by Gen LaGreca
Sean paused to gather his thoughts, then he addressed the group, "First, let me say that I was wrong about you, Reed. I was wrong about a lot of things. My friendly, sympathetic feelings toward the Martin administration were totally misplaced." He shook his head as he re-evaluated his long-held beliefs.
"My naïve allegiance to the administration wasn't just a simple mistake. I always felt uncomfortable being different from others, not fitting in, not being part of the in-group. I always was quick to adopt other people's standards and to abandon my own." Involuntarily, his mind flashed back to the little cactus of his childhood, which he had thrown in the trash bin when others mocked him for favoring it. He smiled nervously at the memory. "I'm through leaving my integrity in the waste basket."
He laughed at himself, but the others did not laugh. They looked at him with compassion for what seemed like a painful admission.
"Looking back, I think a lot of my reporting reflected my own gullible perspective and my fears of being rejected by my pro-Martin colleagues in the media. The bias in my reporting wasn't conscious. It was almost subliminal, through the words I chose, the facts I included and the ones I omitted, the softball questions I asked on interviews with the politicians I liked and the hardball questions I failed to ask.
"After this incredible experience, I realize that public officials have to be kept in check," Sean concluded. "And there's a profession that does that." He smiled. "Yeah, I'm going back to journalism, maybe to discover it for the first time."
"If I have a say in personnel decisions," said Kate, "there might be a spot for a seasoned media guy who knows the ins and outs of D.C."
"A spot for someone who has now stopped carrying the water for corrupt public figures and admitted his mistakes," Laura added.
Sean beamed. The respect he had always sought from Laura now shone in her eyes.
Reed gave his endorsement, saying, "That's fine with me. These are new beginnings for all of us."
"In that case, I'm all in!" Sean replied with a renewed spirit.
The four of them relaxed, enjoyed one another's company, and looked forward to returning home. When Kate and Sean headed to the pool, Reed led Laura to the poolside bar. He took out a bottle of champagne and two glasses.
"At eleven o'clock in the morning? What's that for?" They were only casual drinkers, so Laura was surprised.
"I'm hoping I'll have something to celebrate," he teased.
Then his smile faded, his eyes grew intense, and his face looked earnest. He said, "The year without you was hell for me."
She closed her eyes as her own pain from the year without him resurfaced for a moment.
"I was thinking that as the president of Miller News, you should have some acknowledgment. It seems that your name also should be reflected in the company name, but it's not."
"Well, the name Taninger News is already taken," Laura said and laughed. Then she cocked her head as she studied the solemnity of Reed's manner more closely, and she wondered . . .
"The problem could be solved if your name were Miller."
She paused for a moment, stunned. Then, she threw her arms around him in reply, in deliverance, in celebration of the happiest moment she had ever known.
"You accept?" he whispered.
"Yes!"
They kissed in a sacred bond that fervently sealed their future.
He popped open the bottle of champagne and filled their glasses.
###
IF YOU ENJOYED THIS BOOK
Independently published books like Just the Truth depend on word-of-mouth recommendations in order to succeed. Please take a moment to leave a few comments on your book seller and social media sites. Thank you!
And enjoy a copy of Gen LaGreca's other acclaimed novels, available in print and ebook editions.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Genevieve (Gen) LaGreca writes novels with innovative plots, strong romance, and themes that celebrate individual freedom and independence.
Gen's debut novel is Noble Vision. This romantic medical thriller won two important national literary awards. It was a Foreword magazine Book of the Year Finalist. It was also a finalist in the Writer's Digest International Book Awards contest—one of only six picks honoring general fiction published by independent presses. Noble Vision garnered praise from magazine magnate Steve Forbes, Nobel laureate Milton Friedman, syndicated columnist Walter E. Williams, and other influential thinkers. Gen also wrote the screenplay for Noble Vision.
Showing her virtuosity across genre lines, Gen's second offering is the historical novel A Dream of Daring. This antebellum murder mystery took five book awards, including the celebrated Foreword Book of the Year.
Gen's third novel is the science fiction adventure and romance, Fugitive From Asteron. Mixing a gripping plot with a heroic battle for freedom, this story won an Eric Hoffer Book Award.
Gen's most recent novel is the political thriller Just the Truth, which dramatically portrays one of the most gripping issues in our country today: truth in journalism and the threats to a free press. A member of the American Association of Community Theatre (AACT), Gen has written the stage play adaptation of Just the Truth.
In addition to fiction, Gen also writes social and political commentaries, which have appeared in Forbes, The Orange County Register, The Daily Caller, Real Clear Markets, and other publications.
Prior to fiction writing, Gen worked as a pharmaceutical chemist, business consultant, and corporate writer. She holds an undergraduate degree in chemistry from Polytechnic Institute of New York and a graduate degree in philosophy from Columbia University.
Her variety of life experiences—in science and business, as well as in philosophy and writing—brings vibrant characters, urgent issues, thematic depth, and an outside-the-box approach to Gen's novels. Their sweeping themes of self-sovereignty and the triumph of the individual attract thoughtful readers across political and social divides.
For more information, see:
https://wingedvictorypress.com/
Gen may be reached at: [email protected]
Follow her on:
https://www.facebook.com/genlagreca
https://www.twitter.com/genlagreca
PRAISE FOR THE AUTHOR'S FIRST NOVEL, NOBLE VISION
"The novel deals with some of the most serious issues of the day, lending the story an immediacy and vibrancy. The author's prose is polished and professional."
—Writer's Digest magazine
". . . A well-researched . . . sensitively written . . . inherently captivating novel of suspense, Noble Vision is very highly recommended reading."
—Midwest Book Review
"This is a beautifully written book! . . . For a first novel, this is a marvelous achievement."
—Midwest Book Awards
"The mounting conflicts of this lovingly sculpted first novel will keep you turning pages late into the night."
—Laissez Faire Books
AWARDS FOR NOBLE VISION
Foreword magazine
Book of the Year Finalist in General Fiction
Writer's Digest 13th Annual International Book Awards
Honorable Mention in Mainstream Fiction
Midwest Book Awards
Finalist in General Fiction
Illinois Women's Press Association Fiction Contest
Second Place
PRAISE FOR THE AUTHOR'S SECOND NOVEL, A DREAM OF DARING
" . . . thought-provoking . . . [the tale] intrigues and should attract readers interested in historical fiction set in the antebellum South."
—Booklist
"Throughout the narrative, LaGreca masterfully creates metaphors to explore her key themes. . . . A Dream of Daring is suspenseful. The crime at the center of the narrative will keep the reader guessing until the final revelation. . . . LaGreca's exploration of how people respond to, and sometimes reject, change and progress is relevant for all generations."
—Foreword Reviews
"Old ways
do not fade into the night quietly. A Dream of Daring is a novel set on the dawn of the industrial revolution. Tom Edmunton builds a proto-tractor, and tries to bring a world of change about Louisiana with his invention. But the whiplash is hard, as a loved one is killed and his invention is stolen. [As Tom is] faced with a crossroads and the charms of multiple women, A Dream of Daring is an enticing blend of mystery and romance, much recommended reading."
—Midwest Book Review
AWARDS FOR A DREAM OF DARING
Foreword magazine
Book of the Year Finalist in Romance
Midwest Book Awards
Finalist in Historical Fiction
Midwest Book Awards
Finalist in Romance
2013 Next Generation Indie Book Awards
Finalist in Regional Fiction
2013 Next Generation Indie Book Awards
Finalist in Multicultural Fiction
Eric Hoffer Book Award
Legacy Fiction
PRAISE FOR THE AUTHOR'S THIRD NOVEL, FUGITIVE FROM ASTERON
"Exceptionally well written from beginning to end, Fugitive from Asteron is an impressive and original science fiction action/adventure story. Very highly recommended."
—Midwest Book Review
AWARDS FOR FUGITIVE FROM ASTERON
Eric Hoffer Book Award
Young Adult Fiction