A spacecraft lands in Alvarado, Texas as its operators Fred and Zed exit and do bloodless decapitations on one young man and an animator. These are not bloodthirsty aliens bent on earth’s destruction but highly developed interdimensional talent scouts. Three tabloid journalists journey to Alvarado in search of a legendary film maker once employed by Roger Corman and encounter a headline story. McCormick’s romp is funny and his narrative fast moving in a tale that keeps the reader turning pages. A metaphysical pulp tale that is entertaining and discards the search for hidden meanings. A Shakespearean quote used by the author in this book cinches its flair;”There are more things in heaven and on earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy.” Now available on Amazon.
The Clearing House
My second novella The Clearing House is now up on Amazon.com. It is a tale of intrigue set in Washington D.C. Jack Braddock a former U.S. Marine Reservist attached to Military Intelligence is hired by the Federal Investigation Bureau and finds he and his team operating against a mole inside their agency. Whom to trust is vital. Where to look is difficult. How to deal with such and enemy is dangerous. Check it out. Thanks. Tom Fegan
Ulysses by James Joyce
I have completed with great suffering James Joyce’s literary spectacle Ulysses. Fortunately a friend bought me a book with DVD’s that explained the writing efforts of the author. Of course it is Homer based mythology set in Dublin, Ireland focusing on one day in the life of Leopold Bloom and Stephen Dedalus. The character parallels attempted by Joyce are not noteworthy. Frankly, it is a boring book. However, the study material I was given has been worthwhile. I read the Greek Trilogy and enjoyed it. It is fun listening to the inspiration of Homer’s work to another author. However, I have realized Homer gave us a different kind of hero with Ulysses; the reluctant hero. In the beginning he did not want to go on the quest given him. He did and succeeded heroically. Also, unlike Leopold Bloom’s wife, she did not commit adultery. He was gone 20 years before returning home. Joyce paints a village full of losers. I was glad to finish the book and was disgusted that it is considered a classic. It was stated in one of the lectures that Ulysses is a novel that must be re-read to understand its fullness. Forget it. I have an 87th Precinct novel to begin and I am sure it will be more fun.
Lenin’s Asylum: A Review By Tom Fegan
Aaron Weiss’s novel Lenin’s Asylum projects the reader into a dimension of life and living in Moldova. Weiss’s time as an English Teacher representing the Peace Corps is graphically displayed as a an interwoven masterpiece of profiling the people, the country, the traditions, the food and drink as well as interlocked relationships with the individuals he became close to.
Few authors have achieved embracing the reader in their works as he has. You feel as though you are experiencing the individuals as well as the weather. The tastes of food good and bad. The feel of beverages rolling past your taste buds down your throat. You nearly feel this. My favorite passage is his cold night sleeping in the Sahara Desert with Sadie. The cold wind and sand are visual in the reader’s mind.
This novel is comparatively similar to Hemingway’s “Old Man And The Sea.” Who didn’t experience that fishing expedition? It is the same with Lenin’s Asylum. Our own background is peaked in this novel due to the fact we all have experienced similar moments in places we have lived, worked, prayed, and played. He speaks to us all. Check this out.
This book is now available through Pure Slush at https://pureslush.com/store/. Amazon also carries it.
Rejected Manuscripts!
Rejected Manuscripts has accepted my work Yoga, Green Tea and Prayer. It is a crime story believe it or not. Please check it out. thanks. Tom fegan
I Am Back
I hope to seen here more.
I am happy to announce that my Flash Fiction effort His Final Words has been accepted for publication in a collection of works entitled “Summer.” This book of stories and poems is published by Pure Slush and will be available in August. Tom Fegan
Hellfire by Bret McCormick: A Review by Tom Fegan
Where is Hellfire? What is the parallel between man, God and science? Who is in control? Who wants control? Why was demigod Harrison dispatched by Father Necros to New Babylon? These questions are explored in the new Metaphysical Pulp thriller by Bret McCormick.
McCormick’s narrative is pulse pounding and much like Ray Bradbury’s tales told on many levels. A young scientist is featured that develops mixed species in this world much like H.G. Wells’ Dr. Moreau. This and more abound in this action packed novel with lively dialog that stimulate the reader. Now available at Amazon.com.
A Candle of Unity
I heard the tale of a wedding between two young people. They exchanged vows and then lit a candle together to signify their undying unity. A load of crap I thought and then reconsidered. The flame of the candle is significant.
The flame and its warmth together emulate what the two young marrieds will endure together. The joy has its hardships and heartaches. The candle reminds them that in marriage both parties get burned!!!
Wilderness Encounter
Many years ago my then girlfriend and I took a weekday off and ventured to Glen Rose, Texas. We hiked the entire realm of Dinosaur Valley in the state park. We waded across the river, viewed natural surroundings from a mountain peak and embraced Mother Nature. As we hiked back towards the car we heard rustling in the thick brush. We stood motionless out of curiosity to what creature was pushing its way out to greet us. The animal appeared and stood before us, it was an Armadillo.
We were spellbound as we gazed upon this creature.I have never been in a zoo that caged one of these creatures. I have seen them on televised nature specials, but that moment I saw an Armadillo alive, breathing,and passive in its demeanor. I sighed at the sight and felt privileged to see this animal in its own habitat and not in the middle of the highway as road pizza!
henryfegan 