Grace Ombry

Novelist

Category: Smokin’ & Cryin’ (Page 3 of 4)

Arthur tags Robin as lead singer.
Arthur tags Robin as lead singer.

“Lead Singer” – Sweet Pea -Smokin’ & Cryin’

May 7, 2019 /

Author’s note

I’m serializing the first 10% of Smokin’ & Cryin’ here on my blog. It’s the story of a young American rock band set in the early 1970s. Please feel free to share this with your friends.

Overture is the first installment. This post is #5 in the series.

Chapter 2 – Sweet Pea continued (part 2)

Deuce hung out of his apartment window hooting and laughing at me. “Check it out, you guys. Robin got scalped!” he yelled over the thunder of rock music.

I flipped him the bird. That didn’t shut him up. Neither did dou­ble birds. There weren’t enough middle fingers in the world to shut Deuce up.Continue Reading “Lead Singer” – Sweet Pea -Smokin’ & Cryin’

Sweet Pea, Lisa's Kiddle doll
Lisa's Sweet Pea Kiddle Doll

Sweet Pea – Smokin’ & Cryin’

May 6, 2019 /

Author’s note

I’m serializing the first 10% of Smokin’ & Cryin’ here on my blog. It’s the story of a young American rock band set in the early 1970s. Please feel free to share this with your friends.

Overture is the first installment. This post is #4 in the series.

 

Chapter 2 – Sweet Pea (part 1)

Lisa woke me up in the juniper bushes in front of our house, squatting next to me in a sunsuit printed with ducklings. “Robin hurt the boo-boo?” She touched my ear with one finger.

I flinched and put my hands to my swollen face. I found a gash on my cheek, my scalp bald, and worst of all, my mother’s earrings missing. My double-pierced earlobe dripped blood.

“Owies,” Lisa said.Continue Reading Sweet Pea – Smokin’ & Cryin’

Bay City's Midland St. in the early 70s. It was not half-baked.

“Half-Baked” Purple Heart – Smokin’ & Cryin’

May 5, 2019 /

Author’s note

I’m serializing the first 10% of Smokin’ & Cryin’ here on my blog. It’s the story of a young American rock band set in the early 1970s. Please feel free to share this with your friends.

Overture is the first installment. This post is #3 in the series.

 

Chapter 1 – Purple Heart continued (part 2)

At sunset, I pedaled my bike across the Third Street Bridge to Deuce Fitch’s pad, Lisa balanced on the handlebars. Fearsome drums and searing guitar poured from the windows above the phar­macy, echoing off the brick buildings along Midland Street. Arthur’s band in high school had been tight, but this was something else. While I propped my Schwinn against a parking sign, Lisa danced barefoot on the sidewalk to Susie Q in her flowered baby doll pajamas.

I gave her a piggyback ride up the long staircase, her sticky arms around my throat.Continue Reading “Half-Baked” Purple Heart – Smokin’ & Cryin’

Consent for enlistment - Yellow rotary phone
Arthur has an interesting invitation for Robin.

“Consent for Enlistment” Purple Heart – Smokin’ & Cryin’

May 4, 2019 /

Author’s note

I’m serializing the first 10% of Smokin’ & Cryin’ here on my blog. It’s the story of a young American rock band set in the early 1970s. Please feel free to share this with your friends.

Overture is the first installment. This post is #2 in the series.

 

Uncool Utopia

No fans, no gigs, no reputation
Keep that sass to yourself, low expectation
Uncool utopia

Chapter 1 – Purple Heart (part 1)

All I was searching for in Dad’s dresser drawer was loose change to take to the barbershop. Why should I spend my lawn-mow­ing money when a punishment haircut was the last thing I wanted?Continue Reading “Consent for Enlistment” Purple Heart – Smokin’ & Cryin’

Overture, Smokin' & Cryin'
Overture, Smokin' & Cryin'

Overture – Smokin’ & Cryin’

May 3, 2019 /

Author’s note

I’m serializing the first 10% of Smokin’ & Cryin’ here on my blog. It’s the story of a young American rock band set in the early 1970s. Please feel free to share this with your friends.

Overture is the first installment.

 

On October 4, 1972, Cobalt Records, Inc. released Smokin’ & Cryin’, the second studio effort by Smoky Topaz. The double album needed no promotion from the label. It saturated radio airwaves and flew off record store shelves across the USA, Canada, and Europe throughout the remainder of 1972 and all of 1973. It would cling to the Billboard 200 album chart for two decades.Continue Reading Overture – Smokin’ & Cryin’

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