should have been more explicit, rocki – i meant, was there a man in your past that you regret not spending more time with. or something. hell, i’m not sure *what* I meant. I just had men on the brain!
by Sophie Littlefield February 22nd, 2012 at 1:55 pmHi Sophie,
I am looking forward to reading your story.
The idea of changing his career appeals to me, not because he became a cop, because his life took a change after trauma and all that entails.
Okay, I have been married for 39 years so l would go with fictional. I have a guy that is “crying to get out” in a series with my female protagonist. He’s quirky & obsessive particularly when it comes to details of the case!
Fun post!
by Janet Kerr February 22nd, 2012 at 11:50 amooh Janet, when characters come after you like this, it’s always a great idea to let them have a story. (I learned that the hard way by trying to be in charge myself. Never works!) And yes, when Joe showed up he was very clear about his career change. but the inspiration came from the rest of the MSW ladies, who re-ignited a love of men of honor, men who serve…no one does them better than our crew.
by Sophie Littlefield February 22nd, 2012 at 1:57 pmJoe sounds like a hero I can appreciate. It’s even more telling that he’s a hero that never intended to be one.
by Na S. February 22nd, 2012 at 11:51 amIsn’t that the case, Na? I think the reluctant hero resonates for all of us because we know they’re in it for others, not themselves.
by Sophie Littlefield February 22nd, 2012 at 1:58 pmThanks so much for letting us know it’s available. I got hooked last week on the sample where the female protagonist had a killer hangover. Off to buy.
by Catie Rhodes February 22nd, 2012 at 12:48 pmthanks catie! I know all the MSW gals feel blessed with the best readers anywhere.
by Sophie Littlefield February 22nd, 2012 at 1:58 pmJoe sounds dreamy! I have a few boyfriends in hiding. One by one, I’ll introduce them…
by Karin* Tabke aka Harlow! February 22nd, 2012 at 2:12 pmwow, what does your DH have to say about that?
by Sophie Littlefield February 22nd, 2012 at 4:38 pmi have a couple. One a ex boyfriend who was my first love and my second lol He lives around here where i do and is married to a older woman. The other wishes he was a ex of mine but i never saw him that way and didn’t realize he saw me that way but if he did he took to long trying to get me to see it because i was dating my soon to be husband. I didn’t hear from here from years until he popped up on Myspace and now Facebook. We’re still friends but he finally confessed he liked me way back when lol He’s in TX still in the Army and i am in MI. He was my best friend before hubby came along. All of us Army 20 yrs ago. lol
Lisa B
by Lisa B February 22nd, 2012 at 2:35 pmwow lisa, look at you – leaving a trail of broken hearts everywhere you go!
by Sophie Littlefield February 22nd, 2012 at 4:39 pmJoe sounds interesting. Can’t wait to read more.
by Joyce February 22nd, 2012 at 4:15 pmJoe sounds like a very interesting hero. Looking forward to reading his story!
by bn100 February 22nd, 2012 at 4:16 pmthanks for taking a chance on new characters!
by Sophie Littlefield February 22nd, 2012 at 4:40 pmthanks joyce – hope you enjoy the read!
by Sophie Littlefield February 22nd, 2012 at 4:39 pmJust downloaded Guns And Roses to my Nook – can’t wait to read it!
by MaryC February 22nd, 2012 at 5:19 pmI don’t have any stories to report on men who got away, but your Joe sure does sound promising. Can’t wait!
by LSUReader February 22nd, 2012 at 5:37 pmThe way I figure it, every man I dated helped to shape who I am today so I am able to think back on my time with them fondly. That’s not to say that I forgive the piggy moments that they gifted me with but all in all it made me stronger and more resilient!
by Jen B. February 22nd, 2012 at 7:09 pmI believe I could love Joe Bashir very easily.
by Mary Preston February 22nd, 2012 at 11:28 pmJoe sounds like my kind of man I can’t wait to read his story.
by Sherry S. February 23rd, 2012 at 3:09 amLove the excerpt! I can’t wait to read this anthology!
by ClaudiaGC February 23rd, 2012 at 7:13 amdub turbo…
[...]Murder She Writes » Blog Archive » Our Man on the Ground – Joe Bashir[...]…
by dub turbo March 6th, 2012 at 9:50 pm