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Welcome to Fred (The Fred Books)

Page 28

by Brad Whittington


  Chapter Twenty-Four

  poignant,

  Chapter Ten

  ponder,

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  populace,

  Chapter Nine,

  Chapter Eleven

  position,

  Chapter Two,

  Chapter Ten,

  Chapter Eleven,

  Chapter Thirteen,

  Chapter Twenty-Two,

  Chapter Twenty-Four,

  Chapter Two

  potent,

  Chapter Two,

  Chapter Thirteen

  preamble,

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  precise,

  Chapter One,

  Chapter Eight,

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  prefer,

  Chapter Two,

  Chapter Fourteen,

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  prehensile,

  Chapter Twenty-One

  premature,

  Chapter Nineteen

  presaged,

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  preservation,

  Chapter Seven

  presumptuous,

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  primer,

  Chapter Nineteen

  principal,

  Chapter Nine

  principle,

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  proceed,

  Chapter Twenty-Four,

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  proclamation,

  Chapter Eighteen

  prominence,

  Chapter Two

  propriety,

  Chapter Ten

  provincial,

  Chapter One

  provocation,

  Chapter Five

  puerile,

  Chapter Twelve

  Q

  qualify,

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  quandary,

  Chapter Sixteen

  quantity,

  Chapter Eight,

  Chapter Nineteen

  quarter,

  Chapter Ten,

  Chapter Eleven,

  Chapter Fifteen,

  Chapter Nineteen,

  Chapter Three

  R

  racy,

  Chapter One

  radical,

  Chapter Eight

  rampant,

  Chapter One,

  Chapter Twelve

  rapid,

  Chapter Eighteen,

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  raucous,

  Chapter Nine

  reaction,

  Chapter Two,

  Chapter Six,

  Chapter Fifteen,

  Chapter Twenty-Four,

  Chapter Twenty-Nine,

  Discussion Questions

  ready,

  Chapter Three,

  Chapter Six,

  Chapter Twelve,

  Chapter Fourteen,

  Chapter Seventeen,

  Chapter Twenty,

  Chapter Twenty-Two,

  Chapter Twenty-Three,

  Chapter Twenty-Seven,

  Chapter Twenty-Nine,

  Chapter Two

  realism,

  Chapter Thirteen

  recalcitrant,

  Chapter Four

  receptive,

  Chapter Sixteen

  reciprocate,

  Chapter Seventeen

  reckless,

  Chapter Nineteen

  recognize,

  Chapter Six,

  Chapter Seventeen,

  Chapter Twenty-Two,

  Chapter Two,

  Discussion Questions

  reconsider,

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  redemption,

  Chapter Thirty,

  Chapter One

  refusal,

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  regimen,

  Chapter Twenty-Two,

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  relapse,

  Chapter Two,

  Chapter Eighteen

  relish,

  Chapter Fifteen,

  Chapter Sixteen

  reluctant,

  Chapter Seven,

  Chapter Twenty-Two,

  Chapter Twenty-Four,

  Discussion Questions

  reminiscent,

  Chapter Nine,

  Chapter Thirty

  remodel,

  Chapter Ten

  remote,

  Chapter One,

  Chapter Twenty-One

  rendezvous,

  Chapter Twenty-Two,

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  replete,

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  reprieve,

  Chapter Fourteen

  requisite,

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  resemblance,

  Chapter Fourteen,

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  resent,

  Chapter Two

  residue,

  Chapter Nineteen

  resistance,

  Chapter One,

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  retort,

  Chapter Sixteen

  revelation,

  Chapter Nineteen,

  Chapter Twenty-One,

  Chapter Thirty

  ridicule,

  Chapter Eight

  ridiculous,

  What They're Saying About the Fred Books,

  Chapter Seventeen,

  Chapter Twenty

  righteousness,

  Chapter Two

  rightful,

  Chapter Five,

  Chapter Twelve

  rotund,

  Chapter Twelve

  rudimentary,

  Chapter Seven

  S

  sacrifice,

  Chapter Thirteen,

  Chapter Twenty-One

  sacrilege,

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  sadistic,

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  salacious,

  Chapter Sixteen

  salvage,

  Chapter Nineteen

  satire,

  Chapter Twelve

  scaffold,

  Chapter One

  script,

  Chapter Thirteen

  scythe,

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  sedate,

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  semblance,

  Chapter Eighteen

  seminary,

  Chapter Two

  sensation,

  Chapter Eighteen,

  Chapter Nineteen

  sense,

  Chapter Five,

  Chapter Six,

  Chapter Seven,

  Chapter Twelve,

  Chapter Fourteen,

  Chapter Seventeen,

  Chapter Eighteen,

  Chapter Twenty-Two,

  Chapter Twenty-Three,

  Chapter Twenty-Four,

  Chapter Twenty-Five,

  Chapter Twenty-Six,

  Chapter Twenty-Seven,

  Chapter Twenty-Nine,

  Discussion Questions

  sequel,

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  sequence,

  Chapter Eight

  sequestered,

  Chapter Ten,

  Chapter Thirteen,

  Chapter Twenty-One,

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  serene,

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  service,

  Chapter One,

  Chapter Eight,

  Chapter Nine,

  Chapter Fifteen,

  Chapter Nineteen,

  Chapter Twenty-Two,

  Chapter Twenty-Seven,

  Chapter Two,

  Discussion Questions

  serviceable,

  Chapter Six

  sheer,

  Chapter Twenty-Two,

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  similar,

  Chapter Two,

  Chapter Eight,

  Chapter Seventeen

  sinister,

  Chapter Sixteen


  sinuosity,

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  siren,

  Chapter Two,

  Chapter Four

  soprano,

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  souvenir,

  Chapter Twenty-Five,

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  sparse,

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  species,

  Chapter One,

  Chapter Thirteen,

  Chapter Twenty-One

  spontaneous,

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  stagnant,

  Chapter One,

  Chapter Ten,

  Chapter Sixteen

  static,

  Chapter Eleven,

  Chapter Twelve

  stimulate,

  Chapter Twenty

  stoicism,

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  stupor,

  Chapter Four,

  Chapter Eighteen,

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  stymied,

  Chapter Seven

  subconscious,

  Chapter Six

  subliminal,

  Chapter Fourteen

  submission,

  Chapter Seventeen

  subtle,

  Chapter One,

  Chapter Seventeen

  success,

  Chapter One,

  Chapter Two,

  Chapter Ten,

  Chapter Eighteen,

  Chapter Twenty,

  Chapter Twenty-Two,

  Chapter Three

  suggestive,

  Chapter Three

  summary,

  Chapter Fourteen

  supernatural,

  Chapter Twenty-One

  suppressed,

  Chapter Twelve,

  Chapter Fourteen

  surmise,

  Chapter One

  surround,

  Chapter Fifteen,

  Chapter Seventeen

  suspense,

  Chapter Fifteen

  suspicious,

  Chapter Twelve

  sympathetic,

  Chapter One,

  Chapter Nine

  T

  tangible,

  Chapter Nineteen

  temporary,

  Chapter One

  theology,

  Chapter Two

  tirade,

  Chapter Twelve

  tortuous,

  Chapter Thirty

  toxic,

  Chapter Twelve

  trait,

  Chapter Twenty

  transcendent,

  Chapter Nine

  transition,

  Chapter Seven,

  Chapter Nine,

  Chapter Ten,

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  transitory,

  Chapter Nineteen

  translate,

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  transmission,

  Chapter Three,

  Chapter Six,

  Chapter Seven

  transparent,

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  travail,

  Chapter Twenty

  troublesome,

  Chapter Eight

  tyrannical,

  Chapter Twenty-One

  U

  ubiquitous,

  Chapter Ten

  ultimate,

  Chapter Fifteen

  unbearable,

  Chapter Six,

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  unconscious,

  Chapter Six,

  Chapter Seven,

  Chapter Twenty-Five,

  Discussion Questions

  undue,

  Chapter Two,

  Chapter Two

  unison,

  Chapter Three

  unnatural,

  Chapter Sixteen

  untimely,

  Chapter Thirty

  urban,

  Chapter Ten,

  Chapter Twenty

  urgency,

  Chapter Nine,

  Chapter Sixteen

  utmost,

  Chapter Seventeen

  V

  vacillate,

  Chapter Ten,

  Chapter Twenty

  vagrant,

  Chapter Twelve,

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  venom,

  Chapter Four

  vernacular,

  Chapter Eight

  vertical,

  Chapter Ten

  vigilance,

  Chapter Two

  violation,

  Chapter Seventeen

  virulent,

  Chapter Twelve

  visualize,

  Chapter Twelve

  voluptuous,

  Chapter Eleven

  W

  wary,

  Chapter Eight

  wither,

  Chapter Thirteen,

  Chapter Seventeen

  writing,

  Chapter Two,

  Chapter Twenty-Seven,

  Acknowledgements

  Z

  zenith,

  Chapter Six,

  Chapter Thirteen

  Acknowledgements

  I sat down and wrote this book, but that seems minor in comparison to all that others did to make this thing a reality. First there’s Dad, who kept saying for years, “You need to write this stuff down,” and Mom, who said, “Apogee? Are you trying to help sell dictionaries on the side?” Then there’s Sueann, who endured all the early incarnations of this work, and Jeannette, who not only did that, but also committed the serendipitous act of foisting it on a friend by the name of Robin Hardy. And Daniel and Sarah, who insisted I tell these stories over and over. And of course Milly, The Woman and the last word on what will work and what must go.

  Thanks to Jodi Wheatley for suffering through many hours and regrettable manuscripts in the dark ages to convince me to quit writing junk, Lanny and Eric Hall for being an early fan base, and Don Woodliff for many years of support and inspiring the creation of Jolene over egg drop soup and kung pao chicken in 1989.

  More thanks than I can possibly document goes to Robin Hardy, who single-handedly promoted this manuscript over more than a decade until somebody finally relented, an act that never fails to inspire and awe me anytime I think about it. (Go out and buy all her books, right now! Yes, I’m talking to you.) A very large amount of credit goes to Milly and especially Sam Lott, the Texas Outlaw, for pointing out when I’m being lazy and not giving the big scenes the effort they require. Without them, this book would not be half as good as it is today.

  Thanks to my editor, Gary Terashita, who gave me an education on what it takes to get a book in the store, and what it takes to get it out of the store, and who tells me what he thinks is the truth even at the risk of inflating my ego. And to Lisa Parnell for a gimlet eye and a light touch.

  It only seems fitting to acknowledge my primary sources of information for corroborating details in the past year: biblegateway.com, dictionary.com, cdnow.com, amazon.com, about.com, and yahoo.com, through which I found the more obscure sites. And thanks to everyone out there named Arthur.

  Finally, thanks to God, who shows up with the baseball bat when I need it and showed up with the cross when everybody needed it.

  — BRAD WHITTINGTON —

  fredtexas.com

  BradWhittington.com

  About the Author

  Brad Whittington was born in Fort Worth, Texas, on James Taylor's eighth birthday and Jack Kerouac's thirty-fourth birthday and is old enough to know better. He lives in Austin, Texas with The Woman. Previously he has been known to inhabit Hawaii, Ohio, South Carolina, Arizona, and Colorado, annoying people as a janitor, math teacher, field hand, computer programmer, brickyard worker, editor, resident Gentile in a Conservative synagogue, IT director, weed-cutter, and in a number of influential positions in other less notable professions. He is greatly loved and admired by all right-thinking citizens and enjoys a complete absence of cats and dogs at home.

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  Brad Whittington, Welcome to Fred (The Fred Books)

 

 

 


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