Addled By Books - Spotlight and Interview

Thank you to Brandee at Addled By Books for this lovely spotlight and interview!

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

Most of my background is still considered classified, which is a shame. Some of the stories are really funny. But, I can tell you that I was born under a wandering star that led me to a degree in Communication and English with an emphasis on creative writing. I’ve always been a sucker the fantastical and the paranormal, and that figures prominently into what I read and what I write.

I try to deal with real characters in a real world with real danger, but add the elements of the fantastic or the supernatural. It’s our world, but better.

Read more by clicking this link.

Book Review - David Andrews - The Sapphire Sea

If you know nothing about modern sailing, then get ready for The Sapphire Sea by David Andrews.  Allan Shortland is a sailor in every sense of the word, and what he doesn’t know about ocean-going vessels probably isn’t worth mentioning.  But this isn’t just a sailing book.  Andrews has also crafted a beautiful character-driven romance around Shortland and his ex-wife, as well as telling the ups and downs of the lives of sailors.

Andrews’ story aptly describes the wonder of sailing coupled with the danger and safety measures that Allan has built up over a life-time experience.  He introduces us to a slew of character who represent the newbie, the experienced sailors, and those who fight against depression, drugs and alcohol.  The circle of these stories, revolving around Allan, culminates in the renewed romance between him and his ex-wife Sally.

The Sapphire Sea is an engaging story written by an author who definitely knows what he’s talking about.  However, sometimes the minutia of the sailing and ocean-going vessels is so pronounced that it overtakes the rest of the story.  The details are fascinating, but for readers unfamiliar with the world, it may be overpowering.

For all that, Andrews brings to life a wonderful cast of realistic characters, accurately expressing thoughts and emotions, as they interact with each other both on and off the sea.  The tale of born-again romance between Allan and Sally is at once touching and realistic, and will have you rooting for the couple throughout.  Andrews introduces the reader to a very real world, making this an easy read and almost impossible to put down.  There is no doubt that he, like Allan Shortland, knows his stuff.

Author Links

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Would You Be Mad?

Say you’ve fallen off your roof. Maybe it was your fault, or maybe you were just an innocent bystander, holding a flashlight for a professional roof worker, when a raccoon bolted from the chimney, scampered over and bit your leg, and in your attempt to shake it off (while still holding the flashlight) you slipped, slid off the roof and fell three stories.

Or maybe it wasn’t your fault at all.

They're cute now . . . but they're up to something.

Either way, you fall three stories, the ambulance comes, the paramedics strap you up and down and put a bunch of tubes in you and shoot you with some cocktail of pain-killers and whatnot. You’re blurry, still in pain, and they say, “Dude, I don’t think you’re going to make it.” At first you’re concerned, because how did they know your first name is “Dude”. But then you realize you didn’t have any proper roof-repair clothes and so you threw on your bowling shirt, which has “Dude” stitched above your left breast pocket where you keep your wallet when you’re with the guys.

The ambulance hits a bump, jerks you back to reality, and you can count the 87 different broken bones you suffered when you survived the fall. Which reminds you, did that guy who keeps shining the light in your eyes say he didn’t think you were going to live?

Ohgodohgodohgodohgodohgodohgodohgodohgodohgod!

But hey, you got to ride in one!

You forgot to pay your wireless phone bill, and you can’t even feel it in your pocket, and how are you going to call your buddy, Edwin, who promised to take care of your porn stash in just such an emergency?

Wait, you’ll be dead. Problem solved.

But what will your wife say? What will your 22 year-old girlfriend Kitty say?

Huh? You don’t have a 22 year-old girlfriend named Kitty. You were always too scared to lose your wife, and besides she does that one thing . . .

Wait a minute. You don’t even have a porn stash, much less a buddy named Edwin who promised to take care of your porn stash so that your wife and your non-existent 22 year-old girlfriend named Kitty wouldn’t find it and think horribly of you. You didn’t need those things, or even want them because your wife does more than just that one thing, especially after you’ve . . . .

What the hell did that paramedic give you anyhow!?

And why hasn’t he said, “STAY WITH ME!” yet? Shouldn’t you be telling some deeply personal life story so that you can remain conscious?

WINNING!

That’s when the ambulance arrives at the ER and suddenly you’re surrounded by life-saving doctors, nurses, technology and, of course more drugs. At some point, you start walking toward a light, then you swim toward it, and then you’re bathing in it, only to find out it wasn’t a light after all, but a waterfall of Sunkist orange juice.

As enjoyable and sticky as that is, just like that other thing your wife sometimes does, you eventually come back to consciousness and the doctor tells you that you’re going to live, but it’s going to be some time, and some intense physical therapy before you’re even walking, let alone well enough to go back to work, or get up on the roof again. He’s not certain exactly how long, because most people in a case like yours don’t actually make it to the hospital, but you’re stable now, and given time, all will be well.

So given that all this, the big crash and the life-threatening injuries, and the sudden panic over things that weren’t even necessarily real, and then what appears to be a long, long rehabilitation (because this wasn’t just a case of the hiccups), would you get all bent out of shape that twelve months later everything wasn’t back to where it was before?

Would you be angry then?

Well, would you?

Bee Book Reviews - Tears of Heaven

Bee Book Reviews was kind enough to read and review Tears of Heaven.  They provided a very nice review of the book with a Five Honeypot rating.  

This totally made me feel like a really-real author.

Like one with talent and stuff!

Here’s a brief blurb from their site:

Tears is an amazing blend of character development and storytelling, using many elements to create an intriguing tale that I think will easily appeal to both male and female readers, especially those who love supernatural/fantasy genre.  I found it immensely interesting, and enjoyed, the author’s use of ideology (or what some might consider theology a more accurate term) to further both the character and story advancement.  I often found myself wondering about things in my own life or how I look at parts of life but at no time did I feel that the author was preaching to me or trying to make me think about life.

Please click this link, check out my review, and some of the others that Bee Book Reviews has provided.  They have some truly wonderful content for the genre reader.

Too Cute Not To Share

This weekend, my middle son, Tris (3) was sitting with me on the couch and he said to me, “Dad, you love me every time.”

 

Saving the day - every time.

I laughed initially at his wording.  It’s a wonderful sentiment summed up incorrectly.  But then I realized that it was also very true.  Not just that I love him, but I love him “every time”.  I love him when he’s being good, and I love him when he’s being bad, and I love him when he’s driving me to the liquor cabinet to pour a double shot of something strong and cheap.

We try very hard not to use any corporal punishment.  This is not a reflection on anyone else.  This was a parenting choice that we made.  We use time outs which have just as many, if not more, tears and crying, and that seems to balance the universe.

After time out, we ask them why they had to sit there, what they should do in the future, and then we require hugs and say, “I love you.”  Because we do.

I find the hugs are the best part of time out, not because the whole issue is over, but because it tells my boys that it was the action that was wrong, not the boy.  The boy is still good.

And I love all my boys, every time.