Book Blitz:Excerpt & Giveaway - Marionette by T.B. Markinson

Marionette by T.B. Markinson

Release Date: 11/07/13

Summary from Goodreads

At the age of seventeen, Paige Alexander had it all planned. She wrote a letter, sat in the bath, and slit her wrists. Her plan failed.

Her best friend, Alex, is dead.

Paige can't get over her twin sister blaming her for a tragic event in their past.

Colorado is in the midst of voting on lesbian and gay rights and Paige is terrified to come out of the closet, fearful for her life.

Many people in Paige's life are keeping secrets from her. Will she piece everything together before it's too late?

In this gripping first-person narrative, a young college student grapples with more than first loves or coming of age. In a world filled with homophobia, suicidal feelings, and a dysfunctional family, Paige cuts her wrists in an attempt to free herself from the crazy life that's all she's ever known.

Could there be new lessons in store for Paige? With the help of her girlfriend, friends, and a compassionate therapist, can Paige find the safe space she needs to heal, grow, and cut her strings?

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EXCERPT

I squinted to see further into the room. It was the size of my bathroom. A black and white picture of a mountain being strangled by clouds hung on the wall. Ansel Adams maybe. A calendar featuring Dalmatian puppies decorated the other wall; it was two months behind. There were two chairs and an area rug. How did they find such a minuscule area rug? Maybe it was a bathmat passing as an area rug.

“It’s okay. You can go in.”

The voice scared the bejesus out of me, and I jumped.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.”

I felt ridiculous. I turned to look over my shoulder and saw a beautiful, petite woman. Long blonde hair cascaded down her back. Her soft cobalt eyes and her diminutive mouth both seemed to smile.

“Um … you must be Dr. Elliot.” I did my best not to sound like a ninny.

I failed. Add it to my list.

“Yes, I am. And you must be Paige.” She reached for my elbow. “Come on, we’ll do this together.” She guided me into the room and over to a chair, and then she gently shoved me down. For a little gal, she was surprisingly strong and graceful.

She must manhandle a lot of cuckoos.

Liddy walked over to her desk, set her briefcase down, and picked up a notepad and pencil. Looking back at me over her shoulder, she smiled. Her hair covered half of her face. She was doing her best to make things easy for me. It wasn’t working. I wish I appreciated the effort, but all I wanted was to bolt from the room.

I scrutinized her again. She had a perfect body. Five feet, five inches would be my guess. With her curves and her sweet scent, she didn’t resemble Sigmund Freud at all. I imagined he smelled of sweat, sex, and tobacco. Not sure why, but that’s how I imagine him. She smelled like an orange grove on a summer day.

“Do you always study everyone you meet, Paige?” Her smile indicated she was teasing me.

“Nope. Just the ones who are going to put their nose into my business.”

She nodded. “I guess we should get down to it then.” Her voice was too masculine for someone so feminine and petite.

Sitting down, she said, “As you know, I’m the psychiatrist appointed to you through the university.”

Lucky you.

She didn’t take the bait, presumably because she couldn’t read minds.

“I thought today we would just talk and get to know each other,” she said.

“Don’t you mean you want to assess the damage?” I tugged on my shirtsleeves to ensure the scars were completely covered.

“That’s not exactly what I meant, Paige. I would like to talk so we can find a way to help you.”

We? What does she mean we?

“So you want to probe my brain. See what makes me tick. You can probe all you want, but if you even try to make me run through a maze in search of cheese I’m out of here.” I tried to laugh but couldn’t force it out of my throat.

She looked like she was thinking of what to say next. “Therapy may seem like going through a maze at times, but I don’t think the prize will be a piece of cheese.”

A prize? Oh boy? This is just as exciting as eating a box of Cracker Jacks. Maybe it will be a plastic ring that pinches my finger. I really like those. Or maybe a fake tattoo; now those are cool. I crossed my legs and arms. Trying to be sassy and in control exhausted me, even if Liddy couldn’t hear my efforts.

She tapped her pencil against her notepad, and then continued. “Maybe ‘prize’ wasn’t the right word.”

“Are you going to turn me into a freak? Have me shave my head and hand out flowers to people at the airport?” Now that would be a nifty reward. Personally, I’d never seen these people at the airport. I remembered seeing them in many of the movies from the eighties. I’d always wondered if they actually existed.

Liddy adjusted herself in her chair and leaned forward, not too close to push the boundary, but too close for my comfort. “No, Paige. Shaving your head would be too easy. I plan to do something much worse to you.”

I imagined beads of sweat forming on my brow.

“You might wish, at times, that I would just shave your head and give you a handful of flowers to hand out.”

This woman was playing hardball.

About the Author

T. B. Markinson is a 39-year old American writer, living in England, who pledged she would publish before she was 35. Better late than never. When she isn't writing, she’s traveling around the world, watching sports on the telly, visiting pubs in England, or taking the dog for a walk. Not necessarily in that order. She has published two novels: A WOMAN LOST and MARIONETTE.

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