Literary Las Vegas: Donna M. Quick

A gypsy curse, dreams of a mysterious woman later spotted in a 60-year-old photograph, family secrets and a gay man looking for acceptance from his retired minister grandfather fill the pages of local author Donna M. Quick's novel "Hallowed Illusions." For more information about the book, visit iuniverse.com or Quick can be contacted at donnamquick@hotmail.com.

Excerpt from "Hallowed Illusions"

"Where is this place and who are you? What do you need me to help you do? Wait!"

Her form fluttered as if it were a mirage rising from hot pavement to join the moist evening heat at the beginning of sunset. Even though I still couldn't see the woman's face, a monumental change was taking place.

Bile began to rise up my throat. Ringing began to sound in my ears.

There was no apparent danger to either of us, yet I felt wary. Warning roared through my brain. Be careful.

The woman's transformation quickened. Almost as if someone had painted a portrait and then taken a sudden dislike to, an imaginary brush stroked a vivid patch of blood red from the woman's scalp down across her body.

I yelped. "What happened? What happened?"

As if on cue, the scene faded to gray, graduating to total nothingness.