Spotlight: Trapping the Butterfly by Debra Parmley

 Trapping the Butterfly by Debra Parmley

Bethany is looking forward to celebrating her eighteenth birthday in Hot Springs. If Aunt Margaret and Uncle James have their way she will return from the trip engaged to Mr. Rivalde. Every part of Bethany's life has been controlled, from the clothes she wears to the food she eats. Bethany can't wait to cut off her long hair like other girls and to fly free.

Paul studied and chased butterflies when he was a small boy. Now he chases gangsters and he's in Hot Springs following Al Capone's gang.

The sight of Bethany amid butterflies, sun streaming down and lighting up her pale skin and long blonde hair, is one that stops Paul Tollick on the spot. She is the most beautiful female he's ever seen.

But two other men have determined to catch her for themselves and one is a dangerous gangster. Will she fly free or be trapped?

Excerpt: 

"What have you done?" Aunt Margaret's eyes darkened to black slits the

 moment they landed on Bethany. Anger radiated off her like heat from a 

boiling furnace. She slammed the door. "You little fool."

Bethany widened her eyes. She'd never seen her aunt this angry. Her fury 

 froze whatever words Bethany might have spoken. She wanted to run an

d hide as she had when she was a small girl, yet she wasn't that small girl anymore

 and she had nowhere to hide, anyway. She never had.

"You gave your word you wouldn't leave this hotel."

"I didn't leave the hotel. They have a beauty parlor right here in the 

basement."

"I cannot leave you alone for even one minute." Aunt Margaret's face was

 a mask of fury. "You cannot be trusted."

"I kept my word. I didn't leave the hotel."

"You are a disgrace. You have disgraced this family. How do you expect to

 go out in society? That hairdo is unladylike. We won't find you a proper

 husband with you looking like that. If you were married, it would be grounds for

 divorce. You're a fool."

"I like it, and I'm not the only one. Others have told me it looks pretty."

"Of course the beautician who cut your hair is going to tell you that. 

People like that will tell you anything when they want to sell you

 something. Not only is your haircut unladylike, it makes your face look

 fat."

Bethany's stomach clenched. She wasn't fat. She wasn't. Paul thought she

 looked pretty. She'd known her aunt would be angry, but hadn't known

 she'd be this angry. If only Bethany could flee. Anywhere but inside this

 room. Anywhere far away from her aunt.

"You'll be lucky if Richard still wants to take you to that movie." Her aunt

 paced the room. "Just wait until your uncle sees."

"Sees what?" Uncle James stepped through the door, and his jaw 

dropped. He didn't even close the door behind him as he walked into the

 room.

Bethany reached up to the back of her hair and fluffed it as Tildy and Paul

 had done. That felt good, although she knew her aunt and uncle might

 take it as a defiant move. Paul likes my hair this way. I like it too. I don't

 care what they think.

"You've cut your hair," Uncle James said. He wasn't usually one to state

 the obvious, and yet he seemed dumbfounded.

She nodded. "Yes, I did."

"Well." He slammed the door. "It's done now."

About the Author :

Debra is a multi genre author born in Columbus, Ohio and raised in

 Springfield, OH. She has lived just outside Memphis, TN since 1997. 

 Debra attended Marywood University in Scranton, PA and was the first

 student to win first place in two categories of the Delta Epsilon Sigma 

Beta Epsilon Chapter writing competition, in creative prose and in

 informal expository. Her poetry was published in literary journals

while attending college. She holds a BA in English Literature. When she 

 graduated she asked her academic advisors which genre she should

 concentrate on. None of them would advise her because she showed

 strength in each area. Advice at the time and for many years afterward

 was to concentrate in one area and to focus on one genre. But only she

 could decide which one.

In 2012, Debra decided this was not working for her and forged her own

 path. This meant writing in more than one genre and working on more

 than one manuscript. She no longer believes in writers block. She 

believes in finding joy in the act of writing and in allowing her muse to

 play. For Debra, writing is about joy.

Today she teaches Creative Writing classes locally, passing on what she

 has learned and finding the joy in teaching as well.

Debra traveled and worked as an independent travel consultant. She has

 visited thirteen countries. She has worked in banking, newspaper

 advertising, as recycling co-coordinator for the City of Bartlett, as an

 office manager, and as a belly dance instructor.

When not writing, Debra enjoys dancing, history

, primitive archery and medieval reenactment, travel, yoga and

 meditation.

It is one of her greatest pleasures to hear from her readers.

Novels and Novellas:

Western Historical Romance: 

Her first novel, A Desperate Journey, set in 1867 along the Chisholm

 Trail, was a finalist in the Bobbi Smith Creative Writing Challenge.  Not 

long after it was a finalist in the American Title II contest.  For those not 

familiar with the contest, she describes it as similar to the American Idol

 contest, but for authors. Readers voted online and the prize was a 

publishing contract. A Desperate Journey was published a year later by

 Samhain Publishing.

Desert Breeze Publishing published her first novella, Dangerous Ties, in

 eBook and in print in 2013. Dangerous Ties w

as a finalist in the 2013

 RONE awards in the Historical Novella category.

Contemporary Romantic Suspense:

Desert Breeze Publishing released her second novel, Aboard The Wishing

 Star, in eBook in 2012.

1920’s Jazz Age Romance/YA Romance:

Her second novella, Trapping the Butterfly, a 1920's romance set in 

Hot Springs, AR was released in April, 2013 by Desert Breeze Publishing

 in eBook.

Short stories:

Horror: Her first short story, Vampire From Memphis, published in

 the anthology More Monsters From Memphis, was a finalist in the

 Darrell Awards for best Mid-South short story.

Sci-Fi Romance: Her short story, Vacation Interrupted, appears in

 A World of  Possibility, a multi genre anthology published by ASMSG

 July 12, 2013 in eBook. 

Romance:     Her short story, A Matter of Courtesy, appears in A 

World of Romance, a romance anthology put out by ASMSG September 

2013 in eBook.

Poetry:

Her first poetry anthology, Twilight Dips, was released in eBook and in

 print June, 2013. Three of her poems appear in A World Of Verse, a

 poetry anthology put out by ASMSG in September 6, 2013 in eBook.

Buy Links: 

 Amazon | B&N |  Desert Breeze Publishing