Welcomes and introductions

[Kimberly]

Charlene wrote: "Thanks, Algernon. I'm trying! :)"

Yay! I found the Sept. poll!!!

[Char]

YAY! :)

[Hunter]

Thanks, Charlene! Lou made me a moderator last year, but between the McCammon website, FB page, Twitter, other pages, and Real Work, I just haven't had time to moderate anything here. So thanks for taking the reins!

Hunter

[Char]

I know you're busy, Hunter! I am too, but I thought I could at least give a temporary hand here.

[Lou]

Hunter thanks for all your efforts and posts, you have been doing a great deal of work on here, all in the good cause of supporting a writer we love to read.

[Joanne]

Lou wrote: "Hunter thanks for all your efforts and posts, you have been doing a great deal of work on here, all in the good cause of supporting a writer we love to read."

and we really apprecicate it :)

[Char]

Yes, thank you Hunter!

[Edward]

Yay, Hunter and Charlene in one place at the same time! In the immortal words of Wayne and Garth, "I'm not worthy!"

Hi all, my name is Ed and I have been a huge McCammon fan since I read "Bethany's Sin" in the early 80's. I hope I can add something to the discussions. It is great to meet you all.

[Char]

Hey, ED!!!
I'm so happy to see you here. :)
If you want to participate in the voting for next month's read, the poll is at the bottom of our home page. :)
I really am glad to see you.

[Hunter]

Aw, shucks.... ;-) Thanks, Ed!

Hunter

[Char]

The poll is up for November's group read! Scroll down to the bottom of this group's home page and vote for your choice!
(The ballot did go out last week to all members and one book is pulling ahead so far!_

[Chad]

Hello all. Found this group today, looking forward to interacting with fellow McCammon readers. Read my first McCammon novel, They Thirst, back in the early 80s when I was in junior high school. Love Swan Song, Stinger, and Mystery Walk. Is Usher's Passing the novel for November?

[Hunter]

Welcome, Chad!

Yes, Usher's Passing is November's group read.

Hunter

[Maribeth]

Welcome Chad.

[Chad]

Thanks for the welcome, Maribeth and Hunter. Started Usher's Passing this weekend and already love it. McCammon knows how to create a setting I can jump right into, and characters that make me care about them. Have wanted to read this book for a long time, friend of mine (one of the few I know who even knows who Robert McCammon is) said it was one of the scariest books he's read. Lookin' forward to it!

[Char]

Hello and welcome, Chad!!
Goodreads didn't notify me of this post, I'm sorry I wasn't here to greet you. :)

I look forward to your participation in our reading of Usher's Passing! I think you will like it a lot.

[Chad]

Thanks, Charlene. Are you the moderator? How long has this group been 'meeting'?

[Char]

Chad, I've only been a moderator here for the last few months. But I have been a member since the group began a few years back, I think it was.

Hunter up there is Robert McCammon's Webmaster...he may have been here longer than I have and is quite knowledgeable about all things McCammon related. :)

Isn't it sad that so many people are unaware of this marvelous author and his even more marvelous works? I mean, really, Boy's Life is such a masterpiece all by itself, not even counting all the other great books he has written.

[Chad]

Charlene wrote: "Chad, I've only been a moderator here for the last few months. But I have been a member since the group began a few years back, I think it was.

Hunter up there is Robert McCammon's Webmaster...he..."

Charlene, thanks for the info on Hunter. It is sad that a lot of my friends who love to read have never read McCammon. Everyone who loves reading needs to read Boy's Life. And everyone who enjoys horror or suspense or dark stories needs to read everything else by him. His characters are unbelievable--which is to say they are completely believable--and I usually find myself weeping by the end of his books as I've become so immersed in the lives of the characters.

[Char]

That was beautifully said. I have done the same over some of his books. :)

His characters come to life and they're realistic and oh so human. It is easy to relate to them.

[Kate]

Hi everyone, I'm Kate and I only discovered Robert McCammons work this year. I read Boy's Life which is easily my favourite book for 2013, it'll take a lot to top it. I'm reading Blue World at the moment and plan to read several more next year, one of my goals for 2014 will be to read Swan Song.

[Kate]

Thank you to Charlene for suggesting I come over and join in the Blue World discussion. :D

[Hunter]

Welcome, Kate! You have a lot of great reading ahead of you! 8-)

Hunter

[Kate]

Thanks, Hunter. I'm thrilled I've got so many of his books to 'discover'. :D

[Char]

I'm psyched to see you here, Kate! Welcome! :)

[Maribeth]

Welcome Kate. Swan Song is my favorite.

[Chad]

Welcome, Kate. Swan Song is a great read. You'll find McCammon's works to be a treasure trove of great reading. Help spread the word about this talented author who doesn't get anywhere near the attention he should be getting!

[Kate]

Thanks for the welcome, guys. I hope I'll be getting lots of recs from you all. ;)

[Kenneth]

Hey all. I'm Ken and even though I cut my horror reading teeth in junior high by reading Stephen King, it was branching out and discovering McCammon's Swan Song that led me to finding my reading soul. I'm sure some of it was due to my being 16 at the time. But never had a book affected me so deeply. I simply couldn't put it down and never wanted to see roller coaster ride come to and end. The character development was amazing. It was as if I'd known Swan, Josh, Sister, and Roland my whole life. I was hooked and have read (or is it devoured) most everything that McCammon has written. My favorites are Swan Song, Boy's Life, Nightcrawlers, Wolf's Hour and Ushers Passing.

[A.R.]

Hi, everyone. I'm an up-and-coming horror author myself, so I can't wait to discover this legendary writer. I thought I'd start with his first book, Baal, but I'll try to read the book you're all reading, too.

[Algernon (Darth Anyan)]

welcome Ken and A.R. : fresh blood for 2014. We'll have a horror-fest this year, I hope.

[A.R.]

Thanks! A horror-fest sounds great.

[Char]

Welcome, Ken and A.R.! We are so happy to have you here!

I love to hear about how people discovered McCammon and what their first books were. It's amazing how they can affect people for years.

Ken, I too felt like Swan, Sister and Josh were part of my family. :)

[Chad]

Welcome Ken, and A.R. Ken, I too started my reading life (after Dick and Jane story books in elementary school) by reading Stephen King in junior high. Started with The Stand (what a place to start!) and fell in love with horror. They Thirst was my first time with McCammon and have loved his stuff ever since.

A.R., I too am a future horror novelist (just finished my first one, waiting for feedback from beta readers before I upload it to Kindle), and I think you'll enjoy McCammon's writing. I highly recommend the book we're reading now, The Five (though, I'm only half-way through it, but love it!) along with Boy's Life (not really horror, but a classic story by McCammon), Swan Song, Stinger (straight out horror), Usher's Passing.

[Chad]

Hey all, if you've never read Christopher Golden, you owe it to yourself to do so. Please check him out, as, like McCammon, I don't think he gets the recognition he deserves. I highly recommend Strangewood, Straight on 'Til Morning, and Myth Hunters (first in The Veil trilogy, I've not yet read the other two books).

OK. Commercial over. Pardon the indulgence.

[A.R.]

Thanks, Charlene and Chad. I'll check out Christopher Golden.

[Char]

I read Strangewood and enjoyed it. I will add those other two to my TBR. Thanks for the info, Chad.

[Chad]

Charlene, how long ago did you read Strangewood?

[Addy]

Hey all! I see these posts on my updates and figured I should join as I have six or so Mccammon books id like to read. Most, I've been lucky to find as paperback copies. The only Mccammon books I've read are Boys Life and Swan Song, both, amazing books! I recently found Blue World and had to get it, but I see I missed that group read. Hear alot of good things about that one.

[Hunter]

Welcome, Addy!

[Chad]

Welcome, Addy. Wow. If you had to choose only two books so far to read of McCammon's, Boy's Life and Swan Song are the ones to pick!

[Char]

Chad wrote: "Charlene, how long ago did you read Strangewood?"

Chad, maybe a few months ago.

[Char]

Addy wrote: "Hey all! I see these posts on my updates and figured I should join as I have six or so Mccammon books id like to read. Most, I've been lucky to find as paperback copies. The only Mccammon books I'v..."

Hey, Addy!! It's awesome to see you here! I hope you can join us in one of our group reads soon. :)

[Addy]

I would love to Charlene! Thanks for the warm welcome everyone:)

[A.R.]

Hi and welcome, Addy.

[A.R.]

Baal and The Five are great starting places.

[Kate]

Hi Addy. :D

[A.R.]

The old books are the best place to start. I saw you're reading some killer authors on your Goodreads page.

[Addy]

Hi Kate! Like who A.R.?

[Joanne]

Chad wrote: "Hey all, if you've never read Christopher Golden, you owe it to yourself to do so. Please check him out, as, like McCammon, I don't think he gets the recognition he deserves. I highly recommend Str..."

hey Chad - I am also a fan of Christopher Golden -I believe I made Charlene read Strangewood :)