RED INK REVIEW

Level 26

2011-10-30T18:15:00.000-07:00

Level 26
Dark Origins
2009 - Hardback $26.95
By Anthony Zuiker & Duane Swierczynski
406 Pages

Sqweegel, the name given to the monster of all monster serial killers, by the FBI. He will attack and kill anyone, kill them by any means, and he is now the only serial killer classified as a level 26. The FBI typically classify killers from one to 25 but Sqweegel is so hianus in his crimes, he's given his own category and he has been killing for decades.

Steve Dark the only agent who has come eye to eye with the killer and not die or go insane refuses to go back into service, but is dragged back into the cat and mouse game world of the killer after a few years of retirement. Mind games, action, introspectin are all part of this fast story that will keep you turning the pages.

Warning, this is a very violent, explecit novel. If that's not your game take a pass on this one.

This being a "digi-novel" is the reason I gave it a shot. The concept is to go to a web page and log on with codes from the book and you get to watch short video clips from sceenes from the story. Some of the clips were truly creepy, but others flat and cheesey.

The story is fast paced but lacking in the plot line and a few holes in the research. The setting is ok and the dialog is good. I like books that make you turn the pages and this one did although it is predictable. On a five star rating system I would give it a solid 3.

The Sandburg Connection

2011-10-24T22:09:00.000-07:00

The Sandburg Connection

By Mark de Castrique 2011

Poisoned Pen Press

The Sandburg Connection opens in Flat Rock North Carolina. Sam Blackman and his partner/lover Nakayla Robertson are on the investigative trail of Professor Janice Wainwright. Janice claims a recent back surgery gone bad is the cause of her intense pain and is suing for 5 million dollar, thus the reason for the investigation. While following Wainwright up the trails on Glassy Mountain, Blackman hears a cry and reaches Wainwright to find her nearly dead but still conscious. Through her dazed mental state she tells Blackman “it’s the Sandburg verses”.

Of course since Sam and Nakayla are the first to find her they are the prime suspects. Later, after her death, through autopsy reports it’s found she had narcotics in her system but there is indeed evidence of the surgeon’s botched surgery.

A break-in at the Wainwright home and a stolen book of Sandburg’s volumes from Sam’s vehicle, lead Sam to believe there is something more to the death of Wainwright than meets the eye.

Sam and Nakayla travel the country roads of North Carolina and the mountain trails of the Glassy Mountain seeking the truth behind the death of Janice Wainwright and what the “Sandburg verses” is all about.

This is a great story unfolding methodically, and interesting to readers who enjoy southern history with a twist of treasure hunting to boot. I enjoyed the character Sam Blackman who reminds me of a mans man. He’s got an artificial leg and a smoking hot lover that is sure to please any fan of good character development.

The setting is real with plenty of detail for the imagination but doesn’t burden the reader with so much it makes for a tedious read. The dialogue is one of the best in the business as far as I’m concerned too. The only downfall of the story is I feel it needed a bit more development and detail thrown in for the treasure hunt, but then again, this is not supposed to be an adventure it’s a mystery. A great mystery it is!

Reviews on the Horizon

2011-09-05T11:45:00.000-07:00

I'll be doing reviews for Stealing Souls and The Affair of the Wooden Boy soon. Both are by Ian Doyle and are sure to be great reads!

The Great Stephen King

2011-09-05T09:19:00.000-07:00

I jumped over to SK's site and found some exciting things going on over there. He has a lot of new stories coming out in the next few months. The first like I'd like to mention is Mile 81.

Mile 81 - ripped from SK's site:

THE NEW E-BOOK FEATURING AN EXCERPT FROM 11/22/63

At Mile 81 on the Maine Turnpike is a boarded up rest stop, a place where high school kids drink and get into the kind of trouble high school kids have always gotten into. It’s the place where Pete Simmons goes when his older brother, who’s supposed to be looking out for him, heads off to the gravel pit to play “paratroopers over the side.”

Pete, armed only with the magnifying glass he got for his tenth birthday, finds a discarded bottle of vodka in the boarded up burger shack and drinks enough to pass out.

Not much later, a mud-covered station wagon (which is strange because there hadn’t been any rain in New England for over a week) veers into the Mile 81 rest area, ignoring the sign that says “closed, no services.” The driver’s door opens but nobody gets out.

Doug Clayton, an insurance man from Bangor, is driving his Prius to a conference in Portland. On the backseat are his briefcase and suitcase and in the passenger bucket is a King James Bible, what Doug calls “the ultimate insurance manual,” but it isn’t going to save Doug when he decides to be the Good Samaritan and help the guy in the broken down wagon. He pulls up behind it, puts on his four-ways, and then notices that the wagon has no plates.

Ten minutes later, Julianne Vernon, pulling a horse trailer, spots the Prius and the wagon, and pulls over. Julianne finds Doug Clayton’s cracked cell phone near the wagon door – and gets too close herself. By the time Pete Simmons wakes up from his vodka nap, there are a half a dozen cars at the Mile 81 rest stop. Two kids – Rachel and Blake Lussier –and one horse named Deedee are the only living left. Unless you maybe count the wagon.

With the heart of Stand By Me and the genius horror of Christine, Mile 81 is Stephen unleashing his imagination as he drives past one of those road signs...

Sounds like a keeper to me!

Next, is the one I can't wait to get my hands on. It's titled 11/22/63

On November 22, 1963, three shots rang out in Dallas, President Kennedy died, and the world changed forever.

If you had the chance to change the course of history, would you?
Would the consequences be worth it?

Jake Epping is a thirty-five-year-old high school English teacher in Lisbon Falls, Maine, who makes extra money teaching adults in the GED program. He receives an essay from one of the students—a gruesome, harrowing first person story about the night 50 years ago when Harry Dunning’s father came home and killed his mother, his sister, and his brother with a hammer. Harry escaped with a smashed leg, as evidenced by his crooked walk.

Not much later, Jake’s friend Al, who runs the local diner, divulges a secret: his storeroom is a portal to 1958. He enlists Jake on an insane—and insanely possible—mission to try to prevent the Kennedy assassination. So begins Jake’s new life as George Amberson and his new world of Elvis and JFK, of big American cars and sock hops, of a troubled loner named Lee Harvey Oswald and a beautiful high school librarian named Sadie Dunhill, who becomes the love of Jake’s life—a life that transgresses all the normal rules of time.

Click HERE and scroll down for the link to get to the pre-order page.

Amazon Kindle

2011-09-05T08:16:00.000-07:00

My dear wife bought me a Kindle for Fathers Day! She truly is a wonderful, beautiful person. Ok, enough with the brown nose and on with the post!

On one hand I absolutly love the Kindle but on the other hand I miss the feel and smell of the real thing. Maybe they could make a book scented candle...

The thing I like most about the Kindle is the portability of an entire library. The second perk is the wireless downloading of books. With my old Sony book reader you had to hook to your computer then download the books. I don't know off hand how many it will hold but it's enough for me. Belinda bought me the version with advertisements for around $115.00. I like getting the ads because sometimes there are some great deals. One time they were offering 20% off Apple products through Amazon with your Kindle code. Just so happeded my college age daughter was looking for an Apple computer at the time.

My plan here is to start posing again since our kids are leaving the house for college. We only have one left and things are starting to slow down a bit for us.

I'll go into a more in-depth review of the Amazon Kindle later.

Brimstone by Preston & Child

2011-06-13T19:23:00.000-07:00

These two authors should be considered in the top 10 writers of this century. I'm totaly hooked on their stories! Especially the Pendergast novels.

Ripped from the official site of Preston & Child
Behind the gates of a fabulous Hamptons estate, FBI Special Agent Pendergast comes upon the carnage of a gruesome crime: one that recalls the legendary horrors that befall those who make a Faustian pact with the devil. Surrounded by the choking stench of brimstone, the smoldering remains of art critic Jeremy Grove are found in a locked, barricaded attic next to a hoofprint singed into the floorboards.

Unable to resist a case that defies all but supernatural logic, Pendergast reunites with police officers Vincent D'Agosta (Relic) and Laura Hayward (Reliquary) to search for a more earthly explanation. But their investigation soon takes them from the luxury estates of Long Island and penthouses of New York City to the crumbling, legend-shrouded castles of the Italian countryside, where thirty years ago four men conjured up something unspeakable. . .

Fever Dream by Preston & Child

2011-05-30T10:08:00.001-07:00

I forgot how much I like the writing of these two authors. I'm reading Fever dream now and can hardly put it down! Take a look.

Ripped from Official Web Site of Preston & Child

Fever Dream
At the old family manse in Louisiana, Special Agent Pendergast is putting to rest long-ignored possessions reminiscent of his wife Helen's tragic death, only to make a stunning-and dreadful-discovery.

Helen had been mauled by an unusually large and vicious lion while they were big game hunting in Africa. But now, Pendergast learns that her rifle-her only protection from the beast-had been deliberately loaded with blanks. Who could have wanted Helen dead...and why?

With Lieutenant Vincent D'Agosta's assistance, Pendergast embarks on a quest to uncover the mystery of his wife's murder. It is a journey that sends him deep into her past where he learns much that Helen herself had wished to keep hidden.

Helen Pendergast had nursed a secret obsession with the famed naturalist-painter John James Audubon, in particular a long-lost painting of his known as the Black Frame.

As Pendergast probes more deeply into the riddle-the answer to which is revealed in a night of shocking violence, deep in the Louisiana bayou-he finds himself faced with an even greater question: who was the woman he married?

Jerry Jenkins

2011-03-16T13:09:00.000-07:00

Check out best selling author Jerry B. Jenkins. I'm reading his "end times" book titled: Soon. It's the first in a trilogy I decided to start reading in giving up secular fiction for Lent this year. I've had the book in my pile for a couple years and wish I'd started it long ago. I'll be picking up the other two as quick as I can get my hands on them.

Jenkins also has an interesting blog on his site called Wednesdays on Writing. These are short informational and uplifting articles for aspiring writers like me. Check him out when you get the chance.

Jerry Jenkins Wednesdays on Writing

Book review: Lifeguard by James Patterson

2010-09-24T11:00:00.000-07:00

By James Patterson & Andrew Gross

Hachette Book Group USA
2006

I’ve seen a few reviewers blast this book out of the water. Yes, the characters are a bit thin, and the plot is predictable, but there is a bunch of good action and is a good solid story. What I like most about Patterson is the ultra short chapters.

The story opens with Palm Beach lifeguard Ned Kelly. He’s in bed with his perfect dream girl Tess. She’s got the looks, the body and obviously a hell of a bunch of money. And the best part is that she is with him.

Later that night Ned is walking on cloud nine. He’s part of a group of thieves planning on pulling off an art heist, which will net him a cool million dollars. Finally, Ned feels he’s hit the big time with having Tess and now already spending the million dollars in his head.

That’s when the simple plan goes wrong and people start dying. The FBI gets involved and Ned Kelly finds himself running from the law, and not because of the art heist, but because of the murders and him kidnapping an FBI agent. Six or seven of Ned’s family and friends end up dead along his journey for freedom and justice.

He also finds another love (an FBI agent) willing to help him solve the mysteries of who’s behind the murders and trying to frame him.

Lifeguard has love, sex, a bit of mystery, and some action thrown in that makes it a good fast read. If you’re looking for an intellectual stimulus, this isn’t the book for you. If you’re looking for something that you can put down because of being interrupted every five or ten minutes it’s perfect.

I’m fairly new to reading Patterson but I really enjoy the short chapters, snappy dialogue, and characters you don’t have to keep asking who they are and where do they fit in because of flatness. Most of the time I don’t care what they are feeling, I care about what they’re doing. Action, action, action, I say! Action is what keeps you turning the pages and Lifeguard has plenty of that!

Professional Writer Mel Odom is trying something new

2010-03-08T12:17:00.000-08:00

Read about Mel's idea for the future of publishing for professional writers.

The Affair Of The Wooden Boy

Book Review: Tsar by Ted Bell

2008-10-22T09:57:00.000-07:00

Tsar explodes into action when in the 1960s, the father of English espionage agent Alex Hawke’s father, himself a British spy, is killing some time before his next assignment when an assassination attempt on his life is foiled. This sets the blazing pace for the rest of the book.

Vladimir Putin is locked away in a prison built on the site of a former nuclear waste dump. Somewhere in Russia, the Dark Rider, the true man in power is hell bent on bringing all of the former countries of the Soviet Union back under the control of Mother Russia. He has the power and gumption to shut down the European economy and bring blood to the enemy Americans if need be.

Hawke is, by agreement of the U.S. and British governments, the only man who can stop the madness of the new Russian leader. He is on holiday and enjoying a secluded beach in Bermuda where he meets artist Anastasia Korsakov. She is the beautiful and witty daughter of the Dark Rider. Sex, murder, and bombs leveling a Mid-western town bring the story to wire-tight tension.

There are some holes in the research but, as a fictional title, that’s not a problem for me.
The character development and detail to setting are great, though they drag somewhat in some places. The alpha male character of Alex Hawke is a great in-your-face character that you’ll love. If Russia invading Georgia within the last few weeks leads to a new Cold War, we can only hope we have people like Hawke out there thwarting the real threat of terrorism, communism, and the new Russia.

Tsar is the first espionage thriller and book by Ted Bell I’ve had the pleasure of reading. Most of the book is lightning-fast paced, with the bells (no pun intended) and whistles you’d expect from a spy novel. You can’t go wrong by throwing Tsar in the basket on your next trip to the bookstore. I’ll definitely pick Bell again for my entertainment reading.

Book Review: The Roswell Legacy by Jesse Marcel

2008-10-22T09:54:00.000-07:00

Do extraterrestrials exist? Are there otherworldly visiting earth now? Do we have alien craft invading our airspace?

These questions have been around since the 1940s. According to author Jesse Marcel, Jr. the answer is yes. In his book, The Roswell Legacy - The Untold Story of the First Military Officer at the 1947 Crash Site, he documents the events leading up to and after the alleged crash of a spacecraft found by a ranch hand near Roswell, New Mexico in 1947. There has been an ocean of speculation of what actually crashed on the ranch back then, but one thing still remains constant: The U.S. Government to this day claims the recovered debris from the crash site are either from a weather balloon or a top-secret device for detecting pressure waves from a nuclear blast in the Soviet Union. In either case according to Marcel, the debris from the wreckage do not match the materials from either a weather balloon or pressure detector would have been made of.

When he was eleven, Jesse’s life took a turn down the road to strangeness. One summer night his father Major Jesse Marcel, Sr., excited, brought in a box of debris, and scattered them on the kitchen-floor, claiming a flying saucer had crashed 75 miles northwest of Roswell. That night Jesse Jr. had the privilege of handling and inspecting the pieces of something that would forever change his life.

Major Marcel is an officer in the Army Air Force, successfully trained in radar, worked as an S-2 Intelligence Officer assigned to the 509th Composite Bomb Group in Nevada. He briefed and supplied intelligence to the flight crews before the missions to drop the atom bomb on Nagasaki and Hiroshima. To say the least Major Marcel had the credentials to identify whether or not the wreckage was a balloon or part of a secrete piece of equipment.

According to Jesse Jr. the superior officers of Major Marcel forced him to pose for pictures with a radar target, which had some resemblance to the actual wreckage but was not the actual debris.

The Roswell Legacy is a great fast read and will keep the reader hooked from the first page to the end, especially if they have an interest in UFO’s and government cover-ups. One thing for certain is Major Marcel knew what he saw and thought it came from somewhere else other than Earth.

I am convinced there is something that happened near Roswell, New Mexico in 1947 and the government did cover it up. Even if nothing happened there the City of Roswell has benefited from the story for over 60 years in the tourist industry. If you visit there today you can’t go anywhere without bumping into some sort of alien paraphernalia. I visited Roswell last year and had a blast. If you are planning a trip there pick up this book for a great companion and who knows who or what you might find.

Audio Book Review: Wild Fire by Nelson DeMIlle

2008-10-22T09:51:00.000-07:00

What would the U.S. Government do if a Muslim terrorist group some how smuggled a couple of suitcase bombs into the United States and managed to detonate them in heavily populated cities? That’s where project Wild Fire comes in.

The central thesis of the novel is that if there is an attack on U.S. soil by Muslim terrorists with nuclear, chemical, or biological weapons of mass destruction, the U.S. will respond to pre-selected Middle Eastern cities, hitting them with nuclear warheads.

John Corey of the A.T.T.F (Anti Terrorist Task Force) a post 9-11 government agency, and his wife/boss Kate Mayfield of the F.B.I. are lured into a maze of deception, danger, and corruption of government officials at the highest level. While investigating the disappearance of one of their co-workers while he was on a covert assignment at a right-wing compound, they stumble onto a plot by a private oil baron and top government officials to wipe out Muslim countries via nuclear attack.

Corey and his wife are on the run from their respective agencies so they can dig to the bottom of what’s going on at the Custer Hill Club. When they figure out what the future holds, they are pitted against the clock and nuclear destruction of two major U.S. cities and the Middle East.

Being a kid of the Cold War I found this book to kind of spooky. With the fall of the Soviet Union bringing an end to the Cold War, it also opened the door to a new type of war with an invisible enemy. The idea is plausible that a terrorist group could get hold of a suitcase bomb and smuggle it across our borders. Where would they get it? Information from an interview from Nelson DeMille at the end of the book said that there are around 40 of these bombs missing from the former Soviet inventory. This scares the crap out of me.

Since I’m in outside sales I get to listen to books instead of read them on occasion. This one turned out to be a great one too. It is read by Scott Brick, who brings complex dimensions to Corey’s character. At 18 hours - 46 minutes on 15 compact disks, it is a marathon listen.

Great job DeMille!

Book Review: Dr. Gott's No Flour No Suguar Diet by Dr. Peter H. Gott M.D.

2008-08-27T19:34:00.000-07:00

An easy-to-follow instruction plan for permanent weight loss and a healthy lifestyle is found between the covers of Dr. Peter Gott’s book: No Flour, No Sugar Diet. I started the “diet” last week. Today I stepped on the scale and found I had lost three pounds in seven days.

The greatest part about following Dr. Gott’s plan is you don’t have to count points or fat grams. You do have to watch what the ingredients are in the food you buy at the store or order at the restaurant. The ingredients to stay away from are of course flour and sugar. You might scoff and say "how easy that would be?" but if you read the labels of your groceries, you’d be surprised at the sugar that is put in almost all processed foods.

One thing I found interesting was that when following a diet with no flour or no sugar, that pretty much leaves wholegrain rice, fresh fruits and vegetables and meats, as contenders for consumption. That is what nutritionists have been screaming all these years.

I don’t think Dr. Gott has hit on something new - he’s just found a new way to say it. But believe it or not it’s an easy plan to follow. It’s as simple as the title of the book: just stay away from flour and sugar.Cutting the refined carbs is not the only part of the plan.

He also pushes the idea of exercising - that’s right, exercising. He talks of using more calories than you eat so you still have to watch the portion size of meals. I found, though, that if I stop eating when I was full and had snacks between meals (which Dr. Gott says to do) I didn’t get hungry or have those carb cravings late in the afternoon.

The book also has sections on specific medical conditions, how to satisfy a sweet tooth without sugar, how to stay on track, and weight maintenance. It also includes ideas for meal plans, dishes, and deserts.

All in all, Dr. Gott’s No Flour, No Sugar Diet, was a fast read, simple to understand, with loads of information to help the nutrition information-impaired gain knowledge for a healthier way to eat and live.

One thing I didn’t like is his idea of using so much artificial sweetener in prepared dishes.

Although this is a common-sense plan for eating and exercise, you should always consult your physician first.

Room 59 The Powers That Be by Cliff Ryder

2008-04-07T10:42:00.000-07:00

Room 59 the Powers that Be delivers fast pace, great characters and one hell of a punch for a first in a series novel.

Room 59 is a black-ops international agency not tied to any particular country. The mission is to stop global threats that no country wants to openly endorse action against. If a mission goes bad, there’s no one to call.

A secret contact in Cuba goes missing and Room 59 is called to action. Kate Cochran and her operatives go to work in the heart of Cuban and on the shores of Florida.

This book has great characters, is a fast page burner, and one you’ll enjoy. If you like spy novels you’ll get a kick out of Room 59 The Powers That Be. I thoroughly enjoyed the real setting, three-dimensional characters, and complex plot.

Cliff Ryder is one hell of a writer that knows how to chum the waters and suck you into the world of Room 59. I can’t wait for the next installment.

Exploring Victorian London with L.M. Jackson

2007-12-16T15:28:00.000-08:00

While researching an idea for a story anchored in Victorian London, I found an interesting web-site by historical thriller author L.M. Jackson. If you've ever been interested in that era and local go to The Victorian Dictionary and check it out. It's packed with any kind of information you'd need for writing or general interest. Jackson also has a blog called The Cat's Meat Shop.

Writer of five hostorical thrillers:

London Dust
(Arrow {Pbk} March 2003) (shortlisted for the 2003 Ellis Peters Historical Dagger Award)

A Metropolitan Murder
(Heinemann {Hbk} March 2004; Arrow {Pbk} October 2004)

The Welfare of the Dead
(Heinemann {Hbk} April 2005; Arrow {Pbk} October 2005)

The Last Pleasure Garden
(Heinemann {Hbk} April 2006; Arrow {Pbk} February 2007)

A Most Dangerous Woman
(Heinemann {Hbk} April 2007)

I'll be doing a review on A Most Dangerous Woman when I find the book.

Check him out and let me know what you think.

I've got some ocean front property to sell

2007-12-05T18:53:00.000-08:00

I'd like to meet the guy who bought this trinket for 57 mil. Read the story here.

I like archeology and all, I even have a metal detector and go "treasre hunting" sometimes, but good grief, you could feed a small nation on what somebody paid for this. Their money I guess.

The ebook

2007-12-02T15:36:00.000-08:00

There is just something I love about browsing books in a bookstore. I'd rather plop down a hard earned ten bucks for the paper and glue any day of the week. I've downloaded ebooks for my palm pilot before and been disappointed. There is just something therapeutic about turning those pages, not to mention the smell of a newly purchased book. What do you think? Anyone out there have one of these new ebook readers? Read the full artilce from nzherald by Peter Griffin

Hitler's Judas by Tom Lewis

2007-11-13T17:36:00.000-08:00

Hitler’s Judas
By Tom Lewis
Published by VP Publishing
294 Pages / Fiction

An impressive page burner, Hitler’s Judas, the second book in the Pea Island Gold Trilogy by Tom Lewis is a grand experience.

In the midst of World War Two, Martin Bormann is the closest man to Hitler and possibly the second most powerful man in the Nazi regime. In the wake of Hitler’s insane plan to invade the Russians, Bormann designs a covert escape to an island off the coast of North Carolina, and a heist of fifty million in gold.

The story is packed full of real and memorable characters from the era. The setting is crafted with fine detail and the tension is wire tight. Lewis guides the reader through a maze of deception, murder, and war with little effort and does an impressive job getting the reader to the end.

Reading the book took me back in time to those holiday evenings listening to my grandpa tell stories of his training to be a “belly gunner” on a flying fortress, though he never saw combat and ended up being a butcher in the Army Air Corps. The movies we watch and the books we read, show us the devastation of combat in Europe and the lives our civilians living at home. This was a nice trip to the other side of the fence and read about our enemy, even if it was fiction

Hitler’s Judas is a must read for anyone who enjoys historical fiction of the World War Two era. Packed with suspense, tension, and great writing, I recommend this book for anyone searching for something different to read. The author’s note at the end suggests though Hitler’s Judas is based on fiction, Martin Bormann with his persona and access to virtually anyone and anything, had the ability to escape to South America and may not have died in the bunker bombings at the close of the war. That gives you something to think about…

Tom Lewis lives in New Bern, North Carolina. In addition to the Pea Island Gold Trilogy, He has written five other novels, a collection of short stories, and a nonfiction book. Visit his web-site www.tomelewis.com

Nothing to See Here by David L. Post

2007-10-11T15:29:00.001-07:00

Successful Dr. Allan Sarnover – psychiatrist, is at the top of his game when his world is turned upside down by the bizarre actions of his manic wife Cassie. Sarnover soon finds himself as a single parent with a seriously declining practice, and his life in the throws of insanity not unlike the patients he treats.

Cassie in the first chapter of the book, “splits for the coast”, then two months later returns home and is caught stoned, and in bed with a new lover. Thus, Cassie has decided to file for divorce and get custody of their ten-year old son Mitch. This begins Alan’s whirlpool of cataclysmic self-destruction and strife.

The court system and Cassie wearing Alan down to commit unthinkable deeds and pushes him over the edge.

Nothing to See Here is one of the best psycho thriller stories I’ve had the pleasure of reading. The book is filled with tension as Alan systematically falls into mental illness and bad decisions. It definitely makes you ask yourself questions about the human psyche. Could I be pushed this far? My best friend? My wife? How well do we really know the people in our lives?

I was drawn into the darkness and suspense of the story as Allan went from a stand up citizen to murderer. The characters, dialogue and setting are very real, and Post pulls off a superb ending.

Fiction Factor

2007-09-24T13:24:00.000-07:00

Fiction Factor is a great place for fiction writers to find help on almost any form of fiction writing. I've browsed around for a bit and it seems to be a top notch site. They offer different sites to specific genre's, and articles on different writing topics. Take a look here: Fiction Factor

Let me know what you think.

Hundred Dollar Baby by Robert Parker

2007-09-19T15:10:00.000-07:00

I’ve got to tell ya that I’ve found another favorite author. Hundred Dollar Baby by Robert Parker, is #34 in the series, and is written just the way I like them.

The book opens with a former teen-age runaway turned madam of a bordello April Kyle walking into Spencer’s office asking for help. The two have a relationship from previous years and the emotion shows. Spencer who has a soft spot for April agrees to help her with the problem of allegedly being harassed by an unknown assailant. Then there is a couple of murders of which anyone could be the trigger puller.

The deeper Spencer digs the more he finds out that at every turn and question someone is lying to him about what’s really going on, including April. The story is packed with bad guys, and bad-good guys that beat the living crap out of anyone who crosses them.

Hundred Dollar Baby ends with a bang that really doesn’t surprise, but the dialog in the story is great. Parker sprinkles minute details that make you feel as though you are there on the streets of New York investigating the mobsters with him. To me this is the greatest thing a writer can do in a story.

Again, this is the kind of book I like. It yanks you in, and is a great ride. Fast paced, not sludged up with a bunch of back-story and sub-plots. Has some damn funny parts too. I caught myself laughing and talking out-loud when there was no one around.

The Omen by David Seltzer

2007-09-06T21:56:00.000-07:00

The Omen is a book about the Anti-Christ and how he is born into the living world. I do go to church though I’m not a Bible prophecy expert. I don’t think the story follows the book of Revelation all that close. Consult with your local Pastor for guidance.

The Omen opens with up and coming Presidential hopeful Robert Thorn flying to Italy for the birth of their son. Upon arriving at the hospital he discovers the “death” of his child. Fearing a mental brake-down by his wife, he takes the offer of substituting an orphan child named Damien for his blood child.

As the child grows, strange things start to happen. The first of which is his nanny committing suicide by hanging herself from the rooftop at Damien’s birthday party. Then a distraught Priest with a shadowy past attempts to convince Robert Thorn that Damien is the Son of Satan and according to legend has to be killed in a church with the seven daggers of Meggado.

The story amps up with creepy action all the way through. It’s a short read and has some pics from the movie inserted for visuals. If you’ve seen the movie don’t bother with reading the book, but if you’re planning on watching the movie, I’d read the book first. There are some things in the book that will help you understand the movie a bit better.

Not the best book I’ve read and it sure doesn’t belong with the Left Behind series if that’s your style. It’s predictable and has some dragging spots but I think that adds a bit to the creepy-ness.

Prepping for Halloween

2007-08-30T20:53:00.000-07:00

Since we're coming up on Halloween, I thought I'd take the R.I.P. II challenge. I put down State of Fear and started the Omen. Even this picture gives me the creeps. Good so far though. See what the R.I.P.challenge is about HERE. I'm doing the first peril.

Back to life

2007-08-28T20:42:00.000-07:00

After a long semi depressed state of life since April, I'm happy to say I'm back to my normal self. Since being laid off from the forklift dealer I was working for, I've been in a depressed state of mind. I know one shouldn't reside one's self worth on a job, because afterall it's just a job. Rejection of that magnatude can cause some pretty bad emotions boil to the surface though . It seems I was just floating around in an endless ocean with no rutter. I took a job or two and they ended in not so good situations.

I've been so down I don't think I've finished reading one book since. It's normal for me to get distracted but I havn't finished anything...

But like the song goes, what ever the name is, "Some day it'll get easier" -That day is here!

Recently I've been working for another forklift company located here in Oklahoma City and will be titled as a Major Account Manager. The company is Medley Material Handling the Yale forklift dealer for Oklahoma. I've been there for almost 2 months and I'm having a blast. So far it seems to be a great place to work. Great owner, great managers, unbelievable support for succeeding and lots of team spirit. Look out Van Keppel I'm coming after you! I will do my best to make you close your doors.

No I'm not counting my happiness on a job. I just realized that I had a tremendous amount of support from God and alot of people. Thank you!

If you get a chance hit these sites: www.medleyco.com & www.yale.com

Have a good one!
Bill

What I'm reading now:

2007-07-16T09:06:00.000-07:00

Rogue Angel by Alex Archer. This a grat story so far. If you get a chance pick it up. I found my copy in New Mexico a few weeks back.

Nelson Demille - Wild Fire

2007-05-14T16:57:00.000-07:00

My book by Nelson Demille came in the other day so I had to put the other on hold. Nelson Demille is probably my favorite author and Wild Fire is stacking up to the other books by him.

Perks of an outside sales job

2007-05-04T11:01:00.000-07:00

Having an outside sales job although mostly boring, smoetimes has it's perks. While driving down 63rd today I spied a Yellow Lamborghini. I'm not sure but I think it's the first one i've seen. Man! What a sweet ride! The only thing that would have made it better is if McPhee was the driver. Check out this site for Lamborghini it's pretty cool.
Have a good one!
Bill

Things going on - what I'm reading now

2007-05-01T14:31:00.000-07:00

I haven't had the time to properly attend to this blog lately. I hope things get back to normal soon and I can start the reviews again. I'm currently reading a 782 page lunker called Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clark.
It's a great story so far. If you've read it, leave me a comment on what you thought about it.

Are you an evil person?

2007-04-28T06:31:00.000-07:00

Thake the test.

Back in the workforce

2007-04-20T21:30:00.000-07:00

Thank you all for your prayers and concerns. I accepted a job today with Oklahoma Territory Crane Sales & Service. I'll pretty much be doing the same thing as with Van Keppel but instead of forklifts, I will be involved with cranes and dirt equipment. It seems I got a 2 week vacation and will be making more base salary. I guess something good has come out of being "let go." Looks like the commission structure is better too. Again thank you for your prayers and thoughts!

God bless,
Bill

Thanks U.S. Armed Forces, I'm proud of you!

2007-04-18T19:26:00.000-07:00

Thank you to all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces for service past and future. I am proud of you!
This the most touching video I've seen in a long time. Thanks for sending it Steve.

Touching Video

Layoff

2007-04-18T15:58:00.000-07:00

As some of you know I was laid off last week after 8 years of service with my former company. It was a position elimination throughout Van Keppel. It definitely was like getting hit by a big man with meaty fists. I havn't communicated as well as I should have but I've been coming out of the shell-shock for the last week. I do have some opportunities to work other places, but I'm thinking of starting a cleaning business. I'm not sure if I can make it work but thinking of doing commercial, residential, rentals, apartments and churches... I'll have to do some checking to see what the market is doing.

I'll get back to doing some book reviews soon. I've got a couple of books backed up.
We've also got the MUMC Garage sale coming up and that will take alot out of my time too, along with planning the mission trip to Rio Bravo. If your interested in going I need to know ASAP.

Visit Mustang Missions blog calendar for garage sale pick up and drop off dates.

I'll be back in the game soon.
God bless,
Bill

Veil of anonymity

2007-04-07T20:29:00.000-07:00

Recently on a public forum, where there was a lengthy thread about what a Christian does in certain situations, I posted a reply. A reply with my full name for the public to see, which that is what this post is about. Having the guts to standup for what you think is right and not hiding behind a veil of anonymity.

Basically what happened was the administrator wanted to curb the discussion away from Christians and what they do on Sundays when there is a conflict between church and sports. In my opinion there was nothing wrong in what was being discussed between folks. It was as if some of the people were searching for ways to replace what they missed at church with devotions and such when choosing to go to a Sunday game instead of church. Well, the administrator told the people to change the subject, which I took as censorship on a public forum that discusses everything under the sun.

So here I go to the rescue, quick wit and sharp tongue and post my reply, but this is not the bad one yet. The administrator comes back with some attacks on me, my intelligence and ability to write. I know I’m not the best writer in town, which is why I write this blog, (you have to write to get better at the craft, even if it’s writing a stupid blog). So, yes I took it personal, and took them to town on how to insult someone, I mean hey if your gonna do it, do it as best you can, right? Right or wrong I did it. I can’t take it back, but I can apologize for it and I did, publicly with my name posted to it.

However there was a certain person who reads my blog who also decided to pipe in on the thread. This lady which I know who she is, decided to try and insult me, by attacking me personally by insinuating I’m fat. Which I am, and yes I did a review for a diet book, which was assigned after I requested it from the publisher. I mean hey, I’m fat, I know it, and if you don’t know it you need to open your eyes when you see me.

She also attacked my writing and my blog and the post about Del Rancho, and me being a Christian. No I’ll tell you right now, I’m not even close to being the poster kid for Christians. That’s why I always say church is a hospital for the sick, not a country club for the perfect. If I were the model we would all be in trouble.

What gets me though is this lady has absolutely no room to talk about anyone’s weight. I’m sure I could fit into her jeans with little or no problem at all. And yes she hid behind a veil of anonymity. Sister, I forgive you for saying what you said. But keep in mind Christian does not mean doormat when it comes to my family and me. I am suggesting from this point forward when you see my family or me; you turn your head and keep going. You will not receive a warm welcome from me. But again I do forgive you. I would also suggest you stop your rumor slinging. You’re running out of friends.

I apologize to my Christian friends and family for the things posted on the thread that started this whole mess in the first place. I hope you will forgive me for things I’ve done that tarnished the image of Christians as a whole.

God bless you and Have a Happy Easter for He has risen!
Bill

News From the Front

2007-04-03T18:14:00.000-07:00

You have got to read this post from a young man who is currently in Iraq. Click on this link to go to Katie's blog, Guilt in Black Panties. It's a clean site I promise! LOL.

How much is stupidity worth?

2007-04-02T19:16:00.000-07:00

Restaurant Review: Del Rancho Mustang, Oklahoma

I’ve watched a hand full of restaurants come and go in the same building that the Del Rancho is located in, in Mustang Oklahoma. If the bad customer service provided by Del Rancho continues, we’ll probably see yet another new restaurant in that location in the near future.
The food there is generally what one would expect for spending $22.00 for 2 sandwiches, an order of french-fries, an order of mashed potato’s and 3 drinks, albeit I think it’s a bit pricey. Two of the drinks are what is in question here.

2 of the drinks were iced tea. Upon leaving Del Rancho, my buddy Wilson headed for the front counter with me pulling up anchor behind him. Wilson asked to get a to-go cup for the road and I was planning on doing the same. The manager who seemed nice enough told him "we can pour your existing drink into the cup" in which she did and brought his cup to half full. Wilson asked if she would go ahead and fill it up and her reply was "we can’t give refills on to-go cups." Well, Barbie was there too and she told the manager to just get a refill on the original glass and then pour it in the to-go cup if that was the way to do get a full to-go cup. "That’s what you’ll have to do next time," was the reply with a condescending voice and a pat on the arm.

OK lady, do you really think there will be a next time for Del Rancho? The manager claimed the waitresses were giving away free drinks to customers and that’s the reason for no refills on the to-go cups. I’ve got an idea here folks though it’s not exactly brain surgery or astrophysics I’m going to describe, but hold on and step back from the edge because it is ground shaking.

PUNISH THE WAITRESSES NOT THE CUSTOMERS! REMEMBER ME? THE ONE PAYING FOR YOUR (MEDIOCRE AT BEST) FOOD AND CRAPPY SERVICE?

No, we won’t be back to Del Rancho. I can’t imagine how much 16 ounces of iced-tea must be worth. It sure will cost a lot though, huh?

The White Cascade by Gary Krist

2007-04-02T06:48:00.000-07:00

Gary Krist couples his first attempt at non-fiction with great storytelling to recount the gripping incident known as the Wellington Disaster in The White Cascade: The Great Northern Railway Disaster and America's Deadliest Avalanche.

In 1910 the driving force of rolling snow and wreckage demolishes two snowbound trains. An estimated death toll of 96 passengers and crew litter the area with bodies. Buried in snow at the top of the Cascade Mountains, surviving passengers first passed the time by writing letters to friends and loved ones, then complaining and taking care of the children. Some of the lucky passengers slid to the safety of the next station.

After a freak thunderstorm in the early morning hours of the sixth day, a dislodged and massive swath of hard-packed snow and ice slam into the stranded trains, leaving behind a mess of dead and mangled steel and wood.Faint cries for help and excruciating rescues make this a non-fiction story of mammoth proportions.

The vivid picture Krist paints of the scene makes you feel like you’re there in the cold, stacking the bodies for identification with the rest of the workers.All in all this was a good read. The White Cascade is packed full of informative descriptions of the era, which I like in a book of this caliber. The story drags a bit at the front but quickly picks up. The history and descriptions of what it was like to work on the Great Northern rail makes this a railroad gem any person interested in this type of memorabilia and area of interest will want to get for their collection.

Red Ink Review

2007-03-07T19:44:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the Red Ink Review. As some of you know I love to read & write. Having this blog gives me the opportunity to do both. All of the reviews here have been posted or published in some form or another, not for pay yet though, dang it. I do get free books and other things for review and that helps stunt my monthly book purchases.

I've pulled some posts from my old blog Bill's World and put them here as a starter. Some you might have seen some you havn't. Take a look, welcome to any comments or e-mails.
I hope you enjoy the site.

Here is a quick list:
Dr. Gott's No Flour, No Sugar (Book Review)
Hunters of the Dark Sea by: Mel Odom (Book Review)
Carved in Bone by: Jefferson Bass (Book Review)
Charlie Bean (Coffee House Review)

Have a good one!
Bill

Book Review: Dr. Gott's No Flour No Sugar Diet by Peter H. Gott, M.D.

2007-03-07T19:38:00.000-08:00

The greatest part about following Dr. Gott’s plan is you don’t have to count points or fat grams. You do have to watch what the ingredients are in the food you buy at the store or order at the restaurant. The ingredients to stay away from are of course flour and sugar. You might scoff and say "how easy that would be?" but if you read the labels of your groceries, you’d be surprised at the sugar that is put in almost all processed foods.

One thing I found interesting was that when following a diet with no flour or no sugar, that pretty much leaves wholegrain rice, fresh fruits and vegetables and meats, as contenders for consumption. That is what nutritionists have been screaming all these years.

I don’t think Dr. Gott has hit on something new - he’s just found a new way to say it. But believe it or not it’s an easy plan to follow. It’s as simple as the title of the book: just stay away from flour and sugar.Cutting the refined carbs is not the only part of the plan.

He also pushes the idea of exercising - that’s right, exercising. He talks of using more calories than you eat so you still have to watch the portion size of meals. I found, though, that if I stop eating when I was full and had snacks between meals (which Dr. Gott says to do) I didn’t get hungry or have those carb cravings late in the afternoon.

The book also has sections on specific medical conditions, how to satisfy a sweet tooth without sugar, how to stay on track, and weight maintenance. It also includes ideas for meal plans, dishes, and deserts.

All in all, Dr. Gott’s No Flour, No Sugar Diet, was a fast read, simple to understand, with loads of information to help the nutrition information-impaired gain knowledge for a healthier way to eat and live.

One thing I didn’t like is his idea of using so much artificial sweetener in prepared dishes.

Although this is a common-sense plan for eating and exercise, you should always consult your physician first.

Hunters of the Dark Sea by: Mel Odom

2007-03-07T19:29:00.000-08:00

Mel Odom weaves an intricate tale in his historical horror and sci-fi adventure in Hunters of the Dark Sea. The main story opens in 1813. The young United States is at war with Great Britain and the high seas are crawling with British war-ships, privateers, cutthroat pirates and a visitor from not of this world.

Twenty-six year old Ethan Swain is first mate of the whaling ship Reliant. He and the crew have been at sea for two years and the ships holds are half full with the precious cargo of whale oil. Ethan has a dark past he must hide in order to keep his life intact. Keeping his past a secrete and being torn between the ships captain and the crew which is on the verge of a mutiny is only a small part of the turmoil he must juggle.

On board the research ship Brown-Eyed Sue is Professor Bullock and his intelligent and artistic daughter Katherine. They have been dispatched by the President of the United Sates to investigate reports of a sea monster named Death-in-the-water by the natives of Easter Island. Bullock soon learns the beginning of the reports coincide with a falling star hitting the water 16 years back. While anchored off the coast of Easter Island a dying man washes ashore with his painful and swollen skin practically blistering off the bone. A futile attempt by Bullock at saving the mans life renders an unknown venom the monster uses to kill its prey.

Vengeful Jonah McAfee, part of Ethan Swain’s dark past, is captain of the pirate ship Sunfisher. McAfee in pursuit of Ethan for revenge, catches wind of the monster and focuses his efforts on finding the monster.Hunters of the Dark Sea ends with Ethan battling McAfee, a British war ship, and the monster in a dynamite finish.

This is one of my favorite books of all time. Odom brings the characters to life in a way comparable to King. I also enjoyed the life-like setting of the high seas and the day-to-day life in my opinion was probably close to the real thing for the whalers of that time period. It’s quite obvious Mel Odom did his research for this book.

Carved in Bone by: Jefferson Bass

2007-03-07T19:15:00.000-08:00

Carved in Bone, the remarkable break-out novel by Jefferson Bass, is forensic fiction at its best. "Jefferson Bass" is the writing team of Dr. Bill Bass, world-renowned forensic anthropologist, and Jon Jefferson, veteran writer/film maker. These two entangle the reader in a story about skeletons, literally and figuratively, from the very first page.

Page one introduces the “body farm” where Dr. Bill Brockton is pushing a knife through the back of one of his male cadavers for a murder case he’s working on. The body farm is a three-acre patch of ground located near the University of Tennessee, used for forensic science; it houses dozens of bodies in different state of decomposition.

A visiting Deputy from Cook County interrupts Dr. Brocton in the middle of his experiment with an interesting case: a mummified corpse of a young woman dead for 30 years has been discovered in a cave in the Appalachian Mountains.

Brockton’s investigation threatens to kick open the door of Cook County family skeleton closets and he finds himself on the wrong end of a gun more than once. Dealing with the death of his wife, Brockton is vigilant in solving the mystery of the dead woman.

This tale is thick with the typical forensic questions and has amazing detail when it comes to the subject of anthropology - not for the weak-stomached or the squeamish.

Carved in Bone has an array of compelling characters ranging from chicken-fighting FBI agents to attractive anthropology assistants and on to towering redneck sidekicks. The characters, setting and dialogue are all first-rate and compete with the best writers of today.

The book also includes an intriguing “Q & A” with Dr. Bill Bass, covering some of the “ins and outs” in the field of anthropology.

Next out for this series is Flesh and Bone.

Coffee House Review: Charlie Bean

2007-03-05T11:36:00.000-08:00

Cute waitresses wearing the customary black t-shirts with the Charlie Bean logo serving coffee & espresso with a smile is something we're not used to here in urban Mustang, Oklahoma. Until recently, finding a good cup of coffee has been something of a challenge.

Charlie Bean, located at 425 West Highway 152 in Mustang, serves up the best coffee you can get for at least 10 miles. My morning ritual for the last two weeks has been dropping the kids at school and making a B-line to Charlie Beans, where I'm practically on a first name basis with some of their servers. I should own company stock some time soon.

Ten-year Mustang resident Charles Mangus and his wife Linda teamed up with their partners, Greg and Linda Kersh, to open the first coffee house in Mustang on February 13th. Upon entering you are surrounded by the earthy aroma of roasted coffee and jazzy tunes in the background. Charlie Bean sports seating for 65 patrons, an in-house coffee roaster, a forty-inch flat-screen TV hanging above a fireplace and surrounded by cozy leather armchairs, free wireless Internet is available with purchase of food or coffee.

I asked Charles what made him want to open a coffee house and he replied, "I started roasting my own coffee years ago and just have a love for coffee."

On any given day there are eight to ten employees working behind the counter serving up various offerings from their one-hundred-item menu including bagels, yogurt, and even soups and salads for lunch. On the shelves are the traditional offerings of grinders, syrups, teas, whole bean and flavored coffees, and even caffeine-laden lip balm.

Though I'm not a coffee connoisseur, I do know when I'm not getting a watered-down variety, so don't expect to get one here. The service is fast and friendly whether going through the drive-through or dining in. First time partakers will enjoy the Charlie Bean card, which gets you a free coffee on the ninth coffee purchase. Charlie bean is not just a coffee shop; it's an experience.

This review has also been published at Blogcritics Magazine.