“With devastating slowness, his hand cupped her completely before he slid a finger into her –”

Oh, hello, didn’t see you there. Just reading a quick extract from A Perfect Match, by novelist, Texas comptroller of public accounts, and now Texas state chair for the Rudy Giuliani campaign, Susan Combs.

The press release from Giuliani’s people goes on to laud Combs for winning two terms as the agriculture commissioner. However, she was widely regarded by the Texas farming community as completely dropping the ball during the last three years of drought. Cattle ranchers in particular accused her of a lack of leadership. In failing to establish any real relief programs until the drought had already taken grip, decades of good bloodlines were devastated, and cows that should have gone for breeding went for cut-price beef instead. In conversations with Chronic in the run up to last fall’s elections, when she was stepping aside to be replaced by fellow GOPer Todd Staples, several farmers bleakly wished she would have spent as much time on her job as commissioner as she did on her run for comptroller.

For any fans of the literary stylings of Combs, be prepared to shell out up to $30 for a used paperback of her (sadly out-of-print) bodice-ripping masterpiece.

Posted Monday, Oct. 15.

A note to readers: Bold and uncensored, The Austin Chronicle has been Austin’s independent news source for over 40 years, expressing the community’s political and environmental concerns and supporting its active cultural scene. Now more than ever, we need your support to continue supplying Austin with independent, free press. If real news is important to you, please consider making a donation of $5, $10 or whatever you can afford, to help keep our journalism on stands.

The Chronicle's first Culture Desk editor, Richard has reported on Austin's growing film production and appreciation scene for over a decade. A graduate of the universities of York, Stirling, and UT-Austin, a Rotten Tomatoes certified critic, and eight-time Best of Austin winner, he's currently at work on two books and a play.