Seeing Double - A Look At The Doppelganger by P. Wish.

Having completed work on my own psychological thriller and engaging in discussion with other authors who have written in the genre, I am discovering some really unique and exciting stories emerging in this space. 

One such author, Manchester based, P. Wish and I found one another recently through a great discussion on book trailers and I quickly found myself drawn to her own exciting project which will launch world wide this week. 

The Doppelganger, a psychological thriller set in Chicago, promises all the great hallmarks of genre fiction, featuring, among other things, a strong but flawed female protagonist. 

Doppelganger (image credit: P. Wish).

From the liner notes;

‘They say when you meet somebody that looks just like you, you die.’

Darcy Godfrey lives a seemingly normal life as a librarian in Chicago. One day, she comes across a blog that is filled with accounts of her past. The blogger, known as 'D', seems to know everything about her life- even things that Darcy cannot remember. 

Things begin to go wrong when her nemesis is murdered, making her a suspect. Now, Darcy must find the person behind the blog before it's too late."

From the early reading I've been lucky enough to do on this book, The Doppelganger promises to be a tense and exciting thriller - and, if I may be so bold, it kinda feels like a spiritual sister to The Recipient.

Darcy Godfrey is an enticing character, replete with a tragic backstory that informs much of her presence in the novel. She is subsequently flawed and functions better as a loner - a'la Jessica Jones, which I think is really appealing. She also promises to be resourceful in the face of a terrifying antagonist who will push her to her limit. Wish's writing style is immediate and she instantly draws you into a dense and fully realized Chicago. In the exclusive excerpt for The Doppelganger (re-printed here with kind permission from the author) mood and tension are introduced from the get go - a great hook for this kind of genre fiction - and they lay the foundations for what promises to be a cracking ride.

I think it is our time. The psychological thriller feels as though it is emerging from out of the *cough* Twilight *cough* shadows as *the* next big thing in publishing and I am excited by voices like P. Wish who are bringing freshness to the genre. 

Author P. Wish (image credit: P. Wish).

P. Wish is an author of psychological thrillers and mysteries. She is a Law graduate from the University of Manchester, UK. The Doppelganger is her debut novel.

Excerpt: The Doppelganger by P. Wish.

Darcy’s eyes hung over the blog post. Her larynx felt like a thorn in her throat. She could barely breathe. Her heartbeat took over her ears. She teared up. She caught them before they fell on the keyboard. 

It was not a mere blog post. It was her story. 

Who the hell was this woman? 

Darcy clicked on ‘About’. The screen refreshed. A white image floated up the screen. It was a caricature. No photo. No name. No explanation. Just one useless cartoon of something that looked like a woman- from an angle. 

She scrolled down for the author bio. 

‘D is a thirty-something who lives in the city. She enjoys reading and writing about her life, especially her childhood.’ 

No Facebook. No Twitter. No Instagram. No expanded bio. Nothing. 

Just those two sentences. 

Darcy’s mind reeled. She clicked on the ‘contact’ page. At least, the blog had one. 

At the end of the page was an inconspicuous ‘Contact me’ icon. Darcy clicked on it. A contact form appeared. Blank white spaces, contrasting against the black background, haunted her. 

Her fingers drummed violently against the keypad. She re-read the e-mail. How was she supposed to ask the writer about her past? Maybe she wasn’t alone in this. There was someone else who had experienced something similar. The realization filled Darcy with hope. After all these years, she found a ray of hope. She couldn’t let it slip away. 

She quickly typed out an e-mail. She didn’t send it. 

She decided to wait for the next blog post. She deleted the e-mail and turned on the television. Her fingers restlessly traced patterns on the couch. She fidgeted with her phone. 

Curiosity nibbled at her. 

The final draft was only one sentence long. She read the words on the page. 

Who are you? 

The Doppelganger is out internationally on March 24th 2016.

Pre-order The Doppelganger here.

Visit P. Wish here. 

Connect with P. Wish here. 

Tweet with P. Wish here. 

Goodreads with P. Wish here. 

DFA.

Did Not Play - The DNP Podcast or A View Of Sports From A Room.

I'm an unashamed fan of the internet podcast. Have been for as long as I've had a high speed internet connection and knew how to use it. In my journey through the landscape of internet broadcasting I've come across many fine programs covering many fine topics but, there is no doubt that comedy remains my go to for entertainment, enlightenment and relaxation. 

There is a certain brilliance in comedy that is done well. Sure, it can be laugh out loud funny or razor sharp witty but the comedy that I find most appealing is the type that is thought provoking. When you come away from a comedic performance laughing your tookus off - that is a worthy investment. When you come away from a performance that stays with you long after the curtain has fallen, that is something special. 

You might wonder then, whether a comedic podcast that combines the best elements of performance and wit with an examination of American sporting culture can achieve that alchemic zenith of lingering, thought provoking observation. It can be done and it has in the form of the DNP Podcast. 

The DNP Podcast, a bi-weekly comedy talk radio show, takes its name from a well worn sporting acronym meaning "Did Not Play".

The brain child of Chicago comedians Dean Carlson and Victor Marinier, the DNP Podcast observes and documents American sports in real time. From American Pro-Football, North American Hockey, American Basketball, Baseball and MMA, Dean and Victor review the week within each sporting code, discuss the defining moments from each sporting code and they preview the upcoming rosters and offer their predictions. But it is not simply a clinical dissection of the sports that they admire or the teams they cheer for.

Dean and Victor - bro-time.

Sport can often be seen as a reflection of life. Thus, employing their considerable comedic skills, Dean and Victor extend their observations into a wider discussion about life - particularly life as a sports fan. Their astute and wickedly funny discussions about sporting achievement and sporting failure and how each of those influence us in our day to day is where the genius of this show lies. I have said elsewhere that the DNP Podcast turns the mirror back on this most human of endeavors and pulls it's pants down. 

Further though, their independence from the mainstream media allows them a freedom to explore sporting culture in far more depth than would otherwise be possible. The net result from this is a far more engaging show that is laugh out loud funny but also thought provoking. 

Dean Carlson.

Dean Carlson has been involved in the Chicago comedy scene since he was 15 years old. He has trained with Second City in Chicago (from high school into his adult years) has performed with his own sketch/improv troupe Tortilla Moustache and has been performing regular stand-up throughout Chicago and across the Midwest United States for the past decade. As an acerbic and astute observationalist, Dean brings to the DNP Podcast a keen eye for the minutiae of sporting psychology. 

Victor Marinier.

Victor Marinier has been a fixture of the Chicago Comedy scene both as a performer, writer and editor, collaborating with a number of notable performers including Dean Carlson, Brendan McGowan, Mike Stanley and Mike Bridenstine. Victor brings to the DNP Podcast an encyclopedic knowledge of sporting statistics as well as love of popular culture. 

The DNP Podcast broadcasts bi-weekly across the internet and is available for podcast download from the official site as well as iTunes. 

Connect with the DNP Podcast here.

Subscribe to the DNP Podcast on iTunes here. 

Connect with Dean Carlson here. 

Connect with Victor Marinier here. 

DFA.

Catch the Interview - Dean Mayes one on one with Tania Elizabeth - live now.

Summer At The Shore Leave Cafe by Abbie Williams.

Summer at the Shore Leave Cafe by Abbie Williams

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Joelle Gordon is leaving Chicago and her cheating husband to head for her hometown of Landon, Minnesota. WIth her three beautiful daughters in tow, Joelle is bombarded with an onslaught of memories that Landon evokes. Landon -- home to the Shore Leave Cafe, the restaurant Joelle's family owns -- has some surprises in store for Joelle. Finding herself confronted with the reality of single motherhood, a mysterious but handsome young staffer at the Shore Leave Cafe, her upset daughters, and the prospect of returning to her husband for the well-being of her kids, Joelle must make decisions she never thought she'd face.

A story about heartbreak, blame, family, desire, love, and the difficulties of returning home, Summer at the Shore Leave Cafe highlights hardships to which everyone can relate.

Romance can be a tough genre to write convincingly in, but Abbie Williams has achieved something akin to romantic alchemy with Summer at the Shore Leave Cafe. She combines strong narrative, threading multiple plot threads around the protagonist Joelle Gordon's central arc with a convincing cast of characters that feel so real you'd swear you know them. As a reader you are taken on an emotional journey with these characters that fully invests you in them. You care for them, champion them and sometimes you rue them, where appropriate. Williams has also crafted scenes of steamy eroticism that strike a perfect balance in advancing the story whilst giving the reader something to sweat (pleasurably) to.

I also really liked the warmth of the story and how immersive it was for me. Abbie Williams has a keen sense of place - a clear and abiding affection for her native Minnesota, of people and their emotional arcs and she blends these together effortlessly, creating a visual and tactile tableaux, one that stays with you.

Summer At The Shore Leave Cafe - the first in Abbie's Shore Leave series - is a bespoke literary creation and a superlative achievement.

Abbie Williams has been addicted to love stories ever since first sneaking her mother's copy of The Flame and the Flower; since then, she has been jotting down stories of her own in notebook after spiral-bound notebook.

Abbie Williams teaches English at the high school level (which she dearly loves). She spend her days with her own true love, their three daughters, and a very busy schedule. Abbie says she is most happy when she can sneak in a few hours to write and thereby indulge in visiting the characters in her stories.

When Abbie is not writing, teaching or spending time with her family, she can be found listening to her favorite musical groups of all time: Alison Krauss and Union Station, the Wailin' Jennys, and The Be Good Tanyas. If there's time in the evening, she might watch a few episodes of Hell on Wheels and eat a jar of crunchy peanut butter.

Discover Abbie Williams world here.

DFA.


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The Chump Who Laughed Me.

In a corner of northern Chicago stands a noble looking, red brick building that, for decades, has served as a lively entertainment focal point and breeding ground for some of the finest up and coming entertainers. 

Beginning life as a movie house in 1914, The Lakeshore Theater has no doubt laid down some serious celluloid miles through its projectors, showing many of the classic movies of all time. It did so until as recently as 2000, after which it transitioned to a live entertainment venue, hosting musical acts, comedy and arthouse theater that drew audiences from all walks of life. It was referred to affectionately as simply 'The Lakeshore' and anyone who wanted to tread its boards could do so. Importantly, the Lakeshore was known for enthusiastically supporting new talent. 

Sadly, due to the rising costs associated with maintaining this grand old dame and, I guess, the financial hardships brought about by the severe economic downturn in the United States, The Lakeshore was forced to close its doors in 2010. A vibrant era of live entertainment came to an end and, I have to say, it's a frigging tragedy.

 The Lakeshore (circa 2009).

During it's rambunctious life, The Lakeshore has hosted names that - to many of you - may not sound immediately familiar. They are an eclectic mix of extremely talented individuals who I have followed for several years, due in part to my affection for anything Chicago. Mike Bridenstine, Pat Bryce, Rene Gauthier, Brady Novak, Bill Cruz, T.J. Miller, Hannibal Burress, Dean Carlson, James Fritz, Joe Killgallon. To my mind, these artists in particular represent my generation of comedic talent and they speak to my bent sense of humor. All of of them are blisteringly funny guys who are articulate, excellent speakers and they have, unwittingly, crafted a kind of post-9/11 observation of the world around them that laments our collective loss of innocence, remembers with affection, the simpler times of their 80's youth and observes with suitable caustic vigor, the dysfunction of our modern, pop culture addicted, celebrity obsessed, really fucking hard society in such a way that we cannot help but laugh at the ridiculousness of it all.

Last week, I received in my mail box, a package that I have been eagerly awaiting since before Christmas (such is the turn around time for our respective postal services). I knew from the minute I spotted the Chicago postmark, what it was.

The DVD Comedy Special "Tough Luck Chump" had arrived.

Cover Art for Tough Luck Chump.

I have spoken about Detroit native/turned Chi-town local Mike Stanley before. He served as the inspiration (in physical form anyway) for Beck, one of the characters in my novel "The Hambledown Dream" and I discussed his inspiration in this piece. Mike Stanley is typical among the group of insanely talented individuals I mentioned above. Mike Stanley is a commanding physical presence and a bloody handsome bastard. I mean that in a totally heterosexual, blokey way - just to be clear. In conversing with a number of female fans it is not hard to see why he appeals to women. He is tall and broad across the shoulders but moves across the stage with an almost balleretic lightness (did I just make up a word??). He prefers to keep his head perfectly shaved - out of necessity, he says - given that his receding hair line has kinda gotten away from him in recent times. The physical package is completed by a perfectly chiselled jaw line that could have been hewn from marble.

But last and certainly not least, Mike Stanley has been blessed by a voice that is truly something to behold. Deep and melodious, Stanley's vocal style has the baritone of, say, a James Earl Jones mixed with a hint of the graveliness of a Bruce Springstein and it is finished beautifully by Stanley's ability to lift it with an enthusiasm of, I dunno - a Bill Cosby at full tilt - maybe?? More than that, though, is the skill at which Stanley is able to navigate his way around the English language. His public speaking chops are actually a joy to listen to - the clarity and elocution are divine. Never have I enjoyed someone drop the F-bomb quite like Mike Stanley.

The genesis of Stanley's "Tough Luck Chump" can be traced back to the initial performance of the set that has now immortalized on the disc. Recorded on July 27th 2009 at The Lakeshore to a sellout crowd, Mike's performance was supposed to have been committed to DVD a lot sooner than it actually was. I consider myself kinda privileged to be privy to some behind the scenes controversies involving the original production of the DVD but I won't say anything more than that out of respect for Mike. Suffice to say that I'm glad that original production didn't go ahead because the resulting product is a far superior package.

The show itself is top shelf - 45 minute set in which Mike takes his audience on a journey through subjects as varied as male pattern baldness - including the 'downstairs' variety, father/son relationships - "my father is like a gorilla with table etiquette" muses Mike at one point, jobs and joblessness, driving through Indiana (apparently, it's a pretty white trash desolate jungle out there), moving out of home at 20 only to have to move back in at 30. There are dick jokes - but they are, quite possibly, the classiest dick jokes I have ever heard.

And there is also the social observations that define the line between us X-genners and our Y-gen counterparts. This was, for me, one of the funniest orations of the set - and it was delivered with a lot of heart too. Stanley makes the observation that kids today have cell phones at something like aged 9 and that parents have the means and the paranoia to know where their children are at every single moment of the day. Contrast this with our generation where, during the summer, we were virtually frog marched out of the house at dawn, the doors were locked behind us and our parents didn't want to see us until the first stars were coming up.

Stanley's delivery is razor sharp, his enthusiasm and onstage presence totally commanding and his passion for near flawless public speaking is a joy to listen to. You can understand every frigging syllable!

What makes "Tough Luck Chump" such a special package is the inclusion of the the feature length documentary "Salty Language Peppered Morals" which chronicles Mike Stanley's journey to Boston during 2008 to compete in the Boston Comedy Festival. This is a real treat for students of stand up comedy, an "alternately serious and silly look a life that most of us will never know" (from the DVD liner notes). It lays bare all the agonies and anxieties, the trials and tribulations of life on the road, where comedy is the gloves and the crowd and it's laughter are the opponent and the prize all in one. A great deal of love went into the making of this doco and it shows. The production is as good, if not better, than any big budget documentary and - as a character study - Mike Stanley makes for a compelling individual.

Poster art for Mike's "Salty Language Peppered Morals".

One other thing to note from the DVD is the inclusion of a piece that runs during the end credits for Mike's Lakeshore set. Entitled "Tough Luck Chump" and performed by Mike himself, the piece is a gutsy, electric blues riff that gets you down and dirty and totally into the the tone of the set. I was reminded of Seasick Steve whilst tapping away to it. Blues aficionados will know what I'm talking about.

The DVD comes with a mini poster insert featuring artwork from both "Tough Luck Chump" and "Salty Language Peppered Morals". In and of themselves, they are a nice collectors piece which I plan to frame. You also get a sticker included which is yet another cool keepsake which just adds to the overall package. Purchasers can have their copy signed by Mike himself and, as my own copy will testify, geography is no barrier to getting your hands on a copy. Mike will ship anywhere in the world.

"Tough Luck Chump" represents a kind of stand-up that is unpolished genius - and it should not change. Mike has a hunger for comedy that is deserving of success - great success. As a document "Tough Luck Chump" is one of which Mike and the team who helped bring it together should be very proud. "Tough Luck Chump" can be ordered now from Mike's website http://www.mikestanleycomedy.com

DFA.

Dreams Of A Love Indestructable (Part Six).

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