The Boston Marathon Tragedy

There is so much to say about the Boston Marathon. The world is both infuriated and heartbroken by such senseless acts of violence. These things become politicized. Politicians and interest groups use them to support their cause. Beneath all that though are humans. Yes, there are larger issues related to such occurrences and we can not overlook them. We divide ourselves because of religion or race or ethnicity or political views, but in the end we share a human experience. We all mourn terrorist acts that kill and injure so many people. 

In the video below John Greene speaks to this. The video isn't about politics or any agenda. It's about people. About our shared humanity and what it means to be an American.

In Mr. Greene's face, voice and body language I see the variety of emotions we all feel - anger, sadness, and frustration. I see him reminding himself and all of us that even when violence like this that we can not begin to wrap our minds around happens, good continues in the world. 

My Fascinating Interview with the Author of "Blood Related" - William Cook

William Cook, author of the great "Blood Related" was kind enough to answer a few questions I had about his book, horror, and the writing experience. He had some fascinating answers. Enjoy!

1. Well I guess I have to ask the question at the top of my mind first. I loved "Blood Related", I thought it was a fascinating read. It is very graphic and very violent so I must ask about where all that came from. I'm assuming you aren't a serial killer so you must have done a great deal of research. Wondering about where you went for that research.

I don’t know why but I’ve had a fascination with the darker side of humanity ever since I was a teenager. I am a huge Horror fan; movies, books, art, theory. I’d say that this obsession comes from the same source. In fact if I hadn’t channeled my predilection for darkness into the writing of Horror I would hate to think where it would’ve taken me otherwise! ‘Blood Related’ is a story about a family of serial killers, each with varying degrees of psychopathology. The two central characters are twin brothers, one who is of the psychotic variety and the other a more organized and cunning psychopath, and yes there is a difference. I researched as much about abnormal psychology as I did about serial killers and their methods and characteristics. Most serial killers are basically psychopathic, of reasonable intelligence, appear normal when occasion calls, and so on. And of course this is one of many aspects to a complex and evolving criminal psychology. I read both fiction and non-fictional accounts of these fiendish characters in order to get inside the mind of these killers. I’m not sure if I’d write another first-person narrative from a serial killer’s perspective; at times it was quite harrowing and disturbing to envisage the kind of thought processes these people operate with. 

"Blood Related" by William Cook - Review and Giveaway

BLOOD RELATED

BY WILLIAM COOK

 

WARNING: THIS REVIEW CONTAINS EXCERPTS FROM "BLOOD RELATED" THAT INCLUDE PROFANITY AS WELL AS GRAPHIC DESCRIPTIONS OF VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL REFERENCES THAT SOME MAY FIND OFFENSIVE OR DISTURBING

"I remember looking at Charlie and noticing he was visibly erect as he stood there staring, trembling with excitement and fear.

The sick fuck.

I would never stoop to be so obvious.

How tactless!
 

My curiosity got the better of me and I made the mistake of asking Pa why they had to die and, just before he knocked me unconscious, he said that they were a ‘present for a pig.’ Later on, I would find out for myself exactly who Ray Truman was and what he was capable of."

My Review


“Blood Related” is a fascinating journey through the mind and life of a third-generation serial killer. He is both a victim and a victimizer. He is deeply damaged and mentally ill. He embraces and is turned on by his murderous lifestyle.  He finds fulfillment in it and sees it as an expression of who he is. But he also knows it’s wrong and dreams of “one day becoming a better person”.

LOST IN CLOVER  

BY TRAVIS RICHARDSON

“Alright then, let’s get these shingles up on the roof so we can have a good time tonight with a clear conscience.”

This sentence ends the first chapter and the age of innocence for Jeremy Rogers.  It is a sentence of irony and foreshadowing. 

“Lost in Clover” is an enjoyable, well-written story.  The night that follows the sentence above is not fun and results in many years of a terribly guilty conscience for Jeremy.  I sympathized with Jeremy and his depression, but I was not emotionally involved to the level that I would have liked. 

Jeremy feels inferior to some of his friends because of the difference in social class from the beginning, something to which many of us can relate.  He’s a good kid with good values who is trying to do the right thing.  He gladly accepts an invitation to a barbeque with many higher-class kids and finds himself pulled into their drunken decision to harass their lifelong tormentor.  Jeremy bails on his friends before the night takes a tragic turn.

He spends years feeling guilty, and beating himself up for a part he did play in the ensuing tragedy as well as for other poor decisions he has made or opportunities he has missed.  In the end, he gets a chance to do something honorable and heroic, and that was gratifying to read.  The very end of the book, however, was corny.

The pacing of the book was well-done, and the plot was strong.  More development of some of the characters, as well as the town of Clover, would have made me more emotionally invested in the story.  While the life-changing events of that night are unquestionably tragic, I did not have a moment then, or anywhere else in the story that I felt a strong emotion for any of the characters or any of the events. 

Eddie Cooper is the perpetrator of the tragic events and is well-developed in the way that I’d like to see some of the other characters developed.  Eddie is angry and violent. His backstory helps us understand his actions and sympathize with him to a point.  I would like to know more about Kevin’s relationship with Jeremy in the past.  Tell me about some experiences they had together.  Tell me more about some of Clover’s residents.  Tell me more about the town – what does it look like, what kind of social activities go on, what does the town celebrate and how?

The language is clear and precise and easy to read.  There were no distracting technical issues.

I recommend this as a fun, easy read with a good plot.

Book Cover Description

Welcome to Clover, Kansas, a small town sitting in the middle of America’s Heartland. It is a peaceful community, until the night that high school student Jeremy Rogers accepts an invitation to party with the “cool” older kids. After things go irreparably wrong, and Clover is thrust into the national spotlight, Jeremy keeps his involvement a secret. As the town heals from the tragedy, Jeremy falls into a psychological abyss from which he cannot escape, until he encounters the monster from his past and has an opportunity to redeem himself. A novella.

About the Author

Travis Richardson was born in Germany, raised in Oklahoma, and currently lives in California. He has worked over 20 jobs in fields ranging from hot dog vending to television post production to university fundraising. His novella Lost in Clover came out in November and he has a story in the anthology Scoundrels: Tales of Greed, Murder and Financial Crimes. He has a few short stories published online as well. He also writes screenplays and directs short movies. Find out more at http://tsrichardson.com

DEAD SOULS

BY MICHAEL LAIMO

“Benjamin pulled the wand out of the fire; sparks flew up like a swarm of flies. Staring at the great black entity before him, he stated: ‘All-powerful Lord Osiris, who exists amongst the Gods in the astral plane, and governs the Realm of Resurrection and Everlasting Life, we have bestowed upon you the gifts of the earth so that Bryan Conroy may purely and honorably engage your powers of spiritual rebirth for the purpose of ancestral afterlife, with utmost earnestness and commitment.’ The spirit stood motionless, then gently nodded, his moving face leaving a shadowy trail that faded in seconds.”

As I took notes on this book, I found myself repeatedly writing “wow”.  Laimo’s descriptions of the supernatural, horrific events in this book created memorable images in my mind that literally had me wide-eyed at times.  Other times I continued reading with my head turned half-away from the book – like watching a horror movie with your hand over your eyes, fingers spread, so you don’t miss anything. 

If you can’t stomach graphic descriptions of violent acts of one person on another, then this book is not for you.  It is full of rich, graphic descriptions of brutal, gory events.  This, however, is not a blood-and-guts book with a plot of no substance.  The plot is very well done, and the characters are well-developed.  It’s the story of a man tortured by his conviction that the gods have revealed a secret to him that requires him to do things no one else understands.  Things that others think are cruel but that he believes will bring him and his family eternal peace.

I didn’t enjoy the first chapter of the book, but I’m so glad I kept reading.  The writing style in that chapter was different from the rest of the book and I found it uninteresting.  It also seemed that Part 2 was not as well edited as Part 1.  There was some contraction usage and sentence structure that didn’t flow well for me.  Sprinkled through the book there also were a handful of weak metaphors and similes.  These technical flaws, however, were easily overlooked because of the excellent story and imagery created by Laimo. 

Besides the supernatural and occult themes there are also messages in this story about blind obedience.  There is a father and a mother figure, each of whom hurts their family members – sometimes figuratively, sometimes literally - “for their own good”.  They hurt them because of some genuine religious faith that tells them that it will benefit their families in the long run and their family members follow despite their own doubts, out of love, respect, and fear. 

Each of the religious characters also has something to hide, creating a theme of religious hypocrisy.  The father is a minister and the most vicious character and his secrets are cliche – the stereotypical things that one imagines ministers hiding.  The insights into the workings of his mind and his genuine faith, however, keep him from being in any way a flat, uninteresting character.  He is one of several intriguing characters in this story.    

While there were some technical issues with “Dead Souls”, I strongly recommend it as an engrossing horror story with a strong, well-constructed plot and fascinating characters.  

Book Cover Description

When Johnny Petrie inherits an estate from a man he's never heard of before, he knows he can finally escape the hell of living with his religious zealot mother and drunken father. He doesn't realize that the hell he is moving into will be far, far worse.

The previous owner was Benjamin Conroy, a man obsessed with securing eternal life for himself and his family - even if he had to kill them to do it. Conroy's perverse ceremony of blood and butchery went hideously wrong, denying him and his family the immortality he sought. But with Johnny's arrival, Conroy's spirit has a second chance...


About the Author

Michael Laimo's novels include FIRES RISING, ATMOSPHERE, DEEP IN THE DARKNESS THE DEMONOLOGIST, FIRES RISING, SLEEPWALKER, and DEAD SOULS.

His short fiction has found its way into the pages of A WALK ON THE DARKSIDE, LOST ON THE DARKSIDE, HOT BLOOD XII: STRANGE BEDFELLOWS, SURREAL MAGAZINE, INHUMAN MAGAZINE, plus many more anthologies and magazines. He has three short story collections, including the recently released DARK RIDE, now available from Borderlands Press.