There’s an obvious problem with idle threats and that is – they don’t work.  The threatenee (Craig) soon realizes you’re spitting in the wind and the threatenor (me) just gets increasingly frustrated.  Yes, I’m talking about the “divorce” threat and it has long lost its ability to shock and awe.

“If you don’t take out the garbage you can look for a letter from my attorney,” I have been known to say.

“I am your attorney,” Craig has been known to answer.  Boom!  Not a threat.

Or, I could mention that if he doesn’t clean up the garage, run a bubble bath for me or pick up the pile of dog poop in the yard, he might find me heading out the door to singlehood.
 
“Don’t forget the kids,” he’d call out, “and take that crazy dog, too.”  Snap!  Not a threat.

I can hear many of you armchair psychologists calling plays from the bench.   “If you have to threaten you have bigger fish to fry than the garbage” could be one of them.  Well, don’t think for one minute you have me fooled.  Anyone who says they haven’t used threats or bribes or blackmail or any form of coercion with their husband or children is still listing their weight as 125 pounds on their driver’s license.  As they say, denial ain’t just a river in Africa.

If I had a nickel for every complaint . . .

So anyway, back to my complaining and my threats to Craig.  If you don’t already know, I wrote a book last year called “Falling from the Moon”.  I could go on and on and on about how hard I worked and the hours sacrificed late at night writing or the TV shows I gave up to spend the time toiling in front of my computer, but I won’t.  I’m just not that kind of a person. 

The front cover!

What I will tell you is that I read only that one book in two years and I read it about a hundred times!  I still did a crappy job at self-editing, but that is not my area of expertise.  It is actually something my husband is very good at.  I had hoped he might take one tinsy iota of interest in my accomplishment and do me a solid by reading through it and pointing out any typos or grammatical errors that I had overlooked.

Can’t pull the wool over my eyes

 But I’m sure you can already read the writing on the wall.  He protested that he had already put in eighty hours at work or that he read contracts all day or blah blah blah.  He falsely promised that as soon as he could catch his breath he would, that he was interested.  He just had a regular job, that by the way, paid the bills.  The excuses were staggering and it wasn’t long before I went from “when you get time” to “I’ll divorce you so fast it will make your head spin!”    One can only take so much heartache and abuse.

I think it was when two of his best friends found themselves in divorce court that he saw the light and did what was in his best interest.  Almost one year to the day that I finished the novel, he proudly announced to me that he had read “Falling” and proclaimed that “it was just like a real book”.  
 

The back cover from "Falling"

At this point, I had a choice.  I could hold out and pout for a while (which has its advantages) or I could cave and discuss it with him.  My excitement at having a conversation about something other than American Idol or the upcoming Cleveland Brown’s football season won out and my heart raced as I blubbered, “Really?  What did you think?”

“It’s not funny,” he replied.

“It’s not supposed to be.  It’s historical fiction.”

“Well, then it’s one of the best books I’ve ever read.”

My heart sank a little knowing that the last book he probably read was “Where the Wild Things Are” . . . to the children a few years ago.

“No really, Honey, it was great.”  He gave me a little hug and continued, “I couldn’t put it down and even got teary-eyed in a few places.  And the story was very engaging and I found myself caring about the characters and you didn’t leave any loose ends.   “Actually,” he looked at me with a renewed respect, “I’m impressed.  It was a really good book.”

“You think?” I asked.  The image I had of me sitting on some barstool, vodka in one hand, cigarette in the other, faded away.  I wouldn’t have to go back to serial dating!

“Yeah, I really mean it.”  I know him well enough that he is honest to the point of obnoxiousness.  He really did mean it.  “It would be a great movie,” he added.

All my dreams were coming true.  I would be the next Margaret Mitchell and “Falling” would be my “Gone with the Wind”.  It would be made into a blockbuster movie and I would buy a small island in the Caribbean, next to Johnny Depp.  Life was good.

“Have you sold any?”  Craig had the nerve to ask, always the kill-joy.

“Not yet.” I stated indignantly.  “But no one knows that the book’s for sale.  I haven’t announced it.”  My words own words rang out loud and clear as my island get-away slowly slipped into the sea.  It was apparent I needed a way to let a large number of people know that they could buy my book on Amazon or through our website bookstore.   I’m not the brightest knife in the drawer, but I’m sure something will come to me.
 
Hmmm . . .