Sneak Peek of the New Book by Patti Diener

Hey there everyone. If you are just now finding me, I’m Patti Diener, public school librarian, and romance novelist. My debut novel, AFTER THE FIRE (click the link), is available on Amazon in paperback or eBook, and FREE on Kindle Unlimited. But today’s blog is about something new.

As I promised, I am going to allow you all to take a look at the beginning of my new book that I am calling THE CLOCK TOWER OF MAPLE CREEK. Of course you understand that nothing is set in stone at this point. I am currently just starting chapter six and only about a quarter of the way into this first draft of the novel. There is much to edit! But considering these unusual circumstances with all of us on basic house arrest, I thought I’d lend to your reading material.

For starters, you will want to know what it’s about. I’ve written the summary only once or twice and not even all the way through but I’ll give it a go here, knowing I will need to tweak this as well, and trim it up. Howerver, I trust you readers to understand all this. Work in progress you know.

So first the summary then below I will add the first few pages to the opening scene of Chapter One. Hope you enjoy.

Summary: Lost loves and new beginnings. Two couples from different generations share one thing. They love the small Kentucky town of Maple Creek.

Fifty-seven years ago, Albert James was an average, eighteen year old, blue collar Kentucky boy, and he was in love with Virginia Kemp. She was smart, funny, and beautiful, but she also happened to be the town mayor’s daughter. They were keeping their love a secret until Albert could prove to be worthy of Virginia by repairing the town’s clock tower in time for the Fourth of July Jubilee.

 Virginia hoped Albert would be the hero of Maple Creek, by restoring the iconic landmark to its former glory. But when things didn’t work out as planned, and there was a huge misunderstanding, Albert left town before Virginia could make things right between them, and she never had the chance to tell her father about him.

Years later in Maple Creek, the now widowed Virginia, has a granddaughter Paris Holloway, who is the mayor and running for her second term. Beloved by all, Paris has campaigned on refurbishing the Town Square to its late nineteenth century charm. This includes fixing the still non-functioning clock tower. With pressure mounting in her campaign, she knows she will have to call on friends to help her. Her grandmother thinks handsome Oliver Wick, is just the guy. He’s handy with restoration and a very popular contractor. He reminds Virginia of a young man she knew long ago.

Oliver has worked closely with Paris over the years and although they are old schoolmates, he’s grown fonder of her than he’d like to admit. When Paris’ ex-fiancé shows back up on the scene with a promised business deal that will help her campaign, Oliver worries the pompous lawyer will try to win Paris back. And although he is a wonderful rehab contractor, Oliver knows nothing about the workings of clocks. But in a nearby town, a reclusive, old gentleman is rumored to still live, who once worked on the time piece. Can Oliver convince the secluded man to help him out and return to Maple Creek?

Ok folks! That’s the summary. I know it needs work but the beauty of that is I have LOADS OF TIME NOW… Without further ado, I give you the first scene in Chapter One, of THE CLOCK TOWER OF MAPLE CREEK.

PART ONE

57 YEARS AGO

CHAPTER ONE

Love’s Inception

Trickles of sweat came down both sides of Albert’s face, feeling like the light legs of spiders inching their way down from his brow to his cheeks. Grease on both hands, he couldn’t even wipe it away in the humid night air. The tight quarters of the clock tower gave little room to work in, and the light from his head lamp was dimming. He was running out of time.

            Albert James had been handy with anything mechanical since the day he was born. Inquisitive, he took toys apart just to put them back together again as a child. All through his teenage years, he fixed people’s cars, and worked on tractors, but what he really loved was making clocks. He’d gotten a job working at his uncle’s jewelry store one summer, and found that repairing customer’s watches and clocks, was his favorite part of the job. He eventually bought kits to create clocks for walls, tabletops, and he’d gone to people’s homes to repair their handsome, heirloom grandfather clocks.

His senior year of high school, Albert fell in love with Virginia Kemp. She was confident, smart, extremely beautiful, and also the town mayor’s daughter. Maple Creek, Kentucky, was a lovely town to grow up in, but Virginia came from high society and politicians, while Albert’s family, from the proverbial, other side of the tracks, was the blue collar, paycheck to paycheck sort of folks. Never afraid of hard work, Albert was proud, and always found ways to make money. No trust funds in the James family for him to count on. But he didn’t care. Albert was happy in his work and his life.

Virginia had secretly seen Albert, for months. Since they’d just graduated, he knew she’d be off to some fancy, all girl’s university in the fall, something planned for her since birth, while he would attend community college nearby for business. Community college was just fine for Albert, but it was clear that he would have to dazzle the mayor if he were ever to date his daughter openly. Dazzle him, was exactly what Albert was going to do once he got this clock tower running again. But his promise to bring the town’s dead time piece back to life in time for the Fourth of July Jubilee, was beginning to look grim. He only had a week left, and now laying upside-down inside the tower, in the Kentucky summer humidity, he questioned his sanity for even suggesting he could do it.

Voices from below in The Town Square, brought Albert to a sitting position. Grabbing the rag out of his jeans pocket, he dabbed the moisture from his brow, upper lip, and neck. It was a couple from his high school, running across the lawn of The Town Green, where they snuck into the gazebo, giggling and hiding within the shadows of the structure. Smiling now, he remembered sitting with Virginia on the bench of that turret shaped building, just months ago. It was where he first held her hand. Of course the moment only lasted a few minutes, both fearing someone might see, but the memory of that first touch he knew would last him a lifetime. Electrifying.

Flipping around again, break was over, and Albert was back to the task of trying to fix what others mutilated. Not realizing the damage that would be done to such an intricate machine, someone tried to modernize the clock with electricity. The weighted system was impaired, but Albert was sure he could bring it back. At least, that was his hope since he’d promised it to the mayor. His name and word were hanging in the balance. Not to mention his relationship with Virginia. How he adored her.

As he worked tirelessly, Albert was motivated by the thought of Virginia’s laugh. How the corners of her eyes and nose crinkled as she did. He loved making her laugh. Once he proved himself worthy to the mayor, and gained the trust of the town’s people, Albert would get his business degree and run his own store. Maybe he’d take over his uncle’s jewelry shop, where he’d make and repair clocks, as well as sell and fix jewelry.  He’d marry Virginia and they’d raise children in Maple Creek.

  The Victorian era being its heyday, Maple Creek was a town of about eight thousand and was splendid for raising kids. It had a wonderfully thriving business district that was picture perfect, and just thirty minutes outside of Lexington, was attracting more families.  It had tree lined streets, with lovely homes flanked with flowering shrubs, and lawns in every yard. White picketed fences abounded, and in the winter, snow and lovely Christmas lights all around. Kids on bikes, playing near the creek beds, or filling the soda shop, made it perfect as any Norman Rockwell painting. He loved his town. He wanted a life in Maple Creek with Virginia.

Once Albert restored the clock, he also understood he’d be the one to become the town’s clock-keeper, something commendable for certain, but mostly he just wanted to make sure nobody ever tried to electrify the damn thing again! He’d had to look for all the old parts just to start the project, the anchor, the pendulum, the weights, were all found in the basement.  He also didn’t want to have to count on anyone else to show up every week, at the same time, to wind, oil, and inspect the clock. It would be a commitment Albert would not only find pleasing, but be proud to do. If he could just get the damn thing working again.

************

“Virginia? Can you please come in hera and give me a hand, Sweet Pea?”

Her father, Mayor Jonathan Kemp, was busy at their dining room table with papers spread all across it. The Fourth of July Jubilee was only a week away and there was much to do. Since her mother died when she was ten, her father leaned on Virginia for a woman’s touch, and female advice when it came to certain planning of intimate parties at their grand home, or ceremonial celebrations in town. Even though he had people for that, Mayor Kemp always asked for Virginia’s input.

“Daddy, I’m sure whatever you have come up with will be wonderful,” she said descending the fabulous, sweeping staircase of their Southern Colonial Mansion that sat just outside of town.

  As she entered the formal dining room, complete with heavy drapery, and dark, ornate, mahogany furniture, her father had large scrolls of papers that the whole town square was drawn out on. It indicated where certain booths would be, and where all the flags, bows, and red, white and blue bunting would go, decorating each point of interest. In particular, the gazebo and fountain would be decorated within The Town Green, right in the center of The Square, and the most elaborately decorated area would be the Town Hall Clock Tower. It had huge bunting around the bottom of the four faces, and strung white lights to run vertically, up and down the entire length of the tall tower.

Virginia nodded her blonde head in approval as she saw what was drawn. “Daddy this is wonderful. Everyone will agree. But is there a way to light up the gazebo as well?”

“Marvelous idea, Sweet Pea! I’ll ask Teddy, if he can look into that.”

Teddy, was her father’s oldest friend and a city councilman. Whenever Mayor Kemp needed something, Teddy, Theodore Gilbert, was there to help him look good. Teddy was also the father of Theodore Gilbert Junior, Theo.

Since they were children, Virginia’s family and Theo’s joked about how wonderful it would be if the two kids grew up and got married. Theo graduated in Virginia’s class and was headed to Princeton in the fall. Teddy was grooming Theo for politics since birth. He wore a tie, sport jacket, and slacks nearly every day their senior year, until the weather warmed too much to warrant the jacket. Still he carried it over his shoulder like a prop. He was the president of their class all four years of high school, head of the debate team, and undefeated champion of The Chess Club… and Virginia couldn’t stand him.

Arrogance in a person was a trait Virginia despised! He had wholesome good looks, perfectly combed hair, and a winning smile, but it was too showy for her. Basically fake. He was also a fabulous liar. From elementary school on, Virginia had witnessed his denial of so many things he’d done, charming the teachers with feigned politeness, blaming others that lacked his skill for deceit. Theo could get away with murder, but Virginia always saw right through him. For this, he tried extra hard to impress her. Not because Theo actually liked Virginia, but mostly she knew he just hated that she didn’t swoon all over him, or fall for his charms. Things usually came easy for Theo, but he never could win over Virginia.

Albert James was different. She’d always known Albert, but during their senior year, they had several classes together and she began watching him. His strong build, unpretentious clothes, and quiet ways, intrigued her. But when he asked to sit next to her in Government Class, his voice was deep and smooth as silk. His slightly shaggy, black hair combed back with the front falling into his onyx dark eyes was alluring like James Dean. He looked into her eyes, but it felt like he could see right down into her soul. She nodded weakly at him to take a seat.

They had lunch together that day under the large Oak in the courtyard of the school and that was that. Virginia was hooked. But because Theo mocked them and reminded Virginia how The Mayor, would expect more for his daughter than a poor, handyman, she suggested they see each other secretly.

“Are you ashamed of me, Virginia?” he asked in his thick, southern drawl. “I’m not beneath your family or that Theo’s for that matta. Just because my family doesn’t come from money, we work hard for what we have. I’m going to own my own stora someday, and I will have a nice house in town too. I might not become some fancy lawya, like Theo, but not because I couldn’t. I just have otha ideas for a life that suits me. I was hoping you’d be in it.”

When Albert said those things, Virginia could see his passion and it made her like him even more. She was drawn to Albert and didn’t ever want him to think she could be ashamed of him. She grabbed his hand, and kissed his knuckles, smiled up at his serious, wrinkled brow.

“Oh, Albert. I could never be ashamed of you. I only want to be with ya. Don’t worry about Theo. Let me deal with him. But he is right about one thang. My daddy is very insistent that I attend college before I marry. He doesn’t want me to date because he’s worried it will derail my plans. We have to keep this quiet until I can thank of a way to persuade Daddy that my seeing you is a good thang. Just for now…can we please see each utha secretly? Please Albert?”

And he’d agreed. She flashed her best smile at him and it worked. Albert’s face softened and he pulled her into a hug. That day was five months ago, and still Virginia knew her father wasn’t keen on Albert James yet.

************

OK…. That’s the first scene. You can leave a comment to let me know what you think so far. I will post more of this first chapter on the next blog post. If you like my content, it would be great if you’d click the share button to your social media accounts to spread the word. I could use all the feedback I can get. Remember, I am still in the wirting process. I will edit it all when I am done with the book.

Thank you for reading today. I wish you all a stress free quarantine. Stay well, get outside for fresh air when you can. Hope to hear from you soon.

HAPPY READING!