Bernie pic

Bernie pic
Bernie

Saturday 29 December 2012

Rain of humour among dark clouds


4.0 out of 5 stars 


By 


Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Dark Clouds (Kindle Edition)
This is the second I have read in the series with reluctant spy Rudi Flynn at its centre.
Like Weimar Blues, Dark Clouds easily stands alone as Flynn is once more conscripted into the secret service of Britain, and, for good measure, the United States, this time round.
This novel has the 30-something American-born and raised, English resident, Flynn, still pursuing his alcohol and drug fuelled journalistic career. We discover some of the reasons why he is pretty much washed up professionally by the time of Weimar Blues.
The trademark comedy is still here, especially in the amusing thoughts the somewhat aimless Flynn is reluctant to express in words.
At its core, the novel is as dark as the title, cover graphic, and plot suggest. Flynn is enlisted to help his president and her majesty when rumours surface that Islamic terrorists are plotting to explode a nuclear device in Britain. 
There are some quite harrowing scenes in which Flynn is present but either powerless or unwilling to intervene.
The person-in-the-street commentary throughout the book works well though the anti-multiculturalism rhetoric outweighs more liberal voices. It is obvious the views of send-`em-back to-where-they-belong are not those of the author but included to show a common sentiment in most western countries.
The powerful message I took from this book is that authorities from Islamic and Christian nations do evil things while flawed but good people look on.
If you have an interest in world affairs, a liking for bleak humour, and a reasonably strong stomach for violence, this book is for you.

For our musical accompaniment, let's hear from some clouds which were not dark at all.



Friday 28 December 2012

Start your own anthology for your community of writers


Available HERE

AUSTRALIAN author Frank Hardy was lampooned as a bit of hick when he said he thought there was no such thing as international literature, just a series of national literature.
He might have gone further and got himself into worse trouble by saying there was only a series of local literature.
Why not organize your own local writers' anthology?

Thursday 27 December 2012

How you write a book review



WHAT the world needs now are reviews, book reviews; they're the only things (apart from fresh water, social justice and quite a bit of other stuff) that there's just too little of: reviews, book reviews.

Tuesday 25 December 2012

Please warn Grandma

Guest Book Review



4.0 out of 5 stars Not for the faint of heart but greatDecember 25, 2012
This review is from: Iraqi Icicle 2nd edition (Kindle Edition)
"Iraqi Icicle" is definitely not your average run of the mill crime drama. Oddly, there are very few categories where a book could be listed that I can't imagine this fitting in some way or another. While this book does have a hefty dose of profanity, there were times when I felt it added to the story and other times when it made me laugh.
This is a hard book to describe without accidentally giving something away as there is so much going on underneath the cover. Steele Hill is a character that I felt had the correct amount of inner turmoil and personality that made him not only fun to read, but memorable. There were some good secondary characters in this book too, but Steele definitely steals the show. This author certainly has a sense of how to keep his reader in suspense. This book deals with some hardcore subjects, but I thought the author did so in a way that made it exciting to read.

This book is gritty and a little dangerous and if you are in for a seat of your pants kind of ride this might just be the thing. Be careful though, I have warned you that this is not your grandma's fireside novel!

Buy Iraqi Icicle HERE

You can imagine the conversation with Gran:
You: "Don't read Iraqi Icicle, Grandma!"
Gran:"Don't bother me, dear; I'm reading Fifty Shades of Grey."

I thought Iraqi Icicle was only a trifle profane, but then I was brought up on Grandma's knee listening to her sing her favorite song.


Cheers, Bernie

Saturday 22 December 2012

Guest Book Review


4.0 out of 5 stars
Iraqi Icicle by Bernie Dowling, 22 Dec 2012

Interesting theatrical, musical and political diversions
By
This review is from: http://btfy.me/cfbtw9
 I ENJOYED this story and I liked the main character, Steel Hill, who delivers as a first person narrator.

Friday 21 December 2012

Wednesday 19 December 2012

Aussie thriller sings and zings


Brother reviews brother. Oh, Brother!

4.0 out of 5 stars

THIS novel is an epic detective story of more than 400 pages.
Private investigator Steele Hill is a larger than life character who has the happy knack of being there when the action is happening.
His world is peopled with crooked cops and shady types in the gambling and horse racing industries.
The book describes some of the events happening in and around Brisbane from 1986 to 1992, including the music and musicians of that time.
It also gives the reader an insight into the political events which were occurring around the globe at this time.
You expect a number of surprises in a detective story and this novel has many including the basis for the title name.
If you like a long entertaining story, with plenty of salty language, this is the book for you.

Dennis Dowling, Brisbane Australia.
Mr Dowling is the brother of author Bernie Dowling.

You know you not going to get 5 Stars from your brother and I am kind of glad.
Readers are rightly wary of books with heaps of five-star reviews but with a sprinkling of most plausible one-star reviews as well.
The biggest challenge for eBooks is reliable curation or critical gate-keeping.
Personally I think you should take my word for it that Iraqi Icicle is a good book. That way, you can buy it and write your own glowing review.
You, on the other hand, may be looking for a different path of decision making.
Cheers
Bernie

Iraqi Icicle Second Edition is out now!

Buy Iraqi Icicle  HERE

No for our celebratory song, dedicated to my brother for his critical skills. And of course, it is the season of hollies:



Monday 17 December 2012

Sunday 16 December 2012

Iraqi Icicle excerpt


The comic detective novel Iraqi Icicle is being released at Pine Rivers Art Gallery Queensland Australia on December 20 in a multi-art event as part of the world-wide A Big Project.
Here is an edited excerpt. 

Vision gets even better




5.0 out of 5 stars Harper Fan December 7, 2012
By Ruth G
Amazon Verified Purchase
I LOVED this book possibly more than the first. 

Laughs amid the turmoil


Book Review by Bernie Dowling

Weimar Vibes is a most humorous novel on a very serious subject.

Friday 7 December 2012

Bent Christmas and Banana New Year


Avoir un Bent Noël et une Bonne Année Banana Nouveau!
Werfen Sie einen Bent Weihnachten und ein Banana New Year!
एक तुला क्रिसमस और एक केले New Year!
ベントクリスマスと新年のバナナを持っている!
Bíodh na Nollag Bent agus Athbhliain Banana Nua!
Have a Bent Christmas and a Banana New Year!

Wednesday 5 December 2012

Sock hop or blog hop sounds like fun

This pic should not be here

I am here involved in this strange thing called a blog hop which James Bond would have trouble figuring out.