I recalled the first time I saw Abit, a lanky kid nervously pacing around the front of the store, afraid the new owner would throw out his chair and ban him from his perch near the door. He’d reminded me of a teenaged Opie Taylor, sporting a cowlick and overalls. Still did.
“Howdy, Mister. I suspect you’d like to come in.” I’d started calling him that to avoid using his mean-spirited nickname, though that was hard to stick to since almost everyone called him Abit. Over the years, it seemed to have morphed into just another name, no more peculiar than Cletus or Enos; I hoped it had lost its sting for him. When he looked over his shoulder toward his house, I added, “I don’t think your mother will mind today. Besides, it’s after hours. You can’t bother the customers, can you? Why don’t you pick out something to drink, and we’ll talk.”
A Life for a Life and the second book in the trilogy, The Roads to Damascus, are available at book retailers.
Also by Lynda McDaniel
FICTION
A Life for a Life
The Roads to Damascus
NONFICTION
Words at Work
How Not to Sound Stupid When You Write
Highroad Guide to the N.C. Mountains
Insider’s Guide to North Carolina’s Mountains
Asheville: A View from the Top
About the Author
Lynda McDaniel has written 18 books and more than 1,200 articles for major magazines. Welcome the Little Children is the third book in her Appalachian Mountain Mysteries trilogy, which started with A Life for a Life and The Roads to Damascus. Lynda is also a writing coach who enthusiastically helps others express their creativity and write with confidence. She lives in Santa Rosa, California, with her family.
Want to know more about the real people behind the characters? Join Lynda’s mailing list. No spam, no pestering, just honest-to-goodness stories, updates, and a free copy of Lynda’s first mystery short story. Sign up at www.LyndaMcDanielBooks.com
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