Hello Friends!
What a Summer it’s been for America! Not to mention this extraordinary 21st Century on Earth.
As for our tale of Havenwood, I can only reveal that — following a summer of brave adventures, some startling misadventure and plentiful mystery after Trudie Beth McAfee’s precocious encounter with Gabriel White Cloud Walling — the era of her childhood freedom threatened to become an empty memory, as time drew near for. . . the inevitable — SCHOOL.
Here’s some FUN for you (circa 1946) 🙂 Enjoy!
A peek at the novel HAVENWOOD TALES Beginnings by Author, D.J. Houston
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“I can sell fancy antiques for a living, like Mister Barney does! We’ll make a fortune!”
“We’ll all be filthy rich! You’ll never have to work again, I promise!”
From any angle I could think of, with every iota of diplomacy I could muster, I gave convincing Mama my best shot.
You can call it bribery if you want to, I don’t care. Other than the possibility of getting to see pickled brains in a jar, I was looking forward to going to school about as much as slopping hogs for the rest of my life. . . .
Animals with ears & other folks . . .
The whole idea of being cooped up in a classroom, hour after grueling hour, was just downright merciless as far as I was concerned. And I bemoaned my situation to anything with ears, including the moose head mounted over the door at the Trading Post door of our local Coroner-Taxidermist-Dentist, Doc Clubhammer.
I complained to my good friend Mister Barney at the Antiques and Collectibles Shoppe. . . To sharp-nosed Mister Pennington at the U.S. Post Office around the corner from Mister Barney’s. . . To the veterans in the village square studying moves on their checkerboards, just spitting distance from the Post Office. . . To Mister Gottfried, who ran the General Store up the boardwalk from the veterans.
Plus there was Schnook’s Market, right there next door to the General Store, with all those customers to talk to, some of whom I even knew personally (not that that made any difference).
Strong’s Hardware opposite the Post Office was easily on my route. And I couldn’t forget the kitchen help at Helen’s Café on the side street corner across from Strong’s, either.
And I’m sure you could throw in the butcher, the baker and the candlestick maker if we’d had any of those along the two-block stretch that constituted the main drag of our Havenwood Village metropolis — of which I only took time to terrorize the first block, ignoring First Country Bank & Trust Havenwood Branch, the United Methodist Episcopal Church with its Christian-only cemetery and the haunted Old Tavern Inn next door.
I was pretty sure God would forgive me . . .
CONTINUED in Part II – CLICK HERE
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Excerpted from the coming novel HAVENWOOD Tales Beginnings
Copyright©2008, 2012 D.J. Houston. All Rights Reserved.
Fantasy Fiction – Heartland America – Funny Stories –American Literature Treasures
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Fun, fun, fun!! I want to go back in time and live there too! 🙂
Come on and join us, Miss Sally! It’s great fun to have you in Havenwood 😉
Your Friend,
Trudie
[…] Every new discovery of “the good stuff” sent me burning a bee line straight to Mister Barney in his Shoppe, for his expert assessment of my find […]
Trudie –
You aren’t the only one who feels this way: “The whole idea of being cooped up in a classroom, hour after grueling hour, was just downright merciless as far as I was concerned.”
My first lesson of the day to the 11-13 year old boys I am teaching is OUTSIDE!
What a bright teacher you are, Miss Dana! Your boys are lucky to have you, especially in this day and age 🙂
Your True Friend,
Trudie – Narrator HAVENWOOD TALES (the person it happened to!)
[…] I didn’t even bother to whine to Daddy. I figured he’d just let me think whatever I wanted to about school till I decided to change my mind […]
I’m pretty sure God forgave you, Trudie. Glad you lived to tell the tale.
Loved this funny excerpt! More, more, more please! I never get enough of Havenwood. I want your books in my hands, to heck with Kindle!
Thanks, Zandria with the exotic name! It’s great to have you in my corner.
Don’t worry, D.J. said you’ll be able to have HAVENWOOD TALES in books AND on Kindle 🙂
Delightful as usual! Can’t wait til the next installment.
Susan Rinehart
My author D.J. Houston is delighted by your visit, Miss Susan!
Thanks for your beautiful fine art and photography work! D.J. enjoys photography, too 🙂
Your Friend Trudie
Trudie, you didn’t!! Please tell D.J. she’s got me rolling on the floor already with this one. Can I take a Part 2? You girls are hilarious!
Your Fan Sam
Oh, but I DID, Sam. I did! And D.J. said, “Just wait till he reads Part 2.” But you’ll have to buy the book to get it 😉
Your Friend Trudie
Narrator HAVENWOOD TALES (the person it happened to!)