Showing posts with label kobo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kobo. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 30, 2025
Friday, January 05, 2018
FFB Review: Strange World: A Biff Bam Pop Short Story Anthology
December
2017 was brutal on a personal level in so many ways. One of those ways was the
sudden passing of my online friend, Glenn Walker. A prolific writer of short stories and other
things including several other blogs, he was known best around here for his Welcome To Hell blog. I had been aware that he was having some health
problems, but had no idea things were so serious. His obituary can be found here.
Please continue to keep his wife, Jennifer, and the family in your thoughts and
prayers.
In
honor of Glenn, I have chosen to run again today my 2014 review of Strange World: A Biff Bam Pop Short
Story Anthology. The anthology includes his short story,
“Live To Write, Write To Live.” The book is one heck of a read and Glenn’s
short story is a highlight.
For the rest of the reading suggestions
today for Friday’s Forgotten Books, make sure you head over to Patti’s
blog. Stay warm, my friends.
After a short introduction by Jonathan
Mayberry to Strange World: A Biff Bam Pop Short Story Anthology the book
opens with “Sister Mine” by Annie Michaud. It is hard being the baby brother
who is scared by his older sister's screams from nightmares and other odd
events. But, when Jenny disappeared without a trace things got worse.
Taking a called strike three that
results in the final out is brutal. Shane knows that all too well in “Dirt Man”
by Jason Shayer. The ninth grader knows his local history and has a plan to
seek revenge against his bullies. The small town of Atwood has had strange
events before in its 75 year history and if Shane gets his way it will happen
again.
Ms. Chagrin is perfectly willing for
you to “Blame Me” in this stream of consciousness type tale by Rathan Krueger.
You might think of her as a serial killer. She sees herself as a liberator of
sorts helping those who need freedom from their oppressors.
“Medium Double Double” by Andrew Burns
features a regular guy who has been driving eighteen wheelers for about twenty
years now. About ten years back another driver told him he time he had to go
check out a place called “The Coffee house.”
The coffee there was supposed to be something special and well worth
going off at Exit 43-A and down the road 20 minutes. The long haul driver known
as “Hammer Monkey” sent him and that serves as the best introduction he ever
could have gotten.
40 year old Doctor Jane Shockrowski or
“Doc Shock” to her peers lives the good life in Virginia. Being the only one
with a PHD at the “Automobile Safety Institute of America” she takes her job
and responsibility and very seriously Prudent and sensible she has everything
firmly in control. Then there was the day when everything changed in “Crash” by
Jim Morris.
“Kitty” by David Sandford Ward comes
next in a disturbing tale of what it is like to be experimented on from the
animal's point. Needless to say the animals are not happy and looking for their
chance to settle the score a little bit.
50 year old Naomi just had some
seriously lousy sex in “Live To Write, Write To Live” by Glen Walker. If she
liked sex without pleasure she would have stayed with her husband of
twenty-eight years. The writer's workshop that evening had been the only thing
worth doing and quite an inspiration for all the participants. That might have
led to her current situation where she is tapping out words on her cell phone
in some guy’s bathroom in the middle of the night while the lousy lay sleeps.
Everything is grist for the mill and this will be too once she figures out what
that weird banging sound is that just started outside the locked bathroom door.
It has been 12 years of living in the
house without a problem. Then, after a great date with Jessika as he is trying
to sleep he hears a noise. Not a soft sound either. It is a “ka-thunk” type of
deal in “Down In the Cellar Basement” by Kayla Tyson. After twelve years of
being in the house, he has never once gone into the basement. Thanks to the
noise tonight is the night to go down there assuming he can get the old door
leading down into the basement open.
“The Face in the Well” by Andre
Narbonne comes next where a girl apparently was right about the monster. The
narrator was a young boy then living in a small village where his dad owned a
small store. The girl came in the place looking to buy a drink and instead took
him away from his toy cars to see a troll in nearby well. Or maybe it was a
genie. Either way, the narrator has an 8mm camera and plans for a movie and
whatever is in the well will be in it.
Susan has signed her contract and has
been assigned locker 307 storage facility. “The Storage Locker” by JG Chayko is
a tale of memories, secrets, and fate.
Eric had said the hiking trip in
Schwartzwald would be great. He was wrong and not just because he backed out at
the last minute. Now our unnamed narrator is “Lost In The Dark Woods” by Ken
Haigh. Fortunately, he has somehow found an isolated castle like structure where
he can take shelter from the weather and the night.
Lucas Mangum comes next with his tale
titled “Occupy Babylon.” Michaela is one of many protesting what is happening
while her boyfriend, Eddie thinks such actions are a waste of time. The world
is at the brink of collapse according to some and Michaela knows that something
is happening to her. She just has to have faith. The real question is what kind
of faith and faith in what?
The last thing the young kid wants is
the syringe in “I Hate Needles” by Ian Rogers. But, Dr. Peters has a job to do
and is not going anywhere. His eight year old patient isn't coming out from
under the table either so a negotiation is in order. This should be
interesting.
A brief afterword and short author bios
bring this read to a close.
Compiled by Andrew Burns, JP
Fallavollita, David Sandford Ward, and Corina Newby the book is an interesting
anthology that uses the concept of “horror” with a very wide brush. Much of the
works in this collection are more about strange events that may or may not have
rational explanations when viewed by others. Things that may have appeared one
way to those directly involved and far different to others. While zombies and Dracula
do make an appearance here, most of the stories are more about what is in your
mind.
Strange World: A Biff Bam Pop Short
Story Anthology
is a good read featuring a well done mix of story types, writing styles, and
plenty of interest characters. Many of
them take the everyday and twist it into something far more complicated as the
story pushes the definition of reality. The collection comes across to this
reviewer more as a dark fantasy type anthology than actual horror. No matter
how you define the genre, the read is a good one.
Strange World: A Biff Bam Pop Short
Story Anthology
Compiled by Andrew Burns, JP
Fallavollita, David Sandford Ward and Corina Newby
Biff Bam Pop Press
November 2012
ISBN # 1230000031504
E-Book
$0.99
A PDF of the book was provided quite
some time ago by Glen Walker in exchange for my objective review.
For more on the book at the time of
release go to:
Kevin R. Tipple ©2014, 2017
Wednesday, May 13, 2015
Cats and Crime: Kobo To Deliver Ebooks to Southwest Airlines Fligh...
Cats and Crime: Kobo To Deliver Ebooks to Southwest Airlines Fligh...: I have wi-fi. Will Kobo work here? Panzer was out in the Catosphere in the Panzermobile today. Our flying kitty pilot discovered a post ...
Thursday, April 30, 2015
Smart Girls Read Romance: REVIEW OF OF JACQUIE ROGERS' SLEIGHT OF HEART
Smart Girls Read Romance: REVIEW OF OF JACQUIE ROGERS' SLEIGHT OF HEART: By Caroline Clemmons SLEIGHT OF HEART is the first of the High Stakes Heroes series by Jacquie Rogers. If you have read her Hearts of Ow...
Sunday, January 04, 2015
Excerpt from the short story "The Walk"
In case you have not seen it before, below is a small sample from my short story "The Walk." Set in the summer months here in Texas it might just warm you up a little...
THE WALK
“Tower Four, radio
check.”
The scratchy
voice was barely indiscernible from the background noise. The old radios were
damn near worthless. State budget cuts meant that replacement radios weren’t
coming anytime soon.
“Tower Four
Operational.”
He had to say it
again before dispatch was able to break through the static long enough to for
him to hear, “Acknowledged. Stay cool.”
The mandatory
hourly check in completed, the solitary man on the watchtower wiped his brow
and put his tan ball cap back on his head. Two hours down and probably at least
two more before he had his chance. He was new to the prison located deep in
southwest Texas. Being the new man had drawn him the assignment in the
sweltering tower that had no working air-conditioning. With no working AC, it
was a little bit cooler outside on the catwalk than inside the tower. Unlike
the other guards, he could not hide inside behind the glass. That suited his
purposes perfectly, so he pretended to grumble for the benefit of the other
guards while relishing the opportunity.
Mom always said
every Sunday on the way to church, "There's no rest for the wicked, not
even on Sunday," and it seemed like divine providence that he was assigned
that tower. The old louvered windows were open as wide as they would go.
Prayers for a breeze hadn’t worked; the tower was broiling. The sweat frequently rolled down into his
eyes despite his cap and he worried that a drop would slip into his eye at
precisely the wrong time.
He stepped out
the door onto the old metal catwalk, as he had several times each hour, and
glanced quickly at the nearest tower. The guard there ignored him like he had
all morning, which also suited his plan perfectly. The novelty of watching the
new guy suffer had worn off quicker than he had thought possible. He didn't
know him or any of the other guards on the towers around him, and didn't expect
to live long enough to know them. While he cradled his rifle and kept a finger
lightly on the trigger, his eyes scanned all around the flat Texas desert for
any signs of life. Far to the north somewhere sat Midland, lost in the heat
haze. All he saw were heat mirages and the occasional buzzard riding the
thermals under the blazing June sun.
His radio
squawked and he glanced at his watch. After he gave approval, the small
procession began to cross the dusty inner courtyard below. The four guards surrounding the prisoner ……
If
you liked the above sample, there are 15 more short stories in Mind
Slices: A Collection of New and Previously Published Stories. The book
is a mix of fantasy, science fiction, and mystery with many stories containing
elements of more than one genre. $2.99 it is available online at:
Smashwords http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/243655
Barnes and Noble’s NOOK http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/mind-slices-kevin-tipple/1113576100?ean=2940044983076
If you have not yet read the book, I
hope you take a chance on it.
Sunday, September 21, 2014
Buy My Book--Please!
That is the heart of it.....buy my book......Please!
My short fiction has appeared in magazines such as Lynx Eye, Starblade, Show and Tell, and The Writer's Post Journal among others and online at such places as Mouth Full Of Bullets, Crime And Suspense, Mysterical-e, and others.
I am the author of Mind Slices and a contributor to the Carpathian Shadows, Volume II anthology at http://www.amazon.com/Kevin-Tipple/e/B009Q5J8T4/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1 and other platforms.
The books are good and both the publisher in the case of Carpathian Shadows II and me with the other could really use some sales. So, buy my book--please!
My short fiction has appeared in magazines such as Lynx Eye, Starblade, Show and Tell, and The Writer's Post Journal among others and online at such places as Mouth Full Of Bullets, Crime And Suspense, Mysterical-e, and others.
I am the author of Mind Slices and a contributor to the Carpathian Shadows, Volume II anthology at http://www.amazon.com/Kevin-Tipple/e/B009Q5J8T4/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1 and other platforms.
The books are good and both the publisher in the case of Carpathian Shadows II and me with the other could really use some sales. So, buy my book--please!
Saturday, May 03, 2014
Review: "Strange World: A Biff Bam Pop Short Story Anthology"
After a short introduction
by Jonathan Mayberry to Strange World: A Biff Bam Pop Short Story
Anthology the book opens with “Sister Mine” by Annie Michaud. It is
hard being the baby brother who is scared by his older sister's screams from
nightmares and other odd events. But, when Jenny disappeared without a trace
things got worse.
Taking a called strike three
that results in the final out is brutal. Shane knows that all too well in “Dirt
Man” by Jason Shayer. The ninth grader knows his local history and has a plan
to seek revenge against his bullies. The small town of Atwood has had strange
events before in its 75 year history and if Shane gets his way it will happen
again.
Ms. Chagrin is perfectly
willing for you to “Blame Me” in this stream of consciousness type tale by
Rathan Krueger. You might think of her as a serial killer. She sees herself as
a liberator of sorts helping those who need freedom from their oppressors.
“Medium Double Double” by
Andrew Burns features a regular guy who has been driving eighteen wheelers for
about twenty years now. About ten years back another driver told him he time he
had to go check out a place called “The Coffee house.” The coffee there was supposed to be something
special and well worth going off at Exit 43-A and down the road 20 minutes. The
long haul driver known as “Hammer Monkey” sent him and that serves as the best
introduction he ever could have gotten.
40 year old Doctor Jane Shockrowski
or “Doc Shock” to her peers lives the good life in Virginia. Being the only one
with a PHD at the “Automobile Safety Institute of America” she takes her job
and responsibility and very seriously Prudent and sensible she has everything
firmly in control. Then there was the day when everything changed in “Crash” by
Jim Morris.
“Kitty” by David Sandford
Ward comes next in a disturbing tale of what it is like to be experimented on
from the animal's point. Needless to say the animals are not happy and looking
for their chance to settle the score a little bit.
50 year old Naomi just had
some seriously lousy sex in “Live To Write, Write To Live” by Glen Walker. If
she liked sex without pleasure she would have stayed with her husband of
twenty-eight years. The writer's workshop that evening had been the only thing
worth doing and quite an inspiration for all the participants. That might have
led to her current situation where she is tapping out words on her cell phone
in some guy’s bathroom in the middle of the night while the lousy lay sleeps.
Everything is grist for the mill and this will be too once she figures out what
that weird banging sound is that just started outside the locked bathroom door.
It has been 12 years of
living in the house without a problem. Then, after a great date with Jessika as
he is trying to sleep he hears a noise. Not a soft sound either. It is a
“ka-thunk” type of deal in “Down In the Cellar Basement” by Kayla Tyson. After
twelve years of being in the house, he has never once gone into the basement.
Thanks to the noise tonight is the night to go down there assuming he can get
the old door leading down into the basement open.
“The Face in the Well” by
Andre Narbonne comes next where a girl apparently was right about the monster.
The narrator was a young boy then living in a small village where his dad owned
a small store. The girl came in the place looking to buy a drink and instead
took him away from his toy cars to see a troll in nearby well. Or maybe it was
a genie. Either way, the narrator has an 8mm camera and plans for a movie and
whatever is in the well will be in it.
Susan has signed her
contract and has been assigned locker 307 storage facility. “The Storage
Locker” by JG Chayko is a tale of memories, secrets, and fate.
Eric had said the hiking
trip in Schwartzwald would be great. He was wrong and not just because he
backed out at the last minute. Now our unnamed narrator is “Lost In The Dark Woods”
by Ken Haigh. Fortunately, he has somehow found an isolated castle like
structure where he can take shelter from the weather and the night.
Lucas Mangum comes next with
his tale titled “Occupy Babylon.” Michaela is one of many protesting what is
happening while her boyfriend, Eddie thinks such actions are a waste of time.
The world is at the brink of collapse according to some and Michaela knows that
something is happening to her. She just has to have faith. The real question is
what kind of faith and faith in what?
The last thing the young kid
wants is the syringe in “I Hate Needles” by Ian Rogers. But, Dr. Peters has a
job to do and is not going anywhere. His eight year old patient isn't coming
out from under the table either so a negotiation is in order. This should be
interesting.
A brief afterword and short author bios bring this
read to a close.
Compiled by Andrew Burns, JP Fallavollita, David
Sandford Ward and Corina Newby is an interesting anthology that uses the concept
of “horror” with a very wide brush. Much of the works in this collection are more
about strange events that may or may not have rational explanations when viewed
by others. Things that may have appeared one way to those directly involved and
far different to others. While zombies and dracula do make an appearance here,
most of the stories are more about what is in your mind.
Strange
World: A Biff Bam Pop Short Story Anthology
is a good read featuring a well done mix of story types, writing styles, and
plenty of interest characters. Many of
them take the everyday and twist it into something far more complicated as the
story pushes the definition of reality. The collection comes across to this
reviewer more as a dark fantasy type anthology than actual horror. No matter how
you define the genre, the read is a good one.
Strange
World: A Biff Bam Pop Short Story Anthology
Compiled
by Andrew Burns, JP Fallavollita, David Sandford Ward and Corina Newby
Biff
Bam Pop Press
November
2012
ISBN # 1230000031504
E-Book
Kobo
Exclusive
$0.95
A PDF of the book was provided quite some time ago by
Glen Walker in exchange for my objective review.
For more on the book at the time of release go to:
Kevin R. Tipple ©2014
Thursday, October 17, 2013
Interesting Readng Elsewhere--- The Writer Beware Blog
The Writer Beware Blog is always interesting reading and it certainly is today with the post titled "Thoughts on the Great Erotica Panic of 2013." You can read it here and you should.
As pointed out in the piece, what happened is another reason why one should not tie everything up with one platform. One never knows what will happen and diversity of platforms can save your work and keep customers happy.
As pointed out in the piece, what happened is another reason why one should not tie everything up with one platform. One never knows what will happen and diversity of platforms can save your work and keep customers happy.
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