Chapter 1 Excerpt
The inky blue-black sky began to lighten into a cold bright blue. It touched the wooden thatched houses and lit the empty-stalled market. Its pale glare woke sleeping animals and snuck into vegetable gardens plucked completely bare. The light seemed to reach everywhere but the dark, thick forest. The pines and cedars that engulfed the Kingdom of Twickerth could grow to over 60 feet; these trees were both prized and uprooted, as wood was the industry of the kingdom. However, the cutters were careful with their felling, the tree must be allowed to re-grow less the wood and work disappear. ‘The tree may be cut but the forest must remain’ was the common saying. This wood would soon be felled again but for now these tall trees provided a line of cover surrounding their target, the village of Twickgrove. “Dawn has come and soon they will all awake.” The speaker was tall, with a bald head and dark skin. He was dressed in simple black cloth and black leather with no armour other than a mail vest and crude pot helm. It was no different for most of the company of men he had joined, poorly fitted out for the work ahead, unlike the leaders. The company had been created by five leaders and these men were known as the five heads. The purpose of the company was simple: they were swords for hire, usually hired for distasteful work. The dark-skinned man had been granted the rank of second commander, which meant only the commanders and leaders were above him, but it also placed him in the front line. Just to the left of him were the five leaders of the company, who were in front only because of their rank and not because they would be in the thick of the fight. The leaders were a mixture of men; short, tall, white, dark, fat and thin, but all had an air of menace. Their garb was similar, black and simple, but the five heads also wore finer pieces of armour and even fine pieces of jewellery; this was their method of keeping their wealth close to their person. The dark man was new to the company, so had no such wealth to display. He had needed work and they had been recruiting fighters who weren’t afraid of blood, and he had very little fear in his life at all. The conscription had gone well; an additional 20 or so men had been gathered to the company ranks. Each new recruit had been further tested in skill of arms and general intelligence. The results of this test determined their place and rank. As a son of a knight the dark man had gained rank but not respect. None of the new recruits were trusted, they would have to show their commitment first. Finishing reading Chapter 1 here.
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Release Day Saturday, September 30, 2023 Title: The Cradle Will Fall Author: Luke Murphy Publisher: ANM Books Publication Date: September 30, 2023 Print Length: 335 pages Genre: #Thriller #Mystery #Fiction #Horror #Suspense Back Cover Text A rogue cop... When the FBI refuses to acknowledge the disappearance of Agent Matt Stone during a covert investigation overseas, Detective Charlene Taylor has no choice but to go on the hunt. The Ukraine can be unforgiving to outsiders, but the detective has no idea just how deep the corruption runs. A renegade PI... There is only one person Charlene can turn to. Trusted friend and former leg-breaker, Calvin Watters, is a protector, and the only man who can go head-to-head with the danger that awaits them. Charlene must put her faith in Calvin, and hope that, together, they can find a way to uncover the truth surrounding the missing Americans. Can Charlene and Calvin team up one more time to overcome an evil syndicate of corrupt cops, and a government conspiracy covered-up by an entire country? Amazon Link: https://mybook.to/7vsbX Book Title: The Inspector and Mrs. Jeffries: A Victorian Murder Mystery Author: Emily Brightwell Publisher: Constable, London Publication Date: 2016 Page Length: 219 pages Genre: #Fiction #MurderMystery #CozyMystery Location: London, United Kingdom Time of Year: Autumn during the Victorian Era Characters: Mrs. Hepzibah Jeffries, Inspector Gerald Witherspoon, Betsy the housemaid, Mrs. Goodge the cook, Wiggins a footman, and Smythe the coach driver, Inspector Nigel Nevins a rival to Inspector Witherspoon When Dr. Hightower was found slumped over his desk with a vial of Syrup of Ipecac in his hand Scotland Yard suspected poison. Inspector Witherspoon was not the sharpest inspector at Scotland Yard. He did, however, have a secret weapon, Mrs. Jeffries. When Gerald Witherspoon’s aunt Euphemia died, he inherited everything including some staff. After Witherspoon hired Mrs. Jeffries, he discovered his amazing abilities as a detective: never putting two and two together. Inspector Nigel Nevins always believed Witherspoon had help from Mrs. Jeffries but could not prove it. Mrs. Jeffries was so subtle she allowed Witherspoon to think things were his ideas. Her late husband was a policeman who used to tell her about the cases he was working on, therefore she would often ask strategically placed questions followed by saying “Don’t answer that it’s such a silly question.” Mrs. Jeffries thought she was discreet with her investigations on the inspector’s behalf, but the staff knew what she was up to and were always eager to help. Follow Mrs. Jeffries and the staff as they try to solve the murder before Inspector Nevins does so that Inspector Witherspoon can be the first to expose the killer. Don't forget to sign up for our newsletter on the right hand sidebar.
#nonfiction #biography #cookbook Clementine (pronounced Clem-en-teen) Paddleford turns 125 years old today! Who is Clementine Paddleford, you ask? The best-known food editor you never heard of, that's who. Clementine was born on September 27, 1898, at Stockdale, Kansas. Stockdale was inundated by the Tuttle Creek Reservoir, so you will not find the town on any current map. After Paddleford graduated from Kansas State University in 1921, she headed to New York City. Her goal, to be a famous journalist. In 1953, Time magazine declared her the best-known food editor. Book Title: Murder, She Wrote: The Murder of Twelve Author: Jessica Fletcher and Jon Land Publication Date: 2020 Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime Page Length: 289 pages Genre: #MurderMystery #CozyMystery #Fiction #AmateurSleuth #AngelaLansbury While reading this book, the voices from the television characters rang out loud and clear - Angela Lansbury (Jessica Fletcher) died in 2022, William Windom (Dr. Seth Hazlitt) died in 2012, Ron Masak (Sheriff Mort Metzger) died in 2022, and Jerry Orbach (Private Investigator Harry McGraw) died in 2004. If you are not familiar with this series, it is set in the fictional town of Cabot Cove, Maine. Jessica Fletcher is the main sleuth. She is a retired English teacher and widow turned mystery writer. Seth Hazlitt is the town's doctor and Mort Metzger is the town’s sheriff. Harry McGraw is a New York City Private Investigator and Jessica’s friend. Other characters listed at the front of the book helps to keep names straight while following the story plot. #UpcomingBook #Thriller
Will be available in Kindle, paperback, and audio. Click on image to pre-order the book. #BookSpotlight Book Excerpt: "What love is for you may be different from what it is for me. Yet, no one can deny it’s God’s incredible force. Love is bigger and more powerful than all of us. Just because you’re open to the idea of love and are ready to date or marry someone, that’s simply not enough for real, God-given love to enter your life. You might search endlessly for real love and still not find it. You may look far and wide, only to realize that real true love is right there in front of you all the time. More often than not, real love is all around us most of the time, it is indeed a God Force! Love cannot be determined by genes or blood, it cannot be determined by the dramatic chance of meeting someone, nor can it be measured by how much you know someone or your strong romantic relationship!" Author Bio: Michael Soward is a music producer of cutting edge music for almost 30 years. His first book Life-ology 101: If All Else Fails, Smile received acclaim nation-wide for being an inspiration story of transformation and the power of smile. He was two months short of turning two years old, when his mother died. He and his younger brother went to live with their grandmother, who he calls granny, in Blytheville, Arkansas. Granny Eva was a God-fearing woman who believed in wielding the rod, but not to keep from spoiling the child, but for child-abuse. In his book Life-ology 101, Soward shares how his early life in the south along with Granny Eva's constant beatings and whippings came to scar and affect him so deeply mentally, physically, and spiritually later in life. He experienced many trials and tribulations that many an African-American faced by the nature of their skin color rather than for who they were or what they did. But American society was evolving and with Michael Soward's indomitable spirit he overcame these obstacles by sticking to his philosophy of smiling into the face of adversity and never giving in. He eventually discovered that smiling would become one of the great medicines of his life as a powerful future would continue to unfold. In Love: What It Is, What It Is Not, Soward writes about what love means to him. He fully understands, that the definition means different things for different people. His goal is to help others define their definition of love. Michael Soward currently lives and serves in New York as an independent nationwide consultant for aspiring Gospel and Jazz artist and writers. He continues to help build careers and recording products within these industries through his persistence, knowledge of these markets, promotion and marketing skills. Listen to a radio broadcast interview with Michael Soward at WOCA radio. Listen to What You Gonna Do, a recording produced by Michael Soward and Shelby Hurns, Hitman Studies, Hollywood, California, 1985. Title: They Say in Harlan County: An Oral History By: Alessandro Portelli Publisher: Oxford University Press Publication Date: 2011 Pages: 447 Genre: #nonfiction #Kentucky #CoalMiner #BookReview They Say in Harlan County is oral history at its best. Told by more than 150 voices who gave first-hand accounts as to what it was like being a coal miner in eastern Kentucky while trying to organize a union and who talked about everyday life that included traditions and cultures.
The book gives a glimpse into the American psyche and is a history of class, drugs, labor wars, poverty, racism, and segregation. "Harlan is the only place in this country where I hear the word class on the lips of someone who is not an academic." ~Portelli, page 9 Alessandro Portelli is an Italian scholar of American literature and culture. He brings to this oral history an eye-opening account of eastern Kentucky from the days of Daniel Boone to publication of this book in 2011. There are 46 pages of notes at the end of the book pointing the reader to resources used during research. The book also has a 22-page index. This book is recommended for anyone who is interested in culture and traditions of the Appalachia area of the United States. |
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