Auntiemwrites Crime-Mystery Author M K Graff

After raising Our Three Sons, by now Auntie M should be used to those late night phone calls from the ER.  Once my heart stopped racing, the conversation went something like this:

32 yr old son S: Hi, Mom, everything’s fine, just thought I’d call you before someone else did and let you know I’m in the ER.

M: Fine, what’s up? Ok, he’s talking to be so his throat hasn’t been cut and he’s alive.

S: After the 4th of July fireworks a bunch of us went over to Scott’s to hang around.

M: And? A few too many brewski’s involved, I’ll bet.

S: We were just riding on the ATV, and Scott thought it would be fun to pull the emergency brake…

M: While you were in it and it was turned on? What kind of a jerk would do that? Oh, one who had too many brewski’s.

S: Yeah, we both got dumped out.  Scott is fine, just a few bruises.

M: Of course he is, the jerk.  Wait for it, here it comes.

S: My X-rays say my ankle isn’t broken, just a bad bone bruise and sprain and torn ligaments.

M: Well, if that’s all, I’m going back to sleep, ha ha! I hope you have oodles of sick time piled up.

S: Actually, my nose is kinda broken, too.

M: Kinda? Like in sorta pregnant?

S: It’s in alignment so they don’t have to do anything.  I may have a black eye later in the week on one side.

M: To match the one on the other side I ought to give you for acting like a 12 year old. Ouch! That sounds painful.

S: (heavy giggling) Yeah, I expect it all will hurt like a bitch but right now they’ve given me some meds and I’m feeling pretty good.

M: That’s great. Glad I’m not your wife and won’t be around you when it wears off. What about work?

S: Oh, I can’t work for at least a week; I’m on crutches.  But I have sick time.

M: Do you need us to come in? Please say no because you are now your wife’s problem.

S: No, no, just wanted you to know.  I’ll call you tomorrow when I get up.

M: Great! Try to get some rest.  Love you!  Thanks for the call And for ruining my night’s sleep.

And so it goes.  Six days later S is still on crutches, foot swollen like a balloon, doubtful he’ll be back at work any time soon.  Nose nicely swollen, but he was right about one thing: he only got a black eye on one side.

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Auntie M has been on a roller coaster ride of sorts, all good.

First, there was the Screw Iowa week in Fraser, Colorado.  These four women I meet with yearly are some of the most talented writers I know, and as a group, we’ve developed a cohesive critique method that sustains us all year long.  We actually go through entire novels with line edits before meeting, then go over the manuscript, giving the author plot ideas, suggestions for tightening and improving character and voice.  We also work in a bit o’down time, this year hitting a hot springs one day and ride to the top of a mountain on ski lift on another.  You can meet the gals and read about our book and our workshop method on our new website: http://www.screwiowa.com (where you will also learn how we came by our name!)

When I flew into RDU a week ago Saturday, I was meet not just by Doc but my the Minnesota Graff’s.  Our eldest son, his wife and their four children like to spend this week with us as the river out front is “as warm as a bathtub,” according to the 5 yr old.  We spent three days at the Outer Banks as the Grands all love the ocean, and the rest of the week here at the river, capping it with a community pig picking on the 4th of July.

Uncle Sean, the firefighter/paramedic in the family, got the two older Grands (The Bigs) on his fire truck for the morning parade through the town of Belhaven.  The only catch here was that an adult had to accompany them, so. . .you guessed it–Auntie M had to ride, too.  The Bigs had a great time throwing out candy to the people along the street.  The Littles watched the parade from the porch at my mom’s house in town, convenient to all as she lives on Main St.  (Yes, Main St. and there is only one stoplight in town).

They have all gone home now, and after 14 loads of wash, mostly towels and sheets from the beach and from here, I’m caught up, the left-behind nuk has been rescued from under the sofa, and one errant piece of bubble gum that missed the wastebasket scraped off the floor.  The seems strange. . .oh, I know what it is: quiet.

Just kidding: we love all four to death, and their mom and dad, too.  The littlest Little is 18 mos and he calls Doc “Gumpa”–would shriek when we came into a room and saw Doc, run over and throw his arms around Doc’s legs and hug him.  How could you not love watching that???  The others are, or course, all very smart, well-behaved, talented, althletic great kids.  We are very fortunate.

Glad to be back online,

Cheers to all~

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