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Who, me? Sure, I’m a people watcher. Not consciously. You could walk onto my story-stage any time you leave the house. You can ensnare me by standing in my path on a grocery aisle where I linger a split-second too long…something in your step, maybe attitude or footwork or body language. I might see you at mall, at a park. You can intrigue me with a distinctive laughter. I might jot a note on my iPhone.
Life situations might give me pause. You may be the man in the restaurant interacting with family or friends…the way you talk, the way she reacts. What did you say to covet such an expression? I cannot look away.
People-watching is not unique to me. We drag along our individual styles everywhere, so it shouldn’t surprise you when somebody notices. Not weirdly…just casually. There’s a name for this game: Curiosity.
I sit at my keyboard and recall the brief encounter that triggered a scene: the couple holding hands under the table at McDonald’s, the child screaming at the check-out lane, dad’s mouth drawn; he just wants it to stop! I’m not judging. I’ve been there, too. I know the quick-study of that little dress-rehearsal will humor a scene that’s already shaping in my head. “What’s your favorite flavor, kid?” Mannerisms are recycle to a page. I embellish with strengths and flaws, varnish with quirks and attributes and, Bingo! You’re my story!
Reviewed by Grant Leishman for Readers' Favorite
Nightflower of Comanche Mound by Katlyn Bates is a coming-of-age story with a distinctly different flavor. Charley Kensey is sixteen and, with her father no longer part of the family, is vainly searching for familial connection and her place in the world. She invites herself to her grandfather’s ranch, a man she has never even met, in the wilds of West Texas. To her surprise, her grandfather accepts her visit and even sends her a plane ticket. When Charlie arrives on the farm, she is stunned to discover just how remote and desolate it is, and worse still, her grandfather is a curmudgeonly old grump who seems to resent her very presence. She wants to go home to Seattle but the mysterious appearance of a blind horse that seems to adopt Charley changes everything. When Charley believes her grandfather is about to shoot her beloved horse, she knows she has to stay, if only to protect her horse, Radar. So begins the journey and adventure that will totally change Charley’s life and direction.
Nightflower of Comanche Mound is an exciting tale of action and adventure that any teenager would be excited to read, especially those who adore animals in general, and horses in particular. Author Katlyn Bates has created three wonderful characters; Charley, her grandfather, and the elderly farm worker, Sabion. Each character plays off the other beautifully with Sabion being the gentle salve to Charley’s grandfather’s brusque and downright surly manner. The descriptive writing takes us into the dry, unforgiving plains of a West Texas ranch. I particularly enjoyed the relationship between Charley and her horse. In a world where she generally felt unloved and unwanted, the unconditional love of Radar gave her stability and purpose. The overarching theme of the narrative is family dysfunctionality and how easy it is to allow drama and tragedy to damage or destroy the close bonds of love and respect we all have for one another. There is plenty of adventure in this tale to keep readers continually turning the pages, and when the emotional familial aspects are woven into the plot, it raises the level to something special. This is a wonderful read that I thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend.
