Monday, April 7, 2014

The Popsicle Tree excerpt by DorienGrey


Once upon a time, my boyfriend (now my partner and soon to be my husband) bought me a copy of The Popsicle Tree by Dorien Grey, based solely on the fact that I love popsicles!



Thus, I became a fan of the Dick Hardesty mysteries and a friend of Dorien Grey 



The Popsicle Tree

  • GLB Publishers (January 1, 2005)
  • ISBN-10: 1879194554
  • ISBN-13: 1978-1879194557


Excerpt:



Didn’t somebody once say ‘the only thing consistent in life is change’? So how come so many people are totally unprepared for it? They go through life as if they were driving down a freeway using only their rear-view mirror to steer by. They think they’re going along fine, and suddenly: Wham! Something they didn’t see coming plows into them head-on and changes their lives completely, sending them spinning off in directions they’d never imagined going.


The best way to handle change is simply to deal with it, and try looking at it the way a kid sees new experiences: as a challenge often filled with wonder. Everything’s possible to a child, and ‘growing up’ shouldn’t change that. Just keep your mind and your heart open, and who knows? A Popsicle Tree? Why not?

#

“You think they’ll like them?” Jonathan asked as we left the apartment with a shopping bag full of presents.

“Of course they will. We have excellent taste.”

“In men, anyway,” he replied, grinning. “At least I do. I’m not so sure about you.”

“Would this be Bid for Reassurance number 1,209?”

We were on our way to our friends Tim and Phil’s apartment, where we were invited for an impromptu ‘Welcome Back’ gathering the day after our return from two weeks in New York. It was pretty short notice, and Jonathan had to scurry to get the presents wrapped, but we were anxious to see everyone again—‘everyone’ in this case being Tim and Phil, Bob and Mario, and Jared and Jake, who formed our inner circle of friends.

They’d said five o’clock, since it was a Sunday and everyone had to work the next day—including me, unfortunately—and to my surprise we arrived exactly on time.

Tim, Phil, Jake, and Jared were already there, and you’d think we hadn’t seen each other in two years rather than two weeks. Jonathan discreetly put the shopping bag on the floor next to the door before our exchange of bear hugs with everyone. Phil excused himself and went into the kitchen, returning with a Coke for Jonathan and a Manhattan for me. It was good to be home. ....


1 comment:

Lloyd A. Meeker said...

Smooth opening -- and daring! Not every author can get away with his protagonist addressing the reader like this, but it seems to be a natural part of your smooth style, Dorien.

This story important chapter in the series, one I enjoyed. Yeah, change disrupts things!