Midnight Under The Big Top edited by Brian James Freeman

[dannyboy121070]

I kept forgetting to e-mail Mindy to be put on the waiting list, and that was probably for the best...Coronavirus has caused a severe crimp in the cash flow. I'm on a purchasing lockdown until things get back to normal and I get my hours back at work, provided that there is a job to go back to. I'll have to track down a copy on the secondary market at some point, or hope for digital.

[Martin]

I kept forgetting to e-mail Mindy to be put on the waiting list, and that was probably for the best...Coronavirus has caused a severe crimp in the cash flow. I'm on a purchasing lockdown until things get back to normal and I get my hours back at work, provided that there is a job to go back to. I'll have to track down a copy on the secondary market at some point, or hope for digital.

Hope things improve for you soon. I am really hoping for an audio book of this.

[dannyboy121070]

Thanks, Martin. My wife and I both work in healthcare (Behind the scenes, not as providers), which you would think is a bulletproof business during a pandemic, but.....people are afraid to leave their homes, so routine medical visits are being cancelled left and right, non-essential surgeries are banned until after the outbreak subsides, even people with problems that need treatment are trying to just walk it off at home and hoping the issue goes away on its own. My hours have been drastically cut, and I don't qualify for unemployment because I work every day....the fact that it is HALF a day doesn't seem to matter. My wife, on the other hand, has had her salary cut, and is working 18 hour days to pick up the slack of the laid-off staff members, in hopes of making herself so valuable that they keep her on until this ends and people, hopefully, get hired back. If things stay as they are for a long time, or if one of us loses their job, we're screwed. In the short term, we're ok, just cutting back drastically. For now, I'm looking at the bright side, and trying to be grateful that I get to spend more time with my wonderful kids, who are really being rock stars and dealing with being confined to the house in a very mature manner.

On a side note, you'd think this would be a great time for a bookworm like me, but I am finding it virtually impossible to stop worrying about money, dying, losing our home, etc, to concentrate on reading. I feel like Burgess Meredith when he broke his glasses, lol.

Sorry to drone on.....I hope everyone is holding on and doing OK during these trying times.

[Martin]

Thanks, Martin. My wife and I both work in healthcare (Behind the scenes, not as providers), which you would think is a bulletproof business during a pandemic, but.....people are afraid to leave their homes, so routine medical visits are being cancelled left and right, non-essential surgeries are banned until after the outbreak subsides, even people with problems that need treatment are trying to just walk it off at home and hoping the issue goes away on its own. My hours have been drastically cut, and I don't qualify for unemployment because I work every day....the fact that it is HALF a day doesn't seem to matter. My wife, on the other hand, has had her salary cut, and is working 18 hour days to pick up the slack of the laid-off staff members, in hopes of making herself so valuable that they keep her on until this ends and people, hopefully, get hired back. If things stay as they are for a long time, or if one of us loses their job, we're screwed. In the short term, we're ok, just cutting back drastically. For now, I'm looking at the bright side, and trying to be grateful that I get to spend more time with my wonderful kids, who are really being rock stars and dealing with being confined to the house in a very mature manner.

On a side note, you'd think this would be a great time for a bookworm like me, but I am finding it virtually impossible to stop worrying about money, dying, losing our home, etc, to concentrate on reading. I feel liek Burgess Meredith when he broke his glasses, lol.

Sorry to drone on.....I hope everyone is holding on and doing OK during these trying times.

I think many people do not realize that while the medical system is in crisis with Covid-19 it is also experiencing a severs financial hit. I know someone who has early stage breast cancer and scheduled a double mastectomy. The hospital cancelled the surgery. Basically her cancer is too early to be life threatening so she is not being provided treatment at this time. The hospitals here are basically locked down for all but life saving treatment. Their profits come from all the routine activities that happen on a normal basis. I have been having to take someone to the hospital repeatedly through all of this and I have watched the change up close. At this point I, as the caregiver, am not even allowed in the hospital. I hand them off and leave, am called when they are done, and they bring them to the car. My consultations with the doctors are now done via the hospitals website, phone calls and video conferencing. On top of that millions of people have just lost their health insurance. Even if the hospitals were performing more non-lifesaving procedures, many people could not afford them anyway. I am not sure of how many people the local hospitals have laid off but I am sure it is significant and many medical offices around the hospital are now closed with telephone visits are being conducted instead. You simply do not need the full contingent of support staff for that. I wish you and your wife the best and I hope things begin to normalize soon.

[dannyboy121070]

Thanks, Martin. My prayers, for what they're worth, are out there for the patient you're acting as caregiver for.

[jeffingoff]

My prayers and good vibes (what there are) are with all of you! I'm hoping we get through this and back to normal sooner than we expect.

[Martin]

Thanks, Martin. My prayers, for what they're worth, are out there for the patient you're acting as caregiver for.

They are worth more than you can imagine. One quarter of the way in 2020 has been the toughest year of my life. Better days are ahead but many rough days remain in the path to those better days.

[dannyboy121070]

I'm sorry to hear that, Martin. As you said, we can only hope for better days ahead.

[Fiendlover]

I read the Intermission today. I had doubts that the poetry could keep my interest as high as the stories in Act One. Well I am happy to report that the Intermission is an integral part of the show. Anyone who buys this book and plans to skip the Poetry I implore you to read Clowns by Robert Payne Cabeen. I believe that one will display why you need to stick with the Intermission. The only drawback, and it is a minor one, I kept trying to read the first story of Act Three in a poetic cadence.

Mr. Freeman, I can't convey how much I am enjoying this read. Thank you and keep the creative book ideas coming!

I'm glad to hear that the poetry is good. Robert Payne Cabeen is an excellent poet and does a lot of fun with horror in poetry. If you haven't already, check out his collection Fearworms. It's great.

[Martin]

I'm glad to hear that the poetry is good. Robert Payne Cabeen is an excellent poet and does a lot of fun with horror in poetry. If you haven't already, check out his collection Fearworms. It's great.

I will look that up, thank you for the recommendation. Often Poetry is a chore for me to read. The poetry in this book felt more like ready good short stories, just in poetic prose.

[Fiendlover]

That's the kind of poetry I like as well. Any other favorite poems in this collection? Maybe I can help point you in other poetry directions.

[Martin]

That's the kind of poetry I like as well. Any other favorite poems in this collection? Maybe I can help point you in other poetry directions.

I checked to see if the book you recommended was available from Powell's since I am looking for items to buy from them. Unfortunately it is not but the publisher is selling it via Amazon. I may give it a shot.

Christina Sng had multiple good poems included in this volume.

[Fiendlover]

Glad to hear that Amazon at least has it. I'm not a huge fan of free verse but I have read Christina Sng's A Collection of Nightmares, which I believe won the Stoker Award, and it wasn't bad. I liked the post-apocalypse themes.

[c marvel]

Martin -I don't see it on Amazon now. Did you mean it will be available on Amazon eventually? Cap

I checked to see if the book you recommended was available from Powell's since I am looking for items to buy from them. Unfortunately it is not but the publisher is selling it via Amazon. I may give it a shot.

Christina Sng had multiple good poems included in this volume.

[Fiendlover]

Martin -I don't see it on Amazon now. Did you mean it will be available on Amazon eventually? Cap

He means the book of poetry I recommended.