The Irresponsible Reader - I Read (a lot) and then Rant, Rave and maybe Review

WWW Wednesday—February 18, 2026

On February 18, 2026

In Books, Currently Reading, News/Misc., WWW Wednesday

This meme was formerly hosted by MizB at A Daily Rhythm and revived on Taking on a World of Words—and shown to me by Aurore-Anne-Chehoke at Diary-of-a-black-city-girl.

The Three Ws are:
What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

Seems easy enough, right? Let’s take a peek at this week’s answers:

What are you currently reading?


Banners of Wrath by Michael Michel	A History of the World in 6 Glasses by Tom Standage, read by Sean Runnette

I had to take a break to make sure I finished Hive on time (see below), but I’m back to Michel’s latest. There are just so many things going wrong for these characters…and I’m loving it.

Standage’s history came up in conversation with a friend when I was telling him about reading The Mountains Shall Drip Sweet Wine. This is a very different take on potent potables (and some others), but they also do a good job of complimenting each other.

What did you recently finish reading?


Jump by DL Orton

Operation Bounce House by Matt Dinniman, read by Travis Baldree & Jeff Hays	The Greatest Sentence Ever Written by Walter Isaacson, read by Walter Isaacson & Holter Graham

I’ve talked about Jump a lot today, I’m not sure what else to say.

Read Matt Dinniman, they said. He’s hilarious, they said. Well, this was a different book for Dinniman–it’s harrowing, somewhat hopeful and affirming, but also…the mirror it holds up about humanity’s cruelty to humanity (for fun and profit!), just ain’t pretty. I should stress that this is an endorsement.

Okay, technically, the last book I listened to was Isaacson’s celebration/examination of the second sentence in the Declaration of Independence (you know, “We hold these truths to be self-evident…”). But it’s a 60 minute book (including the appendices), so it doesn’t really feel like a book.

What do you think you’ll read next?


First Do No Harm by S. J. Rozan	City of Others by Jared Poon, read by David Lee Huynh

It’s been too long since I read a good PI novel, might as well read about two at the same time, right? The good part is pretty much granted with Rozan behind the wheel.

I was just browsing at the Library’s site when I saw this Urban Fantasy set in Singapore. Which is such an unusual combination of words that I have to try it.

Tell me about your recent reads (I may be bad at replying, but I read every comment)

Jump by D. L. Orton: Second Verse, Same as the First (which is not a knock)

By HCNewton

On February 18, 2026

In Book Tour, Fiction, Science Fiction

I’m tempted here to take 90% of post about Hive from last May, switch out the titles and say, “good enough.” Because…it really would be. I won’t, because that feels like cheating. But…if things sound eerily similar, there’s probably a reason. I plagiarize myself all the time in real life, I might as well do it here, too.

Jump

by D. L. Orton

DETAILS:
Series: Madders of Time, Book Two
Publisher: Rocky Mountain Press
Publication Date: November 4, 2025
Format: Hardcover
Length: 406 pg.
Read Date: February 14-16, 2026

What’s Jump About?

This picks right up from the end of Hive, but we get to see a more global scale—it’s not just around the Denver area that things are bad all over the world. And getting worse. There are a handful of efforts to save the world—more efforts to save portions of humanity (read: powerful and rich, with a few smart ones to keep things running)—and, of course, our rag-tag group of scientists and dimension-travelers.

And, I really don’t know what to say without getting way too complicated (it ain’t easy recapping multiverse stories and all their varying apocalypses). What’s Jump about? It’s about what happens after Hive, and before Dome (coming soon from D.L. Orton). While the world races past dystopia toward chaos, mass starvation, and general devastation—some people try to save it. Or at least another universe from falling into the same hole.

Why did I pick this up? Why did I keep reading?

I picked this up because I was curious about where Orton was going to go with things.

Why did I keep reading? That’s simple—once you read a few pages, you can’t help keep going—I could probably come up with a list of things I could fault Orton’s writing for if I wanted to (I don’t want to, see no need to, etc…I’m just saying I could). But getting the reader to keep turning the pages as fast as they can wouldn’t show up anywhere near that list. Her writing is like that old Pringles slogan, “Once you pop, you just can’t stop.”

What does this book tell us about humanity?

Nothing good, sadly. Well…let me take that back. Before I get too far with the thing that has really captured my mind over the last day, something I thought about while reading is just how immutable certain things in the multiverse may be: Diego and Isabel (in whatever variants of spelling/language/nicknames they may be known by) are gaga over themselves. Have the same interests and pursuits—and name their kids the same thing (although they don’t all have them, they plan on using the same ones). Dave is an evil, manipulative, scumbag everywhere (with some minor variation of degree possible). Matthew is basically Matthew wherever.

Compare that to the multiverses in Fringe for example—some parts of Olivia are the same on both sides, but not nearly as much. The Walters are freakishly different. And so on. Or even the variations in the Spider-Mans in the last movie—differences in powers, Mary Janes, villains, life experiences (only one has been to space!).

Whatever minor variations Orton does show, they are so small as to be negligible. I just think that’s strange.

Now back to the nothing good—there are essentially three groups of people we see in this book (more than Hive).

First, you have the overwhelming mass of humanity—they’re starving (and it’ll get worse), their access to electricity, heat, medicine, is severely limited. It’s a barbaric existence for them—and it’s about to get so much worse. It’s all about survival from one day to the next for them.

Then you have the “Elite”—they’re rich, they’re powerful, they use government resources (and then pretty much ignore all the governments that are helping them) to “save humanity.” As long as that humanity helps them get richer (because that’s important), can give them access to the disappearing resources of Earth, and/or can keep things running. They couldn’t care less about the people outside of the Domes, and will do horrific things to preserve said Domes.

Even our “good guys” who are—to be the one to travel. Period. End of discussion. So what does he do? He takes off on a risky mission for the sake of the woman he loves—and (no offense, Isabel) she really doesn’t seem to have a role to play in the “saving the world” bit. I’m not saying let her die, or anything—but we’re talking about the fate of humanities, here. Also—the princess can save her self, thank you very much.

You still like them, you’re still rooting for them, you still smile at their jokes—but, when the book is done and you can breathe and reflect? They may end up saving multiple realities (or even just one!), but I’m not sure they’re heroic. Which is not necessarily a bad thing, you just prefer them to be a bit more so.

So, what did I think about Jump?

It’s exactly the kind of escapist read that helps you unwind after a long day.

It moves, it’s fun—yes, it’s full of existential despair, but it keeps the focus on the non-despair inducing/horrific things—the characters and situations are compelling. And there’s part of you (well, part of me, and hopefully I’m not alone in this) that keeps thinking “if I just stick with it, I’ll actually understand all the various multiverse strands.” That part isn’t quite as important, but if I tried to diagram it all, it wouldn’t be pretty. It’d also be pretty inaccurate.

I’d love for Orton to show us all how she kept everything straight.

The tech is very cool—particularly the “baby” version of the old AI we meet in Hive. Orton gives you enough to understand how it all works and to visualize it clearly without bogging down the pace with paragraphs and paragraphs of details. The plausibility of it all? Eh, it’s SF, it’s plausible enough if you come with a standard level of suspension of disbelief needed for time travel/multiverse travel.

Because of the pacing, Orton’s able to get away with a few things that maybe she couldn’t in a slower-moving book. The depth of the characters that could be brought out are merely nodded to, or you have to assume them. You have to assume there’s something about the tech elites that got them where they are, despite being horrible people who can miss a whole lot of things their underlings are doing—and to keep working together despite the clear animosity.

I thought this last time, and I’m more certain of it now, most of my problems can be laid at the feet of the pacing—to keep things moving, she can’t develop these things with much more than a nod. I’m not necessarily wild about how things work out because of that, but I understand the reasoning, and can sit back and enjoy it.

I want to stress, however, in the moment, you don’t think about this (and if you do, you brush it off because you don’t want to step out of the movement). Everything works, everything clicks while you’re reading and speeding off to the next twist/revelation. It’s only after you get to the ending that leaves you holding onto the cliff’s edge with your fingers that this might occur to you if you stop and think about it. Mostly, you’re going to be thinking about how long it will be until you can get your hands on the next book, Dome.

It’s easily enjoyable, engrossing, and entertaining. You should give it a try.

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.
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BOOK SPOTLIGHT: Jump (Madders of Time #2) by D.L. Orton

By HCNewton

On February 18, 2026

In Book Tour, Fiction, Science Fiction

I’m very pleased today to welcome The Write Reads Ultimate Blog Tour for Book Two in D.L. Orton’s Madders of Time series, Jump! If you take a look at the feeds https://twitter.com/WriteReadsTours and https://bsky.app/profile/thewritereads.bsky.social, you’ll see what several other bloggers have had to say about it. My $.02 will be coming along later today.

Book Details:

Title: Jump by D. L. Orton
Genre: Madders of Time, Book Two
Genre: Science Fiction
Age Category: Adult
Format: Hardcover/Paperback/Ebook
Length: 406 pages
Publication Date: November 4, 2025

About the Book:

The multiverse is collapsing. The time machine is broken. And humanity’s last hope? Might already be dead.

Seven months after the EMPs brought the world to its knees, a handful of scientists are racing against extinction—and each other. Somewhere in a flooded skyscraper lies a wormhole generator that might be able to undo the apocalypse. If they can find it. If it still works. If it doesn’t kill them first.

Meanwhile, Diego Nadales wakes in a cell, his face bloodied and his memories fractured. He’s being accused of terrorism, treason, and time travel. The last one, at least, is true.

Isabel is trapped inside a biodome ruled by the man she once trusted. But her bees—microscopic drones designed to save the planet—have been hijacked and weaponized. If she doesn’t find a way out soon, her creation will wipe out the last threads of life on Earth.

Old friends return. New enemies rise. And somewhere in the chaos, one small spark of hope just might be enough to ignite a revolution.
The clock isn’t ticking. It’s blowing up.

Book Links:

Amazon Canada ~ Amazon US ~ Amazon UK ~ Goodreads ~ The StoryGraph

About the Author:

The BEST-SELLING AUTHOR, D. L. ORTON, lives in the foothills of Colorado where she and her husband are raising three boys, a golden retriever, two Siberian cats, and an extremely long-lived Triops. Her future plans include completing the books in the BETWEEN TWO EVILS series followed by an extended vacation on a remote tropical island (with a Starbucks).

When she’s not writing, playing tennis, or helping with algebra, she’s building a time machine so that someone can go back and do the laundry.

Ms. Orton is a graduate of Stanford University’s Writers Workshop and a past editor of “Top of the Western Staircase,” a literary publication of CU, Boulder. The author has a number of short stories published in online literary magazines, including Literotica.com, Melusine, Cosmoetica, The Ranfurly Review, and Catalyst Press.

Her debut novel, CROSSING IN TIME, has won numerous literary awards including an Indie Book Award and a Publishers Weekly Starred Review. It was also selected as one of only 12 Great Indie Stars by BookLife’s Prize in Fiction.

My thanks to The Write Reads for the invitation to participate in this tour and the materials they provided.

The Dentist (Audiobook) by Tim Sullivan, read by John Heffernan: A Promising Series Start for a Distinctive Detective

By HCNewton

On February 17, 2026

In Audiobook, Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

The Dentist

by Tim Sullivan, read by John Heffernan

DETAILS:
Series: The DS Cross Mysteries, #1
Publisher: W. F. Howes Ltd
Publication Date: September 2, 2021
Format: Unabridged Audiobook 
Length: 10 hrs,. 12 min.
Read Date: February 10-12, 2026

What’s The Dentist About?

DS George Cross is called to a murder scene for what the uniformed officers are assuming is going to be a simple, probably unsolvable, murder of a homeless man at the hands of another homeless person. Cross almost instantly sees some things that tell him that’s not the case at all, and saddles up for a complicated case.

It is a complicated one, too (obviously, you don’t want your novel’s protagonist to be wrong at the first thing he concludes in the book). Cross and his not-very-willing partner, DS Josie Ottey, start learning a good deal about this homeless man—who not that long ago was a prominent dentist in the area. Cross becomes convinced that this murder is tied to an unsolved case from over a decade ago and sets himself to solving both crimes.

This sets him at odds with former police detectives who investigated the earlier case, the higher ups in the Service who are looking for a quick conclusion, and parts of the dentist’s own family. Ottley supports him in this, but gets the other side, too—and will try to guide him to the “safer” conclusion (while hoping his obstinacy will show that he’s not the person she should be partnered with for the next case).

I Have to Talk About Cross and the Spectrum

We meet George Cross having a very awkward introduction to a new coworker—it doesn’t go well for either of them (and only one of them understands why). And then he finds calm in leaving that conversation to focus on the murder victim in front of him. A crime to investigate, clues to notice, a puzzle to solve—that’s what Cross needs. Not a friendly (and we’ll learn, clever) new coworker.

In many ways, Asperger’s Syndrome* is what distinguishes Cross from his peers (on the force and in Police Procedural fiction). But Sullivan never makes this out to be a super-power (as so many tend to do), or a disability for him to overcome in some inspirational manner (phew). Nor—and this is the big one—is it played for comedy (think Adrian Monk’s OCD which is portrayed comedically, tragically, and with sensitivity—often in the same scene.)

It’s just who Cross is. He is off-putting, he is borderline rude, he only realizes how to better handle a conversation at work or in private after the fact (and almost never goes back to redress things). He is hyper-focused at times, to the point of obsession. He is very self-aware of his challenges and has done many things to ease his way through them (one would argue, not enough). His co-workers and superiors are also very aware of his challenges and have done things to ease his way through them (one would more easily argue, not enough).

He’s on the spectrum, just the way that Ottley is a black single mom. The way that his father is a hoarder. The way that their civilian aid is anxious to prove herself. The way their DCI is a better politician than a detective (but one who can see when he needs to get out of the way and let detectives detect). It’s just part of him.

That’s the way this should be handled.

* I realize that “Asperger’s Syndrome” is considered an outdated term, but it’s what the novel uses, so I’m using it, too.

How was the Narration?

Well, first I had to cope with Heffernan’s pronunciation of “Asperger’s” (well, the British pronunciation, its not just his). It doesn’t really matter to me, but it, more than anything, reminded me where this book takes place (I really didn’t register the accent otherwise).

Other than that—I really appreciated and enjoyed Heffernan’s work here. He got the tension just right (when appropriate) and captured the humanity of all the characters and Cross’ investigation. He conveyed the rigor of Cross’ style and thought process as well.

I don’t know if I can separate the Heffernan’s reading of the book from my appreciation of it—it’s likely a series that I’ll have to continue on audio, because the two are joined so solidly in my mind. (and, boy, do I hope Heffernan’s got a long-term contract).

Why did I pick this up? Why did I keep reading?

I picked this read “Mind and Matters of Crime: Meike Alana Lokos at the DS George Cross Mysteries” over at The Hard Word and the series seemed like something I should give a shot.

I kept going because I was right—this is totally my thing. Some great characters, a unique way to approach a criminal investigation, and a pretty twisty mystery.

What does this book tell us about humanity?

It feels like the obvious thing here is to talk about Cross being on the spectrum, and the way that others respond to him, avoid him, get frustrated with him, and yet respect his work. Or the way that has learned to make his way in the world. This is valid and important.

It also feels too easy—and like something I could copy and paste for the next however many books there are. More than that, it wasn’t the thing that jumped out at me the most.

What really rises to the top when I think about this book are the connections between the people—what forges them, what strengths (or weakens them), and how that plays out over the course of their lives. Cross and his father have a very solid relationship—it’s predictable, it’s reliable. Cross and Ottley have a…strained and awkward relationship—but one that Cross somewhat depends on, one that Ottley frequently resents (I think she softens a bit). The relationship between Cross and his superiors isn’t what you get from other procedurals—even with “the brass” isn’t wild about a particular detective who does things their own way.

And as for the relationships between the victims, suspects, and others that Cross encounters in this case—those are firmly in spoiler territory, but watching the web be revealed—and add layers as the book goes on was really intriguing. The book really is about human relationships and much of their diversity more than just about anything else—including the murders. (although, well, they’re rooted in them, too.)

So, what did I think about The Dentist?

I was charmed instantly, by the end of Chapter One—I was sold. My appreciation and enjoyment grew from there, and I wasn’t halfway through before I knew I was at least getting the sequel to this soon. And anticipated catching up on the series by the end of 2026.

This satisfied me on every front—mystery, character, storytelling, writing, and promise for things to come. I felt like I understood Cross and Ottley, and wanted to see them ply their craft with another case or twelve.

Lastly, while DS Cross isn’t DC Smith, and no one would confuse the Bristol police with King’s Lake Central—there’s something about this book (and Heffernan’s narration) that scratched a Peter Grainger-itch in my psyche. This is good, because now that I’ve caught up with Grainger’s series, he can’t produce things quickly enough to satisfy me. Also, it’s pretty high praise in my book for Sullivan.

For readers who are into British Procedurals, atypical Detectives, and/or quality fiction. I strongly encourage you to pick this up.

PUB DAY REPOST: Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett: A Tale Strays (of various species) Finding New Homes

By HCNewton

On February 17, 2026

In Fantasy, Fiction

Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter

by Heather Fawcett

DETAILS:
Publisher: Del Rey
Publication Date: February 17, 2026
Format: Del Rey
Length: 368 pg.
Read Date: January 30-31, 2026

What’s Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter About?

A widow in her thirties struggles to keep the charity that she and her husband started afloat in 1920’s Montreal. They find stray cats on the street, get them cleaned up, spayed/neutered, whatever other basic veterinary care they need, and then match them with loving homes.

Oh, and her new landlord turns out to be the most feared and reviled magic user in the world.

I know, I know…that tired plot again.*

That’s all well and good—it’s just a business relationship, right? But at a certain point his business starts interfering with and threatening her charity (and the cats!). So Agnes decides she has to start meddling to keep anything truly harmful from happening. Even if that means spending time with said magician. Who is not at all attractive and charming, thank you very much.

* I truly hope the sarcasm there is obvious. But I’ve been missing a lot of swings like that lately.

Why did I pick this up? Why did I keep reading?

I thought the plot seemed amusing enough, but I was probably convinced to pick this up by my curiosity about what Fawcett could do outside of Emily Wilde‘s adventures.

I stuck with it because of Agnes. Sure, the story and other characters were fun and kept me reading. But for me, it’s all about Agnes. Her attitude, her fortitude, the way she acts as if she can bend reality to her will (she sure seems capable of turning the wills of most around her to hers)—she’s just a dynamo and you can believe that this non-magical person (anti-magic actually) can hold her own with people throwing spells around.

What does this book tell us about humanity?

There’s a good deal we can learn from Agnes about tenacity, about the power of people coming together in a common cause, about grief.

But the thing that stood out the most to me—and given the title, it’s probably to be expected—is the very human magic of pairing someone—man, woman, or child—with a pet fit for them. There’s the initial joy, and then long-term benefits as well. It’s that king of magic that keeps Agnes going. It’s what gets her sister to help, her volunteers to keep showing up, and it’s the way that people she’s matched with their cat that come to her aid—that fills the book with its heart.

So, what did I think about Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter?

It’s not often that I read a book featuring pets that don’t happen to be dogs, so it may come as some kind of surprise when I talk about one—I don’t know that I’d go so far as to say it surprised me, too—but it did seem a little strange.

This book was a pleasure from start to finish—I really didn’t know what to expect. But Fawcett sold the setting, the characters, and the story—it was all perfectly charming and engaging. The magic system seems really fitting for this world, and better than others. You get someone like Raistlin Majere or Harry Dresden running around, and I just don’t think it’d work as well.

There were some plot turns that I didn’t see coming—and maybe should’ve, but I enjoyed being taken unawares—and the bigger reveals at the end were so satisfying.

If you like Emily Wilde, you’ll like Agnes Aubert—they’re not the same character, but the core of each is pretty similar (as differently as they express that core). The rest of the characters are almost as good—the tertiary characters and the people she runs into in the neighborhood are just as well-drawn as the primary/secondary characters. Same for the cats and their personalities. There’s a treasure trove of personalities to get to know here.

This is a fantasy that’s full of charm and heart—you’ll be glad you picked this up.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from Del Rey via NetGalley in exchange for this post which contains my honest opinion—thanks to both for this.

Some Questions About Cover Art With…Candra Hope and Shannon Knight

By HCNewton

On February 17, 2026

In A Few Quick Questions With...

Shannon Knight is back with Candra Hope, the cover artist for Catamorphosis (there was a cover reveal for it last week) for a Q&A about the cover, how it was designed, and some other stuff. Before we dive in, let me remind you about the unsettling cover.

I typically call these posts “A Few Quick Questions”—but we leave “Few” and “Quick” in the rearview mirror. So I’m going with “Some” (because that’s as creative as I am today). Why don’t we get to them now?

Candra: Since my readers have met Shannon a couple of times already, why don’t you give my readers a quick introduction to you and your work–including whatever titles, websites, links, etc. you’re in the mood to share.
Hi, my name is Candra Hope, and I do art 🙂 That’s usually how all my bios begin. But that’s me in a nutshell. More specifically, I do art inspired by fantasy, horror, and science fiction. Art that’s also inspired by books and movies and cool tv shows and music and history and mythology and all sorts of other things. I suppose I’m a bit of a magpie, gathering inspiration from anything I think is cool. I work mostly digitally now for commissions, but I come from a traditional painting background, so a lot of my art keeps that vibe. I don’t really have links to titles or specifics, but if people want to see examples, my web portfolio is https://www.candrahopeart.com/ .

I really like that phrase, “I do art.” You’ve talked about this a little on your site, I know, but how does someone get into the freelance cover design business?
Oh, don’t ask me, I’m not an expert on this by any means. I don’t really work professionally, I just do occasional commissions if something interesting comes along. But if anyone is serious and starting out, a good place to begin is to follow professional artists on social media and also look at sites like Muddy Colors which has mountains of information about all aspects of the professional illustration business.

Shannon, how did you come across Candra? Can you remember what it was about her work that made you interested in them working on this cover?
I originally noticed Candra’s work some years ago on the old Twitter. She has a really great movie-poster style that incorporates multiple characters and the setting along with multi-color tones and a sort of gritty quality that vibed with this story. Catamorphosis has an ensemble and a lake setting that I thought she could capture well.

Now I’m just imagining you with a list of names/links to portfolios, collected over the years, with potential cover artists. Is that something you set aside time for, or just whenever you come across something that clicks with you, you jot a note to yourself?
I like art. When I first saw Candra’s work, I had a literary agent and my mind on trad pub. There would’ve been no need or opportunity to select a cover artist myself. Then and now, I note artists that I like because I like art, and one of the wonders of the internet is that we can look through portfolios without needing access to published art books. And by note, I mean a mental note. There’s no formal list.

As I searched more frantically last December, I started by looking through my own social media list of people I follow. These days, though, I might follow an artist thinking of them as a future professional resource rather than simply a recreational follow. I only set time aside for it, per se, if I’m actively selecting an artist for a project.

Candra, any advice for those looking for an artist that SK didn’t mention? Obviously, the short answer is hiring you. But let’s pretend you can’t take on a client, what should they do?
I follow a lot of artists and have some of them following me on social media. It’s the same for a lot of us. So if someone is looking, a good place to start is other artists’ following lists. I can’t speak to professional lists, but I think there are also some out there.

What do you want to know about a book before you accept a gig and/or start sketching? Do you want character descriptions, an idea of the plot/tone? Or do you not care about anything beyond what the client is thinking about for the cover?
Candra: I prefer to hear a rough description of the story and if the client has an idea in mind for the cover. I don’t have a lot of time to spare for reading books in advance and often too much information can be a distraction so it’s nice to have a concise concept to start from.
Shannon: I’ve found that different artists have different preferences. I’ll keep Candra’s words about a distraction in mind in the future. I usually start with something concise. If they’re interested in the job, I tell them more. I’ve had other artists say the more the better, including images, but if I send a long email, I’ll generally end it with a numbered list repeating my top priorities so that the focus is clear. For instance, 1) horror genre, 2) cats.

Shannon, Do you recall what ideas you came to Candra with for this project?
I suggested a character-focused cover with a woman and a cat, a bit like Ripley and Jonesy from Alien. I knew that would work in Candra’s style. But I also provided a summary of themes and the plot plus more detailed descriptions of the character cast. I emphasized the horror mood and that I was open to abstract and weird. I knew Candra could do a bigger ensemble painting beautifully, but a small book cover wouldn’t show a bunch of characters as well as a large movie poster.

Could you both walk us through your typical process of designing a cover? I wanted to break this down part by part, but I don’t think I know enough to try that. So I’m going to go with a broad question.
Shannon: I don’t have a typical process, and this round was rather high-stress for me because I had figured from the start that I would work with Savanna Mayer again on this piece because it was another horror cover, but I should have reached out sooner because they didn’t reply to any of my emails, so I had to move past the time of waiting for them to get around to replying and realize that they were simply not responding at all. I have no idea why. Then I needed to find a new artist. As much as my other artists had been lovely, their styles felt too smooth and fantasy-coded for this project. (I still almost contacted Eli Peiró because she was so great to work with, and she might have had ideas or another style she was interested in trying. I highly recommend her to anyone looking for an artist!) So, this meant digging through portfolios, imagining what the cover art would be in their style, and contacting them with a commission query. I had initially been looking for something abstract, very weird, and cat and fish-centered. But it was December, and no one was replying, and I was growing more and more frantic as I created cover design after cover design, each tailored for certain art styles in my mind, and then I queried, and then just…silence. Nothing. Not even when I contacted agents, whose entire job is to reply to commission requests. I felt cursed. Like maybe everyone is getting so inundated with AI slop spam that genuine commission requests were getting lost in the slop. Finally, I had one artist reply with availability to start in six months and double the max price I had hoped to pay. Their work is terrific, but I passed. I had another reply in a way that made me instantly uncomfortable. Instead of answering my questions, they replied by asking me the exact same questions. When I followed up, explaining that their response had made me uncomfortable, they didn’t reply. Back to the silence. And finally, finally, I happened across Candra’s portfolio again, and I immediately saw how a portrait-style cover could work well for the story and that her unique style matched the tone of the story. I contacted her, and she replied right away in a totally professional style, clearing up all my concerns, and letting me know when she’d be available after the holiday for us to hammer out all the details. Then it was a very smooth process.
Candra: I also don’t have a set process. I like to take each project on its own merits and work with the author/client as a new individual. I immediately liked Shannon’s pitch because she told me what she was looking for, and was really clear from the outset, so I had no problem imagining the cover. It also sounded like a cool story, so that probably helped. But once we got started it felt like we were both on the same page and could bounce ideas around easily and understand when things weren’t working or needed changing. The part of my process that usually stays the same is to sketch the idea, show the client, develop the idea, show the client, get references and paint the idea, then do any remedial work at the end. It sounds really basic, but that is the bare bones of what I do. One thing that really helped this time was Shannon gathering all the reference photos. She has a lot of cat photos, and everything else she found was perfect so that saved me a big step. Thanks, Shannon!

What do you know? The internet’s obsession with cat photos comes in handy after all!
Shannon: Rather than internet photos, I started with photos of my own cats. This story began because of the death of my cat Gandalfr. He’s a 17.5-pound, gray cat, and my fictional cat is the same size. I shared photos of G for the cat the protagonist is holding. However, I made my fictional cat a ginger tabby, so we also needed references of that. The cat that appears behind the woman is modeled after my current cat, Little Bat. In fact, the woman’s head is modeled after my head. Candra made changes, but she referenced my previous cat, my current cat, and myself in the painting.

(click the images for a larger version)

For both of you: When pitching ideas, do you literally show existing covers by others and say “like this one, but without X” or “something that feels like/has the same vibe as this”? Or do you leave other peoples’ work out of the conversation?
Shannon: I tend to refer to an artist’s own work to point out the styles I like best. When it comes to describing my own story, I refer to artists’ work if it’s relevant. In this case, I referred to Jen Bartel’s girl gang art, but the only references that Candra was interested in were personal photo references that she could use for the painting. This included a photo of me with my head bald from Covid inflammation and lots of cat photos, including images of the cat who inspired this story.
Candra: I try to describe what I’m trying to say with words but if there’s a specific painting that shows that, I’ll refer to it. But like Shannon, it’s organic and not something I do all the time. Sometimes other paintings can muddy the waters and be a distraction.

Candra, are there genres that you won’t do/don’t think you can do at this stage of your career? Or are you at an “I’ll do anything” stage? Are there genres that you haven’t done a cover for that you’d like to try?
I’m open to most things but would probably not attempt something in the romance or romantasy genres. If people look at my portfolio, they’ll see for themselves that my work is mostly horror, fantasy and science fiction based, so that’s where my skill set lies.

Fair, I think it would take a very particular romantasy story for someone to look at your site and say, “Yeah, her.”
Candra: lol yeah. That said, the Interview With The Vampire series is essentially a romance and I love it so something like that would be amazing to tackle.
Shannon: The newest one with Jacob Anderson and Sam Reid is such a great interpretation of the books!

Another blogger and I have used the word “unsettling” about this cover. I’m assuming you’d take that as a compliment. Do you think in terms of “unsettling” or “horror” or whatever adjectives the client is shooting for as you’re working, or after agreeing on the concept with the client, are you just doing your thing and it comes out Candra-esque? While we’re on the topic, how would you describe the finished project in a word or three?
I very much take “unsettling” as a compliment, thank you! Though I don’t think in terms of effects like unsettling while I work necessarily. I’m aware it’s a horror story but my focus is on getting across what the author is trying to say with their story. And I think that’s why I prefer their description rather than reading it myself so I don’t get bogged down by my own interpretation. As the cover artist it’s not my job to give my own ideas about the story, I’m there to help the author sell their book. And this story felt like it was personal to Shannon, and unsettling in the things that happen to the character in the book. I wanted to respect both aspects so I made deliberate decisions about how things looked and felt in the painting, along with character expressions and body language, which is possibly why you’re picking up on that from the art. It means I did my job of translating the story description into picture form. As the artist I’m too close to the work so I don’t have a three word description, just happy to have done a good job for Shannon.

Candra, another blogger and I have used the word “unsettling” about this cover. I’m assuming you’d take that as a compliment. Do you think in terms of “unsettling” or “horror” or whatever adjectives the client is shooting for as you’re working, or after agreeing on the concept with the client, are you just doing your thing and it comes out Candra-esque? While we’re on the topic, how would you describe the finished project in a word or three?
I very much take “unsettling” as a compliment, thank you! Though I don’t think in terms of effects like unsettling while I work necessarily. I’m aware it’s a horror story but my focus is on getting across what the author is trying to say with their story. And I think that’s why I prefer their description rather than reading it myself so I don’t get bogged down by my own interpretation. As the cover artist it’s not my job to give my own ideas about the story, I’m there to help the author sell their book. And this story felt like it was personal to Shannon, and unsettling in the things that happen to the character in the book. I wanted to respect both aspects so I made deliberate decisions about how things looked and felt in the painting, along with character expressions and body language, which is possibly why you’re picking up on that from the art. It means I did my job of translating the story description into picture form. As the artist I’m too close to the work so I don’t have a three word description, just happy to have done a good job for Shannon.

Are there examples of cover art/design recently that have made either of you stop and say–“I’d love to try something like that one day”? (or I guess…”if I tried for something like that, it’d come across as just aping so-and-so’s work, so I’m going to stay far away”)
Shannon: My focus is really on writing books rather than what the project’s cover would look like. I would still like to write something that would pair well with pastel cover art. But if we’re simply admiring work, in the horror genre, I like what Corey Brickley has done with bright colors, perspective, and characterization. I’ve also had my eye on Elsa Velasco for their symbolism and sweeping lines.
Candra: There are a lot of amazing artists out there and while I love and am inspired by their work, I don’t always want to emulate them. I love horror stories but not always horror cover art. So I try to bring my own fantasy roots to everything I do. I like the fantastical realism you can get from that and it’s fun trying to bring that vibe into the horror genre. But artists working now that inspire me are Donato Giancola, Jeremy Wilson, Vanessa Lemen and Greg Ruth. I loved what Vanessa Lemen did with The Left Hand of Darkness a few years ago. And Jeremy Wilson’s graphic abstractions mixed with realism always set my inspiration radar off.

I didn’t know a single name either of you mentioned above, but I liked what I went and found by all of them (I have seen Wilson’s covers before, it turns out). Shannon, you need to work with Brickley some time. Something about that portfolio screamed your name.
That’d be cool for sure. However, I think Candra created a terrific cover for this project. Thanks, Candra! I hope everyone will read Catamorphosis and judge for yourselves!

Good idea, Shannon! I really appreciate both of you taking your time for this.

A Few Quick Questions

MUSIC MONDAY: “Pour Me Out” by Kashus Culpepper

By HCNewton

On February 16, 2026

In News/Misc.

The Irresponsible Reader's Music Monday logo

Music Monday's originated at The Tattooed Book Geek's fantastic blog and has shown up hither, thither, and yon since then.

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Saturday Miscellany—2/14/26

By HCNewton

On February 14, 2026

In Books, News/Misc., Saturday Miscellany

Odds ‘n ends about books and reading that caught my eye this week. You’ve probably seen some/most/all of them, but just in case:
bullet Farewell, Pocket Books—I’ve linked to several things about this in the last few months (well, maybe a handful). I rather appreciated this short video.
bullet Dorothy Parker: Sharp-Witted Writer, Bitter Professor—I didn’t know this about Parker.
bullet Scammers’ Delight: Christopher Farnsworth on Living in the Golden Age of Grift—Yes, this is mostly an advertisement for Farnsworth’s new novel (see below), but even without that, it’s a good read. And you can see why people like Farnsworth, Spencer Quinn, and Jesse Q. Sutanto write about bringing these kind of crooks down.
bullet It’s Time to Get Loud About the Books You Love—If you’re going to limit yourself to reading one thing I link to this week, this is the one.
bullet Death Show Colossus: A Fantasy Cyberpunk Deluxe Edition Kickstarter—this looks like a great read, and you can get a very pretty copy of it on the cheaper side while helping some indie artists.
bullet Books That Take Place in Bookstores or Libraries—a handy-dandy list.
bullet Books with Relationships for People who Don’t Love Love: 2026 Edition—I’d forgot that Witty & Sarcastic Book Club did this every year. Shame on me. I enjoy seeing the picks (this year, I’m feeling clever: I’ve read one, own one, and have had another on my “to get” list for ages).
bullet Similarly, Noelle Holten has a couple of Anti-Valentine’s Day Book Recs
bullet If, however, you’re in the mood to celebrate the day, you might appreciate this collection of valentines to print for your special someone (or to at least forward the images to them)
bullet The Manhattan Beach Library has a great game for bored librarians to play

My favorite sentence/passage/phrase (or two) that I read this week:
“Death may be the price of warriors, but grief is the price of the ones they leave behind.”—Banners of Wrath by Michael Michel

To help talk about backlist titles (and just for fun), What Was I Talking About 10 Years Ago This Week?
bullet The Batgirl of Burnside by Brenden Fletcher, Cameron Stewart & Babs Tarr
bullet The Highly Capable by Jayme Beddingfield (I feel pretty bad that I forgot about this book entirely until I read this post today)
bullet Guardians by Josi Russell
bullet The Prince of Tides by Pat Conroy
bullet And I mentioned the releases of: Morning Star by Pierce Brown; Dead Is Better by Jo Perry; Atlanta Burns: The Hunt by Chuck Wendig; As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust by Alan Bradley

This Week’s New Releases that I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:
bullet Banners of Wrath by Michael Michel—the third book in this saga is really pushing these cultures to the brink of destruction. I’m not so sure that there’s a way for this series to resolve in anything but chaos. I think I’m okay with that as long as the writing stays this compelling. (and if I’m wrong, all the better)
bullet Strange Animals by Jarod K. Anderson—”An ordinary man discovers a hidden world of supernatural creatures—and an unexpected home—in this enchanting contemporary fantasy debut.” I tried to talk about what a cool read this is recently.
bullet Robert B. Parker’s Big Shot by Christopher Farnsworth—”Police Chief Jesse Stone finds himself in the crosshairs of a rich hedge fund manager dead set on making Paradise Jesse’s personal hell.” I’m appreciating Farnsworth’s approach to Jesse, coupled with the piece linked above, I’m eager to dive in sometime next week.
bullet Operation Bounce House by Matt Dinniman—”A man must fight for his planet against impossible odds when gamers from Earth attempt to remotely annihilate it in this epic, fast-paced novel.” This is not the jokey-Dinniman that others have described to me. This is like Suzanne Collins mixed with Scalzi’s more serious side. I’m almost half-way through this audiobook, and it’s captivating and gut-punching.

Grandpappy’s Corner—The Man Who Walked Between the Towers by Mordicai Gerstein: Philippe Petit’s Daring Stunt

By HCNewton

On February 13, 2026

In Grandpappy's Corner, History, Non-Fiction, YA/MG/Children's Books

The Man Who Walked Between the Towers

by Mordicai Gerstein

DETAILS:
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Publication Date: September 05, 2003
Format: Hardcover
Length: 44 pg.
Read Date: January 17, 2026

What’s The Man Who Walked Between the Towers About?

This is the story of Philippe Petit’s 1974 courageous and dramatic (and reckless, perhaps foolish) tightrope walk between the towers of the World Trade Center. Petit spent about an hour going back and forth between the towers entertaining onlookers and frustrating police on both ends of his wire, waiting to apprehend him.

Well, I Didn’t Expect That

This was originally published in 2003—so at least a good portion of it was written/illustrated after the Towers were destroyed and we get a couple of pages about how they aren’t there any more. Which takes this book from an enjoyable tale of some reckless bravado and art to a meditation on art’s fleeting aspect. Sure things like books, photographs, illustrations are more permanent. But the act—the performance—is just for a moment.

I can be inspired by watching footage and documentaries about this event, or reading books like this (or ones for grownups) about it. But, at best, I’m getting it second-hand. Even things we think are going to be around for ages, like buildings, don’t last—something as ephemeral as art and the way it impacts the audience can’t be either (although the echoes and memories in our minds and lives do).

I don’t know how much of that can really be communicated to the audience—for which object permanence as a concept wasn’t that long ago. But at least for older readers, that’s going to hit a bit.

Let’s Talk about the Art for a Minute

I don’t remember a time when I didn’t experience acrophobia—not crippling, but I’ve flirted with it on occasion. I won’t and can’t say that this art induced that reaction in me. But it got me as close to it that a Picture Book could. Gerstein captured the reality of Petit’s world—while keeping it fanciful enough to engage younger readers and to capture the spirit of the man and event.

There are a couple of pages, that fold out, too to increase the reader’s impression of the feat. Great idea and Gerstein’s execution of it was a highlight.

I can only be effusively positive when it comes to the art, it seems. And I’m okay with that.

How is it to Read Aloud?

This is a straight-forward narrative. Nothing flashy about it, so it’s easy. The page layouts (and pages without text) will help the older reader convey the meaning to their younger companions. And those text-less page provide plenty of space for discussion about the images.

So, what did I think about The Man Who Walked Between the Towers?

I expected something a bit more playful, imaginative, and perhaps just goofy. This is on me—I just didn’t see this as fodder for a Picture Book outside of that.

But nooooo, Gerstein had to prove me wrong.

This is just facts—presented in a way that will appeal and be understandable to a younger reader. But that’s it. A nice “torn from the headlines” kind of story. It should inspire, amuse, and (hopefully) dazzle the audience.

I’m very impressed with this work on several levels and absolutely understand how it made “25 Greatest Picture Books of the Past 25 Years” list.

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.
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The Final Score by Don Winslow: Great Things Come in Small Packages

By HCNewton

On February 13, 2026

In Don Winslow, Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

The Final Score

by Don Winslow

DETAILS:
 Publisher: William Morrow
Publication Date: January 27, 2026
Format: Hardcover
Length: 284 pg.
Read Date: January 28-29, 2026

Short Novels?

Let’s address this thing that’s been irking me. The title page calls these “Six Short Novels.”

Nope. Just nope.

I know, there are no hard and fast rules about length of a novel, novella, etc. But five of these works clock in around 40 pages. That is not—no way, no how—a novel.

The sixth, “Collision,” is around 90 pages. I’ll buy that as a novella—or a “short novel.” But even that feels like stretching things too much.

Just had to get that off of my chest—it’s been bugging me since I read the Table of Contents.

Also, that’s the last negative you’re going to see in this post.

What’s The Final Score?

Don Winslow un-retires with this stunning collection of six crime stories. Beyond that, it’s hard to describe them all as a group—they all differ in tone, voice, side of the law, style, and how much you’d like to see the protagonist punished/get away with something.

The Final Score

We start off with the “title track”—a story about a man who’s made a career of robbery, trying to go for his final score to provide for his wife as his career is ending. There’s something sweet about it (if you ignore all the felonies and risks to human life).

But there are surprises waiting for him.

This is a solid start to the book—I liked the characters, the pacing, and story. It’s not Winslow’s best, but I’m not complaining about it.

The Sunday List

This is only a crime story by technicality. But whatever it is, I really enjoyed it.

In the shadow of the Vietnam draft, Nick, a teenager with ambition beyond the hippie life his parents live, works hard to make it to college—and will do all sorts of things to get the money for it. Even if that means crossing a few lines.

The North Wing

There’s an old-school mafia vibe to this story. Family ties are tested when a police officer’s cousin gets into legal trouble.

There are so many beats in this story that feel familiar—even if only from Winslow’s oeuvre. But there’s a freshness to it, and Winslow’s ability to make you care about anything that separates this from the familiar.

True Story

Remember the part in Goodfellas where Henry Hill tells us all the names and nicknames of the men he works with? Imagine if that went on for pages and pages—with some digressions for stories about some of the men with those monikers.

In something that feels like it could’ve been a comic-relief in The Sopranos, this features two guys with some sort of mob ties in an extended conversation over breakfast. They’re basically gossiping about various men they know—what they’ve been up to lately, where their nickname comes from, and whatnot.

It was ridiculously fun—and every time you start to think that the shtick might be getting tired, they say something else that makes you get over it.

I strongly suggest making sure that you have enough time to finish this one before you start it—the end of my lunch break interrupted things for me, and it took a little too much effort to get back into the flow of things when I got home. But it was so worth it.

If it weren’t for the next story, I’d say it was the most entertaining entry in the collection.

The Lunch Break

But in any collection featuring Winslow’s Dawn Patrol, just about everything else is going to pale in comparison—at least for me. Boone is hired to watch over a movie star to keep her from getting carried away with drugs, drink, carousing, or anything else that will derail filming of her current film. He brings along Dave the Love God and High Tide to provide around-the-clock observation.

Things get wild from there.

“She sounds like trouble, bruddah.”

“She’s about five-three, can’t go more than a buck-five,” Dave said. “How much trouble could she be?”

Now he knows.

Bad things come in small packages.

This might be my favorite Dawn Patrol story since the first novel. (in a perfect world, Winslow’s next collection would be all his short Dawn Patrol stories with a few new ones thrown in)

Collision

The crowning achievement of the book. From the beginning you can tell that things are going too well, and that just can’t last.

And it doesn’t. What comes next will cause your stomach to drop. Your blood pressure to spike. Your heart to come close to breaking (if not further). I don’t know what to say that won’t take away from the experience for you—and I don’t want to do that.

It’s just so good.

Why did I pick this up? Why did I keep reading?

When I decided that I want to start talking about this kind of thing, I didn’t really think it through. Sometimes, it’s just this simple.

I picked it up because: Don Winslow.

I kept reading because: Don Winslow.

What does this book tell us about humanity?

One thing that seems prominent through all of these stories (with one possible exception) is the human potential, if not propensity, to change.

It’s not always going to be for the best—or even for the better. Sometimes change will just be change. Sometimes change will be for the detriment of the person doing the changing—or those they love.

But the characters in this book are not static, even in these short pages, they evolve, they develop, they show that whatever their lives may be like at one point in their life (not always in their youth), they can—through their choices and actions (frequently pushed by choices and actions of others), their stories, their lives, are not set in stone—they can change the direction they head in.

It’s both inspiring and a warning.

So, what did I think about The Final Score?

Reed Farrel Coleman pays tribute to Winslow in the Foreword to this collection, talking about Winslow’s dedication to the craft, his gifted writing, and the diversity of stories he tells. Which is incredibly fitting for this book—which really just shows off that ability of Winslow’s.

Every story in this collection was a winner, will likely end up in your personal “all time short story canon,” and will make you want to re-read them again and again to fully appreciate them.

I can’t recommend this enough.