Daddy by Default

...ok!!!  Oh...KAY!! So, I didn't read the book at the time of our book club meeting.  I had been busy, forgot the title of the book, and quite frankly just was preoccupied and too consumed with life! By the time I realized the book club meeting was the next day, it seemed as if an eternity had passed since I got some almost devastating (to me) and life-changing news...so really; I wasn't in the mood to "read" fiction, when I had a real-life drama series I was documenting!  I, however; did want to meet the author.  I wanted to pick her brain and find out what I needed to do to become a published author.  I figured I had better do something...and quick, in order to be "up-to-speed" with any conversation we would have at the book club meeting.  So I did what any self-righteous, always wanting to be in control, avid reader would do...I fibbed!  Just a little!  I pretended I read the book and nodded whenever necessary. (le sigh)
I backtracked and raced through any email with happy hour book club as the title and vigorously read through each line hunting for the title and author of the book.  When I couldn't find it; I figured I'd have to fess up and ask one of the members the title.  I couldn't ask my one friend that invited me into the club...cuz I surely as I type this blog; I wouldn't have heard the end of it. All in love, but honestly the same.  So I did the next best thing and asked host of the month's book, if she had a copy, what was the title, and author.  I figured it's after 8:40pm on a Saturday...even if I couldn't get the book right away I still could be safe with at least a good five hours time to read the book as the meeting didn't start until 4pm the next day.  OR; I could purchase the book from iBooks and read it that night.  Alas!  Dummy (I had this conversation with myself)  What good would it be to have the virtual book, with the author sitting right there?  You DO want pictures and an autograph...so I scratched that idea and decided, I just need to get to the book store and buy the book in the morning, therefore; leaving 5 hours reading time!  When I called to get a copy of the book on hold from the local bookstores...I felt like I was in a Scooby Doo mystery because NO ONE HAD IT IN STOCK!  I got alittle knot in my stomach and then frantically searched for the author, Pat Tucker, on Twitter.  I found  her and left her a direct reply asking if she was planning to bring copies of her book for purchase to the meeting....no reply.  It wasn't until I met her; I found out that isn't the Twitter page she uses!
I was toast, because as you can imagine if you've kept up with me through my blogs...I'm a little bit of a control freak...mostly a procrastinator but most definitely impatient (pray for me...I'm working on all of the above and then SOME)
I digress...
I went ahead and got a jump start on the first chapter or so by way of iBooks free sample...I figured; at least I'd know the characters names during the discussion. 
Holy BeeJeeZus!!
Daddy by Default is the title....I began to read.  Some things seemed all TOO surreal AND strangely familiar! 
Maybe I should catch you up to speed here:  I WRITE....and by write, yes; I mean this blog.  However, I also mean poems, short stories, reviews, newsletters, one-liners, pages, chapters, novels (gasp)
At this point, with this book so involuntarily telling a familiar story...I shut down the iBook app.  I couldn't read this!  I was writing this story.  Well not THIS story.  No two stories are alike, but; the same premise.  Paternity!  Is he the father or ain't he the father?!  The question that haunts promiscuity!
You know how they say you can be oblivious to situations around you UNTIL they directly face you...whether advertently or inadvertently!  WOW!  It's true!
Upon whispering with one of my other friends during the meeting; I explained to her my ultimate concerns of reading the book, my work in progress, my goal, etc. and she encouraged me to read it.  "Many books are of the same topic, but your story will be a totally different point of view. It's YOUR story.  And when you're done, it can be our next book of the month"  *See that's why it's great to have friends.  (because yes, I'm cynical...friends?! humph...you just never know)*
With that, I went purchased the book from Pat Tucker and when the book club ended, and much later that night after I stopped and met some friends out for a little drinking and dancing; I read the book.

The wonderful thing was, Daddy by Default took an entirely different approach than my work in progress.  I read it as really showcasing the "business" behind pinning a man to a kid that's not his.  The devious, deceptive mind of  both a woman scorned and a woman all about her hustle.  I appreciated both; because I never knew or would fathom here in my lil' bubble anybody doing that...living that way.  Sure I've heard of and even seen accounts of government scams, beating the system and so on and so forth; but it's really interesting the immediate and ultimate lengths that people go through.  Especially through the voice, eyes or imagination of someone else.  I enjoyed the book, the author, and I'm looking forward to her sequel!  She even, whether she knew it or not, passed on a few helpful nuggets for this procrastinator to, "Get it together."

...And actually writing this blog and placing it out there that I do, in fact have works in progress, basically forces me to get on the ball.  Stepping on faith...
XOXO,
Khrystian Nichole