Way Back Wednesday: My, How They've Grown

I've met all the deadlines for my non-fiction book on organization, coming out in June, and it's now in my publisher's hands. This means that lately, I've finally been able to do something I've been longing to do -- spend some time with my favorite characters. I keep saying that the third Marita/Angel/Charli book is "coming soon," and now I'm finally able to take some steps toward making that happen as I edge closer and closer to the end.

Last night, as I was writing a scene with Marita, Angel and Charli all in the same place, I was thinking about how much they'd changed. Angel is as sweet as ever, but less naive. Marita has gone from being suspicious of Angel to actually considering her a friend (despite Angel's unfortunate taste in men). And Charli has gone from being a little girl on the cusp of adolescence to a teen. Still a good kid, but less of a kid than she was before. And Bets? Well, she's still the loyal best friend and outrageous sidekick she always was...but she's not exactly content to sit on the sidelines and let life pass her by.

So, today, I thought I'd share these characters' first appearances in Casting the First Stone. Maybe it's nostalgia, maybe it's a reminder of how far they (and I) have come but, either way, it's a walk down memory lane.

Marita and Charli are the first to arrive, showing up on the first page of the story.

Marita Mercer adjusted the icicle-thin strap of her leopard print camisole and then tugged once, twice, three times. Perfect. Enough cleavage to look casually sexy, but not so much that Jim could brand her a wanton woman unworthy of her own daughter.

"Mom, do you have to wear that?" Twelve-year-old Charli flopped onto Marita's bed. "Isn't it bad enough that Dad's dragging us through this mediation? Are you trying to make it easy for him to win?"

Hmm. Maybe Marita hasn't changed that much -- at least not in some ways. And Jim definitely hasn't. How about Angel?

Angel Alessio pulled her feet out of the stirrups and sat up, her paper gown rustling. "Is everything okay?"

"Perfectly fine," Dr. Harrison said, rinsing the speculum and setting it on a paper towel. "I can't see any reason why you and your husband would have trouble conceiving. How long have you been trying?"

"Six months." Angel bit her lip as tears welled in her eyes.

Well, Angel's still sensitive, but she cries a lot less. At least most days.

And then there's Bets. Hard to believe we don't meet her until Chapter 6, when she calls to convince Marita to drown her mediation sorrows in margaritas at happy hour.

"Hey, Bets," she [Marita] said, a little breathless from running for the phone.

"Gee, what'd I get you out of the middle of?" Her best friend's voice blared through the receiver despite the loud music playing in the background. "You sound all hot and bothered."

If you're meeting these characters for the first time, you might enjoy these other Way Back Wednesday posts about the Mercers, the Alessios -- or at least a few of them -- and the rest of the gang, nearly all of whom are still around in Book 3.

I hope you enjoy hanging out with them as much as I do.