{"id":4007,"date":"2026-09-28T20:24:11","date_gmt":"2026-09-29T03:24:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/needlepictures.com\/tbd\/?p=4007"},"modified":"2026-09-28T20:24:11","modified_gmt":"2026-09-29T03:24:11","slug":"library-an-excerpt-from-my-novel-four-thorns","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/needlepictures.com\/tbd\/2026\/09\/28\/library-an-excerpt-from-my-novel-four-thorns\/","title":{"rendered":"Library – An excerpt from my novel Four Thorns"},"content":{"rendered":"

Library is an excerpt from my novel Four Thorns<\/a>, book eight in my Skye Wright Rise and Fall series.<\/a><\/p>\n

Skye has reconnected with an old friend Jules, a friend who has been much maligned in their punk community for complex and macabre reasons. <\/p>\n

Skye takes Jules on a walk around her West Berkeley neighborhood, as she helps Jules to get his life together as he tries to embark on a new chapter of sobriety.<\/em><\/p>\n


\n<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Library <\/strong> <\/p>\n

     Skye could never tell how Jules felt about their walks.
\n     Jules used to be one of the most physically fit people she ever knew.
\n     He still looked fit. His sinewy arms and his flat stomach belied his gym rat past.
\n     She watched how he moved as they walked out of her building and into the cool, sunny air. She noted how his vibe fluctuated. Even though he seemed to be dragged out from time to time, she could feel his climb, his drive to right himself once again. The way he talked, his thoughts, and the threads running just underneath his muted exterior, told her everything she needed to know. No amount of finger wagging and chiding by all the punks giving her hell about hanging out with Jules could deride her from the facts.
\n     She knew the spark was there.
\n     She knew he wanted to flourish again.
\n     She knew his new spark could be fanned into flame.
\n     Skye wondered about her colliding thoughts, as worry and hope ran into each other.
\n     \u201cI hardly ever walked around these neighborhoods,\u201d said Jules as he stumbled along. \u201cI only hung out by the clubs.\u201d
\n     \u201cGilman baby!\u201d said Skye as she tried her best to maneuver the pugs so their leashes would not get tangled. \u201cYou wanna take one a\u2019 these pups?\u201d
\n     \u201cYeah.\u201d
\n     Skye started around the block after handing off Juanita to Jules. They were walking the standard route for her pug walks. Juan darted forward as Skye tried to rein him in, making sure they didn\u2019t get too far ahead of Jules and Juanita.
\n     Skye slowed down since Jules was letting Juanita sniff every bush and tree that she happened by.
\n     She rounded a corner to stop at a little library.
\n     \u201cI wanna hit a few libraries. It makes the walk a little longer, but I was thinkin\u2019 we could grab some books and then stop by Rusty Lisa\u2019s.\u201d
\n     \u201cWhat\u2019s Rusty Lisa\u2019s?\u201d asked Jules as he waited for Juanita to finish sniffing yet another tree.
\n     \u201cVegan bakery. Seriously good stuff.\u201d
\n     \u201cBakery? Oh man, I don\u2019t wanna gain weight.\u201d
\n     \u201cYes you do! You\u2019re so skinny. Gotta get you up in that weight class.\u201d
\n     The pugs waited patiently as Skye and Jules spent a few minutes looking through the small sidewalk library\u2019s offers.
\n     \u201cSlim pickens,\u201d said Skye.
\n     \u201cNo Hunter S Thompson,\u201d said Jules as he sorted through some paperbacks.
\n     \u201cI don\u2019t think I\u2019ve ever seen a Hunter S book in one a\u2019 these.\u201d
\n     Turning away from the sidewalk library, Juanita broke into a quick trot as Jules sprinted along, moving with an extra spring in his step.
\n     They walked a few more blocks, pausing only so the pugs could huff and yip at a reluctant fluffy gray cat who viewed them with suspicion by balling itself up on top of a fence and giving them an evil glare.
\n     \u201cThere\u2019s somethin\u2019 y\u2019gotta see, right around this corner,\u201d said Skye as they pulled the pugs away from the cat.
\n     Going around the corner, Jules spotted it right away.
\n     \u201cDamn!\u201d he said when he saw it.
\n     The house had a white picket fence that was interrupted by a thick, low, and wide wooden bench that had a large and elaborate little library on top of it.
\n      The complex consisted of several book houses which were built on several levels. The center of the book’s depository consisted of one large shingled book house with three shelves in it, tall enough to take on larger books. It was flanked by double stacked little libraries on either side. There were elaborate trim on the various structures as well as painted designs of books and animals all over the various little libraries. The very top of the edifice had carved wooden animals sitting on top of an inexpertly shingled roof.
\n      \u201cHoly crap,\u201d said Jules as he looked over all of the details. \u201cSomeone worked their ass off on this.\u201d
\n      \u201cI keep hoping to run into someone who lives here so I can ask them about this,\u201d said Skye as she searched a side hutch.
\n      Jules looked through the main library as Juanita kept hopping around his feet. Skye was looking over a Sarah Vowell book when Jules knelt down and picked up Juanita, holding her with one arm as he sorted through the books.
\n     \u201cI can\u2019t believe I found a Sarah Vowell book in here,\u201d said Skye.
\n     \u201cWho\u2019s that?\u201d
\n     \u201cShe writes about American history,\u201d said Skye as she held up a copy of The Wordy Shipmates.
\n     \u201cHmm,\u201d said Jules with a dubious sneer.
\n     \u201cNo, really. She\u2019s a gas. She doesn\u2019t write history like others.”
\n     She handed Jules the book and he set it down in the center hutch, being as he was still holding on to Juanita.
\n     Skye was about to point out a Rogue Gray book she found when the pugs started hopping up and down excitedly.
\n     Two small girls were rounding the corner, running and giggling.
\n     They slowed down when they saw Skye and Jules. They put their arms to their sides and walked up slowly with blank expressions and curious eyes. One had stringy blonde hair and prominent freckles going across her nose and was wearing a red and white striped shirt. The other one had wild dark brown hair that fell over her eyes and was wearing a green Nature Company shirt.
\n     \u201cCan we say hi to your dogs?\u201d asked blondie as she meekly walked up.
\n     \u201cOf course,\u201d said Jules as he set down Juanita who did a few hops to say hi to the girls.
\n     The girls giggled as they tried to pet Juanita while she danced around.
\n     \u201cHow old are you guys?\u201d asked Jules.
\n     \u201cSeven,\u201d said the brown hair.
\n     \u201cJust turned eight,\u201d said blondie.
\n     \u201cI\u2019ve got a seven year old daughter,\u201d said Jules. \u201cShe hasn\u2019t met these dogs yet.\u201d
\n     \u201cWhat\u2019s her name?\u201d asked blondie.
\n     \u201cJuno.\u201d
\n     “That’s a pretty name.\u201d
\n     Skye let Juan join in as the giggling girls kept trying to pet the pugs while they danced around.
\n     Blondie stood up and looked at Jules. \u201cI\u2019m Ashely and that\u2019s Judy.\u201d
\n     Jules knelt to talk to Ashley. \u201cYou have a beautiful name, but you shouldn\u2019t give your name to strangers. Especially really strange strangers like her,\u201d smiled Julian as he pointed at Skye.
\n     Ashley giggled. \u201cWhy not?\u201d
\n     \u201cBecause if someone knows too much about you, they might try to hurt you.\u201d
\n     Skye felt a cold wave go over her skin.
\n     Ashley put her hands behind her and leaned towards Jules. \u201cYou aren\u2019t gonna hurt me.\u201d
\n     \u201cHow do you know?\u201d asked Jules as he did his best to strike a serious expression.
\n     \u201cBecause you\u2019re a nice man with a little girl named Juno!\u201d said Ashley who then poked Jules on the tip of his nose with her pointing finger.
\n     Jules facetiously grabbed his nose as if he were injured. \u201cAh! See what I mean? You\u2019re a stranger and you just bopped my nose!\u201d
\n     Ashley laughed as Jules stood up with a big smile on his face.
\n     Ashley and Judy looked through the lower shelves of the elaborate sidewalk library. They kept bringing out children\u2019s books and showing them to Jules who would make comments or ask them questions about their book finds.
\n     Skye was impressed. Jules was obviously not talking down to them, asking them thoughtful questions while being genuinely curious about what they were showing him.
\n     \u201cOh man!\u201d exclaimed Jules as he reached into one of the lower libraries with the children’s books. \u201cYou have to take this with you.\u201d
\n     Judy looked at the book in Jules\u2019 hand. \u201cThe Little Prince?\u201d
\n     \u201cThis was one of my favorites when I was a kid.\u201d
\n     Ashley craned her neck to get a good look at the book. \u201cDid your mom read it to you?\u201d
\n     \u201cNo, my aunt did.\u201d
\n     Judy wrinkled her nose at the book.
\n     \u201cYou\u2019ll love it,\u201d said Jules as he continued to hold out the book. \u201cTrust me.\u201d
\n     \u201cOkay,\u201d said Judy as if she were humoring him.
\n     Ashley and Judy continued to root through the kids section until they had a healthy armload of books.
\n     \u201cYou taking all those with you?\u201d asked Skye as Ashley and Judy balanced tall piles of books in their arms.
\n     \u201cWe bring most of them back,\u201d said Judy as they walked away.
\n     \u201cDon\u2019t forget to read The Little Prince!\u201d called out Jules as they left.
\n     \u201cBye doggies!\u201d chirped Ashley.
\n     Jules had a few books in hand. He looked to Skye as she kept digging around a top library hutch.
\n     \u201cHoly fuck!\u201d gasped Skye.
\n     \u201cI hope those little girls are out of earshot, miss F-bomber,\u201d said Jules as he looked down the street.
\n     Skye pulled a thick paperback out of the library and held it up to Jules. \u201cLook at this.\u201d
\n     \u201cThe Great Shark Hunt?\u201d
\n     Skye handed the book to Jules. \u201cI finally found a Hunter S in a little library.\u201d
\n     Jules beamed as he looked at the book.
\n     \u201cGood haul,\u201d said Skye as she collected her books.
\n     \u201cYeah,\u201d said Jules with a long sigh.
\n     \u201cWhat\u2019s up?\u201d asked Skye when she saw his expression.
\n      \u201cI really miss Juno.\u201d<\/p>\n

Four Thorns is available on Kindle with paperbacks at BookShop.org!<\/a><\/p>\n


\n<\/p>\n

Four Thorns – Book Eight of the Skye Wright Series<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n