ORANGE MESSIAHS by Scott A. Sonders (books to read this summer .txt) 📕

/>
I scratched my head as if thinking. “Well, she was working as a dispatcher for the towing company. Her name was Carole. Carole with an “E” at the end.” That’s how she introduced herself. But cutting to the chase, Carole and I had some very serious chemistry going on for the next three months. Then, wouldn’t you know it, on Valentine’s Day she dumps me cold.”

I took another toke. Held it. Then continued, “She told me she had to because she’s a Christian Scientist, and wants to get married. But she could never have my kids because, well, are you ready for this, because I’m Jewish, and that would cause them all to go to Hell.”

I paused for effect, to see if Carlos was impressed. “Wow,” I said, “it’s not like I’d been making a down payment on an engagement ring. I mean, don’t you think she was jumping the gun? And because I might have been born Jewish. That’s pretty heavy. What a weird chick. What a weird rationalization. She couldn’t marry me, but she could have sex with me. Maybe she thought that sex would cause only certain parts of her anatomy to go to Hell – and that she probably wouldn’t need a vagina in heaven.”

Carlos took the reefer from my hand and chuckled, but the weed had made his chuckle sound more like a croak. And with a renewed buoyancy in his now raspy voice he added, “You know, it’s like Ramona always says, there is no habit quite so expensive as some women. I used to think she was only talking about money, but now I know that she was also talkin’ about emotions.”

All that I could see of him in the dark was still that vague silhouette, which now seemed encircled by a halo of gleaming stars. And with that image and another beer, the conversation again strayed.

It was then that Carlos unveiled, for motive or lack of one, two peculiar skeletons that were in his family closet... (continued)

VOTE FOR THIS BOOK - SO YOU CAN READ THE EXCITING CLOSING CHAPTERS!

Editor’s Notes:

When I asked Scott about his background, he opined darkly that he is “Native American,” born and raised in “The Valley” suburbs of Los Angeles, “when there were still more orange trees than people.”

He added that, “under the wry dictum of many are called but few are chosen,” that he was once nominated for a Pulitzer – and then went on to “acquire a major list of minor publications.”

However he calls those “publications,” they have included the notable Parnassus, Paris, Chiron, and Small Press Review(s); two poetry books of which “Litany” won the Masters Literary Award; a screenplay to which he’d “rather not admit;” and a story collection, “The Crow Wars,” which is currently optioned by Titan Press – and this novel, “Orange Messiahs,” exhibited herein by BookRix. ۩

Imprint

Publication Date: 12-02-2010

All Rights Reserved