I have been reading Ken La Salle’s work for some time now and he never ceases to amaze me with his creativity and ability to spin a tale…and some of them are pretty far out there. LOL And I love it.

I was very curious about the cover, because I knew Ken La Salle just couldn’t find the right thing, so I asked him to write up a guest post and share his thoughts about it. The story is very original, unique and…well, it’s very hard to describe, but if you like something that can shock you and make you stretch your mind, this could be for you.

So….welcome Ken.

IN HIS OWN WORDS…

“Seat of the pants” is much more than a style of writing; it really is a way of life. And this is especially true in the writing world where book release dates and cover reveals are just as strategic as the handsome stranger entering in the third act.

For me, though, strategy can get boring sometimes. I was working on Heaven Enough when I was first captured by this strange notion of art as torture, which was only my first glimpse into the world of Little Mike. As strange as this notion was, I knew I couldn’t create a traditional outline or structure – or anything. Little Mike revealed itself much like a sculpture locked in stone, freed by the tiniest chips.

Because Little Mike was such a different kind of book, I talked up the idea with some friends just to see their response to some of the ideas presented and, after I wrote the novel, I managed to corral my first beta readers. I knew there would be pushback to some of my ideas but I was pleased to see the story connect in such a powerful way.

Agents and publishers turned Little Mike away in droves, however. Still, I had to believe that the reactions of my readers meant far more than the publishers and agents who turned their noses up at the mention of a Muslim prostitute. This was, of course, before my editor asked, and I’m paraphrasing, “Are you sure?” This was before two cover artists told me the cover was impossible to create and a third cover artist told me he couldn’t “draw funny.” (Not that anyone asked…)

Seat of the pants style, my wife and I bought a doll, found a place to shoot the cover, and brought Little Mike to life ourselves.

“Seat of the pants” is not a guaranty of success; it is an offer of adventure, a ticket to unexpected destinations. I hope Little Mike takes you someplace unexpected, just as it did for me.

You accomplished your mission, Ken. You definitely took me somewhere I couldn’t have gotten on my own and I LOVE IT! Keep up the great work.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

“The country needed more pollution and dumber children, I guess.”

WOW! I mean…WOW! Ken La Salle blew me away with this grotesquely hilarious glimpse of what our future could behold.

Ken La Salle writes some of the most wildly entertaining, unique, and creative stories I have ever read and Little Mike hits all the marks.

I love the simple cover and it sure doesn’t give anything away. He worked on the cover for quite some time.

Ken La Salle’s version on the have and have nots, and the decline of the human race is…

BEWARE: There is graphic violence and his version of the end of the world, man, oh man…bereft of all hope, surviving while waiting to die…sure don’t see much to live for.

Perversion, depravity. Totally twisted. Laughs and disgust. Need a strong stomach…and maybe a puke bucket. LOL

A satire on the state of the union and what the future could hold for us. Think you have it bad…these characters show that it can always be worse.

Who is better off? An optimist? A pessimist? A realist?

Thought provoking. Soul crushing. Hopeless and hopeful. Had me questioning myself and my responsibilities towards the world we live in.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of Little Mike by Ken La Salle.

GOODREADS BLURB

He’s come to destroy the world.
We beat him to it.
Welcome to a world where you have to suck the KKK for breakfast and people fight for the right to be warehoused. Welcome to a world where television is free just as long as you never turn it off, where opioids are delicious and safe, mostly, where the streets are filled with the bodies of the dead, worms are blessed, and children are tortured for the sake of art.
And into this world awakens Little Mike.
Little Mike is a doll.
Little Mike doesn’t know why he’s woken up. He doesn’t know that he means the end of humankind. He’s too busy being traded for sexual favors, watching Reality TV, and searching for the last shreds of human hope in the same landfill where they’d deposited their decency and their intelligence.
Dystopia is a word that gets thrown around a lot but what do you call a world where the future has been stripped of its meaning? Where the petty greeds of humanity eclipse survival? Where corporations have data-mined the human heart… and no one can see beyond the latest distraction… and human history culminates in silent surrender?
You’d call that the world of Little Mike. It only sounds like the world where you live.

ABOUT KEN LA SALLE

Born on an 18th century mining ship, Ken La Salle is not his name. He just likes it. He writes about whatever he damn well pleases, hoping to build more of a cult following than a readership just for a cut on the robes. Looking for the mainstream but sticking to the shore, you can find out more about Ken La Salle at the imaginatively named www.kenlasalle.com.

GIVEAWAY

Want a glimpse into Ken La Salle’s world? Now is your chance. Ken is offering 3 ebook copies of Little Mike. Entry is easy peasy. All you have to do is leave a comment answering the question and leaving your requested format and email:

Are you…An optimist? A pessimist? A realist?

Please share the love.

MY KEN LA SALLE REVIEWS

• False Starts
• Cookies: Sluts of the Snack World
• Heaven Enough
• Heaven Denied
• Heaven For Now
• Wormfood Island
• Work of Art
• Climbing Maya
• Max Dedge in the Time of the Uniborg

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