Wild Tales

"Fire and Dynamite" | Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors

2012-01-29T11:45:00.001Z

"You are a novel in a sea of magazines."

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Book Review: The House of Silk by Anthony Horowitz

2012-01-18T20:39:00.001Z

The House of Silk: The New Sherlock Holmes Novel by Anthony Horowitz
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Some of my favourite stories are of the adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson. There have been many "non-Conan Doyle" tales since the last of the original stories was written, very few of those come close to the originals. The House of Silk, is however one of the few exceptions.

The language and writing style is much closer to the original, and certainly the story is well plotted. It did seem to lack some of the original excitement and magic of Sherlock Holmes, and I felt at times that some of Holmes' investigation was a little clumsy. Something that Conan-Doyle would never have included.

Despite the above, I have to say I enjoyed the story, and there was still a little twist at the end which I didn't see coming, even though I had managed to work out part of the main plot.

I look forward to Anthony Horowitz, writing more stories including Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson.

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Back To The Classics Book Challenge 2012: Anton Chekov - The Seagull

2012-01-14T10:34:00.001Z

I kicked off this challenge with one of the books that I was most unsure about, I thought I'd get at least one of the ones that I thought I would be least likely to enjoy out of the way first.

This one sits in the Classic Play category, and is a play that I have never seen performed or read before but one that I have heard many people talk about. It's a complicated tale between multiple characters set on a lakeside in Russia. As a straightforward read, it might be considered a bit dull, but I think seeing it performed would be something quite different. The dialogue is quite glorious, but as a play it lacks the scenery and intereaction between the characters that you would get were it say, a novel. However from the dialogue alone the complexities between the characters and their loves and losses kept me engaged.

My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars, I liked it.

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Books of 2011 # 1 Top Read of 2011!

2011-12-31T06:00:00.001Z

Well here we are, after a month of looking back over my reads of 2011, at my top book recommendation for the year. As I said yesterday each one of the top three is worthy of the top spot in it's own way, but what gives this one the edge is two-fold. It's a collection of short stories, and it is the first and the last stories that push it that little bit higher than all of the other thirty books that have come before it, and above all seventy-one others that I have read this year. If you've read it, you'll know what I mean, if you haven't then I recommend you get hold of a copy without delay (but you really should read the book that is a number three first).

Adventures of Cash Laramie and Gideon Miles, Vol. II by Edward A. Grainger
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the second volume of stories from Edward A. Grainger a.k.a David Cranmer, and although I gave Vol I five stars too, this second volume has the edge over it's predecessor in my opinion.

Vol II contains seven new stories including the novella “Origins of White Deer”, which is Cash Laramie's back story and a sensational ending story in “Reflections in a Glass of Maryland Rye”, which leaves a world of possibilities for a third volume.

Each story is well written, and really conveys what I imagine the old west to have been like. Life was hard, and justice swift, if you lived by the gun you could expect to die the same way.

Each story is an original but they all sit well together as a collection, seeing Laramie & Miles tracking down criminals and seeing justice done.

Bought up on doses of John Wayne and others, I seem to have neglected the western genre when it comes to my reading material. The adventures of Laramie and Miles however leave me wanting more, if I had to criticise, it would only be to say the book is too short.

That said both Vol I & Vol II are available on Amazon for 86p ($0.99) each, and I would recommend anyone to go and check them out, whether you consider you like westerns or not as they are both great, great reads.

Highly recommended!

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Books of 2011 # 2 - Lake Charles by Ed Lynskey

2011-12-30T06:00:00.001Z

The top three books in this review are exceptionally hard to separate. Each in its own way is worthy of the top spot, and Lake Charles is a very worthy runner-up.

Lake Charles: A Mystery Novel by Ed Lynskey
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It’s the summer of 1979 and Brendan Fishback, his sister Edna and brother-in-law Cobb Kuzawa are heading to Lake Charles to do some bass fishing and have a good time.

Brendan has the spectre of a murder charge hanging over his head, a crime that he didn’t commit, and this might be the last chance he gets to cut loose before his trial.

Lake Charles isn’t the same place that it was though, once a haven for leisure, it’s now run-down and in a bad way, and it isn’t long before Brendan’s situation goes from bad to worse. His sister disappears and Brendan and Cobb run up against some back-country marijuana growers while trying to find her.

“Lake Charles” is told by Brendan in the first person and also through the clever use of flashbacks in dreams in Brendan’s mind’s eye. In this way Ed Lynskey writes a novel that oozes evil and violence by turn. As the story unfolds you are caught time and again by another punch to the guts in terms of a twist in the plot or a revelation that you didn’t see coming. Page after page, I found myself thinking about things I wanted to include in this review, but without giving too many spoilers that would have made this review too long, and given away too much of the plot.

The story carries an air of realism, and is grounded with the practicalities of the late ‘70s, this gives it an edge in terms of pace and dialogue that wouldn’t have been possible with a more modern setting. The characters feel complete and as a result as the plot turns, you become embedded in what is happening to them and wondering what the next shock will be.

This is the first novel I have read by this author, but I will certainly be looking out for others, and would recommend “Lake Charles” if you like a good crime or mystery.

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What's In My Bag?

2011-12-29T10:08:00.001Z

I though it was time for another comparison to the last time I posted this here.

There have been a few changes, most notably an iPad has replaced the small laptop I used to carry, and the backpack itself is now a larger version than the previous one. I love SwissGear kit, it's well thought out, functional and tough as nails.

Here's the full list for now:

Pencil case, contains mainly markers and other presentation pens
Tissues
Moo business cards and stickers and work business cards
Notebook and post-its
Rail season ticket
Access pass and keys
Emergency dog biscuits
Paracetamols and ibuprofen
£1 coins in film cannister (for car parking machines and emergency coffees)
iPad
Sunglasses
iPhone 3Gs & i-Phone charger
Assorted memory sticks & extension cables
Power Monkey Explorer and power tips

A version of this photo with annotations is available on flickr here.

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Books of 2011 # 3 - Adventures of Cash Laramie & Gideon Miles by Edward A Grainger

2011-12-29T06:00:00.001Z

Essentially a collection of short stories, this book is for Western novels, what Unforgiven was for the Western movie. Worth every one of it's Five Stars!

Adventures of Cash Laramie and Gideon Miles by Edward A. Grainger
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was my introduction to the characters of Cash Laramie and Gideon Miles, and I wasn't disappointed. A selection of short stories, that show the violence of the old west and the principles that the lawmen of that time held dear is well portrayed.

A highly recommended read.

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Books of 2011 # 4 - Macbeth by David Hewson & A J Hartley

2011-12-28T06:00:00.001Z

The only audiobook in the top thirty-one, but what an audiobook. As the review says think you know Macbeth? Think again.

Macbeth: A Novel by A.J. Hartley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Think you know the tale of Macbeth?

Think again.

This retelling of the tale by David Hewson and A J Hartley is just simply amazing. Bringing a new depth to the story, this is no repeating the original Shakespeare but an inspired reworking, incredibly bought to life by the vocal talents of Alan Cumming.

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Books of 2011 # 5 - The Road to Somewhere by James A Reeves

2011-12-27T06:00:00.001Z

OK the top 5, and this is a nomadic road trip and a look at a country that I'm not sure if the author fully recognised. Great pictures and words, well worth a read.

The Road to Somewhere: An American Memoir by James A. Reeves
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is much more than another book about a journey across America. This is a memoir of discovery both of the author and of his native country.

Beautifully illustrated throughout, with the authors own photographs, this book tells the story of many times when the author would take off and try to find both himself and his country.

There is an openness and honesty about both the words and the pictures, that kept me repeatedly picking the book up, and being disappointed when I had finished it. So much so, that I know I will be picking it up again in the near future to read through again.

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Books of 2011 # 6 - Carnival for the Dead by David Hewson

2011-12-26T06:00:00.001Z

Just outside the top five spot, and a book that only had a limited release in 2011, with it's major release coming in January 2012.

Carnival for the Dead by David Hewson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Once again David Hewson transports his readers to the magical city of Venice, Italy. It is Teresa Lupo, Chief Forensic Pathologist for the Questura in Rome who takes the lead on this occasion whilst colleagues Falcone, Peroni and Costa are on secret assignment.
Lupo has travelled to Venice to look for her Aunt Sofia who has mysteriously disappeared, leaving little explanation as to why, or her current whereabouts. It is the time of the Carnival, as Teresa tries to find her Aunt, and a series of events unfold that lead the reader on a tableau of adventure across the great city of islands, and where those dressed in Carnival costume may not be all they appear to be.

This is the tenth novel in the “Costa” series, and the third time that David Hewson has taken us to Venice (The Lizard’s Bite & The Cemetery of Secrets, being the other two, and it is nice to see some homage to both of those novels within the pages of this latest one).

It is rare that a book makes me change my plans or keeps me reading up late into the night these days, but Carnival for the Dead has done both of those things over the last three days. Keeping me turning the pages and setting the standard for crime novels, this story unfolds a tale of mystery, history and culture set in one of the worlds great cities.

The history is well researched and the author manages to weave the history and culture into the pages, bringing the story to life. It brings a depth and colour to the pages that it is easy to picture oneself in the great city, with the same sights, sounds and smells as the characters on the pages.

David Hewson is a master storyteller, and this book is no exception, it is one of his best and finest to date and this series has been getting better and better.

If you are looking for a great story, and want to transport yourself to another place, then I strongly recommend this book.

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Books of 2011 # 7 - Dumb White Husband vs The Grocery Store by Benjamin Wallace

2011-12-25T06:00:00.001Z

Trust the Dumb White Husband to make an appearance, and on Christmas Day of all days! Well if you're feeling a little overfull from too much Christmas Dinner, you could do worse than going on to Amazon and downloading this little short, particularly if you got yourself a new kindle for Christmas!

Dumb White Husband vs. The Grocery Store by Benjamin Wallace
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

There's a little bit of every male, in the dumb white husband. Benjamin Wallace is a keen observer of the human male animal, either that or he's seen me at the self-service checkout at the supermarket!

This is a great little short jaunt.

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Books of 2011 # 8 - Meet The Dogs of Bedlam Farm

2011-12-24T06:00:00.001Z

The only children's book to make the list, but of course it is also a doggy book!

Meet the Dogs of Bedlam Farm by Jon Katz
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is Jon Katz's first children's book, and is a tale of his four dogs; Rose, Izzy, Frieda and Lenore, who live with him on Bedlam Farm.

A relatively short book it is beautifully illustrated with Jon's own photographs. Recommended for dog lovers and children of all ages ;)

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Book Review: Ark by Charles McCarry

2011-12-23T11:39:00.001Z

About the book:

Earth’s wealthiest man attempts to save humanity from an impending apocalypse

The planet’s first and only trillionaire, Henry Peel, did not make his fortune by being a fool. A gifted inventor and scientist, he possesses an imagination on the scale of history’s greatest thinkers, and he has turned it to the problem of Earth’s core. Two decades ago, scientists learned that the core spins faster than the rest of the planet, storing up a cache of energy that, if released, could cause an earthquake that would obliterate human life. To begin mankind anew, Henry Peel is going to lead us to the stars.

He gathers the world’s leading physicists and engineers and asks them to design a spaceship large enough to safeguard a sample of humanity and durable enough to survive a thousand-year voyage. Money is no object, but time is short. The apocalypse is on its way.

My Review:

This is the first book by Charles McCarry that I have read but I wasn't disappointed. It cleverly mixes fiction and science fact to deliver an intriguing tale that kept me turn the electronic pages of my kindle into the night. Told in the first person, or rather observed by the narrator the story takes the reader around the world and presents and develops characters that make the book very real and give a tremendous amount of depth.

The book was a little slow to begin with, but quickly picked up and the detail of the tale was great. It was this attention to detail, and the combinations of genres that worked well, it's never quite clear where fact and fiction blend together to create something quite different.

I was reminded of the late Michael Crichton at his best, reading this novel, and Charles McCarry can weave a tale in the same way that Crichton could, keeping the reader guessing what's going to happen next but making the outcome believable.

A strong and intriguing read, recommended.

My Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars.

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Books of 2011 # 9 - An Angel With Fur by Russell Blake

2011-12-23T06:00:00.001Z

Russell Blake is an author that I have only come across this year, and this was a book he sent me for a review. Readers of my blog will know I am a sucker for Dog Stories, and this one is no exception. Great to see it in the Top Ten!

An Angel With Fur by Russell Blake
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

An Angel With Fur is no ordinary doggy tale, and it's star ’Lobo’, is no ordinary dog.

Russell Blake narrates the story of how he came to own Lobo and some of the adventures that they had together. Starting from when Russell went ’just to have a look around’ the animal shelter. This true story unfolds and shows the development of the relationship between Lobo and Russell and some of their other canine companions.

I'm sure that many dog owners will recognise aspects of their relationships with their own dogs in this story, and see how incredible the relationship between Russell and Lobo becomes.

This short book packs much within it's pages, and as the story unfolds and the chapters pass, the very engaging prose, bring smiles, tears and laugh-out loud moments by turn. The book is well illustrated with the authors own photographs, and there are links to the authors website where there is a dedicated “Lobo” page, with more photographs and video links.

As regular readers of my blog will know, I read many a ’dog’ book, and I rate this amongst the best of them. Russell Blake is a master storyteller, and Lobo the perfect dog tale to tell.

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Book Review: Exit 9 by Brett Battles

2011-12-22T17:48:00.001Z

Exit 9 is the second book in the Project Eden series, Sick is the first book and although you don't need to read it first you probably should just because it too is a great book!

Exit 9 continues the story of potentially world ending terrorism with Project Eden seeking to change the world forever.

The story continues to follow Daniel Ash, and a number of other characters, but now lines between good and evil are a little more blurred than they were before, trust no one!

Brett Battles has another awesome book here, the well thought out plot takes you scene by scene through at an increasing pace to an absolute cliff-hanging ending which will have you crying out for the next book in the series. Twists throughout mean that it's difficult to tell who is on who's side, and the fast moving plot will leave you breathless guessing who is going to prevail.

The characters are well rounded, with many developing more than they did in the first book.

The technical aspects of the book and how it deals with the relevant science, gadgets and weapons are all well researched and believable, and this gives great depth to the overall story.

Don't expect a nice a tidy conculsion though, there are only two books that have ever given me nightmares while I've been reading them, Salem's Lot was the first and Exit 9 by Brett Battles is the other.

My Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars - I Loved it!

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Recent Photos

2011-12-22T14:39:00.001Z

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Books of 2011 # 11 - A Troubled Man by Henning Mankell

2011-12-21T06:00:00.001Z

Another one that in some ways could easily have been more highly placed. The top Scandanavian writer in my view, and one of the top fictional detectives in Kurt Wallander. A shame that the series has come to an end, in many ways prematurely in my opinion, but then I am not the author and it is not my place to say whether a character should continue or not. At least the series went out strongly.

The Troubled Man by Henning Mankell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Now right up front I need to say that I love the character of Kurt Wallander, and in many ways I am disappointed to see this series come to an end.

Having said that I felt there was much more that could have been done with the character, and although I think I know and understand the reasons behind why Henning Mankell has made the ending of this book (and the fact that there is unlikely to be any further Linda Wallander stories) the way he has, I was disappointed with the end of this book.

It needed to have the epilogue to wrap up some of the loose plot threads, but I feel that this could have been done in later books. The main plot overall was OK. Not one of the best mysteries that has been written, and perhaps if you live outside of Sweden not something that will be immediately familiar to the reader but it is carried through well and there is an unexpected twist towards the end that I hadn't seen coming.

Only four stars because of the way Mankell dealt with the ending and the epilogue, it left me feeling disappointed. After all the intervening years between Before The Frost and The Troubled Man I would rather that there had not been another Wallander tale, rather than the way this one ended. Perhaps if you read this, do so without reading the epilogue!

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Books of 2011 # 12 - Concrete Pearl by Vincent Zandri

2011-12-20T06:00:00.001Z

This was a tough choice not for this to make it into the top 10, as it is a cracking good read, but others just have the edge on it.

Concrete Pearl by Vincent Zandri
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Vincent Zandri is one hell of a writer. He’s the author of other thrillers such as The Innocent, Godchild and The Remains (my review of The Remains is here), but Vincent scares me, he makes me wonder where he gets his inspiration, if it’s as true to life as it seems; I’m worried!

Concrete Pearl twists and shocks from the first page to the last. The main character, Ava “Spike” Harrison, she got her name from impaling her foot on a six-penny nail on the first construction site she worked on, is about to have a very bad day.

She’s the boss of Harrison Construction, the company that was originally her beloved fathers, and now Spike’s the boss. She’s a tough, no nonsense character who will never give up, never roll-over. Harrison Construction already has a number of health and safety convictions, accidents that weren’t Spike’s fault but corporately the company takes the hit. Today it’s going to get a lot worse. Today asbestos is going to be found on the current work site. That work site’s a school. Worse; that work site is a school that still has children in it while the work carries on around them. Asbestos contamination might equal sick kids. Cancer. Dead. Kids.

The authorities shut the site down, Spike’s company is under suspicion of negligence, but Spike’s company sub-contracted the asbestos removal and now the removal company and the lab that verified their test results, have shut-down, they've vanished. Spike needs to find them and settle what’s happened and clear her name.

The characters are lifelike and believable, some are so believable that you’ll hate them, want to take them out yourself. You’ll feel for others, want to help them. All the characters make this book the more believable page, after page, to the last page.

Zandri winds the plot tighter and tighter, he squeezes his lead character to incredible levels. You wonder if she will ever sort out her problems as with each page a new issue raises its ugly head. As accusations of negligence move to accusations of murder, the author redefines the term “thriller”.

As you think Spike is buried deep, Zandri turns the plot in her favour, revelation follows revelation. You start to wonder just who you can trust. Is anyone innocent? Some are. Zandri manages to tie up a plot and leave the reader very satisfied. What happens to Spike? Well you’ll just have to read the book and find out for yourself.

At the start of this review, I questioned the author’s inspiration, why? Well simply because I did a little reading around, his blog, other reviews before I read this book. Vincent Zandri appears to borrow from his own life as part of his books. A character in the books’ son is born on Halloween, I understand that Zandri’s son is too, and Spike’s family name, Zandris son’s name. So then what is it that Vincent Zandri knows about the construction industry, it’s claimed that this a fictional story based on real events?

Whether this is true or not it doesn’t really matter, because Zandri is one hell of an author, and although he is well published and sells books, he’s probably not the household name of the likes of Patterson or Brown; Clancy or Child; but he deserves to be. Zandri deserves to be the author I see in the window of Waterstones as I walk down the high street; to be in the 3 for 2’s. The one that everyone is talking about, the one that is on bigger blogs than mine. That’s what he deserves, I hope he gets it, but either way I’m buying his next book, and probably the one after that. It’s rare to find an author that you want to read book after book, but Vincent Zandri is in that league.

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Books of 2011 # 14 - Savage Run by C J Box

2011-12-18T06:00:00.001Z

Another entry for C J Box in my top thirty-one of 2011.

Savage Run by C.J. Box
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the second Joe Pickett novel and the series is getting stronger.

The series is set in some amazing scenic backcountry, and Joe Pickett is a pleasantly flawed lead character. Unlike many flawed heroes in crime novels, Joe is just human. He's mucked up a few times, but he believes in what he does.

Although I enjoyed the story, there was an element of predictability about it, but not so much that the overall story suffered, I think I would just rather have known a little less about what was going on in the background and therefore the way the story unfolded would have been a little less obvious.

The strengths of this series; the backcountry and Joe Pickett mean that I'll be returning to it again soon, for the third instalment

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Books of 2011 # 15 - Rose In A Storm by Jon Katz

2011-12-17T06:00:00.001Z

Jon Katz is one of my favourite authors, and another who features multiple times in this list. This is an unusual book, in that it's a work of fiction which is a departure away from his normal non-fictional works. Still just as good though.

Rose in a Storm by Jon Katz
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A very spiritual book. A tale of Rose, Sam, Flash and the other animals of the farm during a terrifying storm.

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Books of 2011 # 16 - Sixty Days and Counting by Kim Stanley Robinson

2011-12-16T06:00:00.001Z

In truth this was a re-read, but it is a great story and worth a second reading. The story could so easily be what the human race is facing soon. Power outages, food shortages, out of control climate change. Mother Nature sticking it to the humans who've abused the planet for too long.

Sixty Days and Counting by Kim Stanley Robinson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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Books of 2011 # 17 - Fire Season by Philip Connors

2011-12-15T06:00:00.001Z

This is much more of a nature book than it at first appears, again one that appeals to my nomadic self a little.

Fire Season: Field Notes from a Wilderness Lookout by Philip Connors
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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Book Review: Remington & The Mysterious Fedora by Chuck Waldron

2011-12-13T06:00:00.001Z

Book Summary:

Surprise is in store when, in the back of a strange used goods store, Josh finds an old Remington typewriter and a fedora with some very mysterious powers. As Josh embarks on his first novel writing adventure, he finds that his new hat has its own story to tell – of a time before history began – and is quite demanding of Josh’s attention. As the story consumes him, Josh’s life begins to unravel, and he soon finds he is unable to separate himself from the hat and the story. When the last page is written, Josh is left with more questions than answers…both about the story and his own life.

Review:

In many ways this is a book within a book, the story of Josh and his discovery of a magical fedora hat, and an old Remington typewriter, and the story that Josh (and others) write on that typewriter under the influence of the hat. The concept is an interesting and intriguing one, in many ways any writer would like a magical hat that helps them produce their next bestseller but this hat is not as straightforward as that. This hat becomes all consuming, taking over lives as it becomes contagious and pushing people to the edge.

As the book unfolds it tells the story of Josh, but also of the story that Josh is writing with the aid of his hat, hence there are two tales being told here. One is set in the here and now, and the other in another time, and possibly another place. This is an interesting plot device and the two stories play out during the course of the book. It does mean that neither are really told in detail as the plot shifts from one to the other, but it is a good idea none the less.

The book is a short one (under 300 pages), and the language simple and easy to read. However I was longing for something more descriptive, and consequently more engaging but this just wasn’t there in this book. I was engaged more in the inner book rather than the story of Josh, and often found myself wanting to get through the bits with Josh and back to the other story! I really wanted the author to have done more for both of the stories, for the development of the characters who were a little one dimensional and lacked depth. This didn’t happen however, and I feel that this was a missed opportunity by the author and a chance to engage the reader much more than I felt.

This was an interesting read, with a couple of strong plot devices. The story within a story works well, with the fedora and Remington typewriter driving both. In the story of Josh the hat and typewriter drive him and his friends like an addiction, which like other addictions takes over their lives. This results in the other story developing, being told, and the tale of the characters there developing, and some paralells developing between the two.

Overall this was a good read, I'd like to have seen more character development overall, and with Josh's storyline in particular but the other story made up with this as there was plenty there.

3 out of 5 Stars - I liked it.

About the author:

U.S. born, Canadian novelist Chuck Waldron is currently working on his fourth novel, a thriller about an investigative blogger who uncovers more than he ever imagines…and has no idea what to do with his discovery.

His first novel, Tears in the Dust, is a mystery set against the backdrop of the Spanish Civil War in 1937. When Alestair Ferguson volunteers to fight in the International Brigade he doesn’t realize the true price he will have to pay. Chuck’s second novel, Remington and the Mysterious Fedora, is a quirky fantasy, a story about what happens when a young man sits at the keyboard of a manual typewriter and puts on an old fedora. When the fedora and its mysterious power begins to whisper a story to him, the young man has a strange adventure indeed. His third novel, Served Cold, spans decades and stretches from the countryside of rural Ontario to a quiet artists’ studio in Tucson, Arizona. With lots of murder and mayhem in between, the story is what happens when a long-standing feud erupts into hot-blooded vengeance.

Chuck wrote over thirty short stories before setting out to write novels that are affordable and entertaining. He has attended writing workshops in Iowa, Florida, Georgia and Ontario, Canada.

“I grew up,” Chuck said, “listening to my grandfather, an Ozark Mountain story teller, spinning tales of the caves on his farm, describing them as hiding places once used by the Jesse & Frank James’ gang. It didn’t matter if the stories were true or not. Those legends set fire to my imagination, creating images that emerged slowly over the years, finally igniting as my short stories and novels.”

Now, thirty-plus short stories and three novels later, ideas keep coming, with more novels under development. Do they share anything in common? Each has its own unique voice and tale to tell, yet, at their heart, his stories tell about the human condition – the good, the bad and the ugly.

Chuck adds, “stored images that echo in my writing include train whistles in the night, Norman Rockwell childhood scenes, U.S. Army memories, blue collar jobs, university, a professonal career, and finally retirement. Many of my images are drawn from this pool of memories: places visited, sights seen, and people met. The rest I filled in with my imagination: dreams of places yet to be visited, sights yet to be seen, and people yet to be met.”

His literary roots were planted in the American Midwest and thrived when transplanted – over thirty-nine years ago – to the rich, cultural soil of Ontario. He and his wife, Suzanne, spend their summers in Kitchener, Ontario and are warmed by a winter sun in Port St. Lucie, Florida.

You can visit Chuck at http://www.writebyme.ca and at www.chuckwaldron.com.

Visit him at Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/writebyme and Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/wordstir.

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Guest Post From Chuck Waldron, Author of Remington & the Mysterious Fedora

2011-12-12T06:00:00.001Z

Here’s the story behind Remington & the Mysterious Fedora. The seed was planted during a conversation. That real conversation blossomed into a fantasy about a young man who thinks he may have discovered a short-cut to success, only to find that there is always a price to be paid.

There was a reference to a typewriter in the conversation and someone remarked they had never seen one. Something as ubiquitous as a typewriter, used by generations to put word on paper, is now relegated to being an exhibit in museums. Traces typewriters live on, however. Look at computer keyboards, smart phones and tablets, with the recognizable QWERTY layout. But, where have all the typewriters gone?

Woody Allen has typed every joke, script and writing on a manual typewriter he bought as a teen. He literally cuts, tapes and pastes the old-fashioned way. Me, I’m glad I can do it on a computer.

But, I want to get back to that conversation about typewriters. It led me to imagine a young man, Josh, who finds an old manual typewriter in a junk shop. He cleans it up and actually gets it to working. It wouldn’t be complete, however, if he didn’t have an old fedora to go with it. After all, didn’t all the reporters in the 1940’s black and white movies wear fedoras while they typed?

When he puts the fedora on, the hat whispers a story to him while he types. He realizes it may be a gift, the short-cut to an award winning novel. Josh is on his way to an adventure he never expected. Will the magic fedora bring him fame, or will the story bring him face to face with the reality that all things in life have a price?

I hope you read Remington & the Mysterious Fedora and see if you agree with this from a young adult reader named Ryan.

"I'm actually VERY enthralled by the book. Both your plotlines of Josh, Tracey and Kelsey, Blaze and Star are equally intoxicating. Usually, when I read a novel like Remington that uses multiple plotlines, I tend to get bored and find one of them boring, waiting for the chapter to end. With Remington, this is not the case!

At the end of every chapter, I said to myself "Damn! I want to know what happens next!" I loved the fast pace, the gripping story and the novel’s ability to make me smile.

His first novel, Tears in the Dust, is a mystery set against the backdrop of the Spanish Civil War in 1937. When Alestair Ferguson volunteers to fight in the International Brigade he doesn’t realize the true price he will have to pay. Chuck’s second novel, Remington and the Mysterious Fedora, is a quirky fantasy, a story about what happens when a young man sits at the keyboard of a manual typewriter and puts on an old fedora. When the fedora and its mysterious power begins to whisper a story to him, the young man has a strange adventure indeed. His third novel, Served Cold, spans decades and stretches from the countryside of rural Ontario to a quiet artists’ studio in Tucson, Arizona. With lots of murder and mayhem in between, the story is what happens when a long-standing feud erupts into hot-blooded vengeance.

Chuck wrote over thirty short stories before setting out to write novels that are affordable and entertaining. He has attended writing workshops in Iowa, Florida, Georgia and Ontario, Canada.

You can visit Chuck at http://www.writebyme.ca and at www.chuckwaldron.com. Visit him at Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/writebyme and Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/wordstir.

About Remington & The Mysterious Fedora

Read the first chapter here.

Giveaways, Contests & Prizes!

To celebrate the release of Chuck Waldron’s new fantasy novel, Remington & The Mysterious Fedora, he is offering one free paperback copy of his book at Pump Up Your Book’s 1st Annual Holiday Extravaganza Facebook Party on December 16. More than 50 books, gifts and cash awards will be given away! Click here for details!

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Books of 2011 # 20 - The Lizard's Bite by David Hewson

2011-12-11T11:59:00.001Z

This series of posts is my review of the top 31 books that I've read of 2011. As we enter the top twenty this is the first from an author who will feature again.

Two posts today, as the next two days are devoted to a virtual book tour and guest post.

The Lizard's Bite by David Hewson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Falconi, Peroni, Costa, Lupo & the former FBI agent Emily Deacon return.

A fire in a glass foundry leaves two dead, but is it an accident, a murder/suicide, or double murder? Falconi and his team having been banished from their Roman home to the city of Venice slowly uncover a tale of deceit and murder in the ancient city. With Massiter the intriguing Englishman all is not as it seems, and as further murders follow, Falconi's men must uncover the truth.

This is the fourth "Nic Costa" book, and the series goes from strength to strength, from the horrific opening scenes to the satisfying final chapters, this entry in the Costa series is by far the best of the first four, in my opinion. As I have read the series out of order I know that it goes from strength to strength from here on, but I am trying to start and read/reread the series from the beginning.

For me, whilst these are very much of the crime crime/mystery genre, they are also about art, culture, architecture, travel, good food and good wine. One of my favourite weekend pastimes now is to sit with a Nic Costa tale, and a glass of Italian white that I have read about in a previous outing.

The Lizard's Bite also sits alongside David Hewson's standalone novel, "The Cemetery of Secrets", although I have yet to read the latter, and either book can be read without the benefit of the other, some characters appear in both books.

Ah, Venice and murder, another outstanding Nic Costa tale from David Hewson, recommended!

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Books of 2011 # 21 - Iron Lake by William Kent Krueger

2011-12-11T06:00:00.001Z

I think this is one of the first books that I read in 2011, and I remember enjoying it. It made me feel very cold, as much of it was set in the middle of winter. Many of the authors other books went on to my wishlist after I finished this one. I can see 2012, having a good few of them read too.

Iron Lake by William Kent Krueger
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

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You Never Know What's Going On In The Garden

2011-12-10T12:58:00.001Z

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Books of 2011 # 22 - Dead Man's Grip by Peter James

2011-12-10T06:00:00.001Z

Brilliant entry in the Roy Grace series.

Dead Man's Grip by Peter James
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Peter James's last book concerned a serial killer working from 1997 to the present, this book is very much in the present.

A fatal road traffic accident leads to a series of mafia hits, and Roy Grace has to solve the crime(s) and save the day once again.

One of the things I love the most about the Roy Grace series is the settings. I know the area a little and the descriptions of locations always feel so real to me, this outing is no exception.

Featuring a potential return of Sandy, Roy Grace's long missing wife, and also a cameo appearance from Yac (and those Christian Louboutin's), this tale is a breakneck read from start to finish.

I particuarly like the character of Tooth, even though he was a bad guy, and was actually glad that he survived (perhaps to return in the future)?

The only thing that I found a little unbelievable was some of the police procedural, would an officer really travel on blues and twos to a dead body? If they do they shoudln't - the dead are dead, no sense in adding more dead, but perhaps this is true I don't know. It didn't seem factually or morally right - who knows.

A recommended read, if you like a good crime novel, and especailly if you have read any of the previous Roy Grace stories!

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Books of 2011 # 23 - The First Rule by Robert Crais

2011-12-09T06:00:00.001Z

Although in chronology I think this is the second Joe Pike book from Robert Crais, it is the first one that I have read. If you've read Robert Crais before you are probably familiar with Joe Pike as Elvis Cole's sidekick, but in this tale Pike takes the lead and is out for revenge. Good solid stuff, with plenty of action and an unstoppable hero.

The First Rule by Robert Crais
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

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David Attenborough - Wonderful World

2011-12-08T15:42:00.001Z

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Books of 2011 # 24 - The Cleaner by Brett Battles

2011-12-08T06:00:00.001Z

One of my regrets with the books I've read in 2011, is not being able to read more of Brett Battles work, but that does at least mean I've got plenty read in 2012!

The Cleaner by Brett Battles
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Jonathan Quinn is an espionage agent, but he doesn't work for MI6 or the CIA, he's freelance.

Quinn is asked to investigate a suspicious arson and death, and soon someone is trying to kill him. Quinn needs to find out what's going on and stop those who are after him before they put a stop to his investigation permanently. The trail will take Quinn to Vietnam, Germany and Brussels, and put Quinn in some tight spots where his death is one likely outcome.

This is the first in the Jonathan Quinn series by Brett Battles and I will certainly be getting the next one in due course.

Brett Battles knows how to tell an action packed tale, leaving me breathless at times, and not wanting to put my kindle down. The knowledge of spy craft and the "toys" that Quinn uses leave you wondering just how Brett knows the details that he writes in his book, but they form part of a nail biting tale.

I would heartedly recommend this book.

[On a negative point, although I have given my review 5 stars I have done so on the strength of the writing and the story alone. The transfer to Kindle was particularly poor, with a huge margin on the left of the page, and many other visual mistakes that made reading hard work.]

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Book Review: The Cyclops Conspiracy by David Perry

2011-12-07T20:59:00.001Z

The Cyclops Conspiracy by David Perry
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Jason is a pharmacist who has a chequered back story, lost love, hidden reasons for behaviour and who is about to get himself mixed up in something very serious and potentially deadly, and very unrelated to his normal working days of dispensing pills and medicines.

The Cyclops Conspiracy starts slow but gradually ramps up the pace revealing a new twist and a new turn by the page, building to a very satisfying conclusion.

I wished the book could have picked up the pace a little earlier than it did and found the lead character of Jason to be a little naive to begin with, feeling he was missing some fairly obvious clues that were present early on, but that said this naivety was a crucial part of the story overall.

The characters felt human and believable, particularly the “good guys”, and the “bad guys” were easy to hate. The plot was good and developed well as the story unfolded. I would like to read more by this author in the future and will be adding him to my must read list.

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Books of 2011 # 26 - Shedworking by Alex Johnson

2011-12-06T06:00:00.001Z

Another one on the digital nomad vein, but in this case a more practical guide as to how to work from a shed in your garden. Great place to start from, and also full of some useful practical tips, as well as also having some great and inspirational photographs.

Shedworking: The Alternative Workplace Revolution by Alex Johnson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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Books of 2011 # 27 - Borkmann's Point by Hakan Nesser

2011-12-05T06:00:00.001Z

Rereading my review again below, you might be wondering why this one made it into the top 31 at all. Well there are a number of Scandanavian authors who are getting a lot of press at the moment, and Hakan Nesser doesn't seem to be one of them for some reason. Although I didn't rate this very highly it was much better than some of the others that I have read which get far more publicity. So I think it's worthy of inclusion above some of the others that I've read this year, but haven't made it in the top 31.

Borkmann's Point: An Inspector Van Veeteren Mystery by Håkan Nesser
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A very lightweight tale. There seems little in the characterisation or plot to really say this is a gripping tale. Some of the scenery is fantastic, and the final reveal is good (but predictable). As part of a series I'm not sure I'll be hurrying to track down the others.

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Guest Post From Benjamin Wallace: Writer By Night!

2011-12-03T09:33:00.001Z

Today it is my pleasure to welcome Benjamin Wallace to my blog, I reviewed Ben's book "Dumb White Husband Vs. The Grocery Store" a while a go. Like me Ben is a writer with a "Day Job", and Ben discusses how he gets his writing done. I'm taking notes, because I think I can learn a lesson or two.

Please everyone welcome Ben to the Electronic Scrapbook!

Writer by Night

People constantly ask me how I find the time to write. I tell them I’m a writer by night.

Writer by night. Browse around Twitter a bit and you’ll see this phrase in more than a few bios. It’s kind of romantic isn’t it? As if quill and parchment sit before the impassioned author as the flame of a candle flicks and the muse strums a lire over the literary genius’ shoulder.

I’m a writer by night.

There is no power on Earth that can make me a morning person. If I woke up early to write, my works would be filled with senselessly violent scenes that explored the different sounds a coffee urn would make if it was used to punch someone in the face. And, while that specific scene will now make it into one of my books, such a singular focus on coffee pot face-punching would not make for a lasting career.

I can’t write during the day. That’s when I’m at what has now become known as my day job. They want me to do stuff that isn’t my stuff. And, since they still keep the lights on and bellies full, I can hardly protest. It is still the day job that I shouldn’t quit.

My evenings are dedicated to my family for two reasons. 1) Because they’re pretty cool. I’ve got three kids and they all have stories about what they did during the day, they have pictures that they’ve colored for me and they have new theories about super heroes that, if they don’t share, will cause them to explode. 2) Hollywood has convinced me that if I don’t spend time with them they will all grow up to be criminals or I will have to endure some formulaic life swap with another man to truly appreciate the life I already have. I don’t have time for any life swapping.

So, I’m a writer by night. I tuck in the kids, feed the dogs, yell at the kids to get back into bed, disappear into a home office (which I share with the dogs), step back out to tell the kids to get back into bed and type until I’m exhausted, stopping only to tell the kids to get back into bed. Should the lire-playing muse ever visit me I have no doubt that I would yell at her and threaten to shove the lire places if she didn’t knock off the racket.

Sometimes when I tell people this they still don’t understand it. So, I tell them that I’ve learned a lot being a writer by night. But, there are some things I haven’t learned. I haven’t learned who the next American Idol is. I haven’t learned which bar has the best happy hour. I haven’t learned what the producers/writers/key grips of Lost have been up to. I haven’t learned a thing about what hours the gym is open. Though I probably have learned about the internet video where the dog is dressed as a Wampa. (I’m only human)

Writer by night means writer by night. There’re a lot of us out there. And we love to talk about it. So ask us. But don’t ask us what the score was, who won a Grammy, or if we caught so and so on Letterman/Kimmel/The Daily Show. We don’t know. We were busy writing. By night.

Benjamin Wallace is the author of the bestselling action/adventure comedies Post-Apocalyptic Nomadic Warriors (A Duck and Cover Adventure) and Tortugas Rising as well as the Dumb White Husband short stories. You can learn more at benjaminwallacebooks.com or follow him on twitter @BenMWallace

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Books of 2011 # 29 - Off the Grid by Nick Rosen

2011-12-03T06:00:00.001Z

I've often dreamed of being a digital nomad. Nothing but me, some tech and the wide world, living off-grid. This book had an obvious appeal, and covered those people who do actually do that, rather than like me day dream about it! An enjoyable little escape, it look at those peoples real lives and how breaking the connection from "society" has changed their lives.

Off the Grid by Nick Rosen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

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Books of 2011 # 30 - Short Lean Cuts by Alex M Pruteanu

2011-12-02T06:00:00.001Z

This was a memorable book for me, not least because I know the author. It was his first book, and it was an interesting read, the author was also kind enough to come on to this site for a Q&A session, which can be found here.

Short Lean Cuts by Alex M. Pruteanu
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This tale is no three little pigs nursery rhyme, or Babe. This is closer to Piggy in Lord of the Flies.

Looking at the darker side of life and characters this book is as strong and shocking as it is well written. Dark in places it is probably not going to be everyone's cup of tea but it does come recommended.

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Movember

2011-11-29T22:58:00.001Z

See the full gallery on Posterous

Movember is about raising awareness of male cancer. In particular the unmentionables; testicular and prostrate cancer.

For the past month I've been cultivating some facial hair, a moustache to be specific. Not wanting this to be just a plain moustache I went for something a little more overstated. I believe it's known as a "biker", in moustache growing circles but some of my work colleagues are keen to refer to it as the 70's porn star look.

Either way it's raised £115 for cancer charities. Many thanks to everyone who has been kind enough to sponsor me.

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Back To The Classics Book Challenge 2012

2011-11-24T20:28:00.001Z

I was surfing twitter and the interwebs earlier this week and came across a new blog: Sarah Reads Too Much. She was proposing a challenge to read a number of classics within certain catagories during 2012.

As I wrote the other day, I read a lot of books during 2011 and was looking for something a bit different in 2012 as a challenge. There are a number of classics, that I want to read, some that I have already, the books sitting on my shelves and have never gotten around to reading, others that I'll have to get hold of a copy, but again ones that I've always wanted to read.

Anyway here are the categories:

Any 19th Century Classic
Any 20th Century Classic
Reread a classic of your choice
A Classic Play
Classic Mystery/Horror/Crime Fiction
Classic Romance
Read a Classic that has been translated from its original language to your language - To clarify, if your native language is NOT English, you may read any classic originally written in English that has been translated into your native language.
Classic Award Winner - To clarify, the book should be a classic which has won any established literary award.
Read a Classic set in a Country that you (realistically speaking) will not visit during your lifetime - To Clarify, this does not have to be a country that you hope to visit either. Countries that no longer exist or have never existed count.

And here are my provisional choices (I might change some as I think more on this, but these are my gut reactions based on books that I've always wanted to read, or have on my shelves and have never gotten around to reading, and are all regarded in one way or another as classics):

Any 19th Century Classic:
- Walden - Henry David Thoreau
Any 20th Century Classic
- Watership Down - Richard Adams
Reread a classic of your choice
- The Jungle Book - Rudyard Kipling or The Hobbit J R R Tolkien
A Classic Play
- The Seagull - Anton Chekhov
Classic Mystery/Horror/Crime Fiction
- At The Mountains of Madness - H P Lovecraft
Classic Romance
- Romeo and Juliet - William Shakespeare
Classic translation
- Around the World In Eighty Days - Jules Verne
Classic Award Winner
- The Old Man and the Sea - Ernest Hemmingway (Pulitzer 1953)
Read a Classic set in a Country that you (realistically speaking) will not visit during your lifetime
- The Island of Dr Moreau - H G Wells (not sure if this counts as a country that has "never existed", so might have to rethink this one).

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Coming in December - My Big Book Year

2011-11-20T11:17:00.002Z

So a Big Book Year, what’s that all about? “A Big Year”, refers to the life of a birdwatcher, it’s a year in which a bird watcher will try and see the largest number of species that they can, often within a confined geographic area. As a naturalist I’m familiar with this concept, with friends disappearing off for long periods of time, evenings, weekends, chasing the next number or species on their list, but what’s that got to do with books?

Well, this year I set a target via Good Reads to read thirty books in 2011. I reached this target in less than six months, which I was amazed at, the most books I’ve ever knowingly read before in a year is thirty-seven books, so reaching my target so early meant revising that target upward, so I doubled it to sixty. I reached that target a month or so ago, now I’m just seeing where I get to by year end. At the time of writing I’m at seventy-two books and reading!

But this year has been so much more than numbers, I’ve discovered so many “new” authors. It’s made me think as to why this year has been different. Well first probably because I got a kindle at the start of the year, which has made reading more accessible for me, you can carry thousands of books in one small device, rather than one or two paperbacks where ever you go. Second because I’ve been writing much more myself, and “hanging out” with other writers in various social media circles; Twitter, Google+ etc. I’ve also been “featuring” many more book reviews and guest posts on my blog, I’ve been participating in “virtual tours” for authors. Reading their books, reviewing them and then having them on my blog for an interview or a guest post. As a result I’ve also had a lot of “free” books, those given to me for review. In fact much of this has over taken my writing. I think I’ve written less of the current work in progress than I would have liked, but what I have written has been influenced by the other things going on and as a result has been a better result.

I’m planning to go back over my year on my blog during December, pick out my top thirty-one books in ascending order, with my top pick coming on New Years Eve. There are some more guest posts planned, and at least one “virtual tour”.

Expand Below the Line if you want to see the Seventy-Two books read to date in order!

Burning Angel - James Lee Burke

Rose In A Storm - Jon Katz

Dead Like You - Peter James

Iron Lake - William Kent Krueger

A Morning for Flamingos - James Lee Burke

First Thrills - (edited by) Lee Child

Dante’s Numbers - David Hewson

Deal Breaker - Harlan Coben

The First Rule - Robert Crais

Dead Simple - Peter James

Gardening Philosophy for Everyone - (edited by) Dan O’Brien

Open Season - C J Box

A Troubled Man - Henning Mankell

Sixty Days and Counting - Kim Stanley Robinson

Season for the Dead - David Hewson

Meet the Dogs of Bedlam Farm - Jon Katz

The Villa of Mysteries - David Hewson

Dead Man’s Grip - Peter James

Field Notes on Science & Nature - (edited by) Michael R Canfield

Virals - Kathy Reichs

The Sacred Cut - David Hewson

Fire Season - Philip Connors

Borkman’s Point - Hakan Nesser

The Ice Princess - Camila Lackberg

Wild Thoughts from Wild Places - David Quammen

The Fifth Woman - Henning Mankell

The Innocent - Vincent Zandri

The Sentry - Robert Crais

Cimarron Rose - James Lee Burke

Crusader Cross - James Lee Burke

Macbeth - David Hewson & A J Hartley (audiobook)

Short Lean Cuts - Alex M Pruteanu

Over Sea and Under Stone - Susan Cooper

Darwin’s Radio - Greg Bear

The Remains - Vincent Zandri

Concrete Pearl - Vincent Zandri

When No One Is Watching - Joseph Hayes

Promissory Payback - Laurel Dewey

Unrevealed - Laurel Dewey

Back of Beyond - C J Box

Lake Charles - Ed Lynskey

Dexter in the Dark - Jeff Lindsay

Adventures of Cash Laramie & Gideon Miles - Edward A Grainger

The Lizards Bite - David Hewson

The Cleaner - Brett Battles

Judge Dredd 14 - John Wagner

Savage Run - C J Box

Silverbirch - Rob Kaay

Last Car to Elysian Fields - James Lee Burke

The Best of Kim Stanley Robinson - Kim Stanley Robinson

Freight Train Across The Outback - Simon Worrall

Eat That Frog - Brian Tracy

Dinosaur In A Haystack - Stephen Jay Gould

Nine Dragons - Michael Connelly

90% of the Game is Half-Mental - Emma Span

Off the Grid - Nick Rosen

Dull Knife - C J Box

The Road to Somewhere - James A Reeves

Suicide Run - Michael Connelly

Moonlight Rises - Vincent Zandri

The Savage Altar - Asa Larsson

Adventures of Cash Laramie & Gideon Miles II - Edward A Grainger

An Angel With Fur - Russell Blake

A Stab In The Dark - Lawrence Block

Shed Working: The Alternative Workplace Revolution – Alex Johnson

Swallowdale - Arthur Ransome

Angle of Investigation - Michael Connelly

On a Rooftop in London - Helen Babbs

Remington and the Mysterious Fedora - Chuck Waldron

Dumb White Husband vs The Grocery Store - Benjamin Wallace

Carnival for the Dead - David Hewson

Naked Addiction - Caitlin Rother

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Instagram Video

2011-11-19T17:42:00.001Z

My Instagrams in Pummelvision from tontowilliams on Vimeo.

I used Pummelvision to convert my instagram feed into a short video. I seem to take a lot of dog photo's!

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Book Review: Carnival for the Dead by David Hewson

2011-11-13T11:13:00.001Z

Lupo has travelled to Venice to look for her Aunt Sofia who has mysteriously disappeared, leaving little explanation as to why, or her current whereabouts. It is the time of the Carnival, as Teresa tries to find her Aunt, and a series of events unfold that lead the reader on a tableau of adventure across the great city of islands, and where those dressed in Carnival costume may not be all they appear to be.

David Hewson is a master storyteller, and this book is no exception, it is one of his best and finest to date and this series has been getting better and better.

If you are looking for a great story, and want to transport yourself to another place, then I strongly recommend this book.

5 out of 5 Stars - I Loved It!

About the author (taken from the dust jacket):

David Hewson was a journalist working most recently for the Sunday Time, The Time and the Independent. The author of nine novels in the highly acclaimed Detective Nic Costa series set in Rome which are currently being adapted for TC, he has also written thrillers set in Seville, the US and Venice. The author live in Kent.

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On Amazon and Home Delivery Network

2011-11-02T13:13:00.001Z

Amazon and I have had a parting of the ways today.

Yesterday I was supposed to receive a book that I pre-ordered over six months ago. Unfortunately Amazon dispatched it via the ever unreliable Home Delivery Network (HDNL). Amazon seem to have a preference for using this courier, presumably because they get a good rate for doing so, however HDNL are pretty unreliable. They have repeatedly failed to deliver parcels when they are supposed to, and have (as they managed to do again yesterday) claim to have delivered it when they haven't, i.e. they lie, or don't even bother and just say you were out, and then you have to go to the depot and collect your parcel, i.e. they lie. In fact more often than not they seem to be able to do something other than actually deliver the parcel.

When Amazon use HDNL you get a tracking number, nothing new there but obviously this means that you can see where and when you parcel is (or at least allegedly is). I checked for mine yesterday morning and it said that my parcel was out for delivery. Great. At 5pm it was still out for delivery. At 630pm it had apparently been delivered (at 5.25pm), through our letterbox (incredibly precise that tracking isn't it!), but surprise, surprise no parcel, not through our letterbox, or hidden in our garden or left with a neighbour or anywhere that I could see.

I emailed Amazon, and got a very prompt reply, with promise of dispatching a replacement, they apparently understand my frustrations with HDNL, but there is nothing they can do about that. Er hang on a minute, how about not using them? Getting another courier?

Skip to today. Parcel has been delivered, but no explanation as to where it has been or why it was reported as having been delivered yesterday (at 5.25pm through our letterbox). My only thought can be that the courier put it through the wrong letterbox somewhere else, and that person out of kindness delivered it to us?

As Amazon are going to send me a replacement I went onto the website to cancel it, I don't want two items after all, but it's too late as it's too far into the dispatch process for them to do anything about it, so I've emailed the person in customer service who helped me yesterday to see if there is anything they can do. I suspect probably not, which means I will have to return the second parcel when it arrives or refuse delivery. Basically more hassle for me. All because Amazon use HDNL.

So I am cancelling my amazon prime membership, I'm not getting value for money, and I'm certainly only getting more hassle from HDNL each time Amazon use them. I've also cancelled the ten pre-orders I had with amazon, I'll get those items somewhere else. If I have to pay a little more it will be worth it, to not have the hassle of HDNL. From now on the only thing that I will order from Amazon will be kindle books. Now I know I might change my mind, particularly with Christmas approaching, but certainly I will be thinking twice about using amazon from now on.

Thing is, it isn't just me. Go on the amazon.co.uk forums and see the number of other people who are having problems with HDNL (or Yodel, as they also describe themselves), there are 1000's of them, so why do amazon persist in using them, particularly if it's costing them customers?

It also isn't just Amazon parcels that I have had problems with, other companies use HDNL, and when I have bought things from them I have had similar experiences. Guess what? I no longer use those companies, and in all cases I have never gone back to them.

So Amazon, how about it? End your contract with HDNL? Keep my custom?

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Doctor. Who?¿?

2011-10-30T22:31:00.001Z

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Blogging About Books Over Christmas (The 12 Book Days of Christmas)

2011-10-27T19:18:00.001+01:00

I've mentioned this idea a little before but it's steadily evolving, here are my latest thoughts.

The twelve book days of Christmas. Boxing Day (26/12), to January 6th, a time of playing with all your Christmas presents, and eating multiple combinations of turkey meals. This year on the blog I want to do something a little different. A post a day about books, and book related stuff, if it's popular enough I'll do the whole month of December.

I want to cover my top reads of 2011, others have already suggested titles for posts. If you'd like to suggest something for me to write about, or if you're a writer and would like to come and do a guest post, promote your latest book, run a giveaway, dress up as Father Christmas (only joking) or if you've got your own idea then let me know. Email me with your thoughts/ideas: tontowilliams[at]gmail[dot]com, tweet me @tontowilliams or leave me a message in the comments.

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Pupdate Pics 25-10-2011

2011-10-26T13:15:00.001+01:00

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Book Review: An Angel With Fur by Russell Blake

2011-10-15T11:38:00.001+01:00

An Angel With Fur is no ordinary doggy tale, and it's star ’Lobo’, is no ordinary dog.

I'm sure that many dog owners will recognise aspects of their relationships with their own dogs in this story, and see how incredible the relationship between Russell and Lobo becomes.

As regular readers of my blog will know, I read many a ’dog’ book, and I rate this amongst the best of them. Russell Blake is a master storyteller, and Lobo the perfect dog tale to tell.

Rating: 5 stars out of 5 - I loved it!

About Russell Blake:

Russell is the acclaimed author of Fatal Exchange, a groundbreaking genre-blending thriller set against the counter-culture backdrop of New York’s gritty underground, The Geronimo Breach, an action/intrigue/thriller set in Panama, and the Zero Sum trilogy of Wall Street thrillers – Kotov Syndrome, Focal Point and Checkmate.

His first satirical non-fiction work, How To Sell A Gazillion eBooks In No Time (even if drunk, high or incarcerated) was released mid-July, 2011.

An Angel With Fur, his second non-fiction book chronicling the saga of Lobo the miracle dog, released October, 2011.

“Captain” Russell, 52, lives on the Pacific coast of Mexico, where he spends his time writing, fishing, collecting & drinking tequila, and playing with his dogs. He is currently hard at work on a magnum opus of indeterminate plot, topic or genre, tentatively titled The Messiah Cipher; The Delphi Chronicle, an international conspiracy intrigue/thriller based on the true story of U.S. sanctioned hit squads in Central America in the 1980s; a satire/parody about the battle of the sexes; and a panoramic, epic screenplay about…cartoon ninja beavers for whom this time it’s personal, tentatively titled Beaver Team Bravo.

Often referred to as “The Writer’s Writer’s Writer’s Writer,” Russell is also a self-declared guru on everything related to writing, self-publishing and self-promotion.

Russell is a proud member of RABMAD – Read A Book, Make A difference.

Russell Blake's Website

Lobo Pages

Buy An Angel With Fur

Amazon.com

Amazon.co.uk

Follow Russell on twitter

Review Disclaimer: I received a free copy of An Angel With Fur from the author for this review. I have received no other endorsement or payment for the review.

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Book Review: Moonlight Rises by Vincent Zandri

2011-10-14T05:00:00.001+01:00

Book Details:

Genre: Adult Suspense, Mystery, Thriller

Publisher: StoneGate Ink

Publication Date: August 13,2011

Synopsis:

Life sucks. Then you die. Or, if you're Dick Moonlight, first you die and then you live. Dick Moonlight is dead. Really dead this time, now that three President Obama-masked thugs dressed all in black and communicating only with hand-held voice synthesizers pressed up against their voice boxes have beat the life right out of him inside a dark, downtown Albany alley. What are the thugs after? A box. Size, weight, description unknown. They also want him to stay away from his newest and only client: a handicapped nuclear engineer of dubious Russian heritage by the same of Peter Czech. But then, now that they’ve killed him, Moonlight’s problems seem to be over. In fact, as he undergoes an out of body experience, his soul floating above his train-wreck of a corpse inside the Albany Medical Center I.C.U., he feels pretty damned good. Great in fact. To make death all the more sweeter, his one true love, Lola, is standing by his bedside. With her long dark hair draping her chiseled face and big round Jackie O sunglasses hiding tear-filled eyes, she appears every bit the grieving sig other. Nothing could make the dead-and-gone Moonlight prouder.

But then something happens. Something bad. A man enters into the I.C.U. Some young guy. He takes hold of Lola’s hand, and pulls her into him. Together, the two share a loving embrace over Moonlight’s dead body. Now, what seemed like a peaceful death is anything but. Moonlight wants back inside his body so he can face-off Some Young Guy and find out if his true love has in fact been cheating on him. At the same time, he wants to find out the true identity of those thugs who killed him so he can exact his revenge. No doubt about it, Moonlight needs to live if he's going to uncover some pretty painful answers and take care of business.Like a little kid dropping down a playground slide, Moonlight slides right back inside his bruised and broken body. Opening his eyes the white light blinds him. He feels the pain of his wounds and the pain of his breaking heart. Life sucks, then you die. But Moonlight rises.

My Review:

Peter Czech has hired Dick Moonlight to find his father, unfortunately three Obama masked thugs have other ideas and now Moonlight is dead.

This is another awesome read from Vincent Zandri. The pace is relentless, from the first page to the last, the story reveals it’s tale of death, life, espionage, and families lost.

The story is both hard nosed and at times very funny, with some hilarious moments as Dick Moonlight investigates his latest case.

The characters, in particular Dick Moonlight are both believable and well developed, as you read you become more and more engaged with them and want to know what is going to happen to them next, and the stories pace doesn’t keep you waiting long.

The story is both believable and also at times will leave you with your jaw open in astonishment, as another turn in the story has you wondering what will be happening next.

This non-stop rollercoaster could very easily be read in one sitting, and this maybe the best way to approach this book, especially if you have other things you want to do, because the desire to find out what happens next will keep you reading and away from what you are probably supposed to be doing. The good news though is that Dick Moonlight is a series character, so once you’ve finished this one there are plenty more where it came from!

If you’re a fan of crime fiction then I commend Moonlight Rises and it's author Vincent Zandri to you, he may not be a name your familiar with but he should be!

Review Disclaimer: I received a free kindle version of Concrete Pearl to review as a part of Vincent Zandri’s virtual book tour. I have previously read his novels, and so am familiar with his work, but I have received no other endorsement for this review.

Vincent Zandri is the No. 1 International Bestselling Amazon Kindle author of THE INNOCENT, GODCHILD, THE REMAINS, MOONLIGHT FALLS, CONCRETE PEARL and the forthcoming MOONLIGHT RISES. He is also the author of the bestselling digital shorts, PATHOLOGICAL and MOONLIGHT MAFIA. Harlan Coben has described his novels as "...gritty, fast-paced, lyrical and haunting," while the New York Post called THE INNOCENT, "Sensational...Masterful...Brilliant!" In March, April and May of 2011, he sold more than 100,000 Kindle E-Books editions of his novels, and is rapidly closing in on the 200K mark all totaled. An MFA in Writing graduate of Vermont College, Zandri's work is translated into many languages including the Dutch, Russian and Japanese. An adventurer, foreign correspondent, and freelance photo-journalist for RT, Globalspec, IBTimes and more, he divides his time between New York and Florence, Italy.

Connect With Vincent:

Facebook

Twitter

Blog

Website

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Book Review: Adventures of Cash Laramie and Gideon Miles, Vol. II by Edward A. Grainger

2011-10-05T08:30:00.001+01:00

Adventures of Cash Laramie and Gideon Miles, Vol. II by Edward A. Grainger
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the second volume of stories from Edward A. Grainger a.k.a David Cranmer, and although I gave Vol I five stars too, this second volume has the edge over it's predecessor in my opinion.

Each story is well written, and really conveys what I imagine the old west to have been like. Life was hard, and justice swift, if you lived by the gun you could expect to die the same way.

Each story is an original but they all sit well together as a collection, seeing Laramie & Miles tracking down criminals and seeing justice done.

Highly recommended!

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Book Review: The Savage Altar by Åsa Larsson

2011-10-01T19:47:00.001+01:00

The Savage Altar by Åsa Larsson
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

The cover proclaims the author as the next Steig Larsson, but I have to differ. There are some not insignificant problems with the translation, I suspect because it was first translated into American English.

The story is light and disappointing in it's prose, plodding from page to page.

A failure of the 50 page test.

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Book Review: Suicide Run by Michael Connelly

2011-09-29T16:15:00.001+01:00

Suicide Run: Three Harry Bosch Stories by Michael Connelly
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a great collection of short stories featuring Harry Bosch, and spanning different times in the detectives back story.

The book as a whole was relatively short and the four stories that it contains include a number of nice cameos from other Connelly characters; Terry McCaleb (Blood Work & The Narrows) and Mickey Haller (The Lincoln Lawyer & The Brass verdict), which was a very nice touch.

As a small collection of short stories, this was a very quick read, and easy to read in a day. Am looking forward to the other short story collection from Michael Connelly that is due out next month.

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Book Review: The Road To Somewher by James A. Reeves

2011-09-29T16:09:00.001+01:00

The Road to Somewhere: An American Memoir by James A. Reeves

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is much more than another book about a journey across America. This is a memoir of discovery both of the author and of his native country. Beautifully illustrated throughout, with the authors own photographs, this book tells the story of many times when the author would take off and try to find both himself and his country. There is an openness and honesty about both the words and the pictures, that kept me repeatedly picking the book up, and being disappointed when I had finished it. So much so, that I know I will be picking it up again in the near future to read through again.

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Book Review: Field Notes on Science and Nature by Michael R. Canfield

2011-09-28T10:32:00.001+01:00

Field Notes on Science and Nature by Michael R. Canfield
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is one of my most memorable books of 2011, both in terms of the book itself, but also the memories it evoked of field work that I have been involved in, and the field notebooks that I still have to this day, although I think many of them are still in an attic somewhere.

This book covers all sorts of field "journals" from the traditional paper and pen/cil to digital and computerised. It includes insights, including reproductions of the journals themselves, from some very famous and eminent naturalists, many of whom are heroes of mine.

This probably won't be everyone's cup-of-tea, because it is quite a dry subject, but I'd recommend to any budding naturalist or anyone who wants a deeper insight into natural history.

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Playing Ball

2011-09-26T14:51:00.001+01:00

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Cats!

2011-09-24T07:11:00.001+01:00

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Star Wars Moleskine Notebooks

2011-09-23T12:54:00.001+01:00

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Book Review: Dinosaur in a Haystack by Stephen Jay Gould

2011-09-23T00:46:00.001+01:00

Dinosaur in a Haystack by Stephen Jay Gould
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I love these collections of natural history essays that Stephen Jay Gould wrote back in the late 90's and early 2000's. Some are a little dated now, but the majority stand up well to the test of time, and also take me back to a time when I was just entering my own career as a biologist / naturalist. How times have changed, and how they've stayed the same!

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Guest Post From No.1 Bestselling Author Vincent Zandri: So are You Indy or Anal?

2011-09-22T03:00:00.001+01:00

Today I welcome bestselling author Vincent Zandri to the blog, but you're probably not here to read my words, so I'm handing over to the master:

If I had a nickle for every time I got asked the question, "Are you a seat-of-the-pants kind of writer?" In other words, am I an "Indiana Jones" who just adventurously barrels ahead without mapping out my scenes ahead of time in the hopes of allowing my story to form naturally or what all the no-gluten-professor geeks at writing school call, "organically?" Or do you actually write up character sketches that include everything from place of birth to bathroom habits, and then map out each chapter detail for detail? The answer I give is not really an answer. "It depends on the book," I tell them. "And it also depends on the character." If I'm writing a book like THE REMAINS that's intended to be stand-alone literary thriller that contains subject matter such as identical twins, modern art and autistic savants and that is also told from the P.O.V. of a women, you can bet your bottom ten-spot that I'm gonna plan it out ahead of time. I'm also going to do some meticulous research so that reviewers on Amazon don't crucify me. In the end if I've done my job right and the writing is convincing enough, I just might have a bestseller on my hands. And THE REMAINS has been just that. A bestseller for over a year.

But if I'm writing a novel like one of the Dick Moonlight Serials, now that's another story altogether. The Richard "Dick" Moonlight of MOONLIGHT FALLS MOONLIGHT MAFIA, and the forthcoming MOONLIGHT RISES and MURDER BY MOONLIGHT is a total train wreck of a guy. He's got a little piece of .22 caliber bullet lodged inside his brain from a failed suicide attempt. The piece has lodged itself right beside his cerebral cortex causing him the occasional short term memory lapse and lack of judgement, especially under times of stress, which is usually always. He drinks too much, and he can also pass out at any time or even suffer stroke, coma and death. In a word, Moonlight has no clue if he'll be alive from one minute to the next. So his relentless search for right over wrong is always an unplanned adventure. Since he narrates all of his own stories, I feel the best way to write his books is to do so by the seat-of-my-pants. And thus far anyway, you loyal readers of mine (you know who you are), have sort of fallen in love with the dude. And that's a cool thing since he's the character who is most like me. So what's the best way for you to write your book? Remember when you'd ask you mom or dad what was for dinner, and not having decided on anything yet, they might ask you in return, "Well what do you feel like?" A lot of what we decide to put in our body is based not only on a craving but more so on what our bodies are lacking at that time. If we're protein starved we want meat or chicken. If were worn out and carb poor, we want pasta or even pizza. It's the same with writing. Listen to you body and your brain, but most of all listen to your gut. Not your gut mind you, but the gut inside your main character. Is he or she someone who will want to be guided and reigned in? Or is he or she someone who won't plan for the next five minutes much less two afternoons from now? Just remember, writing is a personal venture and there is no right or wrong way to do it. There is only just doing it.

Visit Vincent Zandri (that's me!) at Amazon's Author Central: (they asked me to say that!)

Vincent Zandri is the No. 1 International Bestselling author of the thrillers THE INNOCENT, GODCHILD, MOONLIGHT FALLS, THE REMAINS andCONCRETE PEARL. An MFA in Writing graduate of Vermont College, he has was a Stringer for The Albany Times Union Newspaper, and a contributor toNew York Newsday, Hudson Valley Magazine, Game and Fish Magazine, and more. His short fiction has appeared in many of the leading journals and magazines, Orange County Magazine, Buffalo Spree, Negative Capability, The Maryland Review, Rosebud, The Best of Rosebud, Lost Creek Lettersamong them. His novels, stories, and journalism have been translated into many foreign languages including the Dutch, Japanese, French, Russian and Turkish. A freelance photo-journalist, foreign correspondent, and Blogger for RT, Globalspec and International Business Times, he divides his time between New York and Florence, Italy.

For more on the author, go to WWW.VINCENTZANDRI.COM.

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Book Review: Concrete Pearl by Vincent Zandri

2011-09-21T01:00:00.001+01:00

Concrete Pearl twists and shocks from the first page to the last. The main character, Ava “Spike” Harrison, she got her name from impaling her foot on a six-penny nail on the first construction site she worked on, is about to have a very bad day.

5 out of 5 Stars - I Loved It!

Come back tomorrow to read a post direct from Vincent Zandri himself.

Vincent Zandri is the No. 1 International Bestselling author of the thrillers THE INNOCENT, GODCHILD,MOONLIGHT FALLS, THE REMAINS and CONCRETE PEARL. An MFA in Writing graduate of Vermont College, he has was a Stringer for The Albany Times Union Newspaper, and a contributor to New York Newsday, Hudson Valley Magazine, Game and Fish Magazine, and more. His short fiction has appeared in many of the leading journals and magazines, Orange County Magazine, Buffalo Spree, Negative Capability, The Maryland Review,Rosebud, The Best of Rosebud, Lost Creek Lettersamong them. His novels, stories, and journalism have been translated into many foreign languages including the Dutch, Japanese, French, Russian and Turkish. A freelance photo-journalist, foreign correspondent, and Blogger for RT, Globalspec and International Business Times, he divides his time between New York and Florence, Italy.

For more on the author, go to WWW.VINCENTZANDRI.COM.

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ISS Time Lapse

2011-09-18T07:06:00.001+01:00

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In Conversation With Alex Pruteanu, Author of Short Lean Cuts

2011-09-16T19:04:00.001+01:00

It's my honour to welcome Alex Pruteanu, author of Short Lean Cuts to the blog, and talk to him about his latest book.

My review of Short Lean Cuts is at the bottom of this pos.

Hi Alex,

Thanks for agreeing to do this Q & A on your book “Short Lean Cuts”, welcome to my blog!

So cutting straight to the questions then:

TW: Tell me a little about your book, what’s it about and where did the inspiration come from?

AP: Thanks for shooting off these questions, Alan. I appreciate you giving me the time and the forum to talk a bit about this. First of all, Short Lean Cuts is a novella...it’s quite compact, and that’s a good thing. The prose style is very short, very lean, very staccato and direct. I don’t think the style would’ve worked as well had this been a full on novel. I tried to create a style that reads a bit more modern, more fragmented...almost in a way that most people think in the 21st Century. The story is a confessional of sorts, or a manifesto that is being left behind by the main character; a narcissistic, hypochondriac, perhaps mentally unstable ex-academic who has decided to sell himself as a product in exchange for face-time/air time on television, and the documentation of what he believes is a sort of skewed or obtuse resolution to his life and his ambitions. It’s a satire examining issues like consumerism in the USA, self-importance, and the concept of exploiting ourselves and our lives in exchange for notoriety and press. I was motivated to touch on these issues by realising how the human psyche was being driven and pushed via social networks and outlets for exposure and/or expostulation--like “reality shows.”

TW: Now, reading Short Lean Cuts there are some quite hard scenes in there, and it’s probably not everyone’s cup-of-tea. Who should read your book and why or why not?

AP: The work does examine some nasty, seedy, fetishistic sides of ourselves, sure, but I’d say other than children under the age of 18, I don’t see any reason why most people couldn’t handle reading this book. I think we get to see enough truth in the novel to make some of us uncomfortable...but I don’t necessarily think that’s a bad thing. I’ve personally never had any problems being pushed outside what I find comfortable whether in art, music, or writing...and often times I’ve appreciated the shove toward positions I may have thought too extreme or too shocking. I think it’s an artist’s job to move things forward, to progress. Nothing in this book, in my opinion, exists to merely shock for some kind of gratuitous value. Everything that happens has motivation and reason, I believe.

TW: You’ve been writing on your website (S)wine: ShortLeanCuts I think since 2007, tell me a little about how your writing has evolved from writing short fiction on the web to the genesis of Short Lean Cuts.

AP: In fact I’ve been writing in the online medium since spring of 2004, but my fiction site has undergone a few different name changes and maybe format changes. I initially wrote what became Short Lean Cuts in small bursts---individually-named stories, mainly due to limited amounts of time. But I also wrote with the idea of one day unifying the small flash fiction bits (each chapter could originally stand as its own short, flash story) into a larger whole. Each chapter appeared on my site as an distinctive piece in the span of one year in 2007. When I undertook the process of bringing everything together, I re-wrote each chapter and filled in what I thought were some blanks or some holes. At this point, I no longer believe each chapter could be plucked out of the book and stand concretely as a complete short story; everything is tied logically now, with every chapter propping up the theme of the book.

TW: Short Lean Cuts was available first as an e-book on kindle and nook. Did this sort of publishing make it easier for you to bring the book to market, and did it help to make the paperback edition a reality or did you always plan to have a print version?

AP: The process of bringing this book out to the public was blistering fast, when we talk about the general timeline of books being released. I think it was within four or five weeks of my decision to make this available that the ebook was on sale for the Kindle and the Nook worldwide. The tools available for e-publishing on Amazon and Barnes & Noble are amazing for authors now, and amazingly simple, as well. Indeed, my original idea was to release this book in paperback version, but I quickly changed my mind, seeing the trend, and sale of ebooks in 2011. And so I produced and formatted it for electronic devices and scrapped the idea of a paper product. But to my surprise, there was a big demand for the paperback version as well. I ran into a lot of people who preferred to have a ‘real product’ to hold and to leaf through, to carry, to bend, to underline or highlight. So I decided to publish that myself, as well. After investigating a couple of options, I decided to go with Amazon Publishers. And with the help of my wife, we produced and laid out the manuscript, and we designed the front and back cover, before Amazon approved the copy and manufactured the book. It wasn’t an overly complicated process, but we did make a few mistakes and had to go back to the drawing board a couple of times. Overall it was a brilliant experience and we learned so much from bringing this project to fruition.

TW: So what next? Is there a Short Lean Cuts #2 in the pipeline or do you have another project in mind?

AP: Well it’s funny you mention a continuation of this idea. I am in the process of outlining a probable spin off for one of the characters in Short Lean Cuts. The style of prose would be more in the “classical vein” and this would be a full on novel, instead of the short work that Short Lean Cuts is. And on the quite distant horizon there is a personal work called “Resident Alien,” which is currently undergoing some major changes in ideas and concept. That being said, unless something astronomically lucky happens with a major publishing house (I’m not holding my breath), all of my future projects will be independently produced and published. I love the process, I love the author royalties, and I love the editorial freedom. I am not forced to write under guidelines of a major corporation whose only goal is to make money. While I fully realize a book is a product like any other product, and it must sell, I am not willing to make the major concessions and changes that most Big House Publishers ask of their authors.

TW: When you’re reading rather than writing, what do you choose, and who are your favourite authors?

AP: I grew up idolizing Ernest Hemingway and what he did for the English language. As a teen, I was enamored with his sparse style, yet heavy emotion that somehow exuded from in between the lines. I was also enamored with his contemporaries: F. Scott Fitzgerald, John Dos Passos, Ezra Pound, Sherwood Anderson, and William Carlos Williams. Some of my favourite authors are Albert Camus, Kafka, Charles Bukowski, Ferdinand Celine, Raymond Carver, William Faulkner, John Steinbeck, Thomas Mann, and Jose Saramago. Lately, I’ve been enjoying very much the works of Yann Martel, Michael Chabon, and Chuck Palahniuk. I love the poetry of Anne Sexton and Dorothy Parker, and the plays of Lillian Hellman.

You can buy Short Lean Cuts:

My Review:

Short Lean Cuts by Alex M. Pruteanu
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This tale is no three little pigs nursery rhyme, or Babe. This is closer to Piggy in Lord of the Flies.

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Counting Crows: Big Yellow Taxi

2011-09-15T21:23:00.001+01:00

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Counting Crows: American Girls

2011-09-15T21:22:00.001+01:00

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Counting Crows: You Might Think

2011-09-15T20:14:00.001+01:00

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Book Review: Last Car to Elysian Fields by James Lee Burke (Warning Contains Spoilers)

2011-09-12T12:00:00.001+01:00

Last Car To Elysian Fields by James Lee Burke
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I'm afraid that although I enjoy James Lee Burke's writing, I didn't really enjoy the story this time. In chronology this is set after the death of Dave Robicheaux's wife Bootsie, and this is possibly why I didn't enjoy it. Dave seemed a little out of control the whole way through the book and I just felt uncomfortable.

Now I know Dave has always had a edge, and has never been what you might regard as a conformist, he has however always done the right thing. Or the right thing for the reasons at the time. On this occasion however it didn't feel quite that way, more as if he was doing what he needed to regardless of whether it was right or not.

Despite that the writing of James Lee Burke is amazing, as always. The descriptions are poetical at times, and in many ways I feel a little guilty for now liking this book more.

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Book Review: When No One Is Watching by Joseph Hayes

2011-09-10T06:30:00.001+01:00

When No One Is Watching

Author: Joseph Hayes

Published By:Synergy Books

ISBN: 13: 978-0984387946

Genre: Thriller/suspense/morality tale

Synopsis: On the eve of announcing his run for Congress, a charismatic Chicago politician causes a deadly accident. Panicked, he frames his best friend, a good-hearted alcoholic, and flees the scene. As one man tries to pick up the pieces of his shattered life, the other embarks on a meteoric rise to political stardom. But when a dogged detective digs deeper into the case, the political superstar must decide just how far he is willing to go to keep his dark secret. Author Joseph combines page-turning suspense with a poignant tale of inspiration and redemption as he asks, is "the greater good" just a lie we tell ourselves to justify the sins we commit when no one is watching?

Author Bio: Joseph Hayes is a native of Chicago. He grew up in a family of eight children in the Beverly neighborhood on Chicago’s Far South Side, where the Irish-Catholic heritage and influence was strong and visible. Joe attended St. Barnabas Elementary School, Brother Rice High School and De Paul University before leaving Chicago to attend law school in California, at UC Berkeley. Since graduating from Berkeley, he has practiced law in Chicago, San Diego and Houston. Joe currently serves as chief ethics officer and assistant general counsel for a large, publicly held company based in Houston, Texas, and is widely recognized as one of the foremost experts in his field. In his professional capacity, he has written extensively about legal and ethical issues and frequently speaks about such issues be! fore employee and industry groups. When No One is Watching is his first work of fiction. His second novel, a legal thriller entitled Consequential Damages, is expected to be published soon Joe currently resides in The Woodlands, Texas, with his wife, Susan, and their three children, Amy, Sean and Erin.

Author Website: www.joseph-hayes.com

My Review

[As a part of my review, Joseph Hayes very kindly agreed to answer a few questions regarding his first novel. The Q&A can be found at the end of my review.]

Joseph Hayes writes a time spanning and life changing tale that covers over ten years, and is not so much a crime novel as an emotional rollercoaster for the reader, from shock and anger to sympathy and loss, they are all there. The initial crime is a straightforward one, but shatters several lives. It is not complicated, and it is clear who is guilty, but as events unfold and the plot develops there is little that remains straightforward.

Mr Hayes makes sure the reader knows what's going on, what the characters are thinking and carries his readers from scene to scene.

Although the book is a relatively short one the main characters feel alive, how they react to each situation feels real and gives the reader a chance to empathise with some. I had a feeling that Mr Hayes was going to develop one of those into a recurring character, that he would be the hero of this and future books, but this was not how Mr Hayes played out his tale. This book is very much a stand-alone, and is his first novel, but I don't think it will be his last.

Mr Hayes has a gift to tell a tale, to talk about crime but also the ethics of crime, how our choices might be quick but they can affect many for years to come.

Each scene that Mr Hayes relates, makes it seem as though the story is only going to end one way, but some very clever plotting and interweaving of the characters brings the end to a different and perhaps more satisfactory conclusion.

4 out of 5 Stars – I really liked it!

Author Q & A:

Hello Mr Hayes,

Many thanks for agreeing to answer a few questions about your novel, “When No One is Watching.”

I’ve just finished reading it and I thoroughly enjoyed it, you raised many an interesting thought in my mind, as I work in a political field myself when I’m not reading I found some aspects particularly pertinent.

So anyway, straight to those questions:

TW: There’s a saying that “Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely”. Did you intend for the character of Blair Van Howe to fall victim to this, and hence why he did what he did at the accident scene , or where there others who were perhaps more responsible for his actions than he was?

JH: Blair was certainly seduced by power, and his thirst for it was the primary motivation for the decision he made in the opening scene (the accident scene). However, in developing that scene and the rest of the story, I was more focused on capturing the ethical dilemma -- the notion that character and integrity are defined by the decisions we make when no one is watching. I also tried to demonstrate how easy it is for us to try to rationalize such self-serving decisions (for example, Blair's justification that getting elected would enable him to promote the greater good) and the fact that the consequences of those decisions can be far-reaching.

TW: Are any of your characters and story based upon real people or events, and if so who / what?

JH: The main character (Danny Moran) was modelled after my father, and his life story after getting sober was similar to my Dad's. A number of the alcoholics portrayed in the story were composites of various people that my father became acquainted with through the AA program. Other than that, all of the characters were completely fictional.

TW: I believe that this is your first novel, did you always have it in mind to be a stand-alone or were you ever thinking about there being potential for it to become a series? For example, Detective Slazak seemed to be a strong character, and yet you effectively wrote him out of the book early on. Did you ever conceive an ending where he might be the hero and crack the case? Perhaps becoming a recurring character?

JH: I never considered the concept of making this novel the first in a series. Honestly, that just never occurred to me -- probably a reflection of my inexperience when it comes to publishing, although I now clearly recognize the fact that a series can be very marketable due to the built-in audience that exists after the first story is successful. Anyway, in my mind, it made sense to write Detective Slazak out of the story because I was working toward the point of making it seem utterly hopeless that the truth would surface. The incriminating evidence was gradually disappearing, and the last and most compelling piece of that was Slazak himself. I wanted to get back to the "when no one is watching" dilemma facing Blair. In other words, knowing that he truly got away with his betrayal and deception, can he live with himself?

TW: How did you research the AA element of Danny’s character?

JH: I didn't need to research the AA part of Danny's life -- I lived it. My father joined AA when I was twelve years old and spent the remainder of his life (30 years) devoted to that cause. I watched him as he developed his own routines to maintain his grip on sobriety. I watched him as he tried to help those who were battling their addictions. I would often wake up in the morning and find some unknown soul sleeping one off in our house after my Dad had responded to a desperate call for help the night before. Through those firsthand experiences, I got a pretty good glimpse of the heartaches and tragedies surrounding alcoholism, but also witnessed many stories of hope and inspiration as I saw my Dad and others in the recovery community selflessly devoting themselves to others who were suffering from this addiction -- and making a difference. That was the real inspiration for this story, and I dedicated the book to those quiet, selfless heroes.

TW: Without giving too much away, the story had a “tidy” ending. Did you always plan it that way or did you consider a different out-turn?

JH: I never really considered a different ending to the story because that ending was my starting point. The final scene at the funeral home and cemetery were based on an actual event in my life, and that was the inspiration for the story. So I wound up creating a fictional story that lead into that ending.

TW: Where do you draw your inspiration as an author from, is it from other writers or somewhere else? Do you have any particularly favourite authors?

JH: I don't really draw my writing inspiration from other authors. I think it comes from real life experiences that strike me as profound in some way, and motivate me to tell a story that entertaining but also has something valuable and meaningful to say. That's what I attempted to do with When No One is Watching, and it is also what inspired my next novel, entitled Consequential Damages. As for my favourite books and authors, I really gravitate toward the classics. I like Dickens, Dostoyevsky, Mark Twain, and many others whose writings have withstood the test of time. As for modern authors, I enjoy John Grisham, Nicholas Sparks, David Baldacci and Mitch Albom, among others. I really liked the Harry Potter books. With regard to nonfiction, I've recently read and enjoyed The Tipping Point and Freakonomics.

Review Disclaimer: I received a free e-book version of When No One Is Watching to review as a part of this book tour. I have received no other endorsement for this review.

NEWSFLASH:

As I was going to press with this review, I received the following additional information. Congratualtions to Joseph Hayes!

LOCAL AUTHOR HAYES HONORED BY NATIONAL INDIE EXCELLENCE AWARDS

AND 2011 NEXT GENERATION INDIE BOOK AWARDS

Contests recognize outstanding independently published books

THE WOODLANDS, TEXAS. Joseph Hayes, author of the highly acclaimed When No One is Watching, has been named as a finalist in the category of Inspirational Fiction by the 2011 Next Generation Indie Book Awards. Aspiring to be the “Sundance” for indie books, this is the nation’s largest nonprofit awards program for small presses, larger independent publishers, university presses, e-book publishers and self-published authors.

Hayes was also recognized as a finalist in the category of New Fiction (First Book) by the National Indie Excellence Awards, which celebrates the “best of the best” in independent press.

In When No One is Watching, Hayes spins a tale involving ambition, corruption and scandal within Chicago political circles. Within the framework of this page-turning thriller is a compelling contemporary morality play dealing with ethics, personal responsibility and making a difference. It explores the rationalizations our political leaders often make – justifying their self-serving personal agendas in the name of promoting the “greater good.” It examines the notion that character and integrity are defined by how we behave when no one is watching, and the far-reaching consequences of the decisions we make when facing ethical dilemmas. It also explores the impact of guilt on the human mind and heart and searches for inspiration and heroism in unexpected places.

Joseph Hayes is a native of Beverly on the city’s South Side. He graduated from St. Barnabas elementary school, Brother Rice High School and De Paul University before attending law school at the University of California at Berkeley. Hayes is an attorney and currently serves as chief ethics officer for a Fortune 1000 Company based in Houston, Texas.

More information about the book can be found at www.joseph-hayes.com.

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"Going Home: Finding Peace When Pets Die"

2011-09-09T07:07:00.003+01:00

Jon Katz has a new book coming out at the end of the month.

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"Going Home: Finding Peace When Pets Die"

2011-09-09T07:07:00.001+01:00

Jon Katz has a new book coming out at the end of the month.

Posted via email from Wilson's Pupdate

Book Related Posts For December: Your Suggestions Please

2011-09-08T22:26:00.001+01:00

I've been doing the Good Reads 2011 Book Challenge this year, you can see my details here: http://www.goodreads.com/user_challenges/107105 I originally planned for 30 books, my previous recorded best being around the mid 30's in a year, but I hit 30 at the beginning of August so decided to double it. Being only 11 away with several months still to go, means that I might just make it! This got me thinking about blog posts, and I decided that I would write a post at the end of the challenge and feature the "Top 10%" of those 60 (if I make it!)

Then I thought it would be cool to write a post a day over the twelve days of Christmas on books, starting with the "Top 10%" post. Even better if I could come up with enough posts for the whole of December!

Now 31 posts is hard, particularly on one topic, i.e. books, so this is where you come in Dear Readers. Send me your ideas or titles for a post, and I'll try and write to them over December. You can either leave your suggestions in the comments below or alternatively email me: tontowilliams[at]gmail[dot]com

If I get 30 (remember I already have at least one idea), then fantastic, but I will try and write to each every suggestion for a post (so long as they are clean, and not spam comments!).

So what do you want me to write about?

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Book Review: Silverbirch by Rob Kaay

2011-09-08T13:04:00.001+01:00

Silverbirch; A Tear in the Fabric of the Night Sky by Rob Kaay
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is an interesting review to write, as this book falls outside of my usual genres. I was lucky enough to receive a complimentary copy from the author for retweeting his tweet on twitter a few weeks back, and have finally read and finished it in the last few days.

I enjoyed the story, particularly the way it was set across time (and dimension), but I think I enjoyed the writing style more. It was the latter that kept me reading. I think with a different style I might not have finished the book because as I've said this is not my normal reading fair. This kept me engaged though, wanting to know more about Silverbirch, and what was going to happen next and how things were going to be resolved (or not).

So if I could give half-stars I'd probably go 3 and a half, but since I can't do that am going 4, because the writing was so good, and I'm impressed it kept me engaged all the way through in a genre type that I wouldn't normally read. Who knows might now come back from more and see what else Rob Kaay has under his pen.

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Book Review: Savage Run by C J Box

2011-09-06T21:55:00.001+01:00

Savage Run by C.J. Box
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the second Joe Pickett novel and the series is getting stronger.

The strengths of this series; the backcountry and Joe Pickett mean that I'll be returning to it again soon, for the third instalment

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Stephen Hunter, author of Bob Lee Swagger novels, Point of Impact and Black Light

2011-09-06T08:07:00.001+01:00

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Book Review: The Cleaner by Brett Battles (Warning: Contains Spoilers)

2011-09-04T18:22:00.001+01:00

The Cleaner by Brett Battles
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Jonathan Quinn is an espionage agent, but he doesn't work for MI6 or the CIA, he's freelance.

This is the first in the Jonathan Quinn series by Brett Battles and I will certainly be getting the next one in due course.

I would heartedly recommend this book.

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Allotment Video Update

2011-09-03T22:32:00.001+01:00

p1090.mov Watch on Posterous

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On The Waterstones 3 for 2 Thing and Being In The "Lucky Third"

2011-09-02T13:28:00.001+01:00

Earlier today I tweeted a link to a BBC news item about Waterstones ending their 3 for 2 book promotions scheme. This has been widely reported and the Guardian report can be found here. @simonlucas replied to my tweet with a question as to whether this is good or bad. I've been thinking about this and thought I would put my views down for what it's worth.

To be honest I think it largely depends on whether you are a customer or not, as to me this seems to be good for the customer, and maybe as a mainstream author, but if you are a lesser known author and perhaps emerging talent then the news is not quite so good for you. Now I know nothing about how the pricing of books work, and how the retail price affects the wider industry and ultimately the authors revenues, so I am sure that this is probably far more complicated than my simple mind can cope with, but anyway here goes.

I've often found it hard to truly benefit from 3 for 2 in Waterstones. I can find one or two books but often not a third, so might end up with something that I didn't really want in the first place, and I have a few books on my shelves that fall into this category and in some cases have yet to be read. To be honest I've had more success in supermarkets, because I can find one or two books at a reduced price, and they are really books that I want. This only works for very popular authors however as the lesser known ones are unlikely to find their books on the supermarket shelves, and with 3 for 2 I have often picked up a lesser known author as my "lucky third", read it, enjoyed it and gone back to read their backlist. So for me to have the choice of books at £3, £5 or £7 is more appealing than a 3 for 2, but if you're one of those "lucky third" authors then it is now likely that I am not going to be taking a chance on your book.

Given that if I ever get published myself I am more likely to be in the "lucky third" category than the mainstream (at least to start with!), then the demise of 3 for 2 is not going to be a good thing. If my book is not "free" then how many less people are likely to "buy" it and discover me and then make me mainstream?

Now this year in particular my book buying and reading has changed considerably. I have read far more books this year than I can recall ever doing, many have been e-books (on kindle) and many have been as a result of picking book choices up through twitter, Good Reads and other places, and less through browsing the shelves of Waterstones. The majority have been written by authors who's books I have never read before and most you wouldn't find on the shelves of Waterstones or similar let alone as a "lucky third".

Times are a changing however and I have written about the impact of e-books and online sales on bookshops before, and my concerns about the potential loss completely of the high street bookshops, so I won't repeat those again. This year has seen Borders close it's doors, and I have read many articles about small independent shops closing too, so life is tough out there for high street bookstores, there is considerable competition from e-books, the online retailers and the likes of supermarkets. To me there is something special about a bookshop though, it is an experience that I wouldn't want to see lost from the high street, one that generations to come should be able to continue to enjoy.

I do feel though that the beginning of the end as far as bookstores are concerned has been reached and I think it is going to be increasingly likely that more bookstores will close over time, particularly more smaller shops in smaller towns but also I suspect we may well still see the end of some of the bigger chains too. Waterstones might be safe, they are after all the only big chain in the UK now, outside of WHSmith, and overall I think the demise of the 3 for 2 is probably a good move for them and their customers but perhaps not so for lesser known authors.

So I think if you (hopefully like me one day) will be in the "lucky third" then it might be time to turn more to self-publication, certainly self-promotion, and rely more on online sales.

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Vincent Zandri: Concrete Pearl

2011-09-01T19:31:00.001+01:00

Concrete Pearl is coming on virtual tour to this blog on 21st & 22nd September.

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Deus Ex: Human Revolution

2011-08-26T18:19:00.001+01:00

The original Deus Ex was one of my favourite games on the PC. Deus Ex: Human Revolution was released today and I picked my copy up at lunchtime. Can't wait to see if it's as good as the original!

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Book Review: The Lizards Bite by David Hewson

2011-08-24T22:54:00.001+01:00

The Lizard's Bite by David Hewson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Falconi, Peroni, Costa, Lupo & the former FBI agent Emily Deacon return.

Ah, Venice and murder, another outstanding Nic Costa tale from David Hewson, recommended!

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Book Review: Adventures of Cash Laramie and Gideon Miles by Edward A Grainger

2011-08-22T07:47:00.001+01:00

Adventures of Cash Laramie and Gideon Miles by Edward A. Grainger
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A highly recommended read.

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An Impossible Reading Challenge?

2011-08-17T21:06:00.001+01:00

Each year, over the last few years I have set myself a different reading "challenge". I've had challenges around the number of books I would read in a year, this year I started at 30 books in the year, and have now extended that to 60, having reached and past 30 a while ago.

Previously I have made promises to my bookshelves on the near state of collapse that I would only buy a new book if I had read one first. In that year I read some 38 books (and probably bought 38 too).

And so the challenges go.

Recently I've been thinking about some of the classic crime novels there are, and rereading some Arthur Conan Doyle, and more recently my mind has turned to Agatha Christie.

Now I have read some of her novels in the past, but I thought it would be interesting to try and read them all. Could I do this in a year? All in 2012 perhaps? Then I realised just how many books there are: http://agathachristie.com/attachments/assets/Reading_order_with_dates.pdf

So maybe not?

I do still intend to read them all, but it might take me a while!

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Book review

2011-08-15T18:23:00.001+01:00

Dexter in the Dark by Jeff Lindsay
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I'm afraid this third outing for the serial killer that only kills bad people was a little off the mark compared to the previous two outings.

Too much time was taken up with plot that didn't really seem to be going anywhere and at times seemed largely irrelevant.

Overall a disappointing read.

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Book Review: Lake Charles by Ed Lynsky

2011-08-14T11:25:00.001+01:00

Lake Charles: A Mystery Novel by Ed Lynskey
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It’s the summer of 1979 and Brendan Fishback, his sister Edna and brother-in-law Cobb Kuzawa are heading to Lake Charles to do some bass fishing and have a good time.

Brendan has the spectre of a murder charge hanging over his head, a crime that he didn’t commit, and this might be the last chance he gets to cut loose before his trial.

This is the first novel I have read by this author, but I will certainly be looking out for others, and would recommend “Lake Charles” if you like a good crime or mystery.

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Book Review: Back Of Beyond by C. J. Box

2011-08-09T07:11:00.001+01:00

Back of Beyond by C.J. Box
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Cody Hoyt is a troubled cop, at the edge of control, with the threats of alcohol abuse and violence only ever a step away.

When he receives word that his friend and AA mentor has been burnt alive in a fire Hoyt goes to the scene. First impressions are of an accident, but Cody Hoyt realises that not everything is how it seems, and sets to work investigating his friends murder.

A recovered computer hard-drive from the scene leads Cody on the trail of the murderer and to a backcountry outfitter and a trip into Yellowstone National Park. Can Cody stop the killer before he strikes again, and perhaps his next victim is Cody's son who is on the same backcountry trip with his stepdad.

C. J. Box starts this one out at what seems like a perceptively slow pace, but the initial investigation rapidly leads to a rattling pace that sees the story expand and lay out a great narrative, in one of the most stunning locations on the planet. Box doesn't stint on using the backdrop as a part of the tale, using wolves, bears and hot springs as part of the story.

The tale can be tricky to follow if you're not paying attention, and if you're planning to work out the who, what, why before the end you'll need to be playing close attention.

C. J. Box is probably best known for his Joe Pickett series, but this stand alone (although Hoyt has appeared before), is just as good as any of the Pickett series, and well worth a read this summer.

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Move, Learn, Eat by Rick Mereki

2011-08-05T21:00:00.001+01:00

MOVE from Rick Mereki on Vimeo.

LEARN from Rick Mereki on Vimeo.

EAT from Rick Mereki on Vimeo.

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Rainy Summer Holidays

2011-08-04T19:29:00.001+01:00

It's been raining pretty much all day today, good for my garden and allotment but not quite so good if this happens to be your school summer holidays or you're the parent of a child on holiday.

I was thinking back to my school summer holidays, the best six weeks of the year. No school!

We used to spend our time outside. Either playing at each others houses or off in the woods making dens and pretending to be Robin Hood or King Arthur.

When it rained though, we had to resort to playing indoors, and that other staple, watching children's daytime tv. This was in the days before home computers, and in particular the ZX Spectrum at which point my summer holidays would take a different path.

Hard as it may seem now, there were only three channels and daytime tv for kids was reserved for the school holidays only, the rest of the year it was educational programmes and perhaps some Mr Ben at lunchtime.

In the school holidays though the daytime tv was awesome. There was everything from Larry "Buster" Crabbe in the black and White serials of Flash Gordon or Buck Rogers.

See the full gallery on Posterous

There was also the original (and in my opinion, the best) Superman, played by George Reeves

My favourite though had to be Space:1999

This was the series that was made for me, it had everything, great stories, action, was set in space, and had the. Best. Spaceship. Ever! The Eagle

This is what summer holiday tv was all about.

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Mark Malkoff: Apple Store Challenge

2011-07-31T10:23:00.001+01:00

via mydamnchannel.com

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Watching You #Pupdate

2011-07-27T22:33:00.001+01:00

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Think You Know Macbeth? Think Again!

2011-07-27T21:40:00.001+01:00

Macbeth: A Novel by A.J. Hartley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Think you know the tale of Macbeth?

Think again.

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This is an audiobook available via audible (and worth every penny), you can download it here in the UK and here in the USA. Even if you are not a Shakespeare fan I recommend this to you.

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The Return of Sherlock Holmes

2011-07-27T21:06:00.001+01:00

One of my favourite genres when it comes to reading is the crime novel. For me I suspect it started probably from watching black and white Sherlock Holmes movies on tv as a kid.

The Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce, Holmes and Watson was where I began. As I grew a little older I seem to remember moving on to the novels, and I still have the first one, a folio edition of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.

A little older still and I had moved on to The Hardy Boys,

I think if you were a boy you either read The Hardy Boys or Alfred Hitchcocks The Three Investigators,

if you were a girl then it was probably Nancy Drew . I started with The Shore Road Mystery and The Great Airport Mystery, and my collection grew from there.

From there I moved onto Dick Francis, Agatha Christie and Robert B Parker as well as many others. For an English Literature project I covered the Sherlock Holmes stories, and have read crime novels ever since.

There are times when I don’t read at all however. Normally they come after I have read several books back-to-back and can’t seem to settle into another one, they don’t pass the 50 page rule. (The one that says if I’m not hooked within the first 50 pages then I’m not going to and probably should give up). They are of course not always crime, my other vices range from natural history and travel to military history and real science to name a few.

After a recent non-reading spell though I was really struggling and I found myself turning to my kindle and opening the complete works of Sherlock Holmes again. I’m not sure how long it’s been since I read Arthur Conan Doyle’s tales of the great British detective, and I happened to select The Red Headed League, a little at random. I must admit to not really remembering the story, but it was just what I needed to kickstart me back into a “crime-phase”. From there I went onto reading some newer crime, including a book that I have agreed to review for the authors upcoming virtual tour in September, but more of that nearer the time.

I am pleased that Holmes and Watson can still spark that interest in my reading and drive me back to the genre that I love. In my head I have also plotted out the next couple of books that I want to read, a David Hewson,

a Peter James, perhaps some Parker and Christie too, as well some scenes for my own writing; all from reading that one Holmes and Watson story, so there will definitely be more of the greatest detective due of all time too.

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The Remains by Vincent Zandri: Book Review

2011-07-25T11:00:00.001+01:00

The Remains by Vincent Zandri
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Joseph Whalen, a convicted sex offender, attacked twin sisters Rebecca & Molly Underhill when they were children. He's been in jail for the last 30 years but now he's been released on parole. A lot has changed in 30 years, Molly has passed away and Rebecca now runs an art centre.

When Rebecca starts receiving anonymous text messages and the artist in residence at the centre Franny, an autistic savant, begins painting her pictures reminiscent of when she was attacked by Whalen, things begin to take a nasty turn.

Vincent Zandri cracks out a terrifying ride through both sub-conscious and conscious mixing memory and present in this fast paced thriller. From the opening chapters where he paints elements of doubt, and an is he isn't he presence of Whalen, back in Rebecca's life the story keeps you turning the pages.

The cat and mouse chase sequence in woodland, at night during a storm are reminiscent of some of the best adrenaline rides out there, and you know that the evil isn't going to stop, just keep coming.

The final twisting and turning pages tie together nicely and remain believable where so many others in this genre would fall.

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Countdown

2011-07-21T10:39:00.001+01:00

I took Wilson to the vets to be neutered on 12th July. After a lot of discussion, and talking to his vet we decided that this was the best thing to do.

Since the operation he has had to wear a plastic collar to stop him pulling put his stitches. He only has to wear it, if we're not about or able to keep a close eye on him, and whilst it doesn't seem to bother him too much I for one will be pleased to see the stitches come out. Not because of the collar but as a dog with so much energy, it's been hard to keep him from doing his usual mad, crazy things while he's been convalescing. Within two hours of bringing him home from the vets, he was back to his usual self, and couldn't understand why there has been no ball chasing and off leash walks for so long!

Roll on Friday!

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Working on the book

2011-07-08T22:41:00.001+01:00

I've spent a lot of time on a train today, and have been able to pick up the Wilson pupdate book that has been a current work in progress for some time. As this is in part a book that has many pictures, I've been going back through the back catalogue. It seemed right to share at least one of those here this evening. Not sure if this one has been posted before or not, but anyway....

If you're interested in the book, I am hoping it will be similar in some ways to this blog, but with many photos that have not been published here before, and with more background than has been written. I have no idea when or even if it will make it to publication. It may well be self-published, unless I have any success in finding an agent in the meantime.

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Tommy 4th of july weekend

2011-07-03T09:10:00.001+01:00

Tommy 4th of july weekend from john dunstan on Vimeo.

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Carp Attack!!

2011-07-01T13:08:00.001+01:00

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The Rocketeer 20th Anniversary

2011-06-29T19:27:00.001+01:00

The Rocketeer 20th anniversary from John Banana on Vimeo.

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Untitled

2011-06-08T12:58:00.001+01:00

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Playing Fetch

2011-06-05T16:45:00.001+01:00

IMG_1465.MOV Watch on Posterous

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Beagle Jumps Rope

2011-06-02T07:54:00.001+01:00

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REVIEW: Dead Man's Grip by Peter James (warning contains spoilers)!

2011-05-28T20:47:00.001+01:00

Dead Man's Grip by Peter James
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Peter James's last book concerned a serial killer working from 1997 to the present, this book is very much in the present.

A fatal road traffic accident leads to a series of mafia hits, and Roy Grace has to solve the crime(s) and save the day once again.

One of the things I love the most about the Roy Grace series is the settings. I know the area a little and the descriptions of locations always feel so real to me, this outing is no exception.

Featuring a potential return of Sandy, Roy Grace's long missing wife, and also a cameo appearance from Yac (and those Christian Louboutin's), this tale is a breakneck read from start to finish.

I particuarly like the character of Tooth, even though he was a bad guy, and was actually glad that he survived (perhaps to return in the future)?

A recommended read, if you like a good crime novel, and especailly if you have read any of the previous Roy Grace stories!

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What's the Time? #pupdate

2011-05-22T18:30:00.001+01:00

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