Fiction is the most powerful weapon in a wordsmithís arsenal. It allows a writer to worm their way into your mind by first engaging your emotions. Like magic, the gut-wrenching feelings zap the brain into reconsidering long-held ideas. And no one has mastered the art of ìthought-provoking fictionî better than John Dwaine McKenna.I used the same phrase to describe McKennaís ìWhim-Wham Man,î reviewed in the September 2013 issue of The New Falcon Herald. Sorry, but I just canít think of a better way to describe his awesome writing.In ìColorado Noir,î a collection of 11 short stories, he captivates his audience with memorable characters and plots chock-full of wit and irony. Then, bam, it hits you! Youíre suddenly pondering serious social issues: senseless crime, homelessness, elderly care and mental illness. While many of us would never choose to read a factual book about these problems, McKennaís mesmerizing writing wonít allow us to stop turning the pages.The book is subtitled: ìStories from the dark side,î with most of the action taking place in Colorado Springs. While I donít expect Mayor Bach or the City Council to give it a thumbs up, members of the Colorado Independent Press Association showed their appreciation of McKennaís handiwork by giving ìColorado Noirî three different awards. All very much deserved.In a phone interview, McKenna said, ìIíve lived in Colorado Springs, by choice, since 1968, and I wouldnít want to live anywhere else.î However, he finds it hard to ignore the problems the city experiences as it continues to expand.He begins the book with ìThe Aluminum Mistress,î luring us in with the first paragraph: ìAfter they got to know her better, all the guys at the shop tried, but it was impossible to guess how long the old woman had been living on the streets ó because she was stingy with personal information, wary, and tough as a feral cat.îElaine, a feisty woman who rides a tricycle around the Springs collecting aluminum cans, persuades Little Davie and Santos at the Southside Tire Co. on Nevada Avenue to save the shopís soda cans for her. Then, she rushes on to her next stop. ìGotta go. I ainít got a silver spoon in my mouth ya know.î Itís a phrase she repeats often. The irony of those words in connection with her demise will blow your mind!Next, ìThe Ghosts of Christmas Presentî is a tale about Yazzie and Darrel Lee, who have ìfallen on hard times.î Most of their problems can be blamed on their own vices. ìThey were both drinking men, prone to lapses of memory and blackouts, their livers hard and their brains pickled from years of hundred proof and cheap beer.î McKenna artfully incorporates the cityís policy against homeless camps into this story. As we watch the menís downward spiral, from living in a trailer court near Fountain Creek to living under the stars, we know theyíre doomed. Nevertheless, McKenna treats us to a zinger of an ending.ìMosbyís Retreatî turns our attention to elderly care. Itís about a stealthy gray tomcat who makes his home in the ìSouthwest Assisted Care Center.î The residents feed him, keep him out of sight and get a kick out of putting one over on a nasty administrator who strictly enforces the homeís ìNo Pets Allowedî rule. I love this story because it illustrates how much comfort one little animal can bring to people who are basically forgotten by the rest of society.Since the military plays a significant role in our neighborhood, itís not surprising to find it featured in three of McKennaís stories. ìThe Risingî is told by 89- year-old retired Lt. Gen. Jeremiah Livingston Ross. He remembers flying ìGallopiní Gertieî during World War II as if it were yesterday. He sees her in his dreams, closing in on him. Here, McKenna ventures into the realm of science fiction. Or does he? This story certainly leaves you wondering.ìThe Retributionistsî is four intense pages covering the life and death struggle between Azziz and Meleki. Does it take place in Iraq or Afghanistan? It really doesnít matter, since the same scenario occurred more times than we can count in both wars. And ìThe Prisoner of Jane Russellî proves what every warrior already knows: Combat experiences will never be forgotten, even when you can no longer recognize your own children.Each and every story in ìColorado Noirî leaves a lasting impression, because the characters are so believable. Iím willing to bet that weíve all encountered a slick used-car salesman like Jimmy-Dan Dee. Youíll find him featured in ìThe Emerald Pearl Witch,î and smile when he gets his comeuppance in ìDamn Good for Him.îHands-down Jake McKern in ìA Mischief of Rats,î is the most loveable character. While he is not perfect, McKern tries his best to maintain law and order in the Springs. First featured in ìThe Whim-Wham Man,î we pick up his story on Nov. 3, 1955, as he is going to buy a brand new Chevy Bel Air convertible. I think of him as a ìKnight in Tarnished Armor,î who will forever be fighting his demons but will never stop plugging away, trying to protect the innocent among us.The ìbig cityî evils depicted in ìColorado Noirî are no worse than those that appear on the local news. Yet ,the everyday drone of crime and social problems often leaves us numb. Perhaps thatís why we need a masterful writer to excite our synapses, forcing us take a closer look at the world around us.So, come on, ìBuy Local!î because McKennaís books contain the freshest writing youíll find on the market. And ìColorado Noirî has no expiration date. It will keep churning in your mind long after youíve finished the book.
