Prism Book Tours is highlighting what sounds like a novella by Catherine Lanigan.
Miraces Are Golden
by Catherine Lanigan
Publication Date February 2, 2016Genres: Clean Romance
Contemporary
Written for: Adults
Pages: 100
Synopsis:
This heartwarming story is about eight-year-old Jimmy Longwood, who has fallen in love with a Golden Retriever puppy. When his parents explain that their condo does not allow pets, Jimmy is heartbroken. While skiing in Aspen the entire family is killed in an avalanche. Jimmy goes to heaven and meets an angel who decides to send Jimmy back to earth as the very Golden Retriever he’d wanted for his own and to learn the one lesson all human beings must learn…unconditional love.
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A good night’s sleep did not help Jimmy’s disposition or settle his fears by morning. His mind was overwhelmed with emergency last minute plans to rescue Bubblehead. Unfortunately, all of his plans were bizarre visualizations worthy only as segments of the Extreme Sports Network.
Because he was a long way from sixteen and did not know how to drive a car, legally or illegally for that matter, even if he did break the pet store window with a rock, steal Bubblehead and make his escape, he could not drive a getaway car.
He conjured up a scenario involving a SWAT team and a helicopter rescue. He thought of calling the Mayor on the phone and involving him in his “Save Bubblehead” campaign.
All my plans are doomed!
Jimmy’s thoughts were many as he sat by the window next to his father on the plane to Aspen. For a brief moment, Jimmy thought perhaps this plane ride would be different from all the other plane and car trips the family had taken.
“Please turn off all cellular phones, pagers and computers during take off,” the head flight attendant announced.
Jimmy watched as his father hit the “off” button on his cellular phone and his mother closed the lid of her laptop.
Jimmy blinked once, then twice disbelievingly as they put their electronic communication devices away.
“This is incredible,” Jimmy said smiling.
“What is?” his father asked.
“I have your full attention for four hours.”
His father patted Jimmy’s knee affectionately. “You always have our attention,” he said.
“Not really. You have all your cases and Dad has his patients. Most nights you both come home very late.”
John groaned that same guttural, frustrated moan that alerted Melanie to trouble brewing.
“Jimmy…” Melanie said.
“What? I didn’t do anything. All I was saying was that I was glad we’ll have so much time to discuss things.”
“‘Things’? John asked.
“You know.” Jimmy smiled.
John frowned deeply. “Look out the window for a moment, Jimmy. Watch the clouds. Dream about skiing. Do anything but could we please not talk about that dog for the rest of this trip?”
Cowering from his father’s glare, Jimmy slumped down into the seat. “Yes, sir.”
“That’s better.” John yanked the flight magazine out of the seat pocket in front of him and began reading.
Jimmy made a face at his father, slammed his face against the window and put both hands up to his temples, blocking out all sight of his father.
He didn’t see any of the ground activity as they waited to pull away from the gate. Jimmy was too busy seeing red.
If the teachers are right, and I’m such a whiz kid, I should be able to think of some way I could still get Bubblehead.
Jimmy thought things through in his head. Logic and intense processing of available options was always a good thing.
“Hmm. I could call Mr. Lenza from Dad’s cell phone once we land. If that lady did not buy Bubblehead last night, I might still have a chance to order him. I could pay for him with Mom’s credit card she gives me to buy groceries. Then I could have him shipped out here. That way he’d be here and in our possession before we go back to New York. If our building supervisor could only see Bubblehead, he would change his mind. I just know it. I wonder if you can Federal Express a dog?
Jimmy looked at his Mother and Father. They were both on their cellular phones. John was talking to a patient and Melanie was talking to an attorney about a client whose case had gone badly.
Jimmy grumbled to himself, “If they only put one half of their attention into talking to the building people, I would have Bubblehead!”
The more Jimmy thought of his parents’ apparent lack of concern for his emotional needs, the angrier he got.
Someday they are going to really regret not helping me with Bubblehead.
As the jets revved, Jimmy thought of several childish means of revenge and retaliation against his parents, but each one only served to make him angrier than he was in the first place. And none of his scheming was making him happy. Nor did any of it get him what he wanted…Bubblehead.
“Jimmy kept his face glued to the window, pretending his hands were “blinders”.
Both Melanie and John spoke on the cellular phones. John’s medical satellite pager went off.
“You didn’t turn off the pager, Dad.”
“I know,” John answered checking the phone number.
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About Catherine Lanigan
Catherine Lanigan is the international bestselling and award-winning author of over forty-five published titles in both fiction and non-fiction, including the novelizations of Romancing the Stone and The Jewel of the Nile. Ms. Lanigan’s novels have been translated into over twenty-four languages. Lanigan was tasked by the NotMYkid foundation to pen a collection of compelling and informative true stories of teen addicts. Ms. Lanigan’s SHORES OF INDIAN LAKE series for HARLEQUIN HEARTWARMING includes LOVE SHADOWS, HEART’S DESIRE , A FINE YEAR FOR LOVE, KATIA’S PROMISE, FEAR OF FALLING, SOPHIE’S PATH, PROTECTING THE SINGLE MOM, FAMILY OF HIS OWN, HIS BABY DILEMMA, TOO CLOSE TO THE FIRE (2018) and MY RACING HEART (2019).
Ms. Lanigan is a frequent speaker at literary functions and book conventions as well as inspiring audiences with her real stories of angelic intervention from her Angel Tales series of books. She is an outspoken advocate for domestic violence and abuse and was honored by The National Domestic Violence Hotline in Washington, D.C. She has been a guest on numerous radio programs including “Coast to Coast” and on television interview and talk show programs as well as blogs, podcasts and online radio interview programs. She writes a monthly blog for Heartwarmingauthors.blogspot.
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