Off The Beaten Path – Patricia C. Behnke, Author
How do you handle having a live bomb put through your mail slot at work?
In this edition of Off the Beaten Path, we find out as Lynn Ward interviews author and inspirational baby boomer Patricia C. Behnke.
Patricia is a novelist, journalist and former teacher who found that turning 50 was the turning point of her life.
Her inspirational triumph over family tragedy will make you laugh, cry and stand proud.
Her plans for a trip on Route 66 this summer will make you laugh! (It’s near the end of the podcast. You won’t want to miss the part about her friend’s father!)
Her third novel, “Tortoise Stew” won first place in the POW! Awards for Mainstream Fiction in 2005 and is loosely based on her experiences as a journalist in north central Florida. Her other books include “A Victorian Justice” and A Lethal Legacy”. 
Patricia is the Editor-in-Chief for Tower Publications in Gainesville, Florida, where she oversees the editorial operation of two publications, with a total circulation over 100,000. She also contributes her column and articles to both publications.
She is currently working on her fourth novel, set in both St. Johns County, Florida and the Everglades, which examines the connectivity of Florida’s fragile ecosystems.
Patricia says: There are no limits on how we define ourselves and how we define our job.
It’s all about the journey.
About “Tortoise Stew” (Grab this thriller and head to the beach, pool or hammock for your summer reading!)
The bomb sat in a bag on Kelly Sands’ desk for an hour before she noticed it.
Thus begins this fast-paced novel set in north Florida. Tortoise Stew depicts developers and politicians on a rampage to develop some of Florida’s last natural landscapes.
When reporter Kelly Sands finds a bomb on her desk the night she has covered a controversial annexation hearing in the fictional north Florida town of Calloway, a series of events begin to unravel the hold the Good Old Boys have had on rural Florida for over a century. Amidst it all Kelly and her colleagues fight to maintain journalistic integrity and standards while attempting to bring justice to the crazy world of Florida politics.
You can find out more about Patricia and order her books at www.authorsden.com/patriciacbehnke or at http://www.amazon.com/Tortoise-Stew-Patricia-Camburn-Behnke/dp/1424127890 .
Questions for Lynn? Email her at Lynn@the-red-hot-mamacom.
_________________________________________________________________________
I would like to thank my sponsors: Women’s Safety Education Group and Dr. Christine Horner.
Women’s Safety Education Group WSEG teaches women to create a safety plan to keep them from becoming victims of assault. To find out more about this program and how you can have it available for your group, visit our website at http://www.wseg.org/ or contact us at: seminars@wseg.org 
