{"product_id":"slow-descent-and-other-little-stories-paperback","title":"Slow Descent and Other Little Stories - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eEd Fair\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\"July called up a sultry afternoon\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eShe must have been waiting for the call\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWind chipped away at the boredom\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTrying to chase summer into fall\"\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA collection of ten poetic, dynamic and unpredictable little stories in both English and Spanish. Many of the stories were influenced by the writer's experiences growing up in central Texas in the 1960s and 1970s a couple of hours from the Rio Grande and the Texas-Mexico border. Others were inspired by the writer's love of the southwestern United States and an increasing infatuation with Latin America and the Spanish language. Others simply fell out of the sky without explanation.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\"The bright but crooked sign above the swinging door read \"Café Adentro\"\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIt teetered on the outer edge of Quito's chaotic centro\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRoom for only two tables and a three-stool bar\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIn the corner a weathered llanero strummed his cuatro guitar\"\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe first story, Slow Descent, was written in 1977 before it went into hibernation for 45 years. The PBS Ken Burns Country Music Documentary and a push from friends inspired the writer to dig it back up. It ultimately evolved into a song recorded by Dennis Welch to be released in the summer of 2023 on his album entitled \"If I Live To Be A Hundred\". The reawakening of that story and its transformation into a song caused the author to look inside and see if other stories might be lurking in there. They were.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\"I have never thought of myself as a writer and certainly not a poet. I would rather be a painter because I like to try to paint pictures with words and phrases. I hope these stories will conjure up vivid, colorful and lasting images for each reader.\"\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMany of the stories take place in Texas, the southwest and the west. One takes place in Ecuador and the others could happen anywhere. Interspersed among the stories are photos taken by the author during his travels throughout Central and South America.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\"The boy's skin was as pale and thin as fine white porcelain\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHis eyes as gray as an overcast sky on a cold December day\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHe never showed any emotion but inside his world was a raging ocean\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNo word or sound - just a frozen stare like a clock unwound\"\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe title \"little stories\" is more descriptive of the content than poems or poetry. While all but one contain some sort of rhyme scheme, that scheme varies among the stories and even within them. Certainly they do not follow any archaic or strict poetic style. Some are sad, some are happy and some are left to the reader to decide. Different readers will hopefully interpret the stories in different ways. All are written from the heart, the soul and the passion of the author.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\"He came from the east Texas piney woods\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA poor kid destined to do no good\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eShe came from a north Dallas neighborhood\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA privilege unspoken but understood\"\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe book is approximately 100 pages in length.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 110\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.26 x 8.5 x 5.5 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e June 01, 2023\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Books by splitShops","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42127386378375,"sku":"9798218196417","price":10.06,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0601\/2623\/2711\/files\/ca08caab9279fe06c97d5148827495c2.webp?v=1732588255","url":"https:\/\/booksby.splitshops.com\/products\/slow-descent-and-other-little-stories-paperback","provider":"Books by splitShops","version":"1.0","type":"link"}