I'm getting excited about debuting Woman on the Verge of Paradise. I'll send her into the world next month - near the end of July! I can't wait to show you the fabulous cover that my good friend, Bryan Pedas, ala A Beer for the Shower, created.
For now, here's a bit from the chapter called Mindless Meanderings (about halfway through the book).
This scene takes you into yet another lousy date...
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He chuckled awkwardly. “I asked what you do for a living.”
“Oh, I’m a social worker.”
“Cool.” He guffawed, followed by a high-pitched snort. “You get paid to,
like, be social. I wouldn’t mind that job.”
“Well, yeah, I mean it’s not all fun and games but it pays the bills.
Actually, it barely pays the bills, with
no cushion for a nice pair of socks or a really cool stash of paperclips.”
Manny showed no response. “But I like what I do. Usually…” I paused and
grinned. “No, it’s nice” —my tone integrated authenticity— “I can end my days
knowing I made a difference in people’s lives. It feels good and meaningful.
You know?”
He shrugged.
“What do you do, Manny?”
“Oh, I’m a professional student.” He laughed, confidently, as if to
embark on a well-rehearsed speech. “I got my first degree in English. Did some
small office jobs after that. That’s all I could find. Talk about a useless
degree. Now I’m at Cal State Hay—”
I counted three definitive wrinkle lines crossing his wide, pale
forehead.
I looked down at my plate, now empty. I don’t remember eating those
tacos. Damn. I had to find something else to do with my time.
I looked back up and decided those wrinkles must be a good 4.5, no 4.75
inches in length, 1/4 or maybe 1/8 inch wide. Crap. What if I get major
wrinkles like that before I die? And a receding hairline? I’d die.
“You know?” he asked.
“Oh yeah, I know.” I nodded in agreement. “I know.”
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Take care, and keep a smile!
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Take care, and keep a smile!
