Van Thomas has just inherited a house from his late grandparents in the countryside and has moved into it--only to realize the house is a rather popular resort that serves all kinds of customers all year round. As the owner and manager of the building, he realizes that the inn caters to an unusual clientele, and has an even more unique staff. His secretary is named Daji. A pirate named Waverly Leviathan with   resemblance to Poseidon often stays. Daji's nephew often stays and calls himself Sun Wukong. A novelist and screenwriter, Athena, is working on a masterpiece. Then there's the CEO named Odin and his twin sons named Loki. Could these mythological connections be more than coincidence?

Mom checks her watch as we sit in a booth at Lucky's in Montecito. It's THE premier steakhouse in the city. "Where can your grandparents be?"


I leaf through several books I bought at Chaucer's Books. One is called Night Whispers by a "shamanic explorer" named Matthew J. Pallamary, who teaches at the Santa Barbara Writers Conference each June. Another is a "New Adult" romance novel by a guy named Ara Grigorian. I also have books by Max Talley, S.L. Stebel, Stephen T. Vessels, and Trey Dowell. Several of the books focus on horror or fantasy or sci-fi, and they have a mythical connection. And all the authors have a connection to the local writers conference.


I have some writings I've put in the proverbial dresser drawer. Maybe I should take a week off one of these years and attend the conference. When my startup hits it big.


"They'll be here," Dad says. "They said they got held up checking one of their rental properties somewhere."


Chapter 244 - BONUS CHAPTER: Mother's Day