The Rank Few and their Rank View or When By The People and For The People Went Into the Dump and The Week Ahead In Reviews

One of the many aspects that people either love or hate when living in the Washington DC Metro area is our constant bombardment of information of and about the Government. The constant stream flows from our radios, tvs, cable, computers, phones, tablets, seemingly from the air itself. It keeps us informed and aware of things happening in the government (whether we want to or not). I would even say that most of the people who live in this area work for the government or it has an impact on their work in some way. Its Inside the Beltway at work and normally I kind of enjoy it.

Not now.

Now the government is shutdown and I am angry, and feeling helpless to make a difference in a situation that never should have happened in the first place. This has effected me in so many ways, from the people I love, my family, my friends, acquaintances, all who are on furlough, those working and not getting paid, everyone who is impacted by this idiocy., including myself.

All those wondering how their mortgages will get paid, how will they put food on the table, or even get gas to bring them to the work they are not getting a paycheck for. I see and hear it in the voices of cab drivers and food truck operators with no one to drive or feed, hotels vacant because the tourists have gone home or have cancelled their trips. From the front desk to those cleaning the rooms and hallways, and everyone else involved in the hospitality business, all are impacted, all are hurt.

What about those 30 children just admitted to a new cancer program at NIH, a last hope certainly and one that is frozen along with all the other protocols patients enrolled in specialty care need so desperately. What about that person who needs a serious operation now. It was scheduled then all leave was cancelled, no exclusions, no exemptions. Who looks them in the face and tells them no? Even those hoping to get married or WWII veterans hoping to see their memorial? It’s certainly not the idiot Congress at the helm of this shutdown.

I, along with countless others, have called my representatives, Republican and Democrat, to voice my anger that the needs of the people who put them in office are being ignored, dismissed entirely because our views are not considered important. The phone lines for all, especially the Republicans are constantly busy. And when I did get through, I got a voice mail, saying all mailboxes were full. No one is answering the phones on those offices. But turn a camera in their direction, and they have time to expound on their importance and what they see as their own path to power and glory.

I am embarrassed that those people voted in to help their constituents have decided to help themselves instead. The rank few with their rank view, those petulantly powerful, those gasbags of arrogance who should have been helping the government work has shut it down instead. A fight was picked that they knew they wouldn’t win for the express purpose of shutting the government down. They are confident that they will never have to come face to face with the millions they are hurting in the process.

And they are probably right.

Will they be visiting the people they made homeless? Or those standing in line in the food banks? Those in the hospital and those out of work because they lost their jobs or their businesses? I don’t think so. For these type of people its never their fault. Their self-importance and arrogance overwhelms all else, leaving others to suffer for their selfishness and need for even more power.

The United States Constitution starts out as “We the People”, not We the Few and Powerful. I think those Senators and Representatives who have shut down the government, need to be reminded who and what they represent. They need to sit down and listen as someone reads to them the documents on which our nation and our freedoms are based.

Right before the signatures on the Constitution, the following paragraphs appear:

In all our deliberations on this subject, we kept steadily in our view that which appears to us the greatest interest of every true American, the consolidation of our Union, in which is involved our prosperity, felicity, safety–perhaps our national existence. This important consideration, seriously and deeply impressed on our minds, led each State in the Convention to be less rigid on points of inferior magnitude than might have been otherwise expected; and thus, the Constitution which we now present is the result of a spirit of amity, and of that mutual deference and concession, which the peculiarity of our political situation rendered indispensable.

That it will meet the full and entire approbation of every State is not, perhaps, to be expected; but each will, doubtless, consider, that had her interest alone been consulted, the consequences might have been particularly disagreeable or injurious to others; that it is liable to as few exceptions as could reasonably have been expected, we hope and believe; that it may promote the lasting welfare of that Country so dear to us all, and secure her freedom and happiness, is our most ardent wish.

Where is their adherence to those words and feelings expressed above? Lacking, tossed aside in favor of their own positions and small minded thoughts.

How sad,, how infuriating, and how un American.

Now for the Week Ahead in Reviews:

Monday, Oct. 8: Northern Star by Ethan Stone

Tuesday, Oct. 9: Starry Knight by T.A. Webb

Wed., Oct. 10: Enigma by Lloyd A. Meeker

Thurs., Oct. 11: The Night Visitor by Ewan Creed

Friday, Oct. 12: Guest Blog by Playing Ball Authors

Sat., Oct. 13: Playing Ball Anthology

Review: Grime and Punishment (The Brothers Grime #1) by Z.A. Maxfield

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Jack Masterson was a firefighter until one massive blaze ended his career and put him on disability. Needing a new career and a way to help people involved, Jack created The Brothers Grime, a biohazard cleanup company. The Brothers Grime go to work at the crime scenes after the police and other agencies have cleared the site for clean up. Jack’s company’s job is to help people move on from a traumatic event by physically cleaning up all the mess left behind, the blood, the gore, everything. Then one night, The Brothers Grime get a call that changes everything for Jack. A man committed suicide at his cousin’s house and a clean up is needed. The suicide? One Nick Foasberg, former friend and more of Jack Masterson.

Jack’s memories of Nick are as traumatic as the accident that disabled him, perhaps more so. A high school attack on Jack involved Nick and others, an attack so savage it put Jack in the hospital for months and has had ramifications for Jack’s life ever since. And Nick’s suicide brings them all back with a vengeance. Further complicating things is Ryan Halloran, Nick’s cousin and owner of the house Nick was living in. Ryan looks like Nick while acting nothing like him. Nick’s life had been spiraling out of control for years as drugs and alcohol took control of his life. Ryan, a nurse, had been trying to help Nick recover.

Nick’s suicide brings the men together. And while Ryan only knows part of Nick’s past with Jack, the two men decide to gain closure and clean up Ryan’s house together. As an attraction grows between them so does Jack’s guilt over a secret he is keeping hidden from Ryan. Ryan has made Jack feel alive again after years of numbness and Jack doesn’t want to lose this chance at love. Both men need to move beyond their involvement with Nick and their pasts before they can find love again with each other.

I love Z.A. Maxfield’s stories and Grime and Punishment is no exception. In this first book in a new series, the author delves into the relatively unknown field of crime scene environmental cleanup, a fascinating aspect of the trauma crimes leave behind. With that occupation as a foundation, Maxfield gives us a group of emotionally and physically wounded men around which to build her story and series. I am sure I am not the only one who has not given a thought as to what happens when the police and medical examiners leave a scene. Maxfield takes us there and shows us the people and companies that make a living cleaning up the tragedies that life brings. The reality of these firms is both ugly and redeeming. They descend upon the scene, jockeying to throw in their bids and grab up the job before anyone else and that often means talking to the victim or victims shortly after the trauma has occurred. The manner in which that interaction is handled swings between sensitivity and rapaciousness.

For Maxfield’s character, Jack Masterson, this is not merely a job but a way in which he can help the victims move forward with their lives. He has been on the both sides of this job and knows that he and his people can make a difference and not just a living. Jack Masterson is one of the walking wounded. Jack was traumatized early in life by an attack during high school brought on by someone he loved and trusted. And that betrayal has caused Jack to emotionally withdraw from life. Jack is a masterful creation, a complex personality whose frailties, his emotional and physical vulnerabilities make him an easily accessible character to identify and like. And as he starts to change and become alive once more, the reader is so heavily invested in his emotional growth and rebirth that we feel we are there with him every step of the way.

Ryan also has many layers to him, a nurse drawn to the downtrodden and lost, he too must look closely at himself and his motives with regard to his relationships with Jack and Nick. The build to a relationship between Ryan and Jack is slow and full of obstacles. It is instead a very realistic portrait of two men wary of each other and their pasts who cautiously proceed forward together with no guarantees. I loved this aspect of the story and look forward to much more of them and the series.

Of course, there are so many others to grab your attention. Police officer Dave, so deeply in the closet he has built that he sees no way out, Dave too was affected deeply by Jack’s past as was everyone Jack has remained close to. The Brothers Grime is full of people who care for Jack, whether it is Gabe, Jack’s cousin or the others that work with them. All characters feel so alive that it is easy to entrust your affections to this diverse group of individuals and their various situations.

i love the way Maxfield has built her narrative here. At the start, it seems slow, almost a little frozen, just as Jack is. He is numb emotionally, physically hurting and so is everyone around him. All are bogged down in life, frozen in status as the story starts and the narrative reflects that. It’s mood is just as dark and deep as the characters at this stage in the story. But as their emotional stasis breaks up and the characters move forward in their lives, then the narrative moves forward at a pace equal to the characters emotional rebirth and growth. It becomes lively, and light in places, only to swoop downward at the first hint of returning troubles. Really, Grime and Punishment represents just a remarkable job of storytelling by the author.

I highly recommend this story and can’t wait for the next installment in the series. This is a great introduction for those of you new to Z.A. Maxfield. And for those of you already fond of this author, here is a new story of hers to love.

Book Details:

ebook, 176 pages

Published May 7th 2013 by Loose Id (first published 2013)

original title

Grime and Punishment

ISBN13 9781623003111

edition language English

url http://www.loose-id.com/grime-and-punishment.html

series The Brothers Grime

A Troubled Range (Range series #2) by Andrew Grey

Rating: 4.5 stars

Haven Jessup has never understood the hatred between his father, Kent Jessup and Jefferson Holden who owns the ranch next to theirs. The feud between the two men has been there all his life, but his father’s hatred for the Holdens has never been his. One day as Haven is out checking his fences, a huge storm comes up and Dakota Holden is there to save his life and take him home to the Holden ranch to dry off. Once there, Haven meets Dakota’s partner Wally and Phillip Reardon, a friend of Dakota’s in for a visit. Haven is afraid to admit even to himself that he likes men, he knows what his father’s reaction would be but inside the Holden ranch, Haven sees men in love with each other and not afraid to show it and for the first time, Haven starts to question the manner in which he lives his life.

Phillip Reardon has come to see his friends after being fired from his job in the city. Phillip has never wanted to settle down romantically before but as he watches Dakota and Wally interact, he realizes that he wants that type of relationship for himself but where to find the man to spend the rest of his life with? Phillip recognizes the inner turmoil he sees inside the shy, young rancher and works to help Haven accept himself. As both men move forward into a new and hidden relationship, trouble arrives on the Holden ranch in terms of cut fences, rustled cattle, as somewhere someone with a secret agenda is threatening the Holden ranch and the safety of all who live on it. How can a new relationship withstand the strain and stress of all the recent events and the knowledge that one day soon Phillip is going to leave to return to the city and Haven will be on his own once more?

The Range series continues to be a favorite series of mine by Andrew Grey, author of a number of wonderful series on a variety of subjects. A Troubled Range continues the story started in A Shared Range, that of the men of the Holden ranch from father Jefferson Holden and his son, Dakota to the men who arrive there and find their little heaven on earth. A Troubled Range brings the neighboring Jessup ranch into the story, as part of that family has been engaged with a feud with Jefferson Holden for most of their lives. Neither man will reveal the cause of the hatred they bear for each other to their sons but it impacts all around them.

The two families could not be more different, especially when it comes to the treatment of their sons. Jefferson Holden loves his son and accepts his son’s homosexuality with ease, welcoming his son’s partner into the family without hesitation. Haven, on the other hand, cannot remember if his father has ever held him or told him that he loves him. In fact, Haven has been treated more like a farm worker by his father than a son all of his life. Andrew Grey is terrific at exposing a family’s discord and its effects upon the innocents caught in its path. Kent Jessup is a hard man who has retreated from the physical work needed to be done while still managing to punish and hound his son about his disappointments in Haven on every aspect of his being. We feel for Haven immediately as he continues to do his best for the ranch he loves,and deal with his abusive father. Then you add onto that emotional load the fact that Haven is gay and conflicted about his sexuality, and your heart goes out to the boy who doesn’t break but find the courage to reach out for more in life.

Phillip Reardon is the exact opposite of Haven. He is a self assured city boy who has never settled down with one man nor had the desire to do so. Then the loss of his job shakes up his complacency and makes him take a hard look at the lonely future ahead of him if he doesn’t change his ways. Phillip likes Haven and is attracted to the young man with all the problems. At first, Phillip just wants to help Haven as a friend as Haven works to accept his sexuality and then attraction deepens into something more. But Phillip has to sort out his own internal baggage before he can make room for another in his heart. Grey makes sure that all his characters reflect on their true natures and we get to watch as they sort themselves out. It’s realistic, it’s emotional and it brings us so much closer to these wonderful characters and makes us understand who they really are. Andrew Grey knows how to deepen our connections to his characters and their stories and does so with a maestro’s touch.

A Troubled Range brings us storms on the prairie, heartbreaking moments of both pain and joy and ending with the deep satisifaction of two men finding true love at the end of the road. As the characters are drawn from life, we see betrayal and loss that cuts to the core amidst the dynamics of two opposing western families. What an amazing series that can bring together so many intense conflations, of battlefields both internal and physical and still manage to make them all fresh in each book of the series. Don’t pass any of these books by.

Cover art by Catt Ford, who continues to do a wonderful job with branding the series.

Here are the series in the order they were written and should be read:

A Shared Range (Range, #1)

A Troubled Range (Range, #2)

An Unsettled Range (Range, #3)

A Foreign Range (Range, #4)

An Isolated Range (Range, #5)

A Volatile Range (Range, #6) comes out next week, February 5th, 2013

Review of But My Boyfriend Is (Florida series #4) by KA Mitchell

Rating: 4.5 stars

Dylan was frantic as he raced to the hospital after getting a call saying his twin brother had been admitted. Dylan and Darren has relocated to Central Texas primarily because of Darren’s attending college at UT and Dylan going to culinary school. Now with Darren about to graduate and Dylan working as a chef, he had wondered about their future but never entertained the possibility of Dar being hurt. And somehow he just knew it was all his fault. Whenever something happened to Darren, it was because somehow, someway Dylan had screwed something up. The person, Mike Aurietta, who called him told Dylan that his brother had been attacked in Webber Park, a place notorious for gay hookups and Dylan felt sick inside. Darren should never have been there. It was Dylan who cruised there occasionally looking for some action but that didn’t make him gay. Did it? Because Dylan went out with girls, lots of them, it didn’t mean anything did it if the sex was more powerful with guys? And now his brother lay in a hospital bed, the result of a gay bashing and Dylan just knew who the beating had been intended for. It was meant for him and Darren got the whipping that should have been his.

Mike Aurietta had been taking an unplanned shortcut through Webber Park when he ran into the guys viciously attacking a man on the ground. He did what he could to stop the attackers and called for help when they finally ran away. Mike ended up going with the unconscious victim to the hospital and stayed to help any way he could. Mike found the emergency numbers in the victim’s wallet, placed the calls he needed to and waited in the man’s hospital room when they wheeled him into surgery. What he was not prepared for was to see the victim’s twin race into the room, demanding answers and the names of the people who attacked his brother. Even in a rage, something about Dylan attracted Mike as no other man had done recently. He explained what happened, his part in getting Darren to the hospital and before he realizes it, his good deed has turned into something quite complicated.

Dylan needs Mike’s help even though he hates to admit it. And when his brother Aaron and his partner Joey arrive to take Darren home to recuperate, then it’s not just Mike’s help he needs, but his friendship and the relationship that is growing slowly between them. But Mike is closeted because it is not possible to be gay and retain his job as a trainer for the college football team. Being out is just not going to happen because he not only needs his job but it is his only way to stay close to the sport and team he loves. And Dylan? Well, Dylan is just confused and angry that he is starting to feel something more than friendship for Mike because that might mean he really is gay. And what would that do to his dreams of a family and kids? As Dylan and Mike track down Darren’s attackers, the identity of one shakes Mike to the core. It will wreck his carefully built closet and the new relationship with Dylan he has come to treasure, perhaps even more than his job. And Dylan too must decide if he is ready to relinquish his childhood dream and admit that he is gay if he wants a possible future with Mike.

But My Boyfriend Is, KA Mitchell’s fourth story in the Florida series, follows two of my favorite books, one of which happens to be Collision Course, a must read for a majority of m/m romance fans. And those are some tough steps to follow but I believe Mitchell has certainly achieved her goal in giving us a great new addition to a series I treasure. The central characters of But My Boyfriend Is are twins Dylan and Darren Williams, half brothers to paramedic Aaron Chase and his partner Joey Miller (two of my favorite characters) who we met in Collision Course. All the brothers and their sisters came from a background of abuse, abandonment, and the foster care system that hurt more than helped. Their father is still in prison for manslaughter. And that has left a legacy on each member of the family in differing ways. In Aaron and Dylan, it has made them quick to anger, rage and pain hiding behind prickly, combative personalities that act as shields even from other members of their family. While most people see Aaron and Dylan as jerks, Joey saw beneath the “asshole” personas they wore to the hurting, vulnerable people underneath. But Dylan has always had his brother, his “mirror” image and they have shared everything, almost.

KA Mitchell’s characterizations are just wonderful, so good in fact that she has done too exemplary a job in establishing both Aaron’s and Dylan’s jerk attitudes. Because for some that is all that they see, Aaron and Dylan’s obnoxious behavior. But she also clearly establishes the reason for their behavior and that the hurt and pains inflicted on them in childhood, first by their mother and then by the system, has continued to be the engine that drives their actions and mannerisms. These are not cardboard characters but carefully crafted personas. And that makes them not only believable but people we can empathize with. I actually fell in love with the prickly Dylan, so like Aaron when we first met him, for obvious reasons. He is so confused about everything going on in his life at the moment. Darren is graduating and has not mentioned his plans to attend graduate school, obviously without his brother for the first time. And that has traumatized Dylan. He has never been without his brother close to him and feels lost at just the thought of Darren far away. And his sexual attraction to men is growing however much Dylan doesn’t want to admit it. The author gives us a terrific portrait of a young man heavy into denial when his world starts to shake apart.

Mike Aurietta is another complex closeted young man. Definitely gay, he hides his sexuality because he understands the reality of being an out gay man in Texas would mean the end of his job and his association with UT football team, or any football team. But his denial has cost him emotionally too, and we understand the consequences of his actions even as he does. Aaron and Joey are here as well, doing what they do so well. Supporting each other even as Aaron’s fear manifests itself in yelling, and angry commands and Joey acts as the glue to hold him and the others together. What is surprising is Darren and his attitude towards his brother. Totally unexpected so I was unprepared for Darren and his behavior. But as I said, their backstory has left heavy footprints over all of them and in Darren it manifests itself in a far different manner than it does in Aaron or Dylan. I thought KA Mitchell really gave the boys extra layers I was unprepared for here in this story.

But this is really Dylan and Mike’s story. One of coming out and perhaps even growing up, letting go of old childhood dreams while establishing new ones for adulthood. My only quibble is that I wanted much more of Mike and Dylan and the rest of the family. I want to know what happens to Darren as he recovers and goes to graduate school. And of course, I always want more of Joey and Aaron, the heart of the Florida series. I had a hard time with the rating for this book, swinging back and forth between 4.5 and 5 stars. I am still not sure it doesn’t deserve more. I guess I will be rereading it again to figure it out. If you have ever had a friend act like a jerk but continued to love them because you understood where they were coming from, this book is for you. If you have the ability to look beyond the superficial actions and responses, to see the truth that lies underneath, this book is for you. And if you love stories of people reaching their potential as human beings, coming out and going forward this book is for you. But don’t take my word for it, read it for yourself. I think you will be happy you did.

Here is the Florida series in the order they were written and should be read. Some are free stories that can be found at KA Mitchell’s website:

Diving In Deep (my least favorite but introduces Joey Miller)

Collision Course #2 (all time favorite read) Aaron Chase and Joey Miller

Collision Course Christmas #2.1 free story

Collision Course Valentine #2.2 free story

No Souvenirs #3 Dr. Jae Sun Kim and Shane McCormick (love them) deleted scene here

No News Is Good News #3.5 takes place right before But My Boyfriend Is – free story This explains Aaron’s mood when he gets to the hospital. A must read to fully understand his mental state.

But My Boyfriend Is #4 Dylan Williams and Mike Aurietta

KA Mitchell’s website

Angela Waters is the cover artist. Just beautiful. Book available from Samhain, Amazon, and All Romance.

Review of A Mutual Understanding by Caro Soles

Rating: 3.25 stars

It is 1984. Wayne Robinson, hair dresser and sometime artist, surprisingly has always been an out gay man, even flamboyantly so given the small college town he lives in. He is surrounded by the people he has known all his life and his family lives nearby. After dumping his ex for sleeping around, he sees Professor Adrian Taylor and immediately falls into instant lust and then love. Wayne starts pursuing the man until he “catches” him. But Wayne feels insecure and undereducated in Dr. Taylor’s presence. And the man gives Wayne mixed signals whenever they are together, so much so that Wayne is confused as to what Adrian really wants from him.

Dr. Adrian Tayl0r is in the closet as a professor at the local college and the courtship of the gorgeous young hairdresser has turned his tightly controlled, neat lifestyle upside down. When Adrian buys an huge old Victorian house in town to fix up, live in and rent out rooms,he invites young campy Wayne to move in with him. But neither man is good with communicating with each other, and misunderstandings quickly arise over what each man expects from the other when living under the same roof. Then a close friend of Wayne’s falls ill with AIDS and fear rocks the town. Can both men come to a mutual understanding before they lose their chance at a relationship?

A Mutual Understanding had the potential to become a wonderful, realistic look at a small town’s reaction to gays and the AIDS epidemic in the 80’s, but that promise was never fulfilled as the story lingered over a miscast romance between main characters who never captured my attention or affection. I did love Wayne Robinson, the campy and out young hairdresser with the big heart. The descriptions of Wayne taking his mother on her visit’s to her friends on Sunday were perfect. I could see the whole thing unfold before me as though I was in the room with “Auntie Marge”, her mother Flo and the old dog outside on the porch. I only wish the affection, care, and authenticity the author took in creating these scenes carried throughout the book. You understood these people immediately as small town USA is populated with them. In fact the book is full of easily recognizable small town characters, from the owner of the hair parlor where Wayne works to the people at the diner. So it feels right when the town “seemingly” accepts Wayne’s homosexuality as he is one of theirs until another gay man in town comes down with AIDS and the acceptance is seen for the fragile thing it really is as fear and ignorance takes over. But again given the time period, the actions of the townspeople are in keeping with the time period and the AIDS timeline.

Outside of the “romance”, Wayne acts in an appropriately realistic manner. He comforts his friend who has AIDS, he rescues those in need, he supports his itinerant younger brother until he realizes the extent his brother has taken advantage of him. I love the portrait the author paints of Wayne’s family and their interaction with their son as well as his friends, again another terrific element here.

So what is the problem with this book? That would be the character of Dr. Adrian Taylor and the romance between the two main characters. There is nothing remotely attractive about this man so his appeal to Wayne is never understood, especially in light of his treatment of Wayne throughout the novel. Yes, Dr. Taylor is in the closet so Wayne’s appearance at his office time after time poses a threat to his closeted life. I do get that. But this is a rigid, closed off man who thinks very highly of himself. The author has him saying to Wayne “Oh, I see you have been reading again” repeatedly after Wayne has used a more erudite word or phrase. Are we supposed to find this constant disparagement adorable? Why are we supposed to like this pompous, priggish man and think him a welcome companion to a very endearing young man? I just could never see it nor could I understand the author’s fondness for this character. It never made any sense, and therefore I never bought into their love story. When you can’t sell the love affair in a romance book, you know the author is in trouble.

Another thing that didn’t make sense was having a man in his early forties acting as though he was much older, antiquated mannerisms to go with the antiques he collected. Even in the 80’s, being in your forties was not considered old. Acting in a frigid manner in your forties yes, acting as though you were frozen in the 1800’s? No. Dr. Adrian Taylor is perhaps the only character who came across as flattened cardboard cutout and that ruined any potential for the romance aspect of this book.

This is the first book I have read by Caro Soles and I try never to judge an author based solely on one novel. So I look forward to reading more of this author to see if the potential I see here is reflected elsewhere in her stories. Again, had the character of Dr. Taylor been removed and the story concentrated on Wayne and his friend with AIDS I think this review would have been totally different. But I would give A Mutual Understanding a pass when you are choosing your next book to read.

Cover: Deana Jamroz is the cover artist. Dr. Adrian Taylor does not fit the man in the background who seems too young for his description.

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