Trisha Sugarek's Blog, page 111

Read my novel...Free...."Women Outside the Walls" (part 61)

 

Chapter 26

Alma, Hattie and Kitty

Early the next morning Charlie sat against the wall, an empty pizza box and water bottles nearby. For the night, Charlie had tied a piece of rope from his ankle to Kitty’s.  Kitty was curled up in a tight ball asleep. Periodically, she would flinch in her sleep and sigh. Gone was the perfectly groomed socialite. In her place was a haggard older woman whose clothes were smudged with dirt and wrinkled. Most of her makeup had worn off leaving deep lines between her eyes and around her mouth.

Charlie’s head lolled back against the wall, eyes closed but he was awake and alert to anyone’s movements.  Alma sat at a table, her head resting on her folded arms. Her face was turned away from Charlie and the room as if to block out what was happening.

Hattie and Joe, holding hands, sat close together on the floor across from Charlie. Hattie’s head rested on Joe’s shoulder.

Brad, handcuffed to a table leg, had spent a cramped night and squirmed around trying to find a more comfortable position.

Hattie raised her head and peered around the room. She stared at Charlie and thought he might have finally fallen asleep.

“Psst! Miss Alma!” Hattie whispered.

“Yeah? Wha’d ya want?” Alma raised her head and looked at her.

“Please, can't ya do sumpin'?”

“Me? What can I do?”

“He's your husband, girl! Talk some sense in'ta him, make him let us go…he’s gonna get into a world’a hurt here if he don’t stop this nonsense.”

“I can't talk him into nothin’. Not when it’s about his daughter.”

“But, Miss Alma, I got kids waitin' on me.” Hattie whispered urgently. “Four of ‘em. Joe's gettin' out soon. Please, won’cha try?”

“I'm sorry, Mrs. Washington. There's nothin' I can do. You don' know him. He loves our daughter more than anything in this world.”

“Well then, I’m sorry too…sorry to tell you that you is a mess of a mother and a woman, lettin’ this happen in the first place.”

“I’m doin’ the best I know how. What’ya know about it anyway? Besides, he ain't gonna hurt nobody, Mrs. Washington.”Alma whispered.

“I can hear you…” Charlie spoke without opening his eyes.

Charlie opened his eyes after a moment and glared at Hattie. “Thought I was asleep, didn'cha. Washington, shut your woman up! Alma…”

“I wasn't doin' nothin', Charlie, honest. She started it.”

“Hey, Baldwin.” Brad called out. “I gotta take a leak real bad. And I’m sure the ladies would like to use the rest room too. It’s been a long night.”

The women voiced their need. “God, yes, Charlie we all need a bathroom break.” Alma said.

“Well, let me think on that.” Charlie said. “It’s gotta be on a buddy system.” He laughed.

They all sat and stared at Charlie. Now that someone had mentioned it, they couldn’t wait to relieve themselves; maybe be able to splash some water on their face, finger brush their teeth.  Their voices woke Kitty and she jumped up and scrambled away from Charlie as far as the four-foot length of rope would go. Charlie, nonchalantly, reeled her back in and motioned for her to sit next to him.

“Good morning, Duchess.” He grinned at her.“We’re just figuring out bathroom breaks. Okay. Alma, you take Washington’s wife and the duchess here to the bathroom.”

Charlie stared hard at Hattie. “Missus Washington, no funny business in there. Remember I got your husband right here. You don’t say a word to my wife, you got it? You got five minutes.”

As he spoke he was untying the rope around Kitty’s ankle. Standing up, Charlie yanked Kitty up by the arm.

“Duchess, you keep your mouth shut while you’re in there. No talking.”

He pushed Kitty towards to restrooms. “Alma, take them in there. If either one of them says a word to you or the duchess here tries to buy you off, I want you to tell me. Got it?”

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The next segment will appear Friday. Hope you'll return to find out what happens next to the women outside the walls.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Start your month off right!! DON'T MISS UPCOMING BLOGS. A NEW SERIES, "The Writer's Corner" INTERVIEWS with other best-selling AUTHORS!

I have had a wonderful response from other authors and plan on featuring an interview once a month . I have invited such luminaries as: Ann Purser, Susan Elia MacNeal, Rhys Bowen, Dean Koontz, Sheryl Woods, Jo-Ann Mapson, Jeffrey Deaver, Elizabeth Gilbert, Walter Mosley, Nora Roberts, and many others.

So come along with me; we shall sneak into these writers' special places, be a fly on the wall and watch them create!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To receive my posts sign up for my   Go to the home page; On the right side you'll see a box where you can enter your email address. Click on "join my blog". You need to confirm in an email from 'Writer at Play' . Thanks!

The Writer's Corner... an Interview with author Jo-Ann Mapson (part 1)

              Do other writers sometimes find themselves  at 4 in the afternoon still in their pajamas, writing furiously?  Do all of their #2 pencils have to be sharpened before they can begin?

I thought my readers might enjoy hearing about other authors' writing processes.  So I created a Question & Answer-type Interview.  The response has been wonderful and I can't wait to share it with you.

  In this three-part post, my second interview is with best-selling author, Jo-Ann Mapson.  She is one of my favorites and I always wait with bated breath until her next book comes out.  Her characters, (men, women, dogs, horses), are vivid and believable and they often return in a new book.  Jo-Ann takes them down the same roads we have all traveled....love, loss, grief, death, friendship; stumbling along through life, gathering what wisdom we can.

I hope that you enjoy her insights, humor and thoughts.......

Q. Where do you write? Do you have a special room, shed, barn, closet, a special space for your writing?

A. I have an office in the smallest bedroom of our house. My desk is small. Objects that inspire me surround me. A felted greyhound statue, my cowboy boots, a photo of my great aunt, this wonderful print “The Land of Make Believe” that is a kind of map of childhood stories hangs above my desk. A writer needs to be able to write anywhere, though. Those kinds of constraints such as special places, complete silences, bingo tchochkees, can cripple, so I find it best to force myself to write anywhere.

Q. Do you have a set time each day to write or do you write only when you are feeling creative?

A. Oh, my gosh, waiting for creativity to visit would never get a page, let alone a book written. I work everyday, mid-morning to dinnertime. This timetable is subject to change, but not the number of hours. I’m not sure why. Some books, like The Wilder Sisters, get written in special circumstances; that particular California summer was so hot that I wrote lying down in bed with my laptop, shades drawn, fan running.

Q. Do you have any special rituals when you sit down to write?

A. No rituals other than a cool drink and fan blowing. I usually warm up to writing by answering a few emails. Pre-Internet, I liked to start my writing day by writing a letter to a friend. I miss that. I worry what will happen to history if letter writing goes away forever. It’s such a revealing art.

Q. What is your mode of writing?

A. I write on an iMac. Arthritis (and probably lack of use!) limits how much writing by hand I can do. I have strange handwriting, half-cursive, half-print, very hard even for me to read. Writing on the computer makes things so much easier for me. What works for you is the way to go.

Q. Do you ‘get lost’ in your writing and for how long?

A. The “zone,” that wonderful, addictive, “I am but a vessel” kind of feeling only comes when it wishes, doggone it, but I always write in pursuit of it. It’s writer cocaine.

Q. When did you begin to write seriously?

A. From the moment I could hold a pencil, I was reporting on things, writing to understand things that happened, and in my head, whole stories were forming. All writing is serious.

Q. How long after that were you published?

A. Thirty plus years, with the occasional poem, short story published here and there in a journal, or newspaper. Really, for most writers, you’ve got to live a little life in order to have anything worthwhile to write about. You can’t fake the kinds of issues it takes to write a book that compels a reader. Take for instance grief. Or the highest moment of happiness you can imagine. Or something as small as a minor injustice that doesn’t sit right with you gathers weight, momentum. If you want to say anything of worth about those topics, you either have to have experienced them, pursued them, or watched them happen to someone else.

Q. .....and the all important: What does the process of going from "no book" to "finished book" look like?

A. I suppose it looks like a messy, disorganized pile of research books, empty coffee cups, talismans, doodles, distractions at the start. Strangely, because writing is so ephemeral these days, it’s kind of invisible. It lives in “The Cloud,” or Carbonite, rarely in concrete pages until it’s fashioned into a book. I print out to edit by hand because I need to have that concrete format………

 Biography  Jo-Ann Mapson lives and writes in Santa Fe, New Mexico, with her husband and three Italian greyhounds. Her 11 novels can best be described as slightly Southwestern in setting, character-oriented in execution, and edgy with humor that sometimes goes awry. Among her favorite things are dogs, Old Gringo cowboy boots, reading, making jam, green chile, and laughter with friends and family. Her second novel, Blue Rodeo, was made into a CBS television movie starring Kris Kristofferson. Several of her books have been bestsellers. Many of her books have been Indie bound and Booksense picks. She won the American Library Association’s RUSA award for Solomon’s Oak, and has been honored with awards for research and creativity at the University of Alaska Anchorage, where she is core fiction faculty in the low residency MFA Program that she created with her colleagues. Forthcoming from Bloomsbury is Owen’s Daughter, which features some of her characters from Blue Rodeo as well as the family in Finding Casey (2012). She is currently at work on a new novel.[image error]

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Part II will be featured in the February  7th blog and Part III February 12th . Don’t miss this fascinating look into a best-selling author's writing life.



http://www.joannmapson.com/

To go to other interviews: click here

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Read my novel...Free..."Women Outside the Walls" (part 60)

                  (continued)  “Yes,” Edward murmured, docile and unresisting.

Kitty moved in front of Edward. “Remove those hand cuffs immediately! Who do you think you are?”

“FBI, ma’am.”

She moved closer to her husband. “Edward, I don’t understand, what’s going on?”

“I’m sorry, Kitten, I tried to tell you,” whispered Edward.

“Tell me what?” She gazed into his eyes and saw the truth.

“You knew? You knew they were coming?” Kitty gasped.

“Yes, I told them… that is Richard told them, I would surrender myself today. But I thought they would have the decency to come this afternoon. I’m so sorry.”

“’Surrender’……but, Edward, what’s this about? I don’t understand,” Kitty cried, grabbing his arm.

“Excuse me, Ma’am, but he has to go now. Mr. Lancaster will be arraigned tomorrow at Cook County Jail.” The FBI agent gently began to pry Kitty’s hand off Edward’s arm. “You have to let go now, Ma’am.”

“Hunter! Do something!” Elizabeth cried.

“Edward….” Kitty gasped.

“Daddy…” Elizabeth began to weep.

Edward turned to Hunter, “Hunt, take Lizzy into the next room. Will you call Richard and tell him what’s happened? Ask him to meet me downtown.”

“Yes, sir, I’ll call immediately. Edward, you shouldn’t speak to these gentlemen until Richard is with you.”

Edward smiled at his son-in-law. “I know, Hunt.”

“Lizzy darling, come with me,” Hunter put his arm around a sobbing Elizabeth. She broke free and threw her arms around her father’s neck.

“Daddy…please, why are these men arresting you? Don’t let them take you.”

“Lizzy go with Hunt now. I don’t want you to see me like this. It’s going to be all right… everything will work itself out, you’ll see.”

Hunter put his arms around Elizabeth once again and led her from the room.

“I demand that you release my husband at once. You’ve made a terrible mistake. I will speak to your superiors about this….do you know who you are dealing with?” Kitty sputtered.

“Ma’am, it’s all there, in the warrant. Please let go of your husband now.”

He turned to the policeman. Officer, take Mr. Lancaster out to the car.”

The officer took Edward by the arm and walked him out the front door. Kitty stood dumbfounded and stared after Edward’s retreating back.

“We also have a search warrant for all electronic equipment. We’ll try to be as quick as we can. If you’ll just show us your husband’s office and any other location with computer equipment.”

“I most certainly will not! You will not go pawing through my husband’s private papers.” She turned to her son, “Danny, stop them; they can’t do this!”

“Mom, calm down; we’ll go with Richard tomorrow and this will all be straightened out. I’m certain there’s been a mistake of some kind.”

Danny rushed to the front door and called out to his father as he was being put into the back of the squad car, “Dad, don’t worry, we’ll see you tomorrow.”

Danny walked back into the house and crossed to his mother’s side. “Come on, Mom, let’s go see what Hunter found out from Richard.”

“But, Danny, your father,” Kitty pleaded. “They put hand cuffs on your father!”

“I know, Mom. We’ll take care of it tomorrow. Right now you have to see to Liz,” replied Daniel. “And I’ll show these gentlemen where Dad’s computer is.” Daniel turned to the agents. “If you’ll wait here a moment?”

“Certainly. But don’t be too long,” one of the agents replied.

“Come on Mom. We need to be certain that Lizzy is okay.” Daniel urged Kitty.

“Yes, Lizzy,” Kitty said as Daniel began to lead her back into the dining room. “You’ll go with me tomorrow, won’t you Danny?”

“Of course. Try not to worry. Everything will straighten itself out, you’ll see.”

They walked into the dining room and Elizabeth ran to her mother. Sobbing she threw herself into Kitty’s arms.“Mommy!”

“Lizzy, please don’t cry so hard. You have to think of the baby,” Kitty urged.

Hunter was just hanging up the telephone. With a glimmer of hope in his eyes, Daniel looked at Hunter over the heads of the two women. Hunter shook his head at Daniel’s unspoken question. Daniel crossed to Hunter. “What did you find out?”

“Later.” Hunter sighed. “It’s not good.”

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The next segment will appear Wednesday. Hope you'll return to find out what happens next to Kitty and the other women outside the walls.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Start your month off right!! DON'T MISS UPCOMING BLOGS. A NEW SERIES, "The Writer's Corner" INTERVIEWS with other best-selling AUTHORS!  Tomorrow we shall visit with Jo-Ann Mapson, best selling author of "Solomon's Oak", "Blue Rodeo" and new release, "Finding Casey".

I have had a wonderful response from other authors and plan on featuring an interview once a month . I have invited such luminaries as: Ann Purser, Susan Elia MacNeal, Rhys Bowen, Dean Koontz, Sheryl Woods, Jo-Ann Mapson, Jeffrey Deaver, Elizabeth Gilbert, Walter Mosley, Nora Roberts, and many others.

So come along with me; we shall sneak into these writers' special places, be a fly on the wall and watch them create!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To receive my posts sign up for my Go to the home page; On the right side you'll see a box where you can enter your email address. Click on "join my blog". You need to confirm in an email from 'Writer at Play' . Thanks!

Don't miss an Interview with Jo-Ann Mapson Tuesday

                              Next Tuesday the second in my series of Interviews will be with Jo-Ann Mapson.     I thought my readers might enjoy hearing about other authors' writing processes.  So I created a Question & Answer-type Interview and then began contacting some of my favorite authors to ask them to take part.

  In this three-part blog, we will chat with best-selling author, Jo-Ann Mapson.  She is one of my favorites and I always wait with bated breath until her next book comes out.  Her characters, (men, women, dogs, horses), are vivid and believable and they often return in one of her new books.

I hope that you enjoy her insights, humor and really great stories....  [image error]

In the coming months:  Authors, Susan Elia MacNeal,  Rhys Bowen, Walter Mosley, Tasha Alexander, and many more will share their writing life with us!

Read my novel...Free..."Women Outside the Walls" (part 59)

(continued)  Dabbing at her eyes Kitty said, “My little girl expecting her first baby. The years have just flown by…and now here I am, going to be a grandmother. I’m so happy,” she said as she hugged Elizabeth close.

“Why do women always cry when it’s good news?” Daniel asked.

“Ours is not to reason why, son,” Edward laughed.

The maid entered the dining room from the foyer. She waited silently until Kitty noticed her. “Yes, Mary, what is it?”

“Excuse me, Mrs. Lancaster, ma’am, there’s gentlemen at the door asking for Mr. Lancaster.”

Edward paled and his hand trembled as he set down his wine glass. “I’ll go, my dear. Don’t disturb yourself.”

“But, Edward, it’s Sunday. Who could it be?” Kitty said.

“Just stay here with the children, I’ll be right back.” Edward said. He rose and left the room.

Kitty turned to her children, “Who on earth arrives on a Sunday morning without calling first?”

Danny laughed. “Probably Jehovah Witnesses. Dad will make short work of them.”

Kitty turned toward the dining room door when she heard raised masculine voices. She rose from her chair and began to walk towards the foyer.

“Wait, Mom,” Daniel said. “Let me go and see what’s going on.”

“Would you, darling?”

Daniel walked out of the room and Kitty sat down again beside her daughter. “Now, have you thought about names…?”

Suddenly, voices were raised and they heard Daniel say, ‘Wait just a damn minute! You can’t waltz in here…”

Upon hearing her son’s strident tone, Kitty jumped up and ran toward the door, followed closely by Elizabeth and Hunter. All three rushed into the foyer but were brought up short when they found three men in suits and a uniformed police officer standing there.

One of the men was holding Daniel’s arm to restrain him, while the police officer proceeded to hand cuffed Edward.

“You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can…” the police officer began reading Edward his rights.

“My God, Edward! What is going on?” Kitty rushed to Edward’s side.

“Daddy, who are these men?” Elizabeth cried.

The officer continued, “…be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to speak to an attorney,”…

“Dad, what the hell….? Who are these guys?” Daniel struggled to get away from the man holding him.

The man who seemed to be in charge of this fiasco glared at Daniel. “Settle down son, don’t make any trouble.”

He turned to Kitty. “Mrs. Lancaster?”

Kitty nodded. “Yes, what’s this about? You’ve obviously made a serious mistake. ”

“I’m Special Agent Robert Smythe. Sorry, Ma’am but your husband has to go with us. I have a warrant for his arrest.”

Hunter stepped up. “I’m Mr. Lancaster’s attorney.”

“Hunter…” Edward began.

“Please, Edward, let me handle this. Do not speak to any of these gentlemen.” Hunter advised. “There has got to be some kind of mistake, Special Agent Smythe. Let me see the warrant, please.”

The agent pulled several pages out of his breast pocket and handed them to Hunter.  “There you are. He’s being arrested for alleged insider trading and money laundering.”

“...If you cannot afford an attorney,”…the police officer continued as if there was no one in the room but he and his suspect. “….one will be appointed for you. Do you understand these rights as they have been read to you?”

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The next segment will appear Monday .  Hope you'll return to find out what happens next to Kitty's family on a peaceful Sunday morning.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Start your month off right!! DON'T MISS UPCOMING BLOGS. A NEW SERIES, "The Writer's Corner" INTERVIEWS with other  best-selling AUTHORS!  Tuesday  we shall visit with Jo-Ann Mapson, best selling author of "Solomon's Oak", "Blue Rodeo" and new release, "Finding Casey".

I have had a wonderful response from other authors and plan on featuring an interview once a month .  I have invited such luminaries as: Ann Purser, Dean Koontz, Sheryl Woods, Jo-Ann Mapson, Jeffrey Deaver, Elizabeth Gilbert, Walter Mosley, Nora Roberts, and many others.

So come along with me; we shall sneak into these writers' special places, be a fly on the wall and watch them create!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To receive my posts sign up for my .  Go to the home page; On the right side you'll see a box where you can enter your email address. Click on "join my blog".   You need to confirm in an email from 'Writer at Play' .  Thanks!

 

What are we? Crazy?

........to want, to need to be writers??  I am happy (and sad) to report that the world of writers has not changed all that much.....I came across these quotes and laughed and then cried.  Writers of the World!  We are not alone!

John Steinbeck:  'The profession of book writing makes horse racing seem like a solid, stable business.'

 

Edna St. Vincent Millay:  'A person who publishes a book willfully appears before the populace with his (or her) pants down....if it is a good book nothing can hurt you.  If  it is a bad book nothing can help you.'

 

Somerset Maugham:  'There are three rules for writing a novel.  Unfortunately, no one knows what they are.'

 

Quentin Bell:  'A book is so much a part of oneself that in delivering it to the public one feels as if one were pushing one's own child out into the traffic.

 

 

Robert Louis Stevenson:  'If you are going to make a book end badly, it must end badly from the beginning.'

James Baldwin: 'Beyond talent lie all the usual words: discipline, love, luck--but, most of all, endurance.'

 

 

 

Ernest Hemingway:  'The most essential gift for a good writer is a built-in, shock-proof shit detector.'

  John Le Carre: 'The cat sat on the mat is not a story.  The cat sat on the other cat's mat is a story.'

 

 

 

Trisha Sugarek:  Writing is a lonely business.  You pour your heart and guts into the written word, often exposing what has happened to you in your own life.  You nurture it, feed it, trim its toe-nails, wash its hair, dress it up and send it out the door.  And then you wait. And wait some more.  Then, after months, you get the all important envelope with a publisher's return address.  You stand at the bottom of your driveway, heart in your throat, and tear open the missive.  'This is it!  This is the one!'  Nope!  Another polite letter of regret-filled rejection.  Closing with the hope that you have the best of luck with your writing career.

Now, please don't misunderstand me.....I have no right or business being on the same page as these illustrious writers....but it is my blog after all....and I do have something to say. And as corny as it may sound, I want to reassure other writers that nothing has really changed. We are not unique in our misery.  Based on the quotes above we are certainly in good company.  To read that these authors had the same doubts, the same fears, the same dreams..........well, it gives me hope and the courage to continue. As if I had a choice!

Here's the good (no, great) news!  We are no longer at the mercy of the publishing houses.  The sting of the rejection letter no longer signifies.  Why? You ask?    'Print on demand' and INDEPENDENT PUBLISHING PLATFORMS!  It works!  I am selling 20-30 books and/or scripts a month.  Doesn't sound like much, you might think.  But it's a heck of lot more than I was selling when I stood at the bottom of my driveway with another rejection letter in my hand and tears drying on my face!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Start your month off right!! DON'T MISS UPCOMING BLOGS. A NEW SERIES, "The Writer's Corner" INTERVIEWS with other best-selling AUTHORS!  Early February we shall visit with Jo-Ann Mapson, best selling author of "Solomon's Oak", "Blue Rodeo" and new release, "Finding Casey".

I have had a wonderful response from other authors and plan on featuring an interview once a month . I have invited such luminaries as: Ann Purser, Dean Koontz, Sheryl Woods, Jo-Ann Mapson, Jeffrey Deaver, Elizabeth Gilbert, Walter Mosley, Nora Roberts, and many others.

So come along with me; we shall sneak into these writers' special places, be a fly on the wall and watch them create!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To receive my posts sign up for my Go to the home page; On the right side you'll see a box where you can enter your email address. Click on "join my blog". You need to confirm in an email from 'Writer at Play' . Thanks!

 

Read my novel...Free.."Women Outside the Walls" (part 58)

(continued)     Kitty screamed and jumped to her feet. She rushed around the table and Elizabeth rose to meet her. Kitty embraced her and said, “Lizzy! You’re expecting? When, how? Oh, Lizzy, how wonderful!”

Hunter rose laughing, “Here Grandma, sit next to your daughter.”

Kitty hugged her son-in-law. “Hunter, you’ve made me so happy!”

Edward rose and crossed to him. “Congratulations, son!” he said as he shook Hunter’s hand.

As he kissed the top of his daughter’s head he told her, “Going to make your ole’ Dad a grandpa, huh, Lizzy?” He walked towards the kitchen door. “I’ll get the champagne from the kitchen.”

Elizabeth glanced over to her brother. “Nothing to say, Uncle Danny?” she asked him.

“Jeez, sis, I’m too young to be an uncle.”

They all laughed at Daniel’s reaction.

“How far along are you, darling?” Kitty asked.

“Ten weeks. We wanted to wait until we were well into the first trimester before we told anyone. I was feeling a little superstitious. I hope you understand, Mom.” Elizabeth told her mother.

“Of course, my dear. How’s your health? What does the doctor say? Are you having morning sickness? Are you retaining water? You must get lots of rest. Maybe you should spend this first trimester in bed. Just to be on the safe side.”

Elizabeth took her mother’s hands in hers and smiled gently. “Mom, nothing’s going to happen. Miscarriages don’t necessarily run in families.”

“I know, my darling, but what if something should happen?”

“Mom, you had the very bad luck of losing three fetuses. Things were different back then. They didn’t know about all the things that could affect a baby. I’m going to be fine, I promise.”

“I know, my darling girl. My head says you’re a healthy young woman. But my heart is frightened. The pain of losing those babies….I’ll never forget them.” Kitty’s eyes glistened with unshed tears.

Edward had returned, a bottle of wine cradled in his arms. “Slow down, Kit. She’s going to be just fine.” He walked over to the side board to open the champagne.

“Danny, hand me that pitcher of orange juice, will you son?”

Kitty laid her head on her daughter’s shoulder. “Please, Lizzy, be extra careful….for me?”

“I promise, Mama. Just orange juice for me, Dad,” Elizabeth said. She turned back to her mother, “The doctor says everything is normal and if I was any healthier I wouldn’t need him at all. A little nausea in the mornings but a bite of toast and a cup of tea and I feel fine.”

“I’m the one with morning sickness,” Hunter laughed. “Ever since I found out, I’ve got butterflies like you would not believe!”

Edward laughed. “Get used to it, son. Once the baby’s here and you’re sleep deprived, the butterflies are the least of your worries.”

“Oh, Edward, it wasn’t that bad!” Kitty laughed. “He’s just trying to scare you, Hunt. You’ll have to begin interviewing for a Nanny soon, Lizzy, it takes quite awhile to find just the right person.”

“Mom! I’m barely 10 weeks. We have months to find a Nanny.”

“My darling, it took me six months to find Helgie. Thank God for her!”

“Helgie,” Elizabeth sighed. “How I loved her. How patient she was with you, Danny, throughout your frog, bug and snake phase.”

She paused, thinking. “Mom! Do you think she would consider coming out of retirement for me?”

“Well, that’s certainly a thought, dear,” Kitty mused. “She told me when we last spoke that she loved all the traveling she’s been doing but really missed her ‘babies’. Let me give her a call tomorrow.”

“Oh, Mommy, would you? I would feel so much more confident if she was with me when the baby comes,” Elizabeth replied.

“Hey, what about me?” Hunter joked.

Edward passed around the champagne glasses.   As he set one down at Elizabeth’s place he said, “Orange juice for you, Mommy.” He kissed Elizabeth’s cheek. “A toast! To the first grand-baby, Edward Daniel Lancaster, the fourth.” Edward crowed.

“What if she’s a girl, Dad?” Elizabeth laughed.

“She wouldn’t dare!” He chortled.

“We did put in an order for a boy, sir, but we really don’t care what we get as long as all toes and fingers are present.” Hunter said.

“Of course, my boy. But a grandfather can always hope. Raise your glasses high everyone. To the first Lancaster grandchild, may he or she arrive with all fingers and toes present.”

“Here, here!” Daniel replied.

Hunter and Edward clinked glasses. Kitty took a sip and set her glass down. She reached for her handkerchief, wiping away tears.

“Mom, what’s wrong?” Elizabeth cried.

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The next segment will appear Friday.  Hope you'll return to find out what happens next in Kitty's dining room when there is a knock at the door.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Start your month off right!! DON'T MISS UPCOMING BLOGS.  A NEW SERIES, "The Writer's Corner" INTERVIEWS with other  best-selling AUTHORS!   Early February we shall visit with Jo-Ann Mapson, best selling author of "Solomon's Oak", "Blue Rodeo" and new release, "Finding Casey".

I have had a wonderful response from other authors and plan on featuring an interview once a month .  I have invited such luminaries as: Ann Purser, Dean Koontz, Sheryl Woods, Jo-Ann Mapson, Elizabeth Gilbert, Walter Mosley, Nora Roberts, Jeffrey Deaver and many others.

So come along with me; we shall sneak into these writers' special places, be a fly on the wall and watch them create!

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To receive my posts sign up for my .  Go to the home page; On the right side you'll see a box where you can enter your email address. Click on "join my blog".   You need to confirm in an email from 'Writer at Play' .  Thanks!

 

Mr. Churchill's Cat....research can be a joy!

                      Nazi codes in the hem of a dress?

I had just finished reading Susan Elia MacNeal's Mr. Churchill's Secretary and was inspired to write a short play about Winston Churchill and his cat, Nelson.   Ms. MacNeal referred, in passing, to Mr. Churchill's pets being allowed free rein to wander the war rooms at #10 Downing Street during Churchill's time in office.  I could clearly see  the rotund, shambling figure of the Prime Minister with two pugs yapping at his heels while Admiral Nelson, the cat, silently observed the general hysteria of dogs, from high on a side table.

Churchill was a master not only in crafting the English sentence but also in the coinage of words.  His tongue-in-cheek comment:  "A fanatic is one who won't change his mind and won't change the subject." is a favorite of mine.  In a World War I speech, (1914) Churchill, then First Lord of the Admiralty coined the phase 'business as usual'.  Saying the maxim of the British people is "business as usual."  Churchill gave the world the phrase: "Iron Curtain" in his speech in Missouri in 1946 when he said, ".....an iron curtain has descended across the continent."

Having grown up during the post-war years, I knew something of Mr. Churchill.  A historic figure that was a great statesman, orator and leader.  But I really knew nothing of the man.  And once again, (as I have mentioned before) I began a project and then started my research.

Mr. Churchill's Secretary, (which I highly recommend) is fiction but based in fact.  Ms. MacNeal was fortunate enough to have several interviews with Churchill's private secretary before her death.  The book is about a 'typist' who was relegated to a menial job because of her gender.  She was actually educated in mathematics and cryptology and could easily have fitted in with MI-Five (British CIA) but for her being a woman.  The novel's heroine, Maggie, saves the Prime Minister from certain death by breaking a Nazi code.  And this brings me to the fashion advert that actually ran in the London Times and was full of Nazi messages.  All the stitching (around sleeves and hem) was Morse code for attacks at #10 Downing and St. Paul's cathedral. 

"German spies hid secret messages in drawings of models wearing the latest fashions in an attempt to outwit Allied censors during World War Two, according to British security service files. Nazi agents relayed sensitive military information using the dots and dashes of Morse code incorporated in the drawings. They posted the letters to their handlers, hoping that counter-espionage experts would be fooled by the seemingly innocent pictures. But British secret service officials were aware of the ruse and issued censors with a code-breaking guide to intercept them."  (actual advert from the London Times)

If not for my love of reading, my passion for writing, and the need for research, I would never have delved into Churchill's life and his time in office. (my interests don't generally take that path).  It's an unexpected delight to learn more about this amazing statesman.  He was quirky, irritable, brilliant, and very funny.

And all because I had begun writing a short play about Mr. Churchill and his cat!  I love when that happens!!

Recommendations: DVD  "Into The Storm" starring Albert Finney as Churchill.

Mr. Churchill's Secretary by Susan Elia MacNeal

The Wit and Wisdom of Winston Churchill by James C. Humes  (paperback)

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Start your Month Off right!  with MY NEW SERIES, "The Writer's Corner" INTERVIEWS with other BEST- SELLING AUTHORS!   Early February we shall visit with Jo-Ann Mapson, best selling author of "Solomon's Oak", "Blue Rodeo" and new release, "Finding Casey".

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Read my novel...Free.."Women Outside the Walls" (part 57)

Chapter 25

Kitty ~ Seven months earlier

“What a beautiful morning!” exclaimed Kitty as she stood at the foot of the huge dining table.

“Here we are, all together around the table. I’m so happy you could get away for a Sunday, Danny.”

Kitty beamed at her children, Elizabeth and Daniel. Next to Elizabeth sat her husband, Hunter.  The formal dining room was filled with sunshine and the scent of pine from the Christmas tree, rising twenty feet, in the corner. Muted pink and gold damask wallpaper covered the walls. The pink was repeated in the chair fabric and drapes. The Kashan Persian carpet of dark greens and gold covered the polished oak floor. White roses mixed in with bright red Poinsettia crowned the antique table.

“Isn’t it lovely, Edward?” she asked her husband seated at the head of the long table. Edward’s head was down as he pushed his food around his plate. He appeared to be a million miles away and didn’t seem to hear his wife. “Edward?”

Edward’s head snapped up. “Excuse me, my dear, what was that you were saying?”

“I said, isn’t it wonderful having all of our children here with us?” replied Kitty.

“Oh! Yes, yes, wonderful”! Edward returned to studying his food and Kitty frowned, wondering what was troubling her husband.

Edward was usually as thrilled as she was when all their kids were home at the same time. The oldest child, Elizabeth, was a beautiful young woman with shining, chestnut brown hair and hazel eyes that she had inherited from her father. She was perfectly groomed in a silk shirt-waist dress in a rich burgundy color. Her Jimmy Choo shoes were the exact color of her dress.

Their son, Daniel, fresh out of college, was as handsome as his sister was pretty. Blond and blue eyed he was their ‘golden boy’. An athlete with a 4.0 grade average, he had been popular with teachers and friends at prep school. He was equally popular with his new employers and was on the fast track in a prestigious law firm in New York who had hired him right out of law school.

Elizabeth and Daniel were especially close now that they were adults but a little sibling teasing was never far from the surface.

Grinning, Elizabeth addressed her brother. “How’s the new associate ambulance chaser, brat?”

“A glorified research gofer, you mean”, replied Daniel sighing. “How long is it going to be before they let me do more, Dad?”

Edward didn’t respond and everyone turned to stare at him. Finally, raising his head, he looked around the table.

“Excuse me?”

“Edward, for heaven’s sake, what’s the matter with you, darling? You haven’t heard a word anyone has said to you!” Kitty exclaimed.

Edward ran his fingers through his thinning hair and grinned, rather sickly, at his wife. “Old age, I’m afraid. Sorry all, I’ve quite a bit on my mind at the moment. I apologize, Danny, what was it you asked?”

“No worries, Dad. I was just wondering when they would give me a couple of briefs to write or something besides all this research. It seems like right now I’m just an errand boy living in the law library.”

“Ah. I know all about paying one’s dues." He smiled at his son. "I can remember those days when I wanted to light the world on fire with my brilliance." The apple didn’t fall very far from this tree.

“Anxious to get your feet wet, my boy? I remember those days. Just be patient, do whatever they asked of you and above all be discreet! They’re testing you at the moment. It will come; just have a little patience.”

“Your Dad’s right, Danny.” Hunter chimed in. “It’ll probably be a year before you feel like you’re doing anything meaningful and what you went to school for. That first year with my firm had to be the most frustrating of my life.”

Their maid, Mary, walked in from the kitchen with a silver coffee server held in both hands.

“Ah, Mary, thank you. I believe we’re all ready for some fresh coffee,” Kitty said.

“Any chance there’s a bottle of champagne chilling in the kitchen, Mary?” asked Hunter as he declined more coffee.

He and Elizabeth had been married a little less than two years and were a perfect match. Tall and slim, Hunter was Boston aristocracy from the tip of his Italian loafers to his four hundred dollar haircut. He had graduated from Harvard Law and was now an associate at a respected Chicago law firm.

“I’m in the mood for a mimosa.” He continued, winking at Elizabeth.

“I’ll ask Cook, Master Hunter.” Mary said as she finished serving the coffee and left the room.

“Are we celebrating, dear?” Kitty asked. “Did you receive your promotion?”

“Why don’t you tell them, Liz?” Hunter said hugging his wife.

Elizabeth grinned at her mother and turned to her father, “Well, Grandpa….”

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The next segment will appear Wednesday .  Hope you'll return to find out what happens next in Kitty's dining room and  to the women outside the walls.

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Start your month off right!! DON'T MISS UPCOMING BLOGS.  A NEW SERIES, "The Writer's Corner" INTERVIEWS with other  best-selling AUTHORS!

I have had a wonderful response from other authors and plan on featuring an interview once a month .  I have invited such luminaries as:  Dean Koontz, Sheryl Woods, Jo-Ann Mapson, Elizabeth Gilbert, Walter Mosley, Nora Roberts, Jeffrey Deaver and many others.

So come along with me; we shall sneak into these writers' special places, be a fly on the wall and watch them create!

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To receive my posts sign up for my .  Go to the home page; On the right side you'll see a box where you can enter your email address. Click on "join my blog".   You need to confirm in an email from 'Writer at Play' .  Thanks!

 

What was that old song from the '50's?

             Remember that song from the '50's?  It was in the Broadway musical, Happy Hunting.  "We Belong to a Mut-u-al Ad-mir-a-tion Society". Best known rendition by Judy Garland.  That's how I feel about Adato Systems and more specifically, Leon Adato.

Last year I took a long hard look at my web site and realized that it was static, lifeless and way behind the times.  Absolutely NO one visited it!  And I had loved it for so long! So began my journey looking for a web consultant that could bring me into real time with shopping cart, shipping, animation, and far better communication with my readers!

I began by asking an old friend in the computer software industry for a referral....and found Leon.  What a treasure! He's clever, funny and patient!  As an added bonus he has a degree in theatre from NYU, so he really gets me.  Now that my site is completely finished,  I am able to come on-line and 'play in my cyber sand box'!  And BLOG!  Which I have grown  passionate about.

The new software is friendly and easy to learn. Did I mention what a good teacher Leon is?   I think it really shows off my books and scripts with beautiful illustrations (a nod to my wonderful team of illustrators) and is easy to navigate.  I hope my readers and theatre family enjoy it as much as I do!

And now I am a success story on Leon's site. ".........she showcases the work of others. Leveraging her own experience and insight, Trisha is creating reviews of and interviews with other authors, which creates a wonderful sense of community........"

Click here to read it.[image error]

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Start your month off right!! DON'T MISS UPCOMING BLOGS.  A NEW SERIES, "The Writer's Corner" INTERVIEWS with other  best-selling AUTHORS!

I have had a wonderful response from other authors and plan on featuring an interview once a month .  I have invited such luminaries as:  Anne Purser, Dean Koontz, Sheryl Woods, Jo-Ann Mapson, Tasha Alexander, Jeffrey Deaver, Elizabeth Gilbert, Walter Mosley, Nora Roberts, Lisa Scottoline and many others.

So come along with me; we shall sneak into these writers' special places, be a fly on the wall and watch them create!

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To receive my posts sign up for my   Go to the home page; On the right side you'll see a box where you can enter your email address. Click on "join my blog".   You need to confirm in an email from 'Writer at Play' .  Thanks!