This was the moon very early this morning over south Salem. A werewolf moon perhaps? But my “howling” was strictly in celebration. The contract I signed with Next Chapter Publishing last July is finally in process. This week they sent me the book description they will use on the back cover and in online promotions once the book is released. They asked for my approval, and I gave it both thumbs up. Here it is:
When psychiatrist Carter Lane inherits his best friend’s cases after his suicide, he’s thrown into the fractured world of Arthur Frampton: a patient with dissociative identity disorder whose presence triggers memories of a long-buried massacre known as the Hoffman Horror.
When Lane’s wife is murdered, he discovers that her death mirrors the gruesome details of the decades-old crime. Lane is convinced one of Frampton’s “alters” is responsible, but the detectives on the case have a different theory: Lane himself had motive and opportunity to commit the crime.
Now a man on the run, Lane races against time to clear his name while navigating the maze of false identities and repressed trauma. As the pieces fall into place, will redemption cost him everything?
A relentless psychological thriller, William J. Cook’s PERSONA explores the power of identity–and how the past never truly stays buried.
Needless to say, I am very excited. I expect to hear from their editors soon. Wish me luck! And I wish you all a kind and peaceful weekend.
I should have known what would happen when a poet writes a novel: readers would be gifted with an extraordinary literary achievement. Author Vuong has done just that. In a novel that is as funny as it is poignant, he has mined the depths of the human experience from inside the cramped confines of a fast-food restaurant in suburban Connecticut. What results is a staggering epic filled with unforgettable characters trying to make sense of a world that has left them behind.
Hai is a nineteen-year-old Vietnamese boy about to end his life by plunging from a railroad bridge, when he is accosted by octogenarian Grazina, yelling at him from the window of her dilapidated house. She persuades him to move in with her and “start again,” providing him with what might be graciously called “room and board” while he makes sure she takes all of her medications on time. He soon learns that her increasing dementia straddles life between World War II and her precarious present, and before long he becomes her “Sergeant Pepper,” incorporated into her delusions, guiding her through war-torn Europe.
Then there is Sony, Hai’s younger cousin, an autistic savant with encyclopedic knowledge of the American Civil War. BJ, the woman who manages the HomeMarket (“This is where America is fed”) has aspirations of breaking out of fast-food and becoming a professional wrestler. Russia, “the white boy with the nose ring,” mans the drive-thru, while redheaded Maureen takes orders, and the always sweating Wayne keeps the chickens roasting. As the story progresses, we find that “the usual suspects” are anything but usual, each quirky and flawed in their own way, living lives where putting one foot in front of the other is an act of courage.
The writing is as beautiful as the story is profound. Its humor and its pathos become an indictment of a society that discards human beings as easily as disposable Styrofoam cups. Trust me, once you have read this soaring novel you will never hear the standard words of a fast-food server in the same way again:
It’s been along time since I’ve posted anything on my page, so I thought I’d share some reviews of books I’ve read recently. This is a a bit of a smorgasbord, so hopefully you can find something that interests you.
Author McDonough treats us to a fascinating story of wealth, poverty, slavery, and redemption set in Jamaica in the early 1700s. Set in the “Golden Age of Piracy,” when Jamaica was a favorite port-of-call, the novel blends well-researched history with a compelling story of strong women who resist the roles that society thrusts upon them. McDonough provides us with an unflinching look at the slavery that made the plantations possible, while exploring the humanity of the people caught in its web. This is book club fiction at its best. Highly recommended.
How about post-apocalyptic fiction that isn’t just about building a new world but grieving the loss of the old one? Here’s my review of SurrogaCity Requiem by L. Wade Powers:
“Some things in the past cannot be recovered, and some things in the future will not be realized.”
Author Powers treats us to a thoughtful post-apocalyptic journey, as humankind tries to recover from a plague which has rendered most men on the planet sterile. This book is the sequel to SurrogaCity, the novel that introduced us to the International Progressive Gynocracy. Yes, women now rule the world, but with our predilection for violence, the future remains in doubt. After all, as Powers so aptly puts it, “Perfect societies require perfect humans,” and we will always fall far short of that.
This is high-concept speculative fiction that explores what might come after artificial intelligence. It is also a poignant meditation on grief as its characters face the enormity of their losses. Highly recommended.
Do you like being frightened so much that you have to go back and check all your doors and windows twice to make sure they’re locked before you go to bed? The Whisper Man by Alex North will do that to you:
This book is absolutely terrifying. The writing is superb, the editing is flawless, but I must append a caveat: due to its villain—a serial killer who preys upon young boys—this will be a hard pass for some readers. Let me be quick to add, however, that there is no graphic description of the murders. Nonetheless, author North gives us the stuff of nightmares, as though the raw emotion of Picasso’s “Guernica” could be translated into prose. The menace and suspense grow page by page until they are all but overwhelming. The exploration of dysfunctional family relationships and the malignant emotional seeds they plant is harrowing. This journey into darkness makes you feel as if you’ve been plunged underwater and must struggle up to the surface to catch a breath, to make it back to the light. Don’t expect to sleep once you’ve turned the final page.
To call this a “coming-of-age story” doesn’t do justice to this deeply introspective glimpse into life and love from the perspective of a young woman growing up in the Bronx. Music, painting, photography provide the tapestry upon which she inscribes her emotions, as she explores what it means to love another person, to comfort a friend who has suffered catastrophic loss, to experience joy in the mysteries of relationships all around her. The central device of the novel, giving each character first-person chapters, allows the reader to see the world through their eyes, as they come to terms with the dynamisms and conflicts that propel them forward. The story is elegantly simple, the prose, poetic. It’s a song of love and grief, and ultimately peace with all that life offers. Five enthusiastic stars.
Now I’m off to select a new book to read. I continue to try to get my latest manuscript accepted by an agent who’s willing to take a chance on it. Nothing yet. Forty or so rejections, but I’ve still got 130 more queries out there. Wish me luck!
Book Review by Amanda Hanson, The US Review of Books
“In the silence, Kate was staring into Jay’s eyes as if she might find answers there for the emotional storm that had engulfed her.”
Kate Temperance is an investigative journalist who is looking into the murder of Giancarlo Gemelli. Her dedication to the case has caused tension with her husband, Simon, and longtime friend Bonnie, who see her preoccupation as an obsession. Despite resistance, Kate meets with Sofia Gemelli, Giancarlo’s daughter, who refuses to cooperate with the investigation. Sofia believes that it would harm her father’s reputation and her business. After the confrontation, unsettling events start to occur in Kate’s life, such as her car being keyed and fake photos supposedly showing her cheating on her husband. Kate suspects that Sofia is behind these incidents to stop her investigation. Despite facing these challenges, Kate remains determined to uncover the truth.
In his novel, Cook boldly delves into the depths of human nature, uncovering the extreme measures powerful individuals are willing to take to safeguard their secrets. These influential figures shamelessly utilize a range of intimidating tactics to suppress opposition. Moreover, the author fearlessly sheds light on the harsh truth that no one, regardless of their standing, is exempt from the reach of the law. Each character possesses a distinct voice, intricately shaping their personalities, while the dialogue provides a compelling glimpse into their inner workings. Kate, for instance, emerges as an unyielding and relentless journalist, steadfast in her defiance against coercion and bullying. Her unwavering determination and spirit make her an inspiring and compelling figure in the story. Readers will undoubtedly find themselves captivated by this book, as it offers an abundance of unforeseen twists and turns, keeping them on the edge of their seats.
I have just received the first professional review for my upcoming book. This one is from Diane Donovan, Senior Reviewer for Midwest Book Review and Editor of Donovan’s Literary Services. I’m very pleased! Here it is:
All the Bodies Do is a novel about ghosts, secrets, and murder that is based on true crime events: in 2022, drought exposed skeletons at Lake Mead.
Investigative journalist Kate Temperance here seeks to link these bodies to crime lord Giancarlo Gemelli, but the threat doesn’t stem directly from him alone. His ruthless daughter Sofia Gemelli is the real challenge, confronting Kate’s every effort to reveal the truth with her determination to keep these secrets buried in the lake.
This might include Kate herself, if she’s not careful.
William J. Cook evolves a cat-and-mouse game that embraces not just these two characters, but bigger-picture thinking revolving around a situation that dovetails with Kate’s confrontations in her own circle of supporters:
“It’s just that I feel terrible for abandoning you like that. That’s not what friends do.” “You did what you had to do to protect your family. I understand.”
Kate changes plans, changes locks, and changes the values in her life as her case reveals new threats from directions she never saw coming.
Readers might not expect the setting to move around as quickly as Kate does, but as she journeys between Las Vegas and Oregon to tackle threads of underlying influences and deceptions, the wine industry also becomes a spark point of contention as the murder probe becomes complicated.
Cook’s ability to weave these seemingly disparate threads of connection into a bigger-picture feel creates a vivid thriller that proves thoroughly engrossing not just for its perhaps-predictable confrontations between reporter and crime family, but for its satisfyingly less predictable revelations about life values and what it takes to absorb the truth about lies, spies, and threats.
Libraries seeking thrillers that sizzle with action and psychological twists will find both qualities make All the Bodies Do thoroughly engrossing—perhaps because its roots lie in real-world events.
William J. Cook 