Lickety-Split: A Novel From Nebraska - Softcover

Schrempp, J Gordon

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1413485049 ISBN 13: 9781413485042

Publisher: Xlibris, Corp., 2005

Synopsis

Lickety-Split is a character-driven novel that takes place in the early fifties in a farming area around Wynot, Nebraska. Dean Arnold, the main character, lives on a farm with his parents and his two brothers, Troy and Ernie. Dean spends a great deal of time trying to find peace of mind. An alcoholic father, a school bully, and a blossoming first love are a few impediments that prevent him from achieving the tranquility he is so desperately seeking. To escape reality, Dean accidentally finds solace in a giant sycamore where soft breezes soothe his soul. Whenever the world is too much for him, he knows that he can find some answers within the boughs of his tree. When his whiskey-drinking father decides to sell the farm and buy Becker's Bar in Wynot, Dean's world is jarred from subdued chaos to heights of hysteria that can only be played on an E string. The strange characters he meets in Becker's Bar give him another perspective on life. In addition to this, he is introduced to the exhilarating effects of beer and whiskey. When these "effects" prove to be too devastating for him to handle, he knows he needs something more than just a quick fix. He finds some help from a boxer-turned-priest in the church he attends. Through difficult training in the art of boxing, along with training his mind, he is able to face reality and see the world from another perspective. When death visits his family, he experiences another dimension of reality. He is challenged to resolve difficulties on his own. However, as time passes, he feels himself falling back into the old patterns of resentment, guilt, and depression. Relief comes from an unexpected source. His brother Troy enlists in the air force and leaves his Harley to Dean for him to keep until he returns. One ride on the Harley permits Dean to experience what it feels like to escape from his mental anguish for a brief period of time. A mysterious outlook develops that everything is as it should be, and all he has to do is realize that he can't do much about anything happening out there, and that he needs to focus on how he can change his own attitude toward his family, his lost girlfriend, and the terrible mistakes he made, and resolve to stumble forward no matter how hard it may be. In a surprising way, he is able to transfer his fear, guilt, and sorrow into a new awareness that gives him an even chance to change his wayward ways into brave deeds and face the world with newly found tools he never knew existed. Comments may be directed to web site wynotlickety-split@cox.net

About this title

About the Author:

J. Gordon Schrempp is originally from Nebraska, the setting of his trilogy, Lickey-Split. He graduated from De Paul University with a BA in Philosophy and a Masters in Communication from NIU. The writing bug came to him while teaching in Addison, Illinois. To stimulate the student's imagination he invented his own stories for them to read and then tried to switch them into reading standard material. One story let to another and formed the basis for his writing adventure. Mr. Schrempp lives in Fountain Hills AZ. with his wife, Joan. All comments and corrections are welcomed at wynot.lickety.split@gmail.com.

About this edition

• Publisher: Xlibris, Corp.
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 1413485049
• ISBN 13: 9781413485042
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 436