Lily Lawson's Blog: Lily's log, page 5

Kathleen Small Interview

Tell me about your books

My books are fantasy for the young and young at heart. My debut novel A Dress To Remember, a middle-grade fairy tale, was released in March 2023. It’s the story of strong-willed Princess Zarina who makes a deal with a mysterious dressmaker for a unique dress. She receives a magic black ballgown. It isn’t what she wanted but what she needed, as she will come to discover.

My second novel is The Magic Carousel, Book 1 of The Brass Ring Series. It’s available for pre-order and will be released on July 25, 2023. Ten-year-old Russell is bullied by his classmates and his father. When he receives a magic brass ring from his grandfather, he embarks on a succession of time-travel adventures with horses. These escapades help him deal with the bullies in his life.

Who did your covers and illustrations?

I’m very fortunate to have Brandon Dorman create the covers and illustrations for both my books. He’s a wonderful artist and has done the art for R.L. Stine’s Goosebump series, Chris Colfer’s Land of Stories series, and Brandon Mull’s Fablehaven series. I love the bright colors and energy of his artwork.

Last year, during the final section of an online writing course I was taking, I asked the instructor how to find an illustrator for my books. He said to find a book that I liked and see who illustrated it. Dragonwatch by Brandon Mull was the closest novel I reached for and discovered Brandon Dorman had illustrated it. I checked out his website and liked his gallery. I completed his contact form and was shocked that he was willing to work with me—an unknown debut writer. It is an absolute treat to work with him.

When and how did you start writing?+

I was about ten or eleven when I knew I wanted to be a writer. In high school, I was the poetry editor for the school’s literary publication. I started college as a creative writing major and was the energy editor of our science journal. Concerned that I wouldn’t find a job with a creative writing degree, I changed majors and earned a geography master’s degree. I went on to pursue a 36-year career in the electric utility industry, writing many business reports and letters. Meanwhile, I wrote fiction in the evening and completed several manuscripts. It wasn’t until I retired that I became serious about publishing my work.

What inspires your writing?

Inspiration comes in many forms. I drafted a women’s fiction based on an obituary I had saved several years ago. I keep a file of photos and images clipped from magazines over the years. If I’m looking for inspiration for a character or setting, I look through this collection. I like to ask “What if” questions to stimulate ideas.

Do you do research for your writing or is it all in your head?

I enjoy doing research and often get lost wandering down unexpected research paths. The books in The Brass Ring Series all required extensive research. They include time travel, so I had to delve into historical research, as well as animal characteristics and behavior. In contrast, A Dress To Remember is a fairy tale. While most of it involved little research, I did read about medieval times to capture the details of life then.

What is the biggest challenge you face/have faced when you are writing?

My biggest challenge is not the actual writing. It’s the editing! I tend to write quickly; some might say my style is sparse. The word count on my first draft is typically low. I go through several rounds of edits to add more details, descriptions, and emotional reactions. I spend more time editing than drafting.

What’s the best thing someone has said about your writing?

The reviews for A Dress To Remember were heart-warming. My favorite was from a mother who wrote that her 9-year-old daughter “tore through it in two days because she didn’t want to put it down.”

What do you want your readers to feel when they have closed the last page of your book?

I hope when readers get to the last page of my book, they feel satisfied with the ending and want to read another one.

What do you consider your greatest writing accomplishment?

That’s a tough question. I’m proud of the progress I’ve made as a writer, the awards I’ve won, and the readers’ reactions to my writing. However, my greatest writing accomplishment is that I’ve been a judge for the Royal Palm Literary Awards for the Florida Writers Association over the past three years. As a judge, I review pages and provide feedback to the contest entrants. It’s a privilege to be entrusted to evaluate other writers’ books. I hope that my feedback is beneficial for the writers. I certainly learn by reading their work.

What would you do if you didn’t write?

If I didn’t write, I would do watercolor painting. Once I retired, I started taking watercolor lessons and made good progress. When I decided to publish my books, I stopped painting to devote more time to writing/editing/marketing. Maybe one day I’ll get back to painting.

What is your ultimate dream as a writer?

My childhood dream was to have a row of books I had written on a bookshelf. That still is my ultimate dream.

What are your current projects? What should we be looking out for?

I’m currently editing The Christmas Carousel (Book 2 of The Brass Ring Series) and will then edit The Haunted Carousel (Book 3). Poison Pen Friends, a women’s fiction, needs a final round of edits. I have completed a young adult (YA) fantasy that won a Royal Palm Literary Award Gold Award for unpublished YA manuscript. It’s part of a duology. The sequel and prequel are started by not finished. Finally, I have an unfinished adult fantasy novel that still needs more work. My goal is to finish all these novels before starting anything new. Although, I have had several requests to write a sequel to A Dress To Remember, so who knows what I might write next.

Bio

K. L. Small is the author of fantasy stories for the young and the young at heart, including A Dress To Remember: A Fairy Tale, the Brass Ring fantasy novels for young readers, and the Strand trilogy for young adults. She was born in Queens, New York, the oldest of nine children.

She was an avid reader as a child, and her father often told her “to get your nose out of that book and go outside.” While she did go outside, she never lost her love of reading, especially horse stories and fantasy novels. Some of her treasured possessions are several much-loved books by Marguerite Henry. She has taken one of the books, Five O’clock Charlie, into classrooms for the Great American Teach-In and shared the story with children, along with the letter she received from Ms. Henry in response to her fan letter to the author.

She attended Binghamton University, starting as a Creative Writing major. After earning a master’s degree from Syracuse University, she spent her professional career in the electric utility business in a variety of roles, ranging from environmental work, community relations, communication, and change management.

Her childhood dream was to own a horse and be an author. She is living her dream in Brooksville, Florida, with her husband, Rick, on a ranch called Carousel Acres. They own three horses: an off-the-track Thoroughbred named Rory and two American mustangs: Skylark and ShyAnne. They share the barn with three cats named after the Golden Girls: Blanche, Dorothy, and Rose. A fourth cat, Stan, has decided to join the barn crew.

You can learn more about K. L. Small and her current writing projects by following her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/KLSFantasy, Twitter at https://twitter.com/KLSmall_Author or Instagram https://www.instagram.com/klsmall_author/

Find out more on her website https://kathleenlsmall.com.

Subscribe to her newsletters and updates by clicking here.

Mario Dell'Olio Interview

When and how did you start writing?

I came to writing later in my career. For many years, I told the harrowing story of surviving a sailing accident, complete with a rescue at sea. At a certain point, I realized that I had to write that story. The entire process of writing Coming About made me fall in love with writing.

Tell me about your books

Coming About is my first book. My husband and I quit our jobs, bought a boat and set sail for St. Thomas, VI. The fantasy of living in paradise, sailing the Caribbean turned into a harrowing sailing adventure.

Body & Soul and Forbidden Rome are LGBTQ books in which the characters discover their first loves and struggle with coming out, society, and church.

Letters from Italy is my parents’ love story framed by letters they wrote to each other back in the early 1950s. It is an epic tale of war-torn Italy, New York City during its golden years, and immigrants seeking to live the American dream. Theirs was an enduring story of love.

My latest novel, Tilting Toward the Sun, tells the story of a couple that survives the AIDS crisis. It’s a heart-warming romance that will transport the reader on a solemn voyage through the darkness, eternal brightness, and the unwavering hope of everlasting love.

What inspires your writing?

Each of my stories feature characters searching for deeper meaning in their life experiences. My life’s journey has been imbued with the lessons I’ve learned through the challenges I’ve overcome. Each significant person in my life has taught me more about myself and my ability to love and be loved. This theme is present in all my books, whether they be fiction or nonfiction. Reflecting on one’s life and experiences yields a profound understanding of self and can help guide the individual as they continue their journey. Ultimately, each of my main characters follow a path of self-discovery. This inspires each of my stories.

What do you consider your greatest writing accomplishment?

I suppose Letters from Italy is my greatest work thus far. It has received international attention. I travelled to Rome to receive the Premio Vincenzo Crocitti award for literature and music. It will be published in Italian sometime next year.

The time I spent with my mother as she read each love letter to me was profound. She told tales long forgotten and I wove those memories into a love story that spanned decades. Two issues I found particularly challenging were, 1. Placing the letters into the narrative and 2. Making the historical sections of the book personal, making them come alive with the characters lived experience. Letters from Italy took much more research than my other books. Ultimately, it is a love letter to my parents that is based on the love letters they sent to each other.

What’s the best thing someone has said about your writing?

I love when a reader says they couldn’t put down my books. One of the greatest compliments is that the reader could picture each detail or event I describe. In my first book, Coming About, someone wrote that they felt like they were with me every step of the way. They were gasping for air with me as I described being stuck under the boat.

I want my readers to be inspired and moved my my stories. These are my two favorite review quotes:

“The writing squeezes your heart and resonates in your soul.”

“I wept more than once, at broken glass, at broken spirits, at breaking hearts. I could barely read the final chapter, my eyes were so clouded with tears, even as my own heart swelled with understanding, revelation and actual reverence for Mario’s inspirational words.It's rare that I find a new perspective on, or validation of, my own spirituality and values, and I certainly was not expecting it from a memoir or adventure tale. Yet there it was.”

What do you want your readers to feel when they have closed the last page of your book?

I want my readers to feel that they’ve gotten to know and understand my characters, that with them they journeyed through the arc of the story. I hope that they are inspired by whatever revelation my characters experience. I hope readers are moved with compassion and brim with joy with each character.

What advice would you give other writers?

Write whatever is in your mind at the time. Don’t try to start at the beginning or continue where you left off. Just write the scene that comes to mind at the moment. You can re-order, edit, or discard sections later on. For me, this process prevented writer’s block. It kept the flow of thoughts get to the page.

What would you do if you didn’t write?

I am a teacher and musician. I guess I am creating at all times. Writing is another expression of my creative process. Much of what I do in the classroom is reflected in my writing. I seek to inspire people, allow them to find their own voice, and fulfil their potential. Many of my characters do that in my books.

What is your ultimate dream as a writer?

I would love it if someone based a movie or series on one of my books. I’d love to see my characters come alive on the big screen.

What are your current projects? What should we be looking out for?

My love for Italian history was piqued when I wrote Letters from Italy. It has inspired my next novel. It will be historical fiction based in Italy. It will take place in the 19th century during the unification of Italy. My characters will be flawed and loveable. They will grapple with the politics of the day as well as love and fidelity.

Biography

Dr. Mario Dell’Olio, 2022 winner of the Premio Vincenzo Crocitti International award, is the author of several books. Tilting Toward the Sun was released in December 2022, and Letters from Italy: A Transatlantic Love Story, both published by Black Rose Writing. New Men: Bonds of Brotherhood, published by 5310 Publishing. He published two others, both of which are finalists for the Wishing Shelf Book Awards. The first is a memoir, Coming About: Life in the Balance, about a sailing adventure going terribly wrong. The second book, Body and Soul, is LGBTQ fiction that explores the strife of coming out during the 1980s. Body and Soul is also a finalist. His doctoral project examines the woman’s voice in the music of Hildegard von Bingen. Dr. Dell’Olio has published two articles on Medium.com. He is the music director at an independent school in Sonoma County, California.

Previously, he was chair of the music department and ethics teacher at a school for girls in Manhattan. Dr. Mario Dell’Olio conducted the concert and chamber choirs. He has led his choirs on international and domestic concert tours and released numerous albums on iTunes and Amazon.com. Dr. Dell’Olio was director of music at Mission Dolores Basilica in San Francisco, California, from 1990 to 2000. He led the Basilica Choir's first international concert tour to Italy in June 1999. Dr. Dell’Olio holds a Doctor of Sacred Music, a Master of Music in Vocal Performance, and a Master of Religious Education. He pursued postgraduate work in Theology as a seminarian at the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome, Italy.

With over 35,000 followers on Twitter and a solid social media presence, he actively participates in the Writing Community. Dr. Dell’Olio has scheduled numerous author events, readings, and book signings. In November 2020, The Empire City Men’s Chorus of New York City performed a concert/documentary based on Dell'Olio's book, Coming About.

Check out his social media at: https://linktr.ee/mdellolio

His website https://www.mariodellolio.com/

and sign up for his mailing list https://www.mariodellolio.com/mailinglist

Steven O'Farrell Interview

Question 1: Did you write any books before Simone LaFray Mysteries?

I had a few concepts that I kicked around for years, but I only worked through the summary and plotting stages. At the time, nothing felt original or compelling enough to write. Perhaps, I just wasn’t ready.

Question 2: A series seems to be a daunting choice for a first-time author. Would you recommend this to others?

Simone LaFray Mysteries evolved out of a concept summary that was enormous. I was encouraged to take the early chapter book version and convert it into a proper middle-grade novel. Writing a series requires a lot of planning and preparation and I don’t know if it would work for everyone.

Question 3: The first two books are out. Have you finished Book #3 and if so, when do you anticipate its release?

Book #3 is currently in the editing process, as I submitted it to my publisher a few weeks ago. I'm hoping for an end-of-the-year release.

Question 4: Is there anything you could tell us about Book #3.

Like most middle-grade series, Simone’s world is expanding in many ways, and she is now thirteen. New characters are added and favorites return, but this book will clearly usher in the overarching story. The first two books laid a lot of groundwork, and now the story can take off.

Question 5: Is Book #4 in the works and how many will be in the series?

Yes, Book #4 is in the works, although I am hesitant to start writing in earnest until Book #3 is further along in the editorial process. The series was planned for six or seven books, although Book #3, as it is written, accelerates the plot, so it is looking more like six books at the moment.

Question 6: Are you interested in writing something else or is finishing the series most pressing?

I do have two other story ideas that are summarized and outlined, although finishing this series is paramount. I wrote Book #3 in less than half the time it took to write Book #2, so I feel like I’m catching my stride. The goal is to publish one Simone LaFray Mystery per year.

Question 7: If you could go back in time and say something to yourself the instant you started to write your first book, what would you say?

Be patient and don’t settle. Take every aspect of the process seriously and embrace your voice. Be open to the advice of others and if you see it all through, you’re not going to believe what happens.

Bio

S.P. O’Farrell is the award-winning author of the Simone LaFray Mysteries. When he isn’t writing, he is championing special education, the performing arts, and numerous environmental initiatives. He lives in western Maryland with his wife and two sons.

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Mr. O’Farrell has been featured in Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, and Story Monsters Magazines and has been awarded the following recognitions: Moonbeam Award, Royal Dragonfly Winner, PenCraft Awards Winner, New York City Big Book Award, Literary Titan Gold Medal, American Fiction Award, National Indie Excellence Award, Readers’ Favorite Silver Medal, Queer Indie Award, (sm)Art Festival Award, Book Pipeline Finalist, LitPick 5-Star Book Review Award, Gertrude Warner Chanticleer International Awards Finalist, Independent Press Award Winner, and LitPick Top Choice Book Review Award.

You can follow him on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@s.p.ofarrell

Twitter https://www.spofarrell.com/

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/s.p.ofarrellofficial/

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SimoneLaFray Join his mailing list to keep up to date https://www.spofarrell.com/contact-us

The flowers faced east…

There was a glow in the forest. The mist changing colour, every colour of the rainbow in turn. Neve watched as the cloaks of her parents and siblings glowed yellow, green, blue, and indigo. Her own cloak was violet. One by one they disappeared.

Then Neve wasn’t in the forest anymore. She was on a hill with her parents and siblings. The flowers faced east. The bright light urging her to go the way they were pointing towards the sea. From her vantage point the seafront seemed temptingly empty.

‘What happened? Where are we?’

Sloane put his hand on his daughter’s shoulder.

‘We have travelled through time. We are here to meet our ancestors. The red and orange of our rainbow.’

Neve started to walk east.

‘This way Neve.’ Bree’s voice carried up the hill she had started walking down into the noisy town.

Quinn and Thames beckoned her.

Neve sighed and followed them, Sloane walked with his arm round her at the back of the group.

‘Whatever happens, stay close and listen to your instincts. To return we need four to stand on the hill, hold the swords and make the diamond.’

‘Whatever happens?’

‘Some things are not of our choosing; they are how they are meant to be.’

Picture prompt see image

This was the perfect night for magic. The mist thick enough to deter intruders, clear enough for the creatures of the forest to take their queue and flock to Kiki Hollow.

Sloane, Quinn, Bree, and Thames at each point of the diamond held their swords in place.

Neve stood in the centre, following their instructions. This was the first time the youngest of the Devine’s was allowed to take part in the ritual. She was 13, the age of maturity in their clan.

Sloane and Bree agreed she could participate when it became clear their magic and that of their eldest children Quinn and Thames was insufficient to travel as far as they needed to go.

The future of Kiki Hollow and all those who lived there rested on this working. If they could travel back to visit Bree’s ancestors they may be able to stop them signing over their rights to the King. With the bulldozers coming next week there was no time to lose.

Its inquisitive eye ...

My Uncle George was known in the family as ‘The fix it man’. Whenever anything broke in our house my mam would send me along to Uncle George with it. He would often fix it there and then. We would have tea and cake and I’d leave with a book from his library.

During my next visit he would quiz me on the book and if I couldn’t answer or he thought I was cheating he wouldn’t let me have a new one until I got most of the answers right. Uncle George instilled in me a love of learning and a love of books.

***

After I left school Uncle George sold his house and went travelling, leaving us with his cat, Biancoinsegnante (Bianco for short) and his books. They took up residence in the spare room. Before he left, he gave me a book.

‘Read this one first.’

‘How will I know which one to read next? You always tell me.’

‘You will know.’

***

At the end of each book was a note from Uncle George asking me questions about the book, saying I should tell Bianco the answers, followed by which book I should read next. He sent regular postcards, and I pinned them up on a corkboard in the spare room plotting his journey on the map he left pinned up there.

I carried on like this for a year. Each time I got to the end of a box, a lid would come off a box and the book I needed would be sitting inside waiting for me.

I went to swap the first book for the second he sat on the box and refused to move. Its inquisitive eye watched me as I did everything I could think of, apart from following Uncle George’s instructions, to get it to let me open the box. Nothing worked. In the end I had no choice. I had to try.

‘Ok Bianco if I answer these questions can I have my next book?’

I swear he nodded.

As I got to the end Bianco jumped to another box leaving me free to exchange my book.

I felt silly at first telling Bianco my answers but there was no other way to get the book I wanted. Bianco sat firmly where he was until I completed the task.

I was reading the last book when Mam got a call to collect him from the airport.

Bianco and I sat on the stairs awaiting his arrival.

***

He burst through the door, throwing his bags on the floor. He picked me up and whirled me round as Bianco weaved between his legs.

‘How’s the reading going?’

‘I’ve just finished the last book.’

‘So Bianco tells me. He said you got most of the answers right too, well done. I have the rest of my library in storage but there’s a few in my bag to keep you going till I find myself a new place. I can squeeze into the spare room till then.’

He handed me his bag.

‘Take the books out and see what you think.’

I piled the books on the floor.

‘What else did Bianco say?’

‘He told me about you plotting my journey on the map and reading about the countries I’d been to.’

I looked at Mam.

‘I didn’t tell him.’

Bianco turned its inquisitive eye on me.

I didn’t know what to believe so I said the only thing I could. ‘I’ve missed you Uncle George.’

Girl in the meadow picture prompt

‘Clarissa, come along dear, grandma is here and we’re about to have tea.’

Clarissa didn’t hear. She was sat in the meadow dreaming of the fantasy lands she found in her books. Scribbling furiously.

There were creatures living beyond the trees, further than her legs would take her. Skys full of rainbows. 1000-year-old wizards. Stones that hid treasures. Secret passages that led to the sea. Pirates and goblins and dragons and … She had a notebook full of it in the pocket of her dress.

One day when she was a grown-up, she would publish her stories. Her teacher Mrs Eccles told her she could. She even brought her books into school, ones that she had written herself. Tales of ships going to faraway places, people living on the beach, banquets of food, evil villains stealing gold, magical water that healed you… Clarissa had devoured every word.

‘Clarissa where are you? Grandma bought chocolate cake; she knows it’s your favourite.’

Dazzletoes, Moonbeam and Stargazer would have to wait a little while. She could leave them playing in the waterfall while she ate her chocolate cake.

Pain Veil Stillness

Nine women in black. The veils covering their faces masking the pain. There was an eerie stillness on the hill as the coffins were carried up. Then the sobbing started.

A blanket of brokenness had fallen over the town since the shooting. Nine bodies were retrieved from the school. Eight children and the human shield that tried to protect them.

A procession followed the coffins. The whole school with the eldest survivor carrying the mascot.

The school band formed a circle round the mourners and played the school song.

Between the head teacher and the chaplain stood the survivors. Steps and stairs of ten-year-olds and two members of staff. Each one bearing the scars of that day.

***

Chisholm hill overlooked the school. A service was held on the anniversary. The graves formed a square with a commemorative set of benches inside it. Flowers in the shape of the school crest were laid out in the centre.

The physical wounds healed but the internal scars remain.

She looked like a fairy

She looked like a fairy as if she was the best-behaved child in the place. She ran into the melee, her face a picture of delight.

I shut my eyes and crossed my fingers, then returned to drinking my coffee and reading my book.

The play centre was packed with every toy they could fit in the place and every pre-schooler within a ten-mile radius.

Angelica played with them all. The look came over her face. The one I knew meant destruction was coming. I couldn’t afford to finance another full load of replacement toys. When I saw the shift, I rushed in with juice and biscuits. She sat alone and demolished the lot.

Filled with sugar, she rampaged, stealing toys from the hands of crying children.

I chased her round and swept her into my arms while she kicked, punched, and screamed her desire for freedom.

Another Wednesday effort to get her socialised for school.

Write about a character who is changed by someone they meet on a journey

He was sat there outside the store every morning before they opened, every lunchtime and every evening at closing time. He wasn’t a hobo. Sometimes I would see him arrive in his car. He was a clean well-dressed man in his fifties.

My office was at the other end of the street. I walked past him several times a day.

We ran out of teabags. I went to the store. It was lunchtime.

‘Good afternoon.’

‘Good afternoon. Can I get you anything?’

‘No thank you. They don’t sell what I need.’

‘What do you need?’

‘My son works here. We had a row over some girl he was seeing. He won’t talk to me now. I’ve tried calling, texting, turning up at the house… I thought she was no good for him, encouraging him to leave college and get a job. I’ve had a lot of time to think. I see now maybe it was me pushed him into going to college. I just wanted him to have the security of a career, a pension, all that. Maybe he saw another way of getting that. He can’t avoid coming here. I hope if he keeps seeing me, one day he might talk to me.’

I scratched my head.

‘Have you tried going in?’

‘He bolts every time he sees me, told the staff I’m not welcome, they’ve all tried.’

He runs his hands through his hair.

‘I’m sorry.’

‘What about you? Do you have kids?’

‘A son just finished college. Wants to start his own business. Asked me for a loan. I said no.’

He looks at the ground.

‘Do you think he can make a go of it?’

‘I do actually, thinking about it.’

‘Can you afford to help?’

‘Yeah, I think so, if I sold an investment or two …’

‘Is it worth the risk of you losing your son over money? Or having him think you don’t believe in him? You don’t want to be like me.’

He shrugged.

‘I guess when he asks for money, I see the teenage boy that wanted the latest trainers or whatever. I always tried to tell him its better to earn your own money to buy stuff than rely on someone else to provide it for you.’

He leans his face on his hand.

‘Isn’t that what he’s trying to do?’

‘When you put it like that …’

‘Do you think he’ll pay you back?’

I bit my lip.

‘He wanted me to write up a proper agreement with a repayment plan.'

'He still speaking to you?’

I nodded.

‘Yes, he’s coming for dinner. Wants to try and talk me round.’

‘What you going to do?’

‘I was going to say that he should get a job and save up, get established…’

‘You said was.’

‘You made me think. What if he’s miserable working for someone else when he wants to be his own boss because I wouldn’t lend him the money to get started.? It might come between us.’

I shuffled.

‘It might.’

‘I couldn’t bear to lose him…’

I rubbed my arms.

‘It might be too late for me but it’s not for you.’

‘Thanks…I’m going to lend him the money. I’d rather lose that than him.’

‘Glad to be of help.’

‘What’s your son’s name maybe I can put a good word in while I’m in there.’

‘Simon. I think you’re wasting your time but thanks for saying you’ll try.’

He patted my arm.

‘If I can’t get through to him, I’ll bring James with me and see if he can.’

‘Do you think he will?’

‘If you can get his stubborn old man to lend him money, I would say he owes you to try.’

‘You’re going to tell him about this conversation?’

‘I’m going to say I would do what you’re doing if I had to.’

‘You have to do whatever it takes don’t you? They never stop being your children.’

‘No, I suppose they don’t.’

I shook his hand.

‘Maybe one day we can all have dinner together.’

‘Maybe.’

‘You never know.’

I went in the store to get my tea bags and find Simon.