The more interesting comments e-mailed to me in response to reading my books:
Dreamcast:
Paul Telegdi’s most recent double novella is set in present times instead of the more distant historical past – his usual landscape for storytelling.
Dreamcast introduces us to a cast of well developed and interesting characters that move us. The story is a crackling murder mystery that incorporates the paranormal, and a love interest between the protagonist, Travis Howard and prison psychologist sent to assess him after he is accused of a murder he admits having seen happen in a dream.
Two hard-boiled and single-minded cops, Smythe and MaClure are determined to wring a confession from Travis when circumstantial evidence points his way in the death of his ex-girlfriend. Along the way Travis discovers a psychic gift he has not been aware of previously, soon realizes this unexpected gift is his only chance, albeit a slim one, to avoid serious jail time.
Paul Telegdi writes cleanly, and clearly. The first person point of view gives immediacy to the text, and insight into our main character. Telegdi’s dialogue skills are outstanding and realistic. He paces the story well with the first novella evolving naturally into the second one.
In the second story, a continuation of the first with a two years having elapsed, our protagonist must use his newly found psychic ability to assist police in locating a missing 15 year old girl who has become the victim of any parent’s worst nightmare. She has been taken by a sadistic sociopath whose machinations with his victims make us squirm, and care profoundly about what is happening. To say much more would provide a spoiler and this I would never do. Suffice to say the storylines of each novella resolve in a satisfactory, yet surprising ways. We want to read “one more chapter.”
Travis Howard, college student/reluctant psychic, is much too interesting a character to be exhausted in 234 pages. He, his psychologist partner Amanda, and detectives Smythe and Maclure must surely work together in the future. I hope Telegdi won’t disappoint us in this regard.
Any publishers out there seeking a prolific, consistent, and capable writer could do little better than giving Paul Telegdi a serious look. Malcolm Watts
Hi Paul: I finished your book over a week ago… You have a very good command of the use of the first person narrative. Great work.
I hadn't realized how many parallels there were with our two stories until I read it, i.e. that your main character is also just discovering his extra-sensory gifts and evolving. It's funny that you, me and Malcolm were all exploring some aspect of this in our various endeavours.
I can see that this could be a series of novels with Travis as the main character/parnormal sleuth. Is he the main character in all of your stories? You have established him well for this.
I thought your writing style was very clear and articulate. Did you have any help with the editing? If not, it was certainly very clean.
Congratulations and nice job. Take care, Eden
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