Favorite Passage

Mom really should have talked to me more about boys.

But I was always off to play soccer, basketball, shoot guns, or jump out of a plane. Ah. It dawned on me. I’m as butch as my two cousins. How could I have never noticed that before? Did they think of me as butch? Assume I’m gayer than the color yellow?

AN AMERICAN KILL - John Stonehouse

This is the second book in the Whicher series. I found it better than book one. Texans weren't all made to sound like total, illiterate hicks. The story was richer. The point of view more in the characters head (close POV). The random description seemed to take me out of the story a little, instead of place me in the setting as it should...but don't take these nits too seriously. I'm a writer after all, and critiquing is 'my business.' The typical reader will glide over them.

I encourage you to give Stonehouse a shot. Especially if you like police procedurals, and a little suspense. Or if you're a Texan. Or like the US Marshal trope. You may even come away picturing the protagonist from JUSTIFIED.

Snap it up here.

Today's Favorite Passage

The next three hours I worked hard to spread the attention around so no feelings were hurt. Jonathan and Francis ran out of chips before nine-thirty, the light weights. They rose from the table and hit the food again, but didn’t return. They sat in the short couches on the left, against the glass, facing each other. I almost pulled a groin trying to listen to their conversation. Francis isn’t above broaching any subject. Jonathan is skilled at killing. A bad combination.

Fav Passage

No secrets with Anthony. “Yes, I haven’t made a decision.”

“If you want to talk about it—”

When had the cuz and I ever talked things over? We were always busy racing motorcycles, hunting for victims for two-on-two full court. It was really hard to find takers. Between his Rollins six-seven and my fast feet, we had a lot of fun when we did, though.

I once heard a comedian say two women can meet and know each other’s menstrual cycle and sexual status in seconds. Male, long-time best friends might not even know their buddy has a twin brother. They grunt about the weather and the last game on TV.

Nature intended that I be a man. Though Anthony and I were once inseparable, we didn’t—share.

Then he went to Annapolis, and I was off to Brown. During my summers I interned in DC.

Favorite Passage in my WIP

Maybe I could get Rand on two wheels.

“No,” Rand said. “I’ve been shot at enough, dropped from airplanes, dismantled bombs, avoided IEDs. I’m not getting on a Florida highway on two wheels.”

“Pansy.” I guess I have to chose him. He indeed reads my mind.

I told him he’d have to ride or he couldn’t join the family. He said he was already part of the family. I told him he was only a shareholder.

An American Outlaw - John Stonehouse

Just finished this novel. I'll voice one nit, then move along. I'm from Texas. We speak slowly. New Yorkers get impatient waiting for us to finish a sentence. But we know our nouns and verbs as well as anyone, so the over-stressed accent and backwater language drove me a little insane. 

Aw, glad I got that off my chest.

Now I can tell you that this was a great read. Great characters, well developed. I've been to Terlingua and seen the beer-drinking goat. I've spent time in that desert, so can appreciate the realism--it really is no-man land out there.

The story is intricate, without daring to become tedious. The plot rich. The juxtaposition between the relentless lawman and flawed antagonist is intriguing (and oddly sympathetic).  The conclusion wonderful.

Pick this up. You'll be glad you did

Find it here on Amazon.