Going for Kona

by Pamela Fagan Hutchins

  All I got from him was “Goodnight,” with neither a Helen nor a Katie tacked on.

  I grabbed another Amstel Light from the bar for the plod back to my room.

  Contributors

  Humble thanks to the following for offering their support of Going for Kona:

  Janice D’Agostinio

  Sandra DiGiovanni

  Linda Isbell Gurasich

  Sonja Larsen Hanselman

  Jules Holden

  Lisa Tidmore Henthorn

  Dina LaFollette-Gilmore

  Jim Matej

  Kyle Russell

  Stephanie Hayes Swindell

  Elizabeth White-Olsen

  Gay Yellen

  Acknowledgements

  Thanks to my husband Eric for sending me into a snit one fine November day in 2009. Because of that, and because of all the miles we have logged together on feet, wheels, and water, Going for Kona was born. Eric gets an extra helping of thanks for plotting, critiquing, editing, listening, holding, encouraging, supporting, browbeating, and playing miscellaneous other roles, some of which aren’t appropriate for publication.

  To each and every blessed one of you who have read, reviewed, rated, and emailed/Facebooked/Tweeted/commented about the Katie & Annalise books, I appreciate you more than I can say. It is the readers who move mountains for me, and for other authors, and I humbly ask for the honor of your honest reviews and recommendations.

  Blessings and hugs to my cousin Michele who saved this book without even knowing it by inspiring the fictional Michele.

  Editing credits go to the eagle-eyed Meghan Pinson, who may or may not share some traits with Michele. The beta readers who enthusiastically devote their time—gratis—to help us rid my books of flaws blow me away. The love this time goes to Stephanie, Ginger, Ridgeley, Nancy, Terry, Melissa, Lisa, Jo, Rhonda, Rebecca, and Debbie. They are rivaled only by the equally-appreciated critique circle partners (Gay, Melissa, Patty, David, Enos, Bill, and Kyle) who worked through this book with me.

  Kisses to princess of the universe Heidi Dorey for fantastic cover art. Thanks for evolving with us as we evolve with the world of publishing.

  Finally, my eternal gratitude to Eric and our kids for teaching me the ways of blended household love.

  About the Author

  Pamela Fagan Hutchins holds nothing back and writes award-winning and bestselling romantic mysteries and hilarious nonfiction, from Texas, where she lives with her husband Eric and their blended family of too many pets and the youngest few of their five offspring. She is the author of many books, including Saving Grace, Leaving Annalise, Finding Harmony, Going for Kona, How To Screw Up Your Kids, Hot Flashes and Half Ironmans, and What Kind of Loser Indie Publishes? to name just a few. In 2014, just two years after publication of her first book, the Houston Press named her as one of the Top 10 Houston Authors.

  Pamela spends her non-writing time as President of the Houston Writers Guild, a workplace investigator, employment attorney, and human resources professional, and she is the co-founder of a human resources consulting company. You can often find her hiking, running, bicycling, and enjoying the great outdoors.

  You can buy Pamela’s books at most online retailers and “brick and mortar” stores. You can also order them directly from SkipJack Publishing: http://SkipJackPublishing.com. If your bookstore or library doesn’t carry a book you want, by Pamela or any other author, ask them to order it for you.

  You can connect with Pamela all over creation, and should:

  Website http://pamelahutchins.com

  Email pamela@pamelahutchins.com

  New releases newsletter http://eepurl.com/iITR

  Facebook http://facebook.com/pamela.fagan.hutchins.author

  Twitter http://twitter.com/pameloth

  Goodreads http://goodreads.com/pamelafaganhutchins

  Amazon http://amazon.com/author/pamelafaganhutchins

  Smashwords https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/pamelafhutchins

  Linkedin http://linkedin.com/in/pamelahutchins

  If you’d like Pamela to speak to your book club, women’s club, or writers group, shoot her an email. She’s very likely to say yes.

  Other Books by the Author

  Fiction from SkipJack Publishing:

  Saving Grace (Katie & Annalise #1)

  Leaving Annalise (Katie & Annalise #2)

  Finding Harmony (Katie & Annalise #3)

  The Jumbie House (Katie & Annalise Outtake)

  Going for Kona (Michele, #1)

  Heaven to Betsy (Emily, #1), coming mid-2015

  Earth to Emily (Emily, #2), coming mid-2015

  Hell to Pay (Emily, #3), coming mid-2015

  Nonfiction from SkipJack Publishing:

  The Clark Kent Chronicles: A Mother’s Tale Of Life With Her ADHD/Asperger’s Son

  Hot Flashes and Half Ironmans: Middle-Aged Endurance Athletics Meets the Hormonally Challenged

  How to Screw Up Your Kids: Blended Families, Blendered Style

  How to Screw Up Your Marriage: Do-Over Tips for First-Time Failures

  Puppalicious and Beyond: Life Outside The Center Of The Universe

  What Kind of Loser Indie Publishes, and How Can I Be One, Too?

  Other Books By the Author:

  Eve’s Requiem (anthology), Spider Road Press

  OMG – That Woman! (anthology), Aakenbaaken & Kent

  Ghosts (anthology), Aakenbaaken & Kent

  Easy to Love, But Hard to Raise (2012) and Easy to Love, But Hard to Teach (coming soon) (anthologies), DRT Press, edited by Kay Marner & Adrienne Ehlert Bashista

  Prevent Workplace Harassment, Prentice Hall, with the Employment Practices Solutions attorneys

  Audiobooks:

  Audiobook versions of the author’s books are available on Audible, iTunes, and Amazon.