Grinders Corner by Ferris H. Craig & Charlene Keel

Grinders Corner

by Ferris H. Craig & Charlene Keel

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GENRE:   Romantic Comedy

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BLURB:

Grinders Corner explores the world of taxi dance halls in the 1960s in all its raw hilarity.  Saucy, sassy and sexy, but not the least bit erotic, it follows the adventures of three young women trying to survive in the glitter palaces of Los Angeles.

Like lambs led to the slaughter, Uptown, a newly divorced English major with panic anxiety disorder and no job skills, Voluptua, an out of work actress, and Mouse, a former child star trying to make a comeback all struggle to make enough tickets to pay the bills. Things get complicated when Uptown falls in love with a customer who happens to be a priest.

In Grinders Corner it was a simpler time, long before gentlemen’s clubs and pole dancers, and it happened in a place where shy, lonely men could talk to women, even dance with them, with no fear of rejection—for about fifteen cents a minute.

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Excerpt:

Downtown Los Angeles

Romanceland, 1969

The jukebox was playing Close To You.  The lights were low and romantic, the red candles on the intimate little tables for two flickered seductively, and the many-faceted, mirrored chandelier reflected tiny droplets of shivering, shimmering light onto the dance floor.  His strong arms were about me, and he was lightly kissing my ear.  Then he spoke in a throaty whisper.

“Hey, baby, you wanna make a quick twentyfive bucks?  Let’s go to a motel.”

Oh God, I thought, as I looked at the clock.  One more hour to go.  I’m going to have to put up with this clown for sixty more minutes unless he runs out of money.  Maybe I can get him to sit down and have a Coke.  Then I won’t have to endure this tortuous ritual known as dancing.  If we get a Coke, I’ll have to make conversation with him and that might be worse than dancing.

The only good thing about dancing is that I don’t have to talk to him.  I only have to hear about the motel.

He was staring at me as if waiting for a reply, so I asked, “What did you say?”

Okay, that isn’t particularly original but it used up a couple of seconds.  Then he had to repeat it all.  That took a few more minutes.

I started to think maybe I could make it to the two o’clock finishing line, but I was wrong.  He wasn’t slobbering on my ear anymore.  Now it was my bare shoulder.

“Hey, I’m kind of thirsty,” I said.  “Why don’t we sit down and have a Coke?”

“Baby, I don’t want a Coke.”

“Oh, hell,” I said as I deftly stepped out of his reach.  “Let’s go to the desk so you can check out.”

He retorted with, “How about fifty bucks?  I’ll buy you a steak besides.”

I smiled, thinking how delicious that can of beans at home was going to taste.  “I’m sorry.  I’m not in that line of business.”

“Whaddya wanna do—get married?” he yelled.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Ferris Craig is a professional dancer, choreographer, actor and writer. Her credits include

The Dean Martin Show, The Ed Sullivan Show, The Honeymooners, The Golden Girls and many TV commercials. In the 1970s she performed with The Hollywood Hoofers in Las Vegas, later establishing The Burbank Academy of Performing Arts where she taught dance and acting. More recently, she choreographed and performed for The Broadway Seniorettes, and with Recycled Teenagers (dancers over 50). Currently she lives in Southern California with her three delightful dogs. Connect with Ferris on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecricketdance

Charlene Keel has written over a dozen novels and how-to books. Shadow Train, the final

installment of her YA supernatural trilogy, won a Paranormal Romance Guild Reviewer’s Choice Award, and The Congressman’s Wife (for Red Sky Presents) is getting rave reviews. Her new blended-genre novel, Lost Treasures of the Heart, was released in November, 2016.

Keel has also worked as editor for international magazines, including Playgirl, For the Brideand Black Elegance.  She says the most fun she’s had as an editor (so far) was at Spice, a fanzine featuring rap, R&B, soul and gospel music. During her time there, she enjoyed going to parties for such notables as Puff Daddy, having lunch with Gloria Gaynor and attending a pasta dinner where Mariah Carey did the cooking.

Keel’s editorial assignments include The Health of Nations, a book on political philosophy, and That Nation Might Live, a moving tribute to Sarah Bush Lincoln, Abraham Lincoln’s stepmother. Her TV credits include Fantasy Island and Days of Our Lives, and her book, Rituals, was the basis for the first made-for-syndication soap opera. She also produced (for Romantic Times) the first annual Mr. Romance Cover Model Pageant.

Buy link:

https://www.amazon.com/Grinders-Corner-Saucy-Occasionally-Romantic-ebook/dp/B0725ZQ243/https://www.amazon.com/Grinders-Corner-Saucy-Occasionally-Romantic-ebook/dp/B0725ZQ243

The book is on sale for only $0.99.

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION:

Ferris H. Craig & Charlene Keel will be awarding two winners, a free copy of Grinders Corner (print or ebook). (U.S. only for print, International for ebook) to two randomly drawn winners via rafflecopter during the tour.

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

REVIEW: 

I have to say, I loved this book! The blurb says it all - three young women, Uptown, Voluptua, and Mouse, are working in a dance hall to pay their bills. Each woman has a story to tell in a unique, captivating voice. The story is told mainly from the point of view of Uptown; however, it is based on  the life of author Ferris Craig (Mouse!). That added a lot of depth to the already incredible story.

Most of the tale revolves around the men that come to the dance hall. Some of the men are just lonely for conversation, others are looking for love. Still others are only interested in a quickie with no strings attached - but that's not what's supposed to happen. The dances are timed, and the man pays per minute (15 cents!). I never knew this sort of thing existed, so it was a real eye-opener. In a time where women were not expected to work and were often under-educated and ill-prepared for life - what could they do to earn a living? It's hard to set a time period on the book - it's supposed to be the late sixties, but it feels both older and more modern. And the title of the book, "Grinder's Corner"? Well - the men were supposed to just dance and act like gentlemen, but some of them had other things in mind. The far, out-of-sight corner in the dance hall was nicknamed "Grinder's Corner" and you can imagine why! Saucy and sexy, Grinder's Corner is a fun, interesting read!