Book review: Superior by Andrew R. Williams.

Synopsis 

 Ambronootrop was hailed as a new wonder drug.

WhenTony Kinfrank realises the company manufacturing Ambronootrop has secret plans

to create a master race, he is forced to flee for his life.

 

Review

The positives about the book, it reads easy and has a good flow to the plotline.

The negative about the book: on the nose writing makes it slow. 

With that said, I have read a few of the author's books and this one is a page turner. This science fiction book carries all the elements of a mystery that has Tony Kinfrank cornered. Working on a highly classified project, this scientist learns the truth about it and is on the run. The more he tries to outwit his followers the more he becomes a target, and it becomes a race to survive.

I would recommend reading the previous book, Jim’s Revenge to understand the characters and events of the Superior better.

It's a well thought out story that takes the reader on an action-packed adventure from the get-go. The engaging plot with the use of description, suspense shows that the author has knowledge about the genre.

The characters are interesting and relatable. The reader is reunited with known characters from the first book.

 I would recommend reading Superior of Sci-fi, as it is a character driven story that takes the reader on an exciting journey of justice and the unexpected!

Amazon / Goodreads 

 

 

 

 

Shattering the Crystal Face of God: Adventures in an emerging world by Meade Fischer.

 

Book Review

This is my second book from the author and the most enjoyable one from his pen. This book is a soul searching openness to the world as he sees it. An in-depth look at life and what it offers. Only when we open ourselves can we fully grasp the immensity of creation around us and in us. 

The name of the book, Shattering the crystal face of God, stopped me for a few moments, then I thought, God is big enough to take whatever is written between these pages and remain Sovereign. God is not easily offended. 

Reading it though, surpassed my thoughts, and I smiled. You are not alone, Mr. Fischer, I am thinking like you. There must be more to the world than we see or what our perception is. We cannot be born only to live a mundane life and wait for death. There must be more. 

The author begins at the beginning of his life and where it has started for him, I found his thoughts sincere and clear. Filled with an insight one only can get when confronted with life in its enormity. As he describes The Big Sur River, for instance, I could picture it in my mind even though I have never been there. 

 

As he delves into the discoveries around him, seeing the beauty of patterns involving, I envisioned the trek of the birds across the Kalahari, or staring at the expanse in the night to see the patterns evolving before me in sparkling light. Or what about the spots of the leopard, a unique print to each but similar in genes. 

Once we see God's creation in the smallest of leaves, and the delicate patterns of life in one tree, then we realize how infinite creation is. The author writes it best: "I’m in the process of creating wilderness, and it feels better than you can imagine. It isn’t that hard: take a walk in a beautiful, unspoiled country, take some pictures and some notes, draw some lines on a map, spread out your arms, and shout, “Let there be wilderness!"

Clearly, you can not only understand his thought process but can see the love of nature he has, as well. It filters through the words and lines as it flows onto the paper effortlessly. It brings nature closer, making it more personal to understand his revelations. In the end, the book is a tribute to God's work as seen through the eyes of a man searching for meaning.

 

This is an excellent read. It is thought-provoking, poetic in delivery, and filled with great value any reader who is looking for meaning, would enjoy.  

Amazon / Goodreads / Reedsy / LibraryThing

Snippets from the book.

Walking to Molera Beach at Cooper Point was like walking it when the state first bought the land and had yet to make a park of it. Hiking the trail through a towering, verdant canyon erased a quarter century of human tramping and plodding. This wasn’t a park for people, but a dance parlor for bumblebee and lupine, an aerodrome for songbirds, a tanning booth for lizards, a conspiracy of unsavory thistle. Gaining the headland involved bushwhacking the trail, a trail that had been devoured by the greedy appetite of nature. The first violet iris on the trail arose like a gun sight against a Big Sur of dreams, a Big Sur quiet, thick, verdant, contemplative and still. The Big Sur River, alive with glowing emeralds, flowed full and proud toward the cove, blue-calmed despite the raging wind that pushed white caps from behind the point rock to the horizon. The rock was a packed rookery, the pocket beach below the headlands was awash with musical pebbles in the rising tide. The main beach was filled with driftwood from slivers to huge trunks. Near the river, at the edge of the driftwood, someone had made a driftwood tent, a place to lie, perchance to sleep and dream while gazing at the little waves lapping the shore. Biking Highway One from Molera south to Fullers was the rare opportunity to really see the rich tapestry of Big Sur. Without traffic, one can ride down the middle of the road, swerving from side to side to take in every nuance of scenery. In a car there are stretches of meadow, thickets of brush, and clumps of forest. From a traffic-free bike, there was magic at every curve. Each tiny creek had grown waterfalls. The river was so cleansed that the bottom gravel rattled, as the mountains sweated their excess water. Each little meadow was a labyrinthine mystery, a winding road to wonderland. Every mature redwood had a hollowed out place in its base that had that lived-in look of a small, comfortable den. Locals were standing in the parking lots of closed or partly opened businesses, stretching arms to the sky, celebrating the place as it was the day they arrived. No one was in a hurry, everyone was taking the time to smile and greet, conversations happened any place two people met, even in the middle of the highway. While waiting for a section of road to open, I was lying naked in the tall, sweet grass between the road and the cliff, watching hummingbirds dart against the backdrop of spreading oak branches, alone for miles, alone for hours. In a flash I’m there again, painting a picture on the porch of the Phoenix Shop at Nepenthe. The view is making me delusional and slightly manic, and one of the people in the shop is an artist and is discussing the view and the care of good brushes. Some sort of weird rapture is setting in. I’m assured that I’m OK, that humanity has the ability to rise up and perfect itself, that the world is both an aesthetic and pragmatic work of art, and that joy and wonder will endure.

Almost without taking a breath or blinking, I’m in the car again, my eyes tracing the full, rich, sensuous curves of this fecund coast. I remind myself that it isn’t the spring of ‘98, but the spring of ‘99. The road is long since repaired, and the rains have been gentler. The season of renewal still wraps me in its arms and sings me to flights of ecstasy. I’m working my way slowly through the erogenous zones of this wild and free land. My watch is left behind somewhere, and the petty stresses and obligations of mundane living are caught in a tree somewhere near Point Lobos. Looking around, I see that nothing is exactly as it was thirteen months ago, but then, nothing will ever be like it is this moment. I know this coast like the topography of my mind, but still I see myriad things I’ve never seen before. As always, I consider myself the model of self-restraint when I can drive this road without pulling over, stripping naked and running—gibberishly screaming —into the brush.

I remember someone saying, “I have my faith to see me through.” If “faith” is an absolute conviction without benefit of direct experience, how much greater is the experience of this moment than all the prayers of mankind.

#2

Moments had become years, had dissolved toward oblivion.

My one success in those years was getting through college: no grants, no loans, no savings. Living by my wits, working when absolutely necessary, doing without a car, sometimes without shelter, I graduated.

Foolishly, I thought the diploma would free me from my habit of sabotaging my life. I planned on finding some work that acknowledged my education, education, skills, and talents, and allowed me some self-respect. When I ended up at the same kind of clerical job I’d had four years before, with less money in the bargain, my bile rose like the tide.

Then, like the desperate are wont to do, I looked outside myself for something to cling to, an anchor for my castaway life, an artificial center for my universe. For some it might have been God or golf or some other hobby; for me it was a woman. She was my salvation, my goddess, my excuse for being, and when she walked out on me, I crumbled like a gingerbread man in the rain.

Alcohol and drugs are not problems per se. Individuals have problems, probably from living in a dysfunctional society. Drugs and alcohol are merely symptoms of their inability to deal with it all.

The human mind seems to recoil when attempting to look over the whole of anything and to see it as unbroken continuity. To be human is to see some patterns in life, some divisions. We are born tailors, landscapers, fabricators. We fabricate everything in our lives: our tools, our surroundings, our identities. Everywhere we look, we see the dotted lines, labeled, “cut here.” The retailer sees the seasonal patterns of sales, while the new mother sees the patterns of child changing and feeding. The architect is surrounded by structural patterns, and the microbiologist, molecular patterns. The artist sees color and form patterns, while the TV viewer sees the patterns of prime time and late night viewing. We all live in and are constantly thinking in patterns, but we rarely stop to consider that, like templates, these patterns overlay every aspect of our lives. We also seldom realize that all of these patterns are fundamentally related.

 

The movement of living things, such as the leaves of trees on a windy day or the intricate dance of a flock of birds, crack open, ever so slightly, the door between the world of the physical face of God and the world of forces that bind it together in a vibrating becoming.

"Although I don’t understand musical theory, I know there are patterns of life there also. Some music can heal illness, something traditional healers have known for centuries. Other music, we all know, can instill romance, and other music can irritate you to the point of punching someone out. Then there is the ambient noise of the city and the home, the music of the damned. It just leaves you disconnected, out of sorts, and out of phase. I know there is music in a creek flowing over a rocky bed, for I have sat and listened to its song. And there is music in the wind through the trees, and music in the ocean waves assaulting the shore. My nerves are like tuning forks, and each music touches a sympathetic vibration within, creating little variations in my dance of life." 

 

 

Book review: The Beautiful Addiction by Dr. Zeev Gilkis

 

It's never too late to make dreams come true - even at the age of 70.

At the age of 68 Dr. Zeev Gilkis, a cancer survivor, decided to gift himself an unusual present for his 70th birthday – to run his first full marathon.

The Beautiful Addiction is his journey to achieve this goal while sharing his thoughts about life and becoming ageless.

Amazon, Goodreads, Reedsy, LibraryThing, Barnes and Noble

Some quotes from the book:

Setting clear goals enables us to push ourselves to perform at our best. To be practical, it is good to set goals for the day, the week, the month, the year and beyond. Goals should be written down and clearly defined. They should not be set too low, so that the achievement of the objective will have merit, but at the same time, not too high, so that it will be achievable. Advancement toward goals, even if progress is slow, is a great source of positive feelings and happiness. Defining goals is an important technique. In a once popular strategic management model, Management by Objectives, a mnemonic acronym—SMART - was broadly used as a guide for setting objectives.

Coordinating expectations is relevant to everybody and for almost everything, but the most important thing is coordinating expectations with ourselves. Failing to meet our own expectations causes frustration and impairs motivation.

The first 10 km are okay. I’ve run this distance many times. But the brain knows by now, that this time the 10 km are only a fraction of today’s journey. This could explain why I’m running so slowly. It is as though the brain is planning a wise and “economical” use of my energy. It takes me over an hour to finish the 10 km. Slow. Twelve kilometers, half of the distance planned for today, takes me 75 minutes. Slow, but still alright. My goal is to run the 24 km in three hours. So far, I’m “on time.” I like my path, and the quiet of the early morning.

By accurate, I mean not splaying the foot, not pushing off the toes, and “throwing” the foot back. The idea is to minimize the contact between the foot and the ground, just touching the ground gently and immediately lifting the ankle. All of these efforts enable me to finish the 24 km. It took me three hours and eight minutes, a pace of 7:50. All in all, I liked the experience. If not for the pain in my knee, I could run more. At this pace, I figure, I would finish a full marathon in 5 hours and 30 minutes. Still okay, as the official marathon cut-off is six hours (i.e., a pace of up to 8:30 min/km).

Seventy-two hours after my 24 km run, I am running again – 7 km. But the knee hasn’t felt right from the beginning of this short run. Maybe it was too early and I should have waited another day? But after two kilometers, the pain has gone (“gone with the wind”…) and I am happy. The plan will continue unchanged; I extend the distance by two kilometers every four weeks, while between these 20+ km runs, I add a 15+ km run, and of course several 7-10 km runs.

The next steps:

June 10th – 17 km

June 24th – 26 km

June 28th – June 30th – a surprise

July 8th – 18 km

July 22nd – 28 km

And then we’ll see…

But for the long runs, I have a few mantras reminding me some of key principles of good running. I will definitely share these with you and will describe them here. Maybe some will be to your taste as well.  Or, you can create your own mantras. A mantra should be short, one word is best; it could be a three-to-four word phrase representing an idea. The mantra for meditation is a word in Sanskrit and has no meaning (for me…), but this is a different story. Here is the list. Explanations will follow: Be tall and then fall, be tall and then fall Rotate pelvis, rotate pelvis… Iliopsoas, iliopsoas, iliopsoas Brush the road, brush the road Like a cat, like a cat…

It’s worth mentioning a few of the most important fundamentals about swimming; The first one is to be aware of the critical impact of the body position. If we don’t move our legs, they will sink and the body will become quite vertical – this will create the maximal resistance. And even if our arms work very hard, swimming will become difficult and slow. In contrast, the more horizontal is the body position, the easier and faster will be the swimming. The longer the glides and the smaller the number of strokes per lap, the more efficient the swimming.

When I was 65 and made my first attempt to surf waves, it was quite unusual. The best way to begin is to catch white water waves. The advantage is that you become familiar with the feeling – how it feels to pop-up, stand and ride a wave, even if it is for five seconds only.

"I am running easily, watching the accuracy of each stride; don’t splay, don’t toe-off, do not bend at the waist, feel tall, feel light etc."

"During the run I treated myself with three dates and three energy gels – a picnic.  When I run less than 10 km, I do not eat."

 

Review:

Beautiful addiction is a wonderful addition to the series, Younger than ever. This book delves deeper into the scientific results of the author’s experience as he prepares to run a full marathon at 70. Yes, you read correctly—seventy. The age that many sit down and say they are too old or too tired. By learning his body and what works for him, he has proof that age is really just a number to be overturned by your habits and thought process.

Just looking at some pictures in the book, you will know this man is in a class of his own. Swimming, surfing, and diving are just part of his training, each a definite role to help him breathe better, learn to balance correctly, and build his strength to run the perfect race. The reason he calls it a beautiful addiction.

I found this book most engaging, the fluency clear and to the point. Not sure why, but I found this book easier to read. Maybe it is because I am familiar with the author’s writing, but it does not take away the inspiration I receive while reading this book. He challenges and guides the reader to become better, a disciplined human being that can reach its best potential by knowing oneself.

Though its scientific approach could bore some, I found the author’s approach honest as he gives a report of his good and bad days. Hiding nothing as he masters his body’s limitations gets stronger in mind and more focused in spirit.

His program is hectic. Beginning at five on a regular day, it can go earlier depending on where he runs and the distance he has to travel. His energy an inspiration for every person who wishes to enter running at this level or do it just to get fit.

No matter the reason, you will learn much through this entire series. Learning how to cope during pain, push through the doubts and master your body as you find your own rhythm in this world. Truly a gem to read again and again.

All photos belong to the author. 

 

 

Book review: Clueless Guy's Guide to Love and Beyond by MR Meade Fischer.

 

Goodreads / Amazon

Excerpts

#1

Sometimes a first date during the day is the way to go. Suggest a walk on the beach, in the park, in the woods, etc. Stop somewhere for a slice of pizza or a hot dog. If it’s a warm day, suggest a stop for a cold beer. She’ll see you as an outdoorsy, casual, healthy guy, and you probably can’t think of a cheaper date. Besides you get some needed exercise, and the scenery gives you something to talk about rather than your golf scores or problems at work. Remember the more you have to resort to talking about yourself, the greater the chance of boring her to death. If she does ask you about yourself, keep it short. You want to sound open and honest and still seem mysterious. Speaking of beer, which is a very good subject to speak of, the majority of women prefer wine, if so take her to a nice wine bar. While you sip, casually let it slip that while wine is fine, you’re actually a beer guy. If she’s a beer gal, she might say, “Let’s get out of here and head for a pub.” Then you know you very likely have a keeper.

#2

Dating or Relationship? Let’s say you’ve gotten to the third date, and that the evening ends with sex is a given. Now you have a semantic issue: are you dating or in a relationship. I’ll give you my thoughts, but on any delicate semantic issue, it’s always best to consult a woman. They are wired for subtle differences. To me “dating” means no commitment. You see each other on Friday night but not on Saturday, and neither of you ask what you do on Saturday. If you are dating several women and she is dating several men, perhaps she is not looking for that special someone, and you have to reaffirm that you are looking for something serious.

#3

Dating is pretty straight forward, but relationships can sneak up on you, kind of like that beer gut that surprises you when you can’t button up your pants. Sometimes you can wake up one day and realize that you are now in an exclusive relationship. You know that because you spend almost all date nights with her, you haven’t slept with another woman in weeks, and she is always available for a date. At that point you need to ask yourself if you just fell into this because you are too lazy to make a real decision, which is normal for our gender, or if you have consciously decided you want to be with this woman to the exclusion of that hottie at the gym who you probably couldn’t get anyway, the one who even smells great after a hour of aerobics.

#4

Introducing Her to your People Here is where many of us make Freudian Slips. Your introduction should say that you admire, respect and know her. If you just got married, you can say, “This is my new bride” rather than “This is my first wife.” “This is my current girlfriend” needs to be shortened to “This is my girlfriend.” You don’t say, “She works at some bank.” Rather, say, “She is a loan officer at Podunk National Bank on Main Street.” See the difference? “She collects ceramic stuff” should sound more like “She collects Precious Moments figurines.” If she is a student, you might say “She is studying astrophysics at a major university.” That sounds way better than saying “She’s taking up space at a college.” “We met through a mutual friend” sounds better than “We were set up on a blind date.”

 

#5

If you do run into a former girlfriend, and you can’t get out of an introduction, it’s best to keep it to just names. “Susan, this is Kathy; Kathy, Susan.” You let the female mind sort out the relationships. You get on dangerously thin ice when you start to explain, as men tend to keep talking until their foot gets lodged securely in their mouth. For example: Susan, this is my current girlfriend, Kathy. We are in a relationship that may become something permanent if I don’t screw it up like I did with you. Kathy, Susan is a former girlfriend. She wanted a commitment, but I was cheating on her with you, so she got pissed off and dumped me.” Now you have two ex-girlfriends, who will probably become friends due to having a mutual interest: making your life miserable.

#6

“I just can’t have a conversation with you when you are this angry.” Lower your head and slowly walk away. Once out of her sight, run to the closest pub, returning about fifteen minutes past her usual bedtime. If you crawl into bed and she’s still angry, I can’t help you, but my girlfriend has the following advice on what to say, something she says would work with her. “I’ve been thinking about our fight all night. I was so wrong. I guess I just get nervous when I realize I screwed up again. I feel like I have to win the fight because if I don’t, the fact that I’m an idiot will be obvious, and you’ll stop loving me and send me packing, and I couldn’t live without you.” She claims that will turn an argument into sex and kisses, but only if you use it rarely. If it works with her, it would probably work with your woman, so memorize it and learn to say it with a straight face.

Review

Clueless Guy's Guide to Love and Beyond is a practical self-help guide for every man that is looking for a significant other. If you are looking for a meaningful relationship or to score with the females, this is a valuable book to keep close.  

You will laugh, you will smile, you will find humor in the everyday struggle that most have through this humoristic narrative.

His practical guidance will lead you through the dating potholes as he touches on gifts, the way you dress, how to keep a conversation going, and where to go on the first date. He touched even the dreaded argument that would cross your path eventually, with practiced ease. How she interprets your “excuses”, reasons not to go out, etc. He touched even on the basics of food to guide you through the complexities. Jokes are a serious matter too if you joke about her family—hit the road Jack—is most properly the song you will hear, so to avoid it, read the book.

Thinking about sex: Think again says Mr Fischer, and I quote: “The woman comes first. This is so important I must repeat it: The woman comes first. You do whatever is necessary to give her an orgasm. Then and only then you can have yours. The good part of this is if she has a good orgasm, she’ll be very anxious to see that you have one too. If you fail to give her that orgasm, say twice in a row… Well, go back to the section called “First Date,” because you’ll be back looking for a girlfriend.”

He touches the subject of the inner working of a woman, her thoughts—if that is possible—the dos and don’ts of it all to land that perfect gal. Any man that can touch on that is brave, very brave. And the author does it wonderfully in his typical humoristic way.

A real how-to book on every topic you might find trouble which I can recommend.

 

Book review: Death Mask by Nora Delzelle.

 

Synopsis

See what readers are saying about Death Mask...

“A memorable and enjoyable read.” - Customer Review (verified purchase)

"Page turner - This book is a bit like The Mummy, The Mask, and a romance had a baby." - Customer Review (verified purchase)

"Nora Delzelle’s fast paced thriller had my heart pounding as I turned pages to see how it would end." - Customer Review (verified purchase)

Who knew that placing a bid on eBay could be so deadly? When Alex wins an auction for an artifact, she is pulled into an adventure full of magic, old gods, and prophecy. Can she survive a feud between warring titans? Death Mask is a novel that blends action, mystery, and fantasy. It’s a tale that delivers heart-pounding excitement.

Ghosts, gods, and cursed relics are at the heart of this thrilling story. Death Mask is a modern retelling of an Egyptian myth. It tells of the battles between ancient deities representing order and chaos. Set in the present day, it is also the story of a young woman, Alex Kincaid, struggling to hold on. She gets caught in a deadly conflict by placing a bid on an eBay auction for a golden mask. This relic confers protection and unimaginable power to its owner. Alex contends with ancient vendettas, mortal dangers, and ghostly guides imparting terrible knowledge. Ultimately, she discovers that aliens walk among us. If Alex can endure, there is a steep price for her new-found power... her soul! 

Amazon.com: Death Mask: A Tale of Vengeance eBook: Delzelle, Nora: Books

Lynelle | Reedsy Discovery / Death Mask: A Tale of Vengeance by Nora Delzelle | LibraryThing

Death Mask: A Tale of Vengeance by Nora Delzelle | Goodreads

Review

Death mask brings the Egyptian myth to life in this adventurous, mysterious plot. As the name of the book implies, death is covered in a golden mask with consequences for the bearer. It holds ancient secrets and only when you become part of it can you recognize its power.

When Alex finds the mask on eBay, she did not know how her life would change with this bidding. From the moment it became her property rolls flips and is she drawn into the spell wrapped in mystery which takes her into frightful dreams.

In her dreams, she gets to know the genuine mystery of the myth. Set, Osiris, and Horus become actual entities she has to conquer. She meets an unusual friend and benefactor that schools her in the origins of the mask. Forcing her to tap into her strengthens or die.

Her best friend, Gabriel, is a loyal friend that helped her decipher the secrets the mask holds. As he tries to learn its truths, other truths come apparent and he will do the ultimate sacrifice to keep her safe.

It is a fast-paced plot with great tension that keeps you in the book. An easy read with good grammar to make this an excellent read. A highly recommended book for all fantasy mystery readers.

About the author

Death Mask is Nora Delzelle’s debut novel. She is an avid reader of almost every fiction genre imaginable, but her preference has always been science fiction and fantasy. Growing up in the ‘70’s, people thought it was weird that she loved reading stories by Bradbury, Herbert, and Asimov. She eventually went into a satisfying career in the sciences because she loved those stories. She actually saw an Egyptian funerary mask up for bid on eBay, and her imagination caught fire. She finally put pen to paper, and Death Mask was the result.

Book review: Arcadia’s Children 4: Exodus by Author Andrew R Williams

 

Book review

I have read the earlier books in the series and was ensconced in the world of Arcadia since then. Since a long time has elapsed since my last reading, it took me a few chapters to understand the plotline again.  

Claire Hyndman soon finds herself in trouble when a man she is after is killed. Hagood, a sneaky police officer, tries to entrap her, but she keeps her wits about her. Lon Freedon is under suspicion for the murder and Hagood tries to trap him, as well. The tension is building with Pushley that is back. He tries to decipher the troubles that follow him, sometimes caused by him. Causing his own mayhem through his resourcefulness, his dislike of Claire mounts to new depths.  

The plot to kill Pushley thickens as Samantha applies her reign with greater force. Demanding more loyalties from her subordinates.

Speaking droids that are lifelike, an ulterior world, teleporting into minds and worlds and secrets leads to a great plotline that any sci-fi enthusiast would like. In their own way, the droids cause for some interesting storylines. Their analyst brains not understanding the humans with which leads to misinterpretations that cause a few smiles.

Personally, I think the story would have been better in first person writing which would have given it a crispier feel. The third person writing caused some distraction and even confusion since there was no difference between the telling and the dialogue. Sometimes the plotline was too haphazardly, which makes following difficult. With so many antagonists in the mix it was difficult to understand who the good guys are. Each group or faction have their own criteria and reasons to get rid off or kill a person.

Overall, this is a story with several layers that propel the story onward. Always building the plotline to new heights. It is superb for sci-fi readers that likes a little more than the normal sci-fi hype.

About the author

Some legends say that Andrew R Williams travelled to Earth from a dying world thousands of years ago to share the stories of his home planet. Others say that he is nothing more than a brain in a jar slowly using his telepathic probes to take control of the planet.

All of them were wrong......

Andrew is a Chartered Surveyor (retired) who dreams of adventuring through the stars. Travelling through worlds filled with thrilling adventure, nightmare creatures and a pet Pterodactyl. 

And now, thanks to the invention of the word processor. Andrew has managed to bring these worlds to all of us with the Fantastic Arcadia's Children series.  

 

Synopsis.

Arcadia’s Children 4: Exodus.

Ed Pushley is a dangerous man. With his mind being influenced by the spirit of a dead spettro he agrees to go to Midway and buy teleport equipment so that the Great Ones can leave Arcadia, a dying world. Yalt also goes with him.

Mick Tarmy, Claire Hyndman, and Nonie Tomio (together with Alex, Claire’s TK5 protection droid) set off in pursuit.

Unbeknown to Tarmy, Samantha, the insane robotic leader of Arden sends Lon Freedon and one of her Black Clad henchmen after Ed Pushley as well.

 Will Tarmy managed to stop Ed Pushley from teleporting the evil Great Ones to Midway?

Action and intrigue in a unique sci-fi setting!

 https://andrewrwilliamsauthor.co.uk/

Amazon / Goodreads / Reedsy / LibraryThing 

 

 

 

Book review: In Sickness and in health by Demetria Alexander Grissett

"In Sickness and In Health" lets you walk in the shoes of a young woman who was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma, cancer of the plasma cells. During her treatment process, she kept a journalized account of her daily and weekly activities. This book shows how her faith was tested time and time again; not only in dealing with the cancer, but with many other life-changing situations that seemingly occurred all at the same time. You will see, as she had to learn, that you must trust God in sickness and in health. 

Book review:

In Sickness and in health, is a journalised account of coping with Multiple Myeloma. The author has captured her daily road to give the reader a clear understanding. From her diagnosis right through the treatment that follows, you become part of her daily life.

She holds nothing back as she shares her fears, her struggles, and her difficulties while still being a grandchild, mother, and wife to her family. Her love for her family undoubtedly unwavering in the midst of this sickness. It seems that it has won its hold over her but each time she came through with the help of her supportive family.

Capturing her path she also shares her faith and how God has led her each day, strengthening her faith on this difficult path. Her sincerity is visible on each page as she takes you through the daily treatments.

The relationship between her, her mother, and her grandmother is the highlight of the book. If not for this relationship she would have faltered. There is nothing as strong as the bond between a parent and a child. “This process has shown me to not take little things for granted.”

The other highlight within the book is the relationship between her and her husband. Through all her ups and downs, the ugly and uglier days he remained at her side. Even though he had to be on the road his support was evident.

Really an in-depth look into a world of sickness where we find more peace with God and ourselves.

I loved the add-ins in the book that made it so much endearing and I added some of them in my review just to give prominence to these truths.

“Encourage Yourself” by Donald Lawrence and the Tri-City Singers.

VERSE 1: Sometimes you have to encourage yourself

Sometimes you have to speak victory during the test

And no matter how you feel

Speak the word and you will be healed

Speak over yourself

Encourage yourself in the Lord  

VERSE 2: Sometimes you have to speak the word over yourself

Depression is all around you but God is present help

The enemy created walls

But remember giants, they do fall,

Speak over yourself

Encourage yourself in the Lord.

BRIDGE: As I minister to you, I minister to myself, Life can hurt you so, ‘til you feel there’s nothing left (No matter how you feel) (Speak the word and you will be healed)

Remember, no matter what state you are in, be content!!!

FAVORITE QUOTES THAT HELPED ME GET THROUGH

Find out who you are—not only in good times, but when you are strong.

Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass; it’s about learning to dance in the rain.

Anyone can give up; it’s the easiest thing in the world to do. But to hold it together when everyone else would understand if you fell apart, that’s true strength.

People might not get all they work for in this world, but they must certainty work for all they get—Frederick Douglass

 Caringbridge.com / Goodreads / Amazon 

Demetria Alexander-Grissett (AKA Dee Grissett), a Baltimore, Maryland native, has worked in the educational arena for over twenty-five years. She was employed as a Financial Aid Counselor for eighteen years. Since 2005, she has worked for the Public Schools of Robeson County in the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Department. Growing up, Dee always loved to write, but never thought of writing a book. In 2009, she was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma, a cancer of the bone marrow. The cancer, in addition to other life-changing events, moved her to publish her first work of her experiences in hopes of encouraging others in the same or similar situation.

Excerpt:

July 26, 2009

Today was a good day. It had nothing to do with my treatment and then it had EVERYTHING to do with it. On Friday, July 24th at 11:49 am, my sister-in-law, Angie, had a baby girl named Kylan Madison Stone. She was 5 lbs. 14 oz. and 19 ½ inches long. What? As big as my sister-in-law was? They better check and see if there is another baby up in there. Angie was too big for Kylan to just be five pounds. Well, I guess now we will tell her the news. We had decided not to tell her because she was too close to her delivery date. We did not want to jeopardize anything. This is my first (and according to her, my only) niece.

This has done me good. My emotions are really high right now. I have waited a long nine months for “Baby Girl”. About an hour after she was born, I had pictures of her all over my Facebook profile. We wasted no time heading to Columbia, South Carolina for the weekend. Angie told me that I made her baby a lap happy baby in one day. Well, I am guilty as charged. That is my job as the proud auntie—to spoil the baby. She is the new delight in my life and I love her. Boy, she has given me a burst of energy that I will need for tomorrow’s treatment.

July 27, 2009 Today’s treatment was good. It felt different without the boys being here. I did not have Michael to do the assembly line thing and switch back and forth giving me the Sprite bottle and the pill, the Sprite bottle and the pill. CJ had football practice at school. Charles was playing Solitaire on the laptop and I was cool with that. He needs to keep his mind occupied. He has been a great trooper through everything and I love him for that! He helped put all sixteen of those horse pills in the pill bottle. That was the worse!!! (Yuk!) Those ten pills are easy along with however many other pills. Last night went better than last Monday night. I was not AS jittery and AS tingly and numbing as last Monday night. I do have to drink more to urinate more frequently. I appreciate everyone

who sees me out and about (when I am able to go out) and tells me that I look so good. It’s nothing but God! July 28, 2009 I need to catch up on things like checking my student’s assignments from Friday until now. Since I was in Columbia, SC the entire weekend with my niece, I did not check any assignments. I teach an online class (Career Management) to students in all of the high schools in this county. We currently have summer school going on. This keeps my mind pre-occupied. This is very good for me now.

July 30, 2009 Today’s treatment was okay. Aunt Ree and Michael went with me today. CJ had driving today (Yee-pee) and Charles had to work. I told him that I’m okay. He doesn’t have to go with me every Monday and Thursday. Shoot, somebody gotta work—you know what I’m saying! So, his aunt will go with me on Thursdays and he will go on Mondays. Computers were down all over Duke Hospital today so my labs had to be handwritten and then we had to wait longer than the usual hour to get the results back. Of course, this made the whole trip longer than usual. Time flew by as Aunt Ree and I talked about life in general and people in general. Next thing we know a gentleman comes and introduces himself as Thomas and pulled up a seat and sat with us. Thomas is a 37 year old built black man who is a survivor of myeloma. He sat and just shared his experiences. He started out with plasmacytoma (tumor in one particular area). For him, it was in his left back area. He took radiation and that went away. Sometime later he developed myeloma which is basically the same thing but it’s not contained in one area—it’s all over. That’s why it’s called Multiple Myeloma. He shared his experiences with chemo with the Myeloma and his transplant experiences, yes with an S. After his first transplant, he got an infection and had to have another one. Even though he came uninvited by me, I really enjoyed his company. He has an awesome personality and is full of charisma. I know some people have different views on why certain things happen in life to certain people. Things do not always happen to you because of a punishment for something you did. Think about the story in the Bible when the man was sick and people stopped and asked him what did you or your parents do for this to happen to you. He nor his parents did anything wrong. He replied that what had happened to him was for God’s glory.

 

 

Book review: The making of a spy by Jay Johnson

 

Review:

The Making of a Spy is based on the true events of Word War 11. The report like book focusses on a few characters. From their early years and what has shaped them to become heroes during the great war.

The author highlighted their skills step by step which made them unique for the field. A unique way of storytelling as it cut through the normal backstory to the actual plot at hand. The clarity of the book, devoid of any descriptions highlights the drama of those years with brief sentences.

It is definitely a different read which makes it quite easy to read. In short – a synopsis of the second world war with some human elements in it to make it believable and enjoyable.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes and Noble 

Synopsis:

Isiac grew up without a father. His grandfather began teaching Isiac to hunt and fish when he was only 6 years old. That helped Isiac develop his skills of observation. Isiac acquired the ability to notice even the slightest changes in his environment and to interpret their causes.

During the Great Depression, Isiac used his hunting and fishing skills to feed his mother, sister, and brother. Isiac's experience with and participation in bootlegging taught him the importance of planning. His skills in developing plans and contingency plans helped Isiac to anticipate potential problems. Isiac learned that it is much easier to avoid potential problems than it is to try to solve them once they occur.

By the time Isiac was 15 years old, he had a black belt in Judo and was multi-lingual: He was fluent in English, German, Japanese, and Polish.

When WW2 began, Isiac was drafted into the Army. Although unintentional, Isiac's childhood experiences, along with the skills he learned in the Army, became an integral part in “The Making of a Spy”.

About the author:

Jay Johnson most recent work is a novella, The Soul's Tariff, about the painter Tintoretto and 16th century Venice on the cusp of war with the Ottoman empire to the east.

His novel Gold Diggers, a slipstream urban fantasy set in Las Vegas, follows dwarves and elves living at the fringes of society. It was reviewed favorably by Kirkus Reviews: "...maintain(s) a persistent sense of mystery. Johnson grounds his story by showing the peculiar beings from the perspectives of the humans..." "Johnson, not one to let his narrative lull, boosts his story with riveting subplots involving a conspiracy, a betrayal and a disappearing corpse." "... its creativeness and exuberance are unquestionable."

His first novel History of the Unnameables, based on a novella originally published by Duct Tape Press in the late '90s under the title King of Siam, was one of the first works of fiction to address fears of cyberterrorism. He began the story after talking to a number of friends working in blackworks, mainly conflicted science and math academics, who were aware of the problem but were not being listened to.

Invisible City was orphaned by a major publisher but has found new life in ebooks formats. It adds the murky world of bioethics and the porous nature of the new digital reality to the world of spying.

As a filmmaker (under his given name Jay Wright) he was included at the Mexican National Museum of Art's (MUNAL) Biennial of Poetry and Video in 2002. His work has appeared at Cannes, and at other film festivals where the films have won numerous awards. His films and videos have also played internationally at galleries and exhibitions. He has also been nominated for a Guggenheim.

Book release: Love at War, an inspirational love story.

 

I can compare life to a book.

It is the continuous shape of a story until it satisfy you. The reason many writers get a god complex after a while. You are in charge of fictitious characters’ lives. Giving them obstacles to overcome and goals to reach. As in life they try to steer the story away from the goal. At times it works, and at times it doesn't. In the end, you get to the place you want to be with some crafty twists.

Love at War is very close to my heart. I could see its progress as a direct relationship with my life. Its beginnings traced back to 2011.

It has endured many changes, rewriting, edits and feedback. It was cut, divided into a series, combined into one again with a lot of emptiness in between where I first had to grow before I could complete the story. I can say with absolute truth it has stood the test of time.

It is a love story but touches many topics within the 600 pages. Yes I know, it is a lot but pertinent to the story... believe me.

Inside the book

 

Faith is the underlining thread that keeps the story going - I had to understand the lessons first before I could apply it in the book.

This book is not for a sensitive reader: rape and abuse feature. I have softened it considerably but we see the humiliating act for what it is. The question is could the character overcome the devastation? How did she do it?

I also touched abuse in the military. Highlighted by our fears and shortcomings there are still people that think that they can control what happens with a woman's body. It leaves devastation on its path. If people do not speak up it will remain a problem.

Abortion is another topic and an important element to the story. Each woman has the right to a choice. What it does to a person seldom talked about.

I filled it with adventure and interesting characters to help the plot along. A story where love will be tested.

Genre:

Christian fiction, love story, adventure, women’s literature, abusive relationships, abduction, abduction rape, abuse and rape, abuse in military, abuse issues, adventure book, adventure love, reproductive rights.

Kindle ISBN 978 1 005570 43 9 at $9.99

Amazon

 

Synopsis

Their enemies tried to outsmart them. Obedience their only defence.

Whisked to picturesque Valetta, a lonely nurse met her soul connection. It set the bar in a stirring plot of spiritual and physical survival as a determined warlord in Africa and a cunning wife in America trapped them. The healing sands of Iraq, their only hope.

Passionate about her work, war-torn South Sudan offered Sonia Main peace. When a man from her past confronted her once more, she had a choice to make. A choice that would influence her life.

Could Sonia let go of the past and see a new future?

Would her dreams continue to haunt her? Or would the warm sun of Africa burn away her fears?

Curt McGee was a man bound by honour and duty. It took him away from home for long periods of time.

Caught in infidelity, Curt's wife’s thinking left him astounded, shocked even. His children prey to an unthinkable enemy.

Would he get beyond his wife's betrayal?

Could he save his children?

What decisions should he make?

Co-workers devised a plan: book a flight to enjoy a weekend in Malta. An island in the Mediterranean Sea that offered tranquillity and peace to weary souls.

Here, two worlds connect, and the result would change them both for eternity.

Meeting by chance, love confronted them, a love so great that they could not deny it. But time played a trick and demanded a price. A price so high that it would strip them of everything before they could experience the joy of a future.

Obedience was better than sacrifice, revealed the pages of the Holy Book. Would they yield or follow their own way?

They could not run or hide from the onslaught. Their enemies' attacks growing in intensity. Crafty tricks added to the confusion, their fears real. It stripped them of their hopes and dreams. They could only go one way.

When Tau Gbadamosi met Sonia, he had a tough time understanding his feelings. War ravished his country. The enormous plight for help too great for one man or one fight. Faced with loyalty, he had to decide. A decision that would cost him. Would he fail the test?

Africa's hopes and dreams burned brightly in the harsh African sun. Poverty and lack the driving force for many ‘do-gooders’. It left the continent in a starving grip. But when a warlord sets his sight on the Red Cross nurse, all hell broke loose. No one could stand in his way.

Only God could stop him.

Links and Buy links

Website / Goodreads

Smashwords / Amazon

To watch the trailer follow the link: YouTube

Books: For more information about my books, visit the portfolio page. Here you can catch up with character interviews, interviews, online reads and buy links to the books.

Leave a message and let me know your thoughts about the website or leave a book review, etc.

Do visit my online bookshop. Here you will find books I have read during my journey of discovery. It enabled me to receive healing, find my truths, and gave me the motivation to continue.

In resources you will find helpful booklets you can download and use. If you need advice or an ear contact me through the contact form.

Be sure to visit my YouTube channel and watch the video - Rose is born and Amazing Grace