Father Figure By James J. Cudney Review!

 

Father Figure (2018) by James J. Cudney is the second book by the author following on from his first novel Watching Glass Shatter.

The book centres mostly around Amalia Graeme and Bianna Porter. Firstly Amalia grows up in rural Mississippi. Her mother is a tyrant (trust me, she is a million per cent unlikable) and verbally and physically abuses her daughter. I liked Amalia’s father and brother but as for her mother she drove me up the wall reading the sections with her. However that shows her mother was written well. Her dominant and power-crazed streak came through very much and makes the reader root even more for Amalia and her freedom. Secondly Brianna Porter who lives in New York City and is raised by a single Mum Molly and badly wants to know who her father is so she can move forward with her future. In addition Brianna is trying to figure out her sexuality and is falling for her best friend Shanelle.

 

This book has many of Cudney’s signature trademarks like family dynamics and a mystery element. In this novel the reader is swept along on a journey to find out who Brianna’s father is and it is told from different points of view and from different time periods. You get a real sense of the main characters’ backgrounds and how they come to be the people they are when the novel begins. It’s very tightly pieced together and all the elements tie up wonderfully at the end which is no small feat considering there was a lot packed into this novel. So many of the twists I didn’t really see coming either which is great in mystery. The emotions of the characters are very well-developed and there is definitely a feeling of one never stops learning in life no matter what age but you gather more ways to cope better as you go along. This book deals with family, identity, sexuality and the search for fulfillment and contentment. There is a fantastic array of characters and each add very much to the overall plot. My favourite was Shanelle. She was so strong, fierce and has no fear and I loved that about her. Also in Brianna’s parts, the book is set in the early 2000s when I was growing up and the elements like music were spot-on which made me smile.

 

Another great job by James J. Cudney who is fast becoming one of my new favourite authors.

 

To purchase Father Figure by James J. Cudney go to:

 

For more about James J. Cudney and his work go to:

https://jamesjcudney.com/

https://thisismytruthnow.com/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17128817.James_J_Cudney

 

For my review of Watching Glass Shatter by James J. Cudney go to:

https://culturevultureexpress.wordpress.com/2018/02/20/watching-glass-shatter-by-james-j-cudney-review/

Michael D. Higgins Gets Second Term As Irish President & Blasphemy Is Voted Out Of The Constitution

 

On Friday I went to vote in the election and referendum taking place here in the Republic of Ireland.

 

 

I voted for Michael D. Higgins in the election who historically became the second President to be voted in as President for a second term via election in the Republic of Ireland. I’m very pleased for him as I find that he seems to b a very nice man, filled with fairness and equality and if fantastic for the arts too. Congratulations Michael D., here’s to seven more years of your Presidency! We love you! 🙂

 

 

I also voted Yes in the blasphemy referendum which was to remove blasphemy as an offence from the Irish Constitution because I believe anyone should be allowed say what they feel. By all means when people disagree with anything, voice it, debate it but I don’t think legally anyone should be stopped from saying what is in their head in the first place. If someone wants to debate it then that’s there’s freedom of speech to do so. That sounds fair to me. But thankfully blasphemy was voted out of our laws in this referendum. 🙂

 

So it’s been a busy time voting-wise for us over here in the run-up to Halloween. And in my opinion they were two excellent results which I’m chuffed about. Once again, so proud of my country and the continuing road towards freedom, fairness and equality and our further steps into a future vision of a completely modern Republic of Ireland. 🙂

Poem: Ghosts In The Attic

 

The ghosts were residents
in the attic of
Grandma Murray’s house
for years.
Each Halloween she
would go and party
with the ghosts,
knew all their names,
met the new residents
over drinks and toffee apples
each year.

Halloween 2018 arrived
and Grandma Murray
joined the ghosts in the attic
permanently.
She wasn’t nervous when the time came,
her best friend ghost Geraldine held her
fragile, frail bones and helped her
descend from her body
up to the attic.
This year they continue
to dance, drink and be happily spooky
together.
The ghosts in the attic,
friends in death.

Friday Fictioneers: Beyond The Glass

PHOTO PROMPT © Roger Bultot

 

 

Beyond The Glass

 

It was deeply rooted in her from an early age. The Rosary was said in the house. Nothing could be said negatively about God. At school the same people who said 1 + 1 = 2 told her God created us all. She remembered the school trip where one particularly religious teacher told them to look upwards through the glass of the museum and the children would see where heaven was.

Thirty years later, she stands in this same museum and asks the children in her class to look up towards the glass then she asks them to see whatever they decide.

 

My book Black Coat based on a previous Friday Fictioneers prompt is available at:

 

For Friday Fictioneers Writing Prompt. Check out the website at:

https://rochellewisoff.com/

Woman Racially Abused On Ryanair Flight By Man

 

 

 

I was utterly disgusted by the conduct of passenger David Mesher recently on a Ryanair flight when he racially abused fellow passenger Delsie Gayle just before a flight from Barcelona for Stansted Airport on October 19th.

 

In the vile rant, Mesher, who is white, called Gayle, who is a person of color, “an ugly black bastard” as he was disgruntled that she didn’t move fast enough for him to pass into his seat. He also rambled in his rant by saying,

“Don’t talk to me in a foreign language, you stupid cow. If you don’t go to another seat, I’ll put you in another seat.”

The ugly incident was filmed by fellow passenger David Lawrence. The footage shows Gayle’s daughter Carol Gayle defending her mother and showed another fellow passenger intervening and saying to Mesher that there was no need for his racial conduct.

In the aftermath of the incident, the police in Spain and England have investigated the incident and have spoken to Mesher. He has also said,

“I probably lost my temper a bit and ordered her to get up. I’m not a racist person by any means and it’s just a fit of temper at the time, I think. I apologise for all the distress you’ve had there and since.”

But Gayle has refused his apology saying,

“It’s going to take a long time for me to accept his apology and everything, because I feel very low and degraded for him to call me those names. It’s going to take a long time for me to get over it. I didn’t look at it (the interview on This Morning) because I was crying.”

Her daughter said,

“I’m not going to say anything at the moment because we’ve only just seen ‘This Morning’ – it’s still a lot to take in.”

 

It is awful to see the abuse that Delsie Gayle has went through. I’m just very glad it was caught on camera because otherwise there would be no proof of the incident and nothing would probably be done. I think it’s a disgrace that he was left on the flight. He should have been removed. It is terrible that this discrimination and abuse is still going on and Mesher’s apology is pretty pathetic. When losing your temper, race doesn’t even come into it unless you are racist and he was extremely aggressive too. It is the easiest thing in the world to say you aren’t racist after displaying racist conduct. If you truly aren’t racist, or at the very least certain things in your make-up aren’t or currently aren’t from a racist place, you wouldn’t act in a racist way.

I find it very heartbreaking hearing the pain this incident has caused to Delsie Gayle and it is important to remember that our words can hurt people. Is that the kind of people we are? Do we really want to go out of our way to hurt other people?

 

 

Friday Fictioneers: Salary

 

 

PHOTO PROMPT © Jilly Funell

 

 

Salary

 

Watching from the side, Sophie let a cigarette dangle from the side of her mouth. It was an hour from now he was expected to exit the building, walk down those steps. Just another job. She felt the weight of the gun in one pocket, the packet of money in the other. Blood money some might say. She said vacation with the kids.

 

She watched as he exited, took the gun from her pocket, prepared to shoot.

Florida’s nice this time of year.    

It was over in a matter of seconds. Screams rang out and Sophie discreetly exited the scene.

 

My book Black Coat based on a previous Friday Fictioneers prompt is available at:

For Friday Fictioneers Writing Prompt. Check out the website at:

https://rochellewisoff.com/

Book Review: The Church Murders by Lisa Reynolds

A wonderful review by James J. Cudney of my book Rory Murphy Mysteries: The Church Murders:

My New Book One Step Closer 3 is now Available On Amazon!

 

The third book in my fictional reality series One Step Closer is now available to purchase on Amazon. Once again, I enjoyed been back in the company of old favourites from previous books and meeting many new characters on this new writing journey.

 

In particular, without giving too much away, there was a friendship in this book which is rather complex and was definitely very intriguing to write and it became quite a major part of this particular book. Also Mark is beginning parenthood with Gavin of their daughter Reena, Lucy is still making eyes at every man that comes her way and Cody is struggling with his feelings for Lucy despite his upcoming wedding to Maria. Meanwhile Benjamin and Emily are vying for the attentions of a contestant.

 

I always love writing One Step Closer. I grew up watching reality singing shows and many reality shows in general. I was around for early shows in the reality TV music world (I was quite young though! :-)) when it was all only really starting to take off so from a viewer point of view, I have a lot of experience in writing this series. And I find it fun as well as heartbreaking. It has a mixture of moments.

 

On a side note, this is still being put together but my Goodreads page is up and can be visited at:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8422252.Lisa_Reynolds

 

If you would like to purchase One Step Closer 3 (Thanks so much in advance if you do! :-)) go to:

 

For One Step Closer’s First Book:

 

For One Step Closer 2:

 

For One Step Closer & One Step Closer 2:

 

 

Friday Fictioneers: Mary

 

PHOTO PROMPT © Rochelle Wisoff-Fields

 

 

Mary

 

Mary looked out the window of the nursing home. She thought,

The staff and other inmates are alright. But I was young once.

Mary remembered the hot labourer Frank.

Now he was a hot potato. Pulling me behind the old Church for what the young people today call nookie. 

Frank had run off when he realised she was pregnant. She was put in a Mother and Baby Home and never saw her birth daughter again once the baby was put up for adoption. She had extensively searched with no luck.

She looked out the window again.

She’s out there somewhere.

 

 

My book Black Coat based on a previous Friday Fictioneers prompt is available at:

 

 

For Friday Fictioneers Writing Prompt. Check out the website at:

https://rochellewisoff.com/

Overnight Fire Occurs At Bray Lakers

 

 

All the buses and building especially the art room and the kitchen have been damaged in an overnight fire at Bray Lakers in Bray, Wicklow, Ireland. The damage was caused by an electrical fault and classes have been cancelled. The building has much smoke and water damage. Minister Simon Harris has been to see the extent of the damage yesterday afternoon and he said,

“Very upsetting day for our community. But we will get through this! Please contact Lakers if you can help at all with temporary venues & transport. An incredible Organisation.”

 

Harris said he would be reviewing the situation on Monday with management. The Minister of State with special responsibility for disabilities, Minister Finian McGrath will also be attending the review.

Bray Emmett’s GAA club has offered its clubhouse as a temporary home for Lakers and another source lent a wheelchair accessible bus.

Founded in 1989, Bray Lakers is a social centre where people, both children and adults, with intellectual disabilities have the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of social activities such as art, music and sport. There is 400 members and 150 volunteers and staff.

 

Finian McGrath said,

 

“This is an awful tragedy and it is absolutely essential any impact to the service is minimised. I look forward to meeting management next week to discuss these matters.”

 

Chairperson Fergus Finlay said,

 

“These buses are absolutely critical for our purposes. All of the buses have been destroyed. The building is definitely in an unsafe condition and we don’t know if our other facilities are usable. We’re out of business now and it’s going to be devastating for our members. We are of course determined to get back up and running as quickly as possible, and we’re going to put out appeals to the local community and service providers around the place for any help we can get with other forms of transport and other venues and so on; just now everyone is in a state of shock.”

 

I live not far away from the Bray Lakers building and it was very sad and shocking to hear about the fire. The main thing is that thankfully no was hurt. The organisation does fantastic work and is a credit to the Bray area.

 

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help raise funds for repairs to the damaged caused during the fire.