Hello good people of the internet. I am excited that the new website is up and running and you guys are checking me out. Besides writing, I am an avid reader. I suppose most writers are. Right now I am reading an amazing book by Jeff Zentner called Goodbye Days. This is his second book that I know of, his first was another fantastic read called The Serpent King and you should read both of these! He has such a unique voice and his characters truly jump off of the page and haunt you well after you finish the book. Here is the blurb for Goodbye Days:
What if you could spend one last day with someone you lost?
One day Carver Briggs had it all—three best friends, a supportive family, and a reputation as a talented writer at his high school, Nashville Academy for the Arts.
The next day he lost it all when he sent a simple text to his friend Mars, right before Mars, Eli, and Blake were killed in a car crash.
Now Carver can’t stop blaming himself for the accident, and he’s not the only one. Eli’s twin sister is trying to freeze him out of school with her death-ray stare. And Mars’s father, a powerful judge, is pressuring the district attorney to open a criminal investigation into Carver’s actions.
Luckily, Carver has some unexpected allies: Eli’s girlfriend, the only person to stand by him at school; Dr. Mendez, his new therapist; and Blake’s grandmother, who asks Carver to spend a Goodbye Day with her to share their memories and say a proper goodbye to his friend.
Soon the other families are asking for a Goodbye Day with Carver, but he’s unsure of their motives. Will they all be able to make peace with their losses, or will these Goodbye Days bring Carver one step closer to a complete breakdown or—even worse—prison?
It is deeply depressing, in a good way. I went to watch a pilot of a TV show yesterday (Which was absolutely horrible) and found myself sobbing in the lobby, enraptured in the story and the pain of the lead character, Carver. I couldn’t wait to get home so I could get back to the world he created. Texting while driving is and will always be (Until technology changes) a part of our conversation and Zentner really makes you think about hitting send. I strongly suggest you read his novels, I promise you will thank me later.
Have a great night or day…
The Ginger in the City! (Shane)