Ragtime Dudes in a Thin Place

Ragtime is new Victorians are out and free love is on the rise.New York dandies Bryce Jack and Morgan open an emporium in the nascent art colony of Taos New Mexico promising to bring metropolitan culture and the latest wonders from the St. Louis Worlds Fair. The problem-none of them knows how to run a business. Free love? That they understand. Soon the handsome young New Yorkers meet freethinking women ready to test the mores of a new century. With too little capital their venture struggles until a leading member of Taos society begins holding teas for her inner circle at their store. But just as the business starts to thrive the ladies usurp the tea parties to hire a Protestant pastor and are sent a recently ordained Universalist minister.Calamities pile up. The Universalists sermons dont go over well in Catholic Taos and the ensuing religious conflict hurts the emporiums business. Meanwhile the men lose a lucrative Gramophone deal and while Morgans trying to fix that they get shaken down by a brothel owner. Then Jacks landlady dies leaving him responsible for her nearly grown daughters. Oh yeah and Bryce quits to join a peyote cult.Yet even as the partners fail at transforming Taos Taos begins to transform them. And by the time the emporium goes belly up they are ready to start their lives over again. Winner of the Royal Palm Literary Award First Place An absolutely creative work. Well-written and entertaining. The hook is set in the first few sentences and continues to lead the reader along... This work deserves high praise. -Judges comments