It’s a sight that’s becoming increasingly rare with each passing day…an actual paperback book. (Remember those?) And an affordable one at that. No, it’s not mine. Although I’d happily take credit for it. FAINT OF HEART is the new novella from Jeff Strand. I was lucky enough to read the manuscript for this one and thoroughly enjoyed it. In fact, I told Jeff he needed to expand it into a novel and sell it to a mass market publisher. He, of course, didn’t care what I thought and went ahead and sold it as a novella. Like my opinion doesn’t matter, right? Like I don’t have feelings, you know? Jerk. I should drop everything and head down to [address removed at the request of Jeff Strand] Drive in Tampa, Florida and kick his sorry [body part removed at request of Jeff Strand]. (Edit: Fine. Cat. I should kick his cat. Can I slide that one past the censors?)
It’s an excellent story, despite my sudden falling-out with the author. One that I wholeheartedly endorse for fans of his previous work PRESSURE (best novel of ’06). We’re talking dark, folks. There’s still a good measure of Strand’s trademarked humor, but it’s a brutal tale at heart, one that you won’t soon forget. Don’t believe me? Pick up a copy and find out for yourself. Then you can come back and tell me how right I am. And if you decide to tell that [obscenities removed at the request of Jeff Strand] that I was right and he should have expanded the blasted story into a novel, I won’t try to stop you. Because I’m right. I’m always right. You’ll see.
Or for you papyrophobics:
Don’t kick my cat, dude.
After everything you’ve done to dogs through the years (see PRESSURE, KUTTER, etc.), a little payback is definitely in order.