Katherine's Bookshelf Midwest Book Review of Johnnie Come Lately!
Johnnie Come Lately
Kathleen M. Rodgers
Camel Press
PO Box 70515, Seattle, WA 98127
9781603812153, $14.95, www.amazon.com
Kathleen M. Rodgers captures several life-changing events in Johnnie Come Lately with empathy, seriousness and humor. Her characters are well-defined; her plot is very credible and her use of schemes to further her story all combine to make this a completely entertaining read.
I was captivated by Johnnie, Dale, Granny Opal (Johnnie's grandmother), D.J., Cade, Callie Ann, and even Mr. Marvel. Brother Dog, the Kitchen's faithful dog is interspersed within the story as a memorial to Kathleen Rodger's Chocolate Lab, Bubba Dog.
Then we are introduced to the furtive character of Johnnie's mother, Victoria. This shadowy figure is very intriguing — what made her leave home? In her story lies the answers to so many of the other characters life choices. Compassion for the failings of the characters; alcoholism, bulimia, promiscuousness and several more are threaded throughout the story. The events and choices are enriched by Johnnie when she writes to the characters in her journal. This journal is Johnnie's way of coping with her own deficiencies.
To be able to treat such unpleasant situations with the understanding they deserve and then add believable humor to some of them takes a very talented writer and Kathleen is one of the small group of authors who can do it. As an example, the mental picture of an elderly man digging a hole in his yard for no apparent reason and then throwing a shovel in front of a fast moving vehicle for another "no apparent reason" is oddly humorous.
This is definitely a book you want to read!
Kathleen M. Rodgers' first novel, The Final Salute, has been featured in USA-Today, The Associated Press, Military Times and many other publications. The novel soared to #1 on Amazon's Top Rated War Fiction in 2012, and the original paperback edition hit #2 on Amazon's Bestselling Military Aviation list in 2010. Deer Hawk Publications republished The Final Salute in both e-book and paperback in 2014.
She is a recipient of a Distinguished Alumna Award from Tarrant County College/NE Campus 2014.
Kathleen lives in Colleyville with her husband, Tom, a retired fighter pilot/ airline pilot and Denton, their shelter dog who adopted them after they lost Bubba Dog. She is the mother of two grown sons, one an award winning artist and the other a First Lieutenant in the US Army.
Kathleen M. Rodgers
Camel Press
PO Box 70515, Seattle, WA 98127
9781603812153, $14.95, www.amazon.com
Kathleen M. Rodgers captures several life-changing events in Johnnie Come Lately with empathy, seriousness and humor. Her characters are well-defined; her plot is very credible and her use of schemes to further her story all combine to make this a completely entertaining read.
I was captivated by Johnnie, Dale, Granny Opal (Johnnie's grandmother), D.J., Cade, Callie Ann, and even Mr. Marvel. Brother Dog, the Kitchen's faithful dog is interspersed within the story as a memorial to Kathleen Rodger's Chocolate Lab, Bubba Dog.
Then we are introduced to the furtive character of Johnnie's mother, Victoria. This shadowy figure is very intriguing — what made her leave home? In her story lies the answers to so many of the other characters life choices. Compassion for the failings of the characters; alcoholism, bulimia, promiscuousness and several more are threaded throughout the story. The events and choices are enriched by Johnnie when she writes to the characters in her journal. This journal is Johnnie's way of coping with her own deficiencies.
To be able to treat such unpleasant situations with the understanding they deserve and then add believable humor to some of them takes a very talented writer and Kathleen is one of the small group of authors who can do it. As an example, the mental picture of an elderly man digging a hole in his yard for no apparent reason and then throwing a shovel in front of a fast moving vehicle for another "no apparent reason" is oddly humorous.
This is definitely a book you want to read!
Kathleen M. Rodgers' first novel, The Final Salute, has been featured in USA-Today, The Associated Press, Military Times and many other publications. The novel soared to #1 on Amazon's Top Rated War Fiction in 2012, and the original paperback edition hit #2 on Amazon's Bestselling Military Aviation list in 2010. Deer Hawk Publications republished The Final Salute in both e-book and paperback in 2014.
She is a recipient of a Distinguished Alumna Award from Tarrant County College/NE Campus 2014.
Kathleen lives in Colleyville with her husband, Tom, a retired fighter pilot/ airline pilot and Denton, their shelter dog who adopted them after they lost Bubba Dog. She is the mother of two grown sons, one an award winning artist and the other a First Lieutenant in the US Army.
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