'Caged' Unlocked

So maybe I had this great idea that I'd write a blog post twice a month, but that idea died like a bug slapping against the windshield called "school." Fortunately, I just finished my sophomore year and am ready to get off the freeway. I think I'll take a nice, slow drive down Finishing My Novel lane now. If I keep up, I'll post updates and tidbits on here along the way.

My post below, Caged, is the first part of my novel. Or, what I thought was the first part of my novel four months ago. I've been reworking the plot outline for sometime and changes are in order. Hopefully you'll agree that they are for the best and will keep reading and commenting as I write. Critiques are always helpful, as is encouragement and also anything sweet. Chocolate is good. ;)

To give you a little taste of my novel, I'll introduce you to its heroine: Jaelle Shoshana Ray.

She's a sixteen-year-old Romani living with her Aunt Kizzy in an American but very isolated Romani town. Her parents died when she was six and she barely remembers them. All she knows is they must have done something terrible because the townspeople have shunned her since they died. She has only two friends, Syeira, whose family only barely tolerates Jaelle, and Auden, the middle aged librarian who knew her father but won't tell her anything about him.

It's not until Jaelle discovers the orb in the forest that the answers to her questions, along with some very unpleasant family secrets, come to light.