Hey, you guys who are running for election, I couldn’t help but notice how swamped you all are right now. Yes, I know the mid-terms are right around the corner and you’re busy trying to convince us to mark that little dot next to your name on the ballot, but I think you could use some guidance, so I’d like to offer a few suggestions.

First, since I’m guessing you want to get as many votes as possible, you should do your best not to make some voters feel left out. For example, you endlessly mention that you believe in “family” values—often displaying your spouse and kids as if they are some kind of magic totem—intimating that only people with families are worthy of running for office. But this cuts off a big swath of the voting public. Understand that about 16.5% of adults 55 and over in this country are biologically childless. And remember that 65-to-74-year-olds are the most likely to vote. See the problem? You might consider their feelings when you punch up the fact that you managed to produce kids. Not a huge achievement, biologically speaking—a drunk undergrad at a frat party can accomplish the same feat, yes?— and I haven’t seen any studies claiming that parenthood makes you a better person. Consider that family values include things like empathy, honesty, integrity, and perseverance, traits that even those who have not reproduced might feel are important. So talk to your copy writer and try to be more inclusive.

Continuing with the exclusionary theme, consider your obsessive need to identify yourself as a faith-based person in your ads. It’s a bit holier-than-thou, don’t you think? According to a 2021 Pew Research Survey, 30% of Americans consider themselves unaffiliated with any specific religion. And while you may actually think you’re morally superior to others, in the interest of gathering votes, do you really want that sentiment flying around out there? Let’s remember that we live in a country that our founders decided should be free of state-sponsored religion, smart men who gave us the right to believe or not believe as we see fit. So again, perhaps you shouldn’t waste that ad budget on something that is better left private.

Now, please don’t think I’m piling on and remember I’m only trying to help. The thing is, it’s really not nice or helpful when you diss your opponent. I mean, gosh, bashing the other guy in attack ads makes you sound like a sixth-grade bully. Not a good look!

If you want my support, a much better approach would be to tell me what you believe in and how you plan to address the important issues we face. How do you propose to bring us all together? How can you make our city, state, country better? How can you assure equality for all people regardless of what they look like or believe in?

I really think you have a much better chance of getting elected if you consider all of us. So, let’s play nice. Let’s be honest. Let’s treat others the way we’d like to be treated. Let’s agree to disagree, then shake hands. And perhaps you could use that big media budget to actually point out something that proves you’re worthy of my vote.

Wouldn’t that be better?

The past and present collide when a tenacious reporter seeks information on an eleventh century magician…and uncovers more than she bargained for.

WOLF CATCHER

Anne Montgomery

Historical Fiction/Suspense

TouchPoint Press

February 2, 2022

In 1939, archeologists uncovered a tomb at the Northern Arizona site called Ridge Ruin. The man, bedecked in fine turquoise jewelry and intricate bead work, was surrounded by wooden swords with handles carved into animal hooves and human hands. The Hopi workers stepped back from the grave, knowing what the Moochiwimi sticks meant. This man, buried nine hundred years earlier, was a magician.

Former television journalist Kate Butler hangs on to her investigative reporting career by writing freelance magazine articles. Her research on The Magician shows he bore some European facial characteristics and physical qualities that made him different from the people who buried him. Her quest to discover The Magician’s origin carries her back to a time when the high desert world was shattered by the birth of a volcano and into the present-day dangers of archeological looting where black market sales of antiquities can lead to murder.

REVIEW COPIES OF WOLF CATCHER AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST

Review/interview requests: media@touchpointpress.com

Available where you buy books