THE DRUMMER by Anthony Neil Smith

Sex, drugs, and rock ’n’ roll. Toss in some secrets and a man on the run. What more could you ask for from a book? It’s all there in The Drummer by Anthony Neil Smith. Smith is another author that I’ve wanted to read for a long time, but for some reason I’m just getting around to his work. Based on what I’d seen and heard about his work, I had a feeling I would like it. But boy, did I ever enjoy The Drummer.

Merle Johnson is a man of secrets. Lots of them. Deep, dark secrets that haunt him every day of his life. He wants to be left alone and have a “normal” life. So he moves to New Orleans and buys a former funeral home to live in, attempting to just blend in. But the secrets from his past come roaring back one night when a man from his former life shows up at the same bar Merle's at. Soon, the life Merle has tried so hard to put together begins to crumble right before his eyes. Not only might his secrets be exposed, but people’s lives now hang in the balance. As he tries to hold everything together, Merle is pushed to his breaking point. Can he ever reclaim the quiet life he worked hard to create and so desperately desires?

I loved this book. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I read the book description, but this one sucked me in from the get-go and wouldn’t let go. It’s much more than just a book about rock ’n’ roll; it’s crime, love, and mystery all rolled up in one. An atmospheric story with a grittiness throughout, you'll feel like you're on the run in New Orleans with Merle. Smith describes it as his “love song to New Orleans,” and that’s a very apt description. If you’re a fan of authors such as James Lee Burke and Tom Piccirilli, make sure you read The Drummer. Or if you’re a fan of good stories, read The Drummer. Hell, just go read The Drummer.

Kindle:       Nook:

I'm Not Here . . . I'm There

I'm honored to be a guest blogger over at Grade Z Horror to help celebrate Laymon month. Stop by and check out my post in which I talk about discouragement, smut, and rumps. Hey, I told you it's Laymon month.

Over the next few days I'll have some new reviews posted here. I just finished reading a couple great stories: The Drummer by Anthony Neil Smith and Abolisher of Roses by Gary Fry.

Update

Howdy fellow book lovers, hope all is well in your world. Just want to let everyone know that I'm still here and I'm not just sitting around watching the grass grow (although that sounds very tempting at times!). Life’s been pretty busy lately, but that’s a good thing.

The main reason you haven’t seen any book reviews here recently is because I haven’t read any books for review. My reading has been dominated by proofreading and copyediting. Since I lost ten days that I hadn’t planned for when I had my surgery last month, I’ve been playing catch-up for the past month. The good news is that I’m almost caught up. So, hopefully, you’ll start seeing some reviews around here in the not-too-distant future.

In other news, I’m working on a new blog that will focus on my proofreading and copyediting services. I think it’s time to separate those things from this blog, because this blog was intended for more of the “fun” stuff, not business. So be on the lookout for that new blog; it will have all the information you’ll need about my services and I’ll blog about some common mistakes I see when I’m proofreading. In the meantime, if you are interested in my services, please see this page for more information. Here’s a sneak peek at the logo that my lovely wife created for me:

I’m pleased to say that I recently teamed up with Stephen James Price at Book Looks to offer Indie authors a one-stop spot for all the services they need to publish their e-book. Stop by and take a look!

Lastly, I am reading a few books for review right now: Ravenmarked by Amy Rose Davis, A View from the Lake by Greg F. Gifune and The Drummer by Anthony Neil Smith. All of them have been a lot of fun so far; I look forward to finishing them up and sharing them with you (or as I tend to say in “real” life, y’all). Oh yeah, and I'm writing a blog entry for Grade Z Horror's Laymon Month celebration.

That’s all for now. Be good and make sure you have a compurgator in your life. You never know when you’ll need one! (Sorry, I learned a new word and think it’s a lot of fun. :-P)

Winners of Free Scotty Stuff

Sorry for the delay in posting the names of the winners; this weekend seemed to get away from me! Thank you to those that entered the drawing to win free Scotty stuff, and also a big thank you to everyone who didn't enter the drawing but still supported Nicholson during his recent book launch for Liquid Fear.

Winner of the first-place prize:

Candy's Creations


Winner of the second-place prize:

Capt. Murdock


Again, thank you to everyone who entered. Winners, please send me your mailing address to bookhound78 (at) live (dot) com. If I don't receive your information by April 12 I will draw a new winner for your prize.