Reviewing a Short Story Collection

Well hello dear readers!  After spending the day with my son digging out from one snowstorm after another, recovering our front door access and attempting to find our cars buried under the enormous heaps of fluffy winter wonder, I am finally able to bring another book review to you.  Not that I'm complaining, mind you.  Snow always brings out the kid in me.  So let's get onto that review - better late than never, eh?

Book Summary:
Murders, Bikers, and a Meteor is a collection of four dark tales ranging in genre from crime drama to science fiction and horror.  Join a young couple in the 1950's as they investigate a mysterious meteor crash in Arizona's Sonora desert, and an extraterrestrial encounter leaves one of the kids with a whole different view of life and death.  Or take a ride with a notorious motorcycle gang as their path crosses with an unsuspecting small town sheriff on a hot and humid Ozark Mountain day.  See what happens when an innocent man answers his phone and finds himself thrust into the dysfunctional world of his drug addict roommate, and a prostitute.  Take a late night road trip under a full moon with a high school student down a desolate highway that his parents had warned him not to take ... He should have listened to his mom and dad.

My Review:
I have to say from the get-go that little in this collection of short stories interested me.  All four stories stories encompassed less than a hundred pages in PDF format and really jumped all over the place.

The first story is about Ronnie, a drug addicted kid from the 60's who likes nothing more than to spend his days smoking weed and getting high.  To avoid the cops after leaving work high one night, Ronnie takes a side road home - and has an encounter he will never forget. 

The second story shifts forward into modern times (without a hint until well into the story) and is about Kurt, a worthless excuse for a man.  Kurt gets himself involved with a prostitute who steals his car, only to return later in the morning to suffer at the hands of Kurt's murderous wrath.  Axl, Kurt's best friend, takes him too and fro when the car is stolen, only to internally whine about being taken advantage of by his supposed "friend" and then to be beaten about by this same so-called "friend" and left as an accomplice to a murder.

Shift back in time to the 50's for the third story about Glen and Sharon, two high-school teenagers making out in the Arizona desert one night and finding themselves witnesses to a strange meteor crash that leaves behind a trail of dripping molten fire.  Upon closer inspection, Glen is struck momentarily blind as he suffers through periodic seizures over the next hour or so.  During these spasms, he sees images of people he knows suffering through crashes, old age, and death.

The final story encompasses three guys from a gang leaving a bar after several days of swimming in alcohol and meth.  They carry a bag full of cash, possibly from a big drug sale (it's never really explained) and drive through a small Arkansas town, where Luther, the local sheriff, spends his days taking care of widows and their dogs.  Lives are lost by the arrival of Johnny and the gang to this small town.

Through all four stories, we find misspellings, punctuation errors, tense shifts, and a lot of point-of-view shifts.  The style and presentation were very stilted and rather adolescent - though I wouldn't recommend adolescents reading the stories because of the drug usage, prostitution, and murder references.  At no time did I feel empathy for or connections to the characters. 

About the only character that elicited any sympathy from me was Virgil-the-dog.  A couple of references were interesting, such as a character getting up off of the "man-eating couch".  Then also I felt a twinge of concern for Ronnie as the alien character was chasing him through the cornfield and rooted for him to escape.  Other than these, there was little here that would have kept me reading, subjectivity being what it is.  However, if you find anything in the descriptions that pique your interest, pick up a copy of K. J. Klimasz's Murders, Bikers, and a Meteor.

Author Bio:
K. J. Klimasz lives with his wife and their three kids in the same small town both he and his wife grew up in about thirty miles away from St. Paul, Minnesota.  K. J.'s favorite sport is hockey and he volunteers as a goalie coach for the youth hockey program in his hometown.  He also enjoys fly fishing.  Bass and Musky are his local favorites, but Bonefish and Tarpon off the coast of Belize are his all-time favorites.  Family vacations are important to K. J. and his wife, and they try to take family vacations twice a year but usually settle for one.

K. J. has worked as a machinist, a carpenter, and is currently working as a toolmaker building and repairing plastic injection molds.  Visit his website at www.kjklimasz.com

Return to Germany for World War II

It's history week here at the blog.  Yesterday we visited the Civil War, and today we visit a very traumatic time in our not-too-distant history - World War II.  The Nazi era was rife with danger, intrigue, and just plain horror.  But we cannot forget the honor that the destruction of the Third Reich brought to our brave men, even though the price paid was far too high.  That's what we see today in the review of Echoes from the Infantry.

Book Summary:
Echoes From The Infantry is the tale of one Long Island World War II veteran, the misery of combat, and the powerful emotional bonds that brought him home to Rockaway Beach and the love of his life, Madeline Brandt. It is about a father and son, and their ultimately redeeming struggle to understand each other's worlds - one a world at war, the other shaped by its veterans. Nappi moves artfully between the present and past, weaving a fictionalized tale of this Long Islander's struggle to reconcile with the demons from long ago and his family's neverending battle with many of the intangible burdens caused by the private life of a man they never really knew. He touches our hearts with a story of courage and perseverance...a story of men who faced the greatest challenge of their generation.

My Review:
This novel was a powerful, yet emotionally painful read.  At times I teared up and other times got angry.  When a story draws out my emotions, I can usually look past the flaws and appreciate the depth of the tale.

John, Matthew, and Paul are the three sons of James and Madeline McCleary.  We open the prologue with the three sons gathering in their old family home to decide what to do with their father after their mother's passing.  There's a great deal of bitterness brewing under the surface, especially on the part of John, the oldest.  The three grown men had to put up with a distant, angry father all of their lives - none affected more than John.  As soon as John was old enough, he swept the dust of Rockaway Beach from his feet and moved all the way across the country to California.  Now he has a week to clear out the house, deal with his father, and sell the family home in order to get back to his own life.

But then, in the midst of cleaning out the packed, dusty attic, he finds the letters - and begins to read.

James and Madeline loved each other from the first moment they met at the A&P where James worked.  After James headed off to stop the Nazi advance in Europe, they wrote to one another every chance they had and dreamed of the day they would be reunited, married, and settle down to a life they'd planned.  But war has a way of changing everything - and everybody.

The story jumps back and forth in time.  For the most part, the transitions between the present and past were clearly delineated and didn't create a problem in reading.  The references to specific events James experienced as a young man at war were the most satisfying components of the story, the camaraderie between the soldiers, the scouting marches, the interactions with locals both in France and as the Battle of the Bulge took them into German territory, and when James was taken as a POW.  However, it was very difficult to read the recent past, the harshness with which James treated his oldest son, John, as he was growing up.  John wanted nothing more than to have his dad interact with him, to talk to him, play a game of catch, and simply to hug him.  But from John's point-of-view, none of this ever occurred.  Their emotional distance as adults is palpable.

But as John reads the letters between his mother and father, he begins to see a different man in his dad.  Something happened to James that made him a shell of the vibrant, young man he'd once been.  It is clear James still suffers from elements of PTSD.  In reading through these lines, John remembers back to several points in his own childhood where his interactions with his dad were both good and bad, such as when they vacationed as a family and then when John showed James his first grandchild.

However, there were times when the story spoke of the happy moments being set back just by John walking into the room - and it felt so illogical to read.  When James offered the old crib to John for their first child and John graciously refused because they had already purchased a crib, James clams up and gets mad.  We never find out if there is a back story to this crib and why it was so important to James.  Then when one of James' old battle buddies comes to visit and they are in the kitchen looking at pictures, laughing and reminiscing (much to John's surprise, since he's rarely heard his dad laugh, much less smile), John walks into the kitchen and James immediately glares at him and shuts down until John leaves the room.  The reasoning behind this treatment of his son is never explained either.

All along, I thought maybe John reminded James of someone from his past, perhaps an interaction with a young German soldier.  The story spoke many times of instances where someone reminded James of someone else throughout his travels in Europe as well as when he returned home and couldn't shake off the war.  This would have made sense, but by the time we get to the end of the story and find out what really happened to James, it is rushed through, not fully fleshed out, and then the story ends - very unsatisfying.  It made the lifetime of pain the two had experienced seem so calloused, not on John's part but James', and I don't think that was the intention.  It really felt like there was much more here to be said, but the way it ended left it too open, with too many loose ends, and too many unanswered questions.

Even so, I liked Echoes from the Infantry all the way up until the end.  It would be nice to see a revised edition with the ending drawn out just a bit and clarified to make it a truly satisfying read.

To read an excerpt of Echoes from the Infantry click this link http://www.goodreads.com/story/show/304983-excerpt-from-echoes-from-the-infantry

Follow the Tribute Books blog tour:

http://echoesfromtheinfantry.blogspot.com/

Frank Nappi's Bio:
Frank Nappi has taught high school English and Creative Writing for over twenty years. His debut novel, Echoes From The Infantry, received national attention, including MWSA's silver medal for outstanding fiction. His follow-up novel, The Legend of Mickey Tussler, garnered rave reviews as well, including a movie adaptation of the touching story "A Mile in His Shoes" starring Dean Cain and Luke Schroder. Frank continues to produce quality work, including Sophomore Campaign, the intriguing sequel to the much heralded original story and the just released thriller, Nobody Has to Know, which received an endorsement from #1 New York Times bestselling author Nelson DeMille. Frank is presently at work on a third installment of his Mickey Tussler series and his next thriller. He lives on Long Island with his wife Julia and their two sons, Nicholas and Anthony.  Visit his website at http://www.franknappi.com/

Price/Format: $3.99, ebook
Pages: 256
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Release: October 13, 2005

Kindle buy link ($3.99):
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008BTN8EW?tag=tributebooks-20

Visit the Past to Save the Future with Robert G. Pielke

It's time to take a step back, travel through time to visit Gettysburg and the Civil War era in Robert G. Pielke's alternate-history, science-fiction novel, A New Birth of Freedom:  The Translator.  If you're a history buff like me, you need to hop on board the train as we leave the station.

Book Summary:
Noam Chomsky argues that communication with aliens would be impossible. Stephen Hawking argues that it would be extremely unwise even to try. What if it were absolutely necessary to do so? This question arises with extreme urgency at the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863, in this time-travel, alternate-history trilogy, A New Birth of Freedom.

My Review:
First off, I want to say that I enjoyed reading this second book in the trilogy.

It's July, 1863, and Edwin Blair is writing in his journal with a pale, pink fluid, unusual compared to a standard dark inkwell.  Mr. Blair has taken up residence in Gettysburg alongside key participants in President Lincoln's entourage.  Though his memories are mucked up and unclear, Mr. Blair has successfully convinced Lincoln that he is a time-traveler from three hundred years in the future.

His presence in the past?  Key to saving his future and the future of the entire earth from invading alien "Pests".  If only he could remember what he sent himself here to accomplish - and why he brought some of the hateful, murdering Pests with him.

Blair constantly suffers from horrific headaches and nightmares, clashing like a thunderbolt in his brain as changes to the past conflict with what he knows should be future events.  By all means, he knows he must avoid creating a cataclysmic paradox, thus endangering his own future existence.  Plus he cannot risk providing too much information about future events to Lincoln and his team - especially about one particular actor.  The minor clues he attempts to leave himself for future reference create chaos and suspicion from the Civil War participants, not to mention the ten-foot tall gathering of insectoids under close guard. 

More than anything, Blair wants to kill off the murdering invaders, but knows he cannot avoid a future that has already occurred.  Thus some must survive.  His best bet is to attempt communication with his prisoners via Indian sign language and drum signals.  However, communication is exhausting with little tangible information - until the right men show up for the job.

Again, overall A New Birth of Freedom:  The Translator  was an intriguing and enjoyable read for a history buff like me.  I enjoyed Mr. Pielke's portrayal of Lincoln, Pinkerton, and the rest of the historical characters, their quirks and mannerisms that made them very human instead of merely stiff caricatures.

However, I would have loved seeing more activity involving the historical events that were only referenced in the novel.  There was little action of any sort, only battles and skirmishes skimmed over in discussion among the characters after said events had reportedly occurred.  There was even a reference near the end of the book when Blair took Lincoln forward in time, but we didn't get to experience the build-up to it, merely a back discussion between Blair and Lincoln after the event. 

The majority of the story surrounded the constant headaches experienced by Blair and his internal musings about why he couldn't remember certain things.  I felt the novel could have been tightened up and a good portion of these repetitive musings deleted.  They just didn't propel the story forward but more bogged it down.

Also, not having read the first book in this series, there was no description of the Pests until about halfway through the book.  I suspected here and there that they were some sort of insect-type creature along the lines of a grasshopper about a third of the way through, but it would have helped tremendously to have had a description of them up front in this second book. 

Lastly, there was nothing that brought the events from the first book forward into the second book, the reasoning behind the trip back in time, why the Pests needed to accompany Blair to Gettysburg (or if they did so or that it was more that Blair followed them), etc.  This left me with a considerable lack of purpose to the fictional events that transpired.  I understand the ambiguity of Blair having trouble remembering certain things between his two-plus realms of consciousness, but it would have given more meaning to the story to at least have had him spend some of his musings trying to establish a semblance of purpose to this particular visit other than just the overarching idea of saving the world in his time.

My copy also contained numerous grammatical, transposition and punctuation errors, but this may have been cleaned up prior to the published work.  This isn't your standard science-fiction or thriller fare of battles and against-all-odds stakes, but it ended up being a nice read in relation to the history and the ramifications of time-travel paradoxes.  A read of the first book may clear up many of the questions and concerns contained herein.  Then "seeing" the historical characters portrayed as living, breathing human beings was quite enjoyable.  Therefore, I still recommend A New Birth of Freedom:  The Translator.

To read an excerpt, visit this link:  http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com/chapters/ANewBirthOfFreedom_RobertPielke.shtml

Follow the Tribute Books blog tour at

http://anewbirthoffreedom-thetranslator.blogspot.com/

Robert G. Pielke's Bio:
Robert Pielke, a native of Baltimore, Maryland, now lives in Claremont, California. He earned a B.A. in History at the University of Maryland, an M. Div. in Systematic Theology at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, and a Ph.D. in Social Ethics from the Claremont Graduate School.

He taught on ground and online for countless years at George Mason University in Virginia, El Camino College in California and online for the University of Phoenix. Now happily retired from “the job,” he is doing what he always wanted to do since he wrote his first novel at ten in elementary school. It was one paragraph, three pages long and, although he didn’t know it at the time, it was alternate history.

His academic writings have been in the area of ethics, including a boring academic treatise called Critiquing Moral Arguments, logic, and popular culture. Included in the latter is an analysis of rock music entitled You Say You Want a Revolution: Rock Music in American Culture. He has also published short stories, feature articles, film and restaurant reviews. His novels include a savagely satirical novel on America and its foibles, proclivities and propensities, Hitler the Cat Goes West, and an alternate history, science fiction novel, The Mission.

Most recently, he has updated and revised his book on rock music, which is being republished by McFarland & Co.

He swims daily, skis occasionally, cooks as an avocation, watches innumerable movies, collects rock and roll concert films, is an avid devotee of Maryland crabs and maintains a rarely visited blog filled with his social and political ravings. His favorite film is the original Hairspray; his favorite song is “A Day in the Life”; his favorite pizza is from the original Ledo Restaurant in College Park, MD; and he is a firm believer in the efficacy of “sex, drugs and rock and roll.” Somehow his family and friends put up with him.  Visit his website at http://www.robertgpielke.com/

Prices/Formats: $16.95 paperback, $4.99 ebook
Pages: 394
ISBN: 9781611605426
Publisher: Whiskey Creek Press
Release: November 1, 2012

Amazon paperback buy link ($16.95):
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1611605423?tag=tributebooks-20

Whiskey Creek Press paperback buy link ($16.95):
http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1058&zenid=b7536170f2c9de1f7674533bcb734028

Kindle buy link ($4.99):
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A0BTCO4?tag=tributebooks-20

Nook buy link ($4.99):
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-new-birth-of-freedon-robert-g-pielke/1113729034?ean=2940015901757

Whiskey Creek Press ebook buy link ($4.99):
http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1058&zenid=b7536170f2c9de1f7674533bcb734028

Visit the German Borderlands in Rennefarre

Today we visit the borderlands of East Germany in a modern translation of a wonderful piece of children's and young adult literature - Rennefarre.  This fantasy piece combines the feel of classic literature with the rich characterization and setting of fantasy ala The Hobbit.  It is my pleasure to bring this story review to you.

Book Summary:
Imagine riding on the back of a blue heron across time and space. Imagine befriending crows, being kidnapped by magpies, and being given a lift on the back of a kindly stag. Imagine experiencing life as an outcast from human society, encountering spirits and mythical creatures from the world of legends, experiencing the plague in Dresden, and being chased through Berlin by Frederick the Great.

Dott is a twelve-year old girl. She lives in the countryside east of Berlin in an unspecified time between the two world wars. When Dott sneaks out to see the bonfire at the edge of her village on the evening of the midsummer night festival, she has no idea what will happen next. In the dark of night, the magical Rennefarre flower falls into her shoe. It not only makes her invisible, but also allows her to see things no one else could see. No longer able to stay with her parents and her young brother and sister, she begins her search to find a way out of her predicament.

Her quest to return home to her family winds its way through the cities and countryside of 20th century Germany—and beyond. As she befriends the local animals, they help her on her way with gifts of food, shelter, and—through the help of a kind spirit—a magical cup which allows her to become small and ride on the backs of the birds.

Flying across the country on the backs of crows and herons, Dott finds herself seeing the country not only as it is, but also as it used to be. She lives through moments in history others can only read about—meeting historical kings and fanciful spirits along the way. But, even with all of the excitement of her travels, she always has one goal in mind: returning home to her family.

Part coming-of-age story, part fantasy, and part social-cultural portrait of Eastern Germany in the early part of the 20th century, the book covers real ground. That is, one could follow Dott's travels on a map of the area. Seamlessly blending elements of fantasy and history, the book contains a fascinating array of details of day-to-day life in rural and urban areas in eastern Germany. Dott’s adventures are interwoven with folklore and myths as well as vivid accounts of different eras and the diverse cultural and ethnic strains that have formed the basis for a rich and complex history of Germany and Eastern Europe. Written on the eve of World War II, the book offers a sobering perspective on the human potential for causing devastation. At the same time it is filled with hope. In one scene, Dott gets a glimpse of the future — an utterly destroyed cityscape; it inspires her to look to her own responsibilities and actions in life.

My Review:
This book was truly a pleasure to read.  The original German was written prior to the events surrounding World War II and the storyline reflects the damage we humans are capable of with one another as well as the effects on the world and creatures around us.  It reads like a classic piece of literature, slowly building the characters, setting, and events that lead to the heart of the storyline.  Understand this going into Rennefarre.  It is a disappointment that so many people of our world today don't have the patience to stick with a rich story long enough to allow it to touch the heart and soul. 

Dott is a young girl who disobeys her parents then finds herself enchanted on the evening of the summer solstice when the rennefarre flower finds its way into her shoe, turning her invisible to all around her and driving her from her family and village.  However, she has been granted the opportunity to understand the speech of birds and animals, see other enchanted humans and creatures, and to assist all enchanted creatures and animals alike.

Through her enchanted state, Dott is able to see the magical and mystical and even travel through time to see how Germany was inhabited, fought over and conquered, and how she can help those on whom she has come to depend. 

Gurian, the heron, comes to her aid after she saves the life of one of his young.  Cornix, the old and wise crow, is one of the first to befriend her in her lonely state.  But Pica Pica, the magpie, is waiting in the wings to wisk her away out of spite from her new-found friends.  Through all of her travels in the air and through time, Dott begins to understand her responsibilities and the responsibility all humans have to care for one another and the earth around us.

She places herself in danger to save those she comes to care for.  Dott also seeks the cure for her baby sister, who has long been ill and is in danger of dying.  Because of her ability to learn the importance of responsibility for oneself as well as others, she just might be able to find her way back to her family and her normal human way of life.  But to do so, she will lose the ability to talk to the animals and see the fire sprite and other enchanted beings.

There were times in reading the historical references where I wanted to pick up another history book and start researching again.  It really spoke to my penchant for history and might pique the interest of other young souls to explore the topic.  The settings were beautifully portrayed and the proud heron, Gurian, you felt so sorry for when he lost his family.  The story, however, never devolved into a rant against the human race - quite the contrary.  It spoke to the possibility of every single human soul toward the ability of greatness.  Makes me think of the line from Spiderman - with great power comes great responsibility.

And Rennefarre displayed that wonderfully for all to read.

Follow the Tribute Books blog tour at:

http://rennefarre.blogspot.com/

Malve von Hassell's Bio:

Malve von Hassell is a freelance writer, researcher, and translator. She holds a Ph. D. in anthropology from the New School for Social Research. Working as an independent scholar, she published several books and journal articles, in particular, The Struggle for Eden: Community Gardens in New York City (Bergin & Garvey 2002) and Homesteading in New York City 1978-1993: The Divided Heart of Loisaida (Bergin & Garvey 1996). She has also edited her grandfather Ulrich von Hassell's memoirs written in prison in 1944, Der Kreis schließt sich - Aufzeichnungen aus der Haft 1944 (Propylaen Verlag 1994). She has taught at Queens College, Baruch College, Pace University, and Suffolk County Community College, while continuing her work as a translator and writer. She has published a children’s picture book, Letters from the Tooth Fairy (Mill City Press, 2012), and completed a manuscript for a historical fiction book set in the 13th century for young adults, Falconello. She is working on a historical fiction novel set in Jerusalem in the time of the crusades.  Visit her website at http://www.malvevonhassell.com/

Price/Format: $13.99 paperback
Publisher: Two Harbors Press
ISBN: 9781938690389
Pages: 297
Release: December 11, 2012

MyBookOrders.com buy link ($13.99):
https://secure.mybookorders.com/order/malve-von-hassell

Thanks To The Ladies at Pots and Pens!

Hey dear readers! 

If you'd like to check out what's been going on lately and get the scoop on a great slow cooker recipe for those cold, winter days, run on over to Pots and Pens and check out an interview I did with the ladies recently.

It sure made me laugh!

http://potsnpens.blogspot.com/2013/01/interview-with-da-bale-creamy-chicken.html

Those of you who've been patiently waiting will be happy to note that I've started writing heavily on the follow-up to The Study.  Be watching for it in a few months.

Happy reading to all and to all a good day!

Tripping Across Scotland in "The Tartan Shroud"

My review today is for one book, but as a disclosure I wanted to let you know that I chose to read the previous three published in this series.  That may have a coloring to my assessment of this latest offering.  Needless to say, I enjoyed reading all four.  Now, let's buckle up and strap down for a trip to Scotland in "The Tartan Shroud".

The Tartan Shroud Book Summary:
A bulldozer unearths a young girl’s body on a golf course in Scotland but for some reason, Fergus Murray, the top crime officer in Tayside seems unwilling to pursue the case. Fergus contacts Willow Stone, his American cousin and pleads for help. Willow, Pinky’s favorite ex-wife, calls in all her chips and convinces Pinky, Bear, Flo, and Ettamae to go to the small Scottish town of Pitlochry to help her cousin find the killer. Along the way the American’s come across a forester with a wonky eye—haggis—the occasional bad weather spring day—various Scottish policeman all named McSomething—mutton pie—a near new, sixty-year-old Austin Taxi—a bathroom that could double for a freezer—the nearly indecipherable Scottish accent—many glasses of whiskey and beer—ancient records—a broadsword—and a real Duke! Ride with Bear, Flo, and Henry during their final mad dash across Scotland to try to stop the murderer before he kills again inside the hallowed halls of Blair Castle.

My Review:
I gotta say that I really enjoyed reading all four of the Pinky and Bear Mysteries and was very glad that option was provided to tour reviewers.  This series has mystery, suspense, and plenty of tongue-in-cheek humor to tickle your funny bone.

Pincus Delmont, or Pinky to his acquaintances, is the defense lawyer you'd want on your side if you were ever accused of murder - that is, IF you could afford him and IF he could keep a qualified legal secretary on staff.  With his virtually untarnished acquittal record, Pinky's ego makes up for his lack of stature.

The brawn is where the Bear comes in.  Bear Zabarte is descended from a Basque sheep-herding family, a simple man who likes nothing better than tossing back a few while watching his Boston Red Sox on television.  Well, and oogling his live-in girlfriend, Flo.  Several years back, his path crossed Pinky's when someone else's face got in the way of Bear's fist.  It took Pinky's expertise to get Bear a "get out of jail free" card.  Very quickly Bear learned aint nothing free where Pinky is involved.

As payment for this debt, Pinky required Bear to do some investigating for him to avoid getting his own manicured fingers dirty.  Pinky and Bear both soon discover a working relationship works out pretty well for both of them - and when Flo steps in to secure regular payment from Pinky's clenched fists for Bear's expertise, Bear finds himself under the full-time employ of one irritating attorney.

So when Willow Stone, DA for Carson City, Nevada and sometimes not-so-ex-wife of Pinky's, turns to him for a favor, our crew is off to Scotland to assist in the investigation of the recovered body of a long-missing girl.  And she may not be the only one.

I don't really want to tell you much more except to say this has been a real hoot to read.  Sometimes you want to smack some manhood into Pinky, tell Flo to wear a sturdier bra, and tell young Ettamae not to go into the dark tunnel.  But overall I thoroughly enjoyed most everything about this series.  There are occasional grammar, punctuation, and formatting errors, but they are not so plentiful as to disturb reading too much.  The characters are lively, fun, and stay true to themselves while still growing as people.  They are not flat or one-dimensional in any way - and I soooo appreciate that, especially reading all four books straight through.  Occasionally you want to shake Bear and tell him that there's more to life than just staring at Flo's boobs - but he IS a man.  At least he's true to himself that way. :-)

So if you like a fun mystery with interesting characters, pick up a copy of The Tartan Shroud or any of the Pinky and Bear Mysteries.  Thumbs up from this reviewer!

Ken Dalton's Bio:

Ken Dalton was born in 1938 at Hollywood Hospital. He grew up with his parents, his older sister, Pat, and younger brother, Richard in Los Angeles. The year 1938 informs the quick reader that Ken’s older than a lot of people, but younger than some.

In a turn of bad luck, the dreaded Polio virus found Ken.

At the end of World War ll, Ken’s family moved to Cheyenne, Wyoming for a year where he learned how to live through snow blizzards, avoid walking through the large pile of coal in the basement, and how to survive life as an Army Officer’s brat on a base called Fort Warren.

By the age of sixteen, after eleven years of operations, therapy, and braces, Ken’s luck changed dramatically when he met the girl of his dreams at a party. A few years later they married, produced three wonderful children, and settled into a happy life in Southern California.

In 1966, Ken, who worked as a technician for Pacific Bell, and his family left Southern California for the green hills of Sonoma County where they bought a home in Sebastopol surrounded with apple trees. A few years later, Ken and Arlene built a new home on three and a half acres. They raised cows, pigs, and learned how to build outstanding fences. While their children grew, they hosted two exchange students, Eva Reimers from Sweden, and Tanja Wuttke from Germany, both of whom are still loved members of the Dalton clan. Also during those years, Ken was promoted to management at Pacific Bell. He eventually ended up responsible for all the central offices, sixty-three, in an area that covered five counties.

In 1977, Ken, Arlene, Bob Wiltermood, and his wife Norma, designed, built, and operated a 2000 case winery named Pommeraie Vineyards. They produced award winning Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. However, after Bob died, the winery was sold. Ken and Arlene moved to a hilltop in Healdsburg.

With the winery gone, and time on their hands, Ken and Arlene started to perform with the Camp Rose Players. Twenty years and forty productions later, both are still acting and singing.

Life was good. All Ken had to do was learn some lines and bow when the audience applauded.

Then, ten years ago, Ken started to write. His first article was published in Golf Illustrated in August 1996. More golf articles followed in national and regional magazines including Golf Magazine and Fairways and Greens.

After a two-year stint on the County Grand Jury, Ken felt the need to begin his first novel.

Now, after a decade of struggle to learn the craft of writing, Ken has become the publishing world’s latest overnight sensation.

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Prices/Formats: $14.95 paperback, $4.99 ebook
Pages: 320
ISBN: 9780578113258
Publisher: Different Drummer Press
Release: October 1, 2012

Amazon paperback buy link ($14.95):
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Barnes and Noble paperback buy link ($14.95):
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KenDalton.com paperback buy link ($14.95):
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Kindle buy link ($4.99):
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From Today's Headlines - A Review of "Scam Factory"

Today we have a book on a subject straight from the headlines.  White-collar crime has been at the forefront of our world for many years.  Now we have an "inside" view in G. Gordon Dean's novel, "Scam Factory".  Let the review begin!

Book Summary:
Whoever said 'white-collar crime doesn’t pay' never lived in Washington D.C. TierGroup is a business consultancy firm located in the heart of DC. Its Division Heads have a very cold and calculating unorthodox approach to conducting business. Protecting and serving their clients is the only thing that matters. Nevertheless, loyalty can swing both ways in this journey through greed, corruption, and absolute lack of accountability.

As a former Las Vegas Casino Surveillance Director, Michael Crayter, a straight shooter, becomes an unaware, almost, employee of TierGroup in mid-2001. His transformation takes many shapes from idea man to fraud guru. He embarks on a journey to Iraq, through Hurricane Katrina and eventually takes part in one of the biggest scams in the history of the United States - the TARP funding program. His boss, Charles “The Czar” Zarin, is the ultimate manipulation mentor. Michael Crayter’s experience will last for more than eight years and will make his old Vegas job seem like child’s play.

The investment opportunities the United States has to offer during this timeframe are seemingly endless and the public joins in on the greed. The whole country is riding high on the inflated value train with careless abandonment. There are no regulations followed or laws unbroken by the Mortgage Lenders, Stock Brokers, and Bankers. The bubble is getting bigger and the clock is ticking. It's every man for himself. Divide and conquer. Borrow and spend. No one sees the tsunami coming, except for Charles Zarin. Capitalism will be turned upside down and the money spigot will run dry.

By late 2007 the bubble bursts and our country’s economy is left in ruins. The Treasury is sent in to bail out the white-collar thieves. While losing most of its clients TierGroup and Michael Crayter are left to fend for themselves. The tables are turned on the fat-cat bankers who caused the meltdown. Michael Crayter uses his hard gained experience to get even with the fake bastards. Almost everyone loyal to TierGroup gets away with highway robbery and the American taxpayer is left holding the bag. Michael Crayter begins to tell his story, in this Four Part first-person narrative, during a 2005 interview at FBI headquarters in Washington D.C.

My Review:
Initially when presented with the book summary, I looked forward to reading this book.  As a former banker at one time affected by failures and resulting bank closures, I thought "Scam Factory" offered an interesting premise I could comprehend.

Our protagonist, Michael Crayter, is tapped by the head of one of the largest and most prestigious D.C. consulting firms to give up his job in Las Vegas to move to the East Coast to be groomed to lead TierGroup one day.  There he finds a company corrupted by power and greed.

In the summary we're told Michael is a straight-shooter who is unaware of the deep-seated issues beating at the heart of the company.  However, from practically day one he is acknowledging and participating in underhanded, unethical, and eventually highly illegal activities with no sense of remorse.  This certainly didn't fit with the provided description.  I found no redeeming quality about Michael throughout the reading of the novel.

TierGroup consists of four "tiers" with one man heading each tier and ultimately the fourth man over the other three and the entire company.  When introduced to each of these tier heads, there is little to differentiate each man other than a brief appearance description.  Otherwise, they all appear to act and talk the same to Michael as they describe what it is they are responsible for within the overall scheme of the company.  They come across not as flesh and blood characters but caricatures, flat and one-dimensional. 

That leads me to the biggest issue I had with reading "Scam Factory".  From the moment Michael arrives at TierGroup, the book takes on a tone of what I call an info-dump.  Page after page involves nothing but dialogue of each tier head describing their department functions.  At times, it almost felt like the characters were practically yelling - talking "at" me instead of "to" me as a reader.  I hoped it was only going to be in these chapters as Michael makes his way around the company, but this info-dump pretty much continued throughout the remainder of the book.

Psychic distance was a huge issue for me as well.  At no time did I as a reader ever feel like I was in Michael's or any other characters' point-of-view.  Just the continual dialogue and info-dumping, taking on a more omniscient point-of-view at best.  The part that really frustrated me as a reader was when the Arabic translator was talking between Michael and the Iraqi group and the translator was saying things in Arabic to the Iraqis outside of what he was supposed to be telling them (giving away secret information about the operation, location of currency, etc.).  This wouldn't have been a problem if we were in the translator's POV but this was not the case.  It was a very disjointed and jarring section.

I'm also accustomed to reading alot of different material - and most involve various levels of cursing.  Normally this is never an issue, but I found the constant refrain of the "f" word and the characters calling each other such to be excessive.  Usage every once in awhile would have had more impact, but at times it seemed as if it were nearly every couple of words, which just grew obnoxious.

If you'd like to get some varying degrees of what happens behind the scenes when power and greed run amuck, consider picking up a copy of G. Gordon Dean's "Scam Factory".

G. Gordon Dean's Bio:
G. Gordon Dean is a Real Estate agent and Business Consultant currently living in Arizona. He has been a media buff for over two decades. As a media buff he has kept himself well aware of past and current events in business, government, and politics. He lived in Las Vegas, Nevada for over 30 years. This is his first novel.

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Price/Format: $4.99 ebook

Pages: 263
Release: October 15, 2012

Kindle buy link ($4.99):
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009RP6NU0?tag=tributebooks-20
Nook buy link ($4.99): http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/scam-factory-g-gordon-dean/1113508194?ean=2940015503814