touch and go

some nights i stroke her neck
and she sings melodies
i have been waiting to hear

but tonight we fight and i grasp hard
trying to strangle a simple chorus
from her gaping mouth

like most females, i bribe her with gifts
like new strings, a fashionable strap
coaxing her into giving me what i want

we need time away from each other
so i am less calloused
she needs me to feel pain to create

my muse waits, begging to be touched
by someone who knows how to massage love
out of wood

The Knight by Steven James

The Knight is the third installment of the Patrick Bowers files by Steven James. The typical progression for a decent writer is having a hit, followed by a sophomore slump, and then a not-as-good-as-the-first-one third novel. That is why Steven James is not typical. He starts the series out with a slam dunk and consistently tops each story.

To say I couldn't put this book down is an understatement. My wife complained when I took it into the bathroom with me. I was torn between reading it slowly and soaking in every word and racing through it to find out what happens.

Patrick Bowers is on the hunt for a killer who uses an ancient book as a script to commit sick and twisted murders. Using his unorthodox methods, which would cause Sherlock Holmes to take notice, Patrick Bowers finds himself in the thick of the plot. The twist at the end was well worth the wait.

Steven James weaves a chilling tale rich in action, suspense, drama, and even some romance. The flow of his books makes the story play out like a movie in your head. I'm anxiously awaiting his next novel, The Bishop, due out in 2010.

The Knight is available August 2009 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

A Well Written Tale, Indeed

Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos by R.L. LaFevers

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
Very entertaining book in the same vein (and time period) as Sherlock Holmes. Centered around an 11 year old girl whose parents are Head Curators and Archaeologists in London. The book was a mix between Harry Potter (Theodosia has some unique abilities that others do not) and A Series of Unfortunate Events (where most of the adults are unaware of grand plots, schemes, and children). I liked it well enough that I'll have my 11 year old daughter read it so I can move on to the second book in this series!


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I Have Teen Ears!?

I've had hearing loss in one of my ears since high school band (i played drums), so I thought there was no way I would hear this, but I heard it loud and clear. I'm not sure that it would be annoying enough to make me walk away from it.

Created by Train Horns

A Game Of Thrones

A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
I used to be into fantasy. A buddy suggested a few of the best series around and I chose George R. R. Martin's books. I really got into the characters in this book once I got half way through it. There were lots of plot lines, characters to admire and despise, and enough twists to keep you reading. It took me longer that I thought to get through it because of the detail in Martin's writing - VERY descriptive. In some spots, I found myself skipping through paragraphs to get to the meat of the story. While I enjoy a good epic, I was a bit peeved at the end looking back at how little had actually transpired and how many questions I now had. I'm not one to quit a book, so the thought of reading book two may keep me from cracking it.


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Billy Collins - "Ballistics"

Ballistics: Poems by Billy Collins

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
Billy Collins continues to add to his impressive body of poetry. His use of language to create several layers that grab the deep thinkers as well as the casual surface-type dwellers make this book hard not to read several times through.



Being a big fan of Mr. Collins, I found it hard not to speed through each poem just to consume it. I like to let each poem soak and ponder the various meanings that get conjured, but also could not wait to get to the next "painting" to see where it leads me. It is similar to buying a new album from your favorite musical artist. The first listen is just to absorb the experience. The second time through plants the seeds much deeper.



Well done, Mr. Collins. Well done.


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The Rook

The Rook by Steven James

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
Steven James has built a compelling storyline (Continuing on the story of Patrick Bowers in "The Pawn") based on deep character development, high tech know-how, and being able to convey the fine-line walked between being a criminal and knowing how to catch one.



My favorite line in the book is: "Love that's too timid to ache isn't love at all"



Can't wait for "The Knight" coming out Summer 2009.


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The Shack

I heard some talk about The Shack and wanted to read it before any spoilers wormed their way into my head. Much like when The Golden Compass came out on film. I distrust the media, not so much because of how they portray (spin) art, but the condescension that comes from their need to explain to me what I should be feeling/thinking/seeing.

The revelation of God being portrayed as three separate entities with different human qualities is not news. Frankly, the God portrayed in the book is the one I currently have a relationship with. What really struck me about the book is the slow set up and then gut punch simplicity of God's love for ALL of His children.

I enjoyed the fact that laying out the basic tenets of Christian beliefs was done so in the guise of a parable and not from a soapbox. Most complaints I have heard since reading The Shack comes from either the portrayal of God as one or any of the three characters, or that non-Christians will think that God will send them a letter.

My response to both of these lines of thought are exactly what has been taught within the story of this book: Who are we to judge who God is, what He can do, and why He does anything? I thought that was the point of the Emergent Church. To break conventional thinking about God and his message within the organized, institutional church.

Christians, non-Christians, and those hurt by institutionalized religion that do not understand the relational aspect of being a Christ follower should read this book.

Summer Reading Club - Homestretch

This is part of Mark Lee's Summer Reading Club.

(1) The Last Lecture, by Randy Pausch: Good book to read if you want to face the reality that the wages of sin is death. Makes you want to squeeze every ounce of goodness out of this life. The fact that Randy died earlier this week was what prompted me to pick this back up and finish it.

(2) The Freedom Manifesto, by Tom Hodgkinson: This dude is trying to resurrect the beatnik generation by rebelling against everything. A few good ideas about eschewing wealth and living a happy life. From my perspective, I didn't take it too literally...more as a satire. To each his own.

Summer Reading Club - Weeks 4 & 5

This is part of The Prophet, Dr. Mark Lee's Summer Reading Club.

(1) Everlost, by Neal Shusterman: Dark tale of a freak accident that causes two teens to not quite make it to where they were supposed to go in the afterlife. Quick, fun read with some interesting concepts (skinjacking, Afterlights, dead spots) about what happens after you die. The concepts could easily be turned into some cool special effects for a short film or made-for-TV movie. Worth a read for something summery.

(2) Strength for Life, by Shawn Phillips: Fundamentals for anyone wanting better health. PERIOD. This commonsense approach to understanding the need to build muscle in order to continually burn fat has changed how I exercise and eat. The first step is a two week process of resetting your body by doing very basic exercises and clearing all of the junk out of your diet. The real deal is a 12 week (just in time for a 20th year high school reunion) program of weight training with high intensity targeted cardio. Combine the the workouts with knowledge on how to eat AND in what order to eat your carbs, protein, fruits, and veggies for the maximum energy, and you've got yourself required reading for anyone who has failed at dieting programs. I've always had problems losing that last bit of fat on top of my abs, but with this change in lifestyle (not a diet) and exercise program, it's melting away.

(3) The Frog Who Wanted to See the Sea, by Guy Billout: Yeah...I know it's a kids book, but I read it to my five year old son who is into frogs, turtles, any anything reptilian and he loved it. For anyone who has ever wanted to travel or move and once you finally got there, longed to be back home...only to want to go back after you were satisfied that home would always be there for you.

WEEK ONE UPDATE: Off to a great start but fell into old habit of reading several books at one time which means my list will EXPLODE here in a few weeks, but remain the same for a while until my book snowball gains momentum.


WEEK TWO UPDATE: Look to finish two books this week since my wife has a girls' night out.


WEEK THREE UPDATE: Got wrapped up in reading The Pawn and The Last Lecture. Decided to put them aside to read Everlost on a tip from Mark Lee for a quick read.