Genre: Mystery/Thriller/Horror

Title: “The Color of Evil”

Author:  Connie (Corcoran) Wilson

     Not everyone wants to be a hero.  But not everyone gets a choice.

     Tad McGreevy had known he was different ever since he was small.  He could see colored auras around people, indicating their true nature.  But it wasn’t until third gtrade that he realized just how dangerous his power could be.  Third grade was when the killer was on the loose.  Third grade was when Tad almost lost himself to his power.  From then on, he decided he would never tell anyone about what he could see ever again.

     Eight years later, Tad has developed into a normal healthy teenager.  His main focus now is to protect those he loves.  But the horror isn’t over, and the evil hasn’t stopped.  When the ones he cares about get involvd what can he do but dive into the colors of evil once again?

     How much do the people around you really hide?  The Color of Evil opens the doors wide to this question and shows you just how many dark secrets a small town can hold.

    This book is both exciting and compelling, filled with young romance and riveting danger.  Some graphic scenes keep this book suitable for those above thirteen only, but add to the sense of foreboding and horror…

    This book is intense with a capital “I”; the first of a trilogy, I sincerely hope it sets an example for the two other books to come.  The Color of Evil is highly recommended by Boyu Huang. (Allbooks Review)

Writer Christopher Hitchens, who died of esophageal cancer on Dec. 15, 2011.

Christopher Hitchins’ death on December 15 makes it time to share this story of a Celebrity Encounter at the June, 2011 BEA (Book Expo America). Maybe encounter is too strong a word. More like two ships passing in the night.

I had bought a ticket for the breakfast, which begins early in the morning, but I did not purchase the food, but only a seat on the perimeter, as per usual. You still get the free books…if they are giving them out. (Last year, only chapters of books, not entire books). Other years, free copies of “The Kite Runner,” etc.

Because all the seats on the perimeter appeared to be occupied, I saw a group of people who were going up some stairs through a door near the back of the hall. They began climbing upwards. In my mind, I envisioned a balcony or loggia, like a church choir loft, if you will, and one of the men in the party was carrying a glass which was obviously booze, as it had a little parasol in it. This was approximately 9 a.m. and I remember thinking that that individual must really like to party hearty! I decided to follow the group and went through the same door and began climbing.

At about the second landing, I caught a glimpse of the group ahead of me and recognized Christopher Hitchens as the man carrying the drink. I also realized that I was, inadvertently, crashing the group of would-be speakers, who were apparently climbing to a behind-the-stage area where they would be introduced and seated.

Whoops!

I quietly tip-toed downstairs and took a seat on chairs at the back of the hall, the perimeter .
When Hitchens was introduced (by Patton Oswalt, the stand-up comedian who is now co-starring opposite Charlize Theron in “Young Adult”) he strode to the microphone and recited several dirty limericks, most of them by heart. As I recall, he also said something about homosexual hi-jinks in an English boarding school, but his entire demeanor was very preoccupied and grim. He then left, with Patton Oswalt explaining that he “had to catch a plane” or some such. Keep in mind, this was about 7 months before he would die of esophageal cancer, and he had known he was probably terminally ill for a year and a half before he died quite recently, of pneumonia from complications of the disease.

In the January issue of “Vanity Fair” Hitchens’ final essay appears, entitled “Trial of the Will.” He debunks the saying, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” and even speculated that Nietzsche, to whom the quote is attributed, might have stolen it from Goethe. Hitchens gives a brief thumbnail capsule of Nietzsche’s life. To wit:  “In the remainder of his life, however, .Nietzsche seems to have caught an early dose of syphilis, very probably during his first-ever sexual encounter, which gave him crushing migraine headaches and attacks of blindness and metastasized into dementia and paralysis. This, while it did not kill him right away, certainly contributed to his death and cannot possibly, in the meanwhile, be said to have made him stronger.”  More details of Nietzche’s life are provided by the terminally ill writer and, of his own condition he said, “And then I had an unprompted rogue thought: if I had been told about all this in advance, would I have opted for the treatment?  There were several moments as I bucked and writhed and gasped and cursed when I seriously doubted it.”

Hitchens, who was an avowed atheist and told Anderson Cooper that, if he heard stories that, on his deathbed he had recanted and “gotten religion,” he should not believe such reports. He recounted a poem by John Betjeman called “Five O’Clock Shadow:”

This is the time of day when we in the Men’s Ward

Think:  “One more surge of the pain and I give up the fight.”

When he who struggles for breath can struggle less strongly.

This is the time of day that is worse than night.”

Added Hitchens, “I have come to know that feeling all right: the sensation and conviction that the pain will never go away and that the wait for the next fix is unjustly long.  Then a sudden fit of breathlessness, followed by some pointless coughing and then—if it’s a lousy day—by more expectoration than I can handle. Pints of old saliva, occasional mucus, and what the hell do I need heartburn for at this exact moment?  It’s not as if I have eaten anything:  a tube delivers all my nourishment. All of this, and the childish resentment that goes with it, constitutes a weakening.  So does the amazing weight loss that the tube seems unable to combat.  I have now lost almost a third of my body mass since the cancer was diagnosed: it may not kill me, but the atrophy of muscle makes it harder to take even the simple exercises without which I’ll become more enfeebled still.”

And Hitchens added, “I am typing this having just had an injection to try to reduce the pain in my arms, hand, and fingers.  The chief side effect of this pain is numbness in the extremities, filling me with the not irrational fear that I shall lose the ability to write.  Without that ability, I feel sure in advance, my ‘will to live’ would be hugely attenuated.  I often grandly say that writing is not just my living and my livelihood, but my very life, and it’s true.  Almost like the threatened loss of my voice, which is currently being alleviated by some temporary injections into my vocal folds, I feel my personality and identity dissolving as I contemplate dead hands and the loss of the transmission belts that connect me to writing and thinking.”

“These are progressive weaknesses that in a more normal life might have taken decades to catch up with me.  But, as with the normal life, one finds that every passing day represents more and more relentlessly subtracted from less and less.  In other words, the process both etiolates you and moves you nearer toward death.  How could it be otherwise?”

And how could the end have been other than it was. Christopher Hitchens, dead at 62.

"Laughing through Life" Reviews

“A Life Sustained” (Courtney)

Review appeared Saturday, December 10, 2011

“The thirty-one essays that make up Laughing through Life (Quad City Press, 2011) by Connie Corcoran Wilson represent a broad selection by this prolific writer, a collection of “hits,” if you will.  TOpics range from anecdotes of everyday life to notable bits from the local news to coverage of the 2004 and 2008 Presidential elections. They span a large chunk of time—at least 25 years.  A fellow Midwestern woman, Wilson writes with honesty, an eye for detail, and without pulling any punches.  She seems to always be searching for the kernel of levity in all interactions and stumbles upon some poignant life lessons along the way.  My personal favorite detailed a conversation between the author and her cell phone company regarding her daughter’s phone usage: we all should be so bold.  Corcoran’s observations are wry, and we might take a lesson from her willingness to say exactly what is on her mind.”

From “Read More Books” blog:

“An amusing book to read written by Connie Corcoran Wilson.  I have to say that I really enjoy Connie’s sense of humor.  She has written some interestingly funny essays and put them together in this book.  There were several laugh-out-loud moments while I was reading the book that I can honestly say that, even as I am now thinking of them while I am writing this, I am still smiling…Connie has certainly experienced many interesting events, such as covering the 2004 and 2008 Presidential campaigns with press passes, which she shares in the book.  I did find much of it to be quite humorous. I didn’t really expect to laugh as much as I did at the end of the book.  Coincidentally, I am not speaking solely on the chapter which is entitled “The End.”  Her conversational piece with the Verizon Guy was wonderfully amusing but, for me, the final laughing began with the ‘R.I.P. Gerard’ and continued all the way to ‘The End!’ I want to say ‘Thank you’ to Teddy Rose for putting this book in my hands.  I agreed to read it and review it here, which I am very happy to have done.”

"Laughing through Life," a collection of humorous essays and anecdotes now on a Virtual Tour.

Just a reminder that December 7 at 7 p.m. I’ll be at the Bettendorf Public Library (Lillienthal Room, I think) both reading two short humorous selections from “Laughing through Life” (one only takes a minute and a half) but, also, playing carols (2 per instrument) on both accordion and piano for your sing-along pleasure.

Since one of the funny pieces is about a cat, that will be a logical segue for showing you my new Christmas book “The Christmas Cats in Silly Hats,” which is short. At 11 a.m. on Dec. 10th, Emily Marquez of Venezuela will be at Barnes & Noble with me to sign copies, which will be at a special pre-Christmas sale price of $10!

At 2:30 p.m., Emily and I will be at Razzleberries in LeClaire, because Mr. C, the store cat, invited us.

At 6 p.m., Emily and I will be in Geneseo in the window of the Four Seasons store for their annual Christmas walk. Come out and meet a girl from Venezuela who hasn’t seen any small-town Midwestern life (she’s been in Chicago) and welcome her to our local communities. She speaks excellent English and, as one of the illustrators, will happily sign our book for you at the bargain price of only $10 for the cat book and $10.95 for the humor book.

We wish that Andy Weinert could be with us (the other illustrator) but he is graduating from Northern Illinois University on December 11th with an advanced degree in Graphic Arts. Way to go, Andy!

A cool Christmas books for children aged 2-7.

"Laughing through Life:' humorous essays and anecdotes.

Although I’ve sent my schedule to both newspapers and the “River City Reader,” which has a nice write-up online right now, here is a reminder of when and where you can find me during the run-up to Christmas, with my two new books, The Christmas Cats in Silly Hats and/or Laughing through Life.

Both books are brand new. One is a collection of funny anecdotes and essays similar to Erma Bombeck or David Sedaris. I’ll be reading a couple short selections from that book at the Bettendorf Public Library during a free presentation on December 7 at 7 p.m., with free refreshments (delicious cookies from the Village Bakery) and piano and accordion accompaniment(s) for some brief caroling. I’ll also have the children’s cat book, The Christmas Cats in Silly Hats.

The next place I’ll be with the book is the District in Rock Island during the December 2nd Gallery Hop. (Atlante Trattoria restaurant). On December 3rd, I’ll be at the East Moline Public Library from 12:30 to approximately 1:30 before joining other local authors at Barnes & Noble at Northpark for a fundraiser for the Midwest Writing Center that starts earlier than I’ll get there. I’ll stay at B&N for about 2 hours (2 to 4, approximately) before relocating within the Woodland Gallery in the Village of East Davenport.

"The Christmas Cats in Silly Hats" for 3 to 5-year-olds; full-color Dr. Seussical book.

On December 7th, it’s the Bettendorf Public Library’s free “Readlocal” promotion. First floor room. On December 10th, one of the illustrators of the book, Emily Marquez of Venezuela (see article in the “River City Reader”) will join me at 11 a.m. at Barnes & Noble at Northpark Mall and again at the Victorian Christmas Walk in Geneseo.

Hope to see you there! If none of those works for you, the books are available online (Amazon and Barnes & Noble websites) and, in town, at the Watermark in downtown Moline for the children’s book only and at Barnes & Noble at Northpark for both.

Mariane Pearl speaking at the Jumer's Casino in Rock Island, Illinois, on November 10, 2011.

On November 10th, 2011, Mariane Pearl, the widow of slain Wall Street Journal journalist Daniel Pearl spoke in the Quad Cities (IA/IL). She spoke in the grand ballroom of a casino, which was different, and I signed up too late to have dinner. Tickets were $35 if you were alone, $30 if you were with a group and $20 to just show up for the speech, which is what I did.

I went to see exactly what a speaker on the lecture circuit commanding big bucks, no doubt, would use as props…what her technique would be. I don’t  know what I expected, but I know that, if I had been doing it, I’d have asked permission to use a 3-minute clip from the Angelina Jolie film based on her book. I might have considered reading a passage from the more intense parts of the book. Her topic wouldn’t scream PowerPoint, but exactly what would Mariane Pearl, noted journalist and radio hostess, do?

For openers, she’d have to exchange the original microphone, which almost deafened us all, for a different microphone. Good touch: 2 large screens to the sides of the podium, like at a rock concert. Room full. Probably 300 to 500 women there (you do the math).

Then came the speech itself. My impressions?

I have not read her book, primarily because I saw the movie. Not a good reason, I realize, but the only one I have.  Mariane Pearl and Angelina Jolie would, no doubt, get along very well IRL because they each seem to have that “la la land” attitude of “Let’s all be one big happy universe.” She sketched her early meeting with “Danny,” her husband who was kidnapped and beheaded by terrorists in Karachi, Pakistan, when she was pregnant with their first child Adam. She said, “If we gave up, then something was lost that was bigger than ourselves, so we could not give up.” She talked about living your beliefs by moving from Paris to India with her husband.

The crowd at Jumer's Casino in Rock Island for Mariane Pearl's speech on November 10, 2011.

I remember that Mariane Pearl, in the film, takes over the investigation, pretty much.  She admits that she had a computer that the authorities thought might yield clues to who had taken her husband, but she refused to give it up.

“Somehow, the question of life and death and survival became secondary.  I knew what terrorists were trying to achieve…All of a sudden it became like two visions of the future were fighting one another.”

For five weeks Mariane and her team “survived.” “It was a fight between two very extreme visions and it’s about justice. That’s unacceptable.”

Mariane told of the instant when she learned of the murder of her husband and grabbing an AK47 machine gun, but then realizing “how easy it is to kill someone who has virtue.  I was at that point. That would be defeat.  Whatever is the most difficult thing, I must do it. Revenge would be easy; dialogue would be hard. I put the gun down.”

Ms. Pearl then described, somewhat disingenuously, her writing of the book “A Mighty Heart” back in New York City. A major publisher was going to publish this book. She said, “I had no idea whether anyone was going to read that book.” That was the point where I decided that Mrs. Pearl was not being totally honest with herself or us. Saying that she “didn’t know whether anyone would read that book” would be tantamount to Jaycee Duggard (who was kept prisoner in a psychotic’s backyard for 18 years) saying she didn’t know whether anyone would read her book.

The view of the world as one big happy place also didn’t wash, for me.

The impressions I came away with from the speech were that Ms. Pearl looked a bit like a younger version of Imelda Marcos, was not totally being honest with us about her expectations for her best-selling book, and that I was glad I had paid only $20 to hear her, rather than $35 to sit at a table and eat dinner beforehand. I proceeded to meet my husband in the gambling area of the casino and we went to dinner.

All-in-all, maybe I’m just spoiled by presentations like the one Raymond Benson has crafted for his novelizations of James Bond movies. Or maybe I was just tired. Or maybe Ms. Pearl was just tired that night. And there were technical issues, at first, which were quickly overcome.

The new illustrated cat book "The Christmas Cats in Silly Hats."

I’m pretty excited: the proofs for “The Christmas Cats in Silly Hats” have arrived, and the book is really cool. I will have it at all the appearances I’ve booked here in the Quad Cities during the holidays, and, if you’re reading this in some far-flung part of the world, order a copy from Amazon or Barnes & Noble! (It does not exist as an E-book title, yet, but may, in the future.)

I wanted to put this out here to encourage any readers that are interested to please come to the signing(s). The December 10th signing at Northpark Mall will also feature illustrater Emily Marquez from Venezuela, who will come from Chicago for that signing. Other places I plan to be are as follows:

November 21:  4:30 to 10 p.m.- Sizzlin’ Soiree at the downtown Radisson Hotel in conjunction with the Festival of Trees.

December 2:  Gallery Hop in Rock Island from 6 to 9 p.m.

December 3:  12:30 to 1:30 at the East Moline Public Library.

December 3:  2:00 on at Barnes & Noble, Northpark Mall, for a Midwest Writing Center fundraiser

December 7:  7:00 p.m. at the Bettendorf Public Library, which is going to involve a humorous reading from “Laughing through Life,” a piano, an accordion and refreshments. Please come so I don’t bomb on Pearl Harbor Day.

December 10:  Signing at Barnes & Noble at Northpark that will involve Emily Marquez, one of the book’s illustraters from Venezuela, beginning at 11 a.m..

December 10:  The Victorian Christmas Walk in Geneseo, beginning at 5:30, in the window of The Four Seasons, again with Venezuelan illustrator Emily Marquez present.

If you have any interest in humor OR an illustrated children’s book with a good lesson for children to learn, come to any or all of the above events.