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Sunday, September 22, 2013

Woman on The Verge of The Monster Bus, A Combination Post

First, welcome to Chico, CA for Sundays in My City, hosted by the ever-gracious UnknownMami. Visit her site here to visit the wonderful world of bloggers' hometowns.

The Monster School Bus stopped in Chico recently. It tours the country to raise money for charitable causes. The concept: You pay. You go for a ride. You support diabetes research and treatment, or other worthy efforts. It was fun and funny to watch.

You can view it here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8Sxyb4AYjk

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Second, please enjoy a snippet of the novel I'm working on, Woman on the Verge of Paradise. This scene takes us back to Oakland in the early 1990s. I'd broken off a short-lived spark with my nextdoor neighbor (a weird kisser, which caused me to question his other sexual habits), Noah. I'm in my apartment and I overhear some conversation just outside my door.
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“You’re the only neighbor I’ve met.” I recognized the voice; it was the woman next door. “I’ve seen that lady around but never talked to her. Do you know her?”           
            “Yeah, that’s Robyn,” Noah replied.
            Wow. They’re actually discussing me, just inches from my door. Do you people not know how thin these walls are?  Girlfriend, you haven’t a clue what I did for you! And you sir, don’t, don’t, just don’t get me started!    
            “She’s a sweet person unless you cross her,” he added. “But I didn’t do anything. We dated a little and I was honest about my situation. Now she treats me like an enemy.”
            “Mm mm, I know what you mean. My boyfriend’s like that too sometimes. He’s kinda got a short fuse but we’re cool. He’s a great guy. You met him?”
            “No. Sometime, though.” I envisioned Noah digging into his pocket for his keys. “Well, I’ll see you later.”
            “B, bye.”
            The doors to my right and left closed in unison.
            Sweet unless you cross me? I turned my head towards the closet, his place. In a cold controlled tone, I informed, “I’m always sweet, you f*kin* bastard necrophiliac!”
*Actual novel will be gloriously free of asterisks.
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Thanks for stopping by. 
I hope you have a great week!

44 comments:

  1. The Monster Bus looks cool! I liked your excerpt. Too funny!

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  2. Looking forward to the asterisk free version!
    That's a really cool way to raise money for charity. Did you go for a ride?

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  3. The bus is a great idea, but I'm loving the book excerpt. You got a true LOL on that last line. The book is going to be a fun read.

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  4. Sexual habits? Necrophiliac? Your book sounds like a winner to me.

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  5. That Monster Bus looks like a blast!
    Bastard necrophiliac is very intriguing! lol

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  6. Yeah, you definitely look like a vengeful little spitfire. Remind me never to cross you. ;)

    Looking forward to the full, asterisk free version. Let those F-bombs flyyyy!

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  7. I always love your snippets Robyn, really great Sunday post as usual.

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  8. That reads so well, asterisks and all !

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  9. Woohoo! Can't wait to read more! Cool idea for the charity!

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  10. Asterisk free, way to be haha wow, never knew there was such a bus. No one would mess with that

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  11. No matter if you put it on big wheels or not, you're still taking the short bus.

    I enjoyed the excerpt. Asterisks? I didn't notice.

    M.L. Swift, Writer

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  12. That bus looks cool! What a neat idea!

    Necrophilia. Hmmmmmm. Interesting AND disturbing. I'm curious now.....

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  13. My word, I think school children could play underneath that bus! I wonder if this Noah chap has anything in common with his biblical namesake. Didn't the latter once get drunk and naked?

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  14. Always wanted to ride in one of them monster buses! What fun.

    I am keenly waiting for your novel, Robyn. Sounds intriguing. Hugs!

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  15. Love the Monster Bus! I also can't wait to find out what happens next with you and Noah!

    Julie

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  16. Necrophiliac? Yeah, that would NOT be my first choice of a boyfriend. Hilarious excerpt.

    Dating neighbors is awkward, because you canNOT avoid them if things go badly. And don't they always?

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  17. Now thats a cool bus. Who wouldn't want to go for a ride on it.

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  18. That bus would do really well in my area. Lots of rednecks around here that would jump at the chance to ride the big, bad bus!

    Very funny excerpt! Thanks for sharing it with us today :)

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  19. Thank you, friends. I keep thinking I'm nearing the end of draft #1. But as I'm thinking that, I am NOT writing. Gotta get back to it.

    Never did ride the Monster Bus. It kinda looks like it'd be a disappointment, but the money goes to good causes.

    Alex and BnB, I so let those f-bombs fly. It's the funnest part about writing in first-person when that person is a "vengeful little spitfire." Thanks, BnB, I like it. I claim it!

    Bev, yes, especially when they tell you that they're going to be moving thousands of miles away, so you break it off. Then they end up staying put and getting a new girlfriend. That f*n bastard.

    Keep a smile, peeps.
    xoRobyn

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  20. That is a clever way to raise funds for a cause.

    The snippet...I love the last line. No hostility there...haha. Looking forward to reading the whole story.

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  21. Is this novel kind of autobiographical? I'm just going by the name.

    Lee
    Tossing It Out

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  22. That's one awesome Monster School Bus. And I really enjoyed your snippet.

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  23. Arlee, yes, it's very much autobiographical. I mean, it's strictly non-fictional. Smiles.

    Thank you, everyone.
    I hope the week is treating you well.

    xoRobyn

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  24. Now that looks like a fun school bus.
    Great snippet!

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  25. In my WIP (which is huge-that's what she said) I tried to put in euphemisms for colorful sailor talk. Then when 'sugar' and 'goshdarnit' proved to be poor substitutes, I went the asterisk route. That seemed disingenuous so I went whole hog.
    Meaning, there's quite a few F-Bombs in it.
    Hey, I have to be true to my art.
    The book will be R-rated. Not for sex (goodness golly, I'd hate to blush writing it) but for language.

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  26. That Monster Bus sounds really awesome! Great post.

    www.modernworld4.blogspot.com

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  27. That monster school bus is well neat. And raising money for good causes is nice to know. Of course, I recall little monsters on normal size school buses.

    I'm effin' liking your story. And with that, I must go now. Calling all corpses....

    Gary :) x

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  28. Love that bus with the huge tires! It's a nice idea to support charities, too. I enjoyed your excerpt. I've never overheard a conversation about myself. I wonder how many people actually have...

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  29. Love the snippet from your new book. Now about that school bus....wouldn't it be funny if a bus like that pulled up on the first day of school?! All the parents of kindergartners would run for the hills with kids in tow....I know I know...I'm evil.
    Blessings, Joanne

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  30. Late in arriving due to the Vegas thing.

    Cool bus. Great way to raise money for charity.

    Your snippet cracked me up.

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  31. Love the snippet! And very cool about the monster school bus :)

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  32. I love the Monster School Bus!

    I also love your snippet and the fact that the real version is fully loaded with curse words =P

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  33. Wow, that is one big bus. I love your snippet. :) No one better cross your path!! :)

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  34. wow, i love your snippet!
    the monster bus sounds really fantastic!

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  35. lol Gotta watch those fiery pocket rockets! Sounds like a good juicy read Robyn!

    Also like the idea of the Monster Bus - ah, only in America lol

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