Would You Read On? hosted by Diana L. Flegal

Welcome to our Wednesday edition of Would You Read On?. We appreciate you taking time out of your busy day to stop by our blog. Kindly comment if you would read on or not.

This weeks contribution is a fiction title: 

Prologue

There was a day when all the host of heaven appeared before the Lord, on his right hand and on his left, and Satan stood among them. “Where have you come from, Satan?” the Lord asked. “Which of my servants will you accuse today?”

Satan stood before the Lord and said, “I have been going from place to place throughout the whole earth. I have seen many who do not fear you, who will not call upon the name of the Lord.”

“Yes, this has long been true, but there are also many who fear me, who worship me and pass on their faith from one generation to the next.”

“In my journey,” Satan said, “I came upon a small town in the United States, in the State of Texas, in the very heart of those who call themselves Christians. They call the place Burning Cedar, as they should, because they have done evil before you and you have given them over to those who would destroy them.”

“For a time, but even now, I hear their cries for deliverance. But that is not why you have come. You have often seen people turn to me when they face hardships.”

“In the town of Burning Cedar, there is a family that has served you for many generations and even the man Stephen Barak is numbered with your saints and written in your book. His father is a deacon in Burning Cedar Baptist Church. His grandfather persuaded many to follow you. His great-grandfather obeyed you and started three churches. But I have watched Stephen and he does not obey you. He hears your voice, but he does not obey.

Would you read on?

We also welcome other courageous authors to share their fiction and nonfiction first pages for critique. Email: diana@hartlineliterary.com with your submissions.
 

First Pages Would You Read On? hosted by Diana Flegal

The New Year has begun and many authors spent their holiday 'off time' writing, editing and rewriting their WIP. (Work in progress)

If you would like to have your First Page reviewed here some Weds, please submit it to diana@hartlineliterary.com. Place First Page Submission in the subject line of your email.

Please keep in mind we do not want material that would conflict with the Christian Worldview but will entertain, wholesome general market first pages as well as material for the Inspirational markets. We are open to nonfiction submissions as well.

Would you read on?:

At a quarter past six on the twelfth of August in Alexandria, Virginia, Kate Winston unlocked her brownstone condo in Old Town and disarmed the security alarm. With her hip she bumped open the door and stepped into the foyer. The sweltering humidity and endless hours on her feet at the mall had zapped the bounce from Kate’s auburn bangs, leaving her drained, cranky, and (now) careless. She tossed her keys into the porcelain bowl nestled on the antique credenza and began sorting mail. Had she lifted her eyes she would have seen the man’s reflection in the hallway mirror. But she did not. Instead, Kate ripped open an envelope and scanned her credit card statement.

A second later the man pounced, driving Kate into the credenza and sending the antique crockery crashing onto the Persian rug: the one she’d purchased for ten rubles at an outdoor bizarre in Islamabad. Clamping a sweaty forearm across her throat he pressed himself against Kate and growled, “Relax, sister. This’ll be fun.” But there was nothing fun about the way his hand roamed over her hip, across her skirt and down the outside of her thigh. Wiggling her right leg free, Kate lifted her foot and brought it down hard, grinding the heel of her shoe into the top of his barefoot. The assailant screamed, relaxing his grip. Not for long, but enough that Kate was able to reach inside her purse.

In a single fluid motion she whirled and fired.

The pair of silver hooks exploded from the stun gun, embedding themselves into the man’s black tee shirt and sending a rush of voltage surging through the wires. The man’s wiry body stiffened and for a few seconds he bounced on his heels, his hands twitching. Then Kate released the trigger and the attacker collapsed into a heap at her feet.