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|  | | A Mouth Full of Shell
In 1974, just out of school and fresh off the picket lines for women's rights, the idealistic Betsy Craig has lost her first radio job simply for being a woman in charge of a broadcast when an angry engineer used foul language on the air. Since she has no contract, she has no case against the radio station manager who has both fired her and refused her an employment reference.
Determined to make a career in journalism, though now clearly understanding the discrimination she faces in a field dominated by men, Betsy decides to avoid trouble or to use diplomacy to ease through difficulties she can’t escape. "Life’s a hard boiled egg," she concludes, setting off for graduate school. “Sometimes you have to shut up and eat the shell with the good stuff."
Fast forward this 82,276 word mainstream novel to 1986 Mountain
View, Pennsylvania. Betsy teaches journalism at the state university, and has fallen in love with the handsome Todd Baker, head of the English Department. Fluent in German and French, she covers the arts, does classical music announcing for the local public radio affiliate, and also writes free lance articles for regional publications. But her boss, Steve Harding, tells her she will not receive tenure because the dean does not like her.
Steve states that he has no idea what she has done, but the dean is so displeased that he will dismiss her despite the quality of her work as both a broadcaster and an instructor. If Steve supports her, the dean will block his promotion to full professor. The story hides a nasty political mess. Betsy’s job opened when one of Steve’s faculty members failed his Ph.D. exams, and became to ineligible teach at the university. That left Steve advertising for a professor late in the academic hiring season. When Betsy applied for the job, Steve liked the journalism experience on her resume. However, the dean did not want to hire her because she had taught only as a graduate assistant. He finally consented to give her a contract, if later Steve would recruit someone with full-time experience. Steve agreed, but when Betsy showed herself to be an excellent teacher, he changed his mind.
Now, the dean still expects Steve to keep the agreement on principle. Steve capitulates to the pressure to please his social-climbing wife, Ellen. Then he reconsiders and decides to support Betsy, with the help of the University Retention and Promotion Committee which has a say in all tenure processes. Ever the politician, he also makes plans to enlist the aid of the university president, an enemy of the dean.
When Steve informs Ellen of this choice, she tries to make sure Betsy loses her job by making up rumors about her. According to Ellen, Betsy has started brawls in restaurants, gone to class too hung-over to teach, and slept with any man she could pick up in the local bar.
The head of the Retention Committee recommends that Betsy be terminated. Todd tells Betsy to appeal her case. Remembering her experience with formal justice, she dismisses the idea and starts seeking a new position. He breaks off the romance, exasperated with her philosophy.
Unable to find a new job, and desiring to save both her relationship with Todd and her free lance writing career, Betsy decides she has nothing to lose if she follows his advice and challenges her firing. She has a hearing before the Retention Committee with the dean present. The Committee considers both her
teaching record and her recent national radio interview with a world-famous orchestra conductor. A guarded man who spoke little English, Betsy drew him out with her fluency in his native German.
Finding these credentials persuasive, the Committee asks for proof of Ellen's stories. There is none. The dean quickly reverses his decision to fire Betsy and asks the Committee to recommend her retention. The chairman agrees.
Because of the speed with which they act, Betsy suspects they’ve hidden something. A secretary fired for alcoholism tells her what the the dean tried to do. Betsy recalls Steve’s comment about losing his promotion and the friendship between the Committee chairman and Ellen, and guesses where lies originated.
Considering how her challenge has thwarted both Ellen and the dean, Betsy reflects that life might be an egg, but she doesn’t have to eat it all. She can spit out the nasty parts with a fight or a fandango, which ever suits best.
Prologue
Spring Water, Kansas 1974
Phew. Breathing through her mouth to deflect the stench of tobacco and sweaty coveralls, Betsy Craig gave a deliberately hard shake to a bell on the old reception desk at the Spring Water Legal Aid Society. Her stomach burned as if a witch's brew boiled in it. Parker, you bastard, you'll rue the day you did this.
A slight woman in corduroys and sweater came out of an office, one of several made of shoulder-high partitions placed around the room. "Hello." She crossed her arms against a draft. Then her pale brows arched. "Oh, you're the rep | |  | | Belle's Star
When Big Toby and his father, Bonehead throw Belle out of their truck at a convenience store, 12 year-old Darcy and her Auntie Ellen rescue the frightened puppy. They show Belle kindness and offer her a life with love and security. However Belle thinks no human is worth trusting. Darcy’s family and their pets, including a cat, try to show Belle otherwise. Will she realize that though she cannot change her past, she can put it aside and build a future full of happiness? When Bonehead and Big Toby reappear and threaten Darcy, the girl’s survival depends on the choice Belle makes.
Written in the first person from a dog’s point of view, Belle’s Star empowers young people who have escaped abuse and bullying to build new lives. Adventure and colorful characters help these children face painful issues, and find the strength to heal.
A herding dog who knows nothing but abuse and neglect is dumped by her cruel owners, who do not need her. She finds herself with Darcy, a spunky soccer-playing girl, and her Aunt Ellen. They show Belle kindness, but she has serious trust issues.
Aunt Ellen’s cat and dog try to convince Belle trusting people is okay. Because she begins to like these animals, Belle decides to hang around Ellen’s yard. She also proves herself useful, herding Ellen’s dog out of the flower garden when he tries to dig there. Just as she thinks she’s found an oka spot to live, Ellen’s husband, Jim, accidenta | |  | | Snap Me a Future
"Friggin' reporter bitch," a man's voice screamed. "Next time write the truth about my friends, if you're still alive." Looking down as the van pulled away, she pressed her hands to her eyes. Why did she tell Pete she wanted to come back to a newspaper? The maIl might make her feel insipid, but if she were smart, she'd stay with the job she had.
Chapter 1
"Shelby," Pete Martinez' voice resonated into the phone, rich and deep, despite the tinny sound New Mexico lines produced. "Got a minute? I'd really like to speak with you."
Perching on the edge of her chair, Shelby McCoy braced her small foot on the floor of her office in the South River Mall Administration Building. "Y-yes. I've-got time." Pain prickled in her lower back. She stiffened against it. Here came the question she had encouraged him to ask. But now, dear God, how should she answer? Her cheeks burned with mounting excitement. She longed for cool air.
"I' |
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