Michael Frazier-Book Excerpt

12       Michael Frazier

 

                Michael Frazier was not an attractive man—not by any stretch of the imagination. At six feet, his frame bordered on scrawniness and he had a slightly humped back, probably from years of leaning over to play the organ. His hair resembled steel wool and was usually in dire need of a good trim. His eyes were beady black holes punctuating his pinched, pale scruffy face. Unable to wear contact lenses, Frazier’s myopia was corrected by large, horn-rimmed glasses that only accentuated a small, taut face with thin, lifeless lips and a receding hairline.

            Although plagued by social awkwardness, there were two arenas where Michael had friends—Trinity United Methodist, where he was thought to be a musical genius, and at The Oak Ridger Newspaper, where is talent as a writer was appreciated. Unknown to most, Michael possessed a certain disdain for many people, usually thinking he was the smartest person in a room. He was quick with sarcastic comments veiled as jokes, when someone’s “stupidity” annoyed him. Like one in three Americans, Michael suffered from bouts of depression, compounded by a certain bitterness stemming from his disappointment in the life he had lived.

But Michael Frazier had a secret—one he kept from the world. He was in love with a beautiful creature he had met seven years earlier. His joy, and paradoxically sadness, spun around his brain when he allowed himself to fantasize about how his life would be with her by his side. Facing the truth, he knew there was no way such a woman would ever be interested in him. In his heart he knew, Lisa Whedbee was unattainable...

Lisa and Michael became friends when she joined the choir in 1991, about a year after the birth of her daughter with severe disabilities. He admired the strength she seemed to show for the cards she had been dealt. He could not know it was a well-practiced facade she presented to the world. The tender care she showed for her daughter moved him, and he always wished there was some way he could help this precious angel. It was this desire that motivated Michael to suggest the story about Lisa and her struggles to raise a special needs child.

Lisa loved the idea of the story. Of course, Lisa loved anything that made her the center of attention, and she was happy to meet with Michael numerous times as they worked on the article. Michael was in heaven getting to spend time with Lisa almost every day during the two weeks it took to gather everything he needed to write the piece. Maybe he stretched it out a little bit, but being in her presence made him feel like the man he had always wanted to be. Despite everything he was feeling, he thought he was in tight control of his behavior, lest his true feelings slip out and give him away. When the article was published on that Mother’s Day, Michael was elated to see how proud and happy Lisa was with his work.

Michael would have almost fainted if he knew, for all his outward control, Lisa became increasingly aware of his feelings for her. She thought his adoration of her was sweet, and a thought began to germinate in her mind—Perhaps Michael Frazier might be able to serve a real purpose in her life.

THE END

 

 

That's right! The book is done. Now, to find the right publisher for The Rude Awakening of Rob Whedbee. Any leads will be appreciated.! We'll keep you posted on our progress.

Rude Awakening-Manuscript Overview

Lisa Whedbee wanted out. Since her daughter Brittany's birth, she had never been able to accept the loving little girl with profound physical and mental disabilities. Selfish and narcissistic, Lisa considered the child to be an embarrassment and a burden; one who had destroyed the perfect life she took great pride in presenting to the world. Brittany's care had created growing discord between Lisa and her husband, Rob, and was slowly decimating any love they may have once shared. Lisa was ready to break the fetters which bound her to him. Rob was no longer an asset, and with him gone, she would have the means to live the life she believed she deserved. Finally, there was the pawn-- just a means to an end. His moments were also numbered in her murderous plot. The horses were at the gate, and Lisa Whedbee was poised for a perfect trifecta.

 

Her plan unfolded in the early morning hours of June 8, 1994, when a flyspeck of a man dressed in black, covetous and possessed by passion, clutched a large knife in his gloved hands and stood above his sleeping prey. He could not know, as the blade arced towards its target, how many lives would be forever changed by his crimes.

Breaking dawn would reveal aspects of the odd and multifaceted case, and the minute the story hit the AP Wire, the media descended upon Knoxville, Tennessee, a charming city in the shadows of the Great Smoky Mountains. CNN, The Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, The New York Times, and People Magazine were just a few of the news outlets vying for interviews with anyone who might have a connection to the case. The reporters said it was a "sexy" story--church, greed, adultery, blood, and a defenseless, profoundly disabled child, all the elements that garner column inches and ratings, spurring readership and attracting viewers.

 

Even when the O.J. Simpson case fired up several days later, media interest in the attempted murder of a respected Knoxville businessman remained high. Tabloid news outlets saw a good story and, before long, the cameras were rolling for segments on A Current Affair, City Confidential, Dateline, Hard Copy, and Snapped. For the first time in Tennessee legal history, the doors of justice swung open for Court TV and legal pundits lined up to provide commentary about the unusual proceedings. Despite the high profile coverage of the case, the whole story, what really happened, has yet to be told

A true crime chronicle, The Rude Awakening of Rob Whedbee, explores the bizarre account of attempted murder, recounts the events leading up to the crime, and provides an in-depth post-mortem of the legal fiasco that followed. The book discusses some of the psychological behaviors that drive ultimate betrayal and exposes some of the gross inequities sometimes found in the judicial system. It also reveals how a courageous spirit can learn to move forward, rebuild lives, and rediscover trust.

Rude Awakening, explores the events leading up to the crime, the bizarre account of the attempted murder, and an in-depth post-mortem of the legal fiasco that followed. The book exposes the traumatic impact of the crime on the victims, Rob Whedbee, and his children, and follows how Rob courageously rebuilt a good life for his family.