Johns River in Jacksonville, Florida, is tormented by the thought that maybe his aunt is lying to him about how his mother died. To find the truth he has to overcome his fears: the local bully, the large dark shapes that he imagines in the middle of the dock at night, and the thought that maybe his brother is right, he's just a warped kid who thinks too much. Will he find the courage to stand and fight? Q&A with Lawton Paul Q: What sparked this novel? A: Two things. One: I wanted my kids to know where I came from. The very southern setting—North Florida on the St. Johns river, is where I grew up. And I wanted to give them a feel for that time and place. Watching the sunrise on a stinky crab boat in the St. Johns—what could be better? And the second thing: When I'm not writing, I'm teaching kids. I see a lot of young people who have such promise but for some reason or another, give up right before they're about to make headway. I see my own kids struggling at certain points in their lives. And one thought keeps coming back: don't give up. So I wanted Jesse (main character in Seagull) to really have some heavy issues to navigate through: the death of his mother, Johnny the bully, and of course, the girl, Hailey. You'll have to read the book (savvy marketing ploy alert!) to find out how it all turned out for Jesse. Q: Why should readers give this novel a try? A: If I've done my job well, you'll enjoy the ride and maybe even get that little happy-glow feeling at the end like you just watched Rocky again, or someone said your hair looks nice, or you got an “A” on a pre-calc test. (Another genius bit of marketing there.) Q: What kind of book is Seagull? A: It's a coming of age southern novel with a young main character that should appeal to fiction readers of all ages. Younger readers will sympathize with our teen heroes Jesse and Matty and adult readers will be taken back to earlier days. My style has a literary feel, but the story is plot-driven and suspenseful, especially at the end. And even has a hint of romance. Thanks for giving Seagull a try. Please let me know what you thought of it. —Lawton Paul

    The ten year old girl from a small town in Indiana doesn’t understand why she can feel what others feel, or see what others have seen. She only knows the hurt upon looking into the eyes of her mother—the beneficiary of her father’s recent run of bad luck. A streak that has hardened his heart and often finds him drowning in the bottom of a bottle. She tries hard to be just like the other fifth graders, but life at home is hard and the pain is difficult to endure. It isn’t until the day Riley meets Carl Boyd, a Vietnam veteran, that everything changes. Visions of a terrible past, not just from war, but from a life that has stolen much from him, begins to surface in Riley’s mind. But this is far more intense and frightening than anything she has experienced before. Riley discovers her gift is quickly evolving and finds herself swimming in the memories of Carl Boyd, and experiencing a past he can’t put behind him. Even more troubling; perceiving a future of which he doesn’t yet know—a future filled with danger. All are reluctant to come to terms with Riley’s ability, especially her father. But then, he has seen this before.

    

    Set on the Eastern Front of WWI, on a cruel and unforgiving mountain, and later in a terrifying German prison camp, this fascinating story encapsulates real men and their struggles to survive a war unlike the world has ever seen. Both soldiers have their own stories to tell.They are “SERGEI AND HANS”.

    The Witch of Blackbird Pond with related readings.

     Having put an embittered past behind him, Marc builds a successful landscaping business with clientele from the affluent suburbs of Chicago and starts to appreciate the finer things in life—and he's found the perfect woman to share in it. But when his alcoholic sister and her two young sons enter into the picture, Marc falls victim to their helplessness and temporarily puts his own life aside. When his despondent father is added to the mix, it doesn’t take long for Marc to completely lose sight of his own dreams—and his girlfriend. Does Marc save his relatives from their ill-fated lives, or save himself from entering into a life of self-sacrifice and missed opportunities? Painful soul-searching and late-night talks with the captivating tenant downstairs guide him to an unexpected decision and discovery of his true purpose in life.

    Shadows gather: legacies of the centuries-long rivalries for power, old betrayals, the endless plots of the courtiers, and the murmur of rebellion in the southern provinces…Catwin, plucked from her life at the edge of the Kingdom, is thrust abruptly into the world of the Court when she is chosen by the Duke of Voltur to be a Shadow—spy, shield, and blade—to his niece, the Lady Miriel DeVere. The Duke’s ruthlessness is legendary, and he will stop at nothing to become the power behind the throne, using Miriel as a pawn to catch Garad’s heart.But the Duke's carefully-laid plans are only a piece of the intrigue of the court, and greater forces than Catwin can imagine are massed against her, determined to eliminate Miriel and impose a new order of their own. If Catwin and Miriel are to survive, they must learn quickly who to trust, and when to turn their skills against the very people who have trained them...

    She’s as ordinary as any other 12-year-old.Except no matter how hard she tries, Cassie just can’t seem to fit in. Excited to fill the summer before her seventh grade year, Cassie enrolls in soccer camp. She can’t wait to improve her ball-kicking skills and make a few goals.But Cassie quickly discovers a few obstacles in her path. Namely: herself. As much as she wants to be, she just isn’t very good at the sport. Either camp will be her chance to improve, or it will be the last time she ever plays.

    In 2013, while visiting Everly Manor as part of her job as a location scout for a film production company, Neve Ashley stumbles onto a secret passage that leads her into the seventeenth century and straight into the path of the ill-fated lord. Neve is able to return safely to her own time, but she can’t forget the man she met or the fate that’s about to befall him. Against her better judgment, Neve decides to go back and warn Hugo of impending danger, not realizing that she’s walking into danger herself, for history is never straightforward, and people’s motives not always what they appear to be. Taken hostage by the very man she was trying to save, Neve is trapped in the seventeenth century, her fate now intertwined with that of her captor, and the future something that neither one of them could have envisioned. Wonderland (Book 2) Forced to return to London to try to help save Max from the gallows, Hugo and Neve are well aware of the danger of their situation and try to anticipate every eventuality. But, betrayal comes from an unexpected quarter, putting Neve and Hugo in mortal danger, and forcing them to reevaluate whom they can trust. Unexpected reunions, simmering old hatreds, and shocking betrayals abound as Neve and Hugo race against time to help Max, and flee England before it’s too late. Sins of Omission (Book 3) When Hugo and Neve settle in Paris, they assume that they will enjoy a few peaceful years away from the turmoil of British politics, but they are not nearly as safe as they believe themselves to be, especially since everyone has something to hide. Meanwhile, Max must learn to adapt to life on a sugar plantation in Barbados, and decide whether to accept help from an unexpected and dangerous source; a decision which may cost him his life. The Queen’s Gambit (Book 4) Home at last after years of exile, Neve and Hugo Everly just want to pick up the pieces of their life and enjoy time with their growing family, but destiny has its own plan. A tragic loss nearly tears the family apart, and an unexpected guest brings a warning of dire events still to come. Hugo and Neve find themselves in danger once again; for outstanding debts must be paid, and old enemies will no longer wait to settle scores. Comes the Dawn (Book 5) When Hugo is imprisoned on a charge of treason and Neve is accused of witchcraft by a spiteful rival the Everlys must put their scruples aside in order to save their family and make a bid for freedom. However, their decision will alter not only their own future, but change the lives of everyone they hold dear. Can they escape in time, and will those left behind pay the ultimate price for their loyalty? The Wonderland Series comes to an end in this gripping last installment.

    In the midst of the overwhelming struggles that accompanied autism, he continues to persevere. Her father’s love enabled her to overcome insurmountable obstacles, discovered the power of love and embraced the gift of life.

    After the horrors of a cavalry charge against machine guns he transfers to the R.F.C where he becomes a gunner and observer. Eventually he becomes a pilot and shows a flair for aerial combat. Set against the backdrop of England in 1914 it shows the contrast between life in England and the brutal war in Flanders.

    RECOMMENDED READING ORDER:TEAR IN TIME (book 1): After a traumatic loss on the operating table, Dr.David Warner enters an elevator and descends into the American Civil War (1862). That one death changes the world forever.PRISONER IN TIME (book 2): Dr. Warner must travel back in time once again, this time to save a patient and his troubled brother.Tear in Time Synopsis:Dr. David Warner descends in a hospital elevator, and is transported in time to the Civil War, 1862.In order to survive, he must gain the trust of Dr. Jebadiah Morgan, an old Civil War surgeon, who is as skeptical of David as he is intrigued. Demonstrating advanced surgical skills in difficult primitive conditions, he wins Dr. Morgan's confidence and they soon become close friends.David's experience with such a brutal war is shocking and fearful. While in a desperate search to return home, David is thrust into the infamous Battle of Antietam. Overrun and greatly outnumbered, David reluctantly assumes command of his battalion and turns the tide of their capture.Having narrowly avoided death at Antietam, David is forced into command once more: the Battle of Gettysburg. Alongside General George Armstrong Custer, the two develop and execute an ingenious plan to change the outcome of the battle and ultimately, the war.As David nears the end of his journey, he is gravely wounded. With time running out, his survival depends on the future.For those interested in updates on book releases, please sign up for my news letter: ow.ly/gqFbo

    Presented as a personal journal, this is a fact-supported re-telling of a desperate existence, as viewed by Hitler, and tracks the points of pain that forged his beliefs. From a childhood of abuse and cheating death to an agonizing unrequited love to torturous years as a beggar in Vienna to finally finding his destiny. Enflamed by delusions, Hitler embraced the powers he believed guided his life. This is a story of dire happenstances that broke a mind and spirit, created beliefs that twisted innocence, ultimately morphing into a malicious brew that changed the world forever. This is the one story that's never been told.If you liked The Anointed, you will also like Volume 2, The Struggle.

    What he finds is a squabbling bunch of states, the consequence of the colonies having grown up on their own after European civilization collapsed from plague in the 1670s, and they are poised on the brink of war. For a socially awkward young man, who takes refuge in online games, this is a bad situation. He has no knowledge or experience that is useful in this world. He does, however, have one skill of value in a world where the rifle is a new invention – he is a competitive fencer.What do you do when the world is strange and you have no way to control your own fate? Can Hal grow up fast enough to survive in this world and can he find a way home?

    He discovers that he is the "guest" of a Confederate widow in whose dooryard his squad was ambushed. Ike worries about his sanity due to his memory loss and the constant commentary in his head from a fallen comrade who finds Ike's situation amusing. Ike soon learns that Mrs. Pendleton has wounds of her own and that her charity towards her visitor has limits and she has ulterior motives that could be hazardous to the young soldier as he fights for his life and his sanity in.....The Cellar.