Cheri Paris Edwards's Blog: Book Notes
January 5, 2019
Homeless but not hopeless...
A couple of weeks ago, I was in South Dallas. Outside of a gray windowless shelter, homeless men and women formed tight circles, laughing and talking despite the graveness of their situation as they waited for lunch to be served. There are many homeless in the DFW area, some in their cars; other in makeshift homes under bridges or even curled in sleeping bags outside grocery stores at night. They are likely drawn here because of the warmer climate. How some may have came to be in such a difficult spot is imagined in TELLING STORIES. Like James, who we meet at the start of the story and is ex-military, now suffering from PTSD, and Gigi who moves to Texas, where her plans to stay with a niece fall apart. Despite a Master's Degree in Library Science, she winds up sleeping in her car.
During her period of homelessness, Gigi's sense of humor helps her survive while her pride keeps her from telling anyone what's really going on. When she literally lands after fainting from dehydration at the feet of Naomi "Butterfly" Simmons in front of Butterfly's house/hair salon where she's taken at job as shampoo girl, it turns out to be a blessing in disguise....
Read more in TELLING STORIES, now available NOW in print and e-book at Amazon.com.
During her period of homelessness, Gigi's sense of humor helps her survive while her pride keeps her from telling anyone what's really going on. When she literally lands after fainting from dehydration at the feet of Naomi "Butterfly" Simmons in front of Butterfly's house/hair salon where she's taken at job as shampoo girl, it turns out to be a blessing in disguise....
Read more in TELLING STORIES, now available NOW in print and e-book at Amazon.com.
December 20, 2018
Intro
Friends,
I invite you to read my new novel, “Telling Stories." The novel is hard to place into one genre, but I categorize it as contemporary fiction seasoned with humor and a dash of romance. The books has cursing and light sexual scenes, so you won't want to read if you are adverse to either.
The story resulted from my contemplation about what “might have” happened after I moved to the Southwest to attempt a restart of my life. A move across country when you're no "spring chicken" has to stem from impulse because you don’t leave all you've known behind without a solid plan for the future as a result of cautious thinking.
Before I left, I had joked about my desire to try a parachute jump for my birthday, and realize in retrospect that the move here was exactly that. While these sorts of experiences are often painted with a romantic brush, I assure you nothing was romantic about it. It was difficult; even scary, and I worried that like Gigi, I might find myself sleeping in my car. But there was exhilarating moments when life unexpectedly offered a reward.
One reward was the unexpected diverse circle of friends that helped me stand when challenges I was facing brought me to my knees. This is the case n the novel as well, since contending with difficulty and finding humor in the struggle often unites individuals who otherwise might have little in common.
Ironically, in Illinois, I experienced isolation because I was often economically outside the world of my more successful family and the friends I’d grown up with. However, once I moved to Texas, like Gigi, a diverse group of individuals came to my aid in times of difficulty and some I still call friends today. When I bought a in Dallas County, the story's locale moved as well. “Gigi,” and Desmond who are both middle-aged live in the Best Southwest, an area with lots of diversity, but whose largest cities are predominately African-American.
"Telling Stories" offers a view of the Texans I've grown to know and love...
If you enjoy stories featuring diverse characters, I hope you will read the novel.
:-) Cheri
I invite you to read my new novel, “Telling Stories." The novel is hard to place into one genre, but I categorize it as contemporary fiction seasoned with humor and a dash of romance. The books has cursing and light sexual scenes, so you won't want to read if you are adverse to either.
The story resulted from my contemplation about what “might have” happened after I moved to the Southwest to attempt a restart of my life. A move across country when you're no "spring chicken" has to stem from impulse because you don’t leave all you've known behind without a solid plan for the future as a result of cautious thinking.
Before I left, I had joked about my desire to try a parachute jump for my birthday, and realize in retrospect that the move here was exactly that. While these sorts of experiences are often painted with a romantic brush, I assure you nothing was romantic about it. It was difficult; even scary, and I worried that like Gigi, I might find myself sleeping in my car. But there was exhilarating moments when life unexpectedly offered a reward.
One reward was the unexpected diverse circle of friends that helped me stand when challenges I was facing brought me to my knees. This is the case n the novel as well, since contending with difficulty and finding humor in the struggle often unites individuals who otherwise might have little in common.
Ironically, in Illinois, I experienced isolation because I was often economically outside the world of my more successful family and the friends I’d grown up with. However, once I moved to Texas, like Gigi, a diverse group of individuals came to my aid in times of difficulty and some I still call friends today. When I bought a in Dallas County, the story's locale moved as well. “Gigi,” and Desmond who are both middle-aged live in the Best Southwest, an area with lots of diversity, but whose largest cities are predominately African-American.
"Telling Stories" offers a view of the Texans I've grown to know and love...
If you enjoy stories featuring diverse characters, I hope you will read the novel.
:-) Cheri
