Henry arrived at the ramshackle trailer park in the middle of the night thinking no one would notice he was being dropped off by a limousine…they noticed.
See it on Amazon:
The Slum Resort, Amazon
Janelle Meraz Hooper
Janelle Meraz Hooper
Suspense. Novella. Kindle. Suitable for New Adults and up.
…Henry arrived at the ramshackle trailer park in the middle of the night, thinking no one would notice he was being dropped off by a limousine. They noticed. The other tenants, all connected by recycled CBs, were awakened by the sound of an expensive engine purring outside the manager’s door. They whispered into their microphones to each other: “Who was he?” “Why was he here?” “What did he want with Rodella?”
The next morning, without introductions, Henry was seen fly-fishing in the lake as if he’d been there all along. When he wasn’t fishing, he was inside his broken-down trailer with the curtains pulled running his corporate office in Seattle on his laptop computer he kept hidden. He deleted his personal messages like the one from his ex-wife as soon as he read it. After he hit the delete button, he realized she hadn’t asked him where he was, or what he was doing. Not even a meaningless inquiry about his health. He never asked her about her health. The answer was always too boring. She was well. Spectacular. Well into her sixties, she was still statuesque and able to beat most comers in tennis at the country club. He’d heard through the grapevine the guy she was seeing in California was a real hunk, tanned, personable, and athletic. The complete opposite from him. Good for her. He was happy she had what she had with whomever she had it with. Angela had always liked good weather and good men; she was in the perfect spot to find both…book trailer below…
The Slum Resort book trailer, YouTube
Comments on Amazon:
4 stars Touching and Entertaining
Elizabeth Lyon
As I began Slum Resort, I expected the zany humor I’ve come to expect and enjoy in some of Janelle Meraz Hooper’s other novellas. In this gem, she tempered humor with pathos, as Maggie, Stella, E-Z, Breaking News and other trailer occupiers help each other, make do, and try to figure out how to cope with people who seek to exploit them. Hooper has a light touch for these heavy topics, which is why this story works so well. What is Henry, the neighbor unlike them, really doing? The reader knows but Maggie and Stella have to figure it out. Even though the premise of the story is as familiar in life as in fiction, i.e., the disconnect with the humanity of the poor set against the ambitions of the greedy, I wanted to cozy up to this story and find out what happened next–because I liked the characters so much.
Elizabeth Lyon
***
5 Stars Unique and Inspirational
Raul Ramos y Sanchez, author of The Skinny Years and the Class H Trilogy
In sparkling prose, author Janelle Meraz Hooper relates the tale of a plucky group of seniors who endure poverty with humor and aplomb. Far from the golden years we all wish for, these seniors are down on their luck — mostly because of their willingness to help others. How they resolve a crisis which threatens to leave them homeless left me inspired at our capacity for caring and love.
***
4 Stars- Life on the Edge Comes Alive
Ruth M. Anderson
Janelle Hooper’s well-developed characters are always memorable and this book is no exception. If you have ever lived under near-destitute means, you will be quickly drawn into this story of folks living on the edge in more ways than one. Her descriptions of the trailer camp and surrounding area put you there, as you try to imagine how the occupants will overcome their circumstances. This is a book for older adults who recall their own trying times and for younger readers who may feel chagrin at the way they’ve treated their parents. It’s a modern story reliant on the issues of the day such as over development of pristine Northwest land, homelessness, and seeming hopelessness. Check it out. You won’t be disappointed.
***
5-Stars Great Read!
Karen
The title of the book was intriguing so I downloaded a sample. So glad I did! Great story – LOVED the ending!
***
5-Stars A Tale of Corporate Greed
Aline Lesage, author of Gaby’s Penance
In this departure from her typical humorous and satirical style, seasoned author Meraz Hooper addresses the thorny issue of near-homelessness. With wit and compassion, this short story presents a cross-section of some of society’s powerless and marginalized, namely those who struggle to survive in their decrepit trailers.
Not surprisingly, each resident has a sad story: save one, all have been abused by or fallen prey to their children, spouse, employer, or the system. All are smart and genuinely good people who must fight daily for their dignity and their limited possessions.
The plot is centered on a not-so-unlikely case of corporate greed where a single outsider’s machiavelic plan will annihilate the entire park’s residents fragile stability. As the threat looms, the author takes the reader inside the park’s miserable atmosphere, also inside some of the residents’ discriminating mind.
This is no tear-jerking story meant to instill pity for those who have been forced into borderline homelessness. Yet its lighter tone does convey the implicit warning that such devastation can indeed happen to anyone. While attempting to dismiss the trailer trash stereotype of SS and system abusers, if anything in this tale of corporate greed, Meraz Hooper suggests that anyone hit by such tragedy deserves at least some measure of compassion.
***
5-Stars- Just a Really Good Read
Ms. Hooper gives us a look at a side of life that, fortunately, most of us will never experience. She does so with her usual humor and great outlook on life.
I’m never disappointed when I read one of her books.
Bravo, Janelle
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Many thanks, Janelle
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