THE HALLELUJAH SIDE is the funny, heartwarming, and "holy" original story of Roxanne Fish, a little girl growing up in 1950s Iowa in a Bible-quoting Pentecostal family who devoutly believe that the second coming of Christ could happen any day -- certainly by the end of the week. For the Fish family, the world is divided into two groups, those who are saved and ready to be called to heaven any minute and those who are not. Here rock 'n' roll, Capri pants, lipstick, and roller-skating are the work of the devil, and sinners can be spotted in an instant by their knowledge of TV. With a comic yet tender touch, Rhoda Huffey chronicles Roxanne's coming of age as she races the clock to be counted among the saved. Her neighbors certainly won't be, and it is in their sin-filled basement that Roxanne discovers, thanks to a Little Richard album, another kind of rapture altogether -- her voice. Boy, can this little girl sing! Torn between the here-and-now and the hereafter, Roxanne has a life populated by angels with blue noses, demons who whisper "God doesn't like you," and sinners, sinners everywhere. But through her endearing eyes and in Rhoda Huffey's deft hands, this world seems like the most magical place on earth.

The Hallelujah Side

Literature & Fiction

Huffey, Rhoda

Humor & Satire

Mariner Books

"It had been a Second Coming sky all day, which meant they might be in heaven by this evening." So begins the story of Roxanne Fish, daughter of Sister Zelda Fish and Pastor Winston Fish of the First Assembly of God Church of Ames, Iowa. The Fishes' older daughter, Colleen, wants no part of their exuberant faith, but Roxy longs to be saved even as she fears her sinful desires, such as marrying Elvis Presley when she grows up. If she grows up. Roxy lives in a world populated by demons who follow her around whispering "God doesn't like you" and sinners who fortunately are easy to identify by their makeup and knowledge of television programs. Her soul's journey through this wicked world to her own particular salvation -- with an assist from the Queen of Soul herself, Aretha Franklin -- is unforgettable.

Hallelujah Side

United States

Delphinium

31 Paradiso A Novel

When Francine Ephesians Didwell loses the love of her life, she is forced to reconnect with her estranged family. She's led two lives up until now, one with her evangelical charismatic family, and another of emancipated rebellion with her lover. Bereaved, Francine relocates to 1990s Venice Beach to start life over. She struggles to make a living doing massages and managing her new real estate of bread-and-butter units in hell. The novel moves between Francine's new home and her family estate just fifty miles inland where, hoping to reconnect, Francine discovers she must confront the truth about dark family secrets or lose herself in the suicidal world of drugs. To her great good luck, throughout her journey, she is assisted and supported by her other family: the yodeler, the sex worker, the local burglar who has taken up residence outside her window, and all the imperfect characters from the mean streets of Venice Beach. Hilarious and painful, Francine's life force and her thirst for freedom illuminate every page.&nbsp;

Humor & Entertainment

Humor

Delphinium Books

"It had been a Second Coming sky all day, which meant they might be in heaven by this evening." So begins the story of Roxanne Fish, daughter of Sister Zelda Fish and Pastor Winston Fish of the First Assembly of God Church of Ames, Iowa. Roxanne, caught between childhood and womanhood, finds herself pulled between a robust interest in life on earth and the work of being prepared to ascend in the Rapture, where she will live in heaven as an immortal being with her beloved family. Heaven does have one problem: the food, boring manna, it's the only thing the immortals eat--for eternity. To compensate, Roxy anxiously eats Velveeta cheese in case they should ascend this evening. While Roxy prays, without ceasing to get saved, she longs, in the same breath, to wear high heels, have breasts, and marry Elvis Presley when she grows up. If she grows up. The Fishes' older daughter, Colleen, wants no part of the family's exuberant faith, but Roxy keeps a practical eye on Christian women with full skirts in case she needs to grab on at the waist to be dragged up to Heaven at the last minute. Surrounded by the magic of Pentecost--a talking hedge, a sky where Christians can fly if their faith is sufficient, a healing uncle who prays not only for people but for cows and trees--Roxy's choice between the heaven track and her earthly interests seems impossible until she discovers her own particular salvation--with an assist from the Queen of Soul herself, Aretha Franklin. Roxy's story is as fresh as it is unforgettable.

Dramas & Plays

When Francine Ephesians Didwell loses the love of her life, she is forced to reconnect with her estranged family. She's led two lives up until now, one with her troubled religious family, and another of emancipated rebellion with her lover. Adrift, Francine relocates to 1990s Venice Beach where she struggles to make a living doing massages and managing her new real estate of bread-and-butter apartments in hell. The novel moves between Francine's new home and her family estate just fifty miles inland. Throughout, she is confronted and comforted by a host of characters: siblings and parents who offer a particular kind of conditional love, and the denizens of Venice Beach squatting on not-so-public property and wandering the neighborhood of her 'almost' beachfront home. Trying to live in both worlds, Francine discovers she must face the truth about dark family secrets or lose herself in the oblivion of drugs. Painful and funny, Francine's life force and the wonderful characters of the mean streets of Venice illuminate every page.&nbsp;

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Huffey, Rhoda. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Huffey, Rhoda

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Huffey, Rhoda. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

The Hallelujah Side

Hallelujah Side

31 Paradiso A Novel

The Hallelujah Side

31 Paradiso A Novel