What I've been up to lately ...

I am finally resurfacing, a bit, and thought I'd share with you what I've been doing. I am a photographer, I even have my own little business; A Work of Heart Photography. However, I don't work too much, both by choice and by happenstance. I have a real love/hate relationship with my photography work. I tend to be a bit obsessive compulsive (har dee har a bit) and so when I'm working I'm W-O-R-K-I-N-G and all else goes to pot. I do detailed editing on each and every pic - well, at least all those that I think are worthy, lol, which is sometimes a lot, sometimes depressingly few. I try though, boy, do I try.

Anyway, this is a little sampling of what I've been up to this past week or so. I did all the photography, all the graphics work. I'm not sure if this is the final product yet, the bride hasn't said yay or nay yet ... but as of last night this was the direction they were going. Obviously, I had to blot out the personal info :)

The Invitation ...

The Ring Ceremony Card ...

The Sealing Card ...

Personal Update

I don't normally post just outright updates about my life. You know, the day to day stuff. Don't know why ... I guess because I figure it's not that interesting to most people. But I haven't done a good job at responding to some great comments people have recently left me and I'm feeling numb and sad and need to share.

That said, this is a total personal thing and so you are warned if that's not your thing.

David (my husband, who had open heart surgery almost three years ago to replace a heart valve and repair his torn aorta) had his yearly echo cardiogram and he asked me to come with him because he feared he might not get a clean check up. He's not been feeling well and he's lost some weight which are worry-signs for heart patients. Looks like his mechanical aortic valve might be leaking. I say 'looks like' and 'might be' because an external echo is not a sure-fire diagnostic tool and if it's leaking there is cause for great concern so they don't go into this lightly. While we waited a Marfans specialist at the hospital was contacted and plans for a transophogial (not sure on the spelling) cardiogram were made. We'll get the details tomorrow. They are hurrying - testing needs to be done in the next day or two. David is to take it easy because if the valve is not functioning properly then he is at risk for a heart attack. No karate, low stress, no carrying the boys, that sort of thing. I am worried, but of course trying to be brave. Whatever this is, IF it is anything, is totally fixable. I guess I'm just finally coming to realize that I am married to a man who is not well and will always have health struggles - big ones to boot. Anyway, more on that later.

Then this evening we got the results of my MIL's CT scans: She does have bone cancer and it is rampant. It is everywhere, her skull, her shoulders, her ribs, her arms, her hips and one leg. They are not treating the cancer, only the pain. They have alluded to the strong likelihood that it has already spread to her organs, thus the decision to treat the pain and not the disease. Not sure how much time she has, bless her but she and my FIL seem to have asked precious few questions.

She is 79 years old and such a good hearted, precious woman. I am heartsick.

Just as an FYI, so you know where my heart is, I lost my own mom to cancer when I was 19. My Dad also died of cancer a few years later. My sister and I nursed my mom at home until her death in her own bedroom. I know a lot about death by cancer and I'm just so sad for my MIL. My prayer is that the disease is so far gone that it will take her quickly. That may seem harsh, but I swear to you it isn't. If you've been there, you know it isn't. It would be the best thing for her, to go quickly and before the pain becomes unbearable.

So if I'm not my normal cheery self, that's why. I need to process all this weighty stuff and hopefully get some answers. Thanks for being my sounding board.

A little funny for ya ...

A Japanese doctor says, "Medicine in my country is so advanced that we can take a kidney out of one man, put it in another, and have him out looking for work in six weeks."

A German doctor says, "That is nothing. We can take a lung out of one person, put it in another, and have him out looking for work in four weeks."

A British doctor says, "In my country medicine is so advanced that we can take half a heart out of one person, put it in another, and have both of them out looking for work in two weeks."

The American doctor, not to be outdone, interjected, "You guys are way behind. We are about to take a woman with no brains, send her to Washington where she will become President, and then half the country will be out looking for work."

Life on the Beach

It is now Day Eighteen on the Beach. The South Beach Diet, that is. I'm sort of embarrassed to admit that I'm on the South Beach Diet, more because I have an innate fear and distrust of the word DIET. But my doctor put me on the Beach due to my insulin resistance and I must say, life on the beach is good.

I am no longer up for the part of Ali the Beached Whale because the bloat is gone from my bod.

I am no longer being considered for the title of Ali the Drive Thru Queen because my love affair with fat has come to an end.

I AM however, a LOSER of the most wonderful kind ... my poor old bod has finally begun to loosen it's death grip (and I mean that literally) on my fat and has begun to spend it, albeit thriftily. I have now lost four whole pounds. Don't laugh! Four pounds of fat lost is worth it's weight in gold, my friend. Especially after six weeks of Weight Watchers and not a single pound lost, these four pounds prove *gasp* that the doctor was right.

Insulin was the culprit of my baleful bloating. Insulin the cause of my inexplicable fast food cravings. Bad insulin, bad!

I am now a happy Good Carb kind o' gal. My body is breathing easier and so am I, knowing I have dodged a bullet and life, like I said, on the Beach ain't so bad. I'll be here for, well, forever, according to the doc, so it's a good thing I like it! Come on down and visit me some time ... the weather's fine.

The Problem With Me ...

One day, when I was about 17, I was riding in my boyfriends' convertible with a girl I thought was my best friend at the time, Tracey. We stopped at the curb for a minute so I could run to the ATM. When I hopped back into the car, Tracey said from the back seat

“You know the problem with you is Sandi? (remember, I have many names, this was mine at the time)”

“Umm, no?”

“If you could just be like this while you're with your friends, everyone would like you a lot better.”

“What do you mean, like this?”

“When you're with Mark (boyfriend) you seem more like yourself, you seem comfortable. But when you're with us, you seem like ... well, like you're trying too hard.”

“Oh. Umm, well. Mark knows me really well so it's easy to be myself.” (we'd been dating for over a year at this point, I think).

“See, the problem with you is ...” Did I ask for her to tell me what my problem was?

“You're like a big smörgåsbord. Everything's just right there. But most people don't like smörgåsbords, they want their meal served to them in courses, one dish at a time.” She sat back, very pleased with herself and her fancy analogy.

I just sat there, stunned. I was a smörgåsbord?

I've thought a lot about that conversation over the years. I think I might have pushed Tracey away after that. I mean, I was a smörgåsbord, after all and she wanted her friendship served up one tidbit at a time. Well not me, mister. Nosiree.

I have since come to think that Tracey did me a favor that day. Her analogy is actually quite a good one for a person like me. Because, you see, she is absolutely right. I AM like a smörgåsbord. Who I am is right here for the whole world to see. All my love, all my virtues and my vices, are right here, prime for the picking. And you know? I prefer it that way. I want you to know who I am. But here's the thing: I want to know who YOU are too. I'm not one for playing games. Don't hide from me or serve me up one dish at a time. Just lay it all out on the line. I can promise you, I'll take the good and leave the bad; I'd expect you to do the same.

Lately, I've had this discussion with several friends. There are many smörgåsbord people out there, but we think we are alone. We see ourselves as decent, good people, capable of being great friends, but we count few people as true friends. The reason? More to do with our own perception of being unworthy or unliked in general, rather than anything specific. I think the reason we smörgåsbord types tend to feel that way is because when people only serve us one little dish at a time of themselves, we suspect that they are withholding something (which they are, by nature). But to us it feels suspicious. Why are they withholding from us? What is it that I lack that would make them feel they can't trust me with the whole meal?

So there are a bunch of smörgåsbord types out there feeling lonely, feeling unworthy of good friendships, wondering why they've only managed to get one or two great friends in their life. I would hazard a guess that those one or two total and complete friendships (because a smörgåsbord gal would accept nothing less than she gives) far outweigh in value and loyalty the handfuls of one-dish-at-a-time friendships out there.

As I've gotten older I've accepted the one-dishers as my friends. I love them. But, the friendships I cherish, that I hold close to my heart, always have always will, are fellow smorgasobrgs, like me.

So thanks Tracey. Thanks for helping me to see what my problem was. I think I like myself just the way I am.

Who do you love? *note: Eclipse Spoilers*

Edward or Jacob?

That's what my 14 year old babysitter asked me the other day when I picked her up to sit for us and I told her I was reading Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer. Don't know how the Twilight series has effected the girls in your neck of the woods, but here, they are gaga for it. My YW President, Wendy and I decided we'd have to read the books so we would have half a clue what they were talking about.

And now? I'm hooked.

I will also admit, right up front, that I'm mildly jealous of Stephanie Meyer, but I am NOT coveting. I swear. I think there's a difference between wishing it were me TOO not me INSTEAD, right? Please don't hate me.

So, the burning question is, who do you think Bella should be with? Edward or Jacob? Who do you love? My sitter asked me and I said I liked Jacob. But that was the WRONG answer! Silly me! So in my defense I asked who SHE loved:

"Edward of course!" she gushed.

"Why?"

"Because I'm a teenage girl and he's beautiful!" She sort of whined her answer but with an adorable turn of her head and sweet blush that made it all okay.

I love Jacob's passion and fun, his sense of adventure and, well, his humanness ... albeit somewhat imperfect humanness given he's a werewolf and all. BUT I do probably really love Edward best. There's no doubt in my mind that I want Edward and Bella together forever. I want her to be bitten, to be changed, and to live happily ever after with Edward - NOT to make Bella happy, but to make Edward happy. I love him that much that I want him to have the woman that makes him happy ... even if that woman is not me.

I also wish and hope that in Book Four of the Twilight series Jacob finds the girl he can 'imprint' on so he can have his heart mended and made whole again. He deserves it. Poor wolfy boy.

So inquiring minds want to know ... Who do you love best?

Gone Fishin'

A while back one of my friends (and I'm wracking my brain to remember who ... I'm sorry I can't remember!) wrote this great blog about how ideas are just ... AHA I JUST REMEMBERED!! IT WAS JOSI I THINK! ... swimming around the universe just waiting to be caught. Like fish. Except the fish have twins or quadruplets or sextuplets or something and maybe the SAME fish can be caught by different people. The *trick* is, who will use the idea best/first/more publicly. And maybe more, I dunno.

So I'm sitting down to watch a show on t.v. tonight. Hubby's dental surgery was today (it went great! But with his heart condition and blood thinner stuff and just stuff and stuff it was a long and tiring day) and I just wanted to V-E-G in front of the t.v. I had TiVo'd a few new shows and I like to watch them up front so I know if it's a waste of space on my DVR to have them recording each week if they're no good. I got out my journal ready to write about my last few days (because I haven't been writing in case you hadn't caught on to that general theme I was moaning about the other day) and turned on the new show Reaper.

Seriously, I wrote the date and part of one line before I had to put the pen and book away because journal-writing just wasn't going to happen today. I was too busy either watching the show with my mouth hanging open or laughing out loud. And not the internet version of LOL but literally laughing out loud. The show was funny!

What the show also was contributed to my mouth hanging open. Do remember the interactive story contest entry "The Jailer"? Well I wrote that one and my intent was to make him a bounty hunter that was in charge of collecting bad souls and sending them to hell. Mild mannered accountant by day, Grim Reaper by night (or day, depending on when he was needed - just like Superman). I had intended the story, had it been picked, to be funny and entertaining as well as adventure-filled and exciting. JUST LIKE THIS SHOW!!!

Just boggles the mind.

I'm also writing a book called The Devils' Daughter in which the literal daughter of Satan wants nothing more than to be good. The similarities between this new show Reaper, my short story excerpt thingy and the book I'm writing are just well ... freakishly weird.

Guess we all caught a clone or something of the same fish, just THEY fried theirs up sooner than I did. Very interesting. Don't ya think?

BTW, Reaper was very entertaining - definitely NOT getting nuked from my TiVo list just yet. :)

And Our Winner Is ...

Yes, I'm calling it a day with my little Interactive Story Contest. I had a massive blow out with my email on one computer that has now completely died. We had a funeral for it last night, very touching. Anyhoo, there has been only one writer who's really been holding all this together; I talked to her and she has gracefully allowed me to just bow out while I still have a teensy weensy portion of my dignity intact.

So without any more ado, I give you our winner:

Laura Fowler

Thank you Laura for all your great stories! She wins both the most voted for and the most submitted - so TWO $10.00 gift certificates to Amazon.com.

Thank you to all who participated, both in submitting stories and in voting. Maybe I'll do this again sometime ... dunno!

Onward and Upward though!

BIAM Challenge

Eek! I just realized I am about 10, 000 words behind my goal! Yikes!

It is true I haven't been writing this week. I am really sad to admit this because during that first week I felt like my world had changed and I WAS A WRITER. This week, though, I've allowed obligations and appointments to interfere and I totally DON'T feel like a writer.

In my defense though, let's examine what's gone down this week:

My sweet husband had a root canal that went bad. A piece of the file tip broke off and is no lodged in his root canal. Ouch! So he's had a few extra visits to an endodontist, and many phone calls to be made by me to arrange his appointments and such, not to mention chauffer services.

I found out I am insulin resistant, hence my inability to lose weight these past seven weeks that I've been on Weight Watchers. I am relieved to know there is a real reason why I wasn't losing weight, but sad to learn that now I have to totally change my relationship with food, not just 'diet'. Today I took the first step on the path to a new and healthier ME. Wish me luck!

Also, we had a big Mutual - you know the one with the plane crash where everyone dies and then they go to the different kingdoms to learn what awaits them there? It was powerful and moving. Wow.

OK, now that I'm writing this I can see that none of these things precluded my ability to write. I guess I have no idea why I didn't do a good job writing this week.

So see ya! I've got to go write now!

Readers Anonymous

Hello, my name is Ali, and I am addicted to reading. Unlike regular anonymous help groups, abstaining is strictly out of the question. Perish the thought. I don't even think it would be good for me to abstain. No, in this case the key is MODERATION. Problem is, when you're an interminably slow reader like I am it takes TIME to read. *sigh* When I get a good book that's hard for me to put down, it's all I can do ... it's like an obsession. By the wayside falls trivial things like housework, cooking, personal hygiene. It's just all about the BOOK.

So it's ironic that Candace should tag me with this little book meme ... though I'm embarassed to go after her since her answers were much more admirable than mine. Oh well. Here goes!

1. My Reading ∙ I will read pretty much anything. My fave is fantasy, but I don't have a favorite author; everyone has their good and bad books. I also enjoy the occasional romance, my favorites being Nora Roberts (though sometimes I have to skip steamy scenes), and Candace Salima. I also read LDS inspirational books some, love mysteries, though I think good ones are hard to find. Like I said, I'll try anything out for size.

2. Total Number of Books Owned ∙ Seriously? Am I supposed to give a number? Well, I have no idea. I read non-stop, but I don't keep all the books I read. Unless it's a book I intend to read again - like an inspirational book - I don't keep it. There are only four novels I have ever - EVER - read more than once, so I have them. Otherwise, I read 'em and pass 'em on.

3. Last Book Bought ∙ Stephanie Meyer's Eclipse. I am really enjoying it, hence why I need to join Readers Anonymous.

4. Last Book Read ∙ Stephanie Meyer's New Moon. I could barely eat or dress myself while reading this massive book. It was much better than Twilight, the first in the series. Loved it.

5. Five Meaningful Books ∙ (I only did four ... sorry!)

The Book of Mormon ~ This book changed my life, literally. I have not been the same person since I read it. I read it more than seven times within a year from receiving it. I cried, I was inspired, my life was changed.

The Fionavar Tapestry by Guy Gavriel Kay ~ I love this trilogy more than any other novel(s) I have ever read. It moved me in every way possible. When I was first finished reading, my tears blurring the words on the page, I just sat in stunned silence. Even when re-reading it, I am touched the same way. It was these books that made me want to be a writer, to truly decide THIS is what I wanted to do ... I wanted to touch people, move them, the way Kay does through these three books. It is a truly remarkable fantasy series you would do well to read. They are wonderful, astounding.

In A Dark Wood Wandering by Helga Haas ~ Lyrical and epic, this is a sometime disturbing but profoundly moving tale set in 15th century France of an exiled member of Charles VI's court. The poetry in this book is amazing and original to the real Charles d'Orleans who this book is based on. This is an historical novel, written originally in Dutch; the research was painstaking and thorough ... but more than all that is the beauty of the words. The whole book reads like poetry.

Be of Good Cheer by Marvin J. Ashton ~ This book has been a comfort and a guide to me, teaching me to how to find joy in every day living but particularly through the atonement. I couldn't provide a link for you because Deseret Book doesn't have a listing for it and Amazon's was even more minimal than my brief comments.

The Other Wise Man by Harry Van Dyke ~ I love this story. I find it so moving and uplifting. I want to be like this man ... never wavering on my course to find the Savior by always abounding in good works and stopping to help others along the way. My husband and I used to sit, on Christmas Eve, chilled apple cider in hand, fire glowing, tree lights twinkling, and read through the entire book. It was our gift to each other, to help us remember our Savior and how we can best grow closer to Him. We don't do that anymore; the book is a little too long for our little boys, but we probably could/ought to read a little each day leading up to Christmas. It's worth reading every year ... it's lovely.

Umm, that's all I can think of at this moment. I'm a hard nut to crack and so it takes a lot to get added to my 'favorites of all time' list.

I went to see a movie tonight that was exciting and adventure-packed, and you know what I was thinking? I can't wait to get home and read my book!

*sigh* Maybe I need to take a speed reading course because maybe then I could read my books AND live my life. Unless it just gave me license to go back and read it again!

As for you I might tag ... I have to admit I haven't been reading my friends' blogs the way I ought to lately, so I'm sure to embarass myself here by tagging someone who has already been tagged by someone else. So I'm going to take the game outside of my writing-friends circle and include my other blogging friends. Here goes: April (who reads like a crazy person - she might even read as many books as Tristi!), Anne, and Susan.

Interactive Story Contest ~ Further Delays

I apologize to those of you who are participating in the Interactive Story - I've hit a snag retrieving one of your documents and I didn't want to post the entries until they were all ready to post. I'll get it up and running as soon as possible!

Sorry again!

Happy Birthday Sam!

Today is Sam's thirteenth birthday; he is a young man now, poised on the brink of his life. I haven't seen him in three and a half years and my heart aches to see the young man he has become.

I'm writing this here, because there is no guarantee, despite his foster mom's wonderful care and concern for him, that he'll ever read the letters we send to him there. At least here, should he ever google us, he might find my notes to him here and know that he was/is/and ever will be loved.

Sam had the most amazing spirit of anyone I've known. He had a core of goodness in him and you knew his great gift from God was his ability to love and to truly care about other people. And so it's not a big surprise that it was exactly those virtues that Satan strove to turn into his greatest vice.

But I don't want to dwell on the negative, I want to celebrate my boy, my first boy, my cherished and loved one.

Sam was a true gift from God to David and I. A real miracle. We felt it, the moment he was born ... we'd thought maybe he'd be born to us, for we'd seen him in dreams for years, but we knew when his time was coming and when he was born we both just knew. We started looking for him immediately. It took us three and a half years and a change of cities to find him, but when we did, again, we knew; this was OUR boy.

Even though he has not been able to live with us these past few years, and he has not wanted to talk to us in so long, we love him still. We hear he is growing into a capable young man, giving and receiving love for the first time in his short life. He plays the guitar and I wish I could listen to some Stan Rogers with him and have a mother/son bonding moment.

I want to throw my arms around him and hug him tight. I want to look into his blue, blue eyes and see my love reflecting back at me. I want to hear him play the guitar and sing along. I guess I just really want my son back. I want him to know how much I love and miss him.

One day, if he ever reads this, if he ever questions or wonders why, I hope he understands what the answer to all of his questions has always been; because I love him.

Interactive Story Contest

Hello Friends :)

There will be a slight delay in posting the Contest Entries ... but I will post them as soon as possible, probably Monday night.

I apologize for the delay ~ please check back Tuesday morning!

My Season ...

You Belong in Fall

Intelligent, introspective, and quite expressive at times... You appreciate the changes in color, climate, and mood that fall brings Whether you're carving wacky pumpkins or taking long drives, autumn is a favorite time of year for you

What Season Are You?

Absolutely and unequivocally true. I love this time of year.

Labor Day weekend my babies were born ~ true miracles, gifts from God. I still can't believe it. Back to school is when minds are reawakened and new adventure waits around every corner.
My husbands', sisters' and best friends birthdy are all in the fall ~ perfect opportunities to show these cherished people how much I love them.
Halloween ~ just plain ol' good fun.
Family photographs, in preparation for Christmas cards ~ love them!
Thanksgiving and Christmas ~ times to be with family and take note of sweet blessings.

I also love this time of year for the more subtle things ... the way the sun feels more golden, the shadows longer; it speaks of secrets to tell and lovers to hold. The smell of the leaves as they fall to the ground, promising rebirth in the spring. The rain that falls, cleansing the earth of the summer dirt and grime. For a brief moment, before winter snows blanket the ground, the earth is made pristine, like a child freshly scrubbed for Sunday.

Yep, my favorite season is Autumn. Love it.

DUH!!! Interactive Story Contest

I've decided to give away two $10.00 gift cards to Amazon.com. We can always use more books, right?

A few said too keep the contest going while one person dissented, but the majority wins, so on we go!

So Writers! Please submit your entry based on either 'The Author', 'The Source' or 'Suspicion' to me by Sunday night at midnight.

Remember, the person with the most sumissions will win a prize and the person who's stories receive the most votes will win a prize too! It's not too late! Join on in!

Tragedy

(I have to preface this by saying that every time I say or hear the word tragedy I always immediately think "Traged-ed-y! When the feeling's gone and you can't go on it's Traged-ed-y" by the Bee Gee's. I mean, don't you?)

Anyway. Tragedy.

I'm sure you writer-types out there have all already been through something depressing like this, but this is my first time. I'm a tragedy virgin. At least THIS type of tragedy.

I lost a chapter in my current book.

And it was a GREAT chapter. Clever and fun, stuff happened in it. It wasn't just filler. It was my big 'reveal' chapter. This is where, if I wasn't concerned about your sensibilities I would swear my head off. I'm just ... ARGH.

My computer genius hubby tried and tried but there was no recovering my chapter. How did I lose it? I'm working on a laptop and every now and then I'll inadvertently somehow manage to undo things I've just written or cut them or I don't know what. Well, I was getting to work today and somehow my chapter five got moved out from behind chapter six and tacked on to the end of my story. I (bad bad me!) thought that it had been copied and placed there so I ... (I shudder to recall it) deleted it. It wasn't until AFTERWARDS that it dawned on me that I might have MOVED the chapter and there wasn't a copy of it hiding in its' proper place behind chapter six.

No, I did not realize it until after I had saved it.

No, I did not have a back up copy of the draft before todays work.

Yes, I feel like an utter and complete idiot.


I wrote nearly a thousand new words today, but it doesn't change the fact that I LOST nearly two thousand. Two thousand words!!!!!

I'm devastated. It's a real tragedy. Tell me, please, that I'm not alone in my sorrow? How do you get over the loss? Are you ever happy with the recreation work you do? I feel like nothing will ever be the same as that first, real love. Oh, I mean, story. We're talking about stories here. If you have any advice, oh sage ones, lay it on me. I'm dying for some pick-me-ups.

A Tie!

A 'three-way' at that, hardee har har.

It looks like we'll continue with all three story lines - The Author, The Source, and Suspicion until one of them gets bumped out. Especially since it looks like we'll keep this little game going for a while longer.

So, whether you wrote either of the winning chapters or not, please feel free to pick up the story and carry on! You can send your submissions to me here. And check back next Monday to place your vote!

Thanks for playing!

"If you knew how many secrets I'm keeping from you, you'd totally trust me."
Sean Spencer, Psych

Interactive Story Contest ~ Monday, September 10th

I think interest in my little project is dwindling, but it's been fun! Not sure if we'll go further ... we only had two submissions this time, so I went ahead and wrote one just for kicks. I'm not going to tell you which one though ;)

I'm going to run two polls this week:

The poll for the winner of this week's chapter. Please vote :)

And a poll to determine whether we should try for another chapter, or just end things here. Don't worry, my feelings won't be hurt ;)

I did this little thing cuz I thought it would be fun. And it has ... but as participation has been slow to none, it's getting boring for me. LOL. Not enough action. Plus I have kind of felt like my blog's been hijacked by my little project and it's been hard for me to blog about other stuff.

However, if you're interested in reading more ... or at least in seeing an 'ending' to the story ... let me know and we'll keep going until we can finish it up. It's all been for YOU anyway.

So voters, vote away!

And writers, if you want a chance to finish the story ... vote your say and then submit!

Thanks you guys!

Chapter Three ~ The Author

“Interactive Story Chapter Two Ended”, a computerized voice announced. Joseph wiped away long dried tears and tried to rouse himself.

A pretty attendant wearing a name badge that read Kimberly smiled kindly at him, “You picked an intense story to experience. Most people want something more upbeat.”

“Don’t suppose you have any Stephen King” Joseph joked in response. He didn’t intend to flirt initially but he enjoyed Kimberly’s smile. Not wanting the conversation to die just yet Joseph flashed his badge, “Actually my interest in the story is more than just casual. I’m a detective with the Historic Crimes Division. We solve unsolved cases from even as far back as this.”

“As far back as 2015? Wow. What does this book have to do with your case,” Kimberly asked with apparent interest.

“The author of this book disappeared after writing it. Some say the details of her disappearance mimic the story of the husband in this book. Except of course the happily ever after part. There has to be clues in here,” Joseph said gesturing at the tiny computer that fed the interactive experience directly into his brain.

“I just hate to watch a cute guy cry. Seemed like you were really suffering.”

“Yeah, well that’s what happens when you lose the love of your life.”

“Aw” Kimberly replied her eyes sparkling. “Have to be careful with romances and crime novels. Nothing but trouble. Yesterday my beau broke my heart… ‘Pride and Prejudice’ of course… I’m a romantic if you couldn’t tell.”

“Well in that case I feel compelled to let you cry on my shoulder over a cup of coffee and maybe you can tell me more about Ali Cross the author.”

“I’d love to!” Kimberly flashed a smile and her eyes grew brighter.

*Please note, that even though my name appears in this story, I didn't write it! Just the author having a bit of fun, I think ;)