Comments on: Robert Haydon Jones and Matthew Levine

By: paul zalon

paul zalon — Sat, 19 Apr 2014 18:01:28 +0000

Matt Levine’s painting is beautiful. At first I didn’t see the connection to the story but I feel it now, It’s Jimmy’s middle state of mind; the one before he thinks about others and the one where her thinks of only himself; his real uncomplicated core.

By: paul zalon

paul zalon — Sat, 19 Apr 2014 16:18:57 +0000

Mr Jones’ story captures the narcissism, and extremes of alcoholic thinking vividly. The idea that a movie camera on you would make you “behave” better is part Jimmy’s and most alcoholics’ essence. There’s a good guy in there mixed in with a self centered excitement junkie. Mr. Jones is one of the Kings of “storyboard” writing. Everything is reduced to its graphic moment in time; yet we “get it.” We get the conflicting realities of Jimmy’s taking care of Kevin, then switching over to the guy who lives to take risks with no thought of others and then back again on a dime. The frog heart imagery is scarily real; it took the Irish nurse to see what was really needed. Jimmy has such a flexible morality and code of behavior and he has so many layers that are unpredictable; he’d make a great protagonist in an HBO (or Netflix) series. This is a guy that wild stuff just “happens to.” So much is revealed in so few words, you can almost write a hundred more chapters
of “stuff” that orbit around Jimmy. A great, complex, richly conceived
character that is SOMEHOW not necessarily tragic. I want to read more about him

By: seanbeaudoin

seanbeaudoin — Sun, 30 Mar 2014 22:27:53 +0000

Jimmy O’Hara in Miami should be its own book. Called “Dead Heat”.

By: Malachy McCourt

Malachy McCourt — Tue, 25 Mar 2014 01:24:15 +0000

Confirm that size in perfect twentysomething as you stay a welcome move from the

Appendicitis is lucky for some and love is sometimes a heart disease and here we have both of them. A lovely tale of infidelity and faith spiced with incredible luck at the race track making for a very good story that can be read leaning comfortably back in the armchair. So read on and enjoy yourself knowing full well that no self-respecting author would allow a child to die.
Malachy McCourt

By: Jay Young Gerard

Jay Young Gerard — Sat, 22 Mar 2014 14:13:22 +0000

The voice of experience? Or just keen observation, pithy writing and lots of black and white movies? Clever use of the painting as a jumping off place to speed us almost amok on a wild ride that still has my heart thumping (though not frogging). And best of all, perhaps, it’s very GUY. I am female, and I like that! Congratulations on compelling writing that paints atmosphere without benefit of oils, acrylics, pastels or camera.

By: Dave Monroe

Dave Monroe — Sun, 16 Mar 2014 22:39:59 +0000

The opening grabs you by throat. And the story doesn’t let up. I get the haunting feeling if Jimmy could have a take two, he’d spend it with his son, not at the track. Once the moment’s gone, it’s gone.

By: Jack Orth

Jack Orth — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 10:56:55 +0000

As usual Robert grabs your attention right away, and jimmy O’Hara doesn’t let you down! Jimmy should have an ongoing series on HBO–bring it on!

By: Ed Lambertson

Ed Lambertson — Mon, 10 Mar 2014 18:55:01 +0000

A fun romp from binge to crisis, then to another kind of binge and another kind of crisis and finally back home safe and mostly sound.Lots of “Juice”.

By: dan shulman

dan shulman — Mon, 10 Mar 2014 12:36:12 +0000

It flows and rocks, and strange as it seems, every word is credible.