Another Excerpt from My Book.

Well, folks. Things are popping here on Main Street. I wanted to link this to Nancy's Random Five Friday but can't seem to figure out her new set-up. Sorry.

 1. I have been in touch with my publisher and things are beginning to move along with my book.

2. I can't wait to have all the work done and that book is ready for sale. I am hoping for Feb/Mar.

3. Writing this book has taken years and a lot of energy, emotion and time. I was so happy to write the last line on the manuscript.

4. My interest in the Depression is because I was born right in the middle of it. So, you might say I have first hand experience.

5. The characters in my book are patterned loosely on people I grew up knowing. And, now, after all this time writing about them they are like children of mine.

I thought I'd give you another little excerpt to keep your interest peaked. This is a conversation between Tom Jackson and John Calhoun.

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“Well, I heard that the stock market crashed this morning, Tom, and I just don’t know how things are going to be for all us common folk from now on. Talk around town is about how people are scared to death that we‘re all gonna lose everything we got. Some are saying they are taking their money out of the bank before it‘s gone.”

“That won’t bother me none, John. I don’t have any money in the bank and my place is nearly paid for. I don’t know about that stock market place up there in New York City. Don’t reckon it will bother me none.”

“Tom, if money gets scarce then businesses will be affected. That might go bad with your job. If people’s jobs are threatened then it would be bad for the bank. It’s a scary proposition.”

“I hadn’t thought of it that way.” Tom replied. “What about you, John? You got any money in the bank or any of them there stocks?”

“No stocks, Tom. But, I do have a savings account. I’ll wait a little while and see what folks are going to do. Anyway you look at it I believe we are in for a rough spell. Maybe Hoover will figure out a way to turn this around.”

The men ceased talking and began to eat their soup, which was now growing cold. Tom’s thoughts were racing. He’d heard how the stock market had taken a big plunge back in March. It had been plastered all over the front page of the newspaper but he’d given it very little thought. What money he and Mary had, he’d locked it up in a old metal box and stashed it in the back of the closet under some quilts. He knew little about how Wall Street worked and didn’t figure something so far away could affect him anyway. But, if things got bad, there was no way that he could take his family to see his folks. There just would not be enough money for train fare for four people.

Tom had always voted Democrat, just like his Pa did and his Pa before him. He’d gone down to the polls on election day and marked his ballot for Alfred Smith even if Mr. Smith was of the Catholic persuasion. All the Protestants around the country were scared to death of what a Catholic might force on the country, so he’d lost the election. Tom had figured that Mr. Hoover was pretty smart and could probably lead the country through continued prosperity. He’d backed the President even if he hadn’t voted for him. Mr. Hoover had promised in his campaign speeches that ‘the poorhouse is vanishing among us’ and so it had seemed that life was on an upswing until this disaster struck. Surely, President Hoover would come up with something to protect them all.