Tag: author

Local Author’s Latest Explores Accidental Monkey Meat Consumption

Aug. 17 Living no comments
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by Coma News Daily Staff

Coma children’s author Dee Collins’ latest effort is scheduled to hit bookstores next week and the accomplished writer thinks this may be her best offering yet.  Titled “Dinah Accidentally Eats A Monkey Hand,” the book tells the story of a young woman’s experience after consuming raw monkey meat during a lunch date.

monkey hand cover

“I wanted readers to take a journey with me to a world of food-borne illness,” Collins said of her latest work.  “I think people will be able to relate because this is something that could happen to anyone.”

Collins wastes little time setting the scene and jumping in to the cautionary tale.  By page three, the protagonist is already seated in the restaurant and preparing to enjoy a freshly-made salad.  Dinah, however, is preoccupied with friendly convesation and fails to see the severed monkey hand laying on her plate surrounded by an assortment of greens.

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After ingesting the adult-monkey hand, Dinah begins to almost immediately feel the effects of food poisoning.  The last 14 pages of the book document her transition from healthy and vibrant to violently ill and completely incapacitated.

“My hope is that children will learn to be suspicious of the food that is on their plate, especially salads or even puddings,” Collins said.  “It takes less than four minutes to completely inventory the items in a salad and avoid eating something you shouldn’t.  That is the lesson in this story.”

monkey hand 2

While Dinah’s condition continues to deteriorate throughout the book, the tension continues to build as readers are left to wonder whether the 23-year-old economics major will survive her horrific ordeal.  While the ending is predictable on some levels, it does ultimately satisfy the reader’s appetite.  The same cannot be said for consuming raw monkey meat.

“Dinah Accidentally Eats A Monkey Hand” will be available at local bookstores on August 11.

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Local Author’s Latest Book Explores Reading

Nov. 20 Living no comments
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By Coma News Staff

Coma author Dee Collins celebrated the release of her latest children’s book this week at a book signing at the Coma Post Office. Titled “Boy with Ham Hands Reads Harry Potter,” the book tells the story of Owen as he reads a Harry Potter book over the course of an afternoon.

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According to Collins, the book has a message for children of all ages.

 

“I think a lot of people are afraid to read because it’s sort of this strange, mysterious thing,” the author and founding member of the ‘Coma Players’ said. “I wanted to write a book that demonstrates that reading is actually not very mysterious and anyone can do it.”

 

In the book, Owen finds himself alone on a rainy afternoon. The young boy tries to watch TV but his ham-hands prevent him from using the remote control. The boy tries to text and use his iPhone but his ham hands impede him from texting or snapchatting.  Frustrated, he picks up a Harry Potter book and begins reading it. The final 46 pages of the children’s book show Owen sitting in different positions on his couch reading.

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At one point, Owen gets hungry and decides to make a snack. After not being able to find anything suitable, the boy begins to devour his own ham-hands.

 

Some early reviews posted on the author’s website have been less-than-flattering to Collins’ latest effort. According to a review by Coma resident, Bob Smith-Smith, the book “bleeds misplaced sentimentality for a by-gone era.” Plus, Smith-Smith says, it’s “extremely tedious.”

 

“There are more than 40 pages that simply states any minor adjustment this kid makes on the couch,” Smith-Smith said in his review. “And don’t even get me started on the macabre nature of him eating his own hands.”

 

Collins said criticism comes with the territory but she is confident children will take to the book because of the painstaking detail and realism.

 

“When you finish reading this book you will feel like you spent an entire afternoon on the couch reading a Harry Potter book and eating your own hands,” Collins said. “What could be better than that to teach the love of reading versus using electronic devices?”

 

“Boy with Ham Hands Reads Harry Potter” goes on sale next Tuesday at Bob’s Grocery store next to the ipod section.

 

 

 

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Coma Author’s New Book A Whimsical Tale About Pie-Faced Boy

Feb. 21 Living, News no comments
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Coma children’s author, Stanford Higgens, released his latest book yesterday at a signing event at the Coma Library.  Titled “Don’t Eat Milo’s Head“, the book tells the story of a young boy named Milo whose head is made entirely out of a delicious, yet undefined, homemade pie.

“The three best things in the entire world are pie, people’s heads and children,” the author said.  “In ‘Don’t Eat Milo’s Head’, I’ve brought those things together into one story that I believe will launch a new genre of food-headed themed stories for children.”

In the story, Milo wakes up one morning to discover his entire head is made out of freshly-baked pie.  As he navigates through his journey, Milo seeks to discover how his head was transformed into a delicious baked good and how such a turn of events will have an impact on the rest of his life.  Throughout the story, Milo must evade an array of hungry bandits, raccoons, pastry chefs and members of the 38th United States Congress. 

“I think my favorite scene in the book is when former New Hampshire Senator John P. Hale turns to Indiana Senator Thomas A. Hendricks and says, ‘I’m gonna ratify that pie right into my belly,'” said Higgens.  “Those are the fun little surprises peppered throughout the story.  I mean, imagine a former United States Senator stuffing his face in such gluttonous fashion!  It’s whimsical!”

Higgens said his latest effort has opened his mind to a lot of different opportunities.

“I realize now that you can combine any food item with any body part and whammo! you have a children’s story,” the 49-year old author said.  “It’s inspiring.”

**SPOILER ALERT**

Higgens was quick to defend himself from recent criticism that “Don’t Eat Milo’s Head” is too graphic in places for young children, particularly a scene near the end of the story where Milo’s head is ravaged by a pack of dirty hobos under the Brooklyn Bridge, leaving the young protagonist with little more than crust for face.

**END OF SPOILER**

“There is a symmatry to this story and I think once people have had an opportunity to digest it, and just for the record that pun was completely and entirely unintended, but once people absorb the journey and reflect upon it, they will see that it all fits together quite magnificently, even if Milo does end up dying at the hands of dirty, filthy hobos,” Higgens said.

Higgens next effort is already in the works.  Titled ‘In the Land of Reuben Hands’, it tells the story of a group of young children who wake up one morning to find their hands have been replaced by delicious Reuben sandwiches.

 

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