No. 24 - The Colorado Kid

by Stephen King

Started: July 12
Finished: July 13

Notes: This is the first King book I've read since the end of the whole Dark Tower series, which sort of tied into every thing King had written up to that point.

Mini review: Not King at his best, but King's writing tends to be like pizza and sex ... even when it's bad, it's still pretty good. This is more of a mystery story than a hardboiled tale,and you won't get a nice, neat ending to tie up everything, so don't expect to learn all the answers. Reads more like a lengthy short story than a novel, but at less than 200 pages, what can you expect?

I'm only half deadly

I repeat, so much for the G rating ...

Probability of killing, 53%

You have probably seen death. You watch too many horror flicks, play too much violent videogames, or probably exposed to death by where you live. or maybe you have lots of problems with enemies or have little self-esteem. The factors add up that you need to avoid situations or people that could push you to that point.

Are you capable of killing

Yes, I am the AntiChrist

So much for a G rating ...

Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse Your Result: Pestilence When the first seal is opened, you ride forth on a white horse. You wear a crown and hold a bow, and you've been unleashed to conquer and kill. Many believe that you are the Antichrist, deceiver of man.
Famine
Death
War
Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse

My site is clean

Mingle² - Online Dating

Can you believe this crap??? My blog is rated friggin' G.

No. 23 - The Alienist

by Caleb Carr

Started: July 5

Finished: July 12

Notes: This book was a big seller a dozen or so years ago. I'd seen it plenty of times, but not picked it up until recently when I got it used for a dollar. What drew me to the book? Well, the cover, at first, which is unusual for me nowadays. I rarely pick up a book because the cover looks interesting. But the photo on the cover had that late 19th centery, big city, serial killer look to it (I'm sometimes an amateur Ripperologist). So that made me pick up the book. I read the blurb on the back, and sure enough, it's about a serial killer in NYC in 1896. Teddy Roosevelt, and others, are historical figures, and I found that also of interest.

Mini review: It took a couple of hundred pages for me to get into this book, but it did pick up my interest. It felt a bit like "Silence of the Lambs" in the late 19th century, which means I liked it.

A quote to remember for July 4th

"Too often we honor swagger and bluster and wielders of force; too often we excuse those who are willing to build their own lives on the shattered dreams of others. Some Americans who preach non-violence abroad fail to practice it here at home. Some who accuse others of inciting riots have by their own conduct invited them."

"But we can perhaps remember, if only for a time, that those who live with us are our brothers, that they share with us the same short moment of life; that they seek, as do we, nothing but the chance to live out their lives in purpose and in happiness, winning what satisfaction and fulfillment they can."

-- excerpts from speech by Robert F. Kennedy, April 5, 1968, in Cleveland, Ohio

Short story in RayGun Revival

Oops! Yeah, it's about time I mentioned this on my own blog. A short story of mine, "Hot Off the Press," is now available in Issue 25 of RayGun Revival.

Woo hoo! Nothin' beats seeing your work published.