Complete submersion is what usually happens when I start a new book and especially a new book series. Flashback to the Dragon is the first book in the Flashback series written by local author Terri L Powers. The book has a quick pace that allows for a swift read. Flashback to the Dragon is a book written in the suspense/thriller genre. The main character, a detective Nate Cliffton is on hunt for a serial killer, dubbed the “Monroe Killer” by the press. The killer has a fondness for women that Read more [...]

Somehow the fates have smiled upon you. Much like in Slumdog Millionaire (Slumdog Millionaire: A Novel $16), you’ve defied seemingly insurmountable odds and have made it to the final question on, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? What’s more, you have all three lifelines. The question, “What is love?” The four choices pop-up on the screen. Your first reaction is an irrepressible ear-to-ear grin. Almost instantly, your glee morphs into your second reaction: terror! Wisely, you decide to use Read more [...]

There’s an old joke that goes like this: The world is divided into two groups of people — those who divide the world into two groups and those who don’t. That said, there are two groups of people in the world — those who see the meaning of Christmas through a Charles Dickens lens (A Christmas Carol, $4.99) and those who see the meaning of Christmas through a Charles Shultz lens (A Charlie Brown Christmas, $4.95). Me? Dickens is awesome, but come-on, I’ll take a good Linus soliloquy over Read more [...]

“Autumn is a second spring where every leaf is a flower.” - Albert Camus Really, Camus? Really? If you wanna’ get all existential about autumn, how about, “Autumn is about rain and raking leaves. Autumn is about going back to school. Autumn is about the stark reminder that winter is within a meteorologist’s snowball’s throw.” Hurray, it’s the autumn of our years! Oh, autumn also gives us football, harvest (and the really good seasonal brews), inspired poetry and more creative Read more [...]

Check out some favorites, top ten at a time. In 1974 my brother had the chicken pox. In a rare display of generosity, my brother gave me a large handful of his chicken pox virus. While I’m not quite ready to forgive him for sharing his cooties, I do owe him a little bit of gratitude. You see, since our health plan didn’t include leaches or bloodletting, I was placed in isolated quarantine (bedridden) for the next 10 days. So as to avoid my contagions, my parents bought me a copy of the 1974 Read more [...]

So, let me get this straight: you are asking me to recommend books (I am a bookstore owner) for Father’s Day (I am a father). Seriously? Are you going to ask me to watch the cookie jar, too? Want me to sample some new Michigan microbrew beers, maybe? See if the new corporate credit card works at Lamai’s Thai restaurant? Honestly, this might be my favorite writing assignment ever! For the sake of this exercise, let’s assume that this is more than a Christmas-in-June wish list for my kids Read more [...]

At last — spring has sprung! The birds are singing (Birds of Michigan Field Guide, Second Edition by Stan Tekiela- $12.95), the sun is shining (The Healing Sun by Richard Hobday- $15.95) and a man’s heart turns to love (The Princess Bride by William Goldman, $8.95) his soul to nature (Walden, Or, Life in the Woods by Henry David Thoreau, $3.50) and his attention to the emerald green diamonds of Comerica or Cooley Law School Stadium (Men at Work: The Craft of Baseball by George Will, $14.99). With Read more [...]

When my kids were younger and more inclined to listen to me, I’d try to impart to them some impressive pearls of wisdom. “Hey kids,” I would say, “sports offers a metaphor for practically everything.” And, “Never try to compete in someone else’s arena.” For this month’s article, I am Ndamukong Suh at a Lansing Country Club cotillion. If you are going to judge me on this article, please do so on effort — not outcome! Love and Romance In 10th grade, I read Love Story by Erich Read more [...]

Well, welcome to 2012! Welcome to what mystical Mayans and wise men have prophesized might just be our last year of existence. Seeing as how we have already frittered away the first few days of this red-letter year (and how we might be getting cheated back-end out of another 10 days), let’s hit this list running (or jogging, walking, lopping or dragging)! As a card-carrying member of the first videogame generation (don’t ask to see said card — it’s virtual), I have been spoiled by the Read more [...]

Bah humbug! What, too soon? Sorry. With the holidays just a good stone’s throw away, I guess that I was just getting into the spirit-of-the-season. Okay, maybe the whole “humbug” thing was a bit much, but the “bah” was sincere. You see, I love the holiday season, (at least the being-with-family and the goodwill-to-all people and the soy-nog stuff), but I hate the way that whole thing has been co-opted by marketers, cynics and bookstore owners! And while I can do little to affect the Read more [...]

According to the TV shows that I watched growing-up, finding work was easy. Your options were limited only by your spunkiness and the imagination of your writers. If you could fling your hat just-so into the air, you’d be a fine local news producer. You could be a compassionate (and passionate) nurse in Korea. You could be a private eye. Heck, if you could wink your eye and twitch your nose, you could be a stay-at-home witch! Unfortunately, our new economy (and cadre of current TV shows) has limited Read more [...]

The other day a friend made the horrible mistake of asking me what was new. “Wow,” I thought. “Where to begin?” And then it hit me: I’ve been running 100 miles an hour in 100 different directions for heaven knows how long and I had no idea what was new. I was tired (that wasn’t new) and out-of-focus (not new since 1964) and I didn’t know what to share. That should give you a bit of insight into why twice a year, I intentionally pause to reflect. Every Jan. 1 (yes, I can be cliché) Read more [...]