Bedtime Stories for Grownups: Andrew Joyce

Bedtime Stories for Grownups: Andrew Joyce

Creating the world within his eyes is how Andrew Joyce depicts the scenes, the characters and the many events decided in this book. Filled with honesty, humor, sarcasm, irony and a touch of the unconventional this book has something for everyone. A cross between non-fiction and fiction stories the real life events will have you wondering and asking did this really happen? The stories are right out of his life at times and others are told by his dog Danny who creates his own spin on the events making the stories humorous and his adventures come to life in a lively fashion. Children often coveted something that they know they might never get. The story Treasure is one that tells of a young child, namely Andrew who spies something in the ground and hopes that he might actually be able to have it for his own. The adult in the story would not tolerate stealing so you will have to learn what the final outcome of finding this treasure.

The first story in the collection is titled The Swamp where a young boy of 17 meets someone named Teddy Bear. Getting a ride from this strange and agreeing with his every word seemed smart at the time. The fear in the young man’s heart was great and he hoped that he could escape the driver. Getting out of the truck somehow he managed to run in a straight line perpendicular to the road. But, could he tackle Teddy Bear and get the knife? The end result and the question remains unsolved: DID YOU REALLY KILL TEDDY BEAR? You decide!

I loved the stories with Danny his dog and how he tells each one from the dog’s point of view. Good Bye Miami is a great story and we learn about an FIB agent assigned to the Miami Field Office. A phone call in the middle of the night alerted the agent that there was a bomb but not just any a nuclear one. Thinking it would go off and so many called in when the time for it to detonate arrived well you might want to leave the area or you might not!

Danny and Andrew tells how this great dog trained Andrew, his human. As a matter of fact all of you other canines and dog owners take a lesson from Danny. Andrew learned to walk him, help him to do his business and then dealing with the collar he hated to wear and how he managed to get out of it to do a little mischief you might say. The rest read it because you can’t appreciate the humor otherwise. Danny and the Alligator is a great story and of course the real life ones based on facts like the Turkey Shoot and the Massacre round out part of the collection. I love the story titled Granny where you tell how your great-grandmother crossed the Great Plains in a covered wagon. Her name was Rebecca Doyle and her husband, Michael drove the wagon and believe it or not she walked alongside. How does he know this well the author used her diary to write about this journey and the 166 men, women and children that left that day? Only 115 survived and 51 did not. Why: 42 days after leaving Missouri, she reloaded her husband’s gun and fought off Indians and 12 were killed that day then 33 died from cholera. Why did he tell this well all of you teens and younger people need to understand the struggles and hardships endured by those in the past and the rest well remember Rebecca when talking on your IPhone and how she saved lives that day.

Misunderstood is a cute story about a young man thinking that someone fancied him? Working for this woman in her home he thought for sure it would go even further when the work was completed. Naïve, misguided and misunderstood find out why when you read this story.

Revisiting the story The Swamp I learned from an account by the author himself that Teddy Bear could follow him when he was on the road. Lights helped him to survive and you have to remember he was only 17 and alone. The swamp was on both sides of the road and where would he go? A knife? Did he really kill the man? Did he throw dead bodies in the swamp and disappear? Did this really happen?

Two lovers is a story about a young girl and her love for a man that she had to give up. Betrothed to another he was determined to do the right thing and let her go? Tears flowed from her eyes but he got on his horse and went a few paces and ………find out for yourself.

Night Moves is a great story that will keep you up at night and make you wonder did this person really kill so many people or is he demented and delusional? The shadows that he sees are of 29 people that he killed and that you assure him they are real. Now, the question is since the human race is about to implode or our demise you might say, action is necessary and must be soon to make sure of the continuance of mankind.

Why can’t these specters do their own work? They have the author shares and you better be careful because you don’t know if they are real or not, can manipulate physical matter. Where are they from? Who knows? More deaths and more victims but the doctor named Dr. Allen read the above account or the entire account here for you the reader to read for yourself letting us know that this person is delusional schizophrenic or is he? Dr. Harris is in the same room as Dr. Allen and investigation some of the names on Francis Fitzgerald’s list of those that are dead! Well, I promised to abide by confidentiality so if you want to learn the truth behind the deaths read Night Moves.

The Preacher is a story about a man dressed in black and wearing a black circular wide-brim hat. In the graveyard at a plot without a headstone as yet, but the Preacher knows the occupant was his brother. He had murdered the man who lay under the earth at his feet. But, the Preacher did not want to kill this one but he had to. Prayers over his brother’s buried body he leaves wondering why his brother had to interfere. The author and the preacher share his final conversation with his brother and we learn there is another victim to come but why? Will he or does he enjoy his work? Why was he chosen to do this? Read it and you decide: Justice or not?
The story on the trains about hitchhiking are true and other stories such as Three Steps, Kelly and How I Became A Detective are great to read all together at bedtime. Kelly is a short romantic story about a man who goes to work for a vet and how it changes his life. Kate is great to work with and he enjoys helping with the animals and the final outcome will definitely bring smiles to your face and renew your faith in love at first sight. Meet Kelly the horse that brings them together.

The stories have humor, sarcasm and a touch of noir on some cases but they are all different some fiction others non-fiction and for those readers that cannot get to sleep at night and want some great reading to relax you and make you laugh, cry and smile read: Bedtime Stories for Grownups and give it on your night stand.
Great stories as author Andrew Joyce brings his life and antics to life for readers of course let’s not forget the really great storyteller: DANNY!

Fran Lewis: Just reviews/MJ magazine