Thanks & Book Reviews

First, I just wanted to say a HUGE, GINORMOUS thank you to all of you for coming out to the Writing Nut for my big spotlight yesterday. It meant the world to me and.. Well,  I LOVE you, my Imaginarians, you are the BEST!

Second, I have just finished two of the coolest books I have ever read. I mean we are talking Steve McQueen, vintage Harley-Davidson motorcycle cool. The books...Savages and its prequel, Kings of Cool by Don Winslow. Let me introduce you to So Cal pot dealers, Ben and Chon, plus their playmate/girlfriend, O (Multiple O) which is short for Ophelia and... I think you can probably guess the rest of that nickname's origin. Ben and Chon are not just pot dealers, they are pot artists, growing the very best hydroponic weed ever. They can customize that White Widow seed to the particular high that you want and their clientele is more loyal than a soldier's dog. They are living the high life until a Mexican drug cartel starts to muscle in. Then it's on like two angry tigers.

The first chapter of Savages is literally just "Fuck You." From there it races down the highway in your head, a rocket fuel concoction of poetry and prose. The chapters are short, like machine gun bursts. It is a masterpiece of violence, demented plot twists and some of the best descriptions I have ever read. Winslow dives head first into the deep end of So Cal slang. For instance: instead of saying Chon drove his Mustang to San Diego, it reads: Chon rode his Pony to Sun Dog. I love it! Favorite line: Do not fuck with anyone unless you know who the fuck you're fucking with. Then don't do it.

Kings of Cool takes us back to how these three arrive at their place atop the pot scene. We see Chon as a Navy SEAL, smuggling the seeds in from Afghanistan. We ride along with Ben as he goes from college do-gooder to D o B (Doctor of Boo). It delves into their families and the surf culture drug scene in the late 60's through the cocaine party train in the early 80's. There also plot twists galore that foreshadow what is to come in Savages. I recommend reading Kings first, but that's just me.

I had no interest in the California drug trade before, but once I started, I was hooked. I finished both books in a matter of days. And it's not just the writing. Winslow's knowledge of the drug world and law enforcement is breathtaking. These books are rife with inside knowledge of how to set up grow houses, supply chains and stash houses. He sheds a lot of light on the US government's corruption and failures in the so-called War on Drugs. My jaw was agape as I sped through the pages, devouring each syllable.

These characters are not heroic by any stretch of the imagination. You will not like them, but you will be enthralled. They are savages, criminals on the fringe with no where to go but straight to the bottom. It is no wonder Oliver Stone chose to make Savages into a film. These stories will shove you out of your comfort zone and make you think. And for my fellow writers, Winslow's style is certainly one that will have you re-thinking parts of your own.

Now I have two more reviews coming out probably tomorrow and Saturday. Bear with me as I get myself organized around my own writing. I've had multiple doc appointments of late because well, my diabetes is starting to affect my kidneys. I had these two books with me to entertain myself in the waiting room because the others are ebooks and unfortunately, I don't have a Kindle or anything.