A Writer's Musings

Jen Conrad lost her husband last year; this Valentine's Day was a lonely one. She could have paid more attention, could have told him her secret, could have, should have, known where she was financially. But she let him and his law firm handle all the finances. She didn't even know where the checkbook was. By the end of the story, of course, she stands on her own, but not without suffering over her own foolishness and having others take advantage of her.

Stitches, the first book in the Heritage Art Park series, is a moving account of a Jen Conrad, middle-aged woman who has to recreate her own life, but first she has to get past her own privilege and expectations.

It occurs to me there are several lessons here: 1) know where your money is, what you have and what you owe; 2) keep some of your own money separate; 3) get credit in your own name (you'd be surprised how many women rely on credit cards are tied to their husband/father), and 4) be aware of everything that happens in your assets. Get educated.

Today's women have it far better than my generation - beginning to work in the early seventies meant getting my father's approval to get a credit card. When I was married in 1980 I had to have my husband co-sign for a card in my name. Thank God that has changed. But I believe young women today need to heed the call to keep their own counsel.

To read what happened to Jen, go read Stitches!

Kathy Weyer, Author
Stitches
www.kathyweyer.com