by Lauren Rico
I know how to spot the heart of the devil within the eyes of an angel.
Dear Heavenly Father, when You called upon me to be Your instrument against the evil within my father, I obeyed, and saw to it that trip down to the cellar would be his last.
When You called upon me to be Your instrument against the evil within my son, I obeyed once more, seeing to it that he would never get up off that floor to harm another human being.
Lord, I pray that this little lamb is an innocent, untouched by the sins of his father and great-grandfather. But, should this not be the case, I pray that You will call upon me once again to be Your instrument against evil. I pray that you will, once more, give me the strength to do what needs to be done. And I will forever be Your willing servant.
Amen.
Acknowledgements
I’m a lucky girl to be loved and supported by so many amazing people. Thank you!
Tom … You are always at the top of my list. And, while I know you’ll never read this, I like the idea of knowing that it’s here … just in case you do. Someday. Maybe. I love you.
Vanessa … My late night cheerleader and lifelong best friend. God has blessed me with you and Frankie and my sweetest Frankie III and Ursie. In each other, we still have Mom.
Janet … You’re my ‘other’ mother. And, just like mother and daughter, we don’t always agree. But, just like mother and daughter, our differences could never touch the depth of my love for you.
Kwaku … Thank you for being there at so many important moments of my life. I love you so much.
David Rodriguez ... You are the brother I never had. But that’s not quite right, is it? Because you always were my brother, even though you aren’t. I love you so very much and I’m incredibly proud of the man you’ve become. Even just the thought of you and beautiful, brilliant Kim and your amazing kids bring me so much joy.
Karen Rodriguez … You wave away my fears and indecision and give me a million reasons why I can. Thank you to you and Michael, Jessica and Cheryl who bring me so much joy and love.
Cathy Fourquet ... you’re more like my sister than my sister-in-law. I love you so much.
Elizabeth Penney … my newly rediscovered cousin and fellow author. What a joy to have reconnected with you. I look forward to many more years sharing love and friendship.
Rita Michel … who’s always at the ready with a boost for my confidence and a shoulder to lean on.
Julie Freddino … Good lord! You helped me take this one apart and put it back together again. Thank you for wading around in the muck with me until I got it all sorted. I adore you!
Pattie, Jannet and Victoria … my dear friends and fellow-believers on this ‘Secret’ journey. You helped me to believe it would come true. And it did. Your turn!
Terez Mertes Rose … your love of music and dance and your gift with words all inspire me to be better. What a joy to have you in my life!
Jennifer Mishler … editor, friend, champion. ‘Thank You’ seems so inadequate to express the gratitude and appreciation I feel for you.
Kelly … I could list you as a member of my ‘tech’ team, but that doesn’t feel right anymore. You’ve become such a dear, treasured and trusted friend. How is it possible to love someone you’ve never laid eyes on? I’m not sure, but I do love you, my dear Miss Kelly.
I am the luckiest writer in the world to have my very own ‘think tank!’ My love and thanks to Sue, Kathy, Mary Beth, Laura, Lauren, Pam, Kathy, Gaby, Nicole and Rosalie for reading my words, egging me on and holding my hand.
Thanks to Ernie Leuci who, somehow, manages to keep me just on the right side of ‘sane.’
And thanks be to God for the gift of my words.
About the Author
Lauren Rico has built a career around her love for classical music and her passion for storytelling. For more than 25 years, she’s been a regular voice on classical music radio around the country, presenting the music in a way that is relatable and accessible to listeners. She believes that classical music is meant to be enjoyed by everyone, not just those with a musical education or the entitled few.
Taking that theory a step further, she has chosen to make classical music an element in all of her novels. She tries to make the music a living, breathing thing – a character with a unique personality. Through her descriptions of the compositions and emotions of those who play them, she hopes readers will become engaged with classical music in a way that will compel them to go a step farther and listen to the pieces themselves.
In her blog, Words & Music, Lauren discusses the inspiration for the musical scenes in her books, complete with audio and video source material. You can find her blog, as well as her biography and more information about her books and radio work at www.LaurenRico.com. Lauren may be reached via her website or at [email protected]
These days, you can hear Lauren Rico on SiriusXM’s Symphony Channel 76, WQXR in New York City, WSHU-FM in the New York metro region, WDAV in Charlotte, NC and KMFA in Austin, TX.
Lauren lives on Long Island with her husband and mini schnauzer, Gracie.
The Music of Requiem
The musical selections mentioned, both in passing and in detail throughout this book were carefully selected to complement the mood of each character and to reflect the tone of the story at that point in time. If you have the opportunity to listen to some of the selections as you read, I think you’ll find the music adds an entirely new emotional depth and dimension. Happy reading and happy listening! - Lauren
Samuel Barber: Adagio for Strings
(original string quartet arrangement)
Antonin Dvořák: String Quartet no.12 in F, Op.96 ‘American’
Mark O’Connor: Appalachia Waltz
Maurice Ravel: Pavane for a Dead Princess
Antonin Dvořák: Piano Concerto in G minor, Op.33
Gustav Mahler: Symphony No.1 in D ‘The Titan’
J.S. Bach/Charles Gounod: Ave Maria
Johannes Brahms: Serenade No.1, Op.11
Coming Soon…
Solo
by Lauren E. Rico
Kate Brenner is tired of fighting. Tired of fighting her father, the most detested politician on the eastern seaboard, and his insistence that she abandon her dream of becoming a conductor.
Tired of fighting the rumors and gossip of her classmates, and the disdain of her professors, who all believe she supports her father’s campaign to defund the arts.
Tired of having only herself to count on.
When a blizzard leaves Kate sick and stranded with a man who hates her, she comes to realize that there’s more than politics behind his feelings, and that sometimes winning the fight means losing your heart.
Solo by Lauren E. Rico coming Spring 2017, from Entangled Publishing.
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