Mars Needs Writers

...and we don't mean all our royalties, either. We bought this little beauty with this month's royalties from one novella, Wicked Games, our steamy story currently being offered by the good folks at Cobblestone Press.
 
You might be wondering how, exactly, we managed to sell enough copies of our story to purchase a handbag that goes out the door, retail, for a couple of thousand dollars. Especially since our last name isn't Patterson, Koontz or King, and WG isn't exactly fresh to the market. We'd be wondering that, too, if we hadn't picked up the collector's item at the local Goodwill. Purchase price was fifteen smackeroos.

Not having much time, we couldn't do a through go-over while in the store. Once we were home, of course, our immediate concern was that this might not be a legitimate Chanel purse. Sure, thrift shops offer some wonderful bargains but still....
 
So we (i.e., Renée) did some investigation. She discovered that a legitimate Chanel handbag comes in only a few color options. One of those combos is black on white. Winner! A real Chanel bag is made from the finest calfskin, so smooth and soft you nearly pass out from the experience of touching the thing. Hmmm. Our bag feels pretty ordinary. Knowing their audience is paying for their name, the manufacturer labels "Chanel" all over the place, from hardware to tags to the interior lining. Winner! Because the Big Bucks Crowd wants the best of the best, the stitching is immaculate. So why is our stitching just a little bit...off?

Two hours into her research, Renée offered her expert opinion: "Fake." While she was working, the purse had somehow, almost magically, developed an unpleasant odor. "We didn't buy a Chanel," Renée said. "We're the proud owners of a Cha-smell."
 
The good news? We had just enough WG royalty money left over for a evening's meal at Taco Bell. Which is rather fitting for people with a limited edition Cha-smell in the back of their closet....