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NO MAD makes no apologies! Nov 12, 2009
Thrilled about his latest book deal, writer and family man Aaron Abrams wastes no time getting home to tell his wife about the exciting news. Aaron's excitement quickly changes; from curiosity to outright shock when he finds his wife and his brother "in the act". Keeping a level head about the whole fiasco, Aaron quickly grabs his faithful canine pal, Churchill, a few necessities and climbs into his car; destination - anywhere but here! Thankful for the research and interviews necessary for his upcoming book, Aaron goes on a road trip to end all road trips.
No Mad made for an interesting read. I was taken on an adventure-filled journey alongside Aaron and his golden retriever, Churchill. On his way to interview old school alumni for his book, Aaron is treated to several mini history lessons and runs into some colourful characters that get pleasure from recreational drug use, sex and Aaron's celebrity. The first half of No Mad was so off-beat and humorous that I instantly became a fan. Unfortunately, about half way through the story, something was lost; the sarcasm, the creative narrative and the "laugh out loud" moments become less frequent and my attention began to wander. I missed the wit and raucous humour that was packed into the first part of the story and I would love to have read more of its variety. The combination of music, drugs, promiscuity and the ever present game of jinx was fun to read about at first, but it lost some of its charm and the story petered out near the end. The scenery is beautifully written with picturesque locations with lush landscapes (Helen's Heaven) kept me entertained when some of the more repetitive and tedious parts of the dialog weighed the story down.
Despite some issues that I had with the story, it is well worth the read. You can't help but feel for Aaron and his plight. There are points in the story where you will laugh till it hurts, be brought close to tears and find yourself rooting for Aaron's success and applauding him for keeping it real, even under some of the most unbelievable and outrageous of circumstances.
Reviewed by Bobbie Crawford-McCoy
For Pinnacle: Author & Book Promotion
enjoyable road trip Sep 03, 2009
Catching your wife in a compromising position with your brother in your swimming pool when coming home with great news to share can certainly destroy a guy. This is how "No Mad" by Sam Moffie begins. I almost did not want to continue, but this was just the preface so I did. And I glad that I did. The story follows Aaron Abrams across the country to interview people from his college for his latest book "Yearbook". At moments it is funny, sometimes cynical and sometimes serious. There are parts that I could have done without, but overall this road trip story was a delight to read.
Take the road trip of the summer with Sam Moffie's No Mad - a fun and unpredictable read! Aug 28, 2009
Synopsis:
Aaron Abrams is a writer, the most popular professor on campus, and a family man. When his agent calls with news of his first book deal, he hurries home to find his wife and brother in bed together. Aaron's reaction is to hurl an ice bucket and his wedding ring at the two, grab his dog, credit cards, and his car and peel out of Youngstown, OH for New York City. On his way to meet with his agent and pitch his new book, we follow Aaron on his trip through Interstate 80 and the adventures along the way.
In NYC, Aaron's situation picks up. Not only does he hit it off with Elizabeth, his agent's assistant, but his concept for the book deal is a hit. Aaron's next project will be a book about all the diverse people that went to college and what happened to them over the years. It's Aaron's first stab at nonfiction and is an opportunity for him to reconnect with old friends and acquaintances. With his own music, Newman's Own Virgin Lemonade, Aaron travels all over gathering material for his book: Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, Boston, Massachusetts, Roswell, New Mexico, are just a few of the stops. Throughout the trip, Aaron's observations and chats give us a clear picture of a man with a quirky sense of humor and in love with life and his family.
Review:
Aaron is an interesting character who has a love of discovery and adventure coupled with a kind spirit. Traveling with Aaron over thousands of miles is an enjoyable adventure with many unexpected twists and turns.
I wouldn't have found this book on my own and am grateful to Tracee and Pump Up Your Book Tours for the introduction to No Mad, Aaron Abrams, and to Sam Moffie's writing.
Publisher: BookSurge Publishing (Feb.24, 2009), 336 pages.
Courtesy of Pump Up Your Book Promotion and the author.
A Literary Treat That's Not To Be Missed Aug 23, 2009
An unheralded English teacher in his late 40's, Aaron soon receives news he could only have imagined in his wildest dreams: after years of obscurity, he's been offered a book deal with a $100,000 advance. Unable to contain his excitement, he rushes home to share his euphoria with his wife, only to find her entangled in quite the compromising "position" - with none other than his own brother. Not missing a beat, Aaron packs a few belongings, along with his trusty canine companion, Churchill, and immediately sets off on an extended cross-country road trip.
On his ensuing journey, Aaron meets a wide variety of rich characters, all of which add considerable color to his winding trek. Furthermore, his perspective on life is sharply honed by the places he visits, particularly the rich historical context that makes each place so unique. Ultimately, Aaron's sojourn brings him full-circle when his wife attempts to reconcile with him at his daughter's wedding, and his response may just leave readers in a state of semi-shock...
Touching, insightful, and pointedly hilarious, No Mad is a well-crafted, highly entertaining read. In his trademark acerbic, yet strangely engaging style, author Sam Moffie presents the reader with a compelling tale of the sense of adventure and wanderlust that lingers within every soul. Through Aaron, Moffie vicariously treats you to the various thrills, disappointments, and ultimate fulfillment we all seek on our daily "searches" through life, and his quirky, yet sincere approach allows his tale to strike an all-too-familiar chord deep within the fragile recesses of our common human cores.
Sure not to disappoint the legions of fans that he's accumulated with his previous offerings, the raw, endearing honesty of No Mad will undoubtedly add a host of new converts to that ever-growing number. A literary treat that's not to be missed.
Linda Waterson
Apex Reviews
 An Entertaining Read Aug 20, 2009
If you're looking for a book full of humor that doesn't feel the need to apologize, NO MAD by Sam Moffie is the book for you. Moffie delivers the story of Abrams with a go big or go home attitude and gives us a tale of self reflection and a life rediscovered. Perhaps not for the faint of heart, Moffie's book is great for readers who like to slam back a cold one and laugh as loud as they want without a care in the world.
When Aaron Abrams gets a call from his publicist informing him of a major check waiting for him in her office, he rushes home to celebrate with his wife. With a profound love for both his wife and brother, Aaron is excited to get home and give them both the wonderful news. What he didn't expect was to find them both together...in his house...in bed. Quickly packing up his stuff and grabbing his dog, Aaron departs on a journey that will give him a better definition of who he is and throw some meaning back into his life.
NO MAD was okay. It had funny parts and even a few bit of suspense where I found myself quickly turning pages wondering where the story was going. Moffie did a good job of developing a complex story, full of details for the reader to latch on to. Using his experience as an author, Moffie gave us a decent look into the world of publishing and the struggles of a new author while making it understandable for the reader.
The characters in NO MAD were good. Obvious time and energy were spent developing them and attempting to give them an authentic feel. Aaron's character was full of wit and a take them as they come attitude. I could really see this book doing well with men, whom typically tend to be a little more finicky in their reading tastes than I am.
Fair warning: There are adult scenes and adult themes. In addition there is quite a bit of R-rated language within the book. I would give NO MAD a sensuality rating of 3.5.
So NO MAD is a good book and there are many people that love it. That being said, I'm not sure that Moffie's writing style meshes well with my reading style. For one, I had a hard time getting past the language in the book. I don't consider myself a prude and have been known to drop the occasional f-bomb when I drop something on my foot or otherwise injure myself, but I guess I'm not too fond of gratuitous use of curse words. That was the first thing that threw me off of NO MAD. Another aspect that I had a hard time getting around was the reality of the situation. There were some aspects of the book where I had to question whether I could believe that events would really unfold in that manner. I think that because this was a general Fiction novel and not Fantasy or Sci-Fi, I tend to look toward more realistic situations. The third thing that I had a hard time getting around was the pacing. NO MAD is pretty fast paced and there were times that I felt Moffie could have slowed down just a tad and filled us in on the details a little. Events would unfold quickly and leave me wondering, wait, what were we just doing?
I think many people will absolutely love NO MAD. If you're looking for a book that doesn't apologize (and really, why should a book apologize), you'll love Aaron's story. I would recommend this book to adults looking for a good laugh and a sense of finally knowing what's right in the world.
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