Project Chick

I’m often asked what brought me into this murderous world, where I choose to write about villainy and crime. Yet, I think it would be too simple to say it was just one experience.

1995, Philly

When the thunder rolls I think of the dark nights of long ago and the sounds of gunshots that were a part of the nightly serenade.  I’ve heard too much, seen too much, as cars drove slowly by, young men  were strapped, and girls and women were pawns in a lifestyle where they had little meaning or regard. I remember the silent brick bubble, in which I dwelt. Shutters, the shutters snapped closed as the depth of despair leached away at the last bit of myriad hope I’d hung on to; the moment my faith in humanity was dashed by death.

Death and murder have always been walking beside me. I don’t want to delve into what it meant to lose someone of my family to gun violence. I don’t want to recall what the world has been like since he perished so long ago, but I still remember the hot tears that dripped down my face; I still remember seeing his bloated unrecognizable features, and  the extreme pain of what it meant to no longer have him there.

I’m a project chick. I’ve seen drugs sold from dark alleyways, heard gun shots barrage in the air, calling out to one another; I’ve watched smiling faces lose their innocence while small kids played hop-scotch along the sidewalks. In the projects, where roaches were more prevalent than officers, I know what it was like to be a prisoner inside.

Be inspired, and remain true to yourself

Until it rained.

When it rained, then I was free, able to bounce around and play in the torrential wetness, as the heavens opened up as if to give me a moment of reprieve. I could shower in the renewing mist gifted from above, laugh, and be joyful.

Yet, I don’t regret it.

Living in poverty, I learned the meaning of hard work, honesty and truth. They built my character. I learned the value of true friendship and that poverty wasn’t limited to one skin tone, color or ethnicity. Back in the day, a dollar was still able to get you and three of your friends a small bag of chips from the corner store, but a loaf of bread would cost almost an arm, and milk was more expensive than a gallon of gas. Regardless of the high prices, it was the handsome guy behind the counter, who kept throwing compliments your way, and the convenience of the store being so nearby that kept you coming back. Yeah, I remember those long days where in desperation, the people did more than struggle, we survived and lived. We found joy in the simple things, and knew how to laugh. 

Through it all, I learned the value of me – my strengths are reflected through my experiences, as are my weaknesses.

Beyoncé singing "I Was Here", courtesy of YouTube

That being said, I write what I write because it is a part of me sharing a part of my creative soul with the world. It is my unmistakable voice being heard, where this stew of experiences have created a decadent meal.

Enjoy! Dinner is served. :)

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TINA GLASNECK enjoys looking on the darker side of things, and still finding a glimmer of hope. When she is not creating worlds, she can be found multi-tasking. To learn more about Tina, and to stay up-to-date on her works, please connect with her at www.TinaGlasneck.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TinaGlasneck

Murder and Murderers Among Us

Murder follows me everywhere!

Thanks for stopping by and welcome to Murderer's Market, and I'm your host, Tina Glasneck. For new readers, please note that this blog is composed of 9 different authors, representing different genres and writing styles. I write suspense and my books have a high body count.

Today, my topic is murder and the murderers among us.

Murder has existed almost as long as man-kinds’ existence. We’ve killed in the name of love and hate; for food and to avoid famine; we’ve killed because of misplaced honor and now, besides pestilence, disease, hunger and poverty, we also have to still be weary of one another – under the surface of our survival, is the killer. The instinct that snaps necks, breaks bones and wants nothing more than to dance in a pool of their victim’s blood.

When it comes to criminal investigation, the evidence, like a trail of blood leads to the suspect, but still a motivation is constantly sought – to show if the crime was random or more planned; where a motivation can be discerned, then it is also easier to track down the culprit. Please understand, with the theory of seven degrees of separation, police always look at the immediate circle of the victim, because that is where most of the perpetrators will be. Who knew that murders are done by friends, family and lovers? You are more likely to die at the hands of someone you know than a complete stranger.

But then, you have the stranger who is seeking a thrill; the “born” killer, who wishes nothing more than to feel something. It is something that has ballooned within them, vibrations running through their bodies, seeking a release that others could never fathom. It is not death, but power. Recognition. And worse, it is most likely undetected.

Unfortunately, people don’t ride around with signs around their necks, revealing their intentions (although that would be a great tool for technology to come up with). Instead, their internal workings can only be deciphered by their actions. How many ticking time bombs are out there in need of diffusing? How many have we made through bullying and a lack of self-expression? How many are living in their fantasy worlds and wish to become something in this reality?

The darkness woos me like a long lost lover, inviting me deeper into its depths. It’s amplified like sound in a bullhorn, forever surrounding, luring me deeper into its depths.

I feel its warm hand at the base of my skull, leading me, until ….

It doesn’t take much for thoughts to become actions, at least that is the fear someone recently voiced to me, while I was plotting my current WIP (work in progress).  That the thoughts we have can take over, creating a world where someone like me suddenly becomes like a character of my creation.

Hearing that, I couldn’t help but think that such was ludicrous. What I create is fiction, that was until I dug deeper…

I am the author of THOU SHALL NOT, a mystery and suspense with romantic elements available in all formats at Smashwords and also available on Amazon. My goal is to provide my readers with tales filled with murder, mystery, suspense and romance, highlighting that an absolute good or evil does not exist.

"The ending was a complete shocker! I kept guessing everyone except who it actually was." 4-star review from Amazon