Leila of the Lake - The Pool

Join me here each week for the adventures of Leila Jennings as she starts her new life on Lake Norman.

“Ahoy fine lady, you seem to have dropped something.”
Leila glanced down at the older man in bathing trunks with skin seared to a cancerous shade of copper. Given his age and sex she truly doubted that he was pregnant, but it was hard to be convinced otherwise by the size of the belly that overlapped his trunks.
“Thank you, I was just on my way down to pick them up.”
“Big mistake.” The disembodied voice two balconies away mumbled. “Big mistake.”
“I’m sorry?” Leila turned to look at her adjacent neighbor, frustrated that the sun still eclipsed him.
“Have you been to the pool yet?” He asked.
“No.” Leila perked up, sensing an invitation.
“If you go down to get those glasses, they’ll get you.”
The ominous overtone piqued her curiosity. “They?”
“Just a warning,” He tapped the balustrade and nodded, “Welcome to Lake Norman, Leila.” Then he vanished behind the wall.
“But—” I don’t know your name.
Not to worry, Leila thought. She would encounter her enigmatic neighbor again. For now, she was dead set on getting back her sunglasses. Every penny counted until the new job started on Monday.

In the Sunset Reef courtyard, Leila followed the meandering sidewalk until the robust call came, “Ahoy m’lady, over here.”
As she rounded the corner of the building adjacent to hers the sound hit her. It was a wave of laughter, and splashing, and music, and multiple voices mingling, each louder than the first in an attempt to dominate. Leila had reached the pool. It was perfect, set just beside the lake where a couple of jet-skiers now idled out of the no-wake zone.
“Welcome to Sunset Reef.” The man swept his arm out in invitation for her to pass through the pool gates. “I’m George. George Dandy. Formerly from Texas. Very formerly,” He chuckled and his stomach quivered, “about sixteen years now.”
“I’m Leila Jennings. It’s very nice to meet you, Mr. Dandy.”
“Oh gosh, woman, it’s just George.”
“George! What did you bring us?” A lady in a floppy straw hat and sunglasses called out from her reclined position on a chaise lounge.
“I brought you Miss Leila Jennings, from—” He turned towards her with an arched gray brow.
“New Jersey.”
“New Jersey!” Another woman in a bikini that seemed a tad inappropriate for her age popped up from a wooden bench and shuffled over in flip-flops with golden sequins on them.
“My sister lives up in New Jersey. Paramus. Are you from Paramus?”
“Doesn’t Sophia’s parents live in New Jersey?” Another woman stepped forward to inject.
“No, Sophia’s parents are from Arizona.”
Before Leila knew it, she was circled by a group of bronzed sun-worshippers of varying ages engaged in an inquisition.
“How much did you pay for your condo? You know the market took a hit, but I think the prices are coming back up.”
“Oh no, no.” Leila shook her head. “I’m renting.”
“Ohhh” They all nodded and added in unison. “smart.”
“Where are you working, Leila?”
“Well, I haven’t started yet, but I’ll be working at the Bank of Charlotte.”
“Ohhh,” Again the harmonic response.
“Leila, there are burgers on the grill.” George Dandy lifted a barbeque tong. “Or if you want to wait, we’re taking the boat over to Midtown later, you can join us.”
Leila glanced down at her watch. She had arrived in Cornelius twenty-five minutes ago. So much for things being slower in the south.

maureenamiller.com

Dying Online

No, it's not the title of a new murder mystery. Perhaps it is a morbid subject, but it's also an interesting one. In this new venue of maintaining online presence, what happens when you're gone?

Policies are being put into effect with social sites, but they are riddled with complications. For example, one site unmentioned may not listen to the wishes of a family member unless that family member is on the "friend" list. I love my parents dearly, but they are not on my "friend" list.

As an author it is interesting to note the policies being put into place now for ebooks. What happens to them if something happens to you? Plans are in effect where authors can arrange to have their earnings donated to charity if the books go on selling.

I am counting on achieving Elvis Presley status after I pass on, so those books are going to be flying off the e-shelf! Considering that I sometimes drive without my glasses on, I guess I better get myself prepared. :)

What am I doing?

People have been asking if I sit at my window and count grass blades or if I'm actually working on something new. With my eyes, I'm lucky if I can even see the grass let alone count the blades...so yes, I am working on a new book. Some of you have already heard inklings of it, but here's a preliminary scope of the project.


EYE OF THE SUN


Demoted to a New York newspaper deskjob after photographing something he was not supposed to, war photojournalist, Mitch Hasslet is assigned the mundane task of shooting a shipment of rare Mayan artifacts departing the country. What should have been routine, turns into a disaster as he becomes the sole witness of the cargo's heist.

Frustrated with the multi-national politics involved in tracking down the shipment, the enigmatic director of the Museum of Art and Antiquties recruits Mitch and sends him to the last traced location of the shipment. Guatemala. Under the guise of representing the museum, Mitch's cover is to join the ranks of an archeological dig and use the opportunity to search for the guerillas responsible for the heist. His incentive...money...and the means to return to the job he loves.

Alexandra Langley is about to run out of funds. She has yet to locate the lost Mayan temple she knows lurks in the jungles and she refuses to succumb to failure and have her Father, THE Professor Langely preach that there is only one archeologist in the family. If she has to accept the Musuem’s latest lackey in order to achieve her grant, she will deal with the photographer, Mitch Hasslet and any other obstacle tossed her way.

What Mitch and Alex do not realize is that they are pawns in a far greater scheme.

With her latest search unproductive, Alex must take her group into the sector labeled Dead Man’s Land on the map, an area to which archeologists have ventured, but never returned. In this unchartered land, she will do everything in her power to save her students, as well the annoying photographer she is falling in love with.


If you would like to read more, there is a sample of the (as it is thus far) first chapter on my website. http://www.maureenamiller.com/index.php?p=1_10