A Voyeur’s Heist Excerpt from The Power of a Pawn

One of the more disturbing segments in The Power of a Pawn we have named “A Voyeur’s Heist.” It’s all the more disturbing because we don’t know the identity of the intruder or the senseless victim…at least for now.

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A Voyeur’s Heist

On the bed, a woman lay unmoving. He cuffed her lightly on the side of the face, and whispered, “Good,” when he received no response at all.

He then executed the first phase of his operation. He went directly to her jewelry box, removing several expensive looking necklaces and rings, placing them in a small bag. Into this, he also placed the contents of a small safe in her closet, opened with a key retrieved from her purse.

Her purse, he left sitting on a small table for later use.

Several small electronic items joined the jewelry in his bag. Silverware from a small chest in the kitchen joined the rest. He paused and glanced around, before depositing the bag near the front door.

The theft of small valuables accomplished, he turned to the second part of his business there.

Withdrawing a small scanning unit from a suitcase near the door, he plugged it into a small notebook computer he retrieved from the same suitcase. This he used to scan all of the woman’s licenses, identification, and credit cards. These he took from her purse and carefully replaced one at a time. He smiled while zipping her purse back up as he whispered.

“Sweetheart! In six months, you won’t know … Continue Reading

The Purpose of Government

There are six purposes enumerated in the United States Constitution for the establishment of a system of government. These are to: form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity.

These six purposes should serve as litmus tests for any new legislation at any level of government, even local. Proposed legislation, even if called ordinances, should serve one of these purposes and not undermine any. If they can not pass this test, they should not be instituted.

There seems to be a prevailing school of thought in government that failure to restrain government implies tacit approval. Using this approach, proposed legislation is advertised with notices of public hearings. If significant numbers of voters do not show up to object, the legislation, no matter how onerous and restrictive, is passed. After all, the public chose not to object. Lack of attendance at public hearings does not equate to approval. It equates to a public whose lives and schedules are too full to permit them to constantly protect themselves against those they elected to represent them.

Instead of seeking public input in the above fashion, quarterly town hall meetings should be conducted for at least two purposes. The citizens of Cookeville, TN – where I live … Continue Reading

Dr. Khartor Excerpt from The Power of a Pawn

For those of you who haven’t got your hands on The Power of a Pawn yet, we introduce you to a new character today, and another part of the mystery surrounding Paul Spite’s debut legal thriller.

Intrigued? You don’t have to wait a moment longer. For $1.99, The Power of a Pawn can be yours instantly. We hope you enjoy and would love to hear your thoughts.

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Dr. Khartor

Dr. Khartor was a pleasant enough looking man. Slightly overweight, slightly balding, he looked like the perfect picture of a grandfather. In fact, he was eerily similar in appearance to … Continue Reading

Best Laid Plans

No matter how well we plan, nothing seems to turn out exactly as intended. The difference between our intentions and results creates frustration. This is nothing new. The beginning lines of a Robert Burns poem were paraphrased as, “The best-laid plans of mice and men / Go oft awry.” Apparently even mice struggle with disappointment. But then, they’ve never heard of God or His promises.

In the book of Jeremiah, we read. “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” His plans for us are not evil, and they bring us to the end He expects. Since He is not willing that any should perish, then He plans to have you and I remain alive.

In the book of John, He came to give us more abundant life. He is good at planning ahead for us, since He knows … Continue Reading

Flatline Excerpt from The Power of a Pawn

When we first posted the “Flatline” excerpt on our Facebook page in June 2010, there was a lengthy discussion on how it fit in with the other excerpts that had been posted.

Now that readers have the whole book at their fingertips, is this section any less mysterious? Who is this “young man”? And how did we move from a courtroom to a hospital room?

Author Paul Spite definitely has his own writing style. It has been compared to the television series Lost, in that there are leaps forward and backward in time. The story only comes together at the end.

In her review of The Power of a Pawn, Jennifer Russoli writes, “He crafted the story so that it jumps between … Continue Reading

For Leo

FOR LEO

Gone too soon
Loved no less
Inopportune
No sweet caress
Buried deep
…Never met
Born asleep
And yet…and yet
Soul remains
Waits above
To offer thanks
For life and love

Tom the Husband Excerpt from The Power of a Pawn

TOM THE HUSBAND

Snapshots of Tom kept flitting through her mind. She still remembered her introduction to his parents during one of their infrequent visits to the college.

In front of her, as if she was beneath either notice or consideration, his father uttered a cold, “Are you out of your mind, boy? She will not fit in the circles we have planned for you after your graduation.”

Her fiancé had tightly replied, “Don’t worry about making plans for me now Dad. I move in my own circles now. If you haven’t noticed, they do not orbit around you and Mom any longer.”

That was the last exchange between them until well after the wedding. They had turned on their heels and left, never returning during that final year.

Despite his family’s objections … Continue Reading