Funny that you should phrase the question this way, as the very first title I considered--and used for a time--was "Windfall." I liked the suggestion of serendipity, of something unexpected--and this case, unexplained--falling, literally, out of the sky. What does it mean to suddenly receive money when you've never had any? It feels like a gift, something special and reserved for you alone; you feel singled out and chosen. This was the way Mia Saul, the protagonist of BREAKING THE BANK, felt when she started receiving money that was neither recorded nor debited from a magical cash machine in her neighborhood. And when the machine actually gave her a message on its screen, that feeling was amplified a thousand times. We all feel unimportant, unseen, insignificant; the gift of the money seems to refute all that, and say, "You see, you too are special, loved, and of infinite and precious value."Ah, some days I totally wish I was on the receiving end of the magic ATM machine... But I know that there are others who will need it way more than I do. Thank you, Yona, for stopping by!
About the author:
Yona Zeldis McDonough wanted to grow up to be a ballerina. By the time she was a senior in high school, it was pretty clear to Yona that she was neither talented nor driven enough to become a professional ballet dancer and she stopped taking lessons and went off to college instead. At Vassar, she focused on literature, language and art history. It wasn't until she was at Columbia for her PhD that she found out she wasn't cut out for academia. Yona had her aha! moment when she took a fiction writing class, and the rest, as they say, is history. Find Yona online at her website, www.yonazeldismcdonough.com.
About the book:drey's thoughts:MONEY ISN'T EVERYTHINGMia Saul is down on her luck. Dumped by her husband, jettisoned from her job, and estranged from her adored older brother, she and her young daughter, Eden, have had to make a downscale move to a crummy apartment, where their neighbors include a tough young drug dealer and a widower who lets his dogs use the hallways as their own personal litter box. Juggling a series of temporary jobs, wrangling with her ex-husband over child support, and trying to keep pace with Eden's increasingly erratic behavior have left Mia weary and worn out.EXCEPT WHEN IT ISSo when a seemingly functional ATM starts handing Mia thousands and thousands of dollars — and not deducting the money from her account, because it sure isn't in there — she isn't about to give it back. Her newfound cash stash opens up a world of opportunity, and a whole lot of trouble. Worried friends, family, and in-laws start questioning her judgment about everything, and the cops really, really want to know where all that cash is coming from. And then there's Patrick, a man Mia most definitely would never have met if things hadn't spun out of control. Mia is beginning to think that maybe somebody, somewhere, is trying to teach her a lesson about what matters in life, and what doesn't....
Oh, Mia. How much more difficult do you make your own life--as if it wasn't hard enough already--by holding on to grudges against your ex... Not that I wouldn't have hated his guts, but sometimes moving on means letting go.
In any case, Yona McDonough's latest offering is a touching story about a woman who's down and out, who finds a little sunshine--from a machine. And in her own kindness shares that sunshine with others here and there. Mia is a very likable character, and you'll want to follow her on her path as she seeks to make a better life for her and Eden. Wishing the whole way that things work out for her, and cringing when speed bumps crop up along the way.
This heartwarming read will have you shaking your head at times, nodding it at times, and laughing out loud at times. Curl up under a blanket and read this with a cuppa.
Giveaway!
Want a copy for yourself? Well, thanks to Pocket Books, I have two copies up for grabs, so read on!
Rules:
-- Contest is open to US residents only, no PO Boxes please!
-- To enter, comment and share: What would you do with a windfall?
-- Follow for 1 extra entry.
-- Share for 2 extra entries (let me know what & where, please).
-- Do it all before 6:00 pm CST October 18th. Good luck!
Challenges: 100+, Pub
