Divorcing Dwayne is the first volume in a three-book series featuring Francine Harper and her no-good husband, Dwayne. As the series is set in rural Georgia, the author calls the category "Grits-Lit."  
   
 

EDITOR'S SYNOPSIS
Francine Harper’s in the Pickville Springs County Jail facing felony assault charges. Her offense? She shot at her husband, Dwayne, and his lover, Carla, after catching them together— in the very bed her daddy had carved and given to Francine and Dwayne on their wedding day. Even though she hit the bed and missed the lovers, she soon learns she’s committed a felony, and the deputy district attorney—who’s never been fond of her since she jilted his brother—is determined to prosecute her to the fullest extent of the law. On the other hand, Dwayne is a local celebrity, a talented fiddle player with his own bluegrass band, the Rocky Bottom River Boys. Things are looking up for the band, and they have been selected to record the soundtrack for director Frederick Ford Gumbello’s latest film, Oh Mother, Oh Father, Where Art Thou? When Gumbello comes to town to meet the boys, he becomes enamored with the locale and stays to film the movie since Pickville Springs is the perfect setting for the film.

When Francine makes bail, aided by her best friend, Ray Anne Pickles, she discovers that the checking account she shares with Dwayne contains thirty thousand dollars she can’t account for, and she starts worrying about him. Strange things have been going on, and she still loves him. But she fears that he may have gotten involved with the local mob. Soon Francine finds herself in the arms of rising movie star Clay Carson, which is the last straw for Dwayne, who assaults Clay and disappears. When Dwayne can’t be found anywhere, Francine is suspected of foul play and is arrested for his suspected murder. But Francine is determined to find Dwayne, save him from the mob, and solve the mystery—with Ray Anne’s help, of course. In the interim, she discovers inner strengths and regains her dignity. Now the situation with Dwayne—that’s another story.

 

 
 
   
 

Book One: DIVORCING DWAYNE
Francine Harper ~ under felony assault charges for shooting at her husband Dwayne and his stripper-lover Carla from the Peel ‘n Squeal ~ discovers her strengths and regains her dignity, via a trial and many errors. Aided by her best friend Ray Anne Pickles, Francine manages to continuously run afoul of the law.

Book Two: DEAR DWAYNE
Francine’s not doing too well after the divorce. Her therapist suggests it will be helpful to her recovery if she pretends to write letters to Dwayne and gets everything off her chest. But it’s not her chest that has her worried. It’s her belly; she’s pregnant. And if that’s not bad enough, while divorcing Dwayne she had a fling with a Hollywood cad (as portrayed in Divorcing Dwayne). She also had a close encounter of the intimate kind with Dwayne during that same period. And wouldn’t you know? She’s expecting twins. WHO’S THE FATHER??? I should say fathers. But not to worry, Francine’s now dating the mayor, a Danny DeVito-type character who Francine says is good husband material, “even if he does only come up to my navel.”

Book Three: DATING DWAYNE
Things don’t work out for Francine and the mayor. On their wedding night, in all the excitement he has a heart attack. (Think Goldie Hawn in “Private Benjamin”). Soon Francine takes solace in Dwayne’s company. Good Grief! Well, not good, but lots of grief. Ray Anne, her best friend since first grade says, “Francine, have you got a boulder in your head, or what?” Will the struggling new widow with toddler twins come to her senses or end up, once again, married to Dwayne?