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Recently, I was afforded the luxury of relaxation. Relaxation is not something I come across on a normal basis. Both my wife and I now work day jobs then work The Pyrateheart Press at night. In between exists all of the necessities needed in life that require time as well. Dishes, yard work, laundry, etc. The list runs long.

Not so long ago my Wifesty’s uncle calls and wants to see us. Goes so far as to offer to pay for the plane tickets. We live in California, and he lives in South Carolina. Not some place we can normally go for the weekend. However, we made the decision to make the trip to see the man. A good decision.

It was a delightful five days off. We ate bad, drank even worse, and thoroughly enjoyed our stay. I even got to spend a little time with my son who I hadn’t seen in four years. Time flies by if you don’t watch out.

I spent a lot of time sitting on the front porch enjoying the morning chill and the afternoon sun. Saturday my Wifesty and her uncle got out to do some shopping. She returned with a smile on her face. She’d bought us some books on sale to read.

Now, I read manuscripts every day. But I don’t. Not really. I read them as an editor. Which means I don’t relax and enjoy the story very often. I don’t just let go and read. However, on this occasion I was able to. Quite a luxury.

The book she bought me was a new Stephen King book titled Billy Summers . A new book published this year. Debuted on the bestsellers list. Of course it did. It’s a Stephen King book. He once said he could put his name on a telephone book and it would make the best sellers list. I think he was right.

It was five hundred and twenty one pages long. I read it in two days off and on. I have to admit I enjoyed the book. I wasn’t sucked into it like I have been on other King books. I remember being unable to set The Shining down.

King has been a prolific writer. I like the fact he can make fun of his perceived inability to finish a book off well. I have read many of his books and yes, I agree he has been unable to complete the story ending well on several projects. Under the Dome is a perfect example. I found myself drawn into the story when I read Under the Dome .

King has this inexplicable ability to start out slow and bring you into a story so deep you find yourself awake at four in the morning unwilling to put the book down. Until you start to figure out the ending and then you are like crap , please tell me he isn’t going to end the book like this, is he ? 

However, he is 73 years old, a reformed drug addict and alcoholic, and still able to write a great book. Billy Summers isn’t what I would call great like some of his others. I only compare King to King. Actually, that’s all I ever do with writers. To do otherwise is like comparing apples of multiple varieties to grapefruits and watermelons and cactus. Each writer is unique and should be treated as such. I would no more compare King to Rowling than I would compare Dumas to Wilde. Each is unique.

I enjoyed the book. It had a good beginning, middle, and end. I liked the way it ended. Liked the way he let us see through the eyes of an assassin. I particularly enjoyed the addition of the femme fatale who wasn’t really a femme fatale.

It has a great deal of small details. If you have difficulty with long books that rely on small details to tell the story, then this isn’t a book for you. It isn’t a fast read nor do I think it was written to be one. I like to think he wrote it because the idea appealed to him. It isn’t a horror book or one of his feel good books like The Green Mile . It is simply a good story told well.

I am truly thankful I was given a book to read when I needed one. I am even more thankful it was a good read. I can recommend Billy Summers to anyone.

Take some time to relax. Read a good book. You won’t regret it.

I’m Ross, the Editor-in-Chief at The Pyrateheart Press and I’m out.