Hard Luck Georgia Girl

HARD LUCK GEORGIA GIRL traces the path of Ardith Evans, a young woman whose mantra is: "Hard luck, bad luck, or no luck at all-I'll make my own good luck!"

Ardith is multi-talented and unafraid of hard work, but her South Georgia (USA) mill town offers no opportunity. She's in a disastrous marriage, money is tight, and she's burdened with caring for an aunt with dementia.

Ardith clings to a modicum of good luck in knowing Mr. Sydney, a talented and caring interior designer. He becomes her mentor and assures her, "Ardith, darling! You are talented and beautiful, and you'll go from sewing bedskirts to a design firm of your own!"

When Ardith learns her irresponsible husband Billy Everett, a party-hearty wildcatter who works on an oil rig off the Atlantic coast, is back in town, hanging out in the local tavern with Tanya-a former friend-she confronts them. "No woman walks out on Billy Everett!" he shouts at her. Her reply, "This one does."

And when she learns Billy Everett has squirreled away $160 thousand dollars without her knowledge, she empties the joint bank account, moves to Atlanta to join a design firm which she eventually purchases with the purloined funds. Before leaving, with Mr. Sydney's help, she refurbishes her beloved aunt's millworker cottage, sells it, and uses the proceeds for her care.

Ardith thinks her troubles are behind her when she starts over in Atlanta, but-uh oh- Billy Everett goes "off the rails." He comes looking for his money, threatens to take Ardith's share as well. His threats escalate; he trashes a designer home she's completed, kills her attorney and her bodyguard, and eventually kidnaps her. She escapes with the help of LuJane, a good ol' girl who helps the FBI capture him.

Ardith re-invents herself once again. She falls in love with Michael Hendricks who portrays himself as a real estate expert. Michael swindles her, and her design firm goes into bankruptcy.

Once again, Mr. Sydney-who suffers from Parkinsons-comes to her aid. He invites her to return to Pegram and to manage his firm. Ardith goes full circle-back to Pegram and caring for Mr. Sydney much as she did her aunt. The ending is positive; those who guided and helped Ardith are once again there for her. Good luck or bad, she's dealt with all with grace and courage.

A note about the setting: the fictional town of Pegram, Georgia reflects the demographics and evolving diversity of the New South in the United States. The characters in the novel are of varying ethnicities, straight and gay.