Fed up with low-paying, menial jobs that infringe on his boozy, loafing lifestyle, Wicker sets off on a road trip to Las Vegas, where the drinks are free, the slots are loose, and a megajackpot could solve his problems forever.
Drifter, boozer, slot machine fanatic with extraordinary hair, twenty-three-year-old Wicker plans to win enough in Vegas to get his stuff out of storage, buy a van and never work again. He winds up with a lot more than he bargained for when he hitches a ride with Edna, a wayward elderly woman with a woozy agenda of her own. Pursuing this unlikely pair is Edna’s son, who fears his scatterbrained mother has finally gone off the deep end. Whether Edna is losing her mind or having the time of her life with Wicker is the question that drives this quirky, darkly humorous story to its unexpected conclusion
Excerpt
Due to loopy formatting issues, an excerpt is unavailable here. You can sample the book on my Amazon page or at seedpodpublishing.com.
Professional Reviews
Unlikely Companions, Likely Needs
A broken-down car, a wrong turn on a freeway, and a mother’s ashes take Wicker, a twenty-three-year old slacker, and Edna, fifty years his senior and tottering on the brink of senility, on a quixotic journey to Las Vegas and way beyond.
Goodwin has a good ear for dialogue, both the bawdy patois of a young, alcoholic ne’er-do-well and the prim voice of an old lady schoolteacher. Both Las Vegas and Tokyo come alive as Richard Goodwin leads his characters through the haunts, dangers, and pleasures of these cities. The story, told from each of their viewpoints (and also that of Edna’s son who is searching for his mother) brings to its reader a certain amount of unease, leavened by delight, laughter, and by the end, empathy for its characters. Edna is painted with a soft, forgiving brush, Wicker with the broad jarring strokes befitting a callow youth on a mindless quest.
An insightful read written by a fine story teller.
The bulk of the collection is eight short stories that are set in yesteryear. The compilation is filled out with four entertaining fantasy pieces and three poems.
Dreamin’ Dreams is more than a collection of stories; it is a celebration of Irish life, adventure, and the unforgettable characters who make growing up in Ireland a journey worth remembering.
Determined to confront the hazy memories of his troubled youth, Oliver Matthews, a retired detective and confirmed bachelor, returns to the picturesque town of Henley-on-Thames for the first time in years.
