I applaud anyone who keeps a journal -whether its handwritten or typed.  I’m pretty good at blogging every day, and have tried keeping a handwritten journal but I always fail. I think we tend to be more truthful when it’s pen to paper, so I expect that Ashly Lorenzana  handwrote much of her true confessions – scattered journal entries she’s now published on Kindle as Sex, Drugs, & Being an Escort.

Ashly is an escort, offering her services on CraigsList before the threat of serial killers finding their victims there caused an uproar and the site shut that portion down. Much of her confessions involve her mother, whom she discovers is also an escort.  She moved to Portland to be closer to Mom, and that’s when she took up escorting.  Unfortunately, Ashly and her mom also have a taste for crystal meth. Therefore, the conflict at hand is pretty obvious.

Much of Ashly’s entries are spent worrying about Mom, getting high with Mom, or taking care of Mom because she’s not very responsible. At times, Ashly seems to be more mature but it appears a constant parade of faithful (and unfaithful) boyfriends come between mother and daughter.  If you choose to read this book, be prepared for the painful truth.  Ashly holds nothing back -when it comes to drug use and Mom.

Unfortunately, her confessions are a bit too scattered.  The reader finds Ashly obsessing a bit too much about Mom’s troubles or about how much her boyfriend loves her, and less time diving into the business of being an escort.  And face it, that’s why you are going to buy this, right?  America loves a good escort story or sex trade confessional, but we expect to get the goods if we are going to be a paying customer – on CraigsList or at Amazon.com.

Instead, Ashly teases us with just minute tidbits of information about “going to work.”  In fact, most of the time she dismisses “work” with just a chapter ending sentence.  Then, it’s back to Mom troubles, or car troubles, or boyfriend troubles, or drug troubles, and the process only repeats itself again and again.

“Sex” should not even be the first word in the title.  The phrase alone is a cliché by now, and for this book, it’s definitely a tease. What is in this book is definitely raw, and perhaps a bit too raw.  Picture yourself finding someone’s journal on the subway or bus and you begin to read.  You don’t know the person and therefore some of what you read might not make sense, but your mind wanders and can start to put the pieces together.

That’s the only problem with diary confessions that aren’t edited and pieced together in proper book form.  Some of the pieces are always going to be missing.

Again, I applaud Ashly for what she has done here and for putting herself out there, raw and exposed.  This is an interesting read, nonetheless.  But in the end, it’s gonna be a long night of just foreplay and your $1.99 is running out.

It took me awhile to warm up to This Night Wounds Time. Shawn Sutherland takes a look into the disappearances of two Texas teens on a night in 1988 in this very personal book. Sutherland attended the same High School a few years prior and had met one of the girls in passing shortly before their abduction. It took 20 years for the posters that blanketed the town of Carrollton Texas to spur him to action.

Unlike many books I’ve read, this wasn’t a vanity project or even done to make a profit. Sutherland is selling this book at cost simply to publicize the case and, hopefully, to re-energize the investigation. To me, this is a great use of self publishing. While he doesn’t turn up any new leads or solve the case, he does make a compelling case that perhaps not enough has been done to solve it.

As a bit of a synopsis, the case is still open as a missing persons case because the bodies of Stacie Madison and Susan Smalley have never been found. While they were well known and popular, they seemed to simply disappear into thin air on that fateful March night. Stacie’s Ford Mustang was found locked in the parking lot of a popular hangout and there was no sign of foul play. Their movements that night are hard to document and full of holes. Were they abducted by a scorned boyfriend and his brother? Did they meet up with some friends from Dallas? Or was it something else entirely? The problem remains simply that no one knows. Or more accurately, someone knows but isn’t saying.

The book is extremely well researched. Sutherland talked to virtually everyone associated with the case that would talk to him. This included parents, friends, police detectives, and even the most likely suspect, the ex-boyfriend of one of the girls. The book is liberally interspersed with pictures of the town, the girls, the car, and anything else that helps to illustrate what is being discussed. All references are painstakingly referenced.

So, if it’s such a noble cause and a well researched book, why was I slow to warm up to it? The formatting was a little distracting. Every few paragraphs gets its own subheading. The footnotes also get repetitive. There is not only a Preface, but also a three page list of acknowledgments and even an explanation of the Title (words on a King Crimson album cover) before the book gets going. As the book comes to an end, it has three chapters that could potentially be considered a conclusion. And in the middle is the somewhat formal, fact-based writing that is clearly Shawn’s writing style in his ‘day job’ in a legal field. This excerpt is pretty typical:

Accordingly, we must presume Stacie and Susan parked their car at the intersection of Webbs Chapel Road and Forest Lane in order to accept a ride from someone they knew to one degree or another.
In any event, based on the above assertions, the presumption can only be that the girls entered a vehicle owned by someone they knew. More than likely, they knew the driver of this car very well.

Once I got past these little quirks and indulgences, the story really was gripping and every parents’ worst nightmare. I can only imagine how my life would change if my teen were to go missing, with no explanation and no closure. Sutherland does take the time to detail the aftermath including how the families have dealt with it.

When everything was said and done, I was glad I had read the book and that Shawn Sutherland had written it. I got past my hang-ups with formatting and got drawn into the narrative. By the end, I was truly invested in the case and Sutherland had done his job. Even if you’re not a fan of true crime, you’ll find yourself trying to figure out ‘who done it.’

For years, I was a true crime buff.  I still possess more useless knowledge about some of America’s infamous serial killers than I care to admit to.  Give me a good “true” ghost story or A&E/ Travel Channel historical haunting feature or reality ghost hunting show and I’m glued to the television for hours. So, when Curt Rowlett approached us with his three books devoted to mysteries, murder, and the occult, I immediately wanted to read all of them!

Labrinth13 is my favorite of the three, and covers the subject matter of the other two books which I will discuss in this review as well. L13 is divided into three sections: Occult, Crime, and Conspiracy.  There is an outstanding introduction where Rowlett explains how this book was born out of a website he created by the same name to record his research while preserving his artistic integrity and capturing a reading audience.  Rowlett even goes into great detail to explain where the title came from, giving a nice explanation as to the fear behind the infamous number 13 while citing a long list of historical events and information related to 13 including classical composer Arnold Shonberg who suffered from triskaidekaphobia which is a fear of the number 13.  And he had a right to be afraid of it.  He was born on Friday the 13th, and died on Friday the 13th and 13 minutes before midnight!

Vampire fans will enjoy the first chapter of the Occult section where Rowlett explores the history of Bram Stoker’s Dracula and how Stoker might have also been inspired by unknown vampiric history that took place on American soil. This is based on newspaper clippings found in Stoker’s papers about a Rhode Island vampire named Mercy Lena Brown who might have inspired Stoker’s character named Lucy. Rowlett also covers werewolves in another chapter for those of you who enjoy lycanthropy over vampires.

Rowlett does an excellent job of weaving his research and theory into nice tight chapters that move at a decent pace, definitely keeping the reader interested, and also cause a few chills along the way.  Take this opening paragraph as an example, from the story about a strange visitor to Edgar Allan Poe’s grave:

For over 50 years since 1949, on the night marking the anniversary of Edgar Allan Poe’s birth, a mysterious man-in-black has entered the cemetery where the master of the macabre lies buried, and, making his way through the dark shadows to Poe’s grave, he places a partial bottle of expensive French cognac and three blood-red roses there, presumably as tokens of admiration and in tribute to the great author. This ritual completed, he then slips away into the night as quietly and as mysteriously as he came. The identity of this dark stranger — dubbed “The Poe Toaster” by observers — has never been revealed.

My favorite chapter in the Occult section is Chapter 8, where Rowlett covers several “uncanny occurrences” in small sections including an odd tale about Mary Shelley and her deceased husband’s heart, one about Mark Twain and a Ouija Board, and another coincidence concerning Poe and the unfortunate fate of a literary character and two different real life men all named Richard Parker. Writers will also enjoy the frightening tale about the creation of the Oxford English Dictionary and one man’s “insane” passion for words.

Part 2 of the book, Crime, starts off with an extensive piece about the Zodiac killer, followed by focus on Charles Manson, David Berkowitz, and the Process Church and what role Christianity and Satanism both played in bringing fear to America during the late 70s and early 80s.  Rowlett lays out some fascinating research on symbolism and how it also played an important role during this time.

Part 3 of the book, Conspiracy, begins with a bizarre look at how our government might have been involved in mind control and creating programmed assassins. Rowlett focuses on several well known gunman including Sirhan Sirhan, Lee Harvey Oswald (a favorite subject of mine in high school), James Earl Ray, and Mark David Chapman, pointing out their political ties, military background, and literary tastes. Rowlett also points out the odd rise of serial killers in the 1980s may have very well been “a stockpile of sleepers who woke up too early.”

Consider that for the most part, serial killers tend to prey on the so-called “undesirables” of society, such as prostitutes, drug addicts, homosexuals, and other targeted minorities of the ultra-right wing. (The FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit has stated that as many as 150 serial killers may be operating undetected in the United States). Serial killers, like mind-controlled sleepers, outwardly appear normal to the rest of the world, but also seem to be acting under a programmed obsession to kill, usually in the same way, over and over again, as if trying to fulfill some sort of mission that is echoing around in their heads.

I have to commend Rowlett on his research and attention to detail.  The notes, resources, and appendix of this book is well over 100 pages.

Rowlett’s book, Riding on Your Fears, is a 67 page essay and more extensive look into the Manson Family and the murders they committed.  Rowlett mentions Manson quite a bit in L13 and discusses in great detail the effect Manson might have had on the hippie movement.

Could Manson be considered a true counter-culture revolutionary? Was he a well-intentioned, but ultimately misunderstood guru whose followers took it upon themselves to murder for him? Or was he, as the prosecutor at his murder trial portrayed him, simply a crazed cult leader and career criminal? This book contends that Manson is a varied combination of all of those things.

Through research and interviews, Rowlett points out several mysteries behind Manson, his “family,” and the infamous murders he’s still known for today.Rowlett also discusses  several rumors and urban legends that have followed Manson over the years.

I have to admit I had never heard of Palmyra Island before reading Rowlett’s book, The Curse of Palmyra Island. It’s a small South Pacific atoll which is shrouded in mystery much like the Bermuda Triangle. It has a long history of strange events, supernatural occurrences, and murder. Much of Rowlett’s 72 page essay is featured in L13, but in this book Rowlett also covers the history of the island along with a map and beautiful illustrations.

Rowlett cites a book called And The Sea Will Tell which focuses on a sailing couple, Mac and Muff Graham, who were killed in 1974 on the island by another couple who were inhabiting it. Rowlett was later contacted by and given the chance to interview a lady named Sharon Jordan who actually discovered the remains of Muff Graham washed ashore on the island seven years later. Mac Graham’s remains have still not been found to this day.

When I see things like this in the news, or read of a murder in the newspaper, I’m always the one who questions everything and usually suspects the most bizarre and unusual thing to have happened. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading Curt Rowlett’s work because of my fascination with such stories.  He is truly a well versed student and expert of the supernatural and occult.

If you are a fan of such writing, theories, mysteries, and more, then you can visit Curt on the web and read more of his work at labyrinth13.com.

We did keyword searches for things like “apple pie” and “red, white, and blue.”  We read preview after preview, and finally narrowed the search down to 3 Lulu books which we believe best represent the type of book we were looking for.  So, here they are in no particular order. An American celebration of POD books…

Open America
by Kristin Abraham
Copyright: © 2007
$34.99 Paperback
$5.00 Ebook

In 2005 artist Abraham and her musician husband set out across the country determined to visit all 50 states, attempting to unite the country through art, a journey they called The Nomadic Project.  They worked out of their car and Abraham created a painting in each state to capture its essence and beauty.

This book is a collection of all 50 paintings accented with entries from her travel journal.  If you love a good coffee table book or you are a travel enthusiast, this book offers some nice insight to our beautiful country.  There are local backroads here you’ll want to see for yourself one day!

6333 Miles – A Strange Journey Through Small Town America
by Nico Ammann and Rebecca Barkin
Copyright: © 2008
$34.90 Hardcover
$9.90 E-Book
ISBN: 9780615206899

Yep, this is another travel story, but instead of all 50 states we are treated to the backroads of only 5 small towns across the southern US starting in Jerome, Arizona, going down to Luckenbach, Texas; then crossing over to New Orleans, up to Clarksdale, Mississippi, and ending in the outer banks of North Carolina.  This is a haunting travel log reminiscent of great southern lit geniuses such as Truman Capote and Flannery O’Connor, accompanied by odd angle photographs of the local sites and local folk.

I think I was drawn to this book, not just because of the brilliant cover depicting the familiar blinking arrow sign (often missing letters in the true south, if teenagers haven’t rearranged the letters to spell bad words), but because there is a part of me in this book.  Being from Tennessee, I know these places.  I know these people, and I know this dirt roads.  Just as the back cover suggests….bikers, bibles, and bad decisions.  With a touch of murder mystery, some downhome fried cooking, and those strange front porch banjo playing strangers who you are afraid to ask for directions, this book is a brilliant rebel flag waving farce.

4th of July Recipes
by Timm Miller
Copyright: © 2008
$6.95 E-Book

Besides sparklers and bottle rockets, the 4th of July for me as a kid meant barbecue and watermelon.  It wouldn’t be an American holiday without the food, right?  That’s why I’ve chosen Timm Miller’s 4th of July Recipes as my third “America” highlight.

There’s a nice history of Independence Day for an introduction, followed by Red, White, and Blue Pie, baby back ribs, macaroni salad, and much more, and that’s just in the preview.

Your picnic table will be overflowing with yummy treats and hot eats from this book.  Many of our holidays follow traditions.  Each of our families have their own when it comes to certain events, and many of those holidays and traditions would not be complete without certain comfort foods.  Miller does an excellent job of helping you to try new simple recipes, and maybe create some new traditions of you own.  Check out his bookstore for more of those cool 3D covers too!

So that’s it!  Yeah, these three books focus mainly on travel and food, but it doesn’t get more American than that, does it?

Many many years ago while living at home and in grade school, going with my parents to buy groceries on a Friday evening was a regular ritual. The last thing added to the shopping cart before we checked out was a copy of The National Enquirer. Amongst the celebrity gossip and tabloids, there were always one page stories with black and white sketches about “real life” survival: people being attacked by sharks or bears, being held captive by robbers or murderers, and stories of people being stranded in the harsh desert or cold frigid arctic.

The headlines weren’t like those Bigfoot sightings or alien abductions on the cover of the Weekly World News. These stories, true or not, could really happen and they sent my heart racing. Reading Darren G. Burton’s book, Real Life Dramas, brought back memories of those days when I would lie in the floor and read those horrific stories over and over. I couldn’t get enough! As I got older, true crime stories and psychological thrillers continued to capture my attention.

In Real Life Dramas, Burton has written nine captivating stories that will definitely make you hold your breath, and turn your knuckles white as you grip the pages tight in your hands. The foreword of the book claims these are indeed real life events that did take place with real people, which only makes the suspense in reading this book that more intense.

We begin with a story called “Mauled” about a surfer who escapes the clutches of death during a mad shark attack. Even Peter Benchley would be afraid of the water after reading this story! Next is “Captive,” and it will definitely have you checking over your shoulder to see if anyone is watching. A teenage girl is taken hostage while walking home from work late at night. The agonizing terror and thoughts of what will happen to her overcome her mind, and the reader goes on a step by step journey with the poor girl as she tries to escape her captor.

Next is a very short story called “Shallow Grave.” It begins with a woman out for a stroll with her beloved dog. I immediately had thoughts of some sort of avalanche or mud slide happening and the lady being buried alive. I was wrong. Instead, the woman is thrown into a very traumatic situation when her dog discovers the decomposing bodies of two dead boys.

I have to admit that Burton definitely knows what strings to pull. His stories are not written in typical reporter style. They are totally unpredictable, and each will take you on a horrifying journey that will probably keep you up at night or haunt your dreams when sleep does finally come. You’ll be thinking about each of these tales long after you’ve turned the last page.

Next is the story of a couple and how they and their home survive a forest fire, followed by a man who gets attacked by thugs after leaving a club one night. These two stories may not seem as horrific as the ones mentioned earlier, but what makes them just as extreme is how the author builds up to the climactic moment. On each page, the author puts the reader right there in the real life scenario. We are with the central character as they enjoy surfing, or as they are walking home at night, or leaving a club after a game of pool. The sudden and unpredictable events that are waiting for them just a few minutes ahead are as much as a surprise to the reader as they are to the person in the story.

For those who enjoy a good true-life thrill or can appreciate or relate to an amazing tale of survival, you will definitely want to read Darren Burton’s first volume of Real Life Dramas. I certainly look forward to the next!