Retribution

Susan Johnson | Protagonist

Susan grew up an only child. She was shy and reclusive, but hadn’t crossed the line into introverted, or so she and her parents liked to think. She blossomed late, according to friends and extended family, and that was fine with her parents, especially her dad. When she did blossom, though, oh boy, it was like an explosion of beauty and curves hitting all at once over only a few days. By the time she graduated college, she had redefined drop dead gorgeous and there wasn’t a man in town who didn’t want to, well, be with her. But she never saw herself as beautiful and kind of hated when people dwelled on it. After college, she met Shawn Daniels, a local jock and celebrity businessman. He was hot, both on the business scene and with the local ladies. Susan fell in love with him instantly, but was much too shy to compete with the others. Her beauty drew Shawn to her the first time he saw her. They eventually married, enjoyed a fairy tale honeymoon, and soon after, her life began its descent into the bowels of hell. I felt terrible for this character. Though she didn’t deserve any of the horrible things her husband put her through, I couldn’t get past the feeling that she could have taken herself out of the situation whenever she wanted to. But then the faith thing kicked in and brought things a bit more into focus. After that, I liked her a lot more.

Shawn Daniels | Businessman

Shawn Daniels was a local football legend who attained fame in college. He graduated a few years before his future wife, Susan, and did not know her until she graduated and went to work for a prestigious law firm that he kept on retainer. Shawn began his business career while still in college and had made his first million in his senior year. Shawn had it all: looks, fame, women. There was nothing or no one beyond his reach. The local media latched onto to him and hoisted him onto a pedestal that would eventually contribute to his downfall. Shawn was a shrewd businessman, and the locals loved him for his ability to make money for them. By the time he met Susan, his name was a household name, and he appeared on the covers of every regional business magazine. But Shawn had secrets… dark, disgusting secrets he hid from Susan. The marriage went well for a while, but he could not conceal his sickness indefinitely. No one ever suspected any of the things Susan would unfortunately uncover. Things were that way until he could no longer control himself or his contempt of having a wife. Things went from bad to horrible for Susan quickly. Shawn Daniels was a bastard, and everyone in town would soon know. I never really liked this character. I always thought I should have made him more likable, but then he wouldn’t have been a bastard. You’ll see what I mean if you read the book.

Gary Tomlin | County Prosecutor

Gary Tomlin was the seasoned County Prosecutor. He had an illustrious career and had prosecuted some pretty high-profile cases. Everyone knew Gary as the guy you never wanted to meet if you found yourself on the opposite side of a courtroom against him. Defense attorneys prayed they’d never have to go up against him and, as a result, Gary enjoyed years of mediocre opposition in the courtroom. The years of practically unopposed threats had made him cocky and lazy. With an eye towards retirement, he never imagined that anyone would come along to actually challenge him. When the Daniels case landed on his desk, he was ecstatic that he would end his career by winning the most high-profile case in the town’s history. As I wrote the back-and-forth court scenes between Gary and the young defense attorney, I really enjoyed how it played out more than I enjoyed writing it. Is that weird?

Paul Shaunessy | Defense Attorney

Paul Shaunessy was an up and coming young defense attorney. Though his character was introduced in chapter one, the opening court scene, his name was not mentioned until chapter twelve. Paul had only practiced law for a couple of years and was eager to get a shot at a high-profile case. When he read about the Daniels’ case, it shocked him that none of the local attorneys jumped at the opportunity to defend Susan, the deceased wife, from the murder charges against her. It became clear, however, when he read about Gary Tomlin and his reputation for being unbeatable. Paul wasn’t local, so that news didn’t phase him. Instead, it made him want the case even more. He contacted Susan, and she turned him down. She was ready to accept her fate, and that made Paul even more determined, suspicious actually. As he dug into the case, he noticed enormous cracks in what he knew as fact, and the prosecutor’s public statements. Gary Tomlin was a fake, and his reputation did not intimidate Paul. He eventually convinced Susan to allow him to represent her and he would challenge Gary Tomlin’s illustrious career like it had never been before. Paul Shaunessy was an interesting character. As I looked back on it during edits, it pleased me to see how his character developed.

Rita Daschard | The Antagonist

I can’t believe I almost forgot about Rita Daschard. She became the central character. The story’s entire direction changed as soon as I introduced her. Rita, a 32-year-old Puerto Rican beauty who preferred using a made up Austrian last name. Why? I don’t know. I guess I was just in one of those moods when I decided it made sense. Anyway, there was no coincidence Rita showed up in town. She was on a mission to meet Shawn Daniels and then drain him for as much of his fortune as she could. That was her game, and she was extremely good at it. Rita was irresistible to most men. She knew it. She dressed for it. Flaunted it. And didn’t give a crap about what anyone other than her targets thought about it. Her plan worked flawlessly, and she drained a good chunk of Shawn’s fortune before he knew what hit him. Shawn was an easy mark, and he fell for Rita hard. His lust for her was off the charts and he soon tossed his wife Susan aside. Rita’s plan went well until she met Susan. And then everything went to hell. She befriended Susan immediately, and over time, made her think they were best friends. Susan, not able to see the evil in Rita, the lust in her eyes, came to cherish her friendship. But, truth be told, Rita had fallen for Susan as hard as Shawn had fallen for her. Things got progressively worse when Susan rejected Rita’s romantic advances. The story then took the unfortunate turn towards the events that led to Susan’s arrest for killing both Rita and her husband Shawn. When I began writing the story, I knew I would need to justify the murder charges against Susan, the protagonist. Rita’s character was the result. I introduced Rita in chapter six and established her vanity and reason for becoming a central character. By chapter nine, she had become so unhinged I felt compelled to give the reader the back story about how she became so damaged as a human. As I read back over the manuscript a few times, I don’t think it helped the reader to feel empathy towards Rita. Nor was I going for that. I needed to establish the fact that she was a genuine piece of work, not that it meant she deserved her fate. I just don’t think anyone reading the book would lose sleep over it. Rita was the antagonist, and she absolutely deserved the title.

Paperback: 9.99
Amazon

Ebook: 2.99
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