tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-327705722024-03-14T02:25:32.533-05:00Lisa LickelAuthor, Editor, MentorLisa Lickelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07798980644446426574noreply@blogger.comBlogger63125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32770572.post-76674396781039000082011-03-22T14:32:00.064-05:002023-03-19T13:10:20.665-05:00Home<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><span style="color: #548235; font-family: "monotype corsiva"; font-size: 32pt;">Whispers…Wishes…Wonder</span></b><span style="color: #548235; font-family: "monotype corsiva"; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #548235; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: lumm=75000; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent6; mso-themecolor: accent6; mso-themeshade: 191;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Two new covers! Very excited about these two updated cover by Paul Ruane.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih_6dnznsJNSAIUpCBlJQ4i-fShmto4evqk_oCjH8ss-MQT6PwqPjG3F26nwDiPqxX33gvfIXTjNM_37rWWYTDK7rgbv4KvtHEvaKSPCg8eC_L4lm6FA1H_lF7b2ktsWbyH68v12NGqJ8-DQkClJ9h-m1idEdUCGPYvaU1EKasufbYPSJLE88/s2689/Lisa_Lickel-9781087910222-Undercut-Book-Cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2689" data-original-width="1775" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih_6dnznsJNSAIUpCBlJQ4i-fShmto4evqk_oCjH8ss-MQT6PwqPjG3F26nwDiPqxX33gvfIXTjNM_37rWWYTDK7rgbv4KvtHEvaKSPCg8eC_L4lm6FA1H_lF7b2ktsWbyH68v12NGqJ8-DQkClJ9h-m1idEdUCGPYvaU1EKasufbYPSJLE88/s320/Lisa_Lickel-9781087910222-Undercut-Book-Cover.jpg" width="211" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdO-X_rtRQm_b1WnS-fnN-P16z55C_lSi7CNpsuiOPWFDkqNXmvJ04q7e70G_16yH2JvFaThrpQDzgmPkYgInxRGR4tDzMrsqDqq71BUAOS0DoOG2c6KLIdUP440WVMpHiJI_vdOVTcvxt7O7Pf3QfZFeThELCDa_2Luu4S-8Jmj2XVBQMHuY/s2550/Lisa_Lickel-9781088046401-Meow-Mising-Cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2550" data-original-width="1647" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdO-X_rtRQm_b1WnS-fnN-P16z55C_lSi7CNpsuiOPWFDkqNXmvJ04q7e70G_16yH2JvFaThrpQDzgmPkYgInxRGR4tDzMrsqDqq71BUAOS0DoOG2c6KLIdUP440WVMpHiJI_vdOVTcvxt7O7Pf3QfZFeThELCDa_2Luu4S-8Jmj2XVBQMHuY/s320/Lisa_Lickel-9781088046401-Meow-Mising-Cover.jpg" width="207" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">* * *</span></b></div><div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>
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Lisa Lickelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07798980644446426574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32770572.post-39947997808741527972011-03-21T14:11:00.000-05:002019-12-07T15:21:51.078-06:00Requiem for the Innocents<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-p6DrB5JRnXg/WQTDWK1YasI/AAAAAAAAHAI/bnI2v4uo6W0ZaBpvaNZB4SW8wnR8zQqbACEw/s1600/Requiem%2BEcover%2Bmid%2Bsize.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-p6DrB5JRnXg/WQTDWK1YasI/AAAAAAAAHAI/bnI2v4uo6W0ZaBpvaNZB4SW8wnR8zQqbACEw/s320/Requiem%2BEcover%2Bmid%2Bsize.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Requiem for the Innocents</b></span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Lisa J. Lickel<o:p></o:p></div>
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Original title, Innocents Pray, Released September 1, 2016<o:p></o:p></div>
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Fox Ridge Publications</div>
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Purchase online at the following retailers</div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Innocentspray-Lisa-J-Lickel/dp/0990428109" target="_blank">Amazon</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/innocentspray" target="_blank">Kobo</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/innocentspray-lisa-j-lickel/1123872442?ean=9780990428114" target="_blank">Barnes and Noble</a><o:p></o:p><br />
<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/innocents-pray/id1120384134?mt=11" target="_blank">Apple iBooks</a></div>
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Or at your favorite bookseller by asking them to order it for you.</div>
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Print ISBN 13: 978-0-9904281-0-7<o:p></o:p></div>
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ISBN 10: 0-9904281-0-9<o:p></o:p></div>
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$14.95</div>
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6 by 9 inches, 340 pp<o:p></o:p></div>
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Ebook ISBN-10: 0-9904281-1-7<o:p></o:p></div>
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ISBN-13: 978-0-9904281-1-4<o:p></o:p></div>
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$4.99<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>From the Back of the Book:</b></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-p6DrB5JRnXg/WQTDWK1YasI/AAAAAAAAHAI/bnI2v4uo6W0ZaBpvaNZB4SW8wnR8zQqbACEw/s1600/Requiem%2BEcover%2Bmid%2Bsize.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-p6DrB5JRnXg/WQTDWK1YasI/AAAAAAAAHAI/bnI2v4uo6W0ZaBpvaNZB4SW8wnR8zQqbACEw/s320/Requiem%2BEcover%2Bmid%2Bsize.jpg" width="212" /></a><i>When innocents pray...</i><br />
<i>they all receive answers</i></div>
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What
is wrong with trying to cure cancer? Brother Able, hospice chaplain, asks
himself that question every day. His boss, Dr. Rich Bernard, performs closet
genetic experiments at Paradise House. He blackmails Able into keeping his
secret. When a grieving husband asks Able to pray for his dying wife, Able
finally breaks his silence.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Libby
Davis might be prepared to accept death, to sacrifice herself for Rich’s
greater cause but fails to comprehend the love of a husband who cannot let her
go and the son who’s a whisper from the edge of reason. Brother Able wades into
battle for those innocents in her life. If he wins, it won’t be only Libby’s
family he saves.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://www.lisalickel.com/2011/06/excerpt-from-innocents-pray.html" target="_blank">Read an Excerpt</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.lisalickel.com/2011/01/discussion-guide-for-innocents-pray.html" target="_blank">Discussion Guide</a> **Please note that these questions contain spoilers</div>
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<a href="http://www.lisalickel.com/2011/02/reviews-for-innocents-pray.html" target="_blank">Read Reviews</a></div>
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Interview with the Author (in progress)</div>
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<b>Endorsements:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Every now and then you run across a book that
affects you to your very core. It was that way with me when I read Lisa
Lickel’s book,<span style="text-align: right;"> </span><i style="text-align: right;">Requiem for the Innocents</i>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="text-align: right;"> </span><i style="text-align: right;">Requiem for the Innocents</i> is a very intriguing book. I kept
reading, trying to decide if Libby was going to succumb to the cancer invading
her body. Would Vic, her husband ever realize that keeping his home and family
together was important rather than jetting off to who knows where to install
medical equipment for the company he works for? Not that his job isn’t
important, but doesn’t God also desire for one to keep his family together? How
were Libby and Vic missing the vital issues that their son Jordan was
struggling through and why were they passing it off as just everyday things a
teenager goes through? What part did Nona, Libby’s companion and nurse serve in
all this? And how was Brother Abel connected?<o:p></o:p></div>
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--Shelley
Wilburn, author of <i>Walking Healed</i><o:p></o:p></div>
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A complex group of protagonists, a sinister plot, and a
curvy road of twists and turns. Lickel knows how to bring to life an issue from
today’s world, and a illness that perhaps most men-kind dread. Add to that the
choices being made, and you will have a book that will open your eyes and keep
you thinking long after you finish it. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Deeply researched, interesting, and intense: Well worth your
time to read this excellent book. Great job, Ms. Lickel.<o:p></o:p></div>
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--Carole Brown, author of the Award-winning <i>The Redemption of Caralynne
Hayman</i>, and several mystery/suspense series <o:p></o:p></div>
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Once I started reading Lisa Lickel’s <span style="text-align: right;"> </span><i style="text-align: right;">Requiem for the Innocents</i><i>,</i> I truly could not put it down. And after I’d
finished reading, I couldn’t quit thinking about the book. Each narrating
character has a distinctive voice, resulting in a powerful story, most
intriguingly told. I loved the subtle interplay of good and evil, along with
the author’s insightful exploration of relationships and loss. Brava!<o:p></o:p></div>
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--Carlene Havel<o:p></o:p></div>
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Lisa Lickel
consistently delivers Christian fiction that goes beyond the surface to deal
with real life issues, yet she does it in a sensitive and tasteful way. I look
forward to each of her new releases – not even kidding! <span style="font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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--Tracy Krauss, award-winning and best-selling author<o:p></o:p></div>
Lisa Lickelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07798980644446426574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32770572.post-15380093361637804902011-03-21T13:33:00.001-05:002020-10-10T09:24:21.226-05:00Crazy Creek Christmas<div style="text-align: center;">
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>Crazy Creek Christmas</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Xo06nSp3qfQ/XYqik_HYYiI/AAAAAAAAIPU/sVsmlk3peA0SbTWHDUEI6FnU-ndNnejZgCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/CrazyCreekChristmas_prc5550_300%255B21034%255D.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Xo06nSp3qfQ/XYqik_HYYiI/AAAAAAAAIPU/sVsmlk3peA0SbTWHDUEI6FnU-ndNnejZgCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/CrazyCreekChristmas_prc5550_300%255B21034%255D.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Noel thought he left the ranch and his family behind</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Leah hoped to find a family she never had</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Life is crazy that way in Crazy Creek, Wyoming</span></div>
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<a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/crazy-creek-christmas-lisa-j-lickel/1133984954?ean=9781522398691" target="_blank">Barnes and Noble</a><br /><a href="https://books.apple.com/us/book/crazy-creek-christmas/id1482927222" target="_blank">Apple iTunes books</a><div><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Crazy-Creek-Christmas-Holiday-Extravaganza-ebook/dp/B07YSXXMD6" target="_blank">Amazon</a></div><div><a href="https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/crazy-creek-christmas" target="_blank">Kobo</a> - Walmart ebooks</div><div><a href="https://www.christianbook.com/crazy-creek-christmas-ebook/lisa-lickel/9781522398691/pd/104237EB">ChristianBook.com</a><br />
<a href="https://pelicanbookgroup.com/ec/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=37_73&products_id=1340" target="_blank">Pelican Book Group Book store</a><br />
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November 20, 2019/Dec 1<o:p></o:p></div>
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$3.99 ebook/$2.99 publisher<o:p></o:p></div>
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Prism Lux, Pelican Ventures<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">novella, 90 pp</div>
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ISBN 9781522398691 <o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>Psalm 71:20 NIV </i></div>
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Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up.</div>
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Crazy Creek, Wyoming saves Leah
Hanes's life. Running on fumes and bald tires, she thanks heaven for Cupcake and
Jeanette Wimmer who send her to the Rocking J Ranch as a winter cook. Leah
arrives to discover the ranch and the people need more than a cook.<br />
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Noel Johansen, heir of the Rocking J, happily left for the big city years ago.
When he loses his family in a terrible accident, the best thing for everyone is
to sell the place, ditch the memories, and move on. But his brother-in-law has
other plans, and the beautiful new cook they've hired for the season threatens
Noel's desire to remain detached.<br />
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The ranch represents Noel's future and selling it becomes more important than
ever when one more tragedy leaves him with nothing. But memories can't be
bought and sold, nor can a broken conscience heal itself. Home, heart, and
future are irrevocably tied in Crazy Creek.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Download and print a bookmark</div>
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<span style="text-indent: 0in;"><b>How Crazy Creek Christmas came about</b></span></div>
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<o:p> </o:p><span style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">I am often asked about my writing
schedule, told I need to be dedicated to my work like any other nine to five
job, and scolded when I share the truth. I don’t have a schedule. I carve out
time from my life to write. I have kids, grandkids, a husband, and parents who
make legitimate demands on my time, as do my friends and church and community,
and business clients. If I wanted a nine-to-five job, I wouldn’t be able to
have my writing career. Case in point: My husband I were on our way back from a
late summer visit to the Bighorn Mountains and Yellowstone National Park when
my editor called. The holiday novella I wrote two years ago, the final book of
a trilogy of which the first book was published three years ago, was going to
be out of order since the second book wasn’t going to be released until 2020.
Could I write another? Quickly?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
Well, sure. I’d just been out
west, and had been noodling an idea for a western novel. If I had to follow a
schedule, I wouldn’t have been able to produce a 23,000-word novella a week
later. For the title, I’d had an idea based on a real name which showed the
hearts of my characters, but when I did a search on that title, a dozen others
popped up. So I kept thinking. We’d passed Crazy Woman Creek and I liked the
idea of crazy ideas, crazy lives, and tried Crazy Creek for a title, and added
Christmas too it. I think it sounds pretty good, and so far it’s unique
according to a global internet search.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
I hadn’t tried writing a western
before. I do like them, having read Brett Harte, and my favorite Zane Grey,
among others. Although I live in a rural area, it’s Wisconsin, known more for
cows and lumberjacks. Surprisingly, rodeos and horse shows are popular here in
western Wisconsin, so I do have a little firsthand research under my belt from
talking to horsey people. The trick with making settings and people believable
and relatable is that you provide enough information that people recognize
something universal about a place or a person in your book. My readers don’t
have to have visited Wildhorse Butte to get a picture of it. I tell you Crazy
Creek is south of Gillette off Highway 59, and you can look it up. Every reader
knows people with deep hurts and secrets, who have been disillusioned. Some
make the best of their circumstances, like Leah, who was abandoned, or so she
assumed, and raised in a good enough caring foster home. But she still seeks a
family of her own, and answers to why her mother left her. You want to cheer
for characters like that. Others can’t seem to figure out what to do with the
golden spoon they hold, like Noel, who couldn’t run from farming fast enough
into the world of big business. When that world turns on him, Noel goes home
with a plan. But when he arrives home to a world both different and the same,
he realizes he doesn’t have to play the big man and take care of everyone else.
They all need to take care of each other.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.25in;">
Novellas are big short stories.
And like all stories, no matter how long or short, they all need a starting
point, a sustainable middle, and a satisfying ending. The side stories in Crazy
Creek Christmas are today’s issues: people who must adapt to being
differently-abled when they lose a limb; and immigrating guest workers who have
good jobs here in the States and want the chance to pay it back, as well as
provide the best life they can for their families. Such issues don’t involve
sides, they demand our empathy, our sympathy, our respect.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.25in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="text-indent: 0.25in;">That’s a lot to pack into a quick
little holiday read. I hope Crazy Creek Christmas will stick with you, and give
you something to talk about when you get together with family this year.</span><span style="text-indent: 0in;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<b>Enjoy this Excerpt</b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
Leah turned to the porch of the big,
low, rambling log house now occupied by a scowling man piled into a wheelchair
like so much pot pie dough. She squinted. Maybe it was the amount of raggedy
clothing pooling around him that made him look a part of the machine. His dark
hair was over long and messy, and whiskers that could have been sexy had grown
too long to be a shadow, too short to be a beard. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
Leah looked one last time over her
shoulder at the retreating cloud of the Wimmers headed for the border—uh,
Arizona—and took in a deep, steadying breath. She pushed open the gate and
tried to stride confidently for the porch and, she assumed, her new boss.
Temporary boss. Leah could handle anything fora few months. Cooking for cowboys
had to be better than dodging lonesome long-haul trucker pinches and a boss
who’d fired her for not being friendly enough. Landing in Crazy Creek while
headed west from Minnesota had seemed fitting last summer. Until Cupcake
mentioned he’d be shutting the café for the winter—the café where she worked
baking, packing catering boxes, serving and cleaning up…and slept in the tiny
back apartment. She couldn’t stay in the back of the empty restaurant, Cupcake
told her. They were leaving the utilities at minimum while they were
gone…unless Leah could pay… <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
No, she couldn’t. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
The Rocking J Ranch a couple miles
down Highway 50 happened to need a cook.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
Cupcake was a liar. The Rocking J
Ranch needed a lot more than a cook. Flower beds surrounding the porch were
obscured by tall, dried weeds. The lawn hadn’t been trimmed in forever, and out
of the corner of her eye, Leah noted honest-to-goodness movie set tumbleweeds
blowing across abandoned gravel paths that wound between buildings. Dark clouds
decorated the sky, adding to Cupcake’s untruth. This atmosphere did not agree
with the song lyrics of the sky being not cloudy all day. A snowflake passed
before her eyes, followed by a dozen more. <o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<br style="text-align: center;" /></div>Lisa Lickelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07798980644446426574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32770572.post-69207590243630775602011-03-20T17:37:00.000-05:002020-02-27T09:32:06.948-06:00The Map Quilt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img height="320" src="https://dwtr67e3ikfml.cloudfront.net/bookCovers/7f3946fd2917ea92117957fd3b2df2e074cde85a-thumb" width="212" /></div>
<br />
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">The Map Quilt</span></strong><br />
<b>Book 2 in the Buried Treasure Mysteries</b><br />
<br />
Originally published May 4, 2012 as an
electronic book from MuseItUp Books, Canada<br />
Released by Fox Ridge Publications, updated in 2020<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua";">308 pp.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua";">$12.95 Print from <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0857BFYJS" target="_blank">Amazon</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua";">$2.99 eBook</span><br />
<br />
<strong>About the Book:</strong><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
Death in rural Wisconsin is only the
beginning to new chaos in Robertsville. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
What do a stolen piece of
revolutionary agricultural equipment, a long-buried skeleton in the yard, and
an old quilt with secrets have in common? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
Hart and Judy Wingate, who met
in The Last Bequest, are back to solve the mystery of The Map Quilt. Hart’s
new battery design could forever change the farm implement industry. But after
the death of Hart’s most confrontational colleague in a fire that destroys
Hart’s workshop, the battery is missing.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<span style="text-indent: 0in;">Throw in a guest speaker invited to
Judy’s elementary classroom who insists she owns the land under Hart’s chief
competitor’s corporate headquarters, and a police chief who’s making eyes at
Hart’s widowed mother, it’s no wonder Hart is under a ton of pressure to make
sure his adventurous pregnant wife stays safe while trying to preserve his
company and his reputation.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br />
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua";"></span>
<strong style="font-family: "book antiqua", serif;">Read an <a href="http://www.lisalickel.com/2011/01/excerpt-from-map-quilt.html" target="_blank">excerpt</a></strong><br />
<b>Thoughtful Reader Guide <a href="http://www.lisalickel.com/2011/02/discussion-guide-for-map-quilt.html" target="_blank">Questions</a></b><br />
<br />
<b>Tell me more about</b> <a href="http://www.lisalickel.com/2010/01/history-of-cheyenne-valley-wisconsin.html" target="_blank">Algie Shivers and Cheyenne Valley</a><br />
<b>Tell me more about</b> <a href="http://www.lisalickel.com/2010/01/map-quilts-underground-railroad.html" target="_blank">map quilts and the Underground Railroad</a><br />
<br /></div>
Lisa Lickelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07798980644446426574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32770572.post-28995853851277333392011-03-20T13:43:00.001-05:002019-12-07T15:22:49.530-06:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Reader’s Guide Questions for<br />
<em><strong>The Last Bequest</strong></em><br />
by Lisa Lickel<br />
<br />
1. Judy had a fascination with family. Why do you think so? Think about your own family and how you relate to them, both in the past and today. How did/do they influence you?<br />
<br />
2. Why did Judy so firmly believe that Louise’s death was not accidental?<br />
<br />
3. The Gold Standard is a story about losing and finding. What were some of the things that were lost and found?<br />
<br />
4. Bryce and Ardyth had a complicated history. How did their upbringing play into their decisions and misunderstandings? Did you understand and agree with Ardyth’s choice as a teenager? What about Bryce’s decisions?<br />
<br />
5. What was the real reason behind Louise’s death?<br />
<br />
6. Who were the suspects and what were their motives?<br />
<br />
7. Who could Judy trust? Should she have trusted Hart? Who would you have trusted?<br />
<br />
8. Why did Judy wait so long to go back and explore the bomb shelter after the tornado?<br />
<br />
9. What was the significance of the family diaries? Do you think Louise read her mother’s diaries, and if so, why did she keep the secret?<br />
<br />
10. What role did Carranza play?<br />
<br />
11. What was the treasure?<br />
<br />
12. Were you surprised by anything in the story?<br />
<br />
13. How important was the setting?<br />
<br />
14. What standards did each of the characters choose to live by?Lisa Lickelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07798980644446426574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32770572.post-89222792162774650482011-03-20T13:28:00.001-05:002018-01-11T15:35:43.072-06:00Excerpt from The Last BequestAn Excerpt from <em>The Last Bequest </em><br />
copyright by Lisa J Lickel<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Chapter One</b></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">J</span></b>udy Winters made divots
in the lawn with her church shoes, the ones with the high heels she saved to
wear once a week. She stopped her frenetic crisscross pacing under the
clothesline to look at her trail. Hah! She could dethatch the entire yard if
she kept walking. She needed a few minutes away from everyone in the house.
Just a few minutes to grieve alone. And to think about poison.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
Hand at her brow to shield the sun’s harsh light,
Judy surveyed her late aunt’s farm. The half-acre surrounding the house sure
could use work. What had Aunt Louise Jamison done these past two years to allow
her once lovely yard to decline into crabgrass and thistles? Birds might enjoy
the seeds. But only a recent lawn-mowing kept the dandelions from taking over.
Judy brushed a tear off her cheek, wondered inanely who had mowed since
Louise’s death. Certainly not one of her new “earth hugger” friends who’d probably
convinced her that mowing was bad.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
Judy had offered to visit last week when Louise acted
suspiciously lethargic during their Thursday night phone call.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
“Nothing to worry about,” her aunt assured her. “I
don’t want you catching whatever bug I’ve come down with, Judy dear.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
Louise hadn’t answered the phone the next night.
While Judy dithered whether to drive over anyway, she’d received the shocking
phone call from her aunt’s solicitor, Gene Reynolds. “Sorry to inform you, Miss
Winters, but your aunt, Louise Jamison, has died.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
Before Judy could catch a breath, Reynolds continued
in his monotone, “The initial report indicates some kind of poisoning—not sure
what kind.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
What was the saying? That Louise bought the farm?
Judy shook her head. What a horrible way to occupy her thoughts with her
closest living relative freshly buried.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
“Your aunt had gotten into some of those odd nature
food hippy granola crazes, you know,” Mr. Reynolds had said. No, Judy hadn’t
known that. “She even tried to have me invest in some wheat juice thing for
her. I told her I’d research it.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
Wheat juice wouldn’t have killed Aunt Louise.
But—poison? Louise’s condition at the
time of death led the emergency room doctor and the sheriff to suspect a toxic
substance of some kind. She’d obviously been sick and her skin was mottled,
according to the doctor. But Louise was the smartest person Judy knew. Her
demise couldn’t have been accidental, no matter what the doctor thought. Barry
Hutchinson, the chief of police in Robertsville, agreed with Judy. But how to
prove it? The autopsy report with toxicology screen would not be available for
weeks.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
Judy continued to meander through the yard. Walking
might keep her from wailing in grief in front of all these people. Louise had
been all the family she had ever known.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
As she wandered to the back door, Gene Reynolds
propelled himself toward her on feet that were much too dainty to hold up his
great bulk. “Miss Winters, again our condolences.” He took her hand into his pudgy
moist one. Judy steeled herself not to shudder. “I have the legal paperwork
regarding Louise’s estate to go over with you, at your convenience.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
Reynolds’s pupils flickered just enough for her
notice. He has something to gain. Sometimes Judy’s ability to decode body
language came in handy. She’d picked up the trait in one of her continuing
education courses and never seemed to be able to stop “ reading” people
afterward.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
Judy removed her hand from his. “Thank you.” Other
friends followed Reynolds to seek her out before taking their leave. She
accepted a shoulder squeeze from a neighbor, an offering of sympathy, and an
invitation to church while Reynolds stood guard on her right.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
She’d wanted to meet some of those people Louise
gushed about, and wondered now if, in that last phone call, Louise had been
making an excuse to keep her away.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
When they were alone, Judy asked, “Would this
afternoon work out for you, Mr. Reynolds? I don’t want to rush or seem greedy,
but I have two weeks left of the school year in Lewiston, and need to get back
to work.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
“Miss Winters, this afternoon would be fine. How
about I go to the office, pick up the files and return, say in an hour or so?
We can go over everything here.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
“Yes. I appreciate your time.” Judy watched him clasp
his hands together before joining his stately blond wife in the driveway. He
wants something, I can tell.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
She said good bye to the last lingering guest, a
woman dressed wildly in clashing plaids whose name Judy couldn’t conjure. She could
hardly remember the names and faces of Louise’s many friends. If not for Graham
Montgomery standing at her side all day until he had to leave for his own job, she
didn’t know how she would have dealt with her aunt’s untimely and wholly
unexpected death. Graham had not complained once about making small talk with
strangers.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
While she waited for Reynolds to come back, Judy
continued to poke holes in the creeping charley under the clothesline. This was
where they’d found Louise.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
Mr. Reynolds said she’d been into natural foods. The
news reported people always getting some sort of disease from sprouts and what
not. But surely the doctor would have known that.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
No one had removed the laundry Louise carried to the
yard after apparently ingesting some lethal concoction. The basket still sat
near the lilac bush, clothing dried and no doubt hopelessly wrinkled. A yellow
twin sheet that Louise managed to pin up before her collapse snapped in the
stiff breeze. At the resounding echo Judy heard a flutter of cackles from the
chicken coop, built against the barn a few hundred yards behind her. Louise
kept animals on her working farm. Not just the noisy colorful chickens, but
cows, too. Judy visited occasional weekends, and even helped with chores under
Louise’s watchful eyes, but she didn’t have the foggiest idea how to tend to
their general day-to-day care.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
She had given little thought to the farm since rushing
to tiny Robertsville from her home across Wisconsin in Lewiston on learning of
her former guardian’s death, Someone must be caring for the animals, she hoped.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
Judy resumed her agitated pacing, shoving a
bothersome brown wisp of hair behind her ear.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
What was that in the laundry basket? Something moved.
Judy narrowed her eyes. There it was again. A black tipped tail twitched from
the depths of the willow carrier.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
“Carranza! What are you doing in there?” Drat. Judy
had forgotten about the ferocious cat Louise brought when she moved back here.
Carranza obeyed only Louise, and then only when he felt like it. He lifted his
head lazily in her direction and offered the malevolent stare she remembered
well. She shivered.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
“Carranza, please go away,” Judy said weakly, hoping
the animal wouldn’t come her way. He flicked the ear with a bra strap draped
around it. Then he shook his head and blinked before insolently licking an outstretched
paw, claws extended.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
Enough of that. No way was she going to get into a
power struggle with a pet cat. Her class of eighth graders, maybe; felines, no.
Judy turned her back. The air was redolent of fresh-cut alfalfa. Her aunt
rented acreage to a neighbor, Red Hobart who grew it. Judy inhaled enough to
feel dizzy with the fragrance she normally loved. Today the scent nauseated her,
worried as she was about what Mr. Reynolds would tell her.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
Walk! Heading toward the orchard, she almost tripped
on an overturned bucket at the edge of the mown area. Sinking to her knees to
better see what was buried there, Judy pushed aside the foxtails to discover a
tiny rose plant with buds so large they would have tipped the slender stalks
had they had not been held up by the sturdier weeds.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
“Poor thing!” She yanked out some of the taller field
daisies that blocked the sunlight from the roses. “That should help a
little.” She should really try to tidy
all this up and get the yard in shape in case Mr. Reynolds had buyers lined up.
If only she’d known, really taken a good look at how much Louise had needed
help, she would have…would have what? Left her new job and come home like some
little girl who couldn’t make it on her own? She was doing well, handling her
independence. In fact, her principal had recently called her work exemplary.
Her students needed her.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
Judy leaned back on her haunches, face to the sun and
listened. Catbirds in stereo with the tinny peaceful hum of distant cicadas
took her mind off Lewiston and her job. She pushed herself to her feet to
continue her inspection of the overgrown orchard. A flood of childhood memories
of apple blossom petals falling like snow and picking fruit in the fall lulled assailed
her.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
A cloud scuttered overhead. Judy shivered. She rubbed
her arms and checked her watch. Four thirty. Back in the main yard, she stopped
in front of a gnarled stump. A single mossy branch dangled like a broken arm
but bore a number of determined green leaves. Judy smiled and touched the
deeply grooved brown bark. A bee bumbled nearby. She walked around to the other
side where a weathered emblem appeared carved into the trunk and bent low to
trace a misshapen heart.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
“Can I help you, Miss Winters?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
Judy looked up from her vulnerable crouch and froze
at the sight of a well-built young man in aviator sunglasses striding up the
unkempt row. The man came to a halt at the edge of her personal comfort zone.
She watched lines form between his eyes and realized her nervous smirk scored
no points. Not a good way to make a first impression. Or second, since he
apparently knew her name.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
“I don’t think so,” she said in her most polite
voice. Judy pushed herself up and held out her hand. “And you are?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
The man had his hands on his hips. He belatedly
reached out to grab hers. “Hart Wingate. Mine’s the adjoining farm. I helped
Louise, and her father before her, with chores. The police asked me to keep an
eye out for strangers.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
Judy nodded. “Yes. My aunt mentioned she had someone
in to help. I assumed she meant a hired hand. You don’t know what really
happened here, do you?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
“No. I wish I did. And I don’t work for Louise. I
helped her when she needed it. I don’t recall seeing you here before the
funeral.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
Taken aback, Judy opened her mouth to reply that she
hadn’t met him before, either, when they were hailed from the yard.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
“Hello, there! So, you’ve met each other. Good.” Gene
Reynolds, accompanied by Red Hobart who had changed to work coveralls from his
funeral suit, stood waiting for Judy. “Red insisted on joining us, Judy. Says
there’s an important clause in the will that affects him.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
“Hi, Red, Mr. Reynolds.” Judy answered. “So you both
know Mr., ah, Mr.—”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
“Wingate,” Hart supplied, helpfully.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
“Sure, sure,” Red said. “Hart’s been great since even
before Louise moved back home. Mowing, taking care of the cows. Harold couldn’t
manage much anymore, you know. Was glad the girl came home to care for him.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
<i>The girl?</i> <i>If Louise was a girl to Red, what does that
make</i> me? Judy squared her shoulders again. “Red, for pity’s sake, it wasn’t
my fault Louise’s father had those bad lungs. Uncle Harold never said a word
against Louise moving in to take care of me.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
Red folded his arms and spat to the side. Judy
sighed, then slid a glance sideways at her neighbor. So, Hart had mowed. And
did chores. That probably meant she owed him big time. Huh.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
Judy whirled around to face Hart “Thank you for all
of your help. Mr. Reynolds will advise me what to do next, and I’m sure,
contact you. Good bye.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
Reynolds kept quiet after Judy’s little speech. She knew
she’d sounded rude, but this was Louise’s farm, and that Wingate person said he
had his own place next door. He must be busy enough with his own work without
doing double duty.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
Reynolds turned toward the house. “Shall we go,
Judy?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
The big old American Gothic house seemed to leer at
her. Without Louise, Judy felt like an intruder. Two years ago when Judy
started her new job teaching eighth grade, Louise said Judy was now grown and
no longer needed her.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
Louise, Louise. You’re wrong. I need you now.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
Judy was weary with decision making, meeting people
she only vaguely remembered from her childhood, and trying to find a place to
put all the food that arrived daily from well-meaning friends of her aunt.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
People who identified themselves as being from the
state crime lab or the sheriff’s department came twice before the funeral,
asking permission to photograph and take samples from the barn, yard and
kitchen. As a teacher, Judy would have been curious about the work if she hadn’t
been overwhelmed by the reason for their presence. She’d gladly given them the
contents of the refrigerator and pantry, hoping that whatever killed Louise had
been accidental.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
Judy took a critical look around the kitchen while
Reynolds tossed a scuffed leather briefcase onto one of four chrome chairs and then
rubbed his hands. He indicated the room with a generous sweep of his right arm.
“Vintage nineteen fifty. People pay good money for this look nowadays. What you
have here is original.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
She swiveled slowly. Reynolds found the light switch.
An overhead chandelier garlanded with webs cast a hesitant forty-watt dent in
the gloom. Judy noticed flies clustered in corners of the shadowy high
ceilings. Why was it she only noticed the grunge through a guest’s eyes?
Cavernous cupboards overwhelmed a tiny window over the sink. Reynolds pulled
out a chair first for Judy, and then for himself, and began to unpack his case
before sitting. Hobart hooked a seat of his own and straddled it backwards.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
“Here we are,” Reynolds announced, as if they’d all
come from the four corners of the earth. “First, let me tell you that it has
been a pleasure serving your family, and I hope you and I will continue a
long-term relationship.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
“Louise was a truly honest, dedicated farmer and
conservationist, greatly admired by all those in her circle. Upon her father’s
death we drew up a trust to try and prevent some of the unfortunate issues we
encountered with his passing.” Reynolds sorted through files. He halted long
enough to zero in on Judy with his black-framed plastic glasses. “Harold passed
intestate.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
Judy gulped back the giggle at Reynolds’s
pronouncement and quirked an eyebrow in question.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
“That means, he never bothered to put his estate in
order,” the lawyer enunciated critically. “So let us begin.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
A half hour later, Reynolds’s raging torrent of forms
slowed to a trickle. Judy was impressed with the amount of work that went into
preserving the Jamison farmland. However, her aunt’s last wish left her in
consternation: should she choose not to live on and farm the property for at
least three years, it would pass to KOWPIE, a local grassroots organization
specializing in protection of natural areas. Louise’s farm would serve as a
district office.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
“You’ve got to be kidding.” Judy couldn’t believe
she’d heard correctly. “They call themselves cow pie?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
Reynolds frowned behind the glasses. “I believe…ah,
yes. Here. It stands for Keep Our Woods Pristine In Essence. But of course
there are always ways to get around this little hiccup in your inheritance,”
Reynolds said. “Our office also handles real estate, you know, and I can tell
you without reservation that I have a number of qualified offers on the table
from nice people who are eager to make you comfortable. So comfortable you need
never worry about money again if you accept the appropriate deal.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
He pulled a manila folder from his case. “I warned
your aunt against those nutjob nature freaks. I’ve heard rumors about guns and
bombs. They run some sort of military-style training camp to show how regular
folks can create fortresses on their property. Huh—make sure no honest, decent
people can build a new home for themselves wherever they please? This is
America! Anyone can build wherever he wants. Promising to care for the earth.
The earth is here to take care of us, I say.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
Judy stared at her twining fingers resting on the
speckled tabletop. “Do you know any of those people? How did they get Aunt
Louise to sign her property over to them like that? What if I decide I can’t
live here?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
“No, I don’t know them. And I can’t begin to
understand how Louise would have dealt with such riff-raff.” Reynolds
punctuated the word with a sharp grimace. Judy noticed something else about
Reynolds’s expression; a twitch of wiry black nose hair, gone in an instant.
He’s lying. Why would he lie?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
She closed her eyes, recalling the sound of Louise’s
voice during a previous visit. “I practically had to call the police the last
time. Those land-hungry grubbers drove right up my driveway, pounded on the
door bold as brass. Man in a suit told me he wanted to buy just a little of my
land. I’m sick and tired of those fools. Strangers. From Chicago. Imagine,
anyone just waltzing around the neighborhood asking to buy a stranger’s land. A
person can’t even expect privacy on his own property anymore.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
Judy focused on the lawyer. “Thank you, Mr. Reynolds.
I don’t think my aunt wanted that.” Reynolds’s little black pupils flickered
with greater wattage than all the bulbs of the chandelier. Judy felt certain
Reynolds included himself as one of those nice people who would like the right
to develop her farm into neat little subdivisions. Probably with a playground
and a gas station and a dog park. Carranza’d love that. “What about Mr.
Hobart’s claim?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
Hobart hadn’t said a word during the whole
presentation. Judy would have forgotten his presence if not for the emanation
of machine grease and manure competing with alfalfa coming from his person.
Somehow, that smell made the kitchen feel more like home than Reynolds’s musky
cologne.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
Red Hobart’s family farm sprawled over four hundred
acres across the country lane. Judy had heard the Hobart name mentioned by
Louise and her father Harold for as long as she could remember. The Hobarts and
Jamisons had lived and farmed together for generations.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
“See, Miss Judy,” Hobart began in his rural drawl, “the
Hobarts did a favor for the Jamisons long time ago. Long time. In exchange for
this favor, the Jamisons promised that southwest forty to the Hobarts whenever
this here farm passed from Jamison hands.” Judy folded her arms. She could hear
the next line. Hobart’s mouth formed the words, as if he chewed on a long stem
of grass. “You, ma’am, are not a Jamison.” He ducked his head to pinch an ant
crawling up his bib, and then targeted her again in his sights. “No offense.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
Judy had been more offended by the “ma’am.” She hated
being “ma’am’d.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
“Now, Red, strictly speaking, that’s not true,” Reynolds
cut in. “Miss Winters, here, is a Jamison relation on her mother’s side.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
“So far back it don’t matter. Hardly more’n a drop.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
“Nevertheless, you are not entitled to that forty
based on this clause, which says, and I quote, ‘If said property passes out of
the hands of any Jamison heirs or such heirs do not farm said property, the
southwest quarter of the southwest quarter of section twenty-one shall be given
to descendants of Clem Hobart to be used for his own purposes in gratitude for
aid given during dangerous times.’ End quote.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
“Right.” Hobart pounded the table. “And I claim my
promise now. If Missy Winters here ain’t gonna farm, I got my rights to that
forty.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
Judy leaned forward, placing herself between the two
men who’d subconsciously moved closer to each other during their exchange.
“Please! Mr. Reynolds, Mr. Hobart. I haven’t decided for sure yet, but I may
stay here the summer while I work on my master’s degree. I want time to
consider all the ramifications of my actions. Since I see that rental payment
for the cropland covers the taxes, and my needs are few, I should be able to
take enough time to make a good decision. One that will benefit everyone
involved.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
Reynolds fixed Hobart with a glinty glare. “Judy may
need to make some decisions soon regarding renters.” He addressed Judy next.
“If you recall what I showed you earlier and take note of the due date, you’ll
see that the rent payments are in arrears. Have been for a while, as a matter
of fact.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
Hobart eyeballed Reynolds back. Judy studied them
both, fascinated. Until she realized they were talking about money Red owed
her. How much? And why is he desperate for forty measly acres?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
Reynolds didn’t give an inch. “Louise was too
easygoing in those matters. We can talk more about that later.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
Hobart blinked first. He took his leave with stiff
formality, even tipping his John Deere cap in Judy’s direction as she saw him
out. When Judy returned to the table, Reynolds indicated three sets of keys.
“Here are the keys the police put in my hands after the sheriff completed the
initial investigation.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
Judy had used her own key when she first arrived and had
never considered who closed up the outbuildings after Louise’s body was
removed.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
“As you can see, these are marked for the house,
these, the barn, and these, here,”— Reynolds jiggled an old-fashioned ring with
extra-large keys— “are for the garage and car. Harold had a nice Monte Carlo
that your aunt drove, I believe. Anyway, it’s all yours now.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
“Thank you.” Another thought occurred to her. “Mr.
Reynolds?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
The balding man looked up and peered at her through
his plastic bifocals. He blinked. Judy was reminded of a picture of an owl in
glasses she’d once seen.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
“Yes?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
“Well, I wondered whether you knew if anyone else had
any keys. Any of the neighbors?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
Reynolds cleared his throat. “That, I wouldn’t know.”
He looked back down at the papers in his hands. “I nearly forgot this last
item. The stock report.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
“Stocks?” Judy said. “I didn’t know Louise owned any
company stocks.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
Mr. Reynolds looked at her over the top of his
reading glasses. “Animals.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
Judy felt her cheeks warm. “Oh. Just before you came,
out there in the orchard…that man—”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
“Hart Wingate.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
“Right. He said he’d been doing chores. Louise told
me she had some help, but I didn’t pay attention at the time,” Judy said. She
lowered her gaze to the chipped tabletop. “I assumed my aunt had a handyman or
something. Mr. Wingate is renting Bryce Edwards’ farm, isn’t he?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
“That’s right. I’ve been working with Country
Properties LLC for some time, trying to encourage Edwards to sell now that he’s
moved into town.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
“What’s Country Properties?” Judy asked.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
“Developers. Of course, any zoning change out here
has to go through the town board. This farm is out of city jurisdiction, young
lady. The board president, Slim Hobart, Red’s cousin, and I don’t always see
eye to eye on coming changes. I strongly recommend you make a deal quickly.
It’s your land now. You don’t have to listen to Hobart or the KOWPIE folks.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
<i>Or you?</i>
Judy eyed him. Reynolds began to straighten out the papers on the table. “Just
remember, this is one hot property.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
Judy was more than ready to end the discussion about
her inheritance. She wanted to look at the papers. Alone. She didn’t
particularly care for his little smile, little eyes, and bulging belly that
rolled over his pants. “Thank you. Anyway, where do I sign then, about taking
over title?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
“Right here, young lady.” Reynolds pointed to the
yellow stickers attached at the proper lines. “And, here,” he shuffled some
more papers, watching her intently. “And, here.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
When Judy finished, she extended the stick pen.
“Well, all right. Mr. Reynolds. I appreciate the house call, and all. Um, who
should I call about taking care of the…stock when I’m gone?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
“Best to ask Wingate. He knows the place, been doing
it regular already.” Reynolds stuffed papers into the worn calfskin case. He
nodded down toward the Formica tabletop. “There’s my card. Call me when you’re
ready to sell.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
Judy stood on the drive long after his taillights
disappeared. Purple twilight gradually made shadows of the fence posts. A flock
of sparrows settled on power lines across the road. She had never felt so
alone. At the sound of footsteps crunching in the gravel behind her, she tensed
before turning around.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
“Oh, you scared me,” she said, letting her shoulders
slump when she recognized her neighbor. “I apologize for sounding rude earlier.
I really am grateful for all you’ve done to help us out.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
“No need to
apologize,” Hart Wingate replied. “If you need anything, don’t hesitate to let
me know.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
“As a matter of fact, I wonder…if you have time. That
is, would you consider continuing to do the chores while I’m gone? Or help me
find someone I can hire? I have to go home for a couple of weeks, for my job.
But I think I’ll come back.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
“You’re a teacher, right?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
Judy nodded. “Yep. School’s out first Friday in
June.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
They regarded the roosting birds for a quiet moment.
“I’m happy to help. Louise and I worked together with the cattle. When you
return I’d like to discuss our agreement with you. Louise was an interesting
woman. We had some good conversations, and she taught me a lot about respecting
our heritage.” He smiled briefly. “Even though she managed to ruffle some
feathers by her obsession with recycling, I’ll miss her.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 24.75pt;">
Judy didn’t recall her aunt talking about a cattle
deal in the papers she’d just signed, but decided she was too exhausted to think
about it now. Three years she’d need to give. Could she do that? What about her
job? And what did Hart mean, Louise obsessed with recycling? How could sorting
one’s aluminum and newspaper be considered obsessive? She and Louise naturally
did that at home in Lewiston. Didn’t anyone believe in recycling in the
country?<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Aunt Louise gave up a lot to raise me. She never
married or had children of her own, spent her adulthood raising me. She barely
got to spend any time back here before she died. Being cut down at fifty-four
is no reward for the sacrifice she made on my behalf. It all happened so fast,
I hardly know how to feel.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“All my aunt wanted was to come back here and live
out a peaceful life. I need to know why she died. Maybe just for my own
satisfaction. Maybe so nothing like this happens to anyone else.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Hart seemed lost in thought. “I can’t help you there.
I am angry, I admit, but I don’t know what I can do to help.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Judy hugged her elbows tight. “That’s all right. I
shouldn’t be bothering you about my personal business anyway. I’ll check into
your cow deal. Don’t worry.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Don’t let me keep you from phoning your boyfriend, or
anything like that.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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“I don’t have a boyfriend,” Judy heard someone say in
her voice. What? She blinked. Graham was her boyfriend, wasn’t he? Why would
she deny it? She cleared her throat. “At least, I’ve only been dating someone
for a couple of months. Graham’s been great. A shoulder for me to lean on when
I needed him.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Apparently Louise didn’t see it that way. I was here
last week when he showed up. She ordered him to turn right around and leave.”<o:p></o:p></div>
Lisa Lickelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07798980644446426574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32770572.post-73785166114652610572011-03-17T13:45:00.000-05:002012-09-12T07:30:57.390-05:00Recipes from The Last Bequest<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Recipes from <em>The Last Bequest</em></strong></span><br />
by Lisa Lickel<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="color: purple; font-size: large;">Hart’s Focaccia Bread </span></strong><br />
<br />
By Hand:<br />
1 c. warm water<br />
1 pkg dry yeast<br />
Let these two work until bubbly<br />
Add: 3 1/4 cups flour, more or less, to make dough<br />
1 T sugar<br />
1 tsp salt<br />
2 T. Extra virgin full fat olive oil<br />
Variations: add ¼ cup dried tomato to the dough, and/or flaked onion, or dried chili peppers to taste<br />
.<br />
Knead 12-15 minutes until elastic – pinch of dough doesn’t break from ball.<br />
On a greased cookie sheet, press dough into a firm, flat 12-inch circle. Let raise 20 minutes.<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="color: purple;">The topping:</span></strong><br />
Focaccia can be flavored with various herbs and cheeses. The key is to use a good olive oil base.<br />
To approximately ¼ cup olive oil, add your choice of herbs to taste. Some variations include 2 T. grated Parmesan or Romano, or finely grated yellow cheeses, minced garlic clove, up to 2 tsp. rosemary or other herbs such as oregano and basil as desired. <br />
Poke holes evenly across the top of the circle, approximately at one-inch intervals, using the round handle of a wooden spoon. Brush your olive oil mixture thickly over the top.<br />
Bake in preheated oven set to 400 degrees for about 15 minutes, until browned.<br />
The dough can also be made in a standard bread machine:<br />
7 ½ ounces warm water, 3 cups bread flour, 2 T. dried milk, 1 T. sugar, 1 tsp. salt, 3 tsp. margarine or butter, 2 tsp. dry yeast. <br />
<br />
When dough cycle is finished, remove from pan, knead on a floured surface a couple of minutes, and proceed as above.<br />
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<strong><span style="color: purple; font-size: large;">Church Potato Salad for a crowd </span></strong><br />
Yield: approximately thirty servings. <br />
<br />
10 lb potatoes – peeled either completely, or 2/3 if using red potatoes, to keep some color. Cut into 1 inch or so cubes and boil 15-20 minutes – test for doneness with a fork. Don’t over cook or you’ll have a starchy mess. You can also cube potatoes after boiling – cook longer if leaving uncut.<br />
Add: 2 cups salad dressing/mayonnaise, 1 large sweet Vidalia onion, finely chopped, 8-10 hardboiled, peeled and chopped eggs, 10 chopped radishes, 3-4 stalks chopped celery, T. salt to taste, 1 T. dry mustard to taste, 1 tsp. pepper to taste<br />
<br />
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<strong><span style="color: purple; font-size: large;">Ruth Harris’s Carrot Cake </span></strong><br />
<br />
1 1/3 cup good canola or salad oil<br />
2 c. sugar (using raw sugar makes for a rich caramel flavor)<br />
3 c. grated peeled or washed well fresh carrots<br />
4 eggs, slightly beaten<br />
Sift together:<br />
2 cups flour<br />
2 tsp. baking powder<br />
2 tsp. baking soda<br />
2 tsp. cinnamon<br />
1 tsp. salt<br />
May add 1 cup chopped pecans, ½ cup golden raisins if desired<br />
<br />
Combine first four ingredients in a large bowl; stir in dry ingredients, beating well. <br />
Pour into well greased 9 x 13 pan.<br />
Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for about an hour. Cool thoroughly before frosting.<br />
Serves 12<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="color: purple;">Cream cheese frosting: </span></strong><br />
1 8-oz package softened cream cheese<br />
¼ c. softened margarine or butter<br />
Approximately 2 2/3 cups powdered sugar, enough to make a creamy frosting<br />
½ tsp. vanilla<br />
Beat well. Frost thickly when cake is cool.<br />
<br />
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<strong><span style="color: purple; font-size: large;">Ardyth’s Real Lemonade </span></strong><br />
<br />
Ardyth makes a quart at a time, but you can easily double the recipe.<br />
She squeezes four large lemons, or five medium-sized ones, into her quart jar, adds about half a cup of sugar and fills it up with water and ice cubes, mixing well. She’s also been known to slice fresh strawberries into the jar, as well as crushed fresh mint leaves. <br />
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<strong><span style="color: purple; font-size: large;">Judy’s Chicken Casserole </span></strong><br />
<br />
Judy had always heard that salt was bad for you, and she had never heard of savory, and couldn’t find paprika or pepper in Louise’s kitchen. Besides, they were such small amounts, what difference did it make? <br />
<br />
If Judy followed the recipe, she would have made this:<br />
1 large chicken breast, cooked and cubed<br />
2 T. diced onion<br />
1 large carrot, peeled and sliced<br />
1 large potato, peeled and cubed<br />
1 can of green beans, any style<br />
1 can 98% fat free cream of chicken soup<br />
1 1/2 tsp each: salt, parsley <br />
½ tsp savory<br />
½ tsp. course ground black pepper<br />
Sprinkle top with paprika<br />
<br />
Mix in a 1 ½ quart casserole dish. Bake in 350 degree oven for 45 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Serves 5Lisa Lickelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07798980644446426574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32770572.post-47164927952905314122011-03-16T15:45:00.000-05:002019-05-17T21:34:43.949-05:00<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">APPENDIX A – TECHNIQUES FOR BRAIN STORMING</span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">CHANGE SOMETHING</b></div>
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Give your character a new or a different sub-set of directions or goals</div>
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Introduce a different character; change the tension or the setting or the season</div>
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Change a piece of furniture or picture in the house</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">DO SOMETHING</b></div>
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Physical activity can stir up ideas – get that adrenaline flowing:</div>
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Go for a walk, pacing around your house or yard, treadmill or exercise equipment <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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In season activities such as mowing, raking, shoveling, gardening</div>
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Cooking, cleaning</div>
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Visit a park or store and people watch</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">FREE WRITE/THINK</b></div>
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Set a timer for a half-hour and simply write about anything that comes into your mind – no rules, no <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>grammar, no goals, no editing</div>
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Set a timer and simply allow your mind to wander</div>
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Set a timer and surf the Internet</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">From MindTools.com</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Define the problem you want solved clearly, and lay out any criteria to be met. Make it clear that that the objective of the meeting is to generate as many ideas as possible.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Encourage people to develop other people's ideas, or to use other ideas to create new ones.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Let people have fun brainstorming. Encourage them to come up with as many ideas as possible, from solidly practical ones to wildly impractical ones. Welcome creativity!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Ensure that no train of thought is followed for too long. Make sure that you generate a sufficient number of different ideas, as well as exploring individual ideas in detail.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">From http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/perform/brainstorm.html</span></b></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: 11pt;">"Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration." </span></i><span style="font-size: 11pt;">-- Thomas Alva Edison </span></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=32770572" name="what_is"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">What is Brainstorming?</span></i></a><span style="mso-bookmark: what_is;"></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> Brainstorming is a process for developing creative solutions to problems. Alex FaickneyOsborn, an advertising manager, popularized the method in 1953 in his book, Applied Imagination. </span></i></h3>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Brainstorming works by focusing on a problem, and then deliberately coming up with as many solutions as possible and by pushing the ideas as far as possible. One of the reasons it is so effective is that the brainstormers not only come up with new ideas in a session, but also <b>spark off </b>from associations with other people's ideas by developing and refining them. There are four basic rules in brainstorming (Osborn, 1963) intended to reduce social inhibitions among team members, stimulate idea generation, and increase overall creativity:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><strong><span style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">No criticism</span></strong><span style="font-size: 11pt;">: Criticism of ideas are withheld during the brainstorming session as the purpose is on generating varied and unusual ideals and extending or adding to these ideas. This allows the members to feel comfortable with the idea of generating unusual ideas.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><strong><span style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Welcome unusual ideas</span></strong><span style="font-size: 11pt;">: Unusual ideas are welcomed as it is normally easier to "tame down" than to "tame up" as new ways of thinking and looking at the world may provide better solutions.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><strong><span style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Quantity Wanted</span></strong><span style="font-size: 11pt;">: The greater the number of ideas generated, the greater the chance of producing a radical and effective solution.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><strong><span style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Combine and improve ideas</span></strong><span style="font-size: 11pt;">: Not only are a variety of ideals wanted, but also ways to combine ideas in order to make them better.</span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Brainstorming Steps for a group:</span></i><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">(Abbreviated)</span></i></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Gather the participants from as wide a range of disciplines with as broad a range of experience as possible. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Write down a brief description of the problem - the leader should take control of the session, initially defining the problem to be solved with any criteria that must be met.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Use the description to get everyone's mind clear of what the problem is and post it where it can be seen. This helps in keeping the group focused. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Encourage a fun, enthusiastic, uncritical attitude </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Write down all the solutions that come to mind. Do NOT interpret the idea, however you may rework the wording for clarity's sake. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Do NOT evaluate ideas until the session moves to the evaluation phase. Once the brainstorming session has been completed, the results of the session can be analyzed and the best solutions can be explored.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Do NOT censor any solution, no matter how silly it sounds. </span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Brainstorming Variations </span></i></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">One approach is to <i>seed </i>the session with a word or sentence pulled randomly from a dictionary or other book. Use this word as a starting point in the process of generating ideas. You may have seen this on Facebook.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Keep all the generated ideas visible. As a flip chart page becomes full, remove it from the pad and tape it to a wall as that it is visible. This "combined recollection" is helpful for creating new ideals. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">If the brainstormers have difficulty in coming up with solutions, you may have to restate the problem in a different context, such as using metaphors or linking it to own knowledge. </span></div>
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<span style="mso-bookmark: radical;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Radical Thinking and Successful Brainstorming</span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 11pt;"></span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00000DMBQ/bigdogsbowlofbis" target="_blank"></a>One often used technique for generating new ideals in a brainstorming session is to pick up a dictionary and toss out a random word. However, there is a better way to provide a climate of creativity. There is a game called <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Hasbro-C1939-Cranium-Game/dp/B01NCV05QJ" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: windowtext;">Cranium</span></b></a> that does a good job of using the various parts of the mind. You sketch, sculpt, draw with your eyes, use your knowledge, unscramble words, spell, hum, whistle, impersonate, etc. in order to get your team member(s) to discover the secret word or phrase. </span></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=32770572" name="box"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Out of the Box</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 11pt;"></span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;">"Thinking out of the box" is often used over, but you need radical thinking generators to reach a high creative level: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Diverse thinking styles. You need lively discussions, not "Leave It to Beaver" dinner talk. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Stimulus to spark the mind — activities that will get the creative juices flowing, such as the Cranium game or other random objects. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;">This is truly "thinking out of the box" as it provides an environment that uses everyone's thinking styles, rather than telling them to change their thinking style. When you tell people "to come out of the box," you are basically saying that you want them to be the same box as you. Now why would we go to all that trouble of getting a diverse workforce and then cloning everyone into the same style? When you provide a creative environment, instead of trying to change a person, you get the real person! When you get real persons into open, trusting environments with creative activities, you get radical thinking. And when you get radical thinking, you get the next great ideal for your organization! </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11pt;"><b>How to Stop Great Ideas</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">"Inventions reached their limit long ago, and I see no hope for further development," - Julius Frontinus in the first century A.D. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">"A cookie store is a bad idea. Besides, the market research reports say America likes crispy cookies, not soft and chewy cookies like you make." - Response to Debbi Fields' idea of starting Mrs. Fields' Cookies. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">"Drill for oil? You mean drill into the ground to try and find oil? You're crazy." - Drillers who Edwin L. Drake tried to enlist to his project to drill for oil in 1859 </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">"The concept is interesting and well-formed, but in order to earn better than a 'C,' the idea must be feasible." - A Yale University management professor in response to Fred Smith's paper proposing reliable overnight delivery service. (Smith went on to found Federal Express Corp.) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">"Who the hell wants to hear actors talk?" - H.M. Warner, Warner Brothers, 1927. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">"We don't like their sound, and guitar music is on the way out." - Decca Recording Co. rejecting the Beatles, 1962. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers." - Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943 </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">"640K ought to be enough for anybody." - Bill Gates, 1981 </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">"This 'telephone' has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication. The device is inherently of no value to us." - Western Union internal memo, 1876. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">"The wireless music box has no imaginable commercial value. Who would pay for a message sent to nobody in particular?" - David Sarnoff's associates in response to his urgings for investment in the radio in the 1920s. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">"I have traveled the length and breadth of this country and talked with the best people, and I can assure you that data processing is a fad that won't last out the year." - The editor in charge of business books for Prentice Hall, 1957 </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">"But what ... is it good for?" - Engineer at the Advanced Computing Systems Division of IBM, 1968, commenting on the microchip. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">"Computers in the future may weigh no more than 1.5 tons." - Popular Mechanics, forecasting the relentless march of science, 1949 </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">"There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home." - Ken Olson, president, chairman and founder of Digital Equipment Corp., 1977. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">"Professor Goddard does not know the relation between action and reaction and the need to have something better than a vacuum against which to react. He seems to lack the basic knowledge ladled out daily in high schools." - 1921 New York Times editorial about Robert Goddard's revolutionary rocket work. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">"I assure you, Marlon Brando will not appear in this film, " said a Paramount Studio exec about the casting of The Godfather. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">"This 'telephone' has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication. The device is inherently of no value to us." - Western Union internal memo, 1876. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">After Fred Astair's first screen test in 1933, the MGM testing director wrote a memo saying, "Can't act. Slightly bald. Can dance a little. " Astaire got the memo and kept it over his fireplace. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">An expert said of football coach Vince Lombardi, "He possesses minimal football knowledge. Lacks motivation." </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">"So we went to Atari and said, 'Hey, we've got this amazing thing, even built with some of your parts, and what do you think about funding us? Or we'll give it to you. We just want to do it. Pay our salary, we'll come work for you.' And they said, 'No.' So then we went to Hewlett-Packard, and they said, 'Hey, we don't need you. You haven't got through college yet.'" - Apple Computer Inc. founder Steve Jobs on attempts to get Atari and H-P interested in his and Steve Wozniak's personal computer. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">"I'm just glad it'll be Clark Gable who's falling on his face and not Gary Cooper," explained Gary Cooper on his refusal to take the leading role in "Gone With The Wind." </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">"If I had thought about it, I wouldn't have done the experiment. The literature was full of examples that said you can't do this." - Spencer Silver on the work that led to the unique adhesives for 3-M's Post-It notes </span></div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"></a>Lisa Lickelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07798980644446426574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32770572.post-79929794822854674842011-03-15T15:38:00.001-05:002022-08-29T10:23:03.660-05:00Meow Missing<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuRaYCV7irEYfUPD0sRLNsdnI-mkjJZ-seQIvXNb2T15cpNa62QbHgvd_85EjMIRRN3v6Z4CAiCUIKZ8aTbf_AYCexGGIAWQqxN2GyMhIvifBmhc7yJeH2uNpCjywQJsEcKfRBZMc5JqUgq0I4vsIT_CT8YOzjmbADyE0BaZl0IZJJZbXw6pg/s2550/mmissing%20cover%202022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2550" data-original-width="1647" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuRaYCV7irEYfUPD0sRLNsdnI-mkjJZ-seQIvXNb2T15cpNa62QbHgvd_85EjMIRRN3v6Z4CAiCUIKZ8aTbf_AYCexGGIAWQqxN2GyMhIvifBmhc7yJeH2uNpCjywQJsEcKfRBZMc5JqUgq0I4vsIT_CT8YOzjmbADyE0BaZl0IZJJZbXw6pg/s320/mmissing%20cover%202022.jpg" width="207" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="font-size: x-large; text-indent: 0in;">Fourth in the Meow Cozy Inspirational Mystery series!</b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Introducing Fairlane, a new cozy Sphynx</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AglhjAhlK3A/XnkiCa7J93I/AAAAAAAAIcs/kYAZZO8Chlket7tAxyZBdNU-TOTBEItPQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/cropped%2Bsphynx.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="829" data-original-width="1126" height="235" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AglhjAhlK3A/XnkiCa7J93I/AAAAAAAAIcs/kYAZZO8Chlket7tAxyZBdNU-TOTBEItPQCNcBGAsYHQ/s320/cropped%2Bsphynx.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Meow Missing</i></b></span><o:p></o:p></div>
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book 4 in the
Fancy Cat series<o:p></o:p></div>
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March
23, 2020<o:p></o:p></div>
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Fox Ridge
Publications<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: times;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Print ISBN <o:p></o:p></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #21282d; text-align: left;">9781088046401</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: times;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ebook ISBN <o:p></o:p></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #21282d;">9781088051924</span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">304 pp </span><span style="text-indent: 0in;">Print $14.99 </span><span style="text-indent: 0in;">Ebook $5.99</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Available on<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 0in;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Meow-Missing-Lisa-J-Lickel-ebook/dp/B0BBSMGL82" target="_blank">Amazon</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 0in;"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/meow-missing-lisa-j-lickel/1136787032?ean=9781088046401" target="_blank">Barnes and Noble</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 0in;"><a href="https://books.apple.com/gb/book/meow-missing/id1505434051?ign-gact=1" target="_blank">Apple</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 0in;"><a href="https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/meow-missing-2" target="_blank">Kobo</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;"><a href="https://www.fantasticfiction.com/l/lisa-j-lickel/meow-missing.htm" style="text-indent: 0in;" target="_blank">Fantastic Fiction</a></div>
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<span style="text-indent: 0in;"><i><b>Join Ivy and her aunt and uncle as they seek justice for their new South
American friends in the fair trade coffee industry.</b></i></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">About the Book<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">When newlywed Ivy’s mother shares disturbing news about her sister-in-law,
Ivy vows to find her missing aunt and her aunt’s mysterious husband.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Home in Apple Grove after a shortened honeymoon, Ivy is confronted with
her first quandary of married life: admit to her husband that she picked up a
piece of garbage that turns out to be the tip of the iceberg of an
international smuggling ring, or toss the evidence? While seeking advice from
her mom, retired criminal studies professor Geneva Preston, Ivy learns her aunt
is missing in South America. Ivy wants to help, but her new husband convinces
her to let the authorities handle the situation while they prepare for their
first Apple Fest.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Ivy happens upon a robbery and is kidnapped by desperados demanding a
response to the terrible plight of itinerant coffee workers. During her
captivity she meets a man who claims to be her long-absent uncle. Can she trust
him and his plot to find her Aunt Chris after they’re rescued?</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Smugglers, itinerant coffee workers, fair trade labeling practices, Apple
Fest, and more drama with Ivy’s former fiancé Stanley are the latest wrinkles
in Ivy and Adam’s life. When they get to settle down to enjoy their new
marriage is anyone’s guess.</span><o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Read an excerpt - coming</span></div>
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<span class="MsoHyperlink"><b><a href="https://www.lisalickel.com/2011/01/apple-grove.html" target="_blank">Don’t forget to visit the Apple Grove web page</a></b></span><br />
<span class="MsoHyperlink"><br /></span>
<span class="MsoHyperlink">Learn about Sphynx cats - coming</span></div>
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<b style="text-indent: 0in;"><a href="https://www.lisalickel.com/2011/01/egyptian-mau-cats.html" target="_blank">And learn about Egyptian Mau cats</a></b></div>
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<br />Lisa Lickelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07798980644446426574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32770572.post-90442284320291114092011-03-14T15:48:00.001-05:002011-04-06T15:50:13.131-05:00<div class="WordSection1"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">APPENDIX B – PLOTS in LITERATURE</b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">People often say that there are only a certain number of basic plots in all of literature, and that any story is really just a variation on these plots. Depending on how detailed they want to make a "basic" plot, different writers have offered a variety of solutions.</span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><h3 style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><a href="" name="1"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">1 Plot:</span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Attempts to find the number of basic plots in literature cannot be resolved any more tightly than to describe a single basic plot. Foster-Harris claims that all plots stem from conflict. He describes this in terms of what the main character feels: "I have an inner conflict of emotions, feelings.... What, in any case, can I do to resolve the inner problems?"</span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">(p. 30-31) <cite><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">A Handbook to Literature</span></cite>. 6th ed. NY: Macmillan Pub Co, 1992.)</span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> </span></h3><h3 style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"></span> </h3><h3 style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><a href="" name="3"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">3 Plots:</span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Foster-Harris. <cite><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The Basic Patterns of Plot.</span></cite> Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1959. Foster-Harris contends that there are three basic patterns of plot (p. 66): </span></h3><h3 style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"></span> </h3><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">1. "Type A, happy ending"; Foster-Harris argues that the "Type A" pattern results when the central character (which he calls the "I-nitial" character) makes a sacrifice (a decision that seems logically "wrong") for the sake of another. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">2. "Type B, unhappy ending"; when the "I-nitial" character does what seems logically "right" and fails to make the needed sacrifice.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">3. "Type C,’ the literary plot, in which, no matter whether we start from the happy or the unhappy fork, proceeding backwards we arrive inevitably at the question, where we stop to wail." This pattern requires more explanation (Foster-Harris devotes a chapter to the literary plot.) In short, the "literary plot" hinges on fate; in it, the critical event takes place at the beginning of the story rather than the end. What follows from that event is inevitable, often tragedy. (This in fact coincides with the classical Greek notion of tragedy.) </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><h3 style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><a href="" name="7"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">7 Plots</span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> </span></h3><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">7 basic plots as remembered from second grade by IPL volunteer librarian Jessamyn West: </span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">[wo]man vs. nature </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">[wo]man vs. [wo]man </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">[wo]man vs. the environment </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">[wo]man vs. machines/technology </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">[wo]man vs. the supernatural </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">[wo]man vs. self </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">[wo]man vs. god/religion </span></div><h3 style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </h3><h3 style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><a href="" name="20"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">20 Plots:</span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> </span></h3><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Tobias, Ronald B. </span></strong><cite><b><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">20 Master Plots</span></b></cite><strong><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">. Cincinnati: Writer’s Digest Books, 1993. (ISBN 0-89879-595-8)</span></strong><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></span></div></div><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">This book proposes twenty basic plots: </span><br />
<br />
<div class="WordSection2"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Quest </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Adventure </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Pursuit </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Rescue </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Escape </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Revenge </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The Riddle </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">8.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Rivalry </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">9.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Underdog </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">10.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Temptation </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">11.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Metamorphosis </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">12.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Transformation </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">13.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Maturation </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">14.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Love </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">15.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Forbidden Love </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">16.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Sacrifice </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">17.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Discovery </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">18.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Wretched Excess </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">19.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Ascension </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">20.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Descension. </span></div></div><b><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br clear="all" style="mso-break-type: section-break; page-break-before: auto;" /></span></b><br />
<div class="WordSection3"><h3 style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><a href="" name="36"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">36 Plots</span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">: </span></h3></div><br />
<div class="WordSection4"><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Polti, Georges. <cite><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The Thirty-Six Dramatic Situations</span></cite>. trans. L. Ray </span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Supplication (beg something from Power in authority) </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Deliverance </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Crime Pursued by Vengeance </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Vengeance taken for kindred upon kindred </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Pursuit </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Disaster </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Falling Prey to Cruelty of Misfortune </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">8.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Revolt </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">9.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Daring Enterprise </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">10.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Abduction </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">11.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The Enigma (temptation or a riddle) </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">12.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Obtaining </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">13.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Enmity of Kinsmen </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">14.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Rivalry of Kinsmen </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">15.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Murderous Adultery </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">16.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Madness </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">17.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Fatal Imprudence </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">18.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Involuntary Crimes of Love (eg: wed unknown sib)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">19.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Slaying of a Kinsman Unrecognized </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">20.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Self-Sacrificing for an Ideal </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">21.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Self-Sacrifice for Kindred </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">22.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">All Sacrificed for Passion </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">23.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Necessity of Sacrificing Loved Ones </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">24.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Rivalry of Superior and Inferior </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">25.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Adultery </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">26.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Crimes of Love </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">27.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Discovery of the Dishonor of a Loved One </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">28.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Obstacles to Love </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">29.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">An Enemy Loved </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">30.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Ambition </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">31.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Conflict with a God </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">32.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Mistaken Jealousy </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">33.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Erroneous Judgment </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">34.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Remorse </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">35.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Recovery of a Lost One </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Narrow";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">36.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Loss of Loved One</span></div></div><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br clear="all" style="mso-break-type: section-break; page-break-before: always;" /></span><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"></a>Lisa Lickelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07798980644446426574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32770572.post-77890899962360655612011-02-23T17:03:00.000-06:002018-04-23T17:05:30.394-05:00Readers Discussion Guide for Centrifugal Force<br />
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<b>For Thought</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Centrifugal Force</span></b></div>
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<b>Lisa J Lickel</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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Rachel struggles with self-identity,
as much as with her youthful indiscretion. What do you think of the way she
handled her lifestyle choices?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Gervas, on the other hand, seems
overconfident and even cold. What was he trying to hide?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Maeve grew up knowing she was
different from other kids who had both mother and father. How did Maeve learn
the truth about her “cyberstalker”? How did she react? Have you ever
experienced stalking or unwanted attention in any form, and if so, what did you
do?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
Why does Gervas choose to remain in
the States even after he gave up his search for the antique his brother was
desperate to obtain?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
How does Scott, the man in the
Information Technology department who was interested in dating Rachel, get
involved in her problem with Gervas and Maeve? What role did he ultimately play
in her life? What do you think truly drove him?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
What secret does Maeve want to keep
from her mother? Do you agree with her? Why did Gervas play along?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
Everyone in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Centrifugal Force</b> has a secret, and is or becomes adept at keeping
the truth hidden. What were Rachel’s and Gervas’s secrets? Rachel’s friend
Peggy was a huge part of her support when she was a struggling single mom and
later in life. What secret did Peggy keep and how do you think it changed
Rachel’s life?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
Gervas’s brother is in a position of
power in Germany, and ultimately the European Union of 2011. What secrets did
he have and how did he use them to wield his power over others?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
This story was written before Great
Britain voted to exit the European Union in June of 2016. What affect did that
decision have on world events?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
Forgiveness in order to move forward
is a central theme in the book. In what ways did each of the principal
characters need to forgive and accept forgiveness? How did doing so, or not
doing so, affect their lives?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
What control, truly, did each of the central characters in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Centrifugal Force</b> have over their own
lives? How did the illusion of centrifugal force draw them together while
thrusting them apart? Is control in life always a good thing?<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Lisa Lickelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07798980644446426574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32770572.post-11859097011092401292011-02-21T18:54:00.000-06:002018-04-23T19:14:46.981-05:00Etruscan Connect with Centrifugal Force<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">About the Etruscans and their Jewelry<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0in;">
For <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Centrifugal Force</b>, by Lisa Lickel<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
<b><i>Why Etruscans, you ask?</i></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
<b>I confess I was entranced by a
display at the <a href="https://www.greeka.com/attica/athens/athens-museums/athens-archaeological-museum.htm" target="_blank">National Archaeological Museum </a>in Athens, Greece</b> display I saw while visiting
there with my family a few years past. I knew my male protagonist was German
and that he was seeking something valuable, something priceless, that he lost.
What type of item would have more than sentimental value to a man, something he
would carry or wear?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
<b>My first thought </b>was a pocket watch
or some other obvious thing a European gentleman would wear. Perhaps cuff links,
maybe a bracelet. Nothing really seemed to fit my something stuffy though very
human, sentimental hero. I decided on a ring, and when I learned of the <a href="http://www.tracesofevil.com/2007/04/various-sites-in-germany-contd.html" target="_blank">Nazi history</a> in Gervas’s home town of <a href="https://visit.freiburg.de/en" target="_blank">Freiburg</a>, I recalled the museum pieces I had
seen in Greece. And so the last rightful owners of the jewelry became famous
collectors known to loan treasures to museums all over the world who also
happened to be Jewish. In Germany. In the late 1930s. This profile met many
demands of my story line, including the fear of Nazi theft of art treasure, which was heavily documented.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
<b>The lost ring</b> became more than a
simple piece of jewelry, but the highly desired irreplaceable piece of a
collection, valuable enough and circumstances of loss the basis for blackmail.
It is also symbolic of my female protagonist Rachel,<span style="text-indent: 0in;">’s desire to hold a
keepsake from her most miserable and most joyful time of life. The theft gave
her a secret sense of revenge and power, which she was able to act on when
Gervas returned, seeking its return and finding so much more.</span></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
<b>Briefly, for us history nerds,
Etruria was an ancient name for the region of Europe we know today as northern
Italy. </b>The people who lived there have mysterious origins and may predate the
Greeks. Although they borrowed some elements of Greek writing to record their
early language, their lexicon was not of the Indo-European group. As they
interacted with Greeks, more of their culture was documented, such as their
love of beauty in art and dress, including gold work jewelry which has been
called highly skilled, flamboyant, and ostentatious during the middle period of
seventh and sixth centuries BC. As Rome rose and reached its height between perhaps
100 BC to 100 AD, they eventually absorbed the Etruscan civilization. You can see a map <a href="https://www.ancient.eu/image/119/" target="_blank">here</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
<b>Below, find two of the many sources of
research I used to learn more about the Etruscans.</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
<b><a href="http://www.sjsu.edu/faculty/watkins/etruscans.htm" target="_blank">San Jose State University</a></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
<b><a href="http://www.mariamilani.com/ancient_civilisation_civilization/ancient_etruscans.htm" target="_blank">Maria Milani</a></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="text-indent: 0in;">Although I cannot show you the
jewelry which formed the basis of this story due to copyright considerations, please visit this <a href="https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/etru/hd_etru.htm" target="_blank">MetropolitanMuseum of Art</a> site </span><span style="text-indent: 0in;">which offers a <a href="https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/40.11.7-.18/" target="_blank">photograph </a>of the collection that was my inspiration. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Lisa Lickelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07798980644446426574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32770572.post-79468569109456301572011-02-20T22:51:00.000-06:002019-12-07T15:24:00.366-06:00Centrifugal Force <br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P5jLPmWAZlM/Wv2zNWBOkCI/AAAAAAAAHbg/frPnZh-4t_4Ul6YyBVBYF8x-xfcFX9haQCEwYBhgL/s1600/CF%2BKindle%2Bcover%2B2%2Bsmall%2Bsize.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="491" data-original-width="334" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P5jLPmWAZlM/Wv2zNWBOkCI/AAAAAAAAHbg/frPnZh-4t_4Ul6YyBVBYF8x-xfcFX9haQCEwYBhgL/s320/CF%2BKindle%2Bcover%2B2%2Bsmall%2Bsize.jpg" width="216" /></a></div>
</div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Available on</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.feedbooks.com/item/2601715/centrifugal-force" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Feedbooks</span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Centrifugal-Force-Forces-Nature-Lickel-ebook/dp/B0787H2DP3" target="_blank">Amazon</a> ebook</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/099676836X" target="_blank">Amazon</a> print</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0in;">
<a href="http://bit.ly/2D5RisE" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Barnes and Noble</span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0in;">
<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/centrifugal-force/id1324963713?mt=11" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">iTunes</span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0in;">
<a href="https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/centrifugal-force-2" style="font-size: x-large; text-align: left;" target="_blank">Kobo</a></div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-size: large;"><b>Finalist in <a href="https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/" target="_blank">NN Light's Bookheaven</a> Reviews Book of the Year Awards in 2018.</b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OYEIWnXxHA4/XKY7OJzffsI/AAAAAAAAH-Q/27PMYMOncjcnaMVYyh2cqfBh12_bomqlACLcBGAs/s1600/NNLight-AwardFinalist.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="777" data-original-width="779" height="319" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OYEIWnXxHA4/XKY7OJzffsI/AAAAAAAAH-Q/27PMYMOncjcnaMVYyh2cqfBh12_bomqlACLcBGAs/s320/NNLight-AwardFinalist.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<i><span style="font-size: large;">If you always wondered what happened to Ann and Mark from Meander Scar, or who was Ann's niece Maeve's father, Centrifugal Force has your answers. Rachel, the "good" sister has some deep secrets and deeper hurts. She's lived a lie for a quarter of a century, and it all may come tumbling down if Maeve's father learns of her existence.</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Back cover copy</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<div style="text-align: start;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="text-align: justify;">Former lovers </span><span style="font-family: "garamond" , serif; text-align: justify;">attempt to rectify the past to save their children and
preserve the fragile world in crisis. </span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "garamond" , serif; font-size: large; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "garamond" , serif; font-size: large;">Rachel
Michels made a poor choice which resulted in her biggest blessing, her
daughter, Maeve. When the father of that blessing returns decades later, she
knows he wants something she’d taken from him. Rachel has lived in near
seclusion and mistrust, fearful of losing the one person who’s kept her life from
coming unglued. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "garamond" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "garamond" , serif; font-size: large;">Professor
Gervas Friedemann returns to Wisconsin, seeking a missing ancient artifact,
along with help for his oldest daughter who is suffering from a rare genetic
blood disorder. With the European Union at stake, blackmail could negatively
impact a crucial vote in the German Parliament unless Gervas recovers an
irreplaceable relic he left in the United States on a lecture tour a lifetime
ago. He knows who took the piece of history he once flaunted—the woman who had
stolen his soul. He only hopes she still has the ring.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "garamond" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0CIvABBj7Ew/WxBjvEIn6rI/AAAAAAAAHds/8RmfbPoOhfMGRLRvNZ2wNbK0rzk2jE5pACLcBGAs/s1600/CF%2Bhi%2Bres%2Bcover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="825" data-original-width="579" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0CIvABBj7Ew/WxBjvEIn6rI/AAAAAAAAHds/8RmfbPoOhfMGRLRvNZ2wNbK0rzk2jE5pACLcBGAs/s320/CF%2Bhi%2Bres%2Bcover.jpg" width="224" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "garamond" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://www.lisalickel.com/2011/02/readers-discussion-guide-for.html" target="_blank">Reader's Discussion Guide</a></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Data: Publication Date: December 15,
2017</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">ISBN-13: 978-0-9967683-6-8<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">ISBN 10: 099676836X<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Electronic ISBN: 978-0-9967683-7-5<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Library of Congress Control
Number: 2017918611<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">316 pp Print<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">16.99 print<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">2.99 ebook</span><br />
<b style="font-size: x-large; text-indent: 0in;"><br /></b>
<b style="font-size: x-large; text-indent: 0in;">Other cataloging info:</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: -4.5pt; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">FIC027110 Fiction : Romance - Suspense<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: -4.5pt; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">FIC027270 Fiction – Clean and Wholesome<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: -4.5pt; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">FIC045000 Fiction – Family Life<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Keywords: multi-generational, stolen jewels, suspense, <span style="text-indent: 0in;">Wisconsin, Germany, romance, family</span><span style="text-indent: 0in;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Short Description:</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Romantic suspense set in
contemporary Wisconsin and Germany. A goody two-shoes with a secret meets up
with her past when her former lover returns with secrets of his own. Rachel may
come unglued if Gervas takes the only one she loves--his daughter. Gervas wants
only the priceless piece of antiquity she'd once stolen. She can keep his
heart.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Read</b> an <a href="https://www.lisalickel.com/2011/02/chapter-one-of-centrifugal-force.html" target="_blank">Excerpt</a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Learn</b> more about the <a href="https://www.lisalickel.com/2011/02/etruscan-connect-with-centrifugal-force.html" target="_blank">Etruscans</a> and the jewelry in the book, as well as some history about Freiburg, Germany.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Learn</b> about <a href="https://www.lisalickel.com/2011/02/fanconi-anemia-in-centrifugal-force.html" target="_blank">Fanconi Anemia</a></span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Flag of Germany" src="https://www.factmonster.com/sites/factmonster.com/files/public%3A/germany.gif" /></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>For information on the German government</b>, there are several excellent sources of information. I recommend the official government site, the </span><span style="text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.bundesregierung.de/Webs/Breg/EN/Homepage/_node.html" target="_blank">Bundesregierung</a>, and other sites such as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabinet_of_Germany" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a>, and <a href="https://www.factmonster.com/country/germany#Geography" target="_blank">factmonster</a>. </span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
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Lisa Lickelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07798980644446426574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32770572.post-77492496336074316672011-02-20T20:11:00.000-06:002018-04-23T20:13:44.059-05:00Fanconi Anemia in Centrifugal Force<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Fanconi Anemia</span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0in;">
in <b>Centrifugal Force</b> by Lisa Lickel<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
<b>I love odd medical conditions and
researching them.</b> I was a big fan of human anomalies before the 1990s and 2000s
television shows <i>X Files</i> and <i>House, M</i>D. Truth is generally more bizarre than
fiction. But for that reason, we authors must remain in the realm of reasonable
disbelief so our readers can submerse themselves in our worlds.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
<b>In Centrifugal Force, Gervas
Friedemann, our hero, has an ulterior motive for visiting America.</b> He is also
looking for a cure for his daughter’s rare condition, which happens to have a
research study for treatment going on in Madison, Wisconsin. I chose Fanconi
Anemia upon seeking rare conditions which were genetic in nature. I needed
Gervas to hold a lot of guilt on numerous levels. What more horrible feelings
can a parent feel than to know he’s responsible for passing on broken genes?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
<b>I was also exploring reasons for
blackmail</b> while developing the story. For German Jews, hiding out during the
holocaust must have meant a deep betrayal of faith and country. I wondered if I
could somehow make a hidden Jewish ancestry part of Gervas’s make up, but once
I decided to blackmail the Friedemanns over a different reason, I no longer
needed to work on that aspect of the condition, though I was fascinated to
learn that Fanconi Anemia can occur more often in those with Jewish ancestry.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
For Gervas, the secret to his
daughter’s treatment lies under his nose, but comes at a terrible cost.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
<b>Fanconi Anemia is a rare genetic
disorder </b>which is inherited from two parents who carry the recessive, defective
gene. The condition can affect many of the body’s systems and can lead to
cancer like leukemia.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
<b>As probably expected of an anemic
disease, FA generally leads to bone marrow failure.</b> It is diagnosed in children
who may be born with birth defects such as abnormalities in thumbs and toes,
misshapen eyes and ears, or internal kidney and/or heart conditions. Life
expectancy is significantly reduced. Women can have delayed menstruation or
underdeveloped sex organs which can cause difficulty in pregnancy similarly,
men are less developed and often less fertile. Parents may not know they carry
FA genes or have the disease to pass it on.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
<b>Genetic testing</b> can be done in utero
or after a child is born if FA is suspected, even if the child is born without
birth defects. In such cases, bone marrow failure, which leads to easy bruising
externally and internally, and petechiae among other symptoms, usually occurs before
the age of ten, Successful treatment includes bone marrow transplant.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
Some of the sites I used for
research include <a href="http://fanconi.org/">Fanconi.org</a><span style="text-indent: 0in;">, <a href="http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/fanconi/signs.html" target="_blank">National Institutes of Health</a>, and <a href="http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01071239?term=FA&rank=2" target="_blank">Clinical Trials</a>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Lisa Lickelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07798980644446426574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32770572.post-11695773061588125272011-02-20T15:27:00.000-06:002018-04-09T15:29:53.868-05:00Chapter One of Centrifugal Force<b style="font-size: x-large;">Centrifugal Force</b>, Forces of Nature, book 2<br />
copyright Lisa J Lickel<br />
Fox Ridge Publications<br />
December 2017<br />
<br />
Chapter One<br />
<br />
<div class="WordSection1">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">T</span></b><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif;">he
lingering echo and tingle of a quarter-century-old slap trembled along her
fingers and tickled her palm. She clenched her fist to stop the sensation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif;">“Mom, here’s
another e-mail from that guy with the strange name. The one who keeps asking
about you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif;">Rachel
Michels closed her eyes, even though her grown daughter couldn’t see her cower
behind the front section of the newspaper. The paper rattled in her hands.
Rachel lowered it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif;">“Hey,
Mom—you there? You said you were going to take care of it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif;">“I said I
would, Maeve.” Soon as she could stomach the thought of telling Gervas to knock
it off<i>. </i>He probably didn’t even know
who Maeve was, just that she had the same last name as a girl he once knew in
Wisconsin.<i><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif;">The real
question was why, after twenty-three years, he thought he had the right to come
waltzing into her life. How dare he?<i> </i>“Just
hit delete without opening it. I’ll take your laptop in to work with me tomorrow,
have Scott in IT purge the sender, okay? And I’ll call Bob in security, see if
we can trace it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif;">“I don’t
want to lose any of my stuff.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif;">“You
won’t. Just copy the material you need and you can use mine tomorrow.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif;">“I guess
that’ll be okay. I’ll let them know at work, so they don’t think I stole or
wrecked their equipment.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif;">Maeve,
Rachel’s surprise gift child, was all of twenty-two, with a newly minted
bachelor of arts under her arm and the owner of a condo—too many miles away for
Rachel’s taste —in Cottage Grove, south of Madison. At least the advertising
company she’d interned for the last summer had hired her full time. Almost any
job that paid the bills was good these days when so many graduates were
struggling with the tanking economy of 2011—which was shaping up to be nearly
as awful as 2010. It was worse in Europe, where the European Union was voting
whether to bail out member nations in economic crisis.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif;">Rachel
stood and tossed the paper aside. “I’m going to fix a cup of tea. Want one?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif;">With
fingers poised over the keyboard, beautiful Maeve looked up, two little
squiggles of concentration crossing an otherwise smooth forehead. Her
daughter’s long-lashed tiger eyes blinked to focus. “Um, yeah, sure. Thanks.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif;">Too far
away, Rachel thought again. Fifteen point seven miles, door to door. It had
been just the two of them forever, and now, well, empty nest couldn’t come
close to describing the aching alone-ness and touch of fear that there’d be no
one to share the rest of her life. What Rachel’s sister Ann had gone through
those years she’d been alone—no, nothing could prepare a person. It was like
living in a bubble, and suddenly popped out on a cold rainy night with no plan,
no training, no advice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif;">Rachel
pretended her smile worked perfectly and practiced one before she turned and
went to boil water. At least her daughter’s hair had returned to its natural,
glossy brown color. The various gruesome facial piercings she’d given herself
in college were healing. Rachel shuddered. If not for Ann’s husband Mark, who
knew what would have happened to them. So handy to have a lawyer in the family.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif;">Carrying
the mugs, Rachel set one down next to her daughter. “I feel like I should be
serving iced tea in July.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif;">Maeve’s
grin made things right.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif;">“It’s a
little cool tonight.” She held up the steaming cup of mint. “Besides, there’s
nothing like home and something warm. Thanks, Mom.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif;">Rachel
crouched near the sofa, creaking in the knees. Maeve laughed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif;">“What are
you working on now?” Rachel scooted her cheaters across her nose.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif;">“New mug
designs for a local businesses. They send their logos, and I give them some
options, or if I need to, work with them to create a logo.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif;">A ping
sounded and a small window popped up in the lower right hand corner of the
screen. Before she could stop herself, Rachel crushed the delete button so hard
she broke her fingernail. She put the finger to her mouth. “Yikes. There goes
my manicure.” She let her voice fade at the look on her daughter’s face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif;">“How did
you know?” Maeve’s expression was open-mouthed shock. “I don’t remember telling
you his name.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif;">Too late.
Rachel grimaced. “Sorry. Mother-hen instinct. I hope that wasn’t a client. I
can have Scott get it back.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif;">“It just
went to trash. But, no…it was him. Jer-Grr-Gervas Friedemann. However it’s
pronounced. He said he was looking for you, or at least someone with your name
who used to work at Mendota. What’s going on?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif;">Years of
practice side-stepping reality hadn’t quite prepared Rachel for this—the
possibility that he would seek them out. She felt the heat rush to her face and
knew she couldn’t lie. But the truth belonged to no one except her. And him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif;"><><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif;">Gervas
Friedemann thanked the receptionist who showed him to a chair in the
pastel-themed lounge at University Hospital. Americans were so vapidly
indulgent with everything, even their waiting areas. He studied the innocuous
floral print in a pink frame nailed to the wall. No real form or design.
Machine cast? Spit out from something beige and metallic, no attempt to create
a bond with its viewer, or capture a piece of the artist’s soul? Perhaps one of
their test creatures had painted it. He had seen the scrawls of apes and
elephants. Fewer people were needed to do even the simple tasks that made life
glow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif;">But that
was exactly what he needed. People. A person, anyway. Something from a
particular person to help his daughter Katrine. Machines had not yet been able
to recreate bone marrow. Not yet. This University of Wisconsin had experts
creating and recreating the microscopic elements of a person’s genetic map.
Katrine’s diseased blood, but deeper, his own faulty genome, had betrayed the
family.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif;">“Dr.
Friedemann?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif;">Gervas
looked up at the tall young man in a white coat, his smooth hand held out. In
greeting? Or helping an old man rise? “Yes. Gervas Friedemann.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif;">“I’m Dr.
Randolph, assistant to Dr. Kappers, director of the Stem Cell Gene Therapy
program here at the William and Alexis Barton Institute. We’ve been expecting you.
Please, come with me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif;">Gervas
stood before shaking the hand and gripped it briefly. He followed the unlined
face and vigorous steps of the one who held Katrine’s fate. A boy doctor in
gray shirt and tie under the pure clean laboratory coat. William and Alexis
Barton? Who were they? Another thing distasteful about the States—such
pretention everywhere. Naming rights.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif;">The room
where Randolph led them was not a typical office but a conference room with a
large table, comfortable chairs, and blinds at the windows. Randolph gestured
toward one of the high-back blue padded seats. “Please.” He poured them each a
glass of water, and sat next to Gervas. “Dr. Warner, another associate, will
join us shortly. Unfortunately Dr. Kappers is out of town today. I understand
you are interested in our ongoing clinical trial?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif;"><><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif;">“There was
an exchange professor at Mendota years ago,” Rachel said. “You know we have
that study program with Freiburg University in Germany. This probably has
something to do with my work. If that’s so, then he shouldn’t be trying to
contact you just because we have the same last name. Or he’s simply confused.
I’ll take care of it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif;">Clicks and
pops in her hips made Rachel gnaw the inside of her lip as she pressed herself
upright. “Why don’t you put your files on a disk and we can trade computers
now?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif;">A flash of
the old mutiny glinted in Maeve’s eyes before she corralled it. “Okay.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif;">As they
traded machines and her daughter packed up to leave, Rachel wanted to erase the
doubt Maeve wore. They walked outside to Maeve’s car in the driveway. Crickets
stirred the summer evening and gnats swirled under the lofty streetlamp. It
wasn’t cold, but not as hot as it could be, either. Blacktop, heated from the
day, radiated fumes of the underworld.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif;">Rachel
rubbed her arms as Maeve stowed her gear. “I’m glad you came. You’re always
welcome to stay.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif;">“Thanks.”
Maeve’s look had a question. But then she smiled and hugged tight, leaning down
slightly from her two-inch advantage in height, before she slid into her car.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif;">Rachel
waved at the taillights, wondering how the tables had turned in such a short
time. She was the one who needed to prove herself to her daughter now. To show
her that some secrets were worth keeping, even though outright lying usually
did more harm than good by creating a false sense of security. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif;">How far
did Rachel want to root into the past? What good would it do, anyway? Maeve had
turned out pretty well. Sure, she’d had some rough spots—who hadn’t? Rachel had
made many poor choices—some she’d even admit. The messages must be a mistake.
Gervas didn’t know what he was doing, how much things should have changed in
two decades. Absent-minded professors were like that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif;">Scott
would help her keep Gervas from her daughter. And all the office staff knew how
to protect her privacy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif;"><><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif;">“Yes,”
Gervas replied to the physician. Were all prospective patients given this
preferential treatment of a private consultation? He handed over Katrine’s
file, with the letter of permission from her, as an adult, and her many doctors,
giving him the right to discuss her case. “My daughter Katrine suffers from
Fanconi Anemia, and unfortunately, many side effects.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif;">“How old
is she?” Randolph didn’t look at him, but instead leaned across the closed
file.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif;">“Twenty-seven.”
Right there on the file, if you’d just look. What it didn’t say was that she’d
been born of Gervas’s first marriage, nearly three decades of teaching,
traveling, networking, study, international acclaim, and a second marriage,
ago. He rubbed his cheekbones over his trimmed beard where Sylvie’s ring had
etched his face that day she’d learned of Julianne and filed for divorce.
Katrine had been eight, Max eleven. A bad end to an interminable situation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif;">“She’s
been receiving excellent care,” Randolph muttered when he finally began to turn
pages. “I see an attempt at MSD was undertaken to slow the myelodysplasia.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif;">Gervas
would not entertain that discussion, though echoes of it slammed him at times
like these. When he’d confronted his ex-wife, she told him why the matched sibling
bone marrow donation, MSD, had failed. “That’s because Max is <i>not </i>your son.” Sylvie’s voice had lacked
the triumph he’d heard during her announcement, he realized later. She was not
that cruel to flaunt their mutual and many indiscretions in Katrine’s face,
despite the vicious things they’d done to one another.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif;">“Yes,”
Gervas said to Randolph. “The procedure had disappointing results.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif;">They’d
been desperate enough in those days, he and Sylvie and the doctors, to risk the
transplant under less than perfect conditions. How did they say it, here in
America? Close, but no cigar. Tumors had resulted in surgery that reduced
Katrine’s voice to a harsh rasp.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif;">The doctor
reminded Gervas somewhat of a house spider, spindly and nearly colorless, but
capable of dispatching anything that got in its way. Randolph sat back and
crossed his ankle over a knee. “Fanconi Anemia, or FA, presents with several
disorders and may affect nearly any system in the body. As you know, it is
inherited and often fatal, though it seems your daughter has escaped many of
the debilitating birth defects, except for the heart, and then the tumors as a
result of the failed bone marrow transplant.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif;">Gervas
held his breath and let this self-important American doctor get his
ingratiating need to spew data out of the way. He supposed many of those
students and colleagues who attended his lectures over the years felt so, and
reaped his punishment as another step to get help for his daughter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif;">“In the
decades since your daughter’s diagnosis, we’ve…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif;">Always
that American overconfidence. It had been the Swiss, Friedrich Miescher, who
first isolated your genetic material, and the British who worked with it. A
young woman doctor with a good German name, Catherine Freudenreich, was a
current expert in abnormal DNA structure. Even though she was an American.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif;">“Of the
damaged genetic markers so far, we’ve been able to identify…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif;">And so
Randolph spoke the words of the initiated, those invited to the specific
chromosome party who could absorb the meaning of mesenchymal stoma cells and
non-hematopoietic cells and insert them in conversation like so much <i>ex vivo</i> and <i>in vivo</i>; outside the living environment or inside a living host.
Gervas knew all the words, the tests, the impossible treatments.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif;">“Our
trial’s outcome is to provide a disease-free survival for patients who have
developed conditions such as </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN;">myelodysplastic syndrome,” Randolph said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Gervas narrowed his eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN;">“Should your daughter decide to enroll in and is
qualified for our program, which has a number of years to run, she will receive
free evaluation and treatment.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Of course Konrad Meissen, Katrine’s lead physician, had
already explained this. Gervas had wanted to see for himself, to meet these
people and form an opinion based not on the coldness of letters and figures and
numbers on a page, or impersonal computer screen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Konrad had also looked Gervas in the eye and told him
there needed to be someone unrelated, but still HLA-compatible. Neither he nor
Sylvie were acceptable donors for this program, nor could Max be considered an
HLA, or </span><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif;">human leukocyte
antigen</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> donor. There were no other close enough relatives with similar genetics to
help Katrine. Marvelous, the information people could discover today about
human white blood cells and the substances on their surface—leukocyte antigen.
A miracle to have such data at one’s fingertips.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN;">“Usually, a blood relative would make a better donor,”
the American doctor said, seemingly echoing Konrad’s Bavarian accent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN;">A blood relative. A
blood relative. A blood…</span></i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN;">“But there are ways to work with unrelated,
HLA-compatible donors.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN;">The door to the conference room opened to a
similarly-coated young woman. Randolph and Gervas stood. “Dr. Warner,” Randolph
said, eagerness and pleasure creating a sense of adultness, of <i>knowingness</i> in his being. Once, Gervas
would have enjoyed such a lovers’ secret. Now, he wanted no more distractions
to come between his daughter and her existence.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN;">As they repeated the situation so that the new doctor
could catch up, Gervas studied the pair, their professional and intimate body
language proving their interest in themselves and the research they both
apparently loved. Would this pose a problem? Could he trust them?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN;">“Professor Friedemann.” Dr. Warner smiled. “Thank you for
taking the time to come and meet us. I feel confident that something can be
done to alleviate your family’s suffering.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN;">At last. Gervas allowed the warmth of her certainty to
flow through him. Someone understood. Yes. It was good. And just.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN;">“You won’t remember me,” she said, giving a faint toss of
wavy brown hair behind her shoulder and jingling earrings that looked like
coins. “I was in the exchange program for a summer semester, from Mendota to
Freiburg. I took your cultural anthropology course and nearly changed my
major.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN;">“I’m glad you didn’t,” Gervas responded, allowing a small
twist of his lips.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Mendota again. And memories, back twenty-some odd years,
nearly the time of this young woman’s birth. No…a little later, obviously. The
underlying reason of his visit to Wisconsin, which, unfortunately, had little
to do with Katrine and everything to do with the family honor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 22.5pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN;">If he didn’t find her, that young woman who had taken her
revenge on him all those years ago, more than his daughter—an entire coalition
of nations—would suffer worse than this disease of one person’s blood.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br clear="all" style="mso-break-type: section-break; page-break-before: always;" /></span>Lisa Lickelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07798980644446426574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32770572.post-83301452016662338802011-02-16T14:28:00.000-06:002017-04-29T11:53:42.726-05:00Reviews for Requiem for the Innocents<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Review for Requiem for the Innocents:</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">The question is: They’re
praying, but how should God answer? And whose prayer?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="text-align: right;"> </span><i style="text-align: right;">Requiem for the Innocents</i> carries a
varied cast of characters, but each is important, and each has their own spot
to play in this novel from:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "wingdings"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Brother Able the hospice chaplain, who has his own
troubled past<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "wingdings"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Dr. Rich Bernard, a researcher, and a caring, yet
determined person<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "wingdings"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Victor and Libby Davis: one sympathetic and
sacrificial to Dr. Rich Bernard’s mission and the other so in love and hurt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "wingdings"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Jordan, troubled, hurt, and only a snap away from
serious trouble<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">And then, there’s the website
posts. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Lickel does a powerful job of
creating the subtle tension throughout the story, increasing it chapter by
chapter until all the events, all the emotions collide--not in some
tornado-like storm, but in an even deeper, emotional collision that is shocking
and extremely mind-blowing in its depth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Choices have consequences,
and each of these characters will either learn from those choices or suffer the
consequences.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">One of those books that
doesn’t leave you easily and keeps you thinking long after you’ve read it.
Highly recommended.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">--Carole Brown, author of the Award-winning <i>The
Redemption of Caralynne Hayman</i>, and several mystery/suspense series</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="text-align: right;"> </span><span style="text-align: right;">Requiem for the Innocents</span></b><b>, A book review</b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">By Shelley Wilburn, author of
Walking Healed<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">July 4, 2016<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Every now and then you run across a
book that affects you to your very core. It was that way with me when I read
Lisa Lickel’s book, <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: small; text-align: right;"> </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; text-align: right;">Requiem for the Innocents</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">To begin with, the setting in
Innocents Pray seems like any other with what looks like an average American
family, complete with their own struggles and quirks. We have a father who
works away from home more than he’s at home, a teenage son dealing with the
struggles of being a teenager yet fighting fears and demons no teenage boy
should face, and a mother who must yet again fight the battle with the dreaded
C word, along with trying to decide whether or not to put her family through
another battle. Add to the story a live-in companion/nurse who becomes more
than just a caregiver, but a friend to the mother, a spiritual advocate who has
secrets of his own, a doctor who is searching for a cure and a whole lot more,
and a few other surprises thrown in for good measure, <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: small; text-align: right;"> </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; text-align: right;">Requiem for the Innocents</i> is a book
that keeps the reader not only intrigued but wondering what’s going to happen
with the next turn of the page.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Liberty Davis (more affectionately
known as Libby), an avid artist who runs her craft and art business from a
studio inside her home, is fighting the gnawing in the back of her mind that
her cancer may have returned. Passing it off as a strained muscle from walking
the beach of her Wisconsin home, she ignores it and tries to hide it for as
long as she can. However, her companion and nurse, Nona sees right through her
façade and calls her husband Vic home from his missions work abroad.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Vic Davis, Libby’s husband has been
secretly called home by his wife’s companion. She fears Libby is sick again. Catching
a private flight with Brother Abel of the Alexian Brotherhood and spiritual
advisor of Paradise House, a hospice facility stationed in California, Vic and
Abel strike up an impromptu but distant friendship in the few hours of their
flight. Neither knows that they’ll ever meet again, nor how connected their
lives will become.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Through the journey of <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: small; text-align: right;"> </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; text-align: right;">Requiem for the Innocents</i>, you watch as first Libby, then Brother Abel detail their life events,
always wondering how one plays into the other. However, there are also a couple
of mysterious blog posts from different blogs to contend with that lead the
reader to wonder exactly who is posting these things and how distressed their
life must be to write the things they do.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="text-align: right;"> </span><i style="text-align: right;">Requiem for the Innocents</i> is a very intriguing
book. I kept reading, trying to decide if Libby was going to succumb to the
cancer invading her body. Would Vic, her husband ever realize that keeping his
home and family together was important rather than jetting off to who knows
where to install medical equipment for the company he works for? Not that his
job isn’t important, but doesn’t God also desire for one to keep his family
together? How were Libby and Vic missing the vital issues that their son Jordan
was struggling through and why were they passing it off as just everyday things
a teenager goes through? What part did Nona, Libby’s companion and nurse serve
in all this? And how was Brother Abel connected?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Of course, add in the mysterious
research that Dr. Rich Bernard is doing at Paradise House and it’s a web of
mystery, intrigue and deception…or is it legitimate? Who will live and who will
die? That’s one question I wanted to know. The outcome was surprising. Through
it all, faith in God flows through the undercurrent throughout the entire
book. Whose prayers will He answer? How
will He answer? Does He even answer? As the pull of the book claims, “One wants
her to live, one wants her dead, one wants her cells.” Who will get their wish?
Whose prayer will God answer?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Having lost my mother to cancer
over twenty years ago, Innocents Pray tested my comfort zone. However,
determined to read this with an open mind I finished the book and was glad that
I did. It was a great story with twists and turns, lots of people, lots of
opinions and a little bit of drama weaved in for good measure.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">It also led me to research the
Alexian Brothers, a healing mission of the Roman Catholic Church. They engage
in *“a prophetic, holistic approach to healthcare, rooted in Gospel values.” The
Alexian Brothers have an 800-year legacy. I had never heard of the Alexian
Brotherhood, however found the organization quite interesting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Lisa Lickel does a great job of
keeping you entertained as well as wondering what’s next.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I recommend reading <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: small; text-align: right;"> </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; text-align: right;">Requiem for the Innocents</i>,
especially if you’re struggling with your faith, loss, or just want to be kept
on your toes. You don’t have to be Catholic in order to understand the depths
of faith and questions we all ask God periodically throughout our lives;
especially the question of, when several people are praying different prayers
for the same person, whose prayer does God answer?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
Lisa Lickelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07798980644446426574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32770572.post-17890003878280835942011-02-13T17:30:00.000-06:002020-02-27T09:44:25.933-06:00The Last Bequest<br />
The Buried Treasure Series book 1<br />
Lisa J Lickel<br />
Originally titled The Gold Standard, Barbour Books Publishing's Heartsong Presents Mysteries<br />
Fox Ridge Publications updated version, 2020<br />
Genre: Cozy Mystery<br />
<br />
Print version from <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0857BY2DF" target="_blank">Amazon</a><br />
Price: $12.95<br />
Ebook $2.99<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pgYS48N3uKY/VC64K3MqGuI/AAAAAAAAFdQ/eyDJkzC8gPY/s1600/The%2BLast%2BBequest%2Bprint.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pgYS48N3uKY/VC64K3MqGuI/AAAAAAAAFdQ/eyDJkzC8gPY/s1600/The%2BLast%2BBequest%2Bprint.jpg" width="247" /></a></div>
<em><br /></em>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<em><em>The Gold Standard</em>, Barbour Publishing's Heartsong Presents: Mysteries! has been re-edited and re-released by Fox Ridge Publication in 2016.</em></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Judy Winters is pretty sure her environmentally-conscious great aunt didn't die of natural causes, no matter what the tox screens say. When she discovers she can inherent the family farm if she'll live there for a year, can she give up her teaching job and move to the country? Next door to the obnoxious young, unfortunately handsome, farmer with ties to her aunt? And what about a possible killer on the loose. Join Judy, Hart, Ardyth and know-it-all cat Carranza, for an all-Wisconsin adventure.</div>
</div>
<br />
Read an <a href="http://www.lisalickel.com/2011/03/excerpt-from-gold-standard-standing-on.html"><span style="color: blue;">excerpt</span></a><br />
<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.lisalickel.com/2011/03/readers-guide-questions-for-gold.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Discussion guide questions</span></a><o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.lisalickel.com/2011/03/recipes-from-gold-standard-by-lisa.html">Recipes</a> </span>from the book<br />
<br />
<br />
<o:p>Here's a picture of the gold pan I bought in Fairbanks, long before I began writing novels.</o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Zybf6-IrC54/T0bL-1BCQhI/AAAAAAAAB2I/8vG0R3iSyqw/s1600/goldpan+-+Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Zybf6-IrC54/T0bL-1BCQhI/AAAAAAAAB2I/8vG0R3iSyqw/s320/goldpan+-+Copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Lisa Lickelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07798980644446426574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32770572.post-22472559219329298172011-02-13T08:27:00.000-06:002018-01-11T15:36:59.784-06:00Discussion Guide for The Map Quilt<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Discussion Guide for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://www.lisalickel.com/2012/02/map-quilt.html" target="_blank">The Map Quilt</a></i> by Lisa J Lickel<o:p></o:p></span></strong></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
1. How did the prologue set up the story for the present? Did
you feel as if were back in time on the journey with Sasha and Missie and her
little boy?<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
2. The author departs from the traditional single point of
view of having one person, the sleuth, show what's happening in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Map Quilt</i>, by letting Hart, the male protagonist, live out his side of the
events. Does this practice help or hinder solving the mystery?<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
3. How did you see the character Hart develop throughout the
story? What were his real issues?<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
4. Hart and Judy have a great relationship with Hart’s
mother, Ellen. It takes both parents and children to make that happen. What
ways were they helpful and encouraging to each other? What were their conflicts
and how did they resolve them?<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
5. Ardyth Belters Edwards is in her seventies while Judy is
still in her late twenties/early thirties. What makes their friendship work? Is
it healthy to have such a close companion who is so different age-wise?</div>
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</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
6.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ardyth and Bryce
married when they were in their seventies. Ardyth had been married before and
had certain expectations of Bryce, who had never been married. What were they?
How did they handle their problems? What was Ardyth’s secret and why was she
afraid to tell anyone?<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
7. Pancho Villa the cat, like his father Carranza, has
unique talents. What were they, and how they help or hinder the story?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
8.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Julietta Barslow
carried a huge secret burden. What was it, and why was she afraid to talk about
it? Did you believe her story?<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
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9. Are Hart and Judy a typical contemporary couple? Why or
why not? What struggles and triumphs did they share?<o:p></o:p></div>
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10.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hart’s
supervisor, John Harding, was troubled on many fronts. What were some of his
problems and how did he deal with them? What happened to him?<o:p></o:p></div>
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11. Ardyth felt guilty about her grandson Bryan’s behavior.
Do you think she deserved to feel that way? Have you ever blamed yourself for
someone else’s actions?<o:p></o:p></div>
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12. Cheyenne Valley, Wisconsin, is a real place, settled by
black farmers in the early days of Wisconsin history. How did the Talbots and
the Burnses come into the story and what information did they have that was
crucial to solving the case?<o:p></o:p></div>
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13.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What was the buried
treasure in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Map Quilt</i>, and what
clues led to finding it?<o:p></o:p></div>
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</div>
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14. Which characters had the most to lose? Which had the
most to gain? Have you ever worried about the choices of your family members?
How did you handle it?<o:p></o:p></div>
Lisa Lickelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07798980644446426574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32770572.post-61889470766847857702011-02-07T14:18:00.000-06:002017-04-29T11:54:34.215-05:00Excerpt from Requiem for the InnocentsFrom<span style="text-align: right;"> </span><b><i><span style="text-align: right;">Requiem for the Innocents</span> </i></b>by Lisa J. Lickel<br />
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copyright by Lisa J. Lickel</div>
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When I think back on my death and life, I recall Jordan’s eyes in
perfect detail. I realized that, as his mother, I should have known, should
have understood him. But if I had, I wouldn’t have lived.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Events
were changing too fast for me to control that morning, I realized, as I lay
trapped in the nether moments between sleep and wakefulness. Jordan’s eyes were
black holes threatening to pull me in. I knew that if I let that happen, I’d be
lost forever.<o:p></o:p></div>
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He
wanted me gone. I’ve known that for the last three years. This time he might
get his wish.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Shaking,
I came fully awake. When I saw the clock, I knew I would have to pull myself
together in a hurry so I could say good-bye before Nona took my son to school.
At fourteen, it was easier for him to be seen with anyone but his mother. The
tingle in my left thigh that bothered me on and off for the past six weeks
turned into a throb as I made my way down the stairs. In the kitchen, I heard
Nona quiz him about homework and the contents of his backpack. Good, she would
cut him no slack.<o:p></o:p></div>
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She
thrust a cup of coffee into my hands as I shuffled in. I greeted her and
Jordan, who looked at me with a smile that went no further than his father’s
dimples. Could he see my fear? Smell it or feel it?<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Morning, Libby,” Nona said. “I took a message off the
machine earlier. Mrs. Rodgers asked you to make matching napkin rings for the
coasters she ordered last year.” Nona shrugged into her jacket and jingled the
car keys. “I left the note at your table.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Thank you. Have a great day, Jordan. I love you,” I said
to my son’s back. I’d been lobbing “I love you” at him for eighteen months. So
far, he hadn’t cracked and sent one back.<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
Lisa Lickelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07798980644446426574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32770572.post-51013475081577834822011-01-25T19:18:00.000-06:002013-01-25T19:31:06.979-06:00Excerpt from The Map QuiltAn Excerpt from <strong><em>The Map Quilt,</em></strong> by Lisa J Lickel<br />
all rights reserved.<br />
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<span lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">A week later, Hart still could not let go of the look between his mother and the chief. He saw them, googly-eyed, again and again, like in some movie reel. He had difficulty focusing on his plan to peek through Harding’s office now he and Bryce had flown to St. Louis. He had to shake off his mother’s business. He would deal with that little pickle when he got home. Maybe his brother Jim would like to know what was going on. Didn’t he care Mom drove so much, so far? </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Back to the job at hand. Because of his widow’s lawsuit, Harding’s office was kept locked. It was on the other side of Crawford’s and shared an executive bathroom. Hart happened to know a spare key to Harding’s side was taped on top of the bathroom door frame, having seen Harding’s secretary use it one day when he was visiting his boss. </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Bryce set up a golden opportunity for Hart to attempt access to Harding’s office when he offered to take Crawford and the others out for lunch. Hart made up the excuse of a phone call to stay back at the office, even though the celebratory lunch was for the reinstatement of his and Bryce’s project. Crawford’s long look did not deter Hart. Once Crawford’s assistant went to lunch herself, the coast was clear.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">In Harding’s office, Hart booted up his colleague’s laptop while sneaking a glance at a stack of mail on the desk. He wondered about fingerprints, but decided to ask God to forgive him instead. Was there ever a good enough reason to break the law?<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>Jesus went against the law of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Could he take a peek, if it would help figure out why Harding died? He did not, to his shame, know the state of Harding’s soul, but Hart was sorry he died in the manner he did. If anyone ever needed to look through his own personal or company papers to help Judy, he would be thankful.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Harding’s screen came to life and at the same time Hart noticed a bank statement poking out of the pile of mail. The envelope bore yellow tape marked “special attention.” Even with God’s forgiveness Hart would not have opened the envelope. He had seen that notation on notices that came to him he received before his former fiancé left him. It meant “overdraft.”</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Harding’s file folders were arrayed on the desktop of his computer screen. Folder IA97762-F was right up front, along with a number of other projects in the 977 line, which stood for InventivAg’s power supply initiatives. Hart clicked the icon and saw that the information was stored in the “briefcase,” which meant it came and went with Harding, ready to be moved at a second’s notice into a portable flash drive; one of which was still inserted in a port. Three minutes later, the sweat of fear along his back chilled at the ominous sign of tampering in the design of his invention. </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Hart had spent months with the tool people working out the type of steel to use. But Harding listed a different steel in the materials list for the key component. No wonder Jacobs from the production team had problems, as he stated in his fax to Bryce at the office before the fire. Was this the design that went out to assembly? He needed to check right away; hopefully he could prevent the bad steel from doing any lasting damage or hurting anyone if it crumpled under stress. Thank heavens the plant was right here, and not overseas.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Hart quickly shut down Harding’s system and rushed to the plant. Even if Harding was trying to take revenge on him or InventivAg for some unknown reason, Harding would not be so stupid as to try to pass on this mistake to Hugo. </span></span></div>
Lisa Lickelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07798980644446426574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32770572.post-64132152185204823752011-01-13T14:21:00.000-06:002018-01-11T15:42:40.828-06:00Discussion Guide For Requiem for the InnocentsFrom <b><i>Requiem for the Innocents</i></b> by Lisa J. Lickel<br />
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copyright by Lisa J Lickel, 2016</div>
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<i>NOTE: These questions contain spoilers for those who have yet to read the book.</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "cambria" , serif;">1. The characters in <i>Innocents Pray</i> make individual choices
while still being under the greater authority of God. What influenced the major
characters to make the choices he or she did in the novel? How do you make
decisions?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , serif;">2. The names of the characters
are significant. How does each represent the personality of Libby, Vic, Jordan,
and Able?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , serif;">3. Able said he could feel
despair in other people. How or did that trait affect the choices he made?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , serif;">4. At what point was Libby
ready to admit that she was sick again? Did you ever feel like Libby and want
to run away from everything? Why or why not? Was Libby justified in what she
tried to do?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , serif;">5. How did Nona fit into the
Davis family equation? What kind of influence did Nona have over each member of
the family?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , serif;">6. Libby looks at her world
with artist’s eyes, often focusing on little details versus the big picture.
How did her outlook influence the decisions she made?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , serif;">7. How did Brother Able’s
religious convictions direct the way he lived and treated others? What were
some of the more profound influences on his choices? Do you agree or disagree
with how he treated the patients, staff, friends, Vic, Libby, Emily, Nona, and
Rich?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , serif;">8. How did the faith or lack of
faith of the others in the story besides Able influence their lives?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , serif;">9. What kind of person was Rich
Bernard? What, ultimately, did he want to do? Was he right or wrong?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , serif;">10. How is the way both Libby
and Rich handle tragic events in their lives similar and different?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , serif;">11. When did you realize the
identity of the speaker behind the hunting and chat website entries? The man
and his gun was Jordan, who showed how adept he was on the computer, and how he
learned he could transport a weapon. Surviving11 is also Jordan, who takes his
online handle from the year his life changed, at age eleven. What did you learn
from the online discussions?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , serif;">12. How different and similar
were Libby and Vic’s and Nona and Able’s parenting skills? Did those skills
affect the choices they made in other areas of their lives?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , serif;">13. Able told Libby they had
put God to the test when she asks “What have we done?” on page 264. Did Able
and Libby take an active or a passive role in Rich’s decision? What else could
they have done? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , serif;">14. Do you think Jordan meant
for his final action to have the consequences it did? Discuss his motivation.
What led up to his solution to the problems in his life?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , serif;">15. Feeling as if we have
control over a situation is another powerful influence in making decisions. Did
the characters feel as if they could control their lives? How do you think each
of them reacted according to that sense of power or control?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , serif;">16. Do you agree or disagree
with Able’s response to Libby about God being able to forgive a person
incapable of asking for forgiveness for himself? What about Able’s response to
Vic’s question about how God answered each of the prayers for Libby’s life?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , serif;">17. Did each character in the
story get what he or she asked God for? Or deserve?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Lisa Lickelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07798980644446426574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32770572.post-8381990415348447082011-01-10T19:20:00.000-06:002019-01-06T20:29:04.250-06:00Meow Mistletoe<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DvHGFcEC0_4/XDAIzeW3NYI/AAAAAAAAHyc/WfFIBmlmZRE1zbkuosCj19xM8QfdlieGACLcBGAs/s1600/MeowMistletoe_w5490_300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DvHGFcEC0_4/XDAIzeW3NYI/AAAAAAAAHyc/WfFIBmlmZRE1zbkuosCj19xM8QfdlieGACLcBGAs/s1600/MeowMistletoe_w5490_300.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b>Pelican Book Group 2018 Holiday Extravaganza</b></div>
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<b>Meow Mistletoe, a Fancy Cat holiday mystery</b></div>
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<b>Published by White Rose Publishing, an imprint of Pelican Ventures LLC December 1, 2018</b></div>
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<b>copyright by Lisa J Lickel</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>About the Novelette</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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Ivy has just cause to be wary of
men. Her long-time fiancé backed out of their wedding. The slow fizzle of their
undramatic relationship leaves her wondering if romance is a myth. Then, Adam,
an intriguing new member of her pet organization, catches Ivy’s attention.
Unfortunately, his cat Isis, a beautiful purebred Egyptian Mau, prefers to pick
on her cat, Memnet. Ivy would like to get to know Adam better, but with her
self-esteem in the gutter and feline fights at every turn, she wonders how to
proceed.<br />
<br />
When Ivy agrees to help a clingy friend find her missing pet, she learns that
true love doesn’t need theatrics. There’s hope for Adam and Ivy, if only their
cats would approve.<o:p></o:p><br />
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$2.99 EBook<br />
89 pp<br />
Buy at your favorite electronic book outlet or from the <a href="http://pelicanbookgroup.com/ec/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=37_46&products_id=907" target="_blank">publisher</a><br />
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<a href="https://amzn.to/2OjPmBn" target="_blank">Amazon</a> <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://bit.ly/2CVwTsT" target="_blank">Barnes and Noble </a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="text-indent: 0in;"><b>Find out more about <a href="https://www.lisalickel.com/2011/01/egyptian-mau-cats.html" target="_blank">Egyptian Mau Cats</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="text-indent: 0in;"><b><a href="https://www.lisalickel.com/2011/01/meow-mayhem.html" target="_blank">Meow Mayhem</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="text-indent: 0in;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<b>Enjoy the following excerpt </b><b style="text-indent: 0in;">of Meow Mistletoe, copyright Lisa J Lickel</b></div>
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<o:p></o:p><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Chapter 1</span></b></div>
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“Where’s
Adelaide? Who’s got my baby?”</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Pfannie
Morgenstern was such a drama queen. Just look at her nametag. She even drew
little upside down triangles like cat ears over the n’s. I was on a mission to
meet and apologize to Donald’s friend Adam, so I ignored the perpetually
frantic pet owner accosting Christmas partygoers as if they hid her fat Siamese
in their cups of punch.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Then she
grabbed me. “Did you see her, Ivy? She’s got the bluest eyes.” Pfannie sniffed.
“I’ve only been her housemate for four months. She doesn’t know anyone here.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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I looked at her
hand, fingers tipped in crimson like daggers, on my arm. Her wrist jingled with
a charm bracelet—silver, all cats, of course. She sniffed some more and
hesitantly withdrew her dangerous touch.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“It’s just,
Ivy…please, you know everyone here. Help me look, won’t you? Who would want to
kidnap my Adelaide?”<o:p></o:p></div>
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No one, I
wanted to tell her. Adelaide wasn’t even purebred. Judging by the tan patches on
her hips, some calico hedged its way into her family line. And no, I didn’t
know everyone here. But I wanted to. I watched Donald’s hunky pal, Adam
Thompson, stride away.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I slid my eyes
back to Pfannie’s amazing makeup job. I didn’t think she was that much older
than me—maybe thirty-five at the most, and obviously better groomed. Even her
hair was supposed to be chic-messy, sticking out from a bun while mine was just
plain messy, curling all over my shoulders no matter how hard I tried to make
it behave. Doing its own thing—just like a cat. Pfannie was right—cats were not
our pets. They were their housemates.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“How long has
it been since you last saw Adelaide?” I asked, hoping this would be a quick
little piece of cake. “Let’s look over here.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Seriously, how
hard could it be to find a pet cat among the few dozen animal lovers at our first
ever holiday Cat Association Titlist get-together? And speaking of cake…the
dessert table had at least four kinds of chocolate, reflected in colored glass
balls scattered around the green and plaid tablecloth. I gazed longingly as we
passed on our mission to find Adelaide.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Our little
group was the Illinois branch of a national cat fanciers association. Donald
Conklin, my friend who’d introduced me to the group years ago, before Stanley, was
the outgoing president. Pfannie’s nephew, Almanzo, named after Laura’s husband
in Little House on the Prairie, was incoming president.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We stopped at
various nooks and crannies in the humungous sprawling veterinarian complex
outside of the capital, Springfield, which sponsored our organization. Donald
was the mayor of a tiny little town in western Illinois called Apple Grove. We
weren’t far from there, about forty minutes northeast. It had taken Memnet and
me a couple of hours to drive down here from our place in Maplewood, on the far
western edge of Chicago, where I currently lived alone except for my cat…but not
for long. Yippee! My much-needed fresh start was in the works. That thought alone
pushed me out of my dejection from being ditched. There was nothing like the gloom
of rejection to throw a girl off her game.<o:p></o:p></div>
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As we wandered
the room’s perimeter, I called for Adelaide a couple of times, swishing aside long
coats in the cloak room to peek under them. Hooper’s Animal Haven had an
amazingly designed public area which could be conformed in various layouts for
classes, meetings, or the occasional convention. For the party that evening, a large
gathering room with a buffet and drinks bar had been opened. Three rooms were partitioned
off to the side where pets could visit, supervised, away from their owners, or
have some privacy to take care of business, or try different varieties of food.
Did I mention Hooper’s sold expensive, custom-mixed pet food? As well as
everything a pet owner could, and couldn’t, imagine necessary to provide extraordinary
living experiences for host and…yep, housemate. I should know, as I maintained
their website.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I popped into
the room where my darling Memnet, a purebred silver Egyptian Mau, the only
spotted breed of domestic cat, lay in kingly glory atop a carpeted kitty
playhouse. Ginger, the fourteen-year-old honor student in charge of the room,
waved. He lazily groomed a paw while four other cats, including Donald’s bronze
Mau, Tut, patted toys about.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Have you seen Mrs.
Morgenstern’s cat?” I asked her. “The Siamese mix?”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Ginger frowned.
Pfannie took a quick inhaled hiss. I cut her off. “Her sweet chubby little
Adelaide?”<o:p></o:p></div>
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“No, ma’am.
Ma’ams.” Ginger shook her head. “Was she assigned to this room? Did you check
the other rooms?”<o:p></o:p></div>
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“We will.” I
smiled at her despite being “ma’am’d” like some little old lady and pulled
Pfannie away. We did. Check the rooms. No Adelaide.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Isn’t your
boyfriend here?” I asked Pfannie before we got out of the party room. “Rudy?
Ron? R—”<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Rolf.” Pfannie
pursed her lips. Sparks shot from her eyes. “He <i>was.</i> He stepped out for a minute. Half an hour ago.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Hmm. “So…maybe
Adelaide is with him?”<o:p></o:p></div>
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“No way! She’s
so…so new. She hasn’t decided whether she likes him or not.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Well, that
could be a problem.” Oops, had I said that out loud? Fortunately, Pfannie
didn’t act like she’d heard.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Two exits on
either side of the party room led back into the clinic area, while two exits
led outside, one of them to the parking lot.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Pfannie
continued to head for the exterior-side hall out of the party room and into the
main complex. This passageway was decorated with lattice covered in white net
and little lights, like a wedding reception joint. Which this room was on
occasion. Pet weddings were huge. Anyway, in honor of Christmas, a glorious
ball of mistletoe hung from the top of the lattice. Pfannie eyeballed the
mistletoe as we got close. Her tears put out the sparks in her eyes from her
belief in Rolf’s abandonment.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“I’ve forgotten
Rolf’s pet cat’s name,” I said, trying to figure out what was going on. “Maybe
Adelaide is with…him? Her?”<o:p></o:p></div>
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“It’s Junior.
Black with pea green eyes,” Pfannie said.<o:p></o:p></div>
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A memory caught
me. “Isn’t Junior the bicolor with the white bib and tie? A tuxedo? I love
him.” And I did. Junior had won personality of the year two years ago. He and
Mem were buddies.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“He’s so
unimaginative,” Pfannie muttered. “He has no idea how hard it is to do
everything alone. None.” Her teary lashes fluttered at the mistletoe. “Please,
Ivy. What if Adelaide is hurt? Trapped somewhere, and needs me? She has no one
else.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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I scanned the
room. No one was paying any attention to us. Donald was chatting it up with
some folks whose names I couldn’t recall. I couldn’t see Adam. Pfannie wasn’t a
bad sort, just one of those people who needs attention. Constantly. “Sure,” I
told her. “We can keep looking. She’s bound to turn up. It’s a big place but
she has to be somewhere, right?” And it wasn’t like I had anything else to do.
Since my ex-fiancé’s decampment after such a long, fizzled relationship, I
couldn’t get over the desolation of being a rejected half, as if there was
something wrong with me.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Quiet
contemporary jazzy holiday music followed us through the twinkly lights. We
walked on, checking the ladies’ rooms along the wall of the main building
entrance and reception, and under the water fountain.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Adelaide might
be thirsty and tried to beg a drink of water but no one would help her,”
Pfannie said.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I did not roll
my eyes, though I almost had to physically stick my fingers on the lids to stop
them. Pfannie took the lead when we reached the door of Hooper’s Animal Haven Supply
Salon. The Salon was open for business during the party, naturally.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Maybe she
sneaked inside,” Pfannie said, with all the feral intent of Christmas shop-aholism,
despite her quest for her missing pet. I followed, even though I was pretty
sure the two clerks would notice a stray Siamese.<o:p></o:p></div>
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It was half an
hour before I could return her attention to our mission. I tugged her away from
the cat sweaters with holes for ears. She weepingly thrust the blue and white
rhinestone-decorated kitty hoodie back into the clerk’s arms. “I’ll be back
later. With Adelaide. To try it on,” she called.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“I’m sure
she’ll turn up,” the chubby clerk yodeled back, waving a matching adult-size scarf
with jingling bells.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Like we were
leaving on the <i>Titanic</i>. This time I
rolled my eyes and dragged Pfannie out the other door of the shop which opened
into the side hall leading back to the party room. The area was surprisingly
dark. I halted and Pfannie crashed into me.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Wh-what?” she
whispered. “Why’d you stop? Did you hear something?”<o:p></o:p></div>
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“It’s dark,” I
said in my normal voice. “I don’t know why the lights are off. I think the
switches are over here, on the wall near the corner.” I hoped they weren’t covered
and locked. I heard party sounds echoing so I didn’t expect we were off limits.
We’d all had to check in at the reception desk when we arrived.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“I thought you
heard a meow. Or a purr.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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I wouldn’t
willingly interrupt a purr. But footsteps echoed along the hall. Firm steps,
purposeful. I held my breath.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The silhouette
of a back-lit very fit man’s arm pushing open the door to the men’s room sent
Pfannie into action. She scurried forward. “Oh, hey! Sir! Kind sir! Please help
us. Adelaide is missing. I wonder if you wouldn’t mind looking…”<o:p></o:p></div>
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I wasn’t sure
which would be worse, standing there in the dark, or supporting Pfannie’s
dubious request. I shook my head. The person looked past Pfannie toward me.
Once tagged, I had to follow, of course, and approached slowly and most
reluctantly. He probably thought I was a hundred years old.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Shoot me now, I
begged anyone when I neared them. I didn’t need the reflected men’s room light
on the man’s name tag to identify Donald’s friend.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Pfannie
squinted at the tag while taking surreptitious looks into the men’s room, as if
she’d never been inside. She probably hadn’t. “A-adam? Is it you?”<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Yes?” He let
the door close to reach out and take Pfannie’s outstretched hand. We now had
only weak light reflected from the Christmas decorations. “Adam Thompson.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Oh, yes,”
Pfannie said. “Widower. Chicago. Smoke Mau.” She nodded, her human resources department
memory in full showoff mode. “Feisty lady. Had some run-ins with Ivy’s fella,
if I recall.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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I was not
exactly a fan of the dark, but in this case my gratitude was unbounded. How
marvelous that Pfannie would recall something I’d tried to put out of my head
for the past eight months, and the reason I wanted to apologize to him. In
person this time. It might take that long to cool the heat percolating around
my face.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Adam peered
around Pfannie.<o:p></o:p></div>
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She half-turned
and indicated me. “You remember Ivy Preston, don’t you?”<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Of course.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Mortified, I
couldn’t bring myself to speak. I couldn’t be sure, but…had he winked? He faced
Pfannie. “You were saying?”<o:p></o:p></div>
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I twisted and
fanned my face, though I realized that was counter-productive. Frantic motion
would only create more energy and make me warmer.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“But we
shouldn’t keep you,” Pfannie was telling Adam.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“I’ll be happy
to check the room for you,” Adam said. “Though I don’t know how a Siamese cat
would go unnoticed.” His teeth gleamed in the semi-dark. “I’ll just come and
find you in a few minutes, shall I?”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Pfannie
tittered. I had no other word to describe the sound escaping her lips. Adam
glanced briefly in my direction before making it all the way into the men’s
room. I clutched my companion’s elbow and urged her back toward the party.
“C’mon. Maybe Adelaide’s turned up by now. Let’s check with the others.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Oh, my. Isn’t
he a hunk? Nasty scars, though.” Pfannie followed along, thoughts of Rolf
apparently not preventing her from hyperventilating over another man.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I admitted a
sting of woe. Pfannie had a past husband and current boyfriend. The unfairness
of life, my mother would tell me if I complained to her. I, too, had wondered
about Adam Thompson’s scarred neck and arm, but being hitched to Stanley
blinded me to appreciating any of his qualities.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“I’ve never
seen such a beautiful creature as his Isis,” Pfannie blathered. “Well deserving
of the Best in Class trophy.” She stopped and set her hand on mine. “We think
the world of you and Memnet, Ivy. Almanzo was telling me the other day he hoped
you’d agree to a seat on the board.” Her eyes got that misty look and made me
mentally start backing up. “If only you and he…well, I mean, now that you and
what’s his name—”<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Ivy! There you
are!” Donald called and beckoned. Good grief! I was so saved. Pfannie was a
very young aunt to a nephew my age. He had learned about my age from official
files of the group that were supposed to be private and made sure to let me
know he thought we would be suitable partners for each other. Almanzo was still
single…go figure…and had managed to date every other single woman in our
branch. Except me, who had been engaged. Last week I turned down two phone
invitations from him to attend this evening’s party together. I contemplated
changing my phone number. And my birthday.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Donald
understood me, and my frame of mind. He also knew how I felt about Christmas, unadulterated
hatred grown stronger with my canceled wedding set for last weekend, and
offered me a sympathetic smile. He had retrieved his cat Tut who was oddly
content in his arms despite the commotion in the room. “I wanted to share
something with you…” His twinkly expression faded only a smidgeon when he
noticed who was with me. “Mrs. Morgenstern. Hello.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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She sniffed.
“Mr. President. Has my Adelaide been found?”<o:p></o:p></div>
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How in the
world did that woman turn the tears on and off like that? What gift.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“I didn’t know
she was missing.” Donald swung his worried eyes toward mine. “Is that where
you’ve been? Looking for her?”<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Yes.” Pfannie
began twisting a lace-edged handkerchief between her hands, setting the cat charms
at her wrist jingling in a clash with the music. “We ran into Adam—Isis’s
companion—who agreed to check in the men’s room for us.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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I choked on the
laughter bubbling up at her statement, stuffed it back but snorted, which only
made me giggle harder. Pfannie narrowed her eyes at me. I grabbed my throat and
made like I needed water. Tut gave an angry hiss and jumped down, sat, and sent
his ears back. Donald must have clutched him in a sensitive spot. Donald
stopped biting his lips and cupped his mouth like a megaphone. “Everyone!
Excuse me, friends!”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Background
noise dissolved like bubbles from flat champagne.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Has anyone
seen Adelaide, Mrs. Morgenstern’s cat? Let’s all take a look around ourselves.
Think of the last time you might have seen her. And let’s offer up a prayer of
safety, shall we?”<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Oh, I should
have thought of that right away,” Pfannie whispered at me. She raised her hand
to toss in her two cents. “She’s a precious Siamese, quite young. I’m worried
she hasn’t had a chance to get to get comfortable with anyone yet and may have
gone into hiding. Don’t worry, people. No cause to call the authorities. I’m
quite certain this isn’t a case of bullying.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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I choked again on
snorts of glee at her posturing and felt the warmth of someone behind me. “Like
Memnet and Isis,” someone said dryly.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Hey!” I hissed
at Isis’s “companion,” my need to apologize for the cat fight at last spring’s
convention lost. “Mem was provoked.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Adam held up
his hands. His slow grin curled my toes. “Maybe.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Two issues
struck me at the same time. In the few months since Stanley had left me not
quite at the altar but too close for comfort I had managed to thaw toward men.
Not only thaw, but be attracted to a man. I was not dead.<o:p></o:p></div>
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But I’d also
agreed to move a hundred miles away from what might have been the start of a
beautiful relationship.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Ah, good.”
Donald rubbed his hands together as he joined us. “I’ve been working toward
getting the three of us together all night. Adam and I have been talking.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Lisa Lickelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07798980644446426574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32770572.post-49306674963344075602011-01-07T20:35:00.000-06:002019-01-25T07:49:42.257-06:00Apple Grove<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-size: 20pt;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Welcome to Apple Grove, Illinois!<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-size: 20pt;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Little City with a Big Core<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>We are on the
Founders River in western Illinois, approximately 200 miles west of Chicago and
south of our state capital, Springfield. Apple Grove is the Hansen County seat
of government and a fine family community. Population: 6,457<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Main industry:
agriculture, proud international home of Apple Delight, makers of fine juices,
ciders, apple pie filling, jellies, and other exemplary apple products<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Apple Grove welcomes new
industry<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Join us for Apple
Fest, the last full weekend in September.</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This website is undergoing continual upgrades. Check back for
updated information.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-size: 20pt;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">History<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Apple Grove was
founded in 1837 rose and grew along Founders River, a stream that erupted from
a natural spring about four miles north of town. At one time it had served its
purpose by washing with enough force down an incline that it was deemed
sufficiently powerful to operate the wheel of a gristmill. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Appleseed" target="_blank">John Chapman</a>, better
known as Johnny Appleseed, visited the area on his missionary
seed-planting journey when he traveled all the way to see the Mississippi River, and is believed to have planted the first apple grove that
gave the city its name. Apple Delight, an international apple production
company, maintains the orchards. At its height, Apple Grove had a population of
over 10,000 with two shoemakers, four dress shops and milliners, a cigar factory,
tinsmiths, two liveries, medical services, funeral parlors, as many as eight
saloons, a very fine school, and ladies’ secretarial academy, besides the mill
and orchard. As with many frontier communities, Apple Grove undertook a safety
system to provide a shelter for businesses and its citizens in times of natural
and man-made disaster by digging a system of tunnels beneath the main avenues
of the city. They have since been deemed a danger and closed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Welcome to
Apple Grove, Illinois, the Apple of Illinois’s Eye.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-size: 20pt;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Information, please!<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Government<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Mayor –
Donald Conklin<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Administrative
Assistant – Marion Green<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">City Council<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Meets first and third Mondays of the month
at City Hall, 6 p.m.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Ward 1 – Cal
Stewart, Jeff Hanley <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Ward
2 – Knute Granger, Tory Gold<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Ward
3 – Arnie Cappler, Needa Jones <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Ward
4 – Rupert Murphy, Gretchen Peterson<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Clerk</b> – Marion Green<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Treasurer </b>– Jeff Hanley<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-size: 20pt;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Legal – Call the switchboard for assistance<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Offices of:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">City Attorney<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>City Ordinances - see below<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Voting Information<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Municipal Services<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Building and Grounds</b> – Carey Robbins,
director<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Utilities, Water
and Waste<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Parks and Recreation<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">City Park<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Apple Adventure
Park<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Founders River
Walkway<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Chapman Memorial
Public Library<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Planning and Zoning</b> - Georgine Crosby,
city engineer <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Safety Commission<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Fire</b> – Captain
Lorne Reed<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">111 Apple St.<br />
Emergency: 9-1-1<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Apple Grove Fire Department is responsible for
providing an efficient and effective delivery of fire, medical, rescue,
and life safety emergency services within city limits. The Fire Department
also strives to improve the quality of life for residents by providing
public education, annual flushing and flow testing of the cities hydrant
system, pre-fire inspections and conduction of fire drills.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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The primary goals of the Fire Department are to:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Reduce and prevent the loss of life and property damage<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Improve the outcome of patients<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Quickly rescue trapped victims<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Protect the environment from destruction<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Police </b>– Chief
Gene Hackman, Cindy Evans – dispatch, Coroner – Ella Moon<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">510 Main St. <br />
Emergency: 9-1-1<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Our mission is to serve and protect
all residents and visitors. The best way to combat crime is to
prevent it, Further, this department believes that effective crime prevention
and law enforcement is based on mutual trust and respect between the members of
this department and those we serve and protect. Our main goal is to contribute
to the quality of life.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Post Office<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Businesses </b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Apple Grove Chamber of Commerce</b> is located at 212 Main
Street. Quarterly meetings are held the last week of March, June,
September, and December. A county guide to member businesses can be obtained at
the office and at our very fine member establishments.<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Apple Delight</b> – Fine Apple Products,
seasonal hiring, contact Central Office<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Auto Dealerships<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Auto Repair<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Bank</b> – State’s Bank, Apple Grove Branch<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Books </b>- Mea Cuppa gourmet coffee, candies, books and gifts<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Coffee</b> - Mea Cuppa gourmet coffee,
candies, books and gifts<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Dining/Food<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Ice Cream Shoppe <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Lo Mah Chinese
American Cuisine<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Pizza Parlor<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Tiny’s Buffet<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Events</b> – Ethereal Events<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Exercise</b> – Fit’r U<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Drug Store</b> – Apple Grove Pharmacy<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Feli-Mix Pet Food Designers<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Florist<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Flower Shop<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Funeral<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Gas Station</b> – Apple Grove Service, free air<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Gifts<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Apple Delight<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Mea Cuppa Gourmet
coffee, candies, books and gifts<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Flower Shop</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Yours, Truly</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Wagner's Rx</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Grocers</b> – Apple Mart<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Hair Cutting and Styling<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Barber Shop (next
to Mea Cuppa Gourmet coffee, candies, books and <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">gifts)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Happy Hearts Bio-engineering</b> – hiring, contact Personnel Dept.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Jewelers<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Wyler’s Fine
Jewelry and Repair; also buying old jewelry<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Medical services<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Apple Grove
Medical Clinic<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Solid Core
Physical Therapists<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">DeLight Vision<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">General Dental
Services<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Wagner’s Rx<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>News</b> – Apple Grove Gazette, Yolanda
and Jim Toynsbee<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Odds and Ends Antiques<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Print Shop<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Radio - </b>WWAG<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Technology</b> – McTeague’s Tech Services, personal computers and
service, website design and maintenance, business and marketing design<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Veterinary services<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Apple Grove Veterinary
Services, Adelle Bailey, DMV <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></o:p><img src="https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2016/11/08/20/36/mineral-point-1809395__340.jpg" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 48px;" /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red; font-size: 18pt;">C</span><span style="color: red; font-size: 24px;">itizen Information</span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Calendar of Events</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Pets on Parade,
Fourth of July<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Apple Fest, Labor
Day weekend<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Community Read,
first week of February<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Community Opportunities <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Chapman Memorial Library<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Historical Society
& Museum<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Good Seeds
Volunteers<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Education<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Apple Grove Public
Elementary and Middle School<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Memorial High
School – home of the Trailblazers!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Media<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Newspaper, the
Apple Grove Gazette<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Radio – WWAG <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Computer services
– McTeague Technical Services<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Medical Services</b> – hospital, dental and vision clinical services,
veterinarian<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Physical Fitness</b> -- Fitr'U</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Assisted Living</b> – Trails End<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Social Services</b> – Good Seeds Volunteers
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Churches<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">New Horizons
Church<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Apple Grove Worship Center<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">St. John Catholic</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: red; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Guest Information</b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Attractions & Events</b> – historical society and museum,
underground tunnels tours by appointment; the Collins House and Museum is open
Memorial Day to Labor Day, Thurs – Sun, 1-4 PM or by appointment; Apple Fest is
held the first weekend of October, sponsored by Apple Delight. Pets on Parade
is our annual Fourth of July event.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Banking </b>– State’s Bank, Apple Grove Branch<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Dining</b> –Ice Cream Shoppe <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Lo Mah Chinese
American Cuisine<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Pizza Parlor<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Tiny’s Buffet<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Lodging</b> – Prairie Conference Center and
Hotel, Guido’s Pizza Parlor and Inn<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Gifts</b> – Apple Delight, Wagner’s Rx, Mea Cuppa, the Flower Shop, Yours, Truly<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Maps</b> available at the visitor’s desk in
City Hall, Prairie Conference Center<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Medical & Veterinary Services</span><o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><i> all photos from Pixabay or Morguefile and are free for use</i></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
********************************************<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
APPLE GROVE, ILLINOIS CITY CODE<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
____________<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
GENERAL ORDINANCES OF THE CITY<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
____________<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
Effective, April 1, 2000<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
____________<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Published By Order of the City Council<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
____________<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
OFFICIALS<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
of the<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
CITY OF APPLE GROVE<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
____________<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Donald Conklin<br />
Mayor<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
____________<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Cal Stewart, chair of Utilities Commission<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Jeff Hanley, chair of Parks & Recreation<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Knute Granger, chair of Library Board<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Arnie Cappler, chair of Safety Commission <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Needa Jones, chair of Building<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Rupert Murphy, president<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Tory Gold<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Gretchen Peterson<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Alderpersons<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
____________<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
City Clerk<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
____________<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
City Attorney<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
PREFACE<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This Code is a codification of the ordinances of the City of
Apple Grove of a general and permanent nature. As expressed in the Adopting
Ordinance, the Code supersedes all such ordinances not included therein or
recognized as continuing in force by reference thereto.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The chapters of the Code are arranged in alphabetical order
and the sections within each chapter are catchlined to facilitate usage.
Footnotes which tie related sections of the Code together and which refer to
relevant provisions of the state law have been included. The source of each
section is indicated by the history note appearing in parentheses at the end
thereof. The absence of such a note indicates that the section is new and was
adopted for the first time with the adoption of the Code. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Numbering System<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The numbering system used in this Code is the same system
used in many state and municipal codes. Each section number consists of two
component parts separated by a dash, the figure before the dash representing
the chapter number and the figure after the dash indicating the position of the
section within the chapter. Thus, the first section of Chapter 1 is
numbered 1-1 and the tenth section of Chapter 2 is 2-10. Under this
system each section is identified with its chapter and, at the same time, new
sections or even whole chapters can be inserted in their proper places, simply
by using the decimal system for amendments. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Index<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The index has been prepared with the greatest of care. Each
particular item has been placed under several headings, some of the headings
being couched in lay phraseology, others in legal terminology, and still others
in language generally used by municipal officials and employees. There are
numerous cross references within the index itself which stand as guideposts to
direct the user to the particular item in which he is interested. The
successful maintenance of this Code up-to-date, at all times will depend
largely upon the holder of the volume. As revised sheets are received it will
then become the responsibility of the holder to have the amendments inserted
according to the attached instructions. It is strongly recommended by the
publishers that all such amendments be inserted immediately upon receipt to
avoid misplacing them and, in addition, that all deleted pages be saved and
filed for historical reference purposes.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Be It Ordained by the City Council of the City of Apple
Grove, Illinois:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Section 1. That this ordinance is hereby adopted and
enacted as the “Apple Grove City Code,” and shall be treated and considered as
a new and original comprehensive ordinance which shall supersede all other
general and permanent ordinances passed by the City Council.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Section 2. That all provisions of such Code shall be
in full force and effect.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Section 3. That the repeal provided for in Section 2
hereof shall not affect the following:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Any offense or act committed or done or any penalty or
forfeiture incurred or any contract or right established or accruing before the
effective date of such Code;<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
(2) Any ordinance or resolution promising or guaranteeing
the payment of money for the City, or authorizing the issuance of any bonds of
the City or any evidence of the City's indebtedness, or any contract or
obligations assumed by the City;<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
(3) Any administrative ordinances or resolutions of the City
Council not in conflict or inconsistent with the provisions of such Code;<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
(4) Any right or franchise granted by any ordinances of the
City;<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
(5) Any ordinance dedicating, naming, establishing,
locating, relocating, opening, paving, widening, vacating, etc., any street or
public way in the City;<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
(6) Any appropriation ordinances;<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
(7) Any ordinance levying or imposing taxes;<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
(8) Any ordinance establishing or prescribing grades in the
City;<o:p></o:p></div>
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(9) Any ordinance providing for local improvements and
making assessments therefor;<o:p></o:p></div>
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(10) Any ordinance dedicating or accepting any plat or
subdivision in the City;<o:p></o:p></div>
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(11) Any ordinance extending or contracting the boundaries
of the City;<o:p></o:p></div>
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(12) Any ordinance prescribing the number, classification or
compensation of any city officers or employees, not inconsistent herewith;<o:p></o:p></div>
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(13) Any ordinance regulating or prohibiting traffic or
parking on any particular streets or in any particular area, or specifying or
designating off-street parking lots;<o:p></o:p></div>
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(14) Any or instance creating specific funds;<o:p></o:p></div>
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(15) Any ordinance relating to traffic or obstructions
around road projects;<o:p></o:p></div>
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(16) Any subdivision or zoning ordinances or amendment or
variance thereto;<o:p></o:p></div>
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(17) Any ordinance establishing wards or dealing with the
size of the City Council.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Such repeal shall not be construed to revive any ordinance
or part thereof that has been repealed by a subsequent ordinance which is
repealed by this ordinance.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Section 4. That any and all additions or amendments to
such Code, when passed in such form as to indicate the intention of the City
Council to make the same a part thereof, shall be deemed to be incorporated in
such Code so that reference to the “Apple Grove City Code,” shall be understood
and intended to include such additions and amendments.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Section 5. That a copy of such Code shall be kept on
file in the office of the City Clerk, preserved in looseleaf form. It shall be
the express duty of the City Clerk or someone authorized to insert in their
designated places all amendments or ordinances which indicate the intention of
the City Council to make the same a part of such Code when the same have been
printed or reprinted in page form, and to extract from such Code all provisions
which may from time to time be repealed by the City Council. This copy of such
Code shall be considered the official Apple Grove City Code.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Section 6. That in case of the amendment of any
section of such Code for which a penalty is not provided, the general penalty
as provided in Section 1-9 of such Code shall apply to the section as
amended.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Section 7. That it shall be unlawful for any person,
firm or corporation in the City to change or amend by additions or deletions,
any section or portion of such Code, or to insert or delete pages or portions
thereof, or to alter or tamper with such Code in any manner whatsoever which
will cause the law of the City of Apple Grove to be misrepresented thereby.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Section 8. That whenever in said Code or in any
ordinance of the City, any act or omission is prohibited or is made or declared
to be unlawful or a misdemeanor, or whenever in said Code or ordinance the
doing of any act or the commission of any omission is declared to be unlawful
or a misdemeanor and no specific penalty is provided therefor, and state law
does not provide otherwise, the violation of any such provision of such Code or
any ordinance shall be a misdemeanor punishable by a term of imprisonment of up
to six (6) months or a fine of up to five hundred dollars ($500.00), or both.
Unless specifically provided otherwise, or the content thereof so dictates,
each day any violation of any provision of said Code or any ordinance shall
continue shall constitute a separate offense.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Section 9. That all ordinances or parts of ordinances
in conflict herewith are, to the extent of such conflict, hereby repealed.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Section 10. That this ordinance shall be in full force
and effect from and after its passage, approval and publication in book or
pamphlet form according to law.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Signed Donald Conklin<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Mayor<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
ATTEST:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Signed <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
City Clerk <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Lisa Lickelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07798980644446426574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32770572.post-44254299715536793842011-01-06T19:48:00.000-06:002019-06-04T15:39:53.106-05:00Egyptian Mau Cats<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Egyptian Mau Cats</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Egyptian_Mau_Bronze.jpg#/media/File:Egyptian_Mau_Bronze.jpg"><img alt="Egyptian Mau Bronze.jpg" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7f/Egyptian_Mau_Bronze.jpg/500px-Egyptian_Mau_Bronze.jpg" /></a><br />
By <a class="external text" href="https://www.flickr.com/people/53133240@N00" rel="nofollow">liz west</a> from Boxborough, MA - <a class="external text" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/53133240@N00/2765391874/" rel="nofollow">Egyptian Mau</a>, <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0" title="Creative Commons Attribution 2.0">CC BY 2.0</a>, <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8241906">Link</a><br />
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<b>Egyptian Mau</b> cats are the only spotted
domestic breed of house cats. They are reportedly traceable back to the time of
the Pharaohs, thus their name, and were highly praised, even mummified.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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There are three accepted types of
Egyptian Mau: the bronze, the silver, and the more rare smoke. The cats were
introduced to the United States by an Italian cat fancier in the mid-1950s. In
1980, a line of breed from India was introduced to expand the gene pool. A blue
has been added since 1997 to the Cat Fancier’s acceptable breed list.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Maus are short-haired, with large
ears and gooseberry green eyes. Their markings include facial striping which
breaks into spots along the pelt. They average 6-12 pounds for females, and
slightly larger for males, making them average size. Their lifespans are typically
an average of 12 years, and they are generally healthy when well cared for with
little heart or lung issues since the introduction of a secondary line<o:p></o:p></div>
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The cats are reportedly
family-friendly and very loyal. They prefer to be individuals, but tolerate
other animals.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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They rarely make a purr or loud
meows typical of other cats, but instead chirp in a high pitch, or chortle, and
can make a wheezy intermittent purr of contentment. They are very fast runners
and can leap as high as six feet.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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For articles that discuss in depth
the breed and its particular characteristics, please visit the <a href="http://www.cfa.org/" target="_blank">Cat FancierAssociation</a> website with its accompanying articles.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://www.cfa.org/Breeds/BreedsCJ/EgyptianMau.aspx">http://www.cfa.org/Breeds/BreedsCJ/EgyptianMau.aspx</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://www.cfa.org/Breeds/BreedsCJ/EgyptianMau/EgyptianMauArticle.aspx">http://www.cfa.org/Breeds/BreedsCJ/EgyptianMau/EgyptianMauArticle.aspx</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egyptian_Mau" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a> is another source.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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For photographs of several
varieties, please visit the <a href="http://www.robots.ox.ac.uk/~vgg/data/pets/getCategory.php?category=Egyptian_Mau" target="_blank">Oxford Pet Database</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/60zcX3GijYQ" width="560"></iframe>
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The photograph of a bronze Mau is courtesy
of Creative Commons. This image was originally posted to Flickr by
Muffet t https://www.flickr.com/photos/53133240@N00/2765391874. It
was reviewed on 24 October 2009 by <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:FlickreviewR"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">FlickreviewR</span></a> and
was confirmed to be licensed under the terms of the cc-by-2.0.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Lisa Lickelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07798980644446426574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32770572.post-49211501925445900472011-01-06T19:11:00.000-06:002019-02-11T11:34:46.202-06:00Meow Matrimony chapter one<br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ucg3kzGdjz8/XDAA9M_fRFI/AAAAAAAAHyU/eAFFj_1D2DsXbiE9c5J3huBF6vAsz9qbQCEwYBhgL/s1600/MeowMatrimony_prc5446_680%2B-%2BCopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="410" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ucg3kzGdjz8/XDAA9M_fRFI/AAAAAAAAHyU/eAFFj_1D2DsXbiE9c5J3huBF6vAsz9qbQCEwYBhgL/s320/MeowMatrimony_prc5446_680%2B-%2BCopy.jpg" width="192" /></a></div>
<br />
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
copyright Lisa J Lickel<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<o:p><b>From the Back of the Book:</b></o:p></div>
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<o:p>Nothing will keep Ivy from getting married. Not even murder. </o:p></div>
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<br />
Ivy Preston has waited a long time to get married. This time she plans
to do more than make it to the altar. But when Ivy tries to do a good deed and
stumbles over a body, she and her former fiancé, Stanley, are accused of the
crime. Ivy hopes she’s not the only one who believes in their innocence.<br />
<br />
Worse than being framed for murder, when one of her beloved kittens falls ill,
Ivy must face her greatest fears. How will she ever parent a child if she can’t
even take care of a cat. . .and for that matter, how will she be the type of
wife her devoted fiancé needs? <br />
<br />
Through the love and support of her mom, fiancé, and friends, Ivy is determined
to clear Stanley's good name, and her own. With nuptials looming, Ivy hopes not
only to find a killer, but to make it to her own wedding.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>Chapter 1</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“This is Ivanna in
the morning,” the throaty voice from my car radio chanted. “Ready to sign off.
Remember, North Star Candies…the way to enjoy the day. Who doesn’t adore North
Star mocha fudge? Treats so light they’ll take you beyond the moon!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Hmm, North Star might
have been the best around here,” I told my car radio. “Before Featherlight
Confectioneries made caramel cashew with sea salt.” I pulled into my driveway,
the cool sunny breeze whipping my hair when I opened the car door. Yippee! Not
only was March arriving like a lamb, I had presents. My mail carrier Janie knew
I’d stop in at home at lunchtime to check on the kittens, so she’d left the
beautiful box from Emblem Paper Works on my front stoop next to my still
tightly budded tulips. Sigh.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I put my hand over
my fluttering heart and drooled once again over the wonderful, fabulous hunk of
man who was going to marry me. The box of wedding invitations sitting there
pushed me one step closer to the altar, which I vowed I was actually going to
make stick this time. When I could touch the scrumptious, thick, silky paper
and read the words, I was sure the wedding would finally feel real, and everything
would be perfect this time. Adam Truegood Thompson, the man who loved cats and
children, fed me gourmet coffee and chocolate, would take me, Ivy Amanda
Preston, as his lawfully wedded wife. Mmhmm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">OK, quit dawdling,
grab the box of invites, which technically wasn’t a present since I paid for
them, and check on the man’s kittens which were currently in residence at my
house so their father wouldn’t be tempted to harm a hair on their little heads.
Sadly, the darling fluffballs broke the line of pure-bred Egyptian Mau cats
when my silver, Memnet, got to, um, know his cat Isis, a smoke, a little better
than we’d anticipated last fall. Mem and Adam were currently batching it at his
place downtown.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I called “kitty,
kitty,” as I dumped the box on my kitchen table, even though Isis always gave
me the eye, like what was this crazy woman doing? when I tried to get her to
come. She would appear when she needed me. Which was rarely. The four kittens,
on the other hand, bumbled over. I squatted to play with them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The invitations called
to me during the time I created a peanut butter and rhubarb jam sandwich and
ate. I studied the siren carton while I jingled my car keys and dithered
whether to open it now or wait for Adam so we could look at them together.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Guess which side
won?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I used the
handy-dandy key I happened to be holding to slice through the packing tape. Uh-oh,
that color blue edging wasn’t what I remembered in my order. Flutter went thunk
in my chest. I reached with a quivering hand and matching lip to lift out the
sample invitation left open on top of the neatly sealed packages.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“You are cordially
invited to attend the nuptials of Miss Ivanna Lynn Pressman and Mr. Jason
Albert Carter…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Oh, no.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I double-checked the
address on the box. Yup, my name, Ivy Preston, and my address, 312 Marigold
Street, Apple Grove, Illinois.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I picked up the
sealed package of invitations and turned it over. From the outside they looked
the same as the open one. I guessed our names were close enough to confuse, but
I still felt wounded and anonymous. Ivanna, hmm? Exotic, nothing like me. It
couldn’t be…seriously? Ivanna from the radio show? I looked again at the
invitation. Their wedding was the weekend before mine. Ours. At Ethereal
Events, the same venue Adam and I had booked for the last Sunday in June. I
know, a Sunday, but it was the closest we could get to the end of May, Mother’s
preferred date.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Fortunately, the
invoice had Ivanna’s correct address—on the south edge of Apple Grove—and I
thought I’d do the neighborly thing and take them over to her after work rather
than waste time sending them back through the mail. Besides, ouch, those things
were expensive enough already. I grabbed some tape from the drawer and quickly
slapped it across my key slash, called “farewell and behave” to the cats and
rushed back out the door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">As I started my
car’s engine, I reached for the radio button, ready to catch a little of the
afternoon show on WWAG, Apple’s Grove’s little radio station. Ivanna could be home
when I went there. Hmm…I might get to meet a celebrity. Anticipation would make
the afternoon wing by. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I drove the few
blocks downtown to Mea Cuppa, the coffee and book store Adam owned and at which
I now helped. The Apple Grove store was one of a small chain based in Chicago.
Pushing the back door open, I called, “Martha, I’m back,” to our shop assistant
and my neighbor who worked three days a week. “Anything exciting happen?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">She was a bouncy mom
of twin kindergarteners who was overjoyed to let her mother and her husband’s
parents share grandparent duties while she earned some needed money.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“When does anything
exciting happen around here?” she said with a little toss of her reddish-blond
hair nicely shaped to her head. I envied anyone who had such control of her
hair. Mine tended toward the wild musk ox side. “Just that new order from the
book distributor. I had them set it by the office door.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Thanks! I had a
special delivery at home, too.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Do tell!” She
rubbed her hands together.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Of course! Be right
back.” I went to put my purse away in my office desk and returned to the wide
open, high-ceilinged room with narrow creaky wooden floorboards to help her
prep for the afternoon coffee rush. Today’s coffee special was mocha mint, and
of course I needed to sample some so I could eagerly explain its engaging qualities
to our clientele. The hot mugful went down smoothly and I regretfully decided
against seconds. I told Martha about the invitations instead, to keep my mouth too
busy to stuff in more calories. “So, if that’s OK with your schedule, I want to
take off fifteen minutes early so I can still meet Adam at Tiny’s for a quick
supper after I drop off the box at Ivanna’s house. Can you lock up?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Sure, boss.” Martha
grinned and popped a square of chocolate fudge from Featherlight
Confectionaries in her mouth. “I’ll just ask Mom if she can get supper ready.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I ordered myself to
stop mentally drooling over fudge and a mom who would cook dinner at the drop
of a hat and think of my upcoming wedding dress fitting. “I can’t imagine what
it would be like, having parents so close.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The bell on the door
played, “Oh what a beautiful morning, Oh what a beautiful day,” as customers
entered. Much as I wished my mom lived physically closer, having a two-hour warning,
the drive from Maplewood where I’d grown up in northern Illinois south to Apple
Grove, was a relief before her tornadic visits. Adam’s father had passed away
years ago and his mother had Alzheimer’s. Sad.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">At five forty-five,
Colleen Bailey, our after-school helper, and Martha were ably handling
customers so I breezed back into the late afternoon light. Sunset was five
minutes away and would be romantic by the time Adam and I held hands at the
buffet for our too-brief connection of the day. He had an evening meeting—when
didn’t he?—with some committee or other of the city council. Part time mayor
was really time and a half, but he was happy and I was proud of him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I needed sunglasses
for the drive west and south, the approximate direction of Ivanna’s
neighborhood. New townhouses clashed with the gentility of Apple Grove’s
historic center. Progress, though, trumped desperate clinging to the past,
something Adam was attempting to work on by bringing new businesses and life to
our little adopted city.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">There it was—Ivanna’s
address, the right hand of a two-story dark-sided and narrow-windowed building.
I supposed it was modern classic, but I frowned at its bleakness. The tree in
the front yard was spindly, with its “I’m new and insured the first year” store
tag fluttering in the breeze. I knocked and rang the bell before depositing the
box on the rubber welcome mat. Weatherman Bob at WWAG reported possible showers
in the early morning hours, so I hesitated leaving it exposed. As I reached to
test the knob, I noticed the interior door was ajar. Maybe I should push it
open and shove the box inside. I didn’t even have to set foot in the entry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">With a peek up and
down the street, deserted for the dinner hour, I gingerly eased the glass storm
door toward me, then tentatively pushed the black-painted interior door inward.
Not even a squeak added to the spooky tension. I grinned. I’d been reading way
too many mysteries and detective dramas lately. “Hello! Just dropping this
off!” I called as I slid the box forward, though I was certain no one was home.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Except the
outstretched fingers on the floor I happened to see looked too real to spring
from an overactive imagination.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I swallowed and
pulled back, still on my knees on Ivanna’s stoop. If it was a crime scene, I
shouldn’t go in. My heart raced and a sweat on my brow was going to make my
hair frizzier.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But what if she was
hurt or sick?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What if an assailant
was lurking?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What if I was lying
there and someone saw me on the floor?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What if it wasn’t
her?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Apple Grove’s
semi-warm and fuzzy almost detective Officer Ripple could reprimand me later. I
pushed the door wider—it was already open, not locked, so I couldn’t be accused
of breaking and entering—I hoped—and crawled one knee inside. “Hi! Just making
a delivery!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">My caution blew back
in my face. I’d never seen Ivanna from the radio show, but I recognized her as
a former waitress at Tiny’s. She was mostly on her stomach with her legs
slightly bent, splayed across her Italian green and gold marble-tiled foyer,
red hair partially covering the white skin of her face. Under her pale gold
silk blouse her abundant cleavage was kind of pushed up toward her throat and
her cheek rested on the floor. I was so glad her eyes were closed. That meant
she could be…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Um, Ivanna? Miss
Pressman? Are you all right?” I figured I’d better ask before I checked for a
pulse. I didn’t see any blood. As I leaned across her outstretched arm to see
if I could put a finger on her neck without touching anything else, I planted
my left hand near hers. My skin prickled and I pulled back. A piece of candy,
partially unwrapped, lay near her wrist. I reached for it, but stopped before
my fingers left prints. Ripple’s stern cop voice sounded in my mind: “You
didn’t touch anything, did you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I refocused on the very
still body. Well, technically I didn’t know if it was—oh, just check for a
pulse, Ivy, so you have something to tell the police. “Ivanna? I’m just going
to…put my finger here…under your ear…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">There was plenty of
time for her to open her eyes or start breathing before I made contact. But,
no. Just as I figured…her icy cold skin did not thrum with any beat of life.
WWAG was going to have to find a new morning show host.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I sat back and
fumbled for my phone. While I dialed 911 and waited for the response, I studied
Ivanna. Her mouth looked a little pinched, even in death. A slash of crimson
red lipstick and matching polish on her long nails should have clashed with
that shade of brassy hair, yet some blondish highlights kept the color from
being gauche. The engagement ring on her outstretched hand had a positively
vulgar two-carat diamond in an ornate swirly gold setting, posed like it was on
display.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“What is your
emergency?” the voice on my phone asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I explained with the
fewest words possible and was directed to remain on the scene until officers
arrived. “Sure, I will,” I said and hung up. The adrenalin rush wore off when I
realized I’d be late to meet Adam and probably wouldn’t get to see him at all
today. I held up my phone again, about to speed dial him, when I was distracted
by the piece of candy on the floor. The wrapper bore the unmistakable winged
design of Featherlight Confectionaries—the same kind my ex-fiancé Stanley
Brewer sold since he’d switched companies. I stopped in mid-reach once again. I
didn’t recognize this style of chocolate cube. This had a slightly bumpy
texture, as if stuffed with delicacies. I knew them all since we sold that
brand at Mea Cuppa, and this one didn’t belong.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Right—Adam. I got to
my feet and stepped away from Ivanna. I was a little shaky and didn’t want to
upset him if my voice quivered while explaining my peculiar situation so I sent
him a text saying I was all right, but had run into a problem and wouldn’t make
it. Plz call me l8r.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I didn’t hear any
sirens yet so I looked around. The foyer was formal—opulent. Toward the far end
a pass way opened to a large room. On the opposite side a door to a probable
powder room stood ajar. Beyond the door was a shadowy passage—probably a hall.
I tiptoed toward the living room. Just to see if anyone was lurking. Oh—all
right, I was curious. My attention was immediately nabbed by a long off-white
dress hanging from a sconce. It practically waved at me. I might have even felt
a waft of moving air. The wedding dress, obviously. It was beautiful in a
creamy, old-fashioned way, with pleated straps and delicate pearls sewn around
the bodice and skirt. I couldn’t help comparing hers to mine. I had a few
layers of under skirting to make my dress puff, so as to draw attention away
from my not-exactly-hourglass-shaped figure. Hers was sleek. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Still no sign of the
police. Near the dress an open folder rested on an end table. Yup—as I suspected,
paperwork for the wedding reception. Menu plans, and…optional guest favors with
surprise Featherlight Confectionaries candy samples apparently not available to
the general public and new to Ethereal Events, the wedding venue.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I decided to text
Stanley next. Why? Hmm…got me, except I wondered if I could find out more about
the private candy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What was keeping the
police? I wandered closer to Ivanna’s wedding dress, which would sadly go
unworn. I poked at the beadwork.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Ahem…hey, Vanna?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The male voice behind
made me jump and twirl. A computer screen on a small coffee table behind me
showed a headshot of a very attractive man with dark, thick wavy hair over totally
cliché, I know, bedroom eyes and a four o’clock shadow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Who are you?” the
man demanded, bedroom eyes turning six a.m. alert and alarming, practically
shooting sparks of anger. “Where’s Ivanna?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Thankfully the front
door burst open at that moment. “Uh, excuse me, please,” I told the computer
screen and rushed back to the foyer. Petite, blonde Officer Ann Dow was a
straight-laced professional who I’d gotten to know when mystery boxes of
chocolate appeared on my doorstep several months ago. Stanley had been trying
to wiggle back into my life after leaving me at the altar, but his tactics were
on the stalker side and made me nervous, so I called the police. Apple Grove
was too small to need partner police patrols, though under the present circumstances
I was not surprised to see Tim Ripple follow her in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Miss Preston,”
Ripple said in my direction. He had initially been unappreciative of my help
finding the former mayor’s killer last fall, although it wasn’t as if I
obstructed justice. It wasn’t my fault if our cats hadn’t trusted him at first.
Officer Dow studied Ivanna’s position and the room, reading the scene like a
procedural. She checked for a pulse and grimly shook her head at Ripple. She
also snapped a few photos while Ripple started in on me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Why were you in
that room?” Ripple asked. He sighed dramatically with every fiber of his muscly
five-ten, shorn brown-haired physique. “What all did you touch?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Nothing!” I held up
my hands. “Really! Except the floor, the door frame, and uh…” I swiveled toward
angry tones sounding from the living room I’d just exited. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ripple nodded at Dow
and both drew weapons. He frowned. “Who’s in there? Who were you talking to?
Stay here.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dow eyed me and took
up a position at the side of the entry to the living room while he bent low and
duck-waddled in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I followed, despite
the warning, and Dow pulled me back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“It’s her computer,”
I whispered. “Somebody calling Ivanna.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dow scrunched her
brows.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“VOIP,” I said,
trying not to get too technical about my area of expertise, electronic
communications. At her even more puzzled expression, I said quietly, “Voice Over
Internet Protocol—Ivanna uses her computer like a phone.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Oh,” she whispered,
cocking her head to listen to Ripple who was attempting to get information from
the man on the computer without giving anything else away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In any event, I was
going to have to do a lot of explaining to a lot of people about a great many
things. I shivered at another waft of cool air and turned back to stare
absently at Ivanna’s body, keeping a healthy distance. Dow sent me a
sympathetic glance and stood down from her ready position. Jason Clark, the man
on the computer, as he finally admitted to Ripple, was poor Ivanna’s fiancé.
Former fiancé. We listened to Ripple ask Jason questions. What did he know
about Ivanna’s schedule today? Where had Jason been all day?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Even after Ripple
convinced him to cooperate, I wondered about the legality of investigation by
computer call. Short of the video court appearances from prisoners, such things
weren’t always admissible evidence in court. I loved those procedural dramas.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Sir, please come to
the police station. Officer Dow will meet you there in thirty minutes to take a
statement,” Ripple said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Statement about
what? That sounds official. What’s going on? Why can’t you tell me now?” Jason
asked, agitated all over again. I felt sorry for him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Don’t you have to
notify next of kin first?” I whispered, and received a shush from Dow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“It’s bad, isn’t it?
I’m calling my attorney,” Jason’s voice said. The rest of his statement faded
and squawked, then was gone. Ivanna’s computer probably needed to recharge. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ripple reappeared as
the front door swung wide to admit emergency medical techs with a stretcher.
Dow took more photos, then Detective Reyes showed up with a toolbox. He spent a
few minutes collecting samples around Ivanna’s body and the doors. Eventually Ripple
allowed the EMTs to remove Ivanna’s body.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I glanced at the
time on my phone and sighed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“In a hurry?” Ripple
asked, amusement dripping.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I drew myself up and
acted like the drama queen he assumed I was after I called to report my friend
Donald, the former mayor, had been kidnapped. Anyway, Ripple hadn’t believed me
at first. We had since developed a friendly but professional relationship laced
with mutual respect, especially since I’d been correct. Though I sincerely
hoped meeting over dead bodies was not going to become normal routine for us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“I had planned to
meet Adam for supper,” I told him. “The mayor,” I added, mostly for my
self-esteem.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ripple gestured for
me to precede him from the premises. “I’m sorry you had to find Miss Pressman
like this.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Me, too. You think
it might be some kind of accident, or natural—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Let’s not
speculate. Do you want to give me your statement now? While Officer Dow meets
Mr. Clark?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dow brushed past me
out of the house. “That might be better, you know, while your memory is fresh.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“You’re right.” I
twisted my lips and patted at the embarrassing gurgles from my stomach, hunger
resurfacing after the fright and sadness of the last hour.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Come to my office,”
Ripple said. “I’ll order sandwiches.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">How could I resist?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Lisa Lickelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07798980644446426574noreply@blogger.com