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Baggage

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"This is a well written story with likeable characters that draw you in and make you not want to put the book down until you're done reading. Perfect for a lazy weekend or for a beach read."

During Hurricane Katrina, Patriarch Dominic Fontaine meets his freakish demise—the rubble of his “hurricane-proof” mansion all around him—and no one suspects that a vengeful woman came to kill him.

Real Estate Agent, Sienna Bachman, learns that karma can come in two flavors, but fears that although she has, 'til now, been an ethical human being, she may taste only one.

The dark, handsome artist, Jerrin Beaudreaux, Dominic Fontaine's estranged son, must deal with the specter of his father's death, loathing him more and more as his past betrayal is compounded by still more family secrets.

Established agoraphobe, Cherise Fontaine, never understood her brother's hatred for their father, but she needs him more than ever, now that Dominic won't be around to coax her out of her shell.

As Bay St. Louis sits in flooded, flattened ruin, sixteen-year-old Noah is stranded in Jackson during a gig with his band, waiting for his alcoholic mother to join him as Katrina bears down on the coast. She never appears. Desperate to find her, he has no resources left to him except the infamous Envelope. Finally, he must open it, per his mother's instruction, in order to find help from a stranger.

A petty thief named Kitcher is unaware of the role he plays in linking these people together.

In the aftermath of the worst hurricane in American History, the secrets held in a safe deposit box spur the Fontaine offspring into a journey of enlightenment and self-discovery as their lives converge with strangers, and the mysteries of karma, hope, and synchronicity take over.

"I so enjoy this author's books. This is a rolling stormy wonderfully paced book with Ms. Baeli's usual well-developed characters who I loved and/or hated. There are many twists and surprises in this story and while a hurricane throws them together, their histories and presence sets them apart. A great read - thanks again!"

280 pages, Paperback

First published February 11, 2009

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About the author

Kelli Jae Baeli

123 books146 followers
"To me, failing to learn to use the tools one’s craft shows laziness and disrespect for the reader. There are, however, no issues of that sort where Baeli’s writing is concerned. It’s rare to these days to find a writer whose style is technically so nearly perfect, but who’s also a damned good storyteller. I doubt if she is even capable of writing poorly." ~W. Spice

Even after 36 novels, I always try to write the sort of book I would want to read. My favorite thing to do is take a common trope and turn it on its ear. Where you expect a zig, I give you a zag. In my pages, you will find strong female characters, ethical dilemmas, and realistic storylines often filled with adventure and intense pacing, tempered by witty dialog, and happy endings. All are hallmarks of my work.

As a Bestselling Genre-Hopping Indie Author, I’ve enjoyed a sales position in the top 5% of lesbian writers, but I write crossover and mainstream fiction and have authored 26 nonfiction books, as well. All 36 of my FemFic novels have been bestsellers in the genres of domestic suspense, domestic thriller, women's adventure, romantic suspense, apocalyptic, speculative, lesfic, lesbian romance, and science fiction. I’m also a mixed-media artist (mostly clay and abstract painting) and former performing singer-songwriter with over 200 songs.

My wife, Melissa Walker-Baeli, is a budding author in her own right, and we have several co-writing projects coming soon. We live with two dogs, (Noodle and Whatnot) and two cats, (Poppet and Chicklet) on ten acres in the gorgeous Northwoods of Michigan.

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3 reviews
September 20, 2011
I have read 2 of Baeli's other books--Armchair Detective and Also Known as DNA, both of them in the lesbian fiction genre, so I decided i should also check out her mainstream novels--Achilles Forjan and Baggage. I started with Baggage. I have to say, Baeli is every bit as good in the mainstream genre; she's just a solid, quality writer who never disappoints, no matter what genre she chooses to write in. In this case, the book Baggage was an engaging, heartfelt and enjoyable story--it's a little bit family-saga, a little bit romance, a little bit suspense. But it grabbed me and wouldn't let go. Her characters, as usual, are real enough to imagine living next door to you, or as members of your social circle, or even as your family. I like the way Baeli gives them challenges and allows us to watch as they struggle to handle them. I really cared about these people and she was masterful at making them come alive in my mind. And she always provides a satisfying ending. I came away wishing for a sequel to this one too. Baggage belongs right up there on the bestseller list, as far as I'm concerned. It's that good.

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