I think for the first chapter of Harley and Juggs there was a last minute editing problem, where I was trying to get the spacing to work in HTML but I accidentally posted part of chapter one twice.
I've sent it to the admins to republish.
Much of this story is based off of real life experiences, and people that I've known in my life - which is part of why it may resonate as authentic.
When I write, I visualize my reader sitting across from me shooting the shit in a bar. I try to write conversationally.
In this case, the storyteller is a 14 year old girl in the summer of 1976, still wet behind the ears but she has obviously lived for some time at the point she is telling the story. I enjoy going back in time through my stories, picking a place I was back then and working on that.
Sonny and Cher action figures were a real thing. Television shows were super cheesy. In America, you'll see 18 version of the same black SUV on the road, but back then it was all about the big fat-ass LTD stationwagon with wooden style sideboards.
I wanted to create that world and tell that story. I can still smell my Aunt and Uncle's trailer, see that green shag carpet. He had a painting of Trigger (Roy Roger's Horse) and a bunch of turquoise and American Indian stuff on the wall that my uncle collected at tourist traps back then. I remember the 7up bottles that said "76" and had the liberty bell on them. Everyone was talking about the bicentennial that year.
The story is 20 chapters long - but I am thinking that I can actually extend it a little. I may write some bonus chapters while I edit and publish this one. There was a lot to tell.
I do not think I'll put a lot of pictures to illustrate this one. Its hard to find retro pictures that truly capture the time period.
I've also wrapped up "Mother May I" - a fun 9 chapter story. I hope you enjoyed that as well.