Can You Hear the Suspense?

/ roughwighting

ChatGPT, man and woman running. As Gregory and I raced our final mile, the sun rose, and I saw the shifting shadow.

“Huh,” I said. Gregory ignored me, outpacing me by a stride and allowing sweat to drop into his hooded brown eyes.

I used to love running this last surge before my body stopped, heart pounding, blood coursing through my veins. I’d pretend I was flying, feet off the ground, hair swinging behind me, legs like a panther.

But with Gregory joining me on these early morning runs now, there was always this competition thing going on. No conversation, no smiles and kisses before we warmed up and began a leisurely mile before the steadier second and third one. Just a serious, straight-ahead, running-is-my-life stride.

I saw it again – a shadowy shape moving to the left of us, behind the huge oak trees that led to my neighborhood. A creepy tingle slid up my spine, despite the unexpected early-November warmth. ChatGPT, shadow in tree,

But Gregory was two strides ahead now, grunting and pulling with his taut, tanned legs. I ignored the shadow, and the fear, and pushed myself harder than usual. Two blocks, now one, and yes! I reached him as we both touched the banister of my front deck together. I smiled with delight; Gregory turned his back to me, bent down, hands on his knees, breathing in large thankful gulps.

“Tie, again!” I said. His shoulders bunched up, then straightened as he turned to me, blank face quickly changed to a satisfied one.

“Good going. Great run.” He looked toward the east, where the sun was unveiling a sky of pink and peach. “Hafta shower and get off to work.” He leaned over, gave me a sweaty kiss, and then bounced up the stairs into the house.

“Sore loser,” I muttered under my breath. And he didn’t even lose, we both won, as far as I was concerned. But that was my Gregory, competitive, yet sweet and romantic. Well, I didn’t know if I should actually call him “my” Gregory. He’d only moved in this weekend, and that was his idea, not mine.

I caught a shape on the periphery of my eye and swirled right. Nothing was there. But I knew I saw something.

“Who is it?” I called out. Silence, except for the sound of cars passing down the street, the early commuters, and the birds singing as if it were spring and not November. Their last hurrah before winter set in.

I took one step up the wooden staircase of my old Victorian cast-off, and felt, rather than saw, a hand grasp me on my shoulder. I would have screamed, but another hand was over my mouth. 

Some of you may recognize the first chapter of my novel THE RIGHT WRONG MAN, which is now available in Audible form! I took the plunge. I had such fun listening to the story of Meredith, Gregory and Parker, and you may too. Fair warning, it’s “virtual voice-generated” and except for some hiccups, it’s still a good read at an extraordinarily low cost. Hit the title to read the reviews. 

80 thoughts on “Can You Hear the Suspense?”

  2. You had me, what a great beginning! I have downloaded the audio version and can’t wat to listen to it. Because of eye strain, I’ve been listening to more books lately. Well done, you. xo

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  3. I thought I recognized that moment! As they reached the porch I was thinking, that’s the Right Wrong Man!
    Well done turning it into an audio book!

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    • I hesitated doing it but then I thought why not? I have a number of friends who have turned to Audible because of problems with their eyes so I took the plunge. Thank you for the congrats! 👏

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    • I agree Teagan. As hard as it was for me to get used to listening to a book, now I always listen to a book while at the same time I admit I’m reading another book on my Kindle. Hey, keeps our brain neurons working hard. 😛

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  10. I read this book when it first came out, and I would have downloaded the audio version but our Canadian amazon doesn’t offer it (yet). I do remember there was a lot of tension throughout the book. A real page turner. Good for you, for taking the plunge to audio, Pam.

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  12. Pam, I have not gone down the road of book listening just yet, but color me intrigued by showing those colors of Fall and the sounds of those birds making their “final stand.” I saw your comment to John about having to pick out just one section to feature when your thought is everything is feature-able. I can imagine the challenge in doing that, but I have to think you nailed it in this instance.😉

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    • That’s incredibly nice of you to say, Bruce, and makes me more relaxed about ‘promoting’ my novel (written five, six years ago?) into an Audible. I understand your reluctance to ‘read’ by listening. I started because of some long car rides, in which listening to a book helped me not feel like I was wasting my time in traffic. 🙂 And the video of the trees and the birds (glad you heard them) was from my front yard just a few days ago. Thanks for enjoying it all!

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    • I understand (AI ☹️). I struggled with the decision but we struggling writers can’t afford to pay a narrator ($$$$). That said, I appreciate an excellent narrator with an Audible bestseller. As soon as The Right Wrong Man is picked up by a major movie producer, I’ll pick Jennifer Lawrence to narrate. (She’d be a perfect Meredith.) 😏

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  15. Great choice of excerpt, Pam! I have this book in Kindle form – congrats on making it available on Audible. (My first memoir is also virtual voice-generated, and that’s just fine.)

    Meredith, Gregory and Parker come alive once again.

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    • Oh, Marian, for some reason I didn’t know you’d also produced a virtual-voice generated version of your fantastic memoir. Are you happy with it?

      Yes, I was smiling the entire time I listened to The Right Wrong Man – it’s kind of neat to “hear” something you’ve created. Now, wouldn’t it be neat for both of us to see our books made into a screenplay for a movie? 🙂

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      • I announced the “Audible” version on the blog post of our 58th anniversary as a postscript, which you commented on. Please don’t fret: We have a LOT on our minds and piles of stuff rolling around in our heads.

        Am I happy with the recording? I listened to just a smidge, so I don’t know. Maybe this is the prod I need to go back and listen to more of it. 😀

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        • Oh, (embarrassed). Yes, too much on our minds. But YES, I think you should listen to your Audible book. I’d love to know what you think of it, and if it was worth it. I’m considering next making my other romantic suspense, TWIN DESIRES, into an Audible book as well.

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    • I enjoy writing romantic suspense because hooks are expected, and I happen to love writing hooks after and before each chapter. 🙂 The Right Wrong Man delivers on all accounts. (Not to toot my own horn.) ;=0

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  18. Congratulations! What an intriguing start to your novel. I didn’t know there was such a thing as virtual-voice generated. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.

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    • I didn’t know about the virtual-voice generated narrator either, until I received an e-mail from Amazon’s KDP offering it to me as a ‘test book’ or some such thing. I figure if it gives a few more readers a chance to listen to my book (because they prefer hearing instead of listening to a book) then go for it. Despite some hiccups, it’s better than I expected.

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  19. I immediately remembered the scene, Pam. That says a lot, considering I read your book several years ago.

    I have a good friend who swears by audio books. Her major selling point is that she can multitask while she’s listening, such as working in the garden. I really should give it a try. It would definitely make those long car trips shorter.

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    • I LOVE that you remembered the scene, Pete. Yes, I mainly began listening to books on Audibles because of my drives to the writing classes I teach – many times 30 minutes each way. That’s an hour of reading! I can’t listen when I’m doing housework though. Too distracting, but it works while driving. I have one designated book for listening to, and I read other books on my Kindle or in hardback. Keeps the brain moving, when I need to remember what scene I’m reading in which book. 🙂

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    • Oh, the tech we need to learn to keep up with everything. I took a plunge when I joined Audibles, but I have been able to ‘read’ so many more books since I have one available every time I drive. I know readers who can listen to a book while they’re cleaning/cooking too, but my mind gets too bombarded at that! 🙂

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  25. Congratulations! I still prefer books/ebooks to audiobooks at this point, but I can see the day coming (“see” what I did there? :)) when my preferences will shift and reverse.

    I have your book on my Kindle—thanks for the reminder to read it next.

    xo

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    • THANK you, Amy. I ‘hear’ you, but I’ve found I like being a 3-kind-of-book reader (Kindle, hardbound, Audible). Good for the brain! 🙂 But yes, it took me awhile to ‘see’ a story while I was listening to it.

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