Ohh here we go. Bennie's busted, the world itself is all but falling down around her, and the grownups are still keeping her in the dark about her past. Gahh!

And sadly that's where I may have to leave off on the story until January, because I'm working on packing logistics for my three-week stint in Colorado with my family, and it doesn't look like I'm going to be able to take my laptop. If I can I will, and I'll resume posting in two weeks (this coming week is out either way as I'll be traveling), but if I don't see you before them (Who am I kidding. No one's here and no one cares.), Merry Christmast, Happy Chanukah, and Happy New Year.

Funny how this worked out. Bennie's just starting the fall semester right as we finish it...

Here you go, Chapter 20! Ah yes, Bennie's at that age where she's smart enough to know something's going on, but everyone thinks she's too young to understand and wants to keep her out of the loop so she can be happy and oblivious. But it doesn't work that way does it? Once you know something's up you can't be blissfully ignorant. Not to mention that being oblivious to danger doesn't make you any safer!

In the words of one of my favorite authors, Lisa Shearin: “Whoever said ignorance is bliss must have died a horrible death with a really surprised look on his face.”

...So I get asked a lot about the mark that Bennie and Reyortsed share, and Perce has on his hand. You find out what it's about by the end of the book, but people tend to wonder how I came up with it. So I'll share now:

It was a super and elaborate concept--I'm kidding. I seriously was just doodling on my hand one day in class my freshman year of high school and thought it looked cool, like a rune or something. And then when the story called for a mysterious magical mark that came to mind so I used it. lol

You never know what random thing you do will spawn a new story or plot point. A typo in a work document created the protagonist of the next book I'm working on. But more on that later.

Hope everyone had a good Monday!