The Life & Times of a Genius

By Kevin K. McValley

A Poetic-Comedic Romantic novel based on a true story. Names, occupations, dates, letters, events, etc., have been altered to protect identities.

The book is about the personal life of Riley Sadume, focused on the 16 years she spent as a Student, Mathematics Consultant, Teacher, CEO, and Architect. Including the lost letters.

2019. The world of architecture receives a mighty shake with the announcement of an Anti-Gravity Skyscraper to grace the City of Gold. RILEY is a with a reputation for her understanding of Mathematics, and her life gets a sudden shock to life when she travels from Jo'burg to Cape Town. On her travels, she meets KEITH, a charming musician on the raise to be legendary (wants to reinvent Jazz.) They fall in love before arrival, they promise to write letters to each other in hopes that someday to come, she will be single.

In Cape Town, Riley's relationship with the father of her son DAVID VAN GRATH III falls apart. Riley and her friends join classmates ASH and JOSH for a group assignment, and Ash with a broken heart to match Riley's asks her to move into his loft so they can heal together.

David does all he can to get Riley back, and asks her to marry him. She declines because she comes to a realization about her feeling for her roommate Ash. Riley graduates with an Honors Degree. She gets a job at the university, and begins a causal relationship with Josh in hopes to get over David. It does not take long for Josh to develop feelings for Riley and wants to have a real relationship. This ends the fling.

Riley heals as she writes letters to Keith. As days go by BOB SADUME, Riley's father wants Riley to take over his position as CEO of their family business Francreek. Riley, Clementine, Ash, and his girlfriend attend a new year's mascaraed party. Riley mistakenly kisses a former student of hers.

NATHAN MILLER, the CEO billionaire building the Anti-Gravity Skyscraper is impressed by Riley's out-of-the-box thinking. Nathan hires Riley on the Anti-Gravity Project. Riley begins dating Nathan, and they are very much in love.

Nathan gets arrested. David handles the case, and uses his influence to get the case dismissed. David finds out about Riley and Nathan, and he is not happy. David blackmails Nathan to stay away from Riley.

Riley moves on, she and Clementine accept an apprenticeship with Bob. Riley is ready to start a relationship with Ash. However, Ash's family makes her think twice. Ash gets rid of everyone and asks Riley to stop thinking about a relationship by asking her to marry him.

Ash travels to Columbia to talk to his father, and he vanishes. News returns that Ash was kidnapped, and later that he is dead. Riley quits her apprenticeship and moves to Limpopo to mourn, and gives birth to Ash's daughter CAMILA. Riley returns to work remotely on the Anti-Gravity Skyscraper as lead researcher and Mathematical analyst.

Riley moves back to Johannesburg. Everything has changed; Clementine is now vice-president of Francreek, and David is running The Miller and Sons Company and is the legal representative for the Anti-Gravity project. Riley and David make peace about what happened between them. The Anti-Gravity Skyscraper is built.

Before the official grand opening, David asks Riley to give their love another chance. She decides to not engage in a relationship with all the men and focus on her job...

As all this happens, Riley's letters to Keith are received by JAMES, a writer in Cape Town. James reads and tells his version of The Riley's Story to his daughter AUDRA. Audra searches the internet and finds that a letter from Keith was received by some old woman in Limpopo. They travel to Limpopo and realize that the letter Keith wrote to Riley is a suicide note. It a race against time to save both Riley and Keith.

Riley hopes her story will help someone out there change the world, understand the insane.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B09F1FVFSR
• ISBN13: 9798540887106
• Release Date: August 2021
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 438 Pages
• Weight: 1.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 8.0" x 10.0"