It should have been an epic. A mind blowing cosmic revelation. A classic never read. Or at least a good mystery. Not even close. And yet, I began it, continued, and low and behold, finished the entire 320 pages. I should have been ecstatic. Thrilled. At a minimum, relieved. After all, it had been a … Read more
by Jas Faulkner At a recent gathering of writers in Nashville, the conversation turned to the recent popularity of E. L. James’ Fifty Shades of Grey Trilogy. Everyone weighed in on their ability to write erotica and whether they felt it would hurt or hinder a writer’s credibility. During the conversation, Trisha, who was one … Read more
Almost is the key word in the above title. Struggling to retrieve the joy and inspiration I acquire when reading has been tough, and tedious. I’ve opened and begun a slew of books. Some deserved to be abandoned quickly, others may have had potential that I ignored, and some were obviously quite good, and those … Read more
The premier fanfest, Bouchercon, will be held this year in Cleveland OH, Oct. 4-7. Each year at the convention, awards named for Anthony Boucher, a well known mystery critic and novelist, are given out. The fans who pay in advance to attend, send in nomination ballots, and then vote on each category, the winners are … Read more
I found Mr. Bradbury late in life. About 6 years ago I decided I wanted to read, Something Wicked This Way Comes, because of the carnival theme. I had believed throughout my reading life that Bradbury wrote science fiction–flying saucers, aliens, manned space expeditions. So, I avoided him like the plague, as I like to … Read more
I wasn’t looking *at* anything, I was looking *for* a book. A children’s book that I had vague, but warm memories from owning back in my ancient youth. Weird how as you age, memories of childhood pop up randomly. If they pop up a great deal, and your short term memory is gone, man, that … Read more
Nancy Drew, a familiar name even to those who have never opened a juvenile mystery. The original books have been edited, altered, modernized and celebrated in film and TV. Even today there are contemporary stories featuring the teenager and her two girl friends, Bess and George. But if you are like most, you’ve never heard … Read more
I receive e-mails from ABE.com, from time to time, regarding various fun book subjects, but one I never bothered clicking on is their monthly roundup of most expensive books. I suppose I didn’t think it was worth my attention, seeing as I couldn’t afford whatever it was that sold. But, bored, my curiosity finally piqued, … Read more
