Shooting Picasso by Vanna Tessier

The 9/11 surprise attack on the World Trade Center creates unimaginable chaos and grief in New York City. Ruthless opportunists try to take advantage of the ensuing panic, but a promising young reporter known for her no-holds-barred story-chasing hunts them down and soon finds herself at the heart of a criminal underworld.

How deep into that underworld, and her own past, is she willing to go? And more importantly, will she have the strength to face a drastic life change?

Excerpt One:

Botticelli stepped away from the enclosure and noticed a small object sparkling among the blades of grass. He placed the basket with his statuettes on the ground and picked up the object. It was a silver drop earring. He placed it on the palm of his hand and stared at the shining string of pearls. He was sure he had seen that earring before. Amanda wore the same kind of earrings at church earlier that evening. He pocketed the jewel. Somehow, he would find the way to give it back to her later on.

He was strolling to the stack of boards left along the south wall of the barn when he heard some footsteps approaching. Suddenly, two strong hands grabbed his shoulders from behind and shook him roughly.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Oreste’s voice sounded deeper than usual. He tightened his grip. His head was clean shaven and, near his temples, pulsating livid veins ran across each other forming the contour of the gray-eared bat flapping its wings. On his left cheek, his wine-colored birthmark in the shape of a skull throbbed like an emblem on a pirate flag. “What, huh?” he panted.

“Heard a scream when I was coming to work,” Botticelli replied as he squirmed, struggling to wrench himself free from Oreste’s clutches.

“Work, huh?” Oreste punched Sandro’s shoulder. “You were supposed to be here two hours ago. I was waiting for you. Why didn’t you show up?” He spat on his helper’s nose.

Botticelli reached for the knife concealed at his waist. He stroked the handle close to his side, but he didn’t want to slide the blade out of its sheath. The fight might have turned out to be ugly. “Thought I’d have some time for a bite to eat.”

About the Author
Vanna Tessier writes about the world we live in today. She believes reason and modern technology can enrich the quality of life allowing us to face changes affecting modern society.

Her fiction is at times broadcast on CBC Radio and her book reviews appear in The Edmonton Journal and The Edmonton Sun.

Gypsy Drums, her collection of short stories, was a finalist for the Howard O’Hagan Award. Another collection of short fiction, Thistle Creek, appeared before her book Sandweaver. She translated from Italian, The Last Waltz of Chopin, a novel by Gilberto Finzi.

In 2002, Peppermint Night won The Poets’ Corner Award.

She examines the challenge of survival within a forever mutating environment influenced by the onerous demands of our civilization coping with the threat of terrorism.

The author agrees we could find a refuge within the realm of our imagination leading us to discover a balance between reality as is and as we would like it to be.

Buy link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CWU0420

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