Sixth Excerpt
My latest novel, A Diamond Found on Paradise, was released last month. Here’s another excerpt.
from Chapter V
Sarah asked, “How is your latest project progressing?”
“If you mean the whole affair of recovering the Adelaide diamond, it’s been progressing fairly well, I think. I have been able to get the media notice I’d hoped. The analyses I’ve seen of people’s reaction has not been quite as good as I’d anticipated, but there are encouraging signs that Resumptionists are rallying behind the council.”
“Wasn’t the idea to convince the girl who found the diamond to change her mind?”
“Yes, but we’re not going to do that directly. We’ll do that when public opinion is united against her.”
“Perhaps, but do you think your campaign will be successful enough that public opinion will ever get to the point that it’s united?”
“Not completely, of course. And I don’t know how united it would have to be to affect this girl, but the better we do with presenting our case the better our chances are. Besides, changing her mind is only one of my objectives. The other is to revitalize the commitment of Resumptionists across Paradise.”
“Yes, but changing this girl’s mind is still one of your objectives.”
“Yes, of course.”
“May I give some advice on that aspect?”
“Certainly.”
“If you wish to influence her, you need to stop questioning her intelligence.”
“I’ve not seen any indication that she–”
“You’re missing my point. You need to stop publicly questioning her intelligence. You are only hardening her resolve when you do so.”
“You think so?”
“Yes. Some women are intimidated when a man questions their intelligence. Miss Callidardin does not strike me as one of those women.”