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Albert Camus

Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend.

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Tragedy left him with unfinished business. - Funeral with a View by Matt Schiariti

Published: September 28th, 2014

Description: 18+

Thirty-two-year-old Richard Franchitti didn’t believe in love at first sight until he met free-spirited Catherine and started a brand new life. A devoted father and husband, Richard fought to keep his family together when it would have been easier to walk away.

Tragedy left him with unfinished business.

Now a disembodied spirit, Richard relives his most important days. From the beginnings of unconditional love, to the joy of his daughter’s birth, and all of the difficult times in between, each treasured moment brings him closer to answering the question:

“Why am I still here?”

He was born Richard Franchitti, but his friends call him Ricky. Welcome to his funeral.

EXCERPT




I’d met Catherine Maddox (now the widow Catherine Frachitti) through a friend of mine. My best friend, in point of fact. Bill Henly.

While they were dating.

That tidbit must sound inherently evil. There are rules, especially among guys. The Man Code, to be more specific. Every male on the planet is born with these rules branded into his DNA. Don’t date a friend’s ex, don’t have sex with a friend’s girlfriend, so on and so forth.

Let the record show that I am no home wrecker! Bill and Catherine had been seeing each other when I met her. Nothing serious, and for reasons only known to them, their relationship didn’t last. After Bill did the requisite guy thing (read: talked post-breakup smack about her), I did the right thing and asked him if he’d be okay with me asking her out.

The conversation went something like this:

Me: So, you’re not dating Cat anymore, huh?
Bill: Nope.
Me: Um, would it be cool if I asked her out?
Bill: Yeah, sure.

It was a conversation for the ages. A manly conversation of epic proportions. It may seem flimsy to an outsider, but to guys it was volumes’ worth.

I let the breakup embers fade, and a few weeks later, when I’d mustered up the testicular fortitude, I asked Catherine out. After a moment’s thought, she said yes. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Dating Catherine put no apparent stress on my relationship with Bill. Good looking in an All-American way, he never lacked for female companionship. At six-foot-five and almost as broad, he towered over my meager five-foot-eight. He’d played football in high school and college, earning an athletic scholarship to Princeton University, but blew out his knee in his second year. His spare time no longer filled with practices and games, he hunkered down and focused on his studies which paved the way to his future career as a financial advisor. Still, he remained an ever faithful workout freak. The combination of good looks, muscular build, and his large salary lured many a willing woman into his bed. Catherine was no exception, but that wasn’t entirely Bill’s doing.

The story is a simple one. Back in the day the three of us were nigh inseparable. Catherine and I were always double-dating with Bill and his love du jour. Even if he wasn’t seeing anybody (the exception to the rule), the three of us would go out to eat, see movies, hang out on lawn chairs in the summer drinking concoctions with little umbrellas in them.

It was on one such occasion when things took a change for the pornographic. I’ll never forget that day as long as I live. Or as long as I’m dead.

That day is where this story truly starts.




About the author:
Matt Schiariti is an Engineer by profession, guitar legend in his own mind, and would-be author, time permitting. When he’s not writing, he’s reading. When he’s not reading, he’s enjoying a beer sporting a fancy name on the label. When he’s not enjoying a fancy-named beer, he’s most likely reading some more. Sometimes he does all three at once, to disastrous effect.

Matt lives in southern New Jersey with his wife, two children, and insane dog. Funeral with a View is his second published novel, but not his last.

You have been warned.

Author's Giveaway a Rafflecopter giveaway

18 comments:

nurmawati djuhawan said...

sounds a great book !! thx u for hosting ^^

Matt Schiariti said...

Saw your tweet, nurmawati. Thank you so much. And a big thanks to mythical books for being a host on my tour!

Cheryl R said...

It sounds like there is going to be some odd twist in this book after reading the excerpt! I guess we will just have to see!

Matt Schiariti said...

Maybe even more than one, Cheryl ;) thanks for stopping by!

Matt Schiariti said...

Just wanted to take a minute and thank CCAM again for taking part in the Funeral with a View blog tour! I truly appreciate it.

PS--I do this now rather than later because you never know if I'll fall asleep on the couch with the remote in my hands ;) THANK YOU!

Spg Chlomo said...

sounds a great book !

collenga said...

I enjoyed the excerpt. Sounds like a book with great sorrow and a main character trying to make sense of it all. I think many people could relate. Thanks for sharing!

Karla S said...

Sounds awesome,,thanks for the chance to win!
(Karla Sceviour)

Unknown said...

Great excerpt thank you for the giveaway, look forward to reading this book.

Matt Schiariti said...

Thanks, Cyndi and Carla! Good luck with the raffle.

Unknown said...

Interesting! Would love to read it. Thanks for the chance :)

Unknown said...

thanks for this giveaway. i need to read this book :))

Matt Schiariti said...

Good luck, Jessica and Roselle!

Betul E. said...

Looking forward to reading this book!

Anonymous said...

thanks for the chance

winemama said...

Thank you for the post and the giveaway :)

Matt Schiariti said...

Good luck!

Unknown said...

sounds like a great book! Thanks for the giveaway.

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