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Read more about Cliff Chandler, Author and Musician Kristie Leigh Maguire reviews IN HIS CORNER at Subletea.com Click here to read entire review. . . Mad About Books
- July 26, 2003 IN HIS CORNER: Will the Real Billy Joe Please Stand by Joan Moore Lewis http://www.joanlewis.com http://www.iuniverse.com/bookstore/book_detail.asp?isbn=0%2D595%2D19942%2D9 Reviewed by Michael LaRocca I'm gonna try real hard in this review not to repeat anything you can read on the aforementioned websites, and
just tell you what I think. This author has the ability to leave me wondering how much she made up and how much she simply remembered. I
got the impression that she lived every word. And that, I think, is a hallmark of great writing. The setting is Atlanta in the late Sixties, along with quite a few other Southern locations. I grew up in the
South. And as I met the characters in this novel, I thought, "Yeah, I know him. Yeah, I know her." But, there is a subtle
undercurrent. Unsuspected secrets that, once I learned them, I thought, "Yeah. Of course!" As it says on the back cover, Dixie
Mafia. Does such a thing even exist? I don't know. But as I learned all the dirty little secrets of the characters in this
novel, I felt that every one was more than possible. It's an impressive debut, and I'm thrilled to hear the author is writing more. Billy Joe, I think we all know. Sent to prison at age 18 for a crime he did commit, though perhaps prison wasn't
the right solution. Never quite the same person when he returned. But still, deep down, a Southern gentleman and a nice guy
despite the fact that he may be a criminal. Apparently our hero, if the book's title is our guide. We've seen him before and
probably will again, but that's okay because we like him. This book would NOT have worked without Jane, the female lead. If you prefer, we'll call her the heroine. If
the author had made a single misstep with this character, her novel would have fallen flat on its face. But she did not, and
that's why I enjoyed it so much. She is not you or me, but she's real. That's why the novel works. The writing style is quite accessible. Straight, direct, to the point, easy to read with a minimum of effort.
The writer does all the work so the reader doesn't have to. I've really learned to appreciate that.
Midwest Book Review Recommended Authors and Writers
I am proud to be one of only 78 authors on this list. http://www.midwestbookreview.com/links/author.htm WordWeaving.Com - Featured Author, October 2002 Click below to read the full interview by Cindy Penn, Editor at WordWeaving.Com and reviewer for Midwest Book Review. http://www.wordweaving.com/featureoct01_02.html ___________________________________________________________________
Click here to read complete interview ________________________________________________________ Barbara Buhrer at MyShelf.com writes: ...The trials and love of the two is believable. Billy Joe is a sympathetic likeable character and Jane is an ordinary self-absorbed girl. There are hilarious episodes as well as emotional and suspenseful ones. The plot is well constructed and the story moves along at a realistic pace. Click below for entire review... Book Review by Barbara Buhrer, MyShelf.Com
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The Rebecca Review Joan Moore Lewis writes in an innocent style, it is almost as if she has taken you into her confidence and is telling you a story about a year in her life that she found everything she wanted in life and love. It is about the simplicity of life amidst conflict. It is about denial and escape. But it is mostly about a comforting relationship she will never forget. At least that is the impression you will have once you finish reading this novel...
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