Monday, May 30, 2016

Remembering on Memorial Day

Everyone has lost someone in war. Go back far enough, maybe it was the Civil War, Revolutionary War, War of 1812, maybe even the Hundred Years War. It's good to take a moment to honor them.

There are also those who go without remembrance even though they gave their lives, not voluntarily, but because others just had to shoot, bomb, and kill. We don't know their names, but I'm pretty sure my grandfather did.

My Memorial Day remembrance is for the horses and mules who were absolutely essential to and died because of war. WWI. My grandfather was a veterinary in the Expeditionary Forces in France. This is what he recalled (loosely interpreted by me).

Pa’s Story
From Tales of a Texas Boy - Stories by and about My Father
*Note: The Kindle ebook will be #free on Amazon from June 16th-18th in honor of Fathers Day.

World War I took many young men away from their homes and sent them off to foreign shores. Eddie’s Pa was one of those young men. He has his own tale to tell.

In 1916, I was still a young buck and not yet married, so I signed up with Black Jack Pershing to go after Pancho Villa. Ol’ Pancho and his banditos had come into US territory and killed a bunch of folks in Columbus, New Mexico.

I was real good with horses, so soon I was the veterinarian. This was just as well, as I didn’t take well to using a gun. I’d never studied vetting in school, but I’d grown up on a farm in Nebraska and knew just about all there was to know about horses and mules. We chased Pancho and his gang just about all over Mexico, but never did catch up with him. A couple years later, I was still in the service, so I ended up goin’ to France with Black Jack when he got to be a General. I could have decided not to go as I’d done my time, but I knew Black Jack could put me to good use.

We were on the troop ship for weeks. Everybody was seasick for the first few days. The horses seemed to fare fine in that regard, but I was worried we couldn’t exercise them enough. We brought them up from the hold, a few at a time, and let them stretch their legs. We’d lead them in a quick walk around the deck. With the metal decks, we didn’t want them to move very fast for fear they’d slip and fall. I’d hate to have to put down a horse with a broken leg, so we took it real easy. As a result, the horses were not in good fightin’ shape by the time we landed in France.

It took some time, but me and Joe, who got assigned to be my assistant, got them in shape again. Mostly the horses were used to pack gear, but a few officers still rode them. Black Jack Pershing liked to ride on occasion, as did Captain Patton. I thought we should only have mules, since they make better pack animals than horses, but there were never enough mules to go around.


We weren’t in too many battles directly as we were the supply line for the army, but in 1918 it turned pretty bad when we went into the Argonne Forest. They called this an ‘offensive.’ I can see why as it offended me a lot. The fighting went on for nearly two months and only ended in November when the big guys signed the Treaty at Versailles.

In that short two months, it was hell on earth. Thousands of men died. One whole division, the 77th, was cut off for near a week and held out surrounded by the German forces. It was some battle, I can tell you. Almost all day long, I could hear the shells bursting and the sharp reports of rifle fire. And I heard the screams of dying men and horses.

The worst part for me was the horses being swept up in the middle of the battle. It broke my heart to go out on the fields after the fighting passed by and after the dead and wounded men were collected. Sometimes the ground was so soaked with blood that my boots were covered before I got back. A horse with an artery torn open bleeds gallons of blood; men only a few pints. It angered me when I thought how much the horses gave. They didn’t even have a say in goin’ to war. Men, at least, had a choice.

I carried a sidearm and had to shoot more horses than I can count. Those we could save, we’d bring back to the line and see if we could treat their wounds. It was a second heartbreak when they wouldn’t heal proper and we’d take them out behind the tents to put them down. We dug a deep trench to bury them for health reasons and we kept digging every day to hold them all.


While we treated the horses, close by we could see the wounded men being brought back from the battlefield. Legs and arms were already gone or had to be cut off by the doctors right there in the field. From the history I’d read about the Civil War, this was just about as bad. If the choice was amputate or die, then they had to do what was necessary. We dug another trench to hold the arms and legs the doctors cut off; the dead soldiers we wrapped in oilcloth to be sent back behind the lines, where we hoped to send their bodies back home to their families.

All told I spent twenty months in France. It was the worst part of my life and I hoped and prayed we’d never see another war like this again.

Saturday, May 28, 2016

Free Borrows, Free Books, and Cheap Audio Books

My entire book collection is now on auto-pilot at Amazon. Reviews are always appreciated, of course. Retail prices are listed, but Kindle Unlimited is always free to subscribers. Amazon Prime users can borrow them from the Kindle Owners Lending Library, and the Matchbook prices are always less than the retail. Bonus deal: If you gain possession of certain books, you can also buy the audio book for the bargain price of $1.99. Two books in the Witches series are also available FREE at Smashwords, Barnes and Nobel, and Kobo (and other stores).

Witches of Galdorheim Series (3-Volume Book) $6.99
   Bad Spelling $2.99 (Buy the ebook, get the audio book for $1.99)
                       (Free at Smashwords in all formats)
   Midnight Oil $2.99 (Buy the ebook, get the audio book for $1.99)
   Scotch Broom $2.99 (Buy the ebook, get the audio book for $1.99)
   Spellslinger $0.99 (This short story is in audio format to listen free on SoundCloud)
                       (Free at Smashwords in all formats)


Tales of a Texas Boy $2.99 (Buy the ebook, get the audio book for $1.99)
Missing, Assumed Dead $1.99 (Buy the ebook, get the audio book for $1.99)





The rest of the books don't have an audio book to go with. But if you buy any of my books and let me know, I'll give you your choice of any of the audio books shown above.

The Tales of Abu Nuwas
Setara's Genie $2.99







Science Fiction
Ultimate Duty $2.99
First Duty $1.99







Oregon Set Mystery/Adventure
Eagle Quest $1.99





Collections and Short Stories
Mixed Bag II: Supersized $1.99
Mixed Bag Short Story Collection $0.99
Fish Story: A Three Story Sampler $0.99
Lemons and Other Kid Tales $0.99


Friday, May 27, 2016

Featured Free on Kindle Unlimited/Kindle Owners Lending Library

Another book free to read for those with a Kindle Unlimited subscription or the Prime Lending Library. Note that the Lending books are located via the Store option on your Kindle device.

SETARA'S GENIE (TALES OF ABU NUWAS)
A girl, a genie, a few demons. What could go wrong?

Abu Nuwas sits in the bazaar on his threadbare rug; a cup and sign proclaim him a teller of tales. For one small coin, he bids passers by to listen. A poor girl, Najda, sells spices from a tray. Would he, she asks, trade a tale for a packet of spice? Abu Nuwas agrees and begins the epic adventures of a girl and her genie.

As did Scheherazade before him, Abu leaves Najda hanging in the middle of each yarn to keep her coming back. Between stories, he questions the girl about her life. He discovers that she’s been promised in marriage to an old man whom she hates, but she must wed him to save her sick mother’s life. The rich bridegroom will pay for the doctors the mother needs. Meanwhile, Najda sells spices in the market to earn enough money to keep her mother alive.

He relates the adventures of the bored daughter of a rich merchant, Setara, and her genie, Basit, as they encounter the creatures of legend and folklore: a lonely cave demon seeking a home; a flying, fire-breathing horse who has lost his mate; a dragon searching for his family; an evil genie hunting for the man who put him in a lamp; and a merboy prince cast out of his undersea kingdom.

Excerpt

At the far end of the corridor, she saw Hasib with his head stretched as far as he could through the stall window.

“Here. I’m here!” Hasib slammed his front hooves against his stall door. Basit was within reach of the stall. “The groom locked me in and then ran off. I have to get out. I’ve heard Azhi Dahaka is here, and he’s burning people!”

Not taking time to use magic, Basit fumbled with the latch and swung the stall door open. Hasib stepped out, immediately turned left and trotted down the long corridor to the outside door. Basit, Setara, and Sheik kept pace with him.

“What will you do?” Basit asked.

“I’ll have to fight him, I’m afraid. I’m the only one who can. The blood of Azhi Dahaka runs in my veins.”

The four reached the door and stood looking up at the awesome figure of the dragon demon spouting flame. People ran screaming in all directions. The soldiers were having no luck with their arrows. Trying to shoot straight up to Azhi’s perch on the tower slowed the arrows too much to do any good. The barbs bounced off the dragon’s tough scales with no effect.

Setara saw a crossbow lying on the ground, probably discarded by an escaping soldier. She picked it up. A few feet further on, she saw a quiver with bolts. She grabbed it, too. “Let me on your back. I’ll go with you!”

Basit reached for her arm. “No! I cannot allow you to come to harm.”

She twisted away and jumped on Hasib’s back. “Let’s go, Hasib!”

The flying horse sprang into the air. He needed no wings since he flew by magic. To Setara’s surprise, Nasreen took flight beside Hasib. Setara admired the mare’s bravery but wished she could tell her to go back.

Basit also took flight. Setara knew he wouldn’t let her face Azhi’s flames alone. She hoped he knew some spell to protect her and Hasib from the spouting fire. Glancing at him, she saw the familiar look of concentration on his face when he was making up a new spell.

As the two horses and the djinn soared upward, some people stopped in their tracks to stare. Setara almost laughed. As if a dragon demon perched on the palace tower wasn’t enough, the sight of a winged horse, another flying horse with a girl on his back, and a genie was more than they could stand. Those who were not already running away from the tower decided now would be a good time to do so.

The ground around the tower was littered with fallen arrows and men. Some brave souls attempted to save the wounded men. However, the flames were pouring down so fast they had to weave and dodge to reach them.

She gripped Hasib’s mane with one hand and worked to load a bolt and get the crossbow in position with the other. It wasn’t working, so she let go of the mane, gripping tight with her legs. She didn’t even think about looking down. Her whole attention was focused on the roaring demon wrapped around the tower. They flew directly into the path of its flames.

Hasib fought back with flames of his own. However, he was much smaller than the dragon, and his flame was not big enough to have any effect. Setara fired a bolt toward Azhi, but it fell far short. “We’ll have to get closer!” she yelled over the roaring of the dragon. Hasib spiraled upward, taking a path around the tower. Azhi twisted his body to face the flying horses, the clearest threat to him.

Setara managed to reload the crossbow and turned the winch to draw back the bolt. She held the crossbow up, aiming along its shaft. The dragon demon’s head reared up directly in front of her. She fired. The bolt shot through the air, hitting the dragon’s head. It seemed to stick for a moment, then fell off. Setara groaned. She didn’t think she’d get another chance.

“My blood!” Azhi Dahaka cried out. Setara looked to see if the bolt had done some damage, but she couldn’t see even a scratch on the dragon’s shining scales. Of course, while Hasib circled and soared, getting a close look wasn’t easy.

She saw Nasreen turn in mid-air and begin to circle the tower in the opposite direction from Hasib.

“Good girl!” Setara called out. The mare was exposing herself to distract the dragon’s attention away from her and Hasib. The dragon twisted toward the mare and drew his head back to spray flames at Nasreen.

With the dragon’s attention elsewhere, Setara loaded another bolt into the crossbow and pulled it back. Hasib drew his legs up and shot toward the dragon. As he brought her next to the dragon’s side, Setara loosed the bolt. It bounced off his scales to no effect.

Azhi Dahaka’s snake-like head whipped around toward Hasib. His eyes widened as Hasib halted in mid-air right in front of the dragon’s nose.

Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Featured Free on Kindle Unlimited/Kindle Lending

Another book free to read for those with a Kindle Unlimited subscription or the Prime Lending Library. Note that the Lending books are located via the Store option on your Kindle device.

TALES OF A TEXAS BOY
Note: The large print paperback edition of this book is a great gift for Fathers Day, especially for vision-impaired. It's also available in audio book format.

How do you handle a crazy jackass? Eddie knows. If you ask Eddie, he'll tell you pigs can fly and show you where to find real mammoth bones. Take his word for it when he tells you always to bet on the bear. These are things he learned while dreaming of becoming a cowboy in West Texas during the Depression.

Through Eddie, the hero of "Tales of a Texas Boy," we find that growing up is less about maturity and more about roping your dreams. Hold on tight. It's a bumpy ride. A wonderful read for anyone who enjoys books like "Little House on the Prairie" or "Tom Sawyer." A great bit of nostalgia for seniors, too.

Excerpt

No Angel

Idle hands are the devil’s workshop. So goes an old saying. A boy with nothing much to do can sometimes find the worst possible things to escape boredom.

From what you've heard about me, you might come to the conclusion I was a well-behaved child. Well, I don’t mean to give you a false picture of what I’m really like. I know it’s hard to believe, but sometimes I did stuff that was not exactly admired by my Ma and Pa. I wasn’t exactly the devil, but I weren’t no angel neither.

Ma and Pa liked to go to town, that bein’ Hereford, on Saturday nights. They’d visit friends and sometimes eat at the diner. They left me home to take care of my sister Dorothy. Generally, we behaved ourselves as we knew the consequences if we didn’t. One of them Saturdays, I was outside not doin’ much of anything. You know, just watchin’ the clouds and throwin’ rocks and so on. 

I noticed a flock of blackbirds lit on Ma’s clothesline, so I went in and got the shotgun. I loaded it with smallshot and snuck around the side of the house so’s not to scare the birds. I figured I could get the whole flock of birds if I shot straight down the clothesline from one end to the other. 

I had to be real quiet, so’s I thought I’d sneak up on ‘em like I was a Comanche. I got down on my belly and rested the shotgun across my arms. The grass was high enough so I’d not be seen. I dug in my elbows and pulled myself real slow around the corner of the house. When I got to the lilac bush, I got up behind it and checked if the birds had a notion I was there. They just sat on the line and didn’t even look my way, so I hunched over and ran lickety-split to the oak tree. From there, I was right at the end of the line and no more’n ten feet away. 

I leaned around the tree trunk and eyed the line. Yep, I could see right down it. My hands aren’t big enough to span both triggers, so I have to pull them one at a time. I figured I’d shoot the first barrel and then real quick-like, fire off the second. That way, I’d get to hit the flock twice. 

I eased the shotgun up to my shoulder and pulled back slow on the left-hand trigger. The first shot blasted off and knocked me back a few feet where I landed on my rear-end real hard. I still held the shotgun in my hands, but I wasn’t in any position to fire off the second barrel. When I sat up and looked to see how many birds I got, I was in for a shock. All that noise and not one feather to show for it. But Ma’s clothesline . . . now that’s a different story. The durn thing looked like a dead snake layin’ there.

I knew right away Ma would not be pleased with this.

* * * 
Buy or borrow the book to find out how Eddie survived this disaster.

Monday, May 23, 2016

Featured Free Kindle Unlimited/Kindle Lending Library

Another book free to read for those with a Kindle Unlimited subscription or the Prime Lending Library. Note that the Lending books are located via the Store option on your Kindle device.

FIRST DUTY

Nyra Hutchings, a young woman born into a life of servitude on a repressive factory planet, is desperate for a different life. When she's accepted into the Space Service Academy, run by the organization that enslaves her planet, she discovers the truth behind generations of rebellion. Now, she must decide what to believe, where her first duty lies, and fight for more than her life against impossible odds.


This is the Young Adult version. "Ultimate Duty" is a longer version with explicit sex scenes and a more action sequences. Both are free to read on Kindle Unlimited and Kindle Owners Lending Library. 

Excerpt:

Chapter 19 - Terminal Encounter

NYRA WRAPPED HER long service cloak around her. The Space Service uniform wasn’t out of place, but her two blasters might make somebody suspicious. She took the monorail to the space port shuttle area.

As she got off, she looked around for any familiar faces, but saw none. She wished she knew who else was supposed to be going on the raid. On the other hand, the fewer people she knew about, the better if the authorities captured her. After all, she assumed Smith had reported as planned, and she was now officially a deserter. Even if the higher-ups agreed to her infiltration plan, her cover would still be that she had gone over to the rebellion.

She was trying to look unobtrusive, when she spotted a face she knew. It was Smith dressed in civilian clothing. How did he know where to find her?

He didn’t seem to be looking for anybody, but seemed to have just got off a shuttle and was striding purposefully toward the monorail station. Nyra wondered where he was going and why. Maybe he could be looking for her, but the fact he guessed or was told she was on Earth was a surprise to her.

She moved quickly to intercept and stepped in front of him. He stopped abruptly.

“Nyra!  I was looking for you.”

“How did you know I was on Earth?”  Nyra looked around for any sign of IncPlan authorities.

“Well, hello to you, too.”

“It’s a big galaxy and seeing you is more than just surprising.”

“Not so surprising when you hear what happened. So, don’t act all worried. I reported to headquarters  They agreed your plan seemed like a good way to get inside. They weren’t too happy about you taking it on yourself, but I talked fast and long to convince them.”

“Okay. Still, why are you here and why are you dressed in civilian clothes?”

“Look, I’d thought about what you were saying. I got authorization from Admiral Barton to watch out for you.  IncPlan broadcast that I was a deserter, and the rebels had to believe it. They’d have no reason to think otherwise.”

“Okay, you came to help me infiltrate. I can’t believe they’d just accept that so easily.“

”Well, the rebels are a trusting lot, too trusting. There’s a traitor–a double agent–inside IncPlan who vouched for me.”

“I’ll have to report–”  Nyra stopped herself. Why would Tiberius permit Smith to help her spy on the rebels?  Something didn’t make sense about this. Still, she had to follow her original plan. Sympathy with the devil didn’t necessarily mean you joined his cause.

“Okay,” she continued, “I’m happy you’ve come to help me. How did you know I was on Earth?”

“Jens, you remember him, right?  He told me I could catch up with you on Earth. Of course, I didn’t expect to find you right here in the terminal.”

“Did he tell you why I’m here?”

“No, no. He wouldn’t go that far. I suppose the insurgents wanted Caspar to decide what to do with me.”

“I suspect Caspar isn’t on Earth any longer. At least, that’s the last thing I heard from him.”  Nyra didn’t want to tell Smith too much until she could sound him out. From what he was saying, it appeared he was only here to watch her for IncPlan. She was not sure she liked that; she hated continuing to lie to him. Still, she’d have ditch him while she went on her mission.

“I tell you what, Smith. Take my key chip and go to the hotel. It’s the Hilton on Seventy-fifth Street. If Caspar is still there, you can talk to him. Right now, I’ve got some people to meet.”

“What’s going on?” Smith asked.

“That’s why I’m meeting the people: to find out. I can’t tell you more than that. But, look, I’ll see you back at the hotel later tonight, tomorrow at the latest.”

“Can’t I stick with you?”

“No. The people are expecting me to be alone.”

“Why are you wearing your uniform, by the way?”

“Protective coloring. Just go to the hotel. I’ll see you later. I promise.”

“Okay, later then,” Smith said and turned back to the monorail station. He stopped after a few steps. “Be careful,” he added, then went through the door.

Within seconds, Garrett appeared at her side. She jumped slightly; she hadn’t seen him coming. Not surprising, she thought, considering his skills.

“Who was that?”

“Just a guy I knew in the service. I decided I’d better say hello in case he spotted me. Are we ready to go?  Where’s the rest of the team?” Nyra asked to deflect any further questions.

“We’re it, so let’s get on with it.”

Saturday, May 21, 2016

Featured Free Kindle Unlimited/Kindle Lending Library

Another book free to read for those with a Kindle Unlimited subscription or the Prime Lending Library. Note that the Lending books are located via the Store option on your Kindle device.

TALES OF ABU NUWAS 2: FAIZAH'S DESTINY

The gods are at war and only a farmer’s daughter can save the world from Armageddon. 

The village magician has gone missing. His four pupils think he has left a clue to his whereabouts in the Magicalis Bestialis--the book of magical creatures. They must seek the help of the elusive Simurgh, the mythical birds who know all the secrets of the universe.

However, this is not an easy camping trip into the mountains. Spirits, gods, and demons confront the four friends, who are not aware they’re being set up by otherworldly forces for a much larger task.

A farmer’s daughter, Faizah is chosen to lead the humans in the battle. She must persuade a slave, an orphan, and a rich merchant’s son to join in the battle on the side of good. Although divided by Dev, the evil god of war, the teens must band together to find the Simurgh, rescue their teacher, and stave off Armageddon.

Excerpt:

He heard the noise. A dry, rustling whisper of sound. At first, he thought it was the wind. Looking up, he could see nothing but blackness. The forest canopy was so thick overhead it blocked out the stars. Harib had never seen such big trees before, and he’d wondered idly what they might be. The thick, shaggy-barked trunks soared high into the gloom, unbroken by branch or leaf. Harib had noticed earlier that where the branches began, high above him, they had neither leaves nor fronds but instead were covered with clusters of thousands of thin needles. Would the wind blowing through those needles make the sound he heard? Don’t panic, he told himself. It’s only the wind; it can’t hurt me.

The sound faded and then grew louder. Now it sounded like faint laughter. “Great,” he said aloud. “Now, even the forest is laughing at me! First I fall over a cliff and have the others haul me to safety, and now I’m lost in the woods.”

As had happened so often lately, a dark sense of his own worthlessness washed over Harib. He angrily scrubbed away the tears stinging his eyes. How, he wondered, did the others put up with him? They said they were his friends, but why? He was small and weak and foolish. Bahaar was bigger and faster, and even Faizah was stronger than he. Smarter, too! All he had was his father’s money, and they didn’t even want that. Many times, he had tried to buy things for them, and every time, they spurned his offers. Still clutching his blanket-load of sticks, Harib plopped heavily to the ground and sat, head bowed, in the small clearing that held him trapped as surely as a prison cell.

The sound came again, louder. More laughter; then a voice, dry and rasping. “No wonder they laugh at you. Look at you. You’re pathetic.”

Harib’s head snapped up, but he could see nothing.

“You’re weak and slow. You can’t even get wood for the fire without getting lost.”

“I know!” Harib groaned. He put his face in his hands and whispered, “I know.”

“They make fun of you behind your back.”

“No!”

“They only put up with you because you’re rich.”

“That’s not true! They won’t accept my money,” Harib answered, willing that hateful voice to be wrong.

“They only wait for the right moment,” the voice persisted. “Then they’ll take it all and leave you behind.”

“Never! They wouldn’t! They’re my friends.”

The whispered voice chuckled, the words stabbing at Harib. “So you believe.”

“No!” Harib shouted, leaping to his feet. “No, you’re wrong! I don’t believe you! I won’t believe you.”
Looking wildly around, still trying to find the source of the voice, Harib spotted a small opening in the underbrush he’d missed before. Heedless of the branches whipping him, he lunged through, running away from the hurtful words as fast as the tangled brush would allow.

Perched upside down on the trunk of a tree, Nanghaithya, the demon of discontent, bared his fangs and hissed at Harib’s retreating figure. He had failed. Now he feared for his own life, for Dev did not easily forgive failure.

Wednesday, May 18, 2016

Featured Kindle Unlimited Free Read

Free to read for Kindle Unlimited subscribers and Prime Kindle Owners Lending Library.

MISSING, ASSUMED DEAD

When Kam McBride hears some long-lost relative had died, she's not too interested in acting as administrator of the "estate" of a poor sheep farmer in eastern Oregon. But her mom is into the family genealogy and want to know more about the Basque offshoot of the family tree. Kam reluctantly travels to rural eastern Oregon to only to find suspicions of murder, insanity, suicide, and other dirty little secrets of a small town. She has to solve the mystery to save her own life.

Excerpt:

Kam gasped and jumped down the embankment toward the creek, stumbling through the underbrush. She heard the pickup tires screech and glanced back. Scruffy had gotten out and headed down the slope behind her. She moved faster, gripping her hair spray. A strap broke on her sandal, and she kicked it off. Ignoring the brambles poking into her legs through her jeans, she moved as fast as she could, the terrain preventing her from flat out running.

She heard the crashing of bushes behind her and put on more steam. She knew the pickup would have reached her car by now, but she’d be coming up on the passenger door, slightly downhill from the driver’s side. She switched the hair spray to her left hand and pawed into her purse for the keys. Finding them, she dropped the bag on the ground to free her hands and kept moving.

When she reached the Chrysler, the driver had already skidded down the embankment and was standing on the driver’s side. Thin compared to the other man, but his arms were solid muscle under the tats. She rushed to the passenger side, jerked open the heavy door, dived in, slammed the door and hit the lock button on the key fob.

The driver pounded the window with his fist. The scruffy one had caught up and pulled on the passenger side door handle. Kam hit the panic button on the fob. The deep and seriously loud Chrysler horn went off with honking bursts. Both men jumped back from the car.

The driver yelled, “I’ll fetch the rifle.” He scrambled to climb up the embankment.

Kam’s heart almost stopped. Even the shatterproof windows wouldn’t stand up against a hunting rifle. She looked around the car wildly, her breath coming in sharp rasps, and then launched herself over the console and into the rear. Sweat ran from her armpits, soaking her blouse. She ran her shaking hands across the top of the seat back hunting for the latch. She hoped the Chrysler had fold down back seats. If she could just reach the tire iron, she’d have a weapon. If this stupid car even had one that is.

She felt the latch pin, grasped it and pulled it up. It clicked. She grasped the seat back in both hands and pulled it down. On her belly, she crawled halfway into the trunk searching for the spare tire well.

Saturday, May 14, 2016

Time Travel on Sale

"Take Back Tomorrow will be on sale May 14th-20th for 99¢ on Amazon US and Amazon UK Here's my review at Goodreads.

Take Back TomorrowTake Back Tomorrow by Richard Levesque
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I liked this book for several reasons. First, it's a nicely done noir detective/mystery set in the 1940s. Second, it's got time travel, and I find that irresistible. Third, it shows a fine knowledge of the Golden Age of SF writers.

There were a couple of places where I wrote a note on my Kindle with a BIG question on the logic of certain things, but overall, I didn't find those so egregious as to warrant even a slight mark downward.

Richard Levesque has a dandy story here. Yeah, you can argue the methods of time travel, but until we discover real time travel, every writer has a right to their own view on how it is accomplished.

I liked the 1940s vibe and the errata was at a very low level, so I can't complain about a few typos. Note to every writer: Peak and peek are different words. Do not confuse the two.

Overall, I'd recommend this book to anybody who likes SF, time travel, and even a bit of noir mystery. Good job. Very readable.


View all my reviews

Monday, May 09, 2016

Coming Soon in the Month of June

How about some over-the-top giveaways and countdowns? Here's first notice of what's coming your way.

TWO DAYS! June 1st-2nd FREE: ULTIMATE DUTY - on Amazon
A military officer must choose between her sworn duty or her rebellious blood ties. 

Remy Belieux, a woman born into a life of servitude on a repressive factory planet, is desperate for a different life. When she's accepted into the Space Service Academy, run by the organization that enslaved her planet, she discovers the truth behind generations of rebellion.


As her heart pulls her toward Phillip, the leader of the rebel group, she finds herself questioning where her loyalties truly lie. Now she must choose, fighting for her life against impossible odds.

THREE DAYS! June 16th-18th Father's Day FREE: TALES OF A TEXAS BOY - on Amazon
How do you handle a crazy jackass? Eddie knows. 

If you ask Eddie, he'll tell you pigs can fly and show you where to find real mammoth bones. Take his word for it when he tells you always to bet on the bear. These are things he learned while dreaming of becoming a cowboy in West Texas during the Depression. Through Eddie, the hero of "Tales of a Texas Boy," we find that growing up is less about maturity and more about roping your dreams. Hold on tight. It's a bumpy ride. A wonderful read for anyone who enjoys books like "Little House on the Prairie" or "Tom Sawyer." A great bit of nostalgia for seniors, too.

FIVE DAYS! July 1st-5th Happy Fourth Countdown WITCHES OF GALDORHEIM BOX SET - on Amazon
1st $0.99 - 2nd $1.99 - 3rd $2.99 - 4th $3.99 - 5th $4.99
All three books in the Witches of Galdorheim series.

BAD SPELLING: A klutzy witch, a shaman's curse, a quest to save her family. Can Kat find her magic in time?

MIDNIGHT OIL: Shipwrecked on a legendary island, how can a witch rescue her boyfriend if she can't even phone home?

SCOTCH BROOM: A magical trip to Stonehenge lands a witch in the Otherworld where an ancient goddess is up to no good.

Also, get the companion short story, SPELLSLINGER, free at Smashwords.




Saturday, May 07, 2016

Great Mother's Day Presents

BUY THE EBOOK, LEAVE A COMMENT HERE, GET THE AUDIO BOOK FREE! 
(Gifted via Audible.com, no membership required)

Mothers Day is coming tomorrow and you still have time to get her something nice. If your mom is in the same generation as my mom grew up in the 20's and 30's, experienced WWII as an adult, and is fond of stories set in rural America, this is a book she will enjoy. Also, if she's sight-impaired, it's available in a Large Print paperback and audio book.

These are stories about my father. He's passed now, but he took great pleasure reading his almost true tall tales. I think you'll enjoy them too.

Here are the buy links:
Ebook:  Kindle Ebook - Buy the ebook for only $2.99 and get the audio book for $1.99 only at Amazon or get it free by leaving a comment with contact info.
Large Print Paperback Amazon
Audiobook (also available through AmazonAudible.com $6.95

Ma’s Story

Mothers have their own joys and sorrows. Too often they keep their feelings to themselves and even their own families don’t know.

WHEN I WAS a boy, my Ma was a woman of few words, which surprised quite a few folks. The town ladies came out to visit on occasion and she’d go to town to return the favor, but mostly she listened. That did set her apart from the gossipers and them that just liked to talk to hear themselves.

Crossin’ the Creek

Kids went to school, but they didn’t exactly catch the school bus outside the house. Getting to school could be an adventure.

IT’D BEEN RAINING forty days and forty nights is what Ma said, but I only counted up eleven days myself. She did tend to put things in Bible sayin’s, so I won’t say she was lyin’, just exaggeratin’ for effect.




The Thief

The Great Depression was beginning to seep into the lives of the people in West Texas. Insulated to some extent, they began to see the repercussions of the droughts by the people who came south from Oklahoma for relief from the dust storms.

IT ALWAYS MEANS a good time when Pa lets me go with him in the truck. I liked the truck a lot and sometimes he’d let me drive a ways, too. This time, Pa planned on goin’ further than Hereford. We were goin’ to go to Amarillo, the trip some fifty miles. It would take us most of one day to get there and do what we needed to do, so we’d have to camp overnight somewhere along the way.

Thursday, May 05, 2016

Where the Free Books Fly

Just a reminder that two of the books in the Witches of Galdorheim series are now permanently free on Smashwords and the distributors they supply. That includes Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple, Baker & Taylor, etc.

SPELLSLINGER - Book 0 Witches of Galdorheim
What does a teenage half-warlock, half-vampire do to have fun? Why build an old west town on a glacier in the Arctic. There, he can play at being the good guy sheriff up against mean old Black Bart.

That things will go horribly wrong is a given. But how does Rune get into and out of the predicament?

This prequel story to the Witches of Galdorheim series gives the reader a chance to get to know the smart-aleck kid, Rune, before he got his magic down pat.


BAD SPELLING - Book 1 Witches of Galdorheim
A klutzy witch, a shaman's curse, a quest to save her family. Can Kat find her magic in time?

If you’re a witch living on a remote arctic island, and the entire island runs on magic, lacking magical skills is not just an inconvenience, it can be a matter of life and death–or, at least, a darn good reason to run away from home.

Katrina’s spells don’t just fizzle; they backfire with spectacular results, oftentimes involving green goo. A failure as a witch, Kat decides to run away and find her dead father’s non-magical family. But before she can, she stumbles onto why her magic is out of whack: a curse from a Siberian shaman.

The young witch, accompanied by her half-vampire brother, must travel to the Hall of the Mountain King and the farthest reaches of Siberia to regain her magic, dodging attacks by the shaman along the way.

Wednesday, May 04, 2016

Kindle Unlimited and Kindle Library Free Ebooks

Most of my books are free to read with a Kindle Unlimited (KU) subscription. Prime subscribers can borrow these books from the Kindle Owners Lending Library (KOLL).

Do me a favor and borrow any of my books free if you are a KU or KOLL subscriber. Then, page through them as fast or as slow as you want. Note you can do this while watching TV or just hanging around, or even reading a different book on another Kindle device. Read them if you'd like, but getting me some page counts (called KENP) will actually pay me a little bit for every page "read" (flipped through). Be sure to turn on your WiFi connection so Amazon can snoop to see how far you've read. I do not know what more I can do to entice you to read my books. They're free and you don't even have to actually read them. If I could, I'd visit you and flip the pages for you while you go about your life.


Witches of Galdorheim Series (3-Volume Book)
   Bad Spelling (Not KU, but Free at Smashwords)
   Midnight Oil
   Scotch Broom
   Spellslinger (Not KU, but Free at Smashwords)

Faizah's Destiny
Setara's Genie
Missing, Assumed Dead
Ultimate Duty
First Duty
Tales of a Texas Boy
Eagle Quest

Mixed Bag II: Supersized
Mixed Bag Short Story Collection
Fish Story: A Three Story Sampler

Monday, May 02, 2016

Bad Spelling Now Free on Smashwords

Book 1 of the Witches of Galdorheim series is now free on Smashwords and will be up at stores like Barnes &Nobel and Kobo soon.

I'll post other links as they appear. For now, use this link to get a freebie at Smashwords or click the big button below which can only be seen directly on this blog post: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/490994
NOW FREE ON KOBO: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/bad-spelling-book-1-of-the-witches-of-galdorheim-series


BAD SPELLING - Book 1 of the Witches of Galdorheim
A klutzy witch, a shaman's curse, a quest to save her family. Can Kat find her magic in time?

If you’re a witch living on a remote arctic island, and the entire island runs on magic, lacking magical skills is not just an inconvenience, it can be a matter of life and death–or, at least, a darn good reason to run away from home. 

Katrina’s spells don’t just fizzle; they backfire with spectacular results, oftentimes involving green goo. A failure as a witch, Kat decides to run away and find her dead father’s non-magical family. But before she can, she stumbles onto why her magic is out of whack: a curse from a Siberian shaman.

The young witch, accompanied by her half-vampire brother, must travel to the Hall of the Mountain King and the farthest reaches of Siberia to regain her magic, dodging attacks by the shaman along the way.

Sunday, May 01, 2016

May Days


My desk calendar lists lots of "special days" each month. In looking at May to find the all-important Mother's Day, I noticed some other special days in May.

May 1st - Mental Health Month
May 8th - Mother's Day (of course)
May 21st - Armed Forces Day (Go Troops!)
May 25th - National Senior Health and Fitness Day (this is a registered trademark)
May 30th - Memorial Day

They didn't mention May Day (workers solidarity), Cinco de Mayo, Kentucky Derby Day, Victoria (go Canada!), National Brother Day (hi bro!), National Burger Day, and a bunch of other days I think somebody just decided to make a Day of it.

In addition, my calendar provides the following advice in the margins:

Increase bone health with weight-bearing exercises like walk.

Osteoporosis things and weakens bones, especially in older women. For more information about prevention and treatment of osteoporosis, visit www.nof.org.

It's nice of my health insurance company to dedicate most of this month to people just like me. Happy May to Moms, Crazy People, Seniors, and People with Osteoporosis.

I was never in the military, but my father, brother, and husband were, so my best to both active duty and veteran military.