CJ Reynolds couldn’t wait to escape his hometown. He’s loving his bachelor life as a software developer in California. So much so that he hasn’t been back in years to see the grandmother who raised him.
Mikal
Benson believes her small town is perfect for raising her son, Will, alone.
When Mikal finds her neighbor, Polly Rogers, sprawled on the floor in a pool of
blood, barely clinging to life, she calls Polly’s grandson—CJ Reynolds—and
insists he must come home. Now!
From
her coma, Polly whispers three words that change everything. Did she fall or
was she pushed? CJ, Mikal, and Will form an unlikely team coming together to
discover the truth as danger engulfs them and love transforms them into a
family.
Welcome, Mikal. Let’s start
with where you are from. I
grew up in the northern suburbs of Chicago. Now I live in the small town of
Lansdale, Wisconsin.
Tell
us a bit about Polly’s List. I
had no idea when I went over to check on my neighbor’s dog that it would
develop into a full blown mystery. I was just trying to be a good neighbor to
Polly Rogers because she’d always been so sweet to me. My son, Will, and I live
in the little white house behind Polly’s. The dog was making so much noise. I
followed him into the front hallway. My heart stopped when I saw her laying at
the bottom of the stairs. Fortunately, the ambulance got there quickly. Then I
had to track down her California grandson, Caleb Reynolds, and coax him into
coming to Wisconsin. It was a lot more difficult than it should have been.
What
did you think the first time you saw CJ? I talked to him on the phone before I ever met him. To be accurate, he
hung up on me twice before I finally got to actually talk to him. I thought he
was…the nicest thing I can say with my five-year old son nearby is he was a card-carrying
jerk.
Good description. What was your second thought? My second thought after meeting him face to face was much the same. It was after nine o’clock in the morning and he was only dressed in plaid silk boxer shorts when he answered the door. During that encounter he made my son cry and told me to call him CJ, not old-fashioned sounding Caleb. Let’s just say I was less than impressed with Mr. Reynolds.
Even
better. So it wasn’t love at first sight? Are you kidding? Love was the farthest thing from my mind. I was
thankful he was there for Polly’s sake. I wanted as little to do with him as
possible.
Now
that you know CJ a bit better, what do you like most about him? Probably, how much he truly loves his grandmother.
How
would you describe him? He’s tall enough
I can wear heels with him. He has a boy’s heart and sense of adventure. I would
say he’s good looking. He’s fiercely protective and persistent when trying to
correct any problem. There’s a lot more, but I don’t want to ruin Kim’s story.
How
would CJ describe you? Initially, I’m
sure he thought I was a buttinski neighbor who was overreacting and bossy. Oh,
he also thought his grandmother’s next-door neighbor was male. So he was a
little confused when we first met. Fortunately, things definitely improved since
that first meeting.
What
made you choose to be a stay-at-home mother? I went to school to be a teacher. I actually taught one semester before
I lost Jared. Then I had to put all my energies into having my baby and keeping
him safe. Fortunately, Jared had prepared well financially so I was able to be
a full-time mom.
What
is your biggest fear? Losing more of
the people I love.
How
do you relax? Polly taught me to knit;
I find that very relaxing, especially if I’m making a pattern I’ve done before.
The rhythm of knitting (when it’s going well) is comforting to me.
Who
is your favorite fictional character? Selina
DeJong in Edna Ferber’s So Big. She’s left to raise her son alone and
has to work hard to keep her life together. I think my story is happier than
hers, but I still admire the character.
What
is the best piece of advice you ever received? “Don’t wait for everything to be perfect. Follow your
heart and act!” from my Great Aunt Janine who left me this house.
Mikal,
we thank you for spending time with us. Now we’d like to chat with Kim.
What
movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer? I’m a voracious reader. Probably the most impactful book
I’ve read is Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged. I love the idea that one person
can stop evil and make meaningful change in the world. I devoured biographies
in junior high school and loved Nancy Drew novels. I read all the Lemony
Snickett books as an adult and thought they were delightful. My mom was a big
Harlequin romance reader and shared them with me.
Is
there an event in your private life that you were able to bring to this story
and how do you feel it impacted the novel? I grew up in a small town in Wisconsin and Lansdale is modeled after my
hometown. I spin yarn on a spinning wheel and spend many hours looking out the
window in front of my wheel writing stories in my head and working out sticking
points in my plots. Sometimes, I even see something unusual from my catbird
seat.
Tell
us a bit about your publisher: how did you hear about them and what influenced
your decision to submit to them? I
researched publishers and found The Wild Rose Press (TWRP) on more than one
list as a top small publisher. I wanted a company that would accept submissions
without an agent and was willing to work with first time authors. Rhonda
Penders and RJ Morris have a wonderfully nurturing “garden” for authors to
bloom in.
What
book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile? Since
I joined TWRP, the list grows constantly. I have been reading fellow authors
and branching out into genres I have not sampled before like paranormal and
fantasy. I’ve been reading and reviewing books and enjoying getting to help and
support other authors. I’m currently reading Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein in
paperback and my Kindle has 33 books on it (I’m a little out of control) from
Mary Morgan’s Wishes Under A Highland Star to Barbara Bettis’ Last
Stop Wylder to Elizabeth Goodard’s Deadly Target to Terry Newman’s Rewrites
of the Heart. And I have some preorders in for other coming stuff. I could
read 24/7 but then when would I write, spin, do laundry, and feed my sweet,
supportive husband?
Lastly, what's up next and
when can we expect to see it on the shelves? My second novel with The Wild Rose Press is in
proofreading and I expect it to be available later this year. It is Landing
On Her Feet, a cozy mystery with a touch of romance, also set in the small
town of Lansdale, Wisconsin. There are some characters who were also in Polly’s
List but it is a stand alone novel.
Why
is the Bassett baying? Mikal Benson hurried across the yard and pushed her
neighbor’s unlocked back door open. It groaned loudly. The still howling dog
rumbled into the kitchen – as quickly as his short legs would allow.
“What’s
wrong, Rhett? Polly, where are you?” she called as she crossed the worn
linoleum-covered kitchen floor. “It’s me, Mikal.”
The
dog loped into the front entryway. She followed. What happened? Was the
purple-flowered heap with legs and arms akimbo Polly? Blood pooled beneath her
head . The body was lying in front of the door. Was she still alive? Mikal
knelt beside her neighbor’s crumpled body. She gently picked up her arm and
felt for a pulse. It was faint. Polly took a ragged breath and moaned. Mikal
pulled her cell phone out and called 911.
A
blood stain circled Polly’s head like a dark, expanding halo – blotting out the
muted colors of the antique rug and spreading into the cracks in the parquet
floor. Something had to be done.
To purchase Polly’s List, go to:
GOODREADS https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61135497-polly-s-list
BOOK BUB https://www.bookbub.com/books/Polly-s-list-by-Kim-Janine-Ligon
AMAZON https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09ZYVGWF1
BARNES & NOBLE
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/pollys-list-kim-janine-ligon/1141488044
To learn more about Kim
Janine Ligon, go to:
https://www.spinningromance.com
Thanks for talking to me and to Mikal. We enjoyed the visit!
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