{"id":1540,"date":"2014-01-23T18:14:47","date_gmt":"2014-01-24T02:14:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/alicrean.com\/?p=1540"},"modified":"2014-01-23T18:14:47","modified_gmt":"2014-01-24T02:14:47","slug":"weekend-pick-me-up-surviving-the-fog-by-stan-morris","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/havecoffeeneedbooks.com\/index.php\/2014\/01\/23\/weekend-pick-me-up-surviving-the-fog-by-stan-morris\/","title":{"rendered":"Weekend Pick Me Up – Surviving The Fog by Stan Morris"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Fog\"<\/a>Sometimes you get a book or one is recommended to you and you read the synopsis and you cringe and you just don’t want to tell the person that–“No, this book just really is not for me. Thanks, anyway.” You probably feel guilty or pained because it means a lot to the person and it really would make them happy for you to show an interest in the thing that they enjoy, but try as you might, you just can’t imagine\u00a0this<\/em> book in your lifetime, or for that fact, the next one either. This book had no true blaring faults when I read the synopsis, but when I read it I worried I might be having that<\/em> feeling because it would be a “boy-centric” Sci-fi. BUT I WAS WRONG! WRONG! WRONG! It was sort of “boy-centric”story but I totally got into this book and loved it hard.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Stan Morris’s Surviving The Fog begins with a group of youths between the ripe ages of twelve and eighteen spending a three week stay at a summer camp retreat in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California for an abstinence camp. They are there to learn about different birth control methods but ultimately to make a pact when faced with a sexual situation to take the high road and abstain. But shortly into their stay the Admin of the camp and the Counselors go lost and never return leaving roughly fifty youths with one counselor whose mental stability quickly devolves leaving them all alone. Knowing something very wrong has occurred thirteen year old Mike and his friend sixteen year old John attempt to make contact with the outside. When this fails they spearhead taking control of the camp before things get out of hand. It takes a while before a hierarchy is established but when it does, it is thirteen year old Mike who is the “Chief” of those left in the camp.<\/p>\n

When I started the book I had the odd feeling I was dealing with the set up of a 1980’s slasher film. The young adults, isolated with the ominous feeling of impending suspenseful doom. Danger awaiting them and always a threat. After a couple of threats that feeling disappeared and something reminiscent of a happy telling of Lord of the Flies came to mind. Once it really got rolling I wanted more and more to keep going. I really didn’t want to put it down.<\/p>\n

A whole lot happens in this book from point ‘A’ to ‘B’ and a good deal of detailed steps that add many dimensions to the large cast of young adult characters. Eventually, they come into contact with more people and their camp becomes the village of Petersburg–named for one of the founding members who helped establish peace at the camp at the start of the story. The happenings during the expansion will disturb many readers brought up in the black and white societal view delineating when a child becomes an adult. Also probably rural and urban upbringing will see the relationships that occur in this book differently as well. Many people will be offended or have argument with the later portion of the story.<\/p>\n

This story is a rather romantic view of communal living as a best possible outcome. Stan Morris’s character’s faith in human goodness and their ability to do what is best for one another in the face of a crisis is the vehicle that carries the story. For the most part the encounters with inhumanity that occur within the book are met with swift and severe punishment. It’s the very definition of\u00a0dura lex sed lex, <\/em>the law is hard, but it is the law. However, in a times when humanity is tested, inhumanity will gather its forces. I really felt that there should have been a great deal more grief and strife. More uprising and usurping of power. The history of man does not really show a history of peace. Most of man’s time on earth has been spent in bloodshed and a thirst for domination.<\/p>\n

The book had many issues which need a tune up. As good as the novel is it is just a little too long; it needed to be edited down just a bit so it wasn’t so heavy to shoulder. I had no real beef with the simple writing style. Many might complain that Stan Morris’s writing is too basic or undeveloped but for this book. The narrative being that of a thirteen year old boy, I truly thought he hit the nail on the head. The novel was too male centric and desperately needed to be balanced by more active respected female characters. I also felt that despite the pairing of couples that there never seemed to be any rhyme or reason for those relationships. I think he could have worked on developing a better psychological connection between them so it wasn’t as dry and clinical as it came across.<\/p>\n

I wish I knew of books to compare this too but in my mind it really stands alone. I do recommend it and I’m suggesting it as a Weekend Pick Me Up but this one is one for a snowy or rainy weekend where you need to be taken away and forget this world for a little time.<\/p>\n

Stan Morris\u2019s Web Tracks: Website<\/a>, Facebook<\/a>, Twitter<\/a>, Google+<\/a>, Goodreads<\/a>, Amazon Author Page<\/a>,\u00a0iTunes<\/a>, Smashwords<\/a>, Barnes and Noble<\/a>\u00a0
\n<\/a><\/p>\n

Stan Morris’s Book: Surviving The Fog – Kathy’s Recollections<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Kathy's\"<\/a><\/strong>Synopsis:<\/p>\n

Kathy\u2019s Recollections is about a group of teenagers attending a camp in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. \u00a0The camp was designed to preach abstinence and teach methods of birth control. \u00a0After a week, the cell phones are not connecting, and the mail has not been delivered, so the camp administrator and most of the counselors leave for a short visit to a nearby convenience store. \u00a0They never return. \u00a0After another week it become clear to one boy that something has gone seriously wrong in the world. \u00a0Then the campers discover that they are surrounded by a mysterious brown fog that appears to cover the earth below 6,700 feet. \u00a0The story is narrated by fourteen year old Kathy. \u00a0She focuses on their efforts to survive the elements, outsiders, and each other.<\/p>\n

Book Trailer:\u00a0Surviving The Fog – Kathy’s Recollections<\/a><\/p>\n

(Follow all the updates for this blog by visiting and liking the\u00a0All The Things Inbetween<\/a>\u00a0Facebook fanpage. You can also add Google+\u00a0All The Things Inbetween<\/a>\u00a0page. You can follow me personally on\u00a0Twitter<\/a>,\u00a0Pinterest<\/a>,\u00a0Instagram<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Goodreads<\/a>.)<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sometimes you get a book or one is recommended to you and you read the synopsis and you cringe and you just don’t want to tell the person that–“No, this book just really is not for me. Thanks, anyway.” You probably feel guilty or pained because it means a lot to the person and it […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[569,587,588,1526,1530,1532,1680,1703,1770,1771,1774,1980,2167,2220,2225],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1513,"url":"https:\/\/havecoffeeneedbooks.com\/index.php\/2014\/01\/23\/weekly-indie-word-slinger-stan-morris\/","url_meta":{"origin":1540,"position":0},"title":"Weekly Indie Word Slinger - Stan Morris","date":"2014-01-23","format":false,"excerpt":"Stan Morris is an Indie author of many books who has enjoyed dabbling in many writing genres. He has claimed to me to be a relic of a past age who is still trying to adapt to the customs of our techno tribe (he didn't quite put it to me\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Word Slinger Project"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/havecoffeeneedbooks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/Stan-Morris.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1802,"url":"https:\/\/havecoffeeneedbooks.com\/index.php\/2014\/02\/04\/book-it-in-news-today-nyrae-dawn-invites-fans-to-party-in-corona\/","url_meta":{"origin":1540,"position":1},"title":"Book It - In News Today: Nyrae Dawn Invites Fans To Party In Corona","date":"2014-02-04","format":false,"excerpt":"Nyrae Dawn has announced a book release and signing for her new Young Adult novel Searching for Beautiful. The novel about a teen girl who must deal with the before and aftermath of teen pregnancy and all of the fallout it brings to a young woman's social world will be\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Book It"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/havecoffeeneedbooks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Searching-For-Beautiful-Banner.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1147,"url":"https:\/\/havecoffeeneedbooks.com\/index.php\/2014\/01\/05\/weekly-indie-word-slinger-just-the-facts-maam\/","url_meta":{"origin":1540,"position":2},"title":"For Weekly Indie Word Slinger","date":"2014-01-05","format":false,"excerpt":"Hello ladies, gents, cats and dogs. We are gathered here today because I have a proposition for Indie Authors in the coming year. It is hard to promote yourself as an Indie author. Being self-published is a little like being a parent, it's a thankless job with little recognition and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Need To Know"","img":{"alt_text":"Word-Slinger-Banner-Rules","src":"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/havecoffeeneedbooks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/Word-Slinger-Banner-Rules.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3919,"url":"https:\/\/havecoffeeneedbooks.com\/index.php\/2014\/09\/18\/weekly-indie-word-slinger-a-j-bennett\/","url_meta":{"origin":1540,"position":3},"title":"Weekly Indie Word Slinger - A.J. Bennett","date":"2014-09-18","format":false,"excerpt":"This is the first Word Slinger I've done in a very long time and A.J. has been wonderfully patient in my delays. I discovered A.J. when I downloaded her novel Unintentional Virgin and I loved her characters and couldn't wait to read more of her novels. 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There was a small story about a duck that I\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Word Slinger Project"","img":{"alt_text":"Word-Slinger-Banner-Main","src":"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/havecoffeeneedbooks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/Word-Slinger-Banner-Main.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1139,"url":"https:\/\/havecoffeeneedbooks.com\/index.php\/2014\/01\/09\/weekly-indie-word-slinger-nicole-banks\/","url_meta":{"origin":1540,"position":5},"title":"Weekly Indie Word Slinger - Nicole Banks","date":"2014-01-09","format":false,"excerpt":"The very first indie author to be featured in my Weekly Indie Word Slinger section is Nicole Banks whose very fast reply landed her deets in my email long before the authors before her. I'm really excited to be featuring authors who are self-publishing and it's a joy for me\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Word Slinger Project"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/havecoffeeneedbooks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/bangs.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/havecoffeeneedbooks.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1540"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/havecoffeeneedbooks.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/havecoffeeneedbooks.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/havecoffeeneedbooks.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/havecoffeeneedbooks.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1540"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/havecoffeeneedbooks.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1540\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/havecoffeeneedbooks.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1540"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/havecoffeeneedbooks.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1540"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/havecoffeeneedbooks.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1540"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}