The sun was reflecting brightly off the pristine waters of False River. Across the street, in the beautiful quaint old church, christened St. Mary's of False River, the largest wedding the church, or the town of New Roads, had ever seen was taking place. Savannah Marie O'Brien, a stunningly beautiful woman, was marrying the wealthy and handsome Cajun, Michael Joseph Devereaux, owner of the prestigious Devereaux Real Estate Company. The parties responsible for the wedding and reception reveled in the fact that the events were of such magnitude, they would never be forgotten by any of the invited guests. Unknown to them, they would also never be forgotten by the one uninvited stranger who quietly mingled among them. In the aftermath of the wedding, Savannah and Mike settled into their steady work together at the Devereaux Real Estate Company. It was only after receiving an early morning phone call about a special news broadcast that their routines would change drastically. An announcement curtailing government home loans in Louisiana was made. That, coupled with major problems in the housing industry, began creating mass hysteria in the marketplace. Reasons for the problems varied, but most agreed the trouble originated after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita hit Louisiana. Building codes and regulations were suspended. Providing shelter for those who had lost their homes was vital, and assisting builders to cut through red tape to build new homes was paramount. Problematic now, was the fact that the codes and regulations had not been reinstated, resulting in some shoddy and inferior homes being built. Home loans had been stalled pending approval confirmations. Realtors began to worry that eventually they might be held responsible for selling sub-standard structures. Unable to get current lawmakers to assist them, realtors look elsewhere for someone to represent them at the capitol. When Savannah decides to run for State Senator, they wholehearted
About the Author: From a run for political office, to her days in the cockpit, to leadership of government agencies, Martha Gabour Manuel and her heroine, Savannah O'Brien Devereaux, have both discovered that truth is often stranger than fiction. In her debut novel, Martha invites readers to experience Louisiana's beauty, mystery, dubious politics, and enduring characters, through the eyes of Savannah. Readers are welcome to send comments to: Martha Manuel, P.O. Box 1023, New Roads, LA 70760; www.marthamanuel.com; or martygmanuel@yahoo.com