Gone to Ground: My review

Title: Gone to Ground

Author:  Brandilyn Collins

ISBN: 9781433671630

Publisher: B&H Books

Cherrie Mae is an about to find out some shocking and disturbing news about the Mayor of a small town. While cleaning the Mayor’s study she finds a file containing some graphic pictures that will send chills down her spine and fear in the hearts of anyone living in Amaryllis a small town in Mississippi. Written from the point of view of three specific characters, each telling her own version of what they think happened to six women brutally murdered and stuffed inside their own closet after the killer was done with them, this is one story that will haunt you for quite some time. Two white women and one black housekeeper will tell the story in their own way in their own distinct dialect. One serial killer is going around killing women and each of these women thinks she knows whom the murderer might be. One thinks its her own husband, another her brother and the third a prominent man. Just who this diabolical killer is remains to be seen. But, first we need to read further and unfold some basic facts.

 Deena is a hairdresser and presents her own take on the events as her brother arrives at her home covered in blood. Angered easily and not extremely bright, she fears he just have killed victim number 6 Erika Hollinger.  Tully is married to Michael who had an affair with Erika and the events described in her own words might lead the reader to think he is the guilty party. Finally, just what did Cherrie Mae find in the Mayor’s house that might point the finger at him? Five women stabbed to death with a knife in their neck and stuffed in their bedroom closets. A definite MO of this killer as the sixth if found. Then the author goes back to Cherrie Mae who has to decide what she is going to do next. All three women having some item of memento of that night when Erika as killed. Cherrie touched her ring; Tully two cotton swabs stained in blood and Deena a uniform. Who was the ghost that guarded the cemetery and greeted the mourners? Gone to Ground seen above the stones. Eerie and bone chilling to say the least.

One relentless reporter named Trent Williams will do anything to find out what really happened in this town Gone To Ground and turned upside down. Writing the article, getting the Pulitzer for it and questioning the three women he hoped to get something to not only help the police but for his paper too.

The women get together and learn from each other that all three men have a motive to have murdered this last victim. Together they try to figure out who the real killer is. Imagine that this killer lives among the people in this small town and is one of their friends hiding in very plain sight. Cherrie Mae’s children want her to come live with them. Tully is stuck in a definite rut with Mike and Deena could run away from it all with Trent. Throughout the novel the author shares Trent’s upfront and up close thoughts about the murders, the history of the town, the cemetery’s resident ghost and the people who live there including the Chief of Police. Arresting Deena’s brother on circumstantial evidence insights her and draws action from not only Deena to defend Stevie but Trent too. But, why won’t they ask for help from the State Police? What are they hiding or afraid of?

When all of the pieces come into place Cherrie, Deena and Tully are going together and discuss the case and what they all know. Gathered together they shared information that would send a chain of events in motion to hopefully catch a killer. One woman will do everything to defend her brother while another is afraid of the wrath and abuse of her husband and one woman named Cherrie will not give up until the right person is caught. Remember the Amaryllis is a flower, which is poisonous almost like what goes on in this town. The end result you won’t figure out and who the killer was well that is quite interesting. The Mayor is confronted by Cherrie Mae his wife thinks she betrayed them and the whole town finds out the unbelievable truth about a killer that was hiding right in plain sight. Gone to Ground is a mystery thriller that will not only keep you guessing until the last page is turned but will let you know what happens when on author creates three tough women who won’t stop until justice is served. This is a must read.

Fran Lewis: Reviewer 

Live Like a Window: Work Like A MIrror: My review

Open your mind and thoughts to a new way of viewing the word and creating your own understanding of the higher levels of consciousness called enlightenment. A window can have many panes that we look through with the images that are seen beyond it as we look through the glass at the outside world painting different images for each person. Take those same images and place them within the glass of a mirror and the images reflected will be quite different as the reflections of a person’s face or life changes with time so will the level of consciousness or enlightenment change within that mirror or panes of glass that will eventually help you to “Work like a mirror,” and “ Live like a window that when opened leads you to vast opportunities you never knew existed before.

Instinct is something we all have or hope we have. It is being able to understand certain innate thoughts or actions from birth or “Witness consciousness at work as the involuntary “knowing”. When a bird migrates at just the right time or even a simple blade of grass turns toward the sun. When a person slips out of one state and into another whether during an operation or in a coma these are different levels of consciousness. In other words, these abilities that the author defines as “Habitual behavior,” are produced or acted upon as “ unconscious behaviors after thoughtful deliberation as conscious behavior.” For example, a person lighting a cigarette when stress does it without thinking or fights that started within families years ago and no one remembers why but the hate and fight linger one in the present. Before creation and the introduction of time and space according to the author no relationships existed or were possible. “Enlightened awareness and expressing it is why we are here,” as author Mark C. Brown. PH.D. takes us on a journey to helping everyone find his or her own inner peace.

Creating is where the author begins. He takes he reader on the many areas and definitions of Creation consciousness including the form of instinctive sexual attraction, and the part evolution plays. He moves on to cycles, materiality, the self and ego leading up to the second chapter Higher Consciousness. He begins by explaining the idea that like the blades of grass in a lawn people are not as unique as they think they are. Comparing the leaf or blade to an entire tree or being part of a whole lawn or in our case an entire family unit is what makes us feel like an individual. He continues by explaining how evolution comes into play even further and the definition of “rule of existence.” A great example given on page 28 states that it does not matter what religion you are or whether or you a conservative or liberal, it is what we feel is unique about us, which is what others like our neighbors feel is unique about them, too. Elaborating on this statement even further and how evolution is the pathway by which “ consciousness has progressed from the first molecule to the complex human mind where we locate our sense of self. The chapter then moves to a discussion about God, religions and how they continue to be our direct route “ to the reigning deity,” followed by the inclusions of ego, awakening and Eros. This is another basic motivating force in reproduction and survival. It is desire that has great influence as fear in “Ego’s efforts to promote the self.” He asks the reader to remember the first time you fell in love and that the mirror would reflect a smile, a sigh and in many of us a faraway gaze or something else. What do you think?

Defining higher awareness as the place “ on the awareness continuum where we recognize the influence of Ego, desire and all the elements” comprising our identities and how we work within the framework of the world. Reminding everyone the importance of cycling and how it is necessary to the development of consciousness in present time as in creature leading to the future. Going back in time and revisiting our past or second cycle is important in order to learn and remember where we come from. Finally he discusses the third cycle and cycling back in order to learn where we are in the present. Life is really one huge observation and by looking at yourself in the glass of a mirror we hope to realize that we do not always need context and how to step out of it. Followed by personal journeys beginning with Siddhartha.  Stepping out of his comfort zone and realizing that he might we missing out on life itself he decides to leave the compound and safety of his parent’s home and protection to find his own way in the world. Opening his eyes to the world and the many possibilities he realized that he need to break away from tradition and his parent’s way of life. Going out on his own he learned many things and became quite disillusioned as he sought his own students and followers.

Next he explains Eternity Consciousness and how a person can do two seemingly incongruent things at once in other words you are a participant in an activity and het your observe yourself in that activity and action having no sense of fear, desire, need, judgment or goal as the preferred outcome. He continues by giving an example of how you can let events in life happen and living live like a window letting things happen, flow and blow out through the open pane of your window hoping that you will be able to work like a mirror by focusing on your, your friends, workers, family and hoping that you can help that deal with their own noises and commotions in life. Imagine handling situations in a calm way and not overreacting and getting something as two animals apart in a smooth and effective way. There are no emotional upheavals, letdowns and no distress to deal with or come back from. You just did what had to be done, intervened sorted out the situation and then moved on as if the entire situation never happened. Interesting to say the least! But, as the author goes on to describes the incident between the dog and the kitten you learn that you were part of the situation and handled it but you watched it happen and unfold as if you were a disinterested party. Later one you realize that you cannot state or describe what you witnessed. This is called as he states “Witness Consciousness.” He sites many other examples that the reader can read for himself or herself as you take the journey to enlightenment along with this reviewer.

Sharing his views and thoughts on how we can reduce mental and emotional stress that we all endure everyday in our lives, dealing with money factors, jobs, pressures and just plain family life, he hopes that after reading his book, Live Like A Window, Work Like A Mirror you will understand how we view life and change the way you deal with stress.

He explains why things happen, how we deal with bad things and how we can find a way to release our stress, deal with other people and hopefully find unconditional love. Mediation, highly effective therapy for this stress related feelings and situations are all described in this book. How many people do you know that just as we say Go with the Flow and never let things get to them? Can you imagine being that kind of a person? He describes this in detail in the section titled Like A Window. It means that you do not try and control the outcome of a situation, or fight the inevitable and you are at peace with whatever happens. The rest you need to read pages 80-83 to learn for yourself and continue with non-attraction. We move to the second section the definition of Eternity Consciousness, the Quiet Mind and leading up to living eternally everyday.

Equanimity: all thoughts and emotions have the same impact on awareness meaning: none at all. Can you deal with situations without feeling any form of emptiness, no distractions, no need or desire that you are missing something and hopefully no discontent, which will help you, achieve a quiet mind. The rest you need to read as the author continues by helping the reader understand how all-mental states that cycle through our conscious are transient. The author continues with his definition of enlightenment on page 101: Enlightenment is consciousness escaping the gravitational field of Ego. The explanation follows and how we can become window-like and practice eternity consciousness as the path to our most evolved state is reflected and explained in this section titled Meditation. How can we achieve this pure-observer status: Meditation. It is described in detail and how the process works on pages 102-110. 

He concludes by explaining how we can put cycling to use. Special cycling issues are included: finding, identifying and altering what cycles through our minds is difficult to do even under the best conditions or circumstances. Dealing with addictions, how to rid you of them, drug and food addictions are described as well as many disorders are included in this section as the author explains how to deal with them. At the end of the journey we come to Living Eternally preceded by relationships which focuses on becoming mirror like. What does this mean? Simply: looking at a spouse, parent or anyone not by what role they play but as whom they are. It means reflecting him/her as the individual he/she is and “Promoting their autonomy in the process.” The chapter concludes with a discussion of tranquility, humility, non-attachment and unconditional love. How do you find Eternal Consciousness? Read the book and find the meaning for yourself. Try and look at situations and instead of having to have your own personal significance focus your awareness on “ the highly evolved billions of years old progression of consciousness and then ask yourself: Can I do better than that?

This book will help the reader understand how to deal with everyday stress; your own feelings towards yourself and how to work like a mirror and live like a window. Let the bad things flow out of the window and let the strong wind take away the bad and be gone. Mirrors are made to help deal with reflections and if you look real hard and real close you just might see a true difference in yourself. An interesting book which is very thought provoking and really makes the reader look deep within himself/herself to find their inner you and let go of the baggage we all have weighing us down.

Fran Lewis: reviewer 

TOLD FROM THE HEART

TOLD FROM THE HEART

Coma Sins

Enter the world of Ben Bluman: AT YOUR OWN RISK: THIS IS REALLY GREAT !

Ben Bluman has created a world within his own mind so diabolical, so horrific and definitely destructive. But, is this world his own form of reality? Is this a world that he created out of the visions, voices and fears that engulfed him on a daily basis? Did Ben Bluman fall prey to an attacker or did he really have an accident causing him to live on the edge of reality? Ben is in a coma. Enter the mind of this man and decide for yourself: Mentally insane, schizophrenic, psychopathic, sociopathic or all of them. You decide. Meet Ben Bluman: Would you want him for a friend?

Just how far will two cops go to cover up a murder? Just how far will the killer go to get even before it is too late for him? Two cops never saw it coming and what happens next only authors Steven Nedelton and Joseph Parente could have created in a plot so diabolical and so terrifying you won’t be able to close your eyes and dream. Coma Sins, The Madness of Ben Bluman, the one book that will definitely give you nightmares and make you think twice before closing your eyes.

Ben Bluman is in a coma. Ben is about to relive more than just his life as we take a look deep into his thoughts, mind and actions. As we meet Ben for the first time he is about to be offered the job of a lifetime in a small and rising company. Ben is hired, on the spot, as CFO and Vice President. Salary really not what he expected but explained as the rise to success would take time and effort proving himself to those in charge. Let’s meet the players of this cutthroat company. We have Bob Janklaw the owner and James Sims the employment manager. Each of these men’s roles is quite unique and different yet if you look closely one is almost what you might call a figurehead. Mary White is Bob’s assistant and the brains of the operation or shall we say she steers him in the right direction since he wouldn’t know which way to go without her. Next, Fred, his stepson gives our Ben the inside scoop on everything. What he reveals about the company is confidential and stays within the mind of Ben and cannot be shared at this time. The setting of this intricate novel is ICU at St. Bernard’s Hospital in Chicago and the year is 1982. Ben’s dreams are quite graphic and the reader is led inside his inner most thoughts, fears and his work place. As we meet the office staff, the bosses and the assistants we begin to wonder exactly what this company really does and what other hidden secrets lie behind the closed doors. Marie White is his go between and the boss’s assistant. Just how powerful is she and what does she stand to gain? When Mike Rich is found dead on Lake Street everyone in the company is information but business as usual continues as if nothing happened.

The author takes us back to the Days Inn and Ben Bluman’s thoughts. He becomes paranoid, hears voices that tell him to take down and kill the people he works with. So, why would some of them wind up dead? What happens when Ben decides to enlighten the spouses of some of the company executives and why do some wind up like Mike Rich? Voices in his head directing his actions or trying to control his actions as Ben and the authors let the reader know that sometimes what we think within our subconscious mind just might be true or come true. But, is what we hear and learn his reality, reality in itself or something else? Crossing this man can prove to be more than just dangerous. Marie White learns the hard way and will many others.

Many would wind up dead before all is said and done. Those that cross his path and defy others will pay a high price. Some will go because the voices are telling him what to do. While he appears to be sleeping Ben sees himself in many different places carrying out the anger he possess against those he works for, thinks are doing the wrong thing and hopes to deplete the world of all of them. Changes in the regime at work and lives ruined and one man just smiles and sits back, dreams or just lets it happen or did it? As the author flashes back to 1971 and a government experiment that our patient, called Peter Smith is now a part of as well as the doctors at this hospital. Sent to a clinic and then given experimental drugs we find Peter Smith using many new names, doing many jobs and eventually back in his bed in Chicago when the plot fast forwards again. One man committed many sins and although he might be in a coma he is managing to relive all of the evils he has done to so many. Just how he got there and what happened at Ridgewood Clinic is in the patient files and cannot be revealed.

When Ben finally wakes up and tries to reenter the world we learn more about the deceits, lies and dangerous experiments that he has been exposed to and the reader is a witness to the rage, anger and the fear he encountered within himself and the outcome will send chills down the reader’s spine and make you wonder just what really goes on inside these clinics, what experiments are being done and who is Ben Bluman? Author Joseph Parente takes us through the second half of the book and Ben’s actions, his jobs, his lies and the final outcome. What happens when someone has untreated schizophrenia? What happens when the rage sets in and the tragedies keep coming? What happens? A great psychological drama with an ending only these two authors created and one man whose life was in his own mind or was it? Coma Sins: What are yours?

Mike Wallace: A Life

Mike Wallace: A Life

Author: Peter Rader

Mike Wallace was an icon in the world of journalism. On the outside or wide screen he appeared confident, self assured, confrontational at times and in total control of every situation he encountered. Mike Wallace was the perfect Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. From the onset of career, even when working on his High School newspaper, Mike Wallace was aggressive, on point and never walked away from an argument or conflict until he came out the victor. But, Mike Wallace hid behind his own fears, melancholy and depressed personality by creating situations that most would shy away from, not afraid to blunder in public and offset his insecurity with pranks and help from family members. With an overbearing mother, successful and honorable father that he modeled himself after, Mike faltered in this world hoping to find the right niche that would be his and his alone.

Integrity is never overrated. Taking pride in watching his father’s success and admiring him when defeated and never giving up, Mike never quite fit in anywhere no matter how hard he tried. Yet, he was clever, resourceful and super smart when he wanted to be. With the help of a close relative he was admitted to the University of Michigan and it is there where things would change for this enterprising man. From radio, to television, journalism, actor and entertainer, he did it all. Morning news, specials, 24 hour news, the internet, newsmagazines and of course 60 Minutes which he put on the map. When you think about 60 Minutes you think Mike Wallace.

But, from the start you would learn he was a rebel and sometimes what he said in public or on the air was not always well received. From the many stormy romances he had to the difficulties dealing with his many marriages author Peter Rader shares Mike’s life with so many who admired and loved his manner and style. Mike appeared on many quiz shows such as Information please in his last year at the University of Michigan followed by his first radio job as a newscaster for WOOD Radio in Grand Rapids. Moving next to WXYZ Radio as an announcer and after many other jobs in radio he decided to enlist in the Navy in 1943 and was discharged in 1946.   Mike loved work and dappled in many areas of television and radio including radio action shows and announcing a real classic The Lone Ranger. CBS offered him a job as a staff announcer on their network. But, what most people recognize and remember him for as the lead reporter on 60 Minutes, which led him into some really confrontational situations but definitely exciting reporting. Interviewing Farrakhan he stated and eluded that Nigeria is one of the most corrupt countries in the world. One of the most talked about shows was Buff and Mike and his stormy romance with her led to many interesting times. Buff, with as strong a personality as Mike did not like being upstaged, pushed aside or not in the limelight. Married to her and no longer to Norma, deciding to take a job as the emcee on I’ll Buy That, Buff decided to call it quits. Next, we learn about his relationship with Lorraine Perigord and his rise to finally sitting in that anchor chair and working round the clock. This is when and where Mike thrived and it started with two news shows on Channel Five. Moving to WAMD he became the most talked about newsman in America. Working with Virginia Graham he would be outmatched and learn many other lessons.

The author shares the back-stories of many of his wives, newscasters like Ted Yates and we being to understand that Mike was not the only one hungry for that camera and top seat in the news. Ted taught Mike how to think outside to box, “question conventional wisdom as to how news should be gathered and presented.”  Working on Night Beat would unearth a whole new spectrum of news for him and a whole new world of TV sensationalism. Mike was unique, different and no one could really replicate his style. Next, the Mike Wallace Interview, a national show on ABC. Lawsuits, interviewing politicians, discussing others on his show, and problems arouse even at ABC. John Daly made sure he was not given any other news assignments.

Network news is definitely cutthroat even now. But, in the 1960;’s Mike finally became a correspondent for CBS deciding to go after hard news after losing his oldest son, Peter. Meeting Edward Murrow and one of my grandmother’s favorites newscasters Douglas Edwards these two icons both finding their way to CBS but they would not be working together for very long. But, the assignment that would create the real Mike Wallace happened in 1968 when he became the co-host of 60 Minutes. A slow starter but after ten years it would become one of the top ten rated news shows in the history of television news programs. Watching all of the newscasters on the show deal with corruption, fraud and world news everyone must tuned to CBS for that special sixty minutes.

Whether interviewing a political figure or just reaching out to the American public with a story Mike Wallace disclosed it all and did it his way. But, in the middle 80’s the world would learn about the other side of Mike and find out that the smile on his face was just a mask for the one hidden behind his clinical depression. This outgoing, assertive and confident man was really just a façade. Admitting his problem and getting help made a difference not just to him but others too.

Imagine interviewing Nixon right before the election. Nothing remarkable happened during that interview nor does Nixon attempt to thwart any of his questions. Interviewing not only Nixon, Ronald Reagan and even John F. Kennedy plus foreign leaders like Menachem Begin and Anwar el-Sadat, Mike Wallace ran the full spectrum of every type of interview. Mike’s form of journalism was referred to as “Ambush journalism” and he was the best at it. But, in 1984 things changed when the world would really see the other side of him after taking an almost lethal overdose of sleeping pills. Fortunately, his wife Mary would find him summoned their private doctors and called for emergency help.

Mike Wallace was on the air for many years on 60 Minutes after dealing with the Westmorland trial and much more. Friends would struggle, things changed and then in 2006 he decided to retire from the show. There is so much to share about his life but I won’t spoil it for the reader because you want to learn about him for yourself. Imagine more than sixty years in the news business. In August of 2006 Mike interviewed Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad. Knowing that this man was a “calculating provocateur would make for an interesting interview. The author shares the interview with readers in the final chapter of the book titled Tough but Fair. Mike’s death marks the end of an era in news reporting but he will truly remain in the hearts, minds and thoughts of everyone. Thank you to Peter Rader for allowing everyone to hear Mike’s voice and innermost thoughts in this outstanding biography told honestly, straightforward and definitely the way Mike would have wanted it told. This is one book that everyone should read and I definitely would recommend it.

Fran Lewis: reviewer