Excerpt from Under the Gun, A Jett Landry Story

"You okay, kid?" Vinnie asked. Jett sat at the bar staring into her scotch and soda.

"Not really, it's been a tough week."

"You're gonna have those. You hear about that shooting in Midtown?"

Jett chuckled. "Yeah ... I heard about it."

Vinnie raised an eyebrow. "You gonna drink that or have a staring contest with it?"

"Why drink it when I'm winning the contest?"

End of excerpt.

I love this partial exchange between Vinnie, the bartender at the local bar Jett frequents, and Jett (there's more, but I just included this piece of it). I love dialogue between interesting, witty characters. I have a fascination with old-school film noir and, for Under the Gun, I kept this style in mind while writing. I wanted to write a book that you can visualize as both a modern story, with a modern character such as Jett Landry, but with the style and flair of an old-school film noir. That includes catchy dialogue, a variety of settings that range from the sleazy to high society to the unknown, secret back rooms and private parties. With flamboyant characters, down on their luck characters, and sadistic villains and Jett unravelling a mystery while exposing herself to both physical and psychological danger, all the while trying to determine who is setting her up and why. I hope you guys take a moment and check this book out. I just finished rereading it as I work on the sequel, Nine Lives, and it still holds up as a good book that keeps you engaged, keeps you reading, and keeps you in the story.

Give it a read and tell me what you think!

-SO