Author DL Havlin.

“When I read another’s work, I can tell when the author isn’t totally immersed in what’s finding its way to the paper.  I feel cheated.  My heart and soul are in what I write.  I endeavor to “not hold back, let it all hang out.”  You may disagree with my words, but you’ll know the voice is mine and you’ll also know that I respect anyone who thinks differently.  We’re all entitled to our definitions of life, of right, of wrong…I see denying another person these convictions even in a literary sense as a most serious transgression.  I’m mindful of that in my work.”

 

- DL Havlin

When a writer’s work finally pays off to the point of recognition, I enjoy reading that writer’s accolades online.
DL Havlin, a writer of mainstream fiction, suspense, history, humor and horror, is one such achiever.  His book The Hangin’ Oak is a tale of a husband and wife forced to live with two ghosts from 140 years in the past.  Humor, heartfelt moments, drama and suspense all come together in this novel, which exceeds the scope of a traditional ghost story and reaches out to recapture the vanishing history of old Florida.

September on Echo Creek portrays a socialite’s exodus from, and final realization of, an intimate’s betrayal.  Accompanied by a CD from the singer whose lyrics are found within, this book is explores a life both in transition and danger, written wonderfully:

“Her paints mixed and lodged on the pallet, Gaylynn set upon the task of making each stroke, each daub of paint a perfect reproduction of what her eyes saw.  Her feelings for the spot would not allow her to do otherwise.  She wanted to remember every rock, every fern, the exact structure of the rock formation creating the falls, the way the water cascaded down to the clear pool below.  These objects, stable as the streambed Echo Creek’s waters flowed through, were dear to her, reverent parts of a new life she hoped for.  The place and its people were fresh and honest—symbolic of the life she sought.

In attempting to make the painting precisely what she saw, the scene on the canvas and the murmuring waters revealed another truth.  As there had been changes within Gaylynn during her September on Echo Creek, there were subtle changes to the stream’s surroundings.  Summer’s lush green was evolving into fall’s old olive with the first hints of gold, tan, red and orange soon to follow, appearing in the foliage.  The best she could do was catch a fleeting image and record it, for Echo Creek was a never-ending work in progress.  These changes would continue until time ceased to exist for this magical spot.  The falling waters told Gaylynn she must understand life is the same.  And content in that knowledge, Gaylynn resumed painting, her heart holding the brush.”

For those who like a touch of fear and tension,  “A Place No One Should Go, Keana-eno-pa-watchee” is Havlin’s darkest work.  Centered on Ben Callison, a family man with a streak of dark iron, this book takes Ben and his family to a forbidden part of his boss’s private vacation land.  Despite receiving a warning from a old Seminole who arrives near their tent, the Callisons stay, but doing so sets the stage for confrontation with a centuries-old evil.  Or so it seems… are there other forces at work? With an open-ended twist at the end, it’s for the reader to decide.

The most amusing book I saw from the list of available books is the one I’ll probably buy, Story Time-R.  Interspersed with one-liners, this book’s premise is simple: pick the number of minutes you have free and read a story whose reading time matches.

DL Havlin’s works span a decent spectrum of moods and I’ll look forward to checking out one or more of his books in the near future!