Beirut: An Explosive Thriller

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Beirut: An Explosive Thriller

Alexander McNabb

Publisher:  Alexander McNabb (Creative Space), 2012

ISBN-10: 1477586598
ISBN-13: 978-1477586594

Available at Amazon

Gerald Lynch isn't exactly what you'd expect if your concept of British Intelligence Services bears any resemblance to James Bond. Under a fairly rude and gruff exterior, beats the heart of a true adrenaline junkie, with extremely sharp instincts, more comfortable in a life and death situation than sitting in a meeting with "suits." Rarely does he care a lot what others think of him; he gets the job done and comes back, something many operatives don't get the chance to do. The problem with Lynch, however, is that he's not exactly the subtle type. He drinks, womanizes (that part's a bit of the old Bond), and has no interest in explaining his actions and expects to be able do do whatever is necessary, without micromanagement.

So when he's investigating what looks like a straightforward case of money laundering, and a member of his team is found dead, with a beautifully calligraphed note with the dead man's name on it, Lynch knows there has to be more to it. The note-making is the pattern of a now-dead strongman, ruthless and arrogant, who provided such notes for his "hits," Lynch is pretty sure he knows where to look, but Lynch's top candidate for the crime is politically connected; there are many, many suits between him and the answers, and some of the folks who won't stand up to the politics are inside Lynch's own organization.

Football, A Memoir

Football: A Memoir

by Bernard Mendillo

published by Bernard Mendillo, 2011

ebook ISBN: 978-1-61397-681-4 

Available at Amazon

Most of us have something we look forward to when the work week is done. Some hobby that captures our attention, takes us out of the everyday grind and provides entertainment and activity and just plain fun. For Bernie Mendillo, that was football.

Some sports fans are watchers. They appreciate the game from afar, rooting for their teams, of course, but still somewhat removed from the hard hits, the cold weather and the field dynamics. While Bernie and family were big fans, right there in front of the TV for the big games of their football heroes, they weren't just couch potatoes. The need to play was visceral.

They were so into football that they created their own league,

Odd Places -- Indeed

Odd Places
A Collection of Short Stories
Guy Anthony De Marco
Yurei Press, LLC       June 2012

ISBN 978-62225-040-0

Available at Amazon

In this series of tales from the dark side, Guy Anthony De Marco presents vignettes of various lives: cowhands, magicians, farmers, streetwalkers, soldiers, detectives, robots, murderers, and even Santa puts in an appearance, but these folks are definitely not what you might expect.

DeMarco's sometimes more than slightly-skewed universe makes for interesting, if twisted, stories that tweak the imagination and take the reader in unexpected directions, to and from some very dark places. If you were a fan of The Twilight Zone, or Tales From the Dark Side TV shows, you'll probably be right at home.

It can be difficult to write short fiction.  Images and feelings need to be communicated as effectively as possible, so word choices matter.  By and large, De Marco does a good job with this, so the situations feel real, but if you're not into creepy, don't read it at home alone on a dark and stormy night.

Shattered Illusions Author Leigh Hershkovich Shares Top 10

Isn't it nice new discover new authors?  Sometimes it is someone who had simply been hidden from YOUR view and sometimes it is someone who is brand new. No matter which it is, finding a new author is like opening a Christmas package - joy in of itself.  Today my newly discovered author is Leigh Hershkovich and she has graciously agreed to share her "top ten books" with us.  I am looking forward to exploring these books.  If you have read any of these books, let us know what you think of them. As for me, I am off to the book store *sigh* again. It never ends and I wouldn't want it to.

Welcome, Leigh! Tell us a bit about you and the books you like.

I have always been a major book worm. I was always the girl whose face was hidden behind a massive book. The obsession grew with age, and my desire for great books often went unmatched. As an author, I think reading new, fresh material is key to keeping my skills sharp. I have read so many books that have changed my life. Here are my top ten favorites:

       The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand

My fascination with Ayn Rand began when I was fourteen. As a fan of strong, powerful women, especially in the literary sense, I was drawn to Rand like a magnet. That is not to say that I agreed with her philosophy, she’s well known for being a political nut. Everything that she stood for was so foreign and unheard of in my tiny, sheltered childhood, and so I found myself drawn to her. The Fountainhead was the first of her novels that I read, and it changed the way that I viewed the world. A brilliant play on power struggles and objectivism, it paved the way for the harsh world I would find outside of the confines of my high school environment. It taught me to view life with just a tiny bit of cynicism, but oh, what beautiful cynicism it is indeed!

       The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

This was the novel that began my literary career. I felt the beauty of this book pour through my veins and completely transform me. Everything about this novel, from the unique writing style to the terrifyingly brilliant characters captured my mind and made me the writer that I am today. I attribute the push to write novels to Zafon. Without this novel, I would have never discovered myself. I’m not doing the book justice, but I hardly think anyone can. Read it and you too will understand such a small book can make such a huge impact on a life.

       2666 by Roberto Bolano

I discovered this book when I was in my senior year of High school. It was fabulously displayed in the corner of Barnes and Noble, so although it was visible, any ordinary person would walk by without recognizing its greatness. I recognized it’s greatness, and was immediately struck by the brilliance of it. Bolano’s way with words captivated me; similarly to the way that Zafon’s writing style gave life to my writing career. A monster of a book, 2666 was meant to be released as a series, but upon Bolano’s discovery that he was dying, he instead chose to release the book as one novel- almost 1300 pages of sheer brilliance. It was grotesque, scary, bitter, heartbreaking and absolutely magnificent.

       Les Miserables by Victor Hugo

From Victor Hugo, I learned about love. Not just silly puppy love that most novelists come across in their search for truth, but the real, hard core, earth shattering love. Les Miserables is so much more than a story about war, which is a common misconception, one that I had when I first picked it up. The backdrop of the novel takes place during the French revolution, but it is far from a story about war. It is a story about love, and the unbreakable bonds of the human spirit in search of such love. Les Mis taught me hope in humanity.

           War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy

The brilliance of the timing during when I read War and Peace was that it came to my life immediately after I read Les Mis. It was almost as though I was sitting in a court room, watching the two sides go at each other’s throats. First, I was given the French account by Hugo, and then the Russian account by Tolstoy. I could not ask for a better gift than to be graced with two such brilliant novels, one right after the other. Through War and Peace, my hope for humanity was strengthened. I cried with the characters, I laughed with them; I scoffed at their decisions and shook my head in disbelief as they continued to make the same mistakes in search of love and happiness, over and over again. This shows the truth brilliances of Tolstoy’s work: Any one of those characters, in today’s day and age, could very well fit into my world. They were believable characters because I knew people very much like them. That was what made War and Peace such an easy ready for me.

       The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

It is difficult for me to explain how much I love this book. I’ve reread it at least eight times, and every time, I discover something new. I am not a fan of holocaust fiction, but this novel won me over again and again. Zusak conveyed such powerful messages, and did so in the most creative, artistic way, that it became difficult for me not to fall madly in love with every single character, no matter how horrible they were. I find that my style is very similar to Zusak’s, which is why it was so easy for me to enjoy the Book Thief- I understood everything about his process.

       The House of Leaves by Mark Danielewski

The first time I read House of Leaves, it took me fourteen hours. The second time, it took me seven. I swallowed it so quickly that for days after, it was impossible for me to connect to the outside world because I still digesting the brilliance. I was horrified and completely blown away. This novel is a literal monster, and it managed to make it’s way into my life in ways that I’m sure are yet to be discovered. What added to the sense of exhilaration and chaos that this book brought into my life was meeting the man behind the madness. I had the privilege to hear Danielewski speak when his book tour passed through New York. Everything I thought I understood about House of Leaves was tested, and it gave a new meaning and appreciation for this fantastical creature.

       The Perks of Being A Wallflower

Disclaimer: I read Perks about six and a half years before it became a movie. I read it before it had a cult following. I was sixteen when I read it, close enough to the age of the characters in the novel. Perks was what my life would have most likely been like if I attended a co-ed high school. I was the misfit in high school, though there were a lot less drugs, sex and rock and roll at my high school to make Perks come to life. It spoke to me, as I see it has spoken to the hundreds of thousands of fans it has accumulated throughout the years.

       A Confederacy of Dunces

I have no words with which to describe just how much I love this book. It was assigned to me as an extra credit assignment (yes, I was one of those students in high school) by my AP Literature teacher. John Kennedy Toole was a genius. There’s no other way around it. The man was a pure genius. The characters of Dunces continue to make themselves at home in my mind to this very day. I too see myself, like Ignatius Riley, a wise (wo)man in a world of dunces.

       The History of Love by Nicole Krauss

The History of Love stole my heart and gave me hope in this era of literature. It is as simple as that.

Like my taste in books? Be sure to check out my website and Facebook page for fresh updates on what I’m reading. Shattered Illusions will be available May 23^rd. 

Leigh Hershkovich’s writing career began almost at infancy. Born and raised in The City by the Bay, Leigh was never seen without a pen and paper by her side, and was never without a story to share. With her vivid imagination and sharp writing tactics, she has taken the world by storm twice over. Now, with her debut novel Shattered Illusions, readers will get a first time glimpse into her first full fiction attempt.

An avid reader, accomplished pianist, passionate scholar of the language and the arts, Leigh currently resides in New York with her imagination.

You can learn more about Leigh and the world of Shattered Illusions by visiting her website (http://www.leighhershkovich.com), her blog (http://www.leighhershkovich.blogspot.com) or by following her on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/LeighHershkovich). Shattered Illusions can also be found on Goodreads (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16104490-shattered-illusions).

Scat (Scat Universe) - Where nobody has gone before

Scat (Book 1: Scat Universe series)

Jim Graham

October 2012

Available at Smashwords in multiple formats 

Trained in the Marines special forces, and really, really good at his job, Sebastian Scatkiewicz is not given to deep thinking about either the missions he is sent on or the politics behind them, and that's gotten him into trouble when he's chosen to take matters into his own hands to get the job done.  

He's already once been disciplined and demoted to babysitting geologists.  In Scat's world, the Marines are sent to help find resources, to get in and get out after discovering deposits that countries aren't aware they have, and while a job is a job, the moral bankruptcy underpinning Earth's billions fighting over resources at any cost has insulted his sense of fair play, and when he takes matters into his own hands, another line of work is strongly recommended.

Dying Under the Palaver Tree

Often times we do things for others - go to a movie, see a television show, read a book - that we don't expect to enjoy because it isn't really our cup of tea. When we find out that we not only liked but loved it, that movie, show, or book becomes a little gem; a gem that brightens our friendship and our lives.  The book, movie, or show doesn't have to be 5 star. The very fact that it surprised and delighted us is enough. Sometimes we are so delighted that we want to share with others, so they, too, can be happily surprised. Wendy Unsworth's novel "The Palaver Tree" is just that sort of gem - a book so good, I have already shared it with personal friends and am sharing it with you, too!

Suspense and more!

The Pavaler Tree
By Wendy Unsworth

• Paperback: 366 pages
• ISBN-10: 1477655549
• ISBN-13: 978-147765554

From Amazon:

Lives and fortunes change in the blink of an eye.

Now that she is alone, volunteering at a school in the Central African Republic of Ducana seems like everything schoolteacher Ellie Hathaway needs. Here is the opportunity to get away from the sleepy Cornish village where recent tragedy still haunts her and to help the children's charity her friend has worked so tirelessly to promote.

But dark forces and ambitions are in play long before Ellie's arrival in the dusty town of Limba. Even as she begins to believe she can at last find true happiness, she realises that something at the school is very wrong. 

Is this really the place of loving and giving she had first thought it to be, and is headmaster, Gabriel Cole, really their guardian angel?

With so many questions left unanswered Ellie struggles to decide what she must do, but then political chaos descends and suddenly Ellie finds herself more alone than she had ever imagined she could be....

About the book:
Ellie's life in her quiet Cornish village is turned upside down by an unexpected tragedy but her best friend, Diane, is always supportive, encouraging her. When tragedy strikes a second time, Ellie needs more.  Diane has been throwing fundraising parties for Gabriel Cole, headmaster of a school in Africa serving poor children. Her chance comes when Gabriel makes her an offer to be a teacher at his school. While Diane has reservations about Ellie traveling all the way to Africa and some reservations about Gabriel, shame keeps her from speaking her mind.
Slowly this tale of abuse opens as we find out just what kind of man Gabriel is. Ellie finds herself in a country about to explode in violence with no way out.

My take:
   The book starts out with a riveting Prologue which is a must read.  Then the story turns to the Cornish village where we meet Ellie and Diane. It is almost like the story is a separate tale but rest assured, it takes a turn quickly enough and by the end of the first 1/10 of the book, the reader is on the edge of their seat waiting for evil to spring forth. I love how Unsworth keeps the tension high even through the most benign of scenes.
    The story, told through the eyes of four women, does a magnificent job of giving just enough information to keep the reader in terrified suspense. Like an old movie where the young girl searches a dark house, this story keeps you jumping as it slowly turns every corner and each woman adds to the mystery and underlying terror.
    The ending, though not what one might wish for, is indeed perfect in its resurrection of balance and order.
   Unsworth is excellent at creating scenes and her characters are both interesting and engaging. The silences on each woman's part, necessary to give life to the story, are fully believable and may have a reader thinking, "But for the Grace..."
     The writing is clear and crisp, however does lack some editing through the last third of the book.  But don't let that scare you away from this intense read because if you do, you will miss a great little book covering a type of abuse we rarely have the opportunity to explore.

My recommendation:
   An excellent read for anyone who likes suspense though scenes may be too intense for some teenage readers. Has some casual sexuality and intense violence.