Jonathan will give a digital copy of Today's Special to a randomly drawn commenter.
Author: Jonathan Dimmig
ISBN: 978-1-62420-318-3
Genre: Inspirational
Romance
Excerpt Heat Level: 1
Book Heat Level: 3
REVIEW:
Today's Special
Author: Jonathan Dimmig
Reviewed by Catherine DePino
Five Stars
Today’s Special touched my heart. The plot kept me
reading, and the characters were realistic and engaging. The book showed the
indomitability of the human spirit and its resilience in the face of the grave
difficulties life can bring, often unexpectedly. I felt that I knew each
character personally and would enjoy sitting with them at the restaurant to get
to know them better. The book is full of surprises and will keep you glued to
the page until its satisfying conclusion.
TAGLINE
We’re sometimes forced to face impossible circumstances. Tom’s story
shows why true love is the answer to life’s most difficult questions.
BLURB
What’s your version of an ordinary day?
For Thomas Danielson, it’s the constant strain of keeping the restaurant
he owns from going under. His friends and family depend upon his success but
the outlook is dismal. It demands his entire focus until tragedy strikes and
his soul-mate is ripped from his arms.
Can Tom recover from the absolute worst event that could possibly
happen?
A twist of fate crushes Tom’s world and sends him on a journey of
discovery for what’s truly important in life. With guidance from friends, loved
ones, and an unassuming chalkboard there just may be some hope in his
struggles.
Nothing in life is guaranteed and we are sometimes forced to face the
impossible. Tom’s story shows how, even in the darkest times, there is a ray of
light shining though the clouds.
EXCERPT
A thunderous roar erupts from the Camaro's engine. Tom puts the pedal to
the floor and races past traffic on the highway. There's no destination in
sight. Speeding through obstacles is the only outlet within immediate range to
channel the anger and frustration pumping through his veins. He weaves left
then right. After finding a straightaway in the right lane, his rage comes to a
boil as he attacks the steering wheel with a barrage of blows from his fists.
Nearly clipping a semi-truck with his driver-side mirror, the escalating danger
of the situation suddenly floods his mind. Confronted by this realization, he
jerks the wheel and swerves onto the shoulder in an attempt to slow things
down. While his vehicle comes to a skid in the dirt, a horn from the car traveling
behind him blares loudly into the night as it passes by.
He shuts down the engine.
"Why can nothing work out the way it's supposed to? This was the
last good thing left that was ours."
Tom's words echo in the car. The silence that answered was a reminder of
just how alone he was. Defeated, he crosses his arms upon the steering wheel
and lays his head between them.
Several minutes pass and the only sound that can be heard, apart from
the distant highway traffic, is the rhythmic cooing of an owl. He lifts his
head and peers out the windshield to find the source of the noise. In the faint
moonlight, he can barely make out the shape of a bird perched upon a tree
branch. He flicks on the headlight switch and the blast of light causes the owl
to take flight and come to a landing on top of a sign about thirty yards to the
front left of Tom's car. The sign, now illuminated by the headlights, reads
"Allegany Mountains – 30 Miles".
It was immediately clear where he needed to go. With a turn of his key,
Tom starts the engine and pulls back onto the highway.
~ * ~
The sound of twigs snapping, combined with the rustling of leaves, was
cause enough to scatter a pair of foraging squirrels. Tom clears a path through
the dense forest and emerges from the bushes to the small lake.
He pauses and scans the area, remembering the many times he's visited
this place. It was as if the unrelenting force of time was rendered powerless
in this one speck of earth. Throughout his entire life, not one shade of detail
had changed in any discernible way. The placement of the rocks, the slope of
the water bank, the positioning of the trees; all remained unyielding to time's
grasp. Digesting the thought left a pit in his stomach.
How can it be that God has the power to leave this spot unchanged but
does nothing to keep the good things in my life untouched?
The stars were shimmering brightly upon the lake. Tom approaches the
water's edge and squats down to look into its glassy surface. The stars
surround his reflection and he's soon enveloped in a blanket of sky. He slowly
becomes lost in the space. His eyes close and the melding of space and time
becomes a cozy bed that he wishes he could remain in forever.
Michelle leans down beside him to gaze into the abyss. She's so close
that he can feel her next to him. The hint of familiar perfume and warmth
radiating from her body is overwhelmingly comforting. He instinctively reaches
to caress her face but she disappears into ripples of water.
AUTHOR BIO:
Jonathan Dimmig was born and raised in Buffalo, NY. He earned a BA and
MBA from the University of Rochester. After graduating, he worked in the field
of Corporate Finance for nearly a decade before quitting his job and moving to
Las Vegas to become a professional poker player. In 2014, he won a World Series
of Poker event that had almost 8,000 players. Around that same time, he had an
unusually vivid dream that inspired him to write "Today’s Special".
He hopes the story in this book will impact others as much as it has impacted
himself. Jonathan currently resides in Las Vegas, NV. He is often found at the
poker tables, playing ice hockey, or working on creative inspirations that can
positively impact the world. He can be reached at zpuckman@gmail.com.
REVIEW:
Today's Special
Author: Jonathan Dimmig
Reviewed by Jeffrey Ross
Five Stars—Eerie and very interesting!
Readers of author Dimmig’s Today’s Special may be
hard-pressed to place it in a specific genre. On one level, this text is a case
study of the Gilded, a struggling restaurant in Buffalo. The lives and
relationships of the major characters are intertwined both in the past and present—and
at work and play. But this thoughtful book is far more than a
slice-of-life-study of chefs, servers, food critics, menu boards, and invoices.
The tragic death of the owner’s wife inspires him—and the restaurant gradually
moves forward because of his amazingly-creative homage to her. Jonathan Dimmig
proves to be quite knowledgeable about recipes, community, support, and
enduring love in his powerful—and pleasing—novel.
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Email address (where we can get hold of your best):
zpuckman@gmail.com
Thank you for hosting!
ReplyDeleteI find it interesting that you play poker professionally. Definitely different than me playing poker with my dad and brothers using match sticks for betting!
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