A Peek at a Novel in Progress

Meghan stared at her twin sister's pale and lifeless body through a haze of tears. Beneath the white hospital blanket Meredith's slim body was still, so unlike her usual exuberant and hyperactive personality. Had it only been six hours ago that Meghan had left left her sister alone on their sixteenth birthday? Had it only been this same evening that Meghan had chosen her friends over her family? What if she had stayed around? Would Meredith still be gone, or would Meghan have averted this successful attempt at suicide?

 Meghan reached beneath the blanket and removed the silver ring from Meredith's hand. She slipped it onto her own ring finger along with her own matching ring. Meghan's parents had given her and Meredith identical rings, two slim silver bands twined together, for a sixteenth birthday present and to honor how alike the girls were.

 I failed you, Meghan whispered to herself. I can't bring you back, but somehow I promise I will find a way to redeem my mistake, to honor your life. I didn't see this coming. I'm sorry.

 She bent and kissed her twin's cool cheek then turned and left the hospital room. Her parents waited outside in the hall and they flanked her, one on each side, and held her hands as the three walked out of the hospital to begin the cold and detached process of planning a funeral.

 Cold and detached that's how Meghan felt as they walked out into the cool night air.

 And so begins my new novel. And so begins Meghan's journey toward redemption. 

 Finding time to write a novel is a challenge but I am becoming absorbed in the story and in the lives of my characters and so as each day passes I am lost further and further into my novel "Safe Places" which means I am more and more motivated to write.

 Like my characters I have goals and motivations that keep my novel writing on track and I will fight passed the conflicts in order to write this novel and get it out into the world.

 Planned deadline for a complete first draft is December 30.

 Wish me luck.

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