Happening Stuff.

The Gateway - my work in progress. This is, er, progressing!!.

My editor at Wild Child, Karen Frontain (bless her), reviewed the first full draft.
She didn't exactly shoot me but...

I was affronted, of course I was, and made various comments by email. Karen (cool lady) responded with a long and detailed explanation on where I had gone wrong (there were a huge number of issues).

So, now I have lots of work to do, but already I can see it improving. It will be ready later this year.

The Cost of Loyalty achieved another cool review. This time it was White Russian of Cocktail Reviews.

They said -

REVIEW:

Rob and Johnny are serving in the Vietnam war. Stuck in a filthy trench with rats for company, the pair discuss Johnny’s girlfriend, Georgie, to take their minds from the harsh reality they have been living.

Thoughts of back home do nothing for Johnny, as Georgie is serving with the Red Cross. They met on camp. Though they haven’t been to the movies or done the conventional courtship, they are a close couple.

A new assignment of soldiers arrives, and Johnny hears news that the place where Georgie works has suffered terrible losses. Unable to stay put, Johnny asks Rob to cover for him and he drives out to check if his girlfriend is okay.

Sad. Utterly sad. I cried my eyes out at one point.

Johnny, while returning back to his camp, has an accident and stumbles to a small house/shack.

A woman lets him in… Again, at the end of this scene the tears started again when Johnny gets to go to see a movie… Damn you, Mr. Foxx!

Rob, worried when his friend doesn’t return, finds himself in trouble with the Major. Johnny’s jeep has been found abandoned, and Rob decides he must go and find his friend.
Turning up at the same small shack as Johnny had, Rob finds out just where his friend has gone. His encounter with the woman had me on the edge of my seat. The story ends on a poignant note.

Favourite line:
That was when he cried.

Oh, me too! Pass me the tissues, please!

What an excellent read. I enjoyed this story very much. I learned something new about Vietnam and what it was like. The knowledge/research of this time is very prevalent while reading—an author who has taken the time to get the facts correct is refreshing.

Any more in the works, Mr. Foxx?