Check out this Short Story that I wrote.
Willowisp Press, 1991 Look-alike girls pretend to be twins at a twin convention.
Bantam Sweet Dreams, # 180, 1991 A missing dog sparks a new romance.
Bantam Sweet Valley Twin #59, 1992
Bantam Sweet Dreams, #190, 1992 Dolphins, swimming, and spring love.
Bantam Sweet Dreams, #200, 1993 Jillian helps disabled kids bowl -- and scores a strike with a super-star bowler.
Lowell House, Dream Date #1, 1994 Emilee is giving a big party! You make choices from sixteen different endings.
Lowell House, Dream Date #2, 1994 You and your friends head for sun and fun for Spring Break. Seventeen different endings.
Bantam Sweet Dreams, #215, 1994 Lissa and Jake get lost in a cave and find true love.
Bantam Sweet Dreams, #227, June, 1995 Cassidy cruises to the Caribbean to get away from small-town boys.
This Series is out of print But some Titles can be Obtained
By Emailing me ljscheer@inreach.com
Avon Camelot series #1.
Miranda comes face to face with her spooky twin.
#2.
Hiding a runaway ghost drives Miranda crazy!
#3.
Miranda's blended family moves into a new house -- complete with a shadow ghost!
#4.
Trouble when twins babysit
.
This Series is out of print ,but some titles can be obtained
by Emailing me ljscheer@inreach.com
Avon Camelot Books Competitive sports, friendship, romance and mystery!!
#1.
(1996) #2.
#3.
#4.
#5.
#6.
REGENERATION SERIES
Five teens discover they are cloned with unusual powers
#1 Regeneration
#2 The Search
#3 The Truth
#4 The Imposter
#5 The Killer
Click on #6 below for part1 of book
Click Here for Opening Chapter Of THE KILLER
A co-written Judy Bolton mystery by Margaret Sutton and Linda Joy Singleton. This limited edition quality paperback is a gift to Judy Bolton fans who wanted "just one more story." It takes place between THE INVISIBLE CHIMES and SEVEN STRANGE CLUES,giving Judy a Christmas mystery to solve.
For information on ordering this book EMAIL to LJS Thanks!!!.
WRITERS in the KITCHEN
Children's Book Authors Share Memories of their Favorite Memories
Try out Linda's (Luscious Layeved Dessert)&(Best-Ever Banana Bread)
Page 18
& Page 166
"He loves me, he loves me not, he loves me, he loves me no-- darn!
Not again!"
Rosalee Romerez angrily tossed the flower stem onto the ground.
Jon
Bertolli just had to love her. How could plucking the petals from a flower
predict her romantic future, anyway? It was just a silly chant for babies.
Laughter across the field caught Rosalee's attention. Jessamy and
Laura
were busy gathering leaves for their nature report. Rosalee was supposed to
be collecting leaves, too, but she didn't feel like it. Who cared about a
dumb school assignment? Sitting in the shade of a willow tree was much more
relaxing.
"Where's Rosalee?" she heard Laura call.
"Who knows?" Jessamy said. "She's always
vanishing when there's work
to be done."
Rosalee chuckled and ducked behind the willow tree. She
wasn't ready
to join her friends--not yet.
Once Laura and Jessamy were out of sight, Rosalee straightened up
and
stepped away from the tree, but her foot bumped into something hard, sending
her falling forward.
"Ooh!" she moaned, rubbing her scraped knee. She
turned to see what
she'd tripped over--something shiny like an aluminum can, but larger and
flat. She reached down and picked up an antique-looking silver mirror.
"How pretty," she murmured, holding the mirror by its
ornate stem-like
handle. It felt surprisingly heavy and cold. She brushed away dirt and
gazed into the mirror. Her reflection was cloudy and her thick raven hair
appeared pale and washed-out. Her lively black eyes shimmered a strange
deep blue, and her flawless, tawny skin seemed milky white. But why was her
mirror image smiling when she was frowning?
Realization hit her like a sudden powerful wind storm.
The face in the mirror was not hers.
"Greetings, fair Rosalee," a voice said pleasantly.
She gripped the mirror and gasped. "You spoke!"
The blond, blue-eyed boy in the mirror nodded and grinned.
"I
apologize if I have frightened you."
Rosalee's mind spun and she wanted to run away, but she couldn't
move.
All she could do was stare at the bodiless face suspended in glass. This
just wasn't possible!
"Permit me to introduce myself. I am Tristan Von
Gaalen."
"Mirrors can't talk." Rosalee shook her thick,
wavy hair. "I must be
going crazy."
"Do not distress yourself, dear Rosalee. I vow to you
that I am real.
But alas, I'm a prisoner of this looking glass. I am under a powerful,
tragic enchantment," Tristan explained sadly.
Rosalee dropped the mirror on the weedy grass and backed away.
"No!
Get away from me!"
Tristan's voice was faint as he pleaded, "Please do not
leave. Keep
the mirror and use its magic."
She asked suspiciously, "What kind of magic?"
"Once a day you may gaze into my glass and view whoever is
in your
thoughts."
She snatched the mirror from the ground. "Prove
it."
Tristan nodded. "As you command. Close your eyes
for a moment and
envision the person you wish to gaze upon."
Rosalee shut her eyes tightly and imagined Jon Bertolli.
When she
opened her eyes, Tristan's handsome face was replaced with Jon's darker,
intense face. Jon was tossing a football to someone on the school field.
"Jon!" she cried softly, feeling warm inside.
She'd dated Jon for two
months, but had no idea how he felt about her. He took her to school games
and movies--but he never spoke of love. Watching
him was both painful
and wonderful. His muscular arms reached high for the football, and then
the mirror darkened. Suddenly Jon's image was replaced by Tristan's sincere
face.
"Do you believe in the mirror's power now?" Tristan
asked.
"Yes! Oh, yes! May I see Jon again?"
Tristan shook his head. "I regret that isn't possible.
You may only
use the mirror's magic once a day for five minutes."
"So I can watch Jon again tomorrow?" she asked, her
mind buzzing with
ideas. If she could secretly observe Jon, she might discover his true
feelings for her.
"You may look upon anyone you desire," Tristan said.
She squeezed the mirror and jumped excitedly. "Great!
Then it's
settled. Tristan, you're coming with me."
* * *
Rosalee had a hard time paying attention to her friends as she
walked
back into class. She wished she could tell Laura and Rosalee about Tristan,
but knew she couldn't. Tristan had explained that only she could see and
hear him.
Besides, Rosalee had a big problem to deal with. Everyone
in her
science class had leaves for their nature study assignment--except Rosalee.
And when she asked her friends for some of their leaves, they refused.
"No more bailing you out, Rosie," Jessamy said,
crossing her arms and
tilting her auburn head stubbornly. "Laura and I like you a lot. But we're
your friends, not your servants. You couldn't be bothered to help gather
leaves, and now we can't be bothered to help you."
Kind-hearted Laura's hazel-eyes were full of sympathy, but she
stuck by
Jessamy's decision.
What am I going to do? Rosalee wondered desperately as her
science
teacher, Mr. McDonnell, instructed the class to trace a leaf and write a
report describing the kind of tree it came from. How could she draw a leaf
she didn't have?
Rosalee remembered how angry her parents had been over her recent
progress report. If she got a D in science, she'd be grounded until her
raven-black hair faded to a gross smoky gray. She'd miss hanging out at the
mall, school football games, and Laura's next slumber party.
She should have gathered leaves with her friends, but now it was
too
late. Rosalee gave a deep, sorry sigh.
"Psst," she heard someone whisper.
The sound came from inside her backpack where she'd hidden the
mirror.
She withdrew the mirror and placed it on her desk.
"Fair Rosalee, why
are you distressed?" Tristan asked, his handsome face reflecting concern.
She glanced around. "Shssh! Someone might hear
you."
He shook his head. "Only you can hear me. That's
how enchantments
work. Please tell me what is wrong?"
"I didn't collect leaves, so I can't do the report."
His blue eyes were puzzled. "But why did you disobey
your instructor?
Do you not wish to learn and gain wisdom?"
"Who needs to know the name of dumb trees? It's not
like a tree can
answer to its name. School is so boring."
Jessamy poked her from behind. "Who are you talking
to?"
"Oh! Uh, no one!" Rosalee quickly covered
the mirror with a folder
and turned around. "Guess I was talking to myself."
Jessamy tapped her pencil against the desk and wrinkled her brow.
"You're acting weird today. Are you okay?"
"Yeah ... except that I can't do my report."
Jessamy frowned. "I meant it when I said I wouldn't
give you a leaf,
but I guess I could help a little. See my leaf? It's from a valley oak
tree. Look it up in your book."
Rosalee smiled gratefully. "Thanks, Jess. I know
I haven't always
been fair to you and Laura, but I'll try to be better."
"Okay," Jessamy whispered before Mr. McDonnell tapped a
ruler and told
the class to be quiet.
For the next ten minutes, Rosalee studied and wrote down
information
about the valley oak leaf. There was a small drawing in the textbook, and
she tried copying it, but it was no use. A two-year-old could draw better
than she could.
She glanced at the clock and realized time was running out--her
report
was due in two minutes!
"Psst," she heard from her book bag.
She put the mirror on her desk. "What is it,
Tristan?"
"Place a paper over my glass," he said.
"Why?" she asked, puzzled.
"There's only fifty-three seconds till your report is due.
Make haste,
fair Rosalee."
She shrugged and put a fresh sheet of paper over the mirror.
Black
lines appeared out of nowhere, curving and swirling across the paper like
racing dark rivers. They flooded the paper, creating an exact copy of a
valley oak leaf, complete with tiny vein lines and dusky shadows. Only a
photograph could have been more perfect.
"It's wonderful! Thank you, Tristan!" Rosalee
said softly. She
returned the mirror to her backpack, then scooped up her nature report and
proudly turned it in to Mr. McDonnell.
* * *
That evening, Rosalee talked to Tristan for hours. He told
her about
his far away country, Jubilee Star, and of his lonely life trapped inside a
mirror. He missed riding his horse Periwinkle through fields and swimming
in Lake Jubilee.
"How did you get enchanted?" Rosalee asked, leaning
against her pillow
and reaching for a bag of corn chips. Listening to Tristan was more
interesting than watching TV.
He frowned. "I snuck into the Wise Wizard's tower and looked
at books
in his Knowledge Library--which is forbidden. A peasant like me is not
allowed to learn. If the Wise Wizard had not enchanted me, I would have
spent my life growing crops, tending farm animals, and chopping wood.
Peasants work in fields, royals learn from the Library of Knowledge. But
alas, once I read of Knowledge, I could never again be a peasant."
"So the wizard guy zapped you in the mirror," Rosalee
said sadly. "Are
you stuck in there," she paused, "forever?"
"I fear so," he answered. "Only real love
can break my enchantment."
"What do you mean?"
He shook his head. "I cannot explain. That is
part of the
enchantment. It is hopeless. I shall never escape this mirror."
"Bummer. That's worse than detention--like being
grounded for life. I
wish I could help you, like you helped me in science today. Is there
anything I can do?"
Tristan's eyes grew serious. "I lost my freedom
because I hungered for
knowledge. My body may be trapped, but my mind is alive and active. Your
school books are much like the Library of Knowledge. Fair Rosalee, will you
read these books to me?"
* * *
The next day at school, Rosalee was thrilled to discover she'd
received
a B+ on her nature report. She'd never gotten more than a C before.
Tristan's drawing must have really impressed Mr. McDonnell.
After science, Rosalee had American History. While Miss
Hurst lectured
about American presidents, Rosalee tried to keep her eyes open. She had
stayed up past midnight reading to Tristan, and she was tired.
Rosalee's leaned on her arms and yawned.
"Rosalee!" Miss Hurst pointed at Rosalee and
asked briskly, "Is my
teaching disturbing your sleep?"
"No!" Rosalee exclaimed, sitting straight in her chair
and trying to
look alert. "I heard everything you said."
"Then who was the sixteenth U.S. President?" Miss Hurst
asked.
Rosalee heard a noise from her backpack. Good thing she'd
taken her
magic mirror to school. She leaned closer so she could hear Tristan's
whisper, "Abraham Lincoln."
Rosalee straightened and smiled. "Abraham Lincoln was
our sixteenth
President."
"Correct." Miss Hurst looked surprised.
"But that was an easy
question. How about something more difficult? Who was our thirty-sixth
President?"
Panic filled Rosalee. This was a hard question.
Fortunately she heard
Tristan's whisper and was able to answer, "Lyndon B. Johnson." She paused
and added, "He was also the only president to be sworn in by a woman--a
judge named Sarah."
"That's right! Sarah T. Hughes!" Miss Hurst
declared, amazed.
"Rosalee, that shows you've been studying your textbook. Excellent work!"
Other kids gave Rosalee surprised looks, but no one felt more
surprised
than Rosalee herself--because Tristan had only whispered the thirty-sixth
President's name. She had remembered the other information herself, from
reading out loud to Tristan.
Amazing! Maybe learning wasn't dumb and boring after all.
* * *
When school ended, Rosalee waited for Jon by his locker.
When she saw his rugged, hunky face, she cried happily,
"Jon! There
you are! Why weren't you at lunch?"
"I had other things to do." He grinned and opened
his locker. "What's
been happening, Rosey Posey?"
"Nothing," she said, knowing the only magic Jon
believed in was the
athletic kind, where an underdog team becomes the victorious winner. No
point in telling him about Tristan.
Jon shut his locker. "Well, I'm in a hurry, Babe.
The guys need me
for football practice."
"But I need you, too," Rosalee said, feeling hurt.
"We hardly ever
spent time together anymore."
"Football keeps me busy. We'll talk later, okay?"
Then he brushed her
forehead with a hasty kiss. "Bye!"
"Jon-" Rosalee called after him, but he was already
gone.
* * *
As Rosalee walked home from school, she lifted the mirror from
her
backpack and saw Tristan's friendly face.
"Does your beau always move with such haste?" Tristan asked.
"You should see Jon on the football field. He's the team's
best
player--and a major hunk. I'm really lucky he's my guy."
Tristan raised a blond eyebrow. "What is a hunk?
I do not remember
that word from the Library of Knowledge."
She giggled. Tristan was fun to talk to, and Rosalee
realized she
liked him a lot. A very lot. "Hunk means good-looking and athletic.
Tristan, you really have a lot to learn."
"Absolutely," he said with an enthusiastic grin.
"I enjoy our
knowledge lessons, dear Rosalee. Will you read to me again this evening?"
Rosalee nodded. It was great to have a special friend like
Tristan. He
was so considerate and interesting. Too bad he was enchanted. If he were
normal, he'd make a terrific boyfriend. Rosalee could almost imagine how
wonderful it would be to hold Tristan's hand, dance with him, and share
sweet kisses.
But thoughts like these were silly. A face in a mirror
could never be
a real boyfriend. It was an impossible dream.
* * *
After dinner, Rosalee used the mirror to gaze upon Jon.
When Jon's
face appeared, Rosalee was surprised to discover he was in a jewelry store.
Puzzled, Rosalee watched Jon point to a delicate pair of pink earrings in a
glass case. The image faded as Jon paid a clerk for the earrings.
Rosalee smiled at Tristan. "Jon's buying a present for
me. Isn't that
thoughtful?"
Tristan answered sadly, "Yes. He must love you very
much."
"Maybe," she said, wondering why Jon didn't seem
important so her
anymore. Instead, she found herself wondering why Tristan looked unhappy.
Poor Tristan. It must be awful living in a mirror. If only she knew how to
break the mirror's enchantment.
* * *
At lunch the next day, Rosalee sat with Jessamy and Laura.
As much as
she enjoyed being with her friends, she wished she were alone so she could
talk to Tristan.
"There's something different about you," Jessamy told
Rosalee. "You
used to hide whenever Mr. McDonnell asked a question, but now you're the
first one to raise your hand. And I can't believe you got an A on today's
quiz. What's going on?"
Rosalee smiled secretly, then sipped her apple juice.
"Nothing's new.
I'm just doing my homework."
Laura's hazel eyes widened. "You never used to do your
homework. You
said reading school books was boring."
"Maybe I was boring. Books are really
interesting."
Jessamy and Laura exchanged astonished glances. "You
sure have
changed!" Jessamy exclaimed. "And I think it's great. Want to come
over
and study with us tonight?"
Rosalee shook her head. "I can't. Jon and I
always go out after the
game. And I think he's planning something special."
She felt a warm glow inside as she thought of the pink earrings.
Jon
might not be as fun as Tristan, but he was a normal boy who could give a
gift and go on a date. Jon could be a boyfriend, but Tristan could only be
a face in a mirror.
* * *
The football game was great. Jon scored two touchdowns, and
his team
won. Afterwards, Rosalee went home and waited for Jon.
But an hour went by, and no Jon.
Rosalee went into her room and asked Tristan to use the mirror's
power
to find Jon. She added, "I tried calling his house, but he wasn't there.
He's never been this late."
"I would never be late for you," Tristan said.
"I fear Jon does not
deserve your love. You are very special, fair Rosalee."
Rosalee met Tristan's warm gaze and knew instantly that she no
longer
loved Jon. She loved Tristan--which was hopeless.
She steeled her heart against Tristan and said firmly, "Show
me Jon in
the mirror."
Tristan looked more miserable than Rosalee felt, but he did as
she
asked and a new image filled the round glass.
Jon was inside a restaurant, sipping a cola--but he wasn't alone.
His
arm was draped around the shoulders of pretty blond Genea Seymour, the
editor of the school newspaper. And on Genea's ears were a delicate pair of
pink earrings!
Jon had lied to her! Rage over Jon's deceit and pain over
loving
Tristan swept through Rosalee like an angry whirlwind. Everything was
such a mess, and she couldn't take it anymore.
Tears blinded her eyes and hurt clouded her thoughts. Her
hand around
the mirror tightened, and before she could stop herself, she was flinging
the mirror across the room.
The mirror slammed against the wall. The glass shattered
into a
million pieces and strange purple smoke filled the room.
"Tristan!" Rosalee exclaimed, all thoughts of Jon
vanishing in her
powerful fear for Tristan. "What have I done!"
"Tristan! Oh, no!" She sank to the floor
and buried her face in her
hands. The magic mirror was destroyed--and so was Tristan! She'd never
forgive herself. Tristan was sweet, fun, and smart. He was a zillion times
better than Jon--and now he was gone forever.
"Oh, Tristan," she wailed, burying her face in her
hands. "I never got
to tell you how much I loved you. I really blew it, and I'm so sorry!"
Purple smoke swirled around her and she choked through her sobs.
Her
heart would never be whole again--not without Tristan.
She felt a hand on her shoulder. "Do not be sad, dear
Rosalee."
"Tristan!" She jumped up and whirled around. It
really was
Tristan--alive, smiling, and standing before her.
Overjoyed, she flung her arms around him. "You're
okay! And you're
out of the mirror! I was so worried about you!"
He wore an old-fashioned vest, loose grey pants, and leather
shoes with
laces. "Worry no more. I owe you my freedom. I could not tell you
before,
but the only way to break the enchantment was for the mirror to be destroyed
by my real love. Thank you, dear Rosalee."
"If I had known it was so easy, I would have smashed the
dumb mirror a
long ago--what did you say? Tristan, did you call me your love?"
He nodded solemnly. "It is the truth. I know I
have things to learn
of your world, and I will need a teacher. Will you teach me, fair Rosalee?"
"Yes," she answered, feeling wonderful.
Tristan added, "Jon was a fool to let you get away. I
may be a
peasant, but I am not a fool. I will love you forever."
"Forever?" she repeated happily.
Tristan pulled her into his arms and he kissed her gently on the
lips.
"Forever, dear Rosalee, begins today."
THE END.