Summer by Carlos Hazday

[Carlos Hazday]

That's their normal, every day, brush your teeth  life? I'm doing something wrong.

 

LMFAO!

 

In chapter 3 we read Cesar's story, in chapter 5 we'll get Brett's and a better idea of their finances.

 

I don't think you or I are in the same tax bracket they are. We've also not had a discarded teen living with us for the past 3 days. Their probably doing in one weekend what would be done gradually over a year in most cases.

 

Just think of it as life in the fast lane, 0 to 90 in no time flat and afterwards you just ease on down the road

[Headstall]

LMFAO!

 

In chapter 3 we read Cesar's story, in chapter 5 we'll get Brett's and a better idea of their finances.

 

I don't think you or I are in the same tax bracket they are. We've also not had a discarded teen living with us for the past 3 days. Their probably doing in one weekend what would be done gradually over a year in most cases.

 

Just think of it as life in the fast lane, 0 to 90 in no time flat and afterwards you just ease on down the road

OMG.. How gay are you, quoting lyrics from The Wiz.... ...ease on down, ease on down the road.... ...

[Headstall]

Great job of writing in chapter 4, Carlos. I am feeling a connection with these three that feels good and real. There is a tenderness coming across between C and PB that I love. I also like the little touches like when the say the same thing at the same time. And you are right. I will hunt you down if you play with their relationship. These two men have something special that only they share. Am I getting my point across? :yes:

[Carlos Hazday]

OMG.. How gay are you, quoting lyrics from The Wiz.... ...ease on down, ease on down the road.... ...

 

Right, and who was the one who noticed?

 

I limed Brett calling Cesar Whitney at the end of the chapter better after the I will always love you line

[charlieocho]

My first visit here, and what a blast.  Adds a whole extra dimension and dynamic to the story.  So as to the slow cooked steel oats....it does come out very soft, but I always toss in dried fruit...figs, raisins, whatever is on hand, and I like the convenience of not having to watch over it and stir it, which I had to do, using the stove top method.  Plus, I was never patient enough, and my results when cooking on the stove were never fully cooked.  I am a huge fan of crunchy food..raw almonds, dark chocolate, raw veggies...yum, but the steel cut oats kept coming out grainy and gritty until I stumbled upon this style of cooking.  Just saw your mention of scrambled eggs with green chilies and onions,,,,I think I will do that for my breakfast this morning.  I just have to watch the hot sauce (my fave--Tapatio from Guadalajara), I have a tendency to drown everything in it, and it overwhelms all the other flavors.  Moderation is not often in my vocabulary.  Cheers.

PS:  I use a slow cooker/crockpot, not a pressure cooker.

Edited January 17, 2015 by charlieocho

[Carlos Hazday]

Welcome to our little forum.

 

It's a place to have some fun and I'm always willing to expand on comments I make in the reviews or answer questions about the story. I'm sure you noticed certain readers have somewhat strong feelings about the characters and have forced me to rewrite the scene with the big orgy in the basement---kidding!

 

A reader sent me a message about my description of meals and called me a 'foodie'. I love to try new things, experiment in the kitchen and learn how to deal with new stuff. I've cut out a lot of animal protein from my diet over the past year and have become fairly creative with grains, vegetables and fruits. And you and I are the same when it comes to crunch, I was bitching at the bakery yesterday 'cause their "crunchy" baguettes were all so soft they would just hand down instead of standing up when I held them at one end!

[Aditus]

Oh cool, we talk about food now. No oat-stuff for me. Yuck! Sorry. But I like fresh fruit for breakfast. And I tried really hard not to comment on your soft baguette...

[Carlos Hazday]

Oh cool, we talk about food now. No oat-stuff for me. Yuck! Sorry. But I like fresh fruit for breakfast. And I tried really hard not to comment on your soft baguette...

 

Adi, food is ALWAYS a welcome topic of conversation!

[Kitt]

Symbolism?  Adi, I think Carlos is pointedly ignoring you !

[Carlos Hazday]

There were soooo many snappy comebacks available I decided to keep them to myself and work them into CJ's dialogue at some point in time

[LitLover]

Well ok. We're on food now.

 

So yes on steel cut oats (excellent in the winter) and definite yes on crunchy foods (love fresh veggies). Although melty foods could be soooo much fun for Cesar and Papa Brett. And Kitt, Carlos definitely ignored Adi's food symbolism.

[Carlos Hazday]

Grilled cheese sandwiches with roasted red peppers in the middle. Colby is my choice, tried it with sharp cheddar and the pepper flavor was somewhat lost. Lately I've been using a Ranch Peppercorn salad dressing for dipping. Oh, and multi-grain bread for sure. Fresh strawberries drizzled with balsamic vinegar were the side dish last time I made them.

 

Flavorful enough to handle a medium bodied Sauvignion Blanc.but a nice craft beer also compliments it well.

[Headstall]

I have no "likes" left...all this talk of food is making me hungry...Time for breakfast...One thing I won't be having is a soft baguette . I am going to have oatmeal topped with greek yogurt, raspberries and blueberries. Stomach is gurgling. Slept late cuz I wrote till after 3 AM....Cheers and welcome, charlieocho...It's fun around here...

[Timothy M.]

I'm glad I just returned from six hours of eating wonderful food, or I would have gotten hungry from all of the above.

 

Edit: hey Carlos I just noticed your rep is 777 - nice

Edited January 17, 2015 by Timothy M.

[Carlos Hazday]

Just like a big Boeing jet

[Carlos Hazday]

Good day yesterday and I think today will be just as nice.

 

As of this morning Summer has 50+ followers

[Timothy M.]

Congrats on the 50+ and also on getting one of the best compliment someone could ever give you - comparing your story to Love on the Rocks.

 

When I read the review I thought, OMG Carlos will be over the moon about the LotR comparison - and I could see from your reply I'm right.

 

(Writing the above I just realized the similarity to the US abbreviation for the Tolkien trilogy. But in my defense I'll say we call it Ringenes Herre, not Lord of the Rings  )

 

Love on the Rocks a great story, so maybe you should post a link to it here. Then we can all see what inspired you.

[Carlos Hazday]

I'll post a link in the end notes of the chapter where CJ discovers Tyson's music. Marc gave me permission a while back to borrow his characters as long as I let him read the chapter first. There will be references to the singer later on in Summer. If there's a sequel once the story is finished Ty & Mike will make another appearance.

Edited January 18, 2015 by Carlos Hazday

[Fisherman]

_{G’day again, Carlos.}

 

_{Thanks for replying to my review after Chapter 4.}

 

_{I’m not surprised you know of “Love on the rocks”.  Before it struck me that you and our Aussie writer have similar styles, I thought your character CJ had much in common with “Love on the rock”’s Scott (he’s the youngest of the older brothers, if that makes sense).} 

 

_{When you said you’re going to have Tyson and Mike make a guest appearance in “Summer”, I thought it would be during the Tyson Hill tour of the US, which is about to happen in “Love on the rocks”.  But you’re going to keep us guessing I suppose.}  

 

_{I’m really looking forward to more of “Summer”.  And I’m cool with you passing my comments on the Marcus McNalty.  I’d have told him myself but there’s no comments section on crvboy.org.} 

 

_Cheers,

 

_Wayne

 

_{PS:  Your Aussie-speak needs some work!  If you were my best mate ever, you’d be my “bestie”!}

[Carlos Hazday]

Hey Wayne--

 

If someone makes the effort to get in touch with me I will ALWAYS respond. I think it's common courtesy and I like to show my appreciation when someone cares enough to share their comments with me.

 

On CRV, and the end of each chapter the show copyright information all in yellow but it also shows Marc McNally in blue. If you click on that it will open up an email window so you can write to Marc. He's VERY good about replying. That's how we initially met and we've been corresponding for a couple of years now.

 

Yep, y'all are gonna have to wait. Marc initially suggested I have the guys in Sydney for New Year's Eve and the concert at the Zoo, I thought about the tour and asking him to make Washington one of the stops but my story is date specific and LoTR is not, I don't want to use actual scenes from his story 'cause that will tie him down to a date so I'll do something different and run it by him so he can approve it before I post it.

 

Marc read the initial draft of the first five chapters but is currently reading the weekly posts here on GA. He read your review and we traded emails about it. He liked your comment about his characters and mine treating each other with respect. It was something he had never considered but struck him as very true.

 

I'lll be introducing an Aussie character in the next couple of chapters. If my Aussie speak with him falters, keep me honest! LOL

 

C

[Fisherman]

Carlos,

 

Thanks for the head's up about crvboy.  I'm a bit challenged when it comes to technology and I thought it was just the author's name.  I didn't realise it was an email link!  So I'll certainly write to him, especially now that he's actually had correspondence with you about my feedback!

 

I didn't realise "Summer" was date specific - I thought the date on each chapter was when it was originally written ... LOL.  But it does beg the question, why is "Summer" so specific about date?  It could be obvious but if so, it went over my head!  (Similarly, I didn't realise that "Love on the rocks" isn't date specific; I thought it was written in the current time, but now that I think about it, he doesn't seem to ever reference a year).

 

As for "Aussie speak" ... bewdy, mate - happy to help your character speak proper Orstrayan ... so you don't sound like a drongo!

 

Wayne

[Carlos Hazday]

LMAO...... this initial Aussie went to Uni in California and has been living in the US for a bit so it's just a few words here and there.

 

Summer, which I keep meaning to specify it's the one in the Northern Hemisphere, is date specific 'cause I plan on having the characters participate in and or react to certain actual events. Can't mentkion them without revealing parts of the plot so we'll have to leave it at that!

 

It is possible to get approximate dates for the events in LoTR and at one point I worked it out but can't recall it anymore. I used the Arias as a point of reference based on who else had been nominated. I'm making it real easy for my readers to figure it out LOL

[Fisherman]

If it's only a few Aussie expressions here and there, then all you really need are "G'day", "Strewth!", "Blimey" and "Hoo roo"!

 

Unless of course your character's very thirsty, in which case he'd be "as dry as a dead dingoes donger"!

[Kitt]

Good Lord! You guys expect me to keep tract of all that?  About the only one that is gonna stick in my head is the one for thirsty!

[Headstall]

Good Lord! You guys expect me to keep tract of all that?  About the only one that is gonna stick in my head is the one for thirsty!

I'm not sure about you, Kitt, but I don't think I want to know what a dead dingoes donger is.