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John Vikara was born and raised in New York City. He served in the Air Force, where he attended William and Mary College while stationed in Virginia. He is now retired from a career as an insurance adjuster and appraiser, living in Pennsylvania. He has a series of novels, The Vandals, Adjuster, and National Defense - and a novella, Auld Lang Syne. The prequel to the series, My Lonely Room, was recently published and was runner-up in Children/YA Novels for the Maxy Awards. He has placed third in two short story contests and has had short stories appear in New Realm, eFiction, Heater, the Western Online, Nebula Rift, Jazz and Culture, The Flash Fiction Press and Romance magazines.
Reviewed by Kathleen Hill for Readers' Favorite
My Lonely Room by John A Vikara was really an unexpected treat. When I read it had to do with gangs, I was prepared to not care for it. The first thing I think of is violence and death. It turned out to be a heartwarming story about a boy and his place in his world. It is set in the 50's when rock and roll was just starting and gangs were not as violent as they are today, so it was not at all what I was expecting. Though I do not think many kids that read it will relate it to the gangs of today, they can still relate to wanting to fit in somewhere, even if it's not a good place. It's hard sitting on your front porch, wanting someone to ask you to come play because you are too scared to ask them.
John A Vikara brings his characters to life and you really feel for Jimmy as he is dealing with his uninterested parents, racist people, and bullies, experiencing his first love and his first heartbreak. He also thinks about what he is doing and knows he does not want to do anything bad, no matter how much he wants to be included. My Lonely Room will hit many people at heart since many of us have struggled to find our clique. It ends on a warm note which reassures the reader that Jimmy stays kind and wants to help others like him. This is worth giving a chance; you will be pleasantly surprised.
