I like movies from far flung places. An oft dismissed source of movies is Australia. If you ask anyone to name their fav Australian movies they will say Mad Max and Crocodile Dundee. Yes they are fun romps but not reflective of the very vibrant Australian movie and TV industry. Goldstone is a very fine […]

Follow Your Heart  is actually a re-release, the album has been remastered and includes three new tracks. The quality of the piano playing is masterful. Eric Bikales has a very unique style, he plays with a gentle authority, it is purposeful  but gentle, there is never any doubt that he is on a journey and […]

If you’ve often dreamed of making a career as a writer, there’s never been a better time to turn your dream into a reality. The opportunities for writers are continually increasing, with content for websites, blogs, magazines, and eBooks required on a constant basis. Most of this work will be in the non-fiction sector, so […]

Verlin Darrow is currently a psychotherapist who lives with his psychotherapist wife in the woods near the Monterey Bay in northern California. They diagnose each other as necessary. Verlin is a former professional volleyball player (in Italy), unsuccessful country-western singer/songwriter, import store owner, and assistant guru in a small, benign spiritual organization. Before bowing to […]

I read a lot, I love news, and I love history. History is what makes us, it defines us, and yes sometimes it divides us. I grew up in the UK, Grammar School history lessons were about the Romans, the Vikings, and the pesky French. It was not until 1981 that I escaped on a […]

“KEEPING SECRETS from her husband, Bourke Cockran, Jr., was nothing new for Mattie McGary as she gently kissed her sleeping husband goodbye before she left for her office where she had to prepare two pieces of correspondence. One was an ‘eyes only’ letter to her godfather, Prime Minister Winston Churchill, telling him everything about her […]

A Shot In The Dark: An Al Quinn Novel is the fourth book in the AL Quinn series. There is also a short story collection, The Hairy Potter And Other Al Quinn Mystery Stories. The novels are books best read in order as situations involving Al and his family and friends evolve over time. These […]

Former Texas Ranger Arlo Baines was just passing through Piedra Springs, Texas, with nothing more on his mind than enjoying the peace and quiet and a good book. Haunted by the memories of his deceased wife and children, he just wants to be left alone as he drifts from place to place. With just five […]

“’Sooner or later all of these weird little secrets everyone is keeping are going to come to light.” I put the vehicle in gear and pull onto the road. “When they do, we’ll have our answer.’” (Page 130, A Gathering Of Secrets: A Novel, Linda Castillo Hideous secrets regarding horrible themes have always been a […]

Down and Out: The Magazine  Volume 1, Issue 2 offers a short welcome back note from Editor Rick Ollerman before diving into the short stories. First up is the tale titled “One at a Time” by Lissa Marie Redmond. The problem with a 1969 Ford Fairlane is that it is old.  Bad news if you are […]

The Trump administration has made it clear that that everything except Donald Trump is a hoax. Global Warming, a hoax started by the Chinese is a fine example. The EPA has been a favorite target of the Trump regime. Rip down the unfair regulations, let the free market rule. Under Trump the EPA has been […]

The press release caught my attention, the Opioid crisis is indeed just that. The country seems awash in prescription pills that generate nothing but misery. No-one wants to take ownership of the problem, big Pharma says it is not their problem, they do not sell to the public, they sell to the medical world. The […]

“A ferocious human predator ripped through our family, drooling over the innocent―leaving none untouched. Generations of child predators have devoured their vulnerable offspring and siblings, molesting our family’s youth unconcerned about the magnitude of their actions. Silence has become the gateway to mental health issues throughout our lineage.  I Am the Product of Rape―A Memoir […]

This is a guest article by Silvio Aladjem MD. A new Michigan Law limits to 7 days the amounts of opioids doctors can prescribe patients suffering from acute pain. That includes broken bones, bad backs, short illnesses and most surgeries. After the initial treatment, there is a mandatory wait period of 7 days before the […]

When it comes to music I am ‘omnivorous’. Music is like sushi, each piece should be sampled, considered and enjoyed. I’ll be the first to admit the day did not start well, we were Catburgled at 4AM, OK, it was just our large wayward pup, he had managed to break in through the front door, […]

  A large portion of frequent punters would see the odds on potential football bets as being the most important attribute. They dictate how much money you stake on the chosen tip and are meant to be an indication of how likely it is to land. Although no bet is ever certain to go in […]

Newsflash: school won’t always be cool. Of course, in the beginning, it might feel cool. All students go through that temporary love for school. There’s the excitement of the first day, of meeting new people for the first time, of getting to know new teachers and discovering things through your new subjects. You thought it […]

There are millions of blogs out in public and on the Internet so it can be extremely challenging to cut through all the noise and get noticed. The bright side is that there are several different ideas that exist for how you can make your blog stand out. Let your passion for your topic and […]

Twisted Prey: A Lucas Davenport Novel opens, as many of the recent books in the series do, with bad guys doing bad things to somebody. Readers know from almost the start the identities of some of the bad actors though the motivation for the criminal events has yet to become apparent.  In this case the […]

It is the middle of August as The Dark Angel: A Ruth Galloway Mystery begins and almost everyone in Dr. Ruth Galloway’s world is a bit out of sorts for various reasons. Watching Clough and Cassandra become Mr. and Mrs. Blackstock-Clough was part joyous and part sad as it reinforced her status with Nelson. There […]

Edited by Rick Ollerman, Down & Out: The Magazine: Issue 1 is packed full of lots of good reading.  After a short introduction, it is on to the stories. Each story has a brief introduction that explains a little bit of the background of the author as well as placing the presented in the context […]

Gus Harris is a private detective who is living the classic private detective lifestyle. Dead broke, recently divorced and very unhappy, he is struggling to keep his business afloat, not beat up his wife’s new boyfriend (even though the guy clearly needs a good beating), and stay in his kids life. It is a lot to […]

Robert B Parker’s Old Black Magic: A Spenser Novel is the seventh since Ace Atkins took over the franchise and is another good one. Mr. Atkins continues to stay true to the series while also his own little changes to bring some new life into the characters. At the same time he also acknowledges the passing […]

  Have you just been injured due to the negligence or carelessness of someone else? Maybe a drunk driver hit you or maybe you slipped on an unmarked wet floor. Whatever the situation is, you probably have a lot of concerns and questions racing through your head. You are probably concerned about the medical costs, […]

“The effect of the very first Heartfulness meditation on me was so profound that it was clear I had found my direction and anchor in life. But the effect of meeting Babuji was beyond even that – something so precious and subtle in its essence that it defines description. While universes and dimensions have opened […]

When I review a book I am always looking for the ‘hook’, it is the paragraph early in book that captivates the reader and makes them want to keep reading. Music is more nuanced, it may be the cover art, it may be a track name, or some other factor. Matthew Meyer has not one, […]

The Charles Schwab Corporation allegedly defamed and unlawfully interfered with the investment advisory services of a Republican money manager, according to a $100 million lawsuit filed on April 23 against the venerable firm. The suit, filed by Dallas money manager Ed Butowsky’s Chapwood Capital Investment Management, alleges that Schwab terminated its relationship with Butowsky solely […]

“Judge Blair modified the contempt penalty imposed on Louise to time already served. Detective John Reeves, eager to inform her that she was free, was surprised when she insisted on serving the entire seven-day sentence. He hesitantly asked if she would mind him calling on her, once matters settled, but she did not respond. He […]

My wife and I have just moved, so bits of ‘lint’ get disturbed. I came across a 2016 DVD/CD set by Vanilla Fudge. I pride myself on knowing a fair amount about music, but I had to think long and hard to pin down Vanilla Fudge. Then I remembered, they share the same DNA with […]

I knew nothing about Jazz till I met my future father in law. He played Alto Sax and we both had way too much beer. What amazed me was the band seemed to be able to play every song under the sun. One day after a few pints of beer I asked him how he […]