IMPERFECT PAST blurb

It is the eve of World War II, and racial tensions run high amidst an already-tense society. It is this backdrop in which young Annie Phillips Murray finds herself pregnant, broke, and alone after the tragic death of her beloved husband.
Annie soon finds herself on the doorstep of her late husband’s sister and aging aunt, left with nowhere else to turn. As she becomes the caretaker of the house and all who live within it, Annie becomes worried about the safety of her son as her sister-in-law’s raging alcoholism reaches an all-time high. Eventually, her concerns become a reality: Annie’s sister-in-law throws a raucous party which ends in a fiery disaster.
Once again homeless and on her own, Annie meets Policeman Dan Saunders, and the two quickly form a bond. Their love, however, is wrong in the eyes of their racist society: Annie is a young white woman, and Dan Saunders is black.
As Dan becomes immersed in solving a terrifying murder case, Dan and Annie find their brave relationship in peril. As the family becomes irrevocably intertwined with the life of the mass-murderer Dan has been investigating, love once again turns to tragedy, and Dan and Annie face a battle for life or death.

Plainfield, New Jersey, as I see it

Mention the name of Plainfield, New Jersey to anyone listening, and mostly they'll look at you as though you are minus a few or they being to groan in disgust and turn away.

Plainfield, located at the western end of Union County, was once known as the Queen City, for it's numerous and varied lovely old homes lining its many streets. Granted many of those old homes are in disrepair, but many have been restored. The sheer variety of architectural styles range from the many types of Victorian, Georgian, Edwardian to Craftsman cottages and 1950's modern. A drive down any of the major streets will take the viewer's breathe away for each house is different from the one next door.

I wrote about Plainfield in my first novel Imperfect Past, for I love Plainfield for its beauty and its historic past (yes, George did sleep in town), for its magnificent leaders such as the late Dwitt Dukes Barlow, for what it offers to anyone who can see beyond poverty and crime.

Why, oh why, write stories about New Jersey?

New Jersey is not just a state of corrupt politicians and an ugly, factory-filled landscape. It is a state of historic landmarks worth seeing for New Jersey is truly the crossroads of the American Revolution.

Travel on one of those back roads that wind through the Pine Barrens and discover endless acres of beautiful pine forestland, undisturbed over the years.

Get off the Turnpike and ride on an old side road that passes by elegant and somewhat tattered old four chimney homes that were standing over two hundred years ago when Colonial troops passed by on their way into battle.

Spend a day at New Jersey's pristine pure beaches and let the sun and salt water wash away your prejudices. New Jersey is a fine old state.