The Back Story

It's Sarah's fault.

Sitting down to collect my thoughts and write she has my books sitting on the table and each has a life of its own which I'm remembering after not thinking about them for years.

"I want you to write a book called 'Partners in Grace'," the successful Savannah businessman Frank Stanton orders after storming into my office.

This is the same Frank Stanton who doesn't believe I wrote "The Society of Salty Saints" and tells me so to my face though it's plainly my name on the cover.

"Do a better one this time," he continues. "The last one was depressing. Write something more uplifting like the first one."

"Right," I sigh.

Bill Thompson, the former manager of the Seminary Book Store, and my Publisher has been fired when Meyer Stone Publishing was bought by "The Pilgrim Press" whom I call to see if they're interested in publishing a new book I haven't written yet.

"Will it be like the first one?" Richard Stone, my new best friend, asks."

"Of course it will," I lie.

Richard flies from Cleveland, Ohio to Savannah, Georgia to see if I'm telling the truth and takes me to a nice lunch at "The Windows" in the Hyatt overlooking the river.

I write a book that reads like "Salty Saints" but isn't about them at all! It's about rich people who are often the poorest of us all ... in Spirit anyway.

When it's released Richard and his rich friends in Cleveland throw a big party at the exclusive "First City Club" in Savannah though none of them actually attend.

The book does very well.

Rich people love it because I make them look Holy.

Richard flies back to Savannah to explain he wants me to write another book because ... since "The Pilgrim Press" is making lots of money off "P.I.G." ... I am not ... so the least they can do is offer me another book deal.

Frank storms back in my office and says, "I like this one."

"That's because you're in it," I answer.

"No really," he protests," holding up his hand in his fine suit, "really it's a good book."
_________________

Here's a back story.

Sarah and I worked together then and she's just excellent in everything she does.

Frank Stanton storms in my office to inform me, "I'm hiring Sarah. I just want to let you know first."

"She won't go," I reply.

"I've got way more money than you can pay," he insists.

"Aren't you a member of my Board of Directors committed to taking care of the homeless, people with AIDS, the sick and suffering?" I counter.

"It's got nothing to do with that," he snaps. "It's just business."

"Fine," I say not knowing what else to say.

Franks offers Sarah the job.

She turns him down because she cares about the homeless, people with AIDS, the sick and the suffering ... like me and my kind of people.

That was a good day!