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Roy L. Pickering Jr. - Freelance Writer
Author of the novel Patches of Grey as well as the electronically published novella Feeding the Squirrels. Be sure to follow Roy's frequently if irregularly updated blog - A LINE A DAY. To quote its masthead, A LINE A DAY "is a continuous work in progress,
fluidly charting my diverse interests and reflecting the far reaching range of my tastes. Frequent subjects of discussion
include literature, sports, politics, pop culture and artistic motivation. You will find thoughtful essays and stream of consciousness
rants, reviews of books written by others and the presentation of my own fiction - novel excerpts as well as short stories.
What it is today may not be the case tomorrow."
http://lineaday.blogspot.com
It is impossible to discourage the real writers
- they don't give a damn what you say, they're going to write. ~ Sinclair Lewis
Any fool can write a novel but it takes real genius
to sell it. ~ J. G. Ballard
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Price of book will be further discounted for those buying
multiple copies for book clubs. Contact me for additional details. I'm happy to guest speak at book club meetings
in the NY/NJ area as well as by phone or online chat.
"Pickering's style is fluid and crisp.
There's a certain clarity to the prose that's considered and well judged - just enough to paint the picture and more than
enough to drive along the narrative."
- Khome (UnheardWords.com)
Synopsis: Tony Johnson is a studious young man planning to soon graduate from much more than high school. Although his
zip code places him in a Bronx tenement pre "rise of Obama", his sights are set far beyond the trappings of his humble upbringing.
Collegiate dreams and falling in love with a white classmate put him strongly at odds with his father. His brother C.J.'s
rebellious ways may endanger his life on gang ruled streets, and the virginal innocence of their sister Tanya is clearly approaching
its demise, but it is Tony who incurs the majority of Lionel Johnson's wrath for the sins of ambition, daring to be with Janet
Mitchell, relentless optimism, and refusing to bend to his father's will. Seeing unrealized goals reincarnated in the eyes
of his eldest son harshly remind Lionel of what once could have been, and of what went wrong. His own childhood in a segregated
southern town established a bitter outlook that is the only legacy he has to pass down to his children. When his job and role
as primary breadwinner are lost, Lionel's authority quickly erodes and he drowns disappointment one drink at a time. This
affords Tony, who lacks the seemingly servile patience of his mother, an opportunity to assert independence rather than
allowing his fate to be set by chance and circumstance. But throughout the course of Roy Pickering's engrossing debut novel,
Tony comes to learn that the world is not as black and white as he and his father's opposing mindsets would suggest.
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Feeding the Squirrels tells the story of a self-absorbed philanderer who lives a life of leisure and usually manages to remain one step ahead of
consequences for his actions. He reveals himself to the reader by chronicling his rapid fire sex life woman by woman
in this fast paced novella published in a variety of electronic formats by SynergEbooks. The narrator is Michael, a prolific lover who defines himself by his various sexual conquests. Each
chapter in between the first and last is named after a woman who has been seduced by him, and thus helped to shape his identity.
Every one of the erotic encounters can be read as a story unto itself, with Michael’s single minded pursuit of pleasure
being the common thread that unites them. Although his succession of affairs are singular experiences to a man who rarely
thinks of yesterday or tomorrow, they eventually manage to intertwine and leave him with a web of his own design to untangle.
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About the Author: Roy
Pickering was born on the idyllic island of St. Thomas and currently resides in a quaint New Jersey town with his wife and
daughter. Feeding the Squirrels is his first published novella and Patches of Grey is his debut novel. He is currently hard at work on a second novel (Matters of Convenience)
as well as a series of children’s books being illustrated by his wife, the artist Erin Rogers Pickering. His thoughts on the trials and tirbulations of professional
athletes are posted at YardBarker. Commentary on sports, politics, race relations, the writing life, and whatever else comes to
mind can be found on an ongoing basis at the blog "A Line A Day".
Anthologies that house Roy's fiction include Proverbs for
the People (Kensington Books), Role Call (Third World Press), The Game: Short Stories About the Life (Triple Crown Publications),
and Prose to be Read Aloud, Volume One.
An assortment of Roy's short stories are also featured at RoyPickering.net.
They can be found HERE
Online Showcase of Roy L. Pickering Jr. - Author
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