tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78226737636075046742024-03-12T17:04:52.043-07:00Nash Black's ViewsBook ReviewsAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182028108594825938noreply@blogger.comBlogger62125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822673763607504674.post-88654513352916334172016-02-08T13:36:00.000-08:002016-02-08T13:36:48.669-08:00Old Worlds<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg23wI-DyHYMxz3aS_LLfe7nIBTV45nGpdwwjhdiUc5r-LzxP_FzCKE169P3HWd9N1nFYkcHv4FHNG555Gcxj9_iARbjspjhGOf0w5SXHcc1yrULT50tca3ALHu2GkKhw8jJEBm1_tVQ8A/s1600/Tolkin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg23wI-DyHYMxz3aS_LLfe7nIBTV45nGpdwwjhdiUc5r-LzxP_FzCKE169P3HWd9N1nFYkcHv4FHNG555Gcxj9_iARbjspjhGOf0w5SXHcc1yrULT50tca3ALHu2GkKhw8jJEBm1_tVQ8A/s1600/Tolkin.jpg" /></a>J. K. K. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings series and its companion volume, <em>The Hobbit</em> has delighted readers for over seventy years. There have been many imitators, but nothing equals the originals. These are stories to be treasured among the greats.<br />
I discovered them late in life, as when I was working with young adults they were into Edgar Rice Burroughs' Galaxies stories and I had little time for personal reading.<br />
There is little reason to summarize each title as the stories are imprinted in the minds of readers and movie fans. The movies are masterpieces of film photography and adhere closely to the original story line.<br />
The books are enchanting for readers of any age and maybe should be read about once every decade to indulge in the skill enchantment of words.<br />
If you've never read them you are in for a treat of verbal images, power of language, and creative story wise. If you have read them savory them again to discover the fine art of story telling.<br />
Nash Black, author of <em>Cards of Death</em>. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182028108594825938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822673763607504674.post-64365590781368888682016-01-03T07:55:00.002-08:002016-01-03T07:55:45.668-08:00FOUR LETTER WORDS<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiky6Cu4ILypI69nbHkwmCmUoj_Pnb2mOWpizKKGO9YRjIvo5R-SJc21lNb8tPnhiEYI40eTiEp-znJ5ZprS7CKjFREVY9vdDbpOZstiOvBBDZ6m_lpYqc94rRleVbtlKw5SrBZdqhnJag/s1600/megaphone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="124" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiky6Cu4ILypI69nbHkwmCmUoj_Pnb2mOWpizKKGO9YRjIvo5R-SJc21lNb8tPnhiEYI40eTiEp-znJ5ZprS7CKjFREVY9vdDbpOZstiOvBBDZ6m_lpYqc94rRleVbtlKw5SrBZdqhnJag/s200/megaphone.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">2015 brought changes that have either been long desired or frequently dreaded, a major change has been in how we view four letter words. No one gasps in shock when they hear a vulgar expletive. The words sound as if they are coming though the cracks of the restroom door when grade school kids try prove to each other how tough they are. It is so common no one pays the least attention.<br /> <em>Transmutation</em> is a four syllable word that means "to change from one form to another." The four letter words I'm going to discuss are not crude expletives, but common ones we hear everyday and seldom pause long enough to study their meaning.<br /> During 2015 the citizens of the United States grasp a litany of <strong>hope</strong> for a change in their circumstances. Reality cast a heavy hand as <strong>work</strong> became the goal for millions who had lost their jobs in industries that may never rise again. It was sometime in the late 1970s when the greatest manufacturing nation in the industrialized world changed from a producer of goods to a conveyor of services. This in-of-itself is the breaking point of a consumer economy because production of goods builds a strong foundation thereby creating wealth. The consumption of services has no intrinsic value.<br /> We ended 2015 in a state of confusion as to how to attempt to recover from the staggering <strong>debt</strong> fostered by our government in a frantic attempt to perpetrate a <strong>myth</strong> of prosperity.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> The population who learned to acquire what they <strong>want</strong> on borrowed money is now faced with living with the prospect of witnessing their government in default into bankruptcy.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> 2016 is a new year when we Americans must look within ourselves not with <strong>fear</strong> of the future in our eyes, but to <strong>care</strong> in our hearts for our county. so the gift our ancestors gave the world will not be transmuted into <strong>take</strong> from out neighbors.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Benjamin Franklin is credited with saying it this way, <em>"We given you a gift, but it is up to you to keep it</em>."<br /> My wish to you for 2016 is to learn and know the meaning of many four letter words.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> I dedicate this essay to the late Robert Ritche who once told me, "Blackie, I know you speak formal, standard, colloquial, and street English, but would you please not use them in the same sentence." I don't think I have, but then I've mellowed with the years though I still use four letter words. A friend describes it as my "potty" mouth.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182028108594825938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822673763607504674.post-14940534317616711222015-10-29T11:55:00.000-07:002015-10-29T11:59:06.262-07:00"Marketing Explained"<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizsVOsaGvi1xRIOEbV5lNeiuR6xIh9R05Cpr93FdycpMg-phXyFTAZk6B02ncpFfXZZTw6EpWriC4BC1bj0vDQk6aKBnTu73ImwWw47EYdH5Iisd8hTapWi5KajXui0bsFSSyO9GnTWV8/s1600/TallTelephone2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizsVOsaGvi1xRIOEbV5lNeiuR6xIh9R05Cpr93FdycpMg-phXyFTAZk6B02ncpFfXZZTw6EpWriC4BC1bj0vDQk6aKBnTu73ImwWw47EYdH5Iisd8hTapWi5KajXui0bsFSSyO9GnTWV8/s320/TallTelephone2.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Telemarketing IN Our Day. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We did not write this. It came to us in an email. We have no idea who wrote it or when, but it cracked us up when we read it and wanted to share. It would make a marvelous teaching tool if you didn't get drummed out of the classroom for being sexist. It is not for enlightenment, but for pure fun.<br />
We quote:<br />
"One buzz word in today's business world is MARKETING.<br />
"However, people often ask for a simple explanation of "Marketing." Well, here it is: You're a woman and you see a handsome guy at a party. You go up to him and say, 'I'm fantastic in bed.' That's DIRECT MARKETING.<br />
"You're at a party with a bunch of friends and see a handsome guy, One of your friends goes up to him and, pointing at you, says, 'She's fantastic in bed.' That's ADVERTISING.<br />
"You see a handsome guy at a party, you go up to him and get his telephone number. The next day you call and say, 'Hi, I'm fantastic in bed.' That's TELEMARKETING.<br />
"You see a guy at a party; you straighten your dress. You walk up to him and pour him a drink. You say, 'May I.?' and reach up to straighten his tie, brushing your breast lightly against his arm, and then say, 'By the way, I'm fantastic in bed.' That's PUBLIC RELATIONS.<br />
"You're at a party and see a handsome guy. He walks up to you and says, "I hear you're fantastic in bed.' That's BRAND RECOGNITION.<br />
"You're at a party and see a handsome guy. He fancies you, but you talk him into going home with your friend. That's SALES REP.<br />
"Your friend can't satisfy him so he calls you. That's TECH SUPPORT.<br />
"You're on your way to a party when you realize that there could be handsome men in all these houses you're passing, so you climb onto the roof of one situated towards the center and shout at the top of your lungs, 'I'm fantastic in bed!' That's FACEBOOK."<br />
Thank you, whoever you are. You made a black day bearable. <br />
<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182028108594825938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822673763607504674.post-73716753330381677582015-03-24T05:18:00.001-07:002015-03-24T05:18:46.728-07:00Personal Effects Chronicles: A mid Week Funny<a href="http://personaleffectschronicles.blogspot.com/2015/03/a-mid-week-funny.html?spref=bl">Personal Effects Chronicles: A mid Week Funny</a>: Just The Way It Is: A goofy acting guy comes in the store. He points to a book I have on laying on a blanket box. Man: Boy, that&...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182028108594825938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822673763607504674.post-70663743049640612952015-03-12T09:21:00.000-07:002016-02-08T13:50:19.484-08:00Vengeance in My Heart<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdd8hyR_BgA7AGQGSqmjZgW-fwFwcoRfjBGd74QASnM8PIFJbqKQQZqxiVdFmVnZstVxbQSS1NCWJeBY6tjyDjWJBN9yNhITfJ6cR1ROmCd2cAoWyyYDXG69E_VqUl0lfqeg6I_RHXI-8/s1600/L.C.+Hayden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdd8hyR_BgA7AGQGSqmjZgW-fwFwcoRfjBGd74QASnM8PIFJbqKQQZqxiVdFmVnZstVxbQSS1NCWJeBY6tjyDjWJBN9yNhITfJ6cR1ROmCd2cAoWyyYDXG69E_VqUl0lfqeg6I_RHXI-8/s1600/L.C.+Hayden.jpg" /></a>L.C. Hayden's second installment in the Aimee Brent series is <em>Vengeance in My Heart</em>. Aimee paves a dangerous road for herself when she leaves Rich Cole and South Lake Tahoe to trace the man who murdered her mother.<br />
The man she seeks is her biological father who today is rich and powerful with many employees who execute his commands with little regard to the consequences. He will stop at nothing to wipe his past clean when he is ready to move on the a new life under a different name. Aimee is at the top of Lee's list of expendables from his past.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrDmXdgJETxFkwu-Woj1ShQh7Zmp4_CFyoSJE8WIUQ6EwJ2k_nU6DeW58dq6KYPHk33jal9DOFgmNptRK2Z2YeIaSl0EXQ9lypqsjOFZlGvQ6ff6MlibfgvNj8LYu8a2h-RpjdnurZ6Qg/s1600/VengeanceW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrDmXdgJETxFkwu-Woj1ShQh7Zmp4_CFyoSJE8WIUQ6EwJ2k_nU6DeW58dq6KYPHk33jal9DOFgmNptRK2Z2YeIaSl0EXQ9lypqsjOFZlGvQ6ff6MlibfgvNj8LYu8a2h-RpjdnurZ6Qg/s1600/VengeanceW.jpg" width="128" /></a>Their purposes collide when Aimee's reporter skills bring her to Los Angeles to Disney World following the lead of a twenty-year old photograph of her father standing in the background of a picture that was taken at the famous theme park. The photo was taken months after he had supposedly drowned in a boating accident.<br />
A master technician of voice, pace, place, and plot Hayden weaves a mystery of adventure and suspense.<br />
<em>Vengeance in My Heart</em> should come with a warning label: <strong>Do Not Read in Bed</strong>. This title does not permit sleeping until after the reader reaches the final page. The bags under my eyes from lack of sleep are so puffy my glasses are resting on them.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://amzn.com//1505509157" target="_blank">http://amzn.com//1505509157</a><br />
<br />
Nash Black, author, <em>Games of Death</em>.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182028108594825938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822673763607504674.post-80077868564587830552014-09-19T05:08:00.001-07:002014-09-19T05:08:39.715-07:00Personal Effects Chronicles: Book Review:Kentucky's Cookbook Heritage by John ...<a href="http://personaleffectschronicles.blogspot.com/2014/09/book-review-kentuckys-cookbook-heritage.html?spref=bl">Personal Effects Chronicles: Book Review:<br />
Kentucky's Cookbook Heritage by John ...</a>: Book Review: Kentucky's Cookbook Heritage by John Van Willigen OK, I'm really excited about this. Just checked this out o...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182028108594825938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822673763607504674.post-15113736792431981052013-10-08T10:02:00.003-07:002013-10-10T19:25:37.741-07:00Under the Apple Boughs and Batch Magna<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvUy-4fzRP2TiwQdYapY-4GZk9jf90C658ZqHhDPhD6ktmyEEhjYrxK7QIfgU0oq4QQPe7mpUy61C2uXgrYGDIggVhQlcxlSTHcZgp44uocg1eK0Qiivpl9FHVa8cnqmbGrJhmASGGnzY/s1600/untitled.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvUy-4fzRP2TiwQdYapY-4GZk9jf90C658ZqHhDPhD6ktmyEEhjYrxK7QIfgU0oq4QQPe7mpUy61C2uXgrYGDIggVhQlcxlSTHcZgp44uocg1eK0Qiivpl9FHVa8cnqmbGrJhmASGGnzY/s200/untitled.png" width="155" /></a>Peter Maughan's Batch Magna series has the marvelous charm of a landscape painting, a moment caught in time, but Peter draws with words. Images that move in rhythm with the currents of the river that flows through the land.<br />
When the troubles of the world become too much to endure escape into a land that may not exist, but should for everyone to enjoy. You will enjoy your visit and hoard each vivid phrase.<br />
The <em><strong>Cuckoos of Batch Magna</strong></em> is where the reader is first introduced to the delightfully unique characters who dig a hole in your heart. They reside on the Cluny River in derelict paddle wheelers. Their view of life is that of an endless summer when the reality is held at bay for a few brief hours.<br />
<br />
"<em>River talking ... you could put the world to rights and change your life, or somebody else's, several times, all before breakfast."</em> <br />
<br />
Their lifestyle is extreme casual and frequented by 'jollies' on whichever old boat one happens to pass. Who would want to disturb the peace and tranquility of their home with 'change?'<br />
The river people must cast loose their moorings when Humphrey Strange (American) inherits a title he knew nothing about and <br />
heavily mortgaged land, with tenants who don't pay their rent in a world beyond his comprehension until he finds that yes, he does want to be the 9th baronet of Batch Hall.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-am2YBN3MfqKt_p7WUOtX1aHqrc51xp24Wg6_Kzifhsg6YtD4sOZProj183eRFUSe-nlHD_NcQyV839SEQAFejrZ-q8ox2uB83JzxgbYBxUfZLn9OFk1bZB_0GFvaNt8lEJTzFnra1Po/s1600/Sir+Humphrey.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-am2YBN3MfqKt_p7WUOtX1aHqrc51xp24Wg6_Kzifhsg6YtD4sOZProj183eRFUSe-nlHD_NcQyV839SEQAFejrZ-q8ox2uB83JzxgbYBxUfZLn9OFk1bZB_0GFvaNt8lEJTzFnra1Po/s200/Sir+Humphrey.png" width="133" /></a>Meet Sir Humphrey in the sequel <em><strong>Sir Humphrey of Batch Hall</strong></em>, has discovered love and taken up living in his ancestral home even though the walls are molding, the roof leaks, and the taxes must be paid. Now that he has found his baronial home place, he will fight to the death to protect it even against the evil which threatens to invade and seize his land by "a road to nowhere in particular, and in no particular hurry to get there."<br />
Miss Wyndham, the village spinster, comes into her own as she 'frantically flaps her hand' to shush a wren whose song might betray her presence as a sleuth in Cutterbach Woods.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmTiGDJb6UTXGhIsKHvsHmtKP1KEfNuJueYFHYduTOmYg0uFERD2VVFqC-lndBuYgcJgy37z3j4uk3MqSGiEPK7oH-e47piNtPz9WzIxgDiv7Fy_hLGDme_UYVnmd5AKf5bF7khOsI6bg/s1600/Apple.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmTiGDJb6UTXGhIsKHvsHmtKP1KEfNuJueYFHYduTOmYg0uFERD2VVFqC-lndBuYgcJgy37z3j4uk3MqSGiEPK7oH-e47piNtPz9WzIxgDiv7Fy_hLGDme_UYVnmd5AKf5bF7khOsI6bg/s1600/Apple.jpg" /></a>Polish the novels off with the outstanding baker's dozen essays that will take you though a year of village life. Detailing each season with their lyrical story telling of birthing, living and growing, harvesting and dying for humans and the land.<br />
The pieces in <em><strong>Under the Apple Boughs</strong></em> will draw you back again and again to read and savor as one does a cup of well-brewed tea, a steaming mug of coffee, or a goblet of vintage wine.<br />
<br />
As Peter observes, "Time. We are tied to it from birth and burdened with its future as well as its past."<br />
<br />
Peter Maughan's books are available in Kindle editions. Visit with him on Twitter @PeterMaughan and <a href="http://www.batchmagna.com/">http://www.batchmagna.com</a>. <br />
Nash Black, author of <em><strong>Cards of Death</strong></em>.<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182028108594825938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822673763607504674.post-73090921692190002972013-07-07T13:36:00.003-07:002013-07-09T20:17:17.920-07:00Wiggle Room<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1C_0d9WcJkIDRqqnuSNPNY1XKd0qVs6fzN-BeReQTxP_ZcMMxXFX-0KGWQNboKDeJOXAePX1DbuPjCkNkTHEIiDdLimnG1qWU6cMcdNKoN_w8HpUs30awRNeAblGr4XAoEy1pFFSwPxM/s1600/Wiggle+Room.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1C_0d9WcJkIDRqqnuSNPNY1XKd0qVs6fzN-BeReQTxP_ZcMMxXFX-0KGWQNboKDeJOXAePX1DbuPjCkNkTHEIiDdLimnG1qWU6cMcdNKoN_w8HpUs30awRNeAblGr4XAoEy1pFFSwPxM/s1600/Wiggle+Room.png" /></a>War is hell, especially when there is no escape and it follows you home. Darden North paints a vivid picture of the tragedies of war and conflicting values and religious beliefs in his page turning thriller, <em>Wiggle Room</em>.<br />
Major Brad Cummins is serving a tour in Iraq as a surgeon. On a horrible day two young men are brought into surgery. Brad follows all the procedures, but Marine Lance Corporal Chad Giles dies after his successful surgery for no reason.<br />
Brad must use his skill to save the life of an Iraqi civilian who was standing on the sidelines when the roadside bomb exploded.<br />
Zarife Amarah is not an innocent victim, but the bomber himself and he resents the American doctor's interference with his attempt to die a martyr to Allah. He follows Brad home seeking vengeance against the doctor for his disruption of a deadly goal. <br />
Amarah is not alone in aiming for retaliation. Dr. Brad Cummins becomes the target for revenge that will see both his twin brother and fiancée die, leaving him suspected of murder. <br />
The ending will surprise and shock you, though if you look deep Dr. North has laid little clues along his twisted plot line.<br />
You can visit Dr. Darden North at <a href="http://www.dardennorth.com/" target="_blank">http://www.dardennorth.com </a> and can purchase <a href="http://amzn.com/0989318621" target="_blank">Wiggle Room</a> from Amazon.<br />
Nash Black, author of <em>Prelude of Death</em>.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182028108594825938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822673763607504674.post-37555591529347190912013-05-11T13:36:00.002-07:002013-05-13T05:50:34.732-07:00According to Luke<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih0T3kllfOj0LP6ykKma-h9jmuVnBcMIUE1cmYQp5lwsFV-Yq9yx1rX6LjSQekjupWFdjAMp18O0gXQWspXNg5JPsIP90TcLzSiTRhL6DecA4GlQmi_cld1Y2rGVn7IAgmwxoWX4_EfPg/s1600/According+to+Luke+_Rosanne+Dingli-780211.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih0T3kllfOj0LP6ykKma-h9jmuVnBcMIUE1cmYQp5lwsFV-Yq9yx1rX6LjSQekjupWFdjAMp18O0gXQWspXNg5JPsIP90TcLzSiTRhL6DecA4GlQmi_cld1Y2rGVn7IAgmwxoWX4_EfPg/s1600/According+to+Luke+_Rosanne+Dingli-780211.jpg" /></a>Rosanne Dingli's According to Luke is an outstanding traditional mystery with an interesting premise. Ms. Dingli's quiet style enthralls the reader with possibilities as Jana Hayes searches for clues to authenticate an ancient icon.<br />
The narrative is seamless with each tiny thread leading to broader questions. Questions posed in fiction that have valid evidence in verifiable fact.<br />
Jana works for Johan Berg at Zona Scientifika in Venice is far from her home in Australia, but she is not lonely in her dingy apartment. She is within walking minutes away from the riveting intricate work she loves.<br />
She discovers through x-rays a seconded painting hidden behind a black madonna that was sent to the firm by the Catholic church to its establish providence. The bearer of the precious artifact is a young priest, Rob Anderson, who is a fellow Australian. There is an instant recognition between Jana and Rob, but as strangers passing, Jana's work is almost finished.<br />
She arrives at the lab to discover all of her notes and work files have vanished. Her friend and colleague, Anita Schneider, is dead. She was murdered during the break-in. <br />
Jana and Rob set off across Italy on a journey both personal and professional. They are aided in their quest by Bryn Awbrey, a Welsh bibliophile, who becomes involved in their search for the truth, no matter what it may cost them.<br />
The reader is drawn into the story and will remain there through the exciting climax to the end. Then you may find yourself doing some reading in the Bible.<br />
This title has been compared to a famous book of the symbolic seaching, but I see traces of the early traditional mystery writer, Mary Roberts Rinehart.<br />
Rosanne Dingli is at work on a related title to be published in the near future, which will again involve the wily Bryn Awbrey who lives with books and never forgets a page or reference. You can visit with her on Twitter @RosanneDingli or on her website at <a href="http://www.rosannedingli.com/">http://www.rosannedingli.com</a>.<br />
Nash Black, author of the Ono County of Death series.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182028108594825938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822673763607504674.post-69228855207637312412013-03-26T13:43:00.001-07:002013-03-26T13:50:35.644-07:00The Past Never Ends<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjflVfoSqJUG8XMOElkcgEpjIAHh8-1tQiNtPH5Fuhzd_hHFffSwK4LLOlZkPujm-pYSTW1qsuHWHtgcSPloUtQIkb6LsfmASN2MRnEJFCBGUkNpgXrtyv4GcA8sPGk6AejOERVJ7Hf_H0/s1600/past+never+ends.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjflVfoSqJUG8XMOElkcgEpjIAHh8-1tQiNtPH5Fuhzd_hHFffSwK4LLOlZkPujm-pYSTW1qsuHWHtgcSPloUtQIkb6LsfmASN2MRnEJFCBGUkNpgXrtyv4GcA8sPGk6AejOERVJ7Hf_H0/s320/past+never+ends.jpg" width="206" /></a>Jackson Burnett's <em>The Past Never Ends</em> is a treat for fans of traditional mysteries. The reader learns all the facts at the same time Chester Morgan uncovers them. The clues along with the red herrings are there, but Burnett's twists gives an experienced reader a challenge.<br />
Tanya Everly, stripper/prostitute, had few friends, but those who loved her want answers as to why she died.<br />
Alan Kinman has little money, but he is willing to hire Chester Morgan to gain access to records of her death, which are marked "accidental death-closed."<br />
Chester spends valuable-billable time on the case to the despair of his helpmates, but each way he turns his way is blocked. In frustration he turns to the law and the courts.<br />
This is were Mr. Burnett lifts a complex legal mystery above the ordinary. He executes a skill in turning 'the law' into a character in its own right. This technique is so exceptional it makes for fascinating reading.<br />
Enjoy <em>The Past Never Ends</em>. It is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kindle.<br />
Nash Black, author of <em>Sandprints of Death</em>.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182028108594825938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822673763607504674.post-31729294927723395942012-11-24T10:23:00.000-08:002012-11-24T10:23:25.967-08:00Cover of Snow<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWESsGPbPm8uHB4vzp_KzQTrOtcRjYcgPNnwmNwOsfgM946hfKmALczZ-sj7iQzjWQVyfcNH7Slc0BotTNwi6q-9gVyB8FYv_uCwIz7sYtEyzAppRxf6cNX06vwS9nU8POZJp7eBmSQSI/s1600/cover+of+snow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWESsGPbPm8uHB4vzp_KzQTrOtcRjYcgPNnwmNwOsfgM946hfKmALczZ-sj7iQzjWQVyfcNH7Slc0BotTNwi6q-9gVyB8FYv_uCwIz7sYtEyzAppRxf6cNX06vwS9nU8POZJp7eBmSQSI/s1600/cover+of+snow.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thriller, chiller, suspense, or literary mystery, it doesn't matter what genre it's finally labeled. Jenny Milchman's <em>Cover of Snow</em> will be one of the most talked about must reads of 2013. It is a unique debut novel that covers all the emotional bases with the sharp finesse of a seasoned craftsman.<br />Nora Hamilton endures her worst nightmares when she discovers her policeman husband's body. He hung himself after spending a never-to-be-forgotten evening making love to her. They were close and shared their lives with a deep understand of strength of their love for each other. His chosen career was on track and her small business was growing. Brendan had no reason to commit suicide.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Goaded out of her grief laden stupor by her sister Nora demands answers of those she has come to accept through Brendan as family and friends. Her faith in her husband is fractured when she begins to ferret out long held secrets that have held residents of Wedeskyull, NY in a morass of hatred and fear.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When the reader is presumptuous enough to anticipate a relationship or a result Ms. Milchman will execute a 300 degree turn toward the unexpected. <em>Cover of Snow</em> is not a thriller that travels previously explored roads, it's as treacherous as the ice and snow buried back roads that are never plowed in upstate New York. They are the perfect physical and symbolic enhancements of the storyline.<br /> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><em>Cover of Snow </em>will be released January 15, 2013 by Ballantine Books wherever books are sold. You can visit with Jenny on her website <a href="http://www.jennymilchman.com/">http://www.jennymilchman.com</a> or contact her on Twitter @jennymilchman.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Nash Black, author of <em>Sandprints of Death</em>. </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182028108594825938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822673763607504674.post-67260042154622324252012-11-13T13:50:00.001-08:002012-11-15T03:31:14.031-08:00Time of Death<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXPK79_6k9JpWgSJ1SVmpEQP8He5rVQxZQLst3rANM45bO9Ixn4wuVWUZgm6cK6FlNK6mOt3hbGlS2ij4IbaHDleUjAjUOKicRnIUfAVdHYww2bOSbudaSTxT9uPRaJINFD2JkGdtbh78/s1600/TimeofDeath-lo+res.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXPK79_6k9JpWgSJ1SVmpEQP8He5rVQxZQLst3rANM45bO9Ixn4wuVWUZgm6cK6FlNK6mOt3hbGlS2ij4IbaHDleUjAjUOKicRnIUfAVdHYww2bOSbudaSTxT9uPRaJINFD2JkGdtbh78/s320/TimeofDeath-lo+res.jpg" width="213" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Ellis Vidler's <em>Time of Death</em> had me hooked from the beginning because of an experience I shared with Alex Jenrette, the protagonist.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Not withstanding having a tree fall on your home and the displacement of its aftermath this second title that uses the psychic abilities of the McGuire women is excellent.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">The terrorist tension Ms. Vidler creates with the murders, conflict of interest, budding romance and the well-crafted narrative makes a compelling read.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Alex, an artist, who has inherited psychic tendencies when violence is near her comes to the island home of her aunt, Isobel Devore. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Wanting to occupy her time recording the natural beauty of the protected landscape she takes her camera and sketchbook to the beach.<br />She climbs a tree to use an overhead perspective for her studies and becomes a hidden witness to a murder even she does not know has occurred, but her hands recognize violent death.<br />Alex's "gift" has brought her pain and trouble, but when a killer seeks to eliminate all witnesses her life and that of her beloved aunt are endangered. Her car is forced off the road and they are nearly killed. She garners her resources to fight back.<br />A failed marriage in her recent past protects her from the charm of a man she meets by chance. This is the one man she cannot have.<br />Connor Moran is a federal attorney who has been working for over a year to bring a man to justice. He will not jeopardize his case to listen to a woman, no matter how personally fascinating, who sees things.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><em>Time of Death</em> is a read that will keep you up at night turning the pages. It did me.<br />You can visit with Ellis Vidler at <a href="http://ellisvidler.com/">http://ellisvidler.com</a> or @EllisVidler on Twitter . Her good reads are available from Amazon.<br />Nash Black, author of <em>Sandprints of Death</em>.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182028108594825938noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822673763607504674.post-15562900983659595972012-09-18T13:12:00.000-07:002012-09-19T05:18:39.225-07:00Novel Ideas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitdeD2KdjEj_4PX6_j6i5GpQ82qIOAekHiptJqCIsf26hWewFuP5-viduvoaJLd473OsiNmUrTsZNHBw6Z1YD7_lg3_3XIEose4pOYSsELKHh3gIwQ2ubpAxLUGshN94w3Qch4HzGQyrE/s1600/novel+ideas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitdeD2KdjEj_4PX6_j6i5GpQ82qIOAekHiptJqCIsf26hWewFuP5-viduvoaJLd473OsiNmUrTsZNHBw6Z1YD7_lg3_3XIEose4pOYSsELKHh3gIwQ2ubpAxLUGshN94w3Qch4HzGQyrE/s320/novel+ideas.jpg" width="247" /></a></div>
J. C. Allen's <em>Novel Ideas</em> is the most profound futuristic novel I have read in a long time.<br />
It begins as an adventure when Penny Reed refuses to become a ward of the state after her father's death. She steals her father's sailboat and travels across the Pacific to find a grandfather she has never known.<br />
Forrest Reed, a well known author, has withdrawn from the world and has refused to write books for publication for a public who considers reading passe. He doesn't know he has a granddaughter and does not believe the fiery twelve-year-old who breaches the defences of his secluded island and bruised heart.<br />
Set in the year 2044 of absolute socialism when all personal assets belong to the state, their personal conflict and resolution are the bone structure of a complex novel with intricate themes.<br />
When finishing it I remembered a joking statement I made to our state representative when my home state passed an educational reform act still in place today. I asked him if education officials were going to stand outside of the hospital delivery room door to assume control of a child before it was placed in its crib.<br />
An old friend, he understood my penchant for sarcasm. Today he is deceased, just before he died he attended a book signing and say, "You were right." I'm left watching an educational establishment holding citizens hostage.<br />
<em>Novel Ideas</em> is the perfect gift for readers of any age who relish an intriguing read, It is available on Amazon Kindle for $2.99.<br />
Nash Black, author of SANDPRINTS OF DEATHAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182028108594825938noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822673763607504674.post-13595713604656599502012-05-31T14:58:00.000-07:002012-05-31T15:03:21.679-07:00When the Past Haunts You<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguLegnbmVz8Xgn0l_oEnB67C5Pw6IO8Jyxip2xOiAEm5A5116t-RuK0-x6mH19p8j3sJxp8HUtQSywXnJy_Leed_zo34aTLXYKpM_i4LxmvHiFgoa2bx4rq1pmms76LpM4sClZxnSFM2o/s1600/PASTHAUNTS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguLegnbmVz8Xgn0l_oEnB67C5Pw6IO8Jyxip2xOiAEm5A5116t-RuK0-x6mH19p8j3sJxp8HUtQSywXnJy_Leed_zo34aTLXYKpM_i4LxmvHiFgoa2bx4rq1pmms76LpM4sClZxnSFM2o/s320/PASTHAUNTS.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">L. C. Hayden's <em>When the Past Haunts You</em> will keep you up at night as Harry Bronson confronts his past relationship with a sister he blames for their parent's early deaths.</span><span style="font-size: large;">Carol Bronson, Harry's wife, makes him answer a phone call from his estranged sister, Lorraine. She has frantically been calling him for a week with a plea for help before she is murdered.</span><span style="font-size: large;">Harry flies to PA to confront her. She has asked that they meet on a covered bridge in a state park that was part of their childhood. An assassin kills her as she rushes to Harry's arms. He holds her as she dies and her last words to him are, "<em>Don't leave me</em>."<br />Harry is assisted by his friend from the Dallas Police Force, Mike Hoover, as he hunts for a killer while learning about a sister he never knew who was loved by many people.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">L.C. Hayden is an award winning author who delivers a great detective novel with enough twists and turns to draw a county road map. You can visit her at <a href="http://www.lchayden.com/">http://www.lchayden.com</a>. Her books are available in bookstores and on Amazon.<br />Nash Black, author of <em>Sandprints of Death</em>.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182028108594825938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822673763607504674.post-35089622160150010052012-05-14T12:12:00.000-07:002012-05-14T12:15:08.439-07:00Slow Curve on the Coquihalla<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmqAl2k-nBVggaMaxnI1Tj_giEFaQyZFjRjHZHtSni8t35-1tVVJfybdt_EXwy-KHeLjWGDp2GTIi31jL6jYqzUMNsZKwHGINBOwfssk8rvg26jLnfDL32CLIbYKBXZW4f70EKa7u-szE/s1600/Slow+Curve.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmqAl2k-nBVggaMaxnI1Tj_giEFaQyZFjRjHZHtSni8t35-1tVVJfybdt_EXwy-KHeLjWGDp2GTIi31jL6jYqzUMNsZKwHGINBOwfssk8rvg26jLnfDL32CLIbYKBXZW4f70EKa7u-szE/s1600/Slow+Curve.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">R.E. Donald, a Canadian author, introduces a unique character in Hunter Rayne in<em> Slow Curve on the Coquihalla</em>. Hunter is a twenty-year veterin of the Mounties who had worked his way up through the ranks to detective when he made a major change in his life's work to become a long haul truck driver.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Randy Danyluk, a trucker/owner, is discovered dead at the foot of a ravine. His daughter is struggling to keep her father's business afloat and her marriage from going sour when her husband's brakes fail on the same wicked stretch of road that claimed her father.<br />Although Hunter intended to leave the investigating behind and seek a new life the daughter begs him to find the answers behind the mysterious accidents.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">The series is set in British Columbia and western Washington as Hunter and crime crosses international boundaries with the spinning hum of eighteen wheels burning up the blacktop.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguXkskwLnDAk-NgnmY2eGWCinyQt5qDa1N8LTdIHLSGgvbxz8EVTCncFfYs4X9mIMIT52fl33TCG7JHVRdBek72jJw-g18GPe7p3BZ-HktgCURh6tdR5Wxg1BB6jl39R1Lx9HFCNt4mo4/s1600/ice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguXkskwLnDAk-NgnmY2eGWCinyQt5qDa1N8LTdIHLSGgvbxz8EVTCncFfYs4X9mIMIT52fl33TCG7JHVRdBek72jJw-g18GPe7p3BZ-HktgCURh6tdR5Wxg1BB6jl39R1Lx9HFCNt4mo4/s1600/ice.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><em>Ice on the Grapevine</em> is the second offering in this new series that has been nominated for several awards and received outstanding reviews.<br />The second story finds two hard-luck individuals who have found each other and are making a new life for themselves. That is until they arrive in the US with a frozen corpse in their trailer. Arrested and held in separate seclusion they both clam up as they are afraid they will incriminate the other. They refuse to give the police any information and put their freedom at risk to save each other.<br />Ellie, Hunter's dispatcher, asks him to finish deliving their load and discover who left a man to freeze to death while the couple was on the road.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">R.E. Donald is garning legions of fans with her new entry in traditional semi-amateur detective fiction with fast page turners, intricate ploting, and memorable characters. Her books are avilable as Kindle editions.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Nash Black, author of <em>Sandprints of Death</em>.</span><br />
<h2>
</h2>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182028108594825938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822673763607504674.post-51283376784181815482012-02-06T12:59:00.000-08:002012-02-06T13:42:24.276-08:00Cold Comfort<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCThhvPc1TBaORuAtb73L5To32sGv-lwJyspOQA4_BIwnxMOApH7MTKIkPG_hAR5vHA8XkDz1OR6WbutOTNJNWVjX66FeAX3dWkOFMsR6FhJcDml-smyd8Mka0g0DEjRIIcs2DW0ORcVY/s1600/Cold-Comfort-by-Ellis-Vidler.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 213px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706131681551294770" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCThhvPc1TBaORuAtb73L5To32sGv-lwJyspOQA4_BIwnxMOApH7MTKIkPG_hAR5vHA8XkDz1OR6WbutOTNJNWVjX66FeAX3dWkOFMsR6FhJcDml-smyd8Mka0g0DEjRIIcs2DW0ORcVY/s320/Cold-Comfort-by-Ellis-Vidler.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>Ellis Vidler's Cold Comfort crosses several genres to provide the reader with an exceptional romantic/suspense read.<br />Claire Spencer's comfortable life as the owner a small Christmas shop in Williamsburg, VA that was written up in Southern Living turns upside down with violence when she meets a mugger in her own driveway.<br />After a trip to the hospital for stitches in her head and treatment for a sprained arm, she returns home to discover her house and business have been burglarized.<br />Her sales assistant suggests that Claire seek help from Mary's brother, Ray when quotes from private detectives prove more expensive that Claire can afford. Ray suggests his friend, Ben Riley.<br />Riley doesn't want a female client, he wasn't fast enough to save a young woman in Bosnia and his former wife left scars over his soul. He agrees to meet Claire because he owes Ray a favor, but all of his self-preservation instincts tell him to run.<br />After he pulls Claire from the path of a speeding car in the alley behind her shop he understands this woman needs help. The problem is where to begin, someone with muscle wants Claire dead, but there isn't an obvious motive.<br />Each step they take rips the foundations of Claire's life apart, but the killer is always one step ahead of them. <em>Cold Comfort</em> is fast moving and packed with a host of characters who each have a story of their own to tell. The reader will not know what happens next until they turn the last page.<br />Ellis Vidler's <em>Cold Comfort</em> is available in paperback or Kindle edition on Amazon.com. You can visit with Ellis at <a href="http://ellisvidler.com/">http://ellisvidler.com/</a> or <a href="http://theunpredictablemuse.blogspot.com/">http://theunpredictablemuse.blogspot.com/</a>.<br />Nash Black, author of <em>Sandprints of Death</em> </div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182028108594825938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822673763607504674.post-56926991813874480262012-01-14T09:06:00.000-08:002012-01-14T10:23:04.572-08:00Don't Take My Lemonade Stand<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0tIiSmGrb8iEweGkt_ZSkKYNxgwSHMrac0F2aCaqkAa0_EjcvTr9MI7hbKKbSHpMCaNUYFG1mR00iGMezCCaYY6PqJ-yZkKupufkQIB5Xz0xLgBTnZAFdOybRkuk7FAI9thQ73xMt66Y/s1600/Janie_Johnson_Don_t_Take_My_Lemonade_Stand_An_American_Philosophy.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 213px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697540849738187250" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0tIiSmGrb8iEweGkt_ZSkKYNxgwSHMrac0F2aCaqkAa0_EjcvTr9MI7hbKKbSHpMCaNUYFG1mR00iGMezCCaYY6PqJ-yZkKupufkQIB5Xz0xLgBTnZAFdOybRkuk7FAI9thQ73xMt66Y/s320/Janie_Johnson_Don_t_Take_My_Lemonade_Stand_An_American_Philosophy.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>Janie Johnson's <em>Don't Take My Lemonade Stand: An American Philosophy</em> accomplishes with simple words and graphic illustrations a definitive exploration outside the sneering media clamor against American conservatism. She wrote with a difficult purpose: to explain a position in a language that is both lucid enough to appeal to adults and simple enough to be understood by students who have been denied an education in the fundamentals of government designed by the Constitution of the United States.<br />Yesterday, Standard & Poor down graded the credit rating of three European countries, an act that was long coming as the United States had achieved this reevaluation of credit in 2011.<br />Our own fiscal situation has not improved at this date. Rather than 'reinvent-the-wheel' I'm going to use Ms. Johnson's own words as to the fiscal behavior one should follow to achieve financial creditability from page 130.<br />"Did our elected politicians not understand the five basic rules of fiscal responsibility?<br />1. Don't spend more than you make.<br />2. Don't borrow more than you can repay.<br />3. Don't print so much new money that the currency is devalued.<br />4. Don't tax achievers so much that they lose the incentive to achieve.<br />5. Plan and save for a rainy day."<br />Today, one of the most vital issues before the American public is our national debit which grows exponentially every minute. Ms. Johnson defines three common sense areas that must be addressed before a solution to the problem can be achieved.<br />1. Limited Resources: ascertain how much can be siphoned off from tax payers before the entire system enfolds in upon itself.<br />2. Priorities: Congress must be spend time to set priorities of government.<br />3. Performance Measurement: Congress never outlined how to measure the effectiveness of their programs.<br />This review examined the question of fiscal responsibility in <em>Don't Take My Lemonade Stand</em>. You owe it to yourself and your children to read this title and consider its implications.<br />Janie Johnson's <em>Don't take My Lemonade Stand</em> can be found on Amazon and other book outlets.<br />Nash Black, author of <em>Sandprints of Death</em>. </div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182028108594825938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822673763607504674.post-82812123093897879832011-11-16T04:30:00.000-08:002011-11-16T05:22:56.324-08:00White Jade<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2hBubE9wj76NKdinibXqaPE8l_FSkI3t-_8pK8CU2DI_yRdRbQ1RbKERz-jsxGOBJ0_5mxaRH2GeF7MRyKCSav4vOkl3p0IDlE5xrH-GGaA3Bsi8pOy25RWaBBl53roVCoVZZyxmvT7E/s1600/front2.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5675580199833913426" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2hBubE9wj76NKdinibXqaPE8l_FSkI3t-_8pK8CU2DI_yRdRbQ1RbKERz-jsxGOBJ0_5mxaRH2GeF7MRyKCSav4vOkl3p0IDlE5xrH-GGaA3Bsi8pOy25RWaBBl53roVCoVZZyxmvT7E/s320/front2.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div>Alex Lukeman's <em>White Jade</em> is an espionage thriller that is as plausible as today's headline news. This novel earns the phrase, "you can't put it down" and you wonder about its implications long after the story is finished.<br />Ungovernable ambition and the quest for power are a combination that wreaks havoc across the annals of humankind as does the suppression of the masses to achieve those goals.<br />A millionaire's cruel death trigger events that range across the Pacific Ocean and deep into the mountains of Tibet.<br />Selena Conner is the niece of the murdered man. She is content with her life of study and teaching of ancient languages until she meets Nick Carter, an operative for the low profile Project. Project personnel answer only to the president of the United States. Selena knows the location of an ancient text her uncle was tortured to obtain. Together they set out to obtain the text, prevent it from falling into enemy hands, and to unravel its significance to a modern regime.<br />The fine details of ancient history, combat, terrain, and equipment set <em>White Jade</em> above its competition. I found myself laughing during a tense scene when the author mentioned "GE turbofans" engines. My husband transported and x-rayed those jet engine fan blades in the 70s to insure they were perfect prior to assembly.<br /><em>White Jade</em> is a thriller that lives up to its genre to join the legions of Clancy and Flemming. This is one you won't want to miss, I enjoyed it so much I bought the sequel, <em>The Lance</em> to find out what happens next.<br />Visit with Alex @Alexlukeman on Twitter. His exciting stories are available on Amazon Kindle for $.99. Its a big bank for your buck.<br />Nash Black, author of <em>Visitors</em> and <em>Sandprints of Death</em>.</div><br /><br /><div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182028108594825938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822673763607504674.post-17258215698555586332011-10-26T08:06:00.000-07:002011-10-27T04:41:13.552-07:00E-Force<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzzZeSksy8afe47uqdE3lCEClJx7homzyfmhza9MVANHyo8KAu08XO4MMfKhSBPaa0h6ye7IhKOxzSXAkbHYMEb3x12qcb2xEbnHbO-HQaq0lKvxKvGNrtqXn054ZHMOPn8iWo-DBwQzY/s1600/e-force.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 160px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5667838261086922066" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzzZeSksy8afe47uqdE3lCEClJx7homzyfmhza9MVANHyo8KAu08XO4MMfKhSBPaa0h6ye7IhKOxzSXAkbHYMEb3x12qcb2xEbnHbO-HQaq0lKvxKvGNrtqXn054ZHMOPn8iWo-DBwQzY/s320/e-force.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div>James D. Kellogg's <em>E-Force </em>is a genuine thriller. Many titles are labeled with the term thriller, but fall far short of being any thing more than an ordinary mystery/suspense works. Not so with <em>E-Force</em>.<br />Make sure you reserve a block of time sufficient enough to finish the novel. If you don't you will find yourself reading well into the night and early dawn.<br />Colt Kelly's employer EcoFriends is moving to the far left with its philosophical trends. Mixed with a change in direction is the misappropriation of contributions that has reached money laundering proportions. Colt pledged his loyalty to the group, he is guilty of transfering funds, and it now caught in a fraud scheme which could send him to prison.<br />E-Force is a ecoterror group that vows to destroy the resort communities built by AmeResorts. The group operates outside the law, their attacks are well planned, well financed, and have acquired the support of Marla Wells, a local TV reporter. In her broadcasts, she portrays the commandos as victims of the establishment who have been pushed beyond the edge.<br /><em>E-Force</em> is a political thriller that draws the reader deep into the lives of each individual well-drawn character. No thread, subplot, or scene is isolated, each leads to a satisfying whole of plot integration, which is writing at its best when the reader can live within the pages of the story.<br />Politics aside this is one of the finest thriller novels to reach the public in a long time. I'm delighted James D. Kellogg found me and requested a review. I'll be back for the sequel.<br /><em>E-Force</em> is available from Barnes & Noble and on Amazon.com both in print and as an e-book. Visit with James D. Kellogg at <a href="http://jamesdkellogg.com/">http://jamesdkellogg.com/</a><br />Nash Black, <em>Sandprints of Death</em>.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182028108594825938noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822673763607504674.post-81405724459921549432011-08-04T07:53:00.000-07:002011-08-04T08:36:11.721-07:00Dumpster Dying<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhErE6MvUwy3qYavWN0duml2IvZmPvHEE2iGrq9ozhoo1a31VR3Wc3T1CfCYzJneVdHH-oxfjU0IWHThHN2msenF7FujxbtShHZvVvQkyaLG8y9nmnGwghOXKlyaDFA1NxzCdtzzsIcgKw/s1600/dumpster.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 209px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5637019454400696850" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhErE6MvUwy3qYavWN0duml2IvZmPvHEE2iGrq9ozhoo1a31VR3Wc3T1CfCYzJneVdHH-oxfjU0IWHThHN2msenF7FujxbtShHZvVvQkyaLG8y9nmnGwghOXKlyaDFA1NxzCdtzzsIcgKw/s320/dumpster.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>Lesley A. Diehl's Dumpster Dying is a cozy/traditional mystery set in Florida's interior where cattle and cowboys are the treat of the day. No beach bikini bimbos or sand fleas, instead a fun mystery where the older generation must face their past to stop a killer and stay out of jail.<br />Emily Rhodes was all set to live out her golden years with Fred Costa, her long time companion when Fred went for a run from which he didn't return. Fred "the rat" never managed to write a new will and his ex-wife inherits their assets including a portion of Emily's down payment on their home.<br />To keep a roof over her head and pay the bills Emily acquires the skill of mixing drinks and takes a job at the local country club. She is taking out the trash when she discovers the body of Marcus Davey in the dumpster.<br />Snow bunnies are not welcome in rural Florida, their only value to the natives is what money they can be induced to part with before leaving.<br />Characters may be slightly stereotyped but they read like real people you'd meet in the grocery store or at the local watering hole.<br />Did I mention no psychics, no recovering drunks , no vampires, etc? Plain fun for a great read without of the quirks, but a well paced whodunit with a surprising twist. Maybe just a touch of romance, no bed of roses, but then no matter how sweet they smell roses have thorns.<br />Delight with Emily and her friends as they hunt for a killer before he finds them.<br />Nash Black, Sandprints of Death</div><br /><br /><br /><div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182028108594825938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822673763607504674.post-71109475755804463092011-06-18T13:42:00.000-07:002011-06-18T14:47:42.298-07:00Spycatcher<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPFW2-NgKEWTIp2wMWJkCGmhZZyKkK-Y1T0cajnvR_WtXefVi6TxzBn9n_awj0jiesK3HqxUZuWADStIaX2YMHW71NjWfXp06Z8-fBqGjg8uMzQZajOcUw7FzzSHwvOwpwlA-4_91jXKo/s1600/spycather.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 208px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5619663813386626482" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPFW2-NgKEWTIp2wMWJkCGmhZZyKkK-Y1T0cajnvR_WtXefVi6TxzBn9n_awj0jiesK3HqxUZuWADStIaX2YMHW71NjWfXp06Z8-fBqGjg8uMzQZajOcUw7FzzSHwvOwpwlA-4_91jXKo/s320/spycather.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>Matthew W. Dunn's <em>Spycatcher</em> is an espionage novel that reads like reading eye-witness newspaper reports from the Middle East.<br />Due to be released in July, Mr. Dunn brings years of experience in the field as an M16 operative who writes under his own name. <em>Spycatcher</em> is not a biography, but fiction that will keep you glued to you chair as Dunn sweeps you from Central Park across Europe and back again in an outstanding thriller of the dark side of undercover work.<br />Will Cochrane knows he must kill his contact to Iran before the man is captured and tortured to reveal secrets no man must divulge. The contact is not a friend in Will's friendless world, but his job and the safety of many others demands he must act with hesitation.<br />Will is wounded in the resulting gunfire and pulled from the fray in time to save his life. He awakens in a blank room and is confronted by a man who knows about his entire life. As they sit on the floor of a bare room Will knows the stranger must be a CIA operative who has a use for him outside of the conventional bonds of spying.<br />Patrick knows of his code name, Spartan. This is a position that can be held by no other man while he lives. His controller, Alistair is one of the most senior officials of M16. Only the British prime minster authorize the release this name. Patrick is a powerful and trusted man in the world of international intrigue.<br />Between Alistair and Patrick they send Will on a mission that will uncover his own past to flush out an operative high in the Iranian command to convince him to "betray" his country or die. Betrayal is a two-way street when power and wealth beyond imagination are at stake.<br /><em>Spycatcher</em> moves with the speed of jet planes and each character has an agenda that must be completed. The innocent become embroiled in the morass of empire decaying and rebuilding. No life is too valuable to be allowed to be a hindrance to success. I lost count of the bodies that fall across the landscape as Will endeavors to bring Megiddo out of hiding before he can complete his plans for world domination.<br />Nash Black, author of <em>Sandprints of Death</em>.</div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182028108594825938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822673763607504674.post-72069454591380787022011-06-15T17:01:00.000-07:002011-06-15T17:24:19.586-07:00Sandprints of Death<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfGonFEXLbbmXJq02cBwHfbOmaP7ksFWC5M7cb-odyxgSEM0Aaa6QkqXh1_m_algNUDAKSD09fgEKxITc7hLeBghgyChxfTPzHBPvEji6lf6coZHPw9-FdMRIn75IvSVIQQZIg_WYJRDo/s1600/SandprintsWeb2.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 203px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618601834056358306" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfGonFEXLbbmXJq02cBwHfbOmaP7ksFWC5M7cb-odyxgSEM0Aaa6QkqXh1_m_algNUDAKSD09fgEKxITc7hLeBghgyChxfTPzHBPvEji6lf6coZHPw9-FdMRIn75IvSVIQQZIg_WYJRDo/s320/SandprintsWeb2.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div>Nash Black's <em>Sandprints of Death</em> opened to a five star review from Alina Holgate, a resident of Australia. I normally talk about other writer's work on Bird's Eye View, but this time I want to toot our own horn and share with you Alina's review.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>"Set a While"</div><br /><div>"The best thing about this book for this Australian was that reading it was like going on holiday. I was transported to an island off South Carolina, rich in unique history where various members and neighbors of the Young clan have congregated to lick their various wounds. A series of murders occurs on the island thus trapping them together. They are further trapped by the weather. In the course of dealing with these challenges the Youngs become integrated into the local community and the history of the Young clan and the island is revealed.<br />"The murder mystery, which is the occasion for all these different characters being thrown together in a particular locale, could have been more carefully plotted and its resolution seemed rushed. However the strength of the book is not a great murder mystery. The strength of the book is the beautifully drawn characters and their intricately portrayed clan stories that make you feel connected to them like family. The strength of the book is in the incredibly atmospherically drawn portrait of this island, its history, its inhabitants, and the constantly shifting mood ot the weather and the sea that seeps into our characters bones. The strength of this book is that it makes you want to set a while and just listen to the cadences of the stories and the voices in which they are expressed and watch as island life passes you by.<br />"I think if you like <em>The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society: a Novel</em> you would like this. It has a similar feel in terms of becoming drawn in to an isolated, self-reliant community of loveable people who have a tough life but who welcome the right kind of strangers into the fold.<br />My best recommendation is that I immediately rushed off to buy more of Nash Black's books. And there is a recipe at the end of this book that's worth the price of admission alone."</div><br /><div>Thank you, thank you Alina.</div><br /><div>Nash Black (Irene & Ford) </div><br /><div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182028108594825938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822673763607504674.post-53602463579808521832011-05-22T11:40:00.000-07:002011-05-22T12:02:37.813-07:00Traveling with Pomegranates<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Ji5kxrY1uuLO_OZU-7lDiR71VFXzQWphWYBiik2kbUSfAp2LTmw_WRB0aTE8m6dmUnTL0VMbf3WIg_uqLHQKl8l18ejRcYT_sDjSb-XYH4jg8MpkGs4O7LxY0BQVz10RmgGfRobbyC8/s1600/travelingwith.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 198px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5609613217601448674" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Ji5kxrY1uuLO_OZU-7lDiR71VFXzQWphWYBiik2kbUSfAp2LTmw_WRB0aTE8m6dmUnTL0VMbf3WIg_uqLHQKl8l18ejRcYT_sDjSb-XYH4jg8MpkGs4O7LxY0BQVz10RmgGfRobbyC8/s320/travelingwith.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div>Sue Monk Kidd's <em>Traveling with Pomegranates</em> written with her daughter Ann Kidd Taylor is a writer's memoir about traveling (physical and metaphysical) and relationships.<br />This reader does not have children and does most of her traveling in an armchair, but the experiences of Ms. Kidd were easy to identify with from a writer's point of view.<br />Greece is their destination, both mother and daughter are caught up in the history and the myths of the islands as they explore the ruins. On the first journey they are locked within themselves as they attempt to make life changing decisions.<br />I read <em>The Secret Life of Bees</em> several years ago and as I read Ms. Kidd's narrative of the visceral development of the book I was tempted to retreat and read it for a second time now that I understand the nuisances of its development.<br />Their second trip to Greece is about the awakening of communication between the mother and daughter. The trip through France in search of the black Madonnas is fascinating from both an artistic and a cultural standpoint.<br />A good read at anytime, for any reason, and you don't have to agree with Ms. Kidd's conclusions to appreciate their expression.</div><br /><br /><div>Nash Black author of <em>Sandprints of Death</em> coming soon.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182028108594825938noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822673763607504674.post-71438397744715283532011-03-15T18:01:00.000-07:002011-03-16T11:42:41.093-07:00Small Business Taxes Made Easy<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6NuCpTM9oXxxwINblQ4egt_c_98WU3qvK5U0YTwigZUszOLa-HWbY9a_55oa-CvylkZu0D9kk-mkOZC0g5m-b7TqH_PaNIZCa5w2hMCoW5YH9WquhFwubmPY8cWbxeHRPAZMKfI1Jn7Q/s1600/Small.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 252px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584477811361561026" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6NuCpTM9oXxxwINblQ4egt_c_98WU3qvK5U0YTwigZUszOLa-HWbY9a_55oa-CvylkZu0D9kk-mkOZC0g5m-b7TqH_PaNIZCa5w2hMCoW5YH9WquhFwubmPY8cWbxeHRPAZMKfI1Jn7Q/s320/Small.jpg" /></a><br /><div>I wish I'd had a copy of Eva Rosenberg's Small Business Taxes Made Easy forty years ago when I first opened my own business or even later when I started teaching business accounting and financial management.<br />Ms. Rosenberg's broad experience in the field of business planning shines through on every page with clear, concise descriptions and examples.<br />Are you a beginner with a great web idea who is just getting your feet wet on the Internet? She takes you through each step of organizing you work with scads of resources to extend your learning curve.<br />Are you the frantic CEO of your own company looking for a solution to a specific problem? The index for this volume is outstanding and easy to use to put you on the right page for mastering the art of business reports and every type of tax problem.</div><div>Today 'online' is where the business world operates. Where is your <em>Nexus</em> (the place where you do business) located? It is essential for you to understand the idea as more and more states fight for lost sales tax revenues due to Internet sales. Page 219 will get you started. I'm not trying to frighten you, but in WAASB I made the statement that "<em>the Internet was the best free enterprise system since the Constitution of the United States was written,</em>" which for the time being is still true. Look at your phone bill and add up the taxes already in place for Internet usage.</div><div>Do like I did when I received my copy from the publisher. Take it to bed and read it in small portions. Underline, make marginal notes, and use Post 'Ems to create your own tab index of items important to your individual needs.</div><div>Through out the text, Ms. Rosenberg provides excellent definitions for terms, but a glossary of book-keeping terms begins on p. 79. This threw the reviewer who looks for this aid in the back of the book.</div><div>This is one volume that no business owner can afford to be without.</div><div>Visit with Eva Rosenberg at <a href="http://taxmama.com/">http://taxmama.com/</a>. </div><div>Nash Black, author of Indie finalist <em>Writing as a Small Business</em>. </div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182028108594825938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822673763607504674.post-85804191450305596222011-02-13T14:00:00.000-08:002011-02-13T14:28:56.040-08:00The Demon's Parchment<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYhL9zHe7XmBbeOZDw9zrnL5RMYxRsl4EI8dGMFpGhiHktfiUfhAb-hyxQpI61b8PvwgmKvV81SAFwwgjxADjk_zO2wTvoGKflTQCmXyAdRCPM7Ht-hL1DJ45vY-85wCuIzQlDVNlAXdw/s1600/demon.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 213px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573299294034680834" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYhL9zHe7XmBbeOZDw9zrnL5RMYxRsl4EI8dGMFpGhiHktfiUfhAb-hyxQpI61b8PvwgmKvV81SAFwwgjxADjk_zO2wTvoGKflTQCmXyAdRCPM7Ht-hL1DJ45vY-85wCuIzQlDVNlAXdw/s320/demon.jpg" /></a><br /><div><em>The Demon's Parchment</em> is the third in Jeri Westerson's medieval noir series. For this installment Ms. Westerson take the reader into the plight of both her disenfranchised knight Crispin Guest and the status of the Jewish people living in London.<br />The Jews were expelled from England, but when the queen is very ill a Jewish physician makes the journey to attend her bringing with him his son and a sacred parchment intended for those of his people who exist as converted Christians.<br />The sever winter has brought few client to Crispin's door, so when he is approached by Jacob of Provencal to find the missing parchment he accept the job. On his way to meet with his new client Crispin witness the body of a young boy being pulled from the Thames.</div><div>The boy did not drown in the cold waters, he was murdered in a hideous fashion. The gaolers mention another young boy who was discovered in similar circumstances. Crispin cannot help but be concerned for the life of his young prodigy, Jack Tucker. Jack travels the streets of London and will never be safe until this killer is found.<br />A great addition to one of the best new mystery series on the current market. This writer has been impressed enough to review all of the books in the series.</div><div>Visit with Jeri at <a href="http://www.jeriwesterson.com/">http://www.jeriwesterson.com</a> . The medieval noir series is available at bookstores, at Amazon.com and as an ebook. Don't miss this exciting series with its meticulously researched background.</div><div>Nash Black, author of <em>Sins of the Fathers.</em></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182028108594825938noreply@blogger.com0