Mayor of the Dog Park, By: Anne Gilbert

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Intelligently written and as fast as a Greyhound chasing Rusty, the electronic pace-rabbit at the Kennel Club Dog Track, author Anne Gilbert takes her readers by the collar and pulls them quickly into a story of retribution, revenge and reprisal in her novelette, Mayor of the Dog Park.

A vacant lot reclaimed by a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, the dog park named "Faux Paws" became a daily routine for designer dogs, pedigrees, hounds, mutts and their owners of various "human-breeds" as well. Animally bonded, the K-9s and their respective 401K owners all seem to be appropriately matched in temperament, personality and intelligence. With names like Moe & Lucky, Gimp & Muffle, Ramon & Lolita, and of course the mayor Eddie, and his dog won from a church prize, Bingo, these duos split each afternoon to go to their separate respective areas within Faux Paws; some go to the big dog area, others to the small dog section, while the owners pack in to a gazebo to talk.

I must admit, as a disclaimer, I am a dog lover extraordinaire, so reading this book was like rolling on my back having my tummy scratched. As much as I have come to love and understand the wonders of "Man's best friend," I too become emotionally outraged when hearing about animal cruelty; especially when intentionally done. Therefore I could relate to the emotions and motivations of the human characters in Mayor of the Dog Park; to me the events seem as logical as a border collie retrieving a tennis ball. However for the sake of maintaining the impact of this story, I shall not tell any more about the circumstances that reveal themselves in Chapter 3.

There is a clever foreshadowing with respect to Eddie's house, being a lavishly designed home built by one of South Florida's prominent architects. "The three story great room was dominated by a massive Gothic style fireplace and walnut paneling. Probably its most interesting aspect was the ceiling with a myriad of stars painted on the ceiling," author Anne Gilbert wrote. The room was specified by Eddie's recollection of, when on a trip to London, he saw a drawing of the actual "Star Chamber" used in 15th Century England.

The Mayor of the Dog Park is a mature reading escape, enabling for quick character development of the "Snow-bird" community of transplants from Chicago and other Northern cities of the US, as they conspire to do what every dog lover thinks of doing regarding animal abuse. Anne Gilbert is obviously a dog owner and judging by her writing quickness, agility, discombobulated machinations at times, and sense of humor, I'd bet she owns a type of terrier, like maybe a Jack Russell. Whatever breed she owns, her dog has found a human that can be trained, that's for sure, trained to write.

Reviewed by: Gary Sorkin, Pacific Book Review

http://www.pacificbookreview.com/

Sexual Relations Fifty Years On - Girl With Green Eyes by Edna O'Brien

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It has been fifty years since Edna O'Brien published Girl With Green Eyes. It is conventional nowadays to regard the late 1950s and early 1960s as an era when sexual liberation was beginning. This may be accurate. Certainly the men in Edna O'Brien's novel seem to bear no little responsibility for any of their sexual activity, whilst the women, who are usually willing partners, take all the risks and bear all the responsibilities.

The girl with green eyes uses several versions of her name. They appear to be applied randomly. She is whoever circumstance demands. She is Cait, Caithleen, or even Kate, depending on who is speaking, or where and when the action happens. Cait was previously one of the girls who were Country Girls and the Girl With Green Eyes forms the second part of a trilogy following these young women's progress from rural assumptions to urban freedom, of sorts. In Girl With Green Eyes the young women have moved to Dublin. Events take Cait, just twenty-one, and a mere student in today's paradigm, back home to the country and then back to town again.

She has taken up with Eugene. He is older than her and, God forbid, married - even with a child. The wife lives in America - where else for the separated? - but she always seems close at hand and something of a threat. Cait has completely fallen for her male elect and news gets out. A rescue party from the country arrives to whisk her off back to the protection of home in the west, where alcoholism and threats of violence keep the peace. Her father drinks all day, but then he's a provincial sort. He may be excused, since he rules his fiefdom. He will hit anyone to protect what needs protecting and daughters are usually top of the list.

Cait describes most of her experiences in the first person. Her friend gets pregnant and has to deal with the consequences. Despite all such practices being utterly illegal at the time, everyone seems to know where to go, how to secure the service and what it costs. In general, the women involved seem utterly dependent on securing a man to provide for them, and seem to live at least half in fear of the urges that propel them. There is this ambivalence within all the relationships. The men are keen to go where they want, but generally do not negotiate on the destinations. The women seem keen to explore, but never journey on their own terms, apparently preferring to be taken along with the ride.

By the end of the book, there have been changes in Cait's life. It seems that these changes anticipate the changes that will begin for women in wider society, but in Girl With Green Eyes such progress has achieved only limited changes in women's expectations of life. The novel thus subtly mirrors what we must assume prevailed in wider society at the time. It thus presents a contemporary reader with a historical perspective that its author perhaps did not consciously consider at the time. It is surely a richer experience for this added dimension.

Philip Spires

Author of Mission and A Fool's Knot, African novels set in Kenya

http://www.philipspires.co.uk/

Migwani is a small town in Kitui District, eastern Kenya. My books examine how social and economic change impact on the lives of ordinary people. They portray characters whose identity is bound up with their home area, but whose futures are determined by the globalized world in which they live.

Book Review: Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

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The year is 1931. The Great Depression is in full swing. Jacob Jankowski is twenty-three and finishing up his last semester at Cornell Veterinary School when the tragedy strikes: both of his parents are killed in an automobile accident and on top of that he loses the family house because his parents had mortgaged it to pay for his tuition. Left without anyone and anything, he fails to take his final exam and simply wanders off. As fate would have it, he winds up on a rickety train that is home to the Flying Squadron of the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth -- a second rate traveling circus.

Second rate or not, a circus is still a circus and there are always animals in need of professional veterinary care, so Jacob is hired to tend to the outfit's menagerie. His very first task is to examine a lame horse -- and that's how he meets Marlena, the beautiful equestrian star. To say that Jacob is enchanted by Marlena would be a gross understatement, but any thoughts of romantic nature he might be entertaining are squashed right off: she is married, and not to just anyone; her husband August is the animal trainer -- pardon, equestrian director and superintendent of animals -- essentially the circus' number two man.

August is all charm and friendliness on the surface, however, as Jacob finds out soon enough, he is also prone to unpredictable lapses into madness which inevitably end up in outbursts of violence directed against anything that happens to stand in his path. Be that animals, his subordinates, or his own wife. Jacob finds himself at the receiving end of it on more than one occasion himself as he tries to protect the animals from abuse -- especially when it comes to Rosie.

Rosie, a fifty-three-year-old elephant, is the latest addition to the circus' menagerie and everyone is pinning their hopes on her and this new act that is supposed to lift the show to new heights, to bring in the crowds. But even though Rosie is said to be properly trained, August is not able to do anything with her. She doesn't seem to understand even the simplest commands, which unavoidably sends the animal trainer into a fit of rage as he lets her experience the end of his cane, declaring her stupid.

But Jacob is not so sure about that. In fact, observing the elephant when not under duress, he has noticed signs of superb intelligence. He knows Rosie can deliver. He knows there has to be a reason why she isn't performing. And he has to find out what it is before the mad man kills her in one of his bouts of fury.

At the same time he needs to be very careful. His growing affection for Marlena seems not to be a one way affair after all, and, while August may be crazy, he is certainly not blind...

Visit JustGoodFiction.com for more best seller reviews.

The Winter War by Jason Garrett Will Take You on a Journey of Good Versus Evil

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Get ready for a wild, bumpy and sometimes chilling ride through the unknown with The Winter War, by Jason Garrett. The latest in a long running saga of Bishop's Island, this work chronicles some of the events of demon-hunter turned preacher, Eric Kade.

The fictitious world of Bishop's Island draws you in and holds fast with a cold, iron grip. Although not clear where geographically on the earth it may reside, you'll be reminded of perhaps a Northeastern and historically rich state like Maine. It may also make you think of quaint and rural towns in England that adorn the rocky coasts near the frigid ocean waters where fishermen risk their lives to make a living. The place has its own and unique culture as well as a complicated history of both the men and supernatural forces that have fought to control the lives of those who choose to live there.

It is on this island where readers sometimes feel a bit trapped--especially at night, when the snow is falling and you're on the edge of a forest. In the distance, one hears the waves crash hard against the rocky cliffs and danger is somewhere near. As potential peril lurks around every corner, we follow seasoned hunters as they seek to confront that which most of us would flee from. Using sight, smell, tracking skills, medieval-type weaponry, some supernatural powers, but mostly instinct, our hunters and huntresses confront the worst in both the seen and unseen realms.

The hunters, trained to kill while mere children, are at the top of their game and already have much experience in their late twenties and early thirties. But their objectives and motives are fueled by so much more than just the need to eliminate evil from the world. Weaving a complex storyline of love, family, and betrayal, Garrett pulls from his imagination plots that cut deep into the hearts and souls of his both human and inhuman characters.

Our main character, Eric Kade, is a man who has made tough decisions and commitments, and he clings ruthlessly to them, and his faith, against everything trying to stop him. In the face of total abandonment and treachery by people he used to love and was loyal to, he trusts in his God and moves forward. To further escalate the difficulty of his situation, he also finds himself in the position of protecting innocents who are being used and manipulated by evil that seeks revenge and ultimately the destruction of our hero. To avoid further mistakes as well as make amends, Kade must make some of the most difficult choices of his life.

Alongside Kade in this war are a diverse group of individuals. One of his best friends, a hunter who is a superior tracker and fighter in some ways, betrays himself and succumbs to retaliation and evil. A huntress turned witch joins our group and bravely confronts evil to help her friend. Also against Kade, among many others, is a highly skilled huntress who has sold her soul to the obsession of revenge as well as the worst kind of malicious evil.

The Winter War is a continuing account of many intertwined lives and the challenges they face. And unlike some other novels of Jason Garrett, it has a highly mysterious and cliffhanger ending. If you get absorbed into the story as much as I was, you'll look forward to the continuing plight of our characters and the ever shadowy and surreptitious events of a place called Bishop's Island.

Kelly Libatique is a professional speaker, technical trainer, and author. He holds a Master's in Education and a Bachelor's in Psychology. He resides in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife Anne and two sons.

Visit http://www.libatique.com/ or Contact Kelly at: Kelly.Libatique@gmail.com

Lust, Money, and Murder, by Mike Wells Is a Fast-Self-paced Thriller

Do you like stories about deception, mystery, international espionage, and the lengths to which men will go in the name of power and greed? If so, then Lust, Money, and Murder, by Mike Wells may be a book for you.

Lust, Money, and Murder was the first novel I've read by Mike Wells, and I'm glad I did for several reasons. Mr. Wells writes in a style that grabs ahold of the reader and does not easily let go. Without a lot of emphasis is unnecessary details, the story hits you like a passenger jet landing on the tarmac. You're off and running and not going to stop or get bored until it's finished. And even after the long ????????????????, it's not quite over yet, and I'll explain that shortly.

While the title, Lust, Money, and Murder may seem stereotypical of books you've read or movies you've seen, this story has some unique components. It starts off very mysteriously, an older sugar daddy with a young woman, and they're traveling around Europe, having one big party. But there's something going on, an undercurrent beneath the charade of cordial and passionate behavior that's impossible to put a finger on. This short story comes to an abrupt end, but we find out that the theme of this little introduction is actually the main thrust behind the novel's storyline.

The narrative focuses on a young girl who grows up under very challenging circumstances. Without a mother, she copes as well as can be expected. Her father wants the best for her, but is doing things they shouldn't be to help her get not only the things she wants, but the best education. Trying to grow up quickly and find herself, she makes a terrible mistake and inadvertently pulls her father into it. One thing after another goes wrong, and we find ourselves watching this girl set out on a lifelong mission of revenge. Sound Celine yet?

One of the main components to this story is the counterfeit money. Before reading this book, I had no idea what was the intaglio printing. But by the time I was finished, I knew quite a bit about it and the process by which official currency is printed.

True to its title, ' Lust, Money, and Murder, "at its core, is about characters and motivating behavior. And this is really what keeps you going-for-seeing who is going to what next, as well as who is hiding what. Again, the story moves fast, and along the way there are many unexpected twists. Just when you think you've got things figured out, the story takes a sharp turn and sends you down another path. This makes it a swift page turner of a novel.

Warning to potential readers--it all ends in a huge cliffhanger. If you poke around and see what else Mike Wells has written, you'll see that one of the things he does is write the series. You can acquire several of the "Book 1 's" for free for your Kindle or Nook or whatever you like to read the free eBooks. But at the end of the story, you'll want to find out how things go and you just may purchase Book 2. It's up to you. But whatever you do, know that you may find yourself so wrapped up in Lust, Money, and Murder, you'll probably be looking for more.

Kelly Libatique is a professional speaker, technical trainer, and author. He holds a master's in Education and a Bachelor's in Psychology. He resides in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife, Anne, and two sons.

Visit http://www.libatique.com/or Contact Kelly at: Kelly.Libatique@gmail.com

Young Blood - Crime Never Pays

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Title: Young Blood

Publisher: Kwela Books

Year: 2010

Young Blood is a crime fiction novel. It is about a young man named Sipho. He is caught up in the world of easy money, booze, dagga, and greed. He lives in the sprawling township of Umlazi, south of Durban in the province of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. In the geography of crime in KwaZulu-Natal (Durban), Umlazi criminals specialise in car hijackings and in Kwa-Mashu is murder.

The story of Young Blood begins with Sipho dropping out of school. He dropped out of school thirteen days before he turned seventeen years old. He started helping his mechanic Dad doing odd jobs underneath the bonnets of wrecked cars. But, that did not provide the lifestyle his long-time school friend Musa had - BMW's, designer clothes, and beautiful girls always hanging on his arms. In no particular order and for no other reason except for Sipho's love for fast cars; he soon found himself engrossed in stealing cars, hijackings, drugs, booze, girls and dagga.

Sipho started by fixing or should it read dismantling stolen cars for parts, and graduated to driving gateway cars, buying stolen cars, murder, hijackings, selling mandrax, and bribing cops to avoid jail time. During his crime excursion, members of his gang were found dead after a robbery gone wrong. Sipho's child hood friend also died in the hail of bullets from the rival gang, the Cold Hearts. Sipho's mandrax supplier and buyer of stolen cars left town after he survived the violent clash with the Cold Hearts. These events had a profound impact on Sipho's outlook of life. He reconnected with his family, registered in a technical college and turned his life around.

Author Sifiso Mzobe offers a detailed account of thug life in South Africa. Young Blood is a universal story of out of school, and out of work youth lifestyle in South Africa. Mzobe tells a story vividly and honestly as if he was the main protagonist. It reads like memoirs of a well heeled thug. However, beneath beautiful prose lies the real South African story - social problems occasioned by urban decay, dysfunctional education system, unemployment, absent and inadequate parents amongst others. Because Mzobe is not JM Coetzee, he believes in humanity's capacity for redemption, he allowed our protagonist Sipho to mend his evil ways. This is the most comforting part of the book.

It is no wonder; Young Blood won the 2011 Sunday Times Alan Paton award for best fiction writing.

Bhekisisa Mncube is a specialist web-content writer, media relations specialist and managing director of B74 Media Lab. He is also a columnist at the Witness Newspaper as well as a Media/Political Commentator at the Gagasi99.5 FM. He is a member of the Book Review Panel at the New Agenda academic journal in South Africa. Mncube has been a writer for 12 years. He is a widely published in newspapers, magazines, websites and academic journals. You can network with Bhekisisa through LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook or write to info@b74.co.za.

Book Review: Prairie Dog Blues

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Fiction
Prairie Dog Blues
Mark Conkling
2011
Sunstone Press
230 pages

In his first novel, Prairie Dog Blues, writer Mark Conkling tells the complicated story of the Corley family. With each member of the clan struggling with their own problems, the Corleys decide to sell part of the family land. The hope of the family's matriarch, Mom Corley, is that the money will improve their lives individually and bring all of them closer together. As it turns out, prairie dogs elevate the family beyond their personal concerns to fulfill Mom's dreams of a strong, unified clan.

Mom and Pop Corley (their given names are Janice and Roy, but everyone in the community calls them Mom and Pop) attend the final signing for the sale of fifteen acres of their property in Albuquerque, New Mexico with their three children, Jeff, Ida, and Junior. The goal of the sale is to fund Mom and Pop's retirement and to provide each of their troubled children with seed money that will allow them to restructure their lives. Jeff, the oldest, is a dentist with a gambling problem and all of the debt that goes with that lifestyle. The middle child, Ida, is a nurse who, when not dreaming of earning a master's degree, uses her looks to attract the wrong kind of attention from men. Junior is the youngest and the most troubled with a nearly debilitating drinking problem. Mom believes the multi-million dollar sale of the property to a developer will solve all of their problems. But that dream is threatened by a new city ordinance that will restrict development on properties where prairie dogs live. This news halts the sale and heightens the level of desperation for each of the Corleys.

The initial attempts Pop and Junior make to remove the prairie dogs are awkward and violent. News of the city ordinance and the delayed sale of the Corleys' fifteen acres draws protestors from the Forest Guardians, a group of environmental activists. The Forest Guardians, led by Donald Pressman, fight the Corleys' efforts to remove the prairie dogs by taking legal action and bringing in a prairie dog expert to bolster their cause.

This is a story that takes several unexpected turns, which is fantastic for holding the reader's attention. As each attempt to salvage the sale of the property is initiated, the author reveals more of the inner workings of the main characters. Conkling shares the struggles of each member of the Corley family and the steps they take to save their lives from destruction. While Mom holds on to the hope she believes the money will bring until the very end, her husband and children ultimately find their way to better lives and a renewed sense of family as a result of the crisis the prairie dogs' presence causes.

This is a delightful story. It is well written and ambitious in its display of the human condition. Conkling, a former professor of psychology and philosophy, skillfully applies his knowledge of human behavior to create multidimensional characters that conjure up an array of emotions in the reader.

Prairie Dog Blues is a dynamic read; brilliant. I highly recommended it.

Melissa Brown Levine
for
Independent Professional Book Reviewers

Melissa Brown Levine is a writer, book reviewer and manuscript consultant. She is the author of "I Need to Make Promises: A Novella and Stories." Read an excerpt at http://www.melissabrownlevine.com/.