Patricia Gitt's ASAP Takes Us in Computer Theft and Black Marketing!

She had particularly loved visiting the Temple of A-Ma.   It was set on a small rise facing the inner harbor.   The Temple’s charming tale had captured her imagination.   It told of a poor young girl who had been seeking passage on a boat only to be turned down, until a small fishing boat took her aboard.   A storm blew up while they were at sea, destroying all the other boats save the one she was on.   Returning to shore, the girl revealed herself as the sea goddess A-Ma, and the fisherman was said to repay her by building a temple in her honor.   When she had asked Binh if he believed the tale, he said the Temple was 600 years old and predated the time of the supposed story.
                      Suzanne laughed but enjoyed the colorful little temple all the more.   This private tour was the first enjoyable time she'd had since this venture had begun.   Could it have only been five weeks since that first call from Smitty?   With each site Binh took her to, she relaxed a little more.   Things would work out.   Thank God Brad was in charge.   When she returned home, straightening out her husband would be her first priority.   If he was low enough to steal from the kids, what else had he been up to?
                       The car was now driving through an older section of the city, with narrow streets and three and four-story buildings located near the center of the island.   Binh told her they were going to stop near the Citadel of Sao Paulo do Monte, that there was a little factory shop selling Armani t- shirts and Louis Vuitton handbags at a discount.   Everyone knew that Asia had become the manufacturing center of the world.   She wondered if this outlet sold legitimate designer goods, or knockoffs?                      
Suddenly the front windshield next to Binh exploded in spider’s web of cracked glass.   Stunned, Suzanne sat frozen in her seat.   Binh’s scream pierced her brain. "Get down.   Don't get up until I tell you."
                         Throwing herself to the floor she banged her head on the console as the car hit a pothole.   She could feel her blood chill as Binh jerked the car into reverse and sped backward in the direction they had just come from.   Suzanne thought her heart would stop as the sound of rapidly firing guns pursued their high speed escape...
~~~  

ASAP--
 As Soon As Possible

By Patricia E. Gitt

This novel reminded me a little of the Women's Murder Club Series, except there was no murder...LOL The reason was because there are three female friends who are extremely close and involved in each other's lives, so that when one has a problem, they all get involved...

ASAP is more business-oriented, focusing on three dynamic, successful women, who have each made it--an author, a designer and the main character in this book,  an expert and owner of a computer-design company. The primary emphasis was on the effect of her professional role on Suzanne Moss's personal life. For me, this was an issue about which I had to think, "been there" and had discussed it with other women and in professional associations, for decades. However, for women who are just entering the business world, it can be a startling picture of the reality!

“Mrs. Moss, this isn't a social call.   What I have to tell you has to be said in person.   What I can tell you is that your company has a leak.   An expensive one."
 “Leaks are always problematic, especially in the technology industry,” Suzanne said, playing for time.   “But I’m not the one you should be meeting with.   You want to see my partner, Bradley Stanton.”
 “First, I must see you.   The sooner we meet the sooner you can protect your company from a major theft.”
Suzanne liked Debbie and if she had given this stranger her private number then she should hear what he had to say.   Glancing at her schedule she sighed.   "Look, this is Thursday.   The best I can do is next Monday morning."
 "It can’t wait.   I can be at your office in five minutes."
"How about fifteen, but not in my office?   There's a coffee shop on the corner of 59th and 2nd Avenue.   It's off the beaten path so no one should recognize us.”   She’d be damned if she was going to meet a stranger in her office at this hour without even an assistant nearby.   “How will I recognize you?"
"I'll find you." Suzanne heard a soft chuckle.   "You find this humorous?"
"No Ma'am.   But you are rather famous in some circles."
The connection was cut leaving her to wonder just what circles this man traveled in.   Picking up her monthly diary, she jotted down the place and time of the early morning meeting.   For all of her expertise in computers, hand writing her appointments was one way she slowed down her fast paced life.   Everything seemed to be needed as soon as possible.   Asap was her life.
~~~ 

Let me just say that the story rings absolutely for what happens to Suzanne's life, so if that is a subject that concerns you, this may be a must-read for you.

I'm going to look instead at the very real issue that Suzanne faced professionally! She and her best friend, Brad had co-founded a company that quickly became successful. That was based not only on the product, but also on the individual talents of both Brad and Suzanne.

Suzanne handled almost all of the administrative duties. As those of us who have worked in that area, the time involved is rarely understood by those not having to perform the activities! Thus, she was working more and more overtime and her husband was getting more and more aggressive in his criticism of time away from home and the kids...

As well as the time spent by Brad...who handled the PR, marketing and other technical issues... Two different uses of time--no matter what, Suzanne would always be much more inundated, time-wise...

This company has an important goal of working to provide home-health care equipment, especially for those who are on continuous medication, such as for diabetes. Then, a brilliant young student had been discovered that could potentially upgrade/enhance this activity to a level that would be worth billions if successful.

But Suzanne was contacted by a man, who she felt she could trust, and told that her company was on a list that was "out" for those items that were to be acquired for sale on the black market! Brad had normally taken care of security issues and Suzanne realized that she had not really taken the issue as importantly as it should have been. Now, it was too late, the company had apparently already been hacked and important documentation stolen.

For the first time, Suzanne realized that she shouldn't, couldn't trust anybody!

She did have to trust Brad, though, because he was the only one that could help improve the situation. What she discovered, however, was that there was much in Brad's background that she was not aware of. And what might happen could be not only dangerous, but could cost them their company, if not their lives!

And those involved in this plan wanted her involved... She had to secretly travel to Macau without letting anybody, including her family, know where she was... Only to be caught in the middle of gunfire on the main streets there! Did they bring her here to kill? To ransom for the prototypes?

The womens' issues of being in business are important for those working, especially in male-dominated fields. I especially enjoyed the chase, the mystery of who could have betrayed their company and the reality of who did! Nothing that was unpredictable here...but still a good solid story that is worth your consideration! Check it out!


GABixlerReviews

Having built a successful career as an executive in public relations, I've met and worked with many outstanding business leaders. Fascinated by power - those who amass it and those who are exiled from it - I create fictional worlds in which smart women balance high-powered careers with their private lives.

My debut novel, "CEO", is the fast-paced tale of corporate intrigue. Can CEO, Melissa Lynn Horn, save United Chemicals Corporation from extinction? Follow one savvy woman as she faces down an enemy bent on destroying the company, while navigating the all male corporate culture. In the end, does being a woman empower the CEO, or does being CEO transform the woman?

"asap --as soon as possible--", is my latest novel. It is the tale of business founder, Suzanne Moss, who is suddenly thrust into warp speed upon learning of a potential theft of her company's innovative technology. Meanwhile her overly scheduled life as wife and mother of a preteen son and daughter continues to challenge her powers to balance a dynamic career with her private responsibilities. With emotions stretched thin, Suzanne races to regain control of her life while saving her company.