Sunday Snippet!

Inspired by events preceding the fall of the Pahlavi dynasty, Finding Our Morning is a love story that catapults us from Texas Hill Country to the epicenter of a monarchy on the brink of collapse. 

Ginny Tate bides her time on the family stud farm in San Antonio, Texas, waiting to start veterinarian school in the fall. Bullied as an adolescent, she’s finally shed her old skin, but the emerging beauty still harbors insecurities and would rather hang out with horses than people.

Sponsored by his uncle, the Shah of Iran, Dariush—David—Akbari, a twenty-five-year-old NYU grad with a degree in International Law, is also a skilled polo player. He joins the royal traveling team for a tournament in Plano, Texas.

A decade in America has gradually altered David’s views on certain aspects of his culture. Torn between familial obligations and his adopted country, David resists the idea of returning to Iran so soon after graduation. 

At the traditional after-party, David strikes up a conversation with Ginny, who is refreshingly honest. He receives an invitation to visit Tate Stud Farm and, on the pretext of buying another polo pony, persuades the shah to make a detour.

Great horsemanship coupled with self-effacing charm sets David apart from the entitled braggarts who normally populate the sport, and Ginny falls hard. His visit turns into a life-changing week that neither can foresee. Will they walk away unscathed or live to regret their impulsive behavior?

Finding Our Morning

Mickie B. Ashling 2020

All Rights Reserved

As the country plunged deeper into chaos, David’s law practice thrived. Most of his clients were prosperous Iranians preparing to flee the country. Some already had holdings abroad, but the majority did not, and shoring up their local assets before departing drove a lot of them to take extra legal steps. They still believed the law of the land would prevail regardless of the shah’s fate; however, they didn’t plan to stick around while it played out. To make certain their property wasn’t confiscated in absentia, the firm drew up the necessary papers to prove they were the rightful owners.

Other clients, whose loved ones were jailed, continued to seek David’s help to get them released. He’d had some success initially, parlaying his connections to the shah, so his reputation as a miracle worker was firmly established. As the shah’s position grew more tenuous, so did David’s influence, and his progress took a downward turn. Visits to SAVAK headquarters were a chilling reminder that the rumors about his uncle were true. The man was a despot with little regard for life, and he used brutality to keep his enemies under control. The men running the prison were immune to human suffering and carried out unspeakable acts of torture with the shah’s tacit approval.

David’s respect for his uncle plummeted with each passing day, to the point where he could barely tolerate their meetings. On the rare occasion when his presence was required, he had to dig deep to mask his disgust. He’d learned the hard way to keep his thoughts to himself. Going against the grain was fruitless; anyone who dared to contradict the shah disappeared without a trace, and no amount of persuasion would alter their fate. This fueled his desire to leave the country and start a new life, as far from Pahlavi reach as possible.

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