New Book Release: The Preacher Goes to Babylon by Jan V Bear

 

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A man wakes up on the beach with no memory of who he is or how he got there. He does know he’s afraid of people of the north. He sets out on a journey to discover not only where he is but also who he is and who are the monsters chasing him.

The Preacher Goes to Babylon is a Bronze Age spaghetti western about a man on a mission from God, as well as annoying requests from other gods, and he’s not happy about any of them. Any similarity to the Book of Jonah is mostly accidental.

About the author

Jan Bear is a writer, editor, and book designer. She writes novels and nonfiction and helps people on their path to publication, both nonfiction and fiction.

New Book Release: Misfᴉts Abroad by Martine Robinson Beachboard

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Experiences are unique. Responses are universal.

A new environment in the Old World broadened the author’s perspectives. This collection of essays introduces colorful people and places encountered in Europe. The stories center on a time spent living and working with military communities in Germany and traveling further abroad.

The author balances the appeal of an unusual circumstance with the resonance of universal human experience. The reader will identify with the Misfits and the missteps they make when immersed in a new culture. The Misfits may be learners on the bilingual continuum, civilians on an army base, sailors far from home, young people in the wrong marriage, Americans not blending in, or the occasional ones who do. There’s even a story about a man who had never been in his own country. The characters are quirky, compelling and memorable.

Misfits Abroad is affiliated with Livingwell Publishing.

About the author:

Martine Robinson Beachboard has loved words since she first learned about them. This occurred when, at the age of 2, she spent a week with her older brother in the hot, sticky backseat of the green Ford her parents drove from Washington, D.C. to Phoenix. She studied enough words to win a citywide spelling bee in seventh grade. Next thing you know, she was a newspaper editor in Arizona. Her weekly personal column developed a loyal following and evoked a range of reader responses and emotions.

When she moved to Europe she continued writing. She has lived or traveled in 40 countries, most recently serving as a Fulbright Scholar in Kosovo.

She was awarded first place in column writing from the Arizona Press Club. Her editing has been recognized with four first-place awards by Arizona Press Women. A Penney-Missouri Newspaper Awards competition named her a finalist in single-story reporting. A former professor, she is currently a teacher of English as a Second Language.

Early in her journalism career, she learned that everyone has a story. With increased interviewing experience, she realized that everyone is a story.

New Book Release: Your Undercover Brother by J. Salvatore Domino

 

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Able Body, the private investigator with the funny name, operates a small suburban detective agency. Struggling to make ends meet in a shady line of work, he pays his bills following cheating spouses and catching small-time criminals.

While he waits for his big score, Able lives an unglamorous lifestyle consisting of late-night stakeouts, cold coffee, and stale donuts.

His life takes a perilous turn when his former girlfriend, the wife of a prominent lawyer, and a woman he has tried for ten years to forget, asks him to help find her husband’s murderer. Against his better judgment, he takes the case and sets out to find the killer.

The investigation catapults him into a tangled web of deceit and intrigue that almost costs him his life. Warned by a hot-headed police detective to stay out of the investigation, Able walks a tightrope in his quest to solve the crime before the police arrest the wrong person.

Discovering the truth behind the killing destroys his naivety, forcing him to take a hard look at his life and his chosen profession. It sets him on a new course, leaving him to wonder if he can return to his former unpretentious self.

About the author

J. Salvatore Domino is an author and blogger based in Scottsdale, Arizona, U.S.A.

His journey from technical writing to the boundless realm of writing fiction is a testament to the power of transformation.

Demonstrating his storytelling prowess, he captivates the reader, inviting them into a world where the lines between the imagined and the real are artfully blurred. His tales span a spectrum from comforting to thrilling, while his characters are crafted to evoke strong reactions, mirroring the complexities of real-life individuals.

Whether your choice is a brief escape or an extended adventure you’re sure to enjoy a captivating reading experience. Why not join him for a few minutes or several hours of enjoyable leisure?

New Book Release: Peace & War by David Anderson Swift

 

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It was the Sixties, a time of Peace, Love, and War. The Sixties was when a real Consciousness Revolution was taking place in America, one that literally changed the world. This is a historical fiction novel based on true events about a young man growing up in the turbulent Sixties who must choose between Peace or War when he discovers that the 'peace and love' movement wasn't always so peaceful or so loving. Would he take his anger into the streets as so many of his friends were doing, or would he remain faithful to the values that had led him into the 'peace & love' movement? Experience that glorious time when the hippies became our nation's heroes, preventing the potential for an armed revolution from taking place. This book not only about the turbulent Sixties but is relevant for what many young people are facing in the world we live in today. This must-read inspiring transformational novel is for anyone who is interested in creating real change in our world.

About the Author:

Anderson Andrews, also known as 'the old Scotsman,' has released eight (8) transformational novels ... The Literary Works of Anderson Andrews ... covering topics that include all aspects of life, death, and beyond. It was at the Standing Stones on the Isle of Arran that he found the inspiration to complete all of these works. Now, delve into the mind of one of the most unique authors of our time and discover a world that few have ever experienced. As a retired lawyer, he is now an author of change, and has been writing and teaching about spiritual subjects since 2001. He has holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, a Master's degree in International Public Administration, a Juris Doctorate degree in Law, with over 40-years of metaphysical teachings. After retiring from 20-years as a successful trial lawyer, he became the owner of Transformational Novels ... writing books to unlock potentials, expand awareness, and change consciousness. He has written his books in ways that appeal to people from all walks of life. For the rest of 2020 and 2021, his focus will be on some much-needed prison reform, to bring light into the darkness, to change our fear-based criminal justice institutions from that of punishment and retribution, to one that functions with love and compassion. Please read, A CONSCIOUS TRANSFORMATION, written in two parts, THE CRYSTAL PRISON and THE CRYSTAL CHRYSALIS. Thank you. Please know that you are appreciated.

New Book Release: Vanished Voices by Cynthia Lang

 

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When actor Elle Tuckerman loses her voice and her role off-Broadway, she flees to Tucson to help her ailing, enigmatic mother. Adjusting to her new reality, as well as the unfamiliar Southwestern landscape, she works with asylum seekers, their pasts treacherous, their futures uncertain. Elle grows curious about her own family’s stories. Do past voices reverberate in the air? Can they help her find her way forward? Across the centuries—in Maine, Ohio, and Tucson—families’ lives intertwine in scenes of relocation, transportation, and change.

About the Author

Cynthia Lang graduated from Smith College, won a Vogue Prix de Paris, and worked as a staff writer on Glamour. After free-lancing (Glamour, Parents, Mademoiselle, Vogue Children, and New York Times Magazine), she wrote publications for Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC) and taught at the College of Communications, Boston University. She is co-author with Jerome Kagan of Psychology and Education: An Introduction (Harcourt Brace Jovanovich) and with Harry Levinson, Executive (Harvard University Press). She lives in Tucson, Arizona.

New Book Release: Men in Books Aren’t Better by Amanda Nelson and Lisa-Marie Potter

 

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Pressured by her looming deadline and an unfinished romance manuscript, author Molly Covington applies her immersive research skills and goes all in. She hires a male companion for inspiration during three days of research in Las Vegas.

Enter sexy, confident Jared Washington—an extreme sports enthusiast and relationship skeptic who moonlights as a Plus One male companion. Molly’s contract puts him within arm’s reach of buying his own business and making his dreams come true.

The chemistry between her and Jared is surprisingly easy. Before their Vegas rendezvous comes to an end, one of them will need to lay all their cards on the table to discover if they’ll be lucky in love.

About the authors:

Amanda and Lisa-Marie are a co-writing team of best friends who share imaginary worlds, including a short story, Shivers, published in Moments Between. Lisa Marie Potter (BIPOC) is a mom of four who grew up in Nottingham, England, and now resides in Alaska with her husband and golden retriever. Amanda Nelson grew up in Maryland and moved to Arizona, where she attended college and currently lives with her husband and four kids. Both women are hopeless romantics, but Lisa-Marie enjoys suspense novels, while Amanda's second go-to genre is romancy. The duo also review books on their socials, hike the Olympic National Park, and fight over the same fictional crushes.

New Book Release: Winslow Scarecrow by Stephen G. Bowling

 

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He’s friendly as can be! But when his kindness causes a stir, can this cornfield guardian use his noggin to make everyone happy?

Winslow the scarecrow wouldn’t hurt a fly. Full of song and wearing a silly hat, the bespectacled fellow stretches out his arms and welcomes the crows to rest their weary wings. But he’s shocked when the other straw-filled-scarers get upset because they think he’s falling down on the job.

Listening to his brightly dressed pals argue over what is proper, he thinks hard to come up with a better way. And hoping to find an agreeable solution, he spies the fallen corn on the ground going to waste and the kernel of an idea begins to sprout.

Can Winslow protect the farmer’s crops and still welcome the rascally rooks?

Winslow Scarecrow is a charming children’s picture book. If you or your child like resolving conflict, seeing problems from all sides, and bringing people together, then you’ll adore Stephen G Bowling’s beautifully illustrated tale.

About the author:

Stephen G. Bowling is an award-winning author, entrepreneur, and philanthropist.

Much like Peter Pan, Steve never wanted to grow up. Or rather, while he didn’t mind getting older, he never wanted to lose the child-like enchantment of imagination and wonder. Creating colorful worlds and stories for children has allowed Steve to both preserve his own imagination while sharing the joy of learning with children worldwide. He currently has six children’s books published. His books have also won several illustration awards.

Steve has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Brandeis University. He is an entrepreneur who has worked on and holds several U.S. Patents. He heads The Prometheum Foundation, a non-profit philosophical organization that helps teach students critical and analytical thinking, freedom of thought, and entrance into the marketplace of ideas.

Everyday foods and spices that can keep you healthy - by Vijaya Schartz

 

There is a phantom ship that glows like a beacon in black space,

appears and vanishes, and never registers on scanners.

The space pirates fear it. Their victims pray for it... but its help comes at a price...

Find my books on my publisher's site HERE

For the longest time, particular foods and spices have been known to have healing or preventive properties.

My mother always told me to eat my carrots for rosy skin.

Blueberries are good for your eyes.

A spoonful of peanut butter a day will keep children (and adults) free of warts.

Chicken noodle soup will help cure a cold.

Garlic, a natural antibiotic, is good for the heart and will kill worms in the digestive system.

Honey is a natural antibiotic.

Blue cheese (the stinky kind) is also a natural antibiotic.

Chamomile tea will calm your stomach and help you sleep.

Warm milk before bed will help you sleep.

These old-wives remedies have proven in time to be not only effective but medically sound.

The modest myrtle plant

Even our universal aspirin, salicylic acid, now synthesized and produced chemically in pharmaceutical labs, comes from nature. Myrtle is a humble flower European people steeped and consumed as a tea to ward off headaches. In antiquity, the same substance (salicin) was extracted from willow leaves and bark.

But spices in particular are still regarded as potent remedies in many parts of the world. Here are a few interesting ones:

A pinch of Cayenne Pepper in your morning coffee is good for your heart and blood.

Curry is a gentle laxative, especially with vegetables.

A concoction of turmeric, fresh ginger, cinnamon and milk will ease arthritic pain.

Moroccan spice (blend of paprika, cumin, cinnamon, clove, ginger, and cayenne) taken daily will prevent herpes flare ups.

Cinnamon lowers blood sugar.

Sage can help brain function, even in Alzheimer’s patients.

Turmeric is all the rage, hailed as an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiviral, antibacterial, and antiparasitic remedy (but beware of contraindications like gallbladder disease, blood clotting disorder, liver disease, diabetes, blood thinners, antiplatelet medications).

Wishing you all a healthy and energetic life.

And don’t forget that reading feel-good science fiction for entertainment is also healthy, so check out my novels on these retail sites: 

amazon - B&N - Smashwords - Kobo 

Vijaya Schartz, award-winning author

Strong Heroines, Brave Heroes, cats

https://www.vijayaschartz.com

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New Book Release: La Bugambilias A Bilingual Queer Novel by Lalo León

 

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Lalo León brings his Millennialist perspective to his debut novel “Las Bugambilias – A bilingual queer novel”, touching on themes of faith, culture, identity, and sexuality.

Michael closes his eyes, and he can see it clear as day. The dream that has been plaguing him for the past 2 years, seductively haunting him even in his waking hours. He describes what it looks like every Saturday to Pastor Roberts during their special appointments, hoping that through practice he can kill the fantasy within him before it can bleed out into his real life. But the pressures of church, home and culture reignite the passions within him, and by the end of the summer he will find himself questioning if the world around him will end or will he have to venture into the reality he has tried to deny for so long.

About the author:

At the age of 20, Lalo León was placed into conversion therapy through his local church and remained an ardent adherent to the practice for 10 years. It was not until a series of compounding crisis, that he stopped the therapy and began to deconstruct the falsehoods that he had been led to believe. “Las Bugambilias – A bilingual queer novel” is a cathartic culmination of his time in conversion therapy and retroactively explores not only the damaging effects of conversion therapy, but also the Americentric views of maleness that lie at the heart of the practice. Lalo is a proud Mexican-American, born and raised in Southern New Mexico. He holds an engineering degree from New Mexico State University, and master’s degree from Arizona State University. He currently resides in Phoenix Arizona.

New Book Release: The Presence of Conflict - Audio Book and paperback by Elvis Bray

 

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The Presence of Conflict is a sequel to my first novel, The Presence of Justice. My protagonist, Andy Hanson, has graduated from West Point Military Academy, Ranger School, and Escape and Evasion School. The book starts as he is landing at his Forward Operating Base in Afghanistan, and ends when his tour is cut short because of injuries sustained in battle. The book goes back and forth between Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Arizona. It has most of your favorite characters from The Presence of Justice and many new characters from the war zone. The book is an action-packed fiction war Thriller suited for most audiences.

New Book Release: Grandma McBee: How Slow Can She Be? by Judy Danko Basham

 

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Meet Grandma McBee, a wonderful and energetic elderly lady who, while moving slowly, loves life at her own enchanting speed! Grandma McBee is not your typical grandmother; she radiates style, class, and a personality that refuses to be slowed by age.

"The Adventures of Grandma McBee" takes young readers on a pleasant journey demonstrating that age is only a number when it comes to enjoying life. Whether you're reading to your child at bedtime or telling stories with your grandchildren, "The Adventures of Grandma McBee" is the ideal book for bridging generations. It's a beautiful reminder that love, laughter, and adventure never grow old.

Follow Grandma McBee on an unforgettable trip to the hair salon. She handles obstacles with grace, humor, and a sparkle in her eye. As she goes about her day, readers are reminded of the value of patience, respect for the elderly, and the never-ending joy of reconnecting with our grandparents.

About the Author

Judy Basham holds a Bachelor's degree in Child and Family Studies with an emphasis in Human Development from Arizona State University and a Master's degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of Phoenix. She also has a post-secondary degree in Career and Technical Education, emphasizing early childhood education. Judy has spent the last 25+ years teaching at Apollo High School and Glendale Community College in Glendale Arizona. She is the former program director for the Early Childhood Education program at GCC, where she now remains a full-time faculty for the Child and Family Studies Department. Judy also worked part-time at a retirement home, creating activities and crafts for the elderly. She also teaches employability classes at a local parks and recreation community center for adolescents. Judy stays busy traveling with her husband, JT, and their dogs. She has two adult children, Bradley and Lexi.

Jacquie Dudo teaches early childhood education at Washington High School in Phoenix, Arizona, where she also manages the onsite preschool lab. Additionally, she is an adjunct professor at Phoenix College. Jacquie holds a Bachelor's degree in Family and Human Development from Arizona State University and a Master's degree in Early Childhood Education from Grand Canyon University. Dedicated to shaping young minds, she brings her passion and expertise to her preschool, high school, and college students. At home, Jacquie is busy raising her three children-Lucas, Logan, and Liam-with her husband, Brian. Her commitment to education and family makes her a cherished and respected member of her community.

New Book Release: BEAR: A True Story - by Susanne Severeid

 

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Bear: A True Story, How A Big Yellow Dog Nobody Wanted Helped Kids Learn To Read follows Bear, a rescue mutt in her senior years, who becomes a beloved therapy dog for students with intellectual and physical disabilities. With Bear in their classroom, many children began reading for the first time. Bear and her students celebrate birthdays, school events, holidays, Special Olympics, and more. Bear: A True Story touches our hearts with unconditional love and reaffirms the magical bond between kids and dogs.

A word from the Author

"My volunteer work with Bear is one of the best, most rewarding things I've ever done. I will always be grateful for the deep friendships and for this unique opportunity to be of service to others." Susanne Severeid is an award-winning author of numerous books, articles, essays, and poems and has an extensive performing arts background, including hosting an EMMY Award-winning PBS-TV documentary. Bear: A True Story is her second children's book.

New Book Release: The Bible and the Tarot A Personal Pilgrimage of Discovery by Gil Stafford

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 “Beautiful, generative, loving, and deep: this may be the wisest Tarot book ever written. Gil Stafford finds the folly of the Cross in the journey of the Fool, and reminds us that ‘Life is a pilgrimage on the path of wisdom’s way.’” —Lisa Freinkel Tishman, author of Mindful Tarot

This book is a portal for those interested in the Bible and curious about the Tarot, for both those who might read the Bible daily as well as those who know very little about it but are not averse to it.

The first two chapters provide background that place the two mystical texts in conversation with each other. The vast and complex mythos of the Bible with its complex characters, actors, symbols, stories, and parables, are the backstory of the magnificent creatures of the Tarot’s inner psychic world.

A book for spiritual explorers, reading the Bible and the Tarot hand-in-hand can expand the imagination. It explores how to read the Tarot and the Bible to provoke the unconscious, the dream world, and expand the imagination. By the final chapter, readers are able to connect the mysteries of the Bible with the psychological magic of the Tarot.

Gil Stafford is a writer, spiritual guide, life coach, and alchemist of the soul. He speaks, consultants, and leads retreats and pilgrimages. Gil works in both the Myers-Briggs and the Enneagram. His spiritual practices include tarot, Hermeticism, and Enneagram journaling. In one of his former lives, he played professional baseball, was head baseball coach at Grand Canyon University, winning three national titles, and was the university’s president four years. Life is a pilgrimage and Gil has taken many, including walking Ireland coast-to-coast, as well as leading seven groups along the Wicklow Way. His publications include Wisdom Walking: Pilgrimage as a Way of Life — When Leadership and Spiritual Direction Meet — Walking with the Spiritual but Not Religious and Meditations on Blue Jesus: Listening to the Disabled God.

NEW RELEASE: Zada 5 - Path of the One - by RD MORENO

 

Purchase on Amazon HERE

2024 International Impact Book Awards winner for Science Fiction/Fantasy - Space Adventures.

2024 Global Book Awards, a Silver Medal in the category Action & Adventure - Fantasy

Moreno expertly leverages classic genre tropes, especially the "Chosen One" motif. Connor is a relatable and complex protagonist, evolving from a young warrior into a figure of prophecy. His internal conflicts, including self-doubt and the burden of expectations, enrich his character, and his visions not only foreshadow future events but also reflect his growth and the pivotal choices he faces. The supporting cast is equally compelling. Adam’s bold loyalty and protective nature, Emily’s nurturing optimism, and Christina’s thoughtful ambition all contribute to a well-rounded and emotionally engaging ensemble. Their interactions add depth to the story and heighten the personal stakes.

Connor Balcazar has always lived in his brother Adam's shadow. But when a hidden power to see the future awakens within him, Connor is determined to prove himself. As a dark plot to overthrow Emperor Esteban is uncovered, the emperor's embittered brother, Lorenzo, leads an invincible army against the throne.

Adam races to uncover the truth of Lorenzo’s experiments while the emperor’s daughters, Christina and Emily, form an alliance to counter the threat. On the warlike planet Zada 5, Connor must not only train to match his brother but also fulfill an ancient prophecy—one that may be the galaxy's only hope.

Thrilling battles, unexpected allies, love, loss, and a destiny like no other await Connor. Will he survive the trials ahead to save the empire, or fall like so many before him? Dive into this epic space adventure and find out.

Married 30 years to a loving wife, R D enjoys the vibrant dynamics of a blended family, which includes five grown children and fourteen grandchildren. The Moreno household is lively, with two small dogs and a large macaw adding to the joy and energy of their home.

New Book Release: The Night Bird by TJ Boyer and Elizabeth Ajamie-Boyer

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US Marshall Jay Adams is home with his wife when there's a knock on his front door. His son and two other US Marshalls come to get him. They are calling him back to field duty to track down a man that some are calling a mad scientist. People have been killed, buildings destroyed, and government secrets are missing. The government wants US Marshall Jay Adams to lead the team. Before he retired, he almost always got his man. He, with his son, and his son's team, board a specially designed airship--a dirigible. They go after one of the wealthiest men in the world, Doctor Sky. The scientist is now on the most dangerous man list with US Marshall Service. In their airship, powered by steam and an electric motor, they travel across the country just one step behind the Doctor.

TJ Boyer, best known for his Mirror Gate Chronicles, a Sci-Fantasy genre series, is from Phoenix, AZ. He is married to Elizabeth Ajamie-Boyer. With two children and three grandchildren, he has been writing and telling stories since he was in his teens. He and Elizabeth co-wrote The Mirror Gate Chronicles series and The Night Bird.  

Are we real? What is reality? - by Vijaya Schartz

 

Find these and many other novels of mine on my BWL page HERE

As a science fiction writer, I am fascinated by the new theories emerging from the scientific community, about the world we live in, about the universe.

What if the world we live in is just a dream? What if our dreams are real in another dimension? What if our minds are creating our reality as we go? What if we are pre-programmed characters in a gigantic videogame? What is Artificial intelligence, and can it evolve to our level, including emotions? These are only a few of the theories serious physicists are discussing in recent papers.

Many physicists today are reconsidering the world we live in, and discovering that what we believed for so long might not be true at all. The physical world is not as concrete as we think, since atoms vibrate, and what we consider solid matter may not be solid at all, but malleable and changing. What if by changing our own vibrations we can shapeshift? Some animals do it. An octopus can change color and shape for camouflage. Chameleons can change color to blend in.

The Octopus can mimic shapes and colors to blend into its environment.

Reality is also different when analyzed from different points of view. Two telescopes will reveal different and sometimes contradicting information about a galaxy, a star, or a planet. Perception is relative. Not everyone sees the colors the same way. Our brain is filling the blanks and might be quite creative about it. The world we see and touch and hear and taste, as well as our feelings, may only exist in our mind.

As we are limited by our perceptions, there may also be an entire world around us that we cannot see, hear, or touch. Life could exist around us in vibrations invisible to us. The eye only sees a very small part of the light spectrum.

This is how little we perceive of the light around us

Our mind is very powerful and can influence and even create our own reality. Negative thoughts create negative outcomes, and vice versa.

Have I scared you, yet?

Don’t worry. Training our brain to think in a positive way is beneficial to our health, our success, our happiness, our wellbeing. So, let’s see the good around us and be happy about it. React positively, be kind, nurture, encourage, ignore toxic people, and create your own bubble of positivity and love. Good luck.

In the meantime, you can read feel-good stories, like my science fiction novels, with plenty of action and adventures, strong heroines, and brave heroes… and always a satisfying ending.

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amazon - B&N - Smashwords - Kobo 

Happy Reading.

Vijaya Schartz, award-winning author

Strong Heroines, Brave Heroes, cats

http://www.vijayaschartz.com

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New Book Release: Big Ears Jack and Friends by Earl Vincent de Berge

 

Big Ears Jack and Friends is a collection of tall tales featuring extraordinary animals and plants from the Sonoran desert of Baja California. It is a literary experience for young readers that can help ignite a passion for the natural world. It's perfect for young readers, or for Moms whose children love to hear stories about animals.

Animal books have always been important in the lives of kids and favorite books for children of any age, from newborns to teens (even adults!). This new story book by award-winning author Earl Vincent de Berge is a collection of charming tales featuring animals and plants from the Sonoran desert of Baja California. Coyotes, foxes, boojum trees and bobcats are among the main characters in these enchanting fables, creating a rare book that is both entertaining and educational.

This new young reader fantasy book is an enchanting collection of 15 imaginative short stories celebrating the wild animals and plants that live in the hottest desert in the Americas, on the narrowest peninsula in the world, Baja California, Mexico.

The main character in these delightful stories is Big Ears Jack: a very big jackrabbit with huge ears -- and magical powers to use for good! Jack is the king of desert kindness, a good friend to all desert critters.

Among Jack’s friends readers will meet Nosey and Wag, mischievous coyote brothers; Blue Dasher, a racing dragonfly; the Kangaroo Rat Chorus; tree-lizard Boris; Giro the dust devil; Hawk Conchita and the red ants; Lady Treble Clef, a watchful cactus; Paulina, the puma poet; Diana the musical tarantula; Lady Chrona, a sea lion who dreams of flying; a scheming sea gull named Swindler; the beautiful bobcat Miss Mucha Purrs; Mr. Shellie the chatterbox tortoise; and Young Red Fox and his sweet love, the lovely rabbit Adorna -- along with many others.

And just for fun, a short essay is included about how to enjoy a hike or walk in the desert in a safe and respectful way.

About the author:

Arizona native, Earl de Berge is a writer, photographer and poet. His education includes Antioch College (BA) and U of Arizona (MA). A political scientist, he founded Behavior Research Center. created the respected Rocky Mountain Poll and was Editor for 35 years.

Writing poetry since 1959, he often focuses on his fascination with Sonoran Deserts.and his experiences in Guatemala’s post-civil war years. He draws inspiration from the environment, poverty, shadows, friendship, loneliness, hope, aging, coyotes, hawks, brigands, fools, danger and death. And of course, politics. Earl’s photographs, logbooks and essays reflecting on life experiences serve as foundations for his prose and poetry.

Inspiration by Jo Ann Crooks

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary1 explains that the word “inspiration” comes from the Latin word inspiratus, which means “to breathe into, inspire.” Originally, it referred to a divine influence on a person. Later, it came to mean “the drawing of air into the lungs,” which medical personnel still use. Only since the 19th century has it come to mean what it commonly means today, which is, “someone or something that inspires.”

Any of you who have written something, or any other creative act, have felt it. The quickening of the breath and heartbeat, the feeling that light or some kind of energy is entering you, and the excitement that something new is being created through you. I know you know what I am talking about.

Singer Jon Bon Jovi, when talking about his song “It’s My Life,” and how it resonated with so many people, said, “When you write a song like that and it hits that nerve, you don’t know where it comes from, or why, but if it comes from that pure place, chances are it’s gonna hit that pure place for someone else.”

Where does such “inspiration” come from?

I have come to believe that all artists—musicians, writers, actors, etc.—have one foot in the spirit world. What I mean is, they are open to inspiration from that “other place.” Being open to that sometimes makes us a little “unusual” to everyone else. There is a commonly-used quote, “There is a thin line between genius and insanity.”

Last December, I watched the movie The Man Who Invented Christmas, made in 2017. I had seen it advertised before, but thought it was about Santa Claus. Then I saw a preview on Amazon Prime and realized it was about the writing of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, so I finally watched it.

That movie was so liberating for me. I didn’t feel quite as “crazy,” or, at least, I realized I am in good company!

Anyone who has written a book will recognize the torture Dickens went through to write A Christmas Carol, including finding the inspiration, writing, rewriting, and rewriting again; dealing with a publisher, and the joy of holding his book in his hands for the first time, seeing an idea that began in his heart and mind manifested in a physical book.

I believe if something comes from that “pure place,” as Bon Jovi called it, it is timeless. We continue to value and cherish writing such as A Christmas Carol, the music of Bach, Beethoven, and others, works of art such as the Mona Lisa, the statue of David, and the paintings of van Gogh, after hundreds or even thousands of years, because they touch that “pure place” inside of us, because they are “inspired” works.

Jo Ann Crooks is a native Arizonan, born in Phoenix. She started writing poetry and winning awards while in grade school. In high school, she helped publish a poetry anthology, contributing several pieces. A former columnist for the Arizona Authors Digest, Jo Ann’s book is now available on Amazon.com