Follow The Money (A collection of interconnected short stories)

By Ross Cavins

WINNER! 2010 ReaderViews Lit Awards - Humor!

From one of America's most unknown authors comes a book so humorous, so vile, so inane . . . it could only be a cry for help.

If you're searching for a refreshing style that's a tad demented, with characters that burrow deep into your mind and never leave, you've found the right book.

"Follow the Money" is a collection of ten interconnected short stories that will grab you, wrestle you to the ground and squeeze you until your funny bone snaps in two.

A botched kidnapping, a money scam, a not-so-average convenience store holdup ... each story flows (with the money) through a series of interesting, and sometimes bizarre, plots. Layered and interweaved with seamless complexity, recurring characters and everyday motifs bind the ten stories into a single universal plot.

Ingenious in its conception, flawless in its execution, "Follow the Money" is a hilarious, detailed study on the many facets of the human condition. Greed, Pride, Lust . . . the seven deadly sins have never been so entertaining.

Prepare yourself for a raunchy, gritty ride you'll never want to end.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ross Cavins
• Release date: Jul 24, 2010
• ISBN: 9780982772010

Ross Cavins

Ross Cavins has the honor of being the first Bachelor’s of Science graduate in Computer Science from UNC Greensboro. He currently works as a freelance web developer and programmer. He is happily married and lives in the North Carolina Piedmont. Besides writing, he also has a Sales & Design company at RCGDesigns.com that focuses on Steampunk and Industrial design. You know, stuff with wood and pipe that looks really cool. He also runs an internet hosting company at RCGHosting.com that specializes in websites for small businesses. One day he decided he wanted to try his hand at writing, and despite it not being his main focus, he loves to do it when he can carve out the time.  His short stories and articles (and poems) have appeared in multiple magazine and publications. For his novel-length work, he decided to go the Do-Your-Own-Thing route after having a two different agents. Kind of like he does everything else in life. It’s worked out, pretty much. One of his books, Follow The Money, won 2nd Place in the 2011 Reviewers Choice Awards. Another book, Barry vs The Apocalypse, was a Claymore Award Finalist. He also edited and published a book for Rodney Lacroix, Things Go Wrong For Me, which was a Finalist in the 2013 Next Generation Indie Book Awards for Humor, and also a Finalist in the 2013 National Indie Excellence Book Awards for Humor. He’s not one to follow the rules, but does use them as good suggestions. Basically, he drums to his own beat. But he also wants to design and build the drum. And make it a website so others can see it. And write a novel about a protagonist with a drum. So yeah, that’s it in a nutshell.

Book preview

What others are saying about Follow The Money ...

This book is among the funniest I have ever read ... bigger than life characters ... innovative plot lines ... savor each story slowly.

- Lauri Coates, ReviewTheBook.com

It's a page turner ... laughed out loud several times ... gold star for creativity ... I literally had a huge grin on my face when I finished the final chapter.

- Stephanie Snowe, author of Meeting Mr. Wrong

Sharp wit ... bold characters ... I laughed out loud ... quite hilarious, Cavins has delivered a very entertaining read.

- Elaine Smith, ReviewTheBook.com

A quirky, hysterical tale ... A+ for creativity ... nothing is predictable ... laugh-out loud adventure ...

- Paige Lovitt, ReaderViews.com

A unique read ... off-the-wall and a little on the wacky side ... a humorous writer and you will enjoy his book ...

- Charline Ratcliff, RebeccasReads.com

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

FOLLOW THE MONEY

A collection of interconnected short stories

by

Ross Cavins

---------------------

SMASHWORDS EDITION

---------------------

Published by:

RCG Publishing

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

This book is a work of fiction, mostly. Names, characters, places and incidents are either products of the author's ubiquitous imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental, except in those passages where you may see a likeness of people you know or, in the small chance, no matter how remote, suspect that it indeed may be you. If so, you know who you are, and now you can go around telling people you're in a book. If you are annoyed by this and attempt to sue me, I will feign ignorance and eventually, someone with a wooden bat will come visit you in the middle of the night and persuade you to drop the suit.

Copyright 2010 Ross Cavins

RCG Publishing

Cover Design and Content by Ross Cavins

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means whatsoever, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher and/or author, which in this particular case is the same guy, Ross Cavins. Contact him with flowing praise and possibly money, or even a measly jar of peanut butter, and he'll cave.

www.RossCavins.com

Digital Version ISBN-10: 0982772017

Digital Version ISBN-13: 978-0-9827720-1-0

If you would like to order this book in print, search for the following ISBN numbers:

Print Version ISBN-10: 0982772009

Print Version ISBN-13: 978-0-9827720-0-3

Ebook Edition License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return to where it was bought and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author's work.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I dedicate this book

to my entire family.

Without their unwavering support (money),

it would not have happened.

Oh yeah, I guess I should mention

something about their unconditional love too.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Special Thanks

to

Jeff Brown and Ric Thomas

for most of my initial feedback and encouragement.

Robert McClure

for his editing expertise and frank suggestions,

even when it meant extensive rewriting.

Julie Anthes

for her insightful opinions and editing help and for

fawning over me when I needed it most.

Swill Magazine

for originally publishing Sammy's Night Out.

SwillMagazine.com

Hiss Quarterly

for originally publishing Have Fun Tonight.

TheHissQuarterly.net

Carmen

My amazingly intelligent, hottie wife.

You weren't in my life when I wrote the book,

but you are now and I'm a better man for it.

Thanks for the re-editing advice.

I want to have your babies.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Writing is like prostitution. First you do it for love, and then for a few close friends, and then for money.

Moliere

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

About the Book

It began with a single short story: Sammy's Night Out. The initial response from friends was overwhelming; I was flattered. One even said, You're one funny dude.

With this kind of encouragement, I set out to write more short stories about the adventures of Sammy. I got as far as the ideas; the culmination of stories just seemed too flat.

Then I discovered it wasn't Sammy that was so great, it was his character. He's the prototype of today's Redneck and everyone has a real Sammy in their life. So I thought, Why not write stories with the same types of characters instead?

I mean, write what you know, right?

The Drop came next. And then the motif of money presented itself one morning before coffee had restored linear thinking. I wrote The Investment and then came up with a story around Sammy and his night out; and the rest, as they say, is history.

If you're a fan of Elmore Leonard, Carl Hiaasen or Christopher Moore (as I am), you'll find that my work is heavily influenced by them: the characters, the situations they're caught in, the humor that surrounds them. And why not? Those authors are veritable masters of the written word and if you've never read their books, you're missing out on some amazing journeys.

I truly hope you enjoy reading my short story collection as much as I enjoyed writing it.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Table of Contents

#1 - The Drop

#2 - The Investment

#3 - Sammy's Night Out

#4 - A Loaded Gun

#5 - Everybody's Got A Magic Number

#6 - Have Fun Tonight

#7 - Sweating Brother Bill

#8 - Toe Thumb

#9 - For The Road

#10 - Channel Ten

Front of Book

About The Author

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Story 1 - The Drop

The want of money is the root of all evil.

Samuel Butler

THE GIRL WAS in the back room, asleep. Clint and Waylon sat in the kitchen, drinking beers at the little table Clint picked up at Goodwill last year for five bucks.

Where we doin' it? Waylon asked.

I don't know yet. Clint scraped at the label from his Budweiser. He heard somewhere it gave you luck if you got it all the way off without tearing it. There had to be a trick to it. He'd figure it out, pull it off in one piece.

I thought you had it all planned out.

I do, just not all the little details.

Little details? Where we do it is like one of the big details, ain't it? Waylon turned up his beer, taking three big swigs one right after another.

Hey! came a muffled voice from the back room.

Clint took a drink from his beer. He looked at the label, half off now and not a tear yet, thinking that was a good sign.

Hey! The girl screamed again through the closed door. Waylon glanced at his younger brother, waiting for him to do something. Clint sat there in his chair, leaning back studying the label on his beer bottle like it was a winning lottery ticket and he just had to scratch the right boxes to win. The girl yelled again for somebody to come there.

You gonna see what she wants? Waylon finally said, fidgeting in his chair like a two year old that's got to go to the bathroom. Do number one.

Clint shrugged, keeping his eyes on his beer bottle. It was sweating pretty good now, making it easier to peel the label off but also making it just as easy to tear. You go see what she wants.

* * *

WAYLON HESITATED, rocking back and forth, looking down at his beer. He finally slipped on his pantyhose mask just past his nose and left the kitchen, beer in hand. The floor of the trailer creaked in the hallway where it was rotting through. Clint said they had to replace part of the sub floor, whatever that was. But that wouldn't matter any more, they were getting a real house when this was over.

Waylon opened the door to the room just as the girl yelled one more time. Whatcha want, he said, looking at her sitting on the bed, rubbing her left wrist, the one that was handcuffed to a chain wrapped around the bed frame.

I gotta pee. She looked up at Waylon with her ocean-blue eyes, the ones that Waylon said to Clint made him uncomfortable like she could read his mind.

Lemme go ask my brother.

You have to check with him on everything? You go take a shit, you ask him if you can wipe your ass?

Waylon's mouth dropped open. No, I … I gotta check with him … he's got the key. He turned back toward the kitchen and yelled, She's gotta pee.

So let her pee, Clint yelled back. What you asking me for?

Waylon turned to the girl. She had an eyebrow raised and held her wrist out, the one with the handcuffs him and Clint bought at the Army Surplus downtown last week when they got the idea to do this.

I gotta get the keys, he said. He came back a minute later with his beer in one hand and the keys in the other.

The first thing she did when he unlocked her was reach for his beer. Waylon's reaction was to jerk it back from her but he was too slow, her surprising him like that. She turned the bottle up while he looked at her, still unsure what he should do.

You're too young to drink, he said finally.

I am, am I? she said as she took another swig, never breaking eye contact like they were in a staring contest.

Yeah, yeah you are. Waylon didn't reach to get it back though.

Well, you know what I think? She turned the bottle up, finished it and handed it back to him. I think I'm too young to be held captive against my will, what do you think?

I think you better get your smart little ass in the bathroom, is what I think, Clint said as he appeared in the doorway. Waylon and the girl turned to see him with his pantyhose stretched all the way over his head, a black Dale Earnhardt cap on top with a light halo surrounding a red number three embroidered in the center. He held his beer in his hand, the label missing except for a little corner hanging raggedy on the side.

The girl handed Waylon his empty bottle and shot Clint a look of defiance as she squeezed by. He didn't move out of the doorway when she passed.

Why you let her talk to you like that? Clint said to Waylon when the bathroom door closed.

Like what?

Like she the one in charge, not you. Clint lifted his pantyhose and turned his beer up.

Huh?

"Whaddya mean, huh? She's just a kid, man, and you let her treat you like you're the kid."

She don't talk like no kid.

Are you kidding me? Clint said smiling. She's worse than Uncle Eddie when he gets to drinking with his construction buddies. And lemme tell you, that man knows how to cuss.

And she don't act like no kid.

You can say that again.

"And she definitely don't look like no kid."

Yeah, you got that right. Clint's smile grew big and he made round motions in front of his chest. Clint almost whispered, Don't seem right to put titties that big on a kid, does it?

Waylon snickered and lowered his voice too. How big you think them things are?

I don't know, but they bigger than Aunt Louise's, ain't they?

Waylon thought about it, then said, Yeah, I think so but you ever see Aunt Louise in a bathing suit?

Yeah, I know. Clint wrinkled his nose. They's flabby with stretch marks but she still puts 'em out there for everyone to see. Bet the kid's don't look like that. Bet they's a lot nicer.

The sound of the toilet flushing shut them both up but they still sported childish grins when the girl came out of the bathroom. She wore a t-shirt that said Hilfiger and a pair of jeans so tight Waylon had to force himself not to look at her rear when she walked by.

* * *

BACK IN THE ROOM, the girl sat on the bed and stared at the brothers. They looked back at her. No one spoke. Finally, to Clint, she said, See something you like?

Clint smiled and shook his head, thinking they better get this over with fast before he started wanting to do things with this girl he didn't really want to do. Would be something to teach this little rich girl a lesson, though. Show her she can't just shoot off her mouth any time, snap her fingers and get everything she wants. Show her what a real man's like.

She looked at Waylon, forcing him to look straight into her eyes, and said, How about you, big boy, you see anything you like? Huh? That last part, she wiggled her shoulders gently like Mae West in one of them old black and white movies where people talked a lot.

The part of Waylon not covered in nylon turned pink.

She laughed and said, You know, that pantyhose on your face is worthless.

Whaddya mean? Clint said. Pantyhose is a good disguise.

The girl rolled her eyes. Not when you leave family pictures up. She nodded with her head toward the dresser. On it was a picture of Clint and Waylon, Clint holding a twelve pound bass and Waylon with the net they used to get it in the boat.

Shit, Waylon. You were supposed to get all that stuff outta here.

Yeah, well, Waylon said. You ain't supposed to use our names either.

Shit. Well, this is all fucked now. Clint yanked the hose off his head and put the cap back on, saying, Come on, Waylon. He motioned with his head to leave the room and go back to the kitchen. If you good,—looking at the girl now—we'll let you hang out for a while without being handcuffed. But don't be causin' no problems.

The girl looked like she wanted to say something smart, but held her tongue till they closed the door. What if I'm not good? she said through the door while Clint and Waylon walked back to the kitchen. Hey! What am I supposed to do to entertain myself?

There's a TV in there, Clint yelled back. Turn it on, catch up on your soaps.

I don't want to watch TV.

Well now, that's tough shit, ain't it? Clint pulled two beers from the fridge and threw one to Waylon.

Waylon pulled his pantyhose off and said, So where we gonna do this thing?

Clint looked at him. I don't know yet. Have I had any time to think about it since the last time you asked?

Hey! The girl opened the door and peered down the hallway at them.

Jesus Christ! Clint said, his voice getting loud. What is it now? Looking down the hallway at her.

I'm hungry. Her head was peeking out from behind the door, her sandy blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail now, hanging down pointing at the floor.

Clint took a deep breath, then said, Whaddya want?

She opened the door a little more, then a little more so that she was standing there in full view. She yelled, Steak and fries.

How about a baloney sandwich or some cereal?

Oooh, I want cereal, Waylon said as he walked over and opened a cupboard. He pulled out a box of Peanut Butter Crunch and Clint took it from him and put it back.

You eat too much of that damn stuff. You'll rot out your teeth, he said.

How about pizza? the girl countered.

Clint looked at Waylon, saying can-you-believe-this-girl with his expression, then sat down and popped the top on his beer by placing the bottle against the edge of the table with the cap biting into the wood, and ramming his fist down on it real quick. He didn't care it was a screw top; he liked to open them that way.

What? she said. All that money you're going to make off me and you can't spring for a stupid pizza? She stood there with her hands planted on her hips, looking at both of them.

I wouldn't mind a pizza either, Waylon said to Clint, sitting down beside him.

Clint breathed out and shook his head with his eyes closed. I'll bet you want one of them veggie pizzas, bunch of mushrooms and green peppers and shit like that, he said to the girl, who'd taken a few steps out into the hallway while his eyes were shut.

Hell no. I want pepperoni or sausage or maybe an all-meat pizza. Maybe some garlic breadsticks and chicken wings. She walked into the kitchen, pulled out a chair and sat down beside Waylon, across from Clint.

Clint almost asked her what the hell she thought she was doing, but wasn't in the mood to argue about it. He got up and went to the fridge, pulled the Mister Pizza magnet off, and went over to the phone. He called in a large meat lovers and an order of wings while he watched the girl drink Waylon's beer, belch like a fat man, and take another swig. The whole time, Waylon just sat there and let her do it, looking at her look at Clint while she chugged.

Clint opened the fridge when he returned the magnet, grabbed another Bud, and walked over to the table, handing it to Waylon as he said, "Here, I got you your own." He watched the girl drink Waylon's other

Reviews for Follow The Money (A collection of interconnected short stories)

[rolyat-2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Ross Cavens has written one of the most creative books of short stories that i have ever read. All the stories are imaginative, resourceful, witty and creative . each story is connectted by..................,you guessed it, money. After the 1st story, I was in deep like, after the 2nd story, i couldn't put the book down. Ross should quit his day job and become a full time writer. I can't wait for his next book.

[tanyaj101 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I liked this book. I laughed hilariously and was kept guessing about what would happen next.Not my usual type of book, but I thorougly enjoyed this one enough that I will read other Cavins books when they come along.

[nizmart · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book had me laughing out loud! I usually don't read short stories, but they're all connected by "the money" so it worked out well. Highly recommend for a laugh (or two!).

[justjenniferreading · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A review e-book copy was provided for review by the author. This book was hilarious, right from the dedication through to the end. I still hate to admit that I have a sick and dark sense of humor, but the fact that I laughed through most of this book I think just sets that even more in stone... The stories were so weird. They all seemed to revolve around, what most people would consider, "trash". Sadly though there were a few characters that when I started reading them I thought to myself "This is just like ..." It was both a frightening and liberating, it meant I could laugh at it because I was part of it.For being short stories the characters are very well developed. The fact that some of them carry through one or two of the stories helps build them even more. I think the ability to create such developed characters within the limitations of a short story is a sign of a great author. The stories are well written. Sometimes it took me a minute to find the "connection" to the previous stories, but once I figured it out it all really started to make sense. Again I have to mention the humor that was so well-placed in the stories. I don't want to give anything away but my favorite bit of humor is the toe/thumb... (That's got you thinking doesn't it???) Like I said, it's kind of dark twisted humor. While I didn't get lost in the story, and the characters were all fairly despicable I do have to say that I really enjoyed myself while reading this book. I really hope Cavins writes something else because I think I'm going to have to read this a few times. Not only to pick up some of the things I may have missed but also because I enjoyed it so much.

[rdemarest_3 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Ross Cavins has put together a collection with a fun premise. This selection of linked shorts follow the trail of a certain 3 million dollars as it winds its way through the greed of America's heartland. It was billed as humorous and entertaining, but personally I found it much more saddening as I sat witness to the depths of dissipation these people sunk to. As such, I was happy, yet not entirely to see where the money ended up in the end. That said, the characters seemed a bit two dimensional and quite similar throughout all the stories; it felt like there were three main archetypes and that was it. The misogynist male, the greedy female, and the doddering old person. It was a bit tiring after a while. It was a decent way to pass the time, but not a book I'm likely to read again.

[ani36ol · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I received this as an e-book through LibraryThing and it wasn't anything like I expected. I was expecting a dry read about how to rework my non-existent finances but instead I read a great collection of short stories that provided me with quite a few laughs. I loved how characters intertwined in different stories. A great read and something anyone looking for a good laugh should read.

[jkaustin02 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Not at all what I thought it would be. Don't really KNOW what I expected, but this book was so surprising...it blew me away! A collection of interconnected short stories where each "chapter" introduces new characters, but also weaves in some previous ones in such a devious way that you are basically left with your mouth hanging open. I absolutely LOVED this book! I won't give away too much of the plot...that would really ruin it for everyone (because you HAVE to read this book!)...but let's just say there is a bunch, and I mean a BUNCH of money involved. A cast of the most misfit characters I've ever met (and yes, you'll feel like you met them too when you're finished). Ross' way of writing is hilarious...you'll catch yourself either laughing or shaking your head because you just GET it! Highly recommended. Great job Ross (now, seriously...where's the money?).

[ridinaround · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Ross Cavins is a self-admitted VIP wannabe and claims to be America's most unknown author. However, with published works in various magazines and as a free-lance web designer with a sharp a satirical wit, unknown author is an exaggeration. Unrecognized, unwilling to follow the mold, unrelenting in his pursuit of the humorous anecdote—perhaps these more aptly describe the author. From his home in North Carolina, he has ample material from which to draw inspiration in his so-called "redneck" corner of America.Ross Cavins' book is aptly titled and subtitled as "Follow the Money, A collection of interconnected short stories." The theme is not so much the pursuit of money as it is the enterprising efforts to hang on to it. The prize in this story is slipperier than "snot on a doorknob," to use a colloquialism. As a result, the reader, watching the bouncing ball of cash pass from one hand to another, is consistently and thoroughly entertained.With a sharp wit, and bold characters in rather capricious circumstances, this reader finds herself quickly turning pages to follow the twists in the tale. Personally, I laughed out loud upon reading the copyright page, a most unexpected place to find clever humor. And being from Texas myself, and knowing folks similar to the characters in "Follow the Money," I can guarantee they are authentic in description and action. From Sammy with the mullet haircut to the beer-guzzling Wally (whose lights are on, but nobody's home…) to the red-hot, over-the-hill sisters Ruth and Agnes—yepper, these folks exist…and they're usually good for a lot of fun!Presenting a body of short stories in book format could have been chancy—the reader might lose interest or dislike the disconnection within the overall book. But Cavins has it all together. The short stories can, and have stood apart and succeeded on their own. But with recurring characters and consistent themes, the truly "interconnected" short stories function more like ten chapters in one, much bigger story—the "Follow the Money" story.Bold—sexy—realistic yet imaginative—and, oh yes, quite hilarious, Cavins has delivered a very entertaining read.

[lg4154 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I won this book thru Library Thing and I was lucky enough to get an autographed copy. Normally I tend to turn my nose up at short stories, but I found this book quite clever and only wished it had not ended so soon. I like how the author shows the money changing hands throughout the book, each of the ten stories follows the progression of the money. The characters are pretty believable and I loved the authors’ sense of humor. I would love to see a follow-up to this book or continued characters in another book. His style is along the lines between Harlan Coben and Janet Evanovich, bust a gut laugh out loud funny. I would recommend this book to anybody who likes a great, quick read.

[laitue_gonflable · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I won an eBook version of this as part of LibraryThing member giveaways so here is my payment for the book, in review form. I feel very privileged as (apparently) the only Australian to have read this book so let me try and answer Mr. Cavins' question as to whether his comedy translates well to a non-American audience.The premise of this collection of short stories is inherently intriguing, although it is also a time-honoured plot device: the first story introduces a vast sum of money gained by illegal means. As each story commences we are introduced to a set of characters that somehow chances upon the character from the previous story in possession of that money and ends up taking possession. We as readers are then invited to 'follow the money' as it passes from one character/story to the next.The book is fun, for the most part, and the first two or three stories certainly hook you in with the mystery of how the new set of characters will intermingle or come to associate with those of the previous story. However, the hook that is baited well by the first two or three stories becomes rather stale by about the sixth or seventh, as the formula becomes all too clear, and the premise of each story becomes extremely predictable. There are some highlights. Story 3 (Sammy’s Night Out), and Story 6 (Have Fun Tonight) are hilarious simply because their premises are amusing, and the narrative execution is spot on. Some of the stories, however – particularly later in the book – use story merely as a sidelined device to service the flow of ‘the Money’ through characters’ hands. I think the best works here are those stories that work perfectly well by themselves; where the money passing through is merely incidental to the individual narrative.Basically, there are two ways I could imagine this book better: firstly, it could be shorter. Two or three of the stories could quite happily sacrifice themselves and each ‘twist’ in the remaining stories would remain more fresh; secondly, if some of the stories were themselves more engaging, the book would itself be more of a stimulating read. A lot of the characters are quite stereotypical Americana fare, and when the stories themselves are not particularly interesting (Story 9 – For the Road, is a prime example), the characters are not likeable or unique enough to hold my interest.One further point: the underlying theme of the book is greed – lust for money. What makes the first half of the book (in my opinion) superior to the second half is that there is a concurrent theme – sexual lust. It intrigued me how for a number of the stories in the first half of the book, characters seemed to have this internal struggle between lust for money and lust for sex. In some people, it’s the money that wins out, while in others it’s sex that wins out – and consequently, also loses out.I would have liked to have seen this theme explored in more depth, and I think it would have added more meat to the latter half of the book – where the money flow seems more incidental and pedestrian.Those thoughts aside, ‘Follow the Money’ is undoubtedly a witty and entertaining read. Mr. Cavins is an interesting writer with a keen understanding of dialogue and farce. I am interested to see how well his style would translate to longer prose.

[marynamo · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This is a humoristic compilation of short stories. One story relates to another. The book contains several cussing and is only suitable for adult reading. There is a big sexuality desire that meets with the intellect of the college boy’s way of thinking. The character personalities are clearly visible in each story and you do not have to guess who is who. The story line is clearly mapped out with the money the main agenda in each story.