Making Payments: An American Indian, the Vietnam War, Laos, and the Hmong


John Oventile - 2012
    But this wasn’t science fiction; this was a journey of harsh reality, pain, hunger, danger, and death. George Downwind, an American Indian, an Ojibwa, grew up in the isolation of a twentieth-century reservation. But instead of succumbing to the alcoholism and hopelessness around him, his outlook was shaped by the myths and legends of an earlier time. From countless stories told by old men around campfires, he thought he knew what life had been like for his people in the time before the white man. In his imagination he lived this life, passed the tests of manhood and tasted battle. When the end came he experienced the depression of watching his people be defeated and disintegrate as a culture. To the west of the battlefields in Vietnam during the 1960’s and early ‘70’s, across the border in the neutral country of Laos, another war raged. This war was seldom mentioned in the news and when it was, it was referred to as the “Secret War.” Few people heard of it and fewer still knew who was doing the fighting. It was the Hmong, a minority ethnic group who had survived for a thousand years in their mountain sanctuaries through slash and burn agriculture, and a resolute adherence to their culture. They valued freedom, family, and wanted nothing more than to be left alone. They were a primitive people without a written language living in a primitive land. And, just as with the American Indian tribes, each of the Hmong clans had their own approach to survival. Some fought, some forged alliances, and other just tried to say out of the way. Grievously injured in the chaos of battle in Vietnam in the early days of that war, George Downwind, a private in the U.S. Army, was rescued from certain death and nursed back to heath by one of these clans. During his time with them he experienced the full brutality of the life they lived—the same life that had been the fate of his ancestors. When it came time for him to leave Laos and the Hmong, he had a debt to repay. He owed his life to the Hmong and vowed to make the payments.

Gilchrist


Christian Galacar - 2017
    . . black as it may be.Two years after losing their infant son to a tragic accident, Peter Martell, a novelist with a peculiar knack for finding lost things, and his wife, Sylvia, are devastated to learn they may no longer be able to have children. In need of a fresh start, and compelled by strange dreams, the couple decide to rent a lake house in the idyllic town of Gilchrist, Massachusetts, a place where bad things might just happen for a reason. As bizarre events begin to unfold around them—a chance encounter with a gifted six-year-old boy, a series of violent deaths, and repeated sightings of a strange creature with a terrifying nature—Peter and Sylvia find themselves drawn into the chaos and soon discover that coming to Gilchrist may not have been their decision at all.Set against a small New England town in the summer of 1966, Gilchrist is a sinister tale about the haunting origins of violence, evil, and the undying power of memory.

The Code Hunters


Jackson Coppley - 2019
    • An Army Ranger makes a snap decision that sets in motion events beyond his imagination.• In New Mexico, caver Tom Littleton discovers a 10,000-year-old coded tablet far too advanced for ancient people to have created it.• In Boston, Rachael Friedman, a leading physics professor, unlocks a key to the mysterious code.• And in Italy, a violin maker and his autistic daughter show the way to a secret chamber where a medieval scholar has locked away more clues.Wealthy adventurer Nicholas Foxe leads this unlikely team to solve the mystery of the code. But dark forces threaten to destroy The Tablet and the people who know about it…• The Televangelist who intends to profit from his “religious” interpretation of The Tablet.• A Washington Senator who secretly serves a powerful constituent.• The mysterious Texan who foresees extraordinary wealth by owning The Tablet.• A Bombmaker in Queens who serves the latest in destructive products.The Code Hunters is a Thriller for the reader who:• Wants the Adventure of Indiana Jones,• Likes the pace and puzzles of The Da Vinci Code,• Or just enjoys a Mystery Page-Turner.

Across the Street


Laurie Lisa - 2013
    For Sam, years of infertility, followed by an unthinkable tragedy, have left her despairing of ever having a child. Money is tight, and IVF is expensive. Sam’s only hope may be to ask her sister to be a surrogate. Alex will do anything for Sam, but when the sisters embark upon an unorthodox route to surrogacy, jealousy, guilt, and legal complications soon follow.As the limits of sisterly devotion are tested, the family’s hidden wounds and secret addictions come to light, shaking the foundation of their marriages and their lives.An emotional story of a woman’s struggle with infertility and a riveting book about the complexities of family, Across the Street makes an excellent selection for book clubs.

My Remarkable Little Monkey


Mark Lages - 2017
    It is a decision that will soon change his life. The capuchin monkey he purchases turns out to be more than just an ordinary little tree-swinging pet. This monkey, named Shakespeare, is exceptionally bright. Marty does everything he can think of to accommodate his furry brilliant friend, but it just doesn’t seem to be enough. Join Marty and his group of unforgettable friends as they try to give Shakespeare a proper upbringing in an unpredictable human-oriented world. In My Remarkable Little Monkey, the outlandish becomes a reality and the status quo becomes unbelievable. Once you are done reading, you’ll put this book down while scratching your head and wondering what just happened.

Bocas


Thomas M. Barron - 2018
    Does the occasional female tourist ever sleepover? Sure. But that’s nothing compared to PJ’s scorecard. PJ should be registered with the Center for Disease Control.Warm water, cold beers and no Shawna—life couldn’t be better on the island. Until George takes a little road trip to Colombia. Raúl, his boss at the bar, offered him a free ride. He always knew Raúl moved a little bit of cocaine. Who doesn’t? But guns?So… he absolutely should not write Shawna. That clever soul-crushing beauty destroyed him. Maybe it would be OK if she came for just a week? Just one week...

Brief, Horrible Moments: A collection of one sentence horror stories


Marko Pandza - 2017
    Murder, death and the dead. Family, friends, love and relationships. Food and eating. Fear, dread, and the unknown. Crime and punishment. The human body. Lock the doors, turn up the lights, and take a deep breath. A series of brief, horrible moments await.

Fortune in Blood


Phil Philips - 2016
    But as the youngest son of a notorious gangster, it seems he can’t escape the life. Soon he’s forced to prove himself by leading a team in the heist of the century. Will he be able to pull it off?Vince was always worried about getting to lectures on time, and spending time with his hot girlfriend. But everything changes when he’s embroiled in his detective father’s world. Now he’s on the run for his life from the mob.FBI Agent Monica is smart, beautiful, tough and unyielding. Caught in the middle of the mob and the police, her loyalty is being questioned by both sides. But Monica seems to have her own agenda.In a world where corruption is rife, she will be tested to the limit. Who can be trusted and who will be left standing? And who will ultimately escape with all the money? A showdown is set in motion and no one will be left unscathed.˃˃˃ NON STOP ACTIONIn this elaborately plotted, fast-paced thriller, Phil Philips takes you on a roller coaster ride that will keep you guessing until the very last page.˃˃˃ Phil’s writing style has been linked to James Patterson and Matthew Reilly.˃˃˃ If you like heist thrillers and corruption in America this is the book for you

A Tropical Frontier: The Indian Fighter


Tim Robinson - 2019
    SMITH AWARD, 2018.The Second Seminole War would be the longest and most costly of all Indian conflicts in the United States in both lives and national treasure. In 1842, Colonel William J. Worth, commander of the Florida Campaign, declared hostilities at an end. Although as many as 3,000 Seminole and Miccosukee had been relocated to the Oklahoma Territory, several enclaves remained in the extreme southern portions of the peninsula at Big Cypress, Fisheating Creek, Catfish Lake, and New River. A census taken three years later accounted for 120 warriors, (70 Seminoles, 30 Miccosukee, 12 Creek, 4 Uchee, and 4 Choctaw), 100 women, and 140 children - a total of 360 souls. The Florida Indians had prevailed, and old Sam Jones would fulfill his vow to die in the land of his birth.

The Post-it Note Affair: A Romance Novelette of Love Lost and Found


Justine Avery - 2015
    Is that too much to ask? Emily really can't complain. She's married to a wonderful man, her high school sweetheart, who still dotes on her as he did when he first laid eyes on her. They have a beautiful home together, and they each enjoy successful careers. On the outside looking in, Emily has what any woman would be perfectly happy with. But it's just not enough. Emily can't help wishing for just a bit more—for that special spark, for that thrill of something new and surprising, for the shivery tingles running down her spine. For real passion—for true romance. She never expects to find it during the workday and definitely not in the form of a sticky note. Just one square slip of paper with a few handwritten words, tucked mysteriously into the contents of her purse and dropped right into her small world, marks the first of a slew of sexy surprises Emily couldn't have anticipated no matter how hard she wished for them. She's desperately sought after every one of the special moments in store for her, and there's no question that she deserves them. Even as Emily eagerly anticipates and thoroughly savors all of the excitement and mystery of what may come, she just can't guess the roller coaster of emotions she's soon to experience—or just how much it will change her. And she may never guess just who—is leading her on the romantic adventure of her dreams. Just when she feels she's lost the life and love she most wants to have, she finds them—in the last place she'd ever think to look. ♦ Bronze Award for Best Romance (Feathered Quill Book Awards) ♦ Silver Award for Best Short Story (Feathered Quill Book Awards) ♦ Official Selection for Romance (New Apple Summer E-Book Awards) ♦ Finalist for Adult Fiction (The Wishing Shelf Independent Book Awards) ♦ B.R.A.G. Medallion Award ♦ Enjoy the Read... If you delight in new love, romantic mystery, secret admirer, second chances romance, passion renewed, office romance, romantic affairs, romantic marriage, and workplace romance, you'll relish reading The Post-it Note Affair.

Braiding Roses


Elise Stoltenbreck - 2021
    Things nosedive from bad to terrible when she finds herself in a shouting match with Gareth, resident doctor and her boss, on her first day.Between the love of her life urging her to return to Perth and a prickly, dismissive, and rude boss practically tossing her to the curb on day one, Mandy faces the coming year with thorns bared, determined to come out with her head held high. While she hones her doctoring skills in order to prove herself to the highly capable Gareth after their less-than-ideal first encounter, she might learn a little something about herself, too.

A Tropical Frontier: Tales of Old Florida


Tim RobinsonTim Robinson - 2011
    While great cities were springing up ih in places with names such as St. Louis, Denver, and San Francisco, the lower peninsula of Florida endured. Here, the panther, the alligator, and the bald eagle remained safe from the restless, meddlesome hands of civilization, continuing as they had for eons past. Renegade Indians, pirates, hurricanes, and man-eating animals – not to mention poisonous snakes and bloodthirsty hordes of mosquitoes – reigned supreme. It took a certain kind of person to boldly venture into such an inhospitable environment, a place where a man had only himself and his family upon which to depend. It took men and women with not only vision, but backbone and grit, people like the MacLeods, Dawsons, and Hackensaws, true pioneers who confronted whatever came their way, together, as a family. From shipwrecks, to Indian uprisings, to buried treasure; from blockade runners, to murderous beach tramps, and the sad, lonely life of the solitary beachcomber, Tales of Old Florida takes the reader back to a singular time and place that will never be seen again. Above all, Tales of Old Florida is an epic saga of survival and prosperity, love and love lost, and most importantly, the power of the human spirit to prevail.

A Line Too Far


B.C. Colman - 2016
    Thousands of Australian soldiers are held hostage. International realpolitik has left Australia abandoned by its supposed allies and its brittle social fabric is rapidly unwinding as the people panic. A Chinese ultimatum demands the annexation of the country’s top half in ten days, or face a full scale invasion. As other politicians clamour to sue for peace, Prime Minister, Gary Stone, in a desperate race against time and impossible military and political odds must commit to a risky and controversial plan to try and free the country …

The Dead Don't Talk


Lawrence J. Epstein - 2018
    He is asked by a dying man to investigate an unsolved murder. Seeking help, Danny turns to a retired killer--his father. Set on Long Island in 1982, this book follow's Danny's adventures as he tries to escape those trying to kill him and find the truth.

Tailwinds Past Florence


Doug Walsh - 2019
    But on the day she plans to ask for a divorce, Edward is fired. Loathe to confess the truth to Kara, he instead promises her the one thing she’s always dreamed of: an around-the-world bicycle tour, just the two of them. Soon they're pedaling across America, headed for Europe and beyond, but the truth about Edward's job isn’t the only thing he's hiding from Kara. And with each mile, his deception mounts, setting in motion a series of events that shatter the bonds of time. Across the world, Kara’s soul mate from another era awaits—Alessio, a nineteenth century art dealer. What should be the adventure of a lifetime, bringing Edward and Kara closer, turns into a fight for survival, as Alessio will stop at nothing to reclaim the woman he thinks belongs with him. Now it’s up to Edward to rewrite the past to save his marriage … and the woman he loves. Tailwinds Past Florence is an “enchanting, whirlwind tale” of action, romance, and travel—around the world and through time—that lingers in the reader’s mind long after the last page is turned.