Five Stars Feel Damned Good

Not to brag, because this happens to so many writers, but to acknowledge a shared experience: I received a five-star review for one of my stories.

It feels so wonderful to see a reader really “getting” one of my stories and being excited enough to generate top honors. Now I wonder if anyone else will feel good enough about it to care and say something. Whatever. I’ll be fine but now we’ll see if that starts something good that expands and continues. Something I can build on as an obscure writer, late in life, short on backlist but long on skills, patience and the insight of experience.

I celebrated by revising the cover to add the five-star medallion. And Amazon actually got it right. They posted the new cover on the book’s listing and my Amazon Author Page.

There must be some reason Alinka Rutkowska, the book marketing expert and coach, prefers books to have medallioned covers so much. We’ll see if this gets some attention and action. There’s plenty more of the same where it came from.

Do find it, and please read the editorial review I posted and be ready to be challenged and/or edified, if you get the book. It’s strong-flavored narrative with a potentially controversial ending — for some readers but I couldn’t resist after how my whole family has suffered from the overzealous doctrines and self-serving practices of a powerful but still-medieval christian church that I once thought I could be part of.

Okay, you spiritual bullies, take that!

JR

Story Publication, "The Marlin"

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This is the first story in my forthcoming, 12-chapter novel-in-stories that's all about ocean fishing and cruising over a five-year period with my wife of that time. It's a great intro to this series of tales that are all true stories. From dreaming about having a boat to acquiring it, dealing with the inevitable issues and having a fabulous experience in spite of them, this is that saga.

"The Marlin" is a true story set in the mid-1980's. Some names are changed but the rest is completely factual. It's about a couple in their thirties who loved to fish and cruise in the Pacific Ocean on their Grand Banks, a classic, thirty-two-foot, trawler-style, wooden yacht. They lived in Southern California, where surrounding waters of the blue Pacific offered them great satisfaction in their leisure interests. They would fish year-round and enjoy cruising to surrounding, offshore islands and coastal towns.

As the summer months unfurled each year, Evan and Jess spent most of their time on their boat, Tin Hau, fishing and cruising the coastal region near San Diego, when they weren't working their jobs or doing maintenance that the boat required. On the particular day of "The Marlin" story, they encountered an astonishing surprise; one that challenged them to the limit but would prove quite rewarding if they could prevail with Fate's summons. Odds were against them all the way.

This is the story of how that day unfurled as they took the challenge, stood up to the difficulties and dangers, and fought to win with all the strength and wit they could muster. It was high adventure on the high seas. Read the story now to find out how it went and how it turned out, given all the problems they faced.

If you like this story, you will probably love the novel-in-stories.

Please enjoy it and leave a review on Amazon.