Wrath Never looked So Cool: A Review of John Walker's 'Wrath and Remembrance'

How can a character so forgetful be so memorable?
I can't give every character I read a two-page layout in the Review, but I could for John Walker's man of many thoughts, Jack Parrish. If you want that gentle punch in the gut from the get-go, only to still feel it (like the great burn you get from a strong and furious work-out) at the end, I highly recommend this story. Despite the presence and talk of amnesia, Jack is a very controlled character in a very smooth setting in a very stylish story. The amphitheater of Jack's brain is full of memories that give us all great recall. And length here is no matter. I started and was a third into it before I realized I still had my own life to live. This story escalates perfectly and rings a bell with anyone who can't remember shit! And if Jack knocks on your door and asks for your help, just say yes.


Look for John Walker on Amazon or on his website:
http://www.sanctuaryinthedarkness.com
This review is of 'Wrath and Remembrance,' but this fine
author has many a great book to be held by your hands.

The Boxer Rebellion-Unconventional And Haunting

I always enjoy a sound that reminds me of a place I’d like to be. You know those great Ketel One Vodka commercials, in black and white, with square-chinned men having debonair evenings in highly fashionable suits and being kind to exotic women while they have their fun? I love those commercials and the idea they represent. The music on their new album (The Cold Still)… it’s what those men would listen to after they got home, loosened their neckties, watched it rain, and either kissed the lady or shot the spy. But I say that as a man, so if you’re a woman, hit the reversal button.

No Harm can come to a person who lives like that or listens to this kind of music. Were you to Step Out Of The Car and be Caught By The Light, your silhouettes would palpitate with the shadows.

If you like being Locked In The Basement and listening to high, haunting echoes, you’re in for a treat. They don’t exist on every song, but there is little Doubt they provide a certain mood and context that can’t escape you. They pull you in.

Based out of London, The Boxer Rebellion do a wonderful job of changing up the rhythm of the album. Some pieces drive you, but with a feel you don’t know where you’re about to go. No Cause For Alarm though, the other pieces bring you back. And if you’re wondering about either, Both Sides Are Even. You want to go, and you want to come back.

Their previous album, ‘Union,’ was a solid piece of work, but I have to say ‘The Cold Still’ is a little more mesmerizing. And aching. And monumental. And tantalizing. You want Organ Song from inside your spirit to cool the rest of the world around you. You want the energy of the world consolidated in your hands as you take it over.

The driver should drive to this, The Runner should run to this. The course of the album provides all the characters you’ll want to feel like while you listen to the words. You’ll understand the emotions the album portrays, the time it represents, and the soothing bookend you’ll rest against afterward.

Memo to all, to many, to you… for the great taste in all of us, pick up this album, pick your favorite spot, and pour your attention to it. Let it ride on you. Let it start something for you.

You can see their look, style, tour schedule, and other goodness at www.theboxerrebellion.com.

(as seen in Hoot & Hare 1)

Sister2Sister Cookies: Come Taste

In Tyler, Texas, there is a kiosk where the smells of dough and heaven are made, combined, and then eaten. It’s Sister2Sister Cookies, where all drivers are getting intoxicated on milk and cookies.

Every morning of operation, when the sun is just out and eyes are first opening, they put small batches together of chocolate chip, pecan chocolate chip, and snickerdoodle. I’ve worked in bakeries and the smell they possess can be exotic and overwhelming, but can you begin to imagine what a tiny kiosk must smell like in the early morning with those three cookies rising?

Close your eyes and let your taste buds have a hint of warm chocolate. Let your nose pant a little. Then, just as your jaw is ready to explode, place the smell of white chocolate macadamia nut in your imagination as well, because that’s coming right soon.

Sister2Sister Cookies is the tasty creation of Ashley Randall and Melissa Bennett, who have actually been making their cookies fresh baked to order for six years. They started in a commercial kitchen with too many orders to handle. They took samples to local events and businesses. Enough people spreading the word to others when they themselves didn’t have a mouthful of cookie garnered the need to expand, and from there everything fell into place.

If you want less of a wait, drive thru in the late morning and mid afternoon. Lunch can get crazy for those wanting dessert, and in the afternoon from 3-5 they offer the After School Special, milk and a cookie for $2.50, even in summer.

  

‘Our love of baking goes back many generations! Our personal recipe collections are filled with favorite family recipes from our mom, dad, grandmothers, great grandmothers, aunts and cousins. Growing up with roots in Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee, we were never short on goodies and treats at family gatherings. So it wasn’t a surprise when we stumbled upon a chocolate chip cookie recipe that we loved. We modified it a bit, made some changes here and there and made it our own. It’s been our “go to” recipe for everything from baby showers, teacher gifts, and work functions to birthday parties, Christmas gifts, and meetings. It’s been requested time and time again so we thought it must be pretty special.’ –Sister2Sister

Sister2Sister is located at 322 ESE Loop 323, across from Robert E. Lee High School, and open Tue-Fri 10am-5:30pm, and Sat 10am-2pm. You can find information about orders on their website at www.sister2sistercookies.com.

Interview With Bookseller Larry Bowen of Reader's Corner in Rolla, Missouri: If You Haven't Been There, Get There

Larry, you keep winning awards with Reader’s Corner. What are you offering that keep everyone so amped up?

I know it sounds like a cliché but we offer a truly unique shopping experience. I designed my store to be a comfortable, relaxing place to shop, where the books are extremely well-organized and presented in a slightly quirky setting. You can come in and spend an hour listening to the west coast cool jazz from my personal collection, check out all the funky décor, and look through over 75,000 books. You won’t find what the Reader’s Corner offers anywhere else around here from Kansas City to Little Rock, St. Louis to Springfield.

Your book exchange program seems to be favorable to all. Could you discuss how it works?

We buy, sell, and trade for used books as long as they are in like-new condition. Our books are in such good condition that a lot of people don’t even realize that they’re used, and that, again, makes us unique in the used book business.

We give customers half of what we sell a book for in store trade credit, so an $8 paperback we sell for $4 and will give $2 for in trade credit. An $80 cookbook won’t sell for half price, so if we determine it should sell for $20 we will give $10 in trade credit. We also buy new books but we’re really picky about the books we pay cash for.

From everything to your position in downtown Rolla to the bookshelves that line your corridors, Reader’s Corner has a very unique and original style. How did the store become what it is today?

I spent three years visiting new and used bookstores around the country and took the things I personally liked as well as the things I didn’t and combined them with my vision for what a reader’s bookstore would look, feel, smell, and sound like. With the generous support of the community and a lot of hard work, we’ve grown each of the six years we’ve been in business. That’s a really amazing thing for a business in the current economy.

Regarding the future of Reader’s Corner, how is it going to keep blowing minds and returning customers in the next few years?

I’m currently expanding the business into the building next to the existing bookstore. We will have great space for seating areas, music groups on the weekends, and the most important thing, the space to have about 200,000 books. Explore more at www.readerscorneronline.com.