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The Whole Enchilada

October 1998. Charlie is adrift—tending bar in Austin, drowning in ‘90s ennui, and quietly wondering if life has anything better to offer. She doesn’t believe in dreams—just survival, solitude, and the rare high of cooking a perfect meal. But when she crosses paths with a wounded extraterrestrial hiding out in a Texas park, everything shifts.

Before she knows it, she’s behind the wheel of her beat-up Corolla, tearing across the Lone Star State with an alien hitchhiker and no clue what she’s chasing—or why, for the first time in years, it suddenly feels like everything matters.

Set in the pre-gentrified sprawl of slacker-era Austin, The Whole Enchilada follows Charlie as she navigates grief, unexpected friendship, and a past that refuses to stay buried. Funny, fierce, and surprisingly tender, The Whole Enchilada is a cosmic coming-of-age story about fate, freedom, and finally figuring out where you belong—if anywhere at all.

Allegory-rich with grunge-era angst, pop culture deep cuts, and the restless energy of a generation raised on mixtapes and midnight movies, this is a tall Texas tale for the end of the 20th century.

Take a road trip through the wide-open question of what comes next—and discover that the biggest mystery isn’t in the sky. It’s in the rearview mirror.

Coming November 1, 2025

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What early readers are saying…

“If you’ve ever wanted to get in the car and drive for 9 hours to figure out your life, this story is for you. Aliens, nostalgia, and Texas references had me the whole time.”

“A sweet, funny, extraterrestrial story about finding connection in the heart of Texas.”

“The Whole Enchilada is a fun blend of Austin flavor with characters so real you’d swear you passed them on 6th street last Friday night–including the alien. The story follows Charlie on a mission from above…way, way above…that forces her to take a good long look at herself and her life right here on earth.”

“If you like alternate reality fiction, this book is for you. The Whole Enchilada, is a fun, sometimes funny, heartwarming story about a woman coming to terms with who she really is. I loved exploring Austin and west Texas with the author. The characters were so well written, I could see them on the page.”

11/1/25 | Austin, Texas | KickButt Coffee

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