Literary Las Vegas: James Alexander
Looking for a snapshot of authentic suburban life in Las Vegas? Local author/songwriter James Alexander provides just that as he follows the Griggs family, first in his novel “Lost Wages: A Las Vegas Christmas Tale,” followed by the novel “Whine Fest.”
“Aside from four years earning a degree in rocket science and watching University of Arizona Wildcat basketball, I have lived my whole life in Southern Nevada,” Alexander writes on his website worldofjamesalexander.com. That lifetime of experience shows in accounts of high school adventures mixed in with parents trying to keep up with work and the challenge of raising kids in an unconventional city.
Excerpt from “Whine Fest”
Jeff Griggs was toiling over a boiling pot of water containing the pasta noodles which would comprise tonight’s meal. It was a new tradition in the Griggs household for Jeff to be the primary chef. He used to cook a little from time to time before, but Joan’s new position made it tough for her to know if she’d get home in time to prepare supper. Because of this, the responsibility naturally fell to him. Knowing the uncertainty of her hours of work, he embraced this as a means of maintaining stability in the home for the sake of their sons. Jeff knew that all too often in Las Vegas erratic work schedules contributed to a breakdown in kids’ perceptions of family causing many children to spend time with the wrong crowd and find themselves in trouble.
“Spaghetti again?” Jeff was startled by his son Marcus who snuck up on him.
“No, I’ve changed it this time. This is linguini.”
“It’s the same sauce.”
Jeff knew that it was somewhat humdrum to make pasta again but he could do this with no screw-ups. He had been responsible for some horrible meals in the last two months ranging from a rubbery barbecue brisket to a foul smelling tuna casserole.
