“Genesis Inspirational Writing Ranch receives funding from God’s World God’s Word, a network of for-profit schools that has not only received numerous complaints from the Better Business Bureau,” said one of the protesters. “It has also funded a media blitz for a controversial amendment to the state’s constitution declaring the personhood of embryos. That’s why we’re protesting. We’re having a day of action against these for-profit schools and their nefarious and secretive political fund-raising.”

Janine had seen the commercials, narrated by an urgent and pained female voice, and had received and recycled stacks of glossy postcards. She voted pro-life, would likely vote for this bill—so why did the news story make her heart race? The camera cut to a wide shot of the protesters, then back to the reporter. “The school declined to comment, but we are also joined tonight by Representative Tad Tucker, the sponsor of the controversial personhood amendment.”

“Hey,” Beth said. “Isn’t that the guy Dad used to listen to on the radio?”

Janine nodded and held a finger to her lips.

“Hi y’all,” Tad Tucker said; his twangy voice was familiar from long rides in Rick’s truck, but Janine wasn’t sure she’d ever seen him in person. In his rumpled gray suit, he towered over the petite reporter, and the camera caught the sheen of sweat on his smooth brow. “I don’t have any fancy signs or slogans, I just wanted to come down to say that I have not received a dime from the Genesis Inspirational Writing Ranch but I admire, very much, what they do. This is a school for Christian writers to work in a nonjudgmental environment, and I feel like the people behind me, what they are about is an assault on our Christian values and, yes, on our freedom of speech. Why, the students here are so talented. I read a poem today on the school’s website—that’s genesis-writing-ranch-dot-com—about Terri Schiavo, God bless her soul, that brought tears to my eyes.

“That’s why I’m encouraging our own day of action. Friends, I’m no poet, but I signed up today for a workshop at the school, and I hope you will do the same. This can be our day of action, too—supporting freedom of speech and independent thought.”

The clip stopped there, and Beth opened a new window and typed in the web address for Genesis Ranch. There, on the front page, was Janine’s poem, right next to her endorsement of the school.

“Cool,” Beth said. “Mom, you’re published.”

“Oh my stars,” Janine said. That was another of her mother’s expressions. She felt faint, the way she had when she learned about the woman who had been married to Terri Schiavo’s doctor. She pressed her knuckles into her eye sockets and drew a long breath. “I can’t believe it,” she said. “I didn’t mean—”