Reviews...reviews...reviews...

I tend to surf the web avidly  seeking book recommendations on a particular genre I am at present reading. Having just completed Crack-up by Eric Chrispopherson I am amazed how a book that cost pennies can create such an impact on me the reading public. A good story should have something extra or quirky that makes it stand out from the book crowd and this is certainly true of Crack-Up. Our hero Argus Ward runs a successful security company specializing in protecting companies from computer hackers or industrial espionage. Argus has a little secret that he has kept hidden for a number of years and by the use of medication it is not known that he suffers from acute delusion ie he is a paranoid schizophrenia. This is not a problem until someone or something alters his medication and rather than consuming tablets to keep his schizophrenia hidden the tablets now have no value or effect on his condition. Someone is attempting to control him and condition him to commit murder...which he does. This is a first class thriller with great moments of black humour as Argus and his alto ego Darth Vader periodically indulge in some comic conversation...can Argus clear his name?...can he confront the real culprit?..enjoy a fast  roller coaster ride on what is a first class thriller.
I was recommended a short horror novella Come Closer by Sara Gran and although it was a fun and short read I am afraid for me the enjoyment did not really happen. It is essentially the story of a young lady being possessed by a daemon, fun with some amusing moments essentially and certainly readable horror however in the final analysis it did little to convince me that modern horror writers can reach the heights of the masters from the past.

You must read this :))

For those who have a kindle and would like a recommendation concerning a good book...a book that is impossible to put down...a book that will keep you reading into the small hours...a book of such brilliance it deserves to be a best seller...look nor further than Crack-Up by Eric Christopherson!!

There are a number of sites to that will give you the book's background and first class reader reviews. I would also note the if you buy the book via amazon you will pay a fraction of the price charged by smashwords!!

There is some really good reading material available for the kindle at very competitive prices and if I find I will certainly post on my blog...nough said just get a copy by looking and clicking through my recommendations on the right start reading, and let me know your thoughts :))

http://ebooks-that-sell.blogspot.com/

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Crack-Up/dp/B002HMCLFQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1295534570&sr=1-1

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/5363

Lets go to work!

We live here in the UK in a benefits society, where so many people think it is smart and right not to work but if possible (and it seems to me it always is) claim benefits. Those who choose this path in life, in my opinion,  lack any desire or want to aid society or to pay their dues, excluding of course those genuine claimants. I voice this opinion because since last Friday Jan 14th I have been unable to work as I am afflicted..not with man flu..but something that started as a cold and then progressed to a lung infection and I, by my own admission, am now becoming somewhat difficult to live with! I have been removed from my weekly routine, I have been unable to  set schedules, tasks or organise a working day. I have not enjoyed the pleasure of cycling to and from work (and sometimes further) nor have I been able to prepare for my next upcoming half marathon taking place in the rolling hills of South Gloucestershire mid march......in effect I have become a "miserable bastard" :( but fear not fair reader of my blog I am fighting back! In preparation for my return to work on Friday, amidst all my coughing and lack of well-being, and as the weather today is what could only be described as a beautiful winters day, I have set myself the task of making both my cycles work ready!!...and boy do I feel much better. I have set myself a mission, I have a schedule and I have organised the start of my late working week even though I am consuming a daily dose of 1500 mg Amoxicillin. In short work and exercise makes us what we are and gives us a purpose, a need to belong and a desire to succeed and make sense of our lives in the world we live which is part of a greater good and a greater universe.....here ends today's lesson :)) 

The Joy of Reading

The enjoyment of books and reading has been greatly enhanced to me since the internet exploded into our lives from the mid 90's onwards, and yet it is really only in the last few years that we have truly been able to appreciate it's power and it's influence. As an avid reader the ability to discuss and make contact with like minded enthusiasts throughout the world has been and continues to be a fantastic experience. In a pre broadband era the choice of what to read, what constituted good books, and what made for enlightened reading, could only be accessed via local libraries, book stores or recommendations through friends....in other words the choice was somewhat limited. However today it is possible to discuss and debate the literary word throughout the world and by participating in book discussion forums expand our knowledge of what constitutes good authors and intelligent reading. The ability to exchange views, and have contact with authors is something only imagined a few short years ago but now is a part of our reading lives...and long may it contiune :)

A nice place to read in and just relax! Cyprus 09

The King of dark horror Greg Gifune!!

I just finished Drago Descending by Greg Gifune...who you may ask and that's the problem. I discovered Greg Gifune crawling the net and searching for dark horror fiction, horror that does not rely on gratuitous violence,horror that does not inundate you with sexual depravity but rather horror that makes you question and think about the world we live in and the evil that surrounds us. Drago Descending essentially confronts the age old question if we we believe there is good in the world, if we believe there is an afterlife then it stands to reason there must be some form of hell. So in essence the book is a battle between good and evil and those who would sell their souls to attain some kind of immortality. This is the second book I have read by Gifune and the main protagonists are flawed they are people living at the extremes of society who are trying to assimilate and make sense of their individual existence. Private Investigator David Drago is a former policeman and Gulf War veteran struggling with his combat experiences, his time spent in the psychological ward of a veteran's hospital, and the darkness of his past. When he is approached by a mysterious client who hires him to locate his missing fiance, Jesse Greenlaw, Drago hesitantly takes the case. The problem, Jesse is also David's former girlfriend, and an integral part of the murky past still haunting him. Drawn into a world of pornography, where Jesse was working at the time of her disappearance, his investigation leads him into a labyrinth of violence, sexual intrigue, black witchcraft, and satanism. The deeper he digs, the deeper Drago descends into a dark netherworld haunted by terrifying visions of angels and demons alike, and where nothing is what it seems. David Drago is trapped in a nightmare, and there is no escape.
I have his latest book on order "Gardens of Night" but unfortunately as he is little known here in the UK it has to be sourced and bought from the US, but I will certainly look forward to reading and reviewing. Do visit his web site at
http://www.gregfgifune.com/.....lets talk tomorrow :))

Kindle in the wind....

It's cool..it's slim...it ooozes sex appeal...it's about 6+ inches long :) and it slips smugly into my pocket...ladies and gentlemen it's the all new wonder of 2011..the beautiful..the humble...the sleek..the elegant..Kindle!! and I'm in love with it. A very short few years ago when the idea of an electronic reading device was revealed I like many other avid and loyal readers, bought up on a diet of well thumbed paperbacks, were of the opinion that an "ebook" would have a difficult task of trying to prove itself as a worthy substitute for the humble paperback. As a lifetime buyer of books the joy of perusing, selecting, holding, smelling, fondling, and collecting them was a simple pleasure that all book lovers will fight to retain and few will relinquish willingly. The joy of visiting a book store with the smells and sights of neatly aligned books standing to attention awaiting inspection, the enticing comfort and coziness offered by back street book sellers, and the  warmth and friendliness of the local library are all emotions that draw us  to the love the humble book and hold dear the printed word.

         The early ebook readers were chunky affairs, bloated and difficult to hold and manipulate with the hand, then along came Amazon and the Kindle 3…and the whole world smiled, changed and accepted that maybe there was a place beside the humble book for this supposed usurper of the throne. The Kindle 3 made reading and acquiring books easy, in fact download via whispernet took seconds and for a consumer orientated society this was bliss. More importantly the ability to read this amazing ebook without the fear of eye strain, by the use of virtual or e ink was what I believe finally sold the idea of an electronic book reader to a previously skeptical public. From personal experience I find that my ability to assimilate and read a book quickly has improved dramatically since acquiring my Kindle on December 25^th…….but what of the future of the printed word?

         I still love to hold a book, put my nose between the open pages and smell the aromatic essence, caress and fondle and admire texture and flow of the written prose. Today I was in central Bristol (at the NHS walk in…told you I was ill!) and could not resist the pull of my local book store Waterstones! Always eager to read and taste the delights of new authors I acquired Horns by the acclaimed Joe Hill and that great coming of age story Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury…was this an attempt to placate the guilt in my soul..was this a snub at the Kindle 3,…of course not, I enjoy reading the printed word in either book or electronic form and believe that both can live happily side by side not as enemies but as friends who compliment eachother….lets talk tomorrow…

Kindle 2

Kindle 3

God do I feel awful....

I know ...I know I'm still moaning..however had the chance to finish Mine by Robert McCammon today having started it yesterday. Yet another outstanding book by McCammon in essence we are talking about a chase but a chase so brutal and horrific you just have to hold on for the ride! The main character is the superbly named Mary Terror and when we first meet her it soon becomes obvious that Mary has some serious "social issues" Described as a 6ft tall Amazon chick she is built like a "brick ****house" Mary is the sort of woman that you would encourage your friend to choose at the local dance hall..while you choose her pretty mate :) So Mary has decided that her long lost lover from some 20 years ago is calling her to join him from a little town north of San Francisco. Mary and Lord Jack were originally part of a terror group and Mary was carrying Jack's child when caught in an explosion she lost the child...so now our hero Mary decides to steal a baby and travel to meet Jack..who is bound to welcome her with open arms....not!! A baby is taken from the hospital newly delivered to the beautiful and wealthy Laura Clayborne and she is naturally none to pleased, whilst waiting for little David to be returned to her side after a weight check,....he is grabbed by the in form Mary and taken on a terror ride he will never forget. The story is a great dark horror tale told in a very easy and fun way by the master Robert McCammon...and I completed the 540 pages within 24 hours....woa!! My next read, already downloaded to my kindle, is Drago Descending by the soon to be world famous Greg Gifune, an author of outstanding literary ability so check him out at http://www.gregfgifune.com/ ...lets speak later...when I have stopped coughing...splutter..splutter :(( :((

Man Flu continues....

Having been awake since 4.00am I took the decision that " man flu" meant work was a no no today...and that means only one thing to me!..The house to myself..well almost (the 12 year old Lucy is sick as well) I decided that as running was out of the question (unless I'm totally mad or as Pink Floyd would say "I know I'm mad I've always been mad"...for those of a certain age :)) I armed myself with lots of hot tea and settled down to "Mine" by Robert McCammon http://www.amazon.co.uk/review/R3M990DT7ZIW0N/ref=cm_cr_pr_viewpnt#R3M990DT7ZIW0N
View the blurb, read the first pages this is a truly amazing read and within no time I was page 350! This is one fantastic author and I look forward to discovering many more of his books in the future. Why is it that when you are ill,  and when you telephone to report to your immediate boss that you will not be attending work today, you feel guilty. You always feel that even though you are genuinely  ill you have to sound really really ill..even depressed..as you may  not be believed. I know this is because of the sick culture we live in and with so many so called dedicated employees pulling a "sickie" it gives us genuine cases a feeling of guilt when we don't report for duty...sir!!...or maybe I just have a complex  :(. I also spent some time today updating my profile on goodreads a book social networking site that in my opinion is fast becoming one of the best on the net and you can see my profile at http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/3542870
It's party time for Lucy tomorrow and there is a sleepover...god help us...lets speak then..if I'm awake :))

Man Flu Strikes....

Been poorly.....been dosing myself with anti manflu drinks!...been wanting sympathy :(( ....my voice has turned into the new Barry White...I am the walrus of luv...What is it about skinny blokes who read and go running, always talking about the right food to eat, how much sleep to get, what is the correct amount of mileage/cycling to complete each week...and then we get sick with colds and sore throats. I have struggled into work the last 2 days on the bicycle in all that bloody rain ( how come we have no rain  for ages and then we get it all at once....is this the Lord's idea of a joke!) I think tomorrow I will throw in the towel and take the day off let the throat recover and give myself some little r&r....ah you big wuss I hear you say :))
Just discovered a new horror author Kealan Patrick Burke, I have been very disillusioned with  modern horror writers, preferring to read the works of King, McCammon, Pike, Herbert, Koontz etc. However I have just finished the first "novelle" by KPB a coming of age story called The Turtle Boy and it was brilliant, this is part of a trilogy and I look forward to completing the remaining books. You can visit his web site at
http://www.kealanpatrickburke.com/ and learn a little more about this up and coming start of the horror genre. Unfortunately quite often new and aspiring authors have a very limited print run and it's great so see that to counteract this they are using the digital format ebooks, and this together with the wonderful kindle from Amazon makes becoming acquainted with their works a doddle...lets talk tomorrow :))

I own the day...

Just a few miles from where I live in Bristol is the village of Bitton and from here you can explore the surrounding and somewhat beautiful Gloucestershire countryside. This morning, on a days leave, I  left the house early and headed in the direction of Bitton for an early morning 8 mile run..a time of quiet reflection and a time to release some endorphins! I am soon at the top of a steep decline and am about to descend into what I can only describe as God's own country. To the naked eye as far as I can see are green fields, hedges, fences, trees, cows, sheep, barns, farms, and from my perspective on this lofty perch the fields are stacked one on top of the other reaching to the sky! At the very top just as the horizon reaches the skyline is a long line of trees that appears to form an "eyelash" separating earth from sky...and above are the grey clouds with peaks of blue sky extending for ever upwards. If there ever was one place to view and appreciate the beauty of the world we live in then this is surely it, and at this point I am reminded of a great paragraph from a book by Joel Hemming printed in the mid 70's and still holding true value for me today......


" Four or five mornings a week I awake at 6.00am, anoint my feet with Vaseline and adorn my sleepy body with running gear. It is a kind of worship involving holy breathing, obtestation, participation, atonement, sacrifice, exorcism, karma, asanas and meditation. It is an attempt to find God, a means to the transcendent....I have power, power that propels me cross country, puts me intimately in touch with nature, strengthens me..I own the day! (Holistic Running Beyond the Threshold of Fitness by Joel Henning)

                                                                              

So much for a nice 10 mile run :(

I was all set to go to Gloucester today to join in the New Year 10 mile road race..but trying to organize became an impossibility and I made the last minute decision that my family duties came first..ie give the good lady a lift to work and keep a close eye on our youngest 12 year old (she's hitting that difficult.time..ie making our life hell!)...what a hero you may say. :)) I was dashing around yesterday evening demented! and thought...woa!! it's not worth it..scrap the race get up early go for a nice leisurely 10 mile run in the crisp and clear air...lovely. I'm trying so hard to perform my parental duties, the youngest is struggling at school so the home rules have to be set and homework and leisure time need to be explained. It's good to see that she is taking an interest in running as a  past time and so running shoes might be a good idea for her 13th birthday at the end of Jan....and she can follow her old man around the streets of Bristol.
Don't you just love it when not one but two of your favourite authors books are released in paperback...what a surprise whilst making my way around the local super (good old Asda) I found....
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Blood-Logan-Mcrae-Stuart-MacBride/dp/0007362544/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1294581458&sr=1-3
and next to it.....
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bleed-Me-Michael-Robotham/dp/0751541095/ref=sr_1_8?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1294581535&sr=1-8
I love the smell and feel of new books and shall really look forward to reading these two great thrillers....let's talk tomorrow :))

Horror Books?

Yet again I am so disappointed in modern horror and having read a recent ebook by Jeff Strand I thought I would share my review on this blog...I am so disappointed with this book that there is little more to be said today...perhaps you have a different opinion and can suggest some good modern horror...I need to be convinced as this genre is fast disappearing from all book stores in the UK..

Pressure by Jeff Strand

As a long time reader of horror I have always been fascinated by this particular genre depicting as it does, when well presented, a dark and fearful world and a journey into the  evil realms of the human condition. The works in particular of James Herbert and Stephen King familiar and multi-layered have never cease to amaze me and feed my addiction. Sadly it appears to me that most modern horror writers are unable to engage the reader for any length of time or indeed reach the dizzy heights of their renowned predecessors. Perhaps this is a result of many so called aspiring authors now having the facility to store and publish books online and thus able to reach a wider audience. By this I mean that we, the reader, now have a never ending source of digital ebook material to read and in my opinion this abundance of “literary” material is destroying the quality of the printed word…put simply anyone can now write a book and whether that book holds merit is a matter of personal taste!

Pressure by Jeff Strand, on one level, is a simple story of a small boy’s obsession with evil and the effect that this has on his best friend.... thereby lies the problem. This book is written only on one level, it is not multi-layered or complicated, it does not task the reader or treat him with any level of intelligence. It tells a simple story, in simple language and could only be described as boring in the extreme. It is written in a style that is reminiscent of a high school student, and holds no literary merit whatsoever. I find most modern horror writers ( there are a very few exceptions ) are a sad reflection of what has gone before, and if this is an example of the future of this genre then those culpable should hang their heads in shame! It is little wonder that few book stores in the United Kingdom stock quality horror books, indeed few retain a horror section at all and if this book is purported as a  example of this genre frankly I am not surprised!

How to control aspiring teenagers?

So here's the problem...I come in from work (busy magistrates court) I cycle to and from work and being totally mad and always wanting more pain...I then go for a 5 mile run...the good lady thinks I'm somewhat disturbed! (she has also just returned from work) Earlier today our 12 year old daughter Lucy had her phone confiscated and was at a friends house...and refuses to do homework...and refuses to clean teeth!...and refuses any reasonable request to conform to her parents wishes. You would think we should have learned better methods of control (this is our third and youngest daughter...the other two being older and more settled)...and yet here we are again on daughter no 3 the same old problems, the same old unreasonableness. This time of year we are fed a televisual feast of loving families spending time at xmas in each other's company...all well behaved and all conforming to the idyllic picture of loving relationships and well behaved kids...if only! I hate the picture of perpetual cosiness that the media create, I hate the picture of instant fame that reality tv aspires to, I hate the picture of greed that the lottery instils in our minds...I want us to be more reasonable in our aspirations and to accept the values that our parents and grandparents adhered to...I want myself to question my own values and try to understand the frustrations and pain that an aspiring 12 year old going on 18 feels trapped in..only then will we achieve some type of harmony in our household......

Good Horror a continuing road of discovery

Horror is a book genre that I have always been particularly fond of . My first horror books were written by the well known English horror writer James Herbert and like many of his followers we devoured The Rats, Lair, Domain, Ghost, The Haunted Cottage, The Fog....to name but a few. I also love the Stephen King masterpieces, who can forget the horrific The Shining (one of the few books interpreted and made memorable by Jack Nicholson) the haunting Salem's Lot and the truly outstanding Green Mile...a magical book that has stayed long in my memory (with yet again a great movie tie in ) and finally not forgetting early Dean Koontz.....when he had no hair and before he donned that ridiculous wig. In recent times I have discovered and read some great horror works by Christopher Pike "The Season of Passage" and the unbelievable Boy's Life by Robert McCammon. I do however find modern horror interpretations very lacking in soul without any real depth of character. Greg Gifune's  Children of Chaos appeared to be a remake of that late 70's early 80's movie Apocalypse Now and involved a search for a long lost insane friend who was living as a religious recluse in Mexico (compare to Martin Sheen searching for a long lost insane general living as a religious/voodoo recluse in deepest Vietnam) A second aspiring horror writer Jeff Strand has had great reviews on well know book seller web sites...I have just recently read Pressure by Jeff Strand and found it's language simple, the story tedious and linear. The Killing Kind by Bryan Smith was an insult to my intelligence as you will see from my review!
http://www.amazon.co.uk/product-reviews/B003TO68EG/ref=cm_cr_dp_all_summary?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending

One noticeable exception is Scott Sigler and his masterful horror comedy Infected (with shades of the late Michael Crichton) but somewhat let down (in my opinion) by the follow up Contagious. However life is a discovery and with perseverance and recommendation I am continually optimistic that I will discover some great new horror...books with soul, deep meaning, intelligence, character development, and a story that will live long in the mind long after the final chapter has been concluded!

Back to the slog!

It's always difficult that first day back at work, after xmas and new year celebrations are complete and we must all face the terrible reality that January is now upon us...the longest month....the dreary month....the cold month :( I always feel that the hardest part about actually going to work is motivating the body to move from a warm cosy bed out into a barren and cold house (that is if you forget to set the central heating timer on for the old work routine) As I commute to and from work on my trusty bike, winter can be a very testing time! On those very cold mornings there is so much gear I need to wear to keep warm, helly hansen base layer...light top...slightly warmer top and wind proof coat to create the Michelin man effect...not to mention shorts, leggings,overshoes, battery operated gloves and a snood to cover the face....scary or what :))

It's also the time taken to actually put my bike gear on...and then on reaching work remove and replace with my suit...ah the image is complete I'm now ready to face my waiting public....roll cameras..here comes Michelin Man...sorry here come's Executive Man. Of course at the end of the working day I must reverse the process and as I did this evening take the 10 mile "tour of the world" route home...with a faulty front light....barely able to see....I must be bloody mad...why don't I take a bus..or a car...not likely ...on your bike mate :))..............

I'd like to be a tortoise..

It strike me that if there is such a thing as reincarnation then I'l like to come back as a tortoise :) They live long lives, they walk at a nice leisurely pace, and appear to be untroubled by the pressures of modern living...but most important of all they enjoy long undisturbed sleep! Yes for part of the year they are kept snug and warm in a hibernation box, surrounded by warm straw and soil and kept at a constant temperature. I love that feeling of comfort that snuggling down into a well made bed can give, keeping the sheets tight at the bottom, wrapping the blankets around my top and burying my head in the pillow....I am safe and warm for a short time and can drift off to the land of dreams and make believe   z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z


Bank Holidays are a rather odd day, city centres and roads are quiet and most people wait in anticipation for the working week to begin the following day. It's a new year, one filled with hopes and dreams and another chance to feed the human condition, to gorge on the never ending meal of consumerism!! We spend our lives collecting and acquiring and yet we should always remember that we entered this world with nothing and we will leave in the same way. Certain thoughts and quotes remain with us throughout our lives and I remember as a university student at Queens in Belfast our history professor painting the image " we are like a bird who flies in from the dark to the warmth of a church, soon to return to the dark once his journey is done".....have a good new year...we'll speak tomorrow :))

Long lazy day.....

If your idea of a long lazy day is arise early and then go for a 11 mile run at a nice pace...then you are in good company..me!! In preparation for my 10 mile road race at Gloucester next Sunday it was important for me to get a good practice run in today. The weather was perfect quiet and grey and I was pleased to complete in just over 90 mins...seeing some of my fellow runners on the way. We are not mad runners, we just love the feeling of freedom and clearness of mind that comes from our favourite pastime...running. I was also able to complete Boy's Life by Robert McCammon an enthralling and highly entertaining read....I hope you  enjoy my review below...

Boy's Life by Robert McCammon

A truly life inspiring read!

This is a book rich in imagery, innocence, good and evil. It is a book that is far above the standard set by Stephen King and his stories of small town America. This story is set in Zephyr Alabama and follows the coming of age of a young and exuberant Cory Mackenson. From the opening chapter our attention is grabbed as Cory and his father our delivering milk one morning ,they avoid a collision with an auto mobile travelling towards them as it crashes into the nearby lake. Corey's father dives into the lake deep down, and tries to rescue the driver, who is naked and handcuffed to the steering wheel, but he is unsuccessful in his rescue attempt. This image of the trapped man haunts Cory's dad throughout the book and fills his every day with feelings of inadequacy and suicide. This however is only one of many images and stories that entertain and enthral the reader. We feel Cory's love of life and freedom, when school recesses for the summer and Cory and his friends sprout wings and fly, a lovely magical scene depicting the sense of freedom that only the coming of school holidays can bring. We learn of Cory's sadness when his old and trusty bicycle collapses, when he returns with his father to collect and perhaps repair the bike is no longer there but has disappeared collected by Mr Scully the local scrap metal merchant, the description at the scrap yard where Cory's bike is now “dead” is funny and touching. Corey is presented with a brand new bicycle by “The Lady” and he names it “rocket”, Cory and rocket have many great adventures together. The residents of Zephyr are both eccentric and fun, at the local barber shop we meet one elderly gentleman who supposedly saved the life of Wyatt Earp, and proceeds to tell a colourful story. At a later stage in the book there is a scene reminiscent of High Noon when there is a shoot out at the bus station with the local bad guys and our elderly gentleman again saves the day, a lovely fun and touching scene. The music of the beach boys enrages the town's clergyman and he preaches hell and damnation to the locals with very funny overtones. Equally there are some very touching chapters when Cory's best friend accidentally falls on a rifle,the rifle discharges and he dies, or Cory reading a copy of “Life” in his room and looking at pictures of the assassination of Kennedy, the war in Vietnam, awakening him to the realities and cruelties of the human spirit. In the final chapters we travel forward in time and meet Cory as a grown man returning to his place of birth only to find as we all do that his childhood memories, and places he knew no longer exist...lost in time

This is a truly entertaining, exciting and enjoyable book rich in heart-warming dialogue, imagery, sadness and hope. It makes the reader laugh and cry, it makes the reader warm to a story of outstanding beauty and a dialogue that is rich in it's delivery. This is a story that has certainly touched me, and will live in my mind and memory for a very long time. I highly recommend and hope this review will encourage many to join Cory on a trip down memory lane and meet the residents of Zephyr Alabama.

Let me explain......

So where does the name runnertrevamps come and what does or could it possible mean! My main interests are running and reading mostly good intelligent horror...so it seemed logical to amalgamate these interests and combine with my name..hey presto runnertrevamps :) Today with xmas over and not a lot to do it's a good time to catch up on some reading and that means Boy's Life by Robert McCammon..an amazing coming of age book. I hope to download a number of good horror reads for my xmas kindle soon and have in mind a horror book by Jeff Stand called Pressure together with The Silent Land by Graham Joyce...one of the new British Horror/Fantasy authors I have discovered. I need a good quality sleep tonight as tomorrow being Sunday I am hoping to complete a  9 mile run in preparation for The New Year 10 mile road race near Gloucester on Jan 9th....so let's speak tomorrow :))