Salt Lick, Vol. I

About the Book

SALT LICK,  Vol.  I, Celebrate Life,  by  Dr. Robert A. (Sunny) Brock,  was written to four teenage grandsons, teaching moral chastity and ethical respect and responsibility toward the opposite sex.  Also, written to teach Christian virtues in a Mark Twain style, life-situation novel.  Volume One of this 1835 Historical Christian Romantic Comedy involves eight O’RILEY cousins on a whimsical-lark.  The cousin clan help protagonists ALI O’RILEY and THOMAS O’RILEY celebrate life as the cousins accompany Ali in her quest to visit all five of her paternal uncle’s families.  All these first-cousins have never met each other nor their O'Riley kin.  

The misadventure begins with Ali’s mother’s conniving plan to marry Ali off to the mother’s nephew, who will soon graduate West Point, looking for wedding bells on Christmas visit.  Ali, a blithe, headstrong, Irish princess, balks at the proposition of being married at age twenty.  With the aid of her wanderlust father, Ali covertly plans visiting each of his brother’s families prior to nuptials.  

The object of using many personalities among the Irish cousin-clan is to present every personality, and combination-personality, on the DISC Personality Scale.  This Pandora's box of kinfolk shows how each reacts differently in every situation.  Each must interact with his peers, both positively and negatively and learn to tolerate and accept one another at face value.  Each must contribute both leadership and servant qualities to the solution of life problems in his own unique way.

 First on Ali’s list, is the family of UNCLE WES O’RILEY, married to the cosmopolitan daughterof a French ambassador.  TRUDY O’RILEY, raised among highbrow European culture, had brought unique order to the pastoral community of Glasgow, Kentucky.  This family is both a little-bit country-bumpkin and a little-bit cultured, making for a comical balance of magical homelife.  Since her own childhood had been puritanical and stoic law and order, Ali falls in love with Uncle Wes’ laid-back family.   Prior to leaving on the next leg of her journey, showing off her French cooking skills, learned the prior summer at Columbia University cooking school, Ali feeds the family breakfast.  A twisted accident causes her to feed them the famous Flathead Biscuits from Hades, which sets the pace for strange-enough-to-be-true comedy the rest of the book.  For protection and assistance, Wes’s oldest son, THOMAS O’RILEY, is appointed to accompany Ali on the rest of her adventure.  These two opposite personalities are least likely to strike up a lasting relationship.  However, they must learn to compliment each other in order to make the adventure a rewarding experience. On the trail to Louisiana, Davy Crockett crosses their path.  Prospects of the 1835 massacre at the Alamo are presented.

Uncle RUFUS O’RILEY’s family habitat in the Gulf Coast swamps of Low Down, Louisiana, introduces snakes, alligators and the plight of the American Indian during Andrew Jackson’s presidency.  Rufus’ second oldest son, ELIJAH, and Thomas go through the rites-of-passage together, slaying the swamp-dragon.  Rufus’ older daughter, MAID MARION, and Ali pass through the rites-of-passage, performing one of the oldest female rites known to mankind.  Serious life-situations and decisions are presented and dealt with as Rufus’ oldest son, ZAK, saves Thomas and Elijah from the Caddo Indians.  Several sequences clearly illustrate the Christian message as clan members make decisions to rescue each other.  Uncle Rufus, preacher, trapper, intellectual, is invited to preach about Satan at snake-handler cult rituals, presenting swamp dwellers culture.  A cruel practical joke and comical mix-up sets the stage for Thomas and Elijah to get deserved vengence against WINSTON CHANLIN.

A strange turn

About the Author

Dr. Robert A. (Sunny) Brock, born to a cripple-child-bride on the tail end of the Great Depression, at Woodville, Texas. Born eight months before the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, Sunny’s family followed construction-worker-father, changing schools fifteen times in twelve years. Then, nine years US Air Force; graduated Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, Texas - received Master of Education, taught public school, eighth grade and women prisoners. Five years, attended Texas Baptist Institute-Seminary at Henderson, Texas - received Doctorate of Theology in Bible Languages. He has taught at TBI over twenty-five years and pastors Tyler Road Baptist Church, Henderson, Texas. Proctored in Creative Writing at SHSU by author, Jewel Gibson (Joshua Bean and God, Black Gold). Robert has authored several Seminary text books, published by Criterion Press, Henderson, Texas and articles in religious periodicals.