キャミー・タング著「戌年」連載小説 プロのドッグトレーナーであるマリ・ムトウは、厄年を迎えている。 犬小屋と訓練所の改築をしながら、いつも不服そうにしている家族と同居することになった。母と姉に言わせれば、犬の毛とよだれかけにまみれる仕事は、家族にとって恥ずべきものだという。彼女は元カレを説得し、数ヶ月間犬を預かってもらうことにした。しかし、彼の兄は、数週間前に彼女が誤って車に追突した、怒り狂ったセキュリティ専門家であることが判明する。 アシュウィン・ケイトウは十分な問題を抱えている。叔母が玄関先に現れ、同居を希望している。彼は彼女にすべてを借りているので、断ることができません。母親が家を出て行った後、ネルおばさんはアシュウィンと弟を引き取り、愛のあるキリスト教の家庭で育てた。しかも、弟のダスティもアパートを追い出され、居場所を求めている。しかし、彼は犬を飼っている。そして、その犬の飼い主は誰だと思いますか? しかし、旧友でオアフ島のノースショアでデイスパを経営する私立探偵のエディサ・ゲレロから依頼を受ける。マリの施設で奇妙な破壊行為があり、3年前に失踪したエディサの妹の財布を発見する。エディサはマリが危険な目に遭っているのではと心配する。警備の専門家であるアシュウィンがすでにマリを知っていることを知ったエディサは、忙しい若い女性を密かに監視することを彼に依頼する。 アシュウィンは、活発でのんびりとしたドッグトレーナーに不本意ながら惹かれていく。彼女は、幸せそうな母親を思い出させる。その母親の裏切りによって、彼は人と距離を置くようになったのだ。マリは、アシュウィンの冷たい外見を見抜き、彼が家族に忠実な男であることを認める。彼は、彼女のキャリア選択を批判するだけの母親や姉とは違う。 マリのバラバラな家庭とアシュウィンのバラバラな家庭の中で、過去を隠そうとする人たちから、彼らの周りに危険が迫ってくるようになる。彼らは、影で動く秘密に光を当てることができるのか? 過去に発表されたパートへのリンクはこちら。 *** 第8章 - 恐ろしくも真っ白な不動産書類 『みんな仲良くできないのかな?』 マリは無用に力を込めて箱に本を投げ入れた。最近、なぜ彼女は人生の中で全員と言い争いをしているのだろう?もしかすると、これは本当に悪いアイデア
Captain’s Log, Stardate 12.31.2006
I’m participating in the “One Thousand Gifts” list from Christian Women Online. Click on the picture to find out more about it.
876. We used a Starbucks gift card we’d gotten
877. Levenger is having a Grand Winter’s Sale! Don’t think I’ll be able to afford anything, but it’s nice to look and drool.
878. I remembered to take my medicine while I was on vacation. I thought I’d forget.
879. I got the cutest silver charm bracelet from my nieces and nephew. It has charms with Japanese characters on one side and the English translation on the other.
880. I got an idea for a Christmas present for my sister-in-law for next year
881. I mailed out my rebate for my Microsoft Office 2004
882. I’m halfway through my critiques! I’m almost done with my manuscript!
883. I’m so thankful for my friends who critiqued this manuscript for me. They’re so insightful. Each one catches different things, so they really compliment each other.
884. We changed the sheets yesterday and I love the smell of fresh sheets. Not that our old ones were actually dirty, but . . . well, you know.
885. I got my edits back for an article I wrote for TheHighCalling.org and I have to say, my editor Mark Goodyear is terrific at cleaning up my rambling prose without squelching my voice. He’s so great to work with. (And no, Mark, I’m not kissing up, I mean that sincerely)
886. I found out about TEN, The Emancipation Network, which fights human trafficking and offers support to its victims in India. Part of TEN's work is a project called "Made by Survivors", which helps provide an income and transition for those rescued from slavery. The catalog has really fabulous stuff for sale (my shopping dark side is itching to spend money).
887. I got my application for a campership scholarship for the 2007 Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference. I’m glad—I was wondering if they’d forgotten about my request for an application. Now to fill it out and pray I get a campership.
888. Some people--well, at least Jennifer was curious about Bubblegum Crisis: It’s a Japanese anime series. There’s the original Bubblegum Crisis and the remade Bubblegum Crisis: Tokyo 2040, which in some ways was better because the plot threads were better resolved.
889. I used the Amazon.com gift certificate my brother-in-law gave us to buy CDs! I bought The Scarlet Pimpernel Broadway cast and Wicked.
890. I learned not to add the salt too early when popping popcorn on the stove.
891. We got all our thank you cards done.
892. I read a very entertaining book, an out-of-print Victorian gothic novel by Jennie Gallant aka Joan Smith called The Black Diamond. Interesting, engrossing, and good writing.
893. I went ahead and wrote a quick review of the book on Amazon.
894. Worship practice went well yesterday. I had no problems with my cut finger.
895. My friend Pam Hillman caught a mistake on the Genesis rules. Good thing!
896. I unpacked all my stuff from vacation.
897. We scheduled the next San Jose writers’ meeting.
898. My husband and I got great gifts from my worship team for Christmas—candy, Starbucks, a Borders gift card, and Captain Caffeine got a gift certificate for Guitar Showcase.
899. It’s so cold that when I take Snickers out at night to do her business, she’s very quick about it rather than wanting to dally around.
900. I had healthy popcorn for snack tonight rather than something else that might not have been as good for me.
I’m participating in the “One Thousand Gifts” list from Christian Women Online. Click on the picture to find out more about it.
876. We used a Starbucks gift card we’d gotten
877. Levenger is having a Grand Winter’s Sale! Don’t think I’ll be able to afford anything, but it’s nice to look and drool.
878. I remembered to take my medicine while I was on vacation. I thought I’d forget.
879. I got the cutest silver charm bracelet from my nieces and nephew. It has charms with Japanese characters on one side and the English translation on the other.
880. I got an idea for a Christmas present for my sister-in-law for next year
881. I mailed out my rebate for my Microsoft Office 2004
882. I’m halfway through my critiques! I’m almost done with my manuscript!
883. I’m so thankful for my friends who critiqued this manuscript for me. They’re so insightful. Each one catches different things, so they really compliment each other.
884. We changed the sheets yesterday and I love the smell of fresh sheets. Not that our old ones were actually dirty, but . . . well, you know.
885. I got my edits back for an article I wrote for TheHighCalling.org and I have to say, my editor Mark Goodyear is terrific at cleaning up my rambling prose without squelching my voice. He’s so great to work with. (And no, Mark, I’m not kissing up, I mean that sincerely)
886. I found out about TEN, The Emancipation Network, which fights human trafficking and offers support to its victims in India. Part of TEN's work is a project called "Made by Survivors", which helps provide an income and transition for those rescued from slavery. The catalog has really fabulous stuff for sale (my shopping dark side is itching to spend money).
887. I got my application for a campership scholarship for the 2007 Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference. I’m glad—I was wondering if they’d forgotten about my request for an application. Now to fill it out and pray I get a campership.
888. Some people--well, at least Jennifer was curious about Bubblegum Crisis: It’s a Japanese anime series. There’s the original Bubblegum Crisis and the remade Bubblegum Crisis: Tokyo 2040, which in some ways was better because the plot threads were better resolved.
889. I used the Amazon.com gift certificate my brother-in-law gave us to buy CDs! I bought The Scarlet Pimpernel Broadway cast and Wicked.
890. I learned not to add the salt too early when popping popcorn on the stove.
891. We got all our thank you cards done.
892. I read a very entertaining book, an out-of-print Victorian gothic novel by Jennie Gallant aka Joan Smith called The Black Diamond. Interesting, engrossing, and good writing.
893. I went ahead and wrote a quick review of the book on Amazon.
894. Worship practice went well yesterday. I had no problems with my cut finger.
895. My friend Pam Hillman caught a mistake on the Genesis rules. Good thing!
896. I unpacked all my stuff from vacation.
897. We scheduled the next San Jose writers’ meeting.
898. My husband and I got great gifts from my worship team for Christmas—candy, Starbucks, a Borders gift card, and Captain Caffeine got a gift certificate for Guitar Showcase.
899. It’s so cold that when I take Snickers out at night to do her business, she’s very quick about it rather than wanting to dally around.
900. I had healthy popcorn for snack tonight rather than something else that might not have been as good for me.
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