Review: Sorry, We can't use funny.

  

Written by Barry Parham    

   

Reviewed by R. Murry



I laughed.  I thought and laughed.  And I laughed, thought, and laughed with each sentence I read of Mr. Parham’s many off the cuff jesting and jiving.  I’m just joking.  I think he put much thought into each of his stories, shorts, and ponderings.  He writes some intelligent quibbling too, but not to a fault.

I’m glad he put all these interludes with the world in a book.  I would get frustrated if I had to wait for a newspaper column to come out each week to enjoy his type of entertainment.

Enjoyed most by me, are his Dear Abby Redux replies to correspondents who propose situations and quibble about the world around them.  Mr. Parham answers with appropriate funny words. 

In his writing, I get the feeling that he enjoys poking at the current world affairs especially at the leaders of the free world, as we all do.  However, Mr. Parham does not insult, but gets right to the point which is funnier in a sad way, because of the truth in his words.

I’m not going to give details, but will say that if you want to have a good time laughing, buy this funny expose of the world and the people in it.

Barry’s links are below: The weekly columns are available online, via a yearly subscription, at

http://www.barryparham.com.

Alternatively, Kindle owners can subscribe and have the columns automatically downloaded each week, from this address:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AY6Z8S4

Interview of Barry Parham

                                    Interview of Barry Parham        

Author of Sorry,

We Can’t Use Funny

Questions: R. Murry

Can you tell me a little about yourself?

Well, let's see. I'm a moderately pleasant single guy. I'm a music lover, a lucky Uncle, a proud graduate of the University of Georgia, and a recovering software developer. I'm middle-aged, assuming I live to be 112. And I'm fiscally conservative, except for music CDs.

Do you remember the first story you wrote?

The first humor column I ever published was called "Things I've Learned from Television." It was basically a list of misconceptions that somebody from another planet might make, if their only source of information was a few hours watching TV. For example:

If you live in a trailer park, and have a 200 lb. pet chimp, and then feed the chimp Xanax, and then invite the neighbors over, you may shortly appear on the TV news in what is known as a "Breaking Story."

Were you inspired by someone or something?

Absolutely - two of the best: Mark Twain and Dave Barry.

What do you like about writing a story?

What's most fun for me is finding an odd angle; an unexpected connection; a pairing between things that, at first glance, might seem to have nothing in common.

Can you tell us about your book?

Sorry, We Can't Use Funny is my second (of five) collections of humor columns and other short pieces. The book's title is actually a quote I received in a rejection letter from a newspaper editor. He's dead now, but let's not get into all that.

What genre best fits for the book?

Observational humor, I suppose, is a good fit. I was once told that what I write is not fiction, which was a silly thing to say. After all, I know perfectly well its fiction - I made all of it up myself.

Are you working on something new at the moment?

Other than the weekly columns, I'm thinking...slowly...about a new book. I've enough material for another book, but this time I might skip the physical venue altogether, and just stick with an eBook version.

Do you have any tips for aspiring writers?

My self-inflicted discipline is to write a minimum of 625 words, about something, every week. But I understand not everyone can do that - it takes a firm commitment to be that lazy.

Where can people go to read your work?

The weekly columns are available online, via a yearly subscription, at

http://www.barryparham.com.

Alternatively, Kindle owners can subscribe and have the columns automatically downloaded each week, from this address:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AY6Z8S4

Do you have anything to add?

I'm thankful to my God, I'm grateful for my parents, and I'm honored to now be able to count myself among the authors reviewed on these pages. Thanks, Roy, to you and your readers!

Seducing the Princess

Review of Seducing the Princess     

Written by Mary Hart Perry

Reviewed by R. Murry

Being the Baby, the youngest in the family of many, has its advantages and disadvantages.  Since I have never been in that position, I have no real understanding of how one copes being the youngest of nine.  Ms. Perry’s character Baby explains, in well-constructed prose, how one felt from a Victorian prospective.  It was heart breaking being the youngest daughter of Queen Victoria.

Beatrice, Bea or Baby for short, finds herself in a deserving position that she never thought would happen to her even though she is at the ripe old age of twenty seven.  She has a male suitor.  Most women of that era by eighteen knew about the birds and bees.  You know what I mean.  Bea was oblivious of the differences.

Here is where the fun in this romantic thriller begins – the seduction game a la Victorian Era. You must follow royal protocol or the Queen will chop off your head literally and or fugitively if you screw with her needs.  The queen is in control of her realm and her family.

Mary Hart Perry has done her research.  The era comes alive to the point that when Bea got so excited about her suitor Henry coming she accomplished her toilette in record time. Which is a nice way of saying it; you get the point.

Bea and Henry’s romance has many hurdles to traverse: her mother’s objections, of course, and another suitor of dubious background with an important family backer, who wants to conquer the world.  These interludes are well written and plausible given the historical events of the time.

You’ll have to read this enjoyable novel to see how this love affair comes to literally a cliff ending event that kept the interest of a non-Victorian like me.

LINKS: on.fb.me/Kj7hzU  
https://twitter.com/Mary_Hart_Perry

https://ganxy.com/i/76010

Interview: Mary Hart Perry

Interview with

Author Mary Hart Perry 

Questions by R. Murry

      

Can you tell me a little about yourself?

Hi, Mary Hart Perry here. Well, I live in the Washington, DC area and teach at The Writer's Center when I'm not working on my own novels. My husband and I love to sail, travel, garden...and we have two cats who are my writing partners.

Do you remember the first story you wrote?

The first story I wrote was for young readers, about a little boy who lost his lunchbox on his way to school. It was a simple mystery with a happy ending--he uses his head to figure out what happened to it. Highlights for Children bought it for $35.00 and I was thrilled. LOL!

Were you inspired by someone or something?

Absolutely, I loved Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories, and picked up the mystery writing bug from him. I also read a lot of historical adventures; Kenneth Roberts was my favorite.

What do you like about writing a story?

I love the idea of being able to escape to another time and place. That's what happens when you read. But it's even truer when you write your own stories.

Can you tell us about your book?

SEDUCING THE PRINCESS is set mostly in England during the 19th century. The heroine is Princess Beatrice, Queen Victoria's youngest daughter, who is being wooed by two very different men - one with the best intentions, the other with the very worst. There is lots of atmosphere and historical details, but fast-paced too.

What genre best fits for the book?

The novel is a romantic historical thriller.

Are you working on something new at the moment?

Yes. Seducing is the second book of a series. So I'm working on the third, which will feature the Crown Princess who confronts one of the most famous serial killers in history.

Do you have any tips for aspiring writers?

Write every day. Seriously, that's the one thing that will help your stable of skills strengthen. If you only write when you feel like it or occasionally, it's hard to make progress.

Where can people go to read your work?

My books are available from all of the major online booksellers include Barnes & Noble and Amazon, and for all reading devices. The Wild Princess is also in paperback, and soon Seducing will also be in print.

Do you have anything to add?

Thanks for the chat! I enjoy getting a chance to talk with readers as well as other writers. Feel free to follow me on any social network. Best wishes, Mary Hart Perry

FB:  on.fb.me/Kj7hzU  
https://twitter.com/Mary_Hart_Perry

https://ganxy.com/i/76010

Review of Problem Solving

Review of Problem Solving    

Written by Larry B. Gray

Reviewed by R. Murry

5000 words of a systemic approach to dealing with issues and opportunities on a daily basis in a business leadership position, and a story about a rabbit cornered by a rattlesnake, brings Larry B. Gray’s management point across – don’t let personnel conflicts fester.

Mr. Gray in a clear, simple, and direct writing style gives his step by step procedure on how to deal with employee issues that interrupt an operation.  His processes are understandable and of use to those who want to be supervisors, managers, and to those in leadership roles.

Having been in numerous management positions, I found Problem Solving informative and right to the point with alternatives that help supervisors to reach their goals in a logical and productive way using non evasive steps.

There are only positive proper choices used to motivate a subordinate to do the right thing, until it is clear that there is no other alternative.

Team work is the backbone of any goal setting, and it’s up to the supervisor, manager, or leader to make it happen with the personnel he is in charge of.

Larry gives us a concrete guideline you should read if you care to be a good leader in your business environment.

I recommend this and any of Larry’s other business booklets that can be found on Amazon and Smashwords.  You can also get them at www.larrygraysells.com along with links to my other websites.

Interview of Larry B. Gray

Interview with Larry B. Gray

Reviewer, Blogger, Business Writer  

Questions by R. Murry

Can you tell me a little about yourself?

I grew up in Eastern North Carolina in the small rural town of Aurora. My early years were spent working on my grandparents’ tobacco farm and exploring my world of family, friends and school.

After marrying my high school sweetheart in 1972, I moved to Lakeland, Florida where I spent my adult years raising a beautiful family and working in the citrus industry, selling real estate with my real estate partner and wife, Sara Gray, and being a writer wannabe. I attended and graduated from Florida Southern College while working full time and starting a family.

I am still married to my high school sweetheart and have 3 beautiful children and two wonderful grandchildren. Life is not always easy but in the scheme of things it is fun and gets better every day.

Do you remember the first story you wrote?

I wrote a lot of poetry throughout my school years. After marriage time seem to be hard to come by so my writing stop. A few years ago I started blogging and out of that “A Boy from Down East” started and I have been writing since.

Were you inspired by someone or something?

My grandmother was instrumental in instilling the love of reading in me at a young age. I remember her getting books for me to read off the bookmobile in the summer.

I had a high school English teach, Mrs. Downing, who always told me some day I would be a writer. The verdict is still out.

What do you like about writing a story?

I love the thought of sharing things, whether it is information, experiences, knowledge or adventure.

Can you tell us about your book?

Problem Solving – Dealing with Employee Issues is a “how to” book on basic leadership and supervisor skills. It is a part of a series of short books which deal with different aspects of leadership and career development.

Everyone in a leadership position will have to deal with employee issues. Whenever people work together friction occurs. How you deal with these issues will have a major impact on your success as a leader. “Problem Solving – Dealing With Employee Issues” lays out a systematic approach to dealing with employee issues and the associated problems.

What genre best fits for the book?

Business and / or leadership.

Are you working on something new at the moment?

I have been working on my memoirs about growing up in a rural eastern North Carolina town in the nineteen fifties and sixties entitled “A Boy from Down East.” You can read several stipites from it at http://www.aboyfromdowneast.com.

I am presently going through the process of having it edited and doing rewrites. I hope to have it ready for release later this year.

I also have a couple of additional books to the leadership guide series in the outline stage.

Do you have any tips for aspiring writers?

Yes, write. Write as often and as much as you can. Don’t accept excuses not to write. A writer writes.

Where can people go to read your work?

My books are available on Amazon.com, Smashwords.com, Kobo.com, Sony, and Barnes and Noble website.

You can also get them at www.larrygraysells.com along with links to my other websites.

Do you have anything to add?

Just a quote from Dr. Seuss: “Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Your than You.”

Thanks and God Bless, Larry

Review of Playing The Coach

Review of Playing The Coach      

Written by Vonda Norwood

Reviewed by R. Murry

What is the orgasm of a positive emotion?  Awe is.  It’s in the eyes of the beholder.  With wonder, comes fantasy.  Ms. Norwood’s character, Vicky, is in awe of a man, Jake Wilson, who does what she fantasizes in doing – coaching a high school football team.

Vicky will do anything to get to work at coaching but is impeded by Jake.  Not because she is a woman, but because he is put in an awkward position which he didn’t ask for.  I won’t give you that reason because it would give away some of the plots.

What I will say is that he devised a way of eliminating the problem.  In this experiment, he leads Vicky on with a ruse of asking her, what you think is my favorite thing.  Vicky believes it’s her body.  She teases Coach Wilson to try and get what her favorite thing is – coaching football, with little by little sexual meetings.

Ms. Norwood does an excellent job at teasing the reader with their sexual encounters.  Each contact is developed to keep the reader’s attention and does its job.   The reader will relish in wanting to see what happens next sexually and will want to read on to their climax.

The story was well structured with sexual content that any reader of erotica will enjoy.  The characters come alive as sexual beings.  I read it twice to find some pitfalls, but I couldn’t find any in this short story of some new highs.    

A quick read before bed is recommended.

Where can people go to buy her work?

US: