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Timothy Warner

"England, writes with brilliant clearness and understanding of his subject, truly of a time passed, lovingly told."

Rite of passage

"Excellent writing which reflected the difficult rites of passage young boys go through. Although times have changed life is still full of these adventures that must be conquered."

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Takes me back

"I could relate to the adventures from my childhood. Looking back now it's a miracle I survived. Had a creek behind my house and did much of the same. Very enjoyable reading for this boomer whose childhood lives on in my memory and is further embellished. "

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Surviving Boyhood

"No one ever said it was easy being a boy -- and this story shows why a little bit of true grit goes a long way. It was heart warming."

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Velocity

"Having spent my early childhood in a small, Southern town, I could certainly relate to Dean's adventures and curious mind. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about his challenging experiences as a young boy trying hard to be accepted and to fit in with his peers. I had forgotten how some children can be so cruel, and often leaving a lasting impression on a young, developing mind. I look forward to learning more about Dean's childhood and formative years. Well done!"

A Childhood Captured

""Velocity" is a bit like time travel for me, having also grown up in a small town of very similar proportions, opportunities, and quirks. It is wonderful to read a good "story" that has such underlying truth and is told with such genuine style. I applaud this author and thank him for sharing these experiences. (We need these stories. The world has changed.)"

Superb story telling!

"This is a well-developed story about a young man's tortured discovery of life without much in the way of friendly guidance. The fact Dean Farley can go out on his own and discover the world at the age of nine, a common fact of life in the 1950s, brings with it a string of adventures that drive the story forward. The boy learns in fits and starts through colorful and sometimes harsh episodes in his life that leave an indelible impression on his young mind. The dialogue is both delightful and realistic. The narrative moves along at a fast pace. It offers a realistic and detailed description of the life of a working class family in a working class town. Just when you think the challenges are going to get the best of the boy, fate deals him a surprise that prevents a tragic end. Both children and adults will enjoy this story."

Interesting read

"The first and last chapter were brilliant, captivating and interesting. I found that I lost interest throughout the novel though, as nothing of high interest really happened. I love the style of writing though and for that reason found it easy to read."

Velocity

"Hey!! Thank you for sharing your story! It was fun! I think that this is a great work, and I hope my feedback will help it become even better! So, first I will just say that saying the name of the parent sometimes and then saying father or mother later is just very confusing. It is nice that you told us what the parents' names are in the beginning, but I suggest that you don't mention them again unless another grown up is talking to them or some other reason, like if Dean thinks of his mother and father in that name. Next, you go very quickly through the story, which is not bad, but you cram in a lot of information in not a lot of time, and so I think that maybe you could create more than one chapter here by making it less of narrative summery (I will go back and read and put little notes of what I mean). Next, I cannot feel the emotions of this boy at all. Like it just goes from one thing to the next with only a vague sense of sadness or happiness. I also feel like the mother is a pretty flat character and so is the father. I cannot tell whether the mother is loving and caring, or exasperated and exhausted, or just cranky. I can tell a little more with the father, but he is still flat. Is he kind? Tired? Is their family poor? So, is he worried? Does he work double shifts? Also, is it humid, or dry? What does the boy look like? What does his family look like? Why are the ducks dyed a color? Is their house big? I hope this was helpful! I will definitely be back to add notes and read more! Jane McNaughton"