Quills Books

Damon is a modern rancher, who leads his work all alone with only the help of his Australian Sheperd. Dixie, his favourite Aussie, has an accident and Damon takes her to his old good vet. But instead of him, he finds Eric, a young handsome vet.

Eric is a good vet and he is single. He thinks to himself as a bi, but he knows that his forever soul mate will be a man. And he knows to have found him in Damon.

Damon is alone, he lives like an hermit in his ranch. No woman could possibly accept to share his hard life and he will never be rich enough to change his life. So when Eric enters his world, he is disoriented, but his feelings are real and powerful.

Eric and Damon are two "ordinary" characters, not so beautiful, not so rich, not so perfect: two real men who want to share their life.

A very short story, enjoyable and smooth to read.

Damon Carhart is a modern day rancher; his dogs are his only help. So when his favorite dog is injured, Damon immediately takes Dixie to the vet to demand treatment. At the clinic, Damon meets Dr. Eric Vann who is covering the practice during the regular vet's vacation. The attraction is instant, but both refuse to acknowledge what they feel. Once Damon entrusts his beloved dog to Eric's care, everything begins to change.

Doggone Love is a revelation of self discovery. Deirdre O'Dare characterized Damon as a man who accepted he would live out his life alone. Eric wants to help Damon overcome his instinctive resistance to the powerful attraction between them. I found Doggone Love to be a creative story and a good read.

Rosemary D
reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

This is a particularly good autobiography, and should be studied for its balance between candor and restraint. Near is fearless in examining the conflicts she endured (some of which she created) by becoming immersed in women's music and progressive politics in the 1970s - 1980s. She writes movingly about the pressures she encountered, and sometimes acquiesced to, in her journey of becoming a "cultural worker" as opposed to an entertainer, and her growing comfort of living with the conflicts instead of running from them. There is one key sentence in the book that epitomizes the futile infighting among different progressive camps that caused frissures where bridge building was sorely needed: "Mistrust and misunderstanding among those who care is more devastating than the insensitivity of those who do not" (p. 148).

What I think is missing from the book is a discussion of Near's one album deal with the Chameleon Music Group ("Singer In the Storm"). The album is not discussed in the text but is listed in the book's brief discography listing as a collaborative effort between CMG and Redwood Records, the label Near founded to release her recordings. If ever there needs to be a book written on the formation and history of an independent music label, Redwood Records would make an excellent and worthwhile subject.

All in all, this is an insightful, well written book by an artist who always defined herself on her own terms, and her process of realizing what those terms were. I would LOVE a sequel!!

Holly Near has written a very entertaining book about her life. She describes how she has gone from being heterosexual to (possibly) gay and back to heterosexual. One such return to being straight caused a lesbian admirer to throwup. She is as perturbed to hear this as we are. But putting a label on Holly Near is not going to be a profitable experience. I just felt that I had met a woman and really seen her heart. I read this book some time ago and I still remember a strong emotion. The book is hard to find and we haven't heard from her. Holly, whatcha up to

This is early Woolrich, setting the stage for what would be become, in my opinion, some of the best 'crime' 'mystery' 'noir' writing in American 20th Century Literature.

As I read this fascinating page turner of a novel, I had to keep reminding myself that it was first published way back in 1932. The writing in Manhattan Love Song is so up to date, it could have been crafted last week.
I don't want to reveal too much about the plot itself because, just as in all Cornell Woolrich fiction, suspense is a key element. No, it's more than a key element, it is ubiquitous, permeating each page.

The narrative starts off as a romance. A "low rent" romance, but a romance nonetheless. It rapidly transitions to a comic romp, albeit one with decidedly sinister undertones. Then it takes the form of a bizarre murder mystery. Throughout all this, Woolrich never misses a beat. He takes the reader from one genre to the next with the greatest of ease.

Both the dialogue and the descriptive prose are consistently as smart as could be. The themes addressed are standard Cornell Woolrich fare. The ecstasy and agony of love and the burden of psychic pain so intense it can only be alleviated by "the merciful release of death".
Manhattan Love Song is an outstanding novel. A very enthusiastic 5 stars. Don't miss it.

Isabella Jordan delivers a great trio of short, hot stories. Great bedtime reading.

This book is by one of my favorite authors so my review is biased but, it has everything a fan of erotic fiction, short stories and easy reading could want. There are five stories that pique our fantasies. A movie star falls in love with a girl who adores him when she tries to cast a spell for her sister. Two competetors in the same company agree to try out a male enhancement drug to make up a marketing strategy to sell it. A genie is released from his crystal ball just in time. A prince marries his best friends lover..and guess what? He has to have heirs but he's sterile so he picks his bodyguard to help him. And last but not least. Two young friends are reunited in the future after one of them becomes married to an abusive husband and the other is the most feared pirate on the sea.
If you don't agree that each story makes you smile, laugh and have a fun evening or hour of whatever amount of time you have I'd be real surprised.

Over the past few years I've really enjoyed Markusen's baseball books. In Haunted House of the Vampire, Markusen hits a grand slam with his first fictional work. Although this reviewer would not have been tempted to read a book with such a haunting title, I found myself unable to put the book down. It was suspenseful and captivating from the very beginning. The twist at the end was completely unexpected. I look forward to Markusen's other books in his Coopersville Creepers Series.

Set in small town America in the 1970s, HAUNTED HOUSE OF THE VAMPIRE is a great young adult horror tale by baseball writer Bruce Markusen. The story of Kenny Odom takes the reader on a grand adventure that starts in Kenny's basement where he discovers the body of a vampire and unknowingly sets the creature free, bringing him back into mortal society. With haunted attics, graveyards and the ever scary basement, Markusen manages a fantastical tale that keeps the reader enthralled, waiting impatiently for the next twist in Kenny's saga. Reminiscent of a friday night thriller special, HAUNTED HOUSE OF THE VAMPIRE makes for the perfect Halloween read. - Angelique Armae.

If you have seen and remember the big screen westerns of the late 1950's and 1960's, you will be all set to enjoy Liars Trail. This is a book that will take you back to the funny, fuzzy days of early television too, when the western reigned supreme.

Sawyer Kennett is passing through when he sees Gincy Tate and quickly changes his mind. Not needing the money, but wanting to meet her, he signs on to help drive some horses to an army fort.

The drive is constantly harassed by mysterious night raiders who try to kill the drivers and animals. Sawyer resolves to solve the mystery surrounding Gincy and the people who are trying to stop the drive.

A fun read with loads of action and forward movement. Talented author C. J. Crigger gives the reader every satisfaction in a great story and realistic characters. Highly recommended to satisfy the craving for a book that is more than just a romance.

-Anne K. Edwards

Liar's Trail

C.K. Crigger does it again!

A well-portrayed setting, a young woman fighting for all she holds dear, a loyal Indian, a couple of hands who are more than they seem, and a suspenseful, intricately-crafted story with just a touch of romance all combine to make this fast-paced Northwest frontier novel a winner like her paranormal novels.

The time is 1883, the dilemma is "Save the Ranch," and Morris Tate has a deadline to pay off a note to William Blau. When Tate is bushwhacked, his daughter Gincy must get a herd of horses and mules to the Army at Fort Spokane to raise money. The young woman hires two men to help, but can the party overcome distrust, stalkers, natural disasters, and horse thieves? Do her hands really work for Blau? Can she beat the deadline and redeem the ranch? When can she stop telling lies that conceal her father's death?

Crigger's smooth narrative, imaginative plot, and appealing characters mark her as an up-and-coming author, one I'll gladly read in the future. Five big stars!

This is one of my personal favorites. I read it in high school just for personal pleasure. Kipling's knowledge of art is expressed nicely; he knows his stuff from his father. He expresses his time period honestly and touchingly. As a female of the twentieth century, I cannot understand everything that made Kipling write this novel. It is more than just the simple story of an artist going blind, of wars and art. It is, at heart, the story of two men living in their world of violence and social mores and beliefs, two men brothers in all but blood. I found moments in this novel very touching, all the more so because of the tenderness between Torp and Dickie. This is a novel about friendship mostly, and a very beautiful one at that.

Kipling proves his expertise as an author in this vivid description of a young, cocky sketch artist moving up the social ladder and the introspection he is forced to face when he can't have his childhood love. His professionalism in retelling the themes of independence vs dependence, decadence and self-doubt makes up for his sometimes annoying racist undertones and romantic depicting of the colonialistic era, which is just about the only reason for the missing fifth star.

There's a reason why there's a Clark Kent/Superman-esque cover on this book. Once you meet the hysterically klutzy Hal, you can't help thinking that he's Clark Kent, minus the Superman counterpart. But he does come to Lili's rescue playing the faux beau for a family get together.

This book made me laugh, you just never know what Hal was going to do next. He reminded me so much of Clark Kent and Henry Grubstick (Betty's sweet and hunky accountant boyfriend on Ugly Betty) with all the typical male idiosyncrasies . There were times where he just didn't have a clue about women - and that just made this novel even funnier. Then when he did get it right, he'd turn around and do something totally guy-like to ruin the moment. And you can't help but laugh or wince.

And Lili, Oy! The goofy trouble she puts herself through. The tangled web she wove just to get her tight knit family off her back about getting married. She gets more than she pays for when she hires Hal from Love Match, an escort agency, for this family gathering. She has to deal with bumps, bruises, and finally a bunch of broken hearts when her plan backfires on her, Hal, and her family big time.

Lili's family also plays some pretty funny parts as they try to figure out what Hal (known to them as Dr. David Mulder) is all about. Hal will say things in ad-lib trying to play up his make believe character leaving them scratching their heads in confusion or disbelief. One moment they love him, the next they want to knock his teeth out.

This book is romantic comedy. It's a sweet and fun read. You can't help but want to have a klutzy Hal of your own once you're done reading this book. (I certainly wouldn't mind if he looked like Dean Cain or Christopher Gorham. Oh, that's right. I'm already married to a good looking "klutz." LOL!)

This book made me laugh really hard. What a crazy family Lili has! Can't we all relate? I liked how much Hal tried to be perfect, but he was such a klutz. A good, fast read.

The past is what drives the future. So Jolene Springer found out when she returned to her home town of Sunrise nestled in the Ozarks.
Jolene believes it is time to confront the troubles of her past that followed her into adulthood and drove her from home. But there are parts of the past that won't go quietly and one of them is her old boyfriend, Will Bradley, who wants her to stay in Sunrise.

She finds the decision to be more difficult that she'd thought. New troubles have cropped up to be added to the old. Her little sister is nearly grown and fancies herself in love with Will.

Torn between hurting the people she loves and protecting her battered heart, Jolene struggles to find a way to safety.

This is a book with much more to it than the basic romance plot. The very talented author, Bonnie Drury, has created a world where the reader will feel at home with a great cast of characters. It isn't a place one leaves willingly and it will long linger in your memory even after the last page is read. Highly recommended as a very satisfying and pleasant read.

-Anne K. Edwards, All About Murder

In Sunrise, Arkansas, Dr. Will Bradley sees the woman he has loved since college, Jolene Spencer for the first time in five years. She left for the coast after telling him she does not love him. In California, Jolene has become a reporter for the Sacramento beacon and does TV too.

Jolene fled to because her mother refused to believe that her abusive stepfather made overtures and told her he will have her one day. She has returned because her beloved grandfather said her teenage sister and mother needed her. Jolene and Will realize they still love one another, but she refuses to hang around once she helps her family as she has not forgiven her mom. Making his second attempt to keep Jolene by his side forever even more complex is his past returns with a little one that is probably his.

Fans of second chance at love tales starring the same two protagonists will want to read the warm OZARK DAWN. The story line contains serious undertones centering on the long-term impact of abuse, but also provides a delightful tale of love. Bonnie Drury engages her audience with a fine tale of two people who respect and love one another, but must overcome the past, especially the haunting reminders of her stepfather that Jolene sees in Sunrise.

Harriet Klausner

I discovered Satish Kumar when I read his interview in "The Sun" magazine. His discussion there prompted me to buy this book. I'm glad I did.

Kumar writes, "sacred stories heal wounded souls" (p. 173). In this autobiographical collection of "sacred stories," Kumar describes his own way through life as "a journey without destination . . .it was as much an inner journey as an outward one . . .it was a journey into detachment . . .I was a wanderer, wandering through life . . .living from day to day, from inspiration to inspiration" (p. 100). In Chapter 5 of his book, Kumar remembers his 1962 peace walk, without carrying money or eating meat, from Delhi to Moscow, Paris, London, and then to Washington, or in his words, from "Ghandi's grave to Kennedy's grave" (p. 103), and then back to Delhi in 1964, where "the moment of beginning and ending became one" (p. 103). Along the way, there are notable encounters with Khrushchev, Bertrand Russell, and Martin Luther King. Later, in Chapter 9, Kumar recalls his friendship with E. F. Schumacher ("Small is Beautiful"). It seems Kumar finds a "sacred story" everywhere, in milking his cows, Radha and Hazel ("for me," he writes, "milking was meditation"), to reflecting upon trees: "How much I can learn from a tree! The tree is my church, the tree is my temple, the tree is my mantra, the tree is my poem and my prayer" (p. 178). This book encourages the wanderer in each of us to search out our own "sacred stories."

G. Merritt

The very first paragraph will captivate most readers. There is a lot of life and a little magic in the author's introduction to his autobiography. I had never heard of Satish Kumar, and most people probably never will.But the very idea that a man would walk virtually around the world carrying a message of peace, says a lot about the potentiality of mankind. In my own view, a pilgrim was someone on a spiritual odyssy who brought peace as a consequence of their actions. Kumar seems to have accomplished this in a reverse manner. This is, to me, evidenced by his motives and in his writing. His story is well paced and and an enjoyable read. It is educational and informative - in a delightful way, where other books omit translations and accurate portrayals of custom, they are not lacking here. His honesty about himself requires the reader to at least attempt witholding judgement 'till the final page is turned. I found myself traped, particularly early in the book, in preconcieved notions about the mans emotional lacking. I even found the book to be rather emotionally flat, during the first half, but it did not dampen my desire to see it through. In retrospect, it seems that Kumar treated the aspect of the books emotional content as a reflection of his life's emotional content at the time. As the book comes to closer to it's conclusion, the author finds his heart. The finale chapters will leave you in awe, whether you agree with the author or not, you will know that he found his heart.