Introduction, Contents and Preface to Sterling Silver Cockroaches (standard:adventure, 442 words)
Author: GXD	Added: May 14 2009	Views/Reads: 8099/4	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
This introduction and preface describe the contents of "Sterling Silver Cockroaches", from which several stories were taken for publication on Nice Stories.

STERLING SILVER COCKROACHES And Other Tales  by  Gerald X. Diamond 

STERLING SILVER COCKROACHES ...is a collection of bizarre adventure
tales in South America, the Dominican  Republic, Sicily, France, the 
Far East, Alaska and the United States. 

The reader will sweat in foundries and steel mills, crawl through caves
and  mines, smell the gold, taste the coal, feel the sand and the 
sunset, sample Yak butter, shiver with snakes, romp through Peruvian 
mountains with Claude and Diane, stalk a tiger, make twelve billion 
dollars, land in jail, outwit a bear, swim inside a crystal, get eaten 
by dogs. 

If you like these adventures, watch for my next book:  THE VIRGIN
TELEPHONE 

Seattle, Sept. 17, 1991 -- Gerald X. Diamond 

Table of Contents 

Preface.............................................................i
Sterling Silver Cockroaches.........................................1 
Timba Gold.........................................................18 
Palmira............................................................25 
Neiva..............................................................31 
Which End is the Candy Bar?........................................39 
Harry..............................................................46 
Ilona..............................................................56 
Green Orange Trees.................................................66 
The Adventures of Claude & Diane in Peru...........................70 
Piura..............................................................84 
Talara............................................................ 93 
Cofre - Rio Arriba................................................100 
Shorty........................................................... 103 
The Scream of Steel...............................................107 I 
Cut My Finger...................................................110 
Dust............................................................. 115 
Desiree...........................................................118 
Grandmere Adele-Marie.............................................125 
Countertrade......................................................131 
You Can't Miss It.................................................140 
Ranee and the Tigers..............................................150 
Animals...........................................................154 
The Roman Candles.................................................164 
From Livengood to Poorman.........................................170 
Alaska Ho!........................................................180 
Crystals..........................................................190 
The Dog...........................................................197 

STERLING SILVER COCKROACHES  -- PREFACE 

The stories in this book are true, for the most part.  Or very nearly
true.  Actually, some are more nearly truthful than others.  The pure, 
unvarnished truth, as they say.  Nevertheless, I've had to varnish a 
few items here and there. In fact, you will find several have been 
embellished to hold the reader's interest.  A little exaggeration has 
crept into nearly every tale, to be sure.  Well, all the tales but one. 
And even that one contains some fiction.  Frankly speaking, most of the 
sketches are more fiction than fantasy.  But despite these little white 
lies, the reader should find the context believable.  Everything but 
the out-and-out falsehoods.  Actually, quite a few of the stories 
contain falsehoods, but this is not the rule. Only a couple of stories 
are downright lies. 

What I mean is: don't believe a word of what you read.  Well, believe
what you want to, but don't point a finger at me.  I'm not responsible 
for these tales.  I didn't even write them.  They were typed on an IBM 
PC-XT by two ferrets which I keep locked up in my apartment.  The zoo 
loaned them to me three years ago.  Would you believe?  One of them 
can't even spell.  Thank God I don't have to read her handwriting.  
It's enough trouble trying to get them to scrub their paws after meals 
so they don't mess up the keyboard...... 

Seattle -- November 30, 1986  -- Gerald X. Diamond 

All Rights Reserved


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