Share Something of Value

My friend, Paul, in Seattle sent this picture of a sunset at the north pole. Interesting that the sun is below the moon.

The Chinese have a saying that goes something like this:

'When someone shares with you something of value, you have an obligation to share it with others!'

He felt the picture had value and passed it on to me.

I have a cousin who has value. She lives along the coast of Florida, one block from the beach, and works in a bed and breakfast as an assistant manager. She has a dog and a convertible and they can put the top down and speed along most any time of the year. (She somehow manages to mention that in most communications with me. Where did she get the idea we cannot do the same in the Northwest? Upholstery will dry eventually.)

Her name is Karen Maxwell. She is the inspiration for the names of my protagonist, Jessamine Maxwell, and her two cousins, Simeon and Gabriel Maxwell, in my novel.

What I didn't know is that she has also written a book, "Blasting by Bucksnort". It is an action-packed road-trip. Speeding down the turnpike toward middle age, Kate agrees to accompany her friend Leah on a rescue mission of an errant daughter, four states away. Dodging gangs, criminals, court orders and the treasury department, will they ever free the daughter being held captive? It has everything; humor, adventure, daring and supportive friendship.

The best part of the book was finding my own name in it. It is a bit part. A walk on. Do you think it would be selfish of me to ask her to re-write the book and give the Melanie character a bigger role?

Karen has already sent the book off on its journey to find publication. I'm thinking it could be the next Thelma and Louise, only with the possibility of a sequel. Karen is smart enough to realize it is not wise to kill off the main characters in book one if one wants to start a series. No wonder there was never a Thelma and Louise, Part II movie.

And since she has given up television for a year, I expect her little fingers to be pounding out book two as she sits in her beach chair, her hair fluffing out in the hurricane winds.