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My Temporary Life #1
My Temporary Life
Alternate cover edition for ASIN: B006O2P13O
Malcolm Wilson learns that everything is always temporary. Growing up, he's raised by a promiscuous mother who can't stay out of trouble, his best friend is a thirteen-year-old alcoholic, and the masters at his tough Scottish school are always raising their canes in his direction. When he becomes an adult, he escapes, and chooses the safe route, watching the world from a distance.
Everything changes the day he meets the beautiful, alluring, green-eyed Heather, and when he learns of Heather's own abusive childhood and the horrific secret she's been carrying, Malcolm decides to help her. And, this time he's not backing down, whatever the cost.
Malcolm Wilson learns that everything is always temporary. Growing up, he's raised by a promiscuous mother who can't stay out of trouble, his best friend is a thirteen-year-old alcoholic, and the masters at his tough Scottish school are always raising their canes in his direction. When he becomes an adult, he escapes, and chooses the safe route, watching the world from a distance.
Everything changes the day he meets the beautiful, alluring, green-eyed Heather, and when he learns of Heather's own abusive childhood and the horrific secret she's been carrying, Malcolm decides to help her. And, this time he's not backing down, whatever the cost.
342 pages, ebook
First published December 19, 2011
283 people are currently reading
1911 people want to read
About the author
Martin Crosbie
13 books365 followersIn a press release, Amazon called Martin Crosbie’s debut novel My Temporary Life one of their success stories. His self-publishing journey has been chronicled in Publisher's Weekly, Forbes, and Canada's Globe and Mail newspaper. Martin’s recent release The Dead List (A John Drake Mystery) was awarded a publishing contract by Kindle Press.
He’s also the author of My Name Is Hardly - Book Two of the My Temporary Life Trilogy, Lies I Never Told - A Collection of Short Stories, How I Sold 30,000 eBooks on Amazon's Kindle - An Easy-To-Follow Self-Publishing Guidebook, 2016 Edition, and Believing Again: A Tale Of Two Christmases.
Martin was born in the Highlands of Scotland and currently makes his home just outside Vancouver, on the west coast of Canada.
He’s also the author of My Name Is Hardly - Book Two of the My Temporary Life Trilogy, Lies I Never Told - A Collection of Short Stories, How I Sold 30,000 eBooks on Amazon's Kindle - An Easy-To-Follow Self-Publishing Guidebook, 2016 Edition, and Believing Again: A Tale Of Two Christmases.
Martin was born in the Highlands of Scotland and currently makes his home just outside Vancouver, on the west coast of Canada.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 203 reviews
August 9, 2012
I don’t write book reviews that recap the story. The book description serves that purpose. I rather prefer to share my reaction to the book and how it grabbed or didn’t grab me. This one was a grabber. It’s been a long time since a book has touched me as deeply as MY TEMPORARY LIFE did. The irony was that I chose to read this particular book in order to be in a literary world far removed from the reality of daily life. Surely a storyline about a young lad growing up in Scotland would be about as far removed from my life as a forty-seven year old writer living in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. Well, indeed, it was far removed from my own life. But, still the author, Martin Crosbie, found a way to subtly, and at times not so subtly, lure me into Malcolm’s world in such a way that made me think a lot about my own. And that’s just part of what makes this such a fabulous read. Crosbie’s writing style is engaging and crisp. Each word is purposeful. Each character is developed in a way that the book wouldn’t be complete without them. Each storyline weaves together to make a literary cloth that you are likely to wear in your mind for years to come.
The premise is about doing the right thing, and if you don’t do the right thing, how you may or may not move on with regrets. Starting with tough decisions as a young teenager right through is adult years, Malcolm is faced with having to do (or choose not to do) the right thing in some pretty intense situations. Malcolm is not the only one faced with the painful reality of retreating versus reacting, and in each case, it makes you think, what would I have done? Crosbie does a wonderful job of developing Malcolm’s relationship with each and every character, be them friend or foe. Through this, Malcolm’s character and personality are defined brilliantly.
This is a book is an enriching one that appeals to a wide range of demographics. No matter where you live, whether you’re male or female, whether you like coming of age, get captivated by suspense or are a sucker for a love story, this book has it all. But most of all, this is a book that will change the way you think, and perhaps even the way you act.
With over 130,000 downloads of MY TEMPORARY LIFE, there will be a bunch of us readers anxiously awaiting his second novel, MY NAME IS HARDLY.
The premise is about doing the right thing, and if you don’t do the right thing, how you may or may not move on with regrets. Starting with tough decisions as a young teenager right through is adult years, Malcolm is faced with having to do (or choose not to do) the right thing in some pretty intense situations. Malcolm is not the only one faced with the painful reality of retreating versus reacting, and in each case, it makes you think, what would I have done? Crosbie does a wonderful job of developing Malcolm’s relationship with each and every character, be them friend or foe. Through this, Malcolm’s character and personality are defined brilliantly.
This is a book is an enriching one that appeals to a wide range of demographics. No matter where you live, whether you’re male or female, whether you like coming of age, get captivated by suspense or are a sucker for a love story, this book has it all. But most of all, this is a book that will change the way you think, and perhaps even the way you act.
With over 130,000 downloads of MY TEMPORARY LIFE, there will be a bunch of us readers anxiously awaiting his second novel, MY NAME IS HARDLY.
May 30, 2012
This was so good.
The traditional publishing model is broken indeed if a string of publishers rejected Martin Crosbie’s excellent first novel. I can’t imagine what made them turn it down. The plot is engaging from the beginning, filled with grabbers like high-school bullying and drunkenness and a strong statement about child abuse.
It’s traditional publishers’ loss, and Crosbie’s gain. He published the book himself and took it to number one on Amazon’s paid list for a whole day last spring.
Synposis
My Temporary Life begins with the narrator, Malcolm Wilson, at age 13 in Kilmarnock, Scotland. He and his best friend, Gerald, spend their days trying to avoid being picked on by the tough kids and the teachers, while somehow being noticed by girls. Crosbie skillfully reveals Malcolm’s back-story in dialogue: his mother came from Canada, met his father, Alex, in Scotland, and about nine months later Malcolm came along. After a few years, Malcolm’s mother moved back to her home town, Vancouver. Malcolm stays with his father, a part-time construction worker, through the school year, and visits his mother and her temporary boyfriend for the summers. Malcolm is left feeling that everything is temporary: he’s only with his mother or his father temporarily. Even when he wishes that his life could be the way it used to be, when his family was united, he realizes that was a temporary situation, as well.
When Malcolm is 13, after a particularly humiliating episode of bullying, Malcolm’s father teaches him how to fight. The next fall, he begins his teen-age growth spurt and discovers his ability at track running. After that, the bullying of Malcom stops—but not so for his friend, Gerald. Nicknamed “Hardly” after he’s found drunk in school, Gerald is not only bullied by his classmates, he’s beaten regularly by both parents.
Malcolm moves to Canada after getting a scholarship to attend a private high school on Vancouver Island. Alex Wilson takes Gerald in to save him from his abusive life, until Gerald is old enough at 15 to join the Army.
At that point, the book jumps ahead about 20 years. Malcolm is now in his 30s, successful in his career as an accountant and a failure in romance. He meets Heather, a 20-something woman with the apparent confidence to dye her hair green and wear high boots even when they’re not in fashion or even in keeping with the weather (it’s set in Vancouver, where you need galoshes more than high boots). Heather draws Malcolm into her attempt to reunite with her 10-year-old daughter.
Style
Crosbie’s style is exactly what publishers say they’re looking for: clear and so smooth you don’t even notice it. Without calling attention to his command of language, Crosbie brings you into Malcolm’s world and his heart.
His dialogue is nearly flawless. I can hear Alex’s brogue and Malcolm’s lilt.
His characterization is just as good. I can believe in characters like George and Rosie, and even Malcolm’s mother, because I feel like I’ve met people just like them before.
The only part that’s hard to believe is the way Malcolm won the scholarship. The whole episode seems too convenient. On the other hand, Crosbie, the author, was born in Scotland and moved to Canada when he was young, so maybe the episode is autobiographical. Still, it was the one weakness in the book.
Bottom line
This is an excellent novel, and I’m looking forward to Crosbie’s next book — which he promises for the end of the year!
I can’t wait.
5*
The traditional publishing model is broken indeed if a string of publishers rejected Martin Crosbie’s excellent first novel. I can’t imagine what made them turn it down. The plot is engaging from the beginning, filled with grabbers like high-school bullying and drunkenness and a strong statement about child abuse.
It’s traditional publishers’ loss, and Crosbie’s gain. He published the book himself and took it to number one on Amazon’s paid list for a whole day last spring.
Synposis
My Temporary Life begins with the narrator, Malcolm Wilson, at age 13 in Kilmarnock, Scotland. He and his best friend, Gerald, spend their days trying to avoid being picked on by the tough kids and the teachers, while somehow being noticed by girls. Crosbie skillfully reveals Malcolm’s back-story in dialogue: his mother came from Canada, met his father, Alex, in Scotland, and about nine months later Malcolm came along. After a few years, Malcolm’s mother moved back to her home town, Vancouver. Malcolm stays with his father, a part-time construction worker, through the school year, and visits his mother and her temporary boyfriend for the summers. Malcolm is left feeling that everything is temporary: he’s only with his mother or his father temporarily. Even when he wishes that his life could be the way it used to be, when his family was united, he realizes that was a temporary situation, as well.
When Malcolm is 13, after a particularly humiliating episode of bullying, Malcolm’s father teaches him how to fight. The next fall, he begins his teen-age growth spurt and discovers his ability at track running. After that, the bullying of Malcom stops—but not so for his friend, Gerald. Nicknamed “Hardly” after he’s found drunk in school, Gerald is not only bullied by his classmates, he’s beaten regularly by both parents.
Malcolm moves to Canada after getting a scholarship to attend a private high school on Vancouver Island. Alex Wilson takes Gerald in to save him from his abusive life, until Gerald is old enough at 15 to join the Army.
At that point, the book jumps ahead about 20 years. Malcolm is now in his 30s, successful in his career as an accountant and a failure in romance. He meets Heather, a 20-something woman with the apparent confidence to dye her hair green and wear high boots even when they’re not in fashion or even in keeping with the weather (it’s set in Vancouver, where you need galoshes more than high boots). Heather draws Malcolm into her attempt to reunite with her 10-year-old daughter.
Style
Crosbie’s style is exactly what publishers say they’re looking for: clear and so smooth you don’t even notice it. Without calling attention to his command of language, Crosbie brings you into Malcolm’s world and his heart.
His dialogue is nearly flawless. I can hear Alex’s brogue and Malcolm’s lilt.
His characterization is just as good. I can believe in characters like George and Rosie, and even Malcolm’s mother, because I feel like I’ve met people just like them before.
The only part that’s hard to believe is the way Malcolm won the scholarship. The whole episode seems too convenient. On the other hand, Crosbie, the author, was born in Scotland and moved to Canada when he was young, so maybe the episode is autobiographical. Still, it was the one weakness in the book.
Bottom line
This is an excellent novel, and I’m looking forward to Crosbie’s next book — which he promises for the end of the year!
I can’t wait.
5*
February 3, 2012
A Coming of Age Novel with a Mesmerizing Story
Martin Crosbie’s book, My Temporary Life, is a sensitive, coming of age novel with a storyline that held me captive. The novel is filled with emotion—humor, joy, heartache, grief. It deals with the loneliness of children who have lost and the agony of their adjustment. It deals with the lives of adults who have been abused as children.
It is the story of Malcolm, an adolescent who lived in Scotland with his parents until his mother returned to her roots in Canada, leaving her husband and son behind in Scotland. After his parent’s divorce, Malcolm began what he called a “temporary life,” spending his summers in Vancouver with his sometime mother and her men, returning to live with his father in Scotland during the school year. He leads this disjointed life without many friends until an unfortunate display of his own loyalty changes the direction of his life. With the help of a father-figure and other friends in Canada, he grows up, prospers, falls in and out of relationships, finally meets the girl of his dreams. It is at this point that the story surprises. The action, never slow, picks up a notch or two, and the rest of the story is a harrowing ride to the end.
For me it was an engrossing work of literary fiction. I loved the scenes of Malcolm and his friend, Hardly, growing up in Scotland, loved his surrogate father, George, and George’s sister, Rose, and how the author painted those characters. I really, really liked the author’s understated prose and I loved the opening:
I think I first smelled booze on Gerald when we were eleven, and as far as I know he’s been drinking ever since.
There were moments of magic, scenes filled with foreboding, passages that were poetic and ruminative, others that were breathtaking. The masterful handling of Malcolm’s mother, especially in “the car wash scene,” was brilliant. There were many scenes, especially toward the end, that were fast-paced and made the book impossible to put down. It is a book you will not want to miss.
About the Author: Martin Crosbie always wrote stories. As his adventures and misadventures took him from Kilmarnock, Scotland, to Vancouver, Canada, he recorded his memories in a series of journals. Today, he’s turning those journals into novels.
You can keep up to date on his newest adventures and read his opinions on everything from Punk Rock to how he’s training for his next marathon on his website.
When not writing, or running long distances, Martin shares his life in Vancouver, with his partner, Jacquelyne, and Spock, the most spoiled cat in the world.
MY TEMPORARY LIFE
Copyright © 2011 Martin Crosbie
Format: Kindle Edition
ASIN: B006O2P13O
Martin Crosbie’s book, My Temporary Life, is a sensitive, coming of age novel with a storyline that held me captive. The novel is filled with emotion—humor, joy, heartache, grief. It deals with the loneliness of children who have lost and the agony of their adjustment. It deals with the lives of adults who have been abused as children.
It is the story of Malcolm, an adolescent who lived in Scotland with his parents until his mother returned to her roots in Canada, leaving her husband and son behind in Scotland. After his parent’s divorce, Malcolm began what he called a “temporary life,” spending his summers in Vancouver with his sometime mother and her men, returning to live with his father in Scotland during the school year. He leads this disjointed life without many friends until an unfortunate display of his own loyalty changes the direction of his life. With the help of a father-figure and other friends in Canada, he grows up, prospers, falls in and out of relationships, finally meets the girl of his dreams. It is at this point that the story surprises. The action, never slow, picks up a notch or two, and the rest of the story is a harrowing ride to the end.
For me it was an engrossing work of literary fiction. I loved the scenes of Malcolm and his friend, Hardly, growing up in Scotland, loved his surrogate father, George, and George’s sister, Rose, and how the author painted those characters. I really, really liked the author’s understated prose and I loved the opening:
I think I first smelled booze on Gerald when we were eleven, and as far as I know he’s been drinking ever since.
There were moments of magic, scenes filled with foreboding, passages that were poetic and ruminative, others that were breathtaking. The masterful handling of Malcolm’s mother, especially in “the car wash scene,” was brilliant. There were many scenes, especially toward the end, that were fast-paced and made the book impossible to put down. It is a book you will not want to miss.
About the Author: Martin Crosbie always wrote stories. As his adventures and misadventures took him from Kilmarnock, Scotland, to Vancouver, Canada, he recorded his memories in a series of journals. Today, he’s turning those journals into novels.
You can keep up to date on his newest adventures and read his opinions on everything from Punk Rock to how he’s training for his next marathon on his website.
When not writing, or running long distances, Martin shares his life in Vancouver, with his partner, Jacquelyne, and Spock, the most spoiled cat in the world.
MY TEMPORARY LIFE
Copyright © 2011 Martin Crosbie
Format: Kindle Edition
ASIN: B006O2P13O
April 8, 2013
I had heard so much about this novel, that my curiosity was really peaked. I have very little time to read for pleasure, so one evening, I decided to treat myself to some uninterrupted reading time. And what a treat this story is!
Essentially, it chronicles the main character,Malcolm's life in two parts. The first part of the story involves young Malcolm as a young teenager, as he copes with school bullies, poverty, and his parents' break-up. Told in heart-wrenching detail, it was hard to believe that this was fiction. The second part of the novel skips ahead to find Malcolm grown up and in his mid-thirties, as he finds himself in an unexpected and dangerous adventure. It is in the second half of the story that we see how the events of Malcolm's young life have shaped him to be the man he has become, and it is these resulting characteristics that make him so interesting and endearing as he finds himself in big trouble in the second half of this story.
I read the entire novel in one sitting, unable to put it down. While the first half tugs the reader in because of the emotional empathy it produces, the second half pulls the reader along on a fast-paced and thrilling adventure, where you care - you really CARE - what is going to happen to Malcolm.
Two kinds of stories, all wrapped up in one, there's something here for everyone. An enjoyable read from start to finish.
Essentially, it chronicles the main character,Malcolm's life in two parts. The first part of the story involves young Malcolm as a young teenager, as he copes with school bullies, poverty, and his parents' break-up. Told in heart-wrenching detail, it was hard to believe that this was fiction. The second part of the novel skips ahead to find Malcolm grown up and in his mid-thirties, as he finds himself in an unexpected and dangerous adventure. It is in the second half of the story that we see how the events of Malcolm's young life have shaped him to be the man he has become, and it is these resulting characteristics that make him so interesting and endearing as he finds himself in big trouble in the second half of this story.
I read the entire novel in one sitting, unable to put it down. While the first half tugs the reader in because of the emotional empathy it produces, the second half pulls the reader along on a fast-paced and thrilling adventure, where you care - you really CARE - what is going to happen to Malcolm.
Two kinds of stories, all wrapped up in one, there's something here for everyone. An enjoyable read from start to finish.
June 30, 2012
An explosive first novel that entertains on every page. It has everything, simply everything –a coming of age, a romance, and a thriller rolled into one delightful read.
From the first sentence we’re drawn into the harsh Scotland schoolboy world of Malcolm and Hardly. Malcolm’s summers in Canada with his mother offer little comfort. He survives by running; running through the streets, running between Scotland and Canada, running from himself and his past. Flash ahead 20 years. In Canada, Malcolm meets Heather, a woman haunted by an evil secret. Camping at the Lake at the End of the World, they discover there is no more place to run, for either of them.
Like the great 19th century writers (but with a lighter touch), Martin Crosbie takes Malcolm from a life focused on the primary needs of food, sex and basic survival to loftier aspirations. Hardly’s accident and Heather’s haunting secret drive Malcolm to believe in something bigger than himself; something beyond his logical accounting world. He enters an intangible, often illusory maelstrom of evil that requires enormous human faith, and tosses the reader onto a thrilling rollercoaster ride. Again and again he refuses to walk away from heart hammering danger. Mr. Crosbie’s deft character-development pen never allows the reader to question Malcolm’s choices. He has prepared for this journey since his brave but costly attempt to protect Hardly from the school ground bullies. This time, he’s not backing down, whatever the cost.
April 28, 2012
Wow, what an enjoyable read !!! Once I started reading I couldn't put it down anymore and finished it in three days. I got sucked into the story right from the beginning. What I love about the book is its tone and the atmosphere it creates. The book is divided into two parts, the first describing Malcolm's teenage years in Scotland with visits to Canada and the second describing his adult life which is set in Canada. The main character, the adolescent as well as the adult, is an incredibly likeable character . I liked him right from the beginning, this young boy who is torn between his life with a grieving and bitter father and his visits to an indifferent mother in Canada. You can feel everything he feels: his sadness, his loneliness ... and finally his deep love for Heather, the woman who changes his life. In a nutshell, it's great debut and highly recommendable!!!
February 5, 2012
Wow! Absolutely one of the best books I have read in a very long time. I started reading and could not stop. Malcolm is one amazing character. He reached into my heart and touched my soul. What an amazing journey. I have to say that I have not read a book that took me on such an emotional ride in many years. I just finished the book a few minutes ago and I am still reeling. I am typically a romance/fantasy reader but this is definately going on my favorite books list. Martin Crosbie will be on my watch list for authors to buy in the future. All I can say is this was an incredible story to read.
October 24, 2012
*Synopsis*
Heroes are not born. They're made.
Malcolm Stewart's strength was forged during harsh childhood days~ugly days when he faced down schoolyard bullies and endured the neglect of a promiscuous mother. It is a strength that he ha
s wielded to defend himself and his friends.
Yet those years and traumas have taken their toll. Somewhere along the way, Malcolm Stewart lost his love of life.
That changes the day when beautiful, tempestuous Heather enters his world. He feels the stirrings of something long dormant. And when he learns of Heather's own abusive childhood~and the daughter that she was forced to leave behind~Malcolm knows one thing:
He mush help Heather get her little girl back.
~My Review~
If your looking for a great read with high energy, bravery and courage, then this book is for you.
Martin Crosbie takes us on a journey through Malcolm Stewart's life.
Readers get to know Malcolm as a young boy to whom of which is bullied along with his good friend, Hardly. These chapters in the book are sad and keep you turning the pages for more.
Malcolm's mom is not the mom Malcolm deserves at all!!
She is very selfish and worried about her own happiness.
Malcolm's dad is a wonderful man. He wants only the best for his future.
After Malcolm is not longer aloud in the school he was attending, his dad sends him back to Canada to live with Malcolm's mom's ex boyfriend, George.
You will get to know the most amazing characters that love Malcolm and help him throughout his life.
Malcolm meets Heather Postman. Little does he know there are secrets she is keeping from him.
Heather tells Malcolm she has a daughter that she desperately needs to find. She doesn't give Malcolm much to go on, but he trusts her and loves her and will help her in any way he can.
This leads to to the craziest ride of Malcolm's life and he will do anything to help Heather find Emily.
Martin Crosbie throws us into a world of adventure.
The abuse, the roller coaster of a ride that Malcolm is hurtled into blindsides him with a fury.
IT IS A THRILL RIDE YOU DO NOT WANT TO MISS!
In my opinion Malcolm is a a strong willed, capable force to be reckoned with.
This book leave you with an overwhelming feeling of what Malcolm is, and that my friends.........IS A HERO!!
Photo: *Synopsis* Heroes are not born. They're made. Malcolm Stewart's strength was forged during harsh childhood days~ugly days when he faced down schoolyard bullies and endured the neglect of a promiscuous mother. It is a strength that he has wielded to defend himself and his friends. Yet those years and traumas have taken their toll. Somewhere along the way, Malcolm Stewart lost his love of life. That changes the day when beautiful, tempestuous Heather enters his world. He feels the stirrings of something long dormant. And when he learns of Heather's own abusive childhood~and the daughter that she was forced to leave behind~Malcolm knows one thing: He mush help Heather get her little girl back. ~My Review~ If your looking for a great read with high energy, bravery and courage, then this book is for you. Martin Crosbie takes us on a journey through Malcolm Stewart's life. Readers get to know Malcolm as a young boy to whom of which is bullied along with his good friend, Hardly. These chapters in the book are sad and keep you turning the pages for more. Malcolm's mom is not the mom Malcolm deserves at all!! She is very selfish and worried about her own happiness. Malcolm's dad is a wonderful man. He wants only the best for his future. After Malcolm is not longer aloud in the school he was attending, his dad sends him back to Canada to live with Malcolm's mom's ex boyfriend, George. You will get to know the most amazing characters that love Malcolm and help him throughout his life. Malcolm meets Heather Postman. Little does he know there are secrets she is keeping from him. Heather tells Malcolm she has a daughter that she desperately needs to find. She doesn't give Malcolm much to go on, but he trusts her and loves her and will help her in any way he can. This leads to to the craziest ride of Malcolm's life and he will do anything to help Heather find Emily. Martin Crosbie throws us into a world of adventure. The abuse, the roller coaster of a ride that Malcolm is hurtled into blindsides him with a fury. IT IS A THRILL RIDE YOU DO NOT WANT TO MISS! In my opinion Malcolm is a a strong willed, capable force to be reckoned with. This book leave you with an overwhelming feeling of what Malcolm is, and that my friends.........IS A HERO!!
Heroes are not born. They're made.
Malcolm Stewart's strength was forged during harsh childhood days~ugly days when he faced down schoolyard bullies and endured the neglect of a promiscuous mother. It is a strength that he ha
s wielded to defend himself and his friends.
Yet those years and traumas have taken their toll. Somewhere along the way, Malcolm Stewart lost his love of life.
That changes the day when beautiful, tempestuous Heather enters his world. He feels the stirrings of something long dormant. And when he learns of Heather's own abusive childhood~and the daughter that she was forced to leave behind~Malcolm knows one thing:
He mush help Heather get her little girl back.
~My Review~
If your looking for a great read with high energy, bravery and courage, then this book is for you.
Martin Crosbie takes us on a journey through Malcolm Stewart's life.
Readers get to know Malcolm as a young boy to whom of which is bullied along with his good friend, Hardly. These chapters in the book are sad and keep you turning the pages for more.
Malcolm's mom is not the mom Malcolm deserves at all!!
She is very selfish and worried about her own happiness.
Malcolm's dad is a wonderful man. He wants only the best for his future.
After Malcolm is not longer aloud in the school he was attending, his dad sends him back to Canada to live with Malcolm's mom's ex boyfriend, George.
You will get to know the most amazing characters that love Malcolm and help him throughout his life.
Malcolm meets Heather Postman. Little does he know there are secrets she is keeping from him.
Heather tells Malcolm she has a daughter that she desperately needs to find. She doesn't give Malcolm much to go on, but he trusts her and loves her and will help her in any way he can.
This leads to to the craziest ride of Malcolm's life and he will do anything to help Heather find Emily.
Martin Crosbie throws us into a world of adventure.
The abuse, the roller coaster of a ride that Malcolm is hurtled into blindsides him with a fury.
IT IS A THRILL RIDE YOU DO NOT WANT TO MISS!
In my opinion Malcolm is a a strong willed, capable force to be reckoned with.
This book leave you with an overwhelming feeling of what Malcolm is, and that my friends.........IS A HERO!!
Photo: *Synopsis* Heroes are not born. They're made. Malcolm Stewart's strength was forged during harsh childhood days~ugly days when he faced down schoolyard bullies and endured the neglect of a promiscuous mother. It is a strength that he has wielded to defend himself and his friends. Yet those years and traumas have taken their toll. Somewhere along the way, Malcolm Stewart lost his love of life. That changes the day when beautiful, tempestuous Heather enters his world. He feels the stirrings of something long dormant. And when he learns of Heather's own abusive childhood~and the daughter that she was forced to leave behind~Malcolm knows one thing: He mush help Heather get her little girl back. ~My Review~ If your looking for a great read with high energy, bravery and courage, then this book is for you. Martin Crosbie takes us on a journey through Malcolm Stewart's life. Readers get to know Malcolm as a young boy to whom of which is bullied along with his good friend, Hardly. These chapters in the book are sad and keep you turning the pages for more. Malcolm's mom is not the mom Malcolm deserves at all!! She is very selfish and worried about her own happiness. Malcolm's dad is a wonderful man. He wants only the best for his future. After Malcolm is not longer aloud in the school he was attending, his dad sends him back to Canada to live with Malcolm's mom's ex boyfriend, George. You will get to know the most amazing characters that love Malcolm and help him throughout his life. Malcolm meets Heather Postman. Little does he know there are secrets she is keeping from him. Heather tells Malcolm she has a daughter that she desperately needs to find. She doesn't give Malcolm much to go on, but he trusts her and loves her and will help her in any way he can. This leads to to the craziest ride of Malcolm's life and he will do anything to help Heather find Emily. Martin Crosbie throws us into a world of adventure. The abuse, the roller coaster of a ride that Malcolm is hurtled into blindsides him with a fury. IT IS A THRILL RIDE YOU DO NOT WANT TO MISS! In my opinion Malcolm is a a strong willed, capable force to be reckoned with. This book leave you with an overwhelming feeling of what Malcolm is, and that my friends.........IS A HERO!!
April 25, 2012
This book was both a good read AND an example of a self-pub that could have used the help of an experienced editor. It's not the typos that are the problem (though there are some hefty comma issues in the second half). It's the narrative structure, which is jarring and leaves the reader feeling as though there are two very different books packaged together.
Despite that, I recommend it.
I almost didn't write this review because, despite the flaws in the book, I think it's very, very cool that Crosbie is having such success with his self-pub. It's an ambitious story that is, in many ways, well told. I'll definitely purchase his next book, and look forward to it. I suspect that, this time around, he'll have ironed out the wrinkles.
Despite that, I recommend it.
I almost didn't write this review because, despite the flaws in the book, I think it's very, very cool that Crosbie is having such success with his self-pub. It's an ambitious story that is, in many ways, well told. I'll definitely purchase his next book, and look forward to it. I suspect that, this time around, he'll have ironed out the wrinkles.
April 4, 2012
I really enjoyed this book and it is well written though the editing is not as good as it could be. It is a book in two halves. The first being Malcolm's teenage years in Scotland with holidays in Canada and the second, part of his adult life which is set in Canada. I enjoyed the first half more than the second and would love to have had more details about this part of his life. I didn't find the second half quite as enjoyable and it seemed a bit rushed but the way the two parts are put together sort of fills in some of the gaps but once I started reading I was hooked and needed to finish it to see how Malcolm's story worked out.
May 4, 2014
I loved this book. The characters drew me in right away. The story weaves through the lives of two boys, bullied at school because of separate tragedies in their lives. This alone is enough to keep one involved in the story, but about half way through we are thrown into a fast paced thriller. The main character has fallen in love with a women with many secrets. The plot thickens as she tells her story of loss. What unfolds is a desperate search for a lost child. And in the end, the author carries us full circle to the childhood friend, the meaning of home, and who we really are.
April 10, 2014
I absolutely loved this book. I purchased it about 7 months ago but just got around to reading it. I thought it was touching, moving, thought provoking, over the top and even predictable, at points. But all of those things are a part of life and just made for a better read. I was a little taken aback when we jumped almost 20 years in the future, but I thought it worked. I was soon completely involved in adult Malcolm's life. I can't wait to read about Hardley in the next book in the series! I love, love, love this author and will put him on my "must watch" list!
March 15, 2012
I am kinda left on the fence about this one- it was heartbreaking yet triumphant at the same time, a bit brutal (but not as bad as it could have been) and just... unsettling. The point of the story was great. As far as writing, the story dragged a bit in some places, and then flew by too fast in others. Overall, I'm glad I read it, but wouldn't read it again.
February 18, 2012
Great book.......a little slow getting going, but then it takes right off
July 21, 2017
Good page turner well written I enjoyed it
October 21, 2013
Good story....enjoyed it!
July 18, 2020
This book plays with your emotions. At first it was sad watching bits be bullied by kids and rejected by parents. Then there were scenes which have you chuckling. You’re happy for the man he’s become. Next there mystery, sadness, annoyance.
Malcolm lives in Scotland with his father and goes to one of those typical schools with bullies and non-caring teachers. He spends summers with his mother in Vancouver where she’s run off to when she leaves Malcolm and his dad. Malcolm meets Heather and they go off on an mission she gets him to join in on.
I’ve rounded my rating up but it’s really not a four star read. The writing was terrific until it started to use the repetition method where the author keeps recapping what’s happening over and over. Is this something they teach in writing classes? Or is it a way to make the book longer? I don’t get it. If I’ve read up to this point, I know what’s happened so just keep going.
Malcolm lives in Scotland with his father and goes to one of those typical schools with bullies and non-caring teachers. He spends summers with his mother in Vancouver where she’s run off to when she leaves Malcolm and his dad. Malcolm meets Heather and they go off on an mission she gets him to join in on.
I’ve rounded my rating up but it’s really not a four star read. The writing was terrific until it started to use the repetition method where the author keeps recapping what’s happening over and over. Is this something they teach in writing classes? Or is it a way to make the book longer? I don’t get it. If I’ve read up to this point, I know what’s happened so just keep going.
July 2, 2017
I prefer to write my reaction to a book, rather than repeating the description, which you can get above. This is not my normal read. I usually read light and fluffy romance novels. Something that takes me away from reality. I started to put this book down two or three times. I am so thankful that I did not. It was very well written. It captured me right from the start. It is full of all kinds of emotion. I found parts of the book personally very hard to read. Without giving the story away, it is about adults who have been abused as children. It was very real and authentic.
September 10, 2019
Martin Crosbie wrote an enticing and engaging thriller of a novel that held my interest and kept me reading to find out what would happen next. The story centers on Malcolm from his time as a teenager through adulthood whose life has not been easy or kind at times. He still manages to be successful by doing the right things at the right time. Sometimes it was difficult to figure out if some characters were good or bad, but all of them are very believable and well developed to hold the reader's interest. The same is true of the storyline as well.
July 9, 2017
This feels like a book of two halves Iwas really enjoying the account of Malcolms lif, his roller coaster experiences and his separation from those most important to him. Then the book explodes into its second half, and although some of this can be predicted it is very well staged and very readable. I would certainly look st the follow ups to this book, Crosbie's characters are fully developed and begging for further examination
March 2, 2022
This book read like two separate novels. The first was about two boys and their struggles growing into adulthood. The second part was about one of the men getting into a romantic relationship fraught with lies and thriller styled intrique. The author tried to tie the two together, but was ultimately unsuccessful.
October 21, 2019
Amazing
This book was a surprise to me. It was so engrossing and emotionally captivating g but I was surprised by the story and how it evolved. I feel like I got two books in one. A nice read and very satisfying. So happy I found this story. Loved it!
This book was a surprise to me. It was so engrossing and emotionally captivating g but I was surprised by the story and how it evolved. I feel like I got two books in one. A nice read and very satisfying. So happy I found this story. Loved it!
July 31, 2017
Very good book
This story kept me up too late reading and up before the alarm to finish. Great characters and well written.
This story kept me up too late reading and up before the alarm to finish. Great characters and well written.
October 18, 2017
Great plot twists, believable characters, well delivered tension.
December 19, 2017
Very enjoyable. Well written and one of those books that are hard to put down. Will certainly read the rest of the series
March 29, 2018
A wonderful story with great characters and honest writing. As a reader, I was easily drawn into the world of a young Scottish boy named Malcolm and stayed with him during his journey to manhood. This is an excellent story that's written in the first person. It's a story about finding a sense of home, overcoming obstacles in which there is no control and still coming out a good person. We watch young Mal develop relationships, his struggle against bullies, his confusion as he tries to connect with his father, and the lack of having a real relationship with his mother. We never know what life will deal us, the only thing we can do is our best with a situation and make choices that are true to our own nature. As an adult, Malcolm goes to the extreme for those he loves, proves to himself who he is and where his loyalties rest, his true home. This novel is a great journey written by Crosbie and I highly recommend it for those who enjoy reading honest characters, and if you are not afraid to face horrible realities.I recommend an open heart and a few tissues. On to the next book about Malcolm's friend, Hardly.
June 3, 2018
Decent story, would have been more enjoyable without all the superfluous commas.
April 30, 2023
An excellent book that follows a boy's life as he lives in Scotland with his dad and visits his mom in Canada .
December 11, 2024
Bullying can take form in many ways. It can be in school, it can be at home. My Temporary Life explores the impact on peoples lives as results of bullying and abuse and it is done in a powerful way. The characters are well defined, the moods clearly drawn and the language well chosen.
August 29, 2022
I thoroughly enjoyed the writing style of this author. It was easy to get into his characters and feel empathy and joy for each. This follows the life of "Malcolm" as he works his way through an absent mother, a seemingly uninvolved father, and a battered and broken friend. When he finally makes his way to adulthood, he finds a better life, good job, good friend, and meets the girl of his dreams. I won't spoil the story for others but even before his girlfriend tells him her somewhat skewed version of her childhood, I knew exactly what she was going to say. Nevertheless, I enjoyed Martin Crosbie's writing enough that I ordered the 2nd book in the series.
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