Gemotions

The book signing was a disaster. Clara clutched the dog-eared copy of “Whispers in the Wind,” her favorite Thorne novel, her cheeks flushed. She finally reached the front of the line, and there he was, the author himself, looking every bit as charming as his author photo. He was even wearing her favorite scarf, a gift from her mother.

When Thorne smiled and signed her book, the gesture seemed genuine. But later, examining the autograph, her eyes became wide. She spotted the passage, the words that had comforted her after her father passed, now displayed in his book. The phrases from her blog post, her own deeply personal expressions, were now his. Her stomach twisted.

A feeling of helplessness consumed her. The man who was supposed to be a literary inspiration had pilfered her own words. It felt as though someone had reached into her chest and stolen something vital. She crumpled the corner of the book.