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War Is Hell: A Tale of War And One’s Man’s Search for Meaning
Price range: $3.99 through $13.99This story is told by a soldier who was a part of the bloody war in Burma, the executive officer of a rugged group of American jungle fighters. He tells us in great detail what the war did to him and how he feels about taking another man’s life even to protect his own as he searches for meaning in it all…
World War II is winding down in the summer of 1945, but not for Major Jenkins and his band of Merrill’s Marauders. They have spent months combing the Burmese jungle for the notorious Japanese commander Colonel Maruyama and his troops. Major Jenkins, Captain Beltrans and what was left of their band were outnumbered two to one; so, they had to devise a plan that would overcome the odds. But after they settled the score with their enemy, they had to march hundreds of miles through the jungle back to their base near the Indian border. It was now August, and the war was over, but how would the local civilians living along the only trail out of Burma view the American soldiers?
Their journey back home was fraught with unexpected dangers and facing unplanned enemies through an unforgiving jungle. They had never been taught at West Point how to fight their new enemy.
After the war, Captain Beltrans is convinced that he should return Colonel Maruyama’s samurai sword to his descendants in Japan. However, what he thought would be a routine side trip to a modern country turned into a harrowing adventure in Japanese politics and a thousand-year-old culture. He ended up in an ancient Zen Garden in Kyoto wondering if he had done the right thing by killing enemy soldiers and civilians during the war. Does he get help from his deceased native grandmother?
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Janine: Tale of an Abandoned Wife and Mother
Price range: $3.99 through $15.99Janine is left homeless and penniless when her husband deserts her. She is left to explain all his thefts and misdeeds as she loses her friends and status. All the while, she must protect her children as she builds a new life. When Janine discovers a way to recover some of her money, she resorts to wits and stealth. Many women are caught unawares by the deeds of their spouses. Not everyone is as eventually fortunate or brave as Janine.
Mark Eric Johansen is a retired bus mechanic. He began seriously writing when he had time to devote to retelling the events he had heard and seen. He is working on a chronicle of forty years in a diverse, racist, bewildering work environment. Mark and his wife have always lived in the Chicagoland area.
Janine is Mark’s first completed fiction piece.
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A Reason for Living
Price range: $3.99 through $14.99It is the mid-1960s in Kingston, Jamaica, and the country is steeped in social, political, and economic inequities. Howard Baxter, the heir to a real estate empire, has no interest in seeking or managing wealth. Painting and deflowering Jamaican maidens are his passions. As he combs the streets looking for greater meaning in his pathetic life, it soon becomes apparent that Howard’s journey will not be easy. Bernaldo Lloyd, a member of the Baxter clan, is a medical student who is sensitive to the hopelessness of the Jamaican masses. Inspired by his close friend and Howard’s cousin, Ras Robin Pone, and their ties with the Rastafari movement that calls for social and economic equity, Bernaldo is determined to overthrow the corrupt government. As Howard, Bernaldo and Robin become influenced by The American Black Power and Civil Rights movements demanding equal rights for African Americans, the women in their lives both love and criticize them. But when revolution breaks out, Howard finally discovers a purpose for his twisted life that leads him in a direction he never anticipated. In this tale of love, passion, and self-discovery, three Jamaican men become caught up in a 1960s revolution that reveals injustices, oppression, and a purpose for one of them.
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Forgiven! Redeemed! Reconciled!
Price range: $3.99 through $11.99Paul Tanner, a stressed senior pastor who threw away his life. Sara Petersen, a pastor’s daughter who was gang raped. Zach Petersen, a young, traumatized husband who thought the worst. What do they have in common besides sharing some DNA? Peer into the lives of peo-ple who squander their spiritual heritage and see how their lives af-fect those around about them. Not everyone ends up in the pigsty, but everyone needs forgiveness, redemption and reconciliation. See what blessings can come from broken, shattered, and scarred lives. Yes, all things can work for good for those who love the Lord.
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The Dark Shines Bright
Price range: $3.99 through $23.99Human beings fall into three distinct groups. There are those who spend the better part of their life playing by the rules and trying to do good while contributing to the betterment of their fellow humans. There are those who spend the better part of their lives breaking the rules and taking whatever they can from their fellow humans, no matter what the cost. Finally there are those who are neither good or bad human beings. They just live day to day, come what may.
The question is where did the rules come from that define what is good and what is bad?
The only thing for sure is that no matter how a person lives his or her life, everyone has one thing in common. Everyone who is born, one day must die. How did human life begin and what happens after it ends?
“The Dark Shines Bright” answers both questions in a carefully crafted, page turning story.
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The Noble Rebellion
Price range: $3.99 through $18.99Freshman Congressman Max Noble gave up his career as a magazine publisher to pursue a life of public service. A botched assassination attempt may have changed his mind. Excused from the arrogant President Cole’s State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress, Max’s life is spared the murderous rage of a terrorist who declares himself the new “Sultan.” Armed with the United States’ military facilities, Sultan begins to govern the former democracy under Sharia law in a Taliban-like manner as the “Islamic States of America.” Despite having no legitimate claim to the presidency under the Constitution, Max is determined to do what he must to restore freedom to the nation.
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A Siren’s Call
Price range: $4.99 through $20.99Tess is a thief of the highest caliber. Years of expertise and the support of her criminal family have led her to the biggest job of their lives. But when her life is shattered by a bullet of betrayal, only revenge will sate her raging bloodlust.
Paige on the other hand, is a romantic, filled with a shy adventurous side that wishes to stay by the man she loves, and care for nothing else in this world. When her facade begins to crack under the pressure though, who will she be in the end?
These two personas clash in the ring of love and bloodlust, with only a winner, and the other who must disappear forever. Through the combat of dodging cameras and living double lives can they decide who will be who in the end.
Tim Wolfe is a growing author from the San Diego area who has been inspired by the concepts of society, and a deep yearning to convey those beliefs through his writings of romance and the adventure that is life. Tim enjoys spending time with his family, learning about history and science, and strives for a peaceful, carefree tomorrow.
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The Wrath of the Divine Scepter
Price range: $5.99 through $12.99There is a strong rumor that the final resting place of the biblical Ark of the covenant is somewhere in modern day Ethiopia. But when yet another strong rumor arises from the East African country that the rod, or stick, used by biblical Moses to produce water from a rock, and to part the red sea, had been found by a boy who was also predicting dooms – day for the world if the stick is not promptly returned to its rightful owner in heaven, the United Nations Special Archives Unit hires a firm that specializes in investigation of unique world issues to substantiate the rumor. The firm, Aden Communications Ltd, sends one of its field operatives, Kiron Day, to Ethiopia to investigate the issue. As Kiron gets closer to the facts, he also finds out that the United Nations was not the only interested party, and that some of these other parties were hell bent to claim the rod for themselves. Clashes become inevitable as the different parties scramble to lay their hands on the priceless artifact, but Little did they know that the mysterious artifact had its own deadly secrets. It’s a winner take, or ultimately lose, all in this Kiron Day action adventure. Meanwhile, the clock is ticking!
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The Riverndish
Price range: $8.99 through $16.99The Riverndish is a beautiful, magnificent creature from the planet Valarious. It ‘s mystical power grants everyone’s special wishes while it keeps it’s planet magically hidden. This story takes you on a journey of how one special wish took a little longer to reach it’s destination and how hard the Riverndish worked to make sure it came true.
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The Last Western
Price range: $9.99 through $16.99CIVIL WAR, 1861-1865, origin of today’s political, economic and social conflicts and the 19th Century national transformation from farm to factory, town to city, pioneer to wage slave Bible to Darwin, honor to profit. The story of this historic pivot set in Colorado 1882. Strong characters in a vortex of political corruption, genocide, drugs (Merck, the start of big pharma, founded in 1827 to produce morphine and later cocaine; Union army purchased 10 million morphine tablets for field hospitals and more than 200,000 addicts returned home after the war), gun violence (endemic after 650,000 fratricide in the Civil War), abortion, homosexuality and abiding hope. Not to be missed!
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The Boy in the Box: A Jolene Mystery, Book 4
$10.99The tranquility of Ellison Bay, WI, a quiet town nestled within a dense forest, is shattered when a hiker discovers the skeletal remains of a five-year-old boy in a cardboard box deep within the woods. The townspeople are gripped by shock and sorrow, their once peaceful haven now marred by a chilling mystery that demands answers.
Detective Jolene and her two FBI agents examine the fragile remains of the child wrapped in a weathered blanket and take on this cold case. The identity of the young boy is a puzzle, as there are no missing children reported in the town or nearby areas. Forensic expert, Dr. Omar Cann uncovers an arrow had been through the boy’s heart like all the rest of his victims appeared and determines his broken bones were the result of severe beating.
The townspeople are on edge, and whispers of a long-forgotten legend
resurface – a legend that speaks of vengeful spirits and curses.
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Hansello and Gertrude Hood Fables (1)
$12.99From Heal The Hood Foundation of Memphis , the creative forces that brought you the Wake Up Tour and the Evolution Comic Book Series, presents Hansello and Gertrude, the 13th and 14th children of Larry and Shantae.In this magical fairy tale from the Hood Fables Series, Hansello and Gertrude take a magical journey that blurs the lines of fact and fiction. This amazing parody gives you an urban twist on an old fable that takes you from cold cuts to candy ladies. Join Hansello and Gertrude as they meet up with other friends from the Hood Fable Universe while finding out that following instructions can keep you from cavities and a lifetime of trouble. It’s the first story out of the gate of side-busting humor that will have you reading, laughing and telling everyone about these amazing stories. Let the fun begin!
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Leroy and the Turnip Green Patch (2)
$12.99“Leroy and the Turnip Green Patch” explores the life of Leroy and his mother that have hit a dead end. They face extreme poverty and Leroy is left with no other option but to use his lunch money to purchase magical turnip green seeds with hopes of getting a magical lottery ticket from a giant that lives in the clouds.
This familiar story is retold in a way that brings in new readers ready for a modern-day adventure. . Written by LaDell Beamon, Founder of Heal the Hood Foundation of Memphis and illustrated by Aaron AJ Liddell, this story continues to take the readers deeper into the Hood Fables Series. The series merges familiar characters together along the journey. You will be surprised at who pops up in this amazing parody that will have you laughing, cheering and learning.
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A Haunted Symphony
Price range: $12.99 through $22.29A stolen priceless Stradivarius violin, a poisoned dart, a haunted music library, and a jilted lover present a captivating mystery for the Palms Symphony Orchestra. Who has the motive and opportunity?
Join the Conductor to save the orchestra from thieves, ghosts, and recover the valuable instrument.
THE MOVING WORDS REVIEW
BOOK INFORMATION:
Title: A Haunted Symphony
Author: Michele Wallace Campanelli
Publisher: Author Reputation Press, LLC Publication
Date: November 16, 2023
Review date: November 24, 2023
Genre: Mystery, Supernatural Fiction, Drama
BOOK REVIEW:
Our story begins with Maria, a passionate and dedicated orchestra volunteer, who starts a new role filled with unexpected twists and turns. The symphony, a place of harmony and artistry, soon becomes the background for occurrences that hint at a supernatural presence. The other members and volunteers, each with unique personalities and stories, find themselves involved in secrets and past connections that slowly unravel as the story progresses.
Maria and her colleagues discover that their beloved symphony hall is haunted by more than just the echoes of music past. Strange sounds, unexplained events, and ghostly apparitions begin to stir, bringing to light old legends and tales long thought to be mere folklore. Amidst this, the characters deal with their personal challenges and relationships, adding breadth to the story.
What are the hidden secrets of the symphony’s past, and how are they connected to the mysterious occurrences within its walls? This was the start of a book that promises to keep one fascinated until the very end.
Set against the backdrop of an orchestra, the story peeks into the lives of its characters, including their relationships, secrets, and past events. Michele Wallace Campanelli truly shines in her storytelling in A Haunted Symphony. She created a vivid and attention-grabbing world. For example, the descriptions of the symphony, its music, and the characters’ interactions with their tools and environment are so detailed that readers can almost hear the music and feel the emotions (e.g., Donnie losing a limb).
Campanelli’s characters are well-developed-each with their individual backstory and motivations. How she intertwines their lives and reveals their connections and secrets as the story advances is satisfying. As the pages flip, readers can appreciate the seamless integration of supernatural elements into the tale-the ghostly aspects are handled with a deft touch, ensuring that they enhance rather than overpower the plot.
Overall, A Haunted Symphony is well-paced, balancing moments of tension and mystery. Building suspense is one of its strongest suits, keeping readers guessing and on the edge of their seats. The twists and turns of the story are well-executed, with surprising yet believable revelations. It’s a novel that will appeal to fans of mystery and the supernatural, as well as those who appreciate well-crafted, character-driven stories.
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Fools and Children
$14.99Enjoy a romp through the 1950s with two small town boys hell-bent on action and adventure. Fools and Children is an unblinking and touching collection of memorable childhood escapades as it chronicles the outlandish and often dangerous exploits of these creative but naïve lads. Ed Frye and Herb Bierly, with their rogues’ gallery of friends, create havoc and consternation for town residents when they flood a section of town, loose a horse on the streets, and plan a bank robbery. Caves, creeks, hills, and farms are scenes of perilous undertakings.
Millheim provides their earliest up close and personal experiences with death, as well as poignant lessons for life. Along the way, they experiment with guns, horses, the sins of the world, and girls. Frye and Bierly skip none of the rites of passage, but almost always with a twist. Both learn early that the difference between hero and victim is often too close to call.
Filled with leisurely-told tales, colorful characters, cultural references to the Golden ’50s, and humor, Fools and Children takes Baby Boomers back to their own youthful years. With the freedoms available to these young adventurers in a simpler time and place, their zeal for life is reflective of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn.
What would a reader expect in a collection of leisurely-told tales? Danger? Humor? Sex? Insight? Naiveté? Creativity? Stupidity? Fools and Children provides them all.
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Too Close to Call
Price range: $15.99 through $22.99Homicides are down in the cities, but accidental death rates are up. Why? Buf Collins investigates and gets embroiled in presidential re-election politics.
William Buford (Buf) Collins, VI is trying to help an old friend find out what happened to her husband who turned up dead in a hotel room. They are sure that he was murdered, but the city officials do not agree. There was no gunshot or knife wound. So, according to them it’s an accidental death.
It turns out there is a lot of this going around in all the major U. S. cities.
Someone in the FBI notices this and writes a report and the sitting president appoints a special prosecutor to look into the matter.
Buf Collins’ father-in-law is a very wealthy and powerful man and he gets the president to name Buf Collins as the special prosecutor. The opposing party suddenly loses its presumptive nominee for the presidential election and the old man somehow is able to get Buf nominated! Crazy!
The president is now in a classic political quandary: He appointed Collins to look into the possibility of corruption in the cities, but now his appointee is his opponent. He can’t dismiss him as this would look like he is using his power to his own advantage. And, as Collins is unable to get a continuance on the case, he is precluded from campaigning.
The judge on the case decides to let the media cameras into the courtroom. The president feels like he can’t compete with Collins who is fighting city hall on national t.v. and seeming is winning. So, he tries to undermine Collins’ case in order to ensure that he loses and thus will look bad to the public. He gets the charges to be upgraded from corruption to conspiracy. But, Collins is ready and handles the change seamlessly. Then, the president gets the Attorney General to upgrade the charges from conspiracy to cover up. And, Collins handles this as well.
All the time the election is getting closer, and closer . . .
