Now Available in Both eBook and Trade Paperback

As we head into a new year, we often take some time to step back and think about the past year, the changes we've experienced or the ones we desire and where we go from here. While it's fiction and not a self-help book, LADIES IN WAITING is the ideal novel for your journey. You won't walk alone--Liv, Markie, Cee Cee, Andi and Julia will be right there with you. Talk about a fun group with a bunch of dark secrets! And now LADIES IN WAITING is available in both eBook and Trade Paperback.

Available in ebook and trade paperback at Amazon.com

Also available at Turquoise Morning Press

Love That New Cover Smell--and Look

I just received the cover art for RENTING TO OWN. It's a reprise release coming from Turquoise Morning Press in February, 2015.

Lily Champion lost her mother when she was just seven years old. Pregnant at nineteen, her father put her out of the house. Lily leaned on the kindness of her former teacher, Helen Shaw, who took her in. She is now on her own with a four-year-old.

At twenty four, Lily has a decent job and a house she is renting to own. But she has learned that, just when the earth beneath you settles, something is sure to cause a quake. As she struggles to balance work and single-parenthood and create a solid future for her daughter, Lily finds herself pursued by two men. One ignites desire in her and the other makes her feel secure. Wasn’t that what got her into this situation in the first place? Lily’s learned that sometimes when the ground shifts beneath you, it moves you to where you need to be.

Linda

PROTECTION Finaled for 2015 EPIC eBook Award

Look what happened--PROTECTION finaled for the 2015 EPIC eBook Awards in Romantic Suspense.

I'm am so excited and pleased. I'm in very good company there. We'll see what happens in March.

Women and Reinvention

My newest women's fiction novel, LADIES IN WAITING, came out a few days ago. Authors will be familiar with this process, but for others let me explain what happens before a book goes to publication. First there's the editing process which can take several back and forths between the author and the editor. Then the book goes to a copyeditor. The last stage involves the galleys being sent to the author for one last look. That's when you search, line by line, word by word, for any small errors that may have been missed in the earlier editing processes. Books don't just happen. They go through rigorous scrutiny.

In working with the galleys for LADIES IN WAITING, I discovered something. Well, not discovered so much as was reminded. I love writing women's fiction. I very much enjoy writing romance and suspense, but I LOVE writing women's fiction. Perhaps it's the dormant psychotherapist in me that enjoys digging into the psyche and the emotions of the character(s) and seeing what makes them tick. Then partnering with the character to not only tell their story, but walk with them to a resolution of conflicts. See, that's what really moves us through. Conflict. It's an essential element when writing a story to create conflict and keep it going to hold the reader through to the end. I think the same is true of life.

LADIES IN WAITING is a book about internal conflicts. Liv, Cee Cee, Julia, Andi and Markie are strangers to one another who all land in Cape May, New Jersey for a women's retreat titled Embracing the New You: Reinventing Yourself After Fifty. But each woman has a very different reason for being there and each one is as much running from something as she is moving toward something. When the retreat director, Bree, is called away on a family emergency, the five women decide to stay anyway and have their own sort of retreat.

As I worked through the galleys for this book, I found myself drawn into the story as if I'd not written it and had never before read it. I found myself reflecting upon my own reinvention. I've wrestled with that word, questioning if we really do reinvent ourselves or if we reclaim those parts of ourselves that we've put aside or shed for the sake of someone or something else. But reinvention seems to be a more widely understood and accepted term for what we women face as we move into our second and then third acts of life. A significant part of my own reinvention was to embrace my desire to write. LADIES IN WAITING is my 20th published novel! Some reinvention, huh?

My reinvention had a lot to do with embracing truths and letting go of fantasy thinking about life. Reinvention can be a painful process, but it's also one that offers a new freedom--freedom to be honest with ourselves, to make new and sometimes better choices, to dare to give free rein to our dreams and step onto formerly untried paths. It might sound overwhelming and little scary. And it can be. But it's also a hell of a lot of fun.

Liv's life blew up in her face and she had to face the truths of what she had compromised or given away of herself to make a life that was less than satisfying for her. Cee Cee (only thirty-two, but taking her mother's place at the retreat because she needs time away from her husband and kids) is questioning her marriage. Julia arrives at the retreat wound so tightly, she fears if she relaxes, she might fall apart. And falling apart is not acceptable on any level for Julia. Andi is still trying to find her way through early widowhood and into a future of happiness. Markie, in whom the hippie era meets new age, doesn't see an option for reinvention so much as a need to find some inner peace to make a decision she feels is imperative and final.

By the time I'd finished the work on the galleys and sent them back to my editor, I was feeling a loss. What I imagine post-partum depression could be like. I wanted to sit on the beach with these five women and draw my energy from them as they grappled with lies and truths and changes to find the next step, the true path that fit for each of them.

Whether we engage in this process of reinvention in big ways or in small, it seems to me it's not something we choose. It's an invitation that life lays before us. We women have so much wisdom and experience to offer one another. We are each architects of our own reinvention, but I dare say it would be a lonely, possibly impossible, task without our girlfriends to hold our hands and to sometimes give us that much needed shove from behind.

Two of my favorite authors have written non-fiction books about this process of reinvention. Barbara Sher wrote It's Only Too Late If You Don't Start Now in 1999 and her words still ring true today. Claire Cook (one of my all time favorite authors of women's fiction) wrote Never Too Late: Your Roadmap to Reinvention (without getting lost along the way) in 2014.

If you find yourself  thrust into your own reinvention, I recommend both of these books. And if you want some companions for the journey, I recommend LADIES IN WAITING. The girls will be happy to pour you a glass of wine and sit with you while you figure it all out.

Here's to your journey!

                         Linda

Your Next Book Should Be Your Best Book

Your next book should always be your best book. Writing is a learning process. At least that’s true for me. If we’re serious about the craft of writing and open to the process that goes into creating a book, we are always learning more about our writing and stretching our boundaries and limits.

Some writers embrace the editing process while others see it as a chore. I’m in the former group. I love the editing process. I love getting a fresh perspective on what I’ve written and having the opportunity to tighten up my writing and add color to my scenes and my characters from another point of view. That doesn’t mean I always agree with an editor’s suggestions, but I certainly consider them and try them out to see how they fit. In the end, I’m the one who best knows my story and my characters. But I owe it to myself and to my editors to give consideration to their suggestions.

Writers benefit from listening to feedback from their readers as well. I know some writers hold to the notion that you should never read reviews. I say, “Why not?” Sure there are reviewers out there who do a lousy job of reviewing, either telling the entire story in their review or slamming a book without obviously having read it. And there are good, honest reviews that reflect the reader’s thoughts and considerations about the story. Some reviews give a higher rating than others. I appreciate honest reviews and I try to take something away from them that informs me in writing the next book. I don’t let negative reviews get me down. I do let positive reviews buoy me up and nudge me forward. Everyone has a right to their opinion.

I take writing seriously, but not so seriously that it ceases to be fun. When it stops being fun, I’ll be finished. I owe it to myself and to my readers to work at this business of writing to make the next book the best I’ve ever written. Most writers, if they will be honest with themselves and go back to read their earliest work, can see the changes and improvements in their writing. If they can’t, well, they might want to re-evaluate their career choice.

As for me, my goal is to make the next book the best I’ve written so far. LADIES IN WAITING will be out in a few weeks. I’ll let you all be the judge.

Meet the Ladies In Waiting -- Coming in December

Liv, Markie, Julia, Andi and Cee Cee each came to the retreat—Embracing  the New You: Reinventing Yourself After Fifty—with a specific purpose and each brought her own secret. When the owner of Síocháin (which translates to peace) is called away for a family emergency, the five women who have never before met decide to stay at the Cape May, New Jersey retreat house and find their own way to the ‘New You.’ Each woman has a reason for being there and not somewhere else. They could give the term ‘retreat’ a whole new meaning. Except that, for these women, the retreat is just a backing up to get a running start forward.

Liv hardly recognizes herself in the mirror any more. She's changed everything she can about her appearance in an effort to hide her shame. Markie, a product of the sixties and a child of the universe, has a more pressing issue with which she must find peace. Julia, an Assistant District Attorney, is used to being in charge, but recently life has spun out of her control. Andi is second-guessing her second chance at love two years after the sudden death of husband. She's also avoiding a secret that haunts her from the past. Cee Cee, the baby of the group at thirty-two, is in crisis and, with her mother disappearing into the darkness that is Alzheimer's, desperately needs womanly advice.

Lies are told, secrets are revealed, tears are shed and laughter abounds as they make their way past the differences that divide and into the familiar territory of sisterhood that holds them together. In other words, they have one another’s backs—eventually—as each woman sheds whatever is holding her back and weighing her down. The journey is not without conflict and challenge. In December, you’re invited to join Liv, Markie, Julia, Andi and Cee Cee to sit down, put up your feet, throw back a glass of wine and embrace the new you!

* Coming in December from Turquoise Morning Press.

I had such a great time writing this book, getting to know these women. I hope you'll enjoy them as much as I did.

Guest Blogger - Tracy Broemmer

Author Tracy Broemmer writes stories from the heart with characters that draw us into their lives. Her stories are insightful, captivating and ring true. So I invited Tracy to be my guest and to share an experience to which most of us, especially women, can relate.

~ * ~

My mom is the third youngest of eleven children.  I am the fourth youngest of fifty-five grandchildren on Mom’s side of the family.  Being one of the younger ones, I’ve watched many cousins suffer the loss of their parents.  In the stretch between April of 2007 and October of 2009, seven family members (one cousin and six aunts/uncles) passed away.  Of course, I grieved.  You might assume that with a family so big, we aren’t close and maybe, at first glance, it would look that way to the casual observer.  Obviously, we don’t all see each other every day.  In fact, there are long periods of time when I don’t even get to see the four cousins I am closest to, whom I’ve always felt are brothers and sisters, rather than cousins.  However, we’re tight-knit, and when there’s a wedding or a reunion, we try to be there, and we love to celebrate together.  And when there’s a death, we grieve together, and we remember the good old days, and we rally around the family who’s lost someone.

My mom is 74, and two years ago, you could often find her in my backyard, either squatting to catch for my son, who pitches-my then twelve-year-old son who throws a wicked fastball.  I can’t catch my son; I can’t squat because of a knee injury from my days on the mound many years ago.  If Mom wasn’t catching him, you’d likely find her with a bat, standing in so my son could envision the strike zone.  (Mom’s been nailed by a few pitches in her day, starting with me when I was younger and had to throw a hundred pitches a night) and yes, my son has drilled her a couple of times.

A year or two ago, Mom could have gone to my son’s baseball practices and played circles around most of the boys on the team.  She’s got an arm.  She can catch anything.  Five years ago, if you’d have asked her if she wanted to play slow-pitch again in the women’s league at the K of C or the local park district team, she’d have said yes, and you’d have seen her on the field.  And I’m betting she’d have still had it, or most of it, anyway.

Mom’s watched seven of her siblings deal with illnesses.  She sat with her sisters when they passed away.  I visited one uncle with her, when he was on his deathbed.  One uncle died in a bizarre accident.  I’m not sure what was worse, watching the long, drawn-out illnesses or the shock of the bizarre accident.  I do know that each of these losses has taken a little slice of her heart.  Right now she’s spending her time worrying about two of her sisters, one who has reached the stage where she remembers so little of current days and everything of their younger years and the other who had a heart attack and triple bypass surgery last July.

And while I worry about those aunts, I’ve suddenly realized that my mom has aged.  She’s dealing with some health issues of her own, though I don’t believe anything is life-threatening at this point.  (She will be undergoing some tests later this morning, and I’m praying for good results.)  There are days when I look at Mom (I’m an only child, so we’ve always been very close) and I see her.  I see the strong, vibrant woman I’ve always known her to be.  And there are days when I look at her, and I see that she’s aged so very much in this past year and seeing her becoming a bit frail, forgetful, and so often not feeling well breaks my heart. 

I never wanted to be here.  As an only child, my parents’ care will be on my shoulders.  I understand that, and I will be there for them.  My family and I will do whatever my parents need, because we love them.  But, I’m scared.  It scares me to look at my parents and realize they’ve gotten older.  I don’t want to say that my mom is elderly.  I want to walk out on my deck and find Mom with the baseball glove on, squatting behind home plate, catching my son.  At the very least, I want to see my dad catching my son and working with him on his off-speed pitches, while my mom stands in with a bat.

I’m not ready to be a caregiver for my parents, only because I’m not ready to admit that we’ve reached the stage where our roles are reversed.  I guess it’s denial.  I want to look at my parents and see them as they were when they were my age, middle-aged, I guess.  I don’t need to rewind time and be younger.  I’m actually pretty happy with who I am these days.  But I sure wish I could take Mom and Dad back in time and make them whole and healthy and young again, just so I’d know I’d have them around for another thirty or forty years.

http://www.amazon.com/Two-Story-Home-Tracy-Broemmer/dp/1493712985/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1413508563&sr=8-5&keywords=Tracy+Broemmer

http://www.amazon.com/Picket-Fences-Tracy-Broemmer-ebook/dp/B00ITEEG9K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1413508527&sr=8-1&keywords=Tracy+Broemmer

To read more about Tracy and her other books, visit her website at:

www.broemmerbooks.com

Publishers Weekly Likes PROTECTION

Rettstatt offers a unique twist on romantic suspense, as both the hero and heroine have secrets that endanger them and their relationship. In rural Washington State, Shannon Chase miscalculates a hairpin turn and drives into a tree. Jake Garbar leaves his nearby cabin and helps Shannon and her infant to safety, letting them stay in his home until Shannon can get back on her feet again. While the attraction between them is unmistakable, Shannon is reluctant to get involved with another man, since she’s fleeing a disastrous relationship. And Jake has been a paranoid recluse ever since he experienced a drastic life-changing event. As Jake and Shannon’s pasts are slowly and creatively revealed, they must learn to trust each other. Rettstatt provides the complete package: romance, suspense, and magnetic characters. (BookLife)

Reviewed on: 09/22/2014
Release date: 03/01/2014

       Publishers Weekly

My Writing Has Gone to the Dogs (and Cats) - RESCUED

NOW AVAILABLE! Amazon.com and at B&N.com in eBook and Trade Paperback. Every sale benefits the Tunica Humane Society. Get yours today.

                                 ~ ~ ~ ~

It's official--my writing has gone to the dogs...and cats). In just a month, my next book, RESCUED, will be available. It's a sweet contemporary romance and proceeds from sales will benefit the Tunica Humane Society, a no-kill animal shelter in my area in Mississippi.

I'm so pleased to have found a way I can help support their efforts, and I hope you will join me by purchasing your copy of RESCUED today. 



Enjoy this blurb about RESCUED and a short excerpt:

Alexandra Ramsey has been rescuing strays since she was abandoned by her mother at the age of seven. Now Alex’s passion is poured into Harley’s Haven, the no-kill animal shelter she built from scratch in Cade's Point, Mississippi.

Evan Whiting rode the crest of the wave of success as a top chef in Manhattan until 26 people were sickened by bad crab meat. He lost his restaurant, his savings, his reputation and his wife. Evan retreats to the home he inherited in rural Mississippi to start over.

Both Alex and Evan are about to be RESCUED. Then there’s Walter….

Excerpt:

Alex shielded her eyes against the bright July sun and called to her sister, “You see him?”

“He ran down toward that stand of trees.”

Waiting and watching, she saw the tall grass wave from a flurry of movement. “Gotcha.” She took off, motioning for Kellie to circle around in hopes of setting a trap. As she raced into a clearing, her right foot sank ankle deep in muck and she stumbled. “Crap.” She pulled her foot loose, then dug into the muddy mess to retrieve her sneaker.

Kellie waved to get her attention and pointed.

Alex nodded and slogged through the rain-soaked field. Sweat poured down her face and stung her eyes. When she stopped about five feet from Walter, he stood and stared at her, panting.

Realizing he was outdone, he lay on his back and rolled over, exposing his belly.

Alex dropped onto the ground beside him. “Walter, what is wrong with you? I know you miss Amy. We all do. But you’ve got to stop running off like this.”

The seventy-pound shepherd-collie mix looked up at her, his tongue lolling to one side.

She rubbed his tummy and attached a leash to his collar. “You look like a pig that’s been rollin’ in the barnyard. And we have people coming to meet you in an hour.”

Kellie caught up with her and bent over, winded from the chase. “That dog’s gonna be the death of us both. How are we gonna get him back to the shelter?”

Alex stood and tugged on the leash, urging Walter to his feet. “How do you think?”

“Alex, not again. I just got the upholstery cleaned from the last time.”

“I told you to bring a blanket.” Before Alex could start back across the field, Walter bolted, pulling her along behind. She dug in her heels and held the leash with both hands. “Stop!”

The dog stilled and looked back at her as if to say, “What? You said we have people to meet.”

When they reached Harley’s Haven, the no-kill animal shelter Alex operated, Kellie surveyed the condition of the rear leather seats of her Solara convertible and groaned. “I should get plastic seat covers. Next time we’re bringing your car.”

“I’m sorry. I’ll clean it up. But I have to get Walter hosed down first.”

Her sister gave her an appraising look. “You might want to hose yourself down while you’re at it.”

* * *

Be sure to share the news with your friends and come on over and 'like' my Facebook Author Page to get all the latest news.  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Linda-Rettstatt-Writing-for-Women/142119167526

Join me in supporting the efforts of the Tunica Humane Society and get a fun read at the same time. To view more of my books, stop by my website at www.lindarettstatt.com

Linda

CUSTOMER SERVICE (or so I'm told) - An Essay on Frustration

This is a reprise of an earlier post...er...rant about Customer Service. I'd like to say that things have improved over the years since I originally posted this rant. Apparently some things never change. Over the past three or four weeks, I have had a deja vu experience with my cable TV and internet service. Every single Saturday morning around the same time, both simply go out. Sometimes for half an hour, sometimes for several hours. Happened again this morning. So-I call Comcast. Yes, I know, but I seem to enjoy the pain of banging my head against a brick wall. I was told that my modem wasn't 'registered'. That's interesting because I pay a fee for it every month. (Makes mental note to self to see about purchasing own modem and give Comcast back their crap.)

I gave up with the internet service rep and called the Cable TV problem line. While she was busy checking my account, the cable came back--but not the internet. She transferred me to another line for internet service. I was told it would be a long wait. My cell phone is beeping to warn of low battery. I give up! Ten minutes later service comes back on, so I go online to check for outages. A note with a red exclamation point says "Outages reported in your area." Um...would someone alert Customer Service? (Well, you see where this is going.) Sadly, the experience of seven years ago continues. I was given the option of receiving a Quality Care callback about my experience. I usually ignore those, but chose it this time. I got the automated call. I was asked to please rate my satisfaction, '1' being totally unsatisfied, etc. I punched '1' repeatedly. I hope they got the message.

(I've spared you all the rant about mail delivery here at my current address because, well, I'm exhausted and that just deteriorated even more over time.) One positive change is that my current apartment complex is great. The folks in the office answer the phone and take care of service calls in a reasonable manner. (Oh, why do I feel I've just jinxed that?)

2004 (updated once in 2009--another move)

When was the last time that you called the cable company for service? How many calls did you make before you received service? How many customer service or customer care representatives did you speak with in your attempts to obtain service? Once you got the service technician to your home, how many times did another service tech have to come back before the problem was resolved? Perhaps your story sounds like mine.

In preparation for a move, just fourteen miles from one residence to the next, my roommate and I arranged for our wireless internet account to be transferred and for a service technician to come and establish the wireless system at the new address. This was accomplished with one phone call. Ah, but don’t be tricked into a false sense of security. We were given the usual two-hour window of time for the service tech to arrive—in this case, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on a Thursday. One of us had to be there during that time, so my roommate sat on the floor in an as yet unfurnished apartment and waited.

When 12:30 became 1:15, she called the company. After going through the phone system, hearing all of the options, then pushing 1, 3, 2, 4, she was then placed on hold and told by a computer that, “the last call was answered in less than six minutes.” (I never find this to be particularly helpful information. I don’t really care how long the last customer waited. I want to know how long I’m going to have to wait.) Oh, and have you noticed that there is no option on this recorded system to allow you to press “0” and connect directly to an actual person?

After waiting the six-plus minutes, she was told that they had her service call scheduled between 12:30 and 2:30. At this point, it is always your word against theirs and—since they are the mega-corporation and don’t have to care—you lose.

I join her in the wait at 4:00 p.m. and another call was placed, the same frustrating, personless system navigated, and, once a person was reached, a supervisor was requested. Ah, but they are not available to customers who are calling with complaints—usually because (as we are told) they are busy with other customers! Perhaps it was our error in not asking how the other customers were able to access the supervisor.

At 6:15 p.m., we were now told that a service technician would be there shortly. When asked what that meant, the customer service representative simply said, “as soon as he finishes the job he is on now.” It was stated with such clarity and sense of logic, one wanted to welcome that as an acceptable answer.

At 7:05, the service technician arrives. He now has to face two very tired, very frustrated and very angry women. (He obviously drew the short straw that morning and knew that he would be assigned the, “We’ve been waiting all day and are sick and tired of your company and would choose another provider—if we could find one. Unfortunately, your company has a monopoly and we are, therefore, entirely at your mercy—now install the damned system,” customer. And this poor guy has done nothing except fall behind because someone overscheduled his workload that day.

The man has a daunting task—install a wireless home network system for one desktop and two laptop computers—one of which already has a wireless card installed. As he sets up the router and listens to our ranting about their service—or lack thereof—he explains what happened to our order. It was, apparently, dispatched to an employee number that does not even exist in their system. Oh, okay—HELLO-O! They’re a COMMUNICATIONS COMPANY!!! He crawls around on the floor in three different rooms for the next hour (remember, no furniture yet), then proudly announces, “There you go. All set. Sign here” (we’ll send you the bill).

We naively allow him to leave, assuming that, when we move in two days later, we will have instant internet access. Ah, but we know what happens when one assumes—don’t we? Hence, the move-in is completed and we settle for the evening to rest our weary bones and check our e-mail. One laptop (not mine) fires up and accesses the internet and email account. My laptop fires up and…and…and a message informs me that no account has been established. Okay, don’t panic—I still have the desktop. I turn on the desktop and wait while it goes through its boot-up and virus scanning activities. I come back and click on the blue “e”. I get a response. I am told, by someone or something out in the vast wireless universe, that my computer does not recognize the USB device—the one the cable guy attached so that I could access the internet.

Well, he did leave all of this stuff with me, including the software for the device. Perhaps it simply needs to be uninstalled and reinstalled—I know enough to do that much. As I am reinstalling the software for the USB device that is designed to pick up the signal that is supposedly just floating around my apartment, waiting for something to grab it, I see a message—WARNING! The device you are installing may not be compatible with your operating system. If you continue, it could cause serious and permanent damage to your computer! WHAT???

At this point, however, I have only one goal—to get my email. I ignore this, trusting that the service tech saw the same message the first time and he ignored it and my computer didn’t blow up. I restart the computer and—voila—I can access the internet and check email—at least for a minute. I am in the middle of responding to an email message when I see the little box appear in the lower right hand corner and the little green screen turn red (and we all know what red means—stop): USB device not recognized and you have no internet connection.

I learn, over the next few days, that if I unplug and reattach that device, I can re-establish a connection—at least long enough to check email. After a few days, this gets old and I decide to call the company to send someone out. Here we go again.

Ring, ring, ring, please hold, blah, blah, blah, press 1, blah, blah, blah, press 3—no I wanted 4. Oh, crap, now I have to start all over. Ring, ring, ring, please hold, blah, blah, blah, press 1, blah, blah, blah, press 4, blah, blah, blah, press 3—your call is important to us (Oh, really?); wait time on the last call was less than six minutes (Where have I heard that before?).

It is now Thursday morning. I am told that a service tech can come on Tuesday. I find this to be unacceptable, since the installation was obviously faulty in the first place. However, I forget that I am dealing with a mega-monopoly that doesn’t have to care what I think. I am offered two options: (1) place a service request for Tuesday between 10:30 and 12:30 (which I already know means between 10:30 and whenever), or (2) have an internet service supervisor call me the next day. Ah, a supervisor. That’s sounds good, so I choose what’s behind door number two.

I get up on Friday morning with a better attitude—I’m going to get to speak with the supervisor. (Okay, so they got me—again.) After waiting all morning with no call, I call in after lunch, only to be told that all of the supervisors are out at a training. Well, I can hardly object to that—it does seem that some training is in order. But I should not be too discouraged—they still have a few Tuesday appointments available. (Aren’t I the lucky one?) I’m even offered a choice—10:30 to 12:30 or 12:30 to 2:30. Not to be fooled twice, I choose the earliest time. That way, I figure the tech will get there before I have to get ready for bed.

The magical day arrives—Tuesday. I get up, put on my best jeans and comb my hair—wouldn’t want to scare the tech away with a bad case of bed head. Then I wait---and wait---and wait---and wait. 12:30 passes and 1:00 arrives. I call again—well, you know that drill. Yes, he’s running late—of course he is. He’ll be there by 2:30—of course he will. This time I have spoken with a customer service representative who actually listens and sounds concerned. She spells her name for me and gives me her number. I almost believe that she will help me. She is going to call me back to make sure that the problem is resolved.

While I’m waiting, I may as well at least attempt to review any current email—assuming my computer will recognize the USB device. It should—I’ve introduced them over and over for the past week. Well, it does. But, now, a new message appears—my username and password are not recognized. (Seems my system has developed either a rapidly progressive case of dementia or amnesia). I check the other “working” laptop to find that my friend’s username and password are no longer being recognized either. But, not to fear—the service tech is on his way.

A call comes from the tech at 5:45 p.m.—just to reassure me that he’s on his way—of course he is. After being given specific directions and told how to call to be buzzed into the complex, he goes to the wrong complex—(all together now)—of course he does. At last, at 6:30, the tech arrives. He is a young man in his early twenties who was, no doubt, diagnosed with ADHD when in grade school. He checks the USB device, reinstalls it, responds to my question of whether the device could be faulty with a shrug and, “could be,” then says, “There you go. All set.” He does manage to get the second laptop to sign online, between two personal calls (I assume they were personal—unless he always says, “I love you” to the dispatcher)—and a short break to play with my battery operated slot machine/ballpoint pen which, I was told, is “cool.”

He can’t do anything about the email accounts—of course he can’t—but he can give me a phone number to call—of course he can.

By this time, the work day long over, my friend returns and takes over, calling the number that was given to have the email accounts restored. They were still assigned to the old address where service was formerly received. (I guess you have to know to ask for them to be transferred along with your service. Duh?) But, let’s keep this in perspective—IT’S A COMMUNICATIONS COMPANY.

My friend is transferred through a few people and ends up talking with someone who sounds like they may be helpful. There is one minor problem—we are in Memphis and she was connected to San Antonio, Texas. (It’s a COMMUNICATIONS Company?)

While she is trying to get this problem resolved, I receive a call on my phone from the customer service rep who had promised to call me back. This I take as a very positive sign. I tell her that we are on the other line trying to get the problem resolved. She, once again, promises to call back before she goes home at 10:00 p.m.

In the meantime, my friend is transferred back to the office that will supposedly restore our email accounts. It is now 8:05 p.m. Yep, you guessed it—they close at 8:00. However, my faith is again restored when the customer service rep calls me back just shy of ten o’clock. I tell her what has happened, and she tells me that she will have a supervisor call me the next morning. I am suspicious of this because I have already asked for a supervisor and that is how I ended up speaking with her—not a supervisor. (I guess it was a very long training meeting.)

Thursday morning arrives. I jump up and turn on my desktop, eager to now go online and bid on that item I’ve been watching on Ebay. What the heck, I can’t read my email. Yep, you guessed it—USB device not recognized; no internet connection available.

Okay, I have now reached my limit. I turn off the computer. I turn off my cell phone. I get in my car and I drive. Tomorrow is another day and, unfortunately, the problem will still be there. (Remember that movie Groundhog Day?)

Friday, the end of the week, the day all of nine to five America looks forward to. Now it’s a matter of principle—I AM going to speak with a supervisor. I call, get a friendly customer service rep. This time I can understand him when he says his name and asks if he can help me (the others may have been friendly and/or helpful, but all answered the phone as if they were chewing ice chips, and yes, it’s a COMMUNICATIONS Company). I tell him that, no, he cannot help me and that I want to speak with a supervisor. I want to spare him the entire history lesson, but he presses on, “Can you tell me the nature of the problem?” Well, if I could do that, there wouldn’t be a problem, now, would there? Okay, buddy, you asked. I give him the entire history—my frustration level and my voice rising with each daily account. At the end, I tell him that a supervisor has one hour to get back to me or I am canceling the service and going elsewhere. (Of course, that’s a bluff. This is a mega-monopoly and there is nowhere else to go.)

I am truly in awe when a supervisor calls me back forty minutes later, apologizes and restores both email accounts while I am on the phone with him. I am convinced this man is the reincarnation of either Thomas Edison or one of the ancient gods. He then tells me that he will contact the dispatcher to have another tech come out and try to resolve the problem with the desktop computer. But, now, I’m onto them—I insist on a time within a one hour window. He calls back and tells me to expect the tech between 4:30 and 5:30. And so, I do. At 5:35, the tech calls—he is lost—say it with me—of course he is.

I give him directions, and he arrives within minutes. At this point, I feel sorry for the techs. I wonder how many totally frustrated, angry, hostile, nearly-homicidal customers they have to deal with in a day. One can only imagine. He replaces the USB device. Then he does something neither of the other two did—he encrypts all three computers, showing me that someone could hack in because there is another strong signal from a different network in the area. (My inclination is to go and knock on my neighbor’s door to find out about that network and sign up.)

He finishes, telling me that the problem should now be resolved. (Yeah, like I’m going to believe that one before I see it. Fool me once, fool me fifteen times…eventually, I catch on.) Then he writes down for me the direct number for service. I had to ask myself, if he’s so sure the problem is resolved, why is he giving me this number? However, I am delighted that he has shown me how to use my little laptop to check new email. I am hoping against hope that I will never have to call him again. Yeah, you guessed it—it didn’t work.

Over the weekend, I battle with the USB device to stay on line. I finally give up, using only my laptop. However, I am German and I am determined that they are going to fix this and make it work properly—again, a matter of principle. A lesser person may have given up by now. A person with a job and a real life would have done the same. Ah, but I am unemployed at the time—I can spend hours, days, even weeks making them come back until they do their job properly. I even get online—on my friend’s computer—and I look up the corporate headquarters. I locate a phone number and call. The phone rings twenty-seven times (I counted) and no one answers—no answering machine—no person. Yes, it’s the corporate headquarters for a COMMUNICATIONS COMPANY!

Trusting that the direct number the tech gave me will make a difference, I call them again. A service rep takes my number and tells me that she will check to see where a tech is and will call me back. I failed to have her specify what day that would be (or what century). When I call again—the next day—I tell her that I will hold while she finds out that information. (Hey, they’re a communications company. I’m sure they have more than one phone line.) She assures me that a tech will be there later that day. No, he won’t. Because I can’t be there later that day. The tech does call me and arrange a time for the next day. He does arrive and brings with him a new, different device. (Remember, I have questioned each time if the device could be incompatible with my computer’s system—JUST AS THE MESSAGE ON THE COMPUTER SAYS EACH TIME THEY INSTALL IT AGAIN).

He fails to see my attempt at humor when I ask him when I should expect to receive my invitation to the company picnic. After all, in the past two weeks, I’ve spoken with everyone in the company—some more than once (well, except for the folks at corporate) We’ve formed a bond. I think I may have even signed up for life insurance.

It is now forty-eight hours later and the new device seems to have resolved the problem. One down—two more to go.

The Post Office—need I say more? The Post Office provides us with their forms to fill out in advance of a move, indicating the old address and the new address and the forwarding start date. Since I am a person who expects people to do their job, I tend to take my part seriously. I got the Post Office form for a change of address, diligently completed it and returned it to the Post Office well in advance of my move date. I moved, as most folks do, at the first of the month. Now, I understand that there is a reasonable amount of turnaround time for mail to get shifted. Despite how it may sound, I am generally a reasonable person—ask anyone (except the cable/internet company).

A week after my move, I received a card from the Post Office, asking me to review and verify the change of address. Not only was my last name misspelled, the new address was incorrect. Being a person who likes rules and steps, I called the number listed on the verification form, as directed, to report the error. After going through their system of if you want this department, press “1”, etc., I was finally connected to a person—who then proceeded to tell me that I have to call the Post Office that served my former address. Again, with an attitude of compliance based upon the belief that we could get this worked out, I called. I was told that the carrier would call me the next day—Friday. I chose to believe this.

The call came on Saturday afternoon as I was standing in the middle of a craft store trying to choose between plain wheat or silk flowers for an arrangement. The mail carrier was courteous and tried to be helpful. When the conversation got to the point where I was told that it would probably be best for me to just fill out another change of address form, I decided to take a more—shall we say—active stance: I informed the carrier that I would come to the Post Office on Monday morning to, “get this matter straightened out.” The carrier could confirm for me that she had not delivered any of my mail to the former address, that the person living at the address that had been wrongly listed for me had verified that my mail had been delivered there (yes, I had the same question—why didn’t someone pick it up and deliver it to ME?), and that she didn’t know now where my mail could be. (Could it be where you left it?)

Monday morning-the Post Office: The clerk was appropriately apologetic and understanding. He disappeared from the window for several minutes, supposedly to find the carrier and find out about my mail. He returned to tell me that the carrier verified that she had not left my mail at the former address (this was a news flash). I then asked if he could please tell me where my mail was. He did not know, but—you guessed it—had a form that I could fill out to correct the forwarding address—you know, the one the POST OFFICE messed up to start with.

Okay, my mail is being held hostage in some void known only to a select few in the Postal Service. They, like the cable company, have me by the short ones. I fill out the form. Three days later—still no forwarded mail. I am in the final preparations for giving the term “going Postal” an entirely new meaning. They have another forty-eight hours.

But—the adventure is not over yet. In our frustration with the cable company, we decided to use them for internet services only (we couldn’t find another high speed service provider) and to have Direct TV installed. To our surprise—no, amazement—we called one day and the installer was there the next morning. We had a three-room system installed. My TV/VCR had a fuzzy picture and would not record clearly. After jiggling cables and disconnecting the VCR altogether, I gave in and called the service number. This was a Monday. I was told that a repairman could come on Wednesday between 8 a.m. and noon. I replied that that was perfect—I had a washer repairmen scheduled on the same day and time. (That’s a whole other story that I’ll get to later.)

Well, let’s get to that one now. It seems the washer repairman showed up first—at 11 a.m. The washer had worked fine before the move, but now shook violently when it went into a spin. I was starting to have the same reaction myself. I sympathized with the washer. The movers were very careful with everything—the one thing that’s gone well, so far—so we assumed the washer simply needed to be leveled. (I admit that, at this point, I’m ready to level something—or someone.) We had tried everything to level it, but without success. The repairman proceeds to pull, push, disassemble, adjust and reassemble for the next twenty minutes. He then says he will be right back and disappears—for a very long time. I look outside to see that he is pacing in the breezeway and talking on the phone—no doubt having called for backup. He comes back inside and resumes his pulling, pushing, adjusting, then announces that this is as good as it will get—“the floor’s not even; it’s wood and it gives. At least it’s not knocking.” (Yeah, thank heaven for that.)

Now, the sad thing about this is that I accept it. Oh, okay, I’ll just wash my things one at a time so it doesn’t shake itself into the next room. Thanks for coming. Here’s your check.

But, wait, where’s the Direct TV guy? It’s now well past noon. So, I call. A young woman with gum in her mouth (I hope) and an allergy sniffle (I hope, again) says, “Hello.”

I ask, “Is this Direct TV?” to which she replies, “Yes.” I wait for the, “Can I help you?” After a minute, I say, “So, here’s how you can help me.” I tell her of my call for service two days earlier and ask what happened to my service request. She puts me on hold, then proceeds to tell me that my appointment is for tomorrow morning. I tell her that, no, it is not and here’s how I know that. I recount my conversation of two days earlier, reminding her that I was happy to schedule it at the same time as the washer repairman—on Wednesday. She says, well, we have you down for tomorrow.

Here’s where I start to give new meaning to “going Postal.” I insist that she find someone who will correct their mistake and get a service man out to my residence TODAY. She puts me on hold, then a man picks up, “Hello.” I tell him that I am on hold waiting to find out about my service call, to which he says, “Yes?” Okay, I don’t know who I am talking with or why, but I recount the problem. He puts me on hold, then another woman picks up, “Hello.” I tell her that I am on hold and waiting to find out about my service call, to which she says, “Yes?” I tell her my story, she puts me on hold. Finally, she comes back on the line and says that the service man will be there before two. It is now one o’clock.

I naively accept this promise and go to watch my favorite soap opera. Two o’clock becomes two thirty, then three o’clock. I call again. I am offered an apology and told that a supervisor will call me back (Yeah, right. Where have I heard that before—oh, yeah, the cable company). As four thirty approaches and my blood pressure now reaches dangerously high levels, I dial the phone. I angrily ask chewing gum girl who answers what is going on. She asks me to hold. A man picks up the phone, “Hello.” It’s the same guy. I unleash my mounting frustration on him and demand to know if or when a service rep is coming. He curtly says, “Well, ma’am, I don’t even know who I am talking to.”

That’s it! “No, and neither do I. I was on hold while someone checked on my service call. You pick up the phone and simply say ‘hello’ without introducing yourself or telling me what your role is in all of this. So, let me introduce myself.” I proceed to tell him my name, ask his name, then ask him if Direct TV gets their staff training from the cable company. He is not amused. GOOD! Neither am I.

He puts me on hold—once again—but, when he comes back, he apologizes profusely and assures me that the service man will be there within the hour. The service rep comes and I have to remind myself that none of this is actually his fault. He switches the Direct TV box and the VCR to channel 4. The problem is resolved. Thank you. Well, it was for the moment anyway.

I could go on—believe me, there’s more. If you’ve ever moved into an apartment complex and been told, “just call us if you find anything that needs to be taken care of and we’ll get right on it,” then you know there is more. Ah, yes, I can see that you’ve been there, done that.

Now, all of the people to whom I spoke, at whom I yelled, with whom I pleaded and who cautiously came to my door to provide service (excuse the term) are probably very nice people. I know they are just out there busting their humps to make a living like everyone else. So, whose fault is it? Who is doing the training? Where does the problem begin? I’m serious—do you know?
The previous essay was written following my move four years ago. But I just recently moved again. You guessed it—the cable company screwed up, the Post Office screwed up… At least the appliances survived.

Okay, so here’s the point—What has happened to taking pride in the work that we do? In actually providing customer service, not just using the promise as a lure to bait the innocent and unsuspecting? What about caring if the customer is satisfied? Or believing that the customer has a right to get their money’s worth? What about knowing the importance of good customer relations?

Some of you may remember the famous scene from the movie Network where the character played by Peter Finch shouts, “I’m mad as hell, and I’m not going to take it anymore!”

I agree. I don’t know what I’m going to do about it, but I am mad as hell and—if I have to morph into a raving lunatic to demand the quality of goods and services that I’m paying for—I am not going to take it anymore.

Note: No customer services representatives, service technicians, or washer repairmen were injured in the making of this essay--and that's a miracle. To those customer service reps and techs and repairmen who take their jobs seriously and make efforts to resolve customers problems in an efficient manner (and you know who you are)--I apologize and bow to you.


Linda (who writes fiction, but couldn't make this stuff up)

On Independence Day and Hurricanes.

Today is Independence Day. I've read a lot of Facebook posts and given thought to what that means. I know what it means historically and for our country. So I gave thought to what it means to me--in my life. When did I declare my Independence?

Our personal Declaration of Independence is different, I think, for everyone, probably influenced by family and life circumstance and one's own inner strength. I can look back to my childhood and see ways I took little runs at declaring my independence. And of course, in my teens, ways I rebelled in an effort to claim my individuality.

But, to be honest, my true Independence Day came somewhere around the time I turned fifty. What took me so long? I like to think that during all those years, I was just gathering the tools I needed to own my life, to become me. We often think of Independence as becoming free 'from' something. I like to think of it as becoming free 'for' something. For me, finally declaring my Independence meant taking ownership of my choices, my desires, my dreams and letting go of the fears, doubts, and false beliefs I'd held that stopped me in my tracks.

I'd always been influenced by the concern over what others thought of me or how they saw me and this prohibited me often from voicing my own opinion. Once I let that go, I had a voice. Not everyone agrees with my opinions, and that's okay. But they're mine. 

I'd long wanted to write. But I lacked the self-confidence and the encouragement I thought I needed from others to do so with any belief in my ability. When I declared my independence, I was free to pursue that dream without worry about failing and without needing anyone's stamp of approval or consent. I know this may be sounding a bit like the old, "Free to Be, You and Me". But there is that moment in each of our lives when we turn a corner, step across a divide, and own who we are.

I'm very grateful today for this country--as conflicted and screwed up as it sometimes seems. This country and those who fought to make it free allow me the right to make the choices and decisions I make and to even voice these thoughts out loud and here in print. Not every woman in every country would be able to do so.

I'm grateful, too, for that moment of that day in my life when something shifted ever so slightly in me and freed me to claim who I am. Kind of the like chaos theory proposing that the slightest change like the flutter of a butterfly's wings can later produce major change bearing the force of hurricane winds. 

So here I am, baby, in the midst of the hurricane--and loving every minute of it. Sitting in my pjs at three in the afternoon on Independence Day and writing yet another book. And not giving a damn what anyone would think of that. Oddly enough, the title is Flight of Fancie. And it's about--you guessed it--a young woman's claim to her own independence.

I hope today you all celebrate both the Independence we hold as Americans and your own personal independence. Be yourself! There's not another one out there like you.

Linda

Cover Me, I'm Going In

Books start out in a variety of ways. Sometimes it's with a character who is dying to tell his or her story. Sometimes with that 'what if' question--what if this happened to this person? I've written a few books that started with a title and the story spun out from there. But this is the first time I've written a book based upon the cover. I had somewhat of an idea about a story to tell and a title, but it wasn't going anywhere. Then I found the cover that I knew was perfect for the story--you know, the one not yet written. So I bought the cover art. Now I'm letting the cover and title draw me into the story. This isn't the first time I've done things bass ackwards and it won't be the last. Let's just hope there's a story in there somewhere! In the meantime, have a look at this really great cover from Cheeky Covers 

I'll be sure to let y'all know when there's something between the covers!

Linda

Pecking Order in the World of Publishing

 It happens everywhere in just about everything we humans do. A pecking order is established--someone or someones have to be on top, superior, which means someone has to be on the bottom--inferior, less than. I've been observing this in the world of publishing for a while now.

I looked for a definition of pecking order and here's what I found:
the order of power within a group; the order of power or importance within a group of people or animals.

In the beginning, to be a true author, you had to have an agent who represented you and your work to a 'traditional' publishing house and your book was published in hardback. You'd made it--you were an author. You were important.

Then small independent presses cropped up and writers no longer needed an agent to get their work submitted and, potentially, published. Authors who were published with the big 'traditional' houses said, "Wait, you're not an author. You haven't paid your dues. You haven't received enough rejection. You don't even have an agent." And, so, the pecking order began.

Enter the advent of e-publishing and ebooks. Small electronic presses open their doors and say, "Submit your book to us. You don't need an agent. If we deem your book worthy, we'll publish you electronically and, in some instances, even in trade paperback through print on demand. You'll receive editing services and professional cover art just like the authors with the big 'traditional' publishers. Was this true across the board? Not really. Let's be honest. Vanity presses began to offer major publishing deals that turned out to be fee-for-service packages anyone with a book could purchase. Some of the small presses and the e-publishers did and still do offer quality editing and cover art. Some do not. I know this because I've read lots of ebooks published by several e-publishers. Some are well done and others not worth the megabytes in terms of quality. Frankly, I believe the same is true with traditional houses, though perhaps less so.

And, now, we come to self-publishing. Anyone with a computer can publish a book. And, so, many do. Let's not forget the pecking order, though. Now those who went the route of small independent presses and e-publishers say, "Wait, you're not an author. Your work isn't vetted by a real publisher. It isn't edited by a real editor." There are a lot of complaints about the poor quality of some books that are self-published and how this avenue to publishing has glutted the market with poorly written and/or poorly edited work. With this point, I somewhat agree.

Quality is always of concern in publishing. With sixteen books published by three e-publishers, I recently stepped into the self-publishing arena. Gasp! I've learned a lot from that initial experience. Editing is essential. Good cover art is essential, but need not be costly. Some of my colleagues would say I've taken a step backward, should turn in my 'author card.' I'm a traitor to the profession.

It's probably a good thing I don't care that much what other people think of my choices. Here's what I know. I know that there are some very good 'traditional' (for lack of a better word to describe what has been called the 'big 6') publishers out there who employ professionals to take your book and make it into something as perfect and desirable as possible. I know there are small presses and e-publishers who do much the same thing on a smaller scale. There are also small presses and e-publishers who produce sub-standard work. I know there are writers out there publishing their own work without care or concern for the technical quality of that work. Not everyone can or should write a book. It is that simple. I know there are authors who are previously published with a publishing house who, for whatever reason (having more control over their work, reaping greater benefit with regard to royalties, expanding their publishing options), opt to self-publish. And they do it the right way by ensuring their work is edited and their cover art is professionally done.

The common denominator for every author today is Marketing and Promotion. I'm not the only nobody on Facebook or Twitter or other social medias pushing my books. I'm a nobody standing there alongside current and former New York Times bestselling authors who are doing exactly the same thing. Competition is a great leveler.

Those authors who self-publish find themselves, often, on the bottom of the pecking order. Is there a certain snobbery in publishing. Yes. It is true for everyone. No. At the end of the day, it's really just all of us chickens in the coop trying to hatch our next masterpiece. 

Would it be fair for me to say that all authors who are 'traditionally' published by the big houses are snobs? No. Would it be fair of me to assume that all authors published by the small presses and e-publishers are there because they are 'not good enough' to make it to the bigger houses? No. Then how is it fair of anyone to assume that an author who chooses to self-publish does so because they're work is so bad, a publisher doesn't want it? It isn't. We do a great disservice to one another when we generalize and assume one's lack of ability, talent or, yes, importance, based upon the road they choose to get to the same goal.

I should add here that I am very happy for my friends who are published with the bigger houses and have agent representation. I'm equally happy for my friends who are with small, independent presses and e-publishers. And I am happy for those who have taken the self-publishing route and done it the 'right' way--meaning giving care and attention to the editing and cover art. I'm happy for myself that I've done both small press and self-publishing and plan to continue both. I've been blessed with some very good editors and cover artists, for the most part.

Writing Strong Female Characters

I'm very pleased to welcome Women's Fiction author Ellen Butler who talks about strong female characters. (My favorite kind!) She's also running a promotional giveaway, so be sure to enter.

~ * ~

As an author of Women’s Fiction and Romance, I’ve found that I tend to develop strong female characters. Women who have high profile jobs, that require a post-graduate degree, or entrepreneurs who run their own companies. I like to create women with gifts of intelligence and creativity. Why am I drawn to these types of characters? Perhaps, it’s because I like the idea of empowering my characters. I don’t care for wall flowers who allow life to happen to them. Do my characters have flaws? Of course, just as everyone is flawed, my strong women aren’t perfect, and sometimes they even run away from their problems before facing them head on. Who, after all, hasn’t procrastinated making a tough decision or telling an awful truth at one time or another?  I write women like this because it’s important to show that women can accomplish whatever they want, and finding love in the process of achieving their dreams is simply the cherry on top.

Friendships with other females can be some of the most important relationships in a woman’s life, which is one of the reasons that I tend to provide strong female bonds in my books as well. Personally, I’ve developed friendships with other female authors who I find are the embodiment of my empowered characters. These women run the gamut; retirees, full-time moms, single parents, wives, grandmothers, working two jobs, lawyers, bankers, journalists, the list goes on and on. The one thing I find we all have in common is our ability to support and promote each other all the time. We empower each other to continue striving for greatness, and better ourselves in doing so. Publishing is a tough business, and the more we can help other women achieve their goals the closer we’ll be to achieving our own.

Linda, thank you for hosting me at One Woman’s Write, and allowing me to share my new novel Poplar Place with your readers. The main character, Cara Baker, is one empowered lady!

Excerpt for Poplar Place

“What do you know about the tenant?”

“His name is…”

At that, Jackie came out of her speechlessness with a vengeance. “His name! The tenant is male?”

“Well, yes, but he’s harmless. As a matter of fact, he’s a recluse. You probably wouldn’t even notice him. You see, he’s some sort of computer programmer and rarely leaves the house. His groceries are delivered once a week.” Anne gave a reassuring smile.

“Great. Some creepy computer nerd that plays games all day lives on the third floor,” Jackie said derisively.

I looked at Anne. “Is he agoraphobic?”

Jackie looked confused. “Agora-what?

“Agoraphobic. Does he have a phobia of going outside his home?”

Anne took a moment to respond. “I don’t really know. I do know that twice a week his psychiatrist comes to the house to see him.”

“Who’s his shrink?” Jackie asked.

“Dr. Nolan from downtown on Bradford Street.”

Silence descended as we chewed on this information. I looked at the small wrought iron balcony jutting out from the third floor.

“What’s his name?”

“Dr. Jeffrey Nolan,” responded Anne.

“No, the tenant’s.”

“Oh, let me see. It’s right here in my file.” Anne searched through her files. “Yes, this is it. Daniel Johnson.”

“I can’t see the apartment at all?”

“I have photos that were taken by Mr. Stein before the tenant moved in. You can at least see what the finished space looks like. It has a small kitchen, two bedrooms, a den, a bath and a half and a large living room. All the utilities for the attic are billed directly to the tenant, except for sewer and water.”

“How much does he pay in rent?”

Referring back to her notes, Anne named a price that temporarily stunned me. The rent he paid would completely cover my monthly mortgage.

“There’s also an automatic three percent increase in rent every three years.”

“Is he ever late?” Jackie jumped back into the conversation.

“No. Never. From what I understand from Max, he pays punctually on the first of the month.”

I mulled over this new piece of information. “When can I meet Mr. Johnson?”

“Well, that’s the rub. He doesn’t see anyone besides his psychiatrist. I understand Mr. Stein met him when he moved in, but Max seems to think he keeps to himself and he’s not sure his father ever saw much of him.”

“Can I speak to Mr. Johnson on the phone?”

Anne brightened for a moment. “I have his e-mail address. I’m sure I could give you that.”

Jackie snorted but I pressed on, “Can I talk to his psychiatrist?”

“Cara!” exclaimed Jackie. “You can’t actually be thinking about buyin’ this house with this ridiculous condition.”

“Yes, as a matter of fact, I am thinking very seriously about buying this house. Obviously, Mr. Stein, a well-known local lawyer, thought enough of Mr. Johnson to give him a ten-year lease. Clearly, the third floor is a full working apartment, quite separate from the rest of the house. Most importantly, the rent from the apartment would provide me a second income.”

Seeing a live one on the line, Anne began thrusting documents at me. “Here’s the floor plan Mr. Stein used when he had it finished. Here are some color copies of the finished product. I have the full color photos back at the office if you’d like to see them.”

“But…but,” Jackie stammered, “he could turn out to be some sort of lunatic that will murder you in the middle of the night. Or maybe…maybe he has that pack rat illness and the attic is full of newspapers and garbage…and RATS! The house could turn into a foul-smelling pigsty. Or maybe he’s runnin’ a meth lab up there!” Jackie pointed one of her pink manicured fingers at Anne. Turning back to me, she continued on her rant. “That’s it! Drugs! The police will descend upon you at three in the mornin’, guns a-blazin’, and the entire house will be blown to bits durin’ the raid.”

“This isn’t a war, Jackie. I’m sure Mr. Stein wouldn’t have allowed a drug dealer to live on his third floor. Right, Anne?” I calmly eyed Anne who shrank back into her chair during Jackie’s rant.

Purchase  Links:

Amazon – http://tinyurl.com/mnubd4l

Barnes & Noble -- http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/poplar-place-ellen-butler/1118976497?ean=2940149194650

Smashwords -- https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/423022

TMP Bookstore - http://www.turquoisemorningpressbookstore.com/products/poplar-place-by-ellen-butler

Kobo - http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/poplar-place

Bio

Ellen Butler lives in the Virginia suburbs of Washington, DC, and she considers herself an old-new writer. In other words, she’s old to writing, new to novel writing. She holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration and Policy, and her history includes a long list of writing and editing for dry but illuminating professional newsletters, and windy papers on public policy. The leap to novel writing was simply a creative outlet for Ellen’s over active and romantic imagination to run wild.

You can find Ellen’s debut release, Second Chance Christmas, at Amazon. Professionally, she belongs to the Virginia Writer’s Club, the Northern Virginia Writer’s Club, and is a founding member of the Tempting Romance blog. When she’s not writing, Ellen is either, running around after her children, decorating a neighbor’s house, or holed up in her favorite lounge chair reading. Ellen is an admitted chocoholic and confesses to a penchant for shoe shopping. Book club questions for Ellen’s novels can be found on her website.

Website: www.ellenbutler.net

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EllenButlerBooks

Blog: http://temptingromance.blogspot.com/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7377203.Ellen_Butler

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