There is no end to the list of characters! Well, there is an end. I lied. But there are quite a few of them. I’ll keep them going until I exhaust them. Or you get exhausted. I’m already exhausted but that’s another story!
Tracy Walsh
Traci is a very, very minor character in “May I Have Your Attention Please.” She has one or two lines in two scenes, and if you blink, you’ll miss her. She shows up a bit more in book 2, even more in book 3, and by the time you get to book 4, she is a big time major character. She even gets her very own book down the line!
The McKinney High girls have known each other for a long time. That is, all except for Traci. Traci moved to Eastboro, MA, in ninth grade, and went to Fremont Junior High. She then transfers to McKinney Sophomore year and befriends Kim, Darlene, and Michelle. Fate, is it? Or did Traci know exactly what she was doing all along? Traci is very sweet, and she fits right in with the group, as if they have known each other forever. The group soon learns that Traci has some very special skills. She does not possess magic powers or ESP, but she is extremely intuitive. Traci has extremely sensitive, acute sense, and she has learned to interpret the input subconsciously. She can walk into a room, into an ongoing conversation, and instantly know that someone is lying. She can tell if someone has a crush, or if they are feeling poorly. Her interpretive skills are also excellent, so she can extrapolate predictions of what might happen next. Her new friends are bowled over. But there are some things, and some people, that Traci cannot sense, and it drives her crazy! She has no idea why. It could be a glitch, or it could be that they are hiding things. Traci’s parents have made some decisions for the family that Traci and her brother Bobby don’t understand, and sometimes, these choices can lead to heartbreak for their children. Traci and Bobby cling to each other for support. But soon, there will be some major changes occurring, and Traci is not sure if she can face some emotional losses that she is facing. It’s possible that her McKinney friends might be the key to her future happiness.
Darlene Feinman
Darlene and Kim Drake have known each other since they were babies. Their mothers are best friends. They were pretty much inseparable as preschoolers. They started kindergarten together, and were placed in different classes. Darlene made a new friend, Michelle, and she felt loved and accepted by Michelle. Over the years, things change between the three girls, and the power differential shifts. Darlene has to make some decisions based on loyalty and making sure that she makes everyone happy. But Darlene has a secret. Everything is really not as wonderful as she leads everyone, including her own mother, to believe. The world is wearing Darlene down, but damn if she ever lets anyone in on what’s going on inside her head. She divides her time between the homes of her mother, who is supportive and giving but oblivious to what is going on, and her father, who is demanding and critical of her every move. She is an only child, so she is often left to her own devises, with her own thoughts. She develops a set of coping skills to help her get through, but sometimes, they just make things worse. As Darlene navigates life in high school, college, and beyond, she must figure things out, and make some major changes, before things go drastically wrong.
Rhonda Jenkin
Rhonda was the prettiest, most popular girl in her junior high. She developed early, and boys started to notice her. She finally focused her attention on one lucky boy, only to find herself feeling forced to break away from him in high school. Rhonda soon finds new love with Chris Mahoney. They had flirted with each other back in junior high, but Rhonda chose someone else. Now, they are hot and heavy, and falling in love. The only problem is, Rhonda knows that their relationship is not built on honest intentions, and knowing this is killing her. She finds herself getting closer and closer to Chris, which is confusing and does not serve her true purpose. Rhonda is seeking revenge. Not on Chris. On someone in his circle. The problem? This person doesn’t even know she did anything that might have hurt Rhonda in the first place. When the quest for revenge blows up in her face, Rhonda must make a decision that will not only break her own heart, but also that of the boy she has fallen in love with. But deep down inside, she knows it’s the right thing to do. She only hopes that this decision doesn’t haunt her for the rest of her life. But it might. Rhonda has an older brother and an older stepsister. She lives with her brother, mother, and stepfather, who is basically her father. She hasn’t seen her biological father since she was three and no one knows where he is. But he has been keeping a very big secret. And it’s a secret that will lead Rhonda to a very, very dark place.
Howie Newell
Howie is the most tragic figure in the series. Howie is the older brother of James Newell, lead character in “May I Have Your Attention Please,” and also featured in every other McKinney High book. Howie is mainly featured in the first book, but does make guest appearances in others. He is three years older than James, and two years younger than their older sister, Erin. He is the middle child, and he meets all the criteria. He grows up pretty normally, with caring and loving parents, until age twelve, when something happens to change him. Howie falls in with some older kids who start him down the path to trouble. As the years go by, Howie gets in more and more trouble at school and home, much to the dismay of his family. He gets suspended from school often and for stupid reasons, but he is never expelled. He is the reason that James decides to go to McKinney High School rather than Murphy High. James doesn’t want to be classified as being just like his brother. Howie somehow graduates from high school, but no one understands how. Trouble starts again about a year later, when he gets in more trouble at home, and is told he must move out. Howie complies, but he still comes home often to visit, use the washer and dryer, and take food from the fridge. His mother worries about him. James can’t understand him.
“May I Have Your Attention Please” is available now on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and anywhere that ebooks are sold. Please check it out, and if you do read my book, please leave a review on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Goodreads, or whatever other platform you are using. It would mean a whole lot!
I Just Can’t Say I Love You will be available on September 15, 2023, staring Carl and Kim and the usual cast of characters.
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Have a wonderful week y’all! Happy Pride!
Debby Meltzer Quick, Author 