Review: Billy Purgatory: I Am the Devil Bird

Billy Purgatory: I Am the Devil Bird.

Skateboards, vampires, ancient gods and goddesses, the Vietnam War, Jimmy Hoffa, zombies and LBJ. What do they all have in common? A unique and seamlessly woven blend of mythologies and pop culture called Billy Purgatory, I Am the Devil Bird. It is a story that jumps through time and space and artfully written by Jesse James Freeman.

In his first novel, Mr. Freeman takes us on the first stage of Billy Purgatory’s journey. As best described by the author:

Billy Purgatory happens to be the most badass skateboarder and sweet talker any broad can meet--even at the age of ten. He is also the target of supernatural forces he can't understand, and doesn't want to.

Billy just can't seem to avoid all things Monster. Growing up, he encounters Devil Birds, gypsies, Time Zombies and vampires (and not the kind you want to bring home to your Pop, either). He tries to convince himself they're not real by joining the army, fixes cars and even goes to Vegas. But whenever Billy thinks he's put it all behind him, a monster shows up, and it's usually in the form of the beautiful Anastasia... 

This description only barely scratches the surface of the world that Billy lives in as he tries to run from himself and the world. When we first meet Billy, he is a street-wise kid who speaks in a voice somewhere between a modern Huck Finn and Holden Caulfield. He is an observer in his world, a wounded child where you see glimpses of the innocent inside. Yet he is ready to battle with just about anyone. And he gets his wish as all kinds of mythic and supernatural beings enter his life, including said Devil Bird, a giant rooster that drinks too much tequila, fights humans and, in its spare time, acts as an oracle.

As he grows, hard to say matures, his voice takes on a more somber, hardened tone. Occasionally we get to glimpse the boy within, especially when it comes to his relationships with women. The two most complex women in his life are his mother, who is most certainly missing and may be dead, and Anastasia, who is definitely un-dead and not missing enough for Billy (or maybe not around enough—it’s complicated).

Mr. Freeman peoples Billy Purgatory with a well drawn cast of secondary characters. If I had any complaint about this first novel, however, it would be with these secondary characters. Some I want to know more about and perhaps they will reappear in later additions to this series. Some seemed unnecessary, although with Mr. Freeman’s imagination and the wild ride we are on with his novel, he may have plans for them, too.

Perhaps, my only other complaint is that nothing is resolved. While I know this is deliberate on Mr. Freeman’s account, I found it somewhat un-nerving. Perhaps it is just my traditional mind trying to wrap itself around a well written genre-blending or breaking novel.

Billy Purgatory is Jesse James Freeman's first novel. He's also studied psychology and film and scripted comics. When he's not writing books, Jesse James trains falcons to kill Leprechaun Robots, and will continue to do so until the world is relatively safe. 

I give Billy Purgatory: I Am the Devil Bird

 

Billy Purgatory: I Am the Devil Bird can be purchased from Amazon and Barnes & Noble

No Blizzards and Other Goals

                This blog quietly passed its one year anniversary. If you go back through the archive, you’ll see that I fulfilled a New Year’s resolution early due to the Christmas Blizzard of 2010 in the Northeast United States. We had over three feet of snow as evidenced by pictures posted with that first blog and the follow-up post. So, being stuck in the house, I jumpstarted StoryTeller’s Grove.

                The reason the blog anniversary was not acknowledged until today was the lack of snow. A good thing! This meant that the Christmas festivities at my house were not postponed and over 30 adults and children filled the house Christmas Day. It was fun to see everyone, but exhausting as well. 

        December 26, I was at work, not stuck indoors, and recuperating from the crowd the day before.

         Today, I paused and looked back on 2011 and all the changes that I have seen.  This has been a year where I changed day jobs, focused on publishing Dark Dealings through traditional methods and learned tons about the exploding Indie e-book market.  For writers with the time, expertise and support network of editors, cover designers, and others, it is an increasingly viable alternative. I will agree with Bob Mayer in his recent post on his predictions for 2012, we are indies not self-published. Those of us who recognize our own strengths and, more importantly, our weaknesses, delegate to other talented people and recognize that this delegation is an investment in our business. We can not do it by ourselves.

                So I find myself in the same place as many others: Goals for 2012. A blog is a wonderful and scary place because it gives you an opportunity to share thoughts and ideas with others and in the process paint a big red target on yourself.

                But I’m a glutton for punishment, as most writers are. So here goes:

Writing and Publishing

1)      Form LLC to be focus of all “writerly” activities this year and in the future.

2)      Publish Dark Dealings and at least two other novels by year end.

3)      Attend a minimum of three writing conferences.

4)      Read 20 books, of which 8 will be purely for fun or enrichment and not review. Guess that means 1 book review on average per month, Hope to exceed this goal, but it also does not included books I help edit and the time spent there.

5)      Finish three new works and partial on fourth by year-end. This goes to goal #2 and pipeline for 2013.

6)      Get better at outlining in a manner that works for me. This impacts goals #2 and #5

Personal

7)      Lose the last 15 pounds of stress weight from old job

8)      Find a new job that better accommodates the writer’s life

9)      In connection with #7, gym or outside exercise (run, walk, bike) three times a week

10)   Healthier eating, which of course does not mean totally doing away with caffeine, chocolate and adult beverages---maybe moderation---maybe.

 

How about you? I’ve listed 10 things. What 2 things will you commit to in the comments below?

You Think Santa Has a List!

 I was kind of stuck for a blog topic, so I said to myself: “Self, put that at the top of your list!”  (With apologies to Emeril Lagasse).

Santa thinks he has a list! Has he ever talked to a writer who is also a mother (not that kind) and has a part time job that during the holidays is full-time plus. Oh, and also getting ready to organize as a company (Limited Liability Corporation, for the technical, LLC) and FINALLY publish Dark Dealings .

Hi! I’m K. Victoria and I’m a list maker. Will all list makers wave and say hello.

I, of course, have a grocery list. Each week I start a list and leave it in the same area on the kitchen counter. The idea is that as family members use the last of something or see that we are perilously low (1 roll of toilet paper) they would add it to the list. Yeah I know, I’m a secret optimist. My theory is why should I have to spend time figuring out things we need from the supermarket when someone else already knows that. Classic reinventing the wheel.

Then, there is the holiday to do lists. We are having about 30 or so people at the house Christmas Day. So there is the guest list. The menu and the separate, but corresponding, who is bringing what list and the separate grocery list just for the gathering of the clan, as I call it.

On to the gift list! There are the children, the spouse, the father, the family grab bag recipient, the son’s music school people, the folks who let him park in their office lot without charge (local lot wanted $750 for the 180 school days. I’m sure I’m forgetting someone.

Then, there is the publishing list, not to be confused with the writing and editing services list. I am on track with the LLC formation. Most of the real paperwork will wait until after January 1. Why create unnecessary IRS paperwork for 2011? I have Dark Dealings out to a copyeditor for a final scrub and am working with a cover artist. I will announce a final decision about self-publishing versus small press next month.

The writing list looks like most writers. There are the daily goals to finish first draft of Ogham Court by the first week of January, since I got distracted by my other favorite WIP, Vines. Then the word count goals for Vines (to be published under a different pen name) to targeting a complete first draft by end of January.  Of course there is all the research that goes with each WIP. Vines is one my favorite projects after my Druids, as it involves wine and whiskey making.

Other writing and editing services list are recent projects that include a initial review for developmental editing for a new client and a new client for a sideline of resume writing for former corporate colleagues.

Of course there is the general to-do list: laundry, housework, finding  a better paying day job until the writing pays, business networking events and speaking and the rare get-together with friends. Yes, Jen and Karen, I know I need to find a day!

I’m exhausted just writing this blog.

WAIT! I left sleep off of this list. Let me see, where can I fit that in?

Okay, your turn….fess up as a list maker or feel free to chastise me for being just a little too Type A.