Lone Star Book Blog Tours - Angel Thieves by Kathi Appelt

ANGEL THIEVES

by

KATHI APPELT

Young Adult / Magical Realism / Historical / Contemporary
Publisher: Atheneum / Caitlyn Dlouhy Books

Date of Publication: March 12, 2019

Number of Pages: 336

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An ocelot. A slave. An angel thief.

Multiple perspectives spanning across time are united through themes of freedom, hope, and faith in a most unusual and epic novel from Newbery Honor–winning author and National Book Award finalist Kathi Appelt.

Sixteen-year-old Cade Curtis is an angel thief. After his mother’s family rejected him for being born out of wedlock, he and his dad moved to the apartment above a local antique shop. The only payment the owner Mrs. Walker requests: marble angels, stolen from graveyards, for her to sell for thousands of dollars to collectors. But there’s one angel that would be the last they’d ever need to steal; an angel, carved by a slave, with one hand open and one hand closed. If only Cade could find it…

Zorra, a young ocelot, watches the bayou rush past her yearningly. The poacher who captured and caged her has long since lost her, and Zorra is getting hungrier and thirstier by the day. Trapped, she only has the sounds of the bayou for comfort—but it tells her help will come soon.

Before Zorra, Achsah, a slave, watched the very same bayou with her two young daughters. After the death of her master, Achsah is free, but she’ll be damned if her daughters aren’t freed with her. All they need to do is find the church with an angel with one hand open and one hand closed…

In a masterful feat, National Book Award Honoree Kathi Appelt weaves together stories across time, connected by the bayou, an angel, and the universal desire to be free.

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PRAISE FOR ANGEL THIEVES:

Spiritual, succinct, and emotionally gripping. 

-- School Library Journal

A heartfelt love letter to Houston that acknowledges the bad parts of its history while uplifting the good. -- BCBB

Shows the best and worst sides of humanity and underscores the powerful force of the bayou, which both holds and erases secrets.  

-- Publishers Weekly

Narrative strands are like tributaries that begin as separate entities but eventually merge into a single thematic connection: that love, whether lost or found, is always powerful. -- Horn Book

Richly drawn and important. -- Booklist, starred review

One Small Sentence

Guest Post by Kathi Appelt

I want to tell you a small part of my experience of writing Angel Thieves. To a certain extent, all of my books feel a bit slippery as they come into being, but this one was like trying to walk a dozen cats on the ends of a dozen leashes. The various story lines kept getting tangled up and twisted. There were moments when I just wanted to toss it all, for sure. And just when I thought I had it in place, it slipped away again.

In fact, the ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) is basically draft #38 out of maybe 52 drafts? (I stopped counting a year ago). Anyways, I made substantial changes to the manuscript after the ARC came out, so if you happen to have one, use it to study and show how a book can change from one draft to another, especially when it comes to the ending.

There are over fifty-thousand words at play here. It took me three years to get those words all arranged in just the right way. And yet . . .

Yet . . .

There was one sentence that just kept eluding me. One critical sentence. Only three words long.

It first occurs on page 83 when my young protagonist Cade has just come face to face with his biological mother for the first time. At six years old, the trauma of it was overwhelming and Cade did the only thing he could think to do—ducked into the bathroom and locked the door.

Minutes later, he hears his dad Paul on the other side of the door, who tells him the best words ever: “I’ll always be right here.” Of course, those are perfect words to say to a kid who has just experienced a major moment in his life. They’re satisfying and comforting and all of that. They work well in that particular time and space.

But fast forward ten years and 213 pages. Now on page 296, Cade is sixteen, and he is the one who is in the position of being the comforter. I wanted him to say those exact best words ever, in an attempt to pull the story threads together. And while “I’ll always be right here,” suffices, it’s just not exactly right.

My friends, that sentence drove me nuts. I kept trying to massage it, to rub it into something more pliable and that suited both instances more fully. I could not figure it out. I kept changing it, kept trying other sentences, other words.

I knew what I wanted both Paul and Cade to express, I knew what their hearts had to say, but the way to say it kept slipping from my grasp. I can’t tell you how frustrating that was.

However, even more frustrating was the moment when I realized the exact right sentence, because by then it was too late. The book had already gone to the printer. I had this eureka moment, but there wasn’t much I could do about it.

The good news is that my wonderful editor, Caitlyn Dlouhy, was able to make the change for the audio edition (which is brilliantly read by my daughter-in-law Laurel Kathleen), and if the book is lucky enough to go to a second printing, then it’ll show up then. But if it doesn’t, I hope you’ll write it in on pages 83 and 296.

“There’s love enough.” This is what Paul should have said to Cade, which in turn Cade says to Zorra. “There’s love enough.”

In so many ways, I feel like that small, three-word sentence is what the entire book is about. It means that when love is present, it doesn’t take mountains of it to create a miracle. It doesn’t require quantification. Love is love is love. When it’s present, there’s enough. And that’s what matters.

Kathi Appelt is the author of the Newbery Honoree, National Book Award finalist, PEN USA Literary Award–winning, and bestselling The Underneath as well as the National Book Award finalist The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp, Maybe a Fox (with Alison McGhee), Keeper, and many picture books including Counting Crows and Max ... Attacks. 

She has two grown children and lives in College Station, Texas, with her husband and their six cats. She serves as a faculty member at Vermont College of Fine Arts in their MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults program.

Website  ║  Twitter ║ Facebook ║ Instagram 
Blog  ║ Goodreads  ║  BookBub
Amazon Author Page  ║  Pinterest

Learn more by visiting the Angel Thieves Pinterest Boards!

-------------------------------------

GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY!

THREE SIGNED COPIES OF ANGEL THIEVES

SEPTEMBER 24-OCTOBER 4, 2019

(U.S. Only)

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VISIT THE OTHER GREAT BLOGS ON THE TOUR

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9/24/19	Book Trailer	StoreyBook Reviews
9/25/19	Review	Missus Gonzo
9/26/19	Guest Post	Story Schmoozing Book Reviews
9/26/19	Guest Post	That's What She's Reading
9/27/19	Review	Hall Ways Blog
9/28/19	Guest Post	Sybrina's Book Blog
9/28/19	Guest Post	Reading by Moonlight
9/29/19	Review	Forgotten Winds
9/30/19	Review	Momma on the Rocks
10/1/19	Playlist	Chapter Break Book Blog
10/1/19	Author Interview	Texas Book Lover
10/2/19	Review	The Clueless Gent
10/3/19	Review	All the Ups and Downs

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Goddess Fish Promotions - Fire Song by Tanya Anne Crosby

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Tanya Anne Crosby will be awarding signed copies of the Daughters of Avalon series (3 books)(US ONLY) to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Fire Song

by Tanya Anne Crosby

GENRE: Historical Romance/Fantasy

Praised for her beauty and grace, deep down, Seren Pendragon fears a tempest rising inside her. Her mother is a witch, her sisters are in peril, and she has been promised to a beast of a man who's already murdered one king. When she and her youngest sister seize the opportunity for escape neither realizes how much their struggle will cost, and it will take a terrible tragedy to unleash Seren’s inner fire and true nature.



The Bastard of Warkworth is no stranger to misfortune. Everything he held dear vanished one night in a wisp of smoke and fire, and he has been scarred by his encounters with Seren's own mother, Morwen Pendragon. Even so, when one of the witch’s daughters finds herself in trouble, Wilhelm must find the champion within and ride to her rescue.

Read an Excerpt



“Where are you going?” she asked in surprise.



“Home,” he said irascibly.



“Nay, my lord—not lest you mean to go by ship. And you’ll not put me on another one after what I have witnessed. You would have to gag and bind me, and tis not very likely I would stand still to allow it.”



“I am not your lord,” he said again. “I’m no man’s lord.” And he kept riding, without bothering to turn back. Seren cast Jack a bewildered glance. The boy shrugged.



It was her habit, she supposed, to call every man of consequence lord. Somehow, it seemed better to give Wilhelm deference, but he clearly did not like it. And yet, he behaved like a willful lord, doing whatsoever pleased, keeping whatever pace he saw fit, and never bothering to ask what Seren would like to do. Hadn’t he said he was here to help? Well, he hadn’t had very much to say since insisting she accept his aid.



“Wait here,” she said to Jack, and spurred her mare to catch up with the sour-faced lout. “I do not mean to disparage you,” she confessed. “Tis but that you seem more a lord to me than most lords do.”



He grunted in answer, but kept going, and Seren frowned.



How was she supposed to travel with his man, who seemed so intent upon ignoring her? He hadn’t said much of anything since retrieving Jack.



“What in the name of St. Afan would you have me call you if not lord?”



“Wilhelm,” he replied. “And since when do you Pendragon sisters swear by the name of saints?”



Seren lifted her chin. “I lived most of my life in a priory,” she informed him. And then she whispered, “I cannot very well swear by the Goddess, can I? Else Jack will wonder.”



“Well,” he said. “That’s your fault. Had you left the boy in Dover you wouldn’t have to pretend you are someone you are not. And anyway, I doubt he knows St. Afan, either.”



Had he somehow taken offense? “Do you know St. Afan?”



“Nay,” he said. “And neither do I aspire to. He’s some Welshman, by the sounds of him. But, more importantly, do you know who he is?”



Seren frowned. “Nay, sir. I do not,” she confessed. “Though I did hear Father Ersinius invoke him on occasion. I am not so much impressed by saints.”



“What are you impressed by?”



Seren bristled. She was not going to confess herself to this impertinent stranger. “What I wouldst like to know is what you wish me to call you if not lord—can you, please, stop! Please?” She reined in her horse, peering back at Jack, who was staring at them with furrowed brows.



“Nay,” he replied, without turning.



Seren sighed, and moved forward once more. “Where are you going?”



“Home, I said.”



She furrowed her brow. “You are not going home! Did you not read that sign? You are going to Ramsgate, returning to the ocean, and, once again, I will remind you that lest you have a ship, or you and your horse would like to have a good swim, the road to Canterbury is the road best traveled.”



Finally, he stopped, turning to look at her, and his cheeks appeared to bloom. Without a word, he spun his mare about, trotting back toward Jack, who was still waiting right where Seren left him. Wilhelm passed him by, never sparing him or the signpost a glance.



He couldn’t read, she realized, with blinding insight.



About the Author:

Tanya Anne Crosby is the New York Times/USA Today bestselling author of more than thirty novels, including works of women’s fiction, suspense, historical romance and fantasy. Known for stories charged with emotion and humor and filled with flawed characters, she is an award-winning author, and her stories have garnered reader praise and glowing critical reviews.



Tanya has been featured in magazines, such as People, Romantic Times and Publisher’s Weekly, and her stories have been translated into eight languages. Her first novel (Angel of Fire) was published in 1992 by Avon Books, where she was hailed as “one of Avon’s fastest rising stars.” Her fourth book (Once Upon a Kiss) was chosen to launch the company’s Avon Romantic Treasure imprint. She and her writer husband currently split their time between Charleston, SC, where she was raised, and northern Michigan, where the couple make their home.



Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tanyaannecrosby/

Website: https://www.tanyaannecrosby.com/



Buy Links:



Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Fire-Daughters-Avalon-Tanya-Crosby/dp/1947204378

KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/fire-song-11

BN: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fire-song-tanya-anne-crosby/1130052932



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The Blue Unicorn's Journey To Osm Reader Review by Sherry F

The Blue Unicorn's Journey To Osm

 Reader Review by Sherry F

By Sherry Fundin 

There’s no place like home…OSM means awesome.

He is supposed to be their savior. But how can that be possible? He has no magic.He feels an outsider, he just doesn’t fit in. Does anyone feel a touch of Rudolph in this?The fun, colorful, imaginative illustrations are wonderful, filled with fantastical creatures, both good and bad.Each creature is unique, individual, just like in real life.Is there such a thing as a fish unicorn? If so, imagine the possibilities.Set your imagination free.The Blue Unicorn…reads like old time fairy tales…where life and death choices are made…And …maybe, you will learn why you never see a unicorn.This magical fantasy filled with fun and humor, sadness and happiness, and lessons learned. We are not alone.

Get the book in print for your fantasy library collection.

Want the book?  Just click on the appropriate book icon in the left sidebar of this blog.

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Sybrina's Blue Unicorn Book Store - Unicorn Sneakers

Unicorn Sneakers

Sybrina's Blue Unicorn Book Store

Where you'll find unicorns, more unicorns and nothing but unicorns! Visit now.

  Brought to you by Journey To Osm

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Unicorn Book Feature - The Sable Moon by Nancy Springer

Sybrina's Unicorn Book Pick

Unicorns!  How we love them. . .Luckily for all of us unicorn lovers there are hundreds of unicorn books available for all age groups.  I have gathered information about as many as I can find and have placed them here for you in one convenient spot on my blog.  Today's Unicorn Book Feature is

The Sable Moon

 By Nancy Springer

A headstrong young prince, enslaved far from home, must rescue his imperiled kingdom and those he loves from an ancient dark sorcery in Nancy Springer’s magnificent third entry in the Book of Isle

The life of young Prince Trevyn of Isle changes forever on the day a mysterious boy named Gwern is welcomed without question into the family’s castle. Stubborn and resentful of the unwanted intrusion, the errant teenage prince abandons his home and soon finds himself both in love and in jeopardy. Enraptured by the village girl Meg, he incurs the wrath of Wael, a powerful warlock, by saving the lady of his heart and her people from certain destruction.

But young Trevyn’s trials have only just begun. Lured across the seas by his vengeful foe, he is captured and enslaved, and must somehow find his way to freedom. For the unprotected Isle is now at Wael’s mercy, and love will surely die if the boy-prince cannot return to the realm as its champion.

A classic epic fantasy in the grand tradition of J. R. R. Tolkien, set in an ancient island sanctuary of gods and ghosts and magic, Nancy Springer’s captivating Book of Isle saga is brimming with adventure, romance, evil, mythic quests, legendary history, and ingeniously imagined locales.

Get it at Amazon.

Find hundreds of unicorn books for all ages at Sybrina's Blue Unicorn Book Store.

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Unicorn Reader - Unicorn Reading - Do Not Disturb Tee Shirt

Unicorn Reader Collection

From Sybrina

Unicorn Reading - Do Not Disturb Tee Shirt 

Unicorn Reading... - Basic Women's Tee - BL

by sybrinad

Unicorn Reading - Do Not Disturb Tee Shirt.  This tee shirt with black logo design is from The Unicorn Reader collection.  It is also available white White Logo on dark fabrics. It comes in several styles and colors from Adult S to Adult 2X.

Click Below To See The Entire Unicorn Reader Collection

Unicorn Reader

by Sybrina

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Sybrina's Blue Unicorn Book Store - Unicorn Oragami Necklace

Unicorn Oragami Necklace

Sybrina's Blue Unicorn Book Store

Where you'll find unicorns, more unicorns and nothing but unicorns! Visit now.

  Brought to you by Journey To Osm

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Pump Up Your Book Blog Tour - Mall by Pattie Palmer-Baker

MALL

Pattie Palmer-Baker

* Dystopian *

Title: MALL

Author: Pattie Palmer-Baker

Publisher: Del Sol Press

Pages: 272

Genre: Dystopian

A Novel by Pattie Palmer-Baker Winner of the Del Sol Most Promising Novel, 2017


MALL is a sparkling alternate world where everyone is beautiful,
employed with enough income to consume and to experience a myriad of
pleasures including drugs, gambling, theater, holographic adventures. No
poverty and little or no crime. A lot of sex.




But what about the Mall Code? And what happens when Sara, a 21st
century woman, accidentally finds her way into this alien yet familiar
world? Nona, a MALL mental health practitioner treats Sara upon her
arrival and goes against the Code to help her acclimate. Sara seems to
be just what she needs, an antidote to Nona’s secret and growing
boredom.




At first Sara desperately wants to get home, and, as she seeks a way
out as well as answers about her new reality, Nona begins to see MALL in
a new light. Is abundant gratification enough?




Things aren’t all beauty and pleasure. Sara experiences dancing in a
dangerous orgiastic dance club on a lower level. She attends a gambling
session where people bet on living more years when their “number’s up”
and a “passing ceremony,” where Mallites are supposedly resurrected into a new life.


Junkers, outsiders lurking on the fringes of MALL, have been fighting
Mall Management’s control by creating increasingly dangerous
disturbances. For years they have struggled to discover an exit, based
on rumors of those who made it Outside and were never heard from again.
Through them Sara and Nona meet someone who might help them escape. They
both must make the choice that will change their lives forever.




Who will risk leaving and who will decide to stay?




MALL by Pattie Palmer-Baker was recently published by Del Sol Press and winner of the Del Sol Press Most Promising Book, 2017.


ISBN: 978-0-9998425-5-3.

GUEST POST:

 Mall, a Novel in Search for an Author

The last thing I wanted to do was write a novel.

I love reading works about alternative worlds. I imagine realities where animals can talk or people can read minds or aging happens in reverse – things like that. Then one day, about twenty years ago when malls were still thriving, I wondered what would it be like if everyone lived in malls. (I loved shopping). Would people live in apartments scattered among the shops? Or on separate floors? What would they do all day? How would they be employed? I imagined all kinds of things which dissolved in my unorganized brain, so I began to write my ideas. A novel started to form, one that I would abandon to work on my artwork or poetry, sometimes for years, and then come back to it. Writing seemed to be the only way I could keep track and expand this concept.

As time went on, I cast aside the idea of numerous malls in favor of one giant Mall, a closed system in response to a cataclysmic event. Because our malls were the foundation of Mall, the goals of shoppers in our time became the goals of the residents, called Mallites, such as the desire to be beautiful with gorgeous clothes. No problem. In Mall, almost everyone is gorgeous with attire beyond your dreams. Not enough to do? Not so in Mall, a place with a myriad of amusements including nonaddictive drugs, a lot of sex and all kinds of virtual reality entertainment. What about not being able to afford what’s for sale? No need to worry. Poverty doesn’t exist, nor does unemployment so everyone can purchase what they want. In fact, the Mall Code demands everyone must consume heavily.

Mall is a world where the purpose of life is to pursue pleasure. No suffering. How could that be achieved? How would they eliminate emotional pain? In the early days of Mall, the Mall Fathers decided that the root of all psychic pain was close relationships. When devising the Mall Code, they forbade intimacy and created countless kinds of amusement. Pleasure, they believed would be enough, along with long lives (for some), and no poverty or crime.

While I was creating this alternative world, something else bubbled to the surface. Where did this idea of no deep attachments come from? Actually, not really surprising considering that for twenty-five years, I worked as a counselor and had seen firsthand how much people suffer over failed or conflicted relationships.

But what would a world be like where deep friendships and romantic love were forbidden? Would guaranteed employment and endless pleasure be enough? Maybe not for everyone. Nona, a Mental Health Practitioner secretly feels empty and bored. Then Sara, a woman from our world somehow enters Mall. Not surprisingly, she freaks out. When Mall Guards witness her uncontrollable actions, they bring her to Nona. Sara’s outlandish beliefs and emotional outbursts electrify Nona. As time goes on, Nona learns about feelings, about friendship, about taking risks. On the other hand, Sara, who suffers from a troubled marriage and a difficult childhood, finds the lifestyle tempting. Not at first, but over time her commitment to return home weakens. She is overjoyed when Mall plastic surgeons make her beautiful. Without any pain! What else? Fun, adventure, an amusing job and handsome men everywhere.

The more Nona does to help Sara pass as a Mallite, the more danger they encounter. Like involvement with the shadowy rebel group, the Junkers.

Junkers want to be free of Mall Management’s control, and many of them want out. Impossible in this closed world? Maybe not. Could they help Sara find her way home? Does she even want to? How about Nona disillusioned by her once flat and boring existence and in trouble with the authorities?

Would you want to go home? Or would you want to stay in this supposed Shangri la?

 PRAISE:

What a suspenseful journey Mall was—a real “page-turner”- 
imaginative with firm command of psychological expression and dialogue!
Pattie Palmer-Baker captures some of the sexual contradictions,
insecurities, and darker motivations of her female characters, and the
complex relationships between women. The “surface” allusions to sex and
violence throughout the story line work well with the superficial world
she describes. Sex all the time—and yet, really, not much explicit
writing about actual sexual encounters—the same for violence. This
tension of content and form works well for me. What gives pleasure? What
gives pain? The many hallways and mirrored rooms give the setting a
creepy fun-house effect and increase the sense of a closed world and
claustrophobic doom. Her descriptions of the Mallites’ physical
appearances and their individual choice of costume in this strange place
is creative—a breath of lightness in this frank examination of our
quandary about the meaning of freedom in an existential existence. What is real? I was “on the run” with Sara for the entire read! And what a turn at the end!


— Cathy Cain, Portland poet and artist

ORDER YOUR COPY AT AMAZON

______________________

“I want to be
clear, Natalie: are you saying that you’re having sex with this man more often
than the Code dictates unless pair-bonded?” Nona asked, fidgeting slightly.

Natalie nodded, red curls bobbing.
“Sometimes. The sex is good, but that’s not why I seek out his company. I can’t
find the words to ...”

Puzzled, Nona stopped listening.
Was Natalie trying to say the sex was not good enough to pair-bond? If that
were the case, any Mental Health Practitioner would know how to remedy it. If
Natalie’s actions weren’t against Mall’s Code, Nona would interrupt and tell
her. Surprisingly, this restriction pressed on her in an unfamiliar manner, a
physical pressure in the area just above her stomach, like the sting she
sometimes felt when she adminned a dart. But relief would have to wait.

Natalie’s voice dropped again to
almost a whisper. “You won’t tell, will you? That we have sex secretly? Or that
we meet to talk in one of our quarters?”

Nona’s interest quickened. “No,
anything you say in here is protected by client/patient confidentiality. May I
ask why you meet in your rooms when that also is expressly forbidden?”

“Are you sure you won’t reveal
anything I say to you?”

“Yes. Please know, Natalie, that
even if I wanted to, Mental Health Practitioners cannot.”

“We meet,
well, to talk about what he believes is wrong with Mall.” She paused to search
Nona’s face. “Okay, I’ll tell you the part that you can never tell: he’s a
Junker.”

The confession stunned Nona into
silence. Never before had any of her clients divulged such a shocking fact.
Before she could speak, as suddenly as it had been happening so often in the
last few weeks, the lights went out. “I do apologize. You probably have also
experienced this annoying event too many times. Usually the lights go...” Light
flooded the room at that moment. “See, no harm done, and I will add two extra
minutes to your session.” Nona inched up in her chair to look more closely at
Natalie. “I confess that I am taken aback by your admission that you’ve been
meeting with a Junker. Of course, I will not reveal this, but I can’t
understand why. We all know that Junkers are causing the disturbances occurring
throughout Mall. How do you feel about pursuing this strange relationship with
someone who belongs to this group?”

“I admit I find it troubling. But
not so much that ... Oh I don’t know what to do!” She wrung her hands and
lowered her head.

Nona was at a loss. Most of her clients
wanted to revitalize all kinds of things, from virtual reality rock climbing to
interactive story creation and, most often, sexual experiences. Except for
Natalie, the complaint was the same for everyone: the experience lacked
novelty, and the client wanted to rekindle the thrill. And strange, wasn’t it,
that the boredom Nona felt when she listened to the repetitive and stale
grievances was for her a symptom of the same problem? The only subject she did
find interesting was clients’ fear of death, but most refused to discuss it in
much detail. All she had to go on was body language—those subtle, involuntary
physiological effects revealing intense discomfort. If only she could persuade
them to go into detail, but that, too, would be against the Code. Never
insist that someone talk about a subject that would make the speaker
uncomfortable, and that even included Mental Health Practitioners. She
certainly did not feel bored with Natalie. Excited and, yes, a little scared.
Not only did Natalie know a Junker, she had a relationship with him. What
should she do? She wished she could discuss with her colleague and former
pair-bond, Royce.

!2

Suddenly, the entry gong sounded,
startling her out of her train of thoughts. Natalie gasped, rising from her
chair. “God of Reincarnation, am I in trouble?” She fell back into her chair
when the door slid open and a black-and-silver uniformed man strode in.

“Pardon me, may I ask why you are
here?” Nona asked, stepping back. She seldom encountered a Finance Policeman.

“Your presence is required soon at
a Mall Management meeting,” he announced in a deep, authoritarian voice.

“Please excuse me. I am
confused—why me? Mental Health Practitioners never attend those meetings.”

“They do not inform me about the
subject of their meetings. Even if I did know, I would not divulge it.”

“Yes, of course,” she hastened to
reassure him. “I have never been to Level 100, so please, can you tell me when
and where to go?”

“Not necessary. I will return and
accompany you at the appointed time.” He spun around and out the door.

Natalie sighed audibly. “Oh, God of
Reincarnation, I thought somehow you had alerted the Finance Police about my
code violation.”

“No, as I said, I would not and
cannot. Please continue.”

“I wonder what the meeting will be
about.” Natalie looked over at the door. “I’m afraid for my friend ...”

Nona interrupted. “Please excuse me for cutting in. You said
friend. Do you have a heart- friend contract with him?”

“No—I would, but he refuses because…I don’t think I want to
talk about this anymore.”

Nona quashed the desire to try to persuade her. “Do you have
anything else to discuss? Our meeting is drawing to a close.”

“Sort of. At work, Delta stole one of my ideas. I planned on
letting Stan know because I earned the extra credit …”

Again Nona’s attention veered away. What was this
meeting she was summoned to? Was it about the disturbances? Just the other day
her office went dark twice, both times during sessions, and one of the
blackouts lasted a half hour. The next words out of Natalie’s mouth snagged her
attention.

“Delta must have heard or seen him enter my quarters. She
red-mailed me into keeping silent about her creative theft in trade for her not
revealing that Code violation. To make it worse, she overheard him tell me
before entering my room the date for the Junker’s next meeting. He wanted me to
attend.”

Nona shifted in her seat. What should she do? How could she
help her? “I, as your Mental Health Practitioner, would not want you to take
such a risk. If you are experiencing curiosity, I can prescribe something that
will eliminate that undesirable feeling—have you heard of the new pharm,
Freedomfrum?” Before she could stop herself, Nona asked, “Did your friend tell
you where the meeting would be?”

“Thank you for the offer of the pharm prescription. I really
don’t need it. It’s not exactly curiosity. I just can’t explain it. I do have
an idea where they’ll meet: somewhere on one of the lower Levels.” She raised
her head abruptly. “Why do you want to know?”

Why was a good question. Was it because she wanted to
be a proper Mallite and report this meeting? No, that wasn’t it. She couldn’t,
anyway. Did she want to meet a Junker? Was that what she really wanted? No one
knew who they were or where they met. What was this unusual tenseness she was
feeling? Strangely, it was not unpleasant. The chance to talk with a Junker
excited her—that was it—a feeling she had not experienced for a very long time.
      

Before Nona could answer, an alert gong sounded, followed by
a loud voice announcing, “Mall Emergency! You are the MHP on call. Guards will
contact you in thirty seconds.” Nona stood abruptly and said, “Please excuse
me, Natalie; it would be best if you left at once. We can schedule another
appointment later.”

“Oh, God of Reincarnation, a Mall Emergency! I’ll leave
immediately,” Natalie said, voice shaking. She scurried to the opening door and
hurried out.

 

Pattie Palmer-Baker is a recognized award-winning artist and poet.
Her artwork has been exhibited in galleries throughout the Pacific
Northwest. Locally and nationally she has won numerous awards for her
art and poetry.




An accomplished poet, Pattie had been nominated for the Pushcart
Poetry Prize. Her work has appeared in many journals including Calyx,
Voicecatcher, Military Experience the Arts, Minerva Rising and Phantom
Drift. In 2017 she earned first prize in the Write to Publish contest,
and in 2019 she won first, second, and the Bivona prize in the Ageless
Poetry contest.  She has served as the poetry co-editor for VoiceCatcher: a journal of women’s voices and visions.




Del Sol Press awarded MALL first prize for the most promising first novel in 2017.




Pattie lives in Portland, Oregon with her beloved husband and rescued dachshund.




Her website is www.pattiepalmerbaker.com/.




You can follow her at Facebook at https://tinyurl.com/yykrz36e.