Doreen McGettigan

The critics and the reviews haven’t been especially kind. Another reason I was unsure was because my youngest daughter Jill saw the original animated film (1941) in the 1980’s and she was inconsolable for days. It was too sad for adults let alone children.

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The Gosnell Movie is not about abortion nor is it religious or political. In fact the original criminal case against the doctor was focused on drugs. He was running a pill mill. While searching his office Philadelphia detectives along with the FBI discovered full-term dead babies in bags and baby body parts in jars and milk cartons. They also discovered a woman in distress.

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I recently read Gold Diggers and Dead Beat Dads. I am excited that the author, Valerie Rind agreed to answer a few questions and I applaud her for writing an intelligent, important and due to the serious subject a surprisingly witty book.

My Review: Smart, well written and eye opening…

The author had me at the title, Gold Diggers and Dead Beat Dad$. The book is a compilation of some extremely painful, personal stories of financial exploitation and ruin committed by those the victims most loved and trusted.

We are taught at a very young age that it’s not polite to ask someone about their financial status including how much they make, how much they save or their credit rating. The author shines a bright light on the financial wreckage that can happen if we don’t shake off the controversy and start asking personal financial questions before we say I-Do.

Valerie Rind writes from her heart as she shares her own devastating story of lending her deceptive husband money for a start-up business and discovering a financially devastating secret he kept from her for many years.

Along with the heartbreaking stories and valuable lessons learned by others the author offers common-sense tips on avoiding and overcoming financial ruin. It is written well and left me feeling like I was not alone after being devastated financially by loved ones, myself.

An important book for anyone considering marriage, caring for an elderly loved- one or blending a family.

Author bio:

During a hiatus from my career as a corporate attorney, I worked for a local housing authority, where I created its pilot personal finance program for 300 low-income individuals.

For fun, I served as one of the founding volunteer moderators for the my FICO community forum.

My resume is a checkerboard with gigs like sailing on Caribbean yachts, running the office of a TV and film casting company, and negotiating megabucks contracts for a Fortune 200 technology company.

Irrelevant credentials: BA in Russian Language & Literature from Duke University. LLB and Masters of Law degrees from the University of Sydney. Yes, in Australia. I currently live in the Washington, DC area.

Interview:

What 3 questions about finances would you suggest to ask before considering a serious relationship with someone?

In Gold Diggers and Deadbeat Dads, I list more than 50 questions, so it’s hard to narrow it down to three!

A key topic is how your potential mate handles debt.  Ask: Do you have any credit card or student loan debt? How much? What are the interest rates? Do you pay in full or only the minimum amount due? Do you ever pay late? Exceed the credit limit? Is it time to get a card with better terms? What’s your plan to eliminate your debt? (You should be worried if your sweetheart has no plan).

How can someone considering a midlife marriage that involves blending a family protect their own personal finances and their children’s inheritance?

Opinions vary on whether couples should have entirely separate or combined bank and investment accounts. It’s such an individual matter, and the best solution is often somewhere in the middle.

It’s critical to get your will or trust updated, along with the beneficiaries for your 401(k) accounts, IRAs, and life insurance policies. One couple delayed taking care of business, and the second wife was left with almost nothing when her husband died. Blended families are a challenge if people have different ideas about “entitlement” to inheritances.

Can you share your path to publication, any difficulties along the way, and why you chose the path you chose?

I tried the “traditional” route first. Agents were interested but none seemed like a good match. I was frustrated and put the manuscript on the virtual shelf for five years. Periodically it annoyed me that I hadn’t finished the project.  One day I read about self-publishing. Wow, all I have to do is push a button! If I had known how much time, effort, and money it would take to self-publish … but it’s definitely been worthwhile and a lot of fun.

What are three red flags one should watch for concerning a mate’s finances that might suggest we are being lied to or scammed?

Your partner is evasive about certain bills, bank statements, or other mail. When you ask questions about money matters, you get dodgy answers.

Her phone rings often with urgent, private calls or texts from people you don’t know.

He is often inexplicably late, absent, or unavailable.

Do you listen to music or work in silence while writing?

I definitely need music to stay “in the zone.” I love an obscure Internet radio station called XPoNential Radio that plays “an eclectic blend of blues, rock, world, folk, and alternative country.”  Sometimes I get temporarily distracted when I stop to download a song that’s playing!

Are you planning another book?

Yes. People are already sharing their stories with me for the sequel. I’m interviewing leading authorities on subjects such as child support enforcement.  There weren’t enough stories to fill a whole chapter on family businesses gone wrong, so I’m seeking more anecdotes on that topic.

Connect with Valerie here:

Blog:ValerieRind.com

Twitter: @ValerieRind

Facebook: Valerie Rind

Google Plus: +ValerieRind

Various purchase links:

Available on Amazon in paperback:

http://amzn.to/1qJMGuK

Amazon

Gold Diggers and Deadbeat Dads

Gold Diggers and Deadbeat Dads: True Stories of Friends, Family, and Financial Ruin