One morning recently, I discovered an inordinate amount of ants had decided that my driveway would make a good place to build a home. And without even asking permission, they’d moved right in—all 14, 273 of them! No, I didn’t actually count. That’s just a rough estimate.

Now, in the old days, getting rid of them would have been easy—pour about half a gallon of gasoline down the hole and strike a match! Voilà! No more ants! But these days, with all the goofy laws, I’m sure that method of extermination is strictly prohibited. Besides, with all the neighbors coming out to go to work, setting a big fire in my driveway is probably not a good plan. I don’t need the fire department, police, and the EPA showing up with their SWAT Teams! But leaving the ants there, to continue building tunnels and mounding up sand while their population of 14,273 increased to double that or more, was not an option.

The problem is, most of the methods I know of exterminating ants are likely illegal. Actually, a lot of things I know in general are probably illegal. When I was growing up, and learning how to deal with everyday problems, we didn’t have an insane bunch of bureaucrats to over-regulate everything under the sun. Back then, if we’d had half of the laws we do now, I’d have probably been a seasoned criminal by age 12!

Sure, there are many products available that promise to get rid of ants or solve other household problems. The problem is, they don’t work. Not effectively. For instance, the new and improved “environmentally safe” weed killers have to be sprayed multiple times. Once used to do the trick. But that was the old stuff. The good stuff. Unless you are a rancher or insecticide dealer, you can’t get the good stuff. This applies to many products these days, insecticides, pesticides, and more. Even paint thinner has been emasculated.

I just shake my head when I walk through the store and see all the “Environmentally safe” labels. All that label says to me is that the product more than likely doesn’t work. I get the feeling that the manufacturers are somewhere laughing at us; their impotent products are not cheap!

And so, I’m left to coming up with my own ways to solve my problems. Like the ants. Yes, I got rid of them. No, I’m not saying how. But, they’re gone. All 14, 273 of them!

It’s a little-known fact that I have a stubborn streak. Okay, I may have under-exaggerated that. It’s widely known. As an old song says, I Won’t Back Down, even when threatened. In fact, I’m probably more determined when threatened. Let’s just say I was incorrigible long before I knew what that word meant.

Usually, my actions are well thought out, and at least in my mind, I have a good reason for doing whatever I’m doing. No amount of correction or punishment is going to change that. Growing up, and even after, I knew beforehand what the consequences would be for most things I did. By the time I’d actually committed my “crime” I’d already weighed any likely repercussions against the benefits. It comes down to resolve. If I believe I’m right, nothing is going to make me change course.

So, with that long and drawn out preface, you’ll better understand my position and reaction when one day I was told I couldn’t have my pickup back from the service shop until after the weekend. This was a Friday and the truck had been at the dealership for warranty work for three weeks. They’d finally fixed the minor repair but insisted that I couldn’t have it back until they got paid from the manufacturer.

I’d never heard of such a thing but arguing with them proved useless. They would not allow me to take the pickup and that was that! With a smug sneer, the service manager informed me they would hold onto the key and I could check back on Monday. Then, he said if I didn’t leave, they would call the police. There it was, the threat.

Now, there’s usually a simple solution to almost anything and it wasn’t that difficult to figure out a way around my problem. I had a duplicate key at my house!

It took most of an hour for a friend and I to make the trip and by the time we returned the dealership was closed—with my pickup locked inside a fenced-in area. But locks were made to be opened and within a few minutes, I was driving the pickup off the lot. The following week, after a call by me to the corporate offices, the dealership was happy to return my other key. They even apologized for the “misunderstanding” about not permitting me to take the truck. For some reason though, they never were too pleased to see me after that.

Recently, I had a chance to drive by that car lot. Immediately, I noticed a few changes. There was a big steel automatic gate to the fenced-in area and parked in front of the gate was the service truck. Numerous signs proclaimed the lot to be under 24-hour surveillance. Apparently, I wasn’t the only one who had helped himself to his own vehicle! The new features and procedures were obviously meant to prevent this. I just smiled to myself. Sure, it would make it more difficult but I’d still probably figure out a way. After all, I do have a little stubborn streak.

If you read last week’s installment of this blog, you know that I was on vacation. I have returned now. The plane has landed; I’m home, and ready to go back to work! Ugh! Did I just say I was ready to go to work? Can’t imagine that! Maybe, I should say I’m resigned to the fact that I now must return to work. Yeah, that’s better.

Sorry, I get sidetracked easily. Back to my blog now. Yes, I have returned from the Land of Bugs, Humidity, and Flat Ground. This far-away land is better known as Wisconsin, America’s Dairyland. Thirty years ago, when my dad suddenly decided to move to the state, I thought we’d gone to a foreign country. Really! It was quite a culture shock for a guy who grew up in the West. Since I was only 17, I had to stay. Everyone said I’d adapt—I didn’t. And, shortly after my 18th birthday, I skedaddled. Then, promptly moved back three months later. I’d decided Wisconsin had something good to offer after all—the woman who is now my wife! And now, for better or worse, I am forever bound by unseen ties to that state. I ended up spending 12 years there and made a lot of memories, most of them good ones!

Visiting the place last week brought back a lot of those memories. The places my wife I dated, where we were married, the house we lived in, and where two of our kids were born, all are meaningful. And as you can probably tell, I no longer view the far-away land as a foreign country—just America with a twist. Maybe folks were right thirty years ago when they said I’d adapt. Maybe. Can’t really bring myself to laud the state with actual praise! And while I still maintain that it’s something akin to cruel and unusual punishment to suddenly be transplanted there, I will admit it’s not that bad of a place—to visit. Still don’t want to live there! I think the state is better enjoyed from a distance, like all far-away lands!

 Bruce A. Borders (that’s me) is on vacation this week. So, for the first time since the inception of this blog, nearly three years ago, I did not write a new post. Go ahead, check. I have faithfully posted a blog post every week since September 26, 2011 – until now. But don’t worry, I have found a substitute blogger to carry on in my absence. You may have heard of him, his name is Bruce A. Borders! Yep, me. Since I’m the only one here, I am my own substitute. Sorry, you’ll just have to suffer.

Here’s the deal; A couple of weeks ago I was hosted as a guest blogger on author Danica Cornell’s blog: http://danica-cornell.com/2014/06/12/not-a-famous-writer/

I have re-blogged that post here. I promise I will return next week!

First, I would like to thank Danica for inviting me as a guest on her blog. I appreciate the opportunity!

Odds are, you have never heard of me. I’m not a famous writer—yet! I’m still one of those authors who write simply for the love of writing. Good thing too, or I probably would have quit years ago!

Part of the joy of writing, and usually my goal, is to make people think, or laugh, or elicit some sort of emotion, such as anger or frustration—not directed toward me, hopefully. Then, through reviews, email, and comments on social media or blogs, readers provide valuable feedback that lets me know how I’m doing in that regard. No matter their opinion, I like hearing from readers; their thoughts, and questions. And, sometimes there are lots of questions. I thought I’d answer a few of the more common ones I’ve received about my book, Over My Dead Body.

The question I get the most is if it’s a true story. The short answer is no. But like many tales of fiction, it does have a basis in reality. I used several news stories I’d heard for the setting and the plot, then added my own details to finish out the story. As I moved forward with the rewrites and editing, the book took on a life of its own and the original stories gave way to a single narrative. This may not be the so-called correct way to write but it worked well for me.

A lot of readers also want to know if the book is based on what I would do in a similar situation. The answer to that is a definite yes! Not only is the story based on what I would do, it is exactly what I would do. That’s what provided the impetus and motivation to write it.

If you haven’t read the book, and are now squinting at the screen, wondering what in the world I’m talking about, here is a short description.

** How far will a man go to protect his family? When the director of Child Protective Services uses his position to exact a personal vendetta in removing three-year-old Ashley from the Blake’s home, Jeff Blake, a financial advisor, responds to the threats in the only way he feels he can – violently. By the end of the short encounter, three people are dead and Ashley, the daughter, is still taken and placed in temporary foster care, so the tragic fiasco gained Jeff nothing. Or, so it seems. Matters are further complicated when Amy, the wife and mother, winds up for a brief stay in a mental ward due to the trauma she witnessed in her home. It seems as though everything is against the Blakes. Understandably, the police, as well as the Courts, are not too concerned with the needs of the family. Complete with many twists of fate, the story looks at the common problems of a typical family caught between love and the law. **

I tried to write the book, especially the opening chapter, as if I were Jeff Blake. The news stories I’d heard spanned a few years so, I’d had plenty of time to consider what my response would be. That part of the book was very easy to write. Admittedly, it’s probably not the wisest response and I’m under no illusion that things would not bode well for me in such an event, or anyone, for that matter, who reacted in a similar manner.

From the comments I’ve received, I think most readers would agree, the book describes a typical father’s reaction, and initially, I marketed the book to fathers. However, thanks to feedback from readers, as well as comments from friends and family, I discovered that women, particularly mothers, connected and reacted to the book much more passionately than fathers. Not that fathers didn’t like the book, or that they disagreed, but their response was more matter-of-fact. “Yeah, that’s what I would do too,” I heard more than once—seemingly without much emotion.

Mothers, on the other hand...

Mothers were extremely emotional and far more vitriolic with their fiery reaction. They were out for blood! And calling for the head of anyone who would dare think they could use a position of so-called authority to go after a child. Remind me to never make a woman angry!

Another question that often comes up is if I plan to write a sequel. Well, originally I hadn’t. I think the story definitely ended in the book. But after the response from all the female readers, I have begun to consider writing a similar book with the mother being the one who exacts the vengeance. I think there is a strong potential for quite a compelling story in that.

Problem is, I’m not a woman. Or, a mother. I’m not sure I could write through a mother’s eyes. Not convincingly anyway. And I’m not sure how readers would respond. They might not be interested in a guy’s portrayal of a vindictive woman. Sure, a well-known author might get away with it, but me? I’m not so certain. After all, I’m not a famous writer—yet!

Bruce A. Borders is the author of more than a dozen books, including: Inside Room 913, Over My Dead Body, The Journey, Miscarriage Of Justice, and The Wynn Garrett Series. Available in ebook and paperback on iTunes, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Diesel Books, and Smashwords, or at www.bruceabordersbooks.weebly.com. Amazon Profile - http://www.amazon.com/Bruce-A.-Borders/e/B006SOLWQS Bruce A. Borders also serves as the Vice President of Rave Reviews Book Club http://ravereviewsbynonniejules.wordpress.com