Mary Lu Warstler

Soft music began intertwining with Darcy's dream. She was standing on the sandy shore of Ghost Island in the afternoon heat, a soft summer breeze sending her hair in every direction. The sun-warmed sand felt good as she wiggled her toes, burying them deeper into the warmth. Two cats chased each other back and forth across the narrow strip of sand between water and woods - one dazzling white, the other raven black. They stopped running and sat side by side on a boulder - yin and yang - staring at Darcy. She could feel their eyes upon her. Tension filled the air. Something - or someone - was watching her. Turning quickly, she peered into the woods. A dark-hooded figure retreated toward Dead Man's Cave. She tried to call to him - sure it was a man. Her mouth opened, but no sound came forth. She started to run but felt herself sinking in the sand - like silky quicksand. As her head began to sink beneath the sand, two white paws wrapped around one wrist and two black paws around the other. They pulled her out so quickly that she flew into the air, like a cork from a bottle, landing on a large, flat boulder the size of an old Volkswagen.

This is a book of four short mysteries about Father Bernard (Bernie) Snoop and his cat Holy Smoke. Father Snoop loves mysteries and has helped solve a number of them including the murder of his wife in a previous parish. These four mysteries coincide with the beginning of the school year, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Each short story is complete, however, the same characters appear in all of them. They take place in a small community near Five Fingers Lake.

Chrys and Merlin, her Siamese cat, go for their daily walk in the forest at the edge of her yard. She stumbles and falls, breaking her much loved coffee mug with an animated yellow butterfly. The butterfly disappears. She and Merlin find themselves on an adventure in a fantasyland of rainbows, enchanted animals, and a yellow butterfly that leads them to the final battle with the Wicked Wizard. Later her husband, George comes to meet them at the creek. He is thrust into a dark, misty forest where the Newland prophecy says he must fight Trocks, Slime Giants, Dragon Dogs, and a Wicked Wizard before he can be reunited with Chrys.

This collection of short stories are a part of a greater collection that I have accumulated over the years. I started writing short stories for fun, for contests, and for the joy of learning to do something new. Some of them have won prizes, some have been learning tools, and some were simply fun to do.I have tried many different genres from mystery, to romance to ghost stories to animal stories to fantasy. Some are not my favorite reading material, but I had to try them. If some are not your favorite genre, try them anyway. You may like them - or you may not.

Lunar Light is the third book about Kendra Donovan, who is the daughter of an FBI Agent. Her best friend and fiance are also agents. Kendra has an uncanny way of landing in the middle of their investigations and helping them solve the mysteryIn this book, Kendra Donovan goes to visit a friend and lands feet first in the middle of AFT and FBI investigations. Moonshine, hundred-year-old traditions of self-preservation, all night music sessions, and a "stray" Maine Coon all help her in her search for the son of her boss's friend. She even manages to emerge from the adventure with no bullet holes in her body - this time.

The ringing of the phone awakens Corey at two in the morning. The pounding of her heart and the queasiness in her stomach tell her it has to be bad news. The news was worse than bad -- a summons from the dead. Her mother was saying her father was in coronary care at Masontown Hospital and wanted to see both of them. Shaking her head to make sure she was awake, Corey says, "But, Mom. My father is dead "Sherylee Kahlor admits to lying to her daughter and Corey finds herself, her fianc , Roger and even their Bengal cat, Reggie, thrown into a 70-year-old mystery. Murder, kidnapping, catnapping, and general chaos plague them because of a diary her great-grandfather wrote while serving time for bank robbery. The past, not buried and forgotten, needed resurrected.

Corey Kahlor is awakened in the middle of the night when her mother calls to say her father is in coronary care and is asking for her. Corey is confused. Her father has been dead over 20 years -- or so her mother told her. She learns he has been running from a man who wants his grandfather's diary. Now he is home and his pursuer is still determined to get the diary. Corey, her mother Sherylee, fianc Roger, and even their Bengal cat Reggie all become victims of the desperate attempt to get the diary.

December 2, 1859 John Brown is hanged for treason. The mayor of Richmond wants Will Brunner, minister and physician, in the Richmond Volunteers. Will refuses and knows the mayor will not give up. Olivia promises him that if war comes to Richmond and he is out of the picture, she will take the children and do her best to get them to safety.Because of their views on war and slavery, Will and five friends are harassed almost daily and when they still refuse to join the Richmond Volunteers, they are imprisoned. Olivia waits, trying to carry on as if all is normal. But things are far from normal. She is also harassed by Sergeant Parker who wants her to make Will change his mind. She learns that the children are also taunted at school.Samuel and Rosy, freed slaves who work for the Brunners help them cope. Rosy, friend and worker, helps Olivia with the children. Samuel takes care of the animals. While Will is in Libby Prison, Samuel makes daily trips to the back window where he can lower food to the men. Finally, the day comes when Will sends word by Samuel that it is time for Olivia to keep her promise.She gathers the wives of the other five men and tells them she is going North to the Kanawha Valley. She invites them to go with her, knowing that their husbands have already told them they should go. However, the mayor had assured them that the men are well cared for and are in no discomfort. When Will signs the papers putting him in the Volunteers, they will be released. Olivia tells them the mayor is lying. She tells them the truth and says she is leaving in two days. They can either stay or go with her. They all go - six women including an eighty-year old and children all under twelve.With heavy hearts on March 20, 1861, Olivia and her friends climb into their covered wagons and leave their men in Libby Prison, not knowing if they will ever see them again.

Tone Dead continues the story of Reverend Laura Kenzel, who has settled into a new life in Cottonville, Ohio. Her nemesis, Colin Jacobson, alias Bill Collins, is serving a life sentence; her grandson, Josh Stewart, begins his first year in a public school system; she is engaged to marry Homicide Detective Steve Morgan; and the wedding of Police Chief Todd Williams is only two weeks away. Life is great untila]strange orders from Judge Walters prevent everyone from talking to one another. Josh and Jerome get in a fight at school; two days later the boys are kidnapped. Lauraas worst nightmare has become a reality: Colin Jacobson has once again escaped from prison.

Laura Kenzel canat seem to stay away from murder, although to be fair about it, the Jacobsons are obsessed with removing her from this life. Laura and Steve Morgan have come to an understanding about their relationship; the cats, Rascal and Mischief, have adopted her; Jerome is recovering from his beating; and her ten-year-old grandson is coming to spend a year with her. Life is looking good and wonderful untila]Rascal and Mischief uncover a body in the newly plowed garden area. A potted geranium sits atop the mound like a red flag of warning and Laura thinks, Here we go again.

Bernard William Snoop was born to be different. From the time he was a toddler, or maybe even before, he loved people, snooping and the outdoors, not necessarily in that order. Bernie never had much success in dating and soon lost interest in girls. Following seminary and ordination his peers referred to him as Father Bernard Snoop, a single, homely with a Jimmy Durante nose, six feet three inches tall, thin frame, and a vegetarian who loved small rural churches. Except for the occasional helping local authorities solve a few mysteries, murder and mayhem, he restricted his snooping to nature and the workings of God and His church.His first Sunday at a new appointment, the most beautiful girl he had ever seen walked into the church. Since she went into the college class, Bernie thought must be about twenty, maybe twenty-one years old. She was much too young for him, even if she hadn't been a member of his congregation. No matter the arguments, January, following her college graduation, Miriam became Mrs. Bernard W. Snoop.For ten years, she served as his wife and helpmate in that college town. Then early in December, Bernie received a call, a summons, actually, from this friend, Bishop John Murray. January, they moved to Metropolis. Two days later, their 10th Wedding Anniversary, Bernie returned from a church meeting and found the front door ajar. He stopped in the open doorway. For a single heartbeat, time stood still. His beautiful wife, lay crumpled beside the telephone stand, her sightless green eyes staring in death. A wet, stormy night weeks later, someone set fire to the church. Bernie escaped because a rain-soaked, gray cat warned him of danger. Holy Smoke then became his constant companion