Wednesday Promo -

My friend Kat Henry Doran would like to introduce you to her heroine Maggie MacGuire from the book Try Just One More

Interview with a memorable heroine: Maggie McGuire, Try Just One More

Q. Hi, Ms. McGuire. My name is Tellah Gratestori. Thank you so much for agreeing to speak with us.
A. I don't have a lot of time. I'm getting married in the morning.

Q. You were born and raised in the Adirondacks. How did it come to be that you moved back here a few years ago? Maggie's cell phone rings.
A. Sorry, about this. I'm waiting for a call from my doctor. If he can fit me into his schedule, I'll go to his office to get this thing removed.
She holds one arm out for viewing. A cast covers her arm from fingertips to armpit. A collection of psychedelic flowers and cats cover the entire length. McGuire laughs, an infectious roar that seems to come up from her toes. “I've been wearing this sucker for close to six months; I hope the doc will take it off for the wedding because it certainly clashes with my dress.”

Q. Six months? Isn't that an awfully long time?
A. This past June I was the victim of a hit and run and fractured the wrist. The following day something happened which caused additional fractures into the hand and up my forearm. The doctors set the bones with wires and screws and plates but they decided to take their own sweet time healing. Patience is not one of my virtues so I've not been the perfect patient.

Q. Tell me about the man you'll marry tomorrow.
A. Michael is a force all his own. Believe me, a year ago, hooking up with any man wasn't even on my radar screen. But all of a sudden, there he was there. I was stunned at the feelings he brought out in me, astonished at how angry he could make me one minute—the next I wanted to jump his bones. At my age, even thinking about jumping some guy is really earth shaking.

Q. If I were to ask him, how would he describe you?
A. Hah!! After the four letter descriptions, he'd most likely say I am stubborn, willful, egocentric, devoted to my kids, and make a mean chocolate cake. Michael loves chocolate cake.

Q. How would you describe him?
A. First, that he is a man with a powerful need to take care of others. He also needs to know he is worthwhile. I don't think he got much of that while he was growing up, or during his marriage. I intend to correct that.

Q. I understand he has a daughter, do you like her?
A. Very much. In the course of that same hit and run I mentioned a moment ago, my face was severely damaged, particularly the tissues around my eye. Nancy is a nurse in the ICU, but she came into the hospital every eight hours to apply leeches to my eyelid to relieve the swelling. She's a champ.

The interviewer gives herself time to allow nausea to subside before asking,
Q. Leeches? As in black slimy things that suck blood?
A. Uh huh. The more blood they suck, the fatter they get. Eventually they fall off. One time Nance was delayed from tending to another patient and didn't make it into my room in time. The critters fell off my eye and landed all over the bed linens. Michael's a bit of a wimp when it comes to medical matters so he was too busy barfing into the basket to call for help and I couldn't reach the call bell because of my bum arm.

Q. They fell onto the sheets?
A. Good thing it wasn't during meal time. Imagine the poor soul in the kitchen who had the bad luck to empty my dinner tray. Bet we'd hear the screams in the next county.

Q. Is a warped sense of humor common among nurses?
A. Not all, but some I'm sure. I worked a lot of night shifts in the OR. Sometimes it was so quiet I heard my blood clotting—or be up to my ass in alligators with a fast-handed neurosurgeon ready to drill burr holes on anyone who didn't run fast enough.

Q. What was your favorite job ever?
A. Motherhood, before I allowed alcohol to take over and keep me from doing my best with Tom, Devon, and Lauren. But we have grandchildren due in a few months; I'll have a second chance to be a better parent and grand-parent. I can't wait.

Q. Our time is up, Maggie. Before I go, would you share the recipe for your chocolate cake with me?
A. Sure thing.

Maggie's Crazy Cake

preheat the oven to 350
Into an 8 or 9” ungreased square cake pan, sift the following:
1/3 cup bakers cocoa
1 cup white sugar
1 ½ cups white flour
Smooth out the dry ingredients and create three holes
Into the 1st hole: 1 tsp vanilla and 1 tsp cider vinegar
Into the 2nd hole: 1 tsp baking soda and ½ tsp salt
Into the 3rd hole: 1/3 cup canola oil

Pour 1 cup of tap water over all and stir very well.

Bake at 350 for 35 minutes. After cooling, frost with your favorite icing and enjoy

To find out more about Kat you can find her at her website and blog.
My website is: www.KatHenry.com
My blogsite is: www.WildWomanAuthor.blogspot.com