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“Only the dead know Brooklyn”–Thomas Wolfe, You Can’t Go Home Again

Home. It’s one of the most common themes for writers. Finding it, keeping it, and especially getting back to it. But if you’ve been away for a while, sometimes going home is a bit harder than clicking your heels together.

Sometimes, as I discovered when I returned to the States last month, you can go back but you have absolutely no idea what’s going on there. Take the signs, for example. Here’s a small collection of signs I saw over the past month or so:

Bethesda, MD: Where there are so many members of organized crime they have their own cancer treatment centers?

Bethesda, MD: Where members of organized crime apparently have their own cancer treatment centers?

 

Chicago, IL. Frankly, I have NO idea...

Chicago, IL.
Frankly, I have NO idea…

 

Evanston, IL The yarn bombers strike again. (Because even telephone poles need a comfy blankie...)

Evanston, IL
The yarn bombers strike again. (Because hardworking telephone poles deserve a comfy blankie…)

 

Washington, DC Now that's a church agenda I could get behind

Washington, DC
Now that’s a sermon I could get behind

 

Washington, DC Presumably, if you take out your joints BEFORE the bridge, you'll be in trouble.

Washington, DC
Presumably, if you take out your joints BEFORE the bridge, you’ll be in trouble.

There is one sign I completely get, and that’s Deborah Kass’ new sculpture that yells “YO” to Manhattanites looking from the New York City side and a laconic “OY” to Brooklyn viewers.

New York to Brooklyn: YO -“OY/YO” sculpture by Deborah Kass [Image credit: NY Times] http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/11/nyregion/a-sculpture-with-something-to-say-lands-in-brooklyn-bridge-park.html?_r=0

New York to Brooklyn: YO
-“OY/YO” sculpture by Deborah Kass
[Image credit: NY Times]

Brooklyn to NY: OY! -“OY/YO” sculpture by Deborah Kass [Image credit: NY Times] http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/11/nyregion/a-sculpture-with-something-to-say-lands-in-brooklyn-bridge-park.html?_r=0

Brooklyn to NY: OY!
-“OY/YO” sculpture by Deborah Kass
[Image credit: NY Times]

 

Obviously, for this week’s Friday Five Challenge, I used the keywords “going home”. Hmm…. 56,930 results on Amazon. Filtering those for Thriller & Suspense -> Mystery-> Cozy brought results down to a much more manageable 267. And halfway down that page I saw a cheerful cover with a pickup truck and a weird title, “Trouble in Mudbug”.

 

Rosie Amber’s Friday Five challenge is to take ONLY FIVE MINUTES to browse an unfamiliar category and select a book based solely on the cover art.

Book blurb:

91EOPrNE4jL-1Scientist Maryse Robicheaux thought that a lot of her problems had gone away with her mother-in-law’s death. The woman was rude, pushy, manipulative and used her considerable wealth to run herd over the entire town of Mudbug, Louisiana. Unfortunately, death doesn’t slow down Helena one bit. DEA Agent Luc LeJeune is wondering what his undercover assignment investigating the sexy scientist has gotten him into – especially as it seems someone wants her dead. Keeping his secrets while protecting Maryse proves to be easier than fighting his attraction for the brainy beauty.

BUY LINKS:

AMAZON US | AMAZON UK

My Analysis: There are a lot of reviews, and most agree that the book is filled with humor and some slightly steamy romance. I love stories that embrace life in small southern towns, and this one seems to include both affection and humor, plus a nod to the paranormal in the form of a mother-in-law who sees no reason to let a little thing like death keep her from her rightful task of annoying her daughter-in-law.

BUY or PASS:   BUY! The price is certainly right, and there are plenty of reviewers who love the book. And if it meets expectations, there are the rest of the series, at least another five books and counting. 

So… can I go home again? Well, at least as far as a tiny town in Louisiana!

[Image credit: markmonday's Bucket] http://s181.photobucket.com/user/markmonday/media/dorothy_zpsfa87eb6e.gif.html

[image credit: markmonday’s Bucket]

Here is Rosie’s Friday Five Challenge. It only took five minutes and a couple more to write up, and was a ton of fun. I hope you’ll consider joining in. All Rosie asks is that you link back to her original post here so we can all join in viewing your challenge results.

AUTHORS – You often only have seconds to get a reader to buy your book, is your book cover and book bio up to it?

Rosie Amber's Friday Five Challenge. Get yourself a cuppa and give yourself 5 minutes.

Rosie Amber’s Friday Five Challenge. Get yourself a cuppa and give yourself 5 minutes.

My Friday Five Challenge is this….. IN ONLY FIVE MINUTES….

  1. Go to any online book supplier,
  2. Randomly choose a category,
  3. Speed through the book covers, choose one which has instantly appealed to your eye,
  4. Read the book Bio/ Description for this book, and any other details.
  5. If there are reviews, check out a couple,
  6. Make an instant decision, would you BUY or PASS?
  7. I’ll be back next week with another Friday Five Challenge, do feel free to join in.