Cocktail Party Priest

Following the death of her beloved husband, Rayn retreats to her new home by the sea, anticipating a life less stressful. But she soon finds herself drawn into the rescue of a failing, 100 year old, Episcopal Church. Within months, church elders hire a young priest to facilitate the work, with the help of Rayn and other church members. Unbeknownst to Rayn, while the church flourishes with new life, the priest is destroying her own life with outrageous and false claims, including that she is really a man with false breasts who is stalking him—a crime punishable by imprisonment. These lies are unquestioningly believed by all as the church hierarchy turns a deaf ear to Rayn’s appeals to silence her accuser. Instead, they cover up to protect him. With only one choice left, Rayn risks everything in a desperate, last effort to restore her name and reputation.

Following the death of her beloved husband, Rayn retreats to her new home by the sea, anticipating a life less stressful. But she soon finds herself drawn into the rescue of a failing, 100 year old, Episcopal Church. Within months, church elders hire a young priest to facilitate the work, with the help of Rayn and other church members. Unbeknownst to Rayn, while the church flourishes with new life, the priest is destroying her own life with outrageous and false claims, including that she is really a man with false breasts who is stalking him—a crime punishable by imprisonment. These lies are unquestioningly believed by all as the church hierarchy turns a deaf ear to Rayn’s appeals to silence her accuser. Instead, they cover up to protect him. With only one choice left, Rayn risks everything in a desperate, last effort to restore her name and reputation. “Good name in man or woman, dear my lord, is the immediate jewel of their souls. Who steals my purse steals trash; ‘tis something, nothing. ‘Twas mine, ‘tis his, and has been slave to thousands. But he that filches from me my good name robs me of that which not enriches him, and makes me poor indeed.” William Shakespeare, “Othello” Act 3, Scene 3

While still in high school, Rayn was awarded scholarships to the Minneapolis Art Institute and then continued her art studies at the University of Minnesota and the University of the Americas in Mexico City. After an award winning career as a marketing director, she retired to become a stay at home mom. Eventually she returned to college to study law, finished with honors, and opened a highly respected and well known paralegal firm. Following the death of her husband, Rayn returned to the Episcopal Church and became far more involved than she had ever been before, or ever intended to be. It is that shocking, incredible, life shattering experience that she relates in her non-fiction book, Cocktail Party Priest, which will soon be followed by two novels already waiting in the wings: Evil at the Altar and Silent Partners. Rayn has served as a volunteer Court Appointed Special Advocate for abused, neglected and abandoned children and been active in several organizations. She lives with her German Shepherd, Darius, and her rescued Calico cat, Amber.