A Father Scene from Ghost Dog Island

This month, to celebrate Father’s Day, I’ve invited authors to visit and share scenes from their books featuring a father. Today’s guest is Rita Monette, and she is sharing a scene from her Middle Grade novel Ghost Dog Island. It sounds like a fun, spooky read, perfect for elementary school kids. I would’ve loved a book like this when I was in fourth grade. I think I’d love it now. This novel will be published by Mirror World Publishing on September 1st.

Please feel free to leave a comment and/or read the other father scenes posted so far this month.

"Behind Every Legend Lies the Truth."

Moving is nothing new for ten-year-old Nikki Landry. Her father relocates their raggedy old houseboat several times a year in search of better crabbing spots. However, their latest move has brought her to a mysterious bayou where she feels something is watching her from a nearby island. 

Nikki learns of a local legend about something sinister inhabiting those swamps, stealing the souls of dogs...which would explain the strange howling sounds. Papa reassures her there’s nothing on the island but gators and snakes. He should know. He’s spent his whole life trapping and fishing those bayous and swamps…But maybe there’s something Papa doesn’t know.

Nikki and her new friends begin to uncover strange happenings from years ago that may have started the old legend…and town folks aren’t talking. 

Then her beloved beagle goes missing.

Join Nikki as she seeks to discover the real truth behind the legend of Ghost Dog Island…before it’s too late. 

Scene:
       Mama closed the door behind her. She knew once Papa got going on one of his tales, there was no stopping him.
      The last traces of daylight seemed to disappear in a hurry, as if Papa had ordered it away. The glass globe of the kerosene lamp clinked. He touched a match to the wick and adjusted the flame until it filled the room with pale light and gray shadows. He motioned me to sit next to him on the worn sofa.
      I hurried to his side, not knowing what spooky legend he was going to tell this time. But as scared as I’d get, I always enjoyed hearing ’em.
      “Mais, there’s a legend told around these parts.” He leaned down so the light from the lamp made eerie shadows across his face. That was how they always started out.
       I rolled my eyes, determined not to get spooked this time.
      “Folks say there’s something living out yonder,” he went on. “Legend has it the monster lures dogs to the island using evil spells. Then at the peak of the full moon, they’re turned into hollow spirits with glowing eyes.” Papa put on his eeriest sneer. “That there’s Ghost Dog Island.”
      “Ghost dogs?” I pulled my knees up against my chest and wrapped my arms around ’em tight. My mind conjured up images of a huge monster with drippy fangs and dogs with bright yellow eyes. I thought about the feeling I had of something watching us. Was there really a creature out there? Did it have its eye on my best buddy? I shuddered.
     IEEEOWWWOOOO-oooooooo! The howling sound echoed again across the bayou.
      Did it capture someone’s pet? Or was it signaling its claim on a new victim? My Snoop.

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Rita Monette was born and raised in Southwest Louisiana. She loves to write stories set in the beautiful, yet mysterious, bayous and swamps of her home state.

Her middle grade series, The Nikki Landry Swamp Legends, is based on tales told by her father--who made his living in those bayous--of reasons to stay out of the swamp.

She currently lives with her husband, four lap dogs, and one lap cat, in the mountains of Tennessee. Besides writing and illustrating, she loves watching the many birds that make their habitat on the Cumberland Plateau, working in the garden, and frequenting waterfalls.

Follow Rita to keep up with when Ghost Dog Island will be released.
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