Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Revelation - Book Blitz



Book Synopsis

In a land where magic was created through the spilling of blood, turmoil is looming. Grief and despair flood the land of Todor, and its creators--the omniscient Deis--consider destroying it altogether. That is, until a single spot of joy attracts their attention: the idyllic village of Aerie. Believing in the hope found there, the Deis give Todor one more chance. They place three infants within this village who are unknowingly tasked with ending Todor’s suffering and saving all creation.

As the three chosen ones grow, they discover that their beloved village is a haven of secrets, and nothing is as they believe. Can Gemynd, Soman, and Numa move beyond the secrets of Aerie in order to learn the truth about themselves and the world they thought they knew? With impending war, passionate love, and the heartbreak of separation facing them at every turn, will they do what is required to save Creation?

An imaginative fantasy debut from Jenna Newell Hiott, Revelation combines intrigue, passion, and magic to create a mythic tale like no other. The first book in the epic Todor trilogy, Revelation introduces readers to a unique fantasy realm, intelligent and layered with hidden truths, it will stay with you long after you’ve read the last page.


Author Bio:

Author, healer, all-around kook, Jenna Newell Hiott boasts of having a limitless imagination, unless it’s nap time. While many of us had an imaginary friend as children, Jenna had an entire imaginary family—complete with a second set of parents and three siblings—all of whom lived in a make-believe world of Jenna’s own creation. One could say she’s been writing fantasy fiction since she was old enough to use words. And she never outgrew it. Out of this hyperactive imagination, Jenna created the land of Todor: a world of magic, intrigue, and power plays.

Links:

Thursday, December 25, 2014

A story of Christmas Morning

The below is a short short from my upcoming book, Scenes, due out in February.

Christmas Morning

I had been dreaming. She was pretty and said all the right things and made all the right moves. But suddenly there was a screech from outside my dream and a weight crashed into my no longer sleeping chest.

“Daddy! Daddy! DADDY! Santa was here! Santa was here!” in two simultaneous voices, one directly over my head and one slightly to the left.

My eyes fluttered open to see Meghan, my 7-year-old, jumping up and down next to the bed, a huge smile on her face, and James, 5, with a similar smile hugging me.

James rolled off the bed and nearly onto his sister and they both grabbed my left hand which was outside the blankets, pulling hard.

“Come see!” they screeched in excited unison and I let myself be pulled out of the warm bed and into the early morning chill.

The kids alternately pulled my hand and ran ahead a few steps out the bedroom, down the hall, and into the living room. Under the small blue spruce decorated with a mixture of store-bought ornaments and pre-school/elementary art ornaments, was exactly what Meghan and James had asked Santa for – a gleaming red fire truck with flashing lights and a Molly Pitcher doll.

James immediately had to show me how the lights flashed as he pushed the truck across the floor toward the kitchen, making siren noises and terrifying the cat who was just trying to watch the festivities from a corner. Simultaneously Meghan was explaining how Molly was awake and ready to help “chase the Redcoats!”

I didn’t say anything; I didn’t have to. The two of them raced through their imaginary adventures, giving me a continuous, loud, and excited, minute by minute detail. I dutifully caught the eye of first one then the other and nodded and smiled as they raced through their events. A smile, much smaller than theirs, but with the wistful remembrances of Christmases long gone, played over my face.

Once the first burst of activity subsided both of them asked, hopefully, if they could open “just ONE more present?!”

The answer, as they knew it would be, was no, they had to wait, and wouldn’t they like some waffles?

After the obligatory, and momentary, vocalization of disappointment, both eagerly agreed to waffles. James raced into the kitchen first, yelling, “I’ll get the eggs!” while Meghan quickly pulled out the small stepstool while exclaiming, “I’ll get the mix!”

Moving more slowly, I cautioned James to be careful with the eggs and Meghan to be careful climbing and pulled the battered waffle maker from its perch high above the stove. It was a Christmas tradition, started with my first married Christmas, to have waffles before opening gifts. That memory, flashing through as I gripped the waffle iron, just me and Denise in our tiny first apartment, caused a hitch in my throat.

Almost before I noticed the catch in my throat my attention was drawn to the drama near the fridge as James struggled to pull the egg carton out without toppling the  container of leftover rice  that rested above. He, of course, despite his best effort, toppled the rice onto the floor. Fortunately the lid stayed tight and his grip on the eggs was true. Triumphantly he handed me the eggs and raced back out of the kitchen to snatch up the fire truck once again. I stooped to put the rice back in the fridge and close the door while Meghan jumped off the stool and showered me with a light dusting of waffle mix shaken from the box with her impact with the floor.

She carefully placed the box on the counter next to the waffle maker and followed her brother into the living room, to swoop Molly Pitcher up in her arms and carry her swiftly to meet “everybody” in her room.


Cancer had taken Denise physically from us, but I still saw her every day, in Meghan and James and the traditions we had made in the few years we had had together. A tear formed in my eye, as it did every year, and I turned to the task at hand, hearing the squeals of joy from the other rooms, sad for what I/we had lost yet overwhelmingly happy for what I had.

Monday, December 22, 2014

Defined by Others - Reveal/Launch



I thoroughly enjoyed M C V Egan's first book - Bridge of Deaths - she writes clearly and has a unique perspective. - Greg

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Review - The Rhythm of the Spirit


Sushrut A Badhe has done a marvelous job in this collection of 34 poems about the spiritual and emotional side of life. The poems, while applicable to people of any religious bend, are steeped in the Hindu tradition. However, this reviewer saw the influences of Tao, Christianity, and other religions.

Badhe touches the soul with his poetry, as one would expect from the title. He delves into pain, loss, happiness, and love. These are poems to read when you are sad, and then again when you are happy, to help bring meaning in each time. Emotion and the spirit that pervades our little world are intimately intertwined and Sushrut helps tease them apart just enough for the reader to see them, experience them, and know of the continuity that binds them and us together.

Namaste.

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

What Scares You?

Two days to Halloween seems an appropriate time to join this hop.

What scares me?

Dying alone. Contracting some vile disease or having some horrible accident and dying with no one near. That scares me. Not much else.

Funny thing, too, since I really enjoy solitude and meditation and quiet. Just don't want everything to end that way.

What about you? Zombie-pocalypse? Ebola? Your mother-in-law?

Join the hop and let us know!

Thursday, October 16, 2014

Review - Dark Seed


A disillusioned journalist (Nick Barnes) and the grieving daughter of a murdered scientist (Morgan Elles) uncover an immoral and destructive global plot for complete control of all humanity by the largest developer of genetically engineered seed and its parent pharmaceutical conglomerate.

The couple quickly find themselves fighting for their lives. And yours.
Grab hold for a wild ride with this exciting, high concept thriller. You will never think of GMOs the same way ever again!

Recommended! 

Author Bio

Lawrence Verigin’s goal is to entertain readers while delving into socially relevant subjects that need more attention brought to them. Since 1999 Lawrence has spent a considerable amount of time and effort learning the writing craft.

In his spare time Lawrence enjoys cooking good food, rich red wine, travel, running, reading and numerous rounds of golf.

Lawrence and his wife, Diana, live in beautiful North Vancouver, Canada.

(we received a free copy in exchange for an honest review)

Sunday, October 12, 2014

Perspective from an 8-Year-Old

I made a little girl cry the other day. I didn't do it on purpose, in fact I was surprised to look up and see the tears streaming down her face. She was playing soccer; I was the referee. She was in a scrum, as young children frequently are when they are learning the game, actively kicking at the ball. I hear the crack of cleat on shin guard and the girl opposite "Angela" went down. I called a foul and set the ball for the girl who went down. I look up and there is Angela, crying. I held up play and asked her what was wrong. In her bravest voice she stammered out, "I d-d-didn't do a-a-anything wr-wr-wrong!" I didn't go into any details, just knelt down to look her in the eye and asked her if she sometimes made mistakes. She nodded through the tears. I said, "Sometimes referees make mistakes too. It's ok. Take some deep breaths." And she did. In a few seconds she was ready to play and I restarted the game.

The whole incident has made me ponder perspective. I am sure there was a foul and sure that stopping play was the right call. But Angela clearly was also sure she did not commit the foul. She was simply doing her best and had a clear idea of right and wrong. Maybe we all can take a step back when we feel injustice and look at it from the other perspective and admit that everyone else, just like me and you, sometimes makes honest mistakes.

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Can You Catch My Flow? - Review


Lidy Wilks writes fresh and multi-leveled poetry. The first poem in her small chapbook, Arrival of the Monarch, starts things off with the veiled analogy of the eponymous butterfly and the poet's own life, as well as a general analogy: fresh and multiple levels.

This short book has many to like: Incense, Follow the Leader, These Boys of Mine are my three favorites. Probably because I've lived the analogies and love her handling of the every day as something unique and exciting.

Highly recommended. Check out the trailer at https://www.facebook.com/CanYouCatchMyFlow.


Monday, October 6, 2014

OMG OMG OMG!


I realize I have not been very consistent recently. For anyone who checks the blog, I apologize.

I am about six weeks into a massive project to reduce my 43,000 book on-line sales inventory of physical, paper, pre-owned books to somewhere in the 3-6,000 range. Or maybe zero.

For the last 11 years I have been selling books. Nothing fancy, not collectible or old or worth hundreds of dollars. Regular books for people who like to read. Books that are no longer in print, because the publication status doesn't change the contents. Books of all genres. It was a dream of mine since I was very young and found that I could live vicariously in the books and travel to places fantastic and mundane by simply opening them up.

Yes, I have a Kindle and yes, it is very convenient. But there is something about the weight and the physical process of flipping a page that I can't shake; I like to read and hold paper books. But it has become clear I am in the decided minority.

When I started a paperback would routinely fetch $5 and the shipping was only $2.13. Now I have a hard time selling that same paperback for $3.50 and the shipping is $2.69. The websites on which I sell are more expensive to use and the shipping materials more expensive, etc.

So I am getting out. I can't afford to do it because I like it. I don't have the time to do it for a few pennies a sale. Maybe I'll keep a few and keep a toe in, like a hobby, but I'll give up my storage space and stop donating to charities. We'll see when the first 80% are gone.

There will be a few "last hurrahs". I do a church fair in November. 6,000 will go there. I'm having sales on the sites where I sell; maybe a few more will sell. I'll hand over another thousand to Head Start. Then there will be just the few I want to keep; my best inanimate friends.


Thursday, September 18, 2014

Cover Reveal - The Painted Catch



The Painted Catch
By Ronder Scott
Genre: Thriller
Publication Date: May 2014
Publisher Tenth Street Press

Synopsis
What happens when you are in an elite military squadron and follow an order that was given in error?
That’s what has happened to Shane Braff and Jennifer Koppell when they entered Tayyip Nafisi’s home. He wasn't a terrorist and neither was his family. But it all happened so fast and the result was that his son lost his life that day and his wife soon followed.

The Painted Catch is a psychological thriller that shows how Tayyip Nafisi turned from dedicated government employee; a man who used his genius to help the United States government, to a man who will stop at nothing to get revenge on the people that stole everything from him. When Shane and Jennifer discover they are both in The Land of Paintings, they will do whatever it takes to ensure that their children survive. For Shane, it means the ultimate sacrifice of his life. For Jennifer, it means coming to terms with the past and doing what she must to protect their daughters in the future. 

Unfortunately, it also means paranoia because Tayyip Nafisi was never caught.

He’s out there and she doesn’t know where he’ll be lurking. Waiting. She knows he’ll be watching though. It’s his nature.


Author Info
Ronder Scott was born in Northern Louisiana, where she enjoyed reading books. In Minden, the town she calls home, reading became her passion. She started exploring other avenues where her voice could be heard. Over the years, she has penned a number of screenplays, which she is fond of turning into novels for her readers’ enjoyment. That is why, when you read her work, it is very visual with descriptive annotations that are sure to take you on a literary ride.  Weaving characters into authentic, realistic writing is her craft. Her conceptual writing comes from the atrocities of humankind, though she is very brave in choosing which topics to bring to light. 

Other than writing, she is a recluse - bound to reading old manuscripts or mediating, bringing forth new ideas for writing. She is currently married and living in Houston, Texas, where she is pursuing a Master’s degree from Texas Southern University. She maintains her stance that writing new material comes from being inspired by the things around us. 

Links
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ThePaintedCatch?ref=hl
Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KB4LI8S
Goodreads

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22618510-the-painted-catch

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Zarik by Kahleena MacCarthy & Author Interview





Book 1 of the To Meet a Highlander series is now available on Amazon and in print.
Buy Links: US - UK - CA
Visit Kahleena: Amazon Author Page - Facebook - Twitter - Blog
Want to be a part a part of Kahleena's Book Launch Team? Feel free to email her @ Kahleena.MacCarthy@gmail.com

About the book -
            Meet Zarik MacKinnon, soon to be chief of his clan. Stubborn, unrelenting and not in need of love. For years he's been told by the clan's druid that someone will come to save him. Someone for him to love. He's shrugged his shoulders and continued on in his protection of his clan. Never wanting to be chief, Zarik is surprised when Tsarina Fraser arrives and is said to be the one he must marry. The catch? She's from the future.


            Tsarina arrives in old Scotland knowing her destiny. However, she never realized her wedding could be sabotaged. Would she truly be happy in her new time? Would she marry the right Highlander? Her fate seemed to be set until her brother and their mutual friend arrive from the future too.
            Zarik may only be able to ever promise her food for her belly and protection, but Tsarina is determined to get him to love her. If she can't, will her love be enough for the both of them and the clan Zarik will on day lead?
            Tsarina, Zarik, their family and friends push on to overcome obstacles, attacks by neighboring clans, and to find their love for one another.

Author Interview:

BTE: What does your writing process look like?
KM: Honestly, it’s a mess. I really do need to get better at it. I write when it comes to me and that, sometimes, can mean I’m on the same chapter for six months. Now that I’ve released book one in the To Meet a Highlander series, I’m definitely going to be creating a better planned out writing schedule. I can’t wait to let everyone read the next story in the series.

BTE: Do you have any strange writing habits (like standing on your head or writing in the shower)? KM: I keep my cell phone next to my bed like probably most everyone. However, when I wake up at night with an idea or great line, etc – I text it to myself.

BTE: What book do you wish you could have written?
KM: The Outlander Series by Diana Gabaldon. Not because she now has a STARZ television series (which, no, I have not watched), but because, while I have read all but her latest release, I’d have loved to put my own spin on Jamie and Claire. I’ve always been bothered that they were apart for 20 years.

BTE: Just as your books inspire authors, what authors have inspired you to write?
KM: Being Scottish myself, I’ve always had a love for anything in the Highlander romance category. So, those authors, the ones that are successful and those that struggle, inspire me. After all, we’re all just one lucky glance away from being the next big author.

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

The Bridge of Deaths - Review


M C V Egan catches you in the first chapter and doesn’t let you go. You are sucked into both the historical story as well as the personal and paranormal stories that are intertwined through the book. You are wrapped up in the three main characters in both this life and their immediately previous life and enthralled in the winding trail of research that they follow together and separately to join the two together. Recommended.  For more information, below is a synopsis of the book and a short bio of Ms. Egan. (We received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.)


"M.C.V. Egan twists truth and fiction until you question your perceptions...it is a story of real love, triumph and search for self." - Beckah Boyd @ The Truthful Tarot On August 15th, 1939, an English passenger plane from British Airways Ltd. crashed in Danish waters between the towns of Nykøbing Falster and Vordingborg. There were five casualties reported and one survivor. Just two weeks before, Hitler invaded Poland. With the world at the brink of war, the manner in which this incident was investigated left much open to doubt. The jurisdiction battle between the two towns and the newly formed Danish secret police created an atmosphere of intrigue and distrust. The Bridge of Deaths is a love story and a mystery. Fictional characters travel through the world of past life regressions and information acquired from psychics as well as archives and historical sources to solve "one of those mysteries that never get solved." Based on true events and real people, The Bridge of Deaths is the culmination of 18 years of sifting through conventional and unconventional sources in Denmark, England, Mexico and the United States. The story finds a way to help the reader feel that s/he is also sifting through data and forming their own conclusions. Cross The Bridge of Deaths into 1939, and dive into cold Danish waters to uncover the secrets of the G-AESY.

Learn more about this book and the special 75th anniversary re-release at www.thebridgeofdeaths.com.

TBOD-comingsoon Join us as we commemorate the 75th anniversary of the crash of the G-AESY and the start of World War II with a month-long history-laden event that will entertain, educate, and enlighten you! As part of this event, a revised version of The Bridge of Deaths, this award-winning and highly-acclaimed account of the events of that fateful day in 1939, will be re-released. If you would like to be a part of the month-long anniversary event from September 1 to September 30, please go here: http://bit.ly/TBOD75Event.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

MCVEganM.C.V. Egan is the pen name chosen by Maria Catalina Vergara Egan. Catalina was born in Mexico City, Mexico in 1959, the sixth of eight children, in a traditional Catholic family. From a very young age, she became obsessed with the story of her maternal grandfather, Cesar Agustin Castillo--mostly the story of how he died. She spent her childhood in Mexico. When her father became an employee of The World Bank in Washington D.C. in the early 1970s, she moved with her entire family to the United States. Catalina was already fluent in English, as she had spent one school year in the town of Pineville, Louisiana with her grandparents. There she won the English award, despite being the only one who had English as a second language in her class. In the D.C. suburbs she attended various private Catholic schools and graduated from Winston Churchill High School in Potomac, Maryland in 1977. She attended Montgomery Community College, where she changed majors every semester. She also studied in Lyons, France, at the Catholic University for two years. In 1981, due to an impulsive young marriage to a Viking (the Swedish kind, not the football player kind), Catalina moved to Sweden where she resided for five years and taught at a language school for Swedish, Danish, and Finnish businesspeople. She then returned to the USA, where she has lived ever since. She is fluent in Spanish, English, French and Swedish. Maria Catalina Vergara Egan is married and has one son who, together with their five-pound Chihuahua, makes her feel like a full-time mother. Although she would not call herself an astrologer she has taken many classes and taught a few beginner classes in the subject. She celebrated her 52nd birthday on July 2nd, 2011, and gave herself self-publishing The Bridge of Deaths as a gift. Find M.C.V. Egan and The Bridge of Deaths at www.thebridgeofdeaths.com.

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Book Review - Secrets of the Elders


Book Synopsis:
After their peaceful village, Riverbell, is raided by the foul monstrous skex, brothers Logan and Corbin Walker find themselves caught in a race against time, desperate to warn the capitol before the dangerous skex arrive to wreak the same havoc upon the unsuspecting people of Fal.

Never could they imagine, that this would only be the very beginning of their unforgettable journey, when Logan is suddenly exiled from the kingdom for a crime he did not commit. On the run, doggedly avoiding his own brother, sent to pursue the wanted criminal, can Logan Walker possibly hope to stay free long enough to unravel the Secrets of the Elders?

And So the Fourth Age of Acadia begins...
  
Author Bio:
David Matthew Almond has been working in the restaurant and IT industry for the last 19 years. Over the last two, he has made time to focus on his true passion, writing stories.
David grew up in the small Upstate NY city, Utica (home to such rare delicacies as Tomato Pie, Utica Greens, Pusties, and Chicken Riggies) and attended "Buff State" in the amazing city Buffalo NY, where he would eventually return to run his bakery café, meet some of the best people in the world, and fall in love with his wife Julie.
David currently lives in beautiful Monkton, Vermont and would love to hear from you...

Social media:
twitter @DavidMAlmond


Review: 

Mr. Almond writes well and has great ideas. Unfortunately, there seems to be too much of a good thing crammed into this book. At times I thought I was reading epic fantasy, at others science fiction, still others dystopian fiction. The idea of living in a vast underground world illuminated by a vaguely defined god-crystal with forests and fantastic beasts is fascinating. However, I got lost in the sometimes tunnels and sometimes underground mountains. There also seems to be a lot of very dangerous animals and monsters, most with tentacles AND stingers; it is a wonder that anything survives! 

IMHO it would be a better story if there were fewer elements. Xenocide and the story of the lost technology OR the political intrigue at court, OR the fascinating environment and societies. But, with everything jumbled together, it was too much for me to keep straight.

Friday, August 15, 2014

The Bridge of Death - Cover Reveal



"M.C.V. Egan twists truth and fiction until you question your perceptions...it is a story of real love, triumph and search for self." - Beckah Boyd @ The Truthful Tarot

On August 15th, 1939, a British Airways passenger plane crashed in Danish waters between the towns of Nykøbing Falster and Vordingborg. There were five casualties reported and one survivor. Just two weeks later, Hitler invaded Poland. With the world at the brink of war, the manner in which this incident was investigated left much open to doubt. The jurisdiction battle between the two towns and the newly formed Danish secret police created an atmosphere of intrigue and distrust.

The Bridge of Deaths is a love story and a mystery. Fictional characters travel through the world of past life regressions and information acquired from psychics as well as archives and historical sources to solve "one of those mysteries that never get solved." Based on true events and real people, The Bridge of Deaths is the culmination of 18 years of sifting through conventional and unconventional sources in Denmark, England, Mexico and the United States. The story finds a way to help the reader feel that s/he is also sifting through data and forming their own conclusions. Cross The Bridge of Deaths into 1939, and dive into cold Danish waters to uncover the secrets of the G-AESY.

Learn more about this book and the special 75th anniversary re-release at www.thebridgeofdeaths.com.

TBOD-comingsoon

Join us as we commemorate the 75th anniversary of the crash of the G-AESY and the start of World War II with a month-long history-laden event that will entertain, educate, and enlighten you! As part of this event, a revised version of The Bridge of Deaths, this award-winning and highly-acclaimed account of the events of that fateful day in 1939, will be re-released. If you would like to be a part of the month-long anniversary event from September 1 to September 30, please go here: http://bit.ly/TBOD75Event.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

MCVEgan

M.C.V. Egan is the pen name chosen by Maria Catalina Vergara Egan. Catalina was born in Mexico City, Mexico in 1959, the sixth of eight children, in a traditional Catholic family. From a very young age, she became obsessed with the story of her maternal grandfather, Cesar Agustin Castillo--mostly the story of how he died. She spent her childhood in Mexico. When her father became an employee of The World Bank in Washington D.C. in the early 1970s, she moved with her entire family to the United States. Catalina was already fluent in English, as she had spent one school year in the town of Pineville, Louisiana with her grandparents. There she won the English award, despite being the only one who had English as a second language in her class. In the D.C. suburbs she attended various private Catholic schools and graduated from Winston Churchill High School in Potomac, Maryland in 1977. She attended Montgomery Community College, where she changed majors every semester. She also studied in Lyons, France, at the Catholic University for two years. In 1981, due to an impulsive young marriage to a Viking (the Swedish kind, not the football player kind), Catalina moved to Sweden where she resided for five years and taught at a language school for Swedish, Danish, and Finnish businesspeople. She then returned to the USA, where she has lived ever since. She is fluent in Spanish, English, French and Swedish. Maria Catalina Vergara Egan is married and has one son who, together with their five-pound Chihuahua, makes her feel like a full-time mother. Although she would not call herself an astrologer she has taken many classes and taught a few beginner classes in the subject. She celebrated her 52nd birthday on July 2nd, 2011, and gave herself self-publishing The Bridge of Deaths as a gift. Find M.C.V. Egan and The Bridge of Deaths at www.thebridgeofdeaths.com.

Sunday, July 20, 2014

The Woods - Historical Fiction by Ronald Lee Geigle



I'll defer the plot summary to the blurb on Amazon, it is well done. What I will give is my impressions. I don't know anything about logging, nor do I know much about the rough and tumble that was organized and organizing labor before World War II, nor do I have any deep feelings about total financial loss and rebirth that struck the country during and after the Great Depression. But, while reading Ron Geigle's book, I do.

Geigle captures life in a logging "show", describing the logging processes, living conditions and, especially, bringing the diverse people into sharp relief. Through his writing I understood the immense difficulties and dangers of the logging industry as well as the motivations, interests, and day to day activities of the people who did that work.

Not only the loggers but the labor organizers, the logging owners, the "money-men", and everyone else involved in the area at the time are vividly captured. Geigle's writing is crisp, clean, and well-paced. He deftly moves you from logging site, to the tiny logging town, to the seats of money and power in Seattle and Everett. He is equally adept at the boardroom scenes and the labor fights.

This book is highly recommended for anyone who likes a good story with strong, well-developed characters and a plot full of tension and emotion.  


Author Bio

Ronald Lee Geigle grew up in the Pacific Northwest.  He was born in Monroe, Washington, and attended Meadowdale Senior High School.  After graduating from the University of Washington, he headed for Washington, DC, where he has spent the past 30+ years as a speechwriter, congressional aide, and public relations consultant. He worked for Washington State Senator Warren Magnuson and US Representative Norm Dicks, and founded the public relations firm Polidais.

"You learn a lot about people over that many years," says Geigle. "And you learn a lot about politics. It is always a surprise to me, despite all these years in DC, what those two forces do to one another—and not necessarily in a good way."

Geigle makes politics a central part of his novel, The Woods, which tells a coming-of-age story set during a period of labor unrest in the Pacific Northwest during the late 1930s. As the nation emerges from the Great Depression, both haves and have-nots struggle for financial survival and, more importantly, to achieve their dreams in the face of adversity, danger, and political ambition.

Geigle won fiction writing awards from the National Press Club in Washington, DC, in 1997 and 1998 for two chapters from his novel.

Links

·        Twitter: @rongeigle
·        Goodreads author page 

·        Amazon

Friday, July 4, 2014

Feature and Follow - Picture Books

Alison Can Read Feature & Follow

One of my favorite picture books, when I was a wee lad, was The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper. Everyone, of course, loved Dr. Seuss - Hop on Pop, The Cat in the Hat, The Thinks You Can Think, Green Eggs and Ham. My kids got steady doses of Clifford, Spot, and the Berenstain Bears.



You?


Friday, June 27, 2014

Feature & Follow - Favorite Coffee Mug(s)



I started drinking coffee when I started working with computers. I'm afraid I'm hooked. Of course, I also enjoy a good green tea or chai at times too. And always "black" - no sugar, no milk, definitely no artificial anything!

My two favorite mugs were bought by my son for me on two trips he took. The blue, Lionfish mug, was from when we both slept on the battleship Massachusetts with the scouts.


Do your favorite mugs have stories?




Friday, June 20, 2014

Feature and Follow - Books of 2014

Alison Can Read Feature & Follow

The question of the week is what are your favorite books of 2014 so far.

It occurs to me this is a terrible question for me since I've only read two books published in 2014. One, Birth of an Assassin by Rik Stone, was reviewed here in April. The other, Memories, I wrote.

I have been reading (see other reviews here as well as my GoodReads list), but they are all from my TBR pile which stretches back for years!

I am sure, after this hop, that the pile will be even taller.




Friday, June 13, 2014

Feature and Follow - Armchair Travel

Alison Can Read Feature & Follow



Alexander Kent's To Glory We Steer is set in the 1782 Caribbean. Captain Richard Bolitho and his crew hit most of the islands in this action/adventure story - the Bahamas, Bermuda, St Kitts, Jamaica, Antigua. I would love to go south (especially, of course, during the next long northern winter!) and follow the path of the frigate Phalarope (without all the smoke and swordfighting, of course!)


Monday, June 9, 2014

Summer has come, where was spring?

Yesterday it was 86 degrees with nary a cloud in the sky, sun beating down and the smell of flowers and barbecue permeating the air. This year it went from a cold 60 with slanting rain to the beautiful weekend just past, with hardly a moderate day in between.

Now, this could all be explained away as a normal variation. Some years are just like this, have been forever. Some years the spring comes early and lingers late and people start to complain that summer never comes. Just like all the tornadoes ripping through the center of the country. Some years there are just a lot of tornadoes.

It could also explain why we've had such massive and destructive storms in recent years - Katrina, Sandy, to name two. Big storms do come around occasionally.

And then there was the story in the news today that officials in the Marshall Islands had discovered the remains of some 15 Japanese soldiers from World War II. Their shallow graves had been destroyed by ocean waters that were 8 cm higher that just a few years ago on an archipelago where the highest point is only 2 meters above sea level.

One or two of these could be coincidence, could be the normal variation of nature over time. But all of them and more in the past ten years? Maybe not.

Let me know what you think! Comments (polite ones!) are always welcome.

Friday, May 30, 2014

Feature and Follow - Great Characters or Gorgeous Writing?

Alison Can Read Feature & Follow

Feature & Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read where two blogs are featured. Click the links above to follow the hosting bloggers and featured bloggers. Enter your own post's link in the linky, then hop around to as many blogs as you can - find new blogs to follow and gain new followers as well. Mingle and make some new bloggy friends!

This week's question: How important is good writing to you? In an ideal world, a book would be beautifully written AND have great character development, plot, etc. But in the real world, which do you prefer: (1) Great characters and plot with lousy writing or (2) Middling character development and plot but gorgeous writing.

This one, for me, is easy. Bad writing is simply too distracting. I can't force myself through something that is poorly written, or contains typos (more than the odd one off), or grammatical errors. No matter how great the plot, the character, or anything else. Sorry, just can't.

What about you?

Saturday, May 24, 2014

Feature & Follow - Convincing

Alison Can Read Feature & Follow

Question of the Week: Have you ever convinced someone to read a book, a series, or a whole genre? What book(s) and who was it? Did they like it?


Not often, but a few times. I got my son hooked on epic fantasy. I have recommended some history books to some friends. Unanimously when I convince someone to try a book or series or genre, they have loved it. Since I only try in rare instances, and only when I see a clear synergy, that is not surprising. I wish I would just be better at selecting new things for myself!

What about you? Comment, please!

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Moments - Poetry for Everybody


Poetry that is readily understandable finding beauty, wonder, hope, and happiness in the everyday. Approach the anticipation of spring finally returning after the long winter. Experience the joy of boys playing in the mud or the beauty of a new snowfall. Feel the stories of ancient bones and listen to the quiet of the early morning. Hear the reminiscence of the passing of time and see the excitement of each passing scene in a life. These and many more.

Review by: P.S. Rowland on May 01, 2014 : star star star star star 
When reading a book, did you ever get the feeling the author could see right inside your brain and was putting down your thoughts and not theirs? Author Greg Schroeder, has done just this in this recent gem "Moments". Thank you for the memories you have invoked, the thoughts you have inspired and the memories yet to come as I read your words over and over again!

Author P.S. Rowland of "Lest We Forget Life's Passion"

From Moments:


Clear and cold
The winter night sky reaches
To the edge of time
And space.
Brilliant full moon floods
A pale, thin light
But fails to illuminate
The blackness above.
Stars, tiny pinpricks:
Yellow, red, white, blue
Mixed in color and intensity,
Serve as markers through
Distance and time.
Sitting on the hill
Icy wind buffets
Lost in the depths
Of space and time
Lost in the imagining,
Imagining the infinite,
And the possibilities
That grow from it.


Thursday, May 15, 2014

Feature and Follow - Authors Met

Alison Can Read Feature & Follow

Sadly, I have no photos of me with a favorite author. I can say I worked with Susan Isaacs on a couple of community boards. I also did a soccer fundraiser with Bart Davis. Unfortunately it was in my "no camera" phase.

Have you worked with an author outside of writing?


Friday, May 9, 2014

Dinner with John Green (Feature & Follow)


Alison Can Read Feature & Follow

John Green would be my choice for dinner, of living authors. He writes the kind of fiction I wish I could write - smart, current, somewhat quirky. I think it would be a long an interesting dinner, from hors d'ouerves to dessert.

RULES

To join the fun and make new book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:
  1. (Required) Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Hosts {Parajunkee & Alison Can Read}
  2. (Required) Follow our Featured Bloggers
  3. Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing. You can also grab the code if you would like to insert it into your posts.
  4. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say "hi" in your comments and that they are now following you.
  5. If you are using WordPress or another CMS that doesn't have GFC (Google Friends Connect) state in your posts how you would like to be followed
  6. Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don't just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don't say "HI"
  7. If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
  8. If you're new to the Follow Friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Review - The Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell

File:Blue dolphins.jpg 



This fine, short novel won the Newbery Award in 1961 and is O'Dell's most recognized work. As with most historical novels it maintains its relevance well.

The novel, like many of O'Dell's stories, is based on actual history, in this case the story of Juana Maria who was stranded on San Nicolas Island from 1835-1853. It is a story that showcases how close to the edge of mortality primitive societies live. It features sharp, painful loss as well as triumph and growth.

The main character, Karana, of necessity, assumes both the traditional roles of men and women. She builds a friendship with a woman who comes to the island with a band of Aleuts, a tribe with whom Karana's tribe had fought. She also finds companionship with the animals of the island, particularly two dogs.

Very well crafted, The Island of the Blue Dolphins is a highly recommended tale of adventure, adversity, resourcefulness and perseverance.

Thursday, May 1, 2014

Feature and Follow - Hobby




I play with toy soldiers. And paint them. And research them (and the battles, campaigns, history). And build the terrain. And dabble in writing the rules. It is quirky but it is a lot of fun.


An American Civil War game


Two Crusaders


Romans on the march


Prussians from the time of Frederick the Great



Saturday, April 26, 2014

Feature and Follow - Pets

Alison Can Read Feature & Follow


Currently there are only cats. 


Blaze - a 9-month old rescue


Rudy - the 15 year old


Bit - whose previous previous owner passed away


Oreo - also 9 months old, formerly feral

Rudy

Rudy lies on the patio
His striped coat stirring
Gently in the light breeze.
He rolls his eyes and drolly
Gazes at me, his body
Stretched to its limit.
“It’s hot,” he seems to say
In a languid, fluid way.
I gaze evenly back,
Touch my drink to my
Forehead and agree.
Indomitable, the weather;
Unflappable, the cat;
Back to work, for me.