Wanda Adams FischerBesprekingen

I've read all the books by this author and enjoyed them immensely. A FEW BUMPS by Wanda Adams Fischer is not a typical romantic love story. Instead, it is about two people who come together after their flight is grounded in Kansas City by a snowstorm, and together, manage to get over the many 'bumps' encountered during their journey together.

It so happens that Brian comes from a 'well-to-do family' with a big house. He invites Amy to stay with his family until the storm ends. It soon becomes clear that the two of them are falling for one another. This disturbed Brian's mother, as Amy is a commoner without a pedigree, and in her opinion, not suited for her son. It is clear that she dislikes Amy and opines openly about it. 'Mother' had picked a 'fine' lady for Brian, but he rejected her after a horrible first date. Brian's 'daddy' and his siblings love Amy.

I enjoyed reading about their 'bumps' in Kansas City and soon developed a dislike for Brian's mother. She was high-strung and forgot where she came from - growing up poor herself.

When Brian and Amy returned to Boston, the pace of the story seemed to slow down. Amy was rushing to work and was confronted by a homeless man for a handout. With only $30 in her wallet, she opted to give the man a twenty. He was ecstatic as she rushed away and he referred to her as his 'Angel'.

The homeless man takes Amy's gesture as a sign from Heaven and decides to enter rehab. It turns out that this man, Jeffrey, is an MIT graduate who fell apart after his parents were killed in a car accident. He soon meets Brian and works on turning his life around.

It is in this part of the story that a paranormal spirit is introduced into the story, Jeffrey's mother. She is instrumental in helping Brian, Jeffrey, and Amy hurdle the many bumps they encounter. Including a major bump that almost ends their relationship.

I was surprised to see the book end and thought it might have continued. Perhaps, there may be a short story in the future to pick up where this one left off. The book is easy to read and is without error. I highly recommend it for readers of all ages.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading TEACUPS by Wanda Fischer.

Mary Ann's family never traveled far on a vacation during her childhood and envied those who did. So when a fellow fourth-grade classmate shows her photos of his trip to Disneyland - on the other side of the country - she is mystified and admits that her favorite ride was the teacup from Alice in Wonderland. It was his favorite, too. She vowed to go on this magical ride at least once in her lifetime. It became her obsession.

This short story follows Mary Ann through motherhood and eventually to grand-parenthood. She is still obsessed with the teacup ride and missed her only opportunity decades earlier when her kids were small. Finally, with some extra funds, she decides to take her two grandchildren to Disneyworld in Florida and partake in that ride to Wonderland which eluded her for half a century.

While standing in line, the unexpected occurs. Something that she could not have imagined in her lifetime. The story is error-free and easy to read. A real gem! Take advantage of this one.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading EMPTY SEATS by Wanda Fischer. The book is about three hometown high-school baseball heroes from different states, Jimmy, Bobby, and Bud, who find that life will not be as easy as they thought after being drafted by the Montreal Expos in the 1970s. They are pitchers who joined others playing for a Single-A ball club in Jamestown, New York. They were all starters back home, but here, they found others better qualified and joined others with the same aspirations as them. The road to the big leagues was going to be way more difficult than they imagined.

The story continued through their first season and then followed them individually through the off-season. The characters are well-developed and likable. Each goes his own way and encounters life-altering events. Their decisions will pave the way for their future.

I thought the story was compelling and entertaining, pulling me in from the very first page. There are twists and turns within this story of male bonding and friendship.

I thought the story was well-written but would have liked to see Jimmy's story continue to see where his path finally led him. I'd highly recommend EMPTY SEATS for readers 12 and up.

THE AUDITION by Wanda Adams Fischer is a short story about a seventh-grade girl who wants to try out for the Ted Mack Amateur Hour show in the early fifties. On the night before and the day of the tryouts, Jean Sullivan can't sleep and was unable to concentrate in her classes, daydreaming for most of the day.

When she arrived at the studio, her dad wasn't allowed inside and she had to enter alone. Once inside, she learned that other contestants had taken singing lessons, most wore flashy clothes and make-up, could read music, and carried sheet music. Jean and her family knew she could sing, but it was clear that she was out of her league, lost hope, and thought about leaving.

A young magician appeared, waved his wand over her head and recited some magic words. A change occurred and Jean had renewed confidence and hope. She doesn't give up, but her life will no longer be the same.

Highly recommended for all ages.

THE GENIUS AND THE KGB by Wanda Fischer is a unique story about a genius astrophysicist, Dr. Aleksi Zhakarov, who teaches at MIT. As a Russian defector, he is extremely paranoid and super vigilant about his surroundings and the people he meets believing that KGB agents are near and want to kill him. He usually travels to lunch with a pack of other defectors, but on this day, he traveled alone. When crossing the street, he is involved in a hit-and-run accident that left him for dead. He miraculously survived but remains in a coma; his body a broken heap of bones.

The story continues with Aleksi mind-trapped in his own body. He can hear but nothing else works. Through his thoughts and dreams, readers learn more about this man's background.

While he heals, strange events are taking place around him. Are KGB agents really out to kill him? How far will they go?

I feel like the story ended too soon. It is a good piece, without errors, and kept my interest throughout. Is this a prequel? I'd recommend it to those looking for a short thriller.

In the 1940s, if a husband thought his wife was getting ugly, putting on weight, or spending too much time doing what she loved, he could call the constable and have her committed to the insane asylum for being a bad wife. That's what happened to Anne and Edna. They met on their first night and were close friends over the next decades.

When beginning this short story, I thought about "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" and the antics of the 'inmates'. This story is more of a summary of their existence together over the next several decades. Edna envied Anne as she was allowed to leave the campus every Sunday to have dinner with her family. Edna longed for some kind of contact with the outside world and finally gets it after she dies. BTW, a sequel might now be in order.

The story is error-free and a quick read. Great job Wanda Fischer! This story is recommended for all ages.

Book blurb: They were all stars in their hometowns. Then they were drafted to play minor league ball, thinking it would be an easy ride to playing in the big time. Little did they know that they'd be vying for a spot with every other talented kid who aspired to play professional baseball. Young, inexperienced, immature, and without the support of their families and friends, they're often faced with split-second decisions. Not always on the baseball diamond.

My review: This is the story of three young men, Jimmy, Bud and Bobby, playing minor league baseball, and their ups and downs during that time. One thing I enjoyed about the book is the feature of short chapters, a la James Patterson. This resulted in a quicker read, making it easier to pick it right back up when I found it necessary to put it down. That being said, Empty Seats was indeed a page-turner. The stories were well told, and intersected nicely. There was a lot of back story to Jimmy, but it was Bobby who really got to me. He grew on me, just in time to break my heart.

Another factor that I have to appreciate about the book is that it is sports fiction, something that I would not have ordinarily chosen to read. This is something that I enjoy about reviewing, the ability to step out of the proverbial box. But, I had forgotten how much I love baseball! How exciting it was to read this book! Sometimes it made me feel like I was right there. If you are now or ever have been, a baseball fan, then this book will no doubt resonate with you. If you like a good story with characters that you will be drawn to, then this book will be for you too. Wanda Adams Fischer writes a terrific debut novel, one that I was completely invested in.

This was a dip into a new genre for me, and considering I'm not an avid sports fan, I was happily surprised.

Taking place in the 1970's, this is a book about several 'boys' entering the AA league. They come with high hopes and from very different pasts, but all dream of success and a life of baseball. But the dream isn't what they expected. Troubles and unexpected situations not only throw tough curve balls at them but might be more than some can handle.

Baseball drips from every page, and it is good that way. This book takes a look at the players, letting the characters take center light and draw the reader in. Each character has their very own reason for being there and each one carries their very own problems and pasts. I was amazed at the diversity in these pages, and it's this depth which makes it a good read.

While the sport comes to life in all of its excitement, frustration, pain and detailed moments, it's the human aspect which makes this tale shine. The emotions come across real and the decisions are understandable. Friendships form, inspiring ones. And others drift away. It's more than a sports read; it's a read about trails in life.

A Fan’s View of the Pressure Cooker that Is Professional Baseball

With so many excellent books on baseball written by veteran players and coaches, you might wonder why you’d read one by a spectator? And admittedly, sometimes the thoughts or words of the fictional characters in Empty Seats sound a bit more like the hyperbole of a fan than the analysis of a player, e.g., “Bobby sends a fireball his way, and slugger-boy doesn’t even see it until it’s landed in Russ’s mitt and the umpire calls it.” But the story’s not about baseball strategy or history; it’s about broader themes in life. One, for example, is the sense of belonging provided by sports. When the team wanted to visit an injured player and the hospital was limiting visitors to family members, one coach summed it up well, saying, “Can’t chew see that we come from the same mother? Mother beisbol!”

But the themes pivotal in the story are those magnified by the pressure cooker that is professional sports. How do you handle the mental stress of going from being the best in your hometown to just another kid trying to make the big leagues? Where do you find the drive to maintain the demands of training – in yourself? In the expectations and needs of others? What is your Plan B, if baseball doesn’t work out? It is among these themes that Empty Seats makes its twists and turns, some surprising but all feeling real.

For my tastes, the ‘redemption’ scenes were a bit too syrupy and some of the seedier aspects of the game came across as bland. For example, what appeared a serious addiction from the perspective of one player’s behavior was based on his craving for a few beers. The story could have been edgier with ease. The characters tended toward stereotypes, especially in the secondary figures. And finally, the repetition of certain events was an issue, particularly toward the end of the book. There were too many instances where the reader was part of a scene and then later, heard one or more characters describe it to one or two others.

Overall, you don’t have to be a fan of baseball to enjoy Empty Seats. Its messages apply anywhere a person pushes him- or her- self beyond the norm.

The ending of Empty Seats by Wanda Adams Fischer is so different from the beginning, it almost reads like a separate book. The novel starts out as a story about baseball. Here's a quote from Jimmy Bailey's first chance to pitch for the Jamestown Falcons, a single A team in the Montreal Expos system. He's a relief pitcher, showing his coaches what he's got in a scrimmage with Geneva, another single A team.

Russ calls for a fastball. I lean down, coddle the ball, rock back on the pitching rubber, pull my left foot up in a perpendicular motion, bring my right arm back, and fire.

There's careful detail in this writing and, when Jimmy's team is fighting to win, the book gets very exciting. You don't have to be a baseball fan to feel it.

Then the season ends and the three main characters head back to their families. These are Bobby, Bud, and Jimmy, all pitchers trying to work their way up from single A. Here the book changes to a story of young men dealing with the problems life hands them in their own ways, sometimes successfully, sometimes not. Baseball has very little to do with this part of the novel, although they still encounter fans from their high school days, still have to deal with their own dreams, and still keep in touch with each other. Here's a quote from this section. This one is also from Jimmy.

Yes, Bud, you are my friend.
You're the real deal.
The peacemaker.
The leader.
My friend.

The description of what it was like to be a young, minor-league baseball player in the early seventies was my favorite aspect of this novel. I had a little trouble transitioning to the tone of the second part, but both sections were well written and exciting.

Steve Lindahl – author of Motherless Soul, White Horse Regressions, Hopatcong Vision Quest, and Under a Warped Cross.

Empty Seats by [Adams Fischer, Wanda]Empty Seats follows the story of three men and their dream to making it to the major leagues in baseball. On their way they discover how life can help or hinder their dreams.

I love baseball. This story took me into the game from a side that I only had a small amount of knowledge. It is written by someone who loves the game and wants to share her love with others.

This excellent book receives high praise from me and I recommend it to anyone who has a love of the game.