My Mother, Castigo Cay, and Matt Bracken (Travis McGee)

Vanity | 8 June, 2012 | marktwain

[marktwain]

A woman lay on the bed in a small house in the north woods. An old woman, her sight was gone, she could no longer walk, she could not hear well, her world had shrunk to this small house and a few of her children and friends. She was 97 years old. She hurt, her bones ached, she was tired and yet, her mind was clear.

For a time, she lived in the Caribbean, rode fast boats, knew heroes, defeat, and victory. This woman is my mother, and she knew some of the joy of life again as I read Matt Bracken’s dystopic action thriller, Castigo Cay.

For a week this spring, I read to her when she was awake and I was able. My sister and I took care of her as she can no longer care for herself. She was captivated by Castigo Cay, enthralled by the story, transported to the tropics and the ocean wilderness. Once, she asked me “Is it real?” “It seems so real!”

I won a case of Castigo Cay from Matt (our own Travis McGee) on a bet on Freerepublic. I would gladly have paid for the case if I had lost.

I will always owe a debt of gratitude to Matt for the hours that he transported my mother to another time and place, where she was part of a great adventure on the tropical seas.

If you have not read Matt’s books, please do so. You will not be disappointed.

[marktwain]

The excitement on my invalid mother's face was payment for the books, twenty times over!

[marktwain]

http://enemiesforeignanddomestic.com/CCE1.htm

Here is a link to Matt’s web site.

[Mugwump]

I’ve read all four, and I can’t wait for the next one. When’s it com in, Trav?

[Jet Jaguar]

Bump

[marktwain]

As I read to my Mother, my Sister listened. She was not there for the entire story, but I told her that if I finished before she went back to Ohio, that she could take the the book with her for her husband and their gun club.

Near the end, she sat, spellbound as I read. She made sure that the book as finished and it was packed in her luggage when she went to the airport.

[Chode]

good on you... and God's love for your Mother

now... what was the bet???

[marktwain]

A little after the Giffords shooting, Travis opined that Americans would not be able to legally own magazines of more than 10 rounds by the end of the year. I had a different opinion, and we agreed that if magazine ban passed, I would buy a case of his signed books. If it did not pass by the first of the year, he would send me one free of charge.

He is a man of his word.

I think he should have sales up there with Tom Clancy. He is an exceptionally talented writer.

[TigersEye]

Hey! knock it off will ya? Grown men aren’t supposed to tear up. ;^)

[antisocial]

BTTT Good going MT

[bgill]

He does write a good yarn.

Hugs to your mom.

[2111USMC]

Enemies Foreign And Domestic was great.

We’ve purchased the second,just haven’t had time to start it yet.

[Chode]

yup... i've got em all!

[marktwain]

They are all good, but Castigo Cay is my favorite. He just seems to be getting better. Who knows how good he will be when he hits his stride. I would like to see a new Dan Kilmer book about every two years.

[SaraJohnson]

How sweet you are to your mom to read to her. :)

[Hetty_Fauxvert]

Aw. You’re a good son. And smart too, for picking out something she’d like, though it might not have been what she would have picked for herself. Good going!

[Travis McGee]

You just made my entire weekend. Thanks!

[Travis McGee]

"Bleeding-edge dystopian thrillers, for readers who are tired of politically-correct fiction."

[FreedomPoster]

EFAD is scary-close to what the Obama Administration was trying to pull with Fast & Furious.

[Travis McGee]

It’ll be at least a year for the next one. I can’t push them out any faster, and keep the quality.

[bcsco]

I've read them all. Now finishing Edward Klein's Amature". You have me wanting to go back and re-read them. I believe I will.