Currently reading: "Beneath A Weeping Sky" by Frank Zafiro. This is the third novel in his police procedural series set in River City, WA and so far is another good one. It follows "Under A Raging Moon"
and "Heroes Often Fail"
like most really good series, you need to have read the first two books to get the maximum enjoyment out of this new book as it builds on earlier issues and themes.
Kevin
Monday, March 08, 2010
Saturday, March 06, 2010
What a cover should look like!
They say don't judge a book by its cover, but anyone who ever worked in a bookstore will tell you book covers influence book buyers. More than jacket copy, paid for blurb ads on the back cover, book covers move books. Recently, Milton T. Burton dropped me a note about his latest book, "Nights Of The Red Moon" and told me he now had the cover art. I had the pleasure of reading a rough draft of this one awhile back before it was sent to the publisher and it is quite possibly Milton's best book.
Which is not to say that the others, "The Rogues' Game" and "The Sweet And The Dead" aren't good. They are very good. But, "Nights Of The Red Moon" is better. Sort of a cross between what Bill Crider does and what James Lee Burke does the novel just pulls you into a swirling storm of mystery and deceit.
Anyway, the cover art is done and incredibly good. If you surf over to Milton's Blog found at
http://obscuredestinies.blogspot.com/ you can take a look for yourself. You can also read part of Chapter One of the book that is the start of a new series.
If you aren't reading Miton T. Burton's stuff, you are really missing out.
Kevin
Which is not to say that the others, "The Rogues' Game" and "The Sweet And The Dead" aren't good. They are very good. But, "Nights Of The Red Moon" is better. Sort of a cross between what Bill Crider does and what James Lee Burke does the novel just pulls you into a swirling storm of mystery and deceit.
Anyway, the cover art is done and incredibly good. If you surf over to Milton's Blog found at
http://obscuredestinies.blogspot.com/ you can take a look for yourself. You can also read part of Chapter One of the book that is the start of a new series.
If you aren't reading Miton T. Burton's stuff, you are really missing out.
Kevin
Monday, March 01, 2010
Barry's Selling Books
and the link is http://jdcarr.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6771 Lots of good stuff on there and the list keeps changing. Check it out!
Friday, February 26, 2010
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Reviewing: "Sworn To Silence" by Linda Castillo
Police Chief Kate Burkholder is sure it can’t be happening again and for a very good reason. Winter has gripped the small town of Painters Mill, Ohio and a serial killer is at work. Sixteen years ago he struck four times and Kate Buckholder is pretty sure he can’t be back now. The dead woman at the household of the Stutz place seems to belie that idea. Not only was she brutally murdered in the same savage way as before there are other signs linking the killings from sixteen years ago to the killings now.
Raised as Amish until she became rebellious and was, for all intents and purposes, disowned by her family, Kate Burkholder has seen quite a lot over the years. But, nothing prepared her for the sight of the dead woman with roman numerals carved into the skin of her stomach. Just as the killer did sixteen years ago.
Clichés and stereotypes exist for a reason. They do have a kernel of truth in them and resonate for readers both in terms of real life and in the world of fiction. They abound in this book in the form of Kate Buckholder and the outsider John Tomasetti of the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation and Investigation. Both are flawed characters, hiding secrets from their past which could very easily destroy them, and both hold themselves apart from others. It isn’t surprising when the two make a connection on various levels and unite in a case that becomes increasingly violent and political.
This is one of those books that are hard to review. As a writer and editor, there were places in the book where it was stunningly easy to predict exactly what was going to happen. The same was true as a reader because I read so many books. For this reader, the who-dunit was no surprise once the triggering event became very obvious. It was also obvious where there were occasional continuity issues and plot point problems.
At the same time, despite the predictability and the clichés, Texas author Linda Castillo has created a highly suspenseful and atmospheric book. Much of the criticism that has noted the plot point problems and continuity issues will not impact the casual reader who allows the story to take over and doesn’t analyze the work. The book works because it is highly atmospheric, the main character isn’t run of the mill and the setting using the Amish in the area is a bit different. The author manages to hook the reader quickly and pull one deep into her world where it all does make sense and everything works.
Not only is the book, which is very violent and very graphic in several spots, worth your time and effort, it serves as the foundation of what could be an entertaining series. “Pray For Silence” is the second book in the series and is currently scheduled to be released this June.
Sworn To Silence
Linda Castillo
http://www.lindacastillo.com/
Minotaur Books (St. Martin’s Publishing Group)
http://www.minotaurbooks.com/
2009
ISBN#0-312-37497-6
Hardback
321 Pages
$24.95
Book provided by the good folks of the Plano Texas Public Library System.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2010
Raised as Amish until she became rebellious and was, for all intents and purposes, disowned by her family, Kate Burkholder has seen quite a lot over the years. But, nothing prepared her for the sight of the dead woman with roman numerals carved into the skin of her stomach. Just as the killer did sixteen years ago.
Clichés and stereotypes exist for a reason. They do have a kernel of truth in them and resonate for readers both in terms of real life and in the world of fiction. They abound in this book in the form of Kate Buckholder and the outsider John Tomasetti of the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation and Investigation. Both are flawed characters, hiding secrets from their past which could very easily destroy them, and both hold themselves apart from others. It isn’t surprising when the two make a connection on various levels and unite in a case that becomes increasingly violent and political.
This is one of those books that are hard to review. As a writer and editor, there were places in the book where it was stunningly easy to predict exactly what was going to happen. The same was true as a reader because I read so many books. For this reader, the who-dunit was no surprise once the triggering event became very obvious. It was also obvious where there were occasional continuity issues and plot point problems.
At the same time, despite the predictability and the clichés, Texas author Linda Castillo has created a highly suspenseful and atmospheric book. Much of the criticism that has noted the plot point problems and continuity issues will not impact the casual reader who allows the story to take over and doesn’t analyze the work. The book works because it is highly atmospheric, the main character isn’t run of the mill and the setting using the Amish in the area is a bit different. The author manages to hook the reader quickly and pull one deep into her world where it all does make sense and everything works.
Not only is the book, which is very violent and very graphic in several spots, worth your time and effort, it serves as the foundation of what could be an entertaining series. “Pray For Silence” is the second book in the series and is currently scheduled to be released this June.
Sworn To Silence
Linda Castillo
http://www.lindacastillo.com/
Minotaur Books (St. Martin’s Publishing Group)
http://www.minotaurbooks.com/
2009
ISBN#0-312-37497-6
Hardback
321 Pages
$24.95
Book provided by the good folks of the Plano Texas Public Library System.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2010
Friday, February 12, 2010
Mark Troy and the value of sidekicks
http://makeminemystery.blogspot.com/2010/02/sidekicks-by-mark-troy.html
Seems to me that concept is pretty much part of the basic foundation of every mystery novel (as well as the whole buddy action film concept). The only real question is how involved the sidekick is in the plot and storyline.
Having had the privilege of reading some of Mark's published as well as unpublished stuff over the last few years, I must add that Ava Rome seriously scares me. I figure you just shoot Moon on sight and that solves the problem with him. But then, Ava would come unglued and I have a feeling that wouldn't be pretty.
Seems to me that concept is pretty much part of the basic foundation of every mystery novel (as well as the whole buddy action film concept). The only real question is how involved the sidekick is in the plot and storyline.
Having had the privilege of reading some of Mark's published as well as unpublished stuff over the last few years, I must add that Ava Rome seriously scares me. I figure you just shoot Moon on sight and that solves the problem with him. But then, Ava would come unglued and I have a feeling that wouldn't be pretty.
Saturday, February 06, 2010
Barry Ergang has Books FOR SALE!
Barry Ergang, my friend who also occasionally allows me to post one of his book reviews, has some very neat books for sale. The main link is at http://www.barryergangbooksforsale.yolasite.com/ and you ought to check it out.
Kevin
Kevin
Friday, February 05, 2010
EVENT: Poetry Meeting in Garland Tomorrow
The Garland chapter (Bea Land/Phoenix) of the Poetry Society of Texas will meet tomorrow, Saturday, Febuary 6, 2010. The meeting is ususally held in room five at the South Branch Garland Library. Meeting begins at ten.
Bring one or two of your own poems to read, or bring poems you like. Theme for this meeting is "Birth/Rebirth"--literal or figurative.
Bring one or two of your own poems to read, or bring poems you like. Theme for this meeting is "Birth/Rebirth"--literal or figurative.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Reviewing: "Doubleback" by Libby Fischer Hellmann
“DOUBLEBACK” marks the return of P. I. Georgia Davis as well as another very good book by Libby Fischer Hellman. It also unites Georgia and Ellie Foreman (An Eye For Murder and others) in a case that resonates for parents everywhere.
It is a morning like any other in June when Molly Messenger is kidnapped. The mother, Christine Messenger, calls a friend who in turn calls Ellie for help. The eight year old vanished from a day camp in the Chicago area. The kidnappers have threatened to kill Molly if law enforcement becomes involved and Mom is a shattered wreck. Ellie can’t help but respond to her and asks Georgia Davis to look into things. They go back and Georgia knows if Ellie’s asking for help it is a bad sign.
From the start, Georgia doesn’t want the case. The Police, The FBI, etc, should be involved but they aren’t. Christine Messenger is clearly hiding something and her various explanations don’t really explain things. In a matter of three days little Molly is back home and while the case isn’t solved, the parents ordeal is over. The police, who were working the case, have zero leads and zero reasons as to why Molly was kidnapped and with her return are moving on to more current matters. Just when all consider it over, Mom is killed in a freak accident leaving behind a motherless daughter, devastated ex-husband and some bizarre circumstances involving her job at a major bank. Wanting answers to everything, the ex-husband hires Georgia to investigate in a case that will lead her across state lines before finally coming home.
Much like “Easy Innocence” there are dark nebulous forces at work through out the novel. Slowly, author Libby Fisher Hellman reveals clues in a tale that has links to both national and local human interest stories. By using two different major series characters, the author provides an interesting and very different personality driven take on events through each of the characters. Ellie is, for the most part calm and controlled, while Georgia has a passion that drives her into dangerous and violent actions and situations. This device also turns into a drawback at different times in the novel as suspense with one character is pushed back for a chapter while the other major character is brought up to speed. The result, from a storytelling angle designed to build character nuance and complexity, does work. However, from a reader standpoint, the tactic became occasionally annoying and interrupted the natural flow of the novel.
Despite that flaw which will affect readers in different ways, the overall novel is a very good one where the author pulls you deep into her fictional world where everything becomes all too real. Billed and written as a sequel of sorts to the very good “Easy Innocence” it can easily be read as a stand alone.
DOUBLEBACK
Libby Fischer Hellmann
http://www.libbyhellmann.com/
Bleak House Books
http://www.bleakhousebooks.com/
October 2009
ISBN# 978-1-60648-053-3
Paperback
300 Pages
$14.95
ARC
Review copy provided by publicist P. J. Nunn, owner of BreakThrough Promotions, in exchange for my objective review.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2010
By the way, if you have not read "EASY INNOCENCE" you should.
It is a very good book, though the material is dark and disturbing at times. Most really good books are.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Friday's Forgotten Books and Patti Abbott
Back last November, I was asked by Patti Abbott if I wanted to be a part of her "Friday's Forgotten Books" blog postings. I said yes, without reservation, and the piece on Milton T. Burton and his excellent novel "The Sweet And The Dead" ran yesterday. With additional commentary from Patti Abbott on other authors/books and comments on my review it is at:
http://pattinase.blogspot.com/2010/01/fridays-forgottten-books-january-29.html
For those who would prefer to read the piece here, I have posted it below:
Milton T. Burton broke onto the crime scene a few years back with his powerful debut novel, “The Rogues’ Game.”
Set in an unnamed West Texas small town, the book tells the tale of an unnamed narrator who arrives in town to play cards and carry out an act of revenge. The con is the thing and the heavily atmospheric and complex book twists and turns all the way to the end. While I really enjoyed that book, I think his second novel, which came out in 2006 is a bit better.
Titled “The Sweet And The Dead” the book is set in the fall of 1970 in Mississippi where Manfred Eugene "Hog" Webern is deep undercover in Biloxi.
Hog is a retired Dallas County Deputy Sheriff, a good man, and a damn good cop despite the word on the street. It is coincidence and nothing more that he got into some money at approximately the same time his former partner was gunned down and a couple of other nasty things happened. The word on the street is that Hog is dirty which makes him a perfect candidate to investigate from the inside the group dubbed the "Dixie Mafia."
Bob Wallace is a Texas Ranger and a man that Hog has worked with before more than once and a man that Hog trusts without question. Wallace tells him that Curtis Blanchard, one of the chief felony investigators for the Mississippi Department of Public Safety wants Hog to come to Mississippi, hook up with Jasper Sparks, head of the aforementioned Dixie Mafia, and gather enough evidence to bring Jasper and as many others as possible down. Hog agrees for several reasons and before long finds himself deep undercover in a twisting case that seems to know no end.
In both of Milton’s books, the tales twist and turn on themselves and features a main character full of internal demons and unresolved guilt who is seeking his own form of justice. A dark hero who finds a brand of honor in the criminal element and one isn’t sure about the character’s motivations until the final word on the last page.
Books that I simply can’t say enough good things about or do justice to in reviews. The author, like his characters, goes quietly about his business and eschews the limelight and self promotion that so many routinely engage in on every forum possible. Milton T. Burton deserves considerably more acclaim than he is getting and his books deserve a place on your reading list.
Kevin
http://pattinase.blogspot.com/2010/01/fridays-forgottten-books-january-29.html
For those who would prefer to read the piece here, I have posted it below:
Milton T. Burton broke onto the crime scene a few years back with his powerful debut novel, “The Rogues’ Game.”
Set in an unnamed West Texas small town, the book tells the tale of an unnamed narrator who arrives in town to play cards and carry out an act of revenge. The con is the thing and the heavily atmospheric and complex book twists and turns all the way to the end. While I really enjoyed that book, I think his second novel, which came out in 2006 is a bit better.
Titled “The Sweet And The Dead” the book is set in the fall of 1970 in Mississippi where Manfred Eugene "Hog" Webern is deep undercover in Biloxi.
Hog is a retired Dallas County Deputy Sheriff, a good man, and a damn good cop despite the word on the street. It is coincidence and nothing more that he got into some money at approximately the same time his former partner was gunned down and a couple of other nasty things happened. The word on the street is that Hog is dirty which makes him a perfect candidate to investigate from the inside the group dubbed the "Dixie Mafia."
Bob Wallace is a Texas Ranger and a man that Hog has worked with before more than once and a man that Hog trusts without question. Wallace tells him that Curtis Blanchard, one of the chief felony investigators for the Mississippi Department of Public Safety wants Hog to come to Mississippi, hook up with Jasper Sparks, head of the aforementioned Dixie Mafia, and gather enough evidence to bring Jasper and as many others as possible down. Hog agrees for several reasons and before long finds himself deep undercover in a twisting case that seems to know no end.
In both of Milton’s books, the tales twist and turn on themselves and features a main character full of internal demons and unresolved guilt who is seeking his own form of justice. A dark hero who finds a brand of honor in the criminal element and one isn’t sure about the character’s motivations until the final word on the last page.
Books that I simply can’t say enough good things about or do justice to in reviews. The author, like his characters, goes quietly about his business and eschews the limelight and self promotion that so many routinely engage in on every forum possible. Milton T. Burton deserves considerably more acclaim than he is getting and his books deserve a place on your reading list.
Kevin
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Interesting Blog Reading Elsewhere
Just a couple of things I cam across this Saturday morning while playing catch-up on my e-mail.
First, a blog on reviewing and while it is aimed at poetry books it has mass appeal. AN ongoing series titled "10 Questions on Reviewing" can be found at:
http://lemonhound.blogspot.com/
Second, for some time now I have felt that the John Sandford books the last couple of years didn't read like earlier ones and from time to time noted that in my reviews. Peg Brantley mentioned the issue in connection with her reading "Dark Of The Moon" and John Sandford's son responded. The Blog, with comments can be found at:
http://www.suspensenovelist.blogspot.com/
While addressing the Virgil Flowers books issue is great, it doesn't explain why the other books have changed. Clearly, addressing that wasn't part of his response. I am just still wondering about that because it could be a variety of reasons.
Anyway, just a couple of interesting things I found this morning. I hope you find them as interesting as I did. For me, at least, it beats reading again my latest publisher royalty statement that details just how bad sales still are for the anthology. Downright depressing stuff.
First, a blog on reviewing and while it is aimed at poetry books it has mass appeal. AN ongoing series titled "10 Questions on Reviewing" can be found at:
http://lemonhound.blogspot.com/
Second, for some time now I have felt that the John Sandford books the last couple of years didn't read like earlier ones and from time to time noted that in my reviews. Peg Brantley mentioned the issue in connection with her reading "Dark Of The Moon" and John Sandford's son responded. The Blog, with comments can be found at:
http://www.suspensenovelist.blogspot.com/
While addressing the Virgil Flowers books issue is great, it doesn't explain why the other books have changed. Clearly, addressing that wasn't part of his response. I am just still wondering about that because it could be a variety of reasons.
Anyway, just a couple of interesting things I found this morning. I hope you find them as interesting as I did. For me, at least, it beats reading again my latest publisher royalty statement that details just how bad sales still are for the anthology. Downright depressing stuff.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Reviewing: "Death Will help You Leave Him" by Elizabeth Zelvin
Having first appeared in “Death Will Get You Sober” Bruce Kohhler and the gang return in the sequel “Death Will Help You Leave Him.” A title that certainly fits the book very well despite the fact that this novel never comes close to the first book in terms of mystery, humor, or engaging story.
As the book opens, recovering alcoholic Bruce Kohhler is dragged out in the rain in New York in the middle of the night by his friend Barbara. Barbara works as an addictions counselor and is sponsoring a woman, Luz, in Al-Anon. Luz was being abused by her drug dealing boyfriend, Frankie, who was also a married man with kids. Luz came home to find him dead on her kitchen floor. At some point after finding the body, Luz made a semi hysterical call to Barbara telling her about the death and that the cops think she did it. So, Barbara is riding to the rescue and dragging her boyfriend, Jimmy, and Bruce along with her.
Frankie had a history of mentally abusing Luz and most likely physically abusing her which would clearly give Luz motive. Beyond the fact that the guy had the bad grace to die in Luz’s apartment, it also appears that Frankie knew his killer and let him or her in. Then there is the whole adultery angle that she was having sex with a man she knew to be married and wanted him to leave his wife. These points and numerous others make Luz the obvious suspect.
Before long, with the police focused on Luz, Barbara and Jimmy are wading to help investigate and dragging Bruce right along with them. As if Bruce doesn’t have enough to deal with concerning his own sobriety. His ex-wife, Laura, is in heavy contact with Bruce, seems to be deep in her own abusive relationship with another man in her life, and apparently off her meds for her bipolar disorder while making various plays for Bruce’s attention.
The second book in a series is frequently not as good as the first series and that certainly is the case here. While the first novel stayed away, for the most part, from jargon this one does not. It also moves far slower than the first novel. However, the biggest problem is the twin storylines of abuse.
Abuse and issues relating to abuse do not lend themselves to humor or enjoyable reading in a novel that ultimately concludes in a depressing and not at all unexpected ending. “Death Will Help You Leave Him” is a mystery that isn’t much of a mystery and therefore relies on the internal conflict Bruce has dealing with his ex-wife. This extremely slow moving sequel illustrates all too well the dangers with destructive relationships. It also clearly illustrates the long history of the experience the author has as a New York City Psychotherapist.
Death Will Help You Leave Him
Elizabeth Zelvin
http://www.elizabethzelvin.com
Thomas Dunne Books (Minotaur/St. Martin’s Publishing Group)
http://www.thomasdunnebooks.com
October 2009
ISBN# 978-0-312-58266-1
Hardback
275 Pages
$25.95
Book provided directly by the author in exchange for my objective review.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2010
Monday, January 18, 2010
Book Signing Tonight--Robert Crais
Author Robert Crais will be signing his new book, FIRST RULE, at
Borders
10720 Preston Rd.
Suite 1018
Dallas, TX 75230
at 7pm. If you are familiar with his work, this is a novel that focuses on Joe Pike.
Synopsis (per Amazon)
The organized criminal gangs of the former Soviet Union are bound by what they call the thieves' code. The first rule is this: A thief must forsake his mother, father, brothers, and sisters. He must have no family-no wife, no children. We are his family. If any of the rules are broken, it is punishable by death.
Frank Meyer had the American dream-until the day a professional crew invaded his home and murdered everyone inside. The only thing out of the ordinary about Meyer was that- before the family and the business and the normal life-a younger Frank Meyer had worked as a professional mercenary, with a man named Joe Pike. The police think Meyer was hiding something very bad, but Pike does not. With the help of Cole, he sets out on a hunt of his own-an investigation that quickly entangles them both in a web of ancient grudges, blood ties, blackmail, vengeance, double crosses, and cutthroat criminality, and at the heart of it, an act so terrible even Pike and Cole have no way to measure it. Sometimes, the past is never dead. It's not even past.
I haven't read it yet as I am pretty far back in the line of folks wanting it from the Plano Library System. That means I can't tell you what I think about the book. But, Robert Crais is a favorite of mine and I just might try to rearrange things to make the drive down tonight.
Kevin
Borders
10720 Preston Rd.
Suite 1018
Dallas, TX 75230
at 7pm. If you are familiar with his work, this is a novel that focuses on Joe Pike.
Synopsis (per Amazon)
The organized criminal gangs of the former Soviet Union are bound by what they call the thieves' code. The first rule is this: A thief must forsake his mother, father, brothers, and sisters. He must have no family-no wife, no children. We are his family. If any of the rules are broken, it is punishable by death.
Frank Meyer had the American dream-until the day a professional crew invaded his home and murdered everyone inside. The only thing out of the ordinary about Meyer was that- before the family and the business and the normal life-a younger Frank Meyer had worked as a professional mercenary, with a man named Joe Pike. The police think Meyer was hiding something very bad, but Pike does not. With the help of Cole, he sets out on a hunt of his own-an investigation that quickly entangles them both in a web of ancient grudges, blood ties, blackmail, vengeance, double crosses, and cutthroat criminality, and at the heart of it, an act so terrible even Pike and Cole have no way to measure it. Sometimes, the past is never dead. It's not even past.
I haven't read it yet as I am pretty far back in the line of folks wanting it from the Plano Library System. That means I can't tell you what I think about the book. But, Robert Crais is a favorite of mine and I just might try to rearrange things to make the drive down tonight.
Kevin
Monday, January 11, 2010
Event--Writer's Guild Of Texas Meeting: Monday, January 18, 2010
Standard Disclaimer-----I post this as a general service to my readers and receive no financial inducement to do so. Furthermore, I know nothing more about the event than what is posted here so if you have any questions, please contact those involved directly.
****************************************
Please forward to all writers and writing groups
Mark the third Monday of every month for the Writers' Guild of Texas meeting.
Monday, 18 January 2010
7-8:30 p.m.
Topic: Write Naked
Speaker: Wendy Lyn Watson
Richardson Public Library
900 Civic Center Dr.
Richardson TX 75080
Basement Room
We hear it all the time from editors and agents: “I love your voice,” or “I’m looking for a strong voice.” They rarely take the time, however, to explain what they mean by “voice.” A writer’s voice is a combination of style (the mechanics of writing like grammar, sentence structure, and word choice), tone (the mood you set with your writing), and theme (the broad issues you tend to address, like friendship or betrayal or destiny). Voice is not your story, it’s the way you tell it. The great thing about voice is that everyone has one (really!) and each one is unique. The trick is to define your voice, to develop it, and to make sure it shines through in your story. In this interactive workshop, we’ll use a variety of writing exercises to pin down the essence of our unique writing voice. You’ll also learn a number of exercises that will help you continue developing your voice after the workshop ends.
Wendy Lyn Watson writes deliciously funny cozy mysteries with a dollop of romance. Her Mysteries a la Mode (I Scream, You Scream (October 2009) and Scoop to Kill (September 2010)) feature amateur sleuth Tallulah Jones, who solves murders in between scooping sundaes. While she does not commit--or solve--murders in real life, Wendy can kill a pint of ice cream in nothing flat. She’s also passionately devoted to 80s music, Asian horror films, and reality TV. (http://www.wendylynwatson.com/)
==============
A MESSAGE FROM THE FRIENDS OF THE WRITERS' GUILD OF TEXAS:The Guilded Pen, a social network developed for writers, offers an open forum that welcomes writers of all levels and writing mediums. Come join the fun. Create, develop, and promote your work. Get support and inspiration and share in an open, non-threatening environment. Be a resource for those looking for collaborators for joint works. Friends of the Writers’ Guild of Texas.
================================================================
Kat Smith, Membership Chair, is developing a membership directory to help members find members with similar interests, etc. to partner for critique or support. The membership form will provide a clear picture of each member's profile. Take the opportunity to talk to her at the next meeting.
==============
Annual 2010 WGT dues of $20.00 can be paid at the January meeting.
================================================================
All WGT events located at the Richardson Public Library are free and open to the public. For information on the sponsoring organization, visit http://writersguildoftexas.org/joomla/.
Monday, 15 February 2010. Regular meeting: Shirley Duke. Children's Author. Tips and Tools: Navigating the World of Children's Writing.
Monday, 15 March 2010. Regular meeting: Terry Burns, Hartline Literary Agency: Agent Q & A. Listed as number three on the Publisher's Marketplace list of agents helping debut authors to publish. More at http://www.terryburns.net/program_page.htm.
Saturday, 27 March 2010: Saturday workshop
Monday, 19 April 19: Regular meeting. TBA
Monday, 17 May 2010. Regular meeting: Rosemary Clement-Moore. Topic: TBA
Monday, 21 June 2010. Regular meeting. WGT All-Stars' Read In.
All Writers' Guild of Texas events held at the Richardson Public Library are free and open to the public. Visit WGT's website: http://writersguildoftexas.org/joomla/. ================================================================
Writers' Events Calendar (contact shurlock@flash.net to have your conferences, meetings, or other writing-related event listed here--no individual book signings, please):
16 January and 23 January 2010. Saturdays. 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Denton County Writers Workshop. LaRee Bryant. The Creative Side of Writing (first Saturday); The Business Side of Writing (second Saturday). North Branch Library, Denton. Contact Carmen Grant, carmengrant@cityofdenton.com.
19 January 2010. Tuesday. FW SPJ: Authors Night. 6 p.m. Mike Cochran, Carlton Stowers, Johnny Hughes. Joe T. Garcia's Mexican Restaurant, 2201 N. Commerce St., Fort Worth. $17 members, $25 non-members, $10 students, free if you join SPJ on the spot. mkpirtle@yahoo.com.
6 February 2010. Saturday. Dallas MWASW. 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Dr. Jeffrey Barnard, Chief Medical Examiner, Dallas. Autopsy--the Real Deal. $20/cash only. rlwriter@yahoo.com.
19-21 March 2010, North Texas Romance Writers of America. North Texas Two Step, A Writers Conference. Screenwriter Michael Hauge, plus agents and editors. http://www.ntrwa.org/
10-11 April 2010, DFW Writers' Conference 2010! Grapevine, Texas. http://dfwwritersworkshop.org/
Second Saturday each month: North Texas Speculative Fiction Workshop. http://www.ntsfw.com/
Visit http://www.writersleague.org/programs/classes.html for up-to-date information on Writer's League of Texas workshops held in Austin TX.
Visit http://www.bulwer-lytton.com/ for guidelines to participate in the annual Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest. =========================================================
The Writers' Guild of Texas is a nonprofit professional organization whose primary purpose is to provide a forum for information, support, and sharing among writers; to help members improve and market their writing skills; and to promote the interests of writers and the writing community.If you don't wish to receive these announcements, please let me know.Permission to forward this email is not only granted, but encouraged. Let's get the word out to as many in the writing community as possible.
Carol Woods, Communications
Writers' Guild of Texas
****************************************
Please forward to all writers and writing groups
Mark the third Monday of every month for the Writers' Guild of Texas meeting.
Monday, 18 January 2010
7-8:30 p.m.
Topic: Write Naked
Speaker: Wendy Lyn Watson
Richardson Public Library
900 Civic Center Dr.
Richardson TX 75080
Basement Room
We hear it all the time from editors and agents: “I love your voice,” or “I’m looking for a strong voice.” They rarely take the time, however, to explain what they mean by “voice.” A writer’s voice is a combination of style (the mechanics of writing like grammar, sentence structure, and word choice), tone (the mood you set with your writing), and theme (the broad issues you tend to address, like friendship or betrayal or destiny). Voice is not your story, it’s the way you tell it. The great thing about voice is that everyone has one (really!) and each one is unique. The trick is to define your voice, to develop it, and to make sure it shines through in your story. In this interactive workshop, we’ll use a variety of writing exercises to pin down the essence of our unique writing voice. You’ll also learn a number of exercises that will help you continue developing your voice after the workshop ends.
Wendy Lyn Watson writes deliciously funny cozy mysteries with a dollop of romance. Her Mysteries a la Mode (I Scream, You Scream (October 2009) and Scoop to Kill (September 2010)) feature amateur sleuth Tallulah Jones, who solves murders in between scooping sundaes. While she does not commit--or solve--murders in real life, Wendy can kill a pint of ice cream in nothing flat. She’s also passionately devoted to 80s music, Asian horror films, and reality TV. (http://www.wendylynwatson.com/)
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A MESSAGE FROM THE FRIENDS OF THE WRITERS' GUILD OF TEXAS:The Guilded Pen, a social network developed for writers, offers an open forum that welcomes writers of all levels and writing mediums. Come join the fun. Create, develop, and promote your work. Get support and inspiration and share in an open, non-threatening environment. Be a resource for those looking for collaborators for joint works. Friends of the Writers’ Guild of Texas.
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Kat Smith, Membership Chair, is developing a membership directory to help members find members with similar interests, etc. to partner for critique or support. The membership form will provide a clear picture of each member's profile. Take the opportunity to talk to her at the next meeting.
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Annual 2010 WGT dues of $20.00 can be paid at the January meeting.
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All WGT events located at the Richardson Public Library are free and open to the public. For information on the sponsoring organization, visit http://writersguildoftexas.org/joomla/.
Monday, 15 February 2010. Regular meeting: Shirley Duke. Children's Author. Tips and Tools: Navigating the World of Children's Writing.
Monday, 15 March 2010. Regular meeting: Terry Burns, Hartline Literary Agency: Agent Q & A. Listed as number three on the Publisher's Marketplace list of agents helping debut authors to publish. More at http://www.terryburns.net/program_page.htm.
Saturday, 27 March 2010: Saturday workshop
Monday, 19 April 19: Regular meeting. TBA
Monday, 17 May 2010. Regular meeting: Rosemary Clement-Moore. Topic: TBA
Monday, 21 June 2010. Regular meeting. WGT All-Stars' Read In.
All Writers' Guild of Texas events held at the Richardson Public Library are free and open to the public. Visit WGT's website: http://writersguildoftexas.org/joomla/. ================================================================
Writers' Events Calendar (contact shurlock@flash.net to have your conferences, meetings, or other writing-related event listed here--no individual book signings, please):
16 January and 23 January 2010. Saturdays. 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Denton County Writers Workshop. LaRee Bryant. The Creative Side of Writing (first Saturday); The Business Side of Writing (second Saturday). North Branch Library, Denton. Contact Carmen Grant, carmengrant@cityofdenton.com.
19 January 2010. Tuesday. FW SPJ: Authors Night. 6 p.m. Mike Cochran, Carlton Stowers, Johnny Hughes. Joe T. Garcia's Mexican Restaurant, 2201 N. Commerce St., Fort Worth. $17 members, $25 non-members, $10 students, free if you join SPJ on the spot. mkpirtle@yahoo.com.
6 February 2010. Saturday. Dallas MWASW. 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Dr. Jeffrey Barnard, Chief Medical Examiner, Dallas. Autopsy--the Real Deal. $20/cash only. rlwriter@yahoo.com.
19-21 March 2010, North Texas Romance Writers of America. North Texas Two Step, A Writers Conference. Screenwriter Michael Hauge, plus agents and editors. http://www.ntrwa.org/
10-11 April 2010, DFW Writers' Conference 2010! Grapevine, Texas. http://dfwwritersworkshop.org/
Second Saturday each month: North Texas Speculative Fiction Workshop. http://www.ntsfw.com/
Visit http://www.writersleague.org/programs/classes.html for up-to-date information on Writer's League of Texas workshops held in Austin TX.
Visit http://www.bulwer-lytton.com/ for guidelines to participate in the annual Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest. =========================================================
The Writers' Guild of Texas is a nonprofit professional organization whose primary purpose is to provide a forum for information, support, and sharing among writers; to help members improve and market their writing skills; and to promote the interests of writers and the writing community.If you don't wish to receive these announcements, please let me know.Permission to forward this email is not only granted, but encouraged. Let's get the word out to as many in the writing community as possible.
Carol Woods, Communications
Writers' Guild of Texas
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Upcoming Writers Event--MARCH 2010
I post this as a general service to my readers and receive no financial inducement to do so. Furthermore, I know nothing more about the conference than what is posted here so if you have any questions, please follow the directions at the bottom of the posting and don't ask me.
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North Texas Two Step
A Writing Conference
March 19-21, 2010
NTRWA presents
STORY MASTERY with Michael Hauge
Best-selling Author of Writing Screenplays That Sell and Selling Your Story in 60 Seconds:The Guaranteed Way to Get Your Screenplay or Novel Read.
During this special all-day seminar, Hollywood script and story consultant Michael Hauge, will present his unique approach to creating compelling fiction and to eliciting emotion in your readers. Using clips from recent blockbuster love stories and romantic comedies, along with hands on exercises, Michael will help you strengthen your story concepts, plot structure, love stories, character development and themes.
As an added bonus, on Sunday morning Michael will do an in-depth analysis of the film LARS AND THE REAL GIRL, illustrating the essential principles of story structure, character arc, love stories and romantic comedies.
Topics covered will include:
• The primary goal of all story
• The power of desire, need, longing and destiny
• The essential conflict all characters must face
• Turning plot structure from a complicated concept into a simple, powerful tool you can easily apply to every story
• The single key to creating character arc and theme
• Creating unique, believable and fulfilling love stories
• The unique rules of romantic comedy: fantasy, duality, deceit
• Adapting your novel to film
If you want to elevate your fiction writing to the highest possible level, this event is a must. Also attending:
Adam Wilson, Associate Editor, MIRA and Harlequin Teen
Holly Blanck, Assistant Editor, St. Martin's Press
Joy Azmitia, Agent, Russell and Volkening
Becca Stumpf, Agent, Prospect Agency
NT Members - 12/15/09 - 1/16/10 Cost: $95; 1/17/10 - 2/27/10 Cost: $155
Yellow Rose & DARA - 12/15/09 - 1/16/10 Cost: $125; 1/17/10 - 2/27/10 Cost: $155
General Registration - 12/15/09 - 1/16/10 Cost: $155; 1/17/10 - 2/27/10 Cost: $185
Late Registration - 2/28/10 - 3/20/10 Cost: $215 for everyone
For registration details please check the conference page on the website:_www.ntrwa.org_ (http://www.ntrwa. org) . For questions contact Marty Tidwell:_conference@ ntrwa.org_ (mailto:conference@ntrwa. org)
***********************************************
North Texas Two Step
A Writing Conference
March 19-21, 2010
NTRWA presents
STORY MASTERY with Michael Hauge
Best-selling Author of Writing Screenplays That Sell and Selling Your Story in 60 Seconds:The Guaranteed Way to Get Your Screenplay or Novel Read.
During this special all-day seminar, Hollywood script and story consultant Michael Hauge, will present his unique approach to creating compelling fiction and to eliciting emotion in your readers. Using clips from recent blockbuster love stories and romantic comedies, along with hands on exercises, Michael will help you strengthen your story concepts, plot structure, love stories, character development and themes.
As an added bonus, on Sunday morning Michael will do an in-depth analysis of the film LARS AND THE REAL GIRL, illustrating the essential principles of story structure, character arc, love stories and romantic comedies.
Topics covered will include:
• The primary goal of all story
• The power of desire, need, longing and destiny
• The essential conflict all characters must face
• Turning plot structure from a complicated concept into a simple, powerful tool you can easily apply to every story
• The single key to creating character arc and theme
• Creating unique, believable and fulfilling love stories
• The unique rules of romantic comedy: fantasy, duality, deceit
• Adapting your novel to film
If you want to elevate your fiction writing to the highest possible level, this event is a must. Also attending:
Adam Wilson, Associate Editor, MIRA and Harlequin Teen
Holly Blanck, Assistant Editor, St. Martin's Press
Joy Azmitia, Agent, Russell and Volkening
Becca Stumpf, Agent, Prospect Agency
NT Members - 12/15/09 - 1/16/10 Cost: $95; 1/17/10 - 2/27/10 Cost: $155
Yellow Rose & DARA - 12/15/09 - 1/16/10 Cost: $125; 1/17/10 - 2/27/10 Cost: $155
General Registration - 12/15/09 - 1/16/10 Cost: $155; 1/17/10 - 2/27/10 Cost: $185
Late Registration - 2/28/10 - 3/20/10 Cost: $215 for everyone
For registration details please check the conference page on the website:_www.ntrwa.org_ (http://www.ntrwa. org) . For questions contact Marty Tidwell:_conference@ ntrwa.org_ (mailto:conference@ntrwa. org)
Friday, January 08, 2010
Do Your Part
Point to ponder---Remember, only you can prevent so called "reality stars" from making fools of themselves. Save them by reading a book this week.
I'm doing my part by currently reading "Doubleback" by Libby Fischer Hellman. I am enjoying it very much.
I'm about eighty pages from the end in an ARC recently provided by owner PJ Nunn of BreakThrough Promotions. The book has been out awhile, but if it wasn't for PJ Nunn, I probably wouldn't be reading this sequel to the very good "Easy Innocence"
because BLEAK HOUSE, the publisher, has decided to no longer provide print copies of their ARCs.
Yes, I am serious. Like all bad ideas, this one is probably highly contagious, causes all orifices to weep, drool and dribble, creates projectile vomiting with low back pain, and the infection spreads easily from business to business. Unfortunately, there is no shot to inoculate anyone from business stupidity.
(There are federal bailouts, but, that is another rant.)
If you want to read a book via a PDF, they will gladly provide an ARC review copy. But, if you are a reviewer like me who wants and NEEDS the print copy, the new policy is worthless and makes their books impossible to review in advance of publication.
A stunningly stupid decision as far as I am concerned and one that I think long term they will regret. Seems to me, considering the sad state state of publishing today, the folks in charge at Bleak House would want to do everything possible to get their books out to reviewers so that they can be reviewed. I made this argument in a letter back to them awhile back and never heard another word.
It is too bad as they were always a publisher I could count on to deliver quality books that appealed to me. With the ongoing cutbacks at my local library system, getting their books once I know about them will be increasingly difficult. Hopefully, they will change their minds one of these days.
Kevin
I'm doing my part by currently reading "Doubleback" by Libby Fischer Hellman. I am enjoying it very much.
I'm about eighty pages from the end in an ARC recently provided by owner PJ Nunn of BreakThrough Promotions. The book has been out awhile, but if it wasn't for PJ Nunn, I probably wouldn't be reading this sequel to the very good "Easy Innocence"
because BLEAK HOUSE, the publisher, has decided to no longer provide print copies of their ARCs.
Yes, I am serious. Like all bad ideas, this one is probably highly contagious, causes all orifices to weep, drool and dribble, creates projectile vomiting with low back pain, and the infection spreads easily from business to business. Unfortunately, there is no shot to inoculate anyone from business stupidity.
(There are federal bailouts, but, that is another rant.)
If you want to read a book via a PDF, they will gladly provide an ARC review copy. But, if you are a reviewer like me who wants and NEEDS the print copy, the new policy is worthless and makes their books impossible to review in advance of publication.
A stunningly stupid decision as far as I am concerned and one that I think long term they will regret. Seems to me, considering the sad state state of publishing today, the folks in charge at Bleak House would want to do everything possible to get their books out to reviewers so that they can be reviewed. I made this argument in a letter back to them awhile back and never heard another word.
It is too bad as they were always a publisher I could count on to deliver quality books that appealed to me. With the ongoing cutbacks at my local library system, getting their books once I know about them will be increasingly difficult. Hopefully, they will change their minds one of these days.
Kevin
Sunday, January 03, 2010
Review: Hostile Takeovers: A Leal And Hart Novel by Michael A. Black
In this sequel to Random Victim Sergeant Francisco Leal is more than a little annoyed that his partner, Olivia (Ollie) Hart isn’t back working with him. Instead, when she isn’t working for her upcoming competition as a female body builder, she is stuck on some sort of special detail over in Robertsville, Illinois. Years of corruption have caused the local police force to be dismissed, and for now until the first class graduates from the academy, Cook County Sheriff’s Police are pulling patrol duty in Robertsville.
That leaves Leal running a major surveillance operation involving a snitch without help that he can really count on. The snitch, known as the “Lip” is supposed to make a controlled buy in front of Leal and his team. With the snitch being closely connected to a powerful and very successful drug dealer there is potential of rolling up quite an operation. Unfortunately for Leal and the snitch, the snitch’s cover is blown and he is killed. This sparks retaliation and despite numerous characters and many storylines, eventually Leal and Hart begin to deal with the escalating turf war.
A police officer himself, Michal Black clearly knows his subject well and uses every detail and nuance possible in the novel. An extremely slow moving police procedural, the read spends considerable time off on various secondary storylines where readers are subjected to often actions and characters that have little or nothing to do with the main storyline of the execution murder of the snitch, politics and the drug war. Such sideways trips far from the main storyline have the capacity to bore the reader considerably who should be forgiven for frequently muttering “get on with it.”
When Author Michael A. Black focuses on the main storyline in “Hostile Takeovers” he delivers a solid tale which somewhat salvages the book despite being devoid of human emotion. Even the health scare of Olivia which is a classic cliché and should bring out some realistic character emotion for the reader comes across entirely flat. In this case and others throughout the meandering novel, the characters spend considerable amounts of time telling readers how they feel with little time actually showing readers real human emotion. There is a distant flat quality of writing throughout the 353 novel that reminds one of the sterility of reading a law document.
Despite the theoretically complimentary comparison to Joseph Wambaugh in some reviews, the only thing these two authors actually in common is that they both use their law enforcement backgrounds to write police procedurals. Regarding character development, use of plotlines and emotions, as well as style of writing and a myriad of other issues, these two authors are as opposite as they possibly could be. Such a contrived positive comparison does a huge disservice to both authors with readers hurt by making buying and reading decisions based on such faulty comparisons.
Hostile Takeovers: A Leal And Hart Novel
Michael A. Black
http://www.michaelablack.com/
Leisure Books (Dorchester Publishing Co., Inc)
http://www.dorchesterpub.com/
ISBN# 0-8439-6272-0
Mass Market Paperback (eBook available)
353 Pages
$7.99
Book provided by PJ Nunn, publicist and owner of BreakThrough Promotions in exchange for my objective review.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2009
That leaves Leal running a major surveillance operation involving a snitch without help that he can really count on. The snitch, known as the “Lip” is supposed to make a controlled buy in front of Leal and his team. With the snitch being closely connected to a powerful and very successful drug dealer there is potential of rolling up quite an operation. Unfortunately for Leal and the snitch, the snitch’s cover is blown and he is killed. This sparks retaliation and despite numerous characters and many storylines, eventually Leal and Hart begin to deal with the escalating turf war.
A police officer himself, Michal Black clearly knows his subject well and uses every detail and nuance possible in the novel. An extremely slow moving police procedural, the read spends considerable time off on various secondary storylines where readers are subjected to often actions and characters that have little or nothing to do with the main storyline of the execution murder of the snitch, politics and the drug war. Such sideways trips far from the main storyline have the capacity to bore the reader considerably who should be forgiven for frequently muttering “get on with it.”
When Author Michael A. Black focuses on the main storyline in “Hostile Takeovers” he delivers a solid tale which somewhat salvages the book despite being devoid of human emotion. Even the health scare of Olivia which is a classic cliché and should bring out some realistic character emotion for the reader comes across entirely flat. In this case and others throughout the meandering novel, the characters spend considerable amounts of time telling readers how they feel with little time actually showing readers real human emotion. There is a distant flat quality of writing throughout the 353 novel that reminds one of the sterility of reading a law document.
Despite the theoretically complimentary comparison to Joseph Wambaugh in some reviews, the only thing these two authors actually in common is that they both use their law enforcement backgrounds to write police procedurals. Regarding character development, use of plotlines and emotions, as well as style of writing and a myriad of other issues, these two authors are as opposite as they possibly could be. Such a contrived positive comparison does a huge disservice to both authors with readers hurt by making buying and reading decisions based on such faulty comparisons.
Hostile Takeovers: A Leal And Hart Novel
Michael A. Black
http://www.michaelablack.com/
Leisure Books (Dorchester Publishing Co., Inc)
http://www.dorchesterpub.com/
ISBN# 0-8439-6272-0
Mass Market Paperback (eBook available)
353 Pages
$7.99
Book provided by PJ Nunn, publicist and owner of BreakThrough Promotions in exchange for my objective review.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2009
Thursday, December 31, 2009
One Year Ends...And Another Begins
Having spent nearly all of my two week break from the day job sick with some sort of sinus deal that has gone on to attack the rest of the family while refusing to get out of my head, I find that once again I didn’t accomplish much writing wise the last two weeks. Pretty much symptomatic of the year as well.
While the books keep coming and I continue to do reviews, I don’t seem to be able to turn it into something more than a black hole time eater. Voracious in appetite, reviewing takes up a considerable amount of time because I actually read the whole book. I have yet to find a way to at least bring in a few bucks from time to time for reviewing despite having done this for more than ten years now. The continuous cutbacks of review slots in a variety of markets this past year certainly didn’t help one get a foot in the door.
Fiction wise this past year was my worst since the mid 90’s when I first started out in terms of acceptances. Truth be told, it was also my lowest in terms of submissions. I simply didn’t get the work out there and circulating because I didn’t get the work done. Financial and health issues certainly have taken their toll and I find myself deep in the abyss these days which isn’t a good place for this guy to construct stories. Walk along the edge, peer over the side, that all works. Dropping into the abyss with lead shoes on does little to help the creative process.
The woods might be dark and deep but the abyss is much, much worse.
While I do still enjoy reading, I find I really don’t much care for the review process much anymore. Some of it is the usual crap that goes along with the idea of doing reviews and that goes with the territory. But, I also increasingly wonder if thoughtful reviews, dare I say it, the kind of reviews I do really matter in a sea of noise generated by those who write reviews of a sentence or two and think they have done something as well as those reviewers who love every book they ever write about. I’d like to think the reviews I do still matter, but increasingly, I feel like the moderator on some bad cable talk show where all the guests just scream at each other.
So many things have to change…….
While the books keep coming and I continue to do reviews, I don’t seem to be able to turn it into something more than a black hole time eater. Voracious in appetite, reviewing takes up a considerable amount of time because I actually read the whole book. I have yet to find a way to at least bring in a few bucks from time to time for reviewing despite having done this for more than ten years now. The continuous cutbacks of review slots in a variety of markets this past year certainly didn’t help one get a foot in the door.
Fiction wise this past year was my worst since the mid 90’s when I first started out in terms of acceptances. Truth be told, it was also my lowest in terms of submissions. I simply didn’t get the work out there and circulating because I didn’t get the work done. Financial and health issues certainly have taken their toll and I find myself deep in the abyss these days which isn’t a good place for this guy to construct stories. Walk along the edge, peer over the side, that all works. Dropping into the abyss with lead shoes on does little to help the creative process.
The woods might be dark and deep but the abyss is much, much worse.
While I do still enjoy reading, I find I really don’t much care for the review process much anymore. Some of it is the usual crap that goes along with the idea of doing reviews and that goes with the territory. But, I also increasingly wonder if thoughtful reviews, dare I say it, the kind of reviews I do really matter in a sea of noise generated by those who write reviews of a sentence or two and think they have done something as well as those reviewers who love every book they ever write about. I’d like to think the reviews I do still matter, but increasingly, I feel like the moderator on some bad cable talk show where all the guests just scream at each other.
So many things have to change…….
Monday, December 28, 2009
Reviewing: "Gumbo Justice" by Holli Castillo
Crime is a family business for the Murphy family in pre-Katrina New Orleans. Assistant District Attorney Ryan Murphy is plenty busy in the courtroom and the local bars without having to walk crime scenes in the middle of the night. Thanks to it being an election year for the District Attorney, she has no choice but to go out and walk them in the middle of the night since it is her week to do so. Alerted by her brother, Sean, a NOPD Homicide Detective that he has sent another detective to pick her up, the only question she has for herself is whether or not to wear a bra since she doesn’t plan on dressing up and ruining another outfit or nice pair of shoes. She might worry a little about the fact that she can’t remember much about earlier in the evening, but, she doesn’t have time since the ride is supposed to be there in five minutes. Considering the fact that her over protective father, Kelly Murphy, Captain of the Sixth District in New Orleans will most likely be there she decides she better wear that bra and get going.
The latest murder victim in the housing project is a black male, approximately twenty years old, naked and was tied up and beaten before being shot in the head. He was L’Roid Smith, the Leader of the Soldiers, who was supposed to face trial later in the week for the murder of three rival gang members. Ryan had prosecuted him before on murder charges and had to dismiss the case after all of her witness disappeared. Now the streets have taken care of him.
For Ryan, it won’t be the first killing that has links to her. Links that become obvious to others and raise question as to her involvement in the killings at about the same time she starts realizing the implications personally and career wise. Against a back drop of politics, coveted powerful positions in the District Attorney’s office, and rampant crime, Ryan has to control her own personal demons long enough to deal with a psycho that has targeted her.
Ryan is the classic clichéd law enforcement figure albeit this time in female form. Haunted by nightmares, she drinks far in excess to the point of blackouts; looks for love in all the wrong places while amazingly oblivious to the man in her life who has a romantic interest, and lets her mouth get the better of her in the courtroom and out. She works hard, lives even harder, and one can see the chip on her shoulder from a mile away. Clichéd flaws that could work if used for introspection.
What introspection is here is limited and repetitive. One never gets the feeling of the character coming totally alive for the reader and thus the character exists more as a stereotype than anything. That is unfortunate as while the basic character flaws are clichéd, they are so because other authors have used them quite well to create introspection and empathy for the character.
That lack of character development depth leads to the core of the tale regarding action and investigation as the driving force of the novel. On that level, when Ryan is either actively working the courtroom or various cases, the novel works well and moves forward. At other times, especially in the chapters devoted to the viewpoint of the troubled psychopath, the novel nearly stalls.
“Gumbo Justice” is the debut novel of a planned series that does show considerable promise despite its rough edges. Despite its flaws, the overall read is worthwhile and one hopes that the second novel will improve on the basic foundation of the series.
Gumbo Justice
Holli Castillo
http://www.hollicastillo.com/
Oak Tree Press
http://www.oaktreebooks.com
June 2009
ISBN# 978-1-892343-51-2
Large Trade Paperback
237 Pages
$14.95
Book provided directly by the author in exchange for my objective review.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2009
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Reviewing: "Nuclear Winter Wonderland" by Joshua Corin
Uncle Dexter, who believed he was the exiled king of Mars, is dead. Mom wants Adam Weiss to come home for the funeral. Adam would rather stay in the fraternity house at the University of Michigan and play his Xbox, but mom wants him to come home to Rhode Island. Adam might have gotten his way if his twin sister, Anna, hadn’t suggested picking her up on the way and then playing the dad card.
Guilt is a powerful motivator and Adam can’t dodge his sister like he can his mother. The next day finds him driving his green Escort to Oberlin, Michigan where he picks up Anna before getting lunch at a local Denny’s. They eat and get back on the interstate for a while until the gastric effects of his meal take over and Adam desperately searches for a rest stop. He finds one and quickly discovers that lower intestine relief can have severe consequences.
Like his car stolen and his sister kidnapped.
Like the fact that the world will end on next Wednesday, Christmas Eve, when this maniac pulls the trigger on 12 nuclear weapons.
At least the bad guy left his own truck behind so Adam does have a vehicle to start chasing the bad guy and his sister.
What follows is a surreal tale that only works depending on the sense of humor level of the reader. Humor is a tricky thing for authors to get right. Chris Grabenstein does it well with the early books of his Ceepak series. Harlan Coben did it with the early books of the Bolitar series. In both cases, the author had the humor come about naturally under real life circumstances with believable characters and their interaction.
The humor here fails that test because the humor is forced and consists of eccentricity and absurdity. This isn’t the humor of Monty Python either which frequently bordered on the absurd. Even with Monty Python stuff, the humor came about because of character interaction built on the original premise that was absurd or otherwise. In most cases, it wasn’t scenarios where the absurd built upon the absurd and continued to build absurdity upon absurdity. Such is not the case here in this mess of a novel.
After a strong beginning, the novel quickly deteriorates into a quagmire of nonsense fueled by absurdity and eccentricity in the extreme. Every character of any stature, besides Adam and his missing sister, is eccentric to the extreme and totally absurd. Every scenario and or plot twist is over the top as well a case study of giving the book the barest grounding in crime, mystery genres or thriller genres. That grounding, evident in the early part of the book, is quickly thrown out along with any concept of logic or sense of plot. Instead, the read comes down to taking every story point and imagining the most absurd thing and then seeing if the author is going to be even more extreme. In most cases, the answer is an affirmative and the reader is left to wade through yet another ludicrous scenario that is supposedly funny and yet fails the humor test. Nothing is straight forward in this book that constantly screams at the reader just how funny the book is and how mad cap nearly everyone involved is while the fate of the world is at stake.
Fans of the absurd carried to extremes will appreciate this novel, while those readers that prefer a more straight forward crime/murder/thriller novel or a novel with a basic sense of plot will find it extremely tough going. According to the book jacket, “Nuclear Winter Wonderland” is going to “soon be a major motion picture” via the screenplay also written by the author. If the movie ever comes out, it will be interesting to see if a movie version of the work is much better than the original book. It certainly doesn’t seem possible that the movie could be worse than the book.
Nuclear Winter Wonderland
Joshua Corin
http://www.joshuacorin.com/index.htm
Kunati, Inc.
2008
ISBN#978-1-60164-160-1
288 Pages
$15.95
Book provided by Publicist PJ Nunn, owner of BreakThrough Promotions, in exchange for my objective review.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2009
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Barnes and Nobles hosts various local writer/reader events
Pat Hauldren writes a column for the Fort Worth Examiner and her latest features local events for writers AND readers around the Dallas/Fort Worth area during the next several weeks. So, check it out at:
http://www.examiner.com/x-21358-Fort-Worth-Writing-Examiner~y2009m12d26-Resolutions-for-writers-upcoming-writing-events-at-Barnes--Noble-Bookstores
Hope to see you at one or more of these events.
Kevin
http://www.examiner.com/x-21358-Fort-Worth-Writing-Examiner~y2009m12d26-Resolutions-for-writers-upcoming-writing-events-at-Barnes--Noble-Bookstores
Hope to see you at one or more of these events.
Kevin
Thursday, December 24, 2009
CSM---The e-book, the e-reader, and the future of reading
Very interesting article over on the Christian Science Monitor website. Especially, the final page.
http://www.csmonitor.com/Books/2009/1221/The-e-book-the-e-reader-and-the-future-of-reading
http://www.csmonitor.com/Books/2009/1221/The-e-book-the-e-reader-and-the-future-of-reading
Monday, December 21, 2009
Children's Book Review: "Wally The Walking Fish meets Madison And Cooper" by Gary Lamit
Written by Gary Lamit for his grand daughter, Madison, this charming little book tells the tale of Madison and the dog Cooper. Cooper, like all the creatures can talk and be understood by all. Madison catches Wally, the walking fish (a walking catfish) and releases him. They get to talking and over the next couple days, Madison and Cooper are introduced to all the local creatures at the lake.
Self published through BookSurge, the book features numerous colorful illustrations along with brief definitions and descriptions set in small boxes below the prose text. The text in the copy I was provided does not include many dialogue tags or other identifiers which may make it hard for small children and their caregivers to follow the actual speaker. According to posted comments made by the author when this issue was raised by other reviewers, the problem has subsequently been addressed by insertion of character names and color coding them at the beginning of each line.
The pages are not numbered nor are there any references to the rest of Madison’s family who are presumably at the lake with her. Naturally inquisitive children can be expected to ask why they aren’t around. It is unfortunate that something regarding why the family members are never seen was explained in the book.
Despite those issues, the book does feature an interesting easy reader tale while providing lots of information. The result is a good read that works when guided by an adult.
Wally The Walking Fish Meets Madison and Cooper
Gary Lamit
Booksurge (part of Amazon)
http://wwwbooksurge.com
May 2009
ISBN# 9781439225417
Paperback
28 Pages
$12.99
Material provided by the author in exchange for objective review.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2009
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Reviewing: "Treasure Hunt: A Book of Clues for Parties" by Nacy Kruse
“Why just sit a person down and hand then their gifts when you can have so much more fun making them find their gifts with clues.” (Introduction, page 1)
If that sounds like something you and your potential guest would like, this is the book for you. Specifically building off the idea of Easter egg hunts and Scavenger hunts, this book tells you how to do the same type of thing regardless of party setting. Self published through Book Locker, this fun book showcases a different way of hosting parties from the normal party.
After the introduction, the book moves on to planning your party. The key idea is that the first clue should easily lead to the second, which should easily lead to the third, etc. The clues should be ones that are good for the seeker as well as the fellow party guests. “Know your seeker well and select clues accordingly.” (Page 3)
Within a couple more pages, it is on to the clues. In each case, a short setup is created for you to get into the spirit of things and then you add your clue to the bottom of the setup. From “Beginning Clues” to “Action Clues” through the various room clues (such as living room, kitchen, bedroom, etc.) as well as “Outside Clues” before closing with the self evident “Ending Clues” there is something to fit nearly any setting. With over 100 clue suggestions, this 108 page book is a quick and easy reference guide to get you started hosting a different kind of party. The book gives you the ideas- now all you have to do is get inspired.
Treasure Hunt: A Book of Clues for Parties
Nancy Kruse
http://www.booklocker.com/
2008
ISBN#978-1-60145-565-9
Large Trade Paperback
108 Pages
$12.95
Material provided to me by Publicist Penny C. Sansevieri of Author Marketing Experts, Inc. in exchange for an objective review.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2009
If that sounds like something you and your potential guest would like, this is the book for you. Specifically building off the idea of Easter egg hunts and Scavenger hunts, this book tells you how to do the same type of thing regardless of party setting. Self published through Book Locker, this fun book showcases a different way of hosting parties from the normal party.
After the introduction, the book moves on to planning your party. The key idea is that the first clue should easily lead to the second, which should easily lead to the third, etc. The clues should be ones that are good for the seeker as well as the fellow party guests. “Know your seeker well and select clues accordingly.” (Page 3)
Within a couple more pages, it is on to the clues. In each case, a short setup is created for you to get into the spirit of things and then you add your clue to the bottom of the setup. From “Beginning Clues” to “Action Clues” through the various room clues (such as living room, kitchen, bedroom, etc.) as well as “Outside Clues” before closing with the self evident “Ending Clues” there is something to fit nearly any setting. With over 100 clue suggestions, this 108 page book is a quick and easy reference guide to get you started hosting a different kind of party. The book gives you the ideas- now all you have to do is get inspired.
Treasure Hunt: A Book of Clues for Parties
Nancy Kruse
http://www.booklocker.com/
2008
ISBN#978-1-60145-565-9
Large Trade Paperback
108 Pages
$12.95
Material provided to me by Publicist Penny C. Sansevieri of Author Marketing Experts, Inc. in exchange for an objective review.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2009
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Children's Book Review: "The Lake That Stole Children: A Fable" by Douglas Glenn Clark
Part fantasy tale, part mystery tale, this short book tells the tale of what can happen when a person is locked into sadness. The fisherman, Cal, is a stern father of two young children, a daughter and son. While the daughter, much like his wife, dutifully listens to him and does not disobey, his son is a bit of a wild child yearning for adventure.
The son gets that and more when he is pulled into the river that ultimately leads into Flat Horn Lake and a magical creature. The son isn’t the only child to disappear in this way over the years. Soon the fisherman is forced to confront his own behavior while he attempts to rescue his own son and the other children.
A quick read at 40 pages, this self published book is designed to appeal to “young and adult readers.” Though it will clearly work best for the middle school reader as older readers may find the author’s heavy use of excessively flowery prose a turn off.
“Soon the boy began to cry. His sobbing was so loud the forest began to heave in sympathy. Berries and nuts dove from bushes, leaves flew from their branches, and the sky drooped against the soaring pines.” (Page 9)
The basic point that Mr. Clark is making regarding some parents are too harsh and strict with children in an attempt to protect them from everything comes through clearly to the reader. However, there is alack of nuance to the point which harms the overall message. The fisherman is portrayed as an overly strict father because he is stern while the mother and daughter are portrayed as meek and bordering on being mentally abused. Though the father is raising his voice in dangerous situations trying to protect his son from vanishing into the river it comes across as he somehow is doing something wrong. His wife routinely does nothing when the boy misbehaves and the good daughter is seen as good simply because she does exactly what she is told to do just like the wife. Once the boy goes missing after sneaking out of the house, it is the entire fault of the fisherman and he is blamed by both the daughter and the mother. Love is withheld by the wife at a critical time when it is needed the most by her husband. The overall character image depicted is of a father who somehow didn’t care about things until his son vanished, then takes steps to rescue not only the child but his family as well.
The actual tale embedded in “the Lake That Stole Children” is a pretty good one despite the frequently overwrought prose. The magical creature is what seasoned readers would expect and yet fits well into the story while proving both good symbolism and a foil for the fisherman.
With above issues noted, the result is a good read primarily suitable for the middle school crowd that will occasionally appeal to members of a wider audience. While always important with any book, clearly with the way certain issues are depicted in this self published novel, parents and educators that use this book with children should also have discussions about the material with them.
The Lake That Stole Children: A Fable
Douglas Glenn Clark
http://www.dgclarkgroup.com/
CreateSpace (part of Amazon)
https://www.createspace.com/
August 15, 2008
ISBN# 978-1438243580
40 Pages
$6.25
Material provided directly by the author in exchange for objective review.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2009
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Reviewing: "Starvation Lake: A Mystery" by Bryan Gruley
The plan was to leave Starvation Lake, Michigan and never come back. But 1998 finds Augustus Carpenter, known to all as “Gus” back home after his successful newspaper career exploded on him in Detroit. Both he and the town are still haunted by the goal he let in close to the end of the state championship game and both have never been the same.
Now at thirty four, Gus is backing home, once again working for the local paper, Pilot. He lives in a small apartment above the storefront news room and across the street from the local bar where his teammates frequently congregate. The same issues that faced them as boys are now part of the power struggles and conflict they have as men.
Simmering disagreements are fueled by the fire of the past when parts of a damaged snowmobile wash up on the shore at the lake. While the snowmobile seems to be the same one Coach Blackburn was driving years ago before both disappeared through a hole in the ice, it can’t possibly have made it here since that accident happened miles away. No body was ever recovered, but the assumption was that Blackburn was dead. While he probably is dead, the fact that the recovered snowmobile shows evidence of foul play ignites a local firestorm that finally explodes in a tale of deceit, treachery and unspeakable pain.
A debut novel that packs a punch, “Starvation Lake” by Bryan Gruley develops slowly through a variety of emotionally scarred and complex characters. Billed with the totally unnecessary subtitle “a mystery” the book operates on several levels with multiple mysteries and complex multiple storylines featuring heavily flawed characters. To delve into any of this at any level would seriously impact reader enjoyment by giving away far too much information.
Suffice it to say, if you are looking for a thriller or a simplistic mystery full of lightweight characters and violent action, this is not the novel for you. However if you are looking for a meaty novel where the characters are very human and occasionally vile, where there is plenty of back story and long descriptive scenes leading to powerful dialogue and emotional impact for the characters and readers, along with multiple mysteries, this is the book for you.
Starvation Lake: A Mystery
Bryan Gruley
http://www.bryangruley.com
Touchstone (Simon and Schuster)
http://www.simonschuster.com
March 2009
ISBN# 1-4165-6362-8
Large Trade Paperback
$14.00
370 Pages
Material provided by the good folks of the Plano, Texas Public Library System.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2009
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Reviewing: "Mind Scrambler" by Chris Grabenstein
The fifth installment of the series finds Sea Haven, New Jersey police officers John Ceepak and Danny Boyle in Atlantic City. They are there to depose a con artist named Gary Burdick in connection with an Ohio homicide case involving John’s father, Joseph Ceepak. Burdick and Joseph Ceepak shared a drunk tank one night years ago and supposedly Joseph Ceepak detailed how he had gotten away with murder. The trip to Atlantic City allows Danny to bump into his old flame, Katie Landy, who is working as a nanny for a couple of magicians.
It also means Boyle and Ceepak are around when Katie is found dead hours later in a room at the Xandau Hotel and Casino. Quickly cleared as a suspect, Boyle is soon forced to confront the twin ideas that Katie might not have been as innocent as she seemed and their relationship might have not been what he thought it was. Allowed to assist in the murder investigation, nothing is as it appears with magicians, and this case won’t be easy to solve.
What started as a series that featured plenty of humor has evolved into a grim fictional reality. What humor is here is the grim bitter kind of humor that before the last two books was pretty much nonexistent. This shift in the series clearly could be due to the subject matter as Iraq and the murder of Katie aren’t laughing matters. It could also be due to the that Danny Boyle is steadily maturing and seeing more and more of what folks will do to each other. The sprit of melancholy that appeared in the previous book blooms into a full flower here and creates a backdrop of Boyle questioning the past while trying to cope in the present.
“Mind Scrambler: A John Ceepak Mystery” is a good read that tells another strong Ceepak tale featuring plenty of action, interesting characters, and misdirection. But, it sadly lacks funny humor and what little humor present is a bitter sweet laughing with tears variety. The result is a good book that misses a vital element critical to the series.
Mind Scrambler: A John Ceepak Mystery
Chris Grabenstein
http://www.chrisgrabenstein.com
Minotaur Books (St. Martin’s Publishing Group)
http://www.minotaurbooks.com
June 2009
ISBN# 0-312-38231-6
Hardback
342 Pages
$24.95
Review copy provided directly by the author in exchange for my objective review.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2009
http://kevinrtipple.com/
Wednesday, December 09, 2009
Reviewing: "Killer Career" by Morgan Mandel
Attending the Love To Murder Mystery Conference in Chicago pushes Julie McGuire to make a latent dream become a reality. A lawyer in a growing practice with old friend, Dade Donovan, she longs to become a writer. She is also enthralled by the enigmatic mystery author, Tyler Jensen, the conference keynote speaker.
He seems just as enthralled with her and begins to pursue her in a variety of ways. As she looks to gracefully end her career in the law and her partnership with Dade, it becomes clear that Dade isn’t totally supportive of her future plans. Getting strange vibes from both men, Julie isn’t sure what is going on or who is behind a series of increasingly strange and dangerous events.
Despite an interesting if a bit clichéd premise (the famous mystery writer loses himself during the writing process in dreams of murder that may or not be real) the novel doesn’t reach its full potential. This is primarily because the pacing off the novel is consistently off. Scenes that should move faster drag on far longer than they should. Opportunities to slow down events to further develop characters are frequently rushed. That fact, along with heavy foreshadowing with certain plot points hit so often seasoned mystery readers laugh out loud, do not invoke the rising tension the author is trying desperately to create.
Unlike many who choose to self publish, author Morgan Mandell did obtain editing services and credits those individuals in her dedication. It is telling that the editing situation also led to some of the back of the cover blurbs and the occasional review from the same individuals. With such a small core group involved, it isn’t surprising that some issues were not dealt with as effectively as they could have been with more outside objective input. While the novel is classified as “romantic suspense” the suspense angle is very much lacking for seasoned mystery readers. The romance is the classic triangle where both the possible bad boy and the obvious good guy both seek the attentions of the fair damsel who may be in distress from outside forces or forces from within the triangle relationship.
At the same time, at the core, there is a very good tale here. Plenty of action, intrigue and mystery, romantic elements and a heroine that readers can identify with and care about. Through the execution of the story is flawed at times for seasoned mystery readers, there are enough good things about the novel to make the overall read worth it.
Killer Career
Morgan Mandel
http://morganmandel.com
Choice One Publishing Co.
http://choiceonepublishing.com
2009
ISBN# 978-0-9819916-0-3
298 Pages
Large Trade Paperback
Material provided by the author in exchange for my objective review.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2009
Friday, December 04, 2009
Home Internet Is Out and
has been out for 24 hours now and verizon customer service is difficult to contact and actually get help. So, if you are trying to reach me via e-mail, please understand it could be awhile.
Or, it could suddenly start working again like it did late Wednesday.
Kevin
(the annoyed customer)
Or, it could suddenly start working again like it did late Wednesday.
Kevin
(the annoyed customer)
Monday, November 30, 2009
Reviewing: "Mind Scrambler: A John Ceepak Mystery" by Chris Grabenstein
The fifth installment of the series finds Sea Haven, New Jersey police officers John Ceepak and Danny Boyle in Atlantic City. They are there to depose a con artist named Gary Burdick in connection with an Ohio homicide case involving John’s father, Joseph Ceepak. Burdick and Joseph Ceepak shared a drunk tank one night years ago and supposedly Joseph Ceepak detailed how he had gotten away with murder. The trip to Atlantic City allows Danny to bump into his old flame, Katie Landy, who is working as a nanny for a couple of magicians.
It also means Boyle and Ceepak are around when Katie is found dead hours later in a room at the Xandau Hotel and Casino. Quickly cleared as a suspect, Boyle is soon forced to confront the twin ideas that Katie might not have been as innocent as she seemed and their relationship might have not been what he thought it was. Allowed to assist in the murder investigation, nothing is as it appears with magicians, and this case won’t be easy to solve.
What started as a series that featured plenty of humor has evolved into a grim fictional reality. What humor is here is the grim bitter kind of humor that before the last two books was pretty much nonexistent. This shift in the series clearly could be due to the subject matter as Iraq and the murder of Katie aren’t laughing matters. It could also be due to the that Danny Boyle is steadily maturing and seeing more and more of what folks will do to each other. The sprit of melancholy that appeared in the previous book blooms into a full flower here and creates a backdrop of Boyle questioning the past while trying to cope in the present.
“Mind Scrambler: A John Ceepak Mystery” is a good read that tells another strong Ceepak tale featuring plenty of action, interesting characters, and misdirection. But, it sadly lacks funny humor and what little humor present is a bitter sweet laughing with tears variety. The result is a good book that misses a vital element critical to the series.
Mind Scrambler: A John Ceepak Mystery
Chris Grabenstein
http://www.chrisgrabenstein.com
Minotaur Books (St. Martin’s Publishing Group)
http://www.minotaurbooks.com
June 2009
ISBN# 0-312-38231-6
Hardback
342 Pages
$24.95
Review copy provided directly by the author in exchange for my objective review.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2009
http://kevinrtipple.com/
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Reviewing: "Rough Country" by John Sandford
In just days Erica McDill was supposed to finally takeover the advertising agency Ruff-Harcourt-McDill in Minneapolis. With Ruff having died sometime back and Harcourt retired and finally willing to sell his stock to McDill the agency was almost in her grasp. Once he sold his shares, she would have seventy-five percent of the outstanding shares under her control and she would finally be able to get rid of the dead weight and move the agency forward. She was going to terminate employees at work and was thinking about terminating her relationship with her longtime lover, Ruth. The takeover of the agency would change everything and McDill had big plans. That was until a bullet tore through her head, ending her life, while she sat in a canoe-kayak hybrid on Stone Lake.
The bullet that ended McDill’s life ended Virgil Flowers’ vacation as well. Both Virgil and Johnson, his fishing buddy, were fishing in a tournament on Vermillion Lake in far northern Minnesota. With a fifteen year old girl, Little Linda Pelli, missing and resources tied up with that thanks to heavy media coverage, Lucas Davenport has no choice but to send Virgil to take a look. Not only is the local Sheriff, Bob Sanders, asking for help, McDill was a big Democrat and the Governor wants answers. Virgil has no choice and leaves the tournament to conduct the investigation.
Beyond the fact that the killer made a very good shot to kill McDill, actual clues at the scene are few. The investigation isn’t completely dead as there are links to a local band and its lead singer, a local lodge known to be frequented by lesbians, and various residents of the area. Because of the lesbian lifestyle practiced by many of the characters and other factors, Virgil is constantly blatantly lied to and misdirected as he conducts an investigation that for most of the book goes nowhere fast.
In between taking shots at Fox News and Liberals (an interesting combination, obviously created to hide author’s feelings), Virgil spends much of the novel in pursuit of not only the case, but a certain married woman whose husband has temporarily left her. While the language isn’t as crude as it has been in several of the most recent Lucas Davenport novels, there are nearly constant references to lesbianism in this book which is certain to offend some readers. All the references to the lesbianism of many of the characters as well as his pursuit of the married woman slows down the small amount of action in the novel considerably while at the same time padding word counts and page lengths.
Clearly it is an effort to put Virgil in a bit of a bind. A notorious womanizer, Virgil has no chance of conquest with many of the female characters due to their lesbianism. In case the reader isn’t able to figure that fact out on his or her own, there are constant references to the situation and how difficult it must be for Virgil not to have a chance. Heterosexuality stands out in this novel and, of course, Virgil finds himself heavily attracted to the one character with an absent husband. The feeling is mutual because Virgil Flowers has that effect on all women—regardless of their sexual preference.
The Flowers series has never had the intensity of the “Prey” series books and that isn’t changed here. Virgil Flowers spends much of his time insulting various folks while conducting his investigation and chasing after the married woman when he isn’t investigating the crime. “Rough Country” is weaker than the previous Flowers series novels (Dark of the Moon” and “Heat Lightening”), and one wishes that John Sandford would get back to the hard hitting suspense of the early “Prey” novels. This one not only doesn’t do that trick, it doesn’t rise to the level of a mediocre Lucas Davenport novel. If, as some have said, the various series are now being written by his son, it is unfortunate for the authors as well as readers.
Rough Country
John Sandford
http://www.johnsandford.org/
Center Point Publishing
http://www.centerpointlargeprint.com
2009
ISBN#978-1-60285586-1
Large Print Hardback
447 Pages
$34.95
Large print version provided by the good folks of the Plano, Texas Public Library System. Reviewed copy is set in 16-point Times New Roman type.
Kevin R. Tipple (c) 2009
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Reviewing: "The Night Monster: A Novel Of Suspense" by James Swain
Eighteen years ago, as a patrol officer, Jack Carpenter responded to an assault call at the Sunny Isle apartment complex. He made several mistakes that fateful day in 1992 and didn’t stop the abduction of Naomi Dunn. That event haunted and shaped his career with the Broward County Sheriff’s Department.
These days he is divorced, his daughter plays for the Lady Seminoles of Florida State Basketball team, and he has been booted off the police force leaving him free to run a business investigating missing persons. After single handily solving the latest child disappearance for his old unit (all members that he picked and trained and are frequently overwhelmed and call for his help despite the fact that he isn’t wanted around the department) his daughter asks for his help with a stalker problem. A creep is hanging around the team taking pictures and she is a bit rattled. That request leads to abduction and a chance to redeem himself regarding Naomi Dunn.
This latest in the Jack Carpenter series (“Midnight Rambler” and “Midnight Stalker”) features two brief appearances by the author’s signature and far more complex character Tony Valentine. Those brief appearances do little to help this book and come across more as author self indulgence more than anything. Despite the secondary title label of “a novel of suspense” there is very little suspense since it is clear from early on who the bad guys are. The read reminds one of a John Sandford’s Lucas Davenport series novels of recent years in that the character depth is non-existent, the bad guys are known virtually from the start, and the whole point is action, followed by more action, and still more action in hopes the reader doesn’t notice how weak the plot is. While Davenport has his team and Jack Carpenter is a one man band, both characters thrive off of coincidence, making routine mistakes that shouldn’t happen, and continuing the chase far longer than it should have needed to go on.
That being said, while it isn’t a Tony Valentine novel, it does provide cotton candy escapist reading for however long it takes you to finish the book. Considering the state of the world and publishing these days that might be the new normal standard.
The Night Monster: A Novel of Suspense
James Swain
http://www.jimswain.com/
Ballantine Books (Random House Publishing Group)
http://www.ballantinebooks.com
September, 2009
ISBN# 978-0-345-51546-9
336 Pages
$26.00
ARC for review was provided by the Amazon Vine Program in exchange for my objective review.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2009
Friday, November 27, 2009
Reviewing: "Hell Hole: A John Ceepak Mystery" by Chris Grabenstein
It is another summer in Sea Haven and police officer Danny Boyle and John Ceepak soon are involved in another case. While the tourism industry in Sea Haven seems safe this time around, little else is including their own lives. It begins at a party at a local rental house with a disturbance call.
Ceepak is off duty and Boyle is out on patrol with part time summer cop Samantha Starky. At the house are five very drunk soldiers on leave from Iraq. It would have been six. But, Corporal Smith is dead up at the Exit 52 of the Garden State Parkway in the rest area restroom due to what appears to be a self inflicted gunshot to the head.
Something doesn’t sit right with Boyle at the scene so he takes a couple of pictures using his cell phone camera. After all, it is out of his jurisdiction and he doesn’t have a way of involving himself in the case. Ceepak takes a look at the cell phone pictures and quickly sees what was subconsciously bothering Boyle. Not only does he see what is wrong with the scene, he also sees a way to involve Boyle and Ceepak in the investigation. An investigation that quickly leads into the fog of war and the differences between Ceepak and other men who call themselves patriotic Americans.
Missing a lot of humor present early in the series, this is a harder edged novel in tone and subject natter. It plays off of recent news headlines from the last couple of years in disturbingly familiar ways for readers. Unlike earlier books in the series, this isn’t escapist reading. Instead, especially in the last stages of the book, there is a certain preaching tone of work that conflicts with earlier books in the series.
At the same time, some of this isn’t surprising because Danny Boyle has grown up quickly. He had seen more then a couple of dead bodies, been shot at, had the woman he loved leave town, along with a few other things. Besides that, he is partnered with John Ceepak who will never be confused with a class clown. So, it was some what inevitable there would be at least some tone shift in the series as Danny Boyle matured.
Fourth in the series, this installment written by Anthony Award winner Chris Graberstein is another good read. Different then earlier books, many of the same elements are still there, and the character growth continues at a steady pace. The result is a read that will keep you involved right to the end.
Hell Hole
Chris Grabenstein
http://www.chrisgrabenstein.com
Minotaur Books (St. Martin’s Publishing Group)
http://www.minotuarbooks.com/
June 2009
ISBN# 0-312-56561-5
Paperback
290 Pages
$14.95
Material provided directly by the author in exchange for my objective review.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2009
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Review: "Breathing Water" by Timothy Hallinan
The card game wasn’t supposed to be high stakes enough to attract the “Big Guy” but it did. A simple poker game undercover operation designed to net lower level casino cheats has drawn “Khun Pan” one of the richest men in Thailand. Offended, he isn’t one to just let things go. A deal is struck and Raffery
gets Pan’s permission to write his autobiography. He wants to do it without interference from Pan. That is because, as the French writer Balzac pointed out long ago, behind every great fortune lays a great crime.
For Raffety interference in the form of increasingly violent threats toward himself and his family is all he gets. While Pan seems to be going along with the book project by giving him some controlled access to his life, others clearly are violently opposed to the idea. With his wife, Rose, and his adopted daughter, Miaow at stake along with his close friend police officer, Arthit feeling the pressure, Poke Rafferty walks a tight rope between opposing forces while he attempts to find the leverage to set everyone free.
Against a backdrop of race and economic conflict in Bangkok in particular and Thailand in general, Timothy Hallinan weaves a tale where the motives of the players seen and unseen aren’t very clear.
Third in the Poke Rafferty series, the novel brings the region to life in the way that only those who live there, as the author does, can do. The political and economic elements in the story are always present and quickly become a major character in the story.
That fact, coupled with plenty of action, intrigue and mystery creates a fast paced read. While it is third in the series and does cover a little of the back story familiar to series readers in the second half of the novel, it can be read as a stand alone if so desired. For once the promotional blurbs on the back of the book can be believed as this is a very good book.
Breathing Water
Timothy Hallinan
http://www.timothyhallinan.com/
William Morrow (Harper Collins Publishers)
http://www.harpercollins.com/
2009
ISBN# 978-0-06-167223-1
Hardback (also available in paperback, audio, and e-book versions)
346 Pages
$24.99
Review copy provided by PJ Nunn, owner of BreakThrough Promotions, in exchange for my objective review.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2009
gets Pan’s permission to write his autobiography. He wants to do it without interference from Pan. That is because, as the French writer Balzac pointed out long ago, behind every great fortune lays a great crime.For Raffety interference in the form of increasingly violent threats toward himself and his family is all he gets. While Pan seems to be going along with the book project by giving him some controlled access to his life, others clearly are violently opposed to the idea. With his wife, Rose, and his adopted daughter, Miaow at stake along with his close friend police officer, Arthit feeling the pressure, Poke Rafferty walks a tight rope between opposing forces while he attempts to find the leverage to set everyone free.
Against a backdrop of race and economic conflict in Bangkok in particular and Thailand in general, Timothy Hallinan weaves a tale where the motives of the players seen and unseen aren’t very clear.
Third in the Poke Rafferty series, the novel brings the region to life in the way that only those who live there, as the author does, can do. The political and economic elements in the story are always present and quickly become a major character in the story.
That fact, coupled with plenty of action, intrigue and mystery creates a fast paced read. While it is third in the series and does cover a little of the back story familiar to series readers in the second half of the novel, it can be read as a stand alone if so desired. For once the promotional blurbs on the back of the book can be believed as this is a very good book.
Breathing Water
Timothy Hallinan
http://www.timothyhallinan.com/
William Morrow (Harper Collins Publishers)
http://www.harpercollins.com/
2009
ISBN# 978-0-06-167223-1
Hardback (also available in paperback, audio, and e-book versions)
346 Pages
$24.99
Review copy provided by PJ Nunn, owner of BreakThrough Promotions, in exchange for my objective review.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2009
Sunday, November 22, 2009
.: Harlequin - bad idea or good idea?
I rarely do this, but the fact that Harlequin is doing this shocked me. Ed Gorman offers .: Harlequin - bad idea or good idea?
Something writers, as well as readers, need to read. Be sure to take the time to read the comments as well.
I know what I think. What do you think?
Kevin
Something writers, as well as readers, need to read. Be sure to take the time to read the comments as well.
I know what I think. What do you think?
Kevin
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Reviewing: "The Professional: A Spenser Novel" by Robert B. Parker
It begins, as many in this series do, in the classic way of a new client visiting the office of the private investigator. This October morning finds attorney Elizabeth Shaw at Spenser’s office. Referred to him by a mutual friend, Rita Fiore, she seeks Spenser’s help on behalf of a group of women who are being blackmailed.
It seems that a number of women have all been having an affair with a man by the mane of Gary Eisenhower. Things go well for varying periods of time and then he decides its time to cash in. He tells each one that he has proof of the adultery and will expose it unless they pay up. The women can’t afford to have it exposed publicly, or for their husbands to know, but can’t pay because their husband’s control the money needed to satisfy Eisenhower’s demands. What they want is for him to go quietly away and for Spenser to make it happen.
With limitations on what he will do and won’t do Spenser takes the case. Gary Eisenhower quickly proves to be an interesting man intent on keeping what is, for him at least, a good thing going. As the weeks pass and the sordid mess gets worse, Eisenhower begins to learn that there really can be too much of a good thing.
Formulaic and predictable, this is the usual Spenser type novel. Driven forward by dialogue and minimalistic descriptions, the case drags for months as things slowly deteriorate for the parties involved. Robert B. Parker ploughs no new ground for any of the major characters and that isn’t surprising. Much like Stuart Woods with his Stone Barrington character, Parker’s Spenser went two dimensional some time ago and that isn’t going to change. The same process seems to have attacked all of his characters as everyone in this book, good or bad, is a two dimensional and often stereotypical character.
That being said, this fast read will give the legions of Robert B. Parker fans exactly what they want and demand. There is no mistaking the fact that the author consistently delivers what a certain segment of the mystery reading community wants and from a business stand point that makes sense. Apparently there are legions of rabid readers who want light weight mystery fluff and they will surely love this latest effort. Those of us who like more substance to a read will be disappointed. The bottom line is that “The Professional” should be read by you for what it is. Expect nothing more and you too can be mindlessly happy.
The Professional: A Spenser Novel
Robert B. Parker
http://www.robertbparker.net/
Thorndike Press
http://thorndike.gale.com/
2009
ISBN# 1-4104-1740-9
Large Print Hardback
331 Pages
$35.95
Material provided by the good folks of the Plano, Texas Public Library System.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2009
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Reviewing: "The Silent Hour: A Lincoln Perry Mystery" by Michael Kortya
“The Silent Hour: A Lincoln Perry Mystery” opens with Private Investigator Lincoln Perry working solo while his partner Joe Pritchard mends in Florida. Perry is receiving letters from Parker Harrison, convicted murder, who is seeking his help. When the letter campaign doesn’t work, Harrison comes in person. Simplifying greatly, Harrison wants Perry to find the woman who owned the home “Whisper Ridge” where Parker Harrison first stayed on his release from prison. The home was unique as were its owners, Alexandra and Joshua Cantrell. She disappeared along with her husband, twelve years ago, and Harrison wants her found for a variety of reasons.
Harrison wants an ending to the story. He says he wants to know what happened to her. He claims there wasn’t a romantic interest and yet, it comes across to Perry that something was going on between the two. Along with being able to get under Perry’s skin and push his buttons, Harrison has the ability not to tell all while saying he is telling all. He manages to pull Perry into the case, one agonizing step at a time, and once he is in, not let go for anything.
While the book jacket states that, “… Michal Koryta has crafted an intricate, lightning paced thriller, ratcheting up the tension as he explores just how dangerous the offer of a second chance can be.” I would disagree. Intricate---it certainly is. Thriller -- it isn’t. Nor would I agree with the idea that the book has a lightning pace. Instead, this slow moving mystery novel is primarily a psychological character study of Lincoln Perry. As befitting fitting a fourth book of a series, usually a major turning point for the primary character, Perry is at a major crossroads. Guilt and fear have rightfully so become increasing burdens and Perry spends much of this book in contemplation regarding the human costs of his actions. Such mental gymnastics heightens the tension considerably and strengthens the complexity while also making it very important for readers to have read this series in order starting with the Edgar nominated first novel, “Tonight I Said Goodbye.”
Such mental contemplation of the past does noting to make the novel either a thriller or lightning paced. The fact that the jacket copy is so obviously incorrect does nothing to disprove the notion that this is a very good book. As long time readers know, Michal Kortya writes complex novels full of deep storylines, action, and intricate plots that create storylines that carry over from book to book. “the Silent Hour: A Lincoln Perry Mystery” is yet more proof that if you aren’t reading this author, you are missing one of the big names these days and for some time to come.
The Silent Hour: A Lincoln Perry Mystery
Michael Kortya
http://www.michaelkortya.com/
Minotaur Books (St. Martin’s Publishing Group)
http://www.minotaurbooks.com/
August 2009
ISBN# 0-312-36157-0
Hardback
311 Pages
$24.99
Material received from the good folks of the Plano, Texas Public Library System.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2009
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