Author Spotlight - Character interviews with Paige and Josh from "More Than a Job"

"And you helped me fix up this old house."

Kristen, best friend and former co-worker, interviews Paige


Kristen: So Paige, how long have we known each other?

Paige: When didn't we know each other? We've both lived in our small Missouri town all our lives. I could probably say you are my oldest friend.

Kristen: Thanks a lot! So tell me about a time that our friendship made a difference to you.

Paige: That would have to be the day I was fired from Robinson, Inc. You came into my house -- without my permission, but since I gave you the key I guess I can't complain. You brought me ice cream and helped me through my first crying jag after I was fired.

Kristen: I remember we demolished an entire half gallon of Rocky Road ice cream. Did it help?

Paige: It helped some. Mostly I just needed time to get used to the idea and figure out what to do next, but your kindness definitely took the edge off so I could begin to do that.

Kristen: I saw that awesome written plan, with drawings and everything, on the wall in your office. How did you come up with that?

Paige: Well, you know how we do individual plans with the people we support in services. I followed that kind of thing. Meg helped me put it together.

Kristen: And Meg is?...

Paige: A life coach by trade, the mother of one of the guys served at Robinson, Inc., and a good friend.

Kristen: And what are your plans?

Paige: There are a bunch, including finding a home of my own - which I did when my Grandmother moved out and left me hers -- and getting pets, in the form of two kittens that wandered into my back yard and ... well, you'll have to read the book but let me tell you, I love it when my plan comes together. It's a great life.

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Kim, his HR director, interviews Joshua

Kim: Josh, in this harsh funding environment, how often have you had to fire or lay off staff due to the economy?

Josh: Not as often as you might think. I know for-profit owners like my family sometimes get a bum rap because people think for-profit is full of greed, bad.

Kim: And it isn't?

Josh: It doesn't have to be. Think about it - my family wanted to develop our own business, and our heart is in the field of providing good homes to people with developmental disabilities. We won't have homes that are too big. They have to be well-kept and the people living in them have full say about what is their home, including the choice of roommates, the color of paint on the walls, and the temperature setting on the thermostat. To have control and to be able to run it as a family we had to go for-profit. Otherwise a non-profit board could stage a coup and throw us out. It's our business, and we make enough and are happy with our work.

Kim: So how many have you laid off?

Josh: Well, with the acquisition here in Missouri we didn't plan to let anyone go until we'd been operating it for a few months. Unfortunately one of the managers took things into his own hands and fired a very valuable employee.

Kim: You mean Paige?

Josh: I do.

Kim: That had to be hard on your relationship.

Josh: It had the potential to be. But Paige and I had the same goals for our people, the same values, and the manager who fired her didn't. You and I figured out pretty early on that he was the real problem.

Kim: We did. Still, it was water under the bridge. Could you do anything after the fact to make it up to Paige.

Josh: I guess you'll have to read the book to learn the rest of that story.


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Review Snippets:

I read More Than a Job and enjoyed it so much! I loved the characters, loved her occupation and the way you included the group homes and residents in the story. I'm a retired ER nurse, so I always love stories with health care issues. I've never read anything that had group homes in it, either. You must be so thrilled. I'm definitely reading book 2 when it comes out.

Sheri Humphreys
2012 Golden Heart Finalist
http://sherihumphreys.com

This review is from: Starting Over Book One: More Than a Job (Kindle Edition)
I have not stopped reading since I bought the book this morning. The characters are fun and it is an easy read! Great new author, as this is her first book to be published! Starting Over Book One: More Than a Job , Amazon reader/purchaser.


Available now - Book 1 Starting Over Series: More than a Job

Coming August, 2012 - Animal Instinct

First of the Time after Time Saga with Tami Dee

Coming October, 2012 - Book 2 Starting Over Series: Return of Joy

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