14 takes the Page 69 Test

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JT Ellison is Murderati's Friday columnist, a short story writer, and a novelist.

Last year she applied the Page 69 Test to her debut novel, All the Pretty Girls. Now she has applied the Page 69 Test to the sequel, 14, and reported the following:

Page 69 of 14 gives the reader a chance to see the investigation of the Snow White Killer from the perspective of the Nashville police. The major clues in the investigation are laid out, theories bandied about. Without the hard DNA evidence, they don’t know if they’re dealing with a copycat or the original Snow White Killer, showing this isn’t a cut and dried case. All four detectives working the case are present in the scene as well, showing their ability to work as a team, they flesh out suppositions and compare research. I hope it does entice the reader to keep reading, and definitely think it’s indicative of the book itself.

Taylor nodded in agreement. “Well, now we have the makeup of this cream found on their temples. Arnica, frankincense and myrrh? What’s up with that?”

“I think we’re dealing with a religious nut. Look at the biblical aspects – the gifts of the three wise men were gold, frankincense and myrrh. They also used myrrh oil in Roman times to cover up the smell of dead bodies. I looked up the modern uses – perfume, anti-inflammatory, homeopathic cholesterol lowering agents ... there’s tons of uses and tons of availability. But the most common use is in churches and synagogues. It just makes more sense that this has some sort of significance to the killer. And the placement, on their temples, makes it seem like he’s anointing them.”

“Lincoln’s right, there might be a religious component to all of this. Toss that into the mix.”

Marcus played with one of his chips. “Maybe he stopped killing back then because he got called to God. You know, took the opposite road, tried to repent. Hell, he might have become a priest or something. And then he just couldn’t stand it, broke free and started killing again.”

They were all silent for a moment, thinking about those implications.

“I wish we had the DNA comparison. That would at least tell us definitively if we are dealing with the same man or a copycat,” Fitz said.

Read an excerpt from 14, and learn more about the book and author at J.T. Ellison's website and MySpace page.

Watch the video trailer for 14.

The Page 69 Test: All the Pretty Girls.

The Page 99 Test: 14.

14 and the Page 99 Test

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JT Ellison is Murderati's Friday columnist, a short story writer, and a novelist.

Last year she applied the Page 69 Test to her debut novel, All the Pretty Girls. Now she has applied the “Page 99 Test” to the sequel, 14, and reported the following:

I believe page 99 of my new novel, 14, is indicative of the whole of the book. Homicide Lieutenant Taylor Jackson and FBI profiler Dr. John Baldwin are having a quiet dinner at home, talking about their day. Two major points are made that drive the story – first, Taylor tells Baldwin she’s missing a piece of vital evidence from a twenty year old murder case, and second – Baldwin reveals that a woman named Charlotte Douglas is coming to town. I love that the page ends with the revelation – seemingly innocuous – that a woman named Charlotte Douglas is coming to Nashville to participate in the Snow White Killer case. Taylor has never heard the woman’s name, but is about to meet a formidable opponent, both in the Snow White case and from Baldwin’s past. I hope the reader is driven to the next page, and the next, to find out why it’s important that Charlotte is getting involved in the Snow White case.

Without giving it all away, the missing evidence that Taylor mentions ties directly to the solution of the case, and to understanding Charlotte Douglas. Here’s an excerpt from page 99 of 14.

“Do I need a special occasion to bring flowers to my almost wife?”

“No, of course not.” She dropped the holster on the counter and buried her nose in the flowers. “Mmmm, they smell great. I better get them in some water. Where’d you find the Gerberas this time of year?”

“A man must protect his secrets.”

She rolled her eyes at him, eliciting a laugh. It was all so comfortable, it didn’t feel right. She got the flowers into water, set them thoughtfully on the kitchen table. Baldwin watched her; she felt his eyes on the back of her neck. Jesus, what was wrong with her?

“How was your day?”

“Other than the fact that we’re missing a piece of evidence from the Snow White case? The old cases, I should say.”

“What kind of evidence?” He opened the refrigerator. “Oh good, you got dinner.”

“Like I’d let you starve.”

They bustled around the kitchen, getting their salads on plates, buttering bread, pouring wine, and Taylor told Baldwin about her afternoon. He listened with sympathy until she asked about his day. They sat on the floor in the living room, their plates on the coffee table, their backs propped with pillows, and talked while they ate.

When they were settled and Taylor was a few bites into her salad, Baldwin answered her question.

“Well, it was interesting, I’ll say that. Tomorrow might be a little crazy.”

She just raised an eyebrow. As if anything could be crazier in this case, in their lives.

“Charlotte Douglas is coming to town.”

Read an excerpt from 14, and learn more about the book and author at J.T. Ellison's website and MySpace page.

Watch the video trailer for 14.

The Page 69 Test: All the Pretty Girls.

New Beginnings

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Thank you so much for joining me here at JTEllison.com. Design credit goes to my amazingly talented husband, Randy Ellison, a man of great patience and vision.

I'll be using this spot to update my status, give reports on tours, reviews, and any other news that comes available.

Just a note: I started the blog "The Tao fo JT" the day I received the first major rejection on my very first manuscript, back at the end of 2004. I was planning to use it to document my journey to publication. It didn't work out that way -- Murderati took over as my main blog. Instead of deleting and starting fresh, I decided to keep the four short entries that I did make. If you're a new writer, read from the beginning. It won't take you long. Read it, and remember to keep the faith. We've all had speedbumps on our journey. Perserverence is the key to getting published. Don't give up.

Wishing you all the best,
JT