Mia Quinn is the central character in “A Matter of Trust” and in “A Deadly Business,” though she is far from a perfect leading lady with fairytale endings. But she is a heroine in her own right; she’s just the kind whose acts of valor often go unnoticed. You know the type: the hardworking parent juggling about a thousand things in one day with deadlines to meet, noses to wipe, meetings to attend, and lunches to pack. Most of the time, you’ll find her struggling with the reality of being a single working mother. Mia’s struggle is one that’s personal to me, as I am also a single working mom, but it’s also one that so many other families deal with. Whether we are raising our kids alone and have to work or we are in a household with two working parents, the same is true: there is nothing harder than balancing a successful and meaningful career with spending quality time with our kids.
According to a news release from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, of the 34.4 million families with children, about 88% had at least one working parent in 2013. And 68.2% of mothers with no spouse present were employed in 2013, while 81.2% of fathers with no spouse present had jobs. In families with married couples and children, 96.3% had at least one working parent, and 59.1% had two employed parents. What this all boils down to is that there are a lot of parents out there who, like myself, have to figure out how to juggle.
Some people work because it gives them a sense of purpose. But for many others, working as a parent is about facing the reality that it costs money to feed and clothe children. Not to mention the fact that they will want to play sports and go to camp, and they will eventually “need” a car, and I won’t even get into the expenses that come with college. The list goes on and on because, no matter what, we parents want a good roof over our kids’ heads, we never want them to go to sleep hungry, and we want them to be happy.
More often than not, that means working. So here’s what I have gleaned from my years as a working parent: There will certainly be days that are laden with guilt. You either don’t have enough time to focus on your job or you can’t be there enough for your kids. But there will also be days when everything feels like it’s going to be okay. The key is to make the time you are devoting to each aspect of your life meaningful.
I have found that if I’m just present in whatever I’m doing, I feel much better about it. When I’m working, I try my best not to feel guilty about not being at home. And when I’m with my family, I make every effort to be fully dedicated to that.
Mia struggles with the same age-old issue of finding balance. And her dual roles as a mother and prosecutor have taken her on a quite a ride so far. Below are some of the places in beautiful Seattle, WA you’ll find Mia in both “A Matter of Trust” and “A Deadly Business.”
King County Superior Court and King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office
Mia is a prosecutor for Washington’s King County District Attorney’s Office, so whether she’s at the office or arguing a case, she’s in the courthouse.
Mia in the courtroom:
Today Young was to be sentenced. There were only a few observers in the courtroom, most of them relatives of the girls. Mia had asked for life in prison, and felt confident Young would get it. Her case was airtight. Dockins had done what he could, but she was sure down to her bones that it wouldn’t be enough. Young would never be able to hurt anyone again.
A side door opened and Rolf walked in, followed by Young in an orange jumpsuit. A sheriff’s deputy brought up the rear.
Mia watched them walk toward the defense table, not thinking about anything except how her phone was buzzing again. Maybe she could manage to sneak a peek as she sat down.
Then Young’s upper lip curled back and his eyes narrowed. His face was full of rage. And faster than Mia could react, faster than she could even process what was happening, he broke into a run. Straight for her. Then he lunged.
Find out what happens next in “A Deadly Business”
University of Washington School of Law:
Mia is an adjunct professor at the law school. As such, she is asked to do things like present a closing argument to students or model cross-examination.
Puget Sound: Puget Sound is a huge part of being in Seattle and there are a lot of beautiful and fun things that go on in and around it.
Mia’s experience at Puget Sound is neither beautiful nor fun, however. In fact, she’s kidnapped and taken there to be killed.
As Mia leapt off the yacht, time slowed down. While still in midair, she uttered the oldest prayer of all. “Help.”
The shock of the icy water stole all the breath from her body. She sank through the gloom. Her lungs demanded air, but she denied them until they turned hollow, until they felt as if they were turning inside out. She heard the muffled sounds of bullets stitching the water.
Her eyes were open, but it made no difference. She was no longer sure what was up or what was down. She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t move, couldn’t focus. She was going to die here in the dark, and then drift slowly down, down, down until the pressure crushed her bones.
Find out what happens next in “A Deadly Business”
I hope you’ve enjoyed the tour of Seattle! If you haven’t already, pick up your copy of “A Deadly Business” for more of Seattle with Mia.