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Prognosis
Saving Cathy’s life leaves Ethan Gaylord locked inside his own body, unable to communicate or even let the world know he’s conscious. Abandoned by his uncaring family, only Cathy has faith he’s more than an empty shell. Now his only hope of sanity and recovery, the deaf woman may also be the romance he’s been looking for his whole life.
Kindle Edition
First published January 15, 2009
About the author
T.D. McKinney
19 books65 followersT. D. McKinney was born with eclectic tastes. Author, artist, web designer - those tastes show in the careers she's chosen.
Growing up on the American Gulf Coast, she gained a great appreciation for all things Southern and a fascination with what the community around her termed the War of Northern Aggression. Frequent trips to New Orleans to visit relatives instilled an early love for that city and for the Cajun culture. One of her earliest memories is viewing Mardi Gras parades when she was three years old. She freely admits that at the tender age of six she fell in love with both Barnabas Collins of Dark Shadows’ fame and Jonny Quest’s scientist-father, Benton. Sherlock Holmes followed soon after as one of the great abiding interests of her life. A long time fan of science fiction and horror, she met her husband while selling art at a science fiction convention.
These early influences doubtless explain a great deal about the author and her writings. There is very little she doesn’t find interesting whether it’s art, music, history, vampires, web design, or forensic science. Everything is there to be explored, investigated, and attempted at least once. This trait often carries over into her writing. She loves exploring characters that are not afraid to take a risk or step outside the constraints of society or family. And if the character doesn’t want to take that chance, she likes creating situations that require they do so.
T. D. lives in the Dallas-Fort Worth area of north Texas with her husband and young daughter. With so many careers, she keeps quite busy. In her spare time, she shares her husband’s interest in vampires, the internet, science fiction, collecting swords, and all things Japanese.
Growing up on the American Gulf Coast, she gained a great appreciation for all things Southern and a fascination with what the community around her termed the War of Northern Aggression. Frequent trips to New Orleans to visit relatives instilled an early love for that city and for the Cajun culture. One of her earliest memories is viewing Mardi Gras parades when she was three years old. She freely admits that at the tender age of six she fell in love with both Barnabas Collins of Dark Shadows’ fame and Jonny Quest’s scientist-father, Benton. Sherlock Holmes followed soon after as one of the great abiding interests of her life. A long time fan of science fiction and horror, she met her husband while selling art at a science fiction convention.
These early influences doubtless explain a great deal about the author and her writings. There is very little she doesn’t find interesting whether it’s art, music, history, vampires, web design, or forensic science. Everything is there to be explored, investigated, and attempted at least once. This trait often carries over into her writing. She loves exploring characters that are not afraid to take a risk or step outside the constraints of society or family. And if the character doesn’t want to take that chance, she likes creating situations that require they do so.
T. D. lives in the Dallas-Fort Worth area of north Texas with her husband and young daughter. With so many careers, she keeps quite busy. In her spare time, she shares her husband’s interest in vampires, the internet, science fiction, collecting swords, and all things Japanese.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
August 1, 2011
This is my second review of a T.D. McKinney book, and I have to say that I have thoroughly enjoyed what I’ve read so far. Though there is always a tragedy of some kind to overcome in her books, her characters do it in a way that is uplifting, full of motivation and encouragement to face anything in life.
The first page and a half of this book is just gripping. Ethan Gaylord is a police detective; Cathy Harris is a special liaison as the department’s American Sign Language translator. They’re out on routine followups when gunfire explodes at them, Ethan protecting Cathy with his body. I wish that scene had been drawn out more, it’s so compelling.
After Ethan survives the gunshots and then surgery, Cathy is by his side. Knowing she can never repay him for what he did, she can at least keep vigil over him, praying to the Lord for his recovery. Her faith is strong, and when Ethan’s family decides to remove all life-saving elements, it’s Cathy who talks his sister into lobbying his parents for an experimental test to make sure Ethan truly is brain dead. When the test proves positive, it’s Cathy who volunteers to help with his care, in addition to her job and against the advice of friends and colleagues.
We do get Ethan’s point of view even when he’s unconscious. I liked the way he hears every word spoken in his hospital room, but it’s Cathy who stands out for him with her positive attitude and her never-ending conversation to keep him from going crazy trapped as he is. The ensuing scenes with her in his home as he recovers day by day are just lovely. Their growing love becomes stronger just as Ethan does.
I really enjoy these little inspirational romances. They aren’t preachy and the characters are portrayed as real human beings. Ethan fantasizes about Cathy just as a red-blooded man does and Cathy romanticizes in the same way as we women do, and all the while we see how strong faith can be during a tragedy and how it can bring people closer together and also teach others that that faith and prayer can heal and make life so much more enjoyable.
See my complete review at http://www.goodbadandunread.com
The first page and a half of this book is just gripping. Ethan Gaylord is a police detective; Cathy Harris is a special liaison as the department’s American Sign Language translator. They’re out on routine followups when gunfire explodes at them, Ethan protecting Cathy with his body. I wish that scene had been drawn out more, it’s so compelling.
After Ethan survives the gunshots and then surgery, Cathy is by his side. Knowing she can never repay him for what he did, she can at least keep vigil over him, praying to the Lord for his recovery. Her faith is strong, and when Ethan’s family decides to remove all life-saving elements, it’s Cathy who talks his sister into lobbying his parents for an experimental test to make sure Ethan truly is brain dead. When the test proves positive, it’s Cathy who volunteers to help with his care, in addition to her job and against the advice of friends and colleagues.
We do get Ethan’s point of view even when he’s unconscious. I liked the way he hears every word spoken in his hospital room, but it’s Cathy who stands out for him with her positive attitude and her never-ending conversation to keep him from going crazy trapped as he is. The ensuing scenes with her in his home as he recovers day by day are just lovely. Their growing love becomes stronger just as Ethan does.
I really enjoy these little inspirational romances. They aren’t preachy and the characters are portrayed as real human beings. Ethan fantasizes about Cathy just as a red-blooded man does and Cathy romanticizes in the same way as we women do, and all the while we see how strong faith can be during a tragedy and how it can bring people closer together and also teach others that that faith and prayer can heal and make life so much more enjoyable.
See my complete review at http://www.goodbadandunread.com
August 1, 2011
My grade: C. This is a novella and it's pretty well confined to the romance between Cathy and Ethan. The premise is different, but other than falling in love, the characters pretty much stay the same throughout the story. They're also pretty one dimensional. We don't really learn much about who they are and what shaped them. Yes, Cathy is deaf, but she's very well-adjusted and the nicest person ever. Ethan is a bit arrogant. His family is wealthy and unable to show love/emotion. But he's a hero. We don't really see any struggle as Cathy spends months caring for Ethan and working. It's just what she wants to do and it makes her happy. Well, even loving the person, such a life would be very difficult. There would be times when you'd be down and be struggling. But we never saw that with Cathy. The same goes for Ethan. His physical therapy had to be hell, there had to be days of overwhelming discouragement, yet we never see it--except when Zack influences him. Different for an inspirational (which I am only assuming it is categorized as) there is a bit of sex in it. What was there--the romance--I liked. I liked Cathy's determination. But there just wasn't enough. Given the premise, this should have been a meaty story. Instead it was a sweet, fluffy romance. I was really disappointed at the epilogue. Ethan is back at work and still recovering, but he's a bit of an ass! I guess he's supposed to be funny, but I ended up not liking him in the scene. Although we'd been told he was a bit demanding prior to the shooting, it was the first scene where we saw him dealing with others in the workplace. I didn't like him! But I liked him for the rest of the book,
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews