Misadventures in The (213)

A gay guy and his girlfriend Dandy live, love, and lust in Southern California

One could call Misadventures in The (213) the "Seinfeld" of Los Angeles. This novel is a "book about nothing" that chronicles the experiences, relationships, and embarrassing moments of four young lost souls in search of the Hollywood dream, fame and fortune. The reader will also encounter many other colorful characters that touch these four lives. The reader will embark on a hysterical and yet perpetual roller-coaster ride of misadventures of these misfits.

The narrator Craig Clybourn, an aspiring screenwriter who, with his newly discovered sexual identity, relocates to Los Angeles after finishing college and a stint on a cruise ship, tops the list of characters. He has moved to be with his friend from college, Dandy, a campy TV sit-com star who regularly graces the cover of supermarket tabloids. Upon his arrival to L.A., he meets Claudia. Claudia is an aspiring stand-up comedienne whose neurosis adds a dry humor to the story. Miles, the publicist, who had met Craig back in his cruise ship days, is a wildly, impetuous, and extremely decadent symbol of many southern California personalities. Ulysses, Craig's grungy friend from Santa Cruz, also becomes caught up in the glittery facade of Los Angeles, and relocates to live the fast-paced life.

Along the way, the reader will also meet many Hollywood personalities whose lives are touched by the experiences of these characters. The reader will become swept away by the many parties and social gatherings that the characters fall into. The novel provides numerous cameos of famous individuals in the form of name-dropping.

"The second piece of mail is from Miles," Hensley writes, "who’s throwing a 1980s party to celebrate his twenty-eighth birthday. The invitation features his over-tanned head computer-manipulated onto Jennifer Beale’s nubile bod from the Flashdance poster. Although he looks as if at any moment he might happily reach into his off-the-shoulder sweatshirt and remove his own bra, does he really expect the rest of us to dress up? As Claudia puts it when I run up to show her, ‘If you dress eighties, people won’t know whether you’re adhering to the theme or just have really bad taste. It’s just too soon.’ I have a feeling she’s right."

Aside from merely gossiping about movie stars, the quirky characters keep the reader intrigued by their use of catchy nicknames to refer to other friends and acquaintances, as well as playing trivial games like "celebrity death pool," which continuously shock and humor the reader.

As trivial as these adventures may seem, the reader will find each and every one somehow reflects the passion of these four individuals. Craig, who seems to spend his life helping his friends reach their goals and hold their lives together, is also passionate about making his own dreams come true. Although this novel appears to be about nothing, it is truly a story about reaching for the stars!

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