Our Frail Disordered Lives
Mary M. Schmidt
LuLu Publishing
May 16, 2018
reviewed by Brian James Lewis

As promised in an earlier post, Here is my full review of Our Frail Disordered Lives by writer and poet, Mary M. Schmidt. This book does include both demons and cats, along with a pigheaded man, some powerful sisters, a fool, and a cameo by the Devil himself. Can I get a “Hell yeah?” Thank you! Before we go any further, let me say that this book was a lot of fun to read and shows that life can be rather similar whether you’re above or below. Okay, enough talking, let’s check it out!

The main demon in this surprise-filled book is named Roach, or when in human form, Johnny LaRoche. His name is NOT Mr. Stink Bug. Sorry, I can’t reveal the reason why you should know that, but it is important in the grand scheme of Our Frail Disordered Lives. Roach works for Satan, who unlike the way we often see him in movies, is your typical grumpy boss. He’s never happy with his employees’ performance and has no class. So when Roach shows him the paperwork on his latest soul acquisition, one Larry Kavanaugh, self-proclaimed attorney, Old Scratch reads him the riot act. Roach is tired of getting zero thanks for what he does and decides to go rogue.

Helping him do this difficult thing, is his pal Scorch. Not only is Scorch a great friend, he’s also the IT specialist in Hell. Hey, it’s a modern world everywhere these days! Nobody can get by without the internet, especially Satan. People get up to some pretty naughty stuff in the virtual universe! Like Roach, Scorch is tired of being treated like a plate full of dirty holy water. Together, they get up to some grand mischief, but Roach has a target and something to prove. He’s not going to let Larry Kavanaugh get away with making him look bad, no siree!

But life in the human world is even more complicated than Roach imagined it could be. He can’t just take on one person, Kavanaugh’s got a family. Still, it doesn’t take long for Roach to get his ducks in a row, especially with the help of Scorch. Just as he gets his hooks into Kathleen, Larry’s wife, things take a sudden downward turn. Well, depending on how you look at it. For some, it’s a great thing when Kathleen’s sister Grace comes for an extended stay in the Kavanaugh home. She even brings along her two cats, Dante and Virgil. Larry and Roach are stuck singing the blues, but not for long. Here comes Dorothy Marie Walsh!

Things pick up speed and fortunes go up and down like a roller coaster. Roach may land in the victor’s circle and Larry might make a million with his golden goose. But one thing is for certain, you can’t beat the power of sisterly love! Also, if anyone out there is still questioning the magical powers of cats, Our Frail Disordered Lives will set you straight, once and for all. This a great book that rates FIVE STARS and a solid recommendation from this reviewer! Refreshingly different and full of empowering approaches to bullying, greed, and facing the truth. Often laughter is the best medicine against fear. Our Frail Disordered Lives is currently available from LULU.com and Amazon.com. To learn more about Mary M. Schmidt and Roach, go to: http://roachthedemon.wordpress.com Thanks for reading!