Monday, October 31, 2016

Little Big Crimes Review: Widowman by Matthew Hockey

Little Big Crimes: Widowman, by Matthew Hockey: "Widowman," by Matthew Hockey, in Fast Women and Neon Lights: Eighties Inspired Neon Noir, edited by Michael Pool, 2016. The p...

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: The Night Bookmobile by Audren Niffenegger

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: The Night Bookmobile by Audren Niffenegger: Reviewed by Ambrea In The Night Bookmobile , Audrey Niffenegger, author of The Time Traveler’s Wife and Her Fearful Symmetry ...

Gravetapping: SHERLOCK HOLMES: ZOMBIES OVER LONDON by Stephen Me...

Gravetapping: SHERLOCK HOLMES: ZOMBIES OVER LONDON by Stephen Me...: I have always wanted to hear Sherlock Holmes say— “Zombies.” and “The undead.” —but I didn’t know it until I read those words in...

A Writer's Life....Caroline Clemmons: THE NEW WILD WESTERN WOMEN IS ALMOST HERE!

A Writer's Life....Caroline Clemmons: THE NEW WILD WESTERN WOMEN IS ALMOST HERE!: The WILD WESTERN WOMEN are at it again! The winter holidays find them in Mistletoe, Montana and a bit inconvenienced because of a blizz...

TEXAS BOOK LOVER: Monday Roundup: TEXAS LITERARY CALENDAR 10/31-11/6...

TEXAS BOOK LOVER: Monday Roundup: TEXAS LITERARY CALENDAR 10/31-11/6...: Bookish events in Texas for the week of October 31-November 6, 2016:  Special Events: Jewish Book & Arts Fair , Houston, October 2...

Saturday, October 29, 2016

We Desperately Need Your Help!

Desperate times here as we are way past due on everything including the phone bill and the power bill. There are prescriptions that urgently need to be refilled. We have to pay our renters insurance (failure to do so gets one evicted immediately) and pay our car insurance.

In short, we are in a world of trouble. Our rent is due on the 1st and we will be paying late again on the third and using everything in our Social Security Disability payments and a little more in the bank to cover that. But, we have no way to pay the other bills due.

If you can help and want to please consider making a donation over at the PayPal widget over on the left side of the blog.  I hate begging for your help, but we really truly need it. Anything helps.... if you can.

Sandi's Latest Creation: Breast Cancer Tea Towels

While Sandi has a lot of stuff online over at her iOffer store at http://www.ioffer.com/selling/sanditipple   she does not have her latest project there which are these Breast Cancer Tea Towels.


 A set of two towels is $6.50 which includes a $1.00 fee to cover shipping. One towel is $4.00 and that includes the same $1.00 fee to cover shipping. At this time she has twelve towels (six sets) for sale. Payment may be made through the PayPal widget on the left side of the blog.


Sold on a first come first served basis. She does not have more fabric to make additional ones so when they are gone.... they are gone.

The Rap Sheet: Revue of Reviewers for 10-27-16

The Rap Sheet: Revue of Reviewers for 10-27-16

KRL This Week Update for October 29, 2016

Up in KRL this morning a review & giveaway of "An Obvious Fact", the latest Walt Longmire book by Craig Johnson http://kingsriverlife.com/10/29/an-obvious-fact-a-walt-longmire-mystery-by-craig-johnson/

Also up a review & giveaway of "Putting on the Witch" by Jim & Joyce Lavene http://kingsriverlife.com/10/29/putting-on-the-witch-by-joyce-and-jim-lavene/

And a review & giveaway of "The Hammett Hex" by Victoria Abbott, along with a fun interview with Victoria http://kingsriverlife.com/10/29/the-hammett-hex-by-victoria-abbott/

And a review & giveaway of "Michelangelo's Ghost" by Gigi Pandian http://kingsriverlife.com/10/29/michelangelos-ghost-by-gigi-pandian/

We also have reviews & giveaways of the audio books of "House of Cuts" & "House of Dads" by June Gillam http://kingsriverlife.com/10/29/house-of-cuts-house-of-dads-by-june-gillam/

And as you celebrate Halloween this weekend don't miss all of the fun Halloween short stories that have gone up in KRL this month http://kingsriverlife.com/category/kings-river-reviewers/terrific-tales/

Lastly, for those who enjoy fantasy with their mystery, a review & giveaway of "An Import of Intrigue" by Marshall Ryan Maresca, along with a fun guest post from Marshall http://kingsriverlife.com/10/29/an-import-of-intrigue-by-marshall-ryan-maresca/

Happy reading, Lorie

--
KRL is now selling advertising & we have special discounts for
mystery authors & bookstores! Ask me about it!
Mystery section in Kings River Life http://KingsRiverLife.com
Check out my own blog at http://mysteryratscloset.blogspot.com/

Friday, October 28, 2016

The Short Mystery Fiction Society Blog: Poll Underway until November 1

The Short Mystery Fiction Society Blog: Poll Underway until November 1: As requested by multiple members, there is a poll currently underway regarding whether or not to allow self-published stories to be consid...

Lesa's Book Critiques: Giveaway - Charlaine Harris' All the Little Liars

This week, I'm giving away copies of Charlaine Harris' new Aurora Teagarden mystery, All the Little Liars. Details on my blog at http://www.lesasbookcritiques.blogspot.com. Entries from the U.S. only, please.

Lesa Holstine 

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Chillers for the Season

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Chillers for the Season:  Selections by Jeanne I’m not normally a horror reader.   Oh, I used to be, years ago, but that was before Richard Matheson’s He...

Steve Busby out of Rangers TV booth, 'wasn't given any options' (SportsDay/Dallas Morning News)

Steve Busby out of Rangers TV booth, 'wasn't given any options' (SportsDay/Dallas Morning News)

Gravetapping: The Jailbird, Wendover, and "Con Air"

Gravetapping: The Jailbird, Wendover, and "Con Air": There is a dusty little desert town straddling the Utah-Nevada border fringing the southern edge of I-80. A ninety minute run from Salt Lak...

A Writer's Life....Caroline Clemmons: THE UNEXPECTED BRIDE -- NEW RELEASE FROM CYNTHIA W...

A Writer's Life....Caroline Clemmons: THE UNEXPECTED BRIDE -- NEW RELEASE FROM CYNTHIA W...: This is a week for friends. Today, Cynthia Woolf shares her new release, THE UNEXPECTED BRIDE , with readers. Cynthia and I have worked on ...

Crime Time : FAHRENHEIT 451 – Ray Bradbury

Crime Time : FAHRENHEIT 451 – Ray Bradbury: My librarian friend Angie shared an article on Facebook decrying our frightening decline in reading, and its effect on our elections. In...

In Reference To Murder Blog: Mystery Melange, Halloween Edition

In Reference To Murder Blog: Mystery Melange, Halloween Edition

WELCOME TO HELL ~ by Glenn Walker: Deadpool

WELCOME TO HELL ~ by Glenn Walker: Deadpool: I didn't want to see this movie. I don't like this character. But I have to confess, against all odds, I kinda liked the movie....

Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity: 33 Writing Contests in November 2016 - No Entry Fees...

Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity: 33 Writing Contests in November 2016 - No Entry Fe...: November may be a cold and dreary month, but it has a bright spot - lots of free writing contests!  This month there are contests f...

FFB Review: Stuff To Die For by Don Bruns

Back in September 2007, I told you about Stuff To Die For by Don Bruns. I thought it could easily be the start of a very good series. It was. Like any good series, you really need to start with this one. Make sure you check out the full list of reading suggestions over at Patti’s blog.


James Lessor and Skip Moore have been friends since childhood. James has always been scheming on ways for the two to make a fortune in business and Skip has followed along into each venture. Some schemes had gotten them into trouble, some hadn’t, but none of them had really worked. The latest plan James has hatched has them going into the moving business. “Have Truck Will Haul” says their new business card and according to James, who has purchased the Chevy one ton box truck by using the monies he recently inherited, this idea will lead to a financial hauling empire. Not only should he have used the monies to pay on his student loans, Skip also thinks that James should have noticed the fact that the truck drinks oil like it is water. James is obvious secure in his belief that the only way to make real money is to spend the money he has and this time, he is going to spend it on his hauling stuff business idea.

Skip’s girlfriend, Emily isn’t thrilled with James or how he manages to lure her mid twenties boyfriend into one dream after another as Skip sort of drifts through life. Sure, he sells a security system now and then on commission, but he really isn’t going anywhere and she believes he could do so much more. One possibility is that Skip could go work for her Dad’s construction firm but Skip knows, for a number of reasons that all aren’t under his control, why that idea would never work.

As it soon happens Emily leads the guys to their first client, Jackie Fuentes. A wealthy and sexy woman living behind the gates of a nearby exclusive community, she needs some stuff hauled away as quickly as possible and is willing to pay well. Her husband Rick has taken off with a far younger woman and she wants his things out of her house.

It should be a simple job for a few hours of work. It would have been a simple job if James, while backing up the truck at the storage facility, hadn’t hit the building. If, the load which includes mail for Rick, hadn't shifted and spilled. If they hadn’t noticed the fact that one of the envelopes was leaking. Or, if having noticed it was leaking, tossed it back with the rest of the mail and had never opened it.

But, they did notice and did decide to open the envelope. From there, things go from bad to worse at breakneck speed. James and Skip find themselves getting deeper in a mess with every move they make while agents of the CIA, Cubans bent on arms smuggling, and a host of other shady characters with multiple motivations, keep among other things, shooting at them. All that and Emily really needs to talk to James about the future of their relationship.

Part humor, part mystery, part thriller and definitely all suspenseful, this novel takes off and just keeps going barely letting the reader catch a breath on the way. Author Don Bruns brings all the characters vividly to life and yanks readers directly into the maelstrom that is their chaotic world. What could easily have gone the way of caricature and been the typical buddy style novel instead is a very good tension filled read packed with twists and turns guaranteed to keep readers guessing to the very end. The result is excellent stuff on every level and hopes that this just might be the start of a new series.


Stuff To Die For
By Don Bruns
http://www.donbrunsbooks.com/
Oceanview Publishing
http://www.oceanviewpublishing.com/
September 2007
ISBN #978-1-933515-10-6
Hardback (also available in paperback, audio, and eBook formats)
283 Pages



Kevin R. Tipple © 2007, 2016

Thursday, October 27, 2016

Scott and the GRE

Scott does not drive as we have no funds to pay our overdue bills or utility cutoff notices, let alone buy insurance and driving lessons for him, so I spent much of the afternoon in an office tower lobby in North Dallas near the hospital, while he took his GRE for graduate school. He graduates in December and wants to go back to UTD for his Masters in Criminal Justice starting in January. The program "recommends" a score of 300 or higher to be considered for entrance.

Because the majority of the test is computer taken he already knows that his combined verbal and math score was ...... 302. There are two essays that humans must read and score for a total of six points. So, when everything is all said and done he will have a GRE of 305 or a little more.

Then it is up to the committee to determine if they will let him into one of the coveted slots.

Sweethearts Of The West: FUN NAMES ABOUND IN TEXAS

Sweethearts Of The West: FUN NAMES ABOUND IN TEXAS: Every state has towns and regions with odd names. Since I live in Texas, I’m most aware of my state’s names. There are towns like Di...

Wednesday, October 26, 2016

New Market: SWITCHBLADE

New Market: SWITCHBLADE

"The Rabbit" by Barry Ergang at Spilling Cocoa Over Martin Amis

"The Rabbit" by Barry Ergang at Spilling Cocoa Over Martin Amis

David Cranmer Reviews: Hold a Scorpion by Melodie Johnson-Howe (CriminalElement.com)

David Cranmer Reviews: Hold a Scorpion by Melodie Johnson-Howe (CriminalElement.com)

“Killer Women” and “Sisters in Crime” at Victoria Weisfeld

“Killer Women” and “Sisters in Crime” at Victoria Weisfeld

A Writer's Life....Caroline Clemmons: SEDUCING THE MARQUESS -- FUN REGENCY ROMANCE

A Writer's Life....Caroline Clemmons: SEDUCING THE MARQUESS -- FUN REGENCY ROMANCE: Featuring an author I admire and whose work I love is always a pleasure. Callie Hutton and I have been in a couple of joint western histori...

Bill Crider's Pop Culture Magazine: PimPage: An occasional feature in which I call att...

Bill Crider's Pop Culture Magazine: PimPage: An occasional feature in which I call att...: Season of Ice: Richard Prosch: 9781539033424: Amazon.com: Books  -- From the 1965 east-coast blackout to depression-era Nebraska; from the t...

TEXAS BOOK LOVER: PIGSKIN RAPTURE: FOUR DAYS IN THE LIFE OF TEXAS FOOTBALL ...

TEXAS BOOK LOVER: PIGSKIN RAPTURE: FOUR DAYS IN THE LIFE OF TEXAS FO...: PIGSKIN RAPTURE Four Days in the Life of Texas Football by Mac Engel Photos by Ron Jenkins   Genre: Texas Sports / F...

Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Gratitude: A Halloween Short Story by Barry Ergang at KRL

Gratitude: A Halloween Short Story

How I Spent My Morning

A large chunk of it was at the local office of the Texas Department of Public Safety. My license to drive expires next month on my birthday so this year I had to physically go in and could not renew online. After standing by leaning against the building with my cane for about 30 minutes in the long line outside, I had worked my way close enough to the entrance that the the DPS Officer working the door saw me and the cane. While I absolutely did not want to bypass anyone, he insisted and took me to the front of the line.

After bypassing about sixty folks, some of whom were clearly ticked off and said so, I was put with a clerk who took care of me. She, along with the DPS Officer, were incredibly nice and were a huge help. I am very much appreciative of how they helped me today.

After that I went to the local branch library and with no waiting at all, voted. So, my civic duty is done. I am also very glad, especially with how bad I hurt now, that we do not have the long polling lines I am seeing on television from various sites in the local area.


In Reference To Murder: Media Murder for Monday

In Reference To Murder: Media Murder for Monday

Pulp Hack Confessions: This Chick is as Sharp as MacHeath’s Switchblade

Pulp Hack Confessions: This Chick is as Sharp as MacHeath’s Switchblade: Razor Girl By Carl Hiaasen (Knopf; 353 pages; Sept. 6, 2016) ISBN: 0385349742 T he lead-in to a lot of jokes ...

Out of the Gutter Online: Review: Only Bones, by Daniel Vlasaty

Out of the Gutter Online: Review: Only Bones, by Daniel Vlasaty: My buzz is gone and I’m on edge. I’m nothing without the amphetamine in my body. I’m only bones. All Due Respect is making a habi...

Monday, October 24, 2016

Lesa's Book Critiques Review: Murder in Containment by Anne Cleeland

Lesa's Book Critiques Review: Murder in Containment by Anne Cleeland

Wag The Fox: Be Careful What You Search For Because You Just Mi...

Wag The Fox: Be Careful What You Search For Because You Just Mi...: Still Mine by Amy Stuart 320 pages Simon & Schuster If you want an American backdrop that is otherworldly, and quite separate from...

Little Big Crimes Review: Stone Soup by David Edgerley Gates

Little Big Crimes: Stone Soup, by David Edgerley Gates: "Stone Soup," by David Edgerley Gates, in Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, November 2016. This is the fourth appearanc...

Monday Markets and Jobs for Writers for October 24, 2016 (The Practicing Writer)

 Monday Markets and Jobs for Writers for October 24, 2016 (The Practicing Writer)

Guest Post: Jeanne on "A Legend is Born"

Jeanne of the Bookblog of the Bristol Public Library is back today with another interesting guest post…


A Legend is Born


Back around 1999, I had a young man come up and ask for information about South Holston Dam.  I figured it was for a school report, so we went back to the Genealogy/Local History room and I pulled books on TVA.  He gave them barely a glance.  He wanted, he said, the real books about South
Holston.  Puzzled, I asked him to be more specific.  “You know,“ he said, “the ancient legends.” I must have continued to look blank, because he finally clarified in a whisper.  “About the vampires.

Comprehension dawned.  As you’ll see momentarily, that is a pun.

In 1991, a paperback book came out entitled Dawn of the Vampire by William Hill which caused a minor sensation in the area because it was set in this area—specifically, around South Holston.  The book used the fact that during the construction of the various dams and lakes in the system, a number of small communities were relocated.  The original sites ended up submerged.  Mr. Hill had heard about the underwater towns from some friends while visiting the area and immediately decided to change the setting of his work-in-progress vampire novel to South Holston to take advantage of that creepy history.

“Ah,” I said, “you want the novel.”

“No, it’s a true story.  I want the real legends that he based the book on.  My grandma told me about them when I was just a little boy.”

I did the math.  Yep, he would have been about nine or ten when the book came out so to him they were old legends.  That young man was just the first of many to inquire about the “old legends.”  The problem was that prior to Dawn of the Vampire, there weren’t any legends about vampires.  TVA construction on what became South Holston began in 1942 and was completed in 1950, so any legends in connection to the submerged towns would have had to have been twentieth century vintage, and we had seen none among the collections of ghost stories from the region. Even a letter from the author confirming that he just made it all up fails to convince some of our more enthusiastic vampire hunters.  They leave still firmly believing that somewhere there are ancient tomes detailing vampire activity and the library is just part of the cover-up.

But at least we don’t have the problems of Burkittsville, MD, setting of the “The Blair Witch.” After the movie came out, they had hordes of people searching for the real story behind the events of the movie.  Believe me, I felt for those folks.

Personally,  I love a good ghost story, especially local ones.  However, sometimes it isn’t a good idea to probe too deeply—not because of supernatural retribution but because of disappointment.  A few years back some enterprising students took on the legend of a ghost named Vera who was said to haunt a local college.  Vera had been an unhappy student who committed suicide there.  The investigation led to Texas, where an elderly woman was quite surprised to find out she was supposedly haunting her old school.

I’m just going to listen to the stories, believe or not, and enjoy them for what they are.

Sunday, October 23, 2016

The Life Cycle of a Flood Revealed: NASA's SMAP Records Texas Flood Effects on Land and Sea

The Life Cycle of a Flood Revealed: A NASA analysis of a 2015 Texas flood is the first to document the full life cycle and impacts of a flood on both land and ocean.

Guest Reviewer Larry W. Chavis: Blood on the Bayou: Bouchercon Anthology 2016

Please welcome Larry W. Chavis, Vice-President of The Short Mystery Fiction Society, with his first review here on the blog. My hope is Larry will do many more…

Just the mention of the city name, New Orleans, conjures up a kaleidoscope of scenes: the stately St. Louis Cathedral on Jackson Square, dim and smoky bars where jazz musicians jam, phoenix-like resilience of a people rising up from Katrina's devastation, hushed whispers of secret voodoo practices, bayous rioting with life but familiar with death. What better place to hold the 2016 World Mystery Convention, aka Bouchercon, and what better theme for a companion anthology than Blood on the Bayou?"


As is the custom with Bouchercon, this anthology was released in conjunction with the convention, and its proceeds all go to charity, this year the New Orleans Public Library. Some of the finest writers of short mystery/crime fiction working today contributed their stories to this anthology that explores the myriad settings and characters that can be conjured in the Big Easy and the Louisiana bayou country. O'Neil De Noux, himself a former NOPD detective, gives us "The Blind Lagoon Misadventure," in which a savvy detective looks outside the box to identify a most unusual killer. In "ebgdea," Scottish author G. J. Brown traces the tragic consequences of a sister's death across the years. An escaped convict meets karma in John Floyd's "The Blue Delta," while in "The Boggy Bayou Caper" by Terrie Fairley Moran, a scorned lover seeks revenge on a singer with a gaudy guitar.


In addition, stories by Eric Beetner, Sheila Connolly, Alison Gaylin, R. T. Lawton, David Morrell, Gary Phillips, Elaine Viets, and eleven more make this anthology a showcase of good writing and satisfying reading. And, as noted, it's for a good cause, too.


(Note: My copy was purchased at Bouchercon 2016, New Orleans, LA.)



Larry W. Chavis ©2016

Deciding at the advanced age of 44 to earn a physics degree to complement his theological degree, Larry enrolled in the University of Southern Mississippi, where he spent three exciting, if exacting, years, accomplishing his goal with honors. Upon graduation, he entered the public education system, teaching physics, trigonometry, and calculus. Semi-retired now (although still teaching two classes), he has a bit more time to work on writing. Larry has had stories published in "Crime and Suspense Ezine," "Kings River Life Magazine," and the anthology, Ten for Ten, edited by Tony Burton. Larry lives in south-central Mississippi with his wife of 38 years and a severely spoiled Shih-tsu named Sammie.

Saturday, October 22, 2016

Kings River Life Magazine Update for 10-22-16

Up this morning in KRL a review & giveaway of another Halloween mystery, "Send in the Clowns" by Julie Mulhern http://kingsriverlife.com/10/22/send-in-the-clowns-by-julie-mulhern/

And up a review & giveaway of "Lethal Lifestyles" by LynDee Walker http://kingsriverlife.com/10/22/lethal-lifestyles-by-lyndee-walker/

We also another Halloween short story, this one by mystery authors Mary Reed & Eric Mayer http://kingsriverlife.com/10/22/waiting-a-halloween-short-story/

What is better for Halloween than chocolate--this week in KRL we have a review & giveaway of "The Semi-Sweet Hereafter" by Colette London & a short interview with Colette http://kingsriverlife.com/10/22/the-semi-sweet-hereafter-by-colette-london/

We also have a review & giveaway of another mystery perfect for Halloween, "Ghost Times Two" by Carolyn Hart, along with a fun guest post by Carolyn http://kingsriverlife.com/10/22/ghost-times-two-by-carolyn-hart/

Also, mystery author Clyde Linsley talks a little about Halloween in New Orleans, and you can enter to win a copy of his latest book "Old River" http://kingsriverlife.com/10/22/big-day-in-the-big-easy-halloween-new-orleans-style/

Perfect for Halloween season, a review of the TV show "Lucifer" http://kingsriverlife.com/10/22/lucifer-evil-or-just-misunderstood/

And an article about Alfred Hitchcock and his hideaway in Scotts Valley http://kingsriverlife.com/10/22/alfred-hitchcocks-scotts-valley-hideaway/

And on KRL Lite a fun Halloween guest post from mystery author Maggie Toussaint & a giveaway of her new book "Doggone It" http://kingsriverlife.blogspot.com/2016/10/the-boo-factor.html

Happy reading,
Lorie


--
KRL is now selling advertising & we have special discounts for
mystery authors & bookstores! Ask me about it!
Mystery section in Kings River Life http://KingsRiverLife.com
Check out my own blog at http://mysteryratscloset.blogspot.com/

My Review at Plano Reads: Midnight Crossing by Tricia Fields

My Review at Plano Reads: Midnight Crossing by Tricia Fields

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Ghost Talkers by Mary Robinette Kowal

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Ghost Talkers by Mary Robinette Kowal: Reviewed by Jeanne World War I, the “Great War,” is raging.   Desperate for an edge, the Allies have resorted to an unusual f...

Revue of Reviewers for 10-21-16 (The Rap Sheet)

Revue of Reviewers for 10-21-16 (The Rap Sheet)

Friday, October 21, 2016

Finally Home

Not only was everything running nearly two hours behind at the doctor today, when we got out my Mom had a situation and needed us to go over and help. Now that all is good with her we are finally home.

The news on Sandi was/is stunningly good. Near as they can tell from the PET Scan the spinal tumor has shrunk about 50 percent. They can't tell exactly because there is still some sort of heat signature  at the site and that makes it hard to image and measure. This could be caused by the radiation still leaving her body. It could be caused by the tumor trying to, basically, come back to life. They just don't know.

Not only is the spinal tumor smaller, there are not any other tumors. Except for the spinal tumor, she is free of cancer everywhere else! This means, while she is not considered in remission, she is as close to that designation as possible.

Blood work was also astoundingly good across the board. Not only are her numbers stable, they are trending upward month to month. in fact, today she had nearly normal blood work.

So, the current plan is to have her do an MRI sometime in the next two weeks. This will be done to accurately image and measure the exact size of the tumor.

For the next three months, starting on November 17, she will go in once a month to flush her port and do blood work as well as visit with the doctor. This is just to make sure that she stays stable.

At some point in late January or early February they will MRI her again and image and measure the tumor size. The hope is that it by the then the tumor will either have shrunk some more or not changed at all in size. There is a possibility that the tumor is dead and can not compact further. If that has happened the belief is that the tumor pictures should be the same then as well as what they get now.

All this is a very long way of saying that what has happened far exceeds anything that anybody thought was remotely possible. Everyone involved is stunned by the results. We are thrilled beyond belief and just blown away by this news. 

It has been an exhausting day.


Cancer Doc Day

By the time this post appears, we will be on the way to Texas Oncology at Medical City Dallas Hospital. Sandi has an appointment to do blood work, have her port flushed, and see the doctor. Today, we are supposed to get the results of the PET Scan.

Sandi's cancer fight is an elaborate game of whack a mole. She has tumor sites everywhere from head to toe. So, they do things and some tumors shrink and others grow. Then, things change and the original growers go away and new ones pop up.

Best case scenario is that the spinal tumor that was radiated all of July has shrunk and the others in various places have not grown very much. In that case, they may or may not restart chemo today.

Worst case scenario is the radiation did not work AND other sites have also exploded in growth. They would restart chemo with that too though it most likely would be a more experimental type of chemo.

Her chemo options are increasingly limited as her body build up a tolerance and then the chemo stops working.


So, we just don't know. We both are worried and upset though she handles all this far better than I do.

Between all that and the financial stress as everything is past due and we are facing cutoff of power and such in a week or so the stress around here is pretty damn grim.

So, if you have a moment this morning, please keep a good thought in mind for us. Thank you.

FFB Review: INHUMAN CONDITION: Tales of Mystery and Suspense by Kate Thornton

Back in January 2011, I first told you just how good INHUMAN CONDITION by Kate Thornton was and that you should read it. I am telling you again today. Make sure you also check out the full list of reading suggestions over at Todd Mason's blog. It is Friday, but you have work to do.


Sometimes the blurb on the book encapsulates the book in an excellent way. From the back cover of the recently released collection, INHUMAN CONDITION written by Kate Thornton, comes this explanation:

“Human beings tend to fear the things they don’t know, and that is often sensible, given the lurking dangers that confronted our distant ancestors. But sometimes we need to examine carefully the things we think we know: the pet shop owner in town, the teenage girl who lives next door, or the nice man who walks his dog each evening in our neighborhood. The stories in this collection will drive that point home, and perhaps give you reason to re-define the word “'inhuman.'”
As well as define “human.” With a subtitle of Tales of Mystery and Imagination these twenty-one tales set on earth and in space, frequently push at boundaries defining what it means to be human. Frequently the tales are a bit disturbing, not in terms of graphic depictions, but in the meaning of what has happened or will happen thanks to the final twist at the end illuminating the dark working of a character's twisted mind. In nature, the concept of “camouflage” keeps both the hunted and hunter alive in the constant struggle to eat or not to be eaten. That same concept, passed down in the hardwired code of humanity from our distant ancestors is alive and well in these times. Make no mistake—this book is about the hunters hiding in plain sight among us and the prey they seek for a variety of purposes.

The anchor story in the collection is the very good tale, “Nightwatch: Cardenio” (pages 83-154). Using characters and other story elements originally created by Jeff Williams and with his permission as noted, the tale takes the Nightwatch team deep into the Amazon. A research site does not just vanish off the face of the earth in Brazil. But, it has happened and the research site is gone without a trace. It is now to the team to figure out what happened and why in this adventure tale.

Author Kate Thornton creates a sort of whiplash effect for the reader several times in this collection and this is a case in point. After the above noted adventure tale deep in the Amazonian jungle, she follows it with “Cell Phone Call” starting on page 155. In five short pages, the author makes parental nightmares all too real and leaves readers, at least those of us with kids, thinking twice about using our cell phones in public.

That story is followed by “Vinnie's Cargo” and readers are back to adventure and suspense. In this one, there are shuttle runs between the Moon and Mars in the unspecified future. Despite the rules and regulations, where there are humans involved there will always be some who attempt to move contraband and make some ill-gotten gains. Usually, nothing good can come of some attempts and that may, or may not, be the case here. 

And so it goes through the entire book that contains both previously published and credited work and new. Author Kate Thornton consistently delivers through the entire book as each and every single story is a good one. That rarely happens.  Whether it is late in the collection with the very disturbing mystery “The Eyes Never Change” or the strangely amusing science fiction tale “One of the Family” or any other, the read is constantly good and full of rich details in settings, characters, and storyline.

Not only is Kate Thornton to be congratulated, so too is the publisher. Denouement Press is an imprint of Wolfmont LLC owned and operated by Tony Burton. Known as a publisher of anthologies and cozy style mysteries, this is a new venture for the publisher and reflects the kind of book that might not have been published by Wolfmont before. 

One hopes this is not the last collection released by Kate Thornton. Simply put, INHUMAN CONDITION: Tales of Mystery and Imagination is a very good book and one well worth your time and money.



INHUMAN CONDITION: Tales of Mystery and Suspense
Kate Thornton
Denouement Press (Wolfmont LLC)
September 2010
ISBN# 978-1-60364-033-6
Paperback
310 Pages
$14.00



Paperback copy provided by the author in exchange for my objective review.


Kevin R. Tipple © 2011, 2016

Thursday, October 20, 2016

Little Big Crimes Review: When You Wish Upon A Star by Colin Cotterill

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Catherine Curzon and "The Scandalous Lady of Coburg" at Suzanne Adair's Blog

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Spinetingler Magazine Western Wednesday: Interview with Icy Sedgewick

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Do Some Damage: Outsiders author vs Twitter: Stay gay, Ponyboy

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Review: See Also Deception: A Marjorie Trumaine Mystery by Larry D. Sweazy

October 1964 and for Marjorie Trumaine the unthinkable has happened. No, her beloved Hank is still alive, paralyzed, and holding his own. He still wishes that he had died in the shotgun accident, but she is thankful he is still around. Despite the brutal events in See Also Murder, life on her farm in rural North Dakota has continued and she is managing to hold things together. The Knudsen boys, Peter and Jaeger, continue to be a huge help to her, but they can’t make the rains come. Rain is the lifeblood of any farm and Marjorie needs it to rain. Indexing helps pay the bills, but that job can’t totally support the farm.

Unfortunately, her powers to hold things together are tenuous at best and do not extend to the town library. Calla Eltmore, librarian resource when Marjorie has a question as well as a longtime friend, has been found dead at her desk in the Dickinson library. Marjorie is devastated by the news and can’t believe it. Not only the fact that she is dead, but the police seem to think it was by suicide.

Despite voicing her misgivings, she can’t seem to get anyone else to listen to her. Even when she spots a clear clue that the police should have figure out.

The death of Calla is one of several storylines at work in this complicated and very engrossing read by author Larry D. Sweazy. Building on the character of Marjorie Trumaine as well as several other ones, a complicated mystery read full of rich details is constructed. Readers are again exposed to the difficulties of rural farm life in the early 60s in North Dakota, Marjorie’s duties as an indexer, living in a place where everyone knows your business day and night, and numerous other themes and angles in this complicated mystery. See Also Deception: A Marjorie Trumaine mystery building on the first book and is a very worthy second book in this intense mystery series.

Highly recommended, as is the first book, See Also Murder. Because those events are referenced in this read, it is also recommended that readers new to this series start with the first book.

 

See Also Deception: A Marjorie Trumaine Mystery
Larry D. Sweazy
Seventh Street Books
May 2016
ISBN# 978-1-63388-126-6
Paperback (eBook format available)
$15.95
270 Pages


Both the author as well as the publisher, Seventh Street Books, supplied review copies for my use to read and review.



Kevin R. Tipple ©2016

Wednesday, October 19, 2016

Mystery Fanfare: Halloween Crime Fiction: A List

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Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Review: Crooked Roads: Crime Stories by Alec Cizak

Published in 2015 by All Due Respect Books, Crooked Roads: Crime Stories by Alec Cizak features fifteen previously published short stories. Published in print and online the tales reflect flawed characters, crimes of various types, and situations where there are no easy answers.

“The Space Between” starts readers off with a very short tale about the relationship, as well as the lack of one, between the cashier and the customer. She spoke in clichés, but for the narrator, his life is also full of clichés.

The guy known as “Bump” had never seen somebody die until Kristos put the shotgun deep into Hector’s mouth and pulled the trigger. Now it is supposed to be Bump’s turn to kill in “Columbus Day.” All that was supposed to happen was the three of them, if you counted in Sophia who is about as crazy as Kristos, were to bust into a cook house, grab the latest batch, and go back home to watch The Vikings on Monday Night Football. At least, that had been the plan just a couple of hours ago.

Dad always said to never underestimate just how stupid some folks can be and then proved it himself. Living in a trailer park, Neptune Park, isn’t that great. He knows his girlfriend’s dad, Mr. Vaughn, is not happy at all that he is intimate with his daughter, Missy. Sure, she might be working out her issues, but Dwayne likes her a lot and knows the score in “No Hard Feelings.”

It is January and the rains have come to Wilshire Boulevard. For Rex Burris, who relies on the generosity of others, the rains are a bad thing because folks don’t give when it rains. In “American Chivalry” Rex has a plan for the Korean wives on the 20 bus if he can get enough space change to get on the bus in the first place.

The short Mexican is in the wrong place at the wrong time. Though he doesn’t know it yet as “Dumb Shit” begins. Donny and his friend, Smitty, lost their roofing jobs to Mexican workers that worked far cheaper for the contractor, Jimbo Pincer. Donny is mad at everyone in the world. It never is a good thing when Donny is mad.

She’s alone, drinking, and has a .32 in her purse. She also has a story to tell in “Spare Change.”

Bud Gorski has a wife he can’t make happy and a night job at Liberty Steel that does not pay enough. The strike has not helped things at all. Ron feels bad for him in “Sate Road 53” though he does not feel bad enough to stop seeing Bud’s wife, Lynn.

Stan Dillon does not normally go for blondes and then she walked into the bar. As a cop, he knows a hooker when he sees one. In “Patience,” the hooker of the same name has a friend, Finesse, and a place, if he is willing. Off duty and male, he is definitely willing to go with her to the Ramada on Wilshire.

The two guys that are friends of Katy’s dad showed up wearing ski masks. They gave her a blindfold and put her in their car. She wanted to see Billy get his in “Katy Too.”

“My Kind Of Town” features Jenna and Tom who have a plan for their future. Tom’s wife Maggie is not part of that plan. Neither is his gas station.

Enrique Paz has been trailing the guy on foot for a while now in “A Matter Of Time.” Paz was supposed to be meeting a couple of white guys from West Hollywood to sell them some meth before this guy earned his attention. The fact went he into a church isn’t going to save him.

Debbie had seemed fine when she left after having drugs and sex with Ethan though she did not tell him where she was going. In “Methamphetamine And A Shotgun” Ethan has decided to go outside and see the day. He has also decided it is a good idea to take his shotgun.

She needs a payphone and that has proved to be a bit of a problem in “Little People.” She could use her cellphone, but that would create a record. A record of the call could link her to the guy in the trunk of her silver Lexus.

Harold showed up early at Nicole’s place in “A Moral Majority.” He has a problem and a sin to confess. If the congregation finds out, they won’t be happy. He needs advice and a solution to a terrible problem he has created.

“The Ralphs At Third And Vermont” used to exist before the riots. It burned. What happened to Charlie, who used to carry folks groceries, is the point of this tale that shifts back and forth in time.

The tales in Crooked Roads: Crime Stories are all good ones. These previously published stories feature a range of characters, emotions, and situations that create a dark atmosphere full of vengeance and violence. Nothing is simple in these tales whether it is the plan for survival, the reason for the situation, or the actions by anyone involved. Published by All Due Respect Books, the short stories contained in Crooked Roads: Crime Stories by Alec Cizak live up the title and then some. In a number of cases, the road is not just crooked, but pulverized into sharp channels that rip your soul.



Crooked Roads: Crime Stories
Alec Cizak
All Due Respect Books
May 2015
ASIN: B00XLQ9XHG
eBook (print format available)
184 Pages
$0.99


Material was purchased in August 2015 to read and review by way of funds in my Amazon Associate account.


Kevin R. Tipple ©2016

Monday, October 17, 2016

Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child’s Ten Writing Tips (The Strand Magazine)

Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child’s Ten Writing Tips (The Strand Magazine)

Boppin' at the High School Hop by Bill Crider (RevolutionSF)

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TEXAS BOOK LOVER: Monday Roundup: TEXAS LITERARY CALENDAR 10/17-23

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Sunday, October 16, 2016

Ed Gorman has Passed

I learned earlier today by way of Bill Crider's blog that Ed Gorman died yesterday.

I never had the privilege of meeting the man. Most of our contact was by way of the occasional email which started shortly before Sandi underwent her stem cell transplant. While she was in Florida going through it and just after she came back he called me to share his own experiences and to buck up her morale as well as my own. Those calls and emails meant more to us than he will ever know.

Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Carol, his family, and friends who knew him far better than we did. He is truly missed.

Saturday, October 15, 2016

TEXAS BOOK LOVER: Review: THE ROAD TO LLORONA PARK by Christopher Carmona

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KRL This Week Update for October 15, 2016

Up in KRL this morning a review & giveaway of another Halloween mystery, "Death by Pumpkin Spice" by Alex Erickson http://kingsriverlife.com/10/15/death-by-pumpkin-spice-by-alex-erickson/

Also up a review & giveaway of another perfect mystery for your Halloween reading, "Paws and Effect," a Magical Cats mystery by Sofie Kelly http://kingsriverlife.com/10/15/paws-and-effect-magical-cats-mystery-by-sofie-kelly/

And a review & giveaway of yet another mystery perfect for your Halloween reading, "Death of a Wolfman" by Susan Boles & an interesting interview with Susan http://kingsriverlife.com/10/15/death-of-a-wolfman-by-susan-boles/

We also have another Halloween mystery short story, this one by Bill Cameron http://kingsriverlife.com/10/15/sunlight-nocturne-a-skin-kadash-halloween-mystery-short-story/

And a review & giveaway of "Body on the Bayou" by Ellen Byron along with a fun Halloween food guest post by Ellen http://kingsriverlife.com/10/15/body-on-the-bayou-by-ellen-byron/

And a review & giveaway of "A Most Novel Revenge" by Ashley Weaver http://kingsriverlife.com/10/15/a-most-novel-revenge-by-ashley-weaver/

For those who like some zombie with their mystery, a review & giveaway of "Lizzie Borden, Zombie Killer" by C.A. Verstraete http://kingsriverlife.com/10/15/lizzie-borden-zombie-hunter-by-c-a-verstraete/

And on KRL Lite a review & giveaways of "Midsummer Night's Mischief" by Jennifer David Hesse, another great mystery for your Halloween reading! http://kingsriverlife.blogspot.com/2016/10/midsummer-nights-mischief-wiccan-wheel.html

Happy reading,
Lorie

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KRL is now selling advertising & we have special discounts for
mystery authors & bookstores! Ask me about it!
Mystery section in Kings River Life http://KingsRiverLife.com
Check out my own blog at http://mysteryratscloset.blogspot.com

Review: Robert B. Parker’s Debt To Pay by Reed Farrel Coleman

Late summer and Paradise, Massachusetts has been pretty calm. The biggest issue has been some petty vandalism. For Police Chief Jesse Stone the break from anything significant has been good as he is a bit preoccupied with his personal life. On the plus side, there is Diana who is becoming increasingly important to him and the feeling seems to be mutual. He is also working on his sobriety and making a definite effort to resist the deeply ingrained ritual of drinking.

On the negative side, Jesse is coming to the realization that his diamond skills are diminishing. Age does that to all ball players and there comes a time when the player can no longer compete at the level he or she set for herself long ago. There is also the fact that Jenn is getting married again and has invited him to her wedding to Hale Hunsicker down in Dallas. The wedding is set for October and after a lot of thought about their past Jesse has decided to tell her he won’t be there.

His plan to skip the wedding begins to change when Vinnie Morris contacts him about the sudden death of Gino Fish. The mobster supposedly killed his current male secretary and then himself. That is what the Boston police believe and they are not about to listen to anything Vinnie has to say. Vinnie does not believe that Gino would have done either act despite the fact that all the evidence seems to indicate that is exactly what happened. He wants Jesse to look into it and is calling due the favor Jesse promised Gino awhile back for his help on a case.

Jesse agrees to look into the situation. He soon realizes that the serial killer they know as “Mr. Peepers” is back and seeking vengeance. He plans to kill everyone on his payback list while playing an elaborate mid game with them. It isn’t enough to just kill those he holds responsible. He wants to hurt them first by killing those they care about. For Jesse, that means Diana as well as Jenn down in Dallas are at high risk.

Shifting in character point of view as well as by location, the chase for Mr. Peepers goes from New England, to Dallas, and back again. Readers know from nearly the start as they spend time with the killer why things are happening the way they do. As a result, this is not a mystery read, but a thriller style read where the hunt is on for the bad guy before he can kill again and again.

Debt To Pay is also a turning point novel for several of the characters including Jesse. Even if one had not read the recent interview with author Reed Farrel Coleman, it is clear that some things are being wrapped up to start Jesse on a new course. By the end of the read, it is clear that nothing will ever be the same.

As one expects there will be complaints from some that this novel does not read exactly like it would if Robert B. Parker was still doing them. It does not. It comes very close and does so while creating a highly entertaining read that continues the series.

Because numerous events that occurred in Blind Spot are referenced and heavily discussed, as they are a major plot point of Debt To Pay, I would suggest reading that book first. I would also suggest reading the very interesting interview, You Don’t Ask a Praying Mantis Why: MysteryPeople Q&A with Reed Farrel Coleman , after reading the book as there are things in it that could be construed as spoilers.


Robert B. Parker’s Debt To Pay
Reed Farrel Coleman
G. P. Putnam’s Sons (Penguin Random House LLC)
September 2016
ISBN# 978-0-399-17143-7
Hardback (also available in large print hardback, audio, and eBook formats)
352 Pages
$27.00



I won the book via a contest at Lesa’s Book Critiques.



Kevin R. Tipple ©2016