Cruising

Enjoy a trip the nostalgic days of small town America in 1980 when cruising Saturday night was the thing to do.


Ridin' Around

by Elaine Fields Smith

In 1980, gasoline is cheap, cars are fast, and in-car 8 track tape players bring mobile rock & roll music like never before. It is a special time when dormitory room doors and windows stay open, cars are left unlocked, and most cops actually have a sense of humor. College and local kids run right into wild and hilarious adventures and have surprisingly tender moments. Crazy stunts, wild chases, entertaining stories, true love, great friendships and dreams come true are all found in "Ridin’ Around."

Remember those teen years and cruising the strip in hot rods or fancy new cars, seeing who had the noisiest engines or could go the fastest? I do and so I was thrilled when Elaine Fields Smith wanted to send me her book to review! Oh my gosh I think I love this woman! Truly a writer after my own heart. Reading Ridin' Around Taillights In Chrome, 8-Tracks on Wheels just brought back so many good memories for me. A wonderful book that any Baby Boomer is sure to love. Deborah Sloan

Elaine brings us back to the nostalgic days of small town America in 1980 when Saturday night on the drag strip was the thing to do and the place to be seen. Of course gas was a lot cheaper then so cruising the drag didn't cost much. Back to days of hamburgers and fries that melted in your mouth, and the music made you want to jump up and dance! Back to good friends you thought you would know forever. Trying to avoid the cops. Through all the experiences that were sometimes hilarious and often just broke your heart. Going to the drive in to see movies like The Jerk with Steve Martin. Each and every page was sheer joy to read and I know you're going to love this book as much as I have. Deborah Sloan

Elaine Smith's Ridin' Around - Taillights In Chrome, 8-Tracks On Wheels is an easy cruise through a small Texas college town where Main Street doubles as Memory Lane.

Told from the perspective of a close-knit giggle of co-ed girlfriends, Smith escorts us through a poignant semi-autobiographical replay of life in 1980, when muscle cars and loud music rule the social scene, and friendships and rivalries flow with the traffic from drive-ins to dormitories and back again.

This self-published novel, a first effort for Smith, belies the stereotype of the weekend vanity writer, revealing instead a gifted storyteller who carries her readers through a time and place where cold beer and Dr Pepper are served up to go with a thick slice of nostalgia, and the most difficult part of living comes from the uncertainty of growing up. DS Art

About the author:

I am a middle-aged, straight-but not narrow-non-tatooed biker chick with a good sense of humor who can write, grow great tomatoes and grill a mean home-grown steak. Honestly, I'm fun to be around, easily amused, and achieving success as an author/publisher.





~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Crusing February 25, 2011~~~~~~11/2/11