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The Portsong Series #1
Virgil Creech Takes a Swipe at Redemption
What happens when young Virgil Creech sets his one-track mind on owning a dog? He can’t find an available one, of course – that would be too easy for a Creech. No, Virgil becomes obsessed with the four-legged companion of eccentric newcomer, Colonel Clarence Birdwhistle. When he enlists his only friend, Henry Lee to help make his dream reality, a hilarious chain of events sweep through Portsong as the miscreant plots and schemes to steal the dog from the kindly old man.
Set in the 1920’s, Virgil Creech Takes a Swipe at Redemption probes deep into the mind of a boy, which is a shallow thing indeed. Follow Virgil as he plots and plunders his way through school, church, town, and quite possibly into your heart. His antics are hard for even the stoutest soul to tolerate, but don’t write him off just yet. There is always hope that young Virgil might just find his way.
With colorful characters and unforgettable wit, Virgil Creech Takes a Swipe at Redemption will leave you ready to take up residence in Portsong – halfway between Savannah and heaven.
Set in the 1920’s, Virgil Creech Takes a Swipe at Redemption probes deep into the mind of a boy, which is a shallow thing indeed. Follow Virgil as he plots and plunders his way through school, church, town, and quite possibly into your heart. His antics are hard for even the stoutest soul to tolerate, but don’t write him off just yet. There is always hope that young Virgil might just find his way.
With colorful characters and unforgettable wit, Virgil Creech Takes a Swipe at Redemption will leave you ready to take up residence in Portsong – halfway between Savannah and heaven.
208 pages, Paperback
First published August 25, 2013
About the author
Mark Myers
7 books35 followersMark has been married to his wife Robin since 1992 and together they have four daughters. Besides being a writer, he is a veteran, a distance runner, and a public speaker who has recently been forced to add the title of childhood cancer advocate after his youngest daughter, Kylie lost her battle with Ewing sarcoma in February of 2015. He is the Director of Communications for CURE Childhood Cancer.
In his fiction, he strives to weave moral truth and humor into a story that is relevant and engaging. One of the greatest compliments he's ever received came from a woman who said: "thank you for showing me what goes on inside a boy's mind." Not much goes on in there, you can be sure of that.
Since the loss of Kylie, the theme of his writing has changed along with his world. Humor and smiles now are forced to coexist with heartbreak and loss. Now he is described as "A Generous Helping of Laughter and Tears."
His pieces have been published on The Huffington Post, The Mighty, and Mamamia.
You can sample his writing at his website: www.markmyers.net
In his fiction, he strives to weave moral truth and humor into a story that is relevant and engaging. One of the greatest compliments he's ever received came from a woman who said: "thank you for showing me what goes on inside a boy's mind." Not much goes on in there, you can be sure of that.
Since the loss of Kylie, the theme of his writing has changed along with his world. Humor and smiles now are forced to coexist with heartbreak and loss. Now he is described as "A Generous Helping of Laughter and Tears."
His pieces have been published on The Huffington Post, The Mighty, and Mamamia.
You can sample his writing at his website: www.markmyers.net
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
March 3, 2014
Positive Points
What hooked me from the very first sentence is the voice. This novel is set in the 1920s, a pre–video game era when boys played outside and made up ball games. After reading the first few pages, where Henry, Virgil, and their friends try to settle an argument about their game, I knew right away I would like this book—and its characters—and I wasn't disappointed. I was planning on reading only a few chapters to see what the book was about, but I ended up reading the whole thing in one day! I just couldn't put it down.
Virgil is a spirited young boy who doesn't hesitate to start a fight to get his ways. I don't often come across books written from a bully's point of view, so this got my attention right away. His friend Henry is a lot more likable and reasonable, and they both go through a great deal of character growth throughout the novel. There is also an old Englishman with a red coat who insists on being called Colonel, and a dog who belongs to either Virgil or the old man. Each of these characters were well developed and had their own unique voice. By the end of the novel, I felt like I knew them personally.
The story was written from multiple POVs, alternating between Virgil, Henry, the old man, and sometimes other minor characters. Although I normally prefer a unique POV, the omniscient POV works well for this story and fits with the style.
There was a touch of religion in this book, with Virgil attending a church service for the first time to find out why so many people went to church that Sunday, and then pacing near the schoolyard trying to pray, to Henry's amusement. I wouldn't label this novel as Christian, however, because it wasn't the main theme of the novel, just part of the story as an aspect of the time period. It reminded me of Little House on the Prairie in some ways. There was no "preachy" element, which I appreciate. Virgil did learn to be a better friend, with Henry's help, and both grew in the process. I love books where there is significant character growth and good morals, without being moralistic. This was one of them.
This book captures the essence of boyhood very well. I had to laugh numerous times at how well the author knows what it means to be a young boy. He either has a very good memory, or he never grew up, I'm not sure which one. But he knows what it means to be a boy. I have a son, and I could recognize similar behaviors in some parts of the book. The way they behave, how they think, the way they speak, everything was so realistic.
Negative Points
I really can't find anything negative to say! I did come across a few typos, which I will e-mail to the author. It happens. A single editor cannot possibly catch everything in one pass. There were just a few, and easy to correct. I'm still giving the book a five-star rating.
What makes this book unique
Virgil Creech! I don't know why I found him so endearing, regardless of his bad attitude. The picture on the cover, the name, and the voice made it easy to picture him in my mind, and for me, he was real. I kept thinking about him even after closing the book. Now that's some strong writing! Creating memorable characters takes great skill. This author has it.
Overall Impression
This book reminded me of Tom Sawyer, a boy book even girls will enjoy reading. And adults. And everyone in between. One thing I like about reviewing self-published books is that once in a while, I come across one little-known book that may very well become a bestseller some day.
What hooked me from the very first sentence is the voice. This novel is set in the 1920s, a pre–video game era when boys played outside and made up ball games. After reading the first few pages, where Henry, Virgil, and their friends try to settle an argument about their game, I knew right away I would like this book—and its characters—and I wasn't disappointed. I was planning on reading only a few chapters to see what the book was about, but I ended up reading the whole thing in one day! I just couldn't put it down.
Virgil is a spirited young boy who doesn't hesitate to start a fight to get his ways. I don't often come across books written from a bully's point of view, so this got my attention right away. His friend Henry is a lot more likable and reasonable, and they both go through a great deal of character growth throughout the novel. There is also an old Englishman with a red coat who insists on being called Colonel, and a dog who belongs to either Virgil or the old man. Each of these characters were well developed and had their own unique voice. By the end of the novel, I felt like I knew them personally.
The story was written from multiple POVs, alternating between Virgil, Henry, the old man, and sometimes other minor characters. Although I normally prefer a unique POV, the omniscient POV works well for this story and fits with the style.
There was a touch of religion in this book, with Virgil attending a church service for the first time to find out why so many people went to church that Sunday, and then pacing near the schoolyard trying to pray, to Henry's amusement. I wouldn't label this novel as Christian, however, because it wasn't the main theme of the novel, just part of the story as an aspect of the time period. It reminded me of Little House on the Prairie in some ways. There was no "preachy" element, which I appreciate. Virgil did learn to be a better friend, with Henry's help, and both grew in the process. I love books where there is significant character growth and good morals, without being moralistic. This was one of them.
This book captures the essence of boyhood very well. I had to laugh numerous times at how well the author knows what it means to be a young boy. He either has a very good memory, or he never grew up, I'm not sure which one. But he knows what it means to be a boy. I have a son, and I could recognize similar behaviors in some parts of the book. The way they behave, how they think, the way they speak, everything was so realistic.
Negative Points
I really can't find anything negative to say! I did come across a few typos, which I will e-mail to the author. It happens. A single editor cannot possibly catch everything in one pass. There were just a few, and easy to correct. I'm still giving the book a five-star rating.
What makes this book unique
Virgil Creech! I don't know why I found him so endearing, regardless of his bad attitude. The picture on the cover, the name, and the voice made it easy to picture him in my mind, and for me, he was real. I kept thinking about him even after closing the book. Now that's some strong writing! Creating memorable characters takes great skill. This author has it.
Overall Impression
This book reminded me of Tom Sawyer, a boy book even girls will enjoy reading. And adults. And everyone in between. One thing I like about reviewing self-published books is that once in a while, I come across one little-known book that may very well become a bestseller some day.
January 4, 2014
I would have rated it 5-stars, but I'm a little put out with myself just now. I do, however, give Goodreads 5 stars for letting me rate my own book.
June 16, 2014
I picked this one up on a whim after seeing the book online several times and then meeting the author. I never tell authors I'm doing this anymore. That way I don't have to report if the book sucks. In this case, I was pleasantly surprised! Here's my two cents:
I confess, as I read this book, the title didn’t make a lot of sense to me. I expected the colorful figure of Virgil Creech to be the main attraction. He’s an overlooked last child of a brood of nine brothers from a not-so-savory family, and he behaves accordingly. Fortunately, a few people take an interest in the young miscreant, including the even more colorful figure of Colonel Clarence J. Birdwhistle, formerly of his Majesty’s service. Newly arrived in Portsong, Georgia, Col. Birdwhistle comes into contact with young Virgil—quite literally, in fact, which starts the series of events related in this book. But Virgil takes a backseat to Col. Birdwhistle, and even to young Henry Lee, classmate of Virgil, who undergoes a change of his own as a result of the encounter. It seemed to me the book could almost be called A Series of Remarkable Events in Portsong, for by the end of the book, the whole town has been turned on its ear. In the title’s defense, Virgil is the catalyst that sets it all in motion.
I was completely charmed by this story. Portsong is the town everyone wants to live in. And Myers paints it and its residents beautifully—from the outspoken preacher, Josiah Crane, to the genteel chairperson of the Ladies Historical Society, Louise Prattlematt. Creech is given enough humanity to overcome his naughty schoolboy stereotype and endear him to readers. But it is Birdwhistle who carries the story. Charming, witty, self-assured, and just a bit vulnerable, I would love to sit down with him over a cup of tea and enjoy a long conversation.
It is Myer’s gift with language, however, that made this book so enjoyable. I’ve marked dozens of passages, but I’ll include just a few here to make my point:
“Every thought that pushed through his mind stacked mad upon mad like blocks on a wall.”
“It dawned on Henry that this problem of the old man wasn’t going away. It was like a boy trying to tuck in a bed sheet. Every time one corner was tucked securely under the mattress, the other side pulled out.”
“Well, I wanted to see the world, and soon most of the world would be between me and my hometown of Chelmsly. I was both excited and terrified at that moment.”
“The dabbled mix of grays and browns in his (dog’s) coat flowed together unevenly, as if a failed artist had poured paints over him and walked away before getting the portrait right.”
I would qualify this as children’s literature, appropriate for children ages nine and up, but I think adults who enjoy quirky, sweetly told tales would appreciate it even more than children. This is a self-published book worth reading—and I don’t get to say that often enough. Two thumbs up.
I confess, as I read this book, the title didn’t make a lot of sense to me. I expected the colorful figure of Virgil Creech to be the main attraction. He’s an overlooked last child of a brood of nine brothers from a not-so-savory family, and he behaves accordingly. Fortunately, a few people take an interest in the young miscreant, including the even more colorful figure of Colonel Clarence J. Birdwhistle, formerly of his Majesty’s service. Newly arrived in Portsong, Georgia, Col. Birdwhistle comes into contact with young Virgil—quite literally, in fact, which starts the series of events related in this book. But Virgil takes a backseat to Col. Birdwhistle, and even to young Henry Lee, classmate of Virgil, who undergoes a change of his own as a result of the encounter. It seemed to me the book could almost be called A Series of Remarkable Events in Portsong, for by the end of the book, the whole town has been turned on its ear. In the title’s defense, Virgil is the catalyst that sets it all in motion.
I was completely charmed by this story. Portsong is the town everyone wants to live in. And Myers paints it and its residents beautifully—from the outspoken preacher, Josiah Crane, to the genteel chairperson of the Ladies Historical Society, Louise Prattlematt. Creech is given enough humanity to overcome his naughty schoolboy stereotype and endear him to readers. But it is Birdwhistle who carries the story. Charming, witty, self-assured, and just a bit vulnerable, I would love to sit down with him over a cup of tea and enjoy a long conversation.
It is Myer’s gift with language, however, that made this book so enjoyable. I’ve marked dozens of passages, but I’ll include just a few here to make my point:
“Every thought that pushed through his mind stacked mad upon mad like blocks on a wall.”
“It dawned on Henry that this problem of the old man wasn’t going away. It was like a boy trying to tuck in a bed sheet. Every time one corner was tucked securely under the mattress, the other side pulled out.”
“Well, I wanted to see the world, and soon most of the world would be between me and my hometown of Chelmsly. I was both excited and terrified at that moment.”
“The dabbled mix of grays and browns in his (dog’s) coat flowed together unevenly, as if a failed artist had poured paints over him and walked away before getting the portrait right.”
I would qualify this as children’s literature, appropriate for children ages nine and up, but I think adults who enjoy quirky, sweetly told tales would appreciate it even more than children. This is a self-published book worth reading—and I don’t get to say that often enough. Two thumbs up.
August 6, 2014
It all started with a ball game between four kids, an army veteran out for a walk, and the little town in Georgia called Portsong in the 1920’s. When Virgil Creech (the youngest in the nasty Creech family), and his friends Henry Lee, Joe, and Willie, are playing a ball game, and Virgil’s team is losing, he starts throwing a temper tantrum, kicking the ball at Henry. It went over Henry’s head, and it hit a retired military man from England, the Colonel Clarence Birdwhistle, injuring him and knocking him unconscious. The boys get an ambulance, but don’t tell how the Colonel got in that condition. Through a misunderstanding, the boys think that the Colonel was blinded by the accident. So, Henry, Joe, and Willie decide to get him a seeing-eye dog. They take a dog from the junkyard and give him a night’s training, and then Henry drops it off in the Colonel’s hospital room. Unbeknownst to the boys, the dog was once owned by nasty Virgil, and he’ll do anything to get that dog back, no matter how happy the dog makes the Colonel.
This was a great historical fiction novel about friendship, being a good person, and about community. The story was very well done, and I think that Mr. Myers got the feel, language, and authenticity of the time period down pat. Virgil is a character you come to care for, but, to me, it seemed like Henry was the real main character. I didn’t mind that. Virgil still played an important part. I loved to read about Virgil plotting to get his dog back. The cover of the book is magnificent and goes well with the story. I would really like to read other books by Mr. Myers. I think that this book is a lot of fun to read and kids who wouldn’t normally read a historical fiction-type book will enjoy reading this story.
*NOTE I got a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
This was a great historical fiction novel about friendship, being a good person, and about community. The story was very well done, and I think that Mr. Myers got the feel, language, and authenticity of the time period down pat. Virgil is a character you come to care for, but, to me, it seemed like Henry was the real main character. I didn’t mind that. Virgil still played an important part. I loved to read about Virgil plotting to get his dog back. The cover of the book is magnificent and goes well with the story. I would really like to read other books by Mr. Myers. I think that this book is a lot of fun to read and kids who wouldn’t normally read a historical fiction-type book will enjoy reading this story.
*NOTE I got a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
January 29, 2014
I am writing this review as if I were about 13 years old and I'd just finished this book. It is a really lovely story with captivating characters and a quirky plot about a small town's reaction to a big event. I loved its wholesome subject and innocence, while at the same time, not finding it too unnaturally ideal. The colonel is a gorgeous character; Henry is only too real and loveable and Virgil is the child you love to hate but would also love to love. I wouldn't hesitate to give this to a young teen, and I would encourage Mark Myers to send the story to a film company too. It would make a really lovely period movie.
March 4, 2014
Virgil Creech Takes a Swipe at Redemption is a fun, whimsical read. Although written for a younger audience it is a read that most ages would enjoy and would be an especially fun book to read aloud to the family.
Right from the start the story draws you in, from the antics and child-like logic of young Virgil Creech and his friend Henry to the quiet old man in the red coat or the grouchy doctor the characters are all vibrant and alive. The reader sees growth and change from the beginning of the book to the end in all the main players but it's the entire cast, young and old, major and secondary that bring the town of Portsong to life.
Right from the start the story draws you in, from the antics and child-like logic of young Virgil Creech and his friend Henry to the quiet old man in the red coat or the grouchy doctor the characters are all vibrant and alive. The reader sees growth and change from the beginning of the book to the end in all the main players but it's the entire cast, young and old, major and secondary that bring the town of Portsong to life.
November 18, 2013
I was transported to an idyllic place and time in this delightful story by Myers. I lost myself in the antics of 4 young boys, the kindness of an old man and the love of a dog. Myers is a masterful storyteller who will have you asking for more tales from a small town called Portsong. I certainly hope for more!
January 7, 2014
What a good, family-oriented Christian book! I love the Colonel Birdwhistle character and loved the dog. I would recommend this book for young Christian boys because there are a lot of life lessons about doing the right Christian thing (not just the socially right thing) and how friends can be an influence-both positive OR negative.
November 7, 2013
Received this through First Reads Giveaways.
Beautiful story about four young men. Very reminiscent of Stand By Me, only lighter and with a lot less sadness. I have very little to say about this book except that it was great, and I highly recommend it.
Beautiful story about four young men. Very reminiscent of Stand By Me, only lighter and with a lot less sadness. I have very little to say about this book except that it was great, and I highly recommend it.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews