About My Books

Blog posts by author Lynette M. Burrows on all things related to writing her books from how she got an idea for a book, people, places, and history that inspired a book, and her process for writing a book.

With a Little Help from My Friends

Lynette M Burrows

If I Should Die is the working title for book two in the My Soul to Keep series. I’m having fun writing the first draft which is approximately 30,000 words long and growing. And I hope you will enjoy this short, sneak peek. Keep reading after the excerpt. That’s where, with a little help from my friends, the story will get more interesting. The Story Sentence A peace-loving woman caught in a civil war, comes face-to-face with an evil she’d thought dead and must resort to violence to save lives or stick to her principles and sacrifice many. The Set-Up Like the first book, My Soul to Keep, this story has more than one viewpoint character. It takes place about two years after the first book. The excerpt you’re about to read comes in the first quarter of the story. Miranda’s sister, Irene, has returned to the United States. The Setting If you follow my Facebook page, you know I’ve been researching caves. The Kansas City area has many former limestone mines that have been developed into underground businesses, warehouses, and storage. Parts of this story take place underground. Recently I had the opportunity to visit one of the local […]

Who Gets to be a Saint?

Lynette M Burrows

Today, Friday, November 1, 2019 is All Saints’ Day also called the Solemnity of All Saints, All Hallows’ Day, Hallowmas, or Feast of Saints. In celebration people light candles, say prayers or liturgies, and sometimes make offerings. It is a day during which Christians around the world honor persons who have lived a life of almost perfect virtue. The Catholic church has canonized around 3,000 people. But who gets to be a saint? Prior to the tenth century, saints became saints due to public acclaim. By the twelfth century, the Church formalized the process for conveying sainthood on a person. Officially, neither the Pope nor the Church makes people saints; Instead, they recognize what God has already done. The five-step process can take a long while. Step 1: Waiting Period In the Catholic tradition, one cannot become a saint until at least five years after death. It could take a lot longer. They declared Saint Bede, the theologian a saint 1,164 years after he died. The Pope can waive the waiting period.  Once the waiting period is over or the waiver granted, the bishop in the diocese where the person died can open an investigation. The bishop gathers evidence on the person’s life and deeds, including witnesses’ testimonies. With sufficient […]

All Systems Nominal

Lynette M Burrows

Flash fiction comes in all lengths. The very best flash fiction has character, conflict, and plot. For me, flash fiction is all about mood. I hope you enjoy “All Systems Nominal.” All Systems Nominal by Lynette M. Burrows The soft whirring sound of M.A.R.C., the best medical assistive robotic caregiver money could buy, moved closer to the bed  The bed’s occupant, a human male, age 100, didn’t respond.  M.A.R.C. extended its sensor arm precisely two inches above the human’s still form and swept the man from head to toe. Readouts of respiration, pulse, core temperature, blood pressure, and other biological measures flickered across M.A.R.C’s chest. All systems nominal. Sleep mode. A mechanical arm reached out and tucked the blanket under the old man’s chin.  M.A.R.C slid back away from the bed and into its charging station. The parameters of its programming satisfied, it wouldn’t stir again for another sixty minutes. If the patient’s implanted A.I. detected an anomaly, it would alert M.A.R.C. M.A.R.C.’s programming included responses for all medical emergencies and would summon human help if necessary. But for all systems nominal, it would wait until the next programmed time to check on his patient.  His Early Life When the man […]