Hi there, guys and dolls! Well, don’t that beat all. I’ve been bamboozled, hangdogged and hogtied. No, and it wasn’t very fun, at all flirty or fantabulous! Let me give you the skinny on the latest.

It all started last summer. I met this oh so wonderful Sam. Dreamboat extraordinaire. We had a wonderful little summer romance. Playing in the sand and surf, the state fair, tunnel of love, all that good old corny stuff.

But, all good things must come to an end. Our adoration faded with the leaves and we just kind of fell off (again, just like the leaves). We both went our separate ways, no tears, no regrets.

Anyhoo, I got busy being me – dating, gossiping, tripping my way through life and oh yes, writing. For instance, I spent this weekend happily clacking the keys, getting my stories out, one plot twist and red herring after another. So, taking a well deserved break, I decided to take a break and mosey downtown to my favorite shops.

And what do I see at the neighborhood bookstore? Why, an author signing! Now, I’m always up for that – supporting my fellow scribe and all that. I hop into the store, get in the line-up and who do I see sitting at the table buried under a stack of novels? My summer Sam! Gasp, he looks good. And he’s a writer – who knew (well, I didn’t – quite frankly, we didn’t get a lot of talking done amidst all the seasonal smooching, if you know what I mean..).

I get to the head of the line, we great each other – all that lovely hug, hug, kiss, kiss – we really must get together, see you soon, you know how that goes. I get my book, rush home, pour a scotch, curl up in my chair to read what has come from the pen of my pal.

That louse! He’s taken my plot, twists and all and called it his own. Not only that, he’s making a dime or two by the looks of it from his plagiarized ways. For heaven’s sake! Now sure, he’s changed the names, the characters, the place, the murder and basically everything else about it, but still.

Okay, fine. He wrote a good book, and truthfully, nothing like mine. Guess I can’t sue summer Sam.

Back to plotting and plodding along. Focus, Barbara Jean, focus….

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more posts. And don’t forget to give my Poppy Cove Mysteries a try if you haven’t already. 

Toodles, Barbara Jean