Excerpt from Stone and Spark

Up to 85,763 words so far on my CampNano book! A few more days, and I will be done. In spite of limited time, I have been able to get in >5,000 words per writing day.

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme. Read the rules at Books and a Beat. Anyone can play along!

I am currently reading Sibella Giorello’s Stone and Spark: Book 1 in the Raleigh Harmon mystery series. I don’t remember where I saw this book and what inspired me to pick it up, but I am really enjoying it so far. Raleigh Harmon is a teen with a mentally ill parent, whose brilliant and somewhat OCD friend has mysteriously disappeared (but, seeing as her mother is a drunk and father is a pothead, and she has run away in the past, neither of them has bothered to report her missing.) You know how I like a good book with mentally ill characters!

“You’re not fooling us.” She turns the notebook, holding up the page so I can see it, showing me my own foot which is somehow evidence that I’m not me. “We know you’re not Raleigh.”
We. Not the royal We.
The crazy We.

Sibella Giorello, Stone and Spark

Her best friend is missing. And time is running out.

Raleigh Harmon finally conquers her worst fear—by trespassing—and wants to tell her best friend, a smart-mouthed physics genius girl named Drew Levinson.

Only Drew’s gone. Really gone.

Everybody says Drew ran away. But that only skyrockets Raleigh’s suspicions. Drew Levinson is the least impulsive person she knows.

Armed with an encyclopedic knowledge of city criminal codes, her rock hammer, and a stubborn streak wide as the Chesapeake Bay, Raleigh scours her hometown for clues. But not even the cops are on her side.

Was Drew meeting somebody in secret?

Escaping her loony parents?

Or is Raleigh’s hunch dead-on: her best friend didn’t choose to leave . . . .

“Stone and Spark” is the first book in the long-running Raleigh Harmon mystery series. It introduces the girl who will become a forensic geologist and FBI agent—provided she survives her high school years.

P.D. Workman Authorpreneur

P.D. Workman is a USA Today Bestselling author and multi-award winner, renowned for her prolific output of over 100 published works that span various genres. With a knack for crafting page-turners, Workman captivates readers with everything from cozy mysteries like the Auntie Clem's Bakery series to gripping young adult and suspense novels. Her stories resonate deeply as she masterfully weaves sensitive themes—such as childhood trauma, mental illness, and addiction—into compelling narratives that evoke a powerful emotional response. Readers are drawn to her unique voice and empathetic portrayal of complex issues. With each new release, fans eagerly anticipate another thrilling blend of thought-provoking storytelling and relatable characters that define P.D. Workman’s brand as an author of unforgettable page-turners—gripping tales that leave a lasting impact long after the last page is turned.

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Mystery and suspense fiction Young adult crime thrillers Character-driven storytelling Cozy Mysteries Mental health and trauma in fiction Resilience and personal growth themes Indie publishing Writing craft and novel development Obsidian for writers and authors Forensic and medical thriller research Social issues in contemporary fiction Psychological thrillers Traditional mysteries Police procedural mysteries Characters with disabilities