The Sunday Post, Issue #281
Table of Contents
The Editorial
Last night, I experienced the kind of sleep that dreams are made of—a deep, delicious slumber that whisked me away before the clock struck 7:00 PM. Now, before you jump to conclusions, let me assure you: this is not an aging issue; I was just utterly spent after a whirlwind of a week. My mother is back from the hospital, thank goodness, and her new medications seem to be coming through—fingers crossed she’s on the mend. It’s her heart that’s playing the villain in this ongoing saga. You could say it runs in the family; my grandfather tragically departed just shy of his 55th birthday. I vividly remember that fateful June day. I was a couple of months away from thirteen, and I had dropped by early to spend the day with my grandmother, lost in the world of movies inside their cozy new house trailer out in the country.
That day started like any other until my grandfather grabbed his lunchbox, walked outside to his truck, and waved goodbye. That wave was the last connection we ever had. Less than an hour later, we received a call from his boss: “He’s not breathing.” My heart dropped. An ambulance was called, and I felt the beginnings of a heartache so profound I couldn’t fathom it. My grandmother instantly spiraled into one of her "mental spells" upon hearing the news. I was just a shy twelve-year-old introvert, unable to cope with the chaos around me. I had to muster the courage to reach out to a now-former uncle, who broke the news to my aunt. Little white lies were my only ammunition in preserving some semblance of calm. When my aunt arrived, she stepped in with the commanding presence of someone who had to take charge of a situation that was far too overwhelming for me.
Anyway, my mother really needs to take it easy now.
On the Reading Block
If I’m being honest, I have more books piled up on my reading block than I know what to do with. Today, I plan to read The Whistler by Nick Medina, and you can expect my thoughts to hit the screen tomorrow. Following that, Don’t Say a Word by Allison Brennan, Bloodline of Redemption by Brian Dickinson, Silenced by Diana Rodriguez Wallach, and The Rustler Hunter by R.J. Sloane will follow suit, with reviews gracing the page the day after each read. These are the ARCs I snagged through BookSirens and NetGalley.
Today also holds a special treat: I’ll finally indulge in The Girl on the Porch by Richard Chizmar—a book I was itching to start last night but was rendered unconscious by my early bedtime. A friend generously handed it to me as a late birthday gift, alongside Hungry Hill by Daphne du Maurier. And as if that weren't enough, someone sent me a Halloween II bookmark straight from Amazon wish list heaven—most likely the same thoughtful friend. It seems I’m falling ever further behind on my emails; tackling that is on my to-do list for the afternoon.
Before my mother’s second stay in the hospital, my parents gifted me The End of the World as We Know It, a hefty tome filled with new stories set in the eerie world of Stephen King's The Stand. While King himself doesn’t pen any of the tales, he does offer a brief introduction that echoes through the pages. Edited by Christopher Golden and Brian Keene, it’s packed with shorts from an impressive lineup of horror authors. This one’s slated for my November read, and I can hardly wait.
And let's not forget my ongoing duel with the books for the 31 Reads of Terror challenge. I haven’t penned any reviews yet, but rest assured, I’m accumulating notes like a squirrel hoarding acorns for winter. At this rate, I’ll start writing any day now. Knock on wood!
Fresh Off the Press
Last week was nothing short of a literary miracle. I actually managed to write all my reviews on their designated postdates, which, given everything that’s been swirling in my life, is a small victory worth celebrating. You can find my musings on Beverly Lewis's The Christmas House, Jack Du Brul's The Iron Storm, the Blu-ray release of Jurassic World Rebirth, Kosoko Jackson's The Macabre, and Robert J. Randisi's The Gambler's Texas Bluff.
Oh, and let’s not overlook the Friday 56—this week, it featured a tantalizing snippet from The Girl on the Porch.
Some Final Thoughts
It seems the scales have taken a rather mischievous turn; my last weigh-in wasn’t the significant loss I had hoped for, despite my best efforts to stick to a strict diet. Tomorrow morning, I plan to kick it into high gear with a robust workout routine. Wish me luck—though honestly, luck may not be necessary. My mind is clear, and psychologically, I feel prepared. My body is practically buzzing with energy since that 15-pound drop, as if it knows I have a lot to tackle today. So, I’d better hit "publish" on this post and get rolling. Adventure awaits!
〜B.J. Burgess
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