A character interview with Hattie Hastings @rararesources @audbyname #ghosts #books

…from the mind of a fictional character

by

Hattie Hastings
a character interview from Audrey Davis

The Haunting of Hattie Hastings

Today, I’m chatting to mother-of-one and recent widow, Hattie, about her views on the world and current affairs in general. Welcome, Hattie!

Thank you. I’m a little nervous, to be honest. I try to keep up-to-date with things, but I get upset when I watch the terrible atrocities being committed in the name of politics or religion. Or young children dying from preventable diseases or hunger. Gary – that’s my late husband – used to have to turn the TV over sometimes when I burst into tears.

Do you read a daily newspaper? Either a hard-copy or online?

I do skim through the Daily Mail online most days, but I get side tracked reading about celebrities or the latest ‘must have’ beauty treatment. I like The Times occasionally, for reviews and features mainly. Our local newspaper seems to be filled with stabbings, robberies and pensioners getting beaten up for the sake of a few pounds. It’s not like I live in a bad area, it just seems the world’s got nastier overall. As for politics, I can’t believe the mess we’re in right now. Brexit, Catalonia seeking independence, Trump as president – or, that muppet in the White House, as Gary called him – we seem to be sinking deeper into chaos and division.

If you could change one thing right now in the world, what would it be?

Crikey, there’s so much I’d love to change. Where to begin? I guess I’d stamp out racism, religious intolerance and any kind of bigotry. We’re all people, whatever our beliefs or skin colour. It breaks my heart when I see people killing each other because they disagree or they think their race is superior.

You lost your husband, Gary, in a terrible accident. I am so sorry. How have you managed to cope?

It’s not been easy, but my friends and family have been wonderful. The biggest thing to come out of it has been how it’s changed my attitude to death.

What do you mean, Hattie? How did you view it before, and what has changed now?

Erm, it’s a bit difficult to explain. Sorry. I don’t want to sound like a crazy person. I always believed that death was the end, that once you were gone, that was it. Now …

I’m intrigued! Have you visited a psychic, or something like that? Do you have a sense that Gary is still watching over you?

(There is a long pause, punctuated by some laughter and what sounds like a male voice).
Listen, let’s just say I’m much more open-minded these days. There are things in this world we can’t always explain. Losing a loved one is so hard, but maybe it’s not always the end of the road … sorry, can we change the subject?

Of course. You have a son, Johnny, who is twenty, I believe. Do you think life is harder for young people now that when you were that age?

Oh, without a doubt. On one hand they have the internet, social media, mobile phones and so on. So much information at their fingertips, but is it all for the good? I read about cyber bullying and people being persecuted online because of how they look. Everything’s disposable, and if you don’t have the latest gadget or the trendiest clothes, you can feel like a failure. Then there are all these students coming out of uni knee-deep in debt, and lucky to earn minimum wage. Johnny – well, he decided uni wasn’t for him – is writing a book on the subject. Although I haven’t seen much evidence of it so far! He’ll probably still be living at home when I collect my pension. That was a joke – I hope.

It’s been lovely to chat to you, Hattie. I thought I heard someone with you. Is that Johnny? Has he been sitting with you during our interview?
(Another pause, and the sound of something like a bell).
No, he’s not here. It was … someone else, but they’ve gone now. Thank you for having me.

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Introducing...

The Haunting of Hattie Hastings Part One

Some people just won't take death lying down … ! (NB: cliffhanger ending).

Part one of a fun-filled trilogy about life, death and letting go.

Amazon.UK

Hattie Hastings is happily married, even if husband Gary drives her up the wall at times. When tragedy strikes, she is left alone and heartbroken, with only an assortment of family and friends to prop her up.

Struggling to cope, she is left reeling when her deceased other half returns, popping up at the most inappropriate times.

Hattie can't convince anyone that Gary has returned. Not even best friend Cat – now free from the cruel and controlling Stewart – will believe her.

Why has Gary returned? And what will Cat do when her slimy ex-husband tries to worm his way back into her affections?

The Haunting of Hattie Hastings will make you laugh, cry and count down until Part Two …

About Audrey Davis

Audrey Davis

Scottish-born Audrey studied journalism in Edinburgh more decades ago than she cares to admit. She cut her writing teeth on provincial newspapers (using a typewriter) and a London-based video magazine (another sign of her advanced years).

Engagement to her now-husband Bill took them to Singapore, Australia and Buckinghamshire, England, before they settled in Switzerland in 2002. Along the way they had two boys, both all grown-up and living in the UK.

Her journey to becoming a published author began with an online Writing Fiction course. It took well over a year but, in June 2017, Audrey published her debut romantic comedy novel, A Clean Sweep. It was quickly followed by a shorter and darker prequel, A Clean Break.

The idea for The Haunting of Hattie Hastings came from nowhere, just a random title that popped into her head and from there grew into Part One of a trilogy. It comes under the same genre, but has some poignant scenes and – hopefully – lots of laughs! Audrey admits to being a worrier, and has always used humour as a defence mechanism, as her friends will attest.

When Audrey isn’t writing, she loves shows like The Walking Dead, American Horror Story and Strictly Come Dancing (a strange mix, she knows). Her interests include cooking (and eating pretty much anything apart from oysters), travelling and going to the gym. OK, the last one is mainly to compensate for her passion for food!

Audrey would describe herself as a ‘pantser’ rather than a ‘planner’, preferring to run where a story takes her and scribble copious notes along the way. She’d love to write a page-turning thriller, but fears her natural tendency to see the comic side of life might be an obstacle.

More rants from the minds of fictional people - Benefit Street

 Bolshy, moody and downright badtempered Valerie Anthrope gives her opinion on the current TV show Benefit Street.

Amazon

I watched Benefit Street last night, and my God, I wanted to reach into the TV screen and slap every one of those lazy, good-for-nothings. How dare they think they have a right to our precious welfare system, built to provide for the needy NOT the lazy.

There was one woman (she ate her way through her dole cheque judging by her size) who believed she was the spokeswoman for the entire street and wouldn’t let anyone else get a word in. She seemed to think that what she received in handouts wasn’t enough because she was forced—yeah right—to go to soup kitchens just to eat. Did I mention she was fat? That’s some soup!

And then there was this guy whose 'job' was scrounging for more money on the streets (to top up his benefits) from the hard-working. 

Another stole for a living to feed his six kids. He said he can’t work because he needs to help his wife look after the sprogs, on the plus side it’s a two-parent family. Think he was a rarity on that street.

And all those people, well the majority anyway had mobile phones, flatscreen TV, they smoked and managed to sink several pints in the pub on a daily basis! That's not struggling on the welfare system that's bloody taking the piss!

Work-shy scrougers the lot of them. - Valerie Anthrope from Oh no, I've Fallen in Love!

Now for the turn of gullible but thinks-she's-smart Charlotte (Charlie) Wallis

Amazon

There was a heart-breaking programme on the box last night. About people living on welfare, or trying to. Obviously, it isn't enough money for the poor sods because the majority are forced to steal just to eat! 

One guy has six children to feed and the money he's given isn't enough for them. Just because he's on benefits doesn't mean his kids are! The children shouldn't have to suffer. Where is their support, eh? 

A lady, White Dee, I think her name was, was the street’s backbone. An intelligent voice among the demoralised.

The programme was a little bit of a circus for the working smug, which I don't think was the intention, or at least I hope not, becuase once you’re on the downward slope of being without a job, with no prospects and live amongst others like yourself you become discouraged and eventually probably depressed. 

And I should know. I've been there. Luckily, I had a friend to pull me back up else I'd probably still be in the gutter. But what do these people have? 

Diddley squat, that's what. There needs to be more out there for people who are battling with unemployment. More help and more money. - Charlie Wallis from A Proper Charlie.

Rants from the minds of fictional people @mayatylerauthor

Greed and the Financial State of America

by

Robin "Junior" Brown

It isn't enough to have a job and a place to live these days. Now you have to make six figures and live in a palace to even get girls to look at you twice. I know I'm nothing special to look at; I'm just that funny guy. I probably get the 'let's be friends' speech more than most, but if they gave me a second chance, they might be pleasantly surprised. I have a lot to offer a girl. I'm more than my dad's second-in-command at work. Although I may not even be that anymore. It's a long story. Do you have time to listen?

It all started in 2008 with that lousy financial crisis. I was working at my dad's insurance company so my job wasn't at risk when the economy belly-flopped, but I lost a ton of money on the stock market when the DOW cratered. I had borrowed a lot on margin to cover my lifestyle. After the crash, I had to take out a second mortgage on my condo and it was getting harder to make the payments. I started borrowing 'advances' from my pay cheques. I was paying the company back. At first. But the paltry amounts I was able to borrow weren't enough. My credit was maxed and I still had a pile of bills. 

Amazon

I found a company online who specialized in the kinds of cash-flow problems I was having. No questions asked. Sure, it seemed shady, but I couldn't let my dad find out about the 'borrowing'. And when Cynthia started working with us, I wasn't in charge of the accounts anymore. That cut further access to the money. I had to pay it all back before she was on to me.

I tried to be nice to her. I mean, she was sweet to look at, and it was fun to flirt with her. I thought she might be sympathetic toward me. Might throw me an extra bone, er client, if you know what I mean. But not Miss High and Mighty. She played things strictly by the book. I entered a made-up client on the books, borrowed the funds I needed to pay back the company from the online guys, and paid the company back. I'm good with computers; it was a cinch to fix things at work.

But I still had to pay back the online guys. There was no way I could manage to make the full payments. I floated along for the next couple of years, throwing them enough to keep them at bay. They held the title to my condo and were starting to pressure me to give them access to the company accounts.

I had no other choice. I took out another loan and went to the casino. I made good at the tables. I paid off all my creditors.

The feeling of winning was intoxicating. It made up for all the times I was overlooked by the ladies, my dad. I was someone when I was winning. The girls in their tight, sparkling dresses looked at me like I was hot when the chips were rolling my way. I liked it. I craved it. Instead of making a mortgage payment one month, I went back to the casino. Instead of winning, I lost. Big.

It was 2012 and I was sinking in debt again. I was in big with the online guys and I finally had to put something heavier on the line. I gave them access to the company's accounts. They started creating false claims and taking money from the coffers. I had to cover for them at work. I was good at it and no one was suspicious. But it made me feel sick inside to steal from my own dad, rob my future. I told them I wouldn't do it anymore. They gave me a beating. I told my dad I had the flu and stayed home all week until the swelling in my eye went down. And I shut my mouth.

Until now. I was sick of the situation I had landed myself in. I had the proof to put these guys away. Sure, I would be incriminating myself in the process. I dreaded the thought of seeing my dad's disappointment. But it had to be better than the sick feeling I had in the pit of my stomach. I had the proof and I should've gone straight to the police, but I didn't.

They held me hostage in my own place while they searched the office, both in the computer files and the hard copies, for my evidence. I thought I was a goner that they were actually going to kill me.

What did I do it all for? To keep up with the so-called Jones'? And it didn't even pay off. I'm stuck with community service and gambling counseling. I'll be lucky if my dad keeps me on and forget my condo. I'm renting a death-trap in Washington Park. It's over for me. How can I possibly recover from this?

We live our lives on credit, the whole damn economy is built on the 'buy today, pay tomorrow' philosophy. We never think about tomorrow, never think about payback time. Well, I'll tell you this, payback is a bitch.

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You've heard from the character, now read the book:

DREAM HUNTER

Who said dreams are sweet?

Chicago businesswoman Cynthia Courtland is focused on her career when a sensual, reoccurring dream disrupts her life. 

 A threat in the workplace forces her to take time off work. Without her career, she feels lost. So Cynthia turns dectective and investigates.

Work is Gabe’s life too and unbeknown to Cynithia she is his work and it's one he takes seriously. But with Cynitha investigating, it makes Gabe's job all the more difficult.

Meanwhile, will Cynthia give her dreams a chance to come true?