I’ve read too many bargain e-books now.
I have to stop responding to emails
that hawk cheap work by folks who don’t know how
to craft true characters or narrate tails
that live up to the promise of the blurb,
deserve the stars, or earn the rave reviews.
Of late my reads are likely to perturb
instead of treat – annoy and not amuse.

Too many stories have the hero spy
on psycho neighbors, roommates and colleagues
nobody will encounter. Plots rely
on people never speaking, or intrigues
that cause more nausea than we all feel.
I’m turning back to classics or to real.