Sneak Peek: Alto Secrets

Are you known for something? You know, like “the one who plays piano” or “the one who makes great chocolate chip cookies?” Or maybe you once told someone that you like frogs, and now every single person on the planet sends you frog memes every chance they get. Sometimes we get boxed into a “thing,” and we never meant for it to happen. What would you do?

In Alto Secrets, book 2 in The Choir Girls series, Maddie finds herself boxed in. Her family is a sports family, and she likes that. She really is good at volleyball. But she has a secret desire to paint. Then her school offers an after school art club, and Maddie knows this is her chance to chase that dream. Except she can’t really find the courage to tell her parents.

Check out this sneak peek from Alto Secrets, and then tell me if you are known for a “thing!”

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“Oh, yeah. It’s just, um, I was going to tell you that Coach Doone told me today that there is, um, a volleyball club starting at school,” Maddie said. She swallowed hard. She had no idea where that came from. The lie just tumbled out of her mouth.

“Really? How much is it? If it’s cheaper than the one at the rec center, this might work out better! Connor would just have to pick you up from school. When are the practices?”

“Um, Tuesdays and Thursdays,” Maddie quickly replied. “Just like the rec center. We must play them or something.”

“So, games on Sundays?” Mom asked, taking a bite of her salad.

“Yeah. Um, I forgot how much it is. I’ll ask tomorrow.”

“Chew and swallow first, then speak. Well, great then. Boy, it would be nice if it was less than $300! Sometimes I think you kids and your sports are going to send us to the poorhouse!”

“Don’t worry about the money, Love,” Dad said. “These kids are our ticket to retirement! Dylan’s headed to the NBA, Connor to the MLS, and Maddie is going to win a gold medal in beach volleyball in the Olympics!”

Maddie choked on her food and started coughing. Dylan pounded her back, but she waved him off and reached for her water.

“Goodness, Maddie! Please take smaller bites!” Mom said, shaking her head as if she had said that a million times. She turned her attention to Dylan and started grilling him about his basketball practices.

This was worse than Maddie thought. There was no way she could tell them about art club now! Her parents were so supportive of her volleyball, and she was so good at it. But she wanted to paint. Maybe she should just forget it and tell her mom she’d join the rec center club. The problem was that she had already told her parents there was a club at school. She couldn’t ask to go to the rec center now.

Maddie stared at her half empty plate and listened to her family chatter around her. Bit by bit a plan started to form in her mind. She would do the art club. Mom and Dad were already expecting her to stay after school. She’d come up with something about why there were no games later. Maybe she would turn out to be no good at painting anyway and she could join the rec center volleyball club in the spring . Suddenly everyone started laughing at something. Maddie joined in so no one would ask her what was wrong.

This would work. Probably.

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