I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
Author Jeremy P. Boggess shares the steps that can be taken to better ourselves and our world by examining the changes already occurring around us in the book “Taking Action for a Better Tomorrow.”
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The Synopsis
In our world today there are monumental and exponential changes occurring. These changes are happening not just in the local, international, or global arenas, but even within ourselves. Let us explore the necessary actions and responsibilities that will help guide us through these changes within ourselves and our world.
It is important to look beyond isolationism or globalization for the reasons of these changes. Politics, the different governments in the world, and our environment are significant contributing factors, but we must also look at the entire world around us. We must also look at the society where we live, our human behaviors, and all of humanity.
The purpose of this book is to have you ask a variety of engaging questions, both of yourself and about the world around you. I want to help you explore the deeper questions so you can, find answers that will ultimately help you survive these intense upheavals.
The Review
This was such an insightful and engaging read. The author does an incredible job of taking the time to thoughtfully and carefully examine the growing tension and chaos of our world from both a societal and an introspective look. The reader can sense the tension mounting as the author delves into the rapid increase in chaos. This phenomenon is evident in the news and in everyday interactions with people. It was fascinating to see the interconnected way that global, societal, and individual roles influence how people interact with one another come to life on the page.
What struck me as interesting from the outset was how the author addressed the need for flexibility and adaptability. From teaching resources and addressing the teacher-to-student ratio that has disrupted educational services, to exploring how inequality in any society can lead to instabilities within that society, the author emphasizes the need to change how society and individuals process and utilize information, rather than clinging to the ways things used to be. The author did a fantastic job of using an informative yet relatable tone in their writing style to engage readers and explore solutions that could bring a more hopeful future than the one the world is currently facing.
The Verdict
Insightful, engaging, and memorable, author Jeremy P. Boggess’s “Taking Action for a Better Tomorrow” is a must-read nonfiction and philosophical book. The knowledge and balance of fact with vision that the author provides for readers, along with the introspective mindset the reader is left with, which allows them to look inward and explore their own role in this future, will have readers returning time and again. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
Ever since I was a small child, I have felt that there would be a chain of events set in motion and my task would be to help us through these changes.
I was born in 1971 in the United States of America, where I was raised. I have been in Europe since 2016. In the 2000’s I had hoped in continuing to make contributions in the United States by running to Idaho State Senate several times as an independent. While running for office I self-published my first book of philosophical observations “Thoughts & Responsibilities” in 2008. I do have college and university degrees in business, but I have been since a very young age interested and studied philosophy and sociology.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
A woman becomes caught in a battle between a rebellion and a brutal regime known as the Authority in author Gary Colton’s “How It Falls Apart.”
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The Synopsis
YOU ARE NOT PREPARED FOR WHAT IS COMING!
In a dystopian society, The Authority enforces control through constant surveillance, propaganda, and mandatory, party-approved affirmations. Liberty, a naive supermarket worker, dreams of escaping to the utopian Caldera Country. However, that dream turns into a nightmare when she unwittingly clicks on a mysterious message, triggering events that thrust her into the heart of a deadly rebellion.
Recruited by Rebels on the promise of a quicker path to Caldera Country, Liberty is exposed to the brutal reality of the city’s underbelly. She learns that her clean profile on The App makes her an ideal candidate for a mission to infiltrate Caldera Country and sabotage The Authority’s servers, an act that would cripple the regime.
Despite her spiralling fears and growing doubts, Liberty is constantly pressured into action, and is morally torn between whose message to believe. The Rebels will sacrifice everything for freedom. The Authority will stop at nothing to maintain control. As Liberty struggles to find her sense of self in the chaos of it all, one question remains…
AN UNFORGETTABLE CAUTIONARY TALE.
Fresh, Necessary, Urgent, Shattering!
After a successful launch on Kickstarter, readers are loving HOW IT FALLS APART.
The Review
This was such a gritty and compelling dystopian thriller. The anonymity of the cast of characters, referred to by titles and monikers rather than personal names, adds to the mystery and the dark tone of the story, delving into a healthy mix of dystopian drama and sci-fi level action. The author’s writing artfully portrays a stark contrast between the different parts of the city in which this story is set, and the intrigue of how the protagonist can be trusted will keep readers on the edge of their seats.
What makes this story truly stand out is the themes that it explores. From the dangers of unchecked and reckless development of AI without exploring the moral complications and harm to the environment, to the risks of a mindless society without individuality or the ability to question authority in any capacity, this novel not only feels socially and culturally relevant in this day and age, but serves as a call to action to prevent the events this novel takes readers through while also entertaining them at the same time.
The Verdict
Compelling, thoughtfully written, and harrowing yet entertaining, author Gary Colton’s “How It Falls Apart” is a must-read dystopian thriller. The twists and turns in this story, the intrigue and mystery that lace every chapter, the incredible world-building that unfolds, and the shocking revelation that the ending brings will have readers invested and eager for more of the author’s work. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
Gary Colton’s path to writing has been anything but conventional. He dropped out of school when he was fifteen, mainly due to his struggles with dyslexia. But everything changed in 2010, while living in a hostel in Toronto, he stumbled across a tattered copy of The Great Gatsby. That book changed his life in so many ways, and ever since, he’s formed a deep-seated passion for reading, writing and storytelling.
Gary released his debut novel, Dark Finds, in 2024. He is the creator of the true crime Instagram page @dark.finds and hosts the Dark Finds Podcast where each week, he takes you deep into the world of those who’ve lived through, or created, something extraordinary. From fighters, musicians, and war veterans to cult survivors, ex-cons, psychologists, and entrepreneurs, he explores the lives of people who exist on the edge of the norm.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
Author Dakarai Larriet showcases the struggle and activism his false arrest brought to life in the book “Don’t Flush.”
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The Synopsis
What would you do if you were arrested for a crime you didn’t commit—despite passing every test and proving your innocence?
In Don’t Flush!, activist and Senate candidate Dakarai Larriett recounts the harrowing night in April 2024 when he was wrongfully arrested in Michigan for suspected DUI. Despite testing negative and showing no signs of impairment, he was jailed, humiliated, and thrust into the unforgiving machinery of systemic injustice.
This gripping memoir not only exposes the cracks in our legal and policing systems but also shows the power of one voice refusing to stay silent. Larriett’s $10 million lawsuit against the Michigan State Police, his media campaign fueled by FOIA-released footage, and his push for legislative reform—including a Motorist Bill of Rights and the end of qualified immunity—paint a picture of a man turning trauma into action.
Don’t Flush! is more than a personal story—it’s a rallying cry. Whether you’re an ally, advocate, or just waking up to these injustices, this book demands you do more. Read it. Share it. Join the movement for true accountability.
The Review
This was such a compelling and thought-provoking read. The author expertly weaves a balance of personal storytelling and inspirational and motivational discussion, engaging readers to deliver a powerful look at social justice and the overhaul that the criminal justice system needs in the United States, as well as the many fears and hardships those who struggle with discrimination must face every day.
The author’s writing was the most powerful aspect of this book. The tension, and almost atmospheric way the author delved into those tense moments of his false arrest, from the hyper awareness of his surroundings as he drove before he spotted the police, to the calm manner he forced himself to stay in when engaging the police, and how these moments connected to the similar struggles of discrimination his grandparents and so many others had made these events feel more elevated and essential, and yet the harsh realities that this book brings to light also serves a hopeful tone, as the author showcases how finding the light in that darkness proved that a path of change does exist, if people are willing to fight for it.
The Verdict
Engaging, thoughtfully written, and memorable, author Dakarai Larriett’s “Don’t Flush” is a must-read nonfiction memoir that also serves as a valuable resource for social and criminal justice reform. The expertise with which the author crafts this book, slipping from the defining moments of his childhood and his struggles both as a Black man and a Gay man, to the horrors so many face when confronted by false arrests such as this, and the inspiring direction the author takes when making a bid for the US Senate will have readers enthralled with the author’s story and eager to fight for the changes this country sorely needs. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
Dakarai Larriett, a proud Alabama native and son of a U.S. Army veteran and public school teacher, is a successful entrepreneur and dedicated community volunteer whose run for the U.S. Senate is motivated by a false arrest in 2024 for which he has yet to receive justice. His upbringing, shaped by his father’s military service, saw him move across various states and even to Germany. After excelling as an honors student and earning a full scholarship to the University of Alabama, Dakarai’s passion for public service grew during his junior year as an exchange student at Howard University. He built a successful career as a corporate leader while managing a pet-care business he started in his garage, ultimately returning to Birmingham in 2021 where he became known for his servant leadership. Engaged in various volunteer activities, he also leads a board representing local families and businesses, expressing his love for Alabama’s culture and community. In his free time, Dakarai enjoys the shooting range and attends First United Methodist Church regularly.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
Author Brad Deep explores the way power and control, especially within the confines of sex, have shaped our world and our minds in the book “Horny: Sex Without Scruples.”
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The Synopsis
Brad Deep didn’t just peek into the male sexual psyche—he lived in it, banked it, and sold the tickets.
One day, a young Brad heard Francis Ford Coppola say in a documentary, “If an aspiring filmmaker wants to make a movie, he must do whatever it takes.”
Brad took that literally. He hired a few girls, opened an erotic massage parlor, and planned to use the profits to fund his movie.
What he didn’t plan for was front-row seats to the raw, unfiltered reality of male sexuality—the desires, the lies, the awkward kinks, and the desperate confessions men never make sober… or to their wives.
Horny: Sex Without Scruples is a savage, brutally honest, and laugh-out-loud demolition of dating myths, gender games, and the absurd mating dance we call relationships.
Written by a man who saw it all—the office bosses, the preachers, the boyfriends, the husbands—this isn’t therapy; it’s a strip search of the male libido… with sarcasm as the lube.
With stories you’d never tell your priest, real data that proves just how far the depravity runs, and chapter titles that slap harder than your ex’s mood swings, Horny is the book men pray women never read… and the one women can’t resist picking up.
If you’ve ever wanted to know what men are really like when nobody’s watching—this is your backstage pass.
Just don’t read it at church.
The Review
Honesty is the first word that comes to mind when delving into this book. The author honestly speaks to the raw, often savage, and at times haunting nature of sex and how it impacts men. As someone who has had to witness female family members deal with men through the dating scene over the years, the author does capture the male psyche and their attitudes towards sex and relationships with brutal honesty. The author’s writing style is both creative and savage in nature, characterized by crude, humorous, and visceral elements. It does an excellent job of conjuring powerful imagery as the reader is immersed in this philosophical and psychological exploration of the role sex plays in everyone’s lives.
Yet aside from those hilarious segways or savage take-downs, the author also does a remarkable job of delving into the social commentary aspect of this topic. With brutally honest stories from working a job in the sex industry, the author showcases the horrors and struggles many women, both in and out of the sex industry, must contend with. These stories lean into the author’s commentary on the importance of consent and how men and women are not only hardwired differently, but are taught at a young age far differently than they should be on how men should act and how women should be treated with respect. The need for boundaries and equality has never been more evident, and the author expertly weaves this theme into conversations around workplace behavior, relationships, and so much more.
The Verdict
Memorable, honest, and compelling, author Brad Deep’s “Horny: Sex Without Scruples” is a must-read nonfiction satire and humor book on sex, relationships, and human connection. Readers will be taken aback by the author’s savage take-down of alpha male behavior, and what this reader appreciates is the author’s commitment to donate partial proceeds to organizations supporting survivors of sexual assault. This worthy cause needs more honest and open discussion to end this violence. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
Brad Deep doesn’t write to make friends. He writes like he’s swinging a sledgehammer in a library—loud, unapologetic, and bound to piss someone off. His pages drip with the kind of truth most people choke on, served with enough filthy laughs to make a nun sweat.
He lives clean—no booze, no smokes, no drugs—running instead on cycling, weight training, and five-finger solos that would make a drummer jealous.
When it comes to women, he’s old school: natural beauty or nothing. No dye jobs, no Botox, no filler, no bolt-on boobs. Ask if he’d live with a woman again, and he’ll tell you yes—but only if she’s easy on the eyes, smart, and he’s lost his damn mind.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
A cowboy and his Native American bride seek freedom and community in the novel “Smoke on the Wind” by Syvila Weatherford.
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The Synopsis
“Smoke on the Wind” is a captivating tale that weaves the perils and dangers encountered on the Western frontier by Will Lawton, a young Black cowboy, after kidnapping then wedding his young Native American bride, Niabi. He plods a path packed with uncertainty that ultimately winds its way to an unthinkable opportunity – a race for free land.
Follow the characters of Smoke: the beautiful Louisa Ortega, who haunts the memory of the Chief’s son, Nashoba; Captain Horton, head of Fort Townsend, charged with keeping peace between settlers and tribes, and Dakota Sam, a rambunctious Civil War veteran attached to his military blues and backwoodsman ways.
This is the second book in an epic series, following the success of Weatherford’s first novel, “Blessings from the Four Winds.”
In this sequel, new characters are introduced: Liao Ming Chow, a Chinese immigrant, Sargent Thomas of the Buffalo Soldiers, and Mr. Todd Morgan the railroad tycoon. Niabi and Will raise two children and enjoy the protective company of their horses: Rodeo and FireTip. Their journey is marked by resilience, the spirit of community, and the ongoing struggle for safety and belonging.
This was an engaging and unique blend of historical fiction, romance, and western drama. The realism and detail the author pours into this narrative were astounding, as the language used and the historical context of these merging stories felt lifted right out of the history books without sacrificing character development or engaging dialogue. Although I had not been introduced to this series or its first book, the author wrote in a way that allowed readers to enter this story fresh, without bogging them down in story elements that would leave them lost. Instead, the narrative was both detailed and fast-paced, keeping the tension finely tuned within the context of this story.
The authenticity and personal history that the author infused from her own family into the backstory and development of these characters was remarkable. The exploration of how the black community lived in post-Civil War America, let alone in a lawless land such as the American West, and their contributions to organizations like the Buffalo Soldiers and others, was fascinating to delve into. The themes of interracial marriages and romances in such a dynamic point in American history were engaging, and the rich world-building the author provided to make this feel cinematic and atmospheric on the page was incredible.
The Verdict
Entertaining, thought-provoking, and thrilling, author Syvila Weatherford’s “Smoke on the Wind” is a must-read western historical fiction novel and a grand second entry in the Land Run series. The twists and turns in the narrative, the intensity of the relationships and community found in this book, and the personal and societal dangers faced by these characters at this time will stay with readers long after the book ends. If you haven’t already, preorder your copy today or pick it up on October 1st, 2025!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
Syvila Weatherford embarks upon a third career as a novel writer. Prior to this, she worked for over twenty years as an Electrical Engineer/Computer Scientist followed by twelve more years as a Patent Attorney. She was born and continues to live in California, but has lived on the east coast and has traveled abroad for business and pleasure including London, Egypt and South Africa. She hails from humble beginnings but owes her progress to pearls of wisdom learned from her mother, nurturing family and friends, and a strong spiritual foundation.
For more information about her or the book please visit www.syvilaweatherford.com and register at the contact page for any notices about book signings and similar events, as well as to ask questions about this and future books by her.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
Author and firefighter Michael C. Ede shares the true stories and harrowing realities of life not only as a firefighter, but as a firefighter working in the struggling city of East Cleveland in the book “Working Fire in East Cleveland.”
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The Synopsis
A career firefighter with a personal commitment that: everyone gets home safe!
26-year firefighter, Michael C. Ede, a career firefighter with a personal commitment that “everyone gets home safe,” shares true stories of emergency calls, working relationships, and life inside and outside of the firehouse in the financially and morally crumbling city of East Cleveland, Ohio.
This book offers readers a unique opportunity to enjoy a completely transparent, start-to-finish 26-year career highlights of a firefighter in a busy urban department. Readers will benefit from an honest appraisal of what a firefighter experiences both, inside the engine house, and at the emergency scene throughout the span of an entire career. The transformation from young, inexperienced rookie, to old, seasoned veteran, is chronicled in a way that keeps readers anticipating each new phase.
There are three unique topics within the book that allow the readers to benefit from a very unusual and special work environment. The fact that the story takes place in a nearly all African-American impoverished city. A black-to-white employee ratio of 50/50 in the fire department, coupled with raw honest story telling, makes this story extremely eye-opening to most readers who have never experienced this type of work and racial makeup within the work force. The contrast of the firefighters is portrayed throughout the book, and the successes, as well as the failures, are brought to the forefront. The work environment is absolutely unique. It answers the questions in a reader’s mind pertaining to how well white and black firefighters work together. Suspenseful, gripping details reveal the answer, and show that when white and black firefighters work together, great things can, and often do, take place.
Reader be warned, there are no cover ups, embellishment, fluff, or exaggeration in this book. Action, hard–hitting humor, & raw honesty tell the story of inner-city career firefighter, Michael C. Ede.
The Review
This was an insightful and engaging read. The author did an incredible job of giving insight and knowledge surrounding life in service to the fire department and the inner workings of life in East Cleveland, OH. The balance the author found in conveying personal experience with the training and education, so few have surrounding fires in general and fighting fires with specific procedures, was engaging, and early stories, such as the one in which the author came close to a near-death experience with a 2-story fire, helped illustrate how firefighting departments learn from these experiences.
The author not only discussed the educational and experiential factors involved in firefighting, but also the social aspects. The idea of brotherhood among firefighters is unique, and the author’s emphasis on the unique racial harmony found between both black and white firefighters in East Cleveland, which at the time boasted an even 50/50 ratio, was so interesting and well-received, speaking to how living together and facing untold dangers can shed many prejudices and bring people together. The camaraderie and heart that the author poured into these chapters, along with the personal writing style that brought them to life, made for a very engaging reading experience.
The Verdict
Memorable, insightful, and compelling, author Michael C. Ede’s “Working Fire in East Cleveland” is a must-read nonfiction book on the subject of firefighting. The detail and relatability of the author’s writing style, along with the unique perspective this book offers, will give readers an engaging look into the lives of the unsung heroes who face these blistering fires daily. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
Author of the book, Working Fire in East Cleveland, lives in AKron Ohio with his wife, and has two adult children… one of them is a firefighter.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
Author Troy W. Norris explains the grounded science and essential steps behind the WellBalance method of personal growth in the book “The WellBalance Way.”
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The Synopsis
Discover the foundations for a flourishing life.
This essential guide introduces the science, structure, and philosophy behind the WellBalance Model. In a world overwhelmed by noise and pressure, it provides a clear, accessible, evidence-based framework for personal growth and resilience, with your formula to flourish through the wellsprings of wellbeing. Grounded in scientific evidence, the WellBalance Way explores how core elements like purposeful contributions, emotional strength, and social connection support sustainable and resilient wellbeing. You’ll learn how small, intentional changes can lead to powerful transformations and how to apply these in your own life. Whether you’re navigating a major life transition, feeling like something’s missing, or simply searching for a more grounded way to grow, this book provides a clear path toward lasting fulfillment and flourishing, rooted in science and designed for real life.
The Review
One of the first things that stood out about this guide and self-improvement book was the way the author curated the book to be read as a process, rather than all at once, really emphasizing the journey rather than the destination. The development of the WellBalance Life Lotus was a great visual representation of the journey, and the author’s writing style really speaks to both the educational value of the information and the emotional development the book encourages in the reader.
The idea behind this book is a powerful one, as it speaks not only to surviving in this world but also to finding a way to flourish in it. The author lays this out specifically through the promotion of a strong mind, a healthy body, and the maintenance of social connections, and then expands upon this with key scientific and detailed explorations of the topic. I especially enjoyed the passages on savoring and reflection in the book, which effectively emphasized the importance of taking time to appreciate small moments in everyday life and ensuring that you don’t let essential moments pass you by.
The Verdict
Insightful, compelling, and engaging, author Troy W. Norris’s “The WellBalance Way” is a must-read nonfiction book on empowerment, personal growth, and mental wellness. The blend of scientific and grounded information to support each element of this process, combined with the emotional and heartfelt connection readers form with both the author and the author’s method, will keep readers returning to this book time and again to continue on the path of WellBalance. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
Troy W. Norris is a Harvard-trained scientist, published researcher, and founder of the WellBalance Institute for Positive Wellbeing. A certified life, health and wellness coach, Troy created the WellBalance Model to bring science-backed wellbeing practices into people’s lives, relationships and workplaces. With a background in precision medicine and digital psychiatry treatments, he recognized the need for better digital tools to personalize wellbeing interventions to match each person’s unique life situation. Troy’s research has been published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at leading scientific and industry conferences. Troy developed the WellBalance Method while navigating his own path from burnout and breakdown to fulfillment and flourishing.
Today on my blog I’m excited to feature Barry Maher’s darkly comic supernatural thriller, The Great Dick: And the Dysfunctional Demon. If you love stories that bend reality, dive into the occult, and keep you turning pages late into the night, you won’t want to miss this one.
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SYNOPSIS
In 1982, failed songwriter Steve Witowski is running from both the law and his past when a reckless act of heroism—saving a woman from a brutal assault—pulls him into a world far darker than he ever imagined. That woman, Victoria, has just purchased a decaying church steeped in sinister history, and with her comes a web of occult rituals, crypts, and grave-robbing secrets that refuse to stay buried. As Steve becomes entangled in her dangerous world, the presence of a desperate demon closes in, blurring the line between delusion and reality. Haunted by visions, hunted by forces he refuses to believe in, and marked by the face of the man he killed, Steve is dragged deeper into a nightmare of dark magic, betrayal, and blood-soaked revelations where survival may cost him his soul.
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EXCERPT
Back in the 60s . . .
On Wednesday October 13th, 1968, a faculty panel recommended the dismissal of Professor John Harris—in absentia, as no one at Harvard had seen or heard from him in weeks. Harris later bragged about delivering his final lecture on “one shitload and a half of LSD.” According to the recording made available to the faculty panel, this was the sum total of that lecture:
“Good afternoon. Wow. American Literature, hunh? Let’s see. Moby Dick today. Right?”
“Moby Dick?” asked a confused voice. “No. What happened to The Scarlet Letter?”
“Right. Moby Dick,” Harris continued. “Great book. None of you have read it. None of you are going to read it. Nobody ever does. What you need to understand is that as far as I’m concerned—and I’m the fucking professor—Moby Dick is the same story as The Great Gatsby, which some of you may read. I call it, ‘the half-assed struggle of the individual to put their world to rights in the face of a failure that threatens to define their life.’ I think that’s from my thesis. Though maybe it’s not pretentious enough.”
Harris laughed. “Hey! How about this? Great Gatsby/Moby Dick: same story, different era, right? So, if someone someday tries to write that story for this generation, they should call it The Great Dick. That’d be perfect, wouldn’t it? The Great Dick. Alright, that’s got to be almost fifty minutes. See you next . . . whenever. Wow.”
SUNDAY, MARCH 21, 1982 Two Women and One Corpse
“Any fool can tell the truth, but it requires a man of some sense to lie well.” —Samuel Johnson
CHAPTER 1
Okay, let me start out by admitting that I was an asshole. I know that. The ludicrous amount of fame and acclaim and money I’ve had dumped on me since that time only makes it more glaring. The fact that we lived in a different world back in 1982 is no excuse. It was the same world. It just wasn’t the world we thought it was.
I remember it was a Sunday night. Sundays always feel different. Looking back now and Googling a 1982 calendar, I’d guess it was Sunday, March 21st. I remember waking up and within minutes making the decision to leave. Quickly, before I could change my mind, I eased myself out of the rickety hide-a-bed.
Immediately, Maria rolled over into the spot I’d just vacated, breathing loudly through her nose and mouth, not quite snoring. I hate to say it, but she looked every minute of her thirty years. Her thick dark hair clung damply to her face; her heavy arms stretched outward. The cast on her left wrist looked like a giant manacle.
The grandfather clock beside the cigar store Indian read 1:37, though a few minutes before, it had chimed four times. That made as much sense as anything else in my life. I was thirty-five years old, a Harvard grad who’d spent the previous two years faking his way through a $13,500 a year job as a territory rep for the Richmond Tobacco company. That $13,500 was the most money I’d ever made. You’re probably thinking that when you adjust for inflation and translate that $13,500 into today’s dollars, it’s a lot more impressive.
No, it’s not.
I slipped on my jersey and my jeans and gathered the rest of my things in my old gym bag. Fortunately, enough moonlight crept in around the edges of the tattered drapes to give the room a dim glow. I wondered if it would be safe to hitchhike out of there, or if Indiana had already notified the California Highway Patrol that I was wanted.
My situation was bad. But not bad enough to, say, crawl into a grave with a rotting corpse.
That would come later.
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GUEST BLOG POST
Where Do You Get Your Ideas from?
A while back, I was speaking on an Asian cruise when I realized I could no longer figure out what the hands of the clock meant. The next day, during a session, I introduced the ship’s captain. Twenty minutes later I picked him out of the audience and asked him what he did for a living. (The uniform did look a tad familiar.) That same day, I gave up trying to understand foreign currency. Even American money was getting tricky. In Viet Nam, I handed a vendor two hundreds and a five for a $7.00 baseball cap. It was a very nice cap.
Back home, the first thing my doctor did was have me draw a clock face at ten to three. The second thing he did was take away my driver’s license. Then he sent me for an immediate MRI. The nurse there wouldn’t comment on the results, but when I asked where the restroom was, she said, “I can’t let you go in there alone.”
I explained that bathroom visitation was a particular expertise of mine.
“Like telling time?” she asked. “You need to talk to your neurosurgeon.”
“I have a neurosurgeon?” Just what I always wanted.
I also had a brain tumor—the size of a basketball. Or maybe the neurosurgeon said “baseball.” I wasn’t tracking too well at that point. Still, I quickly grasped he was planning on carving open my skull with a power saw.
“I don’t really need to tell time,” I said. “Or I can just buy a digital watch.”
Everyone said my neurosurgeon—or, as I thought of him, “Chainsaw Charlie”—was brilliant. My problem was that I’ve spent my life around intelligent people, and I’ve always believed human intelligence was overrated. To me, on a scale of everything there is to know in the universe, the main difference between Einstein and Koko the Wonder Chimp was that Einstein couldn’t pick up bananas with his feet. (As far as I know.)
Still, I went under the knife—or in this case, the power saw. Maybe I had a seizure. The doctors weren’t sure. That might explain what happened. Because I came out of the surgery with Lady Gaga singing non-stop in my head and an unforgettably vivid story, like a memory of something that I’d just witnessed.
Reacting to the intrusion, I suppose my brain could have given me Citizen Kane or a nice rom/com or a few episodes of Seinfeld. Instead I got open crypts, bizarre spells, sudden death and the Ralph Lauren version of the Manson Family. “How did my operation go? Well, I’m doing well, but the people in my head—or wherever they were—they went through Hell.”
Lady Gaga went away after a day or so. But the story stayed with me. And when I was able, I spent a couple of years putting it all down, working it out, trying to get it just right. And that became The Great Dick: And the Dysfunctional Demon.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Barry Maher’s career has been anything but ordinary. He’s been an award-winning (if modestly so) poet, a magazine writer with bylines across the country, a speaker for some of the world’s largest corporations, and a man who once lived literally on the beach, seagulls and all. His syndicated column Slightly Off-Kilter and his darkly comic fiction reflect that same unpredictable spirit. Media appearances range from The Today Show to CNBC, with features in The Wall Street Journal and even Funeral Service Insider. Connect with him at BarryMaher.com or on Facebook.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
A failed songwriter on the run finds himself ensnared in a chilling supernatural conspiracy in author Barry Maher’s “The Great Dick and the Dysfunction Demon.”
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The Synopsis
It’s 1982. Steve Witowski, a failed songwriter on the run from the law, finds himself caught in a supernatural thriller after an apparently innocent act of heroism—saving a woman from a vicious assault by a seemingly unstoppable wino. The woman, Victoria, is just part of a mystery Steve can’t unravel. Even as he’s looting the decomposing dead for the secrets of a self-proclaimed sorcerer. Even as he plummets into a nightmare of fire and blood and murder. Even then, Steve remains certain the sorcerer’s spells, the occult rituals—the supposed demons and supernatural horror—are simply delusion and fantasy. Steve is wrong.
Victoria, who has just bought a dilapidated church with a haunting past, entangles Steve in a deadly game of dark magic and rituals. As,unknown to him, the demon grows desperate, Steve plunges deeper into a world of crypts, grave robbing, and long-forgotten secrets, all while trying to escape his own haunted past. But when the face of the man Steve killed appears on his arm, the line between reality and nightmare begins to blur.
This supernatural novel will leave you on the edge of your seat, with wickedly funny dark humor and, ultimately, pulse-pounding suspense, as Steve and Victoria navigate a twisted adventure full of occult horror, supernatural suspense, and shocking revelations.
The Review
This was a fantastic horror novel. The author did an incredible job of capturing the campy 80s supernatural and occult vibes that the genre was known for during that era, while also infusing humor and wit into the character arcs and dialogue. The suspense plays well in this narrative, initially seeming more like a thriller before slowly peeling back the layers and delving into the dark heart of characters readers have known throughout their lives.
The dynamic character development and supernatural mythology explored in the book are what make it so engaging. The book delves into occult rituals and witchcraft lore, while also blending psychological horror and other elements into the narrative. The story is very adult-driven, with bloody imagery and heated sexual tension laced throughout the narrative, and the climactic final chapters will keep readers tense as these characters come crashing together in ways no one could have seen coming.
The Verdict
Dynamic, entertaining, and compelling, author Barry Maher’s “The Great Dick and the Dysfunctional Demon” is a must-read campy horror and occult novel. The twists and turns, the chilling atmosphere, and the captivating characters will blend well into the upcoming spooky season and do well with audiences who are rediscovering films such as Witchboard this holiday season. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
Barry Maher’s career has been anything but ordinary. He’s been an award-winning (if modestly so) poet, a magazine writer with bylines across the country, a speaker for some of the world’s largest corporations, and a man who once lived literally on the beach, seagulls and all. His syndicated column Slightly Off-Kilter and his darkly comic fiction reflect that same unpredictable spirit. Media appearances range from The Today Show to CNBC, with features in The Wall Street Journal and even Funeral Service Insider. Connect with him at BarryMaher.com or on Facebook.
