Bart "J.B." Hopkins's Blog, page 24
August 16, 2014
Free Book Alert
Okay, listen up.
Nothing beats free. Nothing. I don’t care what you say, you’ll never convince me otherwise.
So why not click on the picture below and grab a copy of TWIST for free. Eh? Do it.
My short story SWEET LENORA is in the anthology, along with other stories by some other pretty cool authors I’ve had the pleasure of knowing.
You never know when you’ll discover your next favorite author.
Stay classy. – Bart
August 8, 2014
Coming of Age: The Front Seat
My random thought of the day…
A few months ago, my oldest daughter was riding in the front seat of my car for the first time. It was a warm day, so I turned on the air conditioner. Then Racquel and I had the following conversation.
Rocky: “Hey, I feel cool air on my feet!”
Me, a little confused: “Um, yeah, the AC has floor vents.”
Rocky: “Whoa! I didn’t know that … that’s so unfair we don’t have it in the back!”
I sort of marveled at that and how times have changed. When I was a kid, nobody cared whether we rode in the front or back seat. To me, floor vents seemed like a common knowledge thing.
With the advent of modern safety guidelines/laws, however, the “front seat” is a rite of passage … one that includes the discovery of floor vents that keep your toes cool.
Keep readin’
-Bart
August 6, 2014
Stumbling On Pop Culture
To celebrate the rebroadcast of Sharknado 2, an article I wrote for the Booky Ramblings of a Neurotic Mom blog…
Have you ever wondered what happened to Steve Sanders?
Do you even know who that is?
He’s of no relation to American fried chicken icon, Colonel Sanders. Or football star Barry Sanders…
How about Ian Ziering—ring any bells?
Well, actually, Steve is Ian, and Ian is Steve … they’re the same dude.
For those born between 1950 and 1990, Ian is (probably) best known for his role as Steve Sanders on the teen television drama, Beverly Hills, 90210, which chronicled the lives of a group of affluent California kids. The program, commonly referred to as simply 9-0-2-1-0, enjoyed a successful decade on the air between 1990 and 2000. In 2008, Entertainment Weekly had it as #20 on their top 100 television shows of the past 25 years list.
Has the theme song popped into your head, yet?
Deh Deh Deh Deh
Deh Deh Deh Deh
Tch! Tch! (When Brandon punches Steve’s chin twice)
That’s the best rendition of the song I can muster—after all, it’s an instrumental piece. No words, just sounds. And, now … half of you out there are silently acknowledging that you remember the show, and Steve, and the theme song.
The other half are liars!
I’ll be the first to confess. I. Watched. 9-0-2-1-0. Guilty. It was pop culture at its finest. A quirky train ride, and the tickets were free.
Circling back to the first question—I know what happened to Steve Sanders. I thought, perhaps, he had given up the business. Maybe gotten married, bought a car dealership, or something.
It appears, however, that he died and someone buried him in some sort of, like, Pet Sematary for Actors—Actor Sematary—and he pulled himself from his grave and he’s back, stumbling around, acting, and things aren’t quite right. Steve Sanders, err, Ian Ziering is in a movie.
I discovered it while mindlessly flipping through channels: Sharknado. I’m not making this up—it’s real—click on the link to see for yourself. Water Spouts (tornadoes over water) are raining sharks down on Los Angeles. The best word I can think of to describe the movie is campy. It’s ripe for a (small) cult following … or maybe just plain ripe.
And, just like that, a pop culture icon from my past was there on television and I had a variety of weird thoughts all at once…
Wow, what happened to the 90210 cast?
Was that movie for real or a spoof?
I’m getting old.
Okay, middle-aged.
Must have been a spoof…
Right?
I stopped myself, grabbed those thoughts with both hands, and turned it all around in my mind. Has to be a spoof. And if it isn’t, well, at least old Steve made a little cash, right? He deserves that. After all, and you can try and deny it, but 9-0-2-1-0 was really something in its day. It started trends and kept an audience of millions coming back. How many other soap opera, teen, Beverly Hills, and hipster shows were spawned from people inspired by it?
I’d bet it’s more, a lot more, than any of us would guess. Or want to admit. I’ve heard there is a modern version of it, too.
This isn’t the only time I’ve stumbled on pop culture. For me, it’s almost a daily or weekly occurrence. I’m always remembering and drifting. Television, movies, songs, you name it. If this article doesn’t give me away, then yep, pop culture also influences my writing.
Ian (or Steve), you gave us a good run back in the 90s, you and your Beverly Hills hipster pals. I could only dream that something I write influences a generation.
Yeah, I could live with being the Steve Sanders of authors.
Happy reading,
Bart
July 20, 2014
Sony Rant
The new Playstation 4 is out.
Now, I don’t play video games. Not really. I did as a kid, but not so much any more. In 2000 I played Age of Empires for a few months, but it was the strategy part of that game that appealed to me … similar to Chess.
We have a Playstation 3 in our living room. Why? The kids enjoy it and it doubles as a Blu-Ray player. Pretty cool. And my boy has our old PS2 in his bedroom.
My son got excited about a month ago when he saw someone carrying the PS4 out of our local mall. “Whoa!” he said. “Look, it’s the new Playstation, dad!”
“We’re not buying it today, but let’s go take a look,” I told him. After all, the electronics department is our favorite anyway.
I appreciated his enthusiasm even if I don’t share it. I figured that we would eventually get the new Playstation, since we bought the last two iterations of Sony’s game system. Perhaps the “big” gift for all three kids on Christmas.
But then I found out that the PS4 doesn’t play PS3 games. (And, our PS3 doesn’t play PS2 games.)
This makes me a little nuts. I don’t want our house cluttered up with all of these gaming consoles, and yet, we’ve already purchased about 50 games between the PS2 & PS3. And when the old systems go out… I’m not buying the outdated systems over and over so that we can keep playing the games.
I suppose the other option is selling the old games, but I think that usually gets people about 10% of what they paid.
Are the Sony moguls reading my blog? Maybe? Ha, probably not, but let’s imagine for one second that I had that kind of reach and influence. I’ll wait until you stop laughing before I continue.
Ready? This is what I would like to tell the Sony mafia. We enjoyed your PS systems, but we will never buy them again, not so long as we have to maintain all of them to be able to keep using the games we’ve purchased. Never. We’re done. And we’re not buying any more games for our current systems. Why bother? They’re already on the endangered species list with the advent of your new stuff.
Okay. Done with my Sony rant. Back to writing…
Bart
July 12, 2014
Snowbound by Blake Crouch
Snowbound
by Blake Crouch
I’ll confess … I didn’t buy a Blake Crouch book until I saw Pines on sale for $1.99 or something. Then, some brief research revealed that other authors I enjoy, such as JA Konrath, liked Crouch. So I gave him a shot. I really enjoyed Pines, which lead me to another Crouch book … this is what we readers do, yes?
Snowbound is the second I’ve read by this author. The plot grows from the disappearance of a woman, a mother and wife, and how the family reacts to the situation. But, it’s not as easy as that. The disappearance itself is a relatively unique plot line. The one thing in the plot that I would pick on a little bit is, perhaps, the immediacy with which the main character, Will Innis, bolts to avoid the situation. Of course, the background given is that he’s a seasoned criminal lawyer; he “knows” what is probably going to happen.
But, I digress… it’s a solid plot, with great pacing. The characters are interesting. And many of the plot details, those little story intricacies inherent in any novel, are unique and interesting. An example? The wolves. I liked the wolves.
Recommended for thriller/suspense readers, grounded in real life, not paranormal. Rated 17+ for adult content, violence, graphic situations.
4.5 of 5.0 Stars
July 4, 2014
Happy 4th of July
Happy July 4th to all of our fellow Americans! We are thankful to all those who serve now, or have served, for our freedom. We love America and the ideals upon which our nation was founded. As a military family stationed overseas, we’ve been afforded a special perspective on what it means to be American. Follow the link to my Youtube channel and take a peek at this video of Ramstein Elementary School‘s June 2014 Flag assembly … a celebration of patriotism with our children. How cool is that?
Happy Independence Day and God bless America – The Hopkins Family.
July 1, 2014
It’s Amazing!
Just when you thought life couldn’t possibly get any better … it did.
Big time.
Just look at what people said about Dead Ends…
“The best dollar I ever spent.” – Hugh Jackman
“As illuminating as lightning.” – Benjamin Franklin
“Genius.” – Albert Einstein
“I wish I could write mysterious as a cat or Bart Hopkins.” – Edgar Allen Poe
DEAD ENDS is now available through MORE channels than ever, so that MORE readers can experience the awesomeness.
…with more coming soon.
June 22, 2014
Six Years by Harlan Coben
Six Years by Harlan Coben
How do you choose the next novel you read?
My modus operandi varies. Sometimes it’s word of mouth that leads me to a book. Other times, it is the recommendation of an author or reader that drives my decision. And, of course, there is always the old-fashioned “browsing” method that I use inside book stores.
I discovered this author, and therefore this book, through completely unique means. I met him, liked him, and decided to give his books a try.
This is the third Coben book I’ve read, and I must say … wow. Let me repeat that with a little more zest: Wow! Holy Bejeebus, thunder and lightning, what a fantastic novel!
THE CHARACTERS
Engaging, endearing, and believable. The dialogue is crisp and frequently punctuated with Coben’s brand of wit. His depiction of Jake Fisher, university professor who never stopped thinking about his “it girl,” rings authentic and credible.
THE PROSE
Nice metaphors used throughout. Descriptive writing–flowing prose. He periodically injects his writing with insightful observations of people and situations. Again, as with the dialogue, the prose is peppered with humor in all the right places.
THE PLOT
Unique and intriguing, and in my opinion, it’s plausible that this could happen. Every moment and event in the book is perfectly spaced, a time-release pill of suspense, leaving the reader in perpetual need to continue reading. The beginning intrigues, the middle keeps you turning pages, and the ending does not disappoint.
The book brings together a diverse cast of characters, a complex storyline, and some suspense-filled events, and weaves them together tightly, like a fine Turkish rug. Coben has revealed, decisively, in Six Years, that he is a master at the suspense and thriller game. It’s one of the best books I’ve read in the last several years in this genre, and I’m a Robert Parker fan of old, if that says anything.
And, circling back to my first question … how do you choose the next novel you read? For me, this time, it isn’t so much the next book as the author. I’ll be reading another Coben thriller.
Keep on readin’
~Bart
June 20, 2014
A trip to the hospital
I went to Landstuhl Hospital yesterday for an infected ingrown toenail.
After they sliced half of it off (the nail, not the toe), I hobbled off to the pharmacy. While I limped my way down the hall, a female approached from the opposite direction, dragging one of her feet. I limped, she dragged, I limped, she dragged. We saw each other and started laughing.
A man entered the area from a third hallway, moving slowly, moaning and gritting his teeth. I couldn’t help but think that the Zombie Apocalypse would probably look a lot like we did.
Rock on,
Bart
June 17, 2014
Two Reviews: Disturb & NOS4A2
by J.A. Konrath
This is the sixth book I’ve ready by J.A. Konrath (aka Jack Kilborn), who has written yet another solid novel. This one might even be my favorite by him. True to his other writing, he does two things incredibly well: he tells a great story; and, he peppers it with his brand of humor throughout. He claims that Disturb has less of that Konrathian humor than his other books, and that may be so, but it’s still there. And it’s good.
I think I once read somewhere that he acknowledges he is more of an entertainer, focused on the story, versus the prose. That’s probably true, and that’s fine, because it is indeed a great story. That’s plenty for most readers.
What really got to me with this book was the main idea–the creation of a pill that replaces the need to sleep. Wow! I thought that was totally cool and we get a solid story placed on that foundation.
If you’re already a fan of Konrath’s, this is a no-brainer. For those looking for an entertaining thriller…no-brainer. It’s a fun and entertaining read.
***** 5 STARS *****
by Joe Hill
I was very impressed with Stephen King’s boy and two of his other novels: Heart-Shaped Box and Horns. I thought they were both incredible, really, and while unsurprisingly similar in a few ways to his old man’s writing (and, duh, genre) he is his own writer with his own flair for the craft.
As with his other novels, this book had a supernatural bent, and focuses on a few special people that have special abilities. As you’d expect, there are good and bad people who have to duke it out. Time travel, or maybe I should say place travel, plays a role in the story…a favorite topic of mine.
His writing continues to be excellent, though I’ll confess I liked Horns more than I liked Heart-Shaped Box, which I liked more than NOS4A2. Still, if you’re a fan of his, you’ll enjoy it–no doubt.
***** 5 STARS *****
COMPARISON: Inadvertently, as I briefly review two books at once, I find myself comparing them. These two guys are definitely heavy hitters, but the writers obviously had different goals. Personally, I think that Konrath edged out Hill with storyline on this one, but NOS4A2 had the better writing/prose.
Another interesting factoid, that has absolutely nothing to do with these two books is that Konrath is a big proponent of self-publishing, very prolific on the topic, while what I’ve read from Hill on it indicates he prefers traditional publishing. Yet, even with these different views, they are both excellent, and successful, writers.
Hope your day rocks,
Bart
