Excerpt 8

In the 7th book of Failure's Legacy, Tailspin, I needed a catalyst for growth. Mild spoilers ahead, if you haven't read my books or are currently reading the series but haven't read this title, this is your warning.

At the start of the book, Hannah is near rock bottom. Her music career has been reignited  but her personal life is in shambles. She has been working nonstop for three years, recording, producing, and of course touring. Her workaholic life style has alienated her from her family and even Jennifer had stopped traveling with her. I didn't want to spend a lot of time on her turning to alcohol as a crutch to deal with the loneliness, but using a dream sequence and narration made it obvious she had a problem.

After one night of particularly heavy drinking, waking up covered in vomit on the floor of a hotel bathroom, Hannah sees a video Jennifer posted to her social media accounts. Jennifer was on stage at The Music Box with Melody Sparks, a guitar player with a recurrent role in the story. Jennifer performs a a version of a 1970s era folk song by Joan Baaz called Diamonds and Rust. Jennifer altered a few of the songs lyrics to convey how empty and shut out she felt. I heartedly invited anyone unfamiliar with that song to look it up, it is a beautiful song with a haunting guitar melody and wonderful lyrics.

If you haven't read my books, but have been reading the blogs, you see the excerpt I posted early. The trip to Virgina Beach, the hotel, tattoo parlor, the innocent promise to take her on a date... Hannah and Jennifer had remained close, even being confused as a couple through proceeding titles, but have been strictly platonic. Long story short, Hannah cancels the Japanese leg of her tour and elopes with Jennifer, promising to give up the rigorous touring life and focus more on producing other bands.

The honeymoon in Buenos Aires never happens, the charted jet is forced to make an emergency landing in the jungles of South America. The plane was shot down by old Soviet era anti aircraft guns by a guerrilla warlord. Hannah suffers a shoulder injury and the pilot leaves them to look for a village for help. The newlyweds are soon being chased by the rebels through the jungle to be held hostage for leverage by the warlord.

The U.S. government was hesitant to get involved with what they saw as a civil war that was not of America's concern. Former body guards / mercenaries,  from book two step in Peirce (the body guard I anchored to the family via the older sister), Trevor who had stepped into the role of a main character in earlier books are joined by Bill and a new man Tony. Tony was introduced in this book because he had a larger role in the next planned title; they go into the jungle to rescue the women.

I caught flak for portraying Hannah as an emotional wreck in this title. Hannah had become a beloved character to my readers for her brash and sassy demeanor. This book was the turning point in Hannah's character arc, her feeling powerless and Jennifer being forced to step up are the fuel for the development of their characters for the next book.

This scene is well into the women's flight from armed rebels and far from their escape from the jungle. The four men tasked with their rescue find the women on a mountain pass through the Andes mountains. I chose this scene because it is as humorous as it is significant and emotional. Jennifer had been speaking Spanish to communicate throughout the ordeal, even boasting of having gotten a C in high school Spanish. Here we see how badly she really had been butchering the language.

Side note, my phone does not have the final versions of my manuscripts on it. Everytime I attempt to use my laptop to send myself the proper versions I end up working on my next novel which means I stare into space as I'm stuck in a rut with it.

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Cover your face, Hannah,” Jennifer said as she pushed the cart straight into the woods. She went several yards in and abruptly stopped just before a dried-up shallow creek bed. She helped Hannah out and ordered her to get in the shallow ditch. Jennifer flipped the cart on its side and took a position behind it, she placed her bag of pistols next to her and clutched the AK 47 tightly. Unsure how many bullets she had used or how many remained, she pulled her two other magazines out to be ready. She didn’t know what was coming or how many there were, but she was ready to take on an entire army if need be.

The footsteps slowed and she could hear low murmurs emanating from the path. She saw a figure crouching. He tried to see into the woods and held a hand up to signal the others with him.

She took a deep breath and yelled out, “Tu mostaza es un pene mi luna está hecha de hojas de miel o muere,” in the most defiant tone she could muster.

More low murmurs quickly followed by several men engaging in raucous laughter.

“Jennifer? Please don’t shit in my pants until they fall on my toes. I don’t have a spare pair with me.” It was Trevor’s voice loud and clear.

“You are the only person on earth who can speak Spanish with a Georgia accent,” Pierce said.

Jennifer lit up and became animated.

“Honey, we’re saved!” Jennifer said to Hannah who smiled, laughed, and cried all at once.

“Come on out,” Trevor said.

“I might need some help. Her ankle is a bit banged up,” Jennifer replied.

A single figure pushed his way through the tree limbs and stood over the ditch. He looked down at Hannah smiling.

“I leave you alone for a few and look at the mess you get into,” Bill said.

Hannah looked up at him with tears in her eyes.

“You… you… came… you came for me? Bill? Is that really you? Oh my god!” she cried.

“Course I did, now let’s get you out of the gutter, huh?” Bill carried her as Jennifer pushed the cart out of the woods. Even though everyone protested, Hannah insisted on hobbling around to hug everyone, including Tony whom she’d just met. She begrudgingly got back in the cart and Pierce insisted Jennifer ride as well. While he pushed, they walked well into the night. As they stopped at the last big stand of trees, they could see the forest giving  way to small bushes, then the coast beyond that.

Once they settled, Trevor used his satellite phone to call Irene.