From the Bookshelf of Bloggers…

[close] Tony Johnson is soon to graduate from much more than high school. Although his zip code places him in a Bronx tenement pre “rise of Obama”, his sights are set far beyond the trappings of a humble upbringing. Collegiate dreams and dating a white classmate put him strongly at odds with his father. His brother C.J.’s rebellious ways place him in danger on gang ruled streets and the chastity of their sister Tanya is lost, but Tony incurs the majority of wrath for the sins of ambition, loving blindly, and unrestrained optimism. When Lionel Johnson’s job and role as primary breadwinner are lost, his authority erodes and bitterness is dealt with one drink at a time. Tony asserts his independence rather than allowing his fate to be set by chance and circumstance. But throughout the course of Roy Pickering's engrossing debut novel PATCHES OF GREY, Tony learns that the world is not as black and white as he and his father's opposing mind sets suggest. Available at Amazon.com.

"Pickering's style is fluid and crisp. There's a certain clarity to the prose that's considered and well judged - just enough to paint the picture and more than enough to drive along the narrative."
- Khome (UnheardWords.com)