Keep On Livin'!

Foreword

Firstly, I'd like to thank you for taking the time to read my story. It's a work in progress, and probably forever will be, but your engagement means more than the world. I figured I would take this time to explain to you a bit of the process that came with the inception of this story, as well as the inspirations that played into it.

I was, and continue to be, fascinated by the stories of my father's childhood. While he doesn't believe it, I believe the tale of a young stoner growing up in New Mexico in the 1970's is one of the most interesting stories I would love to hear. For a while, I was thinking of writing my father's memoirs, but out of respect to him and his privacy, I figure I better stick to the realm of fiction. 

My greatest inspiration has always been in my father, whether it be because of his stories or who he is as a person, I simply don't know, but I would be rather confident in assuming it's a mixture of both. I am his son, after all, and I don't know every facet of his upbringing (though much of the information he declined to tell me I managed to learn from someone else), but the elements that I am aware of are fed into this story, and I hope that it will do them justice. I have an obsession with slice of life fiction, both the consumption and the creation of it. It seems to me that the only story I'm qualified to tell is that of myself and the people around me, but even then I am merely a spectator. It is my goal with this story to give life to characters that are worthy of spectating, worthy of following through trials and tribulations. Think of this not so much as a pulp novel (as the cover may suggest; I just have a knack for the style, what can I say?), but as one of the greatest word-of-mouth urban legends you've ever heard. I'm just as fond of slice of life as I am of the "man goes through odyssey" archetype, and I hope to bring both of these styles to some sort of fruition within these pages. 

I shan't ramble on too long--there's a story to read, after all--but I'll leave you with this: whether you love, hate, or mildly smirk at this story, I appreciate your criticism and contribution no matter what. If I ever do find an end to this story (though I would like to just write it forever, frankly), it will be one thoroughly planned and (marginally) checked for contingency. 

This book is dedicated to Dad, my hero.