THE JAMES MASON COMMUNITY BOOK CLUB discussion

I was a Navy brat, attending 15 different schools before going to college. Two of those schools were in the Panama Canal Zone, where I lived from 1955 to 1957. My stay there provided the source material for my first novel, THE YOUNG BALBOAS, a coming-of-age epic than unfolds in the lush Panamanian jungle.

I taught English literature for thirty-two years in Maryland, where I was cited for producing successful scores on the National Advanced Placement Test in English at twice the rate of teachers in other schools. I was also nominated for Teacher of the Year. Outside the classroom, I've been a nationally ranked tennis player, and I fish in bass tournaments in Maine, where my wife and I own a log cabin on the shores of Lake Cobbosseecontee.

Since retiring to Sarasota, Florida, in 2000, I've published three additional novels: SIXTY IN SARASOTA, SEXY IN SARASOTA, and THE RUPTURE. The two Sarasota novels are comedy/mysteries set on the fabulous Sun Coast of Florida. My latest novel, a send-up of The Rapture, might be described as George Carlin meets Richard Dawkins. An alien travels to Earth from Alpha Centauri to forestall a religious war threatening to engulf the planet. His two secret weapons are stand-up comedy and a fleet of enormous UFO's.

George Carlin meets Richard Dawkins in this satire of The Rapture.

Since the 9/11 attacks, the Earth has been watched closely by a technologically advanced race living on the planet Rehtom in the Alpha Centauri system. In 2017, Revillug, a brilliant young troubleshooter, is dispatched to Earth to forestall a global religious war that is brewing. If he fails, the subsequent planetary holocaust will endanger a large sector of the Milky Way Galaxy.

He seeks refuge with Benjamin Starr, 70, and his granddaughter, Mary, 21, who live in Sarasota, Florida. Because of his faith in life beyond the Earth, Ben has been chosen to engage in time travel. He can return to any moment in his life, no strings attached, and relive the past, changing it if he wishes. The only thing Revillug, now posing as Jason Christopher, fails to tell Ben is that his performance will be evaluated, and the fate of the entire human race may rest on the choices he makes. As time is running out, will Jason simply destroy humanity and save the galaxy, or perform stand-up comedy in the hope of inciting a revolt against religion? Not only that, there’s something about Mary.

I love the phrase"George Carlin meets Richard Dawkins"
where did that emanate from, George?

Great question!

My protagonist, who is an extraterrestrial, performs three major comedy monologues in an American Idol style competition in the novel. He has studied Earth comedians, particularly George Carlin, and imitates his technique. At one point before the competition, he asks the family with whom he's living incognito to explain the subtleties of English vulgarity (akin to Carlin's 7 words that can't be said in the media). The monologues that my alien performs attack religion, especially its complete absence of logic, which has been exposed by Dawkins (and others) in THE GOD DELUSION.

George wrote: "Great question!

My protagonist, who is an extraterrestrial, performs three major comedy monologues in an American Idol style competition in the novel. He has studied Earth comedians, particularl..."

wow- really excellant use of some media icons to create a very unique phrase! wonderful!!

George, I added The Rupture to my tbr list, sounds like a kick. I was wondering if you have read
Towing Jehovah Satire is not my normal goto but I found this irreverent look at, well, everything, was a good read.

I'm not familiar with it, but I am now! Thanks for bringing it to my attention.

Excerpts from all of my novels, which are also ebooks, are available to read on my goodreads site.

Sounds awesome. I love satire and sf. I put it on my amazon wish list. Summer vacation is coming up and I need good books to read.

Any new books???? To promote??

Rick-Founder JM CM BOOK CLUB wrote: "Any new books???? To promote??"

Are you asking in general? Because I have a box set pending