Bart "J.B." Hopkins's Blog, page 26
March 19, 2014
The Fault In Our Stars
Two days ago I finished The Fault In Our Stars by John Green.
Wow, what a brilliant book!
Amazon has over 11,000 reviews on their site for this book. So what can I possibly say that hasn’t been said? Probably nothing. But that doesn’t stop me from wanting to celebrate another glorious book, one that kidnapped my heart for a while.
It’s a story about two kids with cancer that fall in love. It’s eye-opening and great and painful. I think I’m allergic to the materials in the book, however, because my eyes watered up a few times. Which is really weird because I read it on a Kindle.
Kids living with terminal illness is a subject I can’t pretend to fully comprehend. I am not sure that real-life victims can either; not everyone can be Plato or Socrates and contemplate and understand life perfectly. However, I imagine this book gives us a good idea of what those kids think about–the jokes they make to cover up the pain–or the surprising depth of understanding, even at such a young age. The realism is breathtaking.
John Green … wow. Well done.
March 16, 2014
Missing You in Two Days
Feast your eyes on this picture.
My hideous mustache…
Okay, so my March ‘stache is pretty magnificent, but that’s not what I’m trying to show you here. That’s an advertisement in my hand for Missing You by Harlan Coben, which is coming out in two days.
As part of the USO’s Operation THRILLER, Mr. Coben toured multiple sites in Germany, Kuwait, and the USA to visit military members. I was fortunate enough to meet him when they stopped by Ramstein Air Base in October 2013. (Pictured above, as well, are thriller authors F. Paul Wilson and Kathleen Antrim.)
One of the most memorable moments of my conversation with him was when he shared that, even after selling 25 million books, he still wakes up some days thinking that what he’d written the day before was, well … dung.
And that’s okay. It’s normal.
I’m paraphrasing, of course, but it was inspiring to hear one of the world’s best-selling authors say something like that. Gives hope to the small guys like me, pushing 40, trying to eek out a few minutes a day to throw some words on paper. Let’s me know that I am not the only one with doubts every now and then.
And a BTW … I’ve read several of Harlan’s books–all dynamite. He’s got nothing to worry about.
Best Friends … F. Paul Wilson, Bart Hopkins, & Harlan Coben
Okay, world. See you all at the bookstore on Tuesday.
Cheers
- Bart
March 15, 2014
A Book & A Vlog
Hello world…
I’ve got two things on my mind right now.
The first is that my friend and Fluke co-author David Elliott has his book Cherokee Spleen on sale for just 99 cents this weekend. Will write for food: grab a copy, leave a review, feed an author for a day.
The second thing on my mind is my discovery of the vlogbrothers video blogs on youtube. Wow, these guys are really funny and sharp. Check out a sample of Question Tuesday post HERE. I stumbled on this because one of the co-creators is John Green, author of The Fault In Our Stars.
So check these things out this weekend and thank me later.
C-YA –>Bart
March 13, 2014
Author Kevin Johns & The Page Turners
Recently I interviewed author Kevin Johns. He’s a really interesting guy, and my daughter and I loved his YA/Horror novel, The Page Turners. Just look at the awesome book cover…
Go learn more from the interview in Trueblue Magazine: CLICK ME CLICK ME.
Have an awesome night,
Bart
March 6, 2014
Review: In One Person
In One Person
by John Irving
Right away I should tell you that John Irving is one of my favorite authors. I think that he has a real knack for creating unique, yet believable situations, and presenting them in grand and sweeping prose.
In One Person met my expectations. I’m a sucker for beautiful language, and Irving is a modern-day Dickens–master of the written word.
His characters are rich and colorful, full of passion and depth and flaws. They feel like people you could know, or maybe that you already met at some time in your life. In particular, the sad moments in the book really moved me. I could feel it along with them.
Okay, so the novel isn’t his most original work. Lots of subjects are present that he has tapped on before: adolescent self-discovery, wrestling, sexual exploration and themes, and a quirkiness that isn’t for all readers. It’s still a damn good read though.
Some of Irving’s books are considered controversial, and this is no different. If sexual orientation, or gender confusion, are topics that you don’t want to see in a book, then keep your distance … this one isn’t for you.
The landscape behind the characters addresses the AIDS situation from the 1980s. Both this book, and Dallas Buyers Club, gave me perspectives of the epidemic that I hadn’t seen, only being in my mid teens by the end of that decade.
Overall, I really enjoyed the book and if he hadn’t reheated a few of his themes from previous novels, it would have easily been 5 stars for me. Definitely worth your time if the topics and style of writing appeal to you.
February 28, 2014
Guest Bloggin’
Some cool people allowed me to have a guest post on their blogs this week as part of the Stalkers Blog Blitz.
What does that mean? Good question. It was a “blog tour,” and I’m new to this kind of thing, but basically the authors that had short stories in Stalkers were hosted on a bunch of blogs to promote the anthology.
On The Chronicles of Chaos blog I shared some thoughts on music, and there is an excerpt from my short story Donations. Thank you for letting me stop by, Mia!
At the Writer of Wrongs blog, I shared a slightly darker story from my childhood, and another bite-sized morsel of Donations. Many thanks, Vicki!
I sincerely appreciate these gracious ladies giving me a new place from which to stand on my mini-soap box and ramble for a bit.
Good night, world!
Bart
February 27, 2014
Do you Trueblue?
I do.
Trueblue magazine was born in December 2013, though its creators had origins in various media prior to that time, including magazines.
Here’s a little more on Trueblue from their ABOUT page:
“Trueblue Magazine was founded on the belief that every story worth telling should be told freely and veraciously. We analyze what we want, comment how we feel, and publish news that matters to you. Trueblue magazine is a proponent for minimalism, travel, and anything odd. We love culture, color, as well as independent musicians and artists. We feed off entertainment on all spectra, local food, sustainability, alternative lifestyles and lifestyles beyond our borders, green style, fun fashion, in addition to all levels of innovative design.”
It’s a fun magazine; there’s a lot of talent and motivation behind the scenes. When I speak to the editors, or when I browse through the pages, I get this good feeling … and I think you’ll see what I mean if you give it a look-see.
I’ve contributed a few articles, which I hope you’ll take a peek at:
Speak Freely, Speak True. That’s what it’s about.
Be good my friends–we’ll talk soon,
Bart
February 26, 2014
Happy Birthday Sale from Cynthia Shepp & Rene Folsom
Stalkers: A Collection of Thriller Stories ONLY $0.99
Stalkers: A Collection of Thriller Stories: UK
(REGULAR PRICE $3.99)
On Sale until 2-28
4.7 out of 5 stars on Amazon – 15 reviews
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APOCALYPSE: An Anthology by Authors and Readers ONLY $0.99
(Regular Price $2.99)
On Sale until 2-27
4.3 out of 5 stars – 28 reviews on Amazon
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Paranormal Anthology with a TWIST ONLY $0.99
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On Sale until 2-27
4.2 out of 5 stars – 27 reviews on Amazon
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Roommate Romance Boxed Set ONLY $0.99
(Regular price $3.99)
(Sale could change at any moment!)
5 out of 5 stars on Amazon
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a Rafflecopter giveaway
Flash Giveaways daily at Cynthia Shepp Book Reviews & Editing and Rene Folsom, Author on Facebook.
February 15, 2014
Random
This is dedicated to seven random things that amuse me.
#1. A Darth Vader & Son wall calendar. They are enjoying ice cream cones together, and why not! Ice cream is appreciated the world(s) over.
#2. My son stopped by one of my signings. If you’ve been to one of them, you know the crowds can get pretty crazy. Right. Anyway, while I was busy talking to someone, he was busy, too … doing some signing of his own. I didn’t discover it until he was gone.
#3. How my kids eat pizza. Always makes me laugh to see this.
#4. Those Tower of London chaps are just too somber. I stopped next to this one so that I might devote some deep thinking to just why they are stodgy. I think he got the message.
#5. O.K. Corral in Tombstone, AZ … sight of the gunfight between the Earps and the Outlaw McLaury brothers. Maybe you’ve seen one of the movies about it or studied the history. And … tourists like me wear flip-flops and shorts there–just doesn’t seem right.
#6. This sign was posted on a bus in Spain. Rough translation: the driver has barf bags.
#7. UIT is apparently Dutch for “Exit.” Driving through the Netherlands, I repeatedly turned to my wife as I saw them and said, “you it?” She tried to ignore me, but I did this 100s of times. Persistence, my friends.
That’s it, my friends. Stay happy,
Bart
February 12, 2014
Happy Halloween?
Frankenstein’s Castle
Imagine it’s October… the suburban landscape has taken on a predominately orange and tan hue as pumpkins and scarecrows find perches on lawns and patios across the globe.
Kids dress up as devils, meet up with their ghoul and zombie pals, attend parties with black lights, and beg for candy in the streets. There’s fun and frolic—mischief and mayhem. It’s fun for the living and undead alike…
And I love it.
I have a sweet tooth, so I’m always down for a day that revolves around candy, and orange is one of my favorite colors. I also like zombies, though I’m not an aficionado, and scary movies have given me joy since the times of my first memories. I recall peeking around my mom, tucked away safely behind her, watching Halloween and Friday the 13th.
Yep, it’s an awesome time of the year.
Back in October, my family and I traveled to Burg Frankenstein, a castle near Darmstadt, Germany, which may have been Mary Shelley’s inspiration for her novel, Frankenstein, in the early 1800s.
The connections?
Alchemist Johann Dippel was born at Burg Frankenstein in the late 17th century and spent most of his life there. As a hybrid alchemist and theologian, he was well known, at the time, for his unconventional ideas. He published papers that described the process of transferring souls between cadavers; he invented Dippel’s Oil, supposedly the “elixir of life,” a potion with the power to extend life; and, he experimented on the bodies of dead animals.
Dippel was also accused of experimenting on human corpses.
Where does Mary Shelley fit? She toured the area for several weeks in 1816, just a year or two before releasing her novel. It’s documented that she, and her traveling partners (fellow writers), stopped in that area.
The rest becomes speculation—there are obvious similarities between Johann Dippel and Dr. Victor Frankenstein—not to mention the elephant in the room—the name.
So what did my family do at Burg Frankenstein? We attended the Halloween festival held at the castle ruins where Dippel performed his experiments almost three centuries ago.
In its thirty-seventh year, the event is an eclectic mix of haunted house, scary, and party. Prepare for a complete disregard of your personal space when werewolves get in your face, Frankstein grabs your throat, and a random minion of death holds his sword at you. Modern horrors lurk in dark corners, too—after all—what Halloween is complete without Jason and his chainsaw?
My daughter summed it up nicely when she asked me, “Um, aren’t there rules against touching people?”
Yes, they’ll touch you, they’ll get in your face—but will back off if you ask them—and they don’t draw blood. Not physically. The scars you leave with will be those in your mind—they run a safe operation.
If you have kids, Sunday is family day; otherwise, the under-fourteen crowd isn’t allowed due to the intensity of ninety-nine monsters, all eager to give you a severe case of cutis anserina.
If you get hungry, Bratwurst, candied hazelnuts, and other refreshments can be found on-site at the food tents, or if things get too scary, mixed drinks or a glass of wine may help calm the nerves.
Once your belly is full, don’t forget to head back out for the final scares of the night, and more—not only do they kill—they also dance. A monster dance finale ends the night on a pleasant note, creepers moving onstage to none other than Michael Jackson’s Thriller.
It’s a truly unique and engaging experience, highly recommended for Halloween enthusiasts that find themselves in Europe or have the opportunity to travel. For more information, you can visit their official link below.
The time to plan is now if you live outside of Europe! Of course, if you prefer the mushy stuff, Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. Peace out!
