Tag: THE REAL STORY

LIFE IS IMPROVISATION, by Art Smukler, MD, author & psychiatrist

by artsmuklermd, posted in Psychiatry, Self Examination, Writing

Last night, I saw Herbie Hancock at the Hollywood Bowl.

Wow. Still terrific at 82 years old. Warm. Inclusive. A terrific jazz pianist.

He started the evening by introducing his 2 year-old grandson, who toddled on stage wearing a huge pair of earphones, and holding his grandpa’s hand. Before any words were spoken, the little boy hit the keys on the piano. Herbie said that this was his grandson’s second appearance, so technically, at the age of two, he’d already performed twice at The Bowl.

We all laughed. The little boy walked off the stage, and Herbie and his group started playing. A few minutes later, Herbie chatted about his life and mentioned that we, everyone in the audience, were improvisers. That’s what life is all about, from minute to minute, and of course that’s what jazz is all about.

His words resonated.

We can’t predict what will happen next in our lives, but we should be ready to improvise, to have the courage to try new things, to do what’s necessary to solve whatever comes our way.

In THE REAL STORY, a mystery, Joe Belmont is stuck. His traumatic past is too painful and he deals with it by not dealing with it. Lara, his medical student girlfriend, suspects that the answer to his problems is locked up in his unconscious.

Joe thinks otherwise.

But how can a person improvise, make creative decisions, when the past rules him?

He can’t.

#THEREALSTORY #HerbieHancock #mystery #suspense #unconscious-events

ANOTHER 5 STAR REVIEW ! Art Smukler, MD, author & psychiatrist

by artsmuklermd, posted in Writing

From Readers’ Favorite

5 Stars – Congratulations on your 5-star review!

Reviewed by Luwi Nyakansaila for Readers’ Favorite

What happens when an ordinary medical student discovers he is trailed by hitmen trying to take his life? He makes this discovery immediately after his mother and uncle are found dead under mysterious circumstances. Joe Belmont goes on the run after burying his only remaining relatives. His mother was a saint, she was poor and lived her life for the Lord. So why does she have a private Swiss account with a lot of money? Joe did not have a close relationship with his uncle, but he knew the man did not drink alcohol. So why was he found dead at the wheel of his car with alcohol in his system? Joe wants answers to all these questions and more. He makes the decision to search his past and dreams to find the missing links to all his questions. In The Real Story by Arthur Smukler, MD, suspense, thriller, and romance await you.

The Real Story is an action-packed novel. Joe’s story is full of suspense and mystery. His entire world turns upside down, and he realizes he has been living a lie. As Joe narrates his story, he continues to have flashbacks from his past. These flashbacks fit in very well with the story and give a glimpse of why Joe made his decisions. Joe is a loyal friend and a kind human being. This side of him is brought to light when he talks about his friendship with Jeff and the relationship he builds with Lara. I loved his compassion for the victims, people like Mr. DeAngelo, who just wanted to better their lives. Most people today would have looked out for themselves and forgotten the innocent people caught in the crossfire. This is a beautiful message to preach, given that this book is written in our present time. The mention of masks and the Covid-19 effects made me relate to this story. I was rooting for Joe and his friends and praying for a happy ending for all of them. Arthur Smukler made wonderful and relatable characters. He added humor to the characters, and this brightened up the story. I cannot wait to read more of this author’s creations.