Saturday's Excerpt from Gypsy Spirit by Rita Karnopp

Poland – Slovakia – Germany 1943






CHAPTER ONE



The twins ran past Zilka, their skirts blowing in the breeze nearly tripping them. The coins tied to their blouses jingled with each step. Their laughter carried on the wind.

“Mayla, Vanya, where you running off to?” Zilka hoped they’d ask her to join them.

“Varekai,” Mayla shouted.

Zilka stomped her foot and frowned at them. “Don’t wherever me. I know you’re headed to the pond. You want the boys to find you. I’m telling papa.”

“Shush, you baby. Don’t be tellin’ papa anything or I’ll tell him you and Petre were up in that tree last night.”

“You keep your tongue or I’ll tell papa you and Vilas were kissing out by the horses this morning.”

“Quiet, both of you before everyone knows, including papa.” Mayla leaned toward the girls and whispered. “A vardo came in late last night.”

“Just one? Why would just one wagon come?” Vanya asked.

“Who was it?” Zilka looked around the encampment and adjusted the woven flower ring on her head.

“It was a family of diddakois.” Mayla answered with an exaggerated expression of distaste.

“So what, we’re a family of half-gypsies.” Zilka shook her head and rolled her eyes.

“They stayed with Natsi’s family. She said they were nervous and scared. They all went to the Shero Rom and talked and argued for hours before finally settling down for the night.”

“What were they arguing about?” Vanya whispered.

“I asked Natsi, but she didn’t know. The diddakois did a lot of crying.”

“You think they were sent away from their kumpania and they want to join ours?”

“We’ll have to ask papa. He’ll know.” Mayla reached over and pulled on Zilka’s necklace.

“Atch,” she shouted, then grabbed Mayla’s long, sandy braid and gave it a tug.

“You little schej.” She yanked Zilka’s flowers down over her eyes and ran. Vanya followed on her heels.

Zilka smiled. She loved it when the twins called her a little Gypsy girl. The early morning chill sent her fetching a shawl before following them. Their house on wheels snuggled under a tree on the edge of camp. Zilka smiled. She loved the blue and green carved gilded spokes that housed a sitting space just outside the front door. The windows of the wagon were covered by lace curtains and the wheel spokes were painted gold. The curved roof edges were carved and painted yellow and red from which they hung copper ornaments.

She picked up her shawl and readjusted the flowers she always wore.

“Bajram, you cannot be serious. Mayla deserves a much younger man than Istvan Radita. Even his son, Ivan would be a better choice. She will never agree to it.”

“We should never have promised the girls they could approve or disapprove their tumnimos. Mayla is the eldest and must choose her betrothed first. They are all getting too old for me to arrange marriages for them. We should have taken care of this long ago.”

It wasn’t right to listen to her parent’s conversation, yet Zilka couldn’t bring herself to leave.

“Bajram, you are a good taj and the girls love you.”

“A good father would do what’s best for them even if they don’t understand. They know I love them and want them happy. I’m the laughing stock of our kumpania where the girls are concerned.”

Zilka smiled to herself. Everyone knew Bajram Sucuri could not say no to his girls. He was fiercely strict and protected them, but in the end the girls had the last word. There would be no abiav until Mayla agreed to marry. Then they’d have a fabulous wedding feast.

“What if Rosalia and Adam Bogdan are telling the truth? We must—“

“You want to divorce me and go back to the city? Would you take my chavis from me? It would tear my heart out, Elise.”

“You know I love you, Bajram,” Elise stifled her emotions. “If the SS are now arresting Gypsies, we must consider what this means.”

Zilka sat and leaned her shoulder against the front door, afraid what she would hear next.

“It can’t be true,” Bajram slammed his fist on top the wooden table. “We are German citizens.”

“We are also Gypsies.”

“No. I am Gypsy,” Bajram shouted. “You are Arian and our chavis are mischlinge.”

“Yes the girls are of mixed ancestry, but they could easily pass as Arian because they are jenische. Maybe being a white Gypsy is a blessing now. I could take them to my mother’s chalet in Switzerland. We could wait out the war there until you return for us. I am not divorcing you.”

“I’m not convinced we have to do this. We should wait until we can confirm these rumors. What if—“

“We can’t take the chance. We have to think of our girls . . . “

Zilka didn’t want to listen to another word. She bolted from the wagon and ran down the trail. A sharp rock pierced the bottom of her bare foot and she hobbled a short time, then sped ahead. Tears filled her eyes and streamed down her face.

“We’re over here, Zilka!”

She heard Vanya in the distance. Blinded by tears, she ran along the edge of the pond. Finally out of breath, she stopped and sat on the dry shore. Pulling her legs into her chest, she cried until it hurt.

“Zilka, why on earth did you keep running?” Vanya asked, gasping for breath.

“Are you okay?” Mayla slid her arm around Zilka’s back.

“I heard mama and papa talking.” She paused and hiccupped. “They said they were going to make Mayla marry Radita.”

“Ivan is actually really nice. He has been—“

“Not Ivan. His father, Istvan.”

“What? That is dinilo. He’s almost as old as papa.” Mayla stood and paced back and forth. “I won’t do it.”

“You won’t have to.” Zilka wiped her wet cheeks with her palms.

“You’re not making any sense. Why are you crying?” Vanya sat and pulled Zilka’s hand between hers.

“Mama is leaving papa and is taking us to our gadze’ grandmother.”

“No, that can’t be true.” Disbelief edged Mayla’s tone. “In Switzerland? Why would she do that? You must have heard wrong.” She sat next to Zilka.

“No, I know what I heard. It has something to do with those people who came last night. Papa said the SS were arresting Gypsies. Mama is going to make us look like gadze’—”

“She wouldn’t leave papa,” Vanya interrupted.

“I’m not going to dress like a non-gypsy. I refuse to act like a gadze’ and pretend to be only Arian. I won’t leave papa and Petre.” Zilka wiped at the new stream of tears. She found comfort sandwiched between her sisters.

“We need to talk with mama and papa.” Mayla suggested.

“They can’t make us leave. This is our jamarokher. We are not gadze’ and we’ll never think like them. Never to travel. To be confined to one town. It is not for me.” Zilka pulled her flower ring off her head and studied the yellow and pink flowers. It always brought her comfort – until now.

“It is our home, Schej,” Vanya soothed. “Let’s see what mama and papa have to say before we get all upset and worried.”

Zilka allowed her sisters to pull her to her feet. A dark cloud settled over her as they headed back to their vardo. She had not known such unhappiness. How could she leave papa? She would stay with papa and the kumpania. How could she live without mama, Mayla and Vanya? New tears surfaced and freely rolled down her cheeks.



* * * * *

Friday's How She Does It featuring Rita Karnopp #amlearning

We all know there are six elements in writing fiction Who, What, Where, When, Why and How. I believe the first five lead to the sixth which for me is the Plot. What's your take on this?




I so agree. A plot must be original, challenge the reader, be exciting, paced so the reader has a chance to breathe, not too complex or shallow, add that suspension of disbelief, create just enough subplots, have logical sequence, the premise should be compelling, and finally make that conclusion satisfying.



1.How do you create your characters? Do you have a special system? I love this question, because without exciting, complex and even flawed characters – you don’t have a story. I start by thinking about a plot, since this is the driving force of any book. I think about what characters would manipulate, influence, and even motivate the plot best. What hero and heroine can I create that are total opposites in this scenario and how can I put them together, even if they hate each other, to pull together for a common cause? Soon – my story takes off – the characters start reacting . . . and soon my conflict it driving the story forward . . . next thing I know . . . I’m typing, ‘the end.’







2. Do your characters come before your plot? Do you sketch out your plot or do you let your characters develop the route to the end? I’ve kind of answered that in the above question, but let me say this, both have to be exciting and fresh. You might consider an old plot – but the characters and situation must be updated and twisted so it reads as new and inspiring. It’s rare that I have characters first . . . but just recently I did think about a heroine that just haunted me . . . and I wondered how I could develop a plot she would work in . . . which I have. Most times I will have my plot first and develop my characters to handle the plot.







As for the second part of this question, I do sketch-out parts of the plot. I have an idea where the beginning, middle and end are. But it’s rare I stick to it . . . because my characters have minds of their own – and they write the dialog and their actions. I just type! My endings develop . . . and most times even surprise me. When writing Kidnapped, I was typing the court scene at the end . . . I had tears running down my face – because I felt the couple’s desperation . . . the ending wrote itself . . . and I have to say . . . my characters didn’t disappoint me.







3. Do you know how the story will end before you begin? In a general or a specific way? I’m always stepping on the toes of the question above. I have a good idea of what I want my ending to be . . . but getting there surprises me! I want nothing more than to make it exciting and twisting enough to either surprise the reader . . . or make sure it’s more than just satisfying. If you’re not moved when writing those last few pages . . . set it aside and re-read it in a few days … and … rewrite it until it’s moving. I can’t truly say that has happened to me . . . but the writer MUST find the ending surprising and satisfying . . . or your reader will never feel it either.







4. Do you choose settings you know or do you have books of settings and plans of houses on your book shelf? I choose settings when the inspiration hits me. I never steer clear of any given setting or subject – if I’m inspired – I know I can create a gripping or moving story around it. I have a basket that I toss ideas into as they come to me. To be honest, I have more ideas than I have time to write. Seems like as I’m writing a book – or series – an idea for my next work comes to me and starts intruding into my current work in progress. It’s annoying – but it keeps me excited and writing. I have to be honest, I have never dipped into my ‘ideas basket’ . . . because I always come up with a plot before it’s time to start a new book. I can’t imagine what it would be like to – wonder what my next book is going to be about.







5. Where do you do your research? From books you won, the library or the internet? I love stretching myself and going outside my comfort zone. I just finished my Tango of Death series, taking place in 1943 Poland/Germany involving the gypsies during the Holocaust. White Berry on the Red Willow takes place in the future – but goes back to the old ways of the Native American, and then I have my 1800s Native American historicals, plus my thrillers taking place at ghost towns in Montana. I have an incredible library … dog-eared to be sure – of books about the 1800s. I have many books on the Gypsies, plus a library of books and documentaries about the Holocaust. And now we are blessed with endless information available online. I tap into it all.







6. Are you a draft writer or do you revise as you go along? My very first book I did a color-coded index card plotting – draft of the book. It showed me pacing and the even-distribution of the hero/heroine/villain. It was a lot of work . . . but helped me develop a feel for the flow of a book. . After that first book, I never went there again. I now have an idea for the beginning – middle – and end . . . and start writing . . . and keep it going until I type ‘the end.’

Just a Few Sentences from Jewish Soul by Rita Karnopp

A Few Lines From. . . Rita Karnopp




A few lines from JEWISH SOUL – Book #3 of the Tango of Death Series



By Rita Karnopp

http://www.amazon.com/Jewish-Soul-Tango-Death-ebook/dp/B00CS7TCPM







Mayla watched the girls head for the bushes. She turned toward the men. “If nothing else, everything will be worth it if we manage to save their lives. If any of us is captured, we must die before breathing a word about the twins.”

She stretched out her hand and Chester placed his on top and Stane placed his below. “In the midst of all this evil . . . this is our one good.” Mayla smiled as they nodded in agreement.















Find out more about Rita Karnopp’s books at: www.ritakarnopp.com



Make sure to visit next week for a few lines from Jude Pittman

Books We Love Blurbathon Tango of Death Series by Rita Karnopp

~ TANGO OF DEATH SERIES ~




GYPSY SPIRIT 1 Book 1-Tango of Death Series - Gypsy Spirit is a story of the driving spirit of a Gypsy girl, who took it upon herself to document the truth. Her strength and determination brings to light a story of magnanimity and the fears and atrocities such a Gypsy girl might have lived through.



http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009KDY5D6 http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/241274



PARTISAN HEART - Book 2 - Tango of Death Series - Poland 1943-During WW II resistance movements occurred in every occupied country by a variety of means, ranging from propaganda to outright warfare and the recapturing of towns, as well as hiding crashed pilots.



Partisan Heart tells the story of a Gypsy girl who follows her beloved into the forests of Poland and the Ukraine. Their partisan group is willing to risk their lives blowing up train trestles, attacking SS killer squads, and to infiltrate Nazis intelligence to destroy Nazi Germany. Resistance does exist. If nothing else, to die with dignity is a form of resistance.



JEWISH SOUL - Book3 - Tango of Death Series - Watch for the third book in the Tango of Death series, JEWISH SOUL. Mayla decides it's up to her to do whatever it takes to find her twin, Vanya, and baby sister, Zilka ~ before the Gestapo sends them to a concentration camp or the SS kills them.



FIND RITA AT: http://ritakarnopp.com



Email: ritakarnopp@bresnan.net



bookswelove.net/karnopp.php



ritakarnopp@bresnan.nethttp://www.amazon.com



http://mizging.blogspot.com

Thursday's Who I've Been Reading by Janet Lane Walters

Before I get to the reading, I have a blog up here. http://obscurekidlitauthors.blogspot.com/

The Unholy by Heather Graham Intriguing story where I learned a log about creating props and illusions as well as an enjoyable story, including the ghost of Bogart.


The 1940s: Hard-boiled detectives and femmes fatale are box-office gold. In one iconic scene, set in a deserted museum, the private eye arrives too late, and the buxom beauty is throttled by an ominous Egyptian priest.

Now: The Black Box Cinema immortalizes Hollywood's Golden Age in its gallery of film noir tributes. But the mannequin of that Egyptian priest is hardly lifeless.

He walks—and a young starlet dies a terrifying death.

Movie mogul Eddie Archer's son is charged with the grisly murder. Eddie calls agent Sean Cameron, who specializes in irregular investigations. As part of an FBI paranormal forensics team, Cameron knows that nightmares aren't limited to the silver screen.


No Ordinary Killer by Rita Karnopp A mystery from a fellow author at BWL. Exciting suspense with a good romance.

Enter the conflicting mind of a serial killer on a clever path to bring about the destruction of Cooper Reynolds. The brother, in the killer’s mind, whose life is everything he wants to be his own. Manipulating Cooper’s ex-wife, Megan Reynolds, into writing Malicious Intent, the book explodes on the market. When the murders described in her book begin happening again, Great Falls, Montana, is in a panic. A serial killer is among them and evidence is pointing directly at Detective Cooper Reynolds.
Revenge for her ex-husband’s rejection, writing the first book sounded like a good idea, but now Megan ibeing forced into writing yet another book of three murders in Physical Evidence. The killer is watching her every move and going to the police will only get her mother and children killed. She is caught in a violent world she created on paper . . . and it's now coming to life.

IA agent, Dallas Fortune, is investigating Cooper Reynolds. Although there is more incriminating evidence proving his guilt than innocence, she instinctively believes he is being framed. Together they fight to stay alive while unraveling the clues the killer leaves behind . . . with the hope they’ll discover his identity before Cooper is sent to prison for six murders.


The Navy Seal's Promise by Soraya Lane - Bought on a whim since she shares part of my name. Nice romance.

With only 48 hours back on home soil for Christmas, United States Army Corporal Saskia Cullen is desperate to spend every minute with her young son. So when heavy snowfall closes JFK airport and she misses her connecting flight, she’s devastated. Until Navy SEAL Luke Gray offers to keep her company… and then does everything within his power to get her home.


Luke is back in the US on leave, waiting to hear the details of his next mission, and Saskia proves to be a pleasant distraction. And when he hears that she needs to get home to see her son, he’s prepared to do anything to help the sexy single mom. Trouble is, he hadn’t planned on falling for anyone, let alone a beautiful soldier about to return overseas.

Thursday - Who I'm Reading - Rita Karnopp

If you like stories with native American characters, you'll enjoy these books. Rita writes both historical books featuring the Blackfeet culture and contemporary stories with the same feature. Even in her modern stories you'll learn facts about the culture. The suspense stories are chilling. You can find her books here. http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-text&field-keywords=Rita+Karnopp

Right now I'm reading one of her historicals Kidnapped and am interested in the twists and turns. There is a great villainess and a fascinating heroine as well as a good hero. Just finished Revenge and the twists and turns of the plot kept me guessing until thevery end. There's also a mystical feel to many of her stories. Haven't read them all but I will.