This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Jon Ketzner will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
What is the favorite book you remember as a child?
My favorite book as a child was an abridged edition of Henry Fielding’s “Tom Jones.” As a smartass 14-year-old, I was amazed to realize that smartassery has been around forever and still funny. I also read the Hardy Boys and on my senior page in my high school yearbook identified F. W. Dixon as one of my favorite.
What is your favorite book today?
As an adult, I have a real weak spot for “Florida man fiction” …Carl, Hiasson, Dave Barry, Tim Dorsey, Elmore Leonard, etc. similarly, I enjoy Joseph Heller and Christopher Buckley. “Heller’s post “Catch-22” novels, especially “Something Happen” come closest to the kind of novels I wish I could write. Early John Irving, Gore Vidal, Doctorow and Vonnegut are also favorites. Probably others who skip my mind.
Tell us about your current book in 10 words.
A snarky supplement to the JFK assassination historical record
What are you reading right now?
I am currently reading Robert Craig’s “The Big Empty” Craig, Robert Parker and Stephen Hunter are also favorite authors
What books do you have on hold at the library?
I have nothing on hold at the library…I buy any book I intend to read
Do you have any bad book habits?
I do buy books that I never get around to reading…not just abandon after starting, but just stick on a table and never open. I’m not sure if that’s a bad habit or just wasteful
E-Reader or print? and why?
I only read print copies…I just never got into e-books and it’s far too late to change my ways now. The only audio books I listen to are of books I’ve already read and want to re-enjoy while I’m on a road trip.
One book at a time or multiples?
I only read one book at a time…I am a serial monagareader
Dog-ear or bookmark? (don't worry—Librarian Judith won't hold it against you—much)
I use both book marks and dog-earring shamelessly
Favorite book you’ve read this year?
I haven’t read it yet but I know it will be the feather book “Theo of Golden.” I’ll dislike it out of jealousy and because my wife keeps nagging me to read it.
Favorite time to read?
I generally read during the evening or at the beach
Favorite place to read?
My favorite place to read is in an Adirondack chair on our patio
Favorite Genre
My favorite genre is humor-based detective, action and political fiction…the humor is most important, especially witty dialogue and crazy plot twists
Do you loan your books?
I have nothing problem loaning books…I always write my name on page 100 first…just in case
Favorite book to recommend?
I have no trouble recommending anything by Christopher Buckley or Joseph Heller. I often recommend “Ragtime” to folks as an example of an approach to storytelling that I enjoy.
How do you keep your books organized?
My read books go into whatever of our several bookshelves has available space. My wife, who is more of a reader than I, cycles books out the door using some algorithm that is in her head and inscrutable to me
Re-read or not?
I do not re-read and get annoyed with myself when I realize 100 pages in that I am re-reading something. As noted, the only audio books I listen to are of books I have already ready conventionally.
What makes you not finish a book?
If I abandon a book, and I have, it’s generally early in the story and I realize the tale holds no interest to me.
Keep books or give them away?
I used to stubbornly keep any book I had read…like a trophy. Eventually, the number of books my family consumed over the years was too much. My wife now periodically purges the collection. I am fine with that.
On the eve of President John F. Kennedy's final trip to Dallas, an irreverent narrator from the Ether begins to reveal the hidden chain of events that history never recorded. Spanning decades and weaving together Hollywood legends, political dynasties, secret affairs, and forgotten tragedies, Coincidence imagines how seemingly unrelated lives become entangled in the most infamous assassination of the twentieth century. From Joseph P. Kennedy and Gloria Swanson to Jackie Kennedy, Mary Pinchot Meyer, and the young Lee Harvey Oswald, every choice, passion, and betrayal sends ripples through time. Behind every headline lies another story, and every story hides a secret long buried. As the strands converge on November 22, 1963, the line between fate and accident begins to blur. Rich in historical detail and provocative speculation, Coincidence asks: was it really coincidence at all?
Jackie rarely consulted him about her clothing. Her sense of style, if not her sense of humor, was notorious.
“The pink.”
She seemed surprised. “Why the pink?”
“Texas. All those tired cowgirls raising their brat kids to be Miss America. They adore pink in Texas.”
The First Lady eyed the pink at arm’s length. She shrugged. “Okay. The pink.”
“But the hat,” POTUS said, “could you do without the hat. I hate those things.”
Jackie shook her head.
“I’ll need the hat. Without the bubble top on, my hair would be a mess.”
The president leaned back against the pillows on his rock-hard bed, supine in his boxers and the argyles Bobby had given him which bore the presidential seal. He grinned.
“Remember the times when we would drift down the Potomac, standing by the rail, the wind blowing wildly through your hair, and there on the river in the middle of the city you would sink sexily to your knees…”
“Drop dead, Mr. President.” Words Jackie would soon want back.
The door to Suite 850 opened and George Lapp entered to help The President dress. He nodded at Jackie. He had seen her naked many times and was indifferent to the marital scenario into which he had strolled. Jackie smiled curtly and sidled toward her own room to don the pink Chanel, including its matching hat.
Before she left, the President grinned and said to his valet. “I might need the back brace today, George, had a strenuous night.”
Jon Ketzner was born in Cumberland, Maryland in the lovely Appalachian foothills. He grew up in Baltimore then graduated from Towson University with a degree in mathematics and went on to a long career as a consulting actuary. For many years, Jon and his family lived in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania before moving back to Cumberland in 1990.
As a recovering actuary and inspired by the Maryland Writers Association’s “Notable Authors” monthly challenges, Jon decided to try his hand at writing and give his left-brain side a rest. He cites as influences: Henry Fielding, Joseph Heller, Gregory McDonald, and Tim Dorsey.
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/34506564.Jon_Ketzner
