The Eight Sentences:
Claudia had been approved to work all summer as a volunteer at the main branch of the Boone County library. Her goal was to learn to use the library’s resources to do research. By September, she had become proficient with the Dewey Decimal System, the Reader’s Guide to Periodical Literature and the microfiche device.

1952, the year Claudia avenged her father’s death. Her victim was a corrupt policeman from the Crescent City.
In late August of the following summer, the head librarian, Mrs. Laird, came to the table where Claudia was working and asked, “After two summers of research, have you found what you were looking for?”
Claudia smiled and told a convincing lie, “I wasn’t looking for anything in particular, but I have learned a lot about genealogy.”
The librarian did not see the article Claudia had been reading from a 1952 New Orleans Times-Picayune. The headline read, “Mid-westerner killed in Garden District drug raid.” Claudia had jotted down the name of the officer responsible — it was Emile Duplessis.
The Set Up:
Claudia was raised by her grandfather due in part to the loss of her father when he was young.
Too young.
He died at the hands of a corrupt cop in New Orleans.
Claudia began to plan her vengeance at an early age by learning to use the library and do research
the old fashioned way, long before the internet. See this snippet for 8 lines about her revenge.
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16 responses to “The Summer of ’65”
jtsuruoka
October 25th, 2014 at 18:12
Good stuff. Neat condensation of a lot of time into one succinct scene.
Linda Hamonou
October 24th, 2014 at 02:02
She seems to be on her way for revenge. Nice dialogue.
emmygatrell
October 21st, 2014 at 14:28
Love her back story. Great 8 can’t wait for next week!
chellecordero
October 20th, 2014 at 22:05
Her calculated persistence is a bit scary – I would not want to be the object of her revenge. Great snippet.
Elsa Holland
October 20th, 2014 at 05:40
Oh love how you set that up. It also tells us a hell of a lot about her determination given how long it has taken. Great 8!
Iris B
October 20th, 2014 at 01:06
Interesting backstory.
catherinewinther
October 19th, 2014 at 21:55
Knowledge is power. I love the slow build of tension this plot has. I can almost taste her need for vengeance but something tells me the journey is not going to be that simple for her. Great writing as always.
elainecsc2013
October 19th, 2014 at 16:10
I remember spending long hours at the library doing research, although not for the same reason. It’s nice to know about her background.
veronicascott
October 19th, 2014 at 15:21
I love the back story and all the advance planning she’s done. This is a terrific character. Excellent excerpt as always!
Sarah W
October 19th, 2014 at 14:55
I can’t tell you how pleased I am that the library helped Claudia get her start! π
I still use microfiche (and microfilm) machines at work, by the way, so no expiration date on me (I won’t mention that I started library work just as HTML was catching on).
siobhanmuir
October 19th, 2014 at 14:10
So that’s how she got into the business. Great snippet, Frank. π
Cecilia Corona
October 19th, 2014 at 11:12
Love it. Love the back story on Claudia.
Frank Fisher
October 19th, 2014 at 10:14
Claudia’s got quite a back story. This is a good reminder of how things ‘used to be’. Great snippet!
historysleuth1
October 19th, 2014 at 08:59
I meant now we have them, not then to clarify.
historysleuth1
October 19th, 2014 at 08:58
Love it Chip! I do that stuff at work. You really brought a sense of realism out for me in this one. Granted we have computers, but some things still need to be done the old fashioned way.
FCEtier
October 19th, 2014 at 09:01
Thanks Cindy. But we’re dating ourselves! LOL