By now, you’ve probably heard that the baseball team The Chicago Cubs won the World Series for the first time in 108 years.  I live in Chicago and can tell you, the energy of the city has been absolutely electric.  The parade to celebrate their win smashed attendance records and was the largest gathering of humans in United States history, the seventh largest in human history.

What does this teach us about ourselves, especially in today’s political climate here in the States?

Here’s five things we might take away from the experience:

1. Hope springs eternal. If we believe a thing long enough, passionately enough, and work toward it enough, it will come true.

Hope springs eternal in the human breast;

Man never is, but always to be blessed:

The soul, uneasy and confined from home,

Rests and expatiates in a life to come.

– Alexander Pope, An Essay on Man

2. Go big, or go home. – Eliza Dushku

Don’t be afraid of dreaming big, because it’s worth it to stretch our ideas of what’s possible.

3. To dream big, we need to risk being laughed at. The Cubs were known as “the lovable losers.”  People loved to make fun of the hubris inherent in thinking they’d win a series.  Yes, it took time.  But so what?  From the ecstasy inherent in the city this past week, clearly the buildup was worth it.

4. As Julia Cameron, noted author and creativity specialist, says, do you know what age I’ll be by the time I learn to do [insert dream here]? Yes, the same age as you’ll be if you don’t.  There’s potent logic in that statement.

5. Keep at it.  The biggest lesson of taking 108 years to win the World Series is this:  the road to achieving our dream may take a long time.  It may take so long that the logic of pursuing the dream is lost.  No one else may believe in it with us.  But if we stay the course, if we keep believing and trying and working toward it, it will happen.  Maybe there’s a reason so many perseverance metaphors are from baseball:  the advice to “throw strikes,” or the anecdote of how many times Babe Ruth was at bat.  But what is the sum of all of this collected baseball wisdom?  It’s the lesson of continuing, of keeping going.  Keep on keepin’ on.

And nowhere is that more apparent right now than in Chicago.

So what about you, Dear Reader?
What might you do if you let yourself dream big?

—

“It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.”
– E.E. Cummings

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If you think Hillary Clinton’s got it bad as a female running for President, take a look at how Victoria Woodhull, the first woman to ever run for President in the U.S. spent her Election Day: in jail.

To gain the proper perspective, we need to go back a few months. The summer of 1872 was very hard for Victoria. She was ill with a mysterious ailment that couldn’t be diagnosed and that recurred several times over three months. Her beloved newspaper, Woodhull & Claflin’s Weekly, shut down due to lack of funds. She had already been forced to sell her Murray Hill mansion, and then was kicked out of several hotels, while others wouldn’t rent a room to her (no one wanted to be associated with her or the controversy that surrounded her). She and her family (husband, kids, parents, brothers and sisters) lived for while in the Woodhull & Claflin brokerage offices, but when the landlord found out, he raised her rent so high they were forced to abandon even that location, so that they were homeless for a few days. In desperation, she sent a note to Rev. Henry Ward Beecher, asking for his help to get one of the hotels to let them stay there. He curtly refused.

Her sister, Maggie, eventually managed to rent a place for them to stay under an assumed name. Victoria was tired and still ill, worn out from the whirlwind of her year, which had started off so promising. In September, at a meeting of the National Convention of American Spiritualists in Boston, she decided to finally spill the beans on Rev. Henry Ward Beecher – revealing her long-kept secret that the married preacher was having an affair with Lib Tilton, wife of Theodore Tilton, Victoria’s former lover.

Not satisfied by this small audience – and perhaps in revenge for Rev. Beecher’s refusal to come to her aid in her hour of need – Victoria began plotting on a larger scale. She and Tennie would resurrect Woodhull & Claflin’s Weekly for one more explosive issue (though this didn’t turn out to be its last, only it’s most famous) that would right two long-hidden wrongs. While Victoria told every detail of the Beecher-Tilton scandal she could recall in a fake interview format, Tennie penned a story about the night a businessman named Luther Challis relieved a young girl of her virginity, likely against her will.

Victoria’s “bombshell” was hidden within a seemingly ordinary issue of the newspaper, but that did not stop people from lapping up the scandal inside. According to my sources, the paper sold for 10 cents but by evening people were paying $2.50. The first run of 10,000 copies sold quickly. Some people rented theirs to read for $1.00 a day. One copy even sold for $40. More than 250,000 copies sold in three days. The distributor, American News Company, refused to replace it on the stands after the first 100,000 copies were sold so newsboys came to their offices to get them in person. Some copies were bought and destroyed by Beecher’s supporters, for the article called in to question the idea of marriage as a bedrock of society.

But in the end, it wasn’t Victoria’s story that landed both sisters in jail on Election Day; it was Tennie’s. In telling her tale of Luther Challis’ lewd behavior, Tennie used a line that, although also quoted in the Bible (Deuteronomy), was considered obscene. “To prove he had seduced a maiden, he carried for days on his finger, exhibiting in triumph, the red trophy of her virginity.” Then, when they were tricked into mailing a copy of the paper to Anthony Comstock, the country’s self-appointed moral guardian, they were arrested for sending obscene material through the mail.

So instead of spending Election Day out attempting to vote for herself and getting arrested – and in the process making history ­– Victoria sat with Tennie in the jail cell of a common criminal. (Normally they would have been given special accommodations because they were wealthy public figures, but both the guest quarters and citizen bedroom were full at the time. And to add insult to injury, Victoria’s one-time-friend-turned-rival Susan B. Anthony made history that day by casting her ballot in Rochester, NY. She was arrested and found guilty but refused to pay the fine. Her sensational trial the following year spread her message of suffrage far and wide – just as Victoria had dreamed of doing on her own.

Forty-eight years before women were granted the right to vote, one woman dared to run for President of the United States, yet her name has been virtually written out of the history books.

Rising from the shame of an abusive childhood, Victoria Woodhull, the daughter of a con-man and a religious zealot, vows to follow her destiny, one the spirits say will lead her out of poverty to “become ruler of her people.”

But the road to glory is far from easy. A nightmarish marriage teaches Victoria that women are stronger and deserve far more credit than society gives. Eschewing the conventions of her day, she strikes out on her own to improve herself and the lot of American women.

Over the next several years, she sets into motion plans that shatter the old boys club of Wall Street and defile even the sanctity of the halls of Congress. But it’s not just her ambition that threatens men of wealth and privilege; when she announces her candidacy for President in the 1872 election, they realize she may well usurp the power they’ve so long fought to protect.

Those who support her laud “Notorious Victoria” as a gifted spiritualist medium and healer, a talented financial mind, a fresh voice in the suffrage movement, and the radical idealist needed to move the nation forward. But those who dislike her see a dangerous force who is too willing to speak out when women are expected to be quiet. Ultimately, “Mrs. Satan’s” radical views on women’s rights, equality of the sexes, free love and the role of politics in private affairs collide with her tumultuous personal life to endanger all she has built and change how she is viewed by future generations.

This is the story of one woman who was ahead of her time – a woman who would make waves even in the 21^st century – but who dared to speak out and challenge the conventions of post-Civil War America, setting a precedent that is still followed by female politicians today.

Get your copy here!

About the Author

Nicole Evelina is a multi-award-winning historical fiction and romantic comedy writer. Her most recent novel, Madame Presidentess, a historical novel about Victoria Woodhull, America’s first female Presidential candidate, was the first place winner in the Women’s US History category of the 2015 Chaucer Awards for Historical Fiction.

Her debut novel, Daughter of Destiny, the first book of an Arthurian legend trilogy that tells Guinevere’s life story from her point of view, was named Book of the Year by Chanticleer Reviews, took the Grand Prize in the 2015 Chatelaine Awards for Women’s Fiction/Romance, won a Gold Medal in the fantasy category in the Next Generation Indie Book Awards, a Gold Medal in the fantasy category in the Reader’s Favorite Awards, and was short-listed for the Chaucer Award for Historical Fiction. Its sequel, Camelot’s Queen, was awarded the prestigious B.R.A.G Medallion.  Been Searching for You, her contemporary romantic comedy, won the 2016 Colorado Independent Publishers Association Award for Romance, the 2015 Romance Writers of America (RWA) Great Expectations and Golden Rose contests and was a finalist in the chick-lit category of the Readers Favorite Awards.

Nicole’s writing has appeared in The Huffington Post, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Independent Journal, Curve Magazine and numerous historical publications. She is one of only six authors who completed a week-long writing intensive taught by #1 New York Times bestselling author Deborah Harkness. As an armchair historian, Nicole researches her books extensively, consulting with biographers, historical societies and traveling to locations when possible. For example, she traveled to England twice to research the Guinevere’s Tale trilogy, where she consulted with internationally acclaimed author and historian Geoffrey Ashe, as well as Arthurian/Glastonbury expert Jaime George, the man who helped Marion Zimmer Bradley research The Mists of Avalon.

Nicole is a member of and book reviewer for The Historical Novel Society, as well as a member of the Historical Writers of America, Romance Writers of America, the St. Louis Writer’s Guild, Women Writing the West, Alliance of Independent Authors, the Independent Book Publishers Association and the Midwest Publisher’s Association.

Her website is http://nicoleevelina.com/. She can be reached online at:

• https://twitter.com/NicoleEvelina
• http://www.goodreads.com/nicoleevelina
• http://pinterest.com/nicoleevelina/
• https://www.facebook.com/nicoleevelinapage/
• http://instagram.com/nicoleevelina
• http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyi5-knSn0Abm5ujfpcHgbg/videos?view_as=public

Okay, so I’ve gone back and forth and back again on whether or not to write this, and if you’re running screaming right now, please don’t! I have zero interest in discussing foreign policy or Obamacare or global warming (okay, maybe I’d like to talk global warming, but my happy-little-hippy heart will refrain).

I’m not a particularly politically savvy person. I can admit, albeit with some serious shame, that my knowledge of the inner workings of the federal government is mostly relegated to School House Rocks songs and Scandal (*cough* HAWT *cough*). And, let’s be honest, the latter isn’t exactly the most reliable source of knowledge.

I’m not a political person, but I am a human being, and I’m bringing the election up because I’m worried about me and I’m worried about you. I’m worried collectively about all of us.

And the reason I’m worried is because I feel like we’ve been so overwhelmed by media coverage that is angry, sensationalized, and has the express purpose of fear-mongering. The degree of mudslinging and negativity is taking a toll on me (us, if I may be so bold). I feel stressed (more so than normal, ‘cause hey, I’m kind of a stressy lady to begin with), sad, and anxious. I’m finding myself more prone to snap, and I’m eating chocolate faster than my local Walgreens can stock it. Okay, so the chocolate thing is pretty standard, but the other things are new. *pops more Peanut M&M’s*

In my humble opinion, I, personally, have watched and read too much news; it’s inundating my Facebook feed, and it’s even invading the commercials during my escapism comedies. Not cool, election. Not cool. It’s everywhere. And it took me a couple of weeks of feeling this way to figure out the cause, but now that I know, I’m taking action!

I’m saying enough is enough and pulling the political plug. I realize this may not be for everyone; you may be saying, “But this election is crucial – so much is on the line! How can you ignore it?” And if you want to watch and listen and read, then I fully and fervently support your right to do so. I always will. But for me, I can’t. It’s too much. I’ve done my civic duty (I would argue privilege would be a more apt word) by voting and now it’s out of my hands.

So, I’m going to focus on the wonderful, positive things about this country. I’m going to reread the inscription on the Statue of Liberty. I’m going to flip through old vacation pictures and revel in the majesty of this country. I’m going to hug my family and my fabulous group of diverse friends. I’m going to make an apple pie and hang an American Flag outside my door and watch For Love of the Game or maybe Independence Day because, come on, who wouldn’t like a little Thomas Whitmore for President!?

I’m going to wallow in all the good here in the United States of America because I still believe, from the very bottom of my heart, that come next Wednesday, no matter the outcome, we will still be united. We will still be “one nation under God, indivisible, with Liberty and justice for all.”

And if you’re like me and need a little distraction from the election, might I suggest our Crazy Cat Lady Anthology? It’s nine awesome stories, some suspense, some paranormal, some erotic, some sweet, but all romantic and all offering at least a Happily For Now if not a full blown Happily Ever After! And it’s only $0.99 for a limited time!! That’s a lot of story for under a buck!

Amazon US – http://bit.ly/CCLAmzUS
Amazon AU – http://bit.ly/CCLAmzAU
Amazon CA – http://bit.ly/CCLAmzCA
Amazon UK – http://bit.ly/CCLAmzUK
iBooks – http://bit.ly/CCLiBooks
Nook – http://bit.ly/CCLNook
Kobo – http://bit.ly/CCLKobo
Goodreads – http://bit.ly/CCLGoodreads

And if you love my story, Sanctuary, you’ll want to go ahead and preorder the second part coming in December!

http://bit.ly/SanctuaryTwo

If you’d like to connect with me, here are some ways to get ‘er done:

Newsletter: http://bit.ly/SukiesNewsletter    (Pssst: this one gets you my freebie Wicked originally from Delilah’s Hot Highlanders and Wild Warriors!)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sukiechapin
Twitter:  @SukieChapin
www.sukiechapin.com
Email me!! sukie@sukiechapin.com

Contest

Because I want to “Pay it forward” a little during this stressful time and start a good juju chain, leave me a comment below with something that YOU love about our great country (or your great country, if you’re not in the USA), and I’ll pick one winner to receive a $5.00 Amazon gift card! (Bonus points if you pay this forward with a random act of kindness between now and Election Day!!) Let’s make people smile!!

I’m going to let you in on a poorly kept secret: I, Jeanette Grey, am a Grinch. Christmas stuff starts showing up in stores and I groan. The specter of buying gifts and traveling gives me heartburn. I actively reprogram the radio stations in my car the second they switch over to holiday music; I’ll take static over one more play of Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You”.

So what right do I have to be writing a holiday romance?

None. And yet I did it anyway.

Much like me, the heroine of my new novella, Let It Snow, is a bit of a bah-humbug, and that’s only made worse by the fact that her name is Holly. Having grown up in an unhappy household, Holly doesn’t have many good holiday memories to make the season bright for her. She escaped her childhood home, and now channels her energy into school, her job at the local independent bookstore, general fangirling and geekery, and, oh right, ogling the hot assistant manager at the store, Sam.

Sam’s not looking forward to Christmas this year, either, but for very different reasons. He loves his family, but they had a falling out when he decided not to follow in his father’s footsteps.

Since neither of them have holiday plans, Holly and Sam end up working the late shift two days before Christmas. All seems well, right up until a freak blizzard catches them unaware, stranding them at the store together. With nothing to do but talk, they end up getting much, much better acquainted, trading heated kisses as well as painful secrets.

And the funny thing is that it changes Holly’s perspective on the holiday entirely. While I remain a Grinch to this day, I’ve found that the holidays are all about the memories you associate with them and the people you share them with. As I’ve gotten older and my circle of family and friends has expanded, my heart may not have grown three sizes, but it’s maybe shifted from a small to at least a medium. This Christmas will be the first I spend as a new mom, and already, I can see my perspective on it shifting with the new addition.

So too for Holly. As her circle grows to include not just Sam but his family as well, the meaning of the season changes. She’s able to let go of a little of the loneliness that’s always shrouded it in the past—and by the end of it, she’s more than happy to Let It Snow, indeed.

Let It Snow

Baby, it’s cold outside . . .

‘Tis the night before Christmas Eve and Holly wishes she hadn’t volunteered to work the night shift. The weather is frightful and getting worse by the minute, and the same old annoying carols are blasting from the bookstore’s speakers. But Holly’s holiday spirit returns when the store’s sexy new assistant manager arrives to keep her company. He has muscled arms, baby blue eyes, and a sweet pair of lips she wouldn’t mind meeting under the mistletoe.

Sam is glad the snow is keeping away customers-it gives him a chance to get close to his favorite employee. Holly has always been a mystery to Sam, like a beautiful present he’d love to unwrap. When they’re trapped by a full-blown blizzard, Holly breaks into the Christmas cookie display. Sam busts out a bottle of vodka from the boss’s office. Soon the two are trading heated kisses—as well as secrets neither has ever felt safe enough to tell before. What started out as one naughty night together turns into something so much more.

Excerpt:

Before he could ask if she was sure, she moved her hand to the nape of his neck, twisting her fingers in the scruff there and tugging him down, leaving him no room to doubt. God, she’d only wanted this for months, and she’d been holding back all night. No way she was letting another minute go by before she sucked his tongue and got the whole length of his body pressed against her.

She closed her eyes and opened her mouth, and just like that, everything went hot and electric, and yes, hell yes, this was how she’d imagined he would kiss, all hard and messy and confident as he took charge. He tasted like cheap vodka and cookies and sex, and the slick caress of his tongue made everything flash to liquid in her bones. She made a noise in the rear of her throat that should have been embarrassing except that his own groan echoed hers. The hand on her chest slid to her hip, his other arm wrapping around her waist. She rose onto her toes, but it wasn’t close enough. With a little whine, she hauled herself up, and he was right there with her, getting a hand on her ass to steady her as she hopped and wrapped her legs around his waist and Hello, there.

Fuck, the hard ridge of him through those jeans was hitting her exactly where she needed it to, sending a bloom of pleasure reeling out through her spine and all the way to her toes. The way he was holding her, like she barely weighed anything at all, just made her hotter, and when she ground her hips into his, he practically choked on his tongue, fingers stuttering against her waist and thigh. Her breasts were pressed up tight against the solid muscle of his chest, her nipples stiff points of sensation, and she wanted his hands on them. His mouth and his teeth, and—

Somehow they were staggering backward. Her ass hit the edge of the couch, and he dropped to his knees in front of her, palms sliding over her legs, and her glasses were smudged and askew, and she didn’t care. This was too fast—too much and probably a terrible idea, but everything about it seemed right. He felt so good and he kissed like he’d been made for it, for making a woman go to pieces around him and under him and on top of him, and she wanted to know. To get inside of him and get him inside of her.

 Buy Links:

Amazon:  http://amzn.to/2cD3Z3D
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/let-it-snow-jeanette-grey/1123748224
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/let-it-snow-23
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/br/book/let-it-snow/id1109978204?l=en&mt=11
Google Play: https://books.google.com/books?id=ELEsDAAAQBAJ
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30364203-nine-kinds-of-naughty

Author Links:
Website: http://www.jeanettegrey.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jeanettelgrey
Twitter: http://twitter.com/jeanettelgrey

Can’t believe it’s November already! Today is my father’s 80th birthday! Please wish him a happy birthday. I love him soo much! I came down to visit him this past weekend and stayed until today. I also got to spend time brainstorming with my sister, Delilah! I love the time I get to spend with her. We always have such great ideas when we put our heads together!

I just wrapped up my June 2016 Harlequin Intrigue HOT ZONE, and I’m getting ready for the release of SEAL’S DELIVERANCE Nov 15th.  But that’s not all I’ve been doing.

I sent my youngest daughter off to boot camp! That’s right. She joined the Army National Guard and went to Basic Training Oct 24th.  You know how you are when your baby starts kindergarten and then graduates high school? Well, it’s not much different when your baby goes off to Basic Training. I’m happy, I’m sad. Most of all I’m very proud of her and hope she kicks some butt and aces everything!

Today I’m driving with Susan Stoker to Huntington, West Virginia for a booksigning on Nov 5th—The Rebels & Readers Author Event. If you’re in the area, please come see us and a lot of great authors.  Info here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/rebelsnreaders/

And we’re making a stop on Nov 3rd in Lexington, KY and having a reader get-together. If you’re in or near Lexington, come see us! Info here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1668125496835952/?action_history=null

On November 15th, SEAL’S DELIVERANCE is coming out. It’s the last book in the TAKE NO PRISONERS series, and it will tie in with the BROTHERHOOD PROTECTORS series. Pre-order now!

Navy SEAL, who once was a cowboy, and a sexy CDC biologist, join forces to find biological warfare vials shipped to an unknown location in Montana

Amazon | Amazon UK | Kobo | Nook | GooglePlay

Remember in Jurassic Park how scientist recreated dinosaurs for the DNA recovered from mosquitos.

Well, now that scientists have found Neanderthal DNA in humans what if they discover, that this is the missing link to psychic abilities?

True or not, this is the premise in which I used to build my new series The Ancient Warrior Prophecy.

A secret society of people have Neanderthal DNA. They know the power, which is being passed down through the generations. Their leaders and shamen have been passing down the knowledge of the tasks they need to perform for humanity. This prophecy requires strong men and women to step up and save us from the destruction of the world.

The Warrior in Me – yes, it appears to be nothing more than a simple murder mystery with strong romantic elements. But it also reveals the secret people who carry the burden of saving the world. How they work to protect the secret of Neanderthal in the human genome.

The Warrior in Me – Erotic Murder Mystery/ Romantic suspense

Special Security Agent Sebastian Berlin is eager to track down his partner’s killer. Instead, he’s assigned the job of baby-sitting a scientist. His boss thinks she’s the key to an Ancient Warrior Prophecy. Science never interested Sebastian, but the know-it-all female standing at the end of his Alaskan dock could persuade him to do a little experimenting. That is, if he can keep his Neanderthal Warrior genes from taking control.

DNA specialist Lily Sinclair is in need of a vacation, or so her over-protective ex-husband tells her. Arriving in chilly Alaska instead of sunny Cancun, she’s tired and cranky and so not in the mood for her bodyguard’s he-man tactics. Still, there’s something about the sexy eye-candy that makes her want to lick him all over even as she’s demanding to go home.

Then Lily’s ex is poisoned, and Sebastian is certain the two murders are connected and she could be next. She knows he’s hiding something, but with the worldwide release of Neanderthal DNA project only days away, she has no choice but to trust him to protect her. But can she trust him with her heart?

Excerpt:  First Kiss

Seconds before his mouth covered hers, she whispered, “Sebastian, I don’t—” The rest of the sentence died under the quick spear of his tongue, seeking entrance into the hot moist haven of her mouth.

The fight he expected didn’t fully materialize. She gasped in shock, and her body stiffened. Then she lifted her hands to his shoulders, leaving the few inches between them vacant.

Tightening his grip, he drew the soft cushion of her breasts invitingly against his chest. All too quickly, he moved past the point of a simple kiss and fed on her unique flavor. He’d gone too long without the seductive touch of a woman. Today, she’d tempted him with the fire of her anger and the gentle concern for him at the loss of his friend. Holding himself in check, he’d resisted until she’d revealed her passion for her research. Now, he couldn’t contain his enthusiasm for her any longer. He ate at her lips, nipping and sucking until they opened wider.

Lily moaned, and he captured the sound, swallowing it as he flicked his tongue against the roof of her mouth. She welcomed him by drawing him deeper. He thrust in and out, over and over mimicking the ancient rhythm of sex.

Determined to sample every inch of the hot, moist cavity, he drank in the rich, sweet nectar. As stimulating as wine, he became drunk on her and tangled his tongue around hers. Time lost meaning. He forgot everything except her hands in his hair, her body plastered against his, the relentless need to consume her.

Somewhere in his subconscious, something reminded him that women didn’t progress from “Hello, it nice to meet you” to “Do you want to go to bed with me” this quickly. On the other hand, maybe, the light tingling of his scalp as she curled her fingers in his hair helped jog his memory. He had to take things a little slower if he wanted to win the girl.

Now available for PreOrder at:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M9C5QLQ
http://wildcatalog.thewildrosepress.com/all-erotic/4749-the-warrior-in-me.html

About the Author

Anita Philmar likes to create stories that push the limit. A writer by day and a dreamer by night she wants her readers to see the world in a new way. Influenced by old movies, she likes to develop places where anything can happen and where special moments come to life in a great read. Naughty or Nice? Read her books and decide.

Website:  http://www.anitaphilmar.com/
Email: anitaphilmar@yahoo.com
Blog: http://www.anitaphilmar.blogspot.com/
FB: www.facebook.com/anita.philmar
GR: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1329767.Anita_Philmar
Twitter: https://twitter.com/anitaphilmar
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Anita-Philmar/e/B002BMBE8C

I updated a blog I posted last year so I could share it with you, because I just love this story so much! I flew to Ohio for my husband’s office Holiday Party. As I started writing the blog post, we began our initial descent into Cincinnati. The leg from Phoenix to Houston International Airport went smoothly. However, once we landed in Houston, things fell apart rapidly.

Four people needed wheelchair assistance once off the plane, including me. Only one showed up. The rest of us waited nearly 20 minutes. That’s not so bad, you say. Except all 3 of us had connecting flights, all leaving in less than an hour.

No big deal, right? The wheelchairs came, and we disembarked. Plenty of time to get to a new gate. Except that the trains running from terminal to terminal had stopped working. The crowds impatiently waiting for them to be fixed were staggering. The gentleman assigned to me tried to spread the word – both to passengers and other employees – that the trains might not start up again, but was largely ignored; primarily, I think, because no one had another solution. He told me that the breakdown occurred every year when the weather changed, and could take upwards of a day to be fixed.

This gentle giant was simple, with an IQ probably around 80. He was earnest, with a genuine desire to help. None of what happened was his fault, yet some frustrated passengers took out their ire on him. I could see him shrink in on himself each time.

“You’re doing everything you can,” I said, patting his hand. He took heart, and realized there was another route: downstairs, around past the hotel, into the terminal, and back around through security to reach the one remaining working train. Doing something seemed better than nothing, so I agreed to try it.

We made the trek and got in line for security. I was selected at random for additional checks. By that point, I literally had 4 minutes before they would close the doors and push back from the gate. I gave up, I admit it. I turned my mind instead toward finding an alternate flight. But Danny refused to give up. We made the trek all the way down to the gate. As we arrived, a woman was locking the doors behind her. Okay, I thought. We made a valiant effort. So be it.

“We’re not boarding yet,” she said. “It’ll be just a few minutes.”

Music to my ears, but confusing nonetheless. Turns out the flight had been delayed due to some sort of mechanical malfunction! What could have been the last straw in a series of comical misfortunes instead turned out to be a blessing. I turned to Danny.

“We made it,” I said, a big grin on my face.

He saw my smile and spontaneously bent over to hug me. I kissed his cheek and hugged him back. He’d never given up. He’d taken his charter seriously. And suddenly, we two human beings who’d never met and would never cross paths again shared a moment of total connection with one another.

The scent of his lotion stayed on my cheeks all through the flight from Houston to Cincinnati. Whenever I inhaled, I was reminded that grace can come from anywhere, in any form, at any time. I’m not talking about making the flight; that’s irrelevant to this story. This story is about Danny’s can-do attitude and generosity of spirit. I think I smiled the entire trip. Danny, you are one remarkable human being. Thank you.

I’d love to hear about your best (or worst) travel story. Won’t you share?

RITA^® nominated and award-winning author Leslie Jones has been an IT geek, a graphics designer, and an Army intelligence officer. She’s lived in Alaska, Korea, Belgium, Germany, and other exotic locations (including New Jersey). She is a wife, mother, and full-time writer, and currently lives in Scottsdale, Arizona. Her books can be found at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and HarperCollins Publishers.

Framed (Duty & Honor Book 4) will be available on February 28, 2017 from Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and HarperCollins Publishers.

Catch up on the series with Night Hush, Bait, and Deep Cover.

Leslie loves to connect with readers!

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