I hope you find the stories cathartic, or perhaps disturbing, or maybe both ;-)
The eBook is $2.99 and the paperback is $10.95
Question: Is this book about real people?
Answer: The stories are all inspired by a thousand people and a thousand events -- a little from here and a little from there. I have known people and seen things throughout my life that I cobbled together for a loose framework. But if, for example, there's an LDS (Mormon) Bishop in Fillmore, Utah, who has had the experience I wrote about in Dead On The Corridor, I'll be a monkey's uncle (writing tip: avoid cliches). Some stories are based on personal experiences, or on the experiences and beliefs of my (deceased) ancestors. But as to which parts of the book are autobiographical, I'll leave that to your imagination.
Question: What the heck is this book?
Answer: It's a collection of fiction containing vignette's and short stories about people and places along Interstate 15 between Las Vegas, through Utah, and into Idaho.
Question: What kind of stories are they?
Answer: All the stories are about death, whether it's the physical death or a kind of emotional, psychological, or spiritual death.
Question: Is it a murder mystery?
Answer: No.
Question: What genre is it then?
Answer: Dead On The Corridor is something like American Gothic in its literary style. Think of Washington Irving's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, or the Southern Gothic writings of William Faulkner. This book is a kind of Mormon version of that...Mormon Gothic (?)
Question: Why would anyone want to read about Mormons?
Answer: Because the Mormon culture, which dominates a very large region of the American West, is interesting. Nobody wants to think of themselves as "interesting," like zoo animals. But the culture of Utah and the surrounding region is unique and fascinating. Although this book is not a treatise on Mormon doctrine, Mormonism is definitely an element throughout the book, and like the culture, it too is unique and fascinating.
Question: Is it pro-Mormon or is it anti-Mormon?
Answer: Neither. I love my characters. Most of them are good people who do the best they can do under strange or terrible circumstances. I've had faithful Latter-day Saints, ex-Mormons, and never-Mormons read this book, or portions of it, and give me their thoughts. One glowing review came from a faithful LDS reader. Another highly favorable review came from an ex-Mormon. Yet another came from a retired English professor from India who practices his Hindu religion.
I know there are faithful Mormons who will be offended that my characters don't glow in the darkness, and anti-Mormons who will be offended that I didn't write about some grievance. If you're such a person, I don't recommend you read this book. It's not pro-Mormon or anti-Mormon any more than A Tree Grows In Brooklyn is neither pro nor anti Brooklyn.
Question: Is there profanity, erotica, gore, violence, etc...in this book?
Answer: The words "ass" and "damn" make an appearance one time each, and that is all the profanity there is. Any mention of "God" is in the context of prayer or pleading to God. There is no erotica. The single scene that involves sex is not explicit, and it certainly is not erotic. There is some violence, but no excessive gore (depending on your definition of excessive). However, on the cultural fringes are many things considered "adult" in nature, and these topics are found in my book. Murder, domestic violence, drug references, and mental illness all make their appearances.
This is not a book you should give your 12 year old.