Amazon Canada Ratings & Reviews

Amazon.com does not display ratings and reviews made by Canadians.  So let's backdoor the posts on Amazon.ca by M Rogers on there via this blog;

Little Gangsters

 out of 5 starsGreat intro book to an enjoyable series

April 22, 2019

Format: Kindle Edition

I really enjoyed this first book of the series. It captures the childhood and
introduction to these little gangster's lives, through lots a great adventures.

Bigger Gangsters

5.0 out of 5 starsI loved this book!

April 22, 2019

Format: Kindle Edition

Very well written! Building on a story arc that is very entertaining. Trying not
to give anything away, but its a bit heart wrenching, and left me hungry to
read Millennial Gangsters.

Millennial Gangsters

5.0 out of 5 starsAwesome!

April 22, 2019

Format: Kindle Edition

I loved how the main character has changed and continues to change through
this book. Great balance of drama and action!

Gangster's Girl

5.0 out of 5 starsCouldn't put this one down!

April 22, 2019

Format: Kindle Edition

The main character changes around in this one, but continues the action packed
series. I just couldn't put this one down. Fantastic story telling!

Thank you M Rogers!  I'm glad you enjoyed the series.

Fate

“I’ll go if you want …” B_ said, then stalled because she was about to use the word ‘but’ and that word was a thief.  Instead; “Please take me back.” a shuddering breath, then;  “Please.” and her voice was weak with need, making her sound lost and lonely.

Then, when he didn’t answer;

“You deserve more than I am, M_.  I know that.  But no one wants more for you than I do.  You were promised greatness and I want to be the one standing by your side, being soft for you, being your comfort and sanctuary.  I promise I will do my best to be those things for you if you’ll only take me back.”

M_ gazed down at her, seeing only shadow, knowing that if he could see her face, look into those grey/green eyes, his resolve would crumble.  Whether it was fate reaching into the world or simple coincidence, the neighbour turned on his kitchen light and the goldenness of it shining through the thin curtains painted B_’s face and M_ saw the shine of her cheeks where hours of tears had painted their sorrow, and the glint of those pleading, honest eyes glowed, and the rusty sheen of her auburn hair framed her paleness, and he was lost.

God help us; in that moment we all were.

First Crush

We drove to Jaimie’s trailer and F_ dashed up onto her porch before I could get the car in park.  F_ was hammering on the door as I got out and walked up to the stairs.  No one answered the door.

“She’s not answering.” F_ said, pounding harder, “We have to check on her, Dad.  Make sure she’s okay.”

“F_.”

“We have to break in or something.”

“F_.”

“Dad!”

I stepped up onto the porch and turned him by the shoulders to face me.

“F_.  Listen to me now.” I said as his eyes found my face - the poor kid was stricken and in that moment I had no doubt that he loved her, “She probably went in the ambulance with her mom.  Let’s make some calls and find out where her mom is, then we’ll know where Jaimie is.”

“And we can go see her?” F_ pleaded, “She needs someone with her if her mom’s that sick.  She needs us.”

“I know, son.  Yes, we’ll go see her.” I said and gave him the hug I think he needed.  I couldn’t remember what it was like to be ten and have a crush as big as F_ had for Jaimie.

Author Interview on NFreads.com

Online interview

Desert Retirement

“Alright T-J.  Let’s see your product.” M_ said and T-J handed it over.  M_ dug through the plastic shopping bag and took out a bundle of coke bags.  I could see the problem from where I was standing.

“You stepped on it and rebagged it.” M_ said.

“No.” T-J lied, “That’s the way I got it.”

“You couldn’t even be arsed to find the same jewelry bags.” M_ said, “These have a blue seal, ours are clear.”

“Look, man.  They got messed up, I had to rebag them.” T-J said, his face paling, “I told you I had a shit week.”

M_ dug out the heroin and the meth and tossed the bundles to Vince and Digger, “Divide it up between you.” he told them.

“What about me, man?” T-J said.

“You’re retired, and you owe three grand for the coke you stepped on.” M_ said, holding up the plastic shopping bag, “This shit is useless now.”

“How am I going to find three grand?”

“You’re not.” M_ said and pulled his Taurus from the back of his waistband and shot T-J in the forehead.  Vince and Digger almost left the ground they jerked so hard when M_’s pistol thundered. 

I was expecting it and had plugged my ears – I knew T-J was a dead man as soon as I saw the rebagged coke.

'__&__'

Amalgamous Characters

Most of the characters in my novels are amalgams of a number of people I have known in life.

For example; in my current project there is an eight year old boy – the son of the story's narrator.  He is comprised of three boys I encountered over the years; one as a Scout leader; one as a Counsellor to at-risk youth, and one I knew as a child myself.  Taking pieces of all three, I have created a boy who is thoughtful and generous, bold in play, and unguarded when expressing love.  Even his physical make-up is a combination of the three; unruly dark hair, athletic and lean of build, and an expressive face.

I have arrived at a boy who is a silent grump in the morning and a happy chatterbox in the afternoon; a boy who plays hard and sleeps with the innocence of a puppy; a boy who is crushed by tragedy, yet courageous when facing it.

Once a character is as fleshed out as he is, his dialogue and actions begin to write themselves.

When a writer creates solid characters that are three dimensional in this way, they are powerful creatures and will change the story by being in it.  They also eliminate writer’s block; whenever I feel the story is lagging, I place my character in a challenging – sometimes inescapable situation, and let them work their way through it.

The emotional downside to this is that you find yourself falling in love with them, so when you are forced to ‘kill your darlings’ – (as Stephen King recommends) – you grieve their loss as though they were real people. 

Yet as Robert Frost once said; “No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader.”

Fathers & sons

On the way back home I had a conversation with  F__ that I’d had with him twice a year;

“You remember where the go-bag is?”

“Yeah.” F__ said, rolling his eyes like he always did.

“Humour your old man.” I said and nudged him with my elbow.

“It’s under the shed, double bagged in garbage sacks.” F__ said.

“And when do you go for it?”

“If you don’t come home when you say you’re going to and don’t call.”

“Or ...”

“If M__or Mom or Jamie say so.”

“Where do you go with it?”

“To M__.”

“Not Mom?”

“No.  Not Mom.”

“Because?”

“She’ll gamble all the money.”

“Good.” I said, “I know you love Mom, but she has a problem and we have to be real about it.”

“I know.” F__ said, staring out at the shadowy desert and the distant glow of local towns.

“Who do you give the big envelope to?”

“M__.”

“Nobody else?”

“The cops if M__ comes up missing too.”

“What’s in the bag that you need to keep secret?”

“The bank book in my name.”

“What’s the money for?”

“My education.” F__ said, “For college.”

“Not for a hot car or to spend on girlfriends.”

“Dad.”

I laughed.

I guess most fathers don’t have go-bags for their kids, nor have those kinds of conversations with them, but even though D__ treated me well and trusted me as much as anyone in his crew, I didn’t trust him.

'__&__' (hush, it's a secret until it's published)