Reviewer Michelle Kaye Malsbury:
Michelle was born in Champaign, IL. Currently, she resides in Asheville, NC
and is in her second year of doctoral studies at Nova Southeastern
University in Ft. Lauderdale with specialization/concentration in
conflict resolution and peace studies. She has over six hundred
articles published on the web and one book published thus far with
many more in the wings. Hobbies include; reading, writing, music, and
playing with her Australian Cattle Dog, Abu.
Author: Keith M. Donaldson
ISBN: 142691900: ASIN: 142691900X
Follow Here To Purchase RUDE AWAKENINGS: A Novel About America's Shattered Psyche
Author: Keith M. Donaldson
ISBN: 142691900: ASIN: 142691900X
Author of Rude Awakenings, Keith M Donaldson's first love is theater. He
has been actor or director for over fifty years, and a playwright since
1988. At about that same time, he began writing mysteries, one of
which was made into a movie and released in 2011, Life Fine Tuned.
Donaldson has worked in broadcast television and radio (NBC) in a
variety of positions and in advertising as art director as well as owner of
his own advertising agency. He has freelanced for many magazines,
written commentaries, interviewed stars, directors, and playwrights in the greater Washington, DC area. Donaldson is
author of two other books, both self-published and one of which won
the finalist award in both Politics and Multicultural Fiction in 2008
at the Next Generation Indie Book Awards. (Death of an Intern and The
Hill People)
Before I read Rude Awakenings, I didn’t know much about Keith M. Donaldson, however, I believe he has a home run with this one! The book's main character, Mike MacDonald, is a very well -heeled all-American type man who has just ascended to the highest office in our land, President of the United States of America. While being capable he is new at this job and he is tested early on by a nuclear attack over the city of Detroit in Michigan. His cabinet was not in place when this occurred and as such he must scramble to do so, as well as, make some tough decisions about how to mitigate the nuclear fallout that will come for this horrible act of terror. His key personnel work with him in the White House Situation Room to allocate the resources that can best help the people of Detroit and perhaps Southern Canada and the areas that are contiguous to Lake Erie.
A key political nuance is that MacDonald’s’ second/vice-President is a woman. She is also a capable person and well respected in her slot. The two are instrumental in eventually and rapidly coalescing a team of likely to pass cabinet members who can effectively and efficiently help them navigate this political mess. Most are passed, but there is a hitch in one or two.
MacDonald is able to bring some very credible players into his fold because of the life he led prior to becoming president and the things and people he came in contact with along that journey. These people lend a solid background and sound decision making in unstable situations to the scene. With a nuclear bomb detonated in this densely populated area they can ill afford panic on the streets. Calm and confidence are what they hope to exude while trying to partner with our friendly allies and some not so friendly in order to locate the responsible parties for this horrible act.
In order to let the reader know a bit about the background of the main character Donaldson tells us that she died from Leukemia after the two had been married a scant six years. They had wanted children, but time was not on their side. However, her legacy is a trust for children in the Greater Chicago land area. MacDonald still misses her in his life while half searching for another life partner.
Follow Here To Purchase RUDE AWAKENINGS: A Novel About America's Shattered Psyche