Coming Soon:   CLUTTER by Donna Butler

Success came easily to Katrina Reece Warner.

Kitty, as she is known to friends and family, has the perfect career,

the perfect wedding and a picturesque honeymoon in Bali. She and Malcolm,

her handsome husband are enjoying life in their new dream home

when tragedy strikes.  As a devastating loss causes Kitty to become a hoarder,

 it falls to Misty, her wild, bad girl cousin to keep Kitty from losing everything. 

An excerpt from CLUTTER:

  Kitty’s other friends, who Misty called The Cheerleaders, kept a safe distance, sending her email and texts and Facebook messages to express their well wishes and support without the risk of confrontation.

  Her co-workers were the same, emailing the occasional joke or invitation to the next office Food Day, even though they all knew she wouldn’t attend. The same was true of her associates from all the committees she served on. All the effort she’d put towards supporting women in the technology industry- the awards and recognition she’d received in the short time since she’d graduated and entered the work force- meant nothing to her now.

  Of the people in her life, only Misty, her orphaned cousin/sister could make her smile.

Even though Kitty was up and around now, able to cook and do light cleaning, Misty still showed up every morning and spent the day with her. Half the time Misty showed up hung-over and reeking of smoke, too tired to bother taking a shower or changing out of last night’s clothes until she woke up from her chaise lounge nap around lunch time. Then, with wet hair dripping onto the clothes she’d pulled from her section of Kitty’s closet, she’d jump into her heaven blue Beetle and zip off to pick up their lunch from Pachamama’s or Zen Zero or Local Burger. When she got back, they’d sit out back on the deck if it was nice enough, or park at the kitchen table if it was cold or rainy. They’d eat, and Misty would tell Kitty about her life.

      “Oh, my God, what is it with bikers? The old, fat dudes with the wide asses. They toss their greasy money on the table like ‘Check it out baby. You ever seen a five and two singles all at the same time? Now come to Papa.’ Freaks!”  Misty shook her head with disgust. “Their money always smells like beer and farts and motor oil. I hate old guys like that.”

   Kitty doubled over giggling, as she always did during Misty’s rants. These days, laughter was a rarity and so she cherished it when it came.