A not-always-sentimental vacation to the ’50s, ’60s, ‘and ’70s. Bring your swimsuit.
Downeyoshun
by Art Young
Genre: Recent Historical Family Fiction
Sally Osterhoff is a genius. When she grows up, she wants to be a mathematician, a teacher, and a carpenter; and she plans to swim in the 1968 and 1972 Olympics.
Her mother has other ideas, and will emotionally and physically abuse Sally to fit them. After all, she only wants what is best for her child. But between her father trying his best, the family next door who practically adopts her, and her Aunt & Uncle down in Ocean City where she spends her summers, Sally just might have the support and love she needs to make all of her dreams come true.
Set against the backdrop of the Civil Rights struggles, the Vietnam War, and the early Feminist movement, the story explores the power of found family, and how unconditional love can come from the least expected places. Downeyoshun is a not-always-sentimental vacation to the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s. Bring your swimsuit.
Praise about the book:
“Arthur Young will introduce you to a special world, East Baltimore, and its vacation spot, Ocean City, with his warm Downeyoshun. Not that life is perfect – not all mothers are kind, and the VietNam war casts a shadow. But you’ll feel as if you’ve met new friends as you follow his characters through the challenges of growing up. In his skillful telling, the fabric of a family and a neighborhood comes to life. You may even find yourself becoming a Baltimore Hon!”
–Pamela Zerba, Contributor Atheists in America, Writer, Creative York Contest Winner
“Be prepared to fall in love with one of the most endearing literary characters of the century thus far. Ultimately, this is a book about family, the one you’re stuck with and the one you make. By the end, Sally will feel like part of yours. You will thoroughly enjoy your trip Downeyoshun.”
-Robert Akridge, Writer
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Book Links:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Downeyoshun-Novel-Art-Young-ebook/dp/B0DNCDK2K5
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/downeyoshun-a-young/1146557909?ean=9781627206044
Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/p/books/downeyoshun-a-novel-a-young/8cfc42c7dba95f32?ean=9781627206044&next=t
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/downeyoshun-a-novel-by-art-young
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/221531805-downeyoshun
Excerpt- Chapter 5: “Downeyoshun 1956”
The morning after school ended, I sat on the porch and waited for Aunt Sally to get there. Mother had a mean smile on her face. When Aunt Sally drove up and parked in front of our house, Mother said “I’ve changed my mind. She’s staying here. We’ll come down in August.”
I started to cry, and Mother said “Sally. Inside.”
But Aunt Sally went right up to Mother and said “Forget it, Susan. She’s going to be mine every summer. Sally Hon, get in the car with Billy.”
She pushed Mother back into the house. I could hear Mother hiss at Aunt Sally, and Aunt Sally growl back at her. Miss Carmella came out onto her porch. “I like your aunt, kid. Introduce us when she comes out.”
Aunt Sally came out of our house grinning and skipped down our steps with my suitcase. Mother slammed the door. Marie and I hugged and kissed, and I said the words “I love you” for the first time in my life. Miss Carmella grinned and stuck out her hand and Aunt Sally shook it and laughed. They agreed to play “pen-pal” for Marie and I through the summer. Marie and I hugged one more time and said goodbye. Billy stuck his head out the window and said he had to pee. Aunt Sally told him to hang onto it for a few more minutes until she got gas. Miss Carmella pointed to her home and said “You wanna?”, but Aunt Sally said thanks, but she wanted to get out of here. Miss Carmella laughed, said she got it, kissed my cheek, and said, “Have fun, kid.”
And off we went.
On the trip down to Ocean City, I told Aunt Sally all about my friend Marie, Kindergarten, and all the things I learned this year and what I would learn next year, all the different kinds of food that Marie’s family ate and how good it all tasted, and how happy they were, and that I wished we could be that way too, but now I was going Downeyoshun where I would be happy, and –
Billy started laughing. “She talks a lot, now!” Aunt Sally snorted. “She’s been saving it up for six years, it’s about time it all came out.” She looked at me in the rear-view mirror. “Talk all you want to, Hon, I’m glad to hear it.”
I found out I knew a lot more arithmetic than Billy, but that he knew a lot more about reading. He read all the billboard signs all the way down, and Aunt Sally only corrected him twice. I wanted to learn this, too, so I asked him to teach me. “Sure”, he said. “It’s easy. I’ve even got my own books.”
The trip down seemed to go much faster this time, and the smell of the ocean suddenly filled my nose. I didn’t say so out loud, but THIS was home.
Giveaway
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About the Author
Art Young is a Baltimore-born U.S. Navy / Vietnam / Agent Orange veteran and cancer survivor. He was once a carny in a traveling gadget show, and has worked as a fire-extinguishing-system installer and serviceman, a brewery’s route delivery salesman, flexographic press operator, licensed boiler-plant engineer, and a storyteller. He much prefers the last.
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Author Links
Website: https://www.authorartyoung.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MindbuckMedia
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/books4bryn
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindbuckmediabookpub/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Art-Young/author/B0DR96N1QD
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/53182835.A_Young
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