Geoff’s Comments (group member since Sep 17, 2018)

Geoff’s comments from the Point Blank group.

I hope it works. I paid for BookFunnel which is supposed to work well.
And thanks Kurt, that would be amazing.

I'm still really enjoying this book. I know the attitudes are pretty stark, and I wonder to what extent Hemingway is almost a playing Hemingway rather than being 'honest'. And the part where Harry asks his friend why he hasn't hit his wife, is an example of this. I like the treatment of the word comical as the lowest of the low.

Hi y'all (hope you're well).

So, I'm closing in on publishing my first book. It's called Burning Crowe and I've been working on it for over two years (admittedly inefficiently).

Anyway, it's about ready for release (I think) and I'd like to get some advanced reader copies out there.

Basically what I'd like is a bunch of readers who'll take the book for free and let me know about any final typos, and/or inconsistencies that I have missed.

In a perfect world you'll like the book enough to buy it for the intro price when it's released, and it would be amazing if you felt like leaving a review on Amazon, but it's totally cool if you don't feel like doing that.

One caveat is that I do need people who can read this fairly fast. So if you've got a big stack of to-reads, you might not have time for Burning Crowe and this might not be for you.

I just want to get some more hard-boiled eyes on my book before I release it into the wild - to fall or fly...

So, if you're up for it, the link is here. It expires next Wednesday, and there's a limited number of copies.

BookHip.com/ZTPSKM

If you can help me out that would be just smashing! ;-)

Definitely will read 'Shotgun' one day too.

I'm currently enjoying the Hemingway too.

Yes. It was like an attempt to remove the glamour from the couple, but it ended up feeling shifty and contrived.

I've just read the first chapter. I don't know why that Hemingway view of the world where the strength of a man's character always seems to correlates with how well he can hunt / fish / handle a gun is weirdly attractive, even though I know it would condemn me to the very worst rank of men.

I just watched The Highwaymen on Netflix. Thought it was a bit boring and a bit shit. A bit better at the end. Anyone else seen it?

Finally finished this very short book! Yeah I like it quite a bit. And my God, Horace McCoy is a lad. Fighter pilot, playboy, hobo, screenwriter, actor. And I haven't seen the film.

I think my favourite part was the bit where Socks forgives the guy with the knife. I know I tend to overread sometimes, but is the marathon a metaphor for the capitalist system, that will forgive anything to maintain and protect itself.

I also really liked the we'll divide up the money bit. All the contestants just say, 'okay.' Almost as if they are happier that way?

I do like it, and I'm just listening to the pod now. I think it's going to be one of those books you have to finish to truly appreciate.

I'm only at about 60%, and I like it. It's a bit sparse, and cold, which I'm sure is the point. I've just got to the part where Socks forgives (Pedro (?)) for knifing Rocky and the girl being disqualified to satisfy the moralists. I think it's an interesting metaphor - but I need to see how it's going to develop.

Love Hemingway...
... can't get along with Greene...
...... thought Boston Noir was pretty good.

Okay - so sorry guys - I've been moving house - so I've had no internet or mobile reception for the last ten days or so, but I'm back now. So I'll say what I'm thinking.

I'm about 30% into TSHDT. I kind of like it. The whole dance marathon thing gives it a frenetic shallowness, that is representative of youth culture and consumerism (just guessing here), and the shallowness of the relationship with Gloria compounds that effect. Not sure if I can say I like it. But it is interesting.

I'll have to make a start!

I haven't listened to this one yet. What's it like?

No need to delete anything Joe. It was really interesting, and thought provoking - the very best kind of post.

I love Chandler, I wouldn't be typing this now if it weren't for him. And I like the plots. They're sprawling and messy, and they don't enjoy being squeezed into three acts. I would also say that Faulkner was pretty much an alcoholic too, and I love Faulkner too, though I know he's not everyone's bag.

In my first post I was thinking more about characters drinking than authors, I suppose that alcohol maybe fuels extreme behaviour maybe, or is like a symbol of surrender to the world or something, but whatevs. I don't have the smarts to provide any meaningful evidence.

Hi Joe - yeah K&J are taking over the world! Just, quite slowly. ;)

What do you think about alcohol in Noir. I've got a feeling that there's something about it to do with privilege and guilt.

Lovin' the sci-fi stuff. What you reading? I'm excited to see that the third series of The Expanse has just appeared on Amazon!

Love to know if you love 'shotgun' too. I read Nausea when I was about twenty. Loved it at the time, but probably had no idea what I was reading.