Kindle Edition Vámonos! Amazon Category:  Humor Publisher: Debut Publishing Type: Fiction Pages: 265 Copyright: 2005 Two offbeat C&W musicians flee Austin, Texas, on their Harleys and find themselves in the Mexican Desert on a comical journey of redemption. C&W singer/songwriter Skeets Hollaran and best friend, piano player, Jesse Suarez, are both underachieving Austin, Texas, musicians. Skeets finds himself homeless when his soul mate, Gena Koster, kicks him out for philandering. Jesse’s landlord evicts him and threatens criminal action for his hot rent checks. They flee, on their Harley motorcycles, into the Mexican dessert. They hope for a life-changing, pivotal spiritual journey of redemption: sin seared from their souls by the desert sun, atonement, and absolution of Skeets by Gena.      Instead, a riotous romp follows from the Mexican border to the small town of Tolencita where the despot El Jefe jails them and threatens their lives. As you ride along with Skeets and Jesse on this Don Quixote-esque adventure, you find (in spite of the playful tone and often thigh-slapping humor) mankind’s foibles arrayed, illegal immigration illuminated, greed uprooted and foiled, and political oppression confronted and vanquished – all without a single gunshot.      Wonderful Josefina, the Mexican burro, also shows us if we are steadfast in our faith and stay the course, we can achieve our dreams, even though we might get diddled along the way. Excerpt Skeets Hollaran knew the woman’s gaze had all the makings of a life-altering event. The pretty blonde at the table of three ladies stared at him like a coyote circling a fawn. He’d been on good behavior for about three months since Gena threatened to throw him out of the small duplex they shared for what he knew he was about to do again. Skeets found singing in the bar of Rancho-O-Rita Bar & Grill, Home of the Flaming Chicken Fried Steak just outside Austin, Texas, a humbling experience. He’d wiggled his way onto the tiny stage that barely held a stool, his guitar, the microphone, and himself, and sung to an unappreciative audience for months. Add lousy pay, patrons hungry but not for music, and the smell of chicken fried steaks as they bubbled in burned grease, all mingled with a pall of cigarette smoke, and Skeets had himself a disagreeable venue. “But a gig’s a gig,” he kept repeating. The blonde’s amorous interest proved to him once again that he held his thirty-five years well. Lean and tanned from Harley motorcycle riding, he wore over-length stovepipe jeans rumpled on his boots, a big belt buckle, pearl-snap buttoned western shirt, and a big hat. Gena had interrupted fifteen years of uncomplicated one-night stands with women just like this blonde in bars just like the Rancho-O-Rita. Gena’s loving care and support topped everything he’d ever experienced. He glanced again at the blonde and shook his head involuntarily and thought, a man who might even considers a dawdle with that woman cannot be good enough for Gena. But that’s the problem isn’t it? Gena deserves better than me.

EDITORIAL REVIEWS:

“Bill Stephen’s ¡Vámonos! takes a wry and realistic look at human nature and the result is fun, lively, innovative, and highly entertaining. Instead of editorial comment on the character’s foibles, the various critters do the job, and the result is often hilarious and deeply revealing. Though the protagonists get themselves into heaps of trouble, the general tone is upbeat throughout, often left me laughing out loud. I recommend ¡Vámonos! in the highest terms.” Florence Weinberg, Ph.d Author of The Storks of Caridad and Unrest in Eden



EDITORIAL REVIEWS:
“I think the comparison to Christopher Moore and Carl Hiaasen is a good one. I’ve read several of their books. In fact, I enjoy listening to these types of books and think Vámonos! is perfect for the audiobook format. It’s funny with a charming, self-deprecating hero. It reminds me of a modern day Don Quixote. And the dialogue and situational comedy make it a great candidate for film.” Diana Lopez author of Confetti Girl and Sophia’s Saints.



EDITORIAL REVIEWS:
“Vamonos! starts with a typical story line. But as Skeets and Jesse hit the road on their journey of redemption, the story comes to life, and I found it to be very entertaining. There is nothing typical about this journey as the guys find themselves in all kinds of situations. There are many funny and touching moments that make this story a very good read. The characters are well defined and I could relate to them. I found myself thinking about them and the story as I went about my daily activities. It even crept into a dream or two. I looked forward to getting back to the book, and I was left wanting more when it ended.”
Richard Ortiz