Conspiracy Of Silence
Gledé Browne Kabongo
iUniverse
Sept 4th,2012
256 Pages
Purchase: Amazon
RBM’s Disclaimer
She has the perfect life—and a secret worth killing for.
Nina Kasai is a gorgeous, Ivy League educated executive who would do anything to keep her past a secret, even from her husband. Seventeen years ago, she ran for her life and the truth has been locked away in the pages of her hidden diary, and in the mind of a disturbed woman who will never tell—ever.
When Nina lands the cover of a prestigious business magazine however, she can no longer hide from the powerful enemy she escaped. Phillip Copeland wants to be the next Governor of Massachusetts and he’s not above using his power and influence to silence Nina. He warns her to keep quiet about what happened all those years ago—or else.
As the stakes are raised, both politically and personally, Nina realizes the only way to win this game is to tell the truth. But who will believe her since her diary has been destroyed, and the only other witness isn’t talking?
Nina’s one chance at reclaiming her life hinges on a dramatic courtroom battle where nothing is as it seems. And when the verdict is read, four lives will be forever altered.
Guest Post:
What is life like when researching and creating a book of this type?
by Gledé Browne Kabongo
Life can be intense when researching and creating a psychological thriller like Conspiracy of Silence. I usually have an idea of what key plot points may need research but as the writing progresses, I may have ideas for mini plot points or slight tweaks to a character which may require a little bit of research. I often find myself at a crossroads, do I continue writing and fill in the research gaps later or do I conduct the research and draw from it as I write? Once I get in the writing zone it’s tough to stop. Ideas come to me at three in the morning or on the train ride home from work. I work full-time so I have to plan ahead for research. The internet is always a great place to start. I also lean heavily on books, and I always do my best to find experts on the particular topic in question.
As far as the creative process is concerned, I tend to write in bursts of inspiration although I’m trying to change that habit as I continue work on my new novel. I become obsessed with the manuscript for a period of time and it occupies my thoughts night and day. I can write for hours on end and I may not write again for weeks. I’m trying to be more even keeled with my creative process.
EXCERPT:
The telephone rang at three a.m. A drowsy Nina answered it.
“I have bad news.”
She didn’t need a psychic to tell her that. It was three in the morning.
“What is it?” she asked Dan McCloud.“It’s Constance Buckwell. She’s dead, Nina.”
Nina turned on the lamp on the nightstand and rubbed the sleep from her eyes.
“How could she be dead? I just spoke to her last night. She emphatically told me she was going to lie on the witness stand.”
“It’s a tough break, for her and for us.” Dan McCloud couldn’t hide his disappointment. Even at this ungodly hour, he was thinking like a lawyer.
“How did she die?” Nina asked.
“Heart attack. She was on her way home and collapsed on the bus. She made it to the hospital alive but died shortly afterwards.”
“This isn’t a good time to bring this up, but we just suffered a major setback and we need to rethink our strategy,” McCloud said. “This case is going to come down to your testimony. I’m still optimistic about our chances, but you have to be the most compelling witness in this case. Your recollection of details is what’s going to persuade a jury to vote for a conviction. Can you meet me at seven?”
Nina shook Marc awake. “We have big trouble.”
“What?” he asked without moving.
“Constance is gone. No more star witness.”
Marc popped up like a Jack-in-the-Box. “Where did she go?”
To hell is my best guess,
About The Author:
Gledé Browne Kabongo began writing at age 14 when she covered soccer matches for her hometown newspaper. She has also written for the Patriot Ledger and Metrowest Daily News, two Massachusetts based newspapers. She earned a master’s degree in communications from Clark University, and once had dreams of winning a Pulitzer Prize for journalism. These days her dreams have shifted to winning the Pulitzer for fiction, and a Best Screenplay Academy Award. For the past decade, Gledé has worked in senior marketing roles for organizations in the Information Technology, publishing and non-profit sectors. She lives in Massachusetts with her husband and two sons
Connect With The Author:
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