On the Air by Geonn Cannon

Publisher:       P. D. Publishing

Nadine Butler is a popular radio disc jockey called “the Pixie” at a small station on Squire’s Isle in Washington.  She and her girlfriend Amy, who is a reporter for the local newspaper, are deeply in the closet until Nadine unintentionally outs herself at a town meeting.  Amy then reports on the incident and turns it into front page news.  When Nadine learns her job is threatened, she seizes control of the radio station and tries to start a gay revolution on the island.

There are a number of problems with this book.  The entire premise is silly and improbable.  When Nadine seizes the radio station, the police not only don’t try to stop her, but end up helping her.  The reader is supposed to believe that Nadine is closeted because of the community, but gay people erupt out of everywhere once she comes forward.  The love scenes are flat and most damning of all, the characters just aren’t interesting.  The whole story is superficial and rushed.  The quality of the book as a product isn’t good.  The laminated cover refuses to hold its shape and curls away from the book.

Anyone looking for a few hours of mindless reading may find On the Air suitable.  Unfortunately, this is a book that will be remembered more for its mistakes than its plot.

Tilting at Windmills by Geonn Cannon

Publisher:             P.D. Publishing

Claire Lance is a wanted woman, but not in the way she wants to be.  The authorities think that Lance is a rogue cop who killed her lover Elaine.  No one believes what really happened, so she's been moving for over a year trying to avoid being arrested.  FBI Special Agent Faye Mallory is particularly tenacious because she is Elaine's sister and determined to make Lance pay for what happened.  Lance's car breaks down outside of a small Texas town and she is forced to take a job in a local bar to earn the money for the repairs.  Roy Morse isn't a great boss.  He's tied into the local crime community and he abuses his wife Gwen.  In a very short time, Lance is forced to kill two men, including Roy, and finds herself on the run again, this time with Gwen in tow.  As they flee from the police, Roy's gang and Agent Mallory, Lance will find herself forced to confront her past.  Gwen will learn things about herself that will alter her future.

Tilting at Windmills is a fast paced story.  By focusing on Lance's struggle to survive and protect Gwen it allows for a lot of action.  There isn't a great deal of character development, though the flashback sequences of what happened to Lance and Elaine gives greater detail to Claire's character.  The struggle between Lance and Mallory adds another dimension.  It's obvious how much each one is suffering.  The reader will wish they could reach some understanding.

One of the problems with Cannon's books in general is how he writes about lesbians.  It sometimes seems as if he sees them as men in women's skin.  Lance and Mallory could easily be portrayed as male characters.  All Cannon has done is change the gender of the pronouns.  He misses on the emotional bonds that exist between women as part of a relationship.  They may appear to be acting like men, but they aren't thinking or feeling that way.  A point that seems to escape Cannon.

Where Cannon's book is unique is in how he ends the story.  Romances generally follow a formula.  Cannon departs slightly from that formula, which gives the book a refreshing and realistic ending.  It also leaves the characters open for a sequel if he should choose to revisit them.

In all Tilting at Windmills is a quick read that may appeal to action or suspense fans.  There are also enough intimate scenes included to please romance fans.  It's an average book, but fine for a few hours of reading.

World On Fire by Geonn Cannon

Publisher:                 P. D. Publishing

From the time when she was a little girl and a firefighter saved her that was the only career that Alexandra Crawford ever wanted.  She enjoys the excitement of fighting the fires and the camaraderie that she shares with the other members of the department.  Her busy schedule doesn't leave her much time for a social life, but that changes when a minor injury takes her to the emergency room and she's treated by Dr. Rachel Tom.  The women feel an immediate attraction and try to set up dates, but are interrupted more than once by a surprising rash of fires that breaks out.  It quickly becomes apparent that an arsonist is on the loose and that firefighters are his specific target.  Through grief and fear the bond between Alex and Rachel grows stronger and becomes something to fight for as the killer turns them into his special target.

This is a fairly routine story.  While the characters are pleasant enough, there is still the feeling that they're not remarkable.  The reader will not find any surprises or twists in this story and can probably anticipate most of the plot peaks before much has been read.  The fires add a little excitement to the story, but they also follow a predictable route.  The book can be read quickly in a few hours and will provide some entertainment, but nothing about World on Fire makes it stand out from other stories about firefighters and their world.

If you're looking for a book that will entertain you for a couple of hours, World on Fire will do.  This is one that can be interrupted by other chores and you'll have no trouble following the story when you go back to it.