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Playing With Destiny
 
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Playing With Destiny [Paperback]

Phillip Thomas Duck (Author)
4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)


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Book Description

April 1, 2005
In his powerful debut novel, Phillip Thomas Duck reaches into the hearts of two brothers struggling to understand the boys they once were and become the men they were meant to be.

As brothers, Colin and Courtney Sheffield know their lives will always be connected, but their mistakes, and those of their absent father before them, have tangled them in a web of bitterness and regret neither of them can shake. More than siblings, less than friends, neither of them is willing to place their blood bond over the painful secrets that threaten to shatter their futures.

A writer constantly struggling to live up to the hype surrounding his first book, Colin is haunted by an event in his past that still darkens his dreams and casts a shadow over his marriage to Liza, a former model with ghosts of her own to vanquish. Even the birth of their beautiful daughter, Lyric, can’t hold them together when Colin begins to measure every word he writes against that of another bestselling author who has suddenly taken an interest in him—and his brother.

Basketball is Courtney’s lifeblood. With only one year of college left, he’s willing to leave school when rumors of a valuable NBA contract promise to make him everything his brother is not—a true success, and a winner his mother will finally be proud of. But with all he’s ever dreamed of within reach, he begins to wonder if he wants something else more—a true relationship with Chante, the only woman he’s ever loved, and the mother of a child who may or may not be his.

Examining the emotional complexities of family and the nature of fatherhood, Phillip Thomas Duck has written a book that shines a light into the souls of two young men with everything to lose in their battle with each other—and true brotherhood to gain.


Editorial Reviews

Review

"...Duck writes with a voice that is unique, entertaining, and compelling." -- Robert Fleming, author of Havoc After Dark

"...a tale as old as Cain and Abel, yet as true to today's life as a Jersey sunset." -- Timmothy McCann, author of Emotions

"A gripping debut...all the ingredients of a runaway best seller." -- Keith Lee Johnson, author of Pretenses

"Streetwise and reality-biting...a phenomenal story. I dare you to pick up this book and not be affected." -- Margaret Johnson-Hodge, author of True Lies

Product Details

  • Paperback: 288 pages
  • Publisher: Kimani Press (April 1, 2005)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1583145249
  • ISBN-13: 978-1583145241
  • Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.9 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
  • Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,725,314 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Phillip Thomas Duck straddles the line between two worlds. For paranormal fans, no he isn't a vampire or werewolf, but instead an accomplished author that has published works with traditional publishers (Harlequin and Simon & Schuster) as well as independently. His YA books, DIRTY JERSEY and DIRTY SOUTH, are award winning novels especially suited for young readers struggling to find their footing. EXCUSE ME, MISS(ROMANTIC SUSPENSE) and ONE QUICK KISS(SEXY SHORT STORIES)are published independently, exclusively as 99 cent ebooks available for purchase at most online retailers. Duck's latest, EXIT (an erotic thriller), will be released by Simon & Schuster (Strebor Books) in August, 2011. The author lives in New Jersey with his daughter. He can be reached on the web through various means:

phillwrite@aol.com
Excusememissptd@hotmail.com
excusememissptd.blogspot.com
twitter.com/excusememissptd

 

Customer Reviews

12 Reviews
5 star:
 (9)
4 star:
 (2)
3 star:
 (1)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.7 out of 5 stars (12 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars My Brother's Keeper, July 20, 2005
By 
Dawn R Reeves "tamardi" (Harrisburg, PA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This review is from: Playing With Destiny (Paperback)
Two brothers, approximately six years apart, seemingly different, but inevitably alike, plow into the other's lives with dire consequences in Phillip Duck's Playing With Destiny. In an effort to make the most of their lives, Colin and Courtney Sheffield, forge ahead with the future, having misguided thoughts about each other. A mistake in judgment and a lie from a female antagonist, sets the stage for the large range of emotions that pour from this story.

After the death of their father, Colin took it upon himself, with some coaxing from his mother, to step up and assist in raising his brother. What Courtney learned was betrayal, deceit and favoritism at the hands of his brother and other family members. Eventually Courtney entered adulthood mistrusting his family, while simultaneously seeking their approval and despising his older brother. Colin, a well-spoken writer of literary novels, is looking for his next big seller. Pitted against another popular author whose novels lack literary value, according to Colin, he fails miserably in an effort to compete. Courtney is entering his senior year of college with offers of entering the NBA draft and forgoing his senior year. Between his issues with Colin, the paternity of a child and his decision to enter the NBA draft, Courtney is at an impasse and makes terrible decisions that could ruin his career and life.

Phillip Duck did an excellent job of showcasing the intricacies of the NBA from the sports agents to the team trainers without the typical dumb, ghetto jock hype. His highlighting of the female characters was the catalyst of the story that brought about a climatic ending. However, Colin's competition with a rival author was not played out with a satisfying conclusion. In other words, we saw Colin's issues and his resolution, but the rival author disappeared from the scene. The elders' wisdom and experiences add a rich content and each characters' voice is exclusive to him or her. Playing With Destiny, as a debut novel, is an engrossing and well-written story about jealously, miscommunication and the impact and importance of family that stays with you for a lifetime.

Reviewed by Dawn R. Reeves
APOOO BookClub
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Masterful Debut, April 13, 2005
This review is from: Playing With Destiny (Paperback)
Phillip Thomas Duck has penned an engrossing tale of two brothers who's sibling rivalry is so bitter that nothing short of a mushroom cloud will quell its all consuming fire. Add to that, Colin's literary career is fledgling at best and his marriage is crumbling.

Worse yet, his younger brother, Courtney, has a promising career ahead of him and he's looking at tens of millions of dollars the moment he signs his NBA contract. He'll be young, and rich, with his whole life ahead of him; a sharp contrast to his older brother's predicament.

What happened in their checkered past?

How did it come to this?

What event triggered the hatred?

Playing with Destiny is a powerful story, written by a superior craftsmen. Expect even greater pieces of literature from this man!
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A Love Story Between Two Brothers, April 4, 2005
By 
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Playing With Destiny (Paperback)

Picking up this book, I thought it might be one of those "street life" stories, glorifying the violent conflicts of a certain kind of black man. But, thank God this book wasn't at all what I expected. Instead, it was a deeply moving tale of two brothers, both struggling to find their manhood and heal the wounds created by the errors of their pasts.

I literally could not put this book down until I reached the end. The narrative was gripping and this author, though male, wrote his female characters with a believeable sympathy. But the heart of the story is the brothers, both good men with flaws, who fight through their issues to resolve their relationships with themselves, the women in their lives, and each other.

Well done, Phillip Thomas Duck. I'll look forward to your next one!

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