Thursday, August 24, 2017
TEXAS BOOK LOVER: Review: THE BLINDS by Adam Sternbergh
TEXAS BOOK LOVER: Review: THE BLINDS by Adam Sternbergh: I reviewed The Blinds: A Novel (Ecco Books) by Adam Sternbergh for Lone Star Literary Life . This novel is an original fusion of mystery,...
Sandi Update 8/24/17
Sandi update---PICC line is in. BUT.....the antibiotics that were delivered last night are the wrong dosage and frequency as the doc changed things this morning. She also needs platelets. So, until all of that is handled, she is not coming home today. Looking at dinner time if not later.
Review: Only The Lucky: A Kate Burkholder Story by Linda Castillo
For Alma Fisher, the
party should be fun. She is going with a friend, Irene, and will meet up with
her boyfriend, Aden Keim. Two years older than her as he is now 20, she knows
Aden is a hard worker, and that she is in love. She is thrilled that he plans on
being baptized into the church next year further proving his devotion. She has
her sights on marrying him.
For the Chief of Police
Kate Burkholder the evening in Painters Mill, Ohio has been a quiet one. It is
a Friday evening in the spring and things are unusually quiet. She does not
know about the party the local teens are having. It is not just the Amish teens
that will attend; teens from the town and miles around will be there. It is
only when local Amish farmer Aaron Yonder comes to the station and requests
to see her that she learns what could be happening on this quiet evening. She
has known Aaron since they were kids and she knows that he does not come to see
her easily.
He knows what is
planned in the coming hours out at old Davenport place. He has heard whispers
and talk about the planned activities at midnight and has seen both cars and
Amish buggies headed out there. He believes that the place is haunted and that
“it is an ungodly gathering.” The fact that it is Friday the 13th
does not help matters. Nor does a murder.
While not at the
level of the books, Only The Lucky: A Kate Burkholder Story by Linda Castillo is a
pretty good one. It is significantly better than the previous short stories she
has done as tie-ins to the series. In this case, all the usual characters are
in place and the mystery has a couple of twists to it. Unfortunately, a couple
of time discrepancies are apparent and that tends to cause the reader to double
check the sequence of events as one works through the read. Despite the fact as
well as the obvious fact that the short story is a marketing gimmick designed to
wet appetites and interest readers into buying the latest novel, it does work
fairly well on its own.
Only The Lucky: A Kate Burkholder Story
Linda Castillo
Minotaur Books (St. Martin’s Press)
May 2017
ASIN: B06XKKFQBM
eBook only
56 Pages
$1.99
I picked this up to read and review back last May using funds in my Amazon Associate account.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2017
Wednesday, August 23, 2017
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Nevermore: Sinclair Lewis, Trinity, Fatal, Lafaye...
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Nevermore: Sinclair Lewis, Trinity, Fatal, Lafaye...: Reported by Ambrea Nevermore started our meeting off with a review of It Can’t Happen Here by Sinclair Lewis. Written during ...
A Writer's Life....Caroline Clemmons: WHAT DID YOU WANT?
A Writer's Life....Caroline Clemmons: WHAT DID YOU WANT?: Please leave a comment to be entered in my Bride Brigade Contest for a $50 Amazon Gift Card or PayPal cash, to be announced on August 28. Fo...
Sandi Update 8/23/17
Just got home from seeing her at the hospital. She was sitting up in a chair and doing okay when we arrived. They plan on putting a PICC line into her arm tomorrow and then sending her home later in the day. The timing of both events is up in the air right now. The home health care folks have already billed and processed my payment for the $600 they wanted for her out of pocket stuff on this so you know that things are being lined up to send her home asap.
I hope we all are ready.
I hope we all are ready.
Guest Post: Jeanne and Treadmill Books: Cats on Book Covers
Jeanne is back this
week with some thoughts on the phenomenon of putting cats on book covers…..
Treadmill Books: Cats
on Book Covers
Anyone who has browsed the
mystery paperback racks knows there are lots (and lots and lots) of books with
either cats or dogs on the cover. Being
partial to cats, I immediately gravitate to those. First I look to see how prominently the cat
is featured: is it a small, unobtrusive
cat or is it front and center? Front and
center gets my attention first, but I’ll also take a look at any with feline
present.
However, a cat on the cover doesn’t mean there’s a cat in
the book. Often authors feel obligated
to insert a passing cat to justify the image, such as, “I raced to my car to
follow the serial killer, and the neighborhood stray cat ran under the bushes
to get out of my way.” Authors, you don’t have to do that for me. I understand that these days a cat on a cover
is meant to convey that this is a cozy mystery, just as a plate of fried
chicken on a checkered tablecloth means Southern cozy. Actual fried chicken may or may not appear in
this book.
Actually, I don’t demand or even expect a cat be part of a
book. A well written book with complex,
likable characters or a clever plot that
keeps me engaged is a winner every time. In fact, some of my favorite mysteries
do not feature cats. Give me a sleuth, amateur or professional, with flaws but
who doesn’t wallow in self-pity, who doesn’t find a new lust object every book
or else who doesn’t think their Significant Other is cheating/leaving five
times a book, who follows up on clues without being foolhardy, and who is a
decent human being without being a saint or a doormat, and I’m in. Or else give
me a fiendishly clever solvable puzzle, one that will keep me guessing until
the end, and I’ll be happy.
So why do I look for covers with cats on them? When it comes to new authors and series, I
expect a certain percentage to be, well, average at best. In some cases it
takes time for characters to grow on me, and if there’s a cute cat around I can
be more patient. There have been books I
would have given up on long before the end if I hadn’t been hoping that terrific
tabby or adorable angora might show up again. They’re my backup plan. Some of
these series have become fairly decent series, despite lackluster beginnnings;
I hung in there only because of Muffy the Maine Coon or Simone the Siamese, and
now I’m glad I did. If there’s a cat on the cover, but no cat in the book , it’s
okay providing the book meets the above criteria, i.e., is well written with
complex characters and a decent plot.
Also, there are books in which the cats are the ONLY
redeeming quality. I’ve read more than a
couple of tales in which the amateur sleuth needs to be hit in the head with a common sense
stick or else needs to develop a backbone or learn to follow up on clues before
she or he ends up the next victim—the acronym TSTL exists for a reason. I may swear I’ll never read another book by
the Honorable Mrs. Mewington, but when a new book comes out with Charming Billy
the grey tabby or Crazy Fred the ring-tailed wonder or amiable Melon the
overweight ginger and white on the cover, I tell myself that surely it couldn’t
have been as bad as I remembered and find myself buying a copy.
I will add one caveat, though: if there is a cat on the cover but the only
time a cat is mentioned is when the heroine complains about stray cats being a
nuisance, then that’s an immediate deal breaker. I don’t ask that the author and/or heroine
LIKE cats, but I draw the line at active dislike. And yes, there was such a
book. The heroine was so-so, a
supporting character was really annoying, the rest of the characters were
bland, and I don’t remember any of the plot, though I assume there was
one. The cat was my only hope, and when
that was dashed, the book became a rare DNF.
Tuesday, August 22, 2017
Sandi Update 8/22/17
Just talked to Sandi tonight and she is doing okay. They removed the tri fusion port this afternoon. They are now running what they need to do through one IV that is located in her right arm halfway between her wrist and her elbow. Currently that is one bag of antibiotics after another one with each one being a different antibiotic. After getting multiple units of blood and platelets this morning it looks like they are not planning to repeat that tomorrow.
Fortunately, she is not in much pain and has been able to crochet. Her mood is pretty good though she is a bit bored and restless and is not finding anything on TV to take her mind off of things. She can still hear and she is thrilled with that fact and hope it holds.
So, I think things are as good as they can be right now. Or, as she put it again tonight, "It is what it is."
Fortunately, she is not in much pain and has been able to crochet. Her mood is pretty good though she is a bit bored and restless and is not finding anything on TV to take her mind off of things. She can still hear and she is thrilled with that fact and hope it holds.
So, I think things are as good as they can be right now. Or, as she put it again tonight, "It is what it is."
MWA meeting Saturday, September 2, 2017
September 2, 2017 - Shelley Kaehr, Ph.D. "The Wacky and Unpredictable World of Writing and Publishing."
Shelley
Kaehr, Ph.D. began her writing career as a newspaper editor-in-chief.
She opened a publishing company in 1994 and became a nationally known
past life regressionist and authority on the practical applications of
gems and stones after authoring dozens of books on the mind-body
connection. Her work has been featured on such programs as Coast to Coast AM with George Noory and William Shatner’s Weird or What.
Shelley
also writes horror and science fiction under the pen name Annette
Shelley and romance under the pen name Leah Leonard. When she's not
writing, Shelley loves to travel and owns a Cruise Planners
franchise. She is a member of the Horror Writer's Association and NTMWA
and will talk to our group about her experiences in the wacky and
unpredictable world of writing and publishing.
Member Internet Press Guild
Portfolio
Bill Crider's Pop Culture Magazine: Two New Ones from Stark House
Bill Crider's Pop Culture Magazine: Two New Ones from Stark House: Stark House and its Black Gat imprint have two great new publications, both from Clifton Adams. Here's my review, from Steve Lewis'...
Review: Geronimo Must Die by J. R. Lindermuth
There is unrest on
the San Carlos Indian Reservation in Arizona in the late 1800s as some are agitating
for the Indians to unite and leave. There are rumors that those chiefs who
oppose leaving will be killed. That includes Geronimo who was just shot as Geronimo
Must Die by J. R. Lindermuth begins.
Mickey Free, whose
mixed race ancestry is uncertain and was raised among the White Mountain
Apaches, does not think the shooting at Geronimo was faked, though others,
including his superiors, certainly do. Serving as a scout for the U.S. Army,
Mickey moves about the reservation quietly drifting through the camps of the
various groups while listening to what is being said. It is a dangerous
practice at the best of times, and far more dangerous now as some actively work
against peace.
Before long, Mickey Free
has a contact among those in the rebellion and begins to work at the edges of
the conspiracy against Geronimo and others. As he slowly works his way closer
to the discovering the elusive identity of the person behind the conspiracy, he
increasingly puts his own life at stake. Having saved Geronimo twice before,
the third time may not be the charm for either one of them.
Along with the
mystery at work in Geronimo must die, there is plenty about the history and
political situation for the Indians on the reservations. While San Carlos is
the location, these same issues existed elsewhere throughout the country. This
social commentary, often delivered from Mickey’s perspective, serves to enhance
the mystery.
Geronimo Must Die is a solidly good western from J. R.
Lindermuth. As in other books from this author, while the genre is primarily western,
there is a strong mystery element that runs throughout the work. Complex and
nuanced this western has fully developed characters, a complicated mystery, a
hint of romance, and plenty of history that brings the book alive for the
reader. Geronimo Must Die is another very good read from author J. R.
Lindermuth and well worth your time.
Geronimo Must Die
J. R. Lindermuth
Sundown Press
March 2017
ISBN# 978-1544076515
eBook (also available in paperback)
104 Pages
$2.99
Material supplied by the author quite
some time ago in exchange for my objective review.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2017
Monday, August 21, 2017
Sandi Update 8/21/17
Having talked to her a couple of times today I was already aware that by noon she had learn that the planned port removal surgery was not happening today as she was not on their schedule. As we had discussed, that might have been a good thing as that would mean she would be on heavy antibiotics for another day to deal with the bacterial blood infection before they again opened her up to do something. It also had become clear that they had to do yet another multi unit blood and platelet transfusion.
When we got home from UTD tonight, less than an hour ago, Scott called her and then after a few minutes I was on the phone with her. Upon further review of the x-rays, it turns out she did break her right rib. It is apparently a hairline fracture and the rib did not displace so it should heal without any intervention. At this time, they do not see any breaks anywhere else.
The plan for tomorrow is for the port to come out. At this point, we do not know when. She has been told that she is probably getting more blood and platelets tomorrow and they will do that by way of fresh needle inserts through each hand. Obviously, when they do that, it pretty much is going to shut down her ability to crochet as it will hurt far too much. Of course, if they do this tomorrow after the port surgery, she will be so heavily pain medicated that she won't be able to crochet or do anything anyway.
"It is what it is" has been her mantra the last few days and that hasn't changed tonight. The fight goes on.
When we got home from UTD tonight, less than an hour ago, Scott called her and then after a few minutes I was on the phone with her. Upon further review of the x-rays, it turns out she did break her right rib. It is apparently a hairline fracture and the rib did not displace so it should heal without any intervention. At this time, they do not see any breaks anywhere else.
The plan for tomorrow is for the port to come out. At this point, we do not know when. She has been told that she is probably getting more blood and platelets tomorrow and they will do that by way of fresh needle inserts through each hand. Obviously, when they do that, it pretty much is going to shut down her ability to crochet as it will hurt far too much. Of course, if they do this tomorrow after the port surgery, she will be so heavily pain medicated that she won't be able to crochet or do anything anyway.
"It is what it is" has been her mantra the last few days and that hasn't changed tonight. The fight goes on.
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: They Left Us Everything: A Memoir by Plum Johnson
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: They Left Us Everything: A Memoir by Plum Johnson: Reviewed by Kristin How do you let go of a house infused with a lifetime of memories? After her mother’s death, Plum Johnson ...
Mystery Fanfare: Solar Eclipse Fiction
Mystery Fanfare: Solar Eclipse Fiction: I was thinking about books that feature solar eclipses , and the one that immediately came to mind was Jane Langton's Dark Nantucket ...
A Writer's Life....Caroline Clemmons: RACHEL, FREIGHT WAGONS, AND PRISON
A Writer's Life....Caroline Clemmons: RACHEL, FREIGHT WAGONS, AND PRISON: Please leave a comment to be entered in my $50 giveaway and check the Rafflecopter to enter the Back To School $250 giveaway at the end of ...
WELCOME TO HELL ~ by Glenn Walker: RIP Jerry Lewis
WELCOME TO HELL ~ by Glenn Walker: RIP Jerry Lewis: I was saddened to learn of the passing of Jerry Lewis earlier today. Not just a Hollywood legend, but an award-winning actor, writer, di...
TEXAS BOOK LOVER: Monday Roundup: TEXAS LITERARY CALENDAR 8/21-27
TEXAS BOOK LOVER: Monday Roundup: TEXAS LITERARY CALENDAR 8/21-27: Bookish events in Texas for the week of August 21-27, 2017: Special Events: TEDx Sugar Land , August 26 Ongoing Exhibits: Illustra...
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