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Hi! My name is Loretta Ross and I am the author of one mystery novel, The Reenactment, which is currently seeking a publisher. I have built this website because my agent, the lovely Janet Reid, ~~threatened me with bodily harm~~ strongly encouraged me to do so.

My family moved to rural Missouri when I was three and I have lived here ever since. I have an AA from Cottey College and a BA in art history/archaeology from the University of Missouri - Columbia. I'm single and I live on a hill in the middle of nowhere with two dogs, three adult cats and three kittens. The Reenactment is my first novel.

Some Samples of my Work

Poetry

Zombie Love Song - I wrote this for my strange friend Christopher and his remarkably patient wife Sharon.

The Cat Said - Self-explanatory.

Bold Orion - This is the first free-verse poem I ever wrote. I was about nine or ten at the time.

Short Stories

Spinster Auntie's Visit - Totally not inspired by my relationship with my own nieces and nephews. And great nieces and nephews. And great-great-nieces and nephews. Totally not! And, anyway, nobody can prove anything!

Mr. Fixit - Bailing wire, bubblegum and duct tape . . . .

Cold Intentions - Why you should never ask a mystery writer how they would kill you.

A Dark Road - Do you think it's possible for the living and the dead to communicate? Maybe? If it's really important?

Fluffibutt - Everyone can dream, can't they?

Song Lyrics

Lost at the Oarhouse Again - The Old Oarhouse is a strange little bar on the shore of Lake of the Ozarks. A couple of summers ago I went there twice to listen to a friend's band play. The Oarhouse is situated in a little community of summer houses, with twisting, winding streets and quaint cottages packed so tightly together it's probably possible to go from one end of town to the other by climbing from window to window and never actually going outside. Both times I went there I got lost going and again coming back and I wasn't drinking either time. That's the inspiration for this song. My friend was going to set it to music, but I've lost touch with her and I doubt that's ever going to happen now.

Zeus' Song - I've been hanging around Gary Corby's blog too much. This is all his fault. If you don't know Gary, you seriously should! He's a very intelligent, entertaining man and I'm anxiously awaiting his first book, The Pericles Commission, which is coming out in October and available for pre-order via Amazon right now.