Saturday, March 12, 2022

What We're Writing Week: Russ and Hadley and Joy and Harrison

 JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: You know why I love Science Fiction? Because I'm clearly a space case. I had an unusual Friday, and the change of routine was enough to make me completely forget, duh, Saturday is coming, and with it, my turn at What We're Writing Week! With no further ado, a scene set further along during Russ Van Alstyne and Hadley Knox's visit to the state attorney general's building in Albany.




Did Flynn leave any work hanging at the end of the operation? Anything he might have been coming back to work on?” After the security routine she and the chief had gone through, Hadley knew Flynn's trips to Albany, if he'd been returning to this building, must have been logged.

Nothing related to his investigation.” Harrison allowed himself a small smile. “We have a baby ADA who was shadowing the domestic terrorism team. Joy Zhào. I think they were a bit of a thing. He may have stopped by the office to pick her up for a date. Or whatever young people are calling it these days.”

Hadley felt frozen to her seat. A date. Some attorney. Oh, God, what if he'd been shacking up here in Albany the whole time, avoiding his large, nosy clan?

The chief was asking if they could talk to her and Harrison was pressing an phone button and talking, but all Hadley could think of was what an idiot she was going to look like if he had been ducking--

Wait. Flynn might, possibly, ghost his family for a while. She knew from experience how overwhelming that scrimmage of Irishmen could be. But when it came to work, Flynn was conscientious to a fault. Could he have taken personal leave if he'd fallen – more ice in the bottom of her stomach – for another girl? Sure. He was insanely romantic. Could she imagine him blowing off the Syracuse PD and going no-contact with his superiors? No. Never.

Knox?”

The chief had asked her something. She faked a yawn. “Sorry. The kids kept me up late last night.”

He frowned, but whatever he might have said got swallowed by a knock on the door.

C'mon in,” Harrison said.

You wanted to see me?” The girl – and that was the word for her, she was at least ten years younger than Hadley – stepped into the office.

Joy, come on in. These are some folks from where Kevin Flynn used to work, the, um...”

Millers Kill Police Department.” The chief rose and shook the girls hand. “Russ van Alstyne. This is officer Hadley Knox.”

Joy Zhào was model-gorgeous, even in her 2-for-1 sale JC Penny suit. Flawless skin, shining dark hair, huge brown eyes with lashes that had to be extensions, except she wasn't wearing any makeup, and who paid for fancy fake lashes and didn't glam up the rest of her face? Plus, you know, college and law school, which would make her a much better match for Flynn, a guy who had kept books stacked everywhere in his apartment.

It's an extra-long excerpt because I feel extra guilty making you wait. One of the reasons I made Joy Chinese-American is because the area I write about is pretty darn whitebread, and I try to add diversity to my cast of characters whenever feasible, so they look more like, you know, real life, and less like a 1950s sitcom. 

I hope you like it!

61 comments:

  1. Oh, goodness! Now I'm wondering if Joy knows anything about Kevin . . . the mystery grows. I can't wait to read this story!

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  2. And it was worth the wait, Julia! Poor Hadley! But I am "fairly" sure the lovely Joy is not the reason for the missing Kevin. Please let Hadley stop torturing herself.

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    1. Judi, it's not a Julia Spencer-Fleming novel is someone isn't torturing themselves.

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  3. Glad you are here, Julia! (A few of us have been suffering from withdrawal behind the scenes...)

    I love the scene. And yay to adding some diversity to the whitebread communities. Also - poor Hadley.

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    1. Thanks Edith - and yes, even though I live in a very white and old fashioned kind of place, there are still people of color, immigrants, non-English speakers, etc. etc. around here. I like my fictional world to reflect my real world.

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  4. Thanks for this. I can't wait to see what happens next.

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  5. Happy to hear these characters and your series live on. I've missed you.

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  6. JC Penney 2 for 1! With bonus coupons for charge account customers. Love it, except the JCP around here have closed. Maybe Macy's for Joy?

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    1. Margaret, when you're a baby lawyer, you can't afford the Macy's suit, unless your parents or significant other help out! I remember going to "Suit Barn" with Ross before his graduation from law school... :-)

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  7. JULIA: Yes, some of us early risers were thrown off by the missing Saturday post but I am glad to see you here now, with a longer excerpt. Poor Hadley indeed, but yay for more diversity in Albany NY.

    Curious, as a fellow sci-fi nerd, have you been geeking out watching the new Star Trek Picard and Discovery episodes? I have certainly been enjoying both this month.

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    1. Grace, I don't have Paramount Plus, so I'm been missing all the good stuff. I just saw a trailer for what looks like a new Christopher Pike series, so I may have to give in and subscribe. (I have dropped Amazon Prime, so i have a free slot, as it were.)

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    2. JULIA: Yes, I am most looking forward to the upcoming ST:Strange New Worlds series with Captain Pike, Spock & #1. They were all in Discovery Season 2 and got the spin-off series due to such positive fan reaction. The show is premiering in early May.

      +Yup, if you want to watch any of the new shows you will have to get Paramount+ in the US. Canada is also the exception. All 5 new Star Trek shows are running on CRAVE TV, not Paramount+.

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  8. You are SO good. It's just--so perfect and natural. And we already have suspense! (And yes, who knows what day it is anymore....)

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    1. And I woke up late, too! Complete meltdown. The poor dogs got three minutes outside to do their business, and if they hadn't finished, too bad.

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  9. I have been waiting for this one! I am so glad it's getting closer to a release date!

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    1. Well... first I have to finish it. I'm doing a writing retreat a couple weeks before Malice Domestic; I'm hoping that will get me over the top.

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  11. Thanks, Julia. Waiting to read the whole story. Hang in there with no knowing what day it is!

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    1. I though I was past that point of the pandemic, Elisabeth!

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  12. Ah, another long-awaited excerpt! I I may start rereading the series in order to be ready for the new book!
    DebRo

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  13. And here I was blaming it all on Debs but forgiving it for an hour or so because she’s on CDT, at least until the morrow. You, Julia, have now excuse, but you’re so cute that I forgive you. Xox

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  14. Glad to read the excerpt this morning. Excited and so looking forward to solving the Kevin disappearance mystery and am pretty sure Joy was not the solution for him to get over Hadley.

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    1. Kevin's not really the fickle sort, is he?

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  15. Glad to see Hadley. I used to be a single mom, so I’ve been pulling for her over this very long haul. I want to see things turn around for her.

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    1. My mom was a single mom for several long, hard years before remarrying, and I've based a lot of Hadley's toughness on her, Vkaz.

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  16. Thanks for sharing! Can't wait to read it!

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  17. Poor Hadley. Happy for another taste of what is to come. Yesterday our granddaughter graduated from Culinary Institute Lenotre. My excuse for being MIA yesterday.

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    1. Oh, good for her, Pat! That's one of the best culinary schools in the country. (Source: a friend of The Sailor's who wound up going to Johnson & Wales.)

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  18. JULIA,

    Love that you added a Chinese American character. Your description of Joy is perfect since I've known real people like them. I have been meaning to ask you about Russ Van ... How did you come up with a Dutch name? I recall that New York was New Amsterdam with many settlers from the Netherlands. Would your Russ be descended from one of these Dutch families?

    Can't wait to read it!

    Diana

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    1. Diana, yes, Russ does have a Dutch/Scottish background, like a lot of people in the area I write about. Dutch last names and place names are very common all along the Hudson Valley of New York - Kinderhook, Watervleit, Amsterdam, and of course, all the towns and rivers with the word "Kill" in them - Dutch for river.

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  19. I've got to tell you--a friend turned me on to your series last spring, and I DEVOURED all nine of them in a two month binge. I can't wait for this book to come! SO GOOD!!!

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    1. Thank you, Pat, and thank your friend for me!

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    2. Oh, and I LOVED the shout out to my Alma Mater--SUNY Geneseo!

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  20. Julia, made my day! And I dearly love Hadley--been there, done that--oh my God, look at her--she's gorgeous, why'd I ever think.... Hang in there, Hadley!

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    1. One thing you know, she's not going to let any man have a hold on her sense of self. At least not for TOO long.

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  21. Julia, I so love this! I'm so worried about Kevin--can't wait for you to finish this one!!

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  22. Very intriguing. I'm curious about how we get to this scene from the previous one with the DEC Ranger, the gun shot, the birds flying... Can't wait to find out.

    On a side note my husband was a DEC Ranger for awhile (Dept of Environmental Conservation for those of you outside NYS) - first in the High Peaks then in Pharoah Lakes. And we lived "inside the blue line" for twenty years. That is to say, within the Adirondack Park. We live in Plattsburgh now, which I know is where you were born, Julia.

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    1. Yes, it was, JC! I hope you're enjoying the big city after living inside the blue line. I always say I live in the country, but that's REAL wild living in spots!

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  23. I was missing my morning fix of Jungle Red and now I'm at work, which is not a normal Saturday so I'm completely mixed up and using my phone so the blogger won'tknow it's me.

    Glad to see Hadley and Russ are still searching for Kevin. Can't wait till this published.

    Deana

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    1. You're sneaking in your dose of Jungle Reds, Deana! :-)

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  24. I keep telling you, Julia, Kevin better not be under a hay stack. not .. course you are way to caring about your readers.. BETTER NOT BE UNDER A HAY STACK. take that extra hour tomorrow and write write write, right? Thank you so much for giving us another nibble of happiness.

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  25. Yes, I do like it! Thanks for the excerpt, Julia. Better late than never.

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    1. That's what I say, Karen... because I'm usually late. :-D

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  26. So excited to read another excerpt! I was afraid I’d missed one. I. Can. Not. Wait.

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    1. Don't worry, Laura, there will be a BIG DEAL made when I finally finish the book!

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  27. I can't wait for the book!!! Thank you so much for sharing it with us.

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  28. Julia, I love the excerpt! I so hope that Kevin is okay and that he and and Hadley can get back together somehow.

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  29. Hurry up please. Been impatiently waiting far too long. Love your books! Can't wait.

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