We finish putting the china and silver in the cabinet before Bo pick me up for a real date.

I stand in the window and look over the Chicago skyline, out into the lake. The sun is setting, creating the most beautiful sunset I've seen in a long time.

Maybe it's always been there. Maybe I haven't taken the time to stop and enjoy. The same holds true for my life.

Something I've been looking for all my life actually is my life. At times within the past week, I find myself longing for the late night calls and the crazy situations my aunt put me in. Just like the old saying: family is like chocolate, mostly sweet with a few nuts. Aunt Grace is both, my sweet and my nut.

The End.

About the author:.

Tonya Kappes is the author of Carpe Bead *Em and The Ladybug Jinx (August 2011), her debut women's fiction novels. She's also the author of two short stories which can be found in the Something Spooky This Way Comes and Believe Anthologies. Her, co-authored, non-fiction book The Tricked-Out Toolbox, helps writers explore the best promotional and marketing strategies for their career.

Besides being the co-founder of the beyond quirky writer's grog The Naked Hero (thenakedhero.com), she also is co-founder of The Writer's Guide to E Publishing (thewritersguidetoepublishing.com).

When she's not writing about quirky characters and even quirkier situations, she's busy being the princess, queen and jester of her domain which includes her BFF husband, her four teenage boys and two dogs.

Why write a book with beading elements? Once upon a time, Tonya was the proud co-owner of a very successful beading company, Beadnicks LLC.

Click on the titles below to read more books by Tonya Kappes.

The Ladybug Jinx.

Splitsville.com.

Also by Tonya Kappes.

Something Spooky This Way Comes.

Believe Christmas Anthology.

The Tricked-Out Toolbox~Promotional and Marketing Tools Every Writer Needs.