Mail Bag

I received the most pleasant surprise today. A postcard from author Ron Sanders, thanking me for my review, arrived in the mail.

If you haven't already read my review of Carnival, what are you waiting for? It's up at Front Street Reviews right now.

Carnival was a bit of a struggle for me for several reasons.

First, both the front and back covers are quite provocative. Because of this, I was hesitant to bring it to work with me to read on breaks, so it took me quite a bit longer than usual to get through it. Eventually I gave in because I felt it had languished on my nightstand too long, and of course, it inspired some interesting conversations with my coworkers. In fact, I'll bet your eyes have strayed from my words several times already to peer at the enormous knockers in the cover image. Am I right? They're practically hypnotic!

When I finally chugged through the book, I wasn't sure how I felt about it. I only just now found the book categorized under "humor" at Lulu.com, which is fascinating because I felt like humor was one of the qualities it lacked. It seemed to be more of a serious philosophical venture to me. Sanders' characters are misfits, sure, but they face some pretty weighty challenges that most wouldn't take lightly.

Despite my off-the-mark interpretation, Sanders' postcard was a simple "thank you." There was no attempt to explain his intentions or correct my reasoning. And that makes Ron Sanders one of my new favorite authors. The fact that he has the ability to sit back and let the reader take what they will from his words, form their own conclusions, and enjoy the book based on their unique perspective says volumes about his character. I love literature that is intellectually stimulating, and I love authors that can detach themselves from their "babies" and allow the work to be so.

Add Ron Sanders to your reading list.

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