Songs From Richmond Avenue (Book) - 6/25/2018 8:19:21 AM
Welcome to the Den. I immediately perked up when I saw the title because I've been stuck in Houston for 35 years when I was asked to come here to help "turn around," TSU. Unfortunately, after 30 years of hard work, TSU keeps spinning around, but not necessarily in a positive way.
I can see that you are an excellent writer by your awards and the reviews you have. In all my years in Houston living on the southwest side, I never bar crawled on Richmond. I do recall joining my boss there one night, briefly, to a young black hotspot and going to a place at closing in the wee hours with my girlfriend only to be hit up in the parking lot by some guy with a strange story about bus fare for his pregnant girlfriend to Galveston… My girlfriend stupidly giving him money. And then, watching him hopping in a car with other parking lot beggars and go hit other easy marks that were drunk after hours.
I have had the good fortune to ride the bus on Richmond and find that, once in a while, I can make contact with other passengers. But mostly, I have used Metrolift where I have come in contact with the Houston disabled community. Like going to a bar night after night, you eventually meet the same people over and over and start talking to them, hearing their story.
I'm sure that your characters come from real life experiences on the crazy streets of Houston. In my latest novel that I'm posting here, chapter by chapter, my protagonist has so far gone nameless. I was toying with the idea of him signing his memoir just before he dies at the end of the book. But I haven't decided yet whether I would name him or not. Thank you for verifying that it is an approach that can be taken. I don't read novels very much and I don't think I can get to yours. I've promised others and haven't read their work. Currently, after about a week and a half, about 15 pages into Ralph W. Braun's autobiography Rise Above. I picked it up free at the Abilities Expo a couple of years ago. I never bought or read newspapers. I do read Playboy every month cover to cover, and especially like the short stories.
Ron
