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A Pocket Watch, Spray Paint & Morphine: How Viv the Librarian Weathers the Boom

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An unrecognizable Boom compels Viv, a retired librarian, out of her perfumed bubble bath. Dripping, confused, and curious, she soon finds the neighborhood emptier than her own nest. Her cherished husband is unreachable. Her geriatric spaniel is missing, as are all other creatures, except a single fish in a bowl.

As though thrust into a post-apocalyptic novel from her library shelves, Viv, no doomsday prepper, scours her deserted town for answers. Instead, she finds disparate survivors as unprepared as she: a pregnant young wunderkind, a cagey physics professor, and a boy too reminiscent of her own lost son.

Peril forges the group’s initial antipathies into alliances, but an ominous change in climate tests their tenuous bonds, sparking a feud over how best to survive. Venturing to more hospitable lands means Viv abandons any chance of reuniting with her husband. But clinging to home and hope means losing a family for the second time.

A Pocketwatch, Spray Paint, & Morphine is a quirky, soft science fiction debut fleshed out with Southern-flavored themes of kinship, tenacity, and the survive-at-all-costs spirit.

Kindle Edition

Published November 6, 2018

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About the author

Kimberly Lynne

1 book48 followers
Welcome, friends! I write speculative women’s fiction: human drama with a touch of the weird. My debut novel, A POCKET WATCH, SPRAY PAINT & MORPHINE was released in November 2018. My short stories have been published in moonShine Review.

HandyDude and I downsized in May 2018 and I've got a lovely sunny corner studio from which I explore the shadows of life in relative safety, powered by coffee, cheese, chocolate, and gin, in varying proportions.

I'm honored to read slush and judge for various writing competitions and volunteer for the WFWA. I'm also a Wild Acres Writers Workshop alum. When I get dents from banging my head on the keyboard, it's time for dirt therapy - puttering in my own garden or taking a hike.

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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
Profile Image for Jennifer ~ TarHeelReader.
2,294 reviews31.4k followers
December 15, 2018
5 southern charm and an apocalypse stars to A Pocket Watch, Spray Paint & Morphine! ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

A Pocket Watch, Spray Paint & Morphine: How Viv the Librarian Weathers the Boom is as quirky as its title, and I loved every second.

Listen to this - this book is billed as a soft science fiction with cozy southern charm, and I’d say that fits.

Viv is a retired librarian enjoying a nice bubble bath when she is startled by a loud boom. She finds no one in her house, including her husband and her beloved dog, and when she heads outside, her neighborhood is empty, too.

Clearly some sort of apocalypse has happened, and Viv is not prepared in any way for this type of scenario. Who would be?

She searches her town and finds some other fun, unusual survivors. The group forms an unlikely alliance when more horror strikes: the climate changes, and they consider moving to a more livable area. If Viv leaves, she may never see her husband again.

A Pocket Watch is cozy, and it is absolutely charming. It reads like a breeze, and Viv is a sensational main character. My favorite aspects included the southern flair and themes of tenacity and family.

Overall, this book is vibrant, eccentric, witty, charming, and fun. I’ll be watching for Kimberly Lynne’s next effort!

Thank you to the author for the complimentary copy. I enjoyed it so much, I bought a copy. All opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Karen Ginther.
Author 2 books101 followers
December 8, 2018
This was a fun read. The beginning held lots of tension in what initially seemed like a post-apocalyptic tale. Viv, the heroine, is kind, sensible, and of middle age - quite an average person. Through her perspective the story journeys into a strange scientific occurrence, a worm-hole of sorts, in which the entire planet, or Viv's tiny corner of it at least, has disappeared. Viv a few other people are thrown together for survival and to try and make sense of it all. Included in the novel are informative bits of science. Christianity is sprinkled throughout. Author Kimberly Lynne does not stint her readers on text, as seen in the expanded title. Her fondness for words is apparent throughout the book. The ending leaves room for speculation.
Profile Image for Barbara White.
Author 6 books1,126 followers
December 18, 2018
I loved this quirky, big-hearted story of survival, weird goings-on in the Universe, and faith tested. Viv is a spunky, older heroine--you root for her from page one--and the motley band she gathers into a dysfunctional family opens her up to many challenges. All of which she rises to meet. The unexpected twist on the last page is a fabulous bonus.
Profile Image for Sharon Peterson.
Author 3 books213 followers
March 13, 2019
How can I not adore a book in which our heroine is a 50-something year old retired librarian in a post-apocalyptic world?

It all starts with a BOOM!

And suddenly Viv is alone (and naked). Her husband is gone. Her dog is gone. Her neighbors are gone. Aside from a lonesome betta fish, Viv is decidedly alone.

Maybe.

Without giving too much away, Viv weathers the BOOM with practicality, kindness, and a little bit of book learning. Though even librarians have secrets.

As the de facto leader to a very motley crew of survivors, Viv and gang must navigate their new world all while trying to figure out how in the heck they got there.

Viv is a great character—both practical and complicated at the same time. The side characters bring tension and friendship. I especially loved Wade, a smart, awkward 15-year-old with a heart of gold.

I enjoyed Ms. Lynne’s prose. There were moments of deep emotion—sadness, happiness, joy, and terrible grief. As a reader, I felt them with Viv.

I will freely admit that I don’t read speculative fiction much but I didn’t find this overly techy or science-y. In fact, it kept me interested from start to finish.

Highly recommend.
Profile Image for Samantha.
Author 31 books156 followers
February 23, 2019
This book started out so normally, then took a left turn at Albuquerque and never looked back. I was so pleased! In fact, there's not much I can tell you about the book that doesn't spoil the fun. It's better if you don't know what the left turn is or if we ever turn right again.

Viv the Librarian had, in fact, an amazing adventure that had me thinking about what I might do in similar circumstances. If you need a hard scientific explanation for strange happenings in a book, you won't find one in here, but you will find an interesting cast of characters who are brought together by strange circumstances.

Quite enjoyable!
Profile Image for Martha.
16 reviews9 followers
June 10, 2019
I will admit that Kimberly Lynne is a friend. I’ve heard her read snatches of the book at author reading events, and I liked the Southern, smart and sassy voice of “Viv the Librarian.” But speculative fiction is not my normal choice for reading material, and I could never remember the title—until I held the book in my hands and saw the 13 words spread across the cover. Viv, a retired middle school librarian, captures the reader’s attention in the very first sentence with the words: “deserted suburban highway,” “stop my galloping heartbeat dead in its tracks.” I immediately wanted to know, “What happened?” Viv has such a caring heart she collects other survivors and brings them to live in her neighborhood. Her sense of humor is demonstrated in one place as she thinks of them as “odd socks.” How can they survive without electricity? How can they survive not knowing what happened to everyone else? I have to say I was intrigued by these questions, plus I wondered how the items listed in the title would fit in. A Pocket . . . Boom was so well-written—the suspense kept building. I gobbled it up in two days, finishing at 4 am! Wow! What an ending! I wonder if Kimberly Lynne has planned a sequel?
Profile Image for T.A. Munroe.
Author 3 books24 followers
September 12, 2019
This unique book came along just when I needed something different. Viv finds herself nearly alone after people and many forms of modernity disappear during a mysterious boom. Told with humor, intelligence, and compassion this is a great story to read when you're tired of the usual fare coming from the big publishers and need your faith in humanity restored.
Profile Image for K. Loomis.
Author 24 books22 followers
December 31, 2018
This book was a lot of fun to read. I loved the character-driven nature of the plot and the microcosm of community that sprung from the effects of the "boom." If you like speculative fiction you should definitely check out this fresh and fantastical story. Great debut novel!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews

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