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A Slight Touch
On a summer afternoon in Albuquerque, a bus departs for Los Angeles and three of the passengers, unfamiliar with one another, are unaware of how entangled their paths will soon become. Empty-nester Martha Gregory, lacking experience in a world beyond her husband and home in New Mexico, is lured by a pre-paid ticket to reconnect with her younger sister. Handsome media executive Marc Greensweig, deigns to return from a business trip by bus, fortified by the free pass to the top of the corporate ladder awaiting him at home. Emanuel Montoya, recent college grad fleeing a painful breakup, eagerly embraces the new life that beckons when offered a place to stay in West Hollywood. Meanwhile, simmering in L. A. is William Miller, a lonely security guard, fighting a losing battle to distance himself from the troubling voices in his head. As if guided by an unseen hand, each must respond to a crisis in which their actions will ultimately determine whether second chances really do exist.
322 pages, Paperback
First published December 17, 2007
About the author
H.L. Cherryholmes
21 books27 followersH.L. Cherryholmes, author of The Lizard Queen Series, The Reminisce, Come Back for Me, and A Slight Touch is from Albuquerque, New Mexico, but has spent most of his adult life in California. He attended the University of New Mexico where he received a BFA. and then went on to UCLA to get his Master’s degree in Playwriting. He lives in SoCal with his husband Ron Cogan.
You can follow HL's social media at:
http://facebook.com/HLCherryholmesBooks
You can follow HL's social media at:
http://facebook.com/HLCherryholmesBooks
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
January 31, 2022
Angels Around Us
A story about coincidences and unusual happenings that keeps your attention till the very end. Why do a select few people miss a bus destined for tragedy? A theatre musical brings these different characters together and the theatrics play out on and off stage.
An impressive, different and totally entertaining story with great characters!
A story about coincidences and unusual happenings that keeps your attention till the very end. Why do a select few people miss a bus destined for tragedy? A theatre musical brings these different characters together and the theatrics play out on and off stage.
An impressive, different and totally entertaining story with great characters!
December 26, 2009
A Slight Touch by H.L. Cherryholmes is a book which I don’t think can be neatly categorized as gay fiction, or m/m fiction, or even gay-themed. The plot includes some homosexual characters, but it actually presents a very diverse cast - gay and straight, male and female, from various religions, backgrounds, and ethnicities.
The central characters of the story are four unique individuals who seem to have virtually nothing in common. Three of them are brought together by coincidence when they end up on a commercial bus traveling to Los Angeles. Although they do not meet or ever even speak to one another, they share an experience which dramatically impacts each of their lives.
The story progresses as four separate sub-plots, while each of these three characters begins to examine the unusual experience they have had, and each attempts to analyze the possible supernatural or preternatural significance of this bizarre, life-altering event. The fourth character is a deranged schizophrenic who ultimately plots revenge on his former girlfriend after she jilts him, and his murderous plans end up coincidentally involving the three bus passengers, bringing the four characters together at the climax of the story.
I will admit that as a reader I am greatly influenced emotionally by the stories I consume. I tend to judge a book more by the manner in which it affects my emotions than by its adherence to the official rules of proper grammar, formatting, or voice. On certain rare occasions, however, a book that may not be particularly moving to me as I read it will end up having a major impact upon my psyche in its aftermath. It will stick with me in a way that causes me to rethink the plot, examine the symbolism, and ultimately challenge my way of thinking. This was the case with A Slight Touch.
I was most impressed by the author’s ability to transform each of the central characters in a startling yet believable way, and I was inspired by the remarkable evolution that each of them experienced. All four of the characters became someone far different than who they were when they were initially introduced, and this narrative arc is in my opinion what makes the story so powerful.
A Slight Touch is a story which is sure to inspire you. It is well-written and employs the use of realistic, humorous dialogue. It has an unpredictable and original plot which is filled with a variety of interesting, lovable characters who are realistically imperfect. It is a story which at times seems mysterious and perplexing but ultimately delivers a poignant message. It is uplifting and encouraging and sure to leave the reader with a lot to think about. I recommend it highly and sincerely hope to see a lot more from this author.
The central characters of the story are four unique individuals who seem to have virtually nothing in common. Three of them are brought together by coincidence when they end up on a commercial bus traveling to Los Angeles. Although they do not meet or ever even speak to one another, they share an experience which dramatically impacts each of their lives.
The story progresses as four separate sub-plots, while each of these three characters begins to examine the unusual experience they have had, and each attempts to analyze the possible supernatural or preternatural significance of this bizarre, life-altering event. The fourth character is a deranged schizophrenic who ultimately plots revenge on his former girlfriend after she jilts him, and his murderous plans end up coincidentally involving the three bus passengers, bringing the four characters together at the climax of the story.
I will admit that as a reader I am greatly influenced emotionally by the stories I consume. I tend to judge a book more by the manner in which it affects my emotions than by its adherence to the official rules of proper grammar, formatting, or voice. On certain rare occasions, however, a book that may not be particularly moving to me as I read it will end up having a major impact upon my psyche in its aftermath. It will stick with me in a way that causes me to rethink the plot, examine the symbolism, and ultimately challenge my way of thinking. This was the case with A Slight Touch.
I was most impressed by the author’s ability to transform each of the central characters in a startling yet believable way, and I was inspired by the remarkable evolution that each of them experienced. All four of the characters became someone far different than who they were when they were initially introduced, and this narrative arc is in my opinion what makes the story so powerful.
A Slight Touch is a story which is sure to inspire you. It is well-written and employs the use of realistic, humorous dialogue. It has an unpredictable and original plot which is filled with a variety of interesting, lovable characters who are realistically imperfect. It is a story which at times seems mysterious and perplexing but ultimately delivers a poignant message. It is uplifting and encouraging and sure to leave the reader with a lot to think about. I recommend it highly and sincerely hope to see a lot more from this author.
February 24, 2010
Martha: A 50ish year old woman whose dreams long ago evaporated into monotony, until her sister sends her a bus ticket to L.A. to come watch her star in a play. Marc: A high-powered media seller forced to slum it on a bus after missing his flight to L.A. Emanuel: A young gay man heading to L.A. to escape the pain of a break-up with the man he thought was his true love. Three unrelated people who just happen to end up on the same bus...but is it as random as chance would have the reader believe?
A Slight Touch is a book for people-watchers; those of us that just enjoy watching other people and trying to imagine what they might be thinking. Its chapters alternate between these three characters and Miller, a seemingly harmless but slightly creepy security guard that finally crosses the line and begins a downward spiral into violence. Each chapter artfully brings the characters to life, and each character earns your undivided attention while he or she is center stage.
At a routine rest stop, Martha, Emanuel, and Marc all miss their bus and have to find alternative ways to get to L.A. As we watch each deal with what would seem to be nothing more than a minor nuisance, we learn that the bus they were all suppose to be on becomes involved in a fatal accident and all of the passengers died. As the book progresses, the story slowly transforms from a collection of separate tales involving the characters into an interwoven plot revealing how interconnected the characters actually are.
A Slight Touch is an intriguing read, and a recommended book for readers that enjoy character-driven narratives.
A Slight Touch is a book for people-watchers; those of us that just enjoy watching other people and trying to imagine what they might be thinking. Its chapters alternate between these three characters and Miller, a seemingly harmless but slightly creepy security guard that finally crosses the line and begins a downward spiral into violence. Each chapter artfully brings the characters to life, and each character earns your undivided attention while he or she is center stage.
At a routine rest stop, Martha, Emanuel, and Marc all miss their bus and have to find alternative ways to get to L.A. As we watch each deal with what would seem to be nothing more than a minor nuisance, we learn that the bus they were all suppose to be on becomes involved in a fatal accident and all of the passengers died. As the book progresses, the story slowly transforms from a collection of separate tales involving the characters into an interwoven plot revealing how interconnected the characters actually are.
A Slight Touch is an intriguing read, and a recommended book for readers that enjoy character-driven narratives.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews