Dido sent her team of ‘dips’ off for their summer break in late June. That allowed her to see how being on the ‘right’ side of the law felt.

Margaritas, Beaches, and Bikinis

Chapter One
A meeting with my Editor

I took a deep breath as I peered across the wooden desk. Sitting in front of me was a woman who seemed to be in her late thirties. Her long brunette hair was tied back in a tight bun and she was dressed in a charcoal gray skirt suit. Her dark green eyes reminded me of the eyes of a Russian Blue.

One of the best things about going to any conference was the networking and socialization. The talks, lectures, and Q&A sessions gave the participants valuable information, but the stated purpose of a conference did not help as much as the human interactions. Making those social connections helped those who went to the conference in many other ways than learning about a new trend. The conference-goers made their network bigger by getting new friends, new job leads, and a nice little bullet point to put on their resume.

This one's not for the faint of heart. Over the course of the story there will be death, suicide attempts, a fair amount of physical and mental abuse, some egregious torture and a hefty dollop of foul language, but hopefully a happy ending. Actually, the last bit's a given since it's me doing the writing, but between here and the end is a rocky road, so please if any of the above is likely to be triggering for you, please, please think twice about reading.

Set for Life
A Vignette
By Maryanne Peters

It was my grandmother’s hair that fascinated me. She was one of those women who always believed in keeping her hair looking great, even when it turned completely white. I remember as a boy wondering why women kept all their hair where men lost most of theirs – sometimes all of it. It seemed so sad to have been born a boy and to be condemned to a future without beautiful hair.

 
Hi, my name is Kevin. I am a ten-year-old boy, or at least I was until everything changed. Let me tell you a little about myself I live in the Hollywood Hills of California with my parents, Robert and Karen, both in their late thirties.

Chapter 2

We sat until I could stand, and she helped me to go to the dorms. I could hardly go up the extra stairs alone, but a long shower and some liniment helped me regain a steady posture. I sat on my bed and looked at the article until I had a bit more understanding. It looked like Bastien was under suspicion for drug trafficking and a possible murder. The Spanish and Portuguese police had a lot of circumstantial evidence but nothing concrete.

Chapter Three – The Verdict

With all the evidence presented it's time for the jury to announce their verdict, will they find Stephanie guilty of murder? How did Stephanie Nielsen and her lawyer William Sanford become lovers? If Stephanie isn't the murderer; who is?
More than one question is answered in this final installment.

I groaned as I slowly but very painfully regained my consciousness. I had the most intense headache I'd ever had and my world spun violently.

Not that I could see it. My vision was dark as a result of the cloth that covered my eyes. I wanted to scream but even my mouth was restrained. It was a terrible realization that I was cut off from the world. I felt that much more helpless when I tugged at my arms but they were secured firmly behind my back.

Chapter Two – Purging

Transwoman Stephanie Nielsen is on trial for murdering her lover. The trial continues and her sordid but tragic past is revealed. The case is balancing on a knife edge as Stephanie's lawyer and the ADA battle it out in court and the tabloids report every gruesome detail of the murder and her private life.