July 14, 2008 | Book One, Book Stuff, DA Series, Draven Atreides, Life in General, Miss Snitch Mondays
I had started Miss Snitch Mondays in order to introduce the public to the Draven Atreides series. I began posting the unedited version of Book One in May in honor of its release in April 2009. However, after recently attending a writing class, I realize I still have a lot to learn about writing and being a good writer. I’ll be enrolling in a writing program in September that will take 1-1/2-2yrs to complete. I want the series to be a success and I believe that taking this program will help me to achieve that goal. In light of this recent decision, I’ve pushed back the release date of Book One to April 2010. I still plan to post excerpts (which will end around this time next year) and you will still be able to sign up on the Pre-Order Notification List.
“Why would I not care?” comes the affronted response. “I care about all my clients. But you are not just a client to me, sweetling. You understand this?”
“Yeah. Understood, Chief.”
“All right, well, you will be careful?”
“Of course.”
“You will check in on time tomorrow night?”
“Yes, sir,” I say with a laugh.
“Do not forget…”
“Lock the doors, check the windows, set the alarm,” I recite. “I won’t forget.”
A sigh reaches my ears, but I can hear the smile in it.
“We will expect you on Sunday,” comes the gentle reminder.
“I’ll be there.”
“Well then, good night, sweetling.”
“Good night, Chief.”
Still smiling, I put the phone to one side and continue to type.
Oh Snap! He remembered! How coolio is that? I can feel that Evening Tea kickin’ in. Or it could be just the late hour. Corny as it may sound, after an evening of shopping with your best friend–yawn, yawn (for the shopping, not the best friend)–for an outfit that you really didn’t need in the first place, drinking a hot mug of tea on a cool night wrapped in your comfy robe is heaven to me. Party Girl informed me today that we’re going to be spending a few hours at the spa tomorrow. What a nice New Life Anniversary present. This should be interesting.
Question of the Day: Do other people have New Life anniversaries?
I log out of my journal and close the Internet connection. Getting up, I go to the bathroom, open the cabinet beneath the sink and pull a Tampax box out from behind a bucket and cleaning supplies. Going back to the desk, I sit down, open the box and dump out the small portable disk saver that I bought for my laptop. Plugging it in, I access the Portable E drive and click on the only file folder saved there: CASE #1: JEAN-PIERRE DU’LAC.
There had been no fanfare the day I received my first case. No file folder stamped CLASSFIED in big red letters. No manila envelope delivered by courier. No one on the other end calling me by my code name when I answer the phone (probably because I have no code name). No faceless voice giving me the scoop through an intercom box. No recorded message that would self-destruct in five seconds. It had arrived peacefully, like a sunrise, during my weekly visit with Ty.
It’s been an easy process so far, seeing as how I have two classes with Taffy. Somehow, she manages to bring up the spa in every conversation. The girl is truly talented in that aspect. The human subliminal messenger. Laughable for sure, even as I can picture her as the main star in a B-rate movie with the same title. I read over the notes I started writing six months ago. Dates, times, names, and any info I glean. Under my last post, made just two days before, I type in a new entry:
11 Nov: PD gets invite to Royale Treatment Day Spa Grand Re-Opening on 12 Nov. Will be attending as her guest.
#
It’s a quarter to ten as I pull into the parking lot of the Royale Treatment Day Spa. A few yards inside the main entrance leading to the Camelback Mountain Resort, the spa appears to be hidden in a forest.
“I hear the rooms are really cool. Like you’re not staying at a hotel, but your own cottage,” Poe says, pointing at the small group of buildings to their left.
“Yeah. I checked it out last night on the Internet. Definitely not your average hotel. You get a choice of mountain casitas and these spa casitas right here. They even have six private homes you can rent,” I say, sounding like a travel guide.
Poe tugs on the bill of her hat and bounces on the ball of her feet. “Wow. I should’ve looked’em up on the Net, too. I didn’t think of that. Are the rooms real nice?” she asks.
“Yeah. Real nice. The private houses are, too. They didn’t show the inside, but the outside looked pretty,” I tell her as we begin walking towards the entrance.
“Bet they’re expensive to rent,” Poe remarks, skipping ahead to check out the empty tennis courts.
“Look at where we are. Of course they’re expensive,” I yell out.
The parking lot looks like a foreign car dealership. The three limos lining the back wall are a not so subtle reminder of the type of people that frequent this place.
“Hurry up, would ya? I don’t want to be late,” Poe calls over her shoulder as she runs up the ramp and disappears out of sight around the corner.
I quicken my step, round the corner and see Poe looking up at the canopy of trees and turning in a slow circle.
“God, isn’t this fantastic? It’s like being in a nursery,” she says.
“Yeah. It’s pretty cool,” I agree, catching a glimpse of the gym and the boutique hidden amongst the foliage. “C’mon. Let’s go in.”
The building’s architecture is modern with Asian influence. The lobby is sparse, with just the front desk and two chairs in front of a large window partially covered by two huge brick slabs; a scented candle burns on the end of the check-in counter. To the left is a light wood door with a frosted glass insert labeled MEN. The man and woman behind the counter smile as we approach.
“Hello, and welcome to the Grand Re-Opening of The Royale Treatment Day Spa. Did you receive an invitation?” the woman asks with a kind smile.
“Oh. Yeah,” Poe replies, digging in her purse. She pulls it out and hands in to her.
“And your names?” the man inquires, rolling his chair up to a computer monitor.
“Poe Danziger and Draven Atreides,” Poe states.
He rapidly taps on the keys. “Ah, yes, here we go. Okay, it appears that you both signed up for the sixty minute Dragonfly Facial, a thirty minute Bamboo-Lemongrass Scrub Body Treatment, and a sixty minute Acupuncture consultation. Is that correct?”
“Yes.”
“No.”
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