Decatur Clary, A Literary Sampler

Someone once compared life to a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get until you choose a piece and bite into it, and then it’s too late. If they were talking about the heart shaped sampler my father always gave my mom to mark any occasion that didn’t warrant a real present, everything good was eaten the first day. On the second day, if no one was watching and you got something nasty, you’d slip it back into the box with the bite marks down and hope nobody noticed while you snagged a different one. By the third day all the remaining candy had been tasted and rejected, but still exuded a chocolate attraction to passing kids that would cause them to pause and riffle through the pleated papers with the desperate hope that something good had been overlooked.
But, this isn’t like that, honest. 'Decatur Clary - a Literary Sampler' is four free Decatur Clary stories designed to titillate the palate while introducing you to the style and stories of Decatur Clary.

'The Agreement' is an excerpt from Decatur’s novel, '7 Crows a Secret'. While '7 Crows' centers around family secrets that lead to murder, 'The Agreement' is a romance. In 1867 Julie Corbeau is facing 30 with dwindling prospects. Stuck on a farm in northwest Florida, her fiancée dead in the war, she sees her life laid out before, until the day of her death.
But, Julie has a secret and today she going to the railroad station to meet him for the first time. Until now, their relationship has been based on the exchange of less than a half dozen letters. He professes to be as lonely and as desperate as she is, but he is a Yankee and Irish to boot. Can she dare to trust him? Could he be the answer she has been waiting for?

'The Calling' is another excerpt from Decatur’s novel, '7 Crows a Secret'. In 1855 there weren’t many opportunities for entertainment in rural northwest Florida. The Corbeau family takes time out of their busy lives to attend a revival meeting, camping on the grounds and featuring three preachers. There is time for socializing, renewing old acquaintances and sparking fresh romance. One preacher is like a wise grandfather, another a harsh taskmaster, but the third is a question mark until they encounter the moonshiners and their faith is tested.

'Willa and Buddy' is the opening chapter of Decatur Clary’s novel 'The Lady Lu'. This story tells of the beginning of a lifetime adventure for a girl and her dog. Willa Grace is a precocious soon-to-be six-year-old and Buddy is supposed to be her daddy’s dog. But against this little girl he doesn’t stand much of a chance.

'Grandpa’s Shortcut' began as mental exercise for Decatur, like stretching your legs or cracking your knuckles, and ended up being homage to his grandfather. When Grandpa gets shuffled off on Randall and his older brother, Chris, they are mostly concerned about what effect this will have on their planned fishing trip and how their friends would react. Grandpa’s shortcut ends up taking a little longer, but it leads to new friends, adventures and discoveries along the way.