As you settle yourself in your favorite deck chair with your plate loaded with your favorite dishes, I hope you would take some time to consider the men and women who gave their lives so that we can enjoy the freedoms we have today. And while you are at it, send up a prayer for those who are currently serving at home and abroad in order to maintain our freedom.
And you know what else I would like you to do? Read my latest novel Love, Lies, and Grace, which was released one week ago. It’s a thought-provoking read even if I say so myself. But I’m not the only one, because after reading my introduction, one lady asked the following questions:
I have read the first three chapters of Love, Lies and Grace and I’m curious as to read the complete story and learn what will happen, why Pat has such a say in Grace’s life and what Grace decides to do as after all it is Grace and Brian’s house. Why is Brian now spending all his time in New York and not coming home to spend time with Grace. Is he leading a double life? Why does Pat play devils advocate whenever Grace makes a decision that changes their life together? What part does Millicent play in their lives?
I was really happy to receive this feedback because it showed that 1) the story garnered enough interest to prompt this person to ask these questions, and 2) her questions alerted me to check if there were any plot holes or anything that did not make sense.
After careful consideration, here’s how I responded:
Thank you so much for responding and for your very thoughtful questions. At least somebody did read the intro. So, to answer your first question, why Pat has such a say in Grace’s life and what Grace decides to do as after all it is Grace and Brian’s house.
This is the whole point of the story: how much influence our friends have on the things we do. I can tell you that friends influence us a lot. I know they have influenced me, but like Grace, I usually stick to my decision. When you read the book you will see what Grace did. I deliberately made Pat to be a domineering character but she has a heart as soft as butter. She’s like one of those ice-cream cones with a hard crust on the outside and creamy chocolate on the inside, as you will see later on. Grace knows that so she doesn’t let Pat bother her.
Why is Brian now spending all his time in New York and not coming home to spend time with Grace. Is he leading a double life?
I’ll let you in on a little secret. Don’t tell anyone, but my husband and I lived that way for some years. We had what is called a long-distance relationship (LDR). I can tell you it was quite a challenge, but thank God, we’re together again. I learned valuable lessons from that experience and that’s what I want to pass on to my female readers.
By the way, after I finished writing the book, I researched articles on LDR and discovered that it’s not an uncommon arrangement. I don’t want to be a spoiler, so you’ll have to read the book to see why Brian lives in New York.
So, there you have it. I haven’t heard back from that reader since, but I hope I will soon. As for you, when you read Love, Lies, and Grace as I hope you will, please drop me a line with any questions/comments you may have. I would love to hear from you. Also, if you leave a review on Amazon or Goodreads, that will help not just me but other readers when choosing their books.
