Great topic! Haven't been online since yesterday and am busy, is all.

Four Footed Laundry Thief

I find them under our bed: size five, lacy, high-cut. Definitely not mine.

For the next two days, the questions circulate through my system like liquid arsenic. Who is she? How he could he do this to me? Should I confront him? They aren't his estranged wife's - she's back in Surrey. Who...?

On the third day, over breakfast, I take a breath and prepare to speak. I'm forestalled by a knock on the door. It's our neighbour, annoyed, amused, embarrassed. She's holding Tekla, our Siamese.

Dangling from Tekla's mouth is a very pretty bra, fresh off the neighbour's line.

Oh, deb, that's hilarious. True story?

Yep. True story.

Our neighbour's clothesline ran about a foot from her fence. Tekla apparently used to stroll along the edge of the fence and either jump into the tree at one end, or else explore the clothesline. We didn't know she'd got into the habit of stealing small items, though.

I was really glad I hadn't got the chance to rip N a new one.

And until the neighbor caught Tekla in the act, she was probably wondering who the creepy pervy underwear thief was!

I don't remember any of the conversation, just that she handed me the cat, who did not want to let go of the damned bra. Tekla was the Mighty Hunter; she actually taught Pig to hunt (Pig was 22 pounds of muscle). So far as I remember, Pig never felt any urge to stalk the Wild French Thong to its lair, and slay it, though. He preferred rodents.

Any beta readers in the house, with time to read a chapter and a half (32 double-spaced 12-point Courier pages) in the next day or so?

Susan, send, ma'am. Probably tomorrow night before I get to it, though; the week is mildly crunchy.

Insent, deb. I sent a separate second email with questions about what I see as the problem areas, but please don't read it till after you've read the piece--I want to see if the problems I see still show up for an unbiased reader who's not predisposed to look for them. For the rest, whatever strikes you as needing comment. I always appreciate help adding appropriate sensory detail, and the second chapter, which is new and therefore rough, especially needs it. Thanks!

Susan, got it, and will read later today. In the meanwhile? ANd on the subject of your books?

I'm betting these make you go 'ooooooooooooooh!'