Book Review: Walking On Thin Ice, By: Robert Burns

I feel like it's taking longer and longer for me to finish reading a book and review it.  Case in point, I finished reading Walking on Thin Ice almost two months ago!  Well, let's get onto the review then!

I really enjoyed this book!  Burns captivated me right away in the Prologue.  His method of projecting the sheer feeling of fear and suspense in those pages alone was enough to hook me in for the rest of the story.  But Burns didn’t stop there!  Every page afterwards was followed by another that kept me wondering, “What?  Where is this going?” 

Rachael Drucker is an easy character to relate with and have compassion for.  She holds a position at a job where she’s happy, but discontent and always striving to get one good foot in the door.  Her relationship with her father is complicated—he’s dead, but Rachael still speaks with him—just not in the way you might be thinking.  This unique turn in the story puts the psychological aspect into this thriller.  I honestly wasn’t expecting this twist, but I loved it because it put a complicated strain on Rachael’s memory of her father, and how she responds to him as the story moves forward.    

This is cleverly written whodunit which will keep you guessing not just who the killer is, but also wondering which way will the story go from here.  Well done! 

I am anxiously awaiting the next installment of the Rachael Drucker series!

As per usual, I ordered a print copy, but Walking On Thin Ice is also available on Kindle, and enrolled in Kindle Unlimited!  Order HERE! 

Make A Punch List!

Disclaimer first—I do not consider myself a professional anything, so my suggestions and tips should be taken as just one more person on the internet sharing his personal opinion based on his own experiences.  These tips and ideas may work for you too, but they may not.  Just saying.

Writing Tip #021  

When I’m writing, I’m always looking ahead.  I usually have the beginning, middle and end planned out before I even begin the first page.  That being said, there are still a lot of story points still needing to be added to make the story complete.  These story points can be anything from a simple comment or point of reference—maybe a foreshadowing to an entire scene in the story.  Sometimes, the entire idea for the book may have even stemmed from picturing one of these scenes in your head.  Especially when writing a mystery, all these story points add up to a lot to keep track of.  Over the course of writing the whole book, if you don’t have a sharp mind, by the time you get to a key scene, it’s easy to forget maybe just a small detail of something you really wanted to add.  That’s where my punch list comes in.

This isn’t a breakthrough idea or anything, (Really, it’s just a list.) but if you’re not going to outline your work, I would highly suggest it.  I make a list, a “punch list,” of these scenes in a separate document.  I usually title it, “Things to add.”  I don’t consider this an outline, because for me, the list usually isn’t in any order.  I start the list when I begin writing and add to it as I go along.  Sometimes I will note something I plan to write in a future scene, other times it will be a note to make a change in a past scene which is already written.  The idea is that when the first draft is completed, I can go back and check my list and utilize it in my editing. 

One other thing I’ve found the list useful for is curing writer’s block.  If I’m stumped on moving forward with a scene, I reference my punch list for changes or additions to be made to a previous scene.  I’ve found working on previous scenes to be a great seed starter for getting the words on the page again. 

As always, this is just something that works for me.  If it’s not your thing, that’s cool.  I’d be happy to hear how you keep track of your story in the comments!  Happy Reading! 

This One Is For: "C"

I wrote this blog post shortly after the new year, but I'm only getting around to posting it.  There've just been a lot of things going on, and the time didn't feel right until now.

I've hit a bump in the road with my latest book, The Blue Hole.  I am so close to being finished!  Unfortunately, I will need to make some minor (possibly major) edits before it is even complete, most of which defines a specific character.  I really hope this won’t affect the overall story I'm trying to tell, but who am I kidding—I’m facing having to re-write one of my most interesting characters.

So, here’s what happened:  The aforementioned character is based on an old friend of mine.  We’ll call him “C”.  C was a completely unchained party animal.  He was wild and could care less about what anyone thought of him.  He had long hair, walked barefoot everywhere (seriously, in the years I knew him, I only ever saw him where flip-flops once), and he only wore a shirt when he walked into a store or business which required it.  He used to joke that he was the reason behind the signs, “No Shirt, No Shoes, No Service.”  C was untamed, and did whatever he wanted, and didn’t mind the consequences.  Yes, he was that kid your parents were always worried you’d look up to—the bad influence.  But if you really got to know him, C had a side to him that was also very kind, caring, and still fun—he was someone you could count on.  I’d never seen him be mean or cruel to anyone, which was a pleasant change of pace for me when I first met him.  He would be friends with the guy waiting in line to use the payphone, and he wouldn’t hesitate to buy the crossing guard a cool soda on a hot summer day.  C was a guy that dressed like trouble-maker riffraff but had the heart of an angel cloaked in all his disrepair. 

I was only fifteen years old when I met C.  He was already eighteen at the time.  His parents had bought him one of those new Volkswagen Beetles, and he was never shy to give anyone a ride in it.  My friend and I needed a ride to a party, and he was willing to help us out.  From that day forward, we hung out quite a bit.  We didn’t hang out every day—he wasn’t my go-to pal that I did everything with, but we would catch up at least once a week or so, not counting the inevitability of us running into one another at whatever weekend kegger was going on.  C was a good guy that I never regretted meeting, hanging out with, and calling one of my friends.

C passed away at age twenty-five.  Maybe your minds have already graded C by my physical description of him, and maybe you’ve determined that he was a drug-user—unfortunately you would be correct.  Don’t get me wrong, I never thought of C as an addict that couldn’t control himself—but he did find himself experimenting with several substances, especially toward the end of his life—but I never thought of him as an addict.  (Maybe I’m just trying to protect the image of him I have saved in mind?)  C’s family also had a heavy history of heart disease that he apparently also inherited.  That coupled with his recreational drug use was enough to take him from us far too early.  But even gone too soon, I know that C made an imprint on not just my life, but so many others.  That’s why I wanted to share him with you in, The Blue Hole. 

I contacted a member of his family about a year ago and asked for permission to model a character in my book after C.  I wanted the character to be C in pretty much every way.  C had a cool nickname I wanted to use as well.  His family member verbally agreed to my wishes at the time.  However, over Christmas, the family had a change of heart and asked me to refrain from using C's character.  I of course agreed to respect her wishes, but I was extremely disappointed.  This dealt a terrible blow to my book that I wasn’t ready to face.   This change would not only affect the character, but a second story arc within the main story.  

I’ve spoken with C’s family a few times since Christmas; not to haggle or bother them, we really just met in passing.  I did encourage them to read what I had so far, and they did.  After their reading some pages from the book, we have come to an agreement.  They've allowed me to use a few attributes, like the way he dressed, his lifestyle choices, and one momentous event which C orchestrated one weekend (read more about that in the book), but they asked me not to use his name, nor mention his family.  That may not seem like such a big deal, but it does make for a lot of changes.  I really would have liked to have given C the credit for the life that he lived, and the fun we all had because of him, but I'm going to take what I can and hope that I can still see my friend between the lines.  

So, I'm posting this now with a snippet of the cover to the Blue Hole so you can prepare yourself for the story I have in store.  (I'll share the whole cover as I get closer to publishing.)  When you pick up a copy of The Blue Hole (hopefully later this year), please know that this book is dedicated to my good friend C.  He was a real guy, and he was one of the best.  Rest peacefully my friend.

Happy Reading!

Interrupting This Writing Blog...

 

I’m going to interrupt this writing blog to talk about something very serious...

I have found that convincing someone that they need help with their addiction, and they need to go to rehab is the easy part of recovery.  Convincing them to stay there after the first night is what’s difficult.  There’s nothing like answering the phone at three in the morning and hearing your loved one beg you to come pick them up—hearing them tell you that everyone there is mean, and rude them—that the system is working for them, and it’s just not a right fit.  And then, after you’ve worn out every polite encouragement to continue and every message of love you can give them, your loved one turns the pity into blame and hate toward you.  Suddenly you’re wondering if telling them, “No, I can’t come get you,” is the right thing.  To be completely honest, I still don’t know.  I just want them to get better.  I want to be able to include them in my life, but that can only happen if they are sober.  So, I stick to my guns, and the phone call abruptly ends with them hanging up on me.  And that’s just the first night.

I have been around drug use since I was thirteen years old.  I work with prisoners every week and speak about the strongholds of their addictions with them.  This isn’t my first rodeo, and unfortunately it will not be the last.  I know I’m not the only one out there dealing with a loved one with an addiction, but I also know being that person can feel extremely lonely when you’re trying to do everything you can, and everyone (including the loved one you’re trying to help) makes you feel like you’re wasting your time. 

This past week, our loved one ran away from the detox center and found his way back to the people that support his addiction.  It’s devastating to watch.  We may have lost this battle for now, but my hope and prayer is that we will win the war.

If you or someone you love is struggling with an addiction, please take the steps to seek some sort of help.  If nothing else, speak to someone about it.  There are so many resources out there you can take advantage of.  Most are free or will go through the steps to help you get coverage.  Breaking an addiction is not an easy road, but it’s a necessary one. 

This is a link to the SAMHSA National Helpline website.  It’s a great starting point for help, but I’m sure there are other local resources in your area also (wherever you may be).  If this post doesn’t apply to you, that is awesome!  But please pray for all of us that need the encouragement to keep wanting to help.  Thank you all!

Book Review: Powerless, By: Vicky Ball

           I finished this book, what seems like, months ago.  I’ve had a lot of things come up within the time since finishing it, (See my most recent blogpost if you’re curious) and writing this review had unfortunately been pushed to the back burner.  However, the plot of a book like this is not easily forgettable.  It’s one of those that you keep thinking about over and over.  I had no trouble recalling the way this book made me feel.

What a terrifying thriller of exploitation and deceit.  Vicky Ball knocked it out the park with her debut novel, Powerless—a dark glimpse into a world that some may want to pretend doesn’t exist.  With every page, I cringed at the way each character was manipulated with promises of a life that was sure to never come.  I felt deeply for each one of them and squirmed at the thought of how easily something like this could happen in real life—and surely has.  Connecting with characters on this kind of level isn't easy, but Ball pulled it off with ease.  

The plot tackles a delicate topic for some, but one that needs to be talked about all the same.  Ball chose to tell the story from different points of view (love this by the way), so I got a clear perspective of why Beth and Abby reacted to certain situations the way they did, and their counteractions as well.  These characters didn’t make choices just to move the story along, they took actions that coincided with the nature of who they were and the life which they had been dealt.  It made them more real, and more believable.  Well done!

When you pick up this book, you’re going to have a hard time putting it down.  The flow kept my interest piqued the whole way through, and I wasn’t ready for the twist ending.  Suspense, thrills, mystery, tragedy—what more could you ask for?  I’ll be one of the first to grab a copy of Vicky Ball’s next book!

Powerless is enrolled in the Kindle Unlimited program, so if you’re a member, you can read it for free!  Available now on Amazon!       

"Mike! Where've You Been??"

I feel like I have been on hiatus from reading and writing for weeks now.  My presence of social media has even waned so far that I’ve had a friend on twitter reach out via DM to make sure I was okay.  The truth is, I have been on hiatus.  There has been a lot of things going on in my personal life and I’m finding it extremely difficult to focus on writing.  Therefore, I decided it best to set my creative endeavors aside for a month or so till things level out.  I know I’m not the only would-be author out there who has had to take a break for real world priorities—but knowing that hasn’t exactly made this any easier. 

Warning:  **This next paragraph is going to sound like a long-winded rant**

So, what’s been going on?  You mean besides having to take care of my dad’s farm while he was hospitalized with Covid, (Thank God he’s home now and doing fine) and my wife’s grandparents who have unfortunately reached a point in their lives where they need extra care and can no longer take care of themselves?  Well, just before Thanksgiving, I made the decision to close my construction company that I’ve owned and operated over the past fifteen years.  I’ve done very well with my business, but I believe the past two years have convinced me that it’s time to do something different.  Afterall, though I’ve only owned my own business for the past fifteen years, I’ve been doing this work for twenty-two years.  I think in a lot of ways, I’m just burned out with it.  I’ve unfortunately caught a lot of flack from my regular customers, and suppliers about my decision.  My quitting, though I’ve not left anyone suddenly hanging, or any unfinished projects—it’s causing an awkward amount of disappointment.  I won’t lie, their words have been weighing on me and affecting my mood some days—I don’t like this feeling that I’m letting people down.  They of course don’t see the constant stress and frustrations that I deal with every day, not to mention the taxing effects that the manual labor has had on my body.  I’ve spoken with several close friends who all agree that I should try to ignore those hurtful words as those people aren’t looking out for my best interests, but their own.  There are other people out there who are willing and qualified to fill in for my absence, it’s just that none of these people want to be bothered with having to replace me.    

**End of Rant Paragraph**

Well, never mind all of that.  So, what am I going to be doing with myself?  Well, one of the tipping point reasons for my decision to close up shop was because I was offered a very nice salaried position with a safety training company that is literally two minutes down the road from my house!  The pay won’t be as lucrative as owning my own business was, but it will be more than enough for my family and I to get by on and put back some money as well.  Not to mention this new job is far less stressful.

I started my new job only three days ago.  So far, I love it, and I don’t see any reason why I won’t just retire from this position one day. (That is, unless I write a best seller that sells millions of copies!)  As I’m finding my new stride at my new job, so will I find my new time to read and write.  Stay tuned.  I’ve got more stories to fill your head with!

Thanks for reading!

Book Review: History Is A Lie, By: Morton R Leader

This past month has been extremely busy for me, and writing this review has been on the back burner for far too long.   

Buckle up for a twisted historical fiction sci-fi thriller.  A vampire like being, one of many throughout history, tells his story in a kind of Forrest Gump fashion, of how his kind has played a hand in major events throughout time—or have they?  As the story continues, a wider cast of characters is introduced each with their own complexities and resolve to add to the mix.  With each introduction comes another layer to the story—another narrative.   This was a good quality, yet unusual story.  It has a lot of unexpected twists, and surprise actions—anything can happen.  I’m not a history buff by any means, but I do love to read about it and imagine the possibilities that there may be more to the story than what we’re taught—even something that may be completely irrational and, well, just nuts!  History is a Lie has some out-there ideas of some historical events that are entertaining, and somewhat eye opening.  Certainly a fun read if you like action, thrills and bizarre circumstances.   

As per usual, I picked up the paperback copy of this book, but it is also available on the Kindle platform and enrolled in the Kindle Unlimited program which means you can read it for free if you have a membership.  You can find it right HERE!  

Keep Reading!