Richard Wolkomir

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About Richard Wolkomir

I've had lots of jobs. Sheet folder in a laundry, for instance. Grounds keeper. Roofer. Also, a zoo's keeper of bears. I've been a newspaper reporter, too, and an award-winning magazine writer.

So, lots of things. Deep down, though, all along, what I really wanted to do was write fiction. I finally got to do that, thanks to a Pembroke Welsh corgi.

If you've never met one, they have stubby legs (corgi means "dwarf dog" in Welsh), perked-up ears, acute intelligence, self esteem (tons of that), and boundless joie-de-vivre.

Nosmo came to live with us because he felt dissatisfied with arrangements at his previous home, a half mile up our country road. It was a decision he made, entirely on his own, appearing on her deck every day until we finally got the message.

After he lived with us a while, I got to thinking I could read his mind.

We'd take a long walk, for instance, and when I'd start back to the house he'd stare at me, a rebellious glint in his eye, meaning: "No way! I want to explore the pine woods." Or he'd sniff along the meadow's edge, furrowing his brow, and I'd know he was expressing outrage over the lingering scent of his arch-enemy, the resident fox.

So I could read his mind that much, but I wondered: how would it be to actually speak with animals, back and forth, hearing their thoughts and concerns? A story came to me. It was about a place where certain people do speak with animals, not with tongues, animals being unequipped for that, but mind to mind.

It became a novel, "Wil Deft," complete with a fantasy world's corgi. Another novel followed, "Sinnabar," with some of the same characters reappearing, including that talkative corgi. Just out, a new novel, a mystery this time, "Spider's Web in the Green Mountains," and one character is a self-confident corgi, with a bit of swagger in his walk.

Now--because of Nosmo--instead of reporting facts, I make stories up. My literary visits to the so-called "real world" are less frequent, because over here in the fictional realm everything seems more intense, and numinous, and dramatic.

I hope some readers will join me here, and be entertained.

Check us out at www.richardjoycewolkomir.net

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Caliban Rising: A Speculative Thriller Aug 28, 2018

by Richard Wolkomir

( 4 )

$5.99

Veteran-agent Willie Deane flies down to Caliban Island, undercover—what he finds is startling.

Something is newborn here. Its brain is powerful, but it has no heart. It has decided: we are obsolete. We must all be phased out.

Starting with Willie Deane.

He has no weapons. What he faces sees with infrared eyes, hears with transducer ears. He has no backup on this Caribbean island, all contact with the outside world cut. Those few people here he can trust are weak. Most he cannot trust, and they are strong. Caliban Island is beyond his experience.

It is beyond everyone’s experience.

If what has risen here spreads to the mainland, nothing will stop it. So it’s up to Deane.

But what can he do? He’s only human.

HERE’S WHAT A READER OF THIS THRILLER HAD TO SAY—

“I often read during lunch and found I was taking very long lunches, not wanting to put the book down. All of the right elements for a great read. Well Done!”

ANOTHER READER SAID—

“I liked this book lots. The storyline is both compelling and a little frightening when considering our collective future.

“…it was hard trying to be an adult and not gobble up huge chunks in one sitting. There were some very late nights when I should have been sleeping, but I couldn’t quite put the book down. Partly this was due to the plot and partly because the details and emerging backstories perfectly fleshed out characters and illuminated events.

“Now that I’ve finished reading, I’m still thinking about the plot’s twists and turns.”

ANOTHER REACTION—

Five Stars— Believable thriller
(Reviewed in the United States on January 16, 2020)
The arrogance of playing God from a failure of understanding humanity.
Fast read, I couldn’t stay away from reading it.

ONE MORE READER’S COMMENT—
“I really enjoyed your book! Interesting concept. The characters were very good, especially the knowledge of the main character, the poisonous yellow frog, a female who could handle a front loader, everything worked and kept the reader turning the pages. The ending was perfect, justice was done!
“Keep writing, you are very good.”

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Sinnabar Nov 14, 2014

by Richard Wolkomir

( 4 )

$5.99

An angry Goth girl. A science prodigy. A New Jersey juvenile delinquent.

They’re abducted to Sinnabar—a dying world, choking on its own magical red dust. Ice-eyed wizards rule, backed by a killer army. Brigands crisscross the deserts, riding lizards. City slum gangs steal and murder.

Here, the abductees face enslavement. Then, death.

Their only ally, a stow-away dog, can speak in Sinnabar’s magical air. He wants to help, but he’s feckless.

For weapons, the abductees wield just the talents for which they were taken. They have their friendship, though. And courage.

Still, their chances of survival—zero.

In the end….

HERE’S ONE READER’S REACTION TO SINNABAR—

“I'm loving this author and can't wait to read another story—Five Stars.”

A SECOND READER’S EVALUATION—

Outstanding performance!!
As a 38-year veteran writing\literature instructor, I could not help but rate this novel highly! The parallel realms come to life as if I were in the theater! Author has uncanny ability to write fantasy fiction that boarders so close to reality. I highly recommend this novel and all others by him. Shirley Harris, M.Ed. Wiggins, MS—FIVE STARS

HERE ARE TWO READER COMMENTS FROM GOODREADS, THE INTERNATIONAL ON-LINE BOOK CLUB—
“I loved this action-packed fantasy novel by Richard Wolkomir. I think teens and adults would both enjoy this story and find Tobi the talking Corgi as entertaining as I did!—Five Stars.”
“A rollicking good read- John Carter of Mars meets Arabian Nights….Living in Wales I particularly enjoyed the Corgi! Hope Richard writes further books featuring the exploits of Tom and his comrades—Four Stars.”

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Wil Deft Sep 16, 2014

by Richard Wolkomir

( 17 )

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Wil Deft hears the thoughts of beasts.

He hears a cold-eyed forest cat, who appears on his cottage’s windowsill—“Come,” she says. “It is time.”

He hears a lonely dog, in a tavern —“We could be friends, Wil.”

He is just a fisherman, in this riverside village, at the empire’s northern edge. Suddenly, though, imperial constables hunt him. He doesn’t know why. He flees into the forest, his only guides that cat and dog.

Atop a crag, an eye opens, and he learns his fate—he must journey into terrible danger. He must go alone, except for that lonely dog, but that dog loves him, fiercely.

And, on that, all hangs.

It is foretold.

Wil Defthas been compared to Lord of the Rings, but it sings its own song.

And that song is haunting.

Here’s what readers say—

PRAISE FOR WIL DEFT FROM A REVIEWER

Beginning with the narrator's pitch perfect storytelling "voice", I was quickly captivated and constantly lured on….I loved the author's choices of people and place names - 'Fishtown' for the village, Wil Deft for the hero. This author manages to coax poetry from every descriptive turn of phrase….

FROM A SECOND REVIEWER

It started with a terrific hook—who can resist a talking cat sent to deliver a message? It starts off strong and just continues that way.

PRAISE FROM READERS…

This is a wonderful tale! Intriguing. Imaginative. Complex…a very talented and masterful writer and teller of dramatic tales…people will find this little-known story to be as satisfying and intricate a drama of good and evil as the classics (The Hobbit comes to mind.)—Jay B. Cutts—5 Stars.

The author has totally nailed the corgi personality - a fun and interesting page-turner—David Schaldach—4 Stars.

Wolkomir's characters are memorable, especially Tobi, the corgi, who epitomizes all loyal dog characteristics. —Ellen Miller—4 Stars

AND OTHER READERS SAID…

… wonderful scene-painting: mundane Fishtown, the cobblestoned streets, the glow seeping through closed shutters, and above all the sinister bulk of the imperial ship blocking out the lights of the neighboring town, all spring into reality before us. Impressive work. —Cairo, Egypt

…charming well-balanced prose, unexpected and delighting imagery (his hair needed a licking, determined the cat), perfect pacing and immediate suspension of disbelief…character's names are easily pronounced, creating instant association, and their personas are shaped almost invisibly with an expert choice of few words. I want MORE...and I want it NOW! —Long Beach, California

Any writer who can suck a reader into a fantasy with convincing characters and bizarre situations that seem perfectly normal has a true gift….Yet, it is the language with which the story is written that sets it apart….Move over your treasured copies of Tolkien and C. S. Lewis and make room for Wolkomir. —Waitsfield, Vermont

From the very first sentence I was hooked….The characters were instantly real—how many writers can do this?—inside a single sentence. —Albany, New York

I'm amazed at how very quickly I was drawn into Wil Deft's mysterious world… --Winchester, Va.

…a world as believable as Tolkien's.

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The Blue Chair: Murder In The Green Mountains Nov 24, 2014

by Richard Wolkomir

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In a serene town in the Vermont mountains, who strangled the college student from Italy?

Cooper North is a retired prosecutor and judge. She has a bad leg and just wants to watch birds. Yet, it's she who must find the murderer, even if it means putting her own life at risk.

This title and over 1 million more available with Kindle Unlimited.

Star Nose: A Cooper North Mystery Apr 22, 2020

by Richard Wolkomir

( 5 )

$5.99

A child is afraid.

They murdered his mother. Now they hunt him--he is seven years old.

Cooper North, a just-retired prosecutor, tries to protect him, but he trusts only her housemate, Henry, a Pembroke Welsh corgi. He tells Henry his secrets, because he knows Henry will never tell anyone.

Who ordered this child hunted down? Not even the killers know.

Murder follows murder, stunning this old New England town. Cooper and her police colleagues work blind.

All the while, a child faces death.

Suddenly, everything erupts.

What happens now will haunt you.

HERE’S A READER REACTION TO THIS MYSTERY

—FIVE STARS

Recommend to anyone who enjoys a believable mystery. Plot like 👍none I've read before ! Looks like I'll be reading more from this author.

ANOTHER READER’S COMMENT

Reviewed in the United States on June 17, 2020—FIVE STARS

I read and enjoyed the first mystery in this series (SPIDER'S WEB IN THE GREEN MOUNTAINS), and this book was everything I hoped it would be. Once again, Cooper North, a retired prosecutor turned college professor, and the other characters are wonderfully drawn. With lots to think about along the way, the narrative accelerates to a conclusion that is logical, realistic, and surprising all at the same time.

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Spider's Web in the Green Mountains: A Cooper North Mystery Nov 16, 2016

by Richard Wolkomir

( 9 )

$5.99

This mystery starts with a bang, literally. In the night, Cooper North’s window shatters—a bullet. She just retired as a prosecutor. She’s seasoned and tough. Even so, she’s shaken. Who wants her dead? She needs to find out, fast—because the next bullet may not miss.

Here’s a compelling new investigator on the mystery scene. She operates in a tucked-away Green Mountains town, where her family’s lived since colonial times. It’s small enough for her to know everyone. Or maybe not. Because one of her neighbors, apparently, rides out at night on a Harley, with a rifle, hunting Cooper North.

Maybe it’s a felon she jailed, out for revenge. That’s what her police colleagues believe. She’s not sure it’s so simple.

She imagines a spider’s web, its invisible strands crisscrossing the town, and stretching back in time, connecting everyone to everyone else. Grievances form those strands, but also loves, divorces, marriages, business deals, generosities, jealousies….

Cooper must follow the strands, to find the spider. One thing she knows for sure: in an old New England town like this, murder’s roots can run deep.

As if to prove it, death threats even come for Cooper’s new housemate, Henry, a Pembroke Welsh corgi. Why? Then, on a sleety night, with no warning, murder.

Every lead dead-ends. Cooper senses the shooter laughing at her. As the threats intensify, so does her feeling of helplessness, drawing her to an old weakness, single-malt scotch.

It ends like a bomb detonating.

If you like mysteries with depth, try Spider’s Web in the Green Mountains. Its believable plot is a page-turner, its final twist like a shot between the eyes. And you won’t forget Cooper North. You won’t forget Henry, either, a corgi with off-the-charts self-esteem.

Here’s one reader’s reaction—

“…a Mack-truck-out-of-nowhere double barrels into a never-saw-it-coming conclusion. On the way to the last chapter, it’s also full of sleight-of-hand plot shifts and descriptive subtleties akin to poetry. There's 100% agreement among fellow mystery lovers with whom I've shared this book. We loved it!—5 Stars.”

Another mystery fan said—

“Really liked the story. Interesting plot with twists. Good characters—5 Stars!”

One more reader’s comment—

“A retired prosecutor is in the crosshairs of hate. Who wants her dead, her dog injured and her reputation sullied?—4 Stars.”

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Dog Dance of Snikia Jun 7, 2014

by Richard Wolkomir

( 3 )

$0.99

A comic novella--
If your dog's a genius, shouldn't you do what he says?

Frankie & Johnny, & Nellie Bly: Fifteen Stories About What Never Was And Never Will Be Jan 7, 2015

by Richard Wolkomir

( 1 )

$5.99

Here are fifteen dispatches from imagination’s hinterlands.

Wand-slingers cast death spells, at the OK Corral.

An alien appears on Main Street, in a barber’s chair.

Atlanteans, up from an abandoned Manhattan subway tunnel, confront an ace pickpocket.

A Florida swamp wizard takes water-moccasin form.

As one reader, in the United Kingdom, put it:

“Quirky and engaging - a fantastic storyteller with a brilliant imagination. I was sorry to finish the book. Well worth your time.”

Sure, and speaking of time, in the far future, when the technology is biological, and cities are made of living cells….

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CAT HERDERS OF THE PLEISTOCENE Sep 7, 2017

by Richard Wolkomir

( 1 )

$0.99

They came across the dust-gray steppe, out of the mist, riding dire wolves, herding their saber-toothed cats. They sought help, decency, but the townspeople remembered the cursing, years ago. No witches, they said. No cats. One man, though, said yes, for decency's sake, and one boy. So the witches came, bringing life and death.

This title and over 1 million more available with Kindle Unlimited.

THE PEOPLE FROM BELOW: A FANTASY OF THE CRETACEOUS, & MANHATTAN'S SUBWAYS Oct 9, 2017

by Richard Wolkomir

$0.99

In the Cretaceous, great civilizations arose, but over aeons people forgot them. They faded into myth.
Their terrible wars erased the fossil record, leaving anthropologists no hint humans lived so long ago.
Yet, remnants of those ancient peoples lingered, hidden.
Now it is our own time.
An abandoned Manhattan subway station, a haven for the homeless—up from deep down come yellow-haired strangers, their eyes like emeralds.
They seek one of the subway dwellers, Marten, a thief.
They need his skills.
He’s a “cannon,” though, a pickpocket, who only “dips” solo.
He means to keep it that way.

This title and over 1 million more available with Kindle Unlimited.

Riders of the Dust-Gray Steppe: A Pleistocene Western, & Fourteen Other Dispatches From Distant Times And Strange Places Mar 8, 2015

by Richard Wolkomir

$5.99

He’s just a boy—he doesn’t tell us his name, only that he’s lame—but he’s first to see the witches approach. They come across the frozen steppe, astride dire wolves, herding saber-toothed cats. Afterwards, the boy’s no longer just a boy. And the town’s no longer what it was.

That’s the first story of fifteen.

How about the alien visitor to a little town in New Hampshire, who gets sloshed on Diet Pepsi?

These stories cover the emotional map. However, they have this in common: from a Pleistocene western to a noir private-eye farce, involving trolls and a petulant homunculus, they transport you out of this world, and out of this time.

If you like stepping away from the ordinary, these stories take you where you want to go.

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