Ciara Gold on the Antics of the Absent Minded

Winner, Winner, Winner!!

Gram, you are the lucky winner of the Ciara Gold's autographed book. Pop on to my website, www.christie-craig.com and send me your snail mail address so Ciara can get your prize in the mail ASAP.

Thanks for posting on Killer Fiction.

Crime Scene Christie

I'd like to introduce you guys to one of my writing buddies. Ciara Gold's not only a talented lady, she's just downright nice, and taller than I am, and thinner. (I try not to hold that against her!) Because it's still our anniversary week, I've twisted her arm into giving away a signed copy of her book. So guys, make sure you post. You won't be disappointed.



Crime Scene Christie




First I want to thank Christie Craig for inviting me to guest blog. What fun. For those of you that don’t know me or my work, I write historical western romance and sci-fi futuristic romance (I won an Eppie last year for A Noble Sacrifice)

Okay, now that my shameless promoting is out of the way, I’d like to tell you a story. Ever get so overwhelmed you start forgetting really important things? I’m not talking appointments or bills, I’m talking really, really important things like your whole life.

So – here’s a little more about me. I’m an A-type personality who’s a workaholic. I’m a wife and mother, a full time job and then some. I teach full time so school is about to start, and I’m in the midst of lesson plans and other preparations. I’m the editor for a local magazine called Flirt, an artist, a webmistress for three websites, and a published author. Perhaps I have a good excuse for being preoccupied????

I hate shopping and I’m not a typically negative person, but this is my least favorite thing to do. It rates right up there with the mammogram. But – we’re out of food and one must shop if one plans to cook and feed the family. I head off to my local Krogers and experience a rather typical shopping moment. No lines, no fuss, pretty laid back because the college students have yet to return to town. No worries – or so I think. I pay and then push my cart leisurely out into the parking lot. Still no worries. The sun’s even shining.

By now, I’m in my other world. You know, that dream world where you start concentrating about this and that, new plots, lesson plans, the articles I need to interview for, what I’m going to wear my first day back, dinner, did I feed the dog already ….. And while I’m in my other world, I unload all my groceries, return the cart, and drive home.

I pull up in front of my house, turn off the car, go to grab my purse …. Go to grab my purse…. OMG, where’s my purse? And then it dawns on me.

Yep, I’d left my purse sitting in the front basket of my shopping cart, in the parking lot of my friendly neighborhood Krogers for all the world to see and steal.

Panic time. I revved the engine, peeled out into the street, tried real hard not to speed too badly and rushed back to Krogers. My heart sank when I saw no purse in that cart. Now, you have to realize that during this panic time, my overactive imagination has gone into dreamland hell. I’m running through all sorts of scenarios and none pleasant. Who do I call first? The police? The banks? The credit cards? My husband? Hmmm, maybe not my husband. This is not something I’m looking forward to explaining.

I park the car, run into the store, confront the bagger with a “Please tell me someone turned it in.” He, of course, gives me a blank stare. I turn to the costumer service counter and felt my heart drop. There it was. My purse sat on the counter with not one, but three service employees looking through it and one already on the phone. Yeah, looks like I don’t have to call my husband after all. Krogers already did. The most embarrassing end to the story is that five of the employees, four at the checkouts and one at the service booth were all my students from last year. Big sigh. I wish I could have thanked the gentleman/hero who turned it in.

Of course, being the writer I am, I get into my car, very relieved to have my whole life back and begin to plot. Just imagine a character so spaced out, she forgets her purse and someone does pick it up. What does she do next? What would you do?