Allen, Geoffrey (Kobe Steel Ltd)

Secondhand Millions Allen, Geoffrey (Kobe Steel Ltd)

I write to tell you about my novel, "Secondhand Millions," a story that has been custom crafted for the times in which we live. Louis Bexton has it all -- a beautiful wife, two amazing children, a four-bedroom duplex in Manhattan, a second home in the Hamptons, and millions of dollars tucked away in the bank. But even with all these riches, there's something missing. Louis starts to become bored with his life, starts to yearn for more purpose. He wants to make a difference in the world. Accordingly, he decides to give a million dollars apiece to five individuals in need. Excited by the idea, he donates four of his most expensive suits to a Goodwill that is located in a poor section of the Bronx. In the pockets of each jacket, he leaves an invitation to a dinner, asking five lucky people to bring only their bank account info with them. Not only does "Secondhand Millions" explore Louis's story, it also delves into the lives of the four individuals who receive the suits. These four individuals have their own stories, are struggling with their own challenges, heartaches, and survival, and have no idea that their lives are about to be irrevocably altered. "Secondhand Millions" is a poignant story, full of hope, humanity, and humor. In today's world, as the economy suffers, and as an increasing number of people commence upon a search for something greater, I offer a story centered around a man who undertakes just such a search. Louis's decision resonates in ways both heartening and unpredictable. Fittingly, not only have I written about a man who undertakes a great change, I happen to be such a man as well. "Secondhand Millions" is my first novel, composed at the end of a career as a financial executive. Far from being an amateurish piece of work, it has been composed with care, grace, elegance, and rhythm.