Thena said. “I have a deadline.” “You always have a deadline.” “Thank God for that,” Thena said. “The llamas like to eat.” Along with the alpaca, the dogs, the cats, and somebody had pulled up to the barn and left off a donkey a few days ago. “What do llamas eat? Never mind,” Carla Greene said. “All I want you to do is leave your critters for a few days and come to Los Angeles.” Athena Blaise liked her secluded Ozark home just fine. “I—” “Bring your laptop with you. You don’t have to be sitting at your desk to work on a book.” Thena was currently carrying on this Skype conversation with the publicity person at her publishing house from her laptop while sitting on her bed. She could work anywhere, but she liked working at home the best. One of the things she loved about being an author was that she could work anywhere—but working at home was still the best, whether she was here in Missouri, or on Okios, the Greek island where she spent several months a year with her mother’s side of the family.
